Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped?

[thepossum]

Do you disagree with this law or with the the idea if a jury?

 

I was making something of dark joke in relation to certain privately held views about certain scams :)

 

But I could never condone law-breaking.

 

There was a wonderful show about a con regarding selling the Hollywood sign once. I forget what it was called

Some of us us see the funny side. I am saying no more

What better scam than building some obnoxious barrier, hypothetically and fictionally of course.

And there is a very real and philosophical difference between scamming the rich and the ordinary workers

They possibly both fit into the same category of more money than sense but I am not going there

 

It appears that those kind of anti-social tendencies have become more dominant in our world

Many apparently are legal and will never see a courtroom

[pilowsky]

Good luck America.

[hrothgar]

Good luck America.

 

I have no idea what's going to happen today.

 

There's a whole bunch of conflicting claims about polls, turn out, what have you.

 

I am very concerned about what might happen tomorrow. (By which I mean that this could be a whole lot worse than 1/6)

[kenberg]

Good luck America.

 

Luck if you've ever been a lady to begin with.....

 

At some point in life, I decided I should depend less on luck and try harder to use good judgment.

 

Anyway, I accept the wish for good luck even if it implicitly includes some skepticism about where we are headed. I share the skepticism.

 

I'll be voting in about an hour. Not for the first time my congressional district has changed, the previous gerrymandering being replaced by new gerrymandering.

[Winstonm]

It seems good luck world might be needed.

[johnu]

It seems good luck world might be needed.

No matter what, the worst outcome isn't possible, that would be if Trump were reelected.

[pilowsky]

 

Anyway, I accept the wish for good luck even if it implicitly includes some skepticism about where we are headed. I share the skepticism.

 

 

Only 4% skepticism intended.

After the election of Trump, political discourse throughout the world changed dramatically.

 

 

When the elephant in the room starts dancing the whole house shakes.

[sharon j]

Only 4% skepticism intended.

After the election of Trump, political discourse throughout the world changed dramatically.

 

 

When the elephant in the room starts dancing the whole house shakes.

 

This is so true. My brain cannot comprehend it. I'm truly worried about the world and especially my country, the USA. I have a great grandchild due any day now and I cannot help but feel so sad for her future. If I were not an atheist, I might pray for her. Big sigh

[Winstonm]

In the environment of today, Al Capone wouldn’t have gone to prison-he would have been elected president.

 

The USA is extremely close to being a failed state.

[hrothgar]

So, last night could have gone better I suppose. (For example, I don't think that the Dem's will keep the House which might all boil down to the courts in New York). However:

 

1. We look to have definitive - and good - results in places like PA, AZ, and WI

2. Looks like the Dem's keep the Senate regardless of what happens in GA

2. A bunch of Dem's won in the House

 

And, best of all, the results seem definitive. Not sure if Lake or Oz are going to do anything stupid. With luck, the ***** show in the House will further damage the Republic brand going into 2024.

 

Plus Boehbert looks to be losing? What a lovely surprise to wake up to. It's going to be fun watching the Republicans try to explain what happened to their Red Wave.

 

Late day yesterday I was incredibly confused about what was going to happen. I very much wanted to believe Simon Rosenberg. But there was so much noise being pumped into the system.

[hrothgar]

So, last night could have gone better I suppose. (For example, I don't think that the Dem's will keep the House which might all boil down to the courts in New York). However:

 

1. We look to have definitive - and good - results in places like PA, AZ, and WI

2. Looks like the Dem's keep the Senate regardless of what happens in GA

2. A bunch of Dem's won in the House

 

And, best of all, the results seem definitive. Not sure if Lake or Oz are going to do anything stupid. With luck, the ***** show in the House will further damage the Republic brand going into 2024.

 

Plus Boehbert looks to be losing? What a lovely surprise to wake up to. It's going to be fun watching the Republicans try to explain what happened to their Red Wave.

 

Late day yesterday I was incredibly confused about what was going to happen. I very much wanted to believe Simon Rosenberg. But there was so much noise being pumped into the system.

[Winstonm]

So, last night could have gone better I suppose. (For example, I don't think that the Dem's will keep the House which might all boil down to the courts in New York). However:

 

1. We look to have definitive - and good - results in places like PA, AZ, and WI

2. Looks like the Dem's keep the Senate regardless of what happens in GA

2. A bunch of Dem's won in the House

 

And, best of all, the results seem definitive. Not sure if Lake or Oz are going to do anything stupid. With luck, the ***** show in the House will further damage the Republic brand going into 2024.

 

Plus Boehbert looks to be losing? What a lovely surprise to wake up to. It's going to be fun watching the Republicans try to explain what happened to their Red Wave.

 

Late day yesterday I was incredibly confused about what was going to happen. I very much wanted to believe Simon Rosenberg. But there was so much noise being pumped into the system.

 

I believe it will be difficult to continue as a viable republic with our media as broken as it is. If you tuned into most coverage last night, the networks trotted out their celebrity interviewers who then had the job of trying to look and sound like serious newspersons when they clearly are more suited to talking about the latest movie roles-and newspapers are almost as bad (I'm looking at you, NYT).

[mycroft]

Amusing that "Luck be a Lady" is sung by a guy who's trying to preserve his reputation with someone, who he took to La Habana, Cuba(*) on a bet and got her drunk, and only then realized he actually wanted a romantic liaison with. Given *all* the givens...

 

(*) Okay, pre-revolution Cuba. Because obviously. But still. Interesting - apart from all the other reasons why a new run of Guys and Dolls would be - difficult, how much of an American audience even knows of a time before the Embargo, never mind remembers it?

[PassedOut]

This election season repeated what I've seen so often over the years:

1. 
    
   
2. Many articles and stories explaining what was going to happen in the upcoming election.
   
3. The election.
   
4. Many articles and stories explaining the reasons why what was going to happen did not actually happen.
   

It gets old.

[johnu]

This election season repeated what I've seen so often over the years:

1. 
    
   
2. Many articles and stories explaining what was going to happen in the upcoming election.
   
3. The election.
   
4. Many articles and stories explaining the reasons why what was going to happen did not actually happen.
   

It gets old.

 

For sports fans, that scenario is played out every week. With the popularity of sports betting these days, sports shows have plenty of "expert" predictors who explain how their point spread "lock of the week" is based on great insight, inside information, and years of high level experience. And then many of them end up below 50% in their picks where picking by coin flip could get you 50% on average.

[kenberg]

Amusing that "Luck be a Lady" is sung by a guy who's trying to preserve his reputation with someone, who he took to La Habana, Cuba(*) on a bet and got her drunk, and only then realized he actually wanted a romantic liaison with. Given *all* the givens...

 

(*) Okay, pre-revolution Cuba. Because obviously. But still. Interesting - apart from all the other reasons why a new run of Guys and Dolls would be - difficult, how much of an American audience even knows of a time before the Embargo, never mind remembers it?

 

See

 

 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Review-GUYS-AND-DOLLS-at-Eisenhower-Theatre-At-The-Kennedy-Center-20221013

 

It is an enthusiastic review. There is hope for America. I only saw the film (with Marlon Brando singing!) and I am very sorry I missed the Kennedy Center production.

 

Ok, Sky was trying to "preserve his reputation" but this time only one person's opinion mattered. And, 1950 or 2020, Sky is not the first Guy to realize maybe he should ask for something better in life than relationships with Dolls that have no last names.

 

Of course one can take offense today at some of the lyrics:

 

Marry the man today

Give him the girlish laughter

Marry the man today

And save the fist, for after.

 

But I like it. So

 

Sue me, sue me, put bullets through me.

[kenberg]

Am I just letting hope run away with my sense of reality or might it be true that while endorsement from Trump helped in the primaries, being seen as a Trump stooge was a disadvantage in the general elections? I keep hoping/thinking that surely at some point serious Republicans will say enough already and make Trump past tense in politics. There are plenty of issues that warrant serious discussion, possibly that can happen, but not with Trump dominating the R party.

[Winstonm]

Am I just letting hope run away with my sense of reality or might it be true that while endorsement from Trump helped in the primaries, being seen as a Trump stooge was a disadvantage in the general elections? I keep hoping/thinking that surely at some point serious Republicans will say enough already and make Trump past tense in politics. There are plenty of issues that warrant serious discussion, possibly that can happen, but not with Trump dominating the R party.

 

I believe what is confusing you is your understanding of the makeup of this Republican party. It is not the party it was as little 18 years ago when Bush won a second term.

 

The reasonable ones you hope for are or soon will be independents as nothing less than absolute fealty is now tolerated.

[Winstonm]

Am I just letting hope run away with my sense of reality or might it be true that while endorsement from Trump helped in the primaries, being seen as a Trump stooge was a disadvantage in the general elections? I keep hoping/thinking that surely at some point serious Republicans will say enough already and make Trump past tense in politics. There are plenty of issues that warrant serious discussion, possibly that can happen, but not with Trump dominating the R party.

I believe what is confusing you is your understanding of the makeup of this Republican party. It is not the party it was as little 18 years ago when Bush won a second term.

For example:

Three times — with the Russian investigation, the Ukraine impeachment, and the January 6 insurrection — the GOP had a ready-made opportunity to distance the party from Donald Trump’s corruption. Each time, they not only declined to take that opportunity, but instead consolidated as a party behind Trump.

 

 

The reasonable ones you hope for are or soon will be independents as nothing less than absolute fealty is now tolerated.

[thepossum]

How is the USA today? Still there?

[Winstonm]

How is the USA today? Still there?

We won’t know for a month All we did so far is avoid the firing squad.

[kenberg]

I believe what is confusing you is your understanding of the makeup of this Republican party. It is not the party it was as little 18 years ago when Bush won a second term.

For example:

 

 

The reasonable ones you hope for are or soon will be independents as nothing less than absolute fealty is now tolerated.

 

As you can guess, I think there is a wide range of possible continuations. It would be naive to confidently think that things will go well, but I do not think that it is naive to think that things could go well, perhaps even quite well. I do not believe I am confused, or at least I am no more confused than just about everyone else. I am uncertain, but that's different. More later.

 

 

[Winstonm]

As you can guess, I think there is a wide range of possible continuations. It would be naive to confidently think that things will go well, but I do not think that it is naive to think that things could go well, perhaps even quite well. I do not believe I am confused, or at least I am no more confused than just about everyone else. I am uncertain, but that's different. More later.

 

Watching Nicole Wallace and agree somewhat with what she just said: “There is no normal anymore, at least not as we are used to understanding it.”

 

She quoted a recent Trump speech calling for drug dealers to be shot and reporters to be jailed.

 

Wallace is short-sighted. History shows this has always been in American life but it wasn’t until primaries replaced smoke-filled rooms that the Trumps of the world have made it on to so many tickets .

[Chas_P1]

being seen as a Trump stooge was a disadvantage in the general elections? I keep hoping/thinking that surely at some point serious Republicans will say enough already and make Trump past tense in politics. There are plenty of issues that warrant serious discussion, possibly that can happen, but not with Trump dominating the R party.

Trump needs to fade into the sunset. DeSantis is the man.https://news.sky.com/video/florida-is-where-woke-goes-to-die-says-ron-desantis-in-victory-speech-12742327

[barmar]

Trump needs to fade into the sunset. DeSantis is the man.https://news.sky.com/video/florida-is-where-woke-goes-to-die-says-ron-desantis-in-victory-speech-12742327

Both would be horrible.

 

Trump is evil, but he's also an idiot. Some of his plans failed simply because he was incompetent at pulling them off. That's essentially the take of the Muller report -- he tried to conspire with Russians, but failed.

 

De Santis has a similar agenda, but he has much more political experience. He knows how to get things done, he's been doing it in Florida for years. But I don't think he's as much a "crook" as Trump -- he's just a strong conservative.

 

If I were forced to choose, I guess I'd go with De Santis. Trump is the "devil you know", and I know how much of a disaster he was.