Are we there yet...

[pmv]

It seems that the thing to do is to avoid the situation in the first place, as much as possible. The big weakness is a) presidential democracies tend to fall into dictatorship because of the power split between executive and legislature, and b) winner take all elections with extreme gerrymandering and affirmative action for conservative viewpoints/senators.

If anything were to come from this, a new constitution should be written where we have a multiparty parliamentary system, with agencies reporting directly to a prime minister from the legislature and the president basically having no real power.

But that's neither here nor there, given that Musk is tearing out the copper wire and the Trump administration has turned off the security system.

Seems as if the biggest issue is that the Constitution was never designed with the idea of political parties. The existence of the parties, and party loyalty, completely destroys the idea of 'separation of powers', and 'checks and balances', as the other branches just see their first loyalty as being to their Party leader, in the form of the President. Hence Congress is quietly acquiescing to losing its powers to Musk (and the Supremes are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trump).

 

[Brainonska511]

Seems as if the biggest issue is that the Constitution was never designed with the idea of political parties. The existence of the parties, and party loyalty, completely destroys the idea of 'separation of powers', and 'checks and balances', as the other branches just see their first loyalty as being to their Party leader, in the form of the President. Hence Congress is quietly acquiescing to losing its powers to Musk (and the Supremes are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trump).

Yes, but parties arose almost immediately, so it's not like th founders were unaware.

I think they just misunderstood the idea that people would always operate in good faith. Hell, the electoral college was included to both be some form of voting support for slave states, and allegedly as a way for a group of informed people to get together to make a good choice for president... Look how that turned out.

Congress has been quietly giving up it's power for years. Committees are not as powerful as they may have been and power has been concentrated in the leadership, to protect members from "bad" votes and to firmly guide the agenda. Just a lot of craven people afraid to take stands and push their agenda because of an upcoming election and the thought of losing their seat.

 

[brycejones]

Yes, but parties arose almost immediately, so it's not like th founders were unaware.

I think they just misunderstood the idea that people would always operate in good faith. Hell, the electoral college was included to both be some form of voting support for slave states, and allegedly as a way for a group of informed people to get together to make a good choice for president... Look how that turned out.

Congress has been quietly giving up it's power for years. Committees are not as powerful as they may have been and power has been concentrated in the leadership, to protect members from "bad" votes and to firmly guide the agenda. Just a lot of craven people afraid to take stands and push their agenda because of an upcoming election and the thought of losing their seat.

When the most important election in your district is the primary there is a ton of incentive to not rock the boat.

Gerrymandering and basically unlimited money to replace someone are huge problems as well.

 

[Pens1566]

We have a poster here ( he's maybe 40) that said he won't watch a B&W movie nor any movie older than him.

Crazy huh?

4k DolbyVision or GTFOH

 

[Jaskalas]

Seems as if the biggest issue is that the Constitution was never designed with the idea of political parties. The existence of the parties, and party loyalty, completely destroys the idea of 'separation of powers', and 'checks and balances', as the other branches just see their first loyalty as being to their Party leader, in the form of the President. Hence Congress is quietly acquiescing to losing its powers to Musk (and the Supremes are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trump).

Yes, but parties arose almost immediately, so it's not like th founders were unaware.

I think they just misunderstood the idea that people would always operate in good faith....

The national parties, as they exist today, were not physically possible until the second half of the 20th century.

Modern communication slowly eroded, corrupted and replaced local politics and identities. People were not ONLY Democrat or Republican prior to 24/7 news channels, talk radio, and the internet. They grew up with their own beliefs, their own interests. Their own sense of belonging and IDing to something separate from the national party. It has only been since the 90s, or maybe the turn of the millennium that the national machine has subsumed all other interests. Has erased loyalty to country.

Now, in the era of social media... noise drowns signal and ensures people only listen to their own. Taking the Party Schism and radically enhancing it to the point of making us separate people. Who believe in entirely different realities. Who want separate nations. We have used modern communication to unmake all that we hold dear. The Union is already dead and gone, what remains are two warring tribes. Sunni and Shia. Republican and Democrat. Blood will follow, for we are only human and history tells you what comes next.

 

[darkswordsman17]

We have a poster here ( he's maybe 40) that said he won't watch a B&W movie nor any movie older than him.

Crazy huh?

We have posters here saying "if women want Equal Rights they deserve equal lefts", one talking about stretching his penis as some sort of combover foreskin, and a whole bunch of other fucked up shit. Hell, we had a guy admit to helping a friend poison a woman to induce an abortion. Someone saying they won't watch a black and white movie is like 9,099,004,000th on the list of crazy shit on this forum alone.

Your doomer schtick is really pathetic. Have you considered just getting a journal or a therapist instead?

So, they're literally destroying the US government (which they promised to do but right wingers doing their best impression of you "nah there's nothing to worry about they wouldn't actually do that" while you were over here acting like no way Turmp gets back in) and you're still trying to chastise him for saying exactly the truth? Some of you are just permanently fucked in the head and frankly more delusional than the Turmpers at this point. At least they did something, you're still here with your thumb up your ass acting like the bad shit isn't happening and calling someone not even being hyperbolic a doomer.

 

[Brainonska511]

, they're literally destroying the US government (which they promised to do but right wingers doing their best impression of you "nah there's nothing to worry about they wouldn't actually do that" while you were over here acting like no way Turmp gets back in) and you're still trying to chastise him for saying exactly the truth? Some of you are just permanently fucked in the head and frankly more delusional than the Turmpers at this point. At least they did something, you're still here with your thumb up your ass acting like the bad shit isn't happening and calling someone not even being hyperbolic a doomer.

The issue is his criticism is always extemely one sided and painted in a way to discourage people from taking action. As if only one side ever has any agency to act.

As for the rest of your criticism, maybe you should have your eyes checked. I've never suggested that things are good: things are pretty messed up. But now is the time to have as unified a front as possible instead of of quibbling.

 

[cytg111]

B&W has higher impact than colour images. Sometimes less is more.

Some of the people that needs to see it is not old enough to have BW photo receptors.

 

[Amused]

We have a poster here ( he's maybe 40) that said he won't watch a B&W movie nor any movie older than him.

Crazy huh?

I've been binging Buster Keaton films lately.

Last night was The Blacksmith.

Fucking comedy legend.

It breaks my brain they are over 100 years old now. And it's amazing to see Culver City and Beverly Hills as rural areas.

 

[sdifox]

Some of the people that needs to see it is not old enough to have BW photo receptors.

Whut? You do know how human eyes work right? Cones are for chroma and rods are for lumina.

 

[cytg111]

Whut? You do know how human eyes work right? Comes are for chroma and rods are for lumina.

Yes I do.. was wondering was gonna get called out on it

 

[MrSquished]

Who is we? A couple dozen people showing up this week at some statehouses being whipped into a lukewarm frenzy by the likes of Schumer and Connelly don't make for much of an opposing sight.

Americans as a whole simply don't have the physical, mental or emotional stamina for whatever it is you're suggesting.

Ummm, you are just making shit up again. There have been thousands and thousands of people showing up in every state, and there have been other more inspiring lower level Dems showing up recently. There is some fight, but you just want to rollover. It's pathetic.

 

[ivwshane]

Ummm, you are just making shit up again. There have been thousands and thousands of people showing up in every state, and there have been other more inspiring lower level Dems showing up recently. There is some fight, but you just want to rollover. It's pathetic.

Eh…the crowds really haven’t looked that impressive, especially compared the protests of trumps first term.

 

[Hans Gruber]

Oh you don't have to tell me. But, there a generation rift about it at least anecdotally for me. Hell, even Xgeners turn the channel if the see B&W. It's truly sad as there are fantastic B&W movies.

They colorized B&W movies in the 80's because people wanted to see the world in color. Pretty impressive technology. They have videos where they show the original B&W and transition to color.

 

[esquared]

They colorized B&W movies in the 80's because people wanted to see the world in color. Pretty impressive technology. They have videos where they show the original B&W and transition to color.

I remember when they colorized Frank Capra's Its a Wonderful Life.

The B&W version, IMO, its still way better. B&W captured the depth of George Bailey's anxiety when
Clarence showed him how Bedford Falls was if he never existed. Color just didn't do it for me.

 

[cytg111]

I am in love with this woman

 

[WilliamM2]

I am in love with this woman

While I agree with her, I find her hard to watch with her blinking her eyes every 1-2 seconds. It's distracting as hell.

 

[nakedfrog]

Eh…the crowds really haven’t looked that impressive, especially compared the protests of trumps first term.

A nationwide protest organized in a short timeframe and held on a weekday afternoon isn't exactly a recipe for huge numbers... the next one is on the 17th, some folks have the day off for President's day, and the bullshit has continued unabated, so I guess we'll see what goes on with the numbers there.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

A nationwide protest organized in a short timeframe and held on a weekday afternoon isn't exactly a recipe for huge numbers... the next one is on the 17th, some folks have the day off for President's day, and the bullshit has continued unabated, so I guess we'll see what goes on with the numbers there.

See what we should be doing is striking until the 18th. At least.

 

[nakedfrog]

See what we should be doing is striking until the 18th. At least.

Probably going to take more time than that to coordinate a nationwide general strike with enough folks participating to achieve anything.

 

[Pens1566]

Probably going to take more time than that to coordinate a nationwide general strike with enough folks participating to achieve anything.

I think we'll likely see a lot of smaller "rolling" protests that are all spread out. Might end up being more impactful than a one shot in a single place. You can have some people write off a march in DC as "stupid libtards with their pussy hats", but if there are 19 protests everywhere from Tampa to Topeka, that narrative gets a little more difficult to sell.

 

[MrSquished]

plans again for protests at all state capitols next monday on prezzie day. I'm taking the day off to go weather permitting.

 

[hal2kilo]

I remember when they colorized Frank Capra's Its a Wonderful Life.

The B&W version, IMO, its still way better. B&W captured the depth of George Bailey's anxiety when
Clarence showed him how Bedford Falls was if he never existed. Color just didn't do it for me.

Some of them look like cartoons they did such a bad job of colorization.

 

[ivwshane]

Every time something new happens I’m reminded of this thread.

I would also like to offer a personal apology to @realibrad, upon looking back and reading his responses I feel he was trying to have an honest discussion and I think my frustration got the best of me due to my own inability to properly communicate.

Having said that, reading our posts again, I feel like he couldn’t have been more wrong.

 

[ivwshane]

I’m going to go ahead and call it now. We are there.

When the BLS puts out numbers the dictator doesn’t like he puts someone in who will put out the numbers he likes and there will be zero push back for doing so.

Now he is placing federal agents around DC under the false claims of rising crime, again with zero push back.

We are cooked and we are in the stage of normalizing. People think these mid term elections will be a check, they won’t be.

Welcome to the new America.