Biden unveils radical plan to overhaul Supreme Court — but one major question throws a wrench in his narrative

[Lukaris]

Making more false personal attacks in response to a post pointing out false personal attacks isn't really helping your case.

I have no idea what you are even talking about.

 

[RDKirk]

Here is a nice paper on political attitudes over different ages. https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Lackey, Sara Spring 2015.pdf
Typically, it is still taught that the biggest factor influencing political socialization (includes ideology) is the family but media, church, education and peers also have influence. The core is set before college age, and though there is drifting towards liberal as a young adult, if the family is conservative it is likely that the person will circle back as they are older. Still, older people can be wise. Notice in the paper that their trust in government goes down with age for many. I have not studied this much but seniors after retirement have far different needs than adults who are working.

I'm not sure all of her graphs show what she thinks they show, unless I'm reading them wrong. A single person's, say, "trust in government" is going to vary across the years depending on whether the government is pleasing to that person in any given year. Republicans' trust in government was high during the Reagan years, but dropped during the elder Bush's years (I can't recall why Republicans didn't like Bush, but I remember that they didn't) and continued to decline during the Clinton years. That wasn't because of the age of those Republicans during those years.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Here is a nice paper on political attitudes over different ages. https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Lackey, Sara Spring 2015.pdf
Typically, it is still taught that the biggest factor influencing political socialization (includes ideology) is the family but media, church, education and peers also have influence. The core is set before college age, and though there is drifting towards liberal as a young adult, if the family is conservative it is likely that the person will circle back as they are older. Still, older people can be wise. Notice in the paper that their trust in government goes down with age for many. I have not studied this much but seniors after retirement have far different needs than adults who are working.

Without looking I can tell that paper was written under different times.

I watched a short clip of a Palestinian girl cursing out US citizens, white, black, asian, etc for their identity politics and complicit nature in the "genocide of gaza". She was clearly foreign, a bit hysterical, and upset. She was also, ironically, using the newspeak of identity politics and the new left...calling everyone colonizers and oppressors etc. She was of course, advocating entirely for herself...by presenting herself as a victim, though not a Gazan.

Then I watched the confused replies of various leftists....white, black and others...trying to explain that they don't have any other choices than the two...and they both seem pro-israel and it was unclear what exactly she thought they should do about it.

What they don't understand...is identity politics doesn't bring anyone together. If it were 1 identity....perhaps....but 10? 15? 30? No. They all have different interests and once they have power....there's no reason to prioritize one over the other. You'll recall during the "infrastructure bill" which was really just paying off campaign donors....the far left progressive legislators wanted more concessions, first, before the bill was passed....which stalled the bill...and eventually they conceded to infrastructure bill, and donors got what they wanted. The progressives were promised that their concerns would be addressed later...but they weren't.

So when you see Mat Gaetz rip into some activist causing trouble for their stupid ideas or tear into some bureaucrat for their mistakes....remember it's mostly a show. It won't change any underlying problems.

When Katie Porter takes out her white board and condemns the greed of some CEO....it's theater. It's the appearance of accountability. She votes for the same kickbacks that CEO will take advantage of.

They aren't doing anything, and won't. This is causing the divide. Institutions are failing....leadership is needed....and there's little to be found.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'm not sure all of her graphs show what she thinks they show, unless I'm reading them wrong. A single person's, say, "trust in government" is going to vary across the years depending on whether the government is pleasing to that person in any given year. Republicans' trust in government was high during the Reagan years, but dropped during the elder Bush's years (I can't recall why Republicans didn't like Bush, but I remember that they didn't) and continued to decline during the Clinton years. That wasn't because of the age of those Republicans during those years.

Read my lips....

No new taxes.

 

[RDKirk]

Read my lips....

No new taxes.

Yeah, that was it.

 

[Richard T]

Without looking I can tell that paper was written under different times.

I watched a short clip of a Palestinian girl cursing out US citizens, white, black, asian, etc for their identity politics and complicit nature in the "genocide of gaza". She was clearly foreign, a bit hysterical, and upset. She was also, ironically, using the newspeak of identity politics and the new left...calling everyone colonizers and oppressors etc. She was of course, advocating entirely for herself...by presenting herself as a victim, though not a Gazan.

Then I watched the confused replies of various leftists....white, black and others...trying to explain that they don't have any other choices than the two...and they both seem pro-israel and it was unclear what exactly she thought they should do about it.

What they don't understand...is identity politics doesn't bring anyone together. If it were 1 identity....perhaps....but 10? 15? 30? No. They all have different interests and once they have power....there's no reason to prioritize one over the other. You'll recall during the "infrastructure bill" which was really just paying off campaign donors....the far left progressive legislators wanted more concessions, first, before the bill was passed....which stalled the bill...and eventually they conceded to infrastructure bill, and donors got what they wanted. The progressives were promised that their concerns would be addressed later...but they weren't.

So when you see Mat Gaetz rip into some activist causing trouble for their stupid ideas or tear into some bureaucrat for their mistakes....remember it's mostly a show. It won't change any underlying problems.

When Katie Porter takes out her white board and condemns the greed of some CEO....it's theater. It's the appearance of accountability. She votes for the same kickbacks that CEO will take advantage of.

They aren't doing anything, and won't. This is causing the divide. Institutions are failing....leadership is needed....and there's little to be found.

Yes, i agree with all of that. Politicians today are like the tax collectors of Jesus' time. Some try but it takes a super majority to do much. I think we are so lost that I am not even sure many can correctly identify the problems. The best we can hope is that they make some progress but instead we seem to regress. I think the anger has to rise to a level that people get serious. I imagine that will be soon.

 

[Pommer]

Yes, i agree with all of that. Politicians today are like the tax collectors of Jesus' time. Some try but it takes a super majority to do much. I think we are so lost that I am not even sure many can correctly identify the problems. The best we can hope is that they make some progress but instead we seem to regress. I think the anger has to rise to a level that people get serious. I imagine that will be soon.

But this has always been, (the people with the money, call the shots). That is what money is for, to use it to get even more money!, helping “steer” government can steer money into your capitalist enterprises, “win-win” (the American Dream of the Rich), or I wasted three hours on Citizen Kane!

Much of conservatism was about keeping the government from getting “too deep” into our pockets, while making sure that “nothing really changed” because any system that got us to where we are, is probably “good enough” for the future, fight all “changes”.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Yes, i agree with all of that. Politicians today are like the tax collectors of Jesus' time. Some try but it takes a super majority to do much.

I would get the hope of a supermajority out of your head. Donors don't want big changes to anything....they want small changes, for them, which have predictable effects they can take advantage of.

I think we are so lost that I am not even sure many can correctly identify the problems.

Indeed.

The best we can hope is that they make some progress but instead we seem to regress. I think the anger has to rise to a level that people get serious. I imagine that will be soon.

It leads to violence. Historically, it leads to violence. Rome had 2 civil wars in the span of a lifetime before they spawned a dictator and that actually allowed the empire to continue for several more centuries.

We don't have an easy way to alleviate the problem and reform because markets and economic power is now global. We can't really unite with the people of other nations against multinational interests.

The pressure will continue to build....until it's resolved with large scale mass violence. I'm not saying we can't elect our way out of this...I'm saying we won't. A third party candidate could, arguably, accept no donations and be on the ballots but his campaign would be mocked and ridiculed and he would need to take extremely drastic measures to fix things and reform the republic. It's a lot to ask of voters to put their faith in this person...and they are going to have a very difficult and dangerous time forcing these necessary changes. It won't happen. The only other result is mass violence. Fortunately, unlike many of our other western republic democracies...we have a lot of armed citizens....so we need not simply accept subjugation and oppression. Some nations will simply see their populations lose rights and they will be divorced from all political and economic power...because they didn't retain the power of violence.

 

[Ana the Ist]

But this has always been, (the people with the money, call the shots). That is what money is for, to use it to get even more money!, helping “steer” government can steer money into your capitalist enterprises, “win-win” (the American Dream of the Rich), or I wasted three hours on Citizen Kane!

Much of conservatism was about keeping the government from getting “too deep” into our pockets, while making sure that “nothing really changed” because any system that got us to where we are, is probably “good enough” for the future, fight all “changes”.

You're talking about the human condition as if you would be different from the rest. It doesn't often happen. I can't cite a lot of people who have taken a great deal of control and power over others, used it successfully (according to whatever metric) and not concluded that they inherently deserve that power and control by mere fact of their success with it. Napoleon wasn't some super powerful guy when he started...just very good at both war and politics. He became emperor in a nation struggling for democracy. Why wouldn't he conclude that obviously he should be in charge when everywhere he looks around, none seem to do better?

We don't need to attribute any malice or ill will in the matter....it's a self-evident and rational conclusion to make.

 

[Pommer]

You're talking about the human condition as if you would be different from the rest. It doesn't often happen. I can't cite a lot of people who have taken a great deal of control and power over others, used it successfully (according to whatever metric) and not concluded that they inherently deserve that power and control by mere fact of their success with it. Napoleon wasn't some super powerful guy when he started...just very good at both war and politics. He became emperor in a nation struggling for democracy. Why wouldn't he conclude that obviously he should be in charge when everywhere he looks around, none seem to do better?

We don't need to attribute any malice or ill will in the matter....it's a self-evident and rational conclusion to make.

I’m glad when we agree.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I’m glad when we agree.

Sorry...I must have read the tone of your post wrong.

It seemed like a complaint.

 

[Pommer]

Sorry...I must have read the tone of your post wrong.

It seemed like a complaint.

No it was a short primer for our friend who seemed surprised about the nature of politics.

 

[Ana the Ist]

No it was a short primer for our friend who seemed surprised about the nature of politics.

Fair enough.

 

[Richard T]

I would get the hope of a supermajority out of your head. Donors don't want big changes to anything....they want small changes, for them, which have predictable effects they can take advantage of.





Indeed.



It leads to violence. Historically, it leads to violence. Rome had 2 civil wars in the span of a lifetime before they spawned a dictator and that actually allowed the empire to continue for several more centuries.

We don't have an easy way to alleviate the problem and reform because markets and economic power is now global. We can't really unite with the people of other nations against multinational interests.

The pressure will continue to build....until it's resolved with large scale mass violence. I'm not saying we can't elect our way out of this...I'm saying we won't. A third party candidate could, arguably, accept no donations and be on the ballots but his campaign would be mocked and ridiculed and he would need to take extremely drastic measures to fix things and reform the republic. It's a lot to ask of voters to put their faith in this person...and they are going to have a very difficult and dangerous time forcing these necessary changes. It won't happen. The only other result is mass violence. Fortunately, unlike many of our other western republic democracies...we have a lot of armed citizens....so we need not simply accept subjugation and oppression. Some nations will simply see their populations lose rights and they will be divorced from all political and economic power...because they didn't retain the power of violence.

It seems likely we will be in war. I suppose that will unite most of us. However if I were a foreign leader, I would make sure to let the Americans know this is not their war. Try a little divide and conquer perhaps.

 

[Ana the Ist]

It seems likely we will be in war. I suppose that will unite most of us. However if I were a foreign leader, I would make sure to let the Americans know this is not their war. Try a little divide and conquer perhaps.

I meant civil war. Violence on the individual level. If global economic power fundamentally undermines political enforcement of law (and it already is) then it will be neighbor against neighbor.

I don't think people really understand just how bad things can actually get.

 

[Ana the Ist]

No it was a short primer for our friend who seemed surprised about the nature of politics.

Just out of curiosity....

If you genuinely believe your moral character is no different than those in positions of power....why wouldn't you reject the entire current philosophy of the left?

Surely you recall just a few years ago when those statues of historical figures were torn down by self righteous children who are morally no better? I could have sworn you supported that.

 

[Richard T]

I meant civil war. Violence on the individual level. If global economic power fundamentally undermines political enforcement of law (and it already is) then it will be neighbor against neighbor.

I don't think people really understand just how bad things can actually get.

Yes, you are smart to consider that. I assumed America would all back our country. It worked some after 9/11? but perhaps that is outdated now? I hope we do not find out anytime soon.

 

[RDKirk]

I meant civil war. Violence on the individual level. If global economic power fundamentally undermines political enforcement of law (and it already is) then it will be neighbor against neighbor.

I don't think people really understand just how bad things can actually get.

Before it comes to that, I hope Americans understand that another American civil war would look like Syria.

But the rapper Big Mike made a searing statement to a black audience that was talking about "revolution" when he broke it down to the facts that none of them was prepared for what a real "revolution" would cost them. Not even most "preppers" are ready for something like Syria.