The Biden Presidency - 2020

[Butter]

Hope that school district has a lot of money

[cuervo72]

re: albion

Yeah, there's really not much you can do about it, is there? It's the whole reason why convention didn't work with Trump. We fight so many things with the threat of shame. But if you're shameless? Well, turns out you're pretty untouchable.

[sterlingice]

How do you electorally attack a group that doesn't care what awful things you do and even cheers them on? You have to build a crazy high (nearly unobtainable) consensus among the non-crazies

SI

[cuervo72]

I wonder if Ben's essential movie list would be considered Critical Race Theory.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

How do you electorally attack a group that doesn't care what awful things you do and even cheers them on? You have to build a crazy high (nearly unobtainable) consensus among the non-crazies

SI

This is exactly how the extremism stakes raising game is played. One action begets another and the spiral tightens.

[Flasch186]

The movie US is must see


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[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

This is exactly how the extremism stakes raising game is played. One action begets another and the spiral tightens.

Lack of shame along with quickly ratcheting up violence. Now, it is screaming at School Boards. Then it is threats, and then actual attacks. Our country is unraveling quickly.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Lack of shame along with quickly ratcheting up violence. Now, it is screaming at School Boards. Then it is threats, and then actual attacks. Our country is unraveling quickly.

It's weird - for so many years, I've heard about decay and morals from these same folks. Hell, even now, all I get whenever 1/6 is brought up is the George Floyd protests last year and how those were so much worse. And there's no way to wrench these people back to "one was about killing unarmed people while the other was about an election that wasn't stolen".

SI

[Edward64]

Great story and shows some foresight. But overall last 6 weeks of the withdrawal and clusterfrak is a F.

Hundreds of U.S. citizens, Afghan commandos successfully evacuated through secret CIA base - POLITICO

As the Biden administration scrambled to conduct a massive evacuation effort from Afghanistan, American officials quietly instructed U.S. citizens and at-risk Afghans, including Afghan commandos, to head to a secret CIA base outside Kabul to secure safe passage to the U.S. amid increased risks of a terrorist attack on the capital city’s main airport.

The clandestine operation, which took place over several weeks in August, resulted in the successful evacuation of hundreds of American citizens and vulnerable Afghans, including members of the elite Afghan special forces and their family members. At least 1,000 Afghan commandos and their family members were evacuated in the overall U.S. effort.

[miami_fan]

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/01/us/te...aws/index.html

So we don't really need these gun rights advocacy groups anymore, do we?

Well, I guess we do need them to advocate for the people under 21 to be able to carry without a license or training.

[GrantDawg]

We finally got the official refusal by the Supreme Court to stop the Texas abortion law. It was 5-4 with Roberts joining the dissenters. It looks about like expected. No ruling on the constitutionality, just that sense the state government isn't enforcing the law they have to have someone actually trying to enforce the law to make a judgement. Still doesn't sound promising overall for them to overturn it. If Texas does get away with this, more states are going to make "private deputies" laws like this for more than just abortion.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...m_npd_nn_tw_ma

[GrantDawg]

A very blue state needs to pass a law that allows people to "sue" gun owners because their guns make them unsafe.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

A very blue state needs to pass a law that allows people to "sue" gun owners because their guns make them unsafe.

They'll block that law on the Shadow docket without explanation. This only works in one direction

[JPhillips]

I don't think the 2022 election is going to be about Afghanistan.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't think the 2022 election is going to be about Afghanistan.

Why would anyone continue to vote Democrat? Shit, Republicans get stuff done in the minority. At least their voters have something to vote for.

[JPhillips]

I'm excited to be able to vote in the last two free elections in my lifetime!

[molson]

I remember when I used to have arguments on this board with liberals who rooted for the far-right Republicans to win elections and gain power because they'd be easier to defeat in elections.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Why would anyone continue to vote Democrat? Shit, Republicans get stuff done in the minority. At least their voters have something to vote for.

jeesus dude, you're in a constant state aren't you? Did we go through all this last year on election night?

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by molson

I remember when I used to have arguments on this board with liberals who rooted for the far-right Republicans to win elections and gain power because they'd be easier to defeat in elections.

I don't know if I ever used to openly argue for that. But I was quietly rooting for the far right people to win GOP primaries.

I was very very wrong.

I'd give a lot for a Jeb Bush type to be leading the GOP right now while all the MAGAs are sidelined.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

jeesus dude, you're in a constant state aren't you? Did we go through all this last year on election night?

What is the argument for caring? Democrats will complain a lot and fundraise off this stuff but will refuse to do anything about voting rights and reproductive rights.

I'm not saying don't vote, but at some point, don't the Democrats have to give you a reason to vote besides just complaining about the other side?

[RainMaker]

I guess what I'm saying is I know why Republicans will vote for their candidates. Those elected officials will do whatever they can for their base.

What's the opposing motivation besides "the same stuff will happen but we will put out angry press releases"?

[Murph]

I think the problem is not Democrats OR Republicans. The problem is Democrats AND Republicans. Power in the USA is not in the hands of the people, it is in the hands of the Oligarchy that is the two political parties. Career politicians are the problem, and there's really only one solution... to vote out all career politicians and get people into office that care about their constituency, NOT their political party.

All these career politicians are indebted to their party, and so will do what the party wants, not what is best for the people that actually voted for them. This is why BOTH parties say they are going to do things that they'll never do. That's why almost every vote in Congress and the Senate are along party lines. That's why there are so many issues that are not getting fixed in our country. Because the Oligarchs are fighting for power. Their pawns are us, the American people. They get their lemmings to get extremely emotional about something, and then there are riots and civil unrest.

The only difference I see is one side is active and one side is reactive. But their number one goal is the same... to take and keep power. And, to them, the ends justify the means. Think about that.

[thesloppy]

Some Dem resources with deep pockets should immediately flood the Texas legal system with several abortion claims against every GOP politician in the state. See how the practice works out.

[miked]

The sued party cannot recoup legal fees either, so it is win-win for any dem who wants to sue.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I guess what I'm saying is I know why Republicans will vote for their candidates. Those elected officials will do whatever they can for their base.

What's the opposing motivation besides "the same stuff will happen but we will put out angry press releases"?

Lots of GOPer voters complain that their candidates never fulfill the promises they've made.

Honestly, that's been true with abortion up until now and it's why there are crickets from the national GOP regarding this victory. Winning is really unpopular, but claiming to want to end abortion while doing little was electoral and fundraising gold.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Winning is really unpopular, but claiming to want to end abortion while doing little was electoral and fundraising gold.

Isn't that the Dem position on just about everything?

[JPhillips]

I think the difference is plenty of Dems say they aren't going to do things. The party itself is split to a much greater degree than the GOP.

[Edward64]

I suspect the US is supporting this anti-Taliban group but can't be too overt because we still have citizens in the country. I can see a time when we try to use them as a proxy in the country (if they survive that long).

Looking at a map, Panjshir is north east of Kabul, well within Afghanistan. Landlocked, no airports, and closest border is Pakistan. With Taliban momentum, morale boost, more weapons etc. I'm thinking the odds are significantly against them. But who knows.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/02/asia/...hnk/index.html

Heavy clashes erupted Thursday night around Afghanistan's northern Panjshir Valley between Taliban fighters and an anti-Taliban group, according to a source within the group.

Panjshir Valley, a mountainous, inaccessible region north of Kabul, is the last major holdout against Taliban rule, and has a long history of resisting the insurgent group.

Sporadic fighting between the Taliban and the National Resistance Front (NRF) has continued for two weeks now. The Taliban have been massing forces in and around Panjshir province in recent weeks, and said on Monday they had captured three districts in the valley.

The overnight clashes between the Taliban and the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) started late Thursday, and were very intense, said the NRF source.

[albionmoonlight]

One difference between Dem and GOP voters/supporters that I have noticed is how they react to good news/winning.

When the Supreme Court decided Lawrence and Obergefell, I remember liberals celebrating and making a huge deal out of it. They reveled in the victory. Literal dancing in the streets.

A couple of days ago, the Supreme Court issued the most anti-abortion ruling since Roe. It isn't a full overturn, but it was a huge signal that an overturn is likely. And it makes abortion effectively illegal (at least for a while) in an U.S. State for the first time since Roe. And, I mean, we are talking about abortion. This has been the motivating issue for a lot of the cultural right since I was born.

And I am seeing much wailing and gnashing of teeth on the Left. But relative crickets on the Right. From what I can tell, it is still outrage about vaccine passports and Afghanistan on the Fox News beat.

The outrage machine does not seem to have a place for winning. You want to own the libs. But when you do, you can't enjoy it. You just have to find the next lib to own. Seems exhausting.

[albionmoonlight]

shitty jobs report. Not unexpected with Delta. But more bad news for a White House that really didn't need more bad news at this point.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

One difference between Dem and GOP voters/supporters that I have noticed is how they react to good news/winning.

When the Supreme Court decided Lawrence and Obergefell, I remember liberals celebrating and making a huge deal out of it. They reveled in the victory. Literal dancing in the streets.

A couple of days ago, the Supreme Court issued the most anti-abortion ruling since Roe. It isn't a full overturn, but it was a huge signal that an overturn is likely. And it makes abortion effectively illegal (at least for a while) in an U.S. State for the first time since Roe. And, I mean, we are talking about abortion. This has been the motivating issue for a lot of the cultural right since I was born.

And I am seeing much wailing and gnashing of teeth on the Left. But relative crickets on the Right. From what I can tell, it is still outrage about vaccine passports and Afghanistan on the Fox News beat.

The outrage machine does not seem to have a place for winning. You want to own the libs. But when you do, you can't enjoy it. You just have to find the next lib to own. Seems exhausting.

The way it was done and the lack of celebration, to me, show that the party higher ups realize how incredibly unpopular it is to make abortion illegal.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The way it was done and the lack of celebration, to me, show that the party higher ups realize how incredibly unpopular it is to make abortion illegal.

I am /shocked/ that when you give the nutter wing of your party too much power and let it grow too strong, nutter things happen

SI

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The way it was done and the lack of celebration, to me, show that the party higher ups realize how incredibly unpopular it is to make abortion illegal.

Agreed. Abortion was always the carrot dangling on the stick.

Abortion is also a strange issue because it's not really about abortion. It's more about control over others (women in general). The pro-life movement has never supported systems that would reduce abortions. So do they really care about this?

[bob]

I'm not sure I truly understand exactly what it is that Texas did. So a few questions:

1. Is abortion after 6 weeks now criminally illegal?

2. I understand that anyone can now sue someone civilly if they believe that person to have assisted in an abortion - don't you have to break the law or a contract in order to be sued civilly? How does that person have standing?

3. I have heard people on both sides say this could be used to subvert the Constitution and law to make legal things (gun ownership, etc) de-facto illegal. Is that the case, and couldn't courts just overturn these laws?

[miked]

The courts could overturn from what I see, but the big issue is that the supreme court did not issue an injunction stopping it while the constitutionality was debated. Essentially they said it is ok to have the law and it needs to go through the courts and make its way to the top court (usually they stop the law from going in to effect). Roberts and others seemed to believe it was blatantly unconstitutional enough to stop.

Abortion is not criminally illegal, but you can be sued for answering the phone at a clinic, driving somebody there, etc. It's very odd that the law was even written, let alone passed, because it really makes no sense.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by bob

3. I have heard people on both sides say this could be used to subvert the Constitution and law to make legal things (gun ownership, etc) de-facto illegal. Is that the case, and couldn't courts just overturn these laws?

There isn't much legal consistency with the Supreme Court these days. So technically you could make laws like that, but they would shoot it down if it was against things they like.

The idea behind it is to chill speech. And I think it'll be a more common tactic in the future. So lets say you get sued for a donation you made to Planned Parenthood. The courts may side with you on constitutionality grounds later on, but does the average person have a few million sitting around to fight it?

While the law goes after abortion successfully, its other intent is to make sure no one is allowed to hold an oppossing view.

[Flasch186]

I think someone has to go to court first though


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[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by bob

I'm not sure I truly understand exactly what it is that Texas did. So a few questions:

1. Is abortion after 6 weeks now criminally illegal?

2. I understand that anyone can now sue someone civilly if they believe that person to have assisted in an abortion - don't you have to break the law or a contract in order to be sued civilly? How does that person have standing?

3. I have heard people on both sides say this could be used to subvert the Constitution and law to make legal things (gun ownership, etc) de-facto illegal. Is that the case, and couldn't courts just overturn these laws?

I'd just add that you can be sued for the intent to help even if you don't end up providing any assistance. It's a horrible law designed to terrorize women and enrich a bunch of trial lawyers.

[bronconick]

GoDaddy's going to discontinue the Texas abortion snitching website in the next 24 hours.

GoDaddy is cutting off Texas Right to Life’s abortion ‘whistleblowing’ website - The Verge

[Edward64]

Biden's approval has taken a shell-lacking.

Currently at 45.9% from a Jul high of 52.7% according to 538's consolidated polling. Market has been doing well but economy/unemployment is still sluggish, delta uncertainties looming, and there's the Afghanistan exit fiasco.

Biden needs a big win. Get the $1.2T approved, it'll help juice the economy and that'll go a long way in repairing his approval rating. But that's seems stuck with the larger $3T bill.

He's got time until 2022 elections but I think he needs to right the ship by end of this year.

[Edward64]

Long overdue releasing the 9/11 materials.

US is in a relatively pretty good position with SA. Our oil dependency is reduced, Iran can squash them like a bug without US presence, OPEC is not as unified etc. Nevertheless, SA is still important to the US but yeah, let's call them out and see if we can effect some more change.

Also, not alot of movement on the Abraham accords since Trump left. Seems all that momentum now is gone (well, TBF the world has had to deal with covid). SA signing on would be a game changer but obviously lots of internal reprucussions.

Biden signs executive order calling for declassification review of 9/11 documents - POLITICO

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday directing the Department of Justice and other government agencies to review documents related to the FBI’s 9/11 investigations for potential declassification — fulfilling a campaign promise just days before the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

Biden’s order requires Attorney General Merrick Garland to release the declassified documents publicly over the next six months.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

I suspect the US is supporting this anti-Taliban group but can't be too overt because we still have citizens in the country. I can see a time when we try to use them as a proxy in the country (if they survive that long).

Looking at a map, Panjshir is north east of Kabul, well within Afghanistan. Landlocked, no airports, and closest border is Pakistan. With Taliban momentum, morale boost, more weapons etc. I'm thinking the odds are significantly against them. But who knows.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/02/asia/...hnk/index.html

Read reports that Panjshir has fallen to the Taliban and an another article that the head guy wants to negotiate. Either way, think these guys are toast.

There's not been news or articles on what Biden is doing for those citizens left behind. I assume there are negotiations behind the scenes. There isn't any news of any citizens being round up, doing the "perp walk", and tossed in jail so that is reassuring.

re: Pope encouraging other countries to take in refugees. How about a nice symbolic gesture and take some in yourself. I've been to Vatican city, there's space to take in, oh lets say, 50 families.

[Flasch186]

Especially young vulnerable kids

Too soon?


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[RainMaker]

Joe Manchin’s Daughter Played Direct Part in EpiPen Price Inflation Scandal

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Biden needs a big win. Get the $1.2T approved, it'll help juice the economy and that'll go a long way in repairing his approval rating. But that's seems stuck with the larger $3T bill.

He's got time until 2022 elections but I think he needs to right the ship by end of this year.

I don't think I'll ever understand why they did two bills when it's effectively one bill. Just a complete waste of time and a good way to confuse people who aren't political junkies. Either way though, I think Biden's approval comes back some on it's own without the constant bad Afghanistan news. Ultimately he gets judged mainly on the path of the pandemic, as unfair as that is.

[Flasch186]

@rainmaker

This is why strict capitalists in our country are simply gas lighting MFers. This shit goes on and on for the richest of the rich that game the system to F everyone else and then when the little people or plebes try to fight back, the well heeled scream ‘communist!’ F off jerkwads

The game is so rigged and they just play everyone for the fool


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[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

I don't think I'll ever understand why they did two bills when it's effectively one bill. Just a complete waste of time and a good way to confuse people who aren't political junkies. Either way though, I think Biden's approval comes back some on it's own without the constant bad Afghanistan news. Ultimately he gets judged mainly on the path of the pandemic, as unfair as that is.

Many Dems wanted a bipartisan bill and many GOPers believed a smaller bill could be used to kill the bigger bill.

[Brian Swartz]

On the economic side, I haven't seen any hard data on the macro level but all indications I can see in my area are that the labor shortages are growing. I.e., they've gone beyond the retail level and the supply level is now being hit, resulting in the return of product shortages in retail to a degree. Some suppliers are reducing the amount of products they produce to focus on the most popular ones etc. just as happened (to a much greater degree ofc) last year. I'm curious what breaks here first.

[Ksyrup]

We went looking for furniture a few weeks ago and it's 4-6 months to get anything except for what little is on hand, usually only in one color and if you don't want it, you're waiting. We bought a new sofa/love seat and we're looking at February at earliest for delivery.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

On the economic side, I haven't seen any hard data on the macro level but all indications I can see in my area are that the labor shortages are growing. I.e., they've gone beyond the retail level and the supply level is now being hit, resulting in the return of product shortages in retail to a degree. Some suppliers are reducing the amount of products they produce to focus on the most popular ones etc. just as happened (to a much greater degree ofc) last year. I'm curious what breaks here first.

Your theory on it being unemployment benefits goes down in flames again.

States That Cut Unemployment Benefits Saw Limited Impact on Job Growth - WSJ

Going to side with labor shortage having a direct correlation to shit pay.