After this's all over, I hope the U.S. gov't bills Trump for the damage he's done to our reputation

[rustywire]

Most people who go to war never return, even long after making it back home...

[lost in music]

I like that. It's like a particularly incisive Tech Spec from the back of a Transformers box.

[snipelfritz]

Poor gears, he just needs someone to love him.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCxbzCBPd-8[/youtube]

I...I want to be a funky boy.

[karmablock]

https://theleft.co/why-the-american-lef ... the-center

[D.o.S.]

The above is not really up for debate. The more interesting questions arise from conversations that come from where you consider the US's political spectrum in itself (or, at least, it becomes a distraction for talking about things with my center/right wing friends -- insofar as they will dismiss things as "not relevant to us" re: the US's position compared to the more general politics of the globe)

[Invisible Man]

The above is not really up for debate.

RHETORICAL TRUMPISM

[Chankgeez]

D.o.S. = Dictator.of.Spiel.

[jrfox92]

It seems like a lot of people confuse right-wing for statist/authoritarian.
I'd argue that Hillary is likely center & authoritarian leaning while Obama is somewhat left of center & authoritarian leaning.
Trump is probably just right of center (though probably a strong authoritarian), honestly, but he's surrounded himself with hard right supporters and has molded his rhetoric in kind.

[D.o.S.]

Obama is only left of center if you think of "the center" of US politics as "centrist". That's sort of the point.

[snipelfritz]

Economically, yes. Socially, not really, but that's complicated by Reagan's consolidation and empowerment of the Evangelical bloc.

But in recent years, I've become less concerned with the philosophy of ideals/rhetoric and moreso the balances of power. Of course those things play off each other. I'd love to see some Teddy-style Trust-Busting come back into vogue (which is being embodied now by the Sanders/Warren wing).

[Disarm D'arcy]

I don't know I'm still waiting for Roosevelt's second bill of rights. Are you sure the political spectrum has shifted that far right?

[Chankgeez]

All I can say is that we're definitely at a political low-point in our country's history.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fac ... de56ba9b22

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... 53beb15ce7

[D.o.S.]

This is a good read from a perspective I do not necessarily share entirely but making a point that I do agree with, generally:
https://fee.org/articles/immigration-is ... man-right/

A basic tenet of liberalism* is that every person, regardless of what country she happens to live in, has the same basic human rights. If it doesn’t apply to everyone, everywhere then it can’t be a basic human right. And among those rights is the right of free association.

Free association simply means that Jack is free to peacefully associate with Jill, as long as Jill wishes to peacefully associate with Jack. Indeed, Jack can’t exercise that right unless Jill can also, which is another characteristic of a basic human right. It applies broadly to all forms of association, related but not limited to political activity, religious observance, and commerce.

It does not imply that others are obliged to pay Jack’s and Jill’s costs of associating with each other and it does not imply that we are obliged to associate with others if we don’t want to.

If the government dictates that I may live and work only in North Dakota, that’s a clear violation of my right of free association and my right to property. It’s merely a difference in degree, but still a violation of my basic rights, if the government dictates that I can live and work anywhere except in North Dakota.

It’s makes no fundamental difference if, instead of North Dakota and the rest of the United States of America, the restriction applies to North Dakota or to North Korea.

(*from earlier in the piece: Here, Mises uses the term “liberal” in its earlier, non-interventionist or “classical” meaning. This is how I’m using the term “liberal” in this essay.)

[Strange Tales]

And Betsy DeVos is confirmed. Why go for rock bottom when you can break the bedrock on the way?

[Invisible Man]

And Betsy DeVos is confirmed. Why go for rock bottom when you can break the bedrock on the way?

I generally don't take this shit too seriously (laughing at tyrants/bogeymen), but this one hurts. Kids shouldn't suffer because we are fucked-up morons who don't know how to manage ourselves.

And she's from Michigan! wheeeeeeeee