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U.S. Politics: The Biggest Trade in WNBA History

PoDiRancher

Well-Known Member
Yeah, no.

I'd rather not have measles, diptheria and whooping cough, thank you. And Pfizer's vaccine is approved by the FDA now, with the others coming soon.

Horse deworming paste enemas/vapes, injections of crushed kratom solution and essential oil snorting(all "Homeopathic Vaccine Alternatives" I've seen mentioned in those circles) isn't going to piss off Mommy Government and Daddy Big Pharma in the way people think it will.

"I want alternatives to(the) established/ment-" is code for "I have authority issues because I am me, I deserve instant service, and I am better and should be exempt than that which is established because of hypochondria, an untreated disability(ies) and/or unresolved traumas.

Rather than looking for quick and easy solutions in that which rebels against authority, all that energy should be applied to demanding the things you deserve be more accessible from the authorities. And I ain't talking about a jimsonweed tea colonic irrigation.
Nobody is talking about those diseases nor those particular remedies, neither I nor anyone in that video, so nice strawman. If you dispute something specific that I said, let's hear it, otherwise you're just babbling about supposed authority issues and rebel complexes for no reason.
 

bobjr

You ask too many questions
Staff member
Moderator
1. Vaccines and abortions are two completely separate issues, it’s a dumb comparison. One is a body autonomy issue, the other is a public health one.

2. If there is a legit medical reason it’s okay not to get a vaccine, but that’s okay because that is a very tiny amount of people compared to the general population.

3. We’ve had vaccine requirements forever, this isn’t a new thing. It’s just only recently people are trying to fight against it because they want disease to spread I guess.

4. Vaccines are often just as much to stop the spread to other people as much as it is for themselves.

The biggest mistake “The Left” has done through this is be soft on the vaccine and ask nicely, and expecting those same people to still wear a mask.
 

Auraninja

Eh, ragazzo!
4. Vaccines are often just as much to stop the spread to other people as much as it is for themselves.
And here is the driving force of why people should take the vaccine.

The whole "my body, my choice" tomfoolery with vaccines is not even completely accurate because if there are others who can't take it, and we may not reach herd immunity for everyone and for future generations, so it should be more like "other bodies, my choice". I mean, yeah, you're putting yourself in danger, but you're not the only one. It's not like a woman having an abortion causes other fetuses in other women to terminate.

And homeopathy is quack psuedoscience. It doesn't work. Like, I don't care if someone buys like a $5 aromatherapy candle from Earthbound Trading Company (there is no science behind aromatherapy). But people spend countless money on these pills that are just diluted solutions of chemicals they probably shouldn't ingest anyway. If you have an illness, then take something that actually works.

Here is where I mention that I have a Biology Master's, so I know what the heck I'm talking about.
 

PoDiRancher

Well-Known Member
Posting with intent to annoy others
1. Vaccines and abortions are two completely separate issues, it’s a dumb comparison. One is a body autonomy issue, the other is a public health one.

2. If there is a legit medical reason it’s okay not to get a vaccine, but that’s okay because that is a very tiny amount of people compared to the general population.

3. We’ve had vaccine requirements forever, this isn’t a new thing. It’s just only recently people are trying to fight against it because they want disease to spread I guess.

4. Vaccines are often just as much to stop the spread to other people as much as it is for themselves.

The biggest mistake “The Left” has done through this is be soft on the vaccine and ask nicely, and expecting those same people to still wear a mask.
Of course they're separate issues, doesn't mean there's no point of comparison. The argument carries over, you just don't like that. You can't stay consistent, either it's my body and my choice or it's not.

I've never had an issue with taking vaccines--they've always been FDA approved and didn't carry risks equivalent to the disease they prevent though. The left wants to deny the reports of serious side effects in people from the vaccines, but VITT occurred in about 1 in 50,000 people aged under 50 who received the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. By my terrible math, that's 0.002℅. I can't find the data for healthy young people seriously effected by COVID again, but it was similarly infinitesimal. I also suspect the vaccine side effects are underreported since there's an obvious push for these and the last thing big pharma and liberals want is to hurt the vaccine's image.

Now that one is FDA approved finally it's more reasonable to expect people to take it, but it was patently insane to pressure people into being lab rats. Even now I'm reading that this FDA approval is different than usual, but I'm too lazy to care and will probably take it now because I can at least sue if anything happens and I survive.

The vaccine doesn't stop the spread, that's a fact. You really don't seem to know much and probably get info from Twitter. Even the Counterfeit News Network reported this, and according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director:

"Our vaccines are working exceptionally well," Walensky told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "They continue to work well for Delta, with regard to severe illness and death -- they prevent it. But what they can't do anymore is prevent transmission."

So there's zero point in a young healthy person getting the vaccine. It's roughly as dangerous as COVID (possibly more if you know big pharma's history) and transmissibility is unaffected. In fact it's a waste of resources at best.

Everyone else should probably take the vaccine though.

Your last remarks about the left's mistakes? A great reason for the Second Amendment to still exist. You're a walking, talking NRA ad.
 

Trainer Yusuf

VolcaniNO
Meanwhile in Africa:
President of Guinea has been ousted by the army. Alpha Condé was a fairly autocratic and corrupt president (and fairly old, too), but he has modernized Guinea's legal structure by banning FGM and capital punishment. This coup happened because Condé reset his presidential terms in the 2020 constitutional referendum.

(Side note: Malawi previously reinstated capital punishment this year, even though they previously abolished it in... this year.)

This is the fourth or fifth coup in this year in the world, depending on how you count.
 

PrinceOfFacade

Ghost-Type Master
Alright, this pro-life bullsh*t is getting on my last nerve.

Texas has one of the worst foster care systems in the country, and yet the state government wants to force hundreds more children into that system, where they will be physically, mentally, and sexually abused. This is on top of forcing women to carry those children to full term, some of them being pregnant via sexual assault.

Seriously, does any pro-life person actually think about their stance? Do they ever consider the end result? What even is their goal? These laws do nothing but hurt women and children.
 
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WishIhadaManafi5

To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before.
Staff member
Moderator
Alright, this pro-life bullsh*t is getting on my last nerve.

Texas has one of the worst foster care systems in the country, and yet the state government want to forces hundreds more children into that system, where they will be physically, mentally, and sexually abused. This is on top of forcing women to carry those children to full term, some of them being pregnant via sexual assault.

Seriously, does any pro-life person actually think about their stance? Do they ever consider the end result? What even is their goal? These laws do nothing but hurt women and children.

I think they don't care about anyone else but themselves. They just want everyone else to be like them.

George Carlin puts it better than I could.

Warning: There's some strong language in this video.

 

bobjr

You ask too many questions
Staff member
Moderator
There's a big crossover in people pushing the anti-abortion bill, and those who are big on "The Government can't tell me what to do"

They never see or admit to the hypocrisy at all, and it's why you really can't debate your way out of it, and why it's a failing when leadership acts like it's the only option.
 

Phillies

Well-Known Member
Alright, this pro-life bullsh*t is getting on my last nerve.

Texas has one of the worst foster care systems in the country, and yet the state government want to forces hundreds more children into that system, where they will be physically, mentally, and sexually abused. This is on top of forcing women to carry those children to full term, some of them being pregnant via sexual assault.

Seriously, does any pro-life person actually think about their stance? Do they ever consider the end result? What even is their goal? These laws do nothing but hurt women and children.
Meanwhile the politicians who make these laws will continue to secretly send their mistresses' overseas to get abortions. Classic do as I say not as I do.
 

JourneymanN00b

Well-Known Member
Just when you think Texas can't get any worse, this happens:


Seriously, that state is not going to change for a long time. Think until 2028 at the very least under the current trends. The United States should NEVER have admitted that state to the Union in the first place back in 1845, as it has just brought us shame for the past several years with the hardcore pro-fascist figures that the state's citizens continue to elect. For the Texans who do not support this crap, I feel for you. I think you should try to move to Arizona and Georgia, as these two states have seen the light, and honestly could use people like yourself to keep them out of Republican hands and direct the country towards a better direction. If that is not possible, I pray that you have a better life in the next world, as Texas will continue to be a hellhole and a place that I would only wish for the worst kinds of people. There is just too much hyprocrisy and hate towards innocent people in the rural areas for the state to go anywhere but down.

Since genocide (even measures that could spare its minority voters) is understandably out of the question and the border is not significantly opening up anytime soon, how about trying to sell that state to Mexico? The average living standards would noticeably improve in both countries, since the United States would say goodbye to that horde of bigots, *and* Mexico could heavily benefit from the significantly developed technology base that Texas offers. Or we could just pray for the coronavirus variants to do their work in a very fast manner, as the pro-fascist population in that state will be the least likely to be vaccinated, which would help eliminate the bad through natural causes.

Oh, and I really hope that a new thread title can be decided, as I feel it is about time that something for 2021 is made. How about "U.S Politics 2021: Democracy's Last Chance to Shine?" if you are in need of a title name?
 
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Auraninja

Eh, ragazzo!
Can you make a slightly more informed post? First off, not many people can just move, and doing so would just mean more republicans left. Most urban areas in Texas are quite liberal, but the rural area brings it back. Also, voter suppression is not a uniquely Texan idea. That and anti-abortion laws have also appeared in states like Alabama. Some of us in Texas are trying to fight for others, so please take that into consideration.
 

JourneymanN00b

Well-Known Member
Can you make a slightly more informed post? First off, not many people can just move, and doing so would just mean more republicans left. Most urban areas in Texas are quite liberal, but the rural area brings it back. Also, voter suppression is not a uniquely Texan idea. That and anti-abortion laws have also appeared in states like Alabama. Some of us in Texas are trying to fight for others, so please take that into consideration.
I can certainly do that, as there is a lot behind my long-standing and justified hate for that state. I am not sure to what degree discussion of downballot elections such as U.S. House seats and state legislative seats is allowed in this thread, as this is primarily about U.S. politics on the national level, from what I understand. So I will not be giving a complete picture at this point when it comes to Texas.

Said explanation is below, which is rather long.

I am well aware that voter suppression and anti-abortion is not unique to Texas, but it is by far the largest state where there is honestly no hope of turning it around for a long time, and I feel that it is a state that we need to sacrifice in order to help preserve the rest of the country that is even remotely sane and compassionate. You are certainly right that the urban areas are liberal, with Houston being the most prominent among them. However, your statement that the rural area brings it back is by far the most important point. There are far too many pro-fascists in these areas that have no intention of changing their minds no matter how much voter outreach is devoted to them. Now, some people may argue that the suburban trends may make this up, but I have studied them carefully, and they will not have much of an effect until 2028. This is especially true with the hard shifts in Texas Hispanics towards the Republican party in 2020. In particular, the underperformance in the Rio Grande Valley with Hispanics was unreal. The Democratic organizations in Texas are very incompetent and unwilling to properly manage their resources to prevent further losses in 2022. Which brings me to my next paragraph.

Time and time again, the Texas Democratic Party has continued to drop the ball and has shown an unwillingness to learn from previous mistakes. A lot of it is due to the intense urban/rural and black/brown divisions that prevents the Democrats there from making any serious headway. As an example of this, the Executive Director of the Texas Democratic Party got chased out of office at the beginning of the year, and almost all of the senior staff members left with him. This demolishing in leadership appears to happen every 2-6 years, which is really not encouraging.

As a result of their lack of organization, they have had a terrible record of winning voters and turning them out, especially when it comes to Hispanic voters. The best example that I can cite is the special election in Texas’ 6th district back in May. This was a district that voted for Trump in 2020 by only 3 points, and yet the Democrats got locked out of the runoff because of a MASSIVE lack of proper coordination efforts and effective voter outreach measures from Democrats in that area. This lockout was entirely avoidable, and Democratic campaigns and groups completely botched their efforts. There were several Democratic internal polls that indicated that there was a serious risk of a top-two Republican lockout, and the Democratic county parties and local grassroots organizations needed to force several candidates out to guarantee a spot in the runoff. They did not do this, and the resulting lockout caused enthusiasm and energy for future volunteer events to severely drop as a result. Needless to say, the poor performance of Democrats in special elections like this demonstrates that they are not capable of developing a coherent message that can appeal to a majority of voters in swing areas.

What the Democrats in Texas need to do is to put all of their efforts in either state senate races, state house races, local municipal races, or offices that they already hold. This is called building from the bottom up. The Texas Democrats should not participate in federal or statewide campaigns for offices held by Republicans at all. The bench is far too weak to the Democrats to develop a credible offensive against many of the currently Republican-controlled congressional districts or statewide offices in 2022. All of the big stuff should wait until 2024 at the very least.

Unfortunately, the Texas Democrats have not gotten this message, and are busy wasting their money on pointless campaigns to unseat Greg Abbott (which is not going to happen in 2022 cycle, no matter how hard they try), or on “fool’s gold” districts such as Texas’ 23rd district. Or they solely stick to voter registration drives, which do help, but are *far* from sufficient to make any lasting change. The consequence is that the Democrats are going to lose even more ground in the 2022 elections, as I am already seeing them lose ground in Texas’ 34th district, which is a district that swung towards Donald Trump in 2020 by over 17 points. The Republicans are already running a credible candidate there, and the Democrats are still trying to get their act together in trying to field a credible replacement for the district’s representative (Filemon Vela), who retired in March.

All of the operatives I know with significant organizational knowledge know the incompetence of the Texas Democratic party, and are instead focused on campaigns in other states. Chief among them are the U.S. Senate races in Arizona and Georgia in 2022. Texas does not have a Senate race in 2022, which means that there is not going to be too much interest on its statewide elections for that cycle. Which is why I suggested drawing allied voters from Texas to Arizona and Georgia, as putting these elections in the Democratic column will mean the difference between true democracy and a return to fascism under the control of Mitch McConnell.

All of the above comes from talking with activists and volunteer coordinators who were on the ground in Texas over the past several years. Before I say anything further, I would like to ask the following questions: What part of Texas do you live, and which county? And how involved are you in local races? I am not talking about statewide or federal races here, but state legislative, municipal, and other types of offices? I might have some helpful words of wisdom based on the failures that I have observed from previous campaigns that I have lent my aid to in the past.

To the moderators (or anyone who knows the rules for this thread): Is linking to campaign websites or activist groups that focus on downballot elections allowed? While I have personally given up on the state in order to focus on a pressing need to help other states that have earned my support, I would be willing to direct anyone interested in attempting to fix Texas’ mess to some races and county parties that would be somewhat effective.

I close by repeating that I feel for the Texans who do not support the pro-fascist bullshit that has developed there, and hope that they have a better life in the next world. I do understand that not many people can just move, which is unfortunate, as Texas is probably going to be Republican sink that will house the worst type of trash for many decades, due to the tax-related migration patterns of those heading to the state.
 
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D

Deleted member 384931

Guest
In Belguim this issue is changed by each gouvernement. And it is annoying. 67 years and then you get your pension of 1.500 euros in a month. They cant agree on this
 

Zora

perpetually tired
The simplest way for Texas to turn around is for Simena and Manchin to get off their asses and pass HR1.

Like, I'm in an awkward position where I *moved* to Texas; partner lives out here, and bay area was too damn expensive, so Texas it was. And despite living in a relatively red suburban county atm, there's still a gulf between day-to-day life and the Texas government.
 

JourneymanN00b

Well-Known Member
The simplest way for Texas to turn around is for Simena and Manchin to get off their asses and pass HR1.

Like, I'm in an awkward position where I *moved* to Texas; partner lives out here, and bay area was too damn expensive, so Texas it was. And despite living in a relatively red suburban county atm, there's still a gulf between day-to-day life and the Texas government.
Agreed that the filibuster needs to be nuked and HR1 passed for human survival. I really do hope that Sinema and Manchin come around and go for this, as this is going to be the very last chance for voting rights to be passed in a generation. They are *much* easier to work with than any Senate Republican on that matter, and there is not a lot of time left to get this bill passed.

On another note, which county do you live in? My offer to provide guidance on important downballot elections stands. I personally think there are far more important states than Texas to focus our volunteering efforts in, but I am open to sharing my knowledge to anyone who is interested in making real impacts there.
 
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Gamzee Makara

Flirtin' With Disaster
Now those same companies should be required to have and/or hire/contract from unions, paid sick leave and overtime, pensions that adjust with cost of living guaranteed healthcare for employees and no crunch time. And people will blast him for not mandating all of those as well, because Biden isn't Howie Hawkins or MfaPP(Despite their purported status as true leftist Scotsmen being questionable).

And expand that vaccine mandate to every business worth at least $500,000.

Make it so shell companies and fronts can't be used to dodge the vaccination mandate.
 
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