4 ms·

> we aren't allowed to blame Democrats for running Seattle into the ground in tech circles I exist almost exclusively in tech circles in and around Seattle, an

> we aren't allowed to blame Democrats for running Seattle into the ground in tech circles I exist almost exclusively in tech circles in and around Seattle, and we blame existing leadership for tons of problems. This seems so weirdly divorced from reality that it smacks of ideologue speak.

dvt 5y ago
I work exclusively in tech circles around L.A. and even being remotely sympathetic to Republican views is anathema. San Francisco is ideologically way more entrenched even though, ironically, their city is a mess, much like Seattle.
- WaxProlix 5y ago
  Again, that doesn't mirror my experience around any of those areas at all. I lived in LA and the bay area for almost a decade. Plenty of people wanted different tax structures, reduced regulatory burden on businesses (especially small businesses), reevaluation of existing expenditures over increased taxation, etc. Are there specific Republican views that you think are anathema?
  - e4e78a06 5y ago
    Not OP, but any of the following will immediately get you labeled as a Republican (said with disgust), racist, Trump supporter, or bootlicker: - support for deporting illegal immigrants - opposition against affirmative action / DEI programs with forced quotas - opposition against defunding police - support for stronger punishments for property crime - disdain for homeless encampments - disdain for the combination of higher taxes + increasing welfare programs - support for building more housing that doesn't require a years-long environmental review and low-income units (although this is changing) - opposition against redistributing local K-12 school funds state-wide - any suggestion that the higher poverty and crime rates seen in [insert race/ethnicity/sex/gender/religion/etc] could possibly even 1% be caused by culture and not 100% caused by systemic discrimination Any of these will immediately get you labeled as an alt-right nutjob even though I personally think many are quite reasonable positions to have.
    - happytoexplain 5y ago
      Most of these are severely exaggerated, in practice (in the context of your starting assertion). You can find individual cases to support any assertion against either party.
  - dvt 5y ago
    > Are there specific Republican views that you think are anathema? Try wearing a MAGA hat in Santa Monica. The arguments here that it's just as cool to be a Democrat as it is to be a Republican is so divorced from reality, I feel like I'm being gaslit. Even on dating apps folks use "moderate" as a euphemism for "conservative" -- I've literally had this conversation on dates before.
    - WaxProlix 5y ago
      It sounds like you've been speaking in bad faith then, since this is a large reversal from what you'd said earlier.
    - happytoexplain 5y ago
      >it's just as cool to be a Democrat as it is to be a Republican Nobody is saying that. This is true of perhaps no location in the country. Also, wearing a MAGA hat is a behavioral subset of "being a Republican". Half the Republicans I know think MAGA hats are "gross". I think you're letting feelings of political hostility push you into rambly territory a bit. You keep loosening your phrasing to be more high level "Democrats vs Republicans".
- Melatonic 5y ago
  Being sympathetic to Republican views does not equal also not criticizing democrats. And from what I see in LA everyone loves talking shit about everyone. Bring up the 2 party system and you will get pretty wide consensus from anyone.
- UncleMeat 5y ago
  Being sympathetic to Republicans and being critical of Democrats are not the same thing.
- happytoexplain 5y ago
  Many of the people I know consider many Republican views anathema, and blame Democrats for running Seattle into the ground (in the way the phrase is being used here). What you're expressing sounds more black and white than reality.
mrighele 5y ago
> and we blame existing leadership for tons of problems and then vote again for Democrats when elections come. I'm not picking on you in particular, or on the Democrats, in other places it may be the Republicans, but it seems to me that the American society is so much split that when it comes the time to vote, most people will vote for the party that ostensibly is more aligned with their values, irrespectively of the fact that they are doing a good job. I mean, a bad Democrat is better than a good Republican because at least it is not a racist cunt (or, from the other side, a bad Republican is better than a good Democrat because at least is not a woke idiot). It looks like in the past it was different, maybe the position of the two main parties were closer so it was not much of an issue, but right now I think that the USA would benefit from a more pluralistic approach to the elections
- WaxProlix 5y ago
  Totally agree, for the most part. With the exception of Ann Davidson, western WA generally won't elect anyone with an R by their name. Polarization is a part of this (I won't get into the weeds here, but The Last Guy was popular in part due to the perception that he was "owning the libs", and as high-minded as coastal liberals consider themselves, there's a sneer not too far off for any southern accent or 'unenlightened' viewpoint). > maybe the position of the two main parties were closer so it was not much of an issue I think the parties were further apart, actually. They almost completely overlap in terms of policy outlook and - tellingly - donor class. Maybe the flames of culture and race war are being stoked by the Tuckers of the world in part because there is no major meat-and-potatoes differentiator anymore.

dvt 5y ago

I work exclusively in tech circles around L.A. and even being remotely sympathetic to Republican views is anathema. San Francisco is ideologically way more entrenched even though, ironically, their city is a mess, much like Seattle.

WaxProlix 5y ago
Again, that doesn't mirror my experience around any of those areas at all. I lived in LA and the bay area for almost a decade. Plenty of people wanted different tax structures, reduced regulatory burden on businesses (especially small businesses), reevaluation of existing expenditures over increased taxation, etc. Are there specific Republican views that you think are anathema?
- e4e78a06 5y ago
  Not OP, but any of the following will immediately get you labeled as a Republican (said with disgust), racist, Trump supporter, or bootlicker: - support for deporting illegal immigrants - opposition against affirmative action / DEI programs with forced quotas - opposition against defunding police - support for stronger punishments for property crime - disdain for homeless encampments - disdain for the combination of higher taxes + increasing welfare programs - support for building more housing that doesn't require a years-long environmental review and low-income units (although this is changing) - opposition against redistributing local K-12 school funds state-wide - any suggestion that the higher poverty and crime rates seen in [insert race/ethnicity/sex/gender/religion/etc] could possibly even 1% be caused by culture and not 100% caused by systemic discrimination Any of these will immediately get you labeled as an alt-right nutjob even though I personally think many are quite reasonable positions to have.
  - happytoexplain 5y ago
    Most of these are severely exaggerated, in practice (in the context of your starting assertion). You can find individual cases to support any assertion against either party.
- dvt 5y ago
  > Are there specific Republican views that you think are anathema? Try wearing a MAGA hat in Santa Monica. The arguments here that it's just as cool to be a Democrat as it is to be a Republican is so divorced from reality, I feel like I'm being gaslit. Even on dating apps folks use "moderate" as a euphemism for "conservative" -- I've literally had this conversation on dates before.
  - WaxProlix 5y ago
    It sounds like you've been speaking in bad faith then, since this is a large reversal from what you'd said earlier.
  - happytoexplain 5y ago
    >it's just as cool to be a Democrat as it is to be a Republican Nobody is saying that. This is true of perhaps no location in the country. Also, wearing a MAGA hat is a behavioral subset of "being a Republican". Half the Republicans I know think MAGA hats are "gross". I think you're letting feelings of political hostility push you into rambly territory a bit. You keep loosening your phrasing to be more high level "Democrats vs Republicans".
Melatonic 5y ago
Being sympathetic to Republican views does not equal also not criticizing democrats. And from what I see in LA everyone loves talking shit about everyone. Bring up the 2 party system and you will get pretty wide consensus from anyone.
UncleMeat 5y ago
Being sympathetic to Republicans and being critical of Democrats are not the same thing.
happytoexplain 5y ago
Many of the people I know consider many Republican views anathema, and blame Democrats for running Seattle into the ground (in the way the phrase is being used here). What you're expressing sounds more black and white than reality.

mrighele 5y ago

> and we blame existing leadership for tons of problems and then vote again for Democrats when elections come. I'm not picking on you in particular, or on the Democrats, in other places it may be the Republicans, but it seems to me that the American society is so much split that when it comes the time to vote, most people will vote for the party that ostensibly is more aligned with their values, irrespectively of the fact that they are doing a good job. I mean, a bad Democrat is better than a good Republican because at least it is not a racist cunt (or, from the other side, a bad Republican is better than a good Democrat because at least is not a woke idiot). It looks like in the past it was different, maybe the position of the two main parties were closer so it was not much of an issue, but right now I think that the USA would benefit from a more pluralistic approach to the elections

WaxProlix 5y ago
Totally agree, for the most part. With the exception of Ann Davidson, western WA generally won't elect anyone with an R by their name. Polarization is a part of this (I won't get into the weeds here, but The Last Guy was popular in part due to the perception that he was "owning the libs", and as high-minded as coastal liberals consider themselves, there's a sneer not too far off for any southern accent or 'unenlightened' viewpoint). > maybe the position of the two main parties were closer so it was not much of an issue I think the parties were further apart, actually. They almost completely overlap in terms of policy outlook and - tellingly - donor class. Maybe the flames of culture and race war are being stoked by the Tuckers of the world in part because there is no major meat-and-potatoes differentiator anymore.