6 ms·

really looking forward to four more years of astute political commentary like this

by p3rls 2y ago

gopher_space 2y ago
For all of the downsides to a Trump administration, one of the unexpected upsides is that the people who don't have a problem with Nazis will self-identify. I feel really bad for the kids who've developed an alt-right persona during the pandemic, though. There used to be time to work that out for yourself, but now I think social media will provide the kiss of death for many career ambitions.
pessimizer 2y ago
They can't keep it up for another decade, the financing is running out. Anti-Trump hysteria was largely financed by actors who dominated establishment Republican and Democratic corruption networks, but had no connection to Trump (who's a real estate guy, which is like the ghetto of finance.) During that decade, and especially during the four years he was out of office, a most of them have solidly established relationships with Trump and his network, especially tech guys. One day, upper-middle class people will stop seeing as brave and insightful calling half the country Nazis for not conforming to their suburban aesthetic. They've even eventually stopped progressively describing him as the submissive homosexual partner to Putin, I suppose because we've run out of fighting aged adult males in Ukraine so there's no reason to care about that any more. If Trump starts a war with Iran, they'll start praising him as the new Lincoln. It's not real. The only weird part is that the people attacking Trump for censorship that hasn't happened are delighted by censorship. They think the main problem with the world is that too many people are allowed to speak about whatever they want.
- mpalmer 2y ago
  > calling half the country Nazis for not conforming to their suburban aesthetic > attacking Trump for censorship that hasn't happened Federal funds are being withheld - illegally, in most cases - from any entity that supports or even acknowledges what the administration calls "radical gender ideology". It's totalitarian and regressive. Nazi's a fine word for what the leaders of the party are showing themselves to be. I wouldn't call half the country Nazis - unless they chose to stand with the human trash in the White House. Then I wouldn't really have a problem with it.
  - palmfacehn 2y ago
    Can anyone making this comparison cite sources where the collectivist, totalitarian National Socialists reduced the size of the state? It seems like a contradiction in terms. Since when did 19th century liberalism and the founding principles of individual liberty become equated with collectivist totalitarianism?
    - mpalmer 2y ago
      No one needs to do that. No one is obliged to you to find the exact policy parallels between Republicans in the White House and the Nazis. It tends to be enough for most people to notice the fact that both are interested in removing undesirables from public life and generally making society less racially mixed.
      - palmfacehn 2y ago
        >No one needs to do that. No one is obliged to you to find the exact policy parallels Then the claims are unsubstantiated. Political speech is some of the most twisted and manipulated. Unsubstantiated political claims are basically worthless. I'm willing to trust, if you are willing to verify. Engage in the discussion if you are serious about your claims. "Everyone who disagrees with me is a National Socialist", is a tired line I've been reading on the Interwebs for a long time now. If you are unwilling to substantiate it, it is an odious comparison that trivializes one of the most murderous ideologies of the last century, second only to communism. These ideas demand serious treatment. If you genuinely care about such things, you would take them more seriously. You might take the time to understand the genesis of these collectivist ideologies. After that, you might choose to champion ideals which stand in contrast. Individualism and individual self-ownership as the basis of private property would be one approach. Those who reason from these first principles are generally in favor of reducing the size of the state.
        mpalmer 2y ago
        Sorry, no. I don't have time for dictionary-waving pedantry like this. Political speech is perfectly understandable as such. It's the opposite of worthless, if you are trying to make a political point, as I was. I was very clear about the important (not total) parallels between then and now. I trivialize nothing. Am I going to find you defending mainstream Democrats from accusations of socialism, or is your impassioned defense of the Republican party as it existed up until 10 years ago all you're offering?
- bagels 2y ago
  It's merely a coincidence that Trump has said that immigrants are "poisoning the blood" of our country, has invited Nazis and Holocaust deniers to dinner at his home, is rounding up brown people, had Musk deliver Nazi salutes at his inauguration, felt the need to say that Hitler "did some good things", was said to keep Hitler's speeches by his bedside by his wife, ran a campaign that promoted a video referencing a "unified Reich", and more? Just a long series of misunderstandings, I'm sure.

really looking forward to four more years of astute political commentary like this

by p3rls 2y ago

really looking forward to four more years of astute political commentary like this

For all of the downsides to a Trump administration, one of the unexpected upsides is that the people who don't have a problem with Nazis will self-identify. I feel really bad for the kids who've developed an alt-right persona during the pandemic, though. There used to be time to work that out for yourself, but now I think social media will provide the kiss of death for many career ambitions.

pessimizer 2y ago

They can't keep it up for another decade, the financing is running out. Anti-Trump hysteria was largely financed by actors who dominated establishment Republican and Democratic corruption networks, but had no connection to Trump (who's a real estate guy, which is like the ghetto of finance.) During that decade, and especially during the four years he was out of office, a most of them have solidly established relationships with Trump and his network, especially tech guys. One day, upper-middle class people will stop seeing as brave and insightful calling half the country Nazis for not conforming to their suburban aesthetic. They've even eventually stopped progressively describing him as the submissive homosexual partner to Putin, I suppose because we've run out of fighting aged adult males in Ukraine so there's no reason to care about that any more. If Trump starts a war with Iran, they'll start praising him as the new Lincoln. It's not real. The only weird part is that the people attacking Trump for censorship that hasn't happened are delighted by censorship. They think the main problem with the world is that too many people are allowed to speak about whatever they want.

mpalmer 2y ago
> calling half the country Nazis for not conforming to their suburban aesthetic > attacking Trump for censorship that hasn't happened Federal funds are being withheld - illegally, in most cases - from any entity that supports or even acknowledges what the administration calls "radical gender ideology". It's totalitarian and regressive. Nazi's a fine word for what the leaders of the party are showing themselves to be. I wouldn't call half the country Nazis - unless they chose to stand with the human trash in the White House. Then I wouldn't really have a problem with it.
- palmfacehn 2y ago
  Can anyone making this comparison cite sources where the collectivist, totalitarian National Socialists reduced the size of the state? It seems like a contradiction in terms. Since when did 19th century liberalism and the founding principles of individual liberty become equated with collectivist totalitarianism?
  - mpalmer 2y ago
    No one needs to do that. No one is obliged to you to find the exact policy parallels between Republicans in the White House and the Nazis. It tends to be enough for most people to notice the fact that both are interested in removing undesirables from public life and generally making society less racially mixed.
    - palmfacehn 2y ago
      >No one needs to do that. No one is obliged to you to find the exact policy parallels Then the claims are unsubstantiated. Political speech is some of the most twisted and manipulated. Unsubstantiated political claims are basically worthless. I'm willing to trust, if you are willing to verify. Engage in the discussion if you are serious about your claims. "Everyone who disagrees with me is a National Socialist", is a tired line I've been reading on the Interwebs for a long time now. If you are unwilling to substantiate it, it is an odious comparison that trivializes one of the most murderous ideologies of the last century, second only to communism. These ideas demand serious treatment. If you genuinely care about such things, you would take them more seriously. You might take the time to understand the genesis of these collectivist ideologies. After that, you might choose to champion ideals which stand in contrast. Individualism and individual self-ownership as the basis of private property would be one approach. Those who reason from these first principles are generally in favor of reducing the size of the state.
      - mpalmer 2y ago
        Sorry, no. I don't have time for dictionary-waving pedantry like this. Political speech is perfectly understandable as such. It's the opposite of worthless, if you are trying to make a political point, as I was. I was very clear about the important (not total) parallels between then and now. I trivialize nothing. Am I going to find you defending mainstream Democrats from accusations of socialism, or is your impassioned defense of the Republican party as it existed up until 10 years ago all you're offering?
bagels 2y ago
It's merely a coincidence that Trump has said that immigrants are "poisoning the blood" of our country, has invited Nazis and Holocaust deniers to dinner at his home, is rounding up brown people, had Musk deliver Nazi salutes at his inauguration, felt the need to say that Hitler "did some good things", was said to keep Hitler's speeches by his bedside by his wife, ran a campaign that promoted a video referencing a "unified Reich", and more? Just a long series of misunderstandings, I'm sure.