I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Icky Thump

Knowing the car part names saves you from getting ripped off at the mechanic.

Does your mechanic charge more for a hyphen or an en-dash?

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

The best of this excellent piece is where the author discusses personal responsibility. And it focuses on what I think is, strangely, the most positive element of a very bleak story. In voting for Trump, these lost souls are choosing to take their chances rather than bet on expansion of the safety net to sustain them. My knee jerk reaction is the same as Thomas Frank's ("these rubes are voting for a plutocrat who's going to screw them"). But that's elitist, and it's narrow-minded. What these simple people are doing is throwing a hand grenade at a system in which they no longer have a place. Perhaps that's anti-social, and it's probably foolish. But I have to admire the sentiment... "I'd rather possibly blow it all up than fade away, forgotten." Can't fault a man for that.

I think it is just as elitist and narrow-minded to describe this demographic as "simple people" who are lashing out at The System that has no more use for them. Sure, there may be some of that. But where you see a desperate underclass that has been forced to turn to nihilistic violence rather than become completely irrelevant, I instead see a lot of people whose willingness to blame Muslims, Mexicans, and various other groups for many of their problems has been validated and cynically exploited for political ends. Maybe the latter is just the vocal minority, but I definitely don't admire the sentiment.

I do admire a funky bass clarinet riff, though. The Daily Dose is some Headhunters funk. If You Got It, You'll Get It:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz4kUvHAIBg

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Bad shit coming.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Bad shit coming.

On the one hand, I think we're on the way to a Hillary landslide that will make any alleged shenanigans impossible to reasonably view as determinative.

On the other hand, I can see Trumpists believing that the landslide was the result of a rigged election.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Adder

On the one hand, I think we're on the way to a Hillary landslide that will make any alleged shenanigans impossible to reasonably view as determinative.

On the other hand, I can see Trumpists believing that the landslide was the result of a rigged election.

"It was a false flag polling place!"

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Adder

On the one hand, I think we're on the way to a Hillary landslide that will make any alleged shenanigans impossible to reasonably view as determinative.

On the other hand, I can see Trumpists believing that the landslide was the result of a rigged election.

I think she's going to crush him the way things are going. But even if it were close, half this country is going to view whoever wins as illegitimate.

Shit's shifting. Within our lifetimes, perhaps shortly, you will see the enforcement mechanisms of all coercive powers (states, municipalities, etc.) tested by people and organizations who think they can get away with doing so or believe they have the moral authority to do so.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Bad shit coming.

Desperation.

Mark Cuban just peeled the douchebag vote away from Trump. That's got to be about 20% of his followers.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

But even if it were close, half this country is going to view whoever wins as illegitimate.

Nah. Not even half of voters. But still, it's a lot of people.

Not sure about Obama calling for republicans to repudiate Trump. I mean, they won't in any great numbers, so it will be fine, but I image that if they did, it would be Ex. A in Trump's "the establishment rigged the election against me" whine.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Adder

Nah. Not even half of voters. But still, it's a lot of people.

Not sure about Obama calling for republicans to repudiate Trump. I mean, they won't in any great numbers, so it will be fine, but I image that if they did, it would be Ex. A in Trump's "the establishment rigged the election against me" whine.

I see her crushing him right now, but Putin, Assange, and Daesh haven't finished weighing in yet.

That Clinton admitted being hacked seems an attempt to blunt the force/novelty/"gotcha" impact of any new leaks. And you know Daesh has at least four or five new attacks in the queue. Whichever candidate wins, Daesh will get the war it desires. But Clinton's a more serious hawk who doesn't give a fuck about wasting lives on interventionism. Trumps' the much weaker candidate for Daesh to fight. I see them doing what they can to get him elected.

It looks like doom for Trump now, but still -- leaks, mass killings, and three debates to go... It's not over yet.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Whichever candidate wins, Daesh will get the war it desires.

Nah. If Hillary wins, it will be more of the same. Drones and strikes and meddling, but not open war.

Trump? Who knows.

Trumps' the much weaker candidate for Daesh to fight.

Maybe, but he is certainly the one who will do more the unify Muslims in opposition. Not sure that's going to drive many to Daesh specifically, though.

I see them doing what they can to get him elected.

I really don't know to what extent they are motivated by influencing our elections, but I suspect that what they can do isn't all that much.

It's definitely not over, though.

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower

I think it is just as elitist and narrow-minded to describe this demographic as "simple people" who are lashing out at The System that has no more use for them. Sure, there may be some of that. But where you see a desperate underclass that has been forced to turn to nihilistic violence rather than become completely irrelevant, I instead see a lot of people whose willingness to blame Muslims, Mexicans, and various other groups for many of their problems has been validated and cynically exploited for political ends. Maybe the latter is just the vocal minority, but I definitely don't admire the sentiment.

I do admire a funky bass clarinet riff, though. The Daily Dose is some Headhunters funk. If You Got It, You'll Get It:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz4kUvHAIBg

The Hammond B3 is about as funky as the organ can get. I know, right? When did we all start saying, "I know, right?" Is that from something? Anyhoo, Jimmy McGriff knows how to make the Hammond B3 sing. The Daily Dose is Funky Junk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCuNPvROoQg

[SEC_Chick]

Originally Posted by Adder

Nah. Not even half of voters. But still, it's a lot of people.

Not sure about Obama calling for republicans to repudiate Trump. I mean, they won't in any great numbers, so it will be fine, but I image that if they did, it would be Ex. A in Trump's "the establishment rigged the election against me" whine.

One interesting aspect if you really dig into some of the more recent polling data, the CBS one in particular, is that if Trump were pulling in a comparable percent of self-described conservatives as McCain and Romney, he would likely be up for a comfortable win. However, he is currently pulling in roughly 20% fewer of such self-described conservatives, and the difference exceeds the margin he is behind Hillary.

My favorite Trump happenings of the day are Trump kicking the baby out of his rally (To his credit, he didn't offer to pay the legal fees for someone to rough up the baby (and then not pay)) and Trump adding the endorsement of Robert Mugabe to his one from Putin.

Oh, and Trump repeatedly dissing the NYT because "they don't write good".

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

One interesting aspect if you really dig into some of the more recent polling data, the CBS one in particular, is that if Trump were pulling in a comparable percent of self-described conservatives as McCain and Romney, he would likely be up for a comfortable win. However, he is currently pulling in roughly 20% fewer of such self-described conservatives, and the difference exceeds the margin he is behind Hillary.

My favorite Trump happenings of the day are Trump kicking the baby out of his rally (To his credit, he didn't offer to pay the legal fees for someone to rough up the baby (and then not pay)) and Trump adding the endorsement of Robert Mugabe to his one from Putin.

Oh, and Trump repeatedly dissing the NYT because "they don't write good".

He's beginning to remind me of the Mandarin in Iron Man III.

[Hank Chinaski]

So, I think this place has isolated me from how stupid lots of people are, in some ways-

On FB I never ever go Political (hi Sidd!), but after the d-man insulted the fallen soldier's mom, I posted "You have to give Trump this, most candidates after getting the nomination try moving to the center, but Donald has no interest in moving away from the extreme."

A young Muslim guy i know posted "we shouldn't give him anything." and I Pm'd back saying I was being clearly sarcastic, and he knows I hate DT. But as I'm typing a tea party "friend" liked my post. Like people think I admired that DT kept his insanity going.... I deleted. {sad face} ain't no room for sarcasm this cycle.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

So, I think this place has isolated me from how stupid lots of people are, in some ways-

On FB I never ever go Political (hi Sidd!), but after the d-man insulted the fallen soldier's mom, I posted "You have to give Trump this, most candidates after getting the nomination try moving to the center, but Donald has no interest in moving away from the extreme."

A young Muslim guy i know posted "we shouldn't give him anything." and I Pm'd back saying I was being clearly sarcastic, and he knows I hate DT. But as I'm typing a tea party "friend" liked my post. Like people think I admired that DT kept his insanity going.... I deleted. {sad face} ain't no room for sarcasm this cycle.

To be fair, Republicans have long applauded crap like the swift boating of John Kerry and the Benghazi nonsense - it's hard to keep straight when someone has gone too far for you guys.