O/T:- Trump Presidency 2.0 [hic sunt dracones]

[Mud Pie]

No, I think they are doing ok. I know the conjecture is that they are right-wing, but actually read some of their articles. Their headlines definitely aren't all pro-Republican. Then look at MSNBC, CNN and NBC (another network laying off staff). It's verging on media hysteria on their part.


Carrying this on, Trump signs off today the release of the JFK, RFK and MLK assassination files.

For me, who is fascinated by the Kennedy empire, it could be really interesting, but then again, I think there could be so much redacted that they'll be useless.

However, if there is nothing in the release that is groundbreaking, why the hell have successive US governments refused to release all the information?

I have looked forward to this more than anything and have carried out my JFK pilgrimage over the years, so I eagerly await the news prepared to be severely disappointed.

I mean breitbart and Ben Shapiro... are they cleaning themselves up these days?

[ThePieWhoCameIn]

It would be a great ploy for Musk to do the Nazi salute, just a week after visiting Auschwitz with that other well known anti-Jewish Nazi, Ben Shapiro.

If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd theorise that Musk was at Auschwitz doing research. He's been tasked by Uncle Donald with coming up with a final solution for all those undocumented migrants.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist though, so that's a relief.

[Lullapie]

I mean breitbart and Ben Shapiro... are they cleaning themselves up these days?

Ben Shapiro was ardent anti-Trump. He voted for Clinton in 2016, but I don't know what changed.

He says he later saw Trump in a different light and understood the things that Trump was doing. I think that's how many of the world view him.

I listen to Ben Shapiro a bit. I like his depth and quality of debate. I also have listened to Steve Schmidt and the Lincoln Project. They put many valid arguments forward too.

With regards to Breitbart, my earlier comments stand. The world has gone that far left over the last few years, exacerbated by the Covid era which legalised state control in the democratic world, that those that were centre, have been made to look right-wing. What the left-wing forget is that the majority of voting public in democratic countries are centrist. They feel abandoned and the political spectrum change in the world we are now experiencing is a reflection of this. You can only push them so far.

Who'd have though that a few years ago, there would have been people that would argue that there's more genders than male and female, that men could legally use female toilets and take part in female sports. The messed up thing about those examples are that it is the hard out feminists who are defending the right of men to be called women and vice-versa.

That's just one example of how as a society we have changed, and in my opinion, have regressed.

[Lullapie]

If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd theorise that Musk was at Auschwitz doing research. He's been tasked by Uncle Donald with coming up with a final solution for all those undocumented migrants.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist though, so that's a relief.

Great post. I'm sure the world of evil would find more efficient ways to do that today than what the Nazis left.

[drillerpie]

It would be a great ploy for Musk to do the Nazi salute, just a week after visiting Auschwitz with that other well known anti-Jewish Nazi, Ben Shapiro.

I would hazard a guess that being Jewish is far more important to Shapiro than his following of capitalism.

Shapiro, who as I far as I understand has no connection to any far-right, antisemitic, pro-Nazi groups, spoke up for Musk and called out the hysteria of the left-wing media.

The same as the Anti-Defamation League, who also backed Musk. Again, Musk has been in a long running feud with the ADL prior to his 'gesture', but they backed him, saying that it was just over-enthusiasm.



There's a saying that the best thing for left-wing media is a right-wing government. I'm not sure if that is still true in the US. MSNBC are in huge financial trouble, with dramatic drops in ratings and next week, CNN are going to lay off 6% of its workforce as ratings for them drop too.

Americans are getting bored with their unbalance and made up journalism and fantasy stories.

So your position is that you're asking me to ignore what I can clearly see with my own eyes because Musk went to Auschwitz once (looks like it was Jan 2024, not last week, and was in response to Musk allowing anti-semitic content on Twitter).

In addition you're asking me and others to be swayed by a deliberately misleading photo collage of politicians photographed with their arms in the air as if every politician is walking round sieg-heiling all over the shop, and nothing unusual whatsoever has happened.

I'm all for listening to other points of view but to me it's pretty clear by now there is no value in listening to you or communicating with you. The only thing I am curious to figure out is whether you are deliberately posting in bad faith or just have some difficulties around reality.

[OchPie]

The world has gone that far left over the last few years, exacerbated by the Covid era which legalised state control in the democratic world, that those that were centre, have been made to look right-wing.

There's no doubt socially, we've moved to the left. Gay marriage is legal. Racism isn't generally accepted. Reproductive health is mostly accessible. Women in the workplace are increasingly in positions of responsibility. Countries mostly look to reduce, not expand, their nuclear weapon arsenal.

At the same time, most of the West has become more capitalist and less economically equal, as the right champions.

In terms of government control, not much changes - though the British state is arguably at its smallest and weakest in decades. Austerity gutted it, especially local government.

[Jampie]

I mean we've moved socially to the left incrementally, but is any of that far left? Like what would far left social policy even be? Mandatory gay marriage? Compulsory *** change?

And we've drifted to the right economically. The only economics parameter that's changed that the left don't absolutely hate is recognition that renewable energy is cheaper and less problematic for economies. Hardly far left either is it? Basic economics 101: resources that aren't going to run out until the sun consumes the earth in 5 billion years are better for the economy than resources we're running low on already.

Meanwhile, Lullapie brings up Dutton's plan to nuclearise Australia's power grid. But neglects to mention the proposal is for the taxpayers to foot the bill because uclear power is such a bad investment no corporation will touch it unless the government fronts up the cash, at least for the public liability.

So who's a communist? Peter Dutton, leader of Australia's "right". The world hasn't gone mad, but the usual mad people are still mad, and people who consume Murdoch media are still deluded by it into thinking everyone else is crazy.

[drillerpie]

I mean we've moved socially to the left incrementally, but is any of that far left? Like what would far left social policy even be? Mandatory gay marriage? Compulsory *** change?

And we've drifted to the right economically. The only economics parameter that's changed that the left don't absolutely hate is recognition that renewable energy is cheaper and less problematic for economies. Hardly far left either is it? Basic economics 101: resources that aren't going to run out until the sun consumes the earth in 5 billion years are better for the economy than resources we're running low on already.

Meanwhile, Lullapie brings up Dutton's plan to nuclearise Australia's power grid. But neglects to mention the proposal is for the taxpayers to foot the bill because uclear power is such a bad investment no corporation will touch it unless the government fronts up the cash, at least for the public liability.

So who's a communist? Peter Dutton, leader of Australia's "right". The world hasn't gone mad, but the usual mad people are still mad, and people who consume Murdoch media are still deluded by it into thinking everyone else is crazy.

I agree witht thenidea that socially we've moved to the left and economically to the right.

I think the move to the left reached a peak during the Covid / George Floyd era. Defund the police, effectively decriminalise theft under a certain amount (is it 1000 usd?), allowing city centres to become homeless encampments, same day release after arrest, judicial reparations, obsession with DEI. All of these things are bat **** mental and helped re-elect Trump.

A good example of a longer term shift is the stigma around opposing immigration. Opposing or at least having reservations over large scale immigration is (or can be, depends how it's done) a perfectly reasonable position but was stigmatised, and it became the default position to accuse the person of being a closet racist for airing their concerns.

That has shifted people to the right as they are the only people articulating people's concerns. The parties they have found new homes in are parties that used to be ignored by pretty much everyone and get low single digits at the polls. I think we need to reflect on this.

[Med Pie]

I agree witht thenidea that socially we've moved to the left and economically to the right.

I think the move to the left reached a peak during the Covid / George Floyd era. Defund the police, effectively decriminalise theft under a certain amount (is it 1000 usd?), allowing city centres to become homeless encampments, same day release after arrest, judicial reparations, obsession with DEI. All of these things are bat **** mental and helped re-elect Trump.

A good example of a longer term shift is the stigma around opposing immigration. Opposing or at least having reservations over large scale immigration is (or can be, depends how it's done) a perfectly reasonable position but was stigmatised, and it became the default position to accuse the person of being a closet racist for airing their concerns.

That has shifted people to the right as they are the only people articulating people's concerns. The parties they have found new homes in are parties that used to be ignored by pretty much everyone and get low single digits at the polls. I think we need to reflect on this.

Haliluja, someone gets it!!!!!!!!!!

[Jampie]

I agree witht thenidea that socially we've moved to the left and economically to the right.

I think the move to the left reached a peak during the Covid / George Floyd era. Defund the police, effectively decriminalise theft under a certain amount (is it 1000 usd?), allowing city centres to become homeless encampments, same day release after arrest, judicial reparations, obsession with DEI. All of these things are bat **** mental and helped re-elect Trump.

A good example of a longer term shift is the stigma around opposing immigration. Opposing or at least having reservations over large scale immigration is (or can be, depends how it's done) a perfectly reasonable position but was stigmatised, and it became the default position to accuse the person of being a closet racist for airing their concerns.

That has shifted people to the right as they are the only people articulating people's concerns. The parties they have found new homes in are parties that used to be ignored by pretty much everyone and get low single digits at the polls. I think we need to reflect on this.

Yeah I agree with this, by and large.

"Defund the police" was a fringe view that got magnified by social media and the press because, you know, outrage clicks. I don't think it ever had popular support amongst the "left" if you include the massive moderate majority. I don't know anyone personally who supported it. But it was very loud in online spaces.

I too am irritated by the "you're racist" response to any criticism of immigration. I mean, the person could be racist. Can you address the concerns they actually raised, or is it about sticking a label on them and ignoring them from then on? My guess is B in most cases.

I also think the "left" of politics, especially in the US, has failed to actually make people's lives better in a tangible way, and folks are sick of it. Sick enough to try voting for a "burn it all down" candidate like Trump. I would never vote for him. But I understand how incredibly frustrated a lot of people are with the total lack of progress and indeed loss of progress economically for ordinary people.

Australia is indeed in a similar boat (albeit a bit less severely) and I won't be surprised if Albo loses outright or has to form a minority government after the election. Whenever he ends up calling it... presumably the last possible date since inflation is trending down now. But he just hasn't done enough for ordinary people to make a convincing case IMO.

Again, there's no way I will vote for Dutton - the last leader that party had who was actually competent was Turnbull IMO, and they knifed him for being "too left" and wanting to actually solve the energy/climate change problem. Twice. But, I do agree with the view that the left in Oz (and many places) has at least somewhat lost their way and have failed to a) improve things and b) be seen to improve things.