Board 8 > Politics Containment Topic 365: Get those Checks in our Balances

(+) Yeah! (+)

With Hell frozen over right now, maybe thats a sign that Dems can be productive
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Well, the House is doing stuff.

Next week they plan to take up the Rescue Plan and Equality (codifying LGBT+ protections to anti-discrimination in lesiglation). Week after is HR1/For The People (Voting Rights) and Justice in Policing Act.

Reconciliation bill expected to be passed by the end of next week at the latest.

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Hot take alert: I genuinely believe this kind of blatant lying should be illegal for elected officials.

In the same way military members can be straight up sent to the brig for their speech, elected officials 1st Amendment Rights should end when they blatantly fabricate shit for an agenda during a disaster.

https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1361866553998909442?s=21

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ChaosTonyV4 posted...

Hot take alert: I genuinely believe this kind of blatant lying should be illegal for elected officials.

In the same way military members can be straight up sent to the brig for their speech, elected officials 1st Amendment Rights should end when they blatantly fabricate shit for an agenda during a disaster.

https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1361866553998909442?s=21

So you want democrats thrown in jail for saying fossil fuels result in natural disasters? Because thats how you get that. There isnt a truth dictator that can judge if a statement is true.


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Fossil fuels may not directly cause a hurricane to show up, no.

There is plenty of science, reports and articles that show that the frequency of natural disasters have been on the rise for a while though due to climate change.

Whether you think fossil fuels leads to climate change(hint it does), what Gov Abbot said is still incredibly stupid and dangerous.

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More democratic backsliding in Hong Kong looking imminent:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-17/hong-kong-may-prohibit-insults-of-public-officials-reports-say

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Sorozone posted...

Fossil fuels may not directly cause a hurricane to show up, no.

There is plenty of science, reports and articles that show that the frequency of natural disasters have been on the rise for a while though due to climate change.

Whether you think fossil fuels leads to climate change(hint it does), what Gov Abbot said is still incredibly stupid and dangerous.

It pains me to say this, but I agree with plum and you're entirely missing the point.

Regardless of what the truth actually is, if it's punishable by law to go against it then a corrupt ruling party (the GOP) will be able to weaponize those consequences as they see fit.

I agree with you that Abbott is a moronic shit who shouldn't be in power.

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Peace___Frog posted...

but I agree with plum and you're entirely missing the point.

No I agree with the truth bit. It's as slippery slope.

My point was that there is a huge difference between Democrats using fossil fuels as an example because while on a technical level what plum said is true, it does eventually lead to more frequent natural disasters.

What Gov Abbot said is insane, and no data to back that up. Not to mention it's the gas and oil industry that is mostly responsible for the power grid crisis, not wind turbines. There is more nuance in both cases, but it's a dumb comparison.


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"Data to back it up" is completely irrelevant when science can be picked and chosen.

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I dont think it has to be complicated.

If a politician says some crazy shit, you ask them for proof of any kind.

If they have no basis, give them a chance to recant or explain at all. They dont even have to be right, they just need to prove theyre not making it up (see: lying).

Kids as young as middle school have to cite a source of they get a failing grade, its absurd our politicians arent even held to that.

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masterplum posted...

"Data to back it up" is completely irrelevant when science can be picked and chosen.

Which makes it so impressive that the governor just completely swung and misses at any science whatsoever.

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ChaosTonyV4 posted...

If they have no basis, give them a chance to recant or explain at all. They dont even have to be right, they just need to prove theyre not making it up (see: lying).

I feel like this just leads to more conservative scientists making things up anyway. See: Andrew Wakefield and any number of scientists who deny climate change.

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Yeah, while I wish there could be some accountabilty/enforcement of truth here... I just don't think that could be implemented in a way that would actually accomplish it. There's no longer any generally agreed upon arbiter of fact any longer so either you permit anything (and change nothing because there's always an audience for junk science) or you leave it open for conservatives to weaponize against actual science in places/times they have power.

It used to be that either shame held some of this in check from politicians and they'd rely on dog whistles or only kind of eroding the edges of truth but I fear one of the most consequential aspects of Trump's rise is that truth no longer matters and Republicans have seen that if they actually can just straight-up lie and there's an entire media ecosystem and 30-40% of people will just buy into it wholeheartedly instead of before where it'd be like, "Well, if you look at this study by [joke study here] there are serious questions on the science here and..."

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xp1337 posted...

It used to be that either shame held some of this in check from politicians and they'd rely on dog whistles or only kind of eroding the edges of truth but I fear one of the most consequential aspects of Trump's rise is that truth no longer matters and Republicans have seen that if they actually can just straight-up lie and there's an entire media ecosystem and 30-40% of people will just buy into it wholeheartedly instead of before where it'd be like, "Well, if you look at this study by [joke study here] there are serious questions on the science here and..."

I feel like this is the other way around. Truth no longer mattered to Republicans for a long time, and that led to the rise of Trump. See: Birtherism, Climate Change Denial, Conversion Therapy, and so much more.

See: Ronald Regan and the Welfare Queen.

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See Richard Nixon and drug use by blacks and hippies

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See Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare.

And McCarthy, Regan and Nixon are still held in high regards by Republicans.

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Dancedreamer posted...

And McCarthy, Regan and Nixon are still held in high regards by Republicans.

That's super not true for 2 of those people.
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Reposting here because Jesus.

https://twitter.com/mike10010100/status/1361814507727765504?s=19

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https://www.tmz.com/2021/02/17/rush-limbaugh-dead-at-70-lung-cancer/

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UshiromiyaEva posted...

Reposting here because Jesus.

https://twitter.com/mike10010100/status/1361814507727765504?s=19

Sure is fucking easy for him to say in his life of luxury and wealth.
This guy is one step away from becoming senator armstrong.
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Cancer sucks, don't wish that on anyone.

At least my family can't listen to him anymore though.

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Inviso posted...

https://www.tmz.com/2021/02/17/rush-limbaugh-dead-at-70-lung-cancer/

The world is objectively better off without him.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

Reposting here because Jesus.

https://twitter.com/mike10010100/status/1361814507727765504?s=19

It's like he doesn't understand the point of government...

Also, gonna be a real fun day for him when people show up armed at his front door because their plan is to take what he has to provide for their family.

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Inviso posted...

https://www.tmz.com/2021/02/17/rush-limbaugh-dead-at-70-lung-cancer/

Ding dong the witch is dead

Hi mods

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I feel awful because I saw "Rest in Piss" trending on twitter and I laughed, then I saw the trend below saying that Limbaugh had died. I didn't like the guy, but I can't wish cancer or death on anybody.

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Seanchan posted...

It's like he doesn't understand the point of government...

Also, gonna be a real fun day for him when people show up armed at his front door because their plan is to take what he has to provide for their family.

It appears the actual repercussions are that...his wife has been fired from her job??

Will need to get all the details but boy that doesn't sound good on paper, unless I just haven't seen the part yet where his wife came out and doubled down as well.

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Man if only it was a day earlier I could have titled this topic Rush to Judgment

See you in hell asshole
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Good news we don't have to wish cancer on Rush he got it anyway. World is better today

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Actually I'll elaborate on my feelings

Rush Limbaugh is on the Top 10 list of people that have harmed this country the most. He doesn't get as much attention these days thanks to lunatics like Alex Jones dominating the news, but Rush Limbaugh was the pioneer of proliferating conservative talking points outside of mainstream news networks. A lot of older people grew up listening to radio talk shows and never stopped, and Limbaugh was their go-to to dose themselves with another hit of conservatism before it was time to sit down and watch Fox News in the evening. Just a constant stream of propaganda and hateful vitriol in a setting they felt comfortable and familiar with.

People here who didn't grow up with a conservative family don't realize how insidious this was. You can listen to the radio while doing basically anything. Driving in the car? Rush Limbaugh. Sitting at your desk? Rush Limbaugh. My grandpa especially had him playing all the time, and it was super weird to watch him go about his day normally as conservative ranting serenaded him in the background. Made me realize that I could have spent years trying to show him alternative points of view and never gotten anywhere with him, because I can't replace the background radiation of his life.

So, as someone who lost a family member to a long battle with cancer: I'm glad Rush Limbaugh is dead, I hope it was as painful as possible, and that he died cold and alone. Fuck him.

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Apropos of nothing: Good day!

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hell yeah brother
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I don't want to celebrate anyone's death, but I will celebrate that he can no longer spew his wretched, odious bile anymore.

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It is completely appropriate to express joy at this man's death. He truly brought nothing but hate, pain, and suffering. Hating cancer doesn't mean you need to feel bad for Limbaugh.


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Cancer's long battle with Rush Limbaugh is finally over

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https://twitter.com/HoustonChron/status/1362079382806933512?s=19

Texas is just in a fucking state right now.

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Eh, There are a lot of Conservative pundits that I think are worse than Limbaugh, unless he got way worse in the last decade or so.

I really hated Hannity and Mark Lavin even when I was in my conservative talk radio days. Rush I found to be merely boring

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Limbaugh basically got worse every single day of his life.
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But hmm, perhaps it is tasteless to mock the recently dead. For example, it would have been really shitty of me to treat:

• Alyssa Alhadeff, 14
• Scott Beigel, 35
• Martin Duque, 14
• Nicholas Dworet, 17
• Aaron Feis, 37
• Jaime Guttenberg, 14
• Chris Hixon, 49
• Luke Hoyer, 15
• Cara Loughran, 14
• Gina Montalto, 14
• Joaquin Oliver, 17
• Alaina Petty, 14
• Meadow Pollack, 18
• Helena Ramsay, 17
• Alex Schachter, 14
• Carmen Schentrup, 16
• Peter Wang, 15

With anything but the utmost of respect.

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My condolences to the Limbaugh family. Sorry you had to put up with that asshole for as long as you did!

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https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/1362107078379200513?s=21
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Brayze_II posted...

Cancer's long battle with Rush Limbaugh is finally over

This made me laugh too!

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Biden is outright rejecting $50k student loan forgiveness.

Can't say I'm surprised.

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50 is too much. The people with the biggest student loan burdens are statistically those that have only a few thousand in debt from going for one or two semesters and dropping out.

I think 10k is reasonable

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masterplum posted...

50 is too much. The people with the biggest student loan burdens are statistically those that have only a few thousand in debt from going for one or two semesters and dropping out.

I think 10k is reasonable

You mean it's a big burden because they don't have the income to pay it?

And student loan forgiveness is a bad idea unless it's paired with a radical overhaul of federal student loan lending. Otherwise, colleges will use it as an invitation to raise their tuitions. The government's going to forgive 50k? Well, guess what, our tuitions are going up by 50k!

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I would propose instead that the colleges start being required to pay income tax like everyone else, and the proceeds of those taxes be distributed to everyone who's paid for college.

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Biden doesn't care. He transitioned into going "Well I'd rather use that money for early childhood education instead." Why not both?

We know why.

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His position was always 10k, so it's not a case of him going down. He just doesn't want to go up for whatever reason.

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Stay classy, B8.

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Youre free to write the glowing Rush eulogy if you want
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