And Sleepy Joe Will Get The Credit: US Politics January 2021

There are a lot of ways to serve the public. But direct payments (of cash or vodka) translate a lot more easily than less immediate benefits. I think Democrats in the post-Reagan era have been sort of scared off of those kinds of appeals because of being attacked as socialist or, even worse, running up "the deficit." They may finally be figuring out that voters do not give one shit about the deficit.

grover norquist is about to get his cold, sweet revenge, just you wait!

yep they really need to clearly and consistently put the lie to this idea that managing the US economy is in any way similar to managing your family's budget.

There are a lot of ways to serve the public. But direct payments (of cash or vodka) translate a lot more easily than less immediate benefits. I think Democrats in the post-Reagan era have been sort of scared off of those kinds of appeals because of being attacked as socialist or, even worse, running up "the deficit." They may finally be figuring out that voters do not give one shit about the deficit.

― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, January 5, 2021 11:29 AM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

otm, it's just heartening (despite all the problems they have) to see the conversation re-framed again as the government being something that exists to provide things to people

call them Biden Bux and put his signature on the checks, that's what real leaders do

anyone else a nervous wreck? i just want this damn election to be over (and won)

nah, I've pretty much resigned myself to the idea that at least one if not both Republicans will keep their seats and am preparing myself mentally for that outcome

Nov. 3 was two months ago.

yep they really need to clearly and consistently put the lie to this idea that managing the US economy is in any way similar to managing your family's budget.

family budgets include huge amounts of debt like car payments and mortgage payments, which take decades to pay back, sometimes at extortionate interest rates, all of which is considered completely normal and in fact almost required for access to middle class society, so actually family budgets are a pretty good metaphor!

I'm not nervous because I don't expect these two to win.

you don't trust the good people of georgia to do the right thing??

I mean I trust the bad people, sure.

There was a White middle-aged dude interviewed on CNN this morning walking out of a GA polling station who said pretty much verbatim "this election cycle is the first time I've ever voted for Democrats because there are too many issues we need to fix with climate change and race and the Republican Party has shown they have no idea how to deal with those problems" and it was difficult to tell whether he was sincere or trolling.

they fear the national debt because it proves that money is just ~~imaginary~~ *smokes doobie*

ossoff and warnock are going to win

I restrict myself to fantasies about Harris steamrolling McConnell as president of the senate, it seems more likely than both Dems winning the senate races in Georgia. That said, Trump is basically an honorary Democrat when it comes to his ability to fuck up what should be easy wins for his party.

hell yeah they're going to win. because if they don't, democrats will launch hundreds of lawsuits and demand a recount that shows what we all know to be the truth, which is that ossoff and warnock won big time and it wasn't even close

let's stop worrying and let's start SUING and WINNING and TAKING

^ original lyrics to "wishin' and hopin'"

Suing
winning
taking
each otherrrrrrrrrrrrrr

exactly karl

i just love to see democrats actually promising concrete benefits in plain terms in a campaign pitch

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, January 5, 2021 12:20 PM (twenty-nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

the optimistic view is that the stimulus payments debate has crystalized things for nervous nellie congressional democrats with vaguely leftward instincts but internalized self-loathing/learned helplessness (or at least enough of them to make a difference).

the difference between bullshit like this:

Yesterday I announced that, as president, I’ll establish a student loan debt forgiveness program for Pell Grant recipients who start a business that operates for three years in disadvantaged communities. https://t.co/ldwuC9RiIE

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 28, 2019

and "vote for us and we will put $2000 in your bank account before the end of the month" (coming from a historically very centrist Serious Democrat running in a purple state!) is ... i dunno. promising? (table is going to tell me never to trust politicians and fair enough.)

Wait... "As president"???

I mean, they can do both? Give people the $2,000 (per month) now AND still work towards longer term, structural improvements.

xp - check the date, it's when she was running

Oh.. I just saw the date. Never mind.

Xposts

Yeah it's exactly the thing conservatives and libertarians freak out about, that those kinds of actual populist appeals are actually popular. And then someone's gonna want to raise their capital gains taxes to pay for them, the horror the horror.

I thought she was getting a bit big for her chuck taylors.

that tweet sounds like a parody

There was a White middle-aged dude interviewed on CNN this morning walking out of a GA polling station who said pretty much verbatim "this election cycle is the first time I've ever voted for Democrats because there are too many issues we need to fix with climate change and race and the Republican Party has shown they have no idea how to deal with those problems" and it was difficult to tell whether he was sincere or trolling.

― Totino's Fortnite Training Room (DJP)

this guy

Georgia voter: "I have been a lifelong Republican. This is the first time I've ever voted for a Democratic candidate just because there are issues regarding our environment, regarding taxation, regarding diversity issues and so forth that I think need to be addressed." pic.twitter.com/MNHQM185uQ

— The Hill (@thehill) January 5, 2021

but then you have this stupid ass shit

Q: "Will you accept Joe Biden as President?"

GA Trump Supporter: "No he'll never be my President."

Q: "But you accept he's going to be inaugurated?"

GA Trump Supporter: "No I don't."

Q: "How could that change at this point?"

GA Trump Supporter: "Well, could be a civil war." pic.twitter.com/Z91Mza1lnG

— The Hill (@thehill) January 5, 2021

Welp (yawns, stretches, scratches behind)...time fer us to have one a' them Civil Wars, I reckon. Now, how do we kick this off? (yawns again)

These dumb cracker fucks.

Yeah they showed that right before the interview with the guy I mentioned and basically I was like "I am never leaving my house again"

That's why having a divided congress is so important: no civil wars!

xxpost He see the colonel's sweatshirt? Jesus christ.

Surprised Kid Rock hasn't opened up a chain of restaurants called Cracker Fucks.

Those women look as likely to start, let alone participate in, a civil war than Donald Trump would turn vegan.

Don't these people know that Biden owns a Corvette.. and actually has a current driver's license?

Is it bad that I don’t believe the reasonable guy is a “lifelong Republican”?

Do they forget what happened last time there was a civil war in GA? pic.twitter.com/xWKkRC94HI

— Jason Trubilla (@jjtrub) January 5, 2021

Is it bad that I don’t believe the reasonable guy is a “lifelong Republican”?

― Washington Generals D-League affiliate (will)

idk not hard to believe that a white likely middle class guy in GA was raised to be a republican

The full call is here and while I have your attention pay your child support https://t.co/fo2JPaxUEs https://t.co/PPOyuu4fkJ

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 3, 2021

oof

Welp. Just saw on twitter that the beloved internet figure of old Tron Guy is a textbook MAGA chud.

Pelosi defeated McCarthy 216-208. obviously party lines but god help us if/when they take the House back and that thug becomes speaker.

"I hope Mike Pence comes through for us. I have to tell you ... of course if he doesn't come through, I don't like him quite as much." -- Trump pic.twitter.com/jZDOsiEllB

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2021

I feel like Trump is envisioning something like the La La Land/Moonlight moment.

I hope Pence bursts through his chest like the the baby alien.

I hope Pence bursts through his chest like the the baby alien

idk not hard to believe that a white likely middle class guy in GA was raised to be a republican