Joe Money, Joe Problems: the November 2021 U.S. Politics Thread

That you have to describe it as the only possible outcome thanks to two Democratic Senators would belie the functional bit, really. Functional government wouldn’t let Joe Manchin define climate policy.

That’s not functional government

Correct. It isn't like the legislative branch of our government has been truly functional for any purpose other than emptying the treasury into the pockets of billionaires since this century began. It was an attempt to exert maximum leverage, but it failed because the assholes who've aligned themselves with all the Republican assholes decided the implicit threat from the House progressive caucus did not threaten them. This "bad bill" was the nearest to functionality the progressive caucus could obtain under that circumstance, because they couldn't shake the votes loose for a better bill. They tried.

I think I'll start sending Kurt Schrader daily reminders that he's lost my vote forever.

in conclusion, the US government is very not good. i learned something today.

lock thread

trying to imagine pelosi saying ain't gonna be no

it's difficult because "pelosi" means "a platoon of yes"

Seen some twitter people noted that GA flipped 41 seats in 21 counties across Georgia last week, with next to no national reporting or notice. If it bleeds, it leads. Meanwhile, on milk:

When I asked Krista Stotler from this CNN story if her family had received extended child tax credits over the last few months, she told me: "We only have three kids under the age of 18 and don't really have a comment on that. … We're just trying to raise our kiddos." https://t.co/lW0THTDoeA

— Daniel Lippman (@dlippman) November 8, 2021

So these assholes buy 12 gallons of milk for a household with only three kids under the age of 18?

these legal adults are all pissin' white!

nearly everybody in that house is fully grown and constipated. the stotlers wonder why their plumbing bills are so high under President Biden as they feed their 28 year old son another glass of milk on the fury road.

Their milk bill might be high but imagine what they spend on potpourri to hide the pervasive odor of wet farts.

Yeah, with only three of those kids under 18, I retract my half-hearted defense. That is a bizarre amount of milk for a house with grown ass adults.

https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/12/bathemilk.jpg

that milk story's been done to death here already

we milked that cow dry

that milk story's been done to death here already

just a few new details in a meaningless inconsequential story indistinguishable from clickbait

Counterpoint: a funny story is now twice as funny.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It's gone from 2% to WHole

we're just skimming the surface

get the milk talk off Carton-Eyed Joe's thread

just a few new details in a meaningless inconsequential story indistinguishable from clickbait

― more difficult than I look (Aimless), Monday, November 8, 2021 6:07 PM (sixteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

december thread title!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in58wtVI9sI

Well this seems bad (respondents are all Youngkin voters)

We ask: Which party has better policy proposals?
54%: Democrats
14% Republicans
32% About the same

— Danny Barefoot (@dannybarefoot) November 8, 2021

Life in these United States:

Okay and last question: If Democrats had passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package before the election would you have considered changing your vote?

91%: No
9% Yes

One woman laughs and says "what does that have to do with anything?"

— Danny Barefoot (@dannybarefoot) November 8, 2021

Write a deadline poem about THAT, Calvin Trillin

lol

is andy borowitz still pulling in the most views for the new yorker?

We ask an open ended why did you vote for Glenn Younkin? Some of the responses.

"All McAuliffe had to say was he was like Trump. Listen to Youngkin talk, that's just silly."

"Democrats have to get gas prices under control I wanted to send a message."

— Danny Barefoot (@dannybarefoot) November 8, 2021

Will consultants still try to run against Trump in 2022?

Yes.

Congratulations, Mr. Youngkin! You’re Governor but also Gasoline Czar

"Biden 2024 - an electric car in every driveway, never pay for gas again!"

Absolutely true that McAuliffe had no message.

Quite agree. "Don't vote for the Trumpy guy" works for me. In fact it is all I needed. "NOT THEM" works fine for me, in fact it has been my entire politics for decades, more or less.

But for loads of voters "Don't vote for the Trumpy guy" was insufficient, and Terry never quite put forward a positive case for his own election.

One thing to consider though: the governor of Virginia typically doesn't do shit, or control mich of anything. It was intentionally written as a weak office where term limits effectively limited the degree to which any particular governor could move the political football in any direction.

When people turn their attention to the Virginia governor's race, it is WAY MORE about what it means in terms of the horse race - who's up, who's down, who's dispirited and who's emboldened - than actual stiff happening in the world.

Which is why my main disappointment with the race is that it emboldens the wrong people. My life will continue more or less as it has. Might need to keep getting weed from DC, though. Bummer.

Some of the responses.

Drive down the street can't find the keys to my own fucking home
I take a walk so I can curse my ass for being dumb
I make a right after the arches stinking grease and bone
Stop at the supermarket people stare like I'm a dog
I voted Youngkin

Best Springsteen song in ages

thought that focus group said a lot, at least for suburban women. the democrats win on policy but lose badly on culture issues, and the culture war beats policy

Democrats made school a bummer for our dear little Kameron and Kaitlyn.

:)

That focus group confirmed something I had sort of assumed, which is that school COVID restrictions were more of a factor than "CRT." But all ended up getting wrapped up together.

lol Neanderthal

yes lmao i just got it

That focus group confirmed something I had sort of assumed, which is that school COVID restrictions were more of a factor than "CRT." But all ended up getting wrapped up together.

I’m sure California had even more of a lockdown than Virginia ever had but Newsom survived recall easily.

and Newsome ran on WHOA NELLY TRUMP'S GONNA GETCHA too, no?

Yeah, the old lesson that who the candidates are actually matters is an important part too. Which tbh does not give me warm feelings about the road ahead, but maybe there are some great candidates out there I don't know about.

It is a good left-progressive talking point tho, that the real lesson of Virginia is no more warmed-over Clintonistas.

_ I’m sure California had even more of a lockdown than Virginia ever had but Newsom survived recall easily._

and Newsome ran on WHOA NELLY TRUMP'S GONNA GETCHA too, no?

McAuliffe got more votes than Northam so idk if the answer is necessarily "his campaign sucked"

Also there is going to be a CA election next year, anyway, whereas in VA the Gov literally is not allowed to serve consecutive terms, iirc, so the voters *had* to make a choice, vs. CA pointlessly and impatiently forcing people to make a choice early at the behest of, yeah, lotsa loons.

"the democrats win on policy but lose badly on culture issues, and the culture war beats policy"

and this is depressing, because I'm never going to agree with these choads on culture war shit, but more and more the country is drifting that way. Ban CRT, keep schools open during pandemics, teachers' unions are evil.... seems to me that much of the country is drifting this way.

I question "much of the country."

Enough of the country, then.