Mega-Thread: 2020 United States General Election

[AntiFascistVoter]

Uhhhh calling the McConnell bill "scaled back" is being overly kind.



I mean, bored people with anxiety could start with ... like better research.

[Edge-]

I really need to disengage from politics for a while. My mental health is really taking a beating from this "Damned if we do damned if we don't" we're fucked shit, just constantly.

But i'm too depressed/anxious to keep myself busy through the day without browsing the internet and inevitably seeing it somewhere.

Sigh.

Try to force yourself to take breaks, even if it's a half day or not anxiously browsing headlines first thing in the morning. I'm in a similar position, and have found it helpful to force myself to take breaks for a day or two, or even just trying to tune it out for an evening. May not work for you, but hopefully you'll find something that will. Mental health, especially considering all the shit going on now, is important to try to keep up, even if it's fuckin miserable : /

[Zaydin]

Yeah, no.

Their "protections for employers" amounts to a license to kill.

And honestly, there's also the fact that Republicans are hypocritical wanting liability shields for corporations. These are the same folks insisting that it's safe enough to reopen everything regardless of how bad the pandemic is but are turning around and saying things are dangerous enough that corporations need to be protected from being sued for reckless endangerment/manslaughter.

[Hinastorm]

Uhhhh calling the McConnell bill "scaled back" is being overly kind.



I mean, bored people with anxiety could start with ... like better research.

Ok? so nothing is better? You're making the same argument as pelosi.

I think I understand the disconnect here. You guys seem to be under the illusion that the repubs will do something meaningful eventually if the dems keep holding out.

That is not the case.

[AntiFascistVoter]

Ok? so nothing is better? You're making the same argument as pelosi.

It's loaded with poison pills, so no thanks.

[Hinastorm]

It's loaded with poison pills, so no thanks.

You're delusional if you think anything like the heroes act will ever pass.

I'm talking about reality here not fairy tales.

[Benggaul]

Ok? so nothing is better? You're making the same argument as pelosi.

I think I understand the disconnect here. You guys seem to be under the illusion that the repubs will do something meaningful eventually if the dems keep holding out.

That is not the case.

No, the case is that if the Democrats agreed with the bill here the Republicans would do something WORSE down the line, point to this capitulation as to why they should be allowed to do it, and then people are even more fucked than before. The moment Democrats allow those liability protections is the moment that 300$ means precisely fuck all because people will have to use it to pay medical bills racked up from working for negligent companies putting their employees in unsafe conditions.

It's probably the main poison pill for this bill.

People can influence that by making sure the polls for all of the GOP up for reelection start looking really fucking terrible, but they'd rather blame the Democrats instead, as usual.

[AntiFascistVoter]

You're delusion if you think anything like the heroes act will ever pass.

I'm talking about reality here not fairy tales.

Pelosi has already offered Mnuchin a clean extension of government funding at 2020 levels through December. Needless to say, I expect the White House to fuck this up too.

Seriously, decades of MMOs have conditioned a whole generation to sell out.

[Edge-]

You're delusion if you think anything like the heroes act will ever pass.

I'm talking about reality here not fairy tales.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-po...rillion-trump/

Democrats passed their $3T bill in May. Republicans didn't get their shit together and even propose anything until August.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/07/coro...ive-order.html

Democrats offered to shave off a trillion if the White House, which was leading negotiations at this point as Mitch McConnell noped the fuck out, met them halfway and add a trillion to their $1T proposal. Still nothing.

We're now a month after this, and Republicans in the Senate passed a dogshit bill that has fuckall for people suffering and is acting like it's Democrats fault that there's no bill. It's not. Republicans played this one dirty, and are hoping that desperate people will believe whatever for tablescraps.

I realize this doesn't help folks like yourself in the immediate, where any assistance goes a long way, and that folks like myself who are thankfully doing alright are probably the last people you want to hear from on this. But Republicans aren't looking to seriously help unemployed folks, and if folks are hurting they should be harassing the fuck out of their Republican Senators and demanding to know why they're not even attempting to operate in good faith and work on a compromise deal.

Because Senate Republicans have been the problem from the start, dragging their feet until weeks before unemployment benefits expire and then not even bothering to pretend to try to compromise or be realistic. Nobody expects them to green light the $3T Democrat bill. But nobody should have expected Democrats to green light a bill that's functionally a pathetic $300B without additional stimulus, either.

[Hinastorm]

Pelosi has already offered Mnuchin a clean extension of government funding at 2020 levels through December. Needless to say, I expect the White House to fuck this up too.

Seriously, decades of MMOs have conditioned a whole generation to sell out.

Answer my question, what do you think the dems are waiting for? Repubs aren't gonna settle. They don't care.

[AntiFascistVoter]

Answer my question, what do you think the dems are waiting for? Repubs aren't gonna settle. They don't care.

People spent the whole page answering your question. But you're just playing stupid games and constantly contradicting yourself.

$\200 a week wont fix stupid.

[Hinastorm]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-po...rillion-trump/

Democrats passed their $3T bill in May. Republicans didn't get their shit together and even propose anything until August.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/07/coro...ive-order.html

Democrats offered to shave off a trillion if the White House, which was leading negotiations at this point as Mitch McConnell noped the fuck out, met them halfway and add a trillion to their $1T proposal. Still nothing.

We're now a month after this, and Republicans in the Senate passed a dogshit bill that has fuckall for people suffering and is acting like it's Democrats fault that there's no bill. It's not. Republicans played this one dirty, and are hoping that desperate people will believe whatever for tablescraps.

I realize this doesn't help folks like yourself in the immediate, where any assistance goes a long way, and that folks like myself who are thankfully doing alright are probably the last people you want to hear from on this. But Republicans aren't looking to seriously help unemployed folks, and if folks are hurting they should be harassing the fuck out of their Republican Senators and demanding to know why they're not even attempting to operate in good faith and work on a compromise deal.

Because Senate Republicans have been the problem from the start, dragging their feet until weeks before unemployment benefits expire and then not even bothering to pretend to try to compromise or be realistic. Nobody expects them to green light the $3T Democrat bill. But nobody should have expected Democrats to green light a bill that's functionally a pathetic $300B without additional stimulus, either.

Sigh. We're going in circles.

I point out that republicans aren't gonna offer any more. You point out it's not the democrats fault, we both know these facts, yet we keep saying the same thing to eachother.

To be exceptionally, incredibly clear, I don't give a fuck whose fault it is that we got here. That is not what is being discussed. I'm saying there are 25 million people in financial limbo, and democrats seem to be adopting an idiotic all or nothing strategy that makes no sense.

Why or why not do you support this dumb direction?

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People spent the whole page answering your question. But you're just playing stupid games and constantly contradicting yourself.

$\200 a week wont fix stupid.

No, you didn't. Enjoy the block, you're a moron.

[Infracted]

[beanman12345]

Ok? so nothing is better? You're making the same argument as pelosi.

I think I understand the disconnect here. You guys seem to be under the illusion that the repubs will do something meaningful eventually if the dems keep holding out.

That is not the case.

I see where you are coming from with the something is better than nothing. but the something is something for the unemployed, they need it, i don't disagree, but the something is a nightmare for those that are not unemployed or god willing find work. TBH i'm less worried about the unemployed because that's a can they can kick down the road with extensions fairly easily, like they do with budgets they can't agree one.

[Edge-]

I'm saying there are 25 million people in financial limbo, and democrats seem to be adopting an idiotic all or nothing strategy that makes no sense.

You write, literally quoting a post of mine showing where they've offered considerable concessions in an effort to meet Republicans halfway.

No, that's literally the Republican strategy. Has been since the start of this nonsense. Still is.

[Hinastorm]

You write, literally quoting a post of mine showing where they've offered considerable concessions in an effort to meet Republicans halfway.

No, that's literally the Republican strategy. Has been since the start of this nonsense. Still is.

You're right, dems have tried to concede on certain points, I should of worded that differently.

What I SHOULD of said is why are democrats not settling for SOMETHING when the alternative is nothing?

[Benggaul]

You write, literally quoting a post of mine showing where they've offered considerable concessions in an effort to meet Republicans halfway.

No, that's literally the Republican strategy. Has been since the start of this nonsense. Still is.

The Democrats offer concession after concession and generally let the GOP have their way most of the time.

The people: OMG the Dems are such pushovers. Grow a spine and stand up to the GOP!

The Democrats decide to put their foot down and not let the GOP ram a really harmful bill through.

The people: OMG the Dems are going to get us killed! People need money! Why don't they just accept the bill?!

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What I SHOULD of said is why are democrats not settling for SOMETHING when the alternative is nothing?

Because the alternative is, very potentially, WORSE than nothing. You haven't been listening.

[AntiFascistVoter]

Children ... this has been the GOP strategy since forever.

For the people who were not adulting in 2008/2009, it was a glaring example of McConnell fucking over relief legislation for politics.

[Hinastorm]

The Democrats offer concession after concession and generally let the GOP have their way most of the time.

The people: OMG the Dems are such pushovers. Grow a spine and stand up to the GOP!

The Democrats decide to put their foot down and not let the GOP ram a really harmful bill through.

The people: OMG the Dems are going to get us killed! People need money! Why don't they just accept the bill?!

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Because the alternative is, very potentially, WORSE than nothing. You haven't been listening.

It's not worse for the 25 million unemployed, which is my whole point. Worse is relative.

Please just ban me edge, fuck this forum.

[beanman12345]

It's not worse for the 25 million unemployed, which is my whole point. Worse is relative.

It is worse for the people who are employed, or god willing get employed, and honestly, with with no help to medicaid, it's worse to the 25 million unemployed too arguably.

[Benggaul]

It's not worse for the 25 million unemployed, which is my whole point. Worse is relative.

No, it's not, assuming those unemployed are looking for a job. Unless you think exempting businesses and health care facilities from COVID-19-related liabilities forever--because COVID-19 is not going away even with vaccinations--is a good idea. Not only is it bad for people working now--which is a lot more than 25 million people--it will be bad for people working in the future. And it's only one of the problems with the bill itself.

You keep asking "What are the Democrats going to do?!" The Democrats have done all they can at this point. They passed a bill. They offered concessions on the bill. They offered to work with Trump and the GOP (and were turned down). They've reached a point now where what the GOP is proposing will hurt a LOT more people than it will help. It's not up to the Democrats anymore, it's up to the GOP.

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Meanwhile, some positive news for the upcoming election:

Democrats build big edge in early voting

This part in particular gives me hope:

Even more concerning for Republicans, Democrats who didn't vote in 2016 are requesting 2020 ballots at higher rates than their GOP counterparts. The most striking example is Pennsylvania, where nearly 175,000 Democrats who sat out the last race have requested ballots, more than double the number of Republicans, according to an analysis of voter rolls by the Democratic firm TargetSmart.

We can't ever get complacent, of course, because there's a shitton of time between now and November, but it is heartening.