Biden / Harris Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

I think you miss the point of the Texas law.

No, I do. And yeah, maybe California didn't have a good parallel to use. But if, hypothetically, there are people making specially-bent pieces of wire that just happen to turn manual into automatic fire if used "against manufacturer's directions wink wink", this could help shut that down.

Or, it could be SCOTUS bait, giving SCOTUS a reason to say "no, you can't do that" and therefore block Texas.

[PhaelixWW]

Do you really think a felony is going to get a free pass? Those owning such guns typically have failed the requirements to get one legally to begin with.

I don't even know what your point is?

This is against sellers, not owners. And selling is already a felony. Nobody was going to get a free pass, regardless.

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No, I do. And yeah, maybe California didn't have a good parallel to use. But if, hypothetically, there are people making specially-bent pieces of wire that just happen to turn manual into automatic fire if used "against manufacturer's directions wink wink", this could help shut that down.

It entirely depends on how they would define "parts" in this context.

Or, it could be SCOTUS bait, giving SCOTUS a reason to say "no, you can't do that" and therefore block Texas.

I think this is the only reasonable takeaway.

[Belize]

Or, it could be SCOTUS bait, giving SCOTUS a reason to say "no, you can't do that" and therefore block Texas.

Don't put it past the current SCOTUS to say what Texas is doing is fine, but California is not.

[Shadowferal]

I don't even know what your point is?
This is against sellers, not owners. And selling is already a felony. Nobody was going to get a free pass, regardless.

The only ones that know of those that sell are those that buy. And buyers have no reason to come forward.

[PhaelixWW]

The only ones that know of those that sell are those that buy. And buyers have no reason to come forward.

Oh, yes, then I agree with you on that.

[Blur4stuff]

The court can't let the Texas law stand. It won't just be guns that get tossed on the pile. Just think about everything in politics other than abortion and guns. Think about all of the rights we supposedly have. They could all completely vanish based on the state you're in with this kind of law.

Go down the list of amendments... every single one could be tossed in the trash or would be subject to extreme fuckery with this kind of logic.

[Levelfive]

The court can't let the Texas law stand. It won't just be guns that get tossed on the pile. Just think about everything in politics other than abortion and guns. Think about all of the rights we supposedly have. They could all completely vanish based on the state you're in with this kind of law.

Go down the list of amendments... every single one could be tossed in the trash or would be subject to extreme fuckery with this kind of logic.

You are not accounting for the fact that this is now a corrupt, partisan court unbound by either precedent or coherent legal reasoning. They will protect some rights and gut others and use specious legal reasoning to do so without so much as blushing. They will protect the second amendment and gut / overturn Roe, and they won't care if they're consistent about why--and hey, why should they care, really? Lifetime appointments to fulfill McConnell's dream of the courts doing the batshit radical right wing legislating, beyond redress by the people, leaving the Republicans free from accountability for taking any unpopular votes.

[Fugus]

You are not accounting for the fact that this is now a corrupt, partisan court unbound by either precedent or coherent legal reasoning. They will protect some rights and gut others and use specious legal reasoning to do so without so much as blushing. They will protect the second amendment and gut / overturn Roe, and they won't care if they're consistent about why--and hey, why should they care, really? Lifetime appointments to fulfill McConnell's dream of the courts doing the batshit radical right wing legislating, beyond redress by the people, leaving the Republicans free from accountability for taking any unpopular votes.

And throughout all of it, the Democrats have signaled their approval as based on the simple fact that they have the ability to remove Kavanaugh from the bench legally and justifiably yet they won’t.

He committed perjury on live TV which would put him behind bars for up to 5 years. Yet Garland has treated him like he is untouchable or something.

So help me if they want till after the statute of limitations has expired and then acts like they just realized this option which will be all the proof we need that the Democrats opposition to these messed up people and views was merely symbolic and they were never there to help us but as an illusion to make sure that we never voted in anyone who would.

[DarkTZeratul]

The court can't let the Texas law stand.

And yet, by allowing it to remain in place, they effectively did just that.

[Breccia]

Bank of America says US consumers are spending at a faster rate than anything he's seen.

Yes, this means there are inflation and supply problems. But it doesn't mean people are broke. I'll wait another XXX months for a PS5 if it means people who want a job have one.

[Endus]

Bank of America says US consumers are spending at a faster rate than anything he's seen.

Yes, this means there are inflation and supply problems. But it doesn't mean people are broke. I'll wait another XXX months for a PS5 if it means people who want a job have one.

The simple reality is that the economy could be fine. The blockage on that front is employers, who are being particularly shitheaded about market action the last couple years.

There is no "lack of workers". There's a lack of people willing to accept starvation wages for shitty-ass jobs with no benefits. Stuff your abusive exploitation, dickmongers.

As you note, there's no real lack of spending. The money's there. And spending is what drives the economy; if you can boost spending, the economy will do just fine. The economy is not predicated on employment. That's a lie people have been sold, and it's a really obvious one. Case in point; homemakers. If employment powered the economy, people staying at home to raise the kids and keep the house would be a negative for the economy. It's a negative for employers, who like having far too many people in the labor pool because that drives desperation up and thus wages down.

Big companies like Kelloggs pulling shady shit need to be prosecuted, and if that means the company folds and goes bankrupt, so be it. Better that the striking workers move on to better jobs than scabs be given the jobs at an abusive company. The workforce has started to realize that the Internet allows for collective negotiation on the scale of humanity; an abuser like Kellogg's can be snowed under by coordinated spamming of their employment process, like was already done. That wasn't done by striking workers, it was done by randos on Reddit on behalf of striking workers, for the sake of justice and solidarity alone. If we keep that tide going, if you thought unions could bring a shop to its knees, wait until it's far more people than you employ all working to end your business.

See also the Gamestop debacle with that hedge fund. The old rules are about to change, because they were never actual rules, they were a manipulative house of cards that they'd carefully convinced nobody to breathe towards. Well, we're starting to huff and puff.

The economy should benefit the average worker. If it doesn't, then those workers should tear it down around the ears of those exploiting their labour. The economy isn't going anywhere; as long as there's demand, someone's gonna fill the void and there'll be jobs to be had. But we can tear down the abusive shitbrains who've been exploiting the masses for personal gain. They do not serve the economy; they are ticks on the ass of the nation and are bleeding the economy dry. It's time to start holding a match to their backs and getting rid of them.

[Gestopft]

You are not accounting for the fact that this is now a corrupt, partisan court unbound by either precedent or coherent legal reasoning. They will protect some rights and gut others and use specious legal reasoning to do so without so much as blushing. They will protect the second amendment and gut / overturn Roe, and they won't care if they're consistent about why--and hey, why should they care, really? Lifetime appointments to fulfill McConnell's dream of the courts doing the batshit radical right wing legislating, beyond redress by the people, leaving the Republicans free from accountability for taking any unpopular votes.

Which is why it irks me every time some "enlightened moderate" writes some article about how Progressives shouldn't try to pack the court. Like...did they just wake up from a multi-decade coma or something?

[BlackDruid96]

When the student loan deferment expires next year I believe we will see a huge reversal in the economy.

[Machismo]

The simple reality is that the economy could be fine. The blockage on that front is employers, who are being particularly shitheaded about market action the last couple years.

There is no "lack of workers". There's a lack of people willing to accept starvation wages for shitty-ass jobs with no benefits. Stuff your abusive exploitation, dickmongers.

As you note, there's no real lack of spending. The money's there. And spending is what drives the economy; if you can boost spending, the economy will do just fine. The economy is not predicated on employment. That's a lie people have been sold, and it's a really obvious one. Case in point; homemakers. If employment powered the economy, people staying at home to raise the kids and keep the house would be a negative for the economy. It's a negative for employers, who like having far too many people in the labor pool because that drives desperation up and thus wages down.

Big companies like Kelloggs pulling shady shit need to be prosecuted, and if that means the company folds and goes bankrupt, so be it. Better that the striking workers move on to better jobs than scabs be given the jobs at an abusive company. The workforce has started to realize that the Internet allows for collective negotiation on the scale of humanity; an abuser like Kellogg's can be snowed under by coordinated spamming of their employment process, like was already done. That wasn't done by striking workers, it was done by randos on Reddit on behalf of striking workers, for the sake of justice and solidarity alone. If we keep that tide going, if you thought unions could bring a shop to its knees, wait until it's far more people than you employ all working to end your business.

See also the Gamestop debacle with that hedge fund. The old rules are about to change, because they were never actual rules, they were a manipulative house of cards that they'd carefully convinced nobody to breathe towards. Well, we're starting to huff and puff.

The economy should benefit the average worker. If it doesn't, then those workers should tear it down around the ears of those exploiting their labour. The economy isn't going anywhere; as long as there's demand, someone's gonna fill the void and there'll be jobs to be had. But we can tear down the abusive shitbrains who've been exploiting the masses for personal gain. They do not serve the economy; they are ticks on the ass of the nation and are bleeding the economy dry. It's time to start holding a match to their backs and getting rid of them.

You and I have discussed employment and wages many times.

I want to point out, this is the time for the vast majority of employees to better their positions. Their bargaining power has never been stronger, and they absolutely should take advantage of it. They can easily get a new job, so there's no reason to put up with shitty employers. Even at the "low-tier" of employers, the differences between employers is becoming very clear.

A lot of companies, especially those in the fast-food and retail sectors are going to fail when all this is said and done. They won't fail due to the pandemic, but due to their inability to adapt to the changed mindsets after the pandemic. When it comes to fast-food and fast-casual restaurants, some are simply doing a much better job of keeping their customers happy. Chik-Fil-A is a great example. They are busy as shit (as always), and still pump people through very rapidly. Meanwhile, the overall wait times for food from other chains is going way up. I think Burger King is going to find itself in a very poor position, because their locations all seem to be understaffed, and the staff that are there seem to not give two shits. McDonald's isn't much better, in that regard. But, at least Mickey-D's has a better time advertising to kids.

In the end, we have seen numerous examples of businesses that treat their employees, and their customers like shit. We should take note of it, and address it accordingly.

[Zan15]

When the student loan deferment expires next year I believe we will see a huge reversal in the economy.

meh a small subset of the economy will hardly cause a blip in it.
they rolled the dice thinking they were going to get off scott free. oops.

[Draco-Onis]

Bank of America says US consumers are spending at a faster rate than anything he's seen.

Yes, this means there are inflation and supply problems. But it doesn't mean people are broke. I'll wait another XXX months for a PS5 if it means people who want a job have one.

I don't think this is good news banks are paying basically 0% right now unless you really have to keeping money in the bank is a losing proposition with inflation exploding. I mean look at crypto people are desperate for easy money.

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meh a small subset of the economy will hardly cause a blip in it.
they rolled the dice thinking they were going to get off scott free. oops.

To be fair to them Biden did promise to cancel student debt but it is rather foolish to trust Biden.

[Sorshen]

All these 'blip' decisions gonna add up and fuck over 2022.

[Milchshake]

President Biden in KY today says to a woman wearing a Green Bay Packers jersey: “Tell that Quarterback he’s got to get his vaccine.”

[Paranoid Android]

I wrote about why this is untrue and how these are a result of Ds atrocious messaging on their agenda yesterday.

50 Republicans face no pressure to support anything while Dems turn their ire on a man representing a state where Biden got 29%. Madness.

Facts.

The thing is with Republicans obstructing every piece of Dem Legislation, this is their strategy, its up the Dems to pass their own bills. So if 47 Dems, minus Manchin and 2 Independents voting with Dems, again this person in Manchin is blocking bills supported by 98% of the party. Manchin is being the piece of crap he is blocking overwhelming Legislation on his party behalf.

An oh btw, I should add this would be w/o the filibuster.

[Endus]

I wrote about why this is untrue and how these are a result of Ds atrocious messaging on their agenda yesterday.

50 Republicans face no pressure to support anything while Dems turn their ire on a man representing a state where Biden got 29%. Madness.

Facts.

The thing is with Republicans obstructing every piece of Dem Legislation, this is their strategy, its up the Dems to pass their own bills. So if 47 Dems, minus Manchin and 2 Independents voting with Dems, again this person in Manchin is blocking bills supported by 98% of the party. Manchin is being the piece of crap he is blocking overwhelming Legislation on his party behalf.

An oh btw, I should add this would be w/o the filibuster.

The simple reality is that the Democrats are a relatively moderate, centrist party.

And moderates serve the right-wing, nearly exclusively. Not the left. Ever. They staunchly oppose left-wing approaches, and only grudgingly accept when they seem to be a fait accompli.

The idea that "moderates" as we frame them today are some kind of fence-sitters who seek to work with "both sides" is basically just political hokum, used to conceal that these are actually right-wingers in nearly every respect.



Even if they'd find this idea ideologically offensive/insulting, I don't really care. What matters is the effect their policy stances and approaches to compromise actually mean, in practice. These are the people enabling the constant rightward drift of the Overton window in the USA. These are the people responsible for the status quo barely every meaningfully changing, and generally not by way of Congress when it even does, lately. The Joe Manchins and, yes, Joe Bidens. Manchin and Biden aren't that frickin' different. Biden's just better at talking all folksy-like so you miss what's really going on.

Are they as bad as Republicans of today? Sure, no. But that rightward leap of the Republicans has let some of them, like Manchin, reveal that they're pretty much as far-right as George W. Bush or Mitt Romney. They're shifting rightward right into that territory, and trying to drag the Democrats as a party along with them, which is why you see occasional in-party lashback against voices like AOC, representing the progressive wing.

And the worst part is that it's those progressive policies that most Americans actually support. But you miss that the Democrats, particularly these "moderates", have absolutely fuck-all interest in anything in the least bit progressive and will fight tooth and nail to oppose it.

And at some point, nothing getting done is a better alternative than letting the country just continue to spiral downwards.