2024 US Presidential Election

I think I've finally found a Trump nickname I like: Felonious TrumpFor those with access, this is an excellent but scary analysis of why Trump gets so much support: We have a radical democracy. Will Trump voters destroy it?--Percy

I dont have access. I know Trump is not the answer, but why specifically does the article suggest that (oh I dunno...30%?) of the American public be blamed for "destroying Democracy"? What I see everyday is bad for Democracy. It is bad to not only decriminalize but to go nearly so far as to legitimize retail theft and entitlement. It is bad to have a society at odds with each other, and it is worse now than ever before.Perhaps you can enlighten me as to what needs improving in Democracy. If you are talking globally, you will have a lot of opposition. The global poor want to come up to "our" level even as our level is sinking to meet them. Democracy alone will not cure human misery nor the reality of human nature.And Theodoric, why must you always bring up my house as if everyone in the world is entitled to one? Are you going to leave yours to any of the kids or will you will it to the Democratic party?To me, Democracy means the freedom to achieve. freedom does not mean automatic entitlement for everyone. That is why I always talk about fiscal restraint. One cannot simply print up enough money to cover their needs. Government was never meant to have such discretionary control. I hear that Biden proposed a 40% capital gains tax. That sure helps the people get ahead!
Free from an authoritarian government.

Bad policies are different than removing democracy altogether. It is one thing to disagree on how laws are enforced and implemented. It is quite different from saying that we should ignore the results of an election and let the current person stay in power after being voted out.Also, the destruction of democratic institutions is destructive to democracies as well. Trump wants to remake law enforcement so that it is a political wing of MAGA. If you disagree with lax enforcement of laws, you will definitely not enjoy the politicization of justice under Trump.

Naw, that was taken years ago by that certain bad guy in the monastery.Sorry.

Because they're the ones who don't believe in Democracy. They believe Trump should be the winner in any election, regardless of whether he gets the most electoral college votes are not. And they don't see it as a problem that the Republican candidate routinely gets millions fewer votes than the Democratic candidate.The article is about how anti-democratic attitudes run deep through some segments of American society. Much of America, predominantly red America, does not believe in racial equality, separation of church and state, or universal suffrage. They give them lip service, but they don't really believe in the principles of the Declaration that all men are created equal and possess unalienable rights that include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They believe these things should only be true for Christian white men. You're just echoing the same YouTube accusations without evidence or justification that you always do. I didn't say anything about democracy needing improvement, but since you bring it up, increasing representation would be a good idea, meaning that red states should cease their efforts at reducing the voter roles in districts that don't support Republicans. You continually confuse forms of government with economic systems. Democracy is not synonymous with capitalism. You've completely missed the point. If Theodoric is like most of his and not like you, he didn't have an abode given to him, which is quite likely the only reason you're able to keep your nose above water. You're getting this from your YouTube wingnuts and not from anyone here. No one here has said freedom means automatic entitlements for everyone. No one here speaks like that except you. You listen to the YouTube wingnuts accusing Democrats of saying these things, and then you come here and accuse us of saying them.Why do you believe the YouTube wingnuts about what we believe and not us? We keep telling you what we think over and over again, but you ignore it and return to your YouTube wingnut accusations. Please stop bringing your YouTube addiction into the forum. If you're talking about fiscal restraint only because the YouTube wingnuts are telling you Democrats are demanding automatic entitlements for everyone then rest easy. Democrats aren't saying that, so you can relax.--Percy

Depends on whether they want it. Depends on whether my wife is still living there when she passes (I am 15 years older so odds are she will outlive me).
My kids are not going to be living their lives in anticipation of their inheritance. We do well but are not what I would consider wealthy. Are you trying to be witty? Why would you say something so utterly stupid?

This is a reply to LamarkNewAge's Message 352 over in the Israel Declares War For The First Time Since 1973. thread where he offers his analysis of answers to poll questions from The Economist/YouGov Poll.It's disappointing that so many people think the Holocaust was a myth or was exaggerated, and it's true that more Democrats/liberals/Biden-voters believe this than Republicans/conservatives/Trump-voters, but the numbers aren't all that different. For example, 81% of liberals disagree that the Holocaust was a myth and 85% of conservatives. Damning one political party and not the other because of a 5 to 10 percentage point difference in belief about something horrific doesn't make much sense.Also, those poll questions are colored by the current political climate where liberals are more likely to be highly sympathetic to the plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, while conservatives are more likely to put the emphasis on wiping out Hamas while being less concerned about the civilians who happen to be inconveniently co-located.You can see this in the answers to other questions in the poll. About "Importance of helping Israel", 18% of liberals agreed but 61% of conservatives. The low liberal percentage reflects not their belief that we should no longer be a supporter and ally of Israel but that we shouldn't be providing support to Israel now because they are using our assistance to slaughter innocent civilians.The same can be seen on the flip side of the coin with "U.S. Humanitarian Support for Palestinians." 60% of liberals agree and only 11% of conservatives.If a liberal were inclined to issue the same kind of false accusations as you they could easily find reams of them against conservatives because there is plenty of grist for the mill in that poll. But what we should instead strive for is constructive dialogue.--Percy

So, I wonder if there is any brain material left, or are the worms in full control now? Brain worms like the one RFK Jr. had are real and more common than you might think, doctor explainsPolls this morning show 14% of American voters support his candidacy for President of the United States.We are so fucking doomed!

The worms are firmly in control

probably died of starvation

Kennedy says worms. I say snakes.I live in Elise Stefanik's district, and I've got a tiny dead zone deep in my brain from a stroke. My qualifications are clear.If something starts moving in there, I'm launching a PAC and running for her seat.

The firearm issue hasn't been often raised in this year's presidential election, but we shouldn't forget the terrible toll firearms exact on our society. Gun control laws make a big difference in firearm death rates, as reflected in this table which orders state firearm death rates from highest to lowest and includes which presidential candidate that state voted for in 2020: There is a very strong correlation between high firearm death rates and voting for Trump. Trump is not the cause, but voting for him is reflective of attitudes that refuse to recognize the profound dangers that guns pose, that do not acknowledge that the presence of gun makes you less safe, not more.Source: CDC Firearm Mortality by State--Percy

What is also amazing is that Mississippi has 10x the rate of Massachusetts. The highest states at so amazingly high and the lowest are amazingly low.

This highlights the conclusion I have come to. Substantive gun regulation is not going to happen from the top down. It is going to have to be from the bottom up, from an overwhelming majority of citizens demanding a change. In the current climate there is a snowball's chance in hell of amending the constitution (even if we wanted to), and federal regulations limited by the constitution will not make a substantive change IMHO.At the same time, part of me is against gun regulation for the same reason that I like fast cars with big, wasteful V8's. I know a Prius is better for the environment than a Mustang, but I want the Mustang. I'm sure Freud would have a few things to say about that.

When you get your Tesla Model 3 Performance Version and put the pedal to the metal you won't even notice the missing roar of the engine because you'll be pressed so far back in the seat as you do 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. Or you can get the Active Sound package, choose between a V10 or V12 engine, and crank it up to 10. And instead of a handgun you'll be locked and loaded with a taser strutting 200,000 volts and 7 microcoulombs.--Percy