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Cake day: June 19th, 2023

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  • One thing that I was fascinated about after reading his manifesto is this part right here:

    To better understand our form of government, I will point you to one of the most astonishing pieces of stand-alone evidence I’ve found: Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton’s 1988 DNC speech where he nominated Mike Dukakis for president against George H.W. Bush. The speech is a vile, mean-spirited roast of Dukakis that makes no sense whatsoever: For Clinton to ruthlessly attack a member of his own party should have been political suicide, and he repeatedly mocks Dukakis’ noble and earnest qualities.

    I went back and watched that speech. It was just a really long list of reasons why he thought Dukakis would be great as president. The only thing approaching a “roast”, and not even a mean spirited one, was when he ribbed Dukakis for his loyalty to a non-Atlanta sports team.

    So, like… I know this dude is totally out of this world bonkers crazy… but I can’t help but wonder what he saw in that speech that he thought was vile or mean-spirited.







  • Ok, it seems you’re having trouble penetrating the depths of what is a fairly easy metaphor to grasp, so I’ll break it down for you.

    You complain that Biden (and presumably most, if not all Democratic presidents thusfar) caters to liberal and moderate political positions, but alienates progressives. You then stated that if he were instead to cater towards progressive positions, it would alienate liberals and moderates. To quote you:

    Simply put, people argue if Biden made material compromises with leftists and progressives then moderates and liberals wouldn’t vote for him.

    So you ostensibly believe that Biden is in a no-win position, in which he will alienate either the progressives or the more moderate sections of his party. So far, so fine. However, where an adult would recognize that the system is imperfect and that it is not likely to improve by November, you whine and pout that you’re not getting your way (ie. having a president that caters to your political desires), and so you’re going to throw a tantrum in the cereal aisle (refuse to vote, thus making it more likely that someone who caters to your political desires far less than Biden would will become president).

    It’s a really simple analogy. And the thing is, I think you recognize that you are being childish. It would certainly explain why you were so reluctant to say that Trump would be worse for America than Biden - you recognized that you would rightly be called out for immaturity because you were prioritizing your selfish need for attention over the good of the nation.

    Basically, I think that you know that you are selfish and immature, but you also are self-conscious about that fact. I think that instead of going through some much needed self-reflection, you instead lash out at the world, because that’s a much easier way to salve your ego. I really hope that you do at some point reflect on your actions (or inactions, as the case currently stands), and begin the long and painful process of growing from it. You seem savvy enough to be able to actually contribute in a way that could make a difference, if only you manage to get out of your own way. Until then, you probably shouldn’t be surprised that acting like a child leads people to treat you like a child.



  • Ok, you’re still failing to get it. I think it’s not a question of a lack of intelligence on your part, but rather of mulish obstinance. I get it - you don’t like Biden because he doesn’t cater to your politics. Boo fucking hoo. He doesn’t cater to mine either, but I’m voting for him anyway because I’m not a petulant child. The problems this country is facing are far larger than the tiny myopic view you’re choosing to adopt. One candidate doesn’t care very much about progressive causes, and the other one is a wannabe dictator. At some point, you’ve got to grow up and realize that your priorities are completely out of whack.

    Do you think that Donald Trump would prioritize women’s reproductive freedom? Do you think that he would work to ensure that gay marriage isn’t overturned by a supreme court who has already talked about the possibility of overturning Obergefell v Hodges?

    You complain that Biden broke the railroad strike. Do you think that Trump would be any better? Trump, the guy who thinks so little of the common worker that he often refuses to pay his contractors.

    You complain about Biden supporting Israel. Do you think that Trump, the guy who had the US embassy moved to Jerusalem over the extremely vocal opposition of Palestine, would be any better?

    I don’t think that you’re insane, so I think you probably recognize that Donald Trump would be very bad for the causes you supposedly represent. Certainly worse for them than Joe Biden would. But, you’re too focused on the dopamine hit that “taking the moral high ground” would represent to realize that your choices will make it more likely that Donald Trump will become president again.

    There are precisely two candidates who have a shot at this. Both are bad. But one is miles worse than the other. Not voting, or voting third party isn’t as bad as voting for Trump, certainly, but it doesn’t help any of the rest of us out either. The fact is, there are 71 million people who voted for Trump in 2020. Those people will likely vote for him again. Which means that there needs to be significantly higher numbers of people voting for Biden to ensure that that orange fuck doesn’t assume office again.

    When I said that giving your vote to Biden would be in your own self interest, this is what I meant. You wouldn’t be the first person to hold your nose at the ballot box because you wanted to avert a greater catastrophe. That’s not compromising your principles. It’s just being an adult and realizing that you’re not always going to get your way, and that taking your ball and going home is a child’s way out.