Qutzupalotl
Qutzupalotl's JournalFor me, it helped to see the party come together so quickly.
Not all of us, but state party chairs and delegations. There is an energy and excitement that wasn't there these last few weeks. We will have the first female candidate running in a post-Roe world … with no phony email scandal or decades of baggage. She can run on continuing the success of Biden's term, while combatting the failures Trump caused.
I did not like the process. I thought it got ugly and disrespectful. As an older guy myself, I hate to see good, capable people cast aside. But look at what is happening after the announcement: suddenly the floodgates are open, there is hope again after a rough three weeks, and most importantly, we are avoiding a contested convention and chaos.
There was a chance we would have lost with Biden; I don't believe we would, but it was there. Now, there is a clear difference to the public between the candidates. One is sharp and gorgeous, the other … just crazy. Prosecutor or felon. I think we can not merely squeak by, but win big across the country, hold the Senate, and take the House. Then we can look at real reforms.
The aura of inevitability Trump was trying to run on — that is gone. They realize they are fucked. Trump can't pull the same move — Trump's running to stay out of prison, so he is stuck. Biden is free to focus on the presidency. Kamala's coming to kick some ass. How quickly the tables have turned! All it took was humility and decency, something alien to the other team. Their squealing tells me this was a good move.
I was all in for Joe, mostly because I thought the alternative was chaos and defeat. I was wrong. So I'm just going to enjoy watching Trump lose everything. That brings a kind of solace.
I concur with Clyburn's assessment.
Not only is there no magic pixie dust candidate ready to swoop in and run on Joe's record (other than Kamala), there is also no orderly pixie dust process to bypass all the pledged delegates Biden is likely to win on the first round. And if so, superdelegates won't get to vote at all. After that, continuing to try to jettison a successful incumbent because he stutters and works too hard would only invite chaos and play into the hands of the cryptoligarchs trying to divide and conquer us.
The most appalling thing to me
is that Joe is a man who lived through personal tragedies that would crush an ordinary person. He was mocked for his stutter as a young boy and counted out. He overcame that and won election to Congress. He lost most of his new family as a young congressman-elect. Then as VP, lost his oldest son to cancer. NO parent should outlive their child, ever!
He came out of tragedies stronger but with more empathy towards anyone who suffers. THAT is why he deserves to be where he is.
And after all that, to be stabbed in the back by his friends, stabbed in the FRONT by his colleagues, called decrepit or declining because he stuttered in a debate — I cannot tolerate that. I think that's why the base is solidifying around Joe. They don't like their votes discarded, but they HATE to see a good man thrown to the curb by the vey people who in the same breath admit HE IS DOING A GOOD JOB.
Then you pile on the utter stupidity of of a successful incumbent president stepping aside for a fairy-dust sparkle-fucking-unicorn ticket with ZERO DOLLARS raised for the general, which is in less than four months — and I have to think our “friends” are being blackmailed by their largest donors, because the only other explanation is that parasitic brain worms have affected their judgement and good sense. I think THEY should resign and let the adult in the room keep doing what he's doing. Or else put on your big boy pants and fight the fucking Republican fascists instead of the one person keeping them at bay — and the ONLY person EVER to defeat Trump.
Here are some
You can't disparage parts of the country and expect to lead the whole. I want a president who respects and listens to all Americans, even those who disagree, even those without money, and regardless of where they live.
You can't go backwards in terms of freedom. A right granted and then revoked will prompt righteous fury.
Character matters, a lot. The Supreme Court just gave all presidents free rein to do as they please with no consequence. Now more than ever, we need a president who will reject unlawful powers and abide by the founders' vision of checks and balances.
We must never normalize nepotism. Dictators rely on family as a last, most loyal line of defense against consequences of their own misconduct.
We are stronger — much stronger — with our allies working and watching together than going it alone and half blind.
Democracy matters, at home and abroad. We must show our support of fledgeling democracies in the world and our disdain of dictators. We must govern at home the same way: abiding by law and listening to the concerns of the aggrieved.
There are more decent people than fanatics, and they will save our country from madness.
Upon consideration, I think you are onto something.
According to reports, last week Jeffries and Schumer were spooked by internals for downballot. They envisioned a total wipeout and were afraid of the consequences of emboldened Trump with all the levers.
But that was last week. Polls have shifted since then, at least public ones. (It's possible those are being manipulated — there is a lot of leeway in weighting. Internals might look different.)
There is a lot we don't know, and trusted figures are either beating around the bush or saying he will lose, (but really saying they think he will hurt their chances). I doubt it's anything like a health issue; Biden has said there is no problem, and he does not lie.
I agree that there is something up that we don't know. I am glad the decision is entirely Biden's. I trust his judgement. I don't want chaos at the convention, but I damn sure don't want Trump unbridled. I think we're all in agreement there. These are not political novices we're talking about. If there is some magic fairy dust plan that gets us the trifecta, I'm all ears; but I don't think there is one, and from here it looks like a colossal, tragic mistake, and self-inflicted.
I doubt the leaders are that stupid. There must be something we are not seeing, as you said. So upon consideration, I think if some switch were explained to us as adults, we'd come around and unify against Trump. We'd be pissed, but we'd vote to stop fascism.
I am Biden/Harris/anyone/anyone's head in a jar. But the thought of people like George Clooney counting on that and picking a successor makes me furious.
Joe stands with Ukraine and the free world.
The other team would hand Ukraine to Putin. They would let him invade Poland next, and refuse to honor NATO Article V.
Biden knows who the international good and bad guys are. (It has nothing to do with flattering the U.S. president.) Trump pals around with the worst dictators in the world.
Biden succeeded in ending the occupation of Afghanistan, where three presidents before him failed. Yes, it was chaotic and messy; TSF's team refused to even tell Biden the plan was happening before he took office.
There was no recession after COVID as many were predicting. Biden got money to the people who needed it, which kept demand going and the economy afloat. Now we're going gangbusters. The ultra-rich are nervous about taxes; that's who was calling for replacing him, using some elected Democrats to make those statements or risk losing their donations.
Biden supports unionized workers and walked a picket line. TSF gave tax breaks to people who don't need any more money.
Character matters. Biden has refused the unconstitutional powers granted to him by the corrupt Supreme Court. The other guy would become a dictator on day one, and stay that way for life. Trump's team helped write Project 2025 and is already hiring brownshirts to replace civil servants.
Biden knows there is no such thing as presidential immunity; that's just a phrase Trump pulled from his ass that should have stayed there.
TSF stole classified documents and refused to return them when asked. He ate his translator's notes after meeting with Putin. He forced states to compete with each other for PPE during COVID. He let Bin Salman get away with the torture and murder of Kashoggi.
I could go on, but it comes down to character, decency, respect, competence, wisdom, and integrity.
"Just an excuse to spend more money."
Like that's our goal, not protecting democracy. Just throwing away money for no reason.
Tuberville believes this nonsense because he listens to RW media, which flatters his self-image because it gives him someone to look down on. But he really hasn't thought this through.
Nobody wants to spend money for no reason. They have reasons, they're just ones you disagree with.
If you listen to too much partisan media, you'll start to believe their caricatures of the other side are real, and you'll make stupid mistakes like this.
"Hey, the document is still there, under glass, like I promised...
…not saying I agree with it…”
If the polls do not model increased turnout for women,
they will be inaccurate. Women are PISSED OFF about the Dobbs decision and are FAR more likely to vote than men. That's why we won big this cycle in Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, right after a “Biden is in trouble” poll. In fact, the loss we took in Mississippi was likely from the blue wave not turning out for an anti-choice Democrat.
It's raining? Things are expensive? Maybe dudes won't stand in line. But Dobbs hangs over women like a sword. They can't forget and they won't forgive.
By all means, take care of yourself.
You are in no way required to consume all the media covering this horrible war. It is enough to know that a war has started, and horrible shit is to be expected.
Media outlets are motivated to keep showing you worse and worse videos and reports, so you stay glued and consume more ads. Notice how all the other news has vanished from their coverage. If these shows were balanced, you would at least hear about other happenings. I think they are doing the work of terrorists, terrorizing the world population, perhaps unknowingly.
So take a break now and then, as long as you need. There are plenty of people whose job it is to worry about these things. There are millions more who consume the news and distill the important parts. But at the end of the day, there is little for us to do about it. I can't control or even affect how the war unfolds. I can speak about how much and whether we support humans on one side or the other, but that's about it.
So it does not help to be hyper-informed, since there is little or nothing for us to do as individuals; and it could be counterproductive if it affects your health or your sleep. Do not listen to anyone who would berate your choice of self-care in favor of information-as-activism.
Profile Information
Member since: 2002Number of posts: 14,684