Election Thread II: Kamala vs. Trump

[Hugo Drax]

Of all the threads I've seen, this is certainly one them.

Who's winning?

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

The question is whether the shoe can fit MAGA (not because MAGA is Communistically-themed Fascism but is, rather, Capitalistically-themed Fascism), and not whether the shoe can also fit — or be shoehorned onto — other feet.

I see it as more of a Liberty vs Tyranny issue. How does school choice, as an example, jive with Capitalistic themed Fascism?
Or the 1st Amendment?
I think if anything, Capitalistic-themed Fascism is far more prominent when it comes to …

[…]

Let's drop the "'Communistically' & 'Capitalistically-themed'" labels (which, though they bear their own degree of truth, I used primarily as convenient shortcuts) and replace them with the much more useful distinction of "Right-Fascism" and "Left-Fascism".

Right-Fascisms would include the usual suspects: Naziism, Mussolini's Italy, Franco's Spain, KKK, etc.

Left-Fascisms: Black Panthers, Weathermen, Zapatistas, Nation of Islam, etc.

Perhaps this example-based approach will prove enlightening.

[Del]

+JMJ+

The question is whether the shoe can fit MAGA (not because MAGA is Communistically-themed Fascism but is, rather, Capitalistically-themed Fascism), and not whether the shoe can also fit — or be shoehorned onto — other feet.

I see it as more of a Liberty vs Tyranny issue. How does school choice, as an example, jive with Capitalistic themed Fascism?
Or the 1st Amendment?
I think if anything, Capitalistic-themed Fascism is far more prominent when it comes to …

[…]

Let's drop the "'Communistically' & 'Capitalistically-themed'" labels (which, though they bear their own degree of truth, I used primarily as convenient shortcuts) and replace them with the much more useful distinction of "Right-Fascism" and "Left-Fascism".

Right-Fascisms would include the usual suspects: Naziism, Mussolini's Italy, Franco's Spain, KKK, etc.

Left-Fascisms: Black Panthers, Weathermen, Zapatistas, Nation of Islam, etc.

Perhaps this example-based approach will prove enlightening.

Okay, that's clear. We understand our history together.

The common thread is that these aspiring totalitarians use riots, violence and terror to create chaos as they are seeking power.

And then after they have power, they use secret police, informants, lawfare and home raids at midnight (or dawn) to maintain control. And some sort of social credit score or "cancel culture." And censorship of news media, social media. And political prisoners... you get the idea.

Firmly in power, fascism looks like Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Biden's America.

MAGA is a populist rejection of fascism. We mean to tear down the Democrat Party regime and "secure the blessings of liberty" in its place. A return to Constitutional democracy.

So.... why do you suggest that MAGA is like some sort of fascism? Is that just to trolling us? Indulging in a bit of snarky fun?

[Hovannes]

+JMJ+

I see it as more of a Liberty vs Tyranny issue. How does school choice, as an example, jive with Capitalistic themed Fascism?
Or the 1st Amendment?
I think if anything, Capitalistic-themed Fascism is far more prominent when it comes to …

[…]

Let's drop the "'Communistically' & 'Capitalistically-themed'" labels (which, though they bear their own degree of truth, I used primarily as convenient shortcuts) and replace them with the much more useful distinction of "Right-Fascism" and "Left-Fascism".

Right-Fascisms would include the usual suspects: Naziism, Mussolini's Italy, Franco's Spain, KKK, etc.

Left-Fascisms: Black Panthers, Weathermen, Zapatistas, Nation of Islam, etc.

Perhaps this example-based approach will prove enlightening.

Okay, that's clear. We understand our history together.

The common thread is that these aspiring totalitarians use riots, violence and terror to create chaos as they are seeking power.

And then after they have power, they use secret police, informants, lawfare and home raids at midnight (or dawn) to maintain control. And some sort of social credit score or "cancel culture." And censorship of news media, social media. And political prisoners... you get the idea.

Firmly in power, fascism looks like Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Biden's America.

MAGA is a populist rejection of fascism. We mean to tear down the Democrat Party regime and "secure the blessings of liberty" in its place. A return to Constitutional democracy.

So.... why do you suggest that MAGA is like some sort of fascism? Is that just to trolling us? Indulging in a bit of snarky fun?

What would the world be like if Lebanon had a Make Lebanon Great Again movement? Or a Make Venezuela Great Again?
Both countries were once successful in their respective geographical areas.
Maybe some forms of Nationalism have been given a bad rap, eh?
There are exceptions to be made and the Modernists ain't making 'em..

[Del]

What would the world be like if Lebanon had a Make Lebanon Great Again movement? Or a Make Venezuela Great Again?
Both countries were once successful in their respective geographical areas.
Maybe some forms of Nationalism have been given a bad rap, eh?
There are exceptions to be made and the Modernists ain't making 'em..

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with Nationalism. It used to be called Patriotism, and regarded as a good thing.

Yes, Hitler took Nationalism down a bad road. So did Napoleon, Mao, Stalin, and Imperial Japan. But it wasn't "nationalism" that made them evil -- it was their desire for world conquest.
==============================
MAGA has no desire for world conquest. If anything, there is a temptation toward isolationism! Thankfully, Trump has made it clear that isolationism is not good for America, either.

As the world's leading hegemony, America has a duty to participate in the world stage and be a force for good. A prosperous America is a prosperous world. A strong America is a peaceful world.

We have to do that. So MAGA.

[Del]

Meanwhile, Election Day is bearing down upon us....

Does anyone have any insights left to share?

My only thought is kinda lame, but I have finally figured out why Kamala has been such a bad candidate:

Kamala has not run a serious campaign. She was not seriously running for President.... She is just acting like she is running for President.

Her tragic flaw is that she is intellectually lazy. In four years as VP, she has not studied or become expert on a single issue.

It's as if she genuinely believes that the job of President is to be a puppet for special interest donors and the Democrat Party Machine. She doesn't know what to say because they have not told her yet. She's just "ready to do the work that needs to be done."

[FredS]

Her tragic flaw is that she is intellectually lazy. In four years as VP, she has not studied or become expert on a single issue.

There it is. This has been my point all along. She may be very intelligent (though I've never seen her act or speak in a way that shows that), but she doesn't work hard. As VP, she didn't need to, but it would have been beneficial if she had paid attention. I don't think she ever, in her wildest dreams, supposed she'd be running for POTUS so she didn't put in the time. I've seen this in my professional life - once someone rises to their self-imagined ceiling they start to coast. They've "made it" and there's no need or desire to put in the work to go higher.

[Del]

Her tragic flaw is that she is intellectually lazy. In four years as VP, she has not studied or become expert on a single issue.

There it is. This has been my point all along. She may be very intelligent (though I've never seen her act or speak in a way that shows that), but she doesn't work hard. As VP, she didn't need to, but it would have been beneficial if she had paid attention. I don't think she ever, in her wildest dreams, supposed she'd be running for POTUS so she didn't put in the time. I've seen this in my professional life - once someone rises to their self-imagined ceiling they start to coast. They've "made it" and there's no need or desire to put in the work to go higher.

But.... when she agreed to run with a guy as old and feeble as Joe Biden, it was apparent that she could well end up succeeding him -- either by his incapacity/death or by her running after him. Biden's VP needed to be someone serious about filling his shoes. She did not step up.

She's never been a serious person. Her whole life has been getting by on her looks. And she honestly thought she could win this race on "good vibes."

Outside of Hollywood (where looks are real capital), I don't know of anyone who has been more successful at the game. First woman as Vice President of the United States.

[JimVH]

On the way home from the groomer, I tried to stop and vote with Boop in my arm. The voting attendant guy walked up to me quickly with flailing arms, demanding to know if she was “certified”. I asked “Certified as what?” “What KIND of dog is she”, he demanded. On goes my smart ass switch, knowing full well what he was wanting, but couldn’t seem to articulate. “She’s a Shih-Tzu”, I proudly announced. “NO, is she registered?”, he prodded. “Absolutely, she’s fancy!”, I bragged. He becomes too frustrated to talk and goes for back-up. A slightly calmer person in a reflective vest (the traffic was very heavy in the hallway of the school) approaches and asks me what medical condition I need a service dog for. I told her she’s not allowed to ask that. She shrugged and asked me to leave.

I took Boop home and went to another location where I was quizzed by a young person with an inability to recognize personal space in line about how I was going to vote.

Anyway, I’m done for this round. Voting seemed easier when I was younger, but not nearly this fun.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Let's drop the "'Communistically' & 'Capitalistically-themed'" labels (which, though they bear their own degree of truth, I used primarily as convenient shortcuts) and replace them with the much more useful distinction of "Right-Fascism" and "Left-Fascism".

Right-Fascisms would include the usual suspects: Naziism, Mussolini's Italy, Franco's Spain, KKK, etc.

Left-Fascisms: Black Panthers, Weathermen, Zapatistas, Nation of Islam, etc.

Perhaps this example-based approach will prove enlightening.

[…]

The common thread is that these aspiring totalitarians use riots, violence and terror to create chaos as they are seeking power.

And then after they have power, they use secret police, informants, lawfare and home raids at midnight (or dawn) to maintain control. And some sort of social credit score or "cancel culture." And censorship of news media, social media. And political prisoners... you get the idea.

Firmly in power, fascism looks like Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Biden's America.

MAGA is a populist rejection of fascism. We mean to tear down the Democrat Party regime and "secure the blessings of liberty" in its place. A return to Constitutional democracy.

[…]

Beyond the frenetic drawing of dubious connections, Fascism has an actual content. It has distinctives (or markers) which set it apart.

Fascism is not just a Delled-up way of saying "I don't like that".