Why do we care about American politics?

Foxtrol

statesaver wrote: »

most of what's happening in the States is Far Left terrorism. Get a gript

Despite how much right wing media grifters might have you hiding under your bed, a person is far far more likely to be killed by right wing extremists than left wing extremists.

https://www.businessinsider.com/right-wing-extremists-kill-329-since-1994-antifa-killed-none-2020-7

OMM 0000

I follow US politics closely. Here's why:

1) Politics is interesting, important, and entertaining

2) There is fantastic coverage of US politics (e.g. Sargon of Akkad for a centre right viewpoint and Jimmy Dore for a centre left viewpoint).

I wish there was good coverage of Irish politics as I would like to follow closely what's going on in Ireland.

buried

There is no politics in America. America is not a country, it never has been. America is a corporation, a company, a business company that since its very inception was akin to a private company similar to the EIA that wanted to create money for their CEO's at the top that were sick and tired of paying taxes to the likes of the British. Its whole ethos is based on greed and the desire to consume and to Hell with the consequences. Now the Hell is coming. The last century they have engineered enemies and phantoms around the globe, gone over to other countries and destroyed them for nothing but money and power, its no coincidence that in this last 3/4 of a decade where they have stopped stamping somebody else on the globe, they are now going to start killing each other at home. America needs its enemies to exist. Needs the competition to thrive, just like every capitalist business. When there is no competition, no enemy anywhere else, they will inevitably turn on each other. Which is what we are seeing right now. To Hell with them.

OMM 0000

buried wrote: »

There is no politics in America. America is not a country, it never has been. America is a corporation, a company, a business company that since its very inception was akin to a private company similar to the EIA that wanted to create money for their CEO's at the top that were sick and tired of paying taxes to the likes of the British. Its whole ethos is based on greed and the desire to consume and to Hell with the consequences. Now the Hell is coming. The last century they have engineered enemies and phantoms around the globe, gone over to other countries and destroyed them for nothing but money and power, its no coincidence that in this last 3/4 of a decade where they have stopped stamping somebody else on the globe, they are now going to start killing each other at home. America needs its enemies to exist. Needs the competition to thrive, just like every capitalist business. When there is no competition, no enemy anywhere else, they will inevitably turn on each other. Which is what we are seeing right now. To Hell with them.

That's crazy.

What we're seeing right now is a combination of...

* the long standing marxists groups in the US (e.g. Black Panther style groups)

and

* the consequences of a race baiting left wing media

and

* naive, easily influenced people who can't think things through

and

* virtue singling

and

* mental illness

all combining to create a monster of a ****up.

Zookey123

OMM 0000 wrote: »

That's crazy.

What we're seeing right now is a combination of...

* the long standing marxists groups in the US (e.g. Black Panther style groups)

and

* the consequences of a race baiting left wing media

and

* naive, easily influenced people who can't think things through

and

* virtue singling

and

* mental illness

all combining to create a monster of a ****up.

left wing media? I think that third condition might apply to you too.

excludedbin

excludedbin wrote: »

It does seem quite often that it's used by people to vicariously live out the battles they seem to so desperately want to take place here. Look at the absolute bile and vitriol, the seething uncontrolled rage and hatred in threads like "BLM or WLM" for anyone sufficiently left wing and the absolute glee with which each negative story about 'antifa' is posted. Followed by breathless excuses when anyone on their 'side' is shown to be a violent thug.

TBF the BLM thread mostly consists of people who have chosen one of two sides. As you said there are those who are anti-BLM who do behave as you described, but those are pro-BLM are mirror images of the anti. The defending and justification of violent behavior is spread across both sides. And then there's a few who want to be more balanced, acknowledging the problems of both sides. Alas, they tend to be drowned out by the chorus war between the others.

Which represents American politics and society quite well. The focus on there being two definitive sides, with the need to firmly place everyone into one camp or another.

People don't care so much about it being the US (you'll see them ranting about European countries just the same), so much as it's a chance to rip into anyone that dares criticise their 'side'. It's, kind of ironically in a way, another chance to stereotype an outgroup and then rail against it. Like a concentrated microcosm of far right propaganda.

True enough, although I wonder at the whole focus on the far right media/propaganda, as if those who push from the left are somehow innocent of drinking from the same biased cups. You talk about sides but only point out those on the right...

Which is very common on boards. Apparently there is a massive population of far right posters, but, honestly, I've seen few who weren't obviously trolling for reactions rather than any genuine rational perspectives from the right... Just loads of claims (like the person you quoted of their existence).

I just remain thankful that there isn't the appetite for it here amongst the general public. Though with hotels being burned and at least one politician receiving death threats and their car being firebombed, as well as the latest lynch mob against Roderic O'Gorman, I sometimes worry if it's not so much the size of them as it is their increasing propensity for violence. It doesn't matter if they don't grow, eventually they'll grow sick of that and just kill someone.

So yes, less caring about the US specifically and more it serving as a sort of release valve for the pressure.

Again, agreed, although we should be wary of importing American logic into Ireland. As I said, the focus on two sides is very american, due to their own political leanings, but we're seeing a rise in applying such rubbish here.

I'm fairly confident that the Irish public, wouldn't be bothered with most of the US crap, simply because it doesn't directly affect them. Even then, most would shrug it off because we have no history comparable with the US in terms of politics or social issues. Not yet anyway.

buried

OMM 0000 wrote: »

That's crazy.

What we're seeing right now is a combination of...

* the long standing marxists groups in the US (e.g. Black Panther style groups)

and

* the consequences of a race baiting left wing media

and

* naive, easily influenced people who can't think things through

and

* virtue singling

and

* mental illness

all combining to create a monster of a ****up.

All of these things you have basically outlined are failed symptoms based on a corporation or business entity that is completely and utterly fallen on top of its own arse. Which is exactly my point. America is not a country. It never was or has been.

Tony EH

Because some people are stuck on the internet 24/7.

Tony EH

Deleted User wrote: »

OP,

Trump... lets bring all the US companies abroad back to the US.

Biden... not such an issue.

Yeah, no impact on us at all.

Well, he didn't and never was never going to. So it wasn't.

buried

Its been very easy for the likes of Donald Trump to say one thing and then just do another. His whole beloved land of America has been doing it for centuries. I fail to see why people are so irate at these turn of events right this very minute. This has been going on for decades, even the last one. One year some Dictator is labelled a evil dictator, next year the same evil dictator is labelled some make of "great statesman", next year the "great statesman" is getting anally raped by a bayonet wielded by a bunch of fundamentalist warlords and the likes of Hillary Clinton laughs at the whole thing.

Junkyard Tom

OMM 0000 wrote: »

There is fantastic coverage of US politics e.g. Sargon of Akkad

Don't lose hope, you can still save yourself! Here's a couple of videos that will help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWLvW3xEIQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P55t6eryY3g

OMM 0000

Zookey123 wrote: »

left wing media? I think that third condition might apply to you too.

Go watch CNN and MSNBC and watch how they constantly race bait. It is non-stop.

OMM 0000

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Don't lose hope, you can still save yourself! Here's a couple of videos that will help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWLvW3xEIQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P55t6eryY3g

You don't understand what alt right is, and shame on you for pretending I'm a racist.

Gerry Hatrick

Hellotonever wrote: »

not going with the grain? Boards.ie is known for being a pro-conservative website.

This had to be a wind up.

Tokyo

Mod: @Junkyard Tom - quit trying to wind others up.

goose2005

Mostly media-driven. The Irish media frequently act as if the UK, US and Ireland were the only countries in the world

goose2005

hotmail.com wrote: »

Some Irish actually think they're American.

RTE has about 5 or 6 stories a day on their website. Bad weather in America makes the news here.

We're sad.

they have a full-time Washington correspondent who has to justify his salary. Major events in Asia or Africa or Latin America are completely ignored, or RTE just reprint whatever Reuters sends them

Foxtrol

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Go watch CNN and MSNBC and watch how they constantly race bait. It is non-stop.

They are nothing when compared to Fox News (which they openly admit is not actually news but nearly entirely purely opinion during prime time)

OMM 0000

Foxtrol wrote: »

They are nothing when compared to Fox News (which they openly admit is not actually news but nearly entirely purely opinion during prime time)

They are worse than Fox News, as they're currently destroying the country (racial division).

Zookey123

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Go watch CNN and MSNBC and watch how they constantly race bait. It is non-stop.

If you dont like CNN and MSNBC you could just change the channel? As Foxtrol pointed out Fox news seems to be more right wing or perhaps go for an unbiased fact reporting news source (wall street journal, BBC news etc).

OMM 0000

Zookey123 wrote: »

If you dont like CNN and MSNBC you could just change the channel? As Foxtrol pointed out Fox news seems to be more right wing or perhaps go for an unbiased fact reporting news source (wall street journal, BBC news etc).

Fox don't hide their bias, but CNN and MSNBC pretend they're unbiased.

Fox is really the only conservative channel. All the rest are left wing.

Foxtrol

OMM 0000 wrote: »

They are worse than Fox News, as they're currently destroying the country (racial division).

:rolleyes:

How is CNN and MSNBC pointing out racism worse than Fox News openly supporting racism and now vigilantes?

Foxtrol

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Fox don't hide their bias, but CNN and MSNBC pretend they're unbiased.

Fox is really the only conservative channel. All the rest are left wing.

They advertise under the tag line 'Fair and Balanced'

Tony EH

Whatever allegations certain people try to level against CNN or whomever, Fox News was actually SET UP as mouthpiece for the Republican party. It's very reason for existing is to be a propaganda outlet.

SlowMotion321

Zookey123 wrote: »

This might seem like an odd question but im starting to see more and more interest in American politics here. Whether its the BLM, anti immigrant propaganda or pro/anti trump, people are constantly talking about American politics it didn't used to be like this. America is clearly in a hot mess right now probably best for us to stay clear. Why should we care about their political system when they clearly couldnt care less about ours?

For me it's simple, if they go down they will bring the rest of the western societies with them! I would love to just point and laugh at them but unfortunately what happens there will have an effect on what happens here!:(

excludedbin

OMM 0000 wrote: »

You don't understand what alt right is, and shame on you for pretending I'm a racist.

'Alt-right' is a term coined by American white supremacist Richard Spencer to serve as a euphemism for other white supremacists/white nationalists/etc. to use. Carl of Swindon is absolutely someone who courts the alt-right. Presenting him as some kind of reputable source and that he's somehow "centre" right says a lot about your political leanings and how distorted a view you have of left-right politics.

Gerry Hatrick wrote: »

This had to be a wind up.

Go into the "BLM or WLM" thread and tell us, with a straight face, that is anything other than a right wing (and often far right) circlejerk. That's the state of this forum as a whole. If Boards isn't "pro-conservative" then that's only because it's largely become "pro far right" which most conservatives aren't. But the site, in large part, absolutely is a haven for the right as anyone expressing any kind of opinion deemed left wing is ganged up on and mocked.

OMM 0000

Foxtrol wrote: »

:rolleyes:

How is CNN and MSNBC pointing out racism worse than Fox News openly supporting racism and now vigilantes?

Don't be so naive.

CNN and MSNBC aren't simply "pointing out racism", they are race baiting and continuously trying to make everything about race. You are falling for their manipulation.

Fox does not openly support racism and vigilantes. Can you give one factual example of where they've done this?

OMM 0000

Foxtrol wrote: »

They advertise under the tag line 'Fair and Balanced'

No they don't, stop lying.

OMM 0000

Tony EH wrote: »

Whatever allegations certain people try to level against CNN or whomever, Fox News was actually SET UP as mouthpiece for the Republican party. It's very reason for existing is to be a propaganda outlet.

CNN is the mouthpiece of the Democrat party.

At least Fox admit their bias. CNN try to hide it.

OMM 0000

excludedbin wrote: »

Carl of Swindon is absolutely someone who courts the alt-right.

It's the opposite of that. He hates the alt-right and he got banned from Patreon for debating the alt right.

Why do you guys keep making things up?