KalamazooJay
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Posts posted by KalamazooJay
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Biden is on his way to losing Michigan, which could cripple his chances at winning the general election.
Our state has the 2nd highest Arab population in the nation. With Dearborn MI. - outside of Detroit -having the largest proportion of Arab Americans in the entire U.S. And the friends that I have over there are livid over his response to this war. It would explain the polls coming out that has Trump beating him here by nearly 10 points.
I really don't have that much faith in him winning our state again, sadly.
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On 9/14/2023 at 9:06 PM, VictorMarques said:
Do tou guys think Biden will be re-elected?
If I had to answer today: No, I don't think so.
Trumps support is rock solid. Biden's support is squishy. The rage on the other side - at this point - is likely put him over the top. I think it's incredibly dangerous to underestimate Trump. He's over performed the polls in two national elections and his base is so white hot with anger over these indictments that they'll move heaven and earth to vote for him.
But.... Biden too, has been underestimated. He won the nomination and the presidency and his party VASTLY overperformed in the midterms.
So if I had to answer if he'll be re-elected NEXT November? It's a total coin toss. Both of these men are one fall, trip, gaff, lawsuit, investigation, or camera freeze from winning or losing in 2024. PLUS - RFK is launching an independent bid for President. Throw in Cornell West who's running in the Green Party and you have one of the wildest and most unpredictable U.S Presidential races we may see in decades.
Next year is going to be awful.
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11 hours ago, Camacho said:
Of course they are. Good luck with that.
If nepotism was a crime, the prisons would be overflowing white collar yuppies. And that's mostly what this is. Was there some shady shit going on with Hunter? For sure. Impeachable? Not even close.
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12 hours ago, Jazzy Jan said:
Do people not have an issue with the protests and storming parliament to overturn an election ? What I find so staggering. That is fascism to the dot. I understand that people are conservative voters but there is a huge difference between being conservative and supporting fascism and crazy conspiracy theories.
When I see Trump and the likes of Marjorie Taylor Green etc having support, it is like we have regressed back to the dark ages.
Jazzy, I don't know. I just have no explanation for it.
He has such an ironclad grip on such a large part of this country. I'm terrified to think of what he'll do in office if he wins again.
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On 9/1/2023 at 11:56 AM, VogueMusic said:
Where? I haven't seen anything of the sort. It's just the same old crap, even more sloppy.
He hasn't whatsoever. Don't drink the kool-aid.
I should've clarified that he's running a more traditional and disciplined campaign for DONALD TRUMP. And compared to 2016 and 2020, I think it's pretty undeniable that he's more focused. He's not savaging John McCain, not attacking the other Republican candidates, not Tweeting out word vomit about every petty thing, not attacking journalists like he was. So in this regard, I'd say he's more disciplined.
Which is worrisome.
There may be just enough voters who might say 'well, he's not acting as crazy as he used too. Maybe this time will be different'. It's the same small crowd who voted for him in 2016 who thought he'd settle down once he got into the White House. If he can pull some of them back into his camp, then he wins. And I have NO DOUBT this term would be even more of a nightmare than his first. So, yes, I'm extremely concerned about the election next year.
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On 8/27/2023 at 2:18 PM, Raider of the lost Ark said:
Indeed. She would be a great choice. Very likeable person. I don't think she is underrated. What is her position on running? Does she even consider running for president or vice president? Maybe that's why she is overlooked among democrats because she has never shown interest. On the other hand, being asked is nice from time to time as it shows far more appreciation. Maybe democrats should ask her.
She’s been coy about it. Saying she wants to finish the job here in Michigan. But they all say that. Personally, I’d hate to lose her here but feel like she’d be a great national candidate.
She was 2nd on the VP list in 2020 from what a lot of Michigan political insiders say.
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And as for Gavin Newsom - I don’t agree that he’s a strong candidate. A never ending barrage of ads with LA, San Francisco and other California cities in all their homelessness glory on loop for months won’t play well with the suburban voter Dems need in order to win. “HE WILL TURN THE U.S INTO THIS!” que images of tent cities & needles and human waste on the sidewalks. I like the guy. I do. He’s sharp and great on his feet. But he’s too risky.
Gretchen Whitmer - who won my state of Michigan by 11 points last fall - is sorely underrated, overlooked & under appreciated among Dems. She helped our state gain a trifecta of progressive dominance for the first time in my lifetime. First time Dems control Lansing in 40 years. She knows how to appeal to the middle and win.
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He absolutely can win again. I’m not sure why Progressives are becoming so complacent (again) with this thinking that there’s no way he can win. Biden didn’t win in a landslide in 2020 - it was by like 45,000 votes across 3 states (Georgia, Arizona, & Wisconsin) that put him in the White House. If the economy goes to hell or inflation ticks back, it wouldn’t be hard for Trump to flip those 45,000 voters into his column. He’s running a far more refined, disciplined and traditional type of political campaign this time around too I’m noticing.
So as long as the Republican Party CONTINUES to stand by him, prop him up, and make excuse after excuse after excuse for this guy - he undoubtedly can muster his way back to Washington.
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And despite ALL of this - he's still on track to win the nomination and has a 50/50 shot at getting back into the White House. I just can't imagine the horrors that will come out of a 2nd term with him and his lackeys this time around. Hurts my head.
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On 7/19/2023 at 4:15 PM, promise to try said:
when we listen to the american democrats talk in europe...they sound super "fascist"
I´m not saying they are, but some of their ideas are very radical for us (radical, in a right winged radical way)
There's a segment of the Democratic party that sounds that way, yes. But it's a much smaller percentage than what the vast majority of Republicans sound like these days. That party has gone so batshit crazy that it's astonishing HOW many people still vote for it.
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21 hours ago, runa said:
Thanks for your input @KalamazooJay. I always appreciate to read your comments on American politics. Very enlightening.
This is what I find the craziest, right now : all these rich and white privileged males, spreading their bullshit, fake stories and hate everywhere, with thousands and thousands of followers... This is just insane. The 40-50 years old white male feels so threatened, that is so toxic.
Of course! Always love discussing politics in a civil and intelligent way.
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This indictment is a sugar high for those who hate him and validation for those who love him.
Sure, it's refreshing to see him pay the price - finally - for SOMETHING. But out of ALL the hideous things he's done as a person, businessman, and politician THIS is what they got him for. Really? What he did has been done by politicians, Wall Street creeps, and countless other white collar guys for years. Doesn't make it right, it's disgusting. But with the right lawyers, it's always settled. Always. And it most certainly will be in this case. Don's not going to jail, folks. Not now, not ever.
Then you have his rabid base of supporters - this validates everything they're always crying about. That he's a victim. He's their savior against the deep state. There will be nothing - NOTHING - that will break his grip on them. Every time he's held accountable, he just gets stronger with them all. I'm not saying he SHOULD NOT be held accountable, but the Left and Democrats have got stop kidding themselves that this is the 'end of Trump'. The end will be when he's dead. Period.
I will say I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of the midterms last year. It does seem Biden has his fingers on the pulse of where the country is now. If he and his party can stay focused on issues that matter - democracy, healthcare, the economy, inflation, reproductive rights - and stay away from the bullshit liberals on Twitter are pushing and whining about, then he'll win again. Perhaps by a larger margin than he did in 2020. He wasn't my first choice (he was my last) but I've been pretty impressed with what he's been able to get done. He's shut up social just warriors and left wing Twitter-verse and put together a wide - if shallow - coalition of progressives, independents, and even right to center folks to keep the MAGA movement at bay. And for that, I'll fully support him next year.
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Tucker Carlson getting fired is huge. And you can't tell me he WAS NOT fired. He didn't even sign off of his own show and say goodbye to his viewers.
I think there was probably A LOT of bullshit in those emails and texts from the Dominion lawsuit and it could've very well damaged him beyond repair with his cult like followers had it ever been published. It's well known to anyone outside the Fox News sphere that the guy is a total fraud and a fake populist. He comes from the Swanson chicken family so he's one of the most privileged White guys on the planet. A frat guy that never grew up. I'm sure they threatened him with whatever information that was recovered from all of that and forced him out.
He'll land on his feet at some other batshit crazy network or start his own the way Glenn Beck did when he was fired. The positive is that any time one of these lunatics is fired - Bill O'Reilly, Beck, Lou Dobbs, Eric Bolling - they end up somewhere where their audience, clout, and influence is GREATLY diminished. The negative is that NONE of them ever really paid for their sins they way they should've. But America just a got EVER so slightly better without having that asshole spew his vile toxicity. I couldn't believe the nonsense he put out there regarding his obsession with WOKENESS, Trans issues, and especially his rewriting of history with January 6th.
If there's a Hell, I hope he's down there shoveling shit for all eternity when he passes.
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I've been consumed with work these last few months and haven't been able to post.....
The shooting at MSU hit extremely close to home. I spent my college years there with several close friends. I know exactly where the shooting took place and it's horrifying to think I walked those halls 20 years ago and to know people died on those floors. The night of the shooting, I spent my time texting numerous friends back and forth because their children were in lockdown. Children I spent time with and watched grow up. Kids I knew.
When you know people who are involved in an active shooting in real time, it's a terrifying feeling.
These shootings have taken a toll on my mental health. I honestly can't take watching the scenes from them anymore.
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Republicans got caught up in their own delusion versus reality last night. And it was delicious.
The majority of the polls done this midterms were from right leaning pollsters. Couple that with their own echo chamber on social media, Fox News, and the like and they woke up with shit in their beds. Anyone living in reality, talking with people in reality, and keeping an eye on reputable polls could see this wasn't going to be a massive red wave.
It's about fucking time liberals, progressives, independents, and anyone else with sanity came out and actually VOTED against these motherfuckers. And while Dems will still probably lose the house, it will be a very, very narrow majority for the Republicans. The Senate will still probably be 50/50. And MANY of the Governorships they expected to flip (my home state of Michigan being one of them) ended up in Democrats hands. And for the record - Michigan now has UNIFED Democrat control for the first time in nearly 40 years and our Governor - Gretchen Whitmer - won by nearly 10 points. A lot of those wins here were on her coattails. Look for her to be a Presidential contender in 2024.
Trump is by far a huge loser in all of this. He ran around endorsing people who kissed is ass and they lost in some of the most important races in the country. He endorsed that quack Dr. Oz. Who ran for his own ego boost. One of the best losses of the night.
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The absolute meltdowns on conservative media is the best part of all of this.
They're talking about defunding the FBI. Also saying that if this can happen to Trump, it can happen to anyone. I don't think the average person has to be fearful since most Americans aren't breaking multiple laws and inciting insurrections.
Lock him up.
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43 minutes ago, jonski43 said:
Of course not but the fact that this guy is going to court will be worrying for them. He must think he has a case. This also includes young people put on puberty blockers. Someone was in the paper recently saying he's now incontinent, infertile and got brittle bones (IIRC) as a result of them and said he wasn't aware of the side effects.
It only takes a few cases with large payouts to force change.
This is such a minefield of an area that I think we'll see a lot more cases in the future.
It really is a minefield of an area in so many respects.
With LGB individuals it was far more cut and dried: afford the the same rights as heterosexual couples because we're no different than you other than we love the same sex.
This is a much more delicate dance in terms shifting public approval and acceptance because it's a iteral and complete surgical, hormonal, and physical change of human beings from one sex to another. Especially when it comes to children and teenagers. Are we granting the wishes and giving in to the many phases adolescents go through to appease them in the moment without thinking of the long term consequences? Are THEY thinking with full clarity during puberty at the age of 12, 13, 14 in terms of gender identity? Is social media influencing a lot of them during this time of self expression and exploration into thinking a full blown surgery is necessary for their own personal gender acceptance? Are parents pulling the trigger too fast if their son wears high heels (which many gay men do as a kid) or their daughter goes through a tom boy phase?
But if you ask these questions, you're espousing right wing talking points or being transphobic. But I think they're completely fair questions to ask when it comes to all of this.
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4 hours ago, ULIZOS said:
No it’s because we complain that she doesn’t use the right pronouns
Well those weren’t really a thing in 2016.
Or her slogan would’ve been I’m With She/Her to not offend anyone. -
1 hour ago, runa said:
I love you too @KalamazooJay - Glad you understand my point was a discusion and nothing against you.
I also agree about the fact it's really a "war" between urban cities and rurals.
We live the same in Canada. Big urban cities are generally more left than rurals who tends to be more right.
Of course! Discussion is why we're all here. xo
I hope this ruling is a wake up call to a large swath of individuals - especially women - that elections DO have consequences. And if you're voting for someone to simply STICK IT to the other side or NOT voting at all because 'both sides are bad' that you may end up with rulings like this and policies that directly affect you, your friends, your loved ones, and your families. Many of us LGTBQ know this well. Perhaps the rest of America will begin to understand just how dangerous the American Right really is after this.
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3 hours ago, runa said:
More Americans voted for Hillary than any other losing presidential candidate in US history. (see here).
By adopting their narrative you're just falling in their trap. That's what I'm saying.
Blaming the "WOKES", blaming Bernie, etc., it all comes from them, from the work they are doing (and by them, I mean Republicans, Chinese, Russian, Fox news, etc.) to stir shit and divide Democrats.I agree with you that Democrats have a lot of work to do and are making really bad choices (Chosing an old uncharismatic man as candidate being a perfect example of bad choice), but I think the main problems have nothing to do with people not voting for Hillary, because they did. Democrats have a big problem at conveying their message. That's where they should start to work.
1 hour ago, ULIZOS said:Exactly! This "let's blame ourselves the democrats" narrative needs to stop. Voter turnout has been at an all time high.
It's not our collective fault that the entire U.S. system was designed to make sure slave-owning states with low "white" voting populations don't lose power.
If there are specific swing states / districts where we have lost seats in congress because Democrats decided not to vote because the candidate wasn't "woke" enough, then let's talk about that (we won't because it's not a thing).
53 minutes ago, Martin B. said:This.
Since 2016, a slice of American progressives have been spending their time attacking the Democratic Party and their politics instead of devoting their energy to fighting the real enemy, the Republican Party and more precisely its fundamentalist slice which has taken control and is reshaping the country at frightening speed. In a two-party system, the lesser evil to block this movement is to vote and support the Democratic party even though we all know they are not a very progressive party, but in the context of the American political system they are the lesser evil . Anyway, this discussion was relevant in 2016, today it is already too late. The Republicans have reshaped the political system so that they have control and do what they want.
I love you all and all of your posts. I think they're always witty, funny, and intelligent and in no way do I disagree with these statements as a whole.
But the fact of the matter is, Hillary still lost the most consequential election in modern history due to a poor campaign and complacency among Democrats. And because of that, Trump got to name these wildly destructive Justices to the Court. Yes, she won the popular vote. And if that's how we chose Presidents here in the U.S - AS WE SHOULD - she would've won. But that's not the system we have. And if we want to CHANGE the system, we have to win elections with the electoral college - no matter how misrepresentative it is to our population as a whole or how antiquated it is.
Democrats can win millions and millions of votes out of urban areas, but if they're not winning swing states and districts like mine (Michigan, which isn't a red state by any means) then they're doomed. Period. And that's all I'm trying to say. I'm not here to be told I'm repeating 'their' narrative or falling into a trap, I'm simply an old school Democrat that came from a blue color family. And I'm here to say that the party as a whole STILL continues to bleed support from the working class - and NOT just whites. Look at the drastic change in voting patterns in the counties that straddle the Mexican border in Texas - they're turning red faster than my face when I drink vodka. We, as a party, have to really dive into what we stand for and WHO we want to stand for.
So yes, I will call out Democrats for bleeding support from what used to be their base. I will stay disappointed in how Bernie Bros treated Hillary and booed her at their own convention. I will continue to push this party to adopt a platform that can translate into electoral wins to change an election system that protects and gives power to those who don't need it. I'm very aware of who the real enemy is, but in order to stop them, again I say - we have to win. And right now, we're not winning. And we have to reflect on why that is and stop blaming a system, republicans, and calling anyone who doesn't vote for a racist. Because it's clearly not working.
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48 minutes ago, runa said:
What a twisted logic. And spreading these kind of comments, you’re playing their games and just make them win.
Twisted logic?
Donald Trump literally said on the debate stage with Hillary Clinton that he would appoint PRO LIFE justices to the Supreme Court.
Here it is. Word for word.
Did Democrats not believe him? I certainly did. So yes, if you call yourself a progressive, a liberal, or Democrat and you were concerned about Roe v Wade and the Supreme Court and didn't vote for Hillary out of spite because you simply didn't like her or that Bernie didn't get the nomination, you have some reflecting of your own to do. Mitch McConnell held up that seat for entire year - A YEAR. So we KNEW that if Trump was elected, he'd be able to appoint whomever he wanted. And so many Democrats STILL sat out and didn't vote for her.
Elections have consequences and we're seeing that play out in real time due to complacency in 2016. I really don't understand how this such a controversial statement or why it's twisted logic.
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9 hours ago, ULIZOS said:
I’m sorry but this is your response to a decision made by a highly conservative / biased Supreme Court 1) with a clear agenda, 2) that does not represent the majority of Americans, and 3) that was put there by Republicans?
yes. Got it. The problem with Democrats is that we don’t Vote for people who use the correct pronoun, even though we won the popular vote in the millions in 2016
it has nothing to do with gerrymandering or the ridiculously antiquated “2 senators per state even if it’s just a handful of racists and cows” system.
Yes to all of this. Completely agree.
But I remember well the mindless and ruthless Hillary bashing around here in the lead up to the 2016 election. And the millions of progressives & democrats who refused to vote for her for litany of ridiculous reasons. Despite all of her faults - and she had many - she wouldn’t have given us the Supreme Court we have and that’s just a fact. And that’s the point I’m trying to make here.
Despite our antiquated and backwards system, it’s still the system we have. And if Democrats want to change it, they need to win elections and do what Republicans do when they’re in power - ram things through without giving a fuck.
So yes, Democrats need to bare some blame for the mess we’re in right now.
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There is absolutely a level of despondency and frustration with the entire progressive movement here in the U.S. And I'm included in that group who is utterly disgusted with liberals, democrats, and progressives in every way.
When did the party of the working class become the party of corporate America? When did the party of unions become the party of social media? When did the party of local government begin to advocate for the defunding of law enforcement? They have done EVERYTHING wrong on nearly every level since Obama left office. He was brilliant at straddling the line with urban and suburban voters while STILL being able to speak to the plights of the working class in rural America. All of that is gone now and they don't have a single leader they'll elevate if they don't use the correct pronouns or stand behind the newest hashtag on Twitter. It's completely mind boggling how they think they can win a majority at anything when they don't SPEAK to the majority as a whole. NYC, LA, Seattle and Chicago ain't gonna win you the majorities in elections and the fact that they can't see that is beyond the pale.
I had the privilege of hosting Gretchen Whitmer (the governor of Michigan) at one of the businesses I do consulting with and she was a complete delight. An old school Democrat who can speak the language of those here in the Midwest. Someone who isn't a geriatric and would PROBABLY have been picked as VP if woke politics didn't interfere to give us Kamala and would've been far more effective since she actually, ya know, had to work to win elections.
Democrats had a reality check in 2016 and they didn't listen. They won with Biden in 2020 because he wasn't Trump. Now they're in dire straights for a multitude of reasons and I don't see course correction from them until they're obliterated in the midterms this year. By that time, it might be too late.....
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There's no question that gun control is needed in this country, but even if every gun were to be removed tomorrow, there's still a cultural rot here in the U.S that goes way beyond guns. It was accelerated with the lockdowns, Covid, and all the madness of 2020 and it runs wide and deep within our society. Why are these young males so vicious, so angry? Where's the root of all it?
You mix this rot in with accessible and unnecessary firearms and you have this toxic mix of violence that never seems to end and is getting worse with each passing year. It's horrifying.
2024 U.S. Presidential Election
in Politics and World Events
Posted
I'm not certain what to make of it all at this point.
As I've stated, no one can OBJECTIVELY look at Biden and see someone who's as mentally sharp as he was even as recent as 2020. There is clearly some kind of decline. Whether it's natural cognitive decline or something worse, none of us know. But what I DO know is that optics matter. And the optics of it all are certainly troubling.
Trump isn't any better and is as unhinged as he ever was. He's just shrewdly choosing to stay out of the spotlight and isn't sucking up the kind of oxygen like he was before. Now that things are settled and people have an actual choice, it'll be interesting to see where independent minded voters go. If I were in Biden's campaign, I'd lean HARD on his behavior in 2020. His gross negligence of Covid, how he inflamed the riots and racial unrest from that summer, his denial of his election loss, and how it all cumulated to the insurrection. NO ONE wants to relive that year. And it'd be smart to highlight just how awful things were right before he was booted out.
I find some solace in how much Biden has been underestimated and went on to pull things off - from the primary to the election to the midterms and all of the special elections in between. Democrats do seem to be paying attention, so that's heartening. But the polls in swing states do look bleak for him as of now and I'm praying he's able to turn that around.