This thread should just be a laundry list of MAGA idiocy. Let's start with the dismantling of the Department of Education.
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Adding a journalist to a group chat would have ended the careers of other security chiefs. Now it's just what happened on Monday
I found this to be interesting: https://www.project2025.observer/Comment
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Further details of the group chat were released by the Atlantic today. Its clear in black and white the monumental fcuk up this was.... whatever about conducting national security by group chat, adding someone accidentally is incredible. Instead of taking ownership of it thought we are just getting the usual deny and deflect. Attacking The Atlantic, saying its a failing magazine, saying the editor who was added to the group chat is a liar. The lack of accountability would be beyond belief in any other time in politics.
Meanwhile in a completely separate issue, there was a congress woman from Texas who called the Governor " Governor Hot wheels" in a jokey speech. The man is in a wheel chair, so it was definitely an insensitive joke ( even if the guy is a pr1ck), but the faux outrage from MAGA land is incredible. Coming from the people who elected a President who has horrible nicknames for everyone, and openly mocked a disabled journalist at one of his rallies ... they want to have an official censure from congress for the insult. Its mindblowing!
Theres a World Cup in this country next year and I genuinely hope fans from the rest of the world boycott it. Its going to be a sh1tshow anyway. Match tickets will probably be about $500 each, just like every other event here, but it will be the perfect opportunity for the world to make their feelings known about this current administration.Its really not that complicated!!!Comment
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Why would you break up the Department of Education, of all things? Or roll back the goal of making the air easier to breathe?
It's mental how quickly he can action these things. Imagine how useful the office of President of the US could be if it wasn't filled by a deranged looney.Comment
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The idea is that it pushes back the Education responsibility to the individual States. In theory it's not terrible, but in actuality it's a disaster. Creationism is a more valid theory than Evolution in a lot of States just for example, but the main issue will be the lack of federal funds towards Education.
The reason behind it is simple. The better educated States vote Democrat. That's a verifiable fact before any says I'm biased. The dumber you keep voters the easier you can control themIts really not that complicated!!!Comment
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I don’t have stats for voting patterns and education, but Razor’s last point about keeping voters dumb holds water. As far back as 1920, Walter Lippmann was writing much the same – he’s something a doyen for the right because his theories about halting the decline of democracy propose having a technocratic elite [Edit: rereading this, it struck me that tech bros and conservative Christiain patriarchy are the new technocrats] able to interpret issues for the masses, even though as a journalist and political commentator he wasn’t naturally disposed to that mindset. He saw the elite as a useful thing, once its power was kept in check.
In other words, if you let this class dominate what information they masses receive … you’re in trouble. If the message is creationism good, evolution bad and it’s sustained (and interpreted for the masses) by state-approved textbooks and publicly funded universities – well, good night and good luck.In the absence of institutions and education by which the environment is so successfully reported that the realities of public life stand out sharply against self-centered opinion, the common interests very largely elude public opinion entirely, and can be managed only by a specialized class whose personal interests reach beyond the locality. This class is irresponsible, for it acts upon information that is not common property, in situations that the public at large does not conceive, and it can be held to account only on the accomplished fact.
Lippmann was clear that the elite should never engage in debate with the masses, but give them simple easy to understand symbols and stereotypes – the flag, Commies and Reds, God, the dollar, Uncle Sam – and they’ll go where the messages condition them.
What’s dismal is that the book these are from, Public Opinion, came out in 1920 and is still in print, and on university reading lists around the world (mine too, but as an early stage on a continuum that eventually ends up with Goebbels, and in counterpoint to John Dewey who was all for education the masses as a bulwark to support democracy against elites).The orthodox theory holds that a public opinion constitutes a moral judgment on a group of facts. The theory I am suggesting is that, in the present state of education, a public opinion is primarily a moralized and codified version of the facts. I am arguing that the pattern of stereotypes at the center of our codes largely determines what group of facts we shall see, and in what light we shall see them.Last edited by Eminence Grise; 27/03/2025, 3:32 PM.Hello, hello? What's going on? What's all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here!
- E Tattsyrup.Comment
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Mark12345 I am very curious to get your take on this Trump tariff stuff. I have yet to see anyone say its a good idea or even anything less than its a disaster for the economy and working people in general. As we talked about previously you put more trust in FOX and Newsmax so Im wondering if the talking heads over there have a different take that has you convinced that this is a really good thing?Its really not that complicated!!!Comment
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The convervative line, which that person will take, is that it's just a matter of time, America will win. You know, like the Brits did.Comment
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I seem to recall the performance of 401(k)'s being cited as a gauge of Trump v1.0's "success".Comment
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In the case of Kilmar Ábrego García, despite acknowledging that his deportation to El Salvador was an administrative error, and despite a 9-0 Supreme Court ruling that they must facilitate his return, the Trump administration will not do so.
What an utter basket case of an administration.
I read this morning that Australian academics who had planned to attend some conference in the US are hesitant to do so, and some events are being switched to hybrid to cater for this reluctance to travel.
How pointlessly stupid.Last edited by osarusan; 15/04/2025, 12:26 PM.Comment
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The UK lad who's tattoo somehow ended up on their gang watching for idiots guide to running a country another highlight.In the case of Kilmar Ábrego García, despite acknowledging that his deportation to El Salvador was an administrative error, and despite a 9-0 Supreme Court ruling that they must facilitate his return, the Trump administration will not do so.
What an utter basket case of an administration.
I read this morning that Australian academics who had planned to attend some conference in the US are hesitant to do so, and some events are being switched to hybrid to cater for this reluctance to travel.
How pointlessly stupid.
Of course he has the US holiday of a lifetime booked and is now twitching a bit.
Have a look at Benidorm lad or Ibiza, few yokes, bit of footwork, make do with that for now would be my advice.Comment
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