The Republican Agenda 2021 and Forward

[lizkat]

This is by design on the Republican side

A). More people here legally means less anger (other than from blatant racists)

B). They won't be able to scapegoat illegals as the cause of all the problems in this country.

However, as it's been proven that some on the right will believe any insane outrage trigger you throw at them, they could easily replace illegal immigrants with just about anything, no matter how far-fetched.

On that note, Alex Jones blames the recent tornadoes on weather weapons used by the Biden administration. I shit you not.

Alex Jones is the epitome of a man capable of truly evil behavior. It will be hard for him ever to top his past invention and peddling of a conspiracy theory that the Sandy Hook school shootings --which resulted in the death of 20 first graders and their six admins/teachers-- were merely an elaborate hoax perpetrated by the victims' families.

As a result of Jones' blathering, the Sandy Hook families, as if grief over losing their kin had not been enough tribulation, were harassed, and some received death threats from fans of Jones' conspiracy theory. Of course Jones tried to skate on any reponsibility for that, asserting"First Amendment rights" and so essentially insisting that it wasn't his problem if other people --the fans of his show!-- made death threats to still other people.

Anyway whatever Alex Jones says about the Biden administration, or anything or anyone else, should be taken with about a long ton of road salt.

It's sometimes unfortunate that our Constitutional protection of the right to free speech can protect malevolent creatures like Alex Jones. And so it's too bad that he's still on the street, and only small comfort that his appeals against the findings of defamation lawsuits have been tossed out all the way to the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court nixes Alex Jones' appeal in Newtown shooting case

Jones was fighting a Connecticut court sanction in a defamation lawsuit brought by relatives of some of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

www.nbcnews.com

Maybe, all things related to this GOP's hand in configuring the current high court, we should be grateful that the court didn't overturn the defamation lawsuits brought against Alex Jones on behalf of Sandy Hook families. After all, the GOP that still kowtows to Trump is a Republican Party that's shown itself willing to adopt grand lies.

 

[JayMysteri0]

Let's never forget the ol' standards

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1471887110697369602/

Trump Claims Jews Had ‘Absolute Control’ Over Congress in Antisemitic Interview

“The Jewish people, in the United States, either don’t like Israel or don’t care about Israel,” he said.

www.thedailybeast.com

 

[lizkat]

Let's never forget the ol' standards

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1471887110697369602/

AIPAC just announced formation of a federal PAC and a super-PAC. They said they would be supporting candidacies of both Republicans and Democrats who are "pro-Israel."

MSN

“Throughout AIPAC’s history, the Board of Directors has consistently adjusted our political strategy to ensure we could remain successful in an ever-changing Washington,” she said. “The D.C. political environment has been undergoing profound change. Hyper-partisanship, high congressional turnover, and the exponential growth in the cost of campaigns now dominate the landscape. As such, the Board has decided to introduce these two new tools.”

She added that the AIPAC PAC “will highlight and support current pro-Israel Democratic and Republican members of Congress, as well as candidates for Congress.” The announcement comes 11 months before the midterm elections that will decide the majority of the House and the Senate, with dozens of competitive races taking place.

To me Trump's remarks are just the leading edge of his intention to cash in on AIPAC's goals by next encouraging his followers to donate to AIPAC with the expectation that AIPAC will then help fund a 2024 Trump campaign.

Not sure this will fly at the level of Trump rally fans who wouldn't know AIPAC from a sixpack, but there might be some big bucks evangelicals and high profile evangelical clerics who will definitely go for it, as it fits into their chosen narrative about the end times.

Understanding the Evangelical obsession with Israel

It has more to do with prophecy than politics.

www.americamagazine.org

Liberty University was a hotbed for a popular theology among evangelicals called “dispensationalism,” which divides history into distinct ages or dispensations. According to this teaching, when first-century Jews rejected Jesus, a new “church age” began in which Christians would act as “God’s chosen people.” This dispensation will continue until God takes Christians to heaven, leaving the “unchosen” behind for a period of turmoil. This is known as “the rapture.”

While dispensationalism teaches that God is currently focused on the Christian church, believers in this theology assert that when the last days arrive, God will draw the Jewish people back to Israel where they will rebuild the temple and eventually accept Jesus as the rightful Messiah. This will trigger the return and reign of Jesus.

So the deal for some American evangelicals, many of whom might not even know their belief is grounded in "dispensationalism", is that Israel itself, as an actual place named in Scripture (regardless of its current secular or religious status) must be supported with fervor, because Jews being able to gather there again is a prerequisite for their anticipated eventual acceptance of Christ as the Messiah, and the signal for Jesus to return and rule the earth.

This despite whatever Christ may have said about distinctions between his father's kingdom and planet earth, and despite whatever real estate deals Trump and his kin and cronies might have in mind for Israel and other parts of the Middle East in the meantime.

The main thing, according to Donald Trump, is Donald Trump. Oh, and money. AIPAC means to raise some. Trump saw that announcement yesterday by AIPAC as either a threat or a potential bankroll. You decide. He's throwing it out there right now that it's Christians who support Israel, not Jews. Trump could be seen right now as dogwhistling that Jews are important --in the evangelicals' view-- only in that a bunch of them need to have showed up in Israel by the end time, in order to call for recognition of Christ as the Messiah.

Not sure Trump's Jewish acquaintances may see things exactly the same way. "This should be interesting".

 

[ronntaylor]

In the gym locker room on Wed I heard a conversation:

• Those jackasses in New York want to give illegals the vote.
• We’ve got to take it back.
• Yea, I’m ready, just waiting for the word to come down.

I’m distinctly aware that this is not go out and vote talk, it is gun revolution talk. I’ve got 4 guns in the house, maybe it’s time to accumulate more ammo.

The saddest part isn't the lie being spread by white supremacists/right-wingers about "illegals" voting. It's that those on the other side don't call out the lie and instead help spread it. Doesn't matter if it's intentional if it is ultimately successful in spreading the lie.

The bill referenced would give the right to vote for NYC elections to legal, documented immigrants: Green card holders and those that are legally authorized to work here. NYC wouldn't be the only locality to allow these groups to vote (IIRC there are 13-16 localities, mostly in Maryland, that allow noncitizens to vote). For a large part of our history, most states allowed so-called noncitizens to vote.

 

[User.45]

The anti-vaccine, anti-mask agenda may lead to poor health outcomes for Republican devotées in the future.

73% of people who identify as Republicans trusted their doctors in 2010. Ten years later, that went down to 60%.

Republicans Less Trusting of Doctor's Advice Than in the Past

Fewer Republicans today than in 2010 say they are confident in the accuracy of their doctor's advice. Democrats' trust has steadily grown since 2002.

news.gallup.com

Some more indicators of Republicans' (lack of) trust in scientists and doctors:

Trust in Medical Scientists Has Grown in U.S., but Mainly Among Democrats

About six-in-ten Americans believe social distancing measures are helping a lot to slow the spread of coronavirus in the nation.

www.pewresearch.org

There's a reason the South has to pay physicians 2-3x more than other regions

 

[User.45]

For a large part of our history, most states allowed so-called noncitizens to vote.

Otherwise it would be taxation w/o representation, right?

 

[SuperMatt]

Otherwise it would be taxation w/o representation, right?

Welcome to my world. It’s unconscionable that residents of DC do not get representation in Congress. Any Republican who says otherwise is a traitor to their country. They only oppose it for one reason: too many black people in DC.

The fight for statehood goes all the way to Frederick Douglass.

 

[Huntn]

The saddest part isn't the lie being spread by white supremacists/right-wingers about "illegals" voting. It's that those on the other side don't call out the lie and instead help spread it. Doesn't matter if it's intentional if it is ultimately successful in spreading the lie.

The bill referenced would give the right to vote for NYC elections to legal, documented immigrants: Green card holders and those that are legally authorized to work here. NYC wouldn't be the only locality to allow these groups to vote (IIRC there are 13-16 localities, mostly in Maryland, that allow noncitizens to vote). For a large part of our history, most states allowed so-called noncitizens to vote.

I did not know that.

 

[SuperMatt]

With GOP-led gerrymandering in Wisconsin (for example) the number of black members in their state legislature DECREASED. And they only have 2 latino representatives despite the rapidly growing population in the state.

Wisconsin got a gerrymandering map thrown out because it split a mostly Latino district in two, hoping to remove that latino member from the legislature.

I don’t know who is spreading the lie that gerrymandering somehow leads to more minority representatives in government. The exact opposite is true.

Opinion | Gerrymandering's burdens are borne by communities of color

Americans deserve a government that mirrors more than the Mayflower.

www.nbcnews.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/09/how-a-widespread-practice-to-politically-empower-african-americans-might-actually-harm-them/

Does the Anti-Gerrymandering Campaign Threaten Minority Voting Rights?

We tested the theory — which has been put forward by both Democrats and Republicans.

www.brennancenter.org

To counter the lies on this forum about Republican gerrymanders supposedly increasing minority representation in government, here’s more evidence from 2021 redistricting. We can see EXACTLY why the GOP doesn’t want the Voting Rights act to pass: they don’t want minorities in Congress.

Map by Map, G.O.P. Chips Away at Black Democrats’ Power (Published 2021)

Black elected officials in several states, from Congress down to the counties, have been drawn out of their districts this year or face headwinds to hold onto their seats.

www.nytimes.com

Mr. Reives is one of a growing number of Black elected officials across the country — ranging from members of Congress to county commissioners — who have been drawn out of their districts, placed in newly competitive districts or bundled into new districts where they must vie against incumbents from their own party.

Almost all of the affected lawmakers are Democrats, and most of the mapmakers are white Republicans. The G.O.P. is currently seeking to widen its advantage in states including North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia and Texas, and because partisan gerrymandering has long been difficult to disentangle from racial gerrymandering, proving the motive can be troublesome.

But the effect remains the same: less political power for communities of color.

Stop lying about GOP gerrymandering being good for minorities, or I’ll pull this car over, I swear.

 

[User.45]

To counter the lies on this forum about Republican gerrymanders supposedly increasing minority representation in government, here’s more evidence from 2021 redistricting. We can see EXACTLY why the GOP doesn’t want the Voting Rights act to pass: they don’t want minorities in Congress.

Map by Map, G.O.P. Chips Away at Black Democrats’ Power (Published 2021)

Black elected officials in several states, from Congress down to the counties, have been drawn out of their districts this year or face headwinds to hold onto their seats.

www.nytimes.com

Stop lying about GOP gerrymandering being good for minorities, or I’ll pull this car over, I swear.

shall i guess who the source of gerrymandering good for minorities statement is?

 

[SuperMatt]

shall i guess who the source of gerrymandering good for minorities statement is?

While I agree, do you worry that some of the heavily minority districts would go away and cause there to be less minority representation in Congress?

That’s a whopper… with extra cheese.

 

[Huntn]

Joe Manchin, the worst Democrat ever, the Republican who got himself elected as a Democrat. Why don’t you just get it over with, be honest, and switch partys, stop pretending to be something you are not, And for the Democrats back home who elected you, they better get on the ball for the next election.

Manchin pulls support for Biden's $1.75 trillion social spending plan

"I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can't. I've tried everything humanly possible," Manchin said.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[User.45]

Joe Manchin, the worst Democrat ever, the Republican who got himself elected as a Democrat. Why don’t you just get it over with, be honest, and switch partys, stop pretending to be something you are not, And for the Democrats back home who elected you, they better get on the ball for the next election.

Manchin pulls support for Biden's $1.75 trillion social spending plan

"I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can't. I've tried everything humanly possible," Manchin said.

www.cbsnews.com

Because that moment, he'd lose the once-in-a-lifetime power he just got for himself.

 

[Yoused]

Why don’t you just get it over with, be honest, and switch partys

That is a difficult thing. In truth, I suspect he may have a deal going with the Turtle: as long as he votes for Democratic leadership, the Turtle is not the person who is messing up Joe the President's agenda, and so the Rs can blame the Ds for everything that is wrong with the country. I catch a fleeting whiff of bribery.

 

[User.45]

I catch a fleeting whiff of bribery.

Zero doubt. The question whether it's corporate or political, or (most likely) both.

 

[JayMysteri0]

Ah yes, the guy who enjoys saying "the quiet part out loud", giving the republican agenda away.
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1473036074964426762/

 

[Huntn]

Ah yes, the guy who enjoys saying "the quiet part out loud", giving the republican agenda away.
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1473036074964426762/

Drumph has said this before where it is recorded. This is not a secret, As if destroying voting rights was not bad enough, the move by some state legislatures to pass or try to pass laws that allows politicians to overturn the outcome of any election they don’t like the results of. The guise is preventing fraud, but the agenda is declaring just because we lost with zero proof of fraud because we like stealing elections when we are in a position to do so... the dummies back home are allowing us to do so.

 

[Yoused]

Ah yes, the guy who enjoys saying "the quiet part out loud"

The Republican Party

Spoiler: is breaking the law

 

[JayMysteri0]

Are there really so few Black republicans, that THIS is who you want to go with?

That's not counting when his son isn't embarrassing himself on social media.

 

[SuperMatt]

Are there really so few Black republicans, that THIS is who you want to go with?

That's not counting when his son isn't embarrassing himself on social media.

They don’t care what he says or does, as long as he continues to agree to be the right-wing’s “one black friend.”