Octopus Overlords

This is how you do it

ICONIC: Yosemite National Park workers just hung an upside-down American flag—THOUSANDS of feet up on El Capitan. That’s not decoration. That’s a distress signal. They’re telling us the country is in danger. Are you paying attention?

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2025 10:34 am This is how you do it

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2025 10:34 am This is how you do it

ICONIC: Yosemite National Park workers just hung an upside-down American flag—THOUSANDS of feet up on El Capitan. That’s not decoration. That’s a distress signal. They’re telling us the country is in danger. Are you paying attention?

Didn't Alito co-opt that symbol for "Stop the Steal?" Or was it his wife?

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2025 10:56 am Didn't Alito co-opt that symbol for "Stop the Steal?" Or was it his wife?

Yeah, it was his wife. From their NJ vacation beach house.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2025 10:56 am Didn't Alito co-opt that symbol for "Stop the Steal?" Or was it his wife?

It's been in play on both the left and the right for many years now. (It was originally a way for a ship to announce that it needs assistance.)

Alito's wife also told an interviewer that she had designed a "SHAME" flag to fly during Pride month.

IDK if you'd call it fighting, but I've resolved to kick up my charitable giving to help offset the death of USAID. If they were getting 1% of my federal income taxes (narrator: they weren't) then that's about $250 I want to make up. Maybe the GOP will even cut my taxes by $20 a month.

Personal charity is a pale shadow of governmental charity, but it feels like something constructive we could do.

It was in another post, but I did the same. I pulled my $15 a month from Amazon, and am now donating it to the local Pride Center, plus I've always given $5 per month to an animal rescue. It's not much, but it's a lot for me.

Unagi wrote: Sat Feb 22, 2025 9:52 am I've never watched her before - but she had a lot of things to say about handling 'MAGA' that I (for the most part) agree with:

Didn't watch all the video but it seems like there's nothing new here. This is one of the Left's biggest problems (IMHO): Cancel Culture. Someone said or did something or held an opinion you didn't agree with now or anytime in the past? CANCELLED!!! Compare this attitude to the Right: You compared Trump to Hitler a decade ago but now you're singing our tune? Great! You can be Vice President!

We've become the small tent party and we're getting smaller all the time. Can you imagine if we didn't have such unreasonable morons on the other side to rail against? We'd really be in trouble then!

Until the Left does some soul searching and realizes that their views don't excite or interest anyone outside of SJW's and Left Wing activists we're going to be in Big Trouble, Trump or no Trump. While I think we will win the House back in '26, I don't see many victories after that. We need to go back to doing things that help EVERYONE, yes, even the white working class. Obama's ACA was huge, but that was 15 years ago and what have we done for anyone lately? Taking care of the unfortunates on the fringe of our society is good and noble, but the party's main thrust needs to be for policies that at least potentially help EVERYONE and we need to learn how to express those views in terms everyone can understand.

IMHO, we need a Left Wing charismatic figure that can relate to the normal person and that's willing to ignore Party Elites and steer the party back to where the votes are, as Regan did for the Right long ago.

Lagom Lite wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 3:18 am Also, lol at the idea of withholding taxes. That's such a lazy, liberal idea. You need to organize properly, dinguses. Boycotting won't work this time.

Amen!

Apollo wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 3:33 pm IMHO, we need a Left Wing charismatic figure that can relate to the normal person and that's willing to ignore Party Elites and steer the party back to where the votes are, as Regan did for the Right long ago.

It kinda feels like it shouldn't have been so difficult to win a campaign against Nazis, but here we are.

Apollo, I don't disagree with much of what you said (although there'd be context to individual points), but one of the big reasons that the left hasn't done anything lately because the right is better at obstructionist politics.

Apollo wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 3:33 pm Until the Left does some soul searching and realizes that their views don't excite or interest anyone outside of SJW's and Left Wing activists we're going to be in Big Trouble, Trump or no Trump. While I think we will win the House back in '26, I don't see many victories after that. We need to go back to doing things that help EVERYONE, yes, even the white working class. Obama's ACA was huge, but that was 15 years ago and what have we done for anyone lately? Taking care of the unfortunates on the fringe of our society is good and noble, but the party's main thrust needs to be for policies that at least potentially help EVERYONE and we need to learn how to express those views in terms everyone can understand.

I don't get this. The Ds are the ones pushing financial policies that will help all, including the white working class. They're pushing for increased taxes on the wealthy and lower taxes on the middle class. They're pushing for pro-labor positions that would help blue collar workers in the middle class. They're pushing to keep (if not improve) the ACA so everyone can have (semi) affordable healthcare. The Rs are against all of that. Maybe this goes toward your point about expressing those views better, but their policies are simply better for the middle class than anything the Rs are putting out there for the economy.

And the Ds aren't out there leading with the types of policies you dismiss as SJW issues. Yes, they support them, but the ones who constantly raise the issues are the Rs because they see weakness there. They know the Ds aren't going to denounce LGBTQ+ rights (and they shouldn't). So they raise the issues, often mischaracterizing them, so that they can appeal to the bigotry of their base. There's not much the left can do there if they're not willing to abandon their base.

Yeah, if you look through the accomplishments of the Biden administration, they did everything Apollo asked. I don't know how you combat people simply being lied to by the other side and them believing it.

Lagom Lite wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 2:33 am The American resistance needs to reach out to American former allies in NATO (Europe and Canada) now that your administration is allying with our enemies and throwing away all the American soft power you've so cleverly crafted since 1945.

Let me tell you there is a LOT of bad blood in Europe right now. No one wants to lose America as an ally, but after Vance's Munich speech and Musks visit to German neo-nazi rallies, both of which are taken as attempted American/Russian election interference, there is pressure on European leaders to act. Some consider America and Europe as no longer allies - these are harsh words.

I've already heard voices float the idea of creating a new European Barton Woods-like agreement to boost the Euro to reserve currency status, competing with the Dollar as international currency. Given your debt and trade deficit, this would sink the American economy to where it could not recover. You don't want this to happen (neither do we, really). You're also looking at brain drain, if domestic policy goes so far that the best and brightest among you decide that they'd rather live over here.

But if there is a strong, loud resistance in America who is presenting a clear alternative (a leader or group of leaders) that the opposition unites behind and openly seeks the aid of America's former allies, you might be able to delay this until the election 2028. But that, my friends, will be the very last chance for the American Empire.

We'd have better luck reaching out to the terrorist networks overseas. They're good at disassembling our power, especially our military.

ImLawBoy wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 5:02 pm

Apollo wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 3:33 pm Until the Left does some soul searching and realizes that their views don't excite or interest anyone outside of SJW's and Left Wing activists we're going to be in Big Trouble, Trump or no Trump. While I think we will win the House back in '26, I don't see many victories after that. We need to go back to doing things that help EVERYONE, yes, even the white working class. Obama's ACA was huge, but that was 15 years ago and what have we done for anyone lately? Taking care of the unfortunates on the fringe of our society is good and noble, but the party's main thrust needs to be for policies that at least potentially help EVERYONE and we need to learn how to express those views in terms everyone can understand.

I don't get this. The Ds are the ones pushing financial policies that will help all, including the white working class. They're pushing for increased taxes on the wealthy and lower taxes on the middle class. They're pushing for pro-labor positions that would help blue collar workers in the middle class. They're pushing to keep (if not improve) the ACA so everyone can have (semi) affordable healthcare. The Rs are against all of that. Maybe this goes toward your point about expressing those views better, but their policies are simply better for the middle class than anything the Rs are putting out there for the economy.

And the Ds aren't out there leading with the types of policies you dismiss as SJW issues. Yes, they support them, but the ones who constantly raise the issues are the Rs because they see weakness there. They know the Ds aren't going to denounce LGBTQ+ rights (and they shouldn't). So they raise the issues, often mischaracterizing them, so that they can appeal to the bigotry of their base. There's not much the left can do there if they're not willing to abandon their base.

SJW issues are the only thing Democrats will come close to taking a stand on. Why? Because they're free.


Fifteen dollar minimum wage? Our parliamentarian says no. Voting rights? Manchin has "deep reservations" Codifying Roe? Why cant we sing "God bless America" instead? Black lives matter?! Dashiki dress!

Social justice issues should take a backseat to kitchen table issues. Always. The Democrats and the Republicans are colluding. One side does bad stuff, the other side clutches pearls and pretends to be powerless.

Do you know why we got Trump? Because when you really get down to it, Obama didn't do enough. He ran as a populist, then pulled a vicious burn on his leftist organizer base, installed a Citibank cabinet, presided over the largest wealth transfer upwards in human history, never closed Guantanamo, stayed in Iraq, Stayed in Afghanistan and almost pulled off the TPP which was a HORRIBLE globalization bill. All the while he lost us the supreme court and oh yeah... Really put the thumb on the scale for Hillary. How'd that go?

Then when a working class bi racial coalition of working class voters put Biden in. What'd he do? Nothing. Nothing but wring hands and watch as the people who put him there get screwed by.... everything. Oh then the Democrats lied about Biden's dementia, lied repeatedly about it to EVERYONE. Then they swoop down and appoint a deeply unpopular and insanely out of touch Veep that no one really knew, liked or wanted. Someone who stood for nothing.

And then the cake on top of everything, ran the campaign like a giant grift on EVERYONE. Refused to take advice, refused to listen to the working class (losing the UNION endorsement?!), refused to apologize for Palestine... Walz and his debate performance. I could go on.

And then when they LOST. DAMNING the poor and those who work for a living to utter bankruptcy and dissolution, they ask for donations after they lose to cover "campaign debts"

Consider this my huge shit eating I told you so. Itold you so, and I got dogpiled for *years*. I didn't even mean to post in this place, meant to be elsewhere, but now that I'm here... We're watching the sole world superpower commit suicide on live TV. Democrats won't help. They're colluding. The only Dems out there fighting are Bernie, maybe AoC and a handful of freshmen representatives who live in their offices and cant even afford a place to live.

Ok, who woke up the Drazzil?

Dunno, but I'm genuinely happy to see him posting again.

I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:19 pm I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

To be fair, aren't most of our posts based off of pur own opinions and such?

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:19 pm I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

Isn't that pretty much most of the posts here? We all have our own opinion, some of them might be wrong (or personal theories) but we mostly think we're right.

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:19 pm I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

I could post about the time of day and you would be up on some bullshit. You follow me from thread to thread talking about how you don't want me here. I wonder, off hand what would happen if I went to every thread you post and piss on it. Just cause I can.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Do you know why we got Trump?

Because gullible people who only feel good about themselves when they’re able to find someone else to blame for the problems they created through their own ignorance and laziness voted for him in 2016 and 2024?

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:33 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:19 pm I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

I could post about the time of day and you would be up on some bullshit. You follow me from thread to thread talking about how you don't want me here. I wonder, off hand what would happen if I went to every thread you post and piss on it. Just cause I can. Keep this up and I will. I've got the time to be vindictive.

Someone who wanted to come to terms with what's going on, presumably on a forum with people who want the same, would be less of a dick about it.

Also, your rant about Democrats above neglected to mention that you voted for Trump.

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:21 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:19 pm I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

To be fair, aren't most of our posts based off of pur own opinions and such?

Yes, and when those opinions aren't based in reality, they get called out. And yes, poster history counts. Drazzil has decades of 'out there' fringe theories, and he's got decades of insincerity for attention.

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:37 pm

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Do you know why we got Trump?

Because gullible people who only feel good about themselves when they’re able to find someone else to blame for the problems they created through their own ignorance and laziness voted for him in 2016 and 2024?

Yeah that's part of it. The other part of it is that a not insignificant percentage of the population couldn't tell the difference between what the Democrats had on offer and what the Republicans did. Jee. Wonder why?

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:33 pm You follow me from thread to thread talking about how you don't want me here. I wonder, off hand what would happen if I went to every thread you post and piss on it.

If I were posting after you in threads that I never post in, that would be meaningful. If I see posts (by anyone) in threads that I frequent, I speak up. Just ask around - there are quite a few people here that I've pissed off from time to time over the years by my stubborn refusal to let what I see as nonsensical bullshit go by unchallenged.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:42 pm

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:37 pm

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Do you know why we got Trump?

Because gullible people who only feel good about themselves when they’re able to find someone else to blame for the problems they created through their own ignorance and laziness voted for him in 2016 and 2024?

Yeah that's part of it. The other part of it is that a not insignificant percentage of the population couldn't tell the difference between what the Democrats had on offer and what the Republicans did. Jee. Wonder why?

No, that wasn’t part of it. As you yourself wrote earlier that they were very different.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:42 pm Yeah that's part of it. The other part of it is that a not insignificant percentage of the population couldn't tell the difference between what the Democrats had on offer and what the Republicans did. Jee. Wonder why?

Because they listened to bullshit without anyone speaking up until it was accepted as reality. Thanks for setting up such a great example for me to show why I always say something.

Holman wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:37 pm

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:33 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:19 pm I would be, but that rant he just posted was nothing but an out-of-touch blend of inane personal theories and self-righteousness.

I could post about the time of day and you would be up on some bullshit. You follow me from thread to thread talking about how you don't want me here. I wonder, off hand what would happen if I went to every thread you post and piss on it. Just cause I can. Keep this up and I will. I've got the time to be vindictive.

Someone who wanted to come to terms with what's going on, presumably on a forum with people who want the same, would be less of a dick about it.

Also, your rant about Democrats above neglected to mention that you voted for Trump.

You love bringing that up don't you? At least the first and last time I enabled him was in 2016. What's the national Democrats excuse? They know him right now. What are they doing to stop him? All I see is whining, whinging and grifting.

I mean….kind of hypocritical there, buddy.

Side note: I keep imagining someone getting a baby drunk and then handing him a machete for some reason.

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:45 pm

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:42 pm Yeah that's part of it. The other part of it is that a not insignificant percentage of the population couldn't tell the difference between what the Democrats had on offer and what the Republicans did. Jee. Wonder why?

Because they listened to bullshit without anyone speaking up until it was accepted as reality. Thanks for setting up such a great example for me to show why I always say something.

Oh wow. look who quoted my post directly. I'm going to concede this point. Because you do make a good point.

Again, to be fair, I've made it clear that I too was a fan of Trump being president the first time around.
Then I learned more and purposely voted against him thev2nd time he ran.
Maybe Drazzil is the same way and has changed his opinion?
Maybe we can all just see and let him share his opinions? Nobody has to agree with or belive them but, as long as we all stay civil, I'd like to think that this board can survive different opinions.

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:50 pm I mean….kind of hypocritical there, buddy.

Side note: I keep imagining someone getting a baby drunk and then handing him a machete for some reason.

buahahahha! Funny guy you.

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:53 pm Again, to be fair, I've made it clear that I too was a fan of Trump being president the first time around.
Then I learned more and purposely voted against him thev2nd time he ran.
Maybe Drazzil is the same way and has changed his opinion?
Maybe we can all just see and let him share his opinions? Nobody has to agree with or belive them but, as long as we all stay civil, I'd like to think that this board can survive different opinions.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Consider this my huge shit eating I told you so

That is some fine opinionatin’

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:56 pm

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:53 pm Again, to be fair, I've made it clear that I too was a fan of Trump being president the first time around.
Then I learned more and purposely voted against him thev2nd time he ran.
Maybe Drazzil is the same way and has changed his opinion?
Maybe we can all just see and let him share his opinions? Nobody has to agree with or belive them but, as long as we all stay civil, I'd like to think that this board can survive different opinions.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Consider this my huge shit eating I told you so

That is some fine opinionatin’

Sure, that could have been done better but I think we've had worse here.
Obviously I can't remember Drazzil or anything that happened but from context it sounds like h8s past opinions weere shot down or something and he left and came back when they came true and did an I told you so.
Obviously since my brain is shot and I can't remember I could be way off base, but, at least for now, I don't see the harm in letting him post his current opinions, even with what you highlighted.
If something changes and he becomes uncivili without being provoked thats different.

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:53 pm Again, to be fair, I've made it clear that I too was a fan of Trump being president the first time around.
Then I learned more and purposely voted against him thev2nd time he ran.
Maybe Drazzil is the same way and has changed his opinion?
Maybe we can all just see and let him share his opinions? Nobody has to agree with or believe them but, as long as we all stay civil, I'd like to think that this board can survive different opinions.

See that's the thing. I voted for Trump in 16 because I couldn't countenance the DNC putting their thumb on the scale for Hillary. I regretted it, and apologized for it numerous times. Yet this forum somehow thinks my voting for Trump in a safe Hillary state is a good reason to mock and deride me when I try to make a point. Nothing new.

Most national Democrats are bad faith actors by this point. This isn't incompetence. This is collusion. They enable Trump and the GOP.

Look at the recent tik tok ban.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:42 pm Dunno, but I'm genuinely happy to see him posting again.

Desperate times, I guess, but when you're happy to see Drazzil back posting in R&P, shit's really bad.

[Edit to add: And now I've 100% contributed to making this "the thread about Drazzil" rather than the thread about whatever it is it's actually supposed to be. Sincere apologies.]

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 10:06 pm

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:56 pm

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:53 pm Again, to be fair, I've made it clear that I too was a fan of Trump being president the first time around.
Then I learned more and purposely voted against him thev2nd time he ran.
Maybe Drazzil is the same way and has changed his opinion?
Maybe we can all just see and let him share his opinions? Nobody has to agree with or belive them but, as long as we all stay civil, I'd like to think that this board can survive different opinions.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Consider this my huge shit eating I told you so

That is some fine opinionatin’

Sure, that could have been done better but I think we've had worse here.
Obviously I can't remember Drazzil or anything that happened but from context it sounds like h8s past opinions weere shot down or something and he left and came back when they came true and did an I told you so.
Obviously since my brain is shot and I can't remember I could be way off base, but, at least for now, I don't see the harm in letting him post his current opinions, even with what you highlighted.
If something changes and he becomes uncivili without being provoked thats different.

I mean, how are the responses to him using the same tone he used bothersome to you, but his wasn’t? Why is it an “opinion” when he shows up and screams at everyone, but it’s wrong when people respond in kind?

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 10:11 pm

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 10:06 pm

hepcat wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:56 pm

Punisher wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:53 pm Again, to be fair, I've made it clear that I too was a fan of Trump being president the first time around.
Then I learned more and purposely voted against him thev2nd time he ran.
Maybe Drazzil is the same way and has changed his opinion?
Maybe we can all just see and let him share his opinions? Nobody has to agree with or belive them but, as long as we all stay civil, I'd like to think that this board can survive different opinions.

Drazzil wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:08 pm
Consider this my huge shit eating I told you so

That is some fine opinionatin’

Sure, that could have been done better but I think we've had worse here.
Obviously I can't remember Drazzil or anything that happened but from context it sounds like h8s past opinions weere shot down or something and he left and came back when they came true and did an I told you so.
Obviously since my brain is shot and I can't remember I could be way off base, but, at least for now, I don't see the harm in letting him post his current opinions, even with what you highlighted.
If something changes and he becomes uncivili without being provoked thats different.

I mean, how are the responses to him using the same tone he used bothersome to you, but his wasn’t?

I think he didn't insult other members or their opinions until provoked by Blackhawk.

Then others keep piling on.

Now I personally don't agree with Drazzil, but that doesn't mean we need to attack him here for sharing his opinion.

Kurth wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2025 10:08 pm Desperate times, I guess, but when you're happy to see Drazzil back posting in R&P, shit's really bad.

I'm a big fan of "angry gets shit done", I suppose.

But yes, Drazzil runs hot. But I think he's always been good about coming around and indicating he was wrong on something. Sure, no one likes to hear "I told you so" as Trump has immigrants dragged off in chains, but it's a start.

Generally speaking, I'd like to think I'm open to people coming back. Our community is so old that there are OOers and GGers that have straight up disappeared because they're dead. That makes me sad.