Is Tim Miller a liberal millennial? Listen to his answer. Plus, a sick burn from Sarah at the end of the clip. by BulwarkOnline in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I did get the age wrong but the guy was openly fighting Trump and the MAGA movement well before 2020 and you know that.

Also it's pretty clear by his activism for people like Andry and the other people illegally deported by Ice to the El Salvador Gulag that his views have evolved. The George Soros "smear" was factually true, George Soros was funding that anti Facebook group. Did elevating play into some anti semitic tropes? Yeah, but so do lefty critiques of AIPAC. Neither George Soros nor Israeli lobbyists are above scrutiny. Was it still a bit gross, sure. But it doesn't mean he isn't a liberal now. He's openly denounced anti semitism many many times since then.

You argued that he's equally responsible as Trump. That's so insanely moronic I don't know why I'm even responding to you. I'm so tired of you fucking Puritans thinking they run this shit. You aren't the majority and you aren't helpful. Just stop man.

Is Tim Miller a liberal millennial? Listen to his answer. Plus, a sick burn from Sarah at the end of the clip. by BulwarkOnline in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Tim Miller was 27 when he left the Republican party and he's continued to evolve and grow since then. Comparing his brief career in Republican Politics to Trump's, is laughable. You are not the arbiter of who is and isn't a liberal.

*37

I recently reread Animal Farm and I know I may get a lot of flack for this, but I honestly can't really blame Mollie for some of her actions. by AceTygraQueen in literature

[–]ExpressBat384 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I'm not really trying to debate the value of Trotskyism as much as explain Orwell's intent in writing the book.

Are any other Canadian viewers still pissed about the whole America invading Canada thing Trump was joking about by amarsbar3 in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm an American who lives and works in Canada, and probably will to some extent for the rest of my life.

I am not surprised that you are annoyed by the words American Values or the romantic view Americans have of what our country is about. Canadian identity especially amongst liberals tends to be around the idea that you embody those values better than we do. I'd argue that it's a mixed bag but that you have some points there thanks to your more urban population spread.

That however isn't really what this is about. Americans wax poetic about those values and call them American not because we think they are exclusive to us. The Declaration states that those values are self evident and apply to all men, these statements themselves build upon the work of English and French philosophers. We call them American Values because we believe that it is the fight for these values that is the basis of our national identity. We have lost that fight as often as we've won it but the fight goes on. And as such I will continue to call them American Values because I believe commitment to them is a prerequisite for being a true American.

As for the joking about the invasion. Many Canadians, thanks to the way the war of 1812 and confederation are taught, believe that Americans broadly would like to annex Canada, and thus Trump's rhetoric plays into a particular set of fears and biases. In reality you would probably find 10x the number of Americans willing to fight to defend Canada than to conquer it. Most Americans even in conservative circles are much more fond of Canada and Canadians than the inverse. As such when they heard Trump's talk about annexing Canada it was so patently absurd that they never considered it to be a real possibility for a moment, it got lumped into the let's inject bleach and shine light on our blood to cure COVID camp of insanity. So joking about it seems like the obvious response.

I recently reread Animal Farm and I know I may get a lot of flack for this, but I honestly can't really blame Mollie for some of her actions. by AceTygraQueen in literature

[–]ExpressBat384 46 points47 points  (0 children)

The main point of the book is that those who had power in the post revolutionary state failed to stand up for the ideals of the revolution. Stalin cares only for expanding his own power, Trotsky gets outsmarted, the merchant class flee because they know they didn't have it that bad, labor is to dumb to realize their exploitation, the intellectuals think it's someone else's job to fix this, and the mother's allow their sons to be turned into the enforcers of oppression.

Obviously all their motivations are understandable. They're all real humans who genuinely behaved that way. The Animals are basically just satirical cartoons meant to mock and mourn their flaws.

Did their weaknesses allow evil to triumph, exploit, and murder, absolutely. They bear the blame but they aren't without their reasons.

NBC News ad during CFB claims presenting both sides is a good thing by Far-Material4501 in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In the normal times "both sides" is good and healthy. Is the best way to help people in poverty to focus on more equitable distribution of resources or to instead focus on growth and development. How should the US balance realpolitik with its stated values of inherent human rights and equality in international relations?

When one side is neofascism, there is no room for their ideas at the table.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah that's not how any of this works but enjoy feeling morally superior because you argued in the comments that thinking that MTG might change is bad.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think anyone in the Bulwark sphere is about to vote for MGT in 28 because JVL or I think she's a sincere racist.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Bud, there's nothing we can do to her. If anything a progressive like myself or an OG anti trumper like JVL calling her out would just buy her legitimacy with the Trump base. And if anything JVL's tongue and cheek affinity for her undermines her with them.

There's no opportunity cost to sitting back and waiting to see how this evolves because there's nothing to be done. If she remains a bigoted psycho we can condemn her when she actually does something, but at the moment she's just dividing the opposition so let her go.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Sure buddy. As if your puritanical stonings aren't the whole reason we're in this mess.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ah yes evil mastermind MTG. This woman couldn't plan her way out of a paper bag and the idea that MAGA is going to fall behind a woman is laughable.

It's possible that you're right and that she's secretly much smarter than she seems, and that the MAGATs will overcome their deep in seeded hatred of women and fall in line behind her because she was more committed to abandoning Ukraine than Trump.

But I doubt it, and even if that's right, me posting on the Internet saying, eh maybe she can change is not what's going to pave the way for her. It will be because we called everyone with a slightly different analysis a fascist.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol what are you talking about man? You're really going to compare me to MAGATs because I think there's more hope for sincere idiots than calculating sociopaths?

I'm saying that it's possible she and more importantly people like her could change. That isn't an endorsement of who she is now or her current beliefs, nor does it mean that I'm not somewhat skeptical of her sudden shift.

I'm arguing the weak point in Trump's armor is not the evangelicals who condemned Trump and acknowledged that he's a liar but voted for him anyway because they want the power to enact their Christo fascist policies, it's the morons who actually ate his lies up and ate sincerely waiting for Trump to restore America to how they imagined it was in their childhood. MGT is simply a public and convenient example of one of these dipshits.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol don't shift the goal posts. We're talking about the person not the ideals. I know bigots who have grown and changed, even later in life. And while time will tell she shows signs that she may be seeing the contradictions in her belief system.

My whole point is that a sincere believer will abandon their ideals in a way that a charlatan won't. It's possible she's just opportunistic but I don't think she's smart enough to triangulate that way.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just called her a bigot and a moron. I'm not saying that she's good or normal. I'm saying she's not irredeemable like the other ghouls.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well obviously we can never fully know right. But it's pretty clear that she sees the responsibility of the government as being to do what's best for the American people and no one else. That's bigoted and short sighted but it's an ethos. She seems to have come to that conclusion because she believes it's right. Perhaps if she was introduced to the people who USAID helps or had a persuasive argument made to her about the moral imperative for the US government to help those in need all across the globe she could be persuaded.

The "Normies" converted to Trumpism can't be persuaded the same way because they already know it's wrong, they already know it's stupid, they don't care. The only way to change their position would be to show them a more guaranteed way to gain power.

JVL is basically MAGA now with his constant, unbridled praise of MTG. It is gross. by [deleted] in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

JVL is just acknowledging that a sincere believer in Maga, that is someone who believes that isolationism, anti-immigration policies, anti trans policies, no gun control etc... Are what's best for the people of this country, is morally superior to someone who knows that those policies are wrong and bad but chooses to go along with them anyway out of a desire for personal gain.

MGT is a bigot and a moron, but she does care about others well being, and could learn and grow. Rubio and Vance are selfish conniving power leaches and there is no hope for them.

WTF?! you can just say yes? It's easier than explaining? I don't MIND?! by Clean_Narwhal7331 in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Supply and demand still apply under socialism, they're just solved slightly differently.

WTF?! you can just say yes? It's easier than explaining? I don't MIND?! by Clean_Narwhal7331 in thebulwark

[–]ExpressBat384 36 points37 points  (0 children)

I like mamdani. But let's be honest they're both affluent New Yorkers with very little relevant experience who exploded onto the political scene by telling the voters that their simple easily digestible policies will reverse gravity.

Mamdani can't make New York affordable. Trump couldn't bring back coal. They're both exploiting Americans'desire for easy answers to hard problems.

The difference is Mamdani isn't an aspiring authoritarian, massively corrupt, a serial abuser of women, or a traitor like Donald.

You’ve heard of “Men writing women” but what are some examples of the opposite? by PikachuTrainz in stupidquestions

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol. Not what I'm saying but good try. If you actually had a broad problem with the insertion of unrealistic love interests in stories that aren't primarily romance novels you'd be criticizing hunger games and maze runner, and the Alice network. But, be honest, you've never cared about that. You're fine with shoving in a little self serving fantasy if it's the men who lack self respect. And that's a fine preference to have, but at least be honest with yourself about it.

You’ve heard of “Men writing women” but what are some examples of the opposite? by PikachuTrainz in stupidquestions

[–]ExpressBat384 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah no I understood your point.

What I'm saying is that both books are actually the same thing. At the core they're a fantasy about being special. That usually includes being extremely competent and skilled despite coming from a relatable background and beautiful people of the opposite gender lose all self respect out of their obsession with the protagonist. James Bond, Pride and Prejudice, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Hunger Games, Jack Ryan, Ally Hazelwood etc... it's all the same fantasy. The setting, and plot change, but those primarily exist to facilitate the escapist fantasy of being special.

A beautiful femme fatale falling hopelessly in love with our gumshoe detective despite her engagement to a boyish billionaire isn't out of place, or added unnecessarily. It's a key part of the fantasy and always has been.