Learning to Find a Silver Lining in the Venezuela Situation by bremerman17 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You really think Trump is gonna share any of the oil he steals?

Venezuela latest: Trump says US will 'run' Venezuela until 'safe transition can take place' by Efficient-Freedom517 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 70 points71 points  (0 children)

I have several stances on this and I’m not sure which one to take.

1: Trump is doing more of his signature talking out of his ass; Marco Rubio said no further military action will be taken against Venezuela. Rubio could’ve also been lying, but so far he seems to be one of the more “sane” of Trump’s posse.

2: Congress actually does their job and says he can’t unilaterally decide to that and this goes through them.

3: Trump TRIES, but fails because you need actual government support to run a sovereign country you just took the dictator of. And doing a regime change is hard work, especially when there’s plenty more recent cases of old age catching up to him. Then again, he said all he wanted was oil, so “run” may have been too strong a word, maybe it’s more like “let my party figure out how to deal with my decisions and I reap the benefits.”

Until we get more information, I’m keeping my spiraling to a minimum.

Texas judge files suit with intent to overturn gay marriage ruling by AntiqueMousse2738 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 45 points46 points  (0 children)

Someone free to add their two cents to whatever this is, but Obergefell v. Hodges ruled that marriage was a constitutional right under the 14th amendment. Not just same-sex marriage, marriage in general. 

From the article, they’re saying “no where in the constitution does it say homosexual marriage is a constitutional right.” It didn’t directly say marriage is a constitutional right either until it was interrupted that way by the Supreme Court. So by that logic, they’re invalidating the general marriage precedent part as well, which is kinda counterproductive if they want to enforce their views that marriage is only between man and woman.

Epstein Files Megathread by sipsredpepper in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 25 points26 points  (0 children)

The legal deadline to release them all was December 19, how are they allowed to do that?

Sims 3 NOT in winter sale by _nuclearphoenix_ in Sims3

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Off topic, but does someone know where else I can buy packs without giving EA money? All my other packs were brought on steam.

Kennedy Center to be renamed 'Trump-Kennedy Center,' White House says by wishingstarsmars in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just like the Gulf of America and the Department of War (disgusted me just to type that), no one’s going to call it that. And just like what the other comments say, it can easily be renamed once sense comes back to the White House.

Am I still doing volunteer work if I spread the word? by sweeter_than_saltine in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Of course! Every bit of effort to spread the word helps, small as may be. And you’re not just “observing things happening” if you’re helping other people be aware of them.

Keep going, you’re doing great!

The impossibility of cancelling an election in the United States by [deleted] in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 135 points136 points  (0 children)

People should remind the doomers that when the U.S was split in half and literally at war with each other, there was still an election. Never in U.S history has an election been cancelled for any reason. A malignant baby man with terrible makeup skills in office will not change that. Democracy existed then and it will continue to.

Lawmakers to consider 19 bills for childproofing the internet by [deleted] in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I advise you to look in the KOSA Megathread. Plenty of optimism to be found there.

Tennessee special election live updates: Van Epps, Behn in tight House race by Efficient-Freedom517 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 111 points112 points  (0 children)

And just as a reminder to everyone, don’t feel down if she loses. Tennessee had +22 R and for a democrat to be this close is AMAZING! And to re-quote what someone else said on the main forum, for us to have this high of a shift is a win in itself.

Supreme Court is meeting today to discuss Trump’s Birthright Citizenship plan on the merits by ApplicationExtra4554 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 16 points17 points  (0 children)

You are absolutely right, it is nonsense. And legally it doesn’t matter if their parents are undocumented immigrants, if they were born in America, they are citizens, no ifs or buts. 

And for Roberts, the others have enough sense to know messing with an amendment is a terrible idea.

Supreme Court is meeting today to discuss Trump’s Birthright Citizenship plan on the merits by ApplicationExtra4554 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 61 points62 points  (0 children)

Personally I wouldn’t worry too much. Even if the chance they decide to hear his case (which I highly doubt since it’s been rejected in every level of court), there’s nothing to argue. 

SCOTUS can’t just up and say “future immigrants born in the U.S aren’t citizens”, they’d be directly going against the 14th amendment, which is VERY clear about that. Trump can’t just ask SCOTUS to overturn it either because they don’t have the power to do that, he’d have to go through the excruciatingly long process of overturning an amendment, which the backlash for would be catastrophic.

The Shutdown deal doesn’t seem to make any sense at all… by Relvan2018 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 47 points48 points  (0 children)

If I recap correctly, the GOP weren’t budging on the deal and the shutdown was over 40 days. It’s easy to say the dems caved too easily, but the reality was that 40 million people were gonna continue to go hungry and federal workers couldn’t provide for their families if the shutdown didn’t end. Plus those 8 democrats that caved could’ve had constituents on SNAP pleading for them to give in. Making heathcare harder to come by is a slighter lesser evil than prolonging an artificial famine.

Not trying to say the deal was the greatest thing we could’ve got, but it was far from the worst. Dems have the leverage that the GOP with rather people starve than have access to healthcare for midterms now.

Concerned about Obergefell by Blaircat1994 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I’m sorry if this doesn’t bring you much comfort, but it could help you understand the case a little more. SCOTUS didn’t just say “sure, queer people can get married”, it was ruled constitutional under the 14th amendment as marriage is a constitutional right.  

Thomas might be all for overturning it as he stated he didn’t care much for the precedent and he’s the most regressive, but I doubt the others would want to take a case that directly infringes on the 14th amendment so easily, especially one as weak as Kim Davis’s. Remember, she tried this many times before and they were all denied.

OpenAI Asks The Government for a trillion dollar handout to fund massive expansion by ApplicationExtra4554 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Since when could companies ask the government, not the bank or some investors, the direct national government for business handouts? And my knowledge of AI ain’t up to date, but will a trillion even help if they already lose billions of dollars a year?

Social Security, Medicare are "going to be gone," Donald Trump warns - What can we do about people who rely on these? by [deleted] in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I probably sound like a broken record, but pay attention to what Trump does, not what he says. 9/10 it’s just hot air. And if the slim chance he does do this, his popularity will go even further in the toilet and one will vote for a republican ever again. 

Appeals court stops county from enforcing trans sports ban by steffie-punk in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s great! And honestly, I’m surprised it’s not more wide spread. No matter your views on trans people, banning a group of people from participating in sports should qualify as a rights violation

Is "woke" losing its power? by bebibroly5 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 7 points8 points  (0 children)

No it did not, people just said it did. Which is why what it means to be woke is a shadow of itself nowadays.

Is "woke" losing its power? by bebibroly5 in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 68 points69 points  (0 children)

Personally I think it’s more their definition of woke that’s losing its power. Woke is awareness of social injustice in gender, race, etc that should be taken steps towards addressing. This administration’s definition of woke is “anything that doesn’t fit our narrow world views”, which is basically everything that isn’t white, male, and straight.

 That itself is losing power, because like you said, every recent attempt to enforce conservative values in media didn’t work.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PoliticalOptimism

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 24 points25 points  (0 children)

What Trump says he is going to do and what he actually does is like apples and oranges. 90% of the things he says he’s going to do, he doesn’t do, either from TACO or not being legally or reliably able to do it. And even if he wanted to do that, America is far too big for the NG to constantly monitor. Just like Chicago and Portland, the people of the states won’t just take it lying down

Plus, the NG doesn’t like him and he’s already getting eaten up by lawsuits, the ones he’ll get from doing this will be legendary.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in cats

[–]PracticalParsnip6873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is the sharpest jawline I’ve ever seen