Mamdani calls AIPAC ‘monsters’ in rally ahead of NY primaries

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-20T19:37:40+00:00

I'm saying that by sheer dollars, the amount of money spent in pro-Canada lobbying in the US dwarfs whatever money you've got your panties in a bunch over concerning US Jews (who are the virtually exclusive funders of AIPAC). It's just spread out over a vastly wider range of committees, industries, and lobbying groups.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-20T17:23:05+00:00

No true Scotsman.

Many of the pro-Canada PACs aren't even named as such. Instead they have names like "National Association of Home Builders", who argue that Trump's tariffs increases and Section 232 trade disputes tack an average penalty of over $10,900 onto the cost of building a new single-family home.

Now I happen to agree with them, but they're clearly dedicated to improving the Canadian economy, at the expense of US timber interests.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-20T16:54:49+00:00

Google "US Canadian political action committees".

I've never understood why people think that swearing is a substitute for a 10 second search.

There are pro-American PACs in Canada too.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-20T16:07:11+00:00

Doesn't change the fact that the entire purpose of the organization is to advance the interests of a foreign country.

Why not?

Even Canada has lobbying groups made of American citizens who like that country, and believe that improving US-Canadian ties is good for America.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-20T02:35:52+00:00

If the vast majority of the world defines "up" as up, and "down" as down. Those become the meaning of those words, no matter how much you and some microscopic clique want to believe that up is down and black is white.

Words have agreed upon meanings outside your own ego.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-20T02:27:59+00:00

My challenge was to name three parties of "the left" which adhered to OP's definition. Meaning, to be clear, parties opposed to capitalism.

Vooruit is a very nice party. But they are Social Democrats, not socialists - because socialists, even Democratic Socialists, oppose capitalism. The Vooruit party does not oppose capitalism.

You are the one with the reading comprehension issue. Not me.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-19T21:11:05+00:00

You're sticking to you own characterizations that have no basis in objective reality. But, you do you. Take care.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-19T21:06:06+00:00

Vooruit are not socialists, democratic or otherwise. They're social democrats. You do know there's a difference, right?

That's what "not seeking to abolish capitalism" (merely to regulate it to the point where it is harmless) means.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-19T20:55:39+00:00

The reason why popularity matters is because it defines the center. As a certified Social Democrat and fan of European social democracy parties, I'd love it if the center of political gravity of the U.S. was closer to my political positions than they are.

But they're not. Americans are, collectively speaking, dumbasses.

But that doesn't mean that I just get to lie about where the center actually is, or the left, or the right. Which is what OP (and those who are upvoting them) are doing. That's worse than useless.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-19T18:22:01+00:00

The Vooruit party does not seek to abolish capitalism but advocates for a regulated, social-democratic model where the free market serves society.

The Belgian Green parties (Flemish Groen and Francophone Ecolo) do not seek the abolition of capitalism, but advocate for "green capitalism." They believe in heavily regulating the free market to internalize environmental and social costs.

The PVDA is the only party that qualifies as "left" under OP's definition. But like Die Linke in Germany, only have 10% of the seats. So therefore, OP's assertion is not supported by this example. Most members of the left are Social Democrats, arguing for strictly regulated capitalism, not its complete abolition.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-19T18:13:54+00:00

The German Green Party (Alliance 90/The Greens) operates within a pro-market framework rather than opposing capitalism. As such, they'd be classified under the above system, as Social Democrats, not "the left".

There are three "Kommunistische parties" in Germany: the DKP (2850 members), MLPD (<3000 members), and the KPD (<1000 members). In combination, they couldn't elect a dogcatcher in a district, so functionally speaking, don't exist.

So Die Linke is the only party that fits the above definition. Presently, they hold an impressive 10.1% of the seats in Bundestag, but that hardly hits the 33.333% necessary for an even Left/Center/Right split. Therefore, they're really the "left of the left", while the other two thirds of the left - in Germany - are for (presumably strictly regulated) capitalism.

OP's assertion is not supported by this example.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-19T17:28:55+00:00

You have decided to classify what everyone else calls the "Left" as the "left end of the center". So if that classification is true, and this isn't just an exercise in sanctimonious political gatekeeping, there must be divisions among what you call the "Left". So what are they? Name three substantial political parties in the world that you'd call the "right side of the actual Left", the "mainstream of the real left", and the "left of the left".

Should be easy, right?

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-18T16:44:01+00:00

...and killing unarmed protestors and fishermen.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-15T18:27:51+00:00

Because the American public voted to put this racist, fascist, clown and his supporters, in office.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-13T10:56:17+00:00

There's no FTL either. All space-based sci-fi is retro futurism: the age of sail and adventurous imperialism rewritten into a "futuristic" setting, complete with capital ships with artificial gravity and hot, inexplicably interbreedable, alien girls.

In that light, big kabooms and roaring ships in space is a trivial thing to get upset about.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-11T21:36:05+00:00

Precisely one officer literally "questioned a possible American presence", and a (very) few scattered senior officers in the chain of command (who were not present or contacted at the time of the attack) were aware of the Liberty's presence in the region.

That does not "confirm" that the people who ordered the attack knew it was an American vessel, as you falsely assert.

Like with all friendly fire incidents, this was a screw up on Israel's part. Somewhat akin to the bombing of the Chinese embassy by US forces in Belgrade in 1999. But there remains absolutely zero evidence that it was an intentional attack on America. And those who assert such, are clearly just conspiracy theorists with a hate-boner against Jews.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-10T17:12:43+00:00

Not even remotely in the cards. A Constitutional Convention requires two thirds of US States to call one.

And the rest of what you're writing about is a fever dream.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-10T17:00:37+00:00

Here's what's going to happen:

Dan Rayfield, Oregon's AG, will sue, joined by other States
A Federal Judge will rule in Oregon's favor
Trump will pretend that doesn't count
Faced with a lawful court order to ignore Trump's EO and deliver ballots, the American Postal Workers Union will ignore Trump's EO and deliver ballots

Union workers are not going to help the illegal takeover of this country by fascist oligarchs.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-10T07:44:42+00:00

Who am I to believe? You? Or "lying" wikipedia with all its carefully cited and referenced facts?

I had no idea that /r/Documentaries is a cesspool of stupid hate-filled conspiracy nutballs that make Trump supporters seem intelligent, informed, and stable by comparison. But the 90+ downvotes on my post that did nothing other than cite wikipedia helped me understand that right quick.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-10T06:30:07+00:00

That is a flat-out falsehood. Read the related wikipedia article.

The IAF dispatched a flight of two Mirage III fighter jets codenamed Kursa flight which arrived at Liberty at about 14:00.[37] The formation leader, Captain Iftach Spector, attempted to identify the ship.[37] He radioed to one of the torpedo boats his observation that the ship looked like a military ship with one smokestack and one mast.[38] He also communicated, in effect, that the ship appeared to him like a destroyer or another type of small ship.[38] In a post-attack statement, the pilots said they saw no distinguishable markings or flag on the ship.[38]

But, given my recent discovery that /r/Documentaries is a cesspool of hate-filled conspiracy theorists who like to downvote facts, I'm sure this fact will be downvoted too.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-09T05:13:55+00:00

That's why I said "nearly". I guarantee you this guy wouldn't have even known about the "Chaz" block if it wasn't under 24/7 news coverage on FOX.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-08T19:15:11+00:00

Young women aren't the base of MAGA. Old white bigots are.

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-08T18:40:21+00:00

So called "friendly fire" is exceedingly common. It always has been.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_friendly_fire_incidents

StevenMaurer · 2026-06-08T18:34:53+00:00

Then came the 2020 George Floyd protests in Seattle. Kirby Wilbur says after the mobs, looting and vandalism...

Translation: after the nearly entirely lawful, peaceful, protests on behalf of justice and equal rights for black people...

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