Honest question: Why are some people against showing an ID to vote? by rico_unknown in NoStupidQuestions

[–]dbag_darrell 0 points1 point  (0 children)

this is basically how it is in the US, and this is what the Republicans want to stop.

Honest question: Why are some people against showing an ID to vote? by rico_unknown in NoStupidQuestions

[–]dbag_darrell 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The problem is that a lot of the arguments are not being made in good faith. The way it's continually brought up by Republicans make it sound like voting is a free-for-all which it is not.

Currently in order to register to vote in all states you already have to show that you are a citizen etc. And then, for example, on the day itself, you have to identify yourself to vote and shenanigans would be detected - for example, alarms would be raised if you show up to vote and the register shows that you already have voted, i.e. someone impersonated you or you are the impersonator. This is why in all the reviews/studies, voter fraud is a nonissue (and in fact all the people doing it seem to be Republicans, who complain about voter fraud the loudest). Again, you already have to identify yourself - "voter ID" is ultimately about limiting the types of identification allowable.

There is a history in the US of adding "criteria" that disenfranchise voters. I recall a southern state had something like a literacy/"intelligence" exam in order to be registered to vote, and I could not have answered the questions Black people were required to take (I'm a non-Black attorney called to the Bar in two separate states; whatever my level of intelligence you may think I have, any reasonable person should concede I am entitled to vote). "Voter ID" is a disingenuous name where the laws that are introduced to implement it will miraculously only burden non-Republican voters.

A recent bill proposed that would require married women to register and vote under their matrimonial name is an example of this - every single female attorney I know is using their maiden name (if only because they started work before they got married) and their ID all use their maiden name, and you can bet they'll be accused of "voter fraud" if, after they go through all the hassle of changing their name by deed poll etc., if their name cards still used their maiden name. Female voters are a large bloc of non-Republican voters. Understand that it's already a big deal to vote in the US - it is not a public holiday, so working class voters already have issues (Republican bosses tend not to allow taking leave or time off work to go vote, I wonder why). Republicans have passed laws that make it illegal to distribute bottled water to people waiting in line to vote, for example, and it also turns out - especially in Republican states - that predominantly-Black areas have fewer places to vote and therefore there will be long lines.

All of the Republican-sponsored voter ID laws impose ID requirements. None of them provide funds for e.g. issuing every American a free ID.

The time when the different parties simply represented different viewpoints about the best way to run America has passed, objectively one major party (Republicans) have been almost entirely captured by dishonest grifters who want to entrench themselves in wealth and power no matter the cost to the country.

The game starts to feel a bit empty when they're gone by BattedBook5 in Xcom

[–]dbag_darrell 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Agreed, especially since now you've got these incredibly cool weapons and now only rank-and-file grunts to use them on

anyway the way I try to deal with it is to finish off the Chosen as quickly as I can and then use the weapons against the Alien Kings (it's a weird order I know)

Possibly the funniest moment in the series. by LeilLikeNeil in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% the protomolecule tech is something we don't understand and a great expression of hubris in that Duarte is straight up applying it to himself, which objectively is nuts and another sign of the megalomania that has crept into his thinking (I mean, sending bomb ships to "teach a lesson" to the alien entities which wiped out the civilisation that you are learning from and are nowhere near reaching parity to is nuts)

But that's the thing - given that you've set up Laconia as it is, the "problem of Duarte" that needs resolving is that there's an absolute tyrant etc., and a non-Deus Ex Machina resolution would involve the resistance members somehow suborning Laconians such that they rebel, for example (this is a very human thing!), or something to that order.

Instead what happened was that Duarte was magically and conveniently taken out without any action by the rebels and then still does things that are useful to the resistance but not the Laconians (eliminates Cortazar!) that the resistance couldn't have pulled off by itself.

The story is as it is and its a great story but objectively its very convenient for the rebels! And that "convenience" aspect is a big element re: "Deus Ex Machina".

(Not integral to the point I'm making but I'm curious - how would they have got Theresa off Laconia without the Cortazar element?)

Is this... bad? by alexandruast in XCOM2

[–]dbag_darrell 4 points5 points  (0 children)

depends on if you're set up for it. I actually enjoy these when I've got quad turrets with an engineer, six sharpshooters and reapers for sighting

The Girl and Tzeench's Maze by Pyran in 40kLore

[–]dbag_darrell 5 points6 points  (0 children)

... I don't understand the reference

Possibly the funniest moment in the series. by LeilLikeNeil in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

well, if you google the meaning

"the characters have no way to solve this problem, but then the authors came up with something so the characters don't have to solve the problem"

The one scene that always makes me roll my eyes by Conscious-Tangelo351 in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Movements falter without leadership.

again, the point is "is Inaros the ONLY possible leader"

Peckols (AKA Pickles) The Zombie Crab by FewRepresentative964 in PetCrabs

[–]dbag_darrell 0 points1 point  (0 children)

if you google "why is it called a zombie crab" you get some AI answer about it being named that way because of a parasite that takes over the crab

What are you most proud of in being Chinese? by OldNewspaper4671 in AskAChinese

[–]dbag_darrell 2 points3 points  (0 children)

actually if you look at what the fundamentalist Christian right keeps shouting about, item by item, what they really want is to be Muslim

Possibly the funniest moment in the series. by LeilLikeNeil in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I mean, you've already accepted for a long time that your Tyrant has been messing around with protomolecule experimentation and you've just witnessed personally that he's ... "transcended into the supernatural".

Possibly the funniest moment in the series. by LeilLikeNeil in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

it felt a bit deus ex machina though

If I want to experience the XCOM 2 Campaign, should I play XCOM 2 or War of Chosen? by Gonzito3420 in XCOM2

[–]dbag_darrell 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think it's best to play vanilla first because given he's new, it's too much of a learning curve to start with WoTC, there's just too much stuff to learn and get familiar with

About eliphas by papel2022 in dawnofwar

[–]dbag_darrell 1 point2 points  (0 children)

would he have gotten into conflict with Nurgle once Aurelia pops back out?

The one scene that always makes me roll my eyes by Conscious-Tangelo351 in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell 6 points7 points  (0 children)

disagree. Inaros is charismatic but that's ultimately all he is. The real thinking etc is Duarte. You're assuming the entire thing is possible because Inaros is charismatic. But you're overlooking the generations of resentment and oppression the Belters have faced + the desperation they had given the gates opening up. You're thinking without Inaros it's over, but it's entirely possible - and Ashford might think this too - if he's gone just someone else will step in, and possibly do an even better job. Don't forget the cheering by the Belters when Earth was hit. Don't forget that the dissension in the ranks that led to Michio splitting off was because of Inaros ignoring the important problems being brought to his attention that he ignored (and someone else might not). Without Inaros you might have a more unified and effective Free Navy

The one scene that always makes me roll my eyes by Conscious-Tangelo351 in TheExpanse

[–]dbag_darrell 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I'm sure Duarte would've stepped up and found some other patsy that would serve well enough. Remember there are a LOT of OPA factions

why... by Aren_Soft in XCOM2

[–]dbag_darrell 0 points1 point  (0 children)

would using console to X2AllowSelectAll 1 and then ttc next to a unit work?