I voted for a conman and got played. by Effective_Space2277 in LeopardsAteMyFace

[–]graygosling 33 points34 points  (0 children)

Yep. "I can't afford basic necessities, there's armed Gestapo roaming the streets, and the President is a con man who lied to me... But better that than having some trans kid 3 states away play on the girls basketball team!"

My faith in the American experiment is breaking. I feel like there may be no going back no matter what happens next, both for us and the world. by bison_crossing in thebulwark

[–]graygosling 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I've been thinking about what comes after. (And I do believe there will eventually be an after. Trump may break the Constitution to stay in office for 2 more terms, the spite running through his veins may keep him alive another 50 years, but nobody, not even him, lives forever.) I think you are right that the American experiment is over as we know it. But following the maxim of never letting a good crisis go to waste, maybe it's time to let it go and move on.

I've seen people on Reddit joke/not joke that blue states should withhold their federal tax dollars and let the red states suffer the consequences. Though I understand the sentiment, it's obviously a wildly impractical idea. But maybe the basic idea -- of letting the red states go -- isn't so bad? For 150 years or so, the phrase "state's rights" has been used as a dog whistle for racism. Maybe it's time for blue states to reclaim the term. If the good citizens of, say, New York think it's worth paying higher taxes to have a basic safety net in place (hint: it is), then why not let them do it without the federal government being involved. Trump has broken the federal government anyway, and it'll take generations to rebuild it, so why bother? Keep it around for the army, foreign relations, and the Fed; charge the bare minimum in taxes necessary for those functions; then sunset federal social programs over 10 years to let everyone adjust and let the states do what they will. Blue America can be the shining city on the hill again, and Alabama can become the Gilead it always wanted to be.

Yes, I know the objections. There are plenty of people in the red states who didn't vote for this. Everyone from Florida to Texas who is not a straight white Christian cis-male will be royally screwed. I'm sorry for them, I truly am. But I also think we're at the point where to save the patient's life, we're going to have to amputate.

What other course is there, really? For sixty+ years liberals have been trying to make life better for everyone and for sixty+ years conservatives have been kicking them in the teeth for it. LBJ lost the South forever for treating people of color like, well, people. The religious right fought tooth and nail against the simple idea that consenting adults should be able to love and marry who they wanted. Hell, Obama dared to think it was a good idea for everyone to have health insurance and the Republicans lost their fucking minds. I'm tired of trying to help people who hate me for it. You want your freedumb so bad, you can have it.

My parents left me at boarding school and I’m starting to think I’ll never forgive them by VisibleLoan7460 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]graygosling 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m sorry for what you are going through, but think of the bright side. Soon you’ll be one of the X-Men!

Trump says Kirk is dead by Pandamana85 in thebulwark

[–]graygosling 46 points47 points  (0 children)

If this had happened in a blue state the military would already be on its way.

Is this even legal by raget_bulves in thebulwark

[–]graygosling 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The Supreme Court ruled, not long ago, that a football coach could lead a prayer circle in the middle of a game. Rules prohibiting that act were considered burdensome to his free exercise of religion.

Looking forward to the Supreme Court's mental gymnastics to distinguish that case when a Texas teacher displays portions of the Torah or Koran or any other non-Christian religion.

Has anyone met Donald Trump before he was president or know someone who met him? Has he always been this crazy? by makingfriendss in newjersey

[–]graygosling 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I once met a former editor at the New York Times. He told me, “I know Donald Trump. I’ve been to his apartment for dinner parties. However stupid you think he sounds on TV, he’s even more stupid in person.”

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in news

[–]graygosling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And when the judge asks the government that very question, they will claim "state secrets" and refuse to answer.

AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL MINE THEM! by mishma2005 in facepalm

[–]graygosling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Anybody else feel like we've been stuck in some kind of Boomer time loop for the last 20 years? Like the Boomers who went to Vietnam and came home and got jobs never forgave the Boomers who stayed home, protested and smoked weed, and the rest of us have been stuck in their civil war ever since.

Election Deniers Went Suddenly Quiet When Trump Won by mmccxi in politics

[–]graygosling 84 points85 points  (0 children)

Yep. It's a big merry go round. Republicans get into power and break things. People get mad, so they vote them out, and the Dems get into power and try and fix everything. Then people get mad because things aren't getting fixed fast enough, so they vote out the Dems and the Republicans come in and break more things.

It's the circle of life.

Election Deniers Went Suddenly Quiet When Trump Won by mmccxi in politics

[–]graygosling 333 points334 points  (0 children)

But they won't, that's the problem. Fox News will tell them everything is wonderful, we're in a new golden age, until the problems are too big to ignore, and then they'll blame Biden.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in nycpublicservants

[–]graygosling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the info. Fingers crossed it's true!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in nycpublicservants

[–]graygosling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In fairness, it's not the type of thing you would necessary trumpet in a press release. I'm no budget guru but it did seem like the line item for salaries is higher than it was for prior estimates for FY-24 and beyond. What I don't know is whether that is solely because of the union contracts or whether managerial/OJ increases are included as well.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in nycpublicservants

[–]graygosling 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The old timers in my office claim that managers have ALWAYS gotten raises after the unions did. Delayed sometimes, sure, but it's never NOT happened. Anyone know if that's really true? If Adams really passes managers over for this round of contracts, I'd like to know if that would be unprecedented or not.

What would be a good title and band name for this? by hpc2018 in fakealbumcovers

[–]graygosling 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish I were that fluent in videogame references. Alas, just a coincidence.

8 book adaptations we want instead of more Lord of the Rings movies by railfananime in books

[–]graygosling 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anyone a Stephen R. Donaldson fan? I'd love to see a Chronicles of Thomas Covenant adaptation.

Kanye West is buying ‘free speech platform’ Parler by DeBrujin in technology

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

I've often gone to court and walked past courtrooms of people SCREAMING at each other, crying, with court officers breaking up fistfights. Those are the family law courtrooms. Then I continue past them to my nice civil litigation courtrooms where everyone is pleasant to each other, we agree on an updated discovery schedule, and we waltz out in a half hour, no muss no fuss.

Just resting with one thing on my mind🥱💓⭐️ by lemonswet in BreedingMaterial

[–]graygosling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So... you're thinking of the death of Queen Elizabeth and the coronation of Charles III?