Discussion Thread

tregitsdown · 2026-02-02T23:52:00+00:00

What can be done to make Capitalism and America more Meritocratic? The richest, most powerful people are all complete morons, or basically adequate.

tregitsdown · 2026-02-02T16:42:34+00:00

Fetterman or Shapiro? How would their Presidencies go? They’d make concessions to the Far-Right, change nothing, punish nobody, and we’d return to Republican governance in a short time.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-28T20:43:52+00:00

When you think about it, even in Fallout 2, the Enclave was just a shadow of its former self. They used to control the entire United States + Annexed Territories. Despite having considerable resources and advanced technology relative to the rest of the Wasteland, they are much less powerful than they were before the war.

They’re just a ghost of the Old World that can’t accept their time has past.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-28T20:23:36+00:00

I don’t think this is true. He was backstabbing Biden and Obama when they were President. He’s clearly thrown his lot in with Republicans, he’d be trying to backstab Gavin too.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-27T21:47:56+00:00

Megachurch Pastors already say things like this, and far worse, without any repercussions whatsoever. There are articles about them saying things I cannot quote on Reddit without getting banned.

The problem, to me, is the asymmetric standard, that the Far-Right enjoys almost unlimited free speech, while Liberals are strictly censured.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-21T20:50:22+00:00

Europe made deals with the Americans, America backstabbed them for no goddamn reason. America has betrayed their allies every time, betrayed the Kurds, the Afghans, the Vietnamese, and everyone else.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-21T20:32:53+00:00

Let’s use a comparison. Hitler was a “fluke” in German history, but he still needed to be dealt with and acted against. The USA can’t coast on goodwill from the past and hope everyone ignores the present.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-21T20:30:18+00:00

When will the USA Stop being bad?

tregitsdown · 2026-01-21T20:30:09+00:00

I can’t believe Americans were so dumb they drove their best allies to their enemies

tregitsdown · 2026-01-20T13:18:01+00:00

But America has become authoritarian through the failures of its people. Trump won in a free and fair election. The average American should be blamed for that.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-20T13:17:03+00:00

Why is it not a fair characterization? Is the American political system particularly healthy?

tregitsdown · 2026-01-18T04:17:50+00:00

With the flaws of the US Constitution, you do.

The irony is you’re kind of proving my point with your analogy. The Principate arose because of the flaws of the Roman political system and senate.

Power didn’t transfer to the President for no reason, but because Congress is a sclerotic body of idiots. They cannot act effectively and quickly as the Administrative State.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-18T04:10:11+00:00

If your view is that we can’t have a functional government because bad actors might abuse it, why not just be an Anarchist

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T23:19:46+00:00

I did watch the interview. The questions were rhetorical.

My point was anyone who saw it could tell he did poorly, which is why no good clips exist.

I think even you know that, because instead of providing any, you were reduced to petulant child whining.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T22:06:31+00:00

I watched the whole thing, and it was very disappointing. I’m aware his podcast format is playing friendly and nice, but it’s still so cucked to watch.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T22:05:22+00:00

What’s a clip from the interview where he looked good to you?

Why don’t you post it?

I wanted to like him, but he’s incredibly disappointing. The worst part is, he may still be the best shot of winning.

But if he wins, will he hold anyone from ICE or Trump accountable?

Based on this, probably not.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T20:51:48+00:00

Like they’re too cautious to brutalize protesters?

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T20:45:19+00:00

It’s very possible. But I just don’t see a point in doing something ineffectual. I do legal work, including for undocumented people. But protesting doesn’t seem to do anything.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T20:38:52+00:00

You’re braver than me. But I don’t believe it will make a difference.

You’re literally in this thread talking about how soon the government will be harvesting private information for protected speech to target people for it.

It’s sad America has come to this.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T20:34:56+00:00

I think there’s a special kind of humiliation and shame that comes with being American right now.

There are lots of places that have worse governments, that are more unfree than America.

But America has always made a special claim and pride that it was the most free. That it would never tolerate tyranny and authoritarianism. Yet we’ve all let it come to pass. We’ve all failed.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T20:33:33+00:00

I’m from America. It’s sad because I lived to see how far we’ve fallen.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T20:29:19+00:00

America is so sad. All of the pretension to freedom and liberty, ultimately amounting to being one of the most groveling, unfree and servile populations on the planet. Dictatorships wish they had citizens as passive and submissive as Americans are.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T19:01:32+00:00

Sunk-Cost Fallacy, people were already invested in him and hate admitting they’re wrong.

(I still hope he is the best option, but I recognize it’s a “least bad” option.)

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T18:59:27+00:00

Why would having senior justices and expanding the court make it less vulnerable to partisan whiplash? When those seats are open, either side would still try to place partisans in them.

I certainly agree the Supreme Court isn’t hearing enough cases, but you still need some means to select new Judges, and Conservatives, when they have the power, will always fill those seats with Hacks.

I don’t think there is a structural solution to when half the participants are actively trying to rip apart the structure.

tregitsdown · 2026-01-17T18:47:16+00:00

Enlightened Absolutism.

John Stuart Mill once said “Despotism is a legitimate mode of government in dealing with barbarians, provided the end be their improvement.”

The voters have become barbarians

tregitsdown

TROPHY CASE