I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you don't need to know what a comptroller is to have a legitimate political opinion.
Hell, I don't think you need to know exactly how congress, the president, and the supreme court work to make your grievances about being ground into the fucking dirt legitimate.
Sure. I'm not saying that you do need to know how governance works to air your grievances.
But, say you care about fixing criminal justice in this country. The best, most immediate way to do that depends on who your district attorney is, at least in my state. Not the presidency, but the DA. People should probably know that since the populace votes for the DA.
If a person doesn't understand what the district attorney does and its importance, then how can they make an informed vote? Lack of civics education completely undermines the functioning of our country.
Everywhere I've lived has been small enough that like 20 votes was the difference between a reasonably acceptable choice for a position and a person whose platform was to find and murder specifically me.
It also helps me find out who to call and yell at and which organized efforts to stop what horrible idea are most likely to be helpful.
I don't blame anyone for not understand an agonizingly obtuse and shitty system of government, but I think it's a good idea to figure out what you can about where you live. Plus you meet the odd person who's legitimately a civil servant and that's kind of inspiring. My state house rep's staff called me back today to explain where I could do some good in town to help folks fucked over by the Republican's refusal to extend unemployment benefit increases.
Focusing on national politics is draining. Most days it feels like there's not really a shitload to do beyond following horrible news and high-fiving other people who agree it's horrible.
i agree actually, america should have more civics education. nobody should graduate high school without reading marx and kropotkin
A buffed up civics education with critical analysis of texts would be kinda rad. Kropotkin, Chomsky, and Arendt would be really good readings for that age.
i agree actually, america should have more civics education. nobody should graduate high school without reading marx and kropotkin
A buffed up civics education with critical analysis of texts would be kinda rad. Kropotkin, Chomsky, and Arendt would be really good readings for that age.
hayek as well so you know what you're up against
Man I enjoy Hayek, but not for the politics but his argument about information and it's role in the economy. Groundbreaking work really. But if were making a list I'd want to add Milton Friedman instead since he's been much more influential politically than Hayek ever was
The other problem is that no matter how strong your civics education is, not a bit of it will help when the system you live in has developed and been constructed to exhaust you utterly in service of making the system's aristocrats more money and power than God, leaving what remaining hours you have for yourself to decompress and eat before you collapse in bed to go back to it the next day.
I've argued this over and over again in the D&D political threads: America doesn't have a voter apathy problem. We have a Voter Depression problem.
Lanz on
+23
Options
HenroidMexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered Userregular
the county sheriff's office has been pretty progressive weirdly. but I think that's cause they don't really enforce law but instead just deal with the jail populations
austin police can go fuck themselves
0
Options
WACriminalDying Is Easy, Young ManLiving Is HarderRegistered Userregular
The other problem is that no matter how strong your civics education is, not a bit of it will help when the system you live in has developed and been constructed to exhaust you utterly in service of making the system's aristocrats more money and power than God, leaving what remaining hours you have for yourself to decompress and eat before you collapse in bed to go back to it the next day.
I've argued this over and over again in the D&D political threads: America doesn't have a voter apathy problem. We have a Voter Depression problem.
Oh man, this is so true too. Case in point: Notice that as soon as people were out of work and sitting at home bored because of Covid, look at how much more outrage there was across the board in the wake of George Floyd's murder. My sister, who is a conservative southern white evangelical Christian, is now on board with some forms of "defund the police".
The oppressive weight of our minimum-wage, sadistic capitalist work week is nigh-incalculable.
The other problem is that no matter how strong your civics education is, not a bit of it will help when the system you live in has developed and been constructed to exhaust you utterly in service of making the system's aristocrats more money and power than God, leaving what remaining hours you have for yourself to decompress and eat before you collapse in bed to go back to it the next day.
I've argued this over and over again in the D&D political threads: America doesn't have a voter apathy problem. We have a Voter Depression problem.
Agreed. I think as much as I’m in favor of the idea that citizens should be politically engaged and certainly agree with the notion that while you can’t rules-lawyer fascism, civic apathy and ignorance will let it get its foot in the door more easily, at this point we’ve moved past what can be fixed with awareness and education. The US is - if not a failed state - teetering on the brink of becoming one. So we have a hideous convergence of issues both systemic and emergent - one problem is the difficulty in tearing down the house with the masters tools - the US has a huge amount of institutional inertia, knowing how those institutions operate only really helps you work within the system. The other is that when the social compact has broken down this thoroughly and the trust in government eroded this severely, it’s virtually impossible to get people to engage with the system as currently structured because for most of them it has only been used to oppress.
I didn’t listen to the podcast but for the last decade, Obama has seemed to be someone convinced we can still patch the holes in the boat and render it seaworthy when the whole thing is already basically underwater. So I understand why people are not inclined to take his words in the manner in which they may have been intended. They’re simply not relevant to our current political paradigm.
also reading Capitalism and Freedom now since Oghulk mentioned it
my response to this entire thing is "lol"
libertarianism has got to be the most internally inconsistent nonsense ideology in the world. the whole thing falls over if you so much as breathe on it
also reading Capitalism and Freedom now since Oghulk mentioned it
my response to this entire thing is "lol"
libertarianism has got to be the most internally inconsistent nonsense ideology in the world. the whole thing falls over if you so much as breathe on it
The first chapter is a joke and I know exactly what you're reading
but after that Friedman kinda makes some interestingly progressive points (such as for a UBI via a negative income tax)
to add to the civics education reading list should be Schumpeter as well
Personally I find breathing on libertarians to be a waste of co2
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
also reading Capitalism and Freedom now since Oghulk mentioned it
my response to this entire thing is "lol"
libertarianism has got to be the most internally inconsistent nonsense ideology in the world. the whole thing falls over if you so much as breathe on it
for all the other horrible shit inherent to libertarianism, rothbard and his ilk stealing the word from anarchists is the chafingest shit in history
i fuckin' love having to explain to people that no, left-libertarianism is not a contradiction in terms, it was in fact pretty recent that the word came to mean the vapid ayn rand fuck-you-got-mine horse shit it means today
Personally I find breathing on libertarians to be a waste of co2
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
But you won't find any.
I tell you, back when I was a libertarian the number of people I met who'd bring this issue up without prompting was disquieting
+23
Options
Olivawgood name, isn't it?the foot of mt fujiRegistered Userregular
Personally I find breathing on libertarians to be a waste of co2
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
But you won't find any.
I tell you, back when I was a libertarian the number of people I met who'd bring this issue up without prompting was disquieting
I've heard this about libertarians before and I always thought that was a joke
Personally I find breathing on libertarians to be a waste of co2
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
But you won't find any.
Most of them are shitheads but you get the occasional one that actually follows their convictions through. I still strongly disagree with them but they do exist.
As opposed to the ones who are basically "Laws are bad for me so I hate them, except the ones which benefit me" who are unfortunately a lot more common.
The protester shot and killed in Austin? Libertarian.
+2
Options
PiptheFairFrequently not in boats.Registered Userregular
Personally I find breathing on libertarians to be a waste of co2
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
But you won't find any.
I tell you, back when I was a libertarian the number of people I met who'd bring this issue up without prompting was disquieting
I've heard this about libertarians before and I always thought that was a joke
Please lie to me and tell me it's a joke
oh it's a joke, but not the kind you want it to be
the idea that the government doesn't have a PR budget is also a weird one because I distinctly remember Obama showing up on Between Two Ferns as part of a big fucking effort to sell the Affordable Care Act
Considering how selective western liberalism's vision has been about piracy, refugee camps, Kony, BLM and other issues, it's hard to take drone criticism seriously.
But on the other hand, the United state military, as a whole, would rather hack off a limb than admit fault, like with Pat Tilman, magnetic torpedoes, Iraqi ballistic missiles, the Sherman Tank, the capabilities of the zero, and numerous examples I have forgotten.
In black lives matter news, a mentally ill woman called police and reported two black women fighting, one woman pulling a gun on the other, then getting in her car. The caller provided the plates, make, and model.
Police responded and secured the pregnant driver at gunpoint, investigated, and let her go.
Personally I find breathing on libertarians to be a waste of co2
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
the county sheriff's office has been pretty progressive weirdly. but I think that's cause they don't really enforce law but instead just deal with the jail populations
austin police can go fuck themselves
Because Sheriff's departments are less beholden to any authority than any other law enforcement agency this can mean that a single really progressive sheriff can drastically change how the department operates. (Although, usually it just means Sheriff's departments are worse than normal.)
the county sheriff's office has been pretty progressive weirdly. but I think that's cause they don't really enforce law but instead just deal with the jail populations
austin police can go fuck themselves
Because Sheriff's departments are less beholden to any authority than any other law enforcement agency this can mean that a single really progressive sheriff can drastically change how the department operates. (Although, usually it just means Sheriff's departments are worse than normal.)
Furthermore that means that the absence of good leaders uncorrupted by a particular ideology can be detrimental for a region.
Side note, one of the local islands had a fire a sheriff because he kept sleeping on the job and there are only 2 sheriffs on that island at any given moment
Posts
Everywhere I've lived has been small enough that like 20 votes was the difference between a reasonably acceptable choice for a position and a person whose platform was to find and murder specifically me.
It also helps me find out who to call and yell at and which organized efforts to stop what horrible idea are most likely to be helpful.
I don't blame anyone for not understand an agonizingly obtuse and shitty system of government, but I think it's a good idea to figure out what you can about where you live. Plus you meet the odd person who's legitimately a civil servant and that's kind of inspiring. My state house rep's staff called me back today to explain where I could do some good in town to help folks fucked over by the Republican's refusal to extend unemployment benefit increases.
Focusing on national politics is draining. Most days it feels like there's not really a shitload to do beyond following horrible news and high-fiving other people who agree it's horrible.
hayek as well so you know what you're up against
Man I enjoy Hayek, but not for the politics but his argument about information and it's role in the economy. Groundbreaking work really. But if were making a list I'd want to add Milton Friedman instead since he's been much more influential politically than Hayek ever was
I've argued this over and over again in the D&D political threads: America doesn't have a voter apathy problem. We have a Voter Depression problem.
the county sheriff's office has been pretty progressive weirdly. but I think that's cause they don't really enforce law but instead just deal with the jail populations
austin police can go fuck themselves
Oh man, this is so true too. Case in point: Notice that as soon as people were out of work and sitting at home bored because of Covid, look at how much more outrage there was across the board in the wake of George Floyd's murder. My sister, who is a conservative southern white evangelical Christian, is now on board with some forms of "defund the police".
The oppressive weight of our minimum-wage, sadistic capitalist work week is nigh-incalculable.
i can't believe i ever liked this guy or thought he was smart. there has never been a more contentless president
Agreed. I think as much as I’m in favor of the idea that citizens should be politically engaged and certainly agree with the notion that while you can’t rules-lawyer fascism, civic apathy and ignorance will let it get its foot in the door more easily, at this point we’ve moved past what can be fixed with awareness and education. The US is - if not a failed state - teetering on the brink of becoming one. So we have a hideous convergence of issues both systemic and emergent - one problem is the difficulty in tearing down the house with the masters tools - the US has a huge amount of institutional inertia, knowing how those institutions operate only really helps you work within the system. The other is that when the social compact has broken down this thoroughly and the trust in government eroded this severely, it’s virtually impossible to get people to engage with the system as currently structured because for most of them it has only been used to oppress.
I didn’t listen to the podcast but for the last decade, Obama has seemed to be someone convinced we can still patch the holes in the boat and render it seaworthy when the whole thing is already basically underwater. So I understand why people are not inclined to take his words in the manner in which they may have been intended. They’re simply not relevant to our current political paradigm.
my response to this entire thing is "lol"
libertarianism has got to be the most internally inconsistent nonsense ideology in the world. the whole thing falls over if you so much as breathe on it
The first chapter is a joke and I know exactly what you're reading
but after that Friedman kinda makes some interestingly progressive points (such as for a UBI via a negative income tax)
to add to the civics education reading list should be Schumpeter as well
When you can find honest ones that arent just obsessed with age of consent laws they can be useful allies as a socialist living in an authoritarian state.
But you won't find any.
for all the other horrible shit inherent to libertarianism, rothbard and his ilk stealing the word from anarchists is the chafingest shit in history
i fuckin' love having to explain to people that no, left-libertarianism is not a contradiction in terms, it was in fact pretty recent that the word came to mean the vapid ayn rand fuck-you-got-mine horse shit it means today
hitting hot metal with hammers
It’s the system working as intended
I tell you, back when I was a libertarian the number of people I met who'd bring this issue up without prompting was disquieting
I've heard this about libertarians before and I always thought that was a joke
Please lie to me and tell me it's a joke
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
Most of them are shitheads but you get the occasional one that actually follows their convictions through. I still strongly disagree with them but they do exist.
As opposed to the ones who are basically "Laws are bad for me so I hate them, except the ones which benefit me" who are unfortunately a lot more common.
The protester shot and killed in Austin? Libertarian.
oh it's a joke, but not the kind you want it to be
Lady does not understand is a difference between being selfish and greedy verses being cynical at a that system fails you at every turn
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
But on the other hand, the United state military, as a whole, would rather hack off a limb than admit fault, like with Pat Tilman, magnetic torpedoes, Iraqi ballistic missiles, the Sherman Tank, the capabilities of the zero, and numerous examples I have forgotten.
In black lives matter news, a mentally ill woman called police and reported two black women fighting, one woman pulling a gun on the other, then getting in her car. The caller provided the plates, make, and model.
Police responded and secured the pregnant driver at gunpoint, investigated, and let her go.
https://www.courierpress.com/story/opinion/columnists/jon-webb/2020/07/29/after-false-reports-evansville-area-avoided-two-possible-tragedies/5534805002/
This comes after a similar incident in the same community.
Mr. Castiel might still be alive if the officer that stopped him was as professional as these officers.
That I can even make that comparison is disconcerting
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
I'm gonna be honest, I'm not sure how you could read The Condition Of The Working Class In England and come to that conclusion?
"It's not pedophilia it's ephebo-"
"I said face the fucking wall and shut up"
Looks that way, yeah.
https://apnews.com/b5bc5a60d37ff8eb41689b2e8c28d4cd
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
Because Sheriff's departments are less beholden to any authority than any other law enforcement agency this can mean that a single really progressive sheriff can drastically change how the department operates. (Although, usually it just means Sheriff's departments are worse than normal.)
Furthermore that means that the absence of good leaders uncorrupted by a particular ideology can be detrimental for a region.
Side note, one of the local islands had a fire a sheriff because he kept sleeping on the job and there are only 2 sheriffs on that island at any given moment
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
you'd be surprised how often that happens
edit:
I feel pity for the bootlickers, they will never know the fraternity of their fellows. There is no greater sense of satisfaction
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
chumbawamba is legit fuckin' awesome
hitting hot metal with hammers
Hm! Chorus is kinda catchy!
Don't really need guy's sorta rapping.