The direction of society lately

[vertical_doug]

Washington, Jefferson, and Madison repeatedly warned that long-tenured officeholders might create entrenched interests or “factions” that overshadow the general welfare.

Though Washington did not use the term “professional politician,” he feared the rise of career-minded partisans who prioritized party interests over the nation’s well-being. Washington himself set a precedent by stepping down after two terms, demonstrating his belief in voluntary rotation rather than indefinite tenure.

Take a look at the tenure of the leadership in both parties, and particularly senators.

It's the one issue both factions are bipartisan in- no term limits.

[robin3mj]

Washington, Jefferson, and Madison repeatedly warned that long-tenured officeholders might create entrenched interests or “factions” that overshadow the general welfare.

Though Washington did not use the term “professional politician,” he feared the rise of career-minded partisans who prioritized party interests over the nation’s well-being. Washington himself set a precedent by stepping down after two terms, demonstrating his belief in voluntary rotation rather than indefinite tenure.

Take a look at the tenure of the leadership in both parties, and particularly senators.

It's the one issue both factions are bipartisan in- no term limits.

And the party in power right now wants to shrink the government, but not to the point where it has an impact on their $200k salaries, nor the fact that they still get paid when the government shuts down. Not to mention they want to kill the ACA, while they get 70% of their top level plans covered by the government.

Truly a class apart, without the self awareness to recognize it.

[Too Tall]

[Walter Sobchak]

The career politician is not the issue here.

[takashi]

Wild. Now it's ethnic cleansing.

[j44ke]

Wild. Now it's ethnic cleansing.

I am sure Trump okay'd this with all his Muslim supporters in Minnesota.

[suspectdevice]

Blaming voters and politicians for fascism, instead of the capitalist class who created and nurtured the pre-existing conditions for capitalism isn’t very productive.

Cynicism isn’t going to save what’s left of our collective humanity. Cynicism isn’t going to make you look any more honorable when your grandchildren ask you what role you played in the 2nd civil war.

The Oligarchs want us to suffer. We must flip their script.

[suspectdevice]

As of 11am today, the office phones for my Senators no longer ring.

[echappist]

Blaming voters and politicians for fascism, instead of the capitalist class who created and nurtured the pre-existing conditions for capitalism isn’t very productive.

Cynicism isn’t going to save what’s left of our collective humanity. Cynicism isn’t going to make you look any more honorable when your grandchildren ask you what role you played in the 2nd civil war.

The Oligarchs want us to suffer. We must flip their script.

No disagreement on your third paragraph, but assuming @j44ke meant Michigan (instead of Minnesota), his post didn't come across as cynical. Rather, it sums up the very realpolitik consequences of wanting change for the sake of venting, without due consideration for what that change may bring (see also Brexit). If anything, it's realism, and not cynicism.

I would go a step further and simply characterize the situation as, to borrow trending phrase used in the last 5 years, "leopard ate their faces".

And while we are at it, we really can blame voters for making choices that lead to implementation of authoritarian policies. That's the whole point of representative democracy, isn't it? To have ownership stake in policy making? If so, that's actually a two-way street. To say that people can indulge in vent-voting willy nilly by casting contrarian vote/ opting out and then to have the same people be absolved of the consequences sounds too much like indulging in cakeism. That vote is a responsibility; and this is merely the "burden" side of the responsibility.

Although I'm relatively young, I've learned long ago that the world operates best when consequences (good or bad) are meted out. If anything, it's when one's good deeds aren't rightfully rewarded (e.g. labor class deprived of sufficient compensation) or when one's bad deeds aren't rightfully punished (take your pick on things such as PE leveraged buyouts or the J6 insurrectionists all getting carte blanche pardon) that cynicism truly takes over.

And one last note on the disadvantaged voter (in terms of any applicable socioeconomic factor). They aren't as guileless and blameless as one would like to believe. Being disadvantaged is merely a statement on how they have been treated by others; it doesn't mean much in terms of how they would treat others, and it particularly doesn't mean that those on the receiving end would act with probity were the shoe on the other foot.

[Saab2000]

As of 11am today, the office phones for my Senators no longer ring.

You live in South Carolina, right? Your senators don’t care what their constituents think….. They’re lap dogs for the current president and that’s all that matters.

[suspectdevice]

You live in South Carolina, right? Your senators don’t care what their constituents think….. They’re lap dogs for the current president and that’s all that matters.

Yes officer, South Carolina is where i am technically domiciled.

My girlfriend lives in Virginia.
Her nephew(a decorated special forces veteran) used to work on the personal protective detail for her senator… Nobody has been answering the phone over at ole Tim Kaine’s office… but at least it still rings?

[j44ke]

Yes officer, South Carolina is where i am technically domiciled.

My girlfriend lives in Virginia.
Her nephew(a decorated special forces veteran) used to work on the personal protective detail for her senator… Nobody has been answering the phone over at ole Tim Kaine’s office… but at least it still rings?

Kaine has been getting nothing but death threats for weeks evidently.

[BBB]

Wild. Now it's ethnic cleansing.

I think the Israelis moved from a legitimate ground of self-defence to ethnic cleansing. Trump just validated their actions by his thought bubble press conference. Flanked by someone who is subject to a warrant of arrest by the ICC.

[takashi]

I think the Israelis moved from a legitimate ground of self-defence to ethnic cleansing. Trump just validated their actions by his thought bubble press conference. Flanked by someone who is subject to a warrant of arrest by the ICC.

I should have specified American ethnic cleansing.

Whatever happened to "Never Again'?

[BBB]

Never again until the next time maybe?

If it is a conversation about the direction of society, it is relevant that the strong routinely crush the weak.

The Turkish butchered the Armenians during the First World War. The Nazis butchered the Jews during the Second World War. The Khmer Rouge killed their own people in the late 70s. The Israelis butchered the Palestinians in 2023-2025.

[Scott G.]

I think the Israelis moved from a legitimate ground of self-defence to ethnic cleansing. Trump just validated their actions by his thought bubble press conference. Flanked by someone who is subject to a warrant of arrest by the ICC.

Plenty of room on the West Bank for the Palestinians from Gaza,
the Israeli settlers can move to Gaza.

Maybe Trumps idea can make a miracle and unite the Arabs ?

T.E. Lawrence: We do not work this thing for Feisal.
Auda abu Tayi: No? For the English, then?
T.E. Lawrence: For the Arabs.
Auda abu Tayi: The Arabs? The Howitat, Ajili, Rala, Beni Saha; these I know, I have even heard of the Harif, but the Arabs? What tribe is that?

[takashi]

'settlers'

[Marvinlungwitz]

FWIW - Hamtramck, MI left the Democrats over LGBQT issues before the Gaza war.

[thollandpe]

I'm curious to read about the Coast Guard relief.

“The president wants her out of her quarters.”

tЯump administration evicts former Coast Guard leader from her house with 3 hours notice
tЯump fired Linda Fagan, the first female Coast Guard commandant, on his second day in office. | NBC News

[vertical_doug]

“The president wants her out of her quarters.”

tЯump administration evicts former Coast Guard leader from her house with 3 hours notice
tЯump fired Linda Fagan, the first female Coast Guard commandant, on his second day in office. | NBC News

Cruelty is the point. Because being cruel, shows how tough you are.