• ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.com
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    15 days ago

    The massive push by allies of Donald Trump to make sure that his Cabinet nominees get rubber-stamped by Republican senators is starting to rankle some lawmakers who are growing weary of being bullied.

    Thoughts and prayers.

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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    15 days ago

    Trump has already threatened a purge and revenge against people who hurt his fee fees.

    Same old shit. People supporting radicalization and installation of a dictator find themselves shipped off to a gulag or out of a job because they all think they’re going to get to participate in the new power structure, except dictators never share. They put family and extreme loyalists first. The rest are just window dressing to be traded out at first inconvenience.

    • Zachariah@lemmy.world
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      15 days ago

      If it is a sign that the GOP will start beating eating itself, that would make my life a lot easier.

    • orcrist@lemm.ee
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      15 days ago

      Of course I care. The fragmentation of the Republican party is something that many of us have been hoping to see for a long time.

      The good thing about the situation now, for those of us who think Trump is an evil piece of s***, is that he doesn’t have too much power. He can kind of pressure people who are up for re-election in 2 years, but his voice will mean nothing at all in 4 years. Also, many politicians want to wield their power so that they can either feel powerful or get richer, and if all they do is rubber stamp the word from the White House, nobody’s going to give them the time of day.

  • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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    15 days ago

    It would be funny AF if someone managed to slip him some Polonium into his McDonald’s, thereby causing the US to curbstomp Russia out of Ukraine.

    • GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      15 days ago

      I agree completely, but your comment begs the question: can you supply a picture of Trump that isn’t? He always looks like mummified foreskin wearing a cotton candy toupee to me.

      • werefreeatlast@lemmy.world
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        15 days ago

        So, funny story, I had my foreskin mummified the other day. Have you guys seen it? I smeared some pineapple cotton candy mixed with motor oil on it…accidentally.

  • Big_Boss_77@lemmynsfw.com
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    15 days ago

    [Scene opens on a wide, desolate savanna at dusk. The camera slowly pans over a leopard lying under a tree, its large body barely able to move. The sun is setting, casting a cold, dim light over the scene. Soft wind rustles through the dry grass. The leopard’s eyes are dull, its breathing labored.]

    Narrator (soft, somber voice): In the wild, leopards are meant to stalk, to hunt, to climb. But for some, this is no longer possible. These are the leopards of the forgotten savanna… the ones who can no longer live the life they were born to lead.

    [Cut to a close-up of another leopard, this one lying next to a watering hole, panting heavily. The camera lingers on its enormous, bloated body, its paws barely able to reach the ground. The leopard’s eyes seem vacant, devoid of the wild spark they once had.]

    Narrator: Overfed and unable to move, these leopards have been left to a slow, painful existence. They can no longer hunt their prey, no longer climb the trees to escape danger, no longer feel the thrill of the chase. They are trapped in their own bodies.

    [Cue the soft, mournful opening chords of “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. The camera slowly pans over a third leopard, sluggishly trying to rise, but its massive weight prevents it from standing. It lets out a heavy sigh, its once-strong legs buckling beneath it.]

    Narrator: They are the forgotten victims of a world that has abandoned them. Too fat to run, too weak to fight… These leopards are slowly fading, one breath at a time. They need your help.

    [Cut to a shot of a leopard staring out over the savanna. The camera lingers on its face, eyes half-closed, its expression one of quiet resignation.]

    Narrator: For just $3 a day, you can provide the care and support these leopards so desperately need. A donation will help give them the chance to live a life of dignity. Help them find their way back to the wild they were meant to roam.

    [The music swells as the camera fades to black, and the words “Your donation can make a difference” appear in white text on the screen.]

    Narrator (whispering): Please, don’t let them suffer in silence. The time to act is now.

    [The music fades out, and the SPCA logo appears in the corner, along with a toll-free number and website for donations.]

  • credo@lemmy.world
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    15 days ago

    This is why voting in Congress should be anonymous. And this is exactly why purse holders wanted voting to be public- so they could carve out any nonconformists.

    Any way. These fuckers better learn from the Greeks and form a Phalanx.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
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      15 days ago

      Anonymous voting by elected representatives may be the goofiest thing I’ve heard of in a while.

          • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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            14 days ago

            I mean there are ways to ensure it, the most low tech option is to have a camera rolling, have all the Y/N votes stuffed into the box. Open up the box and count.

      • credo@lemmy.world
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        14 days ago

        Your belief that anonymous voting in Congress is “goofy” reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how our political system operates. Public knowledge of each individual vote does little to influence electoral outcomes. I.e., voters rarely track day-to-day legislative decisions, and even when they do, their understanding of the complex procedural dynamics is limited. Campaigns are primarily won or lost based on messaging (truthful or otherwise), rather than detailed voting records.

        The real leverage in our system comes from financial influence and political pressure exerted by donors, interest groups, and party leadership. This influence depends on knowing exactly how legislators vote, enabling these entities to reward or punish them accordingly. When every vote is public, politicians feel compelled to serve those who fund their campaigns rather than following their own conscience or serving the broader public interest.

        The proposal I highlighted for rebuilding trust is to restore anonymous voting in Congress. This follows the same expectations a anonymous voting in general elections. By keeping individual votes private, representatives are enabled to make decisions based on their judgment and principles rather than on fear of retribution or loss of funding. Many political scientists and reform advocates agree (see discussions in the American Political Science Review or reports from nonpartisan think tanks like the Brennan Center for Justice).

        It is telling that your comment has garnered so much support. This demonstrates how easily public perception can be shaped and how difficult it is to foster informed discussions about positive legislative reforms.

        • ikidd@lemmy.world
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          14 days ago

          The fact that pretty much every other democracy that doesn’t allow rampant lobbying and corruption works with public voting but one doesn’t should tell you that the problem is not with public voting.

          • credo@lemmy.world
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            14 days ago

            There are different systems. We have something called a 2-party system. Please consider yourself informed. Thanks for the downvote.

            • ikidd@lemmy.world
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              14 days ago

              Well, you’ve got “confidently incorrect” down pat. Consider yourself informed.

      • credo@lemmy.world
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        14 days ago

        No. That’s a lie you’ve been fed to support it. This change has done significantly more harm than good. It’s exactly what’s led to our situation of extremes. With anonymous voting, no one can get paid for their vote. This is so much better than you preventing them from voting their conscience by requiring proof.

        • morphballganon@lemmynsfw.com
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          14 days ago

          “Did you vote to take away my rights?”

          sing-songy voice “I’m not telling!”

          You think that’d be an improvement?

          • credo@lemmy.world
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            14 days ago

            The US house of representatives has 435 members. If you think half of those representatives would anonymously vote to take away your rights, you already have zero faith in humanity. Why do you think knowing how they voted would then change anything at the national population level?

            The real problem is, we don’t focus on critical thinking enough in our school system.

            And if you still have a problem with it, there are two houses in our congress. Keep your “accountability” in the senate, where it’s easier to monitor.