2017 Politics - The Trump Card

[Lupine]

It's a sad state of affairs when George W. has the moral high ground.

[RJDiogenes]

Perhaps The Donald's excesses are helping some of the more rational Right Wingnuts see themselves clearly for the first time.

[Gary]

On Rural America: Understanding Isn’t The Problem

[Lupine]

^A bit harsh but generally accurate. It's nothing new though. All you have to do is watch a few of the B-grade westerns from the 30s and 40s to understand the mindset. In this films the villain, if not some home thug, will often be some effete easterner with his book learning and superior attitude.

[RJDiogenes]

His description of rural America and fundamentalism is mostly accurate, but other than that he's a textbook example of how the Left got The Donald elected. For someone who self identifies as "liberal," he's quite intolerant (and for someone who professes to be "educated," his writing is pretty incoherent). Understanding people is always the first step. And if someone is reacting badly because they're feeling threatened, the worst thing to do is threaten them some more. You don't coax a kitten out from behind the stove by screaming at her. You demonstrate that there is nothing to fear. It was this approach that led to so much positive change during the Civil Rights Era and that's the only approach that will ever work.

[Gary]

I sent it to people in my address list who insist on sending my Right Wing Conservative WHARRRGARBLE FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: e-mails. The difference is that piece is more coherently written than the tripe they insist on sending, which is nothing but the same Right Wing scare tactics regurgitated every election cycle (Muslims are taking over the country; Mexicans are bad; black people stay one welfare for generations).

The part about the rural, or more inland are complaining about the lack of jobs is spot-on. Oklahoma City experienced a huge wake-up call, in the early 1990s, when the leadership conducted exit interviews with large corporations that pulled up and moved out. Education, the lack of infrastructure, and the close-minded attitudes of the locals, who are vehemently against change, are reasons why the businesses didn't want to stay. It's also a problem when a business wants to come to town, and the locals resists.

[Gary]

[BBvideo 425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlt3rA-oDao[/BBvideo]

[Lupine]

^ I saw that the other day.

Education, the lack of infrastructure, and the close-minded attitudes of the locals, who are vehemently against change, are reasons why the businesses didn't want to stay. It's also a problem when a business wants to come to town, and the locals resists.

Lucerne Valley, where I live, fits that mold to an extent. Very few "chain" stores come here and fewer survive. And considering that we're a hub for offroaders that's rather surprising- unless you consider local resistance.
Several years ago we were host to a multi-tribe Pow-Wow in our small park. It was a large gathering, brought business into town. However some town officials started bemoaning that the Tribes were leaving a mess, not caring for the park, and so on. There were accusations that one official made a racial slur against Native Americans. So as a result the Tribes pulled out and we haven't hosted a decent Pow-Wow ever since.

[Orpheus]

I'm told that the President tweeted today that he would release the classified JFK documents.

Are we that far down the distraction slushpile? Will it be a carefully selected subset -- or merely another promise forgotten?

[Jim Gamma]

^Well it's certainly a distraction... isn't their release scheduled anyway?

[RJDiogenes]

Yeah, they were coming up for release, but the president has the authority to block it if he feels it's in the national interest. If he's not going to block it, he must think that there's evidence in there that Obama killed JFK.

[Orpheus]

In the interests of fairness, let's not forget that they were scheduled for release at least three prior times. Each time it was pushed off for 10-25 years.

I (miraculously) remember where I was when I heard that JFK was assassinated, but I have very few, questionably dated, memories when I wasn't waiting for the full facts to be released.

I'll believe it when I see it. Actually, I won't. I'll always have doubts that we're getting the full (known) story. That's what happens when you wait until the majority of citizens then alive is dead.

[RJDiogenes]

In the interests of fairness, let's not forget that they were scheduled for release at least three prior times. Each time it was pushed off for 10-25 years.

I don't think I knew that.

I (miraculously) remember where I was when I heard that JFK was assassinated, but I have very few, questionably dated, memories when I wasn't waiting for the full facts to be released.

I'm told I was in a baby carriage, and my Mother was stopped on the street by one of her friends who told her that the president had been shot.

I'll believe it when I see it. Actually, I won't. I'll always have doubts that we're getting the full (known) story. That's what happens when you wait until the majority of citizens then alive is dead.

Well, you know they're not going to release anything related to space aliens.

[Gary]

There is an excellent documentary I watched a few years ago based on a book about JFK's death. The theory is he was actually struck by the accidental discharge of a Secret Service Agent's gun. It is the most plausible theory considering the whacky physics the Warren Commission would have us believe.

[Lupine]

^That's an interesting concept and things like that have been known to happen.