Prelude to the Apocalypse

[Durandal]

Want to see those tax returns? Well tough shit, you won't because you don't care (anymore after four years, hopefully)!

[BryanM]

Tax returns: the epitome of distraction politics.

A pivotal tactic that's the part of any neoliberal's arsenal to do anything but talk about the banks, rent, or unrestrained for-profit medical care.

[BIL]

If this happens tomorrow, I'll be shitting in my pants:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 40476.html

Keep in mind folks that the majority of my family is in Israel. They will be fine, but the drama in the Arab world and beyond is going to be crazy.

Hell yeah bro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eij0rOmSf5E

[BulletMagnet]

A pivotal tactic that's the part of any neoliberal's arsenal to do anything but talk about the banks, rent, or unrestrained for-profit medical care.

Deeply-embedded sources, whose identities I cannot disclose here, speak in whispered tones of the possibility that we can - get this - talk about both at once.

i.e. "If you really do resent the 'illegitimate president' remarks and the purported Russian connections and would like to decisively put them to bed, it'd be nice if you actually gave us something concrete to work with to that end. Oh, and whether or not you (incorrectly) believe that people don't care anymore, you already said you would. Repeatedly. In various forms ('Sure, no reservations!...Once the election's over!...Once the audit, which I will also provide no documentation of, is finished!...Once Hillary releases her emails!'), until you completely wussed out and waved yet another "daddy knows best" middle finger in our faces. Almost like an unaccountable elitist might."

By the way, I really wish more folks in a position to do so would emphasize that information obtained from his tax returns is a crucial part of how they nailed Nixon. This is not a "vanity" issue, no matter how many times the Trumpskis say it.

[GaijinPunch]

I wish I could say it but that isn't the case from my perspective. Still plenty of people who aren't accounted for are out of the job force. I seen/talk/hang out with plenty of folks who are barely making by or have no work. It gets a lot worse once you leave the city (for me, once I leave the Jacksonville area and head north or Southwest, the amount of people with no jobs go up). These were the type of people that got Trump in the office.

While that may be the case (there are always people on hard times), the numbers suggest that the cuntry itself is in good shape. Obviously it's not perfect as there was some talk of jobs pre-election, but it was a far cry from 2008.

[BryanM]

Deeply-embedded sources, whose identities I cannot disclose here, speak in whispered tones of the possibility that we can - get this - talk about both at once.

No, you can not.

There's a finite amount of time and a finite amount of attention the national conversation has. Every single second spent on complaining about Russia having opinions is another second ____________, that effects the day to day life of real people, is left undefended. And another second that the opportunity to advance a vision of a better world, a priceless opportunity, is surrendered and squandered.

We can bullshit about everything because we have no lives. But the average person doesn't even have enough time to properly fist themselves.

[GaijinPunch]

]
There's a finite amount of time and a finite amount of attention the national conversation has.

We introduce threading...

[quash]

https://youtu.be/LsbO5NCJvIw

This is it. Everything I've suspected or thought I knew about Trump is now 100% confirmed. He's the real deal, and few of you will understand why he's the way he is.

If he turns out to be a psyop, then he's by far the most sophisticated one in history. It takes some serious knowledge to hit all the right notes as well as he did here.

[Mischief Maker]

Well I gotta say the tax returns are relevant because they disclose the full extent of Trump's conflicts of interest and even more importantly, who he's in debt to.

The most convincing argument I've heard for why he won't put his assets in a blind trust is because he's actually underwater financially and such a divestment would force him to go bankrupt a seventh time (a savvy business move, I'm told). Once again, Trump University and all his other money-making schemes may ruin regular people's lives, but the potential payoff is penny-ante for an actual billionaire and wouldn't be worth the risk or even the time.

So what if he's deep in debt? Well maybe he can strike a deal with Deutche Bank that in return for writing off Trump's personal debt, the US government suddenly ends its investigation.

[BulletMagnet]

Well I gotta say the tax returns are relevant because they disclose the full extent of Trump's conflicts of interest and even more importantly, who he's in debt to.

The whole "able to blatantly lie with impunity and suffer no consequences" thing might also come back to bite a couple of us somewhere down the line. Maybe.

This is it. Everything I've suspected or thought I knew about Trump is now 100% confirmed. He's the real deal, and few of you will understand why he's the way he is.

If anyone wants to read the transcript instead of watch the video, it's here.

And...I really, really don't know exactly what this is supposed to affirm: it's the exact same smoldering cauldron of "we've got great people and we're gonna kick ass, just trust me, no need for actual policy" boosterism, whinging about media bias (unless they "treat me nicely", of course), straight-faced denial of documented events (apparently his "is this Nazi Germany?" slap at the intelligence community never happened, you just imagined it...same with the attendance numbers, of course ), copious onstage masturbation (such great crowds, so smart, such success!), complete nonsense (take all the oil, what could go wrong?), and complete fucking nonsense (God made it stop raining during my speech!...which would still be worth asking "is he insane, or does he really think his fans are that hopeless a batch of fucking morons?" if it actually hadn't rained the whole goddamn time.

Pivot achieved! Yet another moment of unvarnished pride, Trumpskis.

[Rob]

[Bananamatic]

Please help, I still have a folder full of pepes on my computer, is there anywhere I can get rid of them anonymously? Can't sleep because I'm afraid of antifa raiding my house.

[quash]

Nothing of substance my ass, none of you care to put anything into context.

His first stop is the agency that manufactured the crisis in Syria. Obviously, this doesn't include everyone that works there, hence the mixed reception. That's about as much help as I'm willing to give you.

[BulletMagnet]

That's about as much help as I'm willing to give you.

Oh no no no, I and my blood-bound Correct the Record ilk are far too pathetic a cadre of blithering idiots to see the blindingly obvious subtext at work here (which, funnily enough, you just characterized as innately beyond the comprehension of all but an enlightened few); I must insist that you bring we wandering children of darkness into the brilliance of your resplendent tent, and moreover do so in excruciating detail.

Nay, I demand it; I simply don't think I - or the world! - can wait another second.

manufactured the crisis in Syria

...I mean, look at what a promising start we're off to!

[quash]

I must insist that you bring we wandering children of darkness into the brilliance of your resplendent tent, and moreover do so in excruciating detail.

Nay, I demand it; I simply don't think I - or the world! - can wait another second.

I'm afraid I'll have to leave you with blue balls on this one. I've already made the mistake of trying to tell you Santa Claus isn't real before. If CNN doesn't report on it, then it must be false.

[BulletMagnet]

Don't be silly, even Santa knows that the best way to stuff coal into the proverbial stocking of those nasty ol' elites is to slash their taxes and eliminate the regulations on their businesses, and leave everyone else at their complete and utter mercy. And accept their "alternative facts" without question - the true mark of a free thinker.

Besides, it's common knowledge that the workshop has WorldNetDaily running 24/7 ("look it up!" ); hell, didn't you hear how the black elves suddenly started shouting "Allah ahu Akbar" and tried to kill the boss and the rest this past Kwanzaa, and were only thwarted because their petition to have G.I. Joe figures banned was struck down in committee?

[quash]

Don't be silly, even Santa knows that the best way to stuff coal into the proverbial stocking of those nasty ol' elites is to slash their taxes and eliminate the regulations on their businesses, and leave everyone else at their complete and utter mercy.

Because you aren't already at their mercy?

Besides, if you believe what the media says about the economy under Obama, between the record unemployment and stock values, he's been the biggest boon to them in years.

[brokenhalo]

But the worse thing about all of this regarding the DNC/Progressives is that they don't want to leave their "safe space," I mean Cities and Suburbs. They didn't even try in the Rural areas, it is like they don't give a shit about them and their lacking jobs, healthcare issues, and etc. The snobness of Progressives usually means that Rural voters are dumb, uneducated, love their guns/religion. Perhaps if you fools actually go to these areas and preach about Progressive ideals, perhaps they will come in your direction. I mean, look at parts of New England. Mostly rural but most of the time vote Democrat.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sma ... 4dwi0e8kt9

Maybe the big gatherings were in big cities because that's just where more progressives are located? I don't think going door to door in the sticks to talk up liberal values would be the smartest/safest thing in the world.

[brokenhalo]

Besides, if you believe what the media says about the economy under Obama, between the record unemployment and stock values, he's been the biggest boon to them in years.

Wait, what? Did you really just say that "the media" is lying about the stock market? In what way?

[BulletMagnet]

Because you aren't already at their mercy?

One, you know very well that we haven't seen the half of what they'll do to us (not since the Gilded Age, anyway...boy, it'll be great to have our canned tuna contain half rat shit and airplanes dropping live bombs on union protestors again!...assuming they can see through the smog ) when the right really lets them off the chain. Two, I can't help but continue to find it amazing how quickly you can switch back and forth from "The Evil Elites didn't support Trump, that means they're afraid of him because he's so populist!" to "The stock market rose after the election, that means the people who actually know how to make money are confident in him and the rest of you should just shut up and go along with them!", and then right on back again, with absolutely zero sense of irony.

Oh, and of course, the ongoing streak of refusing outright to address or even acknowledge the FATAL fallacy at the center of Trump's, and the right's, entire economic policy continues unabated. You really are a fucking wonder, Kellyanne.

Besides, if you believe what the media says about the economy under Obama, between the record unemployment and stock values, he's been the biggest boon to them in years.

Which still hasn't stopped you, Alex, and the rest of your little nest of vipers labeling him the Most Radical President In Our History for even a split second; moreover, no way in hell any of you self-important twerps - least of all Trump himself - are ever going to address the various he's not a citizen/not a Christian/importing guillotines for mass executions/will take our guns away/hates whites/etc. bullshit, ALL of which failed to materialize SPECTACULARLY. The beat will simply go on, here as elsewhere, and the only constants amidst you hardcore men of the people will be that the meanie-face media is so unfair to you and that our poor, persecuted rich people's taxes are unbearably high.

Oh, and feel free to toss a healthy dollop of "white genocide" in there too, lest we forget.

[quash]

One, you know very well that we haven't seen the half of what they'll do to us (not since the Gilded Age, anyway...boy, it'll be great to have our canned tuna contain half rat shit and airplanes dropping live bombs on union protestors again!...assuming they can see through the smog ) when the right really lets them off the chain.

There's no need for that. Just indoctrinate an entire generation with the tenets of socialism, throw in the odd pied piper they can rally behind, and keep them demoralized by outsourcing as many jobs as possible, while ensuring that just enough low paying jobs stick around to keep them under your thumb.

Welcome to the neoliberal world order, where the bread and circus is discussing politics on the internet and acting like you have a shred of hope.

Two, I can't help but continue to find it amazing how quickly you can switch back and forth from "The Evil Elites didn't support Trump, that means they're afraid of him because he's so populist!" to "The stock market rose after the election, that means the people who actually know how to make money are confident in him and the rest of you should just shut up and go along with them!", and then right on back again, with absolutely zero sense of irony.

There is no contradiction here whatsoever. Trump is feared because he's putting their plans to a screeching halt, and one of the ways he's doing that is incentivising domestic job growth. If you don't see the connection between the corporate tax rate and domestic labor, I'm afraid I can't help you.

Oh, and of course, the ongoing streak of refusing outright to address or even acknowledge the FATAL fallacy at the center of Trump's, and the right's, entire economic policy continues unabated. You really are a fucking wonder, Kellyanne.

Last I checked, America is still far and away the economic powerhouse of the world. Needless to say, you'll point to the New Deal, Medicare and Social Security as the reason for this, and completely ignore how anything else contributed.

Which still hasn't stopped you, Alex, and the rest of your little nest of vipers labeling him the Most Radical President In Our History for even a split second; moreover, no way in hell any of you self-important twerps - least of all Trump himself - are ever going to address the various he's not a citizen/not a Christian/importing guillotines for mass executions/will take our guns away/hates whites/etc. bullshit, ALL of which failed to materialize SPECTACULARLY. The beat will simply go on, here as elsewhere, and the only constants amidst you hardcore men of the people will be that the meanie-face media is so unfair to you and that our poor, persecuted rich people's taxes are unbearably high.

And Trump's a Russian agent who won't release his tax returns.

Have you ever stopped to think that maybe... just maybe, you're getting baited?

[Ed Oscuro]

quash uses alternative facts when he goes to da bank
"red means I'm WINNING"

In other news: Stock prices are almost wholly investor-determined; it's about as pure a lassiez-faire system as you can get - unless you would rather not have regulations for things like insider trading. Of all the places to look for socialism, that is one of the very worst choices.

[Super Laydock]

It's easy: Overblown Capitalism and it's protagonists are the sickness of the world.
Watch past the sick holocaust stuff, which is not an integral part of it at all, and realise that National Socialism is actually a good thing for wherever you live.
To each his or her own.
Fuck anyone, Trump or otherwise, who gives more power to corporations and not the people.

[BryanM]

I mean, what difference does it make if Michael Pence is officially the president or not? Besides Democrats having a harder time winning in 2018 and 2020?

It's entertaining and fun, I guess. But the working class still has to eat the same dogshit.

I don't think going door to door in the sticks to talk up liberal values would be the smartest/safest thing in the world.

There's at least one man in this world that disagrees with this.

Agent Cooper is right. You can't win if you don't show up.

The ruling class isn't going to point out that rent takes out 40 to 80% of an average person's income. Or that you can get meds manufactured in the USA for less than half the price if you jump the border to Canada.

[quash]

In other news: Stock prices are almost wholly investor-determined; it's about as pure a lassiez-faire system as you can get - unless you would rather not have regulations for things like insider trading. Of all the places to look for socialism, that is one of the very worst choices.

Not once did I say or even imply that the stock market has been plagued by socialism. Try harder next time.

Watch past the sick holocaust stuff, which is not an integral part of it at all, and realise that National Socialism is actually a good thing for wherever you live.

Socialism, and by extension communism, has killed an untold number of people and continues to do so to this day. You can double the highest estimated body counts of Nazi Germany and still be nowhere even close. Yet communism is "in", especially among millennials, while anyone to the right of Mother Theresa is considered a fascist.

Google now Iets you search through their entire library of transcribed books. It's particularly interesting to see when certain ideas started to be discussed using the trend search feature. It really puts a lot in perspective.

[BryanM]

quash, how many people have our public schools (aka, Marx's concentration camps) killed?

[Obscura]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_s ... ted_States

[system11]

Want to see those tax returns? Well tough shit, you won't because you don't care (anymore after four years, hopefully)!

I already didn't care, I never did.

It's virtue signalling politics, not interested.

[quash]

quash, how many people have our public schools (aka, Marx's concentration camps) killed?

That's an odd way of framing something I didn't say into a question.

But anyways, public school has killed everyone since its inception. Yes, that's right, literally everyone. Those it hasn't killed physically it has killed in spirit.

Public school is worse than communism: it's Literally Lenin.

[BulletMagnet]

Public school is worse than communism: it's Literally Lenin.

You know what, I was considering wasting some more of my life continuing to pretend you were actually interested in a legitimate discussion, but I'm just going to quote this and leave it here in posterity for anyone tempted to replicate my folly.

By the by, if you really want to get into dirty pinko territory, start with that "middle class" thing your cadre always rhapsodizes about in the abstract and mercilessly exploits and savages in the concrete, while still having the gall to label yourselves "populists." Fun Fact: "pure" capitalism is virulently anti-populist, since its stated endgame is the unquestioned domination of an incredibly wealthy few over the rest of the losers; if you're going to refuse to adopt even a hint of "socialism" to soften its cruelest edges for the majority, then sorry, you don't get to lionize yourself as a "populist" in any sense of the word.

It's virtue signalling politics, not interested.

Apparently you missed this.