Social Increasing political polarization is ruining everything

[K1levelgrappler]

Very sad that Obama divided the country so hard that a majority of Republicans believed that he was a) born in Kenya b) Muslim.

 

[Wingslaught]

Very sad that Obama divided the country so hard that a majority of Republicans believed that he was a) born in Kenya b) Muslim.

Whatever could have caused people to think that? It's not like he just lies and says whatever is politically expedient at the time. /sarcasm

 

[Ophydian]

Whatever could have caused people to think that? It's not like he just says whatever is politically expedient at the time.

People like you are a reason why politics is the shitfest it has become because you make excuses and defend the absolute worst people. This only encourage even worse people to run for office because look what you’ll do now.

 

[K1levelgrappler]

Whatever could have caused people to think that? It's not like he just says whatever is politically expedient at the time.

I think what caused people to believe that is they were really fucking stupid. It isn’t surprising that the current Republican standard bearer was the most prominent mouth piece for birtherism. Safe to say they haven’t gotten any smarter since then.

 

[moreorless87]

I’d be tempted to say that maybe 4 years ago. But at this point it really is the Conservative party and their propaganda ruining the politics of the country.

Bothsidesism is a fallacy. The blame does not necessarily need to, and likely won’t, go straight down the middle.

It’s hard enough to have a conversation about balancing saving lives vs destroying the economy with lockdowns, and the level the government should be able to exercise restrictions over the population, without people coming in with “masks don’t work, bill gates vaccine microchips, death count fake, trying to make trump lose, libtards, the media is fake” bullshit

This isn’t to say the cliched pitfalls of leftist thinking and “radical ideas” aren’t idiotic as well, but I don’t think they are as represented in the lefts elected officials, like the rights.

As much as you'll likely disagree with me I think you basically hit on the reason why politics is becoming more and more partisan.

Its not because the two sides are further apart on key issues but actually the reverse, they remain relatively close together both pushing the same rignt wing pro big business, pro globalisation, pro war mentalities. Post 2008 especially there has been a big growth in anti establishment feeling and a desire for things like public healthcare yet the political establishment hasnt offered this as election options, its suppressed any genuine left wing presidential candidate.

In a situation were little real choice is being offered theres the need to play up partisan politics, to create a false sense of conflict and divert attention onto quite shallow and tokenistic readings of social issues.

 

[AWilder]

Obama is the most far left-wing President America has ever elected...

*cough* bullshit *cough*

The right-wing rewriting of history has rotted your brain.

 

[moreorless87]

*cough* bullshit *cough*

The right-wing rewriting of history has rotted your brain.

Forget FDR even Ike was way more socialist than Obama, heck you could argue Nixon was given how far things have drifted to the right since then.

 

[Seano]

Imagine how warped you’d have to be to say “Obama divided the country,” with a straight face.

Not Obama specifically but his campaign team ratcheted up the "racism" talk to get him elected and Obama certainly could have done more to unify. It certainly helped get us where we are today, with people like you being openly racist and proud of it.

 

[moreorless87]

Not Obama specifically but his campaign team ratcheted up the "racism" talk to get him elected and Obama certainly could have done more to unify. It certainly helped get us where we are today, with people like you being openly racist and proud of it.

The problem really was that Obama was almost a totally tokenistic politican, did very little to tackle the causes of racial inequality(BLM started during his time lets remember) or undermine the potential for right wing popularism.

The truth for me is that its left wing popularism the establishment fears, the kind of politics that could threaten the wealth and power of those at the top, its much moe comfortable with right wing popularism as it doesnt thraten it and even the dems get to move to the right and look reasonable.

 

[AWilder]

Not Obama specifically but his campaign team ratcheted up the "racism" talk

can you provide some examples of this "racism talk"?

 

[ultramanhyata]

Well, we were warned of the commies yet nothing was done, now this is the cake to be eaten.

This guy had a reserve account ready to go since 2018 and got banned after his second post. <45>

 

[Seano]

The problem really was that Obama was almost a totally tokenistic politican, did very little to tackle the causes of racial inequality(BLM started during his time lets remember) or undermine the potential for right wing popularism.

The truth for me is that its left wing popularism the establishment fears, the kind of politics that could threaten the wealth and power of those at the top, its much moe comfortable with right wing popularism as it doesnt thraten it and even the dems get to move to the right and look reasonable.

Promises of change will always be snuffed out by focus on racism. We've fallen for this trick over and over again.

 

[ultramanhyata]

Obama had two terms remember? It was eight years, not four years.

Eight years of Obama relentlessly taunting and bullying private citizens, his fellow lawmakers and the media. All because they dared to not genuflect at his feet. It was hell. That guy lived to stir shit up and the country is 100 times worse off now because of it.

 

[oldshadow]

Forget FDR even Ike was way more socialist than Obama, heck you could argue Nixon was given how far things have drifted to the right since then.

Yea I don't think FDR or Nixon pushed for boys in the girls lockerroom or sports. Abortion on demand and plenty of other social issues.

Its what issues you talk about. Obama was the most far left on lots of social issues.

 

[Lead]

I've stated my opinion on this many times. I truly blame conservative news radio. Not Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc. The most egregious constant pushing of extreme misinterpretations that I've encountered came from news radio. And unlike the tv media, the guys on the radio are holding down 2-3 hour spots where they push these inanities all day without a single break. They rarely have intelligent guests on to interview, they're highly selective of who calls in and thus gets on the air, there's no "man on the street" elements here. And just as importantly, there aren't counter positions. On cable news, you can easily switch from Fox to MSNBC or vice versa to hear alternative perspective. News radio seems to be overwhelmingly right wing with very little balance, even on the same "news" station. So, the driver sits there for the commute getting inundated with one guy's whackadoo positions. It's closer to brainwashing than any of the other examples that people like to throw around.

While reading this, it made me realize how bizarre it is that Republicans are big on criticizing safe spaces but the old guard of radio hosts really fit that bill. They essentially found a way to completely isolate themselves from opposing discourse. Like when did you ever get Rush, Savage, Levine in a situation where it was a level playing field debate? I omit Hannity just because he does argue with people on his show but even that, he just talks over them and cuts them off at will similar to his radio show. Its ones of the worst mediums for politics in recent history. I think that’s improved somewhat with the podcast or YouTube pundits you get cause it’s hard in this age for them to ignore social media so that keeps some form of discourse going.

Talk radio is pretty shit though and should only be listened to pretending your listening to a parody of talk radio only to find it really is that bad and over exaggerated.

 

[M3t4tr0n]

A thinly veiled blame liberals and Obama thread.

 

[jk7707]

A thinly veiled blame liberals and Obama thread.

Verrrrry thinly veiled.

 

[moreorless87]

Yea I don't think FDR or Nixon pushed for boys in the girls lockerroom or sports. Abortion on demand and plenty of other social issues.

Its what issues you talk about. Obama was the most far left on lots of social issues.

Obama is more socially liberial on certain issues but he's most definitely not more left wing/socialist.

Unless Das Kapital was 2/3rds about bathroom allocation and was editted down latter?

 

[oldshadow]

Obama is more socially liberial on certain issues but he's most definitely not more left wing/socialist.

Depending on what issues you use to rate him. He the most socially liberal president ever.

 

[JDavis]

Imagine how warped you’d have to be to say “Obama divided the country,” with a straight face.

Rush Limbaugh, dead and buried