Does character still matter in politics?

[huckelberry]

The head of the Heritage Foundation threatened violence if the US doesn’t roll over for his “bloodless revolution.”

Does his divisiveness earn Ceeboo’s condemnation?

- Doc

You've been reading a lot of theory lately, so explain this one to me. So here is Ceeboo, a legitimately nice guy who is completely sold on alt-right Trump world. How does this happen? What is Trump world? As you point out, Trump world may start with the Heritage president who is also the architect of 2025, who recently implied that we are on the verge of a second revolution, where the alt-right will take over the United States completely, and that bloodshed will only be needed if the right were for some reason, unable to secure this victory peacefully. Trump still does the things Trump does that Ceeboo apparently doesn't notice, like re-'truth' a meme calling for the arrest and military trial of Liz Cheney. Kari Lake is still in legal proceedings fighting for her lie about winning the AZ gov. election, following Trump play-by-play. The title of Kishkumen's post is a much bigger deal than all of these things we're blowing out of proportion, of course. We've got the 10 Commandments going up in public schools, oh wait, in one state, it's only an 8 commandment monument proposed. Wait, huh? A Christian finally noticed that "thou shalt not bear false witness" and "thou shalt not make unto me any graven images" aren't appropriate for the Trump era. We need idols of Trump, and we need Trump to lie as much as possible, right Ceeboo? Other big MAGA lights in the House regularly share the stage with Nazi Nick Fuentes, one of Trump's good buddies recently lost it in a podcast and threatened all Democrats that he's going to F* them in the A*. Not a big deal compared to Kishkumen, of course. It's crazy, because that's a major violation of Leviticus, which the second revolution eventually needs to bring about as the law of all the land. Sodomy and a whole slew of offences are dealt with by stoning. Joel Webbon, one of the rising stars of Trump Pasterdom increasingly claims to have billionaire backing of the same variety backing Heritage and other major right-wing outlets. He's also tight with the Oklahoma governor and right-wing senate. These are folks of real character, I tell you. Are there any Republicans with any character? Because those on the table for character are thrown under the bus quickly for being RINOs. If you aren't outrageous, you aren't a republican.

A few months ago, in Louisiana, where the 10 commandments now must be displayed in class (at least it's all ten and lying is technically a sin there still!), a few months ago, a principle stripped a female student of all her honors and awards for a phone video that hit social media showing her dancing at a party. She was also giving Bible verses to study. This was a public school of course. She didn't take it laying down, and soon enough public outrage surfaced that she was reinstated and the principle stepped down for the school year. That won't happen once project 2025 is secure. I mean, the principle won't be stepping down. While the war was going on, another video surfaced of the principle's assistant dancing to a rap song with explicit lyrics. All these Christian Nazi's are total perverts outside of their stage life.

The most mind-bending controversy of the last few days is this:

https://slate.com/life/2024/07/hawk-tua ... aning.html

If you want to know what it means to be a Republican today, a Republican who is not in danger of being called a RINO by other Republicans, then this article is massively important to understand.

I learned about the young content creator by the algorithm yesterday. This young lady went to instant alt-right stardom after she was approached for a street interview. Long story short, Laura Loomer has attacked this young woman for disavowing Donald Trump. Basically, the young lady was on a podcast and asked if she would spit on Donald Trump's dick before sucking it, and she and her friend were grossed out. Should a military tribunal be held for her now, Ceeboo? What will be her fate?

Gadianton, that article you linked does make some interesting observations. It made me wonder who was taking whom for a ride, Heritage foundation or the frat crowd. It is quite possible that Heritage folks would be sidelined if Trump took power. It is also possible people looking for disruptive fun will be ignored in practice.

It is possible the article is right on target noting that politics needs to address fun, hope, and enjoyment; not just anger and virtue. Democrats have been letting the first part slip away. Bill Clinton included some fun and Obama could suggest having some fun. That likely made a big difference for their winning chances.

[Markk]

To say that Gingrich, Rove or any one in modern times are pioneers of corruption and bad behavior is just delusional. Hamilton was busted and his mistress wanted $1000 in hush money. One pro slavery member of congress beat the crap out of another one on the senate floor and almost killed them.

so its shrug your shoulders, whatever.

No not at all, but I am not going to act as if it is not the reality of it?

Ceebo0 is 100% correct. And I believe and I attempted to support what he wrote adding with the internet, it is more evident. I obviously failed in making the point. What is happening now is not that much different than in that past, but that it is just in our face and magnified because of it.

How on earth are Gingrich and Rove "pioneers of corruption and bad behavior" in politics? Come on.

[Gadianton]

I think Kishkumen undersold the point. I read his question as, when did lack of character become praiseworthy for Republicans? The more bad Trump is, the more his fans love him.

And I love it when Christians use the supposed ungodly ethics of their ungodly rivals to determine what their own godly ethics should be or at least are allowed to be.

[Kishkumen]

To say that Gingrich, Rove or any one in modern times are pioneers of corruption and bad behavior is just delusional. Hamilton was busted and his mistress wanted $1000 in hush money. One pro slavery member of congress beat the crap out of another one on the senate floor and almost killed them.

Markk, nice to see you.

No one has said what you are claiming. This has more to do with certain methods, increasingly deployed by groups and not just single actors, that have been honed since the ‘90s. Of course, there has been corruption, immorality, and the lot before. What we are talking about is a concerted effort to walk back civil rights and the social safety net the only way the GOP can now: by crippling democracy.

Track the activities of Gingrich up to now. Look at all the Heritage Foundation has managed to accomplish by filling the court with its picks and now the 2025 project. Study the unitary executive idea that Bill Barr was big into.

You see, this is not just corruption. This is a planned overhaul of our country with no methods, no matter how criminal or corrupt, out of bounds.

[ceeboo]

Let me make it simple: Does cementing a negative label upon millions of people, like racist, damaging to America and/or relationships amongst Americans? Is it divisive?

I’d suggest that not confronting and calling out behaviors like racism is even more damaging, ceeboo.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding you? Are you pretending that such a weaponized negative label plastered upon millions of individual American citizens is valid? And that you, the virtuous non-racist, are calling all of them out to prevent all of this damage that you imagine is being caused by these millions of republicans?

[ceeboo]

Ceebo is 100% correct.

Yes, he most certainly is.

[Kishkumen]

You've been reading a lot of theory lately, so explain this one to me. So here is Ceeboo, a legitimately nice guy who is completely sold on alt-right Trump world. How does this happen? What is Trump world? As you point out, Trump world may start with the Heritage president who is also the architect of 2025, who recently implied that we are on the verge of a second revolution, where the alt-right will take over the United States completely, and that bloodshed will only be needed if the right were for some reason, unable to secure this victory peacefully. Trump still does the things Trump does that Ceeboo apparently doesn't notice, like re-'truth' a meme calling for the arrest and military trial of Liz Cheney. Kari Lake is still in legal proceedings fighting for her lie about winning the AZ gov. election, following Trump play-by-play. The title of Kishkumen's post is a much bigger deal than all of these things we're blowing out of proportion, of course. We've got the 10 Commandments going up in public schools, oh wait, in one state, it's only an 8 commandment monument proposed. Wait, huh? A Christian finally noticed that "thou shalt not bear false witness" and "thou shalt not make unto me any graven images" aren't appropriate for the Trump era. We need idols of Trump, and we need Trump to lie as much as possible, right Ceeboo? Other big MAGA lights in the House regularly share the stage with Nazi Nick Fuentes, one of Trump's good buddies recently lost it in a podcast and threatened all Democrats that he's going to F* them in the A*. Not a big deal compared to Kishkumen, of course. It's crazy, because that's a major violation of Leviticus, which the second revolution eventually needs to bring about as the law of all the land. Sodomy and a whole slew of offences are dealt with by stoning. Joel Webbon, one of the rising stars of Trump Pasterdom increasingly claims to have billionaire backing of the same variety backing Heritage and other major right-wing outlets. He's also tight with the Oklahoma governor and right-wing senate. These are folks of real character, I tell you. Are there any Republicans with any character? Because those on the table for character are thrown under the bus quickly for being RINOs. If you aren't outrageous, you aren't a republican.

A few months ago, in Louisiana, where the 10 commandments now must be displayed in class (at least it's all ten and lying is technically a sin there still!), a few months ago, a principle stripped a female student of all her honors and awards for a phone video that hit social media showing her dancing at a party. She was also giving Bible verses to study. This was a public school of course. She didn't take it laying down, and soon enough public outrage surfaced that she was reinstated and the principle stepped down for the school year. That won't happen once project 2025 is secure. I mean, the principle won't be stepping down. While the war was going on, another video surfaced of the principle's assistant dancing to a rap song with explicit lyrics. All these Christian Nazi's are total perverts outside of their stage life.

The most mind-bending controversy of the last few days is this:

https://slate.com/life/2024/07/hawk-tua ... aning.html

If you want to know what it means to be a Republican today, a Republican who is not in danger of being called a RINO by other Republicans, then this article is massively important to understand.

I learned about the young content creator by the algorithm yesterday. This young lady went to instant alt-right stardom after she was approached for a street interview. Long story short, Laura Loomer has attacked this young woman for disavowing Donald Trump. Basically, the young lady was on a podcast and asked if she would spit on Donald Trump's dick before sucking it, and she and her friend were grossed out. Should a military tribunal be held for her now, Ceeboo? What will be her fate?

Craaazzzyyy. Yeah, it is an entire culture that has gone into the crapper. I remember that golden Trump idol at, what was it, CPAC? It wasn’t enough to have their party platform reduced to “Whatever Trump says goes.” It is the stuff of a poorly written satire, but Republican culture has become debased to that level. Bringing it up evidently does no good, however. These days, the people behaving shamefully get aggressively angry if their behavior is called out. “How dare you criticize my giant golden Trump idol!” Or they claim it is ironic when they flash Nazi salutes. Whatever it is, they refuse to reflect on what might be wrong with what they are doing. I have old high school friends whose behavior is such that I feel I barely know them anymore. It’s like they lost their moral compass in significant areas of their lives.

ETA: The Slate article makes a great point about the dreary seriousness of liberal culture, however. That has had an impact on my own political trajectory. In some ways, the SJWs are the self-righteous prigs of our culture, as crazy as that may sound. All of the policing of language, anxiety about sins against gender and ethnic opinions and behaviors. I recall the furor over Latinx, when suddenly that became the only acceptable term to use in polite liberal society. Then the news slips out that people from Spanish-speaking cultures were positively confused by this phenomenon.

Now the con, here, is that the GOP just wants to drag you back to the older taboos. They flout politeness now, to look cool, but when the “revolution” arrives, it will be all of the Protestant priggishness of yesterday but backed up by the Trump police state.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I’d suggest that not confronting and calling out behaviors like racism is even more damaging, ceeboo.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding you? Are you pretending that such a weaponized negative label plastered upon millions of individual American citizens is valid? And that you, the virtuous non-racist, are calling all of them out to prevent all of this damage that you imagine is being caused by these millions of republicans?

Speaking of weaponized labels…

Conservative rhetoric often employs various labels to frame liberals in a negative light. Here are a dozen such labels frequently used:

1. **Socialist** or **Communist** – Implying extreme leftist economic ideologies.
2. **Snowflake** – Suggesting that liberals are overly sensitive or easily offended.
3. **Lib** or **Lib-tard** – A derogatory play on the term "liberal," insinuating stupidity.
4. **Woke** – Criticizing excessive political correctness or awareness of social issues.
5. **Elitist** – Suggesting that liberals consider themselves superior or out of touch with ordinary people.
6. **Bleeding Heart** – Implying that liberals are excessively compassionate to a fault.
7. **Anti-American** – Accusing liberals of lacking patriotism or undermining national values.
8. **Tree Hugger** – Mocking environmental concerns or activism.
9. **Globalist** – Portraying liberals as favoring international interests over national ones.
10. **PC Police** – Criticizing liberals for enforcing political correctness.
11. **Radical Leftist** – Painting liberals as extreme or out-of-mainstream.
12. **Liberal Media** – Accusing the media of having a biased, liberal slant.

Is Ceeboo policing fellow conservatives and Christians over the labels they use to divide people?

- Doc

[Kishkumen]

Speaking of weaponized labels…

Conservative rhetoric often employs various labels to frame liberals in a negative light. Here are a dozen such labels frequently used:

1. **Socialist** or **Communist** – Implying extreme leftist economic ideologies.
2. **Snowflake** – Suggesting that liberals are overly sensitive or easily offended.
3. **Lib** or **Lib-tard** – A derogatory play on the term "liberal," insinuating stupidity.
4. **Woke** – Criticizing excessive political correctness or awareness of social issues.
5. **Elitist** – Suggesting that liberals consider themselves superior or out of touch with ordinary people.
6. **Bleeding Heart** – Implying that liberals are excessively compassionate to a fault.
7. **Anti-American** – Accusing liberals of lacking patriotism or undermining national values.
8. **Tree Hugger** – Mocking environmental concerns or activism.
9. **Globalist** – Portraying liberals as favoring international interests over national ones.
10. **PC Police** – Criticizing liberals for enforcing political correctness.
11. **Radical Leftist** – Painting liberals as extreme or out-of-mainstream.
12. **Liberal Media** – Accusing the media of having a biased, liberal slant.

Is Ceeboo policing fellow conservatives and Christians over the labels they use to divide people?

- Doc

Good question. Rush Limbaugh turned the word “liberal” into a slur. He practically spat it out of his mouth whenever he said it.

I have to say, though, that I have a hard time understanding how the words conservative or Republican really fit the GOP any longer. They are neither conservative nor committed to the Republic. I think terms like authoritarian, extremist, and Trumpian are more appropriate.

The Republican Party effectively ceased to exist as such when they made Trump their platform.

[Kishkumen]

Making Trump the platform. How does that even work? How does that happen? How is that actually the Republican Party? How does that not strike every thoughtful person as a dead giveaway that the GOP has become a cult of personality?