The problem with US media

 One thing I notice when I watch non-US media (Sky News Australia as an exception) is that they usually try to have opposing opinions. Not so in the US. I have yet to see a serious opposing opinion on the US media. For example, I have yet to see someone who voted for a third party in a discussion of why US politics is screwed.  Even Joe Rogan has not interviewed Jill Stein.

That's pathetic.

OK, I wanted a picture of steak frites...

On the other hand, it might be the reason so much bullshit fills the US debate. For example, instead of anyone questioning the concept of "gun rights" early on, it was accepted. No one in the media pointed out that was a ridiculous concept and totally out of line with history.

Likewise, I heard a Fox News piece on "Climate Change" hypocrisy which didn't feature anyone who had a real idea what goes on in the environmentalist community. So, they were making it sound as if people who are Green are vegan.

Tu rigole ! I like to eat meat, but I don't do it that much for various reasons: more in line with my health than the planet. Slow food, on the other hand, which is traditional and regional cuisine that encourages farming of plants, seeds, and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem makes more sense to me than having people go vegan. I'm not alone in this since people who push veganism can be shouted down for a lot of reasons: one of which is that truly being vegan is actually a difficult thing to do. Food needs to be certified as vegan!

On the other hand, it doesn't make sense to knock local meat production while eating quinoa flown in from South America.

Anyway, if you really want to get down to it: not having children is the best thing you can do to fight climate change. That gets really interesting when the vegans start their attempts to get people to go on their diet.

The problem is that things are indeed an echo chamber without opinions being challenged.

‘Coordinated campaign’ to mislead voters: John Ratcliffe

Sure, it's Fox News, but Sky News Australia, The New York Post, and a few others are the only MSM covering this. The big takeaway is "the legislature has the power of the purse", which is pretty much in line with my comment that the US is a de facto parliamentary system.  

Unlike the English Civil War, a change in the balance of power in the US shouldn't be bloody, but will result in a more popular government rising from the ashes.

The question I have for the people who want to say that the US is a "republic, not a democracy", other than what is the difference between the two, is:

"Are you condoning the current corruption in the system?"

Because nothing will change until the government truly becomes one of "We the people", which was  propaganda since the Constitutional Convention was anything but popular.

So, do as you say, not as you do.

No means No

The reality is that I said "No" three times:

1. The 2008 Primary
2. the 2016 Primary
3. And the 2016 General Election

The likelihood of my voting for Hillary Clinton was next to non-existent.[1]

And the Russians had fuck all to do with it.

Unless, of course, Russians run the democratic party, which in retrospect seems to be the case since they pretty much trashed the 2016 election.

Especially since Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, yet LOST IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

The problem is that the duopoly wants to pretend that a vote for a third party is anything but a vote for that party. 2016 was liberating for me since I saw that my vote didn't count.

It doesn't count in primary elections and it also doesn't count in the general election.

Having a "right to vote" is meaningless if the voting is not done in a truly free and fair election with a secret ballot and parties that actually represent the people.

So, please, stop saying that third party voters are spoilers.

Unless we are spoiling the illusion for the duopoly.

Footnote:

[1] I might vote for Hillary Clinton if Ranked Choice Voting were in place, but she would be somewhere after a write in vote for all my dogs and maybe one of the legitimate candidates.

Do as I say, not as I do...

It's Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber with the duopoly. I am tired of the lack of serious discourse in US politics. Unfortunately, this nonsense doesn't get mentioned in other countries, which is too bad. 

Russell Brand is the court jester who tells the truth through jest. 

 

"No means no."

Americans (and Australians) on Climate Change

 A Pew Charitable Trust poll says a few interesting things about US attitudes toward climate change. A two thirds majority of people in the US support prioritising the development of renewable energy sources, yet most of them are not open to the idea of phasing out fossil fuels. I guess this is where I can bring in the Australians. Since Australians and New Zealanders have been using alternative energy for their vehicles and other purposes for some time now. The similarities come in that attitudes toward this subject tend to go along political lines in the US and Antipodes.

Sky News Australia and Fox News are a lot alike when it comes to climate. Which is totally different from European news, which is pretty solid that climate change is real and a problem.

And there is a divide between the "Democratic" and Republican parties about this issue, but even if people in the US accept climate change, they are still not as concerned about that than other issues (even though cities and transportation fit into this very well). Toss in that some people think that climate change doesn't effect them locally.

Which is amusing given my previous post: "the silver lining to climate change".

Despite all this people are willing to join international action to curb climate change.

Russell Brand is so good at explaining WHY people need to be concerned about Hunter's laptop

But everyone seems to neglect that a popular candidate, Bernie Sanders, was passed over for candidates like Biden. 

Trump Derangement Syndrome anyone?

I am so with Joe Rogan on this. It's strange how people who would believe anything about Trump pretend to be sceptical about the Bidens when it couldn't be more in your face how bad this is. 

And Biden somehow beat a popular candidate, Sanders, for the "democratic" party nomination.  

And you wonder why I hate the duopoly parties.