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The 2016 Election

blog.samaltman.com

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Re: The 2016 Election

#381

Post by Swizec »

spdustin wrote: post #295
Swizec wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't it curious how this sort of deep strife only flares up during elections?

I don't believe that the occurrence of an election is itself causation at work. The reason it seems that way, to me, is the same reason that abused women tend to step out of their shame when they see other women doing it, or when their anger is kindled into a flame that exceeds their fear. People feel empowered when they realize they're not alone (edit: and someone they identify as a peer has given a voice to their o…

Thank you for putting it into more and clearer words than I did.

You're right, the divide has always been there. That's why it always flares up during elections - it's only during elections that the divide is useful to the people who stoke it. Candidates benefit from their electorate being loud and vocal and at arms with the other electorate. It drives press, it drives news, it brings people out to vote. All things correlated with winning an election.

Once an election is won, the game changes. Then it's all about unity and compromise and understanding one another. Because that's what those in power need to stay in power.

Unless of course somebody wants to force an early election or worse. Then all bets are off.

Now, I can't say for a fact that this is how the cycle works in the US. But I've seen it play out numerous times in my home country (Slovenia) where for a period of more than a decade since I started observing, I don't think we had a single government last the entire 4 years. It's a big part of the reason why I left and came to the States.

And I find myself once more in the midst of elections driven primarily by shit up stirring. Perfect.

Re: The 2016 Election

#382

Post by bobsgame »

sanjeetsuhag wrote: post #310
bobsgame wrote: post #270

I respect Sam's opinion, but I would like to hear any of his ideas for improving the economy in suburban and rural areas or creating greater opportunities for people who are less privileged or gifted. Much of intelligence is a natural ability gifted at birth, and it's often easy to lose touch with that when you are surrounded by highly skilled and intelligent peers, as many in Silicon Valley or cities often are. As a…

> If you wish to understand that 43%, you might not immediately dismiss the views that resonate with them as racist or threatening, and try to understand why they are agreeing with those ideas. You mean, like how he did in his previous blog post acknowledging how Trump and his supporters are right on some issues? [1] http://blog.samaltman.com/trump

Thank you for posting this. I disagree that Trump does not have any real plans, but I don't see any alternative solutions proposed in this article, that's what I would like to hear from Sam. I would love to see the collective intelligence of Silicon Valley tackle some of these issues, regardless of who becomes president.

Re: The 2016 Election

#383

Post by scaryspooky »

duaneb wrote: post #126
mtgx wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don't understand "even more" than that (literally, by the numbers) is how 49% of the country is registered independent and yet keeps voting Democrat and Republican. Worse yet, 76% of the country "wants to see alternatives" in the debates...but still keeps voting Democrat and Republican. Even if people agree to buy into this whole "this election is special" premise, I think people would be well within their rig…

What third parties? Would you rather have the libertarians or green party? Maybe a party or candidate with even less of a track record? Neither offer a sane way forward.

I keep seeing this argument, and just because you disagree with libertarian principles doesn't make them more "insane."

Dismissing in such a negative way well thought out view points because they don't match your world view is counterproductive to having good policy discussions.

Re: The 2016 Election

#384

Post by gjolund »

pnathan wrote: post #202
gjolund wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been saying this for months. I would prefer 4 more years on congressional deadlock to the dystopian nightmare that Hillary will unleash. Force the DNC to address its shortcomings, and push a real progressive in the next election.

> dystopian nightmare that Hillary will unleash What specifically will happen?

Expansion of the surveillance state, even less government transparency, more money in politics.

Not to mention her abysmal record on war, cyber security, election rigging, and media manipulation.

After 4 years of Trump we will have a country that is willing to acknowledge its mistakes, and two parties in disarray looking for fresh candidates to invigorate the masses.

After 8 years of Hillary we will have seen the trend of villifying the opposition reach its obvious conclusion.

If you don't toe the party line you are racist/sexist/actualHitler. I voted for Obama twice and I regularly get called a racist online because I don't support Hillary.

Hillary controls the media, is backed by all the money in the world, and is a war hawk.

What will happen is whatever she wants to happen, and I can't think of a single positive impact she has had on my life.

Re: The 2016 Election

#385

Post by colemickens »

postcarnival wrote: post #306
gizmo wrote: post #24

Except Thiel is saying many of the repugnant things that made Trump popular. - Thiel is passionately against all forms of political correctness, just like Trump. - Thiel believes that the 19th amendment destroyed democracy, because women vote in favor for anti-libertarian welfare measures. When faced with the choice between saving democracy and capitalism, Thiel chooses capitalism. Trump shares this antidemocratic se…

> Trump shares this antidemocratic sentiment. what tangible evidence do you have that he is anti-democratic?

He's repeatedly threatened to throw journalists in jail that wrote things he didn't like. He threatened, on stage, in a Presidential debate, to unilaterally throw his political opponent HRC in jail. He is already contesting the results of the Democratic election weeks before it has even happened.

And that's just what he's said. The fascist overtones are present in a variety of other ways. He makes minority groups scapegoats in order to appeal to ignorant masses.

Re: The 2016 Election

#386

Post by kybernetikos »

darksaints wrote: post #231
kybernetikos wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does validity mean in this context?

Not gonna put words into someone else's mouth, but here it is from my perspective: We come to the opinions we have based on the experiences we have, and everybody has different experiences. Equally as true is the opinions that don't form due to the experiences we don't have. One example I have from someone I disagree with. It was a rich kid about to fully take over his father's company via inheritance, who agreed veh…

For 'valid' to mean anything interesting there has to be the possibility of something not being valid. If the criteria for 'valid' is merely that 'someone thinks it' then it's starting to sound like it's not a useful distinction to make.

Re: The 2016 Election

#387

Post by hiddencost »

rayiner wrote: post #327
chris11 wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thinking there is a possibility someone is crazy, racist, or sexist is definitely reasonable if that person is stating they agree with a crazy, racist, sexist. I'd wonder if someone was racist if they supported David Duke.

Counterpoint: many of the founding fathers were crazy sexist racists, yet we still hold their other opinions in quite high regard.

That was 240 years ago. We recognize the value they added and understand them in their historical context.

Re: The 2016 Election

#388

Post by josho »

simonsarris wrote: post #77

Sam, just so you know, many of your sentences could exchange Trump for Hillary and be exactly what Trump supporters I know say. Especially this one: > [Hillary] shows little respect for the Constitution, the Republic, or for human decency, and I fear for national security if [she] becomes our president. Other sentences would just exchange antonyms and not make it sound any better. You call Trump isolationist, they ca…

> Calling Trump racist, for instance, isn't going to flip anyone's voting bit

That is what saddens me the most from this election. The fact that someone running for a high profile position can get away with such abhorrent remarks as Trump's made.

Maybe the real issue is the 2 party system. Both candidates have signifiant flaws, so the electorate is selecting on the attributes they dislike less.

Re: The 2016 Election

#390

Post by noir_lord »

lintiness wrote: post #336
noir_lord wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The War Powers Resolution requires the President notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30-day withdrawal period, without a Congressional authorization for use of military force (AUMF) or a declaration of war by the United States. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Powers_Resolution The US military…

never going to happen. you people are crazier than trump is.

A sitting American president is never going to commit military forces without the consent of Congress?

> During the 20th Century, forces were sent by various presidents into countries such as Nicaragua to suppress rebellions without asking Congress. During the Cold War, dodging Congress not only continued, it increased. For example, the Korean War, which the U.S. was involved in for three years, was never officially authorized by Congress.

> In 2011, President Obama's failure to get Congressional approval for U.S. military actions in Libya raised accusations from both parties.

http://www.infoplease.com/us/government/war-without-congress...

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