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Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

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Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#431

Post by Intermernet »

budman1 wrote: post #410
kolanos wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The national favorability rating for the Democratic Party sits around 39% to 41% favorable, with unfavorable ratings ranging from 48% to 54% across recent mid-2026 polls. [0] And Congress as a whole... > The approval rating for the U.S. Congress stands at 10%, while disapproval has climbed to 86%, according to data from Gallup. [1] So not sure what this is really telling us? [0]: https://fiftyplusone.news/polls/fav…

I hate my congressman. Why, he won't listen to me. No public meetings, no interviews with real press. Only 1 way phone calls, where you can submit questions via e-mail a day before the event. No private meetings either. I have repeatedly called both his local office and his DC office. If I have a donation, a staffer will meet with me. His philosophy is simple "You love Donald, I love Donald". It is the focus of the m…

I'm sure you understand the dystopian irony of your last sentence, but I thought I'd highlight it anyway. That's some "no fighting in the war-room" level commentary on the state of the USA.

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#432

Post by ModernMech »

budman1 wrote: post #417
ModernMech wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's recent enough that people living today knew former slaves. That's not ancient history at all, so I think the comparison is not good. I'm sure Brazil also has to deal with fallout of their practices, but I don't see how it changes how the fallout of US slavery impacts the US.

I don't know any former slaves. I don't know anyone that has spoken to a former slave. And most people of color in the US's ancestors were not slaves in the US south. They came as immigrants from other countries. The issue is not slavery. It might be racism. But it is not "I can't have slaves anymore"

It really doesn't matter what you personally know, that's not the point.

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#433

Post by maxerickson »

petcat wrote: post #428
maxerickson wrote: post #426

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Protect College Sports Act not even on the radar for most people. It's wild that a law that is more or less transparently about limiting player pay for their participation in a blatantly commercial activity gets cheered on by "fans".

It's clear that you don't even know what the act is about since it has very little to do with paying players. That has already been explicitly allowed. It's about the prevention of forming mega conferences and funneling all the money and talent to the top. Judging from your response, if you actually knew what the PCSA was you would probably support it.

Why should the money get spread around? It's a business, pay the people that earn it.

I understand what is in it and wouldn't take any of it as long as it is combined with caps on player pay. Where's the cap on media revenues or stadium ticket prices?

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#434

Post by tupaarnaq »

0xDEAFBEAD wrote: post #200
otterley wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m generally aligned with your point, but I also don’t think the official position of the Democratic Party is that we need a cultural revolution, nor do I observe most Democrats feel that way. What I do see is media and politicians on the Right characterizing extreme positions held by a minority of folks on the far Left as though they are adopted by the entire Left, and that weak uncritical minds on the Right believ…

I think you're somewhat underestimating how effectively the far-left minority has scared others into silence. Anyways, I do what I can to push back against them when they say things which seem wacky to me, as in this instance. Maybe I should work harder to make my actual views clear. I added a few sentences to the end of my original comment in this thread: "I don't think this is a slavery thing. Trump just sucks." ht…

Scared others into silence with what magical powers? Zero control of both chambers, zero control of the executive, military, cable news, Supreme Court, law enforcement etc. With what is this mighty far left minority scaring people? Protest sit-ins on campuses? That's what makes you quake?

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#435

Post by petcat »

maxerickson wrote: post #433
petcat wrote: post #428

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's clear that you don't even know what the act is about since it has very little to do with paying players. That has already been explicitly allowed. It's about the prevention of forming mega conferences and funneling all the money and talent to the top. Judging from your response, if you actually knew what the PCSA was you would probably support it.

Why should the money get spread around? It's a business, pay the people that earn it. I understand what is in it and wouldn't take any of it as long as it is combined with caps on player pay. Where's the cap on media revenues or stadium ticket prices?

There are no caps on player pay....

The Supreme Court already explicitly forbid that.

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#436

Post by imthatsteve »

garte wrote: post #397

What I'm wondering these last few years is whether American "politics" has anything actually political to discuss like ensuring the pension system is still intact in 30 years, improving access to a solid education (and even more so: what does that mean?), drug prevention, transparent election processes, tax and debt management... Over here in Europe you only hear about "US politics" like guns and cars or DEI ... stuf…

There arent any real politics by design. Most people in this country agree on most issues, those issues are the things that you will never hear or see mentioned by any party politician.

The parties only maintain their power by making you vote against your own interests they do this by playing parties off each other. They pick the most divisive topics they can and they run on that. They will run polls to learn what people disagree about the most, like abortion. Then they will run the entire election on abortion. So the democratic candidate says you get abortion up until the week after birth which is literal baby murder which no sane democrat actually supports but it enrages republicans and makes them want to vote against the dems so the reps run someone the exact opposite and run on banning abortion entirely which is mostly supported by the extremely religious. So now instead of voting on numbers and plans and policy your voting entirely on emotion and fear and you have to choose between killing babies and the handmaids tale.

Party politics is designed to force every election into these awful games of would you rather instead of thinking about options and then choosing the best one.

All we have to do is put country above political party but thats asking way too much of your average american who actually believes in all the silly scripted political theater nonsense. If your an american and you only blame one party then your not just part of the problem but the whole entire problem. Your the girl who always cries about her abusive ex but absolutely refuses to leave them.

And i get it i totally do, your party is very good at saying exactly what you want to hear and when they tell you next time will be different you really want to believe. When they blame the other party you really want to believe and give them another chance.

Maybe your party actually does some things that you like. I just dont think its worth selling out the entire country for the crumbs they toss out.

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#437

Post by sagarm »

CGMthrowaway wrote: post #422
hakunin wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saying “US corruption isn’t new” is a truism. There are probably isolated incidents, and many unproven theories, but everyone is quick to agree with this statement because it’s a common feeling everyone has now for some reason. The reality of corruption is likely much smaller and more boring than people think. What we’re witnessing now is what should be called corruption. That corruption that everyone has been scream…

That's a lot of words to issue a reproach of people using manipulating "truisms" and propagandic non-specifics, without using any specifics of your own. You might have a strong argument but you seem to be afraid to name anyone or anything.

How can you prove the negative?

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#438

Post by macNchz »

bluGill wrote: post #366
tstrimple wrote: post #310

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They were evil fucks. Slavery was one among many deplorable things conservatives supported and still mostly support to this day. They also opposed women's suffrage. They opposed civil rights and fought to maintain segregation. They fought against gay rights. They fight against trans rights. They literally fight against any minority who might land on an equal playing field. Hey... guess who has been stating lately tha…

That is revisionist history. Republicans are very proud of their opposition to slavery, and the Democrats were the ones opposing civil rights. There have been some changes in alignment over the years, but every Republican I've every talked to remains proud of their historic roles above.

There has been a lot more than "some changes in alignment over the years"—the parties of 160+ years ago are essentially unrecognizable today. Given the nature of how the modern Republican party established its base over the course of the 20th century, this idea of taking pride in a legacy of ending slavery is basically comical, a fiction that falls apart with even a basic knowledge of the history of American political ideology and party alignment.

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#439

Post by kryogen1c »

swed420 wrote: post #354
dabinat wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess it’s more accurate to say that corruption didn’t start with Trump (he wasn’t even involved in politics when Citizens United was happening, for example). The US has been marching in that direction for a while. The difference now is the openness and also the scale. If a president does one bad thing the press will dig into it, committees will investigate, etc. But what if the president does 20 bad things every s…

> The difference now is the openness and also the scale. Yes, we just need to go back to the good ol' days of corruption with decorum

I assume youre being sarcastic, but ive heard serious thinkers, like sam Harris, sincerely make this argument.

America is truly lost when people wish their politicians were lying to them more.

Re: Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

#440

Post by otterley »

0xDEAFBEAD wrote: post #421
otterley wrote: post #405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think you're somewhat underestimating how effectively the far-left minority has scared others into silence Besides all the YouTube videos, X posts, the addition of two new right-wing TV networks (OANN and NEWSMAX), “Truth” Social, WSJ, NY Post, etc.? Silence is a myth perpetuated by the right (“people are trying to suppress the truth and your 1A rights!”) to build a following when in fact opposition voices are pl…

I don't think people on the right are scared. I think too many center-left Democrats are scared.

Of what?
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