When/If Democrats regain power, should they resort to the same tactics as the Republicans have?

[Cubo de Sangre]

Would you bring up a posters religious beliefs to insult them if that poster was a known Muslim. What do u think the Mods would do if you did?

If you can't insult someone over their unsubstantiated beliefs (that tend to oppress women and gays) then what can you insult them over?

 

[bad seed]

Please watch this video in its entirety. That is your homework for today, son.

In case you werent aware, she gave birth last year.

 

[kpt018]

Well the democrats, unlike Republicans, actually have popular policies, so they wouldn't have to try as hard to pass their policies through.

The problem is with the game as much as the other side that cheats its ass off. Basically, if the republicans, cheat and win, then they have the ability to re-write the rules and make it more likely that they'll win again. The literal only way to prevent that from happening is for the democrats to win.

The army isn't going to step in and take over because one side or the other is acting too evil and unAmerican, and besides, does anyone really want a military coup?

The voters aren't going to all wake up one day and validate the side that's playing fair. They are going to continue to not vote / vote for irrational reasons / not give a shit.

I agree with all of this. I'm not sure if you saw my first post but I am talking about a scenario in which Democrats control one or both branches of Congress in which their only real play is to obstruct. My view is that if they obstruct on policies they agree with the strategy will backfire with regular folks.

I totally agree that they should play hard ball. The only scenario in which they go back to following political norms is if the Republican party is completely turned over and reformed.

 

[BangersAndSmash]

I agree with all of this. I'm not sure if you saw my first post but I am talking about a scenario in which Democrats control one or both branches of Congress in which their only real play is to obstruct. My view is that if they obstruct on policies they agree with the strategy will backfire with regular folks.

I totally agree that they should play hard ball. The only scenario in which they go back to following political norms is if the Republican party is completely turned over and reformed.

They have to make the norms into law.

 

[LEGS MAHONEY]

Delete

 

[7437]

Yes. Look where playing nice has gotten the liberals.

 

[bobgeese]

This is a topic that is particularly relevant to middle-of-the-roaders like @Fawlty.

In the mid-1990s, Newt Gingrich came upon the realization that an opposition party would electorally benefit from mindless partisan obstruction, no matter how unprincipled or destructive. By fighting tooth and nail, even against policies they might otherwise support, and rendering government ineffective, they would benefit electorally.

This became standard GOP strategy during the Obama presidency, as the GOP controlled Congress, but the strategy against good faith governance, bipartisan cooperation, and adherence to longstanding precedent on transparency and political responsibility has carried over into the Republicans' current in-power status. This can be best seen in their blatant hypocrisy and refusal to engage in good faith governance on the issues of healthcare and judicial nominations.


During debate on the ACA, Republicans loudly decried the lack of transparency and the lack of bipartisan compromise, despite hundreds of hours of debate and GOP amendments. Then, when trying to pass their own bill (which was universally panned by consumer groups), they actually engaged in the tactics of which they accused the Dems.

Similarly, McConnell and friends bitched and moaned about Kagan and Sotomayor being pushed through, despite the very thorough vetting and disclosure of the nominees, and are now pushing through their nominee in an unprecedented way.

So, when and if Democrats regain power, should we once again ask that they return to the standards of good faith bipartisan governance? If history tells us anything, there is a good chance that the Republicans will continue to obstruct and then, when the GOP regains power, they will resort to the same dirty tricks - and our country will have been made worse for it.

Or should Democrats return the favor and cede the moral high ground to aggressively reverse the insidious and destructive policies pushed by the GOP, and risk an inescapable cycle of unaccountable partisan governance?

You mean improving the economy and foreign policy?

 

[SBJJ]

If you can't insult someone over their unsubstantiated beliefs (that tend to oppress women and gays) then what can you insult them over?

I’ve never seen Rip call on oppressing anyone

 

[SBJJ]

If you werent aware, ripskater shits up every thread with ridiculous claims and when challenged for evidence, he will quote scripture. Now if you dont find that worthy of ridicule than I will pray for you.

Why would you have a problem with scripture? I’m an atheist and could care less

You have a lot of pent up anger

 

[nac386]

Would you bring up a posters religious beliefs to insult them if that poster was a known Muslim. What do u think the Mods would do if you did?

It's not really that he is a Christian at all, that is just his troll schtick. A lot of us are Christians, and recognize his nonsense a hundred miles away. It's an act. Hell, yesterday he claimed that slavery is not necessarily bad. To support that, he referenced slavery in the Bible. Lol.

He created a character that makes fun of Christians by playing a Christian and saying silly things. He used to talk about fairies and Demons all the time, not even trying to hide it. When he realized people actually took him seriously, he toned it down.

 

[SBJJ]

It's not really that he is a Christian at all, that is just his troll schtick. A lot of us are Christians, and recognize his nonsense a hundred miles away. It's an act. Hell, yesterday he claimed that slavery is not necessarily bad. To support that, he referenced slavery in the Bible. Lol.

He created a character that makes fun of Christians by playing a Christian and saying silly things.

Can you post his support of slavery please

Hard to take accusations against him seriously. Dozens of posters including at least one Mod continually accused him of having multiple troll accounts. That has been verified as false by the Moderators.

NAC, not trying to be a dick. But I’ve never seen Rip insult anyone. While both you and I have. I get that you do not like him, but some of the shit he’s been accused of has been proven false. I think you need to be more accepting of others views and stop being so judgemental

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

He created a character that makes fun of Christians by playing a Christian and saying silly things. He used to talk about fairies and Demons all the time, not even trying to hide it. When he realized people actually took him seriously, he toned it down.

whoa whoa whoa....you forgot to mention "Nephilim."

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Can you post his support of slavery please

Hard to take accusations against him seriously. Dozens of posters including at least one Mod continually accused him of having multiple troll accounts. That has been verified as false by the Moderators.

you are obviously @Ripskater .

amirite??!?

 

[Trotsky]

I called you out on being a low-brow fool who argues in bad faith. I haven't seen a single post of yours that wasn't inherently partisan, but hey, that's all you're capable of. Brainwashed people do brainwashed things. Scorpion and the frog though, right?

You deflected the subject onto an irrelevant topic: my perceived bias in argument. That has absolutely nothing to do with law making procedures. How many times do I need to restate this for you? Is there a way I can chew up this concept and feed it to you mother bird-style?

As far as my partisanship (lol), you'll find plenty of posts by me attacking the Democrats, although certainly fewer as of recently. It's not my fault that the GOP is objectively shittier, as both a matter of substantive policy and electoral/political strategy, at this moment in time.

Well, this just doesn't make any sense. Are you trying to move the goal posts to say that one party hasn't made mistakes? That would be super odd and impossible to defend. I'll just assume that you're trying to twist my words in such a way that tricks me into defending a position that I don't hold. Yes, they've both made mistakes. I never said that they were the same, which is why I have voted differently in different elections. You know, that whole critical thinking thing... The thing that you've heard about but never actually done.

You're going to need to multi-quote if you want your posts to have any chance at being coherent. It's a hail mary, but it's a strategy nevertheless.

Also, was it your impeccable critical thinking skills that led you to being so purposefully daft that you couldn't bring yourself to observe the differences in two different parties over the past 30 years, such that you had to immediately shit post the TS?

 

[SBJJ]

you are obviously @Ripskater .

amirite??!?

Is it that obvious

 

[lfd0311]

This is a topic that is particularly relevant to middle-of-the-roaders like @Fawlty.

ROFL. Thread, invalidated

 

[nac386]

Can you post his support of slavery please

Hard to take accusations against him seriously. Dozens of posters including at least one Mod continually accused him of having multiple troll accounts. That has been verified as false by the Moderators.

NAC, not trying to be a dick. But I’ve never seen Rip insult anyone. While both you and I have. I get that you do not like him, but some of the shit he’s been accused of has been proven false. I think you need to be more accepting of others views and stop being so judgemental

He is one of the most insulting posters on here. Just because he says despicable things within his phony character it doesn't make it better. A "Well gee wiz guys" attitude doesn't erase what you say afterwards.

Is keeping people as slaves an evil practice? Yes or no.

I honestly don't know how to answer that. In the Bible, God didn't really condemn slavery, he condemned the harsh treatment of slaves. God set up Hebrew slavery so that a man who had nothing could have shelter and be provided for along with his family. But Hebrew slaves were free after 7 years of going into slavery. I think there were many aspects to black American slavery that were evil. Many of them were worked to death, brutally beaten, separated from their wives and kids. It was awful.

He doesn't really know how to answer a yes or no question about whether or not slavery is bad? Lol.

He kept going back to saying slavery is only bad if you mistreat slaves. As if owning somebody can be okay if you're nice. Lol.

He's a troll, and somehow he's gotten a lot of people fooled.

 

[Andy Capp]

politicians should do what is in the best interest of the people who voted them in to office in my opinion

This makes you a terrible terrible American and person in my opinion.
You're saying that the constituency of the Federal Government is limited to people who picked the winner in the election. This is plainly the most incredibly obtuse thing you have ever posted in my opinion.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

I’ve never seen Rip call on oppressing anyone

Wouldn't know. I don't read his posts. My comment was a generalized response.

 

[sub_thug]

You deflected the subject onto an irrelevant topic: my perceived bias in argument. That has absolutely nothing to do with law making procedures. How many times do I need to restate this for you? Is there a way I can chew up this concept and feed it to you mother bird-style?

As far as my partisanship (lol), you'll find plenty of posts by me attacking the Democrats, although certainly fewer as of recently. It's not my fault that the GOP is objectively shittier, as both a matter of substantive policy and electoral/political strategy, at this moment in time.



You're going to need to multi-quote if you want your posts to have any chance at being coherent. It's a hail mary, but it's a strategy nevertheless.

Also, was it your impeccable critical thinking skills that led you to being so purposefully daft that you couldn't bring yourself to observe the differences in two different parties over the past 30 years, such that you had to immediately shit post the TS?

Never change. You serve as a wonderful warning to anyone with half a brain.