Fear of the Left . . .

[_Water Dog]

Why was there a Pizzagate conspiracy theory?

There wasn't. I mean, yes, getting technical, there was. But it was a troll conspiracy created by redditors at /r/The_Donald. It was not some kind of credible conspiracy that was pushed as being serious much less affected the vote. And wasn't that about Podesta, not Hillary? I can show you a hundred Trump voters and would bet money you can't find even one who heard of Pizzagate. And crap like this flows in both directions. Who's heard of the Russian collusion conspiracy? I dunno, everybody. Who heard about KKK conspiracies? Maybe not everybody, but a hefty percentage, a hell of a lot more than Pizzagate. All of it equally fake news.

The implication here was that no good person should vote for a monster like Hillary.

Don't need fake conspiracies to arrive at that conclusion, haha. The real ones are more than enough.

Serious question here. Why aren't you mad at her? Or maybe you are. I'd like to hear. She never should have run. If even just a small portion of her lip service was genuine, she should never have run. Her brand was toxic and everybody knew it. But it was always about her... even down to the campaign slogan.

Rush had called it for years. Long before she announced running, he would talk about the feminist perception of a scorned woman. Bill had humiliated her on the national stage, after she had given up her own career ambitions and devoted herself as a mother and wife to this retch. It was now her time. The country owed her for the sins of this man. Haha. He's right, that's exactly how it was. Support for her was religious, despite how obviously bad she was.

I would make a similar argument about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Good ole' Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She totally screwed you guys. Because she was arrogant and didn't like the black man. Look how old she is, and she is diagnosed with cancer! Right after Obama enters office! But she's bent out of shape because he snagged the nomination from Hillary. She should have retired out after Obama won his second term. Instead, she's still holding the grudge, she's going to wait for Hillary. She wanted the first woman president to pick her successor. Ooops. ROFL! I want to know what kind of drug regiment she's on to extend her lifespan. She could give it up any day now. And if Trump wins 2020, which is very likely, haha, forget it.

[Guest]

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[_canpakes]

[_canpakes]

I would be interested in your opinion (no worries if you would rather not offer it) on how wide the political divide is in America. Do you believe the divide is unbridgeable?

Ceeboo, I had a few bricks set aside for this a couple of posts back. If you’re ready. ; )

[_Kishkumen]

There wasn't. I mean, yes, getting technical, there was. But it was a troll conspiracy created by redditors at /r/The_Donald. It was not some kind of credible conspiracy that was pushed as being serious much less affected the vote. And wasn't that about Podesta, not Hillary? I can show you a hundred Trump voters and would bet money you can't find even one who heard of Pizzagate. And crap like this flows in both directions. Who's heard of the Russian collusion conspiracy? I dunno, everybody. Who heard about KKK conspiracies? Maybe not everybody, but a hefty percentage, a hell of a lot more than Pizzagate. All of it equally fake news.

All of this is beside the point. Conspiracy theories that presuppose the sinister character of a candidate or people in the candidate’s circle show that perceptions of character do matter to people. Our individual, anecdotal impressions of how much play a particular theory got is immaterial.

She never should have run. If even just a small portion of her lip service was genuine, she should never have run. Her brand was toxic and everybody knew it.

I agree 100%. I have spent hours arguing exactly this position with Democrats. But by and large they are too blind to see it. I always thought she was a miserably inept politician. Both she and Bill are narcissists. Not Trump level narcissists, but still. But there are so many Boomer women who adore her, and they do make up a fairly large portion of the electorate. I would say, nevertheless, that her decision to run is a mark against her character. It was an extremely arrogant and unstatesmanlike thing to do. The right thing to do would have been to step aside for someone with a lot less baggage.

And I know people will say that I am a man ‘splainin’ what a woman should have done, but damn it I really could not fathom the choice to run such a divisive personality. Take away every other consideration, including gender, and I think the objective conclusion would be not to run that person. March of folly.

[Guest]

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[_Maksutov]

I'm afraid of totalitarianism. I think that can happen with either left or right if things get too far out of whack. The mushy middle isn't glamorous or very satisfying but at least it isn't national suicide for the sake of some fanatics.

[_Kishkumen]

I'm afraid of totalitarianism. I think that can happen with either left or right if things get too far out of whack. The mushy middle isn't glamorous or very satisfying but at least it isn't national suicide for the sake of some fanatics.

Amen.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Well, when you tell half the nation they're disposable they're going to listen to someone who lifts them up:


sister poem

- Doc

[Guest]

Ceeboo, I had a few bricks set aside for this a couple of posts back. If you’re ready. ; )

I'm ready! (I think) :)

I’ll refer you back to my earlier question about your voting choices and what the specific underlying drivers are. I’m asking because I’ve had this conversation before with a member of my own family and a basic understanding was reached as to the ‘why’ of his own vote. I’m intensely interested in finding out more about how folks think on this issue.

Feel free to PM if you are not wanting any particular comments to be part of the larger public discussion.