***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[IATT]

 

[Belgium]

I recall the name and his appearance but for some reason my mind associates Val Broeksmith as a somewhat unstable person and overall weirdo (not to discredit him).

Again that’s solely off my recollection though, and I’m unsure of how or if I even came to that conclusion.

I’ll have to dig into this latest report and the lore of Val Broeksmith’s lore.
Normally I have a fantastic memory specifically when it comes to US politics/law etc. Not so much when it comes to other topics unfortunately.

I’ll get back to you when I refresh my memory with old and recent reports wavycrocket

wavycrocket
After doing some digging and refreshing my memory, it appears my recollection wasn’t entirely off the mark.
Throughout various interviews, character profiles etc he came off as very hungry for some kind of fame and status as a whistleblower.

There’s no disputing the Deutsche Bank documents he found on his dad’s computer after the dad’s suicide are authentic, however there’s repeated reports of Val Broeksmith describing their value in an embellished manner in the media.

He was cooperative with the feds though and at least some parts of the documents were deemed useful enough.

So all in all, my conclusion remains roughly the same. I have a lot more faith in the documents themselves and how they did or didn’t end up being useful for the feds. I ‘d put very little stock in Val Broeksmith’s own words due to his fixation on fame and feeling important.

Based on what I’ve seen and/or read, I’m not really surprised he ended up dead.
RIP

 

[IATT]

 

[rexanglorum]

Yah I dunno I think you got zionist derangement syndrome.,

this weird bankshot election interference argument your making seems totally unconvincing, and unnecessary.

you don't like aipiac, you don't like Israel just say that.

don't know why we need this weird, AIPAC = Putin thing, seems silly.



yah this sounds crazy., humanitarian concerns aside. Israel-palestine is just not that important.

Oh no, my secret has been found out!


Seriously though. I'm a leftwing educator in the US. I'd ask you to hazard a few guess but I know you'd play dumb so I'll spell it out.

No country on Earth has been even remotely as hostile to us as Israel (and their proxies in the US).

Loyalty oaths to be a teacher in many red States. They get professors fired and suspended. They attack student protestors and they evict students from their housing for protesting. And now they got the only professional educator evicted from Congress.

Has Vladimir Putin done all that to people in the US? Kim Jung Un? Xi Jinping? The Houthis? Hamas? Nicholas Maduro. Nope, nope, and nope.

And everything they do in the US, of course, pales in comparison to their war on humanity in general, which encompasses their war on education and culture in Gaza.

Moreover, I live in a part of the world were; if Israel succeeds in evicting the Gazans to build beachside condos, that model will be copied. Unhoused people on skid row in Los Angeles get walled off or maybe dumped in the desert to die. Central American refugees stuck in an open air prison on the US Mexico boarder. And if things keep going the way they are, internal migrants fleeing the desert for the coastal strip of California, only to be walled off. This will be the blueprint if Israel does not pay a severe, existential price for what they are doing with Gaza.

I will say one thing positive about Israel though, they have clarified which people, factions, and groups can be trusted in these coming turbulent decades and which people, factions, and groups will murder children for a beach house.

 

[DripNick]

Long Live Nahel Merzouk

 

[gry60]

Loyalty oaths to be a teacher in many red States. They get professors fired and suspended. They attack student protestors and they evict students from their housing for protesting.

Don't forget the case of that US congressman parading in Congress in his IDF uniform; don't forget how we are giving their PM the floor to come in Congress and trash talk the administration that is hosting him and allowing his country to have an economy in times of war (something they can't do on their own).

I may support the right of Israel to exist, but I'd lie if I said I was comfortable with the way they behave toward the US.

 

[IATT]

 

[Zainjal26]

They should have Bruce buffer do the intros tonight

 

[IATT]

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Oh no, my secret has been found out!


Seriously though. I'm a leftwing educator in the US. I'd ask you to hazard a few guess but I know you'd play dumb so I'll spell it out.

No country on Earth has been even remotely as hostile to us as Israel (and their proxies in the US).

Loyalty oaths to be a teacher in many red States. They get professors fired and suspended. They attack student protestors and they evict students from their housing for protesting. And now they got the only professional educator evicted from Congress.

1. i can totally understand that as a left wing educator you might have highly myopic and self interested way of defining what is "hostile to US"
but no, firing professors while not good, does not rank highly on the list of threats to the united states.

your fundamental problem is that many of your FELLOW AMERICANS really like Israel, and wish to support them. personally? i disagree but im not deluding myself
blaming it on secret jews doing election interference, is just a massive cope.

jamaal bowman, doing a bunch of gaffs, not supporting joe biden's infrastructure bills and losing.
i'm sorry i don't the massive threat to the us in this turn of events.



2. my problem with all people obsessed with this conflict is you constantly want to inflate the importance of something that is fundamentally not that important.
in order to spur action to your side.

Zionist constantly need me to believe global civilizational conflict and thus the west intervene.
Pro palestinians need me to believe that evil hand of Israel is some uniquely malign force controlling american politics.

it all seems crazy.

 

[aepps20]

I can smell.da biscuits through my phone

 

[RustyShackleford]

biggie62 you should appreciate this

Again I got caught talking politics at my office.

So many people that said they voted for Biden in 2020 said they are voting for Trump because of cost of living.

When they bring up cost of living, they are talking about food cost. Going out to eat, and groceries. That is mainly how they are exposed to inflation

They all have large single family homes they bought for cheap when the market in Vegas was great.

Like three people go and go about how expensive the stuff they are buying for their cookouts have gotten.

I get out of the meeting, like 15 mins later, one of the dudes comes up to me and wants to talk golf.
Said he just got fitted for a new Titleist driver, and spurged on a Autoflex shaft for it. Which cost more that the driver head.

For those that don't know golf, he is telling me that he just spent $1,300 for a single golf club. Not including all the fees.

This man was just talking about having to vote for Trump, because the price of hamburger buns are breaking him.

I wanted to throw my water in his face so bad.

I gotta find a new place to work.

 

[aepps20]

One of the biggest factors that isn't being talked about with Bowman was the fact that the district he ran in significantly changed due to redistricting between the time he first ran and now. As a politician you have to read the room and know what's going on in your district. I'll give Lauren B credit that she read the room in her district and knew she was toast so she was fortunate Ken Buck retired so she could use name Recognition to win in a different district.

 

[frenchbreadbuilds]

biggie62 you should appreciate this

Again I got caught talking politics at my office.

So many people that said they voted for. Biden in 2020 said they are voting for Trump because of cost of living.

When they bring up cost of living, they are talking about food cost. Going out to eat, and groceries.

They all have large single family homes they bought for cheap when the market in Vegas was great.

Like three people go and go about how expensive the stuff they are buying for their cookouts have gotten.

I get out of the meeting, like 15 mins later, one of the dudes comes up to me and wants to talk golf.
Said he just got fitted for a new Titleist driver, and spurged on a Autoflex shaft for it. Which cost more that the driver head.

For those that don't know golf, he is telling me that he just spent $1,300 for a single golf club. Not including all the fees.

This man was just talking about having to vote for Trump, because the price of hamburger buns are breaking him.

I wanted to throw my water in his face so bad.

I gotta find a new place to work.

This right here is the real struggle. Mostly because folks lack critical thinking. They can see that prices are going up, but ignorant to the fact that their ability to pay for these things without going broke seems to be keeping up.

i work with a ton of blue collar folks in manufacturing and most people just seem to forget that Trump isnt a politcal outside anymore. He has a track record that we can look at. We can see where he actually stood on things while he was in office vs what he's saying on the campaign trail. it blows my mind.

 

[aepps20]

biggie62 you should appreciate this

Again I got caught talking politics at my office.

So many people that said they voted for. Biden in 2020 said they are voting for Trump because of cost of living.

When they bring up cost of living, they are talking about food cost. Going out to eat, and groceries.

They all have large single family homes they bought for cheap when the market in Vegas was great.

Like three people go and go about how expensive the stuff they are buying for their cookouts have gotten.

I get out of the meeting, like 15 mins later, one of the dudes comes up to me and wants to talk golf.
Said he just got fitted for a new Titleist driver, and spurged on a Autoflex shaft for it. Which cost more that the driver head.

For those that don't know golf, he is telling me that he just spent $1,300 for a single golf club. Not including all the fees.

This man was just talking about having to vote for Trump, because the price of hamburger buns are breaking him.

I wanted to throw my water in his face so bad.

I gotta find a new place to work.

One thing about scums like your coworkers is that I suspect that when they got in the booth in 20 they voted for da Don then too. They had a video of a union worker saying he'd vote for Trump and said he'd die for his labor union but when confronted about Trump's anti union policies he hemmed and hawed but we know he's still a Trump guy.

Are prices higher and inflation real? Of course, but most of those scums don't want to be associated with MAGA in public but have supported and will continue to support MAGA at the voting booth

 

[biggie62]

biggie62 you should appreciate this

Again I got caught talking politics at my office.

So many people that said they voted for Biden in 2020 said they are voting for Trump because of cost of living.

When they bring up cost of living, they are talking about food cost. Going out to eat, and groceries. That is mainly how they are exposed to inflation

They all have large single family homes they bought for cheap when the market in Vegas was great.

Like three people go and go about how expensive the stuff they are buying for their cookouts have gotten.

I get out of the meeting, like 15 mins later, one of the dudes comes up to me and wants to talk golf.
Said he just got fitted for a new Titleist driver, and spurged on a Autoflex shaft for it. Which cost more that the driver head.

For those that don't know golf, he is telling me that he just spent $1,300 for a single golf club. Not including all the fees.

This man was just talking about having to vote for Trump, because the price of hamburger buns are breaking him.

I wanted to throw my water in his face so bad.

I gotta find a new place to work.

600 driver plus 800 shaft plus tax. Yea he can go **** himself all to slice it 6 yards more right.

I have this debate with people I know too. I ask them how much more they make since 2020. They almost all are 30-50% more like myself. I’m like okay well now shut it because you’ve kept up with inflation and we have the lowest inflation in the world. We ain’t getting $4.00 organic free range pasteur raised eggs back sorry. $6.50 at Trader Joe’s is the new normal.

 

[RustyShackleford]

One of the biggest factors that isn't being talked about with Bowman was the fact that the district he ran in significantly changed due to redistricting between the time he first ran and now. As a politician you have to read the room and know what's going on in your district. I'll give Lauren B credit that she read the room in her district and knew she was toast so she was fortunate Ken Buck retired so she could use name Recognition to win in a different district.

Yeah, I feel bad for Bowman in some ways'.

-If New York had a few more people return their census, they don't lose a House seat. So his district is not redrawn
-Seems like either he or AOC would have been screwed from redistricting regardless
-He faced an extremely strong primary challenger. Like really strong. With tons of name recognition
-He had a bunch of gaffes. Pulling the fire alarm, not voting for the Infrastructure bill
-By the looks of it, he ran a bad campaign. He wouldn't adjust hiss messaging. I heard the big get out the vote event to try to help him was held miles outside his district.

I have a lot of issues with AIPAC. Lots of liberals do, even Obama

But I don't think their money by itself is was sank Bowman. He was vulnerable for a primary regardless, and made himself even more so.

Sometimes, the game is just the game.

 

[RustyShackleford]

This right here is the real struggle. Mostly because folks lack critical thinking. They can see that prices are going up, but ignorant to the fact that their ability to pay for these things without going broke seems to be keeping up.

i work with a ton of blue collar folks in manufacturing and most people just seem to forget that Trump isnt a politcal outside anymore. He has a track record that we can look at. We can see where he actually stood on things while he was in office vs what he's saying on the campaign trail. it blows my mind.

It is real hard

Inflation is something people feel very strongly about because it affects everyone directly, but people also know hardly anything about

Like when I explain how Trump's tariffs plan is gonna skyrocket inflation. People kinda don't believe it and try to tell me "oh, companies will just buy American, that's good"

America is stuck in this doom cycle because people feel very strongly about issues they don't fully understand.

And yeah, people are doing a bunch of tacit "Trump isn't gonna be so bad" handwaving too. Like they remember the low prices of 2017-2020. And forgot everything else.

 

[RustyShackleford]

600 driver plus 800 shaft plus tax. Yea he can go **** himself all to slice it 6 yards more right.

I have this debate with people I know too. I ask them how much more they make since 2020. They almost all are 30-50% more like myself. I’m like okay well now shut it because you’ve kept up with inflation and we have the lowest inflation in the world. We ain’t getting $4.00 organic free range pasteur raised eggs back sorry. $6.50 at Trader Joe’s is the new normal.

A dynamic that is killing Biden right now is that people almost always take personal credit for the professional success, and blame the government for any and all economic issues.

I have some sympathy for someone middle and lower income, that is being squeezed by inflation, especially housing cost.

When people are desperate and low information, they make bad decisions

I can wrap my head around that.

But upper middle class people that have profited greatly during the Biden Era engaging in that thinking is seems like bull**** to me. There is another reason they want to vote Trump, and the inflation issue gives them cover to voice their intentions in polite company without the backlash they would have gotten in 2020 or 2016.

 

[lynchpin33]

Wonder if we get a replay of this iconic moment tonight?

 

[Fozz]

Damn, did not know the debate was already tonight lol

 

[balldontlie206]

Facts over feelings people cant be bothered to look at data. Can't be bothered to see the cases where price gouging by chicken and egg companies is real, collusion with oil producers is raising the overall costs at the pump, cant be bothered to see that illegal price fixing in rents is hurting millions of americans. But ya Biden did this... Greed did. These are just the cases we know. Another Trump term will leave the cookie jar totally unmonitored and in the end we all pay up.

 

[aepps20]

Yeah, I feel bad for Bowman in some ways'.

-If New York had a few more people return their census, they don't lose a House seat.
-Seems like either he or AOC would have been screwed from redistricting regardless
-He faced an extremely strong primary challenger. Like really strong. With tons of name recognition
-He had a bunch of gaffes. Pulling the fire alarm, not voting for the Infrastructure bill
-By the looks of it, he ran a bad campaign. He wouldn't adjust hiss messaging. I heard the big get out the vote event to try to help help was held miles outside his district.

I have a lot of issues with AIPAC. Lots of liberals do, even Obama

But I don't think their money by itself is was sank Bowman. He was vulnerable for a primary regardless, and made himself even more so.

Sometimes, the game is just the game.

I agree, one more piece is that he needed to have his own barbershop call ins with the Don. Ninja would've been up there saying he's Dominican

 

[stuntman mike]

the cost of food is high enough so that we very rarely eat at restaurants anymore - it’s now considered a luxury for us. def can’t complain tho because both my kids now go to the most expensive schools on the island and so far, my wife’s salary has outpaced the rising costs. just gotta prioritize what’s important for our family. i can see why people are unhappy but thinking that trump will solve middle class economic challenges is ridiculous.

i’m not gonna be able to watch the debates. i’m too nervous. i’ll check in here periodically to get updates.

 

[biggie62]

the cost of food is high enough so that we very rarely eat at restaurants anymore - it’s now considered a luxury for us. def can’t complain tho because both my kids now go to the most expensive schools on the island and so far, my wife’s salary has outpaced the rising costs. just gotta prioritize what’s important for our family. i can see why people are unhappy but thinking that trump will solve middle class economic challenges is ridiculous.

i’m not gonna be able to watch the debates. i’m too nervous. i’ll check in here periodically to get updates.

He’s going to boost inflation if he does 10% or more blanket tariffs on everything. People are stupid.