***Official Political Discussion Thread***

I thought the later back and forths with Chaffetz and Gowdy were pretty informative in regards to the workings of the FBI, at least in this case.
 
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I wasn't really talking about Congress.

I was more talking about local and state governments.

At the federal level, Progressives and liberals can steal enough seats in blue and purple states that it won't really how conservative the Reps and Senators are, their would be enough votes to get progressive policies passed. We would never have to worry about Blue Dogs, or **** boys like Joe Libermann

But far too many people on the far left like to indulge in this thinking that social democracy is going to be the cure for systemic racism. Sure it would help, but all conservative governors and major will do is take that government aid, try to funnel as much as they can to white neighborhoods, and lash out against the nearest groups of minorities they find. And in the deep South, that will be black people.

I can see it now. Jobs program passed, employers and recruiters don't come to black neighborhoods. Free tuition, all of a sudden funding for black grade schools get cut. Infrastructure bill passed, black neighborhoods get fix the absolute last. Social Democrats will pat themselves on the back, conservatives will cry about big government and try to make sure local business eat off that money first, and black folk will be told how great things will be but still see their communities not improving while the country takes off.

It is a luxury for any progressive anywhere to be able to worry about single payer health insurance, free tuition, and a job program. Some black people, even if we wished Bernie Sander's world into existence tomorrow would still have to worry about if the water coming out their pipes is clean, if they are going to get harassed by the police, or hit with another municipal fine.

And these dudes will hold power if the Democrats keep throwing progressives out there to run in the deep South, especially progressive that endorse a strong social justice platform. And naturally the GOP will till be strongest in that area of the country. So I want moderates to at least be in control of the GOP

At least if moderates (hopefully Democratic moderates) took power away from the far right in those areas, there would be less lashing out at minorities, because it is not something moderastes love to indulge in as much as far right conservatives. However, I not going to delude myself that things will be great.

If you're a white progressive living in Santa Barbara, or Sonoma you can fight for great, because great might be within reach for you. If you're a black liberal in the places in the deep south, you have fight for better.

Moderates are better than conservatives, so in the right situation, if it is all I get, I'll take it.

So I don't want them around to cut some grand bargain, but I know I need them around to stop the a greater threat.
And if Bernie Sanders campaign and his supporters are the best representation of how progressives view Southern blacks, I'm still worried.

Excuse me being facetious for a moment about Bernie's Southern Strategy

But.........

Reporter: Hey Bernie, what do you think about doing poorly in Southern States.

Bernie: Well I think we should disenfranchise the black voters down there even more than they already have been by conservatives. That way people like me will have a better shot. I clearly didn't care about their voter, and people in other parts of the country are smarter anyway

Bernie Supporters: Great idea Bernie, let me repeat that general ideal but with more implicit racist messaging

Stuff like this was highly disappointing. For a movement that can do so much good for so many people, it is upsetting that the extra effort wasn't made to bridge this gap.

Like I can't sell social democracy to other black folk when I constant have to defend stuff like this.
Every time I start reply to this post I give up 
sick.gif


Everything you said about black people in the south being left out of social programs already happens with black people voting for moderate democrats. 

Its also weird that I got the complete opposite message from Bernie about his issue on race as the primary went on.

I have one question though, are your ideas on what a progressive leader will do for black people in the south or across the country based on gentrification or progressive hubs like Portland, Seattle or San Francisco? If thats the case, you do make an interesting point.

I just don't think black people should have to give up on social democracy to focus on civil rights and vice versa. Its a strange argument to me.

I would think they go hand in hand.
 
Bernie Sanders will endorse Hillary Clinton at event next week

Bernie Sanders will endorse Hillary Clinton for president at an event Tuesday that will be in New Hampshire, a source intimately involved in Clinton campaign field operations and strategy confirmed to CBS News on Thursday.

The source confirmed to CBS News' Major Garrett that advance teams are preparing for the dual event.

Clinton's campaign, the source added, is also coordinating planning with the Democratic National Committee to maximize the impact of a Sanders endorsement and to demonstrate party unity ahead of the Republican National Convention the week after next.

Sanders came very close to officially endorsing her in an interview Thursday with Bloomberg's Al Hunt.

"We have got to do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Hillary Clinton," he said in an interview that will air on PBS's "Charlie Rose" program. "I don't honestly know how we would survive four years of a Donald Trump" as president.

While he still hasn't officially dropped out of the presidential race, late last month, Sanders had also said that  he will vote for Clinton in November's general election.

The endorsement will come after a  long primary battle  between Sanders and Clinton during which they each went after each other's policy positions and voting records. Sanders even questioned whether Clinton was qualified to be commander-in-chief at one point, although he quickly walked the statement back.

While Clinton endorsed then-Senator Obama just a few days after the end of the presidential primary cycle in 2008, Sanders has waited much longer since the primaries officially ended in mid-June to make a move.

Sanders is trying to influence changes in the Democratic Party platform this month, though  Clinton has already proposed an expansion in her college affordability plan.

The endorsement will come a few weeks before they head to their convention in Philadelphia at the end of the month.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-...ext-week/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab6a&linkId=26319177
 
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I wasn't really talking about Congress.


I was more talking about local and state governments.


At the federal level, Progressives and liberals can steal enough seats in blue and purple states that it won't really how conservative the Reps and Senators are, their would be enough votes to get progressive policies passed. We would never have to worry about Blue Dogs, or **** boys like Joe Libermann


But far too many people on the far left like to indulge in this thinking that social democracy is going to be the cure for systemic racism. Sure it would help, but all conservative governors and major will do is take that government aid, try to funnel as much as they can to white neighborhoods, and lash out against the nearest groups of minorities they find. And in the deep South, that will be black people.


I can see it now. Jobs program passed, employers and recruiters don't come to black neighborhoods. Free tuition, all of a sudden funding for black grade schools get cut. Infrastructure bill passed, black neighborhoods get fix the absolute last. Social Democrats will pat themselves on the back, conservatives will cry about big government and try to make sure local business eat off that money first, and black folk will be told how great things will be but still see their communities not improving while the country takes off.


It is a luxury for any progressive anywhere to be able to worry about single payer health insurance, free tuition, and a job program. Some black people, even if we wished Bernie Sander's world into existence tomorrow would still have to worry about if the water coming out their pipes is clean, if they are going to get harassed by the police, or hit with another municipal fine.


And these dudes will hold power if the Democrats keep throwing progressives out there to run in the deep South, especially progressive that endorse a strong social justice platform. And naturally the GOP will till be strongest in that area of the country. So I want moderates to at least be in control of the GOP


At least if moderates (hopefully Democratic moderates) took power away from the far right in those areas, there would be less lashing out at minorities, because it is not something moderastes love to indulge in as much as far right conservatives. However, I not going to delude myself that things will be great.


If you're a white progressive living in Santa Barbara, or Sonoma you can fight for great, because great might be within reach for you. If you're a black liberal in the places in the deep south, you have fight for better.


Moderates are better than conservatives, so in the right situation, if it is all I get, I'll take it.


So I don't want them around to cut some grand bargain, but I know I need them around to stop the a greater threat.
[rule]

And if Bernie Sanders campaign and his supporters are the best representation of how progressives view Southern blacks, I'm still worried.


Excuse me being facetious for a moment about Bernie's Southern Strategy


But.........


Reporter: Hey Bernie, what do you think about doing poorly in Southern States.


Bernie: Well I think we should disenfranchise the black voters down there even more than they already have been by conservatives. That way people like me will have a better shot. I clearly didn't care about their voter, and people in other parts of the country are smarter anyway


Bernie Supporters: Great idea Bernie, let me repeat that general ideal but with more implicit racist messaging


Stuff like this was highly disappointing. For a movement that can do so much good for so many people, it is upsetting that the extra effort wasn't made to bridge this gap.


Like I can't sell social democracy to other black folk when I constant have to defend stuff like this.
Every time I start reply to this post I give up :x

Everything you said about black people in the south being left out of social programs already happens with black people voting for moderate democrats. 

Its also weird that I got the complete opposite message from Bernie about his issue on race as the primary went on.

I have one question though, are your ideas on what a progressive leader will do for black people in the south or across the country based on gentrification or progressive hubs like Portland, Seattle or San Francisco? If thats the case, you do make an interesting point.

I just don't think black people should have to give up on social democracy to focus on civil rights and vice versa. Its a strange argument to me.

I would think they go hand in hand.

I will respond in detail later.

But just from reading your post it seems like you saw me criticizing progressives and you took offense without even considering what I am saying. The arguments you claim are weird to you, I'm not even making them.

The entire theme of my post is that I want if a wave of social democracy sweeps the nation that I don't want black people in the deep South stuck under the power of conservatives.

That moderates are preferably to conservatives, not that they preferably to progressives.

And some Bernie's comments and his supporters comments signaled they would be willing to leave the South behind if need be.

Secondly, and I'll give you chance to expand on this point before I go at you hard on it. It is ******* shameful that black people ever had to fight for civil rights in this country, especially in 2016. It is even more shameful to imply, that the fight for civil rights is a black issue. It is a American issue, every American, especially progressives should be fighting tooth and nail for it.

So I turn it on you. When it comes progressives of all colors, why doesn't fighting for Social and Economic Justice for minorities, especially for black people, not go hand in hand with fighting for social democracy?
 
Slightly off-topic but let's take a moment to appreciate the banning of @blco02  
pimp.gif
 

And Meth has already prepared a statement for @ninjahood  who will undoubtedly post "da left trying to silence da conservatives again"
 Originally Posted by Methodical Management  
 
I don't think it's fair to say that I stood by and did nothing.  Those who've frequented general have likely seen me confront his views many times over the years.  Obviously I don't believe it was a coincidence that he suspects that every single unarmed person of color who's ever been killed be a law enforcement official (or wannabe law enforcement official) is a coincidence.  

The issue is that we don't ban people for what they THINK.  We ban people for what they DO.  

We don't ban people for being "conservatives," no matter how much this user would like to believe otherwise.  We don't ban people because they "fit the profile" when it comes to racist/White Supremacism.  We ban people for posts/behavior that directly violate our terms of service.  In attempt to be fair to this user and not ban this person simply for what he thinks, I was patient to a fault - even choosing to overlook direct personal insults and profanity sent to me via private message.  (I even continued to delete posts in which other users revealed his actual name to help protect his privacy - in attempt to "do unto others.") 

It would be easier and more convenient to just ban any "suspected" racists, but the absence of tension should never be mistaken for the presence of justice.  Again, it's our goal to enforce our terms as fairly as we can.  Ultimately, education and understanding - not forcible suppression - are the antidotes to ignorance and bigotry.  It's generally our preference to leverage the diversity of the community to encourage constructive dialog and allow our members to benefit from the perspectives of others.  This, however, requires people to act in good faith.  

As has been mentioned, the user was careful to try and toe the line - to say just enough without posting blatant hate speech on our forums.  Ultimately, he crossed that line repeatedly and that one user's rights do not and should not supersede the rights of others.

Racism is one of the PRIMARY reasons (if not THE primary reason) why we developed our own sneaker community in the first place.  
 
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It's a shame that he couldn't keep his racism in check

It's almost as if he felt more comfortable being more blatant with his bigotry over the past year or so

I wonder what event or public figure could have made him feel that way
 
I will respond in detail later.

But just from reading your post it seems like you saw me criticizing progressives and you took offense without even considering what I am saying. The arguments you claim are weird to you, I'm not even making them.

The entire theme of my post is that I want if a wave of social democracy sweeps the nation that I don't want black people in the deep South stuck under the power of conservatives.

That moderates are preferably to conservatives, not that they preferably to progressives.

And some Bernie's comments and his supporters comments signaled they would be willing to leave the South behind if need be.

Secondly, and I'll give you chance to expand on this point before I go at you hard on it. It is ******* shameful that black people ever had to fight for civil rights in this country, especially in 2016. It is even more shameful to imply, that the fight for civil rights is a black issue. It is a American issue, every American, especially progressives should be fighting tooth and nail for it.

So I turn it on you. When it comes progressives of all colors, why doesn't fighting for Social and Economic Justice for minorities, especially for black people, not go hand in hand with fighting for social democracy?
I consider myself black lol. I also considered what you were saying and I wouldn't try to defend progressives of different colors.

I just don't agree that if a "wave of social democracy sweeps the nation that I don't want black people in the deep South stuck under the power of conservatives." I feel like it lets moderates of other colors, off the hook. 

I also don't think I made the point that civil rights is just a black issue and I agree its an American issue. Actually, I'd say its a global issue.
"So I turn it on you. When it comes progressives of all colors, why doesn't fighting for Social and Economic Justice for minorities, especially for black people, not go hand in hand with fighting for social democracy?"
This is where, I feel, we have our biggest disagreement. You're asking why don't progressives fight on Social and Economic Justice for minorities and I say THEY DO. Maybe not to the extent that most, including myself, would hope. We can discuss this for sure. However, I find that a lot do and there are actually progressives who are people of color fighting also social justice.

What about Cornel West, bell hooks and Angela Davis?  They're civil rights activists and progressives.

Julian Bond was a progressive civil rights leader who actually ran against John Lewis a moderate democrat in Atlanta.
 
It's a shame that he couldn't keep his racism in check

It's almost as if he felt more comfortable being more blatant with his bigotry over the past year or so

I wonder what event or public figure could have made him feel that way
Maybe it's the optimist in me but I think he meant well. After all I used to share many of his views. So I think he is doing what he thinks is best for all. Which is very informative...

One more thing -- I know we'll always have the extremes on here that will polarize the discussion, but I cautiously hope that maybe we can have more nuanced discussions moving forward. (that's also the naive optimist in me.)
 
Link me to the thread he got banned in.

I've been staying out of the recent shooting threads for my own good.

Wow :lol @ bloco sending direct insults to Meth in pm and Meth letting it slide.
 
Link me to the thread he got banned in.

I've been staying out of the recent shooting threads for my own good.

Wow
laugh.gif
@ bloco sending direct insults to Meth in pm and Meth letting it slide.
It's the Alton Sterling thread. I'm not sure what exactly he posted, I haven't read every page either.

Judging by Meth's post today he was denying/dismissing the role of racism in these types of police murders
 
Link me to the thread he got banned in.


I've been staying out of the recent shooting threads for my own good.


Wow :lol @ bloco sending direct insults to Meth in pm and Meth letting it slide.
It's the Alton Sterling thread. I'm not sure what exactly he posted, I haven't read every page either.
Judging by Meth's post today he was denying/dismissing the role of racism in these types of police murders
it's on the 1st page of the Minnesota thread. He posted an alleged mugshot of the man to troll folks. Then acted oblivious about what his true intent was :{
 
I will respond in detail later.


But just from reading your post it seems like you saw me criticizing progressives and you took offense without even considering what I am saying. The arguments you claim are weird to you, I'm not even making them.


The entire theme of my post is that I want if a wave of social democracy sweeps the nation that I don't want black people in the deep South stuck under the power of conservatives.


That moderates are preferably to conservatives, not that they preferably to progressives.


And some Bernie's comments and his supporters comments signaled they would be willing to leave the South behind if need be.


Secondly, and I'll give you chance to expand on this point before I go at you hard on it. It is ******* shameful that black people ever had to fight for civil rights in this country, especially in 2016. It is even more shameful to imply, that the fight for civil rights is a black issue. It is a American issue, every American, especially progressives should be fighting tooth and nail for it.


So I turn it on you. When it comes progressives of all colors, why doesn't fighting for Social and Economic Justice for minorities, especially for black people, not go hand in hand with fighting for social democracy?
I consider myself black lol. I also considered what you were saying and I wouldn't try to defend progressives of different colors.

I just don't agree that if a "wave of social democracy sweeps the nation that I don't want black people in the deep South stuck under the power of conservatives." I feel like it lets moderates of other colors, off the hook. 

I also don't think I made the point that civil rights is just a black issue and I agree its an American issue. Actually, I'd say its a global issue.

"So I turn it on you. When it comes progressives of all colors, why doesn't fighting for Social and Economic Justice for minorities, especially for black people, not go hand in hand with fighting for social democracy?"

This is where, I feel, we have our biggest disagreement. You're asking why don't progressives fight on Social and Economic Justice for minorities and I say THEY DO. Maybe not to the extent that most, including myself, would hope. We can discuss this for sure. However, I find that a lot do and there are actually progressives who are people of color fighting also social justice.

What about Cornel West, bell hooks and Angela Davis?  They're civil rights activists and progressives.

Julian Bond was a progressive civil rights leader who actually ran against John Lewis a moderate democrat in Atlanta.

On letting moderates off the hook

Dude you seriously have to expound on your points because you're not explaining to me why you disagree with my points. So to me it sounds like you're responding to a point I didn't even make.

Like how the hell I'm I letting moderates off the hook. Please go back and read the entire explain me and Rex had. I am saying that progressive can take enough seats at the national level to get a social democracy platform passed. Moderate and Conservative members of Congress can be pulled kicking and screaming into the future. Like it, or not. Which I am all for.

But at the same time, if conservatives are not removed from positions in state and local governments, especially in the deep south, then systemic racism will rage on down there regardless of what progressives do at the national level. In some places, being realistic, a true progressive has zero chance of beating a conservative. Especially at the state and local level. Those places are where moderates are needed, because they would be an improvement over a conservative.

On all levels of government I want progressives to replace liberals, liberal to replace moderates, moderate dems to replace moderate republican and conservatives, and moderate republicans replace hard right conservatives.

I want the entire political spectrum to shift left. If it doesn't, especially in the deep south, it will embolden conservatives to lash out at minorities for political gain. Not every part of the country will reap the benefits of social democracy at the same levels, partly because of racism. And I see moderates in the right sports as a way of fighting against that.

Nothing in that argument lets moderates off the hook for anything. I would still have fundamental disagreements with them on many things. But I believe they would be an improvement over far right conservatives in the South. If you have a problem with that argument, I don't know what else to tell you.
------------

Now coming to the other issue you quote.

Let's not mix words, the far left movement, especially the Bernie Sanders campaign was a mainly white one.

Nothing I said, not a thing, was about making the argument that BLACK people can't support social democracy and civil rights/social Justice. I was talking about how in 2016, we still lack WHITE progressives on the national stage doing this. For you to name black people, some dead, as proof that social democracy and social justice can be champion together means nothing to me, because I know black people have done this on the national stage. I'm asking why doesn't white progressive and like Sanders and Warren do it too.

And I'm not talking about the social justice speeches they give every 6 months, nor having "stuff for black people" on their platform. I'm talking about firmly tying the economic and social fates of black and whites in this country. And saying this every time they step in front a mic. That way, anyone that buys into social democracy, does so with the fundamental understanding that the one of the movements main purposes is to help minorities, especially black folk. Instead of the "oh yeah, we believe in that too" schtick

Bernie Sanders fought for civil rights, then moved to Vermont, did his thing for decades then when he showed up to run for president he acted like he was surprised **** was still ****** up for black people. I like the guy, but I'm not gonna excuse how much he fumbled the ball constantly during his campaign.

I don't know why you have had such a problem with me critiquing the Bernie and progressives on things like this. I doubt you have a problem when I'm ranting about conservatives, moderates and libertarians.

------------

More general statement you will probably hate because I don't hold back on other progressives

I was trying to drive home the point that progressives must not forget places like the deep south if they gain control at the national level. And that if the Sanders campaign is any indication of how progressive would act, then I'm worried.

I am a progressive, no matter if I fail you purity test for one or not.

-Bernie implying that smart people don't live in the South, knowing he lost because of black voters, pissed me off

-Bernie suggesting that Southern State's primaries should have not come so early, (something the DNC doesn't really have control of), imply that black voters shouldn't have so much influence over the process, pissed me off

-Bernie's campaign knowing what the GOP did to the voting rights act, barely says anything about it all year, until he thinks it cost him voters (then it is an failure of democracy), pissed me off

-When Bernie criticizes Obama for not asking people to march on Washington to get his policies passed when the GOP where blocking them, while saying the GOP with him Bernie, and not acknowledging that white nationalist had invaded Washington to protest Obama's mere existence, pisses me off

-His supporters referring to southern black voters as "low information", pissed me off

-His supporters never once considering that their might be a actual reason the Clinton's are like by black voters other than blacks being am uninformed hivemind, pissed me off

-And most importantly, the fact that the progressive immigration can stretch beyond the horizon to conjure up public policy to help "working class Americans", that they can propose economically unsound policy without a afterthought in the name of helping the middle class, can wax poetic about how much better their policies are than moderates, neo-liberals, and even center left liberals, BUT THE SECOND it comes to helping black people the argue there just as good as the other guy, that's it.

That where the progressive imagination falls short, where Bernie's roars turned into whispers, and Hillary Clinton is somehow the the only politician in the room that can keep it somewhat real about systemic. Hillary ******* Clinton finesses you with ease, because you depend on surrogates like Killer Mike and Cornell West to say things you're seem unwilling or unable to say yourself. Then you imply and many of you supporters say that you not winning the black vote is black people's fault.

That pisses me off.

I hold progressives to a higher standard, right or wrong, I do. Partly because me as progressives and other progressives say that our way of doing things would be better.

So if I'm going to donate my time, money, and effort trying to convince people, especially black people (most of which aren't even Clinton, they straight up just don't vote because they feel they can't trust anyone, especially now Obama bouncing) that social democracy is the way to go. Then I think I have every right to get pissed off about the shortcomings of the movement. At shortcoming I see now, and potential ones in the future.

Not disappointed, not upset, pissed off.

Maybe you should stop letting progressives and social democrats off the hook so much, just because you agree with them
 
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Slightly off-topic but let's take a moment to appreciate the banning of @blco02
 :hat  



And Meth has already prepared a statement for @ninjahood
 who will undoubtedly post "da left trying to silence da conservatives again"
 

 

I don't think it's fair to say that I stood by and did nothing.  Those who've frequented general have likely seen me confront his views many times over the years.  Obviously I don't believe it was a coincidence that he suspects that every single unarmed person of color who's ever been killed be a law enforcement official (or wannabe law enforcement official) is a coincidence.  

The issue is that we don't ban people for what they THINK.  We ban people for what they DO.  

We don't ban people for being "conservatives," no matter how much this user would like to believe otherwise.  We don't ban people because they "fit the profile" when it comes to racist/White Supremacism.  We ban people for posts/behavior that directly violate our terms of service.  In attempt to be fair to this user and not ban this person simply for what he thinks, I was patient to a fault - even choosing to overlook direct personal insults and profanity sent to me via private message.  (I even continued to delete posts in which other users revealed his actual name to help protect his privacy - in attempt to "do unto others.") 

It would be easier and more convenient to just ban any "suspected" racists, but the absence of tension should never be mistaken for the presence of justice.  Again, it's our goal to enforce our terms as fairly as we can.  Ultimately, education and understanding - not forcible suppression - are the antidotes to ignorance and bigotry.  It's generally our preference to leverage the diversity of the community to encourage constructive dialog and allow our members to benefit from the perspectives of others.  This, however, requires people to act in good faith.  


As has been mentioned, the user was careful to try and toe the line - to say just enough without posting blatant hate speech on our forums.  Ultimately, he crossed that line repeatedly and that one user's rights do not and should not supersede the rights of others.

Racism is one of the PRIMARY reasons (if not THE primary reason) why we developed our own sneaker community in the first place.  

75432_2333540_o.gif
 
My boy Bernie.
pimp.gif


I was just reading about the compromises he and Hillary made. I'm glad they could come to some sort of agreement on some important issues and Bernie could get push forward some of his ideas with Hillary.

I'm still not a fan of Hillary, but I can respect someone willing to listen to the people around her and make some concessions for the greater good of everyone who supports both these candidates.

I did think that Bernie could become an issue, but he was just holding out until he got some real concessions, and I respect that. Looking forward to the next few weeks to see how things unfold on the dem side of things.

EDIT: 
mean.gif
 @ Me missing the  last 10 or so pages.
 
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Bernie's people said they got around 80% of what they wanted into the Dem platform. Her and Bernie even released a compromised health care plan together.

They lost on fracking (makes sense, fracking is too important right now), the TPP (probably not to take a hardline against Obama), and Palestine (while not major, still sucks. But AIPAC got their hooks too deep into to many folk)
 
Bernie's people said they got around 80% of what they wanted into the Dem platform. Her and Bernie even released a compromised health care plan together.

They lost on fracking (makes sense, fracking is too important right now), the TPP (probably not to take a hardline against Obama), and Palestine (while not major, still sucks. But AIPAC got their hooks too deep into to many folk)
Good to see some sensible compromise.

With Trill getting more of that Bernie vote how does she lose?
 
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