US Election 2024

The decline of the West is obviously a complicating issue that further pushes people to populist soundbites.

Nevertheless it appears to be one of the leaps voters made.

Walz position seems to be that trans kids should get healthcare in line with international medical standards rather than be denied it as various legislators are attempting do. That’s it. He doesn’t want to trans anyone, he wants doctors and health professionals to be free to provide care, and trans people to be able to access it. Oh, and he doesn’t want conversion therapy. Given that the vast majority of healthcare provided to trans kids is entirely reversible (noting also that regret rates reported for trans healthcare are far lower than for most things) this sounds reasonable enough, and absolutely not something any reasonable person would characterise as a ‘pro transing’ any more than you could characterise providing therapy and other support to gay kids could be characterised as ‘pro-gaying’. He’s not trying to make people trans. He’s trying to make people who are trans be able to get care. The lunatic.

The trans kids thing is a moral panic being whipped into something it’s not by reactionaries. Is it something to keep an eye on given the explosion of interest.. yes, absolutely. And the medical and psychiatric professions are doing that. Is there any evidence whatsoever of some growing trend of harm being done.. no, no there isn’t. There is just the usual sad parade of people lining up to demonise something they don’t understand.

The ‘Maintenance Phase’ podcast episode about the Cass review in the UK is a good (but certainly not politically neutral) look at the blinding lack of substance behind the panic.

The issue we have (in the UK and the USA) is that all sorts of ridiculous claims can be made and get amplified both by social media, podcast heroes and by mainstream media who feel they have to both-sides the claims. Whether it’s forced sex-change, pet eating, post-term abortion (WTF even is that?), farmers suicide: once the claim is made, it has oxygen to breathe and prosper.

A number of people have not seen their lives improve since 2008 so will cling to any populist idea (Brexit, Build the Wall, anti-Woke, Stop the Boats) that exonerates them, blames someone else and promises better things. Those better things are, of course, never delivered.

There are plenty of charlatans who will capitalise on that to gain power and plenty of additional people who will back those charlatans in order to line their pockets. If you were in any doubt about who benefited from this US election, look no further

Working class culture in my (probably too distant) experience tends to be much more about the here and now and rooted in place and people. It's why remembrance tends to be much more visceral and the poppy matters, as it relates to much loved and well remembered family and family connections, rather than "all people who died in wars anywhere". It tends to focus on the real seen struggles of community members, rather than things happening overseas which tend to only add to the remembrance lists. It tends to be rooted in place rather than the hypermobility of globalisation. It sees a house as a home and security rather than an investment. It wants to work and sees scrounging as a terrible sin. It's problems tend to be material in priority, rather than emotional, and its expressions of help tend to be practical rather than symbolic. There is a lot to be proud of in working class culture but it has tended to be belittled in the age of globalisation where family and place are often ridiculed. That's the space where I think division has opened up, where traditional working class politics (ie Labour) have disappeared and where shouts of racist and thick make it a very difficult division to heal. It's also possible to sentimentalise working class culture, but where it is failing now is often down to neglect over decades that is turning into exploitable despair and anger. And whereas every other group seems to have a protective barrier held round them (completely correctly) they are demonised without reproach, until some passing opportunist spots their chance.

This election more than ever became a one issue election. Some people over trans issues (hopelessly overblown but I know several of former liberals vote Trump because their children felt like they didn’t belong). This is part of growing up and rather than engaging with their kids and being parents they blame the schools and the politicians. Racism. There is a lot of it. Sexism. Yep. The one obvious massive hole in a lot of the above voters is that they said, “I don’t know what she stands for”, or “I don’t know who she is”. All lies. It takes two minutes. She was talking about the opportunity for more jobs. The economy was strong and unemployment at a very low rate. Possibility historically low yet people voted against her because the economy…. Nah. I am not buying that. Anyone with intelligence would have looked up how inflation started. The Covid giveaways and the China Covid lockdowns and supply chain issues and then the Ukraine war. Which trump had told Putin that if he got a second term he was going to pull the US out of NATO. Putin was ready to go. All these things were during the end of the Trump term. He also tanked the economy (yet people believe he would be better for them than someone who was actively saying that she was looking to go after companies who were price gouging. Trump offered nothing other than “It will be the greatest economy ever.”,,, yeah okay.

Now with him in charge soon. Ukraine and Taiwan are in mortal danger. Tariffs will fuck the world economy. Inflation will go up again. He wants to bring the fed back into the government umbrella so he can manipulate that too. (Worked well in Argentina).

On top of that . Elon musk wants to take 3 trillion off the federal spending budget. This includes gutting of federal agencies and social security. On top of that all regulations off financial
Companies. This will essentially allow these companies to steal your money. It’s like 90’s Russia all over again. This is terrifying and it has major consequences for the country and possibly the world economy. Not to mention the attack on the free press (which was bending the knee anyway. Fuck you Jeff Bezos),

This could be a catastrophe. On top of this the man is a moron and forget about rule of law. These are very very dark times.

Most of the people supporting Trump didn’t even think about this.. the women (and tremendous amounts voted for him ) even excused the possibility of the right to choose being taken away. Why? Well religion plays a part in it but also racism and generally an odd amount of hating other women which I find very tribal and troubling..

Most of this is because of social media. The majority of people in the south still believe fema wasn’t interested in helping them and was more concerned with the migrants and the illegals.

Latino males voted for him because of his machismo even though he was a whiny bitch who wore orange makeup. All because of a mass coordinated effort on the social platforms. It’s amazing how many people believe the utter shit that is thrown in there. And people repeat it like it fact. It would take minutes to actually research this.

Trump won by 10 million votes with 3 million less than 2020. 16 million fewer people voted than four years ago. Why? How come the apathy? Surely people knew the stakes? It’s amazing to me how simple people are. And most of the time is is down to a single issue. I can imagine that young people didn’t vote because of the Israeli/gaza Middle East conflict. Which again was not America’s war. One issue. Not the big picture. Do we not have the capacity to look?

Apparently not.

I am despondent.

Chicago: Really tired.

Should be noted that MGW has never been picked for an England squad under a Republican president.

Talkback: no joke left alone until it has been absolutely thrashed to and beyond death.

Returning to the topic, I've taken the meaningless but personally satisfying decision to not spend any more discretionary income in such a morally bankrupt country. I can't avoid it for work but I have canceled all remaining trips to NY for Jets games, will sell my tickets for whatever I can get, and will not be renewing next season. This is particularly relevant to me as the owner of the Jets, Woody Johnson, is a huge promoter and friend of Trump, and served as his ambassador to the UK during his previous administration.

Instead I will spend the $700+ it costs me every time I go to Jersey for a football weekend on Canadian bars, music and sport.

I was hoping that Aaron Rogers would get you to turn your nose up at that team but I applaud the decision. I canceled The Washington Post when Bezos bent the knee and haven't even looked at Amazon since. I will try to follow that mantra. Fuck, I might even go and spend my money in Canada instead. This truly has been a dark time and even though Guru pointed out that I am a white man, I am aware that Chicago/Illinois is a very Blue state and city and already there are rumours of federal money being pulled for being a sanctuary city. If Britain wasn't such a shit show I would consider returning but that would involve Wifey not coming and that wouldn't be optimal even though she seems intent on bankrupting me right now.

Ah, at least I still have Forest until Trump throws a hissy fit and pulls NBC's license.

Chicago: Trying to be principled.

I met Woody Johnson in that capacity. He was delightful of course and it was for an important initiative (lupus patient advocacy) but I really had to bite my tongue.
I dont understand your logic. He always was and is a Trump supporter. Did you only get a season ticket whilst Trump was not in office?

Winky thing posting shit on the socials.

Turns out that rancid White supremacist and antisemitic leader Nick Fuentes lives in Berwyn IL, (about five miles from my house). He Tweeted after the election to the women. Your Body, My Choice, Forever. Well lots of women found out where he lived and he pepper sprayed one woman who knocked on his door.

He is currently hiding in his Mother's house (big man!) also in Berwyn. There seems to be lots of people ready to stand outside with pitchforks.

I personally think he is getting off too easily being shit scared. What a giant pussy.

I would absolutely love it if a gang of men raided the house, dragged him out and stuck a broom handle up his arse and then put a post it note on his head, "Your body, our choice, Forever...".

I could also post this under What is amusing me today...

Chicago: Preparing a pitchfork.

Or even in the "What's going to get me arrested one day" thread.

I didn’t say I was going to do it, just that I wanted someone to do it. Big difference Reaper.

Chicago: Legal Eagle

FTFY

We are going to need more guns!!!!

Chicago: Doomsday prepping.