The Next President is...

[brabus]

14 hours ago, nsplayr said:

I imagine many of y’all will vote for Trump regardless,

I think most of us have zero desire to vote for him again. At least he got the silent treatment from the crowd when he mocked Desantis like a child at his last rally. Hopefully that’s an indicator of what’s to come. The RNC is absolutely fucking retarded if they nominate him again, as he’s probably the one guy who can actually lose to Biden. 

[Prozac]

1 hour ago, FourFans said:

I am neither conservative nor liberal, democrat nor republican.  I never voted for Trump.  I never voted for Biden.  I currently have been voting more conservative simply because I have been agreeing topic to topic in that direction.  It's not always been that way.  For example: Democrats used to be anti-censorship and anti-authoritarian and I agreed with them often.  Now they aren't, so now I don't.

I'm an American who prefers adults making difficult decisions using humility, reason, logic, candor, and a certain level of social awareness.  Our current president has none of those attributes.  He is a hollow shell and you clearly understate all your critiques of him.  It shows in how you carefully craft those critiques.  Have the balls to admit the truth:  Biden, Trump, and a vast majority of our current government have no business leading anything...ever.  Yet you support them.  If you let these people run your house or manage your daily decisions, you'd be homeless, divorced, and broke....and like addicted.

I implore you to stop being a coward and call a spade a spade.  Our government under Biden's administration has amplified political divisions rather then unifying as they claimed they would, has undercut our self-defense capacities, and is in the process of putting our economy nearly a decade away from fiscal recovery by way of spending beyond their means.  There is no way you'd run your personal life the way this administration is, yet you actively support how they run our nations affairs.  Such dissonance is not sustainable psychologically or socially.  That's not understatement.  That's factual information from each of those areas of focus.  Ignore it if you want, but if you choose to refute it, please bring facts that prove your point, not emotions.

You'll note I reference no social agendas, politics, or hot topic issues.  It's the basics that are completely messed up.  Live within your means.  Make rational decisions.  Protect the family unit.  Don't pass on debt to your children.  Unify, don't divide.   Basics.

If you insist on supporting agendas simply because they are "mainstream democrat" I beg you to reconsider.  Acting in that way makes you what Marx called a "Useful Idiot", and you are hurting our country.

You’re describing an ideal world that doesn’t, and will never exist. Politics has always been somewhat dirty/disingenuous/cynical/whatever you want to call it. Politicians will always be politicians and there will always be some element of holding your nose when you vote. This is still miles better than the alternative. I will also happily vote for Joe Biden if Trump is the Republicans’ nominee and he’ll likely be my choice even over DeSantis, Hailey, or many of the other Republican front runners (although I am open to what they have to say), simply because of the fact that I tend to align with more D policies than R. Not all policies…there’s certainly plenty of room for improvement on both sides. But more. That’s how it goes in a democracy. There are millions of voters with disparate interests and agendas. Recognize that you’re never going to be totally pleased by any one candidate and that your own interests, no matter how righteous you think you are, are only a tiny fraction of the country’s as a whole. No one is being a coward here. We are simply accepting reality and acting in the manner that suits our needs and desires in the best way possible. 

[FourFans]

1 hour ago, Prozac said:

You’re describing an ideal world that doesn’t, and will never exist. Politics has always been somewhat dirty/disingenuous/cynical/whatever you want to call it. Politicians will always be politicians and there will always be some element of holding your nose when you vote. This is still miles better than the alternative. I will also happily vote for Joe Biden if Trump is the Republicans’ nominee and he’ll likely be my choice even over DeSantis, Hailey, or many of the other Republican front runners (although I am open to what they have to say), simply because of the fact that I tend to align with more D policies than R. Not all policies…there’s certainly plenty of room for improvement on both sides. But more. That’s how it goes in a democracy. There are millions of voters with disparate interests and agendas. Recognize that you’re never going to be totally pleased by any one candidate and that your own interests, no matter how righteous you think you are, are only a tiny fraction of the country’s as a whole. No one is being a coward here. We are simply accepting reality and acting in the manner that suits our needs and desires in the best way possible. 

So you are saying Biden is honestly the best option for leading our country right now?  Regardless of the track record to date?  You're willing to vote for him again instead of someone like desantis who has a proven record of success in implementing policies that are both wanted by the people he leads and actually result in good outcomes?  

It sounds like you are advocating for siding with politics instead of reason because we can't change the world, so might as well accept shitty performance out of our leaders and move on.  Do you accept that same stance with your financial advisor, mechanic, plumber, or home repair specialist?

If not, please address, specifically, the items you are very happy with from Biden.  You may agree with his policies, but please show me the exact outcomes in, lets say: economics, that you are pleased with.  Do you believe Biden has unified or divided the country through his efforts?  Is our international footing better or worse because of the policies of the last two years?  Get specific please.

You wouldn't ignore strange noises under the hood after a visit to the mechanic, and you'd want to know exactly what's wrong.  I'm asking the same questions.  Don't tell me to ignore what's broken just because "Politics has always been somewhat dirty/disingenuous/cynical".

Without fail, every time I ask these kinds of questions I get one of three responses: "Somehow Trump's fault."   "You won't understand because I already know what you believe" or "I don't want to talk about his."  Never have a I heard a rational, unemotional explanation of why people are pleased with Biden.  Not Once.  The truest response I ever got was "Doesn't it make you feel good that we're voicing support for the oppressed?"  Those aren't answers. That's dodging the question because those people are afraid to answer questions with real facts and are running away.  So yes, I will call that what it is.  Cowardice.

 

[brabus]

@FourFans Good points but you’re going nowhere. Prozac is an idiot who votes a blind D ticket just like every idiot who votes a blind R ticket. To further demo the balance of this problem, his statement above makes him as delusional/uninformed/blind as the people who happily push for trump in the primaries. They’re no different from each other, just one is on the D side and the other is on the R side.  These people will always exist in our society, unfortunately. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink…

Edited March 29 by brabus

[FourFans]

16 minutes ago, brabus said:

@FourFans Good points but you’re going nowhere. Prozac is an idiot who votes a blind D ticket just like every idiot who votes a blind R ticket. To further demo the balance of this problem, his statement above makes him as delusional/uninformed/blind as the people who happily push for trump in the primaries. They’re no different from each other, just one is on the D side and the other is on the R side.  These people will always exist in our society, unfortunately. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink…

Perhaps, but I've never met these guys, so I'm not willing to believe that.  Rhetoric spouted online is almost invariably an escalated and idealized versions of true beliefs.  Everyone does that.  I know I do.  Cutting through to ground truth of a differing view is worth it to me, so I'll keeping asking questions until I'm actually answered.

To be clear: guys like @nsplayrand @Prozac are invaluable resources worth listening to.  They continue to post on what is largely a conservative forum despite often getting attacked or derided for their beliefs, yet they continue.  That means they are true believers and I, for one, seek to understand what facts drive their beliefs.  History teaches that the left mis-understands or completely fails to care about the beliefs of the right.  If conservatives and moderates don't try to understand the left, there is no hope of any kind of compromise, and society splits...which we're seeing right now.

Edited March 29 by FourFans

[kaputt]

All the back and forth aside, it’s going to be a very sad time for our country if the 2024 election is Trump vs Biden again. I honestly have no idea what I’m going to do if those are the choices. I voted for Trump twice, and don’t regret either one, but I won’t do it a third time because he is not the person to lead the country out of the mess it’s in. 
 

I plan to vote in a primary for the first time in my life next year, even though my state’s primary is pretty unimportant, I feel like I need to do something to try and prevent Trump from being the nominee.

[Prozac]

44 minutes ago, FourFans said:

So you are saying Biden is honestly the best option for leading our country right now?  Regardless of the track record to date?  You're willing to vote for him again instead of someone like desantis who has a proven record of success in implementing policies that are both wanted by the people he leads and actually result in good outcomes?  

It sounds like you are advocating for siding with politics instead of reason because we can't change the world, so might as well accept shitty performance out of our leaders and move on.  Do you accept that same stance with your financial advisor, mechanic, plumber, or home repair specialist?

If not, please address, specifically, the items you are very happy with from Biden.  You may agree with his policies, but please show me the exact outcomes in, lets say: economics, that you are pleased with.  Do you believe Biden has unified or divided the country through his efforts?  Is our international footing better or worse because of the policies of the last two years?  Get specific please.

You wouldn't ignore strange noises under the hood after a visit to the mechanic, and you'd want to know exactly what's wrong.  I'm asking the same questions.  Don't tell me to ignore what's broken just because "Politics has always been somewhat dirty/disingenuous/cynical".

Without fail, every time I ask these kinds of questions I get one of three responses: "Somehow Trump's fault."   "You won't understand because I already know what you believe" or "I don't want to talk about his."  Never have a I heard a rational, unemotional explanation of why people are pleased with Biden.  Not Once.  The truest response I ever got was "Doesn't it make you feel good that we're voicing support for the oppressed?"  Those aren't answers. That's dodging the question because those people are afraid to answer questions with real facts and are running away.  So yes, I will call that what it is.  Cowardice.

 

Dude, we can go back and fourth about what Joe Biden or Donald Trump or anyone else has or has not done for this country. That’s not the point. The point is to recognize that (shockingly) not everyone thinks like you. While Ron DeSantis may very well be doing right by the people of Florida, that’s not necessarily what the people of New York, or Detroit, or Asheville, or Boise want or need. Somebody is going to need to make some compromises. No…scratch that….everybody is going to need to make some compromises. You can recognize that fact and act accordingly and vote for whomever you feel works best for you, or you can continue to play victim, focus on all the wrongs the other side has committed, and blame all your woes on the other “side” (whoever they are). Which philosophy do you think is better for the nation (not to mention one’s own mental health)? 

[Prozac]

47 minutes ago, brabus said:

@FourFans Good points but you’re going nowhere. Prozac is an idiot who votes a blind D ticket just like every idiot who votes a blind R ticket. To further demo the balance of this problem, his statement above makes him as delusional/uninformed/blind as the people who happily push for trump in the primaries. They’re no different from each other, just one is on the D side and the other is on the R side.  These people will always exist in our society, unfortunately. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink…

Nice. 

[Prozac]

45 minutes ago, FourFans said:

Perhaps, but I've never met these guys, so I'm not willing to believe that.  Rhetoric spouted online is almost invariably an escalated and idealized versions of true beliefs.  Everyone does that.  I know I do.  Cutting through to ground truth of a differing view is worth it to me, so I'll keeping asking questions until I'm actually answered.

To be clear: guys like @nsplayrand @Prozac are invaluable resources worth listening to.  They continue to post on what is largely a conservative forum despite often getting attacked or derided for their beliefs, yet they continue.  That means they are true believers and I, for one, seek to understand what facts drive their beliefs.  History teaches that the left mis-understands or completely fails to care about the beliefs of the right.  If conservatives and moderates don't try to understand the left, there is no hope of any kind of compromise, and society splits...which we're seeing right now.

One of the more thoughtful and insightful posts I’ve seen in a while. Some truth here…

[slc]

42 minutes ago, Prozac said:

what Joe Biden or Donald Trump or anyone else has or has not done for this country. That’s not the point.

Actually, that is the point....or do I just turn a blind eye to it all

[FourFans]

2 hours ago, Prozac said:

Dude, we can go back and fourth about what Joe Biden or Donald Trump or anyone else has or has not done for this country. That’s not the point. The point is to recognize that (shockingly) not everyone thinks like you. While Ron DeSantis may very well be doing right by the people of Florida, that’s not necessarily what the people of New York, or Detroit, or Asheville, or Boise want or need. Somebody is going to need to make some compromises. No…scratch that….everybody is going to need to make some compromises. You can recognize that fact and act accordingly and vote for whomever you feel works best for you, or you can continue to play victim, focus on all the wrongs the other side has committed, and blame all your woes on the other “side” (whoever they are). Which philosophy do you think is better for the nation (not to mention one’s own mental health)? 

So you're going with option 3 dodge: "I don't want to talk about it" in reference to direct, reasonable questions I asked you.  What Joe Biden and Trump have done, and are doing, to this country is EXACTLY the point.  Especially when you advocate for or against voting for either of them.  It's called reasoned public debate, ironically what the "forum" is designed for.  I'm simply asking for you to elaborate your point of view with specifics.  If you can't or won't, why should anyone listen to a single word you say?  I'm asking for insight into why you believe what you believe, yet you obfuscate.

You know very little of my own views, as you've asked no questions.  Are you going to answer my questions, or just continue shifting the subject?

For reference:

3 hours ago, FourFans said:

So you are saying Biden is honestly the best option for leading our country right now? 

You're willing to vote for him again instead of someone like desantis who has a proven record of success in implementing policies that are both wanted by the people he leads and actually result in good outcomes?  

Do you accept that same stance with your financial advisor, mechanic, plumber, or home repair specialist?

Do you believe Biden has unified or divided the country through his efforts? 

Is our international footing better or worse because of the policies of the last two years?  Get specific please.

Without fail, every time I ask these kinds of questions I get one of three responses: "Somehow Trump's fault."   "You won't understand because I already know what you believe" or "I don't want to talk about his."  Those aren't answers.

 

Edited March 29 by FourFans

[CaptainMorgan]

I say Biden/DeSantis ticket for 2024. Dems get what they want as long as Biden stays alive. Republicans get what they want when he dies, and until then they get the Senate back by having DeSantis as the tie breaker (assuming no shift from the current seats).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FourFans]

1 minute ago, CaptainMorgan said:

I say Biden/DeSantis ticket for 2024. Dems get what they want as long as Biden stays alive. Republicans get what they want when he dies, and until then they get the Senate back by having DeSantis as the tie breaker (assuming no shift from the current seats).

[Prozac]

4 hours ago, FourFans said:

So you're going with option 3 dodge: "I don't want to talk about it" in reference to direct, reasonable questions I asked you.  What Joe Biden and Trump have done, and are doing, to this country is EXACTLY the point.  Especially when you advocate for or against voting for either of them.  It's called reasoned public debate, ironically what the "forum" is designed for.  I'm simply asking for you to elaborate your point of view with specifics.  If you can't or won't, why should anyone listen to a single word you say?  I'm asking for insight into why you believe what you believe, yet you obfuscate.

You know very little of my own views, as you've asked no questions.  Are you going to answer my questions, or just continue shifting the subject?

For reference:

 

You’ve got a tendency to try and take things into the weeds when someone is trying to give you the 35K ft view. I’ll try and articulate my point one more time: There is never going to come a time in this country when half of the population suddenly realizes the error of their ways, has a mass epiphany, and starts voting the way you think they should, no matter how hard you try to convince them. Your voting choices are just as much of a head scratcher to them as theirs are to you. Whatever side you are on (neither your personal views, nor mine are pertinent to the point I’m trying to make), you can choose one of two paths: 

A. You can lament the path the country is on, blame others for it, and scream bloody murder every time you perceive that a poor choice has been made. This is easy and may lead to a short term release of pleasurable endorphins (we all love to “own” our opponents). But in the end, it accomplishes very little. In fact, it just further divides us and leads to further dysfunction. 
 

B. You can take some responsibility for our shared experience and understand that while you are unlikely to change many “others’” minds, there is plenty you can do at local and grassroots levels that, taken in aggregate, can lead to positive change. Things like going to school board meetings, engaging with your city council, participating in local and primary elections, writing letters to your representatives, etc, still have a major role to play in our democracy. They take time and effort, are unlikely to lead to rapid change, and almost certainly won’t get you everything you want. In other words, option B is the hard road. But it’s the only productive way forward for us. 
 

Or, you can keep beating your head against a wall trying to convince everyone you disagree with that you’re right. Up to you. I get it man. You’re fired up, confident in your convictions, and want to take on the world. We had a great label for the piss and vinegar crowd at a previous unit: “All thrust, no vector”. I appreciate and admire your vigor….just make sure you point it in a productive direction (STS). 

[O Face]

2 hours ago, Prozac said:

 

Things like going to school board meetings, engaging with your city council, participating in local and primary elections, writing lette

Don’t fall for it @FourFans!!  Of course the liberal is going to suggest you go and speak up at a school board meeting. How else is the Gestapo, oops I mean FBI, going to know who you are??

Here’s an article, not from Fox News, so it’s ok for our lib friends to read it…

House Judiciary Committee Republicans claimed in a letter on Wednesday that the FBI conducted investigations into Americans based on allegations that they threatened local school boards, citing whistleblowers from the agency.

The FBI’s counterterrorism bureau reportedly created an internal “threat tag” in fall 2021 to track alleged threats against school boards following an October 4 directive from Attorney General Merrick Garland. Garland released his directive after the National School Boards Association called on the Biden administrationon September 29 to investigate parents who allegedly threatened boards over policies on school masks and critical race theory, and to determine whether the parents had violated

 

Edited March 30 by O Face

[FourFans]

4 hours ago, Prozac said:

You’ve got a tendency to try and take things into the weeds when someone is trying to give you the 35K ft view. I’ll try and articulate my point one more time: There is never going to come a time in this country when half of the population suddenly realizes the error of their ways, has a mass epiphany, and starts voting the way you think they should, no matter how hard you try to convince them. Your voting choices are just as much of a head scratcher to them as theirs are to you. Whatever side you are on (neither your personal views, nor mine are pertinent to the point I’m trying to make), you can choose one of two paths: 

A. You can lament the path the country is on, blame others for it, and scream bloody murder every time you perceive that a poor choice has been made. This is easy and may lead to a short term release of pleasurable endorphins (we all love to “own” our opponents). But in the end, it accomplishes very little. In fact, it just further divides us and leads to further dysfunction. 
 

B. You can take some responsibility for our shared experience and understand that while you are unlikely to change many “others’” minds, there is plenty you can do at local and grassroots levels that, taken in aggregate, can lead to positive change. Things like going to school board meetings, engaging with your city council, participating in local and primary elections, writing letters to your representatives, etc, still have a major role to play in our democracy. They take time and effort, are unlikely to lead to rapid change, and almost certainly won’t get you everything you want. In other words, option B is the hard road. But it’s the only productive way forward for us. 
 

Or, you can keep beating your head against a wall trying to convince everyone you disagree with that you’re right. Up to you. I get it man. You’re fired up, confident in your convictions, and want to take on the world. We had a great label for the piss and vinegar crowd at a previous unit: “All thrust, no vector”. I appreciate and admire your vigor….just make sure you point it in a productive direction (STS). 

Son, reading comprehension has failed.  I asked clear questions which you refuse to answer.  I made no implication on who to vote for, yet you say I did.  I have made no attempt to sway your opinion, I've simply posed questions asking you to elaborate your beliefs. 

Instead you displayed ignorant arrogance.  You have no clue who I am, nor what I believe, yet you pumped all your missiles into the "all thrust, no vector" fire ball.  You're a no-step U for loss of SA before even getting out of the brief.  I was really hoping for better.  Disappointing.  We're done here.

Edited March 30 by FourFans

[FLEA]

https://www.foxnews.com/official-polls/fox-news-poll-trumps-lead-grows-in-gop-primary-race-now-over-50-support

 

I think the thing I find most ironic and strange about this whole poll is that the one demographic not swooning over Trump is the demographic that liberals hate the most..... well off white men..... lmao....

[Boomer6]

Finding common ground is hard to do. Especially when, in this situation, ppl like Prozac and NSA refuse to acknowledge the drastic shortcomings of politicians they support/voted to elect. Is it pride that refuses to acknowledge the less than stellar performance pointed out by your brothers in arms on the other side of the aisle? As if, by admitting that your pick isn’t JFK reincarnate, your worldview is somehow threatened.

Admitting these politicians have made any serious mistakes is showing weakness, which is not allowed. It’s not surprising, because this is the same mindset that every POS commander I’ve dealt with in the AF has. Deny, deny, deny, counter accuse.

”Everyone is going to have to compromise” but also I refuse to even entertain the notion that the current president has made any significant errors. You’re disingenuous. Along with everyone on the right that thinks trump is our lord and savior. The ppl that refuse to converse/debate in good faith are directly responsible for the breakdown in cooperation in both society and government. The more you double down the more the forever trumpers are going to double down, and the more the moderate right is going to move further right, and the moderate left is going to move further left. I hope you’re ready when the pendulum swings back the other direction.

Edited March 30 by Boomer6

[Prozac]

4 hours ago, Boomer6 said:

Everyone is going to have to compromise” but also I refuse to even entertain the notion that the current president has made any significant errors. You’re disingenuous.

Not sure where you’re getting that from. I freely admit Joe Biden is far from perfect. But he’s the result of the democratic process. I wish we had a Klobuchar or a Gabbard instead, but we don’t. I didn’t vote for Joe in the primary but that’s who we got anyway. At the end of the day, he still represents my values better than Trump did and probably better than DeSantis. (Remember; I’m a guy who thinks government has a bigger role to play than conservatives do. Why would I vote for someone who opposes my values?) At the end of the day, Biden’s likely where my vote is going even if he isn’t perfect. Does that mean I think DeSantis can’t govern? Of course not. If he’s elected, he will be my president and he’ll probably even do some things I agree with. I just don’t understand why some here don’t understand why someone who leans D would be reluctant to vote R. I’ve had the exact same conversation with liberal friends over the last few years who couldn’t understand why anyone could vote for Trump. Lifelong Republicans sure as shit weren’t going to vote for Hillary and they were smart enough not to give her the election by throwing their votes away to a third party. This concept shouldn’t be that hard to grasp. 

[nsplayr]

On 3/29/2023 at 7:51 AM, FourFans said:

I never voted for Trump.  I never voted for Biden.

In that case you have to understand that your are a bit odd politically. That's fine, but just as a frame of reference, nearly every voter has voted for either Trump or Biden, and have good reasons to do so one way or the other.

Saying you don't support either is not bad, but it's not necessarily good either; it's not some high-minded place where you can sit and people who voted for one or the other of those two flawed Presidents.

On 3/29/2023 at 7:51 AM, FourFans said:

I'm an American who prefers adults making difficult decisions using humility, reason, logic, candor, and a certain level of social awareness.  Our current president has none of those attributes.  He is a hollow shell and you clearly understate all your critiques of him.  It shows in how you carefully craft those critiques.  Have the balls to admit the truth:  Biden, Trump, and a vast majority of our current government have no business leading anything...ever.  Yet you support them.  If you let these people run your house or manage your daily decisions, you'd be homeless, divorced, and broke....and like addicted.

 Sorry but I don't agree with that assessment, especially when you roped in the entire Cabinet and Congress. As with any group of people there are strong swimmers and morons, and everyone has flaws, but again, it's not some kind of high-minded stance to just say, "They all suck, throw the bums out!"

Ok cool story...back here in the real world I'm trying to do the best we can and see the policies I want enacted and the values I share reflected, and people who have different policy priorities and values from me are also doing the same. We can't just give up and say they all suck and live in a bunker.

On 3/29/2023 at 7:51 AM, FourFans said:

I implore you to stop being a coward and call a spade a spade.

If you insist on supporting agendas simply because they are "mainstream democrat" I beg you to reconsider.  Acting in that way makes you what Marx called a "Useful Idiot", and you are hurting our country.

This is where you lost me. Do you want a maybe-helpful back-and-forth or do you want to call me a coward and a useful idiot? Because you shouldn't expect to have both.

I'm an active commission officer who's dedicated my professional life to military service and I've spent about 6,900% too much time on these boards debating on politics with a relatively detailed and consistent point of view.

So I don't really appreciate being called a coward who's hurting the country who has also failed to be specific on my political views. Shit, somewhere in the way-back machine on BO.net you can read probably a literal book's worth of argument about why Obama's economic policies were better than those Romney was proposing circa 2011-2012!

Edited March 30 by nsplayr

[nsplayr]

On 3/29/2023 at 9:36 AM, FourFans said:

To be clear: guys like @nsplayrand @Prozac are invaluable resources worth listening to.  They continue to post on what is largely a conservative forum despite often getting attacked or derided for their beliefs, yet they continue.  That means they are true believers and I, for one, seek to understand what facts drive their beliefs.  History teaches that the left mis-understands or completely fails to care about the beliefs of the right.  If conservatives and moderates don't try to understand the left, there is no hope of any kind of compromise, and society splits...which we're seeing right now.

Ok you recovered from the rapid descent here and if this is truly how you feel, I'm willing to engage. Just keep in mind if you call people cowards and an unpatriotic useful idiots, they are not likely to engage with you in good faith!

[BashiChuni]

6 minutes ago, nsplayr said:

 

I'm an active commission officer who's dedicated my professional life to military service 

Thank you for your service 

[nsplayr]

For specifics on why I support the Biden admin in general:

1. Passed the Inflation Reduction Act
   • Massive investments into clean energy, including tax credits and point-of-sale rebates on things like EVs, solar & battery systems, induction stoves, heat pumps, etc.
   • Strongly incentivizes clean energy manufacturing and mining to take place in the US or allied nations
   • Allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping out-of-pocket prescription prices for seniors on Medicare, driving down insulin prices for everyone, strengthening ACA subsidies which make those plans more affordable, etc.
2. Passed the CHIPS & Science Act - bipartisan accomplishment
   • Onshores critical semiconductor manufacturing & greatly boosts R&D and workforce training, strengthening national security and long-term lessening the impact of a China-Taiwan conflict
3. Passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act - bipartisan accomplishment
   • Big investments into mental health services and some modest gun safety measures like red flag laws and enhancing background checks to keep guns out of the hands of folks who probably shouldn't have them
4. Supporting Ukraine in their effort to repel the Russian invasion - bipartisan accomplishment
   • Hobbling the conventional military forces of one of our biggest geopolitical foes for pennies on the dollar. Zero american military lives lost (RIP to that one MQ-9 haha)
   • Uniting Europe against Putin and his aggressive, expansionist ambitions, adding new valuable allies to NATO, punishing Russia economically for Putin's bad behavior, and replacing Russia as Europe's biggest source of energy

Those are my top 4  on policy at least. Additionally:

• Appointing a younger liberal SCOTUS justice to replace a retiring liberal was good if you are liberally-minded...we have messed this one up before.
• The American Rescue Plan was expensive and probably contributed some to the high inflation last summer, but I think it also helped us come out the back end better than anywhere else in the world - we're stronger & have better growth and less inflation than Europe or Japan/ROK/Aus/NZ/etc.
• TBH also just basic stuff like not tweeting insane shit all the time, not pissing off all of our allies constantly, not doing crimes like trying to overturn an election, etc. - I appreciate that in a President!
• Biden also led his party to a very strong mid-term showing compared to what happens historically during a President's first midterm. Dems gained a seat in the Senate and only lost a handful of House seats when the norm is getting blasted (see Obama 2010 and Trump 2018 as examples). I appreciate winning so we can do more of the above in the future.

I don't worship Biden or think he's perfect. As I've said before, he's about 15-30 years older than I would like, picking Harris as VP was a mistake in hindsight because she is not a viable successor, and I don't agree with everything he's ever said or done (90s crime bill, wanting to partition Iraq, opposing the bin Laden raid, etc.).

BUT, he's an effective incumbent who has help sheppard through a lot of things I support, so he's got my vote if he is going to run again in 2024.

If there's a Dem primary, I'd love to support someone like Buttigieg, Polis, Klobuchar, Shapiro, Warnock, Whitmer, Beshear, Kelley, Pritzker etc. in roughly that order. I'm not a conservative, but if the GOP ran someone like Larry Hogan or Phil Scott I'd be open to hearing their pitch, and I appreciate the need for a reasonable party in opposition to the one I usually support. States with long-standing one-party rule don't tend to be run as well as those with real political competition IMHO.

Edited March 30 by nsplayr

[nsplayr]

18 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:

Thank you for your service 

You too buddy 😂🍺

[BashiChuni]

So your number one accomplishment listed didn’t actually do anything to reduce inflation? Strange accomplishment.