13003

Yup. Not a single POC in sight. That tracks with the America they want.

13004

I told my Trump-hating Republican friend that the nation needs a conservative party but the GOP is not it. This version had devolved into the appeal-to-the-unwashed-masses, Honey Boo-Boo watching crowd and I can’t see any way it returns to any sort of rational roots.

13005

Solve income inequality. Seriously. That will do it.

13006

But how will the superrich live like Galactic Emperors if there’s less income inequality though?

(I’m frequently assured that if we make the slightest moves to have a more progressive tax system and more robust social and health spending we’ll soon be living in a gray 1984-esque dystopia, complete with brutalist architecture!)

13007

I expect that ad will be a big hit with his crowd.

Tough guy fantasy cosplay? check
Empty theatrics? check
Violence? check
150 years old solutions? check
7 year old caliber insults? check

All that’s missing is some crypto barons.

Looks like he spent some money on this thing as well. Or someone did.

13008

We don’t need income inequality “solved”. We need it not to be so freaking out of whack to the point where, when combined with Citizens United and Super PACs that there is an actual balance to where Income Inequality isn’t able to buy policy increasing Income Inequality quite as easily. A better balance is the goal.

13009

Complete agreement. That’s what I was trying to convey, but I was going for speed and brevity. And also I’m lazy.

13010

Some degree of income/wealth inequality seems necessary for economic effficiency, but now it’s not only gotten obscenely excessive for the reasons @Pyperkub describes but also because the wealthy’s ever growing hunger for RoI means they’re buying up (directly or indirectly through financial instruments) all the limited housing stock and raising rents such that a huge number of working people can’t afford them anymore. Look at any big city these days, at least on the West Coast. It’s just horrifying. Charities can’t keep up with the demand. I don’t know what the statistics for property crimes are but I’m constantly reading about catalytic converter and car theft, break-ins and burglaries at businesses around here. It’s certainly not the US I grew up in.

And even renters who are still housed are spending an inordinate share of their income on rent, vs. being able to save, pay down debt or at least stimulate local businesses with their spending.

13011

I agree with both you guys on income/wealth inequality!

13012

Hoooo boy.

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13013

HOLY SHIT. He said that.

13014

I must admit I can’t find the original tweet so it may be fake or it may have been deleted. I originally got the image from a Patton Oswalt tweet.

13015
13016

image

There won’t be any crime if everyone is in jail.

13017

I suspect it’s less of the “freeing the innocent” part he is attacking, rather the “the system is flawed” part. He doesn’t want people highlighting failures and flaws in the system, because as a lawyer and legislator, people need to have absolute belief in the legal system and obey.

13018
13019

Add an adjacent sign: “<== This is a sign some of the same adults don’t want you to read.”

13020

^^^ This is a post that some adults don’t want you to read

13021

I’m not sure if there is any point in lamenting, how GOP leaders have changed, but I find reading these stories, a weird combination, of depressing, maddening, and cathartic

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/16/portman-vestige-disappearing-gop/.

13022

Just take the sign down but leave up the books on display. Problem solved!