Chopper

Fear and Lies. The Scranton blue collar worker chapter, just worried about their economic future. 2016 and the 2024 version

Statesman-like and poignant take here: Deep Throat Donny.

Yes, they've been bamboozled to vote against their pocketbook through racism and sexism. And if you want to throw in vaxx too, okay.

"Trump and Co. will try to steal the election if they don't win, that much is obvious. They've learned from their failed 2020 coup attempt, preparing to do better this time. But many are missing that democracy's defenders learned too. Another steal attempt won't work" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-big-lie-again-vote-guardrails-rcna178203

Thanks, I was absolutely wondering what that -- I'm more greek than him -- was about. Those folks have been voting against their self-interest for years. Liberals like Paul Wellstone never walked away from unions. It's the Democrats who "worked with both sides" that got praised. Not electing more liberals and progressives has been their (working class) downfall. However, the blue collars have been trained to be anti-liberal even though it's in their self interest through racism, sexism and believing rhetoric that helping billionaires would somehow dribble down to them. It started with Reagan and picked up serious steam under Trump. Unions, minimum wage, higher taxes on the wealthy, worker protection, consumer protection, medicaid, Pell grants, free school lunches, SNAP amounts, federal help for affordable housing, the Job Corps, restriction of collective bargaining rights, help for people to navigate the ACA and make them figure that shit out on their own, veterans benefits and veterans hospitals. Flattening the tax rates. Gutting public schools. There's a long list of programs that helped support working class Americans but Republicans took aim at, and when they had to, were able to find middle of the road politicians, such as Sherrod Brown, to vote with them. Then we have the Supreme Court and how the Rs have stacked it in order to fuck over every single American except for billionaires and large corporations and their execs. Your buddies have been voting against their own self interest for years. I call that fucking stupid.

I didn't clip the part where he says he's bet the majority of his liquid assets. He's a "veteran financial investor" who's never bet on the US election before and all of a sudden, he's risking almost all of his holdings on Trump and spouting Trump rhetoric while emailing the reporter "dozens of times" over 2 weeks to give his hot takes, all while refusing to affirm his identity to the reporter, even confidentially. Seems sus.

The "French financial trader" on Polymarket story doesn't really add up for me. I'm definitely skeptical it's his money, and about his claim to have no political agenda.

You are behaving so disingenuously. Sherrod Brown is your shining example? But his voting history doesn't align with the votes you claim lower and middle class families care so deeply about. On the 3 votes you said were the issues that those people felt really disappointed in Democrats - Glass-Stegall repeal, the bank bailout and NAFTA passage, he voted the way you'd consider "right" only 1 out of 3 times; he voted against NAFTA. I think the people you're saying feel "left behind" genuinely feel "left behind" but that's more than partially due to living in the rust belt and being ignorant about politics and policies, along with their gullibility for racism. The policies you try to gussy them up with are your own preferences. I would've thought you'd at least cite someone who voted the way you want 2 out of 3 times. But you just keep moving the goal posts, acting in an arrogant and insulting manner, and using a lot of words to say very little.

https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2024/11/01/tulsa-race-massacre-survivor-votes-kamala-harris-for-president/

Almost certainly trolling.

The French dude and polymarket: The Trump-Betting Whale Speaks Out: ‘I Have Absolutely No Political Agenda’ Self-described French trader says he bet more than $30 million on U.S. election after analyzing polls https://archive.ph/zs5Q9

Here's a fun ad by Vindman against his opponent in a VA race. This was the flabbergasting response by the GQP guy - linked

I believe they view it as part of their planned trade war with China which is exacerbated by their lack of understanding of policy or details. Sadly I cannot possibly vote for Harris/Walz any harder.

No offense but I can only assume your brain is fried from too much lsd or something else.

Only if for the appearance fee he agrees to sit in a dunking booth. But nobody tell him it's for the symbolism.

Heck I'm not even talking about Obamacare. Obamacare was a compromise because the single payer plan that Clinton tried to pass went down in flames due to insurance companies, the AMA (doctors) and Republicans. Everyone knew it was imperfect but the key facets - portability (not tied to your job), no lifetime maximum (so you have actual insurance in case of a catastrophe) and to prohibit insurers from canceling individuals if they became too expensive -- are the reasons it was crafted the way it was. Imperfect but necessary. Can you imagine where we'd be if your healthcare were still tied to your job? And if insurance companies could just cancel you if they didn't want to pay for your care any longer? Talk about cancel culture - we actually had that.

The NYT l-i-t-e-r-a-l-l-y used his polls to drive their political coverage and form the over-arching "story." I don't know if it's an early mea culpa or trying to escape responsibility for his work but everything he's saying is what I've been saying for weeks. Fuck him and fuck the polls.

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.bsky.social/post/3l7vzwndzcd2o That's a Yale History Prof to be clear

My understanding is the dotard side was working the numbers to help provide perception of his winning, right along with all the right winger pollsters. And now they're cashing out as it crashes.

I think you're understating the worst-case scenario. Here's some happy Friday afternoon thoughts I totally get the impulse but this is no time to get desperate.

Are you saying the same people who are concerned about private student loans -- which Biden has tried and tried to take off the books only to face opposition at every turn from the GQP -- are the same people who were against Universal Healthcare but also in favor of a much stricter regulatory approach to banking? But also they're NOT 50 to 80 year olds but they're pissed about a financial services law passed 25 years ago. Oh you mentioned the law that stabilized the banking system from collapse, signed into law by SHRUB. And they hate Elizabeth Warren and any consumer protection too. What a bizarre conglomeration of laws those people are theoretically pissed about. Those people definitely seem incredibly confused at the very least. Please tell me what segment of the population is this delusional. Subscribers to a Matthew Yglesias substack? I don't think that's considered a demographic, sir.