There is more Cloak Room in Daily Texan than there is in Cloak Room.

[Hate 20259]

Last year we couldn’t even talk about the origins of the virus without being called racist. You couldn’t point out the shortcomings of the WHO or the CDC without being called fascists or Trumpers.

[Pam Cummings 9886]

Yeah i don't buy this sudden cry for compassion and respect by you people who seem perfectly fine and content to join in on the fun when the Surly is being directed at people and things you don't like. Like, people make fun of the aggy bonfire on here. A lot. No bitching about that though, right?

Edited August 18, 2021 by Pam Cummings

[washparkhorn 9974]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

It’s hard for 90% of posters. Just go read that DT thread. If you think making fun of our Texas grad governor for his handicap because they’re “jokes” and therefore okay in that forum, then we have very different senses of humor, and I will in fact move along and no funeral myself  

Every forum is being taken over by the vocal majority group of idiots here that do not represent the diversity of Texas or the university. It’s frankly sickening 

okay, aggy.

 

[cactusflinthead 27628]

On 11/14/2020 at 8:51 PM, JimmyJames said:

I’m kinda worried about tjhooker. He posted a thread in the cloak room election night and hasn’t returned. Years earlier he posted about threats to his life and is constantly bitching about the cloak room. Is he ok?

Bwahaha! I had forgotten.

4 hours ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Texas Covid thread in DT is totally CR’ed. I can’t stand this Board’s tolerance of poking fun at Abbott’s handicap. People are so emotional right now, but that commentary isn’t helpful and I don’t want to be associated with it. 

Can’t decide whether to limit my presence to Ticket and Oil threads, or just go away. This Board doesn’t reflect anything close to the real world, and certainly not my ideals, and that far outstrips any humor on the board, which frankly isn’t there. I am certain people would welcome my departure, which only furthers my feelings. 

Fuck it, I’m out. No funeral. 

Bye. 

[DonkeyCigars 143]

10 minutes ago, Pam Cummings said:

Yeah i don't buy this sudden cry for compassion and respect by you people who seem perfectly fine and content to join in on the fun when the Surly is being directed at people and things you don't like. Like, people make fun of the aggy bonfire on here. A lot. No bitching about that though, right?

I think there is (and should be) plenty of criticism for things like making fun of disabilities, people's weight/body, developmental and mental disorders and syndromes and illnesses, and making fun of people solely on the basis of race, color, creed, ethnicity, etc. On both sides. That means that the Hilary obsession is horrible as is the objectifying AoC because she's attractive. It means making fun of both Trump and Biden for whatever their respective mental conditions may be (and the truth is, nobody really knows for either one), is distasteful. It means calling women (and men, really) whose politics you don't like and disagree with ugly names based on their appearances and weight is poor form.

I personally think being perverted on here is disgusting as well, but I am self-aware enough to a) read the room that a bunch of men born in the 60's and 70's here are gonna be a bunch of men born in the 60's and 70's and DDDdad and people like that are gonna do their thing and b) recognize that compared to most, I am rather puritan.

I know most of you people were raised better than all this, but I also understand and need to make allowances for the fact that the internet has a different set of rules.

[atomheartbevo 90679]

4 hours ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Texas Covid thread in DT is totally CR’ed. I can’t stand this Board’s tolerance of poking fun at Abbott’s handicap.

3 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I agree 100% that it’s pathetic to constantly make fun of a disability. But that’s just me.

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

 If you think making fun of our Texas grad governor for his handicap because they’re “jokes”

Maybe people are angry at Abbott for the following reasons:

1. After his accident and his subsequent payouts in millions (which he still collects here in 2021), he tried to make it harder for others who found themselves in his position to receive the same level of payouts that he did.  He still receives those payouts here in 2021, so has no problem with receiving them, but he clearly has a problem with others receiving that level of payments.  It's FUPM personified.
2. He and his party are trying to make it harder for disabled folks with all kinds of legislation, whether it's voting or whatever.  He should be the #1 advocate for disabled folks in Texas, not one of their #1 enemies. 
3. We're in a fucking pandemic and he is trying to make it harder for local entities to fight said pandemic, not easier.  His party is supposed to be about local control, not stripping power away from the locals, and instead he is trying to hold back school districts and counties from fighting the pandemic.  
4. He's a UT grad.  He should be listening to well-respect  UT science and medical experts who are right here in Austin, rather than the same "experts" that guide the fucking idiots on TexAgs who discuss what flavors of horse paste they will try next.
5. He has thrown his hands up and declared that whatever happens with the pandemic, happens, and it's not a big deal, as evidenced by the fact that he's around all of these older people unmasked.  Then he gets COVID himself, and then gets a fancy treatment that you or I who tested positive probably wouldn't get.

He is proving himself to be an utterly poor representation of a UT grad, prone to listen to the same horse-paste guzzling idiots that TexAgs does.

Now, the two of you can argue, and I will agree with you, that points #2 - #5 are due to him worried about his primary next March, but so what? Why should Texans pay the price for his primary spat?

So yes, people are going to make snide remarks and dark jokes about a guy who shits on the people he is governing.

And he's reckless as fuck with this pandemic thing.  As far as I'm concerned, him getting COVID opens up the jokes just as much as when aggy shit-talks Alabama and then gets crushed.

Edited August 18, 2021 by atomheartbevo

[DonkeyCigars 143]

1 minute ago, atomheartbevo said:

Maybe people are angry at Abbott for the following reasons:

1. After his accident and his subsequent payouts in millions (which he still collects here in 2021), he tried to make it harder for others who found themselves in his position to receive the same level of payouts that he did.  He still receives those payouts here in 2021, so has no problem with receiving them, but he clearly has a problem with others receiving that level of payments.  It's FUPM personified.
2. He and his party are trying to make it harder for disabled folks with all kinds of legislation, whether it's voting or whatever.  He should be the #1 advocate for disabled folks in Texas, not one of their #1 enemies. 
3. We're in a fucking pandemic and he is trying to make it harder for local entities to fight said pandemic, not easier.  His party is supposed to be about local control, not stripping power away from the locals, and instead he is trying to hold back school districts and counties from fighting the pandemic.  
4. He's a UT grad.  He should be listening to well-respect  UT science and medical experts who are right here in Austin, rather than the same "experts" that guide the fucking idiots on TexAgs who discuss what flavors of horse paste they will try next.
5. He has thrown his hands up and declared that whatever happens with the pandemic, happens, and it's not a big deal, as evidenced by the fact that he's around all of these older people unmasked.  Then he gets COVID himself, and then gets a fancy treatment that you or I who tested positive probably wouldn't get.

He is proving himself to be an utterly poor representation of a UT grad, prone to listen to the same horse-pasted guzzling idiots that TexAgs does.

Now, the two of you can argue, and I will agree with you, that points #2 - #5 are due to him worried about his primary next March, but so what? Why should Texans pay the price for his primary spat?

So yes, people are going to make snide remarks and dark jokes about a guy who shits on the people he is governing.

And he's reckless as fuck with this pandemic thing.  As far as I'm concerned, him getting COVID opens up the jokes just as much as when aggy shit-talks Alabama and then gets crushed.

I get why people are angry at him. And I understand that "hurt people then try and hurt other people" and that's why I don't bring it up in discussions on those topics or threads, but rather why it's a good place to call it out in this offshoot meta-thread focusing on the prevalent behavior and postings of a particular board. 

[atomheartbevo 90679]

And @DonkeyCigars and @Dr. Beeper, for me, personally, you want to know where the anger and jokes come from?

I want my young, unvaccinated, kids physically in school, and Abbott and his folks are trying to make that hard as they can, all because Abbott is running against a guy (another UT grad no less) who constantly mocks Abbott for being liberal about his responses to the pandemic last year.

All Greg Abbott had to do is say "I'm going to leave it up to local counties and school districts to know what's best for them", but no, he has to mock Texans who support it, and try and punish them for doing mask mandates.

 

[atomheartbevo 90679]

2 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I get why people are angry at him. And I understand that "hurt people then try and hurt other people" and that's why I don't bring it up in discussions on those topics or threads, but rather why it's a good place to call it out in this offshoot meta-thread focusing on the prevalent behavior and postings of a particular board. 

People are fed up with.  Like I said, I want my kids to be physically in class, and that means keeping the schools open, and Abbott is actively working against that, all because of his next primary.

[mchookem 16784]

it's like you guys don't even know Surly. or the internet 😐

i mean ffs i'm female and if i was as sensitive as y'all are suddenly claiming to be i'd be in tears every day.

scratch that...i'd be posting on Pinterest.

 

[DonkeyCigars 143]

35 minutes ago, mchookem said:

it's like you guys don't even know Surly. or the internet 😐

i mean ffs i'm female and if i was as sensitive as y'all are suddenly claiming to be i'd be in tears every day.

scratch that...i'd be posting on Pinterest.

 

I get that and it's why I won't say anything while it's going on and it's happening in real time, but I think it's fair to discuss in the "Discuss the boards and how we can do better" board. And, you might have missed this sentence:

I know most of you people were raised better than all this, but I also understand and need to make allowances for the fact that the internet has a different set of rules.

[immamac 44420]

I love how the shitshow threads that aren't moderated because the mods don't read them are the ones that turn to filth.

Use the report button, it's not tattling. 

[immamac 44420]

I turned on auto-mod for CR BULLSHIT OUTSIDE OF CR

3 reports with that and the person is auto-banned for 60 minutes and we can review and decide if it warrants longer. 

['stache 22147]

1 hour ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I think there is (and should be) plenty of criticism for things like making fun of disabilities, people's weight/body, developmental and mental disorders and syndromes and illnesses, and making fun of people solely on the basis of race, color, creed, ethnicity, etc. On both sides. That means that the Hilary obsession is horrible as is the objectifying AoC because she's attractive. It means making fun of both Trump and Biden for whatever their respective mental conditions may be (and the truth is, nobody really knows for either one), is distasteful. It means calling women (and men, really) whose politics you don't like and disagree with ugly names based on their appearances and weight is poor form.

I personally think being perverted on here is disgusting as well, but I am self-aware enough to a) read the room that a bunch of men born in the 60's and 70's here are gonna be a bunch of men born in the 60's and 70's and DDDdad and people like that are gonna do their thing and b) recognize that compared to most, I am rather puritan.

I know most of you people were raised better than all this, but I also understand and need to make allowances for the fact that the internet has a different set of rules.

Sure, message board posters can be mean and petty, and maybe it's distasteful. 

How do you avoid it when the politicians themselves are hurling juvenile insults on public platforms? You know goddamned well who I'm talking about, and it sure as shit ain't "both sides."

[mchookem 16784]

y'all quit pretending it's just Surly or just the internet giving you the vapors

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by mchookem

[DonkeyCigars 143]

3 minutes ago, mchookem said:

y'all quit pretending it's just Surly or just the internet giving you the vapors

 

^^ That was disgusting. You will get no defense from me on that. Lots of things this man did was disgusting, but that was one of the worst IMO.

['stache 22147]

It's pretty sad that I had to seriously consider whether to post in the DT thread about the University of Tulsa offering two scholarships to Afghan refugees. Clicking on the comment sections of those articles is 90% disgusting CR BS. There just is no humanity on some topics among the masses and everything is CR. 

[tigol 2491]

That’s basically what people here are acting like: one of the worst people to ever exist. Congrats. 

One of the worst people to ever exist is the head of the party you support. You voted for him and those that support him.

What does that say about you?

['stache 22147]

1 minute ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Fucking keep it in CR. Don’t come into DT and ruin what should be a news-type thread with your thoughts, because you hope to rile up some conservatives. You’ve already created an echo chamber there, and you’re bored. 

I don't, because I know the "CR!" crowd will lose their shit. It's just sad that you cant talk about worldwide pandemics and the end of a 20 year war in the "current events" thread and can only post stupid memes and jokes. Anything else is "ehrmagerd cr!"

[Captainant 28601]

1 minute ago, 'stache said:

It's pretty sad that I had to seriously consider whether to post in the DT thread about the University of Tulsa offering two scholarships to Afghan refugees. Clicking on the comment sections of those articles is 90% disgusting CR BS. There just is no humanity on some topics among the masses and everything is CR. 

well it's not like it was a campaign promise and GOP policy (until overturned by the courts) to BAN ALL MUSLIMS or anything right? Although I do agree, it's a welcome change of heart for all those right wingers to suddenly give a fuck about the people we've been blowing up for two decades.

4 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

That’s basically what people here are acting like: one of the worst people to ever exist. Congrats. 

 

9 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

^^ That was disgusting. You will get no defense from me on that. Lots of things this man did was disgusting, but that was one of the worst IMO.

congrats on voting for one of the worst people to ever exist?

[wildcat09 29600]

16 minutes ago, 'stache said:

Sure, message board posters can be mean and petty, and maybe it's distasteful. 

How do you avoid it when the politicians themselves are hurling juvenile insults on public platforms and also intentionally killing the people they're supposed to serve via enacting policies intended to appeal to monsters? You know goddamned well who I'm talking about, and it sure as shit ain't "both sides."

FIFY.

[tigol 2491]

Didn’t vote for him either time you presumptuous cocksucking doucher. 

I can’t prove you wrong, but I don’t believe you.

Now do Abbott and Patrick (Goeb).

[tigol 2491]

Raphael?

[tigol 2491]

Paxton?

[elfenix 34782]

35 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

this board is anti-politics unless it’s a politician you don’t like, preferably one with an R by his name

the people loudly yelling NO POLITICS! in DT while posting politics really don't like politicians with (R) next to their names.

 

[tigol 2491]

So, you didn’t vote. Got it.

[washparkhorn 9974]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Actually, I abhor the Republican party’s representatives. Most, anyway. I just want to get news without being subjected to CR junkies infiltrating DT just to piss off Pubs and people who are largely apolitical like me. 

Sativa? I am kidding, of course.

aggy is what aggy do. 

[elfenix 34782]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Actually, I abhor the Republican party’s representatives. Most, anyway. I just want to get news without being subjected to CR junkies infiltrating DT just to piss off Pubs and people who are largely apolitical like me. 

much of the politicking in DT isn't CR junkies infiltrating DT to piss off Pubs and people who are largely apolitical, it's people like babyaga and chickensandwich who post politics in DT because it's their safe space.

[Guest Lobo]

I voted for Gary Johnson in 2020.  (checks notes---DAMMIT!)

Obviously we're all largely anonymous on here...but it is curious that people I know voted for Trump in the 2016 and/or 2020 primaries but they deny it in person/online.  And many of them also donated money to him.  Not many, but probably a dozen or so.  I find it weird that somebody would vote for Trump in the primary AND give him money, but skip his name on a general election ballot.  I guess it's possible there are people like that, it's just weird that I seem to know ALL of them.  Shit, there's a federal record of me donating money to Rudy Giuliani in 2008 because my grandfather and cousin were hosting a big fundraiser for him.  I wish I could scrub that shit from my permanent record.  otherwise, I think I largely stand by most of primary votes/donation record.  

But I just find it fucking weird that the vast majority of people who conveniently deny ever supporting Trump that I know, also voted for him in primaries and gave him money.  It's GOP HIV, that shit doesn't actually just go away because you pretend that Haitian Orgy didn't happen.  There's a record of it.  How do people not know that?  

[atomheartbevo 90679]

31 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

If you wanna be critical of Abbott for banning schools from requiring mask wearing, because health measures don’t need to be political, I’m okay with that. 

That's kind of the crux of the matter.  

It would a completely different tone if Abbott was making the decisions he did because he's tone-deaf and has no kids in school, and/or his wife was a stay-at-home mom, and he doesn't realize what an incredible pain in the ass it is when our kids have to come home for two weeks or whatever.   And I'd argue that Surly is full of outliers - most people in Texas do not have the luxury of working from home so they can watch their kids when they get sent home.

And if you notice, a lot of people in those threads angry at Abbott have school-aged kids, myself included.  For whatever reason a shitload of posters on Surly also had kids later in life, so there's a shitload of us 40-somethings who are dreading the idea that our too-young-to-be-vaccinated kids are going to have to come home fairly often if they get exposed, and/or they are going to be exposed because some classmate's parent doesn't believe in masks or whatever.

Abbott openly declares that he's trying to ban mask mandates and is working against counties/schools because of liberals. It's hard to separate the politics from the event/news when Abbott's reasoning is literally, and very publicly stating, that he's "not going to cave into those liberals and their liberal mask agenda".

 

 

[mchookem 16784]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

I’m not in tears. I don’t give a shit, other than it’s insanely hypocritical that this board is anti-politics unless it’s a politician you don’t like, preferably one with an R by his name. Then, political discussion is wholly acceptable, and gallows humor of a LIVING ALUM with a physical handicap is encouraged by the mob. 

And this very forum tries to convince themselves that this board has diversity of thought. You guys are all fucked in the head. 

i'm not crying you're crying.

ok. i didn't say you were crying.

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

 

That’s basically what people here are acting like: one of the worst people to ever exist. Congrats. 

maybe. he definitely brought out the worst in everybody. you and me included. 

as much as you keep emphasizing ALUMNUS STATUS you seriously might feel more at home on texags. good luck.🤘

[Hate 20259]

the people loudly yelling NO POLITICS! in DT while posting politics really don't like politicians with ® next to their names.

 

I don’t like any politicians. They are all scumbags and it doesn’t matter what letter they have next to their name.

[tigol 2491]

1 hour ago, mchookem said:

i'm not crying you're crying.

ok. i didn't say you were crying.

maybe. he definitely brought out the worst in everybody. you and me included. 

as much as you keep emphasizing ALUMNUS STATUS you seriously might feel more at home on texags. good luck.🤘

This x1000.  I rarely went in the the CR prior to Trump and definitely didn't post in there.

He brought out the worst in me and everyone else.  It's hardened me towards members of my family because they voted for him and his ideology.  They've doubled down on it and refuse to engage in a conversation about it at all.  Even after the January 6 attack. 

It's disingenuous to be "apolitical" at this point.  The quiet part has been trumpeted loud and clear.  There is no cover for you.  Even in DT.  You're not fooling anyone. 

[mchookem 16784]

4 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

^^ That was disgusting. You will get no defense from me on that. Lots of things this man did was disgusting, but that was one of the worst IMO.

and i appreciate that you will admit that and better yet say it out loud. however, it's difficult to reconcile that statement and your admitted vote for this disgusting man, especially the second time. surely you can understand that. 

also, i hope you don't get crowd-sourced. 

1 hour ago, tigol said:

This x1000.  I rarely went in the the CR prior to Trump and definitely didn't post in there.

He brought out the worst in me and everyone else.  It's hardened me towards members of my family because they voted for him and his ideology.  They've doubled down on it and refuse to engage in a conversation about it at all.  Even after the January 6 attack. 

It's disingenuous to be "apolitical" at this point.  The quiet part has been trumpeted loud and clear.  There is no cover for you.  Even in DT.  You're not fooling anyone. 

yeah, this particular knife is dull and rusty and it hacks both ways. 

after his 8 or 9th beer, i literally have to get up and walk away from my dad. he doesn't just not listen, he doesn't even hear at that point.  

about two weeks ago he was visiting and started in on the immigrants bringing all the covid to Texas. i first rolled my eyes and made a joke about having to dodge the 'millions of illegals' that have 'invaded' Texas (i was like...what, am i looking for roving gangs of mexicans now??) and then i did make a casual remark about 'you know, dad...if you get all your information from just one or two sources, you might want to ask yourself if those sources perhaps have an agenda and if it is to their benefit for you to be in a continuous state of agitation about all this'. 

his response was a kind of puzzled/paused look, then he said, and i shit you not...'hmmm, well, now that you mention it...that could be true, i never thought of that' and i had to practically bite through my tongue to keep from saying OMG HOW COULD YOU NEVER HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT?? IT'S LITERALLY EXACTLY WHAT THEIR JOB IS!! THEY MAKE MONEY OFF YOUR OUTRAGE, YOU ARE A COLLEGE EDUCATED MAN HOW HAS THAT NOT EVEN OCCURRED TO YOU, WTF!! *BANGS HEAD INTO WALL*

i mean, gotdamn. 

fwiw, i have said something along those same lines to my husband, as he also goes about in a rather steady state of outrage, just from the other side. to his credit, whenever i point it out to him he does try to throttle back some. 

it's just exhausting.

 

[Guest Lobo]

I think I can get the Governor to issue a mask mandate in schools for the next 60 days if we just all call in and report illegal immigrants hanging around elementary school campuses.  Just using their outstanding logic---illegal border immigrants are bringing Covid.  So if they are at the schools, they are spreading Covid.  Better mask up and practice mitigation.  

We haven't worked out the whole part where DPS shows up and demands to see documentation and they all claim, "I do not have to show a passport or proof!"  

[Captainant 28601]

46 minutes ago, mchookem said:

his response was a kind of puzzled/paused look, then he said, and i shit you not...'hmmm, well, now that you mention it...that could be true, i never thought of that'

Is donkeycigars your dad?

[atomheartbevo 90679]

3 hours ago, tigol said:

He brought out the worst in me and everyone else.  It's hardened me towards members of my family because they voted for him and his ideology.  They've doubled down on it and refuse to engage in a conversation about it at all.  Even after the January 6 attack. 

1 hour ago, mchookem said:

yeah, this particular knife is dull and rusty and it hacks both ways. 

after his 8 or 9th beer, i literally have to get up and walk away from my dad. he doesn't just not listen, he doesn't even hear at that point.  

....

it's just exhausting.

I could tolerate all of that with a lot of friends, family, people online, prior to the covid stuff.  It could be fun to engage with them, and it was easy to mock Hannity's years-long obsession with Hillary's emails or Tucker's befuddled expressions or whatever, but it was also very easy to ignore. You could poke fun at Trump's fuckups or whatever, but at the end of the day, they weren't directly impacting my family and I.

And then in walks covid-19 and all of the sudden there's the screech of a record needle, and it pushed everything over the edge. Their actions, or inaction as it were, affected me and my family directly.  They put my elderly relatives at serious risk, put my kids' education and my wife's job at risk.

The talking points they parroted from Fox News or whatever influenced the people who set the policies in my state.  I have a governor setting policies that directly affect my family and I not because of sound medical or scientific reasoning, but because he's worried about his primary in 9 months.

And we finally started getting things under control, and a sense of normalcy was...on the horizon.  And then Delta kicks open the door, and all of the sudden, bad policies and opinions are once again fucking with my family's health, with my kids' education.

[DDD Dad 14663]

It’s pretty simple. You want to talk about the pandemic, use the threads in DT to discuss daily statistics, news about vaccines, CDC recommendations, school district decisions, family/friends getting Covid. If you wanna be critical of Abbott for banning schools from requiring mask wearing, because health measures don’t need to be political, I’m okay with that. 
On Afghanistan, if you want to discuss the Taliban in DT and even cite how costly the war has been, go for it. If you wanna directly criticize Bush and Trump, go to CR. If you want to criticize Obama for perpetuating Afghanistan, or Biden for pulling out, go to CR (and godspeed). For the record, I probably agree with what most are saying in CR on Afghanistan, and don’t even really care what is happening there.  I’m more concerned about returning soldiers’ lives, and retired soldiers employment. I don’t even really find too much fault with Biden for exiting. 

Rex, the problem is that there are posters here on both sides of the aisle who just can’t control themselves from injecting commentary that triggers political banter in DT threads.

While there are some notably culpable “libtards” who do this, frankly I see it far more often from many of the same posters who bitch about how they hate that threads get “cloaked”.

Don’t start no shit and there won’t be shit.

Of course you know this. And I agree that we shouldn’t mock anyone based on their disability.

And I’m guilty of it with regard to Abbott.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

19 hours ago, mchookem said:

and i appreciate that you will admit that and better yet say it out loud. however, it's difficult to reconcile that statement and your admitted vote for this disgusting man, especially the second time. surely you can understand that. 

also, i hope you don't get crowd-sourced. 

yeah, this particular knife is dull and rusty and it hacks both ways. 

The "Hold your nose and vote" political trope is very real, at least in my experience.

You are right. Trump sucks and is disgusting. Of course there are certainly things about Trump that disgusts me. Knowing that to be true, the existence of my voting for Trump implies the existence of the other side being more disgusting. That much should be obvious.

Of course there are absolutely times I've felt conflicted and had to wrestle with moral and philosophical values internal to myself when it comes to politics-- and if we are being honest, at the end of the day I'm not 100% confident that if morally or philosophically prosecuted that I could say the correct decisions were made in the balance. I *think* that I am consistent with my belief pattern and value system, but my personal experience is that when it comes to politics, it's a messy and ugly business which can provide dark, damp places for doubts to grow and live. Especially with the benefit of hindsight.

That's representative Democratic republics, right? Have people try and thoughtfully prioritize their values, on an independent and individual level, and try and find the "product/market" fit within politics and politics. 

That's our Democracy, gentlemen.

That's America, guys.

That's all it is.

Now, whattaya gonna do?

[atomheartbevo 90679]

18 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

Rex, the problem is that there are posters here on both sides of the aisle who just can’t control themselves from injecting commentary that triggers political banter in DT threads.

While there are some notably culpable “libtards” who do this, frankly I see it far more often from many of the same posters who bitch about how they hate that threads get “cloaked”.

It's not helped that the two top national stories about Texas are the governor having covid while attending a gathering of hundreds of 55-and-up folks, only one of whom was masked, and a batshit crazy parent ripping the mask off of a teacher here in Central Texas.  That kind of stuff overshadows a lot of discussions.

[Hate 20259]

It's not helped that the two top national stories about Texas are the governor having covid while attending a gathering of hundreds of 55-and-up folks, only one of whom was masked, and a batshit crazy parent ripping the mask off of a teacher here in Central Texas.  That kind of stuff overshadows a lot of discussions.

I completely agree that politicians that hold indoor events with mostly maskless attendees should be roundly criticized right now regardless of political affiliation.

[Guest Lobo]

Fair point, but if we're all honest with ourselves---half our votes on a given ballot are "lesser of two evils."  To do it up top stings a bit because it's the one with all the fanfare, but I make compromises up and down my ballot every single year.  Especially on the primary ballots where half the people in a given race shouldn't be allowed to drive a car, let alone set public policy, they just got enough signatures to get on the ballot at their mega church right before it turned into a golden corral/gun range after the 11:30a service.  As annoying as propositions are to vote on, at least it's a black and white decision.  When it comes to humans running for office, it's just a "who seems to fucking suck less today?......."  

I think it's a healthy sign for many of us that as much of the country gets more and more straight-ticket, bifurcated, dug-in, team players...there are still people consternating and stewing over what's right, who is right for office, and yeah---who sucks less on page 2 of my ballot.  Time was not too long ago, people start talking politics around election season after a few drinks and it was no big deal to have some nuanced thoughts on some mid-ballot races---well I think this way on the judiciary and this way on legislative and I go R sometimes, then Democrat there, then Libertarian over here.  It wasn't noble or original, but it was a respected approach.  But all of a sudden, it's "What?  That's how you vote?  Pick a fucking team man, there's too much at stake!  Other side is trying to end our way of life!"  

We all saw it coming, just not this quickly.  Or at least I didn't see it happening to categorically.  But yeah, we need to stop and remember, aside from some outspoken and sometimes funny outliers on both sides, most of this site actually still lies in between (not to be confused with the middle) with some nuance and mainly, with a thirst for how to navigate the next wave of shit coming.  

[Guest Lobo]

I agree.  There is also something to be said for skipping some races but still voting---every cycle has something important to each person.  And people on each extreme are too quick to look at you like a deer in headlights if you still go third party on some races.  I just can't envision, maybe you agree, just going straight ticket in this day and age.  

But yeah, there are some races---you can't even hold your nose and click the thing.  You just gotta go past it.  I do it all the time in Travis County races where it's a race between two insane judges for some local court (one D, one Green or Libertarian).  I find myself skipping more and more U.S. House races from my district.  Just can't deal with Roger Williams or whomever the other side throws up against him.  Same with my state rep, Donna Howard and whoever Mackowiak picks to run against her.  

Having said that, if a guy named "Lester T. Evil" ran against Steve Adler, I'd have voted for him twice.  

That's the curious thing too about the Trump movement, is 30 years of political scientists and pollsters and political operators and consultants racking their brain trying to figure out for their mid-ballot race, "How do we create excitement for our race down here with this shit-tastic race up top between Obama/Romney or Clinton/Dole?"  People don't come out to vote for the lesser of two evils for POTUS.  And if they're not excited about that one, they just don't vote and we can't get our guy to win this House race or Lt. Gov race.  And then somebody had an idea---no matter what you think about the rest of your ballot---wait until you see this shit up top...And they turned the top of the ticket into what it was always used to be---the Headliner.  Come for the main stage, stick around for the mid-level shit if you want to.  And here we are.  People with nuanced approaches to their ballots are completely in the minority now.  We're dinosaurs that they only acknowledge when they need money.  

[DonkeyCigars 143]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

I was never gonna hold my nose and vote for Trump. What am I gonna do?  Not vote. Period. You’ve got to give me a compelling person to vote for, not the lesser of two evils (which clearly would’ve been Clinton or Biden). 

I wasn’t trying to advocate or give you an opinion on what you should have done, right or wrong. You are an adult and I don’t know you. If I assume positive intent with people, which is my personal chosen default and choice, then I assume you’ve done whatever you felt was right by you and your family and based on your beliefs.
 

For people who are conflicted, for some that means abstaining from voting (you) for others it’s holding their nose and voting (me) and for others it means an anti-vote or vote against someone (most other republicans on here).

[DDD Dad 14663]

There are very few Republicans on here. This site is not representative of Texas in any way. Those that stated they were Pubs and voted against Trump are few and far between here, and were most likely lying.  

I’m not lying, and I’m a reformed republican. As I’ve stated previously I was the founding member of my law school’s federalist society.

I also can personally vouch that Brisketexan and GoLL are former republicans as well.

Can’t speak for the rest of Surly.

[DDD Dad 14663]

I can buy it with you. I was thinking of them specifically when I made that comment. I do not buy it. Particularly with GoLL. 

He used to work for (and with) me and I’ve known both of them personally and professionally for over a decade. Trust me.

[DDD Dad 14663]

I don’t believe it. It’s one of those deals where I’d have to know the person.  They both protest entirely too much they were Pubs. 

Well believe what you want. I can only tell you what I know about them both, who I know personally.

[TwiceHorn 32108]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

This site is not representative of Texas in any way

Well, the sad truth of the matter, regardless of politics, is that Texas is full of morons.  It's a majority-moron state.

Being graduates of The University of Texas at Austin, for the most part, the royal we have escaped that fate, again for the most part.

As a native Texan with family roots in Arkansas, I have always felt that Texans live in a glass house in the hillbilly moron department (maybe not hillbillies per se, but close enough).  The saddest thing about the whole Trump/Trumpism debacle is that it has shown me just how aggressively stupid vast swathes of this state really are.

[mchookem 16784]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

There are very few Republicans on here. This site is not representative of Texas in any way. Those that stated they were Pubs and voted against Trump are few and far between here, and were most likely lying.  

by that logic, texags is a good representation of Texas. which...

i was in the College Republicans at UT. you really seem specifically annoyed that UT alums are not all republicans.

i would actually bet that the vast majority of posters on this site ARE republican. and likely voted for Trump. basic demographics point to that probability (white, male, upwardly mobile, sports fans, etc.) TOS CR was dominated by them. many/most of those same posters are on Surly still. i think we all know why they suddenly stopped talking about politics. it's not b/c they're scared. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by mchookem

[tigol 2491]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

There are very few Republicans on here. This site is not representative of Texas in any way. Those that stated they were Pubs and voted against Trump are few and far between here, and were most likely lying.  

Define "Republican." Abbott?  Paxton?  Raphael?  Patrick (Goeb).  They represent Texas.