Dejected Warp Core

While I agree, it has to be done very carefully. Like, keep up with inflation with an extra cent or two on top, careful. The cost of petroleum is factored into everything due to transportation, so any change is felt practically everywhere by everyone.

I’m actually surprised he didn’t bring up how the regular maintenance on an EV is non-existent; it’s a lot less hassle. There’s no regular oil changes, for example. Even your brakes can last longer if you’re good at single-pedal mode.

Friend?

If there’s a quality you want in a politician it’s to be diplomatic with others, full stop.

Consider how Mamdani has handled Trump. Breaking bread with bullies, “reaching across the aisle”, overlooking insults, stroking egos, shaking hands, they are all activities that superficially resemble things that friendly people do. But make no mistake, it’s not friendship in the strictest sense. They might actually hate each other, but they’re able to act “friendly”, regardless. We want our representatives to build relationships with people that hold power so they can operate enough to get things done.

Also, it’s not spineless activity. If anything, the capacity to withhold outward expressions of negative emotions is really hard for most people to do. It takes guts, self control, and strength to act in spite of all that. AOC has more spine than most because keeping your powder dry every single day is her job, and she chooses to do that.

While completely disgusting, it does bring one thing to my mind: ICE. In the current political climate, I would expect anyone in ICE’s crosshairs to possibly avoid any civil servant asking questions about race and citizenship status in the first place. The numbers might wind up skewed regardless.

The right thinks they have a bulletproof propaganda machine with their captive media.

Thank you. I thought I was going crazy for a second.

Not only is the amount supposed to grow, but it’s also supposed to keep ahead of inflation. And the last 40-50 years have had A LOT of that.

IMO, it’s not just a business advantage, it’s a small-business advantage due to lack of bargaining power at small scale and the proportion of revenue (overhead) per employee. Big companies can bargain for better deals from insurance markets (bigger “risk pool”), and make way more per employee so it’s not as big a deal. So, it’s an tangible manifestation of “main street not wall street,” if you feel like turning talking points back around for folks.

He’s unlikely to go in a way that’s publicly verifiable. IMO, that keeps the martyr door chalked wide open. Don’t get me wrong: I really don’t want to be right about that.

But dammit they’re gonna try.

This is where the bar is set. It’s literally total fascists and people cosplaying opposition, versus people that are actually attempting to do better. It’s on the fucking floor, but after watching democrats trip over it for 40+ years, I’m way past done with that bullshit. I’m voting for the “people who are gonna try.”

It’s even more painful if you know anyone but these chuds that lives in Charlottesville. Despite the infamous events that took place there, it’s actually a really nice place with thriving subculture and lots of good art.