South Park video game’s difficulty level is directly tied to the skin color as well.

I don’t live in the States so I thought $50k is a lot. But it seems to corroborate about what I read that vaguely stating “I am earning six figures” will not impress anyone anymore. This does show the growing inequality and worsening inflation in the US.

You know very well that Putin will knock you off the window if you said that.

“Russia should stop sending bombs to its puppet” is not supporting the US.

$50k is too good to pass up. But my conscience probably won’t sleep well for the rest of my life if I ratted the suspect.

America is federal. States could have their own laws, that is my point. Walz becoming VP or the president would not change that. Many states would still be die-hard Republicans.

It’s only in one state…

With exceptions of few countries, I believe the modern society is closer to the novel Brave New World than 1984 story. People have been convinced to accept control by way of pleasure. To forget the mundane and realities of life in exchange for gratification by constant triggering of our own biochemistry that induces the feeling of pleasure. We are encouraged buy the things we don’t need to impress the people we don’t like, so that consumer spending will keep the all-mighty economy kept being fed. But if we complain that we don’t have enough left for essentials, then we are told it’s because we keep buying iPhone or avocado toast. The media will say that the economy is slowing down because of less consumer spending, but then chastise us for doing the exact same thing we are told to do: spend and spend.

I don’t condone the murder of the CEO of a healthcare insurance company who reject 32% of claims…

But I understand.

Oh come on, the “if they are so poor, how can they still afford to eat?” dismissive and condescending attitude from the left and Democrats on the working class is precisely what critics are railing against. Keep doing that and people will slowly but surely come to the throes of the far-right. You obviously did not read the links I gave you. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez herself said many Latino families are living under the same household with other families to save on rent, so that they could afford more food. People are living paycheck to paycheck and have to work two jobs to make ends meet.

The Democrats throw bones and some bread crumbs every once in a while to soothe the angst, but does not actually try to solve the underlying and long term economic woes of stagnant wages and rising inflation. So it is understandable that people are tired of spineless Democrats. The people yearn for a change! The rhetoric of being anti-establishment did not come out in of nowhere. While Democrats refuse to see it and presents itself as the party of status quo, the Republicans knew well what the people want and promises to deliver it to them-- for better or worse. Populism gets a bad rap but it still has its place in politics, especially in times of growing wealth inequality. It is a matter knowing to use it for the greater good. But Democrats refuse to be populist (obviously not to rile up their rich donors, why else have they refused Bernice Sanders twice now for the primaries despite being popular among the working class?)

If we are being pedantic, you and I are working class by virtue that we are working, but I can tell we are neither poor nor struggling because we have relatively high paying job or at the very least, having been lucky enough be born in a financially sufficient family who could provide a safety net. We are not at the lower rung of income groups but those at the bottom feel the sting of inflation and losing jobs to outsourcing. Just because you don’t feel what the poor and other financially struggling folks feel, doesn’t mean their feelings are not valid. You are already probably aware that those who are desperate are easily manipulated; they cling to anything even if at a grave cost. They are not stupid, they are manipulated. They are told that immigrants, feminists or the poor dumb Hillbillys are to blame. While people are too busy fighting culture wars, all people involved are robbed blindly by powers that be. Divide and conquer is a classic, goes back to the ancient times.

Ancient philosophers and thinkers already noted how people can be easily divided politically. Slavoj Zizek is may be a philosopher, but politics ultimately stems from philosophy. Politics still requires thinking, doesn’t it? And his analysis is incisive particularly at the rise of populism. He supports people electing Trump, not because he is a fascist (no one could accuse him of being a fascist), but because it means change could be enacted. It is not to make Democrats lose, but as a wakeup call for Democrats to pursue the same goal of change. And yet the Democratic Party never learns. What have they done? Throw bones and bread crumbs, and only say “I am not my opponent”. With the rising cost of living, it is high time that federal wages be increased to match as living wage and a fully socialised healthcare system be implemented to mitigate the rising cost of living for most people. But again, they are spineless so that they won’t agitate their rich backers (and to repeat what I said before, ordinary liberals are also to blame for blocking many progressive agenda such as building social housing). The podcaster I mentioned also share the same sentiment. Yes, people can be stupid but not that stupid. Calling people stupid will not fix the actual widening wealth inequality.

The problem is the information bubble trapping and individuals to their own little world; their egos being fed and warping their view of the real outside world. Sure, tell to people in lower income that there we are in full employment, there are plenty of online sources that will say it, but what use are the so-called happy figures if they can’t afford to buy a home, let alone rent. Food prices went up. People can’t afford healthcare. The fact that the murder of CEO of health insurance company, United Healthcare, is cheered upon says a lot. People want change. Telling people there is no problem when there, is as bad as the right wingers who are detached from reality. People can be stupid, but not that stupid. As much as you and I can be cynical of others, the difference is that I worked and interacted with both working and more affluent folks. In spite of the stereotype, the working class is just as smart if not more so than college educated individuals. While it is true that in opportunity-deprived areas can be bad, a lot of these people only want to better their lives. But they are not heeded because, let’s face it, the liberals and left became too posh for the working class, and abandoned and caricaturised them. The far right took the opportunity to exploit them. Tariffs are stupid, but for these folks whose jobs are outsourced and left with no alternatives, it made sense.

Facts don’t care about feelings, but for the marginalised-- their feelings are just as real. Their feelings are affirmed but not by the correct side of history. However, left and liberals are too buried in the sand to recognise that. Keep ignoring the working class concerns and the far right will only keep winning; no matter how much you keep berating them. The rise of Trump is not so much that he is just that good, it actually says more on the part of the Democrats that they failed as a party to enact lasting changes. There is no other Roosevelt at this day and age. You said it’s Biden, but he backtracked on so many promises. He is no Roosevelt at all, especially after Biden pardoned his own son after being sentenced, who was convicted only months ago, in spite of promise not to do so. That does not send a good message and signal that the Democrats are better, and only reinforces the “both sides are the same” narrative. That would only strengthen the Republicans and exploit it to their advantage. The Democrats need to be more radical but for the left. One of their major base was the working class after all. What happened? It is time to return to their roots if they are to actually win and stop the rise of fascism.

The Roman Republic fell because the poor were abandoned and were convinced to support a strongman who promised to stop corruption and political violence. The left and liberals are not learning from history at all (or rather abandoned it) on what keeps a healthy democracy.

I also pretty much stopped watching TV as well. Online has more varied news sources.

The consequences of inflation had been decades in the making. Thirty years of neoliberal policies and fifty plus years of stagnation on real wages is now paying its dues, because real wages has not kept up with ever rising inflation. The working class is certainly the most affected and even experienced lower growth in real wage. While not the sole problem, it contributes to radicalising a population. The US and other parts of the word had it coming because of said policies. Prices of less valuable consumer goods have gone down, but the basic essentials and health care keeps going up and up. That being said, the overall inflation has decreased since the pandemic but basic essentials has not. Those with higher income may not feel the pinch, but the working class and many in the lower middle class certainly does. These people are brainwashed and hoodwinked to blame the wrong people like immigrants, minorities and lgbt, while the monied class gets away with it.

“If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”- Lyndon B. Johnson

It’s not Trump apologism-- it’s reality check. The left and liberals should get out of their bubble, because they are doing the inverse of being hoodwinked by convincing them to look down on the working class as well. Who are the ones constantly blocking affordable housing in the liberal-bastion that is California? That’s right, it’s the liberals themselves, who are also rich like many conservatives are. You could easily Google the information on that one if you don’t believe me. Are you also aware that California put anti-homeless spikes and other deterents on areas where the vagabonds sleep? I’m sure many of those homeless folks came from poorer states to look for a job in California; but the lack of affordable housing and being unable to find a job with decent pay to afford rent renders them vulnerable. They did what many told them to do: move out of their shithole places and go to where there is opportunity, right?

The podcast I refered to is in my native language which is hosted by a highly-esteemed professor and political analyst who has been invited by international news outlets for interviews including The Guardian, BBC, ABC, and Al Jazeera. He is a social democrat but a critic of those from the affluent section of the left and liberals who keep putting down the working-class. Slavoj Zizek also made the same broad observation about the left and liberals-- that there is a certain naïveté among the group.

This isn’t being apologetic for Trump-- it is a wakeup call for the left, whose former base is the working-class but is now subsumed by the far-right (liberals in the classical sense have hardly been reliable as class-ally), to be aware of the blindspot and close that narrow gap of a spot. Yes, one can keep calling the working-class racist or bigoted, but they are the ones who have once voted for the left but now keep voting far-right. It is worth pointing out you seem to refuse to acknowledge that. Look around you. Look outside your home, outside your town, outside of your state, and outside of your country, the working class used to vote for the left but what happened? Look around and ask yourself that question and you will find your answer. There is no longer a version of penny auction in this generation. As in, there is no longer a class-solidarity that existed during the Depression era. The affluent today show concerns for the homeless and less fortunate, but when it is time for call to action, there is little appetite to approve alleviating the cost of living and housing crisis, and consign the working class as dumb and bigots, instead of realising these have been brainwashed to scapegoat the innocent.

Going to the Harris promise, I admire the promise to build 3 million homes but the $25,000 downpayment to buy a house as government assistance isn’t exactly appealing considering how much the average American house prices are these days. Trump promised no taxes on tips and then Harris simply copied it. Why not increase the federal wage instead? Oh that’s right, the Democratic party is in actuality a spineless center-right party who don’t want to rub their rich donors the wrong way. Unfortunately, Trump promised to re-energise the dying fossil fuel industry, which appeals to the working-class. But what have the Democrats promised as alternative in the former blue wall to dis-incentivise working in the fossil fuel industry? What have the Democrats promised to replace the old manufacturing jobs with? Can you really blame the working class for siding the Republicans with promise of re-shoring more jobs and putting tariffs on imports?

There needs to be another Roosevelt who has the spine to stand up and not be afraid of monied interests, despite coming from old money itself. Again, there is no class solidarity nowadays. The liberals and left indeed abandoned the working-class.

Goes to show how much the media controls our knowledge on current affairs.

Not necessarily. It just means you aren’t active enough to go out of your own information bubble. Plenty of news sources would mention many things.

Inb4 Russianbots say the protestors are CIA-sponsored coup mobs

It is well known communists cracked down on religion because they are staunchly atheists.

As much as I want religion to be gone, you can’t force people to change their beliefs overnight. We frown upon forced conversion by one religion on another; why can’t atheist apply the same standard to theists? That was the mistake of communist Afghans and it only led to a severe backlash of inducing the mostly conservative Afghans to become ultra-consenservative Islamists. Every reaction has an opposite but equal reaction. Social changes has to be organic.

Forcing someone to change their beliefs is considered progressivism and secularism? I did not get the memo that progressives are authoritarians. What were the Afghans resisting the Soviets for then?

The Soviet-friendly Afghan government wasn’t a) progressive and b) wasn’t secular. The government is explicitly Marxist-Leninist who oppressed and forced people to drop their religion as part of state atheism.

The progressivism and secularism you refer to was during the kingdom era before being overthrown by the communist Afghan military. The more liberal attitude is only contained in a bubble in the capital city of Kabul. The rest of 80% of Afghans are still religious conservatives living rural and in poverty. An Afghan female former politician lamented not seeing this because she grew up in liberal Kabul.

Also more importantly, it’s a misconception that the US helped the Taliban. The mujahideen was composed of various factions, some are secular, some are conservative, while some are more Islamists. But, the ultraconservative elements only came later in more definite form under the Taliban, which defeated both the secular and conservative forces.

Would you say the same to the black and Hispanic voters who elected Trump as being stupid? Look at Europe and they have also have the same far-right problem. De-industrialised Northern France, Eastern Sweden and East Germany are voting the far-right. You can’t just tell people to reskill when there are no alternatives offered. You can’t also expect them to move. There are still people living in Detroit, right? The problem with Western governments and its citizens is they are bad with offering alternatives and essentially abandoned the working-class. Just look at Liverpool-- they were the second busiest port city in Britain but experienced economic and population decline in the latter half of 20th century. Despite all that, the government of Liverpool has been effective in investing in their communities, attracting businesses, and revitalising their economy and city. And they have always been proud multicultural, has strong working-class background who always voted for Labour, and voted to Remain in the EU unlike its similarly neighbouring de-industralised Northern English counties.

Sure, there are racists who voted Remain, Trump, Sweden Democrats and Le Pen, but liberals need to realise that you can call others racists or misogynists if they haven’t offered alternatives. I found it laughable that anti-Trumper social and news bubble keep making character assassinations, but rarely I see posts highlighting how Democrats would do better economically than Trump (and frankly, Harris’ economic platform isn’t very appealing compared to Trump which is why I understand why people voted for him). Otherwise, those who are left to fend for themselves are feeling vulnerable and lost in a dark place are desperate to hug a dark embrace from the allure of easy promises. I’m amazed you dismissed FDR’s quote about economically insecure folks being the ingredients of a dictatorship. It is true then and true now. It just so happens that I am listening to a podcast and the main criticism on both liberal and left alike is the grown hubris of appearing know-it-all and taking down the working-class, either intentionally or not. The sooner the left, liberals and progressives get out of their bubble, look at the problem at close distance, and search for others for inspiration (Liverpool’s revitalisation is a success for example), then the sooner they would win back the next election. There is a reason why many electorates sat down because they were not inspired. It’s not enough to tell other eligible voters of “tRoLlEy pRoBlEm” which Lemmy and the left drool over. Offer tangible solutions. Blame inflation as much as anyone wants, but the fact of the matter is that Democrats haven’t done enough to alleviate the effects which does not make much of the people “feel” the growing economy.

I grew up learning British spelling but I prefer American spelling. The American spelling is simplified because words are spelt as phonetically.