Pat @Pat@qoto.org

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For the younger folks out there who are following the debt ceiling "crisis", this happens nearly every time the budget needs to be passed.
This is just Kabuki Theater so they can distract attention from what they're actually spending the money on -- like all the corrupt giveaways to their cronies. Or the fact that US just killed one million of their own citizens during the pandemic.

Happens almost every time, just ignore the theatrics and focus on the real issues.
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Kabuki Theater = "...refers to an event that is designed to create the appearance of conflict or of an uncertain outcome, when in fact the actors have worked together to determine the outcome beforehand." (wikipedia)

#debtCeiling #nationaldebt #USPol #budget #fiscal #policy

*****TruthBeTold Spoiler******

This statement is true. John Glenn took shark repellent with him in the Friendship 7 capsule when he went into space. However, the shark repellent was not to use against sharks in space, it was part of a survival kit to use in case the capsule landed off course in the ocean somewhere and he had to survive in a life-raft with sharks around him in the ocean.

#TruthBeTold

In 1962 when the United States sent its first astronaut, John Glenn, into orbit they weren't sure what to expect so he took some shark repellent just in case.

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#TruthBeTold = A statement that is logically or literally true (or partly true), but seems to imply something that isn’t true or is just plain weird. (for rhetoric, logic or propaganda studies… or just for fun)

#space #nasa #JohnGlenn #astronaut #aliens #shark #SpaceShark #Friendship7
(image: publicdomainpictures.net, modified with some stars in the background)

@LouisIngenthron

I don't even know Chris Rufo is.

@freemo

@freemo

>"... people back absurd opinions or reasoning..."

I'm pretty sure that's astroturf, not organic.

>"The morr thry support some issues the more people jump on thr bandwagon and as a result the more strongly the politician supports it.. then you got a nasty feedback loop."

If that's the case, then why don't we get those feedback loops for things that most people actually want like a simple tax system or term limits or ending poverty or stopping corruption or any other issue that would affect the bottom line of the plutocrats?

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This Twitch streamer is so nice that she interrupted her stream to feed her doggie...

(Fair use, full stream at: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1800908100)

#dogs #BeKindToAnimals #animals #kindness

@freemo

Well maybe we do agree. The ideas almost always originate from someone who is not connected to the media, but there are literally thousands of these issues created all the time by people.

But only the one's that cause the people to turn against each other and that don't effect the wealthy and the politically connected are allowed to see the light of day in the MSM.

The ideas themselves are made up by someone, but the decision to make it a prominent issue is decided by the MSM and the plutocrats.

@freemo @JonKramer

>"People create these issues. Yes they do distract from the actual important issues, but that is the doing of tbe people and their tendency towards absurdity."

I completely disagree. It's not the people generally, it's the plutocrats. There are millions of opinions and issues out there and the mainstream media decide which ones they're going to push to the forefront, and mainstream media is owned by the plutocrats. They decide what the issue of the day is. That's why they choose these issues to promote.

@2ck

>"...it gives cover to bigots and transphobes to do harm. so, we can't just ignore the shithead distraction tactics, but have to make it clear their rhetoric is stupid and shameful "

I understand. That's why they pick issues like racism and homophobia and transphobia because the issue can't be ignored by those who are being oppressed, so it sucks up all the bandwidth and it works out for the rich and the wealthy and the politically connected because either way the controversy resolves, the plutocrats still protect their interests.

I feel that the only solution is a revolution to completely take down that regime. Remove those bastards from power and start over from scratch with a real democracy with the people in charge.

Instead of wasting effort on these separate issues that often result in zero gain, go for the big prize.

Those bastards are weaker than you realize and we're more united than the mainstream media would have you believe.

@JonKramer @freemo

@medigoth

>"Who the hell do you think you are, anyway, telling other people what they need?"

Everyone assumes that they are ignorantly voting against their own interests, but it may be that they are well-informed masochists.

@JonKramer @freemo

I think just about everyone has figured out by now that these issues are just to distract people from the stuff that actually matters.

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Investment tip...

Car Shredders.

(full video at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh8j_N0OUSE )

#climate #change #puttputt

@ech

I think they allow people to exempt gifts up to a certain amount, like $14k or $20k -- something like that.

Also there are gifts through a trust, and inheritance, which is a posthumous gift.

@Acer

@ech

>"This is not always true in the US."

Yes, sometimes it looks like a gift but it's actually a bribe in which case the person who received the gift earned that money by providing laws or public policy or other favors for the one who provided the gift.

(ps - bribes are very bad)

@Acer

@MVEG001

Yep, gaslighting.

#absurdity

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Boss:
This is the third week in a row that you've missed 2 days of work without notifying us and on the days you came in, you were drunk. You also failed to complete the last five projects I gave you. If this behavior continues I'll have to let you go.

Employee:
Bullying!

#raab #work #absurdity

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Here's a fair tax system...

1. Get rid of all deductions and exemptions, tax every dollar that every person and every entity takes in, irrespective of the source; loans, interest, dividends, paychecks, sales of goods, retail or resale, everything.

2. Everyone pays the same rate: 1%

This would bring in about $16T of revenue per year -- enough to pay off the national debt in just a few years and still have enough to fund all current government functions plus a lot more.

#tax #taxes #USPol #corruption #money #finance #investment #fiscal #policy #fair #equality

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blocking @LittleWytch at their request...

https://qoto.org/web/statuses/110238945708200808

@2ck

A light field camera could be used for that to give you an infinite depth of field but I don't know if they make them that small.

Yes, the dynamics would necessarily be different.