volkris @volkris@qoto.org
I think the most pressing and fundamental problem of the day is that people lack a practically effective means of sorting out questions of fact in the larger world. We can hardly begin to discuss ways of addressing reality if we can't agree what reality even is, after all.
The institutions that have served this role in the past have dropped the ball, so the next best solution is talking to each other, particularly to those who disagree, to sort out conflicting claims.
Unfortunately, far too many actively oppose this, leaving all opposing claims untested. It's very regressive.
So that's my hobby, striving to understanding the arguments of all sides at least because it's interesting to see how mythologies are formed but also because maybe through that process we can all have our beliefs tested.
But if nothing else, social media platforms like this are chances to vent frustrations that on so many issues both sides are obviously wrong ;)
Joined Dec 2022
@dalfen again, there's a process to nullify all of the other processes, there's a process to skip all of the time limits if the chamber wants.
They police themselves.
I think a major factor in the state of #USPolitics comes down to a generational shift in mainstream conservative media around the passing of Rush Limbaugh, as the void he left was filled by new figures with a different attitude, one that wasn't so much full-throated promotion of conservatism itself but rather aggressive promotion of superficial fact that happened to be simply incorrect.
Whether one agrees with the conservative ideology or not, this has made a stark difference.
For example, the border compromise legislation weeks ago was sunk not by what was in the bill or by ideological disagreement, but by flat out misinformation about what the bill contained, as that information was emphatically promoted to the huge audiences that these outfits command.
I think if people understand that shift in #GOP rhetoric they can have a better understanding of the state of the world.
One really sad thing is that this change is even bad for #Democrats as it means there's less solid skepticism to weed out bad actors in that party as well.
Of course, this also points to the way #journalism dropped the ball and let that void remain empty to be filled by idiots.
@dalfen timelines can be waived as each chamber sets its own rules, including the rules for timelines, and the rules for changing the rules for timelines.
If enough members wanted the bill, they could get around the speaker with a discharge petition. If enough members didn't like the timeline around a discharge petition, they could get around the speaker with motions to change the timeline.
The only way any of that stands, the only way that the speaker gets his way, is if he has the general backing of the membership.
So, we elected these fools and we get the results of those elections.
@Daniel_Keppler I don't think it's going to be a great year for Dems but rather the continuation of a bad, what, decade? For Reps.
With both parties mired in mud, well that turns it into a bad time for us all.
I sure wish Dems had a decent candidate, but so far it's looking like they have a bench that is merely less awful, and only buy a hair.
Heck, even the missteps involved in the different prosecutions of Trump show that Democrats aren't exactly working with world-class figures. I'm afraid they're botching those prosecutions too.
@dbattistella where in the world did Republicans promise to end civil rights if you vote Republican?
@TheConversationUS but that description is kind of self -refuting.
It's not that a second Trump presidency is a danger to democracy but rather a product of democracy.
I mean, I don't think he can win, but if he does, it reflects what the people want. Yay democracy.
I agree that it's more to do with things other than Trump himself, but that's exactly why it is a product of democracy.
@Free_Press Oh come on.
It's Biden who botched the support for Ukraine for a year, refusing to give them the resources they needed even though it was authorized by Congress.
You can't blame Republicans for that, or Trump.
@dalfen keep in mind that the rules of the House allow for a bill to bypass the Speaker if it has strong support.
We really should push back against the stories about congressional leadership stopping bills when really it's up to the people we elect, the rank and file, who don't push the legislation forward but blame leadership instead.
@Daniel_Keppler Yeah but he's going to need a lot more than that to actually win the presidency, which is the whole problem.
It doesn't look like Trump can win it. Folks voting for Trump for Republican nominee might be handing the presidency to the Democrats.
@freemo a while back, maybe last year? I heard somebody propose that these days Republicans tend to err in magnitude while Democrats err in direction or sign.
Since then it's been very interesting to think about current events through that lens.
For example, off the top of my head, you could consider federal government deficit spending where Republicans have been talking as if it's the end of the world while Democrats have been talking as if it's actually a good thing.
So I don't think Democrats are following suit, but they are committing their own errors in ways that are orthogonal to the errors of Republicans.
To put it simplistically, it's almost like Democrats are doing a good job of a bad task while Republicans are doing a bad job of a good task.
I don't know which is worse, but I personally find the Republican side to be more frustrating.
@BeAware@social.beaware.live
You're overlooking that on BlueSky users have a lot more authority so that the federation between servers isn't nearly as important.
And that such an important difference between the two platforms, between the two approaches.
@TCatInReality again, that's not how the US government works.
If the people that we elect to Congress aren't interested in doing something, that's not an obstacle, that's just representative government representing a population as not being interested in moving.
And right, presidents frequently attempt to exceed their authority. We need more impeachments, and we need more presidents removed from power when they do that.
That doesn't mean Biden didn't exceed his authority. It means we are way too accepting of presidents doing that, and without repercussions they will continue to do it.
@SteveThompson I don't think it's a sneaky end run. It's more a case of overt reasoning that the jury conclusion was puzzling, and so shouldn't have final say.
Nothing sneaky about it.
@swanksalot Well it comes down to federal legislation, not something for the court itself to decide.
It's important to highlight that because we need to stop re-electing legislators who aren't legislating the way we would like.
@nashvilleguy Wait, it sounds like you are saying all of the angst over voter fraud has nothing to do with actual fraud in a message expressing angst over voter fraud saying it is actual fraud.
@GayDeceiver I've always thought that Robin Williams was amazingly overestimated, and let off the hook for so much misbehavior, on screen and off, and this is part of that.
Yeah, a fourth child. An insufferable fool. But then, that was the actor's whole schtick, that people enjoyed and wanted more of for some reason.
I never found it funny. I always found it sad.
@kikobar The ax that I grind is that Fediverse clients should focus a lot more on empowering users to shape their own experiences, which includes things like avoiding spam.
So from my perspective, the lesson should be learned that we should push forward in that direction.
I think this is another example of a place where the instance focused strategy has failed. It was always just waiting to happen.
@SparkleTea Well the actual fuck is that she believes something that is a pretty mainstream belief, that a ton of people believe.
There's nothing particularly surprising to it.
@JesseStone it's another example of Biden screwing up and wasting months going down a dead end road instead of just getting the job done.
I think the most pressing and fundamental problem of the day is that people lack a practically effective means of sorting out questions of fact in the larger world. We can hardly begin to discuss ways of addressing reality if we can't agree what reality even is, after all.
The institutions that have served this role in the past have dropped the ball, so the next best solution is talking to each other, particularly to those who disagree, to sort out conflicting claims.
Unfortunately, far too many actively oppose this, leaving all opposing claims untested. It's very regressive.
So that's my hobby, striving to understanding the arguments of all sides at least because it's interesting to see how mythologies are formed but also because maybe through that process we can all have our beliefs tested.
But if nothing else, social media platforms like this are chances to vent frustrations that on so many issues both sides are obviously wrong ;)
Joined Dec 2022
volkris's choices:
