I Admit I Was Wrong

As someone who has said on ATS that both parties are the same countless times, I admit I was wrong.

The Republican Party is now immeasurably worse in my eyes. For a while I’ve been trying to get my friends to believe that not everyone on the right is what they’ve been fed, but at this point that’s a lost cause. Yesterday changed that with them. There is no compromise in their eyes anymore.
I even managed to get a few people on board with a conservative economic view on things, to where they weren’t so rabidly anti-right wing. People were starting to come around.

But not anymore.

It’s obvious that the Republican Party is no longer conservative, they’re nationalist. And there really is no defending Trumps brand of nationalism after seeing it seep into our elected leaders like it has. Watching the hearing yesterday was one of the first times I’ve genuinely been embarrassed for America.

That our “leaders” would vote a blubbering, lying mess of a man to a lifetime seat on the highest court in our nation strictly because of politics shows they aren’t leaders at all, just scared old men threatened by a loss of power. And beware the old, tired beast that’s forced into a corner.

So where do we go from here? It seems the rabid cry of “kill the infidel!” is no longer solely a product of the people who follow these politicians but the politicians themselves. No quarter is being given to anyone on the opposite side. The extremists have been validated, live on TV by the people who are supposedly elected to represent us all.

And that should give everyone pause.

a reply to: underwerks


Don't be so hard on yourself, they're still actually the same and they still both suck at the teets of lobbyists.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: underwerks


Don't be so hard on yourself, they're still actually the same and they still both suck at the teets of lobbyists.

Up until now I believed that some type of compromise was reachable between these people, even with completely opposite points of view on key issues.

But now since watching the hearing I’m starting to believe that’s a lost cause. You’re right that they both still suckle from the teets of lobbyists and special interest groups. I just personally haven’t seen this level of division in people since Trump was first elected.

While I’m sure that makes some folks here ecstatic, to me it’s like ripping off a scab that was almost healed.

I don’t think democracy can survive when compromise is a dirty word between those we elect to enforce that democracy.

It was hit job. I know this is hard to do but be honest. Do you sincerely believe all four of the accusations ?

That our “leaders” would vote a blubbering, lying mess of a man to a lifetime seat on the highest court in our nation strictly because of politics shows they aren’t leaders at all, just scared old men threatened by a loss of power.

It's about as embarrassing as our "leaders" openly and transparently gaming (or trying to, anyway) the system after a loss of power in the hope that they can wait it out until they get power back, and not giving a single iota of a damn how many lives they have to trample to achieve their party's aims.

The fact that people still try to argue about which side is worse at this point in history never ceases to amaze.

ETA - will point out that the only Senator on the Judiciary Committee to bridge the divide was a Republican. What a mean, mean man he is.

Damn near everyone has access to the internet.

I am not sure why we need fake representation ganging up on us anymore.

originally posted by: Fallingdown
It was hit job. I know this is hard to do but be honest. Do you sincerely believe all four of the accusations ?

Whether I believe her or not has nothing to do with anything. I’m talking about the real show yesterday, the attitudes of the politicians in attendance.

If you believe it was a hit job, cool. The same goes for them. That doesn’t excuse the way they acted.

originally posted by: Fallingdown
It was hit job. I know this is hard to do but be honest. Do you sincerely believe all four of the accusations ?

If even ONE! of the accusations were true it is one too many.

To the OP:

We have allowed this to happen, we cannot blame the “lobbyists”.

We stopped participating in our government, at all levels, and abdicated our responsibility to those with big money, while we willing listened to their soothing words.

originally posted by: Shamrock6

That our “leaders” would vote a blubbering, lying mess of a man to a lifetime seat on the highest court in our nation strictly because of politics shows they aren’t leaders at all, just scared old men threatened by a loss of power.

It's about as embarrassing as our "leaders" openly and transparently gaming (or trying to, anyway) the system after a loss of power in the hope that they can wait it out until they get power back, and not giving a single iota of a damn how many lives they have to trample to achieve their party's aims.

The fact that people still try to argue about which side is worse at this point in history never ceases to amaze.

ETA - will point out that the only Senator on the Judiciary Committee to bridge the divide was a Republican. What a mean, mean man he is.

Yes that is embarrassing as well. But that doesn’t make this any less embarrassing for our country. After yesterday I can’t say that both sides are the same with a clear conscience anymore.

I’m sure you disagree with me, and that’s fine. Seeing the all consuming hate pour out of these elected “leaders” yesterday has changed what I thought was possible.

a reply to: underwerks

But that doesn’t make this any less embarrassing for our country.

I didn't say it wasn't, though. I'm simply pointing out that for every accusation one levels at the right for playing partisan politics and pushing ahead with things, one can level an accusation at the left for playing partisan politics and pulling out all the stops they can think of to stop the process.

After yesterday I can’t say that both sides are the same with a clear conscience anymore.

On that we'll have to agree to disagree. Like I said, I don't know how anybody can claim "their side," or either side, to be superior in any way, shape, or form. Both sides see their political platform as being best for the country, and both sides are entirely and completely willing to put party before country at every turn.

Edit for edit - we do disagree, at least partly. You and I have never had a problem discussing our disagreements though, which is something I appreciate very much. DC could learn a thing or two from us commonfolk.

a reply to: Bhadhidar

We have allowed this to happen, we cannot blame the “lobbyists”. We stopped participating in our government, at all levels, and abdicated our responsibility to those with big money, while we willing listened to their soothing words.

This is true. And everyone is guilty of it. I hope this will be the wake up call a lot of people need.

While I can respect conservatives and even agree with them on some things (2nd Amendment) I can never respect what the Republican Party has now become.

You know what they say about TWO wrongs...

Oh, well.

a reply to: underwerks

Don't worry, the women will remember this. If anyone here has been in a relationship with a woman, I think they know just how long that memory lasts.

I manage a casino, and outside of my security and surveillance, most of my dealers, servers and bar staff are female. They believe her. They believe the other accusers too. Even the Republican female staff. I live in a predominantly Republican area, so three out of four people one runs into are Republican.

Three of my female employees yesterday said they were sad, or disgusted, or lost. They will not vote Democrat but they came over to the Middle and they said they cannot vote Republican after this -- another party is an option. I have no doubt they still support Trump, but they will not vote Republican. That's huge.

The Republican leaders may get the SC pick they want and the pay raises and campaign donations that come with it, but they are setting themselves up for a decade of hurt. And they don't even know it.

Women will remember.

a reply to: underwerks

That our “leaders” would vote a blubbering, lying mess of a man to a lifetime seat on the highest court in our nation strictly because of politics shows they aren’t leaders at all, just scared old men threatened by a loss of power. And beware the old, tired beast that’s forced into a corner.

How to do Entitled White Male Rage

a reply to: underwerks

So you're only disappointed in the Republicans but not the democrats? Yea you seem neutral. The whole thing was a circus and that was caused by the Democrats. But I guess we all see what we want to see.

a reply to: Shamrock6

I get what you’re saying. With me I think it’s just been building up. Snowballing.

Hiring destroyers of the environment to head the Environmental Protection Agency, the constant lying, the expansion of the drone program, etc. If you could find a perfect anti- to what I believe it would probably the be the Republican Party in its current incarnation.

originally posted by: underwerks
For a while I’ve been trying to get my friends to believe that not everyone on the right is what they’ve been fed, but at this point that’s a lost cause.

LMAO

Who the hell do you think you're fooling?? Friends???!!! You haven't got any friends...
Zing!!

j/k -- what I really mean, is that based on your post history, I find it very difficult you would talk to your friends about giving people on the right the time of day.

Hopefully you have a good balance of friends that lean right, that lean left and that don't give a damn about politics!

originally posted by: JDmOKI
a reply to: underwerks

So you're only disappointed in the Republicans but not the democrats? Yea you seem neutral. The whole thing was a circus and that was caused by the Democrats. But I guess we all see what we want to see.

The Democrats were doing the same things they always do yesterday, so I’m not really surprised by their actions. It was the Republicans who stole the show, and not in a good way.

Republicans aren’t Republicans anymore.

The party has mutated into some pre-1900’s parody of itself. We probably aren’t far from senators getting into fist fights on the floor with each other. What I saw yesterday isn’t conservatism, it’s the first screams of a new nationalist party.

a reply to: underwerks

We probably aren’t far from senators getting into fist fights on the floor with each other.

To be fair, those videos and gifs tend to be a lot more entertaining than our usual Congressional sessions...

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: underwerks

We probably aren’t far from senators getting into fist fights on the floor with each other.

To be fair, those videos and gifs tend to be a lot more entertaining than our usual Congressional sessions...

I think wanting our government to be entertaining is similar to the ancient Chinese curse of wishing that someone lives in interesting times.