In the news today

[Ryllharu]

Biden apparently said the US government will look into funding the reconstruction of the bridge, but shouldn't the ship owner's insurance company be doing that? The insurance company will be paying a whole lot out of its pocket. Never heard of the site, but at least this arcticle suggests that insurance companies will be suffering losses.

Insurance companies can pay for the bridge, but the problem is the bridge is needed back FAST. Quality and Fast means Cost is going to exceed what any insurance payout is capable of. I-695 is Baltimore's beltway.

[Buffalobiian]

Trump is going to be president again.

I thought this might happen months ago as soon as I heard he was shot, but this is still bewildering.

On the one hand, he didn't break the world like I thought he would so we'll survive for 4 years. On the other hand, do you Americans really like this guy more than the alternative(s)?

[Abdula]

Trump is going to be president again.

I thought this might happen months ago as soon as I heard he was shot, but this is still bewildering.

On the one hand, he didn't break the world like I thought he would so we'll survive for 4 years. On the other hand, do you Americans really like this guy more than the alternative(s)?

Far too many people did not survive his first term and we are still dealing with the aftereffects, like the right wing supreme court. As far as liking him, enough people do so it is irrelevant.

Not many countries in the world are ready to vote for a woman for president. The USA are very far from being ready for that.
And she's black. So a little too much against her. I know Obama is black, I was quite surprised he was elected.

This, this, 1000 times this. He won twice and both times he defeated women. They didn't vote for a white one and they were not going to for a black one. The disconnect there is so disheartening.

[David75]

Not many countries in the world are ready to vote for a woman for president. The USA are very far from being ready for that.
And she's black. So a little too much against her. I know Obama is black, I was quite surprised he was elected.

[Ryllharu]

Not many countries in the world are ready to vote for a woman for president. The USA are very far from being ready for that.
And she's black. So a little too much against her. I know Obama is black, I was quite surprised he was elected.

This, this, 1000 times this. He won twice and both times he defeated women. They didn't vote for a white one and they were not going to for a black one. The disconnect there is so disheartening.

Please.

The Democrats first picked the only candidate who could possibly lose to Trump in 2016 because she was so deeply hated as a person and not because she was a woman. A reputation developed from decades in politics (they very notably bought her way into the US Senate in NY State as a carpetbagger and then-record spending for a 2nd term) and controversies (all the way back to the 80s) and PR fumbles (her Secretary of State tenure). A person who proceeded to insult the electorate repeatedly, completely ignored multiple swing states, and operated extremely arrogantly on the campaign trail under the presumption that she would win. She still won the popular vote. Hubris undid Hillary Clinton, not misogyny.

The second time, they bypassed an Open Convention for their party's convention and installed the only candidate who polled so poorly in 2020 that she dropped out before the Iowa Primaries Caucus because she was eviscerated in the debate by other candidates. Bypassing an open convention alienated members of their own party. Interviews with the press went exceptionally poorly for the past two months and were non-existent prior to that while her opposition was scheduling rallies non-stop. Harris' election campaign repeatedly ignored lesson's learned from 2016 and 2020. They focused on ideology instead of economic (read: 13%+ inflation) issues/concerns, which is a repeated leading issue cited from exit polling. She had overwhelming support from the US and International Press and celebrities. The Democrats lost the popular vote for the first time in 20 years from poor campaign strategy and Party Leadership incompetence, not from misogyny.

Literally the only two people in the US who could lose to Donald Trump due to his own overwhelming unpopularity.

edit: Heaven forbid the Democratic Party do some self-reflection on their actions the last 10 years instead of blaming identity politics and their own voter base.

[Kraco]

I'm just looking forward to seeing how Trump solves the war in Ukraine in 24 hours like he promised.

[David75]

Do what you want with Ukraine mister Putin...
And then Poland...

[Buffalobiian]

Far too many people did not survive his first term and we are still dealing with the aftereffects

Yeah I should say that by "we" I mean us Australians living a Pacific away from the US. We'll survive for 4 years.

[Abdula]

Yeah I should say that by "we" I mean us Australians living a Pacific away from the US. We'll survive for 4 years.

I got that. It is amusing that you think it is only going to be 4 years. This is just what the republican party is now. The other candidates Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis, were not much better. You are also assuming that Trump's health does not give out and we don't have to deal with that pesky 25th Amendment issue. Plus there is the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson. It has been 10 years of Trumpers and those people are not going away

[shinta|hikari]

4 years is optimistic. I am skeptical about democracy, despite it causing this in the first place, surviving.

You can vote democracy away, but you can't vote it back.

[David75]

He might change rules, to extend his stay if he lives long. Hi buddy Putin did that...

[Abdula]

Oh he already said that and the person he referenced was Xi in China

[David75]

Didn't think my borderline comment is in fact so true... I hope the many power chambers will stop him...

[shinta|hikari]

Republicans won the presidency and the popular vote, the house, and the senate. 2 Supreme Court justices will retire and be replaced by conservative fanatics. I am afraid that there are no chambers of power left to stop what is coming. I truly hope I am wrong.

[Death BOO Z]

this is the first time in 20 years that the republican won the popular vote.
from what I hear, compared to 2020, 4 million less voted red, but 15 million less voted blue.

(checking some numbers)
2020: Biden 81M, Trump 74M, Other 3M
2024: Harris 66M, Trump 72M, Other (NA?)

this is bonkers.

[shinta|hikari]

Misogyny and racism are alive and well, apparently.

[shinta|hikari]

I agree with Ryllharu to a certain degree. While I also think the people that didn't show up to vote are absolutely lazy and stupid, I realize that as a political organization, the DNC has to plan and strategize with what they have, even if that is an uninformed electorate. While I do still think racism and misogyny are factors, I also believe they are not the only reasons. The DNC needs to seriously become the party of change, not institutionalism.

[KrayZ33]

Welp, Germany gets to vote early because the current coalition failed and will 100% disband either before the end of this year, or very shortly after. Scholz will not survive the vote of confidence. (And it's honestly a fair / completely acceptable development - Scholz' speech was actually, for once, really solid and *good*)
But we are currently facing a crisis due to whats going on everywhere, which means people will vote for nazi-parties like the AfD, which in turn will make everything worse for everyone in Germany and that will make the whole situation spiral downwards.

Get ready Europe/World.

Feels like it's going to be a crazy HoI4 game.

Sucks to live in today's times.
"Social media did this" - will be written on my tomb stone - when shit hits the fan.

edit: didn't want to sound like I'm offing myself. No worries, I just play, game and watch movies and anime until the world turns sour, for as long as possible. No way I'm gonna start a family "in this economy"

[Kraco]

Welp, Germany gets to vote early because the current coalition failed and will 100% disband either before the end of this year, or very shortly after. Scholz will not survive the vote of confidence. (And it's honestly a fair / completely acceptable development - Scholz' speech was actually, for once, really solid and *good*)
But we are currently facing a crisis due to whats going on everywhere, which means people will vote for nazi-parties like the AfD, which in turn will make everything worse for everyone in Germany and that will make the whole situation spiral downwards.

In my foreigner's eyes Scholz always seemed too meak and weak, gray and without any presence, to lead the largest European economy in a situation like this. Of course he got to shoulder a terrible legacy since Germany was even deeper in Moscow's energy pocket than great many other nations. But especially so, the chancellor should have been a person of zero hesitation and a lot of strength. Germany has supported Ukraine the most after the USA, as individual countries, but due to Scholz's personality and lack of presence, Germany is often remembered for what it didn't do, rather than everything it did. It's quite sad. That being said, with a stronger person than Scholz leading Germany, I reckon Germany wouldn't be lagging behind so much in the aid measured in GDP percentage. But at least Scholz can be proud he achieved a whole lot more than Macron, who has been nothing but pitiful.

[KrayZ33]

In my foreigner's eyes Scholz always seemed too meak and weak, gray and without any presence, to lead the largest European economy in a situation like this. Of course he got to shoulder a terrible legacy since Germany was even deeper in Moscow's energy pocket than great many other nations. But especially so, the chancellor should have been a person of zero hesitation and a lot of strength. Germany has supported Ukraine the most after the USA, as individual countries, but due to Scholz's personality and lack of presence, Germany is often remembered for what it didn't do, rather than everything it did. It's quite sad. That being said, with a stronger person than Scholz leading Germany, I reckon Germany wouldn't be lagging behind so much in the aid measured in GDP percentage. But at least Scholz can be proud he achieved a whole lot more than Macron, who has been nothing but pitiful.

Scholz was a very weak chancellor, especially compared to his vice-chancellor Habek, who is also hated by low-iq social media fearmongers and hate driven people.
But it's just so unbelievable that we live in a time where Trump can be president (a second time!) and extreme right wing parties use propaganda and misinformation to gain traction and votes to the point where they might become, or already are, a mainstream party.
It's especially saddening in America's case, because how can a "normal" human being not see that Trump is a complete joke of a narcissist and sociapath character.

Fuck me, this is just scary as hell

https://x.com/KamalaHQ/status/1852549389224480854

What-the-actual-fuck.
And people really go there and say "yup, this person should have the most power in my country" and vote for a party out of spite for the other party.

Just.. fuck.
It's not like Biden was "much" better btw. (well.. much better compared to him, but still very bad) BUT THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT.
The "greatest country" only had the choice between two, almost dead guys with barely anything left in the brain? I know that the people behind him in the video are paid actors but what the hell.
Jesus christ.