Politics

If I wanted to read post after post about American politics, I'd join a related sub.

Please, enough is enough. There are plenty of places for these discussions and I fail to see how it has to be allowed to spill over in here. It's getting worse and will continue to devolve as we get closer the the U.S. elections unless the mods get a handle on this.

Edit: Just to clarify a few things. I do care about politics. American politics do, in fact, concern me as a Canadian. Like many of my compatriots, we are deeply concerned about the recent rhetoric in the US and the potential return of Tump as president. I personally spend 6-8 weeks a year in the States, and if he gets re-elected, I'd probably stay away.

That being said, it was just nice to have a sub that was a bit of a reprieve from the constant cacophony that surrounds the American election cycle and I'm just disappointed that it seems that may not be that place anymore. It's obviously a controversial topic, and since the majority of this subreddit is American, it's not surprising.

A lot of people on Reddit seem to have an idea that refusing to date someone because of their political beliefs is shallow or weak-minded. You see it in all the time.

The common arguments I see are...

"Smart people enjoy being challenged." My take: intelligent people like to be challenged in good faith in thoughtful ways. For example, I enjoy debating insightful religious people about religions that which I don't believe but I don't enjoy being challenged by flat earthers who don't understand basic science.

"What difference do my feelings on Trump vs Biden make in the context of a relationship?" My take: who you vote for isn't what sports team you like—voting has real world consequences, especially to disadvantaged groups. If you wouldn't date someone who did XYZ to someone, you shouldn't date a person who votes for others to do XYZ to people.

"Politics shouldn't be your whole personality." My take: I agree. But "not being a cannibal" shouldn't be your whole personality either—that doesn't mean you should swipe right on Hannibal Lecter.

"I don't judge you based on your politics, why do you judge me?" My take: the people who say this almost always have nothing to lose politically. It’s almost always straight, white, middle-class, able-bodied men. I fit that description myself but many of my friends and family don't—let alone people in my community. For me, a bad election doesn't mean I'm going to lose rights, but for many, that's not the case. I welcome being judged by my beliefs and judge those who don't.

"Politics aren't that important to me" / "I'm a centrist." My take: If you're lucky enough to have no skin in the political game, then good for you. But if you don't want to change anything from how it is now, it means you tacitly support it. You've picked a side and it's fair to judge that.

Our politics (especially in heavily divided, two-party systems like America) are reflections of who we are and what we value. And I generally see the "don't judge me for my politics" chorus sung by people who have mean spirited, small, selfish, or ignorant beliefs and nothing meaningful on the line.

Not only is it okay to judge someone based on their political beliefs, it is a smart, telling aspect to judge when considering a romantic partner. Change my view.

Edit: I'm trying to respond to as many comments as possible, but it blew up more than I thought it would.

Edit 2: Thank you everyone who gave feedback. I haven't changed my mind on this, but I have refined my position. When dealing with especially complicated, nuanced topics, I acknowledge that some folks just don't have the time or capacity to become versed. If these people were to respond with an open mind and change their views when provided context, I would have little reason to question their ethics.

Seriously, thank you all for engaging with me on this. I try to examine my beliefs as thoroughly as possible. Despite the tire fire that the internet can be, subs like this are a amazing place to get constructively yelled at by strangers. Thanks, !

Loaded post, I know and this is a bit heady, but please let me explain. I’m from the Midwest and Trump supporters are everywhere. They frequently claim that Trump is being hit with “political” legal attacks during these court cases. They claim this like they’re saying something outrageous. They also act like Trump wouldn’t do the exact same thing against his opponents, or worse if re-elected.

First off, obviously the cases against trump are completely political. He’s the former president, and I don’t see any republican plaintiffs. However, when I mention politics, I’m looking past the superficial ideological divide and I’m analyzing the actual mechanics and science behind “power” and mass influence. The study of politics is just that, the discipline studying the application of power and exercise of authority. Any system with more than one individual is political because there will be a power imbalance. There cannot be two chefs cooking the same meal unless one delegates. This is power and its political.

In my view, systems of power become contentious when you have powerful individuals supported by other powerful people, institutions, or undifferentiated masses. Such as a political party.

Trump is currently being tried for many different alleged violations, both civil and criminal. Trump was a former and recent president of the United States. This dynamic is completely unprecedented in the balance of Anglo-American politics. Trump could have murdered 3 people with a knife on camera and admitted to it and prosecution of him would still be political. It’s inescapable that the act of exercising government power against trump in the form of judicial oversight is an act of political power. It’s irrelevant how much or how little Biden, or any democrat, has to do with any prosecution. Its political no matter what. Submission to any court and its laws, under any circumstances, is a recognition of political sovereignty. The very act of Trump, an important political figure, being accused and called to answer for his crimes is political.

Therefore, if Trump somehow wins in 2024, as a felon or otherwise, it is unthinkable that he would be able to restrain himself from challenging the political systems that tried to hold him accountable in the first place. Even if he wanted to restrain himself. Again, it’s politics, if he is in power he will exercise it, his supporters would command him to do so regardless, right? Given the inherent political nature of the proceedings against him, it seems obvious to me that Trump would use government power to do something equally political.

Since the nation is already in uncharted waters trying to prosecute a former, contentious president, if Trump wins in 2024, there is an incredibly likely chance that Trump would respond in kind and legally prosecute his enemies or otherwise exercise political power in ways unseen in American political history.

This post is a prediction, one that I feel many Trump supporters are either ignoring or they want it to happen. Either way change my view and make it easier for me to live in TrumpTown and not be so cynical of US politics. Please poke holes in my appraisal of the situation. Please give me a reason to change my view and expect a boring election cycle in 2024.

TL;DR: Trump is being accused of felonies and other crimes. Political or not, it’s all politics and it’s unthinkable that if re-elected, convict or otherwise, Trump will launch legal actions against his perceived enemies and a dramatic political battle, unprecedented in scope and scale, will erupt if he wins 2024.

So many of us were raised by what I would term strict yet neglectful parents. We were left to our own devices.

We grew up listening to hair bands, Boy George, and George Michael. We watched movies like Sixteen Candles, Spaceballs, and Blazing Saddles.

Because we were raised kind of "feral" I still have a very live-and-let-live attitude. Most of the people I know (and I was in the military, so I know a lot of people.) have this same attitude.

So my question is, HOW IN THE WORLD DID SOME OF THESE FAR RIGHT, MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY, POLITIANS COME OUT OF OUR GENERATION? I really don't get it. I was just reading about an Oklahoma state senator that just makes my skin crawl.

edited to add link for reference