The honking and outdoor screaming in celebration in downtown Austin was pretty amazing. I can only imagine what it's going to be like When It Happens.

This is going to be fun to watch over the next couple years.

I think on a local level they will, at least temporarily. Nationally, a lot of Dems are nervous about "moral and judicious consequences" looking like "bitter retribution," and are hoping to maintain some level of re-electability. But the Dems who just got elected in Texas realistically know that their time is short no matter what. They have no reason to try to protect their jobs, so they're not afraid to investigate, prosecute, and put in place whatever laws they can manage while they have the chance.

IT is illegal? I run into it 50 times a day in one form or another.
What it needs is a warning logo everyplace it is used.
It is when one cannot tell real from fake, especially on purpose, that there is trouble. 

Listen, I agree. But it's the newly-elected Dems who understand it. The incumbent Dems haven't suddenly stopped drinking the Kool-Aid they were drinking a month ago. I mean, fuck, even Talarico threw trans kids under the bus during his campaign because he was worried about electability. He was wrong, they're all wrong, but that doesn't mean they don't hold those beliefs. 

Obviously Democrats will have problems.  Since a resulting recession, created by tax cuts and massive increased government spending, traditionally result in economic downturns in maybe four years.  Anyone who thinks things are bad have not yet seen, for example, a massive economic revenge that happens four years after wars and other mistakes.  As demonstrated by both Vietnam and the Mission Accomplished war.  And by a recessions seven years later created by tax cuts.  Even tariffs make recessions worse.  1929 all over again.

Only a top 9th and 10th population (by income) have seen income increases.  All bottom seven (lower) income groups have seen their incomes drop.  With the largest decrease in bottommost income levels.  History says trends can take eight years to create a significant turnaround.

What also makes recessions?  A major increase in the Gini index.  A top 1% now own over 50% of America.  Economic growth only exists when the Gini index drops.  When more wealth appears among the bottommost income earners.  A trend that typically takes a decade to occur.

How was that unhealthy economic activity reversed in the 1930s.  Major growth in unions forced the elite to pay everyone else more money.

Example: economic disasters created by Nixon remained until Reagan's second term.  In  part because Ford refused to address the problem.  Since most do not learn from history, then unfortunately we are doomed to repeat those mistakes from 30 plus years ago.

Any good that Democrats might do would take four or eight years to become apparent.  Most voters do not see more than six months.  How many even remember that Trump was  killing civilians in the Caribbean.  Or tried to sneak attack Iran in 2020.  Then stole top secret plans.  Where plans were discovered hidden in a bathroom in Mara Lago.

As a people,  we unfortunately do not remember (learn from) history.

Worse, many voted for Democrats since massive disinformation, such as spin and lies about data centers from some estimated 20,000 Chinese  bots, means future job losses over a next ten years.  If we do not, as a people, realize fears of data centers are clear and obvious fiction.

Of course if the invasion of Taiwan or Putin's attack on NATO happen in that period,  then what will disciples of tweets think?  Will they rally around Trump -  wag the dog?  Forgetting that he has made such wars likely?  Or will greater intelligence take hold. A reality that Trump has harmed American military strength,  has alienated most all allies, has encouraged and increased harm to  American manufacturing and innovation, and has done massive harm to American economic strength (to enrich himself).  Unfortunately that reality never appears in soundbites.

Last edited by tw (Today 8:41 pm)