I used to post here in the 90s and early 2000s. My name is Ted. I was a republican and defender some really bad policies and politicians and got into flame wars with people here. I was a banker and supported Austrian economics because I liked money, not really realizing how those policies hurt the poor and middle class, especially minorities. It wasn't until Trump that I realized how wrong I was about everything. I don't know who still posts here but I owe apologies to Superdave, Bojendyk, My house and several others. I started talking to scientists too and the evidence for AGW/climate change is undeniable yet Republicans still deny it and try to poison the planet every chance they can. I voted for Hillary Clinton in the last election and in Florida yesterday I voted Gillum for Governor and straight Democrat on the rest of the ticket. I hope I can be forgiven by the people I used to argue with here and in hope the nation can forgive us idiot former Republicans for all the harm our vote have causedv the nation, the planet, people of color and the LGBQT communities.
Dunno if this is a troll or Saul on his way to Damascus. Still, if this is serious, it takes a big person to admit that they were wrong and have changed their views, especially if they argued so strongly about them.
I'm not trolling. I grew up Republican, bashed a few left leaning people here. First the Iraq war turned me off. Then was turned off by Republican religious extremism , Learned about climate change and realized I could no longer support a party that was doing these things. I realized that Austrian economics only helps the rich. I saw that universal health Care generally does work. I didn't realize just how racist this country was until Trump. I knew it was racist in many parts of the country and many of the laws but Trump seemed to empower them and they are out in the open now and all over the internet in ways I haven't seen before.
'Microwave' was my first one, then 'Ted Ci**wski' as well as a few sock puppets such as 'Hans Wvolner Fluerbach'
I think you have to take people at their word unless and until there's a reason not to. The daft thing is that, under normal circumstances, there are perfectly valid reasons to argue about the correct response to societies various problems... economic, cultural, etc., and I say that as a left-wing European socialist. But the current GOP and Trump, in particular, are hell and GONE from that discussion. Bluntly, Trump appears set to test the old American maxim that 'It couldn't happen here' in a way that I, for one, NEVER expected to see. I still don't think it will be as bad as some are thinking because America's state/national dynamic is very different to Nazi Germany or or some south American systems but, even so, there are dangers and, if it's not well handled, things can certainly get a LOT worse.
I'm a bigsoccer lefty and I was taken by surprise here, too. I'm reading this book right now. Sounds like you beat him to it on a lot of realizations about the GOP...
Oh I remember Ted Cichowski (sp.). On behalf of the lib'rul assholes who've been around here for years - apology accepted! Welcome back.
I don't think Trump even has coherent policies. He just wants to win and if that means burning down the nation then by all means he'll do it. Why is he sending troops to the border to meet a few thousand (mostly) women and children fleeing violence in Central America? Because his base loves that shit. I am not even sure I think Trump is an outright racist, but he'll use racism if it helps him win. He gives winks and nods to the white nationalists, he pardoned a racist sheriff, he will shrug off anti-semetic violence....anything to keep his base.
OK, you've got me convinced, sorry to doubt you, but with some of these guys (who shall remain nameless), you never quite know for sure. I remember that guy Hans. Now there are a lot of people who post in English as a second language, but that guy could take it to a new level. What did you do, run something through Google Translate 7-8 times, with a complete mix of Indo-European, Asian, and obscure languages like Sanskrit, Urdu and Swahili, and then back to English? I remember Hans insulting someone as a "chimp-chewer!" Priceless!
I love when those old threads are dragged out of the basement to see names like Ian McCracken and Mel Brennan. Brings a tear to my eye it does.
I saw Alex_1 posted in that thread too, he is a friend of mine still on social media. I was Facebook friends with Segroves as well but it appears he may have deleted me for some reason.
Now that we've all been re-acquainted, you might wanna check out the Libertarian Failure thread (ducks drone strike).
I took a look and I don't even know where to jump in. I, like many republicans who got tired of the lunacy of the GOP, tried out libertarianism for a while before realizing that the happiest and healthiest nations on the planet have strong social safety nets and not everyone starts from the same point in life so the whole personal responsibility arguments sound good but don't really translate in the real world. And not all corporations act with nobility and the best interest of mankind like they do in Ayn Rand novels. I'll try and pick out specific things in the thread I disagree with and respond.
I am sorry. I will try to do better in the future. But there is only so much you can expect from a recovering stupidface.
OK, I did a quick search for my new BFF Hans and came up with these gems: Presumably talking about George W. Bush What's really sad is that this is from 2000, and people are talking about how the W Bush administration is so thin-skinned, don't understand the world around them, and are a bunch of cry-babies when it comes to criticism! If we only knew!