Sorry for the headline. I don’t know why they don’t just say it’s Vivek Ramaswamy.
To that end, I will accept Russian control of the occupied territories and pledge to block Ukraine’s candidacy for NATO in exchange for Russia exiting its military alliance with China. I will end sanctions and bring Russia back into the world market. In this way, I will elevate Russia as a strategic check on China’s designs in East Asia.
Never thought I’d see somebody worse than trump so quickly.
he also wants to remove federal regulatory and law enforcement agencies. Including, the IRS. Whose job it is… to you know… pay the government’s bills…
They are doing it on purpose. He’s 38 years old, no one is letting him near the presidency. But these over the top statements are intended to make some other candidate look like not the craziest guy in the room.
You know that’s actually not the craziest hypothesis
I was watching a review of the GOP debates by some US political junkies just last week and one of the hosts said that Vivek knows he doesn’t have a chance but is using this presidential run to get exposure for his planned foray into right wing talk show host. Something like Tucker or Alex Jones.
Great bang for your buck with free news media advertising by pretending to run for president and saying crazy stuff.
After hearing he wanted to start his own right wing talk show his character and mannerisms made so much more sense.
Apologies for the facebook link (They start talking about him around the 14 min mark and the comment on his talk show plans is at 20 mins)
https://www.facebook.com/abcplanetamerica/videos/3482537835297757deleted by creator
Chances are he doesn’t even believe the nonsense coming out of his own mouth, but society rewards these people with riches beyond their wildest imagination so they keep doing it.
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I was watching a review of the GOP debates by some US political junkies just last week and one of the hosts said that Vivek knows he doesn’t have a chance but is using this presidential run to get exposure for his planned foray into right wing talk show host. Something like Tucker or Alex Jones.
or he wants to be VP.
Dude is worth like a billion dollars. Why would he want to be talk show host?
Besides that the fact that running for pres, can theoretically be used as a springboard into conservative media, what was their argument?
Why would Elon Musk want to own a social media company?
Billionaires are weirdos.
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What reason other than ego is needed by the wealthy? They don’t need to consider pros/cons like the rest of us do. You see the kind of following right wing talk show types build? I could very much see someone wanting that just because they can do it.
That was the common thought about Trump in 2016…
What would have happened if he lost? Probably exactly that.
Yeah, that was the feeling, that he was gearing up to start his own OANN style network.
Shifting the Overton Window
Damn, it’s working.
Maybe that guy is not the craziest person in the room.
There’s a lot of competition. I mean he’s meek, so it isn’t always clear, but Mike Pence is fucking nuts.
Its basically the exact same method movie theatres use to sell overpriced popcorn…
Not sure what that says about people but probably nothing good.
More likely he’s doing this on purpose to gain notoriety and wealth through media presence
Also he’s trying to evade lawsuits
Well yeah, but maybe both? They probably offered him a talking head show already.
*edit aaaaand the guy above says he has his tv show
It could be both
“They’d never let this guy take power!”
Where the fuck have you been.
Considering one of his opponents tried to destroy the happiest place on earth, signed into law a law that allows people to kidnap kids, and worked as a torturer at gitmo, that is saying something
Widening the Overton Window. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window
Plus he’s brown. With a foreign sounding name.
The chances of Trumpy Republicans abandoning Dear Leader and voting en mass for an Indian looking guy are vanishingly small.
Eh I figure it’s just for attention. Rile up the base to get them out to vote.
Anger is a pretty strong motivator if social media hasn’t shown you that already.
It’s like “conservatives” are actually compelled to make the worst, most unethical choice, every time…
those aren’t conservatives. Biden is a conservative. GOP are regressives.
“Conservative” in USian means “fascist”.
No: conservatism is tribalism. It’s always been “well someone’s gotta be king.” That is the origin of the term, right back to the invention of the modern republic. It’s just hierarchy plus excuses.
Conservatism is about conserving the traditional practices and values. If the practice is tribalism, then it may be what is conserved, but it can be something else.
This has never been true. This is plain nonsense.
Like declaring Mitch McConnell and Wolfe Tone must share values because they’re both “Republicans.” Words mean what they are used to mean. What conservatism means, in modern English, is monarchists denied a monarchy.
You can deny it if you want, but that’s what you’ll find in dictionaries and encyclopedias, which is what most people consider as the standard definition of a word.
Dictionaries reflect use.
What people mean is always enforcing hierarchy.
That is the only consistent thread, within and between conservative movements worldwide. They want one guy in charge of everything and half the population fighting for scraps. On some level they do not believe society can function any other way.
The people who attempted to overthrow American democracy aren’t preserving a damn thing.
Are we going to have to do this every 4 years? Just roll the dice and risk some wholly unqualified asshole, somehow even worse that the former guy, becoming president so he or she can just shit on the people and the planet for the next 4 fucking years?
I am so tired of this bullshit.
Not forever. Now and probably 2028. The people they are appealing to are dying and are rapidly being replaced by the youth. By 2032 they won’t be enough to dominate an entire party. They will return to the fringe.
We’re at a point where they are so close to codifying their reign into our country’s laws that it will no longer matter if they have a majority or not.
They’ve already done so. Political gerrymandering, legislative subversion of direct democracy, political ejections from state legislatures, etc. The thing that kills me is that the Dems have not come out loudly and uniformly in favor of shit that would make a difference, like rank-choice voting, non-partisan redistricting, etc. Fuckers all around.
Until progressives move en masse to rural areas, this country is fucked. Gerrymandering is largely possible because you only need to go two feet outside of any urban area to be in a blood red sea of prideful ignorance and xenophobia.
Until we become the old assholes for not engaging enough into the ecological transition.
For the forseeable future? yes.
Personally. I plan to go start a lunar colony, then mars, then jupiter. Build up a space civilization of enlightened scientists who… will tolerate my leadership because “well at least it’s not as bad as on earth.”
Enough scientists are feral enough to just throw someone out an airlock. That shit would rapidly devolve into some demented form of anarcho-syndacalism.
That shit would rapidly devolve into some demented form of anarcho-syndacalism.
you assume that I’m not some tin pot dictator. I’m far from the last person you want to see in power… but I’m also far from the first. Although… that could make for a good story…
Can I come?
…maybe?
sure. If it turns out you’re that annoying person who won’t shut up about there kids on the shuttle ride out, I can just use you as a scapegoat. :)
There’s a lot worse than Trump. Trump is dumb AF and is easily persuaded. I’m doubting that Trump ever actually came up with an idea of his own. He’s a puppet through and through.
he came up with the idea of having a button that summons diet coke,
He also came up with the name “Space Force” and they let him pick a new color scheme for Air Force One.
As absolutely cheesy as it is, I like Space Force and its Starfleet knockoff logo.
Just look at all his accomplishments like … … … … and … … … … and don’t forget … … … …
Also, we should remember that time he…
It seems that some candidates believe that to win against Trump you have to be dumber than him.
Is this guy campaigning for American votes, or a Russian paycheck?
Yes. And failing that, yes.
Neither, I think his job is to absorb the negative attention so T looks less unhinged or maybe separate off the crazier magas.
Isn’t it possible that Vivek is just nuts?
Would you put someone “just nuts” in front of a tv camera? But really, I’ve never known the gop to just roll with whomever, their messaging is tightly controlled. If he is up there it’s for a reason.
Would you put someone “just nuts” in front of a tv camera?
Have you seen today’s GOP? Trump, Marj Green, Lauren Boebert, Jim Jordan… the crazy is a feature, not a bug, In Republican politics.
I’ve never known the gop to just roll with whomever, their messaging is tightly controlled.
All the tightly message-controlled Republican candidates in 2016 got thumped by Trump. The Republican party doesn’t even have a platform. They’re literally just rolling with some guy right now.
If he is up there it’s for a reason.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity… or craziness.
Yeah, occam’s says it’s a political ploy. We are literally discussing candidates and how they present themselves. To legitimately bring in mental health seems a stretch.
Would you put someone “just nuts” in front of a tv camera?
That’s generally what happens because it draws in ratings.
We’ve put Trump, and previously 2nd term Reagan in front. So…yes?
At least they don’t even try to hide how much they are in bed with Russia anymore.
… but, but, but they’re the “true patriot” party! No one is more American than Republicans! 1!!
/s
how anyone cant seem through this blatent foreign agent acting against your country is beyond me. watching in amazement from down under
Anyone with two functioning brain cells does see it. Unfortunately, there is an entire political party for people who don’t.
He’s at 5% of the vote in the Republican primary. He’s DOA in a general election.
The alternative is that his words are bald faced lies and he believes he’s all but winking at the “adults in the room” that “of course he’ll never actually do this”.
They’re both equally horrible, and sadly equally possible.
Russia can’t even control it’s own military with success, how the fuck are they gonna challenge China and put them on check. Lol this fuckin puppet has the whole arm in him.
US politicians are surprisingly easily bought by foreign adversaries
The worst thing about American political corruption is exactly how cheap these removed are.
They aren’t cheap, they are affordable))))
Surprising to you
Dont give this stupid ass a platform. Just dont talk about him. All the negative press is what gave credence to Trump by the anti crowd.
100% THIS.
I think it’s a little too late for that at this point. And I doubt posting this on Lemmy will get anyone to vote for him.
How the actual fuck are the Republicans not getting hammered in the polls?
Americans have been brainwashed for decades with ‘communism bad’ propaganda, so it seems mind-boggling that Republicans are so willing to give the former Soviet Union any control over Ukrainian soil. Part of the reason we’ve been fighting back against Russia’s invasion with sanctions and equipment donations has been because they’ve been NATO’s ideological enemy for decades.
I’ve actually seen a shirt that says “I’d rather be Russian than Democrat.”
At this point being a Republican should be considered synonymous to being part of a conspiracy to commit treason and be treated as such.
So have I.
I’m not even from the same continent and it hurts my head to think of how a party whose supporters are synonymous with highly patriotic rednecks are willing to continue supporting their team after they’ve shown a categorical willingness to sell out to the enemy.
Like… I truly think some big corporation has put something in our food or drink that is making us terminally stupid.
Maybe it’s all the microplastics and PFAS.
Its the lead in the gasoline. Thats why the boomers are all crazy, they breathed that shit all their lives. Slow lead toxicity causes paranoia, delusions, lowers inhibitions, increases agression.
Overlay light airports (small prop planes still use leaded gasoline) with conservative microclimates and you’ll see a correlation.
Gen X is actually worse off from a lead poisoning perspective than boomers because lead is much worse for babies/kids than adults. I saw a cool graphic once but can’t find it. Here’s a boring article though.
Well, your second paragraph has a major confounding factor ih that only rich people own their own planes.
Rich people tend not to actually live right next to municipal airports due to the noise as well.
A direct result of IRA/GRU/KozyBear(?), etc., disinfo and influence brainwashing social media campaigns.
Social media is a hellofadrug to the poorly educated.
So Ronald Reagan’s grave is a gender neutral bathroom and a power generator? Wow!
Because if the other team wants something it must be bad, so they oppose them. No matter how much they cut their nose they will spite their own face.
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The Republicans are more or less split on this issue. With the Trumpians being isolationist and not wanting to meddle and the Mitt Romneys wanting to keep the war machine humming along.
Nikki Haley, a Republican Romney-ist candidate at the RNC debates last week criticized Ramaswamy
“You are choosing a murderer over an ally of the U.S"
His response was
“I wish you success on your future career on the boards of Lockheed and Raytheon,”
If you look at certain polls, there are early signs that Americans may be slowly losing fervor for the war and less and less are supporting increasing aid to Ukraine - feeling that the US has done enough.
Trump and his cronies / wannabes are likely betting on that sentiment becoming more widespread. And historically, they are probably right to bet on it. People eventually get war fatigue. However, it could take a very long time before that leads to an actual policy change. Look how long Vietnam or Afghanistan lasted. These things can go on for decades before the government pulls the plug - even through years of public dissatisfaction.
So who knows? The Republicans seem to be having a little war of their own
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You know whats the funny thing here?
Republicans at this point are just fighting over who will be the worst and most fucked up and evil mother fucker?
Thats what attracts the republican voters.
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Of course, because Republicans get money from Russia to betray their country. What’s sad is that it doesn’t take much.
We’re not seeing this motherfuckers tax returns.
I cant read cyrillic anyway.
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sounds like a russian asset
Sounds more like a Putin’s ass
Same thing
“Motherland is not a presidental ass” - Shevchuk.
It is not. Putin and his gang of militant garage pensiorers are not Russia, despite what their propaganga says.
These debates seem more and more like massive focus groups. They get the non-contenders to say preposterous things with two goals: see what sticks and propagate lies.
It’s the one part of Idiocracy we’re actually performing.
Elections are no longer about who’s the best for the job. It’s now a popularity contest. Intelligence and capability mean nothing anymore.
And honestly I partially blame Obama for being to relaxed with the memes. Yeah it was funny af but it opened the gates to what we have now.
It’s like how satire can quickly become real. So… Thanks Obama…
Modernizing engagement by going on talk shows and using social media is smart. The message is what makes the difference. Republicans stopped caring about a message that progressed the country around Bush jr. Ever since then been a decline into tribalism and gaslighting. At least Obama ran on something positive.
Elections are no longer about who’s the best for the job.
They were never about that. It was about which person will get my group what I want. The country could do fine for a long time without any political leadership. The mechanisms of government would just continue to operate. Look at the last admin, how many empty posts were there. I bet your trash still got picked up, I bet you still had to pay taxes, etc.
I’m not into US politics other than the basics, but let me tell every American that the consequences of something like this happening will be catastrophic, and then you’ll “fight” China alone, if not with more opponents.
Trump was already a huge liability to European foreign policy, if it happens again, the EU will dissociate from the US, weaponize and go nuclear. The eastern countries will enter direct conflict with Russia eventually (sooner than later), and the whole continent will get dragged into the war. At the end who ever is left will not support the US, actively be against it, and have nuclear weapons.
In terms of European nuclear weapons, the UK and France already have their own nuclear arsenals. But the broader content of your comment is bang on.
So you’re saying I should support Trump to stop the US empire. Interesting proposal.
'Course that assumes US allies aren’t already looking for the exists regardless of the next election…
Not the OP, but they never said to support Trump. In fact, they said he was also bad.
Yeah I’m just teasing - ultimately I can’t bring myself to vote for someone that’ll enable my own internment in a concentration camp. As much as I hate America I also don’t really want to die anymore lol
