I do want conservatives on here

[Zoo_View]

My conservative friends who have pets regard them as family members; they’re as crushed when a pet passes as anyone else.

 

[finesse]

I'm going to say that bringing up people's care for their pets in response to a drive-by statement about the cruelty of conservatism vis-a-vis random animals on the street is little more than a non sequitur. Conservatism as an ideology is defined by the difference between how one thinks and cares about those close to them versus everybody else; that was the whole point that seemingly went over your head.

But you do open an interesting line of thought - In my own personal experience, liberals and left-leaning people are much more likely to talk about their pets as part of their family; you might not be able to tell whether one of them is talking about a child or an animal. I don't think that's true on the other side of the aisle; I find that the conservatives I know talk about their pets like they talk about their cars: particularly prized possessions that enrich their lives, but not entities with personalities.

Much like they talk about their wives and children.

 

[Centerpiece]

Of course Maga can care for their immediate family and pets. And they can empathize with them and their plights. But go beyond that. How empathetic are they towards the planet? Towards those who can’t help themselves? To innocent animals, plants, birds and bees… to Mother Nature as a whole? How about migrants in Central and Souh America fleeing their homelands and fleeing their own authoritarian dictators, fleeing for their very lives… headed towards the “land of the free, the home of the brave”… headed toward the Statue of Liberty… give us your tired your poor… How empathetic is Maga in that regard?

Let’s not mince words here… let’s not conflate Maga with old school GOP conservatives like Colin Powell and John McCain.

Don’t mix up Maga with the Conservatives on this board who see the light and have disavowed trump and Maga.

And let’s not think for a moment a dog on a short leash, kept out on a chain with a cheap plastic doghouse for it’s only shelter in the heat of the summer and in the dead of winter is owned by anything other than a Maga piece of shit for a human being. Sure, that Maga piece of shit may bemoan their “pet” at its passing. But let’s not think for a minute that Maga gives 2 shits about much of any other living creature, human or otherwise.

These sonsabitches think Nazis are good, slavery was ok, separate but equal was great! What does anyone think “Make America Great Again” actually means? For them it means to go back to the way it was before Civil Rights, Equal Rights, Women’s suffrage.

 

[StrangePackage]

I've seen it happen often that people label those with views they disagree with as "trolling." It's like some kind of coping mechanism or something. The word is used *way* too often IMO.

I can't agree. One of the major political parties in the country has abandoned the notion of a shared reality and considers the antagonizing of the other side as preferable to policy or discourse.

What would you call a poster who did that?

 

[Ramrouser]

And let’s not think for a moment a dog on a short leash, kept out on a chain with a cheap plastic doghouse for it’s only shelter in the heat of the summer and in the dead of winter is owned by anything other than a Maga piece of shit for a human being. Sure, that Maga piece of shit may bemoan their “pet” at its passing. But let’s not think for a minute that Maga gives 2 shits about much of any other living creature, human

Respectfully, I think what you are describing is an issue of class and not political affiliation. No one in my orbit has an outside dog on a short lease. Quite the opposite.

 

[Bobfripp]

I can't agree. One of the major political parties in the country has abandoned the notion of a shared reality and considers the antagonizing of the other side as preferable to policy or discourse.

What would you call a poster who did that?

Though it might seem like they are deliberately being antagonizing (being trolls), I suspect this is actually how they think, puzzling though we might find it.

 

[superrific]

This Act has been misused by environmentalists for stopping or delaying development. These groups have taken extreme positions on enforcement of the Act. That is the point of the changes to the ESA NOT any hatred of animals.

By "these groups" do you mean the United States Supreme Court? Because that's who interpreted/interprets the act to include ALL endangered animals, no matter how seemingly insignificant. I quote from TVA v. Hill, a case that you should know but obviously don't.

"It may seem curious to some that the survival of a relatively small number of three-inch fish among all the countless millions of species extant would require the permanent halting of a virtually completed dam for which Congress has expended more than $100 million. The paradox is not minimized by the fact that Congress continued to appropriate large sums of public money for the project, even after congressional Appropriations Committees were apprised of its apparent impact upon the survival of the snail darter. We conclude, however, that the explicit provisions of the Endangered Species Act require precisely that result.

One would be hard-pressed to find a statutory provision whose terms were any plainer than those in § 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Its very words affirmatively command all federal agencies "to insure that actions authorized, funded, or carried out by them do not jeopardize the continued existence" of an endangered species or "result in the destruction or modification of habitat of such species. . . ."

Or maybe you refer to Congress, who wrote the law, and President Nixon, who signed it. Extreme radicals they were, lol.

 

[Silence Dogood]

This has been refuted at ad nauseum

Of course Maga can care for their immediate family and pets. And they can empathize with them and their plights. But go beyond that. How empathetic are they towards the planet? Towards those who can’t help themselves? To innocent animals, plants, birds and bees… to Mother Nature as a whole? How about migrants in Central and Souh America fleeing their homelands and fleeing their own authoritarian dictators, fleeing for their very lives… headed towards the “land of the free, the home of the brave”… headed toward the Statue of Liberty… give us your tired your poor… How empathetic is Maga in that regard?

Let’s not mince words here… let’s not conflate Maga with old school GOP conservatives like Colin Powell and John McCain.

Don’t mix up Maga with the Conservatives on this board who see the light and have disavowed trump and Maga.

And let’s not think for a moment a dog on a short leash, kept out on a chain with a cheap plastic doghouse for it’s only shelter in the heat of the summer and in the dead of winter is owned by anything other than a Maga piece of shit for a human being. Sure, that Maga piece of shit may bemoan their “pet” at its passing. But let’s not think for a minute that Maga gives 2 shits about much of any other living creature, human or otherwise.

These sonsabitches think Nazis are good, slavery was ok, separate but equal was great! What does anyone think “Make America Great Again” actually means? For them it means to go back to they way it was before Civil Rights, Equal Rights, Women’s suffrage.

These have been refuted at ad nauseum. You only make arguments like these because of liberalism failed ideologies. Until you quit boxing people into your worldview you'll always be stuck in your strawman arguments. You've probably around plenty of conservatives and had a good time and never felt threatened or harmed.

 

[UNCatTech]

This has been refuted at ad nauseum
These have been refuted at ad nauseum. You only make arguments like these because of liberalism failed ideologies. Until you quit boxing people into your worldview you'll always be stuck in your strawman arguments. You've probably around plenty of conservatives and had a good time and never felt threatened or harmed.

Did you not read this part: "Don’t mix up Maga with the Conservatives on this board who see the light and have disavowed trump and Maga."

He's not talking about normal conservatives, he's talking about the cult.

Many of us were conservative for years. I voted republican in every presidential election until trump. There was no way I was voting for that idiot. The republican party is not what it was just a dozen years ago.

 

[Zoo_View]

Did you not read this part: "Don’t mix up Maga with the Conservatives on this board who see the light and have disavowed trump and Maga."

He's not talking about normal conservatives, he's talking about the cult.

Many of us were conservative for years. I voted republican in every presidential election until trump. There was no way I was voting for that idiot. The republican party is not what it was just a dozen years ago.

Twelve years ago was 2013.

The Tea Party (a.k.a.; MAGA, Trumplican) had taken over the GOP in 2010.

 

[UNCatTech]

Twelve years ago was 2013.

The Tea Party (a.k.a.; MAGA, Trumplican) had taken over the GOP in 2010.

Yes, it was shifting, but going into the primaries no one expected the orange turn to be the candidate. There were others that year that I probably would have voted for, when trump became the candidate I knew the party had moved too far. Trump is just a bad person and it is sad that people can overlook that.

Also, I don't recall maga before trump. The tea party was moving that direction but they were not this bad.

 

[finesse]

MAGA is the Tea Party with the cream skimmed off and left to sour.

 

[Zoo_View]

MAGA is the Tea Party with the cream skimmed off and left to sour.

No.

MAGA is the Tea Party with a different name.

 

[TarSpiel]

I can't agree. One of the major political parties in the country has abandoned the notion of a shared reality and considers the antagonizing of the other side as preferable to policy or discourse.

What would you call a poster who did that?

1/3 of the country?

 

[ZenMode]

Of course Maga can care for their immediate family and pets. And they can empathize with them and their plights. But go beyond that. How empathetic are they towards the planet?

Empathetic but generally less so than Democrats.

Towards those who can’t help themselves?

Empathetic but generally less so than Democrats.

To innocent animals, plants, birds and bees… to Mother Nature as a whole?

Empathetic but generally less so than Democrats.

How about migrants in Central and Souh America fleeing their homelands and fleeing their own authoritarian dictators, fleeing for their very lives… headed towards the “land of the free, the home of the brave”… headed toward the Statue of Liberty… give us your tired your poor… How empathetic is Maga in that regard?

Empathetic but generally less so than Democrats.

Let’s not mince words here… let’s not conflate Maga with old school GOP conservatives like Colin Powell and John McCain.

Some Republicans are more empathetic than others, yes.

Don’t mix up Maga with the Conservatives on this board who see the light and have disavowed trump and Maga.

That doesn't mean those conservatives are going to be as empathetic as most Dems on most topics. Political views between parties are general a different of degrees, not extremes.

And let’s not think for a moment a dog on a short leash, kept out on a chain with a cheap plastic doghouse for it’s only shelter in the heat of the summer and in the dead of winter is owned by anything other than a Maga piece of shit for a human being.

I'd be surprised if mistreatment of animals is tied to one party. Dog fighting is brutal and probably not common among Republicans.

Sure, that Maga piece of shit may bemoan their “pet” at its passing. But let’s not think for a minute that Maga gives 2 shits about much of any other living creature, human or otherwise.

Unfounded hyperbole.

These sonsabitches think Nazis are good, slavery was ok, separate but equal was great!

{Visible confusion}

What does anyone think “Make America Great Again” actually means? For them it means to go back to they way it was before Civil Rights, Equal Rights, Women’s suffrage.

So, you believe MAGA wants to take away rights for women and minorities? Which rights? Do you actually believe they want to take away women's right to vote?

 

[Centerpiece]

This has been refuted at ad nauseum
These have been refuted at ad nauseum. You only make arguments like these because of liberalism failed ideologies. Until you quit boxing people into your worldview you'll always be stuck in your strawman arguments. You've probably around plenty of conservatives and had a good time and never felt threatened or harmed.

I figured you would weigh in on this one. Maga lacks the natural ability to empathize with the other. However, I won’t cross swords with you on this. You go ahead and draw your petty conclusions as I’ve drawn mine.

 

[StrangePackage]

1/3 of the country?

Nice dodge.

It's not over-used, it's an accurate description of a political movement. That it's a relatively popular one doesn't mean they aren't trolls.

 

[farce©]

1/3 of the country?

And you want more of them to come shit all over this board?

I don’t see you engaging the MAGA posters here in constructive dialogue. Why do you want more? So you can ignore them too?

 

[Centerpiece]

1/3 of the country?

Is it bad if 2/3rds of the country doesn't want to play in the same sandbox as the other 1/3rd?
The thing is, 2/3 is ok with the other 1/3 as long as the 1/3 don't shit in the sandbox.

The problem is, the 1/3 wants to dominate the sandbox while also shitting in it. At the same time , they want to rub the noses of the other 2/3s in the shit while sitting back and laughing. Eventually, something's got to give.

Now mind you, the right wingers will try to shift the blame and paint themselves as the "silent majority" - or the aforementioned 2/3s - while claiming the "libruls" are the 1/3 in the above scenario.

But we all know that's not the case.

The problem for the 2/3 - the "libruls" - is, they have a messaging problem. If you want to get everybody in the sandbox to play together - even those who shit the sandbox - how do you teach them all that that's not cool, without ostracizing them? It's the conundrum of the left. Big tent. All are welcome, just don't shit in here with out cleaning up after yourself. And if you do, oh well... we'll clean it up for you because that's who we are.

The hard-right wingers don't give 2 shits. They'll shit the bed, shoot your dog, eat your cow and then demand you clean it all up. Then they'll claim you can't play in the same sandbox with them anymore. You and your kind have to go sit in the smaller sandbox and drink out of a different water cooler.

The right will always win that game because they don't care about living in shit.

Drive around rural N. Carolina and look at the squalor - with those trump flags flying. Those rebel flags flying. Don't tread on me muthafucker! "And if you don't like Murikkka, then move!"

 

[BlooVooDoo]

My conservative friends who have pets regard them as family members; they’re as crushed when a pet passes as anyone else.