The Countries: Forget it, Burkina Faso, Michigan is still the worst.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

I'm all for MAGA visiting war zones. Take lots of cash!

 

[Russell Jaslow]

The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) on Threads

Trump is encouraging Americans to visit Lebanon—despite his own administration warning U.S. citizens not to travel there “for any reason.”

www.threads.com

Let me guess - the Lebanese tourist industry recently deposited a fat check to him

Remember when Lebanon was a tourist destination? I wonder what changed? Hmm, maybe a certain group of people immigrated there after the failure of Black September?

 

[ticapnews]

I'm fine with there being 34 candidates in Clacton because of Ofcom rules: If any media interview Farage they have to give equal time to each of the other 33 candidates. And while Count Binface was ratings gold before the ballot became official, the other 32 candidates um...aren't. Plus, who the hell wants to interview three dozen people? So essentially Farage has been silenced, which also has the effect that as Burnham takes over as PM his #1 opponent has disappeared from the airwaves. The downside is this might lead to a resurgence of the Tories.

 

[Kepler]

Has the Tory party formally endorsed the Count? That would be epic trolling.

 

[ticapnews]

I don't think any of the parties have endorsed him. I think they are trying to publicly ignore the circus while privately enjoying the spectacle. The closest has been the announcement of Farage stepping down at MP with the minister in charge saying, "If he wants to spend the summer arguing with a man with a bin on his head, be my guest."
No party should endorse him. That just plays into Farage's fantasy that Count Binface is the "establishment candidate."

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

I don't think any of the parties have endorsed him. I think they are trying to publicly ignore the circus while privately enjoying the spectacle. The closest has been the announcement of Farage stepping down at MP with the minister in charge saying, "If he wants to spend the summer arguing with a man with a bin on his head, be my guest."
No party should endorse him. That just plays into Farage's fantasy that Count Binface is the "establishment candidate."

Yeah, fun as it would be, I agree.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Yeah, this is some surprisingly astute political tactics from the other parties. By staying out of the race they make the whole thing look like a farce and it focuses all the attention on Farage’s scandal.

 

[Kepler]

No party should endorse him. That just plays into Farage's fantasy that Count Binface is the "establishment candidate."

Fair.

 

[Kepler]

The Brits know how to electioneer.

 

[Kepler]

We need to do the same.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Here here. People who don't believe in democratic government should not be permitted to participate in it, and the far-right has never believed in democracy of any form.

 

[Kepler]

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Personally, I take a John Rawls view on it. A just society should generally tolerate the intolerant, reserving legal or other combative actions for only when intolerance poses a concrete threat to liberty and stability.

A little group of neo-Nazis cosplaying in their brownshirts didn't meet that standard, but Dump and the 30% of the country slavishly devoted to him, along with the other 20-25% of craven "centrist" "moderates" who BSABSVR, definitely do.

 

[ticapnews]

 

[Kepler]

Personally, I take a John Rawls view on it. A just society should generally tolerate the intolerant, reserving legal or other combative actions for only when intolerance poses a concrete threat to liberty and stability.

A little group of neo-Nazis cosplaying in their brownshirts didn't meet that standard, but Dump and the 30% of the country slavishly devoted to him, along with the other 20-25% of craven "centrist" "moderates" who BSABSVR, definitely do.

I don't think those two views are contradictory.

There is real value in allowing all individuals to believe what they want and associate with one another, no matter what society thinks. Racists should be allowed to have their little fantasies and gather together in a little cult to share them. They can call it "The Federalist Society."

But as with racists, the barrier is interfering with others. The second another human who is not actively interested in your cray is in the field of intrusion, you either stop or society has the right to stop you. Every creep can be a pervert as long as nobody innocent is put at risk. Politics is by definition both social and imposition, therefore those who have these fantasies and values are banned from all political engagement. They can have their little universe in their heads -- heck, we all only live in our heads anyway -- but they can't crawl out and touch anyone else who does not explicitly and wholeheartedly share their kink.

Arsonists are people too, and they can dream about matches, but they don't get real matches, and if they are searching for them we can stop them cold.

 

[Kepler]

View attachment 2762

This is a truly great post. Thank you!