WTF is wrong with US politicians? Do they not understand the old maxim that it is better to do nothing than to do something stupid?

[zagor]

I can't believe the legislation being introduced, especially at the state level, by both parties in places where they are in control that defies common sense. I mean these people are idiots to the nth degree.

[BCA6010]

This is how the government actually works: someone gets into office making promises that may or may not be sincere, but they generally have no clue what they're getting into until they're actually there. Day 1 on the job, or rather even before they officially take their seats, they are dragged through meetings with the various interest groups, industry lobbyists, non-profits, etc where they basically get overwhelmed with praise and commitments that may or may not benefit their constituency. Virtually all feedback they receive comes from an echo chamber, so when actual criticism or popular demands trickle through, they are discarded as "extremist views," even when it's barebones common sense or a simple standard that was considered normal just a couple years ago. Sometimes the money is so good that they'll just drop everything they ever claimed to stand for and instantly become a shill, like AOC has for TikTok after a generous donation.

Your average state or federal congressman spends less than 25% of their time in office actually doing their job, and most of that is heavily influenced by the details I listed above. The rest of their time is spent preparing for, or actively campaigning for the next election. Furthermore, incumbents are actively strongarmed or bullied by the handful of swamp creature elites who control both parties. As a democrat, if you aren't in a deeply contested district in danger of flipping, you will be ostracized and eventually replaced by their corporate benefactors if you don't tow the party line. As a republican, particularly at the federal senate level, you will literally have your own donations taken away from you by people like McConnell and Cornyn if you don't do as they say, which most of the time equates to "dig in your heels, ignore or avoid cultural issues, talk about lowering taxes and creating jobs, maybe film a commercial or two about wounded veterans."

[NathanDavis]

what is right? with politicians... nothing much, lol

why is Daylight Savings still a thing... FTW!!

[FeelingGroovy]

So this is just an abortion rant. Some people like killing babies and some people don't.

Whether or not it's "stupid" depends on which side you're on.

[zagor]

Read the post. It's NOT just about abortion. It's a general statement about the state of BOTH parties.
And a clump of cells is not a baby. If you're worried about babies then make it easier for early-term abortion and the morning-after pill, which the GOP is also going after.

[Anonymous]

Doing something stupid that matters little is easier than doing something that's needed.

[goaded]

Both parties? Examples?

Free school meals vs. taking books they don't like out of schools?

[zagor]

Like requiring corporations to use race and gender quotas on their boards. Which was a law passed by the California legislature but thrown out by a court. Like banning the sale of incandescent light bulbs.

[goaded]

OK to the first one, but reducing the amount of power used for lighting by 90% is "something stupid"? in my opinion, demanding the "freedom" to harm everyone else is far more stupid.

"energy savings from LED lighting could top 569 TWh annually by 2035, equal to the annual energy output of more than 92 1,000 MW power plants"
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/led-lighting

[zagor]

When the law was first passed LED lights weren't readily available so it meant using fluorescent bulbs with all their environmental issues.

[NaultD]

That's the norm for like 20 years now. Something gotta give Something gotta give.

[gorydetails]

Which legislation is that?

[zagor]

Example - multiple GOP states: Abortion restrictions, from a party that claims to want government out of peoples lives.
Example - California: Trying to legislate composition of corporate boards (overturned by court)

There are multitudes of more extreme and bizarre examples.

[gorydetails]

So abortion laws are easy. Government’s one purpose is protecting your life from being taken by another. If you’re aborted, your life is taken without your consent. It’s the purpose of government to stop that from happening.

[zagor]

"You" being a fertilized clump of cells without a brain?

[gorydetails]

You are still a human being. You’re not a cow. You’re not an oak tree.

[zagor]

The idea that a zygote is a human being, as opposed to a potential human being, seems to me to be more of a religious, as opposed to scientific, opinion.

[gorydetails]

If you mixed up some flour, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla into a batter and poured it into a pan and put it in the oven to bake, then I came by and pulled the pan out of the oven and threw it on the ground,, you would be pissed I ruined your cake.

[zagor]

Not if I was baking it in your oven without your permission...

[gorydetails]

99% of the time you have my permission.

[007kingifrit]

and what legislation would that be?

[zagor]

Example - multiple GOP states: Abortion restrictions, from a party that claims to want government out of peoples lives.
Example - California: Trying to legislate composition of corporate boards (overturned by court)

There are multitudes of more extreme and bizarre examples.

[007kingifrit]

Example - multiple GOP states: Abortion restrictions, from a party that claims to want government out of peoples lives.

that's not what small government means, it means the government shall strive to be small in situations where there are other options, there are no other options here

[zagor]

I'm not sure what could be more personal than reproductive rights. It's like the joke I heard some time back - the Republicans want small government, small enough to fit in your bedroom.

[zagor]

It wouldn't be so irritating if they weren't constantly haranguing the opposition for intrusive governmental regulations.

[007kingifrit]

nobody said the government shouldn't interfere in your personal life. murder is a deeply personal choice also, but we interfere.

see you call things stupid but you don't understand them

small government is not important to republicans in situations where there are no other alternatives to achieve something important

[zagor]

So sodomy laws, book banning, bans on interracial relationships are all OK? Those are all personal things that the government interfered in in the not-so-distant past.

Things that affect others, such as murder, theft, screaming curses on the street in the middle of the night, are not matters of personal life.

[bamesjond0069]

@zagor I'm 99% democrats were the ones who banned interracial relationships actually.

[zagor]

@bamesjond0069 Yes, that was when the Democrats ruled the South. That was a couple generations ago.

[007kingifrit]

i notice you changed the topic from your abortion to a broad list of topics unrelated to eachother. basically an admission by changing the subject that you were wrong.

i will only address the topic that was the premise of the conversation

[zagor]

Uh, no, if you reread the headline it wasn't about abortion per se. But with respect to abortion, yes, it is about personal rights of a woman as opposed to the "rights" of a clump of cells with less sentience than a cockroach.

[bamesjond0069]

@zagor but I mean newborns can't say anything or even take care of themselves? Grandpa in the hospital on ventilation is just a vegetable... so I mean what rights do they have if I don't feel like taking care of them or paying for them? I should be able to abort them too? They are just a massive clump of cells that don't do anything either.

[zagor]

@bamesjond0069 Newborns or the infirm can be taken care of by anyone. A zygote is implanted in one person and takes from her body for 9 months.

Yes I realize there is the surrogate mother implantation thing but no one is suggesting that as a solution.

[bamesjond0069]

Who cares if they can be taken care of if they are nonfunctional clumps of cells that cannot take care of themselves or do anything?

The if this or that etc is irrelevant before first stating if they are worthy or considerations or not. Like we have no standard of care for a brick. Because we have already decided a brick has no rights so no need to try and save it or care for it.