2026 Midterm Discussions

[Xzi]

Democrats are barely Left of the Republicans and are far from being Socialists. Just because Democrats largely don't agree with hunting homeless people for sport doesn't make them Socialists.

A lot of the Democrats who won in this election do identify as DSA, though. Bernie Sanders obviously deserves a ton of credit for getting the snowball rolling in 2016, but it's hard to overstate how much impact Mamdani had in breaking through the fearmongering too. He's improved so much for NYC, and so quickly, that the reality of who actually has the interests of the people in mind could not be denied.

It's the dawn of a new day, time to move on from useless corporate stooges like Pelosi and Schumer.

 

[Ettino]

It's the dawn of a new day

You guys still have a long way to go. It's a long road to recover and undo all the damages. And the fucking guy still have 2 years in the office. God knows what the hell else he's going to do next. Keep on pushing.

 

[Sicklyboy]

No I think what I was saying was that you won't believe the "full files" have been released until you see what you BELIEVE is in there. If there are no pedophilic damning photos of Trump, well that just means they haven't released the full files. You're basically operating on faith. A hate-based faith. And I don't think you'll ever get the revelation you desire.

And who do we have to thank for setting up this very scenario of which you speak?

The very administration which claimed Trump never knew epstein despite there being endless amounts of text and photographic evidence, then ran on releasing the epstein files, then proceeded to call the epstein files a Democrat hoax, then passed a bill to release the full unredacted files except where it would harm the victims (the files are a democrat hoax, remember?), and then 1) didn't release half of the files that were claimed to exist, and 2) over-redacting them to hell and back in blatant violation of the bill that was passed in service of Trump himself (I thought he never knew epstein), his cabinet appointees, and numerous other wealthy individuals.

And you think it's unreasonable that people will be forever suspicious that there is more information being hidden from the public.

Edit - and how dare you forget that the DOW is over 50k

 

[The Catboy]

A lot of the Democrats who won in this election do identify as DSA, though. Bernie Sanders obviously deserves a ton of credit for getting the snowball rolling in 2016, but it's hard to overstate how much impact Mamdani had in breaking through the fearmongering too. He's improved so much for NYC, and so quickly, that the reality of who actually has the interests of the people in mind could not be denied.

It's the dawn of a new day, time to move on from useless corporate stooges like Pelosi and Schumer.

Fair, but the DSA is much closer to Center than Left. This is to say, they are further Left than your average Democrat, but still further Right than what should be considered “Socialists.” They are a step in the right direction, though.

 

[KingVamp]

Texas State Board of Education flipped. Also, Nathan Johnson, the new Attorney General, has done dbz music before.

 

[Taleweaver]

A lot of the Democrats who won in this election do identify as DSA, though. Bernie Sanders obviously deserves a ton of credit for getting the snowball rolling in 2016, but it's hard to overstate how much impact Mamdani had in breaking through the fearmongering too. He's improved so much for NYC, and so quickly, that the reality of who actually has the interests of the people in mind could not be denied.

It's the dawn of a new day, time to move on from useless corporate stooges like Pelosi and Schumer.

Though I'd applaud the idea, I can't say I share the sentiment (or @Hanafuda 's remark about socialists winning, for that matter). Granted, I've not closely followed the winning candidates, but I think El Sayed is the only one whom I think(1) is actually a socialist akin to Bernie and Mamdani.

I'm not saying the other candidates are bad, but it's safe to say that the result is the outcome of the barrage of Trump's two years of mismanagement and scandals, NOT for the sudden love of taxing billionaires, actually affordable healthcare or other "leftwing" talking points.


(1): okay, okay: who my local Flemish news outlets tell me to think


---
EDIT: with the election over, I guess the "now what?" question starts being raised. My prediction of a civil war was wrong, I'm happy to admit. I predicted claims of election fraud, sowing of discontent and nasty messages. For once (ONCE!) I'm glad to hear Trump rant about how this wouldn't have happened if he was on the ballot. It denies reality, yes, but it doesn't stoke anger and hate. This is as close to admitting defeat as we're going to get, which is fine by me.

I also couldn't have imagined Vance ever growing a fucking spine. He wants to throw out Hegseth. To that I say: "yeah...and his boss as well". There was a time that a president could get impeached for having consensual sex with an intern, so if the bar of decency is still anywhere, you wouldn't accept two more years of this clown (especially given he just picks the next former fox news outlet figure to replace Hegseth).

 

[Dark_Ansem]

Find a post on this forum where I personally defend Trump

Post in thread 'Biden: "You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-America."'

Jan 7, 2024

Our history is one of rebellion AGAINST kings and dictators. Not weak-minded cultists rebelling for the purpose of installing a dictator. Conservatives lost the plot long ago.

Last I checked Trump's not the one attempting to throw his leading political opponent in prison. You know, like dictators do.

It doesn't, but that's a disingenuous representation of what happened on January 6th.

1. There are two implications in his post and one of them understates the seriousness of January 6th.
2. It's clear Biden is talking about contemporary America, not America before its...

• Hanafuda

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• 

Post in thread 'Biden: "You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-America."'

Jan 7, 2024

There was nothing serious about January 6th, but you just stated that conservative blue-collar types rioted. I'm confused. Is a riot not serious?

Not if it's mostly peaceful and not fiery at all.

Or as the Mayor of Baltimore put it, they just needed "space to destroy."

This was a most benign riot, by people who hadn't planned to do so and caused little harm (excepting for one of their own being shot to death by a cop who didn't need to). Unlike what you'll see if you just do a little looking into the leftist riots that occurred in DC on Trump's inauguration day, and countless...

• Hanafuda

• 

Post in thread 'Biden: "You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-America."'

Jan 7, 2024

I wasn't aware standing on a field and shouting a bunch fell under the definition of an insurrection.

It was important to get the word "insurrection" out there early and solid, which is why the media types and Democrat politicians adopted it so quickly. The whole point of making that specific word stick was to use it against Trump.

Pretty smart. And sinister. Especially when you see how it was coordinated police action that instigated the crowd blowing up.

• Hanafuda

• 

Post in thread 'Trump now destroying American History - tears down WH East Wing'

Nov 23, 2025

Imagine comparing a restoration to what Trump is doing. Actual NPC behavior

The "East Wing" consisted primarily of office space, built over a secret underground bunker, and was constructed in 1942. In fact the main reason for its construction in the first place was FDR wanted a secret underground bunker (b/c WWII). 1942 is only 25 years before I was born, so I'm having a hard time finding any reverence for it's historical value. It has been nothing but a place where White House staff work, and where White House public tours begin IIRC. It was functional business space, never...

• Hanafuda

Post in thread 'Trump planning assassinations of "domestic terrorist orgs" (Antifa)'

Jan 28, 2026

/I don't remember anyone conceding that Biden sucked.

I was paraphrasing. Maybe nobody used that word, but there were plenty of posts here admitting that Biden wasn't their favored candidate (but he was still preferable to Trump), that Biden had done well in some aspects but poorly in others (but he was still preferable to Trump), and/or the occasional "I'm not a Democrat, I'm a leftist! Why do you think I care about any Democrat??" post.


Considering how you guys sometimes criticize me over "semantics" when I point out someone's erroneous assertion(s) though, I guess turnabout...

• Hanafuda

Post in thread 'The US is now at trade war with Canada'

Sep 17, 2026

Let's say you're right and the US is much more wealthy than the EU.

Actually what I was saying is that bringing up the EU vs USA comparison wasn't even relevant. The fact that the USA is at the lowest percentage of its population below the poverty line ever, and that the 'record' has been broken for two years in a row, is relevant to this conversation though. Because underpinning every thread in this subforum right now is the presumption that the US economy is somehow suffering (it's not) and that the plight of the poor is getting worse (it's actually improving).

A post...

• Hanafuda

Post in thread 'Trump has already bankrupted the Kennedy Center, board holding center hostage'

Sep 14, 2026

A big chunk of the ceiling collapsed there a few weeks ago. Could've killed people if it happened during an event. Was it never being funded well, even before Trump? Or was the funding the Center was receiving over the last 60 years just lining people's pockets? Cuz it obviously wasn't going to proper maintenance.

• Hanafuda

Post in thread 'DOJ Admits to Republicans That Epstein Files Are Even Worse for Trump'

Nov 8, 2025

I agree with you, without proof an already convicted paedophile man can be U.S. president... twice.

Even more if that man states there are no Epstein's list, while people can see pictures of him (among many others) with Epstein, if that's not a reasonable doubt I don't know how to call it.

Ok you're confusing me now. Are you saying Trump was convicted of pedophilia? Because he absolutely was not. His convictions involve falsification of business reports, and FWIW there was a remand order in that case last week. Federal circuit court said the District court erred on Trump's...

• Hanafuda

 

[Xzi]

I'm not saying the other candidates are bad, but it's safe to say that the result is the outcome of the barrage of Trump's two years of mismanagement and scandals, NOT for the sudden love of taxing billionaires, actually affordable healthcare or other "leftwing" talking points.

I'd argue affordability/cost of living was indeed the biggest issue for people this election cycle, and if anyone believes that simply ending the war with Iran is enough on its own to make everything affordable again, they're in for a rude awakening. Data centers are driving up the price of electricity/consumer electronics, insurance companies are driving up the price of healthcare, and corporate consolidation is driving up the price of gas and groceries. Not to mention all the no-strings-attached money we hand to Israel annually. Wide-ranging policy reforms consistent with what the left has been preaching for decades are the only real cure here, especially in the long term.

It's unfortunately rather easy to forget about each of Trump's individual scandals when there are fourteen new ones per week. He got re-elected after thirty-four felony convictions, after all. It's impossible to forget about the cost of living for more than a few days at a time, however, because that always hits home when the rent comes due or the tank/fridge is running low.

 

[Taleweaver]

I'd argue affordability/cost of living was indeed the biggest issue for people this election cycle, and if anyone believes that simply ending the war with Iran is enough on its own to make everything affordable again, they're in for a rude awakening. Data centers are driving up the price of electricity/consumer electronics, insurance companies are driving up the price of healthcare, and corporate consolidation is driving up the price of gas and groceries. Not to mention all the no-strings-attached money we hand to Israel annually. Wide-ranging policy reforms consistent with what the left has been preaching for decades are the only real cure here, especially in the long term.

It's unfortunately rather easy to forget about each of Trump's individual scandals when there are fourteen new ones per week. He got re-elected after thirty-four felony convictions, after all. It's impossible to forget about the cost of living for more than a few days at a time, however, because that always hits home when the rent comes due or the tank/fridge is running low.

All valid concerns, and not even mentioning the elephant in the room: the tariffs.
You can't just produce everything locally, so anything imported costs more (read: it's an extra tax by US government). Said cost is passed on to the customers, which adds to the cost.
One could argue that the extra cost is paid to the US government so they have more money to help the citizens, but...that kind of implies that it's spend on useful things.

The rhetoric on these tariffs is also of such a vile degree ("it's all the foreigner's fault!") that those foreigners aren't keen on eating a part of the cost, but also reduce tourism.
Then there's RAMMageddon: the gobbling up of IT infrastructure that not only drives up prices worldwide, but centered around the USA said infrastructure is straining the environment of anywhere near data centers for a cost that's a MAJOR bubble waiting to pop.

Final nail: cost of living was already up 2 years ago. Kind of hard to point to the war as the reason the cost of living went up when it was already too high to begin with.

 

[Dark_Ansem]

elephant in the room: the tariffs.

*snort* an intentional pun?

 

[Taleweaver]

*snort* an intentional pun?

Erm...not really. I always forget which one's which. Republicans are elephants, right?
(I get the pun, but really: it's by accident)

 

[Dark_Ansem]

Republicans are elephants, right?

Yes

 

[KingVamp]

We are still waiting to see if democrats actually got 56 seats instead of "just" 54. Which would make it just that much harder for Republicans in 2028.

 

[Sicklyboy]

I think El Sayed is the only one whom I think(1) is actually a socialist akin to Bernie and Mamdani.

And ironically, El-Sayed has publically rejected the socialist label multiple times and countered with the fact that he's a capitalist that just has progressive values.

One could argue that the extra cost is paid to the US government so they have more money to help the citizens, but...that kind of implies that it's spend on useful things.

And even that falls apart when Howard Nutlick (secretary of commerce) and his son buy the rights to multiple companies tariff refunds for their investment firm for pennies in the dollar prior to the ruling that the tariffs are unconstitutional. My point being that it was all a self enrichment scheme that they all knew wouldn't stand long term and would have to be unwound to some degree and they knew where they would be able to jump on and fill their pockets, at the expense of the American taxpayer.

Then of course trump called the courts woke and gay and dei and just put different tariffs in place.

 

[titan_tim]

All valid concerns, and not even mentioning the elephant in the room: the tariffs.
You can't just produce everything locally, so anything imported costs more (read: it's an extra tax by US government). Said cost is passed on to the customers, which adds to the cost.
One could argue that the extra cost is paid to the US government so they have more money to help the citizens, but...that kind of implies that it's spend on useful things.

The rhetoric on these tariffs is also of such a vile degree ("it's all the foreigner's fault!") that those foreigners aren't keen on eating a part of the cost, but also reduce tourism.
Then there's RAMMageddon: the gobbling up of IT infrastructure that not only drives up prices worldwide, but centered around the USA said infrastructure is straining the environment of anywhere near data centers for a cost that's a MAJOR bubble waiting to pop.

Final nail: cost of living was already up 2 years ago. Kind of hard to point to the war as the reason the cost of living went up when it was already too high to begin with.

You two are basically saying the same thing. All these voters know that shit is getting ridiculous, it's just some haven't fully connected the dots to the reason things are the way they are. Still, they instinctively know that instead of doing anything to stop it, Trump is actively throwing gasoline on the fire (Or in this case, blowing up the gasoline).

Causes of why shit is bad:
- COVID inflation caused companies to take advantage and overcharge and never return to normal
- Tax cuts for the billionaires
- Tariffs are Trump's child-like idea of lowering the 40 trillion debt by taking it out of the regular citizens
- The war is wasting billions a day while stopping 20% of the worlds fuel, raising the price of gas and anything that gas moves (Ie. Everything).
- Trillions is being funneled into AI, while they suck up all the electricity and water, which raises costs. Electronics are equally being screwed for the regular consumer.
- Companies like Elon's are getting billions of subsidies funneled into them without giving anything back.

All of these things have one common thread, rich people getting richer, while the remaining 99% are squeezed. If re-balancing the economy is called Socialism, than so be it. It doesn't make it any less necessary at this point.

 

[AncientBoi]

I'm sure my vote is in there somewhere in "The Blue Tsunami"