Where have our Conservative members gone?

[Starbuck1975]

I think I answered that before. Many of the more thoughtful and reasonable conservatives probably don't see much of conservatism they can defend these days, although I acknowledge a caustic atmosphere towards them from some of the liberal posters contributes too.

There is nothing to defend about the Tea Party and Trump strains of conservativism, because they broke the GOP. However, a rejection of the current GOP does not necessitate or require an embrace of the Democrats.

That doesn't change the fact that plenty of people who complain about the quality of posts here contribute nothing other than low quality shitposts like what Ackmed did here and frankly posts like that DESERVE to be insulted.

There are a lot of shitposts in this thread, not all from Trumpsters. The few remaining reasonable conservatives get attacked simply for not subscribing to hysterics. It sometimes appears that what some would prefer is a safe space circle jerk echo chamber.

I'm affirmatively in favor of insulting people who make posts like that because it's just a bunch of substance-free, whiny ranting.

I find it is more productive to put such people on Ignore. This is not the case for you, but there are quite a few posters who default to insults.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Oh, that's good observations though.

I think there are a whole bunch of inactive hijacked accounts lurking around from post 2012ish.
No evidence other than the occasional oddball poster who suddenly shows up all fired up about something they never were fired up about.
Seems to line up with when Russia started test runs. AT forums get a moderate amount of traffic and do appear on the first page of google searches.
I think the CPU/Video card part of the equation is that was around the time those forums were drying up and people were losing interest because AMD just was uncompetitive and video card became expensive boring toys used for mining. The days of doubling or tripling performance were over thus people stopped using the accounts.
I know I wrote a whole lot of speculation.

 

[ch33zw1z]

There is nothing to defend about the Tea Party and Trump strains of conservativism, because they broke the GOP. However, a rejection of the current GOP does not necessitate or require an embrace of the Democrats.

There are a lot of shitposts in this thread, not all from Trumpsters. The few remaining reasonable conservatives get attacked simply for not subscribing to hysterics. It sometimes appears that what some would prefer is a safe space circle jerk echo chamber.

I find it is more productive to put such people on Ignore. This is not the case for you, but there are quite a few posters who default to insults.

I only quoted this post due to the guy who "liked" it, being a poster who is always straight to the insults. Not that you are, but that poster certainly is, lol.

Good job!

 

[Commodus]

There is nothing to defend about the Tea Party and Trump strains of conservativism, because they broke the GOP. However, a rejection of the current GOP does not necessitate or require an embrace of the Democrats.

You do realize that the Democrats are currently the only major bulwark against an attempt to effectively institute one-party rule in the US, right? Not to give the Dems carte blanche, but they really are the only big party that preserves some respect for democracy and basic accountability in government. The Republicans have made it patently clear that they're willing to erode checks and balances so long as they have four more years of a cushy salary.

 

[Jaskalas]

I used to have a Facebook account (unsubscribed it a few weeks ago) that I occasionally used specifically for checking in on a few conservative friends of mine. Since Trump lied his way into their hearts and minds, I've seen how extremely protective (delusional)) they've become of Trump and his actions to the point where any lie, GOP/FOX contrived deep state conspiracy joke is gospel and hell, they're even creating memes straight out of supermarket rags to prove how right they are in defending Trump and everything the Repub controlled Congress is passing into law that ironically, negatively affects their own lives.

Just how deep down that dark hole that Trump is digging for them before they snap out of that spell Trump cast over them is anybody's guess but it looks as if they're with him to "infinity and beyond".

There is no snapping out of it. What you have described is the normal functioning of the human brain.

Identity is EVERYTHING. Trump wormed his way into their ID. So now their Egos are making delusions / excuses to defend the ID, because that is its job. The worse the ID, the larger the detachment from reality becomes. The Ego will not stop until its job is done. Until the person feels comfortable with their own identity. With Trump.

It is a corruption, a poison over time, but it is something that now defines them. I don't have the faintest idea how / or if the damage can even be undone. Logic and Reason are modern concepts (see Enlightenment) that attempt to overcome human nature. Not thanks to human nature, but in spite of it.

Anyone, including those at Fox News, who even begin to question Dear Leader, are branded as liberal traitors. Defy them and they want your head. You are suddenly the "other". The great Satan in their lives. America is in a mental health crisis the likes of which no one alive has ever witnessed.

 

[Jhhnn]

There is nothing to defend about the Tea Party and Trump strains of conservativism, because they broke the GOP. However, a rejection of the current GOP does not necessitate or require an embrace of the Democrats.

Failure to embrace Dems leads to Republican rule. It's just that simple. You don't have to like the choice to understand that it's true. So you can vote for the ongoing & highly successful top down economic class warfare the GOP has waged since Reagan or you can vote for something else, for the other side.

A lot of people believed they were voting for something else when they voted for Trump. Turns out they were badly mistaken but they'll still defend that choice out of pure stubbornness & spite.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Sure, polite is a relative term and this forum certainly isn't that. But of those mentioned I haven't seen them treat with others with obvious malice - and when they do lash out they seem to take some time to get to that level. Unlike, say:

Much of what is done depends on who one is perceived to be. I have been gone after by left and right, with the left much less so because we have important interests in common. We also have this statement on the other side.

I posted in the "yoga" threat:

I'm going with money, sex or revenge.

While seemingly trivial, these are the three most common reasons for murder, however, given recent events motivations of terrorism over and above the "common" were possible, hence my statement.

This was one response.

Three things that have obviously eluded you your entire sorry fucking life.

That had an emotional response from me between 1 and 2, entirely of amusement.

So people here can be pretty hard on some and I'd say at time unreasonably so, however, demonstrated behaviors at least in my interactions with many lack an argument, that is a basis, for some mighty odd perspectives. Once refuted with demonstrable facts they go wild and attack. That happened with my example IIRC.

Bottom line people will get jumped on, that this is a left leaning forum and so that's the slope poop rolls downhill, and when confronted there's rarely a good rebuttal.

 

[feralkid]

I don't want the government to have to care for the populace.

"Of the People, by the People and For the people"

"in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity"


Jesus wept, that's what it's always been here for.

 

[realibrad]

Lol, yup....quite a nut.

I think agent was Russian. I'm not much for conspiracy but after accusing him of being a Russian troll, a company registered my home address as theirs and the owner name was some obsecure Russian artist. They spent money registering and moved thousands into bank accounts under the company. I caught it all very quick. I made a post on this forum with a few details and the money quickly was removed.

I disputed the company saying I was the owner of the home and so the state agency sent a letter which the "company" never responded to. Agent has not come back sense.

 

[Starbuck1975]

You do realize that the Democrats are currently the only major bulwark against an attempt to effectively institute one-party rule in the US, right?

Howard Dean understood the importance of the ground game, and emphasized the need to compete locally to win nationally. While partisans tend to care a great deal about who controls things nationally, in the pendulum swing of Reagan to Bush to Clinton to Bush to Obama, there’s been a steady balance that hasn’t deviated too far from the center line in any one direction.

Locally is a different story. The nation is ideologically split, and I wouldn’t want to live in any part of the country that either party has a monopoly on. Neither Texas nor California is a place I would now want to live, although I lived in both at times when things weren’t so partisanly divided.

I’ve also been drawn to the rising crop of veteran Democrat candidates and wish it was Sanders that faced and defeated Trump.

Not to give the Dems carte blanche, but they really are the only big party that preserves some respect for democracy and basic accountability in government.

It’s the culmination of little hypocrisies that paved the way for Trump. For example, while I respected Cory Booker for taking a stand in the Kavanaugh hearings, I also can’t help but notice he rallied to the defense of that POS Bob Menendez. Ted Kennedy, the “lion” of the Senate, was no American hero. Character it seems is always secondary to power and control.

We can go back and forth all day on who is “worst”.

The Republicans have made it patently clear that they're willing to erode checks and balances so long as they have four more years of a cushy salary.

The Republicans have made it clear that they have no hesitation in exercising the power granted to them, and I have no doubt the Democrats would do the same if given the opportunity. The only thing louder than the Democrats arrogance of inevitability and perpetual control was the sound of Trump kicking it all down like a preschooler taking down the Lego blocks carefully set by one of his classmates.

 

[Maxima1]

Howard Dean understood the importance of the ground game, and emphasized the need to compete locally to win nationally. While partisans tend to care a great deal about who controls things nationally, in the pendulum swing of Reagan to Bush to Clinton to Bush to Obama, there’s been a steady balance that hasn’t deviated too far from the center line in any one direction.

That actually broke with Bush and with Trump as well. Both pop losers, and Bush technically should have lost even if we conceded Florida to him over the corrupted equal protection decision, since the low, arbitrary House cap is grossly unfair to the bigger states. Bush had like only 4-5 electoral votes more, but that would have changed with even a small increase in the cap. House representation is laughably off from what originally was intended.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

That actually broke with Bush and with Trump as well. Both pop losers, and Bush technically should have lost even if we conceded Florida to him over the corrupted equal protection decision, since the low, arbitrary House cap is grossly unfair to the bigger states. Bush had like only 4-5 electoral votes more, but that would have changed with even a small increase in the cap. House representation is laughably off from what originally was intended.

Yes but we’d need like thousands for it to be as original intended. I cannot imagine an election where 2,000 people could be up for re-election and I cannot imagine a room full of thousands of people ever getting anything done.

 

[Maxima1]

Yes but we’d need like thousands for it to be as original intended. I cannot imagine an election where 2,000 people could be up for re-election and I cannot imagine a room full of thousands of people ever getting anything done.

Yes, I realize that it's impractical, but even a modest increase would have had Gore winning. I don't get why that it isn't unconstitutional, though. The 14th Amendment changed it somewhat with the language, but there should be a lower bound that it can't go lower than. It makes the House representation a joke. That low number is added with 50 states, 2 Senators. Again, a joke!

 

[Jhhnn]

The Republicans have made it clear that they have no hesitation in exercising the power granted to them, and I have no doubt the Democrats would do the same if given the opportunity. The only thing louder than the Democrats arrogance of inevitability and perpetual control was the sound of Trump kicking it all down like a preschooler taking down the Lego blocks carefully set by one of his classmates.

Project more.

Unless the GOP finds ways to attract more minority voters they're on the losing end of long term demographic trends. Demonizing illegals drives away Latinos because they can see beyond the end of their noses. It's also because illegals have intermarried with native Latinos. Their neighbors, siblings, grandchildren, nieces, nephews & more often depend on illegals as breadwinners. The massive deportations envisioned by Trump & Co would be an open declaration of war on their communities.

It's not that the GOP has used the power granted to them but rather that they've abused it rather badly. That's beyond obvious to anybody not caught in the Trumpian mindset. Saying otherwise is just making excuses for very bad behavior.

 

[ivwshane]

That actually broke with Bush and with Trump as well. Both pop losers, and Bush technically should have lost even if we conceded Florida to him over the corrupted equal protection decision, since the low, arbitrary House cap is grossly unfair to the bigger states. Bush had like only 4-5 electoral votes more, but that would have changed with even a small increase in the cap. House representation is laughably off from what originally was intended.

The last event proposal I saw on the matter said there should be about 900 house seats to bring back fair representation back to the house.

 

[ivwshane]

Yes but we’d need like thousands for it to be as original intended. I cannot imagine an election where 2,000 people could be up for re-election and I cannot imagine a room full of thousands of people ever getting anything done.

I'm not sure how 2000 people is any different from 450. Its not like they all have to be physically present to voice their opinions. The main difference is that committees would probably need to be twice as big or restructured which is nothing that hasn't been done before.

 

[Amused]

I'm an old school conservative.

What I am not is:
Racist
Xenophobic
Misogynist
History revisionist
Science denying
Reality denying
Nationalist
Fascist
Autocratic
A mindless sheep who falls for propaganda over verifiable fact.

What I am is:
A capitalist who recognizes a government is needed to regulate, protect and guarantee the freedom of the individual
I believe in social programs to help those who are unable to help themselves and promote the general welfare and infrastructure required for a capitalist system to prosper.
I believe in an individual right to keep and bear arms with reasonable restrictions and background checks.
I believe in individual liberty and that industries, corporations and PACs are NOT people.

So I guess I do not fit in with the modern "conservative."

 

[brandonbull]

Sadly the type you describe got too involved with Benghazi & Uranium One without ever acknowledging the stuff they posted or spoke about was false. Even when proven false.
Same with the propaganda printed during the election. Nobody has acknowledged passing it along. I’ll forgive anyone for unknowingly passing propaganda once.
I find it hard not to point that stuff out, so we are left with the crazies who continually come back for more.
Engage again, I like responsible talk about budgets and the military, just be responsible.

Edit: for example look here:

http://www.portvapes.co.uk/?id=Latest-exam-1Z0-876-Dumps&exid=thread...des-on-eve-of-election.2556109/#post-39633795

Why does that poster feel he needs to derail a discussion about Trumps arguably racist or at bare minimum inappropriate ad. The Ad cannot be aired on broadcast TV. Why not create a new thread about it, maybe the story has some merit.

Here is another:

http://www.portvapes.co.uk/?id=Latest-exam-1Z0-876-Dumps&exid=thread...-pack-the-courts.2556115/page-2#post-39634454

To be considered a Popular Candidate you they need to capture a majority of voters from every single State? We all know that is an unrealistic expectation and I'd bet no President in recent history has accomplished this. I'll accept bickering over a 3% popular vote margin not being a huge majority because that is an opinion.

@Genx87 I did an edit

Do you even know what you are talking about or has the mass hysteria distorted your ability to be honest? You and the rest of the useful idiots were proven wrong about the Uranium One dealings.

I don't think that was Trump's inappropriate ad. Correct? You can thank media outlets for releasing the ad and giving it a wider audience than Trump's tweet ever would . If the video was fake about Gillum's campaign staff, why were they dismissed? Are you saying that there have not been fugitives identified and captured or reports of criminals from the caravans? Go ahead and call that fake news as well.

Trump was called a weak candidate because Hillary had a 3M vote edge in the popular vote. I called Hillary the weak candidate because she lost the popular vote in the majority of states and some of those states were part of the "Blue Wall". More fake news and facts?

Is it that hard to be truthful and not blatantly misleading?

 

[dank69]

PM sent

I'll take one of those please.

 

[Paul98]

Yeah you now have the trump republicans and the ones that simply don't care and only want power. Then you have those who were actually the old conservatives, who will actually vote against trump.

 

[Amused]

You and the rest of the useful idiots were proven wrong about the Uranium One dealings.

This is, quite possibly, the most painful and pathetically deluded irony I have ever witnessed.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

This is, quite possibly, the most painful and pathetically deluded irony I have ever witnessed.

Uranium One was easy to self investigate and the accusations practically dismissed themself immediately upon inspection. Hey, I don't care for Hillary but making shit up isn't good. This, emails, conspiring with Russians when the Dems were the ones targeted. The spooky thing is I expect this sort of thing daily.

 

[Amused]

Uranium One was easy to self investigate and the accusations practically dismissed themself immediately upon inspection. Hey, I don't care for Hillary but making shit up isn't good. This, emails, conspiring with Russians when the Dems were the ones targeted. The spooky thing is I expect this sort of thing daily.

Yep, it appears the right have given up debating issues and now are relying almost totally on utterly fabricated conspiratard theories to demonize the opposition.

 

[Jhhnn]

That actually broke with Bush and with Trump as well. Both pop losers, and Bush technically should have lost even if we conceded Florida to him over the corrupted equal protection decision, since the low, arbitrary House cap is grossly unfair to the bigger states. Bush had like only 4-5 electoral votes more, but that would have changed with even a small increase in the cap. House representation is laughably off from what originally was intended.

That's not really true wrt HOR representation. There are a few outliers because everybody gets 1 & because of the way that some states fall above or below the split point.

https://www.thegreenpapers.com/Census10/FedRep.phtml

Less populous states are def over represented in the electoral college, however, because everybody gets at least 3.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

This is, quite possibly, the most painful and pathetically deluded irony I have ever witnessed.

Brandon can beat it, go below and look at the comments from the YouTube video he posted
Those guys have Brandon beat

http://www.portvapes.co.uk/?id=Latest-exam-1Z0-876-Dumps&exid=thread...-eve-of-election.2556109/page-4#post-39634468