guamisc's recent activity
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Comment on Ford 'pausing' construction of Marshall EV battery plant in ~transport
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentNo, I didn't succumb to binary thinking. I specifically said if there was a problem once we reached the threshold, it's with ourselves. I fail to see how that's binary thinking. So keep...No, I didn't succumb to binary thinking. I specifically said if there was a problem once we reached the threshold, it's with ourselves. I fail to see how that's binary thinking. So keep strawmanning away.
I'll go continue to put in work, just stop making it harder for us, ya?
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentTheir side isn't disadvantaged structurally and in backing. Fiscal "conservatives" have always had backing power in this country from it's inception where the banks and slavers held most of the...Barry Goldwater and Lee Atwater would like a word. Even Atwater didn't understand the monster he was unleashing and regretted it on his deathbed.
Their side isn't disadvantaged structurally and in backing. Fiscal "conservatives" have always had backing power in this country from it's inception where the banks and slavers held most of the power. Structurally this country was built to advantage the slavers.
Between these two, you can't bring people that want to do most of the smaller and incremenetal improvements to the table.
This is what I originally responded to. Nobody wants to do those things, nobody votes for those things. And by nobody, I mean not a large enough coalition of people to matter. The army of people knocking doors I oversee do not knock doors for promises of incremental uselessness.
If it smells like shit everywhere you go, the rule of thumb is to check your shoes.
Or literally decades of pro-corporate propaganda foisted on this country. But no, it couldn't be the concerted effort of people like Rupert Murdoch that's verifiable and readily apparent now could it be?
What you see as "selling incrementalism" is people trying to tell you that we have a democratic system where you have to get supermajorities of the electorate to support your agenda to get anything done and that's genuinely ranges from difficult to impossible for most things. That is why change comes in increments.
No shit? Really? I didn't know. Oh wait, of course I did. Please stop writing to me as if I don't know how our government works and functions. I guarantee I am probably more familiar with the machinery of our government and what's holding us back than you, unless you're literally in the DC circuit and work on the hill.
However you're incorrect, you don't need supermajorities. You need the House, 50+VP in the Senate, and the Presidency. If we meet those thresholds, the people stopping us from enacting basically any legislation isn't the opposition, it's ourselves.
Power has to be built slowly and every instance of ceding power by failing to engage just slows down the progress.
Or failing to wield power when we have it.
There isn't some point where people just flip and "get sick of things" to turn them over. That's literally never how it's worked. They only get "sick of it" because there exists a movement on the ground that has built up the power to shape narratives to make marginally interested folks care enough to get sick of anything.
That literally is how it's worked. People striving for {X} and never getting {X} because incrementalism doesn't work for people who are systematically disadvantaged get outraged and finally strike, withhold sex from their husbands, march in the streets, etc.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentFiscal conservatives literally invited them into the halls of power with the Southern Strategy (although the main thrust was the racists and their backlash to the civil rights era). They were...Fiscal conservatives literally invited them into the halls of power with the Southern Strategy (although the main thrust was the racists and their backlash to the civil rights era). They were specifically targeted by the Republican leadership to build their voting base. Republican leadership and backers stoked the anti-abortion movement with funding, messaging, and backing of power.
These are verifiable facts that happened.
Please understand history before calling the argument wrong.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentIncrementalism doesn't work when your side is disadvantaged both in backing and structurally. This is the case for the Democratic party. Look at the last several decades. It's beyond clear that it...I want to highlight the sleight of hand here. Earlier you're talking about how incrementalism doesn't work, but now you're switching to how it's not a compelling sales pitch.
Incrementalism doesn't work when your side is disadvantaged both in backing and structurally. This is the case for the Democratic party. Look at the last several decades. It's beyond clear that it doesn't work for the Democratic party.
Incrementalism is also not a compelling sales pitch.
the "great leaps" you referenced earlier were also the result of steady incremental building of organizing capacity through people power.
The giant leaps were the result of incremental failure and the people getting tired of it. Important distinction. Why is it distinct? Because you cannot motivate people by selling failure.
Selling incrementalism is political malpractice.
I've literally been hearing the same song and dance you're spinning here my entire life.
- Reagan to HW to Trump - worse administration and effects on the country each time, still the same song and dance
- SCOTUS is lost for a generation and actively gutting the institutions of our government unless we do something about the makeup of the court, still the same song and dance
- Senate/districting/voting systems routinely give excess political power to Republicans, still the same song and dance
I will give Biden credit where credit is due. He forged ahead with student loan forgiveness (disclosure, I never had loans). And when SCOTUS ignored the law and stopped it, his administration went back, retooled, and is attempting another path. He's actually using the power given to him by the voters, at least on this issue.
it's important not to confuse narrative with objective reality.
That was literally the opening point of my original post.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentSocial conservatives are backed by fiscal "conservatives" who use them as useful idiots to achieve their goals of destroying any and all regulation getting in the way of their profit. They have...Social conservatives are backed by fiscal "conservatives" who use them as useful idiots to achieve their goals of destroying any and all regulation getting in the way of their profit.
They have stronger backing. They are advantaged by geography/the way we do elections both at the federal and state level. They have other institutional systems on their side from the history of the founding of this country.
You cannot win with incrementalism being a goal against that. You settle for incrementalist gains, you do not aim for them.
But sure keep misunderstanding the argument I'm making.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentWorking in the party, knocking doors, helping people setup campaigns, organizing volunteers, etc. I agree, but we have overwhelming amounts of practical evidence that shows that this is not the...What form does your activism take if I might ask?
Working in the party, knocking doors, helping people setup campaigns, organizing volunteers, etc.
I feel like if most people adopted the practice of "vote for the least worst option" in every primary and election, this country would change a lot for the better.
I agree, but we have overwhelming amounts of practical evidence that shows that this is not the way most humans will act. Wishing and hoping that people will change is not an effective strategy and we must work with the electorate we have, not the one we want. People mostly vote on feeling and strong emotions.
To that end, overtures of so-called "pragmatism" and incrementalism are like a novocaine dart straight to the face of the voters.
Successful messages from the Democratic side:
- "Yes We Can"
- "Change We Can Believe In"
- "For People, for a Change"
- "It's the economy, stupid"
- "A time for greatness"
- "We do these things not because they are easy...."
etc. etc. etc.
Extolling the virtues of incrementalism in the face of a much better organized incrementalist force backed by most major corporations is literally political malpractice.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc (edited )Link ParentStrawman much? Right, so what's the plan to do something about it? Nothing? Allow it to run roughshod over the rest of us? The disservice is the strawman you're constructing. That's my point...Saying society is failing and then having nothing constructive to say about what to do about it aside from casting shade at anyone who is doing anything for not doing "enough" isn't really a useful posture to have.
Strawman much?
No it got messed up because of malapportionment in the US Senate that allowed small groups of concerted activists to hijack the nomination process to skew their way.
So any whinging about this stuff without any agenda about what you plan to do about it is deeply unserious.
Right, so what's the plan to do something about it? Nothing? Allow it to run roughshod over the rest of us?
It does a huge disservice to that on-the-ground movement building to imagine they just snapped their fingers one day and suddenly magicked a bunch of political influence for themselves through wishes and will power.
The disservice is the strawman you're constructing.
You're arguing that "incrementalism doesn't work" in the same post where you're talking about the incrementalist strategy the conservative movement has adopted to erode the steady forward progress of rights through taking over the SCOTUS.
That's my point exactly. Conservatives are always working to dismantle society and they have much more powerful forces behind them than the other side. Monied interests will always be working with them. It is far easier to destroy than create.
You cannot incrementally fight a stronger side attempting to build while they other side destroys. Incrementalism cannot be a goal. You cannot sell it as "nobody wants to do the incremental work" and that's the problem. Nobody does, because it's not effective. Incremental improvements are something you settle for, not aim for. You cannot sell incremental improvements as if they are the end goal.
I don't know how many different ways to say this. You're admonishing people who fundamentally disagree with you and expecting them to fall in line. They won't.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentThe life expectancy declines I was talking about were in the Millennial cohort before COVID impacted the numbers even further. Old white people in the rust belt have nothing to do with the life...The life expectancy declines I was talking about were in the Millennial cohort before COVID impacted the numbers even further. Old white people in the rust belt have nothing to do with the life expectancy of my generation. Old white people in the rust belt have nothing to do with the principle costs of life: healthcare, housing, and education outstripping wage growth for my generation.
Anywho, this was exactly what I was talking about. Acknowledging successes? Fine. Not putting those meager successes into the broader context of a failing society? Not fine.
SCOTUS is going to chip away at those meager successes you've pointed out. They've effectively allowed abortion to be banned in many states. They're gunning for Obergefell. They've gutted the VRA. They are on the way to gutting the EPA and the CWA. SCOTUS is going to drag us backwards more than any progress made since I've been alive.
How did SCOTUS get so messed up? The last few decades of ineffective incrementalist rearguard actions. There is a pronounced inability for the Democratic party to actually act like "This is the most important election in our lifetimes", "it will be the end of democracy as we know it", etc.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc (edited )Link ParentIn my 3.5+ decades of life on this planet, like I said before, most macro level indicators have moved backwards in the US for people my age and younger. Life expectancy. Wage growth vs. the growth...In my 3.5+ decades of life on this planet, like I said before, most macro level indicators have moved backwards in the US for people my age and younger. Life expectancy. Wage growth vs. the growth of housing, education, and healthcare costs. Inequality. Political stability.
Do you think such a society can claim "progress" when those things are worsening? No.
Is it dishonest to attempt to sell decades of failing rearguard incrementalist action as some form of progress? In the opinion of most of my peers (democratic party activists, the millennial and younger ones) - Yes.
Most things are not binary. But most societal-level indicators have been in the red my whole life. And nearly everyone older in Democratic party leadership doesn't seem to act like it and pretends like we should be happy with a lifetime of failure.
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Comment on Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the US Senate in ~society
guamisc Link ParentAs someone deeply active in politics and is a middle millennial, one of the biggest hurdles to getting people involved is the dishonesty from politicians and leadership. On the right in the US:...As someone deeply active in politics and is a middle millennial, one of the biggest hurdles to getting people involved is the dishonesty from politicians and leadership.
On the right in the US: it's just lies, propaganda, and hatred.
On the "left" it's attempting to sell outright losing over decades as incremental progress and incrementalism as a useful solution.
Nothing significant in US history textbooks in the political sphere came about from successful incrementalism. It's all giant leaps pushed forward by significant and powerful movements with strong figureheads after decades of incrementalist failure.
If I keep hearing more about "pragmatism" from incrementalists, I'm gonna snap one day. Pragmatism requires results by definition. Millennials are the first generation in a long time to have a lower life expectancy than our predecessors, and that was before COVID. Nearly every macro level socioeconomic indicator is moving in the wrong direction. Incrementalism has failed, has always failed, and is a laughably bad approach in the face of current day Republicans.
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Comment on Sen. Mitch McConnell appears to freeze again at a Kentucky event in ~society
guamisc Link ParentLong term legislation isn't the important part. Term limits are just big ole piles of crap that make things worse and not better. Spend your energy on useful and actually effective reforms like...Long term legislation isn't the important part.
Term limits are just big ole piles of crap that make things worse and not better.
Spend your energy on useful and actually effective reforms like campaign finance.amd voting system reforms.
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Comment on Sen. Mitch McConnell appears to freeze again at a Kentucky event in ~society
guamisc Link ParentTerm limits have been tried out and enacted and (rarely) repealed in the US in various state/municipalities for decades and decades. Term limits make things worse and not better and proponents...Term limits have been tried out and enacted and (rarely) repealed in the US in various state/municipalities for decades and decades.
Term limits make things worse and not better and proponents seem ignorant of the act that effectively writing legislation is a learned skill and effectively legislating is a learned skill.
If you want people in office looking out solely for themselves who are propped up monied interests while the real power resides in lobbyists and staffers, enact short term limits.
Serving in office for 30-40 years towards a good retirement is ideally what I want.
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Comment on New book argues stock buybacks are a mode of predatory value extraction leading to income inequity, employment instability, productive fragility in ~finance
guamisc Link ParentI invite you to watch leadership cashout before the company crashes. I've literally watched it happen so you cannot tell me my eyes are lying.I invite you to watch leadership cashout before the company crashes.
I've literally watched it happen so you cannot tell me my eyes are lying.
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Comment on New book argues stock buybacks are a mode of predatory value extraction leading to income inequity, employment instability, productive fragility in ~finance
guamisc Link ParentIt isn't the buyback money going to them. It's the company's other money going to them via performance incentives based on EPS and similar. One of my previous companies went bankrupt because of...It isn't the buyback money going to them. It's the company's other money going to them via performance incentives based on EPS and similar.
One of my previous companies went bankrupt because of manipulation like that done to enrich the C levels. I saw it with my own eyes and saw the effects in the company of stripping operating expenses destroying the company to fuel buybacks.
It's manipulation.
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Comment on New book argues stock buybacks are a mode of predatory value extraction leading to income inequity, employment instability, productive fragility in ~finance
guamisc Link ParentIt's manipulation because it games the primary way company performance is measured by the market and that is tied to a lot of C-level compensation and such. Technically not different. Massive real...It's manipulation because it games the primary way company performance is measured by the market and that is tied to a lot of C-level compensation and such.
Technically not different. Massive real world implications.
It's manipulation in reality. We can see it plain as day.
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Comment on New book argues stock buybacks are a mode of predatory value extraction leading to income inequity, employment instability, productive fragility in ~finance
guamisc Link ParentLots of things operate off of and judge companies by the earning per share (EPS) or the price to earnings (PE) ratio. Dividends do not manipulate this numbers directly unlike buybacks.Lots of things operate off of and judge companies by the earning per share (EPS) or the price to earnings (PE) ratio. Dividends do not manipulate this numbers directly unlike buybacks.
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Comment on Report: Potential New York Times lawsuit could force OpenAI to wipe ChatGPT and start over in ~tech
guamisc Link ParentRights, imo, are things that exist to protect people from others and grease the wheels of society. Rights should NOT be absolute though. If a right is being used is far more detrimental to society...Rights, imo, are things that exist to protect people from others and grease the wheels of society.
Rights should NOT be absolute though. If a right is being used is far more detrimental to society than not, such an expression of rights should be curtailed.
There is no inherent fair use consideration in copying material for a training data set for a for profit LLM.
Copyright infringement has occured and OpenAI should either compensate everyone who has works in their training set or be forced to delete it and start over.
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Comment on What is your most annoying (minor) movie trope? in ~movies
guamisc Link ParentBetter yet, they put in the absolute minimum spec'd battery for the electrical load. It's like they plan on that failing every 2-4 years for the lolz.Better yet, they put in the absolute minimum spec'd battery for the electrical load. It's like they plan on that failing every 2-4 years for the lolz.
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Comment on What is your most annoying (minor) movie trope? in ~movies
guamisc Link ParentAs a former battery engineer, car starting batteries become a problem long before that. They're all dead and permanently useless once they hit a winter after 6 months of not being used.As a former battery engineer, car starting batteries become a problem long before that. They're all dead and permanently useless once they hit a winter after 6 months of not being used.
Are you asking for public evidence of something that by definition would not have public evidence if done on purpose?