25 votes

Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of August 5

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Tags: usa, politics, recurring.weekly

This thread is posted weekly - please try to post all relevant US political content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Extremely significant events may warrant a separate topic, but almost all should be posted in here.

This is an inherently political thread; please try to avoid antagonistic arguments and bickering matches. Comment threads that devolve into unproductive arguments may be removed so that the overall topic is able to continue.

32 comments

  2. [4]
    MimicSquid
    Link
    Tim Walz Says He ‘Can’t Wait’ to Debate JD Vance: ‘That’s if He’s Willing to Get Off the Couch’

    Tim Walz Says He ‘Can’t Wait’ to Debate JD Vance: ‘That’s if He’s Willing to Get Off the Couch’

    10 votes
    1. [3]
      teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      I’m starting to wonder if I like this campaign more than the last two because it didn’t go through the primary system. 2016 showed us how the DNC likes to pull strings for their favorites. I...

      I’m starting to wonder if I like this campaign more than the last two because it didn’t go through the primary system. 2016 showed us how the DNC likes to pull strings for their favorites. I honestly believe we’d get better politicians on average if they were selected at random. Biden promoting his VP instead of bowing out earlier could have sufficiently bypassed the system to avoid its shortcomings.

      8 votes
      1. [2]
        moocow1452
        Link Parent
        Fair, but I don't really want a future where the next Democrat presidential nominee is rolled out like an iPhone launch. I'm hoping that isn't the lesson learned here, but I'm doubtful.

        Fair, but I don't really want a future where the next Democrat presidential nominee is rolled out like an iPhone launch. I'm hoping that isn't the lesson learned here, but I'm doubtful.

        7 votes
        1. teaearlgraycold
          Link Parent
          They shouldn't make a habit of this. But if things go well that's a problem for 8 years from now. I won't dare predict where we'll be then.

          They shouldn't make a habit of this. But if things go well that's a problem for 8 years from now. I won't dare predict where we'll be then.

          4 votes
  3. [6]
    vord
    (edited )
    Link
    Especially since we have a fair number of Philly-adjacent peeps here, excited to learn Kamala is announcing her VP pick at Temple's Liacouras Center tomorrow. Hopefully this will help dispel the...

    Especially since we have a fair number of Philly-adjacent peeps here, excited to learn Kamala is announcing her VP pick at Temple's Liacouras Center tomorrow.

    Hopefully this will help dispel the notion that Universities don't stand in the way of relatively neutral good-faith political speech, given they hosted Trump back in June.

    Be prepared for an utter shitshow in Center City as nobody is remotely prepared for this in their daily commute.

    Edited for clarity now that I'm awake (and ready for bed).

    9 votes
    1. [3]
      moocow1452
      Link Parent
      It would be a choice to have a rally in Philly unveiling the Veep and having it be anyone other than current governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro.

      It would be a choice to have a rally in Philly unveiling the Veep and having it be anyone other than current governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro.

      6 votes
      1. DefinitelyNotAFae
        Link Parent
        I'm rather hoping it isn't him. But they were explicit that people shouldn't assume the pick based on the location. I don't think the pick was finalized when they announced the date and location,...

        I'm rather hoping it isn't him. But they were explicit that people shouldn't assume the pick based on the location. I don't think the pick was finalized when they announced the date and location, considering that even Pritzger had 2 interviews and I don't think he's actually interested in the VP position.

        6 votes
      2. vord
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Nah. Philly is the OG capital. It makes sense as a venue regardless of pick. Especially since venue was picked before the interviews even happened (supposedly).

        Nah. Philly is the OG capital. It makes sense as a venue regardless of pick. Especially since venue was picked before the interviews even happened (supposedly).

        4 votes
    2. [2]
      DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      I think you meant dispel the notion that Universities do stand in the way of speech? Or did I overthink it and get it flipped?

      I think you meant dispel the notion that Universities do stand in the way of speech? Or did I overthink it and get it flipped?

      2 votes
      1. vord
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Yes you got it right with your first sentence there. That was my intent, though I am also having a bad brain day so that might not have been clear.

        Yes you got it right with your first sentence there. That was my intent, though I am also having a bad brain day so that might not have been clear.

        2 votes
  4. KapteinB
    Link
    Project 2025 Outlines A Hellish Vision For America (LegalEagle) Nebula YouTube

    Project 2025 Outlines A Hellish Vision For America (LegalEagle)

    Nebula

    YouTube

    9 votes
  7. [8]
    spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Reuters: Kamala Harris vice president choice narrows to Walz, Shapiro, sources say I have my fingers crossed for Walz, he seems perfectly cromulent. Shapiro, on the other hand... Josh Shapiro once...

    Reuters: Kamala Harris vice president choice narrows to Walz, Shapiro, sources say

    I have my fingers crossed for Walz, he seems perfectly cromulent.

    Shapiro, on the other hand...

    Josh Shapiro once wrote that peace ‘will never come’ to the Middle East. He says his views have changed over 30 years.

    “Palestinians will not coexist peacefully,” Shapiro wrote. “They do not have the capabilities to establish their own homeland and make it successful even with the aid of Israel and the United States. They are too battle-minded to be able to establish a peaceful homeland of their own.”

    writing this about any racial or ethnic group other than Palestinians would be completely and immediately disqualifying for a Democratic VP pick. unfortunately lots of Democrats seem to have a blind spot where making sweeping generalizations about all Palestinians doesn't count as "real" racism.

    of course, he wrote that when he was only 20, when he says that his views have changed we should give him the benefit of the doubt, right?

    from April of this year: Josh Shapiro: ‘Unacceptable’ some universities can’t guarantee student safety amid protests

    “What we’re seeing at Columbia and what we’re seeing in some campuses across America, where universities can’t guarantee the safety and security of their students, it’s absolutely unacceptable,” Shapiro said in exclusive comments to POLITICO reporters.

    “If the universities in accordance with their policies can’t guarantee the safety and security and well-being of the students, then I think it is incumbent upon a local mayor or local governor or local town councilor, whoever is the local leadership there, to step in and enforce the law,” he added.

    if he as a 51 year old doesn't want to be judged for political opinions he had when he was 20...maybe he shouldn't be so quick to call for using the cops to attack political protests by present-day 20 year olds.

    and on a purely political level, Biden stepping down in favor of Harris seems to have united pretty much all factions of the Democrats. it seems like it'd be an absolutely absurd unforced error to toss that unity out the window by nominating Shapiro.

    but hey, in the interests of being fair & balanced, here's a columnist for the conservative National Review saying Shapiro would be totally fine: Josh Shapiro Has Nothing to Apologize For. he also has the backing of Nate Silver and Joe Scarborough.

    5 votes
    1. [4]
      Notcoffeetable
      Link Parent
      I've heard a couple Walz interviews and I really like the guy. I think he can appeal broadly, he is good at reframing progressive policies as common sense things that people want. He's shown that...

      I've heard a couple Walz interviews and I really like the guy. I think he can appeal broadly, he is good at reframing progressive policies as common sense things that people want. He's shown that he can convince conservatives in his home state.

      I haven't heard anything from Josh Shapiro. I know his name from the whole interstate repair thing. But I haven't heard him on the typical podcasts (NYT, Pod Save America, Chapo) which seems like a miss. Why isn't he making his case to the base?

      7 votes
      2. [2]
        dr_frahnkunsteen
        Link Parent
        He was on Pod Save America very recently.

        He was on Pod Save America very recently.

        1 vote
        1. Notcoffeetable
          Link Parent
          Yeah I missed the interview and heard it mentioned in today's episode. Will go back to listen to it.

          Yeah I missed the interview and heard it mentioned in today's episode. Will go back to listen to it.

          1 vote
    3. [2]
      moocow1452
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Does the establishment value unity and good feels over another opportunity to put the progressive wing in their place? I doubt it. I think Shapiro has more demographic pull than Walz being the...

      It seems like it'd be an absolutely absurd unforced error to toss that unity out the window by nominating Shapiro.

      Does the establishment value unity and good feels over another opportunity to put the progressive wing in their place? I doubt it.

      I think Shapiro has more demographic pull than Walz being the governor of Pennsylvania and pro-Israel where Harris is not as hard line as Biden. Walz did come up with "weird," but he's not instrumental to "weird strats." Plus, anyone who really cares about Harris's Veep is already voting for Harris anyway, progressive wing doubly so.

      2 votes
  8. BeanBurrito
    Link
    I would have preferred Kelly, but it is enough for me that she did not choose Shapiro, and I've heard good things about Walz.

    I would have preferred Kelly, but it is enough for me that she did not choose Shapiro, and I've heard good things about Walz.

    3 votes
  10. [6]
    skybrian
    Link
    This long tweet by TracingWoodgrains, entitled Yes, I will vote for Kamala Harris is... quite the (anti-) endorsement.

    This long tweet by TracingWoodgrains, entitled Yes, I will vote for Kamala Harris is... quite the (anti-) endorsement.

    3 votes
    1. [5]
      moocow1452
      Link Parent
      Yeah, I'm probably more on the left side of this equation, but the Dems did luck into a situation where their smoky backroom play worked, and the paid no price for it because the base would vote...

      I will vote for Kamala Harris, but if she loses, it will not be my fault, nor the fault of any other disillusioned moderates and eccentric swing voters. It will be the fault of a Machine that for the third election in a row with (in its telling) Democracy itself on the line convinced itself that it could do no better than Kamala Harris, that bare lip service to moderation is enough.

      Yeah, I'm probably more on the left side of this equation, but the Dems did luck into a situation where their smoky backroom play worked, and the paid no price for it because the base would vote for anyone with a pulse, and the are happy that they don't have to answer for make excuses for Biden anymore and lose themselves to "first black female president" vibes. Worst part is that if the Dems lose, well, then it was always a write-off year and Harris was a last ditch effort, so going full progressive wasn't worth our time so let's go back to the center. But if Harris pulls this off, we will never ever ever EVER have an open Dem primary again, from the party that is saving democracy. Rad.

      1 vote
      1. Notcoffeetable
        Link Parent
        While I'd like a (small d) democratic primary process, I don't think nominee selection was ever part of the broader democratic process. Neither parties nor their nominee selection in an open...

        While I'd like a (small d) democratic primary process, I don't think nominee selection was ever part of the broader democratic process. Neither parties nor their nominee selection in an open primary is part of the election process. The current system didn't become the norm until the 1960s. I'm not trying to make a regressive argument, just stating that nominee selection has always been an insider ordeal.

        What truly broken is the binary system that we have. A good first step would be ranked choice voting which allows for better representation of groups across the political spectrum.

        11 votes
      2. [3]
        skybrian
        Link Parent
        Well, forever is a long time. There were open primaries in 2016 and 2020. "It was always a write-off year" doesn't make sense to me. It was always a competitive year, but both candidates have a...

        Well, forever is a long time. There were open primaries in 2016 and 2020.

        "It was always a write-off year" doesn't make sense to me. It was always a competitive year, but both candidates have a chance and that will still be true regardless of outcome.

        (Trump really shouldn't have a chance if we had better voters, but we see that he does.)

        4 votes
        1. [2]
          moocow1452
          Link Parent
          I'm saying if I was a party insider, and the options were running the Biden campaign into the ground, and going off of an untested Harris campaign that was last seen as the first to drop out in...

          I'm saying if I was a party insider, and the options were running the Biden campaign into the ground, and going off of an untested Harris campaign that was last seen as the first to drop out in 2020, I would be considering what happens if neither option works out, especially when this is all in the planning stages.

          1 vote
          1. boxer_dogs_dance
            Link Parent
            They had to weigh the cost of Harris against the cost of a contested convention, the loss of a month and also hard feelings. Sometimes arranged marriages work

            They had to weigh the cost of Harris against the cost of a contested convention, the loss of a month and also hard feelings.

            Sometimes arranged marriages work

            4 votes