Merv's Politically Incorrect Audio Blog

In a grim way, its reassuring to hear that from someone else. So many times Ive been accused of being pro-riots for even attempting to broach this in earnest. Call me crazy... but I dont think people with hope for the future go around destroying property.

 

Today on my birthday I went to Maple Street, it is a southern food joint where I had a 1500 cal fried chicken and waffles breakfast thinking about good ole southern food. Their coffee wasn't bad at all.

However, when I was there everyone was wearing mask except for this couple with kids who both were wearing Trump 2020 shirt that said "I care about my Freedom and shit." Made me think about some things that Trump sign off on that is against that statement:

• Freedom to travel to any place I want.
• Banning Bump Stocks, aka he is willing to do gun restrictions when the public is pissed off about a shooting. There goes my second amendment.
• Thanks to Trump for signing on a budget, tobacco buying age is now 21. Serve the army and you legally can't drink or smoke, f**k that.

As @fp627 said, the majority of people don't think critically anymore. I can make the point that people think/vote based on feelings, not on fact. Perfect example is in Florida after the Parkland shooting. The FL GOP passed Gun Restrictions that was signed off by our now Sen Rick Scott (who is with the GOP). This was done after the FL Legislature (which both cambers are controlled by the GOP) were pressured to do a Special Session due to how bad the shooting was. In the process of doing crap by "feelings" they passed some stupid gun restrictions. One of the big ones is raising the gun buying age from 18 to 21. Soon as that bill was signed into law NRA sued the state due to age decimation. For me I don't like the NRA since they are too big/too bias for the GOP, but they have a major point that this bill that was signed based on "feelings" was pretty much Anti 2nd Amendment (In FL gun rights are in State Constitution and of course Federal Constitution). When people do policy based on feelings (regardless if Dem or GOP) is when we get some of the most garbage laws.

Within the last week I keep seeing all these people wearing Trump shirts that said "Trump 2020 Owning Libs or Make the Libs Cry," and "Trump 2020: Dems are destroying America." I have to admit most who were wearing them are 60+ who are most likely using Social Security and Medicare for their benefits that I am partly paying from my paycheck. You tell these guys that Social Security and Medicare are Socialist programs that are paid by others, they get super pissed saying they paid into it. My dad did not make $250k in his lifetime legally when working. Back in 2013 he had a triple bypass heart operation and Medicare paid $250k for the operation made possible by your tax money at work. I don't even think it cost that much to do the operation, just hospitals know they can rip off the federal government like there is no tomorrow. I also wish my friends who are liberals/progressives know that most of the country are actually in the middle of the big issues. They too don't think critically and just go on a rant saying that the federal government needs to be powerful. Be careful what you wish for.

@Elysian post is one of many reasons why I keep seeing plenty of CA tags in FL. Personally by speaking with some folks from CA they are sick of how much government there is and the stupid liberal laws. A good chunk of these folks are conservatives who didn't dare to speak about their opinions back in CA but are able to in FL. When it comes to election time, these folks vote GOP not because they research all the candidates but they are so sick of folks who have a D next to their ballot back in CA.

Wedge issues makes money, and also no one thinks. GOP claim they can't stand unions and would do what they can to make unions in general a liberal bogyman. However, the big exception are the police unions. Like what is happening in FL the GOP is attempting to introduce a bill to protect the police from "violence." This is no different than Dems trying to pass bills that helps the unions, aka getting votes. Now this wedge issue is so silly it comes down to "If you support police you have to vote GOP since Dems are for violence."

Policing needs reform, there is no question about it. However, any union hates reforms that could make them more liable and harder for their membership. This is why the police union are fighting back anything against ending qualified immunity (which I think it is needed) and any discussions of taking funds away from policing budget. Of course even talking about policing reforms can make you look like the enemy from anyone who supports "Backing the Blue." GOP talks about hating unions, but as always they will never be true to their word and try to bust the police unions (because they donate to the GOP). Some people know that I hate unions, and I don't mind busting the police union just like the other unions in this country that are too f'ing powerful for their own good (and also giant money rackets for pollical donations).

However, with the amount of people moving to FL into the suburbs so they can live in their alternate reality they will want more policing to "feel protected" about their home. Policing in general is pretty popular in FL and I wouldn't be surprised that there is wide support to give the police more powers here (since there is a big group of voters here who don't want FL to turn into NYC/LA/Portland for riots). However, as I said before FL laws are pretty strict as is.

As an ender to this post, consider this from where I live in Jax, FL. Jax has one of the biggest murder rates in Florida. In matter of fact, it is pretty bad. The catch is that most of the crime is in the poorer black parts of Jax in North and Northwest side. For decades Jax City Council keep approving increasing the police budget, but the crime hasn't slowed down at all. However, voters who are in the conservative suburbs in Jax want their tax money to go for more policing so their neighborhood can "feel safe" from the minorities. I been in Jax for 12+ years and I'm still surprised of the strong hate of anything Democrat or minorities from the richer suburbs who are part of the GOP voting block. After joining folks from these areas with enough cigar outings, some golf, and meet and greets for business the amount of crazy talk is nuts.

Also, high crime is a good talking point to make sure there is no elected Dems as Mayor in a city where Dems have a voting registration advantage. Our last mayor was the first Black Mayor in Jacksonville. The local GOP voting block and establishment were putting all the decades of high crime on the Mayor (in an attempt to put a racist spin on things), when it came to reelection he lost to the GOP candidate. However, crime continues to go up regardless of who runs the city, fun fun.

At this point lets follow what Borat does:

 

This is only my second post on this site so I'm sure I'll get flamed but what the hell.

The problem with this country and system is the same as any country and system. Those with the most money and power have the most ability to abuse the system. Capitalism is a joke when every shit CEO gets gold and every failing company gets bailed out. Yeah but the "jobs". Exactly, the jobs - let corpse die and new better companies spring up instead. They don't contribute to infrastructure, military, social projects or anything else (taxes). Yeah but the "jobs". Go f**k yourselves. If nobody gave you tax breaks you'd still need workers - so yeah, the jobs.

So the fat get fatter and the rest get it up the ass. And because the majority of us are too stupid, we allow them to sick us on each other instead of looking at the big picture. Divide and conquer.

Don't even get me started on racism.

My take is very simple. Put me in a system where the laws and opportunities are the same for everybody and I'll find a way to be fine. Whatever that system may be - socialist, capitalist, communist, whatever. If I can't survive in a fair system then that's my own fault.

 

I think about this almost everyday. I don't know how the next generation are going to be able to afford houses in high COL areas. It took me a decade of saving to put aside enough money for a down payment and remodel/repair budget as I wanted that sorted before we started a family. In hindsight, I should have spent a lot less money on frivolous headphone gear when I was younger and put the money into AAPL and AMZN instead. I know other people in my generation who decided to have kids first but with the monthly costs of two kids, there is no way they can save enough money for a 200k+ down payment even with two working parents in tech jobs. My property taxes alone are more than what people pay in rent for a nice condo in Austin.

I think the primary culprits are the "I have mine and I don't care if anyone gets theirs". It is absolutely insane if you look at how much wealth is concentrated in the hands of the boomers proportional to younger demographics. The NIMBYism in the Peninsula (Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino, etc.) is astounding. If you look at tech total compensation packages, the TC growth is exponential, not linear, as you move up the IC -> manager -> director -> VP - > executive bands, and they think hiring POC into Chief Diversity Officer roles will solve the growing wealth disparity. I don't have a solution as I think the market is paying what these jobs are valued at and a wealth tax would be incredibly unpopular, but I think a gradual repeal of Prop 13 and requirements for cities to support new jobs with proportional levels of housing would be a start.

I'm so impressed with how the politicians and media manage to set us at each other's throats with trivial issues and very few folks are even attempting to discuss the systemic economic, not racial, issues causing this anger and hopelessness. I want to give Yang a lot of credit for attempting to start the discussion even if I didn't agree with his platform.

It's purely anecdotal but I think there is a growing base of independents and moderates who don't feel that the Democratic party represents them anymore. Voting is pointless in California as the urban blocks overrun everyone else. The only reason I'm going to vote this year is Prop 16. I feel the same way @purr1n about all the taxes and mismanagement of funds in California. There's no accountability and the politicians and newspapers are amazing at keeping the voters distracted away from any sort of postmortem on how they've performed. It's absolutely incredible how they've pivoted and instead of taking responsibility for over 70 years of failed fire management policy, inappropriate housing development, and environmental lobbyists, and are now blaming this on Trump, PG&E, and man-made climate change. I'm sure millions of voters believe that if Orange Man goes away in 2020 that the fire situation will get better.

I'm unable to quote everything above this but I'm in very strong agreement with the points everyone is making. It's funny how even in such a diverse community like SBAF that many of us feel the same but don't hear any of these points represented in public discourse. I'm sure many of us vote differently but I'm seeing more agreement than disagreement.

 

That tends to happen when people look at where the money is coming from and going, where the corruption is and, draw logical conclusions at to who it benefits. AKA critical thinking. Unfortunately most are only capable of loosing their shit due to retarded memes and using said memes in an attempt to make an argument for their POV.

 

It's almost like people tend to congregate with like-minded individuals.

 

That's what I hear about former Cali residents who I meet in my neck of the woods. They are getting sick of the mismanagement by the state government and loves to spend taxpayer's money on crap. After taking to a few former Cali folks, they love this about FL:

• Lack of Income Tax and reasonable cost for government services for lower property taxes.
  • But they hate all the fees for this and that. FL tax on "consumption" and services. Still, you will come out ahead than in Cali.
• More power to the parents.
  • Parents have greater rights to raise their children than in Cali. From School Choice to raising your children in a religious way with very little government interference.
    • But our public schools are so-so due to lower funding thanks to lower property taxes and a bias against the public school systems from people who don't want to pay taxes due to retirement or prefer cheaper cost. If you have $$$, private school is preferred.
• Housing Cost is waaaay cheaper.
  • But depending where you are it isn't a big deal. Also, you need to worry about flood insurance and wind/hurricane insurance. Also, depending on location Car Insurance is really bad (I'm looking at you South Florida).
• Strong police force.
  • They love that the police in FL don't screw around with safety, unless various Democrat cities.
  • You ask them if they care if the police might be breaking any laws and constitution issues, answer is no safety is very important.

FL is the third most populated state in the US, but the state revenue is so much less than NY (which was #3, but now #4 most populated state). For FL to make more revenue they need more people to move to FL and increase visitors to the state (remember, FL makes revenue by consumption" and services. I honestly can't blame former Cali folks moving here and voting for the GOP in droves due to they became sick of tired of how the Dems is destroying Cali.

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Reading this thread makes me think about my "bright" future.

Maybe I should move out of the country after college. I got like 60 years ahead of me, and the way things are going in the us looks pretty fucked.

 

And the internet is magnifying the effect. Engagement algorithms try to steer users to content where they'll spend more time (good for selling ads). Anti-vaxxers become ever more entrenched in their beliefs.

 

The sad thing to me is that blacks in ghettos and whites in trailer parks don't see that they're one and the same. They're both fucked and no one gives a damn about their livelihood. Same with Dem and Rep middle class peeps. No matter what you think of the other, we're all slowly having our wealth eroded by having to support the entire country so the rich can keep getting richer by paying workers in crackers and keeping them poor.

The only way anything will change for the better is for everyone to be educated and be able to draw logical conclusions based on facts. But nobody wants to pay for education.

90% miss the big picture. That's why since the dawn of humanity there's been kings, nobles and then the rest serving them. Now we call them "presidents" and "business leaders" and other bs but in the end it's all the same.

 

I don’t agree with anti-govt sentiments. I think it’s mostly created by the GOP as a way to let corporations run free. Blame the govt, turn the complex reality into “big” scary govt vs freedom and convince no-thinking vote by feeling voters to reduce govt infrastructure and regulations and ignore the third elephant in the room, the mega corporations so they can do whatever the f**k they want at the expense of the rest of us and the country as a whole.

Govt isn’t good for everything I’m not a socialist. If anything I’m a Democratic Socialist but I believe basically in a balance between govt run services and privately market delivered services. Some services need to be delivered by the govt while others are much better suited for private competition. The internet and cell phone service for example should be delivered by the govt paid for by taxes that would be a fraction of what we pay now to a market run by a few mega corporations with no competition.

it’s not black and white and I hate seeing the GOP constantly turn everything into over simplified good vs evil so they can create wedge issues and convince feelings voters to vote for them.

the USPS is another example of something that needs a govt run option to compete with fedex and ups and keep prices down and we also need ups and fedex to compete with usps to keep them efficient. This balance between govt run services and private options that compete with each other to minimize the downsides of both systems is where the magic happens. But some services are fine being all privately provided. And some should only be provided by the govt.

Privately run police force???? Are you kidding me? There’s no accountability there that’s scary as hell. At least our votes can change how the police operate when it’s run by the govt.

And privately run prisons? WTF. The more inmates, and the longer they’re incarcerated the more money they make. So fucked up.

I wish we could have open conversations about these issues without politicians and the servants of the super rich constantly f'ing with our heads turning everything black and white and distorted and half the full picture.

open minded discussion about gun safety laws for example is impossible because of the GOP. And stupid Democrats not understanding how to counter the GOPs brilliant tacticians.

And yes. Overpopulation. Things are going to go to hell fairly soon no matter what we do or who we vote for unless we face the dismissal reality of somehow needing to reduce human population. I have no easy answers there.

 

Yeah it’s not a fun conversation but nature will do it for us fairly soon regardless and it will be much more unpleasant than abortion.

yes! Solar power! I so badly want to see super efficient effective solar technology to postpone the inevitable.

 

Minneapolis is going to look like Detroit if they keep this up. Out of town rioters aside, I feel horrible for the residents left behind in those communities. There were a lot of video interviews with the older residents in those communities literally crying as they said they didn't know where they were going to go to get basic necessities as they didn't have cars and bus lines were being reduced or shutdown. The people rioting are rioting against the wrong people, whether by ignorance and/or design. The politicians are great at rope-a-dope. Look at how fast CHAZ got shutdown once they went after Jenny Durkan's residence.

Our ruling class is great at control and redirection, and making sure these movements never get focused. Occupy Wall Street started with a lot of energy but was never able to articulate their anger into actual policy.

It's a similar issue with police. Prosecuting individual police officers and defunding police departments will not help underprivileged neighborhoods, but there's no national dialogue around the causes behind insufficient training, standards, and accountability. Speaking of defunding, in 2017, Education Week ranked California 10th from the bottom across all 50 states and DC, and WalletHub ranked California 37th, but no one is talking about defunding schools.

@YMO: Are most of the California expats in your neck of the woods retirees or is there a mix of younger working people along with senior citizens? I know Fort Lauderdale is a tech hub but that's pretty far from your part of the state. A lot of Californian tech workers used to talk about moving to WA and OR, but now TX seems like the most popular destination.