• IAmYouButYouDontKnowYet@reddthat.com
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    19 hours ago

    I’m starting to think democracy wasn’t real to begin with.

    America is obviously controlled. Trump isn’t a mastermind… There are obviously greater forces at play. There will be no real change when he’s gone…it’s the same smoke in mirrors, illusions, and manufacture pride and hope I’ve watched my entire life. It’s like it’s theater.

    Personally, I feel naive for thinking any of this isn’t exactly on purpose. Politics and crime are way deeper than trending marketed news used to give an alternative view of reality.

    The fact that America is like this right now, is the fact America has already failed. Hell maybe me wondering if it was ever a true democracy is my psychological denial of its failure… I don’t think a person can be pro democracy and pro American lifestyle at the same time, they don’t seem to be able to coexist.

    • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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      19 hours ago

      Trump isn’t a mastermind…

      Read this article and substitute Hitler for trump. It’s uncanny.

      Fascism doesn’t need competence to be deadly. In fact, stupidity and incompetence is more deadly.

        • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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          18 hours ago

          Oh absolutely. In fact, he’s everyone’s bitch. Easiest person to blackmail because he loves children and can’t help himself when the Moscow hotel room is bugged. Easy to flatter and bribe. He’s just easier than a puzzle in Highlights.

          • TN2VOA@reddthat.com
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            2 hours ago

            Virtually impossible to blackmail, imo. Any evidence will be dismissed as AI or “fake news” part of some Deep State™ conspiracy against Trump. His followers will believe it 100% because that’s what they do. He is apparently above the law in the US, so he has absolutely nothing to worry about there. I think it’s largely about money.

    • 🌞 Alexander Daychilde 🌞@lemmy.world
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      19 hours ago

      America is obviously controlled. Trump isn’t a mastermind… There are obviously greater forces at play.

      In brief:

      1. Oligarchs, who control our media, spend money on politics. Citizens United is what to look at here.
      2. Christian nationalists have been pushing for fascism, though they may not realize that’s what it actually is
      3. Foreign influence, particularly Russia

      There’s a lot fighting against our democracy. Republicans take a lot of the blame. Trump is not a direct threat per se, generally. He’s too flaky. But he has caused a lot of damage.

    • FoxAlive@lemmy.zip
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      14 hours ago

      Man wait until you realize a good chunk of organized crime is just us trying to get dark site funding. The Chinese set up dollar stores or little shops all around the world that act as fronts to skim cash so that they can launder money globally. We do that too, we also run cartels, smuggle drugs, trafficking humans, run biker gangs, etc

    • OwOarchist@pawb.social
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      18 hours ago

      America is obviously controlled. Trump isn’t a mastermind… There are obviously greater forces at play. There will be no real change when he’s gone…it’s the same smoke in mirrors, illusions, and manufacture pride and hope I’ve watched my entire life. It’s like it’s theater.

      If anything, Trump is actually the puppet masters’ control slipping a bit. I don’t think they intended for him to be elected in 2016. It was “her turn” after all. And he’s more difficult to control and manipulate than their usual presidential fare – prone to crazy outbursts, going off-script, and too easy to manipulate. How can he be too difficult to manipulate by being too easy to manipulate? Because now anybody can manipulate him, not just the puppet masters. He always tends to agree with whoever he talked to most recently.

      They’ve improvised and adapted since then and regained much of their old control, but I really don’t think ‘President Trump’ was the intended outcome for the oligarchs who actually control the US. He was supposed to just be an also-ran in the Republican primary. But the oligarchs seem to have underestimated Americans’ collective racism and the intensity of backlash against Obama that resulted from it. Trump ran on and won with a platform of being more anti-Obama (and more openly racist) than any of the other candidates.

      In a way, that’s actually a hopeful sign. The oligarchs’ control isn’t absolute. (Or at least it isn’t quite yet.) It’s possible to go against what they want, if enough people are behind it. Now if only we could replace Americans’ racism with class consciousness and solidarity…

      • Gpennyhigh@lemmy.world
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        1 hour ago

        …underestimated Americans’ collective racism and the intensity of backlash against Obama that resulted from it.

        True, and a lot of prejudice beyond race that maga uses to attract the types who slurp up the propaganda like pigs.

      • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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        14 hours ago

        These wealthy bastards aren’t monolithic in their designs and policies to get what they want. The wealthy always get what they want, but they all don’t always want the same thing. The US has a two-party system because it is more effective at getting money from the wealthy. It has always been a grift controlled by the wealthy who are at power in the moment. All these wealthy competing interests are what actually decide everything on a policy level.

        None of this is new either, it has been this way from the start. So yes, money absolutely controls the government and different factions of wealthy people can and will take over the helm. Freedom and democracy become lip service and anyone who is paying attention becomes disillusioned.

    • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      Democracy has always been a window dressing for control by the wealthy. Congratulations on seeing through the propaganda.

      • IAmYouButYouDontKnowYet@reddthat.com
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        15 hours ago

        But what I don’t get is even people, like the people that have replied to me here, still believe the same system…

        The entire system is based on psychological manipulation and people still act like voting matters… If people are. Real about it all… Why be a part.of the foundation that’s faulty? They seem to want to feed the beast they claim is the enemy and they can’t understand that they are being played by the enemy.

        • MaskedNybbles@piefed.social
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          2 hours ago

          Whether you believe voting matters is not important. If it is, if does matter—if you are wrong—to speak of and treat voting as so unimportant is to risk it becomes certainty and self-fulfilling prophecy: A voter that does not believe their vote matters is less likely to vote. A vote not cast reduces the effectiveness of the voting population that may agree with the voter. Enough of these voters results in a scenario wherein anyone remaining aren’t getting what they want, and the cancerous attitude grows.

          As brought up by another: Why are so many working to suppress your vote if it does not make a difference? This attitude you espouse is the very same they, themselves, spread, and works to their favor.

        • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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          15 hours ago

          You can’t have a free society when you have corporations and governments using their massive budgets on the best of psychological manipulation. This should, of course, be illegal.

          Just like you wouldn’t put up with an abusive spouse that lies and manipulates you. Just like you wouldn’t tolerate a boss or coach that is a criminal. People in power should absolutely be held to a much higher standard.

          Instead, because of liberty (AKA the rich and well connected can do whatever they want with no consequences) we live in a dystopian two-tiered society that worships money. We even have a word for it. Fuck you money, the ultimate ideal and freedom in the US.

          • Gpennyhigh@lemmy.world
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            54 minutes ago

            Sadly, abusive people are normalized and even praised among enough people still. The “tough coach and break their will to mold them into stronger people” BS. It’s pervasive in families, supernatural groups, sports, military and authoritarian leaning politics. It’s the same pattern of punch down on others, obey those above you and don’t question. Hurt others as you were hurt and call it normal. It’s tragic.

          • IAmYouButYouDontKnowYet@reddthat.com
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            14 hours ago

            They even profit off the threat to their own foundational game.

            …voting is never going to solve this… I don’t think violence solves it either. Violence and war is like a bandaid.

        • teslekova@lemmy.ml
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          13 hours ago

          Voting does matter. That’s why the wealthy try so hard to control it. You should push back, not dismiss voting.

        • Wataba@sh.itjust.works
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          15 hours ago

          Fuck off and make your own system then. Jesus fuck we dont need retards undermining every single fucking effort to oppose fascism with their shitty takes.

          • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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            15 hours ago

            No reason to get all offended by someone pointing out our shit system. That is the first step in change, identifying the actual problem. Democracy will never work under the conditions that have existed since the US was formed.

    • Eldritch@piefed.world
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      17 hours ago

      Democracy is fine. Problem is the state has always been the enemy of democracy. Rather than letting the people decide for themselves. The wealthy and the connected always build systems to hold the people back.

      Just look at places like California and the current situation with the wealth tax. The wealthy and connected including their own governor is trying to block it. Despite the large share of people throughout the state generally backing it. Imagine if these cities and towns were free to implement it on their own. Outside of the state’s control.

      Hell even cities in red states. Here in Missouri for instance. St Louis doesn’t even have control of their own police force. It’s been controlled at the state level for the better part of the last century. Rural and wealthy neighborhoods eagerly gobble up the wealth of these cities. Leaving them to crumble.

      Imagine doing away with the federal government and the state government. Your city your town all a neighborhood all together. Having to work with your neighbors Etc. To Build a Better World you want for yourself. Cities no longer having to beg the state to do the things necessary. Able to rip out the old streets they were vivisected with during the times of white flight. Returning to walkable habitable cities. Using their own resources and taxes to improve themselves.

      Now that wouldn’t be Utopia either. And mayor’s Etc still would be corrupted. Imagine how much more manageable that sort of corruption Etc would be. And how much better it would be if an area of people with similar goals and means were able to decide for themselves. And not some disconnected uninterested people who have never been to the area and never want to go to the area and never want to do anything for the area.

      The rural areas would be free to ban abortion and do all the culty things they want to do. To the point they become non-existent or irrelevant. And Progressive cities in towns could build themselves in their neighbors up into strong communities. Democracy always works better when it’s small

          • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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            19 hours ago

            You’re so far up your own arse, you can’t even see the difference between light and dark.

            You don’t seem to know what ‘fascism’ even means, so you’re seeing it everywhere.

            Sorry, child, but that word actually means something. Lemme guess, you think ’slavery’ includes wage slaves?

            Such a sad exposition of your lack of education, and an admission you haven’t travelled beyond your nation’s boundaries.

            • Townlately@feddit.nl
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              19 hours ago

              I guarantee I’m older than you, but that is not relevant. Let me ask you, why is it that dems vote with pubs consistently to reinforce the military budget when we are actively supporting a genocide? Why is it that Schumer wont say shit about Omar being raided? Please tell me you know what I’m talking about.

              • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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                19 hours ago

                O really? How old are you? Don’t be shy.

                Your babbling is not helping your case.

                Tell me, who was the first president you voted for? I’m so tired of ‘centrist’ bullshit.

                • Townlately@feddit.nl
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                  19 hours ago

                  Ok, clearly you’ve misunderstood me as a centrist which is hilarious. I’m further left than any US candidate and it allows me to be clearheaded about how wimpy the dems in my country are. I’ll accept an apology for all the name calling, if you wanna.

                  • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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                    18 hours ago

                    Why are you trying to push both sides bullshit if you’re not a centrist?

                    No apologies, you’re the one being ridiculous here.

                    How do you think we should fix things, senpai?