Why I Just Turned "It" Off.
We made the effort over this side of the pond to stay up late and watch the debate, well you know who is President kind of matters since it determines where the bombs fall type of thing.
As the two got going Marie-Louise and I looked at each other and 15 minutes later decided bed was by far the better option. This is the first time that I have switched a Presidential debate off. Admittedly I have missed a few when travelling, but to switch one off in utter disgust, is a first.
The basic fact of the matter is that neither of these candidates appeal to me on any level, they both scare the living daylights out me one way or another. One so useless it's amazing he breathes the other just wants to continue down the same exceptionalism driven blood bath. It was all about me not us. At least it satisfied the 0.1% as stock markets improved after the debate.
Apart from the utterly faithful the general consensus is that this election will be decided by which candidate is the least dislikeable or the one that gives you fewer of the screaming heebie-jeebies.
We desperately want better than this, yet each time a flicker of an opportunity arises it is mercilessly crushed by the status quo.
Unlike Sanders I don't believe the current situation can be "cured" from within it is too embedded, even the so called "populist" candidate is a member of the ruling elite. Since under the current corporate control of pretty much everything there is not much room for "us". I wish I knew the answer. but investing in the "status quo" so that you can change it seems counter intuitive. The system is so ingrained and powerful that breaking the "common wisdom" seems to be an unobtainable goal, perhaps it will reach a critical mass and implode, but when and what will be the fallout? Well, we are sticking out heads in the sand about climate change and pollution, so this seems like the usual waiting for a catastrophe to happen before anything changes scenario.
Come to think of it, rather than switching off, why the hell did we stay up in the first place?
Just a thought.
Comments
I made myself a strong cocktail
And watched Daredevil on Netflix. Watching some righteous Kung fu fighting seemed more intellectually honest that watching those two clowns go at it.
Scott Adams as usual has an interesting summary:
We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg
Followed your link
to Scott Adams and I have to say he nailed it.
Expect Trump to edge up another few points over the next week and Nevada, Colorado, and maybe Pennsylvania to flip to his column. That would put him in the electoral college lead, and Clinton's numbers never go up.
"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone
Thanks for the link, Hawkfish. Adams makes a lotta sense.
I'm a political junkie, but I must confess that I couldn't make myself watch the "debate". But seeing as how Mr. Adams did watch, I found this sentence to be very interesting.
Hmmmm.
"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey
Trump also mentioned Michigan, Ohio and Indiana
as states hit hard by the recession of 2008 and they promptly started further job bleed, Carrier (once in Syracuse, NY, relocated some manufacturing to Indiana, now moving jobs[but not current employees] to Mexico) was mentioned at least once. There is at least one swing state, maybe two with Pence on THAT shortlist.
There are already animations of one response to Trump with the big open mouth laugh and then a very toothy (red lipsticked, to match the pantsuit) that made me think of dentures.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Must admit
It did seem like Hillary had a few short periods where she seemed somewhat out of it. But then she would recover and seemed fine. it was strange watching those shifts.
I didn't see this rig(ged
I didn't see this rig(ged)marole, or want to, but when reading your comment did wonder if she'd perhaps had inset drug pumps, perhaps monitored and operated by a doctor and remotely controlled for times like that when she starts zoning out, to get her through? They might possibly also be using more risky drugs in minimum amount or which have short-term duration of effect to jolt her out of some state which might lose her the selection, which might explain what you observed?
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Sorry you wasted fifteen minutes of your time
I had a nice evening watching something else.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
I started to watch, but couldn't stand her voice.
Nor her plastic smile. Turned off the TV and went to bed.
Ediited title to replace duplicate: was "smirk" instead of "voice".
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
In the middle of the night there is not much on
anyway
We cut the cord nearly seven years ago
Not having tv is far more peaceful, although there have been times when I wished we did. However, after reading the posts on the "debate," I am more glad than ever that we did.
It is disgraceful that we have the two worst candidates ever running for the highest office in the land. I am angry and embarrassed for the people of this country.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
You didn't even try watching Jill?
Instead, you tuned in to the debate between Terrible and Awful and now you're complaining?
Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.
I tried
but couldn't seem to pick up her live stream. So I donated.
Being the other side of the pond
It is hard to keep up with what is on and when, it was carried by our 24h news service.
I'll see if I can find it, sadly my interest in the farce of an election is waning fast
I hesitate to say it, but you may be better off Over There.
This morning I listened (C-SPAN3) to yet another interview with Jeh Johnson and Comey, and a discussion arouse about visa and passport blocks and being on "the list". Admission it was entirely bureaucratic, so it never works fast and still "one never knows" if they are on The List until trying to leave (or re-enter). That may be a way to keep us stuck here or not-here. And can be used for political reasons by a changing administration in changing circumstances, but we knew THAT.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
LOL! For a few minutes there, I thought you were telling her
she's be better off at the GOS!
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Ahem, ec, historical reference to Bc99!
I found that slightly offensive-sounding on pre-read. Bc99 is pre-formation of this freewheeling group.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Democracy Now didn't have Jill last night--
it was this morning; a terrible time to put it on.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I had a pleasant evening . . .
. . . at a local watering hole. Several of us gathered to listen to one of our colleagues present the details of his studies of galactic evolution whilst drinking Guinness and consuming chips.
As for "turning it off", we did that sometime in the mid 1980s.
I never turned it on
here's a nice recap by St. Clair, enjoy.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/27/idiot-winds-at-hofstra/
September 27, 2016
Idiot Winds at Hofstra: Notes on the Not-So-Great Debate
by Jeffrey St. Clair
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
Thanks for the link! A lot of
Thanks for the link! A lot of good points were made by the author. and I discovered (pass the brain bleach, please?) that even Bill's penis is crooked - no wonder he (or more likely his then-oral-knob-polisher) prefers cigars!
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I didn't watch Jill or the other debate.
There isn't anything any of them can say or do that will change my mind.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Exactly
True story!
And I just love how Hillary cheerleaders suddenly think it's okay that "post-debate polling" means anything, too. I wonder if the polls were Freeped? Because they always are, unless it's Hers, I guess...then everyone and their brother worships Her. Or something.
And I'll tellya right now--anyone saying that it was the "most-watched" program last night is also probably full of complete shit, particularly if you live anywhere in the even-remote vicinity of Miami. Any ratings bonanza surely went to last night's Mets-Marlins baseball game on FOX Sports FL, because way more people gave a shit about Jose Fernandez and his teammates trying to move on after his untimely death Sunday morning, than they do about that incomplete sham of a "debate".
Now, I would normally decry those of us who find "sports" more important than "politics"--but I'll be damned if that was "politics" going on in that "Debate" forum at all. It was a fucking joke, IMO and probably didn't hold a candle to much of anything else on the damned television anywhere in this country at that time, beyond MLB. Seeing a bunch of millennials crying their eyes out while trying to cope with "reality" (the show must go on, after all) and giving a shit about their fallen teammate was way more meaningful to see than either trash-talking phony "politician" could possibly dream of showing us.
The two camps are so deep in their own navels that they
have no idea what many of us [around 40%] are thinking of this clown car derby
They're the 40%. We're closer to 60%.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Actually the first 15 min.
Actually the first 15 min. Trump sort of made sense.( in a trump sort of way if one was a republican) After 20-25 min. Hillary pretty much cleaned his clock and controlled the debate for the rest of the debate. I actually only got interested 15 min in when Trump started to go off message, then I watched as it got worse, then the rambling on and verbal flailing. Not quite as embarrassing as Stockdale but not far from it either.
Of course if someone is knowledgeable of government and business, they will realize that both candidates are far from understanding the reality of the 99%.
I almost upchucked
When she said that trade deals increased jobs in America by 50%
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
She was so full of shit about that
is it any wonder they declared that no fact-checking during the debate was allowed? Of course they did! They wanted to ensure they didn't have to enforce reality, as opposed to the fantasy of America these two assclowns seem to have....
why I didn't watch
That's one reason (out of many) I didn't watch.
Actually, I tried: two sessions of roughly 30 seconds apiece was all I could do. Respect for the life forms which had to die to provide my sustenance demanded that I stop watching, lest I toss my cookies.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I Looked That One Up, and It Was Truth.
She said no manufacturing jobs lost in 90s. It wasn't until 2000 that we started to hemorrhage jobs from the manufacturing sector.
So when politifact covers it, they will say it's true.
This is part of the "most truthful" politician crap. She was technically truthful, but the spirit of truthfulness was with Drumpf.
She does this all the time. In fact, it looks like she studies this shit to tease out the most truthy statement possible.
Not a fan.
“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu
No Clocks were Cleaned
No clocks were cleaned. No reanimations of Stockdale.
I agree in part
I thought Trump came out of the gates strong, but then faltered. I thought they both rambled and made little sense. Hillary was trying to fit all the right words around contentless statements, while working her typical smugness. Trump got mired in the most irrelevant minutiae. A sad event for the nation.
For me, the highlight was trump calling her out on her "mistake" regarding the emails. He told her: It wasn't a mistake. It was purposeful. You knew what you were doing... and it is disgraceful. It reminded me of his calling out W for 9/11 in the republican debate. If he incorporates more of this truth-telling in the next debate, he might still pull it off. ABC- anyone but clinton.
I did bong hits,
and lasted less than 90 seconds on a live stream before finding a scintillating article on the different aggragate variations on concrete mixtures and stress points in construction. Very informative.
Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .
Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .
If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march
That was the best plan.
Seems we are a mostly sane group :)
Never turned it on.
Working through an interesting but difficult time, for me. From earliest college days, lo those 50 ish years ago, most especially having the extreme privilege of studying with Howard Zinn, government, politics, community, has been at the top of my list of activities. Still had to work, but managed to spend most of my working life supporting, doing communications for non-profits, issues about women, social and economic justice in Europe and the States.
After the extreme disappointment of President Obama, the experience of supporting Bernie Sanders and seeing how we, he, were literally robbed, much has changed. Not to the point of my not caring, but the realization that nothing I can do makes a damn bit of difference. As near as I can come to any action is the old "Think globally and act locally."
Still figuring it all out, will be for while. Great step for me, the first time I've not watched a Presidential debate. Not that it helps people in Syria, Allepo, Yemen, we know the list, too much, just too much. Hoping the younger generations have better answers than we did.
Didn't turn it on. MNF and Mariner baseball a far better choice.
Ready to do some painting around here this morning wearing one of my 4 new Bernie work T-shirts. #JillNotHill
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020
I would have...
watched Mariner baseball too, but I don't have Root Sports (I only have basic cable). And blackout restrictions even limit an MLB.tv subscription...which I didn't know until after I paid the $80 for it (I am a vet and get a discount on MLB.tv).
I did listen to the game while playing MLB16 the Show instead of watching the "debate."
Never turned it on.
We cleaned the house.
When that's what you choose as an alternative to watching a presidential debate, it's truly a sad state of affairs.
First one I've voluntarily missed. Won't be watching the last two, either.
Since you couldn't figuratively clean house, you chose
to do so literally. Very sensible, IMO.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
Expanding the Debate
I'm not expecting to get a lot out of it, since I've pretty much decided to Go Green... but I'm watching Democracy Now's "Expanding the Debate" special, where Dr. Stein is responding to each of the questions after Trump and Clinton make their statements and rebuttals.
A couple notable moments I've enjoyed so far:
"There’s nothing revolutionary about a movement that retreats into an endorsement of the lesser of two evils." Scott McLarty @ CounterPunch
It's going to be a steep uphill for us
Until all the naive, good people who are indoctrinated by the corporate media become aware of the situation.
Beware the bullshit factories.
I dunno
Eli Wallach character in "The Magnificent Seven":
"If God didn't want them shorn, why did He make them sheep?"
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
We all would have been better off watching Being There
With Chance the gardener, a.k.a. Chauncey Gardiner (Peter Sellers) bringing simple minded sanity to an all too disturbingly familiar world.
If there's a second debate, and it's the same two at the podium, I will definitely be watching it instead. A great Sellers classic!
“What the herd hates most is the one who thinks differently; it is not so much the opinion itself, but the audacity of wanting to think for themselves, something that they do not know how to do.”
-Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)
Big Short is playing on Netflix.
How can Trump be worse than Obama and the Democrats? If the GOP hadn't of been more interested in spiting Obama, our SS would already be cut.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Alphalop did a great livestream here. Everything I know about
the debates, I know from that and Stephen Colbert. If you want a 5-minute recap, see Stephen. If you want a little more, Alphalop's comments section isn't terribly long. Seemed just about the right length to me.
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Pretty much, thanks for reminding me Colbert is still
around.
Not nearly as funny as he used to be, IMHO; but I know with
things like this I can get the gist; granted, from a humorous perspective.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
not as funny
Even Stephen Cold Bear's ability to manufacture silk purses from this grade of sow's ears is somewhat limited.....
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
The DNC turned off the entire election for me. So fuck it.
I no longer pretend that there's even an election or a thing called voting rights.
I'd rather fight them both than decide which shitbag I should choose.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
Pretty much and also the party faithful finished off any
reservations that I had as to the party as a whole being a waste of time
I can't believe I was in a party with those people.
It's like looking at someone in a horror movie and realizing they're an alien, or demon-possessed, or something; that sort of shock of "Hey, I know we had our disagreements but I thought we were just two human beings, allies even, disagreeing with each other--holy shit, you're a monster!"
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
crocheted a blanket/watched Call the Midwife
Season Five starts in 1961 when the first of the thalidomide babies are born. That horror(I am old enough to remember it live) was more hopeful than the debate. At least when confronted with a medical mystery, we know they will solve it. i do not turn on the tv much anymore - no news, just a few new shows. Who thought when writing the new Keifer Sutherland show, Designated Survivor, that a pilot episode that starts with Congress bombed during the State of the Union address actually seems, in this election year, like a promising move?
I am thinking of that old adage that America gets the President it deserves. We are truly an awful country when these are our choices.
No, we don't.
We don't get the President we deserve.
2008 is the only election in the 21st century that I'm sure wasn't hijacked--because Obama so clearly had managed to fool almost all of us; they knew they didn't need to hijack it.
I'm not sure about 2012, one way or the other.
I'm damned sure 2000 and 2004 were rigged ten ways to Sunday. And, as we've seen, 2016 has already been rigged shamelessly.
The idea that we get the government we deserve is based on the notion that this is a democracy, or a republic, anyway. Election fraud blows that idea away. And fraud is only the most blatant of the ways in which we are prevented from exercising our political will.
This country does not have representative government. You might as well say that the subjects of a despot get what they deserve.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
That's a fact,
Jack:
Berkley Breathed summed it up nicely
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
Lol. know just how he felt
Yep, we need a new system
Yep, we need a new system that is neutral, and allows for a multiple party participation, thus an end to the false duopoly the Oligarchs give us to think we have democracy at all.
So long, and thanks for all the fish