lobf 2 days ago

Why do you think this? Have you ever been to a country with a non-functioning government?

  • ta1243 2 days ago

    Somalia comes to mind, plenty of guns too, yet the Randians never last more than 10 minutes when they go

    • lobf 2 days ago

      And then the person dropping this load of nonsense moves on without ever having to defend their point.

      How do you combat this kind of bad-faith propagandizing? How do communities maintain some level of connection to reality and decency? It seems to infect every online space I visit.

      • jart a day ago

        Are you talking about me? Click parent a few times. I've brought back fresh nonsense just for you.

  • jart 2 days ago

    Have you been to China? It's like a science fiction movie. Now consider how Mao destroyed the old world, killed the old guard, and led the few remaining through decades of poverty rebuilding the glorious smart city society they have today. Trump is basically Gandhi compared to Mao. So I don't understand the weeping and wailing. Those people have all the guns in this country. If they want to try to fix America's government rather than murder us, I say let them try.

  • rayiner 2 days ago

    [flagged]

    • lobf 2 days ago

      [flagged]

      • rayiner 2 days ago

        You’re the one arguing in bad faith. This administration is the most protective of the core functions of government of any GOP administration in decades. Bush wanted to privatize social security. Trump took that off the table.

        You’re acting like DOGE is about turning the U.S. into some libertarian paradise. But look at what they’re actually focused on. Foreign aid is completely optional, but PEPFAR (an effective foreign aid program) promptly got a waiver. What’s been targeted for cuts? Stuff that detracts from the core mission, such as meddling with elections in India. The federal government is full of this shit—and full of people who care about distractions rather than the core mission.

        I’m no libertarian, just a citizen who lived in Baltimore and rode Amtrak and has been to functional countries like Germany and Japan. I like government. But our government sucks at governance. And I’m fine with someone taking an axe to all the distractions so government can refocus on maintaining order and providing fundamental services.

        • mindslight 2 days ago

          "maintaining order" by the same president that encouraged police riots last term? Just because you've written a lot of polished words does not mean you're arguing in good faith - the fascist version of "maintaining order" is precisely what everybody is worried about.

          I'm a libertarian. I will be overjoyed to admit I was wrong if we somehow come out of this with an intact democratic government bound by the rule of law and keeping the corpos somewhat in check. But all signs point to our country being well and truly fucked.