No One Cares Because Nothing Matters Anymore

[ousdahl]

sigh.

My reaction to a lot of your posts like this. There are plenty of things to call out the US for; having a 2022 foreign policy that is inconsistent with 1970s actions is not one of them.

but, Puerto Rico was apparently a disadvantaged colony in the 1970s, and it's still a disadvantaged colony now. How is that inconsistent?

[jhawks99]

Ousie, I believe we should support Puerto Rico. As a territory we are responsible for that. I also think it should be a state.

I did some work for a mayoral candidate in San Juan a bunch of years ago. A doctor was fed up with the corruption and hired Bill Clinton's 1st presidential campaign manager to run his campaign. That guy was buddies with our VP and I got sent down to help for a week. The Doc, campaign manager and I went out drinkin one night and he explained some of the corruption and why he was pissed about it. He ended up loosing but I had a great week smoozin with the politicos. I think I put in about 2 full hours of actual work that week.

[ousdahl]

ohh, good post 99. I think I can agree with your sentiments.

What were the details of the corruption he explained?

I saw a couple headlines like after Hurricane Maria showed how vulnerable their power grid was a few years back, FEMA gave like 9 bajillion or whatever dollars worth of disaster relief to help fix it. And yet, their power grid is still vulnerable today. It made me wonder where all that money went, and I initially thought, corruption.

and, if we may change gears a little and actually talk about something halfway pleasant for a minute - what sort of drinks did you get down on in Puerto Rico? And for that matter, what sorta food?

[jhawks99]

It was so long ago I don't really remember. Plus I was about 3/4ths gushered.

They did have to go to the local news to complain they couldn't get phone lines put in because the current mayor either owned the phone company or they were beholden to him. A dump truck took the lines out a week after they got installed.

[ousdahl]

sooo

After loosing a close election, Brazil’s right wing president apparently refuses to concede

Where have I heard this before?

[ousdahl]

Not sure if this even means anything but

[KUTradition]

sooo

After loosing a close election, Brazil’s right wing president apparently refuses to concede

Where have I heard this before?

still no concession, but seems to be stepping away quietly (at least so far)

[ousdahl]

Yea.

Rumors his uncharacteristic silence indicates he might be working behind the scenes to quietly stage some coup, but just rumors.

And the dood who did get elected is some progressive lefty Qusdahl type.

Pretty sure that makes most of South American countries run by leftists now, but I dunno.

If I’ve learned anything at all from the war thread, it’s that life is a lot easier if you just don’t care much about international politics.

[KUTradition]

i don’t know about “most”, but there are a number of them

are you familiar with Lula? i don’t want to discount the corruption he was tied to, but Brazil made huge strides under his leadership…something like 12 million people lifted out of poverty, and a burgeoning iron in the global economy’s fire

also, tons of support for the natural sciences under his watch

if Lula’s victory does nothing but halt the tragedy of the Amazon, then it’ll have been worth it

[ousdahl]

hearing things like "12 million people lifted out of poverty" makes me wonder if poverty really is more of a policy failure than a personal one.

and I honestly don't wanna fanboy too much about leftism, but the reason leftism appeals to me is that it actually seems to actually value things like lifting people out of poverty, and natural sciences, and halting the tragedy of the Amazon.

[KUTradition]

careful…randy will label you a liberal

*gasp*

[Deleted User 863]

"actually seems to actually"

Enough said.

[ousdahl]

What exactly do we gain from blockading Cuba?

Besides the satisfaction of sticking it to them commies…which, of course, is priceless.

[Mjl]

I know Israel's reason (they vote however the US votes for self-preservation)... Did the US give a reason?

[ousdahl]

I know Israel's reason (they vote however the US votes for self-preservation)... Did the US give a reason?

https://usun.usmission.gov/explanation- ... a-embargo/

Basically a bunch of hypocritical gaslighting about how the US stands with the Cuban people but the Cuban gummint is some big bad boogeyman.

[jhawks99]

Castro is dead, let's to to Habana and smoke some stogies.

[Mjl]

I have hope that President Buttigieg will reverse that policy

[ousdahl]

dunno what to think of this one but

[KUTradition]

d) none of the above

[Overlander]

E) Trump