Special Counsel’s Report Puts Biden’s Age and Memory in the Spotlight

[Frank Underwood]

I don't want to vote for either or them. I'm just stating that they are both dangerous to our country for different reasons.

We're all in agreement on that.

I am well aware that a vote for a third party candidate is ultimately a vote for Trump, but that's just something I will have to square in my own conscious.

That concern could easily be squashed if we had ranked choice voting, but the duopoly opposes that for obvious reasons.

Also, third party candidates are on the ballot every election cycle, and yet we still have Democratic administrations about as often as Republican administrations.

Ultimately, it's up to the administration in office to make their case as to why they should be re-elected. Biden can't do that in his current mental state (not that there's much to tout.) His operatives fear monger about Trump while praising the economy, but average Americans are still feeling the pinch. When campaigning against Trump in 2020, Biden tweeted "Believe it or not, Mr. President, most Americans don't live off the stock market." I'd say somebody should remind Biden of that, but he'd likely forget it in 2 seconds.

 

[Angela Channing]

If I were American and had a vote, I would cast it for Biden. There is a difference between being old and being too old. I think Biden is the former. He is elected to make decisions, not to run marathons or do physical construction work and he has been shown to be perfectly capable of making tough decisions when required to do so.

The UK Prime Minister is 43 and is far less capable than Biden. In the USA, Biden's policies has meant the country has avoided going into a recession, whereas the decisions made by the younger Mr Sunak has pushed us into a recession. People need to judge Biden by what he has done and what he will do and not by his age.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

If I were American and had a vote, I would cast it for Biden. There is a difference between being old and being too old. I think Biden is the former. He is elected to make decisions, not to run marathons or do physical construction work and he has been shown to be perfectly capable of making tough decisions when required to do so.

The UK Prime Minister is 43 and is far less capable than Biden. In the USA, Biden's policies has meant the country has avoided going into a recession, whereas the decisions made by the younger Mr Sunak has pushed us into a recession. People need to judge Biden by what he has done and what he will do and not by his age.

You quite simply have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Frank Underwood]

If I were American and had a vote, I would cast it for Biden. There is a difference between being old and being too old. I think Biden is the former. He is elected to make decisions, not to run marathons or do physical construction work and he has been shown to be perfectly capable of making tough decisions when required to do so.

What tough decisions has Biden made? The establishment's agenda has always been the same; more war and corporate welfare, and crumbs for the peasants. The president's job is to make that agenda seem palatable to the public, which Biden is unable to do in his current condition. The fact that Democratic Party operatives are publicly panicking says it all. It also takes a functioning brain to make decisions, and Biden's is clearly malfunctioning. Anybody denying that is willfully choosing to turn a blind eye to the obvious.

The UK Prime Minister is 43 and is far less capable than Biden. In the USA, Biden's policies has meant the country has avoided going into a recession, whereas the decisions made by the younger Mr Sunak has pushed us into a recession. People need to judge Biden by what he has done and what he will do and not by his age.

The US is facing an inflation crisis, a border crisis, and a homeless epidemic. We lived through authoritarian Covid policies that included mandated medical procedures and masking, people losing their businesses, and lockdowns that arguably caused more harm than good. We've seen the military budget increase and billions sent to fund wars in Ukraine and Gaza, while economic conditions in the US have deteriorated for everybody except the wealthy. The federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in almost 15 years, which is the longest period it has remained stagnant. In contrast, the rich have gotten considerably richer largely due to Covid "recovery" bills under both Trump and Biden.

Prior to becoming president, Biden crafted legislation that harshly punished non-violent offenders. He helped craft the Patriot Act, supported the Iraq War, and wanted to cut social safety programs that vulnerable people depend on. He was part of the Obama Administration, which built the cages used to house migrants that Trump was bashed for using. Biden's always supported for-profit healthcare and vowed to veto universal healthcare if it landed on his desk. Even if I were to put Biden's blatant cognitive impairment aside, I still would not vote for the war mongering neoliberal precisely because I'm judging him for what he (or at least his administration) has done and will continue to do.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

What tough decisions has Biden made? The establishment's agenda has always been the same; more war and corporate welfare, and crumbs for the peasants. The president's job is to make that agenda seem palatable to the public, which Biden is unable to do in his current condition. The fact that Democratic Party operatives are publicly panicking says it all. It also takes a functioning brain to make decisions, and Biden's is clearly malfunctioning. Anybody denying that is willfully choosing to turn a blind eye to the obvious.


The US is facing an inflation crisis, a border crisis, and a homeless epidemic. We lived through authoritarian Covid policies that included mandated medical procedures and masking, people losing their businesses, and lockdowns that arguably caused more harm than good. We've seen the military budget increase and billions sent to fund wars in Ukraine and Gaza, while economic conditions in the US have deteriorated for everybody except the wealthy. The federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in almost 15 years, which is the longest period it has remained stagnant. In contrast, economic inequality has increased considerably due to Covid "recovery" bills under both Trump and Biden.

Prior to becoming president, Biden crafted legislation that harshly punished not violent offenders. He helped craft the Patriot Act, supported the Iraq War, and wanted to cut social safety programs that vulnerable people depend on. He was part of the Obama Administration, which built the cages used to house migrants that Trump was bashed for using. Biden's always supported for-profit healthcare and vowed to veto universal healthcare if it landed on his desk. Even if I were to put Biden's blatant cognitive impairment aside, I still would not vote for the war mongering neoliberal precisely because I'm judging him for what he (or at least his administration) has done and will continue to do.

Correct. Which is why they bash Trump -- whom I detest -- on silly stuff. Because the reasons we should hate him are because his pro-establishment policies are essentially identical to those of Biden.

But Trump occasionally says the quiet part out loud (e.g., "You don't think we ever kill people?"; "We're in there to get the oil") and sometimes drags his feet about getting into yet another war -- before ultimately giving in.

Both wars in Ukraine and, mostly, Gaza are our fault. Trump criticizes correctly our follies in Ukraine, but were he still in the White House, he would have knuckled under and gone along with them.

 

[Frank Underwood]

Correct. Which is why they bash Trump -- whom I detest -- on silly stuff. Because the reasons we should hate him are because his pro-establishment policies are essentially identical to those of Biden.

But Trump occasionally says the quiet part out loud (e.g., "You don't think we ever kill people?"; "We're in there to get the oil") and sometimes drags his feet about getting into yet another war -- before ultimately giving in.

Both wars in Ukraine and, mostly, Gaza are our fault. Trump criticizes correctly our follies in Ukraine, but were he still in the White House, he would have knuckled under and gone along with them.

Yes, Trump ultimately went along with the establishment's orders despite occasionally calling out US-backed atrocities. But the "resistance" libs only hate him for the latter.

Faux liberals clutch their pearls over Trump's "You don't think we ever kill people?" statement, while supporting the US-backed wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Go figure.

They had the same reaction to Trump's "We're in there to get the oil" statement. This turned out to also be the position of Biden's former senior advisor Neera Tanden. A leaked email revealed she said oil rich nations should pay us back, presumably for the privilege of being attacked. Dems are blue MAGA with their own double standards.

 

[Angela Channing]

What tough decisions has Biden made?

• Finally ended the war in Afghanistan.
• Got his infrastructure bill passed which has created jobs, stimulated the economy and will improve roads, railways, internet speeds etc.
• Brought down unemployment and inflation.
• Pardoned people who had simple marijuana convictions.
• Provided funding to produce semiconductors in the USA instead on being reliant on Chinese dictators.
• Guaranteed that all states will recognise same sex marriages.
• Provided money to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40% and promote clean energy technologies.

I could go on.

It also takes a functioning brain to make decisions, and Biden's is clearly malfunctioning.

I'm not a medical professional so I can't make that judgment. However, Biden has always made gaffs, even when he was a young senator, it was what he was always known for. He hesitates in his speech sometimes but the man has a stammer and is always trying to control it. I would take my chances with Biden's brain over the p*ssy-grabbing orange one or the vaccine-sceptic Kennedy.

We lived through authoritarian Covid policies that included mandated medical procedures and masking, people losing their businesses, and lockdowns that arguably caused more harm than good.

And thank goodness you did. Those policies saved lives until a vaccine became available. If you think saving businesses is more important than saving lives then I guess those policies did more harm than good.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

• Finally ended the war in Afghanistan.
• Got his infrastructure bill passed which has created jobs, stimulated the economy and will improve roads, railways, internet speeds etc.
• Brought down unemployment and inflation.
• to repair our roads, waterways, bridges and railroads, and bring high-speed internet to rural communities.
• Pardoned people who had simple marijuana convictions.
• Provided funding to produce semiconductor in the USA instead on being reliant on Chinese dictators.
• Guaranteed that all states will recognise same sex marriages.
• Provided money to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40% and promote clean energy technologies.

I could go on.


I'm not a medical professional so I can't make that judgment. However, Biden has always made gaffs, even when he was a young senator, it was what he was always known for. He hesitates in his speech sometimes but the man has a stammer and is always trying to control it. I would take my chances with Biden's brain over the p*ssy-grabbing orange one or the vaccine-sceptic Kennedy.


And thank goodness you did. Those policies saved lives until a vaccine became available. If you think saving businesses is more important than saving lives then I guess those policies did more harm than good.

PR bullshit cribbed from Wikipedia.

But, as you say, you could go on. And will.

And the sexual harassment allegations against Biden were far more credible than the ones against Brett Kavanaugh (whom I did not want on the Supreme Court).

 

[Angela Channing]

PR bullshit cribbed from Wikipedia.

But, as you say, you could go on. And will.

I didn't look on Wikipedia, I listen to the Daily podcast from the New York Times and the 538 podcast which are my main sources of US political news, alongside CNN and occasionally CBS News. I'm sure I could find even more examples had I looked on Wikipedia because there are many good things that Biden has done.

What exactly about my examples are not accurate why you describe them as bullsh*t?

And the sexual harassment allegations against Biden were far more credible than the ones against Brett Kavanaugh (whom I did not want on the Supreme Court).

Allegations are only allegations. If they are ever tested in court and if Biden was found to be guilty I would review my opinion of him. The orange one has already been found responsible for sexual assault by a court of law.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I didn't look on Wikipedia, I listen to the Daily podcast from the New York Times and the 538 podcast which are my main sources of US political news, alongside CNN and occasionally CBS News. I'm sure I could find even more examples had I looked on Wikipedia because there are many good things that Biden has done.

What exactly about my examples are not accurate why you describe them as bullsh

That explains it. It's the same as Wikipedia.

Almost all of your examples are PR spin (and gay marriage was approved in 2015, after Biden was against it).

Allegations are only allegations. If they are ever tested in court and if Biden was found to be guilty I would review my opinion of him. The orange one has already been found responsible for sexual assault by a court of law.

Even I assumed he was guilty as sin -- until I saw her reaction in the media the day she won her first case; the woman is lying.

And I hate Trump.

 

[Angela Channing]

And I hate Trump.

And yet you regularly defend him, like you just did.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

And yet you regularly defend him, like you just did.

I "regularly defend" Trump??

I detest Trump -- as evidenced by the fact that I just bashed him on his policies (which are much too similar to those of Biden's actual policies -- as opposed to his stated policies).

But I believe the details matter. And Trump gets bashed over stupid stuff -- untrue or selective -- instead of his policies because they're much too close to Biden's.

You, like many others, are too clannish in your thinking, not understanding that, in the States, both parties are bought out by the same corporate entities, the rhetoric varying slightly to convince us that our votes actually matter.

 

[Frank Underwood]

• Finally ended the war in Afghanistan.
• Got his infrastructure bill passed which has created jobs, stimulated the economy and will improve roads, railways, internet speeds etc.
• Brought down unemployment and inflation.
• Pardoned people who had simple marijuana convictions.
• Provided funding to produce semiconductors in the USA instead on being reliant on Chinese dictators.
• Guaranteed that all states will recognise same sex marriages.
• Provided money to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40% and promote clean energy technologies.

I could go on.

• Ending the Afghanistan war was good, though to say it didn't go smoothly would be an understatement. He's also countered it by throwing billions at new wars.
• We'll see what comes of that infrastructure bill in time. It was negotiated down and wasn't nearly enough to begin with.
• Gas prices have come down, but food prices are still high. Also, how many of those jobs were a result of people returning to work after lockdowns were lifted?
• Pardoning people for simple marijuana convictions is great, but his 1994 crime bill is also largely responsible for harshly penalizing non-violent offenders to begin with.
• Providing funding to produce semiconductors in the USA instead on being reliant on China is good, but many people still face economic hardship.
• Wasn't same sex marriage settled in 2015? It's good if he codified it (out of political expediency, no doubt,) but he won't do the same for a woman's right to choose.
• Biden cares so much about climate change that he's "approving more oil and gas drilling permits on public lands than Trump." Source: The Washington Post

I could go on as well. There have been a few positives to come out of his administration, but it's vastly overshadowed by the wars and continued capitulation to the oligarchs.

I'm not a medical professional so I can't make that judgment. However, Biden has always made gaffs, even when he was a young senator, it was what he was always known for. He hesitates in his speech sometimes but the man has a stammer and is always trying to control it. I would take my chances with Biden's brain over the p*ssy-grabbing orange one or the vaccine-sceptic Kennedy.

It's much more than the typical gaffes of yesterday (much of which consisted of outright lying and plagiarism.) I could tell beforehand, but the special counsel confirms it.

Also, we agree the orange war pig/p*ssy grabber isn't suitable to vote for either (although Biden's also a war pig, creepy hair sniffer, and has been accused of sexual assault.)

Kennedy has the usual pro-Israel war pig stance, but I agree with his stance against the Ukraine War and authoritarian Covid policies. We know now that the establishment pushed half-truths and outright lies when it came to the efficacy of the vaccine. Not to mention the conflicts of interest with big pharma companies sponsoring cable news shows and having execs sitting on regulatory boards. I'm unsure if I'll vote for Kennedy, but being a skeptic of the Ukraine war and big pharma are good things in my book.

And thank goodness you did. Those policies saved lives until a vaccine became available. If you think saving businesses is more important than saving lives then I guess those policies did more harm than good.

It only cost people their livelihoods and created other problems such as isolation, depression, and suicide while doing little to prevent Covid deaths. But what do I know.

A Johns Hopkins study says 'ill-founded' COVID lockdowns did more harm than good​

 

[Frank Underwood]

And yet you regularly defend him, like you just did.

Did you not defend Biden when it comes to the allegations against him? I gather you also think innocent people can't be wrongly convicted in a court of law.

Also, discerning between truth, bullshit, and accusations is not a defense of Trump.

There are many substantive things to go after Trump for, but many resistance liberals refuse to because they know it would also be an indictment of Biden.

 

[Angela Channing]

• Ending the Afghanistan war was good, though to say it didn't go smoothly would be an understatement. He's also countered it by throwing billions at new wars.
• We'll see what comes of that infrastructure bill in time. It was negotiated down and wasn't nearly enough to begin with.
• Gas prices have come down, but food prices are still high. Also, how many of those jobs were a result of people returning to work after lockdowns were lifted?
• Pardoning people for simple marijuana convictions is great, but his 1994 crime bill is also largely responsible for harshly penalizing non-violent offenders to begin with.
• Providing funding to produce semiconductors in the USA instead on being reliant on China is good, but many people still face economic hardship.
• Wasn't same sex marriage settled in 2015? It's good if he codified it (out of political expediency, no doubt,) but he won't do the same for a woman's right to choose.
• Biden cares so much about climate change that he's "approving more oil and gas drilling permits on public lands than Trump." Source: The Washington Post

• The way in which troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan was badly handled but ending the war was the right thing to do and I'm glad that Biden finally took that decision.
• I think the infrastructure bill is something will prove to be one of the things that people will look back on Biden's Presidency in generations to come and be grateful for the action he took. It's never going to be enough but without Democrat control of the House, I think it was as much as he was able to get through considering Republican opposition to it. I just wish the leaders of the Labour and Conservative Parties in the UK could be as forward thinking as Biden.
• Yes, food prices are too high but overall wages in the USA have grown faster than inflation which mitigates the impact of higher prices to some extent. There are more people in employment in the USA than there has ever been so it can't all be down to people returning to work after the pandemic.
• I'm not a fan of the 1994 crime bill as I think dealing with the conditions that cause people to commit crime and focusing more on the rehabilitation of offenders is a far better way of dealing with many crimes. However, I was specifically responding to you challenge that Biden didn't make any correct big decisions while President and I think pardoning people for simple cannabis convictions is a good thing.
• Yes people face hardship but that's a separate issue from shifting USA reliance on China for high technology goods unless you think this investment isn't necessary and instead using the money for relieving some of that hardship. I think Biden's choice is forward looking and one that the USA will be glad for in the future.
• Same-sex marriage now has to be recognised in every state which is a good thing. Yes abortion rights need to be codified but that won't happen unless the Dems get to control congress.
• Regarding climate change, yes I would like Biden to do more but that doesn't stop me from recognising the positive steps he has made in the right direction.

It's much more than the typical gaffes of yesterday (much of which consisted of outright lying and plagiarism.) I could tell beforehand, but the special counsel confirms it

The special counsel is not a medical professional so it was an opinion not a medical diagnosis. However, I would take a mentally challenged Biden over any of the 3 UK prime ministers we have had during his presidency because of of how they have destroyed most of what had previously been good in the UK.

It only cost people their livelihoods and created other problems such as isolation, depression, and suicide while doing little to prevent Covid deaths. But what do I know.

What do you think Biden should have done, let Covid rip through the population and not encourage people to get vaccinated?

 

[Angela Channing]

Did you not defend Biden when it comes to the allegations against him? I gather you also think innocent people can't be wrongly convicted in a court of law.

Also, discerning between truth, bullshit, and accusations is not a defense of Trump.

There are many substantive things to go after Trump for, but many resistance liberals refuse to because they know it would also be an indictment of Biden.

I plead guilty to saying allegations against Biden should be proven first whereas I am more likely to believe allegations against Trump from the start. Ultimately, I'm willing to accept the decisions made by the justice system and Biden has not been found guilty of anything whereas Trump has.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

And Biden is bankrolling the slaughter in Gaza.

 

[anndra w]

What tough decisions has Biden made? The establishment's agenda has always been the same; more war and corporate welfare, and crumbs for the peasants. The president's job is to make that agenda seem palatable to the public, which Biden is unable to do in his current condition. The fact that Democratic Party operatives are publicly panicking says it all. It also takes a functioning brain to make decisions, and Biden's is clearly malfunctioning. Anybody denying that is willfully choosing to turn a blind eye to the obvious.


The US is facing an inflation crisis, a border crisis, and a homeless epidemic. We lived through authoritarian Covid policies that included mandated medical procedures and masking, people losing their businesses, and lockdowns that arguably caused more harm than good. We've seen the military budget increase and billions sent to fund wars in Ukraine and Gaza, while economic conditions in the US have deteriorated for everybody except the wealthy. The federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in almost 15 years, which is the longest period it has remained stagnant. In contrast, the rich have gotten considerably richer largely due to Covid "recovery" bills under both Trump and Biden.

Prior to becoming president, Biden crafted legislation that harshly punished non-violent offenders. He helped craft the Patriot Act, supported the Iraq War, and wanted to cut social safety programs that vulnerable people depend on. He was part of the Obama Administration, which built the cages used to house migrants that Trump was bashed for using. Biden's always supported for-profit healthcare and vowed to veto universal healthcare if it landed on his desk. Even if I were to put Biden's blatant cognitive impairment aside, I still would not vote for the war mongering neoliberal precisely because I'm judging him for what he (or at least his administration) has done and will continue to do.

I don’t think you get it - whatever you believe you’re going through it’s very similar all over the Western world. Your economy is performing much better than Britain’s is, we went through the same authoritarian policies you talk during Covid - my friends in Canada had worse by the sounds of it, the UK even more than America is addicted to war and is involved in more wars than the vast majority of our neighbours. The political system here seems corrupt - designed to make change difficult. Our press is being bought up by far right zealots and the political discourse has changed so much that our media now express views and ideas that would have been seen as racist a few years ago. In order to facilitate that we have this ridiculous culture war where people obsess over trans and immigration etc. In the U.K. for example there is an obsession with trans issues - a campaign that is funded by American Evangelical right - across the water in Ireland where the culture war has not been established Trans people have more rights than they do in the UK and there was no outcry and no chaos. Maybe it’s too late for the UK and America, maybe the shift to the right is too permanent, the power of the far right too powerful to make change possible - but that is something we should be frightened of.

 

[Frank Underwood]

• The way in which troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan was badly handled but ending the war was the right thing to do and I'm glad that Biden finally took that decision.
• I think the infrastructure bill is something will prove to be one of the things that people will look back on Biden's Presidency in generations to come and be grateful for the action he took. It's never going to be enough but without Democrat control of the House, I think it was as much as he was able to get through considering Republican opposition to it. I just wish the leaders of the Labour and Conservative Parties in the UK could be as forward thinking as Biden.
• Yes, food prices are too high but overall wages in the USA have grown faster than inflation which mitigates the impact of higher prices to some extent. There are more people in employment in the USA than there has ever been so it can't all be down to people returning to work after the pandemic.
• I'm not a fan of the 1994 crime bill as I think dealing with the conditions that cause people to commit crime and focusing more on the rehabilitation of offenders is a far better way of dealing with many crimes. However, I was specifically responding to you challenge that Biden didn't make any correct big decisions while President and I think pardoning people for simple cannabis convictions is a good thing.
• Yes people face hardship but that's a separate issue from shifting USA reliance on China for high technology goods unless you think this investment isn't necessary and instead using the money for relieving some of that hardship. I think Biden's choice is forward looking and one that the USA will be glad for in the future.
• Same-sex marriage now has to be recognised in every state which is a good thing. Yes abortion rights need to be codified but that won't happen unless the Dems get to control congress.
• Regarding climate change, yes I would like Biden to do more but that doesn't stop me from recognising the positive steps he has made in the right direction.

You said tough decisions, not correct decisions. And I'd still argue that any correct decisions Biden's made were done because it's become politically expedient to do so. That doesn't make him a tough, "forward thinking" leader. Biden voted for the Afghanistan war and wrote the 1994 crime bill, which means he's just repealing his own bad policies.

Dems only make tweaks around the margins. It makes them seem better than Republicans on paper, but reality is bleaker. Biden's also negated his own good policies by funding the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, issuing more drilling permits than Trump, allowing the minimum wage to stagnant, etc. The Dems take one step forward and two giant steps back, and we're supposed to call that progress. The main promise Biden delivered on was the one he made to his donors when he said "nothing will fundamentally change."

The special counsel is not a medical professional so it was an opinion not a medical diagnosis.

True, but he is an authority figure who interviewed Biden and made a judgement call. His professional opinion was exactly what many people have been thinking for years.

At this point, the people making excuses for Biden's mental impairment might as well be saying "Who are you going to believe, me, or your lying eyes?”

However, I would take a mentally challenged Biden over any of the 3 UK prime ministers we have had during his presidency because of of how they have destroyed most of what had previously been good in the UK.

More war, poverty, a border crisis, a homeless crisis, loss of livelihood for people as a result of Covid restrictions, etc.

Biden may not have destroyed "what had previously been good" in the US, but he's certainly continued what was already bad.

What do you think Biden should have done, let Covid rip through the population and not encourage people to get vaccinated?

Well, I do know that people should have at least been comped for lost wages if they were going to be forced to stay home.

A single $1400 check ($600 less than promised) just added insult to injury. This was another example of crumbs intended to placate people, despite being woefully insufficient.

I plead guilty to saying allegations against Biden should be proven first whereas I am more likely to believe allegations against Trump from the start. Ultimately, I'm willing to accept the decisions made by the justice system and Biden has not been found guilty of anything whereas Trump has.

That is precisely why people who despise Trump seemingly come to his defense occasionally. Some people are programmed to automatically believe the worst about Trump unequivocally, while demanding due process for Biden. As someone who despises them both, it's interesting to see how they've each cultivated their own group of devotees.

The justice system has proven to be imperfect on many occasions, but there are people who put their faith in it if it confirms their confirmation bias.

 

[Frank Underwood]

I don’t think you get it - whatever you believe you’re going through it’s very similar all over the Western world. Your economy is performing much better than Britain’s is, we went through the same authoritarian policies you talk during Covid - my friends in Canada had worse by the sounds of it, the UK even more than America is addicted to war and is involved in more wars than the vast majority of our neighbours. The political system here seems corrupt - designed to make change difficult. Our press is being bought up by far right zealots and the political discourse has changed so much that our media now express views and ideas that would have been seen as racist a few years ago. In order to facilitate that we have this ridiculous culture war where people obsess over trans and immigration etc. In the U.K. for example there is an obsession with trans issues - a campaign that is funded by American Evangelical right - across the water in Ireland where the culture war has not been established Trans people have more rights than they do in the UK and there was no outcry and no chaos. Maybe it’s too late for the UK and America, maybe the shift to the right is too permanent, the power of the far right too powerful to make change possible - but that is something we should be frightened of.

I'm not well versed in foreign affairs (except when it comes to countries the US wages imperialism in.) My perspective is admittedly that of an American, though I've learned some about the UK through this forum. I don't deny that right wing policies are on the rise in the West as a whole, or that the culture war is used to distract people from more pressing issues. I feel awful about that, but the US is still far from a bastion of leftist ideals (even if economies, authoritarianism, and war mongering is even worse elsewhere.)