Alan Partridge

Oh yeah, I mean as an outside observer they’ve seemed pretty ineffective.

But I do wonder how much is exacerbated by, for example: foreign interference/propaganda, sub-par educational levels and engagement of the electorate, 24/7 News entertainment, citizens united, the absolute audacity of the boomer generation to benefit from very generous social policies and then turn around and screw the younger generations on the exact same benefits they themselves received.

The American default (and increasingly, the Western default) seems to be fuck you I got mine (until something bad happens to me).

Now, I’m not American - I just pay attention. My boomer parents in law will sit there and complain about the state of every service - paid or social - like banking, doctors etc. and I have to contain myself when I tell them that capitalism by nature degrades and enshittifies every good thing the middle class had and that Millennials really, truly, do not believe anything will ever be good again. They look at me like I have 5 heads. Truly not a clue.

The point is: if they don’t figure out how to do something RIGHT NOW, there won’t be any other party. All parties that are not aligned with Trump will be disallowed. Russia, Turkey, Hungary, is the direction the US is headed.

The window is closing right now and if nothing is done the American people will no longer have a choice. Trump might insist there’s still democracy but it will be a sham like everything else he’s put his name on.

I’ve had so many conversations with Americans online where I’ve pointed out that the second amendment is a joke and Americans wouldn’t have the guts to stand up to a tyrannical government. Well….

Legacy media and dem politicians need to stop pulling punches and get to the bottom of WHY Musk needs Wisconsin. I get that the AP is hyperneutral, but the reporting, political, and public response on this issue has been irresponsible and feckless. The outrage is so wholly insufficient. This needs Benghazi and Hunter Biden’s laptop energy.

Could it be because it is a critical swing state and they are gearing up for the mother of all power grabs in the next presidential election?

Grow some fucking balls and attack this properly goddamn before the GOP cements their fascist coup of America.

Free from federal regulations?

What happens when you have to go see the company doctor who has been paid by the town’s management to ignore your health issue when that issue was caused by the town’s negligence. Maybe the town uses chemicals that are known to be toxic, or has eroded safety standards. They’re already trying to neuter workplace safety laws federally.

Americans just go smooth brained at the mention of freedom. This isn’t freedom.

I appreciate all of the ideas and I do think they’re solid. How does anyone reach the US citizens who don’t pay attention to the news or who don’t think this is a big deal. It’s probably a pretty significant overlap between Fox Propaganda viewers / Soft Republican and/or Swing voters / and the generally disengaged. I don’t think these people are necessarily listening to Ukrainian or Gaza voices or consuming long-form/thoughtful journalism. I do think it’s happening slowly. The town halls are a good start.

I don’t want to see people go through pain. And I don’t want the propagandists to try to blame international countries for the sadism that the US government is inflicting on their own people. How do you get through to people? It’s so weird to see how fractured it is.

It’s so ridiculous. There are enough resources globally for everyone. There are just too many billionaires gobbling everything up.

Interesting comments.

I think some of the interviews he did in the first term hurt him like the Axios one.

I’m hoping that as he continues to mentally slip, which is clear when you go back and watch campaign video even from 2016, he’s going to say something so nasty and inexcusable that the non-cultists will be upset and take action. Or it will become very clear - like it did with Biden - that he’s so far gone. Trump just hides it better for now under stimulants, anger, and unpredictability.

It’s a long shot but they have to keep trying. Or else what is there? Roll over and let him declare himself president for life without much of a fight?

They need to push. If he’s finding the thinnest of excuses to ban the AP they should give him a real reason to ban them. Watching in Canada it’s worse than a train wreck in slow motion like someone please grow a spine.

The only ones saying or doing anything remotely of substance are Bernie, Crockett and AOC and it’s still not enough.

Journalists still aren’t asking hard enough questions.

“Why would you possibly think you are the only one who can get a deal done with Russia? It doesn’t seem to be about a lack of respect for other world leaders because you’re already capitulating to what Russia, the global pariah wants, without getting anything in return. Doesn’t seem like good deal making or putting “America” first. Your comment.”

“Are you saying Benjamin Netanyahu is weak by insinuating October 7th happened because you weren’t in Office? Or are you just mad that civilians in Gaza weren’t genocided fast enough?”

Since Bezos recently ordered WaPo’s editorial board to defend the free market maybe someone could ask them if Trump ordering a company to adhere to political policies is truly indicative of a “free” market? Does Tim Apple enjoy the “personal liberty” to tell Elon and pool boy Trump to go fuck themselves? Is America free yet?

What really helped me was simplifying my life and putting myself first. Let’s take your statements one at a time:

Ex-Boyfriend - does not care about you. Don’t waste your energy there. It helped me to mute these people on socials and put them on limited view of my posts if you don’t want to block or remove.

Girlfriend - decide if you want to stay in this situation. What would need to improve to make it better? Will your partner accept these improvements? This should be your top priority. I don’t know you and I don’t know your background but the boyfriend breakup -> new sexuality -> open relationship jump seems confusing, complicated and a lot to take on. Take a hard look and make sure you’re doing this because it’s what you want - not from a place of looking for validation/acceptance or chasing someone.

Long-Time Friend - cut contact fully and take some space. Not now does not mean not ever. I had to have a difficult conversation with a friend recently where they really bought into rumours someone was spreading about me without asking me about it and wanted to make it up to me and I had to tell them I’m happy to be on friendly terms but don’t have the personal emotional capacity for more at this time. You don’t even have to tell the friend this much. You can just decide it and answer or not when you’re ready. No one has you at gunpoint forcing you to talk to people. See above on muting them on socials so you’re not tempted to interact.

Then, fill your time with things you enjoy. Take a fuck it attitude and get out there. For example, I found a group on meetup who had a common interest and went to some nights. It wasn’t expensive - the price of a cup of coffee - and it got me out of the house and interacting with new people. Look for low commitment things so you don’t overextend.

Exercise is good too. I find when I’m in crisis I tend to potato to weather the storm. Then when I’m on the mend I tend to get back into my routine.

Try to notice the way you talk to yourself in daily life too. You’ll get stuck longer if you’re down on yourself. For example jokes like “I’m dumb” become reality and your perception of yourself really quickly. I write one positive line about myself every day in my planner/journal.

I also found finding one to two “hype” people on social media who said positive things to be helpful. You mentioned your anxiety. If you’re not already doing so, seek out healthy, positive content to help you with that. It’s 2025 and therapy is expensive. This is a good first step.

Controversial, but there is a chatgpt therapist extension (not sure if free or paid). If I really feel emotional and stuck, and in my case I couldn’t vent to my friend anymore, I turn on temporary chat and let it fly with the chatgpt therapist. It is helpful to get validation/perspective on my situation in the moment and without judgement.

I know this is a lot but you can get through it by taking small steps. We all go through difficult times throughout life and each one is going to help you build resilience. Again, I don’t know you, your age or your circumstances but your post reads like you are younger. I know it’s cliche but the things that seemed like the world was ending when I was younger don’t even seem like real challenges now. Life really is one crisis after another.

Hard for the Nazi to walk on the grass with his diaper and lifts huh.

Nope? Just saying you can trace a direct line from her wringing her hands about Brent Kavanaugh but ultimately voting to confirm, to impeachment “learned his lesson”, all the way through to today. She has had multiple opportunities to be on the right side of history and has consistently picked the evil choice every time all while Helen Lovejoying the shit out of her job for the cameras. She has been one of the enablers of Trump’s agenda while the whole time acting “very concerned”.

All this shit started with her and her will she won’t she LeBron James The Decision bullshit.

Oh it’s already happening here. I think we’re speaking the same language.

Just because we have advertising and campaign donation limits it doesn’t mean billionaires and foreign nations aren’t going to use propaganda online and otherwise to dupe low information voters.

It doesn’t mean our politicians aren’t open to bribes that kick into effect after they leave office such as corporate no-show jobs. I’m stink-eyeing Pierre and his ilk in particular here.

I’m not sure what we do to stop these things. Some ideas:

Stop using American social media to distribute official messaging. The federal government should not use X and should not recognize it as a legitimate platform, full stop. We should move to the fediverse.

No contracts and no business for Elon Musk or any of his companies in Canada. He can get the fuck out and stay out.

No contracts awarded for foreign-owned companies or Canadian companies whose ultimate parent is a US corporation. They’ll have to pass their business through a Canadian-owned contractor who will take a healthy cut. Nova Scotia might be doing this at the provincial level.

Remove tariffs from Chinese EVs or, alternatively the existing Asian manufacturers in Canada need to cut us a better deal. Chinese EVs are competitively priced. The traditional auto manufacturers are making it impossible to own a car for most regular people. Canadians are stuck in an endless cycle of leasing their vehicles and this should stop. I don’t like the prospect of not owning my car.

Americans who own property in Canada can pay more tax on that.

And we need to tax our 1%.

From a Canadian… I like American people. I don’t want anyone to suffer. It’s been hard enough.

I’m sad that this is happening. As they said on our news network - Canadian soldiers died in Afghanistan for the US, we harboured stranded Americans after 9/11, we helped to fight the fires in California, and many other things.

I don’t want to fight with our neighbours to the south. At the same time, this is incredibly disrespectful and offensive, especially since we’ve always had America’s back. We don’t believe for a second this is about fentanyl or immigration so the President can drop the bullshit on that.

I’m disappointed that America was so blind this election and voted for Trump. I’m incredulous that your elected representatives are so spineless and money-driven. I’m shocked that there’s not more public outrage related to Citizens United, Roe, and what’s just happened with the FBI.

The best outcomes for this as a Canadian are basically that we’re going to have to ramp up our own manufacturing, and that it damages the ambitions of our own little Canadian Trumpler.

I don’t spot the difference between this and how most modern day corporations are operated:

• “To lower morale and with it, production, be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Discriminate against efficient workers; complain unjustly about their work.”
• “Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.”

Bribe it’s called a bribe.

They took money from Saudi Arabia post bankruptcy if I recall correctly.

They’re making it harder and harder to do so apparently and to download the books that you buy from their store.

I don’t trust that they won’t make a strong push to lock you into the Amazon ecosystem.

And, bluntly, I don’t trust Bezos, especially after all of this election bullshit he pulled with WaPo where he personally got involved. The chances are now non-zero that Kindle could censor books. If a tyrannical regime told Bezos to remove a list of books from Kindle devices I think he’d roll over and do it. And that’s not right. They’re the customer’s books - they bought them and they get to decide what they read without censorship. And to be clear, I don’t care which way the censorship goes. We shouldn’t be censoring books - full stop.

I used to be such a kindle Stan but I don’t think they will let me have full control over an expensive device that I buy and books that I buy on their platform.

I de-drm every book I buy and side load it onto my devices because no company in the future should be able to tell me what books I can read. I’m currently using a Kobo but if they start fucking around too (no signs of this yet…) I’ll find a device that will respect my freedom.