Maggie's Farm

Assistant Village Idiot: Dividing the world into two unnuanced groups is a related communist tactic. "Which Side Are You On?"

It's a militant tactic found on both the political left and on the political right.

"Love it or leave it." — Archie Bunker (attributed)
"Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." — George W. Bush
"If he's not for us, he's against us" — a Nazi in Mortal Storm (1940)
"You are either for America or you are against it" — Senator McCarthy

Of course, not every dichotomy is partisan or lacking in nuance.

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." — Jesus of Nazareth

jack walter: Your arguments, as usual, are lies.

Huh? We provided specific examples of people on the political right who also use unnuanced dichotomies.

jack walter: Americans, as one side of a dichotomy, are deeply nuanced.

Your point isn't clear. If "Americans" is half of a dichotomy, then the other half is, by logical necessity, "non-Americans". So, Americans are "deeply nuanced" and non-Americans are not "deeply nuanced"? Of all adjectives to describe Americans, "deeply nuanced" is not necessarily near the top of the list. Have no idea what you are saying with regards to dichotomous rhetoric.

OneGuy: Lenin actually did insist that all his comrades call the Russian patriots Fascists

There's no evidence to support that claim. Fascism originated after the Bolshevik Revolution. Lenin called his ideological opponents "bourgeoisie" or "chauvinists" or "counter-revolutionaries". Even under Stalin, the term "fascism" wasn't applied universally, but more specifically to fascist regimes in Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Calling it an admission is just silly. It's been a long-term and publicly-held position of Newsom and many Californians to provide universal healthcare coverage, including to undocumented immigrants. San Francisco used their own funds to extend coverage. In California, it's been public policy for ten years to extend healthcare coverage to undocumented immigrants, using California's own funds. The final step of the process was Assembly Bill 133, which was signed into law by Newsom in 2022.

This is typical conflation. The propagandists want you to believe that the Democrats in the US Congress have shut the government down over providing undocumented immigrants healthcare coverage. But that is not correct. They shut it down for two reasons; to extend Obamacare coverage (which does not cover undocumented immigrants); and because Trump's use of rescission means no such deal can be trusted, as Trump may rescind the spending anyway based on his whims or to politically reward and punish.

jack walter: The majority of illegal aliens are documented through various methods such as a summons to appear in court or orders to leave the country.

You presumably mean unauthorized immigrants, including those who have applied for legal status after the fact. About 40% of unauthorized immigrants have legal status, but not all them are eligible for Obamacare. Regardless, they are documented, such as those with asylum claims (which is protected by statute).

All major construction and renovations of the White House have heretofore been approved and funded by Congress. The unilateral demolition of the East Wing is symbolic of Trumpian autocracy. The republican form of government does not envision providing the power to a single person to upend the entire US and global economic systems, to unilaterally start wars, and to use the justice system to punish opponents.

jack walter: No economic systems have been upended.

Of course the tariffs have unended the US and global economic systems. They have fractured supply chain integration and are bringing about global decoupling from the US economy. These are seismic upheavals that will have long-term and largely unforeseeable chaotic aftershocks. Even if you think these changes were wise (they're not), they should be debated and enacted by the Congress. One person having this much power is contrary to any notion of limited government. Anyone who supports this is no friend of republicanism.

jack walter: No wars have been started by us.

The US is engaging in warfare against Venezuela. Trump has personally threatened to annex Greenland and Canada. He's even threatened war on US cities. Do you really need direct quotes from Trump?

jack walter: You're purposefully confusing the victim with the persecutor in the use of the justice system to punish opponents.

When Trump personally pressures the Department of Justice to prosecute his political adversaries, it breaks down the wall that has been carefully constructed to allow prosecutors to work independently of such partisan pressure. Do you really need direct quotes from Trump? Again, this is not consistent with republicanism.

The destruction of the East Wing is symbolic of Trump's autocratic rule. It's a federal building. There's a process involved. If Trump were to demolish the Lincoln Memorial, would you really think that was in his power too?