News Around The World Thread [world]

No, you're not pissing me off, at least It's always interesting to hear the different opinions. I want to express some of my thoughts about this election, though, if I may:

This was my first time following the election very closely and really keeping up with what is going on. One thing I realized is that it is not a war between the Democrats and the Republicans, the liberals and the conservatives, etc. Fundamentally, it is a battle between the filthy rich and the common people, and I think it has been like that for a while. Money plays a huge role in politics because today you would basically go bankrupt if you ran a campaign using out-of-pocket expenses. Thus you need to beg/ask billionaire donors in order to have a chance at winning the election. This is due to the fact that all the major media outlets are run by companies that are owned by the billionaire donors. Even Trump, who is supposedly very wealthy, towards the end of his campaign, was bankrupt (and probably in a lot of debt) and so had to meet with the Koch brothers and beg them for money to help him continue the race. But of course, the donors donate only if it benefits them and the billionaire class, and so the donors ask the candidate to promise to say certain things, take certain steps to protect the filthy rich and their assets. Thus they are able to control the outcome of the elections.

I think that basically the Democratic and the Republican parties are no different from each other in that they are both bought and paid for by the billionaire class and are set up to maintain the status quo: take away from the poor and give it to the rich. The common people pay their share of taxes while the big corporations and billionaires store up their assets in off-shore havens and avoid paying their fair share. This is why the top 0.1% own almost as much as the bottom 90% in the United States. This is also why we keep having meaningless wars in other countries - a handful of billionaires at the top benefit from them while the common people have to be sent to war, only to suffer more when they come back, as many veterans do. Why aren't Americans earning a living wage, for example? Why don't we have a healthcare-for-all system like they do in other countries? Why aren't we tackling the problem of climate change? Or why aren't we getting all the mental health services that the people need? It is because the billionaires are winning and these things will be too much of an inconvenience for them. Many of my fellow common people (the Republicans, for example) have been convinced that these things are a bad idea, even though they will help every common person in America, simply because they have been taught by the media that these things will hurt the economy, their lives, etc.

The common people all want the same thing - to have a good, fruitful life with no unnecessary wars or hate or crime. This is why the only movements that I support are people-powered movements. In this election, the only such campaigns that I saw were from Bernie Sanders, and then, after he was forced by the DNC to resign, be quiet and obey (even though he actually won the primary), the Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein rose in popularity. When Jill Stein wasn't allowed into the first presidential debate, she decided to have a gathering outside of the building where the debate was going to take place and answer the same questions that the two mainstream candidates were asked on the debate stage, in order to offer a third point of view on the issues that were being discussed. Unfortunately even before the debate began, the police came and she was escorted off the premises, despite the fact that she was invited on site by MSNBC, ABC, Fox and CBS for interviews. At least 24 other protesters that were demanding that the debates be opened to third-party candidates were arrested. Yes, that is how corrupt the system is that we have now. They are so scared that the American people will have a third option because, once again, they are only interested in maintaining the status quo and keeping up the illusion that we actually have a choice in choosing our president.

So I encourage you guys to support the common people and to fight for your freedom and for change. Don't fight with your fellow human beings, and don't believe everything you hear & see in the media. I'm reminded of the words that we all know so well from the current Coldplay tour. These words resonate with me in the most profound way:
"You the people have the power! The power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure!"

Here in the US I think the best we can hope for is to have enough people wake up to the fact that the media and the government are corrupt. I think that this is already happening, though, thanks to the internet. (Unfortunately, though, even Google censors some things, but that's another topic.) Then when enough people realize this, the corrupt politicians will lose their support and we will replace them with politicians that work for the people, and not for the billionaires. At least that is how I hope it will be. It might take a revolution or something. Fingers crossed.

In regards to Brexit, I think the British also have a similar frustration with the government not paying heed to what they want. I think voting for Brexit was a way for the people to finally have a voice in the government. But what is the alternative when the government is not getting anything done? Ummm, that's a hard question, Row   

You also pointed out that Dick's Sporting Goods did the same. Very disappointing.

Thanks everyone for their opinions on the race and other areas.  All opinions are, of course, welcome.  Very well thought out and knowledgeable post, darkhorse, and I agree on several counts.  

Vogue has apparently never endorsed a president, and they put this out today:

And apparently, both of the newspapers from the alma maters of both candidates have endorsed Hillary. Epic.

If I drink wine I'll get a headache, but the headache Trump would give me would be worse!


Still going to watch.

Red or white, Keaton?

She did.