US Current Events December: Inflation Growing Faster than Santa's Belt Size

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > US Current Events December: Inflation Growing Faster than Santa's Belt Size

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the_steve: Nov 9, 2005; We're always hiring!

"The beatings shall continue until morale improves." - Democrats on restarting loan payments in order to say the economy is fixed forever

# ? Dec 19, 2021 04:43

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# ? Jun 8, 2024 13:37

BetterToRuleInHell: Jul 2, 2007; Touch my mask top
Get the chop chop

Guys, just look at the bright side to all of this -- when the Dems get crushed in 2022 and 2024, they're going to reflect on their defeats and learn from them

They will I promise

# ? Dec 19, 2021 04:44

FlapYoJacks: Feb 12, 2009

BetterToRuleInHell posted:

Guys, just look at the bright side to all of this -- when the Dems get crushed in 2022 and 2024, they're going to reflect on their defeats and learn from them

They will I promise

Since Carter: poo poo, we lost! We must become MORE conservative!

# ? Dec 19, 2021 04:45

MooselanderII: Feb 18, 2004

Shammypants posted:

This is a nation of "sink those others ships to improve my condition" rather than "raising all ships." I wonder if providing student debt relief actually hurts you at the polls in America of 2022/2024.

Aren't you the guy that was chiding people in this thread over a month ago for dare doubting the imminent passage of BBB? How ya holding up?

# ? Dec 19, 2021 04:48

Shammypants: May 25, 2004; Let me tell you about true luxury.

MooselanderII posted:

Aren't you the guy that was chiding people in this thread over a month ago for dare doubting the imminent passage of BBB? How ya holding up?

It will pass, it's not a great bill anymore from where it was once originally but I am not entirely sure what your little bitch boy drive by troll has to do with debt relief and the general public turning on those who implement it.

TheIncredulousHulk posted:

Whether or not debt forgiveness would be a vote gainer or a vote loser(I'd put all my belongings on gainer), it's still ultimately orthogonal to Democratic opposition to it. Those that are against it aren't against it because of electoral math and if it would actually be a loser, that's just a convenient coincidence

Frankly I think internal and other polling is exactly why the Democrats dropped it. It's the same reason the stupid SALT poo poo is in BBB now, the electoral benefits of keeping it in exceed the costs of keeping it in apparently.

Shammypants fucked around with this message at 05:24 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 05:21

Dick Trauma: Nov 30, 2007; God damn it, you've got to be kind.

What would be the top 3 things the Democrats could enact that would appeal to the widest spectrum of voters?

# ? Dec 19, 2021 05:27

A big flaming stink: Apr 26, 2010

https://twitter.com/WalkerBragman/status/1472292258808582156

without getting into whether or not i believe the ethical or pragmatic policy should be telling the unvaccinated "gently caress you and die", i can say i'm rather surprised that a democrat took such an unequivocal stance!

e: holy gently caress lmao

https://twitter.com/Chamale0/status/1472214764088487936

A big flaming stink fucked around with this message at 05:53 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 05:27

Abner Assington: Mar 13, 2005; For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry god. Bloody Mary, full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now, at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon.

Amen.

All those 5 years and younger chose to be in an age group unable to be safely vaccinated, so they should prepare for a winter of severe illness and death.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 05:41

TheIncredulousHulk: Sep 3, 2012

Shammypants posted:

Frankly I think internal and other polling is exactly why the Democrats dropped it. It's the same reason the stupid SALT poo poo is in BBB now, the electoral benefits of keeping it in exceed the costs of keeping it in apparently.

Okay well you are completely, rear end-backwardly wrong

# ? Dec 19, 2021 05:51

FlamingLiberal: Jan 18, 2009; Would you like to play a game?

Dick Trauma posted:

What would be the top 3 things the Democrats could enact that would appeal to the widest spectrum of voters?

It's all things that they will never do, like M4A or permanent childcare stimulus

# ? Dec 19, 2021 05:55

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Dick Trauma posted:

What would be the top 3 things the Democrats could enact that would appeal to the widest spectrum of voters?

Free healthcare, free college, but also apparently free Slomin�s Shield.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 06:02

Kanos: Sep 6, 2006; was there a time when speedwagon didn't get trolled

Barrel Cactaur posted:

Truly the way to show their is no crisis by hitting the core 25-35 college graduates that vote for us 73% of the time. Surely this is the best way.

Charitably assuming that they have some kind of strategy in mind here, I think their calculations are assuming that the 25-35 college graduates will vote blue out of learned helplessness because the Republican death cult is so horrifying and repellent.

This completely ignores the "not bothering to vote" option, of course, but that's hardly the first time the dems have forgotten about that potential choice.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 06:35

wisconsingreg: Jan 13, 2019

vote for whichever candidate increases the chance of the US getting into a mutlifront war it cannot hope to win; reform is not possible without decisive defeat

vote dem

# ? Dec 19, 2021 07:13

Discendo Vox: Mar 21, 2013; This does not make sense when, again, aggregate indicia also indicate improvements. The belief that things are worse is false. It remains false.

A big flaming stink posted:

https://twitter.com/WalkerBragman/status/1472292258808582156

without getting into whether or not i believe the ethical or pragmatic policy should be telling the unvaccinated "gently caress you and die", i can say i'm rather surprised that a democrat took such an unequivocal stance!

Here's the actual press briefing, with the preceding and following material Bragman cuts out:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...h-officials-74/

quote:

MR. ZIENTS: Good morning. And thanks for joining us.

Today, Dr. Walensky will give an overview of the state of the pandemic and on new practices that will help keep schools open, and Dr. Fauci will provide an update on the latest science and the importance of boosters.

But before we start, I want to talk about how we should think about this moment.

As we�ve explained in prior briefings, the Omicron variant is more transmissible and our medical experts anticipate it will lead to a rise in cases.

But unlike last winter, we now have the power to protect ourselves.

Our vaccines work against Omicron, especially for people who get booster shots when they are eligible. If you are vaccinated, you could test positive. But if you do get COVID, your case will likely be asymptomatic or mild.

We are intent on not letting Omicron disrupt work and school for the vaccinated. You�ve done the right thing, and we will get through this.

For the unvaccinated, you�re looking at a winter of severe illness and death for yourselves, your families, and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm.

So, our message to every American is clear: There is action you can take to protect yourself and your family. Wear a mask in public indoor settings. Get vaccinated, get your kids vaccinated, and get a booster shot when you�re eligible.

We are prepared to confront this new challenge. We have plenty of vaccines and booster shots available at convenient locations and for no cost. There is clear guidance on masking to help slow the spread. And we have emergency medical teams to respond to surges as necessary.

So, this is not a moment to panic because we know how to protect people and we have the tools to do it. But we need the American people to do their part to protect themselves, their children, and their communities.

The more people get vaccinated, the less severe this Omicron outbreak will be. One hundred sixty thousand unvaccinated people have already needlessly lost their lives just since June, and this number will continue to go up until the unvaccinated take action.

So, I�ll say it once more: Get vaccinated.

With that, I�ll turn it over to Dr. Walensky.

He links it later in the tweet thread, but elides the parts of the statement (immediately following what he screenshots) to pretend that the statement is only that vaccination matters and that nothing else is being done.

Discendo Vox fucked around with this message at 08:05 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 08:00

wisconsingreg: Jan 13, 2019

Nothing more pathetic than a government with the largest coercive apparatus in history telling its citizens very nicely to please get a vaccine. I guess lithium mines are more important than the country itself.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 09:19

Sedisp: Jun 20, 2012

Discendo Vox posted:

Here's the actual press briefing, with the preceding and following material Bragman cuts out:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...h-officials-74/

He links it later in the tweet thread, but elides the parts of the statement (immediately following what he screenshots) to pretend that the statement is only that vaccination matters and that nothing else is being done.

What else is being done?

# ? Dec 19, 2021 09:38

Pobrecito: Jun 16, 2020; hasta que la muerte nos separe

I am definitely feeling better about the prospects of the economy now that I have an extra $500 bill to pay each month that I didn't have to pay the last two years.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 10:03

camoseven: Dec 30, 2005; RODOLPHONE RINGIN'

Discendo Vox posted:

Here's the actual press briefing, with the preceding and following material Bragman cuts out:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...h-officials-74/

He links it later in the tweet thread, but elides the parts of the statement (immediately following what he screenshots) to pretend that the statement is only that vaccination matters and that nothing else is being done.

Oh of course, they're also........... asking people to wear masks? How brave of them

# ? Dec 19, 2021 14:21

FizFashizzle: Mar 30, 2005

I�m not sure he�s ever been this explicit as part of his cycle. Usually he waffles more.

https://twitter.com/jakesherman/status/1472569252376989699?s=21

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:15

Lib and let die: Aug 26, 2004

Discendo Vox posted:

Here's the actual press briefing, with the preceding and following material Bragman cuts out:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...h-officials-74/

He links it later in the tweet thread, but elides the parts of the statement (immediately following what he screenshots) to pretend that the statement is only that vaccination matters and that nothing else is being done.

Nothing meaningful is being done you loving bootlicker

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:16

Nucleic Acids: Apr 10, 2007; Can't post for 7 days!

Discendo Vox posted:

Here's the actual press briefing, with the preceding and following material Bragman cuts out:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...h-officials-74/

He links it later in the tweet thread, but elides the parts of the statement (immediately following what he screenshots) to pretend that the statement is only that vaccination matters and that nothing else is being done.

Oh hey it�s the same poo poo they�ve been doing for months now!

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:19

Thom12255: Feb 23, 2013; WHERE THE FUCK IS MY MONEY

AOC was right lol.

https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1472576495377911810

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:39

bird food bathtub: Aug 9, 2003; College Slice

Shammypants posted:

It will pass

Not sure how anyone can see the endless self-negotiating to theatrically and loudly prove bona fides by stripping any and everything that would irritate the donor class out of the bill before seeing it get it's throat slit and thrown in a trunk so it can quietly die out of the talking-head line of sight where the public is no longer reminded of it's existence, and STILL think it's going to pass.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:41

Willa Rogers: Mar 11, 2005

Maybe the B, or even the BB, will pass someday soon but the BBB is a goner.

eta this Politico story showing the confidence of the Dems heading into a midterms-election year:

quote:

CHARLESTON, S.C. � Democratic Party leaders moved quietly this week to lower expectations for the midterm elections as they met for year-end talks against the backdrop of an increasingly bleak electoral landscape.

The House? Likely gone. The Senate? A crapshoot.

Interviews with more than two dozen state party chairs, executive directors and strategists suggest party officials are reframing the 2022 election as a defensive effort, with success defined as maintaining the Democratic Senate majority and holding back a Republican tide in the House.

�Success looks like we hold the Senate and we hold the House, or we narrowly lose it, so if Republicans take control, it�s a razor-thin margin,� said Colmon Elridge, the chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party.

�I would hope [the Republican margin in the House] is less than 20,� he said.

For Democrats, the meetings here reflected a sober assessment of the party�s near-term prospects � marking a shift on the left from a state of denial to a place of bargaining. In downgrading expectations, party officials are placing increased urgency on Democrats� effort to pass major pieces of President Joe Biden�s agenda while they still can and treating the House campaign next year as a set-up for 2024. If Democrats can keep the chamber close enough, they believe they can make a credible run at the majority again two years later, when a presidential election year could make conditions for the party more favorable.

At the Charleston Marriott, where Democrats met for training, presentations and receptions, one state party chair called the midterm prospects �awful.� Another state party chair said, �I don�t see any way we keep the House.� And one strategist said, �If we�re in the 10 to 20 [loss of House seats] range, that will be better than we thought.�

�I�m scared,� said Peg Schaffer, vice chair of the Democratic Party in New Jersey, whose Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, won reelection this year, but by a far closer margin than expected. �We need to get the vote out, and in the midterms, it�s hard.�

By every conventional measure, Democrats are staring into a midterm abyss. Inflation is soaring, and large majorities of Americans are anxious about the economy. Biden�s approval ratings � a metric closely tied to a party�s performance in the midterms � are stuck in the low 40s, according to the FiveThirtyEight polling average, and generic ballot tests pitting unnamed Republicans against unnamed Democrats have swung in the GOP�s favor.

Even worse for the party in power, Covid-19 is still killing more than 1,000 Americans a day, and the virus� Omicron strain is spreading so rapidly that Democrats are bracing for a spike in cases to start the new year. On Friday, the Association of State Democratic Committees opened its general session with an announcement that two vendors working on site had tested positive for Covid. Party officials were conducting contact tracing as the meeting went on.

�Omicron is going to lead to a surge in January, which is undoubtedly going to depress people,� said Karl Sandstrom, a campaign finance lawyer working with Democrats.

Of the party�s prospects in 2022, he said, �It certainly isn�t promising. But it�s a long year.�

In part, Democrats are suffering from bad timing, pinched between anxiety about next year and the sting of the off-year elections. It was just last month that Democrats saw Republicans over-perform expectations in New Jersey and win an upset in Virginia�s gubernatorial race. The results cast what Ken Martin, chair of Minnesota�s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, acknowledged was a �shadow� over the meeting.

In a speech to the state party association, which he leads, Martin repeatedly urged Democrats to �stop agonizing.�

�Look, look, Democrats, midterms are never easy,� he said. �But none of us in this room are here today because the work is easy. We�re here because the work matters.�

But there is no guarantee that Democrats will be able to run more effective campaigns in 2022. There was widespread agreement among Democrats in Charleston that any hope for success next year will hinge on Congress passing Biden�s $1.7 trillion climate and social spending package, as well as on elections reform legislation. Both are significant lifts. Biden acknowledged Thursday, just as meetings picked up here, that negotiations on his Build Back Better bill will likely drag into next year. Congressional action on voting rights appears even more tenuous.

�If we could get the Build Back Better plan passed and get a strong voting rights bill passed, Democrats will have a strong possibility of at least keeping the Senate,� said Hendrell Remus, chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party.

�It�s tough. It�s a tough reality," he said.

Publicly, Democrats are still projecting confidence that they can maintain the House in 2022. And it�s not impossible that they will. The Omicron variant, while highly contagious, appears typically to cause mild disease. The economy is showing signs of strength. If the virus and inflation can be brought under control by mid-2022, the mood of the electorate may dramatically improve, likely helping the party in power.

�My goal is � even if it�s slim, if it�s by one � it�s keeping control of the House and adding at least one or two more to the United States Senate,� said Jaime Harrison, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, in an interview.

While acknowledging the historic precedent of the president�s party losing seats in midterms, Harrison said, �The economy�s going to come back and come back strong,� benefiting incumbent Democrats.

�The real challenge for us is the feeling from Covid,� he said. �Can people get to some sense of normalcy? I believe if people start feeling as if normalcy is coming back, I think Democrats are in a much, much better situation.�

Many party leaders and strategists believe there is at least a small chance that will happen. Moreover, they are acutely aware that defeatism is a losing strategy in an election where high voter turnout will be critical. In Nevada, a swing state where Democrats will be defending the seats of Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022, Judith Whitmer, the state party chair, said she is �extremely optimistic.�

�We have to stop with this tendency to have a self-fulfilling prophecy,� she said. �We keep hearing this narrative, �It�s going to be a bloodbath.� � I don�t think we should look at it like that. I think we have to be optimistic.�

Trav Robertson, the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, ripped into what he called �this negative, defeatist attitude coming from a group of Washington elites.�

�By God, we can make history and create our own fate,� he said. �How do you lose? You don�t get voting rights passed.�

If Democrats are able to muscle voting rights legislation through Congress and also pass Biden�s Build Back Better agenda � and if inflation and Covid come under control � one state party executive director said Democrats could at least maintain a sufficiently large minority in the House to �block bad things from happening.� Holding a narrow minority, one strategist said, would poise the party for a more competitive campaign in 2024.

But hardly anyone here was banking on it.

Asked about the party�s prospects next year, one state party�s executive director shook his head and said, �Let�s get a drink.�

Willa Rogers fucked around with this message at 15:55 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:51

Srice: Sep 11, 2011

A bill called Build Back Better will eventually pass but at this rate even the scant few table scraps they're offering won't be in it.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:52

RealityWarCriminal: Aug 10, 2016

Dick Trauma posted:

What would be the top 3 things the Democrats could enact that would appeal to the widest spectrum of voters?

m4a, legal weed, 15$ min wage, cancelling student debt all poll at around 70% approve, but are somehow politically unrealistic.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:55

FizFashizzle: Mar 30, 2005

BBB will end up renaming several post offices and increasing the military budget.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 15:57

refleks: Nov 21, 2006

Surprise

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1472579869389332492?s=20

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:03

Kaiju Cage Match: Nov 5, 2012

refleks posted:

Surprise

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1472579869389332492?s=20

May all the soda he drinks be flat, and all the chips be stale.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:05

WebDO: Sep 25, 2009

quote:

“Look, look, Democrats, midterms are never easy,” he said. “But none of us in this room are here today because the work is easy. We’re here because the work matters.”

After all, if they don't defend the capital ruling class at the expense of literally everyone else, who will?

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:07

VanillaGorilla: Oct 2, 2003

Just amazing how the gerontocracy is just absolutely consuming the future of its children. A whole generation of people that got everything handed to them just systematically pulling the ladder up.

It became just so apparent to me when I tried to explain to my Boomer parents (who did absolutely dick for me on my way up) how expensive literally everything is these days, and how much money we�re having to put out to handle things like health care, preK, and school savings for our kid. Just a completely different world and they just have no frame of reference.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:10

a.lo: Sep 12, 2009

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:19

BetterToRuleInHell: Jul 2, 2007; Touch my mask top
Get the chop chop

A vote for Biden ended up with a one term Dem president, a flipped GOP Senate and House, no Civil Rights bill, no BBB bill, etc.

Trump didn't need a coup, he just needed to sit back and watch Biden and co. implode.

At least Biden saved me $.02 in gas.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:21

Ogmius815: Aug 25, 2005; centrism is a hell of a drug

BetterToRuleInHell posted:

A vote for Biden ended up with a one term Dem president, a flipped GOP Senate and House, no Civil Rights bill, no BBB bill, etc.

Trump didn't need a coup, he just needed to sit back and watch Biden and co. implode.

At least Biden saved me $.02 in gas.

Can you tell me the power ball numbers while you�re gazing into your crystal ball?

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:23

TGLT: Aug 14, 2009

I'd say lmao the loving idiot but it'll probably get him a shitload of votes. edit: I do hope that now that he's actually torching the party the Dems do something but also lmao

TGLT fucked around with this message at 16:28 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:24

TulliusCicero: Jul 29, 2017

refleks posted:

Surprise

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1472579869389332492?s=20

What an absolutely stupid evil dumb fucker

Get hosed forever. Someone should capsize the fucker's precious boat

Nice of the US Federal Government to shrug and say "Winter is Coming" and then put less effort into stopping the world ending cataclysm then loving Cersei Lannister

"Yeah a bunch of you are going to die and go broke, but THINK OF THE ECONOMY (for olds and rich people)!"

Can't possibly do another stumulus and shut down to stop the highly contagious variant: what if the rich get mad about inflation?!

I want to know which specific donors are pushing this awful poo poo, so they can be boycotted and hacked into loving oblivion.

TulliusCicero fucked around with this message at 16:30 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:27

Thom12255: Feb 23, 2013; WHERE THE FUCK IS MY MONEY

https://twitter.com/mikedebonis/status/1472585138810798083?t=gRqdIsoBjuOADd0esk-M9Q&s=19

Manchin makes it sound like the economy is on the verge of collapse, I wonder if he wants loan payments to restart though lol.

Thom12255 fucked around with this message at 16:30 on Dec 19, 2021

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:27

the_steve: Nov 9, 2005; We're always hiring!

refleks posted:

Surprise

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1472579869389332492?s=20

"This is a pretty funny act, what do you call it?"

"The Manchin Cycle!"

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:28

BetterToRuleInHell: Jul 2, 2007; Touch my mask top
Get the chop chop

Ogmius815 posted:

Can you tell me the power ball numbers while you’re gazing into your crystal ball?

After Dems get wrecked in 2022, what conceivable way does Biden stand a chance if reelection or getting anything remotely close to the BBB bill passed if they can't even get the current one passed and it's already been watered down?

Oh, don't forget the old gently caress on the Surpreme Court who doesn't want to retire, he is guaranteeing a vacant spot when he has a change of heart or dies because the GOP sure as hell won't let a nomination go through.

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:32

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# ? Jun 8, 2024 13:37

a.lo: Sep 12, 2009

Thom12255 posted:

https://twitter.com/mikedebonis/status/1472585138810798083?t=gRqdIsoBjuOADd0esk-M9Q&s=19

Manchin makes it sound like the economy is on the verge of collapse, I wonder if he wants loan payments to restart though lol.

Ah. Omicron cases are rising. But has anyone mentioned our rising debt?!

# ? Dec 19, 2021 16:35

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > US Current Events December: Inflation Growing Faster than Santa's Belt Size

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