"Independent"

[nanana]

On 11/14/2025 at 7:23 PM, tobetrained said:

What flummoxes me about our politics today, if the Left had got their way previously, Trump would be in charge of so much more! And yet, no seems to stop and think about that. Or the problems a different despot-in-training could create.

Huzzah huzzah @tobetrained, after less than a year of Trumpery, I’m surprised that not all Democrats have become Libertarians, seeing the agencies they created to solve some out-of-context pain-point surprise-surprise repurposed when the inevitable transfer of power happens 4 to 8 years later, leaving us with increasingly irrelevant, worked-around NPC missions that contradict each other as some new program is overlain to counteract the unintended consequences of the last program. The result is a labyrinthine regulatory environment that favors special interests. We lost the virtue of our democracy when 51% figured out how to shift their costs to the 49%, and when businesses figured out how to fool the majority of voters into guaranteeing their profits by pretending to care about have-nots while legislating programs that create massive markets from government largesse.  (Breathe NaNaNa breathe.) It is unfortunate that so many Americans do not have the ability to see beyond the happy words of politicians to the longer-terms consequences of tax-theft. 

[tobetrained]

6 hours ago, nanana said:

Breathe NaNaNa breathe

Feel better? 😃

[tallslenderguy]

On 11/20/2025 at 7:41 AM, nanana said:

Huzzah huzzah @tobetrained, after less than a year of Trumpery, I’m surprised that not all Democrats have become Libertarians, seeing the agencies they created to solve some out-of-context pain-point surprise-surprise repurposed when the inevitable transfer of power happens 4 to 8 years later, leaving us with increasingly irrelevant, worked-around NPC missions that contradict each other as some new program is overlain to counteract the unintended consequences of the last program. The result is a labyrinthine regulatory environment that favors special interests. We lost the virtue of our democracy when 51% figured out how to shift their costs to the 49%, and when businesses figured out how to fool the majority of voters into guaranteeing their profits by pretending to care about have-nots while legislating programs that create massive markets from government largesse.  (Breathe NaNaNa breathe.) It is unfortunate that so many Americans do not have the ability to see beyond the happy words of politicians to the longer-terms consequences of tax-theft. 

i want people in my government who push, pull and stretch each other. In my life, i have agreed with policies coming from all directions... and i suspect that far more people are like me than not.  At this juncture, i'm very concerned with preserving democracy in our country, even though it's become fraught with folly.  i am seeing more people engaged because of the current administration, a possible silver lining to the dark cloud.  i think our system is good, but over a few hundred years, it's become encumbered and exploited for nefarious purposes by the greedy and corrupt. And the greedy and corrupt will always be with us, the challenges, as i see it, are how to reverse the say just even the more recent 100 years of collective damage. To me, part of the fix is minimizing power, watering it down, i.e., making it very difficult for any one person or group to wield power solo. i think our governmental framework  is worth preserving, but it's in need of repair. 

 

[tallslenderguy]

On 11/14/2025 at 4:23 PM, tobetrained said:

What flummoxes me about our politics today, if the Left had got their way previously, Trump would be in charge of so much more! And yet, no seems to stop and think about that. Or the problems a different despot-in-training could create. To paraphrase Blanche Devereaux, "I'm flummoxed, just flummoxed. Flummoxed is the only way to describe how...flummoxed I am!"

<3... i can certainly relate to being flummoxed.  i suspect we're part of a majority in that. i also think it's a fact that the political process has refined techniques to exploit. 

What flummoxes me is the enormity of it.  While i want and appreciate these discussions, i also end up feeling like i'm swimming in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean during a noreaster.   

i received a survey recently from our local city council. They wanted feedback on whether i'd be in favor of a six cent per gallon tax for 3 years to pay for repaving our streets.  It was detailed, well written itemizing costs, but really hit the nail on the head, i've been bemoaning the local road conditions every time i drive.  i felt informed and empowered.   It was a three year cost to pay for a specific item that would end after three years. It had much more detail, but what i really appreciated was it identified the problem, proposed a solution, gave the cost and how it would be paid for. It was transparent.  

 

[hntnhole]

(per the above ...)

Could you possibly get your city council to get in tough with OUR city council here in Ft. L, ???  

THAT kind of city government / residents communication is sorely needed around here.