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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   30032 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of May 8, 2023

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I think if you were to conduct a poll of self described left-leaning voters, the trans issue would fall very very low on the priority list. Twitter, the news, and an extremely loud contingent has made the trans conversation appear much larger than it really is.

Why are left-leaning politicians making such a fuss about it then?

We just had an election last fall and I don't remember any campaign materials or speeches from any left-leaning politicians, prominent or otherwise, that made a big deal about trans issues.

They don't make a big deal about them in their public campaign materials because their position on these issues is wildly unpopular -- then they get elected and apply inordinate focus to things that only impact 0.x% of the population.

I'm pretty sure this is worse?

That's the left's biggest advantage. Their politicians don't have to do or say anything. All of the policy changes are pushed by the media and civil service.

Are they? Outside of the more online younger types, I really don't think they do make that much of a fuss about it. Speaking to Britain, where while the tribes are not directly analogous or polarised there has been some spread of the American culture war, most of the Labour party, and certainly Starmer in particular, try not to talk about it at all if they can. Activist types do overemphasise it, but among, say, the median democratic state legislator I don't think it ranks very highly.

The Bud light guy was invited to the white house. That is a full embrace by their leader.

I agree that Biden is unambiguously on the 'pro-trans' side but that doesn't mean it's a high priority.

The trans activists send shock troops basically anywhere there is pushback, and the Democrats will generally speak in favor of it, excuse it (see the tennessee capitol storming). The courts defend it. The schools try to secretly implement it. Large associations like the APA conspire to push it. Its hard to see, other than possibly abetting illegal immigration, a CW issue the DNC prioritizes more highly.

Biden's inviting the low priorities to the White House to show they're low priority?

People get invited to the White House all the time. I suspect Biden actually has nothing to do with it and he just greets the people who turn up.

Are they invited at random or via lottery?

The invitees are selected by the administration.

Your contention is that this isn't signaling by the administration, elevating the profile of the invitees and their cause / grift over everyone not selected?

It is signalling, but it's relatively low cost. The point is that I doubt Biden spends much of his time thinking about it, democratic legislators are mostly not going to give it much floor time etc. etc.

You really think the US secretary of health was selected on his merits? People are getting jail time for doing burnouts on rainbow crosswalks, head in the sand won't help you here.

US assistant secretary of health I think you mean. If your argument is that Democrats clearly rank trans issues as a high priority because they gave one sub-cabinet level post to a trans person... that's a rather low bar. Was there an 'affirmative action' element? Maybe, I have no idea (but note that with 24 cabinet secretaries and presumably at least that many assistants as well one assistant post going to a trans person hardly represents a great statistical anomaly), but even if there was it hardly proves much.

It's just an example -- there are plenty more. What about the nuclear energy/panty stealing guy? What about various bathroom bills? Like I say, head in the sand.

Deputy assistant of nuclear waste management? We're starting to reach quite low into the federal hierarchy now, and he was promptly suspended and then sacked when he was charged with the thefts. Not sure what you're referring to with bathroom bills, I always thought that meant bills that blocked trans people from using the bathroom of their transitioned-to gender, not familiar with any reverse laws. Even if there are some, that hardly means it stands out as a massive priority; literally hundreds/thousands of issues will be legislated on by states and Congress.

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