This weekly roundup thread is intended for all culture war posts. 'Culture war' is vaguely defined, but it basically means controversial issues that fall along set tribal lines. Arguments over culture war issues generate a lot of heat and little light, and few deeply entrenched people ever change their minds. This thread is for voicing opinions and analyzing the state of the discussion while trying to optimize for light over heat.
Optimistically, we think that engaging with people you disagree with is worth your time, and so is being nice! Pessimistically, there are many dynamics that can lead discussions on Culture War topics to become unproductive. There's a human tendency to divide along tribal lines, praising your ingroup and vilifying your outgroup - and if you think you find it easy to criticize your ingroup, then it may be that your outgroup is not who you think it is. Extremists with opposing positions can feed off each other, highlighting each other's worst points to justify their own angry rhetoric, which becomes in turn a new example of bad behavior for the other side to highlight.
We would like to avoid these negative dynamics. Accordingly, we ask that you do not use this thread for waging the Culture War. Examples of waging the Culture War:
-
Shaming.
-
Attempting to 'build consensus' or enforce ideological conformity.
-
Making sweeping generalizations to vilify a group you dislike.
-
Recruiting for a cause.
-
Posting links that could be summarized as 'Boo outgroup!' Basically, if your content is 'Can you believe what Those People did this week?' then you should either refrain from posting, or do some very patient work to contextualize and/or steel-man the relevant viewpoint.
In general, you should argue to understand, not to win. This thread is not territory to be claimed by one group or another; indeed, the aim is to have many different viewpoints represented here. Thus, we also ask that you follow some guidelines:
-
Speak plainly. Avoid sarcasm and mockery. When disagreeing with someone, state your objections explicitly.
-
Be as precise and charitable as you can. Don't paraphrase unflatteringly.
-
Don't imply that someone said something they did not say, even if you think it follows from what they said.
-
Write like everyone is reading and you want them to be included in the discussion.
On an ad hoc basis, the mods will try to compile a list of the best posts/comments from the previous week, posted in Quality Contribution threads and archived at /r/TheThread. You may nominate a comment for this list by clicking on 'report' at the bottom of the post and typing 'Actually a quality contribution' as the report reason.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
I dunno, I think the "cash for access" (dinner with business partners) is the usual sort of political transactions we see everywhere, and I imagine everyone agrees that no company ever hired Hunter for his business acumen but solely because his surname was "Biden".
So that level of petty corruption? Sure.
But Joe knowingly taking bribes and cuts of his dodgy dealings? I remain to be convinced; after all, Hunter is about as reliable as the four-faced liar and I wouldn't take as Gospel anything he may have said about "I need more money for the cut for Dad" since that would be just as likely him trying to extort/deceive more money out of 'business partners'.
I think Joe is being deliberately blind to exactly how fucked-up Hunter is because he doesn't want to know and doesn't want to believe that his only surviving son is such a mess and should be written off.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/yes-they-were-being-bribed-fired-ukraine-prosecutor-corroborates-biden-corruption
Prosecutor who was fired now says they are guilty.
More options
Context Copy link
What? Cash for access? No that’s 100% illegal and nobody does that. Not to your PERSONAL bank account. Campaign donations sure.
Anyway there is evidence Joe was directly taking the bribes. Hunters communications atleast twice dad was getting paid and Hunters business partners testimony.
Whatever Joe was or wasn't getting to an account, I don't place much credence in either Hunter or his crooked partners. Get something solid and sure, I'll believe it. But I have no doubt Hunter would sell out Joe if he thought he could do so and get better treatment for himself, so complaining that he wasn't getting enough vigorish/he had to hand over a cut seems more like him trying to squeeze more juice out for himself.
That’s literally the point of a bag man. You need Hunter to flip to get anything. But of course his dad has pardon power so why would he flip?
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link