roboticide

You have roughly equal amounts of people pulling the lever in the "kill one person" direction and the "kill many people" direction.

The only people interested in pulling a lever that adds a third rail are the "kill one person" crowd. The moment enough of them let go, the lever goes in the "kill many people" direction because that crowd has no interest in a third rail, they quite like the "kill many people" option. You'll never get enough people to join the third option from both crowds simultaneously. No third party has seen any real form of success in nearly 200 years within the current system. Changing the system is necessary but taking out hands off the lever is a disaster.

Democrats can be really dumb sometimes. Too many would rather stick to idealistic principles because at least then when they lose they can claim the high road and a persecution complex.

Maybe it's not much of a "complex" when that persecution actually then happens (like the Dobbs decision), but if Democrats would just shut up and vote with the best option available instead of not voting at all, maybe we'd win more. Trump wouldn't have been elected in 2016 if Democrats had turned out in the same numbers they did in 2008 but instead 4 million Dems just didn't show up.

If Democrats won more, we could at least start to implement changes like Instant-Runoff Voting or doing away with the Electoral College. Republicans don't want any of those changes, because they know it weakens their position. But so many liberals just refuse to vote because there's no "good" option and refuse to vote for the option that even enables a "good" choice, while any conservative will do anything they can to vote for anyone willing to put an (R) next to their name. It's so fucking juvenile and I'm still ashamed to admit I once used to believe it too.

Sure, but it's also taking longer than it should. It's also, fundamentally, not hard for even many conservatives to accept as "not that bad."

Legalized prostitution also has tremendous potential for new markets and profit, but it's a lot harder for conservatives to accept compared to weed, as America is just too goddamn puritanical.

If you're in the US, with a two party system, not voting for the less evil is actively enabling the greater evil.

You think Trump or any GOP candidate wouldn't do the same? Or worse? They're certainly not going to do anything better than Biden.

Voting on principles is for the Primaries. Try and get the best candidate possible that you actively believe in into the race. Election Day however is when it's time to put your adult pants on, accept the world is messy, and vote for the least worse option possible, because otherwise you're just abetting the worst option.

He basically was willing to discuss all the areas where the Israelis were making concessions. He wasn't willing to discuss any of the areas where the Palestinians were supposed to make concessions. So it seemed like he had just said no.

But what I subsequently learned - about 18 months ago, I had a dinner with a former Palestinian negotiator who'd been part of the delegation. He said the whole Palestinian delegation had decided among themselves they should accept it. They went back to Arafat, and Arafat said no. I subsequently heard from another Palestinian on that delegation who said Arafat thought he could still do a better deal under Bush because he thought maybe Bush will be even more forthcoming.

Holy shit, so Arafat alone basically blew the best chance we had.

Jerusalem should just be made a UN protectorate or independent third city-state at this point as part of a two-state solution (like the Vatican).

And yeah, I know everyone will hate that idea, but hey, at least then everyone will hate the idea.

I don't know it's unequal. Hamas clearly has little regard for Palestinian or Israeli civilians. Their MO for two decades has been rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. And if they cared about their own civilians they wouldn't use hospitals and schools as artillery bases. They know Israel doesn't care either though and will bomb them anyway, which is basically what Hamas is banking on.

Both forces care little for civilians. The difference is when Israel doesn't care it's a 500 lb bomb through a school. When Hamas doesn't care it's a 40lb rocket that probably gets shot down by the Iron Dome anyway.

Equal disregard for civilian life on both sides. Unequal force willing to be exerted by one side.

Many just won't vote.

Which is still absolutely absurd, because any Democrat who doesn't vote for Biden is implicitly granting his Republican opponent a vote. This opponent may be Trump, but even if it isn't, it's still a Republican whose position on Israel and the conflict will make Biden's response look measured.

Many people are angered by Biden's response, but for pro-Palestinian supporters it's cutting off your nose to spite your face to not vote this cycle for Biden. You're actively allowing an even worse option.

Buddy, we're still working on legalizing an absurdly common plant because for a while much of the country thought it was satanic or whatever.

"In this day and age," in America, of course it's not legal yet. That is gonna take a long time.

That would be a great plan if we ever elected scientists to our legislature. Or even had politicians who listened to science.

We don't, so here we are.

For at least a couple more years we will. It took us a bit to set up our system. Probably will take you a couple as well. Takes time to build a distribution network too, since you can't really import it from growers in other states, so for a while ours will probably be cheaper.

But it's still a huge win and it's better for us all to have more states legalize it. And in the meantime we can just both suck Indiana dry of marijuana money.

Michigan native here. Give us back Toledo you fucks.

I knew a Catholic priests who played EverQuest. Doubt he'd be excommunicated for this.

Maybe he's baptist or something though? Do they excommunicate?