Hard Pass

The lifeblood of the GOP is power. This is the only through-line of their hypocritical policies and beliefs.

The GOP currently controls all branches of the federal government. Despite what they might say, this is the ultimate power they want.

Taking away the government takes away their power.

Trumps ego will not allow for a prolonged shutdown. It makes him look like an idiot and he doesn’t have the stones to see it through.

SHUT IT DOWN

Originally Posted By u/wiseoldmeme At 2025-09-30 11:05:00 AM | Source

Congress seems to be careening toward a government shutdown, as Democratic and Republican leaders remain at an impasse over funding negotiations and expiring health care subsidies. Lawmakers have less than 24 hours to reach a deal before a midnight deadline.

Senate Democrats have refused to back the spending bill in an effort to force Republicans to negotiate on federal health care subsidies.

They are pushing for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year in exchange for their support. Democrats also want to repeal cuts to health care programs that were enacted by the GOP's tax and spending bill passed earlier this summer.

Originally Posted By u/transcendent167 At 2025-09-30 08:36:53 AM | Source

On Sunday evening, approximately 3,000 Portlanders marched through downtown Portland in an event organized in less than 24 hours. The event was organized in response to Trump's orders to militarize Portland. For a month now, Trump has ordered military action in US cities because of 'increased crime.' The Tyrant in Chief has accused cities of being 'war zones,' and we have had enough!

It is Trump's executive overreach by militerizing cities that has brought unrest to our cities. We have had enough of Trump acting like a king! In response to Trump's blatant abuse of power, we have formed the No Kings Collective. We have chapters from LA to DC as well as an official collaboration with 50501 Nationals, and we are growing as we speak! Join us in telling Trump that he has no authority to abuse power! Join us in telling Trump that America is founded on the principle of NO KINGS!

Originally Posted By u/This-Is-Depressing- At 2025-09-30 08:21:05 AM | Source

Originally Posted By u/Impossible-Road-4502 At 2025-09-30 07:47:53 AM | Source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Ba%27ath_Party_Purge

They're readers and also like to watch YT quite a bit so I'm curious if anybody has any good suggestions on YT channels and/or books I can send them that'll help ease them to the left. Even better if there are books and videos that specialize in converting Republicans to the left

Looking for something to wedge in the ice crack, we're talking about "40 year lifelong Republicans" here so gotta go slow and steady

Here's a link to another post where I expressed my thoughts if you're interested -- https://lemmy.world/post/36592343

Can't believe I had to have this conversation again today, with someone who should know better. You can't just un-racist a word because it makes you feel bad man.

Edit to add more context:

Rice burner is a pejorative term originally applied to Japanese motorcycles and which later expanded to include Japanese cars or any East Asian-made vehicles. Variations include rice rocket, referring most often to Japanese superbikes, rice machine, rice grinder or simply ricer.

Riced out is an adjective denigrating a badly customized sports car, "usually with oversized or ill-matched exterior appointments". Rice boy is a US derogatory term for the driver or builder of an import-car hot rod. The terms may disparage cars or car enthusiasts as imposters or wanna-bes, using cheap modifications to imitate the appearance of high performance.

The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.

Source.

I'd like you to read this from a guy who's father is from the Philippines. His mother is American. Then have a good think about it. Actually think about it for a day or so.

Palting: (reenlist forums)

*When you call a car a "ricer", you are saying that it is not a nice car, possibly even an atrocious car. I don't believe you will ever hear a statement like "Look at that gorgeous ricer!!" So, in response to the question, is it derogatory, the answer is that the term ricer is most definitely derogatory.

The question then becomes, is it racist? The term "ricer" was coined to denote the cars that were made in Japan or Korea that were subsequently modded and are obnoxious to the observer. You can ask 100 people what car brand comes to mind when you say "ricer" and 100 of them will come up with an Asian brand. Ask those same 100 people what country or race comes to mind, and 100 will say some Asian country. We can safely say that "ricer" would indicate the Asian culture where rice is the staple food. We can define a term racist if the term pertaining to a race or a race's cultural character is considered derogatory. Therefore, the term ricer is most definitely racist.

If, lets say, one of the African nations built a car, would you call it a "******"? The term "ricer" most definitely belongs in the same category as ******, slant-eyes, gook and what have you. Shame on anyone who uses the term and who does not realise it is very definitely racist.

My mother is from the USA, my father is from the Philippines. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Filipino. I am not a "halfer", nor "mestizo", nor anything other than a Filipino national who chose to reside in the US as an American citizen.*

Source.