President Trump: The NEW one and only politics thread

That's true, too. I think it is easier to get into "harder" debates online, because they're longer running and people generally don't like to be uncomfortable in their in-person relationships. Also, strangers are easier to debate because you're not so worried about hurt feelings the way you might be with, say, other parents in the schoolyard. But I have thought many times (sometimes when I'm in the conversation, and sometimes when I'm just an observer) that I'm taking part in something that would result in punches in the flesh. You could make the argument that we're coarsening the discourse here. You could also make the argument that we're getting closer to the heart of things.

 

"Name the worst team in the NFL. But you can't say the Browns."

 

I operate on the assumption that virtually none of what gets discussed here would actually get discussed in the flesh, which is why that everyone participating here is so glad for this place. Even at its worst, this place is a good pressure-relief valve.

 

Eh. At least you haven't been called a fucking traitor.

 

Not unexpected, but interesting nonetheless.

Flynn's lawyer meets members of special counsel's team, raising specter of plea deal

 

Yep. That's been my evolving view regarding online communication in general. I used to have a real problem with how people talked with each other online, because it was so far afield from "normal" conversation. I still think it can be damaging in its extremes. But I also see the value of conversation that isn't always bound by politeness and convention.

 

Bingo. I never discuss politics with friends, nor would I entertain the discussion of someone's sexual activity. The former I am comfortable yelling about here. The latter, still no-go.

 

If this was an nvestigation of Hillary, Flynn would have died in a car accident or electrical fire by now. Trump just doesn’t have what it takes to be Capo di tutti capi

 

I'm speculating, of course, but I imagine Mueller used the threat of prosecution against Flynn's son to flip Flynn. So to continue your theme: A man is always going to side with his family.

 

I think this has contributed to --as have many, many things--trump winning. He speaks publicly the way so many people speak to each other online. People have been desensitized to the rudeness so he was not as shocking to them as he may have been in the past.

 

I hit four out of five on a fire bet at Sam's Town there a few years ago. Those beers at the Blind Tiger went down realllllll easy.

 

I think that's probably right. And a lot of his shocking stuff is delivered via Twitter, where it's kind of expected. If he said in a press conference some of the stuff he's tweeted, it would feel very different, I would guess.

What's interesting is that maybe ten years ago, I would have said that the coarsening of online discourse would lead to people behaving with fewer governors in real life. But I don't think that's the case, or at least I haven't witnessed much of it. I think that's because in real life people still shy away from direct confrontation. They also still fear chirping the wrong person at the wrong time and getting punched.