There have been multiple accounts created with the sole purpose of posting advertisement posts or replies containing unsolicited advertising.

Accounts which solely post advertisements, or persistently post them may be terminated.

Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent, report finds

A growing number of Americans are ending up homeless as soaring rents in recent years squeeze their budgets.

According to a Jan. 25 report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, roughly 653,000 people reported experiencing homelessness in January of 2023, up roughly 12% from the same time a year prior and 48% from 2015. That marks the largest single-year increase in the country’s unhoused population on record, Harvard researchers said.

Harbinger01173430 ,

And here I am…just earning some nine hundred dollars a month u.u wish me luck!

robocall OP ,
@robocall@lemmy.world avatar

good luck

remer ,

Bro. What are you doing here? You should be out there hustling. I turned down a $10 million inheritance so I can stay hungry. Hustle is life bro

Harbinger01173430 ,

Can’t. Hustling is informal in my country and has no benefits :') the amount i get is like, triple the minimum wage but still feels like garbage :(

UsernameIsTooLon ,

Bro, I quit my 9-5 to become homeless and hustle every waking second of my life. Hustle is life.

alienanimals ,

Corporate landlords are using price-fixing software to illegally raise prices and gouge average Americans. Executives need to go to jail for robbing us all.

dumpsterlid ,

No war but the class war

JasonDJ ,

America no longer has classes. There’s the wealthy and the non-wealthy.

The non-wealthy get divvied up into something that is closer to caste.

We are at a point now where most people will see a person on the street and instantly toss them into a specific bucket of people based upon dress, posture, cleanliness, accent/dialect, hairstyle, car, whatever.

Notice specifcally missing from this list is race. I’m not saying America isn’t racist. But as a privileged suburban cis white male, I don’t think it’s nearly as relevant as it once was. There’s centuries of institutional racism that’s still weighing down progress, try as we might to avoid it…but I think that “race” is often getting mixed up with other “otherings” related to outward appearance, and the overlap tends to not include that persons own race.

I.e, I think there are a lot of people who would feel nervous around a muscular 20-something black or Latino man in urban-style streetwear downtown, that would otherwise gladly grab a coffee with the same person dressed in a well-pressed oxford shirt and khakis at the office. Racism there isn’t the problem, it’s more of a distaste culture that had been formed by the race, and that’s distinctly separate, in my mind.

Anyways, that was a bit of a tangent. What I’m basically trying to say is that class warfare isn’t really what we’re making it out to be. The classes are literally 8 billion people on one side and 20 on the other.

“Millionaire” don’t mean shit anymore. Any boomer who bought a house anywhere but BFE on the 90s and managed to pay it off is at least halfway there just in equity. Another quarter of the way there for the median 401k balance at 65 of $235k. Thats 75% of the way to a millionaire, just in house and 401k (and $235k isn’t really enough to live off on its own over the course of retirement. Thats something like $15k withdrawal from ages 65 to 85, and hopefully you die by then).

hex_m_hell ,

The two classes are the workers and the propertied class. The first supports it’s by working, the second supports itself by the work or the first. Capitalism came from feudalism, with a propertied class and those that serve them.

Those who serve have always been divided internally against each other, with some form of warrior class acting as class traiters.

lemmyviking ,
@lemmyviking@lemmy.world avatar

And…no one (people I know) believes me when I tell them who the homeless are. Every one just holds onto the concept that they are just mentally-ill people who need to be in an institution. When I explain that any person’s mental health decreases the longer they live without a home, a job, and a family for support. Homeless people end up turning to drugs because they can’t stand the fact that their ability has decreased so much that a drug-induced hallucination is better than reality.

thefloweracidic ,

A number of homeless are indeed are victims of our terrible socio-economic system. However I have heard many homeless outreach workers say the same thing “The ones who stay homeless are the ones who stay addicted”. Addiction is a serious issue and the challenge of beating it is nothing we should dismiss, however it is clear some people end up homeless due to drugs and stay homeless due to a refusal to get clean. When your life is centered around just getting high, you won’t care much about anything else. All the horrors of living on the street disappear once you get your fix, and some people are okay living like that.

I guess I’m writing all this to say that homelessness is a very complex and nuanced issue. They aren’t all victims, they aren’t all criminals, they aren’t all mentally ill, they aren’t all addicts, and for some its the only life they’ve ever known.

This is why the conversation around homelessness is so difficult. People just latch onto their idea of what being homeless is then build their argument from there, dismissing the remaining context of the concept.

I highly suggest doing homeless outreach to broaden your perspective on the matter (look up a local Food Not Bombs group if you live in a city!). If that isn’t something you’d like to do, there are plenty of videos on youtube that give you more insight into the homelessness experience. Obviously watch out for the videos that treat living on the streets as a spectacle or oddity, I absolutely hate these videos because they serve to shock and entertain, not educate.

thisisnotgoingwell ,

A lot of people on the streets have no one left to help them for a reason. They’ve burned every bridge with loved ones. Saying this as someone who’s dealt with an addict on my wife’s family. Thankfully she’s not in the streets right now but she has been several times. We’ve helped her out in so many ways just to end up getting stolen from

GhostFence ,

So is this why people on the streets who AREN’T addicted unable to get back into housing?

spyd3r ,
@spyd3r@sh.itjust.works avatar

Secure and close the borders to relieve the pressure on housing demand and limit the amount of people with no means to support themselves from entering the country. If our country and economy is failing at providing for the people we already have we shouldn’t be letting in any more.

Lennnny ,
@Lennnny@lemmy.world avatar

Or… solve the wealth hoarding issue at the top, instead of blaming poor people.

Whatsit_Tooya ,

No no it’s the immigrants!!! (please ignore the real estate funds buying up property and jacking up rents)

lucidinferno ,

Ah. The Russian trolls/bots have discovered lemmy. It was nice while it lasted.

KSPAtlas ,
@KSPAtlas@sopuli.xyz avatar

You’ve never seen lemmygrad or hexbear? And lemmygrads been around for years

Blackmist ,

Yes, Mexicans are to blame. Well done.

jeremyparker ,

If our country and economy is failing at providing for the people we already have we shouldn’t be letting in any more.

Wait – our country is supposed to be providing housing?

I won’t lie, I’m super into that. Normalizing rent across hundreds of millions of people would go a long way to stop bloodsucking leeches from buying property, price gouging residents to live there, and calling that a “job”

HipHoboHarold ,

deleted_by_moderator

    •
    heckypecky ,

    Wtf? You’re the richest country in the world. It’s not a problem of too little money, it’s capitalism

    trackcharlie ,

    You clearly haven’t educated yourself on the economic factors at play. The “richest” country in the world is rich in valuation, not monetary wealth.

    There’s a difference between having a bunch of products (and businesses) that are expensive and of high quality than having a bank full of money. (See fed balance sheet)

    If you actually take some time out of your day from being condescending to people that actually educate themselves on these matters and look up the current situation with liquidity (i.e. money) in the banking system, you’ll realize that the multiple bank failures in 2023 was a prelude to what’s going to be happening in 2024-2025.

    This is an issue happening all over the world and people continue to not educate themselves on macroeconomics and then have the audacity to comment on it in the exact same fashion you just did.

    space ,

    How exactly are immigrants who can’t support themselves able to pay rent and put pressure on housing demand?

    Harbinger01173430 ,

    By adding crime into the fray

    PorradaVFR ,

    A great point were it not quantifiably true that immigrants have lower per capita rates of criminal activity than citizens. Also, it is perfectly legal to come into the country and ask for asylum (which many are doing), it is further known that there is rampant and illegal employment for migrant workers by agricultural and hospitality industries that rarely suffer any consequences for exploiting and underpaying workers. (See: dollar menu pricing)

    Ignoring the motives behind migration and even worse the lack of funding for enforcement of legislation whose reform is stuck for political reasons blames the victims for their plight.

    But simple explanations are easier, no matter how wrong they may be factually.

    hark ,
    @hark@lemmy.world avatar

    They can’t afford the rent either.

    BruceTwarzen ,

    Yah but they can own guns, sooo

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    So if you don’t have a home, you can just take one.

    If you’re white and it’s owned by a black family, it counts as Stand Your Ground in Florida. Probably.

    foggianism ,

    If owning guns and having no address isn’t the ultimate freedom, then I don’t know what is.

    BigMacHole ,

    They should GET A JOB! And don’t you COMMIES tell me that Wages won’t cover a one room rental because that’s a LIE! I BOUGHT my house 30 years ago working as a JANITOR! Kids today are just LAZY! GIVE me my Social Security you COMMIES!

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    College only cost me $25 and a jug of corn liquor and when I got out, they immediately made me president of a metal fabrication company! What are these lazy millennials complaining about?

    lucidinferno ,

    deleted_by_author

    •
    thejodie ,

    It just seems like really sarcastic trolling to me.

    DragonTypeWyvern ,

    I realize there’s a higher than normal level of autism on Lemmy in general but sometimes the obvious sarcasm people miss is just wild.

    paddirn ,

    Ever since 2016, people’s ability to detect sarcastic comments without the “/s” tacked on has just fucking gone out the window. People are just taking comments at face value and assuming the worst in each other anymore. I kind of get it sometimes though, there does seem to be alot of stupid people online, though in some cases it’s like people are purposefully misinterpreting comments. It’s so weird.

    Sagifurius ,

    HE’LL YAEH BORTHER!!!

    Maggoty ,

    But record low unemployment numbers guys! And wages made a tiny dent in decades of inflation!

    postmateDumbass ,

    https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/caa9f8c0-5ec8-4da3-9fc2-b6ceefa5b40a.jpeg

    Maggoty ,

    You’re right I forgot green line go up!

    TheBat ,
    @TheBat@lemmy.world avatar

    Don’t look down

    n3m37h ,

    Or zoom out

    HipHoboHarold ,

    I just wish that helped more people than just the rich

    cnbc.com/…/the-wealthiest-10percent-of-americans-…

    USSEthernet ,

    Yea, I’m starting to have a hard time believing what they’re telling us.

    skuzz ,

    People drop off the unemployment numbers after 6 months as they’re considered to have “given up” searching for work. They’re one of many metrics the government uses to gauge how “good” our “economy” is doing that are absolutely useless and paint a false narrative.

    USSEthernet ,

    Same when it comes to the stock market. Apparently, if the stock market is doing well, the “economy” is doing well. Pretty sure the stock martket doesn’t help the majority of Americans in any meaningful way.

    skuzz ,

    It literally destroys lives every 3 months when companies try to bury things that normally happen but don’t mean profit under the rug by laying off employees so they can keep their stock market pimp daddy happy for another quarter.

    Asafum ,

    Another “wonderful” metric is “family income.”

    Yes, family income has been steadily increasing since women entered the workforce the 60s-70s. Geez I wonder what could possibly account for that, it must be that having 2 incomes became mandatory to survive we’re all just doing better!

    I wonder how life is like for those who don’t have a family income… Source: perpetually single, make 60k (in a VHCOL area) and have to live in a garage. (No I can’t “just move,” I am “uneducated”…)

    _number8_ ,

    i paid rent this month the exact same as last month and they emailed me after a week saying i owed them $35 more. just out of nowhere, just because. yes it’s only 35 but also fuck off

    RGB3x3 ,

    35 now, 35 more later, 35 more next year. Then you’re eventually paying $500 more in rent and can’t afford it anymore.

    Agent641 ,

    You forgot to tip

    TheBat ,
    @TheBat@lemmy.world avatar

    Just put the whole hog in

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    The company sure didn’t. They didn’t even bother to lube up first from the sound of things.

    newthrowaway20 ,

    My front office totally fucked up my rent. They put me on a different rate than I agreed to, and added on their own renters insurance which I opted out of by showing proof I already had renters insurance. My bill was like an extra $300 because of their fuckups.

    violetraven ,
    @violetraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

    If it’s still a fuck up if it’s intentional?

    Dettweiler42 ,

    Review your contract. If you aren’t month-to-month, tell them to pound sand.

    JimboDHimbo ,

    Y’all let me know when we’re tired of the bullshit enough to get a “general strike” going. I’ll bake the “cookies”.

    Mango ,

    Guillotines are expensive. :(

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Actually… you’d be surprised how many things can be dropped with a similar success rate!

    Mango ,

    This. youtu.be/OA1vmN-skXo?si=rjvD_2rgGDPvpr38

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Hah. Touché. Butt, if I use my own weight it’s nearly free! Derrièrotine?

    Mango , (edited )

    youtu.be/XGcqixRBNvU

    tigeruppercut ,

    Just a head up, youtube has been attaching tracking links when you copy their urls now. You can delete the tracker ?si= string and it’ll still work.

    youtu.be/OA1vmN-skXo

    Mango ,

    Yooo that’s messed up. Thanks for the heads up!

    kusuriya ,
    @kusuriya@infosec.pub avatar

    Yeah we will have to start with dull wood axes I suppose, at least till enough rich people have dropped loot so we can buy a few.

    electric_nan ,

    I’m seeking series one funding for my startup which will be like Uber, but for guillotines. PM for investment opportunities.

    AngryCommieKender ,

    Trebuchets aren’t, and they can yeet the fattest of fatcats at least 150m which is more than far enough.

    PM_Your_Nudes_Please ,

    They really aren’t though. The raw materials would easily be less than the price of my rent.

    Mango ,

    But the craftsmanship.

    space , (edited )

    Quite easy to build…

    Buy a sheet of metal about 50x100cm, a bit thicker so it has some weight. Use an angle grinder to sharpen an edge. Buy some wood (like 2x4), build it into a rectangular frame, slightly smaller on the inside than the blade, and make a channel for the blade to slide in. Make 2 holes into the blade so you can attach some rope.

    All that’s missing is the wooden thing that goes around the neck. You can make that from 2 slabs of wood, and you can cut the neck shape with a jig saw.

    Edit: thinking about it, you can simplify the build by making 2 wooden frames instead of 1, and have the blade slide between them.

    In term of tools, all you need is an angle grinder, some kind of saw for the wood, and a drill/screwdriver.

    Mango ,

    Needs speed holes.

    Also how do you make sure it doesn’t go crooked and get jammed on the way down?

    Also paint it red.

    kusuriya ,
    @kusuriya@infosec.pub avatar

    honestly it’s really simpler than that, like you pointed out you only need one frame to make the track, the metal you do not need to sharpen if its less than an inch thick, most modern sheet metal, cookie pans etc will do, you just need weight and you cut the blade at an angle, then you use a table and some ratchet straps to hold the subject in place, but have you seen the price of lumber?

    ripcord ,
    @ripcord@lemmy.world avatar

    Need basic skills, we’re not building an artisanal execution device or to last decades.

    Mango ,

    As the guy who made r/Artisanvideos, I disagree.

    Sagifurius ,

    The fuck they are, small pile of 4x4 lumber, a rope and an old grader blade.

    TheIllustrativeMan ,

    Too complicated, just turn the lawnmower sideways.

    Sagifurius ,

    …better be an electric lawnmower, gas will seize up

    Lucidlethargy ,

    It’s okay, we only need one per region.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Bidenomics!

    hark ,
    @hark@lemmy.world avatar

    This is why it’s a bad idea to stick your name onto whatever is the current state of the economy.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    There’s also the repulsive way they keep trying to gaslight us into thinking the economy is good.

    fenynro ,

    You cracked the case!

    It wasn’t anything like coordinated rent increases from large groups of landlords using a pricing app, it wasn’t a worldwide pandemic disrupting the market, it wasn’t America keeping housing as an investment vehicle instead of a means of sheltering humans, it wasn’t decades of wealthy investors buying housing to convert into rentals.

    Nope, all of that complexity can be tossed out the window because one single man is to blame: Joe Biden. All in his first term as president too!

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    It wasn’t anything like coordinated rent increases from large groups of landlords using a pricing app

    Which Biden has no interest in doing anything about. Why isn’t he using the bully pulpit to name and shame enemies of his administration?

    it wasn’t a worldwide pandemic disrupting the market,

    It’s been years since you and the rest of Democrats gave a shit about COVID, so it’s hypocritical to blame the ongoing pandemic.

    Perhaps if Biden didn’t give up entirely on public health then the ongoing economic problems caused by COVID could be addressed, but instead we don’t even talk about it like it’s still a serious issue and ignore the ongoing wave of deaths. We are still having excess deaths far above the pre-pandemic period, but I bet you don’t even wear a mask to the store. What a joke.

    it wasn’t America keeping housing as an investment vehicle instead of a means of sheltering humans, it wasn’t decades of wealthy investors buying housing to convert into rentals.

    Both problems are something Biden helped establish over his long tenure as a Senator.

    Nope, all of that complexity can be tossed out the window because one single man is to blame: Joe Biden.

    Liberals in every country do this thing where they use complexity as a way to mystify and obscure the consequences of their party’s actions and inaction. Somehow the President is powerless and problems come from nowhere. No one is to blame, except maybe the red team.

    stembolts ,

    Both parties are neolibs.

    It’s just a duopoly.

    All of your critiques apply to both parties.

    I’m left so I hate right.

    I’m right so I hate left.

    So boring.

    Introduce ranked choice voting.

    We could hate omnidirectionally.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    There is no left.

    stembolts ,

    If you are located in the United States, this is correct.

    The left is a bogeyman spectre used to prevent change.

    myrdinn ,

    I hate everyone equally

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    Strangely more often it’s “I’m left so I hate the US left” and they don’t bother criticizing Republicans at all.

    willis936 ,

    You want someone to help you do something for the good of everyone. Do you ask the giant selfish asshole or a rock for help? Republicans are the rock.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    They’re not asking or working with Democrats, they’re painting them as worse than ‘the rock’ and telling people to abandon the party. Oddly it’s the exact same thing foreign influence operations were doing on reddit in 2015, and Republicans in ~2006… discouraging young voters from voting at all. Huh, wonder who that helps.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Omnidirectional hate, I like that.

    ExLisper ,

    Introduce ranked choice voting.

    Out of curiosity, why do people write things like that? There’s 0% change of this happening. Are you delusional and propose this as actual solution or are you so disillusioned that at this point you don’t even care about actual solutions and just want to play fantasy politics?

    iain ,

    Yeah, why do people propose minor improvements to this rotten system. People should just be content with their lot in life! How dare they have hope?!

    ExLisper ,

    Changing the electoral system would be a minor improvement? So you’re talking about some city level elections or do you actually think that changing how presidents and representatives are elected would only be a minor change?

    iain ,

    On the scale of doing nothing to socialist revolution, this is a pretty minor change. But I’d love to hear some improvements that are not fantasies. Or do we just have to give up?

    ExLisper ,

    On a scale from doing nothing to revolution convincing the elite to willingly relax their absolute grip on power and let other people win elections is like an 8. It’s not going to happen.

    What are some improvements that are not fantasies? I would say the actually possible thing would be to get a slightly more progressive president that would push through some meaningful reforms despite Republicans bitching about it. Education reform, justice system reform, immigration reform could all be possible Of course this is not happening in the next 5 years if ever.

    Supreme court reform is less possible but still achievable IMHO. Things like term limits and some real ethical oversight. Most people understand how corrupt it is and would support some changes. It would affect both parties equally so some bipartisan deal could be possible. Of course this is not getting enough tracking right now to move anywhere.

    Any form of constitutional reform on the other hand is not possible and is pure political fiction.

    stembolts ,

    It has already been introduced in various places. In those places there was someone, just as you are doing now, declaring it was impossible. Then it occurred.

    Doom and gloom is easy, you see yourself win all the time because the conditions for victory are nothing happening. Hope is hard and full of heartbreak. I chose a hard outlook, but I can understand why you would choose an easy one.

    ExLisper ,

    I don’t live in US so for it’s not a matter of hope or gloom. It’s just my opinion based on what I see happening there. I know a lot of Americans would like the entire Internet to cheer them and lie to give them some hope but I just don’t see much sense in that. If you think it’s achievable than do you, fight for it. I was just wandering if people really believe they can get it.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    I don’t live in US so for it’s not a matter of hope or gloom. It’s just my opinion based on what I see happening there.

    I don’t want to suppress you expressing your opinions (at this point assuming you’re not astroturfing for one/both of the parties) but you do need “to be closer to the ground zero” if you want to be taken as someone who understands the subject matter fully, versus being dismissed out of hand for spewing rhetoric.

    Ranked Choice Voting is truly the only way out of this mess, and it should be fought for, no matter its chance of actual implementation.

    Right now politicians are not even being asked about it, so it’s a little early to waive the white flag.

    stembolts ,

    Yes I do believe it can occur, with each election the generational clock is ticking forward in a detectable way. Though I personally live in a very conservative area so it tends to happen in the west and northeast before it occurs here.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Introduce ranked choice voting.

    This!

    We could hate omnidirectionally.

    Not so much, this. Hate is bad, hate leads to destruction (Dark Side, etc).

    We should ALL be asking our politicians about ranked choice voting. It’s not even mentioned currently by anyone though.

    GladiusB ,
    @GladiusB@lemmy.world avatar

    Do you think you make any sort of sense with this way of writing? You are slamming Biden because you don’t know who is a actually responsible. It’s greedy landlords and the corporate overlords that run housing.

    Biden runs the country. Not the whole housing market. If anything he helped it with his administration relieving college debt and made it more affordable to many Americans that don’t need to pay off debt.

    You make zero points and I just throwing mud to make Trump the only choice.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Biden runs the country. Not the whole housing market.

    He definitely could interfere with the housing market to a much higher degree. He could also make better use of the bully pulpit to attack greedy landlords and corporate housing by name.

    He will not.

    When Trump wins he will make everything worse and Biden is doing everything he can to make sure he loses.

    GladiusB ,
    @GladiusB@lemmy.world avatar

    You can what if all day long. And it’s not fact. It’s fantasy. So you don’t make sense in two posts. Keep going. Your whole account can look like a lost soul in a cult.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    A cult of what? I’m just criticizing Biden! You seem to think the president is powerless and nothing that has gone wrong is his fault.

    Is there literally anything you would criticize him for?

    GladiusB ,
    @GladiusB@lemmy.world avatar

    Not to you. Because you are Trump’s nuts and are a sad excuse for an American.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    So you’re hostile to outsiders and blindly support Blue Leader no matter what?

    Remember, I never told anyone how to vote. If someone wants to vote for Biden that is their business and I completely understand it. You, on the other hand, attack anyone who even criticizes Biden.

    Sounds like I’m not the one in a cult. Good luck Blue MAGA

    GladiusB ,
    @GladiusB@lemmy.world avatar

    No. I’m not going to engage with someone with their head so far up their keester they don’t know how to discuss things to make sense. You never make any points other than pure speculation and are actively trying to muddy the water because you support Trump and don’t want to admit it. Your whole account is soley to bolster votes for your cult.

    So keep doing it. And I’ll keep not caring. And neither will all the other people that are lurking and reading how little sense you make with what ifs and could haves.

    Chakravanti ,

    She ain’t supporting Trump. Biden is a piece of shit and neither do I but it is what it is. Sure I’ll take Biden over Trump easily but the lesser of two evil is still fucking evil. Let’s go Cthulhu and just be done with it all. IA! Fthagn!

    You, however, are a fighter fighting everyone you can to lose. You will. You will be homeless shortly herein after.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    I’m not going to engage with someone with their head so far up their keester they don’t know how to discuss things to make sense.

    That statement/opinion is not intellectually honest.

    You may disagree with the opinions she’s expressing, but she’s expressing them well, and they are worthy of debate/discussion.

    GladiusB ,
    @GladiusB@lemmy.world avatar

    It is absolutely honest. She is in engaging in what ifs and could be. Not what it is. That is intellectually dishonest. And not helpful.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    He could also make better use of the bully pulpit to attack greedy landlords and corporate housing by name.

    Biden: “You landlords are terrible and charge too much! Here are your names!”

    Landlords: “Cool. How are you going to be able to stop us?”

    Biden: “…”

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Landlords: “Cool. How are you going to be able to stop us?”

    He supposedly loves unions, right? How about he starts throwing his support behind tenant unions and rent strikes? How about he tells the millions of Democrats to take political and economic actions against landlords and real estate companies? “Here are your enemies and these are their companies, you know what to do.”

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    I think you may be misunderstanding who has all the money and all the high-priced lawyers in this equation.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Bosses have money and high-priced lawyers, workers can beat them anyway. A strong tenant union can beat a landlord just the same.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Yeah, okay. The last time I lived in an apartment building, there were six tenants. If we had tried to form a union, we would have just been kicked out because we lived in a desirable area of L.A. and he could have charged new tenants more. Should we have added ourselves to the record number of homeless so this plan of yours can come to fruition? How about all the people in single-occupancy dwellings that are renting? Should they form a tenant union of one? Do you think that would work?

    It’s like you think every renter lives in a high-rise.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    It’s like you think the wider national union wouldn’t bother to help a little group of six tenants. You’re basically arguing we shouldn’t bother with labor unions because not everyone works in a factory.

    If your six neighbors joined a union to collectively bargain, it wouldn’t be a union of six people! You’d just be one small part of the broader union, which has the resources to hire lawyers and pressure the landlord.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    How could they help a group of six tenants?

    How could they work with single-occupancy renters?

    What would stop the landlord from just kicking those people out? Do you think people can just refuse to pay rent until their demands are met? Because it doesn’t work like that anywhere.

    You’re basically asking for people to be forcibly dragged out of their homes by cops and then becoming homeless.

    Finally- what have you done about this? Have you unionized any tenants anywhere? Have you risked getting kicked out of your own home? Otherwise, this sounds very much like “some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    When the UAW negotiates for higher wages, that raises wages for everyone else even when they’re un-unionized. A rising tide lifts all boats. That’s how you help single-occupancy renters.

    It would also help if blue states would pass more tenant’s rights laws to keep landlords from evicting people, and Biden could use the bully pulpit to push those forward. You’re seemingly ignoring that we were talking about tenant unions with a national spotlight. Surely you realize that would be different, right? A shitty landlord would get national attention and be forced to bargain by public pressure, and Biden could help. Sure, some landlords would be basically untouchable (single-occupancy renters and such) but enough could be pressured to effect the market.

    All of this is besides the point! I said that Biden could support tenant unions to help fight homelessness and unaffordable rents. Do you disagree with this basic premise?

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    You have not answered any of my questions. I asked you multiple questions and you didn’t answer a single one. Not even the one where I asked you what you personally have done about unionizing renters.

    So I have no idea why you think I would answer your question.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I did!

    How could they help a group of six tenants?

    How could they work with single-occupancy renters?

    When the UAW negotiates for higher wages, that raises wages for everyone else even when they’re un-unionized. A rising tide lifts all boats. That’s how you help single-occupancy renters.

    And then

    What would stop the landlord from just kicking those people out?

    It would also help if blue states would pass more tenant’s rights laws to keep landlords from evicting people, and Biden could use the bully pulpit to push those forward. You’re seemingly ignoring that we were talking about tenant unions with a national spotlight. Surely you realize that would be different, right? A shitty landlord would get national attention and be forced to bargain by public pressure, and Biden could help. Sure, some landlords would be basically untouchable (single-occupancy renters and such) but enough could be pressured to effect the market.

    And then

    Finally- what have you done about this?

    Now this one I didn’t answer this because it seemed irrelevant. I’m not the god damn president of the United States. That’s what we’re talking about. I don’t matter and trying to drag me in as if I am as responsible for the lack of tenant organizing as Joe Biden is absurd.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    I see. So the responsibility for this rests solely on Biden’s shoulders and you don’t have to do anything but talk about it on the internet. Convenient.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    🙄

    Some responsibility rests on Biden’s shoulders, far more than on mine or yours. You’re seemingly absolving him, as if blaming him for anything is wrong.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Now that she’s shown that she has answered your questions, could you answer hers?

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Sure. No I don’t agree with a premise when it is not feasible.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    A bit hypocritical of you, and opinion cowardly, but you do you.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Insulting me will not make me accept a ludicrous premise. If you told me that Martians are eating my eyeballs, why would it be hypocritical or cowardly for me to say I didn’t accept that premise when you asked me?

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Dodge.

    Just answer her questions.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    What am I dodging? In specific?

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    What am I dodging? In specific?

    Scroll up.

    That question is another dodge, and everyone can see it as such.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    I was asked if I agreed with the premise. I answered. The answer is no. What am I dodging?

    Do you disagree with this basic premise?

    lemmy.ml/comment/7824769

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Don’t move the goal posts. Go back to her comment and your reply about answering questions. Just scroll up, you’ll find them there.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Once again, I answered the question. I linked to the question. I told you the answer.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Once again, I answered the question. I linked to the question. I told you the answer.

    No, you did not.

    You have not answered any of my questions. I asked you multiple questions and you didn’t answer a single one. Not even the one where I asked you what you personally have done about unionizing renters.

    So I have no idea why you think I would answer your question.

    Do the courtesy of responding to her questions in the same way that she responded to yours, because your last comment was that you were going to respond to her questions because you thought they weren’t worth responding to (and hence my original comment to you).

    It’s just an Internet forum. It’s not like people are going to come to your home and shame you by laughing in your face or something. We’re just discussing / debating topics here.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    She asked me one question. I responded to that one question. You want me to do something I already did.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    She asked me one question. I responded to that one question. You want me to do something I already did.

    Here’s her original question that you haven’t answered yet…

    All of this is besides the point! I said that Biden could support tenant unions to help fight homelessness and unaffordable rents. Do you disagree with this basic premise?

    And here’s how you answered…

    Sure. No I don’t agree with a premise when it is not feasible.

    That’s a dodge, that’s not answering a question, that’s not being intellectually honest. That’s just text on a page, a hand wave, a non-answer answer, and not a valid content response.

    Unless you are truly saying it’s literally NOT feasible for Biden, the President of the United States of America, to help support unions?

    If you are, I’d love to know why you think that way, truly?

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Oh for fuck’s sake, I have to literally use the word ‘disagree’ for you to get that I don’t accept the premise to begin with? Are you really that pedantic?

    If you don’t like the answer because it isn’t “honest,” too bad. That is the answer I gave to the question that was asked.

    If you are, I’d love to know why you think that way, truly?

    And I don’t really care what you’d love to know after you’ve called me cowardly and intellectually dishonest and repeatedly insisted I answer the question that I answered over and over to you. After all, if I told you, you’d continue to berate me and just not believe me anyway.

    So I think we’re done here.

    Feel free to insult me some more.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Dodge.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    What would stop the landlord from just kicking those people out?

    In California at least, laws.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    And in all the other states?

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    What would stop the landlord from just kicking those people out?

    In California at least, laws.

    And in all the other states?

    I’ll move to each one of them and then report back to you on their laws. IANAL.

    OR, people in those States can push for laws in the same way that those in California did.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Ah, I see, so if people are able to change laws, they won’t get kicked out and it’s Biden’s fault those laws aren’t changed. Got it.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    An intellectually dishonest reply.

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Are you able to talk to people without being rude? Because I just won’t respond to you again if you’re going to talk to me this way.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Are you able to talk to people without being rude? Because I just won’t respond to you again if you’re going to talk to me this way.

    I’ve been nothing but polite. Straightforward, but polite.

    Be intellectually honest, and answer her questions, in the same way she pointed out to you that she answered your questions, after you challenged her for not answering your questions.

    Or do you only ask questions and not answer them?

    FlyingSquid ,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    Yet again, she asked me a question. I answered it. I linked to the question. The answer is no. Do you want me to change the answer to yes? Because that would be a lie. Sorry, I’m not going to lie to make you happy.

    CosmicCleric ,
    @CosmicCleric@lemmy.world avatar

    Yet again, she asked me a question. I answered it. I linked to the question. The answer is no

    We’re duplicating effort, so I’ll just refer you to this response of mine.

    lemmy.world/comment/7110611

    fenynro ,

    It’s interesting to see the assumptions and projections you put onto me. All I’ve said (or implied snarkily) is that the housing and homelessness crisis that we’re seeing in America is a multifaceted issue, and much larger than trying to simply blame one man.

    For what it’s worth, I have no love for Biden and think he could be doing a hell of a lot more from his position, as could the rest of the corporate Democrat party, as could literally any Republican with a spine, but unfortunately we’re stuck with a party that won’t act and a party whose only purpose is to block the other.

    I still don’t think you can distill the housing issue down to just ‘Biden bad’ though, so you should really do some introspection and see if your anger towards Biden might be blurring your viewpoint a little bit

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Consider that, maybe, the assumptions and projections that you put on to me. When did I say Biden is to blame for everything? When did I actually distill the housing issue down to just ‘Biden bad’ except by glibly mocking their PR teams attempt to spin good economic news as “Bidenomics”. Remember, they’re the ones that made up that term. I was just referencing it.

    fenynro ,

    When did I say Biden is to blame for everything?

    I mean, sure, you didn’t type that exact sentence but when you provided an itemized list of why Biden is to blame for each item in my original comment, it’s not a huge leap of logic to think you blame Biden for these things.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I was just listing things Biden played a role in. Things he is partially to blame for, because he has not done everything he can to fight back.

    Obviously he’s not the king of America and can’t just be blamed for everything, but I refuse to just say he’s blameless because of that.

    Greyghoster ,

    It’s amazing that rentals are going through the roof all around the world, there seems to be different reasons everywhere but the problem is the same. The underlying problem is probably capitalism underscored by neoliberalism which drives laws and policies to support short term, high growth returns.

    willis936 ,

    RealPage needs to be dismantled and entire C-suite jailed. If Wall St isn’t scared to death of making price fixing trusts then we are all in very deep shit.

    Maggoty ,

    Hey Biden wants credit for the economy. He’s out there claiming it as his.

    buzz86us ,

    Buh those people take the risks without them there won’t be any housing 🤡

    mr_robot2938 , (edited )

    You say that like Trump’s biggest legislative accomplishment wasn’t a massive tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.

    Anamnesis ,

    Something tells me they don’t like Trump, either.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    That’s not true, he also accelerated the decline of America and turned many of America’s allies against us.

    Also he had that handsome hamburger party that one time. That was pretty funny, probably his favorite day of being president.

    thefartographer ,

    Hamberder

    Daxtron2 ,

    bogos bimted

    myrdinn ,

    Hello? Hello friend?

    SoylentBlake ,

    With a Republican controlled House and Senate, no less.

    Complete control of the government, carte blanche to enact yr policies … All they can do is pass a tax cut.

    Republicans are the most ineffective political body in the world. More so than Democrats, who’s only bid to relevancy is “I’m not them!” while simultaneously only passing Republican written legislation.

    So the cycle, take note, is Republicans get power because Democrats don’t do shit for anyone on main Street, who’ve seen their living conditions fall to third world status (3rd world has cell phones too people, like 90% of humanity has a cell phone), bicker about social issues and imagined offensives then pass a tax cut and forgive debts to the people held by Big business. Supreme court shenanigans whenever possible. Democrats get elected with nice stories of going to Disney land. Get in, can’t do anything they promised cuz reasons but they pass the Republican think tank written policies cuz gotta point at something. BUUUT no field trip for you, get back to work. Get booted out because now I’m 47, living in a Kia with my 2 dogs and hamster and I’ve never been to the Disneyverse. Get told the economy is doing better everyday. Every other day someone else I know ends up homeless.

    Rinse, repeat. The American way.

    mightyfoolish ,

    The goal of the Democratic party is to make sure they exist alongside the Republican party.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Well, at the moment, the other option is Trump. We all know we need better politicians in general, but are you suggesting things would be better with him?

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I have not told anyone how to vote in this thread. Y’all just crawled up my ass about it because I blasphemed.

    If you choose to vote for Biden despite hating him, I understand. But don’t try to silence criticism.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    I’m not concerned with them. I’m engaging in conversation with you. Are you able to answer the question?

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I literally did answer the question: I have not told anyone how to vote. That necessarily means I’m not suggesting Trump is better. 🙄

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    I’m not asking what you’re telling people. I’m asking what you think

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I don’t think Trump is better either, what the fuck?

    What is your problem? Stop crawling up my ass.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    I’m a little confused why you’re being so aggressive when I’m just asking clarifying questions about your comment.

    Don’t you that think maybe Biden, who I’m not saying is a great guy, took office during a free fall and can’t be expected to take on the full blame for what was already bound to hit the ground?

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    yeah yeah you’re Just Asking Questions 🙄

    I think if Biden wants to take credit for the economy by inventing the term Bidenomics, then he gets to take credit for the failures too. Remember, his team were the ones that pushed Bidenomics when they wanted to pretend the economy was in good shape.

    What I want is for Biden to acknowledge the problems that actually exist instead of trying to gaslight us into thinking everything is fine.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Adding “omics” in reference to the economy is not something that started with Biden.

    So again I’ll ask, do you think that we would be in a better state today if Trump had won in 2020? I’m not asking you to endorse either party.

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    I don’t think Trump is better

    this is a fucked up conversation

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Yeah its just asking the same question over and over like its a bot or something.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Like you’re afraid to answer the question or something.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    At least you could say it.

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    they did say it, I am quoting them you lunatic

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Is name calling really necessary?

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    The other option is whoever we want. Wild how voting works.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Wild how voting doesn’t guarantee your preferred winner of the lot will actually win. We need ranked voting.

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    That applies to literally every candidate. Everyone gets one vote's worth of a say. If a lot of people dont want Trump or Biden, they dont have to win. But that pesky self fulfilling prophecy.

    You want ranked choice, vote for the candidate that endorses it. I dont know how you ever expect it to happen otherwise.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    Ahh yes. Eggs and chickens.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    Problem is absent major reforms in every state, that’s not how voting works. Third parties playing spoilers in the first-past-the-post system has been documented and evidenced many times. Whichever bloc has greater unity or no appealing 3rd party candidates will win. So you could end up with Trump being elected with 35% for Biden, 25% for West, and 40% for Trump. Run-off or ranked choice could fix that but we don’t have that.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    So you could end up with Trump being elected with 35% for Biden, 25% for West, and 40% for Trump.

    And then the country would collapse. Do you actually think America would survive that?

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    How would the country collapse? Because Trump got elected and ruined it the rest of the way, or because the left/social liberal/Democrat vote was split between the D candidate and a 3rd party, like people keep suggesting we should do? Not sure what you mean.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    the left/social liberal/Democrat vote was split between the D candidate and a 3rd party, like people keep suggesting we should do

    Has anyone in this thread even done that? I know I haven’t. I haven’t told anyone how to vote.

    Not sure what you mean.

    The largest protests in American history happened under Trump. If he came back into power despite everything with such a small plurality, the citizenry would become ungovernable.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    I’ll just ignore the first part since you’ve obviously spent half the thread condemning Biden.

    Anyway, so people should have been out there going wild protesting Al Gore and Hillary Clinton losing the popular vote, I guess. However, that’s the way the system works, as bad as it is. I’m sure some people would protest but my example (which isn’t even realistic since it ignores the electoral college) would be interpreted as Trump winning by 5%.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I’ll just ignore the first part since you’ve obviously spent half the thread condemning Biden.

    This is why I hate liberals. We are not allowed to condemn the Blue Savior, he’s making America great again, if you’re against us you’re with the enemy, etc. You are in a cult. There is literally nothing Biden can do that you would criticize.

    Anyway, so people should have been out there going wild protesting Al Gore and Hillary Clinton losing the popular vote, I guess.

    Al Gore betrayed the country by not fighting the election that was stolen by Bush. Fuck him and the weak liberals that let it happen.

    I’m sure some people would protest but my example (which isn’t even realistic since it ignores the electoral college) would be interpreted as Trump winning by 5%.

    And losing the popular vote by 10%

    Considering the fact that he lost the popular vote the first time and has since become even more unpopular and divisive, and considering the fact that he actually might be a convicted criminal by the election, I think things would become extremely violent. You’re overlooking how easily America could destabilize - we’re already having some fucked up standoff between states from the border showdown. How much worse will it be in 10 months?

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    Okay, sure: Biden was shitty on the train worker labor union. Biden should tell Israel to wrap it up, stuff it and they have enough weapons already. Oh shit, I just got kicked out of my ‘cult’.

    Trump ALREADY lost the popular vote by 10% in real life. He actually won with 77,000 votes in 3 states and somehow this amazing revolution you’re envisioning didn’t materialize.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Trump ALREADY lost the popular vote by 10% in real life. He actually won with 77,000 votes in 3 states and somehow this amazing revolution you’re envisioning didn’t materialize.

    No, he won with 46.1% of the popular vote. Even then, his tenure saw the largest protests in American history. That’s not a coincidence.

    Please don’t put words in my mouth about revolution, though. That’s not how revolutions happen. That’s how reactionary protest coups happen that can cause countries to collapse. That’s really not going to be good for anyone actually living in America.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    I’m sure you can understand the distinction between losing the popular vote, winning the electoral college, and winning the election.

    Yes, we had major demonstrations - about police and racism, not Trump. Hope that helps.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    And I’m sure you understand he literally didn’t become president while losing 10% of the popular vote, which is what you said. He lost the popular vote by 3.9% and that’s vastly different.

    And police racism wasn’t solved, so guess what’s going to happen when the guy who oversaw these protests is president again?

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    Whichever bloc has greater unity

    Ive got unity with the progressive candidate. Who also endorses that ranked choice we both want. Biden and Trump represent a conservative bloc.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    That would be great but voting for them this round isn’t a practical choice. We have to somehow get voting reforms then support the candidates we actually prefer. That would start at a local/state level.

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    Right, this round. Next round for sure.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    Before there is comprehensive voting reform it won’t work at all. It’s more likely to get whatever candidate you least support elected.

    blazera ,
    @blazera@kbin.social avatar

    everyone's waiting for voting reform to just happen for them. For the folks being elected with the current system that favors them to adopt it out of the goodness of their hearts.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    Chicken and egg problem.

    You can not get voter reform with a Democrat or Republican. They will not support legislation that make their own Party less powerful.

    Gabadabs ,
    @Gabadabs@kbin.social avatar

    I fundamentally draw the line at voting for any candidate that funds genocide like joe. The two party system is broken.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    The two party system is definitely broken. So, you’ll be voting for whom this year? None?

    Gabadabs ,
    @Gabadabs@kbin.social avatar

    I'm not sure who yet, but I will be voting for a third-party candidate.

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    I hope that works out for all of us.

    Zuberi ,
    @Zuberi@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

    Us Vs. Them creates a system that never improves.

    3rd party and end the MIC

    tsonfeir ,
    @tsonfeir@lemm.ee avatar

    I hope that works out.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    Weird how people who are ‘I’m so COMMUMIST!!’ reserve their criticism for US politicians closer to the left and don’t bother saying shit about Trump or the Republicans in congress.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    It’s weird how you make things up to get mad at. The BLM uprisings were full of communists, did you forget about that? We were the ones who sided with the People’s demand to defund the police, before liberals betrayed us by trying to frame that as reform the police.

    Your confusion comes from thinking liberals are close to the left. They are not. They are capitalist, imperialist, anti-communists.

    Also, I am not telling people how to vote. I am criticizing Biden. Am I allowed to do that, or is that blasphemy?

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    ‘defund the police’ and ‘abolish the police’ were very poorly slogans which scared off more people than they attracted.

    US Liberals are a LOT closer to leftists than Republicans are… that’s the entire point. Generally they support socialized healthcare, labor unions, worker protections, consumer protection, social safety nets, helping people in need, police reform and many other topics leftists support, while conservatives oppose every single one of those.

    Criticize Biden all you want but if it helps get Trump elected, good job I guess.

    queermunist , (edited )
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    ‘defund the police’ and ‘abolish the police’ were very poorly slogans which scared off more people than they attracted.

    I want my enemies to be scared.

    pixelpusher220 ,
    @pixelpusher220@universeodon.com avatar

    @queermunist @zeppo

    Except it scared off the people who might have supported you as well.

    Just causes hampered or killed by bad optics are legion thru history.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    They would never support us. Get real.

    zeppo ,
    @zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

    You missed the point by a mile. Your slogan is supposed to attract people who would support the policy changes you want, not your ‘enemies’. Saying ‘abolish’ and ‘defund’ didn’t attract the centrists and moderates you’d need to enact changes, which is why ‘reform’ was actually a better choice.

    queermunist ,
    @queermunist@lemmy.ml avatar

    I am uninterested in appealing to the white moderate.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • [email protected]
  • random
  • lifeLocal
  • goranko
  • All magazines
    •