Joe Biden, Senator from Citibank (oops, DELAWARE), to Run for President

jaymc, I will vote for Biden, but I will honestly say that the only reason is because I live in PA. If I still lived in California, I wouldn't vote *for president* in this next election, because I think he's an execrable human being who has an execrable policy record, and I also hate the government.

I also hate the government

Why vote at all, then?

take it from me, no matter where you live, not voting does not make the government disappear

i got a letter from the government once

xp True. Why not vote for Republicans, then?

Oh I know, I just wouldn't see much of the point of it in California.

Lol if you're actually going to play some "if you hate the govt. you must be Republican" shit, then I have many many books to sell you from the AK Press and Verso Book catalogs.

If you don’t like the government, don’t vote - a winning strategy for the party out of power.

He also seems like a decent guy who is willing to work hard to improve people's lives

I think Anita Hill and a long list of many other people might disagree with that impression.

Lol if you're actually going to play some "if you hate the govt. you must be Republican" shit, then I have many many books to sell you from the AK Press and Verso Book catalogs.

― blue light or electric light (the table is the table), Monday, August 10, 2020 5:41 PM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Well, I don't know what those are. (Of course I don't, that's why you mentioned them.) My point wasn't that "you must be Republican," it's that voting for a Republican would seem like a better strategy for someone who hates the government. I get that you're probably an anarchist of some kind, but left-wing anti-government forces don't wield much influence in electoral politics.

I think Anita Hill and a long list of many other people might disagree with that impression.

― Sabre of Paradise (trevor phillips), Monday, August 10, 2020 5:52 PM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

It's an impression. I don't expect others to share it. And Anita Hill has every right to be upset with and disappointed by Joe Biden.

Jesus, that’s some weaselly shit.

here's my impression of Joe Biden

listen, jack

If you don’t like the government, don’t vote - a winning strategy for the party out of power.

― Donald Trump Also Sucks, Of Course (milo z), Monday, August 10, 2020 5:48 PM (nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

It's not a suggestion. I would greatly prefer that everyone in this thread vote for Biden. I'm just curious about table's motivations.

Listen, Jack, segregationists weren’t that bad. Good on defense. You could really work with em to get some projects for your state, you know?

I am pretty sure I have never praised or defended Biden. And don't think I ever will.

The only thing I will say in defense of his candidacy right now is that he may get the votes of some moderates who would have been spooked by a more ilx-approved candidate. And if (IF) the surest path to defeating Trump turns out to be something like "don't scare the centrists," then he might be adequate at that.

That said, he's the candidate we have. We will never know if a different candidate would have done as well, or better, while not also sucking. That's like three layers of pointless hypothetical counterfactuals.

So IMO I think it's a strawman argument to suggest that if we don't continually point out how much he sucks, here on this thread, there's a danger that people will start thinking he is - and I quote - "the eighth wonder of the world."

I don't think there's any danger of anybody here thinking that. I am not aware that anyone here supported him or voted for him in the primaries. No one here is, or was, enthusiastic about him. Feel free to correct me (with citations) if I'm wrong.

So IMO I think it's a strawman argument to suggest that if we don't continually point out how much he sucks, here on this thread, there's a danger that people will start thinking he is - and I quote - "the eighth wonder of the world."

What about the turn I called, rather than aimless's hyperbole - ie "Biden is good, actually."

Because, uh, see above.

That's the thing.

He sucks.

I'm going to vote for him.

I wrote a friend: "It's like choosing between eating a bowl half full of hair and shit or a bowl brimming with hair and shit and blood and glass"

Economically comfortable liberals are going to love him like 65% as much as they do Obama, because his failures aren't going to impact them (as Obama's didn't).

So IMO I think it's a strawman argument to suggest that if we don't continually point out how much he sucks, here on this thread, there's a danger that people will start thinking he is - and I quote - "the eighth wonder of the world."

this is fair but can't there be corrolary that says when we do point out how much he sucks it doesn't diminish his chances of winning

90% of everyone I know thinks he sucks! They're still voting for him!

milo, I am not ever going to embrace or endorse a "Biden is good, actually" POV. Can't speak for others in this regard.

That said, jaymc's response specifically both (a) challenged the framing AND (b) qualified the response in salient ways: "What does it mean to "like" him and think he is "good"? ... I like him *with reservations* and think he is good *to an extent*."

Despite our worst fears, the ILX thread "Joe Biden, Senator from Citibank (oops, Delaware), to Run for President", on the world-famous website, "I Love Everything", did not in fact undermine support for Biden.

― Tōne Locatelli Romano (PBKR), Thursday, July 9, 2020 1:17 AM (one month ago)

No one should like him, and no one should think he is good.

But we live in hell.

I don't think anyone is contending that this thread is undermining support for Biden. Or that ilxor-style criticism of Biden will alter his win probability.

That's not the contention.

It was - very mildly - asked what the point of dumping on him is.

The - rather vigorous - response was, roughly, so that we don't let our guard down and start thinking he's awesome.

So I think perhaps we can agree on two things: (1) Biden sucks in some pretty egregious ways and (2) What we say here makes no damn bit of difference. Do I have that approximately right?

dumping on joe biden is fun and hurts no one

xxp I like him, I think he is a good man if not a good candidate, and I think people will see the difference between him and Trump

every time you say “I don’t think anyone on this thread is saying” you do realize milo probably has a post by aimless or me he can dredge up out of context to prove himself right as always

xp to ymp

or dan s! sorry to forget to include you dan.

okay Tom, sorry to appear to speak for others; not my intent.

At root, I don't think months of constant "Biden sucks" messaging here is going to help anything OR HURT ANYTHING, so rock on with yr bad selves. But please don't front like you're somehow manning the Battlements of Truth or Saving the Republic with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZIwwf1onKM

But please don't front like you're somehow manning the Battlements of Truth or Saving the Republic with it.

No one is doing that, so cool I guess?

Dan S is too pure for this world (or, probably, at least this thread)

The - rather vigorous - response was, roughly, so that we don't let our guard down and start thinking he's awesome.

Aimless was making fun of people who post about Joe Biden sucking, not being sincerely vigorous.

p much everyone except milo who vents about Joe Biden sucking in the "Joe Biden sucks" has noted that is a mode of venting, in an appropriate place where it's not going to impact anything one way or the other. milo has said that he's manning the battlements of truth, but I suspect that this is hyperbole also designed as venting.

(Or he could go to the "The Beatles can fuck off" thread and suggest that Noodle Vague tell the Beatles, instead, to fuck on. Fuck on, sweet Ringo! Thrust away, in reliable rhythm.)

― an, uh, razor of love (sic), Monday, June 8, 2020 4:33 PM (two months ago)

lol xpost

cool, carry on

Here's a name I haven't seen in quite a few years:

Why I Want Biden to Lose More Than I Want Trump to Win
by Bernard Goldberg

I'm not quoting any of it; it's empty-headed horseshit from an empty-headed horse's ass. I'm just marveling that Bernard Goldberg is still alive, and that someone, somewhere, cares what he thinks.

At root, I don't think months of constant "Biden sucks" messaging here is going to help anything OR HURT ANYTHING

the thing is, about 75% of this thread has been this message, and it's tedious as fuck. Everyone is well aware of where everyone else stands on the question of does Biden suck? Y/N

So if that is your primary contribution to this thread, you are just repeating yourself and making everyone else's experience on this message board that much worse.

constant vigilance etc!!!

this "Joe Biden sucks" thread is 15 years old next month, we might accidentally fill it up and start making posts about how he's bad on ILX's one "Joe Biden rules" thread, that sways the votes of a nation

― Bleeqwot (sic), Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:05 PM (two months ago)

Hockey is boring, thus I have never clicked on the annual hockey thread.

why not go there and post "hockey is boring" every day?

Because it's a hockey-positive thread.

This thread is about Joe Biden being a 6'3" bag of dicks.

in case anyone is curious about what would make vote 3d party -- or not at all -- for president, it is this. and i am saying this as someone who would vote for lieberman if the republican was much worse. everytime you use yer credit cards, you pay for this assclown's campaign.
that said, i anticipate that he won't even come close to winning the nomination.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, June 19, 2005 2:51 PM (fifteen years ago) bookmark

that's a lot of dicks

I know you had a point in dredging up that post from 15 years ago but it's a dud

It is strange that on the negative thread about Joe Biden, posters being negative about him are being told that it's getting tiresome.

should there be a different thread for just general talk? hell, even the Trump thread is C or D.

Bro Biden: The Thread

Economically comfortable liberals are going to love him like 65% as much as they do Obama, because his failures aren't going to impact them (as Obama's didn't).

I consider myself economically comfortable and I identify more as a liberal who sees the need for radical reform in the direction of socialism, than as a centrist or a revolutionary. (NB: I'd define revolution as sweeping away the present form of government, and radical reform as sweeping away and replacing the present policies of governance.)

I'm so glad to be informed about my future feelings regarding Obama and Biden. Without your perspicacious insights, I might have gone astray in my duties toward my cohort.

everyone should be free to speak their truth imo