That was one of the more interesting SOTU addresses I’ve seen. Personally, I think he said most of the things that needed to be said, and he said them reasonably well. I’m sure he’s going to get some flack for attacking Trump directly (though not by name), but I was frankly glad to see it. Doing otherwise makes it seem like it’s just your typical election/political disagreements, but we’re past that now.

  • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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    8 months ago

    That sounds like a lot of blathering about how he’s better than the worst president in history. Not exactly a high bar.

    • Riccosuave@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      And better than every Republican president in your fucking lifetime.

      Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good…

          • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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            8 months ago

            Any serious opposition to Israel’s genocide would have been nice. Not bypassing Congress to rush weapon sales to them would have been nice.

            • Optional@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              You understand the alternative is going to do both of those things way more, right

              • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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                8 months ago

                You understand that criticizing Biden and supporting Trump aren’t the same thing, right?

                • Optional@lemmy.world
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                  8 months ago

                  When it’s either/or, as it ultimately is - I do not.

                  And the fact that it’s the russian trolls’ M.O. is not random chance.

                  You have Jan 6, 2021-early 2024 to criticize away. Time’s up. You may recommence criticizing without helping trump on November 10th, 2024.

                  Notably, you can join in on your favorite solution without criticizing at any time.

                  • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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                    8 months ago

                    When it’s either/or, as it ultimately is - I do not.

                    Your lack of understanding is your problem

              • beardown@lemm.ee
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                8 months ago

                Increasing taxation on them does not alter their absolute control of our government and democracy

                Oligarchs own and control the United States. That is what needs to change.

          • harderian729@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Take positions that benefit humanity even if they aren’t ‘safe.’

            He’s a tool of the establishment, nothing more.

        • xtr0n@sh.itjust.works
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          8 months ago

          If you think there is even a remote possibility that anything in American politics would involve anything but the very lowest of bars, then you’re gonna be pretty disappointed. We’re at the point where we’re begging half of the voting public to please refrain from electing treasonous, felonious, fascists. The bar is so low, it may be the only place left on the planet that isn’t full of microplatics.

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        8 months ago

        Wow, all two of them? Get a higher bar. I’m not even young.

        All three Democratic presidents I’ve been alive for have been pretty bad too. Turns out I’m not represented very well in our plutocracy, and it’s pretty tiring to hear the endless defense of the wealthy elite that actively work against all of us.

        • Peppycito@sh.itjust.works
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          8 months ago

          So what are you, personally, doing to actively work for all of us?

          Apart from complaining on the internet about ‘both sides’?

          • doctordevice@lemm.ee
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            8 months ago

            The options are either personally fix our entire country or shut up and follow orders? This unwillingness to accept criticism of the Democratic Party is exactly why people like me feel unrepresented by it. We see a party working against our interests and a fan base frothing at the mouth anytime anyone dares speak against them.

            Have you ever complained about the Republicans? If so, why don’t you stop complaining about it and personally fix the country?

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              8 months ago

              I think a different perspective is: First, make the choice that will be least harmful for the country, then do what we can to make things better. Allowing the poorer choice to be made isn’t going to solve the problem any more than fighting against it, but it will probably allow more time to change course.

              I wouldn’t call Biden a great president, but I wouldn’t call him terrible. Trump doesn’t have the intelligence to recognize the we have skin to keep things like bleach and UV rays out, or the self-awareness to realize that musings like that are far better done in private where the consequences are smaller.

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                The difference is that it’s the same “you have to make the safe choice now and you’ll get to make things better later” every single cycle. Many of us see it all as a facade that will never end, and watch the Democratic Party actively work against our interests in the meantime.

                But we can’t ever dare express discontent online without vitriol from people who can’t seem to handle the fact that others might not be convinced by “I’m not a Republican” anymore.

    • AFK BRB Chocolate@lemmy.worldOP
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      8 months ago

      That sounds like a lot of blathering about how he’s better than the worst president in history

      What does? Something I said? Something in the article?

      I certainly don’t feel that way. I didn’t vote for Biden in the 2020 primary, and I had pretty low expectations for him when I voted for him in the general. That being said, I personally think he’s been a good president and has gotten way more done with a divided government than I thought possible. He’s not perfect, and I wish we had someone younger and more progressive, but he’s really accomplished a lot. More than Obama, certainly, though the Senate opposition to Obama was insane.

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        8 months ago

        I think that’s why ppl don’t like him and why this election will be closer than any of us like. A large number of us aren’t voting for Biden, we’re voting against Trump. Again. This isn’t how a party consistently wins elections.

        • suction@lemmy.world
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          True but it’s not a normal situation when a Putinesque protofascist like Trump is a candidate with a real chance. It’s an emergency, now’s not the time to wax lyrical about the condition of American politics. Avoid Trump once more, maybe even again in 2028, and build up from there. If Trump becomes president, chances are there won’t be anything left to build upon, that’s what’s at stake. Fuck, why don’t people understand how grave the situation is??

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            8 months ago

            Jesus Christ. If that motherfucker makes it to 2028 and still runs, I will sell every fucking thing I own and GTFO somehow and in some way. Their platform has been “We take your rights away so we can make your life miserable, and make profit at the same time!” and I absolutely fucking refuse to partake in this bullshit any longer because your average “American” refuses to read or accept reality.

        • Optional@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          So, how does a party consistently win elections?

          I hear there are people who would love to know that.

    • theneverfox@pawb.social
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      8 months ago

      That’s just the first 15 minutes or so…I almost shut it off.

      After “orange man bad” he went policy by policy, said what he’s done and outlined a liberal (not neoliberal) platform for like 30 minutes straight. It wasn’t just scare tactics about cultural stuff for once

      For me, the big was the complacency of the Democratic party. They just kept moving further right and ignoring what the people want, but I’m hoping this marks a turning point

      It’s not nearly enough, but at least he’s started building social programs, talking about raising the corporate tax rates, and enforcing anti-trust laws.

      The speech was huge, this article doesn’t at all do it justice.

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        8 months ago

        That is actually good to hear. I haven’t seen the speech, just read this and a couple other articles. I will have to give it a watch tomorrow

    • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      You’re giving Trump far too much credit. Wilson, Jackson, Polk, Monroe, and many others were far far worse presidents than Trump. He was bad, yeah, but he was mostly an ineffective tool. He deserves to be stuck at the 45th percentile of presidents. Mediocre, but trending towards sucking Russian dick.

      • Optional@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Pretty sure Nero was worse too, but here’s the thing: Nero didn’t have the mass propaganda tools and nuclear weapons.

        Advantage: Orange Rapist.

      • RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Did any of them willingly and consciously allow an epidemic to become pandemic, in turn murdering thousands upon thousands of their own citizens, and others around the world? No?

        • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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          Jackson cause the Trail of Tears, and the longest and deepest (by percentage, not dollar amount) depression in US history.

          Polk created manifest destiny, Monroe the Monroe Doctrine, both of which led to the genocide of the Native Americans

          Wilson wrote Southern Revisionism, segregated The Federal Government, erected a bunch of statues that we are finally tearing down of people that specifically said that they shouldn’t ever have a statue because they were traitors, expanded the presidential powers to tyrannical proportions with the sedition and insurrection act, and set up Wilsonian Doctrine, setting the US on the path of endless wars, not to mention all the wars he started and expanded upon in Central and South America. He also inadvertently caused WWII.

          Trump didn’t come close to those disasters.