Sorry for the headline. I don’t know why they don’t just say it’s Vivek Ramaswamy.

To that end, I will accept Russian control of the occupied territories and pledge to block Ukraine’s candidacy for NATO in exchange for Russia exiting its military alliance with China. I will end sanctions and bring Russia back into the world market. In this way, I will elevate Russia as a strategic check on China’s designs in East Asia.

  • FuglyDuck
    link
    English
    276
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Never thought I’d see somebody worse than trump so quickly.

    he also wants to remove federal regulatory and law enforcement agencies. Including, the IRS. Whose job it is… to you know… pay the government’s bills…

    • @Foggyfroggy
      link
      2011 year ago

      They are doing it on purpose. He’s 38 years old, no one is letting him near the presidency. But these over the top statements are intended to make some other candidate look like not the craziest guy in the room.

      • @yokonzo
        link
        971 year ago

        You know that’s actually not the craziest hypothesis

        • phoenixdigita1
          link
          fedilink
          58
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          I was watching a review of the GOP debates by some US political junkies just last week and one of the hosts said that Vivek knows he doesn’t have a chance but is using this presidential run to get exposure for his planned foray into right wing talk show host. Something like Tucker or Alex Jones.

          Great bang for your buck with free news media advertising by pretending to run for president and saying crazy stuff.

          After hearing he wanted to start his own right wing talk show his character and mannerisms made so much more sense.

          Apologies for the facebook link (They start talking about him around the 14 min mark and the comment on his talk show plans is at 20 mins)
          https://www.facebook.com/abcplanetamerica/videos/3482537835297757

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              101 year ago

              Chances are he doesn’t even believe the nonsense coming out of his own mouth, but society rewards these people with riches beyond their wildest imagination so they keep doing it.

          • FuglyDuck
            link
            English
            111 year ago

            I was watching a review of the GOP debates by some US political junkies just last week and one of the hosts said that Vivek knows he doesn’t have a chance but is using this presidential run to get exposure for his planned foray into right wing talk show host. Something like Tucker or Alex Jones.

            or he wants to be VP.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            71 year ago

            Dude is worth like a billion dollars. Why would he want to be talk show host?

            Besides that the fact that running for pres, can theoretically be used as a springboard into conservative media, what was their argument?

            • @RedAggroBest
              link
              101 year ago

              What reason other than ego is needed by the wealthy? They don’t need to consider pros/cons like the rest of us do. You see the kind of following right wing talk show types build? I could very much see someone wanting that just because they can do it.

        • @CheeseNoodle
          link
          English
          41 year ago

          Its basically the exact same method movie theatres use to sell overpriced popcorn…
          Not sure what that says about people but probably nothing good.

          • Flying SquidOP
            link
            41 year ago

            There’s a lot of competition. I mean he’s meek, so it isn’t always clear, but Mike Pence is fucking nuts.

        • @Foggyfroggy
          link
          5
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Well yeah, but maybe both? They probably offered him a talking head show already.

          *edit aaaaand the guy above says he has his tv show

      • @randon31415
        link
        121 year ago

        Considering one of his opponents tried to destroy the happiest place on earth, signed into law a law that allows people to kidnap kids, and worked as a torturer at gitmo, that is saying something

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        81 year ago

        Plus he’s brown. With a foreign sounding name.

        The chances of Trumpy Republicans abandoning Dear Leader and voting en mass for an Indian looking guy are vanishingly small.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        11 year ago

        Eh I figure it’s just for attention. Rile up the base to get them out to vote.

        Anger is a pretty strong motivator if social media hasn’t shown you that already.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      231 year ago

      It’s like “conservatives” are actually compelled to make the worst, most unethical choice, every time…

      • FuglyDuck
        link
        English
        171 year ago

        those aren’t conservatives. Biden is a conservative. GOP are regressives.

    • appel
      link
      fedilink
      171 year ago

      Are we going to have to do this every 4 years? Just roll the dice and risk some wholly unqualified asshole, somehow even worse that the former guy, becoming president so he or she can just shit on the people and the planet for the next 4 fucking years?

      I am so tired of this bullshit.

      • @Sanity_in_Moderation
        link
        7
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Not forever. Now and probably 2028. The people they are appealing to are dying and are rapidly being replaced by the youth. By 2032 they won’t be enough to dominate an entire party. They will return to the fringe.

        • @teruma
          link
          91 year ago

          We’re at a point where they are so close to codifying their reign into our country’s laws that it will no longer matter if they have a majority or not.

          • @DarthBueller
            link
            61 year ago

            They’ve already done so. Political gerrymandering, legislative subversion of direct democracy, political ejections from state legislatures, etc. The thing that kills me is that the Dems have not come out loudly and uniformly in favor of shit that would make a difference, like rank-choice voting, non-partisan redistricting, etc. Fuckers all around.

        • @DarthBueller
          link
          41 year ago

          Until progressives move en masse to rural areas, this country is fucked. Gerrymandering is largely possible because you only need to go two feet outside of any urban area to be in a blood red sea of prideful ignorance and xenophobia.

        • oce 🐆
          link
          fedilink
          31 year ago

          Until we become the old assholes for not engaging enough into the ecological transition.

      • FuglyDuck
        link
        English
        41 year ago

        For the forseeable future? yes.

        Personally. I plan to go start a lunar colony, then mars, then jupiter. Build up a space civilization of enlightened scientists who… will tolerate my leadership because “well at least it’s not as bad as on earth.”

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          51 year ago

          Enough scientists are feral enough to just throw someone out an airlock. That shit would rapidly devolve into some demented form of anarcho-syndacalism.

          • FuglyDuck
            link
            English
            11 year ago

            That shit would rapidly devolve into some demented form of anarcho-syndacalism.

            you assume that I’m not some tin pot dictator. I’m far from the last person you want to see in power… but I’m also far from the first. Although… that could make for a good story…

          • FuglyDuck
            link
            English
            21 year ago

            …maybe?

            sure. If it turns out you’re that annoying person who won’t shut up about there kids on the shuttle ride out, I can just use you as a scapegoat. :)

    • @Kbobabob
      link
      111 year ago

      There’s a lot worse than Trump. Trump is dumb AF and is easily persuaded. I’m doubting that Trump ever actually came up with an idea of his own. He’s a puppet through and through.

      • FuglyDuck
        link
        English
        131 year ago

        he came up with the idea of having a button that summons diet coke,

    • @YoBuckStopsHere
      link
      English
      81 year ago

      Just look at all his accomplishments like … … … … and … … … … and don’t forget … … … …

      • FuglyDuck
        link
        English
        31 year ago

        Also, we should remember that time he…

  • @fubo
    link
    1201 year ago

    Is this guy campaigning for American votes, or a Russian paycheck?

    • @Foggyfroggy
      link
      261 year ago

      Neither, I think his job is to absorb the negative attention so T looks less unhinged or maybe separate off the crazier magas.

        • @Foggyfroggy
          link
          61 year ago

          Would you put someone “just nuts” in front of a tv camera? But really, I’ve never known the gop to just roll with whomever, their messaging is tightly controlled. If he is up there it’s for a reason.

          • @aseriesoftubes
            link
            221 year ago

            Would you put someone “just nuts” in front of a tv camera?

            Have you seen today’s GOP? Trump, Marj Green, Lauren Boebert, Jim Jordan… the crazy is a feature, not a bug, In Republican politics.

            I’ve never known the gop to just roll with whomever, their messaging is tightly controlled.

            All the tightly message-controlled Republican candidates in 2016 got thumped by Trump. The Republican party doesn’t even have a platform. They’re literally just rolling with some guy right now.

            If he is up there it’s for a reason.

            Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity… or craziness.

            • @Foggyfroggy
              link
              31 year ago

              Yeah, occam’s says it’s a political ploy. We are literally discussing candidates and how they present themselves. To legitimately bring in mental health seems a stretch.

          • @chronically_crazy
            link
            41 year ago

            Would you put someone “just nuts” in front of a tv camera?

            That’s generally what happens because it draws in ratings.

          • Neato
            link
            fedilink
            21 year ago

            We’ve put Trump, and previously 2nd term Reagan in front. So…yes?

    • @Hazdaz
      link
      61 year ago

      … but, but, but they’re the “true patriot” party! No one is more American than Republicans! 1!!

      /s

  • @jcit878
    link
    821 year ago

    how anyone cant seem through this blatent foreign agent acting against your country is beyond me. watching in amazement from down under

    • @mriguy
      link
      211 year ago

      Anyone with two functioning brain cells does see it. Unfortunately, there is an entire political party for people who don’t.

    • @SCB
      link
      101 year ago

      He’s at 5% of the vote in the Republican primary. He’s DOA in a general election.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      101 year ago

      The alternative is that his words are bald faced lies and he believes he’s all but winking at the “adults in the room” that “of course he’ll never actually do this”.

      They’re both equally horrible, and sadly equally possible.

  • @not_that_guy05
    link
    751 year ago

    Russia can’t even control it’s own military with success, how the fuck are they gonna challenge China and put them on check. Lol this fuckin puppet has the whole arm in him.

  • Phoenixz
    link
    fedilink
    651 year ago

    US politicians are surprisingly easily bought by foreign adversaries

  • PatFusty
    link
    fedilink
    631 year ago

    Dont give this stupid ass a platform. Just dont talk about him. All the negative press is what gave credence to Trump by the anti crowd.

    • Flying SquidOP
      link
      61 year ago

      I think it’s a little too late for that at this point. And I doubt posting this on Lemmy will get anyone to vote for him.

  • @Clbull
    link
    631 year ago

    How the actual fuck are the Republicans not getting hammered in the polls?

    Americans have been brainwashed for decades with ‘communism bad’ propaganda, so it seems mind-boggling that Republicans are so willing to give the former Soviet Union any control over Ukrainian soil. Part of the reason we’ve been fighting back against Russia’s invasion with sanctions and equipment donations has been because they’ve been NATO’s ideological enemy for decades.

    • Flying SquidOP
      link
      451 year ago

      I’ve actually seen a shirt that says “I’d rather be Russian than Democrat.”

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        211 year ago

        At this point being a Republican should be considered synonymous to being part of a conspiracy to commit treason and be treated as such.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          7
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          This is why some kind of civil conflict is likely. Because they are and either we are going to live in their republican hell world or they are going to make the rest of the rest of.us kill them to stop it. It is likely bc they will escalate to killing.

      • @Clbull
        link
        19
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        So have I.

        I’m not even from the same continent and it hurts my head to think of how a party whose supporters are synonymous with highly patriotic rednecks are willing to continue supporting their team after they’ve shown a categorical willingness to sell out to the enemy.

        Like… I truly think some big corporation has put something in our food or drink that is making us terminally stupid.

        • Flying SquidOP
          link
          101 year ago

          Maybe it’s all the microplastics and PFAS.

          • @Agent641
            link
            61 year ago

            Its the lead in the gasoline. Thats why the boomers are all crazy, they breathed that shit all their lives. Slow lead toxicity causes paranoia, delusions, lowers inhibitions, increases agression.

            Overlay light airports (small prop planes still use leaded gasoline) with conservative microclimates and you’ll see a correlation.

      • @Pretzilla
        link
        61 year ago

        A direct result of IRA/GRU/KozyBear(?), etc., disinfo and influence brainwashing social media campaigns.

        Social media is a hellofadrug to the poorly educated.

      • @InternetCitizen2
        link
        21 year ago

        So Ronald Reagan’s grave is a gender neutral bathroom and a power generator? Wow!

    • @joel_feila
      link
      121 year ago

      Because if the other team wants something it must be bad, so they oppose them. No matter how much they cut their nose they will spite their own face.

    • @kava
      link
      51 year ago

      The Republicans are more or less split on this issue. With the Trumpians being isolationist and not wanting to meddle and the Mitt Romneys wanting to keep the war machine humming along.

      Nikki Haley, a Republican Romney-ist candidate at the RNC debates last week criticized Ramaswamy

      “You are choosing a murderer over an ally of the U.S"

      His response was

      “I wish you success on your future career on the boards of Lockheed and Raytheon,”

      If you look at certain polls, there are early signs that Americans may be slowly losing fervor for the war and less and less are supporting increasing aid to Ukraine - feeling that the US has done enough.

      Trump and his cronies / wannabes are likely betting on that sentiment becoming more widespread. And historically, they are probably right to bet on it. People eventually get war fatigue. However, it could take a very long time before that leads to an actual policy change. Look how long Vietnam or Afghanistan lasted. These things can go on for decades before the government pulls the plug - even through years of public dissatisfaction.

      So who knows? The Republicans seem to be having a little war of their own

    • @electrogamerman
      link
      71 year ago

      You know whats the funny thing here?

      Republicans at this point are just fighting over who will be the worst and most fucked up and evil mother fucker?

      Thats what attracts the republican voters.

  • TwoGems
    link
    English
    501 year ago

    Of course, because Republicans get money from Russia to betray their country. What’s sad is that it doesn’t take much.

    • @Agent641
      link
      201 year ago

      I cant read cyrillic anyway.

  • @AshMan85
    link
    451 year ago

    sounds like a russian asset

    • @uis
      link
      41 year ago

      Sounds more like a Putin’s ass

        • @uis
          link
          01 year ago

          “Motherland is not a presidental ass” - Shevchuk.

          It is not. Putin and his gang of militant garage pensiorers are not Russia, despite what their propaganga says.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    451 year ago

    These debates seem more and more like massive focus groups. They get the non-contenders to say preposterous things with two goals: see what sticks and propagate lies.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      51 year ago

      It’s the one part of Idiocracy we’re actually performing.

      Elections are no longer about who’s the best for the job. It’s now a popularity contest. Intelligence and capability mean nothing anymore.

      And honestly I partially blame Obama for being to relaxed with the memes. Yeah it was funny af but it opened the gates to what we have now.

      It’s like how satire can quickly become real. So… Thanks Obama…

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        21 year ago

        Modernizing engagement by going on talk shows and using social media is smart. The message is what makes the difference. Republicans stopped caring about a message that progressed the country around Bush jr. Ever since then been a decline into tribalism and gaslighting. At least Obama ran on something positive.

      • @afraid_of_zombies
        link
        21 year ago

        Elections are no longer about who’s the best for the job.

        They were never about that. It was about which person will get my group what I want. The country could do fine for a long time without any political leadership. The mechanisms of government would just continue to operate. Look at the last admin, how many empty posts were there. I bet your trash still got picked up, I bet you still had to pay taxes, etc.

    • @kava
      link
      61 year ago

      Right or not, there’s a good chance Ukraine would not be standing today without US support. Of course other countries are also giving aid but US tops the chart by a large margin. see here $76 billion in aid as of June this year for a country whose GDP in 2020 was about $150 billion. They’re running at a massive deficit and barely holding on as it is.

      Should the US decide to go to Ukraine and say “hey, we’re cutting you off. should probably surrender with these xyz conditions” they would be forced to seriously consider their position.