USA Politics

Vaenyr said:
Despite establishment Dems pumping money and endorsing Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayoral primary. Hopefully he'll win the election as well. Time for some important changes, rather than having another sex pest running everything into the ground.
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Cuomo vastly underperformed despite having both of those big money interests and big-name political players such as Bill Clinton come out to endorse him. Even in boroughs that Cuomo was expected to do well in, Mamdani put up big numbers there.

Interesting to see considering the Harris campaign's collapse of the share of the vote in NYC and Trump's performance there. I do know a big chunk of Mamdani's platform is addressing the affordability crisis in the city whereas that didn't get touched on as much in Cuomo's platform. But, interesting to see the electorate move more to the left rather than embrace moderate centrist policies as a kneejerk reaction to the Trump loss that party leadership seems to be angling for.

Will party leadership fall in line and embrace Mamdani? Will Cuomo launch an independent bid himself? We shall see come November.
 
I'm cautious getting my hopes up, since this was only the Dem primary and not the actual election yet, but you raise good points. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come.

Not sure how much a realistic danger this poses, but Cuomo running as an independent could theoretically split the non-conservative vote, which could have disastrous effects. It's far too early to tell though, of course.

For now I'm really happy with the results.
 
Vaenyr said:
I'm cautious getting my hopes up, since this was only the Dem primary and not the actual election yet, but you raise good points. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come.

Not sure how much a realistic danger this poses, but Cuomo running as an independent could theoretically split the non-conservative vote, which could have disastrous effects. It's far too early to tell though, of course.

For now I'm really happy with the results.
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Could split it theoretically, true. It appears the Republicans are running the same candidate from the last election and his ceiling appears to be about 300,000 votes. Third place in the primary, Brad Lander, had already co-endorsed Mamdani for the ranked choice vote. Say their primary results hold and all of Lander's votes go to Mamdani he'd still have 544,654 votes. Cuomo's vote total last night was 361,840 votes. Eric Adams is running for re-election and his vote total expectation is likely DOA.

Key endorsement after last night's vote was a major Cuomo surrogate in Brooklyn pledging her support and endorsement to Mamdani. Long way to November though.
 
The Big Beautiful Bill has passed the senate after JD Vance broke the tie in favor of fucking millions of Americans while rewarding millionaires.

GOP Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Susan Collins (Maine) voted against the measure, along with every Democrat. Three Republicans with a spine in a sea of losers.

It now heads to the House so that it can be voted on whether ICE should receive more money than the Marines. Trump's personal army is coming, folks.

I hope every single person who voted Trump has to pay 25% more every year for electricity. I hope every single person who voted Trump has a loved one deported. I hope every single person who voted Trump loses healthcare benefits.
 
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MrKnickerbocker said:
I hope every single person who voted Trump has to pay 25% more every year for electricity. I hope every single person who voted Trump has a loved one deported. I hope every single person who voted Trump loses healthcare benefits.
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If only it were that simple. Sadly, everyone in the U.S. is affected — the ones who didn’t vote for him probably affected the worst.

I don’t wish ill on anyone but I do wish people were smarter.
 
Krampus said:
If only it were that simple. Sadly, everyone in the U.S. is affected — the ones who didn’t vote for him probably affected the worst.

I don’t wish ill on anyone but I do wish people were smarter.
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Of course it will affect those who didn’t vote for him moreso, that’s the whole point. Just keep “owning the Libs” even to their own detriment.

I absolutely wish financial and emotional ill will on everyone who voted for Trump. There is no other way they will learn (and still, they won’t learn).
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
Of course it will affect those who didn’t vote for him moreso, that’s the whole point. Just keep “owning the Libs” even to their own detriment.

I absolutely wish financial and emotional ill will on everyone who voted for Trump. There is no other way they will learn (and still, they won’t learn).
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As my twilight years approach, my vision dims and I cannot but reminisce over the glorious days of my youth. As a rake and gadabout, 1978 Camaro revving, majestic mullet billowing in the breeze, with perhaps some Black Sabbath on the 8-track, I too once took a dim view of all who opposed my might and wisdom.

Now, as winter’s chill bites my marrow and the summer sun drains my stamina, I view my human kindred with a gentler mien.

Those sad, whimsical fools, full of folly. How can one not muse lachrymosely over the childish ignorance of the masses?

But, sally forth, young idealist, with your Manichean polemics and stalwart dialectics.

For I, on my humble part, shall eschew the Fox News and simply while my dotage wandering presently through the meadow. Perhaps musing, ruefully, by the brook over how I was a mere quotidian cog in a vast unfathomable machine engineered by dunces.

But, hey, at least I’m not in Luxembourg’s Tax Class 2. Those poor suckers. Amiright?
 
Omigod y’all.

What in the literal and specific f is going on in Suffolk County, NY?

Lawmakers want longer terms? Is this the beginning of the “forever council” in Suffolk County?

They’re using the likely excuse that they want county elections to align with state election cycles. Heard that one before!

We’ll see what the referendum results are (eye-roll emoji) but probably more stupid Americans voting against their own interests.

Look, you’re either against the Suffolk County council term extensions or you’re a reprehensible piece of effluvia. Common sense, really.

I don’t live in Suffolk County, or even NY, but I’ll excommunicate you if you disagree with me on this. No (clap) county (clap) term (clap) extensions (clap clap). It’s not that hard to understand, people.

Gaw, I hope the people who vote in favor of this have their property easements redrawn. That’ll teach them.
 
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Not just there, but in Florida as well. The Republican lawmakers, that coincidentally have hit their term-limits, straight-out voted to give themselves one more year in office.
 
Yax said:
Not just there, but in Florida as well. The Republican lawmakers, that coincidentally have hit their term-limits, straight-out voted to give themselves one more year in office.
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LMAO. I wonder if they voted in raises that take effect that extension year, too.

Tbf, the Suffolk county one was pretty anodyne — they apparently just want county elections to be on the same ballots as state elections to save money.

I can think of an example or two where constitutional term limit fuckery legitimately scares me, though.
 
Brace yourselves.

“Five members of the Grand Junction City Council attended a luncheon hosted by the Housing and Building Association on Wednesday despite the city not providing public notice that a quorum of the seven-member council would be in attendance.” (West, 2025).

I know, I’m literally shaking and crying right now.

I might lose a few online BFFs for this, but, while one can argue that lunch is a human right, I cannot in good conscience stand in silence at this betrayal of public trust.

I don’t live in Grand Junction, nor am I exactly sure where in the USA it is, but by God, if we don’t speak up, this shit will proliferate like mold and maybe spread to Europe, where smart people live.

Maybe some of you lunchites (not naming names) see this as excusable. I assuredly do not. While lunch is probably the second most important meal of the day — fucking tell somebody before you sit down at Applebee’s or wherever if you’re on a city council.

Standards. I’m open to civil debate on this but ad hominem attacks will make me sad and I might leave.

Article here (TW: lunch is discussed in lurid detail):

West, D. (2025). Five City Council members attend luncheon in potential violation of open meetings law. The Daily Sentinel. https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/wes...cle_263bbe5e-1ca5-4447-a5b9-50683c7f6910.html
 
I hope everyone has had their morning coffee and is sitting down.

Are bicycles running roughshod over NYC’s Upper East Side?

Look, I for one am for sustainable transportation but, if the NY city council wants to turn portions of 3rd St into an “ebike racetrack,” (Harfenist, 2025), then it becomes a matter of public safety.

SMH, it’s a slippery slope and where will it end? Sure, one can say they hope those that voted in this council term should be hit by an ebike and that’s their comeuppance but doesn’t it also compute that those voting in favor may be the very ones piloting said ebikes?

Sigh, I guess I’m glad I don’t live in NY.

Anyway, I can’t imagine anyone disagrees with me on this but, if you do, consider that I hail from a house of learned doctors and you may likely lose any debate with me on this matter. We’ll count likes and see, I guess, since that’s how online forums determine truth from fiction.

References: Harfenist, E. (2025). Traffic Light Adjustments Stir Controversy on Third Avenue. East Side Feed. https://eastsidefeed.com/odds-and-ends/traffic-light-adjustments-stir-controversy-on-third-avenue/
 
First, I'd rather be hit by an ebike than a car. Cars kill ~200 people a year in NYC, and ebikes kill ~25 - mostly their riders, mostly in automobile collisions, mostly when the battery explodes. Now that's not ideal, but apparently the deathr rate is coming down due to improved ebike battery regulation. Government good, yet again.

Similar changes have occurred in my city on a major street, including re-timing lights and lowering the speed limit, and it's actually made that street far nicer to drive on once people adjusted. I expect the same will be true for 3rd Avenue.

Bikes take up way less space on the road. Every person who cycles leaves room for a vehicle that needs to be there. I love pro-bicycle policy a lot.
 
I have complicated feelings on bike infrastructure. On a basic level: it’s great. Everything about biking is better for humans and better for the environment.

But good lord, bike people are the worst.

We’ve had a lot of changes and enhancements in bike infrastructure in Chicago, all good in theory, but the bike people treat the roads like their own personal playground. They do not follow traffic laws. They do not stop at stop signs, red lights, etc. They swerve into traffic without a hand signal to pass slower cyclists. On average, I experience at least 2-3 close calls with bicyclists every day that I drive. It’s incredibly dangerous.
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
I have complicated feelings on bike infrastructure. On a basic level: it’s great. Everything about biking is better for humans and better for the environment.

But good lord, bike people are the worst.

We’ve had a lot of changes and enhancements in bike infrastructure in Chicago, all good in theory, but the bike people treat the roads like their own personal playground. They do not follow traffic laws. They do not stop at stop signs, red lights, etc. They swerve into traffic without a hand signal to pass slower cyclists. On average, I experience at least 2-3 close calls with bicyclists every day that I drive. It’s incredibly dangerous.
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It's a vicious circle. I want to violently murder nearly every cyclist I come across as a driver, because they are a danger to their surroundings and themselves and behave in an absolutely unhinged (and weirdly arrogant) way ... and yet, the car traffic everywhere is so hectic, aggressive and everything I really don't feel like I could travel by bike with kids - ever since we've had kids (3, soon 4) me and wifey have nearly stopped biking altogether. Also, you won't go shopping via bike if you're buying stuff for 5 people.
However, I suppose it's a great thing for commuting if you live within city limits (or close enough) and you have a place to change.
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
I have complicated feelings on bike infrastructure. On a basic level: it’s great. Everything about biking is better for humans and better for the environment.

But good lord, bike people are the worst.

We’ve had a lot of changes and enhancements in bike infrastructure in Chicago, all good in theory, but the bike people treat the roads like their own personal playground. They do not follow traffic laws. They do not stop at stop signs, red lights, etc. They swerve into traffic without a hand signal to pass slower cyclists. On average, I experience at least 2-3 close calls with bicyclists every day that I drive. It’s incredibly dangerous.
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Yes, this is exactly what I experience on a daily basis. You walk on the pavement, a nice, broad empty bike lane next to it, and you still have to worry about some asshole cyclist running you over. I don't know what to do, honestly.
 
I have very few problems with cyclists when I am visiting Sweden, at least where I spend most of the time, it is quite calm and chill. I also have few problems with cyclists in my subdivision, where there are few bike lanes but they share the road responsibly. The issue I have is in downtown Ottawa where they ignore signs and don't signal. I was one nearly clipped by a former leader of the NDP on his bike while crossing the street for work. The issue is education and likely some level of enforcement, but overall, biking is just a superior way for a society to commute when practical.
 
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