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PaperclipPerfector  6d ago (text post)   29701 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of March 3, 2025

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This inner peace comes from recognizing that nobody cares and that it's never going to happen.

I had been resigned to this. Then Elon and Trump appeared initially quite serious about fixing the deficit. If there was a silver lining to these greedy unprincipled clowns taking control of the government, to the fucking all-in podcast / PayPal mafia now being in the President's ear, it would be that they were at least serious about the budget. Libertarians rejoice!

Except they aren't. Or, at least, Trump used Elon. Or, Elon was never serious about it either.

Instead we're slash and burning the government, which includes useful important stuff with no replacement. And we're doing it for, what... approximately nothing? Because the cruelty is the point? To own the libs?

Because the cruelty is the point?

I truly don't understand this argument. The DOGE has canceled government-funded-ism (through DEI), which is cruel in itself. The mass firings of worthless bureaucrats elicit glee from yours truly because they're so obviously needed. I take no joy in their suffering, even if they are the type of people incapable of replacing a smoke alarm battery. The contribution of these people to the debt is significant, and only getting worse as pension obligations balloon. Attacking the workforce is an incredibly valid tactic, and these games of pretending that nobody can unlock bathrooms if anyone gets fired only confirms my suspicions.

Then Elon and Trump appeared initially quite serious about fixing the deficit.

I don't think either of the two campaigned on keeping taxes high while slashing medicare/medicaid and setting an end date for social security benefits. It's political suicide because Americans are stupid and selfish.

Was it dishonest for them to pretend like they'd permanently fix the problem? Yes. Am I happy with any cuts at all being possible, even if my Javier Milei fantasies are ultimately no closer to reality? Also yes.

the type of people incapable of replacing a smoke alarm battery

Genuine question - do we know if this is that people are incapable of replacing the smoke alarm battery, or if they are not allowed to by a union work rule?

The interview was conducted in his home in this case

Does a union work rule have any jurisdiction in how one controls one's own electronics in one's own home? The only way I could see that applying is if someone rents from a landlord that has some exclusive deal with some union to maintain the property, which seems possible but I have no idea how common that is. I was also under the impression that even renters have substantial rights over their homes that override the desires of the landlord. In Massachusetts, I know that landlords aren't allowed to enter the premises without the renter's permission, for instance.

IANAL, but I also can't see such a rule being enforceable or legal, given how much of a personal and public safety issue that unpowered smoke alarms can cause.

No union work rules apply in one's personal residence.

True - I'm at work so I can't watch the video, and assumed the smoke alarm was in a government office.

even if they are the type of people incapable of replacing a smoke alarm battery

I realize this is completely a tangent, but the fact that there are people out there able to tolerate their ceiling birds constantly chirping at them is one of the biggest sticking points to me that parts of America are completely incompatible with each other. The chirp is so obnoxious for me that it's a drop everything immediately and break out the ladder (and run to the store for batteries if needed) sorr of thing.

I have to wonder if it only started running out of battery in that clip.

No, not really, it's actually kind of a thing and always has been, to @ChickenOverlord 's point.

elicit glee from yours truly because they're so obviously needed.

I have expressed similar amounts of glee. Here on TheMotte even. Repeatedly. Watching people on /r/fednews react with outrage at the collision with reality has been like porn.

But I still think the government does some useful, good things and the carpet bombing approach DOGE is taking is very costly. I would consider it worthwhile if the goal was to substantially reduce the deficit, but not if the goal is to score ideological victory. If the goal is to keep the deficits and cut taxes, you can score ideological victory through more surgical cutting.

Ideological victory is upstream from other victories. Slashing at the bureaucracy, even if it is symbolic, it at least a step in the direction of dismantling certain entrenched ideas. I would choose a bureaucracy and institutions that were constructed in the same way if they simply leaned in the other direction ideologically. I'd choose it over either side right now. That does not seem to be an option though. Next best option is to root for this administration to do as much damage as possible to the progressive left. Chemotherapy.

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