The More Things Change....
I came across this old study and it captures the paradox of Democratic government that's always been been curious to me. Why do Democratic leaders make such self evidently disastrous policy choices when their own self interest would apparently be better served by governing well? Its turns out, Democratic leaders discovered over 100 years ago that's it better to engage in policies that chase successful voters out of their jurisdiction, and leave only those dependent on their largesse or tied to them through the racial divisions they stoke.
It's called Curley effect, after the early 20th century Mayor of Boston:
James Michael Curley, a four-time mayor of Boston, used wasteful redistribution to his poor Irish
constituents and incendiary rhetoric to encourage richer citizens to emigrate from Boston, thereby shaping
the electorate in his favor. Boston as a consequence stagnated, but Curley kept winning elections. We
present a model of the Curley effect, in which inefficient redistributive policies are sought not by interest
groups protecting their rents, but by incumbent politicians trying to shape the electorate through
emigration of their opponents or reinforcement of class identities. The model sheds light on ethnic
politics in the United States and abroad, as well as on class politics in many countries including Britain
https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w8942/w8942.pdf
It perfectly explains the motives behind the Newsoms, Pritzkers and countless blue city mayors. Making things worse, increases their power and strengthens the Democratic party, which is, of course, the goal of Democratic politician. If you have ever wondered how blue cities/states cand keep electing the people who are destroying them, this is the model.
Foment racial discord and chase out the races not inclined to support the party while running things so badly that those people who can leave, will. That's how you get a permanent democratic government with an electorate bound together by race and dependence on government largesse.
They've been doing it since the heyday of Tammany Hall, Democrats aren't going to stop soon.
All those U-hauls filled with the middle class fleeing California, Illinois etc are a feature of Democratic policies, not a bug.
Do not clap too soon! Black people. . . and other minorities, having seen and remember this hatemongering and fearmongering from some conservatives and their hand-picked representatives, may feel a sudden UNCTION to pack up and move yet again. Because states can change. . . democrats can change. . . MAGA supporters apparently can not as they appear narrow-mindedly stuck doing the same things and expecting "perfection," or some such thing.
Put another way, in liberal "America" people can move back and forth. . . there feet are not 'nailed' to the ground. Some conservatives? I fear they have long 'stapled' feet into the ground on which they stand and sadly MAGA King Trump and his minions live in fear that if they 'pop-off' their "Great King" Trump will '86' any and many of them to exile from MAGA-Land!
One thing Great King Trump can not stand is somebody with a 'mouth' that does not follow and teach his edicts. Exile awaits all who choose to speak freely in MAGA-LAND U.S.A.
Liberals welcome diversity and free-thinking. Hell, liberal will even welcome conservatives if they can bring themselves to stop 'molesting' liberals. And let everybody (else) live in peace!
GPT-5 mini (AI):
Notable examples from James M. Curley’s tenure
Massive patronage hires: Curley filled municipal jobs with supporters and ward operatives across city departments (public works, police precincts, clerical posts) to reward loyalty and build a voting bloc.
Relief and welfare allocation: During the 1910s–1930s, Curley directed city relief, work-relief projects, and charitable payouts to neighborhoods and families that backed him politically.
Public works for political gain: Curley fast-tracked street, sewer, park, and municipal building projects in wards that delivered votes, using visible projects as patronage and vote-buying tools.
Employment through city contracts: He steered city contracts and hiring on projects to firms and subcontractors tied to his machine, creating jobs for supporters and political allies.
Use of appointed offices: Curley expanded and filled appointive boards, commissions, and patronage posts (e.g., city boards, hospital/charity boards) with loyalists to control resources and appointments.
Targeted relief during crises: In the 1918 flu and the Depression era, Curley used emergency relief, public-works jobs, and municipal purchases to shore up support among immigrant and working-class communities.
Electoral mobilization via ward bosses: Curley tolerated and empowered ward bosses who maintained voter lists, delivered turnout on election day, and ensured that municipal employment and favors translated into ballots.
Blurring city services and campaign activity: Curley’s administration allegedly used municipal communication and events to promote allies and influence public opinion ahead of elections.
Hmmm. This seems a lot similar to MAGA King Trump and his minions running of the government in 2025 forward! MAGA supporters should be able to recognize the 'work' of "High King" Trump. Thus, why try to project it on others! Just does not make any sense to do that!
No matter how many times I say democrats hate trump because he wields power like they do progressives still think this is some sort of gotcha…
Sorry, I have no idea what your comment even means. You don't have to explain it if you don't want to, nevertheless!
No matter how many times you say Trumps obvious mental illness isnt important the more ridiculous it sounds.
The more often people that said Joe was sharp as a tack talk about Trumps mental illness the funnier it gets.
Are there no young leaders in our political system that can we can vote for anymore? We need young blood. . . these old folks are slow, lumbering, and need to be at home distracted by their retirement (pains/stories/medical issues, plus).
It seems too many of the young blood politicians, at least the ones that get on t v are more fringe and harder to vote for.
And the ones worth looking at are getting pushed out by their own parties.
Either folks in the center are being silent or there are more people moving to the fringes.
lol
Well, all I can add is the politicians in the center need to get their acts together, because extremists are all-around (dangerous) clowns!
Name who it was that said it on here and provide the link(s).
Leave it to some Republicans to enjoy having a depraved, mentally ill President.
BDS
Prove it
Yep.
Biden Did Suck
Perhaps if we re-frame your question it will reveal the answer.
Is it starting to sink in? Regardless of what any Democrat did in the past, Trump is the one currently raping America. Just because some think there is a level of equivalence between Democrat wrongdoing in the past, that doesn't justify wrongdoing in the present by either party.
Just because Nixon was proved to be obstructing justice, illegally wiretapping and committing perjury didn't give Democrats the right to do the same in the following years. That was seen as a "what not to do" lesson. Today, Republicans accuse Democrats (often falsely) of the supposed crimes of lawfare, extreme partisanship and nepotism. But instead of saying "This kind of behavior in government is unacceptable" they use the claim that Democrats did it first to pave the way for Republicans to commit lawfare, extreme partisanship and nepotism on whole new levels never seen before in our nation.
Republicans know they cannot defend Trumps personality, perversions, ignorance or criminal actions; they can only desperately try and compare him to the worst Democrat straw man they can create from their fevered nightmares and say, "What about Biden?", "What about Obama?", "What about Hunter?", "What about either Clinton?". And of course, their claims against Democrats have to be completely blown out of proportion or be half-truths or bald-faced lies in order to reach the level of criminality they need to defend Trumps criminality which prove they're nothing but fucking moron sycophants living in an altered reality inside Trumps rectum.
And your links to the Doctors diagnosis is found where?
Obviously, you can't.
Prove what? That there are Republicans who enjoy having Trump as President? Pfft.
Creative editing. You forgot depraved, mentally ill
Prove it
Prove it
Michael Douglas -
BethVanDuyne -
Rita Panahi -
... opinions, not facts, so you've got nothing.
Not nearly as bad as trump does that's for damn sure.
Is it? I've been saying it for the last decade plus.
Regardless of what any Democrat did in the past, Trump is the one currently raping Ameri
By "raping America" you mean wielding power like a Democrat.
wrongdoing in the past, that doesn't justify wrongdoing in the present by either party.
Nothing justifies "wrongdoing." But chickens come home to roost. And watching he people who've cheered America "getting raped" for decades now having tantrums because their tactics are used in ways they don't like is simply too much.
The country was never going to maintain a system where the Mitt Romneys of the world played by the rules, were piled on by the media and attacked by absolutely deranged Democrats claiming he was going to put black people in chains. It's really game theory.
Being the nice rule following player doesn't work when your opponent. doesn't. It's a fool's game. Either engage in tit for tat retaliation or accept losing forever. Now both sides are attacking the norms. As the instigator, it's up to democrats to admit wrongdoing and deescalate and pressure the Republicans to follow suit. Of course, they are going nuclear: See Graham Platner.
Watch the Stalinists deny everything they said about Biden.
Watch the Neo-Nazis continue to sing the praises of their Dear Leader Trump.
And we should call out our democratic party lice and louses where they stand and not try to defend them when it is clear they are such! For example, Bill Clinton although he is fading into the background. . . will 'startle' tomorrow's children when they learn of his infidelity and his 'appetite' of choice while in the White House. How that an immediate follow-up president after him reportedly had the "facilities" scrubbed down from top to bottom to dispel any problems with body fluids which may have lingered.
We, the citizens, are not responsible for alleged acts by Eric Swalwell, we've only voted for the man-representative. . . his misdeeds are his own.
So let republicans try to distract by insisting people waste time (and their lives) writing long treatise about stupid, irresponsible, politicians that cross the line. I will not be wasting energy and 'daylight.' I will not give them succor with it!
Do you have medical diagnosis (link/s) on Biden? Please provide a link, now!
It is good to know that the GOP admits it traffics in bullsh-t. . .so we can leave the lot of you all with the 'cast-offs' from the Democratic Party. Otherwise, we do not believe lies anyway no matter who is telling them.
And that has what to do with my statement? I didn't say anything about Biden. That's all you.
The more often people that said Joe was sharp as a tack talk about Trumps mental illness the funnier it gets.
So it has absolutely NOTHING to do with my statement, you just want to blather, cry and complain on about unrelated shit.
And you STILL haven't provided a link to a medical practitioner that diagnosed the President to back up your claims.
If you are going to try to take the high ground in discussion, at the least, engage others and not just talk at them.
As to the remainder of your comment: I do not recall asking you for anything about MAGA King Trump! 
[✘]
You don't get to talk to me using hateful and insulting rhetoric. . . go find some other liberal you can abuse. . .because it ain't me. Also, as I SHARED WITH YOU ALREADY: I have not asked you nothing about Trump, so you should go ask somebody else, as I have nothing for you about it (for now anyway).
[✘] And I'm still waiting for that link.
MAGA King Trump was not a part of my comment, so. . . .
Wow. MAGA supporters do believe this nonsense, because it is evident by now that y'all are self-taught behaviorists dedicated to ONE-WAY messaging. . It begs the question: Are there (really) villains inhabiting every bush or just a collection of malcontents cases expressing their folly?!
So now Harvard professors in 2002 were “maga?l
is there anything you disagree with that I you don’t just reflexively label maga?
Free country. You get to label anybody "progressive" and any other negative stereotype as wish. . . so just let it happen. . .apparently it does not mean that much to you anyway. Because if it did. . .you would not be participate in such an 'endeavor' repeatedly.
I could give a damn about what some democratic mayor did in history. . .during his time in office. . . unless and until somebody attempts to foist in on to the shoulders of a new generation. . . inaccurately. Democrats are fighting the same and nuanced political battles with MAGA conservatives today. . . as it has always occurred. Why? Because MAGA conservatives are so intensely wanting to 'own' liberals that they are 'chewing' off the GOP 'body parts' in hopes of staunching the fracturing from their High King choices. And so, they think liberals will 'save them' through distraction. . . project away. We will point it out to you when it is evidently occurring.
BTW, subtlety is a manipulated thing in the hands of some conservatives, you all manage to slip a lot pass others in discuss, hell, I will even go so far as to state how subtle some conservatives are even in policy-making with getting people to miss the point of what some conservatives are 'really' going after. . . that is changing now. Why? Because we are going to call out the bullsh-t as it is 'served' and not listen to the political 'warfare' lies some conservatives tell about what they are up to when they express their feelings.
Department of Oops!
Revision:
I could NOT give a damn about what some democratic mayor did in history. . . during his time in office. .. unless and until somebody attempts to foist in on to the shoulders of a new generation. . . inaccurately!
Wow! Is this how some conservatives intend to 'reason' life in this country going forward. . . looking through the past at every alleged "blemish," alleged "mistake," alleged "bad actor," alleged "bad deed," supposedly done by liberals and acting some version of that out for public policy "consumption"? What idiocy!
could NOT give a damn about what some democratic mayor did in history
and that really says it all.
Why? Are you still 'giving a damn' about Nixons crimes? Why shouldn't CB be more concerned with the actual politicians running for reelection than to follow the dipshit moron line of reasoning that some tired losers are trying to drag him down?
Um.. Yeah. I'm not a goldfish. Applying lessons and patterns from the past is how you best understand the present. The defense and celebration of ignorance coming from Democrats has to be seen to be believed.
the actual politicians running for reelection than to follow the dipshit moron line of reasoning that some tired losers are trying to drag him down?
What are you saying here?
The above is what I wrote IN CONTEXT. In the past, I have ASKED you to cease shortening my comments before periods, and where appropriate before you catch the essence (context) of its meaning in your quote. As it really says it all when a 'debater' sets up a strawman that has nothing itself to stand up in discussion! Go to the period/s and even a full paragraph if necessary to be genuine in answering!
Which is why it's simply not believable because it's not happening. Sure, celebration of ignorance is rampant among Trump supporters, but rational Americans aren't falling for it which is clearly why some are desperately trying to push any attack against Democrats that they can. That desperation really is a stinky cologne, and the Republican party is absolutely coated in it as they see the poll numbers and see gas prices and another war in the middle east. They already double and tripled down betting on his Presidency, and rational Americans can clearly see it's been a disaster which scares the shit out of the MAGAites who bet everything on Trump and are about to go broke. Not that 'everything' they had amounted to much, the poor deluded bigots, but when even that gets stripped away, they'll have no one to blame but themselves.