POTUS Debate II: The Empire Strikes Back at the Wrath of Electric Mittensaloo

[DGuller]

So boring how we keep getting that same map election cycle after election cycle with very minor adjustments.

It's almost like there's a legitimate urban-rural divide in our society.

It is, there is a very deep and at the moment seemingly irreconcilable cultural divide.  And when you have two evenly matched sides at each other's throats, a minor third player can play the kingmaker.  That's how you get a situations where crony capitalists convinced some of the poorest strata of society to fight for the creation of the New Gilded Age.  Of course, it's also in the interest of the kingmaker to keep the divisive status quo.

[garbon]

The kingmaker?

[Eddie Teach]

I dunno, Protestantism and capitalism have been pretty closely entwined for centuries, can't give too much of the credit to opportunistic robber barons.

[DGuller]

The kingmaker?

The small faction that tips the scales.

[garbon]

The kingmaker?

The small faction that tips the scales.

Can you elaborate on who or what is this small faction?

[DGuller]

The kingmaker?

The small faction that tips the scales.

Can you elaborate on who or what is this small faction?

Crony capitalists.

[ulmont]

I think Vermont and Maine get explained on the "rolls up state by state basis."

[DontSayBanana]

The kingmaker?

The small faction that tips the scales.

Can you elaborate on who or what is this small faction?

Letterman, at least according to Letterman last week.

[DGuller]

I dunno, Protestantism and capitalism have been pretty closely entwined for centuries, can't give too much of the credit to opportunistic robber barons.

But the thing is that plutocrats weren't always aligned with the rural faction.  It used to be that the urban Northeast was the power base of the plutocrats, which made a lot more sense in historic context.

[CountDeMoney]

Wouldn't explain Vermont or Maine.

They're refugee states, their populaces driven from their former homes in New Hampshire.

[Eddie Teach]

I dunno, Protestantism and capitalism have been pretty closely entwined for centuries, can't give too much of the credit to opportunistic robber barons.

But the thing is that plutocrats weren't always aligned with the rural faction.  It used to be that the urban Northeast was the power base of the plutocrats, which made a lot more sense in historic context.

Well when the urbanites are happily voting them tax rates up to 90% it makes sense they'd part ways. Though calling one faction "rural" seems off as the country's population is over 80% urbanized.

Another thing, the South isn't nearly as destitute now as back in TVA days. If it was, they'd be supporting Democrats, culture war or no.

[CountDeMoney]

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[Razgovory]

I dunno, Protestantism and capitalism have been pretty closely entwined for centuries, can't give too much of the credit to opportunistic robber barons.

Protestantism is the road to Marxism as well.

[Eddie Teach]

Marx was an atheist and his father was a Jew who "converted" so he could keep practicing law. Engels was also an atheist.

[Maximus]

Though calling one faction "rural" seems off as the country's population is over 80% urbanized.

In this context, rural includes the population of smaller towns and cities whose economy are mainly supported by the rural areas around them.