And They're Off! The Democratic Candidates for 2020

[Florestan]

LOL. Hamas is not communist.  The original Hamas Charter blames Jews for communism.

I know it alright. Nevertheless, amw likes them. Go figure!

[Florestan]

If that's the case then perhaps the just thing is to burn down all of civilization.

Once we do that and start living in tribes and small villages

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Zerzan

we might notice that the sociopaths will pop up again. In the case, we should all burn down our own villages and wipe out humanity.

http://www.vhemt.org/

[SimonNZ]

currently the forum's only communist apologist for mass-murderers such as Stalin, Mao, Castro and Hamas.

That doesn't follow.

[JBS]

I know it alright. Nevertheless, amw likes them. Go figure!

I don't remember amw defending Stalin, Mao, or Castro at any time on GMG.

[Florestan]

I don't remember amw defending Stalin, Mao, or Castro at any time on GMG.

Let me refresh your memory.

I'll grant you the resource extraction, but a few hundred thousand prisoners in labour camps were not exactly the Soviet Union's engine of growth & the relocation of populations had nothing to do with economics. (Stalin was essentially attempting to erase ethnic & national divisions by encouraging migration from the imperial core to the more distant republics. Didn't work out very well, as one can see in hindsight.) I don't think the PRC even had any kind of forced labour or migration; most of its problems were due to natural disasters (especially the 1959-61 famine) which Mao's government was unable to handle effectively.

Relatively speaking, Stalin committed fewer crimes against humanity in 1939-45 than Hitler, Mussolini, Roosevelt, Churchill, the Japanese Empire etc. You can draw what conclusions you like from that statement, but it is (as far as I know) true. 1931-36 or 1948-51 would be different stories obviously.

(also, Stalin was actually good)

(I couldn't quote it directly because it's from a closed thread; read the whole post here: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,28224.msg1149548.html#msg1149548)

I'll give you Castro, I confused her with someone else, but I wouldn't be surprised if she actually does like him.

[JBS]

Well, this one

Relatively speaking, Stalin committed fewer crimes against humanity in 1939-45 than Hitler, Mussolini, Roosevelt, Churchill, the Japanese Empire etc. You can draw what conclusions you like from that statement, but it is (as far as I know) true. 1931-36 or 1948-51 would be different stories obviously.

Is fairly accurate if you take the view that things like the bombing of Dresden, Hiroshima, and bombing of civilian populations are indeed crimes against humanity. The main inaccuracy is including Mussolini on the list.  And it doesn't deny that Stalin did commit crimes against humanity (most obvious victims in the war years being the Poles and his own army).

and this is euphemistic but true

Stalin was essentially attempting to erase ethnic & national divisions by encouraging migration from the imperial core to the more distant republics

It just fails to mention how malign his motivations were.

[Florestan]

Well, this one
Is fairly accurate if you take the view that things like the bombing of Dresden, Hiroshima, and bombing of civilian populations are indeed crimes against humanity.

So is raping, killing and looting civilian populations, which the Red Army in its advance towards Berlin did with gusto. You might not be aware of that but Romanians, Poles, Baltics, Hungarians, Austrians and Germans are.

The main inaccuracy is including Mussolini on the list. 

Mussolini and Roosevelt. The bombing of Hiroshima took place under Truman's presidency.

and this is euphemistic but true
It just fails to mention how malign his motivations were.

I beg your pardon? It clearly states that his motivation were actually commendable. Read again: "Stalin was essentially attempting to erase ethnic & national divisions ". This is a lie. Stalin wanted to get rid of entire populations which stood in his way. As for "encouraged migration" as an euphemism for the forced and brutal deportation of entire ethnic groups, no comment.


EDIT: I'm surprised you didn't address the assertion that Mao did not have any policy of forced labor.

[71 dB]

Emerson Poll, Democratic Primary Preference, November 17-20, ±4.6 % pts:

Joe Biden --- 27 %
Bernie Sanders --- 27 %
Elizabeth Warren --- 20 %
Pete Buttigieg --- 7 %
Andrew Yang --- 4 %

[SimonNZ]

No Kamala Harris? Pity. From this distance she seems much more worthy than the locals seem to feel.

[Florestan]

No Kamala Harris? Pity. From this distance she seems much more worthy than the locals seem to feel.

Indeed, what a pity Americans choose their leaders without ever asking the opinion of the world at large.

[dissily Mordentroge]

Indeed, what a pity Americans choose their leaders without ever asking the opinion of the world at large.

Most Americans would need to attend classes in basic geography before they even knew where most of the world at large was.
I'm reminded of a conversation I overheard whilst viewing the Taj Mahal.
Female American "But where are the camels George?"
Male American "No Doris, that's the Parthenon. We see that on Tuesday"
I've learnt over the decades not to get bad tempered when telling Americans I'm from Australia only to have them think I'm Austrian.

[SimonNZ]

Indeed, what a pity Americans choose their leaders without ever asking the opinion of the world at large.

Like thats what I was saying.

On the other hand...if the would has a consensus of horror it should count for something.

[SimonNZ]

Most Americans would need to attend classes in basic geography before they even knew where most of the world at large was.
I'm reminded of a conversation I overheard whilst viewing the Taj Mahal.
Female American "But where are the camels George?"
Male American "No Doris, that's the Parthenon. We see that on Tuesday"
I've learnt over the decades not to get bad tempered when telling Americans I'm from Australia only to have them think I'm Austrian.

Lets not go down this road - we both have plenty of home-grown idiots.

[dissily Mordentroge]

Lets not go down this road - we both have plenty of home-grown idiots.

True but for some reason Americans amongst westerners specialise in geographic ignorance.
The part of Australia I live in, Tasmania, attracts the ignorant from the mainland who 'Just want to get away from the wogs'.
Wogs is Australian slang for anyone not white and anglo-saxon.
This however takes us to an even more dangerous subject, the question arising from the ignorance and stupidity of a large percentage of any population in relation to the right to vote. Plato's 'Republic' refers.

[drogulus]

     We get richer, not poorer, solving the biggest problems. Dems don't seem to get this and play the same dreary howyougonna games about green new infrastructure as they play about health care.

     Pulling CO2 out of the air and using it could be a trillion-dollar business

     It will be a huge business, no doubt. We should capture as much future industry as we can, and you can be sure China will do it. I would prefer not to hand the future over to them to "save dollars".

     

[71 dB]

No Kamala Harris? Pity. From this distance she seems much more worthy than the locals seem to feel.

Not a pity at all.

1) Kamala Harris is an uninspiring centrist.
2) Tulsi Gabbard destroyed her in the debates.

She was a corporate media favorite in the beginning because she is a centrist black woman so identity politics is easy (people who are against her can be called sexist and rasist). However, people saw fast how uninspiring she is and then Tulsi Gabbard did the rest...

[SimonNZ]

   
     Pulling CO2 out of the air and using it could be a trillion-dollar business

   

Is that meant to be a link? If not where are you getting this info?

[drogulus]

Is that meant to be a link? If not where are you getting this info?

     Why are you being so judgmental? Have you never made a mistake?

     That's it, I'm outta here..... I'm sure all of you will be very happy when I'm gone and will say bad things about me as soon as I'm out the door, or sooner.

     OK, I fixed it.

[SimonNZ]

Heh. Thanks.

Interesting article.

[SimonNZ]

I completely agree, because you are in the minority. The world at large would elect Sanders.

I actually doubt that.