Inflation and Biden

Fogdog

Well-Known Member

David Brooks and his lack of connection to what's really going on is why the GOP became so radicalized. Not saying Brooks advocates MAGA policies, it's just that the conservative GOP had no new ideas, couldn't win on policy and reactionaries like those in the Freedumb Caucus found out that unreality was a good way to sell voters on voting for them.

Brooks is a old time Reagan conservative and does not advocate the use of violence like the new school GOP does. He's not an enemy but he's not really in touch with the times. Back in the days of Reagan, the GOP was not in touch with reality. They never have been. And so, they slowly lost support of the majority in this country while selling a vision that isn't true. David Brooks is not a threat to our democracy but posts that are truthy - sound true but aren't -- posts like that are a threat to our democracy. Threads like this one, which is based on a false assumption that Biden caused high inflation. They are too.


And now, we have gotten to the point where people have learned to fact-check on their own. Making for some really funny tweets.
 
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Fogdog

Well-Known Member
David Brooks. Like Charles Krauthammer before him and George Will, space in my paper I skip.
I like the session that PBS Newshour broadcasts at the end of their Friday report, Brooks and Capehart. I hope that this doesn't blow up and cause Brooks to leave that session. But I do feel like Ricky Ricardo did toward Lucy when he said "you have some 'splaining to do".
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus

David Brooks and his lack of connection to what's really going on is why the GOP became so radicalized. Not saying Brooks advocates MAGA policies, it's just that the conservative GOP had no new ideas, couldn't win on policy and reactionaries like those in the Freedumb Caucus found out that unreality was a good way to sell voters on voting for them.

Brooks is a old time Reagan conservative and does not advocate the use of violence like the new school GOP does. He's not an enemy but he's not really in touch with the times. Back in the days of Reagan, the GOP was not in touch with reality. They never have been. And so, they slowly lost support of the majority in this country while selling a vision that isn't true. David Brooks is not a threat to our democracy but posts that are truthy - sound true but aren't -- posts like that are a threat to our democracy. Threads like this one, which is based on a false assumption that Biden caused high inflation. They are too.


And now, we have gotten to the point where people have learned to fact-check on their own. Making for some really funny tweets.
the simple fact that Reaganites believed in the healing power of supply-side economics has them solidly wedded to hypocritical fantasy.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I like the session that PBS Newshour broadcasts at the end of their Friday report, Brooks and Capehart. I hope that this doesn't blow up and cause Brooks to leave that session. But I do feel like Ricky Ricardo did toward Lucy when he said "you have some 'splaining to do".
Now if CNN and MSNBC had people like that on to discuss current topics I'd actually pay attention to them rather than use them for background noise when there's nothing like PBS Newshour on which I watch every day. I don't even get Faux so I'm missing a lot of great comedy. :)

Actually Capehart is on MSNBC right now. :)

:peace:
 

Fogdog

Well-Known Member
Not gona keep spamming this already spammed up thread but plenty of viable sources beg to differ
View attachment 5328727
It's an old mistake, the one made in that meme you posted.

Without having seen the statistics, I'll just concede that it's true and then ask why is it true?

So I asked google and found a reasonable explanation why..

.

Who is most likely to drive slowly?
There are certain people who are more prone to drive slower than other:

  • Senior citizens or the elderly population: When an individual ages, they are more likely to start driving slowly. The reason for this is because of factors like poor vision, poor posture, sore joints, and intimidation on the road. Reaction time is also known to change with age. Older drivers try to be overly cautious, which may result in them driving slow and causing a wreck.
  • New and inexperienced drivers: As a person starts to drive, they are typically not comfortable at first. It takes a long time to learn to relax behind the wheel. The reason for this is because new drivers are very intimidated by other vehicles. When they need to merge, pass, or turn, they may drive slower than other drivers, which can cause accidents and lead to unfortunate circumstances.
  • Distracted drivers: Around nine people die every single day in America in car accidents that involve a distracted driver. Distracted drivers may think that they can drive slower to focus less on the road, but this can still put them and others at risk of an accident. Most distracted drivers are texting, talking on the phone, eating, changing the radio station, and looking at a GPS.
  • Drunk or drugged drivers. Alcohol and certain controlled substances can affect perception, meaning a driver who is intoxicated or impaired may not realize how fast or slow he is going. These drivers are also more likely to cross into different lanes or swerve into traffic in an effort to self-correct a drifting car.
  • Commercial vehicle drivers. Certain types of trucks and commercial vehicles have speed governors, which forces them to drive more slowly. Tractor-trailer drivers may also travel more slowly in areas with steep hills or curves, as visibility is limited, and it takes a lot of power to get an 80,000lb, fully loaded vehicle up a steep gradient.
It's not the speed that puts slow drivers at higher risk of accidents, it's why they are going slow. It's the drugs or lack of experience or distraction or lack of ability. What you did in your post was stop at the moment you found something that justified a preconceived notion or something you want to believe -- that driving faster is safer. But neither is true. Sometimes I drive 55 (when its the speed limit but whatever). Driving 55 does not make me less safe than a person who drives 75. That's a stupid and ignorant belief because it overlooks the real causes that explain why statistically people who drive slower than the traffic around them get into more accidents. .

I'll go a little further on this. Statistics are often used as a substitute for knowledge. But statistics rarely are that. They point the way toward knowledge. The next time you see a statistic you like, take a closer look at it and ask why that is true. That's when you might really learn something.
 

topcat

Well-Known Member
It's an old mistake, the one made in that meme you posted.

Without having seen the statistics, I'll just concede that it's true and then ask why is it true?

So I asked google and found a reasonable explanation why..

.

Who is most likely to drive slowly?
There are certain people who are more prone to drive slower than other:

  • Senior citizens or the elderly population: When an individual ages, they are more likely to start driving slowly. The reason for this is because of factors like poor vision, poor posture, sore joints, and intimidation on the road. Reaction time is also known to change with age. Older drivers try to be overly cautious, which may result in them driving slow and causing a wreck.
  • New and inexperienced drivers: As a person starts to drive, they are typically not comfortable at first. It takes a long time to learn to relax behind the wheel. The reason for this is because new drivers are very intimidated by other vehicles. When they need to merge, pass, or turn, they may drive slower than other drivers, which can cause accidents and lead to unfortunate circumstances.
  • Distracted drivers: Around nine people die every single day in America in car accidents that involve a distracted driver. Distracted drivers may think that they can drive slower to focus less on the road, but this can still put them and others at risk of an accident. Most distracted drivers are texting, talking on the phone, eating, changing the radio station, and looking at a GPS.
  • Drunk or drugged drivers. Alcohol and certain controlled substances can affect perception, meaning a driver who is intoxicated or impaired may not realize how fast or slow he is going. These drivers are also more likely to cross into different lanes or swerve into traffic in an effort to self-correct a drifting car.
  • Commercial vehicle drivers. Certain types of trucks and commercial vehicles have speed governors, which forces them to drive more slowly. Tractor-trailer drivers may also travel more slowly in areas with steep hills or curves, as visibility is limited, and it takes a lot of power to get an 80,000lb, fully loaded vehicle up a steep gradient.
It's not the speed that puts slow drivers at higher risk of accidents, it's why they are going slow. It's the drugs or lack of experience or distraction or lack of ability. What you did in your post was stop at the moment you found something that justified a preconceived notion or something you want to believe -- that driving faster is safer. But neither is true. Sometimes I drive 55 (when its the speed limit but whatever). Driving 55 does not make me less safe than a person who drives 75. That's a stupid and ignorant belief because it overlooks the real causes that explain why statistically people who drive slower than the traffic around them get into more accidents. .

I'll go a little further on this. Statistics are often used as a substitute for knowledge. But statistics rarely are that. They point the way toward knowledge. The next time you see a statistic you like, take a closer look at it and ask why that is true. That's when you might really learn something.
Driving 55 is not too slow. It's the best speed for fuel economy on the highway. Wind is a drag!

When I was a kid, we went back to Durango every year, where my parents came from. Driving on U.S 66 was treacherous in many places. No, or very little shoulder, two lanes, and when one came upon Indians in a wagon, or very slow pickup, one had to know to slow down. Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding. Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile eggshell mind. It had a devastating effect on Jim Morrison. (Peace Frog)
 
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GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
I have a polarizing story.

The interstate between town and my community got fixed up, so they raised the speed limit from 65 to 80. I kept driving 60 because I hate wrangling (and I saw no need to raise my fuel cost). A year later, they changed it back because too many people drove the old speed making it unsafe. It was a high profile incident, and I caught all kinds of shit from family and friends.

I still drive 60.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
I have a polarizing story.

The interstate between town and my community got fixed up, so they raised the speed limit from 65 to 80. I kept driving 60 because I hate wrangling (and I saw no need to raise my fuel cost). A year later, they changed it back because too many people drove the old speed making it unsafe. It was a high profile incident, and I caught all kinds of shit from family and friends.

I still drive 60.
What was the incident?
 

Fogdog

Well-Known Member
I'll take "Drugged Driver" for 200, Alex :lol:
I very much enjoy how it bothers you that I drive the speed limit. When on the road, I can feel pressure from assholes who act as though their need to speed means I should go over the speed limit.

Maybe the next person you zip past at 80 on the freeway while they are doing 65 or 55 depending on the speed limit. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm laughing at you. Stay safe, don't hurt yourself or anybody else and be sure to tell us all about your outrage at the cop who pulled you over for speeding.

I drive the speed limit. I'm a rebel.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
I very much enjoy how it bothers you that I drive the speed limit. When on the road, I can feel pressure from assholes who act as though their need to speed means I should go over the speed limit.

Maybe the next person you zip past at 80 on the freeway while they are doing 65 or 55 depending on the speed limit. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm laughing at you. Stay safe, don't hurt yourself or anybody else and be sure to tell us all about your outrage at the cop who pulled you over for speeding.

I drive the speed limit. I'm a rebel.
I will say I don’t deliberately drive slowly where they cannot legally pass … unless there’s a clear reason such as roadworks or bad conditions.

What irritates me is when someone comes up on me at ten or fifteen mph of delta v, then simply hangs behind me and refuses opportunities to pass.

That’s when a long tail of drivers builds up, and every so often I have to pull into the weeds and release driver number 2’s hostages.
 

DeadHeadX

Well-Known Member
Now if CNN and MSNBC had people like that on to discuss current topics I'd actually pay attention to them rather than use them for background noise when there's nothing like PBS Newshour on which I watch every day. I don't even get Faux so I'm missing a lot of great comedy. :)

Actually Capehart is on MSNBC right now. :)

:peace:
My life has been much happier since I canceled cable and replaced news networks with music as the background noise.
 

topcat

Well-Known Member
I will say I don’t deliberately drive slowly where they cannot legally pass … unless there’s a clear reason such as roadworks or bad conditions.

What irritates me is when someone comes up on me at ten or fifteen mph of delta v, then simply hangs behind me and refuses opportunities to pass.

That’s when a long tail of drivers builds up, and every so often I have to pull into the weeds and release driver number 2’s hostages.
A lot of trucks drive 55 and I like to get behind them. I don't like the obstruction, but at least drivers behind see the truck and know they'll have to pass.
Back in the 60s, it was a competition to see who could get the better milage, so we did all the tricks of starting slow, etc. In the SFV, the streets are laid out in a grid, and the lights were timed so you could keep driving without coming to a complete stop if you drove the speed limit.
 

HGCC

Well-Known Member
It's weird to get worked up about other people's driving.

I tend to go the speed limit due to years of driving with drugs in the car. Better to avoid police interactions than get somewhere a few minutes faster.

However, it's pretty rare to see anyone pulled over ever around here, so go as fast as you want. I'm just happy if they stop at red lights.

Edit: not sure what this has to do with inflation...maybe the slow folks are fighting speed inflation.
 

Fogdog

Well-Known Member
I will say I don’t deliberately drive slowly where they cannot legally pass … unless there’s a clear reason such as roadworks or bad conditions.

What irritates me is when someone comes up on me at ten or fifteen mph of delta v, then simply hangs behind me and refuses opportunities to pass.

That’s when a long tail of drivers builds up, and every so often I have to pull into the weeds and release driver number 2’s hostages.
I'm talking about freeway driving and staying in the right lane. It's more of an attitude of I'll do my thing and you do yours. I won't get in anybody's way. On the other hand if they want to get all hot and bothered, I find that curious and am amused.

I still drive the speed limit on two lane roads but will pull over to let people go by. Even one car, if we are on a stretch where passing will be risky, I pull over when I can. The idea is to get there safely and in good time, not to be an ass to others who are different from me.

And that's the thing. I'm different from people who need to go fast all the time. I don't want to slow anybody else down, I simply don't want to feel rushed when I'm driving the legal limit. My attitude about driving speed is part of my personal rebellion against the frenetic pace that US society has adopted as the norm. Fuck that.
 
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