The Many Faces of US Politics...

[DrinkingHarp]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

GFA
Brexit
Border
EU Trade Deals (US is Irelands largest exporter partner)
J1 Visas
Green Cards
Medical Research
US companies going back to US reducing jobs (over 100,000 Irish employees)
Investment into local economy by building US company offices/buildings (multi-billion)

All depend on who is in the White House and Congress.

[Milltown Row2]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

GFA
Brexit
Border
EU Trade Deals (US is Irelands largest exporter partner)
J1 Visas
Green Cards
Medical Research
US companies going back to US reducing jobs (over 100,000 Irish employees)
Investment into local economy by building US company offices/buildings (multi-billion)

All depend on who is in the White House and Congress.

Do those America companies pay tax on Ireland?

Green card J1's.. seriously?

The border? Trump would build a wall round it..

Medical research? Flip sake cause they do it for free!

Are they helping with brexit or make money off the back of it?

Trade deals in chlorine rinsed chicken

Hume/Trimble Bertie and Blair Mo and Andrews with former Senator George as mediator. But yes it was America that did it!

Without America we'd still be in cottages burning turf eating spuds!

[J70]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

So don't read it.

There's quite a few of us do live in the states, and like it or not, what happens in the US has repercussions well beyond its shores.

Don't read it could be applied for a lot of comments on other threads on the boards, but hey we have a look and a say anyway.. I've addressed the many ex pats that are on here but the toxic nature (as there is with a bit of your response ) of the thread is what i was hinting at, so if your are not going to give me a reason that's fine.

Also not everyone's lives depend on whos in the Whitehouse, really

The US is the most dominant country in the western world, both geopolitically and culturally.

I didn't say everyone's lives "depend" on who is US president. Certainly influenced and affected by it though. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Right now, I don't see how anyone could deny that the presence of Trump in the White House has given encouragement to the far right in many countries.

As for this thread being "toxic", I'd have to see your definition for what that means.

Lol.

I agree with MR2, he is spot on. I couldn't give a bollocks whether Trump is president again or not, because it will have little or no impact on me or anyone else in ireland.
Toxic to the extent that irish people will literally insult each other on this thread on a daily basis because of their opinions on the politics of a country on the other side of the world, that has fk all to do with our own. Who cares. Its hilarious and a bit embarrassing really.

Why would you find it embarrassing?

Again, no one is forcing you to read it.

I don't bother with quite a few threads as they don't interest me. I absolutely don't drop in to give my opinion on whether or not the topic is embarrassing or worthy of discussion. If the participants are interested, good for them.

[J70]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

So don't read it.

There's quite a few of us do live in the states, and like it or not, what happens in the US has repercussions well beyond its shores.

Don't read it could be applied for a lot of comments on other threads on the boards, but hey we have a look and a say anyway.. I've addressed the many ex pats that are on here but the toxic nature (as there is with a bit of your response ) of the thread is what i was hinting at, so if your are not going to give me a reason that's fine.

Also not everyone's lives depend on whos in the Whitehouse, really

As for this thread being "toxic", I'd have to see your definition for what that means.

toxic behaviour  represents an inability to feel genuine understanding and compassion for the other person.

I've asked the resident right wingers many times to explain why a right wing president or Supreme Court is a good thing. Never get an answer beyond "dirty Democrats" or "biased media".

[Milltown Row2]

So J70 you find this thread is not toxic?

Has it got good thought out debates with reasoned out posts?

Even in the soccer threads guys are laughing at the wind ups, some of stuff on here is venomous, are yous lot like that when chatting to guys in work about these issues?

Anyone can have an opinion on here, one would be America (based on this thread) is a horrible place with a more divided nation than Ireland

But hey, this isn't a slight on ex pats moving away and having a better life for themselves, I've close relatives who live there and do well. I've a cousin who's contemplating coming home for good due to the current state of play

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Id agree with my learned Belfast comrade. I tip in just to see if ive missed any big US news occasionally but as MR2 says its an angry place. Not having a go at you specifically J70 as you seem a reasonabale sort(out of this thread lol)

[Milltown Row2]

Id agree with my learned Belfast comrade. I tip in just to see if ive missed any big US news occasionally but as MR2 says its an angry place. Not having a go at you specifically J70 as you seem a reasonabale sort(out of this thread lol)

I'd agree with that J70 on all threads is generally spot on even Liverpool's thread! But would you speak to someone like that in real life? I don't know

[tyssam5]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

It is pretty toxic.

I am very definitely a liberal lefty. I can still see that some on my side of the debate go too far. I can also see that some are driven to it by Trump and his supporters who adopt the same tactics.

Some no doubt do it because they know it will get a reaction.

But genuinely I believe I can stand over my contention that the standard of debate and behaviour is infinitely worse on the right. That is the way the evidence stacks up anyhow

This board, as far as politics are concerned, is by and large dominated by the left, though. And it's still toxic. 

all name calling and personal abuse comes from the more liberal side of the argument especially on this thread.

This thread is like listening to Nolan or Talkback.  It's about themmuns.  The language used by adversaries in the US debate between liberals and conservatives is pure tribalism and no different to the local discussion between themmuns and usuns.  Some of the stuff on here is embarrassing. 

It's actually weird to see Irish people investing in this tribalism when it could be argued that it isn't their fight.  But I suppose it is if you are living there.  But this talk of Libtards and Rethuglicans, which I have seen on this thread is depressing and its been going on for years. It's like monkey see, monkey do! It's now permeating Irish and UK politics. 

At the extremes, one side is as bad as the other! Because at the extremes, people are burned by their own side for taking a more centrist position, even if that position would have been seen as heavily left or right in a historical context. 

We are seeing this tribalism or balkanisation of global politics and this thread is only a microcosm of it.  People are slipping (or are being manipulated) into taking increasingly extreme views on a whole range of issues, either to the left or right, whether it be on social, economic, gender or health issues. They are increasingly living in echo bubbles where they just want their own views validated and they are increasingly threatened by counter-opinions and the language of their response, is increasingly ugly and less reasoned.  People's perception of where the centre is, has moved significantly, because of these echo bubbles and this, among other factors, leads to disturbing threads like this.

Some of the principal contributors on this thread could do with taking time away from the computer and TV.  If for six months, the same time went into reading reading decent literature, philosophy and political science, they would come back with a whole new world view.  Perhaps a whole lot more nuanced and a lot less black and white. 

Instead, they are reading the wrong stuff right now and many won't have the wit to realise that I'm talking about them and not themmuns.

The sects have formed an the US is definitely a sectarian country now. Right down to the 'oh my mate Rob, he's a Republican (but he's alright)'.

[Main Street]

Are the resident  right wing Trumpites on this forum upset over the FBI foiling the terrorist plot of their fellow Trumpites in Michigan?

the ringleader of that bunch of idiots is not a trump supporter and is on tape insulting Trump so maybe trump was going to be their next victim or maybe they don't like politicians, dont believe the first version of things you hear from the USA at the moment a lot of subversion going on .

I challenge you to condemn the terrorists who plotted to kidnap and kill a democratically elected governor. Go to it, Gmac.

An anonymous poster asking another anonymous poster on an Irish gaa site to condemn a terrorist attack in the US state of Michigan, Jaysus wept. Some lads really have lost the run of themselves.
Yout spot on MR2.

Both lads live in California

Ok thanks, that changes things.

Yes possibly the first  and hopefully last time I'd ever share an opinion with MR2, take the fight to California. This thread is no more toxic than other threads but Irish people stupid enough to select  the USA to live in, adhering to 2 right wing USA political party ideology using the GAABoard to spar  (with handbags)  irrevocable deeply held USA conservative political beliefs  is the height of absurdity.  Though that it is claimed to be a right v left, does add some comic value.

[Gmac]

Are the resident  right wing Trumpites on this forum upset over the FBI foiling the terrorist plot of their fellow Trumpites in Michigan?

the ringleader of that bunch of idiots is not a trump supporter and is on tape insulting Trump so maybe trump was going to be their next victim or maybe they don't like politicians, dont believe the first version of things you hear from the USA at the moment a lot of subversion going on .

I challenge you to condemn the terrorists who plotted to kidnap and kill a democratically elected governor. Go to it, Gmac.

An anonymous poster asking another anonymous poster on an Irish gaa site to condemn a terrorist attack in the US state of Michigan, Jaysus wept. Some lads really have lost the run of themselves.
Yout spot on MR2.

Both lads live in California

Ok thanks, that changes things.

Yes possibly the first  and hopefully last time I'd ever share an opinion with MR2, take the fight to California. This thread is no more toxic than other threads but Irish people stupid enough to select  the USA to live in, adhering to 2 right wing USA political party ideology using the GAABoard to spar  (with handbags)  irrevocable deeply held USA conservative political beliefs  is the height of absurdity.  Though that it is claimed to be a right v left, does add some comic value.

where do you live ?

[Rossfan]

The 2 US Parties are very right wing and raving loony right wing.

[Gmac]

The 2 US Parties are very right wing and raving loony right wing.

why dont you start  preaching at your home first before casting  a cold eye west , wasn't Roscommon/Leitrim the only constituency in Ireland that rejected gay marriage ?

[Rossfan]

How 50.5% of  people voted in the former Roscommon/Sth Laythrum Constituency diesnt negate the facts about Yanks.

[LCohen]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

It is pretty toxic.

I am very definitely a liberal lefty. I can still see that some on my side of the debate go too far. I can also see that some are driven to it by Trump and his supporters who adopt the same tactics.

Some no doubt do it because they know it will get a reaction.

But genuinely I believe I can stand over my contention that the standard of debate and behaviour is infinitely worse on the right. That is the way the evidence stacks up anyhow

This board, as far as politics are concerned, is by and large dominated by the left, though. And it's still toxic. 

I contend that the root cause of the collapse in debate is when a poster makes or repeats a claim, provides no evidence and refuses to engage in any examination of whether the claim is true. On this forum there is a near monopoly on that on the right.

Not surprising. In US and UK it's the default setting of prominent right wing politicians and now their followers

[LCohen]

Is this the most toxic thread on the board? I know we have a few ex pats living there and that's fine, but I fail to see the immediate interests of locals here on a country that really plays no large part in our political lives.

It is pretty toxic.

I am very definitely a liberal lefty. I can still see that some on my side of the debate go too far. I can also see that some are driven to it by Trump and his supporters who adopt the same tactics.

Some no doubt do it because they know it will get a reaction.

But genuinely I believe I can stand over my contention that the standard of debate and behaviour is infinitely worse on the right. That is the way the evidence stacks up anyhow

This board, as far as politics are concerned, is by and large dominated by the left, though. And it's still toxic. 

Online, Trump supporters are as toxic as it gets however I have to agree - on here I still be shocked how vociferous the anti Trump supporters are.
Leads to a shitshow in the country thats for sure

I don't think anybody should be surprised that opposition to Trump is vociferous. It needs to be vociferous. It should be possible to be vociferous and still fact based. By all means call people out for being fact dodgers but not for being vociferous