Greetings from Germany. Maybe you want to skip everything that happens from now on and end this before this lunatic takes office.

On a unrelated topic: aren’t you the nation with the most guns?

I am talking about the global phenomenon. Something like rox news does not exist here in Germany for example.

We always had right wing propaganda. But now we have social media too. And that produced a confirmation cycle. The propaganda channels spew lies, people spread does lies on social media, and the media cam say “look, there, normal people on X say the same thing, it must be true”.

And of course, also the other way around

Social media is to blame, at least in huge parts.

It offers a platform for unproven claims, and especially the short content formats are an issue:

You can not cover important topics fairly in those formats. Only populism can profit from it. And the far right does this.

We reached a point where people don’t believe the published agendas of candidates and parties anymore. They only trust what the hear and see on social media.

Of course there are other factors, but this is an important one.

If the scale would not be consistent, the results is actual worse. The whole political spectrum is moving towards the right. Traditional left wing parties here in Germany doing right wing stuff is getting normal.

And I don’t see any left party in the U.K. or U.S. parliaments.

You have to unlock the box with the company charging card. And all charging costs are paid by the employer. So only the company car is allowed. The whole behavior of the payment partner is just bullshit at this point.

In theory yes. We are lacking the wallbox for now. We moved just a few month back, and while there is a solution to get the energy paid if I charge at home, I would have to buy a wallbox for way to much money from the payment provider we use for charging. There I would pay around 5k€ for a 22kW wallbox. And this box can not be used for other cars.

But: My gf ordered her Cubra Born some weeks back. And a wallbox for ~1000 with it.

I can see the prices my employer pays for my charging. On the most expensive chargers, the costs would be roughly the same as for a Diesel. On some reasonable priced chargers it gets way cheaper.

But keep in mind that we have extremely high gas prices compared to the US. We tax our diesel and gasoline with a “steering tax”, as the lawmakers want citizens to save on gas, and reduce CO2 emissions.

If I would charge at home, we could get a second contract with our electricity company, with about half the usual price per kWh for charging only.

That’s perfectly fine. My employer has a form to fill out, and that is only required for insurance. It is common here that your spouse may drive your company car (at least in my field of work)

Both. I am in IT. While I have to travel some times in my position, I am allowed to use the car for personal matters, including all benefits like free charging everywhere.

I feared as much.

It is getting late over here, so thanks for the great discussion!

Amd I wish you good look in a few weeks. Feeling with you over there

I see your point. But that is such a toxic environment, and as you mentioned this can be observed from a far, that I would assume many prefer to stay under the radar to be able to at least something and not thrown under the bus by other Republicans.

Having more parties solves this part of the issue. And if the MAGA party or the Republicans end up with more votes is a completely different thing. And a thing I am scared to think about

Exactly. And there comes in the issue: if you want to vote conservative you have to take the far right bullshit. There is no in between. There is no “conservative without that nazi bullshit”. So, if they could separate bit still have some power in the sense of seats in the parliaments, would that impact the political landscape?

Anyway, the US is stuck with American voters. So I’m glad our election system enforces patience.

I take that ;)

But srsly, it is not voters or voting system. It is both.

Imagine there would be a MAGA party with equal chances like the Reps, how would that change the policies of those parties? And would this influence the voters behavior? That is not a rethoric question, it is a thought play. I, as an outsider, would assume that the extreme right wingers would unite under the MAGA flag and their policies would adapt accordingly while the Republicans would go back to their kind of normal.

Thanks. That was my rough assumption. And that worries me. While I am not a US citizen, the USA have such immense power that yout politics affect people around the world. From privacy and data protection to the simple fact if we leave in peace or in war.

I understand it is a big issue. And I hope you find a way to change that.

He got abortion rights overthrown, handled the pandemic so badly, that the rest of the world laughed at the US, and got himself and his family richer by talking money and presents from foreign powers.

Your argument boils down to: in the US political system it is hard to change anything and therefore we are protected from “worse”? Does this argument still stand with the supreme court ruling about presidential immunity and trumps statements about dictator on day one or “you never have to vote again”? Project 25?

So, in my country we are moving towards a livable feature for citizens, in your country you are stuck with a system that only benefits the wealthy. And every approach that could change that will be undermjnedby right wing lunatics and their donors.

In the US the fucking right wing has 50% in the polls. What are you talking about?

~50% of the people ate voting for a lying, narcissistic Nazi. One of your supreme courts justices took "presents " from someone who has a hitler singed version of “Mein Kampf” in his possession. Right besides ohter Nazi memorabilia.

And your concern is, that it would be easier for a right wing minority to gain power? You have a right wing majority.

We ate shoked over here in Germany that our far right has more then 20% in election results. Your far right has 50% and one of your presidential candidates represents them.

I am living in a multi party country. I am experiencing the hurdles and the benefits of it every single day. Coalitions have to be formed to get the majority, smaller parties getting influence because of it.

We are getting stuff like increased minimum wage, social benefits, legalizing cannabis, and more. And not because the senior partner in the coalition wants it. Because of the junior partners. They are required to form a majority, so they can state their terms also.

And yes, some countries with more then two parties in the parliament are failing. What about the US?

Got some universal Healthcare yet? A livable minimum wage for everyone including waiters?

Effective countermeasures to climate change?

No? See, also failing. And that lies in the nature of countries. Sometimes they fail.

I see the issue with a president. But most legislation comes out of the Senate. Having more then two parties represented there forces compromises. And the wishes of more people have to be considered the get the required majority.

And if the congress is more diverse, the president looses some powers, as he can not rely on having the majority at least for two years of his presidency. He also would have to compromise all the time.

Just admit it, your system is broken.

And that is an issue how? Are you trying to say that the USA will be stuck with a legal framework from the 1800? For all eternity?

EDIT I like that. Downvoting is fine, but maybe explain why? Srsly I am very invested in politics, doesn’t matter if European or US. So, if I am wrong on a factual basis, tell me.

That is just bullshit. While your president is powerful, a lot of the power of government resides within the parliament itself.

As long as US media calls candidates of other parties as “independents” your political system stais a fucked up mono party system.

To change the Satus quo, laws must put in place, like in other countries that force media to represent all parties.

In addition you have to stop with this excessive money dependent political campaigns.

Those are gatekeeping tactics designed to keep the power in the hands of the two major parties.

There is no reason why your system could not work with more competitors.

edit: also, using a voting mechanism that was good in times before telegraph, telephone and internet makes it nearly impossible for smaller parties to get anything out of an election.

There is no reason not to use the popular vote. None!

Yeah, yeah yeah, sorry, I was wrong!

Gays are much better at sucking dick then you.