• ThrowawayOnLemmy
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    2024 months ago

    It’s hilarious actually.

    Left leaning people hate him for his current alignment to Trump. Right leaning people hate him because he said he was a never trumper back in 2016 and they won’t forgive that.

    And dude has the personality of a wet rag, so he can’t get anyone interested in him.

    This is another classic Trump deal turned to shit.

    • @[email protected]
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      1524 months ago

      Right leaning people hate him because he said he was a never trumper back in 2016

      …also the far-right hate him because his wife isn’t white.

    • @[email protected]
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      574 months ago

      It really is too good to be true. It was such a bad decision by trump, you have to wonder if we’re missing something, he’s that bad. And it was apparently trumps sons who talked him into it!

      We’re back to Sarah Palin levels of bad VP pick here. Just wait until we get closer to the election and he starts talking even more.

      • @[email protected]
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        534 months ago

        At least Sarah Palin came with the illusion of bringing a demographic McCain didn’t already have in the bag, Vance is just doubling down on the MAGA crowd while alienating a portion of them. It’s fantastic

          • @[email protected]
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            34 months ago

            Well there’s the answer I think is true and the scandalous but funny one. My bet is that Vance is bought and paid for and loyal to him. My scandalous answer is that he’s the McCarthy to Thiel’s Cohn

    • Billiam
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      4 months ago

      This is another classic Trump deal turned to shit.

      That’s what happens when you pick your VP based on who kisses your ass the hardest instead of who adds value to it.

      edit: Yeah, when I said “it” I meant a campaign.

        • @WhiteHairSuperSaiyan
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          74 months ago

          Sometimes the most valuable person is someone who tells you to hide your shame. What tRump needs is someone to tell him to hide in a hole.

      • @[email protected]
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        104 months ago

        Classic fascism. Hitler surrounded himself with ass-kissers rather than competent people, too.

      • @[email protected]
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        54 months ago

        Vance will kiss ass until he sees the opportunity to stick a knife in someone’s back. He is all for himself.

    • @ReallyActuallyFrankenstein
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      224 months ago

      Yeah, his personality is “pudgy coke-less Don Jr.” crossed with “guyliner product placement.”

    • @[email protected]
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      154 months ago

      And they likely can’t backtrack because Peter Thiel probably made all kinds of financial arrangements with Trump in exchange for making his puppet the VP.

      The wannabe billionaire oligarchs went full mask off on destroying our democracy as soon as they thought Trump had it in the bag, and it’s time to reap the whirlwind.

      • ThrowawayOnLemmy
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        4 months ago

        They aren’t about to back down now that Biden has stepped down. If anything, I expect them to get more desperate and dangerous as we get closer to the election. I totally expect significantly more misinformation, deep fakes, fake news websites, all designed to split democratic support for Kamala Harris, encourage people not to vote, and double down on Trump praise.

        Best thing anyone can do is tune it all out and just vote. Don’t get too caught up in the politics, because you know your mind is already made up. Do your civic duty, and don’t feed the trolls.

        I also fully expect them to say this election was stolen if they lose, and attempt to usurp power by any means. So just be ready for that too, it’ll be a lot different than last time since they aren’t in power.

    • @[email protected]
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      114 months ago

      Also interracial marriage and children turns off the racist park of the ticket, which is sadly not and insignificant part of their party.

    • @[email protected]
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      64 months ago

      I also think his ties to Peter Thiel should be emphasized.

      Thiel is an immigrant, a banker, a San Francisco resident, an FBI informant, and (worst of all to the Republicans), he’s a “groomer” (i.e. he’s gay).

      How is he tied to JD Vance? He worked directly for Thiel at his VC firm for 2 years. Then, when he ran in 2021, it was Thiel who backed his campaign. This isn’t just a guy who has Thiel among his rich backers, this is a guy who is basically owned by Thiel.

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        Is it horrible for me to say I hope this backfires on Thiel specifically and he gets sent to the reaper? Cause everytime I find out more about Thiel the more he reminds me of the nobles and clans my ancestors killed off in the past for being dangerous.

        • @[email protected]
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          44 months ago

          I suspect almost everyone who knows anything about Thiel hates him and wants things to backfire for him. I can’t see him dying, but I could see him hauled up in front of congressional investigations, having the military stop doing business with him, etc.

          I am almost surprised it hasn’t backfired on him yet. If you were to pick exactly the kind of person Trump is riling his base up against, it would be Thiel. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before they turn on him.

  • @[email protected]
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    504 months ago

    I’m reading his book hillbilly elegy, it amazes me that someone could go through such terrible things and come out of it with 1) so little self awareness. And 2) so little empathy for others. Especially when my life experience is so similar (I lost my brother to a heroin overdose) and it had the opposite effect.

    • @[email protected]
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      214 months ago

      I think it’s heavily made up and he’s just a sociopath, a highly ambitious sociopath who will do and say whatever it takes to attain power, ya know your average Republican politician

    • @[email protected]
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      104 months ago

      Unfortunately, those experiences only lend lessons to those willing to accept them. Some people come out hateful, other people seek control they never had previously, it becomes obsessive. Even Ayaan Hirshi Ali has regressed from criticizing oppressive religious groups to full throatedly hating BLM and “wokeism.” Disappointments abound in the conservative movement.

  • @[email protected]
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    4 months ago

    Am I the only one who didn’t realize the film Hillbilly Elegy was based on this particular guy’s memoir? No wonder it left me with a bad taste in my brain.

    I remember deciding to watch it back when it was promoted on Netflix (in 2020-21?), going in completely blind to its background and bent, but wooed by the branding of it being “nominated for awards” and the imagery of a frazzled-looking Glenn Close.

    I’ll try to reflect on what I thought of it then without reference to what I know now: The whole movie was uncomfortable, felt weirdly holier-than-thou, and made me question what was supposed to be so good about how this guy was “overcoming” traumatic circumstances. I don’t think I finished it in one go, only doing so because Glenn Close and Amy Adams brought talent to these painfully stereotypified roles. (I had just finished Sharp Objects, so you can imagine how disappointed I was that Amy had to work with so little substance, no pun intended, in this role’s storyline.)

    I remember thinking I really disliked the actor who played JD Vance for having such flat personality and boring acting skills. As it turns out, the actor did a helluva job! Bravo!

    • @[email protected]
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      214 months ago

      This was one of the first things I watched with my now wife. Right after the lockdowns started. I too went in to it completely blind.

      I rolled my eyes all the way through the movie. It was such obvious award bait, I had predicted how the entire plot would play out, beat for beat after about 10 minutes. It was the last time Netflix was allowed to suggest me a movie.

      If they’d have included the part where he questions his sexuality and fucks a sofa it might have been better.

      • @[email protected]
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        104 months ago

        If you haven’t you should listen to the episode of “If books could kill” about Hillbilly Elegy, it’s very enlightening about the kind of person Vance is.

  • Boozilla
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    324 months ago

    I know it’s mostly about his toxic ideas, but it probably doesn’t help that he looks like a dude that Canteen Boy wouldn’t want to be left alone with on a scouting trip.

    • @[email protected]
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      274 months ago

      I think a big part of it is the “JD Power Rankings”…

      It’s what kept popping into my head when I saw his name at first. So I’m betting it still does for trump. He hears the name and thinks it’s powerful. That’s how superficial trump is, whether he realizes it or not, he probably only picked this dude for his name.

      • Boozilla
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        94 months ago

        OMG, you’re probably right. Too fuckin’ funny.

  • Voytrekk
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    274 months ago

    I’m still embarrassed that my state chose to elect him to the Senate. I have never heard any reasonable words come out of this mouth.

  • @[email protected]
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    264 months ago

    I’m liking the dynamics, JDs couchfucking unlikeability will make him lean more into his disingenuous worker advocacy. Causing the dems to meet their ante and retaliate with even more pro-worker policies than before. Could be interesting to watch and lucrative for the ever-gregarious working class!

  • @[email protected]
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    184 months ago

    A phrase said by soldiers in Ukraine at the beginning of Russia’s main invasion: “We’re lucky they’re so fucking stupid.” I feel this applies here a bit. It’s a good thing Republican strategists aren’t all that bright. I chuckled when JD Vance was announced.

    • @[email protected]
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      24 months ago

      This is already obsolete because it turns out Russia still has 3 times more population, N times more money and the war is happening in Ukraine, not in Russia.

      And how do we know what people at Russia’s helm thought?

      Maybe they wanted to brutalize Ukraine so that it wouldn’t become a democratic competitor state for Russian speakers, sort of how West Germany and South Korea were. Then ruining the Russian-speaking half of Ukraine, killing so many people there and producing this amount of hate are outcomes useful for that goal.

      And then those who think that it’s bad for Russia to lose so many men - for Russia as a whole maybe, but the ruling group has gotten itself a very rich supply of thugs, hitmen, candidates for posts and so on. When those people return from war, it’s going to be dark. Crime levels, general depression, the amount of shellshocked people. Nobody will feel good enough to question their legitimacy for some time.

      OK, I know you weren’t talking about Russia.

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        3x the population but at least 3x the casualties by conservative estimates, to be fair. Ukraine is clearly winning this war from a strategic standpoint by maximizing their superior education and innovation on the fly. Forget the fact that the nature of playing defense under most situations always lends to a numbers-advantage that most strategists say require 3-to-1 military odds even IF matching strategic parity — which again, Russia is not.

        Let’s not forget the fact that Ukraine is being bolstered by broader NATO forces, especially the US, UK, France, Germany — all who have far larger economies than Russia. In fact, Russia’s economy is smaller than that of the single state of California. Considering how galvanized Western support is for Russia, Ukraine has no financial issues; they also have technological superiority in nearly every aspect of this conflict — air-defense, long-range artillery, and soon to be fighter jets/bombers. Forgetting the fact that NATO intelligence and ISR is clearly superior as well.

        Bear in mind the mightier USSR collapsed under a weaker opponent during the Soviet-Afghan War.

        You’re right that dark times are ahead for Russia, and I sympathize with those who cannot escape. I understand over 1 million people have fled Russia when they could, and that’s one of the largest brain-drains since Einstein fled Nazi Germany. I understand that Putin is not just attempting to commit genocide and territorial expansion in Ukraine, but views this scenario as “win-win” because he’s always purging dissents and undesireables within Russia itself. Liberals, academics/scholars, political opposition, sincere journalists, ethnic minorities, etc… That is why I expect this war to sadly continue because it’s not touching the rule-class of Russia… Yet. Nevertheless I believe Russia will now be relegated to global pariah and its standard-of-living and technological innovation will drop off akin to North Korea.

        Edit: If anyone wants me to reply to the user’s comment below let me know and I can, but it’s not really worth it for me alone short of an audience on the fence.

        • @[email protected]
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          34 months ago

          Ukraine is clearly winning this war from a strategic standpoint by maximizing their superior education and innovation on the fly.

          This is a bit old news. The frontline innovations in tactics and instruments are more or less similar between sides.

          There’s an issue with news about wars - they are always distorted. Maybe if such a thing as independent journalism existed today, but it really almost doesn’t.

          Ukraine’s offensives were pretty similar to Russian ones, as in “meat grinder”.

          Forget the fact that the nature of playing defense under most situations always lends to a numbers-advantage that most strategists say require 3-to-1 military odds even IF matching strategic parity — which again, Russia is not.

          Neither side is winning right now. But Ukraine’s economy is in very bad shape, while Russian isn’t.

          Let’s not forget the fact that Ukraine is being bolstered by broader NATO forces, especially the US, UK, France, Germany — all who have far larger economies than Russia. In fact, Russia’s economy is smaller than that of the single state of California. Considering how galvanized Western support is for Russia, Ukraine has no financial issues; they also have technological superiority in nearly every aspect of this conflict — air-defense, long-range artillery, and soon to be fighter jets/bombers. Forgetting the fact that NATO intelligence and ISR is clearly superior as well.

          It’s not that galvanized, this support ; also Russia’s economy is sufficiently supported by more or less all the world except West. Including NATO member Turkey.

          If Ukraine could fight indefinitely and economical issues were the only issues, then yes, but it’s losing men and will to continue, and it’s devastated. Russia doesn’t have that problem because, again, no Russian cities have been razed by artillery fire.

          Bear in mind the mightier USSR collapsed under a weaker opponent during the Soviet-Afghan War.

          It was the other way around - the Afghan war started and ended at various stages of USSR’s collapse. Were there no war in Afghanistan, that collapse may have been less dark, again, without all the traumatized veterans, but who knows.

          You’re right that dark times are ahead for Russia, and I sympathize with those who cannot escape. I understand over 1 million people have fled Russia when they could, and that’s one of the largest brain-drains since Einstein fled Nazi Germany.

          I wouldn’t say all the best have emigrated, and I wouldn’t say those who emigrated are all from the best.

          I understand that Putin is not just attempting to commit genocide and territorial expansion in Ukraine, but views this scenario as “win-win” because he’s always purging dissents and undesireables within Russia itself.

          I don’t think he sees things at such low level. Rather the whole situation of war makes many things different for him.

          Liberals, academics/scholars, political opposition, sincere journalists, ethnic minorities, etc… That is why I expect this war to sadly continue because it’s not touching the rule-class of Russia… Yet.

          See, liberals and political opposition here are quite close to the ruling class. They’ve sort of distanced themselves from it, but this is a poisoned field. Same with journalism, many of those “sincere journalists” are plainly suspicious people. It has all been suspicious since late 90’s, when Starovoitova and Politkovskaya and who not were killed, and others successfully defamed or driven out of relevance.

          Also the case with those who emigrated.

          But true - those dying are poor people mostly.

          Nevertheless I believe Russia will now be relegated to global pariah and its standard-of-living and technological innovation will drop off akin to North Korea.

          I don’t see that happening yet.

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        And how do we know what people at Russia’s helm thought?

        Americans will believe just about anything, so long as it’s coming from someone on their team.

        And then those who think that it’s bad for Russia to lose so many men

        As a general rule, losing a big chunk of your youth population is horrible for a whole host of reasons. Hell, a brutal war of attrition on the Russian border was what ultimately brought down the Romanov Government. The Bolsheviks were (somewhat paradoxically) militant anti-war activists.

        I don’t exactly predict another October Revolution soon. But the long term health and wellness of the Russian Federation is degraded with every month of utterly fruitless artillery exchanges. Ukraine ain’t doing too hot, either.

        • @[email protected]
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          14 months ago

          As a general rule, losing a big chunk of your youth population is horrible for a whole host of reasons. Hell, a brutal war of attrition on the Russian border was what ultimately brought down the Romanov Government. The Bolsheviks were (somewhat paradoxically) militant anti-war activists.

          I meant that the losses may not have the same proportion of various groups or intelligence as in the general population, so, for example, if only RG and FSO troops were sent there and were dying there, it would be arguably a positive result.

          However, this is not what’s happening, people from poorest and most depressive places and social layers go there, which means that while many of them will die, some will get back with combat experience. Lots of crime.

          Nothing paradoxical in that, about bolsheviks.

          I don’t exactly predict another October Revolution soon. But the long term health and wellness of the Russian Federation is degraded with every month of utterly fruitless artillery exchanges. Ukraine ain’t doing too hot, either.

          Well, see, it wasn’t going to be good anyway. Those people who’ve ran from Russia to the West and pretend to be good and civilized were able to play opposition exactly because they were compromising on some old issues (like Chechen war, lustrations and crimes of the Soviet state), and they were mostly people with relatives from Soviet and modern Russian elites. By the way, elites in Baltic countries are from the same flock, and seeing Kaja Kallas in EC is kinda intimidating.

          Real opposition back then was simply murdered or defamed on federal TV or even put into prisons and asylums, some just died of old age. There’s very little remaining from them and their political ideas and points. Again, Starovoitova, Novodvorskaya, Politkovskaya, Sakharov, one can go on.

          Note how those being arrested for sabotage or protest in Russia over the last two years don’t have anything in common with the opposition of the Sobchak kind. And they have some similarities with those people who were successfully dealt with in the late 90s.

          Navalny’s organization was better, but they sadly stained themselves by associating with that “fashion opposition” of 2012 too. This may be the reason they didn’t succeed. People may not say anything, not even think anything, but feel vary over such associations.

            • @[email protected]
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              14 months ago

              Always. Have you not read anything about Roman army in frankly any period?

              Anyway, I’m not doing eugenics, I’m thinking how those losses affect society in general because they are not even close to equally distributed.

              By the way, since I mentioned RG and FSO troops - I don’t think those have been sent to war in any significant numbers.

              Maybe that’s Putin’s way to postpone civil war or revolution - send to grinder those who’d fight against him.

              • @[email protected]
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                14 months ago

                Have you not read anything about Roman army in frankly any period?

                Ah, you’re one of those. Thinking phrenology is 2500 years old.

                • @[email protected]
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                  14 months ago

                  No, the poor were always preferred to be sent to die in wars. Which is what I’m talking about, I’m not responsible for what your associations are.

  • @[email protected]
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    174 months ago

    Trump has to have some dirt on Vance. Trump chooses people based on loyalty first. Vance used to be a Never Trumper, and he’s being put in a position where he could Amendment 25 Trump straight out of office on day one and take the job for himself (and even has some plausible reasons for doing so). I don’t see Trump giving the job to him without having some insurance.

    • @[email protected]
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      124 months ago

      Or his position was bought by Musk and Co (Theil)

      $45m/month announced right about the same time

    • @[email protected]
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      64 months ago

      Imo i think its the reverse: the silicon valley tech bros insisted on Vance and Trump capitulated to get that sweet, sweet tech bro money.

    • @[email protected]
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      44 months ago

      Does it have to be dirt? I mean, the Republican loyalty machine has determined that people will say quite literally almost anything the party wants the person to say.

      Vance strikes me as a more clean-cut Alex Jones type. Not the kind of guy that sits in a tree seat to bow hunt a turkey to eat, but the kind of guy that pays do a canned hunt from a helicopter with a bunch of tacticool gear and an expensive knife, takes pictures of it, and has someone else do all the work of dressing the kill. Talks a tough-guy line, but that’s just it. Talks tough but just does it to get the views.

      • @[email protected]
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        24 months ago

        That’s more “Alaskan Mayor” brand. Alex Jones is the guy who gets “downloads from god” to fight the “satanic deep state”.

  • @[email protected]
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    144 months ago

    Is it just me, and please correct me if I am wrong, but doesn’t this dude just look like a piece of shit? I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this dude’s face screams hate and abuse to me.

    Knowing nothing about him, I’d assume he’s some wife beating car salesman.

    • @[email protected]
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      4 months ago

      Nah, you got it right. Knowing nothing else about him (my memory and attention seeming to outright reject all of what has been relayed to me) his face is pretty punchable.

  • @[email protected]
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    114 months ago

    Liberals hate him because he’s a misogynist mancow piece of shit

    Conservatives hate him because he sounds like their annoying uppity TikTok grandkids

    Its the worst of both worlds.

  • @[email protected]
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    104 months ago

    I want to say that to his face. Show him what a real rust belt Ohioan has to say to his technofascist ass.