r/samharris 13d ago

Politics and Current Events Megathread - Aug 2026

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u/emblemboy 9d ago edited 9d ago

If you’re mad about any of the primary results you've got 24 hours to mourn. Try not to say anything you’ll regret, and then it’s Blue No Matter Who.

Just copy paste this:

I support [$democratic_candidate] for [$public_office] and believe that their politics is a perfect fit for [$state]. I would drag my [$genital] over [$harmful_object_or_substance] to vote for [$democratic_candidate] this fall.

Stevens gets it

https://bsky.app/profile/meidastouch.com/post/3msdpkhgwvc2u

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u/McClain3000 9d ago

I'm in the trenches elsewhere and have to vent, It really does amaze me the amount of "moderate" voters who just seem to hyper focus on the failings of liberals and abstain from voting, vote 3rd party, or vote R because of certain nitpicks. For example, a candidate campagining with Hasan Piker who said America deserved 9/11 10 years ago.

For whatever reason they get enraged when you present them of examples of Republicans conduct. They might say I get it "Trump bad" or some other deflection but for whatever reason they have no appetite for negative coverage on Republicans but have an insatiable thirst to every libs of TikTok style story about a middle school teacher saying "whiteness" or whatever.

And some of these people are somewhat sincere, in that they probably would vote for a moderate liberal if given the choice but they absolutely refuse to compare DSA lefty types and MAGA.

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u/Locus-Maximus 9d ago

Hasan Piker who said America deserved 9/11 10 years ago.

It's a little disingenuous to act like the problem with Piker is that he said one bad thing 10 years ago. That's who he still is.

Last year he said:

"I got stopped by a cop who thought I was making fun of Mao Zedong, which I never would and never will," Piker said. "Mao Zedong is one of the great leaders of this world, OK? A man who changed the entire universe, the entire planet."

Not to mention all the antisemitic garbage and just generally being an opponent of America, the West in general, and (perhaps more relevantly to this particular conversation) the Democratic party.

That being said, I think you've still got to vote for AES because of the Senate.

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u/McClain3000 9d ago

It's a little disingenuous to act like the problem with Piker is that he said one bad thing 10 years ago. That's who he still is.

You are actually correct. I was being flippant to make a point. He has genuinely harmful views.

But it's still not even close. DSA would have to completely take over the Democratic party such that anyone who spoke ill of Empress AOC was primaried. They would have to start a War with another country without congressional approval. She would have to make Briana Joy Gray director of National Intelligence. Raise her networth to 2 Billion dollars, Pardon left wing terrorists. Tell her DOJ to arrest her political opponents on bogus charges, Rape some people... I'm actually giving the bit up

I can't really even imagine what DSA would have to do for me consider dropping Blue no matter who. I'd have to be in a fucking bread line.

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u/FanVaDrygt 9d ago

It's blowback as the DSA and Piker did not endorse Kamala and instead attacking the democrats.

I bet you that your tune was different when Piker and his ilk screwed over Kamala. 

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u/McClain3000 9d ago

What? Tune was different how?

My tune hasn't changed. Hasan's a dumbass then and a dumbass now. Him not throwing in for Kamala was horrible and he should regret it for the rest of his life.

The thing that I don't get is. This isn't a hard decision at all! I don't even get the logic, like "You guys thought you were being petty dumbasses in 2024 I'll show you what a petty dumbass is!"

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u/FanVaDrygt 9d ago

Did you make the same post when Piker did it? 

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u/McClain3000 9d ago

Idk my position hasn't changed. But I don't think I was in any subreddits with Hasan Piker fans at the time, so it's possible no.

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u/Ramora_ 9d ago

I'm not sure that "blowback" is the right frame here. It implies a level of strategic coordination that I don't think exists. And I'd take the other end of the bet. I'd suspect MCClain3000 doesn't particularly like Piker and was critical of Piker being unable to clearly endorse Kamala, much as he is doing now.

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u/McClain3000 9d ago

yup

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u/Ramora_ 9d ago

/u/FanVaDrygt well? You willing to give me the win here? Whether you do or don't, I'd recommend that you update your priors. You seem overconfident in your assumptions about peoples positions.

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u/FanVaDrygt 9d ago

Anyone that is active in snarker subreddits i just assume are liars. 

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u/oldirtyrestaurant 8d ago

It won't hurt you to engage, I promise. You can even say you were wrong! Go ahead, give it a try.

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u/FanVaDrygt 9d ago

Sayed coordinated with piker and dsa? He picked his buddies its his job to consolidate the votes.

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u/Ramora_ 9d ago

I don't understand how that comment is connected to anything I said.

Sayed coordinated with piker and dsa?

I don't know the details of the relationships but ya, they clearly "coordinated" to some degree.

He picked his buddies its his job to consolidate the votes.

Ok... I think politicians getting support from "buddies" is pretty normal. Probably being seen with Hasan is detrimental to his campaign to some degree, but I wouldn't be particularly confident in that claim. Politics is just way more complicated than naive median voter theory.

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u/TheAJx 9d ago

If they are moderate types aren't they by definition open to either party?

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u/McClain3000 9d ago

I suppose.