They buy one election, and suddenly they have “too much power”…

Politicians of today are spoiled rotten

If you’re dead set on getting to like beer, I’d suggest trying some of your top ones in the appropriate settings. Some beers are marvellous on a hot day, some with food, some to enjoy in a sauna or shower (it’s a thing), some as dessert and some on their own as a session drink (which I guess is how you tried your list).

Porters and stouts are often good for session, but also around food. The heaviest are sometimes good for a dessert beer.

IPAs are also typically for session, but some are nicely refreshing on a hot day.

Lagers are mostly allowed to exist because of how refreshing they are (hot day, sauna, with snacks).

There’s a lot of variety within them though, especially with craft beers, so do check with someone knowledgeable on how a specific beer is best served and enjoyed.

On the other hand, I’m just now exploring the world of iced tea. Tea is already a versatile drink, and with different techniques, mixes and ingredients I’ve found you can ruin a lot of tea.

Mostly it’s good though ;)

Oh, and in case you’ve only ever drunk sweet tea, there are many other ways to make iced tea. A classic one is to do a Turkish style strong, bitter, tea (let it cool) and mix with ice and cold water in a glass. Sweeten to taste, easiest with a sugar syrup, but any sweetener would work.

If you don’t like the bitter sharpness, I’d recommend cold brewing, even a yellow label comes out with a soft profile and you can add flavor afterward with fruit juice, squeezed lemon, dried fruit, etc.

I think I’ve overestimated the cohesion between local, state and federal level organisations. I was kind of assuming people like DeSantis and Scott were doing their things to further the party line. And maybe they are the odd ones to do that in contrast to the other state politicians.

I hope you’re right, and it could actually yield a peaceful end to the degrading spiral. It’s gonna be a long road though, here’s wishing you luck and stubbornness!

Am I understanding you correctly that you’re advocating for grassroots campaigning for the Democrats?

As in: drumming up public support to vote in a Democrat majority, presumably in the hopes of creating a long term Democrat rule where they could address the checks & balances, the skewed system, the dysfunctional ethics and decorum situation, etc.?

That would indeed be a path forward, but I’m worried that the Republicans would counter campaign very hard, and as proved aren’t hesitant to use any trick they can to not give up power.

It’s what historically worked, but is it still feasible?

Iirc, Reagan was the first to strongarm a party line and establish the strategy of voting for power over anything which has proven very effective, with courts, gerrymandering, and stalled electoral reforms very helpful to form this current opportunity.

But with the current system where it is, I have trouble seeing any such grass roots being able to accomplish much until they gain a majority enough, for long enough to re-establish the checks & balances. Electoral voting and the two party system makes it incredibly hard for a new party to establish, and even then they will get bogged down in the same malintent behaviour exhibited now. At least enough to appear powerless, ineffectual or otherwise not making change enough to keep taking seats, like the Democrats of the last few cycles.

Do you envision some kind of path short of a revolution to throw out the current politicians?

I like your suggestions and I think they’d go a long way towards preventing the current situation to spontaneously happen again.

But I don’t think I see a path toward it until someone consolidates power to then create stability enough for these types of policies to be approachable.

I can’t see neither Florida nor the Senate voting (anytime soon) for anything like that decentralisation of power.

Almost the entire concept of The West is built upon concessions of Europe to the US in lieu of a guarantee against Russia.

Reneging on that will, and has already started to, isolate the US and leave it a lot more vulnerable to Chinese, BRICS, Russian, and other influence, not the least economically.

If only there was a way to get some actual facts, a quick calculation puts European direct bilateral contributions at about 150% of US.

I don’t know if you’re new to politics, but it is fairly common for politicians to present an opinion to spur certain action, such as giving more aid. It’s what’s needed to stop Russia, and stopping now won’t be enough.

Also, rearming, sending volunteers, adjusting to NATO, and increasing cooperation is also doing a lot to both ensure a future, and alleviate much of the worry for rebuilding.

I’ll suggest that the nazis and fanatics don’t get to express their nazi or fanatical views.

You can check out Popper’s Paradox/Paradox of Tolerance, which suggests that a tolerant society must counteract intolerance or it spreads to destroy all tolerance.

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Except for the people who have XXY and rarer combos

Which is how you gain influence and do something about it, no?

Great suggestion, I’ll put it near the top of the improbable pile.

You’re not wrong, but I don’t see the relevance to the topic? Unless this is part of the public revolt?

Organising to protect immigrants in your area is admirable, but how do you get rid of the necessity to do that? You’ll have to replace the politicians, no?

And you’ll probably need to be revolution sized and well organised to be able to do that when they ignore any procedure or deal that doesn’t benefit them in the specific moment.

Don’t get sad - get organised?

Remember your information diet guidelines!

Limit social media intake, read with an eye towards bias and agenda, and verify all news with independent sources.

Don’t get sad - get angry

Or Mexico tbh, wait until the civil war is spent and watch the cartels roll in

I see basically three ways out:

1. Democrats/someones sane win overwhelming majority for long enough to harden procedures, cement effective enforcement, and subversion proof the whole system, while not succumbing to their own corruption. Seems incredibly unlikely.

2. Autocracy and/or persecution of political rivals, where dissenters “fall out windows” a lot or the legislative body is replaced, until stability reforms and new norms can be reintroduced. Seems most likely currently, and has several contemporary examples.

3. Revolt, public and/or military, throwing out all the politicians and imposing exile or lynching of the offending politicians. Seems improbable, and especially to unite enough to throw out all the bad behaviour. Also will lead to a junta, civil strife and/or provisional government which come with their own slew of issues and corruption.

4. The Republicans grow a sense of decorum to protect the less privileged party. I can’t imagine this happening without basically a GOP-internal pogrom under a strongman, but Republican conservatism pulls a strongman in the opposite direction. Unless perhaps they’re some kind of upstanding teocrat perhaps?

This is all wild and slightly saddening speculation, please feel free to suggest other paths!

Getting a student visa is easy and an excellent way to both get valid credentials and a feel for the local culture.

As to where you should go depends on what you’re interested in, you’ll almost certainly be able to make a home wherever, so pick something that seems interesting and go (you can always use your mandated vacation days to explore the rest of EU).

For language, in almost all the major cities people will be able to speak English, although typically you’ll want to learn the local language sooner rather than later for social reasons.

If you know Spanish go Barcelona, beautiful city, vibrant in both culture and industry, and with values not too shockingly different to the US. For more info, either visit the Spanish consulate nearest you or look up their online presence.

If you want to keep to English, consider Ireland, they’ve also had a booming IT industry for all the giants needing a foot in the EU.

Mostly you can’t go wrong anywhere in the EU. Biggest culture shock would probably be the Nordics or Slavic countries, but not necessarily in a bad way.

All of them have tons of info about student visas at each university, the degrees are standardised throughout the EU and most universities are good, and typically outstanding in a couple areas.
For more info you just contact their international coordinator, or their closest consulate.

Most countries also have dedicated Web pages that outline the process, steps, and how you move toward permanent residence and citizenship if you’d want that.

Moving is typically the hard part, but if you start as a student, you’ll have a lot prepared for you (student accommodations, stipends, social activities, part-time job offers, recruitment fairs, incubators, etc.)