Politics [Archive] - Page 15

21Kid

January 14th, 2016, 06:56 AM

:erm: hmmm...
(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz failed to disclose to the Federal Election Commission a loan from Goldman Sachs for as much as $500,000 that was used to help finance his successful 2012 U.S. Senate campaign, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after a campaign event in Dorchester, South Carolina, Cruz called the failure to disclose the loans to the FEC a "technical and inadvertent filing error." "Those loans have been disclosed over and over and over again on multiple filings. If it was the case that they were not filed exactly as the FEC requires, then we'll amend the filings. But all of the information has been public and transparent for many years," he said.Sure, he'll amend them now that someone caught him. :smh:
"It is an inadvertent filing question," he said. "The facts of the underlying filing question have been disclosed for many, many years. It is not complicated. Our finances are not complicated."Then how'd you mess them up so bad?

In a March interview with Bloomberg's With All Due Respect, Cruz took aim at Goldman Sachs as being a beneficiary of "crony capitalism."
So, he's completely against Wall St and Big Banks... except his wife is a managing director of Goldman Sachs, and he gets $1mil in loans from them to finance his campaign? :erm: Seems legit.

overpowered

January 14th, 2016, 09:12 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=514875652031426

LHutton

January 14th, 2016, 09:52 AM

Uneducated grammatically but having read about Sharia Law in action, anyone wishing to introduce it to the west can definitely not be considered a moderate.

Other than that the response is incorrect. ISIS want to destroy all non-Muslim cultures simply because they're non-Muslim and don't practice Sharia Law. Bad grammar and stupidity has nothing to do with it. Unreasonable Islamophobia can catalyse radicalisation, but then terrorism can catalyse Islamophobia and Terrorism = k x f(percentage Muslim population) x g(amount of them from the Middle East). Therefore a high Muslim population introduced from the Middle East has the potential to cause an irreversible, self-sustaining chain reaction. It's not Xenophobia, it's just logic. The people worst affected by mass Islamic immigration will be the current Muslim citizens.

Jason

January 14th, 2016, 10:42 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=514875652031426

Beautiful :up:

Random

January 14th, 2016, 10:57 AM

FYI: I've asked LHutton to moderate his language or stop posting in this thread.

overpowered

January 14th, 2016, 11:19 AM

I stopped reading his posts in this thread weeks ago.

LHutton

January 14th, 2016, 11:21 AM

FYI: I've asked LHutton to moderate his language or stop posting in this thread.
Fair enough, I realise that political discussion can be a sensitive area.:up:

21Kid

January 14th, 2016, 11:32 AM

Any post that starts with "I'm not a racist, but..." isn't going to end well.
That one is soooo bad it almost looks fake.

Crazed_Insanity

January 14th, 2016, 11:33 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=514875652031426

With correct spelling, but is that last comment really true though? If we can get rid of all the dumb conservative Christians Americans, ISIS would embrace the rest of the intelligent liberal Americans with opened arms?

Anyway, regardless of whether that last comment is true, I can see we Americans will eventually destroy ourselves without any outside help.

Will the state of our union ever be strong again?

George

January 14th, 2016, 11:56 AM

I read and consider what LHutton has to say. Sometimes I agree - sometimes strongly - and sometimes I don't.

I could say the same for all the other posts in this thread and around this forum in general.

Friends/acquaintances on forums have something in common with artists, I think. By artists I mostly mean musicians who promote various political positions (Neil Young comes to mind immediately, but there are many others): I can enjoy their work/product/commentary while still disagreeing with some or all of their political positions.

Support freedom of speech, I say, you bunch of (mostly) liberals! :D

overpowered

January 14th, 2016, 12:15 PM

With correct spelling, but is that last comment really true though? If we can get rid of all the dumb conservative Christians Americans, ISIS would embrace the rest of the intelligent liberal Americans with opened arms?It would probably help a lot if we stopped sending drones and planes to bomb them and in general, stop interfering with their affairs.

Making peace with them will be a long slow difficult process but aggression only ever leads to more aggression. It doesn't make peace. It creates anger and resentment which is the basis of ISIS recruitment. They have a lot of legitimate complaints against us. We need to stop giving fuel to the hatred.

Obama has made some headway with Iran with the nuclear deal. Republicans want to toss that as well.

Republicans want war because Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumann, General Dynamics, Raytheon etc. contribute big to their election campaigns. It's all about the money and the military industrial complex rules. It's bad for the world and it's bad for the country but that doesn't matter because corporate profits are more important than people.

We need to get big corporate money out of politics.

George

January 14th, 2016, 01:03 PM

Republicans want war because Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumann, General Dynamics, Raytheon etc. contribute big to their election campaigns. It's all about the money and the military industrial complex rules. It's bad for the world and it's bad for the country but that doesn't matter because corporate profits are more important than people.

We need to get big corporate money out of politics.

I remember as a kid having a reproduction of the first ever Superman comic book, titled "Amazing Tales" or something like that. I can't believe I remember this after all these years, but if I recall correctly, part of the story from 1939 was Superman trying to stop munitions manufacturers from goading banana republics into war with one another in order to supply both sides with weapons.

After investigative reporter Clark Kent discovers what's going on, Superman grabs one or more of the salesmen and factory owners and flies them to the front lines of the war so they can see the horrors of war first hand.

That just popped into my head after decades of not thinking about it, for whatever that's worth.

Crazed_Insanity

January 14th, 2016, 02:20 PM

It would probably help a lot if we stopped sending drones and planes to bomb them and in general, stop interfering with their affairs.

Making peace with them will be a long slow difficult process but aggression only ever leads to more aggression. It doesn't make peace. It creates anger and resentment which is the basis of ISIS recruitment. They have a lot of legitimate complaints against us. We need to stop giving fuel to the hatred.

Obama has made some headway with Iran with the nuclear deal. Republicans want to toss that as well.

Republicans want war because Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumann, General Dynamics, Raytheon etc. contribute big to their election campaigns. It's all about the money and the military industrial complex rules. It's bad for the world and it's bad for the country but that doesn't matter because corporate profits are more important than people.

We need to get big corporate money out of politics.

Don't disagree with your comments in general.

However, don't forget Obama is the one sending in drones and bombs too. From the outside, W and O looks pretty much the same. Big corporations are also giving to democrats. Defense companies will also likely continue to make profits under a democratic white house and congress.

By making fun of and blaming our conservative dumbass christian brothers and sisters in red neighborhoods solves absolutely nothing.

Unless you wish to genetically modify the human race, there will always be stupid people around. Stupid folks in our country, in our neighborhoods, and even in our family. Making fun or getting rid of them won't solve any problems... and for sure they are NOT the reasons why ISIS wants to destroy us.

Anyway, I just think it's stupid for us to see fellow Americans as enemies. Do we really need to be colorists? Must we identify ourselves as either blue or red?

Blue president bombing the middle east is acceptable, but red president bombing the middle east means he's a warmonger?

We all need to take off our colored lenses.

thesameguy

January 14th, 2016, 02:23 PM

With correct spelling, but is that last comment really true though? If we can get rid of all the dumb conservative Christians Americans, ISIS would embrace the rest of the intelligent liberal Americans with opened arms?

I doubt it. IMHO there is either a fundamental cultural disagreement here or the same type of war-mongering good-for-business types exist on both sides. I seriously, seriously doubt either side gives a rats ass about racial slurs or poor language.

IMHO, the best hope is just agree to disagree and leave each other alone. We can't even get there.

LHutton

January 14th, 2016, 02:59 PM

The weather has been extremely mild this winter in the UK, with copious flooding. Global warming, or just random?

George

January 14th, 2016, 03:10 PM

However, don't forget Obama is the one sending in drones and bombs too. From the outside, W and O looks pretty much the same.

I may not be the most informed person on this topic, but from what I have observed over the years and heard/read, Bush's method was sending in EVERYONE - Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, support personnel, Dick Cheney's company Halliburton, Blackstone and other privately owned government contractors, the Harlem Globetrotters, and 101 Dalmatians.

By contrast, it seems if Obama wants you and yours, you'll never see it coming. It may be a team of Navy Seals, or a guy on a motorcycle slapping a magnetized bomb on the side of a Iranian nuclear scientist's car, a drone flown by a guy sitting in front of a gaming monitor in Arizona, or maybe a Kenyan tribesman with a blowgun and poison darts.

If that's correct, and if I'm not misinformed, I prefer Obama's method of waging war.

MR2 Fan

January 14th, 2016, 03:26 PM

The weather has been extremely mild this winter in the UK, with copious flooding. Global warming, or just random?

and a new hurricane....in January

LHutton

January 14th, 2016, 03:38 PM

and a new hurricane....in January
Thankfully it seems to be getting cold, maybe that means less wet. Can't believe it was 20degC in December.

overpowered

January 14th, 2016, 05:52 PM

It's the Trump Youth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRfP_TEQ-g

Sounded better in the original German.

Freude am Fahren

January 14th, 2016, 06:43 PM

Is he running for President of the US or North Korea?

Also, wrong thread? http://gtxforums.net/showthread.php?51-Internet-memotivationally-epic-fails

LHutton

January 15th, 2016, 02:43 AM

It's the Trump Youth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRfP_TEQ-g

Sounded better in the original German.
It's funny but the other side was saying Obama Youth about 4 years ago. I think you guys need to concentrate on the issues and leave the Nazi analogies to one side.

21Kid

January 15th, 2016, 07:01 AM

That video was so bad, I thought it was fake at first... :( It's not. :smh:

overpowered

January 15th, 2016, 10:02 AM

It's funny but the other side was saying Obama Youth about 4 years ago. I think you guys need to concentrate on the issues and leave the Nazi analogies to one side.Listen to the lyrics. The thing is war mongering.

MR2 Fan

January 15th, 2016, 10:42 AM

It's funny but the other side was saying Obama Youth about 4 years ago. I think you guys need to concentrate on the issues and leave the Nazi analogies to one side.

Hmm, let's check the record of Trump so far...

Extreme right wing rhetoric? Check
Wanting to keep people from a certain religion out of the country? Check
Spreading hate speech about other minorities and immigrants? Check

overpowered

January 15th, 2016, 10:52 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1223179347693041

LHutton

January 15th, 2016, 11:29 AM

Listen to the lyrics. The thing is war mongering.
Yeah, it's not going to make it platinum.

Hmm, let's check the record of Trump so far...

Extreme right wing rhetoric? Check
Wanting to keep people from a certain religion out of the country? Check
Spreading hate speech about other minorities and immigrants? Check
1 out of 3 is great in baseball. Frankly, I've seen so many politicians run perfectly PC campaigns and then be complete arsehats once in power that it's actually quite refreshing to see someone being the arsehat they truly are whilst campaigning.

Freude am Fahren

January 15th, 2016, 05:05 PM

Where do you get 1/3 from 3/3?

Are you actually Z07 and Docksyde's offspring?

Jason

January 15th, 2016, 06:46 PM

George

January 15th, 2016, 07:34 PM

Well said, Jason.

And that from a former hardcore righty who used to take his marching orders from Rush Limbaugh and similar sources. That was many years ago, and I have swung far left in many of my political opinions in the last ten years or so...except for reckless and excessive government spending and therefore reckless and excessive taxation.

Past drunken rants from years (or days) ago aside, I think it's safe to say that lately I haven't promoted one candidate over another here, and I'm not doing so now, but I saw this today and realized I'm one of the tattooed, earring-wearing, socially liberal but STRONGLY fiscally conservative Republicans (well, former Republicans, in my case) that Rand Paul talks about in the first part of this video.

I don't think Rand Paul is presidential material any more than Trump is, but I do like this presentation, and especially this: "...our country is being bankrupted...by those on the right who want unlimited military spending, and those on the left who want unlimited domestic spending."

Signed,

A wacko libertarian utopianist

P.S. I don't actually have any tattoos or earrings, but, back before having kids and becoming a virtual prisoner of fatherhood (in a good way!), I used to hang with those who did because they're a hell of a lot more fun than guys like Ted Cruz, and I used to be surrounded by folks like Cruz back east in the Bible Belt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xbWcw-Ct7nY

I want to vote for liberty, privacy, smaller government, a far more isolationist foreign policy than we currently have (but not total isolationism), and just good old-fashioned common sense. I don't really have anyone to vote for this year, but I'll keep watching, waiting, and hoping.

Tom Servo

January 15th, 2016, 08:08 PM

I'm uncomfortable with liberals bashing Trump for the kid thing, after conservatives attacked Obama for similar.

I'm uncomfortable with liberals bashing Cruz for being Canadian born, after conservatives attacked Obama for similar(ish).

It's a shame that we're no better than the opposition.

FWIW, I'm definitely not bashing the kids. The creepy song, I'm totally bashing that. If they wrote it, then I'm bashing Trump for using it.

overpowered

January 15th, 2016, 08:14 PM

I'm uncomfortable with liberals bashing Trump for the kid thing, after conservatives attacked Obama for similar.When did Obama have kids sing war propaganda?

I'm uncomfortable with liberals bashing Cruz for being Canadian born, after conservatives attacked Obama for similar(ish).Cruz actually was born in Canada. Obama was born in Hawaii.

There are a fair amount of conservatives questioning Cruz's eligibility. The Constitution wasn't very clear on what natural born citizen actually means. This may need to go to the SCOTUS.

Jason

January 15th, 2016, 09:32 PM

Jason

January 15th, 2016, 09:35 PM

Maybe I'm just tired of the campaigns already. Would rather debate policy, not bullshit false outrage and concern.

Tom Servo

January 15th, 2016, 09:54 PM

Wow, I totally do not remember the youth group in military garb. Assuming that's as bad as that sounds, that's pretty bad.

Tom Servo

January 15th, 2016, 10:06 PM

Wait, is this what you're talking about?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mvP0ArKIGY

If so, that certainly wasn't Obama sanctioned. Cringeworthy, sure, but you can't blame Obama for it.

Jason

January 16th, 2016, 03:01 AM

I don't. Conservatives did, they went full blown "Obama is Hitler!"

Now liberals are talking about how Trump is Hitler. (And before, they also said the same about Bush)

Newsflash, neither are, and the suggestion ignores the reality of history.

I think Trump is a shit candidate, but I'd like to see Liberals do better at communicating why he is, vs "lol omg he's hitler y'all", and not do the same things we hated conservatives for doing. That's all. I'm including myself in this, as well, I need to do a better, myself. Especially when the general election comes around... There's a real possibility that Trump or Cruz wins, with big republican majorities in Congress. Changing minds isn't gonna happen with childish insults.

TheBenior

January 16th, 2016, 05:46 AM

While there are certainly differing opinions on what defines fascism (after all, Italian fascism and Nazi fascism were quite different), I do think that it's a pretty good description of Trump and his rhetoric. It's not particularly hard to find parallels between Trump's statements and Umberto Eco's properties of fascist ideology (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_fascism#Umberto_Eco). The complete essay in pdf can be found here (http://www.pegc.us/archive/Articles/eco_ur-fascism.pdf).

Jason

January 16th, 2016, 06:49 AM

One could argue that the conservative platform aligns with those in general, and also another person could argue that the liberal platform aligns with much of that as well. I'm not defending Trump, but I also don't think spouting off 'omg hitler!' is really going to do much in the way of pulling in those on the fence. But maybe I'm naive. I'll shut up about it.

MR2 Fan

January 16th, 2016, 07:27 AM

I'm mobile, but conservatives flipped their shit, and liberals made fun of them, when a black youth group dressed in semi military garb did a pro Obama routine back in 2008 or so. Now liberals are flipping their shit over a Trump youth thing. Sure you can try to argue it's different because this or that, but it boils down to the same thing.

Cruz is American. Obama is American. Conservatives flipped out because Obama might have been born elsewhere. Now liberals are giving them shit because Cruz was born in Canada.

I find if all hypocritical. Defend it all you want, though.

Here's the problem. All of the anti-Obama things came out because of completely inaccurate and misleading media coverage, which claimed everything about him with no facts or direct information from his speeches.

Obama was labeled as a radical muslim and belonging to a supposedly radical christian church at the SAME time....also labeled as a nazi and a communist at the SAME time, oh and that he was not born in hawaii despite all evidence to the contrary, including his mother being an American citize anyway.....all of which are the right trying to throw anything at him that will stick because he has dark skin, a weird name and scares people because of that.

Trump on the other hand, SAYS exactly what he plans to do and the media are calling him out on that...both right and left.

Freude am Fahren

January 16th, 2016, 08:37 AM

Also, nearly all of the Cruz not American talk has come from, or at least originated from, the right. Especially recently. When he first got in, I heard liberals joke about it, in reference to Obama, but didn't hear serious talk about it until Trump started talking about it.

LHutton

January 16th, 2016, 02:53 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/iranian-us-foreign-minister-focus-clinching-nuclear-deal-094627967.html

US, EU lift sanctions against Iran amid landmark nuke deal

VIENNA (AP) — The U.N. nuclear agency certified Saturday that Iran has met all of its commitments under last summer's landmark nuclear deal, crowning years of U.S.-led efforts to crimp Iran's ability to make atomic weapons. For Iran, the move lifts Western economic sanctions that have been in place for years, unlocking access to $100 billion in frozen assets and unleashing new opportunities for its battered economy.

speedpimp

January 16th, 2016, 02:56 PM

The Oath Keeper Who Marched With Black Lives Matter & OK was not okay with it. (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-oath-keeper-who-wants-to-arm-black-lives-matter-20160103?page=7)

LHutton

January 16th, 2016, 03:25 PM

I got quarter way through that and contemplated suicide. Cliffs?

overpowered

January 16th, 2016, 06:08 PM

Bill O'Reilly spewing his usual hot air, saying he'll go to Ireland if Sanders is elected. Of course, Ireland is closer to socialist than the U.S., by a lot and probably more than Sanders will ever achieve. The article goes over a lot of this and other problems that he'll have if he tries to go there.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/01/16/bill-oreilly-will-flee-to-ireland-if-sanders-is-elected-hes-in-for-a-shock/

speedpimp

January 16th, 2016, 06:18 PM

I got quarter way through that and contemplated suicide. Cliffs?

Try reading again and maybe you'll follow through.

Here's the Norm's Notes version:
Oath Keeper member wanted to stage a protest in Ferguson, MO with armed black residents of Ferguson. Oath Keeper head honcho had a problem with that. Guy leaves Oath Keepers. Guy stages protest in Ferguson. Ten people show up(only two were black, including the Grand Nephew of Chuck Berry). Guy says he was blackballed by friends in law enforcement, which cost his business money. Guy also says he worked for a "gov't agency with three letters".

If that doesn't sum it up enough for you then just read the article without thinking about killing yourself.

LHutton

January 17th, 2016, 01:45 AM

Try reading again and maybe you'll follow through.

Here's the Norm's Notes version:
Oath Keeper member wanted to stage a protest in Ferguson, MO with armed black residents of Ferguson. Oath Keeper head honcho had a problem with that. Guy leaves Oath Keepers. Guy stages protest in Ferguson. Ten people show up(only two were black, including the Grand Nephew of Chuck Berry). Guy says he was blackballed by friends in law enforcement, which cost his business money. Guy also says he worked for a "gov't agency with three letters".

If that doesn't sum it up enough for you then just read the article without thinking about killing yourself.
Well it's funny but when armed gays turned up for a protest in Oregon, lots of people criticised it, even though there was no rioting and looting to accompany it.

speedpimp

January 17th, 2016, 04:11 AM

There is a difference between marching down a street and taking over a wildlife refuge. Pretty sure that even you can see the difference there.

LHutton

January 17th, 2016, 07:15 AM

Depends how you want to call it. Blocking a street that people use every day, while throwing stuff at police vs peacefully moving into a deserted wildlife refuge. Rioting because a robber got shot by a cop with a flawless record, vs protesting something that you believe threatens your livelihood. Both public property, one in use, one not, both causes that the other side considers ass-hattery.

I can't help but wonder what the reaction would be if Republicans dropped off dildos and lube for the Ferguson protesters. My guess is, not good.

overpowered

January 17th, 2016, 09:21 AM

Donald Trump Takes Credit After Obama Secures Release Of American Prisoners From Iran

http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/01/17/donald-trump-takes-credit-after-obama-secures-release-of-american-prisoners-from-iran/

Sad, little man

January 17th, 2016, 10:25 AM

LHutton

January 17th, 2016, 12:28 PM

My guess is that people would be extremely confused if Republicans gave dildos and lube to the Ferguson protesters because, you know, it wouldn't make any fucking sense in the context of the Ferguson protest.

The occupation of the wildlife refuge in Oregon and the rhetoric from the people occupying it is seen by many to be something that is fueled by deep seated insecurities harbored by the people occupying it. In a broader, more vague sense, it's part of a larger trend where many middle to lower class white males are struggling with the fact that their place in society is being diminished in a world that is becoming more multicultural and moving away from the values that had previously made them the dominant members of our society.

Sending these people dildos and lube is an affront to the masculinity and dominance that they're trying to assert by attempting to reclaim land from the government that they feel is persecuting them.

Black people protesting in Ferguson and other places are on the other end of the balance of power. They are the historically oppressed class. So, their protests are not attempting to assert a position of dominance that they feel they are losing. Instead, they are seeking to obtain equality. So, in this frame of reference, dildos and lube do not carry the same symbolic significance.

This is why what you're saying makes no sense.
Yep, what you've just said makes zero sense. Both of them feel that the government/law is persecuting them. Only in the case of the Ferguson movement, there isn't a single law or police directive that can be changed to further equality. Right now every single law and directive says that everyone is equal, every race, every gender, every sexuality. And the protesters know that, so rather than specifically state the outcome they want, or the law they want changing, they come out with a meaningless slogan that leaves people none the wiser as to the purpose of the protest. 'Black Lives Matter.' Well yes... and? Some people are just dismayed by the fact they aren't getting what they want out of life, so rather than trying harder, or examining themselves, they blame the police/government. The guy in Ferguson who got shot was a robber, a pretty fucking large one, who attacked a smaller cop with gun. There isn't any law you can write or rewrite that will change the outcome of that (for any race). And shooting a cop, yeah that'll really help won't it? Rioting, yeah that'll help you get what you want out of life for sure won't it. Of course this wouldn't be an attempt at asserting masculinity and dominance would it? The crazy thing is, there are 50+ year-old black people, who really did face persecution, who got educated and now have great jobs, and they complain far less even though they have far more right to.

It helps not to take a completely 2:1 sided view of everything, it's makes politics horribly polarised instead of searching for the middle ground.

Sad, little man

January 17th, 2016, 01:16 PM

Your arguments are bullshit, but I'm not going to tell you why.

Tom Servo

January 17th, 2016, 06:23 PM

Why, oh why, did I click "view post"? I am dumber (though hopefully not newly racist) for having read that.

overpowered

January 17th, 2016, 07:27 PM

:lol:

Rikadyn

January 18th, 2016, 12:30 PM

Why, oh why, did I click "view post"? I am dumber (though hopefully not newly racist) for having read that.

Agreed, that being said at least it's more articulate than what I hear from my father.

Fogelhund

January 19th, 2016, 10:25 AM

Why, oh why, did I click "view post"? I am dumber (though hopefully not newly racist) for having read that.

On that note... I'll choose not to view post for said blocked poster.

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 11:35 AM

170 Economists Endorse Bernie Sanders’ Plan To Reform Wall St. And Rein In Greed

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/14/170-economists-bernie-sanders-plan-reform-wall-st-rein-greed.html

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 12:29 PM

Donald Trump's campaign theme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqZaQKskP-A

thesameguy

January 19th, 2016, 12:31 PM

170 Economists Endorse Bernie Sanders’ Plan To Reform Wall St. And Rein In Greed

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/14/170-economists-bernie-sanders-plan-reform-wall-st-rein-greed.html

I get this weird feeling that if Bernie manages to get elected, he'll be assassinated. Nobody that interested in the people can be allowed to survive.

Phil_SS

January 19th, 2016, 01:31 PM

But it's not like President is the exulted leader of the land and what he/she says is instantly instituted. Just ask Obama, he had plenty of things he tried to get done and Congress just refused to do any work.

It's gonna be pretty hard for any President to get his agenda instituted unless it has unanimous support from both sides. And even then, when all the politicians are in the pockets of Wall Street.....

I really believe the only way to reform Congress is term limits. These people have to know they will only get a set amount of years in the system. Then they are out. It can't be a lifetime job. Senate should be two terms max and the House should be four terms max. And a person can have a max time amongst both houses of 16 years. If you have been a Senator for two terms. You are done regardless if you have accrued the 16 years.

21Kid

January 19th, 2016, 01:44 PM

I think it would be more helpful to get $$$ out of politics first. Otherwise, limiting their term would just make them try to land a sweet private job while in office even more than now.

Jason

January 19th, 2016, 03:50 PM

Remove lobbying, change to a public campaign financing system, and implement term limits.

Unfortunately all of the above go against the interests of those that write the laws, so those changes will never happen.

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 08:46 PM

But it's not like President is the exulted leader of the land and what he/she says is instantly instituted. Just ask Obama, he had plenty of things he tried to get done and Congress just refused to do any work.True. Bernie will have at least as much trouble as Obama did. On the bright side, I think he'll do better with foreign relations, particularly keeping us out of armed conflicts.

I really believe the only way to reform Congress is term limits. These people have to know they will only get a set amount of years in the system. Then they are out. It can't be a lifetime job. Senate should be two terms max and the House should be four terms max. And a person can have a max time amongst both houses of 16 years. If you have been a Senator for two terms. You are done regardless if you have accrued the 16 years.A lot of them that do leave, leave for high paying jobs for lobbying firms. Even term limits will probably not fix this system.

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 08:50 PM

I love how the Donald dances around when people point out his hypocrisy.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=982984495072580

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 09:26 PM

Before we hit 2018, Disney will have the politicians that it owns in congress extend the copyright length, again.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.eff.org%2Fdeepl inks%2F2016%2F01%2Fwell-probably-never-free-mickey-thats-beside-point

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 09:29 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1117268224952138

overpowered

January 19th, 2016, 10:40 PM

US is an oligarchy, not a democracy

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746
https://theintercept.com/2015/07/30/jimmy-carter-u-s-oligarchy-unlimited-political-bribery/

LHutton

January 20th, 2016, 02:45 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1117268224952138
Hypocritical analogy.

Ammon Bundy kills - 0
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multimedia/archive/01039/NIP000207247006_1039133c.jpg

Islamist kills - 1,000,000+ and counting, actually nobody's even really sure there's that many.
https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M5448be2e0be793d8bca602d125e5d437o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300
http://www.stargazertwo.com/Database/9-11/9-11_1.jpg
http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/150016-3x2-940x627.jpg
http://lusakavoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/PARIS-ATTACK-min.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents,_2000
.
.
.
.
.
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents,_2014

Hell nobody can even keep count. 3 in a week even outside of the Middle East war zones. Sorry but Ammon Bundy on a wildlife refuge just doesn't really class as a problem.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jakarta-blasts-timeline-islamist-attacks-indonesia-080017308.html;_ylt=AwrC1Cg6Zp9WuQ4AAGSTmYlQ;_ylu= X3oDMTEyMmMyZ2tvBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM0BHZ0aWQDVklEMD ZfMQRzZWMDc2M-

Jakarta blasts: timeline of Islamist attacks in Indonesia

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/three-burkina-faso-attack-suspects-still-large-french-154119944.html;_ylt=AwrC1CnsZZ9WGAMAa3PQtDMD;_ylu= X3oDMTByOHZyb21tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYw Nzcg--

Three Burkina Faso attack suspects still at large: French PM

http://news.yahoo.com/three-gunmen-attack-university-northwest-pakistan-local-media-050652591.html

Pakistan Taliban kill at least 19 as they storm university

Freude am Fahren

January 20th, 2016, 08:02 AM

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/12572951_10153213109182541_3828741154582099732_n.j pg?oh=77e12b9ac6fca5b60b0ef55152bf4f82&oe=5733ADE2

LHutton

January 20th, 2016, 10:50 AM

^"Dumb and dumber."

overpowered

January 20th, 2016, 10:59 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1272132456133956

George

January 20th, 2016, 12:51 PM

I tried this today and I agree with the author that the meat is still a problem. Other than that, it was a big improvement over the normal McD's. Also, a bit pricier.

http://ny.eater.com/2015/8/4/9097115/create-your-taste-review-sietsema

I thought I should move this from the delicious Spicy/Salty thread to Politics for these remarks, based on my first thoughts from reading the article.

I suggest that what McNasty's is actually doing here is testing computerized kiosks where customers will have to type in their own orders and eventually swipe their own card or feed cash into the machine (I see the pay-at-the-kiosk function isn't working yet, per the article).

This will allow them to eliminate many minimum wage workers in areas where local and state governments have raised the minimum wage to $15, or whatever the going rate is in big cities and liberal utopias like Kalifornistan.

thesameguy

January 20th, 2016, 02:52 PM

IMHO, McDonald's is trying to recapture their heyday of all things to all people. There was a period of time in the '80s when no matter what you thought you wanted, McDonald's had something for you. That was never going to last, and IMHO they're foolish to try and get back there. In & Out has proven that you can make a damn good (actually I hate In & Out, but whatever) hamburger and make a fortune doing it. McDonald's still thinks an infinite variety of food will cause people to start eating there multiple times a day, every day. It's not. Nothing they can do will get them back to the '80s. McD's should take a cue from Domino's Pizza (I still love that guy's speech!) and focus on their core product - burgers. Nobody is ever going to think of them for a salad, accept it and maximize the brand. Seriously, read up on Domino's c2009 and just slap McD's in there. It's their best hope.

As for kiosks, I thought that McDonald's should have done them way back in the late '90s or early '00s. Putting a screen on every table where people could punch in *exactly* what they wanted and then have a friendly face bring it out would have been magic. Get rid of cashiers who put orders in wrong and get hungry people out of oppressive lines and sitting down with friends so the time passes more quickly. I think that ship sailed or, rather, it's a technology better applied to other people in 2015. I know the Taco Bell app is pretty effing awesome! Mc Donald's really needs to focus on a singular kickass burger and forget about all the frills. Nobody cares now and nobody has ever cared. McDonald's needs to accept some truths about their business.

MR2 Fan

January 20th, 2016, 03:58 PM

McDonald's is having problems in Japan too, so they just came out with chocolate covered french fries......mmmmm

overpowered

January 20th, 2016, 06:36 PM

In & Out has proven that you can make a damn good (actually I hate In & Out, but whatever) hamburger and make a fortune doing it.In-n-Out gets the meat right.

They've got a policy of always using fresh never frozen ingredients including the meat which means that they always have to be within some reasonable distance of a slaughterhouse that produces meat up to their standards so that they can get it there in refrigerator trucks every day.

In-n-out is basic. It's nothing fancy. They just use fresh high quality (for fast food) ingredients. People like it for that. McD's meat sucks by comparison as does BK and Carls. Jack does a little better than the others but not up to In-n-Out standards.

It was kind of cool to have spinach instead of iceberg lettuce on a burger. I don't understand why anyone would want iceberg lettuce on anything.

TheBenior

January 20th, 2016, 07:18 PM

In-N-Out also starts employees at $10.50/hr, 17% higher than the national median wage for fast food jobs ($8.94). :up:

overpowered

January 20th, 2016, 07:26 PM

Also, like In-n-Out, this made to order burger takes a little while to get made. Expect a wait.

George

January 20th, 2016, 07:52 PM

The point I was trying to make about the minimum wage, here in the Politics thread, is that politicians think they can raise the minimum wage and everyone can magically make more money.

Nope. Some people lose their jobs entirely.

On to happier things, or perhaps or just a pause before I get flame-broiled: We have Five Guys restaurants around here - a burger joint, and they make 'em to order also. They have a small menu and, other than toppings, the main choice is if you'll have a single burger or a double burger. When you place the order, the cashier yells "one!" or "two!" or however many patties are in your order and the grill man puts them on right then. Everything is cooked to order and it darn good.

I've only been to an In-n-Out once, back in the '90s, and I don't really remember much about it, good or bad. I do see their bumper stickers on cars from time to time, but we don't have any of their restaurants near me.

overpowered

January 20th, 2016, 08:25 PM

It's primarily a family owned business, though some outside the family do own stock. They don't franchise. Their growth is limited by their ability to set up sources and distribution hubs for their ingredients to maintain their freshness and quality standards. The nearest to you is in Utah. There's a cluster of them in and nearish to SLC.

overpowered

January 20th, 2016, 08:36 PM

Palin tries to blame her son getting arrested on Obama, because he doesn't take care of vets. The republican controlled congress has voted down every single effort to fund help for veterans in the last 7 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-evLKp-u0Oo

thesameguy

January 20th, 2016, 08:48 PM

Nope. Some people lose their jobs entirely.

It's true, but the total results just aren't that clear cut. This is a tiny piece of what Bernie Sanders is trying to say.

All the studies I have ever read about increasing minimum wage readily admit that doing so will have an added cost to consumers. Add $1/hr to each employee's wage and businesses will have to raise their prices to compensate. Some businesses don't exist in a place where consumers will tolerate an increase in costs, so businesses will either fail or lay off employees to make up the difference. That's all true. There's no free lunch.

But, OTOH, failing to raise minimum wage and leaving people stuck in a job that they cannot afford to lose but simultaneously isn't paying the bills means those people will rely on public infrastructure - underemployement insurance, subsidized food, subsidized housing, etc. - to make ends meet. Consumers pay for that too, except those services are funded through a bazillion layers of costly bureaucracy. Would you rather pay an extra buck for your hamburger, or pay an extra five bucks in taxes to get the same result? I know how I'd wanna spend my money.

I think we can all agree that forcing ten year olds to work in factories is not a good idea. But, man, child labor is cheap. If you could put your whole household to work, it'd be a lot easier to pay the bills. But forcing kids to work is wrong, and we don't do that. You know what else is great? Paying people $1/hr. If labor in America was $1/hr, we wouldn't have to worry about the threat from China - we'd bring ALL our manufacturing home! And if people they don't like the wage, they can get a job elsewhere, right? Maybe not - because if one business pays $1/hr, pretty soon everyone will - and paying people $1/hr probably isn't right. So we put controls on things to ensure that folks are paid a "fair" wage for work they do. But, what's a fair wage? Some arbitrary number that looks good on paper? Or is it a concept that says "Taking the job means you are going to be able to meet reasonable financial obligations." I sure think it's the latter, and to that end we have to look at the cost of living and base our minimum wage - our control - on that. Our old minimum wage creates the working poor. People who can't make ends meet but still work. What's the point in that? We're still going to subsidize them in the long run.

I know it's not what he meant, but I think it applies:

We gotta make a change
It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.
Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live
And let's change the way we treat each other.
You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
What we gotta do, to survive.

What America has been doing - this trickle-down approach which has existed for hundreds of years despite having only been named recently - isn't working. We have mountains of people in shitty shape and we keep tip-toeing around business because we're confident if we just create more jobs everything will work out. Maybe it will, but at this point in time I'm *personally* willing to look at other options. I'd like to explore trickle up economics. I'd like to focus on the people, get them sorted, and then see if we can't use 300,000,000 healthy, happy, well-fed people to cut back on a government that historically has done a pretty poor job of looking out for us. I like to get rid of that fatty layer of government bureaucracy that burns 80% of every tax dollar in waste before passing 20% down to the people. How about I just give that guy at McDonald's an extra dollar and he doesn't have to stop by that payday loan place on the way home? That sounds pretty rad to me.

TheBenior

January 20th, 2016, 09:30 PM

I think that Americans like to pretend that the free market is inherently good instead of amoral, and that a growing middle class is possible without some sort of external influence (WW2, Black Death, labor movements, etc).

thesameguy

January 20th, 2016, 10:16 PM

I agree - and I think we're so committed to that idea that we think the government can shore up whatever "minor deficiencies" may present themselves. I think it's worth changing the approach. Let the government set the playing field fairly rather than trying to sort out the inequities that result when things don't quite shake out as expected. I think it's an interesting concept, and worthwhile to explore before we resort to higher taxes and more Bureaus Of to manage and distribute the proceeds. I mean, if you're really committed to business leading the way, why not make them directly responsible? :)

Edit, P.S.: *I* like to pretend that the free market is inherently good. I like to believe that ultimately good sense and morality will prevail. And you know, it might! Unfortunately, the casualties between Now and Then are increasingly difficult to bear.

LHutton

January 21st, 2016, 01:10 AM

LHutton

January 21st, 2016, 01:52 AM

Oh classic, popcorn at the ready.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/thousands-apply-to-u-s--to-forgive-their-student-loans--saying-schools-defrauded-them-133720706.html

Thousands Apply to U.S. to Forgive Their Student Loans, Saying Schools Defrauded Them

In the past six months, more than 7,500 borrowers owing $164 million have applied to have their student debt expunged under an obscure federal law that had been applied only in three instances before last year. The law forgives debt for borrowers who prove their schools used illegal tactics to recruit them, such as by lying about their graduates’ earnings.

neanderthal

January 21st, 2016, 03:05 AM

The point I was trying to make about the minimum wage, here in the Politics thread, is that politicians think they can raise the minimum wage and **everyone can magically make more money.**

Nope. Some people lose their jobs entirely.

I don't think anyone thinks that simplistically about it, but, as already mentioned, low wages result in greater dependence on welfare etc.

OTOH, States that increased minimum wage have generally seen an increase in job growth.

link (http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/07/19/332879409/states-that-raised-minimum-wage-see-faster-job-growth-report-says)

TheBenior

January 21st, 2016, 05:34 AM

Is the market really free though? With so much corporate investment in election campaigns, revolving doors, corruption, cartels, bailouts, financial... well... crimes (LIBOR fixing etc.), it's damn difficult to argue that the market really is free. Then you have the whole issue of taxation, people argue over the rates but the first thing you need to do is actually get everyone to actually pay it. Then you can assess whether the rate is correct.

Well, if you're going to define a 'free market' the way Libertarian purists do, I'd argue that said 'free market' is an unrealistic fantasy that's as plausible in the real world as Marxist Communism.

LHutton

January 21st, 2016, 09:14 AM

Well, if you're going to define a 'free market' the way Libertarian purists do, I'd argue that said 'free market' is an unrealistic fantasy that's as plausible in the real world as Marxist Communism.
I'm defining it in the realistic way that allows for law and order and competition. In the Libertarian version of a free market, there would essentially be no market, because a few powerful companies would either agree to merge or work in a cartel, and hence competition would cease. So the Libertarian version of a free market is neither free, nor a market. Essentially what you actually end up with is a non-governmental Communist-like entity controlling everything, the only difference being that worker wages won't be protected in the same way.

Crazed_Insanity

January 21st, 2016, 10:48 AM

Pure capitalism(free market) and pure socialism won't work in the real world; however, I think history has shown that capitalism worked out a little better in our world than socialism. I think that's because capitalism takes advantage of people's immorality, namely greed, to move us forward. In order for socialism to work, humanity really need to get their act together and be more moral. Until then, socialism just won't work.

Mandate every company to match the minimum wage paid by In&Out won't really cause them all to become successful like In&Out.

My pastor also explained that there's a slight difference between socialism and the early church when they all shared everything...
Modern day socialism has this mentality: What you have is mine!
Whereas the early church thought like this: What I have is yours!

Likewise, it'd be better for companies to willingly give their employees extra income in order to truly show their appreciation to the employees rather than expecting the government or union to extract money out of your boss's pocket.

Seriously, if you're unsatisfied with your pay, why don't you change to another job that pays more? If all bosses are stingy assholes, there's also nothing preventing you to become a boss of your own, right?

Why expect our government to step in and force the rich to share wealth? Why not allow the rich to give freely on their own accord?

OTOH, if someday you become wealthy, don't you forget it's more blessed to give than to receive. Hoarding on to your wealth is meaningless. Even Steve Jobs got nothing from Apple after he died.

Money is out there to be made by those who want them. They shouldn't be entitlements.

If government really want to help poor citizens, why not pump in their own money to create programs for those people to be able to get out of minimum wage jobs?

As a teen, without rent to pay or having to worry about putting food on the table, I was totally happy with minimum wage of $4.25/hr!

LHutton

January 21st, 2016, 10:55 AM

But did capitalism work out better only because half the world was Communist at the time? That's the real question. When half the world is consuming very little, naturally the other capitalist half will do very well. However, when the whole world turns capitalist and everyone starts trying to consume at the same rate, and more labour and cheaper labour becomes available to capitalist markets and everything is globalised, then maybe there's going to be problems.

Crazed_Insanity

January 21st, 2016, 11:01 AM

There will always be problems in this world. There will always be poor people in the world. -Jesus Christ

Of course we should do whatever we can to minimize the problems and help the poor.

I'm just not sure increasing minimum wage will really minimize problems and truly help the poor, especially longterm basis.

We've continued to increase minimum wage over the years, right? Is it really that we haven't been raising it fast enough... that's why we now have a bigger gap between the rich and the poor?

LHutton

January 21st, 2016, 11:03 AM

Well no and that comes back to the problem of globalisation and cheaper labour. Maybe globalisation just isn't a good thing.

Crazed_Insanity

January 21st, 2016, 11:13 AM

It's good for America to enjoy cheap goods.
It's also good for China for this helped them raise their standard of living.
If this can eventually also help Africa too, why not?

If you wish to shut your borders and cut off the internet with others around the globe like North Korea, that can be made to work too, but I think you'll eventually encounter bigger problems! :p

Each country's free to experiment with whatever -ism. We can all learn from history.

overpowered

January 21st, 2016, 11:33 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LPR7DktumA

overpowered

January 21st, 2016, 11:56 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP_ofyRzeag

overpowered

January 21st, 2016, 12:21 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STZMtio7KqU

21Kid

January 21st, 2016, 12:36 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LPR7DktumA

Wow. :twitch:

LHutton

January 21st, 2016, 12:46 PM

It's good for America to enjoy cheap goods.
It's also good for China for this helped them raise their standard of living.
If this can eventually also help Africa too, why not?
Look at how wage inequality has grown during that process. The big businesses created in the capitalist countries pre-1990, simply moved to exploit the cheap labour created in Communist countries and so everyone slowly gets dragged down to the commune standards so heavily criticises during the Cold War. I think if people were told they'd be dragged down to that standard anyway, nobody would have bothered winning the Cold War, except for the 1%, the only western people to actually benefit from it.

Crazed_Insanity

January 21st, 2016, 01:11 PM

overpowered

January 21st, 2016, 01:24 PM

https://vimeo.com/5341482

JoshInKC

January 21st, 2016, 05:31 PM

My pastor also explained that there's a slight difference between socialism and the early church when they all shared everything...
Modern day socialism has this mentality: What you have is mine!
Whereas the early church thought like this: What I have is yours! Yeah, that's exactly how socialists think. Definitely not, "If we pool our resources, we'll all be better off." I'm guessing your pastor isn't too familiar with actual socialist thinking, as opposed to the fox news version of socialism.

Seriously, if you're unsatisfied with your pay, why don't you change to another job that pays more? If all bosses are stingy assholes, there's also nothing preventing you to become a boss of your own, right?Well, in very simple terms - Changing jobs can cost money and time, two things the poor often do not have in abundance. For the working poor, especially if you have more than one job to make ends meet, it can be difficult at best to carve out time to apply and interview for a different job, especially if you've got kids. As far as "nothing preventing you from becoming a boss" there's a little thing called capital, and most people need it to start a business.

Why not allow the rich to give freely on their own accord?I'm pretty sure there's nothing stopping them from doing that now. And as a side note, the rich give proportionately less to charity than the poor do (http://www.forbes.com/sites/katiasavchuk/2014/10/06/wealthy-americans-are-giving-less-of-their-incomes-to-charity-while-poor-are-donating-more/#24efed295b6d).

Money is out there to be made by those who want them. They shouldn't be entitlements.I'm not exactly certain what you mean by "entitlements" in this context, but I would say that in general, I agree, money is a fun scorekeeping device, and would be an interesting thing to have around once the playing field is level.

If government really want to help poor citizens, why not pump in their own money to create programs for those people to be able to get out of minimum wage jobs?I honestly can't figure what you mean here. "their own money"? Who's? The government? The poor? If you mean the government, they do have programs- all sorts of job-training and job finding courses. One of the problems is that these programs are underfunded and underdeveloped (due to lack of funding). If you mean the poor, they don't have money - that's why they're poor.

As a teen, without rent to pay or having to worry about putting food on the table, I was totally happy with minimum wage of $4.25/hr!I have to assume that you included this for humor?

overpowered

January 21st, 2016, 07:47 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1254764811206520

LHutton

January 22nd, 2016, 02:58 AM

What are you talking about? In old China, everyone's down. In the new China, at least some got rich. I'm sure overall standard of living in China also went up due to this growth. Surely some poor folks remained poor, but I doubt there are people worse off financially? The only draw back is perhaps their health is worse off than before due to pollution...

As for Americans, how have we been dragged down to Chinese standards?
Wages not keeping up with true inflation, loss of production jobs, more ways to avoid paying tax if you're rich. As people in tech jobs, we probably just don't notice the effects on a personal level as much.

LHutton

January 22nd, 2016, 07:02 AM

Yeaaassssss!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35363991

Dog poo DNA test launches in Barking and Dagenham

A pilot scheme to test the DNA of dog poo to try and catch owners who fail to clear up after their pet has begun.

overpowered

January 22nd, 2016, 10:05 AM

How 37 Banks Became 4 In Just 2 Decades, All In One Astonishing Chart

http://realitieswatch.com/37-banks-became-4-just-2-decades-one-astonishing-chart/

LHutton

January 22nd, 2016, 10:14 AM

^The crazy thing is, that won't even be the end of the mergers. Really a sensible government would block any further mergers.

overpowered

January 22nd, 2016, 10:15 AM

The right wing National Review is not a fan of Trump, to put it mildly.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430137/donald-trump-conservative-movement-menace

Crazed_Insanity

January 22nd, 2016, 10:55 AM

Yeah, that's exactly how socialists think. Definitely not, "If we pool our resources, we'll all be better off." I'm guessing your pastor isn't too familiar with actual socialist thinking, as opposed to the fox news version of socialism.
There's no question that sometimes we need to pool our resources together to move forward. However, that can only be accomplished when it is a common passionate goal. Besides the old and sick and those who are less capable, you can bet a lot of folks under this type of system would end up receiving from the pool more rather than contributing... and the system would eventually dry up. This is human nature. We get lazy. If we all could continue to work hard and pool together and help those who are less fortunate, yeah, I certainly have no problems with that. Like I said, early church was practicing socialism. However, obviously Christians didn't continue on practicing socialism... because even Christians have to same lazy human nature, it's just not really that sustainable longterm.

Well, in very simple terms - Changing jobs can cost money and time, two things the poor often do not have in abundance. For the working poor, especially if you have more than one job to make ends meet, it can be difficult at best to carve out time to apply and interview for a different job, especially if you've got kids. As far as "nothing preventing you from becoming a boss" there's a little thing called capital, and most people need it to start a business.
This is what I mean by having govt programs. Besides welfare, maybe condition the welfare checks to also include school or training for higher paying jobs. If minimum wage is too low, pay these people a bit higher wages for them to get training provided also by the government somehow. There can also be government back loans to help the poor start small businesses. Basically do whatever to actually help the poor to be able to get out of it. Not just asking the companies to perhaps add a dollar or 2 in minimum wages and pretend as if that's enough to help the poor. This is an easy strategy for the candidate to buy poor votes while expecting the companies to foot the bill.

I'm pretty sure there's nothing stopping them from doing that now. And as a side note, the rich give proportionately less to charity than the poor do (http://www.forbes.com/sites/katiasavchuk/2014/10/06/wealthy-americans-are-giving-less-of-their-incomes-to-charity-while-poor-are-donating-more/#24efed295b6d).
Rich are stingy bastards for sure, however, we should not treat their money as 'entitlements'. It's their money, not ours. We are not entitled to them. If they want to give us some for free, cool. If not, why should you be upset?

I'm not exactly certain what you mean by "entitlements" in this context, but I would say that in general, I agree, money is a fun scorekeeping device, and would be an interesting thing to have around once the playing field is level.
I would agree that playing field will never be completely leveled. Still, rich people's money still shouldn't be ours by default. If anything, government can perhaps try to convince the rich to give some willingly rather than act as Robinhood. Don't get me wrong, it's good to give to the poor, but we really should steal from or force the rich to do it. Like I said, it's their money.

Now, if they 'stole' the money to become rich, that's a different story of course.

Our govt failed to prosecute a single wall st banker after our financial crisis... and now trying to increase minimum wage to appease us? Is minimum wage increase really something we ought to be fighting for?

I honestly can't figure what you mean here. "their own money"? Who's? The government? The poor? If you mean the government, they do have programs- all sorts of job-training and job finding courses. One of the problems is that these programs are underfunded and underdeveloped (due to lack of funding). If you mean the poor, they don't have money - that's why they're poor.
I meant government should fully fund them. If you can't afford to fund these programs, why expect companies to fund minimum wage increase?
People are crying foul, so government enact laws to give people few more bucks... and the cool thing is that this law is free from the government's point of view. How nice.

I have to assume that you included this for humor?
I seriously was happy with my minimum wage pay as a teenager. I thought that was a lot of money.

For folks who need to make a living, they really should consider finding a job that pays living wages, not minimum wages.

Back to socialism..., I believe welfare chks need to include training... or perhaps even training on the job at some government facility or something. I'm not really an expert in this field, but I really think the best way to help them is not increase minimum wage pay, but to help folks find living wage jobs. Or perhaps invest and help them start their own small business.

Giving the poor free money won't motivate them. Increasing minimum wage also won't motivate them to find better jobs.

overpowered

January 22nd, 2016, 05:29 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXQfsURnE0w

overpowered

January 22nd, 2016, 05:47 PM

Since some cops aren't getting the message that citizens can shoot video of them in public, Colorado now has a bill to exact a $15,000 fine from cops that interfere with citizens trying to video record them in public.

http://www.naturalnews.com/051610_ACLU_police_misconduct_video_cameras.html#

Freude am Fahren

January 22nd, 2016, 06:23 PM

To be paid to the citizen?? :)

overpowered

January 22nd, 2016, 07:29 PM

For once she's blaming him for something he actually did do. :P :D

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1268349226525055

George

January 22nd, 2016, 08:07 PM

I seriously was happy with my minimum wage pay as a teenager. I thought that was a lot of money.

For folks who need to make a living, they really should consider finding a job that pays living wages, not minimum wages.

Giving the poor free money won't motivate them. Increasing minimum wage also won't motivate them to find better jobs.

I agree 100%.

I wrote more, but then deleted it. It was self-serving.

overpowered

January 22nd, 2016, 10:40 PM

Old St. Reagan did not agree with Trump or Cruz or Rubio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gYHMwEdvIk

LHutton

January 23rd, 2016, 01:39 AM

Unfortunately Reagan wasn't quite all there upstairs, so possibly not the best example. And 1980 != 2016.

overpowered

January 23rd, 2016, 10:18 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Oo0RcL4PJw

overpowered

January 23rd, 2016, 03:35 PM

Trump: ‘I could ... shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters’

http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article56262810.html

overpowered

January 23rd, 2016, 03:38 PM

Donald Trump's support comes from every Republican ideology but not every class

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-donald-trump-support-20151211-story.html

Among top GOP candidates, Trump supporters are on average the least educated. Who would've guessed that?

overpowered

January 23rd, 2016, 03:43 PM

[GOP] Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, told supporters at a campaign fundraiser for his own re-election that he would vote for liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders for president before Cruz, according to one person who attended the event. Burr did not appear to be joking

http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/01/22/this-republican-senator-just-vowed-to-support-bernie-sanders-for-president-if-ted-cruz-is-the-nominee/

Cruz is not liked by most of his GOP colleagues in the Senate.

overpowered

January 23rd, 2016, 07:24 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10154486254809746

overpowered

January 24th, 2016, 08:51 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1269365513090093

overpowered

January 24th, 2016, 09:06 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt-vG_TdOT4

overpowered

January 25th, 2016, 08:24 AM

Jeb blames regulation for the Flint water crisis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfb7QvlK7y0

Er, Snyder got rid of the regulations.

overpowered

January 25th, 2016, 08:39 AM

Donald Trump Spokesperson Decried Lack of “Pure Breeds” Running for President

http://gawker.com/donald-trump-spokesperson-decried-lack-of-pure-breeds-1754754451

Perfect Obama's dad born in Africa, Mitt Romney's dad born in Mexico. Any pure breeds left? #CNNDebate

Erm, Katrina Pierson is biracial (white mom, black dad).

Romney's dad was as white as they come. Their family was only in Mexico because were part of a splinter group that went against the Mormon church on polygamy and avoiding federal prosecution for polygamy.

Trump's mom was born in Scotland and his criminal grandfather was born in Germany.

overpowered

January 25th, 2016, 08:58 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=954961194584092

LHutton

January 25th, 2016, 11:37 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10154486254809746
It's cleaner than some of the swimming pools in Cologne these days.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-01-24/bowels-emptied-women-molested-german-media-reveals-monstrous-cctv-footage-refugee-po
http://www.bild.de/regional/chemnitz/fluechtling/fluechtling-onaniert-in-schwimmhalle-44254848.bild.html

http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user92183/imageroot/2016/01/Refugee_0.png

21Kid

January 25th, 2016, 02:42 PM

Thought I'd try and give him the benefit of the doubt and try reading one of LHutton's posts... Nope, still nonsense. Now he's posting tabloid headlines as real news. :lol:

Freude am Fahren

January 25th, 2016, 05:32 PM

Donald Trump Spokesperson Decried Lack of “Pure Breeds” Running for President

http://gawker.com/donald-trump-spokesperson-decried-lack-of-pure-breeds-1754754451

Erm, Katrina Pierson is biracial (white mom, black dad).

Romney's dad was as white as the come. Their family was only in Mexico because were part of a splinter group that went against the Mormon church on polygamy and avoiding federal prosecution for polygamy.

Trump's mom was born in Scotland and his criminal grandfather was born in Germany.

Don't get me wrong, I get the irony and idiocy of her statements, but by "pure breed" she's not talking about race, but nationality (something not typically considered a blood trait, but whatever).

Phil_SS

January 25th, 2016, 05:47 PM

When was the first pure breed president?

Somebody should remind these idiots that our country was started and designed by foreigners.

overpowered

January 25th, 2016, 07:09 PM

Don't get me wrong, I get the irony and idiocy of her statements, but by "pure breed" she's not talking about race, but nationality (something not typically considered a blood trait, but whatever).That doesn't work either since she went after Romney's dad for being born in Mexico while Trump's mom was born in Scotland.

I think she also thinks that Romney's part Mexican as in part native american, which he isn't.

speedpimp

January 25th, 2016, 07:34 PM

And two of Trump's three wives were born in Eastern Europe.

overpowered

January 25th, 2016, 08:33 PM

I can't figure out which thread to post this in. This is apparently really one of the Oregon occupiers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8TTWujUGsU

Freude am Fahren

January 25th, 2016, 08:58 PM

It was also in 2012, I'm not sure she thought she'd be working for a Trump for President campaign, but like I said, it's obviously stupid and everything, just don't think it's a race thing. And I think she's black, possibly of mixed race, which makes it that much more ridiculous.

LHutton

January 26th, 2016, 02:16 AM

Thought I'd try and give him the benefit of the doubt and try reading one of LHutton's posts... Nope, still nonsense. Now he's posting tabloid headlines as real news. :lol:
Well that's because it is real news, rather than a meme with some sarcastic words on it, or the use of someone's obesity to try and present a political case against them.:)

Policy decisions have consequences and when they're negative naturally they will be used to question the original decisions. You can't make political decisions and then ask everyone to ignore the consequences, that's not how politics works.

http://news.yahoo.com/migrant-fatally-stabs-swedish-refugee-centre-worker-police-151706582.html

16 hours ago

Refugee centre worker stabbed to death by migrant in Sweden

The victim was a 22-year-old woman, and the motive was not immediately clear.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6b/e5/15/6be5152ccf167f20df5ffb4b1ffb8280.jpg

There are large government controlled safe zones in both Syria and Iraq, the reason many of these refugees don't go there is because they'd get locked back up again, having only recently escaped from prisons and lunatic asylums as a result of the ongoing war.

thesameguy

January 26th, 2016, 09:37 AM

Well that's because it is real news, rather than a meme with some sarcastic words on it, or the use of someone's obesity to try and present a political case against them.:)

ZING!

overpowered

January 26th, 2016, 09:51 AM

I hate this meme in general but this particular one made me laugh

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10208091223225991

overpowered

January 26th, 2016, 10:09 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=810604325734891

LHutton

January 26th, 2016, 10:12 AM

Well this is where liberal values tie themselves up in knots. Preach gender equality and then deride a female for having a lot of partners. Also noted that guilt by association is now okay. Don't get me wrong, I think she's stupid as hell but democrats do themselves no favours by letting their values slip to point it out? Just stick to the facts and what she's said, that's really bad enough. And frankly it's a waste of time, anyone who doesn't know she's dumb already isn't going to suddenly figure it out now.

Exactly what are you classing as racism too? Is it the Martin Luther King v1.0 definition (original and still the best), or the Ferguson Vista (didn't get an Oscar) edition?

21Kid

January 26th, 2016, 10:30 AM

Well that's because it is real news, rather than a meme with some sarcastic words on it, or the use of someone's obesity to try and present a political case against them.ZING! :lol: Real News. :lol: Just like the Enquirer and the Sun.
Bild has been described as "notorious for its mix of gossip, inflammatory language, and sensationalism" and as having a huge influence on German politicians. Its nearest English-language stylistic and journalistic equivalent is often considered to be the British national newspaper The Sun, the second highest selling European tabloid newspaper, with which it shares a degree of rivalry.

Der Spiegel wrote in 2006 that Bild "flies just under the nonsense threshold of American and British tabloids ... For the German desperate, it is a daily dose of high-resolution soft porn". According to The Guardian, for 28 years from 1984 to 2012, Bild had topless girls featuring on its first page; the paper published more than 5,000 topless pictures.
It is argued Bild's thirst for sensationalism results in the terrorizing of prominent celebrities and stories are frequently based on the most dubious evidence. The journalistic standards of Bild, or the lack thereof, are the subject of frequent criticism by German intellectuals and media observers.

BILDblog (de), a German weblog that when founded was dedicated solely to documenting errors and fabrications in Bild articles, is among Germany's most popular blogs. In 2005 BILDblog received the Grimme Online Award for its work. Since 2009 BILDblog also reports on errors and fabrications in other newspapers from Germany and elsewhere. Unless he wasn't joking... which would explain a lot, actually. :smh:

Crazed_Insanity

January 26th, 2016, 11:00 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=810604325734891

Not a Trump supporter by any means, but this kind of thinking is just BS.

1st off, I can agree he probably won't be a good leader, but Trump is in no position to legitimize anything.

With regard to prejudices, why is it not okay for Trump and his supports to have it, but it's perfectly fine for their haters to have it?

Lastly, let's further polarize America... hey, looks at us! How far we've come... and hey, look at 'them'... how far behind they remained. Let's make the divide even bigger and burn the bridge! Let's might as well just fuck the union and go our separate ways! Why bother uniting with these other dumb ass red states? Are you with us sophisticated blue americans or are you with them red dumbass americans?

People just have different ideas. Try to understand why they think that way and feel free to agree to disagree. I really don't see the need to look down on your brothers and sisters.

Of course, what I'm saying applies to the other side as well. Plenty of red americans demonize the blue american brothers and sisters as if they're the devil himself.

IMHO, both are pretty stupid. America won't go forward any further until we cease the in-fighting.

LHutton

January 26th, 2016, 11:49 AM

:lol: Real News. :lol: Just like the Enquirer and the Sun. Unless he wasn't joking... which would explain a lot, actually. :smh:
Well if you have any proof that the story is false, feel free to share it.

I did a search to find the same article elsewhere, and guess what, I found a different but similar incident relating to swimming pools.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/635038/Swimming-pool-bans-migrants-Germany

Here's to flying under the radar.

Make that 2 more. Munich and Cologne. So 3 incidents, in total, of sexual assault, and masturbating and shitting in a public swimming pool... in 8 days! Wow, questioning the first source really backfired on you.:lol:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/16/germany-ban-migrants-swimming-pool-cologne-attacks-sexual-harassment_n_8997214.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35326090
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/15/german-town-bans-male-refugees-from-swimming-pool

Oh and the original story, that's confirmed too.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/637276/Johannisbad-baths-Rainer-Kallweit-Zwickau-Saxony-Germany

Germany is sure going to field a very interesting synchronised swimming team at the next Olympics.:lol:

Freude am Fahren

January 26th, 2016, 12:40 PM

Preach gender equality and then deride a female for having a lot of partners.
A female who spouts off about abstinence only, and family values. And spitting out a bunch of unwanted kids isn't really about gender equality.

Also noted that guilt by association is now okay.
Always has been when they're your kids. Kids are a reflection on parenting. Especially when you trot them out as part of your campaign, then make money by having a reality show with them.

thesameguy

January 26th, 2016, 12:45 PM

Whoa.

LHutton

January 26th, 2016, 12:53 PM

A female who spouts off about abstinence only, and family values. And spitting out a bunch of unwanted kids isn't really about gender equality.
'Ridden more times than Seattle Slew' doesn't really say that though. When you say 'unwanted', what exactly do you mean, and would you apply to every child with a single parent?

Always has been when they're your kids. Kids are a reflection on parenting. Especially when you trot them out as part of your campaign, then make money by having a reality show with them.
Simply incorrect. Some kids just turn out bad anyway. Reality TV shows? Please blame your entire culture for introducing them to the world.

overpowered

January 26th, 2016, 05:36 PM

Donald Trump is afraid of Megyn Kelley.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/26/media/donald-trump-poll-debate-fox/index.html

Freude am Fahren

January 26th, 2016, 07:35 PM

So Ammon Bundy and a few others were arrested, as well as someon was shot and killed today. The rest of the "patriots" are free to go, but must leave...

At approximately 4:25 p.m. (PST) on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Oregon State Police (OSP) began an enforcement action to bring into custody a number of individuals associated with the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. During that arrest, there were shots fired.

One individual who was a subject of a federal probable cause arrest is deceased. We will not be releasing any information about that person pending identification by the medical examiner's office.

One individual suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He was arrested and is currently in custody.

The arrested individuals include:

* Ammon Edward Bundy, age 40, of Emmett, Idaho
* Ryan C. Bundy, age 43, of Bunkerville, Nevada
* Brian Cavalier, age 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada
* Shawna Cox, age 59, Kanab, Utah
* Ryan Waylen Payne, age 32, of Anaconda, Montana

These probable cause arrests occurred along Highway 395.

In a separate event in Burns, Oregon, at approximately 5:50 pm, Oregon State Police arrested the following individual:

* Joseph Donald O'Shaughnessy, age 45, Cottonwood, Arizona

All of the named defendants face a federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 372.

We continue to work with Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward and his deputies; Oregon State Police; and the United States Attorney's Office to address any further outstanding issues. As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further at this time.

All defendants should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

overpowered

January 26th, 2016, 10:40 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1299875520039518

LHutton

January 27th, 2016, 03:04 AM

I wonder if there'll be any white lives matter protests as a result of this?:assclown::p

MR2 Fan

January 27th, 2016, 06:11 AM

Did father Bundy have any more kids? Did he name them riflen, gunen, bulletn? Just wondering

novicius

January 27th, 2016, 09:56 AM

:lol: #poison pill

http://youtu.be/rcUCLwWCihE

overpowered

January 27th, 2016, 10:14 AM

Just shows how much he's just pandering to the extreme right nitwits right now. His views change based upon his needs and his audience.

Crazed_Insanity

January 27th, 2016, 10:46 AM

Obviously he's just saying whatever his supporters want to hear...

How about some discussions on the democratic side rather than wasting time on the Republicans or the fake Republican? ;)

This article's saying Hillary is probably the best candidate for the current political system, but Sanders is the best candidate to create the system that we should have...

http://usuncut.com/politics/robert-reich-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-best-candidate/

I voted for Obama hoping that he could make some drastic changes, but I don't think we've made that much progress. Maybe his problem was that he doesn't know how to work the system?

Likewise I prefer Sanders way more than Hillary, but I'm afraid he might also fall into the same situation of unable to push his ideals forward and change the current system...

I'm still leaning toward Sanders. Any strong Hillary supporters here to make a case for her?

Freude am Fahren

January 27th, 2016, 11:01 AM

The problem is you (and many others) give way too much credit to a president's abilities in domestic affairs.

Crazed_Insanity

January 27th, 2016, 11:11 AM

Okay, so I should just kill myself and many others like me to solve our problem?

Or we should just go ahead an vote for the candidates who say the things we most want to hear?

WTF is your problem?

If you're Hillary supporter, please share your thoughts.

If not, I don't need you to tell me that I'm the problem, just let other Hillary supporters make their case.

Freude am Fahren

January 27th, 2016, 11:19 AM

Whoa there buddy. Overreact much? This has nothing to do with Hillary, and no I don't support her. Maybe I should have quoted the part I was replying to to make it easy.

I voted for Obama hoping that he could make some drastic changes, but I don't think we've made that much progress. Maybe his problem was that he doesn't know how to work the system?

Crazed_Insanity

January 27th, 2016, 11:54 AM

I didn't like Obama as a commander-in-chief as well, particularly I didn't like the secret assassination of Bin Laden and then dump his body in the middle of the ocean. What, are we the mafia or something?

Universal healthcare is cool, but to me, O seemed almost like another W in a lot of ways. I originally like O because he didn't have a long career at Washington and thought he can make some sort of difference. But he ended up looking pretty similar to other career politicians. Gridlock is getting worse and worse... of course, I know, maybe he has his hands tied... or perhaps he just doesn't know how to work the current political system...

Which made me think that perhaps we do need someone who knows how the work the system better. Both Bernie and Hillary are career politicians, so whichever wins... hopefully they the work the system in order to get it to work better...

thesameguy

January 27th, 2016, 12:34 PM

Nobody is going to get anything done without being secretive. The system is grotesquely polarized and no matter what Party A wants to do, Party B is going to shit on it on principal alone forget about merit. The Governator came into office not needing *shit* in terms of a salary much less lobbyist money, but ended up taking political contributions because without doing so he was an outsider and couldn't be trusted. We're talking about a guy who fronted a million bucks to make one scene in one movie because he wanted it in there. This guy did not need a couple hundred grand from a PAC. But, if you don't play the game you have both sides standing against you, so whaddayagonnado? You take the money, you shake the hands, and whammo you're just like everybody else. Nothing is getting done without an overhaul. Hillary isn't going to do shit. The only realistic hope for improvement is Bernie, but will he actually be able to get anything done? No, probably not. But given the choice between doing nothing and trying to do something, I'll typically choose the latter. Same reason I voted for Obama.

George

January 27th, 2016, 12:57 PM

I don't need you to tell me that I'm the problem...

Where did he (FaF) say that? To me, he said THE problem is...sort of like THE problem is lousy weather, or a lack of money, or no more peanut butter.

I read his remarks as saying PEOPLE IN GENERAL think the president is more powerful than he really is. And the candidates themselves surely try to make themselves stronger than whoever the winner will be, with remarks like, "On my first day in office, I will..."

Yeah, you might. But you probably won't be able to.

You in the two sentences above = future president.

thesameguy

January 27th, 2016, 01:01 PM

Wait, there's no more peanut butter?

George

January 27th, 2016, 01:04 PM

*points at Crazed_Insanity*

:lol:

21Kid

January 27th, 2016, 01:20 PM

Nothing is getting done without an overhaul. Hillary isn't going to do shit. The only realistic hope for improvement is Bernie, but will he actually be able to get anything done? No, probably not. But given the choice between doing nothing and trying to do something, I'll typically choose the latter. Same reason I voted for Obama.

Same.

Crazed_Insanity

January 27th, 2016, 01:47 PM

President is the figure head of a nation, he is probably the most powerful political figure that we voters can elect into office. Naturally he may be credited with too much good or bad things...

Anyway, whether if it's the voters having too much false hope or the candidate himself being too boastful, I'm sure we'd still rather have somebody going in there believing that he/she can make a difference.

Hillary has experience and can probably start doing her job on day 1. But I do have some trust issues with her... Bernie's going to have a bit of learning period, but at least hopefully he knows how Washington works and can utilize his experience to his benefit... and based on his past record, he sure looks much more trustworthy. But then another issues is that Bernie may be too far left for the conservatives..., then then again, it's not like they really love Hillary. ;)

Sanders is the only guy who's giving me a sense of hope at least. All other candidates do absolutely nothing for me.... well, actually, Trump is quite entertaining.

LHutton

January 27th, 2016, 01:49 PM

Meanwhile, in the new progressive Ukraine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zgTl6-KWqg

overpowered

January 27th, 2016, 05:40 PM

Watch What Trump Told Megyn Kelly About Candidates Who Pull Out Of Debates Back In 2011! -VIDEO

http://mindy-fischer-writer.com/2016/01/watch-what-trump-told-megyn-kelly-about-candidates-who-skip-debates-back-in-2011-video/

overpowered

January 27th, 2016, 07:48 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsOlXidHXRE

G'day Mate

January 27th, 2016, 08:34 PM

overpowered

January 27th, 2016, 11:24 PM

Megyn Kelly and Michael Moore getting along? Really?

http://www.examiner.com/article/michael-moore-and-megyn-kelly-join-together-to-destroy-donald-trump

21Kid

January 28th, 2016, 06:47 AM

I wonder if he even remembers what he said in the past? He's just saying whatever he expects Republicans want to hear. :smh:

Freude am Fahren

January 28th, 2016, 07:37 AM

http://payload87.cargocollective.com/1/7/253171/4050807/snakeoil.png

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 08:41 AM

Millions Resent Being Put in Horrible Position of Siding with Megyn Kelly

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/millions-resent-being-put-in-horrible-position-of-siding-with-megyn-kelly

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 08:59 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10153927552236081

21Kid

January 28th, 2016, 09:45 AM

Millions Resent Being Put in Horrible Position of Siding with Megyn Kelly

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/millions-resent-being-put-in-horrible-position-of-siding-with-megyn-kelly Carol Foyler, of Tacoma, Washington, worries about the “long-term implications” of being forced to side with Megyn Kelly. “Is there some scenario where I might be forced to side with Bill O’Reilly, or Hannity?” she asked. “It’s a goddam slippery slope.”

:lol:

Freude am Fahren

January 28th, 2016, 10:47 AM

Actually Bill O'Reilly will sometimes find his way to a sensible argument once in a while. I think he did it earlier this year in regards to Trump. But yeah, never Hannity :lol:

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 11:09 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipUAHMgjvYY

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 12:15 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZiOnDVLcn8

George

January 28th, 2016, 12:34 PM

LHutton

January 28th, 2016, 12:44 PM

Allahu Akbaru

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/gunman-carrying-koran-arrested-paris-disneyland-article-1.2512447

Disneyland Paris guards stopped a gunman carrying two weapons and a copy of the Koran inside a park hotel, officials said.

No one was injured when the gunman and his female accomplice were arrested Thursday.

The man’s bag — packed with two low-caliber handguns, a box of ammo and the religious text — set off security alarms as it went through an X-ray machine at the Disney-owned New York Hotel, park officials and police said. The Manhattan-themed resort is about a 10-minute walk from the theme park.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/andrewalker/2016/01/27/europe-invaded-by-jihadi-terrorist-refugees-n2110710

WESTMINSTER, United Kingdom – Intelligence officials in London have warned the Islamic State is now using the refugee crisis to transport terrorists into Europe. Around a million people from the Islamic world arrived in Europe last year, most of them men of military age.

The terrorists are believed to be using fake Syrian and Iraqi documents to slip into Europe undetected. The flood is being coordinated from the capital of the Islamic State, Raqqa.

Security bosses say they have now lost a number of dangerous terrorists, who are believed to be either in Europe or on the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra45nX9JmW4#t=114

LHutton

January 28th, 2016, 12:48 PM

Here's one of those silly tests to see who your ideal candidate is based on your replies to multiple choice questions.

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/politics/election-candidate-matchmaker/

I wished there were more choices for some questions, but I usually say that to these sorts of multiple choice tests.
I'm stuck on the one that asks me what the most scariest is.

Radical Islamic terrorism

OR

Nuclear weapons in the wrong hands

The person who wrote the test assumed they're mutually exclusive.

The correct answer - "Nuclear weapons in the hands of radical Islamists," isn't there.

Okay, now this is interesting:

"Scrap the whole income tax system and tax people based on how much they consume."

But what if they don't consume good in America to get round it? Fatal flaw with added drawback. I don't like any of the options on that one. Where's the close all loopholes and tax capital gains option. I'm going with "Taxes should go down — except for hedge fund managers. They should pay more." Because I hate Hedge Fund Managers.

See, I'm not a nut job:

1st Place

Hillary Clinton
HILLARY CLINTON

2nd Place
Martin O'Malley
MARTIN O'MALLEY

3rd Place
Donald Trump
DONALD DUMP

MR2 Fan

January 28th, 2016, 01:15 PM

I like Martin O'Malley from what I've seen of him so far...he could be popular in the next 2-3 election cycles possibly if he runs again

21Kid

January 28th, 2016, 01:47 PM

Agreed

novicius

January 28th, 2016, 02:48 PM

I wonder if he even remembers what he said in the past? He's just saying whatever he expects Republicans want to hear. :smh:
Well it is working. At this point I believe he'll win Iowa and eventually the Republican nomination.

Depending on how many non-college educated whites show up for him, Trump has a very good shot of winning the U.S. Presidency. :smh:

MR2 Fan

January 28th, 2016, 03:00 PM

Well it is working. At this point I believe he'll win Iowa and eventually the Republican nomination.

Depending on how many non-college educated whites show up for him, Trump has a very good shot of winning the U.S. Presidency. :smh:

I'm predicting a few possible outcomes:

1.) Trump gets "mad" at GOP and runs independent....Dem wins Presidency

2.) Trump gets nomination but can't secure enough of votes for the Presidency anyway against Dem opponent

3). Trump wins presidency but doesn't take many congressmen on the GOP side with him, and basically spends the next 4 years not getting much done.

Tom Servo

January 28th, 2016, 03:04 PM

speedpimp

January 28th, 2016, 03:20 PM

Add Michael Bloomberg into the mix and shit may get really interesting on the Dems side.

Freude am Fahren

January 28th, 2016, 03:23 PM

Trumps a salesman. I don't believe he believes most of the stuff he's saying. He knows what to say to get the nomination and maybe even the whole election. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up being pretty moderate president in the end.

LHutton

January 28th, 2016, 03:56 PM

It's only a vote to decide who does PR for the next 4 years anyway.

George

January 28th, 2016, 04:25 PM

You've probably seen this one, George, but I enjoyed this one: http://www.isidewith.com/

Whew, that one is almost like work, but thanks - I enjoyed it. I've seen that kind of survey before, and probably at that site, but not for this year's campaigns. I answered all the questions, but I didn't take the time to rank each one for importance to me. I probably should have, as some questions I know or care little about, and others I have strong opinions on, one way or the other.

In the CNN poll, they rated me as most like, or most favoring:

1. O'Malley
2. Sanders
3. Clinton

In the I Side With poll, they rated me thusly:

1. Trump
2. Paul
3. Fiorina
...and then more Republicans, until Clinton appeared at #8.

O'Malley was tied for last, along with independent Jim Webb.

Sumptin' ain't right here! :lol:

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 05:03 PM

Money From Trump Fundraiser Goes To His Foundation, Not Veterans Groups

http://bipartisanreport.com/2016/01/28/busted-money-from-trump-fundraiser-goes-to-his-foundation-not-veterans-groups/

novicius

January 28th, 2016, 05:50 PM

"Administrative costs." ;)

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 08:33 PM

FBI releases footage from Oregon. It's hard to tell for sure but it does kind of look like Finicum was going for something, likely a gun.

You can safely skip the first 9 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAGxDWKrjPQ

480p? Really? The FBI can't spring for some 4k GoPros for their helicopters?

Freude am Fahren

January 28th, 2016, 08:44 PM

They can't even capitalize their own damn name :lol:

According to a statement, he did have a 9mm handgun in that pocket he reached for two or more times.

overpowered

January 28th, 2016, 10:56 PM

Trump

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=30772

21Kid

January 29th, 2016, 07:00 AM

It still surprises me that they release footage of people being killed. Whether it's justified or not, it is always shocking to see someone's life end. :(

overpowered

January 29th, 2016, 08:54 AM

Donald Trump falsely claims he 'never once asked' for Megyn Kelly's removal from debate

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/29/donald-trump/donald-trump-falsely-claims-he-never-once-asked-me/

overpowered

January 29th, 2016, 09:16 AM

More Than Half of Trump’s Retweets Are White Supremacists Praising Him

http://nymag.com/following/2016/01/donald-trump-mostly-retweets-white-supremacists.html

novicius

January 29th, 2016, 02:17 PM

Of course it is. His base is as much voting along racial lines as they are trying to send a message to their GOP party. In fact, the worse he is, the louder the message is that they're sending.

Trump would have to start holding press conferences with Speaker Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (GOP establishment leaders) before the Tea Party types and "Independent" white men would jump off Trump's bandwagon (IMO).

overpowered

January 29th, 2016, 04:17 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10153893742219805

overpowered

January 29th, 2016, 05:32 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpKiP_gmDS8

overpowered

January 29th, 2016, 06:25 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1055786254514428

LHutton

January 30th, 2016, 02:31 AM

It still surprises me that they release footage of people being killed. Whether it's justified or not, it is always shocking to see someone's life end. :(
If they don't then people will debate the circumstances and whether it was justified.

SportWagon

January 30th, 2016, 06:49 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10153893742219805But what they really mean is, "If everyone powerful and rich contributes a small amount of their income...".

overpowered

January 30th, 2016, 07:51 PM

I don't think I've heard one good thing about Ted Cruz. This certainly doesn't qualify.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/1/12/1468737/-Every-voter-needs-to-know-this-about-Ted-Cruz

FaultyMario

January 30th, 2016, 09:03 PM

But what they really mean is, "If everyone powerful and rich contributes a small amount of their income...".

Then they'd be socializing the initial investment, with their own money. Something not seen in capitalists since the 17th century.

overpowered

January 30th, 2016, 10:01 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10153770826468447

overpowered

January 31st, 2016, 10:17 AM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=988823464488683

overpowered

January 31st, 2016, 10:24 AM

This is the type of thing that actually does annoy me about Hillary.

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/hillary-clinton-gets-13-million-health-industry-now-says-single-payer-will-never

novicius

January 31st, 2016, 10:42 AM

Heh, she's a fucking NeoCon just like Bush was. That's how far right the Tea Partiers and Far Right "Independent" Trump voters have pulled us! :smh:

thesameguy

January 31st, 2016, 10:56 AM

What's this us shit?

;)

novicius

January 31st, 2016, 12:26 PM

I suppose if you don't vote you can say your choices haven't been forcibly moved further and further towards the right.

thesameguy

January 31st, 2016, 01:51 PM

No, I throw my votes away on wackos who don't have a prayer of winning as a way to stick it to the man.

overpowered

January 31st, 2016, 03:37 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OsHDbtV-ZM

thesameguy

January 31st, 2016, 07:37 PM

Next time, let's get Robert Reich.

overpowered

February 1st, 2016, 08:07 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IvPIWzQcUY

21Kid

February 1st, 2016, 10:46 AM

:smh: (http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/30/politics/ted-cruz-mailer-iowa-caucuses-voter-violation/index.html)

Iowa's secretary of state rips Cruz over campaign mailer
The mailer gave the recipient, along with their neighbors, poor grades based on their individual voting history. On one side, the mailer reads: "ELECTION ALERT: VOTER VIOLATION," "PUBLIC RECORD" and "FURTHER ACTION NEEDED."

The other side of the mailer says "VOTING VIOLATION" in red letters at the top before text that reads:

"You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area. Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors' are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. CAUCUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Monday's caucuses."

Cruz campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart confirmed to CNN that the mailer was from the Cruz campaign.

"Accusing citizens of Iowa of a "voting violation" based on Iowa Caucus participation, or lack thereof, is false representation of an official act," Pate said in his statement. "There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting. Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong and I believe it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses." Who wants to bet there will be absolutely 0% done about this?

thesameguy

February 1st, 2016, 11:20 AM

Yeah, nothing. I hope that sensible Iowa people file a civil suit. Sure, it'd a meritless nuisance suit, but it would grab some headlines, maybe call attention to shitty politician behavior.

21Kid

February 1st, 2016, 04:36 PM

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1058427250916995&id=346937065399354

Whoa... Super creepy.

G'day Mate

February 1st, 2016, 07:05 PM

Looks like Cruz is going to win Iowa with about two thirds counted ...

Freude am Fahren

February 1st, 2016, 07:07 PM

Cruz scares me more than Trump. Cruz actually believe the scary crap he says.

Freude am Fahren

February 1st, 2016, 07:28 PM

Iowa Caucuses are weird, especially on the Dem side. Bernie has more delegates, but less votes. Is it like a mini electoral college?

49.8 to 49.6 for Clinton right now. Really close with 90% reporting. O'Malley still has 0.5%, but I thought that if you had less than 15%, your votes have to rechoose or whatever.

Edit: Actually O'Malley has supsended his campaign.

The big surprise is going to be Rubio, but I kinda saw it coming. The more substantive candidates usually do worse in polls than actual votes.

MR2 Fan

February 1st, 2016, 08:20 PM

I was just waiting for this to see who will FINALLY drop out of this clown show

overpowered

February 1st, 2016, 08:24 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=513816572134189

Jason

February 1st, 2016, 08:26 PM

Looks like Clinton is gonna win Iowa, but Sanders had a hell of a showing.

novicius

February 1st, 2016, 09:13 PM

Eh, a tie is as good as a win for Bernie. ;)

overpowered

February 1st, 2016, 09:17 PM

Iowa Caucuses are weird, especially on the Dem side. Bernie has more delegates, but less votes. Is it like a mini electoral college?

49.8 to 49.6 for Clinton right now.Currently 49.9 to 49.6 and Clinton has 22 to Bernie's 21. 95% reporting. Not sure how their delegate system works and not motivated enough to look it up.

novicius

February 1st, 2016, 09:47 PM

Iowans. (http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/02/02/3745150/iowa-coin-flip/) :smh:

At least two precincts, one in Des Moines and one in Davenport, decided to resolve the caucus with a coin toss when their attendees were deadlocked. Hillary Clinton won both.

thesameguy

February 1st, 2016, 09:52 PM

I think that proves God favors Clinton.

G'day Mate

February 1st, 2016, 10:00 PM

Coin toss? Awesome :lol:

LHutton

February 2nd, 2016, 02:35 AM

I think that proves God favors Clinton.
Not necessarily. I'm betting Trump supporters could be easily duped by the old, "heads I win, tails you lose," gambit.

novicius

February 2nd, 2016, 05:23 AM

Currently 49.9 to 49.6 and Clinton has 22 to Bernie's 21. 95% reporting. Not sure how their delegate system works and not motivated enough to look it up.
Ended up being 49.8% for Clinton, 49.6% for Sanders.

So Sanders snagged the last delegate and also has 22. :up: :up:

21Kid

February 2nd, 2016, 07:47 AM

Whaaaaaaaaaat? The tax cuts still aren't working? :eek:

Since the current fiscal year began in July, the state has collected $3.38 billion in taxes. That's $26 million less than anticipated, a shortfall of 0.8 percent.
Kansas has struggled to balance its budget since the Republican-dominated Legislature slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback's urging in an effort to stimulate the economy. GOP legislators last year increased sales and cigarette taxes to head off a deficit in the current budget.
Maybe they just need more tax cuts. :smh:

novicius

February 2nd, 2016, 08:50 AM

:lol:

overpowered

February 2nd, 2016, 09:09 AM

It should be noted that Iowa doesn't have a particularly great track record of picking who will get the nomination, especially on the GOP side.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_caucuses#Past_winners

novicius

February 2nd, 2016, 09:11 AM

Yep, Cruz ain't The One. :down:

Trump was still close enough to scare. I want to see how NH goes down before I'll concede that Trump is out of it, too.

overpowered

February 2nd, 2016, 09:30 AM

The thing is, the least scary clowns in the car, Bush and Kasich have zero chance. All the others scare the crap out of me.

Cruz is terrifying; maybe not as terrifying as Trump, but still terrifying.

LHutton

February 2nd, 2016, 10:09 AM

Whaaaaaaaaaat? The tax cuts still aren't working? :eek:

Maybe they just need more tax cuts. :smh:
So tax cuts have resulted in less tax revenue? How peculiar.

George

February 2nd, 2016, 10:26 AM

Cruz's constant mentioning of God and Christianity has bothered me since the first Republican debate. I think it's fine for politicians to be personally religious. It may help them have a strong "moral compass" to help them make tough decisions. But, I don't want to hear about it all the time. This constant "Bible pounding" makes us appear no different than some of our enemies in the middle east who would kill those who don't believe what they do.

I guess there are a lot of people in this country who think politics and the pulpit go together, however, or we wouldn't have guys like Cruz winning primaries.

I guess my biggest complaint is there are few, if any, candidates promoting traditional right-wing fiscal policies of limited government, reduced spending, and a balanced budget, without also courting the evangelical Christian vote. It's disturbing to me that these two positions seemingly joined at the hip in this country.

I'm not complaining about religious candidates; only the ones who won't shut up about it.

George

February 2nd, 2016, 10:32 AM

Maybe they just need more tax cuts. :smh:

Maybe we just need more...no...SOME spending cuts!

Example:

480p? Really? The FBI can't spring for some 4k GoPros for their helicopters?

I'd like to own a GoPro. Even the cheapest, lowest-resolution model. But I can't justify a decent return on investment for that purchase, so I do without.

I'd like to see this same kind of fiscal responsibility at all levels of government.

But no, it's just spend, spend, spend, and then spend some more. Your money. My money.

The problem isn't excessive and reckless taxation. That's just a symptom of the disease that is excessive and reckless government spending.

novicius

February 2nd, 2016, 10:41 AM

But we're already starting at a point where Medicare limits payouts for procedures, Social Security pays a less than living wage, food stamps pays out a piddlin' for those who qualify with plenty of restrictions -- where are you going to cut to make up for all the tax breaks and corporate welfare??

Costs have been cut, it's done -- time to raise taxes on companies that do business here and the billionaires that live here.

George

February 2nd, 2016, 11:11 AM

Costs have been cut, it's done

I would disagree with that comment. There are always ways to tighten one's belt another notch. I'm doing it in my life. Why can't local, state, and federal governments do the same?

Example: We are not at war. Bring our troops home. Today. All of them. And all the government contractors and Haliburtons and Blackwater type companies who bill the gov't for millions, if not billions.

Another example: In my county, every summer road crews tear up perfectly decent roads and re-pave them. They also tear out perfectly good highway medians with plants growing in them (shrubs and small trees, not just weeds) and install different shrubs and small trees. These aren't annual flowers that die every year, either. But, our elementary school is always begging for school supplies. Hey, here's an idea - stop tearing up perfectly good roads and highway medians and maybe give a portion of that money to the schools. Or to the needy. I'm not talking about NOT rebuilding bridges that are falling apart - I'm talking scaling back on purely COSMETIC improvements, just as one small example.

I'm not running for office, so I'm not prepared with a huge list of proposals. I'm just disappointed that I have NO ONE to vote for this year for president. That's not to say I won't vote, but I'm damn disappointed with our options this year. I haven't really liked a candidate for president in this country since the first coming of Ross Perot, before he dropped out of the race. I've tried to like father and son Paul, but there's just a weirdness there that I can't get past. I guess John McCain was okay, but just okay.

I guess I should just move to Canada and have a beer and a spliff with Justin, eh?

21Kid

February 2nd, 2016, 11:37 AM

George, I got a knock-off GoPro from Amazon for $70, if you're looking. ;) Cruz has even said on record that he would take the word of god over the constitution. Very scary. :smh:

As far as taxes go... There is very little else to cut, IMO. Unless we cut out the defense budget. That would be just fine with me. Seeing all of those abandoned planes and military vehicles that never get used makes me sick. :(

I agree that there is a lot of wasteful spending like tearing up the roads. In WI, they built a temporary bridge because the final one wouldn't be ready in time. I've seen the same thing happen with roads, while the bad ones in poor counties get left for years. And it's all because someone got paid. That's why I like Bernie. He's not beholden to corporations. He's really looking out for the people, IMO. He even voted against Obama's FDA nominee a few weeks ago (during an election cycle!) because he had ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

But, there are areas that we need to increase spending for necessary items. Our infrastructure is collapsing... Litrerally. There are bridges in Chicago with metal mesh underneath to catch falling cement. I'm afraid to ride my bike under them, and drive on top of them.
School funding has been dramatically cut (CPS is facing a 680M deficit). My kids get one gym class and one music class a week. And they are lucky! Schools have to share non-essential teachers, PE/Music/Art, because they can't afford them.

All while Major corporations that make billions in profit pay $0 taxes, and actually get refunds a lot of the time. And guess who makes up the difference when they don't pay taxes... we do. Cut out defense spending and make them pay taxes and we wouldn't have to tighten our belt.