Politics

[JoshInKC]

While I think college is too expensive I blame the government and the schools for it. Government giving out student loans easily means the schools think hey kids can get the cash even if we jack up the price.

I am not really for 'free' college though. at that point a college degree just becomes like a HS Diploma. Plus I know a lot of people who probably would have been better suited to a trade school than their Business degree they now have and isn't helping them at all because EVERYONE seems to have one.
Yeah, higher education, at least in the states, in is a really weird and unpleasant place with regards to society as a whole. On the one hand - Without at least a bachelor's degree, most jobs that don't require physical labor won't even look at you. OTOH - A huge amount of those jobs don't actually require anything you actually get from acquiring said bachelor's degree. It's sort of an arms race - with so many people getting degrees, employers can just go ahead a require them to thin out the field of potential applicants, because of this- more people go to college (to just get any degree, so they'll be hireable), so then more employers decide that degrees are required... &c. &c. Combine this with the fact that there are simply fewer and fewer "good" jobs (read: the type of manufacturing jobs that were common 60 years ago [stable for a working lifetime, pay a living wage, don't destroy your body after 20 years, &c.) available due to the economic and technological shifts of the past 45-odd years, and you've got a very destructive positive feedback loop going.

Schools are also due some blame in this - Rising costs for students are a sonuvabitch now. Many states (including my own) are reducing their financial support for universities - therefore, schools have to rely on student-based finances more and more to keep the doors open, so tuition rises. At the same time, schools need to compete harder to recruit students and show prospects what their money will be getting them - which is why they build new multi-million dollar dorms with cable tv in every room, rock-climbing walls, and student centers with honest-to-god movie theaters. This stuff also contributes to skyrocketing administrative costs - If one university gets a "Dean of Xbox" whose job is exclusively making online gaming better on campus, competing schools had better get one too. Schools can kind of get away with this for the time being, due to the availability of federally backed student loans, but it's pretty unsustainable.

There's also the issue of paying crazy amounts of money for college sports and teams, but I'm not even going to being screwing with the arguments for/against those - It makes me way too irritated for a sunday morning when I ought to be grading quizzes.

Also, in many places there's the conservative mindset that "these liberal arts colleges do nothing but turn out lesbian communists with art history degrees. I dunno why we keep paying for this." This mindset scares the hell out of university administration - which is why they do their best to keep a stranglehold on things like computer science, programming, and other technical-ish degrees. They think that if people start to think that an associate's degree gets you exactly the same job-skills as a bachelor's, the university system will lose it all, and by that I mean both funding and the liberal arts philosophy - which says in so many words that it's good for people to get something like a balanced education - if you want to be considered well-educated, you should be able to do some basic math, to write coherent sentences and thoughts, and know a bit about history and life as a whole. This is also under threat from the STEM people - both inside and outside the university system, who seem pretty sure that if something can't be reduced to an equation, it's not worth learning.

There are a bunch of other things going on too that contribute to the mess - the whole "adjunct professor" employment issue, high schools doing less and less to give students the basics, specially directed grants and donations screwing up the (at least theoretical) impartiality of the scholastic/scientific environment, &c. &c.
It's a godawful clusterf*ck and I for one have no idea how to possibly fix the system, and I've spent a lot of time trying to think about it from both outside and inside the system.

[Sad, little man]

"Burn it down" is, I think, the most viable solution here.

[FaultyMario]

I think University level education has become distorted by the market, in the U.S. and other post-industrial economies; in that sense "Free College" would begin a process to re-value higher education.

Whenever anyone can "buy" something that should require not only money, albeit at hyper-inflated prices, it's because the lead up to it is ineffective. I think post-capitalist economies are still adjusting to the ease afforded with IT and automation along with the new needs of intermediate service jobs. I'm sure it was the same when intermediate goods and commercialization flooded the industrial world.

[Freude am Fahren]

You know, if they took all the money to make college free, and put it into K-12 education, it'd be better served. You'd just have to change the idea that a college degree is required for anything outside manual labor. Part of the reason for that thought, in addition to what Josh said, is that grade school education can be so lacking for many. It also doesn't help that so many manufacturing jobs have left the country.

[Jason]

If the job market accepted focused Associates degrees, and/or trade degrees/certifications, things would improve dramatically. But unfortunately, one can have the same skills with an AS, as a BS, yet not get looked at by employers. So, you damn well better get that BS, otherwise you'll never be able to have a decent job or pay for your student loan, that you had to take out to get said BS, because the AS isn't enough to get employed.

:|

Fucking circular.

[thesameguy]

You know, if they took all the money to make college free, and put it into K-12 education, it'd be better served. You'd just have to change the idea that a college degree is required for anything outside manual labor. Part of the reason for that thought, in addition to what Josh said, is that grade school education can be so lacking for many. It also doesn't help that so many manufacturing jobs have left the country.

I have zero evidence to support this idea, but I absolutely believe it's true as well.

[Crazed_Insanity]

You'll end up with more qualifying HS graduates who'll end up getting screwed over at the college level... Loaded with debt without prospects of finding jobs that can repay the debts!

Current system is screwed.

[Drachen596]

FaFs point is to bring some value back to the High School degrees to have smarter people without the need for college. I agree with this.
Especially since some of the people complaining about student loan debt are like the kid who was on the local news here back during the OWS thing. He was a 5th year Senior with a Major in General Studies. He'd spent 5 years worth of tuition on basically nothing as far as the real world is concerned and then is mad about it.

School systems also REALLY need to stop talking down trade schools and the two year technical focused schools. I took Automotive repair classes at the Career Center when I was in high school here and to be honest a lot of people looked down on the programs they offered. The place had programs ranging from getting a CDA for Childcare to welding to dental assistants/nurses to learning to be a chef.

You know whats holding me back from going to school here right now? The requirement for the crap I had 13 years of in elementary, middle and high school. Why do I need another 2 or more years worth of English and speech classes to get a degree for Welding or CNC stuff?

[JoshInKC]

I have no defense for speech classes, but regarding English courses - It's because a huge number of people need them. You'd probably be shocked by the horrible writing I have to endure in grading essays by students who've taken and passed Composition I & II, let alone the kids who're just out of high school.

Here on the GTX, we actually have a pretty high standard for writing as compared to most of the internet (with a few notable exceptions), so its easy to forget that not everyone communicates using the written word with regularity. So on the upside, Comp classes will probably be a cakewalk for you.

[LHutton]

I see your true colours shining through.:sing:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-arabia-congress-idUSKCN0XD10S


Saudi Arabia could sell off billions in American assets if bill passes: NYT

The Saudi Arabian government has threatened to sell of hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of American assets should the U.S. Congress pass a bill that could hold the kingdom responsible for any role in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The newspaper reported that Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told U.S. lawmakers last month that "Saudi Arabia would be forced to sell up to $750 billion in Treasury securities and other assets in the United States before they could be in danger of being frozen by American courts."

[speedpimp]

You know whats holding me back from going to school here right now? The requirement for the crap I had 13 years of in elementary, middle and high school. Why do I need another 2 or more years worth of English and speech classes to get a degree for Welding or CNC stuff?
Ivy Tech? They have been getting a lot of heat lately for requiring courses that have nothing at all to do with the main field of study.

[Kchrpm]

Here on the GTX, we actually have a pretty high standard for writing as compared to most of the internet (with a few notable exceptions)
Faq yoo to, Jawsh.

[21Kid]

Fawk U 2, Jawsh.
FTFY


I don't agree with the "free college for all" idea either. Free tech school is a good idea, IMO. And trying to lower the cost of college.

I'm glad I got enough experience in before a BS was a requirement. FWIW, all of the jobs that I've applied for over the past ten years have said that a BS is required. And I've still gotten the job without one. So, I still think that experience is more valuable. And when I hire people now, I don't really even look at their schooling.

[LHutton]

After Obama's comments on Brexit I'm for a Republican candidate. Make stupid statements, win stupid prizes.*

*Especially when they're hypocritical as hell and back.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Free isn't the most important thing to strive for..., but we definitely need affordable... whether it's education or healthcare.

For now, it seems every single one of our systems' out of whack. Whether it's housing/financial, education, healthcare..., it seems everything is setup to rob from the mass in order to enrich the elite.

We should strive for affordable ER visits for all, but of course, we hope not all will need to visit the ER!

Likewise, I think it's good to setup up affordable college education for all, and likewise, hopefully not all want to go to college. College for sure isn't for everyone.

[Drachen596]

Ivy Tech? They have been getting a lot of heat lately for requiring courses that have nothing at all to do with the main field of study.

Yeah, but they require all sorts of stuff for an Associates. I suspect its possible to bypass by going for the technical certificate instead but I think the difference in time/money spent is maybe a semester. I know basically all the local Union stuff uses them as well. Found that fact out a couple years ago when I applied for a Pipefitters apprenticeship.


And while I have no doubt whatever English classes would be easy enough for me to pass I don't want to because its extra money that I feel isn't really necessary.

[21Kid]

In Kansas, lawmakers lose patience with governor's tax cuts (https://www.yahoo.com/news/kansas-lawmakers-lose-patience-governors-tax-cuts-055057812.html)

Scott Drenkard, an economist for the conservative Tax Foundation, told legislators last month that farmers and business owners appeared to pocket the extra money from the state's recent tax cuts rather than use it for expansion — "tax avoidance, not job creation."

[21Kid]

At least one presidential candidate pays a lower tax rate than the average American (https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/income-tax-sanders-clinton-trump-cruz-kasich-181125187.html)

I'm more surprised by the $28M that the Clinton's made. :eek: But, I wonder if this will hurt Bernie's rep?
https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/FUSoVv7F9pfCiH_lVzpj6w--/YXBwaWQ9eW15O3c9NjMwO3E9NzU7c209MTtpbD1wbGFuZQ--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/finance/2016-04-18/4c0e5f70-05a2-11e6-bcc7-b518448de349_Screen-Shot-2016-04-18-at-4-13-40-PM.png.cf.jpg

[thesameguy]

I hope that Sanders supporters don't stop at the headlines. I understand the significance of this information, but it's just a piece of the pie. I mean, if nothing else this appears to suggest that the bitch pockets $18m a year. WHERE THE FUCK DOES A SENATOR GET THAT KIND OF MONEY? In the scope of this info, just limited to this info, I'd be happy if Bernie paid $0 in taxes. I mean, he's ostensibly paid by the taxpayers anyway - why cut him a check and then have him mail a piece right back? But Clinton... she is clearly not paid by the taxpayers. If she is drawing a taxpayer salary and using the time I BOUGHT to go make another twenty nine million dollars, she owes every single penny of that money to us, not just 35% of it.

I am completely comfortable paying 100% of our leaders' operating expenses and calling it a day. What I am not comfortable with is paying for people to make their own personal fortunes, especially when doing so potentially comes at my expense in other, unrelated areas.

[Alan P]

I don't see why it should cause any problems at all? He's paying the right level of tax on his income?

[thesameguy]

He is paying 1.2% too low! He is a thief of the American people!!!!

[Godson]

:lol:

:(

[LHutton]

Hillary makes Cruz look honest.

[thesameguy]

Assuming the disclosures are accurate, true.

Of course, it's also possible the Cruz is so unlikeable nobody will hire him for anything.

[Crazed_Insanity]

What's up with New Yorkers that they actually prefer Hillary? Are they all rich bankers living in NY or something? I thought Sanders could humiliate Hillary there, but I guessed wrong.

Hillary must've done something right as a NY senator?

Sigh...

[thesameguy]

I blame old people.

[LHutton]

Yeah, they don't like change. They'd rather shuffle on with the same corrupt, evil lying bastards than risk anything changing.

[Drachen596]

So, what are the chances that Sanders and Trump lose their parties nominations and run as third parties?

Could make for a REALLY interesting election if that's what happens. Though I personally don't think either would.

[LHutton]

http://www.nationalinterest.org/feature/strategic-amnesia-isis-15868


Strategic Amnesia and ISIS

First, as war theorist Carl von Clausewitz noted, war is a continuation of politics by other means; but resorting to war rarely yields the ideal political solution envisioned at the start of hostilities. Second, the use of proxy forces to pursue American geopolitical goals is rarely an investment worth making because proxies tend to have goals misaligned with those of their American sponsors.

True control is an illusion. The corollary to this axiom is that supporting inept and corrupt leaders with American power only invites further dependency, does not solve political problems and usually prolongs an inevitable defeat. Third, conflating the security of a foreign power with that of America leads to disproportionate resource allocation and an apparent inability at the political level to pursue policies of peace and successful war termination.

Fourth, alliance formation through lofty rhetorical positions imperils rational analysis of geopolitical and military realities. Publicly staking out inviable political end states invites a strategic mismatch between military capabilities and political wishes, endangering the current enterprise as well as future national credibility. America has paid for these lessons in blood; our leaders ought to heed them.

[novicius]

So, what are the chances that Sanders and Trump lose their parties nominations and run as third parties?

Could make for a REALLY interesting election if that's what happens. Though I personally don't think either would.
Trump absolutely would. He's Hillary's poison pill, I swear -- the exact type of Manchurian candidate that whipped up the GOP base into an even tighter ball of Tea Party hate. If he gets the nom, Hillary has an easy extremist opponent that will scare Independents into voting for her.

Or Trump fractures the GOP decisively. Either way it's a win for her and her outsourcing/automating Corporate America cronies -- but hey, her story of "struggle" feels good to African-Americans, fellow Latinos and women. :rolleyes: #itsabouttheeconomystupid

EDIT: Those are the groups of people she's winning among Democratic Primary voters in case that wasn't clear.

[Drachen596]

Right, but I was saying what if BOTH Trump and Sanders do it.

We'd then have 4 options in November and who knows what crazy stuff would happen.

[novicius]

Sorry, I am implying that I doubt Bernie would do it.

I hope he does it, he's got my vote if he does -- I just don't see him tearing up the DNC like Trump happily will do to the GOP.

EDIT: Sanders' Campaign Manager states Bernie's a Democrat for life, will support Hillary. (http://www.politicususa.com/2016/04/20/bernie-sanders-stay-democrat-life-support-clinton-nominee.html)

[Freude am Fahren]

If they both did, my money would be on the Donald winning.

[drew]

...and my money would be on a one-way ticket to Canada (as mentioned before). Just need to get that sponsorship shit worked out :finger:

[thesameguy]

EDIT: Sanders' Campaign Manager states Bernie's a Democrat for life, will support Hillary. (http://www.politicususa.com/2016/04/20/bernie-sanders-stay-democrat-life-support-clinton-nominee.html)

Man, this is what's so upsetting about the party system in general. Clinton has spent the last several months telling us how shitty Bernie is, and Bernie and fired back with point-blank questions about positions and past with nothing but shitty answers. I have no problem with arguing with someone and remaining friends, but if I spent some of the most important parts of my life discovering the worst parts of someone else's life over the future of an entire country I could never, ever go on to back that person. I get the strategy and I get the stakes - I'm sure Sanders would rather see a shitty Prez Hillary than Trump or Cruz (and I probably would too), but I would couch that opinion as support. Acceptance, compromise, sure - but not support. I don't see how anyone with Sanders professed ideals could actually support a duplicitous snake like Clinton. Awful.

[Drachen596]

Bernie is a Dem for life? He was an Independent from 1979 to 2015 when he decided to run for President.

fwiw I feel like a majority of the Bernie supporters will either not vote for Hilary or simply won't vote at all if he's not running.


Also think we need term limits for the House and Senate. 2 or 3 terms max, then never again in DC. I also think it should be regardless of which you are, meaning if you serve the limit as a House Rep then you cannot run for Senate after that.

[Freude am Fahren]

They also need to not allow people to go between public office and lobbying.

[thesameguy]

Agreed. I would be willing to pay a lifetime pension for people in high office and bar them from any future employment that might constitute a past or future conflict of interest. That suit is BULLSHIT. Our government should not be a career stepping stone for lifetime networkers.

[LHutton]

It's more a revolving door than a stepping stone. We are the stepping stones.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I don't think we can afford to pay multi-million dollar pensions to all office holders.

They just have to enact laws to prohibit these things... such as term limits. Or like signing NDAs... politicians need to sign NFAs... no fucking-around agreements after their terms. They also need to give to the IRS their entire speech fees. If you refuse, then don't run for office!

We're going to need our entire congress full of politicians like Sanders in order to get such laws passed.

Right now, our govt is just too "infected" to function properly.

I see Sanders as an antibody..., but if voters just refuse to take antibodies..., then like I said, I'm willing to vote for the "sledge hammer" type of reform.

[Drachen596]

He's a career politician too. Hes been running for various offices since 1972 and in DC since 1991.

[MR2 Fan]

We're going to need our entire congress full of politicians like Sanders in order to get such laws passed.

Right now, our govt is just too "infected" to function properly.

I see Sanders as an antibody..., but if voters just refuse to take antibodies..., then like I said, I'm willing to vote for the "sledge hammer" type of reform.

And there's the problem, people who like Sanders are who seem to be the same kind of people who aren't paying attention to the congressional spots or mid-term elections.

The democrats need to present a united front...that you have to vote for all democrats in order for these policies to really be put into effect. It's also the perfect time to do such a thing, since the GOP is slowly self-imploding and has no direction.

Unfortunately I don't see it happening.

[thesameguy]

I agree with what you're saying, but I don't like it for the same reason I don't like Sanders "supporting" Hillary. I am tired of associations getting put above the job. The job is to make the country great and that should never take a back seat to anything, but as things have unfolded that's all it does... Now, instead of people acting and voting their conscious, they compromise here so that someone else will compromise somewhere else. In the short term, that's probably fine - maybe revising social security can wait and we'll put some additional effort into the EPA. But, in a remarkably short period of time the entire effort is compromised by compromise - we're no longer addressing itches it just all one big pointless backscratching orgy. It really doesn't matter of the Republican party were to actually implode, because we'd still have pro-business, pro-establishment assholes like Clinton and Jewish Socialists like Sanders fighting over the same issues in effectively the same way. The only way anything gets done is if someone with some pretty radical ideas for change gets to set a new direction. Otherwise, the backscratching orgy continues. Obama had *some* promise, and to some degree failed to deliver. But, Clinton has NO promise. Zero. Zilch. Trump's promise might be walls and fiery death, but hey, at least it's something different. :P

[21Kid]

Unfortunately, I don't know hardly anything about anyone else running for office. And don't have the time or willingness to research them all individually. There should be a combined website that has quick bios, platforms, etc... where we can see in advance everyone that will be on the ballot and what they stand for. I agree that no one should vote straight Democrat or Republican. But, I've seen way to many crappy Republicans lately to want to give them a chance. Not without knowing what each of them stand for directly. Because their party platform seems absurd at the moment.

[thesameguy]

Unfortunately, I don't know hardly anything about anyone else running for office. And don't have the time or willingness to research them all individually. There should be a combined website that has quick bios, platforms, etc... where we can see in advance everyone that will be on the ballot and what they stand for. I agree that no one should vote straight Democrat or Republican. But, I've seen way to many crappy Republicans lately to want to give them a chance. Not without knowing what each of them stand for directly. Because their party platform seems absurd at the moment.

Campaign finance reform could go very far in terms of making your dream a reality. If candidates had strong, strict rules on what they could spend they might be more heavily reliant on infrastructure like this to promote themselves. I'd fully support a system where candidates had 1000 words to tell me why to vote for them and the rest was factual history - votes on bills, attendance in office, dollars taken from 3rd parties, number of children they'd lured into a limo, etc. Basing my choices to whatever your campaign advertising manager thought was best to put on TV is crap.

[Crazed_Insanity]

And there's the problem, people who like Sanders are who seem to be the same kind of people who aren't paying attention to the congressional spots or mid-term elections.

The democrats need to present a united front...that you have to vote for all democrats in order for these policies to really be put into effect. It's also the perfect time to do such a thing, since the GOP is slowly self-imploding and has no direction.

Unfortunately I don't see it happening.

Perhaps I'm disillusioned, but I really felt Obama let me down and I'm pretty sure Hillary won't be able to do better. Now, don't get me wrong, I doubt Mitt Romney can do better than Obama too. Obama was our best choice at the time for sure, and I was really hoping that he can unite the country! Of course it isn't Obama's fault that the country's divided..., but there are few major things that I'm not very happy with him... for example, I wouldn't kill Bin Laden in total secrecy and then dump his body in the middle of the ocean. I also wouldn't let Wall Street to continue on business as usual. These are kind of things that maybe W would do. Yes, white house changed tenants, but it really seems like it's still business as usual.

Anyway, bottom line is that I ain't supporting any parties. I'm voting for what I think is best for the country.

If I really don't know or don't care, then I won't vote.

But in case of this upcoming presidential election, if I'm denied the chance to vote Sanders, then I'll vote for Trump. If for some reason the dark side of the force managed to eliminate both Sanders and Trump on the ballot..., then I'm just not gonna vote. Why waste my time.

Lastly, CA is pretty blue anyway... even with me not voting, we will still have blue reps and senators in congress anyway. I really don't need to unite with the democratic party.

If you really want to help the democratic party, perhaps the best thing to do is to move to a red state in order to help them to become less red?

Maybe it's time to force integration of the red and blue people to help ease the polarizing problems that America has... ;)

[MR2 Fan]

If you really want to help the democratic party, perhaps the best thing to do is to move to a red state in order to help them to become less red?

Maybe it's time to force integration of the red and blue people to help ease the polarizing problems that America has... ;)

The interesting thing is that does seem to be happening in certain states, but it could still take several election cycles before we see a tide turn....OR somehow the other GOP voters get totally disillusioned and won't vote for anyone

Edit: When watching election coverage, it seems to be pretty standard that urban areas and arguably higher educated areas lean blue, rural areas lean red....THEN OF COURSE there's gerrymandering so batshit insane people like Michele Bachmann stayed elected (before she retired to do better things, like have a cameo in Sharknado 3)

[Crazed_Insanity]

I dunno man. I'd predict that in the future, red will become redder and blue will become bluer... and each side will continue to look down on each other and blame our nation's problems on the other side.

While those in high offices, regardless of being red or blue, will continue on business as usual. They don't really care about red or blue, but green.

Yep, they continue to help the rich to get greener and poor to not only get poorer, but also get into debt more.

Something has to change.

[thesameguy]

The shitty thing about the internet is that it suggests that you're not the only batshit crazy racist homophobe out there. Over time society has become a lot more liberal on a lot of topics - women are voting, people with fucked up facial piercings get jobs, and "Buy American" means you own a Honda. But the pendulum that was swinging through a lot of the last century got fucking hung up on the youtube comments section and now the "small and vocal minority" has all found each other so it seems less small and even more vocal. The prehistoric holdouts who dream of a proper, God-fearing country have united with xenophobic nutcases and, well, there's strength in numbers. Even if it's idiotic fantasy strength. I have no good ideas on how to cure that. You can't argue viewpoints with facts or stats or logic.. there is no process for fixing poor thinking. In time, it'll just become too hard to resist the change - eventually all the women get driver's licenses and continuing to rail against it becomes a clear waste of time... but fuuuuuuu that's painfully slow and easily held up. Sure, the steamroller of progress will eventually k-k-k-kill you, but it's gonna take some time and these dimwits aren't just going to get out of the way.

My hope is that someone like Bernie Sanders could become that central voice of reason for the more illuminated folks in this society, and even if he couldn't actually change much at least he'd be a constant reminder of how it should be... eventually little nudges and prods leading to some sort of progress. That was the promise of Obama, ostensibly. Reasonably. But Hillary Clinton brings nothing to the table. What does she actually believe in? What is she purporting to do as president? I can't actually name one thing she stands for. Her entire campaign is an amalgamation of defending previous idiotic actions and talking about - maybe even lying about - positions she's taken in the past. How is what she did 10 years ago of any benefit? How is that person going to get us anywhere? What does she for this country? What is the step she'd like us all to take with her?

[MR2 Fan]

The shitty thing about the internet is that it suggests that you're not the only batshit crazy racist homophobe out there. Over time society has become a lot more liberal on a lot of topics - women are voting, people with fucked up facial piercings get jobs, and "Buy American" means you own a Honda. But the pendulum that was swinging through a lot of the last century got fucking hung up on the youtube comments section and now the "small and vocal minority" has all found each other so it seems less small and even more vocal. The prehistoric holdouts who dream of a proper, God-fearing country have united with xenophobic nutcases and, well, there's strength in numbers. Even if it's idiotic fantasy strength. I have no good ideas on how to cure that. You can't argue viewpoints with facts or stats or logic.. there is no process for fixing poor thinking. In time, it'll just become too hard to resist the change - eventually all the women get driver's licenses and continuing to rail against it becomes a clear waste of time... but fuuuuuuu that's painfully slow and easily held up. Sure, the steamroller of progress will eventually k-k-k-kill you, but it's gonna take some time and these dimwits aren't just going to get out of the way.

My hope is that someone like Bernie Sanders could become that central voice of reason for the more illuminated folks in this society, and even if he couldn't actually change much at least he'd be a constant reminder of how it should be... eventually little nudges and prods leading to some sort of progress. That was the promise of Obama, ostensibly. Reasonably. But Hillary Clinton brings nothing to the table. What does she actually believe in? What is she purporting to do as president? I can't actually name one thing she stands for. Her entire campaign is an amalgamation of defending previous idiotic actions and talking about - maybe even lying about - positions she's taken in the past. How is what she did 10 years ago of any benefit? How is that person going to get us anywhere? What does she for this country? What is the step she'd like us all to take with her?


First paragraph, agreed 100%.


Second, Hillary, from everything I've seen, has become a highly, highly polished politician in doublespeak and saying what she wants people to hear. The Hillary I see today feels nothing like a "real" person.

The SNL skit after her first debate recently nailed it, where "Hillary's" opening speech said that you'll like this version of Hillary over the previous ones.

I do think that deep down, Hillary is a good person with reasonable goals (after seeing the PBS documentary about the Clintons, it was interesting), but she's been a Washington insider for so long, she can't help but be this caricature of herself now.

[thesameguy]

Second, Hillary, from everything I've seen, has become a highly, highly polished politician in doublespeak and saying what she wants people to hear. The Hillary I see today feels nothing like a "real" person.

The SNL skit after her first debate recently nailed it, where "Hillary's" opening speech said that you'll like this version of Hillary over the previous ones.

I do think that deep down, Hillary is a good person with reasonable goals (after seeing the PBS documentary about the Clintons, it was interesting), but she's been a Washington insider for so long, she can't help but be this caricature of herself now.

That is my impression as well. The thought-provoking 1990s Hillary has given way to the Washington Survivalist Hillary we have today.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I wonder at what point did Hillary 'crossed over'... Or perhaps it's just the cumulative effect over the years...

Anyway, her 'transformation' isn't that surprising..., I'm more interested in knowing how Sanders stayed the same over the decades!

[LHutton]

Wow, he's now arresting foreign journalists too.

https://us.yahoo.com/news/dutch-journalist-criticized-erdogan-detained-turkey-official-110856881.html


Dutch journalist who criticized Erdogan detained in Turkey: official

[LHutton]

Why healthcare costs more than it should.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/04/23/let-patient-pay-piper-and-price-health-care-will-fall/QxVblSxYITIGW5EkpMXy3K/story.html

[overpowered]

They couldn't get Hastert for molesting teenage boys due to the statute of limitations. They did, however, get him on financial fraud (to pay off his victims) and Tom DeLay asks the judge to go easy on him. Seriously? Huckabee tries to defend Josh Duggar and now this? Why are these right wingers trying to protect child molesters? WTF?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/04/22/tom-delay-ex-cia-director-ask-judge-go-easy-dennis-hastert/83412948/

[LHutton]

They're in a special club.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I don't think Jesus would approve of child molestation that is for sure. They're just asking for mercy that's all. Judge also has the power to not give the guy any.

Anyway, may God have mercy on his soul, but to those who abuse their earthly powers really should be judged as harshly as possible to set good examples...

[Godson]

Whenever you ask for them to go easy on you, the judge usually fucks you harder.

[thesameguy]

Also works on alternachicks!

[Alan P]

Why healthcare costs more than it should.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/04/23/let-patient-pay-piper-and-price-health-care-will-fall/QxVblSxYITIGW5EkpMXy3K/story.html

Except one of the points raised in this Paragraph:

Americans are forever being told that health care costs are out of control and that only sweeping government intervention can bring them back to earth. Obamacare was supposed to make medical plans more affordable, but premiums are higher than ever . Bernie Sanders campaigns on a platform of “Medicare for all” — single-payer socialized health care — yet any such system would inevitably lower the quality of care while raising prices still higher is complete horseshit. There have been countless studies done that show 'socialised' medical care is in no way inferior and actually gives a BETTER quality of care, for less.

[MR2 Fan]

http://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/apvn2qM_460s_v1.jpg

[LHutton]

Except one of the points raised in this Paragraph:

Americans are forever being told that health care costs are out of control and that only sweeping government intervention can bring them back to earth. Obamacare was supposed to make medical plans more affordable, but premiums are higher than ever . Bernie Sanders campaigns on a platform of “Medicare for all” — single-payer socialized health care — yet any such system would inevitably lower the quality of care while raising prices still higher is complete horseshit. There have been countless studies done that show 'socialised' medical care is in no way inferior and actually gives a BETTER quality of care, for less.
I think the quibble is with the single payer part, not the actual socialisation and I tend to agree. If a private company is being paid by a dissociated 3rd party, they will have a tendency to charge as much as possible whether that insurer is government or private.

[LHutton]

So the NYC voting fiasco. Process corrupted or just incompetent?

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-20/new-york-ag-schneiderman-probing-primary-voting-improprieties
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/19/politics/new-york-primary-voter-problem-polls-sanders-de-blasio/index.html

Voting complaints up 368% on last time.

[21Kid]

Except one of the points raised in this Paragraph:

Americans are forever being told that health care costs are out of control and that only sweeping government intervention can bring them back to earth. Obamacare was supposed to make medical plans more affordable, but premiums are higher than ever . Bernie Sanders campaigns on a platform of “Medicare for all” — single-payer socialized health care — yet any such system would inevitably lower the quality of care while raising prices still higher is complete horseshit. There have been countless studies done that show 'socialised' medical care is in no way inferior and actually gives a BETTER quality of care, for less.
Gutting the insurance/bill payment departments alone would probably save 30%. I've gotten collections for hospital bills that I never saw. :(
Because the billing department submitted the wrong for to Insurance Company A, who never told me there was an outstanding bill... and the billing department doesn't follow up to make sure it was paid, so I never get notified. It's happened more than once. There's a reason that it's the #1 reason of bankruptcies in the US.

[thesameguy]

I have unfortunately become very involved in a small medical office and gotten a good glimpse into their billing. It's a complete catastrophe. An office that has two employees and sees single digit per day patients has a dedicated full time biller as well as a contract biller. "Medical billing specialist" is a valid career in this country. It's disgusting. The room for error is huge - I can't imagine it on a hospital-sized scale.

I fully grasp the value that a multi-party system brings to the table, but one does have to wonder whether "mediocre" health care for everyone is worse than "excellent" health care for a small group of people. I really do wrestle with it - our system does have some advantages. Unfortunately, I think the cost to the people make them not worth it.

Somewhat related, I was catching up on some John Oliver the other night and in one segment he broke down what a couple major pharmaceutical companies spend on marketing vs. R&D. I suspect those ratios are common across healthcare. Really helps me to believe that socializing medicine really could save the patient 30% right off the top.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Centralization is ideal, but history has proven that it doesn't work in reality for too long.

If you have a good king or central figure, sure, it can work wonderfully. But chances are, we won't have a good central figure looking after us in this world because centralize power tend to end up corrupted by its power.

China was one big kingdom with huge navy and huge ships too, compared to Europeans fragmented smaller kingdoms... with smaller navy and smaller ships. Centralization definitely has its benefits, but as time goes on, guess which got complacent and mediocre?

Even amongst Europeans, the Catholics nations were more 'centralized' to the Pope and Europe and don't even bring their women along because of the conquering mindset whereas the protestants were more fragmented, brought their women along preparing to work the land, escaping Europe for a new life... British colonies(protestant) vs Spanish colonies(catholic) pretty much demonstrated the inferiority of centralization.

Even in relatively modern history, forget about the extreme socialism/communism, I don't think european socialism has proven to be obviously superior when it comes to medical advancements?

Anyway, I think the current US political system has probably about the right amount of fragmentation(states) and centralization(federal) to squeeze the benefit out of both. I'd like to see healthcare in the US being run in a similar fashion. I think Obamacare is a right start. Hopefully we can fine tune it to maximize savings. For sure I don't think we should go to a single payer system that's govt run...

[thesameguy]

Even in relatively modern history, forget about the extreme socialism/communism, I don't think european socialism has proven to be obviously superior when it comes to medical advancements?

But medical advancements are only part of the equation - the other part being who has access to the system. What if everyone could get glasses, but no one could have their Parkinson's treated? What if everyone could talk to a counselor, but no one could have their big toe reattached? Is some care for everyone better than ideal care for some people? It might be. All the nasty rumors about inferior socialized medicine in other places always include "he couldn't get an MRI" or "they wouldn't give him that expensive drug" which, you know, may or may not be fair - but it's the rumor. They never circulate the opposite - "that mother was able to get aspirin for her kid" or "he got his teeth fixed." What if nobody ever had a headache again but nobody was ever treated for episodic ataxia again? Is that a fair trade?

I used to worry about the state of R&D under a socialized system. Right now, there is intense competition and strong reason to develop a great new drug - you get to charge a fortune for it, and that's pretty cool. But, when you look at the statistics and see how much money is spent on R&D versus administration and advertising the argument that R&D would be compromised seems less powerful. There is also an issue of scale - so many people don't have healthcare there are hoards of drugs that are just inaccessible to people - they can't get a prescription or recommendation much less worry about affording the pill or the procedure. If everyone suddenly had access to, say, cholesterol medication or biopsies maybe the economies generated would drive prices down.

I think you can look to some examples in the medical field as evidence that supports this - home insulin testing, procedures or diagnostics that can be handled by RNs, etc. Lots of stuff a doctor would have to come to your house for in 1900 can be done over the freakin' internet today. There is an argument for scale.

In combination - wiping out advertising, wiping out middle men, and then extending the system to everyone might just work. Of course, I agree with the concern for bureaucracy - you need look no further than the IRS or SSA to see how wrong a government-run all-inclusive system can go, but we don't have a lot of examples to draw from in this country. All these big systems are really old and mired in decades of shitty evolution. A system instantiated today using modern technology with a better sense of planning and understanding of scalability could be very different. Not that it will be, but that there is real potential. It might not be a yes, but it's definitely not a no.

I have seen enough of the back office of the medical profession to know it's full of waste. Horrific, paralyzing waste. It's mired in the same ancient beginning and decades of shitty evolution as any government agency. I really want to ask how much worse a modern, government run system would actually be.

====

Unrelated, how come nobody ever said anything about the anti-LGBT George & NC bullshit? Man, that was some bullshit. I hate that our government is run by big corporations, but I loved seeing big corporations stick it to the North Carolina government. :|

[Rikadyn]

Also need to look at the disconnect from R&D and who profits from it. A good portion of medical R&D is done in university settings with money coming in from the government in the first place. Medcorp simply buys the patent on the concept and then sells it for profit.

My biggest thing is, having been in a country with socialised medicine. Hospital bill for an ER visit, with MRI and Xrays with seeing a specialist was about 300usd without insurance In the US that would have easily breached the upper 5 figures. On top of that when I came back for follow up I was refunded the difference between the out of pocket fee and what it was on NHI.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Anyway, regarding waste and inefficiency... do you guys really believe governments can do better than private organizations?

Anything a government can do, private company should be able to do better. Unless nobody wants in on the healthcare business, then perhaps government need to pull up its sleeves and just do it. Otherwise, find ways to entice the private sector to do it... along with appropriate regulations.

I don't know the healthcare business that well. All I know is that DoD and NASA don't design and build airplanes or rockets directly. They just dangle the carrots out to have private companies bid for the contracts. All of NASA's earlier research is also public domain, available to all. I really don't understand how the fruits of tax funded research can somehow end up as private patents profiting private companies. Hope that's not true. If it is, that need to be fixed first. Single payee system ain't gonna fix that problem. Drug companies need to be compensated fairly, but shouldn't be allowed to rob the system.

Our govt need to regulate healthcare better, but not actually be running healthcare.

[thesameguy]

I think that the "government sucks" mentality comes from a time when the government was huge and no private company was. These days, there are lots of giant private companies, and IME the giant private companies are every bit as catastrophically inefficient as the government. That's why - like Rikadyn said - these monster companies go around buying their IP and talent rather than creating it. Because they are so mired in bureaucracy they can't get anything done.

[Kchrpm]

Anything a government can do, private company should be able to do better.

Depends what you mean by "better." With more profit? Sure, but at whose expense. We're not talking about luxury items here, we're talking about people's health. We're talking about the kind of people that would go some place with a homeless problem and rather build an apartment building with 30 million dollar condos and only a few of them filled, than hundreds of affordable condos/apartments that people actually need.

Maybe the race to make and advertise the best erectile dysfunction pill will slow down and people will focus on more helpful stuff.

[LHutton]

I think that the "government sucks" mentality comes from a time when the government was huge and no private company was. These days, there are lots of giant private companies, and IME the giant private companies are every bit as catastrophically inefficient as the government. That's why - like Rikadyn said - these monster companies go around buying their IP and talent rather than creating it. Because they are so mired in bureaucracy they can't get anything done.
The only difference is they operate on a cost-plus basis in order to make profits, so you're just adding profit to the costs of inefficiency.

[21Kid]

Exactly Keith. :up:


Like public education, people's health should not be run for-profit, imo. And while I don't think that many physicians actually think that way... the hospitals, drug companies, insurance companies, etc... that dictate the rules definitely do.

[MR2 Fan]

Exactly Keith. :up:


Like public education, people's health should not be run for-profit, imo. And while I don't think that many physicians actually think that way... the hospitals, drug companies, insurance companies, etc... that dictate the rules definitely do.

Well it's much easier to be a greedy asshole when every client is just a number and not seen as a human being.

[LHutton]

So never mind actual ability, just make sure half your cabinet is female for face value Hillary.

https://us.yahoo.com/news/clinton-half-cabinet-women-142458176.html

[Kchrpm]

She will find women with the right ability, presumably. The assumption she can't is part of the problem.

[thesameguy]

There are plenty of talented, executive level females in the banking industry. It won't be a problem.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I think that the "government sucks" mentality comes from a time when the government was huge and no private company was. These days, there are lots of giant private companies, and IME the giant private companies are every bit as catastrophically inefficient as the government. That's why - like Rikadyn said - these monster companies go around buying their IP and talent rather than creating it. Because they are so mired in bureaucracy they can't get anything done.

I totally agree. However, without govt bailouts, at least we could get rid of these companies should it fail. If it can manage to continue to make a profit to stay in business, it must be doing something right. I think in the future, govt really shouldn't intervene with bailouts... unless it's clear that govt could make a profit with tax payers money. We also should set a limit on company size. No company should ever be too big to fail...

With regard to government, it is too precious to fail. Besides checking and balancing powers between different branches of govt, they don't really have to answer to anybody. Main motivation is just to stay in power... no incentive to increase efficiency nor innovations.

Obviously there's a LOT of money to be make in healthcare/pharmaceuticals ... that's why these companies exist. If these companies refuse to cover poor folks, govt definitely should step in and try to help.

I'm just saying there's no need for a complete government take over. I just don't think government alone can do a better job at providing healthcare services to all.

If mega-corporations cannot be trusted, likewise US government cannot be trusted. It can be 'purchased' by mega-corporations, remember?

[Kchrpm]

So if the problem with government is that a mega-corporation might influence them, how is it a better solution to just go straight to the mega-corp?

Ideally, the government should be protecting us from the mega-corps. In a small number of cases, that includes cutting the mega-corps out of the equation as much as possible.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Depends what you mean by "better." With more profit? Sure, but at whose expense. We're not talking about luxury items here, we're talking about people's health. We're talking about the kind of people that would go some place with a homeless problem and rather build an apartment building with 30 million dollar condos and only a few of them filled, than hundreds of affordable condos/apartments that people actually need.

Maybe the race to make and advertise the best erectile dysfunction pill will slow down and people will focus on more helpful stuff.

Let's pretend it is vitally important that we all have affordable cars in our garages.

In order to achieve this, should we ask Ferrari or Porsche to tone down their development efforts and produce more cars like VW bugs for all? Ban F-1 races and have people just go watch local autoX events?

These 'luxury' items could eventually benefit future mainstream products. Who knows how technologies developed for erectile dysfunction could some how spin off to produce some other forms of revolutionary drugs?

To using home building as example, people are not that stupid to develop luxury condos and unable to sell them. If they are that stupid with their money, they'll end up losing it... and it'll stop others from getting into such a stupid market.

If a church wants to build housing for the poor, that's wonderful.

It'd also be wonderful for govt to build more affordable housing, but does our government have the money?

Even if our government has the money... should government workers get directly involved in house building?

All I'm saying is govt can just regulate how houses are built, no need to get involved in actually building the house.

No one wants to build houses for the poor doesn't mean we need to have government step in a boot all private home builders out of the way and get involved in the home building business.

Gotta give home builders more incentives to build for the poor... or actually shell out tax money for the poor. Taking over the industry won't solve your problem.

Yes, govt should be protecting us from these mega-corporations. It's already kinda corrupted now... , but at least it's still somewhat functional. Imagine if govt actually becomes one of these 'mega-corporations', is 2nd amendment our only protection when something goes wrong?

[thesameguy]

I have often wondered if the megacorps that evolved would have actually evolved had the rules been properly enforced. I suspect some of them would, but I also believe a lot of the giants exist because they were able to exploit weak enforcement or successfully lobby for laws and perks that benefitted them. It'd be interesting to study that.

Personally, I place more value on a more transparent government, better campaign finance rules, strict controls on lobbyists, and basically returning the government to the people from the corporations before sweeping reform to health care. A hybrid system is a good place to start. It's fair for 2016. We just need to keep our collective eye on the prize and make sure we continue to move in the right direction. If the hybrid system continues to work effectively, then fair enough. But if those fuckers try to get in the way of keeping this society healthy then more aggressive measures need to be employed.

[LHutton]

She will find women with the right ability, presumably. The assumption she can't is part of the problem.
You're missing my point. She should pick the best people for the job regardless of gender. Filling gender/race quotas is not equal opportunities.

[Kchrpm]

To using home building as example, people are not that stupid to develop luxury condos and unable to sell them. If they are that stupid with their money, they'll end up losing it... and it'll stop others from getting into such a stupid market.

It's happening right now in NYC. I was listening to a podcast interview with one of the people trying to fight homelessness in the city, and one of the big problems is exactly what I described.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/htt-mary-brosnahan/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/nyregion/gentrifying-into-the-shelters.html

But at no point did I say that luxury drugs shouldn't exist. Perhaps, though, they shouldn't be the focus of R&D, and dollars going to advertising rather than additional R&D, purely because of their profitability and not despite their low overall benefit to society.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Anyway, I just don't think it makes sense to tell a company how to focus and how to do R&D work as long as they're not breaking any laws or doing anything harmful.

I'm just against centralization.

Success of the internet also illustrate this. We don't have a central dedicated mainframe, but a network of servers.

We all can start our own companies or non-profit org, focusing on whatever we want and doing R&D on whatever we want for as long as we can make enough money to keep going.

Ask NOT what your government can do for you, ask what you can do for your brothers and sisters!

Success of capitalism has always been about making profits for me and creating benefits for you too. Focusing only on profits is bad. Focusing only on benefits also won't be sustainable.

I also don't think government alone can make capitalism work very well.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Personally, I place more value on a more transparent government, better campaign finance rules, strict controls on lobbyists, and basically returning the government to the people from the corporations before sweeping reform to health care. A hybrid system is a good place to start. It's fair for 2016.

Totally agree.

Until we can fix and take back our government 1st, all other talks are pointless.

The rich and the powerful will be able to take advantage of the poor people whether if healthcare(or whatever) is completely privatized, hybrid or completely government run.

[Kchrpm]

We can all agree on that :up:

[Crazed_Insanity]

Back to US politics..., can't believe Hillary is about to wrap thing up... Sigh...

Most likely she will become our next president. Hope she'll deliver some pleasant surprises during her term, but I'm not expecting much.

[mk]

Project vs. process.
Cure vs. medication.

On the other hand, HPV.

[Alan P]

If someone had an axe to grind at the FBI things could go very wrong for her. I do wonder if there's any real substance to the unsecured email thing and if so, and if she were anyone else, would she have been arrested yet? And if so, why hasn't she been yet? Thing is, if she does become president then I can't see a lot changing, certainly not what needs to anyway and there would be no chance of anything of substance coming from the FBI.

[LHutton]

Should we send Frost to interview her?

[SportWagon]

Hilary's unsecured email thing sounds like retroactive application of evolving standards, applied to something which was rectified a long time ago. If she wasn't who she was, nobody would be talking about it at all.

[thesameguy]

I don't think that's accurate. I may have read the wrong rag, but all members of the US Government are supposed to use secured government-provided email systems which are tracked to comply with various government transparency laws. Hillary used what amounts to a 3rd party system which may or may not have been as secure (history suggests it wasn't) and *certainly* wasn't tracked. When you're out making nice with private industry and manhandling foreign governments *and* you're using an external system you start to look a little suspicious... like maybe you don't want your email subject to a FOIA request. You may (or may not!) recall the big hubbub about Obama and his cell phone - same thing. When systems are put in place and you are obligated to use them, you don't just get to circumvent them. That's some bullshit. I am sure Hillary is not alone in this sort of activity, but it's certainly fair and expected to hold presidential candidates to higher standard. You don't get to work around the laws when it suits you and then apologize and promise never to do it again when it doesn't. That, too, is some bullshit.

[thesameguy]

On Feb. 17, 2009, less than a month into Clinton’s tenure, the issue came to a head. Department security, intelligence and technology specialists, along with five officials from the National Security Agency, gathered in a Mahogany Row conference room. They explained the risks to Cheryl Mills, Clinton’s chief of staff, while also seeking “mitigation options” that would accommodate Clinton’s wishes.

“The issue here is one of personal comfort,” one of the participants in that meeting, Donald Reid, the department’s senior coordinator for security infrastructure, wrote afterward in an email that described Clinton’s inner circle of advisers as “dedicated [BlackBerry] addicts.”

Clinton used her BlackBerry as the group continued looking for a solution. But unknown to diplomatic security and technology officials at the department, there was another looming communications vulnerability: Clinton’s Black*Berry was digitally tethered to a private email server in the basement of her family home, some 260 miles to the north in Chappaqua, N.Y., documents and interviews show.

Some bullshit. 2009 was *way* after the standards were in effect. Officials met with her people explaining the problem with a personal Blackberry (just like they did Obama, over a year earlier). Her people did not tell the officials about the private server in her home. Doing it all under the guise of "personal comfort" is inexcusable. That's not even a valid technical hurdle. She potentially compromised an entire country because she didn't like a keyboard. Completely unacceptable.

[Freude am Fahren]

So apparently Cruz is going to name Fiorina as his VP pick. Smart. Business type maybe pull some votes from Trump, woman, pull some votes from Hillary.

[thesameguy]

... and thus the phrase "the idiotic leading the stupid" came to surpass "the blind leading the blind" as the go-to in 2016.

[LHutton]

So apparently Cruz is going to name Fiorina as his VP pick. Smart. Business type maybe pull some votes from Trump, woman, pull some votes from Hillary.
It's a damn sorry state of affairs when there are people voting for Hillary just because she's a woman.

[LHutton]

Turkish military drags Kurd down the street...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn2yRBOssGI

...and vandalises Kurdish cemetery.

https://rojnama.wordpress.com/2015/10/19/1-587/

[Drachen596]

It's a damn sorry state of affairs when there are people voting for Hillary just because she's a woman.


There are those who voted for Obama simply because he is black.

[LHutton]

There are those who voted for Obama simply because he is black.
Well that's equally bad. If the best characteristic people can find in a candidate is their gender or skin colour then I think the system and society are broken.

I also saw a poll lately which suggested 51% of Americans think the candidate selection system is corrupt and 71% would prefer to vote directly and do away with the delegate system.

http://www.roogrog.com/en/news/iframe/Xgq

[21Kid]

Obama has quite a few better qualities than Hillary though, IMO. I think that most people voted for him because he was the best candidate.

[LHutton]

I think that's probably true but he's been a complete arse on foreign policy. That said, I would put money on Hillary being even worse.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Obama has quite a few better qualities than Hillary though, IMO. I think that most people voted for him because he was the best candidate.

Hillary is lucky... whether if it's a comparison to Trump or Cruz, she's obviously the better candidate(assuming you're not a brainwashed conservative Republican).

It's unfortunate that the American people failed to recognize the BEST candidate for this country... we'll just have to settle with the status quo.

Hope she doesn't follow her husbands lead... ended up as an rather ineffective president due to a stained dress... Republicans just might launch another commission to investigate her stained server for 4~8yrs... and the blame game most likely will continue and nothing ever gets solved...

[LHutton]

Hope she doesn't follow her husbands lead... ended up as an rather ineffective president due to a stained dress... .
That would be super funny though.

[21Kid]

http://img.ifcdn.com/images/0d4c0ab6452db6743faab1942fbb9e902d6b3ce4cc31399267 1bd62e294c56cc_1.jpg

[LHutton]

:lol:

Will he use his own policies though, or rip off someone else's?

[thesameguy]

If voting Vanilla Ice means replacing the presidential Cadillac with a bulletproof 5.0, I'm in.

[LHutton]

The crazy thing is, he wouldn't be the worst candidate, or even the 2nd or 3rd worst.

[thesameguy]

Worst case he'd fit right in. No worries.

[overpowered]

John Boehner says Cruz is "Lucifer". Satanists are offended.

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/satanists-are-furious-that-boehner-compared-ted-cruz-to-the-dark-lord/

[Godson]

:lol:


I didn't think Satanist could be offended. Looks like we figured it out.

[overpowered]

Trump scores his 24th pants on fire:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/feb/23/donald-trump/donald-trump-cites-dubious-legend-about-gen-pershi/

[LHutton]

Trump seems to be about the only politician who can have a Ken Livingstone moment nearly every day and just keep going.

[LHutton]

https://us.yahoo.com/news/irans-parliament-more-women-clerics-085543616.html


Iran's new parliament has more women than clerics

[LHutton]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b578702c763845a8bf21538d3401eb9b/us-orders-diplomatic-military-families-out-south-turkey



US orders diplomatic, military families out of south Turkey

[LHutton]

Still want to vote Clinton?

http://cepr.net/blogs/the-americas-blog/the-hillary-clinton-emails-and-honduras



Three batches of Hillary Clinton’s emails have now been released and, though many emails are heavily redacted, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of how Clinton handled major international developments during her tenure at the State Department. One of the first big issues to hit Clinton’s desk was the June 2009 coup d’etat in Honduras that forced democratically-elected president Manuel Zelaya into exile. Officially the U.S. joined the rest of the hemisphere in opposing the coup, but Zelaya—who had grown close to radical social movements at home and signed cooperation agreements with Venezuela—wasn’t in the administration’s good books.

The released emails provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of how Clinton pursued a contradictory policy of appearing to back the restoration of democracy in Honduras while actually undermining efforts to get Zelaya back into power. The Intercept and other outlets have provided useful analyses of these emails, but there are a number of revealing passages, some in the most recent batch of emails, that haven’t yet received the attention they deserve.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcIrak9gdn8

[LHutton]

I wouldn't vote Hillary because the FBI have something even though they haven't said yet. The guy who gave them her e-mails has life-time immunity from prosecution, so there's definitely something there. If it comes out after the primaries, the Democrats effectively have a dead candidate.

[thesameguy]

I virtually guarantee some GOPer is paying someone else off to hold evidence until just the right moment. It's exactly something they would do.

[LHutton]

I virtually guarantee some GOPer is paying someone else off to hold evidence until just the right moment. It's exactly something they would do.
Or hold it over a standing President for blackmail purposes.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Who else can hand over her emails sitting at her basement? Bill?

Only possible way I'd not vote for Trump now is if Hillary take on Sanders as VP.

[overpowered]

There is no way in hell Hillary would have Bernie as her V.P. I doubt he'd accept even if she offered.

[thesameguy]

I'm embarrassed I don't know this, but I think the FBI seized the server.

[Godson]

Iirc they did.


I'll move if trump becomes president.

[21Kid]

Have you started studying French (http://smile.amazon.com/Learn-French-Rosetta-Stone-Power/dp/B00NH9YDRC/ref=sr_1_3?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1462211896&sr=1-3&keywords=rosetta+stone+french) yet?

[overpowered]

Samantha Bee nails it again.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5lYMil1Tts

Not surprised that the idiots on Fox and Friends thought that Andrew Jackson was a founding father, even though he was a young boy at the time the revolutionary war broke out and still a teenager when it ended. Jackson was also a slave owner and one of the worst offending presidents in history with regard to native Americans. Yes, he was successful in the military in the battle of New Orleans. That doesn't mean we need him on our currency.

[Freude am Fahren]

Nailed it. Completely irrelevant info: that bit with Ben Carson was taped at the station I used to work for. I'd recognize that background anywhere. It's now owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, which is a right-wing company that owns more TV stations in this country than any other company. When they came in, they tried (successfully mostly because of the lackies) to push their agenda hard.

[overpowered]

http://trumpagainsthumanity.cards/

:lol::rolleyes::smh::|

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43tq_lHLKlA

[LHutton]

I'm embarrassed I don't know this, but I think the FBI seized the server.
And the person who released the e-mails has been given lifetime immunity.

[Freude am Fahren]

http://addictinginfo.org/2016/05/01/fox-news-fans-found-out-malia-obama-is-going-to-harvard-so-they-called-her-a-n-screenshots/

:smh:

[thesameguy]

Jesus.

[LHutton]

And with terrible grammar and spelling too.

[overpowered]

http://addictinginfo.org/2016/05/01/fox-news-fans-found-out-malia-obama-is-going-to-harvard-so-they-called-her-a-n-screenshots/Is it my imagination or are larger numbers of racists getting more comfortable spewing their bile in public than they used to be?

[thesameguy]

It's like everything else - you hear about it more because of the internet, and the internet goads people into blurting out everything with no fear of reprisal. It's probably academic, but frankly I'd rather have these jackholes announcing how dumb they are rather than remaining quiet in the background where they might be mistaken for rational people.

Although I am generally in favor of anonymity on the internet, and I believe a major issue with the internet is its ability to store momentary indiscretions forever, I am encouraged by the fact that some day, for some reason, these people and their shitty opinions are going to be identifiable to their own detriment.

[LHutton]

Anything you say can and will be used against you in the news.

[Godson]

A Shallow Creek makes the most noise.

[thesameguy]

Interestingly, so does a shallow intellect!

[Crazed_Insanity]

People are only more politically correct nowadays. I'm sure there are less racists than before, but I don't think racism can ever be 'abolished'...

Likewise with slavery... Yes we abolished that legally, but that doesn't mean there aren't people still working in slavelike conditions in the US or under US companies in other parts of the world.

Another thing is that commenters may just be venting their political frustration at a black prez's daughter. If it were a republican prez, maybe they'd be more politically correct.

[MR2 Fan]

who cares about ISIS when you should be worried about who is in the next bathroom stall. But wait, it gets better! Now this "American Family Association" is SENDING men into women's stalls at Target, the place they were boycotting....so I suppose it isn't dangerous if they're doing it on purpose, right? :smh:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anti-lgbt-group-testing-target-restrooms_us_5727928ce4b01a5ebde63950?ncid=edlinku shpmg00000238&te=CBS

[Crazed_Insanity]

America is fighting about the most ridiculous things, this bathroom situation is a shining example.

Are you a man? If yes, then go to the room marked 'men'.

Are you a woman? if yes, then go use the room marked for 'women'.

There are also unisex bathrooms and family bathrooms, so use your judgment accordingly.

I really don't understand what's there to fight about?

Was there an 'incident' that caused a need for politicians to enact laws to tell people this common sense practice?

Is it really necessary for businesses to take a stand one way or another regarding the restroom issue?

Can somebody explain to me why is this such a big deal?

[thesameguy]

That's awesome. Now all we need is someone getting raped to prove the connection between AFA and rapers. Fingers crossed.

[thesameguy]

Was there an 'incident' that caused a need for politicians to enact laws to tell people this common sense practice?

No, not ever. This is ENTIRELY about a fear-mongering campaign that right-wingers invented around ten years ago trying to link LGBT in general to instances of sexual assault and abuse. There is as close to zero statistical basis for it, but when you can't get people to buy into "gay is the work of the devil" and you can't get people to buy into "pray the gay away" then you're next option is to try and link the lifestyle you don't like to actual crimes. That gets people fired up. People will clearly believe that transsexual people did it all for the nookie. That sells. Obvs. This is just another example of inventing facts to support your position.

[overpowered]

Californians who wish to vote for Bernie, if you're not registered as a Democrat, you can vote in the Democratic primary if you are registered as "No Party Preference". No Party Preference (NPP) is not the same as independent. If you are registered as independent, it's actually the "American Independent Party" which is an actual party and you won't be able to vote in the Democratic primary.

If you want to vote for Hillary, I'm guessing you're registered as a Democrat already.

Note also that the Republican primary is a closed primary. NPP voters cannot vote in it.

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/political-parties/no-party-preference/

How to register or change your affiliation:

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions/

[thesameguy]

:up:

[Alan P]

Cruz has withdrawn after getting his ass handed to him in Indiana. Oh dear.:smh:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-36200431

Interesting that he didn't endorse or even name check Trump in any way.

So, basically another Clinton in the Oval office then? Unless the whole email thing blows up again. 2 weeks prior to the election the FBI issues a warrant for her arrest or something?

[drew]

I'm more interested in how the Republicans are going to fuck with things to deny Trump, regardless of how many delegates he gets. While I think he's an absolute nightmare, and a joke, I would like to see him win so that the party is really handed its ass.

I made a joke that he would name Kanye as his running mate, and then got scared, because I don't have a valid passport.

[overpowered]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=10153669388696275

[IMOA]

I think a lot of you are underestimating just how shameless and populist Trump is. One message for the primaries, a completely different one for the election. Against Clinton I think he's favourite.

[21Kid]

I'm more interested in how the Republicans are going to fuck with things to deny Trump, regardless of how many delegates he gets. While I think he's an absolute nightmare, and a joke, I would like to see him win so that the party is really handed its ass.

I made a joke that he would name Kanye as his running mate, and then got scared, because I don't have a valid passport.

You still have 6 months. Maybe a new overseas job? ;) Where are you thinking? :D

[overpowered]

Trump's 26th pants on fire. He links Ted Cruz's dad to Lee Harvey Oswald.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/may/03/donald-trump/donald-trumps-ridiculous-claim-linking-ted-cruzs-f/

[drew]

At this point, I'd happily go to fucking Syria.

[overpowered]

SCOTUS about to legalize bribery?

http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-supreme-court-gets-ready-to-legalize-corruption

[overpowered]

FiveThirtyEight got it very, very wrong.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1794403270779879

[LHutton]

At this point, I'd happily go to fucking Syria.
Your details have been added to our list.

[overpowered]

Donald Trump is now the leader of the Republican Party. It's real – he is one step away from the White House. Here's what else is real:

Trump has built his campaign on racism, sexism, and xenophobia. There's more enthusiasm for him among leaders of the KKK than leaders of the political party he now controls.

He incites supporters to violence, praises Putin, and, according to a columnist who recently interviewed him, is "cool with being called an authoritarian" and doesn't mind associations with history's worst dictators.

He attacks veterans like John McCain who were captured and puts our servicemembers at risk by cheerleading illegal torture. In a world with ISIS militants and leaders like North Korean strongman Kim Jong-Un conducting nuclear tests, he surrounds himself with a foreign policy team that has been called a "collection of charlatans," and puts out contradictory and nonsensical national security ideas one expert recently called "incoherent" and "truly bizarre."

What happens next will test the character for all of us – Republican, Democrat, and Independent. It will determine whether we move forward as one nation or splinter at the hands of one man's narcissism and divisiveness. I know which side I'm on, and I’m going to fight my heart out to make sure Donald Trump’s toxic stew of hatred and insecurity never reaches the White House.

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethWarren/posts/10153739034223687

[Sad, little man]

There's really no point in saying all of that about Trump. Everyone has already heard it. Some people agree with it, and some people either don't care or don't believe it. No one in these groups is going to change their opinion.

[thesameguy]

Yeah, better to just start stockpiling end of days shit. Time to roll up our sleeves and burn this mother down.

[Kchrpm]

Kasich has dropped out as well.

[tigeraid]

My backyard is warm, the beer is cold, and pot is soon to be legal, friends. Come on up. :up:


EDIT: until Trump carpet-bombs us back to the stone age for having filthy muslims in our midst.

[thesameguy]

Like I said before, you guys better get working on your wall. There isn't much time left.

(And, I know Hillary has a good chance, but you don't want her in your country either. TBH, if she gets elected Mexico might very well end up building one too.)

[Crazed_Insanity]

I think a lot of you are underestimating just how shameless and populist Trump is. One message for the primaries, a completely different one for the election. Against Clinton I think he's favourite.

I'd agree with your observation.

1st, I'm going to try to help Sanders win California. That's something I can at least try to do.

[21Kid]

My backyard is warm, the beer is cold, and pot is soon to be legal, friends. Come on up. :up:




Seriously? Thanks! :cool:

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI4HagtgTPQ

[overpowered]

One day I woke up and they had politicized Ebola.

http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/10/16/five-case-studies-on-politicization/

[overpowered]

Hillary starting in with the anti-Trump ads.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/05/hillary-clinton-wont-let-republicans-forget-never-trump

[Godson]

Fucking hell. I might end up moving to France after all.

[Alan P]

If Hillary goes up against Trump, could you guys potentially see the lowest turnout ever? There are a lot of people that don't want either of them.

[overpowered]

It's unclear how that will affect the turnout. Hate for either could potentially even increase turnout.

Trump is truly scary. I don't like Hillary but she's so much better than Trump.

[Alan P]

At this stage I think anyone is better than Trump.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UCdFbyL8y0

[Crazed_Insanity]

My priority is still voting against establishment. If no sanders then I'll vote Trump. If democrats are stupid enough to go for Hillary and miss out on an opportunity for real reform, then the sledgehammer version will be it.

Face it, Hillary is going to get nothing meaningful done due to political opposition from the other side. Trump also won't get anything done due to political oppositions from both Sides!

My main concern for trump is him becoming commander in chief. It'll be bad idea to move out of US if he became president.

[Alan P]

But he's going to make America great again?

[LHutton]

It's unclear how that will affect the turnout. Hate for either could potentially even increase turnout.

Trump is truly scary. I don't like Hillary but she's so much better than Trump.
I actually disagree. Hillary is more evil, she just presents better.

http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/3597/8310/original.jpg?w=800&h

[Drachen596]

Republican turnout vs Democrat turnout here in Indiana was pretty interesting(at least to me)

The total vote for the Dem side was 628,857. Trump alone received 587,706. 1,102,675 total votes were cast on the Republican side total.


Also side note, the Democrat leadership locally is kind of pissed about the guy who won the primary for the Representative seat here. He's unemployed, lives in a sleazy motel, dropped out of high school and got his GED. He won by 6% of the vote or roughly 2200 votes.

[Alan P]

The American Dream, right there. He's on the gravy train now though!

[Freude am Fahren]

http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/3597/8310/original.jpg?w=800&h

:rolleyes:

[Godson]

I actually disagree. Hillary is more evil, she just presents better.

http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/3597/8310/original.jpg?w=800&h

LHutton again can't see the Forest from the trees...

[Kchrpm]

http://www.snopes.com/margaret-sanger-weeds/


In his 1992 book American Extremists: Militias, Supremacists, Klansmen, Communists & Others, author John George writes that this quote was "evidently concocted in the late 1980s for the purpose of trying to make the early birth control advocate seem a racist and anti-Semite" and that "this fabrication has been kept in circulation by antiabortion and anti-birth control groups."

[LHutton]

She never explicitly said that quote but from her other quotes it's implicit that that was her view.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Margaret_Sanger


Birth control is not contraception indiscriminately and thoughtlessly practiced. It means the release and cultivation of the better racial elements in our society, and the gradual suppression, elimination and eventual extirpation of defective stocks— those human weeds which threaten the blooming of the finest flowers of American civilization.

Seems close enough.

Aside from that, see Hillary's e-mails. Honduras coup, planned sectarian violence in Syria etc. JFC, all Trump's done is act like a buffoon by comparison.

[overpowered]

This is a natural consequence of for-profit prisons.

http://www.africanamerica.org/topic/pa-judge-sentenced-to-28-years-for-selling-black-teens-to-prison

This judge should get a lot more than 28 years. He devastated thousands of lives. He deserves life without parole. So do the evil scumbags who bribed him.

[thesameguy]

I don't think a life sentence is remotely sufficient. Betraying the public trust on par with treason. He should executed. Multiple times.

Edit: The fact he did it for money makes it worse in my mind. If the guy was a filthy racist at least you could say he did it out of hatred or some sort of irrational imperative. But hurting people for money especially when you're already doing fine shows an unfixable deficit of priorities. Prison is for people who have a debt to pay before they get a second chance. Not the terminally broken.

[Freude am Fahren]

That is bascially exactly what happened in a little side-plotline on Billions on Showtime this year.

Also,

Ciavarella, 61, was tried and convicted of racketeering charges earlier this year. His attorneys had asked for a "reasonable" sentence in court papers, saying, in effect, that he's already been punished enough.

This, like the Hastert situation as well, pisses me off to no end. Bullshit, you've been punished enough. He should have to serve out every single term he's given out, consecutively.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKfxVlyh98Y

[LHutton]

https://www.agra-net.com/agra/agra-europe/policy-and-legislation/trade-policy/frances-hollande-threatens-ttip-veto-following-leaks-514090.htm


France’s Hollande threatens TTIP veto following leaks -

French President François Hollande has said that he cannot accept the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) “at this stage”, following a controversial leak of consolidated texts.

[speedpimp]

And Bernie beat Hillary in Indiana. At least we got that one right.

[thesameguy]

Is it possible that Trump really does beat Hillary, and people are scurrying to avoid that?-

The timing of this race could not be poorer for sensible folks.

The upside is we get to watch the GOP fracture and implode. It might be worth electing Trump just to see what happens next.

Politics emulating TV, and this is the cliffhanger.

[overpowered]

He's not out yet, but he's going to need some big winning margins to have a chance with pledged delegates. If he somehow manages that, hopefully a lot of super-delegates will switch and go with the people.

[LHutton]

For all you know Trump may be a well planned electioneering campaign by the GOP. People like anti-establishment, so give them anti-establishment.

[MR2 Fan]

I have a feeling that the GOP will let this election "go" so to speak and try to regroup for 2020, if they feel like they'll keep a majority in the house and senate at least.

[overpowered]

A Florida Highway Patrol officer pulls over an off duty Miami Police officer for doing 120mph and makes him exit the vehicle at gunpoint.

88 people in law enforcement pull her information and many harass her.

https://photographyisnotacrime.com/2016/05/florida-cop-gets-redemption-crossing-blue-line/

Seriously. What the fuck? Having a badge should not mean you get a free pass to endanger the public and act like an asshat. Not only should all of the people who harassed her be fired -- they should be facing charges as well.

[overpowered]

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

[overpowered]

The case for Trump.

http://thecasefortrump.com/

[overpowered]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/download/?fbid=1099899033405773

[Crazed_Insanity]

Case for Trump?

If Democratic Party can only give me an established candidate, then I'll vote the other crazy anti-establishment candidate.

Will he make America great? Most likely not... Chances are that he'll get nothing done due to over whelming opposition, But I love seeing him making both the established GOP and Wall Street bankers nervous. Btw, established democrats are influenced by the 'establishment' and bought by the same bankers too.

Without sanders, there'll be a strong case for Trump for me. With Sanders, the guy is a joke, but I still admire him for making GOP look like a circus.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2NEeSdDQzU

[overpowered]

North Carolina governor Pat McCrory says that Springsteen cancelled his show because of poor ticket sales when in reality it was all but sold out when it was cancelled two days before the show. He scores a pants on fire.

http://www.politifact.com/north-carolina/statements/2016/may/04/pat-mccrory/pat-mccrory-says-springsteen-canceled-north-caroli/

[novicius]

That's not a Pants-on-Fire lie, that's just a certain point of view. #politics

[Freude am Fahren]

I think you're joking, but just in case.


"I love Bruce Springsteen," McCrory said. "I love his music. But he canceled a concert in Greensboro. By the way, they only had 8,000 tickets sold, with all respect. Hmm. But Bruce doesn’t mention that. They didn’t get the ticket sales they wanted."

Andrew Brown, the arena’s PR director, told us Springsteen had sold more than 15,000 tickets.

"No idea where 8,000 may have come from," Brown said, adding that there were fewer than 100 tickets left when Springsteen canceled with two days’ notice.

[overpowered]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Chkz3otU4AAu8X1.jpg

[overpowered]

I'll admit that differential equations have been known to cause me to break out in a cold sweat and a sense of terror but this is ridiculous.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/

:smh:

[novicius]

I think you're joking, but just in case.
I was joking. ;)

[MR2 Fan]

I''ll admit that differential equations have been known to cause me to break out in a cold sweat and a sense of terror but this is ridiculous.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/

:smh:

I read someone quip "Weapons of Math Destruction" earlier

[overpowered]

Maine's Democratic Party has decided to get rid of super-delegates. Their super-delegates will now be converted to pledged delegates in proportion to the vote. Admittedly, this will only net him maybe 2-3 delegates that he would not have had but still, it's good. Super-delegates are bullshit.

http://usuncut.com/politics/maine-democratic-party-just-got-rid-superdelegate-system/

[novicius]

Awesome! :D :up:

[Alan P]

Perhaps some people are now thinking not about who they want to be President, but who can defeat Trump? Hillary is a close call between her and Trump, but everyone seems to think that Bernie stands a much better chance.

[TheBenior]

Trump's massive unpopularity among women and minorities means that he needs record white male voter turnout and massive suppression of those voting Democrat (which the Republicans have been working on since Obama got elected) against any potential Democratic party candidate.

[LHutton]

:lol:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7I92r9GqUw

[LHutton]

Huh, well they're now even calling themselves Nazis.

https://us.yahoo.com/news/netanyahu-rebukes-israeli-general-over-holocaust-speech-123201029.html


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, contradicting his defense minister, scolded Israel's deputy military chief on Sunday for suggesting that Israeli society was showing signs of Nazi-like behavior.

[21Kid]

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

Wow... I have heard all of that before. But, that was amazing. I actually got chills watching that.

[tigeraid]

A good listen. I miss this man.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da5VYSPsoE0

[LHutton]

:smh:

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-extremists-execute-7-year-old-swearing-he-played-football-friends-raqqa-1559146?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rss&utm_content=/rss/yahoous/news


Isis extremists execute 7-year-old for swearing as he played football with friends in Raqqa

https://us.yahoo.com/news/man-stabs-four-germany-motive-may-political-police-070555274.html


One killed, three wounded in 'apparent Islamist' attack in Germany

[overpowered]

Trump said that the U.S. is the highest taxed country in the world. Er, no.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/feb/06/donald-trump/trump-calls-us-highest-taxed-country-world/

[LHutton]

At a guess I would put Norway near the top without looking, France also ranks fairly highly.

[overpowered]

The Making of an Ignoramus

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/the-making-of-an-ignoramus.html?_r=1

[LHutton]

http://www.activistpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/US-War-Graph.jpg

Data only extends to 2011.

[21Kid]

A good listen. I miss this man.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da5VYSPsoE0

Good stuff! :up:

[Tom Servo]

One of Trump's California delegates is William Johnson, leader of the American Freedom Party, a white nationalist organization that advocates for deporting all non-white immigrants and U.S. citizens.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/05/donald-trump-white-nationalist-afp-delegate-california

[MR2 Fan]

Donald Trump hated more than Nickelback:

http://www.thewrap.com/donald-trump-more-disliked-than-nickelback-poll-says/

[Crazed_Insanity]

Foque Donald Trump!
Foque Hillary Clinton!
Foque CNN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTeBfgMh3I

I've cut my cable at home and mostly just read online news... didn't realize liberal news media is pretty much all 'establishment' entities.

No wonder Bernie isn't winning.

Used to regard CNN much higher than FOX news, but I guess we just can't trust anybody nowadays...

[thesameguy]

CNN has been infotainment for a while... really is too bad.

[overpowered]

Family values guy Bill O'Reilly loses custody of kids after choking his wife in front of his daughter.

http://gawker.com/bill-o-reilly-loses-custody-of-children-in-new-york-cou-1761303124

It's weird that he has kids young enough that custody is an issue.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Who the foque care about clowns such as Bill O'Really? When USA is facing her impending doom waiting for either of the 2 political clowns to take over as president!

The end is near guys...

[LHutton]

Donald Trump hated more than Nickelback:

http://www.thewrap.com/donald-trump-more-disliked-than-nickelback-poll-says/
There's sitting PMs and Presidents with lower approval ratings all across Europe.

[LHutton]

Foque Donald Trump!
Foque Hillary Clinton!
Foque CNN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTeBfgMh3I

I've cut my cable at home and mostly just read online news... didn't realize liberal news media is pretty much all 'establishment' entities.

No wonder Bernie isn't winning.

Used to regard CNN much higher than FOX news, but I guess we just can't trust anybody nowadays...
You needn't worry Billi. No matter who gets elected, the gears of government will close in on them after and you'll carry on down the same preplanned path.

[novicius]

Family values guy Bill O'Reilly loses custody of kids after choking his wife in front of his daughter.

http://gawker.com/bill-o-reilly-loses-custody-of-children-in-new-york-cou-1761303124

It's weird that he has kids young enough that custody is an issue.
He's 20 years older than his ex-wife, that's all. ;)

Just another asshole who thinks beating his wife is gonna change anything. I hope she got a *serious* payday and that the extra $30K/month she's extracting from this smug bastard is somewhat noticeable on his oversized paycheck.

[21Kid]

doubtful


From 2009 to 2013 his wages with Fox rose to $15 Million annually. In 2013 and 2014, following his latest contract discussion, O'Reilly made $18 million per year. In 2014 he also brought in $28 million in publication royalties. Bill's entire net worth is estimated to be between $70-$85 million.

[novicius]

Heh, an epic asshole like this, the smallest thing is guaranteed to piss him off. What a child.

Conversely, since the Falafelgate mistress garnered herself a retire-for-life settlement, his ex-wife is undoubtedly set for several lifetimes. :up:

[overpowered]

This judge will reduce your punishment if you're a young male if you do community service at his house, in the nude.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arkansas-judge-resigns-after1000s-photos-nude-male-defendants-found-his-n570896

:smh:

[thesameguy]

A judgeship is a long, difficult road to follow just to your kink on. Thank God we have Craigslist these days.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWOXH3AP_hQ

[LHutton]

Doesn't surprise me given the copious amount of complaints and problems.

Redacted is brilliant too.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Media won't talk about Sanders... primary elections rigged in Hillary's favorite... Wall Street also prefers Hillary, not Trump.

Anyway, my fellow liberals, wake up and smell the coffee.

For me, once again, it's either Sanders or Trump. I'd much rather vote a fake Republican who's actually liberal, rather than a fake democrat that's actually favored by the conservatives(who are really in charge).

[thesameguy]

Whoa. Deep.

[speedpimp]

This judge will reduce your punishment if you're a young male if you do community service at his house, in the nude.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arkansas-judge-resigns-after1000s-photos-nude-male-defendants-found-his-n570896

:smh:
With a story like that he has just got to be a Republican.

[overpowered]

While that's probably got the best odds, it's not guaranteed. There have been plenty of Democrats with creepy sex scandals as well.

[overpowered]

Some people are serious assholes. They are spreading a meme for home made "Bernie glowsticks" which is actually a recipe for making a bomb that goes off as soon as you mix the ingredients (chlorine tablets and alcohol).

http://mic.com/articles/143020/bernie-sanders-glowsticks-chlorine-and-isopropyl-alcohol

People who try this tend to get hurt:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_bomb

[21Kid]

:angry:

[thesameguy]

I hesitate to post a fox news article, but

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/05/12/hillarys-team-prepares-for-worst-as-finds-herself-in-perfect-storm-legal-misery.html?intcmp=sem_outloud

This is bad.


Also earlier this week, the State Department revealed that it cannot find the emails of Bryan Pagliano for the four years that he was employed there. Who is Bryan Pagliano? He is the former information technology expert, employed by the State Department to problem shoot Mrs. Clinton’s entail issues.

Pagliano was also personally employed by Mrs. Clinton. She paid him $5,000 to migrate her regular State Department email account and her secret State Department email account from their secure State Department servers to her personal, secret, non-secure server in her home in Chappaqua, New York. That was undoubtedly a criminal act. Pagliano either received a promise of non-prosecution or an actual order of immunity from a federal judge. He is now the government’s chief witness against Mrs. Clinton.

However this is hilarious - this language in a "news" article ...


But Mrs. Clinton is no ordinary client. She is running for president. She lies frequently. We know this because, when asked if the FBI has reached out to her for an interview, she told reporters that neither she nor her campaign had heard from the FBI; but she couldn’t wait to talk to the agents.

[LHutton]

She's not a candidate I would risk putting forward.

[LHutton]

Oh LOL.

https://us.yahoo.com/news/lithuanian-eatery-puts-poster-trump-putin-kiss-115550447--politics.html

https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/HMDvqwmrVkZFaQfdWYWL.A--/YXBwaWQ9eW15O3E9NzU7dz02NDA7c209MTtpbD1wbGFuZQ--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f261cdb77415de18980f6a7067008ab3.jpg

[overpowered]

I hesitate to post a fox news article, but

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/05/12/hillarys-team-prepares-for-worst-as-finds-herself-in-perfect-storm-legal-misery.html?intcmp=sem_outloud

This is bad.

However this is hilarious - this language in a "news" article ...Well yeah, but she's still not as scary as Trump.

There's also this:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T6G5Ttutyy6gtkmPDStQsYJyzkmf5X_wbcsuN_36Dz4/mobilebasic

[overpowered]

I don't remember this. It's fucked up.

http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/05/18/407665820/why-did-we-forget-the-move-bombing

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIRfeVcG-eM

[LHutton]

http://unity.lv/en/news/1577335-Leaked-wiretaps-of-ISIS-agents-show-Ankara-routinely-ignores-terrorist-crossborder-activity/


Leaked wiretaps of ISIS agents show Ankara routinely ignores terrorist cross-border activity

[LHutton]

More on the Clintons.

http://freebeacon.com/politics/clintons-facilitated-donors-haiti-project-that-defrauded-u-s-out-of-millions/


Clintons Facilitated Donor’s Haiti Project That Defrauded U.S. Out of Millions

[LHutton]

Just as the US and UK vetoed a Russian call to put Ahrar Al Sham on a terror list, this Rebel group ethnically cleansed allawites in the town of Al Zara in Homs province.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ9H2ZRx-8Q

[speedpimp]

I don't remember this. It's fucked up.

http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/05/18/407665820/why-did-we-forget-the-move-bombing

It happened around the same time New Coke was launched...

[thesameguy]

Well yeah, but she's still not as scary as Trump.

I am not positive about that. She is seriously devious, better connected and a much better liar.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Trump sounds scary, but what's the scariest thing that he's ever done? Firing people?

If the current 'establishment' and Wall Street assholes both like somebody, that's enough indication for me to vote the other guy.

Political correctness gain no points for me.

Of course, I don't really want to vote trump, still hoping democrats can have enough sense to pick sanders...

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJIllWIRx-M