The USA Political Thread

[lennco]

Here you can spout your USA political views.

Rules:
1. Keep it clean
2. No fighting
3. Respect the views of others.
4. US Political views, No Religious views
5. Have fun

:wave:

 

[JB Lions]

Yeah, you just posted pics of Al Capone b/c that's what the other kids were doing.

Not only did we go over this multiple times, I literally went over it yet again, and then you quoted it:

The NY Times piece led the state of New York starting an investigation. It's not something that's going to happen overnight.

And you still don't get it. You had a week's worth of dumb posting on a Sunday. Get some fresh air. Learn to pace yourself.

 

[TestCase]

Are you pretending the current President is a drug dealer?

Nope!

Any reason why you think I should? Something you know that we don't?

(But he could be Batman because I've never seen the two of them in the same room together....)

I'm not buying into the persistent claims the "end id near" for Trump.

You're absolutely right about that!

If charges are brought, it will be a lonnnnnnnng drawn out process getting it all through the legal system.

AND then there will be all the appeals. I should have grand kids by then so I can catch them up on what they missed

 

[mr-x]

egggzactly.

 

[GILSAN]

‘Macron… WHAT?’ French TV channel ‘censors’ photo of Yellow Vest protester’s placard (PHOTOS)
TV channel France3 has “fixed” a placard held by a Yellow Vest protester, which urged President Emmanuel Macron to resign. The broadcaster explained that the sign was broadcast reading just Macron, due to a “human error.”
The unfortunate blunder occurred on Saturday during an evening news program that was covering the ongoing Yellow Vest protests.

Among videos and images of the protests, France3 featured a photo supplied by Agence France Presse (AFP). It shows a couple of mounted police officers watching the crowds outside the Opera building in Paris on Saturday. One of the Yellow Vests holds high a placard, reading “Macron out.” Here’s the original photo.

Everything was the same in the France3 broadcast, except for a ‘tiny’ detail – the “out” part of the slogan had mysteriously vanished from the image.

The photo-doctoring did not escape sharp-eyed watchers, who promptly accused the broadcaster of “censorship.” The replay of the program is publicly available online, and France3 acknowledged the blunder, blaming it on a “mistake.”

“There was no intent to hide the sign last night. It's a human mistake,” the broadcaster tweeted, supplying the unmodified image. “We have identified the source. It will not happen again.”
https://www.rt.com/news/446613-france3-macron-yellow-vests/

Is this the best excuse these Liberal Fake News MF's have for falsifying news?

 

[offthehandle]

They are bad, but partly because the tax revenue isn't managed equitably and the state has screwed a lot of things up in the past. We've been through decades of administrative sh*tshows - Republican and Democrat alike. Our school tax is so high where I live because we get virtually nothing back from the state from income tax revenue, whereas some other towns get a lot of it (and don't produce impressive results despite the extra money). There have been tax fairness movements to try to equalize what towns pay in and what we get back, but so far none have gotten off the ground.

I have to admit we have very good schools around here ...

The concept of public tax funds paying for public education is sound, even though the way its done around here is a dumpster fire. Doesn't need to be scrapped, but badly needs to be fixed.

Good Schools and basic education focused on the “3 R’s”... (to date myself) is very important, yes and even illegal aliens kids should be educated in esl and at taxpayer expense. Uneducated people only become liabilities. Too much administration, not enough good teachers seems to have always been the historic issue. All this talk of teaching diversity, inclusion, bullying and non-core education diverts away from the reason for going to school.

I am a product of a lousy formal public inner city education, which I remain critical of, and have spent my entire life after high school working overtime and learning through self education, self motivation and by “doing”.. things and study, reading, etc. some of the smartest people I have met were the same.

When I continually criticize Government it isnt necessarily partisan. I don’t like Politicians or most Government period, city, state or federal. Not sure if you have ever had Govt contracts or were an outside contractor, but I really thought with all my experiences the joke “pareto principle” applied to large organizations should be changed for Govt from 80/20 to 95/5.. lol. (5% competence level). My last interaction was a few years ago, some pompous DC purchasing agent wanted to force me to review and comply with this huge FAR contract from new Obama era regulations covering nonsense for a $2700 equipment repair. Like as if I was building Space Station components with Slave labor. I spent a couple hours reading this mess and refused the PO as a waste of my time. The OEM got the direct sale instead and were angry at all the overreach and time drain, wouldn’t pay my puny commission even. After that, I removed my CAGE, poof... done with Govt business.

I have had past business associates in NJ, they were smart people doing innovative things in specialized vision and robotics in the early 90’s, way before it became a buzzword. You have Edison and ATT/Bell Labs, etc lots of smart people there. No idea why NJ is so expensive as I don’t live there.

 

[offthehandle]

TrumpShutdown, right in time for the holidays.

The military is funded, lots of non essential services. But they all get paid anyway, so vacation days. This shutdown talk is complete b.s., so what if museums and national parks get shutdown for a couple days.

 

[johname]

 

[offthehandle]

Do you believe this? Young adults attending "adulting" classes?

I think this is a publicity stunt but for some reason CBS thought it was good time filler or something.

Knife skills? How ridiculous. I believe it. These are the coddled, the spoiled, the “participation” grade people, probably from CA. Now that the boy scouts allow in these girls in the soon to be bankrupt “Scouts”, they could have learned something about using knives there. I recall cooking on a flat rock in the desert w no utensils.

They were probably from SF, you see this mourning the death of their robots holding a candle light vigil.


https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Delivery-robot-catches-fire-at-UC-Berkeley-13470063.php

 

[mr-x]

LOL. Luckily, even my pre-teen grandkids know how to cook and clean.

Knife skills? How ridiculous. I believe it. These are the coddled, the spoiled, the “participation” grade people, probably from CA. Now that the boy scouts allow in these girls in the soon to be bankrupt “Scouts”, they could have learned something about using knives there. I recall cooking on a flat rock in the desert w no utensils.

They were probably from SF, you see this mourning the death of their robots holding a candle light vigil.


https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Delivery-robot-catches-fire-at-UC-Berkeley-13470063.php

 

[mr-x]

POWELL: New Facts Indicate Mueller Destroyed Evidence, Obstructed Justice
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/16/mueller-destroyed-evidence/

Has refused to turn over original documents regarding Flynn interviews. Even defying a judge, the right for a defendant to see evidence against him.

Shameful but telling that liberals aren't upset about this.

 

[enlytend]

No idea why NJ is so expensive as I don’t live there.

In short, inept and / or corrupt government compounded by the next group to emerge from the clown car....decades of bad decisions and poor spending choices... Its like no matter who’s running - especially governors - red or blue, eventually they’re either going to be involved in a scandal, turn out to be a total ass, or both.

Christie (R) - He was OK as a state prosecutor and I had some hope for him. But then Bridgegate, and just generally turned out to be a self-absorbed, obnoxious ass. Made a lot of promises about taxes which didn't happen. By the end of his term he was the most disliked governor in NJ history, even beating Corzine, with an approval percentage in the 20's. His unpopularity sunk his lieutenant gov. Kim Guadano's chances for succeeding him because nobody wanted to risk ending up with Christie 2.0.
Christie’s a funny dude - I still think he has a certain degree of integrity, but a vindictive temper and “my way or hiway” attitude override it. Had he been chosen for VP I think he would have kissed up for only so long before the dam broke, followed by some epic clashes.
Corzine (D) - a doofus and embarrassment. dates a married woman while both still married. Possible conflict of interest and some questionable payments exchanging hands there. Set a bad example when his official vehicle caused an accident going 90 mph. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt (which is illegal). Oops..
Mixed bag of other accomplishments. Caused a government shutdown, unpopular plan to monetize the two main highways in the state, unpopular changes to benefits for state employees, some property tax improvements but not enough. Caused big tuition hikes by reducing funding of state colleges.
Was so unpopular that at one point there was an initiative to recall him as governor, however it failed.
Codey (D?) - Nothing memorable. Acting governor after McGreevy resigned.
McGreevy (D) - cheated on his wife, appointed his secret and totally unqualified gay Israeli lover (possibly a spy to boot) to a homeland security post....
Todd-Whitman (R) - Reduced sales tax and income tax, but property taxes and automobile insurance rates soared. Also appeared to have some questionable views on people of color and said some things that didn't win her any friends in those communities. Left to join the EPA.
Tax increase issues started when Florio (D) diverted tax dollars from suburban schools to a handful of urban and rural districts ("Abbot schools"). To this day, those towns, enjoy property taxes much lower than everyone else's, though most of them aren't places where people want to live. Have friends in one of the few that's pretty nice. The schools aren't producing stellar results despite the preferential treatment.

I'm sure I'm leaving out some scandals, payoffs, etc.

Oh and Murphy - I doubt he’s going to do anything about taxes, but he is pushing to legalize recreational weed. So we can nibble on hash brownies and get blissfully high while we write out those outrageous quarterly checks.

Believe me, not living here is on my bucket list...but house hunting and moving takes more free time than I have right now.

 

[GILSAN]

Extraordinary speech by Giorgia Meloni on UN Global Migration Compact in Italian parliament, English subtitles

 

[offthehandle]

sure I'm leaving out some scancals

Overtaxation drives out taxpayers. Like CA. Middle class left in 90’s, and more lately. Well, its less expensive I imagine than NYC, and At least you have a commute by train to NYC, and your airport serves NYC, all my trips landed there never JFK or La Guardia.

Menendez right? He was all over recent news w the Palm Beach, the DR born Physician from Palm Beach.

I have a friend who was a jeweler near Newark, his overhead was huge.

 

[offthehandle]

Extraordinary speech by Giorgia Meloni on UN Global Migration Compact in Italian parliament, English subtitles

Other than an economic benefit to have similar currency and less inter country trade friction, and combine import forces together, I have never understood why the EU even came about. I never read the history of that scheme. The cultures, languages and systems are all very unique and EU residents from each country must feel left out of decisions when Brussels dictates policy that applies to all.
It is no where even close like a “United States of Europe”... I mean truly vast differences between countries. 2019 is going to be interesting if more populism occurs. The borders have changed so many times over centuries too. I even have an ancestor from a non existent country. Prussia.

 

[GILSAN]

Ezra Levant
@ezralevant

Christmas in Malmo, Sweden is so beautiful! These are the new diversity barriers in Gustav Adolf Square. They've renamed the Christmas festival. It's now the winter festival, so as not to arouse too much vibrant diversity.
I expect they'll rename the square itself soon too.

 

[GILSAN]

BasedPoland @BasedPoland

Sad news from #France. The 36 y o Pole #BartoszNiedzielski has died after the Islamist terrorist attack in #Strasbourg Together with a friend (also killed), he attacked the terrorist when the shooter tried to enter a nightclub they stood in front of.

Total number of dead now at 5

 

[johname]

Hemp industry expected to blossom under new Farm Bill

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hemp-industry-expected-blossom-under-new-farm-bill-n947791

 

[enlytend]

Menendez right? He was all over recent news w the Palm Beach, the DR born Physician from Palm Beach.

Ah yes there is that. Favors for friends and money exchanged under the table is a pretty common theme. I was sticking to Governor’s, but if you want to talk about other officials, it’s hard to top this little gem:
44 Charged by U.S. in New Jersey Corruption Sweep
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/nyregion/24jersey.html
(which even touches on the sale of human kidneys for profit)

We do know our crooks, swindlers and con artists, even though we seem to be stuck with them no matter how we vote. It’s like a prerequisite for running for office here. The overall Jersey dislike for POTUS is because we realize he’s one of them.

 

[enlytend]

Other than an economic benefit to have similar currency and less inter country trade friction, and combine import forces together, I have never understood why the EU even came about. I never read the history of that scheme. The cultures, languages and systems are all very unique and EU residents from each country must feel left out of decisions when Brussels dictates policy that applies to all.
It is no where even close like a “United States of Europe”... I mean truly vast differences between countries. 2019 is going to be interesting if more populism occurs. The borders have changed so many times over centuries too. I even have an ancestor from a non existent country. Prussia.

There are differences, but everything is so close together that going from country to country IS like us going to another state (or a different part of a big state.) Following the iron curtain days, there’s always been a lot of casual crossing of borders - going to another country is no big deal. I don’t know all the history or details of EU, but having a common currency must have simplified life for many.

Populism worked back in the days when people travelled by boat, carriage or on horseback and email was a guy with a faster horse or a pigeon. Modern technology has brought us closer together - were all interconnected whether some like it or not.

Preußen - yeah that certainly changed borders a few times before it went away! I have family from that region too - Posen which was a province of Prussia, then part of Germany. Now part of Germany near the Polish border.

 

[iowadawg]