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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Political Discussion Thread

Somehow I missed this, but one of the candidates for the local school board in a nearby county actually made a video discussing why the "transgender issue" is a local government issue, and used an actual yearbook entry, showing the blurred out photo of the student, in his ad. Turns out, the kid wasn't even transgender. He identified as male, but liked to wear make up. That's pretty low. The kid came off looking pretty good when he spoke with the local news.

http://wset.com/news/local/local-sc...h-after-calling-out-student-in-campaign-video
 
Amid all the horrifying news over the past year, there is some good news. It looks like Democrats have won the governors races of Virginia and New Jersey.
 
Should be an interesting day.

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No one ran for office in my home community. We had two openings. I asked the lady what it takes to be a write in candidate and she said that you have to fill out paperwork and pay a fee. What? Well when was the paperwork due? A week after the regular deadline.

Why have write in candidacy if it is just like the regular candidacy. I feel like we should be allowed to vote for Earnest P. Worrell and as long as he lives in our community (and is a valid candidate, which could be completed after the election) our vote should be counted.
 
Hink said:
Why have write in candidacy if it is just like the regular candidacy. I feel like we should be allowed to vote for Earnest P. Worrell and as long as he lives in our community (and is a valid candidate, which could be completed after the election) our vote should be counted.
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NC is the same way. I think it's just to prevent write in campaigns. I remember everyone here trying to mount a huge write in for Bernie Sanders during the presidential election, but I didn't bother since he wasn't a valid write in candidate here in NC.
 
I would love to know how the shooter in TX passed the background checks despite all of his legal issues with the military courts? According to the gun laws in TX, he should not have been able to buy a weapon.
 
michaelskis said:
I would love to know how the shooter in TX passed the background checks despite all of his legal issues with the military courts? According to the gun laws in TX, he should not have been able to buy a weapon.
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Because the military is bad at paperwork, considers themselves above civilian reporting, doesn't take domestic violence (or violence in general) seriously, and is highly inefficient.

I'll bet their independent investigation they just kicked off reveals this is a pervasive issue.
 
Suburb Repairman said:
Because the military is bad at paperwork, considers themselves above civilian reporting, doesn't take domestic violence (or violence in general) seriously, and is highly inefficient.

I'll bet their independent investigation they just kicked off reveals this is a pervasive issue.
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If they have any decency, they'll be paying for the funeral and medical expenses of the people that were impacted. At the least.
 
DEMOCRATS RECAPTURED WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF ROGUE TEA PARTY RULE UNDER ROB ASTORINO!!

I have never been happier to see Democrats win than I am today. Virginia is a big deal. Of course, if you look at the election maps; the DC Suburbs, Norfolk and Richmond carried it Blue, even though most counties went Red. I think this is indicative of the larger culture wars, urban vs. rural. Reactionary vs. Liberal.

Were still F*****, but this is somewhat reassuring.

Westchester County electing State Sen. George Latimer as Exec is a big deal. As nominally Democratic voters North County kept reelecting the Republican, Astorino because of Tax issues, Westchester voters are beginning to see the bigger picture and thats good.
 
In our little local election - the "good" incumbent won and the 2 newcomers are on the "good side" so we did about as okay as we could. The couple candidates that "questioned" everything and the incumbent that talked down the projects lost.That sends a message that the couple bigger projects we have going on right now are endorsed by the public (who voted).
 
My local elections were not too disruptive.

My boss (the Mayor) was uncontested as was 3 of the 4 City Council seats. The one contested seat had the incumbent defeated and the is some I mostly know how she will act as she's an involved downtown business owner and has been on the Historic Preservation Board which I staff.

Our Municipal Court got a new judge that may be better for the City's purposes in terms of property maintenance/zoning code enforcement as the outgoing/retiring judge was not helpful for our purposes.
 
I really hope all the allegations of assault and harassment come to light and everyone who is guilty resigns. It might be the only way we turn over the entire federal government and 99% of Hollywood. (Tom Hanks is the last 1% there I think...)

We need to show society that it is not acceptable, no matter who you are.
 
michaelskis said:
I really hope all the allegations of assault and harassment come to light and everyone who is guilty resigns. It might be the only way we turn over the entire federal government and 99% of Hollywood. (Tom Hanks is the last 1% there I think...)

We need to show society that it is not acceptable, no matter who you are.
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I will not excuse what Al Franken did. What I will say, though, is that I think his response, as clumsy as it was, is a decent example of how you should respond if you are remorseful of your actions. Short of resigning, he admitted fault, apologized, and is cooperating with an ethics investigation.

I do believe people can learn and grow from their mistakes. I don't think that one mistake has to tank your entire career for the rest of your life IF you can learn and grow from it. Depending of course on the severity of the infraction.
 
gtpeach said:
I will not excuse what Al Franken did. What I will say, though, is that I think his response, as clumsy as it was, is a decent example of how you should respond if you are remorseful of your actions. Short of resigning, he admitted fault, apologized, and is cooperating with an ethics investigation.

I do believe people can learn and grow from their mistakes. I don't think that one mistake has to tank your entire career for the rest of your life IF you can learn and grow from it. Depending of course on the severity of the infraction.
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True & what I feel is more telling is the difference in responses from the different people. Moore's reaction vs. Franken's are almost on the separate ends of the spectrum.
 
Planit said:
True & what I feel is more telling is the difference in responses from the different people. Moore's reaction vs. Franken's are almost on the separate ends of the spectrum.
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That's what's so hard about all of this. From what I've read they are vastly different in "intent". Not that I'm diminishing doing something inappropriate but there are various levels. Franken is a comedian. He thought he was being funny. It doesn't excuse it but it doesn't seem to rise to the level of predator that Moore apparently is. Or for that matter Bill Clinton. That guy was a predator.
 
I saw this today in an article - kinda sums up the year, not just the week.

People smashing their Keurigs to defend the name of a pedophile, pizza chain demanding nazi’s stop making them their official pizza, white supremacists freaking out because a man who named himself Baked Alaska is banned from Twitter, another terrible DC Movie drops in theaters, US Attorney General simply refuses to stop committing perjury.....And the week isn’t even over yet.
 
gtpeach said:
I will not excuse what Al Franken did. What I will say, though, is that I think his response, as clumsy as it was, is a decent example of how you should respond if you are remorseful of your actions. Short of resigning, he admitted fault, apologized, and is cooperating with an ethics investigation.

I do believe people can learn and grow from their mistakes. I don't think that one mistake has to tank your entire career for the rest of your life IF you can learn and grow from it. Depending of course on the severity of the infraction.
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I agree that Franken is doing a better job of owning up to it, partly because there is photographic evidence and Moore is just a scum. He claimed that he did not remember rehearsing for the skit and forcing the kiss but apologised if that is the way it happened.

But the fact of the situation is that one should not need to apologize for it because one should never be in a situation that results in an apology being necessary.
 
michaelskis said:
But the fact of the situation is that one should not need to apologize for it because one should never be in a situation that results in an apology being necessary.
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Of course. Ideally, yes. And again, his response wasn't perfect, but it was a heck of a lot better than anyone else's so far. I'm saying this as someone that has been a victim of true sexual assault, though - there has to be room to forgive people that have made bad decisions in their lives to some extent if they show they are remorseful, work to correct their missteps, and their behavior reflects their desire to change for the better.

I am a little concerned about the fall out from this. There is fear that people will stop believing others that come forward or that men will be reluctant to hire women out of fear of being accused. There is never a completely clear path forward.
 
23658598_1711420892235983_4996159628087096538_n.jpg
 
I got a call from the NRA this past weekend asking me to join. They started by asking "Can you think of any gun control regulation that would prevent a mass shooting" Without pausing, I said "Yes. Let's start by having background checks include personal protection orders and military court decisions since it would have prevented the shooter in Texas from purchasing the AR-15 that he used to shoot up a baptist church." There was about 10 seconds of silence and the guy was like Ahhhh... ummmmm.... well..... and you could hear him flipping through a script book in a panic. He finally just said... "ok... well have a nice day" and hung up.



On a side note, the wife watched a video regarding the conditions in Yemen and how malnourishment is running rampant because of the government is preventing the World Food Program from bringing in food. I understand the idea of an independent state being free of outside control, but there should be something that the UN or some other global coalition can do. It is similar to what happened on the North/South Korean border where a North Korean soldiers defected to South Korea and was shot as he crossed the DMZ, and the North Korean military actually entered into South Korea in an effort to kill him. What kind of world do we live in?
 
JNA said:
Are we headed for trouble ?

HOW TRUMP’S NEW CENSUS NOMINEE COULD RIG FUTURE ELECTIONS
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/donald-trump-thomas-brunell-census-bureau

Leading Trump Census pick causes alarm
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/21/trump-census-pick-causes-alarm-252571

Trump May Tap Pro-Gerrymandering Professor To Run The 2020 Census
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/trump-may-tap-pro-gerrymandering-professor-to-run-the-2020-census
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This was one of the things I was going to put in my Trump Prediction Thread last year. Scary as Hell.

I predict there will be massive undercounts in blue states and cities, particularly in minority areas. It will be the most innaccurate Census since Reconstruction.
 
Super Amputee Cat said:
This was one of the things I was going to put in my Trump Prediction Thread last year. Scary as Hell.

I predict there will be massive undercounts in blue states and cities, particularly in minority areas. It will be the most innaccurate Census since Reconstruction.
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it will be so bad it will have to be invalidated . . . somehow
 
“I think not having the estate tax recognizes the people that are investing,” Grassley said, “as opposed to those that are just spending every darn penny they have, whether it’s on booze or women or movies.”
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It’s rare to see prominent politicians celebrate elitism with such candor. To hear Grassley tell it, multi-millionaires and billionaires – and their heirs – deserve an expensive tax break. If the rest of us spent our paychecks in ways Iowa’s millionaire senator approves of, perhaps we’d be millionaires, too.

In other words, if you’re not rich enough to qualify for the estate tax, it’s probably your fault – which is why congressional Republicans don’t see the need to “recognize” you.
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http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-...working-class-spending-booze-women-and-movies
 
CBS This Morning showed a clip of Jeff Sessions - circa 1996ish - saying that Clinton's impeachment proceedings had nothing to do with sexual improprieties and everything to do with perjury and obstruction of justice.

Huh, now the shoe is on the proverbial other foot and pResident tRump, along with the republicans, are saying that tRump can't obstruct justice because he's the head law man.

HOW F*&#KING RIDICULOUS CAN YOU BE!?!?!?!?!??

Oh I forgot. Politics = Hypocrisy
 
Planit said:
CBS This Morning showed a clip of Jeff Sessions - circa 1996ish - saying that Clinton's impeachment proceedings had nothing to do with sexual improprieties and everything to do with perjury and obstruction of justice.
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IIRC, it wasn't just Sessions, it was a whole host of GOP congressmen (or is it congresspeople now?). I know McConnell, Grassley, and Burr made the exact same case. From what I've read, 17 current sitting senators supported the obstruction charge back then.
 
I have strong concerns about the Jerusalem decision...like it could literally blowup in everyones face.
 
Planit said:
I have strong concerns about the Jerusalem decision...like it could literally blowup in everyones face.
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I support the move given the historic context of the site, but I don't think it is Trump's place to decide. It would be better is the Israeli people made that determination instead.
 
michaelskis said:
Maister, on a different note, what are your thoughts on the Garrison Keillor scandal? I ask becuase he is responsible for the quote in your signature line.
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GK said:
Later, he told the Minnesota Star Tribune that the alleged incident stems from a moment in which he touched a female colleague on her bare back.

"I put my hand on a woman's bare back. I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called."
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We've only heard his side of the story so far. I don't think we've seen multiple women coming out of the woodwork with harassment claims as has been the case with folks like Weinstein, and Roy Moore, but who knows maybe that'll surface soon enough, but it seems like it would have already happened by now.
 
Maister said:
We've only heard his side of the story so far. I don't think we've seen multiple women coming out of the woodwork with harassment claims as has been the case with folks like Weinstein, and Roy Moore, but who knows maybe that'll surface soon enough, but it seems like it would have already happened by now.
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Also many people close to him say that he is very shy and socially awkward. He really doesn't feel like the type, but that's a very uniformed opinion.
 
Maister said:
We've only heard his side of the story so far. I don't think we've seen multiple women coming out of the woodwork with harassment claims as has been the case with folks like Weinstein, and Roy Moore, but who knows maybe that'll surface soon enough, but it seems like it would have already happened by now.
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I don't think that he is at the same level as predators like Lauer, Moore, Weinstein, Trump, or Frankin. However it is depending on who you ask. A spokesperson for MPR said that there was multiple allegations, however he claiming that there wasn't. But it was enough that MPR felt that he had to be fired. Personally, I like the work that he has done throughout the years and it would be tragic if he actually did something beyond touching a woman's bare back.
 
michaelskis said:
I don't think that he is at the same level as predators like Lauer, Moore, Weinstein, Trump, or Frankin. However it is depending on who you ask. A spokesperson for MPR said that there was multiple allegations, however he claiming that there wasn't. But it was enough that MPR felt that he had to be fired. Personally, I like the work that he has done throughout the years and it would be tragic if he actually did something beyond touching a woman's bare back.
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I've seen a lot of discussions on separating the art from the artist. I think there's some validity to that IF the artist does not personally benefit from the consumption of his or her art. But there are places where I draw the line. I will never watch The Cosby Show again, no matter what happens to Bill Cosby. And I'll probably never watch another Kevin Spacey film or show. For me, knowing what they did and seeing them so predominately at the center of their products would make me uncomfortable. But there's also truth to the idea that the majority of people who benefit from my consumption of these products will be harmed if we completely ban them.

I can see both arguments. I don't think I have a clear line drawn - different types of art feel different to consume for whatever reasons.
 
gtpeach said:
I've seen a lot of discussions on separating the art from the artist. I think there's some validity to that IF the artist does not personally benefit from the consumption of his or her art. But there are places where I draw the line. I will never watch The Cosby Show again, no matter what happens to Bill Cosby. And I'll probably never watch another Kevin Spacey film or show. For me, knowing what they did and seeing them so predominately at the center of their products would make me uncomfortable. But there's also truth to the idea that the majority of people who benefit from my consumption of these products will be harmed if we completely ban them.

I can see both arguments. I don't think I have a clear line drawn - different types of art feel different to consume for whatever reasons.
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I can relate. I will never watch another golf tournament because of Tiger Woods.


**** disclaimer... I never watch golf, so Tiger's actions only gave me a tangible reason other than watching golf is like watching paint dry. *****
 
michaelskis said:
I can relate. I will never watch another golf tournament because of Tiger Woods.


**** disclaimer... I never watch golf, so Tiger's actions only gave me a tangible reason other than watching golf is like watching paint dry. *****
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To each their own but if you apply that litmus test to most shows, specials and sporting events you might as well throw your TV out.
 
MD Planner said:
To each their own but if you apply that litmus test to most shows, specials and sporting events you might as well throw your TV out.
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I was being sarcastic... there are some sports that I enjoy watching. Golf is not one of them. Hockey on the other hand, it seems that NHL players don't get into as much troubles as MLB, NBA, or NFL players.



So Franken is out. Who is next and what will it take for Moore to step aside?
 
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