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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Political Discussion Thread

But I don't feel manly without an instrument of death on my hip. :(

Besides, I need something to, you know, compensate.

Hmmm, look at this:
Concealed Carry Is Great!” Manager Thrilled After Employee Shoots Armed Robbers

I also find it fascinating how there have been so many shootings so far this year in Chicago, when it has the strictest gun laws in the City. For the first 10 days they averaged 12 shootings a day and almost 2 deaths a day. How is those gun laws working out for them?
 
I'm never big on the guns saved lives stories. The failure in this story is how the criminals got the guns. Did they buy them through some loophole, black market, what? If the guns were not in the wrong hands in the first place the situation never would have come up. Next the stories are never complete. Did the CC guy have to fire his weapon or could he have brandished it and removed everyone to safety or otherwise defuse the situation. Will the criminals be suing him over something. This kind of thing can actual wreck his life with lawsuits. Did this guy just get lucky or was he actually trained in the use of a hand gun (I would have to guess trained because he hit). How many shoots did he fire and how many hits did he score. All the article is trying to do is promote the use and possession of guns while slowing actual gun safety. It's not this one specific article, it's the long term of communicating a message that this article supports. Finally, for every pro gun article there is a story where someone diffused the problem without a gun. Not that those stories are any better and they're typically used to promote the no gun campaign. At some point people will wake up and realize we have a problem with guns. It's not individual ownership, it's the fact that people keep dying because of them. I'm not going to rehash the potential solutions or potential problems, I just keep saying we need to start doing something to solve the problem instead of blasting the other side. Sadly I've already called my congressmen and they ain't doing crap because they're part of the problem.
 
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I also find it fascinating how there have been so many shootings so far this year in Chicago, when it has the strictest gun laws in the City. For the first 10 days they averaged 12 shootings a day and almost 2 deaths a day. How is those gun laws working out for them?

Quit with the Chicago stuff Mike, if you are not going to be honest about it.

Indiana might be the most absurd fetishist when it comes to adoration of guns: All Chicagoans have to do is come to the Hoosier state to buy weapons not allowed in Chicago. Nobody is stopping them at the borders.

Our General Assembly is currently entertaining bills that would eliminate permits for concealed carry, permit guns at state universities, and make it possible for alcoholics to get gun permits. The Indiana General Assembly is OWNED by the gun manufacturers and their mouthpiece who are loving Obama like no other, all the way to the bank.

One party government is an utter and complete disaster.:-@
 
Quit with the Chicago stuff Mike, if you are not going to be honest about it.

Well several media sources have backed my comments with direct police reports...
CBS
Chicago Tribune
WGN


Last time I was in Chicago, every building that I went into within City Limits had a gun free sticker on it. All the trains and train stations (including the L had gun free stickers on them). The only places that it appeared to be legal to conceal carry a gun *IF* you had a permit which is not easy to get in IL, was your home and the street.

What is your proof that I am not being honest about it? Or are you just trying to avoid the realization that I am right?
 
Cruz is a Canadian. How again is he eligible to be president? He was born to an American mother.
Please explain to me then how Obama was born in Hawaii (or any place else for that matter) to an American mother but wasn't eligible to be president.
Oh the mendacity!





Marco line about the debate not being Court TV was kinda funny.
 
Cruz is a Canadian. How again is he eligible to be president? He was born to an American mother.
Please explain to me then how Obama was born in Hawaii (or any place else for that matter) to an American mother but wasn't eligible to be president.
Oh the mendacity!





Marco line about the debate not being Court TV was kinda funny.

I don't think there is anyone in here who thinks that Obama was not American. I do question the status of Cruz though.
 
I think Cruz not being an American Citizen has much greater legs than Obama ever should have. I hope Trump keeps on it.

The debate was okay. More boring than most, as Cruz is such an idiot,and Trump's frankness was funny, but just sad. He got boo'ed by the same R's who are going to nominate him. Ironic really.

I would say the winner was Cruz, but only because he seems to be the candidate de jour. It was really lacking in terms of any quality moments or discussion. The moderators were horrible.

List:
Cruz - I don't understand how you can just look at someone and dislike them SO much. It continually amazes me.
Rubio - He stayed out of the fire, but also didn't really do much.
Trump - I like that he admitted that the only reason he is going after Cruz is because his polls are up. Trump.... a candidate. So funny.
Christie - Tried the hard line, and it didn't really work for him. His shtick is kinda getting tired.
Bush - Actually did pretty well. He was more effective than he normally is.
Kasich - Karate CHOP!
Carson - Sleepy needs to quit and join Dopey with Sleeping Beauty. I wouldn't be able to tell you anything he said.
 
I think Cruz not being an American Citizen has much greater legs than Obama ever should have. I hope Trump keeps on it.

The debate was okay. More boring than most, as Cruz is such an idiot,and Trump's frankness was funny, but just sad. He got boo'ed by the same R's who are going to nominate him. Ironic really.

I would say the winner was Cruz, but only because he seems to be the candidate de jour. It was really lacking in terms of any quality moments or discussion. The moderators were horrible.

List:
Cruz - I don't understand how you can just look at someone and dislike them SO much. It continually amazes me.
Rubio - He stayed out of the fire, but also didn't really do much.
Trump - I like that he admitted that the only reason he is going after Cruz is because his polls are up. Trump.... a candidate. So funny.
Christie - Tried the hard line, and it didn't really work for him. His shtick is kinda getting tired.
Bush - Actually did pretty well. He was more effective than he normally is.
Kasich - Karate CHOP!
Carson - Sleepy needs to quit and join Dopey with Sleeping Beauty. I wouldn't be able to tell you anything he said.

I did not watch because I can't stand to see this trainwreck over and over again. Politics is a two ring circus with republicans on one ring and democrats in the other.
 
I did not watch because I can't stand to see this trainwreck over and over again. Politics is a two ring circus with republicans on one ring and democrats in the other.

Sadly right now the republican ring is just showing the clown intermission while they set up for the next act.
 
Sadly right now the republican ring is just showing the clown intermission while they set up for the next act.

And in the other, you have Bernie the lion trainer fighting with blood thirsty lion known as Hillary. All while the DNC and RNC do trapeze acts over both rings.
 
I did not watch because I can't stand to see this trainwreck over and over again. Politics is a two ring circus with republicans on one ring and democrats in the other.

I always watch. I am able to move outside of the blame game, and try and find value in what people are saying. Same reason I watch the President.

I love the process, and I love the politics of it. I feel like I would be a good politician. But it is painful right now, to watch these people.

The Democrats have a much easier pathway, mainly because they are very open to new ideas, new people, and the future. The problem that I see with the Republicans is that they are closed minded, whether it be gay marriage, or immigration, or whatever other topic, they generally are against change.

I certainly don't think the democrats have done much better in terms of change, but at least they are speaking the language of a group who wants to see things change for the better. When everything is failing, and the world is falling apart, and we are all going to die, we make rash decisions. We should look at the State of our Union and realize it is strong. It is healthy. Sure it needs changes. It needs more ideas that are different from the status quo. It needs less special interest groups. Less money. And certainly less backdoor dealings. But what it doesn't need it some crazy shift. Our constitution isn't under attack. Our country isn't going to end tomorrow because of 8 years of any President.

I honestly hope that what this election brings us is chaos. Our understanding of what makes government function is broken. We expect too much, and give too little of ourselves. We have no responsibility for our actions, yet expect the government to respond to all changes in an instant.

I watch everything because I know it can be done better. I know it will be done better. We don't have that man / woman that can do it yet, but we will. I hope we still have at least two parties by then, because right now it looks to me like one is irrelevant. Which is bad for our country.
 
I honestly hope that what this election brings us is chaos. Our understanding of what makes government function is broken. We expect too much, and give too little of ourselves. We have no responsibility for our actions, yet expect the government to respond to all changes in an instant.

I watch everything because I know it can be done better. I know it will be done better. We don't have that man / woman that can do it yet, but we will. I hope we still have at least two parties by then, because right now it looks to me like one is irrelevant. Which is bad for our country.

I don't see a matchup that won't bring chaos at some level and I think you are spot on with your comments.
 
Well several media sources have backed my comments with direct police reports...
CBS
Chicago Tribune
WGN


Last time I was in Chicago, every building that I went into within City Limits had a gun free sticker on it. All the trains and train stations (including the L had gun free stickers on them). The only places that it appeared to be legal to conceal carry a gun *IF* you had a permit which is not easy to get in IL, was your home and the street.

What is your proof that I am not being honest about it? Or are you just trying to avoid the realization that I am right?

I'm done. Other Mods are going to have to watch this thread or my Cardiologist is gonna kill me.:not:
 
And yet more Sheriff Departments are calling for people to arm themselves. As I have said before and I will continue to say, I really would like to see a minimum level of training included with the purchase of firearms, starting with how to secure your firearm so unauthorised persons do not access it.

Growing number of police chiefs, sheriffs join call to arms


As for the Chicago thing, I don't mean any disrespect, I state a fact and post multiple media stories to back it up.
 
I decided the field for both sides has decreased enough to get somewhat interested in the debates. I watched the Dem. debate this weekend. First of all, I found it pretty amazing that I was able to stream the debate through Youtube for essentially free. That's pretty impressive.

Secondly, I was pretty underwhelmed by the three options there. Bernie, for all the hype he has, cannot answer a question to save his life. Every single question somehow morphed itself to him pushing his health care plan or his view on campaign finance reform. It was infuriating to watch. Hilary did what she does best, deflect deflect deflect! She was well spoken and clearly more comfortable than the other candidates, but that's to be expected.

O'Malley....what's this guys deal? He got literally no time to talk, but remained respectful the entire debate. His answers were good, although somewhat canned responses that seemed lacking in any sort of content. I know next to nothing about him besides the fact that he was the former Gov. of Maryland and Mayor of Baltimore. Was he well liked there? To be honest, he kind of seemed like the better option up there, but he really wasn't given much of a chance to open his mouth and make me change my mind.

When is the next Republican debate? I think I'll start watching now.
 
O'Malley is very similar to how John Huntsman is/was for the Republican Party--very much a technocrat and not the strongest personality out there. I like the guy and he brings a healthy pragmatism, but he simply could never get traction. More trustworthy than Clinton and less "angry old man" than Sanders. Most things I've read indicate he was highly effective in both elected roles. Probably falls between Clinton & Sanders on the liberal scale, but closer to Clinton.

I'm still not closely engaging on the debates (I'll skim transcripts, etc. and might watch part, but not all), particularly the GOP. That field is far too large.

I don't like to say it, but I'm getting closer to writing off the entire GOP. With a few exceptions, I've already done that locally due to tea party influence at the county & state level. I'll keep voting for my Republican county commissioner because he has stayed above the fray and, simply put, he gets shit done and makes himself exceptionally available/accessible to voters. He has never once mentioned a culture war issue. He isn't a climate change denier. Even the local Democratic Chair respects him so much that they don't actively seek candidates for his seat. I would like to see him become County Judge because he is good at working with everyone, but he doesn't have an ego & is perfectly content doing what he is doing.

The GOP is making it damn near impossible for me to be an issues voter when the crap that spews from the mouths of their Presidential candidates goes completely unchecked and counter to the basic premise of our nation's existence.
 
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I am fearful of how Bernie plans to pay for his "Medicare for Everyone" plan. https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Medicare-for-All.pdf

It seems that the answer is tax the shit out of everyone, multiple times. I think healthcare is broken, but I have a hard time seeing that we screw the tax system even more to fund it.

I thought Clinton was painful to watch, and Bernie is just good entertainment. O'Malley is too nice. I thought the general debate was good.

Sanders - Wins mainly because he is going to win Iowa and NH. I think he is looking more and more like the D candidate. Which could be interesting.
Clinton - She got to talk at least. She just comes off as a liar to me. She doesn't see genuine.
O'Malley - So nice, but that doesn't win you anything in politics.
 
I am fearful of how Bernie plans to pay for his "Medicare for Everyone" plan. https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Medicare-for-All.pdf

It seems that the answer is tax the shit out of everyone, multiple times. I think healthcare is broken, but I have a hard time seeing that we screw the tax system even more to fund it.

I thought Clinton was painful to watch, and Bernie is just good entertainment. O'Malley is too nice. I thought the general debate was good.

Sanders - Wins mainly because he is going to win Iowa and NH. I think he is looking more and more like the D candidate. Which could be interesting.
Clinton - She got to talk at least. She just comes off as a liar to me. She doesn't see genuine.
O'Malley - So nice, but that doesn't win you anything in politics.

Which means O'Malley is probably the best person for the job.
 
O'Malley never really gets up or down too much and some people view that as a lack of passion, which really isn't true. He did some good things here in Maryland but easily half the state hates his guts. He implemented a lot of new taxes and fees, even calling the General Assembly back into session a few years ago to "temporarily" raise the sales tax a cent. It seems to be permanent. He and his administration were very good for planning but did a really poor job in explaining that the state was not trying to take over local planning decisions but that's what folks thought. I like Martin (I feel like I can use his first name since I was put in an uncomfortable position once and had to tell him a dirty joke when he was governor. Awkward) but he's pretty liberal and if he wore out his welcome in a large part of this state he's not going to play well nationally.

But, if you ever get the chance, check out his Irish band, O'Malley's March. For only playing like twice a year anymore they're quite good.
 
LOL....ROFL

I am fearful of how Bernie plans to pay for his "Medicare for Everyone" plan. https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Medicare-for-All.pdf

It seems that the answer is tax the shit out of everyone, multiple times.

Thanks for the laugh today....I enjoyed it. As if Bernie would have any kind of support....even with 8 years in office to make his stuff happen. Even if Congress went "democrat" he wouldn't get what he wants. Very funny idea.
His best bet is to move the needle back to the middle a bit. My main concern would be his veto of absolutely EVERYTHING (even kind of good legislation because it doesn't go 100% his way) out of congress (until it went back to "democrat").
 
Palin for Trump! Who wouldn't vote for the guy now? :-c

WTF? What is with this nation? How can the endorsement of a candidate by Sarah Palin not work against him. The woman has her foot perpetually in her mouth and when it isn't in her mouth she is saying dumbass s%^t.
 
Palin for Trump! Who wouldn't vote for the guy now? :-c

I doubt it will happen (and I don't think the nation would be better off with either outcome), but the unintentional comedy from a Trump versus Sanders general election campaign would be off the charts...
 
I doubt it will happen (and I don't think the nation would be better off with either outcome), but the unintentional comedy from a Trump versus Sanders general election campaign would be off the charts...

I have voted in every primary and general election that I have been able to. That would honestly make me think twice about voting.
 
I am getting such a kick out of people who think the Palin endorsement is a big deal. She's nothing but a big quitter. A do nothing governor who became more and more partisan after her failed vice-presidential bid. If I was Trump I'd try to distance myself far, far away from Sarah.
 
I am getting such a kick out of people who think the Palin endorsement is a big deal. She's nothing but a big quitter. A do nothing governor who became more and more partisan after her failed vice-presidential bid. If I was Trump I'd try to distance myself far, far away from Sarah.

No kidding. She is a liability & a crappy human.

At this point, her whole family is a liability as well... a daughter preaching "abstinence only" getting knocked-up not once, but twice... a family brawl back in 2014... and a son that not a day ago was arrested for domestic violence for beating up his girlfriend & weapons charges. Which she somehow found a way to politicize & blame on Obama. :r:
 
No kidding. She is a liability & a crappy human.

At this point, her whole family is a liability as well... a daughter preaching "abstinence only" getting knocked-up not once, but twice... a family brawl back in 2014... and a son that not a day ago was arrested for domestic violence for beating up his girlfriend & weapons charges. Which she somehow found a way to politicize & blame on Obama. :r:

I love the blame Obama line. It's not my son's fault, it's someone else. It couldn't be that your family is white trash and you failed as parents? I do feel bad that the kid has PTSD, but again, can't blame the Pres. if he doesn't go get help. Besides, the Dems have done more for vets than the GOP ever has. Just check the voting records and the proposals made when it's not election time.
 
I'd like to thank the NY Daily News for giving me a new Facebook profile photo.

I have to say NEW YORK VALUES are 100% more ethical than the Middle American, right to work, anti-union, anti-woman, anti-black, xenophobic, pro-cop, pro-war nonsense the Republican front runners have always been spewing and way too much of mainstream America believes. and no, Trump doesn't have New York values, he has plutocrat values.

I know I sound like a 14 year old ranting who just has discovered politics, but I just had to say that.

NEW YORK VS. THE WORLD.
 
Do you have the same feelings when two or more people take by force a public spaces including a major street, intersection, or courthouse parking lot while making verbal threats against law enforcement?

The difference is that these folks took to the refuge with guns, threatened violence if authorities tried to remove them and are forcibly keeping people out of the refuge (again, with guns) They have also rifled through the research facility, illegally accessed government computers, commandeered vehicles and construction equipment and taken down large segments of fencing. It is totally over the top and illegal on countless fronts.

Shutting down an intersection in protest or taking to a park and "occupying" it are very different to the extent that they do not involve direct threats of violence or damage to government property or someone's professional research. If those events went down with guns and people were forced to stay out under violent threat than I would feel exactly the same way.

These folks are fools. The only thing they have going for them is the fear of a Waco, Ruby Ridge, etc. I have been a little obsessed with this story and have come to the conclusion that the action is poorly reasoned and they should have brought more jerky. Very few people give a rat's behind about what they are trying to do (on both ends of the political spectrum)




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The difference is that these folks took to the refuge with guns, threatened violence if authorities tried to remove them and are forcibly keeping people out of the refuge (again, with guns) They have also rifled through the research facility, illegally accessed government computers, commandeered vehicles and construction equipment and taken down large segments of fencing. It is totally over the top and illegal on countless fronts.

Shutting down an intersection in protest or taking to a park and "occupying" it are very different to the extent that they do not involve direct threats of violence or damage to government property or someone's professional research. If those events went down with guns and people were forced to stay out under violent threat than I would feel exactly the same way.

These folks are fools. The only thing they have going for them is the fear of a Waco, Ruby Ridge, etc. I have been a little obsessed with this story and have come to the conclusion that the action is poorly reasoned and they should have brought more jerky. Very few people give a rat's behind about what they are trying to do (on both ends of the political spectrum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not to mention that most protests involve getting a permit to occupy the park or intersection. Most parks will kick you out after dark which the cops can easily enforce. These are people who have occupied MY land (it belongs to all of us) and won't let me access it. They're costing Oregon a ton of money in making sure everything is "safe". They've trespassed on government (MY) property and damaged it. Plus the locals are kind of tired of your out of town BS. These aren't patriots, these are assholes that want to rape MY land for their benefit. Go home and buy a few acres to graze your cattle like everyone else.


For Trump, he has NYC values. NYC developer values. I'll build whatever I want wherever I want because I have money and you don't.
 
Ammon Bundy and some of his cohorts get nabbed.

What a bunch of dumbasses! I would think one of the most basic premises of a siege is you stay where you are at. If you go wandering off you really aren't in a siege. Besides, you would think militia members would know the number one tactic law enforcement uses in these scenarios is to wait until the perps leave where they are holding up and capturing them with superior forces. It minimizes the possibility of innocent people getting injured and killed. It is like something law enforcement does almost every time.

One member said he would rather be dead than captured. He was true to his word. Another is wounded.

What if you held a revolution and practically no one came? Guess you end up getting captured on a rural Oregon road with one of your buddies dead and your brother wounded. Good job, Ammon. You really showed us!

What is your next demand? How about something attainable: "I, Ammon Bundy refuse to leave my jail cell until the federal government turns control of federal lands over to the states or counties. Or until my jail term ends.'

Dumbasses.
 
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has come out endorsing Trump. Nothing else needs to be said.

Also, on the Oregon case, HA! Dumbass! and it's about time. Go protest something with meaning and stop asking for free land for your business.
 
My money still says that Trump drops out of the race before the New Hampshire primary and actual voting takes place. He will claim he is dropping out out of some sort of protest but do so immediately following a poor performance in the Iowa caucus.

Maybe this is just wishful thinking as I have nothing to back this up.
 
My money still says that Trump drops out of the race before the New Hampshire primary and actual voting takes place. He will claim he is dropping out out of some sort of protest but do so immediately following a poor performance in the Iowa caucus.

Maybe this is just wishful thinking as I have nothing to back this up.

A Prairie Home Companion does political skits, with the talented voice impersonator Tim Russell acting out different people. Here's a link to the script from December 5.


TR (TRUMP): Listen. Long story short. A year ago I was in a bar talking to a guy I know and he says to me, he says, Don, you should run for President. I says, No way,. He says, Way. I says, Look at me, I'm a big pushy blowhard New York billionaire on my third marriage to a young blonde, I go around bragging, insulting people, trying to get my own way, giving people the finger, no way I could get elected. He says, I'll bet you a thousand bucks you could get the Republican nomination. I says, make it two million and you got you a bet. He says, Put her there. I put her there. So I figure I'm gonna have fun with this, you know?

GK: So you bet him that you'd lose.

TR (TRUMP): Right. I never bet against myself but this time I did. So I announce my campaign and I yell and I jump up and down and I say the stupidest things I can think of — deport eleven million people, build a wall on the Mexican border, make them pay for it —- register Muslims —- I came out in favor of global warming —–I insulted people —– on and on.

GK: And your popularity went up.

TR (TRUMP): I was loud, insulting, I said stupid stuff —– people loved it.

GK: And now you're afraid you'll lose the bet.

TR (TRUMP): I'm afraid I'll be elected. My God. How could this happen? What has happened to this country that they'd vote for a guy like me?? I wouldn't vote for me.




6
 
My money still says that Trump drops out of the race before the New Hampshire primary and actual voting takes place. He will claim he is dropping out out of some sort of protest but do so immediately following a poor performance in the Iowa caucus.

Maybe this is just wishful thinking as I have nothing to back this up.

I am still convinced that Trump is running to sabotage the race in favor of HilDog.
 
I think Trump may win. For a very long time I thought that he was a plant, but the more and more he pushes against the grain, I think he just wants to prove something. It is going to be interesting with the Fox News backlash.

I think Iowa will be telling. Trump may lose Iowa, but he has a HUGE lead in NH. If the following happens, I think Trump wins:

- Cruz wins Iowa. Trump gets 2nd.
- Trump wins NH. Kasich or Rubio or Christie or anyone else gets 2nd. Cruz gets 3rd or worse.
- Trump wins SC. Rubio or Bush or anyone gets 2nd. Cruz gets 3rd or worse.

Done. I think after SC you will see the following:

- Fiorina, Paul, Santorum, Huckabee, Carson, and Gilmore drop out leaving Rubio, Cruz, Trump, Kasich, Christie, and Bush.
- Two of the following drop out shortly after - Kasich, Christie, Bush, Cruz.
- The remaining two will consolidate power behind Rubio.
- The final two will be Trump and Rubio.
- Trump wins in a brokered convention. Rubio is VP.
 
I too think Trump may win the nonimation. I used to think it was a joke but no more. It's gone on too long. And don't forget, he's got lots of his own money which is a big deal.

And if the election comes down to Trump and Clinton we will be even more polarized as a nation than we thought possible. It's an absolute train wreck.
 
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