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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Political Discussion Thread

michaelskis said:
Not to argue, but I would venture to say that almost every one of the people who are in DC politics deserve to be on that bus.
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Yeah, but with one key difference: The Democrats, in general, are far more tolerant of those of different religious, racial, ethnic, sexual, or socio-economic backgrounds. They know there are many more deep-rooted issues and problems that the country should focus it's attention (inequality, stagnant wages, climate change, infrastructure, bank regulation, etc) but the right wing of the GOP (which is just about everybody these days) keeps focusing on oppressing the rights of all minorities (basically anyone who will vote against them). And all the money that is being spent to further suppress these groups (border walls, police militarization, keeping the LBGTG out of the military, etc) is that much more money that is being taken away from funds that could be used to fix roads, address substandard housing, curtail gun violence, address the threat of invasive species, etc. Just think about the tens of billions proposed to be spent on The Wall alone. Why, that would probably pay for most of the millions of students' tuition costs for college or the trade schools for the next four years.

Like I said before, these GOPinheads in Congress are so intolerant of those of different persuasions and are so utterly focused on enacting knee jerk laws and regulations to oppress such groups, that if they are not stopped by the end of next year, it will eventually bring the entire economy to collapse. But they don't care. In fact, they absolutely relish in almost masturbatory glee of the misery the will create for anyone who isn't a "christian" white male or Wall Street power broker, or doesn't subscribe to their very intolerant and narrow minded worldview. And with the tax cuts to the super rich about to be in place, they will pilfer all they can for the next few years, until there is so much debt that it will be unsustainable.

So you can either open up you eyes and see what a dangerous monster Roy Moore is in his relentless spouting off about 9/11 and homosexuality or how the Koch brothers will continue to hammer away at all the quality of life regulations that have been in place for almost 50 years now; or you can just lump all politicians together and accomplish nothing.
 
Super Amputee Cat said:
Yeah, but with one key difference: The Democrats, in general, are far more tolerant of those of different religious, racial, ethnic, sexual, or socio-economic backgrounds. They know there are many more deep-rooted issues and problems that the country should focus it's attention (inequality, stagnant wages, climate change, infrastructure, bank regulation, etc) but the right wing of the GOP (which is just about everybody these days) keeps focusing on oppressing the rights of all minorities (basically anyone who will vote against them). And all the money that is being spent to further suppress these groups (border walls, police militarization, keeping the LBGTG out of the military, etc) is that much more money that is being taken away from funds that could be used to fix roads, address substandard housing, curtail gun violence, address the threat of invasive species, etc. Just think about the tens of billions proposed to be spent on The Wall alone. Why, that would probably pay for most of the millions of students' tuition costs for college or the trade schools for the next four years.

Like I said before, these GOPinheads in Congress are so intolerant of those of different persuasions and are so utterly focused on enacting knee jerk laws and regulations to oppress such groups, that if they are not stopped by the end of next year, it will eventually bring the entire economy to collapse. But they don't care. In fact, they absolutely relish in almost masturbatory glee of the misery the will create for anyone who isn't a "christian" white male or Wall Street power broker, or doesn't subscribe to their very intolerant and narrow minded worldview. And with the tax cuts to the super rich about to be in place, they will pilfer all they can for the next few years, until there is so much debt that it will be unsustainable.

So you can either open up you eyes and see what a dangerous monster Roy Moore is in his relentless spouting off about 9/11 and homosexuality or how the Koch brothers will continue to hammer away at all the quality of life regulations that have been in place for almost 50 years now; or you can just lump all politicians together and accomplish nothing.
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I am not sure I agree with your assessment of democrats as a whole. They are better at selling that idea to the American people, but when it comes down to it, they haven't really taken action to actually help those groups in the way that they claim during their campaign speeches. There is no question that there are some very vocal republicans who say how they feel because the party allows it, but I would venture to guess that there are just as many democrats who don't say that because it is not consistent with the party image. Then you have people who claim to be doing good like Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton who just use race as a stepping stone for personal power and promote hate.

People like Moore should be not only kicked out of politics, he should be locked up. But so should people like John Conyers. Neither party has your best interest at heart... by the democrats are better at selling the idea that they do.




On a different note, Trump actually signed the tax bill into law... today. I guess the claims that he was going to wait to help the midterms either pushed him to act early or were more politically damaging than not signing it before 2018.
 
AT&T and several other corporations will be giving 1,000 bonus he checks to all employees in response to Trump signing the tax bill. So how many people will be giving their bonus checks to charity out of protest.

The more I look into this bill, the more I think it is not as doom and gloom as people claim. Yes, long term it will benefit the wealthy more than the middle and lower class.
 
michaelskis said:
The more I look into this bill, the more I think it is not as doom and gloom as people claim. Yes, long term it will benefit the wealthy more than the middle and lower class.
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I have to agree. I think the media per usual is blowing it completely out of proportion. The only thing that really scares me is the increase to the deficit. I suppose the GOP reasons that more money in the pocket = more spending money, but similar tax cuts haven't seen that return. It's a short term tax bill anyways, it's looking increasingly likely that the Dems will blow the GOP out in 2018, and Trump will (hopefully) be a 1 term President. Everything in this tax bill will be null and void by 2021.
 
AG74683 said:
I have to agree. I think the media per usual is blowing it completely out of proportion. The only thing that really scares me is the increase to the deficit. I suppose the GOP reasons that more money in the pocket = more spending money, but similar tax cuts haven't seen that return. It's a short term tax bill anyways, it's looking increasingly likely that the Dems will blow the GOP out in 2018, and Trump will (hopefully) be a 1 term President. Everything in this tax bill will be null and void by 2021.
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Trickle down, yo! I am also worried about the deficit, and also what's going to be cut out in order to pay for the tax breaks. That's my biggest issue with the tax bill.
 
Another sweetheart - Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee - Not so much ;) :p

Editorial: Lobbyists are winning fight against restoring net neutrality
https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/12...nning-fight-against-restoring-net-neutrality/

Blackburn has been one of their prime beneficiaries, receiving more than $500,000 from telecom companies since she took office in 2002, including $84,000 in the most recent election cycle, the biggest contribution to any member of the House of Representatives.

Blackburn also went out of her way to block any notion of blue states writing their own net neutrality laws.
Her bill would pre-empt states from passing "any law, rule, regulation, duty, requirement, standard or other provision" related to net neutrality.
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gtpeach said:
Trickle down, yo! I am also worried about the deficit, and also what's going to be cut out in order to pay for the tax breaks. That's my biggest issue with the tax bill.
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This. The Republicans will need to reform entitlements to pay for tax breaks that are permanent for corporations and temporary for citizens. (Isn’t that completely backwards?) I have already been screwed over by raising the retirement age to 67, when my brother and sister were able to retire at 65 (i’m 57). They’ll no doubt make it age 70 before I retire and reduce my benefits and screw over Medicare and Medicaid, all for a few bucks more in my pockets for a couple years. Uh, thanks but no thanks.
 
I think my biggest problem with the tax bill is the hypocrisy of those on the right, especially the President. He ran on a populist platform and hyped up how he'd get a tax plan put through that would help the middle class and the working class more than anybody and that he'd do that by not benefiting the wealthy. Well, according to just about every expert analysis has confirmed that's the exact opposite of what's actually in the bill. That's not to mention how horrible a lot of the folks on the right are always saying that having a such a high national debt is but suddenly their alright with exploding that by another trillion+ dollars. :r:

Next up, the President says he wants to get a much needed infrastructure bill passed through. There'd be a lot more money to put towards infrastructure if we didn't just commit ourselves to paying a boatload more for debt service over the next decade.

Paul Ryan has entitlement reform on his radar as something he wants Congress to work on during the next year and now they've got a built in excuse for cutting entitlements even further - the exploding debt!
 
WSU MUP Student said:
Paul Ryan has entitlement reform on his radar as something he wants Congress to work on during the next year and now they've got a built in excuse for cutting entitlements even further - the exploding debt!
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I am pretty worried about programs like Medicare and Social Security, personally, and I'm not even close to being able to consider retirement. But I'm far enough into my career that if they change the rules of the game, I'm going to be struggling to compensate in a private retirement fund. I think the recession in 2008 proved that we can't count on the private markets to protect wealth, either, so if they slash SS, we're in a no-win situation really.

That said, that's me being scared as someone that makes a decent salary and has a steady job. Think about all the people that are struggling to get by day-to-day that have to be worried about losing aid for basic services they need to function on a daily basis. Look at all the states that are cutting their insurance programs for kids because they lost funding. I just don't see how anyone can find this acceptable.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
Paul Ryan has entitlement reform on his radar as something he wants Congress to work on during the next year and now they've got a built in excuse for cutting entitlements even further - the exploding debt!
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I'm convinced this is a long term strategy the GOP has employed where they intentionally precipitate budgetary crises by ensuring there's inadequate funding to operate popular federal programs. Things like Medicare and Social Security are very popular with voters, and the public overwhelmingly wants them to continue. The GOP, however, is too chickenshit to simply eliminate entitlements while the boat is floating and hopes down the road to eliminate the entitlements while screaming 'hey, we don't want to do this but we've got a crisis here, just look at the deficit'
 despite the fact that it was entirely under their power to avoid the budgetary crisis years earlier to begin with.

We've had nearly a half century of experience to guide us and there is ZERO evidence that 'trickle down' economics works.
 
Maister said:
I'm convinced this is a long term strategy the GOP has employed where they intentionally precipitate budgetary crises by ensuring there's inadequate funding to operate popular federal programs. Things like Medicare and Social Security are very popular with voters, and the public overwhelmingly wants them to continue. The GOP, however, is too chickenshit to simply eliminate entitlements while the boat is floating and hopes down the road to eliminate the entitlements while screaming 'hey, we don't want to do this but we've got a crisis here, just look at the deficit'
 despite the fact that it was entirely under their power to avoid the budgetary crisis years earlier to begin with.

We've had nearly a half century of experience to guide us and there is ZERO evidence that 'trickle down' economics works.
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I'm of the same mind. Personally, I think the tax bill is the most chicken shit thing I've seen come out of the D.C. legislature in decades. Not a single hearing. Markups in the margins mere hours before the vote. If your bill cannot withstand the bright light of a little sunshine, then it is a bad bill. Say what you will about the Affordable Care Act, but it was done in the light of day with countless amendments, several days of debate in committee, several days of debate on the Senate floor.

We now know with clear evidence that the GOP only cares about the deficit & debt when they are not in office.

Now you've got Trumpendejo talking about how he is looking to state & local to address infrastructure. Well asshole, you sliced & diced the state & local tax deduction, which is the means used by those entities to fund infrastructure. The limitation on that deduction in turn limits the ability of local populations to absorb necessary tax increases to fund infrastructure. And your precious false-flag tax reform? Yep... that's funding that could go toward infrastructure as well.

This is absolutely a setup to gut medicare & medicaid, and eventually social security.

The tax reform bill just turned the entire United States government into Kansas.

And these bonuses you see getting doled out are nothing more than public relations. These companies all could have easily afforded them before. And bonuses are not the same as raises--people cannot count on them year over year, so they don't increase purchasing power or financial security.

Another thing not being discussed is the potential affect on inflation.
 
Suburb Repairman said:
The tax reform bill just turned the entire United States government into Kansas.
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Hey! I resemble that remark! We've been screaming about look at us and what it will do nationally, but at the same time we're the state to stupid to elect a different governor because the D was caught at a strip club with a mob boss he represented when he was in his 20s. Things you can look forward to:
1. Kansas doesn't put sh!t into KDOT. Our roads suck, we don't have many of them, and they keep getting worse.
2. Kansas hasn't paid its share of the state retirement system over the last year or two. City, county, school, and employee all pay in, just not the state. They call it a loan that they'll pay back.
3. We've been trying to reform school budgets for 5 years. Because the budget is all the schools fault, not the no tax on corporations thing. It's to the point that the state court keeps slapping the legislature to say it doesn't meet the state constitution so we've tried drafting laws to get rid of judges who "interfere" with the executive or legislative branch affairs. FYI, the school problem. We have 105 counties and 321 school districts with no "major" (the term is relative to us) cities beyond Wichita, Overland Park, and maybe Topeka.
4. We've started seeing cuts to child welfare programs and other stuff.
5. Not to mention hyper sensitive voter ID laws to the point that I had to answer that I'm not in the country illegally just to renew my driver's license.
6. Also remember when they start talking unemployment numbers, Kansas is actually remarkably steady in that regard. We had a hiccup in the recession, but we stay fairly steady. Is it because of our taxes? No. It's because we don't have jobs. We're a farm economy stupid. Everyone is self employed.

To the rest of the country, have fun trying to be like us.
 
26165326_1570626539684218_935694557302339189_n.jpg
 
My wife read something somewhere about the new tax law being potentially illegal because some statement in older tax laws and held up in court about federal tax was not able to mess with state tax. I'll have to look it up for the specifics, but I also wonder if it's just one of those side talking points that people do. You know, the kind of allegation that just doesn't go anywhere.
 
dvdneal said:
My wife read something somewhere about the new tax law being potentially illegal because some statement in older tax laws and held up in court about federal tax was not able to mess with state tax. I'll have to look it up for the specifics, but I also wonder if it's just one of those side talking points that people do. You know, the kind of allegation that just doesn't go anywhere.
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I believe the law that she read about dictates that the Federal Tax Code cannot impose direct changes to state and local tax codes. This bill doesn't really do that. This bill changes the amount of state and local taxes that can be deducted from your federal tax liability.

This (the article) sounds like one of those grasping-at-straws hopes that the bill gets shot down somewhere.
 
"My button is bigger than yours"




WTF - really?!?!?! That's his foreign policy?!!??!!? :-c:-{:-@8-!
 
Can i president and his WH seriously stop being a damn reality TV show. Now DJT and his bestie, Steve Banno are now feuding.
 
Raf said:
Can i president and his WH seriously stop being a damn reality TV show. Now DJT and his bestie, Steve Banno are now feuding.
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Trump Says Bannon Has ‘Lost His Mind’ After Bannon Insults Donald Trump Jr.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/us/politics/trump-bannon.html

HIGHLIGHTS -

“Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency,” Mr. Trump said in the statement. “When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind.”

Mr. Trump berated Mr. Bannon for the loss of a Senate seat in Alabama and said the former adviser did not represent his base but was “only in it for himself.”
Rather than supporting the president’s agenda to “make America great again,” Mr. Bannon was “simply seeking to burn it all down,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Bannon was quoted suggesting that Donald Trump Jr., the future president’s son; Jared Kushner, his son-in-law; and Paul J. Manafort, then the campaign chairman, had been “treasonous” and “unpatriotic” for meeting with Russians offering incriminating information on Hillary Clinton during a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower.
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The makings of a Circular Firing Squad ? ;) :p 8-!
 
So now the Cheetoh's own closest associates - the very people that helped put him where he is - are accusing his family of treason.
 
Trump says he’s a ‘very stable genius’ amid questions over his mental fitness


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/do...ble-genius-amid-questions-over-mental-n835191


... my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart...

I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!
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Not really smart, but like really smart. :r: What a dangerous combination of dementia and narcissism.
 
If his
two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart.
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He thinks
that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!
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What does that make the average planner let alone a Cyburbia Planner ? ;) :h:


genius.jpg
 
So apparently the question of the day is will Oprah run for president in 2020? I did not watch the golden globes yesterday, but the local news this morning said that many believe that her speech last night was more of a political platform showing an intent to run, than an entertainment industry protest speech.

Do you think she will run. If she gets elected, do you think that she would be a good president?
 
michaelskis said:
So apparently the question of the day is will Oprah run for president in 2020? I did not watch the golden globes yesterday, but the local news this morning said that many believe that her speech last night was more of a political platform showing an intent to run, than an entertainment industry protest speech.

Do you think she will run. If she gets elected, do you think that she would be a good president?
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I think she's a much more qualified non-experienced candidate than Trump is. At least she understands the general idea of diplomacy and is willing to listen to people that know stuff she doesn't.

BUT I really don't support the idea of people completely inexperienced politically being president. There are people with political careers that I would like to see run on the Democratic ticket that I would support way before Oprah. I won't say I'd never vote for her, though, because it completely depends on who runs against her. If it's between Oprah and Trump in 2020, I'm voting for Oprah.
 
She shouldn't run, but should be influential in the process.


-also-



Now 'Sloppy Steve' is saying that he's been misquoted in that book and the tRump is great. Grovel. Grovel. Beg. Grovel.
 
Oprah? So we should go from an obnoxious celebrity with no experience to a likeable celebrity with no experience? I don't think so. Have we learned nothing in the last year?
 
gtpeach said:
I think she's a much more qualified non-experienced candidate than Trump is. At least she understands the general idea of diplomacy and is willing to listen to people that know stuff she doesn't.

BUT I really don't support the idea of people completely inexperienced politically being president. There are people with political careers that I would like to see run on the Democratic ticket that I would support way before Oprah. I won't say I'd never vote for her, though, because it completely depends on who runs against her. If it's between Oprah and Trump in 2020, I'm voting for Oprah.
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She's also super organized. I have a feeling she's the kind of person that sets goals and gets them done.
Okay Congress. If you all look under your seats you'll find my agenda!!!! You get one! You get one! You all get an agenda. Now let's get this done or I'll have Dr. Phil come in and tell you why you're wrong. CSPAN would become entertaining!

Plus she doesn't sound like a Valley girl. "I'm like, so smart."
 
In other Hollywood news, I can hardly wait for the "Roseanne' show reboot....so I can not watch it. Again.
 
Here's the real question. Does pResident tRump know the words to the National Anthem?

He don't care though because he was really there to make sure none of those "son-of-a-bitches" didn't kneel.
 
Quiet news from Trump's visit to Atlanta:

Trump signs bill upgrading Atlanta’s MLK site (Atlanta Fishwrapper payside, so no link)

President Donald Trump created Georgia’s first national historic park on Monday evening, signing into law a bill upping federal protections for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site near downtown Atlanta.

The commander-in-chief signed the “Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Act” aboard Air Force One shortly after arriving in Atlanta for the national collegiate football championship between the universities of Georgia and Alabama.

The bill signing came with little fanfare or advance notice. Alveda King, a vocal Trump ally, was present for the quick ceremony, which came a week ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Long championed by Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, a vocal critic of Trump’s, the bill would reclassify the King site in downtown Atlanta and devote more federal resources to it, including park rangers, educational programming and community grants. The legislation would also add the Prince Hall Masonic Building, which once served as the headquarters to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to the complex, which already includes King’s birth home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church and a visitor center.
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Reported sale of fictional fighter jet only found in a video game.
Insulted countries and entire continents.
Blames Obama for something Bush did (that damn Obama)
Can't figure out if he is being 'surveiled' or foreign bad dudes.



Yep. Another day in paradise! :h:
 
Planit said:
Reported sale of fictional fighter jet only found in a video game.
Insulted countries and entire continents.
Blames Obama for something Bush did (that damn Obama)
Can't figure out if he is being 'surveiled' or foreign bad dudes.



Yep. Another day in paradise! :h:
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What concerns me most about this is that any one of the aforementioned items would have been considered a big political gaffe by any previous administration's standards and here we have not one but multiple gaffes....in one freaking day! But the public is exposed to these sorts of gaffes so often it's almost considered if not acceptable, then at least a 'normal' behavior for the leader of the free world. I fear Trump coupled with the 24 hour news cycle is making us all numb.
 
Oh wait - nevermind - pResident tRump tweeeeeeeted he didn't use that word so that must be the truth.


:not::-o:-{8-!:r:
 
Planit said:
Oh wait - nevermind - pResident tRump tweeeeeeeted he didn't use that word so that must be the truth.


:not::-o:-{8-!:r:
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Where’s Kelly Anne’s alternative facts when you need them?

Is there no one in the Republican Party with a shred of decency?
 
My thoughts...

Ireland was a shithole country when the Irish were immigrating to the U.S. in droves, as people sought relief from famine & deepening poverty. Italy was also a shithole country at the turn of the 20th century for the same reasons. The English sent upwards of 50,000 criminals prior to the Revolution, and it wasn't like the wealthy were the ones fleeing England for the U.S. (we only remember the famous ones). The Germans sought American shores following repeated crop failures. It is what the U.S. is--a collection of "wretched refuse" from around the world. It is what makes the U.S. unique. European immigration historically in the U.S. was driven by people struggling where they were for one reason or another, not unlike immigration we see now from Central American countries, African countries and Middle Eastern countries. Economic opportunity is the common thread though and most consistent reason.

There isn't a single reason for a Norwegian to want to come to the U.S.
 
We are almost a full year into the presidency of Donald Trump. Now let me be very clear, I didn't vote for him and I don't think is a good president or a decent human.

BUT... has he done anything that F-ed up your life in the last year. Are things worse off now then they were when Obama was in the WH?

My point is we make our lives what they are. Local government has quite a bit of influence, but not control and the same could be said for State governments. But I don't think that Trumps incompetence has prevented me from having a better life than I had a year ago. The quality of my life is because of me, not anyone else.
 
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