Random Politics

Okay . . . let's try this again.

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Sabo
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Sabo »

THERE’S NOWT WRONG WITH GALA LUNCHEONS, LAD!
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Steve of phpBB
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Steve of phpBB »

Props to Ted Crux for this one:
And his one problem is he didn’t go to Russia that night because he had extracurricular activities, and they froze to death.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by sancarlos »

As I've noted before, despite the fact that my relatives and in-laws consider me a pathetic liberal, I am one of the more conservative/libertarian Swampers. So, when I read this Salon.com interview with my man, P.J. O'Rourke, I knew I had to post it hereabouts. I've been a big fan of his humor since I was a National Lampoon subscriber many moons ago. A few days ago, DiS wondered if anyone could name five smart conservatives. And, if there are only a few, P.J. is one of them.

For those of you who don't know of P.J., the Salon interviewer describes him thusly:
But let’s be honest: I particularly wanted to talk to O’Rourke because he has long been identified as one of the few leading humorists on the conservative end of the political spectrum. I have frequently found his positions disagreeable, and I think he often reverts to clever quips in place of political arguments. (As he did, in fact, in our conversation.) But he’s also very funny, and is generally willing to admit the validity or at least the possible coherence of other points of view, a quality sorely lacking on the contemporary right.

Since at least the mid-‘80s, O’Rourke has tried to stake out a zone on the libertarian-conservative wing of the Republican Party. It might once have been accurate to describe that position as “embattled,” but now, in a party eviscerated by antiabortion fanatics and gun nuts and thinly veiled racists – a party in danger of being devoured whole by Donald Trump – it barely exists at all. So maybe I wanted to gloat, or just to find out whether O’Rourke has any better idea about what’s going on than I do.
It's worth a read, with this delicious title: P.J. O’Rourke on why Trump will collapse, Ann Coulter’s a fraud, and how National Lampoon created modern comedy
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Re: Random Politics

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Family Values Republican Speaker of the Indiana accidentally sends dirty video of himself and woman to everyone on his contact list.

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/30/indiana ... newsletter
During his five years in the legislature, McMillin has crusaded to “protect the integrity of the institution of marriage,” but the Advocate reported that the woman on the video he texted was not, in fact, his wife.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by The Sybian »

Pruitt wrote:Family Values Republican Speaker of the Indiana accidentally sends dirty video of himself and woman to everyone on his contact list.

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/30/indiana ... newsletter
During his five years in the legislature, McMillin has crusaded to “protect the integrity of the institution of marriage,” but the Advocate reported that the woman on the video he texted was not, in fact, his wife.
Actually, his phone was stolen then mysteriously returned after the video was sent. The guy who stole the phone just happened to look a lot like McMillin, what are the odds! The biggest surprise is that Mr. Values Voter was having an affair with a woman.
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Re: Random Politics

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Re: Random Politics

Post by P.D.X. »

Image
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Pruitt »

Meet Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the President of Croatia.

Image

It's an undated photo, and I have no idea what her policies are, but she can speak at my general assembly any time, know what I mean?
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Steve of phpBB »

They are finally making up for their rampant fascism.
And his one problem is he didn’t go to Russia that night because he had extracurricular activities, and they froze to death.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Pruitt »

Steve of phpBB wrote:They are finally making up for their rampant fascism.
I'd introduce some minority culture into her body politic.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Johnny Carwash »

I'd like to grabar kitarovics.

Also, her husband's name is Jakov, because of course.
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howard
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Re: Random Politics

Post by howard »

Not that long, but thick.

The Illusion of Freedom
by Chris Hedges
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DC47
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Re: Random Politics

Post by DC47 »

I dig Hedges. A lot. But I think he's way too sure of his diagnosis.

Human nature may be unchanging. But all the things he describes as happening (e.g., corporate control of various aspects of government) can be occurring to various degrees. So, for example, there can be varying degrees of military-industrial complex influence over government. Saying this phenomena is happening doesn't mean it's dialed up to 11. And the implication that the ball is simply rolling down the hill is absurd. There are a lot of moving pieces, and unforseen events to come. I'm inherently suspicious of intellectual arguments that simply assert that a standard historical process is inevitably unfolding. This strikes me more as a reflection of a certain personality type than a reasoned argument about the real world.

But directionally, yes, I agree. World, hand-basket, fascist hell. It will take a lot of resistance, and some luck, to dramatically revise this predicted future. However, moderate revisions will take far less, and thus are far more likely.

A thought along these lines that strikes me every time I think about the upcoming elections: a Republican president (ideally Trump, but others would likely suffice) may be an important factor in throwing sand in the gears of Hedges dystopian fascist outcome. Holding the four pillars of our national government, and so many at the state level, would seem to allow the Republicans to implement many of their core political policies.

The results may serve as a clear message that their ideas would be a disaster for the vast majority of this country's citizens. Thesis, meet anti-thesis.

Certain? Not even close. But there is a reasonable chance.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by The Sybian »

Pruitt wrote: Image

Looks like Elisha Cuthbert really let herself go.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Brontoburglar »

I'll be damned
Very rich Americans earning household incomes above $150,000 were the least angry income bracket. The poorest Americans earning less than $15,000 were the most angry.
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Re: Random Politics

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Brontoburglar wrote:I'll be damned
Very rich Americans earning household incomes above $150,000 were the least angry income bracket. The poorest Americans earning less than $15,000 were the most angry.

$150,000 for a household income is very rich? Are you 9article, not Bronto) fucking kidding me? Now I'm angry.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Brontoburglar »

The Sybian wrote:
Brontoburglar wrote:I'll be damned
Very rich Americans earning household incomes above $150,000 were the least angry income bracket. The poorest Americans earning less than $15,000 were the most angry.

$150,000 for a household income is very rich? Are you 9article, not Bronto) fucking kidding me? Now I'm angry.
According to this site, the 90th percentile starts at 155K. (There may be a better site to show this, but this is what I found in about two minutes)
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Brontoburglar »

CNN agrees!

http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/income-rank/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Pruitt »

The Sybian wrote:
Brontoburglar wrote:I'll be damned
Very rich Americans earning household incomes above $150,000 were the least angry income bracket. The poorest Americans earning less than $15,000 were the most angry.

$150,000 for a household income is very rich? Are you 9article, not Bronto) fucking kidding me? Now I'm angry.
We are no longer middle class, but this sure doesn't feel like being upper class.

Is the new definition of "Middle class" mean not living paycheck to paycheck? Because I am confused...
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Joe K »

Pruitt wrote:
The Sybian wrote:
Brontoburglar wrote:I'll be damned
Very rich Americans earning household incomes above $150,000 were the least angry income bracket. The poorest Americans earning less than $15,000 were the most angry.

$150,000 for a household income is very rich? Are you 9article, not Bronto) fucking kidding me? Now I'm angry.
We are no longer middle class, but this sure doesn't feel like being upper class.

Is the new definition of "Middle class" mean not living paycheck to paycheck? Because I am confused...
If you're living almost anywhere other than coastal metropolitan areas, $150,000 in annual income can go a really long way. Not sure I'd necessarily call it "very rich," but the 90th percentile figure doesn't surprise me. Moving from Boston to St. Louis in 2014, I was surprised by just how stark the difference in cost of living is.
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Re: Random Politics

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Joe K wrote:
Pruitt wrote:
The Sybian wrote:
Brontoburglar wrote:I'll be damned
Very rich Americans earning household incomes above $150,000 were the least angry income bracket. The poorest Americans earning less than $15,000 were the most angry.

$150,000 for a household income is very rich? Are you 9article, not Bronto) fucking kidding me? Now I'm angry.
We are no longer middle class, but this sure doesn't feel like being upper class.

Is the new definition of "Middle class" mean not living paycheck to paycheck? Because I am confused...
If you're living almost anywhere other than coastal metropolitan areas, $150,000 in annual income can go a really long way. Not sure I'd necessarily call it "very rich," but the 90th percentile figure doesn't surprise me. Moving from Boston to St. Louis in 2014, I was surprised by just how stark the difference in cost of living is.
Yeah - if we moved to St. John, New Brunswick, we'd be filthy rich.
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Re: Random Politics

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Joe K wrote: Is the new definition of "Middle class" mean not living paycheck to paycheck? Because I am confused...
If you're living almost anywhere other than coastal metropolitan areas, $150,000 in annual income can go a really long way. Not sure I'd necessarily call it "very rich," but the 90th percentile figure doesn't surprise me. Moving from Boston to St. Louis in 2014, I was surprised by just how stark the difference in cost of living is.[/quote]

The gap between 90% - 95% must be enormous. $150,000 would be a real stretch just with mortgage and childcare costs alone, and that is with an unremarkable 3 bedroom bi-level with 40% equity in the house. What is the household income to be considered "middle class?" I know the Northeast is expensive, but fuck, that is insane.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Moreta »

Those household income rankings also don't take into account family size. A childless single adult is going to be able to do a great deal more with his $150k than a family with 4 children and a dependent parent.
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Re: Random Politics

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We value businesses on their income and people on what is essentially their revenue.
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Re: Random Politics

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My favorite part of the SOTU is when the camera pans out during the applause and the Joint Chiefs of Staff don't move at all.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by howard »

Were there seriously no other posts about the STFU speech last night? That's why I love this place.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Pruitt »

howard wrote:Were there seriously no other posts about the STFU speech last night? That's why I love this place.
The State of the Union address seems like a ripe candidate for one of John Oliver's "How I This Still A Thing" pieces.
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Re: Random Politics

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How the fuck does Kim Davis get in the State of the Union anyway? Like, why was she there?
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Rex »

howard wrote:Were there seriously no other posts about the STFU speech last night? That's why I love this place.

Aw man, I was totally gonna make that joke.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Brontoburglar »

Jerloma wrote:How the fuck does Kim Davis get in the State of the Union anyway? Like, why was she there?
Ohio's Jim Jordan.

Members of Congress can invite basically anyone they want. A Michigan rep invited Jim Harbaugh. A Tennessee rep invited Navy QB Keenan Reynolds.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by duff »

Jerloma wrote:How the fuck does Kim Davis get in the State of the Union anyway? Like, why was she there?
She was a guest of an Ohio congressman. Not sure which one.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by DaveInSeattle »

Johnnie wrote:My favorite part of the SOTU is when the camera pans out during the applause and the Joint Chiefs of Staff don't move at all.
Scalia, Alito, and Thomas don't even show up for Obama's SOTU.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by The Sybian »

Brontoburglar wrote:
Jerloma wrote:How the fuck does Kim Davis get in the State of the Union anyway? Like, why was she there?
Ohio's Jim Jordan.

Members of Congress can invite basically anyone they want. A Michigan rep invited Jim Harbaugh. A Tennessee rep invited Navy QB Keenan Reynolds.
He denied it at first, then learned his staff gave a ticket to the Family Research Council, who gave Davis the ticket. The FRC being the biggest of the "Family Values" fuckers who employed sister diddler and violent raper of porn stars, Josh Dugger.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Johnnie »

Terrorist stopper SSgt Spencer Stone was in the crowd too. Man, is his dog and pony show squeezing out every ounce of substance ever.

Also, currently viral right now, the president's transition from Steph Curry to Morgan Freeman in 7 short years: (it's a big photo)

http://i.imgur.com/zTdCov5.png" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Random Politics

Post by howard »

DaveInSeattle wrote:Scalia, Alito, and Thomas don't even show up for Obama's SOTU.
Clearly I am no fan of Obama, but that is just fucking unamerican of those associate justices.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by mister d »

Can you imagine the outcry if RBJ had done that to Bush? Holy fuck.
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Re: Random Politics

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mister d wrote:Couldn't have pegged me better.
EnochRoot wrote:I mean, whatever. Johnnie's all hot cuz I ride him.
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Pruitt »

Even with people's anger at the system, and their loathing of all things political... it is still amazing that so many people take it so seriously - I mean in terms of volunteering their time to help on these campaigns.

Imagine working 14 hour days to try to get Jeb! up to third place in your state's primary, when the campaign has already blown through nine figures?
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Re: Random Politics

Post by Johnnie »

I like this:
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Re: Random Politics

Post by howard »

Nice piece explaining one of the internal factors screwing things up, in a non-partisan manner. Lind is one of those really smart guys whose ideas I encounter, some of which I agree with totally, while others I strongly disagree.

Failure as a Way of Life
The logic of lost wars and military-industrial boondoggles
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