Random Politics

[Pruitt]

Thanks Jindal!

Louisiana stands at the brink of economic disaster. Without sharp and painful tax increases in the coming weeks, the government will cease to offer many of its vital services, including education opportunities and certain programs for the needy. A few universities will shut down and declare bankruptcy. Graduations will be canceled. Students will lose scholarships. Select hospitals will close. Patients will lose funding for treatment of disabilities. Some reports of child abuse will go uninvestigated.

“Doomsday,” said Marketa Garner Walters, the head of Louisiana’s Department of Children and Family Services. If the state can’t raise any new revenue, her agency’s budget, like several others, will be slashed 60 percent.

“At that level,” she said in an interview, “the agency is unsustainable.”

[govmentchedda]

They already have a major shortage of public defenders in Louisiana. What a fucking mess Jindal and that state are.

[Johnnie]

Not shocking in the least. In my 5+ years living in that God forsaken hellhole you learn just how corrupt the state government is. Edwin Edwards and his illustrious reign immediately comes to mind. (As does Huey Long. But I believe his stint as governor was more along the lines of cult of personality hatred. He was assassinated after all.)

Time to legal marijuana, Louisiana!

[BSF21]

Thanks Jindal!

Louisiana stands at the brink of economic disaster. Without sharp and painful tax increases in the coming weeks, the government will cease to offer many of its vital services, including education opportunities and certain programs for the needy. A few universities will shut down and declare bankruptcy. Graduations will be canceled. Students will lose scholarships. Select hospitals will close. Patients will lose funding for treatment of disabilities. Some reports of child abuse will go uninvestigated.

“Doomsday,” said Marketa Garner Walters, the head of Louisiana’s Department of Children and Family Services. If the state can’t raise any new revenue, her agency’s budget, like several others, will be slashed 60 percent.

“At that level,” she said in an interview, “the agency is unsustainable.”

Don't worry. Jindal is working hard to combat the real problem. See?

[Johnnie]

From wiki:

Jindal attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988 at the top of his class. Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in two majors, biology and public policy. He was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. Jindal is also credited with leading Brown's College Republicans student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was "A needs-based approach to health care".

Also, father was a civil engineer and mother was a nuclear physicist.

Him and Ted Cruz have ridiculous educational accolades. But my god are these people fucking stupid. I don't get it.

[The Sybian]

From wiki:

Jindal attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988 at the top of his class. Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in two majors, biology and public policy. He was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. Jindal is also credited with leading Brown's College Republicans student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was "A needs-based approach to health care".

Also, father was a civil engineer and mother was a nuclear physicist.

Him and Ted Cruz have ridiculous educational accolades. But my god are these people fucking stupid. I don't get it.

They aren't stupid, they are just talking to their audience.

[tennbengal]

From wiki:

Jindal attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988 at the top of his class. Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in two majors, biology and public policy. He was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. Jindal is also credited with leading Brown's College Republicans student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was "A needs-based approach to health care".

Also, father was a civil engineer and mother was a nuclear physicist.

Him and Ted Cruz have ridiculous educational accolades. But my god are these people fucking stupid. I don't get it.

They aren't stupid, they are just talking to their audience.

Although, in Jindal's case, given where he led the state financially, I think he may be stupid.

[The Sybian]

From wiki:

Jindal attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988 at the top of his class. Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in two majors, biology and public policy. He was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. Jindal is also credited with leading Brown's College Republicans student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was "A needs-based approach to health care".

Also, father was a civil engineer and mother was a nuclear physicist.

Him and Ted Cruz have ridiculous educational accolades. But my god are these people fucking stupid. I don't get it.

They aren't stupid, they are just talking to their audience.

Although, in Jindal's case, given where he led the state financially, I think he may be stupid.

Or further proof that the Conservative ideals wrt to taxation, corporate giveaways and deprioritizing government services is a recipe for disaster. Look at Kansas for the ultimate example.

[tennbengal]

From wiki:

Jindal attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988 at the top of his class. Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in two majors, biology and public policy. He was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. Jindal is also credited with leading Brown's College Republicans student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was "A needs-based approach to health care".

Also, father was a civil engineer and mother was a nuclear physicist.

Him and Ted Cruz have ridiculous educational accolades. But my god are these people fucking stupid. I don't get it.

They aren't stupid, they are just talking to their audience.

Although, in Jindal's case, given where he led the state financially, I think he may be stupid.

Or further proof that the Conservative ideals wrt to taxation, corporate giveaways and deprioritizing government services is a recipe for disaster. Look at Kansas for the ultimate example.

Right. Although I submit that leading your state to ruin to prove a political point is, in fact, stupid.

[mister d]

That assumes avoiding a state's financial ruin was ever a concern, primary or otherwise.

[The Sybian]

Right. Although I submit that leading your state to ruin to prove a political point is, in fact, stupid.

No, it's about putting in place a policy you think is the best way to spark businesses to succeed and create jobs, because business owners will reinvest their tax savings into expanding their businesses and create more jobs, raising the taxes through income tax on the newly employed. In reality, trickle down doesn't work, and the tax windfall is usually kept by the owners. Great interview on the Daily Show (I think) of some Conservative Business Owners association saying the policy doesn't work, because they all pocketed the tax rebates.

[degenerasian]

Right. Although I submit that leading your state to ruin to prove a political point is, in fact, stupid.

No, it's about putting in place a policy you think is the best way to spark businesses to succeed and create jobs, because business owners will reinvest their tax savings into expanding their businesses and create more jobs, raising the taxes through income tax on the newly employed. In reality, trickle down doesn't work, and the tax windfall is usually kept by the owners. Great interview on the Daily Show (I think) of some Conservative Business Owners association saying the policy doesn't work, because they all pocketed the tax rebates.

This.

Louisiana and Kansas are examples of how the low-tax small government utopia is working out and it doesn't look pretty.
I don't think governments can run on extremes (left and right). They have to be flexible. I'm a center-right person politically but even I have to admit that in times like this when interest rates are 0%, it is the time to borrow a lot and invest. Cannot continue to bang head against the wall advocating lowering taxes and trickle down economics. How is that new interstate going to be built when the small business owners instead of creating jobs are pocketing the money and sending it somewhere where the interest is high.

[Pruitt]

From wiki:

Jindal attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988 at the top of his class. Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1991 at the age of 20, with honors in two majors, biology and public policy. He was one of 50 students nationwide admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. Jindal is also credited with leading Brown's College Republicans student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 USA Today All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, but studied at New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He received an M.Litt. degree in political science with an emphasis in health policy from the University of Oxford in 1994, where the subject of his thesis was "A needs-based approach to health care".

Also, father was a civil engineer and mother was a nuclear physicist.

Him and Ted Cruz have ridiculous educational accolades. But my god are these people fucking stupid. I don't get it.

They aren't stupid, they are just talking to their audience.

Although, in Jindal's case, given where he led the state financially, I think he may be stupid.

Or further proof that the Conservative ideals wrt to taxation, corporate giveaways and deprioritizing government services is a recipe for disaster. Look at Kansas for the ultimate example.

This is from the Louisiana article in the Post:

This year, Louisiana has doled out $210 million more to corporations in the form of credits and subsidies than it has collected from them in taxes.

Government for the people...

[Steve of phpBB]

This is from the Louisiana article in the Post:

This year, Louisiana has doled out $210 million more to corporations in the form of credits and subsidies than it has collected from them in taxes.

Government for the people...

I was wondering how valid that number is - comparing credits and subsidies to tax collections from the corporations themselves doesn't tell the whole story. You'd also have to include tax collections from people employed by those corporations, and by the people who work at the places those employees shop, etc.

Even then, it's still probably upside down.

[howard]

Economic illiteracy and mis-education.

[DaveInSeattle]

Republicans, keeping it classy...



Tammy Duckworth was a helicopter pilot and lost both of her legs in the Iraq War.

[govmentchedda]

They're technically correct, no?

[Gunpowder]

They're technically correct, no?

Haaaaa, shades of the 2 foot drop.



The GOP is fuckin' atrocious when it comes to veterans. After you're done warring, you can basically go and get fucked.

[The Sybian]

They're technically correct, no?

Haaaaa, shades of the 2 foot drop.



The GOP is fuckin' atrocious when it comes to veterans. After you're done warring, you can basically go and get fucked.

But they support the troops!

[A_B]

So...when can I buy some sweet cuban cigars?

[Gunpowder]

Relax, Monica. They're coming.

[sancarlos]

[sancarlos]

Really interesting interview with Sam Harris. He provides some good thoughts on the situation with ISIS, and Islamist extremism in general.

[Pruitt]

Really interesting interview with Sam Harris. He provides some good thoughts on the situation with ISIS, and Islamist extremism in general.

That was very interesting.

Love this quotation:

These people are part of what Maajid Nawaz has termed the “regressive Left”—pseudo-liberals who are so blinded by identity politics that they reliably take the side of a backward mob over one of its victims. Rather than protect individual women, apostates, intellectuals, cartoonists, novelists, and true liberals from the intolerance of religious imbeciles, they protect these theocrats from criticism.

[Joe K]

Really interesting interview with Sam Harris. He provides some good thoughts on the situation with ISIS, and Islamist extremism in general.

That was very interesting.

Love this quotation:

These people are part of what Maajid Nawaz has termed the “regressive Left”—pseudo-liberals who are so blinded by identity politics that they reliably take the side of a backward mob over one of its victims. Rather than protect individual women, apostates, intellectuals, cartoonists, novelists, and true liberals from the intolerance of religious imbeciles, they protect these theocrats from criticism.

Respectfully, I think that quote you highlighted is total bullshit. You'd be hard pressed to come up with any examples of "the Left" who actually support theocratic regimes. The dispute is about what the best way to address human rights issues is. (Spoiler alert: it's usually not Western military interventions.) Where the left has actually criticized Harris is his willingness to use his opposition to religion and theocracy as a justification for aggressive and militaristic action in the Middle East, which has done far more harm than good.

[sancarlos]

I don't endorse all of Sam Harris's opinions, for sure. His willingness to advocate military solutions, in particular. But, I think a lot of folks reject his thoughts out of hand, which I think is a mistake. He clearly is an intelligent guy with something to offer. Guys like Glen Greenwald certainly have valid points, too, but Harris offers some valid counterpoints.

[Jerloma]

That was a hell of a read. I think Harris would much prefer to live in a world where problems can be solved with open and honest, intellectual discourse. The problem of course is that the people with the most indefensible ideas are incapable of defending them in that manner. What exacerbates the problem is the liberals who get all bent out of shape when we attack someone's ideology. I'm glad the the right is unapologetic toward Islam but their rhetoric is all wrong. They attack Muslims and make massive generalizations towards people when they should be attacking the ideology. What's the problem there though? Well, when you make it fair game to attack people's faith, you're also creating an environment where yours is under attack and they don't want that. They're hypocrites.

So basically...everybody sucks.

[Gunpowder]

Islam likes a lot of the same things they like.


War on drugs? No one punishes drug users like Islam.

Gays? No one hates fags like Islam.

Faith about all? Islam!

[Jerloma]

Female purity.

[sancarlos]

That was a hell of a read. I think Harris would much prefer to live in a world where problems can be solved with open and honest, intellectual discourse. The problem of course is that the people with the most indefensible ideas are incapable of defending them in that manner. What exacerbates the problem is the liberals who get all bent out of shape when we attack someone's ideology. I'm glad the the right is unapologetic toward Islam but their rhetoric is all wrong. They attack Muslims and make massive generalizations towards people when they should be attacking the ideology. What's the problem there though? Well, when you make it fair game to attack people's faith, you're also creating an environment where yours is under attack and they don't want that. They're hypocrites.

So basically...everybody sucks.

Well said, J-lo.

[howard]

You'd be hard pressed to come up with any examples of "the Left" who actually support theocratic regimes.

Clinton/Obama and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (I have a list of others, but this is the top of the list.)

Of course, I consider classification of Clinton/Obama as Left is absurd, (as well as the rest of the people in charge of the Democratic party), so it all depends upon how you and Harris define terms. (I didn't read it.)

[Joe K]

You'd be hard pressed to come up with any examples of "the Left" who actually support theocratic regimes.

Clinton/Obama and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (I have a list of others, but this is the top of the list.)

Of course, I consider classification of Clinton/Obama as Left is absurd, (as well as the rest of the people in charge of the Democratic party), so it all depends upon how you and Harris define terms. (I didn't read it.)

I don't consider the Clintons to be part of the Left. I was thinking more of people like Greenwald and Reza Aslan, who Harris specifically went after in that interview. Greenwald is a pretty fierce critic of the US Government's close ties to KSA and other repressive Middle Eastern regimes, and in fact routinely points out the hypocritical use of "human rights" as a driver of foreign policy. For example, he often points out how critics of the Iran deal and Syria Hawks have been awfully quiet about KSA's abysmal human rights record.

[howard]

It's difficult enough just to point out examples of "the Left", period.

[howard]

[howard]

[brian]

Giff's kids might not be able to read or write but damn it they'll be safe from PERVERTS!

ETA: a link to the story. Otherwise that comment would seem kind of random and potentially offensive.

[A_B]

Giff's kids might not be able to read or write but damn it they'll be safe from PERVERTS!

ETA: a link to the story. Otherwise that comment would seem kind of random and potentially offensive.

Except for the ones in the house, that is.

[Giff]

Giff's kids might not be able to read or write but damn it they'll be safe from PERVERTS!

ETA: a link to the story. Otherwise that comment would seem kind of random and potentially offensive.

Except for the ones in the house, that is.

Hey-oh!

[The Sybian]

Giff's kids might not be able to read or write but damn it they'll be safe from PERVERTS!

ETA: a link to the story. Otherwise that comment would seem kind of random and potentially offensive.

This is a great plan to bring down the deficit. The Feds need to pass and enforce more laws like this, and cut off funding to bigoted states.

[brian]

I know we're anti-LOL, but I literally LOLed at this.Internet fail.