The Swamp

Sabo wrote:Florida congressman charged with cocaine possession

And inevitably...

Among the bills he's co-sponsored during his freshman term is legislation to amend the country's mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws.

Pruitt wrote:

Sabo wrote:Florida congressman charged with cocaine possession

And inevitably...

Among the bills he's co-sponsored during his freshman term is legislation to amend the country's mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws.

His arrest doesn't change the fact that mandatory minimums for drug sentencing is a fucking farce. However, it sure isn't the good press that side needed.

Thank goodness the authorities got this guy buying $50 bags of cocaine off of the streets. God bless America.

govmentchedda wrote:
His arrest doesn't change the fact that mandatory minimums for drug sentencing is a fucking farce. However, it sure isn't the good press that side needed.

Completely agree, but they should sentence this guy to the mandatory minimum he was pushing for. I need to become a Judge. If only I had friends in higher level politics.

Rep. Radel wrote:"However, this unfortunate event does have a positive side. It offers me an opportunity to seek treatment and counseling," his statement said.

Because of course you don't have a problem until you get arrested...

Gunpowder wrote:Thank goodness the authorities got this guy buying $50 bags of cocaine off of the streets. God bless America.

He's white, so he got one-year probation.

Giff wrote:

Gunpowder wrote:Thank goodness the authorities got this guy buying $50 bags of cocaine off of the streets. God bless America.

He's white, so he got one-year probation.

Think he continues pushing for the mandatory minimum? Probably.

I believe that guy also voted to require drug testing for people applying for food stamps or unemployment benefits.

So this means he's giving up his Congressional pension, right?

The Sybian wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:
His arrest doesn't change the fact that mandatory minimums for drug sentencing is a fucking farce. However, it sure isn't the good press that side needed.

Completely agree, but they should sentence this guy to the mandatory minimum he was pushing for. I need to become a Judge. If only I had friends in higher level politics.

Oh, was he for increasing the minimums? If so, he's a gigantic fucking moron. I assumed he was working to lessen them.

govmentchedda wrote:
Oh, was he for increasing the minimums? If so, he's a gigantic fucking moron. I assumed he was working to lessen them.

Actually, I think you are right. I assumed the other way. Hell, I didn't realize mandatory minimums were still used, so I thought he wanted to bring them back. Though he did vote in favor of drug testing food stamp recipients.

Yeah, they might regret that one in 4-6 years. But these clowns who voted it today will all be wealthy and not give a fuck about their decaying carcass of a party by then.

ETA: Vote was today, not yesterday

The Democrats showing a spine?

Who'd a thunk it?

Steve of phpBB wrote:The Democrats showing a spine?

That is the first clue of an incredibly stupid, short-sighted move.

ETA: Ah, this makes some sense:

Senate Panel Clears Yellen for Fed Chief
Filibuster Move Makes Selection All but Certain
Mustn't allow anything to interfere with the money printing.

Canadian government mislays $3 billion.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... dnt-spend/

But at least it disappeared while fighting terrorists.

Howard mentioned Chris Hedges the other day in yon thread.

This is an interview I happened upon (today) from about three years ago. The reason I'm posting it is because you may not have seen it; this was recorded for TVO (Ontario), Ontario Educational Television. Hedges touches on a number of subjects, most of which will leave you wishing he had even more time to elaborate. The interview runs just under a half hour. The final bit about America's national political discussion being a "faux debate" is a nice name for what I went after in the Twitter thread concerning the industry of hatred and distraction. Anyway, when you get time, watch the interview. It's quite compelling. And, hey, now you can't say that I don't post links to my favorite liberals.

Hedges is a blond-haired blue-eyed White guy who analytically and eloquently dislikes what the world is coming to and is married to a Chinese woman from Canada. I cannot imagine why I relate to him so well.

Hedges is an avowed Marxist. So there is that. He also considers Israel's policies toward the Arab/Muslims of the region on par with those of Nazi Germany toward its neighbors. He and I are not quite 100% together.

But my major disagreements with him pale next to the power of his analysis and description of imperial America and warfare in today's world. He is quite polemical at times, but a true deep thinker and revealer of great truths about our world. Plus, he was an Occupy homie--I've been a fan of his for years, and I was pleased to have met him and had a nice chat down at Zuccotti.

His main current web home:
http://www.truthdig.com/staff/chris_hedges" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ETA: We got 'em on this round, Scottie. They won't top us in linking to such a quality American conservative intellectual. Old Barry Goldwater speeches on youtube doesn't count (and Harold Bloom is too damn boring next to Hedges).

How about Jack Kerouac drunk on William F. Buckley's talk show?

I first noticed Elizabeth Warren a long time ago, on C-SPAN 2 (or 3) giving a lecture as a Harvard professor on the crushing of the middle class. At least 10-12 years ago. Just before I was about to click over to sports, dismissing her as run of the mill, I her her making sense, simply describing facts and events rather than polemics and unrealistic remedies. She quickly became one of my favorites (like Brookheiser on the right), an intellectual with whom I disagreed over much, but always learned from their views.

IOW, I like her. And I like what she is doing as a United States Senator so far.

Elizabeth Warren Attacks Beltway Powerhouse Third Way as Fronting for Wall Street

If this keeps up, the mainstream, Dems and GOP alike, are gonna try and fuck her up.

Warren and new NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio may be the first glimmer of a new progressive wave. This could be a good thing, setting aside my cynical hat for a moment. My biggest doubt arises from the big difference between the progressive era of the turn of the century and today. Back then, the cash accumulated by the oligarchs, the Carnaiges, the Morgans, was based upon real, tangible production and wealth. Today's oligarchs, by and large, packed their bank accounts on a foundation of debt and financial chicanery. Or on other temporary, unsustainable factors such as the WalMart fortune based on Chinese near-slave labor and the favored status of the two most powerful governments on earth.

Back then, there was real wealth and real fruits to be equitably distributed, once labor was allowed to sit at the table, and political power was shared between the masses of people and the concentrated capital. Today, if and when the masses wake up and retake political power (instead of sleepwalking to the polls to 'choose' between the fake alternatives placed before them), they will have to cope with the truth that wrt wealth, there is no there there.

Obviously we still have more true tangible wealth in this country than any other, (certainly per capita if not outright). Just that the actual value is about 10-30% less than what is on the ledger. Detroit is not devoid of any wealth and value--the city has assets, foremost the ability to tax. The actual worth of those assets is lower than what is written on paper, and the stack of liabilities dwarfs the assets. Bankruptcy doesn't mean you own nothing--just that what you own is less than what you owe. And often, what you own is worth less than you think.

If and when the people and progressive forces reassert democracy in our nation, they will be chagrined to find the cupboard is bare, all the redistributable wealth has already been stolen.

Mrs. Thatcher famously said socialism is great until you run out of other peoples' money to spend. One way the other peoples' money gets exhausted is when it is stolen by the 1%. Through inflation, quantitative easing, international labor arbitrage, direct central bank bailouts and subsidies, stupid fucking wars, et. al.

Shit, I was just gonna post a link. I do carry on, don't I? Hey, this conservative hates theft, even when committed in the name of conservatism, by conservatives in name only.

Anyway, watch Social Security, carefully. Peer through the rhetoric. And don't believe this lying sack of shit of a president when he talks about SS.

According to his first big decision. New Mayor Bill DeBlasio picks William Bratton as next NYPD head. Yep--major message of his campaign was end stop-and-frisk. So he hires the man who initiated stop-and-frisk in NYC. Who spread it to Los Angeles.

This is why I don't fucking vote.

The moment Obama picked Tim Geithner, it was clear. I held out some measure of hope despite this obvious indication, but deep down that was when I knew (looking back). Same here. Sure, other outcomes are possible. He might modify the policy to exclude half-white teens with huge afros (his son, prominently featured in campaign ads on tv). But I've seen this movie too many times in the last 20 years.

Same fucking bullshit killing the country.

Fucking Red Sox fans.

howard wrote:According to his first big decision. New Mayor Bill DeBlasio picks William Bratton as next NYPD head. Yep--major message of his campaign was end stop-and-frisk. So he hires the man who initiated stop-and-frisk in NYC. Who spread it to Los Angeles.

This is why I don't fucking vote.

The moment Obama picked Tim Geithner, it was clear. I held out some measure of hope despite this obvious indication, but deep down that was when I knew (looking back). Same here. Sure, other outcomes are possible. He might modify the policy to exclude half-white teens with huge afros (his son, prominently featured in campaign ads on tv). But I've seen this movie too many times in the last 20 years.

Same fucking bullshit killing the country.

Yeah, the Premier of this province was re-elected on two issues. One, support for the Northern Gateway Pipeline. (She cowardly reneged right after being elected*). Two, BC Hydro (the electricity company, not the weed growers) wanted to raise hydro rates by 26%. Interesting number, eh? She campaigned like hell that there is no way they'd raise hydro rates by 26%. This week they announced that hydro rates would increase by, and get this, 25.98%.

* funded by US oil money, to keep Cdn oil off of the market.

Scottie wrote: Yeah, the Premier of this province was re-elected on two issues. One, support for the Northern Gateway Pipeline. (She cowardly reneged right after being elected*). Two, BC Hydro (the electricity company, not the weed growers) wanted to raise hydro rates by 26%. Interesting number, eh? She campaigned like hell that there is no way they'd raise hydro rates by 26%. This week they announced that hydro rates would increase by, and get this, 25.98%.

* funded by US oil money, to keep Cdn oil off of the market.

Must be nice - Ontario rates will rise a further 42% on top of the huge rises of the last half-decade. This will help pay for the $1billion cost of cancelling two power plants - a move the Provinicial Liberal party did in order to win two marginal seats in the last election.

I'm not gonna dwell on Bill Bratton. Just as context for the shits and giggles we are in for in NYC under the next four years.

De Blasio's New NYPD Commissioner Would Have Crushed Occupy Wall Street Like A Cockroach

Two lines I'll excerpt. First, with it's own context:

And during a speech in Manhattan last year, Bratton bluntly stated that "You can't allow people to occupy public space."

Context wrote:Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

And second, the most distressing line of the linked article:

Although the NYCLU tentatively embraced de Blasio's choice for commissioner yesterday…

I mean, if you are gonna tentatively embrace this choice, what the fuck good are you? That's ok, I already know the answer.

…pick up my (bass) guitar and play

Canadian Senator calls rookie Member of Parliament "useless" and suggests that she read up on the rules of Parliament.

She cries "misogyny" http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/12/09 ... s-useless/

South Florida Tea Party proudly posts image from video game making fun of racist xenophobes.

Trailer for a new documentary (on Netflix) about Mitt Romney's presidential bid. Right at the beginning is the moment he realizes he has lost the election, and is genuinely taken by surprise--his internal polls had pointed to a landslide victory, and he had no concession speech prepared.

That's got to be an inordinate lack of self-awareness by modern campaign standards, right? McCain in '08 seemed pretty aware his chances had faded in the final days and was ready to go with the best concession speech I've ever heard.

Everybody except the most ardent deniers knew that Obama was likely going to win that election.

I'm somewhere between "I'd watch that. It looks entertaining." and "Fuck politicians. They aren't 'everyman' types when they are able to possibly become president."

And I really don't need to hear the griping from his wife. Or watch him sleep on the floor with a pillow under his feet. C'mon.

It's quite easy to imagine that the dude who made that docuhmittry thought he was filming a man's path to the presidency. The fact that 0bama was one of the most beatable incumbents in history speaks volumes about how utterly unelectable Mitt was.

Gunpowder wrote:Everybody except the most ardent deniers knew that Obama was likely going to win that election.

Me and Karl Rove take offense.

(Naw. Even I knew.)

That actually looks fascinating.

I find the campaigning to be tiresome and largely repugnant as it's happening - but to watch a full, behind-the-scenes documentary? Pretty compelling.

My hunch is that Mitt will come off better as a "real guy" in this film than he ever did in his appearances.

Shirley wrote:That actually looks fascinating.

I find the campaigning to be tiresome and largely repugnant as it's happening - but to watch a full, behind-the-scenes documentary? Pretty compelling.

My hunch is that Mitt will come off better as a "real guy" in this film than he ever did in his appearances.

I hate elections. And I love elections.

I count down the days until they're over, but then when they're over I love looking at all the data and I read through the Game Change sequel in about three days last month.

Election Day is the absolute best. Especially when it's going to be close and you don't really care who wins.

Scottie wrote:It's quite easy to imagine that the dude who made that docuhmittry thought he was filming a man's path to the presidency. The fact that 0bama was one of the most beatable incumbents in history speaks volumes about how utterly unelectable Mitt was.

I would rather watch my dog take a two hour dump than watch a documentary about that bogus lying piece of shit Romney.

I saw more than enough of him last year thank you very much.

Is all that true? Seems like someone made up that stuff to easily disseminate on Facebook.

Johnnie wrote:Is all that true?

No.

I'm pretty sure the Portugal thing and the Iceland thing are largely truths. No idea about Finland.

The Portugal thing is most definitely true. Who knows if they add the last sentence when discussing it?