Political Opinion

The Lobby
2560

I’m a Brit so I don’t often involve myself in arguments over US politics. However Clint it seems like your using this forum for a Republican propaganda campaign, I know you guys have to suffer the ignorance of Fox News over there and sadly it seems many Americans are indoctrinated by it (not all Americans!), but really can you not bring up more constructive ideas or views rather than just constantly bashing Obama?.

Also you brought up the issue of Obama not using a land army to fight ISIS land army, boots on the ground effectively. Do you learn nothing from history? The illegal Iraq war is one of the contributing reasons ISIS exists today, and the British and French involvement in bombing Libya and toppling Gaddafi has left it weak and in disrepute giving ISIS a breeding ground in Libya. The idea of a state using a traditional army to fight terrorism is absurd, how can a state wage war against an ideology with an army? ISIS isn’t a traditional state you can invade and ‘liberate’, and even if you tried to you’d just create increased resentment of the west through the death and deprivation caused to local and most of the time innocent people. Starting the cycle off again and creating more radicalised people who turn to extremist groups.

However I would agree with you that Obama has been more bark than bite, it’s disappointing to see him do so little of what he promised. Although it’s hard for him to do anything when the Republicans block him in congress on every move he makes.

2561

Ok I’ve just read Clint’s post on climate change denial, you can’t make this up the only conclusion is this guy works for Fox News or the Republican Party or even worse the tea party? Although it is great that there is a forum for him to share his views, no one should be denied their right to an opinion. However people please take Clint’s posts with a pinch of salt, a person who denies climate change (when I believe it’s around 99% of academics, maybe 97% believe climate change is man made - and the minority 1-3% of academics are those who are funded by right wing interests, such as fossil fuel companies) shouldn’t be taken seriously.

2562

The right wing in the United States is simply a different flavor of the left wing. It doesn’t matter which of the Republicrats are in power. The policies will remain the same. The deniers of science will support the very same disastrous policies that Gore pushes for only they will be painted up differently.

2563

I was going to write a page of analysis on politics in Britain. But, I stopped myself just in time, realizing that my opinions about British politics are almost as worthless as your opinions about American politics.

2564

An observer looking in from the outside can often offer unclouded and unbiased views which are useful. I’m not alien to the US system I have studied it, not as much as UK and European system but I’m no novice to it. In fact I would like to hear your views on UK politics, the US doesn’t have a monopoly on poor politics the UK’s political system is arguably just as bad, just on a smaller scale, we don’t do things as big as the Americans!.. Especially when it comes to political corruption and lobbying ( although Cameron and his Tory cronies are coming close).

2565

[QUOTE=“Arbitrager on Acid;686231”] The right wing in the United States is simply a different flavor of the left wing. It doesn’t matter which of the Republicrats are in power. The policies will remain the same. The deniers of science will support the very same disastrous policies that Gore pushes for only they will be painted up differently.[/QUOTE]

I wholly agree America as a whole is right wing, whether you deem that good or bad is up to your political ideology. Although I was more referring to climate change deniers in general - in the UK and Europe there is a clear distinction between the left and the right, although Labour and conservatives are both now centre right parties and so there is not much political difference between the two major British parties.

2566

“Left” and “Right” are distinctions that are entirely meaningless. I don’t know what it means: “America as a whole is right wing”. Is America “Up” or “Down”? “Republican” and “Democrat” are simply teams like “Broncos” and “Packers”. When someone on one team calls someone on another team a “dingleberry” or a “retard” I just shake my head.

Call it left or right, it doesn’t matter. Both U.S. parties claim they want peace and execute war. Both U.S. parties claim they want to help the common man but actually rob the majority to benefit a small politically connected elite. Both U.S. parties claim they are promoting freedom, but furiously add to the mountain of restrictions imposed on those who do not have special connections. Both U.S. parties claim they know what is best and if they have all the power they will dole out prosperity and goodwill and when they have a term of control they blame their failures on the “other guy’s” previous “mistakes” (which are remarkably indistinguishable from their own policies). There is no difference. There is no right, there is no left. There is the politically connected and then there is everyone else. The only question voters are aloud to answer is whether they want to be raped by team R or team D.

-Adrian

2567

[QUOTE=“Arbitrager on Acid;686427”] “Left” and “Right” are distinctions that are entirely meaningless. I don’t know what it means: “America as a whole is right wing”. Is America “Up” or “Down”? “Republican” and “Democrat” are simply teams like “Broncos” and “Packers”. When someone on one team calls someone on another team a “dingleberry” or a “retard” I just shake my head. Call it left or right, it doesn’t matter. Both U.S. parties claim they want peace and execute war. Both U.S. parties claim they want to help the common man but actually rob the majority to benefit a small politically connected elite. Both U.S. parties claim they are promoting freedom, but furiously add to the mountain of restrictions imposed on those who do not have special connections. Both U.S. parties claim they know what is best and if they have all the power they will dole out prosperity and goodwill and when they have a term of control they blame their failures on the “other guy’s” previous “mistakes” (which are remarkably indistinguishable from their own policies). There is no difference. There is no right, there is no left. There is the politically connected and then there is everyone else. The only question voters are aloud to answer is whether they want to be raped by team R or team D. -Adrian[/QUOTE]

Again I agree, but to be definitive left and right refers to economic stance. If you were too look on a political compass left is more ‘socialist’ and equality based economic policies, mixed economies (nationalisation), redistribution of wealth etc and obviously far left is communism. Right being free market, privatisation and small government. America economically is right wing, to be a socialist is unheard of in America it’s almost as if it’s a crime, and obamacare isn’t a socialist policy it barely comes close to a proper free at point of use health service like the NHS. So yes America is right wing economically, this is evident.

2568

Well that is good news and I don’t want to complain too much when when I realize that there are many poor bastards living in other parts of the world dealing with real nationalized industries. As far as I can tell, the right wing both in the U.S. and in the U.K. is far from “free market”. While they like privatization, they don’t like free markets. They want governments to impose taxes on the masses to spend with private corporations which they own.

The Affordable Healthcare Act here in the U.S. is the most laughable recent example. They are literally mandating that every American buy services from a special group of companies. While it is true that there is a market for equity in those companies, it can hardly be said that there is a free market for the services they provide. And we all know that the average Joe will not be a meaningful owner of the equity in those corps.

Since the 2009 equity market bottom, the Dow is up roughly 130% and the S&P is up roughly 155%. United Healthcare is up over 430%. Anthem is up 300%. Kaiser is up 209% Healthcare ETF VHT is up 215%. Healthcare ETF XLV is up 195%. What a great deal for the major stock holders. And they get to pat themselves on the back for getting all those morons out there who are too stupid to buy health insurance to do so. Plus they get to call themselves champions of “freedom” and “capitalism”.

So yeah, we can say they are about markets, markets wherein millions of people are coerced into buying their services.

At the end of the day, what is the difference to me between socialism and corporatism? If I am forced to buy services and prohibited from competing with either the government directly or certain organizations approved by the government, there is not a shred of difference. My only solace is in the fact that under the corporatist scheme I can buy the equity and become one of the beneficiaries of the caper. And that is what I will do and what I will teach my kids to do. But I will never believe I was offered any real choice as to whether or not there would be any extortion here, just a choice between extortion with a D or an R on the label.

All that said, I am more optimistic than anyone I know about the future for many reasons despite the political foolishness out there. May you have health and wealth.

Now I need another beer.

-Adrian

2569

Best idea? Become and expat, marry a pretty and intelligent foreign girl without entitlement issues, send in your useless but still necessary absentee ballot.
I did :slight_smile:

2570

The triumph of Obama’s anti-Americanism

California student group bans American flag from lobby

Quote:

The resolution authored by student Matthew Guevara of the university’s social ecology school lists 25 reasons for the ban, saying that the American flag has been flown in times of “colonialism and imperialism” and could symbolize American “exceptionalism and superiority.” The resolution says “freedom of speech, in a space that aims to be as inclusive as possible, can be interpreted as hate speech.”

I wonder how much [B]federal[/B] student aid that little anti-American twerp is receiving.

Article:

California student group bans American flag from lobby

Barak Obama must be so proud!

:42:

683 days (and counting) until we get rid of this worthless president.

Let’s make sure that Obama is the [B]last[/B] un-American president we ever elect.

:42:

2571

Joe Arpaio for President

Sheriff Joe Arpaio cracks down on convicted murderer Jodi Arias.

“Arias needs to understand that while she is in my jail, she is to obey all the rules
and breaking them has consequences,” Arpaio said in a news release.

Arias temporarily banned from jail calls, video chats

.

2572

Butch DeGeneres and her “wife”

How do lesbians decide who’s going to be the "wife"
and who’s going to be the “husband”?

2573

That is absolutely terrible.

2574

Further proof that climate change denying politicians are being funded by the corporations that profit from fossil fuels. It baffles me why the common man would believe climate change denying politicians over scientists? Politicians have an agenda to deny; $$$$ from lobbyists to fund their career.

2575

Of course it is! Who wouldn’t pay people to ruin the world for our future generations! There is paper to be made! Actually, not even that, just worthless electrons and 1’s and 0’s.

2576

Trey Gowdy: Hillary Clinton wiped email server clean - POLITICO

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.

2577

[U]Russia outlaws “misleading” internet memes[/U]

Even [I]before[/I] we link to the article, let’s make two points:

• When they say “Russia” outlaws something, they mean “Putin” outlawed it.

• Putin seems to think “meme” means “political cartoon”. Putin doesn’t like political cartoons of himself, because most of them portray him as the KGB goon that he really is. But, I digress.

Let’s remind ourselves what a [I]meme[/I] is, and then we can play along with what Putin [I]thinks[/I] a meme is.

[U]From the Urban Dictionary[/U]:

[B]meme[/B] (noun) -

1 : an idea, belief or belief system, or pattern of behavior that spreads throughout a culture either vertically by cultural inheritance (as by parents to children) or horizontally by cultural acquisition (as by peers, information media, and entertainment media)

2 : a pervasive thought or thought pattern that replicates itself via cultural means; a parasitic code, a virus of the mind especially contagious to children and the impressionable

3 : the fundamental unit of information, analogous to the gene in emerging evolutionary theory of culture

  • meme pool (n.) : all memes of a culture or individual
  • memetic (adj.) : relating to memes
  • memetics (n.) : the study of memes

4 : in blogspeak, an idea that is spread from blog to blog

5 : an internet information generator, especially of random or contentless information

Not a word there about political cartoons.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the article about the Russians having a pout over cartoons on the internet that make fun of Putin — or other public figures (provided those other public figures are Putin’s buddies).

Russia just made a ton of Internet memes illegal - The Washington Post

Putin likes [I]some[/I] internet memes (aka political cartoons).

Putin and the Russian Meme Police have approved the following memes.

These memes may be posted on the internet, because they accurately portray actual historical events.

.

2578

Hillary Clinton begins presidential push with Iowa visit

Hillary Clinton is running for president?

Again?

Really?

The Old Gray Mare of the Democrat Party

• no ethics
• no integrity
• no credibility

no, thanks!

And the woman is about as charming as toenail fungus.

.

2579

Ahahaha… apparently not many Clinton supporters here…