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2015/12/09 03:02:21
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Gordon Shumway wrote: Obama (who would likely figure out how to win a third time if he could) i
I'm a problem solver, here ya go:
Not sure if you are disputing my point or if you are disputing Obama could get reelected or if you are disputing Groucho could get elected in this country. Or are you saying he is one in the same? i guess irony doesn't need a point in the age of trump.
Help me, Rhonda. HA!
0009/12/01 19:20:51
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Not sure if you are disputing my point or if you are disputing Obama could get reelected or if you are disputing Groucho could get elected in this country. Or are you saying he is one in the same? i guess irony doesn't need a point in the age of trump.
Lol, it was an admittedly weak tongue in cheek attempt to show how Obama could get a 3rd term
0001/12/09 01:40:16
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
One of the Middle East’s largest retailers, Landmark Group, has stopped selling Trump-branded products, following the Republican presidential candidate’s controversial call to ban Muslims from the United States.
The Dubai-based firm signed a deal in February this year to sell items from the Trump Home collection to customers in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia through its Lifestyle outlets.
However, the group said on Tuesday it would now remove all products from its shelves.
“As one of the most popular home decor brands in the Middle East, Lifestyle values and respects the sentiments of all its customers,” Lifestyle CEO Sachin Mundhwa said, in a statement sent to Arabian Business.
“In light of the recent statements made by the presidential candidate in the US media, we have suspended sale of all products from the Trump Home décor range.”
Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering the US was the most dramatic response yet by a candidate to last week’s shooting spree by two Muslims who the FBI said had been radicalised. His comments were widely condemned by representatives from both sides of America’s political spectrum.
Trump also has a partnership with Dubai’s Al Tayer Group, which opened two Trump Home by Dorya galleries in the UAE in June. The firm called the billionaire real estate mogul’s recent comments “unfortunate” but did not indicate that it would be withdrawing from the partnership.
“The statement Mr Trump made on the campaign trail is unfortunate. Given his diverse business interests in the region, we hope that he will reconsider his stand,” the firm said, in a statement send to Arabian Business.
However, the firm which Trump has perhaps his most significant ties in the region – Damac Properties – refused to criticise the comments.
“We would like to stress that our agreement is with the Trump Organisation as one of the premium golf course operators in the world and as such we would not comment further on Mr. Trump’s personal or political agenda, nor comment on the internal American political debate scene," Damac senior vice president Niall McLoughlin said.
Damac is working with Trump to build two golf courses in Dubai.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2015/12/09 11:48:26
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
d-usa wrote: Except 20% of primary voters is actually a lot smaller group than 20% of Republicans.
That's why the GOP has been in trouble the last few cycles: the primary process means that they are having to turn crazy to gain the votes of a small group of people only to turn around and try to gain the votes of the actual Republicand and moderates after the primary is over.
That's the whole "we gotta rally the base" problem. The base would vote for anyone that isn't the Democrat, but if you don't pander to the few whole alienating the many you never get the nomination.
Getting rid of the few may be the best thing they could hope for.
Primary voters always have the hardcores. Thats why the news still occasionally talks about the Socialist who's running second to HRC on the Democratic side.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/09 11:51:09
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
2015/12/09 15:44:38
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Petition to ban Donald Trump from entering the UK, officially stands at 180,000 signatures.
It only went up 3 hours ago!
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
2015/12/09 16:50:55
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Another Vox article, written by Zack Beauchamp and also published yesterday, calls attention to a poll by the Public Religion Research Institute that asked respondents if they agreed with the statement “The values of Islam are at odds with American values and way of life.”
Vox’s headline announces the results for Republicans, 76% of whom agree. But the view is shared by a majority of all respondents (56%) and independents (57%) and a substantial minority of Democrats (43%). Blacks and Hispanics are evenly divided, and majorities of every Christian subpopulation, including black Protestants, agree.
Our own view of the question is complicated. Certainly Islam and the American way of life are compatible inasmuch as America is capable of welcoming Muslims who are not Islamic supremacists. On the other hand, it’s always struck us that categorical statements to the effect that Islam is “a religion of peace” are far more hortatory than empirical—which is to say that there is a gap between Islam as it actually exists and Islam as President Bush or President Obama would like it to be. How wide that gap is, and how dangerous, we do not know.
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2015/12/09 16:56:07
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Double-edged sword. He has successfully captured the imagination of those Americans who live in fear, but this latest salvo against decency probably disqualified him for the presidency amongst the national mainstream.
2015/12/09 17:16:44
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Frazzled wrote: "Listen, Alex Jones"
-wo and here I thought we were friends. You best back off son, or I will have to seek satisfaction on the field of battle. Red whippy sticks and GW dice at Dawn...SIR!
In retrospect, calling someone Alex Jones even when obviously in jest are still fighting words, and I'd expect to have my face slapped for that in real life - so I apologize.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/09 17:17:27
lord_blackfang wrote: Respect to the guy who subscribed just to post a massive ASCII dong in the chat and immediately get banned.
Flinty wrote: The benefit of slate is that its.actually a.rock with rock like properties. The downside is that it's a rock
2015/12/09 18:05:47
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Frazzled wrote: "Listen, Alex Jones"
-wo and here I thought we were friends. You best back off son, or I will have to seek satisfaction on the field of battle. Red whippy sticks and GW dice at Dawn...SIR!
In retrospect, calling someone Alex Jones even when obviously in jest are still fighting words, and I'd expect to have my face slapped for that in real life - so I apologize.
Excellent. I will celebrate our new fouhnd peace by the eating of Peace Enchiladas with Peace Rice and Peace Beans.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
3636/12/09 18:25:38
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
His shaming of Congress over the expired Zadroga Act was as painful as it was funny to watch. There are a lot of things that are shameful about our government, but turning our collective backs on the first responders who are now ill from working in the aftermath of 9/11 is just unforgivable.
2015/12/09 18:37:22
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
His shaming of Congress over the expired Zadroga Act was as painful as it was funny to watch. There are a lot of things that are shameful about our government, but turning our collective backs on the first responders who are now ill from working in the aftermath of 9/11 is just unforgivable.
Happy to say that all three of my Congress people are backing this. Cummings, Cardin and Mikulski.
0013/12/09 20:13:30
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
A spokesman for Robert Gordon university said:
“In 2010 Robert Gordon University awarded an honorary DBA to Mr Donald Trump, in recognition of his achievements as an entrepreneur and businessman.
In the course of the current US election campaign, Mr Trump has made a number of statements that are wholly incompatible with the ethos and values of the university. The university has therefore decided to revoke its award of the honorary degree.”
"A Scottish government spokeswoman said Mr Trump's "recent remarks have shown he is no longer fit to be a business ambassador for Scotland"."
2015/12/09 22:30:45
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Jimmy Carter wrote:Fourth, the Secretary of Treasury [State] and the Attorney General will invalidate all visas issued to Iranian citizens for future entry into the United States, effective today. We will not reissue visas, nor will we issue new visas, except for compelling and proven humanitarian reasons or where the national interest of our own country requires. This directive will be interpreted very strictly.
Carter orders 50,000 Iranian students in US to report to immigration office with view to deporting those in violation of their visas. On 27 December 1979, US appeals court allows deportation of Iranian students found in violation. (CRS 1981, 38, 71)
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2015/12/09 22:33:48
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Compel wrote: That's the kinda thing that happens when country's cut off diplomatic ties...
Kinda not seeing how it's relevant.
Because it shows where we have stopped immigration of certain people when we believed it to not be in our national interest.
We suspended our diplomatic ties with Syria, I guess you will be okay with us refusing to allow any Syrians in, and kicking out the non-US citizen Syrians that are here on visas, right?
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2015/12/09 22:45:32
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Compel wrote: That's the kinda thing that happens when country's cut off diplomatic ties...
Kinda not seeing how it's relevant.
Because it shows where we have stopped immigration of certain people when we believed it to not be in our national interest.
We suspended our diplomatic ties with Syria, I guess you will be okay with us refusing to allow any Syrians in, and kicking out the non-US citizen Syrians that are here on visas, right?
Except that that directive did not disallow Iranian refugees from entry to the US. So, try again.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/09 22:45:56
The Laws of Thermodynamics:
1) You cannot win. 2) You cannot break even. 3) You cannot stop playing the game.
Colonel Flagg wrote:You think you're real smart. But you're not smart; you're dumb. Very dumb. But you've met your match in me.
2015/12/09 22:50:46
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
That would be a diplomatic choice as a nation - I'm somewhat curious about the numbers of Syrian citizens in the USA who aren't refugees and do have visas actually. I imagine the USA still has ties via a third party country to allow various visits. I'm not exactly learned on political stuff.
Replacing 'Syrians' with "everyone of a particular religion, including those who are born in America, may actually serve the American Government, police, firefighters and Armed Forces..." And it becomes a little less of a diplomatic thing and a lot close to Godwin's Law. (Or even America's own history, George Takei supposedly has some good articles recently about that - referring to his own life, but I've not found them).
2015/12/09 23:15:49
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Compel wrote: That's the kinda thing that happens when country's cut off diplomatic ties...
Kinda not seeing how it's relevant.
Because it shows where we have stopped immigration of certain people when we believed it to not be in our national interest.
We suspended our diplomatic ties with Syria, I guess you will be okay with us refusing to allow any Syrians in, and kicking out the non-US citizen Syrians that are here on visas, right?
Except that that directive did not disallow Iranian refugees from entry to the US. So, try again.
From what I understood... it stopped all Iranian immigration for a bit. I know this because my co-worker immigrated here before that, and had issues getting his sisters here for awhile (they eventually made it in early 80's). Crazy time...
The point is this... let's dispense with the idea that it's illegal or unethical that a country does this. The US owes nothing to non-citizens trying to immigrate. Nothing.
However, I will add that making a blanket "no muslim" banning is an asinine policy.
You take the brakes off of our intelligence agencies to do their vetting. That means, "profiling" and other techniques should be used.
House easily passes curbs to visa waiver program ... An overwhelming majority of House lawmakers voted Tuesday to tighten restrictions on individuals entering the U.S without visas from ally nations — the chamber’s strongest border control move yet after Islamic terrorists killed 130 people in Paris.
Passing the measure may give Republican leaders more space to maneuver on a must-pass government spending bill. Many conservatives want to add provisions to the omnibus that would bar Syrian and Iraqi refugees from entering the U.S. until tighter vetting restrictions are in place.
But GOP leaders hope that Tuesday’s stand-alone visa measure will satiate the Republican appetite for action on the Syrian issue. The bill would stop individuals from traveling to the U.S. from certain countries without a visa if they’ve previously traveled to countries like Iraq or Syria that are known terrorism hotbeds. ...
This is worth having a debate...
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2015/12/09 23:23:57
Live Ork, Be Ork. or D'Ork!
2015/12/09 23:52:38
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
You say "take the brakes off our intelligence agencies" like you're implying they are currently prohibited from doing their jobs.
Got anything to back that up?
Also, Jake, I'm sure you're smart enough to know the difference between cutting diplomatic ties with a country and decide ding any people of a certain religion, no matter where they're from, are barred from entering the country. This also isn't an immigration issue; people come to this country to visit family, take vacations, study in our schools, and do business. Also, Trump made it clear that this idiotic ban would also apply to citizens, which sounds pretty illegal and unconstitutional to me.
d-usa wrote: "When the Internet sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending posters that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing strawmen. They're bringing spam. They're trolls. And some, I assume, are good people."
2015/12/10 01:10:52
Subject: Re:The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
ScootyPuffJunior wrote: You say "take the brakes off our intelligence agencies" like you're implying they are currently prohibited from doing their jobs.
Got anything to back that up?
Also, Jake, I'm sure you're smart enough to know the difference between cutting diplomatic ties with a country and decide ding any people of a certain religion, no matter where they're from, are barred from entering the country. This also isn't an immigration issue; people come to this country to visit family, take vacations, study in our schools, and do business. Also, Trump made it clear that this idiotic ban would also apply to citizens, which sounds pretty illegal and unconstitutional to me.
Trump allegedly backtracked the 'includes citizen' thing one of his staffers said (heard it on the the Progress channel's Michelangelo Signorile show this afternoon while picking up my daughter from school).
And it is an immigration issue. I've already stated I think it is a dumb idea, but it is not unconstitutional (heck, even Signorile admits as much and he is as far from a Trump fan as you can get). Tashfeen Malik is a very recent example of someone who went through some vetting to get her visa to come home with Farook. It looks like even as they went through that process they were radicalized and planned some attack. Folks read this/hear it on the news, and a lot agree with Trump. Hell, he is not even close to the only R candidate who came up with a similar idea, he just stated his bluntly. Rand Paul put up a bill to restrict immigration and even visit visas from Muslim nations in July after the Chattanooga attack. Most if not all of the R candidates want to at a minimum block Syrian refugees from entrance.
We, as a nation, HAVE blocked immigration from certain groups more than once (remember the link I posted earlier to the Chinese Exclusion Act as one example).
As I understand it, taking all the rhetoric out of it, Trump's current position is 'block entrance of non-citizen Muslims into the US until congress can figure out legislation and programs to ensure we are not letting in bad guys'. With the very recent example you will have a hard time explaining why that does not make sense to a lot of folks, both D and R working class.
The Public Religion Research Institute 2015 American Values Survey found that 56 percent of Americans said the values of Islam are at odds with American beliefs and way of life. Almost six in 10 white Americans feel that way, as compared to 48 percent of blacks and 46 percent of Hispanics. The highest percentage of those that agree with the statements are white evangelical Protestants, 73 percent of whom said Islam is incompatible with the U.S. way of life, though a majority of every Christian religious group said they feel the same.
People's feeling on the matter are strongly influenced by their political leanings, the poll shows. Three-quarters of Republicans (76 percent) and 77 percent of Tea Party members think Islam is at odds with the American way of life. While the poll shows support among other political groups is smaller, it's still considerable: 57 percent of independents and 43 percent of Democrats agree that Islam is incompatible with life in the U.S.
And it is an immigration issue. I've already stated I think it is a dumb idea, but it is not unconstitutional...
I'm no constitutional or legal scholar, but it seems to me that specifically banning people of a particular religion from entering the country violates that whole "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" part of the first amendment. At least come up with some other reason to bar people from entering.
And the issue at hand is not about immigration, that is purely a red herring and a dodge to avoid the real issue. The real issue is the political fearmongering and hatemongering that is being used to turn us against each other in a second coming of McCarthyism. "Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party...I mean, Islamic faith?"
"Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see.
One chants out between two worlds: Fire, walk with me." - Twin Peaks
"You listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I'll gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method... is love. I love you Sheriff Truman." - Twin Peaks
2015/12/10 05:52:45
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Edit: With numbers like the following BEFORE the San Bernardino attack, Trump's position may not be as much of a death sentence as folks assume
Of course not. Lots of people in the US dislike Muslims and most of them are conservative, Republican, or some combination thereof. Trump's position is yet another attempt to tap into the silent majority of people who angrily yell at their media devices, but don't actually vote.
Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.
2015/12/10 07:16:08
Subject: The Political Junkie™ Thread - USA Edition
Atheists like to say that prayer does not work. Well, the "religious right" along with fundies and evangelicals of all stripes have been praying for God to smite Trump down. The atheists laughed at them. Then this appears to have happened.
