POLITICAL THREAD

[KingOfBBN]

I'd love a president that would tell every crybaby and special interest group to go eff themselves. Sick of the constant pandering, promoting of white guilt, demonizing of our own country, and never take a strong stance on anything.

I have a few things that are of the most importance to me for 2016.

1. Get illegal immigration under control. This crap is out of hand and killing our country.
2. Get spending under control. Stop the handouts and insane amount of money to foreign countries and our enemies.
3. Stop with the victim rhetoric and pandering. Basically, every Democratic candidate should go eff themselves this election. This administration has been such a disaster that if another leftist gets elected, we deserve the absolute worst to happen to us.

 

[Willy4UK]

I'd love a president that would tell every crybaby and special interest group to go eff themselves. Sick of the constant pandering, promoting of white guilt, demonizing of our own country, and never take a strong stance on anything.

I have a few things that are of the most importance to me for 2016.

1. Get illegal immigration under control. This crap is out of hand and killing our country.
2. Get spending under control. Stop the handouts and insane amount of money to foreign countries and our enemies.
3. Stop with the victim rhetoric and pandering. Basically, every Democratic candidate should go eff themselves this election. This administration has been such a disaster that if another leftist gets elected, we deserve the absolute worst to happen to us.

Not sure if it's been mentioned. But legalizing marijuana as a tax could pay the entire welfare system. Colorado just got $200 million in weed taxes. Magnify that over 50 states and not one working tax payer EVER have to pay one of their hard earned dollar on a welfare family. Solely funded by weed.

However, I'm all for welfare reform on the corporate side. No way welfare reform gets done unless corporate welfare is done too. As of this date tax payers are giving more of their hard earned money to profit making, no tax paying corporations than poor people welfare. But poor people don't have the money to mold their "image" like a POS corporation.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I love that Palin is an "idiot" yet the left said nothing about Biden.

MSM bias. Read some of these Hillary emails where CNN correspondents were making sure they were promoting her on TV? Barely reported. Ridiculous.

And Im still waiting for the MSM to point out Kim Davis is a Dem. Will never happen.

I'd love a president that would tell every crybaby and special interest group to go eff themselves. Sick of the constant pandering, promoting of white guilt, demonizing of our own country, and never take a strong stance on anything.

I have a few things that are of the most importance to me for 2016.

1. Get illegal immigration under control. This crap is out of hand and killing our country.
2. Get spending under control. Stop the handouts and insane amount of money to foreign countries and our enemies.
3. Stop with the victim rhetoric and pandering. Basically, every Democratic candidate should go eff themselves this election. This administration has been such a disaster that if another leftist gets elected, we deserve the absolute worst to happen to us.

Agreed. The only Dem Id vote for would be Sanders over anyone other than Trump, Kasich, Carson, or Rand (whos basically done). At least Bernie would turn everything on its head. What we're doing now obviously doesnt work.

Not sure if it's been mentioned. But legalizing marijuana as a tax could pay the entire welfare system. Colorado just got $200 million in weed taxes. Magnify that over 50 states and not one working tax payer EVER have to pay one of their hard earned dollar on a welfare family. Solely funded by weed.

However, I'm all for welfare reform on the corporate side. No way welfare reform gets done unless corporate welfare is done too. As of this date tax payers are giving more of their hard earned money to profit making, no tax paying corporations than poor people welfare. But poor people don't have the money to mold their "image" like a POS corporation.

Also agree, except Id still want handouts cut; to both people and companies. Imagine the budgetary reversal that would create? Wed be at a huge surplus, pay down our national debt, stop having to pander to China, and begin REALLY researching alternate fuel sources so we can stop pandering to the ME.

 

[From-the-stands]

Not sure if it's been mentioned. But legalizing marijuana as a tax could pay the entire welfare system. Colorado just got $200 million in weed taxes. Magnify that over 50 states and not one working tax payer EVER have to pay one of their hard earned dollar on a welfare family. Solely funded by weed.

However, I'm all for welfare reform on the corporate side. No way welfare reform gets done unless corporate welfare is done too. As of this date tax payers are giving more of their hard earned money to profit making, no tax paying corporations than poor people welfare. But poor people don't have the money to mold their "image" like a POS corporation.

Legalize weed and rep the $ benefits like you say, plus realize savings in the justice and prison systems from not having to prosecute and incarcerate weed users.

 

[Willy4UK]

Bigblue- Definitely make cuts on both ends. Just saying that the weed could off set the tax payers. I agree with you man. It could definitely help towards the debt. That Colorado news should be a HUGE wake up call.

I bet you alone. $1 trillion a year for all 50 states. Talk about budgeting that..

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Legalize weed and rep the $ benefits like you say, plus realize savings in the justice and prison systems from not having to prosecute and incarcerate weed users.

We really need to end the war on drugs altogether; along with all other victimless crimes. None of its worked. Just isolate and tax it.

 

[Willy4UK]

We really need to end the war on drugs altogether; along with all other victimless crimes. None of its worked. Just isolate and tax it.

How long would it take both parties to start borrowing from it? hahaha

 

[bigblueinsanity]

How long would it take both parties to start borrowing from it? hahaha

Theyd have their grubby hands in it as much as possible. But if we stop corporate and individual handouts, i dont know what theyd spend it on. Well, theyre government. Theyll find something.

 

[Willy4UK]

Theyd have their grubby hands in it as much as possible. But if we stop corporate and individual handouts, i dont know what theyd spend it on. Well, theyre government. Theyll find something.

Yep. Is it wrong for us to bank money as a country?

Reforming corporate welfare could be pretty clear cut. So I think reforming poor people welfare should toughen the criteria and adding a probationary period or something that could allow better verification as to whether a family is committing fraud or not.

 

[From-the-stands]

We really need to end the war on drugs altogether; along with all other victimless crimes. None of its worked. Just isolate and tax it.

People of all political stripes need to support changes in the laws. There is a shit load of money in prisons/corrections and those profiting from it will not give up easily. Prisoners = profit. Companies like Corrections Corporation spends millions lobbying congress to keep things the way they are. They need product (prisoners). The emphasis on profit over people is disgusting.

 

[Deeeefense]

There is only ONE person for this job, and she's the chosen one. Get on the Hillary train!!!!!

 

[warrior-cat]

Then why did your command have them in that situation in the first place? Didn't they have the foresight to anticipate this? What if it had been 6 of the 10 instead just 2, could your section have performed their duty?

Command did not have a choice. They could not discriminate. Besides, only one objected to having to possibly fight his Muslim brothers. This section was a section of misfits anyway. I was just coming off of the Trail (Drill Sergeant status) end of August 1990 and was assigned to a Battery in a Battalion that was going to the Gulf. Since this particular unit was an 8 section Howitzer Battery, it had 8 M110A1 howitzers but only enough men to man 7 of them. When I got there the 8th Howitzer was deadlined because it was being cannibalized for parts to keep the others running. Couple that with the fact that I had no men to run the section with made it a less than promising beginning. Then each section was commanded to give me one man each to get things started. You can imagine what kind of soldiers I got. Nobody is going to give you their best soldiers so, I got the worst of each section. Not the way I wanted to go into battle.

 

[P19978]

There is only ONE person for this job, and she's the chosen one. Get on the Hillary train!!!!!

But isn't that train headed to Leavenworth?

 

[P19978]

Bigblue- Definitely make cuts on both ends. Just saying that the weed could off set the tax payers. I agree with you man. It could definitely help towards the debt. That Colorado news should be a HUGE wake up call.

I bet you alone. $1 trillion a year for all 50 states. Talk about budgeting that..

But weed would cannibalize tobacco so the net benefit would be far less.

 

[Willy4UK]

But weed would cannibalize tobacco so the net benefit would be far less.

I guess it could, but tobacco vaping becoming more prevalent can keepthe tobacco industry going. Unless they don't do the vaping thing.

 

[P19978]

Agreed. The only Dem Id vote for would be Sanders over anyone other than Trump, Kasich, Carson, or Rand (whos basically done). At least Bernie would turn everything on its head. What we're doing now obviously doesnt work.



Also agree, except Id still want handouts cut; to both people and companies. Imagine the budgetary reversal that would create? Wed be at a huge surplus, pay down our national debt, stop having to pander to China, and begin REALLY researching alternate fuel sources so we can stop pandering to the ME.

Sanders is a recession waiting to happen. Why would any corporation make capital investments under a socialist? Corporate America would flee this country faster than ever.

Also, we have the ability to become energy independent already. We were 70% self-sufficient in 2008. Get rid of Obama and the EPA and it will happen.

 

[P19978]

Yep. Is it wrong for us to bank money as a country?

Reforming corporate welfare could be pretty clear cut. So I think reforming poor people welfare should toughen the criteria and adding a probationary period or something that could allow better verification as to whether a family is committing fraud or not.

Here's a solution:

Raise the minimum wage to $20/hour.

To pay Corporate America for this extra expense, you cut corporate tax rates from 35% to say 25%. This will help keep businesses from fleeing the country (I'm looking at you Ingersoll Rand, etc) and will bring back offshore deposits, thus bringing in more tax revenue.

Welfare expense can redirected to offset reduction in tax revenue due to reduced tax rates. No need for welfare now that we're paying a "living" wage? Cut welfare to the bone to be used only by the truly needy.

Unemployment? Cut that as well: no need to incentivize people to "not" work for 73 weeks. After all, we're now paying a living wage, right?

Net effects:
Unskilled labor earns a living wage.
Businesses stay in America.
Unemployment goes down. Tax revs go up (more people back to work).
Potentially, spending goes down (reduction in welfare and unemployment bene's).

Politically, everybody gets something.

 

[Mojocat]

Just read of this at National Review, and I agree completely:

"I've said it a million times: The anchorman of CBS News shouldattend Democratic fundraisers (as happened). The Supreme Court reporter of the New York Times, a.k.a. the paper of record, should march in abortion-rights rallies (as happened). And PBS news figures should be open partisans.

Yesterday, when Senator Barbara Mikulski declared for the Iran deal, meaning that this deal could not be blocked by the Senate, Gwen Ifill spiked the football. “Take that, Bibi,” she tweeted. Aha! Good one, Gwen!

The PBS ombudsman has written about this matter disapprovingly. I’m not sure I disapprove. What I disapprove of is pretending — the pretending that these news organizations are neutral and dispassionate, instead of on the left.

Nomsayin? Know what I’m saying? It seems so . . . elementary. Let your true colors fly, and we’ll have a good ol’ democratic debate."

Ifill and the CBS anchor and the Times reporter should be required to disclose their loyalties. No such thing as objective media. Let's get it out in the open....

 

[jamo0001]

A $1T weed tax windfall would just result in another $200B in military spending and $800B in entitlement spending.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Yep. Is it wrong for us to bank money as a country?

Reforming corporate welfare could be pretty clear cut. So I think reforming poor people welfare should toughen the criteria and adding a probationary period or something that could allow better verification as to whether a family is committing fraud or not.

Sure seems that way. Politicians spend like its burning a hole in their pocket. Guess thats easy to do when its other peoples money...

I totally agree with a safety net. We just have to end it as a way of life. It should be bare bones, nutritionally restricted. So we're not paying them to get diabetes, then paying them to treat it. Plus being bare bones gives the person incentive to want something better, rather than living on the draw.

People of all political stripes need to support changes in the laws. There is a shit load of money in prisons/corrections and those profiting from it will not give up easily. Prisoners = profit. Companies like Corrections Corporation spends millions lobbying congress to keep things the way they are. They need product (prisoners). The emphasis on profit over people is disgusting.

Yep. Same reason the tax code will never see real transformation. Imagine all the IRS, lawyers, accountants, and judges out of work.

Sanders is a recession waiting to happen. Why would any corporation make capital investments under a socialist? Corporate America would flee this country faster than ever.

Probably. But he'll be so radical, either itll actually work. Or he'll send us straight into catastrophe. At this point, im all for ripping off the bandaid rather than dying a slow death. At least that would make people wake up and want REAL change.

Or...it would work. Either way, hes bound to make SOMETHING happen.

Just read of this at National Review, and I agree completely:

"I've said it a million times: The anchorman of CBS News shouldattend Democratic fundraisers (as happened). The Supreme Court reporter of the New York Times, a.k.a. the paper of record, should march in abortion-rights rallies (as happened). And PBS news figures should be open partisans.

Yesterday, when Senator Barbara Mikulski declared for the Iran deal, meaning that this deal could not be blocked by the Senate, Gwen Ifill spiked the football. “Take that, Bibi,” she tweeted. Aha! Good one, Gwen!

The PBS ombudsman has written about this matter disapprovingly. I’m not sure I disapprove. What I disapprove of is pretending — the pretending that these news organizations are neutral and dispassionate, instead of on the left.

Nomsayin? Know what I’m saying? It seems so . . . elementary. Let your true colors fly, and we’ll have a good ol’ democratic debate."

Ifill and the CBS anchor and the Times reporter should be required to disclose their loyalties. No such thing as objective media. Let's get it out in the open....

I can get on board with that. If youre biased, at least let us know. No need to hide the pom poms. That way the average joe will at least know and can take your info with a grain of salt.

 

[P19978]

You know what's really sad?

You could take a dozen or so of the regular posters on this site (excluding Dee, of course) and solve most of the country's problems... yet the dipsticks in DC can't seem to resolve anything due to their partisan politics.

Come Nov 2016, I think this is why one of the "outsiders" wins. People (more so on the Repub side, although some Dems are at least looking at the radical Sanders) are fed up with partisan politics.

 

[Mashburned]

You take those same 12 folks and give them access to unthinkable cash and see if they still are able to solve all the countries problems.

Doubtful, imo.

Humans are humans. Power and money changes things.

Local government is the only hope. Getting that back at this point in time even seems unattainable. There is really no point to national politics. If you aren't fixing your own shit, then stfu. There no hope. It has to start local, but all we're interested in is handing that power over to the big boys because we are brainwashed idiots.

 

[Bill Cosby]

Not the Onion...

Hillary ClintonVerified account‏@HillaryClinton 21h21 hours ago

Hillary Clinton retweeted The Associated Press

Marriage equality is the law of the land. Officials should be held to their duty to uphold the law—end of story.

 

[Bill Cosby]

The country is absolutely passed a point of return.

The current design of the two party system coupled with the intentional flooding of the country with anchor babies ensures that.

Now it's more about finding a way to legally take advantage of the people who are so goddam stupid they keep perpetuating this.

If you are a grown man who voted for Obama TWICE, I look down on you. Once was bad enough, but TWICE. And it's not because of a partisan political thing. It's because you likely either voted for him 100% based on race without giving a shit about the country or because you're too goddam stupid to tie your own shoes.

 

[Bill Cosby]

And yes, I voted for McCain. But I fully admit convincing myself a vote for McCain was actually a vote against Obama is one of the more embarrassing things I've ever done. I had other options, I just convinced myself to go along with the popular opinion that I didn't.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

People of all political stripes need to support changes in the laws. There is a shit load of money in prisons/corrections and those profiting from it will not give up easily. Prisoners = profit. Companies like Corrections Corporation spends millions lobbying congress to keep things the way they are. They need product (prisoners). The emphasis on profit over people is disgusting.

Please explain to me why you think "prisoners = profit".

 

[argubs2]

But weed would cannibalize tobacco so the net benefit would be far less.

No, it wouldn't. That's dumb.

 

[cat_chaser]

Yeah, weed has dwarfed tobacco as the states leading cash for decades. Legal or not, that's the way it has been and will always be.

 

[Mashburned]

Please explain to me why you think "prisoners = profit".

Google private prisons.

Stumbled across some stats and I was shocked. It's crazy. I didn't know much about it, but I firmly believe it's the most important issue our country will not acknowledge. It's pretty scary. Russia is the only country that comes close to controlling their own people as much as we do.

In TX (King of private prisons) the shits doubled in the span of 18 months in the 90's. The contracts are absurd. They changed laws in order to ensure these prisons would be able to keep enough inmates and fulfill their contracts, and also so business would expand. This was in the f'n 90's. I can only imagined how much this BS has increased since then.

And the rehab prison facilities...lol. There's something else to google. I didn't dig too deep there, but it seemed like they would dump the crazies/addicts in rehab facilities so they could expand the prisons more...but they did under the guise of "these people need help! Treatment! Thy don't belong in prisons". The reality was you got sent there to die. They gave you no treatment at all, in fact, they took your meds, and basically hoped you would die or kill yourself. Again, this was in the 90's. Maybe this shit has stopped, or my guess is it's expanded as or prisons have.

Nobody will talk about it.

 

[Mashburned]

Someone pleas explain to me why people still believe our governme to is capable of fixing or maintaining anything?

VT, can you answer that without telling me I'm stupid for believing our government is wildly incompetent and should have many duties/responsibilities stripped from them? Why do you believe they should have the power to attempt to fix or change more things? We give them more responsibility each year it seems. All under the guise of "we want to help you! Yay!".

 

[Deeeefense]

Google private prisons.

Stumbled across some stats and I was shocked. It's crazy. I didn't know much about it, but I firmly believe it's the most important issue our country will not acknowledge. It's pretty scary. Russia is the only country that comes close to controlling their own people as much as we do.

In TX (King of private prisons) the shits doubled in the span of 18 months in the 90's. The contracts are absurd. They changed laws in order to ensure these prisons would be able to keep enough inmates and fulfill their contracts, and also so business would expand. This was in the f'n 90's. I can only imagined how much this BS has increased since then.

And the rehab prison facilities...lol. There's something else to google. I didn't dig too deep there, but it seemed like they would dump the crazies/addicts in rehab facilities so they could expand the prisons more...but they did under the guise of "these people need help! Treatment! Thy don't belong in prisons". The reality was you got sent there to die. They gave you no treatment at all, in fact, they took your meds, and basically hoped you would die or kill yourself. Again, this was in the 90's. Maybe this shit has stopped, or my guess is it's expanded as or prisons have.

Nobody will talk about it.

Prisons are big business as you point out, and the industry has lobbyists and plenty of money to fill up certain politicians campaign coffers.

This is but another issue that's been exacerbated by the Citizens United decision allowing unlimited special interest money to flow into political campaigns.

 

[From-the-stands]

Please explain to me why you think "prisoners = profit".

Because CCA makes more money for every prisoner they house. They are a huge, publicly traded corporations with shareholders they are accountable to. Naturally they want to make as much money as they possible can, so they are lobbying congress to NOT soften drug laws.

So non-violent criminals who happen to enjoy weed sometimes get put in their prisons and TAXPAYERS foot the bill for their incarceration. That doesn't sound like a very good deal for us, right?

Then add to that, we are turning our backs on a new tax stream revenue by not legalizing weed like Colorado.

 

[Willy4UK]

Because CCA makes more money for every prisoner they house. They are a huge, publicly traded corporations with shareholders they are accountable to. Naturally they want to make as much money as they possible can, so they are lobbying congress to NOT soften drug laws.

So non-violent criminals who happen to enjoy weed sometimes get put in their prisons and TAXPAYERS foot the bill for their incarceration. That doesn't sound like a very good deal for us, right?

Then add to that, we are turning our backs on a new tax stream revenue by not legalizing weed like Colorado.

Only 8% of prisons are for profit. Yet most people think we have 100% for profit prisons.

 

[From-the-stands]

Only 8% of prisons are for profit. Yet most people think we have 100% for profit prisons.

The important thing to remember is that their lobbying efforts affect the drug laws, which affects prison populations for all prisons, public or private.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/06/23/251363/cca-geogroup-prison-industry/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/post...me-the-biggest-lobby-no-one-is-talking-about/

 

[warrior-cat]

Then let's get Obama involved and get some more prisoner exchanges going. Profit for non profit prisoner exchange. That should solve the problem.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

Private Prisons make their proffit in STAFFING. They move into poor counties where they pay barely above minimum wage with little or no benefits. They hire retired state and federal correctional staff that arent concerned with benefits/retirement to supervise their facilities and line staff. Then they are able to use the cost savings from staffing to bid on inmate bedspace cheaper than what State and Federal facilities can do it and still make a proffit for the company while saving the tax payer.
Private Prisons lobby because drug dealers compose a huge part of their populations due to being non-violent and usually with shorter sentences. Thats the niche that these private prisons fit and I dont see much changing unless they legalize all drugs.

 

[P19978]

No, it wouldn't. That's dumb.

Talk to any equity analyst covering tobacco stocks.

 

[argubs2]

Give me a source on that or wherever you saw it, please.

Beer/Wine/Spirits I could see somewhat.

Tobacco makes zero sense. It's in a completely different class.

 

[P19978]

It was a conference call; if its in print I'll get it.

 

[DUNNSTILLFREENALIVE]

I have drank the cool aid and have misevaluated things like Jon hood one day making a solid contribution on the floor as a player for UK. I really didn't see how the possibility of some weirdo with the name barrack Hussein Obama actually becoming president of the United states of America. That blindsided the is out of me. And the powers that be disregarding what the American people want to happen just because is bewildering but man... I got this feeling in my bones that the commander in chief ain't gonna be left, I really want to see Ben Carson smash some liberal assholes for the next 8 years and all the flibbertygibbits that thought I didn't like Obama because he was black could go jump in a lake of ignorant ignoramuses where they belong