Political Roundtable Part XX

[dckingsfan]

what exactly sucks? You are soooooooooooooooooooo out of touch with reality.

We are basically bankrupt at both a federal, state and local level. We are involved in multiple ongoing wars. Our education system is stuck in the 50s. Our growth is still stuck. Inequality is going in the wrong direction. We have a huge drug problem that is killing people off at a unprecedented level. Our incarceration system and unfunded pension liabilities are bankrupting local and state governments. Misinformation and partisanship due to ratings-driven journalism. etc.. etc.. etc..

Even Trump says we need to make America great AGAIN

Other than that Ms. Lincoln, how was the play?

what save you from the cliff in 2009-2014? compared to those years we are significantly better off.

Actually, no. None of what was mentioned above is better.

Trump increased our debt. Has not got us out of either of the wars. Hasn't done anything meaningful on education. Growth is still stuck. Inequality is still going in the wrong direction. Our drug epidemic is getting worse. Our incarceration problem is getting worse. Our unfunded pension liabilities are getting worse. And Trump is the master at misinformation - so that is getting worse as well.

No meaningful improvement. What was that play about Ms. Lincoln?

[I_Like_Dirt]

Yes, the fiscal conservatives crossing over would do it also... I would think the mantra of sustainable would work for the more crunchy Ds. Farming, environment and government... you could extend it to the economy as well

Agreed about the crunchy Ds. The fiscal conservatives are allied with the wrong extreme at this point. The Democrat extremes are a much better fit for them. A lot of the old-timey more centrist Dems really need to be pushed out of the party anyway, it would be a great time for the fiscal conservatives to do just that. I mean, while a lot of those crunchy Ds are anti-anything military, realistically I think there is some common ground to be found there there for actually funding and supporting a military while not immediately going to war with it all the time, which is room for a reasonable compromise.

To be honest, though, I don't really have any attachment to the Democratic Party as an institution, either. If the alliance were to happen in the Republican Party, I'm all for it. The Democratic Party has a bit more institutional roots in place, I feel, which actually makes it harder to attack, but at the same time, the Republican Party, I feel, is a little too far in on the hatred/pay the wealthy train for them to be a suitable institution for that kind of alliance.

There really is no reason that the tax code shouldn't be simplified (I'm not a fan of your flat tax idea, but do love massive simplification in general) while at the same time increasing the effective tax that major corporations pay, tackle de facto monopolies or even borderline de jure ones when we're talking about Comcast and their ilk, and actually spread social programs while attacking cost drivers essentially getting more for less in the process. That literally none of those things are happening and honestly they're all getting worse at an increasing pace is pretty depressing if you think about it for too long.

[dckingsfan]

Yes, the fiscal conservatives crossing over would do it also... I would think the mantra of sustainable would work for the more crunchy Ds. Farming, environment and government... you could extend it to the economy as well

Agreed about the crunchy Ds. The fiscal conservatives are allied with the wrong extreme at this point. The Democrat extremes are a much better fit for them. A lot of the old-timey more centrist Dems really need to be pushed out of the party anyway, it would be a great time for the fiscal conservatives to do just that. I mean, while a lot of those crunchy Ds are anti-anything military, realistically I think there is some common ground to be found there there for actually funding and supporting a military while not immediately going to war with it all the time, which is room for a reasonable compromise.

To be honest, though, I don't really have any attachment to the Democratic Party as an institution, either. If the alliance were to happen in the Republican Party, I'm all for it. The Democratic Party has a bit more institutional roots in place, I feel, which actually makes it harder to attack, but at the same time, the Republican Party, I feel, is a little too far in on the hatred/pay the wealthy train for them to be a suitable institution for that kind of alliance.

There really is no reason that the tax code shouldn't be simplified (I'm not a fan of your flat tax idea, but do love massive simplification in general) while at the same time increasing the effective tax that major corporations pay, tackle de facto monopolies or even borderline de jure ones when we're talking about Comcast and their ilk, and actually spread social programs while attacking cost drivers essentially getting more for less in the process. That literally none of those things are happening and honestly they're all getting worse at an increasing pace is pretty depressing if you think about it for too long.

What is interesting to me is the Ds at the local level. They continue to go with estimated returns on their pensions at +7% when returns have been annualized at just over 6% on a 20 year basis. I don't think that they will be able to make that switch to sustainable as it means that they would need to cut services or reduce public employee remuneration. They have already raised taxes to 20% of GDP, so they have basically run out of room on the revenue side. I don't think they can make the switch.

At the federal level, they would certainly be the best at declaring "sustainable", coming up with a fairer tax code and coming up with a better plan for attacking the cost drivers of healthcare.

I hope it doesn't get too much worse before we get some sanity. Right now, neither party has a solution and they both just point at the other and declare incompetence. Sadly, they are both correct.

[stilldropin20]

hey, have you guys heard of this candace owens, girl?

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[stilldropin20]

meanwhile yet another Trump victory!! Tired of winning yet???

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[gtn130]

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Found a picture of SD20 and his ilk out in the wild

[stilldropin20]

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[gtn130]

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What about the Clinton Foundation?!?!

[closg00]

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What about the Clinton Foundation?!?!

PAY FOR PLAY, where are the hearings and 24/7 Fox News coverage? Why is STD20 deflecting?

[Wizardspride]

WTF is wrong with this man? McCain has every right to have who he wants at his funeral. Who can blame him for not wanting the vile, draft-dodging coward who disrespected him, at his funeral.

john mccain is a whining cry baby. he has put his own emotions ahead of his country, his party, his state that he represents. all of whom elected Trump to over trump obamacare. That he doesn't want trump at his funeral is proof.

Lol man..



Trump didn't just have a policy difference with Mc Cain. He impugned the man's honor.

And quite frankly, I don't understand why it doesn't bother you. You served in the Navy and this man insulted your brother.

I know it bothered the **** out of my dad (24 years Navy)....in large part because this is the dude that got draft deferment after draft deferment.

And he has the nerve to talk **** about a POW.

Also talked **** about President Obama.

He was dogwhistling like a ************.

Truthfully, this seems to be your MO when it comes to Trump : He can say or do anything but God forbid someone respond in kind.

This narrative that Trump is this tough guy is bs.

He's a petulant child who is quick to dish it out but can't take the heat.

And apparently, his supporters are the same way.

Bumping this in expectation of a response.

[JWizmentality]

I don't understand why you guys keep engaging SD20 expecting a coherent, intellectual argument.

[TGW]

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What about the Clinton Foundation?!?!

PAY FOR PLAY, where are the hearings and 24/7 Fox News coverage? Why is STD20 deflecting?

Trump is so a part of the swamp, it's ridiculous.

[Zonkerbl]

Yes, the fiscal conservatives crossing over would do it also... I would think the mantra of sustainable would work for the more crunchy Ds. Farming, environment and government... you could extend it to the economy as well

Agreed about the crunchy Ds. The fiscal conservatives are allied with the wrong extreme at this point. The Democrat extremes are a much better fit for them. A lot of the old-timey more centrist Dems really need to be pushed out of the party anyway, it would be a great time for the fiscal conservatives to do just that. I mean, while a lot of those crunchy Ds are anti-anything military, realistically I think there is some common ground to be found there there for actually funding and supporting a military while not immediately going to war with it all the time, which is room for a reasonable compromise.

To be honest, though, I don't really have any attachment to the Democratic Party as an institution, either. If the alliance were to happen in the Republican Party, I'm all for it. The Democratic Party has a bit more institutional roots in place, I feel, which actually makes it harder to attack, but at the same time, the Republican Party, I feel, is a little too far in on the hatred/pay the wealthy train for them to be a suitable institution for that kind of alliance.

There really is no reason that the tax code shouldn't be simplified (I'm not a fan of your flat tax idea, but do love massive simplification in general) while at the same time increasing the effective tax that major corporations pay, tackle de facto monopolies or even borderline de jure ones when we're talking about Comcast and their ilk, and actually spread social programs while attacking cost drivers essentially getting more for less in the process. That literally none of those things are happening and honestly they're all getting worse at an increasing pace is pretty depressing if you think about it for too long.

Don't forget that it's not all that long ago that the Dems were outright evil. Change can happen. Hopefully not that kind of change. We've already seen the Republican party go from evilly twirling campy mustache evil to considering concentration camps for immigrants evil.

[dckingsfan]

Yes, the fiscal conservatives crossing over would do it also... I would think the mantra of sustainable would work for the more crunchy Ds. Farming, environment and government... you could extend it to the economy as well

Agreed about the crunchy Ds. The fiscal conservatives are allied with the wrong extreme at this point. The Democrat extremes are a much better fit for them. A lot of the old-timey more centrist Dems really need to be pushed out of the party anyway, it would be a great time for the fiscal conservatives to do just that. I mean, while a lot of those crunchy Ds are anti-anything military, realistically I think there is some common ground to be found there there for actually funding and supporting a military while not immediately going to war with it all the time, which is room for a reasonable compromise.

To be honest, though, I don't really have any attachment to the Democratic Party as an institution, either. If the alliance were to happen in the Republican Party, I'm all for it. The Democratic Party has a bit more institutional roots in place, I feel, which actually makes it harder to attack, but at the same time, the Republican Party, I feel, is a little too far in on the hatred/pay the wealthy train for them to be a suitable institution for that kind of alliance.

There really is no reason that the tax code shouldn't be simplified (I'm not a fan of your flat tax idea, but do love massive simplification in general) while at the same time increasing the effective tax that major corporations pay, tackle de facto monopolies or even borderline de jure ones when we're talking about Comcast and their ilk, and actually spread social programs while attacking cost drivers essentially getting more for less in the process. That literally none of those things are happening and honestly they're all getting worse at an increasing pace is pretty depressing if you think about it for too long.

Don't forget that it's not all that long ago that the Dems were outright evil. Change can happen. Hopefully not that kind of change. We've already seen the Republican party go from evilly twirling campy mustache evil to considering concentration camps for immigrants evil.

And it feels like the Ds to some degree have their hearts in the right place (okay, collusion with public unions, trial lawyers and the various large donors, etc. would be the exception(s)).

We will see - there is definitely a shift going on... I just can't tell where it is going to end up.

[stilldropin20]

Agreed about the crunchy Ds. The fiscal conservatives are allied with the wrong extreme at this point. The Democrat extremes are a much better fit for them. A lot of the old-timey more centrist Dems really need to be pushed out of the party anyway, it would be a great time for the fiscal conservatives to do just that. I mean, while a lot of those crunchy Ds are anti-anything military, realistically I think there is some common ground to be found there there for actually funding and supporting a military while not immediately going to war with it all the time, which is room for a reasonable compromise.

To be honest, though, I don't really have any attachment to the Democratic Party as an institution, either. If the alliance were to happen in the Republican Party, I'm all for it. The Democratic Party has a bit more institutional roots in place, I feel, which actually makes it harder to attack, but at the same time, the Republican Party, I feel, is a little too far in on the hatred/pay the wealthy train for them to be a suitable institution for that kind of alliance.

There really is no reason that the tax code shouldn't be simplified (I'm not a fan of your flat tax idea, but do love massive simplification in general) while at the same time increasing the effective tax that major corporations pay, tackle de facto monopolies or even borderline de jure ones when we're talking about Comcast and their ilk, and actually spread social programs while attacking cost drivers essentially getting more for less in the process. That literally none of those things are happening and honestly they're all getting worse at an increasing pace is pretty depressing if you think about it for too long.

Don't forget that it's not all that long ago that the Dems were outright evil. Change can happen. Hopefully not that kind of change. We've already seen the Republican party go from evilly twirling campy mustache evil to considering concentration camps for immigrants evil.

And it feels like the Ds to some degree have their hearts in the right place (okay, collusion with public unions, trial lawyers and the various large donors, etc. would be the exception(s)).

We will see - there is definitely a shift going on... I just can't tell where it is going to end up.

i've been tellnig you mofos where the shift is. and you daaaaaamn skippy, you gown fill it!!

[stilldropin20]

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What about the Clinton Foundation?!?!

PAY FOR PLAY, where are the hearings and 24/7 Fox News coverage? Why is STD20 deflecting?

Trump is so a part of the swamp, it's ridiculous.

so cohey coh make a little shooky shooky on the sidey side, and y'all blaming trump??? AKA da swamp cleana!?? really????

[stilldropin20]

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get it??? well...do ya, punk!!??

ya know...i gotta ask...why exactly did obama and kerry give up that 1.8 billion or whatever the amount was? were they going to give $500K speeches over in Iran for years to come?? re-coup some of that on their own books?? My guess is damn right they were.

Or else, why so desperate to keep a terrible deal??

[stilldropin20]

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[stilldropin20]

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[closg00]

Michael Avenatti for President, he single-handedly kicks Trump/Cohens ass in every TV appearance