Political Roundtable Part XXIV

[stilldropin20]

Read on Twitter

[stilldropin20]

wow! CNN with an honest headline.

Read on Twitter

[stilldropin20]

Read on Twitter

[verbal8]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

Hahahahahhahahahha

I think Stone and Corsi have a joint stupidity agreement.

Stone using the 5th in this situation is incorrect on a number of levels. The fundamental inconsistency is in this situation is he can't both be innocent and use the 5th amendment.

[verbal8]

Read on Twitter

Populism!

In any other administration this would be YUGE news.

[verbal8]

The trial wasn't about any direct victims. It was Epstein vs. a lawyer who represented a victim or victims.

I think Epstein's day is coming soon. I think his settlement was an attempt to delay it.

BTW Secretary Acosta needs to go for his role in this travesty of justice.

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Naivete and ignorance -- it's still weird how much coverage this network dedicates to this woman....

“The point, I think, was more about how we care so little about the ‘how do you pay for it’ when we are talking about war and military spending,” her spokesman told The Washington Post. “It’s only when we are talking about investing in the physical and economic well-being of our citizenry that we become concerned with the price tags.”

They got you talking about it. She seems to be pretty skilled at calling attention to the issues that matter to her constituents, and to a youth voting block who are now engaged and interested in politics and energized about their ability to be heard.

In this case: what builds a better safer future for the majority of Americans: a bloated military budget? Or Health care.

Now at this point, sure you could make the argument, if we cut federal spending in those industries then ok sure they would start selling those weapons elsewhere and hey we would suddenly have need of those weapons. But that amounts to extortion, no?

Would you prefer drone assassin robots to be flying overseas to murder foreign brown people, based on questionable human intelligence? Or would you prefer that tech be used to deliver your prescription from CVS to wherever your phone is, instead of loading your meatspace self into a ton of steel and driving cross town to pick up your bottles, while cursing all the traffic on the road.

Seems to me she is right that we can call for a change in priorities for a hopeful future, that focusing on innovations and green initiatives are what matter to young folk who will hopefully be on this planet longer than the old white-hairs who get elected every year. It will take a New Deal or Space Race level of effort.

But she's smart to use the spotlight while she has it. Call it Charisma. Why is it a bad thing if Clinton or Reagan or Obama or Trump can attract cameras and notice. But she can't?. Because she's young? Female? Latina? Tell me why she sound be dismissed. Seems to me she is already organizing principled pols to join her in pushing progressive causes.

[closg00]

Read on Twitter

The liar said that Mexico said that Mexico would pay. As-soon as the stupid wall is built, tunnels will be made underneath just like in Isreal.
https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/israel-discovers-tunnel-system-used-by-hezbollah-terror-group-launches-destruction-operation.html

[closg00]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

Hahahahahhahahahha

I think Stone and Corsi have a joint stupidity agreement.

Stone using the 5th in this situation is incorrect on a number of levels. The fundamental inconsistency is in this situation is he can't both be innocent and use the 5th amendment.

If you've read the Corsi/Stone communication, it is very clear that Corsi has advance knowledge of the hack. Corsi/Stone are at the heart of the conspiracy.

[I_Like_Dirt]

The liar said that Mexico said that Mexico would pay. As-soon as the stupid wall is built, tunnels will be made underneath just like in Isreal.
https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/israel-discovers-tunnel-system-used-by-hezbollah-terror-group-launches-destruction-operation.html

Well... they aren't actually waiting for the wall...

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/23/us/drug-tunnel-arizona-mexico-trnd/index.html

[dobrojim]

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/evolution-is-still-true-but/

what's notable about this whole topic is that the US is the only 'advanced'
country where this is even an issue.

Sad to say, we have lots of people who stubbornly hold onto their ignorance.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Reasonable anti-trust focus would be helpful - but we really don't have a party that could do that effectively or fairly, do we?

This is such a crucial point that so often gets overlooked. It's so constantly talked about how communism is bad and capitalism is good, or capitalism is bad and socialism is good, as though they are some sort of opposing sides in a war - I get it, cold war and all, and it's just plain easier to see things that way. The reality is that, as concepts, they are far from incompatible. America has benefited from using both concepts over the years. Public schools, public utilities, public roads, etc. It pays to have businesses to push innovation and profits a bit, too, but when we're talking about large scale borderline monopolies or massive industries with a rather small pool of competition, government needs to be involved somehow through strong regulation and oversight at the very least. We need to prevent the growth of industries that are too big to fail while at the same time being in the interests of corporate welfare at the expense of the public good. We also need corporate input but we have far too much of that now and it's a recipe for punting costs onto the public, preferably in the future, to maximize immediate profits, which is an extremely expensive way to operate.

[dobrojim]

The Flynn news is in and Mueller recommends no jail time! Damn he must have sung like a bird to get that sweetheart deal. Read the link it’s a great read.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/04/robert-mueller-sentencing-memo-for-former-trump-advisor-michael-flynn.html

Mueller in a sentencing memo said Flynn's "substantial assistance" to his probe warrants a light criminal sentence — which could include no jail time for the retired Army lieutentant general.
That assistance, which includes 19 interviews with Mueller's team and Justice Department attorneys, related to a previsouly unknown "criminal investigation," as well as to Mueller's long-running probe of the Trump campaign's and transition team's links or coordination with the Russian government.

He wasn't in jeopardy of a lengthy sentence to begin with.

I think a largely ignored reason for his cooperation was to insure
special counsel didn't go after his son.

edit to add - to argue against myself, Special Counsel also chose not to
charge Flynn with many other things he could have been charged with.

[dckingsfan]

Reasonable anti-trust focus would be helpful - but we really don't have a party that could do that effectively or fairly, do we?

This is such a crucial point that so often gets overlooked. It's so constantly talked about how communism is bad and capitalism is good, or capitalism is bad and socialism is good, as though they are some sort of opposing sides in a war - I get it, cold war and all, and it's just plain easier to see things that way. The reality is that, as concepts, they are far from incompatible. America has benefited from using both concepts over the years. Public schools, public utilities, public roads, etc. It pays to have businesses to push innovation and profits a bit, too, but when we're talking about large scale borderline monopolies or massive industries with a rather small pool of competition, government needs to be involved somehow through strong regulation and oversight at the very least. We need to prevent the growth of industries that are too big to fail while at the same time being in the interests of corporate welfare at the expense of the public good. We also need corporate input but we have far too much of that now and it's a recipe for punting costs onto the public, preferably in the future, to maximize immediate profits, which is an extremely expensive way to operate.

And let me add... One other dangerous "thing" is for government to actually get involved in the business commerce vs. regulating the business commerce. A perfect case in point would be Freddy/Fannie and the government's inability to reign in their own entities.

Also, they need to understand when their regulations are beneficial and when the create monopolies. This requires a fairly well nuanced policy with continual oversite that our legislature shouldn't just punt to the bureaucracy.

While I agree with you - I would like to dissect public schools, public utilities and public roads. Public Schools in general have been a net positive - but in time they became politicized because they weren't regulated, instead they were run by government. This has led to a lack of innovation and progress. Public Utilities were (in general) not run but rather regulated - so, all though they have cause problems, they don't have the unfunded mandates or lack of innovation associated with schools. Public roads and transportation are something that HAVE to be "run" by the government - and I think the budget deficits have really hurt us in this area.

[I_Like_Dirt]

While true, I would suggest it's because significant portions of those with nuanced views in government are quickly sidetracked and become de facto extensions of the private sector, leaving the less understanding views to those remaining in government pushing for oversight who attempt to run things in a more hands-on way, poorly. The appeal of short-term gain is absolutely real and a massive danger overall.

Frankly, I also think a bit reason for the disparity is the disparity in pay between private and public sector pay for in-demand employees/executives. Getting some of the more astute economic minds working in the interests of the people rather than purely the private sector would be a massive gain. I don't want to drain the private sector, either, just rebalance things a bit because the power "balance" outrageously lopsided right now. Both sides of the equation need to be strong - having one without the other is a recipe for a mess.

[dckingsfan]

While true, I would suggest it's because significant portions of those with nuanced views in government are quickly sidetracked and become de facto extensions of the private sector, leaving the less understanding views to those remaining in government pushing for oversight who attempt to run things in a more hands-on way, poorly. The appeal of short-term gain is absolutely real and a massive danger overall.

Frankly, I also think a bit reason for the disparity is the disparity in pay between private and public sector pay for in-demand employees/executives. Getting some of the more astute economic minds working in the interests of the people rather than purely the private sector would be a massive gain. I don't want to drain the private sector, either, just rebalance things a bit because the power "balance" outrageously lopsided right now. Both sides of the equation need to be strong - having one without the other is a recipe for a mess.

I think we are saying the same thing... don't get tied into the execution of the process but rather govern the process when possible.

[dobrojim]

regulatory capture

[gtn130]

Read on Twitter

Ohhhh boy I bet the House Freedom Caucus is withdrawing their support of Trump IMMEDIATELY!

[Sedale Threatt]

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/evolution-is-still-true-but/

what's notable about this whole topic is that the US is the only 'advanced'
country where this is even an issue.

Sad to say, we have lots of people who stubbornly hold onto their ignorance.

Thank you, evangelical Christians. The gift that keeps on giving...

[stilldropin20]

Read on Twitter

The liar said that Mexico said that Mexico would pay. As-soon as the stupid wall is built, tunnels will be made underneath just like in Isreal.
https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/israel-discovers-tunnel-system-used-by-hezbollah-terror-group-launches-destruction-operation.html

Ya know...you could have "free" college ($70 Billion) and almost "free" medicare with a $180 Billion adjunct payment to our existing medicare/ACA system instead of spending $250 Billion on entitlements for immigrants? Just sayin.

Instead, we bring in too many poor immigrants(which would be fine if they worked) but instead they end up (over) using our entitlement programs. We should not have an immigration system that allows immigrants to use more entitlements than existing americans. Immigrants should not even use half the entitlements of americans. immigrants should not come here and get free stuff. We should only allow enough here so as to fill jobs.

A better immigration policy would encourage educated, self sustaining, 18-35 year old immigrants to come here (and either pay top dollar for their college education) and/or immediately find gainful employment and be self sustainable.

This is common sense. Why give american dollars away to immigrants when we can give them to 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th generalation african americans? native Americans. Or even 3rd, 4th, 5th generation hispanic americans? I'd rather give my tax dollars to them than a newly arrived immigrant. <--past immigration policy was similar...immigrants can here to work. At the turn of the century they build our skyscrapers, , build our ships, served in WW1, and WW2.

Our safety net programs are not working as they currently exist. They are seldom lifting our down trodden americans out of poverty and into the middle class. Facebook allows us to keep in touch and older folks like me pretend less on facebook. We post the good and the bad. And from my old poor neighborhoods, maybe 1-2 out of 1000 kids that were extremely poor are now middle class or better. Most are still very poor. Living entitlement check to entitlement check.

And of the 1-2 per neighborhood that "made it" out? Nearly all of them joined the military like me. So there wasn't any actual safety net...just serving the country out of high school and being shown a better way to live...that hard work, long days, and self discipline works!! <--we need more of that!!

^^which brings me to a point i made yesterday about school being a waste and that we should send 13 year olds off to labor camps (which i'm quite certain made at least 80% of you gasp or throw up in your mouths)...but here the odd thing. I joined the military at 16 and a half and started boot camp a few days after i turned 17. From that very day, I was woken up at 4am to start my day, made my bed and was dress by 4:15. And off to work i went for months of training. We put in about 2-3 hours of work. 2-3 hours of physical training. 2-3 hours of standing in line (at attention), and 7 hours of education, and 2-3 hours of studying. Sleep at 10pm (we were exhausted) and awoke at 4am the next day. rinse and repeat for 3 months. After 3 months the schools became specialized and/or advanced. My next school started at 7:15am so i could sleep in until 6:30. class all day until 5pm. exercise and study in the evenings. rinse and repeat. weekends off if not collateral duty that weekend. We had to get 80% to pass and my classes were not easy. We covered a lot of ground quickly. We also had collateral duties (work) that consumed 30 hours per week).

It was there that i began to learn what work ethic really was. I would need that work ethic to get through dental school. I would need that work ethic to run 5 different corporations and work 80-90 hours per week into my early 40's. And i didn't need the money. Ive been a doctor since i have been 29 years old. I have owned significant and profitable rental income property since ive been 21 (when i left the navy).

Its the work ethic that saved me. Understanding that i can not only learn and study for 12 hours per day, but i can also work 7-8 hours per day at the same time. and still sleep for 4-5 hours...and be just fine.

Its weird, ive been... what is considered "very hard" on my body...lots of sports...lots of weight lifting...little sleep...lots of stress...and instead of failing me...my body has rewarded me...my knees are good. my ankles, my eyes, my bones, my back...everything is strong. bones are dense. I dont have aches and pains. I kept the weight off due to activity. And i look 10 years younger than 47. 5 years ago people used to think i was in my late 20's. My mind is clear. I have no regrets other than wishing i learned some lessons sooner than later just so i could be "further along in the book." And that's why i can post here with such confidence carefree of what any of you think about my views. When you do enough in life. See enough. Experience enough...you can clearly see right from wrong. You can clearly see a good idea from a bad idea. You can clearly recognize good logic over bad logic. You see...i already know where I am going. And i know how I am going to get there...do any of you have that? Do you feel the self empowerment empowerment of knowing those things? Having done so much. learned so much. experienced so much. from the depths of living with crack heads in a "crack house" to serving aboard the USS Parche and becoming a valued member of our national medical community. All of my ideas, all of my posts, everything I write, tweet...its all based on wishing the same comfort and confidence and understanding to all Americans.

few americans get to walk in my shoes and that includes my experiences growing up with crack heads. I talk about it so much because I treasure those years. Those years helped my understand the sickness and apathy in our most down trodden. I value my time in public schools with both affluent and poor kids. I was watching. I was paying attention. I value my time at an elite premier high school We were state champions and i was a starting player. I didn't like having to move on from those schools...but i did. And i came to value the high school i would later attend. Schools filled with the poor working poor whites. mean kids, frankly. Because they had mean parents, often alcoholics and drug abusers themselves. I learned from these kids and there experiences. Then onto the US navy. Then College. Then Dental school. A few more professional jobs along the way beauce i often put in 14,15,16,16,18 hour days. That was the norm for me. The natural endorphin release from hard work is amazing...the body actually rewards you for hard work. And your body(and mind) actually atrophies from lack of use.

Fact is, hard work is your best friend. Its your only friend. Its the only true path towards self love and believing in yourself. You must (blindly almost) just put in the work. And lots of it. You will have set backs. You must get back up and keep going. Its the only path to self love. And all Love is begat from self love. You will never ever ever ever know how to love someone else until you learn to love and respect yourself. Thats is the basis for everything I write. And its the only truth you will ever need to know and follow to be happy. And happy people make for the best people. The kindest people. The most giving people. And that happiness is worth protecting.

I often tell young people, happiness is a commodity of sorts. There tneds to be only so much of (happiness) to go around because most people dont understand that happiness is a choice with internal controls and it is based on all out effort and really planing out and preparing for and then chasing down your dreams with every ounce of energy that you have. "Win" or "lose," if you truly gave it everything you had, you will be happy.

And most people dont understand this simple concept. They live their lives as if happiness is some kind of second hand emotion that they experience when they get lucky, or things just happen to go as planned and they get the "win." <--Thats why so many end up unhappy. And feel government should do more...to make them happy. And its actually quite the opposite. You need to do more! You need to plan more. Work more. Think more. Experience more. Exhaust yourself physically more. and if you do, win or lose, you will be happy. You will have built rewarding relationships along the way. You will find the time to celebrate your happiness. In fact, you'll be too exhausted to be upset or pissed off about anything. And you will find that you appreciate your neighbor much more than you do now if you sit around a lot and do the minimal to get by. <--and thats the worst part about american politics, those that sit around and do relatively little are the ones with the loudest voices that complain about everything as if your miserable life has anything to do with government, here in the greatest and freest, and more fair country in the world filled with far and away the most opportunity.