U.S. Politics - Netanyahu and Boehner OTP

[TerraPrime]

Do continue.

[Shryke]

In the spirit of a new thread, I thought I'd post this glorious story that I think basically sums up american politics as it currently exists:

http://www.nh1.com/news/nh-lawmakers-brutally-kill-4th-graders-bill-in-front-of-them/

Fourth graders from Lincoln Akerman School in Hampton Falls received a warm welcome at the State House last Thursday. They and their teacher, James Cutting, were guests in the Gallery.

That reception quickly turned chilly as students got a glimpse of the cold, harsh realities of politics in the Granite State.

In the spirit of learning by doing, students drafted a bill to learn the process of how a bill becomes law. They proposed House Bill 373, an act establishing the Red Tail Hawk as the New Hampshire State Raptor. Even though it passed through the Environment and Agriculture committee with a majority vote, some representatives were far from receptive.

Rep. Warren Groen, a Republican from Rochester said, "It grasps them with its talons then uses its razor sharp beak to basically tear it apart limb by limb, and I guess the shame about making this a state bird is it would serve as a much better mascot for Planned Parenthood."

That comment, considered offensive by many, was made while the fourth graders sat, watched and listened. The tough lesson didn't end there.

In a 133-to-160 vote lawmakers killed the bill

TLDR: A bunch of 10 year olds draft a piece of fluff legislation as a civics project. They go to watch the bill be made into law. Instead, right in front of them, their statehouse shits all over the bill, ties the issue of naming a state bird to abortion and then votes it down.

A truly massive and incomprehensible level of dickery.

And probably the best education in the american political system these children will ever get.

Sadly, I think they are likely to learn the wrong lesson from the whole affair.

[Ramsay Gimp]

In the spirit of a new thread, I thought I'd post this glorious story that I think basically sums up american politics as it currently exists:

http://www.nh1.com/news/nh-lawmakers-brutally-kill-4th-graders-bill-in-front-of-them/

TLDR: A bunch of 10 year olds draft a piece of fluff legislation as a civics project. They go to watch the bill be made into law. Instead, right in front of them, their statehouse shits all over the bill, ties the issue of naming a state bird to abortion and then votes it down.

A truly massive and incomprehensible level of dickery.

And probably the best education in the american political system these children will ever get.

Sadly, I think they are likely to learn the wrong lesson from the whole affair.

:rofl:

That whole story is just perfect. Imagine being the teacher after that - WTF do you say to the kids on the bus ride home?

That rep should get an award for most strained metaphor and most epic trolling

[Jon Sprunk]

I think the teacher's reply could have been very simple. He/she turns to the kids and says, "That, children, is why we can't have nice things in this country." Then drop the mic and walk away.

[Guest]

Awesome column on Obama doing a victory dance.

You unbelievable, hateful clowns on the American right. You deserve to be mocked.

[Larry of the Lawn]

A truly massive and incomprehensible level of dickery.

And probably the best education in the american political system these children will ever get.

Sadly, I think they are likely to learn the wrong lesson from the whole affair.

Well the teacher is an idiot for picking a bird so intimately linked with abortion. Should have gone with a kestrel or something.

I bet the teacher got really drunk that night.

[denny717]

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9803E7DB173CE433A2575AC1A9639C94649ED7CF

Dispicable behavior by a bird that we chose to represent out country. Shame.

[Paladin of Ice]

Krugman eviscerates the Republican budget proposal and Republican budget politics in general.

By now it’s a Republican Party tradition: Every year the party produces a budget that allegedly slashes deficits, but which turns out to contain a trillion-dollar “magic asterisk” — a line that promises huge spending cuts and/or revenue increases, but without explaining where the money is supposed to come from.

But the just-released budgets from the House and Senate majorities break new ground. Each contains not one but two trillion-dollar magic asterisks: one on spending, one on revenue. And that’s actually an understatement. If either budget were to become law, it would leave the federal government several trillion dollars deeper in debt than claimed, and that’s just in the first decade.

You might be tempted to shrug this off, since these budgets will not, in fact, become law. Or you might say that this is what all politicians do. But it isn’t. The modern G.O.P.’s raw fiscal dishonesty is something new in American politics. And that’s telling us something important about what has happened to half of our political spectrum.

So, about those budgets: both claim drastic reductions in federal spending. Some of those spending reductions are specified: There would be savage cuts in food stamps, similarly savage cuts in Medicaid over and above reversing the recent expansion, and an end to Obamacare’s health insurance subsidies. Rough estimates suggest that either plan would roughly double the number of Americans without health insurance. But both also claim more than a trillion dollars in further cuts to mandatory spending, which would almost surely have to come out of Medicare or Social Security. What form would these further cuts take? We get no hint.

Meanwhile, both budgets call for repeal of the Affordable Care Act, including the taxes that pay for the insurance subsidies. That’s $1 trillion of revenue. Yet both claim to have no effect on tax receipts; somehow, the federal government is supposed to make up for the lost Obamacare revenue. How, exactly? We are, again, given no hint.

And there’s more: The budgets also claim large reductions in spending on other programs. How would these be achieved? You know the answer.

It’s very important to realize that this isn’t normal political behavior. The George W. Bush administration was no slouch when it came to deceptive presentation of tax plans, but it was never this blatant. And the Obama administration has been remarkably scrupulous in its fiscal pronouncements.

O.K., I can already hear the snickering, but it’s the simple truth. Remember all the ridicule heaped on the spending projections in the Affordable Care Act? Actual spending is coming in well below expectations, and the Congressional Budget Office has marked its forecast for the next decade down by 20 percent. Remember the jeering when President Obama declared that he would cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term? Well, a sluggish economy delayed things, but only by a year. The deficit in calendar 2013 was less than half its 2009 level, and it has continued to fall.

So, no, outrageous fiscal mendacity is neither historically normal nor bipartisan. It’s a modern Republican thing. And the question we should ask is why.

Meanwhile Obama is doing a bit of a victory lap about the economy while Republicans respond with the same proposals they've been proposing for 50 years.

“One Republican in Congress warned our policies would diminish employment and diminish stock prices. Diminish stock prices,” the President said, summoning his most dismissive tone. “The stock market has doubled since I came into office. Corporate profits are—corporate balance sheets are stronger than they have ever been—because of my terrible business policies.” At this point, Obama was interrupted by laughter, but he was only getting started. “One Republican senator claimed we faced trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see,” he went on. “Another predicted my reëlection would spike gas prices to $6.60 a gallon. I don’t know how he came up with that figure: $6.60.”

The President didn’t pause to point out that, since late last year, gas prices have been below $2.50 in many parts of the country. He was too busy jabbing at Mitt Romney and John Boehner. “My opponent in that last election pledged that he could bring down the unemployment rate to six per cent by 2016—next year,” Obama said. “It’s 5.5 now. And right here in Cleveland, the leader of the House Republicans—a good friend of mine—he captured his party’s economic theories by critiquing mine with a very simple question: ‘Where are the jobs?’ he said. ‘Where are the jobs?’ I’m sure there was a headline in the Plain Dealer or one of the papers—‘Where Are the Jobs?’ ”

The answer, of course, is that they are being created at a rate not seen since the late nineteen-nineties, which just happens to be the last time a Democrat occupied the White House. Since 2010, twelve million new jobs have been created—Obama didn’t omit to cite that figure—and the unemployment rate has dropped from 9.9 per cent to 5.5 per cent. And that’s not the end of it.

Even accounting for the roughly five million jobs that were lost during the Great Recession and its aftermath, about seven million more Americans now have work than when the President took office, in January, 2009. The budget deficit sits at 2.8 per cent of G.D.P., less than it was in the last year of the Bush Administration, when it was 3.1 per cent. Stock prices and corporate profits, as Obama pointed out, have never been higher. To be sure, he didn’t create the surge in U.S. energy production that prompted Saudi Arabia to let the price of oil plummet, thereby putting smiles on the faces of American motorists. But nor did he do anything to prevent it, despite calls from environmentalists to do so. Republican claims that his policies would send gas prices soaring turned out to be wrong, and it was fair for Obama to remind people of that fact.

...

Perhaps Obama was laying it on a bit thick. But in highlighting Republican obstreperousness, he was also highlighting the political reality in Washington and laying down some foundations for the 2016 Presidential race. For all the talk of a new generation of “reformicons” emerging within the G.O.P. to advocate for new thinking on economic policy, and despite some Republican politicians acknowledging that they need to have something to say about income stagnation and rising inequality, the bulk of the Party—and that includes most its candidates for 2016—seems to be stuck in a Reaganite time warp.

Exhibit A: Jeb Bush. Speaking in Detroit last month, the former Florida governor made an early pitch to middle-class voters, saying, “Far too many Americans live on the edge of economic ruin. And many more feel like they’re stuck in place: Working longer, and harder, even as they’re losing ground.” But Bush didn’t present any new policy proposals, and, speaking in South Carolina on Tuesday, he said he’s in favor of abolishing the federal minimum wage, arguing that the existence of a national wage floor makes it “harder and harder for the first rung of the ladder to be reached, particularly for young people, particularly for people that have less education.”

Now, declaring opposition to minimum-wage laws—or proposing leaving them to the states, which seems to be what Bush is calling for—isn’t an outlandish position for a G.O.P. Presidential candidate to take. Indeed, ever since 1962, when Milton Friedman argued, in his book “Capitalism and Freedom,” that the consequences of minimum-wage laws “are precisely the opposite of those intended by the men of good will who support it,” this has been a point of agreement among conservative Republicans. But that’s Obama’s point: The Republicans don’t change. They just reheat the old sauce.

Exhibit B: the new House G.O.P. budget, which, its sponsors say, would balance the budget in ten years. I won’t bore you with the details of this measure, which, on Thursday, got the approval of the Budget Committee. But take it from me, or, rather from Howard Gleckman, an analyst at the non-partisan Tax Policy Center: “It is impossible.”

That means it’s mathematically impossible, not politically impossible—although, with Obama in the White House, it’s that too. The new proposal incorporates big tax cuts skewed toward the rich, unspecified cuts in spending, flaky revenue estimates, and a massive and implausible overhaul of Medicaid and Medicare—not to mention the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. It closely resembles previous Republican budgets that weren’t serious tax-and-spending proposals either, but broad political manifestoes hewed out of the tattered old doctrine of supply-side economics.

[MerenthaClone]

In the spirit of a new thread, I thought I'd post this glorious story that I think basically sums up american politics as it currently exists:

http://www.nh1.com/news/nh-lawmakers-brutally-kill-4th-graders-bill-in-front-of-them/

TLDR: A bunch of 10 year olds draft a piece of fluff legislation as a civics project. They go to watch the bill be made into law. Instead, right in front of them, their statehouse shits all over the bill, ties the issue of naming a state bird to abortion and then votes it down.

A truly massive and incomprehensible level of dickery.

And probably the best education in the american political system these children will ever get.

Sadly, I think they are likely to learn the wrong lesson from the whole affair.

Uh, so, about the bill: part of why it was voted down was that some legislators felt like they were wasting time. The same legislature designated the bobcat as the official state wildcat. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2015/HB0423.html

[The Once and Future King]

In the spirit of a new thread, I thought I'd post this glorious story that I think basically sums up american politics as it currently exists:

http://www.nh1.com/news/nh-lawmakers-brutally-kill-4th-graders-bill-in-front-of-them/

TLDR: A bunch of 10 year olds draft a piece of fluff legislation as a civics project. They go to watch the bill be made into law. Instead, right in front of them, their statehouse shits all over the bill, ties the issue of naming a state bird to abortion and then votes it down.

A truly massive and incomprehensible level of dickery.

And probably the best education in the american political system these children will ever get.

Sadly, I think they are likely to learn the wrong lesson from the whole affair.

Im Jealous. My class trip to the state capital was not nearly that much fun

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

The New Hampshire legislature appears to feature a high percentage of self aggrandizing assholes. Whoda thunk?

Here's a brief interview with the guy who made the abortion compairison:

http://www.nh1.com/videos/state-rep-defends-comments-on-4th-graders-bill/

[Gertrude]

Uh, so, about the bill: part of why it was voted down was that some legislators felt like they were wasting time.

I can't disagree with this statement, really. It was the first thing that ran through my head, actually - how many fluff bills can they pass if each class wanted to try this? I guess I'm a grumpy-pants on this. However, yeah, that guy is an asshole and that was uncalled for. The only consolation is that this went viral and I'm hoping his actions will bite him in the ass next time around.

[Shryke]

I can't disagree with this statement, really. It was the first thing that ran through my head, actually - how many fluff bills can they pass if each class wanted to try this? I guess I'm a grumpy-pants on this. However, yeah, that guy is an asshole and that was uncalled for. The only consolation is that this went viral and I'm hoping his actions will bite him in the ass next time around.

Legislatures in the US pass fluff bills all the time. They take like 5 minutes cause usually no one cares to debate it.

[Gneisenau]

From my understanding, the "waste of time" is a cop out, because the bill had already passed most stages of the legislative process, so voting it down isn't really saving that much time in the first place.

[Gertrude]

OK, I'm a huge grumpy-pants then. I get that fluff happens, but I also can get behind someone voting no because it's a waste of time. Sure, that particular bill had gone through all the processes and just needed an up or down vote that would take the same amount of time, but voting no on this as a general stance discourages more fluff from coming through in the future. All I'm saying is that I don't have a problem with that.

[zelticgar]

New Hampshire is actually a pretty awesome state but the politics can get crazy. They have really small districts and it results in a fair number of extremists and unsavory characters getting elected. These types of stories pop up a lot around NH politicians. I don't pay too much attention to the politics but from what I know I think their legislators meet pretty infrequently and it is insanely difficult to push anything through. Overall from what i can tell its tough to get anything done from either the legislative or executive branch.

On the plus side, the have no sales tax and cheap gas, liquor and some of the most beautiful mountains in the world :)

[Fragile Bird]

Awesome column on Obama doing a victory dance.

You unbelievable, hateful clowns on the American right. You deserve to be mocked.

Trisky, when I was on a cruise in January, I spent time with some very nice people from Texas and Oklahoma, who absolutely loathed Obama. First of all, they were in that small group where health care became more expensive for them, and they felt he was just a liar. I tried to talk about how Obama really is a fiscal conservative, how the much the deficit had gone down (I don't think they believed it), and how much better the economy was doing and how good the unemployment rate was. All was meaningless.

Tellingly, they assured me that one of their relatives, while serving in Iraq, SAW the WMDs.

[Shryke]

OK, I'm a huge grumpy-pants then. I get that fluff happens, but I also can get behind someone voting no because it's a waste of time. Sure, that particular bill had gone through all the processes and just needed an up or down vote that would take the same amount of time, but voting no on this as a general stance discourages more fluff from coming through in the future. All I'm saying is that I don't have a problem with that.

Yes. The government passes fluff all the time. Name a post-office, name a day in someone's honour, name a state/national/city X, whatever. It really doesn't matter much. Doesn't take alot of time.

It's no reason to be a complete and utter dickhole which is what these politicians were.

[ThinkerX]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/5-years-in-5-busted-predictions-about-obamacare/ar-BBiADOu?ocid=msnclassic

When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law five years ago, many Republicans essentially predicted it would grow up to be a serial killer—that seniors, Medicare, private insurance companies, jobs, and the American Dream would die by its hand.

It has turned out to be far more well-adjusted.

On the other hand, many Democrats thought the law would quickly make it through its awkward phase and turn into the most popular kid in school—liked by most, respected by all, a sophisticated winner possessed of all the latest technology but also with unassailable principles.

It has turned out to be a much bigger screw-up.

[ThinkerX]

The republican presidential clown car now has a driver:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sen-cruz-will-be-first-major-name-in-2016-campaign/ar-BBiyUiv?ocid=msnclassic

Sen. Ted Cruz, the combative conservative who has made liberty the clarion call of his politics, will announce his intention to pursue a presidential bid Monday morning at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., according to a campaign adviser.

The announcement by Cruz (R-Tex.) will make him the first major 2016 contender to formally declare a presidential bid.

His entry into the Republican race is likely to rupture the dynamics in the early field and will give other active contenders — including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida governor Jeb Bush — a competitive rival on the right.

Lively debate in the comments section about how he is not eligible to be president on account of foreign birth.

As to Walker...I still maintain he has a fair chance of ending up in a prison cell about the time the new president is sworn in. Him and Christie both.