US Politics: Papers, Please

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

Milo talks the talk. The walk? Not so much...

 

 

[DireWolfSpirit]

2 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Because we can't embed videos anymore:

Mr. Madison, what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Its my understanding that we can still post videos as long as they are unimbedded. On my tablet when posting a video, it will prompt me ( to optionally remove embedded content ) , apparently some videos are imbedded and some arent. I never paid much attention or knew of any difference until the moderators recently brought this issue up. I posted a video a few pages back and there was no prompt to remove imbedded content, so I assume this is an unimbedded video. 

It would be helpful if there were a list of the forum rules somewhere that we could review so we know what the rules and policy are on these areas of posting, I asked a moderator last year about this, but they didnt respond to the question. I'm still quite confused tbh?

[Durckad]

44 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Perhaps if you're not going to be bothered with providing links and what not, you could at least go to the trouble of clarifying and specifying your claims. What is the Open Society Foundation? How is this relevant to the protests that occurred the night before last? Why do you consider this to be a troublesome affiliation? 

https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/

Quote

George Soros

FOUNDER / CHAIRMAN

Investor and philanthropist George Soros established the Open Society Foundations to help countries make the transition from communism

George Soros!

36 minutes ago, Nasty LongRider said:

I'll bite, how the Open Society Foundation squelches free speech; youtube link.

Another sordid claim proved by youtube.

Godzilla was paid by Soros!

8 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Milo talks the talk. The walk? Not so much...

 

 

He fits right in with President Thin-skin

[Happy Ent]

30 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Ah, thank you. I'd never heard of that organization.

 

/Didn't realize that was Soros organization.

Not heard of Soros’ Open Society, Davos, etc.? Man, there’s a whole rabbit hole for you to fall into. Happy internetting.

As the board’s resident Popperian, I need to point out that Soros’ Open Society has very little to do with how the concept was introduced by Popper. 

[OldGimletEye]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/02/03/trump-to-sign-executive-order-calling-for-rollback-of-wall-street-reform/

Quote

“We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank,” Trump said during a meeting with business leaders Friday morning. “Because frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine, that had nice businesses, they just can’t borrow money … because the banks just won’t let them borrow because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank.”

Well, it's nice that Trump makes big decisions based upon what happens to his "friends".

Quote

Trump’s actions are aimed at attacking “overregulation,” Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, said in an interview with Fox Business Network. “We have to get the United States banking system working again.”

“Today banks do not lend money to companies. Banks are forced to hoard money because they’re forced to hoard capital and they can’t take any risk. We need to get banks back in the lending business. That’s our number one objective,” Cohn said.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=cAKI

And:

Quote

From this evidence, we conclude: (1) higher capital levels are associated with more lending, with better lending, or with both; and (2) to the extent that enhanced regulation hampers lending, it is often of the type that makes the financial system less safe and can leave taxpayers on the hook.

To be clear, we do see great scope for improving and simplifying U.S. financial regulation. Among other things, the system could use massive streamlining; the GSEs still need restructuring; living wills and the resolution mechanism should compel systemic intermediaries to self-insure (in order to avoid bailouts); government guarantees need to be properly priced; and the financial infrastructure could be more resilient. (For a broader list and discussion see here.) But, if we’re to make the financial system both safe and efficient, we need not only much higher capital requirements, but also a strict regulatory regime that makes credible the government’s (and legislators’) promise not to bail the most systemic intermediaries. 

http://www.moneyandbanking.com/commentary/2016/12/5/better-capitalized-banks-lend-more-and-lend-better

Now, it looks like somebody is selling conservative bull.

[DireWolfSpirit]

Lolololol, this is only fair, tit for tat and so forth......U.S. Wrestling team denied visas for World Tournament in Iran- http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/03/sport/iran-usa-wrestling-team-visa-denied/index.html

I think as many countries as possible should now ban us Americans since we have decided to elect an enemy of humanity as our leader. I was planning on a summer trip to Ontario, but I  actually now wont be surprized if the Canadians stamp my visa request with a "Piss Off".

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Swordfish said:

The article you posted seemed to indicate incidences of these actions were at an all time low in 2015.

 

Did you even read it? First sentence:

Quote

The number of violent anti-Semitic assaults taking place in the United States rose dramatically last year, contributing to a three (3) percent rise in the total number of anti-Jewish incidents reported in 2015, 

Welcome to the fail.blog my friend.

1 hour ago, Swordfish said:

Also, huh?  Your point is that you can assume something to be true in the absence of data.

Why would I concede that?  That's exactly the kind of stuff you guys are always rightfully bashing the right for.

Essentially your argument is 'I don't have any data to back this up, but since it fits my existing belief system, and it indicts a guy i don't like, it's ok to assume it's true.'.  Sorry.  Like  said, you either want to live in a post fact world or you don't.  You don't get to have it both ways, common sense or no common sense.

Yeah you definitely didn't read it, as it provided the only data I could find in the half hour or so that I looked. And I provided data, so that would be your second trip to the fail.blog. Also, in @Seli's link, it says there were 114 reports of threats and/or threatening behavior in all of 2015. That averages out to 10 a month (rounding up). So by comparison, 56 bomb threats in one month seems like a rather dramatic increase (and keep in mind, the 10 per month in 2015 includes a lot more then just bomb threats).

1 hour ago, Swordfish said:

Why do you need to assume those mosques were burned down by white supremacists anyway?  Why is it so critical that we must draw conclusions now rather than wait for the investigations to be completed?  

I'm saying that it looks like it could be a case of arson, and if so, the most likely suspect(s) is someone who holds anti-Muslim beliefs, and is quite possibly a white nationalist. 

1 hour ago, Swordfish said:

You guys are the ones trying to make a point.  The onus is not on me to provide the data you've failed to provide here.  I don't know if incidents of anti-Semitic acts are on the rise or not, because I have not seen the data.  And neither have you, apparently.  Why is this controversial?  ... 

Again, data was provided, but I can't make you look at it if you don't want to. 

1 hour ago, Swordfish said:

Huh?  Then do the google search and post the results...... 

I told you to Google it for yourself, trying to encourage you to seek out rather obvious information. 

1 hour ago, Swordfish said:

How can I be wrong?  I don't know the cause of those fires.  That's not even really disputable, since no cause has been announced for one, and no cause seems to have even been determined for the other.  What exactly is there for me to be wrong about here?

Fine fine, I'll let you have this one.

Also, I cleaned up your spelling errors. You're welcome.

[The Killer Snark]

2 hours ago, theguyfromtheVale said:

Oh, but it's all a big Jewish conspiracy, don't you know?

I'm pro Israel, and Soros sold his own people to the Nazis during the Occupation in Hungary. The Jewishness of certain noted social totalitarians has nothing to do with this. Antisemetism, of course, is on the rise at least in Europe, but not because of the Right, but because of excessive immigration from Islamic countries that are traditionally antisemtic, and because of the growing covert influence of Fabian socialism (especially within the UK Labour Party), and the Fabians had noted links to the Nazis. In Sweden, it is actually a jailable offence to publicly defend Israel. In France, a growing number of Jews are converting to Islam in order to avoid the continuous persecution they are under from the massive muslim population. Some may find these facts uncomfortable, but they nonetheless are facts.

[Swordfish]

3 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Did you even read it? First sentence:

Welcome to the fail.blog my friend.

Yeah you definitely didn't read it,

http://www.adl.org/press-center/press-releases/anti-semitism-usa/2015-audit-anti-semitic-incidents.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/#.WJOzxFMrJpg

 

I read it,. 

Quote

Overall, anti-Semitic incident totals in the U.S. are historically low, according to ADL, which has been keeping track of anti-Semitic incidents since 1979.  During the last decade, the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents peaked at 1,554 in 2006 and has been mostly on the decline ever since.

 

So...  Yeah.  Maybe you only read the first sentence?  Also, i don;t know what you mean by failblog.  Perhaps you were just teaching by example?

I haven't looked at Seli's data yet.

Quote

I'm saying that it looks like it could be a case of arson, and if so, the most likely suspect(s) is someone who holds anti-Muslim beliefs, and is quite possibly a white nationalist. 

No.  that's not what you said.  What you said was that those mosques were burned down.

I don't really know what else you want me to say here.  We're just talking around each other now.

 

[The guy from the Vale]

21 minutes ago, The Killer Snark said:

I'm pro Israel, and Soros sold his own people to the Nazis during the Occupation in Hungary. The Jewishness of certain noted social totalitarians has nothing to do with this.

Citation needed on the Soros claim. Even if true, I'd like to note that Soros was 15 when WWII ended, so his agency in any such action should not be overrated.

Also, I'd like to note that Zionism and Anti-Semitism are two correlated but not necessarily connected positions. There are Zionist Anti-Semites (like Dispensationalist Christians) and Anti-Zionist Jews and Philosemites (e.g. the Satmar)

 

ETA: As for the rest of your later added diatribe, citation needed - and while I don't disagree that there is an uncomfortable level of Antisemitism among some Muslims, the rise in European Anti-Semitism is not only connected to them, but also to the rise of right-wing parties like the French Front National, Greek Golden Dawn or Hungarian Jobbik.

[The Killer Snark]

8 minutes ago, theguyfromtheVale said:

Citation needed on the Soros claim. Even if true, I'd like to note that Soros was 15 when WWII ended, so his agency in any such action should not be overrated.

Also, I'd like to note that Zionism and Anti-Semitism are two correlated but not necessarily connected positions. There are Zionist Anti-Semites (like Dispensationalist Christians) and Anti-Zionist Jews and Philosemites (e.g. the Satmar)

Soros citation given. This is common knowledge, though. This footage and related videos have circulated everywhere.

 

[Week]

1 minute ago, The Killer Snark said:

Soros citation given. This is common knowledge, though. This footage and related videos have circulated everywhere.

 

I think you have a different definition of "common knowledge" and "everywhere" than everyone else here. 

[The guy from the Vale]

Again, I find it interesting that you somehow manage to think the actions of a 14-year old in a system where he was struggling for his own life make him somehow a villain for the rest of his life. I won't deny he didn't act in the most moral way possible, but how many people would have, in his situation, with his life on the line? More to the point, what has his opportunism as a 14yo (or at any later point in time) to do with the moral stance of the causes he supports?

[The Killer Snark]

3 minutes ago, theguyfromtheVale said:

Again, I find it interesting that you somehow manage to think the actions of a 14-year old in a system where he was struggling for his own life make him somehow a villain for the rest of his life. I won't deny he didn't act in the most moral way possible, but how many people would have, in his situation, with his life on the line? More to the point, what has his opportunism as a 14yo (or at any later point in time) to do with the moral stance of the causes he supports?

You mean moral causes such as the colour revolutions he himself has admitted he's conducted in Europe, or his funding of predominantly dissident organisations, or his acts of economic terrorism that have broken the backs of many countries in pursuit of the feudalist agenda of corporate Marxist globalism? The man is an abject psychopath. He's been responsible for the destruction of more lives globally than anyone since Stalin.

[Einheri]

2 hours ago, OldGimletEye said:

But, damn these alt-righties make me want to vomit.

I'll be honest, until the recent mosque attack in Canada, I had a hard time taking the Alt-Right even remotely seriously. I mean, their movement grew out of effin’ 4chan for crying out loud, and just look at some of the people representing them, like Spencer or that guy who was harassed by crazy Shia LaBeouf. He was wearing a WW2 field cap and shouting out meme phrases... If these truly are the descendants of the WW2 Nazis, they're like chickens descended from the frightening T-Rex.

Now, while I think that police should definitely keep an eye on them after what happened in Canada, I still think that the most appropriate response from our part is simply ridiculing them and their views, and perhaps spamming them down with interracial gay porn as seem to be the trend on twitter these days. For now, however, the Alt-Right is still pretty low on my "give a shit" list.

[The Killer Snark]

1 minute ago, Einheri said:

I'll be honest, until the recent mosque attack in Canada, I had a hard time taking the Alt-Right even remotely seriously. I mean, their movement grew out of effin’ 4chan for crying out loud, and just look at some of the people representing them, like Spencer or that guy who was harassed by crazy Shia LaBeouf. He was wearing a WW2 field cap and shouting out meme phrases... If these truly are the descendants of the WW2 Nazis, they're like chickens descended from the frightening T-Rex.

Now, while I think that police should definitely keep an eye on them after what happened in Canada, I still think that the most appropriate response from our part is simply ridiculing them and their views, and perhaps spamming them down with interracial gay porn as seem to be the trend on twitter these days. For now, the Alt-Right is pretty low on my "give a shit" list.

 

I don't like the Alt Right either, but they've been lumped in with a 4chan crowd that is mostly made up of anti SJW trolls who like to run parody accounts on Twitter. The guy who spammed them with interracial porn is Sargon of Akkad. He's someone I have immense respect for. I've heard a number of the Left describe him as an Alt Righter also. He is actually centre-left.

[The guy from the Vale]

Corporate Marxism? Now that's an oxymoron if there ever was one.

I have no problem with Soros funding pro-democracy movements in autocracies. The Color revolutions were a net good, in my opinion, as theywere important steps towards further democracy in Ukraine and Georgia.

As for his financial practices, I agree they are immoral - but they allow him to further other, more moral causes in other areas. The man is not unproblematic in his behavior, but not the supervillain Antisemites love to paint him as. Listen to the first exchange in the interview you linked, he explains it himself.

 

ETA: as for "responsible for more deaths than Stalin", citation needed.

[The Killer Snark]

4 minutes ago, theguyfromtheVale said:

Corporate Marxism? Now that's an oxymoron if there ever was one.

I have no problem with Soros funding pro-democracy movements in autocracies. The Color revolutions were a net good, in my opinion, as theywere important steps towards further democracy in Ukraine and Georgia.

As for his financial practices, I agree they are immoral - but they allow him to further other, more moral causes in other areas. The man is not unproblematic in his behavior, but not the supervillain Antisemites love to paint him as. Listen to the first exchange in the interview you linked, he explains it himself.

At least you've recognised the existence of his prior revolutions. Many people don't, and it's in order to distance themselves from recognition that one has been conducted in America ever since the election, though the current one is rooted in desperation and will ultimately fail.

[Week]

4 minutes ago, The Killer Snark said:

The guy who spammed them with interracial porn is Sargon of Akkad. He's someone I have immense respect for. 

This is the kind of stuff that keeps me coming back to the board. These two sentences back-to-back - magnifique.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

43 minutes ago, Swordfish said:

 

I don't really know what else you want me to say here.  We're just talking around each other now.

 

To accept that 56 bomb threats in a single month is not normal? Look, I'm not trying to talk past you, but it's frustrating when you dig in on an issue. As to the comment about the Mosques, it was a post that I made in about 5 seconds. Would you have been happier if I had written "Two Mosques in Texas burned down recently. I wonder if they'll look into possible hate crimes?" 

And fail.blog is a funny Youtube channel. Check it out sometime.