US Politics: Clown Show Edition

[zelticgar]

 

I honestly have no fucking clue and I've spent so much time trying to research union discipline I'm tempted to send someone a bill... 

send me your paypal info and I'll pay you a nickel :drunk:

 

I think your assessment is solid when it comes to employers who hire employees directly but there must be a different set of rules/laws/protocols when it comes to contracting out work. Even in non public jobs it seems like there are areas where unions pretty much have a lock on who gets work. Movie sets (at least here in Massachusetts) come to mind as an example where it is nearly impossible to get certain types of jobs unless you are in the union and I dont think the producers get much say on who is employed into those jobs. 

[DanteGabriel]

He passed ground breaking public employee union reforms in a purple state in the face of unbelievable opposition, including an attempt to hijack the legislature.

 

He passed a bill! That's what counts as achievement! Does Obamacare count as an achievement then?

 

Has that bill made the state more prosperous? How is Wisconsin's economy doing?

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

 

This kind of garbage really has absolutely no place in this discussion. 

 

 I'm not a geneticist, man. 

[Hayyoth]

 

 

"... But Solyndra!" A stale claim, debunked.

 

If you have evidence of wrongdoing beyond the ginned-up scandal over Solyndra, please post it. Right after you detail Scott Walker's achievements.

You likely need to read what I say before answering. Linking to an old politico article debunking Mitt Romney's claim of pay offs in Solyandra doesn't actually address my answer to you or invalidate the comparison. The point I made was the Repubs couldn't prove direct payola to the Obama admin from Solyandra or any of the crappy solar businesses they pumped taxpayers money into, so no corruption just shitty government. Unless a smoking gun is found for Walker then same deal. So far I've read an account of another wasteful and badly run gov agency with some inference that a donor might have been given a loan because of connections (rather than because the person making the loan was really bad at their job). I'm not trying to deflect here but if you're looking to tar Walker with the corruption brush you're going to need a hell of a lot more.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

 Unless a smoking gun is found for Walker then same deal. So far I've read an account of another wasteful and badly run gov agency with some inference that a donor might have been given a loan because of connections (rather than because the person making the loan was really bad at their job). I'm not trying to deflect here but if you're looking to tar Walker with the corruption brush you're going to need a hell of a lot more.

 

 You mean like 6 guilty verdicts from former Walker aides involving embezzlement and working on his campaign on the taxpayer's dime?

[Hayyoth]

 

 You mean like 6 guilty verdicts from former Walker aides involving embezzlement and working on his campaign on the taxpayer's dime?

No I mean him caught with his hand in the cookie jar. You're inferring corruption rather than proving it, and that won't be enough, especially if he ends up running against Hillary. Hate to break it to you but Hillary's campaign won't have ethics as the headline.

[awesome possum]

Hasn't it been established that the money given to green companies like Solyndra actually made the government a profit?  

 

Quick google search shows me yes indeed

 

In 2011, solar panel company Solyndra defaulted on a $535 million loan guaranteed by the Department of Energy. The agency had a few other high-profile bankruptcies, too — electric car company Fisker and solar company Abound among them. But now that loan program has started turning a profit.

Overall, the agency has loaned $34.2 billion to a variety of businesses, under a program designed to speed up development of clean-energy technology. Companies have defaulted on $780 million of that — a loss rate of 2.28 percent. The agency also has collected $810 million in interest payments, putting the program $30 million in the black.

 

 

Never underestimate the power of the rightwing talking points bogeyman though.  

[Chris G]

He passed ground breaking public employee union reforms in a purple state in the face of unbelievable opposition, including an attempt to hijack the legislature.

Because his party controlled everything. The people of Wisconsin deserve much of the blame for electing this jackass. When the State Supreme Court shuts down the investigation because they are bought like Walker, what do you expect.  The Wisconsin Republican Party sold out to the Koch Brothers for power. 

[Hayyoth]

Hasn't it been established that the money given to green companies like Solyndra actually made the government a profit?  

 

Quick google search shows me yes indeed

 

 

 

Never underestimate the power of the rightwing talking points bogeyman though.  

Compound inflation means the 34.2 billion is actually over 37 billion in today's dollars. So just to preserve capital government would have had to have earned around 3 billion in interest. Now that's assuming these are not amortized loans with principle and interest payments, and as we're talking 'let's put a positive spin on a fucking terrible government program' thing I assume not. Btw that 30 million profit that's claimed amounts to...drum roll....a 0.0002% per year return on capital not taking account of inflation. Anyway as ever a sterling contribution.

[awesome possum]

Compound inflation means the 34.2 billion is actually over 37 billion in today's dollars. So just to preserve capital government would have had to have earned around 3 billion in interest. Now that's assuming these are not amortized loans with principle and interest payments, and as we're talking 'let's put a positive spin on a fucking terrible government program' thing I assume not. Btw that 30 million profit that's claimed amounts to...drum roll....a 0.0002% per year return on capital not taking account of inflation. Anyway as ever a sterling contribution.

 

Oh the irony of someone whose response basically amounts to, "nuh uh" trying to talk about contributions. 

 

Anyway, because I enjoy making you look even more foolish than you normally come across as:

The much-maligned government program that funded the failed solar tech company Solyndra is expected to make taxpayers a $5 to $6 billion return, Bloomberg Businessweek reported on Wednesday.

...

The portfolio’s losses only amount to $780 million so far, and they aren’t expected to rise above $2 billion once everything is said and done — a fraction of the $10 billion in losses the government anticipated when it originally designed the program.

...

Estimates put the number of jobs created by the program at 20,000 — and it increases to 60,000 once the loans for advanced low-carbon automobiles are thrown in.

 

 

 

I anxiously await the next installment of "Nuh Uh!"

[The Fallen]

Cruz is not in DC to make friends, (rightly) calls out Mitch McConnell as a liar and corporate puppet on the senate floor. 

 

   That was pretty impressive, except for the paranoia (Iran deal and Planned Parenthood). I'm not too familiar with his politics so I don't know whether this is genuine or grandstanding. But he ripped the career pols (worst of the worst) a nice new one.

[SkynJay]

 
Oh the irony of someone whose response basically amounts to, "nuh uh" trying to talk about contributions. 
 
Anyway, because I enjoy making you look even more foolish than you normally come across as:
 
 
I anxiously await the next installment of "Nuh Uh!"

Adding in the advancements of tech and general health of the planet to make a profit on top of it all?

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

Adding in the advancements of tech and general health of the planet to make a profit on top of it all?

 

 And you have to consider that Solar in particular is a long-term investment. The payoff over time is going to be much more impressive than in the early going.

[awesome possum]

The ability to be terrible sore losers knows no bounds for the leaders in the GOP

 

Senate Republican leaders announced plans Friday to use a must-pass highway bill to try to overturn President Barack Obama’s health care law, in the latest GOP assault on “Obamacare.”

 

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor “nearly every Republican wants” a full repeal of the law, and he introduced an amendment to the highway bill to do just that. A vote was set for Sunday.

 

The move was met with immediate derision from Democrats in the wake of last month’s Supreme Court ruling upholding central elements of the law.

...

Even with the Senate under Republican control McConnell’s amendment is unlikely to reach the 60-vote threshold needed. Republicans control 54 seats in the Senate.

 

And any such legislation would be sure to be vetoed by Obama. The House has voted more than 50 times to repeal the health law in full or in part.

 

 

 

The lengths these dipshits will go to to show the world how pathetic they are never ceases to amuse me.  

[BloodRider]

Does Alex Jones whine about Lizard people? Hold on....how do you know Alex Jones whines about Lizard people?

 

I know this might be an anathema for you, but FYI, one can consume media and be critical of it.  You should try it sometimes.  Perhaps when absorbing the next ginned up conspiracy on Breitbart or Fox.

 

Hasn't it been established that the money given to green companies like Solyndra actually made the government a profit?  

 

Quick google search shows me yes indeed

 

Never underestimate the power of the rightwing talking points bogeyman though.  

It's all part of the Conspiracy man.

[Jaxom 1974]

He passed ground breaking public employee union reforms in a purple state in the face of unbelievable opposition, including an attempt to hijack the legislature.

It was groundbreaking?

Bit of a clusterfuck on the ground out here in Wisconsin actually.

[TerraPrime]

It'll be one of those if a bear shits in the woods deals, did it really happen if no one is around to smell it? Yeah there are closed shops, particularly in public works in blue states, but if no one complains then no crime has been committed.

 

So.... you are sure that bad, illegal things happen, routinely, but you have no evidence for it. 

 

Did I get that right?

[Larry of the Lawn]

ALL THE POLICIES! DETROIT!

[jarl the climber]

 

   Thanks for the response.

 

   So the Republicans want to end a possible Iran deal if they gain the presidency. And then what? Do they expect the Iranians to take it lying down? And if the Iranians continue with their program will the Republican president declare war on Iran? Do they think they'd be able to get that authorization?

 

   Never mind what the rest of the world's reaction will be this idiocy.

To be honest I'm a little confused by the whole thing. My understanding is that the whole deal with the Iranians is an Executive agreement not a treaty. Now by law the President does not have to submit an Executive agreement to Congress for approval. In this case Obama has agreed to do this. Even if majorities in both both the House and the Senate voted against the deal it will still be implemented unless the Republicans can get enough Democrats to join them and override Obama's veto. So Congress needs a 2/3 majority to scuttle it. So even if it is a straight party line vote the deal goes through

 

Now if it pans out that way, I think that its a sign that the Republicans will make the Iranian deal an election issue. On the other hand if some Republicans support the deal and Congress ends up endorsing it then I think that it takes it off the table as a major issue in the election beyond some posturing. A Republican President might talk about reviewing the deal and that sort of thing but I doubt that he would pull out of it unless the Iranians clearly violated it. I actually think that Obama will get enough support from Republicans that the deal will get Congressional approval, the only reason that I have any doubts is that Obama is just lousy at stuff like that.

[Commodore]

both Fox and NBC say Inspector Generals believe classified info passed through the personal server in Hillary's basement

 

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=848637885192097

 

Sources tell Fox News that 2 IG's have determined that Hillary Clinton's private email account contains hundreds of potentially classified emails either sent by Clinton or received from others. Clinton said today we are all accountable to the American people to get the facts right, and she will do her part.

 

 

https://twitter.com/mmurraypolitics/status/624683696503832576

 

@mmurraypolitics

Joint IG stmt on Hillary's emails: “This classified information should never have been transmitted via an unclassified personal system.”

3:52 PM - 24 Jul 2015

 

 

I've worked in military/defense my entire career. If I set up a server at home to do work on (even unclassified), I would be fired immediately.

 

If classified info touched the server, I would be prosecuted. 

 

Everyone with a clearance can be randomly polygraphed and asked if they have willfully mishandled classified information. Hillary should submit to the same.