U.S. Politics Inaguration Sensation: Be Prepared

[Kalbear]

2 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

You're absolutely right about "mandates".  They're polticial rhetoric, nothing more.

Oh hey, check this out:

"Worse, members of Congress -- particularly Republicans -- increasingly fear their primary election opponents more than their general election opponents. "

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

10 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Does this idiot not understand that his administration will be most vulnerable when it just begins. So he responds to that by taking a vacation and leaving most of his mid level posts vacant? Good lord....

I mean, he recalled all of Obama's Ambassadors, hasn't replaced them, all while a war might break out in Western Africa.

Great.....

Champion of the Working Class just showcasing his Working Class sensibilities...

[Larry of the Lawn]

14 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

/soapbox

There are no such things as mandates. They are empty narratives made up by winning campaigns and the media, but in actuality they do not exist. My honors college thesis was a statistical analysis of the concept (humble brag, I got a perfect score) inspired by this paper written by arguably the most famous and credited political scientist to ever live (sadly it's behind a pay wall though). After analyzing every credible poll from every presidential election between 1964 and 2008, among other things, I was able to rather easily conclude that there has never been a single presidential mandate. Here's a short article that tackles the issue:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/the-myth-of-the-presidential-mandate/2012/06/08/gJQA0HvVNV_blog.html?utm_term=.fbdaa1754c28

/steps off soapbox

Agreed, and cool link.  Problem is that the Drumpfius Fiasco is talking like he was elected by 90% of voters.

[Rippounet]

18 minutes ago, Altherion said:

 I've read the mockery comparing his speech to Bane's, but what he says about DC and the establishment is absolutely correct. Of course, there is no guarantee that he will be able to do any better,

If naming that many millionaires/billionaires to cabinet positions does somehow reduce inequalities, prevent corruption, and rein in finance, I'll have to reconsider much of what I believe. F***, I think entire books would have to be rewritten to adapt to such a reality.
Especially given the history of some of these appointees...

But hey, not my president* !

*literally

[Week]

1 minute ago, Rippounet said:

If naming millionaires/billionaires to cabinet positions does somehow reduce inequalities, prevent corruption, and rein in finance, I'll have to reconsider much of what I believe. F***, I think entire books would have to be rewritten to adapt to such a reality.
Especially given the history of some of these appointees...

But hey, not my president* !

*literally

Yeah, I struggle to see how he isn't pulling a bait and switch in broad daylight while his small, niche base paws at the red meat thrown in his speech.

[Spockydog]

4 hours ago, Mexal said:

It gets worse.

In its place, the Trump administration has put up a page declaring an “America First Energy Plan” that makes no mention at all of climate change as a problem worth worrying about — except to note that Trump plans to roll back much of Obama’s climate policies. 

In their place, Trump plans to take steps to unlock “the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands.”

I just don't get it. WTF is wrong with these people. Do they not have children and grand-children to consider?

[Rippounet]

Just now, Spockydog said:

I just don't get it. WTF is wrong with these people. Do they not have children and grand-children to consider?

They do. But they have enough money to start building space stations to live in while the rest of us will suffer the consequences of their decisions.

Elysium isn't science-fiction anymore. Well, the ending is. The rest is anticipation now.

[Dr. Pepper]

1 minute ago, Spockydog said:

I just don't get it. WTF is wrong with these people. Do they not have children and grand-children to consider?

Sure they do.  They just don't care about them.  As long as they get to stick it to the queers and the blacks and the muslims, they don't give a shit about their kids or other descendents.  They don't even care about themselves.

[Spockydog]

Maybe they view it as just an easy way to get rid of Florida.

[Altherion]

11 minutes ago, Rippounet said:

If naming that many millionaires/billionaires to cabinet positions does somehow reduce inequalities, prevent corruption, and rein in finance, I'll have to reconsider much of what I believe.

Most American politicians are quite wealthy. I suppose one could have asked Trump to choose somebody from outside the elite, but that is a very risky strategy as people of that type may not get the same treatment from those he is dealing with. The one exception is the military and Trump drew heavily on it.

[Kalbear]

Just now, Altherion said:

Most American politicians are quite wealthy. I suppose one could have asked Trump to choose somebody from outside the elite, but that is a very risky strategy as people of that type may not get the same treatment from those he is dealing with. The one exception is the military and Trump drew heavily on it.

"Quite wealthy" vs. the most rich cabinet in history are very different.

Note also that while many politicians are wealthy, many cabinent appointees are not, actually, politicians, especially if they're experts in their fields. Most intelligence officers aren't particularly wealthy. Most scientists aren't. Tom Perez wasn't. It's an incredibly stupid comparison to make. 

[Spockydog]

Anyone want to see a nazi getting punched in the face?

Disclaimer: I do not condone violence, on any level, but watching this was strangely cathartic.

 

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

25 minutes ago, Spockydog said:

Anyone want to see a nazi getting punched in the face?

Disclaimer: I do not condone violence, on any level, but watching this was strangely cathartic.

 

Honestly I think we need to condemn this sort of thing whenever we see it on either side. We don't want to go down that road.

[butterbumps!]

1 hour ago, Altherion said:

I didn't watch Trump's speech, but now I've read the transcript and it seems in line with what he said during his campaign. It is significantly more nationalistic than any Presidential speech I've heard or read (can somebody link one that is more nationalistic?). He also correctly diagnoses the problems. I've read the mockery comparing his speech to Bane's, but what he says about DC and the establishment is absolutely correct. Of course, there is no guarantee that he will be able to do any better, but the speech itself was pretty good.

What parts of the speech do you believe are absolutely correct?     And how do his opening moves-- not letting people get mortgages, reducing taxes for the rich-- play to alleviating these inequalities?    I guess there's always a chance that starting trade wars will send the job-eliminating robots away....

[LongRider]

1 hour ago, Rippounet said:

They do. But they have enough money to start building space stations to live in while the rest of us will suffer the consequences of their decisions.

Elysium isn't science-fiction anymore. Well, the ending is. The rest is anticipation now.

 

1 hour ago, Dr. Pepper said:

Sure they do.  They just don't care about them.  As long as they get to stick it to the queers and the blacks and the muslims, they don't give a shit about their kids or other descendents.  They don't even care about themselves.

He told us that he thinks climate change is a hoax, now he's acting on his beliefs, science be damned.  (and the rest of us too)

[Altherion]

9 minutes ago, butterbumps! said:

What parts of the speech do you believe are absolutely correct?

This part:

Quote

For too long, a small group in our nation's Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished -- but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered -- but the jobs left, and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

...

We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.

The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.

I have not looked into his actions and it will probably be quite difficult to evaluate them as they are often part of behind the scenes negotiations. We shall see.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

1 minute ago, Altherion said:

This part:

I have not looked into his actions and it will probably be quite difficult to evaluate them as they are often part of behind the scenes negotiations. We shall see.

So empty when he has been one of those who has profited. His clothing line is made overseas. He just paid off a $25 million dollar lawsuit for ripping off middle class americans. He drove family owned construction businesses out of business as a matter of course. The emperor has no clothes.   

[kuenjato]

So, simplistic sloganeering brush stroking complex geopolitical changes/adaptations across decades is "absolutely correct?" OK.

[LongRider]

Oh joy,

Quote

President Donald Trump will tap Ajit Pai as his pick to lead the FCC in the new administration, elevating the sitting GOP commissioner to the top spot overseeing the nation's communications industry, according to four industry sources familiar with the decision. ....... By contrast, Pai is already a familiar name in tech and telecom policy debates. He’s a fierce and vocal critic of many regulations passed by the commission's Democratic majority, including the 2015 net neutrality rules that require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally and are opposed by the major broadband companies. As chairman, Pai will be able to start the process of undoing the net neutrality order and pursuing other deregulatory efforts.

not.

Sadly, the outgoing Commission Chairman won't be listened to by the Trumpsters.

Quote

Outgoing U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler warned Republicans against dismantling the Obama administration's landmark "net neutrality" protections that bar internet service providers from slowing consumer access to web content.

Wheeler, in an interview this week, repeatedly questioned why Republicans would institute new policies that he said would benefit major internet service providers such as Comcast Corp, AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications Inc and CenturyLink Inc at the expense of thousands of other companies and consumers.

 

[butterbumps!]

2 minutes ago, Altherion said:

This part:

I have not looked into his actions and it will probably be quite difficult to evaluate them as they are often part of behind the scenes negotiations. We shall see.

Who in this small group flourished?    How did they flourish?   What is the cost that's been borne?

What countries have we made rich?    The wealth hasn't been redistributed across the world.   If you want to know where the wealth of this country has gone, look no further than the 1% in this country.  The same people the other candidate wanted to redistribute wealth from.     And sending jobs abroad hasn't really resulted in the loss of jobs; that's automation.   Unemployment is at the lowest level since the recession.