U.S. Politics: lt's not hard

[Shryke]

You are correct in that the Tea Party is just the culmination of the Bircher's (or the ilk's) takeover of the GOP.

No good book recommends though, sorry.

[Gramsci]

Not sure where else to put this. A new study shows that "Medicare for all" would cover everyone and save billions in just the first year

That's nice to see, and hopefully more people take note of it.

Also, as the significant other of a physician, if you ever go to a doctor's office that complains that health care reform is driving him or her out of business, leave immediately. It is a total load of bull. These doctors closing their offices and demanding they be paid in cash are the biggest bunch of primadonnas in this country.

[Ormond]

I feel like the answer is somewhere in the story of what happened to the John Birch society and who they were. As best I can tell, all Tea Partiers are really just born again Birchers.

Anyone know a good book on that whole era of the Republican party?

I don't know if it's any good, and it's evidently as much a personal memoir as anything, but this is the only book published the last ten years I could find in WorldCat that had "John Birch Society" as a subject:

http://claireconner.com/wrapped-in-the-flag/

[The Progressive]

Another hilarious example of Charter School "education reform":

http://abcnews.go.co...singlePage=true

And Tony Bennett has resigned over the discovery of grade tampering, lol.

[Madfunkymonkey]

President Obama walks into a local bank in Chicago to cash a check. He is surrounded by Secret Service agents.

As he approaches the cashier he says,

"Good morning Ma'am, could you please cash this check for me?"

Cashier: "It would be my pleasure sir. Could you please show me your ID?"

Obama: "Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to.

I am President Barack Obama, the President of the United States of AMERICA !!!!"

Cashier: "Yes sir, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of 9/11, impostors, forgers, money laundering, and bad mortgage underwriting not to mention requirements of the Dodd/Frank legislation, etc., I must insist on seeing ID."

Obama: Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am."

Cashier: "I am sorry Mr. President but these are the bank rules and I must follow them."

Obama: "I am urging you, please, to cash this check. I need to buy a gift for Michelle for Valentine’s Day"

Cashier: "Look Mr. President, here is an example of what we can do. One day, Tiger Woods came into one of our bank branches without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods he pulled out his putter and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a coffee cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his check. Another time, Andre Agassi came into the same place without ID. He pulled out his tennis racquet and made a fabulous shot whereas the tennis ball landed in a coffee cup. With that shot we cashed his check. So, Mr. President, what can you do to prove that it is you, and only you, as the President of the United States?"

Obama: Obama stands there thinking, and thinking, and finally says, "Honestly, my mind is a total blank...there is nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing. I have absolutely no idea what to do and I don’t have a clue.

Cashier: "Will that be large or small bills, Mr. President?

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

President Obama walks into a local bank in Chicago to cash a check. He is surrounded by Secret Service agents.

As he approaches the cashier he says,

"Good morning Ma'am, could you please cash this check for me?"

Cashier: "It would be my pleasure sir. Could you please show me your ID?"

Obama: "Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to.

I am President Barack Obama, the President of the United States of AMERICA !!!!"

Cashier: "Yes sir, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of 9/11, impostors, forgers, money laundering, and bad mortgage underwriting not to mention requirements of the Dodd/Frank legislation, etc., I must insist on seeing ID."

Obama: Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am."

Cashier: "I am sorry Mr. President but these are the bank rules and I must follow them."

Obama: "I am urging you, please, to cash this check. I need to buy a gift for Michelle for Valentine’s Day"

Cashier: "Look Mr. President, here is an example of what we can do. One day, Tiger Woods came into one of our bank branches without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods he pulled out his putter and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a coffee cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his check. Another time, Andre Agassi came into the same place without ID. He pulled out his tennis racquet and made a fabulous shot whereas the tennis ball landed in a coffee cup. With that shot we cashed his check. So, Mr. President, what can you do to prove that it is you, and only you, as the President of the United States?"

Obama: Obama stands there thinking, and thinking, and finally says, "Honestly, my mind is a total blank...there is nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing. I have absolutely no idea what to do and I don’t have a clue.

Cashier: "Will that be large or small bills, Mr. President?

2/10

I chuckled at some of the "They told me if I voted for Mitt Romney..." jokes. Here... nothing

[Sci-2]

Perhaps a separate thread for political jokes can be made?

[Shryke]

Perhaps a separate thread for political jokes can be made?

Already exists. I believe it's called "chain emails".

[Madfunkymonkey]

Here's the difference between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party: the Republicans slip their hand into your pocket and steal your money. The Democrats also reach into your pocket and steal your money, but before taking their hand out they fondle you for a while.

[Gertrude]

No, seriously. This doesn't belong here.

[SkynJay]

Why not? It shows me just how serious I can take this joker.

[Gertrude]

Well, true, there is that. But I prefer to follow this thread for the actual discussion, not so much the petty shit. (I know, hopeless, really :P)

[TrackerNeil]

Here's the difference between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party: the Republicans slip their hand into your pocket and steal your money. The Democrats also reach into your pocket and steal your money, but before taking their hand out they fondle you for a while.

I thought we were moving the political jokes into another thread?

[Guest Raidne]

Well, true, there is that. But I prefer to follow this thread for the actual discussion, not so much the petty shit.

Hey! We just said no more jokes in this thread.

[Castel]

I thought we were moving the political jokes into another thread?

I think Knee-Slayer is of the opinion that politely phrased rhetorical questions are just providing alternatives and that he can continue doing as he pleases. So...no.

[The Iceman of the North]

On last night's TDS, Oliver had a report on a strike among McDonald's employees asking for a doubling of their wages. It's a bit strange looking at it from this side of the pond. We don't have a minimum wage in Norway (though there are some trade standards), and the employment force at McDonald's are far younger than in the US, still the hourly wage is about three times that of the wage in the US.

[Galactus]

On last night's TDS, Oliver had a report on a strike among McDonald's employees asking for a doubling of their wages. It's a bit strange looking at it from this side of the pond. We don't have a minimum wage in Norway (though there are some trade standards), and the employment force at McDonald's are far younger than in the US, still the hourly wage is about three times that of the wage in the US.

Well, Norway is a bit of a special case in general, petroleum inflation and all that.

[The Iceman of the North]

Well, Norway is a bit of a special case in general, petroleum inflation and all that.

That explains why executive pay is so much higher in Sweden than Norway.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Galactus,

So, Norway is the "special snowflake" everyone's always talking about?

[Galactus]

Galactus,

So, Norway is the "special snowflake" everyone's always talking about?

Wages in Norway tends to be inflated (as are prices) you can correct for it when comparing, but it makes direct comparisons tricky (case in point, Norwegians actually go to Sweden to buy booze (which is of course legendarily expensive here), and swedes go to norway to do manual jobs since it's much better paid). It's a similar dynamic to many oil-rich countries (although to be fair the norwegian government has done it's best to try to curtail petroinflation, and have succeeded to a great extent)

And no, it's not really a special snowflake either: The arab gulf states have similar patterns (although obviously far, far more pronounced) other commodities can cause similar effects.

If you look at swedish and danish prices, and then look at norwegian ones, you're going to notice a rather sharp increase. (although part of that might be due to different effects, eg. EU membership)