American Politics

[cmdp123789 710]

Knowing that you are being watched is sometimes worse than just not knowing at all.. I still dont understand why having records of every conversation is legal. I do realize that they have to have a form of making sure there are no "activities", but seriously, I find this stupid. And since we are posting so many great quotes lately, here goes mine:

 

“Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” Benjamin Franklin.

[Meg 368]

 

Knowing that you are being watched is sometimes worse than just not knowing at all.. I still dont understand why having records of every conversation is legal. I do realize that they have to have a form of making sure there are no "activities", but seriously, I find this stupid. And since we are posting so many great quotes lately, here goes mine:

 

“Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” Benjamin Franklin.

 

 

 

The records of telephone conversations are (supposedly) not recordings of the conversations but information about the conversations such as the number that was called, the number making the call, date, time, probably location.    

 

The Privacy Act of 1974 outlines the law about government agency keeping a "system of records".    The key point, however, is the definition:

 

(5)the term “system of records” means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual;

 

In theory, a telephone number does not identify an individual because anyone can be using that telephone.    That argument seems rather lame, however, when most of us are walking around with cell phones attached. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

George Pataki launches bid for Republican nomination.

 

Governor of New York 1995 - 2006.  He was in office at the time of 9/11 and survived the political fall out.  As a more moderate Republican he certainly would be better than some of his more radical party mates.

[Sabretooth78 808]

I'll give him some credit that he doesn't run around touting 9/11 in every other sentence (like his Newt-backing NYC mayoral hack counterpart did and still does) but that aside he'd make a weak president.  Then again, that's something we need.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Have you had a strong president since Harry Truman?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

A Democrat, a Democrat, a most ingenious Democrat.

 

That's three by my count.  Hilary isn't going to get a cold pass.  Is America ready for a President from the other sex?

[Ocram's Razr 964]

Bernie Sanders might get my vote. Hilary Clinton will never get my vote. Rand Paul might get my vote. Jeb Bush will never get my vote. I might vote for a 3rd party or write-in Sanders or Paul.

--Ocram

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Gods, anyone but the establishment.  Hell, I'd vote for a dirty commie at this point.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

My economics book says that the United States enacted a Luxury Tax in 1991 but taxed luxury goods with normal demand curves more than Veblen goods. If the USA enacted a Luxury Tax solely on Veblen goods, it would raise tax revenue and the profits of the manufacturers of luxury goods. However, a tax on normal goods with typical elasticity (manufacturers have low elasticity of supply and buyers have a typically high elasticity of demand) greatly harms the manufacturers of luxury goods.

FYI, Veblen goods have higher demand when they have higher prices because they are already expensive status symbols.

The USA could generate more tax revenue, cut operating expenses, improve the economy, and reduce poverty all at the same time if it was more intelligent with its economic policy. However, most of what the USA does is the result of public image and lobbying. Removing price ceilings and price floors while subsidizing the purchases of impoverished citizens will greatly help things. Removing most agricultural subsidies and enacting a tax on pollution will help the environment. A subsidy is sort of like a negative tax so farmers can benefit from something akin to EBT being part of a national guaranteed minimum income. Now that I know more about EBT, I think that expanding eligibility to all citizens with small changes to how it can be used (change from a cash amount to an equivalent nutrition amount for each nutrient or food group) with its cost being covered by the removal of agricultural subsidies and the enactment of pollution taxes and a proper luxury tax on Veblen goods. Banking subsidies should also be changed so that the US government could stop paying the banks money (and asking for its bailout money back) and start giving out all citizens housing credits that can be used to pay for rent in addition to mortgages (are being subsidized by the government to the banks). If the government started building efficient (spartan, eco-friendly, low-impact) apartment complexes in every major city, it could end homelessness for a fraction of the cost homelessness costs the government already while uplifting the lives of the impoverished.

I also learned that Venezuela is experiencing major shortages for many basic necessities because of price floors. It would have been much smarter to give money to the impoverished than to force companies to lower prices because a forced decrease in prices can sharply hurt supply. The Venezuelan economy is worse off because of it (they started importing goods because buying them from China was cheaper than making it for domestic use, they even started importing Coffee) and the Venezuelan people are worse off because of it (long lines in the heat with no promise of getting what they need).

I very much hope that whoever wins whatever position for any election will start listening to expert scientists for making or changing policy. Climate scientists (for matters on environmental impact, obviously), economists (economy, obviously), biologists (environmental impact, health-care, agriculture), chemists (health, managing resources, environment), physicists (technology, aerospace, other R&D fields), engineers (for matters on anything built, obviously), and almost any expert in any other field will help far more than a lobbyist (paid lawyer or former senator with his sole interest in working is helping his employer more than anyone else).

I like Rand Paul the more I find out about him. I hope he succeeds at ending the Patriot Act and other programs that are unconstitutional even if some justices on the Supreme Court say otherwise.

--Ocram

[LexusInfernus 908]

I like Rand Paul the more I find out about him. I hope he succeeds at ending the Patriot Act and other programs that are unconstitutional even if some justices on the Supreme Court say otherwise.

--Ocram

Isn't the Patriot act gonna end at the end of next (?) month anyway, since Congress has not voted to extend it? 

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I like Rand Paul the more I find out about him. I hope he succeeds at ending the Patriot Act and other programs that are unconstitutional even if some justices on the Supreme Court say otherwise.

Isn't the Patriot act gonna end at the end of next (?) month anyway, since Congress has not voted to extend it?

The Patriot Act is going to end at the end of this month if Congress does not vote to extend it during a special session today. Rand Paul has helped work towards ending it thanks to his filibuster.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/30/patriot-act-rand-paul/28217651/

He is one of the few Republicans I like (I like Marco Rubio less now that I know his position on other issues) because he is not as authoritarian, statist, or warmongering as most other Republicans.

--Ocram

[krbe 193]

I can not understand how American politicians can accept the expiration of the USA PATRIOT Act, seeing as the skies above God's Own Country are chock full of airliners stocking hundreds of weapons each and staff more than willing to hand out these weapons to anyone as long as you're not wearing a hijab.

 

Disgusting, that's what it is.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

I can not understand how American politicians can accept the expiration of the USA PATRIOT Act, seeing as the skies above God's Own Country are chock full of airliners stocking hundreds of weapons each and staff more than willing to hand out these weapons to anyone as long as you're not wearing a hijab.

 

Disgusting, that's what it is.

If that is not a sarcastic comment, it needs a full explanation and translation into the vernacular.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

The link explains it. A flight attendant refused to give a Muslim woman an unopened can of soda despite giving an unopened can of beer to the man next to her, claiming the woman would use it as a weapon.

--Ocram

[AcmeSigns 97]

Because I disagree with many of President Obama's policies I'm labeled a 'racist' yet I'd vote for Ben Carson in a heartbeat.

Does that then make me anti-racist? Pro-anti-racist? I'm so confused.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The link explains it. A flight attendant refused to give a Muslim woman an unopened can of soda despite giving an unopened can of beer to the man next to her, claiming the woman would use it as a weapon.

--Ocram

It would have been nice if there had been a link.

 

This seems to be a case of anti-Muslim cafard that is prevalent in the United States.  What kind of country is this to live in?

[Ocram's Razr 964]

There was and still is a link. You quoted krbe's post with the link. I thought it was unnecessary to post the link again. Krbe's post was sarcastic but it had a useful link which made his commentary make sense in context.

--Ocram

[Larks2242 251]

Gotta love election  season when  everything comes out in the open, We learn what Bernie Sanders  thinks of woman.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/29/sanders-women-fantasize-about-being-raped-3-men-si/

 

One would think he might have a bit of trouble getting woman to vote for him  after that.

 

 

 

Also  Lindsey Graham has announce  his  run, Will  be  nice to see him flutter a bit and then wash out when he realizes no one cares  about him  since he alienated his entire base.

Because I disagree with many of President Obama's policies I'm labeled a 'racist' yet I'd vote for Ben Carson in a heartbeat.

Does that then make me anti-racist? Pro-anti-racist? I'm so confused.

 

I  was thinking of voting for him but the more I hear his  views  the  less  I start to feel on the same page, besides  I think he already shot himself in  the foot too badly to recover now.

[LexusInfernus 908]

Gotta love election  season when  everything comes out in the open, We learn what Bernie Sanders  thinks of woman.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/29/sanders-women-fantasize-about-being-raped-3-men-si/

 

One would think he might have a bit of trouble getting woman to vote for him  after that.

Yes, Ive heard they try to blow it out of proportion. 

 

Actually I think most women are smart enough to understand that 1) He said this over 4 decades ago and 2) he talks about what people fantasize about. Not that this should actually happen to anyone, just that women sometimes think about. And actually, he is somewhat right. Rape fantasies are not uncommon. Again, that doesn't mean anyone really wants to get raped, and thats not what he suggests as well. So really, just a big fuss over nothing. 

 

And well, even if women think this is a really big issue, its not like the Republicans will benefit from it as long as they continue their current anti women policies. It just means Hilary Clinton gets more votes. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Goodbye (un)Patriot(ic) Act.

 

It does appear there is a new spectre waiting in the wings to take away freedom yet again.

 

And on another front: Lindsey Graham announces for President.

[Larks2242 251]

 

Gotta love election  season when  everything comes out in the open, We learn what Bernie Sanders  thinks of woman.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/29/sanders-women-fantasize-about-being-raped-3-men-si/

 

One would think he might have a bit of trouble getting woman to vote for him  after that.

Yes, Ive heard they try to blow it out of proportion. 

 

Actually I think most women are smart enough to understand that 1) He said this over 4 decades ago and 2) he talks about what people fantasize about. Not that this should actually happen to anyone, just that women sometimes think about. And actually, he is somewhat right. Rape fantasies are not uncommon. Again, that doesn't mean anyone really wants to get raped, and thats not what he suggests as well. So really, just a big fuss over nothing. 

 

And well, even if women think this is a really big issue, its not like the Republicans will benefit from it as long as they continue their current anti women policies. It just means Hilary Clinton gets more votes. 

 

 

Kinda like how the left tried to destroy Ron Paul by claiming he  was  racist even though he never wrote the article? Bernie  is left wing so this will be swept under the rug by the media.

 

Oh yes, being for everyone having a right to live ends up always becoming anti-woman, Bernie Sanders is a socialist, I'm sure he thinks woman are owned by the state.

[LexusInfernus 908]

Kinda like how the left tried to destroy Ron Paul by claiming he  was  racist even though he never wrote the article? Bernie  is left wing so this will be swept under the rug by the media.

 

Oh yes, being for everyone having a right to live ends up always becoming anti-woman, Bernie Sanders is a socialist, I'm sure he thinks woman are owned by the state.

 

Women aren't property, nobody owns them. 

[MilitantRadical 2,844]

 

Gotta love election  season when  everything comes out in the open, We learn what Bernie Sanders  thinks of woman.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/29/sanders-women-fantasize-about-being-raped-3-men-si/

 

One would think he might have a bit of trouble getting woman to vote for him  after that.

Yes, Ive heard they try to blow it out of proportion. 

 

Actually I think most women are smart enough to understand that 1) He said this over 4 decades ago and 2) he talks about what people fantasize about. Not that this should actually happen to anyone, just that women sometimes think about. And actually, he is somewhat right. Rape fantasies are not uncommon. Again, that doesn't mean anyone really wants to get raped, and thats not what he suggests as well. So really, just a big fuss over nothing. 

 

And well, even if women think this is a really big issue, its not like the Republicans will benefit from it as long as they continue their current anti women policies. It just means Hilary Clinton gets more votes. 

 

 

I don't think it's a big deal but I know that if a Republican wrote what he wrote, no matter the intention or context, this would be a huge issue for the Democrats and the left. TYT and MSNBS would have a field day and you'd never hear the end of it.

[LexusInfernus 908]

I don't think it's a big deal but I know that if a Republican wrote what he wrote, no matter the intention or context, this would be a huge issue for the Democrats and the left. TYT and MSNBS would have a field day and you'd never hear the end of it.

 

I would argue the context would be different. Because if it were a Republican that wrote this, it would probably come with a history of voting in favor of restricting abortion rights, restricting the use and availability of anti-conception measures and other bills that are specifically targeted at making the position of women in the job market more secure, along with a bunch of other tasteless comments about actual rape. For most Republicans, having said such a thing is just further proof of their misogyny. 

 

Also I don't think you would never hear the end of it. If the last primaries were anything to go by, each week we have a candidate that says something awful and stupid and we will all forget about the previous thing. 

[Buffalonian2 6]

I like Rand Paul a lot. There are a few of his policies I disagree with however, mainly his desire to localize education and abolish the department of education. I like his father Ron better, too bad that the media does not take him seriously and labels him a cook.

Bernie Sanders is interesting, I might support him... I need to do more research about him. Kinda funny, I support a socialist and a libertarian, doesn't make much sense now does it? I suppose I consider myself a bizarre mix of those two philosophies anyways, oxymoron or not.

As for Sanders' rape comments... it was just a dumb essay about sexual fantasies written some 40 years ago. Not only that, but what he said was somewhat true, in an overly generalized kind of way.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Detour, there's a muddy road ahead.

 

I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said something like giving up some freedom for security will result in having neither.

 

What is it lately with the U.S. Congress that keeps them chipping away at freedom?

 

 

Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads

And recks not his own rede.

Hamlet -- Act I Scene III.  Ophelia to Laertes concerning hypocrisy.

[hym 358]

What is it lately with the U.S. Congress that keeps them chipping away at freedom?

As the founding fathers said, those in power seek to maintain and expand that power. It is the nature of government to seek control. It doesn't understand how to leave things alone.

[Sabretooth78 808]

Exactly.  No conspiracy needed.

 

Not the first unfavorable bit I've read on Sarbanes-Oxley.  And don't forget, corporations are people so therefore it must follow that people are corporations.

 

Sorry, I'll clear mine all I want.  The burden of proof is on them and I'm sure those records of what was visited and when are still out there.  Maybe we should hold the browser developers accountable for allowing you to dump the cache automatically upon exit - or even worse - that scourge to liberty known as private/incognito browsing.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I was hoping that the march of technology would help to counterract the decline of human civilization in the cultural, political, and environmental areas but it seems that those in power can just pevert even the most beneficial of innovations. In other words, the Fall of the current (globally connected) civilization is happenning faster than I thought it would this decade, which means my estimation for the Apex to be narrowed down to be around 1960 (give or take a decade) not 2000 (give or take a century). The decline will speed up considerably until some revolutionary innovation can start a new civilization. If no such innovation saves us, then life as we know it will most likely end this century.

 

--Ocram

[Meg 368]

 

I was hoping that the march of technology would help to counterract the decline of human civilization in the cultural, political, and environmental areas but it seems that those in power can just pevert even the most beneficial of innovations.

  

 

Pretty much anything can be used for either good or evil; it depends on how it's used.

 

and what is "good" to one person can be "evil" to other.   It depends on whether or not someone wants to keep or change the status quo.

 

 

 

 In other words, the Fall of the current (globally connected) civilization is happenning faster than I thought it would this decade, which means my estimation for the Apex to be narrowed down to be around 1960 (give or take a decade) not 2000 (give or take a century). 

  

The Apex of what?  Globally connected civilization?   Technological advancement?     I don't see how it was 1960 (give or take a decade).   I was here then.  Things are much different now.    A lot of things we do now were just science fiction back then.    If you had told most people in the 1960s that they would live to see the day when people would walk around carrying a device that could connect them to a global information network, they simply would not have believed you.

 

 

 The decline will speed up considerably until some revolutionary innovation can start a new civilization. If no such innovation saves us, then life as we know it will most likely end this century.

 

  

  

Technological innovation can not save us.   That will require a radical shift in human consciousness and awareness.

 

Several different theories/predictions/schools of thought claim we are on the cusp of such a shift in consciousness.    I have seen glimmers of it throughout my lifetime.    I don't know if I will live long enough to see it reach critical mass.  or if it will reach critical mass in time.