The Political Discussion Thread

[thekillman]

If it's anything like the boycott of Starbucks.. Protesters are spending more money there..

The thing is, such protests usually attract way too few people to have an impact on a chain that serves, what, millions of people?

Besides, the bathroom issue is probably one of the most overblown issues i've seen in a while. Most bathrooms are genderless anyway, and only have a sign on them out of convention. lesser abled people have their own, gender-less bathroom. Didn't see anyone there make a fuss. And since a man with a daughter or a woman with a son pretty much inevitably has to cross the gender barrier, where's the problem in that?

The only real concern is the practical aspects of mass bathroom stalls, but i see no problem simply phasing those out. i also suspect more efficient designs for bathrooms exist than the gender-based one we have now. Wouldn't it make more sense to have needs-based toilets? I mean, i think it's weird when i pass a line in front of the women's toilets and then enter a nearly empty one.

[Ian-S]

Could someone give us poor plebs in Europe the nickle tour on what Pizzagate is? Because there's been no mention of it here and to me it sound like a bad Agado party song from the 70's

[Gatefan1976]

I submit Obamacare as pretty strong evidence to the contrary.

I submit that with or without Obamacare, the overall economy of the USA has not changed a jot. Economic growth and development would roll on with or without it.

The POTUS may not have the formal authority to directly introduce legislative proposals that impact the economy, but he controls a vast array of agencies which can introduce a huge amount of regulations designed to influence economy with little oversight from Congress.

Such as?
POTUS can decide to a degree where and how money does and does not get spent by the government, sure, but that is not the economy, that is government spending. Even Military spending does not hit the economy directly.

They can veto congressional legislation and they can reinterprete the living daylights out of said legislation (like Obama declared that he intended to do with Congress' opposition to the Iran deal) or indefinitely postpone the execution of that legislation (as every USA President has done with the law which demands that the USA embassy in Israel be moved to Jerusalem; every year its execution gets delayed to the next year by Presidential decree).

Irrelevant to this point.

[Gatefan1976]

He's already been exposed as the biggest liar there is. And right now it's clear that many of his campaign promises are lies too. How long before people *realize* he's a pathological liar? How long are republicans going to swallow this ****?

People hated and questioned Clinton for her alleged Wall Street ties. Well Trump's directly filling his cabinet with billionairs and hundred-millionaires right now. Why does Trump get a free pass? Clinton gets grilled for her shady practices. Why does trump get a free pass? Clinton gets grilled over her "basket of deplorables", why does Trump get a free pass for insulting everyone?

Why is it that Trump gets away with everything people hate about Clinton? Cause he's not establishment? Because he is. The economic establishment, that is, and right now in stead of the "bribing /pay to win" that people suspected Clinton of doing, he's cutting out the middleman and putting himself (that very billionaire elite people hate) in a position of grand political power.

Cynical answer?
Look mate, we already had some damn Afro, not really American, secret Muslim in charge for 8 years, and look what he did to the place, but at least he was a bloke. There is no way we are going to submit to some shrill pants suit wearing grandma.
We gave different a chance, and we gots screwed.

[Falcon Horus]

Could someone give us poor plebs in Europe the nickle tour on what Pizzagate is? Because there's been no mention of it here and to me it sound like a bad Agado party song from the 70's

This poor pleb saw this in their twitterfeed a week or so ago in regards to fake news. Here's the downlow from snopes.com:

A detailed conspiracy theory known as "Pizzagate" holds that a pedophile ring is operating out of a Clinton-linked pizzeria called Comet Ping Pong.

For the record, I can't even keep a straight face copying and pasting the title.

[Gatefan1976]

This poor pleb saw this in their twitterfeed a week or so ago in regards to fake news. Here's the downlow from snopes.com:

A detailed conspiracy theory known as "Pizzagate" holds that a pedophile ring is operating out of a Clinton-linked pizzeria called Comet Ping Pong.

For the record, I can't even keep a straight face copying and pasting the title.

If you need a laugh, try this one:
http://harddawn.com/leonard-nimoy-se...of-illuminati/

Did Leonard Nimoy Fake His Own Death So He Could Seize Control of the Illuminati?

[Annoyed]

Exactly.
Despite popular belief, the POTUS/PM does very little in terms of overall economics of a nation. They can affect trade deals and such, and they can muck about with regulations. The most damaging thing they can do to economics is declare or continue existing wars. On the whole however, the machinery of economics just marches on the way it is designed to do. This is why I don't care if it is a Repub or a Dem, or Liberal or labour here running the show on that level. Social policy however is where the person in charge can have the most visible and lasting effect. THAT is my problem with Trump, not the party he claims he is representing.

For me, social issues are definitely back burner, if even on the stove at all. The economy is front and center for me. And trade deals are within the purview of the executive branch, with consent of the senate. Pulling us out of the TPP is something he had damned well better do in short order, to be followed by revisiting or even scrapping of all the other *AFTA deals.

Enforcement of existing immigration law, which is also under the jurisdiction of the executive branch, is another thing harming those at the low end of the socio-economic ladder. And the path here is as easy as it gets. All he has to do is enforce existing law. Secure the borders to prevent further entry by illegals and remove those that are already here illegally. Which up to this point, no one has expressed any interest whatsoever in doing.

[Falcon Horus]

If you need a laugh, try this one:
http://harddawn.com/leonard-nimoy-se...of-illuminati/

Did Leonard Nimoy Fake His Own Death So He Could Seize Control of the Illuminati?

What in the blazes did I just read?!?



And there's actual people who believe this nonsense?!?

[Annoyed]

Or as some say it matters not who's in power, all us 'little people' suffer..

And that will never, ever change.

But what can change is the degree of difficulty the little people have living their lives. For example, if trade policy favors domestic production, there will be more jobs, and the law of supply and demand will push wage/benefit rates upwards.

On the other hand, as has played out over the past 30 or more years, trade policy has favored outsourcing, which reduces the number of workers needed domestically and therefore allows companies to lower wage/benefit rates offered.

This has resulted in a very large segment of the population being barely able to make ends meet; both spouses working low paying jobs, just keeping their heads above water, or in many cases not being able to keep up, period. This is not abstract theory; it is history, it has already happened.

Oh, and here is another bit of indigestion which is a direct result of that trade policy that isn't on anybody's radar yet.

Many have spent their entire working lives in this setup; barely able to make ends meet in a job market which is pathetic to say the least. These people haven't been able to stash money into 401K's or any other retirement plan. What are they going to do when they can't work anymore? Starve? This sustenance level standard of living is going to have long term costs nobody is thinking of.

So, yes, it is true that those on top of any society, capitalism, socialism, or any other ism will lord it over the peons, policy changes can certainly have big effects on those farther down.

[Falcon Horus]

On the other hand, as has played out over the past 30 or more years, trade policy has favored outsourcing, which reduces the number of workers needed domestically and therefore allows companies to lower wage/benefit rates offered.

You are deliberately ignoring automatisation -- which takes more jobs away from actual people than your blasted trade policies.

[Annoyed]

And Trump was supposed to persecute (not a misspelling) Clinton. But it looks like he isn't going to be doing what he is supposed to be doing.

The jury isn't even seated on that yet. If I were Trump, I would be saying the exact same thing he is saying now. By convincing people that he isn't going to go after Clinton, he lessens the chance that the LSoS will pardon her. If he does issue a pardon, it's game over. So I wouldn't expect to hear the truth about this until AFTER Jan. 20.

In fact, due to the complete meltdown the left and their lap dogs in the media are undergoing due to their loss, I wouldn't be surprised if other actions and statements are smokescreens also.

[Falcon Horus]

The jury isn't even seated on that yet. If I were Trump, I would be saying the exact same thing he is saying now. By convincing people that he isn't going to go after Clinton, he lessens the chance that the LSoS will pardon her.

You would as Trump, but Trump isn't you and he won't go through with it. You know why, because he only used you to gain access to the WH -- his ultimate goal: prestige and money.

[Annoyed]

If you need a laugh, try this one:
http://harddawn.com/leonard-nimoy-se...of-illuminati/

Did Leonard Nimoy Fake His Own Death So He Could Seize Control of the Illuminati?

That site is just as ridiculous as Huffington, and I will give that article the exact same consideration that I would give something posted there.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

The jury isn't even seated on that yet. If I were Trump, I would be saying the exact same thing he is saying now. By convincing people that he isn't going to go after Clinton, he lessens the chance that the LSoS will pardon her.

It's all part of the plan..



And when he doesn't go after her. When he doesn't prosecute. When he completely forgets about it to concentrate on his war with Saturday Night Live and a Broadway musical, what will you do then? What excuse will you come up with for why he still hasn't done what you wanted?

Will it still be part of the plan? Waiting until the very last moment he's in office and striking when no one expects it?

[Annoyed]

You would as Trump, but Trump isn't you and he won't go through with it. You know why, because he only used you to gain access to the WH -- his ultimate goal: prestige and money.

We don't KNOW that yet. Yes, it's possible. But we have to wait and see what actually happens.

As I've posted around here somewhere within the past few days, there is absolutely an element of risk here. It could be as you suggest, to gain prestige, money and power, or worse. This is pretty much how Hitler came to power in the 1930's.

Sometimes you have to risk to gain. What was the alternative? More of the same BS we've seen from BOTH parties for decades?

We have to wait a few years to see what actually happens. But I'll go on a limb with one statement right now. If he does prove to be a false prophet, he will lose the support of those who put him in office even faster than he gained it.