The Political Discussion Thread

[Falcon Horus]

Theologically educated means that you study the Bible, the things surrounding it, and the meanings of each topic.

[snipped for length]

Thank you for explaining. Much appreciated. I understand now what you meant.

If they don't want the diapers, I believe shovels for collecting horse dung have been around for quite some time..........

Or a poop-bags, like for dogs, but bigger.

[Ian-S]

You'd need a very big poop bag...

When the horses crap in our lane we scoop it up and chuck it in the compost bin.

[Coco Pops]

So less people turned up for the inauguration then expected. So rather then own up to that and wear it the Trump team is creating alternative facts.....

We're in bizzaro land people....

OK is it true they are going to wind back legal protections for domestic violence and women's related issues?

So taking the USA backwards then?

[Coco Pops]

I'm just going to jump into the middle here and say that I've always found it hilarious how Republicans consider any forward thinking, progressive, equalizing idea as "liberal nonsense," or part of some "liberal agenda" where hippies will walk around in their flower shirts demanding free things from anyone that passes by.

Republicans and conservatives are living the lives of centuries passed. Their ideals are outdated, unfair, and harmful. Yet, they persist. Women can't use birth control. Poor people don't deserve medical care. Gay and interracial marriages are the spawn of Satan and spell certain doom for the world.

I guess I just don't understand how you live in such a contrived bubble like that. Times have changed. The world has progressed. Conservatives are holding on white knuckled to these core values founded in the upper class white guys always coming out on top....with lots of money.
I mean, we're seriously at a point in scientific advancement where we are attempting to send people to another planet - yet so many people ignore and don't believe thousands of years of scientific discovery that have led us to learn about things like climate change, or nuclear fallout, or whatever else conservatives shrug off for reasons I can't even begin to fathom.

I'm a former teacher - and watching our education system struggle and flounder under Arne Duncan was infuriating. Obama's Race to the Top program was garbage, and Duncan was a psychology major with no experience teaching children, or understanding the public school system. Now we've got this DeVos lady who quite literally wants to dismantle public education so she can make money. I don't even get into my disdain for Charter schools - that's a whole other post. Going into her hearing, we already knew she knew nothing about public education, but holy smokes - what a cluster****. She didn't even do her homework to prepare for this. She knew nothing about federally funded or mandated programs, she didn't understand how children and teachers were evaluated, she didn't even know the difference between proficiency and progress. She has never set foot in a public school. Yet, here we are, with another guaranteed appointment because the GOP has a vendetta against the "liberal agenda."

And again, I should note there isn't an "agenda," except maybe bringing equality to all aspects of life for everyone. Education, healthcare, salaries, affordable housing, etc etc.

So tell me dear conservative voters why is it that the right doesn't like the idea of progress or moving forward, and why do you guys like to live in the past? Why is that?

And what's with the Press Secretary presenting "alternative facts?"

What the hell is that?

Oh and Madonna has totally lost the plot, more then usual.

[garhkal]

They did this on Law and Order SVU once actually. There was a "faker" and in the end the DA didn't want to press charges for the stated reason. As a sidenote, SVU has explored just about every angle in these sort of things. I mean every angle.

True dat. Its one of the few reasons i still watch SVU..

[Coco Pops]

They did this on Law and Order SVU once actually. There was a "faker" and in the end the DA didn't want to press charges for the stated reason. As a sidenote, SVU has explored just about every angle in these sort of things. I mean every angle.

I have to agree. They have explored so many angles to things on that show that they are now running out of ideas I feel.

[Falcon Horus]

So less people turned up for the inauguration then expected. So rather then own up to that and wear it the Trump team is creating alternative facts.....

Trump nearly never owns up to anything. It's trait of his. He's never wrong. He's always right, and when you claim otherwise, he'll have your head on a pike (literally if he could).

We're in bizzaro land people....

Which reminds me of something my sister found on her FB-feed -- Dear citizens of Trumpistan...

OK is it true they are going to wind back legal protections for domestic violence and women's related issues?

Where did you hear that?

Is this what you're talking about?

How will President Trump handle violence against women in the US?

"This week, The Hill reported that the incoming Trump administration is looking to dramatically reduce federal spending. Of these spending cuts, funding for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants was highlighted to be on the chopping block."

The other article referred to above: Trump team prepares dramatic cuts

From Teen Vogue: Donald Trump Plans to Cut Money That Helps Domestic Violence Survivors

So taking the USA backwards then?

Back in the day, it was better. Just ask Annoyed. He knows.

So tell me dear conservative voters why is it that the right doesn't like the idea of progress or moving forward, and why do you guys like to live in the past? Why is that?

Don't we all like to know?

And what's with the Press Secretary presenting "alternative facts?"

It's the new definition of lying.

Oh and Madonna has totally lost the plot, more then usual.

Her brain's always on the fritz.

[Annoyed]

So tell me dear conservative voters why is it that the right doesn't like the idea of progress or moving forward, and why do you guys like to live in the past? Why is that?

Depends upon the direction we are progressing in. Which, in my and many other people's opinion has been backwards for quite some time now. This country has been on a downhill slide for decades, under BOTH parties, and even though Trump is hardly the perfect choice for President, he at least says he wants to reverse some of the changes that have been wrought.

It is really quite simple. Not everyone shares the same definition of what is forward or backward progress.

[Annoyed]

Back in the day, it was better. Just ask Annoyed. He knows.

Life was better for the middle class 50 some odd years ago. Anyone who was willing to work could achieve a comfortable middle class lifestyle, with one half of a couple earning a living and the other half free to stay home and properly raise their children rather than farming that task out or avoiding it altogether.
People will come up with all sorts of logical sounding explanations about why this situation has deteriorated so badly over the decades, and there are no doubt many factors involved, but I am convinced that the changes we have made within our own society such as placing ourselves at a disadvantage in trade agreements, the welfare state, globalism, insulating people from the consequences of poor choices (the list goes on) have contributed a great deal to this fall.

Her brain's always on the fritz.

She has a brain?
More seriously, why does anyone care what a professional entertainer thinks about politics or such?

[Falcon Horus]

Life was better for the middle class 50 some odd years ago. Anyone who was willing to work could achieve a comfortable middle class lifestyle, with one half of a couple earning a living and the other half free to stay home and properly raise their children rather than farming that task out or avoiding it altogether.

Don't get me wrong here, I see what you mean.

However, the world has changed. Economies and political landscapes have changed. Society has changed.
Life is more expensive depending on where you are in the world, or whether you are married, in a civil partnership or single (with or without children for all three situations). Demands have gone up, both on the physical of the human capacity, and the world we live in.

You can still have someone home to raise the kids. I mean, GF proves it can be done.
And there are others who do it, but not everyone can do it. Someone working at minimum wage would be unable to maintain their life at the level where we are right now. Not even with two people at minimum wage can they survive.

You and I are singles, and as we have said before, we are taxed the heaviest. If my sister and I didn't pool our resources together, we wouldn't be able to afford the place we live in right now. It would simply be too expensive.

More seriously, why does anyone care what a professional entertainer thinks about politics or such?

They are people too with their opinions.
True, they have a bigger audience to share their opinions with, but they have as much right to an opinion as you and I. Even we don't always agree with it.

[Annoyed]

Don't get me wrong here, I see what you mean.

However, the world has changed. Economies and political landscapes have changed. Society has changed.
Life is more expensive depending on where you are in the world, or whether you are married, in a civil partnership or single (with or without children for all three situations). Demands have gone up, both on the physical of the human capacity, and the world we live in.

My point exactly. There have been many changes. If they haven't worked out so well, (and they haven't for many people, which is what drove Trump into the White House) We ought to roll them back. We can't directly control all of them, but we do have direct control over many of them, and our size allows us to influence some that that we don't.
Not all change is for the better.

They are people too with their opinions.
True, they have a bigger audience to share their opinions with, but they have as much right to an opinion as you and I. Even we don't always agree with it.

Agreed. But what bothers me is they attempt to present themselves as having superior viewpoints by virtue of their fame.
Which is BS. Yes, they have talents and abilities which they use to entertain folks, and they may be highly skilled in their professions, but their views on politics are of no more value than mine or yours.

[Ian-S]

FH said it best but basically the likes of Madonna have millions of people who hang on their every word, to quote a recent event she could probably kill someone and her fans would find a way to excuse it.

Actually she's already done something like that, her son Rocco(?) now lives with his dad because to quote him, his mother was an embarrassment and incapable of being one, but none of her fans bat an eyelid about it.

I just watched that white house performance with trump, he has a serious aversion to silence doesn't he? He finishes talking and there's like 3 seconds of silence while everybody takes it in and he's like 'oh silence say something quick', my goodness can he talk the hind legs off a donkey.

[Starsaber]

More seriously, why does anyone care what a professional entertainer thinks about politics or such?

Well, one is our President now, so what he thinks about politics matters a great deal.

[SoulReaver]

Agreed. But what bothers me is they attempt to present themselves as having superior viewpoints by virtue of their fame.

as opposed to presenting themselves as having superior viewpoints by virtue of their money & power?

[garhkal]

"This week, The Hill reported that the incoming Trump administration is looking to dramatically reduce federal spending. Of these spending cuts, funding for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants was highlighted to be on the chopping block."

The other article referred to above: Trump team prepares dramatic cuts

From Teen Vogue: Donald Trump Plans to Cut Money That Helps Domestic Violence Survivors

What always gets me is why is it the feds job to fund victims of DV?? And why only women (as that bill covers)??