US Politics Mega-thread - Page 1602

On January 30 2015 01:59 Simberto wrote:
How is that a big problem?

Isn't pretty much everyone vaccinated against Measles?

On January 30 2015 01:59 Simberto wrote:
How is that a big problem?

Isn't pretty much everyone vaccinated against Measles?

On January 30 2015 01:31 xDaunt wrote:
I love how you guys keep saying Benghazi when I explicitly omit Benghazi. Gotta keep that strawman propped up.

And I don't see Hillary cruising on domestic issues. There are already significant Obama/democrat-fatigue headwinds that she's going to have to deal with. That's only going to worsen if the economy takes a shit in the next 20 months (unfortunately, this is fairly likely).

On January 30 2015 02:36 oneofthem wrote:

you think the republicans won't use benghazi in the campaign?

On January 30 2015 02:09 ZasZ. wrote:


The tinfoil-hat wearing portion of our populace that thinks vaccinations are the pharmaceutical companies' way of giving the next generation of Americans autism.

Yeah, they exist. If only we could make them see what it was like to live in a world without smallpox or polio vaccines.

EDIT: And the reason its a problem is not everyone can be vaccinated even if they want to be, but they rely on herd immunity to stay safe from disease like Measles. A good example from the article is people on chemotherapy or compromised immune systems. They physically can't be vaccinated, but thankfully because 99% of the population is (or should be) vaccinated, it shouldn't be a problem.

The problem arises when morons decide not to vaccinate their children and get other people sick. If it was just the anti-vaxxer kids that got sick, it would just be karma (for the parents, not for the sick kids), but people can lose their children to diseases we've been able to prevent for decades because other people are anti-science. It's ridiculous.

On January 30 2015 02:56 Simberto wrote:


Ok, that is exceedingly silly. I did not even think of the possibility of someone being opposed to vaccinations. I know that people are crazy and find weird insane reasons for the most silly of beliefs, but come on. Pretty much everyone is vaccinated. Almost all of them don't have any negative effects. On the other hand you have diseases like polio, smallpox, measles. If you have grandparents, they probably remember at least some of them being a problem. So you don't even have to trust any evil corporations ore scientific liberal jew conspiracies. Just your own grandparents. While they might not remember smallpox (They were probably vaccinated against it, but it was probably already mostly beaten before their birth), they almost certainly remember polio as a big concern before vaccinations against it. And now it no longer is.

On January 29 2015 23:10 coverpunch wrote:

Lol. If you believed this forum, Republicans have lost every election ever.

On January 30 2015 03:01 Gorsameth wrote:

Welcome to America. Yes people are that stupid. Bad education + media indoctrination is a powerful combination.

On January 30 2015 03:01 Gorsameth wrote:

Welcome to America. Yes people are that stupid. Bad education + media indoctrination is a powerful combination.

On January 30 2015 03:52 Nyxisto wrote:
I feel the huge acceptance for these things also has to do with the US free speech culture that has turned facts into matters of opinion. Like when young earth creationists are actually taken serious enough that people are going to debate them over two hours as if the matter wasn't already settled a long time ago. The fact that there is very little communication between religion and public institutions in the US ironically seems to produce way more radical forms of belief.

On January 30 2015 04:21 oneofthem wrote:
dont see how it's a free speech issue. it's rather distrust/alienation from science and experts at large. a lot of 'independent' research and conspiracies.

Congress hasn’t even been in session a month and a raft of Republicans are already being threatened with primaries in 2016.

The reasons run the gamut, from backing John Boehner for speaker to objecting to an anti-abortion bill. One congressman is under fire for failing to amass clout that would help his district on a key issue. It’s the latest proof that divisions within the GOP are very much alive, despite the triumph of the establishment GOP wing over the tea party in last year’s midterms.

Since the new Congress kicked off Jan. 6, more than a half-dozen Republican congressmen and senators have drawn potential challengers from the right – an unusual level of intra-party electoral strife this early in the campaign season. Many of the incumbents have reputations as solid conservatives – lawmakers like North Carolina Rep. Renee Ellmers, who was elected on the tea party wave of 2010, and Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, who oversaw the party’s Senate campaign arm in the midterms — but have nonetheless drawn the ire of tea party adversaries.

A few of the potential challengers are mulling repeat bids after losing in 2014, betting that growing voter discontent with incumbents will put them over the top in two years. Many of the primary campaigns are almost certain to fizzle once the reality of what it takes to dethrone a sitting lawmaker sets in. Regardless, it’s a rude awakening for a Republican establishment that hoped it had put insurgent challenges to rest.

“There is an unprecedented level of disquiet,” said Daniel Horowitz, who has worked as a political strategist for tea party groups. “There’s a sense that the Republicans in Washington don’t share the beliefs of the conservative platform, or don’t fight for them.”

Democrats have comparatively fewer divisions, despite being in the minority in both chambers of Congress. In party circles, there’s little talk about primaries.

On January 30 2015 04:24 Doublemint wrote:


"it's my right to say stupid things, even if you don't like it/think it's correct/agree with it".

that's what makes it, at least to some extent, a free speech issue. if people abuse free speech it's a free speech issue, no?