In order to ensure that this thread continues to meet TL standards and follows the proper guidelines, we will be enforcing the rules in the OP more strictly. Be sure to give them a re-read to refresh your memory! The vast majority of you are contributing in a healthy way, keep it up!
NOTE: When providing a source, explain why you feel it is relevant and what purpose it adds to the discussion if it's not obvious. Also take note that unsubstantiated tweets/posts meant only to rekindle old arguments can result in a mod action.
On August 19 2015 11:09 Plansix wrote: It would help if people understood that the most insane members of the Republican party are the front runners right now. So we have to assume that there are members of the Republican parties that want to force 10 year olds to have children because God would want that. I understand that moderate republicans might now like it. But you can't throw stones at the wackjobs on the left and then boohoo when someone points out that leading Republican wants to build the Great Wall of America and force Mexico to pay for it.
I really do dislike the perception of defending the vapid Trump, or the GOP in general, but Huckabee is polling less than 4%, and Trump is around 20%, but has obscenely high never voting/unfavorables in the party. He has a high floor, but a very low ceiling. Your assertion also makes it seems like people want 10 year olds to be forcibly impregnated, but that's certainly not the case and you know it, but you frame it like that anyway. It's disingenuous. I think we can all agree on how daft Trump is about the wall and Mexico, however.
In any event, let's not throw too many bricks in your glass house. Remember, the GOP has more women and minorities in their Presidential primary, than the Democrats, so you should be throwing bricks the other way as the SJW here, right?
The US Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed a slate of measures meant to drastically reduce methane emissions over the next decade as part of the Obama administration’s broad effort to reduce greenhouse gasses.
Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for the EPA’s office of air and radiation, told reporters that the agency hopes to cut heat-trapping methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.
“Together, these actions set a course for responsible development of this valuable and abundant domestic resource,” McCabe said. “They will help reduce waste of valuable resources, deliver more product for sale and they will better protect our climate and health.”
The EPA unveiled four proposals meant to reduce emissions by updating existing industry regulations, clarifying existing rules and drafting guidelines to reduce volatile organic compound emissions (VOCs).
According to the agency, the proposals would reduce 340,000 to 400,000 short (US) tons of methane in 2025. It is crucial for these emissions to be reduced if the Obama administration hopes to achieve its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26% to 28% by 2025.
Environmental groups commended the decision and said they hoped it would move the government closer to addressing emissions from already-existing infrastructure, which accounts for the majority of pollution.
On August 19 2015 11:09 Plansix wrote: It would help if people understood that the most insane members of the Republican party are the front runners right now. So we have to assume that there are members of the Republican parties that want to force 10 year olds to have children because God would want that. I understand that moderate republicans might now like it. But you can't throw stones at the wackjobs on the left and then boohoo when someone points out that leading Republican wants to build the Great Wall of America and force Mexico to pay for it.
I really do dislike the perception of defending the vapid Trump, or the GOP in general, but Huckabee is polling less than 4%, and Trump is around 20%, but has obscenely high never voting/unfavorables in the party. He has a high floor, but a very low ceiling. Your assertion also makes it seems like people want 10 year olds to be forcibly impregnated, but that's certainly not the case and you know it, but you frame it like that anyway. It's disingenuous. I think we can all agree on how daft Trump is about the wall and Mexico, however.
In any event, let's not throw too many bricks in your glass house. Remember, the GOP has more women and minorities in their Presidential primary, than the Democrats, so you should be throwing bricks the other way as the SJW here, right?
If having a pretty white washed field this year means that the Democrats don't have Ted Cruz, its a fair trade. And I'm not a Democrat. I have been a registered independent since 1998.
On August 19 2015 11:09 Plansix wrote: It would help if people understood that the most insane members of the Republican party are the front runners right now. So we have to assume that there are members of the Republican parties that want to force 10 year olds to have children because God would want that. I understand that moderate republicans might now like it. But you can't throw stones at the wackjobs on the left and then boohoo when someone points out that leading Republican wants to build the Great Wall of America and force Mexico to pay for it.
I really do dislike the perception of defending the vapid Trump, or the GOP in general, but Huckabee is polling less than 4%, and Trump is around 20%, but has obscenely high never voting/unfavorables in the party. He has a high floor, but a very low ceiling. Your assertion also makes it seems like people want 10 year olds to be forcibly impregnated, but that's certainly not the case and you know it, but you frame it like that anyway. It's disingenuous. I think we can all agree on how daft Trump is about the wall and Mexico, however.
In any event, let's not throw too many bricks in your glass house. Remember, the GOP has more women and minorities in their Presidential primary, than the Democrats, so you should be throwing bricks the other way as the SJW here, right?
The two Trump supporters in this topic have been pretty clear and vocal in their support of the wall. Also the suggestion that number of women and minorities is the only thing that matters to SJW is a little silly but even if we were to accept that all SJW care about it electing someone other than a white man, regardless of whether or not things actually improve for women and minorities, I think pretty much everyone would agree that right now the Democratic candidate is still far more likely to be a woman or a minority than the Republican candidate. The argument that you get more points for considering several women and then rejecting them in favour of a man than you do for considering one woman and then choosing her is very strange to me.
On August 19 2015 11:09 Plansix wrote: It would help if people understood that the most insane members of the Republican party are the front runners right now. So we have to assume that there are members of the Republican parties that want to force 10 year olds to have children because God would want that. I understand that moderate republicans might now like it. But you can't throw stones at the wackjobs on the left and then boohoo when someone points out that leading Republican wants to build the Great Wall of America and force Mexico to pay for it.
I really do dislike the perception of defending the vapid Trump, or the GOP in general, but Huckabee is polling less than 4%, and Trump is around 20%, but has obscenely high never voting/unfavorables in the party. He has a high floor, but a very low ceiling. Your assertion also makes it seems like people want 10 year olds to be forcibly impregnated, but that's certainly not the case and you know it, but you frame it like that anyway. It's disingenuous. I think we can all agree on how daft Trump is about the wall and Mexico, however.
In any event, let's not throw too many bricks in your glass house. Remember, the GOP has more women and minorities in their Presidential primary, than the Democrats, so you should be throwing bricks the other way as the SJW here, right?
The two Trump supporters in this topic have been pretty clear and vocal in their support of the wall. Also the suggestion that number of women and minorities is the only thing that matters to SJW is a little silly but even if we were to accept that all SJW care about it electing someone other than a white man, regardless of whether or not things actually improve for women and minorities, I think pretty much everyone would agree that right now the Democratic candidate is still far more likely to be a woman or a minority than the Republican candidate. The argument that you get more points for considering several women and then rejecting them in favour of a man than you do for considering one woman and then choosing her is very strange to me.
And yet, the last time a woman had a realistic shot at high office (the Vice Presidency) all we heard (and still hear) is incessant demagoguery and accusations. Note, this particular person was a part of the GOP, not the Democrats. This idea that the GOP are inherently racist or sexist, as much as I do dislike the GOP (except for some notable members), is a farce. The GOP waging this vast War on Women, but yet they put up someone (Palin) to become the VP, the second highest political office in the country. Guess what party Nikki Haley (or Jan Brewer) is a part of? How many women Democratic Governors are there? If there is anything I hate more than hypocrisy, is hypocrisy laced with self-righteousness.
You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
Just trotting a woman out to fill a role like VP doesn't make them any less assholes on issue like abortion, women's rights or anything else. There is a reason that Fox news trots out a black man to explain racism to their audience. The term is called "Useful Idiot". They also have self described "feminists" and "environmental scientists" they break out from time to time.
But Palin is a dolt that should have never even been governor much less vice president. She was clearly picked as the running mate just because she was a woman - to try and get political points for having a woman on the ticket, to argue otherwise after seeing what happened to that campaign once Palin arrived is to be blind to what happened. Not to mention that she then left her job as governor early so she could go make more money selling books and speaking to crowds, which to me further demonstrates that she was not the right person for the job, not even remotely so.
I'm no big fan of the Clintons either, but whether or not I like them, at least I can't charge them with being complete dunces like I can with Palin.
Also, it is true that one may not be able to critique the entirety of the GOP as racist and sexist, but let us not pretend that there isn't a portion of their base that are, how does one say this politely, backwards thinking bigots? People like to pretend that the nuanced views you read here or in other places are indicative of the views that the majority of the base hold, but that just isn't the case. There isn't that much nuance in a lot of peoples politics and a lot of people have some pretty dreadful views and convictions. And while both sides have these people, to me it is pretty clear that there are many more of these people on the right than on the left. Sure you can say the left has their nutters, but they don't control the political discourse like the ones on the right do.
On August 19 2015 12:10 Plansix wrote: You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
I had a good laugh at that. I normally just lurk but Ive had this observation working in DC the past few years that I felt might offer some perspective
There is no hypocrisy in asserting the very obvious issues the GOP has that need progress reform or they will keep looking like fools.
The 7 odd years that I've spent in the US the GOP's internal politics has become similar to what I see in my own country. Just think about that .. 100's of years of democracy and this is where the party has found itself, competing for laughs with the politics of a circus democracy that so many third world countries suffer from.
In Pakistan political discussion on television is the most watched thing + Show Spoiler +
(Im talking nearly a dozen TV News channels that are minting money all popping up in the last 2 years.
) because its like bad reality TV and that's why this last GOP debate had more people watching than I can ever remember. All these people that cant tell you who the secretary of state is were hooked they came for the foot in mouths and the laughs.
On August 19 2015 12:10 Plansix wrote: You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
Just trotting a woman out to fill a role like VP doesn't make them any less assholes on issue like abortion, women's rights or anything else. There is a reason that Fox news trots out a black man to explain racism to their audience. The term is called "Useful Idiot". They also have self described "feminists" and "environmental scientists" they break out from time to time.
You have a problem with women, namely with ones that you disagree with politically. Frankly, disqualifying black men and women for disagreeing with you is about as close to the real thing in the dime-a-dozen racism and sexism charge. Nice deflection to issues too. Let's see, if you don't agree with a black man or woman, in your own words, it's simply the other side trotting them out in bad faith. All this mental acrobatics to justify your marginalization and disqualification, it's just so lovely.
On August 19 2015 12:10 Plansix wrote: You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
Just trotting a woman out to fill a role like VP doesn't make them any less assholes on issue like abortion, women's rights or anything else. There is a reason that Fox news trots out a black man to explain racism to their audience. The term is called "Useful Idiot". They also have self described "feminists" and "environmental scientists" they break out from time to time.
You have a problem with women, namely with ones that you disagree with politically. Frankly, disqualifying black men and women for disagreeing with you is about as close to the real thing in the dime-a-dozen racism and sexism charge. Nice deflection to issues too. Let's see, if you don't agree with a black man or woman, in your own words, it's simply the other side trotting them out in bad faith. All this mental acrobatics to justify your marginalization and disqualification, it's just so lovely.
I can't speak for Plansix, but I'll just say that calling Palin an idiot (she is), or calling out other people with dumb or illogical positions as being 'useful idiots' isn't that bad, especially when in some instances it is actually true :/
I just love how the right cries about being called names when all you have to do is look at the rhetoric Obama had/has to face and then its like wtf are you crying about look at the absolute bullshit that comes from your party lines.
A american student went around campus asking future voters to describe Trump in 1 word. The answers ranged about as much as the users view of him here on TL.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former inmates at a privately run Nashville jail say they worked without pay building bean-bag "cornhole" games, plaques shaped like footballs, birdhouses and dog beds so that officials could sell them through their personal business at a flea market.
Inmates can legally be required to work without pay, in some circumstances, but jail employees are not supposed to profit from their labor. But former inmates Larry Stephney and Charles Brew say that is what happened with Stand Firm Designs, run by two jail employees and one former employee, according to their business card.
Although the company website says Stand Firm Designs is "composed of retired contractors," Stephney and Brew said they produced some of the company's products while working without pay in the jail's woodshop under fear of retaliation.
Those products were sold at the Nashville Flea Market and through the website, they said. Plaques went for $10 to $20 and bean-bag toss games commonly called cornhole were $50, they said.
A section of the website with pictures of the plaques Stephney and Brew say they produced has recently been taken down.
To prove the items being sold by Stand Firm Designs were made by inmates, Stephney and Brew concealed their names under pieces of wood nailed to the backs of items. They also wrote the number 412148, which refers to a section of Tennessee code that makes it illegal for jail officials to require an inmate to perform labor that results in the official's personal gain. The AP was shown some of the items with the concealed names and numbers.
Stand Firm Designs is operated by Rob Hill, a building trades instructor at the Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility; Steven Binkley, a computer instructor who works out of a room adjoining the woodworking shop; and Roy Napper, who formerly worked at the jail run by Corrections Corporation of America.
The former inmates said Hill and Binkley also took orders from guards and higher-ups throughout the jail for the products they produced.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is probing allegations of misuse of inmate labor at the facility, at the request of Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk.
On August 19 2015 12:10 Plansix wrote: You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
Just trotting a woman out to fill a role like VP doesn't make them any less assholes on issue like abortion, women's rights or anything else. There is a reason that Fox news trots out a black man to explain racism to their audience. The term is called "Useful Idiot". They also have self described "feminists" and "environmental scientists" they break out from time to time.
You have a problem with women, namely with ones that you disagree with politically. Frankly, disqualifying black men and women for disagreeing with you is about as close to the real thing in the dime-a-dozen racism and sexism charge. Nice deflection to issues too. Let's see, if you don't agree with a black man or woman, in your own words, it's simply the other side trotting them out in bad faith. All this mental acrobatics to justify your marginalization and disqualification, it's just so lovely.
Come on now. It's Palin.
Surely you can't say with a straight face that she was qualified as a vice presidential candidate?
It's not taking exception because she has different views; it's taking exception because she's an idiot, and one would hope that conservatives would echo this judgment, instead of wanting Palin as a face of their party.
On August 19 2015 12:41 whatisthisasheep wrote: A american student went around campus asking future voters to describe Trump in 1 word. The answers ranged about as much as the users view of him here on TL. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNFbE-fEiSM#t=26
I don't think anyone on TL called him a condiment though.
On August 19 2015 12:10 Plansix wrote: You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
Just trotting a woman out to fill a role like VP doesn't make them any less assholes on issue like abortion, women's rights or anything else. There is a reason that Fox news trots out a black man to explain racism to their audience. The term is called "Useful Idiot". They also have self described "feminists" and "environmental scientists" they break out from time to time.
One giant-ass non-sequitur, which is about what I expect from you. Kwark (of which is no relation to the Ferengi Quark mind you), said that at least the Democrats don't trot out 'token' women (emphasis on his contextual implications). I countered with the fact that if that was true, how did the last woman who had a legitimate shot at high political office come from the GOP and not the Democrats. But, of course, you can't argue with facts, so you make specious claims and move the narrative. The fact IS that there are MORE GOP women/minorities in their Presidential primary as well as elected high-office (Governors, etc.).
Of course, since this fact can't be debated, people resort to really nasty name-calling and accusations (as I eluded to earlier, and is easily observed here) with despicable declarations of being an uncle-tom, or a useful idiot, like any sane minority or woman could never disagree with their political leanings and affiliations. Of course, ideological blinders will never get them to self-reflect on how truly despicable a view-point and dehumanisation that is, but hey, when all you have is fierce emotion and self-righteousness, who needs self-reflection and introspection. They're the enemies after-all, so all is fair in love and war.
Ah, women's rights. The holy-grail (well, part of the trinity really). What does that mean in contemporary society. So vague. I mean, are the GOP advocating Wahhabism? Stripping suffrage? Sure, there were real meaningful barriers to women in civics and business 30 to 40 years ago, but not any more. All the statistics point to women today being much more advantaged than their male counter-parts. Those from 18-40 earn more, less likely to be homeless, less likely to die on the job, less likely to be imprisoned, less likely to pay alimony/lose custody, the media is militantly feminist, far higher graduation rates and higher educational performance, etc. So, please, spare me the bullshit.
Back to the topic at hand, there's nothing more insufferable than those who attempt to stifle debate and disseminate disingenuousness with the veil of racist or sexist ad-hominems.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former inmates at a privately run Nashville jail say they worked without pay building bean-bag "cornhole" games, plaques shaped like footballs, birdhouses and dog beds so that officials could sell them through their personal business at a flea market.
Inmates can legally be required to work without pay, in some circumstances, but jail employees are not supposed to profit from their labor. But former inmates Larry Stephney and Charles Brew say that is what happened with Stand Firm Designs, run by two jail employees and one former employee, according to their business card.
Although the company website says Stand Firm Designs is "composed of retired contractors," Stephney and Brew said they produced some of the company's products while working without pay in the jail's woodshop under fear of retaliation.
Those products were sold at the Nashville Flea Market and through the website, they said. Plaques went for $10 to $20 and bean-bag toss games commonly called cornhole were $50, they said.
A section of the website with pictures of the plaques Stephney and Brew say they produced has recently been taken down.
To prove the items being sold by Stand Firm Designs were made by inmates, Stephney and Brew concealed their names under pieces of wood nailed to the backs of items. They also wrote the number 412148, which refers to a section of Tennessee code that makes it illegal for jail officials to require an inmate to perform labor that results in the official's personal gain. The AP was shown some of the items with the concealed names and numbers.
Stand Firm Designs is operated by Rob Hill, a building trades instructor at the Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility; Steven Binkley, a computer instructor who works out of a room adjoining the woodworking shop; and Roy Napper, who formerly worked at the jail run by Corrections Corporation of America.
The former inmates said Hill and Binkley also took orders from guards and higher-ups throughout the jail for the products they produced.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is probing allegations of misuse of inmate labor at the facility, at the request of Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk.
O'reilly grilled Trump on how he is going to get rid of the 14th amendment. Trump agrues anchor babies are not US citizens, therefore the 14th amendment does not apply. His lawyers will use that fact to force mass deportations.
And we have arrived where the conservatives tells us there isn't a need for feminism any more. Sexism isn't a problem because these boys say so. It would be funny if it wasn't so predictable.
On August 19 2015 12:10 Plansix wrote: You just cited Palin as proof that the GOP takes women seriously. I want you to think about that and just how cynical the GOP had to be to think she would be a good VP.
Just trotting a woman out to fill a role like VP doesn't make them any less assholes on issue like abortion, women's rights or anything else. There is a reason that Fox news trots out a black man to explain racism to their audience. The term is called "Useful Idiot". They also have self described "feminists" and "environmental scientists" they break out from time to time.
One giant-ass non-sequitur, which is about what I expect from you. Kwark (of which is no relation to the Ferengi Quark mind you), said that at least the Democrats don't trot out 'token' women (emphasis on his contextual implications). I countered with the fact that if that was true, how did the last woman who had a legitimate shot at high political office come from the GOP and not the Democrats. But, of course, you can't argue with facts, so you make specious claims and move the narrative. The fact IS that there are MORE GOP women/minorities in their Presidential primary as well as elected high-office (Governors, etc.).
That's a pretty irrelevant statement to make when you look at the number of Republican candidates vs. the number of Democratic candidates though.
I get the feeling sometimes that people would prefer the "opposition" to be caricatures they can fling shit at, rather than having a functioning electoral system where political clowns don't get national spotlights.
EPT
