General Political Thread

[Sir Stewart]

Especially when I stick my dick in people's ears.

 

[Tweedling]

And here's where I feel federal budget woes should be pinching the Pentagon first:

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/08/08/209878158/egypt-may-not-need-fighter-jets-but-u-s-keeps-sending-them-anyway

 

I mean, I'm all for putting Americans to work, but if we're going to spend a billion, why give Egypt another 200 tanks to rust in their lot with over a 1,000.  We could be building high-speed rail with that money.  Criminey.  Someone once said something about some kind of military industrial something-or-other complex:

 

I agree. I don't trust Egypt.....or most of the muslim countries.

 

Especially when I stick my dick in people's ears.

[bjorn_skurj]

Egypt's army is on our side (for the $1 billion a year in gear we buy them, they oughtta be) and that's who's in charge of that country, so it'll be OK. (For the Israelis, that is.) But still there's Iran and Yemen. Interesting how drone strikes in the latter have increased quite a bit after we got our diplomats out.

[NoJ]

Drone 'em all.

[lost highway]

That's not Pentagon money that's being spent. It's the State Department -- complain to John Kerry.

 

 

My mistake.  Thank you for clarifying, that's an important point.

It's not as if a thousand tanks are a ridiculously large number -- in the 1973 war Egypt fielded almost 2000 tanks. In the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. and its allies drove 1500 tanks into Iraq when the ground war started.

 

 

If you read the article, in this case it is.  It's a useless number for a once instrumental element of war that is steadily becoming obsolete.  We're also sending them jets that our military says they don't need, and their military says they don't need either.

[Hixter]

It's a useless number for a once instrumental element of war that is steadily becoming obsolete.

I beg to differ. How does one cross hundreds of miles of enemy territory with tens of thousands of troops? On the ground. What protects those ground troops in their light vehicles? Tanks.

 

When your neighbors have thousands of tanks, you need thousands of tanks.

[lost highway]

I don't need tanks because I make it a point not to go places and shoot people.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I don't need tanks because I make it a point not to go places and shoot people.

You should have one in your house in case of an intruder.

[uncool2pillow]

Just in case you thought America had a monopoly on stupid politicians.

 

Aussie politician mistakes Islam for country

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/11/world/australia-politician-blunders/index.html

[Beltmann]

When I was in college I had a summer job waxing floors.  My supervisor once asked if I was Asian.  My eyebrow rose as I replied no--I'm obviously a Midwestern white guy--and then she followed up with, "Then what religion are you?"

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Especially when I stick my dick in people's ears.

 You'd probably do better if you kept the matter in hand.

[Atticus]

how's everyone feeling about politics these days?

[calvino]

how's everyone feeling about politics these days?

 

I thought we are supposed to ask you the questions?

 

Anyway, indifferent - (just like the politician's want it).

 

I did watch Argo for the first time a couple of nights ago - it was good. Hopefully our government is doing great things that no one knows about.

[IRememberDBoon]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/us-budget-deficit_n_3745096.html

[Radiant Witch Face]

I feel like Anthony Weiner should be quiet.

[Atticus]

I thought we are supposed to ask you the questions?

 

 

 

wrong thread.

[Tweedling]

Remember how bad the sequester was going to be?

[KevinG]

Remember how bad the sequester was going to be?

 

Admittedly it has not been the long lines and not meat scenario that I and many others predicted.  It seems to be more of a slow burn as discussed in this Politico piece.  

 

I believe that it has had a detrimental affect on our nation and will do so for the foreseeable future.  It is more than likely hampering our fragile economic recovery.  I don't see how it could be helping.  

[bjorn_skurj]

My poor friend Dave who works at West Point for the DOD is struggling with a 20 percent pay cut for the next few months, so for him the sequester sucks massive moose, but otherwise it's been a not-that-big-of-a-thing.

 

Hillary vs. Christie in 2016 should be a fun race.

[KevinG]

My poor friend Dave who works at West Point for the DOD is struggling with a 20 percent pay cut for the next few months, so for him the sequester sucks massive moose, but otherwise it's been a not-that-big-of-a-thing.

 

 

I think it has been hitting a lot of people in minor ways.  Not a big massive thing as was predicted.  I have some friends who are facing furloughs and pay reduction as well.  

[uncool2pillow]

My poor friend Dave who works at West Point for the DOD is struggling with a 20 percent pay cut for the next few months, so for him the sequester sucks massive moose, but otherwise it's been a not-that-big-of-a-thing.

 

Hillary vs. Christie in 2016 should be a fun race.

Unfortunately, I don't see Christie getting the nomination.  First, there's the weight issue.  I may be wrong, but I don't think America wants a fat president.  Second, though he speaks loudly and plainly, he's a moderate and he'll compromise.  Also, he and made friends with Obama during Sandy.  The lunatic fringe (which isn't even the fringe anymore) of my party won't tolerate that.  It's too bad.  I think Clinton and Christie would have a loud, but ultimately honest and respectful, campaign.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Who do folks anticipate being the nominee? Rand Paul? Marco Rubio?

Or someone not well known yet, like Obama in 2008?

[ih8music]

Unfortunately, I don't see Christie getting the nomination.  First, there's the weight issue.  I may be wrong, but I don't think America wants a fat president.  Second, though he speaks loudly and plainly, he's a moderate and he'll compromise.  Also, he and made friends with Obama during Sandy.  The lunatic fringe (which isn't even the fringe anymore) of my party won't tolerate that.  It's too bad.  I think Clinton and Christie would have a loud, but ultimately honest and respectful, campaign.

 

I think Christie has a really good shot at getting the nomination, despite being "too moderate" and too cozy with Obama for many on the right.  It would be similar to what happened with McCain & Romney -- while they weren't 100% ideologically in line with ultra conservatives, at the end of the day they were the best candidates that the GOP could find.  And right now, no one else in the GOP seems to have the personality to win over the public.  That's all a long way off, though -- remember when Rick Perry was supposed to sweep in and easily take the '12 nomination?  At least that was until he had to open his mouth at the debates.  I doubt Christie (or Paul, for that matter) will have the same issue, but anything can happen.

 

As for his weight, he recently got the lap band surgery and has already dropped a lot of weight.  He'll never be a thin guy, but he's well on his way to slimming down enough for the national spotlight.  I think America is fine with a slightly overweight guy, just not someone who's morbidly obese.

[uncool2pillow]

I hope you're right.  I'm still a registered Republican.  But over the last 20 years, I've moved to the left on a lot of issues (mostly doing with issues of personal freedom) and the party has veered incredibly far to the right.  I don't agree with Christie on everything, but he reminds me of why I used to be kind of proud to be a Republican.

[bjorn_skurj]

Unfortunately, I don't see Christie getting the nomination.  First, there's the weight issue.  I may be wrong, but I don't think America wants a fat president.  Second, though he speaks loudly and plainly, he's a moderate and he'll compromise.  Also, he and made friends with Obama during Sandy.  The lunatic fringe (which isn't even the fringe anymore) of my party won't tolerate that.  It's too bad.  I think Clinton and Christie would have a loud, but ultimately honest and respectful, campaign.

If they give it to Rand Paul, that's another eight years of a Democrat in the White House. SURELY there is someone in the Republican hierarchy aware of this. But it may in fact be that we are about to witness the mitosis of the GOP into the Tea Party and the Fiscally Conservative/Hawkish on Foreign Policy But Non-Racist/Non-Revolutionary Party.

Christie's fatness will be an issue, but it is certainly true that more and more Americans look like him every day.