MERGED: The Politics Thread

[Shara]

JJ is so conservative he would like to go back to a pre-presidential era

[Siria]

One of the effective way of improving the economy is raising min wage and extend unemployment benefit, because they'll spend right away.

Increasing the minimum wage may or may not help the economy.

It would increase unemployment regardless, because it would make people whose labor is worth less than minimum wage unemployable. The actual impact on the GDP itself is dependent on a number of other factors--primarily how many people it makes unemployable versus how many people would now have higher wages.

JJ is so conservative he would like to go back to a pre-presidential era

JJ is so conservative he might prefer us being a hunter-gatherer society living in straw huts.

[TheZookie007]

JJ is so conservative he might prefer us being a hunter-gatherer society living in straw huts.

Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it.

[Shara]

most men wouldn't mind.

Smack woman on head, pull her hair, fuck her, move on

[TheZookie007]

Grunt, ugh, yaaarrrrr!*

YouTube: "Town Hall Questioner to Obama: 'I'm Exhausted of Defending You'"

I doubt if she will become a Joe the Plumber-type character, namely because she has an actual job.




*translation: "Yes, I agree with you, shara, that sounds quite excellent."

[3deroticer]

most men wouldn't mind.

Smack woman on head, pull her hair, fuck her, move on

That's the real issue for "JJ" it was much simpler method of getting laid, and he is not liking the new age where predominately number of women vote liberal and women now out number the men getting their doctorate degree.

[Siria]

Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it.

I'll take my apartment with electricity, running water and heat over a straw hut any day.

[TheZookie007]

I lived in a straw hut once, for about a month. Solar panels on the thatched roof took care of the electricity needs, and the general climate was OK for heat. And getting water from the well was actually quite fun (and good exercise too). I won't tell a lie, though, I was happy once they finally put in the borehole

[Shara]

was that when you still had roaming south-africa or something as tagline?

[JJ]

How They See Us
===========================================

From The London Daily Telegraph Editor On Foreign Relations With the USA
 
Quote: 
 
"Let me be clear: I'm not normally in favor of boycotts, and I love the American people.  I holiday in their country regularly, and hate the tedious snobby sneers against the United States .  But the American people chose to elect an idiot who seems hell bent on insulting their allies, and something must be done to stop Obama's reckless   foreign policy, before he does the dirty on his allies on every   issue." 
 
One of the most poorly kept secrets in Washington is President Obama's animosity toward Great Britain , presumably because of what he regards as its sins while ruling Kenya  (1895-1963). 
 
One of Barack Hussein Obama's first acts as president was to return to  Britain a bust of Winston Churchill   that had graced the Oval Office since 9/11.  He followed this up by denying Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on his first state visit, the usual joint press conference with flags.
 
The president was "too tired" to grant the leader of America 's closest ally a proper welcome, his aides told British journalists.
 
Mr. Obama followed this up with cheesy gifts for Mr. Brown and the Queen. Columnist Ian Martin described his behavior as "rudeness personified. " There was more rudeness in store for Mr. Brown at the opening session of the United Nations in September.  "The prime minister was forced to dash through the kitchens of the UN in New York to secure five minutes of face time with President Obama after five requests for a sit down meeting were rejected by the White House," said London Telegraph columnist David Hughes. Mr. Obama's "churlishness is unforgivable," Mr. Hughes said.
 
The administration went beyond snubs and slights last week when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed the demand of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, a Hugo Chavez ally, for mediation of  Argentina 's specious claim to the    Falkland Islands , a British dependency since 1833. The people who live in the Falklands, who speak English, want nothing to do with  Argentina .  When, in 1982, an   earlier Argentine dictatorship tried to seize the Falklands by force, the British -- with strong support from President Ronald Reagan -- expelled them.
 
"It is truly shocking that Barack Obama has decided to disregard our shared history," wrote Telegraph columnist Toby Young.   "Does  Britain 's friendship really mean so little to him?"  One could ask, does the friendship of anyone in the entire world mean anything to him?
 
"I recently asked several senior administration officials, separately, to name a foreign leader with whom Barack Obama has forged a strong personal relationship during his first year in office," wrote Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor of the Washington Post, on Monday. "A lot of hemming and hawing ensued."  One official named French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but his contempt for Mr. Obama is an open secret.  Another named German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But,  said Mr. Diehl, "Merkel too has been conspicuously cool toward   Obama."
 
Mr. Obama certainly doesn't care about the Poles and Czechs, whom he has betrayed on missile defense.  Honduras  and Israel also can attest that he's been an unreliable ally and an unfaithful friend.  Ironically, our relations with both  Israel  and the Palestinian Authority have never been worse.   Russia  has offered nothing in exchange for Mr. Obama's abandonment of missile defense.  Russia and China won't support serious sanctions on Iran .  Syria 's support for terrorism has not diminished despite efforts to normalize diplomatic relations.  The reclusive military dictatorship that runs Burma has responded to our efforts at "engagement" by deepening its ties toNorth Korea .
 
And the Chinese make little effort to disguise their contempt for him.
 
For the first time in a long time, the President of the  United States  is actually distrusted by its allies and not in the least feared by its adversaries.  Nor is Mr. Obama now respected by the majority of Americans.  Understandably focused on the dismal economy and Mr. Obama's relentless efforts to nationalize and socialize health care, Americans apparently have yet to notice his dismal performance and lack of respect in the world community.

They soon will. 
 
--London Daily Telegraph editor -- Alex Singleton 

[Shara]

they see me rollin, they laughin

[3deroticer]

You know who else doesn't like Obama?
Sean Hannity, Rush limbaugh, Sarah Palin and Michelle Malkin!

Its a shame that Obama doesn't even care about them or show interest in talking to them. How petulance he has become! He soon will be severing ties with all conservatives in his distaste and contempt in his elitist braininess superiority over them.

Great article "JJ" way to show how Obama is being dislike by more conservatives.

[onion_writer]

This one is not worthy even of JJ. It reads like a bizarre parody.

[Janus]

 Yes, because as we all know, Great Brittan has never done ANYTHING that created a serious quagmire or mess for the US down the line in the last century or two.

[Siria]

I lived in a straw hut once, for about a month. Solar panels on the thatched roof took care of the electricity needs, and the general climate was OK for heat. And getting water from the well was actually quite fun (and good exercise too). I won't tell a lie, though, I was happy once they finally put in the borehole

How would a straw hut support solar panels?

[CarlTL]

How would a straw hut support solar panels?

Thatched roofs are stronger than you think.

oh, does anyone want to take bets on when JJ starts to copy/paste opinion pieces from stormfront, or speak out about the invention of fire?

[Siria]

oh, does anyone want to take bets on when JJ starts to copy/paste opinion pieces from stormfront

He probably already has.

[TheZookie007]

was that when you still had roaming south-africa or something as tagline?

Yup, back when I was in northern Cameroun. Good times!

The Daily Show: "Meet the Depressed"

[Galidan]

The Daily Show: "Meet the Depressed"

Whoa hey now! That doesn't make any sense! Comedy Central/CNBC being critical of Obama? No, that couldn't be right. Only Fox is critical of Obama, because they have a monopoly on the truth. All other networks are Obama's stooges, out to praise his glorious name!

[SamV]

Half- a - mo ... aren't all the London papers owned out-right or under the control of billionaire Rupert Murdoch?

The very same Rupert Murdoch, who owns the Fox News Network too?

Perhaps that explains the tenor in the article JJ (re-)posted then.

[onion_writer]

oh, does anyone want to take bets on when JJ starts to copy/paste opinion pieces from stormfront, or speak out about the invention of fire?

Fire? It should be reserved for the wealthiest 10 percent. They will then use it to create more fire, and more jobs, such as fire extinguisher workers and creators of burn ointments. I reject the call to build a fire station near hallowed Ground Zero. This gives in to Islam, which is well known for using barbecues. We also need to give Arizona law enforcement the authority to pull over autos they think may be driven by fire.

[Siria]

Fire? It should be reserved for the wealthiest 10 percent. They will then use it to create more fire, and more jobs, such as fire extinguisher workers and creators of burn ointments. I reject the call to build a fire station near hallowed Ground Zero. This gives in to Islam, which is well known for using barbecues. We also need to give Arizona law enforcement the authority to pull over autos they think may be driven by fire.

If we build fire stations we're only encouraging the Islamists to set buildings on fire.

[gOOber]

If we build fire stations we're only encouraging the Islamists to set buildings on fire.

There ya go.

[JJ]

In the land of President Barack Obama, USA, 2010 AD,

where things can sometimes not seem to be what they are?

For example,

Let me see if we have the following understood?


 IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR
 IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
 IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
 IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
 IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
 IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
 IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
=================================================================
  BUT,
 IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET

1 - A JOB,
2 - A DRIVERS LICENSE,
3 - SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,
4 - WELFARE,
5 - FOOD STAMPS,
6 - CREDIT CARDS,
7 - SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,
8 - FREE EDUCATION,
9 - FREE HEALTH CARE,
10 - A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
11 - BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
12 - AND THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT

=========================================

Ok, got it?

If so, you're the only one who did. 

[Real]

It's perfectly easy to get.

People like you think the US should be more like Iran, Afghanista, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, China and Cuba.

Good call.

[3deroticer]

Begs the Question, if "JJ" hates America so much and it's founding father's principle of govt, why is he here?

[Galidan]

Time to beat JJ at his own game.

Poll: 1 In 5 Americans Believe Obama Is A Cactus

[TheZookie007]

If you believe people who are brain-dead, Barack Obama hasn't done jackshit since he came into office. Well, just like them, that idea is bullshit. Here is some proof of at least one pretty substantial achievement, despite obstructionism by the Party of No every inch of the way:

Major new health reform benefits take effect today to help keep health insurance companies accountable, lower health care costs, guarantee more health care choices, and enhance the quality of health care for all Americans.

Starting today, insurers will be required to:

• Keep you covered when you get sick: Simple mistakes or typos will no longer be grounds for insurance companies to cancel your insurance.
• Cover kids with pre-existing conditions: Your kids can no longer be denied health coverage just because they have a pre-existing condition like hay fever, asthma, or previous sports injuries. This protection extends to all plans, except "grandfathered" plans in the individual market.
• Allow young adults to stay on their parents' plan up to age 26: Even if their first few jobs don't provide health benefits, your kids can still remain covered by your insurance.
• Remove lifetime limits: You will no longer need to worry about your health insurer limiting the amount of coverage available through their plan if you face an expensive medical condition. This will help Americans who develop chronic conditions from taking drastic measures to avoid medical bankruptcy.
• Phase out annual limits: Many plans include annual dollar limits on how much medical coverage can be obtained per year. On all non-"grandfathered" plans in the individual market, these limits will be phased out over the next three years.

For any insurance plan that goes into effect after September 23, 2010, your insurance company must:

• Pay for preventive care like mammograms and immunizations: Addressing problems before they start can help keep you healthier, and new insurance plans will now cover many preventative tests and immunizations without any copayment.
• Give you a better appeals process for insurance claims: Now you'll have a guaranteed and fair path to help you receive the benefits you paid for if insurance companies deny your claim.
• Let you choose your own doctor: Health reform makes it clear that you can choose any available participating primary care provider as your provider, and any available participating pediatrician to be your **09**'s primary care provider.
• Provide easier access to OB-GYN services: Women will no longer be required to have a referral from a primary care provider before seeking coverage for obstetrical or gynecological (OB-GYN) care from a participating OB-GYN specialist.
• Allow you to use the nearest emergency room without penalty: If an emergency arises while you're away, you will no longer have to drive home to your in-network provider to receive in-network benefits.

Many other new benefits of the law have already taken effect, including rebate checks for seniors in the donut hole and tax credits for small businesses. Keep watching, as more rights, protections and benefits for Americans are on the way now through 2014.

To learn more about how health care reform is helping you, visit healthcare.gov.



Perfect? Nope. Includes single-payer? Nope. But it still is a damn sight better than what we've been limping along with all these years.

[TheZookie007]

Sorry to conflate the word "conservative" with "member of the Republican Party" in this way, but I don't feel like creating a new thread just for this:


Friday, September 24, 2010
"Libertarians say Republicans owe apology, not pledge, to America"

WASHINGTON - In response to the recent Republican "Pledge to America," Libertarian Party executive director Wes Benedict released the following statement:

    Instead of a "Pledge to America," the Republicans should have written an "Apology to America." It should have gone something like this:

"We're sorry, America. Sorry we grew the federal government budget from $1.7 trillion to over $3 trillion. Sorry we added $5 trillion to the federal debt. Sorry we doubled the size of the Department of Education. Sorry we started two incredibly costly foreign wars. Sorry we supported the absurd and costly TARP bailouts. Sorry we created a huge and costly new Medicare entitlement. Sorry we did nothing to end the costly and destructive War on Drugs. Sorry we did nothing to reform the federal government's near-prohibition on immigration. But hey, at least we helped you by shifting a lot of your tax burden onto your children and grandchildren."

    There are so many lies, distortions, hypocrisies, and idiocy in this document that it's hard to know where to start.

    It is deeply insulting to see the Republicans refer to "America's founding values" on their cover. The Republican Party has no understanding whatsoever of America's founding values. They have proven and re-proven that for decades.

    The document talks a lot about "tax cuts." Unfortunately, the Republican "tax cut" proposals would really do nothing to cut taxes. All their proposals achieve is to defer taxes, pushing the burden onto our children and grandchildren. The only real way to cut taxes is to cut government spending, and the Republican document does almost nothing in that regard.

    The Republicans say they want to "roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels." In other words, to re-create the situation near the end of the Bush administration, after Republicans had massively increased federal spending on almost everything.

    Republicans must love it when Democrats expand government, because it gives them the opportunity to propose small "cuts," while still ending up with huge government.

    One shocking aspect of the document is that it actually includes subtle Republican proposals to increase government spending.

    The Republicans offer no plan whatsoever to reduce military spending, America's foreign wars and nation building, or our military defense of rich foriegn nations. On the contrary, the Republicans apparently want to increase military spending, promising to "provide the resources, authority, and support our deployed military requires, fully fund missile defense, and enforce sanctions against Iran."

    The Republicans also appear to want to increase government spending on border control. They say "We will ensure that the Border Patrol has the tools and authorities to establish operational control at the border," a costly proposition.

    Furthermore, as expected, the document complains about "massive Medicare cuts," implying that Republicans want to make sure Medicare is kept gigantic.

    The bulk of federal spending is in three places: Social Security, Medicare, and the military. The Republicans propose absolutely nothing to reduce spending on these three things, or even to slow down their growth.

    There must be a typo in the document where it says "Undeterred by dismal results, Washington Democrats continue to double-down on their job-killing policies." That probably should read "Washington Democrats continue to double-down on *Republican* job-killing policies."

    The best way to restore American prosperity would be to implement the straightforward 28 planks of the Libertarian Party platform, or even just follow the Constitution. I mean the actual Constitution, not the Republican re-write that allows for every federal government program imaginable.

    I suppose the one positive aspect of the document is that it finally dispels any illusion that Republicans want to shrink government in any meaningful way.

    Apparently the Republicans are hoping they can "fool some of the people all of the time." The Libertarian Party is ready to point out Republican lies and hypocrisy to American voters, and we hope that Americans who actually want small and constitutional government, not just hypocrisy and worthless rhetoric, will vote Libertarian this November.

[TheZookie007]

As usual, Jon Stewart brings out the lies that the current people who represent the Republicans continue to try and foist on us all:

"Postcards from the Pledge"

[TheZookie007]

From the Rachel Maddow blog: "Jim Russell, the finches, the races and you"

"Jim Russell makes my head hurt," @MissEliseBrown tweets. Imagine how the New York Republican Party feels.

Russell's their candidate challenging Democratic incumbent Rep. Nita Lowey in New York's 18th district -- in bucolic, urbane Westchester County. In 2001, he wrote an essay titled "The Western Contribution to World History," which was published in a white supremacist journal called "The Occidental Quarterly."

"It has been demonstrated that finches, raised by foster parents of a different species of finch, will later exhibit a life-long sexual attraction toward the alien species," Russell wrote. "One wonders how a ch_ld's sexual imprinting mechanism is affected by forcible racial integration and near continual exposure to media stimuli promoting interracial contact."

Nice. You're running a WHITE SUPREMACIST as your candidate. In WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Remind me why anyone in their right mind would want to vote Republican again?

[number3fac]

In the land of President Barack Obama, USA, 2010 AD,

where things can sometimes not seem to be what they are?

For example,

Let me see if we have the following understood?


 IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR
 IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
 IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
 IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
 IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
 IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
 IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
=================================================================
  BUT,
 IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET

1 - A JOB,
2 - A DRIVERS LICENSE,
3 - SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,
4 - WELFARE,
5 - FOOD STAMPS,
6 - CREDIT CARDS,
7 - SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,
8 - FREE EDUCATION,
9 - FREE HEALTH CARE,
10 - A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
11 - BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
12 - AND THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT

=========================================

Ok, got it?

If so, you're the only one who did. 

I don't understand what "things can sometimes not seem to be what they are".  What seems to me is that those first 7 countries SUCK, while the United States of America ROCKS, and anyone whose living conditions are about as appealing as a turd sandwich would be fortunate to make it into the USA.  This is how it's seemed to be for quite some time, and is also the actual reality of the situation as you've outlined it.  I don't get how the disparity in the quality of life in the USA vs. the quality of life elsewhere is in any way a problem created by President Obama.  Were you trying to make some argument that Obama should be trying to prevent or discourage people from immigrating to the USA?  If so, it wasn't obvious and I would like to see why that is a desirable course of action (because I honestly don't know one way or the other and could use the education on such matters).

[JJ]

news flash..........................OBAMA SPEECH CAN'T FILL ROOM IN NEW YORK



Six weeks before the election, President Obama couldn’t fill the ballroom at the Roosevelt Hotel, despite cheap tickets on offer. And then he was met by hecklers.

Who would have thought that six weeks before a cliffhanger election, President Obama would have to reach down to the D list to fill a room to listen to him? Most of us low rollers arrived early to see President Obama up close and personal. Our tickets for the general reception at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York were only $100. Some thought the email invitation was a joke. Some bought tickets for $50 from their desperate Democratic committeeman. Some bought the same day.


More at this address..........  http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-09-23/obamas-fire-sale/?cid=bs:archive23

[JJ]

OHIO - as it goes so goes OBAMA and it's NOT going well 


CLEVELAND -- There's no shortage of political tumult in the Buckeye State this year, where the Democratic-held governorship and at least six Democratic-held House seats are in jeopardy. But what makes it particularly notable is that the state represents several key demographic groups whose changing perspectives will give serious insight into President Obama's broader political standing for 2012.

The voters Obama is losing -- white-collar managers in Columbus, blue-collar union workers in Youngstown, pro-life independents around Cincinnati -- are exactly the types he needs to win re-election in 2012, and they're backing away from his party in droves. Obama tallied a whopping 60 percent disapproval rating in Quinnipiac's latest Ohio poll, with nearly two-thirds of voters disapproving of his economic performance.

That dissatisfaction extends across the board to Democrats on the statewide ballot. The Quinnipiac poll showed Gov. Ted Strickland down 17 points to Republican John Kasich and Republican Rob Portman leading Democratic Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher by 20 points in the Senate race. A separate CNN/Time poll was striking in that the two statewide Democrats were badly underperforming in nearly every part of the state, among almost every key demographic.

Working-class Democrats are abandoning the party to support Republicans with both Wall Street and Washington ties.

More here............   http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/09/what_ohio_tells.php

[JJ]

Barack Obama Stimulus Plan -  HAD NO EFFECT AT ALL

(except to create government jobs and more debt )

From the Detroit News


Wait a minute -- economists are now saying the Great Recession ended in June of 2009, when the economy began growing again.

But President Barack Obama is defending the $787 billion stimulus package, which failed to deliver the promised reduction in unemployment, by claiming it kept the economy from falling into a depression.

And yet, according to some economists, the recession was over before the stimulus dollars were spent.

We've been had, folks. Nearly $800 billion of our money was spent to end a recession that was already over. The massive spending didn't put Americans back to work. So all we end up with is a hugely expanded government and a gigantic debt that will be repaid with higher taxes on either ourselves or our grandchildren

Worse, all that spending likely made conditions worse and prolonged our misery because it sucked money out of the private sector, and the policy-making that surrounded it gave job creators the jitters.

"The stimulus had no effect at all," says Harry Veryser, a University of Detroit Mercy economics professor and author of an upcoming book on the collapse.

More here..............   http://detnews.com/article/20100923/OPINION03/9230338/1008/OPINION01/Stimulus-didn-t-save-the-nation-from-depression