Politics

[JGRaider]

Saul, you conveniently dodged the question on another thread.....

Saul said:
Nature has a funny way of taking care of those who do not take viruses seriously. Do what you want but do not expect me to feel bad when you end up dead and definitely do not expect me to foot the bill for putting you on a ventilator. However, I will feel bad for all of the people you inadvertently infect and take down with you.

So do you feel bad for all of those defenseless, unborn babies murdered every year with support from the Democrats like you?

 

[Saul]

Saul, you conveniently dodged the question on another thread.....



So do you feel bad for all of those defenseless, unborn babies murdered every year with support from the Democrats like you?

Dodged? No, I ignored it. I do not see abortion the same way as you and based on how you phrased your question, there is absolutely nothing I can say that will convince you my stance is not "evil." Therefore, I see no point in engaging on that topic.

 

[JGRaider]

A cowardly response.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

A cowardly response.

@JGRaider while I don't agree with @Saul position on abortion, I don't attack him for it. This forum is blessed to be a cordial place where most people can agree or disagree in a respectful way. I wish you would attempt to be a bit more respectful or just go somewhere else.

 

[sgt_zim]

We need to forget these stupid culture wars. They are just a distraction to drive donations and internet activity. The real threat to America is China.

This won't happen until most democrats are swept from congress. It's wishful thinking to believe otherwise.

 

[Saul]

This won't happen until most democrats are swept from congress. It's wishful thinking to believe otherwise.

Both side are profiting from the fake culture wars. Anything to drive donations.

 

[sgt_zim]

that's the logical fallacy of whataboutism, or moral equivalence, take your pick. the left injects politics into EVERYTHING.

you seem to be under the delusion that a return to men like Bill Bradley and Daniel Moynihan is possible. the well water was poisoned by the left, the right is largely reactionary.

 

[Saul]

that's the logical fallacy of whataboutism, or moral equivalence, take your pick. the left injects politics into EVERYTHING.

you seem to be under the delusion that a return to men like Bill Bradley and Daniel Moynihan is possible. the well water was poisoned by the left, the right is largely reactionary.

I think you might be cutting many GOP politicians a little too much slack here by that they are merely acting in a reactionary manner. Social media has allowed politics to infiltrate every facet of life, politicians and the media are just capitalizing on the instant outrage that this creates. Hope is not lost. There is still a sizeable number of Americans who want a return to centrism and compromise. We just need to be willing to work together to get there.

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[Cervus elaphus]

This is the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) for you:

Outspoken billionaire Sun Dawu jailed for 18 years in China

A prominent Chinese billionaire has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, the latest in a string of punishments against outspoken corporate bosses.

Sun Dawu runs one of the country's largest private agricultural businesses in the northern province of Hebei.

Sun, 67, has in the past spoken out about human rights and politically sensitive topics.

He was found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" - a charge often used against activists.

Other charges against him include illegally occupying farmland, assembling a crowd to attack state agencies and obstructing government workers from performing their duties. He was also fined 3.11 million yuan ($478,697; £343,227).

Sun's company is among China's biggest, with businesses ranging from meat processing and pet food to schools and hospitals.

He was reportedly detained last year, along with 20 relatives and business associates, over a land dispute with a government-run farm.

At the time, he said dozens of his employees were injured in an incident with police related to the dispute, according to an AFP report.

Sun is said to be close to some prominent Chinese political dissidents and has in the past criticised the government's rural policies.

He was one of the few people to openly accuse the government of covering up an African swine flu outbreak, which affected his farms in 2019, and later devastated much of the country's industry.

He also was sentenced to prison in 2003, for "illegal fundraising" but the case was overturned after an outpouring of support from activists and the public.

Sun reportedly denied many of the accusations against him in a pre-trial hearing, describing himself as an "outstanding Communist party member".

He did however reportedly admit to making mistakes, including posting messages online.

"The way they're investigating me now is making those close to us suffer and those who hate us rejoice. I wish to take the charges upon myself, even if they're severe, in exchange for the release of others. We are people who have made contributions to society," he said.

China has been cracking down on businesses and entrepreneurs in the country. Major technology companies including Alibaba, Didi and Tencent are being investigated for a range of regulatory issues.

Won't see that in the US, democrats are the party of the rich, supported by the corporate rich and are not short of a dollar themselves (Polpot Pelosi). How many Congress members go into politics without two pennies to scrape together and comes out multi-millionaires?. Bernie's never done an honest day's work in his life, but take a look at his property assets. While on the subject of Pelosi and insider trading, guess who is soon going to be the President when the current fake President and the hooker following him around get the big shove?, yep, the speaker of the House is #3 in the pecking order. Then perhaps you will see Kristallnacht begin in earnest.

 

[sgt_zim]

Won't see that in the US, democrats are the party of the rich, supported by the corporate rich and are not short of a dollar themselves (Polpot Pelosi). How many Congress members go into politics without two pennies to scrape together and comes out multi-millionaires?. Bernie's never done an honest day's work in his life, but take a look at his property assets. While on the subject of Pelosi and insider trading, guess who is soon going to be the President when the current fake President and the hooker following him around get the big shove?, yep, the speaker of the House is #3 in the pecking order. Then perhaps you will see Kristallnacht begin in earnest.

This scenario only plays out in the unlikely event that Biden is forced out and the whore doesn't appoint (or get approval from congress) somebody as veep. If she is also forced out before a new veep can be installed, then it would fall to the SoH.

Awesome thought, tho: an 81 yo woman who binge drinks vodka, and eats gourmet ice cream out of her SubZero refrigerator..

 

[Cervus elaphus]

This scenario only plays out in the unlikely event that Biden is forced out and the whore doesn't appoint (or get approval from congress) somebody as veep. If she is also forced out before a new veep can be installed, then it would fall to the SoH.

Awesome thought, tho: an 81 yo woman who binge drinks vodka, and eats gourmet ice cream out of her SubZero refrigerator..

You are being too kind Sarg

 

[sgt_zim]

Her perfidy is well-known. I didn't figure I'd need to address that.

 

[Red Leg]

A cowardly response.

On the contrary, he replied accurately and politely to what was originally a deliberately provocative non sequitur followed by name calling of another member of the forum.

 

[Red Leg]

Let me preface this by noting in a previous life I was responsible for congressional liaison for the Department of the Army for two years. I dealt with members and the congressional staff daily - particularly the oversight committee members of both houses. My comments are not what I read in a blog.

Clearly, some members have taken advantage of their station - the vast majority totally legally. Those who actually break the law, tend to go to jail. Being obnoxious or vacuous or of the "wrong" party or even having a child take advantage of a last name for personal gain is not a chargeable offense.

What may surprise many, I suspect, is how many members struggle to make ends meet - particularly in the House. Somewhere between a fourth and a third of house members actually live in their offices while Congress is in session. They utilize the showers in the congressional gym and eat in the cafeteria. J.C. Watts, a rising star within the republican party at the time, with whom I worked very closely on the Crusader program, was one of those living on a cot while trying to raise a growing family. He left a secure seat to earn an adequate living (and because of his disdain for Donald Rumsfeld).

Staffers live four or five to an apartment trying to make ends meet while in one the most expensive areas of one of the most expensive cities in the country while working 12 and 14 hour days. Some eventually advance to the better paying senior committee and personal staff positions, but most are there for the experience of working in government. The vast majority are trying their best to do the right thing for the American people.

It is clearly more difficult now. Blue Dog Democrats and Country Club Republicans, particularly in the senate, were able to forge compromises with which the farther fringes of both parties were forced to agree up through the Bush administration. However, the continuing war, the economic collapse, accelerating cultural change, and the instant outrage afforded by social media has put enormous pressure on that middle, empowering the uncompromising wings of both parties like a squeezed balloon.

The remarkable thing to me has been the almost equal divide within the country itself even as the parties have changed their roles and strategies dramatically over the last two decades. As the Democrats walked away from their blue collar traditional base (though not all of them realize it yet), they absorbed a growingly progressive urban professional upper middle class and their dependent adult children. Republicans with a new populist message are clearly making up that lost ground with the non-dependent working classes of the country (blue and white collar).

I both hope and believe that the Democrats are walking of a cliff with their new radical "majority." I have to believe this new racism and wokeism is abhorrent to far more voters than they believe. For every white urban self-loathing homemaker, I have to believe there must be two others going through the progressive motions while being quietly appalled. I assume we'll see next fall. Vote harvesting can only work in districts where there are already significant democrat voters and will have far less effect on congressional elections.

 

[Saul]

Let me preface this by noting in a previous life I was responsible for congressional liaison for the Department of the Army for two years. I dealt with members and the congressional staff daily - particularly the oversight committee members of both houses. My comments are not what I read in a blog.

Clearly, some members have taken advantage of their station - the vast majority totally legally. Those who actually break the law, tend to go to jail. Being obnoxious or vacuous or of the "wrong" party or even having a child take advantage of a last name for personal gain is not a chargeable offense.

What may surprise many, I suspect, is how many members struggle to make ends meet - particularly in the House. Somewhere between a fourth and a third of house members actually live in their offices while Congress is in session. They utilize the showers in the congressional gym and eat in the cafeteria. J.C. Watts, a rising star within the republican party at the time, with whom I worked very closely on the Crusader program, was one of those living on a cot while trying to raise a growing family. He left a secure seat to earn an adequate living (and because of his disdain for Donald Rumsfeld).

Staffers live four or five to an apartment trying to make ends meet while in one the most expensive areas of one of the most expensive cities in the country while working 12 and 14 hour days. Some eventually advance to the better paying senior committee and personal staff positions, but most are there for the experience of working in government. The vast majority are trying their best to do the right thing for the American people.

It is clearly more difficult now. Blue Dog Democrats and Country Club Republicans, particularly in the senate, were able to forge compromises with which the farther fringes of both parties were forced to agree up through the Bush administration. However, the continuing war, the economic collapse, accelerating cultural change, and the instant outrage afforded by social media has put enormous pressure on that middle, empowering the uncompromising wings of both parties like a squeezed balloon.

The remarkable thing to me has been the almost equal divide within the country itself even as the parties have changed their roles and strategies dramatically over the last two decades. As the Democrats walked away from their blue collar traditional base (though not all of them realize it yet), they absorbed a growingly progressive urban professional upper middle class and their dependent adult children. Republicans with a new populist message are clearly making up that lost ground with the non-dependent working classes of the country (blue and white collar).

I both hope and believe that the Democrats are walking of a cliff with their new radical "majority." I have to believe this new racism and wokeism is abhorrent to far more voters than they believe. For every white urban self-loathing homemaker, I have to believe there must be two others going through the progressive motions while being quietly appalled. I assume we'll see next fall. Vote harvesting can only work in districts where there are already significant democrat voters and will have far less effect on congressional elections.

Right on the money. As someone who wants to see the Democratic party succeed with a return to form, there is a reason why I voted for Trump in 2016. Democrats are playing a dangerous game courting votes from progressives/socialists, who are open about their disdain for the Democratic party and its values. Wokeism might play well on social media, but it only appeals to those least likely to vote anyway and disproportionately agitates the GOP base, making it a loser all around.

 

[sgt_zim]

I don't doubt that what Bernie and Nanshy have done to enrich themselves is perfectly legal. They write the laws, after all. The missus and I make more money than they do (salary-wise). I am accumulating more and more wealth, but why am I driving an 8 year old truck and Bernie has 3 residences and drives around in a $120K Audi (or did, no idea if he still has it)? Likewise, POTUS owns (or owned) a a '67 Stingray. Prices on those are sneaking up on $200K.

I have no issues with people who legitimately earned their way to having nice things - relative to most people, I have a lot of nice things. In my view, every producer makes my life better. And every parasite, grifter, and rent-seeker makes my life worse.

As Harry Truman said,

Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I'll show you a crook.

 

[WAB]

Very well stated @Red Leg. I spent a lot of time in DC on NEP issues. My son was a page in the senate. I have nowhere near your experience , but what I have seen endorses your statements regarding the sacrifices made by the vast majority of those serving.

I had the honor of attending the first National Prayer Breakfast under the Trump administration. There were many events of note, however the most impactful were the number of Republicans and
Democrats working together and exhibiting genuine respect and
Friendship for
One another. The media ensures that we
Don’t see that side of the story. As you have rightfully stated, the radical fringes are getting far too much press which translates to power.