Politics

Tex .416 said:

Today was the first day for legislators to file bills for our next legislative session in Texas. Dems filed 23 gun control bills including a "red flag" bill that is worse than most if that is even possible. Please note - Cornyn pushed and led for a federal bill that incentivizes states to adopt "red flag" laws, which is exactly why I and a lot of others voted against him. That is a litmus test and a huge betrayal by Cornyn. So, don't start about Cornyn would have won, no he wouldn't have as shown by the blow out in the primary by Paxton who was hardly a strongly candidate. Even if he did, he is part of the problem. The fight is on to preserve our rights in Texas.

Other bills are typical Dem agendas for "assault weapons," but going further and going after semi-autos, magazines that hold more than ten rounds, and one even requires reporting to the ATF for purchasers who buy more than four magazines. Way to go to the NPR ninnies.

Prohibition failed horribly for alcohol.

Prohibition has failed catastrophically for drugs creating the largest prison population in the world, while drug deaths kill more citizens every year than the Vietnam War.

And somehow Prohibition will work for guns?

How many more prisons are we supposed to build? How many million gun owners are we going to lock up for not having committed a crime? Gun control is not about safety, it is about disarming the peasants so they are adequately controlled and obedient servants posing no risk to the ruling class. Marxism in progress.

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Unfortunately, that “assault weapons” ban was filed by Zaffirini who is Senate Dean. The chances of stopping that ban are slim. Texans had better be ready to fund the NRA to challenge the law.

wesheltonj said:

Unfortunately, that “assault weapons” ban was filed by Zaffirini who is Senate Dean. The chances of stopping that ban are slim. Texans had better be ready to fund the NRA to challenge the law.

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The R’s still control the state senate. Trump has tried to teach them to stand up and fight instead of running every time the D’s start calling them names. Maybe they will grow a spine. Makes me want to vomit.

There are cases in front of the SCOTUS right now reviewing the constitutionality of “assault weapon” bans, Viramintes v. Cook County, Illinois, and Grant v. Higgins. Holding my breath. I do wish Thomas and Alito would have retired while R’s controlled the Senate. Otherwise hope they are hitting the gym regularly.

fourfive8 said:

Ontario Hunter should realize I have at least 10x the memory of an elephant. He criticized Trump, the US and those here who highlighted the story and the decision to remove the B1s from that UK base. He claimed it was all purely grandstanding anti-Iran propaganda propagated by Trump. He jumped to the brainless TDS auto-pilot conclusion those involved were just innocent kids joy riding around in the white vans. Of course all that has changed as at least three in that group have now been charged in an Iranian terror plot. I assume US and other intelligence have also intercepted comms or has inside sources indicating other Iranian connected plots in UK planning hits on the air base used by the tankers, so they were also moved. I wouldn’t doubt “Doc” has a similar TDS based theory about this latest precaution at Mildenhall.

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Even reached to usa ...guy in prison in NY on charges was also communicating with them..

275r7x57 said:

I own multiple companies and ranch, which is a 24/7 job. I know what work is.

I am very fortunate to be in a position that I can set my own hours and pick and choose which jobs I want. Even working for myself I run 80-100 hours a week.

I stand by my brother’s statement. A 9-5 is modern day slavery. Most people that work 9-5 are enslaved by themselves, house payments, car payments, credit card payments, uncontrollable spending, taxes and much more. The list is never ending. Most will never work themselves out of the financial hole, let alone work their way up the ladder to better themselves or their families. Yes a small, very small portion of their problems can be attributed to government, society, education and environment, but 99 percent of their problems are their problems. At the end of the day most people have enslaved themselves and a 9-5 is just part of it.

Time and money are freedom.

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So you are saying all people working 9-5 cannot get promoted up the line and make a good living? I know several but I agree that owning your own business is usually a better way to gain wealth if a person can handle the long hours to be successful.

Red Leg said:

As a result, in spite of the nonsense occasionally emerging from the mouths of the president and his vice president, Ukraine has successfully crushed Russian offensive efforts in 2026. A major reason is that Russian replacements can no longer fully replace losses setting up a cascading correlation of forces issue at the Russian military's operational and tactical employment levels. In short, this will not get better for them

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Unless, USA gives it away at the negotiating table. Amateur hour personified.


I don’t get Trump’s logic in regard to Russia unless he is just looking for a win and allies be damned.

Trump views China as the greater danger in any future conflict.

He wants Russia as a possible ally or at least to remain neutral in a war between China and the U.S.

I'm not saying he's right, but by what he says and does it's the only thing that makes logical sense.

skydiver386 said:

Trump views China as the greater danger in any future conflict.

He wants Russia as a possible ally or at least to remain neutral in a war between China and the U.S.

I'm not saying he's right, but by what he says and does it's the only thing that makes logical sense.

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Mmmm......not seem anything remotely logical with him and Russia or iran unfortunately

Unfortunately I don't think university students would watch ....

skydiver386 said:

Trump views China as the greater danger in any future conflict.

He wants Russia as a possible ally or at least to remain neutral in a war between China and the U.S.

I'm not saying he's right, but by what he says and does it's the only thing that makes logical sense.

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Also we want a weakened Russia. But not a dying, desperate Russia.

And, There are emerging alliances that will reshape the Arab nations security agreements .

Which nations will join these new alliances ?

• The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan): Signed in August 2026, this pact includes a collective defense clause where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.
  
  
• The Badr Memorandum of Understanding (Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia): Signed in October 2026 in Doha, this is a defense industry cooperation agreement focused on joint production, technology transfer, and supply-chain resilience rather than a mutual defense or military-pact pledge.
  
  Will this be the new threat to the U.S. national security.
  
  

Tanks said:

Unless, USA gives it away at the negotiating table. Amateur hour personified.

U.S. Overture to Russia on European Security Sparks Alarm — The Wall Street Journal

White House officials say new security arrangements for Europe are needed to end the Ukraine war

apple.news

I don’t get Trump’s logic in regard to Russia unless he is just looking for a win and allies be damned.

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I think your last part is pretty accurate...unfortunately he has got himself into such a balls up that he is looking for the easiest..or anyway out of the ever so slightly large hole he has dug regarding Ukraine/Russia....and iran....

Thank you for your service brothers & sisters.

fourfive8 said:

Ontario Hunter should realize I have at least 10x the memory of an elephant. He criticized Trump, the US and those here who highlighted the story and the decision to remove the B1s from that UK base. He claimed it was all purely grandstanding anti-Iran propaganda propagated by Trump. He jumped to the brainless TDS auto-pilot conclusion those involved were just innocent kids joy riding around in the white vans. Of course all that has changed as at least three in that group have now been charged in an Iranian terror plot. I assume US and other intelligence have also intercepted comms or has inside sources indicating other Iranian connected plots in UK planning hits on the air base used by the tankers, so they were also moved. I wouldn’t doubt “Doc” has a similar TDS based theory about this latest precaution at Mildenhall.

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That's why I posted a picture of him....lol

Big_Easy said:

Oh my! Calm down there sassy Sally, lest ye rupture an aneurysm and the rest of our Comrades on here blame me for your ill health. Your emotions are causing your judgement and ultimately your insults to become pedestrian. Telling a Transportation Engineer that he's a central planner and hasn't built anything is just lazy. I expected more out of a former CXO.

Then your mind must be slipping because we had a lengthly dialogue several months ago about how I used to work for private companies and they were full of greedy, incompetent, hyper-capitalist a$$holes.

I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all of those on here at one time or another has been sucking on the government teat. How many of those businesses you reference that you were a part of are/were significantly based on government contracts? The entirety of the "defense" industry comes to mind, ask your buddy @Red Leg about that. I wonder how many members are getting a gov check right now? Remind me again, how many miles of interstate highway did Walmart build? How many airports did your company construct with their own money? This is what I'm referring to when I say far-right hypocrites. How many times did you fly out of an airport, sail on a ship, or drive on a public roadway? If you're seriously interested in standing on your principles, don't drive on any of the DOT's roadways, walk your a$$ to work; through the fields, marshes, and forests. Let's see how productive you are then.

You're right, we're not peers, I can do basic math problems, and most of you have demonstrated that you can't.

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I was not going to answer, because you do not deserve an answer. @Red Leg, and some others here earned and paid dearly to be on what you called “(government teet”. Some on here were in some sh*tty places while you were playing video games and eating Bon Bons. They fought and bled so you can have the freedom you have today and take for granted. You should at least be respectful and say thank you for their service to this great nation.

Altitude sickness said:

Also we want a weakened Russia. But not a dying, desperate Russia.

And, There are emerging alliances that will reshape the Arab nations security agreements .

Which nations will join these new alliances ?

• The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan): Signed in August 2026, this pact includes a collective defense clause where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.
  
  
• The Badr Memorandum of Understanding (Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia): Signed in October 2026 in Doha, this is a defense industry cooperation agreement focused on joint production, technology transfer, and supply-chain resilience rather than a mutual defense or military-pact pledge.
  
  Will this be the new threat to the U.S. national security.
  

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The reason for those alliances is the realization by the Arab nations that the USA can’t or won’t protect them even though USA had implicitly promised that by placing bases in their countries.

Clean shaven US troops with high testosterone can’t protect against drones as we have seen.

spike.t said:

Unfortunately I don't think university students would watch ....

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Read “unholy alliance” by Michael youssef
This topic is what that book is about in regards to educational institutions and politics

Big_Easy said:

Telling a Transportation Engineer that he's a central planner and hasn't built anything is just lazy. I expected more out of a former CXO.

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I'm usually a pretty good read of people and I couldn't figure out why I find you particularly detestable. It couldn't be just your politics, one of my dearest deceased friends was an ardent socialist and I hold him in high personal regard regardless of his politics.

You explained it all to me. You're a transportation engineer, one of the most disgusting occupations I've had to suffer in my 50 years. I've spent $80,000 of my own money dealing with your ilk for the last two years. Centrally planning if and when I can develop my properties, cooperating with backwater towns and villages to exact me for free streets and sewers they cannot afford in exchange for the blessing of developing my land to provide goods and services that do not rely upon their circle changes, street lights, water, sewer, or streets that I do not want or do not need.

You're in the exaction (legal term) business robbing others of providing goods and services communities need by determining theoretical future traffic patterns for demand that the government never creates nor supply that government never fulfills.

Everything you've ever written on this site now makes complete sense to me. You're the person that constrains free markets with no skin in the game and with the sole goal of getting the private sector to give away portions of their land or build cities for free simply for the right to utilize their own properties for the public good.

Thank you for closing the loop on what you're all about.

Tanks said:

Unless, USA gives it away at the negotiating table. Amateur hour personified.

U.S. Overture to Russia on European Security Sparks Alarm — The Wall Street Journal

White House officials say new security arrangements for Europe are needed to end the Ukraine war

apple.news

I don’t get Trump’s logic in regard to Russia unless he is just looking for a win and allies be damned.

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Amateur hour indeed..

rookhawk said:

I'm usually a pretty good read of people and I couldn't figure out why I find you particularly detestable. It couldn't be just your politics, one of my dearest deceased friends was an ardent socialist and I hold him in high personal regard regardless of his politics.

You explained it all to me. You're a transportation engineer, one of the most disgusting occupations I've had to suffer in my 50 years. I've spent $80,000 of my own money dealing with your ilk for the last two years. Centrally planning if and when I can develop my properties, cooperating with backwater towns and villages to exact me for free streets and sewers they cannot afford in exchange for the blessing of developing my land to provide goods and services that do not rely upon their circle changes, street lights, water, sewer, or streets that I do not want or do not need.

You're in the exaction (legal term) business robbing others of providing goods and services communities need by determining theoretical future traffic patterns for demand that the government never creates nor supply that government never fulfills.

Everything you've ever written on this site now makes complete sense to me. You're the person that constrains free markets with no skin in the game and with the sole goal of getting the private sector to give away portions of their land or build cities for free simply for the right to utilize their own properties for the public good.

Thank you for closing the loop on what you're all about.

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I think you may have nailed it. I am still not totally convinced this isn't a twenty something getting what passes for his jollies while adjusting his catch me fu@k me glasses and waiting for mommy to fix him supper. But just imagine the "work" environment he himself describes. A place where he can freely cruise the internet, take the time to type line for line responses using his special jargon in page long posts, and supposedly show off his gifted repartie without fear of censure to a female colleague.

To be honest it smells of the same sort of fabrications he offered in a careless moment about his left wing shooting clubs and friends. The interesting thing, to someone like me, one is about as bad as the other. In the one case he is a liar. If the other, he is a thief stealing time from the people and organization that hired him.

I have no doubt that he did find those evil corporations with all that focus on profit, productivity, and offering value to the people and institutions who invested in them terrible environments to apply his concept of gainful employment. I rather suspect his introduction to a performance improvement plan did not go well.

rookhawk said:

I'm usually a pretty good read of people and I couldn't figure out why I find you particularly detestable. It couldn't be just your politics, one of my dearest deceased friends was an ardent socialist and I hold him in high personal regard regardless of his politics.

You explained it all to me. You're a transportation engineer, one of the most disgusting occupations I've had to suffer in my 50 years. I've spent $80,000 of my own money dealing with your ilk for the last two years. Centrally planning if and when I can develop my properties, cooperating with backwater towns and villages to exact me for free streets and sewers they cannot afford in exchange for the blessing of developing my land to provide goods and services that do not rely upon their circle changes, street lights, water, sewer, or streets that I do not want or do not need.

You're in the exaction (legal term) business robbing others of providing goods and services communities need by determining theoretical future traffic patterns for demand that the government never creates nor supply that government never fulfills.

Everything you've ever written on this site now makes complete sense to me. You're the person that constrains free markets with no skin in the game and with the sole goal of getting the private sector to give away portions of their land or build cities for free simply for the right to utilize their own properties for the public good.

Thank you for closing the loop on what you're all about.

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I’m In the same club, transportation engineers and Hydraulic / Water Resources Engineers give me a major case of monkey butt . When a person with a piece of paper hanging on their wall can override common sense.
I have never seen waste water flow up hill or been told more times that it will then by
Newly graduated engineers. Their arrogance is boundless!

rookhawk said:

one of my dearest deceased friends was an ardent socialist

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This statement reminds me of your far-right white nationalist trump voter brethren down here in the south claiming that they can’t possible be racist because "I have a black friend!" But lets say for a moment that you two were actually friends. And he was in fact a Socialist. Did you regularly insult and shit-talk him as you do me, or others with left-leaning political beliefs? Or did you merely refer to him as a Socialist, even though he wasn't, and he was just being polite and tolerating your nonsense?

rookhawk said:

You explained it all to me. You're a transportation engineer, one of the most disgusting occupations I've had to suffer in my 50 years. I've spent $80,000 of my own money dealing with your ilk for the last two years. Centrally planning if and when I can develop my properties, cooperating with backwater towns and villages to exact me for free streets and sewers they cannot afford in exchange for the blessing of developing my land to provide goods and services that do not rely upon their circle changes, street lights, water, sewer, or streets that I do not want or do not need.

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Once again you're confused, don't feel bad, most people don't understand the difference. Once again, I help build roads. You're thinking of someone at your local county or municipal zoning/planning/permitting department (central planning as you call it). Federal and State DOT workers don't exact infrastructure upgrades from developers. Unless of course it's a multi-billion dollar commercial development, and then there'd be a cost sharing agreement for the new interstate on/off-ramps to be discussed. Perhaps WI is markedly different than the other 49.

Although I am curious, who do you think should be paying for the new utilities and infrastructure costs for your new development? Are the current residents of said town supposed to subsidize it for you? You sound like one of those privatize the profits and socialize the risks kinda capitalists.

rookhawk said:

You're in the exaction (legal term) business robbing others of providing goods and services communities need by determining theoretical future traffic patterns for demand that the government never creates nor supply that government never fulfills.

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Once again, I'm in the building roads business. I'm sorry some planner/zoning agent with the local town council/board f@cked you over. Remind me again @rookhawk , who built all those roads to your properties that you're trying to develop? How valuable would they be without dedicated insurable access?

rookhawk said:

You're the person that constrains free markets with no skin in the game and with the sole goal of getting the private sector to give away portions of their land or build cities for free simply for the right to utilize their own properties for the public good.

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Down here in the South we still call it eminent domain, and we pay people for the land that we build roads on top of. But as @Scott CWO has suggested to the folks of DC, why not just move somewhere else?