Political discussion thread

The T wrote: JJLehto wrote: The whole ACA website thing really isn't a huge deal IMO to the bill itself, but it is a HUGE embarassment. Try telling that to the people that genuinely need help and find only the worst website ever.

Edited by JJLehto - November 19 2013 at 14:41

I've never known (like with so many political issues where I stand with fillibustering. Yes, it might prevent legislative abuse but isn't it also abuse that a party that has a majority and thus IN THEORY some legitimacy can't do anything to further their agenda?

Fillibustering seems to be very US-only, unless I'm incorrect.

This will sound bad, but really, the GOP in its current form can't win an election and shouldn't. The old (really old) GOP of order and free markets, OK, that would be a welcome alternative (not that I'd love it that much) but the current business-whore, anti-immigrant, anti-everything, anti-all-types-of-welfare-without-consideration type shouldn't even have any way of obstructing anything. 

True that. 

Edited by The T - November 21 2013 at 13:42

http://www.nationofchange.org/us-economy-one-big-hedge-fund-1387290696

Just a little more than a month ago the U.S. Congress screamed they didn’t have enough money to continue business as usual, and that loans would be defaulted on if a huge influx of cash, i.e., the raised debt ceiling wasn’t approved. This tale reeks like other fishy stories, similar to the ones we were told when huge bank bailouts ensued prior to massive Libor scandals and international fraud which most of us are still wrapping our heads around.

"The regional Federal Reserve banks are not government agencies...but are independent, privately owned and locally controlled corporations." - Lewis vs. United States, 680 F. 2d 1239 9th Circuit 1982

Max Keiser, a former stockbroker calls it like he sees it: “The U.S. economy is just one big hedge fund.” It started with the Federal Reserve and it hasn’t stopped its wheeling and dealing, stealing and warring since then. The manipulation of markets to feed the addiction of defense spending, torture, extraordinary rendition and overseas bombing, as well as droning, and stealing other countries’ natural resources is how those who run this country feed their addiction, but every junkie hits a wall.

Concerning the entire economics discussion people are having, by the way: Now that I've linked to Scott Locklin's blog in the science thread, with him being a computer programmer who's designed databases for several major US banks his pisstake on the foibles of economists is quite a worthy read. Same thing goes for the entire econophysics category on Mr. Locklin's blog archive... with that background and an education in physics to boot, it's interesting how lacking he finds economics and finance in actual intellectual substance.

LSDisease wrote: The Dark Elf wrote:   I am sure white folk living in the 1950's American South and the whites ruling South Africa during Apartheid would agree with you completely. You might have even gotten elected governor of Alabama with that sort of nearsighted, absurd rhetoric. The black folk might disagree with you, however. "Letting things be" would evidently be fine and dandy if maintaining the status quo keeps your personal financial and societal status high.   Remarkably, sometimes laws are enacted that confound everyone (including the lawmakers who inexplicably managed to pass the Bills) by actually working and enriching the lives of millions. Waiting for people to "learn from their mistakes" does not and never has worked. I'm only against socialism in its every form. I don't care who's agreeing with me or who might. "Letting things be" is freedom. I'm for freedom. No matter where you come from. If you let the state decide you'll wake up in the world chained by tons of rules and obligations. This is what I stay against.

I have to laugh when you make the silly statement   "Letting things be" is freedom. I'm for freedom." Obviously, you were not for "letting things be" when East Germany was ensconced behind its Wall with machine gun turrets every few feet.  Obviously, wherever you are at in your life now is more desirable and maintaining the status quo is good for you; however, there is a huge part of humanity that is enslaved, that is poverty-ridden, that is bereft of education and the basic amenities of life -- should "letting things be" be their motto as well?

The T wrote: I wouldn't insult the many reasonable libertarians on this website by calling this guy one. He's just a resentful brat (or 30-something brat according to calculations) who lacks the necessary communication skills to be able to convey his ideas in anything better than "letting things be" and "I'm for freedom". He can't tolerate exceptions ("in its every form", "No matter where you come from").  Of course the Stasi and the DDR in general is a thing of the past but I assume he lives in Eastern Germany and Germany is not precisely libertarian paradise or an anarchic state, and in fact has plenty of regulations and laws and rights that would be considered "socialist" in places like the US. I wonder if he lives in a permanent  state of hate because of that, not knowing where to go to escape the claws of his biggest enemy.

My apologies to the dauntless, high-minded libertarians on this site. I used the long-winded phrase "super-Libertarian anarchical laissez-faire" in place of expletives.

aww dang it!!!