Politics And Current Events

[Troy Loney]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congre ... n-n1235252

House Democrats find administration overspent for ventilators by as much as $500 million

I know the lesson that people are going to take from Trump is all going to be about race stuff, but I would really just want people to come out of this with a desire to at least try and elect competent leadership. This is the test case, it's a disaster to elect a 'businessman".

Government never overspent on political paybacks until Trump. Is that your argument?

Clearly. Has it proven to be an effective debate tool for your to assume everyone else is stupid?

[mikey]

So you'd still consider a successful business man, yes?

Because I don't know that we're really gonna separate celebrity/biz/pols worlds again soon...

[Morkle]

If the Kushner story is true and they decided to drop a national testing program because it was hitting democrat cities the hardest, and saw it as an opportunity to blame the governors, well - I would hope nothing but the worst for those folks (legal-wise, or however they could be punished)

[nocera]

I think the idea of "running the country as a business" is a decent enough idea. The weird part is most of us would consider ourselves executives and be able to benefit from this. Unfortunately, we're the grunts who would be the first to get the axe during a "restructuring."

[NAN]

What if they simplify it and just wear "All Lives Matter" shirts?

That's considered racist.

[MWB]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

[tifosi77]

If I had a dollar for every time I had to minimize and explain away all my contacts with a child sex trafficker, I'd have zero dollars.

[Freddy Rumsen]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congre ... n-n1235252

House Democrats find administration overspent for ventilators by as much as $500 million

I know the lesson that people are going to take from Trump is all going to be about race stuff, but I would really just want people to come out of this with a desire to at least try and elect competent leadership. This is the test case, it's a disaster to elect a 'businessman".

Government never overspent on political paybacks until Trump. Is that your argument?

Clearly. Has it proven to be an effective debate tool for your to assume everyone else is stupid?

What is your point then about the government overspending on ventilators and its relation to this businessman?

Heck, I'd assumed Trump probably paid off more than just that.

[MWB]

The country can’t solely be run like a business. It takes a hybrid model. If every aspect is run like a business, all you’re looking at is the budget, how to maximize profits, and how to trim fat. Now yes, some of that is certainly good, but then you get into grey areas. The government’s job isn’t just the money side.

[faftorial]

If the Kushner story is true and they decided to drop a national testing program because it was hitting democrat cities the hardest, and saw it as an opportunity to blame the governors, well - I would hope nothing but the worst for those folks (legal-wise, or however they could be punished)

What Morkle is referring to:

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/07 ... o-thin-air

[MR25]

If the Kushner story is true and they decided to drop a national testing program because it was hitting democrat cities the hardest, and saw it as an opportunity to blame the governors, well - I would hope nothing but the worst for those folks (legal-wise, or however they could be punished)

What Morkle is referring to:

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/07 ... o-thin-air

I also posted a tweet yesterday but it seems that have gotten lost in the fray

[NailedPenguin]

Who knows what the nba has told players and coaches about speaking out against China, but I assume it’s something since no one does it. Not saying it’s right, but also don’t think it’s true it would come at no cost.

[Troy Loney]

So you'd still consider a successful business man, yes?

Because I don't know that we're really gonna separate celebrity/biz/pols worlds again soon...

I think you can separate "businessman" with running the country as a business, and in that case, as a hypothetical, I wouldn't have any reason to assume that an effective business leader couldn't be an effective statesmen. The "running the country as a business" is a nonsense concept that doesn't apply to governance. I think the argument that Michael Lewis has made that the federal government should be seen as a giant risk management organization. The primary function of the government should be to mitigate risk, I think that thought exercise, if you apply it to the different agencies and what their purpose is, and the sort of goals they are tasked with, it just kind of helps simplify the vast operation that is the government.

Businesses in general seek to maximize profits by increasing revenues and controlling expenses. Risk management is a check on those two functions.

Unfortunately all the ghouls that have attached themselves to our current government (this is going back decades of course), have turned the government, more into a vehicle that privatizes profits and socializes losses. So if you view Trump as the broken emblem, or really, the basest illustration of that concept, it is the result of placing a shameless figure atop of an organization designed to obfuscate this reality.

So it's not that Trump is destroying a pristine institution, he's just exposing what the ghouls used to do in secret, or with subtlety.

[Morkle]

This is also making the rounds this AM it appears:

https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/l ... -election/

“Can a president delay the November presidential election, Mr. Secretary?” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) asked during a Senate hearing.

“Senator, I’m not going to enter a legal judgment on that on the fly this morning,” Pompeo replied.

“You are one of the most highly trained and accomplished lawyers who are part of this administration,” Kaine summarized, “Can a president delay a presidential election?”

In the end, the Department of Justice, and others, will make that legal determination. We all should want–I know you do, too, Senator Kaine–want to make sure to have an election that everyone is confident in.

Then queue the discussion yesterday about them really having no say. Have to think that Trump thinks it's up to him because of how his administration sees it, even if it is wrong.

[Freddy Rumsen]

Evidently Al and Tipper Gore are in the Maxwell stuff.

I'm sure practically everyone in that circle will be.

[faftorial]

This is also making the rounds this AM it appears:

https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/l ... -election/

“Can a president delay the November presidential election, Mr. Secretary?” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) asked during a Senate hearing.

“Senator, I’m not going to enter a legal judgment on that on the fly this morning,” Pompeo replied.

“You are one of the most highly trained and accomplished lawyers who are part of this administration,” Kaine summarized, “Can a president delay a presidential election?”

In the end, the Department of Justice, and others, will make that legal determination. We all should want–I know you do, too, Senator Kaine–want to make sure to have an election that everyone is confident in.

Then queue the discussion yesterday about them really having no say. Have to think that Trump thinks it's up to him because of how his administration sees it, even if it is wrong.

I think he's just trolling the libs.

[NAN]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

I agree with you for the most part. Where I see the difference though on this is the NBA is directly benefitting from this social injustice.

[count2infinity]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

I agree with you for the most part. Where I see the difference though on this is the NBA is directly benefitting from this social injustice.

You're not benefiting directly from any social injustice?

[faftorial]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

I agree with you for the most part. Where I see the difference though on this is the NBA is directly benefitting from this social injustice.

There cause is Black Live Matter now. Why don't you take up the China issue.

[MWB]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

I agree with you for the most part. Where I see the difference though on this is the NBA is directly benefitting from this social injustice.

Something providing you billions of dollars makes it less likely for you to take a stand against it. Somewhat similar to how we buy certain products. We know they use sweatshop labor, but we still want to pay less, so we overlook it. We’re benefiting from the suffering from others.

[NailedPenguin]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

I agree with you for the most part. Where I see the difference though on this is the NBA is directly benefitting from this social injustice.

There cause is Black Live Matter now. Why don't you take up the China issue.

Because there isn't much a schlub like nan can do about it other than discuss it on the internet.
We're talking literal real life slavery and child labor and the millionaires on top of billionaires who's lives wouldn't change one bit if they stopped profiting off the government that practices slavery can't bring themselves to even mention that it's bad.

This goes beyond me standing against it yet still using a phone made in China. It's people directly profiting from it who actually have the power to, at the very least, say something. Isn't "bringing awareness" all the rage now? Which is why people don't just let sanctimonious turds like Kerr and Popovich slide when they have an opinion on absolutely everything except when it comes to this, they're suddenly not the smartest guy in the room any longer. Cowards.

[NAN]

People seem to hate on SJW, but the second somebody prioritizes one issue above the other they're considered hypocrites.

Exactly. We want everyone to react consistently across the board on these issues. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be listened to and their opinion is invalid. There is always more that can be focused on, so it’s an impossible standard to meet.

I agree with you for the most part. Where I see the difference though on this is the NBA is directly benefitting from this social injustice.

You're not benefiting directly from any social injustice?

I guess not if I can't think of any. Maybe indirectly from the decisions of others.

[NAN]

Something providing you billions of dollars makes it less likely for you to take a stand against it. Somewhat similar to how we buy certain products. We know they use sweatshop labor, but we still want to pay less, so we overlook it. We’re benefiting from the suffering from others.

The NBA directly negotiated those contracts. The players and owners are making a **** ton of money off of it. I think there is a difference. They are pushing social injustice issues while directly benefiting from a social injustice.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

LeBron specifically made his grave when he tweeted "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" and then essentially shamed Daryl Morey for tweeting in support of Hong Kong because it put the NBA's contract at risk in China

The phrase "silence is violence" has been parroted pretty often recently yet it's clear that at least for big names, that only matters for domestic issues.

I'm not trying to pretend like I'm on some moral high ground. I'm a shithead. I don't have the moral backbone to refuse to wear Nike shoes or not eat factory-farmed meat. I'm just saying there's a level of hypocrisy that's pretty annoying

[NAN]

LeBron specifically made his grave when he tweeted "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" and then essentially shamed Daryl Morey for tweeting in support of Hong Kong because it put the NBA's contract at risk in China

The phrase "silence is violence" has been parroted pretty often recently yet it's clear that at least for big names, that only matters for domestic issues.

I'm not trying to pretend like I'm on some moral high ground. I'm a shithead. I don't have the moral backbone to refuse to wear Nike shoes or not eat factory-farmed meat. I'm just saying there's a level of hypocrisy that's pretty annoying