"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[Mandark]

Today, Beardo rants about multiculturalism while discussing a completely unrelated topic.

Tomorrow, Beardo will wonder why everyone thinks conservatives have a problem with minorities.

[ShogunOfFear]

Trump's campaign slogan could be...

Donald Trump - I've got more money than America now and I didn't have to borrow it from China.  Help me help bail you out, help me stop the progressive regime from molesting your children at airports.  As president I'll televise the first ever Ms first lady contest.

[ShogunOfFear]

Beardo can't be real right? Useless security measures and erosion of civil liberities in the name of "security" is a recent liberal phenomenon? I mean, Beardo can't be real right?

remembering when we were crying foul about TORTURE and conservatives were all "eh"

Like Obama allowing the CIA to kill American citizens without due process? 

[Beardo]

Asking suspicious people who have committed a crime to show a I.D. = RACIST!!!1!

Strip searching old woman and children = meh

[Phoenix Dark]

Last two posts are priceless

[Mandark]

SoF:  You realize that a bunch of librul posters here and commentators all over have slammed Obama for that, right?  Mamacint's point isn't that Democrats all have great records on this, it's that Beardo's deliberately ignoring the history to make the TSA policies into a straight up partisan debate.

At some point, you've got to decide what's more important to you: the effects of a policy, or whether you can blame it on the other side.

[Phoenix Dark]

Why bipartisan health-care reform has proven impossible
By Ezra Klein

"Every time we moved toward them, they would move away." -- Hillary Clinton, 1995.

As an addendum to the previous post, it's worth thinking about partisanship and health-care reform not in terms of President Obama, but in terms of presidential efforts over the last century or so. And that story has gone something like this: Democrats moved right every time they failed. And Republicans moved further right every time Democrats tried.

The original idea, of course, was a national health service run by the government. Harry Truman proposed it and fell short. Lyndon Johnson got it for seniors and some groups of the very poor. But Republicans said that was too much government, and it was unacceptable for the whole country. They proposed, through President Richard Nixon, an employer-based, pay-or-play system in which the government would set rules and private insurers would compete for business.

That didn't go anywhere, because Democrats, led by Sen. Ted Kennedy, weren't ready to give up on a national health service. By the 1990s, they were. President Bill Clinton proposed an employer-based, pay-or-play system in which the government would set rules and private insurers would compete for business. Republicans killed it. Government shouldn't be telling businesses what to do, they said, and it shouldn't be restructuring the whole health-care market. Better to center policy around personal responsibility and use an individual mandate combined with subsidies and rules making sure insurers couldn't turn people away. That way, the parts of the system that were working would remain intact, and the government would only really involve itself in the parts that weren't working.

That was what Sen. John Chafee -- and Bob Bennett, Kit Bond, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch and Richard Lugar -- proposed in 1994. It's what Mitt Romney passed in Massachusetts. And so it was what Democrats proposed in 2010. The Republican answer? "Hell no, you can't!"

By this point, there were no more universal health-care approaches for Republicans to hold out as alternatives. So they just turned against the idea entirely. Cato's Michael Cannon organized "the anti-universal coverage club." John Boehner released a bill that the CBO said would cover 8 percent as many people as the Democrats' plan.

So over the last 80 years or so, Democrats have responded to Republican opposition by moving to the right, and Republicans have responded by moving even further to the right. In other words, Democrats have been willing to adopt Republican ideas if doing so meant covering everybody (or nearly everybody), while Republicans were willing to abandon Republican ideas if sticking by them meant compromising with the Democrats. But because Democrats were insistent on getting something that would help the uninsured, they've ended up looking like the partisans, as they keep pushing bills Republicans refuse to sign onto.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/11/the_political_history_of_healt.html

interesting point

[ShogunOfFear]

To those that have, I tip my hat.   As far as the TSA goes, the republicans helped create them  and now they need to work to get their dog on a leash.

[Phoenix Dark]

[Dickie Dee]

.

interesting point

I saw this (not infrequently) made point made in the last week or two as well, or more specifically how every Democratic HCR proposal was really just the previous Republican HCR proposal except now it's allofasudden a Marxist plot - with the pattern repeating all the back to FDR. Again, not a revelation, but it was put across very well.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

You know the difference between me and Beardo?

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I knew my civil liberties were being violated before a stranger stuck his hand down my pants.

[close]

[Phoenix Dark]

New legislation, introduced last week by Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) would make a simple tweak to the law: It would allow the states to implement their own health care systems, and thus be exempt from most of the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. The catch: Those programs would have to cover, with decent insurance, at least as many people as the health care law does, but without adding to the deficit.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/silver-bullet-can-scott-brown-and-ron-wyden-save-health-care-reform.php?ref=fpa

I want to see how conservatives respond. The "repeal the bill" nonsense is not an argument of any substance, and is pretty much impossible. Brown is once again stepping up to the plate as a republican actually somewhat interested in legislating and influencing policy - which has put him on the tea party's shit list mere months after they were ready to declare him the greatest thing ever.

MA and Oregon are pretty much set regardless, it's the other states that will have to put some thought into doing shit. I'd especially love to see how Texas would respond to a challenge like this.

I'm guessing the proposal won't go anywhere due to screaming from the right. More evidence they really don't care about big issues, and instead prefer arguing around the borders of big issues.

[Boogie]

Asking suspicious people who have committed a crime to show a I.D. = RACIST!!!1!

Can you articulate what constitutes someone being a "suspicious person" in the context of (I presume) illegal immigration?

[Beardo]

Asking suspicious people who have committed a crime to show a I.D. = RACIST!!!1!

Can you articulate what constitutes someone being a "suspicious person" in the context of (I presume) illegal immigration?

Aren't you a cop? The arizona law strictly prohibited pulling someone over with the sole intent of questioning citizenship.

I'm really at a loss as to why This TSA business is okay but asking someone who speeds or runs a red light to show citizenship is wrong.

[Boogie]

Aren't you a cop? The arizona law strictly prohibited pulling someone over with the sole intent of questioning citizenship.

I'm really at a loss as to why This TSA business is okay but asking someone who speeds or runs a red light to show citizenship is wrong.

My understanding of the law is that it obligates police to investigate someone's immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that the person is an illegal alien.

Speeding is not "reasonable suspicion" that someone is an illegal immigrant.  Neither is running a red light.

[Mandark]

I'm really at a loss as to why This TSA business is okay but asking someone who speeds or runs a red light to show citizenship is wrong.

I'm really at a loss to who you're even arguing against at this point.

[Human Snorenado]

Yes Boogie, but you see... speeding or running a red light while being brown skinned gives reasonable suspicion!

[Oblivion]

(Image removed from quote.)

Is that from the Simpsons?

[brawndolicious]

^It's from last night's episode.

The Arizona law makes no sense since it doesn't make any distinction between brown skins and illegal brown skins in how it defines "suspicious".  You would have an equal chance of being asked to prove citizenship either way.

As far as the vid of the TSA asking the kid to take off his shirt, who gives a fuck?  He's in the middle of an airport terminal.  I can understand how that would make some modest people feel uncomfortable being shirtless in public but it's not like the guard is going to do anything wrong with the kid's dad a foot away and a hundred pairs of eyes watching him.  At best, you're making random emotional outbursts when you get angry about that while justifying law enforcement being allowed to profile.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I want to see how conservatives respond. The "repeal the bill" nonsense is not an argument of any substance, and is pretty much impossible.

The "repeal the bill" nonsense is filed under the proposed Ground Zero Mosque legislation (hey, remember that?), the constitutional amendment to make marriage between a man and woman, and the flag burning amendment: crap that the Republicans know will never pass but is designed to shore up support from its base.

Republicans know they can't do shit but if it keeps their base active, then they will be parading that idea.

Also regarding teabaggers and their golden boy, the tea party can and does drop people like hot potatoes (example is the move from Rick Lazio to Carl Palladino in NY)

[Phoenix Dark]

You're right. They aren't interested in any policy, so this will probably go nowhere.

[Mandark]

http://ifglobalwarmingisrealthenwhyisitcold.blogspot.com/

Wonder when the first update this winter will come.

[Van Cruncheon]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/232611?RS_show_page=0

oh, and it looks like china's gonna abandon the dollar. ahua. ah, capitalism!

[Phoenix Dark]

Source hasn't been confirmed on the China story, and it says they're abandoning it for bilateral trade with Russia - not abandoning the dollar in general.

either way lol capitalism

[AdmiralViscen]

How can everyone just stand there? Especially the boys father?

They suspected he was an anchor baby

[Stoney Mason]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

With anybody else you would know its just a slip of the tongue but with her...


yeah...

[Phoenix Dark]

eh seemed obvious she had a slip of the tongue. don't like defending her but oh well

lemme get my white knight armor brb

[Human Snorenado]

Come on, it's obvious she's a distinguished mentally-challenged fellow.  Fucks sakes, she probably doesn't remember we're in North America most days.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/obama-gets-12-stitches-after-being-elbowed-in-lip-during-basketball-game.php
 

I wonder what happens to you when you elbow the president

[Human Snorenado]

Apparently he received local anesthetic before getting the stitches; I can't wait for the right wing nut-o-sphere to tell us how unmanly this was.  "Dubya would have gotten the stitches without any painkillers," I can almost already hear it.  I'm betting on Michelle Malkin or Instapundit to play that card first.

[Fresh Prince]

Nah they'd be like, 'Why was he was playing basketball when the country is going down the drain!' pretty much like people did to Dubya.

[archie4208]

http://torrentfreak.com/u-s-government-seizes-bittorrent-search-engine-domain-and-more-101126/

Keep yer hands off my internets. 

[Phoenix Dark]

[Mupepe]

[Himu]

http://torrentfreak.com/u-s-government-seizes-bittorrent-search-engine-domain-and-more-101126/

Keep yer hands off my internets. 

Here's the kicker: most of the sites on the list aren't even piracy sites, they're just online shops that sell knockoffs of brands.

Here''s the double kicker to the knees: homeland security is on top of this, making it curious how in the world this is a security issue.

Maybe they're getting ready to banish wikileaks.

[Great Rumbler]

http://torrentfreak.com/u-s-government-seizes-bittorrent-search-engine-domain-and-more-101126/

Keep yer hands off my internets. 

Here''s the double kicker to the knees: homeland security is on top of this, making it curious how in the world this is a security issue.

All the money you spend on knock-off Nikes is going to fund terrorists.

[Himu]

But where will I get my Snike's now?!

[Human Snorenado]

But where will I get my Snike's now?!

KOREAN SWAP MEET

[Boogie]

Just reading Foreign Policy's article on the top 100 Global thinkers.

Number 27 is Fareed Zakaria.

Zakaria is not always dispassionate about the global trends he has such a knack for identifying. This year, he controversially returned a $10,000 prize to the Anti-Defamation League after the group announced its opposition to a proposed Muslim cultural center near New York's Ground Zero. "Were this mosque being built in a foreign city, chances are that the U.S. government would be funding it,"

...

Five years ago, the ADL honored me with its Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize. I was thrilled to get the award from an organization that I had long admired. But I cannot in good conscience keep it anymore. I have returned both the handsome plaque and the $10,000 honorarium that came with it. I urge the ADL to reverse its decision. Admitting an error is a small price to pay to regain a reputation.

Fuckin' badass.

Zakaria

[Phoenix Dark]

I like that guy

[Phoenix Dark]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/us/politics/30freeze.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Remember when Candidate Obama dismissed the gas tax holiday as a gimmick that wouldn't fix anything? I miss that guy

[Himu]

Candidate Obama

[Mandark]

A pay freeze won't do much for the long-term deficit (Medicare Medicare Medicare), but I think* pay for federal workers has been ballooning a bit the last few years because they negotiated some contracts before inflation plummeted.  Don't quote me on that, though.

[Phoenix Dark]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/us/politics/30freeze.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Remember when Candidate Obama dismissed the gas tax holiday as a gimmick that wouldn't fix anything? I miss that guy

Pay freeze isn't a bad idea.  Pretty common in the private sector.

That's true, but the problem here is that it doesn't do much of anything to address the deficit at hand. It's a step farther than the worthless earkmark ban, but ultimately it's still an idea that trims at the edges of a giant debt redwood.

I don't know whether to laugh or hurl at Cantor (temporarily I'm sure) inviting Obama on to the Serious People For Deficit Reduction short bus
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/will_pay_freeze_strengthen_oba.html

[Mupepe]

Every little bit helps.  My problem with the pay freeze isn't the fact that they're getting frozen.  That's fine with me. it's that this is going to be used to buy political points with idiots so we can put the budget cuts off for even longer (See!  We did something!)

[Phoenix Dark]

I just don't get the point in cutting a bunch of (middle class) people's pay when the economy sucks in large part due to lack of demand - just to make a political point that will cut the deficit by less than what, 1%? It's a pure gimmick/concession.


And what will it win Obama tomorrow when he meets with the GOP on the tax cuts? Let me guess what happens over the next month: no tax cut compromise, no START treaty, no DADT repeal, no nothing. And VA nurses wondering why they got shafted.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2010/07/09/GR2010070905854.html

[Mupepe]

I don't mind it because when my company is losing money my pay is frozen.  Federal employees should not be exempt from that.  You can say it's not their fault, it's mismanagement by higher ups but that's also usually the case in the private sector too.  Also every little bit helps in reducing the deficit.  I'd say a pay freeze isn't a bad tradeoff for a much more secure job.

[Mupepe]

By the way, that chart doesn't tell us anything that someone with common sense doesn't already know.  It doesn't mean it's the best thing for us.  In fact, that's exactly what's wrong with the mentality towards the deficit.  Their job is to fix problems, not placate to idiots with no sense of long term benefits.

[Oblivion]

A pay freeze is also calculated to give Obama some leverage later.

What kind of leverage? Not having to swallow after sucking Boehner's cock?

[Howard Alan Treesong]

[Great Rumbler]

Not particularly surprising.

[Beardo]

Palin will get raped in the primaries. And it will be glorious, because hopefully it will be the last of her.

[Robo]

When has evil ever sulked off in defeat?

[Brehvolution]

n/m

[Human Snorenado]

Palin will get raped in the primaries. And it will be glorious, because hopefully it will be the last of her.

With early primaries in Jesus Crazy states like South Carolina (where the Governor owes Palin her primary victory), Iowa (where people love them some Jesus) and Nevada, land of Sharon Angle, I think she'll probably have the nomination sewn up by the end of January.

[Phoenix Dark]

Palin will get raped in the primaries. And it will be glorious, because hopefully it will be the last of her.

With early primaries in Jesus Crazy states like South Carolina (where the Governor owes Palin her primary victory), Iowa (where people love them some Jesus) and Nevada, land of Sharon Angle, I think she'll probably have the nomination sewn up by the end of January.

Yup, she'll win the early states outside of NH. But who knows what happens when the bigger states come into play.

[Fresh Prince]

So how  many of you will be moving to Canada if Palin wins?

[Brehvolution]

So how  many of you will be moving to Canada if Palin wins?

Me. Movin' in with mojovonio.

[Fresh Prince]

You should move in with Nami and Arvie.

[Brehvolution]

Weekend visits that aren't with Muckhole. Shibas are hyper. I don't want to be around that all the time.

Trips to see Malek would be fun. Living in the US is getting worse day by day. I'm just postponing the inevitable.