US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[Cauliflower Of Love]

What if Yang kills his opponents live on stage? Could have a pretty big impact on his chances.

Debate practice footage leaked from inside Yang HQ:

[Brehvolution]

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/12/israel-white-house-spying-devices-1491351

The U.S. government concluded within the last two years that Israel was most likely behind the placement of cell-phone surveillance devices that were found near the White House and other sensitive locations around Washington, D.C., according to three former senior U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.

But unlike most other occasions when flagrant incidents of foreign spying have been discovered on American soil, the Trump administration did not rebuke the Israeli government, and there were no consequences for Israel’s behavior, one of the former officials said.

“There were suspicions that they were listening in,” the former official said, based on his Israeli counterparts flaunting a level of detailed knowledge “that was hard to explain otherwise.”

“Sometimes it was sort of knowledge of our thinking. Occasionally there were some turns of phrase like language that as far as we knew had only appeared in drafts of speeches and never been actually used publicly, and then some Israeli official would repeat it back to us and say, ‘This would be really problematic if you were to say X,’” said the former official.

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/idreamofanarchy/status/1172136438550454273

https://twitter.com/Politics_Polls/status/1172031293380595712

https://twitter.com/DavidAtkins42/status/1172121744859176960
 

[james]

Tulsi at 6%

 

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1171583543832715264

 

[Great Rumbler]

Tulsi at 6%

 

Tulsi-mentum!

[Flannel Boy]

Taxi companies are pretty shady to begin with in most cities. In Amsterdam and other Dutch cities they started protesting because Uber was putting an end to their grift of fixed fares.

As an expert on America, you know this was already the case in big cities like New York (where the city limited medallions had reached a value of $17 billion before dropping since Uber) and Chicago ($2.5 billion) not to mention the cause of strikes in podunk backwards villages like Toronto.

I don't know why governments allow medallions and other licenses to become commodities. Governments should give anyone that meets the necessary qualifications and pays the appropriate dues to regulate the field (even this is debatable) a license, and the license should be non-transferable. These artificial restrictions on who can enter a market only serve to protect existing license holders, both from competition and from losing the artificial value of their licenses.

I am representing a seller of a independent health facilities license, and he is getting bids in the seven figures for it, and one of the bidders just buys and resells licenses for a living. Why do governments create these artificial markets? How are the medical professionals who must buy this to gain access to the market served? And they will just pass on the costs to patients (which means the government and/or insurance companies). And what's the downside of giving this license to any qualified professional? Too much access to health care?

It could be argued that any licensure regime is simply protectionist, leading to less competition and higher prices for consumers. I still think they should exist, but only where there is a strong need to protect health and safety. This would probably mean that professional licensure for lawyers is unwarranted. If anything, it probably hurts the health and safety of the poor by making access to justice completely unaffordable.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

I swear I remember a story sometime in the past 2 years where Trump talked about how much money he was saving the American people by letting Fox News/news in general vet people for him

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/455998-trump-says-media-is-part-of-vetting-his-nominees-we-save-a-lot-of

"I get a name, I give it out to the press and you vet for me. A lot of time you do a very good job. Not always," Trump told reporters. "If you look at the vetting process for the White House, it is very good, but you are part of the vetting process. I give out a name to the press and you vet for me, we save a lot of money that way."

"But in the case of John, I really believe that he was being treated very harshly and very unfairly," he added.

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1172133647178186752

 

[VomKriege]

To my knowledge, a lot of (most ?) major cities have a licence system for taxis, with the issues being similar, so the system must have its uses at some level.

[team filler]

 

[Kunai With Chain]

Taxi companies are pretty shady to begin with in most cities. In Amsterdam and other Dutch cities they started protesting because Uber was putting an end to their grift of fixed fares.

As an expert on America, you know this was already the case in big cities like New York (where the city limited medallions had reached a value of $17 billion before dropping since Uber) and Chicago ($2.5 billion) not to mention the cause of strikes in podunk backwards villages like Toronto.

I don't know why governments allow medallions and other licenses to become commodities. Governments should give anyone that meets the necessary qualifications and pays the appropriate dues to regulate the field (even this is debatable) a license, and the license should be non-transferable. These artificial restrictions on who can enter a market only serve to protect existing license holders, both from competition and from losing the artificial value of their licenses.

I am representing a seller of a independent health facilities license, and he is getting bids in the seven figures for it, and one of the bidders just buys and resells licenses for a living. Why do governments create these artificial markets? How are the medical professionals who must buy this to gain access to the market served? And they will just pass on the costs to patients (which means the government and/or insurance companies). And what's the downside of giving this license to any qualified professional? Too much access to health care?

It could be argued that any licensure regime is simply protectionist, leading to less competition and higher prices for consumers. I still think they should exist, but only where there is a strong need to protect health and safety. This would probably mean that professional licensure for lawyers is unwarranted. If anything, it probably hurts the health and safety of the poor by making access to justice completely unaffordable.

The taxi medallions kind of made sense though as a way to control traffic at major intersections in big cities, before it taxis would congest and clog up all the popular spots from what I've read. Apparently Uber using technicality to get around it fucked the whole scheme up and the value of the taxi medallions have pretty much almost crashed.

[james]

To my knowledge, a lot of (most ?) major cities have a licence system for taxis, with the issues being similar, so the system must have its uses at some level.

The issue with US cities is that they sold a fixed number of "medallions" as a commodity. Something you could buy, hoard, sell, etc.

The right way to do it is with annual licenses distributed via a dutch auction system.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

Ironically, places like Cali and other municipalities that are fighting off ridesharing, are just protecting the corrupt medallion systems, wittingly.

[james]

Ironically, places like Cali and other municipalities that are fighting off ridesharing, are just protecting the corrupt medallion systems, wittingly.

The whole reason a limit was put in place in the first place is because in a market with near-zero barriers to entry, competition becomes perfect and no one can profit.

The result are tons of drivers going in circle with empty cars creating massive congestion while they battle for a fixed demand.

Cap is good. Medallions are bad.

[Flannel Boy]

To my knowledge, a lot of (most ?) major cities have a licence system for taxis, with the issues being similar, so the system must have its uses at some level.

A licensure regime for taxis is fine. My main problem with Toronto's is that they limit the amount of medallions handed out and allow for a secondary market: To get a medallion, a person must a) be added to a wait list (and there are restrictions on who may be added to this list) b) buy an existing medallion (without the added restrictions). This artificially drove the value of a license to $360,000 (before Uber).

"At least 30 per cent of the industry's revenues went to people who did nothing but milk income from their licenses."

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/adventure/red-line/how-uber-is-ending-the-dirty-dealings-behind-torontos-cab-business/article25515301/

There should be no limit to the amount given out or the medallions should be non-transferable (if you don't limit the number given out there should be no resale market anyway). The only real barriers to entry should be put in place to protect the public's health and safety (such as requirements to pass the right driving tests and to get sufficient insurance). If a city thinks an unlimited number of licenses will hurt health and safety, then licenses should be randomly given out to qualified drivers.

The taxi medallions kind of made sense though as a way to control traffic at major intersections in big cities, before it taxis would congest and clog up all the popular spots from what I've read. Apparently Uber using technicality to get around it fucked the whole scheme up and the value of the taxi medallions have pretty much almost crashed.

Single-driver cars also clog up streets. Should we use a medallion system for all licenses?

Cities could use parking enforcement to prevent idling etc. To help control taxi traffic, and traffic in general, they could use tolls, congestion pricing, or, I don't know--build fucking decent public transit. I'm looking at you, Toronto.

[Flannel Boy]

Ironically, places like Cali and other municipalities that are fighting off ridesharing, are just protecting the corrupt medallion systems, wittingly.

The whole reason a limit was put in place in the first place is because in a market with near-zero barriers to entry, competition becomes perfect and no one can profit.

The result are tons of drivers going in circle with empty cars creating massive congestion while they battle for a fixed demand.

Just because there aren't regulatory barriers doesn't mean there aren't barriers.
Capital costs (car), insurance costs, marketing, etc.

[james]

Single-driver cars also clog up streets. Should we use a medallion system for all licenses?

Cities could use parking enforcement to prevent idling etc. To help control taxi traffic, and traffic in general, they could use tolls, congestion pricing, or, I don't know--build fucking decent public transit. I'm looking at you, Toronto.

The difference is that when a private car reaches its destination, it leaves the road network by entering a parking space. At that point, it no longer contributes to congestion.

A taxi/uber spends about 50% of the time insie the road network without a passenger.

Additionally, some places DO have a "medallion" system for private licenses. You are only allowed to purchase a car with proof that you have a private parking space available. I think this is true in Singapore and some other asian cities.

Just because there aren't regulatory barriers doesn't mean there aren't barriers.
Capital costs (car), insurance costs, marketing, etc.

Except that many (most) people already own a car and thus those are sunk costs. The only barrier to enter the Uber market is a very quick background check.

[VomKriege]

To my knowledge, a lot of (most ?) major cities have a licence system for taxis, with the issues being similar, so the system must have its uses at some level.

The issue with US cities is that they sold a fixed number of "medallions" as a commodity. Something you could buy, hoard, sell, etc.

The right way to do it is with annual licenses distributed via a dutch auction system.

It was the same in France until 5 years ago (the norm is the same everywhere though local authorities are in charge of managing them, at least in Paris it's the prefect). Per Wiki up to 1973 the licences returned to authorities once the holder no longer used it but between 1973 and 2014 the holders could sell and transfer them. Now apparently it's a five year, non transferable, renewable certification.

I mean yeah there's systemic issues with that scheme but it's obviously an easy way to impose much higher "quality control" on drivers, minimizing the amount of customers getting defrauded by clandestine taxis and to keep the wages above acceptable levels. Not to cover it with laurels, I had my fair share of Uber rides because of prices but I'm sure you all soon got a hint in the chit chat that Uber drivers are not making a boatload of cash / that they work long shifts (which in itself could already amount to a safety hazard).

[Joe Molotov]

(Image removed from quote.)

 

Is that Jesus' toe nail?

[Nintex]

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/12/israel-white-house-spying-devices-1491351

The U.S. government concluded within the last two years that Israel was most likely behind the placement of cell-phone surveillance devices that were found near the White House and other sensitive locations around Washington, D.C., according to three former senior U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.

But unlike most other occasions when flagrant incidents of foreign spying have been discovered on American soil, the Trump administration did not rebuke the Israeli government, and there were no consequences for Israel’s behavior, one of the former officials said.

“There were suspicions that they were listening in,” the former official said, based on his Israeli counterparts flaunting a level of detailed knowledge “that was hard to explain otherwise.”

“Sometimes it was sort of knowledge of our thinking. Occasionally there were some turns of phrase like language that as far as we knew had only appeared in drafts of speeches and never been actually used publicly, and then some Israeli official would repeat it back to us and say, ‘This would be really problematic if you were to say X,’” said the former official.

They should've just asked Kushner to put his phone on speaker or follow @realDonaldTrump like the rest of the planet does

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1172198767627526151

 

[Cauliflower Of Love]

That's quite the ball fondle he's giving to trump there without actually saying anything.

[Flannel Boy]

Single-driver cars also clog up streets. Should we use a medallion system for all licenses?

Cities could use parking enforcement to prevent idling etc. To help control taxi traffic, and traffic in general, they could use tolls, congestion pricing, or, I don't know--build fucking decent public transit. I'm looking at you, Toronto.

The difference is that when a private car reaches its destination, it leaves the road network by entering a parking space. At that point, it no longer contributes to congestion.

A taxi/uber spends about 50% of the time insie the road network without a passenger.

Additionally, some places DO have a "medallion" system for private licenses. You are only allowed to purchase a car with proof that you have a private parking space available. I think this is true in Singapore and some other asian cities.

Just because there aren't regulatory barriers doesn't mean there aren't barriers.
Capital costs (car), insurance costs, marketing, etc.

Except that many (most) people already own a car and thus those are sunk costs. The only barrier to enter the Uber market is a very quick background check.

I didn't ask whether a private medallion systems existed (I already knew about Singapore). My point was that if you support a medallion system for taxis and ride-shares to reduce traffic, why don’t you support one for private cars? They idle less?

Private cars, which usually have no additional passengers, need two parking spots (home and destination), which helps lead to urban sprawl (parking for work, shopping, restaurants, etc.). And in most cities, there are just a ton more private cars on the road than taxis or ride-shares--so they're usually a bigger problem, even if they are not a bigger problem per car.

Edit:


Taxis and ride sharing services (though mostly ride sharing) are bad for city congestion, and they should be discouraged. I offered some suggestions: tolls and congestion pricing. These can be applied to private cars, which also lead to congestion. I could also add a taxi tax or a rush-hour tax specifically for taxis and ride sharing services.

Uber drivers are employees/contractors. They are not entering a market--they are getting a shitty job with no protections. They would face barrier if they were starting their own taxi or ride-share companies.

[kingv]

Medallions should be physical objects you wear.

And they should be made by Jacob the Jeweler.

[Nintex]

I think Yang is going to chain himself to the stage

I'm going with video calling Trump so he can show why an Asian who likes math is the best bet against Donald Trump.

[james]

Single-driver cars also clog up streets. Should we use a medallion system for all licenses?

Cities could use parking enforcement to prevent idling etc. To help control taxi traffic, and traffic in general, they could use tolls, congestion pricing, or, I don't know--build fucking decent public transit. I'm looking at you, Toronto.

The difference is that when a private car reaches its destination, it leaves the road network by entering a parking space. At that point, it no longer contributes to congestion.

A taxi/uber spends about 50% of the time insie the road network without a passenger.

Additionally, some places DO have a "medallion" system for private licenses. You are only allowed to purchase a car with proof that you have a private parking space available. I think this is true in Singapore and some other asian cities.

Just because there aren't regulatory barriers doesn't mean there aren't barriers.
Capital costs (car), insurance costs, marketing, etc.

Except that many (most) people already own a car and thus those are sunk costs. The only barrier to enter the Uber market is a very quick background check.

I didn't ask whether a private medallion systems existed (I already knew about Singapore). My point was that if you support a medallion system for taxis and ride-shares to reduce traffic, why don’t you support one for private cars? They idle less?

?

When did I say that I didnt?

Stop making shit up.

[Flannel Boy]

I didn't ask whether a private medallion systems existed (I already knew about Singapore). My point was that if you support a medallion system for taxis and ride-shares to reduce traffic, why don't you support one for private cars? They idle less?

?

When did I say that I didnt?

Stop making shit up.

If you support a licensing cap for taxis and ride-shares to reduce traffic, why don't you support one for private cars?

[Brehvolution]

I'm still rocking my Motherland Medallion.

[CatsCatsCats]

Want to watch the debate tonight but I don’t think I have any access to abc or Univision

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1172208791938621440

They're going after the coup plotters 

[nachobro]

Want to watch the debate tonight but I don’t think I have any access to abc or Univision

https://abc.go.com/watch-live should have it if you don't have an antenna

or just watch football instead like everyone else

[CatsCatsCats]

The ABC live stream is not available in your area. We are working to add more cities and TV providers. :’(

[Nintex]

The ABC live stream is not available in your area. We are working to add more cities and TV providers. :’(

Once it starts just search: "Debate live" on YouTube or something. It's bound be on there.

[nachobro]

i used to use puffer a lot at one point, not sure if it's still any good

https://puffer.stanford.edu/

[james]

I didn't ask whether a private medallion systems existed (I already knew about Singapore). My point was that if you support a medallion system for taxis and ride-shares to reduce traffic, why don't you support one for private cars? They idle less?

?

When did I say that I didnt?

Stop making shit up.

If you support a licensing cap for taxis and ride-shares to reduce traffic, why don't you support one for private cars?

?

When did I say that I didnt?

Stop making shit up.

[Madrun Badrun]

Should we use a medallion system for all licenses?

Yes. 

[Great Rumbler]

The Bore will soon be implementing a medallion system. Each medallion will entitle the wearer to 20 posts per day and must be worn at all times when logged in [webcam required for verification, which will be monitored by our staff]. Just $20 a pop [or 20,000 filler likes], renewable every year.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1172235966947516420

Yang's learning how this game works 

[james]

The Bore will soon be implementing a medallion system. Each medallion will entitle the wearer to 20 posts per day and must be worn at all times when logged in [webcam required for verification, which will be monitored by our staff]. Just $20 a pop [or 20,000 filler likes], renewable every year.

Benjie is not going to like this one bit

[Occam]

Talking about yourself in the third person is a sign of mental stability. All very stable geniuses do it.

[thisismyusername]

[CatsCatsCats]

Yo K2 is very bad mkay

[thisismyusername]

Yo K2 is very bad mkay

spoiler (click to show/hide)

That's the joke.jpg

[close]

[VomKriege]

We're not there yet but something akin to a medallion system may be the logical end point of the policies that Paris (and I imagine other major cities) are trying to put in place to restrict traffic from the most polluting private cars, at the very least in days of extreme conditions and more largely to phase out older cars. Could probably take the form of a specific marker, sticker or signage for private cars. It's not outright raising the bar for car ownership but that would be pretty similar especially since the goal is indeed to reduce traffic. Personnaly I wouldn't be opposed to it but I don't have a car and the necessity people have for them is probably less strident in a lot of the major urban areas of Western and Central Europe than in the USA.

[Nintex]

56 minutes of this shit 

[Cauliflower Of Love]

Yo K2 is very bad mkay

I thought those were condoms.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1172273988699119616

The daily helicopter conference 

[Nintex]

Did he ever get a new press secretary and if so have they had a single press briefing

Yes he did, one of Melania's aides got the job. And no she hasn't done a press conference.

The equivalent of what used to be press conferences are:
- Impromptu helicopter or White House lawn gaggles
- Drunk Larry Kudlow calling into the shows
- Mnuchin and Pompeo seem to be using what used to be the White House press room from time to time to update the press

[thisismyusername]

Who's ready for Biden to stroke out live on stage?

[benjipwns]

It could be argued that any licensure regime is simply protectionist, leading to less competition and higher prices for consumers. I still think they should exist, but only where there is a strong need to protect health and safety. This would probably mean that professional licensure for lawyers is unwarranted. If anything, it probably hurts the health and safety of the poor by making access to justice completely unaffordable.

One of the most infamous cases from a few years back:

After graduating from college, she considered getting an office job but decided instead to start her own hair-braiding operation and began advertising on a local Web site. “It’s not like it was bringing me millions,” she says, “but it was covering groceries.” At least until a stranger who saw the ad e-mailed her a demand to delete it. “It is illegal in the state of Utah to do any form of extensions without a valid cosmetology license,” the e-mail read. “Please delete your ad, or you will be reported.”

A cosmetology license required nearly two years of school and $16,000 in tuition. But Clayton hoped for an exemption. After all, many Utah cosmetology schools taught little or nothing about African-style hair-braiding, and other states allowed people to practice it after passing a hygiene test and paying a small fee. Clayton made her case (via PowerPoint) to the exhaustively named governing body of Utah hair-braiding, the Barber, Cosmetology/Barber, Esthetics, Electrology and Nail Technology Licensing Board. The board, made up largely of licensed barbers and cosmetologists, shot her down.

In seven states, natural hair braiders are forced to become licensed as either cosmetologists or hairstylists. Yet few of these states actually teach natural hair braiding styles. Instead, braiders have to learn cosmetology practices they have no intent on using in their career, like giving manicures or bleaching hair. Complying with these regulations is an ordeal, with licenses requiring up to 2,000 hours of training and costing upwards of $20,000 in tuition fees at cosmetology schools.

In 14 states and Washington, D.C., braiders are regulated by separate, specialty licenses that can include up to 500 hours of coursework before a braider can work legally.

[kingv]

Did he ever get a new press secretary and if so have they had a single press briefing

Yes he did, one of Melania's aides got the job. And no she hasn't done a press conference.

The equivalent of what used to be press conferences are:
- Impromptu helicopter or White House lawn gaggles
- Drunk Larry Kudlow calling into the shows
- Mnuchin and Pompeo seem to be using what used to be the White House press room from time to time to update the press

She also got a DUI while working on the campaign. High quality hire there.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

slay king bernie!


Biden pulling the "how we gonna pay for it" card, jesus

[Cauliflower Of Love]

Everyone fellating Obama tonight.

Biden is like "god damnit!" lol

[Madrun Badrun]

As a Canadian, the healthcare debate is really astonishing. 

[Great Rumbler]

As a Canadian, the healthcare debate is really astonishing. 

I'm an American, but I still feel the same way.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

Castro is slaying.

[Cauliflower Of Love]

"i am asian so I know alot of doctors.."

https://twitter.com/samstein/status/1171848261717635078

 

Be asian?

[Madrun Badrun]

It's like ya choices are nice but it's of little weight compared to comfort I have knowing that if my mom has a heart attack, she will be taken care of regardless of her or mine situation.  I can't imagine what it would be like if I had to treat general health in the same way I have to treat dental or eye care.  It's crazy.  And every time they bring up a point of contention, it's not that it's wrong, such as the union benefits, it's just completely dwarfed by benefits of universal health care.

[thisismyusername]

"i am asian so I know alot of doctors.."

https://twitter.com/samstein/status/1171848261717635078

 

Be asian?

So it's "log out," not "hog out" from Yang. Disappointing.