2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

[Priceless]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Yet, if your permanent residence was Minnesota, you were to be registered at your permanent residence and mailed an absentee ballot.

Or he could vote where he physically lived. Which he did.

 

[pirate]

Then stop feeling sorry for yourself and start a sugar farm.

This issue, and the responses, are perfect examples...the government agrees to some ridiculous deal for some convoluted reasons, the taxpayer pays for it and 51% of the people blame 1% of the people for 'making' it happen.

It would be a good story to explain how 'the rich' somehow forced the government to commit to this illogical arrangement...but for a large part of the population, they don't care...they have their ready made boogeyman to blame everything on.

For those who argue that a) there isn't class warfare and b) the political parties don't foment it, I would submit this is a great case study. No cries that the government is dysfunctional just blaming somebody else for it so they feel better.

The movie "Dave" had that scene where the question was do you want kids living on the street so people can feel good about a car they already bought?...problem is, the whole mess is so big, those types of easy to under stand trade offs are lost in a sea of bureaucracy, mismanagement and side deals.

Who really knows what the trade offs are? Who really knows we have these types of ludicrous deals? Or should I say, who knows that doesn't also benefit?

 

[unofan]

For those who argue that a) there isn't class warfare

"There is class warfare, and we're winning." - Warren Buffett, speaking of the 1%.

 

[Farce Poobah]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

I'm against anything that prevents us from addressing the issues in a decisive and productive manner. So, politicians in general run afoul of my beliefs. Political parties are worse. Vested interests, including corporations, unions, demographic groups such as the elderly etc. all skew the process.

How could anyone balance the interests of those groups and keep their political party happy? Imposssible.

I've got no problem with the concept that every solution can't make everybody equally happy...but solving them via the money, vote mongering and lies of political parties?? How is that working out for us? Gun control is the classic example. Neither party is capable of doing the right thing...there is a way to manage the proliferation of guns without outlawing them and we can't allow the "you won't prevent every murder" chorus to prevent us from trying to reduce them.

Now, you'll no doubt pull out some bill that a D suggested would reduce gun violence. And that bill may or may not be practical...but we know it would have been ammended with provisions on everything from oil taxes to naming a highway after Big Bird. Why? Because everybody wants to pervert the intention of the bill for their own political agenda...or wants to force the other guy to either look bad voting against the bill or have to agree to some other issue.

I know the line item veto idea has problems of its own...but none of us would allow any major decision in our life to be twisted into 9 different decisions, 8 of which are extraneous to the matter at hand and several of which are self-serving, counter-productive attempts to settle scores or fill the pork barrel.

What is the quote about a man with only a hammer? A man that only sees one way to do everything, the red way or the blue way is walking right next to him.

Well said.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

I can just see the government requiring specific hotel room pillows.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/azwL5eoE5aI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Or he could vote where he physically lived. Which he did.

If he physically lives there, then that becomes his permanent address. It's pretty simple.

 

[Priceless]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Imagine if the Koch Brothers used their influence for good...

When President Obama unveiled his program to tackle climate change last month, he deliberately sidestepped Congress as a hopeless bastion of obstruction, relying completely on changes that could be imposed by regulatory agencies. A two-year study by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University, released today, illustrates what might be one of the reasons why he had to take this circuitous route. Fossil fuel magnates Charles and David Koch have, through Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group they back, succeeded in persuading many members of Congress to sign a little-known pledge in which they have promised to vote against legislation relating to climate change unless it is accompanied by an equivalent amount of tax cuts. Since most solutions to the problem of greenhouse-gas emissions require costs to the polluters and the public, the pledge essentially commits those who sign to it to vote against nearly any meaningful bill regarding global warning, and acts as yet another roadblock to action.

The investigative study tracks the political influence wielded by the billionaire Koch brothers, who have harnessed part of the fortune generated by their company, Koch Industries, the second largest private corporation in the country, to further their conservative libertarian activism. Charles Lewis, the Executive Editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop explained that the I.R.W., a non-profit news organization attached to American University, spent two years focussing on Koch Industries because, “There is no other corporation in the U.S. today, in my view, that is as unabashedly, bare-knuckle aggressive across the board about its own self-interest, in the political process, in the nonprofit-policy-advocacy realm, even increasingly in academia and the broader public marketplace of ideas.” Formerly head of the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, Lewis has focussed for years on the way money affects American politics. “The Kochs’ influence, without a doubt, is growing,” he believes. A spokeswoman for the Kochs declined to comment.

In its multi-part report, “The Koch Club,” written by Lewis, Eric Holmberg, Alexia Campbell, and Lydia Beyoud, the Workshop found that between 2007 and 2011 the Kochs donated $41.2 million to ninety tax-exempt organizations promoting the ultra-libertarian policies that the brothers favor—policies that are often highly advantageous to their corporate interests. In addition, during this same period they gave $30.5 million to two hundred and twenty-one colleges and universities, often to fund academic programs advocating their worldview. Among the positions embraced by the Kochs are fewer government regulations on business, lower taxes, and skepticism about the causes and impact of climate change.

Climate-change policy directly affects Koch Industries’s bottom line. Koch Industries, according to Environmental Protection Agency statistics cited in the study, is a major source of carbon-dioxide emissions, the kind of pollution that most scientists believe causes global warming. In 2011, according to the E.P.A.’s greenhouse-gas-reporting database, the company, which has oil refineries in three states, emitted over twenty-four million tons of carbon dioxide, as much as is typically emitted by five million cars.

Starting in 2008, a year after the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency could regulate greenhouse gasses as a form of pollution, accelerating possible Congressional action on climate change, the Koch-funded nonprofit group, Americans for Prosperity, devised the “No Climate Tax” pledge. It has been, according to the study, a component of a remarkably successful campaign to prevent lawmakers from addressing climate change. Two successive efforts to control greenhouse-gas emissions by implementing cap-and-trade energy bills died in the Senate, the latter of which was specifically targeted by A.F.P.’s pledge. By now, four hundred and eleven current office holders nationwide have signed the pledge. Signatories include the entire Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, a third of the members of the House of Representatives as a whole, and a quarter of U.S. senators.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Then stop feeling sorry for yourself and start a sugar farm.

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh.

 

[geezer]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Imagine if the Koch Brothers used their influence for good...

I would call the fight for liberty and against thoughtless oppressive willy nilly social engineering for the benefit of a tiny group of politicians in power, to be a pretty good cause. Keep it up, Koch brothers!

 

[walrus]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

I would call the fight for liberty and against thoughtless oppressive willy nilly social engineering for the benefit of a tiny group of politicians in power, to be a pretty good cause. Keep it up, Koch brothers!

C'mon, everyone knows its only the Koch bros who use their money and power to influence politicians.

 

[Priceless]

C'mon, everyone knows its only the Koch bros who use their money and power to influence politicians.

As usual you respond to something I didn't say. Well done.

 

[walrus]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

As usual you respond to something I didn't say. Well done.

Did I quote you? Oh thats right, no I didn't, well done

 

[geezer]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

My response was badly worded. But the point is that the widespread assumption that anyone out to make money is pure evil, while every person who goes into politics is purer than the driven snow, is pure B.S... In my opinion people like Obama (the social engineers out to "change society") have far darker motives than a couple of capitalists out to make a few billion.

 

[Priceless]

My response was badly worded. But the point is that the widespread assumption that anyone out to make money is pure evil, while every person who goes into politics is purer than the driven snow, is pure B.S... In my opinion people like Obama (the social engineers out to "change society") have far darker motives than a couple of capitalists out to make a few billion.

That's a lovely straw man.

 

[SteveP]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Perhaps this doesn't belong here, but Mr. President, make this happen.

Supporters of a decorated World War II veteran are intensifying their efforts to see the 96-year-old Wisconsin native awarded the Medal of Honor.

James Megellas has earned two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. But supporters say the retired lieutenant colonel deserves the military's top honor for using two grenades to singlehandedly take out a German tank, The Reporter Media reported.

Megellas was originally nominated for a Medal of Honor. But the paperwork didn't include details about the event involving the tank, so the award was downgraded to a Silver Star.

As the enemy German Mark V tank bore down on the troops, Megellas leaped into action. He disabled the tank with one grenade, and then scrambled on top and threw a second grenade into the crew compartment.

Neumann said he's only found records of five instances in which an American soldier singlehandedly stopped an enemy tank during World War II. The other four received the Medal of Honor.

 

[geezer]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

That's a lovely straw man.

thanks, I've never been accused of nuance. Have a lovely weekend.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Perhaps this doesn't belong here, but Mr. President, make this happen.

What I find astonishing (apart from Megallas' heroism) is the fact that paperwork nominating him for the MOH was incomplete (were the people nominating him too busy to complete the nomination correctly?) and that no apparent effort was made to get all the facts. Sounds like Barney Fife just kicked the nomination into his out box without expending too much effort to get to the truth. That's sad. Sounds like this old man should get very serious re-consideration. We should, however, recall how high the bar is for this award. And some things which seem to us as deserving of the medal, don't meet that standard.

In the military, MOH winners are like gods. That's why in Heartbreak Ridge it's so unrealistic for that major to be so hostile, abusive, condescending and disrespectful to an active duty MOH winner. In the real world, it would take Tom Highway about 2 minutes to get that shave tail off his 5 yard line. You can just hear the General telling that a*shat "We've got lots of Majors. If we need more we'll go to Wal-Mart and buy some. But at present we've only got one active duty MOH winner. Do you read me?"

 

[joecct]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

What I find astonishing (apart from Megallas' heroism) is the fact that paperwork nominating him for the MOH was incomplete (were the people nominating him too busy to complete the nomination correctly?) and that no apparent effort was made to get all the facts. Sounds like Barney Fife just kicked the nomination into his out box without expending too much effort to get to the truth. That's sad. Sounds like this old man should get very serious re-consideration. We should, however, recall how high the bar is for this award. And some things which seem to us as deserving of the medal, don't meet that standard.

In the military, MOH winners are like gods. That's why in Heartbreak Ridge it's so unrealistic for that major to be so hostile, abusive, condescending and disrespectful to an active duty MOH winner. In the real world, it would take Tom Highway about 2 minutes to get that shave tail off his 5 yard line. You can just hear the General telling that a*shat "We've got lots of Majors. If we need more we'll go to Wal-Mart and buy some. But at present we've only got one active duty MOH winner. Do you read me?"

It happens. (Then) Lt. Winters should have been nominated for the CMH for his actions capturing the German artillery position behind the D-Day beaches, but the higher ups decided that there would be only one CMH nominee from the division.

IIRC, a Holder of the Medal is required to be saluted by all ranks, regardless of the rank of the Holder. They are exalted individuals.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

It happens. (Then) Lt. Winters should have been nominated for the CMH for his actions capturing the German artillery position behind the D-Day beaches, but the higher ups decided that there would be only one CMH nominee from the division.

IIRC, a Holder of the Medal is required to be saluted by all ranks, regardless of the rank of the Holder. They are exalted individuals.

Well sure. That was my point about Heartbreak Ridge. I mean, I understand the need to have dramatic tension to advance the narrative. But I can't envision any Marine Corps officer ever talking that way to a MOH winner (especially an active duty one). And that line where the a*shat major says (approximately) "We should put you in a case that says break glass in time of war" pretty succinctly expresses the mission of the Corps (of which that clown was evidently unaware).

Sounds like there's a good chance the apparant oversight here will be corrected. As war has changed and the size of our campaigns has gotten smaller, it is much less likely anyone serving will encounter a MOH winner still in uniform. Sadly, considerations other than valor (as in Winters' case apparently) can enter the picture. In Megallas' case, it seems like bureaucratic lassitude rather than politics was at fault. I would guess not so much of that stuff happens these days. BTW, no offense intended, the salute rendered MOH winners is by custom, not regulation.

Years ago at Christmas my brother and I got behind a guy with an unusual license plate we'd never seen before. Robin's egg blue, with a white band around it, white stars and a small white box to the right that read 001. Upon further review, it was a MOH plate. At any given moment, how many living winners who can still drive are there in AZ? Very low single digits. My brother said he wouldn't want to have such a plate. I said heck yeah. I'd never have to buy a lunch or a beer again. Just park that sucker as close to the front door as I could get (a handicapped space would work nicely) then let the good times roll.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: 2nd Term Part 5: Big Brotha

Why are police or firefighters who risk their lives to save lives not treated with the same reverence? They should be.