POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

[rufus]

Man, speaking about adopting memes, you guys have gone all in on the good german bit.

You don't need to read the endless nonsense you guys apparently spend all of your time searching out on the internet to understand that in today's world there is simply no mole hill we will leave untouched.

It has nothing to do with politics or left versus right. It's everywhere. It's in talking about the weather. It's talking about sports. It's when discussing the condition of your roads.

Crisis attracts eyeballs and there are a lot of competitors for eyeballs in today's world.

And that makes what Trump's doing all good.

Good to know. Good to know you're so effin' apathetic.

 

[jerphisch]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Man, speaking about adopting memes, you guys have gone all in on the good german bit.

You don't need to read the endless nonsense you guys apparently spend all of your time searching out on the internet to understand that in today's world there is simply no mole hill we will leave untouched.

It has nothing to do with politics or left versus right. It's everywhere. It's in talking about the weather. It's talking about sports. It's when discussing the condition of your roads.

Crisis attracts eyeballs and there are a lot of competitors for eyeballs in today's world.

It's awesome that you consider the destruction of our planet and rampant racism molehills, but seem pretty concerned with white supremacists being portrayed inaccurately.

 

[rufus]

It's awesome that you consider the destruction of our planet and rampant racism molehills, but seem pretty concerned with white supremacists being portrayed inaccurately.

Its the important stuff......

 

[SJHovey]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Huh, who'd have thunk. Take something that someone writes, mischaracterize it, exaggerate it, add some inflammatory language, stir vigorously and toss it out there.

 

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Pence told the federalist society today that they’re going to go after the judicial branch, too.

Not a lot of good Germans speaking up.

 

[Kepler]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

I'm curious about this. How do you actually think this will play out that I'm screwed but you're not?

On my being safe:

I'm rich. I live in the Northeast where our financial institutions are jealously guarded by the 1% because that's their ox. My family's incomes are based on government which doesn't shrink.

I'm assuming we're both straight while males which means no problems when the Identity Police come around -- that's a wash. I'm an atheist, yeah, that's tricky, but Paris is worth a mass and I can fake Christianity better than most Christians. Oh, that Jew over there? Well, I'm sure he did something; carry on.

My wife and daughter would be in jeopardy but I have absolutely no second thoughts on pulling them out of this place to some some safe, socialist, free society when the Jesus whip comes down.


On you being screwed (these are all assumptions, though I've tried to be circumspect):

Assuming you're not on the outs in any of the demographics above, you are safe, there. God bless white male privilege, amirite?!

If you're rich we're tied there, too. But if you're middle class you're f-cked.

If you're Midwestern (I think?) you are completely as-s f-cked by this administration in particular and the GOP in general. Even if your job is safe it's still enmeshed in a local and regional economy that will envy Weimar Germany once Dump et al get through with it. It's private sector so the next crash will severely impact either you or your clients which is the same thing after a brief time delay. You have that laudable "U!S!A!" zeal which precludes pulling up stakes and leaving, thus sentencing your female loved ones and descendants to Pencian dumbf-ckery.

I'm fighting the GOP because it's aesthetically offensive. You should be fighting them for your life.


I'll grant we're equally dead if they destroy the planet in our lifetime, but even there I know a guy smart enough to figure out FTL if he'd stop wasting his time with hockey stats, and, uh, he'd take me along for ballast right?

Right?!

 

[SJHovey]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

On my being safe:

I'm rich. I live in the Northeast where our financial institutions are jealously guarded by the 1% because that's their ox. My family's incomes are based on government which doesn't shrink.

I'm assuming we're both straight while males which means no problems when the Identity Police come around -- that's a wash. I'm an atheist, yeah, that's tricky, but Paris is worth a mass and I can fake Christianity better than most Christians. Oh, that Jew over there? Well, I'm sure he did something; carry on.

My wife and daughter would be in jeopardy but I have absolutely no second thoughts on pulling them out of this place to some some safe, socialist, free society when the Jesus whip comes down.


On you being screwed (these are all assumptions, though I've tried to be circumspect):

Assuming you're not on the outs in any of the demographics above, you are safe, there. God bless white male privilege, amirite?!

If you're rich we're tied there, too. But if you're middle class you're f-cked.

If you're Midwestern (I think?) you are completely as-s f-cked by this administration in particular and the GOP in general. Even if your job is safe it's still enmeshed in a local and regional economy that will envy Weimar Germany once Dump et al get through with it. It's private sector so the next crash will severely impact either you or your clients which is the same thing after a brief time delay. You have that laudable "U!S!A!" zeal which precludes pulling up stakes and leaving, thus sentencing your female loved ones and descendants to Pencian dumbf-ckery.

I'm fighting the GOP because it's aesthetically offensive. You should be fighting them for your life.


I'll grant we're equally dead if they destroy the planet in our lifetime, but even there I know a guy smart enough to figure out FTL if he'd stop wasting his time with hockey stats, and, uh, he'd take me along for ballast right?

Right?!

I am a straight white male. I reside in Minnesota. They're mostly Lutherans and Catholics around here and I have no trouble blending in even though I haven't darkened the door of a church for anything other than a funeral or wedding in ages.

I own my own business and it's been largely recession proof, and in fact sometimes benefits from economic downturns. My succession plan is laid out. I'll probably work another 10 years, then retire, although my wife constantly urges me to retire earlier.

I don't know whether I'm rich or not because I don't know how you would define it. I've seen articles suggest that to be in the 1% you need to earn north of $400,000 per year, and I do not pocket that much myself. But I own my home, I will be able to retire very comfortably, I will not depend upon any social security payments (although it's unlikely I will decline them). I will be able to travel and play golf and do the things I want, although I won't own a condo in Aspen and a lake home in the Adirondacks.

Our kids all live in Minneapolis/St. Paul, a metropolitan area that is pretty diverse, certainly by midwest standards. Minnesota's economy is well situated in terms of having agriculture, lumber, tourism and a very healthy corporate climate without all of the doochery of some other locations.

Personally I consider myself very fortunate.

But here's the thing. I don't think I'm any more or less screwed that say my lowest paid employee who may have far less than I. Governments change. Life proceeds.

 

[Handyman]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Minneapolis/St. Paul are good economies despite the local GOP that tries and destroy it every chance they have power. You should be kissing the butt of every DFLer because as long as they are in charge things run smoothly around here. If the MNGOP gains control again we are all screwed.

 

[jerphisch]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Huh, who'd have thunk. Take something that someone writes, mischaracterize it, exaggerate it, add some inflammatory language, stir vigorously and toss it out there.

Hello kettle...

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

mookie doesn't, but a colleague packs something.... melatonin? he swallows some 30min before boarding and is out like a light. over the counter

Waaaayyyyyy off topic at this point but I tried melatonin on my trip to Hungary this week. Took some on the plane then 1 hr before I wanted to sack out for the next 3 evenings. For the first time in 5 trips across the pond I had ZERO jet lag--it effectively reset my body clock with no side effects. This was UFB!

Put me down as a satisfied customer.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Minneapolis/St. Paul are good economies despite the local GOP that tries and destroy it every chance they have power. You should be kissing the butt of every DFLer because as long as they are in charge things run smoothly around here. If the MNGOP gains control again we are all screwed.

IMHO, politicians take way to much credit and get way too much blame for the economy, whether it is a state's economy or at a federal level. Minnesota is blessed with a diversity of industry from farmland to timber to mining and tourism, largely due to geographic happenstance, coupled with a major university.

 

[Kepler]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

IMHO, politicians take way to much credit and get way too much blame for the economy, whether it is a state's economy or at a federal level. Minnesota is blessed with a diversity of industry from farmland to timber to mining and tourism, largely due to geographic happenstance, coupled with a major university.

If a city is a trade hub it tends to be in better shape -- generalized wealth spurs education, medicine, banking, insurance. Being a state capitol and a transport hub helps a lot, too. Those are evergreen economic stimulae.

The great vulnerability for a city is if it's there because of resource extraction or a single industry. Short of literal war or environmental calamity that's really the only way for a city to die.

Here's a list of "dead cities" from WSJ. Now in part it's just a list of cities that white people left when the blacks moved in, because for WSJ's readers that means death. But to some slight degree it might not even be that racist and stupid an analysis.

+ Buffalo (grain milling, steel; it was a trade hub, however)
+ Flint (cars)
+ Hartford (insurance, finance; not a good example of my hypothesis)
+ Cleveland (industrial transport -- second-hand victim of the death of the Rust Belt)
+ New Orleans (hurricane)
+ Detroit (cars)
+ Albany (I disagree that this is a dead city, it's just a depressing one)
+ Atlantic City (gambling, killed by Vegas)
+ Allentown (steel)
+ Galveston (hurricane, also a really cool port explosion)

 

[SJHovey]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

If a city is a trade hub it tends to be in better shape -- generalized wealth spurs education, medicine, banking, insurance. Being a state capitol and a transport hub helps a lot, too. Those are evergreen economic stimulae.

The great vulnerability for a city is if it's there because of resource extraction or a single industry. Short of literal war or environmental calamity that's really the only way for a city to die.

I agree completely. Minneapolis/St. Paul has always benefited in that fashion. Everything shipped to and from the Dakota's, Wisconsin, and even points further west ran through the Cities, the Mississippi and the Great lakes.

North Dakota is a prime example of what I'm talking about. It is basically an agricultural state, and more recently, an ag and oil state. When ag and oil are running hot, the government leaders look like geniuses. When they run cold, they're idiots. But in North Dakota its basically been the same party forever.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Huh, who'd have thunk. Take something that someone writes, mischaracterize it, exaggerate it, add some inflammatory language, stir vigorously and toss it out there.

That's not gonna fly Mr. Deflect. No matter how much supposed hysteria and hyperbole is out there, there are in fact serious concerns with this administration that too many folks are willing to overlook. It could be blind allegiance, it could be downright ignorance, it could be, "to own the libs". Whatever the cause it's unbecoming, but more importantly as long as Trump has a realistic shot at reelection it's outright potentially dangerous. No hysteria required.

 

[French Rage]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

"Essentially no obstruction".

 

[Handyman]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

So it is your contention that it was just random that when TPaw was in office cutting taxes (without cutting spending) things went to crap and since then when the Dems have held and raised taxes things got better? Interesting...

If you want to argue individual politicians have little to no effect I will agree with that but the overall fiscal policy of the party definitely does. It isnt like MSP wasnt "blessed" with the same advantages under GOP leadership but yet things tanked. (see also: Jesse Ventura giving back the surplus money) MSP runs smoothest when the taxes are in a certain sweet spot (about right where they are now) so they can fund that which needs to be funded and still put a little away for a rainy day. The MNGOP since the early 90s is hellbent on having any taxes and cuts them to dangerous levels whenever they can. TPaw and his Gang of Dubya Sycophants bankrupted education, underfunded infrastructure and tried to starve out all government functions. If another GOPer had followed that mess instead of Dayton Minnesota would not be in the shape it is in right now.

You bring up NoDak to try and prove your point but I would argue it proves mine. When the oil boom hit the smart plan would have been to re-invest that money and bank some of it. (you know, with a decent tax rate) NoDak could have been set up for decades of prosperity post boom and wise politicians would have done that. Everyone knew sooner or later the oil boom would dry up (it does everywhere) so why not plan for the future? They didn't and NoDak is pretty much exactly what it was before the boom only with more people who lost their shirts when things went bust. That isnt a party deal, that is just a smart economic policy deal.

This is the argument I get in with my parents all the time. They never planned for the future. They always assume prosperity will be forever and the "Rainy Day" will never come. They always spent everything they could and never saved enough to survive if tragedy struck. (and it always did) For years I made less money than them but struggled way less than them because I always plan for the "Rainy Day". The smart politicians arent the ones in office when the boom hits, they are the ones that make things better so when the boom ends things are ok. Right now, one Party plans for the future and the other doesnt. (outside of planning for the End Days cause...Jesus!) Both spend like contestants on Supermarket Sweep, but one of them at least tries to make enough money to pay for the spending and protect for the future. To deny that is ignorance.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

That's not gonna fly Mr. Deflect. No matter how much supposed hysteria and hyperbole is out there, there are in fact serious concerns with this administration that too many folks are willing to overlook. It could be blind allegiance, it could be downright ignorance, it could be, "to own the libs". Whatever the cause it's unbecoming, but more importantly as long as Trump has a realistic shot at reelection it's outright potentially dangerous. No hysteria required.

Of course there are real crisis out there. But when everything is a crisis, when everything is a threat to the constitution, then real stuff gets lost in the clutter.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

So it is your contention that it was just random that when TPaw was in office cutting taxes (without cutting spending) things went to crap and since then when the Dems have held and raised taxes things got better? Interesting...

So it's your claim that TPaw, governor from 2003 to 2011, as I recall, and his policies were the cause of the nationwide housing crisis and recession that followed. That is interesting.

Of course political policies can have some effect on the economy. If you erect trade barriers you can create an economic ripple. If you free up money through the fed, you can see changes in things like the housing market. Those are just examples.

I agree that stability is important as opposed to a constant whipsaw of raising and lowering taxes. I agree that for each state there is probably some sort of "sweet spot" tax level that is probably appropriate, in most instances, although it can get out of whack during certain periods.

But I also happen to think that a divided government where control is shared in one form or another by both parties is also beneficial, primarily because I think it prevents the big moves to the extremes. Dayton has largely benefited from that too.

 

[Kepler]

Re: POTUS 45:52: Not Founded On Anything

Of course there are real crisis out there. But when everything is a crisis, when everything is a threat to the constitution, then real stuff gets lost in the clutter.

There's just one crisis right now. It's orange and fat and stupid and lives at 1600.

 

[rufus]

So it's your claim that TPaw, governor from 2003 to 2011, as I recall, and his policies were the cause of the nationwide housing crisis and recession that followed. That is interesting.

During. Housing crisis was in 2008.