US Elections 2012 Part I: The Primaries/Caucus

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

They sinked pirate ships before.
Nw, it's rather badly seen to sink ship on sight, especialy if they could be just some fishing boats.

But they hadn't done it the Russian way :

[Haak]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Rick Perry affirm than Turkey is run by islamist terrorist .
( Sorry, text in french) http://nouvelles.sympatico.ca/monde/...nkara/dfaf552d

I don't like Erdogan either but calling them terrorists is a bit much isn't it? Does Turkey even recieve any aid from the US?

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Haak

Does Turkey even recieve any aid from the US?

If they do ( which I doubt), it wouldn't be much, maybe some technical one.

[Vexx]

As fellow NATO members, we train together, do missions, and give them good prices on equipment. They've been one of our best allies. Perry's words should have immediately disqualified him from any further consideration... but sadly we have enough provincial clowns and idiots in the voting ranks of the GOP that he's still there. He's like the Ken Doll version of "Barbie Doll" Palin for this election cycle. Nothing inside the braincase but ego and ambition.

[monir]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

But they hadn't done it the Russian way :

[youtube.]TruV3sxS9Zw[/youtube]

In Russia, the chicken eats you. I guess the guy who was shot in the ass did not listen to the bullet when it was saying, it was made in Russia. No wonder he fell on to the bullet.

To dive right into American politics (yes, I can appreciate the irony ), the guy who was cosponsoring the SOPA/PIPA bill backed away almost immediately after the online protest started. The reason it's significant to this year's president election is because he is seen as frontrunning VP contender for GOP in hope he will be able to pull in Hispanic/Latino votes. He is Marco Rubio, a 2nd year Republican Senator out of Florida. Considering GOP's hardline stance on illegal immigration, I'm certainly amused.

[ganbaru]

Romney Parks Millions in Cayman Islands
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/romney...6#.TxdCjJgTu3U

Although it is not apparent on his financial disclosure form, Mitt Romney has millions of dollars of his personal wealth in investment funds set up in the Cayman Islands, a notorious Caribbean tax haven.

[Frenchie]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Romney Parks Millions in Cayman Islands
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/romney...6#.TxdCjJgTu3U

Maybe if the US binned the highest tax bracket to eliminate the heavy burden on executives' shoulders and just slashed all the government programs that are aimed to help poor people survive, Mitt will then look at bringing his money home for a glorious trickledown? Or... stash it into an investment fund?

Sigh.

You should all watch the latest daily show w/Jon Stewart. A very enlightening piece on how SuperPACS work.

[Vexx]

Rommey admitted to making money on some speaking engagements, but he said (and I quote from memory here), "Its not very much, just a stipend".

Turns out "not very much" is about $375,000 - for an hour performance of speaking. I don't object to whatever fee he makes - I simply note it shows just how clueless he and his fellow candidates are.

I say lock them on a desk with no assistance, give them a month's median salary ($46K/12) and the requirements for living in the US and saying "YOU try it". Oh and after food/utils/rent/insurance/transport, you have to retrain for a new career, save for children's college and for retirement because ya'll want to make SS a risk investment or underfunded pension like the corporations do.

[Xagzan]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I say lock them on a desk with no assistance, give them a month's median salary ($46K/12) and the requirements for living in the US and saying "YOU try it". Oh and after food/utils/rent/insurance/transport, you have to retrain for a new career, save for children's college and for retirement because ya'll want to make SS a risk investment or underfunded pension like the corporations do.

That reminds me of a segment on an old Bill Maher for a "new reality show" along the lines of Secret Millionaire. A suggestion for just what we should do with the crooks who wrecked the economy

Relevant portion starts around 3:58, although I think the whole thing is pretty amusing. Also NSFW for language.

[ganbaru]

In Bain deals, Romney gave stock to Mormon church
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80H28B20120119

(Reuters) - Using a practice that made him eligible for large tax deductions, Mitt Romney gave the Mormon church substantial stock holdings that he obtained through his private equity firm, according to documents filed with the government and to Romney associates.

[Darkbeat]

http://goo.gl/LEh41

Rick Perry is expected to drop out later this morning at an 11 a.m. press conference and endorse Newt Gingrich.

The news was first reported by CNN.

It gives the surging Gingrich a huge boost heading into the final debate tonight, and the South Carolina primary on Saturday, in which he’s already closing in on Mitt Romney.

Perry dropping out and supporting Gingrich? Er...actually I can't say I find that surprising at all.

Is this Colbert's doing?

[Ithekro]

Somehow I recall that it is standard for members to donate 10% of one's earning to the Church of Later Day Saints.

[Paranoid Android]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

Somehow I recall that it is standard for members to donate 10% of one's earning to the Church of Later Day Saints.

Yeah it is. Are you responding to someone in particular? Or just making a note?

Sigh, the motives of Romney's donation are so sad. I mean the whole point of 1:10 tithing is an act of proving generosity and devotion to the religion. Which is most likely not what his reasons are.

[Demongod86]

Rick Perry drops out of race for El Prezidente. Cmon can we fast forward? We all know Mitt's getting the nomination, then us youngsters who can't stand his slick glad-handing ass are going to vote for Obama by virtue of the fact that we vote against Romney, and Barry O' Bomber is getting another 4 years.

-_-...

[Kokukirin]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Android

Sigh, the motives of Romney's donation are so sad. I mean the whole point of 1:10 tithing is an act of proving generosity and devotion to the religion. Which is most likely not what his reasons are.

Romney was a Mormon missionary in Europe. He converted his wife and few relatives to Mormonism. I think he is quite serious about his religion. I wouldn't doubt his reasons for donating to the church.

[solomon]

What is the deal with the debate audience? And the tax return things? Mitt Romney is RICH! are they gonna penalize him for this? I mean unless he is doing something ILLEGAL that the public needs to know about his tax returns...........any way do we REALLY need to know his tax returns......I mean ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE WELL HEELED....some more than others......I just don't get it.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Demongod86

Rick Perry drops out of race for El Prezidente. Cmon can we fast forward? We all know Mitt's getting the nomination, then us youngsters who can't stand his slick glad-handing ass are going to vote for Obama by virtue of the fact that we vote against Romney, and Barry O' Bomber is getting another 4 years.

-_-...

The worry is that most will blow off the election and only the zealots will vote.

[DonQuigleone]

I think a lot of the Republican candidates are like this guy.

[Vexx]

Colbert is bloody brilliant, unfortunately its sophisticated enough its probably flying over many heads.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2...ac?ft=1&f=1001

Separately, came across this comment in a WSJ discussion on the elections -

Originally Posted by a Mr. R Smith

For me, the debates have been very educational & entertaining. I never knew that our political leaders don't hesitate to make a $10,000 bet or for them $347,000 income from public speaking is small amount. I did not know that family value people can prefer a wife cheater over someone who has moral values just because they're Mormon. I did not know that a loyal gay couple is not good for morality but cheating is. I did not know that a Politicians can openly lie or flip-flop & not blink an eye. In short, I am learning a lot & hope these debates continue. It is too bad democrats don't have these debates.

[solomon]

Originally Posted by Vexx

The worry is that most will blow off the election and only the zealots will vote.

Isn't that kinda sorta what already happens? We have a kinda lame ass turnout for a 1st world country.

This economy is frazzling students;

On a slightly off topic note I have a question; My friend and I were talking about economic spending and how it should be more on edumacation and eventually we got to student loans.

He said and I quote; "There's absolutely no way that you're getting out of your loans, Don't even dream about it. If they just said, "No student loans forever! You're free!", the economy would collapse. But there are dumb people who wish for that shit"

I wanted to know which of us is smoking too much hemp, cause I'm in the hole for around 24K but provided I get a good job in the future I'm not worried.

Other people have taken care of this and mine is nowhere NEAR as depressing as the horror stories I read in the papers of people in the red for like triple digits.

Does crippling student debt and educational cost barring access exist in other countries? They're mad as hell about it in Chile (apparently it was free before Pinochet) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15235826