U.S. Politics Thread

[Bri]

Originally Posted by willx

I am not trying to argue about being "not the enemy" at all, I'm attempting to inform people about what the reality of the world is and why it is the case and provide context on my perspective.

That is a fairly bold statement. At best you can give input from a financial perspective given your expertise, but there are many ways to describe reality. People in this thread have very different backgrounds and look at economic issues a from their own professional disciplines or education.

I'm well versed in micro/macro and monetary economic theory but I wouldn't dare to claim I understand the complex transactions done on derivative markets or the nature of political economy. Outside of my own field I'm just a layman like anyone else. I'm sure someone who has studied law or social studies would see things very differently from me.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

I firmly believe that there's more than enough "stuff" to go around, but the way it's being distributed (and squandered) leaves much to be desired. Of course, eventually the population will grow to the point where the "stuff" starts to be less plentiful...

Which is why we should be getting on space development pronto. We're inevitably going to outgrow our earthly confines, assuming we don't initiate self-extinction first.

Yea it's far more due to distribution, at least at the moment. It's pretty funny right? The people that are trying to brainwash us and telling us that there's not enough thus we must all tear each other apart for the scraps are the ones that are holding most of it anyways for themselves.

Don't believe their shit for a moment. These are the same people that tell you to pick yourselves by your bootstraps when they had 10 people pull that 1 person up. It's not about hypocrisy. It's just about plain old propaganda and class conflict where the peasantry is just too busy fighting among themselves and laying blame while the royalty plays the harp as Rome burns.

The blame game is the politician's. When it's played, they win and we lose because it's always an excuse to do nothing.

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

Yea. It's pretty funny right? The people that are trying to brainwash us and telling us that there's not enough thus we must all tear each other apart for the scraps are the ones that are holding most of it anyways for themselves.

There wouldn't be enough for two reasons:

1. Production is based on just that production, not division.
2. People expect too much as "necessity", meaning if we were to meet that "necessity" we actually wouldn't have enough.


Reason two is the bigger problem. There is simply too much entitlement in developed countries.

[Archon_Wing]

The entitlement buzzword is certainly a useful one, in that what one needs doesn't correspond with what one wants. Though, I think "entitlement" is often used in the wrong place, and while the general population may be considered as such, I think those lobbies and corporations constantly looking out for those tax loopholes, and those irresponsible businesses that are "too big to fail" and expect bailouts to be where it truly is.

[Anh_Minh]

There's a difference between a sweatshop worker saying the economy needs reform because we can't all live like Americans, and a billionaire saying that.

[Sumeragi]

When they're both talking about the same thing, then there is no difference.

[Anh_Minh]

... You're right, it's exactly the same. They're both saying "you're going to have to make sacrifices so I can live better".

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

... You're right, it's exactly the same. They're both saying "you're going to have to make sacrifices so I can live better".

We have a winner.

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

... You're right, it's exactly the same. They're both saying "you're going to have to make sacrifices so I can live better".

Just like everyone else is. Ultimately all this is about getting a bigger piece of the pie, with quite a few disregarding how that pie is formed in the first place.

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

Just like everyone else is. Ultimately all this is about getting a bigger piece of the pie, with quite a few disregarding how that pie is formed in the first place.

Actually, it's about ensuring the survival and advancement of our species as a whole. Even if the "one percent" were struck down and the great income inequalities adjusted, I doubt my own situation would improve or worsen.

The reason things are so skewed is because everyone is thinking solely of themselves. "Screw you, I've got mine" has become the mantra of the modern era. If we throw this concept away and try to help one another, then we become stronger as a result.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

[ganbaru]

Obama slams IRS actions, calls Benghazi probe a 'sideshow'
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94C0UN20130513

Donations, lobbying by high-speed traders on the rise: report
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94C0RG20130513

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

Actually, it's about ensuring the survival and advancement of our species as a whole. Even if the "one percent" were struck down and the great income inequalities adjusted, I doubt my own situation would improve or worsen.

The reason things are so skewed is because everyone is thinking solely of themselves. "Screw you, I've got mine" has become the mantra of the modern era. If we throw this concept away and try to help one another, then we become stronger as a result.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Then comes the paradigm of "What do I get out of it?".

Unfortunately, not everyone is far-sighted enough to see consequences.

Much less said for those who are better off. After all, they often have more than they need for survival.

[Kyuu]

Haha, oh wow:

One day after The White House released 100 pages of Benghazi emails, a report has surfaced alleging that Republicans released a set with altered text.

CBS News reported Thursday that leaked versions sent out by the GOP last Friday had visible differences than Wednesday's official batch. Two correspondences that were singled out in the report came from National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes and State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3289428.html

Would anyone really sort to something like that? Apparently so.

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Kyuu

Haha, oh wow:



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3289428.html

Would anyone really sort to something like that? Apparently so.

At this point the question becomes whether someone gave the Republicans an edited version of if they made the edits themselves. If they did, their whole campaign about "Americans deserve the truth" and "without the truth the trust in government is eroded" looks highly hypocritical. Not that I'd be surprised if it were really the case, though. A career politician will play politics to keep their job; what would they be doing to earn a living if they weren't in politics?

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Ledgem

At this point the question becomes whether someone gave the Republicans an edited version of if they made the edits themselves. If they did, their whole campaign about "Americans deserve the truth" and "without the truth the trust in government is eroded" looks highly hypocritical. Not that I'd be surprised if it were really the case, though. A career politician will play politics to keep their job; what would they be doing to earn a living if they weren't in politics?

Sometimes this sort of "edit" turns out to be an over-zealous aide who thinks the results justified the means.

But then again, I've seen the very top of the food chain be stupid enough to pull something so dumb.

[ganbaru]

Allies of Immigration Bill Aim for Added Support
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/us...d-support.html

Democrats will also have to work to assuage an influential group of allies: gay advocates, who were furious when a provision they supported was left out of the legislation. After a deliberation he described as agonizing, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the Democrat from Vermont who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, withheld his amendment that would have allowed American citizens to apply for permanent resident status — a document known as a green card — for their same-sex partners.

[ganbaru]

Political landscape changes with improving economy
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...05-25-16-13-36

Dispute Over Budget Deepens a Rift Within the G.O.P.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/25/us...-senators.html

[Ridwan]

America’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ Legacy to Iraq: Sectarian Violence Mounts with 95 Dead

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by Ridwan

America’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ Legacy to Iraq: Sectarian Violence Mounts with 95 Dead

Don't you see, though? Now they're 'free from tyranny.' It was all worth it.

[Badkarma 1]

Like we didn't see that comin. They were at it long before we got there, and will be long after my generation is gone. Hell this feud has been going on for a thousand years or more.
As for the legacy thing, well at least they can vote now.
Other than that, just another day over there.