POTUS Donald Trump

[PseudoSABR]

 

We've got to fix the midterm election process from the left.  You want to talk about ways the left won't have to compromise so much?  Have some god damn presence at local and state levels.  

Right. 

 

As you say, liberals lack focus, and their causes are many, and often these causes are national (even normative) issues.  Running government isn't just issue-based, it's administrative, cumbersome and often small time, hence why conservative, money-making interests have the means and desire to run and occupy such posts. 

[drjim]

I predict liberals will have renewed focus this midterm. Always easiest to unite in opposition.

 

The flip side of gerrymandering is if you hit a certain number it can turn into a rout. Just need to offer something people want to buy.

 

It's not like Trump and the Rs are popular. And they aren't going to get more so.

[TheLeviathan]

Right. 

 

As you say, liberals lack focus, and their causes are many, and often these causes are national (even normative) issues.  Running government isn't just issue-based, it's administrative, cumbersome and often small time, hence why conservative, money-making interests have the means and desire to run and occupy such posts.

 

I think party demographics play a role too. Plus, staying informed and active on the lower level requires a lot more work. And, for whatever reason, conservatives are far more dogged about that. We need lefty groups to spend more energy and focus there because state and local laws are slowly squeezing us to death regardless of who is POTUS.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Also obama definitely goes down as an amazing president, especially after being sandwiched between two puppet presidents.

The sad thing is that this is probably true.

 

The reality is that Obama was a dignified, classy, mediocre president. Only in comparison to his recent peers does he look like some kind of gift from god.

 

He did a lot of good things but he did a lot of questionable things as well, along with a whole bunch of nothing. He wasn't the great liberal hope he promised to be, he was waaaaay more hawkish than I expected, and he failed to rally the nation around any of his causes. Sure, some of that can be (and should be) pinned on the opposition but good leaders work through those issues and aren't made completely ineffectual by them.

 

I adore Obama the man (and Obama the family). As a president, he's somewhere between "meh" and "okay".

[jimmer]

On his way out the door, President Obama quietly sent 221M to the Palestinian Authority. He did this hours before leaving office.

[D. Hocking]

The EPA freeze and forced media black-out and gag order is a little disturbing.  He really does seem to be modeling himself after cartoon villains from a 1980's cartoons.

[Squirrel]

 

On his way out the door, President Obama quietly sent 221M to the Palestinian Authority. He did this hours before leaving office.

That's a little misleading ...

 

"Congress had approved the funding for 2015 and 2016 but Republican lawmakers had obstructed its release. Their opposition was not legally binding, so Washington proceeded with the move just hours before President Donald Trump entered the White House on January 20."

 

The money is meant for humanitarian assistance. Obama didn't just decide to give them money and then went around Congress to do so.

[TheLeviathan]

Even if it isn't shady, it sure feels shady.  If the money directly goes to help the Palestinian people I'm glad it was sent.  (And by help i mean give them food and water.  Not enable missle launches)

[nicksaviking]

 

Even if it isn't shady, it sure feels shady.  If the money directly goes to help the Palestinian people I'm glad it was sent.  (And by help i mean give them food and water.  Not enable missle launches)

 

The US can't do much to control that anymore than they can control what Isreal does with financial assistance or what Haiti did with earthquake money. Heck, they have a hard time controlling what happens to relief packages in our country:

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/700-million-katrina-relief-funds-missing-report-shows/story?id=18870482

[Squirrel]

 

Even if it isn't shady, it sure feels shady.  If the money directly goes to help the Palestinian people I'm glad it was sent.  (And by help i mean give them food and water.  Not enable missle launches)

Yeah ... didn't want to get into the whole Israeli/Palestinian debate, but the original statement was a tad misleading. It was Congress-approved funds and not Obama just acting on his own to send non-approved funds, trying to 'get away' with something in the last hour. And I'm sure that's not what was meant ... but just a stand-alone comment like that just made it a bit misleading is all.

[TheLeviathan]

I agree Nick, giving aid is always a dicey thing.  I'd have to know how it was getting delivered. 

 

That's a major, ongoing issue in Africa too.  I have no reason to doubt Obama's integrity.  Still, I'd rather it would've been done two months ago and not now.  

[nicksaviking]

 

I agree Nick, giving aid is always a dicey thing.  I'd have to know how it was getting delivered. 

 

That's a major, ongoing issue in Africa too.  I have no reason to doubt Obama's integrity.  Still, I'd rather it would've been done two months ago and not now.  

 

Isn't the integrity issue solely on the obstructionists who were illegally withholding the funds?

[TheLeviathan]

 

Isn't the integrity issue one the obstructionists who were illegally withholding the funds?

 

Could be.  There are valid reasons to be concerned about how the money will be used.  Not that it justifies doing something illegal, but still.

[DaveW]

Minor quibble:

 

Some would argue that Palestine has just as much of a right to weapons to defend themselves that Israel has.

 

I find it hypocritical of America to wag our finger at other countries who want weapon technology or god forbid nuclear technology.

 

Frankly at this stage I would trust Iran with nukes over Trump with nukes.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Minor quibble:

Some would argue that Palestine has just as much of a right to weapons to defend themselves that Israel has.

I find it hypocritical of America to wag our finger at other countries who want weapon technology or god forbid nuclear technology.

Frankly at this stage I would trust Iran with nukes over Trump with nukes.

 

I would agree they have that right.  But don't come crying to me for sympathy when you attack someone else and they retaliate.  If you're going to have weapons, you get to be responsible for how you use them too.

 

And that goes for self-reflection on our own use too.  (We are some drone happy bastards....)

[DaveW]

Yeah America has been one of the worst offenders of this for a very long time.

 

See: dropping the atomic bomb TWICE when it wasn't needed to defeat Japan (Russia was already doing the job and Japan was going to surrender very shortly) instead we dropped the bombs to flex our muscles as "the world power"

 

See: Vietnam

See: Iraq

[Craig Arko]

Week 1.

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10PMC2_XtiHhMe84fcqII-zrI4nopBYt1-YRuQp7yk4M/mobilebasic

[drjim]

A good article on why, despite all the bluster, executive orders and votes thus far, Obamacare is not going to be repealed.

 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/25/maybe-on-obamacare-republicans-should-just-punt.html

 

There will be tweaks, some good and some bad, and a massive tax cut, but the bones will definitely remain.

[Mike Sixel]

 

A good article on why, despite all the bluster, executive orders and votes thus far, Obamacare is not going to be repealed.

 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/25/maybe-on-obamacare-republicans-should-just-punt.html

 

There will be tweaks, some good and some bad, and a massive tax cut, but the bones will definitely remain.

 

so, another unfunded plan from the party of fiscal responsibility....just like the Iraq war, and no child left behind, and and and....

[Craig Arko]

Here's what our friends in the Minnesota GOP would like to make optional to insurer's:

 

http://abetterminnesota.org/2017/01/see-all-of-the-things-minnesota-republicans-would-let-insurance-companies-skip-covering/

 

It looks like erectile dysfunction is still covered, though.

[nicksaviking]

 

Here's what our friends in the Minnesota GOP would like to make optional to insurer's:

http://abetterminnesota.org/2017/01/see-all-of-the-things-minnesota-republicans-would-let-insurance-companies-skip-covering/

It looks like erectile dysfunction is still covered, though.

 

Why should they have to cover cancer treatments? We cured that right?

[Craig Arko]

Why should they have to cover cancer treatments? We cured that right?

Governor Dayton will be pleased to hear that, I'm sure.

[drjim]

 

so, another unfunded plan from the party of fiscal responsibility....just like the Iraq war, and no child left behind, and and and....

 

Deficits always matter if you don't control the Presidency.

[Mike Sixel]

looking forward to something bad happening this week, so I don't have to re-live the A bomb debate in this thread much longer.....

 

who else is following the altnationalparks?

[Craig Arko]

looking forward to something bad happening this week, so I don't have to re-live the A bomb debate in this thread much longer.....

 

who else is following the altnationalparks?

Little bit. Also, the order for the Great Wall of Mexico was issued today, I think.

[nicksaviking]

 

looking forward to something bad happening this week, so I don't have to re-live the A bomb debate in this thread much longer.....

 

who else is following the altnationalparks?

 

Sure you say that now, but come Saturday after Trump has nuked Iran, all the disputed islands in the South China Sea and California you'll look back at the WWII A-bomb debate with fondness.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Sure you say that now, but come Saturday after Trump has nuked Iran, all the disputed islands in the South China Sea and California you'll look back at the A bomb debate with fondness.

 

I'd be pretty happy if we formed 2 unions, and all the southern states ran out of money....

[nicksaviking]

 

I'd be pretty happy if we formed 2 unions, and all the southern states ran out of money....

 

Won't work, Trump will just blow all the North's money building a wall along the Mason-Dixon line.

[Craig Arko]

So I've signed on for this, because it's necessary. Won't be able to go to D.C., but maybe I can find out if there's anybody at the U of M who still cares about this sort of thing.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/24/are-scientists-going-to-march-on-washington/?utm_term=.e3509458b262

[D. Hocking]

 

looking forward to something bad happening this week, so I don't have to re-live the A bomb debate in this thread much longer.....

 

who else is following the altnationalparks?

 

Somehow I doubt you will have to wait long.

 

I was not overly optimistic about this administration, but I did not think government or park employees would need to go rouge to get out information in less than a week into the administration into order to get scientific facts out to the public.

 

I guess the sales for 1984 have really spiked this week.