All Purpose News and Politics Thread Part IV: The Center Cannot Hold

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Reagan, but then again, Reagan had 8 years and for all of them, Democrats had Congressional oversight keeping tabs on the crooked bastards.

While Trump hasn't had an Iran/Contra moment (at least not one I'm immediately familiar with), his administration has been run more like a Mafia family than anything else. And this Congress has willingly turned a blind eye and deaf ear to all the corruption and skullduggery.

[worstblogever]

While Trump hasn't had an Iran/Contra moment (at least not one I'm immediately familiar with), his administration has been run more like a Mafia family than anything else. And this Congress has willingly turned a blind eye and deaf ear to all the corruption and skullduggery.

I'm curious as to how the Saudi arms deal that Jared Kushner helped negotiate looks in full.

[Kirby101]

I would say actively working with the Russians to win the election, and continuing to put Russian priorities over that of the US is more corrupt than Iran/Contra.
Plus no President has blatantly violated the Emolument Clause as Trump does.

[worstblogever]

I would say actively working with the Russians to win the election, and continuing to put Russian priorities over that of the US is more corrupt than Iran/Contra.
Plus no President has blatantly violated the Emolument Clause as Trump does.

And his entire cabinet skipped ethics training prior to being sworn in, because they don't even pretend to have any. We've already lost multiple members of that cabinet due to ethical lapses, and a variety of others, including Ben Carson, simply have refused calls to resign for their own.

[Tami]

And his entire cabinet skipped ethics training prior to being sworn in, because they don't even pretend to have any. We've already lost multiple members of that cabinet due to ethical lapses, and a variety of others, including Ben Carson, simply have refused calls to resign for their own.

When the next, Democratic Administration comes into power, I hope the first thing their transition team does is fill all of the Ethics and Oversight positions before even beginning to interview potential cabinet members.

[Tami]

In need of cash, Democratic presidential hopefuls turn to wealthy donors

Last month in Manhattan, Beto O’Rourke held a private reception for supporters who had paid the maximum amount to his campaign or brought in as much as $25,000 by persuading others to do the same.

It was the first such fundraiser of O’Rourke’s presidential bid — and a contrast from the early days of his campaign, when he emphasized that he had “no large-dollar fundraisers planned, and I don’t plan to do them.”

Across the Democratic field, candidates are embracing the big donors they distanced themselves from early on — a sign of increasing doubt that the small, online donations the campaigns have been chasing will be sufficient to sustain two-dozen primary contenders.

Many of the candidates previously had held a handful of high-dollar fundraisers or avoided them altogether, seeking to tap into the populist sentiment that has animated the Democratic base. They tried to capi*tal*ize on the deluge of online donations that helped fuel the midterm elections, rather than making the traditional overtures to wealthy donors, once a staple of early presidential campaigns.

[Kirby101]

When the next, Democratic Administration comes into power, I hope the first thing their transition team does is fill all of the Ethics and Oversight positions before even beginning to interview potential cabinet members.

I hope the first thing they do is open criminal investigations into every Trump cabinet member.

[Tami]

Companies See Climate Change Hitting Their Bottom Lines in the Next 5 Years

WASHINGTON — Many of the world’s biggest companies, from Silicon Valley tech firms to large European banks, are bracing for the prospect that climate change could substantially affect their bottom lines within the next five years, according to a new analysis of corporate disclosures.

Under pressure from shareholders and regulators, companies are increasingly disclosing the specific financial impacts they could face as the planet warms, such as extreme weather that could disrupt their supply chains or stricter climate regulations that could hurt the value of coal, oil and gas investments. Early estimates suggest that trillions of dollars may ultimately be at stake.

Even so, analysts warn that many companies are still lagging in accounting for all of the plausible financial risks from global warming.

In 2018, more than 7,000 companies submitted such reports to CDP, formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project. And, for the first time, CDP explicitly asked firms to try to calculate how a warming planet might affect them financially.

After analyzing submissions from 215 of the world’s 500 biggest corporations, CDP found that these companies potentially faced roughly $1 trillion in costs related to climate change in the decades ahead unless they took proactive steps to prepare. By the companies’ own estimates, a majority of those financial risks could start to materialize in the next five years or so.

The disclosures show how business leaders expect climate change, and the policy responses to it, to ripple through every corner of the global economy.

Many firms are bracing for direct impacts. Hitachi Ltd., a Japanese manufacturer, said that increased rainfall and flooding in Southeast Asia had the potential to knock out suppliers and that it was taking defensive measures as a result. Banco Santander Brasil, a large Brazilian bank, said increasingly severe droughts in the region might hurt the ability of borrowers to repay loans. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, Inc., noted that rising temperatures could increase the cost of cooling its energy-hungry data centers.

[PwrdOn]

In need of cash, Democratic presidential hopefuls turn to wealthy donors

Goddammit Beto. I don't think I've ever seen someone go from rising star to the political graveyard so quick, he should've just stayed in his lane and ran against Cornyn in 2020, it wouldn't have been an easy flip but he would have had some momentum from his 2018 run and plenty of national media coverage. But noooo, he had to go chase this hopeless presidential run because he was just, like, born to do this, man. I suppose it's for the best though, knowing what we know now he does appear to be little more than an empty suit who was attractive mainly because he wasn't Ted Cruz.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Goddammit Beto. I don't think I've ever seen someone go from rising star to the political graveyard so quick, he should've just stayed in his lane and ran against Cornyn in 2020, it wouldn't have been an easy flip but he would have had some momentum from his 2018 run and plenty of national media coverage. But noooo, he had to go chase this hopeless presidential run because he was just, like, born to do this, man. I suppose it's for the best though, knowing what we know now he does appear to be little more than an empty suit who was attractive mainly because he wasn't Ted Cruz.

There’s a phenomena in politics where one candidate can be really appealing in one situation and not in another.

Beto is a rockstar as successful young Democrat in Texas going up against far right Ted Cruz. He stands out and he’s a breath of fresh air. Another big piece of the puzzle was that while Texas is a Republican stronghold, Cruz was detested among any and all non Republicans in Texas and has such huge negatives that they were willing to rally and mobilize for his opponent in a unified front if they thought that person had a shot.

A lot of people don’t put that much effort or thought into context so you just constantly heard “omg Beto almost won Texas”. If Beto faces any mediocre Republican besides Cruz he wouldn’t get the support because it would just be same old same old.

Nonetheless now Beto is just some Democrat in a state who deliver for his party in a general that to survive is far more centrist and conservative than most of the traditional centrist candidates. He also lacks in real policy strengths.

But people optically saw a young, decent looking, white guy who gave okayish speeches and the media thought of it from a marketing perspective and not in actual practice and he got overhyped. Buttegieg is the same thing only slightly more polished. But when it comes down to it, he’s never been at a federal level and his policies aren’t going to be as bold as everyone he’s on stage with.

I’ll stick by my original top 4. Biden, Bernie, Warren, Harris.

[4saken1]

Companies See Climate Change Hitting Their Bottom Lines in the Next 5 Years

Unfortunately, this is the only way that Republicans will start to see global climate change as a threat!

[kidfresh512]

Goddammit Beto. I don't think I've ever seen someone go from rising star to the political graveyard so quick, he should've just stayed in his lane and ran against Cornyn in 2020, it wouldn't have been an easy flip but he would have had some momentum from his 2018 run and plenty of national media coverage. But noooo, he had to go chase this hopeless presidential run because he was just, like, born to do this, man. I suppose it's for the best though, knowing what we know now he does appear to be little more than an empty suit who was attractive mainly because he wasn't Ted Cruz.

100% agree with you. I supported him in Texas and I still think he has a place in the Democratic party. But, President is too far a leap after not beating Cruz. He could have used Lessons learned and applied them in another Senate attempt. It wouldn't have been easy as Cruz is far more openly disliked of the 2 Texas senators. But, his coalition would have been easier to mobilize with a look how close we got and look how the Beto effect turned other GOP strongholds in Texas blue. Now he will have this "loser tag" attached to anything he runs for after 2 big attempts and failing.

[Tami]

One possible solution to Plastic Pollution

Supermarkets in Asia are Now Using Banana Leaves Instead of Plastic Packaging

Supermarkets in Vietnam have adopted an initiative from Thailand that makes use of banana leaves instead of plastic as a packaging alternative.

Rimping supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand earned praise on Facebook for coming up with the eco-friendly packaging after a local firm featured it on their page last week.

The novel idea, which was an instant hit among netizens, soon caught the attention of Vietnamese supermarkets.

In an interview with VnExpress, a representative from the Lotte Mart chain shared that they are still in the testing phase but are planning to replace plastic with leaves nationwide very soon.

[Tami]

NBC Launches Below-the-Line Diversity Initiatives

Two new programs seek to boost inclusion among production coordinators and production assistants.

NBC is adding to its slate of diversity programs with two new initiatives aimed at improving inclusivity below the line.

The Production Coordinator Program and Production Assistant Initative will provide on-the-job training for ethnically diverse individuals. PCP participants will shadow a production coordinator of a 2019-20 NBC series; scripted finalists will stay on the same show throughout the season while those in the alternative division will rotate through several shows during that span. Applications are available now through June 14 at NBCUniTIPS.com, and the program will begin in July.

"It's critical that underrepresented talent be brought into the industry in early-career positions," NBC scripted programming co-presidents Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta said in a joint statement. "Today's production assistants and coordinators will be the production heads of the future. We hope these initiatives are a first step in opening doors for people who historically have not had the opportunity, and we are confident our programming will benefit by having more diversity both in front of and behind the camera."

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I'm curious as to how the Saudi arms deal that Jared Kushner helped negotiate looks in full.

Forgot about that. And with the stench of the Saudi Royal Prince having been involved in one facet or another in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi still in the air, that makes the deal He Went To Jared cooked up even more putrid.

When the next, Democratic Administration comes into power, I hope the first thing their transition team does is fill all of the Ethics and Oversight positions before even beginning to interview potential cabinet members.

If a Democrat does reclaim the White House, he (or she) will have to spend most of his (or her) term cleaning up the unholy mess Trump made, not to mention repairing friendships with our allies he badly damaged while dealing with fresh rounds of petty obstructionism from Turtle Boy McConnell and the Republicans should they retain control of the Senate. That will make getting anything done in regards to running the country hard as hell.

100% agree with you. I supported him in Texas and I still think he has a place in the Democratic party. But, President is too far a leap after not beating Cruz. He could have used Lessons learned and applied them in another Senate attempt. It wouldn't have been easy as Cruz is far more openly disliked of the 2 Texas senators. But, his coalition would have been easier to mobilize with a look how close we got and look how the Beto effect turned other GOP strongholds in Texas blue. Now he will have this "loser tag" attached to anything he runs for after 2 big attempts and failing.

My grandmother (god rest her soul) would say Beto's eyes were bigger than his stomach, that he bit off WAY too much than he could chew by running for president, and that's cost him political capital now that he's got that loser tag stuck on him.