All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[worstblogever]

It's good to know not everyone in your family is a Trump hating zombie.

Of course people who hate Trump are zombies.

He's a brainless f*** wit that doesn't provide anything for them to eat.

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2015, 2016, as well as 2017, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day posted profiles of the current U.S. House Representative for Oklahoma’s 2nd District, Markwayne Mullin, who we noted was a Birther conspiracy theorist, having entertained the ramblings of a constituent about President Obama’s birth certificate at a town hall, saying he agreed with them that it was fraudulent, but didn’t feel anything could be done about it. Mullin is also noteworthy for voting against disaster relief funding for Hurricane Sandy while having the double standard of wanting federal aid whenever a tornado hits Oklahoma. Mullin also claims America’s food stamp program has widespread fraud because he has personally witnessed “physically fit people using food stamps”. Mullin has not only voted against every opportunity to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but has also directly lied to constituents by telling them the healthcare exchanges had not opened, when they were. Lastly, Mullin has also been one of the GOP’s members on the Benghazi Select Committee, having called for numerous investigations into the attacks, never being satisfied with previous ones that have all concluded there was no malfeasance of culpability by the Obama administration. Over the past year, Rep. Mullin has voted to defund Planned Parenthood, tried to pass legislation to prevent the acceptance of Muslim refugees, and when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was allowed to speak before Congress, Mullin went on Twitter to post a misspelled message of support, “God Bless Isreal”.

• February 16th, 2017: Mullin votes for HJR 69, to make it legal for hunters on wildlife reserves to kill several species of hibernating bears or wolves while they’re sleeping. Because… well, the logic really isn’t there as to why, it’s just awful.
• March 16th, 2017: Markwayne Mullin votes for HR 1181, which would allow veterans deemed mentally incompetent to continue to own firearms, and not have them taken away without a judge's written order. We feel safer already.
• March 28th, 2017: Rep. Mullin votes for SJ Res 34, which allowed internet providers to sell the data information of their customers' internet usage to businesses. Well, so much for privacy.
• May 4th, 2017: Mullin votes for the House GOP's healthcare plan, that would kick roughly 24 million people off their health insurance plans, allow up to 28,000 more people to die a year, give $50,000 in tax breaks to millionaires, and would eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions which would include such medical conditions as pregnancy (current or past), post-partum depression, or prior sexual assault. Oh, and a provision in the bill would make sure that Mullin would be allowed to keep his healthcare plan as it exists under the ACA, which would be repealed for the rest of the country. He and his Republican compatriots threw themselves a beer bash to celebrate taking away healthcare from millions and then gloated about it with Donald Trump at a White House press conference, as well.
  http://www.rawstory.com/2017/05/repu...-and-the-poor/
• June 8th, 2017: Markwayne Mullin votes for HR 10, the GOP’s attempt to repeal Dodd-Frank financial reform, because what the country really needs is to allow the big banks to make the same mistakes that imploded the economy only a decade earlier.
• September 8th, 2017: Rep. Mullin chooses to be one of 90 Republicans in Congress who votes against disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey.
• October 3rd, 2017: Mullin votes for HR 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, that would try to create an unconstitutional ban abortion at 20 weeks (even though medical science tells us fetuses do not have the capability to feel pain until 29 weeks).
• December 19th, 2017: Markwayne Mullin votes for HR 1, the GOP’s $1.7 trillion tax cut to benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations permanently that coincidentally also removes the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate and kicks 13 million people off their health insurance.

Since winning in re-election in 2016, Mullin has had some tense standoffs with constituents, including a town hall where he declared the anger he faced was “bullcrap” and whining that his appearance was a “service” because “no one paid him to be there”. This of course negates the fact that those constituents’ taxpayers do, in fact, pay him an annual salary that requires him to engage and listen to them. Still, we have to admit, though, that the majority of districts in Oklahoma are set up with ridiculous Republican leans that make re-election almost guaranteed, and Oklahoma’s 2nd is sitting at a +24, so it might not matter. One thing remains true… Markwayne Mullin is out of his goddamned mind.

[mojotastic]

how are people defending him?

HOW?

2 reason.

My theory is that a lot of people agree with his idea that drug dealers and terrorist should be wipe out.
Have in mind that the Phillipines is the country that has, islamic guerrilas, communist guerillas and is the port where all the drugs coming from south America arrive before going to China and South East Asia.

the second reason is because of this.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmo.../#411f34eb130d

Duterte's Philippines Economy Beats China's

President Rodrigo Duterte may receive poor marks for his human rights record, but he’s doing really well when it comes to the economy, which beats China’s.

On economic growth rates that is.

The Philippines economy grew at an annual 6.9% in the September quarter of 2017, the strongest growth since the third quarter 2016. That’s slightly above China’s third quarter annual growth, which grew 6.8% in the third quarter of 2017, that country’s weakest pace of expansion since the fourth quarter of 2016.

For 2017, the Philippines economy is expected to advance between 6.5 to 7.5%, and occupy the position of the world’s 10th fastest growing economy, according to the World Bank.

GDP Annual Growth Rate in Philippines averaged 3.72 percent from 1982 until 2017, reaching an all-time high of 12.40% in the fourth quarter of 1988 and a record low of -11.10 percent in the first quarter of 1985, according to Tradingeconomics.com.


While growing faster, the Philippines economy has also been getting better. The trade deficit narrowed to USD 1.91 billion in September of 2017 from USD 2.02 billion in the same month a year earlier. Non-performing loans dropped down to 1.8%, as business access to bank lending improved. And the debt-to-GDP ratio edged lower, while that ratio, for other Asian countries including China, soared.

The Philippines’ economy has been helped by a stable macroeconomic environment, tax reforms, market liberalization, brisk infrastructure spending, and a revival in the global economy.

Equity markets have yet to take notice. The iShares MSCI Philippines Index rose 0.44% well below that of China and Vietnam.

[BeastieRunner]

Do you guys argue about politics with family on Facebook.

Normally, if a friend posts something dumb as hell, I have no problem commenting on it, but I bite my tongue when family members post dumb ****.

One of them in particular...it's just...she is like the stereotype of the uninformed Trump supporter that falls for (and shares) every ridiculous meme she sees.

My BS Facebook meter calls out everyone. Family tends to be more receptive to being called out and usually recant while some friends change it or just bring up a WHATABOUTism.

Depends on two factors for me. The first is whether you value having them in your lives. If yes, the second is how emotionally fragile are they. Knowing how someone is likely to react goes a long way.

95% of my conservative family and friends are the fragile ones and usually are demanding of "safe spaces." Ironic.

50% of my liberal family and friends are causally racist and don't get it when it's point out. Also ironic.

[mojotastic]

Do you guys argue about politics with family on Facebook.

Normally, if a friend posts something dumb as hell, I have no problem commenting on it, but I bite my tongue when family members post dumb ****.

One of them in particular...it's just...she is like the stereotype of the uninformed Trump supporter that falls for (and shares) every ridiculous meme she sees.

I stopped using facebook because i started using whataap, in twitter only a few post there and only 1 normally post.

I only talk politics when my family and I gather or when i am with my dad, most of my family agree in the same stuff.

[ZombieHavoc]

My dad has generally voted republican forever, if he voted. He was not super into Obama in 2008 when he was elected, but liked him by 2012. And he didn't vote in 2016 but loathes Trump, and 2020 will be the first time, I think, ever that he will vote for a democrat for president.

[JBatmanFan05]

My friend said a number of liberal and progressive co-workers of his said they may vote for Trump due to the pay increases/bonuses.

[PaulBullion]

My friend said a number of liberal and progressive co-workers of his said they may vote for Trump due to the pay increases/bonuses.

I'm sorry you only have one friend.

Have you considered taking a pottery class to, you know, meet people?

[JBatmanFan05]

I'm sorry you only have one friend.

Aren't you and I besties? So what if we disagree on a few things.

[PaulBullion]

Aren't you and I besties? So what if we disagree on a few things.

It was one night, and I had had too many peach schnapseses and pop tarts.

[ZombieHavoc]

We still have Trump's bullshit for 3 more years. That $1,000 bonus is not gonna last long. A lot of **** can happen between now and then.

Also, I'm calling fake news on that anyway.

[worstblogever]

My friend said a number of liberal and progressive co-workers of his said they may vote for Trump due to the pay increases/bonuses.

Your friend lies as effectively as you do, as you're the only one who'd believe that.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Your friend lies as effectively as you do, as you're the only one who'd believe that.

I didn't think Trump would win the first time....

Don't underestimate people's short term thinking process brother

[JCAll]

I didn't think Trump would win the first time....

Don't underestimate people's short term thinking process brother

The things that decide the votes of short term deciders will happen in 2020, not 2018.

[ZombieHavoc]

The things that decide the votes of short term deciders will happen in 2020, not 2018.

The short sighted, front loaded tax bill will likely effect the mid-terms though, which was probably the intention.