All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[WestPhillyPunisher]

That entire visit was a nightmare of a partisan shitshow. Here's some lowlights from the event for those who want video:








This stuff is why I'm going to vote blue this fall. We can't take more of this any longer.

Trump is going to enable an epidemic in this country and get people killed because he’s worried more about numbers than the safety of Americans.

[Steel Inquisitor]

Never mind that he is the only person who could wind up President who has said ICE has to be ended.

Talk is cheap. It's not a winning opinion in national politics, despite the fact it should be, and will hurt him getting elected. It's not up to him to shut down ICE, it's on congress - it'll be another Guantamano Bay.

[numberthirty]

Talk is cheap. It's not a winning opinion in national politics, despite the fact it should be, and will hurt him getting elected. It's not up to him to shut down ICE, it's on congress - it'll be another Guantamano Bay.

Let's say we can agree there...

What are the odds that will happen if the President says it can be reformed?

As for what's in green, that's just kind of a jaw dropper.

"Forget Running On What's Probably Right... Let's Run On What Will Get Us Elected."

[Tendrin]

Excellent point as well. I hadn’t thought about that when I initially wrote the post.

Still curious that is the one thing that he thinks can’t get done. But we WILL embrace public college for all, the abolishment of all debt for education, and universal, government-provided health care. That is SO much easier to get done I guess.

Let's just say I don't think it's a coincidence that they gutted the voting rights act when they did. Any earlier, and the dems could have, and would have, entered legislation to fix it and seen it signed by an African American president.

But all this goes back to the point that people keep screaming 'the dems had a supermajority!' without taking into account that they really only had it for a very small window of time, much of which was spent on negotiating a health care bill which voters punished them at the polls for implementing and, no, it wasn't because it 'didn't go far enough'. It was because of a wave election lead by resentment and racism and ginned up fears that Obama was giving everything away to 'them'.

[TheDarman]

Let's just say I don't think it's a coincidence that they gutted the voting rights act when they did. Any earlier, and the dems could have, and would have, entered legislation to fix it and seen it signed by an African American president.

But all this goes back to the point that people keep screaming 'the dems had a supermajority!' without taking into account that they really only had it for a very small window of time, much of which was spent on negotiating a health care bill which voters punished them at the polls for implementing and, no, it wasn't because it 'didn't go far enough'. It was because of a wave election lead by resentment and racism and ginned up fears that Obama was giving everything away to 'them'.

Not to mention stimulus packages, creating the pro-consumer agency Warren wanted, etc.

Democrats got a lot done with that super majority. They lost it even before the health care bill was made law, which is why it had to be passed as a fiscal measure. Before, they were courting Lieberman, which resulted in the removal of the public option and more cost controls, in order to bring cloture. But when it became clear that Kennedy’s seat had been filled by a Republican, who only served until the end of that term, they had to pass it with a simple majority. So, yeah, they had it for 11 months. But we were supposed to pass everything that Democrats ever wanted in that eleven month period, including a new VRA, despite the fact the original was working well and was in effect for decades, getting reauthorized on a bipartisan basis until the Supreme Court gutted it and Republicans could use them as political cover and not have to bring up a new VRA because it would allow them to suppress votes.

[Steel Inquisitor]

Let's say we can agree there...

What are the odds that will happen if the President says it can be reformed?

As for what's in green, that's just kind of a jaw dropper.

"Forget Running On What's Probably Right... Let's Run On What Will Get Us Elected."

Very poor, but it's better than being abolished. Being the president isn't like being a genie, they have power but they're not kings. In fact, this can hurt him like when Obama defended Trayvon Martin. Doing the right thing is great, but if all it's getting is nothing what's the point of them being there? He's the president, not an actor giving a speech at the Oscars.

He's not going to fix anything unless he's getting elected, then he can be in position to move on that and push that window harder to shut down ICE. How's Sanders going to get any of his agenda passes if he isn't elected? Don't weaponise what's right against getting progress done.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

SXSW has been cancelled because of the growing threat of coronavirus. Meanwhile, memos were sent out from the NBA to its teams saying they should prepare for the possibility of playing games in empty arenas.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

SXSW has been cancelled because of the growing threat of coronavirus. Meanwhile, memos were sent out from the NBA to its teams saying they should prepare for the possibility of playing games in empty arenas.

I'm traveling this week. Seriously hope I don't get stuck

[Tendrin]

Not to mention stimulus packages, creating the pro-consumer agency Warren wanted, etc.

Democrats got a lot done with that super majority. They lost it even before the health care bill was made law, which is why it had to be passed as a fiscal measure. Before, they were courting Lieberman, which resulted in the removal of the public option and more cost controls, in order to bring cloture. But when it became clear that Kennedy’s seat had been filled by a Republican, who only served until the end of that term, they had to pass it with a simple majority. So, yeah, they had it for 11 months. But we were supposed to pass everything that Democrats ever wanted in that eleven month period, including a new VRA, despite the fact the original was working well and was in effect for decades, getting reauthorized on a bipartisan basis until the Supreme Court gutted it and Republicans could use them as political cover and not have to bring up a new VRA because it would allow them to suppress votes.

I know a lot of people like to blame the Dems for not having the foresight but that one seems a bit ridiculous yes.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Not to mention stimulus packages, creating the pro-consumer agency Warren wanted, etc.

Democrats got a lot done with that super majority. They lost it even before the health care bill was made law, which is why it had to be passed as a fiscal measure. Before, they were courting Lieberman, which resulted in the removal of the public option and more cost controls, in order to bring cloture. But when it became clear that Kennedy’s seat had been filled by a Republican, who only served until the end of that term, they had to pass it with a simple majority. So, yeah, they had it for 11 months. But we were supposed to pass everything that Democrats ever wanted in that eleven month period, including a new VRA, despite the fact the original was working well and was in effect for decades, getting reauthorized on a bipartisan basis until the Supreme Court gutted it and Republicans could use them as political cover and not have to bring up a new VRA because it would allow them to suppress votes.

On healthcare specifically it is unfair to say Obama didn't get it done with a supermajority because there were circumstances that can be traced to everything that happened with it (Lieberman and the race for Ted Kennedy's seat). That said there was alot they could have gotten done while they had it that they didn't even have on the agenda

[numberthirty]

On healthcare specifically it is unfair to say Obama didn't get it done with a supermajority because there were circumstances that can be traced to everything that happened with it (Lieberman and the race for Ted Kennedy's seat). That said there was alot they could have gotten done while they had it that they didn't even have on the agenda

That's if you are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

There is a perfectly realistic scenario where it was only ever "Talk...", and that had no intention of addressing any of it once they were in office.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I'm traveling this week. Seriously hope I don't get stuck

Be careful. Take every possible precaution and measure you can to stay safe. We may differ on political issues, but I wouldn’t anything bad to happen to you.

[numberthirty]

Be careful. Take every possible precaution and measure you can to stay safe. We may differ on political issues, but I wouldn’t anything bad to happen to you.

Blue ribbon posting here...

(Not Joking/Totally Serious)

[Tendrin]

On healthcare specifically it is unfair to say Obama didn't get it done with a supermajority because there were circumstances that can be traced to everything that happened with it (Lieberman and the race for Ted Kennedy's seat). That said there was alot they could have gotten done while they had it that they didn't even have on the agenda

Are we forgetting the death of Senator Ted Kennedy and the election of Scott Brown?

[Steel Inquisitor]

That's if you are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

There is a perfectly realistic scenario where it was only ever "Talk...", and that had no intention of addressing any of it once they were in office.

Whenever they do try to do they get blocked, it's not just "talk." Don't erase the Democrats acts in congress, and outside of it.