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Guard Dog

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Everything posted by Guard Dog

  1. Guard Dog
    Nice analysis Bruce but I think the election outcome had far less to do with Social Justice backlash and far more to do with economics than most folks realize. I've found Americans prioritize election issues in three tiers: National Security: If there is a threat (real or only perceived) the majority of voters will side with a candidate they think will address that threat. Everything else comes secondary to this. This got Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan elected and got George W Bush re-elected. Right now the country is relatively safe and relatively at peace so I don't think this was a big factor in 2016. Economy: After security comes the #1 kitchen table issue. This has very little to do with the stock markets. It has everything to do with the buying power of the average citizen which under any measure has decreased over the last five years. Voters are aware of the stock markets. And they are aware of the microscopic gains in GDP. But what really matters is "Can I pay my mortgage this month?" or "Can I afford to go to the grocery store today" and "Can I put money aside to help pay for the kids college". For far too many the answers are no. The Obama administration likes to point out it's job gains but replacing medium wage manufacturing jobs with lower wage service jobs does not make a gain for citizens earning less and being able to afford less. Couple that with Obama's errors on the ACA and the ballooning costs of health insurance that everyone MUST buy now and you got a real toxic porridge. Nearly 95M Americans are not working. Far more than the 4.9% unemployment would have u believe. The reason why is the Obama administration no longer counted people once their unemployment benefits ran out. They became what Orwell called un-persons. Jobs have been leaving the US ever since the late '90s. It reached critical mass a few years ago and while none of that is Obama (or Bush's) fault, they haven't done a thing about it either. The politicians talk a good game about training "the workers of tomorrow for the jobs of tomorrow" as Obama said in 2012 but noting ever happens and thing continue to get worse and worse for the average voter. Now comes Donald Trump promising to bring back the work and Hillary Clinton promising to raise taxes. Which would YOU vote for if you have a $1k mortgage payment due and only $500 in the bank? This is the kind of thing that got FDR, Kennedy, Johnson, George HW Bush,and Clinton elected and it got Reagan re-elected. Last but no least is everything else. When there is no imminent threat to national security and the economy is working then voters care about social issues.Then they care about punishing corruption and inequality. This got Carter elected and Nixon re-elected.
  2. Guard Dog
    The Grizz are exactly who I figured they would be. They beat the teams they are better than and lose to the rest. But that game against LA tonight was great effort. The are in Dallas tomorrow and have the T-Wolves at home on Saturday, They shouldn't have trouble with either so they should have a nice four game win streak going into a big road match with the Hornets next week.
  3. Guard Dog
    Kudos to Rand Paul: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rand-paul-john-bolton-totally-195153495.html
  4. Guard Dog
    Why do you feel guilty? I told you guys not to vote independent There are many reasons Trump won this election, do you want to know who I think needs to take the most responsibility ? Do tell.
  5. Guard Dog
    I have difficulty mustering up much sympathy for Obama...or the Democratic Party in general...when it was partly thanks to their efforts in trying to ensure that Hillary won the primaries that we now have Trump as president. It's not like her various scandals and flaws weren't well-known then. No, I feel bad for Bernie Sanders, who was cheated and insulted by the people who were supposed to share a similar ideology to him...and for all of us who actually tried to get him to win. And the fact he was a far left populist didnt bother you ? Barti I liked Sanders, I always did but you realize many things he promised or suggested he wouldn't be able to actually do....like breaking up the Investment Banks ? Separate investment and commercial banking is how it was from the 1930s (correct me if I'm wrong here) until Bill Clinton so it doesn't seem that radical to me You are correct. And you are also correct that Clinton signed the law that put an end to that. But it actually started under Carter.
  6. Guard Dog
    Every last one of us should be expected to be held to that standard. Not just fools who think putting a safety pin on their cardigans makes them a better human being. It does not.
  7. Guard Dog
    I have to disagree with you on this one. I wouldn't validate this nonsense by wearing their symbol, even to undermine it. If I were advising him I's tell him to walk out look right into the camera and say this: "You are adults. You are American citizens. ACT LIKE IT. We all have an expectation of civility and decency from our fellow citizens. We are expected to treat each other with respect and receive respect in return. If some of our brothers and sisters have fallen short of that ideal then the fault is on their small shoulders alone. Not on other people who might share their political, religious, cultural, or sexual persuasions. If you feel the need to express yourself by protesting then please feel free to do so. But that stops the moment property is destroyed, or fellow citizens assaulted. Then you are not protesters, you become criminals. If you feel the need to taunt and insult your fellow citizens because they voted differently, look differently, think differently from you then you should take a moment of introspection to figure out why you feel such a useless and petty act is appropriate. Then do it if you feel you must, because this is a free country. But do so knowing you have let down me, your fellow citizens, and worst of all your own selves by doing so." I wish we had a leader who WOULD say this. We don't.
  8. Guard Dog
    Let's not confuse plain old fashion indecency with being politically incorrect. Being politically incorrect means rebelling something as sinister as thought control. It can be a virtue. But this, this is just indecent and there have never been a time or place it was OK.
  9. Guard Dog
    Ben Carson turns down cabinet job saying he did not have enough experience: http://video.foxnews.com/v/5211245443001/?#sp=show-clips Huh.... waitjustasdoggoneminutehere! Wasn't he running for President????
  10. Guard Dog
    Funniest meme..... EVER!
  11. Guard Dog
    Based on her history of temper outbursts I find this story very credible.
  12. Guard Dog
    Holy crap!
  13. Guard Dog
    That or you don't understand how little actual power the President has. It's still too much though.
  14. Guard Dog
    The truth is Bruce if the US Federal Government actually operated the way it was intended to the Presidential and Congressional elections would only be about Foreign Policy and the amount of regulation applied to business that operated over multiple State lines. It would be more about choosing administrators rather than leaders. Starting with FDR then hitting the gas under Johnson, Nixon, Bush II, and Obama that Federal Government has usurped all this power it was NEVER supposed to have and the American left has cheered it on the whole way because the left is all about forcing itself on everyone else. Now this terrible machine they have built is in the hands of someone they hate. Who didn't see that coming? Edit: I see what you mean. The second link was not the one I meant to post. I was going to e-mail that one to someone. Got them mixed up.
  15. Guard Dog
    If the quest was any good they'd find better shoes on the way.
  16. Guard Dog
    YES, YES, YES! This one says it all!
  17. Guard Dog
    Puppies and coloring books in the "safe spaces" LOL!. I have two questions: 1. Were they being mocked? 2. If yes do they know it?
  18. Guard Dog
    If I didn't already know how you voted last week I would now! But generosity is always commendable and all those groups are about more than politics.
  19. Guard Dog
  20. Guard Dog
    Maybe you are starting to realize the outcome of a US Presidential election is not as important as it's made out to be.
  21. Guard Dog
    It was very funny... until it wasn't https://youtu.be/zT0Rjc6jKCg https://youtu.be/FliGdEGBoIw
  22. Guard Dog
    I donated a bunch of stuff to Goodwill of West Palm Beach back when I moved out of South Florida. I was carrying boxes out a U-haul into their warehouse and the two ladies inside were going through them. One of them liked one of my ex's purses I guess. She took it out of the box to her car. I figured whatever. I had a receipt for it. Not much more I could do.
  23. Guard Dog
    Around this time of year I start making my charity donations. Well, I do it off an of all year in small amounts or in material goods. But when it comes to writing a check I do that around Thanksgiving (the US version of it). I was actually doing that very thing last night and it got me curious about you fine folks? Are there any charities you guys support, volunteer with, or are passionate about? If so tell us about them. For me there are four: Toys for Tots http://www.toysfortots.org/default.aspx . This is the Marine Corps own charity and it's the easiest and most fun to participate in. All you have to do is go toy shopping and take them to a drop box. If you are in the US anyway. There are many but every recruiting office has one for sure. Walgreen's Pharmacy usually does too. Donations are distributed in the communities they are made in. It's such a small thing, getting a present when they might not have gotten one that can make a needy child's Christmas. Plus they give gifts at St. Jude's. That was where I helped take them back when I was in the service. I didn't get to hand any out (they don't let PFC's do things like that) but I did get to drive the truck. St. Jude's Children's Hospital https://www.stjude.org/?gclid=CjwKEAiA3qXBBRD4_b_V7ZLFsX4SJAB0AtEVBpOd1aW1vqqFatnjtwrWawKnE52vc4JaV_7Al568SxoCxEHw_wcB&sc_cid=kwp21000&s_kwcid=AL!4519!3!153903518367!e!!g!!st%20jude%20children%27s%20research%20hospital&ef_id=VSlcBwAABApLjzLO:20161114125911:s . I can't say enough about this place and what they accomplish here. Guiding Eyes for the Blind https://www.guidingeyes.org/. They raise and train seeing eye dogs. The difference one of these pups can make in someone's life is extraordinary. I once had a yellow Labrador Retriever named Cosmo who "failed" out of their program and was put up for adoption. He was the first dog I ever had. He passed on years ago but I still make a donation in his name every year. Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary http://oldfriendsseniordogs.com/index.html . They are just down the road an hour or two from me. Whenever I'm out that way I bring them blankets or dog food. It's a small operation. It's a sanctuary for elderly dogs that were abandoned or left in animal control. Elderly or sick dogs in animal control are deemed unadoptable and are usually euthanized immediately. Old Friends works with shelters in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky to save and place as many of these old pups as they can. They have about forty or so living at the sanctuary now. I guess you can tell I have a soft spot for dogs and children. I'm not familiar with many charities outside the US. If you guys know of any good ones please share. You might even drum up a little support.
  24. Guard Dog
    Seconded
  25. Guard Dog
    Awww man. Leon Russel passed away. He was a little before most of your time but in the 70's he was a big deal. https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/rock-roll-hall-famer-leon-161623623.html
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