The Political Thread - Browncoat edition... down with the Alliance!

[Bartimaeus]

 

You may soon have to give your DNA to the state and pay $250 for the privilege in AZ

They can just come and take it from my corpse.

 

No kidding. Pretty egregious. (e): I meant to add this on to my previous post, but now GD has already responded to me. One moment...

 

@Bernie: That's fine and pretty expected. I prefer the focus of his policies more than most candidates (as he's historically mostly shyed away from the wedge issues like abortion and gun rights that I currently consider to be of the least importance in dealing with at this point in time, and focused more on the issues that I think are currently vitally important like wealth inequality, getting money out of politics, getting out of endless wars, etc.), even if all of the implementations for his ideas aren't always perfectly sound. On top of that, I generally like his personality and the way he does business in politics - generally. He's not perfect, not nearly, but uhh, yeah, one only has to look at literally everyone else to see that's always the case.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Bartimaeus

[Gromnir]

The Democrats are facing the same problem the Republicans faced in 16. Too many contenders dividing the support base. By the time the field was winnowed down in 16 the least desirable candidate had an insurmountable lead. Only undesirable candidates CAN win a race like that. Now the real questions is which one is the least desirable. That's like picking the smelliest turd. 

 

gonna disagree.  republicans in 16 didn't fully understand the magnitude o' the dissatisfaction within their party.  had a field o' familiar moderates and one outsider wingnut.  republicans, at least the voting republicans, didn't want familiar.  so much resentment towards beltway insiders and career politicians that the one stark alternative became the improbable default choice.  

 

am knowing the democrat field is ridiculous large, but keep in mind, in spite o' your observation, it were a republican candidate who ended up winning in 2016. 

 

am thinking the problem for democrats ain't numbers just as numbers weren't the real problem in 2016 for republicans.  problem for democrats is party identity.  democrat candidates is current all trying to show just how progressive they can be, w/o going full democratic socialist... with the exception o' bernie sanders.  "tax the rich" has become new refrain, but am not certain how far the democrats will go on such thin policy. if independents is forced to choose 'tween a moderate democrat and trump, am thinking they go with the democrat, and independents functional decided the last election.  at the moment, independents, who voted more in favor o' trump than clinton in 2016, has largely flipped, but what if democrats skew towards the lunatic fringe and embrace somebody more like ocasio-cortez? independents, in spite o' their growing dissatisfaction with trump, will need make a hard choice and am not liking democrat chances if they force independents to choose 'tween trump and an equal unrestrained democrat. 

 

am thinking democrats current have an edge... right up until they choose candidate, regardless o' size o' the field. unfortunate, we can foresee democrat primaries going as did republican leading up to 2016.  winnow down candidates until only the most extreme outsider remains worked for republicans in part 'cause hillary were disliked by independents and by more than a few democrats.  democrats can't count on reversing the playbook on the republicans. 

 

as an aside, independents also tend to trust mueller.

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/independents-trust-mueller-which-could-be-bad-news-for-trump/

 

HA! Good Fun!

[ShadySands]

 

Bernie announced for 2020 too. I was kinda hoping that he wouldn't, him and Biden.

 

Any particular reason why? I'm currently unsure of how to feel about him as a 2020 candidate, but I'm thinking I still like him better than the likes of Klobuchar.

 

Age and baggage, though the baggage is more for creepy uncle Joe. As for age, I'm pretty sure (though I should probably look it up) the Donald is the oldest we've ever elected and I think Berning Man (we're trying out nicknames) would be something nearing a decade older than that on his first day in office.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can picture myself voting for Bernie in the primary again but I'm not certain his moment hasn't passed but that's probably my own issue.

[Bartimaeus]

Yeah, he'll be 9 years older than when Trump was elected. That's understandable. Makes the choice of VP very important if he wins the nomination, whereas with most younger candidates, most VP choices seem to be more a means to an end. There are so many candidates right now that I don't even want to start examining them individually. Will wait until we get closer to the primaries to see who's actually got realistic shots before I start bothering, I guess. So by default, I guess Bernie's still my favorite choice (with I THINK Elizabeth Warren as my second choice, but that's preliminary and totally ignorantly chosen as heck).

Edited February 20, 2019 by Bartimaeus

[smjjames]

 

The Democrats are facing the same problem the Republicans faced in 16. Too many contenders dividing the support base. By the time the field was winnowed down in 16 the least desirable candidate had an insurmountable lead. Only undesirable candidates CAN win a race like that. Now the real questions is which one is the least desirable. That's like picking the smelliest turd. 

 

gonna disagree.  republicans in 16 didn't fully understand the magnitude o' the dissatisfaction within their party.  had a field o' familiar moderates and one outsider wingnut.  republicans, at least the voting republicans, didn't want familiar.  so much resentment towards beltway insiders and career politicians that the one stark alternative became the improbable default choice.  

 

am knowing the democrat field is ridiculous large, but keep in mind, in spite o' your observation, it were a republican candidate who ended up winning in 2016. 

 

am thinking the problem for democrats ain't numbers just as numbers weren't the real problem in 2016 for republicans.  problem for democrats is party identity.  democrat candidates is current all trying to show just how progressive they can be, w/o going full democratic socialist... with the exception o' bernie sanders.  "tax the rich" has become new refrain, but am not certain how far the democrats will go on such thin policy. if independents is forced to choose 'tween a moderate democrat and trump, am thinking they go with the democrat, and independents functional decided the last election.  at the moment, independents, who voted more in favor o' trump than clinton in 2016, has largely flipped, but what if democrats skew towards the lunatic fringe and embrace somebody more like ocasio-cortez? independents, in spite o' their growing dissatisfaction with trump, will need make a hard choice and am not liking democrat chances if they force independents to choose 'tween trump and an equal unrestrained democrat. 

 

am thinking democrats current have an edge... right up until they choose candidate, regardless o' size o' the field. unfortunate, we can foresee democrat primaries going as did republican leading up to 2016.  winnow down candidates until only the most extreme outsider remains worked for republicans in part 'cause hillary were disliked by independents and by more than a few democrats.  democrats can't count on reversing the playbook on the republicans. 

 

as an aside, independents also tend to trust mueller.

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/independents-trust-mueller-which-could-be-bad-news-for-trump/

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

I don't know about it coming down to the 'least desireable candidate' (which is also subjective to an extent), the Republicans had a pretty clearly divided group with all the insiders not differing by much and with Trump as the one outsider and having a big chunk all to himself from pretty much the start. Here, the Democrats have a wide spectrum with a variety that will have to fight for and the particular conditions and what they're aiming for.

 

The crowded primaries will definetly produce A result, but history isn't neccesarily going to repeat itself.

[Agiel]

I should like to point out since 1976 the American people was 6 for 7 in voting in the Presidential candidate that banked himself as the ultimate beltway "outsider". 

[injurai]

Presidents aren't brewers operating under German beer laws, every candidate is out to have a legacy.

[Gromnir]

I should like to point out since 1976 the American people was 6 for 7 in voting in the Presidential candidate that banked himself as the ultimate beltway "outsider". 

 

beltway outsider ain't enough to be considered untainted in 2019.  state governors and senators is no longer outsiders in the sense reagan and carter were.  career politician = party stooge?  regardless, is why we specific noted beltway insiders and career politicians were suffering from unspecific voter ill will in 2016. 

 

also, ultimate outsider branding might be a stretch for guys such as george w. bush. he were up against steven forbes and pat buchanan for the republican nomination after all, and he were the son o' a former President. clinton were so political moderate and tight with banking interests, he made bush seem like a hippie by comparison, and bill sure weren't more an outsider than jerry brown.  heck, ross perot were actual leading polls in 1992 campaign, then he had his dismal showing in the debates. also, obama were a US senator before he became President.  etc.  

 

the real outsiders typical disappear midway through the primaries.  1992 and 2016 were a bit different. 'course trump didn't make the same mistake as perot and run 3rd party. 

 

HA! Good Fun!

[smjjames]

He did threaten the Republicans into submission by threatening to run as independent, though this was when he was already in a position to make Republicans quake in fear at the thought.

 

Anyways, while the ‘unspecific’ (which are definitely sepecific, if not well understood by politicians) ill will is present on both sides of the aisle, there is a different current undergoing the Democratic race than there was in 2016, so, there is no guarantee that it’ll look closely like 2016 on the Republican side.

[ktchong]

 

Edited February 20, 2019 by ktchong

[ktchong]

Got an email from the Bernie campaign!  (The first and only email I got from his campaign since 2016.)

 

You are receiving this email because you signed up as part of our campaign for president in 2016. Unless you sign up to join below, we will no longer send you additional messages after today.

 

Sisters and Brothers -

 

I am writing to let you know I have decided to run for president of the United States. I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country.

 

Please join our campaign for president on day one and commit to doing what it takes to win this election.

 

Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in modern American history. It is not only about winning the Democratic nomination and the general election.

 

Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

 

Our campaign is about taking on the powerful special interests that dominate our economic and political life. I'm talking about Wall Street, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry, the military industrial complex, the private prison industry and the large multinational corporations that exert such an enormous influence over our lives.

 

Our campaign is about redoubling our efforts to end racism, sexism, homophobia, religious bigotry and all forms of discrimination.

 

Our campaign is about creating a vibrant democracy with the highest voter turnout of any major country while we end voter suppression, Citizens United and outrageous levels of gerrymandering.

 

Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that work for the many, not just the few. We are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. We should not have grotesque levels of wealth inequality in which three billionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of the country.

We should not have 30 million Americans without any health insurance, even more who are underinsured and a nation in which life expectancy is actually in decline.

 

We should not have an economy in which tens of millions of workers earn starvation wages and half of older workers have no savings as they face retirement.

 

We should not have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth and a dysfunctional childcare system which is unfair to both working parents and their children.

 

We should not have a regressive tax system in which large, profitable corporations like Amazon pay nothing in federal income taxes.

 

Make no mistake about it. The powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo. They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have huge influence over the media and political parties.

 

The only way we will win this election and create a government and economy that work for all is with a grassroots movement – the likes of which has never been seen in American history.

 

They may have the money and power. We have the people. That is why we need one million Americans who will commit themselves to this campaign.

 

Stand with me as we fight to win the Democratic nomination and the general election. Add your name to join this campaign and say you are willing to do the hard work necessary to transform our country.

 

You know as well as I do that we are living in a pivotal and dangerous moment in American history. We are running against a president who is a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction.

 

I’m running for president because, now more than ever, we need leadership that brings us together – not divides us up. Women and men, black, white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, young and old, native born and immigrant. Now is the time for us to stand together.

I’m running for president because we need leadership that will fight for working families and the shrinking middle class, not just the 1 percent. We need a president who understands that we can create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and construct the affordable housing we desperately need.

 

I'm running for president because we need trade policies that reflect the interests of workers and not multi-national corporations. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, provide pay equity for women and guarantee all workers paid family and medical leave.

I'm running for president because we need to understand that artificial intelligence and robotics must benefit the needs of workers, not just corporate America and those who own that technology.

 

I'm running for president because a great nation is judged not by how many billionaires and nuclear weapons it has, but by how it treats the most vulnerable – the elderly, the children, our veterans, the sick and the poor.

 

I’m running for president because we need to make policy decisions based on science, not politics. We need a president who understands that climate change is real, is an existential threat to our country and the entire planet, and that we can generate massive job creation by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

 

I’m running for president because the time is long overdue for the United States to join every other major country on Earth and guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege, through a Medicare-for-all program.

 

I’m running for president because we need to take on the outrageous level of greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower prescription drug prices in this country.

 

I'm running for president because we need to have the best educated workforce in the world. It is totally counterproductive for our future that millions of Americans are carrying outrageous levels of student debt, while many others cannot afford the high cost of higher education. That is why we need to make public colleges and universities tuition free and lower student debt.

 

I’m running for president because we must defend a woman’s right to control her own body against massive political attacks taking place at the local, state and federal level.

 

I'm running for president because we need real criminal justice reform. We need to invest in jobs and education for our kids, not more jails and incarceration. We need to end the destructive "war on drugs," eliminate private prisons and cash bail and bring about major police department reform.

 

I'm running for president because we need to end the demonization of undocumented immigrants in this country and move to comprehensive immigration reform. We need to provide immediate legal status for the young people eligible for the DACA program and develop a humane policy for those at the border who seek asylum.

 

I'm running for president because we must end the epidemic of gun violence in this country. We need to take on the NRA, expand background checks, end the gun show loophole and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons.

 

I'm running for president because we need a foreign policy which focuses on democracy, human rights, diplomacy and world peace. The United States must lead the world in improving international cooperation in the fight against climate change, militarism, authoritarianism and global wealth inequality.

 

That is why we need at least a million people to join our campaign and help lead the movement that can accomplish these goals. Add your name to say we’re in this together.

 

Needless to say, there is a lot of frightening and bad news in this world. Now, let me give you some very good news.

 

Three years ago, during our 2016 campaign, when we brought forth our progressive agenda we were told that our ideas were "radical" and "extreme." We were told that Medicare for All, a $15 an hour minimum wage, free tuition at public colleges and universities, aggressively combating climate change, demanding that the wealthy start paying their fair share of taxes, were all concepts that the American people would never accept.

 

Well, three years have come and gone. And, as result of millions of Americans standing up and fighting back, all of these policies and more are now supported by a majority of Americans.

 

Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign began the political revolution. Now, it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for.

 

So here is my question for you:

 

Will you stand with me as part of a million person grassroots movement which can not only win the Democratic primary, not only win the general election, but most importantly help transform this country so that, finally, we have a government that works for all of us and not just the few? Add your name to say you will.

 

Together we can create a nation that leads the world in the struggle for peace and for economic, racial, social and environmental justice.

 

And together we can defeat Donald Trump and repair the damage he has done to our country.

 

Brothers and sisters, if we stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

 

I hope you will join me.

 

Thank you very much.

 

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

 

Edited February 20, 2019 by ktchong

[ktchong]

Word of the Day:  Smugnorant

 

[Chilloutman]

 

Got an email from the Bernie campaign!  (The first and only email I got from his campaign since 2016.)

 

You are receiving this email because you signed up as part of our campaign for president in 2016. Unless you sign up to join below, we will no longer send you additional messages after today.

 

Sisters and Brothers -

 

I am writing to let you know I have decided to run for president of the United States. I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country.

 

Please join our campaign for president on day one and commit to doing what it takes to win this election.

 

Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in modern American history. It is not only about winning the Democratic nomination and the general election.

 

Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

 

Our campaign is about taking on the powerful special interests that dominate our economic and political life. I'm talking about Wall Street, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry, the military industrial complex, the private prison industry and the large multinational corporations that exert such an enormous influence over our lives.

 

Our campaign is about redoubling our efforts to end racism, sexism, homophobia, religious bigotry and all forms of discrimination.

 

Our campaign is about creating a vibrant democracy with the highest voter turnout of any major country while we end voter suppression, Citizens United and outrageous levels of gerrymandering.

 

Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that work for the many, not just the few. We are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. We should not have grotesque levels of wealth inequality in which three billionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of the country.

We should not have 30 million Americans without any health insurance, even more who are underinsured and a nation in which life expectancy is actually in decline.

 

We should not have an economy in which tens of millions of workers earn starvation wages and half of older workers have no savings as they face retirement.

 

We should not have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth and a dysfunctional childcare system which is unfair to both working parents and their children.

 

We should not have a regressive tax system in which large, profitable corporations like Amazon pay nothing in federal income taxes.

 

Make no mistake about it. The powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo. They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have huge influence over the media and political parties.

 

The only way we will win this election and create a government and economy that work for all is with a grassroots movement – the likes of which has never been seen in American history.

 

They may have the money and power. We have the people. That is why we need one million Americans who will commit themselves to this campaign.

 

Stand with me as we fight to win the Democratic nomination and the general election. Add your name to join this campaign and say you are willing to do the hard work necessary to transform our country.

 

You know as well as I do that we are living in a pivotal and dangerous moment in American history. We are running against a president who is a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction.

 

I’m running for president because, now more than ever, we need leadership that brings us together – not divides us up. Women and men, black, white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, young and old, native born and immigrant. Now is the time for us to stand together.

I’m running for president because we need leadership that will fight for working families and the shrinking middle class, not just the 1 percent. We need a president who understands that we can create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and construct the affordable housing we desperately need.

 

I'm running for president because we need trade policies that reflect the interests of workers and not multi-national corporations. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, provide pay equity for women and guarantee all workers paid family and medical leave.

I'm running for president because we need to understand that artificial intelligence and robotics must benefit the needs of workers, not just corporate America and those who own that technology.

 

I'm running for president because a great nation is judged not by how many billionaires and nuclear weapons it has, but by how it treats the most vulnerable – the elderly, the children, our veterans, the sick and the poor.

 

I’m running for president because we need to make policy decisions based on science, not politics. We need a president who understands that climate change is real, is an existential threat to our country and the entire planet, and that we can generate massive job creation by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

 

I’m running for president because the time is long overdue for the United States to join every other major country on Earth and guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege, through a Medicare-for-all program.

 

I’m running for president because we need to take on the outrageous level of greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower prescription drug prices in this country.

 

I'm running for president because we need to have the best educated workforce in the world. It is totally counterproductive for our future that millions of Americans are carrying outrageous levels of student debt, while many others cannot afford the high cost of higher education. That is why we need to make public colleges and universities tuition free and lower student debt.

 

I’m running for president because we must defend a woman’s right to control her own body against massive political attacks taking place at the local, state and federal level.

 

I'm running for president because we need real criminal justice reform. We need to invest in jobs and education for our kids, not more jails and incarceration. We need to end the destructive "war on drugs," eliminate private prisons and cash bail and bring about major police department reform.

 

I'm running for president because we need to end the demonization of undocumented immigrants in this country and move to comprehensive immigration reform. We need to provide immediate legal status for the young people eligible for the DACA program and develop a humane policy for those at the border who seek asylum.

 

I'm running for president because we must end the epidemic of gun violence in this country. We need to take on the NRA, expand background checks, end the gun show loophole and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons.

 

I'm running for president because we need a foreign policy which focuses on democracy, human rights, diplomacy and world peace. The United States must lead the world in improving international cooperation in the fight against climate change, militarism, authoritarianism and global wealth inequality.

 

That is why we need at least a million people to join our campaign and help lead the movement that can accomplish these goals. Add your name to say we’re in this together.

 

Needless to say, there is a lot of frightening and bad news in this world. Now, let me give you some very good news.

 

Three years ago, during our 2016 campaign, when we brought forth our progressive agenda we were told that our ideas were "radical" and "extreme." We were told that Medicare for All, a $15 an hour minimum wage, free tuition at public colleges and universities, aggressively combating climate change, demanding that the wealthy start paying their fair share of taxes, were all concepts that the American people would never accept.

 

Well, three years have come and gone. And, as result of millions of Americans standing up and fighting back, all of these policies and more are now supported by a majority of Americans.

 

Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign began the political revolution. Now, it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for.

 

So here is my question for you:

 

Will you stand with me as part of a million person grassroots movement which can not only win the Democratic primary, not only win the general election, but most importantly help transform this country so that, finally, we have a government that works for all of us and not just the few? Add your name to say you will.

 

Together we can create a nation that leads the world in the struggle for peace and for economic, racial, social and environmental justice.

 

And together we can defeat Donald Trump and repair the damage he has done to our country.

 

Brothers and sisters, if we stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

 

I hope you will join me.

 

Thank you very much.

 

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

 

 

 

Brothers and sisters - just say comrades, we know you want to

In solidarity?

peace and for economic, racial, social and environmental justice - no class struggle? xD

 

It reads as communist manifesto xD

[Volourn]

That's okay. The Left are gonna do what they did last time - label a white male racist sexist and will constantly interrupt him.

[Malcador]

Found that read like every other "My friends..." type release politicians send out here.

[Chilloutman]

Google at it again, they really dont know how to be more Orwellian

 

https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/20/google-nest-secure-mic-forgot/

 

it reminds me this ad:

 

[213374U]

peace and for economic, racial, social and environmental justice - no class struggle? xD

 

It reads as communist manifesto xD

He doesn't mention class struggle by name, but the references are there. It's a pretty weak communist manifesto that doesn't mention centralizing control of the means of production, though.

 

I doubt Bezos is in any imminent danger of having his property nationalized and himself being deported to AK -- even in the unlikely event of a Bernie-Cortez ticket victory in 2020.

 

A coup by reactionaries, on the other hand...

[Guard Dog]

Bernie's message does check off some of the "communist" boxes. But like numbers guy said, not all of them. If anyone had told me 10 years ago Bernie freaking Sanders would have such a following I'd have laughed out loud. Of course if you told me Donald freaking Trump would be President I would have too. Strange times. 

 

Every time I watch the news these days I feel the need to buy more gold, non-perishable food, ammunition, and solar panels. 

[Chilloutman]

if you are smart you would buy land with geothermal activity, solars are for loosers

[injurai]

I'm certainly no communist, and certainly no socialist by old or traditional definitions. But if you actually take a look at the existing financial institutions, having one of the many wealth redistribution systems operate under a sort of pro-social state investment in human capital, then Bernie's message makes a lot of sense.

 

Of course Bernie is older so his ideals are probably grounded in a true socialism. I don't see him taking on the whole world though, merely balancing something that is grossly unfair. As long as he doesn't chase capital away, I think his focus on improving the average Americans freedom to pursue pro-social productive pursuits and to do so for longer while healthier is very important.

 

Honestly I think he could be an antidote to some of the more crazed ideologues far left of him. Certainly he'd be part of the solution to the cynical neoliberal style of identity politics which seeks to only have to offer socialism to the smallest minority identities that it can find. Someone once equated refugees and super-minorities to a gay man's "beard." Certainly truth in that, and it distracts from the realization of truer classically liberal social and economic structures.

 

Also don't buy gold, canned food, ammunition or solar panels. Buy arable land and invest in a classical private homestead estate that you can work. Oh and have enough kids so they can be your medicare.

[smjjames]

Bernie's message does check off some of the "communist" boxes. But like numbers guy said, not all of them. If anyone had told me 10 years ago Bernie freaking Sanders would have such a following I'd have laughed out loud. Of course if you told me Donald freaking Trump would be President I would have too. Strange times. 

 

Every time I watch the news these days I feel the need to buy more gold, non-perishable food, ammunition, and solar panels. 

 

You should mine your own gold :D

 

 

if you are smart you would buy land with geothermal activity, solars are for loosers

 

Theres only so much of that to go around though.

[Guard Dog]

I

 

Also don't buy gold, canned food, ammunition or solar panels. Buy arable land and invest in a classical private homestead estate that you can work. .

Way ahead of you on that score too

Edited February 20, 2019 by Guard Dog

[smjjames]

I'm certainly no communist, and certainly no socialist by old or traditional definitions. But if you actually take a look at the existing financial institutions, having one of the many wealth redistribution systems operate under a sort of pro-social state investment in human capital, then Bernie's message makes a lot of sense.

 

Of course Bernie is older so his ideals are probably grounded in a true socialism. I don't see him taking on the whole world though, merely balancing something that is grossly unfair. As long as he doesn't chase capital away, I think his focus on improving the average Americans freedom to pursue pro-social productive pursuits and to do so for longer while healthier is very important.

 

Honestly I think he could be an antidote to some of the more crazed ideologues far left of him. Certainly he'd be part of the solution to the cynical neoliberal style of identity politics which seeks to only have to offer socialism to the smallest minority identities that it can find. Someone once equated refugees and super-minorities to a gay man's "beard." Certainly truth in that, and it distracts from the realization of truer classically liberal social and economic structures.

 

Also don't buy gold, canned food, ammunition or solar panels. Buy arable land and invest in a classical private homestead estate that you can work. Oh and have enough kids so they can be your medicare.

 

He does own a a rural homestead sort of plot of land, though whether it's arable, I don't know. Don't get the hint that he grows crops or anything.

 

edit: Ninja'd. Wouldn't be surprised at this point if GD has a small garden or something though.

Edited February 20, 2019 by smjjames

[Guard Dog]

My house is on 24 acres. I also own the two acre tract to the south of me but I've never done anything with it. I have five of that 24 as a garden. That is as big as I can manage by myself. Most of it is still wooded. When I bought this place it was two owners removed from the TVA but no one ever built anything on it. So it was almost all wooded. I did a lot of the tree clearing myself. I dredged out and widened the creek myself with a shovel and wheelbarrow. The builders who build my house took care of leveling the lot and drainage. The garden I cleared entirely myself. It took years. I've got two 300 sq' solar panels and the house is only 1100 sq' so it's pretty easy on utility bills. My electric bill is only about $60 a month in the summer.  

 

I had an idea to build a turbine and sink it in Cold Creek. It's probably not strong enough to turn it though. More is the pity!

[Chilloutman]

Until someone manage to rid world of tax heavens there will never be reasonable distribution of wealth