Politics US Edition (2021!)

[ShadySands]

[Hurlshort]

7 minutes ago, Guard Dog said:

Yep. All the more reason to change public assistance. Rather than give them money give them the material goods they need. If it IS cheaper to do that 

That sounds a little like communism, GD.

[Darkpriest]

34 minutes ago, KaineParker said:

It's also easy to judge if you've been there and got out. In my experience survivor bias can be even worse than complete removal.

If my obsidianstalking.txt is accurate, he's some kind of banker or financial type. Keep that in mind if you choose to engage.

Yes, working with and for financial institutions with various algorithms, forecast models, event driven logical chains and dependancies, processes etc. 

I make a decent living out of that now. I also remember times, where I had to live in a relative poverty, with one decent meal a day and some scraps on other occassions. 

Can you turn your talk and ideas into real money? 

A lot of ideas are not popular, but it's not always about popularity contest, but about effectiveness and how not to let society deteriorate to a breaking point, and while you do not want to admit, your values will change with conditions you experience, always, as in our base line coding we have instincts and preferences developed by millenias of evolution. Wishful thinking does not override that.

Officially, a lot of these statments would kill any public career prospects, same like a lot of opinions and discussions by various politicians behind the veil. 

I've been to discussions like health care financing, and when you start talking about costs of health and life of a given human being, that's where you will hear, 'I hear you, but it would be a political suicide'. Search for a term QALY and think about financing medical care and potential use of such attribute (it's just an example) . Even as we speak doctors make decisions who to save and who to let die because they have limited room/medicine. 

 

[Elerond]

20 minutes ago, Gfted1 said:

Seems like Christians should be following the good book instead of standing around with their pockets turned out:

You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Luckily Im not religious so I want my bag.

Matthew 19:16-26

The Rich Young Man
16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 

All you need to do is nothing, as all is possible for God 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Elerond

[Amentep]

11 minutes ago, Gfted1 said:

Seems like Christians should be following the good book instead of standing around with their pockets turned out:

You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Luckily Im not religious so I want my bag.

Proverbs 19:17 - The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

1 John 3:17 - Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. And suppose that person doesn’t take pity on these needy people. Then how can the love of God be in that person?

Then again, you can find lots of stuff in the Bible if you look.

[Guard Dog]

10 minutes ago, Hurlshot said:

That sounds a little like communism, GD.

Not at all. Material goods can be purchased by the government from private industry. We’re just adding a middleman. In fact middle men are very anti-communist you might say. Like I posted earlier if people need food assistance don’t give them money to buy food, give them food. In the form of prepackaged meals. How many adults in the house? How many children in the house? How many infants or children under two? OK here’s two weeks worth of food in two weeks you’ll get another shipment. This is one way to prevent things like selling EBT cards and taking cash back for use on things not food related. 
 

I’m not saying this is a workable idea. I’ve done zero research on it. Just throwing it out there to be noodled around.

[BruceVC]

4 minutes ago, Amentep said:

Proverbs 19:17 - The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

1 John 3:17 - Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. And suppose that person doesn’t take pity on these needy people. Then how can the love of God be in that person?

Then again, you can find lots of stuff in the Bible if you look.

He got you there Gfted1 

[Guard Dog]

8 minutes ago, Amentep said:

Proverbs 19:17 - The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

1 John 3:17 - Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. And suppose that person doesn’t take pity on these needy people. Then how can the love of God be in that person?

Then again, you can find lots of stuff in the Bible if you look.

Matthew chapter 25 verse 40 is one of my favorites "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

[Gfted1]

You guys have convinced me of the error of my ways. If US born, white, male, college educated people cant make it in this crazy world then what hope is there for me? Please send me l00t. I accept Zelle through Chase bank. 

[BruceVC]

2 minutes ago, Gfted1 said:

You guys have convinced me of the error of my ways. If US born, white, male, college educated people cant make it in this crazy world then what hope is there for me? Please send me l00t. I accept Zelle through Chase bank. 

But they can make it, never forget that. It all depends on their degree or further education and hard work 

[Malcador]

26 minutes ago, Amentep said:

Proverbs 19:17 - The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

1 John 3:17 - Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. And suppose that person doesn’t take pity on these needy people. Then how can the love of God be in that person?

Then again, you can find lots of stuff in the Bible if you look.

Not a bible quote, but sure everyone knows it. 

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." —Dom Helder Camara 

[BruceVC]

11 minutes ago, Malcador said:

Not a bible quote, but sure everyone knows it. 

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." —Dom Helder Camara 

Malc that sounds very worryingly socialist ....never forget socialism has led to various carcasses of countries  littered throughout the world that are products of failed socialist experiments. You dont want to end up like Venezuela or Zimbabwe 

" Better dead than red " 

 

[Malcador]

8 minutes ago, BruceVC said:

Malc that sounds very worryingly socialist ....never forget socialism has led to various carcasses of countries  littered throughout the world that are products of failed socialist experiments. You dont want to end up like Venezuela or Zimbabwe 

" Better dead than red " 

 

Well, I guess the person that said it was one, but the sentiment behind it is still pretty valid - fixing symptoms is great, root causes is too uncomfortable. 

  

59 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

I hate this ****ing prosperity gospel bull**** I always see peddled.

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Malcador

[Gfted1]

14 minutes ago, BruceVC said:

You dont want to end up like Venezuela or Zimbabwe 

Says you! I for one cant wait to whip out a 100T bill:

[ComradeYellow]

3 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

UBI would fix all the US problems. Make it happen, captain.

It's a start in the right direction but foresight tells me that structural change should be the long term goal.  Automation is crucial towards a more egalitarian world where nature and technology work hand in hand.

[ComradeYellow]

Populism Updates on Twitter: "This new Yang ad is incredible https://t.co/rHkS1FbONL" / Twitter

[Darkpriest]

1 hour ago, Gfted1 said:

Says you! I for one cant wait to whip out a 100T bill:

That sweet holla dollah! 

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, ComradeMaster said:

Populism Updates on Twitter: "This new Yang ad is incredible https://t.co/rHkS1FbONL" / Twitter

A whole new generation of Yang memes

[213374U]

3 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

Not at all. Material goods can be purchased by the government from private industry. We’re just adding a middleman. In fact middle men are very anti-communist you might say. Like I posted earlier if people need food assistance don’t give them money to buy food, give them food. In the form of prepackaged meals. How many adults in the house? How many children in the house? How many infants or children under two? OK here’s two weeks worth of food in two weeks you’ll get another shipment. This is one way to prevent things like selling EBT cards and taking cash back for use on things not food related. 

I’m not saying this is a workable idea. I’ve done zero research on it. Just throwing it out there to be noodled around.

I'd imagine one reason for vouchers instead of pre-packaged meals is logistics. Much easier to mail a bunch of coupons than a package containing food. Setting up a nation-wide delivery chain for foodstuffs isn't exactly trivial -- so the existing ones are used instead. The reason why deployed troops get MREs is because they can't just go to a convenience to trade in a voucher (I'm sure they'd prefer that if it was a possibility).

Also giving people MRE-like packages doesn't stop them from selling them or trading them for hooch or tweak. Cause/symptom and all that.

[Gromnir]

5 hours ago, Darkpriest said:

You are asking for a solution to be drafted ad hoc within minutes, clearly you can understand that whatever I would say, you could latch on and discredit with ease. Not going to entertain that. 

 

As for symptoms and causes, one can think in this context simiarly to chicken and egg question. 

 

is a decades/centuries old debate, so hardly requiring ad hoc. is not a novel problem requiring an immediate response sans possibility o' reflection or study. just 'cause you cannot find a solution at zerohedge does not mean the issues is new. nevertheless, is noteworthy you mock what you see as a self perpetuating cycle o' welfare, but then concede you got no idea how to fix the gratuitous handouts "problem."

and you cannot be serious with the chicken and egg bit. which came first, poverty or the welfare state? serious? is nothing chicken or egg about the problem. 'cause poverty is too big an issue to fix, governments focus on addressing individual symptoms. is no chicken or egg.

however, am gonna refuse to allow the misdirection and deflection. am thinking is obvious why you don't wanna address the "problem" you identified. let's circle back to your observation 'bout irresponsible people having children. tell us more... please.

HA! Good Fun!

[ComradeYellow]

Articles of Impeachment Filed Against President Joe Biden - Breaking911

First day on the job.

[Amentep]

1 hour ago, 213374U said:

I'd imagine one reason for vouchers instead of pre-packaged meals is logistics. Much easier to mail a bunch of coupons than a package containing food. Setting up a nation-wide delivery chain for foodstuffs isn't exactly trivial -- so the existing ones are used instead. The reason why deployed troops get MREs is because they can't just go to a convenience to trade in a voucher (I'm sure they'd prefer that if it was a possibility).

Also giving people MRE-like packages doesn't stop them from selling them or trading them for hooch or tweak. Cause/symptom and all that.

There's already companies that deliver meals or meal fixings for supper (at least one that claimed they can do all states fully except Alaska). So it may not be that far fetched of an idea.

9 minutes ago, ComradeMaster said:

Articles of Impeachment Filed Against President Joe Biden - Breaking911

First day on the job.

Greene (super QANON belieber) said she was going to do it.

[BruceVC]

One of our government spokesmen has died of the virus, he was good guy and did his job well and his death is all over the news and local media and it made me think about something. Why is he  really getting so much attention, thousands of South Africans have died from the virus and thousands more are going to die because of a variety of factors but primarily we lacked the resources and the failure of government to deal effectively with the virus and the spread 

But the spokesman who died wasnt a president or captain of industry. He was just a spokesman and known in our media but what makes his life more important than anyone else? What justifies  all this attention?

Am I being unreasonable or do I have a valid point ?

[IndiraLightfoot]

11 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

Says you! I for one cant wait to whip out a 100T bill:

That's one sad cow! (or African buffalo)

Still, remember folks. The numbers printed on bills or prices per se are not that important, even if it sure feels like it at the end of the month, sitting there settling your account. Money is nothing more than a gift commodity/medium of exchange like all of the others humanity have used over the millennia - arbitrary and sometimes laughable agreements.

Edited January 22, 2021 by IndiraLightfoot

[Darkpriest]

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/21/national-guard-troops-vacate-capitol-461220