US Election 2012...the aftermath

[Wrath of Dagon]

A bit off topic, but we discussed this extensively in the past and I didn't want to start a new thread; enhanced interrogation -  http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/human_nature/2013/01/the_case_for_torture_ex_cia_officials_explain_enhanced_interrogations.html

Edited February 2, 2013 by Wrath of Dagon

[Agiel]

Anyone who believes that torture is necessary to extract actionable intelligence has not read of Hanns Scharff:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanns_Scharff

 

And the hilarious thing is, he did a lecture for the CIA on interrogation.

[Wrath of Dagon]

So, he got info out of them by threatening to (illegally, since these were legitimate POW's) to turn them over to the Gestapo. I think that tactic would've worked on Al Qaeda also. And it's not hilarious, it says in your link US interrogation techniques are based on his methods. Apparently they didn't work on everyone being interrogated. Plus don't you think the enemy reads Wikipedia also and are prepared for those tactics?

[Agiel]

You don't bat a thousand with torture either, far from it, in fact. The fact that officials are tight-lipped as to what useful information was gleaned from waterboarding compared to high-profile successes that did not involve torture like this case (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/05/the-ploy/305773/) is telling as well.

[Wrath of Dagon]

No one's claiming otherwise. But sometimes you don't have all the time in the world:

“the slow, deliberate exploitation of leads and opportunities, person to person,” all striving to answer just one critical question: Where is Zarqawi right now?

Edited February 2, 2013 by Wrath of Dagon

[Gorth]

Speaking of time... (and rather tangential, I know), the Australian PM, Julia "Backstabber" Gillard, has announced the election date... prepare for 8 months of election campaign. Being a very autocratic person, she's probably still pissed off that they haven't added "Dear Leader" to her official title.

[alanschu]

I'm guessing you like her as PM.

[Gorth]

I'm guessing you like her as PM.

 

I hate her guts. Only problem is, the opposition leader makes Dan Quayle look like a shining beacon of intellectual prowess by comparison. Good thing I'm not eligible for voting, I would be ashamed of voting for either or

[Meshugger]

So, after the reelection:

 

- Guantanamo still stands with the inmates that have had no trial, and possibly never will

- Patriot act i still alive and kicking

- Drone strikes are ok, even targeting American citizens (thinking of the the Anwar Al-Alwaki case)

 

Where's the protests, where's the outrage? Where's Michael Moore? Is all of this ok since the president smokes weed, is pro-gay and listens to Jay-Z?

[Hurlshort]

The guy was confirmed like two weeks ago, yikes.

[Malcador]

Already been around for 4 years before that, though.

[alanschu]

The problem is that I'm skeptical either of those issues would be resolved had a different president (especially a Republican one) been in power.

 

 

Given the economy is still recovering, they aren't going to be the big pressing issues that people care about (except maybe the Patriot Act).

[Calax]

The problem is that I'm skeptical either of those issues would be resolved had a different president (especially a Republican one) been in power.

 

 

Given the economy is still recovering, they aren't going to be the big pressing issues that people care about (except maybe the Patriot Act).

To be fair, at least one of them was totally shut down by various backdoor amendments to congressional acts. No state will allow Gitmo detainees to be placed there, and Congress made it so that Obama can't give them to foreign powers under any circumstances.

[Tsuga C]

For those of you who missed the State of the Union speach last night, here's a convenient summary for you.  How true, how true! 

[Calax]

For those of you who missed the State of the Union speach last night, here's a convenient summary for you.  How true, how true! 

Cut out about half the cute little "jokes" and you've actually got a good summary.

[alanschu]

Does he equate any women to be prostitutes?  I have certain standards to expect from Rush now.

[Calax]

Nah, it's basically the talking points from the speech with "Obama" saying that he certainly hasn't done whatever he's telling everyone else to do, or that he doesn't expect to be held to the same standards etc.

[Guard Dog]

The State of the Union speech is just a little bit of necessary political theater. Very little of what is discussed can be afforded or ever impleminted. I don't remember when it stopped being a real important thing... sometime during Clinton's second term I guess. I don't even watch it anyomre. Once upon a time it was must-see for anyone who follows politics in the US. Just to show how absurd the whole thing has become CNN has been gleefully (yes really) speculating the Marco Rubio's carteer might be over because he took a sip of water.

 

I'd rather watch Discovery Channel.

[NOK222]

Does he equate any women to be prostitutes?  I have certain standards to expect from Rush now.

He does, he has called woman whores on his radio show. 

[Tsuga C]

And the dreadful nonsense from this administration just keeps on coming.  Representative Candice Miller [R] from Harrison Twp., MI is interviewed by Frank Beckmann, WJR 760am radio.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Tsuga C

[Valsuelm]

And the dreadful nonsense from this administration just keeps on coming.  Representative Candice Miller [R] from Harrison Twp., MI is interviewed by Frank Beckmann, WJR 760am radio.

 

She sounds just like 90%+ of the other total incompetents on Capital Hill....

 

This 'sequester' stuff is utter BS. That some people aren't getting paid and the White House is closed is ridiculous on levels beyond epic when we're still sending hundreds of billions overseas, buying tanks to use against US Citizens, subsiding all sorts of private industry we shouldn't, various corps are paying little to no taxes, and the list goes on to the point if someone made a comprehensive one it'd probably reach the post cap on this forum before it was complete.

 

The whole thing is PR and propaganda, and anyone not calling that out that works on Capital Hill is part of the problem.

[Guard Dog]

There has been so much wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Sequester that Obam proposed and insisted on (then blamed on Republicans) but the funny thing is, the media is deliberately creating the impression the federal government has no money, they are spending over $3.9 Trillion and the cuts are $85 Billion. Last year they spent $3.7 Trillion. So you see, the total amout of the cuts is LESS THAN THE INCREASE from this year to last. And since Obama is in charge of actually spending the money he can pick what gets cut. That's why the DOJ is releasing prisoners, the Border Patrol is laying people off etc. He WANTS to make this painful so people will be good and mad for the 2014 election and all along he'll be blaming the other side for everything he's done.

 

Oh, and in case anyone wondered that will fall short of revenue by some $900 Billion. They could not raise taxes enough to close that gap without ruining the economy

 

Think about that when you are high fiving over the stock market gains this week. That's why I'm buying gold, silver and other real commodities. Something BAD is coming if this isn't fixed.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Guard Dog

[alanschu]

I never understood the reliance on precious metals/commodities as being the stable investments in down times.  Their value is as arbitrarily decided as the value for anything else.

[Tsuga C]

She...

...would generally agree with you on what you wrote. You seem to have missed the message entirely.

[Guard Dog]

I never understood the reliance on precious metals/commodities as being the stable investments in down times.  Their value is as arbitrarily decided as the value for anything else.

 

It's because they are somewhat insulated from inflationary swings becuase they are not tied to any currency. I actually would not reccomend buying into gold right now, it is way over priced and the longer we go without a real fiscal collpase the closer we get to a correction. It's been declining a little bit lately. I started buying when it was a little under $800. I actually liquidated a chunk of it last year to pay off my truck and pay my share of the start up costs of our company. I started buying silver two years ago and it has been steadily climbing. I was thinking about selling the whole thing and getting into real estate but that is still too unstable for me.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Guard Dog