Mr engineer, when there are two parties, sentence structure demands you use plurals….both sides have THEIR share of undesirables. An engineer should see grammar as a clearly defined structure that follows simple rules and just get it. Spelling is different, but grammar should be a no brainer….why is it so hard for you? Have you never seen it that way, or was engineering incredibly difficult for you too?

The difference being one side is all undesirables, and the level of undesirability. One side openly calls for an end to American democracy, death for their political rivals, death for anyone who disagrees with today’s talking point. One side has no party platform, no stated goals, and exists solely to stop any legislation the other side puts forth, even when it was something they want or that would benefit them. They are the same side.

We found another point of agreement.

Term limits are a must, and will never happen because our system does put the regulatory onus on those who need regulating….absolute insanity. It also lets them set their own salaries, ethics, and benefits.

Divestment is another must. Perhaps a bigger must. Total divestment across the board. Not just blind trusts that aren’t really blind, and absolutely not what we have now…the “honor” system run by the honorless. Allowing legislatures to write horrific laws because they can personally financially benefit is a recipe for disaster. That should (but never will) change.

Campaign finance is a third must. Corporations should have the same donation limits individuals have, which should be more like $100 each so every person can afford to have a voice, and we should return to an equal time on broadcast tv for free situation and deny the media as a political platform to give candidates a boost….no more Fox News interviews indistinguishable from campaign commercials, no more media smear campaigns, with severe penalties for violations, like $10 mil the first time, $25 mil the second, loss of fcc license the third. Another non starter….but needed badly.

PACs should be outlawed, or regulated into obscurity.

Some reasons often brought up in opposition to term limits can be traced back to Maddison who wrote "[A] few of the members of Congress will possess superior talents; will by frequent re-elections, become members of long standing; will be thoroughly masters of the public business, and perhaps not unwilling to avail themselves of those advantages. The greater the proportion of new members of Congress, and the less the information of the bulk of the members, the more apt they be to fall into the snares that may be laid before them,"

I think we have proven at this point the cons of self serving representatives legislating for personal gains outweigh the benefits of professional legislators, especially seeing as we have the internet and huge staffs to ostensibly level the playing field of knowledge.

One fix would be the creation of an ethics branch, completely non partisan, not self regulatory, with rules against former candidates (winners and losers) and lobbyists too from serving and strict rules about how they operate, and bans from running for office or being a lobbyist afterwards so it doesn’t become a campaign platform or tool for industry. Maybe even ban close family members from the same. Won’t happen, only the best people intentionally limit their powers, and they are few and far between in Congress….all but absent on your side.

Probably for the best. We’ve all seen it….and worse by now. 150000 children kidnapped and taken to Russia for re-education and quick adoption by Russians who lost sons in the war. Why aren’t we giving Ukraine back their nukes if we aren’t keeping the agreement that convinced them to give them up?

Still no answer to posting an insanely edited misrepresentation video….no surprise. You’re an infant. A dishonest racist and sexist infant propagandist.

Yes Bob.
Because she’s a black woman, you can’t accept that she’s accomplished, that she earned her position. That is racist and sexist. I know your little brain has trouble figuring that out.

You are a blatant racist piece of shit. Evidence: your comment above and all previous racist comments
You are a blatant sexist piece of shit. Evidence: your comment above and previous sexist comments
You are an ignorant, moronic piece of shit. Evidence: all your previous comments
You are a pro Putin, anti American, anti democratic piece of shit. Evidence: many of your previous comments.
Plenty of hammer and sickles, Russian, and nazi flags at your far right rallies…for years now. Not found at Democratic rallies, you dumb shit.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-cpac-russian-flags-speech-republicans-support-president-latest-a7598276.html

Better red than blue is a Republican slogan, you lying piece of shit.
We should be friends with Putin and let him expand is a Trump position, not Biden dumbshit.


All those are insults to shit and complimentary to you….better than you deserve. You lying worthless waste of skin. Fuck you you liar.

All delusional nonsense bullshit Bob. How many Republicans went on international tv to tell those immigrants the border is wide open, starting new waves of immigrants? Not one Democrat did that.
Energy independence is a lie, we never stopped importing oil, you liar. We produce more oil today than under Trump.
Inflation is a Trump legacy, idiot. It will get worse. That’s the problem with just printing 1/3 of every dollar over 4 years, it makes every dollar worth 1/3 less. Trump did that, not Biden. When inflation hits over 33%, we can talk….until then keep your ignorant whining to yourself.

Trump spent far more money than any two terms of any administration and for that we had a recession, 750000 dead, Russia expanding, a useless wall that hasn’t stopped a single immigrant, inflation through the roof, negative GDP, skyrocketed unemployment, an insurrection, etc. Nothing good to show for it, no investments in America, just failed trade agreements, wasteful spending like drunken sailors, huge debt, loss of international standing, loss of allies, recession, and unprecedented death.

Anti immigration = anti American. Anti democracy = anti American. Pro Russia = anti American. Pro China = anti American. Vote fraud = anti American. Insanely high deficits = anti American. Doubling the debt = anti American. Tax breaks for the rich = anti American. Removal of social safety nets = anti American. Racism = anti American. Sexism = anti American. Fraud = anti American. Insurrection = anti American. White Nationalism = anti American. Suggesting the death penalty for people not even charged with a crime = anti American. These are all Trump policies, bob.

I paid less for gas last week than I paid in 2019, dumbass. $5 a gal for super.

I know you don’t remember, because it wasn’t yesterday, but Trump policies caused all your issues…including your panicked insanity. Trump was the worst president in history by far by almost every measure. Biden is an unqualified success by comparison, and you can’t stand it so you go off on insane sexist racist rants, like accusing the accomplished professional VP of sleeping her way to the top despite not having a clue with who or how that could work in public office.

Edit: Here’s your chance, exactly who do you claim she slept with to be elected VP? 1/2 of America? The entire DNC? Who? How does that work, exactly? (Don’t worry, no one expects you to be able to answer, we know you don’t have a clue, and that you can never back up your hysterical delusional racist claims).

Biden removed the national cancer. He’s a winner no matter what else happens.
Trump will always be the biggest loser, the worst president in history by far. He made W look reasonable and competent! Deal with it.

Edit: oops…I missed the part where shipping logistics are now Biden’s fault, even though the issue began in 2020 and is purely in the private sector. I guess you are upset Biden hasn’t nationalized the ports so he can take control? Same complaint about the oil industry. If it’s Biden’s issue, you must be suggesting he take charge, and the only way possible would be by the nationalization of private industry. Who’s the socialist? ROTFLMFAHS!!!

No, he lucked out, but Trump’s foreign policy was worse. He just capitulated to international thugs, cozied up to them except Iran. That’s why Ukraine was already occupied and Crimea recognized. It’s why N Korea advanced their capabilities so much. It’s why the Taliban gained so much power in 2020. He actually claimed China used biological warfare against us (utter bullshit, but his position), but made no moves against them in retaliation. No wars happen if you don’t oppose our enemies.

Biden isn’t my god, he’s far from perfect, he’s just an improvement. Being instrumental in opposing Assad gassing his own people is a bad thing? I was disappointed we didn’t depose him quickly with international support.

The Ukrainian parliament threw Yanukovych out in Feb 2014 on the grounds that he "has restrained himself from performing his constitutional duties" and effectively resigned. He had surprised everyone by abandoning an agreement made with Europe to be part of a free trade union, shocking the country, and instead intended to strengthen ties with Russia, and had been murdering protesters in the streets when he fled the country.

The people of Ukraine and Russia will suffer. Germany too. Probably all NATO nations….and all countries dependent on Russian aid.

My idea would have been to threaten Putin months ago that if one MORE Russian soldier or piece of military equipment crosses the border into Ukraine, we will fast track Ukraine into the UN immediately, permanently recognizing their actual borders, if he doesn’t send more military, we can negotiate peacefully with UN status on hold…and get solidarity with our allies on the plan. Maybe simplistic, but it’s what he fears, use it.

That is the point of discussion, right?

I know a true gold standard is inferior to a well functioning reserve bank issuing paper money and an international exchange standard based on mutual trade agreements.

I am not sure I can explain it well or convince you, but I like you so I try.

Unfortunately the matter seems to be complicated.

The fact that something has, as you put it, "real" value is actually a bad thing, as clipping gold coins is as old as gold coins.

So let us assume gold coins are out and we are going to use some form of symbolic money...

Nope this will not fit in this thread.

The cars compared were as I described. There are no truly comparable electric vehicles available today. Somehow you think that’s a dig at Tesla? It’s a compliment, and a lament.

Not at all. I would love one. They have made missteps however.
Not a fan of Musk.
What should be clear is I’m not a fan of bullshit.

I’m also not a fan of monopolies.
I’m also not a fan of successful companies bargaining away their tax liabilities for little in return for the public.
I’m not really a fan of space tourism for billionaires either, not while poverty exists. What a waste of resources for no return.

Chip shortages are the only real obstacle, the rest are speed bumps.

It’s a problem if you don’t want to pay $60k for a $25k car…I thought inflation was bad. Now you love it?

Tesla made deals to not pay taxes. You can pretend that’s patriotic, it’s not. I didn’t say they ignored or committed fraud to escape taxes, I said they don’t pay them. That kind of agreement shouldn’t be acceptable for any company, especially one as profitable as Tesla. Yes, it’s a “the governor and/or legislature can waive taxes for companies he likes” policy issue, I find it abhorrent no matter which party does it, they both do.

If you backroom deal with right wing governors/legislatures to avoid taxes, you are far right, at least economically. I thought he came out as a Trump guy too, but might be wrong.

? how so ?

For the people who hate him and anything and everything he does maybe. As for me...

-------------------
-------------------

The bitch the former admin had in charge of the Department of Education tried to fuck me and everyone else who upheld their end of a 10 year contract to teach in inner city schools, with Joe Biden and im proud to say my own state rep

PASSED THROUGH BOTH HOUSES
SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
NOW IT'S LAW
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/s848
Thanks to passing this, now the republican's aren't going to reneg on a 10 year agreement and turn that shit basically into a huge extra debt for me. That's good. Not to mention the recent ruling with predatory lending practices through NAVIENT. I been making double/triple payments on a student loan through them and still not cracked the principle balance for some reason. (the reason is, what they were doing is criminal) (thanks biden!)


PASSED THROUGH BOTH HOUSES
SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
NOW IT'S LAW
My brother became addicted to opioids after a tendon replacement in his heel. Almost OD'd- Biden signed / passed a bill to combat that https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr4981

Thanks Biden!!!


>PASSED THROUGH BOTH HOUSES
SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
NOW IT'S LAW
My daughter's rare neurodegenerative disease received funding to continue to study to treat and help prevent it in the future. That's good. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr3537/text

Thanks Biden!!!


>PASSED THROUGH BOTH HOUSES
SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
NOW IT'S LAW
The American Rescue Plan https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr1319

Thanks Biden!!!


>PASSED THROUGH BOTH HOUSES
SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
NOW IT'S LAW
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr3684

Thanks Biden!!!




Maybe not a good year if all your friends and fam are dying because they wear red hats instead of masks like fucking dumbasses.

I think the worst part of these summits is their stated goals.
Paris intended to keep warming to 1.5 degrees by 2050 (no real plan beyond then)…but you might recall, 1.5 degrees of warming is considered the tipping point where feedback loops and natural processes outpace human inputs, meaning even if we hit zero emissions by 2050, and if everyone kept to their Paris agreement promises, and if other nations don’t continue to ramp up emissions, and if unforeseen feedback loops aren’t stronger or faster acting than predicted, we still lose control completely by 2050. That’s the best plan we have, runaway climate shifts in <30 years AT BEST….and no one seems to be living up to even that planned disaster of a plan. Emissions aren’t being cut, they’re increasing. Feedback loops are ramping up 40 years earlier than predicted. All the while, people are complaining that gas is over $3 (I haven’t seen it under $4 in decades where I live) and insisting we adopt some heavily polluting power generation instead of investing in green energy solutions. People assume, it seems, that some last minute fix will solve climate change, ignoring the fact that emissions from today are reactive in the atmosphere for between 25 and 150 years, so we needed to be at net zero 25 years ago to even start effecting the atmosphere today…and some emissions from the industrial revolution are still effecting us now. Net zero by 2050 (a pipe dream, and the best plan so far) is planning to fail completely…like turning off the blast furnace in your house when the thermometer hits 450.5 inside and thinking you can stop it from burning down.
If Covid taught us anything, it’s that there is 0% chance humans will be able to cooperate enough to tackle climate change. People were asked to simply wear a mask and distance a bit to save their lives, and enough refused to do it that the methods that worked beautifully elsewhere failed miserably to control a virus. If we can’t pull off such a simple, blatantly obvious plan against a virus, what chance is there of cooperation across the board to sacrifice enormous amounts of money and completely revamp our wasteful way of life in uncountable ways to stop something seen as a future problem by many? IMO, there so little chance of pulling it off that it’s statistically correct to say there’s absolutely no chance at all.

I don't know, but there's a few things that concern me:

1. Underestimating your advisory. We did this with Japan in the lead up to WW2. Great powers always fight the last war they won. In our case, that's WW2. China learned from the war they lost as well: WW2, and they're not going to make the same mistakes twice.

2. Ambiguous defense posture. This is how England got dragged into WW1 due to an uncertain position if Germany invaded France. Germany gambled that England wouldn't get involved because it had no spoken mutual defense agreement with France. Had the defense pact been made readily clear, it's possible Germany wouldn't have invaded.

2. Use it or lose it weapons. In WW1, one of the main issues with the initial invasion was train schedules. Things had to go perfectly to get men and material to the front line and any hiccup could delay a military victory. Once the very first German troop train left the station, there was no way to stop the invasion. Now we've got a situation where a war over Taiwan would be won or lost in about an hour of the first shot. China knows that should the US get involved, China's military assets are going to be blown up and fast. This puts China in a situation where they might choose the launch everything in a maximum impact first strike. Faced with overwhelming damage, the US would be forced to make some hard choices about how to respond. Would it go nuclear? It's according to how much Taiwan means to us.

"It won't happen". Go to Europe and see how many tombstones bear that inscription.

I'd say 50/50.

There's a HUGE difference behind the agreement though.

newtboy's saying the bad apples need to pay for their crimes.

bk's saying "how DARE those blue shirts give the victims a chance at compensation!? Fuck... for THAT they deserve to be fired. Not jailed, just fired. And let the taxpayers pay for all of it."

"So you agree that women wanting to leave TX to receive this, should be allowed? Right? Easy is the word." yes, but don't expect to return because you committed murder and that's a crime in Texas.

"You'd be against the idea that anyone could be fined or arrested for transporting the women. Right? Easy enough." Helping to commit murder is a crime.

"So if it wasn't easy for a poor person to travel - your okay w/groups or even businesses helping those who don't like it to get them out of TX? Right? Letting them get the procedure and returning them after. Paying for their travel is an easy solution to the problem - right? " Again, all of those examples are accomplices in committing murder.

"And if it became the norm, are your okay with independent services or organized groups - like an over-the-ground railroad - helping women to get out of states that make it impossible to get a legalized abortion into states that have more realistic laws? If it's done in another state, doesn't break TX's law (or any other state's) - then no crime. Right? No trouble for her or from the state of TX (or any other state entity). Easy peezy." Again, all of those examples are accomplices in committing murder.

"So you are easily in agreement w/the ease of these solutions. Right?" Yes, commit murder and expect the full extent of the law in Texas.

"They don't like it. They can take it to another state. " Yes, just don't return because you committed murder.

"As easy as that?" yes as easy as that. Murder is a crime. Can't be simpler.

So you agree that women wanting to leave TX to receive this, should be allowed? Right? Easy is the word.

You'd be against the idea that anyone could be fined or arrested for transporting the women. Right? Easy enough.

You'd be against reporting people that aid in getting the women into a state that is allows the legal procedure - right? Fall off the log easy.

So if it wasn't easy for a poor person to travel - your okay w/groups or even businesses helping those who don't like it to get them out of TX? Right? Letting them get the procedure and returning them after. Paying for their travel is an easy solution to the problem - right?

And if it became the norm, are your okay with independent services or organized groups - like an over-the-ground railroad - helping women to get out of states that make it impossible to get a legalized abortion into states that have more realistic laws? If it's done in another state, doesn't break TX's law (or any other state's) - then no crime. Right? No trouble for her or from the state of TX (or any other state entity). Easy peezy.

So you are easily in agreement w/the ease of these solutions. Right?

They don't like it. They can take it to another state.

Easy.

As easy as that?

Nope, sorry. Another total failure of your memory.

This is Trump's retreat, negotiated by Trump with the criminal terrorists who gave up absolutely nothing to get Trump's unconditional surrender and retreat. In the process, Trump delegitimized and abandoned the legitimate Afghan government and indicated they would not be supported by the U.S. military. He also abandoned those Afghanis who risked their lives to help us, making absolutely no plans to identify or allow them to immigrate here, instead actually putting active road blocks in the way, slowing or discarding their applications, and not staffing positions required to process applications. Biden was left to facilitate the disastrous agreement Trump made when he "negotiated" (actually just capitulated) with terrorists but did not prepare for. Biden failed to fix this disastrous withdrawal Trump caused and botched, he didn't cause it.

I understand, with an IQ below 75, it's hard for you to remember who did what. Trump made this happen, bragged about it until a few weeks ago. Trump released 5000+ of the Taliban from prison then unconditionally surrendered to them last spring without consulting the Afghan government. The only concession he got was an agreement from terrorists to not attack the U.S. during the retreat until May but attacking the Afghanis was allowed...Biden got that extended through August.

Got 25th? Could you mean implement the 25th amendment? When did right wing nutjobs lose their ability to speak English?

Won't happen....if Delusional Donny wasn't demented and dementia riddled enough to remove, Biden has nothing to worry about at all. His mental state makes Trump look like a Alzheimer's patient and stroke victim who's addicted to crack. Is that why he's besties with the My Crackpipe Guy now....that's his dealer?
Are you advocating for President Harris? How about President Pelosi? Do you even realize that's what happens if Biden was removed? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! Lol.

The RNC reportedly just removed the pages on their website where for the last 18 months they had bragged about the historic "peace deal" (read as unconditional surrender to the Taliban and abandonment of the Afghan government) Trump negotiated with the Taliban that included the total withdrawal of American troops by May 1st and the ONLY stipulation was the Taliban not directly and intentionally attack US soldiers during the retreat. Of course, there was no peace deal, only a temporary ceasefire against Americans while we withdrew....but not a ceasefire between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban, and without our support the Afghanis folded like a Trump run business.

I guess the Republicans wanted kudos for "negotiating with" (surrendering to) 12th century religious zealots who had no intention of sharing power or keeping their agreements, while not involving the government of Afghanistan in talks about their nation, making it a certainty the zealots would quickly regain full control of Afghanistan and our 20 years of nation building (and all the American lives lost and billions spent) would be a waste, but now they don't want responsibility for the foreseeable results. Why does that sound familiar? (Covid)

Big assumption. Many Hitler youth made the choice to fight for Germany, and joined on their own before children were being drafted.

As for those that were conscripted, is it your position that draftees are somehow immune from responsibility for murdering their neighbors, women, children, rapes, burning towns, or planting millions of landmines on foreign soil, etc? How convenient for them. I don't believe that's a popular or legal position.

I take responsibility for my actions. If their fate was mine, I would be eternally grateful I was treated so much better than I would have treated them if the tables were turned. I would be part of an invading Nazi army, trying to undo just a tiny bit of the damage we had caused, doing so at the direction of my superiors just like when I caused the situation. I would deserve execution, not release. This assumes I wouldn't have the spine to refuse to be a Nazi and be imprisoned or executed.

If the majority of Germans weren't complicit, the Nazis would have never come to power. You give them far too much credit. From the holocaust encyclopedia- "Opposition to the Nazi regime also arose among a very small number of German youth, some of whom resented mandatory membership in the Hitler Youth." Same with adults, the opposition was a minority by far, not the majority of Germans. Who told you that?

"Survived the fighting"? "Here"? "They"? Please finish your thoughts so they have meaning. You seem to be equating Nazi soldiers with the Jews they tried to eradicate. What?!?

The Geneva convention we know today was ratified in 1949. The accords of 1929 were found to be totally insufficient to protect POWs, civilians, infrastructure, etc. Yes, Germany did appear violate it's vague provisions....so did the allies. That's why it was strengthened in 49.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Conventions

What provision of the 1929 version do you claim this violates?

Articles 20, 21, 22, and 23 states that officers and persons of equivalent status who are prisoners of war shall be treated with the regard due their rank and age and provide more details on what that treatment should be.
Or
Articles 27 to 34 covers labour by prisoners of war. Work must fit the rank and health of the prisoners. The work must not be war-related and must be safe work. ("Safe" and "war related" being intentionally vague and unenforceable).
Please explain the specific violation that makes mine removal a "war crime". It's not war related, the war was over, and it's "safe" if done properly.
Since this was done at the direction of German officers, the convention as written then doesn't apply.

Death camp!!! LOL. Now I know you aren't serious.
"The removal was part of a controversial agreement between the German Commander General Georg Lindemann, the Danish Government and the British Armed Forces, under which German soldiers with experience in defusing mines would be in charge of clearing the mine fields.
This makes it a case of German soldiers under German officers and NCOs clearing mines under the agreement of the German commander in Denmark who remained at his post for a month after the surrender - this means Germany accepted that they had responsibility to remove the mines - they just had far too few experienced mine clearance experts and far too many “drafted” mine clearers with no real experience in doing so." So, if it's a war crime, it's one the Germans committed against themselves.

I'm happy to say that anything done to a Nazi soldier is ethical, age notwithstanding. Many Nazi youth were more zealous and violent than their adult counterparts. Removing their DNA from the gene pool would have been ethical, but illegal. Taking their country to create Israel would have been ethical, but didn't happen.

At the time, there were few mechanical means of mine removal, they didn't work on wet ground, they required a tank and that the area be pre-cleared of anti tank mines, they often get stuck on beaches, and had just over a 50% clearance rate, cost $300-$1000 per mine removed, and they were in extremely short supply after the war. The Germans volunteered in this instance. Now, the Mine Ban Treaty gives each state the primary responsibility to clear its own mines, just like this agreement did.

So you know, the film is fiction, not history. Maybe read up on the real history before attacking countries over a fictional story. History isn't nearly as cut and dry as it's presented, neither are war crimes.