The Republic Is Saved.

[spenser1058]

For the record, the Democrats this morning tried to give President Trump his $2000 but the Republicans blocked it. The folks in the GOP really should talk to each other before the government shuts down Monday.

[aent]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

For the record, the Democrats this morning tried to give President Trump his $2000 but the Republicans blocked it. The folks in the GOP really should talk to each other before the government shuts down Monday.

Did the Democrats cut out the billion dollars they're sending out of the country to places like Pakistan gender studies to fund it? Cause that was Trump/GOP's request

[AmIReal]

3 hours ago, aent said:

Did the Democrats cut out the billion dollars they're sending out of the country to places like Pakistan gender studies to fund it? Cause that was Trump/GOP's request

Hard to blame this problem on the dems since the COVID relief bill was "twinned" with the omnibus spending bill at the insistence of republican senators.  It didn't have to be this difficult.

[JFW657]

5 hours ago, aent said:

Did the Democrats cut out the billion dollars they're sending out of the country to places like Pakistan gender studies to fund it? Cause that was Trump/GOP's request

There was no "billions" earmarked for that program, which was not simply "gender studies" but rather a program to promote democracy and respect for women's rights.

According to the linked source, it was a $25 million total aid package with $10 million set aside for the afore mentioned program.

https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/us-congress-clears-25-million-for-democracy-gender-programmes-in-pakistan-120122201575_1.html 

[aent]

3 hours ago, JFW657 said:

There was no "billions" earmarked for that program, which was not simply "gender studies" but rather a program to promote democracy and respect for women's rights.

According to the linked source, it was a $25 million total aid package with $10 million set aside for the afore mentioned program.

https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/us-congress-clears-25-million-for-democracy-gender-programmes-in-pakistan-120122201575_1.html 

As I said, it was a billion dollars being sent out to other countries, that was just one example of one of the ridiculous items that makes up the billion, but I stand by my statement.

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, aent said:

As I said, it was a billion dollars being sent out to other countries, that was just one example of one of the ridiculous items that makes up the billion, but I stand by my statement.

How about you break down that billion by how much is going to which countries and how much is going to each purpose in each country, then tell us exactly which countries and purposes you support foreign aid for and which ones you don't.

Or are you in favor of doing away with all foreign aid and isolating America and lessening our influence and goodwill around the world and in the ME in particular?

[WAJAS]

On 12/24/2020 at 12:56 PM, aent said:

Did the Democrats cut out the billion dollars they're sending out of the country to places like Pakistan gender studies to fund it? Cause that was Trump/GOP's request

Ignoring the clear generalization, this package includes the omnibus spending for the government in 2021, which includes USAID programs. It's how the US keeps allies and supports our interests abroad. Is the idea that USAID should end? Because that could be a disaster for foreign policy. Also, correct me if I am wrong but that was a GOP request that Trump has not endorsed it.

[aent]

10 hours ago, WAJAS said:

Ignoring the clear generalization, this package includes the omnibus spending for the government in 2021, which includes USAID programs. It's how the US keeps allies and supports our interests abroad. Is the idea that USAID should end? Because that could be a disaster for foreign policy. Also, correct me if I am wrong but that was a GOP request that Trump has not endorsed it.

I did see Trump clearly call out the removal of much foreign aid spending, including these issues.

Obviously my belief is that we should drastically cut down the amount of aid given to other countries. Like, I can't imagine how giving Pakistan money for gender studies could possibly advance US interest and help us keep allies. My personal belief goes much further than the GOP does: I think we should only give foreign aid if we either get a direct benefit, or it is a direct response to a tragedy in that nation (not necessarily a natural disaster, but them being unfairly attacked). We need to get our budget under control. Going into even more debt to give other nations billions of dollars makes no sense to me.

Edited December 28, 2020 by aent

[orange87]

I think the U.S. should focus it's foreign aid to countries that are closer to us such and Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. Especially Haiti. It's the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Why do we have a country with poverty comparable to the poorest countries in Africa so close to us? As I've said before, I'm very familiar with Haiti as my wife was born there and most of her family was too. Haiti needs our help. And we should be good neighbors. The majority of Haiti doesn't have the basics of civilization. And for those of you who might tell me to put my money where my mouth is, I've donated a lot of money to Hope for Haiti which is a charity based in Florida that helps Haiti a lot. I've also wanted to actually visit Haiti, but my wife won't let me go there, at least not now, because there's immense instability and violence over there right now. There is a kidnapping epidemic going on there right now, and if they don't get the ransom money they just kill you and throw you in a dumpster with no fear of getting caught because there's almost total lawlessness in Haiti right now.

[JFW657]

3 hours ago, aent said:

I did see Trump clearly call out the removal of much foreign aid spending, including these issues.

Obviously my belief is that we should drastically cut down the amount of aid given to other countries. Like, I can't imagine how giving Pakistan money for gender studies could possibly advance US interest and help us keep allies. My personal belief goes much further than the GOP does: I think we should only give foreign aid if we either get a direct benefit, or it is a direct response to a tragedy in that nation (not necessarily a natural disaster, but them being unfairly attacked). We need to get our budget under control. Going into even more debt to give other nations billions of dollars makes no sense to me.

Well, you keep referring to it as "gender studies", which is not an accurate description. 

That's a common tactic used by the right when they want to de-legitimize something proposed or enacted by the left.

Put some trite, silly-sounding, tag on it so people will be immediately prejudiced against it.

The money is going to promote democracy and democratic ideals while educating the population about basic human rights for women who are still be treated like they were in the dark ages.

It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to visualize how helping a society move into a more modern, civilized way of thinking and promoting the fair and humane treatment of women would help bring about a more peaceful, less violence-prone country which would benefit the entire world, not just the US.

[prahaboheme]

8 hours ago, orange87 said:

I think the U.S. should focus it's foreign aid to countries that are closer to us such and Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. Especially Haiti. It's the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Why do we have a country with poverty comparable to the poorest countries in Africa so close to us? As I've said before, I'm very familiar with Haiti as my wife was born there and most of her family was too. Haiti needs our help. And we should be good neighbors. The majority of Haiti doesn't have the basics of civilization. And for those of you who might tell me to put my money where my mouth is, I've donated a lot of money to Hope for Haiti which is a charity based in Florida that helps Haiti a lot. I've also wanted to actually visit Haiti, but my wife won't let me go there, at least not now, because there's immense instability and violence over there right now. There is a kidnapping epidemic going on there right now, and if they don't get the ransom money they just kill you and throw you in a dumpster with no fear of getting caught because there's almost total lawlessness in Haiti right now.

I’d recommend reading The Serpent and the Rainbow for starters.

[spenser1058]

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House have approved the relief check increase for Americans to $2000 as requested by the President. It’s now up to the Republican-led Senate and Moscow Mitch to do the same.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/12/28/us/joe-biden-trump/the-house-voted-to-advance-2000-stimulus-checks-demanded-by-trump?referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 

Edited December 28, 2020 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Oh, this is fun. Bernie’s gonna filibuster Moscow Mitch’s vote to override the Defense veto unless he schedules a vote on the $2000.

Good to see the Democrats finally giving the GOP a dose of their own medicine...

[spenser1058]

We should mention the House added back adult dependent college students. Democrats LIKE education...

[orange87]

15 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

We should mention the House added back adult dependent college students. Democrats LIKE education...

Hopefully the U.S. will finally implement free public college in the near future too.

[jack]

2 hours ago, orange87 said:

Hopefully the U.S. will finally implement free public college in the near future too.

 

On 12/27/2020 at 8:21 PM, orange87 said:

I think the U.S. should focus it's foreign aid to countries that are closer to us such and Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. Especially Haiti. It's the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Why do we have a country with poverty comparable to the poorest countries in Africa so close to us? As I've said before, I'm very familiar with Haiti as my wife was born there and most of her family was too. Haiti needs our help. And we should be good neighbors. The majority of Haiti doesn't have the basics of civilization. And for those of you who might tell me to put my money where my mouth is, I've donated a lot of money to Hope for Haiti which is a charity based in Florida that helps Haiti a lot. I've also wanted to actually visit Haiti, but my wife won't let me go there, at least not now, because there's immense instability and violence over there right now. There is a kidnapping epidemic going on there right now, and if they don't get the ransom money they just kill you and throw you in a dumpster with no fear of getting caught because there's almost total lawlessness in Haiti right now.

That’s not really the point of aid. It generally is for us to gain geopolitically, not because we are altruistic. 

19 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Oh, this is fun. Bernie’s gonna filibuster Moscow Mitch’s vote to override the Defense veto unless he schedules a vote on the $2000.

Good to see the Democrats finally giving the GOP a dose of their own medicine...

I prefer cocaine Mitch. 

[spenser1058]

Let’s all sing “Georgia On My Mind” while we wait for Tuesday...

[spenser1058]

Josh Hawley, the Missouri senator who is taking the voter fraud canard to Congress on Jan. 6, is being funded by, among others, the DeVos family. Remember that the next time you pay them for Magic tickets and support city funds going to their unbuilt entertainment complex. Also remember it the next time you vote for “Democrat” Buddy Dyer.

Edited January 2, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

On 12/17/2020 at 10:59 PM, spenser1058 said:

I know this is probably something only us old folks can appreciate, but if you’re a fan of Shields and Brooks on the PBS News Hour, Friday night will be Mark’s last regular appearance. If you’ve ever wondered where civilized politics went, theirs was the last redoubt every Friday night for 12 minutes or so just before the show closed.

It’s on starting at 7pm on WUCF or you can stream it afterward at pbs.org.

PBS has announced Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post will be taking over for Mark Shields starting this Friday:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/pulitzer-prize-winning-journalist-jonathan-capehart-named-pbs-newshour-regular-contributor

 

[nite owℓ]

On 1/1/2021 at 9:00 PM, spenser1058 said:

Let’s all sing “Georgia On My Mind” while we wait for Tuesday...

Surprised you haven't posted about the leaked phone call between Trump and Georgia's Secretary of State: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-04/trump-s-phone-call-to-georgia-to-flip-election-is-what-a-coup-looks-like

“So what are we going to do here folks?” Trump asked during the one-hour call. “I only need 11,000 votes. Fellas, I need 11,000 votes.”

The silence from the Republican Party is deafening.

Good riddance.

 

[spenser1058]

13 minutes ago, nite owℓ said:

Surprised you haven't posted about the leaked phone call between Trump and Georgia's Secretary of State: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-04/trump-s-phone-call-to-georgia-to-flip-election-is-what-a-coup-looks-like

“So what are we going to do here folks?” Trump asked during the one-hour call. “I only need 11,000 votes. Fellas, I need 11,000 votes.”

The silence from the Republican Party is deafening.

Good riddance.

 

I figure it pretty much speaks for itself. What was even more shocking was Perdue shaming the victim by saying the Secretary of State should be ashamed for recording it.

It’s just typical of the GOP, though. No morals anymore, just pure greed.

[nite owℓ]

14 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I figure it pretty much speaks for itself. What was even more shocking was Perdue shaming the victim by saying the Secretary of State should be ashamed for recording it.

It’s just typical of the GOP, though. No morals anymore, just pure greed.

His legal counsel may have advised recording the call... especially considering how Republicans refused to believe James Comey even though he took notes during his meetings/conversations with Trump. I doubt the recording will change anything for Trump's base.

Edited January 4, 2021 by nite owℓ

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, nite owℓ said:

His legal counsel may have advised recording the call... especially considering how Republicans refused to believe James Comey even though he took notes during his meetings/conversations with Trump. I doubt the recording will change anything for Trump's base.

Given the way Trump has treated him, it would have been shocking for him not to record it.

[spenser1058]

Quote of the Day from Twitter:

“Dear Bank of America,

Could you find $11,780 more dollars to add to my savings account? Everyone in your bank counted wrong.

Thank You.”

Edited January 4, 2021 by spenser1058

[orange87]

7 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

I figure it pretty much speaks for itself. What was even more shocking was Perdue shaming the victim by saying the Secretary of State should be ashamed for recording it.

It’s just typical of the GOP, though. No morals anymore, just pure greed.

Let's be fair here. When Trump was leading in those four or so states that Biden miraculously ended up winning because they kept *cough* "finding votes," resulting in Biden winning the Presidency despite losing Florida and Ohio. The Democrats tried to frame it as "every sacred vote must be counted for the sake of all that is good and holy." You called us conspiracy theorists for merely thinking that's awfully fishy. But when Trump tries to do exactly what the Democrats did... "find votes" oh sorry... "make sure every sacred vote is counted" then and only then do you suddenly see it as fishy. What Trump did is bad and fishy too. But I can't take anyone seriously at all when they show such blatant hypocrisy. Both parties are equally corrupt (hint: they're on the same team) and that the R and D are to create the illusion of choice. Anyone who doesn't recognize that is a fool.

I'm ready for Biden. He's our next President. But you look like a retard if you are now claiming election rigging is impossible after we spent the last four years getting beaten over the head with schizophrenic bonkers lunatic top secret Russian agent conspiracy theories. All I'm saying is be fair and consistent. Or don't. Whatever.