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Science, Culture, & Humanities / Re: Rod Laver
« on: November 20, 2024, 09:49:10 PM »
Yes, Lefty Rod Laver won two pure Grand Slams. He won all 4 majors in the same year, twice, no one else has ever done that once (in singles)..
I had a chance to meet some legends of the game when World Team Tennis came to our town (some 50 year ago) and I was stringing racquets for players on our team including Bob Hewitt (who won 15 Grand Slam doubles titles) and Australian Owen Davidson who had just won the US Open Doubles with John Newcombe and won Wimbledon in mixed doubles that year playing with Billie Jean King. He introduced me to both anewcombe and King when they came to town. Both were former number one in the world in both singles and doubles. Exciting for a kid learning the game.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Davidson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newcombe
I had a chance to meet some legends of the game when World Team Tennis came to our town (some 50 year ago) and I was stringing racquets for players on our team including Bob Hewitt (who won 15 Grand Slam doubles titles) and Australian Owen Davidson who had just won the US Open Doubles with John Newcombe and won Wimbledon in mixed doubles that year playing with Billie Jean King. He introduced me to both anewcombe and King when they came to town. Both were former number one in the world in both singles and doubles. Exciting for a kid learning the game.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Davidson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newcombe
3
Science, Culture, & Humanities / Elite Athletes, Rafael Nadal
« on: November 20, 2024, 09:44:37 AM »
A nice review of a great man, great champion.
I must admit I always pulled for Roger Federer so it took time to realize what an amazingly player and athlete Nadal was.
The article is worth reading. Most world champions are loaded with ego. Once in a while you find one loaded with character.
https://www.realclearbooks.com/articles/2024/11/20/the_moral_muscle_of_the_great_rafael_nadal_1073263.html
"He won an other-worldly sixty three titles on clay, including fourteen championships at the French Open alone, the only grand slam tournament staged on his preferred surface. He won eight additional grand slams on grass and hard courts. To put that in perspective, eight is the total number of grand slams won by the likes of Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi. Eight is more than the total won by legends like John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, and Boris Becker. He has spent more weeks in the top ten than any player in history."
(Robin Williams called tennis, 'chess at 80 mph'. The serves are closer to 140.)
Exverpt from the article:
"...a powerful case could be made that the highest quality of tennis ever played in a single match was a five hour and fifty-three-minute Australian Open final played against Novak Djokovic in 2012. The quality of the shot making was the stuff of CGI or a video game. Humans playing in a three-dimensional space have never attained such heights, before or after. At the time, the superhuman capacity of both men transcended adequate description. For over five hours they seemed to bend or suspend the laws of Newtonian physics, employing a graceful potpourri of spins, lunges and brute strength.
At the awards ceremony, both men nearly collapsed with cramps before someone thankfully ushered in chairs for them to sit in. And yet, the essence of Nadal was revealed not with forehands and serves, but in the post-match news conference. Listen to what Nadal had to say about the value of suffering:
So, when you are fit, when you are, you know, with passion for the game, when you are ready to compete, you are able to suffer and enjoy suffering, no?
The most laudable fact undergirding this quote is that Rafael Nadal actually lost this match. He didn’t triumph or hoist a trophy. He came up short in his quest for the title.
But his manner was oddly buoyant because he reached a different type of summit, one that rose higher than merely winning a tennis title—he suffered in service of something greater than himself. He danced with perfection on that day, participated in showing the world what human beings are capable of achieving in the arena of sport and competition. He and Djokovic came closer to touching the cheek of Perfection than any tennis players in human history.
And for that, Rafael Nadal was filled with gratitude for the opportunity to suffer"
I must admit I always pulled for Roger Federer so it took time to realize what an amazingly player and athlete Nadal was.
The article is worth reading. Most world champions are loaded with ego. Once in a while you find one loaded with character.
https://www.realclearbooks.com/articles/2024/11/20/the_moral_muscle_of_the_great_rafael_nadal_1073263.html
"He won an other-worldly sixty three titles on clay, including fourteen championships at the French Open alone, the only grand slam tournament staged on his preferred surface. He won eight additional grand slams on grass and hard courts. To put that in perspective, eight is the total number of grand slams won by the likes of Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi. Eight is more than the total won by legends like John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, and Boris Becker. He has spent more weeks in the top ten than any player in history."
(Robin Williams called tennis, 'chess at 80 mph'. The serves are closer to 140.)
Exverpt from the article:
"...a powerful case could be made that the highest quality of tennis ever played in a single match was a five hour and fifty-three-minute Australian Open final played against Novak Djokovic in 2012. The quality of the shot making was the stuff of CGI or a video game. Humans playing in a three-dimensional space have never attained such heights, before or after. At the time, the superhuman capacity of both men transcended adequate description. For over five hours they seemed to bend or suspend the laws of Newtonian physics, employing a graceful potpourri of spins, lunges and brute strength.
At the awards ceremony, both men nearly collapsed with cramps before someone thankfully ushered in chairs for them to sit in. And yet, the essence of Nadal was revealed not with forehands and serves, but in the post-match news conference. Listen to what Nadal had to say about the value of suffering:
So, when you are fit, when you are, you know, with passion for the game, when you are ready to compete, you are able to suffer and enjoy suffering, no?
The most laudable fact undergirding this quote is that Rafael Nadal actually lost this match. He didn’t triumph or hoist a trophy. He came up short in his quest for the title.
But his manner was oddly buoyant because he reached a different type of summit, one that rose higher than merely winning a tennis title—he suffered in service of something greater than himself. He danced with perfection on that day, participated in showing the world what human beings are capable of achieving in the arena of sport and competition. He and Djokovic came closer to touching the cheek of Perfection than any tennis players in human history.
And for that, Rafael Nadal was filled with gratitude for the opportunity to suffer"
4
Politics & Religion / Political Economics, inheritance tax
« on: November 20, 2024, 03:36:42 AM »
https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/11/thousands-of-british-farmers-protest-changes-to-inheritance-tax/
A 'European Matter' but we also have inheritance taxes, federal and state, and are under constant threat of even more confiscatory ones.
How dare them come after your after-tax earnings!
It comes down to two things in my view.
Whose money is it? You earned it and paid taxes on it, but they say it all goes back to them.
And don't kid yourself, there is a major faction that wants no inheritance. Born broke is more fair.
Secondly, which system creates more prosperity for more people and a better society? The socialist state or a free economy where free people have individual rights including this one, the right to choose what you do with the rightful fruits of your labor and investments - even if you die because we all do.
The incentive to create wealth is gone when you take away the right to pass it to your heirs.
It comes down to one simple truth that one side keeps trying to deny, wealth creation is good. We need more of it, not less. For proof, just look at all the places in the world and throughout history that lack wealth.
We and especially western Europe always seem to be an eyelash away from being broke like them.
PS. It's not just farmers that need to be able to pass assets to loved ones without government interference. It's the whole economy stupid.
A 'European Matter' but we also have inheritance taxes, federal and state, and are under constant threat of even more confiscatory ones.
How dare them come after your after-tax earnings!
It comes down to two things in my view.
Whose money is it? You earned it and paid taxes on it, but they say it all goes back to them.
And don't kid yourself, there is a major faction that wants no inheritance. Born broke is more fair.
Secondly, which system creates more prosperity for more people and a better society? The socialist state or a free economy where free people have individual rights including this one, the right to choose what you do with the rightful fruits of your labor and investments - even if you die because we all do.
The incentive to create wealth is gone when you take away the right to pass it to your heirs.
It comes down to one simple truth that one side keeps trying to deny, wealth creation is good. We need more of it, not less. For proof, just look at all the places in the world and throughout history that lack wealth.
We and especially western Europe always seem to be an eyelash away from being broke like them.
PS. It's not just farmers that need to be able to pass assets to loved ones without government interference. It's the whole economy stupid.
5
Politics & Religion / Harris-Biden flew LK's killer from NYC to GA
« on: November 20, 2024, 03:06:51 AM »
https://gellerreport.com/2024/11/biden-kamala-regime-flew-laken-rileys-killer-from-famed-roosevelt-hotel-in-nyc-to-georgia-on-taxpayer-funded-flight.html/
You paid for Lake Riley's killer's travel.
STOP DOING THIS.
You paid for Lake Riley's killer's travel.
STOP DOING THIS.
6
Politics & Religion / John Hinderaker,, The smearing of Gaetz
« on: November 20, 2024, 02:56:48 AM »
Reminiscent of Trump, but also Kavanaugh, Thomas, etc, if the truth about him is so bad, why do you have to make up stuff?
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/11/about-those-allegations-against-matt-gaetz.php
I would add one thing about his real act that made him an extremist, ousting the Speaker, the Speaker made a promise to get their support and broke it. Sinking the ship wasn't the right response but there was cause.
Out of it came Speaker Mike Johnson, a better Speaker, and a reelected majority.
--------
And this...
https://thefederalist.com/2024/11/20/republicans-must-defend-matt-gaetz-to-end-the-use-of-salacious-lies-as-a-political-weapon/
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/11/about-those-allegations-against-matt-gaetz.php
I would add one thing about his real act that made him an extremist, ousting the Speaker, the Speaker made a promise to get their support and broke it. Sinking the ship wasn't the right response but there was cause.
Out of it came Speaker Mike Johnson, a better Speaker, and a reelected majority.
--------
And this...
https://thefederalist.com/2024/11/20/republicans-must-defend-matt-gaetz-to-end-the-use-of-salacious-lies-as-a-political-weapon/
7
Politics & Religion / Political Rant, interesting thought pieces, Democrats in the Wilderness
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:20:15 PM »
Amazing the Left most Minneapolis Startribune, now called Minnesota Startribune (?) published this. I will reach behind the pay wall and share with you.
------------
Democrats: The wilderness years?
Here are some parallels from the past.
By John C. “Chuck” Chalberg
November 18, 2024 at 5:44PM
The campus of Howard University is pictured after the conclusion of an election night campaign watch party for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Nov. 6 in Washington. (Susan Walsh/The Associated Press)
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day.
•••
The recently concluded presidential election is not without its historical parallels and ironies, both of which speak to the country’s immediate future, as well as to the future of the Democratic Party. At the same time, both return us to the only Democrats elected to the presidency between the Civil War and the reign of Franklin Roosevelt. That lonely pair would be Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson.
The most obvious parallel would be the non-consecutive terms of Cleveland (our 22nd and 24th president) and Donald Trump (our 45th and soon-to-be 47th president). The less obvious parallel is the returning to power of the anti-Wilson Trump almost exactly 100 years after the death of the actual Wilson in 1924. More on that shortly.
Then there is the possibility that the Democrats could be heading into the political wilderness, which was the party’s fate following its defeats in 1896 (when William McKinley defeated William Jennings Bryan, the anti-Cleveland Democrat) and again in 1920 (when Warren Harding ended eight years of the Wilson administration). Which brings us to 2024.
Will this Democratic defeat trigger another batch of wilderness years for the party? If so, will those years match or exceed the 16 years between their defeat in 1896 and Wilson’s election in 1912? Or will this time in the wilderness be closer to the dozen years between 1920 and the election of FDR in 1932? We’ll see.
There is no precise measurement of “wilderness years,” but the presumption is that it’s longer than just one or even two election cycles — and certainly longer than the eight-year run of a re-elected president. There was no suggestion of Democratic wilderness years during the Eisenhower presidency or of Republicans occupying similar territory during the Clinton years.
In any case, to land in the political wilderness suggests that things have gone seriously awry and that party leaders need to do some equally serious reflection and rethinking while sorting themselves and their message out. Such a process can — and sometimes should — take a good deal of time to resolve.
In 1896 the party spurned the conservative small-government, gold-standard policies of the departing Cleveland to embrace the “free silver,” cheaper money populism of Bryan, who would lose again in 1900. After a brief flirtation with a conservative candidate in 1904 the party returned to Bryan and a third defeat in 1908.
Wilson’s victory in 1912 was made possible by the split within the Republican Party between sitting President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt. Still, the party was groping its way toward acceptance of Roosevelt-style big-government progressivism. And the Wilson presidency completed that acceptance.
Something similar happened after 1932. Candidate Franklin Roosevelt, like Wilson in 1912, did not lay out a big-government, big-spending agenda. But once in office he moved aggressively in that direction.
Democrats have a tendency to be, shall we say, less than candid with the voters while campaigning. Consider candidate Biden in 2020. An open border and an energy shutdown were not exactly heavily promoted campaign promises.
So just what will the party do now that it is once again out of power? Will it regard this setback as just that — meaning a temporary setback? Or will Democrats act as though they have been cast into the political wilderness? In other words, will they rethink and retool or will they not? We’ll see.
The early returns, meaning candidate Harris’ concession speech, suggest that no serious rethinking is necessary. But losing again to Donald Trump should suggest a different approach. It’s one thing to lose to a normal Republican, meaning the sort of Republican that Democrats normally have for lunch. It’s quite something else to lose to someone whom Democrats regard as an empty-headed, foul-mouthed, combination showman, racist and fascist. Such a defeat should lead to some serious rethinking.
It certainly ought to make good sense for Democrats to take a second look at things and then to entertain some serious second thoughts. Let me suggest that Democrats should think of Trump as something other than any of the epithets listed above. They should think of the president-elect as the anti-Woodrow Wilson, which in many respects is just what he is.
A second Trump presidency is not going to add more layers to an already overlayered bureaucracy. A re-elected Trump is not going to build onto the edifice of the big-government progressivism initiated by Theodore Roosevelt and then expanded upon by Woodrow Wilson. If anything, he is likely going to try to eliminate some of that edifice, beginning perhaps with the Department of Education.
Given his own experience during the height of COVID, Trump is not likely to adopt Harris’ Wilsonian-style pledge to rely on the “experts.” If anything, he is going to begin the long process of restoring constitutional government, rather than government by bureaucratic edict.
In addition, there will be no Trumpian crusades to match the Wilsonian crusade to “make the world safe for democracy.” Therefore, there will likely be no Wilsonian-style move to shut down domestic wartime dissent. If anything, there will be an effort to restore debate, because there likely will be action against any attempt to shut down debate on our college campuses.
What’s a good Democrat to do in the face of all this? Well, the Democrats have some searching questions to ask of one another. And then they have important decisions to make. One key question to answer is this: Are we essentially a liberal party or a leftist party?
As things stand now, Democrats campaign as liberals, then try to govern as leftists. This façade needs to end. Just ask Bernie Sanders and his supporters. It’s time either to emerge from the political closet and campaign in the mold of Sen. Sanders or return to the model of Hubert Humphrey. The choice is theirs to make, and making such a monumental decision may take a good while to resolve.
At least one more critical decision needs to be made as well. Should Democrats keep trying to appeal to voters as members of various groups, whether they be identity groups or victim groups or both? Or should they take a page from the allegedly divisive Trump and appeal to voters as fellow Americans?
In the meantime, a successful second Trump administration has an opportunity to restore America as a successful commercial republic, thereby leaving Sanders-style politicking and governance somewhere in the rearview mirror. It also has an opportunity to end the virtual 50-50 split/cycle in recent presidential elections and establish one-party dominance for a period of time longer than, say, eight years. Ironically, this is precisely what William McKinley did in 1896 when he followed what’s-his-name into the White House. Oh, that would be Grover Cleveland, or that other president who served nonconsecutive terms.
In any case, the question of the moment remains on the table: What’s a good Democrat to do in the aftermath of this defeat? Welcome to what seems to be shaping up as your wilderness years, Democrats.
------------
Democrats: The wilderness years?
Here are some parallels from the past.
By John C. “Chuck” Chalberg
November 18, 2024 at 5:44PM
The campus of Howard University is pictured after the conclusion of an election night campaign watch party for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Nov. 6 in Washington. (Susan Walsh/The Associated Press)
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day.
•••
The recently concluded presidential election is not without its historical parallels and ironies, both of which speak to the country’s immediate future, as well as to the future of the Democratic Party. At the same time, both return us to the only Democrats elected to the presidency between the Civil War and the reign of Franklin Roosevelt. That lonely pair would be Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson.
The most obvious parallel would be the non-consecutive terms of Cleveland (our 22nd and 24th president) and Donald Trump (our 45th and soon-to-be 47th president). The less obvious parallel is the returning to power of the anti-Wilson Trump almost exactly 100 years after the death of the actual Wilson in 1924. More on that shortly.
Then there is the possibility that the Democrats could be heading into the political wilderness, which was the party’s fate following its defeats in 1896 (when William McKinley defeated William Jennings Bryan, the anti-Cleveland Democrat) and again in 1920 (when Warren Harding ended eight years of the Wilson administration). Which brings us to 2024.
Will this Democratic defeat trigger another batch of wilderness years for the party? If so, will those years match or exceed the 16 years between their defeat in 1896 and Wilson’s election in 1912? Or will this time in the wilderness be closer to the dozen years between 1920 and the election of FDR in 1932? We’ll see.
There is no precise measurement of “wilderness years,” but the presumption is that it’s longer than just one or even two election cycles — and certainly longer than the eight-year run of a re-elected president. There was no suggestion of Democratic wilderness years during the Eisenhower presidency or of Republicans occupying similar territory during the Clinton years.
In any case, to land in the political wilderness suggests that things have gone seriously awry and that party leaders need to do some equally serious reflection and rethinking while sorting themselves and their message out. Such a process can — and sometimes should — take a good deal of time to resolve.
In 1896 the party spurned the conservative small-government, gold-standard policies of the departing Cleveland to embrace the “free silver,” cheaper money populism of Bryan, who would lose again in 1900. After a brief flirtation with a conservative candidate in 1904 the party returned to Bryan and a third defeat in 1908.
Wilson’s victory in 1912 was made possible by the split within the Republican Party between sitting President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt. Still, the party was groping its way toward acceptance of Roosevelt-style big-government progressivism. And the Wilson presidency completed that acceptance.
Something similar happened after 1932. Candidate Franklin Roosevelt, like Wilson in 1912, did not lay out a big-government, big-spending agenda. But once in office he moved aggressively in that direction.
Democrats have a tendency to be, shall we say, less than candid with the voters while campaigning. Consider candidate Biden in 2020. An open border and an energy shutdown were not exactly heavily promoted campaign promises.
So just what will the party do now that it is once again out of power? Will it regard this setback as just that — meaning a temporary setback? Or will Democrats act as though they have been cast into the political wilderness? In other words, will they rethink and retool or will they not? We’ll see.
The early returns, meaning candidate Harris’ concession speech, suggest that no serious rethinking is necessary. But losing again to Donald Trump should suggest a different approach. It’s one thing to lose to a normal Republican, meaning the sort of Republican that Democrats normally have for lunch. It’s quite something else to lose to someone whom Democrats regard as an empty-headed, foul-mouthed, combination showman, racist and fascist. Such a defeat should lead to some serious rethinking.
It certainly ought to make good sense for Democrats to take a second look at things and then to entertain some serious second thoughts. Let me suggest that Democrats should think of Trump as something other than any of the epithets listed above. They should think of the president-elect as the anti-Woodrow Wilson, which in many respects is just what he is.
A second Trump presidency is not going to add more layers to an already overlayered bureaucracy. A re-elected Trump is not going to build onto the edifice of the big-government progressivism initiated by Theodore Roosevelt and then expanded upon by Woodrow Wilson. If anything, he is likely going to try to eliminate some of that edifice, beginning perhaps with the Department of Education.
Given his own experience during the height of COVID, Trump is not likely to adopt Harris’ Wilsonian-style pledge to rely on the “experts.” If anything, he is going to begin the long process of restoring constitutional government, rather than government by bureaucratic edict.
In addition, there will be no Trumpian crusades to match the Wilsonian crusade to “make the world safe for democracy.” Therefore, there will likely be no Wilsonian-style move to shut down domestic wartime dissent. If anything, there will be an effort to restore debate, because there likely will be action against any attempt to shut down debate on our college campuses.
What’s a good Democrat to do in the face of all this? Well, the Democrats have some searching questions to ask of one another. And then they have important decisions to make. One key question to answer is this: Are we essentially a liberal party or a leftist party?
As things stand now, Democrats campaign as liberals, then try to govern as leftists. This façade needs to end. Just ask Bernie Sanders and his supporters. It’s time either to emerge from the political closet and campaign in the mold of Sen. Sanders or return to the model of Hubert Humphrey. The choice is theirs to make, and making such a monumental decision may take a good while to resolve.
At least one more critical decision needs to be made as well. Should Democrats keep trying to appeal to voters as members of various groups, whether they be identity groups or victim groups or both? Or should they take a page from the allegedly divisive Trump and appeal to voters as fellow Americans?
In the meantime, a successful second Trump administration has an opportunity to restore America as a successful commercial republic, thereby leaving Sanders-style politicking and governance somewhere in the rearview mirror. It also has an opportunity to end the virtual 50-50 split/cycle in recent presidential elections and establish one-party dominance for a period of time longer than, say, eight years. Ironically, this is precisely what William McKinley did in 1896 when he followed what’s-his-name into the White House. Oh, that would be Grover Cleveland, or that other president who served nonconsecutive terms.
In any case, the question of the moment remains on the table: What’s a good Democrat to do in the aftermath of this defeat? Welcome to what seems to be shaping up as your wilderness years, Democrats.
9
Politics & Religion / Re: 100 Things Biden has gotten wrong
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:45:59 AM »Two things not to like about them-- their face.
Good one!
As Biden called a citizen questioner at a Dem rally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwVrg6UtxXQ
"You're a lying dog-faced pony soldier."
(Somebody thought he still had it all together in 2020??)
10
Politics & Religion / Kamala Harris, Laying off staff and still asking for money
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:37:15 AM »
https://x.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1858176187077402922
Kamala promised her staffers payment until the end of the year.
She just cut them off because the campaign is $20,000,000 in debt.
Let me restate that:
The candidate who ran on JOY, somehow spent $1 billion in 107 days.
The candidate who ran on JOY, reportedly spent $2,626,110 on private flights alone in the last two weeks of the election.
And the candidate who ran on JOY, just stopped paying her employees at Christmas time, the most JOYOUS time of the year.
And now she's begging donors for even more money, even though the election is over and she lost.
And people wanted to hand her control of the American economy! 😂
- A post on "x". https://x.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1858176187077402922
Kamala promised her staffers payment until the end of the year.
She just cut them off because the campaign is $20,000,000 in debt.
Let me restate that:
The candidate who ran on JOY, somehow spent $1 billion in 107 days.
The candidate who ran on JOY, reportedly spent $2,626,110 on private flights alone in the last two weeks of the election.
And the candidate who ran on JOY, just stopped paying her employees at Christmas time, the most JOYOUS time of the year.
And now she's begging donors for even more money, even though the election is over and she lost.
And people wanted to hand her control of the American economy! 😂
- A post on "x". https://x.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1858176187077402922
11
Politics & Religion / Media, Ministry of Truth, Matt Taibbi: How the accurate polls were covered up
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:28:53 AM »
Matt Taibbi: How the accurate polls were covered up
https://www.racket.news/p/how-americas-accurate-election-polls
https://www.racket.news/p/how-americas-accurate-election-polls
12
Politics & Religion / IRS employees owe millions in taxes
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:25:12 AM »
Over 800 IRS employees owe millions in back taxes after audits pushed by Ernst.
Over 800 Internal Revenue Service employees still owe millions in back taxes despite heavy criticism from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who is hoping the level of tax waste will be squashed by billionaire Elon Musk, the newly tapped co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency.
In a letter to the Iowa senator sent on Nov. 8 and shared exclusively with the Washington Examiner, the IRS noted that of the 2,044 employees who reported having balances totaling more than $12 million, 860 employees still have not paid overdue taxes. Only 20 of the 70 employees who “willfully evaded” paying their taxes were removed.
“We haven’t seen a tax revolt like this since the Boston Tea Party,” Ernst said in a statement. “If hardworking Americans dodge taxes, they are faced with steep fines and imprisonment, but it appears that tax collectors in Washington believe those rules are for thee but not for me.”
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/3231378/over-800-irs-owe-millions-back-taxes-ernst-push-regular-audits/
-------------------------
Stephen Green: Make Jodi Ernst the next IRS commissioner.
Over 800 Internal Revenue Service employees still owe millions in back taxes despite heavy criticism from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who is hoping the level of tax waste will be squashed by billionaire Elon Musk, the newly tapped co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency.
In a letter to the Iowa senator sent on Nov. 8 and shared exclusively with the Washington Examiner, the IRS noted that of the 2,044 employees who reported having balances totaling more than $12 million, 860 employees still have not paid overdue taxes. Only 20 of the 70 employees who “willfully evaded” paying their taxes were removed.
“We haven’t seen a tax revolt like this since the Boston Tea Party,” Ernst said in a statement. “If hardworking Americans dodge taxes, they are faced with steep fines and imprisonment, but it appears that tax collectors in Washington believe those rules are for thee but not for me.”
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/3231378/over-800-irs-owe-millions-back-taxes-ernst-push-regular-audits/
-------------------------
Stephen Green: Make Jodi Ernst the next IRS commissioner.
13
Politics & Religion / Re: Russian and Chinese Leaders (Putin, Xi, Oligarchs, etc) other countries too
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:22:13 AM »Another defenestration.
Strange how few Putin supporters in Russia fall out of windows 60 feet to their death.
This will be quite and exhaustive investigation. Oh wait, are they already done with it?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982153326?psc=1&language=en_US
14
Politics & Religion / Re: Hegseth tattoos
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:17:20 AM »https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/christian-motto-or-nationalist-dog-whistle-could-a-tattoo-derail-trump-s-pick-for-defense-secretary/ar-AA1uaIPj?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=6160a2c6b0e54a53849847b61e2a433c&ei=42
It's a Latin phrase with Christian meaning. Why are they posting shirtless photos of him? Do they do that for AOC?
15
Politics & Religion / Re: Biden allows Uke missles to hit Russian territory
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:14:29 AM »
Why now?
https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/opinion-potomac-watch/joe-biden-finally-allows-ukraine-to-hit-certain-targets-inside-russia/a87ab19f-8980-4426-84f7-08cb9e14e71f
Why now, and did lame duck consult with the incoming administration?
16
Politics & Religion / Re: Biden's cabinet
« on: November 19, 2024, 07:07:34 AM »
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/bidens-cabinet-nominees-were-completely-unqualified-compared-trumps
Does anyone remember the confirmation battles of 2021, after the disputedly close election? Me neither.
Questionable qualifications? Plenty. From the article:
Xavier Becerra, HHS - not a doctor, he’s a lawyer, ex-attorney general of California
Jared Bernstein, Chair of Council of Economic Advisors - not an economist, Bachelor’s degree in music, masters in sociology
Pete Buttigieg, Transportation Secretary - no transportation background, Mayor of Indiana, “pothole Pete”
Mayorkas, DHS Secretary - no security background, lawyer, Asst U.S. attorney, Obama transition team
Jennifer Granholm, Energy Secy - no energy background, Michigan Governor
Gina Raimondo, Commerce Secretary - No trade background, Gov of Rhode Island
Deb Haaland, Interior Secy - New Mexico Congressman
And just for kicks…Bill Nye, the environmentalist “Science Guy” — no background in environmentalism or science, he’s a mechanical engineer and comedy writer
-------------------
Republican Senators who voted to confirm Merrick Garland as Attorney General:
Lisa Murkowski R-Alaska
Chuck Grassley R-Iowa
Jodi Ernst R-Iowa
Jerry Moran R-Kansas
Mitch McConnell R-Kentucky
Bill Cassidy R-Louisiana
Susan Collins R-Maine
Roy Blunt R-Missouri
Richard Burr R-North Carolina
Thom Tillis R-North Carolina
Rob Portman R-Ohio
James Inhofe R-Oklahoma
James Lankford R-Oklahoma
Lindsey Graham R-South Carolina
John Thune R-South Dakota
Mike Rounds R-South Dakota
John Cornyn R-Texas
Mitt Romney R-Utah
Shelly Moore Capito R-West Virginia
Ron Johnson R-Wisconsin
https://ballotpedia.org/Confirmation_process_for_Merrick_Garland_for_U.S._attorney_general#Confirmation_vote_roll_call
These 20 Republican Senators voted for (totalitarian?) Merrick Garland in addition to ALL of the Democrats.
There wasn't a confirmation fight. Most of them, Johnson, Grassley, Ernst for example, did not want Democrats in power but respected the process that the President gets to pick his cabinet, and they hope that some day their colleagues across the aisle will return the favor. Ha!
If not for double standards, this country might have none.
17
Politics & Religion / Re: Two undersea cables cut
« on: November 19, 2024, 06:42:41 AM »https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/u-s-allies-warn-of-hybrid-warfare-after-two-undersea-cables-cut/ar-AA1ulDjy?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=ebde16ee04d14a649eb3c93f4dae6a54&ei=24
It's hard to know if it's revenge since it has been more than two years and two US election cycles since three Nordstream pipelines were blown up and our government has not told us who did that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nord_Stream_pipelines_sabotage
"after careful consideration, the Federal Government (Germany) has come to the conclusion that the question (who sabotaged the pipelines) cannot be answered for reasons of public interest"
18
Politics & Religion / Re: Potent points from WSJ re Tulsi
« on: November 18, 2024, 08:07:42 PM »
Yes they make good points. I remember cringing at her foreign policy views. Also at some of Trump's and of Vance's.
The confirmation hearings will be interesting.
I recall Trump liked to surround himself with trigger happy hawks when entering negotiations. Then he can be the one offering restraint.
The confirmation hearings will be interesting.
I recall Trump liked to surround himself with trigger happy hawks when entering negotiations. Then he can be the one offering restraint.
19
Politics & Religion / Re: DOGE: Elon & Vivek
« on: November 18, 2024, 07:56:56 PM »
Seems to me an executive branch department can spend less than what is authorized without further authorization from Congress. Many things like eliminating departments, combining departments, even changing work rules may require acts of Congress.
No doubt the Left, even the elected right, will go nuts when they see $2 trillion in cuts. )
No doubt the Left, even the elected right, will go nuts when they see $2 trillion in cuts. )
21
Politics & Religion / Intelligence report, Iran was behind 10/7 attacks
« on: November 18, 2024, 08:02:59 AM »
Iran was behind 10/7 attacks.
Another one of those, who could have known, type of revelations...
https://jewishinsider.com/2024/11/iran-gaza-hamas-oct-7-terror-attacks-hezbollah/
Still not answered, Obama Biden paved the road to Iran going nuclear, and financed it, why?
Unless you want Israel destroyed and endless war in the middle east, Iran is our enemy and Israel is our ally. Looking at it from any other angle is bunk. IMHO.
Another one of those, who could have known, type of revelations...
https://jewishinsider.com/2024/11/iran-gaza-hamas-oct-7-terror-attacks-hezbollah/
Still not answered, Obama Biden paved the road to Iran going nuclear, and financed it, why?
Unless you want Israel destroyed and endless war in the middle east, Iran is our enemy and Israel is our ally. Looking at it from any other angle is bunk. IMHO.
22
Politics & Religion / Liberals learn to love the Senate filibuster
« on: November 18, 2024, 07:51:11 AM »
Who could have possibly seen this coming?
Liberals learn to love the Senate filibuster
http://jewishworldreview.com/1124/filibuster_dems_favor.php
I get how leftist Insiders turn on a dime to favor their cause, but out here in the heartland there is a tiny, theoretical group of unicorns I call honest liberals. Often they are our spouses, family, friends, offspring, how do they turn on a dime to follow the leftist leaders wherever they try to lead them?
Filibuster bad. Filibuster good. Electoral College bad. Electoral college good. Constitution bad, written by a bunch of old white guys, Constitution good, protects our rights. Fracking bad. Fracking good. Taxing tips good. Taxing tips bad. Tariffs bad. Keep the tariffs. Right to bear arms bad. Right to bear arms good.
No wonder I see despondence in the election aftermath, being a liberal involves some pretty serious mental, emotional gymnastics and whiplash injuries.
Liberals learn to love the Senate filibuster
http://jewishworldreview.com/1124/filibuster_dems_favor.php
I get how leftist Insiders turn on a dime to favor their cause, but out here in the heartland there is a tiny, theoretical group of unicorns I call honest liberals. Often they are our spouses, family, friends, offspring, how do they turn on a dime to follow the leftist leaders wherever they try to lead them?
Filibuster bad. Filibuster good. Electoral College bad. Electoral college good. Constitution bad, written by a bunch of old white guys, Constitution good, protects our rights. Fracking bad. Fracking good. Taxing tips good. Taxing tips bad. Tariffs bad. Keep the tariffs. Right to bear arms bad. Right to bear arms good.
No wonder I see despondence in the election aftermath, being a liberal involves some pretty serious mental, emotional gymnastics and whiplash injuries.
23
Politics & Religion / VDH: Can Trump end Ukraine's endless war?
« on: November 18, 2024, 06:56:26 AM »24
Politics & Religion / Scott Grannis, We're spending too much, not taxing too little
« on: November 17, 2024, 08:15:11 PM »
Scott made some clarifying posts before the election that are very worth reading now.
https://scottgrannis.blogspot.com/2024/10/federal-spending-is-problem-not-taxes.html?m=1
Interesting that he quotes Steve Hayward at Powerline blog and Steve Moore's CTUP newsletter, two of my favorite sources. Victor Davis Hansen also mentioned that he reads powerline each morning.
(Funny they don't admit they read the forum.)
WSJ sometimes admits they do...
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324105204578382572446778866
https://scottgrannis.blogspot.com/2024/10/federal-spending-is-problem-not-taxes.html?m=1
Interesting that he quotes Steve Hayward at Powerline blog and Steve Moore's CTUP newsletter, two of my favorite sources. Victor Davis Hansen also mentioned that he reads powerline each morning.
(Funny they don't admit they read the forum.)
WSJ sometimes admits they do...
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324105204578382572446778866
25
Science, Culture, & Humanities / Re: Economics, inflation continued
« on: November 17, 2024, 07:33:04 PM »
Milton Friedman: "It (inflation) is always and everywhere, a monetary phenomenon. It's always and everywhere, a result of too much money, of a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than an output."
Doug takes on Milton Friedman and the previous post, John Cochrane of MIT, Berkeley, Univ of Chicago, Hoover, Stanford.
Lock in the second half of Friedman' quote above. Inflation is the change/increase in the ratio of Money Supply to output.
It only a monetary phenomenon, change in money supply if you assume output is constant.
But taxes, regulations, demographics, incentives and disincentives affect output.
Feelings of optimism vs pessimism affect output.
Output constant equals stagnation, opposite of growth economics, or 'suuply side economics'.
A growing economy can handle more increase in the money supply than a stagnant economy can.
Cochrane closed his article with this:
"Deregulation and pro growth reforms are great economic policy for lots of reasons. But not because they will directly lower prices and thus lower inflation."
But that's not right. Economic growth, all other things equals helps lower inflation. It increases output, the total supply of goods and services in the economy.
Doug takes on Milton Friedman and the previous post, John Cochrane of MIT, Berkeley, Univ of Chicago, Hoover, Stanford.
Lock in the second half of Friedman' quote above. Inflation is the change/increase in the ratio of Money Supply to output.
It only a monetary phenomenon, change in money supply if you assume output is constant.
But taxes, regulations, demographics, incentives and disincentives affect output.
Feelings of optimism vs pessimism affect output.
Output constant equals stagnation, opposite of growth economics, or 'suuply side economics'.
A growing economy can handle more increase in the money supply than a stagnant economy can.
Cochrane closed his article with this:
"Deregulation and pro growth reforms are great economic policy for lots of reasons. But not because they will directly lower prices and thus lower inflation."
But that's not right. Economic growth, all other things equals helps lower inflation. It increases output, the total supply of goods and services in the economy.
26
Science, Culture, & Humanities / Economics, Inflation vs. price increases
« on: November 17, 2024, 01:56:00 PM »
Inflation vs. price increases
A point that Crafty and others have made on this board, Economist John Cochrane tries to sort it out for us.
https://www.grumpy-economist.com/p/inflation-vs-prices
Very good explanation but I disagree with his final point.
A point that Crafty and others have made on this board, Economist John Cochrane tries to sort it out for us.
https://www.grumpy-economist.com/p/inflation-vs-prices
Very good explanation but I disagree with his final point.
27
Politics & Religion / Re: 2024
« on: November 17, 2024, 11:18:58 AM »
Talk about misinformation, disinformation, this is REALLY bad.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2024/11/02/iowa-poll-kamala-harris-leads-donald-trump-2024-presidential-race/75354033007/
Trump won Iowa by 13.2%.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/iowa-president-results
That's twice the margin Obama won his landslide by in 2008.
Who could have seen THAT coming?
- Anyone but 'the best pollster in the world'.
There ought to be an election interference investigation. Who paid for that result?
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2024/11/02/iowa-poll-kamala-harris-leads-donald-trump-2024-presidential-race/75354033007/
Trump won Iowa by 13.2%.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/iowa-president-results
That's twice the margin Obama won his landslide by in 2008.
Who could have seen THAT coming?
- Anyone but 'the best pollster in the world'.
There ought to be an election interference investigation. Who paid for that result?
28
Politics & Religion / Re: R's should not go on LEFT wing media
« on: November 17, 2024, 10:50:02 AM »
Right but I'm not sure that was an "anti trans rant" except in the title of the video.
His main point was the double standard of the scrutiny. The gender pronoun confusion isn't of his making, IMHO.
Did that official get this kind of scrutiny?
His main point was the double standard of the scrutiny. The gender pronoun confusion isn't of his making, IMHO.
Did that official get this kind of scrutiny?
29
Politics & Religion / Shameless media continued, Politico
« on: November 17, 2024, 10:37:03 AM »
"The selection of Kennedy would be a shrewd early move for the new presidential team."
- Does that remind you of the coverage you hear today?
- Does that remind you of the coverage you hear today?
30
Politics & Religion / Post Election analysis, Sasha Stone, Lessons for Democrats
« on: November 17, 2024, 07:58:09 AM »31
Politics & Religion / Sherrod Brown, hasn't learned a damn thing
« on: November 17, 2024, 07:22:50 AM »
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/11/16/sherrod-brown-democrats-00189956
"Sherrod Brown Has Some Advice for His Reeling Party"
Great listener. Bad policies.
Endorsed Kamala. Ran 8 points ahead of her. Still lost.
Thinks Democrats just need to message better.
Probably running for JD Vance's seat.
Seems they never just go away.
"Sherrod Brown Has Some Advice for His Reeling Party"
Great listener. Bad policies.
Endorsed Kamala. Ran 8 points ahead of her. Still lost.
Thinks Democrats just need to message better.
Probably running for JD Vance's seat.
Seems they never just go away.
32
Politics & Religion / Re: After Obama's "last election"
« on: November 17, 2024, 06:51:04 AM »
It's no longer a fight of right versus left, now it's up versus down.
33
Politics & Religion / Re: Obama’s End Game After His Latest, Last Election
« on: November 17, 2024, 06:09:05 AM »
He still hasn't given his 2024 concession speech, has he.
'We were shellacked', again.
With all the time on his hands, he still hasn't read a book on economics that doesn't oppose free enterprise.
He doesn't learn or evolve, just keeps leading downward.
Clings to the false notion that his was a scandal free administration, but he has been n a walking scandal since he entered adulthood.
He picked Joe. He picked Kamala. He picked the policies. He tanked the economy. He caused the Ukraine war. He caused Oct 7 and Gaza war. He orchestrated the Afghan pull out. He blew a billion on the campaign through his not well hidden puppet strings, and he got shellacked. Again.
Yet he is still the leader of the party?? The brains of the operation. The strategist. The one they all must go through?
https://www.npr.org/2010/11/03/131046118/obama-humbled-by-election-shellacking. (2010, No he was never "humbled")
This time he even brought Michelle down with him. Giving fiery partisan speeches about the dangers of a fascist dictator the people saw through and ignored.
They are the great dividers and they're not done dividing the country.
'We were shellacked', again.
With all the time on his hands, he still hasn't read a book on economics that doesn't oppose free enterprise.
He doesn't learn or evolve, just keeps leading downward.
Clings to the false notion that his was a scandal free administration, but he has been n a walking scandal since he entered adulthood.
He picked Joe. He picked Kamala. He picked the policies. He tanked the economy. He caused the Ukraine war. He caused Oct 7 and Gaza war. He orchestrated the Afghan pull out. He blew a billion on the campaign through his not well hidden puppet strings, and he got shellacked. Again.
Yet he is still the leader of the party?? The brains of the operation. The strategist. The one they all must go through?
https://www.npr.org/2010/11/03/131046118/obama-humbled-by-election-shellacking. (2010, No he was never "humbled")
This time he even brought Michelle down with him. Giving fiery partisan speeches about the dangers of a fascist dictator the people saw through and ignored.
They are the great dividers and they're not done dividing the country.
34
Politics & Religion / US Congress; incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune
« on: November 15, 2024, 12:39:52 PM »
He was a star when he came to the Senate because he toppled the Senate majority leader. Now he will be the Senate Majority Leader. I can't remember why I learned to not like him more recently. He has clashed with trump, but who hasn't. He doesn't like tariffs, but I don't like tariffs.
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/13/thunes-political-journey-comes-full-circle-20-years-after-toppling-a-leader/
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/13/thunes-political-journey-comes-full-circle-20-years-after-toppling-a-leader/
35
Politics & Religion / 4 hardest Confirmation battles ranked
« on: November 15, 2024, 12:26:43 PM »
Not my list but interesting.
In order, hardest first:
1. Tulsi
2. Gaetz
3. RFK
4. Hegseth
-------------------
Does anyone remember when Hillary was secretary of state that she was not given the most contentious trouble spots, those were to be run from the Obama White House.
When Trump picks a loyalist instead of an expert, that is a bit of how I take it, they plan to run it from the White House and the cabinet secretary will be the face of the policy.
----------------
There was a mainstream article today about how the senior officials at doj believe this attorney general pick to be Insanity, etc. The more shook they are, the better this pick is likely to turn out.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/doj-stunned-at-trumps-insane-unbelievable-choice-of-matt-gaetz-for-attorney-general/ar-AA1u36ky
WASHINGTON — "President-elect Donald Trump's choice of Matt Gaetz — a Florida congressman who was recently the target of an FBI investigation — to be the next attorney general of the United States sent shockwaves through the Justice Department on Wednesday."
- As intended.
" who was recently the target of an FBI investigation", means different things to different people in 2024, lawfare, warfare world.
In order, hardest first:
1. Tulsi
2. Gaetz
3. RFK
4. Hegseth
-------------------
Does anyone remember when Hillary was secretary of state that she was not given the most contentious trouble spots, those were to be run from the Obama White House.
When Trump picks a loyalist instead of an expert, that is a bit of how I take it, they plan to run it from the White House and the cabinet secretary will be the face of the policy.
----------------
There was a mainstream article today about how the senior officials at doj believe this attorney general pick to be Insanity, etc. The more shook they are, the better this pick is likely to turn out.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/doj-stunned-at-trumps-insane-unbelievable-choice-of-matt-gaetz-for-attorney-general/ar-AA1u36ky
WASHINGTON — "President-elect Donald Trump's choice of Matt Gaetz — a Florida congressman who was recently the target of an FBI investigation — to be the next attorney general of the United States sent shockwaves through the Justice Department on Wednesday."
- As intended.
" who was recently the target of an FBI investigation", means different things to different people in 2024, lawfare, warfare world.
36
Politics & Religion / Ranked choice voting to the dumpster
« on: November 15, 2024, 11:45:14 AM »38
Politics & Religion / Re: Another attack on Tulsi
« on: November 14, 2024, 03:59:07 PM »https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/stunningly-unqualified-expert-urges-senate-to-reject-trump-s-spymaster-pick/ar-AA1u3dVx?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=a982d2db16d643f1b18b52f9a89ee55d&ei=13
He is correct that she has absolutely zero background in these deep waters.
Unlike Pete Buttigieg, etc.
Unlike George HWBush who was chair of the RNC before being CIA Director.
From the article :
"She has no significant experience directing or managing much of anything."
- Wouldn't that describe Barack Obama, and Joe Biden as well?
Wasn't Tulsi vetted to be President (top 10 finisher, ahead of Kamala) and considered for VP, but not to handle 'intelligence'?
Without doubts standards we'd have none.
39
Politics & Religion / Re: Trump Adminstration 2.0
« on: November 14, 2024, 01:22:56 PM »
He is smeared by the 'seriousness of the charge'. Makes people like us hesitant to support him.
We want to think the FBI would never do this to a man if he wasn't guilty. Too bad we don't live in that world.
Both Trump and Gaetz must think he is Innocent (and Gaetz would know) or why would they invite more scrutiny.
I'm not getting behind him. I'm just in favor of Trump getting his pick up and try to fulfill his promises, unless we are shown good reason otherwise.
I wanted the DeSantis team. Before that I wanted the Rubio team. But we have this and I don't want it slowed down. We're asking him to completely reshape major institutions. Let's give it a try. Just my thoughts.
We want to think the FBI would never do this to a man if he wasn't guilty. Too bad we don't live in that world.
Both Trump and Gaetz must think he is Innocent (and Gaetz would know) or why would they invite more scrutiny.
I'm not getting behind him. I'm just in favor of Trump getting his pick up and try to fulfill his promises, unless we are shown good reason otherwise.
I wanted the DeSantis team. Before that I wanted the Rubio team. But we have this and I don't want it slowed down. We're asking him to completely reshape major institutions. Let's give it a try. Just my thoughts.
40
Science, Culture, & Humanities / climate-data-alteration fraud back in the news
« on: November 14, 2024, 09:52:20 AM »
https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/tag/Greatest+Scientific+Fraud
"The fraud in question in those posts is the intentional alteration of pre-existing temperature (or, in one case, sea level) records to create a narrative of dangerous climate change that, without the alterations, lacks support in the raw data. In the most recent post in this series, number 32, I remarked, “No other scientific fraud in world history comes close to this one in scope or significance.”
The climate-data-alteration fraud is hugely significant because the altered data provide the fundamental support for the ongoing multi-trillion-dollar effort of the Left to transform the world energy system, and ultimately the entire world economy. As the least expensive and most reliable forms of energy production get restricted, billions of people stand to see their lives impoverished to the extent of tens of thousands of dollars per year each. Is it remotely possible for any other fraud to come anywhere close to this one in significance?"
--------------
Like ccp says, we need to have honest discussions and solutions on climate.
The new administration has the opportunity to take the lead on that. Publish real data and come up with real solutions.
Maybe hand it over to DOGE.
"The fraud in question in those posts is the intentional alteration of pre-existing temperature (or, in one case, sea level) records to create a narrative of dangerous climate change that, without the alterations, lacks support in the raw data. In the most recent post in this series, number 32, I remarked, “No other scientific fraud in world history comes close to this one in scope or significance.”
The climate-data-alteration fraud is hugely significant because the altered data provide the fundamental support for the ongoing multi-trillion-dollar effort of the Left to transform the world energy system, and ultimately the entire world economy. As the least expensive and most reliable forms of energy production get restricted, billions of people stand to see their lives impoverished to the extent of tens of thousands of dollars per year each. Is it remotely possible for any other fraud to come anywhere close to this one in significance?"
--------------
Like ccp says, we need to have honest discussions and solutions on climate.
The new administration has the opportunity to take the lead on that. Publish real data and come up with real solutions.
Maybe hand it over to DOGE.
41
Politics & Religion / Inflation fighter Trump is already bringing down prices
« on: November 14, 2024, 09:26:11 AM »42
Politics & Religion / Re: Nato menace stops all ties with Israel
« on: November 14, 2024, 09:19:03 AM »https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-severs-all-relations-israel-says-erdogan
Turkiye has been a thorn for decades. Apparently they are masters at playing the US off against Russia.
Since they aren't really an ally it would be easy to tell them to go to hell, but then they join the Russia camp with Iran etc.
Maybe Rubio and the new team will have Better ideas of what to do about this.
Cutting off ties (they never had) is different than invading or funding Hamas.
The current war with Hamas will soon be yesterday's news.
43
Politics & Religion / Re: Trump Adminstration 2.0, Vance on Gaetz pick
« on: November 14, 2024, 08:34:58 AM »
Vance on Gaetz pick:
The main issue with Matt Gaetz is that he used his office to prosecute his political opponents and authorized federal agents to harass parents who were peacefully protesting at school board meetings.
Oh wait, that's actually Merrick Garland, the current attorney general.
The main issue with Matt Gaetz is that he used his office to prosecute his political opponents and authorized federal agents to harass parents who were peacefully protesting at school board meetings.
Oh wait, that's actually Merrick Garland, the current attorney general.
44
Politics & Religion / Re: Government programs & regulations, spending, deficit, and budget process
« on: November 14, 2024, 08:28:03 AM »
New fiscal year started October 1, Biden's last budget year. Results for October, spending up 24%, revenues down 19%, compared with October of the previous year.
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/us-deficit-explodes-blowout-october-deficit-means-2nd-worst-start-us-fiscal-year-record
I wonder what people mean when they say the country is headed in the wrong direction...
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/us-deficit-explodes-blowout-october-deficit-means-2nd-worst-start-us-fiscal-year-record
I wonder what people mean when they say the country is headed in the wrong direction...
45
Politics & Religion / Re: Trump Adminstration 2.0, Pete Hegseth
« on: November 14, 2024, 08:01:28 AM »
https://youtu.be/fqMN_ixj41U?si=WhM3UxATZuzVmTXS
He's ready, day one.
-------------------
NY Post:
https://nypost.com/2024/11/13/opinion/donald-trumps-defense-secretary-pick-pete-hegseth-shows-why-dems-lost-the-2024-election/
He's ready, day one.
-------------------
NY Post:
https://nypost.com/2024/11/13/opinion/donald-trumps-defense-secretary-pick-pete-hegseth-shows-why-dems-lost-the-2024-election/
46
Politics & Religion / Re: Trump Adminstration 2.0
« on: November 14, 2024, 07:22:14 AM »
Following the Fetterman comments it went on with a video reporting the reaction within the Justice Dept. "Insanity!" Their reaction indicates he hit the right nerve. Files are being shredded to get ready for the new scrutiny.
Gaetz in the House was not a team player. In the DOJ, we are not looking for a team player right now.
My view: For what Trump has gone through the last nine years, he deserves his pick for Attorney General, whoever that may be.
Bill Barr had experience and some gravitas. I'm still waiting for him to investigate vote fraud and reform the agencies. We unfortunately need someone with no friends in the agencies.
These aren't ordinary times and Trump only has four years, maybe just two.
----------
I'm hearing from people who know him, Pete Hegseth is a great pick.
And Marco Rubio is a GREAT pick. I wonder what President Xi thinks of that.
Plus, Ron DeSantis gets to pick his successor in the Senate.
Gaetz in the House was not a team player. In the DOJ, we are not looking for a team player right now.
My view: For what Trump has gone through the last nine years, he deserves his pick for Attorney General, whoever that may be.
Bill Barr had experience and some gravitas. I'm still waiting for him to investigate vote fraud and reform the agencies. We unfortunately need someone with no friends in the agencies.
These aren't ordinary times and Trump only has four years, maybe just two.
----------
I'm hearing from people who know him, Pete Hegseth is a great pick.
And Marco Rubio is a GREAT pick. I wonder what President Xi thinks of that.
Plus, Ron DeSantis gets to pick his successor in the Senate.
47
Politics & Religion / Re: The Cognitive Dissonance of the left
« on: November 13, 2024, 02:02:12 PM »
I get what you're saying, including the tongue in cheek. I attribute all my success in sports to... weak opponents. Without them I'm nothing.
On the other side of the same coin, since they have roughly a 50/50 chance of winning each election, I sort of wish they could be a little more sane and normal.
I just heard another first-hand story of a business currently fighting the state government of Minnesota. Sparing the details, nobody should be subject to their fascist, irrational, all-powerful insanity. One size fits no one regulations and no elected official has a fingerprint on it.
Rule by the far Left isn't a hypothetical.
Imagine for a moment if in 2007-2008 Democrats foolishly got behind their leftmost Senator, still in a first term, no foreign policy experience, and Republicans chose their safest, most trusted moderate to capture the entire middle and he picked a conservative woman Governor to lock in the right... imagine how badly we would whoop them, oops. 16 years into this we (still) have irrepealable government healthcare, an economy underperforming by trillions per year - and he almost won a fourth term.
Be afraid. (
On the other side of the same coin, since they have roughly a 50/50 chance of winning each election, I sort of wish they could be a little more sane and normal.
I just heard another first-hand story of a business currently fighting the state government of Minnesota. Sparing the details, nobody should be subject to their fascist, irrational, all-powerful insanity. One size fits no one regulations and no elected official has a fingerprint on it.
Rule by the far Left isn't a hypothetical.
Imagine for a moment if in 2007-2008 Democrats foolishly got behind their leftmost Senator, still in a first term, no foreign policy experience, and Republicans chose their safest, most trusted moderate to capture the entire middle and he picked a conservative woman Governor to lock in the right... imagine how badly we would whoop them, oops. 16 years into this we (still) have irrepealable government healthcare, an economy underperforming by trillions per year - and he almost won a fourth term.
Be afraid. (
48
Politics & Religion / Democrat Party is pulled in the wrong direction
« on: November 13, 2024, 09:39:07 AM »
Moderates are losing for being unable to separate themselves from the politics and policies of the far left (which they supported). Without the moderates, the party becomes even more far left.
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This pretty well sums it up.
"The party's attempt to merge progressive identity positions with moderate aesthetics has produced something that appeals to neither group, resulting in the departure of genuine moderates like Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin."
(and Bob Casey, Jon Tester and Sherrod Brown)
https://www.realclearpennsylvania.com/articles/2024/11/12/casey_wont_admit_defeat_but_heres_why_he_lost_1071750.html
And previously they lost moderate Dems like Tom Daschle, South Dakota, Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota, Bill Nelson, Florida, Arlene Specter, Pennsylvania, remember Bob Kerry Nebraska and the list goes on. They're gone. Is Angus King the last moderate, and what did he vote moderately on?
With a little irony, is Fetterman the last sane Democrat?
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This pretty well sums it up.
"The party's attempt to merge progressive identity positions with moderate aesthetics has produced something that appeals to neither group, resulting in the departure of genuine moderates like Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin."
(and Bob Casey, Jon Tester and Sherrod Brown)
https://www.realclearpennsylvania.com/articles/2024/11/12/casey_wont_admit_defeat_but_heres_why_he_lost_1071750.html
And previously they lost moderate Dems like Tom Daschle, South Dakota, Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota, Bill Nelson, Florida, Arlene Specter, Pennsylvania, remember Bob Kerry Nebraska and the list goes on. They're gone. Is Angus King the last moderate, and what did he vote moderately on?
With a little irony, is Fetterman the last sane Democrat?
49
Politics & Religion / Re: The US Congress; Congressional races
« on: November 13, 2024, 09:29:58 AM »Did we win the House?
I heard we did but when I google search all the news is "too close to call"
[as the Dems scramble to steal as many as they can supported by MSM]
Not called yet but betting odds sites say 99.6% chance Republicans hold the house.
https://electionbettingodds.com/House-Control-2024.html
50
Politics & Religion / Re: Trump Administration 2.0
« on: November 13, 2024, 08:53:34 AM »" but he might be just right for this position at this moment in time."
but what if he is not?
never any guarantees but .......
I was shocked at the pick also, but...
In times of war he tells the Generals, do what needs to be done and tell me what you need from Congress and the President to succeed. In times of peace, he'll be fine.
If he fails, it means the people above him and below him failed. Changing the personnel in the Pentagon is probably job one. He understands merit over dei. Now do it.
The Senate confirmation hearings will expose whether or not he is ready. I hope he can wow them. If not, shame on Trump.