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ITNW1989 a from Big Meat, USA Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
a
#211726: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:31:04 PM

If someone as calm, measured and careful with their words like Obama was unable to deescalate the situation with NK during his stay, I highly doubt someone like the orange flesh golem we've got blundering about the Oval Office right now can do it.

And while I know that it's possible that NK's statement today is possibly just more bluster, my two best friends, who were international students here in the US, are Korean and Japanese, and it's hard not to get worried for them, and everyone else there, whenever something like this happens.

edited 25th Sep '17 2:33:11 PM by ITNW1989

Hitokiri in the streets, daishouri in the sheets.
Imca (Veteran)
#211727: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:33:26 PM

Exactly, and thats why I said I don't think it can be de-escalated any more, I wan't just talking about Cheeto Supreme, I am talking about at all.

I don't think the guy after him, or the guy after him can either, it is only going to boil over at this poin't and I just hope that it holds off long enough that some one sane is in charge first....

And yea.... that is my home, I am very worried about this issue personaly.... Hell on our end we had our goverment disolved yesterday so one can be instilled to better deal with the whole situation.... thats how iminent it is seen, they have given up the gaurenteed constitution re-write they have pushed for for 70 years, to try and get a better hand for dealing with NK and Trump.

edited 25th Sep '17 2:35:05 PM by Imca

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#211728: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:35:58 PM

From FEMA, Federal Government Continues Hurricane Maria Response and Relief Operations.

Stuff like this is why I have such trouble understanding any "small government" ideology, the state can do massive amounts of good and the idea of crippling it just seems insane to me.

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
Imca (Veteran)
#211729: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:38:06 PM

They just want to pay less taxes since they think it will make them richer, and the best way to make the taxes lower is to shrink the goverment so it spends less...

Its a greed based mindset centering on the individual, not a policy based one.

edited 25th Sep '17 2:38:29 PM by Imca

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#211730: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:38:08 PM

[up][up] Hypothetical small government person: Meh, the big bad gubmint would screw up just like they did with Katrina! Wasting all our taxpayer money! We'd be better off letting volunteers and private organizations do the work! Cut all the red tape!

edited 25th Sep '17 2:38:25 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#211731: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:51:40 PM

[up][up]In the "facism and science fiction" said best: most of the time they want freedom from others to interfiere than freedom to pursuit things, which a times let bad people do what they want.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
LinkToTheFuture A real bad hombre from somewhere completely different Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
A real bad hombre
#211732: Sep 25th 2017 at 2:57:26 PM

To be totally fair I think the "small government" types who actually think things through are more about government and red tape needed to be cut where it doesn't belong, not a wholesale cutting of like emergency services

But most of the Tea Party/lolbertarian types just mean a wholesale cutting of course

edited 25th Sep '17 2:57:46 PM by LinkToTheFuture

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#211733: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:01:01 PM

I would not be surprised if a number of these types welcome government aid when it's for them.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Parable State of Mind from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Holding out for a hero
State of Mind
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#211735: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:09:06 PM

[up]Good for North Carolina! grin

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#211736: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:11:31 PM

So I'm hearing on MSNBC right now that Susan Collins has declared herself a no vote on the GOP health care bill.

FUCK yes.

edited 25th Sep '17 3:11:41 PM by AceofSpades

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#211737: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:15:14 PM

Ivanka Trump Kushner has also been using a Private Email Server for Government Work, just like her Husband Jared Kushner.

Expect this to be an albatross around Trump's neck when it comes to the News, and a nothing burger for Trump's followers who hypocritically demand Hillary go to jail for the same thing.

[up] 3 No's for the current Graham-Cassidy Bill (Rand Paul is still against it, and John McCain will not support it period). If Cruz and Lee keep to their word, and Murkowski stop wavering and just announce she's a no, that'd be 6 No's.

edited 25th Sep '17 3:16:25 PM by DingoWalley1

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#211738: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:24:43 PM

Even with three nos it's a win. They could only afford to lose two. With a third, then even Pence can't help swing it.

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#211739: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:27:01 PM

How many Ls are these senators willing to take? Sheesh

New Survey coming this weekend!
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#211740: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:30:33 PM

[up][up] That's completely true, and I'm glad that it's already dead. But I would feel even better if the loss was greater then just one vote. I'm sure Fruitpork would as well.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#211741: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:38:42 PM

In observing discussions on the matter off and on and on particular with our main libertarian troper, I'm left to wonder if "small government" is even feasible on this day and age.

We're a pretty large country (what, third largest or so?). We've nearly quadrupled the number of states from when we were founded and increased by far more than that in terms of land mass. In that context, how workable is limited federal government to begin with when we're dealing with something of that size?

Also: Graham-Cassidy Health Care Hearing Starts With Eruption Of Protests

http://www.npr.org/2017/09/25/553024686/in-hearing-sens-graham-and-cassidy-defend-their-namesake-bill-to-repeal-obamacar

Heh:

"You managed to bring together people and organizations in the health care field who rarely agree," [Oregon Sen. Ron] Wyden told [Bill] Cassidy. "I guess congratulations are in order because they all think what you're talking about is a disaster."

edited 25th Sep '17 3:45:49 PM by sgamer82

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#211742: Sep 25th 2017 at 3:50:18 PM

Not too surprised, but good to hear of Collins nonetheless. Hopefully Paul sticks to his guns on this one too.

Senate Republican reactions to the news. They're convinced it's dead at this point, given the chance of Paul flipping is extremely unlikely.

Re: small government and national aid, I'm friends with a few minarchist types, and Link To The Future's evaluation is correct. In general their stances are too extreme for me (I don't think regulation is inherently good, but some is necessary for a fair and free market) but generally speaking they're social liberals and more concerned with overregulation and red tape stymieing growth than opposing government spending for its own sake. They consider national disaster relief a form of key infrastructure support, aka one of the acceptable purposes of the federal government in their eyes.

fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#211743: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:04:26 PM

I’m not considering it dead until the 30th, and even then, I’ll keep my eyes peeled.

kkhohoho Deranged X-Mas Figure from The Insanity Pole Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Deranged X-Mas Figure
#211744: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:08:24 PM

Changing gears for a bit, we have some actual good news today! (Well, sort of.)

US Sees no Indication Iran Launched a Ballistic Missle, Despite Trump Tweet

US intelligence radars and sensors "picked up no indication" of an Iranian ballistic missile launch in the days surrounding a reported test, according to a Trump administration official familiar with the latest US assessment.

Iranian reports that the nation tested a new ballistic missile so far does not appear to be true, the official said, adding: "As far as we can see, it did not happen."

State-run broadcaster Press TV reported the launch on Saturday, according to footage broadcast on Iranian state television.

"Iran has released footage of the successful test-launch of its new ballistic missile, Khorramshahr, a few hours after it was unveiled during a military parade in the capital city of Tehran," Press TV said.

But the telemetry, or electronic signals, of a ballistic missile launch would have been picked up by a variety of US assets in the region who keep an around the clock eye on Iran's weapons activities, the official said.

President Donald Trump tweeted about the apparent launch on Saturday: "Iran just test fired a ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel. They are also working with North Korea. Not much of an agreement we have!"

The footage shown on Iranian television appears most likely to be a re-run of a previous test launch, the official said.

The official did not know if Trump received an intelligence briefing about the launch before sending the tweet.

Fox News was the first to report that the US believes the launch did not take place.

edited 25th Sep '17 4:08:45 PM by kkhohoho

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around
JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#211745: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:16:48 PM

I trust Collins, I trust Mc Cain to try and make it about himself (hopefully, by not sinking the fucking bill), but I wouldn't trust Paul as far as I could throw him. If Murkowski just says no, then I'll feel safer.

If I thought any of the Republicans could play 11th-dimensional chess, this might actually be a less-stupid strategy: let the worst of the bunch make a big production of fucking everything up, then rally around safer, saner Republicans like Collins and Murkowski. Try to appeal to the "both-siders" that there are decent Republicans. Then you pass your friggin tax cuts. But right now, what you see is what you get.

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#211746: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:42:42 PM

So basically, Graham-Cassidy managed to pull an Enemy Mine in the health industry field.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Eschaton Since: Jul, 2010
#211747: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:57:55 PM

And their efforts to shuffle money into the states of crucial votes managed to repulse both McCain and Paul further.

ITNW1989 a from Big Meat, USA Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
a
#211748: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:58:46 PM

Much like how Trump screaming "REPEAL AND REPLACE MAGA MAGA MAGA" actually made the approval numbers of the ACA higher than they'd ever been during Obama's time.

Hitokiri in the streets, daishouri in the sheets.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#211749: Sep 25th 2017 at 4:59:36 PM

Those are two people I trust to hold their position. I'm so glad that it's looking more and more like the Republican's travesty of a bill is practically dead.

edited 25th Sep '17 4:59:54 PM by Fourthspartan56

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
kkhohoho Deranged X-Mas Figure from The Insanity Pole Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Deranged X-Mas Figure
#211750: Sep 25th 2017 at 5:06:38 PM

[up]For now. You just know they'll try and dredge it up again the second they get a chance. Even if we get a break after this, a break is all it is.

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

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