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Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#261401: Nov 11th 2018 at 12:05:52 PM

It makes me wonder, would it be possible to cut military funding and use that to fund infrastructure. Put the Republicans on Morton's Fork by forcing them to either tax the 1% or cut funding from the army/navy/etc?

Sure, if you're fine with sabotaging our national interest by reducing our ability to project power, the Republicans have an insane fixation with mindlessly throwing money at the military but going the opposite direction and just slashing it is a very ungood idea.

The military serves a strategic purpose and its funding needs to be rationalized but using it as an attack against the Republicans just isn't the way.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#261402: Nov 11th 2018 at 12:06:49 PM

With recent Russian activity this is probably the worst possible time to be cutting funding to the military.

Oh really when?
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#261403: Nov 11th 2018 at 12:15:09 PM

Good point. Sorry for bringing that option up, but I am curious how much of the military budget is dedicated to confronting cyber-warfare (considering the necessity of it. Russia aside, the ability to disrupt infrastructure is something that should be routed as much as possible)

Also, I want to know if there's any other hills the Republicans are willing to die on that isn't the Donor class, bigotry (compromising on that is a large leap backwards, Sanders) or the military?

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Nov 11th 2018 at 12:19:29 PM

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#261404: Nov 11th 2018 at 12:21:31 PM

Good point, but I am curious how much of the military budget is dedicated to confronting cyber . Sorry for bringing that option up.

No need to apologize, as long as one's position is not morally repugnant (and yours was not) then there's nothing wrong with bringing up an idea like that.

But now I want to know if there's any other hills the Republicans are willing to die on that isn't the Donor class, bigotry (compromising on that is a large leap backwards, Bernie) or the military?

That sounds like all of the hills they're willing to die on, I think taxes and bigotry are the best places to hammer them. They can't afford to back down from either and as a consequence will be forced to defend unpopular positions like ending DACA or slashing the taxes of the ultra-rich, thus nicely prepping for 2020.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Nov 11th 2018 at 3:21:58 PM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#261405: Nov 11th 2018 at 12:29:49 PM

Also, I want to know if there's any other hills the Republicans are willing to die on that isn't the Donor class, bigotry (compromising on that is a large leap backwards, Sanders)

That reminds me, Sanders apparently realized how much scorn those remarks earned him, because he put out a new statement a few days ago:

Speaking to NPR, Sanders said any votes Gillum or Abrams lost over their race were entirely due to what he called "racist" campaigns run by their Republican opponents.

"There's no question that in Georgia and in Florida racism has reared its ugly head. And you have candidates who ran against Gillum and ran against Stacey Abrams who were racist and were doing everything they could to try to play whites against blacks," he said. "And that is an outrage, and we have got to continue doing everything that we can to fight all forms of racism."

TechPriest90 Servant of the Omnissiah from Collegia Titanica, Mars, Sol System Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Servant of the Omnissiah
#261406: Nov 11th 2018 at 12:33:34 PM

Well, at least he was self-aware enough to realise he'd just shown himself as a adroit practitioner of Dontopedalogy.

I hold the secrets of the machine.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#261407: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:04:36 PM

That's nice of him, but this is far from the first time he's made excuses for the racism of white voters or ignored how economics can't solve all of the US' problems. The guy really needs to step it up.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#261408: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:07:05 PM

The Republicans obstructing everything worked beforehand because as long as Obama was in power, he had the responsibility plus, the Democrats made way too often the mistake to compromise on things they shouldn't have compromised on. This time around, though, Trump is in power, and yes, he can whine about the Democrats blocking him, which is why the Democrats has to make sure that they will only block him on the most unpopular of policies, while also bringing forward popular policies, forcing the Republicans to show their face again and again when they block them.

Regarding taxation: I actually don't think that tax cuts are helpful, because the US is undertaxed as it is. What is needed is a progressive tax system in which low income families don't have to pay taxes at all until they reach a specific threshold and after that the taxation rises to an even degree the more you earn.

Taxation and funding is btw also the reason why I wouldn't completely doing away with the Insurance system in the US. Because here is the issue: A single payer system would NOT stop deregulation and if you put it completely into the hands of the government, you just can't prevent the Republicans from systematically defunding and privatizing it. Take a good look at the current status of the NHS to understand how that works. This is why I think that there is a need to keep healthcare cost separate from the taxes, and some room for "individual" insurance.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#261409: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:13:13 PM

It's official: Florida is going for a recount, and Gillum has withdrawn his concession of the race as a result.

Oh, wow. I didn't actually know you could do that. I thought the formal concession was like a forfeiture; basically saying that you can stop tallying the numbers here because the other guy won.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#261410: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:27:28 PM

Nah, concession is a purely symbolic thing. The action that actually matters is the vote tally, seeing as candidates often concede before the tally has been made.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#261411: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:29:10 PM

All votes in contested races have to be counted anyway, as there are aspects of campaign funding and ballot access that tie into how many votes a candidate/party won in past elections (plus third party candidates also exist).

There’s actully nothing formal about a concession, as the vote count is meant to be independent of the candidates and thus they don’t get a say in if it stops.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#261412: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:30:14 PM

[up] The votes keep getting counted whether a candidate thinks they succeeded or not, that's how a democracy works. Republicans now opposing even this basic principle shows how radical they've become under Trump, with him leading the voter fraud conspiracy theories.

Life is unfair...
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#261413: Nov 11th 2018 at 1:45:17 PM

@Sanders Did he even apologize? It looks more like he just made a different, less racist statement while ignoring what he said earlier.

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#261414: Nov 11th 2018 at 2:25:12 PM

I recall reading that Gore had initially conceded back in the 2000 election, only to withdraw that concession when it became clear that Florida was too close to call.

History Repeats, I suppose.

Oh God! Natural light!
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#261415: Nov 11th 2018 at 2:57:01 PM

@Sanders Did he even apologize? It looks more like he just made a different, less racist statement while ignoring what he said earlier.

He didn't.

His spokesperson said that it was taken out of context and Sanders later "clarified" his position.

Speaking to NPR, Sanders said any votes Gillum or Abrams lost over their race were entirely due to what he called "racist" campaigns run by their Republican opponents.

"There's no question that in Georgia and in Florida racism has reared its ugly head. And you have candidates who ran against Gillum and ran against Stacey Abrams who were racist and were doing everything they could to try to play whites against blacks," he said. "And that is an outrage, and we have got to continue doing everything that we can to fight all forms of racism."

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#261416: Nov 11th 2018 at 3:05:40 PM

So your standard "sorry you read this the wrong way and got offended" nonpology?

"Yup. That tasted purple."
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#261417: Nov 11th 2018 at 3:15:43 PM

To me that sounds like a completely different topic...

Wanted to link Nate Silver's Twitter feed as it contains some interesting info about where Dem pickups happened and that they will be likely more solid than those in 2006 and 2008.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
TechPriest90 Servant of the Omnissiah from Collegia Titanica, Mars, Sol System Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Servant of the Omnissiah
#261418: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:23:16 PM

Also, some members of the Arizona and National GOP claim the Arizona state election is "rigged" because the Democrat candidate is winning.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/sinema-opens-up-lead-in-arizona-senate-race-as-officials-count-ballots/2018/11/10/2a60f8e2-e54c-11e8-8f5f-a55347f48762_story.html?utm_term=.d0fea2b5d7a9

Projection much, GOP? In a twisted sort of way, it amuses me.

Edited by TechPriest90 on Nov 11th 2018 at 7:23:31 AM

I hold the secrets of the machine.
MrHellboy The Shadow from A world of my own Since: Dec, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
The Shadow
#261419: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:23:29 PM

Sweet baby Jesus, there really are no good Republicans

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/11/senator-mississippi-joked-about-public-hanging-her-black-opponent-called-it-reprehensible/?utm_source=reddit.com&utm_term=.70aea034cb8c

I hope Hyde-Smith gets taken down hard for this, but given that this IS Mississippi...

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
TechPriest90 Servant of the Omnissiah from Collegia Titanica, Mars, Sol System Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Servant of the Omnissiah
#261420: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:27:00 PM

[up] Yeah, I read that too.

But like you said, this is Mississippi. My apologies to anyone from that State who has to deal with this.

I hold the secrets of the machine.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#261421: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:28:30 PM

On the other hand that election is going to a runoff

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#261422: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:29:11 PM

[up] Well, considering how many votes the republican candidates got compared to the democratic ones, I guess she is secure that she will win the run-off. But there might be a chance still. For one, those who supported her opponent might not come out to support her and two, hopefully the democratic voters will be more motivated to go out and actually vote.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#261423: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:33:56 PM

Though she's probably going to win, it's possible it could be another Alabama upset.

Mississippi is less blood red that Alabama (by virtue of being much blacker) and the Democrat is apparently fairly respected among the general populace, even outside of the black population.

TechPriest90 Servant of the Omnissiah from Collegia Titanica, Mars, Sol System Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Servant of the Omnissiah
#261424: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:36:22 PM

[up] One can only hope. It'll be a nice kick in the rear for the GOP to lose yet another seemingly safe seat.

I hold the secrets of the machine.
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#261425: Nov 11th 2018 at 4:42:23 PM

If we somehow manage to win Mississippi, assuming we win Arizona, we'd actually manage to break even in the senate, in terms of win/loss record for this midterm. We'd still be behind, but no more worse off than we were before the midterm.


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