Nov 2023 Mod notice:
There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.
If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations
and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines
before posting here.
Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.
If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules
when posting here.
In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.
Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
In a bit of fluff news, a ban on nunchuks in New York was overturned today
, having been in place for 44 years due to fears that impressionable kids would take inspiration from Bruce Lee movies.
The ruling went over the history of the ban, and said it “arose out of a concern that, as a result of the rising popularity ‘of ‘Kung Fu’ movies and shows,′ ‘various circles of the state’s youth’ — including ‘muggers and street gangs’ — were ‘widely’ using nunchaku to cause ‘many serious injuries.’”
In an email to The Associated Press, Maloney said “perhaps the most amazing thing” was getting more relief than he had asked for.
And in more serious news, Alan Greenspan voiced concern that we might be heading for "stagflation"
- a period marked by high unemployment and raised interest rates, which also hasn't been seen since the '70s.
There was a story a while back that their donations/income has taken a big hit relative to past years.
Think I found it, from back in August:
NRA says it faces financial crisis, claims it might be 'unable to exist' in future: lawsuit
The gun-rights organization said it may soon have to stop producing its magazines and its video streaming service, NR Atv, because of actions by the state of New York, which the NRA accused of running a "blacklisting campaign."
The campaign appears to be part of a national campaign calling for companies to cut ties with the group in the aftermath of several high profile shootings, most notably with the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
The gun lobbying group claims in its lawsuit, which targets Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Department of Financial Services and Maria Vullo, which heads the department, that the state has caused "irrecoverable loss and irreparable harm" to the organization. But, of course, the organization is making these claims in a lawsuit, which it hopes to win.
Edited by sgamer82 on Dec 18th 2018 at 1:47:11 PM
Although this is from August, and there's really no news since then, although Contributions are down
to the group.
Edited by DingoWalley1 on Dec 18th 2018 at 3:45:44 PM
Also, RE: "Media platforms are responsible for the content their posters make" is what's led to stuff like DMCA Takedown abuses and the recent Tumblr porn ban. They can easily go too far on the other side of the pendulum with their reactions.
Edited by ironballs16 on Dec 18th 2018 at 4:02:43 AM
"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?""speaking of seats...does anyone know what happened to the three seats which were not called so far? You know, the one in California, New York and the one which is on hold for fraud?"
In order: D, D, ???
"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."The President can't pass laws-that's congress's job. Having said that I do believe the President can, at least, submit bills for congress to look at.
Leviticus 19:34Answer, per the NYT: "The new regulation, which had been expected, would ban the sale or possession of the devices under a new interpretation of existing law. Americans who own bump stocks would have 90 days to destroy their devices or to turn them in to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives."
The message I take from this is if you turn against Trump, you had better go the full mile and confess everything quickly rather than try to weasel around and/or drag your feet.
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.I don't agree, presidents are constantly expected to make new laws and it's highly unlikely that you will be able to disabuse the electorate from this misconception, and executive orders have a much narrower scope.
Also, apparently future Republican leader Kevin McCarthy apparently persuaded his party that the 2011 redistricting in California was no threat to them
. This guy really does walk over his party's corpses, does he.
![]()
Yeah, he was pretty clear about how he fealt about Flynn.
"I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense"
Though, really, I'd argue that it was merciful of the Judge to voice his distain that openly- he would've been within his rights to sit there, listening quietly, and then just send Flynn to jail. Instead he gave Flynn time to find a reason why he shouldn't be in jail.
Edited by Gilphon on Dec 18th 2018 at 8:10:35 AM

Trump administration officially bans bump stocks
https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/12/18/politics/bump-stocks-ban/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fcurrentstatus.io%2F
Michael Flynn’s sentencing delayed after judge tells the ex-Trump adviser he may not avoid prison time
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/michael-flynn-trumps-former-national-security-adviser-scheduled-to-be-sentenced/2018/12/17/19ce1bb4-0247-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e48b64bf90ba
The stunning development means that Flynn will have to be sentenced at a later date, when he can possibly convince a judge more thoroughly of how his cooperation has benefited law enforcement.
Flynn’s attorneys asked for the delay after U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan accused Flynn of acting as “an unregistered agent of a foreign country, while serving as the national security adviser to the president of the United States” — an allegation he later walked back. Sullivan granted the request and asked for a status report in 90 days, though he said he was “not making any promises” that he would view the matter differently in three months.
After reviewing some of the allegations against Flynn, including that he worked to advance the interests of the Turkish government in the United States during the 2016 presidential campaign, the judge pointed to an American flag behind him in the courtroom and said heatedly, “Arguably, that undermines everything this flag over here stands for. Arguably you sold your country out.
“The court’s going to consider that,” the judge said. “I cannot assure you, if you proceed today, you will not receive a sentence of incarceration.”
Sullivan also asked a prosecutor with the special counsel’s office whether Flynn could be charged with “treason.”
Flynn, standing straight and flanked by attorneys on either side, looked shaken, his jaw clenched. Sullivan declared a recess to let Flynn consider whether he wanted to proceed and let the judge impose a punishment, or to delay and cooperate more with the special counsel in hopes of leniency.
Edited by sgamer82 on Dec 18th 2018 at 12:29:14 PM