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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#272751: Feb 25th 2019 at 2:24:31 PM

Russia, as we all know, has sinister “oligarchs” whereas in the United States, we are told, we have “philanthropists,” “job creators,” and “titans of industry”

Given the way by which the Russian oligarchy has collected its power and the way they use it, I’m not sure that’s a fully accurate comparison. The ultra-rich in the US are far from spotless but it’s a very different situation in Russia.

They should have sent a poet.
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#272752: Feb 25th 2019 at 2:26:09 PM

@soban: I find it hard to believe Trump is going to face any personal consequences for anything he's done in office when George W. Bush and Dick Cheney (and Nixon) didn't.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Feb 25th 2019 at 5:27:12 AM

GoldenKaos Captain of the Dead City from Cirith Ungol Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Captain of the Dead City
#272753: Feb 25th 2019 at 2:30:37 PM

Generally, I prefer billionaire philanthropists to the non philanthropist kind.

I'd rather have no billionaires. Whether it's a benevolent liege lord or not, they're still a de facto liege lord, choosing how much money goes where.

"...in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#272754: Feb 25th 2019 at 2:33:12 PM

[up] It's very hard (and probably not desirable honestly) to have a society where some people don't have more than others. The more realistic goal would be some sort of basic income, at least for people making under a certain amount, and bringing back the higher tax income tax rates for people over a certin income bracket to fund it.

I do respect John D. Rockefeller Jr. I know that his father, Rockefeller Senior, made his massive empire through cutthroat business tactics, but the immeasurable amount of good that Rockefeller Jr. did with his inheritance, is undeniable.

He helped fund the restoration of Versailles, Colonial Williamsburg, and many other historical buildings around the world, played an instrumental role in the Creation of Acadia and Grand Teton National Parks (and several others), helped found the Brookings Institute, donated the land the UN Building is built on in Manhattan, and had a huge impact in the art and educational world, just to mention a few of the things he helped support.

Edited by megaeliz on Feb 25th 2019 at 5:47:11 AM

Oruka Since: Dec, 2018
#272755: Feb 25th 2019 at 2:59:55 PM

[up]This video seems like a rebuttal to this very specific argument.

I'm fine with some having more wealth than others, so long as everyone gets shelter, food, healthcare, education, and, above all, respect, safety, and dignity. I'm not fine with the personally wealthiest getting to decide where the polity's resources should go. There's a difference between living in opulence oneself, and controlling others' lives. The decisions of such minorities tend to be self-serving, in rather short-sighted ways.

Edited by Oruka on Feb 25th 2019 at 3:01:28 AM

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#272756: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:02:34 PM

My biggest issues with rich person philanthropy is that most of that money is donated to the arts and culture-related stuff. Not things that help the underprivileged, like providing basic necessities to people who don't have them, or helping the underprivileged.

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
#272757: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:03:19 PM

I find it hard to believe Trump is going to face any personal consequences for anything he's done in office when George W. Bush and Dick Cheney (and Nixon) didn't.

To the best of my knowledge any crimes they commited would have been federal, Trump has likely commited a high number of state crimes, that opens him up to a state AG with a grudge (of which there are a good number in this partisan an era) coming after him.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#272758: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:15:19 PM

Bush and Nixon also (probably) refrained from committing crimes before they held elected office, and all their offenses were intensely political. This is not the case with Trump.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#272759: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:15:25 PM

[up][up][up]I do think there is value in those donations, so the actual question should be: "You people have more money than you can possibly spend in three-litimes, why you don't do both?"

Edited by HailMuffins on Feb 25th 2019 at 8:15:38 AM

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#272760: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:21:29 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2019/02/25/day-767/

    Day 767: Super-creepy and inappropriate 
1/ Paul Manafort "repeatedly and brazenly" broke the law and the "crimes he engaged in while on bail were not minor; they went to the heart of the criminal justice system," according Robert Mueller's 800-page court filing. Manafort's sentence should reflect the "gravity of his conduct," prosecutors wrote in the unsealed filing, which includes a note from Mueller indicating that federal sentencing guidelines suggest Manafort should receive a sentence of 17 to 22 years in prison. Mueller also said Manafort engaged in a "bold" string of criminal actions and an extensive pattern of deceit that "remarkably went unabated even after indictment." (CNBC / Washington Post / Associated Press / Axios / ABC News / CNN)

https://www.apnews.com/284652f3b06d478bb16b90d1f957e29c

🚨 Must Read: Court records reveal a Mueller report right in plain view. (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/2b8513d4a4224a559d7048edb396cdfd

☑️ Where does the Mueller investigation stand? Here's what could happen next. (Wall Street Journal)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/final-mueller-report-not-expected-next-week-justice-department-official-says-11550874759

🔎 Court documents: United States of America v. Paul J. Manafort, JR.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5747652-Mueller-s-Sentencing-Memo-In-Manafort-s-Case.html

2/ Trump asked his outside legal team to stay on after the Mueller probe ends to help with the Southern District of New York investigation, which Trump's close allies consider a far graver threat than Mueller. Trump Jr., meanwhile, dismissed both the Mueller investigation and the Southern District of New York probe, claiming that Trump, the Trump Organization, and the Trump family "don't appear all that worried, because we know there's nothing there." Separately, the Trump Organization asked the House Judiciary Committee to stop its investigations related to the company, claiming a conflict of interest because the panel hired a lawyer whose firm once represented Trump's company. (Daily Beast / Fox News / Washington Post)

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-to-legal-team-stay-for-coming-legal-hellscape

House Democrats are planning to investigate Trump's personal finances to discover why Deutsche Bank was willing to lend to the Trump Organization when other banks wouldn't, and whether Russia was involved. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/25/trump-money-deutsche-bank-1204497

House Intelligence Committee will subpoena the special counsel's final report and compel Mueller to testify if the full report is not given to Congress. During his confirmation hearing last month, William Barr said he would be "provide as much transparency as I can consistent with the law" when it comes to releasing the Mueller report. "We will obviously subpoena the report," Adam Schiff said. "We will bring Bob Mueller in to testify before Congress; we will take it to court if necessary. And in the end, I think the (Justice) Department understands they’re going to have to make this public." (ABC News / Reuters / Politico / Washington Post)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-idUSKCN1QD0V6

Michael Cohen will be questioned by the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. Cohen will not be questioned about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election or about possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he is expected to be questioned about Trump's "debts and payments relating to efforts to influence the 2016 election" and his "compliance with campaign finance laws." (Washington Post / NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/lawmakers-preview-questions-cohen-testimony-week-n975081

3/ A bipartisan group of 58 former national security officials will issue a joint statement denouncing Trump's national emergency declaration. "There is no factual basis" for Trump to proclaim a national emergency in order to build his border wall, the statement says. The statement comes a day before the House is expected to vote on a measure to block Trump's declaration. Trump, meanwhile, warned Republican senators to not "get led down the path of weak and ineffective Border Security." (Washington Post / Politico / New York Times)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/24/national-security-trump-emergency-declaration-1182732

Ex-GOP lawmakers urge Republicans to block Trump's emergency declaration (The Hill)

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/431374-ex-gop-lawmakers-pen-letter-urging-current-republicans-to-block-trumps

New Mexico governor says she withdrew border troops because there was no 'real emergency' (The Hill)

https://thehill.com/latino/431352-new-mexico-governor-says-she-withdrew-border-troops-because-there-was-no-real

4/ The White House will select a group of federal scientists to challenge the scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions and burning of fossil fuels are driving global warming. The panel is an initiative of the National Security Council and will not be subject to the same level of public disclosure as formal advisory committees, which are required meet in public, are subject to public records requests, and require representative membership. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/white-house-to-select-federal-scientists-to-reassess-government-climate-findings-sources-say/2019/02/24/49cd0a84-37dd-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.html

5/ Trump delayed his own deadline to increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, citing "substantial progress" in talks between the two countries. The increase from 10% to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods was scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on March 2nd. The two sides have not sign an official agreement and the White House has not release details on any agreements, but Trump suggested the possibility of a "signing summit" with Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago. (New York Times / ABC News / Politico / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-extends-china-tariff-deadline-cites-progress-talks-61281339

6/ Trump expects a "very tremendous summit" with Kim Jong-un later this week, but would be "happy" if North Korea maintains a moratorium on nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles that has been in place since November 2017. Trump added that he is in "no rush" to see North Korea denuclearize. (Washington Post / The Guardian / New York Times)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/25/us-negotiating-position-in-disarray-ahead-of-summit-with-north-korea

7/ A former Trump campaign staffer is suing Trump of forcibly kissing her on the mouth prior to an August 2016 rally in Florida. Alva Johnson alleges that Trump grabbed her hand and forcibly kissed her without her consent inside an RV, which she described as "super-creepy and inappropriate." Sarah Sanders, meanwhile, dismissed the allegation, saying: "This never happened." (Washington Post / Politico / CNN)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/25/trump-campaign-staffer-assault-1183606

    Notables 
Russian state television aired a list of U.S. military facilities that Moscow would target in the event of a nuclear war and noted that Russia is developing hypersonic missiles that would be able to hit those targets in less than five minutes. The targets include the Pentagon and the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. The unusually aggressive broadcast comes just days after Putin said Russia was ready for a "Cuban Missile"-style standoff with the United States if Washington deploys more intermediate-range nuclear missiles in western Europe. (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-nuclear-russia-idUSKCN1QE1DM

The Taliban and American diplomats are scheduled to begin the highest-level negotiations yet to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan. The talks will be held in Doha, Qatar, and will focus on working out the details of an agreement both sides said they reached in principle last month, which includes the Taliban agreeing to keep Afghan territory from becoming a haven for terrorists if the U.S. moves toward a withdrawal of American forces from the country. (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/world/asia/us-taliban-talks-afghanistan-qatar-baradar.html

New Defense Department security measures could put the accuracy of the 2020 census "at risk." The new guidance will now count deployed troops as residents of the military installations where they're usually stationed, instead of using the addresses provided when they enlisted. 15% of all overseas service members, with most stationed abroad, and the 2020 census will direct hundreds of billions of federal tax dollars to local communities over the next decade. (NPR)

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/25/697315761/restrictions-on-deployed-u-s-troop-data-could-put-2020-census-at-risk

The average tax refund this year is down 17% with the typical refund totaling $2,703, compared to $3,256 during the same period last year. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/22/irs-tax-refunds-2019-1207283

Most economists expect the U.S. to enter a recession by the end of 2021. 10% believe a recession began this year, while 42% project one next year, and 25% expect a contraction starting in 2021. (Bloomberg)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-25/most-economists-see-u-s-recession-by-2021-nabe-survey-shows

Trump accused Spike Lee of a "racist hit" against him for urging people to vote in the 2020 elections. Lee's comments to "mobilize" and "be on the right side of history" came during his Oscar acceptance speech for the best adapted screenplay for "Blac Kk Klansman," a movie about an African American detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. (Washington Post / NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/president-trump-tweets-spike-lee-racist-against-him-n975586

GOP donors are worried that Trump doesn't have a strategy to win reelection. In particular, donors are concerned how Trump intends to win in Rust Belt states that swung to Democrats in the midterms. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/25/trump-2020-campaign-strategy-1179119

Trump will host a Fourth of July "salute to America" at the Lincoln Memorial, which will include a "major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!" (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/us/politics/trump-parade-july-4.html

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#272761: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:38:01 PM

[up][up] Well, as has been said before, spending ridiculous amounts of money on fixing poverty is hard. It's also often the case that the most-needed expenditures aren't sexy projects that you can put your name on (which is often important to billionaires).

Oruka Since: Dec, 2018
#272762: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:38:29 PM

"Sarah Sanders, meanwhile, dismissed the allegation, saying: "This never happened.""

Why do they even bother to quote her?

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#272763: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:43:44 PM

Well she is the press Secretary,why wouldn't they quote her?,she's the mouth of the Whitehouse after all

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#272764: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:46:09 PM

To have even more hard evidence they can throw in her face later?

Soban Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
#272765: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:47:06 PM

[up][up][up]

I'm not sure I agree. What is needed isn't one time infusions of cash, but organizations that provide needed services. Organizations are really easy to put names on.

Edited by Soban on Feb 25th 2019 at 6:47:23 AM

Oruka Since: Dec, 2018
#272766: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:49:05 PM

She's a lying liar who lies. Quoting her is pointless. It provides zero information.

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
#272767: Feb 25th 2019 at 3:56:39 PM

What’s really needed is government intervention, all the personal charity in the word is nothing compared to what the US government could do.

I suspect that it might actully be more cost effective to fund political groups that campaign for government intervention on issues than to try and the fix the issues with ones own money.

Imagine if the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation was commited to spending its money getting politicians elected who’d put government money into fighting diseases in Africa, rather than trying to fight said diseases with the relatively small amount of money the foundation has.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#272768: Feb 25th 2019 at 4:02:26 PM

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/aclu-says-records-show-racial-profiling-mocking-marine-detained-ice-n975756

Another sign that ICE needs to have its entire staff fired even if you don't want to dissolve the organization completely. In this case, they grabbed an American citizen with his passport and ID as a veteran before trying to deport him. They denied he had any of this information on him but well...they'd entered it all as evidence.

Yeah.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#272769: Feb 25th 2019 at 4:11:42 PM

This is why I say burn it all down. This right here. Oh, and other breaking news, ICE refused to help a woman in labor in a detention facility, and her baby died.

Oruka Since: Dec, 2018
#272770: Feb 25th 2019 at 4:34:44 PM

"They denied he had any of this information on him but well...they'd entered it all as evidence."

You're not dealing with morons here.

Edited by Oruka on Feb 25th 2019 at 4:34:59 AM

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#272772: Feb 25th 2019 at 5:00:53 PM

A quick Google suggests that the AAF is a conservative think tank that's tried in the past to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and runs a Super PAC to establish Republican Congressional majorities. I'm not the person to ask about economics, but that sounds like a not exactly unbiased source to me.

It's been fun.
Spinosegnosaurus77 Ramen Fairy from Ontario, Canada Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: All I Want for Christmas is a Girlfriend
Ramen Fairy
#272773: Feb 25th 2019 at 5:05:47 PM

Nvm.

Edited by Spinosegnosaurus77 on Feb 25th 2019 at 8:08:02 AM

Peace is the only battle worth waging.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#272774: Feb 25th 2019 at 5:06:26 PM

I was about to say the same. All the leadership are Republican politicians or lobbyists and the organization itself spent a lot to oppose the Affordable Care Act. Not someone I'd trust on cost analysis.

Spinosegnosaurus77 Ramen Fairy from Ontario, Canada Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: All I Want for Christmas is a Girlfriend

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