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

NoName999 Since: May, 2011
#276452: Apr 3rd 2019 at 8:37:16 AM

On the other end of the spectrum, too many mutiple parties means you could end up with a situation as Israel where dominant party doesn't even have a strong plurality.

Wryte Since: Jul, 2010
#276453: Apr 3rd 2019 at 8:45:40 AM

I've never been entirely convinced that having more major political parties would be a good thing in the first place. Maybe if the American electorate wasn't so thoroughly disengaged and politically illiterate, but in the reality we live in, having a binary choice where a voter can know nothing beyond the broad strokes of two options and still make a decision that reasonably aligns with their values and beliefs seems like a feature, not a bug.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#276455: Apr 3rd 2019 at 8:58:54 AM

If one party becomes inviable, the primary would effectively become the election. This would last until such a time as new factions emerge within the party itself and it functionally splits into two parties.

So, immediately, basically.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#276456: Apr 3rd 2019 at 9:00:19 AM

[up][up][up] Thank your government for deliberately slacking on civic education in k-12, and media that focuses on personalities over policies. It’s hard to stay informed and up to date. Even harder if you’re poor and/or not well educated.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#276457: Apr 3rd 2019 at 9:10:37 AM

Democratic-led House panel authorizes subpoenas for Mueller report, evidence

https://reut.rs/2UqQoCQ

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#276458: Apr 3rd 2019 at 9:13:17 AM

Twitter: Ever since I first heard the phrase "too big to fail", I always assumed that the operative phrase is "too big". If a single corporation - say, oh I don't know, Disney or Amazon - going bankrupt would be enough to tank the economy, then it should be pre-emptively broken up. I feel the same philosophy applies to political parties. Right now, in the American two-party system, if either party becomes somehow invalid or insolvent or just fails to put forward a viable candidate, then America effectively doesn't have a democracy.

This isn't really true for a few reasons. Firstly, the trend of each party winning a term and then losing to the other isn't really one that has always been with us. It was relatively normal for a single party to dominate vast stretches of the time, as this list of part division in Historical Congresses should show. So their hypothesis that it would automatically kill democracy seems to be contracted by reality.

Furthermore, I think that kind of sentiment is actively counterproductive when discussing the risk of transitioning to undemocratic rule because it focuses on the wrong thing. It treats the two-party system itself as the main threat to democracy when it absolutely isn't, for that you have to look at the party's themselves. The Democratic Party is both supportive of electoral reform and ideologically diffuse, which means if they dominated rather then single party rule we'd almost certainly see a splintering and return to the two party system. Alongside reform which would likely make our system more democratic.

On the other hand, the Republicans have expressed a clear contempt for democracy and a strong party unity, if they dominate then we would see the death of democracy they're so afraid of.

As such, I think their refusal to address the Elephant in room (heh) makes their prognostications rather worthless.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Apr 3rd 2019 at 1:08:40 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#276459: Apr 3rd 2019 at 11:18:42 AM

Dem wins Trump district in swing-state Pennsylvania

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/437078-dem-wins-trump-district-in-swing-state-pennsylvania

A Democratic Navy veteran who served in former President George W. Bush's Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday won a special election to fill a state Senate seat in suburban Pittsburgh, a district President Trump won in 2016.

Pam Iovino will represent the state Senate district that covers parts of Allegheny and Washington counties after she beat out D. Raja, a businessman who chairs the Allegheny County Republican Party.

The seat opened when Guy Reschenthaler (R) resigned to take a seat in Congress.

The results are an early hint at the difficult path President Trump may face as he tries to replicate his performance in Pennsylvania in 2020. Trump took 51 percent of the vote in the suburban district as he became the first Republican to carry Pennsylvania since George H.W. Bush in 1988.

"The district is being watched because it voted overwhelmingly for the president in 2016, so we'll see how strong that foothold is," Iovino told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Democrats will now hold 22 of the 50 seats in the state Senate, compared to 26 seats held by Republicans. Two other seats are vacant.

After a string of wins in Republican-held state legislative districts in 2017 and 2018, Democrats went through a losing streak earlier this year. Republicans won Democratic-held seats in Minnesota, Connecticut and Kentucky in 2019; the Pennsylvania seat is the first seat of the year that flipped from Republican control to Democratic hands.

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#276460: Apr 3rd 2019 at 1:01:44 PM

Senate votes to reduce post-clouter debate time on nominees to 2 hours on mostly party lines with Collins and Lee voting with Democrats and Harris not voting.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
SciFiSlasher from Absolutely none of your business. Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#276462: Apr 3rd 2019 at 2:51:11 PM

Without clicking the link could you offer a summary of the three theories?

My guess

1) Dont care 2) Don't know 3) Don't care

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#276464: Apr 3rd 2019 at 2:54:04 PM

Without even reading it (yet), I will provide my own hypothesis: They dont care because they see as a form of shit-talk that primarily serves the purpose of trolling their enemies, which is how they see anyone who isnt from their community.

Mind you- his real base isnt rural working class voters- it's upper middle class businessmen frat boy wanna bee's.

Just read it- the article's reasons are good ones too.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#276465: Apr 3rd 2019 at 2:55:15 PM

Actually they're all pretty much "Don't Care" but why they don't care is the difference between all three.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#276466: Apr 3rd 2019 at 3:29:52 PM

The House has formally asked the IRS for Trump's tax returns. This is of course going to take a while to get through the courts.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/03/politics/trump-tax-returns-house-democrats-request/index.html

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Imca (Veteran)
#276467: Apr 3rd 2019 at 3:34:27 PM

While I definatly think he has shady tax returns, can some one explain to me how that isn't a 4th amendment violation?

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#276468: Apr 3rd 2019 at 3:40:01 PM

For reference:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
The key word, to me, seems to be "unreasonable". If they're going through all the proper processes and nothing holds it up, it's probably not a violation.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#276470: Apr 3rd 2019 at 4:31:20 PM

Good. Anything that shits on anti-vaxxers is a plus these days.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#276471: Apr 3rd 2019 at 4:40:32 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2019/04/03/day-804/

    Day 804: Not inclined 
1/ House Democrats formally requested six years of Trump's personal and business tax returns from the IRS. In a letter to the IRS, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee cited a little known provision in the IRS tax code that grants tax-writing committees in Congress the power to request tax information on any individual. Chairman Richard Neal requested Trump's personal tax returns from 2013 to 2018, giving the agency until April 10 to comply. Trump claimed his returns are being audited by the IRS and that he would "not be inclined to" turn anything over to Congress. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin previously told the Ways and Means committee that he would protect Trump's privacy if members of Congress requested his tax returns. (CNN / New York Times / NBC News / Bloomberg / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/03/politics/trump-tax-returns-house-democrats-request/index.html

Day 784: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested that he would protect Trump's privacy if House Democrats request Trump's tax returns, saying: "We will examine the request and we will follow the law … and we will protect the president as we would protect any taxpayer" regarding their right to privacy. Mnuchin said he "can't speculate" on how the administration will respond to demands for Trump's tax returns until it sees the request. House Democrats are preparing to ask the IRS for 10 years of Trump's personal tax returns under under a 1924 provision that requires the Treasury secretary to "furnish" any individual's tax return information to the House and Senate tax-writing committees. (Associated Press / ABC News / Politico / CNN) https://apnews.com/b7c693b602744f63bddd2efbf52ef5c6

2/ Trump's accounting firm wants to be subpoenaed before it will comply with a request for 10 years of Trump's financial records by the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Elijah Cummings said Mazars USA "told us that they will provide the information pretty much when they have a subpoena. And we'll get them a subpoena." (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/03/cummings-subpoena-trump-tax-records-1253480

3/ The House Judiciary Committee authorized the use of subpoenas to force the Justice Department to give Congress a full copy of Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as all of the underlying evidence. Chairman Jerry Nadler said he would not immediately issue the subpoena, but will first negotiate with Attorney General William Barr for the full report and documents. Barr promised to give Congress a redacted version of Mueller's findings by mid-April. Democrats, however, have said that redactions are unacceptable, "because it is our job, not the Attorney General's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office." The committee also voted to subpoena five former White House officials it believes may have documents relevant to Mueller's probe. (New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Axios / NBC News / The Guardian)

https://www.npr.org/2019/04/03/709404618/house-judiciary-approves-subpoena-for-full-mueller-report-in-party-line-vote

Adam Schiff suggested that it is "inevitable" that Mueller will testify before Congress. The House Intelligence chairman added that his committee has "a statutory requirement that the Intelligence Community, FBI, brief us on any significant counterintelligence or intelligence activity. And it's hard to imagine something that rises more to that level than this investigation." (Bloomberg)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-03/mueller-testimony-before-congress-inevitable-schiff-says

More than half of the House Judiciary Committee's 81 targets in its obstruction of justice and corruption investigation have declined to produce documents. The deadline to produce documents was March 18th. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/03/house-trump-corruption-probe-documents-1253724

4/ Trump backed-off his enthusiasm for releasing Mueller's report publicly after initially claiming that it "wouldn't bother me at all" if the report was made public. Trump went on to single out congressional Democrats who are trying to obtain Mueller's report, tweeting that "There is no amount of testimony or document production that can satisfy Jerry Nadler or Shifty Adam Schiff. It is now time to focus exclusively on properly running our great Country!" Sarah Sanders echoed Trump, calling Democrats "sore losers" who "will never be satisfied." (Politico / CNN)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/03/politics/mueller-report-subpoena-house-vote/index.html

5/ The House Intelligence Committee asked an organizer of Trump's inaugural committee to provide documents about how the fund raised and spent $107 million. Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former adviser to Melania Trump, served as a producer and a vendor for the inauguration. In February, federal prosecutors issued a subpoena to the inaugural committee for documents about donors, finances and activities. Prosecutors have been investigating whether foreigners illegally funneled donations through Trump's inaugural committee and a pro-Trump super PAC in hopes of buying influence over American policy. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Talking Points Memo)

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/house-intel-requests-info-interview-from-top-trump-inaugural-planner

[[https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2019/02/08/day-750/ Day 750: Trump's inauguration committee overpaid to use event spaces at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., despite internal objections at the Trump Organization that the rates were too high. The committee was charged a rate of $175,000 per day. An event planner, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, suggested that an appropriate rate would be closer to $85,000 per day. Tax law prohibits nonprofits from paying inflated prices to entities that are owned by people who also control the nonprofit. (Pro Publica)

Day 392: Trump's inaugural committee paid nearly $26 million to an event planning firm started by Melania's adviser and longtime friend Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. The firm was created in December 2016 – 45 days before the inauguration. Trump’s inauguration committee raised $107 million and paid to WIS Media Partners $25.8 million. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-inaugural-committee-spent-nearly-107-million-on-events-1518722022

At least 14 major contributors to Trump's inaugural committee were later nominated to become ambassadors despite not having diplomatic experience. They donated an average slightly over $350,000 apiece. (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/donors-trump-inaugural-committee-got-ambassador-nominations-are-they-qualified-n990116

6/ The House condemned Trump's support for a lawsuit seeking to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. In a non-binding resolution that passed 240 to 186, the House called the Justice Department's advocacy for abolishing the ACA "an unacceptable assault" on Americans' health care. (Washington Post / CNBC / Politico)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/03/house-votes-to-condemn-trump-support-for-obamacare-repeal.html

Trump claimed that he was "never planning a vote prior to the 2020 Election" on a replacement to the Affordable Care Act, despite last week saying that the effort was already "moving forward." Mitch Mc Connell told Trump this week he would not bring up a vote on the ACA in the Senate. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/03/trump-healthcare-vote-2020-1251657

poll/ 59% of voters have little or no trust in Trump to protect or improve the health care system. 58% of voters also have little or no trust in Republicans to improve health care. 53% of voters, however, have "a lot" or "some" trust in Democrats improve the health care system. (Morning Consult)

https://morningconsult.com/2019/04/03/trump-calls-gop-the-party-of-health-care-but-voters-beg-to-differ/

    Notables 
Mitch McConnell triggered the "nuclear option" to unilaterally reduce debate time on most of Trump's nominees. Under the new rule, debate time on the Senate floor for lower-level administration nominees will be cut to two hours from 30 hours. Democrats charged McConnell with hypocrisy, citing his refusal to hold a hearing for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland and the numerous other lower court nominees he blocked in the final two years of Obama's presidency. (Bloomberg / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/03/senate-republicans-trigger-nuclear-option-to-speed-trump-nominees-1253118

Wilbur Ross declined a second invitation to testify about Trump's budget request, claiming his scheduled appearance before a House Appropriations subcommittee would be a distraction from the budget discussion. Separately, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena documents related to Ross' decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. (Politico / Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-commerce-ross-idUSKCN1RF20E

A group of states are suing the Trump administration over changes it made to school lunch nutrition standards, arguing that the changes go against nutrition requirements put in place by Congress. (ABC News)

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/states-sue-trump-admin-rollbacks-school-lunch-standards/story?id=62138425

Trump claimed that "the noise" from windmills "causes cancer." Wind turbines do not cause cancer. (Esquire / New York Magazine / CNN / Washington Post)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/03/politics/trumps-war-on-windmills-now-includes-wild-cancer-claim/index.html

    Editor's note: 
Some might be wondering why I'm not covering Joe Biden's attempt at addressing allegations by four women that he touched them in inappropriate ways, and his claim that he will be "more mindful and respectful of people's personal space." This is a serious topic and Biden's non-apology and pinky-promise is predictably weak. However, this story falls outside the scope and mandate of this publication, which is to log the daily shock and awe of the current administration. I generally only cover the people and events outside of that charge when they intersect with the administration in some substantial way (Trump, for example, making fun of Biden for the allegations does not meet the definition of "substantial," FYI). -MATT

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#276472: Apr 3rd 2019 at 4:59:02 PM

[up] He thinks noise from wind turbines causes cancer!?

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#276473: Apr 3rd 2019 at 5:19:59 PM

There's some good news to lighten up the day, New Mexico officially replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day

The title more or less says it all, New Mexico has ceased honoring a murderous bigot who couldn't calculate distance in favor of acknowledging the Native peoples of New Mexico.

Which is a great change grin

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#276474: Apr 3rd 2019 at 5:26:53 PM

Columbus day has been moved to the 31 of April, June, September, and November

Edited by Ultimatum on Apr 3rd 2019 at 12:27:03 PM

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#276475: Apr 3rd 2019 at 5:32:49 PM

To be fair, Columbus actually did IIRC know there was a landmass x miles away by examining driftwood. He simply misinterpreted his findings. So he was actually somewhat competent, if a psychopathic murderer.

Leviticus 19:34

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