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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.

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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

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
#283651: Jun 26th 2019 at 2:54:02 PM

I think they should get a cookie, it’s basically a Wants a Prize for Basic Decency situation, but we’ve seen recently that tech companies need that prize to incentivise them to engage in basic decency, and we really need tech companies to engage in basic decency.

So I think we need to give reddit a cookie, because we need to encourage more behaviour like this and we don’t have access to the stick right now.

“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
#283652: Jun 26th 2019 at 3:02:38 PM

Reddit was created as a platform rather than message and the results have been some terrorist assholes spreading hate as well as fear. They have, however, taken some steps to dialing it down.

But if this were the 1960s, it would be Klan Boards.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#283653: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:29:13 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2019/06/26/day-888/

    Day 888: Terminated 
1/ Robert Mueller agreed to testify before the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees in back-to-back public hearings on July 17th about his investigation into Russia's election interference and possible obstruction of justice by Trump. The announcement came after the two panels issued a subpoena compelling Mueller's testimony. Mueller previously said he did not want to testify and his report should serve as his testimony. Members of Mueller's team will also participate in a closed-door session with lawmakers. (NBC News / Washington Post / New York Times / Politico / ABC News / CNN)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/robert-mueller-testify-publicly-house-committees-july-17-n1021796

2/ Trump attacked Mueller and – without evidence – accused him of committing a crime after House Democrats announced that Mueller would testify publicly next month. Trump claimed that Mueller "terminated" FBI communications by deleting text messages exchanged by two former FBI officials, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. "And that's illegal," Trump tweeted. "That's a crime." Trump was referring to a report by the Justice Department inspector general that said it could not recover texts from the phones assigned to Strzok and Page, because by the time investigators requested the devices, they had been reset for other officials to use. Trump referred to Strzok and Page as "pathetic lovers" for having had an affair. (Washington Post / New York Times / Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-idUSKCN1TR1UU

3/ The House Oversight Committee authorized a subpoena for Kellyanne Conway after she failed to show for a hearing about her alleged violations of the Hatch Act, a law that limits federal employees' political activity. Special counsel Henry Kerner said Conway should be fired for blatantly and repeatedly violating the Hatch Act. The White House, meanwhile, blocked Conway from testifying about the allegations. Chairman Elijah Cummings warned that the committee would vote to hold Conway in contempt if she ignores the subpoena. (Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / Reuters / Politico / Axios)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-congress-hatchact-idUSKCN1TR28N

4/ The House approved a $4.5 billion aid package for the southwestern border. The 230-195 vote was mostly along party lines, with all but four Democrats supporting bill. Even if the two chambers are able to reach an agreement, it's unclear if Trump will sign it into law. Democrats will now have to begin negotiations with Senate GOP leaders in order to get the aid package signed into law before the weeklong recess. (Politico / NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-passes-border-funding-bill-address-humanitarian-crisis-n1021511

5/ Trump complained that congressional Democrats "won't do anything at all about border security" hours after the House passed the aid package to address the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/26/trump-border-security-bill-1382995

6/ The Senate passed a $4.6 billion emergency spending bill for the southern border, rejecting the House legislation that attempted to set rules on how Trump could use the money. The Senate legislation allocates about $1.3 billion to improve border facilities and $2.9 billion for the care of migrant children. The measure would prohibit Homeland Security from adding more beds at detention centers or migrant processing facilities. House and Senate leaders must now decide whether to reconcile their conflicting proposals or head into a week-long July Fourth recess without addressing the growing humanitarian crisis. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)

https://apnews.com/34d63808863f4ecb8174d880262f1fc3

    ✏️ Notables 
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the U.S. is "about 90% of the way there" on a trade deal with China. Mnuchin expects Trump and President Xi to make progress during the upcoming G20 Summit, but did not provide any details about what the remaining 10% of an agreement might look like. Trump, meanwhile, warned of a "Plan B with China" to raise tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of Chinese imports. (CNBC / Bloomberg)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/26/mnuchin-says-us-china-trade-deal-was-90-percent-complete.html

Trump's diplomatic protocol chief has been suspended indefinitely ahead of the G20 Summit in Japan. Sean Lawler is being investigated by the State Department inspector general over accusations that Lawler intimidated his staff and '"carried a whip in the office.'' The protocol chief assists the president during overseas trips and during visits from foreign leaders by making introductions and briefing the president on customs and protocol. Mary-Kate Fisher will take over as acting protocol chief. (CNN / Bloomberg)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/26/politics/state-department-protocol-chief-suspended/index.html

The EPA air chief resigned amid scrutiny over possible violations of federal ethics rules. Bill Wehrum helped reverse Obama-era rules aimed at cutting pollutants before joining the Trump administration. The Energy and Commerce Committee has been investigating Wehrum's compliance with Trump's ethics pledge, which requires political appointees to recuse themselves from specific matters involving their former employers and clients for two years. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/26/epas-top-air-policy-official-steps-down-amid-scrutiny-over-possible-ethics-violations/

The White House will host "digital leaders" for a Social Media Summit next month following Trump's accusations that Google, Facebook and Twitter are biased against him and other conservatives. Earlier in the day, Trump suggested that "we should be suing Google and Facebook," adding "perhaps we will." (Politico / Axios)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/26/white-house-social-media-summit-1383280

The Justice Department sued former Trump senior White House advisor Omarosa Manigault Newman for allegedly failing to file a financial disclosure report after she was fired in late 2017. Manigault Newman said she couldn't file the report because the White House never returned her personal files after she left. (CNBC / CNN / Politico)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/25/omarosa-sued-for-failing-to-file-financial-disclosure.html

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#283654: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:30:56 PM

> I think they should get a cookie,

I give them half a cookie and no more

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#283655: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:34:02 PM

The measure would prohibit Homeland Security from adding more beds at detention centers or migrant processing facilities.

What the fuck.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#283656: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:53:54 PM

I'll give 'em somewhere between a chocolate chip and a whole cookie. In context, with social media and the like, I think at this point in time a lot of their inaction isn't all that bad.

A lot of these are trying to be apolitical organizations and provide people a place to talk to each other-including being forums for people to talk about politics. "Censoring" would tend to create potential for perceived bias. I suspect they might have also had naive ideals about free speech that they're only starting to realize were misguided. I suspect they also didn't realize how 'viral' anger would tend to be on the internet. The current model of the internet essentially pays people to rabble-rouse and get angry.

Leviticus 19:34
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#283657: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:54:10 PM

[up][up]

I'm now waiting for the first reports of pregnancy occurring because of how overcrowded these places are and how starved for comfort all of the minors (including teens) are.

Edited by ironballs16 on Jun 26th 2019 at 7:54:18 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#283658: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:55:53 PM

I wasn’t thinking they would be getting any comfort out of that. I’d guess it was the border patrol guards doing that shit.

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#283659: Jun 26th 2019 at 4:56:26 PM

Reminder: first Democratic debate is tonight at 9pm, EST, airing on NBC.

Tonight’s line up is:

Elizabeth Warren

Cory Booker

Amy Klobuchar

Tulsi Gabbard

Tim Ryan

Beto O'Rourke

John Delaney

Jay Inslee

Bill de Blasio

Julián Castro

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#283660: Jun 26th 2019 at 5:33:25 PM

[up]4x The problem is, some of them have realized it and are taking full advantage of it.

i'm tired, my friend
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#283661: Jun 26th 2019 at 5:48:50 PM

Reddit was created as a platform rather than message and the results have been some terrorist assholes spreading hate as well as fear. They have, however, taken some steps to dialing it down.

But if this were the 1960s, it would be Klan Boards.

r/The_Donald is a Klan Board.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#283662: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:00:23 PM

It begins.

i'm tired, my friend
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#283664: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:08:42 PM

But then brown people will LOITER!

Hanging around!

In public places!

[faints]

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#283665: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:11:28 PM

Democratic Debate is on now.

And wow, Gabbard was asked about pay disparity between men & women, and instead launched into her campaign spiel. While I understand that this is probably the biggest platform she's been afforded so far to give that speech, it was very poorly timed.

Edited by ironballs16 on Jun 26th 2019 at 9:14:04 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
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.
#283666: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:14:36 PM

Man, O'Rourke did not want to answer that 70% tax rate question.

Also, Gabbard, that's great and all, but I'm pretty sure that was a question about the wage gap.

Oh God! Natural light!
SatoshiBakura (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#283667: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:16:44 PM

O’Rourke spent a third of his answer speaking Spanish.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#283668: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:19:52 PM

Warren's hand just immediately shot up at that question.

i'm tired, my friend
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#283669: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:24:25 PM

Warren is killing it so far. Direct, substantive responses to questions, great energy.

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.
#283670: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:25:38 PM

Huh, so private insurance is what got the fight going.

Oh God! Natural light!
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#283671: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:26:07 PM

[up]

Not surprising - how much flak did Obama take for the "If you like your insurance, you keep it" being broken?

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#283672: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:26:51 PM

Has anyone, EVER, liked their private health insurance? Cause I haven’t. And if there’s no private insurance you can go to any doctor, so, uh....

Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#283673: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:26:53 PM

Warren and Klobuchar performing the best in my opinion, with clear and appropriate answers, even though I am positively on the more progressive side of healthcare and education. Not impressed at all with O'Rourke's vagueness.

Life is unfair...
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#283674: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:27:54 PM

I will say, Delaney's point regarding hospitals being unable to afford to treat patients if everyone was on Medicare is... well-made, though I'll admit to being unsure how accurate that is.

And I feel kind of bad for the two guys that had their hands politely raised but got completely overlooked in favor of those engaging in an outburst - Warren included, unfortunately.

Edited by ironballs16 on Jun 26th 2019 at 9:28:59 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
SatoshiBakura (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#283675: Jun 26th 2019 at 6:28:05 PM

Warren is very enthusiastic to speak.


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