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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
#289551: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:01:33 AM

If some kid altered a weather map and then falsely claimed that it was correct to millions of people, yeah they probably shouldn’t get jail, a decent fine though.

Also the reason a random kid shouldn’t get jail is the whole “otherwise blameless life” defence, for Trump that doesn’t apply so I’m not sure he should get the same leniency.

“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
#289552: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:04:15 AM

1984's sales went up a lot when Trump was elected. I felt that was silly except no, really, he does lie that often and with as much shame.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#289553: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:09:01 AM

Apparently Trump is withholding funds for Ukraine to fight off Russia unless the open up an investigation to get dirt on Biden.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#289554: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:16:49 AM

Should I be as angered as I am that The Hill is damn near shilling the worst Dem primary candidates?

i'm tired, my friend
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#289555: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:18:50 AM

For the record, I would argue it makes sense for making fake weather reports to be a crime. It's like pretending to be a doctor. People need to be able to trust weather reports, deliberately lying about the weather can cause serious problems.

As for weather I'd have a random kid jailed for the same thing, I very well might depending on circumstances.

Leviticus 19:34
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.
#289556: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:25:45 AM

People need to be able to trust weather reports, deliberately lying about the weather can cause serious problems.

Especially if the weather in question could be serious and potentially life-threatening. Like, say, a hurricane.

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#289557: Sep 7th 2019 at 10:56:14 AM

It's actually unhealthily common to blame meteorologists for weather reports that are inaccurate even though they are just interperating the models given to them and weather can be unpredictable.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#289558: Sep 7th 2019 at 11:30:48 AM

To be fair, there's a sort of Hanlon's Razor there. Most of the time such criticisms argue that weathermen in general are incompetent. Both the "incompetent" and "weathermen in general" parts matter and it actually translates to "even a qualified weatherman cannot predict the weather all that well".

Leviticus 19:34
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#289559: Sep 7th 2019 at 4:51:10 PM

Peace negotiations with the Taliban have been called off because of the Kabul attack. Trump is saying Afghan and Taliban leaders were going to come to Camp David to settle a deal before the attack made everything fall apart.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#289560: Sep 7th 2019 at 4:55:59 PM

I've generally supported the talks since Obama first proposed them but the peace treaty has been impossible for some time now. Not, ironically, because of the alarmist view that the Taliban will conquer the country the moment that the US withdraws but the fact the Taliban no longer is a single negotiating body. There are about 5-6 different Talibans united only by their opposition to the USA and the government has been negotiating only with a couple.

Balkanize Me has happened and the US just kept referring to it as the Taliban vs. the government.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Sep 7th 2019 at 4:56:35 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#289561: Sep 7th 2019 at 5:32:39 PM

Balkanize Me didn't so much happen as that's always been what Afghanistan is. Afghanistan is not really a cohesive nation-state so much as it's a region where it's neighbors have all said "nah, that territory's not mine". This has been true for centuries, and the idea of a single centralized "Afghan government" that holds power over the entire region has always been something of a polite fiction. The best approach is to take a light touch — curry favor with the locals and provide them with support so that they can project power for you, rather than rolling in with an invasion and occupation force. The danger there, of course, is that once you've given some people a bunch of training and equipment, there's no guarantee that they'll use it for what you want them to do.

There are no easy wins and no guaranteed solutions in Afghanistan. That's the main argument for not being there in the first place.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#289562: Sep 7th 2019 at 5:36:43 PM

Exactly.

Tribal sentiment is extremely strong in Afghanistan. You can't just force democracy on a society like this. It doesn't work.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#289563: Sep 7th 2019 at 5:50:10 PM

I think that assumes democracy was the goal versus an American-friendly state. Oftentimes the former is defeated by the latter.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#289564: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:15:49 AM

BREAKING NEWS: Mark Sanford, former Republican Governor of South Carolina, is officially challenging Trump for the Republican Nomination, joining the ranks of Bill Weld and Joe Walsh.

While on the one hand, all of these Challengers are a bad sign for Trump next year, as they were for Bush Sr. in 1992, Walsh and Sanford are basically going to split the Reaganite/Neoconservative Vote and basically let Trump get the Nomination again. Though all of these Candidates had very low chances of actually overtaking Trump.

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#289565: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:33:28 AM

lets be honest, for our purposes these people are speedbumps meant to divert resources and time the Trump campaign could spend on the Dem candidates.

"You can reply to this Message!"
RainingMetal (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#289566: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:38:26 AM

Good.

ASAB: All Sponsors Are Bad.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#289567: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:40:55 AM

At this point, the GOP should just change its name to Norsefire and be done with it.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#289568: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:41:04 AM

[up]x3 While it's true that they're really just speedbumps, one strong speedbump is way better then 3 weak, divided speedbumps. A serious challenger would do a lot more to hurt Trumps campaign then 3 Challengers that divide the (remaining) Anti-Trump parts of the Republican Party.

Edited by DingoWalley1 on Sep 8th 2019 at 11:41:18 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#289569: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:41:39 AM

None of them have a chance in hell of winning the nomination. But as long as they can distract Trump and drain the GOP coffers, it means things will be a bit easier for the Democratic candidate come 2020.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#289570: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:43:42 AM

I feel like only a challenger from the opposite party can hope to defeat Trump,someone from the his own party trying to primary him seems pointless and a wasted effort

Edited by Ultimatum on Sep 8th 2019 at 3:44:18 PM

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#289571: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:44:54 AM

Any Republicans who challenge Trump's mastery over the party would be wonderful even if it's been shown the Party is willing to lockstep itself in fascism.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#289572: Sep 8th 2019 at 8:46:21 AM

Its like someone not called Link trying to fight Ganon without the Master sword,they will fail

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#289573: Sep 8th 2019 at 9:46:36 AM

Considering the recent Climate townhall I think posting this would be rather apropos, not too long ago Warren revealed that she had adopted and expanded Inslee's climate plan.

It covers how Warren chose to adopt and expand the excellent plan of Governor Inslee and what that would entail in practical terms. She supports constructing a cleaner electric grid, modernizing the auto industry, and greening our communities. Warren's Green Apollo plan involves investing $400 billion in Clean Energy over ten years to spur innovation and development. Another policy detailed is Warren's Green Manufacturing Plan to invest $1.5 trillion over ten years to fund American-made green energy technology, both helping along with the transition while also boosting American manufacturing jobs.

She also supports using public lands to generate 10% of our overall electrical requirements. And her Green Marshall plan involves committing $100 billion to support the export of American-made clean energy thus both cutting other country's emissions while bolstering American economic power.

Her plans collectively will involve a Federal investment of $3 trillion which will achieve 100% zero-carbon pollution for all new commercial and residential buildings by 2028, 100% zero emissions for all new light-duty passenger vehicles, medium-duty trucks, and all buses by 2030, and 100% renewable and zero-emission energy in electricity generation, with an interim target of 100% carbon-neutral power by 2030.

Another important facet of her plan is making sure that the workers do not lose out in the transition, so instead of replacing well-paying fossil fuel jobs with inferior Green counterparts, she wants to make sure their interests are supported by robust workers rights and unions to defend them. Another vulnerable group are people of color, who too often bear the brunt of environmental destruction, part of Warren's fight against Climate Change will involve fighting these structural inequalities and making sure that these people do not suffer.

There is more but I think this neatly sums up the scale and raw ambitiousness of her plans, personally, I'm particularly fond of how she tied means to fight Climate Change with policies that would benefit America's economy as a whole, with a particular focus on the workers who have been devastated by neoliberalism in the past. Making it not just about greening the economy but also about advancing intersectional economic patriotism.

(I realize that Wisewillow already posted this, but it's just so great so I wanted to summarize it)

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Sep 8th 2019 at 9:48:09 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
thok That's Dr. Title, thank you! (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Non-Canon
That's Dr. Title, thank you!
#289574: Sep 8th 2019 at 11:07:07 AM

"Appalachian Mark" Sanford has a 0% of even qualifying as a speedbump for Trump, not when it takes no effort to come up with a Trumpian nickname to discredit him.

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#289575: Sep 8th 2019 at 11:26:03 AM

Just let Gil Fulbright run already. At least he's honest about his intentions wink

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian

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