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

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#324926: Aug 24th 2020 at 8:27:33 PM

[up][up][up]

Sadly, it's 5 months until Inauguration Day.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
FluffyMcChicken My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare from where the floating lights gleam Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: In another castle
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
#324927: Aug 24th 2020 at 8:39:33 PM

The ironic thing about Tsai is that like Hillary Clinton, her loss in Taiwan's 2012 presidential election to the China-friendly Ma Ying-Jeou can be partially attributed to foreign interference . . .from the Obama Administration.

Meanwhile, the administration got caught this week in a separate scandal related to Taiwan. An unnamed U.S. government official signaled to the Financial Times that the United States did not want to see Taiwanese opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen win January's presidential election because it could raise tensions with China.

"She left us with distinct doubts about whether she is both willing and able to continue the stability in cross-Strait relations the region has enjoyed in recent years," the U.S. official told FT. Tsai's opponent Ma Ying-Jeou has already used the quote to attack the candidate.

For those on Capitol Hill who are already critical of the Obama administration's Taiwan policy, the leak is just one more example that the White House views Taiwan though the lens of its policy toward Beijing.

"It is embarrassing, but perhaps not surprising, that this administration would attempt to undermine Dr. Tsai's candidacy in such a way," said another senior Senate GOP staffer. "Instead of catering to the whims of the PRC, the administration should stay neutral, and then stand back and let the voters on Taiwan determine for themselves who their leaders should be and what their relationship with the mainland will look like."

In Taiwan, it's widely speculated that Tsai's phone call to Trump on his first day in office was done by her to get back Obama for his refusal to sell Taiwan new military equipment and a leaked memo from a State Department official warning Taiwanese voters that her winning would destabilize East Asia.

Edited by FluffyMcChicken on Aug 24th 2020 at 8:53:18 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#324928: Aug 24th 2020 at 8:41:15 PM

Obama always struggled with the delicate balancing act. He realized (albeit too late I guess) that the CCP needed to be countered, hence the attempted TPP.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#324929: Aug 24th 2020 at 8:49:09 PM

I also don't see Trump standing up for Taiwan. Even in the case of China, Trump has always favored autocrats. Putin, Xi, even Kim.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#324930: Aug 24th 2020 at 8:55:52 PM

First of all spartan, I think you are ovestimated how "Pragmatic" the CPP ise specially consider the many explain of their undending pettiness, authorcracy most of the time also rule by their proyection of power meaning that one chian policy would probably make thing china they can be bold and aproach others countries in east and south asia.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#324931: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:15:13 PM

Biden campaign heavily disavows the endorsement of Richard Spenser.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#324932: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:19:34 PM

[up] The Democratic Party doesn't have that big a tent.


The Hill: McSally tells supporters to 'fast a meal' and donate to her campaign

Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) told her supporters to "fast a meal" and donate to her reelection effort during a recent event, a comment that sparked backlash, which her campaign later dismissed as a "joke."

Edited by nova92 on Aug 24th 2020 at 10:19:46 AM

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#324933: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:22:51 PM

Still find it strange that the tipping point for Spencer was the assassination of Soleimani.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#324934: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:26:03 PM

I feel out of the loop here. We're talking about the america's most punchable nazi here, aren't we? When did he switch sides?

Edited by Gilphon on Aug 24th 2020 at 1:26:13 PM

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#324935: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:31:53 PM

I think [up][up] is the answer. His tweet also said that at least the Democrats are competent.

Still a pigs flying moment. Not a pleasant one either.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#324936: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:32:38 PM

I choose to believe that every time a picture of Richard Spencer is posted online, it should be replaced with a picture of General Hux going, "I don't want you to win, only for him to lose."

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Ayasugi Since: Oct, 2010
#324937: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:38:35 PM

I wonder if he's rethinking his ideology, as now that it's the dominant one in the US, incompetence is soaring.

...yeah, he probably doesn't realize this mess is the closest to him getting what he wants, but it's an amusing thought. Also keep rejecting him, Dems. Remind everyone what standards looks like.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#324938: Aug 24th 2020 at 10:59:11 PM

"Martha has written checks to people on her block that can't afford their groceries,"

I would not take that as an endorsement of someone's character as it also seems like a convoluted and overly complicated way of contributing.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#324939: Aug 24th 2020 at 11:06:03 PM

ProPublica: Federal Investigation Finds Hospital Violated Patients' Rights by Profiling, Separating Native Mothers and Newborns

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A prominent women's hospital here violated patients' rights by singling out pregnant Native American women for COVID-19 testing and separating them from their newborns without adequate consent until test results became available, according to a federal investigation disclosed to New Mexico In Depth and ProPublica.


All patients were screened upon arrival at the hospital with forehead temperature checks and standard questionnaires. But starting in late April, according to the report, patients with home ZIP codes on the hospital's list were treated as "persons under investigation" and tested for COVID-19.

...

The practice, while meant to stop the spread of COVID-19, was described by clinicians and health care ethicists as racial profiling. Isolating expectant mothers as though they had the virus created a stressful birth experience, a clinician noted. Separating newborns from mothers awaiting lab test results denied them early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, which studies have shown can affect bonding.

Investigators concluded that the hospital failed to protect patients' rights by implementing an "informal policy to target patients that live on Native American reservations for COVID testing, and [to] separate mother and baby while test results were pending, and did not provide clear options for these patients to request or refuse COVID testing and separation from their babies."

Lovelace "inconsistently implemented the ZIP code list, which was limited to patients that lived on Native American lands," investigators concluded. The "deficient practices" may have resulted in "confusion in the provision of care by hospital staff and unnecessary stress for the patients."

It remains unclear just how many newborns were separated from their mothers as a result of the policies. Lovelace has repeatedly declined over recent months to publicly reveal that information. Investigators might not have interviewed all affected mothers, Kunkel acknowledged.


Lovelace Women's Hospital did not admit to any wrongdoing but reported that the practice has been halted. Hospital officials submitted a plan to fix problems identified by investigators, including a promise to conduct internal audits to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and COVID-19 screening guidance.

"The Department of Health will assure that the plan of correction is fully and effectively enacted," said New Mexico Secretary of Health Kathyleen Kunkel, the state's highest-ranking public health official. "The Division of Health Improvement will be conducting an unannounced onsite survey to verify compliance."

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#324940: Aug 24th 2020 at 11:32:37 PM

It seems like there's Americans who regret nothing of its most shameful period.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
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.
#324941: Aug 25th 2020 at 12:31:38 AM

That would first require admitting it exists

"You can reply to this Message!"
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#324942: Aug 25th 2020 at 1:03:48 AM

-RE Richard Spencer:

That dude is certainly one odd duck. Since fading into obscurity, he for some reason, seems to try and prove the good old 'Nazis are Left-Wing' garbage right.

Edited by Forenperser on Aug 25th 2020 at 10:04:07 AM

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#324943: Aug 25th 2020 at 4:17:26 AM

Well, there is precedent for that (like the Strasser brothers). It's not an entirely unfounded idea, just inaccurate once Hitler was actually running the show (and used as a slam against left-wing policies).

Edited by Ramidel on Aug 25th 2020 at 3:18:21 AM

DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#324944: Aug 25th 2020 at 4:20:25 AM

Oh no no, we're not gonna do this one again.

Edited by DrunkenNordmann on Aug 25th 2020 at 1:20:47 PM

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#324945: Aug 25th 2020 at 4:33:18 AM

Re:Republicans running without a platform

I think that's says it all really,they're not interested in playing anymore,not because they're going to win but they're afraid of losing,if they lose they can just say "Yeah,we lost so what?We were'nt interested in playing anyway,we let you win!"

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#324946: Aug 25th 2020 at 5:03:25 AM

If I were to impute actual strategy to them, I might suggest that the Republicans who have an ounce of self-awareness have realized that Trump is a giant weak link and are trying to run silent and run deep this year.

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#324947: Aug 25th 2020 at 5:09:53 AM

[up] That is my theory as well, and I think it is pretty safe to say that they have a strategy, it's just not one they are going to go public with.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#324948: Aug 25th 2020 at 5:19:01 AM

Maybe they're just quietly ditching him. "Oh, yeah, we're all right behind Trump. About thirty miles behind him". Just making sure they're not caught in the blast zone when he loses without looking too disloyal.

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#324949: Aug 25th 2020 at 5:24:16 AM

That's my theory behind their platform. It looks very loyal, but is actually putting distance between them and Trump by putting all responsibility squarely on his shoulders, rather than theirs.

So that once he loses the election, they can say it is Trumps platform that failed, not theirs.

Also, it is hardly like their voters don't know what they are about anyway. The platform is mostly just formality.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#324950: Aug 25th 2020 at 5:29:14 AM

I find that arguing Left Wing and Right Wing about different decades in different countries in a totally different global situation is dumb on both sides.

It's a meaningless distinction that distorts what they were about.

Fascists transcend such labels because they're that awful.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Aug 25th 2020 at 5:30:38 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

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