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

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#338926: Nov 11th 2020 at 4:52:49 PM

I think the point about how maybe there could be a better solution than a purely binary one is sensible enough, it's worth considering how and why these people might want to remain in a situation we'd consider suboptimal, but yeah, it's not really our call to decide what these people want.

Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#338927: Nov 11th 2020 at 4:55:17 PM

And it doesn't have to be a binary, because again I believe the step forward from the status quo should be to grant the citizens of territories birthright citizenship.

Which, you might notice, is a thing I agree with and have repeated. Though, as LSBK pointed, just giving citizenship to those who don't have might cause problems itself. Which is why I argue that the these problem should be tackled instead of just shrugging and saying "then keeping how it is now is fine".

Frankly, it is hard to take serious the claims it is my fault the miscommunication when people literally throw back my arguments at me. I literally just talked about how things shouldn't be a binary. It feels more like people make their minds about what my argument is instead of actually listening to what I've said.

[up]That is literally my argument.

Edited by Heatth on Nov 11th 2020 at 9:57:48 AM

ShinyCottonCandy Everyone's friend Malamar from Lumiose City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Everyone's friend Malamar
#338928: Nov 11th 2020 at 4:57:59 PM

[up]If the idea is to change the results of becoming a state from what those results are currently, I don't even think that's within the realm of possibility. Even statehood being granted is beyond unlikely, but that's at least theoretically an actual option.

Edited by ShinyCottonCandy on Nov 11th 2020 at 7:58:45 AM

My musician page
Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#338929: Nov 11th 2020 at 4:59:54 PM

[up]I assume you pointed the arrow at the wrong person, but I have trouble decoding who.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#338930: Nov 11th 2020 at 4:59:56 PM

NYT: Biden to appoint Ron Klain as Chief of Staff

I've heard of him here and there but don't know much about him. Is he a good pick?

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#338931: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:02:19 PM

The choice of Mr. Klain, who first went to work for Mr. Biden in 1989 when Mr. Biden was a senator from Delaware and Mr. Klain was a recent graduate of Harvard Law School, signals that Mr. Biden intends to rely on a tight circle of Washington insiders who have been by his side for years.

Solid "meh" from me. He has a lot of administrative experience, and is well-acquainted with Biden, which is good. But it also means he's not really going to take risks, which could be a bad thing on the progressive policy front since it maintains the centrist gerontocracy.

On the other hand this potentially bodes well for the COVID response which is something we sorely need right now.

Edited by AlleyOop on Nov 11th 2020 at 8:28:00 AM

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#338932: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:02:37 PM

He served Al Gore and Biden while they were vp, he was the White House Ebola Response Coordinator as well.

AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#338933: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:04:33 PM

In short, this appointment tells us literally nothing, because he just picked the same guy who worked with him before.

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#338934: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:08:41 PM

Well Ebola response coordinator is a bit encouraging.

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#338935: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:09:42 PM

CNN's and Washington Post's writeups on the matter do both seem to point to Klain being hired specifically for his experience leading the Ebola crisis and subsequent expertise in dealing with the COVID pandemic.

Edited by AlleyOop on Nov 11th 2020 at 8:27:22 AM

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#338936: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:13:19 PM

The Chief of Staff runs the White House. No surprise it goes to a longtime advisor.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#338937: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:21:35 PM

Honestly, I probably trust him more than I'd trust Rahm Emmanuel. He strikes me as Boring, but Practical, which would probably be useful for cleaning up with Trump's administrative havoc.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#338938: Nov 11th 2020 at 5:56:24 PM

How much risks is a chief of staff supposed to take anyway? Their entire job is to make sure everything in the White House is running smoothly.

jjjj2 from Arrakis Since: Jul, 2015
#338940: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:09:36 PM

Ramh Emanuel would be a giant middle-finger. The last person I want is someone who completely fucked up the Laquan McDonald case.

Edited by jjjj2 on Nov 11th 2020 at 9:09:46 AM

You can only write so much in your forum signature. It's not fair that I want to write a piece of writing yet it will cut me off in the mid
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#338942: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:18:02 PM

Democrats across the spectrum seem to be happy with Klain, or at least don't see much to object about him.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#338943: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:19:37 PM

Representative Ocasio-Cortez apparently endorsed the Chief of Staff choice. Not that any particular wing should care about this position (as long as the holder is capable), its not a big policy job.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#338945: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:23:52 PM

And that should silence the whole "Dems in Disarray" narrative...on this subject at least.tongue

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#338946: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:24:23 PM

Chief of staff is not the most vital office, but they oversee a lot of administrative miscellany, so it's not a position to be taken lightly either. They function as a consigliere of sorts. Regarding Emmanuel, the warning signs were there from the beginning regarding his questionable character. Hence my low trust in him.

Klain on the other hand seems to a no-frills, but steady and competent advisor who is not likely to cause any seismic shifts within the White House, but given the tumult of the Trump administration, that's not a bad thing either.

Edited by AlleyOop on Nov 11th 2020 at 9:26:22 AM

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#338947: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:25:52 PM

All I know about Rahm Emmanuel is that Chance the Rapper is not a fan.

i'm tired, my friend
Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#338948: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:28:29 PM

I occasionally find Emmanuel personally sympathetic but besides being a horrendous Chicago mayor in many respects, he encouraged Obama to be conservative during his first term in a way that hindered his presidency.

So, I’m glad that Biden did not choose him.

Also, besides his pandemic experience, Klain was also Gore’s lawyer in Bush v. Gore. So he has experience with Republican election theft.

Edited by Hodor2 on Nov 11th 2020 at 8:31:27 AM

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#338949: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:28:45 PM

Well. The story goes that he sliced off his finger in an accident, refused to get it treated because he'd rather go swimming, and nearly died from the ensuing infection. He treated it as a badge of honor regarding his toughness (which already sets some toxic masculinity warning bells), even though the reality to me at the time was that it was a close call with Too Stupid To Live. Ultimately indicative of his poor judgment skills that we saw on display during his mayorship of Chicago.

Edited by AlleyOop on Nov 11th 2020 at 9:33:00 AM

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#338950: Nov 11th 2020 at 6:35:37 PM

"Klain on the other hand seems to a no-frills, but steady and competent advisor who is not likely to cause any seismic shifts within the White House, but given the tumult of the Trump administration, that's not a bad thing either."

Someone in AOC'S Twitter comments joked that all these administration appointments will probably bring a sigh of relief when compared to the jokers and grifters who've occupied these positions the last four years.


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