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DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#42526: Dec 3rd 2012 at 10:15:40 PM

Seriously, this negativity of yours makes me sick sometimes.

I can't help but feel that was a tad hypocritical.

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
Skatepunk Since: Feb, 2011
#42527: Dec 3rd 2012 at 10:57:03 PM

Hm...

I'm more cautiously optimistic. There are Democratic Senators (and Sanders) making sure there isn't a bad deal.

But that still leaves the corpratist Dems (and Obama).

Best thing that could come out of a bad deal? People DEMAND a third party.

Serocco Serocco from Miami, Florida Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
Serocco
#42528: Dec 3rd 2012 at 10:59:07 PM

Let's be honest. The only reason Republicans are relevant is because of their wealthy benefactors.

That is it. If it wasn't for that, the Republicans would be relegated to third party status.

In RWBY, every girl is Best Girl.
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#42529: Dec 3rd 2012 at 11:39:03 PM

Re: the disability treaty, I wasn't sure why Repubs would oppose a treaty based almost entirely on US law, until I got near the end of the article:

Conservatives also worry that language calling for the disabled to have equal rights to reproductive health services could lead to abortions.
Now it makes perfect sense. sad

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
Lascoden ... from Missouri, USA Since: Nov, 2012
...
#42530: Dec 3rd 2012 at 11:43:37 PM

[up]I'm still a little confused, how do those things relate? More people would have access to abortions, is that it?

boop
Thorn14 Gunpla is amazing! Since: Aug, 2010
Gunpla is amazing!
#42531: Dec 3rd 2012 at 11:44:10 PM

Which is a big ass deal to the GOP.

BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#42532: Dec 3rd 2012 at 11:48:56 PM

[up][up] Yes, and god forbid that physically disabled people decide not to have children they might not be able to care for! just bugs me

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#42533: Dec 3rd 2012 at 11:53:40 PM

[up] Or that would be dangerous for them to bring to term because of their disabilities.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#42534: Dec 4th 2012 at 12:21:55 AM

Republicans, by and large, seem to be their own benefactors. Power accumulates power, and businessmen often cross over into politics. So basically, the Republicans are still relevant because they've spent the last few decades very savvily making themselves relevant. This last year they've just kind of lost it on some major social issues that they just wouldn't bend on.

The GOP in general seems to be increasingly suspicious of the UN simply because the UN wants everyone to play by the same rules globally. So their resistance did not surprise me even before the whole "disabled get access to reproduction rights."

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#42535: Dec 4th 2012 at 12:25:17 AM

^

It's more then that: the American Conspiracy Theories about the UN come into play...

Keep Rolling On
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#42536: Dec 4th 2012 at 12:31:21 AM

The conspiracy theorists have less influence than you think, Greenmantle. It's one thing to think that the UN is a danger to sovereignity through diplomatic means (which in this case it seems like other countries are trying to enforce their rules on us), it's another to think that they're forming a one world government. Or that the WHO is going to sterilize half the population.

I have got to stop watching that Jesse Ventura show.

edited 4th Dec '12 12:32:03 AM by AceofSpades

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#42537: Dec 4th 2012 at 4:48:41 AM

Well, Glenn Beck has just recently released a thriller called Agenda 21 which uses a UN-lead New World Order scenario as its backstory. Make that of what you will.

Romney rejoins the Marriot Board of Directors.

DOW Chemical's CEO is more worried about China's leadership transition than the fiscal cliff.

Bloomberg failed to convince Hillary to run for Mayor of New York City.

edited 4th Dec '12 4:49:47 AM by tclittle

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Sledgesaul Since: Oct, 2011
#42538: Dec 4th 2012 at 5:25:13 AM

China will overtake America as an economic power, but it won't change much.

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#42539: Dec 4th 2012 at 6:03:30 AM

[up]No it won't. Or at least, not China Takes Over the World style like some people have been predicting/fearing. Their massive economic growth in recent years has been driven almost entirely by the fact that they were in the process of catching up to the global standard. When you're as far behind as they were, you can make huge gains in very little time simply by bringing yourself up to the level of everyone else. But such a growth rate isn't sustainable — once you get close to the rest of the world, you can't piggyback on progress already made anymore, and your advancement flatlines. If your economy isn't ready for it, you can even backslide (though it's anyone's guess if China will do that or not).

edited 4th Dec '12 6:04:30 AM by NativeJovian

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#42540: Dec 4th 2012 at 6:16:02 AM

[up]

But such a growth rate isn't sustainable...

It isn't — China's growth is slowing down at the moment and the cost of transport and wages are rising.

edited 4th Dec '12 6:16:12 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#42542: Dec 4th 2012 at 7:41:18 AM

Krugman's latest blog shows a graphical view of the sources of the current deficit.

Notably, without the Bush tax cuts, the Iraq war, recovery measures, and the aggregate effect of the Great Recession, we'd be in a surplus right now, or close to it.

edited 4th Dec '12 8:04:58 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#42544: Dec 4th 2012 at 8:09:35 AM

Stephen Colbert made a characteristically apropos point on his show last night: the GOP benefits when people are scared and insecure. Reduced crime rates in New York, for example, are undermining their "angry white male" voter base. His tongue-in-cheek recommendation to fix this problem was of course that minorities start committing more crimes to "get back at The Man".

Still, it points out a basic problem with the GOP's situation. They benefit from uncertainty about the economy, crime, etc.; thus their most successful method to obtain and remain in power is to cause said uncertainty. Once you realize this, you get to the bottom of the "fiscal cliff" "negotiations". Specifically, they cannot afford, politically, to allow Barack Obama to be successful in his bid to recover the economy.

That plus a bunch of rich white folks throwing a temper tantrum over taxes and the anti-gay/anti-abortion crowd is almost their entire support base right now.

edited 4th Dec '12 9:52:18 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#42545: Dec 4th 2012 at 9:21:26 AM

So, like I said before, they're scuttling the ship to sell lifeboats?

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
TheStarshipMaxima NCC - 1701 Since: Jun, 2009
NCC - 1701
#42548: Dec 4th 2012 at 9:49:56 AM

[up] [tup][lol]!!!

It was an honor
Karkadinn Karkadinn from New Orleans, Louisiana Since: Jul, 2009
Karkadinn
#42549: Dec 4th 2012 at 9:52:49 AM

I wish, but nah. At least, judging from this quote from said article:

This is why Republicans must oppose tax increases and insist on real spending reductions that shrink the size of government and allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money.

No closet Keynesianism here.

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.
Midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#42550: Dec 4th 2012 at 10:05:30 AM

Its cute how they always phrase it as "keep more of their hard earned money" completely ignoring the fact most of the people tax cuts actually affect tend to not be the ones working their hands to the bone.

edited 4th Dec '12 10:05:39 AM by Midgetsnowman


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