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

Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#50401: Feb 28th 2013 at 3:01:51 PM

So the Keystone pipeline is becoming a hotbutton issue in Canada. Here. Here's the thing, while the pipeline would be convenient, for the US, it would be a bad move for Canada internationally. Some of Parliament likes it, some of Parliament really doesn't. I think that it would be a bad move for US-Canada relations to reject the pipeline...until Harper loses the Prime Minister's office.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#50402: Feb 28th 2013 at 5:15:34 PM

It's a Canadian company that's behind the whole Keystone thing, with several people who have a stake in it also having some sort of office here in the US. Eesh. But yeah, it's not convenient for Americans either, what with the incident where they started tearing down trees on an old woman's property here in Texas, and the pipeline route issues in Nebraska where they were trying NOT to be forced to move it away from acquifers.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#50404: Feb 28th 2013 at 5:53:29 PM

I agree with Rove that the quality of GOP candidates sucks. What Rove seems to fail to understand is that the party's ideological extremism is the reason its candidates suck.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#50405: Feb 28th 2013 at 6:22:30 PM

I'm kind of confused as to what happened with the VAWA act. Did they support the weak, Republican supported version or the Senate version?

Also, I keep reading comments and I don't know why. There's one commentor that thinks the VAWA has a section that supports or legalizes the use of drones on American citizens. Despite the fact that the law has absolutely nothing to do with that.

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#50406: Feb 28th 2013 at 6:35:41 PM

[up]

Senate Version. Well kind of.

I believe they removed the part that gave Green Cards to battered immigrants.

Al Gore: Rubio was ‘pitiful’ choice to deliver State of the Union response

Michelle Obama announces expansion of ‘Let's Move!’ anti-obesity program

Joe Biden praises Cantor for allowing vote on domestic violence bill

edited 28th Feb '13 6:54:19 PM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#50408: Feb 28th 2013 at 7:46:14 PM

That's something, at least. I think part of that was allowing tribal police to arrest and prosecute non tribal people accused of rape and the like? Tribal law and its relation to the rest of US law is a weird issue I don't understand very well.

tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#50409: Feb 28th 2013 at 7:56:03 PM

I think they also kept the part that extends protection to women in same sex relations. Not sure about the immigrants.

Trump delenda est
Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#50410: Feb 28th 2013 at 8:08:53 PM

Yeah, tribal law conflict is at least a legitimately gray area that doesn't immediately scream "lol we have a vendetta against X" like trying to strike down the ones for same-sex couples and immigrants.

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#50411: Feb 28th 2013 at 8:18:33 PM

Debate co-chair: 'Mistake' to have Candy Crowley moderate presidential debate

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#50413: Feb 28th 2013 at 8:46:32 PM

[up][up]What? I thought she was the one who actually, you know... moderated. <_< Rather than stood there like a lemon. tongue

edited 28th Feb '13 8:46:43 PM by Euodiachloris

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#50414: Feb 28th 2013 at 9:29:19 PM

Yeah, can't have actual moderation in a Presidential or Vice-Presidential debate. Makes the candidates look bad, don't y'know. Keeps the argument fair. Nobody wants fair; they want their guy (or gal) to crush the opponent.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#50415: Mar 1st 2013 at 4:31:21 AM

Hustings have moderation, it's the whole point... <grumbles> Or, should be. It's tradition!

terlwyth Since: Oct, 2010
#50416: Mar 1st 2013 at 5:32:51 AM

[up][up] Chalk it up to partisanship,this would've been unheard of even last debate,let alone the 1976-1996 debates.

Why didn't I mention the 1960,cuz' that was th first and well mistakes will be made on the first attempt. Nonetheless that's still probably one of the better ones (along with '76 between Carter and Ford)

DrTentacles Cephalopod Lothario from Land of the Deep Ones Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Cephalopod Lothario
#50417: Mar 1st 2013 at 7:05:12 AM

House Republicans Cheer Boehner's Refusal to Negotiate on Budget Cuts

Not even a refusal to compromise. A refusal to negotiate. He's unwilling to so much as talk.

Mr. Boehner said the dispute with Democrats amounted to a question of “how much more money do we want to steal from the American people to fund more government.”

...I have no words. Just pure, inarticulate rage. You're making the fucking Smiler from Transmetpolitan look good. I long for the warm, comforting embrace of Nixon. Please give me the dulcet tones of Regan, the kind gentle soul of Eisenhower. My body aches for the touch of H. W. Bush. After a few drinks, I'd probably even jump into the arms of W Bush, because the night is young, and I'm feeling frisky.

Just anything but this ass-clown who'd see our economy burn for the sake of his pride.

edited 1st Mar '13 7:15:19 AM by DrTentacles

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#50418: Mar 1st 2013 at 7:20:50 AM

You're making the fucking Smiler from Transmetropolitan look good

You mean Tony Blair?

Keep Rolling On
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#50419: Mar 1st 2013 at 7:31:04 AM

I think that TDS and Colbert pointed it out quite adequately this week: Boehner and company aren't going to feel the pain of these cuts personally. Their kids are in private schools, or at least they can afford them if they want. They aren't going to lose their income, or take a pay cut, or rely on unemployment. They still have people shoveling money in their faces and telling them, "We need tax cuts NOW or we'll have to cut back on yacht purchases!"

They have a nice cozy information bubble where they can reinforce their own ideas and can guarantee that any contrary messages are turned out as the work of "evil liberal commies". Their smug self-confidence is impenetrable.

Being voted out of office is the only way to cure it.

edited 1st Mar '13 7:58:57 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#50420: Mar 1st 2013 at 7:42:18 AM

[up]

Reality is hardly going to reach them if they get voted out of office. All that means is they move from the center of the Washington bubble to the outskirts - the lobbying industry, Governorships, ambassadorships, the public speaking circuit. Their grip on the ladder is so firm they can afford to kick at those on the lower rungs.

Schild und Schwert der Partei
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#50421: Mar 1st 2013 at 7:53:17 AM

You'd be surprised how difficult it is to lose the trappings of power, even if you stand to have just as much money and influence afterwards. We won't cure the congressional lobbyist cronyism revolving door overnight, but when the voters unmistakably tell you to take a hike, it has a serious psychological impact.

edited 1st Mar '13 7:58:27 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Hodor Cleric of Banjo from Westeros Since: Dec, 1969
Cleric of Banjo
#50422: Mar 1st 2013 at 10:06:12 AM

Obama- "I can't use Jedi Mindmeld on Congress." Truly One Of Us (although isn't it called a "Jedi Mindtrick"?).

Edit, edit, edit, edit the wiki
Karkadinn Karkadinn from New Orleans, Louisiana Since: Jul, 2009
Karkadinn
#50423: Mar 1st 2013 at 10:11:58 AM

I like the apparent implication in that trailing couple of sentences.

'Yeah, they're being idiots but I can't really force them not to be. And hey, if you don't like how these politicians are acting... maybe stop ELECTING them, hmmm?'

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.
TheGirlWithPointyEars Never Ask Me the Odds from Outer Space Since: Dec, 2009
Never Ask Me the Odds
#50424: Mar 1st 2013 at 10:16:04 AM

[up][up] Yeah, Jedi Mindtrick, Vulcan Mindmeld. But I'm not going to hold it against the guy, I'm non-denominational with my SF affections. [lol]

She of Short Stature & Impeccable Logic My Skating Liveblog
Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#50425: Mar 1st 2013 at 10:17:49 AM

You'd be surprised how difficult it is to lose the trappings of power, even if you stand to have just as much money and influence afterwards. We won't cure the congressional lobbyist cronyism revolving door overnight, but when the voters unmistakably tell you to take a hike, it has a serious psychological impact.

You're quite right, of course.

I'm not denying that losing an election and power will have an emotional impact - the best political story I ever heard was when ex-British Defence Minister Malcolm Rifkind, who told me he got into the backseat of his car the day after he lost his seat in the 1997 by-election...only to realize he was now just a member of the public, and he had to drive his own car again for the first time in nearly seven years.

What I mean, however, is that Congress is not like an entry or mid-level job. If John Boehner loses his seat, he has plenty of avenues where he can go on to make just as much if not more $$$ than he does at the moment. The Republicans aren't going to find out, ever, what it is like to live hand-to-mouth, paycheck-to-paycheck, like millions of Americans do. Sure, they might have to cut back on something, for a while, but even being re-elected isn't about to push them into reality. In fact, disconnection from reality is an occupational hazard of all politicoes, from Congressmen to activists to columnists. Actually being in the position of Republican Congressmen reinforces it: "I am not affected by Federal cuts, and neither is anyone I know etc etc."

edited 1st Mar '13 10:20:19 AM by Achaemenid

Schild und Schwert der Partei

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