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Skycobra51 A suitable case for treatment from The US of A Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Only knew I loved her when I let her go
A suitable case for treatment
#102126: Sep 28th 2015 at 5:19:49 PM

Profit!!!

Look upon my privilege ye mighty and despair.
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#102127: Sep 28th 2015 at 6:08:23 PM

[up][up]Austerity measures cause we're broke as shit and to pay for the government's both operational and corruption costs.

Inter arma enim silent leges
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#102128: Sep 28th 2015 at 7:06:50 PM

A nation with a sovereign currency can never be "broke as shit". It is impossible unless its currency is not accepted in trade by its own people.

edited 28th Sep '15 7:07:14 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#102129: Sep 28th 2015 at 8:19:48 PM

Yeah about that, for the common folk sure, people still use the Real but for the commerce and industry? Everything else is priced in dollars, including our money reserves, which are virtually empty.

We're not exactly broke but we don't have an proper income either.

Inter arma enim silent leges
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#102130: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:35:13 PM

[up][up] But is a State allowed to set its own income taxes?

Keep Rolling On
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#102131: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:38:15 PM

Why wouldn't it? State income tax is separate from federal and local income tax.

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#102132: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:39:47 PM

I'm not American.

Keep Rolling On
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#102133: Sep 28th 2015 at 10:42:50 PM

Sorry about that. I didn't realize. For reference the federal, state, and local taxes are set by the appropriate part of the government. They have no way of influencing the others.

edited 28th Sep '15 10:43:50 PM by Kostya

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
#102134: Sep 29th 2015 at 2:25:56 AM

Trump goes back to Fox - or at least, to O'Reilly.

Donald Trump's interview with Bill O'Reilly, which was scheduled for last Thursday and then canceled, is now slated for Tuesday night. A Fox News spokeswoman confirmed Monday night that the GOP frontrunner is booked on Tuesday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor." The booking suggests that the battle between Trump and Fox has calmed once again.

Trump was last interviewed on Fox last Monday. That interview was with Greta Van Susteren. The same night, he assailed other Fox shows, including "The O'Reilly Factor" and "The Kelly File," in a storm of tweets, and kept going on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, according to Fox, the network canceled his upcoming appearance with O'Reilly. Trump, however, said that's not what happened. He suggested in a tweet that he initiated a boycott. "Fox News has been treating me very unfairly & I have therefore decided that I won't be doing any more Fox shows for the foreseeable future," he wrote.

This was just the latest in a series of tiffs between Trump and Fox. The day after Trump's "boycott" tweet, Trump and Fox News chairman Roger Ailes spoke by phone. Fox said afterward that they "plan to have a meeting" to "discuss their differences of opinion regarding Fox's coverage of Mr. Trump's presidential campaign." The meeting is expected to take place sometime this week, but the date is not known.

Meanwhile, sensing her momentum is stalling, Fiorina defends waterboarding.
Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina says in a new interview the interrogation technique of waterboarding employed by the United States in the early days of the war on terror was appropriate. The former tech executive made the comments in an interview with Yahoo News about the relationship her former company, Hewlett-Packard, had with the National Security Agency while she was CEO. "I believe that all of the evidence is very clear, that waterboarding was used in a very small handful of cases (and) was supervised by medical personnel in every one of those cases," Fiorina told Yahoo News. "And I also believe that waterboarding was used when there was no other way to get information that was necessary."

Waterboarding is an aggressive technique, slammed by critics as torture, that simulates drowning. It was used by the U.S. under the George W. Bush administration to interrogate detainees. A Senate Intelligence Committee report released last year decried the program of enhanced interrogation — describing in graphic detail how brutal the practices were and how little critical, time-sensitive information it actually produced.

As for working with the NSA as the chief of HP to support the U.S. surveillance program, Fiorina said she felt it was her "duty." "One of the things that I advised the NSA and CIA to do is to be as transparent as possible about as much as possible — because transparency reassures people," Fiorina told Yahoo News. "Intelligence agencies that engage in covert activity need to be very creative about how they can be transparent while not jeopardizing our personnel and sources and methods."

And China has decided to take some shots at Hillary, since she's a "rabble rouser".
China has lashed out at Hillary Clinton for her tweet criticizing Chinese President Xi Jinping's record on gender equality, accusing her of being a "rabble-rouser" intent on China-bashing to win election points. The English edition of Global Times, a state-run media outlet, ran the editorial on Monday saying she had "resorted to these ignominious shenanigans" and likened her to another 2016 candidate, Donald Trump. It added: "Hillary was a lawyer, the former hostess of the White House, and also a senior leader in the government. It is a pity that even the former first lady has also thrown away her decency and reputation only to gain a leg up in the election."

U.S. presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping for co-hosting a summit on women's rights with the United Nations whilst punishing several prominent women's rights activists in his own country. "Xi hosting a meeting on women's rights at the U.N. while persecuting feminists? Shameless," Clinton tweeted Sunday.

Clinton was referring to the cases of five Chinese women activists — Wei Tingting, Wu Rongrong, Li Tingting, Wang Man and Zheng Churan — who were detained in March for campaigning against sexual harassment. Although China released them on bail 37 days later, their ordeal continues. The five women are subject to surveillance for a year, their activities restricted, and police can call them in for questioning at any time. "This shouldn't be a moment of celebration," Wu's lawyer Liang Xiaojun told CNN at the time. "The arbitrary detention and release of these women really shows the backwardness of China's legal system."

At the U.N. summit meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to "reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and women's development." It marked the 20th anniversary of the historic Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. Xi invoked a famous line from Mao Zedong that "women hold up half the sky" and pledged $10 million to the U.N. agency for women.

"As the Chinese people pursue a happy life, every Chinese woman has the opportunities to excel in life and make their dream come true. China will do more to enhance gender equality as its basic state policy, give play to women's important role as 'half the sky' and support them in realizing their own dreams and aspiration in both career and life," Xi said.

To emphasize China's rising position on the world stage, Xi also promised to help build schooling and health projects for women and girls in developing countries. In programs jointly funded by China and the U.N., China will host women from other parts of the developing world to build skills. "The Chinese women, through their own development, will also play a greater part in global women's movement and make greater contributions to gender equality in the world," Xi said.

According to Chinese media, Li Junhua, Director-General of the Department of International Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, remarked on Sunday that the feminists "were arrested not because they were advancing women's rights but because they broke the law." China Daily quoted him saying that "Chinese women are best judges of their rights" and "some individuals or entities take groundless views, or show a lack of understanding" in what appeared to be a jab at Clinton's comment.

On Weibo, China's version of Twitter, users also joined in on the chatter. One user cited traditional expectations of womanhood and said Clinton "abandoned her grace and self-restraint," her words unbecoming for someone who served both as First Lady and Secretary of State.

However, one of the more popular comments came from "Voices of Feminism," which posted a number of surveys filled out by Chinese women about their satisfaction with the levels of gender equality in their country. It concluded that more than 70% of women were not satisfied. "Hillary said it right," a user commented on the findings. "Shameless, indeed."

Meanwhile, The National People's Congress, China's top legislature, has begun deliberations on its first-ever draft law on domestic violence, reported Xinhua, a state-run news agency. Domestic violence is one of the key issues the five previously-detained activists have protested against — including "performance art"-style demonstrations where they donned wedding gowns splattered in blood.

Clinton, who is making a second run at becoming the U.S.'s first female president, has been a long-time advocate of gender equality. At a 1995 conference in Beijing, as First Lady, Clinton delivered a landmark speech on the violations of women's rights worldwide. Since she announced her run in April, she has made women's rights a cornerstone of her 2016 presidential campaign. "What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish," she said in her 1995 speech. "If women are free from violence, their families will flourish."

While she has harsh words for China's track record on gender equality, the U.S. also has significant room for improvement, according to campaigners there. The U.S. Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) and The Leadership Conference released a separate "shadow report" over the weekend to coincide with the U.N. meeting. Signed by a network of American women's rights groups, the report called on the U.S. to improve its domestic and foreign policies, from banning violent practices such as the "shackling of pregnant women" in prison, to expanding health services for women, immigrants and LGBTQ people, to fully implementing its global development initiatives.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
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
#102135: Sep 29th 2015 at 2:40:42 AM

But is a State allowed to set its own income taxes?
Mainly, people talk about Federal income tax because it is the largest chunk. Several statesnote  do not have any income tax at the state level, but they're normally limited to extremely small amounts (single digit percentages). Municipalities (cities, townships, etc) can impose their own as well, if it's not outlawed by the state constitution, but those are even smaller (normally <1%).

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#102136: Sep 29th 2015 at 3:27:38 AM

[up][up] Hillary Clinton a populist rabble rouser[lol]

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#102137: Sep 29th 2015 at 3:53:57 AM

[up] They should have called her a hypocrite instead. At least that one people would believe.

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#102138: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:14:52 AM

Putin upstages Obama on world stage.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
FFShinra Since: Jan, 2001
#102139: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:28:23 AM

Ever since he won reelection, Obama has done nothing but to aggravate me in the field of foreign policy. Taking the moral highground but doing nothing to change an evil situation is nothing more than meaningless drivel. Avoiding war for its own sake is as dangerous as warmongering. It's not a cut and dry thing, which requires case by case analysis, and he has utterly UTTERLY failed in this regard.

And the sad thing is, none of his potential successors seem any better.

JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#102140: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:37:54 AM

[up] He was like this before the election, what with his failure to rebuild Libya, his infamous red line in Syria, his premature ending of the war in Iraq, and a whole host of other debacle's. On the bright side however, I think Clinton could do a lot better than him. Sanders and the Republicans though would launch us into a dark age in foreign policy that I fear we may never escape. So in conclusion, vote for Hillary, or the country goes the way of ancient Rometongue

edited 29th Sep '15 4:39:04 AM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#102141: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:41:58 AM

[up]

or the country goes the way of ancient Rome
You mean "leaving Europe the hell alone"? grin

edited 29th Sep '15 4:44:48 AM by DrunkenNordmann

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#102142: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:43:51 AM

[up] If you mean leaving Europe defenseless and in a state of chaos, than sure. Plus I doubt going the way of ancient Rome was fun for the Romans.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Mopman43 Since: Nov, 2013
#102143: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:53:42 AM

[up]Not a soldier in Europe who's not American then? Seems a bit odd, to me. I'm sure there's at least one in there. Or, you know, nukes. They has them.

JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#102144: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:56:14 AM

[up] In Britain at least, it seems increasingly likely that they will get rid of there nukes. Also the European conventional forces are weak due to a lack of will to spend money on them.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Mopman43 Since: Nov, 2013
#102145: Sep 29th 2015 at 4:56:55 AM

[up]France also has 300 of them. And those aren't going anywhere.

And, more to the point, who exactly is going to wage war on Europe? I really don't see Putin trying, mostly because I just really don't see the benefit.

edited 29th Sep '15 4:58:01 AM by Mopman43

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
#102146: Sep 29th 2015 at 5:00:11 AM

who exactly is going to wage war on Europe?
Luxembourg!

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#102147: Sep 29th 2015 at 5:01:24 AM

[up][up][up]

Remove the US forces and the will skyrockets.

edited 29th Sep '15 5:01:38 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Mopman43 Since: Nov, 2013
#102148: Sep 29th 2015 at 5:04:39 AM

[up][up]It would be sutprising, that's for certain.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#102149: Sep 29th 2015 at 5:07:43 AM

What, back to the "United States is the world's white knight" thing? That ended with the Cold War, guys. Catch up.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
FFShinra Since: Jan, 2001
#102150: Sep 29th 2015 at 5:12:11 AM

The US doesn't have to be a white knight. It can be a normal nation. But the US likes having it both ways, where it "leads the world" with its condemnations and moral posturing and then conspiciously does nothing. I'd rather Washington call a spade a spade and not interfere period, or be prepared to go full scale. Tired of this half-assed shit. Been tired of it since Bush.

EDIT-

@Jack- Hilary is just gonna be more of the same.

edited 29th Sep '15 5:13:20 AM by FFShinra


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