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

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#185801: Apr 30th 2017 at 8:52:57 PM

[up][up] His first budget proposal was "Increase Military Spending, cut spending almost everywhere else, including to several programs that poor and old people need, and cut taxes, primarily on the Wealthy". Technically, he has not submitted an actual Budget to Congress, but the President is not required to do so, unlike Governors.

The Spending Measure that's going through Congress and will probably be passed at the end of the Week, however, completely ignores everything Trump wants, and is pretty much the Status Quo with a minor increase in Military Spending. There is no funding for the Border Wall and no cuts to Obamacare, but it is currently unknown if they're going to help Puerto Rico (which they should) or not.

[down] Technically, it's a Spending Measure, and not a Budget (Budgets are what you want to spend money on, Spending Measures are actually what you spend money on), but yes, that's basically it down there. It's a shame that Puerto Rico isn't getting real help for their funding problem, but at least they'll be getting something...

edited 30th Apr '17 8:57:23 PM by DingoWalley1

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#185803: Apr 30th 2017 at 9:03:34 PM

I am a little bit worried about what would happen if Puerto Rico attracted too much attention from Trump. That "Costa Rica" comment from the other day was probably about Puerto Rico, but Trump probably has no idea what Puerto Rico even is. Which would be pretty hilarious if it's true, since it would mean that Trump would have completely overlooked a (weirdly heavily advertised) major tax haven in the US.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#185804: Apr 30th 2017 at 9:06:25 PM

[up] Puerto Rico is something of an object lesson of what happens when you cater too much to businessmen. Insufficient regulation, lower corporate taxes, triple-exempt bonds...

One Last Week Tonight episode covered some of the problems with Puerto Rico's economy.

edited 30th Apr '17 9:08:29 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#185805: Apr 30th 2017 at 9:08:48 PM

Laughtivism at it's finest. Tutus in Wyoming after a senator tells a student that anyone who walks in a bar with a tutu is asking for a fight.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/28/526073329/tutu-protests-and-parties-break-out-in-wyoming-over-senators-remark

edited 30th Apr '17 9:11:26 PM by megaeliz

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#185806: Apr 30th 2017 at 9:39:29 PM

Hey, Ballet is Serious Business.

fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#185807: Apr 30th 2017 at 10:52:22 PM

Ballet is way tougher than it looks. Iirc it's around as athletic as football and dancers have to deal with broken toes all the time.

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#185808: May 1st 2017 at 12:18:11 AM

Yeah. Those dancers could easily kick the senator in question's ass.

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#185809: May 1st 2017 at 1:40:59 AM

[up][up] Is that why Dance Battler exist or is it only responsible from the ballet examples?

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#185810: May 1st 2017 at 1:41:49 AM

Referenda have always been considered a form of direct democracy. And California has a lot of such features. Probably too many and it has caused the governance to fragment completely between various local and regional authorities.

Wondering how far that high speed train is, though. My impression is that Republicans in Congress have constantly tried to wank it up.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
math792d Since: Jun, 2011 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#185811: May 1st 2017 at 4:14:24 AM

Trump considering 'amending' or abolishing the First Amendment because of negative press.

Man, what a sensitive special snowflake.

Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#185812: May 1st 2017 at 4:23:48 AM

[up]Yeah, the alt-right really doesn't have a leg to stand on regarding people being overly sensitive with "their" candidate acting like this. I mean, they didn't in the first place, because fuck them, but there really is no way to spin this.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#185813: May 1st 2017 at 4:24:30 AM

Not a big deal. Constitutional amendments are a purely Congressional matter, the White House has zero relevance to the process.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
math792d Since: Jun, 2011 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#185814: May 1st 2017 at 4:34:58 AM

[up] Are you telling me the 'Fascism R' Us' brigade in Congress wouldn't be chomping at the bit to get rid of the First Amendment now that they're in charge?

Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#185815: May 1st 2017 at 4:38:55 AM

I must have missed these fascist Democratic congresscritters. And all the absentee votes that failed the border wall and Obamacare repeal bill.

Constitutional amendments require 2/3 majorities in each House and 3/4 of all states. Just on the evil dog's whim neither is happening in the foreseeable future.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
math792d Since: Jun, 2011 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#185816: May 1st 2017 at 5:20:37 AM

Ah, a 2/3rd majority. Now I feel a lot safer for you lot across the pond.

edited 1st May '17 5:20:53 AM by math792d

Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#185817: May 1st 2017 at 5:21:56 AM

It is wholly messed up that the POTUS is saying anything on the lines of restricting the First Amendment.

It is arguably even more messed up that there is a non-negligible number of people in this country and in Congress who might agree with him. Not enough to actually restrict it, thank goodness, but still.

Disgusted, but not surprised
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#185818: May 1st 2017 at 5:38:11 AM

This is actually funny how badly the republicans have failed to achieve their agenda in the spending bill.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2017/05/01/politics/government-spending-bill-details/index.html

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#185819: May 1st 2017 at 5:45:15 AM

[up] Hopefully Trump won't veto the whole thing out of spite.

Disgusted, but not surprised
TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#185820: May 1st 2017 at 5:50:19 AM

[up] If he vetoes it out of spite, I hope it causes his approval rating to drop to somewhere between 0% and 1%.

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#185821: May 1st 2017 at 5:50:28 AM

@Trump wanting to get rid of the First Amendment: someone tell me why that is not grounds to kick him out of office RIGHT NOW?! The First Amendment is the one amendment cited as important most often! It is one thing that the VAST majority of the country believes is what Makes America Great most, and we have elected a President that wants to get rid of it?! To quote the man himself: "What the hell is going on?!"

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#185822: May 1st 2017 at 5:55:23 AM

[up] "He wasn't being literal". At least that's what his supporters will say.

But really, the GOP would be all over it if Obama or HRC had said anything like that.

edited 1st May '17 5:56:16 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#185823: May 1st 2017 at 6:03:05 AM

And of course Trump's being massively hypocritical about it. In his world, he's allowed to be as nasty and judgmental as he wants, but anyone else even suggesting he isn't perfect? That's awful and shouldn't be allowed. And he's always been like this. He doesn't think the president is beyond approach, he thinks he is beyond reproach, entirely because he's Donald Trump. Despite literally all the evidence being to the contrary.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#185824: May 1st 2017 at 6:12:04 AM

More like he thinks he should be beyond reproach, and he's under the impression that the more power he gains and the more he 'wins', the less people will make fun of him or question any of his decisions, when it's actually the complete opposite. Regarding the First Amendment bullshit, I think this is the most horrified I've been at him yet.

StarOutlaw Since: Nov, 2010
#185825: May 1st 2017 at 6:14:44 AM

I hate saying this, but there's actually quite a lot of Americans who really take their free speech for granted. Many of them are or would be okay with abolishing the First Amendment, or at least don't realize it when asked. Not a lot of people want to give Neo Nazis or the KKK a place to speak, for instance.

There are some limits on free speech; if saying something leads to people getting hurt (like yelling fire in a theater), that's not protected. Trump's being sued over protesters getting hurt at his rally because his words spurred on his supporters. One good thing I did learn in college is that "your rights end where someone else's begins." So, free speech is protected until it infringes on someone's rights.

But regardless, Trump can go fuck himself if he thinks he can touch the First. That's dictator shit right there. Even if not everyone is against abolishing the first amendment, there's still enough people opposed to Trump to get super pissed about it. That's grounds for a damn rebellion.


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