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Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#241826: May 11th 2018 at 2:19:13 AM

I feel like politicians listening to whoever gives them the most money has always been a problem even before the creation of superpacts,undoing the act might make superpacts vanish but they'll just move on to another way to increase the influence of politicians through monetary investment

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#241827: May 11th 2018 at 2:23:18 AM

CU made it a lot easier for them. To say nothing of the corporate personhood precedent it more or less created.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Raptorslash Since: Oct, 2010
#241828: May 11th 2018 at 2:45:31 AM

Since it's not in the interests of businesses to not help, or even get out of the way of, the people who are actually trying to deal with things like global warming, is there any plausible way to pressure them to cooperate?

edited 11th May '18 2:45:40 AM by Raptorslash

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#241829: May 11th 2018 at 3:06:33 AM

Carbon credits and cap-and-trade were working for a while, weren't they? Basically, give them money not to poison everyone on the planet.

It's been fun.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241830: May 11th 2018 at 4:27:57 AM

Should upholding the Rule of Law and American Institutions be part of the Democratic Platform?

Because right now, they are under attack.

edited 11th May '18 4:30:27 AM by megaeliz

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#241831: May 11th 2018 at 4:46:35 AM

That depends, how many people actually care about those things (honest question)

It's all well and good to be the party of rationality and good government, but will it matter in the face of snappy catch phrases like MAGA? (again, not entirely joking)

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#241832: May 11th 2018 at 4:53:05 AM

[up] Apparently it's not for millions of Americans. But then again these are the same kind of people who believe in birtherism, 9-11 being Obama's fault, Clinton running a child sex slave ring in a pizza parlor basement (one that has no basement), think Info Wars is actually a reliable source of news, think FOX News is a reliable source of news...

edited 11th May '18 4:54:57 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#241833: May 11th 2018 at 5:34:36 AM

A little local flavor

May primary gives Democrats the most choices for [Idaho] governor since 1998

http://www.idahostatesman.com/latest-news/article210828339.html

After a quickie read before I have to go to work, I'm not entirely sure who to support, myself.

Balukoff has experience, but that line about seeing executive role like a CEO makes me nervous since that's been Trump's logic.

Dill seems like a possibly Blue Dog, but that might be what we need to win.

Jordan seems good, but does she have a shot in the general as a Native American woman in a Red State?

edited 11th May '18 5:56:06 AM by sgamer82

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#241834: May 11th 2018 at 6:19:58 AM

Adding more justices to actually balance the court rather than counter-pack it would be upholding the rule of law.

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#241835: May 11th 2018 at 6:34:45 AM

Counterpacking would be balancing the current court. The issue is that you would have a yo-yoing of political dominance, where each successive opposition takeover of the executive would see the court add five new seats to guarantee an ideological majority.

You could balance the court much more easily by incorporating an expiration date on the appointment. The issue isn't so much that there are too few SC Js, it's that the SCOTUS as a whole has a completely outsize importance and thus each nomination and confirmation, and indeed, every presidential election, is a do-or-die situation.

edited 11th May '18 6:35:44 AM by CrimsonZephyr

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
Izeinsummer Since: Jun, 2013
#241837: May 11th 2018 at 7:01:12 AM

Ive said this before, but Citizens United ought to be amended out of existence. That is, screw messing with the composition of the court, go directly for the underlying legal reasoning and get money out of american elections in a more permanent way. The court cant overturn constitutional amendments.

And it should be quite a possible change to get through, simply because the never ending cycle of fund raising is incredibly noxious to all sitting politicians regardless of ideology. Even republicans did not go into politics to spend hours every day begging rich folks for money.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#241838: May 11th 2018 at 7:11:14 AM

[up][up][up] I disagree that the number isn't a significant flaw of the status quo.

edited 11th May '18 7:11:19 AM by RainehDaze

SlavetoTropes Since: Nov, 2017
#241839: May 11th 2018 at 7:54:15 AM

Cross-posting from the EU politics thread:

Relating to the Iran-decision, it seems that the EU (at least France) is prepared to go farther than just not following the US lead in this matter:

Europe is prepared to introduce measures to nullify the effect of Donald Trump imposing sanctions on any non-US firm that continues to do business with Iran, the French government has said.

The warning from the French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, suggests Trump’s proposals to corral Europe into joining US foreign policy on Iran may lead to a severe backlash by EU firms and politicians, especially advocates of a stronger independent European foreign policy.

“We have to work among ourselves in Europe to defend our European economic sovereignty,” Le Maire said, adding that Europe could use the same instruments as the US to defend its interests.

[...]

Le Maire pointed to the possibility of reinstating EU “blocking regulations”, dating back to 1996, which were used to counter US sanctions that targeted third countries doing business with Libya.

The statute permitted European companies to ignore the US sanctions and said that any decisions by foreign courts based on the sanctions would not be upheld in Europe. The US backed down before any sanctions were implemented.

“We want to reinforce this regulation and incorporate the recent decisions taken by the United States,” Le Maire said.

“The second avenue is looking at Europe’s financial independence – what can we do to give Europe more financial tools allowing it to be independent from the United States?” One proposal is to set up a purely European finance house to oversee euro-denominated transactions with Iran.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said possibilities to save the deal without Washington needed to be discussed with Tehran, while economy minister, Peter Altmaier, said Germany was ready to give help to its affected firms, including legal advice, to continue doing business in Iran. [...]

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/11/europe-prepares-countermeasures-against-us-iran-sanctions

If they go through with some of the measures discussed here, the Iran-disaster could quickly open up another front in the possible trade war between US and EU (and escalate the whole thing). I just fear that Trump and his advisers will take it as an incentive to double down and really go for escalation this time (like with China).

I would suggest doing the discussion there (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13097231810A39260100&page=302#7545), but as the US is an important factor for this thing I thought it's fine to post it here, too.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#241840: May 11th 2018 at 7:55:35 AM

[up][up][up]While it's true that Citizens United should be removed it's not accurate to say that it effects all politicians equally, there is a clear empirical difference between the parties and who they represent. And spoiler: it's not the Democrats who primarily represent the wealthy.

edited 11th May '18 7:55:45 AM by Fourthspartan56

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#241841: May 11th 2018 at 7:56:27 AM

[up][up] It's just more examples of Trump screwing the pooch without even thinking about it. He has no judgment or foresight whatsoever.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
thatindiantroper Since: Feb, 2015
#241842: May 11th 2018 at 8:44:59 AM

“That depends, how many people actually care about those things (honest question)“

I firmly believe most people across the world would fall in line with a coup if it’s political stance was upward of 80% in alligenment with theirs.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#241843: May 11th 2018 at 9:19:09 AM

I'm not really sure how that answers the question I was asking.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#241844: May 11th 2018 at 9:19:42 AM

Another reminder that Trump DID make a lot of economic promises.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/trump-broken-every-populist-campaign-promise-prescription-drugs-infrastructure.html

And he's broken all of them.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Steven (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#241845: May 11th 2018 at 9:43:41 AM

Another day, another school shooting.

So far, one person got injured (shot in the arm) but they're in stable condition. Shooter is in custody. This was in Palmdale, California.

Remember, these idiots drive, fuck, and vote. Not always in that order.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241846: May 11th 2018 at 9:49:27 AM

[up] is it too early to pull up this?

edited 11th May '18 9:52:46 AM by megaeliz

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#241847: May 11th 2018 at 9:59:03 AM

It's just more examples of Trump screwing the pooch without even thinking about it. He has no judgment or foresight whatsoever.
Sometimes I wonder if the GOP wants the US to have no soft power, in hopes that it might mean more short-term money for the military-industrial complex.

Also, that move about removing the cybersecurity position? Sounds like a deliberate attempt to make the US more vulnerable. If the US were officially at war with any nation, that would count as treason.

edited 11th May '18 10:00:12 AM by Medinoc

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#241848: May 11th 2018 at 11:02:05 AM

Hackers apparently take over Idaho Legislature's website with Italian manifesto

http://www.idahostatesman.com/latest-news/article210946194.html

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#241849: May 11th 2018 at 11:14:41 AM

Reversing Citizens United is one step on the road to restoring democratic institutions in the US. We also have to undo gerrymandering, restrict professional lobbying activities between elections, and break up the largest banks.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241850: May 11th 2018 at 11:31:25 AM

What can we do about education.

I feel like part of the reason that we're in the place we're in now is because of the lack of decent Civics education.

The quality of schools also varies so much from state to state and even from city to city, and many are chronically underfunded.

edited 11th May '18 11:37:09 AM by megaeliz


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