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

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#248451: Jul 5th 2018 at 4:08:27 PM

The Federalist Society really is a more socially acceptable version of the John Burke Society, isn't it?

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#248452: Jul 5th 2018 at 4:14:51 PM

I want to break out Another One Bites The Dust again, but at this point it's becoming cliche. So here's another song about lots of bad guys cycling out of the story:

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#248453: Jul 5th 2018 at 5:03:38 PM

My concern with Democrats potentially fighting fire with fire is that, in the process, they might become He Who Fights Monsters - just with different motivations - and/or justify people thinking that the two parties are Not So Different, and therefore make them more willing to vote Republican when they dislike Democrats.

[down]

Well, given the leader's behavior, calling him a berk is probably fitting.

Edited by ironballs16 on Jul 5th 2018 at 5:20:42 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#248454: Jul 5th 2018 at 5:18:42 PM

[up][up]. John Birch, not Burke

Trump delenda est
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#248456: Jul 5th 2018 at 6:02:12 PM

And in more "are you fucking kidding me?!" news, the AP is reporting that immigrants using the Army to gain a path to citizenship are quietly being discharged. Those that have pestered about why they were discharged have been told either that the Department of Defense hadn't finished the background check yet, or that they were labeled a "security risk" due to having family outside the US.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Wariolander Since: Nov, 2017
#248457: Jul 5th 2018 at 6:04:57 PM

[up] ...Why would immigrants want to join the US Military right now anyways, with the stuff going on with Iran and North Korea and Trump talking about invading Venezuela?

Imca (Veteran)
#248458: Jul 5th 2018 at 6:16:22 PM

[up]Because it is the quickest and most reliable path to us citizenship, taking only a couple years, when depending on where you are from the normal one can take over 27.

Edited by Imca on Jul 5th 2018 at 6:18:01 AM

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#248459: Jul 5th 2018 at 6:24:20 PM

[up]

And some genuinely hold America in such high regard that they want to serve. My local paper did an entire article about Frank Krec, who enlisted as a Marine in the Vietnam War and was granted posthumous citizenship. He was at zero risk for being drafted, too, as he wasn't a US citizen at that point.

For in 1969, Frank's family was presented with his medal, awarded to Frank posthumously for his actions on the day he fell in battle. The Silver Star citation reads, in part:

"On 1 March, 1968, [his unit] came under intense machine gun fire from well fortified hostile positions. Disregarding his own safety, he unhesitatingly crawled forward across twenty five meters of fire swept terrain and commenced throwing hand grenades at an enemy emplacement, enabling the remainder of his unit to move forward. Unable to silence the weapon with hand grenades, he fearlessly stood up and exposed himself to the intense hostile fire while delivering accurate rifle fire at the enemy position. Despite the heavy volume of hostile fire, he resolutely continued his heroic actions until he was mortally wounded. By his courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty, he was an inspiration to all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corp. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."

Frank would have been proud of the Star, but his family believes that the final award he received would have meant even more. Two and a half years after his death, on August 28, 1970, the boy from Yugoslavia who bravely fought and died for his adopted country was at last adopted by that country. By an Act of Congress, Marine Lance Cpl. Frank Krec Turner received his citizenship and was " ... held and considered to have been a citizen of the United States at the time of his death."

Which is why it's especially galling to hear about this absolute, asinine bullshit that the Trump administration is pulling.

Edit: For quick reference, this is the bullshit they're pulling, getting US Army recruits discharged on grounds of "incomplete background checks" (one of whom had just been promoted to Private Second Class) and "security risk" because they have family living outside the US.

Edited by ironballs16 on Jul 5th 2018 at 6:57:45 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#248460: Jul 5th 2018 at 6:58:54 PM

Remember, the Republicans support our troops! They protect them from Muslims and Mexicans who think they're good enough to risk their lives for America.

Head, meet wall.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#248461: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:03:58 PM

There was an appropriate scene in GANGS OF NEW YORK where Bill Cutting talks shit about immigrants and how they haven't earned the right to be in America, right before cutting to the coffins of irish Civil War veterans being unloaded.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Jul 5th 2018 at 7:03:39 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#248462: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:07:12 PM

I was wondering when this administration would start purging the military of immigrant troops.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#248463: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:14:16 PM

Trump's thugs in the Border Patrol are refusing to stop questioning (at least) Canadian vessels in Canadian/disputed waters, on the off chance there might be brown people on broad for them to abuse.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/lobster-fishermen-stopped-us-border-patrol-1.4735171

I've heard rumors that the Canadian Coast Guard is being sent into the area as a response, though I'm not sure what a bunch of unarmed civilians could do in this case; I'd rather see RCMP vessels in place. Still, as the son of a career CCG officer; fuck US Border Patrol and their political masters. As if I need more reasons to hate Republicans.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#248464: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:15:34 PM

[up][up] they already tried to do that with Transgender ones.

[up] We really need to downsize the Border Patrol, and put higher hiring standards and better training. As it stands now, the requirements for hiring are so low, that it's literally been infiltrated by organized Crime in some cases.

Edited by megaeliz on Jul 5th 2018 at 10:27:48 AM

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#248465: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:23:52 PM

And here we go: The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is starting up a task force to examine what they call "bad naturalization."

TL;DR, Trump wants to take away citizenship from those who earned it, and it's likely one step away from retroactively taking away someone's citizenship.

New York City has taken away a tax break on Trump's condo since Trump needed to make it his primary residence and he obviously hasn't been there much since his inauguration.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
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
#248466: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:24:59 PM

And in more "are you fucking kidding me?!" news, the AP is reporting that immigrants using the Army to gain a path to citizenship are quietly being discharged

Well, that totally shits on my plan B in case my country goes to shit this year or the next one...

Inter arma enim silent leges
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#248467: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:25:31 PM

[up][up][up][up]

According to Cohen, those seeking to cross the Canada-U.S. border illegally are usually pushing north.

"It has generally been the case, but it's particularly true in the last year or so, with the election of Donald Trump," Cohen said.

"The movement of humanity is coming the other way, from the United States into Canada."

So people are more likely to flee into Canada than out of it.

Edited by M84 on Jul 5th 2018 at 10:25:47 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#248468: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:28:41 PM

[up][up][up]Old news. That was posted a month or two back. Also, according to the original article posted way back when, this new agency won't be ready for about a year or so. So that's something.

Edited by kkhohoho on Jul 5th 2018 at 9:30:22 AM

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#248469: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:30:03 PM

I've mentioned this before, but whoever the next president is after Trump (Democrat or Republican, but hopefully Democrat) they're going to have so much to undone after he's gone, I feel bad for them.

Edited by LSBK on Jul 5th 2018 at 10:29:31 AM

RainingMetal (Handed A Sword) Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#248470: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:36:57 PM

Well, at least they can feel some sort of Catharsis Factor when they do. If they aren't a Trumpist already that is.

ASAB: All Sponsors Are Bad.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#248471: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:51:34 PM

[up][up] I wonder if that's a part of why the Democratic Party struggles with image. Democratic administrations (at least in my lifetime) have more or less been too busy cleaning up after Republicans and fending off Republican propaganda to market themselves.

Disgusted, but not surprised
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#248472: Jul 5th 2018 at 7:51:45 PM

And in other news, unless he managed to get a really quick and extremely fast flight out, Senator Steve Daines (R-MN) just lied about being in Washington, DC for Independence Day when he was in Russia.

Edited by tclittle on Jul 5th 2018 at 9:53:26 AM

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Imca (Veteran)
#248473: Jul 5th 2018 at 8:05:50 PM

[up][up] Its also an issue of expecting logic and facts to sell themselfs when they dont...

Fun bit, you can actually convince a lot of right wingers to support protecting the environment.... you just have to put effort into marketing it to the audience.

Its not "Protecting the rain-forests" its "Defending our resources", use militaristic language to dress it up, and you can get a lot of them on board with that one pretty quick. ._.;

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#248474: Jul 5th 2018 at 8:23:31 PM

Dressing it up in the issue of protecting resources doesn't work. Resources are there to be taken, which is why Republicans drill for oil in national parks and support fracking.

It's been fun.
PresidentStalkeyes Eats moldy bread and flies into windows from United Kingdom of England-land Since: Feb, 2016 Relationship Status: Do you like me? (Yes ⎕ Definitely ⎕ Absolutely!!! ⎕)
Eats moldy bread and flies into windows
#248475: Jul 5th 2018 at 8:55:45 PM

This reminds me, do you think that if the current Republican party continues pushing out-there candidates, like your Roy Moores and whatnot, and continues alienating everyone but an ever-decreasing fraction of the population, could you see disgruntled ex-Republican conservatives form a new party that might effectively replace the Republicans? This is assuming that by this point there's a Democrat in the white house and the Republicans don't have near-total power anymore.

Edited by PresidentStalkeyes on Jul 5th 2018 at 4:56:34 PM

Those sell-by-dates won't stop me because I can't read!

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