US Politics Thread 2021-24

[Rockstar]

Hey, look who finally made it to East Palestine, OH. I reckon the toxicity levels must have been low enough for Pete to finally show up for a quick visit and tell everyone there’s nothing to worry about. Drink the water, you’ll be fine.

East Palestine train derailment killed more than 43,000 fish and animals, officials say

Paige Bennett
The Repository


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/24/east-palestine-train-derailment-fish-animal-deaths/11337404002/

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2200104/pete-buttigieg-east-palestine-ohio.jpg

[Buddahaid]

And made certain to show how Trump era regulation restrictions were laxed based on railroad industry findings that cut their costs. So what?

[Rockstar]

Obama, Trump and Biden had every opportunity to consider higher safety standards for our nations railways. But they didn’t and now people lives have been affected and poisoned. Because THREE administrations including the current one didn’t give a ****.

And it took 19 days for a democrat party elite to show their face at the derailment site, 20 days for the President to even publicly acknowledge that it happened. But let me guess you’re still gonna run with the Trump Putin cabal and water tests in Cincinnati?

[Buddahaid]

Yes, and it was Trump that laxed regulations from the Obama era. It would take an Act of Congress to reinstate the brake regulation. That's the history whether you like it, or not.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-deploys-additional-federal-resources-to-east-palestine-ohio/

[August]

Yes, and it was Trump that laxed regulations from the Obama era. It would take an Act of Congress to reinstate the brake regulation. That's the history whether you like it, or not.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-deploys-additional-federal-resources-to-east-palestine-ohio/


The regulations relaxed under the Trump administration had nothing to do with what caused the accident.

[em2nought]

Society is crumbling under the democrat model. My Publix grocery store is now an "ub" because there's no one to fix the sign. Harbor Freight doesn't even have a sign. Taco Bell can't even open their lobby. All these other problems that seem to be making the news more often are the result of us old fellas with at least a certain work ethic being replaced by nobody of any value. That's my take at least. Scary if you think about nuclear power yet. :hmmm::huh:

[Buddahaid]

There ain't nobody here but us chickens,
There ain't nobody here at all,
So quiet yo'self, and make no fuss,
There ain't nobody here but us.....

[Rockstar]

Yes, and it was Trump that laxed regulations from the Obama era. It would take an Act of Congress to reinstate the brake regulation. That's the history whether you like it, or not.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-deploys-additional-federal-resources-to-east-palestine-ohio/

One political party blaming the other political party and that means what? Why don’t you go ahead and explain to everyone here exactly how that helps anyone in East Palestine Ohio or communities in the future? This administration has been in office for two years now and like the previous Trump & Obama administrations has done absolutely nothing to better railway safety, they just kicked the can down the road. And when a train did derail spilling toxic materials in a community, ground, atmosphere and water. After 12 days later out pops a ‘fact sheet’ blaming the other party, which is just an admission they knew about it but still did nothing. Then 19 days later after toxicity levels dropped they finally got a visit by the guy responsible for regulating railway safety, and eventually personal public acknowledgement of the accident by his boss on the 20th day.

And who in the hell said it would take an act of congress to reinstate the brake regulations? God I hope nobody is stupid enough to believe that. :har:

Anyone with the slightest clue would know the 1966 Act of Congress establishing the Department of Transportation is quite sufficient authority for Petey to do his job. Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is to promulgate and enforce rail safety regulations, administer railroad assistance programs, conduct research and development in support of improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy, provide for the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service, and consolidate government support of rail transportation activities.

[Rockstar]

Toxic chemicals like phosgene, vinyl chloride and by-products of controlled burns could affect 25 million people.

https://youtu.be/Iitd5utyyzc



Ya but what about Trump?

[Skybird]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-running-nearly-republican-senators-say-no-presidential-bid-rcna71976

With Trump running, nearly all Republican senators say no to a presidential bid.

Elections 2024. Choice is yours.

https://i.postimg.cc/Vk87rjX0/1000-F-140146515-5-XYM5-UBeycp-V2u-Xxy-Gy-Yw0n-SQd9wuuup.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Rockstar]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-running-nearly-republican-senators-say-no-presidential-bid-rcna71976

With Trump running, nearly all Republican senators say no to a presidential bid.

Elections 2024. Choice is yours.

https://i.postimg.cc/Vk87rjX0/1000-F-140146515-5-XYM5-UBeycp-V2u-Xxy-Gy-Yw0n-SQd9wuuup.jpg (https://postimages.org/)



Sorry I asked :D

[u crank]

With Trump running, nearly all Republican senators say no to a presidential bid.

Elections 2024. Choice is yours.



I genuinely feel sorry for my American friends. Imagine having to choose between the clown prince of tweeters and an old guy who falls going up stairs. God help you people.

:D:D:D

[Skybird]

:) Actually, I had no link to your post in mind, just now I realise that it could be seen that way.



No comment on the train issue intended by me, I only was about the story I linked, nothing else.

[Rockstar]

25 days have gone by since the accident and Sleepy Joe finally takes notice.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/25/east-palestine-train-derailment-biden-orders-door-door-checks/11348656002/



Biden directed employees to get to as many homes as possible by Monday. Officials said the immediate goal was to visit at least 400. The president said he currently has no plans to personally visit Ohio.

Biden's order came as House Republicans opened an investigation into the Feb. 3 derailment, blaming Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for what they contend was a delayed response to the fiery wreck. The focus on DOT came even though the EPA took charge of the federal response this week and ordered Norfolk Southern railway to pay for the cleanup and chemical release.

Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, became the latest lawmaker to jump into what has become a political proxy war as each party lays into the other after the derailment and chemical leak that led to evacuation of the small Ohio community.

Meanwhile, the controversy spread far beyond the little Ohio town. Officials in Texas and Michigan expressed concern about contaminated wastewater and soil being transported to their states for disposal.


"Despite the U.S. Department of Transportation's responsibility to ensure safe and reliable transport in the United States, you ignored the catastrophe for over a week," the Kentucky Republican said in a letter to Buttigieg. "The American people deserve answers as to what caused the derailment, and DOT needs to provide an explanation for its leadership's apathy in the face of this emergency."

Yes I agree we deserve an answer. Kudos to those that will investigate the matter. But then I also believe it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize what happened, and why. What’s more important is what are you doing about? At least three administrations have just kicked the can down the road.

What will change for the better? Will clean-ups be handled correctly and efficiently, Reports have said up to 25 million people could be affected because of the neglect by both parties. Will minimum standards and modern tech be required to help ensure things like this don’t happen again or atleast reduce fallout when they do? Or will you just ramp up the divide with more pointless, brain dead, trivial political team red team blue arguments over who’s to blame?

[Skybird]

I genuinely feel sorry for my American friends. Imagine having to choose between the clown prince of tweeters and an old guy who falls going up stairs. God help you people.

:D:D:D


When I see the "alternatives" offered in Germany, I almost envy them.



The whole West seems to suffer from a certain form of Chinafication when it comes to the quality, or lack of quality, of its political personnel.


They are all unelectable. To elect them is to incur guilt. The excuse of the supposed least evil cannot be accepted, they are all far too harmful for that.

[Rockstar]

I genuinely feel sorry for my American friends. Imagine having to choose between the clown prince of tweeters and an old guy who falls going up stairs. God help you people.

:D:D:D

After reading some of what Jordan Peterson has been ranting on about. Canadians aren’t much better off. :03:

[u crank]

After reading some of what Jordan Peterson has been ranting on about. Canadians aren’t much better off. :03:

You got that right man. Our pretty boy Prime Minister is under the mistaken impression that his is king of this democracy rather than a public servant. And he gets booed everywhere he goes.

[Gorpet]

Better yet, it was caused by those pesky Jewish space lasers.
Of ,course we have to include,those pesky left wing woke space lasers.That love to cause decision for the cause.

[Gorpet]

Couldn't be an accident that probably was avoidable, naaaah, it must be an f'in conspiracy.

The lobbying of rail companies on both sides of the aisle to avoid more security measures has absolutely nothing to with this accident /sarcasm. If Trump had really drained the swamp, as he boasted he would, maybe there'd have been no derailment, who knows. The,Donald nor anyone will ever drain the swamp. The swamp,is global,and just get ready to die.

[Rockstar]

So Gorpet, when are we gonna get get whiskey bent and hell bound?

[Gorpet]

[QUOTE=Buddahaid;2855124]Yes, and it was Trump that laxed regulations from the Obama era. It would take an Act of Congress to reinstate the brake regulation. That's the history whether you like it, or not . You must be a west coaster, over in Cali ? Who is this
old cali. Mushroom eater?

[Rockstar]

All Presidents Avoid Reporters, But Biden May Achieve a Record in His Press Avoidance

https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2023/02/all-presidents-avoid-reporters-biden-may-achieve-record-his-press-avoidance/383356/

Bill Clinton was in a major scandal – based in large part on getting caught in a deception during a media interview – and successfully outsourced his White House press briefings to legal counsel to avoid having his press secretary or himself trapped by tough media questioning.

Barack Obama campaigned on being the most transparent president in history and then prosecuted reporters as criminals.

But well into the third year of Joe Biden’s presidency, he has held fewer press conferences than any president in recent memory.

That’s because…?


Probably explains why it took him 20 days to recognize the emergency in East Palestine Ohio.

That and why his Blue Anon constituency is obsessed with the what about Trump question. Idiots! :har::har::har::wah:

[Buddahaid]

Propaganda machine is strong with you.

https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/multiple-federal-agencies-supporting-east-palestine-contrary-to-partisan-claims/

[Rockstar]

Propaganda machine is strong with you.

https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/multiple-federal-agencies-supporting-east-palestine-contrary-to-partisan-claims/

Oh look the Blue Anon ‘fact’ checker has arrived defending the business as usual policies which took the leader of the free world 20 days to publicly acknowledge the disaster and his broken outdated policies which may have poisoned 25 million people. :har::har::har:

I’m sure the people in East Palestine Ohio and others are relieved to know it’s the thought that counts. You just keep defending the propaganda of the business as usual do nothing idiots. Still doesn’t fix the problem now does it,? Because the Blue Anon obsession with Trump won’t permit it :roll: :har::har::har:

[Gorpet]

So Gorpet, when are we gonna get get whiskey bent and hell bound?

Maybe. The last time you were in Ocala, you were 25 miles north of where i live.

[Gorpet]

How can anyone defend a male breast feeding politician ? I don't give a **** what gender you are.If your are in charge of transportation get your ass in gear. I don't care if you double breast feed or bob your head. I want my Blinkin auto parts.

[Gorpet]

So Gorpet, when are we gonna get get whiskey bent and hell bound?

Not on this forum.

[Gorpet]

Oh look the Blue Anon ‘fact’ checker has arrived defending the business as usual policies which took the leader of the free world 20 days to publicly acknowledge the disaster and his broken outdated policies which may have poisoned 25 million people. :har::har::har:

I’m sure the people in East Palestine Ohio and others are relieved to know it’s the thought that counts. You just keep defending the propaganda of the business as usual do nothing idiots. Still doesn’t fix the problem now does it,? Because the Blue Anon obsession with Trump won’t permit it :roll: :har::har::har:

East Palestine Ohio , was a selected town, satellite photos, it was prefect, a perfect town.Who remembers WW2 and how trains were stopped.I't certainly wasn't gunfire form planes. if you want to know the truth.

[Onkel Neal]

Looks like another 4 years of Biden.

Trump overwhelmingly wins CPAC's Republican primary straw poll with DeSantis coming in a distant second (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-overwhelming-wins-cpacs-republican-primary-straw-poll-desantis-coming-distant-second)

[Jimbuna]

Donald Trump says he could settle Ukraine war in 'one day'

Donald Trump on Saturday night said he must be elected US President again in 2024 if a Third World War was to be avoided.

Mr Trump also vowed that he and his supporters would "never go back" to a Republican Party run by "freaks and fools" who had engaged in "endless foreign wars".

The former president said America should stop spending billions of dollars on defending Ukraine, that he would end the war in "one day" if elected, and demanded that Nato allies pay more toward the cost of the conflict.

Mr Trump also told supporters that if any of them felt wronged then, in a second term, "I am your retribution".

He said Joe Biden was leading the US into "oblivion" and 2024 would be the "final battle".

In a marathon speech lasting one hour and 45 minutes at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Mr Trump avoided repeating his previous claims that the 2020 election was "stolen".

He did not attack, or even name, rivals for the Republican nomination in 2024, including Florida governor Ron DeSantis, instead laying out some of what he would do if elected.

Mr Trump said: "We're going to have World War III if something doesn't happen fast. I am the only candidate who can make this promise - I will prevent World War III."

He added: "We had a Republican Party that was ruled by freaks, neo-cons, globalists, open borders zealots and fools. But we are never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove and Jeb Bush."

Mr Trump spoke to a packed auditorium at a conference centre in Maryland, just outside Washington.

He received a rapturous reception and was interrupted by chants of "Four more years".

CPAC has traditionally been an event where all senior Republican figures, including potential presidential nominees, would speak.

However, it has become dominated by Mr Trump and his supporters, and this year was nicknamed "MAGApalooza" or "TPAC".

Mr DeSantis and former vice president Mike Pence chose to speak at another event in Florida instead.

Mr Trump told the crowd: "We are going to finish what we started. We’re going to complete the mission. We’re going to see this battle through to ultimate victory.

"This [2024] is the final battle. I know it, you know it, they know it, everybody knows it. This is it. And if they win, we don't have a country."

He added: "In 2016, I declared 'I am your voice'. Today, I add: 'I am your warrior. I am your justice'. And, for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.

"I will totally obliterate the deep state. I will fire the unelected bureaucrats and shadow forces who have weaponised our justice system. And I will put the people back in charge of this country again."

Mr Trump said "top of my list" if elected would be "stopping the slide into costly and never-ending wars."

He said: "You can't keep spending hundreds of billions of dollars protecting people that don't even like us.

"In business, if you did that, what you do is put up the money and then you say 'We want half the country in case you win'."

He added: "Before I even arrive in the Oval Office I will have the disastrous war between Russia and Ukraine settled. It will be settled quickly.

"I will get the problem solved, it will take me no longer than one day.

"We are never going to go back to a party that wants to give unlimited money to fight foreign wars, that are endless wars.

"Our soldiers [veterans], we do nothing for them, they sleep out in the cold and freeze."

Mr Trump added: "You look at Ukraine, and we all feel very bad, but why isn't Nato putting up dollar for dollar with us?"

He also accused Mr Biden of being a "criminal" and said that, if elected, he would "drive out the globalists, and cast out the communists," and "expel the warmongers".

The former president went on to say that he would "keep men out of women's sports".

He added: "I will revoke every Biden policy promoting the chemical castration and sexual mutualisation of our youth.

"And I will ask Congress to send me a bill prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states."

In a short reference to elections he called for them to be held on a single day with only paper ballots.

But he said Republicans had to "change our thinking" from 2020 and use all methods to vote that were available.

He said: "Republicans must compete using every lawful means to win. That means swamping the left with mail-in votes, early votes and election day votes."

Mr Trump easily won the annual CPAC straw poll, which in the past has been seen as a measure of support among party activists. More than 2,000 people at CPAC took part in the survey.

Asked who the 2024 Republican nominee should be, 62 per cent said Mr Trump, and 20 per cent said Mr DeSantis.

The survey showed 95 per cent approved of the job Mr Trump did when he was president.

When asked who his running mate should be in 2024 the top choice was Kari Lake, the former TV anchor and Arizona gubernatorial candidate, on 20 per cent. She was followed by Mr DeSantis on 14 per cent.

The poll also showed that 79 per cent disapproved of "giving billions to Ukraine," and of those 61 per cent "strongly disapproved".

During the three-day conference supporters of the former president donned "Trumpinator" T-shirts and "Trump Won" hats.

Nikki Haley, the only major candidate to have declared her run against Mr Trump in 2024, faced chants of "Trump, Trump" as she walked through the venue.

One merchandise seller said Trump hats were outselling DeSantis caps by 50-to-one.

Also on sale were giant edible Trump gingerbread men, Trump cowboy hats, Trump purses, and T-shirts depicting Mr Trump as Superman.

Supporters lined up to have their photographs taken in a mocked up Oval Office, behind a replica of the Resolute Desk.

Among the issues being discussed at this year's event was climate change. Morgan Chrisman, 24, representing Young Conservatives for Carbon Dividends, said China should be held accountable.

She said: "The environmental cause has been very much driven by the left for pretty much the entire time, and that has alienated a lot of young people, and made them think that the GOP doesn't have solutions for that.

"We think that there are capitalism-first, market-based solutions that are far more effective than the solutions being put forth by the left, but do not compromise on conservative values."

Meanwhile, Mr Trump put forward a plan to hold a contest to create up to 10 new “Freedom Cities," which would be built on government land.

It would include investment in "vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles" - flying cars - for families.

Some compared the idea to The Jetsons, the fictional cartoon family who lived in Orbit City.

The plan would also include "baby bonuses" to encourage a new baby boom, and the cities would become "hives of industry" as the US became less reliant on Chinese imports.

Mr Trump said it would "reopen the frontier" and lead to a "quantum leap in American living standards".
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/donald-trump-says-he-could-settle-ukraine-war-in-one-day/ar-AA18dVLe?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=3b177d0feb6045dd821b92bb6f27b557&ei=18

[les green01]

Looks like another 4 years of Biden.

Trump overwhelmingly wins CPAC's Republican primary straw poll with DeSantis coming in a distant second (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-overwhelming-wins-cpacs-republican-primary-straw-poll-desantis-coming-distant-second)

Ethier way this country is screw then almost be better to elect a lot lizzard least know what we be getting but then maybe i can hit the lottery and get a island in the middle of no where

[Catfish]

^ Just don't choose the Solomones .. :03:

[Rockstar]

^ Just don't choose the Solomones .. :03:

:har::up:

[Rockstar]

Nothing to see here move along people. No problems with our executive branch exists.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/20-cars-norfolk-southern-train-derail-ohio-no-hazardous-materials-boar-rcna73435

…28 cars of a Norfolk Southern train that derailed Saturday evening in Springfield, Ohio, officials said at a news briefing.

It was the second derailment of the company’s trains in Ohio in a matter of weeks after a train carrying dangerous chemicals derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3

How many people wrote their representatives last time this happened demanding inquiry and regulations that place even minimal railroad safety before share holder profits? Bueller? Anyone?

Let me guess, Ya but whatabout Trump?

[Buddahaid]

There are about 1700 derailments per year in the US.

[Rockstar]

Ya that’s a lot isn’t it. Especially considering the effects just one derailment can have on human life and the environment. Some reports indicate that 25 to 30 million people could be affected from toxins released from the derailment in East Palestine, OH.

I’m pretty sure in this day and age there must be technology available which can improve the civil war era undercarriage and brake systems. Basic monitoring systems that can at least notify operators there’s been a goddamn fire raging on one of their cars for the last twenty miles. Instead of finding out after they’ve derailed, spilling carcinogens and toxins all over god’s green earth.

[MaDef]

Ya that’s a lot isn’t it. Especially considering the effects just one derailment can have on human life and the environment. Some reports indicate that 25 to 30 million people could be affected from toxins released from the derailment in East Palestine, OH.

I’m pretty sure in this day and age there must be technology available which can improve the civil war era undercarriage and brake systems. Basic monitoring systems that can at least notify operators there’s been a goddamn fire raging on one of their cars for the last twenty miles. Instead of finding out after they’ve derailed, spilling carcinogens and toxins all over god’s green earth.
Let's put that into perspective shall we? The U.S has 140,000 miles of RR track (that's enough to cross the U.S. from coast to coast 41 times), the U.S. also moves 1.7 Billion Tons of cargo across those tracks every year. Last week (final week of FEB) the RR's moved 459,233 train cars (box cars, hoppers, intermodal cars, etc.) from point A to point B (this does not include passenger rail). So if you extrapolate that number out to 52 weeks, that comes out to about 23.8 Million RR cars per year traveling across the U.S.

While the East Palestine derailment was preventable, the response by both Norfolk Southern and Biden Admin is a dismal failure. And rather than look for scapegoats, they should be working to repair and/or mitigate the damage caused to the area, and address the specific failure that caused this derailment (I have a feeling when all is said and done is that standard safety protocols were not adhered to).

[Rockstar]

Let's put that into perspective shall we? The U.S has 140,000 miles of RR track (that's enough to cross the U.S. from coast to coast 41 times), the U.S. also moves 1.7 Billion Tons of cargo across those tracks every year. Last week (final week of FEB) the RR's moved 459,233 train cars (box cars, hoppers, intermodal cars, etc.) from point A to point B (this does not include passenger rail). So if you extrapolate that number out to 52 weeks, that comes out to about 23.8 Million RR cars per year traveling across the U.S.

While the East Palestine derailment was preventable, the response by both Norfolk Southern and Biden Admin is a dismal failure. And rather than look for scapegoats, they should be working to repair and/or mitigate the damage caused to the area, and address the specific failure that caused this derailment (I have a feeling when all is said and done is that standard safety protocols were not adhered to).


I know, I wasn’t sure what he meant by the statement so I took a chance :D. Been keeping up on it seems both sides of the house are starting to wonder what the heck is going on with NFS and some are calling on the CEO to make an appearance before congress. Regardless whether anyone thinks the number of derailments are a lot or not. Someone needs to drive their size 12 boondocker up someone’s butt. Considering the toxic fallout, that derailment in East Palestine, OH was one too many.

In this country we have a luxury other countries don’t. We can usually get answers faster if we fire off respectful nasty grams demanding answers. We shouldn’t be defending any of those freeloaders on the hill. ;)

[MaDef]

Fair enough. Now I'll speak to the second half of your statement. :03:

The following sensors are used on trains;
Speed Sensors.
Vibration Sensors.
Pressure Sensors.
Humidity Sensors.
Position Sensors.
Temperature Sensors.
Level Sensors.

Now I'm not a train buff so I don't know exactly how those sensors are integrated into the safe operation of a train. But I would guess the train engineman has a way to monitor them, and a procedure to follow when those readings are out of norm. on the other hand tracks need to be visually inspected on a regular interval, depending on the "classification" of the track (tracks are classed according to speed rating, and there are 6 ratings). Almost all tracks get a weekly inspection, and if the track carries passenger trains in addition to freight, they are inspected twice a week.

[Rockstar]

Fair enough. Now I'll speak to the second half of your statement. :03:

The following sensors are used on trains;
Speed Sensors.
Vibration Sensors.
Pressure Sensors.
Humidity Sensors.
Position Sensors.
Temperature Sensors.
Level Sensors.

Now I'm not a train buff so I don't know exactly how those sensors are integrated into the safe operation of a train. But I would guess the train engineman has a way to monitor them, and a procedure to follow when those readings are out of norm. on the other hand tracks need to be visually inspected on a regular interval, depending on the "classification" of the track (tracks are classed according to speed rating, and there are 6 ratings). Almost all tracks get a weekly inspection, and if the track carries passenger trains in addition to freight, they are inspected twice a week.

That’s funny, you sound like you’re a train nerd. :03:

Thanks, :salute:

[MaDef]

That’s funny, you sound like you’re a train nerd. :03:

Thanks, :salute:
Nope, but Title 49 of the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) is a wealth of information on RR regulations. :D

[em2nought]

Looks like another 4 years of Biden.

Trump overwhelmingly wins CPAC's Republican primary straw poll with DeSantis coming in a distant second (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-overwhelming-wins-cpacs-republican-primary-straw-poll-desantis-coming-distant-second)


Yes, because we already know they will do anything it takes, in their book no sin is verboten if you're aligned against President Trump. :yep:

[Skybird]

An end in failure or failures without end? Choose your poison.

The real mistakes have been decided for many years earlier.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64897424

[Buddahaid]

So MTG calls for US military strikes on Mexico. Doesn't this twit understand that's an act of war? US citizens buys drugs from Mexico, Mexican citizens buy firearms from the US and both governments have made it illegal. Should Mexico launch strikes on the US gun dealers?

[Buddahaid]

https://www.moodysanalytics.com/-/media/article/2023/going-down-the-debt-limit-rabbit-hole.pdf

So, the America First MAGA party's plan to hold the US economy hostage over raising the debt ceiling will cost millions of US taxpayers their jobs no matter what according to this Moody's Analytics report (see page eight). All this just to prop up little man Trump's ego fest and force a recession during Biden's term.

[em2nought]

There goes a bank in the second-largest failure of a financial institution in US history :hmmm: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/10/investing/svb-bank/index.html

[Rockstar]

Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager, called on his cronies in US government to step in and bail out Silicon Valley Bank.

Who are Ackerman’s cronies?

Bill Ackman endorsed Michael Bloomberg as a prospective candidate for President of the United States in the 2016 presidential election. He is a longtime donor to Democratic candidates and organizations, including Richard Blumenthal, Chuck Schumer, Robert Menendez, the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

[Rockstar]

The Silicon Valley Bank crisis will force the Fed to slash rates by 100 basis points to prevent contagion, market guru says

Filip De Mott
Fri, March 10, 2023 at 11:18 AM EST·2 min read

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/silicon-valley-bank-crisis-force-161835121.html


The Silicon Valley Bank crisis may force the Fed to slash rates this year, Larry McDonald said.

The market guru told CNBC on Friday he expects 100 basis points of easing by December.

"In essence, the Fed is causing this bank run," he said, referring to earlier steep rate hikes.

The Silicon Valley Bank meltdown may incite the Federal Reserve to cut rates by 100 basis points by December to prevent contagion in the financial system, Larry McDonald said.

That would mark a sharp reversal from the central bank's current course of aggressive tightening to rein in inflation.

Rate hikes totaling 450 basis points over the past year have made returns on short-term Treasurys more attractive, draining deposits from banks like SVB, the founder of "The Bear Traps Report" told CNBC on Friday.

"In essence, the Fed is causing this bank run," he said.

Shares of Silicon Valley Bank crashed another 68% on Friday, extending its two-day dive to as much as 87%, with several venture capital firms advising their portfolio companies to pull money from the bank.

Meanwhile, shares of Wall Street banking giants are falling, and regional lenders like First Republic, Signature Bank and PacWest are also plunging.

"Within the next couple of months, as the contagion brews up this channel — up to high yield, leveraged loans, across the entire ecosystem — that's when the Feds gonna have to bring out the other firehose and cut rates, probably within six to nine months," McDonald said.

The SVB Financial Group's crisis began after it announced a $1.8 billion loss from the sale of its $21 billion bond portfolio, which was hit by the Fed's rate hikes. After failing to raise more capital, SVB is reportedly looking to sell itself.

While bigger banks may have the staff and expertise to manage interest rate risks, McDonald said, regional banks like SVB are unaccustomed to this sort of rate environment.

And the Fed is expected to continue raising rates later this month. Earlier this week, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell opened the door to bigger increases as economic data point to sticky inflation.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments:

ukchucktown

5 minutes ago

Don't hold your breath for interest rates to go down. They stayed too low for too long. The day of reckoning is upon us now. A couple banks failing will not change immediate policy, especially banks focused on silicon valley startups and crypto. Until inflation is under control the Fed is not going to lower interest rates.

[MaDef]

Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager, called on his cronies in US government to step in and bail out Silicon Valley Bank.
That precedent was set back in 79'-80' with the Chrysler bailout, and turned into a regular occurrence with the following bail outs:

1989 Savings and loan bailouts
2001 Airlines
2008 Automobile aka TARP
2020-2021 Corona virus relief

This is part of the reason the current deficit is so high (1.6 trillion). and if Washington doesn't address it, it will eventually crash the economy.

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

This is part of the reason the current deficit is so high (1.6 trillion). and if Washington doesn't address it, it will eventually crash the economy. That's easier said then done though. This country is spending money faster then it's taking it in and it's nothing new and while there are ways lower it namely cutting spending and raising taxes. The ultimate question is where to cut the spending and where to raise the taxes?


Also the only time in this nations history where there was no deficit at all was from 1835 to 1837 when Andrew Jackson was president. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[Rockstar]

If they want to raise taxes they would then have to explain why and where it’s going. So instead they keep borrowing and coming up with slogans for the useful idiots like ‘make the rich pay their fair share’ or ‘they don’t care’ and whataboutisms up the wazoo. Still, nobody knows why or where our taxes are going it’s simply packaged in one massive omnibus spending bill nobody reads. Meanwhile we just gleefully keep hopping on the bandwagon speeding down a big hill with no brakes. Weeeeee

[em2nought]

Another one bites the dust! Signature Bank. Hurray for build back better! :03:https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/12/business/janet-yellen-silicon-valley-bank.html

[Buddahaid]

It was during the Trump administration in 2018 that Kevin McCarthy pushed for the repeal of Dodd Frank (2010) with S2155 The Economic Growth Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act that removed policies that would have prevented SVB from getting into the situation it has found itself in. Another shining example of America first.

[Rockstar]

It was during the Trump administration in 2018 that Kevin McCarthy pushed for the repeal of Dodd Frank (2010) with S2155 The Economic Growth Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act that removed policies that would have prevented SVB from getting into the situation it has found itself in. Another shining example of America first.

:har: So what you’re saying is the current administration is admitting they knew Trump did this, but didn’t do anything and allowed it to happen anyway. Or they’re admitting that like their predecessor they’re too stupid and naive to prevent this from happening. Which one are you trying to get me to believe?

what I do believe is no mystery crypto and tech start ups are tanking and not something anyone should be investing in right now. Venture capitalists took their money out and caused the run not poor book keeping. That’s only ONE reason why the banks in California are failing. The Democrats who voted with Republicans that made it possible to push the roll back through are from Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia. No problems there, just California.

Maybe you can ask that scheming crook you call Governor and his wife to explain their hand in it.

https://californiaglobe.com/articles/silicon-valley-bank-ties-to-california-first-partner-jennifer-newsom/

Silicon Valley Bank Ties to California First Partner Jennifer Newsom
‘What did they know and when did they know it?’
By Katy Grimes, March 12, 2023 10:14 am

Silicon Valley Bank was closed Friday by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, with the FDIC in charge of liquidation. SVB was one of the largest banks in the country and one of the premier banks of Venture Capital firms and start-up companies.

In looking at the SVB board and executive team bios, there is an interesting tie to California’s First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom – one of the SVB Executives sits on the board of Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s California Partners Project.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement Saturday morning in response to the appointment of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver of Silicon Valley Bank:

“Over the last 48 hours, I have been in touch with the highest levels of leadership at the White House and Treasury. Everyone is working with FDIC to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible, to protect jobs, people’s livelihoods, and the entire innovation ecosystem that has served as a tent pole for our economy.”

Shortly thereafter, Gov. Newsom was excoriated on Twitter.

The Globe reached out to Grenell for a comment:

“Gavin has always been a secretive politician,” Grenell said. “He never gives the full story and the Sacramento media is largely afraid to take him on. The lack of transparency in State government is a dangerous situation because California is currently a one party controlled dictatorship and Gavin is the boss.”

Grenell fairly asks, “@GavinNewsom should be transparent about California’s First Lady’s relationship to the SVB leadership. Did she get involved at all? What did they say to her in the lead up to the collapse?”

Indeed. As Forbes notes, this meltdown did not happen overnight. “Silicon Valley Bank Proxy Shows Board’s Secret Yearlong Risk Panic,” the Forbes headline says. “The sudden freefall is likely not a surprise to the SVB board. In the past 15 months, as top insiders cashed options and sold shares, SVB operated without a full-time chief risk officer and the number of board risk committee meetings more than doubled.”

Notably, Silicon Valley Bank had no official chief risk officer for 8 months while the Venture Capital market was spiraling, Fortune reported. “It is unclear how the bank managed risks in the interim period between the departure of one CRO and appointment of another.”

Another question that has not been asked by anyone in the media yet was asked almost immediately by Vivek Ramaswamy, American entrepreneur, author, and conservative political activist now running for President: Was Silicon Valley Bank using Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and Diversity and Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to make economic decisions? “A key cause of the 2008 financial crisis was the use of social factors to make loans (back then, fostering home ownership),” Ramaswamy said. “When we don’t learn lessons, history repeats itself: did Silicon Valley Bank use ESG factors to price its loans? Roll that log over & see what crawls out.”

Did Silicon Valley Bank use ESG social factors to make financial decisions, Ramaswamy asks. “Why were they worrying about a healthy planet and not about a healthy financial sheet?”

Why was a bank focused on environmental and climate change issues, and not the bottom line? How does a focus on Diversity and Equity and Inclusion improve the return on investment? Quick answer: It doesn’t.

This is relevant because it is also First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s primary focus in her creepy gender justice films for school kids, featuring her “genderbread person,” who aims to show children how biological sex, “gender expression,” “sexual attraction,” and “gender identity” exist on a spectrum. As the Globe reported in January:

California Governor Gavin Newsom and his wife, “First Partner” Jennifer Siebel Newsom, have quite a money-making scheme going on: “While her husband attends to state business, Siebel Newsom engages in her passion: advancing ‘gender justice’ through her charitable nonprofit The Representation Project. According to tax documents the organization is ‘committed to building a thriving and inclusive society through films, education, and social activism,’” Open the Books reports.

The Globe sent the governor’s office an inquiry and will report back with his reply.

Forbes asks the only important question: “The board now faces the classic Watergate questions — what did they know and when did they know it? Their 2023 proxy holds some initial clues of a silent panic.”

[Rockstar]

Meanwhile as Blue Anon and the usual suspects blame Trump.

Barney Frank blames crypto panic for his bank’s collapse.

The rift between Frank and Warren is just a preview of what’s to come as Democrats sort out positions on how to respond to the latest banking crisis.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/13/barney-frank-signature-bank-collapse-warren-trump-00086765


By ZACHARY WARMBRODT
03/13/2023 01:15 PM EDT

Former Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Elizabeth Warren — two key architects of the post-2008 system of Wall Street regulation — are at odds over what’s dragging down banks once again.

Frank, who chaired the House Financial Services Committee in the wake of the global financial crisis and wrote sweeping new rules enacted in 2010, most recently served on the board of New York’s Signature Bank, which regulators shut down Sunday.

From his front-row seat, he blames Signature’s failure on a panic that began with last year’s cryptocurrency collapse — his bank was one of few that served the industry — compounded by a run triggered by the failure of tech-focused Silicon Valley Bank late last week. Frank disputes that a bipartisan regulatory rollback signed into law by former President Donald Trump in 2018 had anything to do with it, even if it was driven by a desire to ease regulation of mid-size and regional banks like his own.

“I don’t think that had any impact,” Frank said in an interview. “They hadn’t stopped examining banks.”

But Warren, a fellow Massachusetts Democrat who designed landmark consumer safeguards that ended up in Frank’s 2010 banking law, is placing the blame firmly on the Trump-era changes that relaxed oversight of some banks and says Signature is a prime example of the fallout.

“Had Congress and the Federal Reserve not rolled back the stricter oversight, SVB and Signature would have been subject to stronger liquidity and capital requirements to withstand financial shocks,” Warren wrote Monday in a New York Times op-ed.

The rift between Frank and Warren is just a preview of what’s to come as Democrats sort out positions on how to respond to the latest banking crisis, which led to a weekend bailout of depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature. Some like Warren want Washington restore the tougher regulations that were rolled back in 2018. Some Democrats, like Frank, say the 2018 law isn’t the problem. A number of moderate Democrats still in Congress helped write the 2018 legislation, including those facing reelection in 2024.

Frank, who served on Signature’s board since 2015, said his bank was in “good shape” but was hit with a run generated by “the nervousness and beyond nervousness from SVB and crypto.” The bank’s digital assets business made it the “unfortunate victim of the panic that really goes back to FTX,” the cryptocurrency exchange that failed last year.

Frank said other lenders were in trouble the last few days, with the Federal Home Loan Bank telling Signature when it applied for money on Friday that “they didn’t have enough to go around because they were getting so many requests.”

Frank said Signature, now in the hands of regulators, will probably sell for close to what the bank’s leaders believed it’s worth.

“The FDIC and the state of New York looked at things and made their decision,” Frank said. “Frankly, I was surprised by it. They apparently had a more negative view of our solvency.”

A Signature spokesperson declined to comment on what happened with the bank. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday that federal and state regulators “saw that a run on a regional bank could pose a great risk to our stability.”

The 2018 law that eased banking regulations advanced with a degree of encouragement from Frank, who was on Signature’s board at the time. He was a proponent of raising a $50 billion asset threshold in his 2010 law that triggered stricter oversight.

Congress ended up changing the framework so that banks would be eligible for greater regulatory scrutiny once they reached $100 billion in assets and then automatically face the toughest regulation at $250 billion.

Signature was poised to be a major beneficiary of the change, with assets of about $44 billion in 2018. It had $110 billion in assets as of this weekend.

Frank said Sunday that he didn’t think changing the threshold to $250 billion from $50 billion “had any impact.”

“I think, if it hadn’t been for FTX and the extreme nervousness about crypto, that this wouldn’t have happened — even to SVB or to us,” he said. “And that wasn’t something that could have been anticipated by regulators.”

Warren is now holding up Signature — and SVB — as a reason why Congress and the regulators should reverse any light-touch bank supervision triggered by the 2018 law. Silicon Valley Bank had assets of about $209 billion when it failed, up from about $57 billion at the end of 2018.

“SVB and Signature would have been subject to stronger liquidity and capital requirements to withstand financial shocks,” she said in the New York Times. “They would have been required to conduct regular stress tests to expose their vulnerabilities and shore up their businesses. But because those requirements were repealed, when an old-fashioned bank run hit SVB‌, the‌ bank couldn’t withstand the pressure — and Signature’s collapse was close behind.”

Frank and Warren appear to be converging on one issue — support for greater depositor protections. Federal deposit insurance is capped at $250,000, but the Biden administration and regulators have essentially pledged to back all deposits at the failed banks.

Warren said in her New York Times op-ed that regulators should reform deposit insurance so that during this crisis and in the future “businesses that are trying to make payroll and otherwise conduct ordinary financial transactions are fully covered — while ensuring the cost of protecting outsized depositors is borne by those financial institutions that pose the greatest risk.”

Frank said he felt vindicated by the government’s decision to guarantee all deposits because, when served in the House, he wanted to pass legislation that would expand deposit insurance, especially for businesses.

He wants Congress to revive that idea and look at what’s a reasonable amount to help cover payrolls — in his view tens of millions of dollars.

Had the government announced its deposit backstop on Friday, “we wouldn’t have had the problem.”

[Buddahaid]

:har: So what you’re saying is the current administration is admitting they knew Trump did this, but didn’t do anything and allowed it to happen anyway. Or they’re admitting that like their predecessor they’re too stupid and naive to prevent this from happening. Which one are you trying to get me to believe?

That in 2018 when Republicans were in control of Congress, they gutted protections that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/dodd-frank-act/

[August]

That in 2018 when Republicans were in control of Congress, they gutted protections that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/dodd-frank-act/


And the Dems held both houses of Congress and the White House for two entire years and failed to correct this so called deficiency.

[Buddahaid]

And the Dems held both houses of Congress and the White House for two entire years and failed to correct this so called deficiency.

Can't argue with that save for also having to deal with the pile of crap handed to them by little man.

[August]

Can't argue with that save for also having to deal with the pile of crap handed to them by little man.


Who had piles of crap thrown at him for his entire term in office, by both sides. And the beat goes on.

[Buddahaid]

Who had piles of crap thrown at him for his entire term in office, by both sides. And the beat goes on.

I guess you are talking about little man, and he deserved it. Even the Republican party is slowly moving away from his failed brand now seeing it for the poison everything thing he touches becomes.

[Otto Harkaman]

Well even if he doesn't win the nomination, I looked forward to enjoying your emotional response to his continuing political presence as we creep towards election two years from now. :shucks:

[Buddahaid]

Well even if he doesn't win the nomination, I looked forward to enjoying your emotional response to his continuing political presence as we creep towards election two years from now. :shucks:

Thank you very much, I'll be here all week. :Kaleun_Wink:
The E Jean Carroll’s civil case is starting April 10th in the Southern District of NY.

[August]

I guess you are talking about little man, and he deserved it. Even the Republican party is slowly moving away from his failed brand now seeing it for the poison everything thing he touches becomes.


You guess huh?


Well I don't want him to run because I don't think he can win and he is too old like grandpaw Biden. I have no problem with his policies and like I've said more than once he pisses off all the right people.

[Buddahaid]

You guess huh?


Well I don't want him to run because I don't think he can win and he is too old like grandpaw Biden. I have no problem with his policies and like I've said more than once he pisses off all the right people.

So he pisses off the right people, so what? He doesn't offer any thing but worse! He's the wrong guy and his brand is a failure.

[MaDef]

So he pisses off the right people, so what? He doesn't offer any thing but worse! He's the wrong guy and his brand is a failure.
LOL.... I really got to read Trumps books, (He's been out of office going on 3 years and still living rent free in your head,)Just to figure out how he did it.

[em2nought]

LOL.... I really got to read Trumps books, (He's been out of office going on 3 years and still living rent free in your head,)Just to figure out how he did it.


That's President Trump's most endearing feature. :D

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/677/423/b20.png

[Buddahaid]

I'll gladly stop talking about Trump when he leaves politics and after the legal problems that are now getting close to trial are concluded.

Trump just blamed Jan 6th on Pence for not going along with the fake elector scheme. Trump is admitting he set it in motion.

[AVGWarhawk]

I'll gladly stop talking about Trump when he leaves politics and after the legal problems that are now getting close to trial are concluded.

Trump just blamed Jan 6th on Pence for not going along with the fake elector scheme. Trump is admitting he set it in motion.


Trump is news and has been for 6 plus years. CNN and the like can't keep away. Trump never admits to anything. Trump will run. He just may pull it off again. As far as Jan 6th, they will use it against Trump as along as the can. Heck, I think Stormy Daniels was back in the news again. It never stops. The news can not credit Trump for anything. Understand, media controls the narrative. Always.

[Rockstar]

While the media directs your attention to what amounts to some schmuck’s personal problems.

The crooks standing right next to you are robbing you blind.

CHEERING SILICON VALLEY BANK BAILOUT, GAVIN NEWSOM DOESN’T MENTION HE’S A CLIENT

At least three of the California governor’s wine companies are held by SVB, and a bank president sits on the board of his wife’s charity.

Ken Klippenstein
March 14 2023, 12:03 p.m.

https://theintercept.com/2023/03/14/cheering-silicon-valley-bank-bailout-gavin-newsom-doesnt-mention-hes-a-client/

ON MONDAY, California Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the Biden administration’s decision to intervene on behalf of Silicon Valley Bank’s clients after the bank was taken over by the FDIC on Friday amid a bank run. The White House “acted swiftly and decisively to protect the American economy and strengthen public confidence in our banking system,” Newsom said in a statement. What Newsom didn’t mention is that it also protected his own companies if they held over $250,000 in deposits.

CADE, Odette, and PlumpJack, three wineries owned by Newsom, are listed as clients of SVB on the bank’s website. Newsom also maintained personal accounts at SVB for years, according to a longtime former employee of Newsom’s who handled his finances, and who requested anonymity to avoid professional reprisal.

“Governor Newsom’s business and financial holdings are held and managed by a blind trust, as they have been since he was first elected governor in 2018,” Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Newsom, told The Intercept in an email.

Newsom also didn’t mention his wife Jennifer Siebel’s professional ties to the bank. In 2021, Silicon Valley Bank gave $100,000 to the charity founded by Siebel, the California Partners Project, at the request of Newsom. John China, president of SVB Capital and responsible for SVB’s funds management, is himself a founding member of the California Partners Project’s board of directors.

Newsom added on Monday that he had been in close contact with the administration about SVB. “Over the last 48 hours, I have been in touch with the highest levels of leadership at the White House and Treasury,” Newsom said of SVB’s collapse in a statement released on Saturday. Asked about the nature of the interactions, the governor’s deputy communications director Brandon Richards did not respond.

NEWSOM, A MULTIMILLIONAIRE who was a businessman before becoming a politician, has been dogged for years with ethics questions about his corporate holdings. When asked during his 2018 campaign for governor if he would sell his companies, Newsom reportedly replied, “These are my babies, my life, my family. I can’t do that. I can’t sell them.”



Instead, in December 2018, Newsom announced that he would establish the blind trust and give control of his trust to a family friend and attorney, Shyla Hendrickson. Under the arrangement, his sister, Hilary Newsom, retained her role as president of the governor’s PlumpJack Group, which includes hotels, wineries bars, restaurants, and liquor stores founded by Newsom.

The move echoed President Donald Trump’s decision in 2017 to move his companies into a blind trust that would be run by his sons. Ethics experts criticized the move as misleading, saying it was not meaningfully blind since Trump knew which companies he owned and put his sons in charge of his businesses in his stead. Walter Shaub, then the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, slammed Trump’s arrangement as “not even halfway blind”.

[Sooo, someone just like Trump is running California]

Newsom also recently came under fire in the California press for allegedly abusing what are called behested payments: donations requested by politicians for any “legislative, governmental or charitable purpose.” Though California law stringently regulates campaign contributions and gifts to elected officials, there are no limits on behested payments like the $100,000 donation that Newsom requested from SVB for his wife’s charity. Last year, Newsom reported at least $23.7 million in payments to such groups at his behest.

SVB’s implosion on Friday represented the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history and the first since the financial crisis of 2008. Over 90 percent of the bank’s depositors have over the $250,000 amount federally guaranteed by the FDIC.

The unmistakable class overtones of a bank whose clientele includes many tech investors — and wineries — has made for a bitter debate over the merits of the intervention.

“There is definitely a class element,” economist Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research said of the federal intervention in an email to The Intercept. “Look at how easily we can toss tens of millions of dollars at people who couldn’t figure out how limits on FDIC deposit insurance work, but the idea of giving $10k in debt relief to a student who might have used bad judgment in taking out a loan when they were 18, gets so many people upset about moral hazard and individual responsibility.”

Perhaps no one embodied this contradiction more than Larry Summers, former Treasury secretary and a vocal critic of student debt relief. “This is not the time for moral hazard lectures or for lesson administering or for alarm about the political consequences of ‘bailouts,’” he said in a tweet on Sunday.





And the fookin’ OCD drunk Alzheimer’s idiots who are robbed keep shouting: “ya but what about Trump?”

[Skybird]

Fanatical polarization achieves a new milestone.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/10/republican-wave-state-bills-homicide-charges


You can always get even more broken.

[Rockstar]

Fanatical polarization achieves a new milestone.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/10/republican-wave-state-bills-homicide-charges


You can always get even more broken.

Oh wonderful the Brit government news paper attempting to persuade Europeans how better off they have it compared to the U.S. Good luck with that. :har:

God forbid there are people who have different views on what constitutes life.


Reminds me of a cartoon I saw decades ago where a person pleading with god to send someone to solve the worlds problems. God responded saying “I do, but you keep killing them”

[Skybird]

God forbid there are people who have different views on what constitutes life.

Reminds me of a cartoon I saw decades ago where a person pleading with god to send someone to solve the worlds problems. God responded saying “I do, but you keep killing them”

"The fact that we lack morality in many parts of the human race - its an indictment by and large of many religions, and so I leave it at that and I really exhort it as a public policy that we really really concentrate on that we keep religion out of politics and keeping a very very strong separation between church and state. Otherwise you will take the oppressive nature of the state, marrying it with the oppressive nature of religion, and that is the ultimate oppression on human beings." - Sen. Gravel, 2008


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYh5NUYCYsM

[Rockstar]

No doubt much of the world’s ills can be attributed to organized religion.

From my own experiences and personal thoughts. I could care less about what religion or politics has to say. In my own opinion once flesh is conceived in the womb that new life is deserving of protection. To kill a life in the womb and then dissect it in the name of science is not oppressive? I think it’s closer to slavery than anything else. There’s big money in abortion and it doesn’t have jack squat to do with ‘pro choice’ or the health of the mother.

[Skybird]

An unstructured accumulation of cells is not an already organised organism with senses, stimuli perception and stimuli processing, no to mention awareness and self-awareness.

Obviously from a certain level of organisation and complexity on, this changes. And where to set the critical treshhold is the only thing I am willing to discuss. But to treat a tablespoon of slime with cells as a human, or animal, imo is grotesque. Mind and awareness need certain self-emerging, self-organizing cellular preconditions. Where this networking komplexity of specialsed cells lacks, there can be no mind. No awareness. There is only cosmos, but no logos. Such comlexity in a network must not necessarily be neural cells and their axions, maybe. Possible that it can also be the roots of trees in a forest, scientific research opens a perspective that such things maybe indeed are possible.

A drop of cellular slime however is not a realised human being. And potentials do not count, else we end up with arguing with the rights of children whose parents have not even been born yet.

[Rockstar]

An unstructured accumulation of cells is not an already organised organism with senses, stimuli perception and stimuli processing, no to mention awareness and self-awareness.

Obviously from a certain level of organisation and complexity on, this changes. And where to set the critical treshhold is the only thing I am willing to discuss. But to treat a tablespoon of slime with cells as a human, or animal, imo is grotesque. Mind and awareness need certain self-emerging, self-organizing cellular preconditions. Where this networking komplexity of specialsed cells lacks, there can be no mind. No awareness. There is only cosmos, but no logos. Such comlexity in a network must not necessarily be neural cells and their axions, maybe. Possible that it can also be the roots of trees in a forest, scientific research opens a perspective that such things maybe indeed are possible.

A drop of cellular slime however is not a realised human being. And potentials do not count, else we end up with arguing with the rights of children whose parents have not even been born yet.

Any assumption regarding the presence or absence of awareness in any human animal remains just that: an unsupported as­sumption. I assume conception brings about awareness, you don’t. So then, at what point in the process do you draw the line where human life achieves awareness? When is it OK to kill it? Save the planet! But kill the unborn when convenient. How sick, twisted and demented we have become. Does Wendy, when she has just beaten Onkle Neal at a game of Texas Hold’em feel elated? I believe not. But there is nothing I can do to shore up those assumptions either.

Its been shown not a tablespoon but a fookin’ SINGLE CELL protozoa took hold of the end of a fibril, and backed off at an angle, as though to tear it loose. When the fibril would not give, the SINGLE CELL protozoon came in again, then backed away at a new angle, working the fibril loose, much as a dog might have done, working loose a chunk of meat. Watching that SINGLE CELL at work, not to anthropomorphize. Did it know what it was doing?

I could care less about religion and politics. Is a fetus as you say just a tablespoon of cells? Or are those cells aware and feel the pain and agony of it being ripped out from its mother’s womb? Do tell! As for me until proven otherwise I believe they should be protected.

[les green01]

if they didn't want the baby should have wrap it up or done the other options during the act then there are people that want babies cant have them that another option now i could see abortion if the woman was rape,incest

[August]

...now i could see abortion if the woman was rape,incest


Rape and incest are terrible things indeed but neither are the fault of the innocent unborn baby who has to pay for them with it's life.

[Skybird]

Any assumption regarding the presence or absence of awareness in any human animal remains just that: an unsupported as­sumption. I assume conception brings about awareness, you don’t. So then, at what point in the process do you draw the line where human life achieves awareness? When is it OK to kill it? Save the planet! But kill the unborn when convenient. How sick, twisted and demented we have become. Does Wendy, when she has just beaten Onkle Neal at a game of Texas Hold’em feel elated? I believe not. But there is nothing I can do to shore up those assumptions either.

Its been shown not a tablespoon but a fookin’ SINGLE CELL protozoa took hold of the end of a fibril, and backed off at an angle, as though to tear it loose. When the fibril would not give, the SINGLE CELL protozoon came in again, then backed away at a new angle, working the fibril loose, much as a dog might have done, working loose a chunk of meat. Watching that SINGLE CELL at work, not to anthropomorphize. Did it know what it was doing?

I could care less about religion and politics. Is a fetus as you say just a tablespoon of cells? Or are those cells aware and feel the pain and agony of it being ripped out from its mother’s womb? Do tell! As for me until proven otherwise I believe they should be protected.
You compare a protozon with a ordinary tissue cell? Then you have not gotten the difference. And in a protozoen you have no awareness, no signal processing, no brain. It will never develope beyond what it is. It will never be able to combine with other protozons to form a higher organ, and organs, and suprastructure named organisms.

Take a developed human body, and then open the skull and take away the brain. Or simply smash it while keeping the rest of the body on life support. And then see what humanness you still find in that torso. None. Except maybe your own echoing memory, if you knew that person.
Humans and higher animals are more than just reflex-driven torsos. Without organs to perceive stimuli that match the organs design, a nervous system to transport electric impulses and a neural network of hugh complexity capable to create this wonder called awareness, a torso is an empty hull.


I know about this topic of near death experiences, but while not being convinced they mean anything (being near to death and being beyind death is not the same and nobody has ever proven anyone to really have returned from the really dead, with clinical definitions having been altered and changed since decades to support advances in organ transplantation business) if they are real they point at a quality that is beyond this awareness that depends on a organic hull whose functioning originally creates it and without which it would not be. A car rolls if you start it, but that is not to say it lives. A muscle cramps if you apply electricity, but that does not mean it is aware, it only means that the various cells in it function according to their role and design. And they will not do anything different than this: cramping and relaxing if nervous stimulation reaches them. They will never detect the impact of a photon like their cell colleagues in the retina or report that event to a brain. For "humanness" organic preconditions must be fulfilled, if they are not met - no brain, no nervous system of a certain developed complexity - its meat, not a human.

I cannot rule out the existence of a supraorganic mind, this something that buddhists would call anathman, the nin-ego. Call it the divune sparkle, call it a cosmic mind way above the level of organically depending awareness, but if this exists, it is certainly completely nondepending on organic or material carriers - and may be the cause bringung them even into form and existence. Some may call this final cause of everything "God". But that is terminology only.
Others talk of morphogenetic fields, or VALIS. :) Imagination knows no limits.

[Skybird]

Its Amercan groups and organizations who bring their militant campaigns to Germany now, too. With enormous financial supports and a very obvious religious fundament. In other words, its very well about religious missionising. The last thing we wanted or needed is that now in Germany we see as militant scenes of anti abortion activism as in the US.

Dont tell me, therefore, religion has nothing to do with it.

Or that the dominance of males over females does not play into this. Said religion and patriarchalism go hand in hand.


Says somebody who ticks the boxes for anti-genderism and fascismo-feminism. Equality before the law, I say. Not more, not less. Anti abortion campaigns last but not least also are vehicles to bring dark aged ideas about men dominating wimen, and founding this on religious views that due to being "religion" are claimed to be beyond earthly criticism. In Poland they have just sued a female doctor who gave abortion pills to a woman that got brutally raped. That means to turn the victims martyrdom into a lufe-long punishment. Wonderful. It amazes me time and again how cruel man can be - in the name of claimed moral superiority.

[MaDef]

In Poland they have just sued a female doctor who gave abortion pills to a woman that got brutally raped. That means to turn the victims martyrdom into a lufe-long punishment. Wonderful. It amazes me time and again how cruel man can be - in the name of claimed moral superiority.

Is it just me or, does anyone else see the irony in that statement?

[mapuc]

It's her choice or It's her life a.s.o.

Those are the words I hear in this abortion debate.

I do not disagree that it is her choice/life

What about the unborn child ?

Lets talk about this unborn child-When does it become human ? Where you can say it's a human and not an embryo.

Rape/incest.
Here I fully understand if a woman chose abortion

What I never gonna accept is using abortion as a preventive measure.
(if it's not done due to rape/incest)

Markus

[Buddahaid]

No doubt much of the world’s ills can be attributed to organized religion.

From my own experiences and personal thoughts. I could care less about what religion or politics has to say. In my own opinion once flesh is conceived in the womb that new life is deserving of protection. To kill a life in the womb and then dissect it in the name of science is not oppressive? I think it’s closer to slavery than anything else. There’s big money in abortion and it doesn’t have jack squat to do with ‘pro choice’ or the health of the mother.

But it's perfectly okay after birth to let them die, apparently, as long as they don't learn real history in school or critical thinking skills.

[MaDef]

Not a very cogent response, but a good deflection non the less.

[August]

Pro-life arguments that make exemptions for rape or incest are hypocritical. If an unborn baby deserves life then it shouldn't make a difference what the circumstances of it's conception were.

They did not commit a crime, so why should they have to pay for it with their life?

[mapuc]

Pro-life arguments that make exemptions for rape or incest are hypocritical. If an unborn baby deserves life then it shouldn't make a difference what the circumstances of it's conception were.

They did not commit a crime, so why should they have to pay for it with their life?

I fully understand your point-of-view in this case.

What I wonder is:
This thing who's growing inside a woman - Is it an embryo or a human if the abortion is done before week 6 ?

Markus

[Skybird]

Lets talk about this unborn child-When does it become human ?


Thats the question it is about, and I tried toi answer it.



Many nations, also Germany, use a "Fristenlösungsmodell", I do not know if "deadline solution model" is a matching translation. In these models the law-giver tries to mark this critical point of time, before which abortion is legal, and nbeyon d which it is no more. As far as nobody comes up with a better solution, this is the option I chose for. One can debate when this point of time is to be marked, but I would always insist that the decision is based on best actual medical understanding of the topic, no religious worldviews or business interests.



The Polish radical approach where even abportion due to rape is under penalty, in my underdtandign is cruel and barbaric, victimising the victim of the rape a second time and punishing her for life. Unforgivable and untolerable for me.



Les Green describes a good way, too, and I think partially in the same way. What if the mother does not want the baby but wills to carry iut out,m then cna giv eit away without legally sanctioned? I think that must be the case when the fetus is too developed already for aborting it.



I am strictly against what the ultra-extreme pro-abortionists want: permission to abort at any time during pregnancy. From some point on THAT indeed is cold-blooded murder.

[Skybird]

Is it just me or, does anyone else see the irony in that statement?
Sweet. But the law has been campaigned for by both the ultra conservative catholic church in Poland and the PiS party, both of which are dominated by classical patriarchalic structures. I think both Polish catholocism and the PiS are really insuspicious of promoting modern feminism or sexual licentiousness (what goes on inside the heads of these men is nobody's business... LOL)

[MaDef]

I fully understand your point-of-view in this case.

What I wonder is:
This thing who's growing inside a woman - Is it an embryo or a human if the abortion is done before week 6 ?

Markus
That is the $64,000.00 question.

[Buddahaid]

Not a very cogent response, but a good deflection non the less.

That went unanswered. Pulling money from school lunch programs. Wealthy people like Bret Favre taking five million in TARP money to build an indoor volleyball court while 80% of the poor that apply can't get funding, calling for Medicaid cuts, giving lip service to protecting children in school from mass shooters, etc.

[August]

I fully understand your point-of-view in this case.

What I wonder is:
This thing who's growing inside a woman - Is it an embryo or a human if the abortion is done before week 6 ?

Markus


Well strictly speaking it's a human embryo from the moment of conception on up to 8 weeks when they start calling it a human fetus so it's a human throughout its entire 9 month gestation.

On the other hand the six week mark doesn't seem to have any special significance in it's development at all. It would be an artificial cut-off point at best.

[MaDef]

Well strictly speaking it's a human embryo from the moment of conception on up to 8 weeks when they start calling it a human fetus so it's a human throughout its entire 9 month gestation.

On the other hand the six week mark doesn't seem to have any special significance in it's development at all. It would be an artificial cut-off point at best. My understanding is that at that time the baby's heartbeat is detectible. Which is why most "heartbeat" laws prohibit abortion on demand after that time in the pregnancy.

[Buddahaid]

MAGA Republican backer Guo Wengui was just arrested and criminally charged for engaging in a $1 billion fraudulent investment scheme. This is Steve Bannon's buddy.

Also, the first criminal indictment of a POTUS, or ex POTUS in this case, will likely happen next week.

[August]

MAGA Republican backer Guo Wengui was just arrested and criminally charged for engaging in a $1 billion fraudulent investment scheme. This is Steve Bannon's buddy.

Also, the first criminal indictment of a POTUS, or ex POTUS in this case, will likely happen next week.




You've been saying that for six years Dude, when you ever going to be right? As a prognosticator of Trumpian doom you don't inspire much confidence. :hmmm:

[MaDef]

Sweet. But the law has been campaigned for by both the ultra conservative catholic church in Poland and the PiS party, both of which are dominated by classical patriarchalic structures. I think both Polish catholocism and the PiS are really insuspicious of promoting modern feminism or sexual licentiousness (what goes on inside the heads of these men is nobody's business... LOL) I was speaking more along the lines of the doctor ignoring the Hippocratic Oath along with the law.

That went unanswered. Pulling money from school lunch programs. Wealthy people like Bret Favre taking five million in TARP money to build an indoor volleyball court while 80% of the poor that apply can't get funding, calling for Medicaid cuts, giving lip service to protecting children in school from mass shooters, etc. Of course your comment wasn't addressed the way you wanted, it wasn't germane to the current topic.

[Rockstar]

https://youtu.be/F94jGTWNWsA

[Skybird]

I was speaking more along the lines of the doctor ignoring the Hippocratic Oath along with the law.

Almost no doctor swears the Hippocratic Oath anymore, or signs the Heidelberg Declaration as a substitute; neither is mandatory for employment anywhere. At least in Germany. That comes from, let's say, a romantic age. :)

[mapuc]

One of my American friend use to post some issues from a FB-page called
Occupy Democrats.

I'm speechless - We are witnessing hardcore hate towards the Republican.

Wonder how much of it is true, almost true or not true ?

No doubt the GOP must have a similar FB-page

Markus

[August]

One of my American friend use to post some issues from a FB-page called
Occupy Democrats.

I'm speechless - We are witnessing hardcore hate towards the Republican.

Wonder how much of it is true, almost true or not true ?

No doubt the GOP must have a similar FB-page

Markus


If there is it's been heavily censored.

[Buddahaid]

You've been saying that for six years Dude, when you ever going to be right? As a prognosticator of Trumpian doom you don't inspire much confidence. :hmmm:

So what? It’s taken all that time for the legal process to work. I think you will be surprised at how many legal proceedings start to bear fruit this year. Trump’s plans at this stage will be attempts to delay further into 2024 but a few lawsuits will go to trial this year.

[August]

So what? It’s taken all that time for the legal process to work. I think you will be surprised at how many legal proceedings start to bear fruit this year. Trump’s plans at this stage will be attempts to delay further into 2024 but a few lawsuits will go to trial this year.


So Team Blue is now reduced to hoping for a successful LAWSUIT to finally bring Bad Orange Man down? :)

Please forgive my skepticism but Trumps enemies have thrown just about everything possible at him the last 6 years. Increasingly desperate and obviously partisan driven, every attempt, every one, has gone down in embarrassing failure. Sexual assault allegations, accusations of racism, Crossfire Hurricane, Russian collusion, Mafia ties, Muller investigation, Ukraine-gate, Jan 6, yada yada yada, the list goes on.

The GoP has several potential candidates who might be able to beat Biden and I think that it's time for a fresh face in the oval office so I won't mind if your side finally manages to connect with one these increasingly ridiculous haymakers but given your track record, meh.

[August]

My understanding is that at that time the baby's heartbeat is detectible. Which is why most "heartbeat" laws prohibit abortion on demand after that time in the pregnancy.


That's still pretty arbitrary i'd say. It's not like a heartbeat means that it could survive outside the womb.

[Buddahaid]

So Team Blue is now reduced to hoping for a successful LAWSUIT to finally bring Bad Orange Man down? :)

Please forgive my skepticism but Trumps enemies have thrown just about everything possible at him the last 6 years. Increasingly desperate and obviously partisan driven, every attempt, every one, has gone down in embarrassing failure. Sexual assault allegations, accusations of racism, Crossfire Hurricane, Russian collusion, Mafia ties, Muller investigation, Ukraine-gate, Jan 6, yada yada yada, the list goes on.

The GoP has several potential candidates who might be able to beat Biden and I think that it's time for a fresh face in the oval office so I won't mind if your side finally manages to connect with one these increasingly ridiculous haymakers but given your track record, meh.

No, it's pretty much just holding the little man to the law.

[August]

No, it's pretty much just holding the little man to the law.


Yeah no matter how much you need to twist and pervert the law to get at him. FBI Investigations based on information they knew to be false. Figmentary anonymous whistleblowers, Encouraging a riot then calling it an insurrection, partisan hacks lying like dogs in the dirt, all used to hold him to the "law" and so far it has all failed.

[MaDef]

That's still pretty arbitrary i'd say. It's not like a heartbeat means that it could survive outside the womb. Technically, so is Abortion on demand. Nor would it even be a question if the procedure was limited to address valid medical issues.

[Rockstar]

https://youtu.be/4OVtoaWUdyo
https://youtu.be/qFr41zHKmcU

[Rockstar]

Democrats fomenting hate scoffed at the idea of a border wall. They don’t work they proclaimed. My only thought why that might be, is because they are all professional grave diggers and business is boomin’!

‘It’s Like a Graveyard’: Record Numbers of Migrants Are Dying at the U.S. Border
More men, women and children are trying to navigate dangerous waters and isolated terrain to evade authorities

By Santiago PérezFollow
and Alicia A. CaldwellFollow
| Photographs by Paul Ratje for The Wall Street Journal
March 17, 2023 at 10:45 am ET

https://www.wsj.com/articles/illegal-immigration-mexico-us-border-deaths-c35cf892

EAGLE PASS, Texas—Local officials keep a refrigerated truck to hold the bodies of migrants who drown in the currents of the Rio Grande while trying to cross the border into the U.S.

Across the river, families having picnics or walking along the waterfront promenade of Piedras Negras, Mexico, say they sometimes see bodies floating by or bobbing among the reeds under a bridge. “We had times when we received four or five bodies a week,” said Hugo González, owner of Funerarias González in Piedras Negras. “At one point, there were a lot of corpses and there was nowhere to put them. We just didn’t have enough refrigerators at the funeral home.”

A spike in deaths along the most dangerous stretches of the U.S.-Mexico border reflects the escalating number of migrants seeking to cross into the U.S. from troubled home countries. At the same time, U.S. immigration policies are allowing fewer of them legal entry. Many migrants have turned to human smugglers and WhatsApp messages to help them navigate more lightly patrolled—and treacherous—sections of the border to enter illegally, U.S. officials said.

The bodies of more than 890 migrants, a record number, were recovered by U.S. authorities along the border in the 2022 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to the Biden administration, a 58% increase over 2021. They drowned in fast-moving sections of the Rio Grande or, after successfully crossing, died falling from cliffs along mountain passes or from dehydration while lost, said U.S. border agents and police who recover the bodies. Hundreds more were reported missing. In July, 53 migrants were found dead inside the back of a sweltering tractor trailer found parked in San Antonio. U.S. and Mexican authorities estimate that dozens also died last year on the Mexico side of the border or were lost at sea.

U.S. Border Patrol agents made a record 2.2 million arrests along the 1,958-mile border in the 2022 fiscal year, up from 1.65 million arrests in 2021. In the 245-mile section of the border that federal authorities identify as the Del Rio Sector in Texas, which includes Eagle Pass, there were 481,000 apprehensions in fiscal 2022, an 85% increase over the previous year. Many of the arrests were in Eagle Pass’s Maverick County, population 58,000.

The Del Rio Sector is one of the most perilous places to cross the Rio Grande. Currents below the surface are strong enough to sweep away logs, cattle and people. Even experienced rescuers face risks in this stretch of the river, which claimed the lives of as many as 250 migrants last year, U.S. and Mexican officials said.

First responders in Eagle Pass have reported finding as many as 30 bodies a month in the river since March 2022, according to a federal government filing. “It’s like a graveyard,” said Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber, who grew up in the area. “I’ve been working on the border for almost four decades and never saw tragedies of this magnitude.”

There also was a surge in the number of dead and missing migrants who tried to cross the Caribbean to the U.S. from Haiti and Cuba, according to the United Nations migration agency, which tallied 256 deaths at sea last year. The U.S. Coast Guard recovered the bodies of 65 migrants in the Caribbean and off the coast of Florida in the 2022 fiscal year, compared with five in 2021. On the West Coast, the bodies of eight people were found in the sea and along the shore of San Diego last weekend, after a pair of open fishing boats suspected of smuggling migrants to the U.S. capsized. A Spanish speaking woman who called 911 from one of the boats said the vessel carried 15 people. No survivors were found.

Border agents, human rights advocates and local officials say riskier crossings were driven in part by Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that allowed border patrol agents to quickly expel migrants. Previously, migrants who were apprehended were more likely to be released in the U.S. to await a court hearing on their request for asylum.


The Biden administration in January added more countries to the Title 42 restrictions and, in a separate measure, announced that migrants caught trying to cross the border illegally would soon be barred from requesting asylum in the U.S. if they didn’t ask for asylum in countries they crossed en route. The administration said it expected an increase in illegal immigration when Title 42 ends in May with expiration of the national emergency for Covid-19. The government said the new rule for asylum seekers is aimed at deterring migrants from using smugglers and taking more risky routes.

“These actions alone that I’m going to announce today aren’t going to fix our entire immigration system, but they can help us a good deal in better managing what is a difficult challenge,” President Biden said when unveiling the changes.

Human-rights groups are skeptical the policies will help. “Putting obstacles in the way of migration doesn’t stop it, but it does make it more dangerous,” said Dana Graber, who leads the Mexico unit of the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration.

Republican lawmakers have said Mr. Biden has failed to properly enforce immigration laws, and many have pushed for more detentions and faster deportations.

Panama this week reported that more than 49,000 migrants from Haiti, Ecuador and China crossed into their country in January and February, compared with around 9,000 during the same period last year. Most said they were headed to the U.S., according to local officials.

Fatal crossing

Irma Huete, her 3-year-old daughter Sofía Caballero and Ms. Huete’s brother Nolvin Huete left Nicaragua on May 10, a month before Sofia’s fourth birthday. The girl’s father had reached the U.S. a few months earlier and was working at an auto body shop in Wisconsin. Once across the border, migrants often take a bus or a flight to meet relatives or acquaintances, largely in communities where low-skill jobs are available.

After traveling 2,000 miles through Central America and Mexico, Ms. Huete and her family stood in the dark with a group of migrants on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande, across from Eagle Pass. She sent a hopeful message to her mother-in-law in Nicaragua: They were only a few yards away from the U.S.

Migrants who had earlier made it across shared the riverbank location via WhatsApp with others heading north to the border, local officials and U.S. Border Patrol agents said.

Smugglers had promised a raft to Ms. Huete’s group for crossing the Rio Grande, but there was none when they arrived. Instead, the smugglers assembled a group of about 100 migrants, most of them from Central America, and formed a human chain to wade across a shallower stretch of the river, based on accounts survivors gave Mexican state authorities and Fundación para la Justicia, a Mexico-based human rights group.

Mr. Huete put Sofía on his shoulders, and Ms. Huete followed him into the waters, according to state authorities in Mexico. About 35 feet from the U.S. side, Mr. Huete lost his footing and passed Sofía to Ms. Huete before the current swept him away. The river carried him about 350 feet, and he was able to cross into the U.S., migrants who were with him told Fundación para la Justicia.

Ms. Huete and her daughter also were caught in the current and swept away. Ms. Huete’s body was found at dawn, on the Mexico side of the bank, officials said. Sofía remains missing.

“We’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of migrants who lost their lives in this area,” said Víctor Rodríguez, the chief prosecutor for the northern region in Mexico’s Coahuila state where Piedras Negras is located.

In April, a Texas National Guard soldier drowned trying to help rescue migrants across the river. Last month, Mexican officials sighted an Ecuadorean woman on an embankment under the bridge from Piedras Negras to Eagle Pass. She had her 5-year-old son in her lap. The child’s father, who had tried to cross with them, was taken by the current.

There also have been dozens of migrant deaths upriver in the Big Bend Sector of southwest Texas. It is another favored destination because it is isolated and more lightly patrolled than other crossing points. A walk from the border to the nearest U.S. town takes days, passing across craggy mountains and deep canyons. Summer temperatures reach 100 degrees with little shade.

Sean McGoffin, who leads the U.S. Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector said his agents in recent years have been rescuing more migrants in remote, hard-to-reach areas and finding more bodies. “One death is too many,” he said.

Farther west, in Tucson, Ariz., Border Patrol agents logged thousands of rescue calls in the past year from lost or exhausted migrants, including those with life-threatening injuries. Migrants often underestimate the challenge and are ill-prepared for long routes on foot, U.S. and Mexican officials say.

Sheriff Schmerber, of Maverick County, said the work of recovering bodies and trying to identify and repatriate the dead takes time away from law enforcement duties of his 22 officers. “We don’t have enough staff,” he said.

Mass grave

Mr. Gónzalez, owner of the funeral home across the river in Mexico, said about half of the migrants found dead weren’t carrying identification. “Some of them have a phone number hidden on their belt or shoe,” he said. Using the number, he calls to break the news and offer embalming and repatriation.

Mr. González built six mausoleum drawers to temporarily keep as many as 12 bodies at a time, including the unidentified and those unclaimed by relatives. The bodies are later buried in a mass grave at one of Piedras Negras’ municipal graveyards.

The number of migrant deaths reported in the Piedras Negras area doubled last year to nearly 70, and more than 16 people trying to enter the U.S. have been reported missing, according to Familias Unidas, a civic group that searches for missing people.

In mid-January, members of Mexico’s National Guard alerted the rescuers about screams coming from one of the small islets of the Rio Grande between Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass. The Beta team, the Mexican immigration agency’s rescue unit, found three Salvadoran sisters, ages 6, 9 and less than 2 years. Mexican officials suspect the girls were abandoned by migrant smugglers.

Local residents and officials are especially taken by the case of Ms. Huete and her missing daughter, Sofía. The Search Commission of Coahuila state issued an alert with a photo of Sofía, smiling and her hair in two ponytails. Flyers with Sofía’s photo were put up on lampposts and walls around town in the months after she disappeared in the Rio Grande.

Ms. Huete’s mother-in-law, Elia Centeno, said she used to care for Sofia while her parents were working. The purpose of Ms. Huete’s trip to the U.S. was to reunite Sofia with her father.

“If I could, I would give my life to find Sofía,” said Ms. Centeno in a phone call from Nicaragua. “There isn’t a second that I don’t think about her.”

[Rockstar]

Border Patrol chief says DHS doesn't have operational control of US border
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last year that the Biden administration had operational control of the US border

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/border-patrol-chief-says-dhs-doesnt-have-operational-control-us-border.amp

The head of the U.S. Border Patrol on Wednesday told lawmakers the agency does not have operational control of the U.S. southern border -- as he also said that migration levels were at "crisis" levels in parts of the border.

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz was speaking at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in McAllen, Texas and was asked about Chairman Mark Green about Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ prior claims last year that the Department of Homeland Security has operational control of the border.

"Does DHS have operational control of our entire border."

"No sir," Ortiz responded.

Green held up a definition of operational control in the U.S. code as "the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics and other contraband."

He then played video of Mayorkas telling Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, last year that DHS does have operational control of the border, and asked Ortiz if he thought Mayorkas was lying.

"About ten years ago, we used operational control as a measuring stick of our effectiveness along the southwest border. My new strategy is geared towards mission advantage," Ortiz responded.

Green then again referred back to Mayorkas’ remarks.

"You heard the secretary, he said we have operational control," he said, before pointing to the definition. "That’s the definition."

Ortiz responded: "Based upon the definition you have sir, up there, no."

"We don’t have operational control?" Green asked.

"No sir," Ortiz said.

In his opening statement, Ortiz had praised the Border Patrol agents working underneath him, saying that putting on the uniform "fills me with tremendous pride and it will remain my greatest honor."

He then explained the challenges facing agents and even used the word "crisis" -- a phrase the administration has often rejected when describing the situation at the border – when describing the enormous amounts of migrants that the border has encountered in recent years.

"The migration flow represents challenges and in some areas, a crisis situation," he said.

The hearing is being held "to examine the direct link between President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas’ reckless border policies and the unprecedented crisis at our Southwest border" and is one of a number of hearings and visits being held at the border itself after Republicans have promised to hold in-person border hearings.

Democrats had chosen not to attend the hearing, while the White House accused Republicans of playing "partisan games" with the hearing.

Meanwhile, DHS said that the hearing "highlights the vital work the Department of Homeland Security does every day to enforce our laws, secure our border, and combat cartels and smugglers" and pointed to testimony from Ortiz and other witnesses that showed " new programs, technology, and investments are making a real impact."

"Despite inheriting a dismantled immigration system and facing unprecedented migration that is affecting nations throughout the Western Hemisphere, this Administration has surged resources to the border, reducing the number of encounters between ports of entry, disrupting more smuggling operations than ever before, and interdicting more drugs in the last two years than had been stopped in the five years prior," a spokesperson said.

"The Department welcomes input from Congress, and looks forward to working with Members on legislative solutions for our broken immigration system, which Congress has not reformed for more than forty years," they said.

Republicans have placed blame on the administration for reversing Trump-era policies and narrowing interior enforcement while expanding "catch-and-release." The administration has blamed Republicans for failing to approve adequate funding and for failing to pass solutions in Congress including a day one immigration reform bill that was rejected by Republicans due to its inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.

Mayorkas recently said in an interview that the goal "is to achieve operational control of the border, to do everything that we can to support our personnel with the resources, the technology, the policies that really advance the security of the border, and do not come at the cost of the values of our country."

On Wednesday, Ortiz was asked by Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., if the changes in policy by the Biden administration to release migrants into the interior rather than detain and release was the driver of the crisis.

Ortiz responded by saying that "you have to have capacity, and you have to have consequences." He also said that he had warned as acting chief in 2014 that there was a "policy crisis."

"And I still hold true that we have some policies in place where we need to ensure that the men and women out there patrolling the border, investigating these criminal cartels are actually allowed to do their job each and every day," he said.

"And their job is to detain or remove illegal immigrants," Bishop asked.

"Yes sir," Ortiz replied.

[Buddahaid]

Yeah no matter how much you need to twist and pervert the law to get at him. FBI Investigations based on information they knew to be false. Figmentary anonymous whistleblowers, Encouraging a riot then calling it an insurrection, partisan hacks lying like dogs in the dirt, all used to hold him to the "law" and so far it has all failed.

There are many court proceedings in the works and there will be the first indictment next week.

[August]

There are many court proceedings in the works and there will be the first indictment next week.




We'll see. I'm tired of empty promises.

[Rockstar]

So it is Hunter Biden’s laptop.!

Hunter Biden sues laptop repair shop owner, citing invasion of privacy.

The lawsuit, a countermove against John Paul Mac Isaac, escalates the legal battle surrounding the president’s son at a sensitive moment


By Matt Viser
March 17, 2023 at 9:29 a.m. EDT

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/17/hunter-biden-lawsuit-computer-repairman/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Does this mean that the laptop was not fake? Like it was claimed by all the major media, former intel officials and the all knowing Subsim fact checkers?

From the WaPo just two and half years earlier.

Biden relies on pattern of activity to blame Russia for release of data from what is said to be his son’s laptop
By Annie Linskey and Paul Sonne
October 24, 2020 at 7:17 p.m. EDT

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/russian-involvement-biden-laptop-unproven/2020/10/24/ebae1760-1604-11eb-ba42-ec6a580836ed_story.html

Joe Biden leaned heavily on a letter from former U.S. intelligence and defense officials in Thursday night’s debate to argue that Russia orchestrated a disinformation operation allegedly involving damaging information obtained from his son’s laptop that was promulgated by President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani.
“There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plant,” Biden said at the debate. The former vice president said those former officials had concluded that what Trump was citing about his son was “a bunch of garbage.”…

The Biden campaign’s assertion of Russian involvement in the Hunter Biden leaks comes as the Democratic nominee campaigns on restoring truth and transparency to the U.S. government.

Truth and transperancy eh? :har::har::har::har:

[Rockstar]

What the hell is California doing paying slave reparations? The State had nothing to do with slavery because it wasn’t even a State yet. I mean if they really give a damn about history you think they would at least consider the fact the State of California managed to commit genocide and in just 20 years, wipe out 80 percent of California’s Native Americans. Some died because of the seizure of their land or diseases caught from new settlers, between 9,000 and 16,000 were murdered in cold blood—the victims of a policy of genocide sponsored by the state of California and gleefully assisted by its newest citizens.


Bunch of pandering, conceited, crooks ignoring the history of their own State and its victims. All for a vote. Absolutely pathetic.

[Buddahaid]

What the hell is California doing paying slave reparations? The State had nothing to do with slavery because it wasn’t even a State yet. I mean if they really give a damn about history you think they would at least consider the fact the State of California managed to commit genocide and in just 20 years, wipe out 80 percent of California’s Native Americans. Some died because of the seizure of their land or diseases caught from new settlers, between 9,000 and 16,000 were murdered in cold blood—the victims of a policy of genocide sponsored by the state of California and gleefully assisted by its newest citizens.


Bunch of pandering, conceited, crooks ignoring the history of their own State and its victims. All for a vote. Absolutely pathetic.

While California entered as a free state there were many African American slaves brought to the state by Southern slave owners during the gold rush.

[MaDef]

While California entered as a free state there were many African American slaves brought to the state by Southern slave owners during the gold rush.

to take it a step further, maybe Spain should be paying restitution to the descendants of the American Indians they enslaved.

[Rockstar]

But what about your history of state sponsored genocide during the gold rush that ended the lives of up to 16,000 American Indians? Why isn’t this discussed? Too dark of a past to be reminded of or does your state believe they don’t deserve reparations because they’re pretty sure they killed them all off? Could it have more to do with white politicians pandering to a larger voting base?

How does California draw the line who get’s 5 million dollars and who gets another dirty blanket?

[Skybird]

https://p6.focus.de/img/fotos/id_188673462/trumptruthsocial.png?im=Resize%3D%28630%2C344%29&hash=852a179447392df4771b84b3858ea3b23cbbb09f44ac2 8792a3322d36ac2085d



No doubt he will be the grrreatest prisoner ever. His fans will stand in long lines to get as wonderfully imprisoned, as he will. :D Lets make the prisons great again! :yeah:

[Jimbuna]

Trump claims he will be arrested on Tuesday and calls for protests to ‘take our nation back’

Donald Trump has claimed that he will be arrested on Tuesday and called for protests to “take our nation back”.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/trump-claims-he-will-be-arrested-on-tuesday-and-calls-for-protests-to-take-our-nation-back/ar-AA18MIzu?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=cc91175de6a24540a23b8a826521ae00&ei=34

History repeating itself?

[Buddahaid]

Yes, I'm certain. The Grand Jury meets next on Tuesday(I think) or they decided on indictment last Thursday. There have already been meetings with police planning scurity measures and the Secret Service will be involved protecting Trump.

Nice to see Il Douche taking it so well and calling for civil war.

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3906452-trump-suggests-he-will-be-arrested-tuesday-calls-for-supporters-to-protest-take-our-nation-back/

[mapuc]

Yes, the Secret Service will be involved protecting Trump.

You post generated a question.

Even after a President leave the Oval Office s/he is under protection, It is Secret Service who is taking on this task to protect former Presidents
(Have been told this in our news now and then)

How far goes this protection-Will these Secret Service men/women engage the Police or the FBI if they try to arrest a former President ?(Or the sitting)

Markus

[Rockstar]

You post generated a question.

Even after a President leave the Oval Office s/he is under protection, It is Secret Service who is taking on this task to protect former Presidents
(Have been told this in our news now and then)

How far goes this protection-Will these Secret Service men/women engage the Police or the FBI if they try to arrest a former President ?(Or the sitting)

Markus

I would imagine he will have the privilege of Secret Service protection until such time he is actually proven guilty and convicted of a crime and goes to prison. If that ever happens in our life time (anyday now :roll:) . Then according to the 13th amendment to our constitution he becomes a slave to the state and falls under the protection of the State or Federal prison system.

The 13th amendment didn’t end slavery it just reformed it.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

[Buddahaid]

Very unlikely there will be prison for this unless he steps all over himself. Even if convicted as a felony there is no minimum sentence.

[Skybird]

You post generated a question.

Even after a President leave the Oval Office s/he is under protection, It is Secret Service who is taking on this task to protect former Presidents
(Have been told this in our news now and then)

How far goes this protection-Will these Secret Service men/women engage the Police or the FBI if they try to arrest a former President ?(Or the sitting)

Markus
I am confident that it is the job of the Secret Service to prortect a serving or former president against violence, terror, assassination, kidnapping and crime - but not against the law of and legal prosecution by the United States.

If the Secret Service would protect a former president against legal actions and the US law, then it would be corrupted to a degree where it looses all its letters except just the two capital "S": SS, therefore.

Lets have this minimum of faith that the Secret Service is not a new SS. :03:

[Rockstar]

Very unlikely there will be prison for this unless he steps all over himself. Even if convicted as a felony there is no minimum sentence.

Which leads me to my previous expressed thoughts that this six year boondoggle is lead by the powers that be to prevent him from running again by destroying him financially. On the bright side at least it shows that were more civilized than Putin if he was in Russia he would have fallen out of window a long time ago.

[Dowly]

https://p6.focus.de/img/fotos/id_188673462/trumptruthsocial.png?im=Resize%3D%28630%2C344%29&hash=852a179447392df4771b84b3858ea3b23cbbb09f44ac2 8792a3322d36ac2085d



No doubt he will be the grrreatest prisoner ever. His fans will stand in long lines to get as wonderfully imprisoned, as he will. :D Lets make the prisons great again! :yeah:

I wonder, will he be tried as an adult? :O:

[mapuc]

Have your popcorn and what you prefer to drink ready, 'cause the show is about to start.

https://twitter.com/thevivafrei/status/1636867810331619328

Markus

[Rockstar]

Meh won’t be tuning in or watching any of it. Frankly nothing Trump has said has been any different than what other politicians have said or felt when they lost. His problem was and still is he doesn’t know when to stop.

But it’s not wasted, people are still being played by the media and both parties even further. That’s good for them because it diverts attention away from them..

[mapuc]

Meh won’t be tuning in or watching any of it. Frankly nothing he has said has been any different than what other politicians have said or felt when they lost. His problem was and still is he doesn’t know when to stop.

But people are still being played by the media and both parties even further.

One thing is certain-If he are handcuffed then you can be sure some of our public tv-channels will interrupt they ordinary program schedule and go Breaking.

Another thing who is certain-Around a Majority of the Danish people will dance in the street in pure joy.

Markus

[Rockstar]

One thing is certain-If he are handcuffed then you can be sure some of our public tv-channels will interrupt they ordinary program schedule and go Breaking.

Another thing who is certain-Around a Majority of the Danish people will dance in the street in pure joy.

Markus


If, If, If, If any day now. soon, low hanging fruit, and all that jazz. For over six years now Chicken Little has been claiming the sky is falling. ‘If’ it finally does, I’ll be on the beach fishing.

[Jimbuna]

If, If, If, If any day now. soon, low hanging fruit, and all that jazz. For over six years now Chicken Little has been claiming the sky is falling. ‘If’ it finally does, I’ll be on the beach fishing.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

[mapuc]

Personally I couldn't care less about a former President who may or may not be arrested next week. I see article and other stuff on the web and some of them I post here, so you can read and response to this.

I see it as a domestic problems.

Avoid Trump is that possible when there's talk about Trump and filming Trump(for the news)? on almost every news channel I have.

If I want my daily routine to be filled with his name-Then I have to choose CNN.
If I want to fully avoid it-Shut down the TV.

Markus

[Rockstar]

Personally I couldn't care less about a former President who may or may not be arrested next week. I see article and other stuff on the web and some of them I post here, so you can read and response to this.

I see it as a domestic problems.

Avoid Trump is that possible when there's talk about Trump and filming Trump(for the news)? on almost every news channel I have.

If I want my daily routine to be filled with his name-Then I have to choose CNN.
If I want to fully avoid it-Shut down the TV.

Markus


IMO at this point he’s been out of office for a little over two years. To me what’s amazing is that anybody still gives a rats arse what happens to a Trump. For the last six years it’s been a pointless nothing burger and boondoggle. Now it’s hush money for sexual favors? Really that’s the big headline? If he was a woman other woman would be gathering in support shouting girl’s just want to have fun and woman power!

Meanwhile we are flirting with escalation and maybe boots on the ground in Ukraine. On the flip side we’re also dealing with the possibility of stopping aid to Ukraine. Some NATO countries still not contributing enough for their own defense while we foot the bill. Our own Government still spending like crazy driving inflation even higher. Banks involved with Crypto being shut down and seized. Fentanyl and human smuggling and record numbers of deaths at our southern border. 150 thousand a years die from Opioids which still affects our national economy and public safety. Oh and let’s not forget the child labor, misery suffering in third world countries and destruction of their lands and the Amazon to clear the way for mining of rare earth metals needed to save the planet! So we can drive around in electric cars and send emails. And the list goes on.





But for some unexplained reason Trump still takes center stage. I liken the Trump drama to Nero’s fiddle.

[em2nought]

So how does one do civil disobedience properly? Conservatives are dreadfully behind on this concept due to the need to work most of their lives away. Is there a college course we need to take or something? :D

[Buddahaid]

IMO at this point he’s been out of office for a little over two years. To me what’s amazing is that anybody still gives a rats arse what happens to a Trump. For the last six years it’s been a pointless nothing burger and boondoggle. Now it’s hush money for sexual favors? Really that’s the big headline? If he was a woman other woman would be gathering in support shouting girl’s just want to have fun and woman power!

Meanwhile we are flirting with escalation and maybe boots on the ground in Ukraine. On the flip side we’re also dealing with the possibility of stopping aid to Ukraine. Some NATO countries still not contributing enough for their own defense while we foot the bill. Our own Government still spending like crazy driving inflation even higher. Banks involved with Crypto being shut down and seized. Fentanyl and human smuggling and record numbers of deaths at our southern border. 150 thousand a years die from Opioids which still affects our national economy and public safety. Oh and let’s not forget the child labor, misery suffering in third world countries and destruction of their lands and the Amazon to clear the way for mining of rare earth metals needed to save the planet! So we can drive around in electric cars and send emails. And the list goes on.





But for some unexplained reason Trump still takes center stage. I liken the Trump drama to Nero’s fiddle.

This trial will be the least of his concerns. It's going to a fun year.

[August]

This trial will be the least of his concerns. It's going to a fun year.




Yeah getting back into the Oval Office will take more of his attention than the latest democrat political assassination attempt.

[mapuc]

Yeah getting back into the Oval Office will take more of his attention than the latest democrat political assassination attempt.

There's only one reason to why I hope he win the Next Presidential election and that is the look on the face of those of my friends who couldn't stand his guts.
Is gonna be speechless

The same goes for those who fully support him..seeing their face when he lose
Not so speechless here-Most crying and protesting.

Markus

[August]

There's only one reason to why I hope he win the Next Presidential election and that is the look on the face of those of my friends who couldn't stand his guts.
Is gonna be speechless

The same goes for those who fully support him..seeing their face when he lose
Not so speechless here-Most crying and protesting.

Markus




The only thing I have ever liked about him is that he pisses off all the right people. I would still vote for him, especially over Biden, but I would prefer that the GoP field a different candidate, someone younger, preferably a war veteran (but not a former General).

Also someone with a better understanding of how the levers of government work and one that comes with a loyal team of trusted people.

Aside from his unfortunate habit of slagging off on Gold Star families or dead war heroes, Trumps biggest weakness was thinking that he could assume control of an organization as vast and entrenched as the Federal government without having a team of trusted and experienced lieutenants to operate the various departments and Alphabet agencies. He either left his predecessors appointments in place or replaced them with their aides. Not a recipe for success but a darn good one to breed insurrection and resistance among the organizations he was trying to run.

[Catfish]

^ "Prefer Trump over Biden". I guess you would like to end military support for Ukraine then?

[mapuc]

Prefer Trump over Biden. I guess you would like to end military support for Ukraine then?

Why is it that I have the feelings whoever win the next Presidential election the military aid from USA to Ukraine will either decrease or stop.

Why is it I think USA are going to let Europe tackle the Ukrainian problem by them self, while USA focus on Asia-China

If my feelings are down the road I would prefer Biden-When it comes to send military aids to Ukraine.

Markus

[August]

No, but I would be willing to risk it as Ukraine support is the only thing I like about the Biden administration and I have to look at the big picture.

What I know for sure is we don't need another 4 years of open borders and sexual perversions being taught to grade school students. We don't need environmental wackos running the country trying to force us into electric vehicles that our grid can't handle and stifling our energy independence.

I could go on but you get the point. Biden is bad for the nation in many ways and of the two Trump would be the better choice.

Besides who knows where the Ukraine war will be in the two years before that becomes an issue? You think there's a chance that your country will finally step up and do it's part by then?

[Rockstar]

^ "Prefer Trump over Biden". I guess you would like to end military support for Ukraine then?

We don’t have kings so it’s not soley up to Trump or Biden. It’s primarily up to our representatives in congress i.e. the people that have the final say. That’s just how things are done. And from what I been reading there are Republican congressional representatives that don’t give a rats arse what any prospective Republican presidential candidates says.

You do have wonder though if those polled share any rational thoughts regarding support for Ukraine. Or does their motivation have more to do with how divisive party politics has become and the contempt they seem to have for each other?

Speaking of supporting your neighbors. How’s Scholz’s Great declaration of Feb 22 to spend 100 Billion euros to beef up your own military and NATO commitments going? Not too well from what I hear. But what the hell, you always got the Trump fiddle to play while Rome burns, so ya got that going for you.

Though I fully support seeing Ukraine through this. I get tired of lazy ass Europeans complaining all the time and us having to foot the bill for your defense and fixing the problems you started. By getting too damn cozy with Russia again diverting energy and pipeline income from your neighbors into your own greedy little bank accounts.

WWII was this world’s first war for oil. Germans tried it again in the 21st century but instead of playing footsie and drawing new borders in the east with Stalin this time you were colluding with his protege Putin and building Nordstream. No doubt with the same idea in mind as in the 40’s of getting the oil and dividing the spoils in the east with Russia. Something’s never change I guess. Such as our commitment to keep the Russians out and the Germans from making treaties with them again. :yep:

[Rockstar]

And another thing, I for one will always remember that up until not too long ago after this war started. Germany, Italy, and Hungary were all on Putin’s Christmas card list but we in the free world were not.. Meanwhile the rest of your European neighbors and allies were either furious or scared or combination of both.

You were warned time and time again by more than just Trump. Finally to your neighbors relief Germany got smacked down and your buddy Putin’s pipeline was forcibly and abruptly disconnected. Straighten your act up and toe the line Germany.

https://youtu.be/1JpwkeTBwgs

and Germany’s response? Something stupid as usual and all points completely ignore it. :doh: But that’s what happens when your media is expert at distracting you daily with other peoples problems and other pointless drama. Instead of focusing on your own government.

https://youtu.be/0CvQmWoog18

https://youtu.be/5Pd2ZySYYzY

https://youtu.be/Vpwkdmwui3k

The biggest thing that helped Germany and Putin to continue to build stronger ties were the Germans and Russians egging on and using Democrats here in the U.S. Making it the ‘in thing’ to laugh and ignore the people who tried to prevent this Ukrainian debacle from happening in the first place. Like monkey see monkey do, they were expertly played like chumps. Which leads me to believe when it comes to polls there are no rational thoughts given just party fanboys complaining

[Catfish]

^ Comes along quite dashy, i think we should hear Mr. Trump make his proposals in norwegian?
He may have had some right ideas, which sounds easy in hindsight. Maybe Trump even did something good somewhere( if, please advise where or what), but apart from that this is the most despicable and unsympathetic human being of the contemporary world i can think of.
If this is the best president America can bring forward .. well you know my stance, so nothing to add.

[Catfish]

We don’t have kings so it’s not soley up to Trump or Biden. It’s primarily up to our representatives in congress i.e. the people that have the final say.
So this is what decrees are for.
[...] from what I been reading there are Republican congressional representatives that don’t give a rats arse what any prospective Republican presidential candidates says.
I somehow got the idea (among millions of other people) that almost all republicans are hiding behind, and support, Trump. If there are republicans who have other ideas, I never see any major republican clearly speaking his mind.
Rational thoughts regarding support for Ukraine? You mean Tucker Carlson as Putin's lapdog has such? Party politics are divisive, and always have been.
There is no scale of contempt matching what I think of politicians, and this is hardly limited to the US :D

Olaf Scholz is an idiot and a criminal.
So I get tired of lazy ass Europeans complaining all the time and us having to foot the bill for your defense and fixing the problems you started.
Maybe you can just quit? Why don't you?

[August]

So this is what decrees are for.
If there are republicans who have other ideas, I never see any major republican clearly speaking his mind.
Rational thoughts regarding support for Ukraine?


Maybe you don't see because you don't look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s761c09z-go

and also:
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/splitting-from-desantis-nikki-haley-says-aiding-ukraine-is-vital-to-u-s-interests/

[Rockstar]

Congress so far has appropriated One Hundred and Thirteen BILLION U.S. dollars in support of Ukraine. 60 billion U.S. dollars of that total has gone directly to Ukraine. The rest I suppose is for weapons manufactures to replenish depleted stocks.

Oh and yes Sholz is an idiot too, but then so are all those before him. Yet all that some Europeans can do is complain about Trump. Which in my opinion is solid evidence of how their media uses distraction to train them to concern themselves with things that don’t matter. While allowing old guard Soviet cronyism corruption and collusion to flourish right under their noses. Emboldening Russia and Germany to divide the east like they wanted to in the good old days. But it backfired and now 100’s of thousands of civilians and soldiers are dying because of it.

Everyone else in Europe and here saw it coming. But nobody in Germany did they just laughed, why is that? Too busy with Trump headlines I guess. :har:


Thank god for Lord Ismay and his insights into the future and willingness to demand the U.S. be involved in NATO. He knew without us Europe would fall prey to the old German Russian collaborations.

[les green01]

been several Republicans didn't think biden have done enough for Ukraine,you fella's over in europe dont like Trump with him it was American first and way it should be but your countries are for yourselfs first so your all is talking out your backsides.i think some of you anti-Trump guys gets a hard-on every time you mention Trump,you boys made your bed with the ruskies now sleep in it far as i'm concern only country or maybe two countries over there worth anything is UK and i'll add Ukraine cause they have the warrior sprite

[Rockstar]

And by the way. I wouldn’t vote for Trump if you paid me too nor am I defending him, just giving credit where credit is due showing the above clips. I’m just saying the obsession some people have slobbering over the next headline about him has gotten out of hand. To the point they fail to see the guy standing right next to them picking their pocket.


Also considering it’s a Zombie file and Braggs star witness is a convicted felon caught lying under oath. Any of you party fanboys want to wager some money this latest drama will eventually turn out to be just another sensational nothing burger like all the rest?

Being a former gambler one rule is if you want to win big you gotta bet big. Hey I’ll even admit I could be wrong, step up, here’s your chance.

[Buddahaid]

The E. Jean Carroll civil rape and post presidency defamation cases against Trump will go to trial as one April 25th. The 2020 defamation case will be put on ice and not tried.

[Rockstar]

Endless accusations. Like a band of screaming monkeys throwing poop on the wall to see what sticks.
https://youtu.be/esGYyAzFjvA


Still willing to bet you a Grover it eventually turns out to be nothing burgers topped with 3 slices of extra nothing. :yep: :03: :D

[MaDef]

The E. Jean Carroll civil rape and post presidency defamation cases against Trump will go to trial as one April 25th. The 2020 defamation case will be put on ice and not tried.

That's a She said/He said civil matter, not a criminal one.

[Rockstar]

That's a She said/He said civil matter, not a criminal one.

It’s just more throwing poop and running away ;) :D

https://media1.tenor.com/images/72e8da7a17aefbe3e0ed3091c857ffb9/tenor.gif

Still taking bets though!

[August]

I guess it's not good for the prosecutions case to have their final witness blurt out to the jury that the reams of written testimony he gave was cherry picked down to just a few pages. :doh:

[Buddahaid]

That's a She said/He said civil matter, not a criminal one.

That's why I used the word civil. :arrgh!:

[MaDef]

That's why I used the word civil. :arrgh!:

No arrest warrants issued for that. What is your boy Bragg waiting for? Could it be his case is weaker than Schiff's Russia collusion case?

[August]

I dunno, I have it on good forum authority that THIS time they really, really got him but now that New York DA is not going to charge him? WTF?!! First it was Tuesday, then was supposed to be today and now who knows if it will ever happen at all?

It looks like we can add it to the ever lengthening list of failed Democrat attempts. What's it, number 7 or 8, 9 maybe? It also seems to have ginned Trump up some political support too as several pundits had warned it would.

[Buddahaid]

I dunno, I have it on good forum authority that THIS time they really, really got him but now that New York DA is not going to charge him? WTF?!! First it was Tuesday, then was supposed to be today and now who knows if it will ever happen at all?

It looks like we can add it to the ever lengthening list of failed Democrat attempts. What's it, number 7 or 8, 9 maybe? It also seems to have ginned Trump up some political support too as several pundits had warned it would.

Here is Karen Friedman Agnifilo, former Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, explaining where things stand as far as can be determined while proceedings are under seal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG9BSxMGnVg

[Dowly]

I dunno, I have it on good forum authority that THIS time they really, really got him but now that New York DA is not going to charge him? WTF?!! First it was Tuesday, then was supposed to be today and now who knows if it will ever happen at all?

It looks like we can add it to the ever lengthening list of failed Democrat attempts. What's it, number 7 or 8, 9 maybe? It also seems to have ginned Trump up some political support too as several pundits had warned it would.The only person who said it was going to be Tuesday was Trump himself.

[Rockstar]

:har::har::har::har::har: told you so! It’’s another big fat juicy nothing burger topped with extra slices of more nothing. Jokes on you AGAIN. What’s it like being led around by the nose all the time and played like chumps?

Any day now! LOL

[MaDef]

Here is Karen Friedman Agnifilo, former Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, explaining where things stand as far as can be determined while proceedings are under seal.
Seriously?... The woman spent 8 min talking in a circle, she had no information that isn't already public knowledge. It's basically a PSA for posting on liberal news sites.

The more I listen to liberals, the less sense they make.

[em2nought]

Moving on to the next Trumped up charge. Seriously? :har:

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/faeecb09b696f38225a6d4c5a1899acfdefd0b35/0_81_1711_1026/master/1711.jpg?width=620&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none

[Rockstar]

https://media.giphy.com/media/9Y5r3RVbAeUMAhxRnz/giphy.gif

https://media.giphy.com/media/T2b7Jnt7rB9Li/giphy.gif


SIX YEARS you’ve been throwing poop and drinking the koolaid. Any day now! :har::har:

Check your wallet it’s probably missing. LOL

[mapuc]

The person here had bought Chips, cake and Coca Cola and was glued to CNN to see the arrestation and the riot...

What I got was nothing-Where can I complain and where can I get a refund for the thing I bought ?

(psst of course I did not buy these things, nor did I watch CNN the day before yesterday-I couldn't care less if one of your elected or former politician is handcuffed)

Markus

[Rockstar]

He never was going to jail, Markus. Everything has been made up to portray someone most people have never met in a particular light. Schumer warned us AND Trump don’t screw with intel community: “Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you,”. Instead of voters putting on the brakes and looking into and asking who the heck put the intel weenies in charge. They just ate it up and for six years and counting the, Democrat cult has swallowed every single story that came out hook line and sinker every single time. All they have to show for it is six years of false accusations, spite & hate egged on by their favorite talking head.

Craziness attracts crazy people, I guess.


BOONDOGGLE from the start BOONDOGGLE to the end.


I said once I’ll say it again democrats though certainly not the only group of political conspiracy theorists, they are by far the largest we have here in the U.S.

[mapuc]

He never was going to jail, Markus. Everything has been made up to portray someone most people have never met in a particular light. Schumer warned us AND Trump don’t screw with intel community: “Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you,”. Instead of voters putting on the brakes and looking into and asking who the heck put the intel weenies in charge. They just ate it up and for six years and counting the Democrat cult has swallowed every single story that came out hook line and sinker every single time. All they have to show for it is six years of false accusations, spite & hate egged on by their favorite talking head.

Craziness attracts crazy people, I guess.


BOONDOGGLE from the start BOONDOGGLE to the end.


I said once I’ll say it again democrats though certainly not the only group of political conspiracy theorists, they are by far the largest we have here in the U.S.

I have a few American friends on FB.
One of them is showing a deep hate towards the Republicans.
Just read one of her latest issue.

Markus

[Rockstar]

Looking at my country today. I think about Alexander Dugin‘s book ‘ The Foundations of Geopolitics: The Geopolitical Future of Russia’. I see a lot of what he wrote going on here, now, today.

https://ia801505.us.archive.org/29/items/foundations-of-geopolitics-geopolitical-future-of-russia-alexander-dugin-english/Foundations-of-Geopolitics-Geopolitical-Future-of-Russia-Alexander-Dugin-English-auto-translation-with-appended-original.pdf

Russia should "introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics".

You should read what he said about France and Germany. :D

Interesting he also stated the need to train Europeans to blame the U.S. for all the worlds ills.

[les green01]

this so called juries is just a joke there is no person in the world when it comes to trump that is impartial one way or another,next nothing in the constitution that says a person under inditment or guilty or whatever cant run and even win
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.so all this could backfire on the low-life woke dems,right now anyone including Trump be better what we have now

[Cybermat47]

He never was going to jail, Markus.

So why did Trump say that he was going to be arrested?

[MaDef]

So why did Trump say that he was going to be arrested? to quote former New York Judge Sol Wachtler, "A grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich,' if that's what you wanted."

[Rockstar]

So why did Trump say that he was going to be arrested?

Why did people believe Trump was going to be indicted on Thursday? Why did you believe any of it? And if you didn’t believe it, good for you. But then why argue over it?

Btw, I’m still taking bets. No.1 rule in gambling, you gotta bet big if you want to win big. So if you really believe here’s your chance :D

[Skybird]

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2023/03/22/utah-parent-says-bible-contains/

:D


Frustrated by the books being removed from school libraries (https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2022/10/24/heres-how-many-utah-parent/), a Utah parent says there’s one that hasn’t been challenged yet, but that they believe should be, for being “one of the most sex-ridden books around.”
So they’ve submitted a request for their school district in Davis County to now review the Bible for any inappropriate content.
“Incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape, and even infanticide,” the parent wrote in their request, listing topics they found concerning in the religious text. “You’ll no doubt find that the Bible, under Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1227, has ‘no serious values for minors’ because it’s pornographic by our new definition.”


Where they are right, they are right. And they did not even mention the many descriptions of murderings and war crimes and genocides. Quentin Tarantino could use it as a script for a new film without needing to edit it. :)

[MaDef]

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2023/03/22/utah-parent-says-bible-contains/

:D



Where they are right, they are right. And they did not even mention the many descriptions of murderings and war crimes and genocides. Quentin Tarantino could use it as a script for a new film without needing to edit it. :)Are they? Or are they trying to push an agenda? I think age appropriateness and context plays a big role in the books that are being "banned" in school libraries. If memory serves me correctly, I recall libraries had age appropriate sections such as children, young adult, and general. and the Books in the children and young adult sections were appropriate to those age groups.

[Buddahaid]

But there’s a difference. Age suggested material is different from restricted or banned material. The books are still there and can be read.

[nikimcbee]

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2023/03/22/utah-parent-says-bible-contains/

:D



Where they are right, they are right. And they did not even mention the many descriptions of murderings and war crimes and genocides. Quentin Tarantino could use it as a script for a new film without needing to edit it. :)

Are they? Or are they trying to push an agenda? I think age appropriateness and context plays a big role in the books that are being "banned" in school libraries. If memory serves me correctly, I recall libraries had age appropriate sections such as children, young adult, and general. and the Books in the children and young adult sections were appropriate to those age groups.


Meh, they are in Utah. They are in their own bubble. Plus, that means they actually hafta read the Old Testament. They will fall asleep, before they hit the juicy parts.

[MaDef]

But there’s a difference. Age suggested material is different from restricted or banned material. The books are still there and can be read.
That's a distinction without a difference. There are some subjects that just don't belong in a public school.

The falling proficiency of children in Math, Science, and Reading is pretty much a red flag indicator that maybe the school boards & districts should drop the activist topics and start concentrating on on the 3 R's.

[Buddahaid]

That's a distinction without a difference. There are some subjects that just don't belong in a public school.

The falling proficiency of children in Math, Science, and Reading is pretty much a red flag indicator that maybe the school boards & districts should drop the activist topics and start concentrating on on the 3 R's.

Like teaching about history and the arts? The school in question here was supposed to be focused on classical arts education.

Teaching just the three R's and not learning about the world you live in, and it's past, is great for educating a new class of worker bees. It starts sounding Orwellian to me which is likely why 1984 is on the banned book list.

Your point about the three R's is understood but people no longer need to use flash cards and learn multiplication tables to function in society. Language studies teach reading and writing as well as culture

[August]

Meh, they are in Utah. They are in their own bubble. Plus, that means they actually hafta read the Old Testament. They will fall asleep, before they hit the juicy parts.




I never could get past all the begats. :oops:

[mapuc]

What I understand is that the scholars has changed dirty words with nice words

They have replaced these words with Feet. I kid you not, saw it on a documentary series about the bible.

Markus

[Catfish]

I never could get past all the begats. :oops:
:rotfl2:

[Rockstar]

The code cited is the Utah law passed in 2022 to ban any books containing “pornographic or indecent” content from Utah schools, both in libraries and in the classroom.

Of course the comments about the Bible was like the stupid conservative parent in Florida and probably made by one stupid liberal parent who obviously either couldn’t or didn’t read the law either.

The Utah law defines pornography as something which may cause a child to have a prurient interest. I’m curious to know what books have actually been taken out of the library since this law went into effect. I’ll bet absolutely none have because I don’t think there were any in the library that met the criteria to begin with, maybe I’m wrong. But I’m thinking the content of school libraries hasn’t changed that much in the last 45 years.

The Utah law is very similar to the one in that other bastion of ‘fanatical’ conservatism, California.

The Miller test was developed in the 1973 case Miller v. California. It has three parts:

Whether "the average person, applying contemporary community standards", would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest,
Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct or excretory functions specifically defined by applicable state law,
Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

I’ll bet ya most states regardless of the team have similar laws too.

76-10-1201. Definitions.
For the purpose of this part:
(1) "Blinder rack" means an opaque cover that covers the lower 2/3 of a material so that the lower 2/3 of the material is concealed from view.
(2) "Contemporary community standards" means those current standards in the vicinage where an offense alleged under this part has occurred, is occurring, or will occur.
(3) "Distribute" means to transfer possession of materials whether with or without consideration.
(4) "Exhibit" means to show.
(5)
(a) "Harmful to minors" means that quality of any description or representation, in whatsoever form, of nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse when it:
(i) taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest in sex of minors;
(ii) is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for minors; and
(iii) taken as a whole, does not have serious value for minors.
(b) Serious value includes only serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors.
(6)
(a) "Knowingly," regarding material or a performance, means an awareness, whether actual or constructive, of the character of the material or performance.
(b) As used in this Subsection (6), a person has constructive knowledge if a reasonable inspection or observation under the circumstances would have disclosed the nature of the subject matter and if a failure to inspect or observe is either for the purpose of avoiding the disclosure or is criminally negligent as described in Section 76-2-103.
(7) "Material" means anything printed or written or any picture, drawing, photograph, motion picture, or pictorial representation, or any statue or other figure, or any recording or transcription, or any mechanical, chemical, or electrical reproduction, or anything which is or may be used as a means of communication. Material includes undeveloped photographs, molds, printing plates, and other latent representational objects.
(8) "Minor" means any person less than 18 years of age.
(9) "Negligently" means simple negligence, the failure to exercise that degree of care that a reasonable and prudent person would exercise under like or similar circumstances.
(10) "Nudity" means:
(a) the showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area, or buttocks, with less than an opaque covering;
(b) the showing of a female breast with less than an opaque covering, or any portion of the female breast below the top of the areola; or
(c) the depiction of covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.
(11) "Performance" means any physical human bodily activity, whether engaged in alone or with other persons, including singing, speaking, dancing, acting, simulating, or pantomiming.
(12) "Public place" includes a place to which admission is gained by payment of a membership or admission fee, however designated, notwithstanding its being designated a private club or by words of like import.
(13) "Sadomasochistic abuse" means:
(a) flagellation or torture by or upon a person who is nude or clad in undergarments, a mask, or in a revealing or bizarre costume; or
(b) the condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically restrained on the part of a person clothed as described in Subsection (13)(a).
(14) "Sexual conduct" means acts of masturbation, sexual intercourse, or any touching of a person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if the person is a female, breast, whether alone or between members of the same or opposite sex or between humans and animals in an act of apparent or actual sexual stimulation or gratification.
(15) "Sexual excitement" means a condition of human male or female genitals when in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal, or the sensual experiences of humans engaging in or witnessing sexual conduct or nudity.

[Buddahaid]

Well there you go. What amounts to prurient is, ah, in the eyes of the beholder. :arrgh!:

Of course, banning and censoring wouldn't cause any increased interest at all. LOL

[Rockstar]

Well there you go. What amounts to prurient is, ah, in the eyes of the beholder. :arrgh!:

Of course, banning and censoring wouldn't cause any increased interest at all. LOL


The law is in regard to school libraries and allows for the school board, local community and parents to work out. The federal court in California, the governing view of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is found in Ripplinger v. Collins, 868 F.2d 1043 (1989):

“The average person would probably find that most hard-core pornography has little effect on him, and it may well disgust him. Or he may find that it is so overdone as to have anything but a stimulative effect. It is apparent that neither the Supreme Court nor the legislatures intended that tasteful pornography be suppressed while distasteful pornography remains unregulated. Rather, the emphasis must be on the intent or aim of the publication as a whole. If this aim is to produce psychic or physical stimulation, on a less than intellectual plane, and on a short-term basis, then the prurient-interest aspect of the test for obscenity has been met.”

But relax and keep fapping on, nobody is gonna take your porn away from you. You just aren’’t gonna find it in the school library here in the U.S. But like I said earlier, I don’t know of any school library that has ever allowed such things.

But now you never know with those pervs in Europe the way they’re ranting on and mocking the U.S. courts definition of pornography & Utah’s law. It seems they like showing porn to little children, it’s so progressive you know.

[Skybird]

So why did Trump say that he was going to be arrested?
For the same reason like the first time. For the same reason he has chosen Waco. To ignite riots.

And from the middle of the dust where the action was wanted to get hot, magically the cavalry would emerge, shoot all Feds and Sheriffs and come to his rescue.

It is good that he is being dragged to court. Unfortunately for the wrong, the minor offenses. So far, he has still been spared having to answer for the important ones.

Its reported due to polls that three of four Republicans support either Trump or de Santis. That makes Biden again the only hope.

What should it tell me about the US if an old man like Biden is its only hope...?

[Buddahaid]

The law is in regard to school libraries and allows for the school board, local community and parents to work out. The federal court in California, the governing view of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is found in Ripplinger v. Collins, 868 F.2d 1043 (1989):

“The average person would probably find that most hard-core pornography has little effect on him, and it may well disgust him. Or he may find that it is so overdone as to have anything but a stimulative effect. It is apparent that neither the Supreme Court nor the legislatures intended that tasteful pornography be suppressed while distasteful pornography remains unregulated. Rather, the emphasis must be on the intent or aim of the publication as a whole. If this aim is to produce psychic or physical stimulation, on a less than intellectual plane, and on a short-term basis, then the prurient-interest aspect of the test for obscenity has been met.”

But relax and keep fapping on, nobody is gonna take your porn away from you. You just aren’’t gonna find it in the school library here in the U.S. But like I said earlier, I don’t know of any school library that has ever allowed such things.

But now you never know with those pervs in Europe the way they’re ranting on and mocking the U.S. courts definition of pornography & Utah’s law. It seems they like showing porn to little children, it’s so progressive you know.

I am relaxed so fap on yourself mate.:Kaleun_Wink:

[Skybird]

https://www-andreas--unterberger-at.translate.goog/2023/03/die-justiz-der-naivitt/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp


On suing Trump.

[Buddahaid]

https://www-andreas--unterberger-at.translate.goog/2023/03/die-justiz-der-naivitt/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp


On suing Trump.

Meh on Trump. What I find most interesting is the level of self-incriminating crap Il Douche posts over a minor civil case that is nothing but self-defeating. Remarkable! He has since removed this post but even that can be construed as trying to destroy evidence.

https://imageshack.com/img923/5206/pwHD3E.png

[Buddahaid]

Oops! :har:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKdIyVd89pM&t=302s

[August]

Meh on Trump. What I find most interesting is the level of self-incriminating crap Il Douche posts over a minor civil case that is nothing but self-defeating. Remarkable! He has since removed this post but even that can be construed as trying to destroy evidence.

https://imageshack.com/img923/5206/pwHD3E.png


Is that what you find most interesting? :roll:

[Skybird]

What has support for Ukraine to do with the confrontation with China?

https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/03/supporting-ukraine-helps-the-u-s-against-china/

[Rockstar]

Democrats vs. Parents

https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/03/democrats-vs-parents/

By THE EDITORS
March 27, 2023 12:29 PM
TOP STORIES

Last week, Republicans in Congress passed the Parents Bill of Rights, 213–208. Critics will dismiss it as a messaging bill, but the message it sends about Democrats’ priorities is unsettling in the extreme.

Consider: The bill requires schools in receipt of federal funding to publish their curricula and to provide parents with a list of books and materials accessible at the school library. It also contains provisions that require schools to notify parents of any planned elimination of gifted-and-talented programs, to alert parents to any violent activity that took place at school, to provide parents a forum to speak at school-board meetings, and to offer two in-person meetings between parents and teachers in each school year. It requires parental consent for any medical exams or mental-health and substance-use screenings. Crucially, it establishes for parents “the right to know if a school employee or contractor acts to . . . change a minor child’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name; or . . . allow a child to change the child’s sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.”

As you can guess, each one of these provisions relates to the rash of controversies swirling around public schools in the news the past few years, including the introduction of critical race theory and sexually explicit material for young readers and the treacherous subterfuge of school districts’ making major psychological-health decisions for students while deliberately keeping parents in the dark.

There is legitimate debate about whether the federal government ought to assert itself this way upon locally controlled school districts. But that was not the substance of objections from Democrats.

Progressives tended toward hysterical fictions. “Extreme MAGA Republicans don’t want the children of America to learn about the Holocaust,” alleged Hakeem Jeffries, absent any evidence.

Or they outright took the side of the state usurping the proper role of parents. “This Republican bill is asking the government to force the outing of LGBT people before they are ready,” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on the House floor. “When we talk about progressive values, I can say what my progressive value is, and that is freedom over fascism.”

Here we must reassert a truth so primordial it predates conservatism as a political philosophy: Parents are the primary educators of their children. Taxes are raised (or fees collected) and schools are established only to assist them in this task, not to take it over. Civilized nations deprive parents of this role or limit it only when there is established criminal neglect.

Democrats, by their universal opposition to this bill in the House, in the Senate, and from the White House, are the ones sending a message. They are the party that wants to treat normal parental oversight and curiosity as a conspiracy against the state, as presumptively seditious, and as dangerous for children. It is the most noxious Marxist conviction that the American Left cannot shake: that normal family life itself ideologically deforms children, and that only the strong checking and supervisory role of the state can save them from the baleful influence of Mommy and Daddy.

Luckily, even most parents who think of themselves as progressives reject the Democrats’ view. Every Republican candidate should loudly and joyfully campaign against this radicalism.

[Rockstar]

What has support for Ukraine to do with the confrontation with China?

https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/03/supporting-ukraine-helps-the-u-s-against-china/

I hit a pay wall. What’s the article about?

[Jimbuna]

I hit a pay wall. What’s the article about?

I am still able to scroll through the article.

[Rockstar]

Don’t know what to tell ya, I hit a pay wall for that article. Says I’m out of free articles. Crazy thing is, I can’t remember ever visiting the NR website before.

[August]

I hit a pay wall. What’s the article about?


Me too.

[Dowly]

Don’t know what to tell ya, I hit a pay wall for that article. Says I’m out of free articles. Crazy thing is, I can’t remember ever visiting the NR website before.
...
You literally linked to a NR article in the previous post. :haha:

[Rockstar]

Here’s the article. I had to use a VPN and pretend I was from the Netherlands.

Supporting Ukraine Helps the U.S. against China



By DALIBOR ROHAC
March 27, 2023 6:30 AM
Advocating that we abandon Ukraine is not a sign of ‘realism.’ It betrays a lack of seriousness about America’s strategic rivalry with China.

One wonders what Senator Josh Hawley and a growing chorus of Ukraine-skeptical Republicans think of the trip of Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida to Kyiv and Warsaw last week as Xi and Putin conducted their lovefest in the Kremlin.

In a recent speech, the senator dismissed as “magical thinking” by Washington’s foreign-policy “uniparty” the idea that security in Eastern Europe and in the Indo-Pacific were connected. Cut Ukraine loose, he proposes, and focus on the real challenge to the United States: China.

The flaw in the argument is not just that the Russian threat to Eastern Europe would not go away if the United States decided simply to look elsewhere. If the United States abandoned Ukraine, Germany and France would not “put their minds to it” and “shoulder a greater burden of defending themselves and supporting Ukraine,” as Elbridge Colby of the Marathon Initiative and Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation write hopefully. Instead, U.S. withdrawal would be an excuse for doing less — paving the way to some version of China’s “peace plan,” empowering both Moscow and Beijing.

More important, abandoning Ukraine would kill any chance of bringing Europeans on board with our efforts to confront and contain China over the course of this century. The EU is the world’s third-largest economy and wields, albeit clumsily, enormous regulatory and standard-setting powers. Where Europeans stand is critical to the effectiveness of our own responses to Huawei, TikTok, or Chinese technological theft. The United States may try to sanction China until the cows come home, but unless Europeans turn away, too, Beijing will continue to have access to a massive advanced market offering a cornucopia of cutting-edge technologies.

As it happens, the Baltics and the Czech Republic, the EU member states that are the most concerned about Russian expansionism, are the ones pushing the European conversation on China in a U.S.-friendly direction.

From March 25–30, for example, the speaker of the Czech Republic’s lower house, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, is leading a delegation of 150 Czech lawmakers, business leaders, academics, and artists on a visit to Taiwan. Truly unprecedented in its scale, her visit follows a trip made in 2020 by Miloš Vystrčil, the speaker of the Czech senate. There he famously declared, in a Kennedy-esque fashion, that he was Taiwanese.

Pekarová-Adamová is bound to meet with the same reaction from Beijing as did Vystrčil, who was warned by the Chinese foreign minister that he would “pay a heavy price for his short-sighted behavior and political opportunism.”

These are not simply manifestations of solidarity between two small democratic nations living in tight geopolitical spots. There is another, implied audience for these trips: policy-makers in Washington.

Just like Lithuanians, who decided to put up with a host of Chinese sanctions — including a ban on all imports from Lithuania — for allowing Taiwan’s representative office, an embassy in all but name, to open in Vilnius, the Czechs are signaling to the United States that they are not indifferent to Taiwan’s future and China’s security challenge in the Indo-Pacific.

Senator Hawley has a point when he says that “if our resources are tied up in Ukraine, those are resources we can’t use to deter a Taiwan invasion.” Yet the serious, adult response to the underlying problem is to ensure that more resources are directed at expanding our defense industrial base and restoring it to its Cold War–era size — not to alienate those governments in Europe that are stepping up both to help Ukraine (in per GDP terms, Lithuania’s and the Czech Republic’s assistance far exceeds that of the United States) and to confront China.

It may be tempting to dismiss the Balts, the Czechs, and a handful of Scandinavians as insignificant players. But building a European anti-Beijing coalition has to start somewhere. Leaving Ukraine to its own devices would be guaranteed to destroy our deep, painstakingly built relationship with Poland, which is currently sitting on the fence on China-related questions.

Just like our withdrawal from Afghanistan, it would be a signal of America’s lack of seriousness and would put a massive target on the back of any European leader wanting to join forces with the United States to confront China. Advocating that we abandon Ukraine is not a sign of “realism.” Quite the contrary — it betrays a lack of seriousness about America’s strategic rivalry with China.

[Rockstar]

I don’t know about “the growing chorus”. For and against can be found on both sides of the isle and everywhere in between.

Though I disagree with the good Senator’s assessment of our support for Ukraine.. I can see why some may be questioning it. Namely because our current President has not even once stated what our goals are or what we are trying to achieve by throwing money and arms at Ukraine. What the hell is this administrations objective here? ‘With you until the end’, ‘Whatever it takes’ ‘we stand strong with Ukraine’ isn’t much of plan. Who’s prepared to take decisive action and say yes we are booting Russia out of Crimea and restoring Ukraine to its 1991 borders and securing our hegemony in the region. Biden needs to stop pussy footing’in around with empty slogans and drop the hammer.

[Catfish]

[...] I can see why some may be questioning our being in Ukraine.
[...]
^ You are not in Ukraine. But (including Europe's 'stand') isn't it convenient to let others fight the war.

[Rockstar]

^ You are not in Ukraine. But (including Europe's 'stand') isn't it convenient to let others fight the war.

I’m sure we have advisors in country. I didn’t like that wording either, I changed it

Sure it’s convenient. But still doesn’t answer what the hell our objective is.

[les green01]

^ You are not in Ukraine. But (including Europe's 'stand') isn't it convenient to let others fight the war.

someone been training them since 2014 and it hadn't just been cia they wasn't pull out until the invasion but i bet they are in there again including our specs ops but then most of europe dont pull their own weight if it wasn't for the old USA you guys be kissing putnuts feet except UK

[Catfish]

^ sure makes you proud to believe that, of course the US are doing a lot to help Ukraine now. Not that some in the US really want that, obviously.
For what I heard the sorry rest of the CIA got it's a$$ out of Ukraine in 2014 so fast no one heard the echo, they did a real Yanukovich.
Germany was sleeping and had the grand illusion that the time for wars were over, and had a rough awakening – some are not even awake here now.
But the great five eyes and their humongous system of spies and world power talk seem not to have seen this coming, just like the sleeping rest in Europe.

[les green01]

^ sure makes you proud to believe that, of course the US are doing a lot to help Ukraine now. Not that some in the US really want that, obviously.
For what I heard the sorry rest of the CIA got it's a$$ out of Ukraine in 2014 so fast no one heard the echo, they did a real Yanukovich.
Germany was sleeping and had the grand illusion that the time for wars were over, and had a rough awakening – some are not even awake here now.
But the great five eyes and their humongous system of spies and world power talk seem not to have seen this coming, just like the sleeping rest in Europe.

they wasnt pull out until the invasion or just before it of course you trump haters would say differnt like i say most of europe couldnt fight their way out of of a wet paper bag they get in a little bit of trouble they come running crying to the old USA

[Rockstar]

I don’t think the CIA left Ukraine. In fact Brennan visited Kiev a month after Russia annexed Crimea. Unfortunately those that know why ain’t tellin’. But some have said it was to assist Ukraine and share intel.

[Skybird]

But still doesn’t answer what the hell our objective is.


https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2860103&postcount=5437


I think the source is not suspicious of being lefty.

[Rockstar]

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2860103&postcount=5437


I think the source is not suspicious of being lefty.


Obviously you missed my first reply

I don’t know about “the growing chorus”. For and against can be found on both sides of the isle and everywhere in between.

Though I disagree with the good Senator’s assessment of our support for Ukraine.. I can see why some may be questioning it. Namely because our current President has not even once stated what our goals are or what we are trying to achieve by throwing money and arms at Ukraine. What the hell is this administrations objective here? ‘With you until the end’, ‘Whatever it takes’ ‘we stand strong with Ukraine’ isn’t much of plan. Who’s prepared to take decisive action and say yes we are booting Russia out of Crimea and restoring Ukraine to its 1991 borders and securing our hegemony in the region. Biden needs to stop pussy footing’in around with empty slogans and drop the hammer.


I don’t care what you think the objective is, I don’t care what National Review thinks the objective is and I don’t care what any media talking head think the objective is. But then I do agree with General Hodges objectives and disagree with Senator Hawley but they are all nobodies. The only one that can define with any clarity what the objective is, is the guy at the top in elected office wielding the power of success and failure. He may not be king but he can rally. No leadership equals no unity and so far I have heard nothing but empty slogans and a thousand different opinions from talking heads who don’t matter.

[Skybird]

Biden is seriously underestimated, still. He is not one bit less "American interest first" than Republican conservatives. And he seems to understand the described links between supporting Ukraine and preparing against China. The aid he agreed to give is little compared to the US defence budget, and obviously is aimed at maximising losses and costs on Russia - not necessarily aimed at enabling Ukraine to "win". If the Ukraine'S victory were the objective: this could already have been achieved by now. Obviously, the fate of Ukraine and the price it has to pay for the American policy of not giving enough to win and too much to die, pays surprisingly little role in America's Ukraine policy. So far its about extending the war to weaken Russia further. That is the objective. Ukraine itself has surprisingly little to do with that.

-----

Germany should dismantle its Bundeswehr. Its not good for anythign. Hand over all Bundeswehr equipment - vehicles, weapons, ammo, EVERYTHING - to the Ukraine. we are surrounded by nations none of which we must fear wants to attack us any time soon. And we are not only unable but also unwilling to make any use of all that material stuff anyway, so... The Ukraine would deliver decisive blows to Russia with all that stuff. And Germany then could spend the next lets say 15 to 20 years with rebuilding its military from scratch, like after WW2. Making things better this way, and hopefull avoiding the mistakes of the last 30 years. What the BW is today is of use for nobody, and costs only money.

Okay, we'll keep the guard battalion that has to stand guard at diplomatic receptions - at least until it's relieved by the first uniformed operetta group of the feminist action front.

[Jimbuna]

The problem being....Germany probably wouldn't bother rebuilding her forces :hmmm:

[Skybird]

The problem being....Germany probably wouldn't bother rebuilding her forces :hmmm:
No problem, our Greens and lefts want development aid to third world countries being counted as regular defence spendings. Serious. That way we can easily achieve a 3+ % defence budget without buying a single rifle. :yeah:

[MaDef]

The aid he agreed to give is little compared to the US defence budget, and obviously is aimed at maximising losses and costs on Russia - not necessarily aimed at enabling Ukraine to "win". If that is the case, then the U.S. bears some responsibility for ALL the death and Destruction in that region.

[August]

If that is the case, then the U.S. bears some responsibility for ALL the death and Destruction in that region.

The obvious third option is that they are doing all they are politically able to do.

After if that wasn't a concern and we really wanted them to win then we could just give the Ukrainians a few nuclear weapons.

[les green01]

that the thing people shooting their mouths off about US not wanting Ukraine to win but all their countries are sitting on the John Either take the lead or get off the pot,this is a europe problem not a US problem do i want Ukraine to win yep but at the same time i don't care either way,right now we have a moron with his head up his butt messing up the border and everything else

[MaDef]

The obvious third option is that they are doing all they are politically able to do. you and I both know that's not true.

[August]

you and I both know that's not true.




What else do you think the administration can get away with doing for Ukraine?

[Otto Harkaman]

https://youtu.be/YFptN0_0p4M

[Rockstar]

What the hell kind of headline is this?

NBC reports: N.Y. grand jury not expected to vote on possible Trump indictment this week.

Maybe next week! Stay tuned any day now. Just believe :har::har::har:

Still taking bets. It’s your chance to win big.

[MaDef]

What else do you think the administration can get away with doing for Ukraine?

How about pulling the "funding" and telling Western Europe, that if they don't want Putin for a next door neighbor they need to step up and deal with the situation.

I've said this since the beginning, that war is a regional one, at this juncture The only thing the U.S. is getting in providing funding is a larger deficit.

[August]

How about pulling the "funding" and telling Western Europe, that if they don't want Putin for a next door neighbor they need to step up and deal with the situation.

I've said this since the beginning, that war is a regional one, at this juncture The only thing the U.S. is getting in providing funding is a larger deficit.


I'm sure that the Ukrainians appreciate our help, as without it they're the ones who will end up dead or sent off to the Gulag.

I can agree with you that the Europeans need to step up but at this point if we abandon Ukraine then the direct result is that we leave millions of innocent people to a horrible fate.

[Gorpet]

[QUOTE=August;2860436]I'm sure that the Ukrainians appreciate our help, as without it they're the ones who will end up dead or sent off to the Gulag.



I can agree with you that the Europeans need to step up but at this point if we abandon Ukraine then the direct result is that we leave millions of innocent people to a horrible fate.


Well ya know August . Joey was given the crown and millions of our fellow citizens voted for him and his Administration. Where those votes lead us.Only the survivor's in the future might be able to tell the story.

[em2nought]

Apparently there were lots of deep fake images of President Trump being arrested and crying in court that the mainstream media made sure to show everyone this week knowing full well that they were deep fakes. The main story was a deep fake of the Pope in a puffy jacket, but they made sure to throw President Trump in there too.

[Gorpet]

https://youtu.be/YFptN0_0p4M

I'm sure that the Billions of dollars that the
Anti war Biden Administration has sent to Ukraine.Could have been invested into the social security that your parents paid into.

[August]

I'm sure that the Billions of dollars that the
Anti war Biden Administration has sent to Ukraine.Could have been invested into the social security that your parents paid into.


Well I don't think so as I'm pretty sure that nobody would accept 155mm artillery shells in lieu of a Social Security payment.

[MaDef]

I'm sure that the Ukrainians appreciate our help, as without it they're the ones who will end up dead or sent off to the Gulag.

I can agree with you that the Europeans need to step up but at this point if we abandon Ukraine then the direct result is that we leave millions of innocent people to a horrible fate. So... If I understand you correctly, your support for Ukraine is based on emotion rather than objective assessment of what the U.S. gains or loses by our involvement.

[Rockstar]

Lifer Times article. Looks like the balance of power really is shifting east. Reading the history of Scholz and his political party’s attitude toward NATO and how obviously unreliable Germany is partnering with war criminals. This is good move.

https://i.postimg.cc/4ykPscLW/283939-DA-27-F8-43-C3-B7-DE-A9-B2-FFA3-D96-B.jpg

Army’s new Poland garrison went from Warsaw’s wish list to high US priority
By JOHN VANDIVER
STARS AND STRIPES • March 28, 2023

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2023-03-28/army-poland-base-9627391.html?utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=c5503afc3d-Newsletter+-+Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ab8697a7f-c5503afc3d-296693640

POZNAN, Poland — The soldiers came here with duffel bags and clipboards, carrying out site surveys for a mission in Europe that was fast transforming from a Cold War relic to a high priority in the aftermath of Russia’s 2014 attack on Ukraine.

Many of the buildings were crumbling husks dating back at least to the Nazi occupation during World War II.

Six years after those U.S. soldiers arrived, this military post in the west-central city of Poznan has emerged as the nerve center for Army leaders overseeing troops from the Baltics to Bulgaria.

The evolution of Camp Kosciuszko, which last week formally became the first U.S. permanent base in Poland, showcases how events in Ukraine over the past nine years have overhauled the United States’ military mission in Europe.

“Everything that happened here in Poznan evolved with the real-world events that came along the way,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Aleckna, a logistics coordinator who has aided the Army buildup in Poznan since 2018. “God knows what’s coming tomorrow.”

While Russia’s 2014 incursion in Crimea and eastern Ukraine saw the Army surge rotational units into Poland in response, the U.S. tiptoed around the idea of putting permanent bases in the former Warsaw Pact state.

But the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, changed all that, and now the Army is talking about what not long ago was little more than a Polish pipe dream: American military families calling Poznan home.

“It makes it a more attractive assignment if you can bring your family and have some stability,” said Maj. Gen. Timothy Thombleson, V Corps’ deputy commander for support.

A timeline hasn’t been pinned down for making that transition, but the first step will be accompanied tours with adult couples followed by tours with children, which are anticipated as support infrastructure improves, he said.


Many of the once-dilapidated buildings have been renovated at the post in Poznan, a city of about 530,000 people with a large college community. Big plans are in the works for further transformation of the site into a modern Army garrison.

V Corps Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Harris said family tours are something the command wants.

“It’s not our decision, but we communicate that all the time and it’s something we want to continue to ask for,” Harris said.

Poland garrison’s roots

Six years ago, a contingent of 100 troops assigned to Mission Command Element arrived from Baumholder, Germany with the job of overseeing soldier maneuvers on NATO’s eastern flank.

Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who commanded the Army in Europe at the time, said it was a combination of available facilities and the city’s developed transportation network, including an airport, that factored into the decision to set up shop in Poznan.

“We wanted to have an HQ, even if rotational, that was in Poland, which was already growing into our main hub for eastern flank (operations),” Hodges said.

But as U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s mission continued to expand, it became clear that more command-and-control capabilities were needed.

Enter V Corps, which was reestablished in 2021 to give the Army a new three-star headquarters to manage day-to-day activities from the Baltic Sea in the north down to the Black Sea region.

V Corps was getting situated just as Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine. As thousands of extra U.S. soldiers headed for Europe or repositioned from other parts of the Continent, V Corps was tasked with overseeing it all.

“It was a real-world validation,” Harris said. “You could almost say we were purpose-built for exactly what happened in February (2022). This is what the corps was built for: to give the four-star commander at USAREUR-AF a warfighting headquarters to control U.S. ground forces in the theater.”

In addition to coordinating troop movement, V Corps also is involved in ongoing training with U.S. and allied forces. Soldiers at Camp Kosciuszko are there to improve battlefield information sharing among allies.

The aim is to connect networks in such a way that all allied commanders are working off the same picture when coordinating multinational missions.

“Ultimately, you want to have a shared digital operational picture. That gives you that much more dominance on the battlefield,” said Col. John Hosey, the officer in charge of the V Corps learning lab.

Other new V Corps initiatives include an apprenticeship program in which foreign soldiers will embed with U.S. units to develop expertise on using high-mobility rocket systems, known as HIMARS, which have been put to effective use in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, garrison officials in Poznan oversee about a dozen Army sites in Poland to facilitate the V Corps mission. The sites include an aviation and logistics hub 90 minutes east of Poznan in Powidz, and a cluster of camps near Zagan, a town where an Army brigade operates not far from the southwestern border with Germany.

More than 100 infrastructure projects to support the U.S. military in Poland are in the works, ranging from dining facilities and barracks to training ranges.

The initiatives are part of a defense cooperation agreement with Warsaw in which Poland agreed to support the U.S.’s growing mission with heavy spending on military infrastructure.

Col. Jorge Fonseca, the garrison commander in Poznan, said that as the American footprint expands, part of his focus is ensuring sufficient off-base housing to support troops arriving on permanent change of station orders, he said.

Local leaders “understand that we are coming, that we are growing,” Fonseca said.

Getting by

V Corps earlier this year started assigning soldiers to the base on unaccompanied one-year tours, marking a milestone for the Army as it puts down deeper roots in Poland. Those soldiers are paid a housing allowance to live off post.

Still, most of the troops in the country are on nine-month rotational assignments for the time being.

“For single soldiers, people who don’t have a family, or don’t have a spouse or kids, I think it’s a phenomenal opportunity to get to live in a foreign country and get to do what we do every day,” said Sgt. Ann Hopkins, an intelligence analyst assigned to Poznan.

But with a 2-year-old son at home, being gone on a nine-month rotation makes things tough, she said.

An assignment in Poznan means having more freedom than the typical deployment offers, but there are limits.

Soldiers are permitted to go off post after work to enjoy the sights and dine out if they choose. While moderate drinking is allowed, getting drunk isn’t, Harris said.

For the Army, it comes down to establishing a balance between allowing soldiers to enjoy themselves while avoiding distraction from a mission that coincides with a real-world security crisis in Europe.

Overall, the conditions in Poznan are better than at some other locations in Poland, where living arrangements are more austere, such as the base in Powidz about 50 miles east.

The barracks at Poznan has each soldier with a roommate in a private room and shared bathrooms on each floor. A major project over the next several years will see the barracks replaced with a facility on par with contemporary U.S. base housing.

“I think any of the folks that have deployed to the desert over the last two decades, when you get to a place like this, it is pretty good,” said Maj. Ben Hall, a 101st Airborne Division liaison officer who is wrapping up a nine-month rotation in Poznan.

A common refrain from soldiers about conditions on post: “It could be worse.”

“Camp K” doesn’t have the amenities of a U.S. base or the big garrisons found in Germany. There is no PX and a mobile shoppette makes only periodic visits.

An upshot, said Hall, is that it gives soldiers more of an incentive to venture off post and explore a vibrant city with all the modern conveniences that accompany it.

“I think being immersed more in the local culture, that’s a real bonus,” Hall said.

[Skybird]

I said repeatedly that the European power centre IS shifting east, thats why Paris and Berlin are so very hesitent to want a real Ukrainian victory and a real Rzussian defeat. Scholz still rejects to talk of a victory for Ukraine. Macron still does much less than France could do - if he wanted.

Poland sees the war as a chance to form a strong Poliush-.Ukrainian-baltic block that could outclass the meaning of the Franco-German axis (which is overestimated anyway, I say).

For the same reason at least these two do not want Ukraine any time soon in the EU or in NATO.


Germany is busy with wanting to not be itself. Forget Germany. The German ideal would be to not exist as something German at all. German is evil. Everything foreign is better than just "Germaness".



I support a shift towards Eastern Europe and Baltic, due to the cultural destruction the EU is causing in and against Europe.

[les green01]

Well I don't think so as I'm pretty sure that nobody would accept 155mm artillery shells in lieu of a Social Security payment.

maybe not but subsim could use a nuke sub or two maybe a ww2 battleship with the 16 inchers so if they got pay in them then donated to subsim we be set

[August]

maybe not but subsim could use a nuke sub or two maybe a ww2 battleship with the 16 inchers so if they got pay in them then donated to subsim we be set


I just want a PT boat so I can cruise around Narragansett Bay playing the theme from McHales Navy.

[les green01]

biggest problem with eu is they got the pre pearl harbor menilty as we got these safe barriers but they don't don't

[em2nought]

maybe a ww2 battleship with the 16 inchers so if they got pay in them then donated to subsim we be set

Only if it could float up the Potomac. :03:

[August]

Only if it could float up the Potomac. :03:




There is a rollicking action yarn that describes that very thing. Battle-wagon, 16 inchers and all. It's written by adventure author Clive Cussler and was called Vixen 03.



It's a page turner for sure.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Vixen_03.jpg

[les green01]

There is a rollicking action yarn that describes that very thing. Battle-wagon, 16 inchers and all. It's written by adventure author Clive Cussler and was called Vixen 03.



It's a page turner for sure.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Vixen_03.jpg

Clive was a great arthur

[Dowly]

Clive was a great arthur

Here lies Clive.

Great Arthur, mediocre Clive.

[em2nought]

I'll have to pick up a used copy. Thanks! :up:

And in other news that they don't really want to tell you about they've released Jacob Chansley from jail. I wonder if they kept his hat? I think he might owe Elon a steak dinner. https://nypost.com/2023/03/30/qanon-shaman-jacob-chansley-released-from-prison-14-months-early/

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/6CD0/production/_121565872_gettyimages-1230733976.jpg.webp

[August]

Looks like the Dems have pulled the trigger:


https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-indicted-manhattan-da-probe-stormy-daniels-hush-money-payment


Former President Donald Trump (https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/donald-trump) has been indicted, possibly as part of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office's years-long investigation into hush-money payments.

[em2nought]

Looks like the Dems have pulled the trigger:


https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-indicted-manhattan-da-probe-stormy-daniels-hush-money-payment

Must be hurting for tourists in NY. :D

[Otto Harkaman]

https://youtu.be/8bnzwC7sPgA

[Buddahaid]

I'll have to pick up a used copy. Thanks! :up:

And in other news that they don't really want to tell you about they've released Jacob Chansley from jail. I wonder if they kept his hat? I think he might owe Elon a steak dinner. https://nypost.com/2023/03/30/qanon-shaman-jacob-chansley-released-from-prison-14-months-early/

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/6CD0/production/_121565872_gettyimages-1230733976.jpg.webp

And just who is this they you are referring to while posting a nypost report? :hmmm:

I heard yesterday the vote for indictment was likely but didn't want to post it and get shat on for not having confirmation. The jury will still be off for a couple of weeks due to Jewish holiday and school break.

[Rockstar]

Blue Anon has their shaman too . :k_confused:

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/30/20/69302057-11921273-Hours_earlier_outside_Kentucky_s_State_Capitol_in_ Frankfort_an_u-m-29_1680203796258.jpg

[Buddahaid]

I thought that was Mardi Gras...

[Rockstar]

I thought that was Mardi Gras...


Lol, ya you would think. But these days it’s becoming more like everyday apparel

[Dowly]

Congrats to Trump for finally winning the popular vote! :salute:

[Buddahaid]

Congrats to Trump for finally winning the popular vote! :salute:

LOL!

[August]

LOL!




You still going to be laughing when he beats the rap again?

[Buddahaid]

You still going to be laughing when he beats the rap again?

Why not, it's not as if he's lost pretty much every legal action in recent history?

This is just the first of several on the way with the E. Jean Carroll civil rape and defamation trial set to begin April 15. EDIT: April 25.

Oh, and here's another they reporting on Jacob Chansley.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65132475

[August]

Why not, it's not as if he's lost pretty much every legal action in recent history?

This is just the first of several on the way with the E. Jean Carroll civil rape and defamation trial set to begin April 15. EDIT: April 25.

Oh, and here's another they reporting on Jacob Chansley.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65132475




We'll see. The New York case is widely considered to be very weak and it's pretty obvious it has primarily a political motivation. I'm betting that it will fail as will that civil case and any others they manage to bring forth.

[Buddahaid]

We'll see. The New York case is widely considered to be very weak and it's pretty obvious it has primarily a political motivation. I'm betting that it will fail as will that civil case and any others they manage to bring forth.

Politically motivated is an excuse forwarded in an attempt to swing opinion over legal obligations on suits filed in civil actions against Trump. Let it roll and get it over with. This one also includes Trump Org. 250 million NY tax evasion trial set for Oct 3.

The more criminal investigations in Georgia and DC are justified whether due to political motivation, or not. It's Trump's own actions that have forced these issues to escalate, while he plays victim for sympathy, and further grift.

[August]

Politically motivated is an excuse forwarded in an attempt to swing opinion over legal obligations on suits filed in civil actions against Trump. Let it roll and get it over with. This one also includes Trump Org. 250 million NY tax evasion trial set for Oct 3.

The more criminal investigations in Georgia and DC are justified whether due to political motivation, or not. It's Trump's own actions that have forced these issues to escalate, while he plays victim for sympathy, and further grift.

Politically motivated as in DA Bragg openly campaigned on going after Trump and has put together a case that stretches the law beyond recognition and is obviously tailored to doing just that, getting Trump.

Whatever, it's obvious the machine is out to destroy the man and they will never stop. They obviously don't really care what it takes, or what precedents are set in order to achieve their goal. They have exposed themselves doing it and I hope to live to see it used against them.

Now as I have said a few times i'd rather see the GoP put up a younger man or woman anyways so maybe if the Dems are finally successful it will open a path for a Conservative who isn't an obnoxious loudmouth New Yorker.

I don't expect they'll be treated any better than Trump was, a lot depends on their ability to put together a team that can take control of the letter agencies and coming up with a way to neutralize the Dem Media attack machine.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

What kind of world do we live in where crime is criminalized?!?!?

[Torvald Von Mansee]

You still going to be laughing when he beats the rap again?


I think I shall go for a long, relaxing drive in a white Ford Bronco with a cardboard cutout of innocent person O.J. Simpson!!

[Dowly]

First of, the grand jury, who decides whether to indict or not, consists of regular citizens. They make the decision, not Bragg.

Second, this sets the precedent that a former POTUS can be indicted. Why is that bad?


https://i.imgur.com/eYv0Cgm.png

[Rockstar]

6 YEARS of accusations. Indictments do not prove guilt they are a ‘formal’ accusation. The Boondoggle continues.

Still taking bets.

[mapuc]

Just have to say this - Eye of the beholder -

I see it as an interesting thing that two people can get different stuff out of an article.

A person who's pro-Trump will see this article as a negative or positive
A person who's anti-Trump will see this article as a positive or negative.

Markus

[Cybermat47]

Second, this sets the precedent that a former POTUS can be indicted. Why is that bad?

Because owning the libs is far more important than holding government officials to the same legal standard as the American people.

What are you, a commie?