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Politics The Elephant in the room...The GOP today

Discussion in 'Tilted Philosophy, Politics, and Economics' started by rogue49, Aug 28, 2012.

  1. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Yes, they're the minority in population overall...but they're the majority by voting. (and by the compromise rules which give smaller states and less populous states leverage (CA has as many senators as WV...)
    If you don't vote, it isn't counted...sorry, those are just the rules (and I'm just as frustrated and angry about it as you)

    Also, if you let a minority gain leverage, even simply by bullying, being more organized, more consistent (right or wrong) and being louder,
    then they will take advantage where they can.
    Like a smaller dog with attitude going after a larger dog that's less committed.

    Face it, the GOP is playing a ruthless no holds barred game.
    The Dems have let too many things whiff by them. (this includes Obama)
    Not that I like it...
     
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  2. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    OMG...I can't believe it...they actually backed down.
    Boy, did they try a fast one.
    After backlash, House GOP backs down from plan to gut ethics office

    Not a good start if you want to ramrod your agenda.
    Gotta be subtle about it.
    Problem is with the GOP, when they're in charge, they tend to be ham-fisted...use a sledgehammer instead of a screwdriver.
     
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  3. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    I'm not surprised they backed down given the widespread bi-partisan public backlash.

    But I'm not surprised they tried given that the the independent House Office of Congressional Ethics was established by a House resolution in 2008 at the behest of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat majority at the time and most Republicans (and some Democrats) opposed it.

    http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll122.xml
     
  4. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
  5. Katia

    Katia Very Tilted

    Location:
    Earth


    Looks like they decided to take out the screwdriver instead.

    Congress Quietly Passes New Rule Allowing House Members To Hide Records From Ethics Probes | The Huffington Post
     
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  6. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North
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  7. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Yeah, I noted that too...

    That's alright...you'd be amazed how those records can accumulate
    and they can easily be gotten with a warrant...which tends to occur after enough corruption.
    Prosecutors will have to kick it up another level...not by office request, but by the courts.

    Yes, it's a dick move under principle.
    But principles are not what this current GOP lives by...only on agenda and postures.

    The pendulum swings back & forth...according to the convenience of those in power. (and what they've gotten caught at the time)
    They're simply lucky, the most of the public has no memory.
     
  8. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    Please note that Trump's tweet still called the Ethics Committee "unfair". He will back their gutting of this oversight at a more appropriate time.

    Not cool.
     
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  9. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    An ethical double standard for Trump — and the GOP?

    "It's only bad when THEY do it..."

    The hypocrisy is profound.
    No integrity.

    Unfortunately, most of what media and opposition is doing about it...is saying "shame".

    Obama had his "Audacity of Hope"
    This is more like "Audacity of Hoke"

    I guess spin wins.
    At least until the nation learns the lesson...again.

    I doubt we're going to past German or current Turkish level...but likely we're going to do some Italian Berlusconi (bunga-bunga :rolleyes:)
     
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  10. ASU2003

    ASU2003 Very Tilted

    Location:
    Where ever I roam
    If Obama had had 5 kids with 3 women, two of whom he had cheated on or trashed in the tabloids, the conservatives would have been outraged.
     
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  11. Stan

    Stan Resident Dumbass

    Location:
    Colorado
    "Alternative facts" ?

    Where I come from, these are called fiction, make-believe, or lies.
     
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  12. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    GOP...
    You break it,
    You bought it.

    Good luck.
     
  13. wye

    wye Getting Tilted

    I flipped on C-SPAN today and happened to catch Rep. Steve King making a profoundly ignorant and gratuitous aside on the floor of the House, noting that he "wouldn't blame" the president for not doing business in Somalia because "essentially it's a terrorist state", something anybody would know if they "watched Black Hawk Down", a notoriously inaccurate movie about the Somali Civil War, filmed in Morocco.

    It's just before the 5 hour 8 minute mark in video linked below. This hasn't received any news coverage, so please spread ridicule of it on social media.

    US House Legislative Business | Video | C-SPAN.org
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2017
  14. Derwood

    Derwood Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    If Obama had used tax payer money to put Michelle up in a Golden Tower in Chicago, the conservatives would have burned the country to the ground
     
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  15. Shadowex3

    Shadowex3 Very Tilted

    Somalia isn't a terrorist state, it's just not a state anymore period. Somalia is what one of my professors once called a "complete clusterfuck". It's a technical term apparently.
     
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  16. wye

    wye Getting Tilted

    After 21 years of civil war without a permanent central government, Somalia adopted a provisional constitution in 2012. The concurrently established Federal Republic of Somalia is recognized by all 193 UN member states. The technical term for it is fragile state.
     
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  17. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Consumer Watchdog Faces Attack by House Republicans

    But of course...screw the commoners.
    Why should they need protection from white collar scam artists??

    Hey, I'm all for making a buck...but not by fleecing people.
    And the credit bureaus are one of the biggest scams.

    If you going to do it...keep it fair, keep it clean.
    But I guess that's too heavy a lift and not enough profit for some corporations and entities.

    So much for the GOP looking out for the "real" Americans. :rolleyes:
     
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  18. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    There is a lot to criticize about Dodd-Frank and regulating Wall Street and the financial services industry, but the CFPB is one of the great successes that is now under serious threat from both Trump and Congressional Republicans.

    Some highlights of the work of the CFBP:

    $11.8 billion: Approximate amount of relief to consumers from CFPB supervisory and enforcement work, including:

     $3.7 billion in monetary compensation to consumers as a result of enforcement activity

     $7.7 billion in principal reductions, cancelled debts, and other consumer relief as a result of enforcement activity

     $371 million in consumer relief as a result of supervisory activity

    29 million: Consumers who will receive relief as a result of CFPB supervisory and enforcement work

    http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/201701_cfpb_CFPB-By-the-Numbers-Factsheet.pdf

    You can bet many of those 29 million are Trump voters who were screwed by shady practices by banks, credit card companies, mortgage companies, payday lenders, etc.
     
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  19. ASU2003

    ASU2003 Very Tilted

    Location:
    Where ever I roam
    My issue with these government agencies is that they do a poor job explaining what they are doing. Maybe the media is to blame for not putting together an independent in-depth look at the successes and what the agencies are accomplishing, but the alt-right media is bad mouthing the agency just because it is associated with Democrats and "big government" and it is hard to defend them when I don't know what they did to help the average guy in the Midwest.
     
  20. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    I've had some work inside government...I know they're all doing their job...and often doing it with very little. (as a matter of fact, most of them are this way)
    If anything, the challenge is, many of them are doing overlapping tasks, because they've grown into it from their various overall focuses. (ex: Education Funding...is this Dept of Ed or Treasury? Or, or, or...)

    You want glut, look at the Dept of Defense...the contracts on this are huge...and it is the biggest of "discretionary" spending. And they are the ONLY entity to have NOT satisfied an audit...by even their own deadline.
    If you want waste, look at Dept of Homeland Security...they are a disorganized beast, throwing money at everything...but they got better under Obama vs. their time with GWB.
    Problem is...conservatives LOVE military and security...and they're willing to fund them like a fire dept. water hose.

    The rest that they complain is "big government" isn't...in relative terms very small.
    It's just against their agenda and philosophy.
    What they claim is regulation are typically safety measures put up because the industries fucked up before...hurt people, cost tons of money and so on...and they want to prevent the damage again.
    But of course, the corporate powers which influence them...push to deregulate so they can maximize short term profits again. (and fuck what harm they do...)

    Now, I'm a capitalist...I love capitalism...it's the best way to harness our self-interests and energy.
    But I also know there are idiots and assholes which will harm us physically and financially to get their money on.
    So I don't mind some regulation. (yes, you can go overboard...but you can rein it in without ripping it up and destroying it ALL)

    Conservatives I find, have a All or Nothing attitude...so if they don't like a bit...they want to kill the whole thing.
    Liberals care a bit too much...and want to go overboard on "guidance" which unfortunately in legal & law terms turns into too much.
    There IS a balance.
    But it's like driving...you keep your eye on the road and adjust...it's just that you're driving a train or cruise liner...so you cannot do it fast...and you have to move something big.

    If you want to find out about the agencies...go online to each.
    The Obama administration was good at encouraging online communication and presence...so they all now will tell you what they're doing...and what they're about.
    You can also find a listing of all the departments, offices and agencies...this is public (it's just that people do NOT ask...through their own neglect)

    I know we're getting our money's worth.
    They just have to reduce Defense spending about 20% (and I do like a strong military with projected power, BTW) It's just that Congress pushes a lot of pork out, despite what the Pentagon recommends.
    And then redistribute that to some of the other agencies.
    Then get the health industry under control...that's another feeding frenzy of over-cost. (look at what other nations pay...we're getting soaked)

    It's not the agencies.
    It's the fuckin' management.
    Congress is terrible at it.

    The Obama administration, actually reduced the cost by about 2/3's
    By just asking the staff and contractors where the waste was and if they had better ideas...then actually implemented them.

    But now, the current administration...they think they know better.
    So they're likely going to soak the budget....just like Reagan and GWB did. (Bush Sr. actually did a decent job...but he got busted for it by his own party)

    I hope this helps :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2017
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