So are the tapes off limits because of what a -------- Trump is?

There is no reason to talk impeachment because it's stupid.

-Recognizing slavery still exists and the prison industrial complex is benefiting from it needs to happen.

Recognizing the challenges in our criminal justice system is likely a common opinion.

But equating it to "slavery" is a tough sell

But I'm sure you were expecting that response from me.

All of you self-proclaimed members of some imaginary troll police squad, just remember nobody takes you seriously.

Have fun ... .but just remember that.

Maybe Netflix will make a show about you some day like they do now with old people in nursing homes solving crimes.

216

Also a good point. It was metaphorical.

My last paycheck??? 50% of the total. I have great health insurance so that only accounts for about 2% of my gross.

The rest is taxes and retirement contribution.

It's crazy....and my income and net worth isn't likely to offend anyone here.

God forbid I get a break because if I do then I'm cheating some poor kid.

-That's putting it lightly. Killing the middleclass wasn't a mistake, they all knew what would happen with NAFTA. Now most of our vibrant rust belt cites and the Midwest cities are slums with no opportunity. You can work your way out of poverty with some opportunity, but you're dead in the water with poverty/no opportunity.

Now now....I don't think they wanted to screw the middle class with NAFTA. Nor did they intend to screw the middle class.

I realize there are absolutely morons here who believe the GOP intended on screwing the middle class but the dems were simply fooled.

Whatever.....let them wear the dunce caps like they do every day here.

-Not the genocide of the native population?

Good point

I kind of think the world gives us a pass for that one. Many countries have a history of it as well.

Hell, we give ourselves a pass for it.

Slavery brought us to the civil war, several significant amendments/laws, an assassinated president, and institutional racism.

208

I'm not saying anything about your position nor any pandering on your behalf.

I'm saying blacks and everyone on that list I posted in 199 all get pandered to.

I seems like the majority of the people removed were adults. 3 million out of the 4.5 million.

That appears deliberate. They were trying to remove adults but 1.5 million kids were included in the cuts.

How, exactly, did they come up with the determination? Who was cut from the benefit? Too much income? I assume the line was re-drawn somewhere.

strategy of pandering....

201

you're also not a professional politician.

196

I don't keep score. If you have some sort of scorecard, please show it.

Blacks and hispanics get pandered to
labor unions get pandered to
school teachers get pandered to
farmers get pandered to
redneck/white nationalists get pandered to
voters in swing states get pandered to
pro-lifers get pandered to
pro-choicers get pandered to
etc....

Not saying you're wrong but I've never understood the strategy is pandering very much to white nationalists when they are....

1. not going anywhere
2. located in a State that's not in play....and that includes blue states.

-Black Americans are not absolved of responsibility for their own choices, families and communities.

Politicians and pundits are so good at absolving any number of groups from their own choices, we pretend we don't even see it anymore.

Pandering to these groups is how you get votes.

183

You've noticed that people can comprehend the twin test which is basic compound interest reality.

but who bothers to comprehend the "20-decade" injustice? At least in some measurable way.

how long will it take the poor to catch up to the rich?

well....never. There could be some hope to see some of the poor jump to the middle class....and a few even wealthy.

But 90% of them? They'll stay right where they are.

Now, I'm sure you know that but perhaps that wasn't your point.

I watched it yesterday.

My son had already seen it twice including at an IMAX. He's 18. He's called it the best movie he's ever seen.

It was very good.

"the futility of elective warfare."

Sorry to hear that about your father. That had to be rough for everyone, including you.

But I'm curious....has all warfare since WW 2 considered to be "elective"?

In hindsight, it would seem so. Korea, Vietnam, and anything in the ME....all "elective".

but that's just what it seems to be from my view. I didn't serve and neither did my dad. My dad was of the age that he could have served in Korea but he wasn't drafted.

-It's quite another to act like it's the defining feature of this country.

Slavery will always be our original sin.

-Unfortunately all this city's taxes go to Beverly Hills, Hancock Park, Bel Air and other wealthy neighborhoods.

I have a few questions about that.....and keep in mind, it's a hayseed from Kansas influenced by the MSM my whole life.

How does that work? LA has elections for city/county/state government. Is there some reason why those wealthy enclaves are disproportionately represented in government?

It's a huge population overwhelmingly liberal democrats....how does that result in taxes that flow to the wealthiest neighborhoods?

How do necessary infrastructure projects keep getting kicked down the road?

My assumption is that liberals who run governments and schools have priorities and infrastructure struggles to make the cut year after year.

You could all go another 130 posts to discover slavery was wrong.

And we can count on corky to cry about ... ... .well ... ..just about anything.

Bill managed to yank this thread away from the Smithsonian to Monticello almost immediately and it becomes an argument about Thomas Jefferson.

Which is fine. Jefferson is a good subject.

My point is the power Bill has here.

It's not an either/or with regards to the GOP or socialism.

You can reject most if not all of what the GOP is doing but still stay far from socialism.

and most Democrats will do just that. Reject the GOP but also reject the significant examples of socialism.

10

I don't think we have the will to do that.

-And now we have declining birth rates in the 15-19 year old group and THEY ARE PISSED

You're saying someone is pissed teen pregnancy rates have dropped?

link?

Who is pissed?

-Republicans are still too scared of crossing Trump.

Which is why I laugh at polling showing the enormous disapprovals of Trump.

It's meaningless and has no impact. Trump still carries a big stick, which I wish someone would grab from him and beat him senseless with....