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[empty vessel]

Paging empty vessel.

Well, he did say "pretty much everybody." Which is probably true. It's just that pretty much everybody doesn't know what they're talking about. A creator of currency doesn't need to balance anything in any given year. It just either net creates money (deficit) or net destroys it (surplus). As to creation, it just needs to make sure that it doesn't create so much currency that it provokes a sharp and sustained rise in the price of goods (inflation). But money creation is necessary for an economy to grow. Translated, that means deficits are necessary, which is not the same thing as saying that it doesn't matter how large the deficit is. Although as long as there is any slack in the economy (i.e., unemployment), then we can safely say it isn't large enough.

If an economy is a fire, money is its oxygen. If you drain an economy of money (surplus), it gets weaker. If you add money (deficit), it gets stronger. But if you add too much too quickly, you can get an explosion (inflation).

 

[Oblivion]

Another good New Rules by Maher:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-mah...ury-christian-right-wants-to-go-further-back/

 

[speculawyer]

Well, he did say "pretty much everybody." Which is probably true. It's just that pretty much everybody doesn't know what they're talking about. A creator of currency doesn't need to balance anything in any given year. It just either net creates money (deficit) or net destroys it (surplus). As to creation, it just needs to make sure that it doesn't create so much currency that it provokes a sharp and sustained rise in the price of goods (inflation). But money creation is necessary for an economy to grow. Translated, that means deficits are necessary, which is not the same thing as saying that it doesn't matter how large the deficit is. Although as long as there is any slack in the economy (i.e., unemployment), then we can safely say it isn't large enough.

If an economy is a fire, money is its oxygen. If you start to drain an economy of money (surplus), it gets weaker. If you add money (deficit), it gets stronger. But if you add too much too quickly, you can get an explosion (inflation).

But here is the thing . . . we let the Fed create the money. We can't have have the debt be fake money too.

 

[empty vessel]

But here is the thing . . . we let the Fed create the money. We can't have have the debt be fake money too.

What is fake money? Or, put differently, isn't this redundant? All money is fake.

 

[sc0la]

No, it's not that. It's that...

Spoiler

I just discovered we have a multi-quote feature. D:

Lol

 

[sc0la]

Not that it's a shocker, but Chris Christie's a dick:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/gov_christie_takes_part_in_hea.html

I was with Christie until the idiot line at the end. Seemed like an intentional provocation

 

[Black Republican]

The Mississippi segment from Bill Maher, i dont even...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfdEtW5DCAk

 

[Guileless]

The reason Mississippi is last in everything is that it took the longest time to be converted to democratic capitalism. Why that is would require a book to explain. Religion is part of it, but it's not as simple as religion=backwards.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Man, I know it's perhaps rude or whatever, but damn, Christie really should work on his weight.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Reason Economists expect job growth to slow down

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/why-job-growth-is-likely-to-slow/

And in interesting read, how Republican Party became pro-life

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-life/2012/03/09/gIQAZcD31R_blog.html#excerpt

As recently as the early 1970s, abortion was not a party-line issue: When the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade in 1973, Democrats actually polled as being less supportive of abortion rights.

 

[Chichikov]

The Mississippi segment from Bill Maher, i dont even...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfdEtW5DCAk

Poor working class people say the darndest things.

 

[markatisu]

Reason Economists expect job growth to slow down

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/why-job-growth-is-likely-to-slow/

And in interesting read, how Republican Party became pro-life

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-life/2012/03/09/gIQAZcD31R_blog.html#excerpt

Not surprising, people really should watch the With God on our Side documentary series, especially the parts that focus on Nixon and post Nixon for the GOP

 

[AlteredBeast]

Romney locked up Guam and Northern Marianas. Unsurprisingly...

Next up, Virgin Islands and Kansas, and seeing as how Kansas advocates for teaching intelligent design in schools, I think that one is going to be Santorum all the way. Maybe Romney will win Olathe, Kansas City, and Overland Park. Then he is actually leading in MS and is polling well in AL, surprisingly.

 

[Jackson50]

Mitt with the Big Mo. He won Guam and the Northern Marianas handily. And he's competitive, if not winning, in MS and AL.

One is a comedian, who, by profession is abrasive to hecklers. One is a politician, who should at least attempt to be polite to people they disagree with.

He's more than a politician. He's a governor. I expect greater composure from someone in that position. Although, I'd dismiss it if it were a single incident. But he's behaved truculently on numerous occasions. And if he were to pursue the presidency, aside from his political calculus, I would not want such a clearly tempestuous personality running the country. Also, I'm making a mountain out of a molehill because I find him loathsome.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

He's more than a politician. He's a governor. I expect greater composure from someone in that position. Although, I'd dismiss it if it were a single incident. But he's behaved truculently on numerous occasions. And if he were to pursue the presidency, aside from his political calculus, I would not want such a clearly tempestuous personality running the country. Also, I'm making a mountain out of a molehill because I find him loathsome.

If Obama did something like that, Media will immediately label him as the Angry Black Man.

But when Christie does it they are fascinated by it.

 

[AlteredBeast]

If Obama did something like that, Media will immediately label him as the Angry Black Man.

But when Christie does it they are fascinated by it.

which media? Everyone I have seen outside of Fox News and the typical right wingers are reporting it as unprofessional and uncouth.

Just look next to their names next time to see who would be fascinated by what.

 

[Chichikov]

He's more than a politician. He's a governor. I expect greater composure from someone in that position. Although, I'd dismiss it if it were a single incident. But he's behaved truculently on numerous occasions. And if he were to pursue the presidency, aside from his political calculus, I would not want such a clearly tempestuous personality running the country. Also, I'm making a mountain out of a molehill because I find him loathsome.

I would reserve judgment until I see the full video of that town-hall meeting.
There's an art to provoke an angry response that would make a politician look horrible in a news clip (I should know, I did it, many times).
Again, I don't know all the facts here, but I know you can be put in a situation where every normative person would react like Christie did.
Now it's true, an expert politician often can rise above such things, but I'm not in a rush to personally condemn an elected official on such incidents.

p.s.
I don't want to accuse anyone in anything here, since again, I have very little facts outside that sound bite we all heard, but if I was trying to goad a politician, I would try to find a Navy Seal, you always want to get the elected officials attacking (without their knowledge) people in the g spot of the consensus like war heroes, terminal patients etc.

Though it should be noted that I think this is a legitimate tactic.

 

[AlteredBeast]

I would reserve judgment until I see the full video of that town-hall meeting.
There's an art to provoke an angry response that would make a politician look horrible in a news clip (I should know, I did it, many times).
Again, I don't know all the facts here, but I know you can be put in a situation where every normative person would react like Christie did.
Now it's true, an expert politician often can rise above such things, but I'm not in a rush to personally condemn an elected official on such incidents.

p.s.
I don't want to accuse anyone in anything here, since again, I have very little facts outside that sound bite we all heard, but if I was trying to goad a politician, I would try to find a Navy Seal, you always want to get the elected officials attacking (without their knowledge) people in the g spot of the consensus like war heroes, terminal patients etc.

Though it should be noted that I think this is a legitimate tactic.

Yay, politics!

 

[cartoon_soldier]

which media? Everyone I have seen outside of Fox News and the typical right wingers are reporting it as unprofessional and uncouth.

Just look next to their names next time to see who would be fascinated by what.

The same Media that till now kept touting Christie as a Presidential candidate that can give Obama a run.

Fascination was probably the wrong word to use though.

And here's a good piece on how much Obama has to be careful with this responses:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics...nd-the-spectre-of-the-angry-black-man/252931/

While Christie got criticized this time (and let's face it a part of that was that the person was a vet)

 

[Stinkles]

I would reserve judgment until I see the full video of that town-hall meeting.
There's an art to provoke an angry response that would make a politician look horrible in a news clip (I should know, I did it, many times).
Again, I don't know all the facts here, but I know you can be put in a situation where every normative person would react like Christie did.
Now it's true, an expert politician often can rise above such things, but I'm not in a rush to personally condemn an elected official on such incidents.

p.s.
I don't want to accuse anyone in anything here, since again, I have very little facts outside that sound bite we all heard, but if I was trying to goad a politician, I would try to find a Navy Seal, you always want to get the elected officials attacking (without their knowledge) people in the g spot of the consensus like war heroes, terminal patients etc.

Though it should be noted that I think this is a legitimate tactic.

"Dammnit, I'm the governor" is very poor form too. As you point out, it's a legitimate tactic. Goddamned right a citizen with a real beef calling an elected official to task is not only a legitimate tactic, it's your DUTY as a citizen. And it's his duty and responsibility to answer questions, not have citizens hauled away by the police. If Christie suddenly wants to think yelling is unacceptable rudeness, then he should toss himself out of the meeting first.

 

[Chichikov]

Yay, politics!

I'm not sure exactly what you're saying, so I'm going to reply to what I think you did.

Those is power always want a fair fight and for everyone to play by the rules, usually because many of the rules were written by the victors to maintain their power.

I don't think that the end always justifies the means, but some ends justifies some means (well, duh!).
As an activist you need ask yourself if your goals justify your methodology, and be ready to accept society judgment on the call you made.

Or to give a practical (and personal) example -
I have no problems with trolling and agitating aimed to expose the expel a racist politician.

"Dammnit, I'm the governor" is very poor form too. As you point out, it's a legitimate tactic.

Yeah, he didn't perform all that well for a politician, seriously, you almost never want to call security.
But that should be a concern of people who support him.

Goddamned right a citizen with a real beef calling an elected official to task is not only a legitimate tactic, it's your DUTY as a citizen. And it's his duty and responsibility to answer questions, not have citizens hauled away by the police. If Christie suddenly wants to think yelling is unacceptable rudeness, then he should toss himself out of the meeting first.

I think this tactic should be used sparingly and carefully, as it tends to really fire up the heat and vitriol of the political debate.

 

[The Librarian]

Another good New Rules by Maher:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-mah...ury-christian-right-wants-to-go-further-back/

I can't believe he called a citizen an idiot.

 

[AlteredBeast]

I can't believe he called a citizen an idiot.

Should have used the word "manslut"

Re: Chichikov, it is the using of people with public emotional attachments as a way to ambush a politician is just the sad state of affairs that is politics. Like you said, had this guy just been another random loser off the street, the comments would have gotten far less traction, but because this time, the insolent and argumentative heckler was a former marine, there is a shock about it all.

Surprise! A marine can display a lack of respect! Shock, a governor would call a marine an idiot!

I don't know, I understand why you say it is fair game, but it shows how far politics really is from two people being able to present opposing viewpoints and be heard and instead must stray to gotcha moments with sympathetic characters. Shows the amount of power that those in high levels of business and government truly have, and the inability for one voice to be heard.

 

[TestOfTide]

p.s.
I don't want to accuse anyone in anything here, since again, I have very little facts outside that sound bite we all heard, but if I was trying to goad a politician, I would try to find a Navy Seal, you always want to get the elected officials attacking (without their knowledge) people in the g spot of the consensus like war heroes, terminal patients etc.

Though it should be noted that I think this is a legitimate tactic.

Politics is about finding the best person in getting your message across. This is inevitable in all areas of politics and shouldn't be looked down upon. The important thing is that you counter a person's points rather than try and counter the person.

EDIT: removed the incorrect stuff.

 

[Lucky Forward]

If I recall the Rosa Parks incident was deliberately planned because civil rights advocates knew it would look worse for segregationists if it was an elderly woman that was being forced to the back of the bus.

Come on now, you can easily look this stuff up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks

I had not planned to get arrested. I had plenty to do without having to end up in jail.

I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two.

 

[TestOfTide]

My bad, something I had heard and wasn't form some crazy hardcore conservative so I assumed it wasn't BS.

 

[SteveWinwood]

Should have used the word "manslut"

Re: Chichikov, it is the using of people with public emotional attachments as a way to ambush a politician is just the sad state of affairs that is politics. Like you said, had this guy just been another random loser off the street, the comments would have gotten far less traction, but because this time, the insolent and argumentative heckler was a former marine, there is a shock about it all.

Surprise! A marine can display a lack of respect! Shock, a governor would call a marine an idiot!

I don't know, I understand why you say it is fair game, but it shows how far politics really is from two people being able to present opposing viewpoints and be heard and instead must stray to gotcha moments with sympathetic characters. Shows the amount of power that those in high levels of business and government truly have, and the inability for one voice to be heard.

This shit is just as old as politics. It's nothing new.

 

[AlteredBeast]

This shit is just as old as politics. It's nothing new.

Old as time itself. Doesn't make it anymore honorable or justified. Just shows how easily managed and influenced the average person is. Everyone needs a tangible symbol of a cause.

 

[Jackson50]

I would reserve judgment until I see the full video of that town-hall meeting.
There's an art to provoke an angry response that would make a politician look horrible in a news clip (I should know, I did it, many times).
Again, I don't know all the facts here, but I know you can be put in a situation where every normative person would react like Christie did.
Now it's true, an expert politician often can rise above such things, but I'm not in a rush to personally condemn an elected official on such incidents.

I rarely comment on such incidents because I feel petty. But Christie has repeatedly demonstrated he's pugnacious and temperamental. And although the former's tolerable, it leads to trouble when combined with a bad temper.

My bad, something I had heard and wasn't form some crazy hardcore conservative so I assumed it wasn't BS.

 

[Chichikov]

Re: Chichikov, it is the using of people with public emotional attachments as a way to ambush a politician is just the sad state of affairs that is politics. Like you said, had this guy just been another random loser off the street, the comments would have gotten far less traction, but because this time, the insolent and argumentative heckler was a former marine, there is a shock about it all.

Surprise! A marine can display a lack of respect! Shock, a governor would call a marine an idiot!

I don't know, I understand why you say it is fair game, but it shows how far politics really is from two people being able to present opposing viewpoints and be heard and instead must stray to gotcha moments with sympathetic characters. Shows the amount of power that those in high levels of business and government truly have, and the inability for one voice to be heard.

I'm not even saying it's justified.
I'm not all that informed about the issue they were arguing about, seem like a regional concern.

And yeah, open dialog is always better, but when you're on the outside looking in, sometime, that's the only way you can get your voice heard.

EDIT: removed the incorrect stuff.

It wasn't really incorrect.
Much of the civil rights activities (yes, including Rosa Parks) was specifically designed to trigger an overreaction by the racist establishment, ideally to force the federal government to step in.
Why do you think they all went to Birmingham?
It wasn't for the night life, it was because the city was effectively under the control of a dumb racist fuck, who ran the city like a Footloose remake, directed by Leni Riefenstahl.

They knew they can get him to overreact.

And it worked.

You can argue if she wanted or expected to get arrested that day, I don't know, but I'm certain she didn't hope that they just let her ride at the front of the bus, that would've have achieved nothing.

 

[AlteredBeast]

I rarely comment on such incidents because I feel petty. But Christie has repeatedly demonstrated he's pugnacious and temperamental. And although the former's tolerable, it leads to trouble when combined with a bad temper.

I agree on both points. Especially as a potential VP pick, he better demonstrate some reserve over the next few months to not be labeled a complete hothead. Even then, it is probably too late. Same goes for 2016 pres candidate slot.

 

[elrechazado]

Acknowledging that many of the great events of the civil rights movement were planned (bus boycott anyone?) doesn't make them any less brave, momentous, or impactful. I'm damned glad that people got together and planned that stuff - they made things happen that way. Spontaneity does not equal authenticity.

 

[Chichikov]

Acknowledging that many of the great events of the civil rights movement were planned (bus boycott anyone?) doesn't make them any less brave, momentous, or impactful. I'm damned glad that people got together and planned that stuff - they made things happen that way. Spontaneity does not equal authenticity.

I wholeheartedly agree.
I hope I didn't came across as attacking or diminishing Rosa Parks, as nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[Black Republican]

Santorum's got a bit of a lead in Kansas so far with 23% in, rural areas being counted first though

http://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results

 

[Jackson50]

I agree on both points. Especially as a potential VP pick, he better demonstrate some reserve over the next few months to not be labeled a complete hothead. Even then, it is probably too late. Same goes for 2016 pres candidate slot.

Yeah. It's the primary reason I never considered him an appealing running mate. A running mate can only detract from the ticket. And Christie's temperamental disposition is prohibitively risky.

Santorum's got a bit of a lead in Kansas so far with 23% in, rural areas being counted first though

http://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results

KS is irrelevant compared to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Unless Romney wins, of course.

 

[Oblivion]

Santorum's got a bit of a lead in Kansas so far with 23% in, rural areas being counted first though

http://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results

Wait, there are more primaries going on today?

 

[AlteredBeast]

Yeah. It's the primary reason I never considered him an appealing running mate. A running mate can only detract from the ticket. And Christie's temperamental disposition is prohibitively risky.KS is irrelevant compared to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Unless Romney wins, of course.

I think you have that backwards. If Romney wins Kansas, the media will just say, "yeah, but he spent X or only won in X counties", but if/when he loses, it will continue to be "Romney can't seal the deal/appeal to true conservatives/rural nutters/midwesterners/etc." Rinse and repeat. Kansas really doesn't matter, but Santorum is going to trumpet it like crazy tonight.

Whoa, Santorum took Wichita. hmmm, maybe he will end up with the cities/two-horse towns of Kansas.

 

[Snake]

In Newt's Georgia victory rant he essentially said that he needed Alabama and Mississippi if he was going to stay relevant to the race. So if Santorum wins MS and AL, what are the odds that Newt drops out and endorses him?

 

[GhaleonEB]

I think you have that backwards. If Romney wins Kansas, the media will just say, "yeah, but he spent X or only won in X counties", but if/when he loses, it will continue to be "Romney can't seal the deal/appeal to true conservatives/rural nutters/midwesterners/etc." Rinse and repeat. Kansas really doesn't matter, but Santorum is going to trumpet it like crazy tonight.

Whoa, Santorum took Wichita. hmmm, maybe he will end up with the cities/two-horse towns of Kansas.

He appears on track to take all 40 delegates. Delegates are only allocated to candidates who receive 20% or more of the vote.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

In Newt's Georgia victory rant he essentially said that he needed Alabama and Mississippi if he was going to stay relevant to the race. So if Santorum wins MS and AL, what are the odds that Newt drops out and endorses him?

Recent polls point to Santorum not winning either.

PublicPolicyPolling ‏ @ppppolls Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Alabama looks like a 3 way tie with maybe slight advantage Romney...but it's just the first round of calls

3h PublicPolicyPolling ‏ @ppppolls Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Mississippi looks like it's between Gingrich and Romney with Santorum falling well back

 

[AlteredBeast]

He appears on track to take all 40 delegates. Delegates are only allocated to candidates who receive 20% or more of the vote.

Pretty crazy. That would make Santorum only about 200 delegates behind Romney.

 

[jamesinclair]

Its a blowout

Rick Santorum has won the Republican presidential caucuses in Kansas.

Santorum holds an overwhelming lead with 61 percents of the precincts reporting, capturing 53 percent of the vote--only about 7,700 people--so far. Mitt Romney is in second with 17 percent, followed by Newt Gingrich with 16 percent and Ron Paul with 13 percent. If his large lead holds up, Santorum stands to gain a substantial number of Kansas' 40 delegates.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/...e-kansas-presidential-caucuses-185427434.html

Romney also didn't focus on the state, although he did win an endorsement from Bob Dole, the former Kansas senator and presidential candidate, in December.

Voter enthusiasm is sky high

But Romney had already picked up 18 delegates elsewhere for himself on Saturday. In what might be a record for individual votes per delegate, Romney won nine delegates Saturday when 207 Republicans in Guam endorsed his presidential candidacy. And then he won another nine delegates by winning the Republican caucuses in the Northern Mariana Islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands is also holding its Republican presidential caucuses on Saturday, with six delegates at stake.

 

[AlteredBeast]

Its a blowout



http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/...e-kansas-presidential-caucuses-185427434.html

It looks like about what Romney did to everyone in Idaho. Both extremely irrelevant states.

 

[gutter_trash]

lol, this race his awesome
fivethirtyeight.com projection suggest 3 different winners for each state next Tuesday muhahaha

 

[Snake]

Recent polls point to Santorum not winning either.

Interesting. I would have figured it would be Newt with a slight lead, Santorum in second, and Romney trailing.

 

[GhaleonEB]

So with 76% reporting, Santorum has 53.4% to Romney's 17%. Everyone else is less. Romney hasn't budged since 50% reported in. Unless he gets a spike in the last quarter of precincts, Santorum takes all of Kansas. Kansas is irrelevant and all, but 40 delegates is a good chunk to pick up.

Edit: actually, it looks like if he's the only one to clear 20%, then it's a proportional split. What an odd set of rules.

At-large delegates and alternate delegates shall be bound on a proportional basis to candidates receiving in excess of 20% of the certified statewide vote of the Presidential Preference caucus held on March 10, 2012. In the event that a single candidate or no candidate receives in excess of 20% of the certified statewide vote total then the sections pertaining to that requirement shall be null and void and the allocation determined from the results of the entire pool of statewide candidates.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Interesting. I would have figured it would be Newt with a slight lead, Santorum in second, and Romney trailing.

It is strange. So far we have, Romney winning Miss, New leading in Ala. but a very close race there and Santorum leading Wisconsin.

Santorum's best chance is winning Ala. and Wisconsin, he doesn't look like getting even close in Miss. Which is strange.

 

[TestOfTide]

Voter enthusiasm is sky high

That's not good. If voter enthusiasm is highest the south then that means the conservatives are still going to vote in high numbers even if Romney gets nominated.

 

[AlteredBeast]

So with 76% reporting, Santorum has 53.4% to Romney's 17%. Everyone else is less. Romney hasn't budged since 50% reported in. Unless he gets a spike in the last quarter of precincts, Santorum takes all of Kansas. Kansas is irrelevant and all, but 40 delegates is a good chunk to pick up.

Edit: actually, it looks like if he's the only one to clear 20%, then it's a proportional split. What an odd set of rules.

The primaries are crazy and full of some strange rules.

 

[Tamanon]

That's not good. If voter enthusiasm is highest the south then that means the conservatives are still going to vote in high numbers even if Romney gets nominated.

I fail to see the issue. The South was never in play.