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[cartoon_soldier]

And Here We go...

@RalstonReports
I'm reliably told that POTUS visit to Vegas will involve an immigration announcement. Would make sense: Huge Hispanic pop. here

 

[Hobbestetrician]

Biden must have read jamesinclair's posts:

Biden Scores 800-feet of Copper Wire

WASHINGTON—Calling it a “major-ass haul” that would provide “some much-needed scratch,” Vice President Joe Biden reportedly scored over 800 feet of copper wire from a foreclosed home in the D.C. suburbs, White House sources confirmed Thursday.

Biden, who is admittedly “flat fucking broke” from throwing numerous “ragin’ keggers” over the last nine months, recently devised the plan to strip copper wiring around the Washington, D.C. area after hearing that there was a thriving black market for the ductile metal.

“There’s tons of dough in copper wire if you’ve got the know-how,” the vice president was overheard telling a White House official, explaining that he learned the hard way that swiping manhole covers wasn’t worth the hassle. “As Lady Luck always says, moving copper ain’t easy. But if you play the metal game right, you’re looking at something like a two- to three-grand payday for a night’s worth of work.”

“At this point, I’m just looking for a dealer who won’t dick me over,” Biden added. “It’s tough finding a trustworthy metal theft ring. Some of the guys in this biz can be real pieces of shit.”

While tearing down the walls of a vacated residence in Reston, VA earlier this week, the former six-term Delaware senator was reportedly stoked to discover a “goddamn goldmine” of “pure coil” after smashing a hole in the masonry barrier with a sledgehammer.

“When we were breaking into the basement window, I told my buddy Blaze that I had a damn good feeling about the joint,” Biden reportedly informed several colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “One second, me and Blaze are covered in plaster dust from busting holes in drywall, and the next thing I know we’re celebrating our killer score of primo copper with a couple 40s of King Cobra.”

According to aides familiar with the vice president’s illicit activity, Biden and his partner Blaze have had marginal success stripping copper from buildings around the Capitol, often breaking into strip malls and construction sites at night to “gank” wire from the walls.

During one robbery the veteran politician had dubbed “Operation Diablo,” the vice president and Blaze waited until Congress went on a five-week hiatus before “hitting up” the Library of Congress, which Biden had observed “has a shit-ton of copper.”

Biden reportedly struggled to sell the copper wire stolen from the Library of Congress, blaming a series of critical setbacks that included a doomed alliance with Blaze’s “hothead” cousin Derek who ruined several “juicy” deals by making enemies at numerous scrap yards.

“Had a real tough time unloading it last time,” said Biden, referring to a “sketchy” deal in which negotiations broke down with a buyer at a Washington recycling plant. “Sure, sometimes Diamond Joe goes barking up the wrong tree. This one ballbuster tried to jerk me out of 300 smackers. Truth be told, a lot of these cheap bastards wouldn’t know a deal on quality wire if it was stomping on their nuts.”

“Almost sold some scrap metal to [House Minority Leader John] Boehner, though,” Biden added. “He didn’t bite, but I got a pretty good feeling I got him in the bag for next time around.”

Sources confirmed that until Biden can determine a more viable course of action, the vice president plans to stow his latest copper score in a rented storage unit outside Bethesda, which also houses his collection of vintage stag films and tanto knives.

Biden also announced plans to scale back operations with Blaze, who the 70-year-old public servant increasingly believes will double-cross him.

“Blaze can no longer be trusted,” said the vice president while covering copper tubing with a tarp, noting that Blaze’s plan to strip coil from the vice presidential residence during his first term left him without power for six weeks. “He wants to keep it in his shed, but I said no can do.”

“One minute we’re stripping grade-A orange from the National Museum of History, and the next, Blaze is hopping the border to Tennessee with [Secretary of Transportation] Ray [LaHood] and a truck full of my wire," Biden added. “From now on, Joe flips coil solo.”

At press time, Biden was reportedly encouraging President Barack Obama to get in on the action.

 

[Clevinger]

And Here We go...

When is that?

 

[Touchdown]

Hey all, I'm sure you guys discussed this to death at some point already but at work today my manager told me that they are soon going to be cutting all the part-time workers hours to 29 max because of the Affordable Care Act. I work at a large grocery chain on the east coast and I'm part time but I usually work 35-40 hours a week and would probably not be able to make ends meat at 29 hours a week. :/ My question is can they do this? or is he just retelling a scary republican talking point?

 

[pigeon]

I think the best way to state that is that in today's America, NPV is more favorable to Democrats than the current implementation of the electoral college.

I think everyone can agree with that.

I don't agree with that, and I think it's obviously untrue given Obama's victories in the electoral college outstripping his victories in the popular vote, but I am wary of continuing to utterly derail the thread.

 

[Qazaq]

I think the best way to state that is that in today's America, NPV is more favorable to Democrats than the current implementation of the electoral college.

I think everyone can agree with that.

People like pigeon, Dax, etc., don't really want to acknowledge it.

The simple fact is, Democrats are pushing for it and Republicans are not. It doesn't take a genius to figure out which party stands to gain from the changes. It's not rocket science, and for people like Dax to be all coy "No it doesn't" -- well that's fine, you can say whatever you want and think whatever you want, but the more objective fact of the matter is that Democrats are pushing it. And you know what? They're not pushing it because the Democratic party en masse is just such a stalwart defender of rights that they'd be willing to push for changes even if it'd give Republicans a better shot at winning.

It just doesn't work like that.

 

[Chichikov]

The simple fact is, Democrats are pushing for it and Republicans are not. It doesn't take a genius to figure out which party stands to gain from the changes. It's not rocket science, and for people like Dax to be all coy "No it doesn't" -- well that's fine, you can say whatever you want and think whatever you want, but the more objective fact of the matter is that Democrats are pushing it. And you know what? They're not pushing it because the Democratic party en masse is just such a stalwart defender of rights that they'd be willing to push for changes even if it'd give Republicans a better shot at winning.

It just doesn't work like that.

Not sure why it matters who is pushing for it and why.
If it's a good policy we should support it and if it's bad we shouldn't.

p.s.
Generally, I think it's better to talk to people than it is to talk about them, even if you really really disagree with them.

 

[Oblivion]

Someone really needs to teach me how to embed videos on DHP. :/

 

[PhoenixDark]

And Here We go...

Seems like multiple groups are ready to go
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/immigration-bill_n_2529042.html?utm_hp_ref=immigration

I doubt Obama will introduce any legislation, his White House doesn't really do that. But I'm sure he'll lay out his expectations in relation to a pathway to citizenship which will be interesting. Rubio's plan - which is basically Bush's 2007 plan as well as Obama's - basically has a pathway to citizenship, yet doesn't use that exact wording.

 

[RDreamer]

Someone really needs to teach me how to embed videos on DHP. :/

Add media > Insert from URL

 

[PhoenixDark]

Hey all, I'm sure you guys discussed this to death at some point already but at work today my manager told me that they are soon going to be cutting all the part-time workers hours to 29 max because of the Affordable Care Act. I work at a large grocery chain on the east coast and I'm part time but I usually work 35-40 hours a week and would probably not be able to make ends meat at 29 hours a week. :/ My question is can they do this? or is he just retelling a scary republican talking point?

Pretty much yes. Employers unwilling to pay healthcare benefits for their employees are doing this to skirt the law. Sucks for workers big time, not sure I support that aspect of the law

 

[Chichikov]

Hey all, I'm sure you guys discussed this to death at some point already but at work today my manager told me that they are soon going to be cutting all the part-time workers hours to 29 max because of the Affordable Care Act. I work at a large grocery chain on the east coast and I'm part time but I usually work 35-40 hours a week and would probably not be able to make ends meat at 29 hours a week. :/ My question is can they do this? or is he just retelling a scary republican talking point?

The mandate only apply for workers who average over 30 hours a week, and it seems like your employer really really doesn't want to give its workforce health insurance, though I'm not sure if it's fair to blame Obama for that.

 

[watershed]

Hey all, I'm sure you guys discussed this to death at some point already but at work today my manager told me that they are soon going to be cutting all the part-time workers hours to 29 max because of the Affordable Care Act. I work at a large grocery chain on the east coast and I'm part time but I usually work 35-40 hours a week and would probably not be able to make ends meat at 29 hours a week. :/ My question is can they do this? or is he just retelling a scary republican talking point?

Yes they can and yes they will. Lots of companies are doing this to avoid the mandate to offer health insurance to their employees. Implementation of the ACA is going to be ugly and people who oppose it, be it business owners or republicans, will find a whole host of ways to damage it and turn public opinion against it.

 

[RDreamer]

My senator, Ron Johnson, looks more silly by the day

 

[Oblivion]

Add media > Insert from URL

You make it sound so easy.

 

[Amir0x]

So if Obama pushes Immigration reform and gets a widespread, country-changing immigration deal with Republicans, it'll confirm he's going to try to overwhelm the Congress with progressive ideals until such time his voter mandate fades in 6 or 7 months

 

[The Librarian]

Josh Marshall is sounding the alarm on the GOP's electoral scheme.

 

[watershed]

My senator, Ron Johnson, looks more silly by the day

Gotta love politicians who can't even do their jobs but love to show off for the cameras.

 

[pigeon]

People like pigeon, Dax, etc., don't really want to acknowledge it.

 

[Amir0x]

Gotta love politicians who can't even do their jobs but love to show off for the cameras.

It's so worrisome how this anti-intellectual movement has spread like a plague. To be dumber is actually a virtue it seems. Probably on a Bioshock-esque banner hauntingly flapping in the woods with the words "No Knowledge or Skepticism. Only Big Stick."

Josh Marshall is sounding the alarm on the GOP's electoral scheme.

Nice. Glad the ball is still slowly rolling. If Pennsylvania and Ohio start this scheme moving, it's going to get scary. Pennsylvania in particular seems particularly vulnerable to this. The Governor openly stated his support for it.

 

[Touchdown]

Yes they can and yes they will. Lots of companies are doing this to avoid the mandate to offer health insurance to their employees. Implementation of the ACA is going to be ugly and people who oppose it, be it business owners or republicans, will find a whole host of ways to damage it and turn public opinion against it.

Well that sucks. Do you think it would be possible to make an amendment to the law at least before it takes effect? Maybe to mandatory for workers over 42 hours a week... If not I'm likely going to have to get another job. XD

 

[The Librarian]

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/feministing/Feministing%20NEW%20ALBUM/hclinton-nodding_zps3be9c096.gif[img][/QUOTE]
[img]http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/abc_clinton_fiery_130123_mn.jpg

Nice. Glad the ball is still slowly rolling. If Pennsylvania and Ohio start this scheme moving, it's going to get scary. Pennsylvania in particular seems particularly vulnerable to this. The Governor openly stated his support for it.

Republicans are currently demonstrating the best reasoning to switch to NPV. We could've saved a half-dozen pages by only linking to articles about what they're trying to do.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Josh Marshall is sounding the alarm on the GOP's electoral scheme.

Very hard to see that working in Ohio or Michigan.

 

[Qazaq]

Not sure why it matters who is pushing for it and why.
If it's a good policy we should support it and if it's bad we shouldn't.

.....



Because whether or not you think it's good policy tends to be mixed in with whether or not you think it's advantageous.

Republicans who push for voter ID laws don't go home and drink wine over how many people they're disenfranchising. They think it's good policy and it restores integrity to the elections process.

Oh, and it helps them.

 

[The Librarian]

.....



Because whether or not you think it's good policy tends to be mixed in with whether or not you think it's advantageous.

Republicans who push for voter ID laws don't go home and drink wine over how many people they're disenfranchising. They think it's good policy and it restores integrity to the elections process.

Oh, and it helps them.

Are you now equating supporting NPV to supporting voter ID laws?

 

[Gotchaye]

.....



Because whether or not you think it's good policy tends to be mixed in with whether or not you think it's advantageous.

Republicans who push for voter ID laws don't go home and drink wine over how many people they're disenfranchising. They think it's good policy and it restores integrity to the elections process.

Oh, and it helps them.

I really doubt this is true, if by "Republicans who push for voter ID laws" you're talking about people who spend a fair amount of time talking about the issue in front of cameras or on the floors of state legislatures. Or at least it's not true in the way that they present it as being true. Their concern about voter fraud is about as transparent as creationists claiming that Intelligent Design has nothing to do with religion. Now, I've spoken to a few people who are both informed and willing to defend these laws as restoring integrity to the process, but they think the laws do this by disenfranchising people who have no business voting (because they're takers or lazy/stupid or what-have-you). Or at least they think that this is a beneficial side effect of maybe reducing voter fraud very slightly.

 

[watershed]

Well that sucks. Do you think it would be possible to make an amendment to the law at least before it takes effect? Maybe to mandatory for workers over 42 hours a week... If not I'm likely going to have to get another job. XD

That's not possible and it wouldn't make sense. There are plenty of people who work only 20 to 30 hours a week or less for valid reasons not because their employers don't want to pay them more or are artificially limiting the number of hours available. Then you have situations like yours which will become more common as we move towards implementation.

 

[Chichikov]

Because whether or not you think it's good policy tends to be mixed in with whether or not you think it's advantageous.

Advantageous to the DNC?
I assure you that's not the case for me.

Seriously, don't you think it's more productive to discuss the pros and cons of each system instead of trying to guess posters' motivations?
I promise you that if anyone here try to justify something by saying it will make it easier from Democrats to win and nothing else, I'll have your back in the discussion, for real.

 

[PhoenixDark]

.....



Because whether or not you think it's good policy tends to be mixed in with whether or not you think it's advantageous.

Republicans who push for voter ID laws don't go home and drink wine over how many people they're disenfranchising. They think it's good policy and it restores integrity to the elections process.

Oh, and it helps them.

They do in Florida

 

[Oblivion]

 

[SouthernDragon]

Qazaq, you do realize can advocate for an objectively superior position even thought it might benefit one side or another?

 

[RDreamer]

Woo, apparently my latest post on dHP will be appearing on Freshly Pressed. That is, it'll be on the wordpress.com homepage in a day or two!

Apparently they hand pick 10 blog posts every day for that promotion. I'm so happy! Hopefully this will elevate us.

 

[Particle Physicist]

Is he retarded?

 

[watershed]

I absolutely love how republicans think.

 

[B-Dubs]

What a goddamn moron. How does he get up in the morning without his blanket strangling him?

 

[Chichikov]

Is he retarded?

He's a troll fighting to stay relevant.
But man, he's no Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh.
That's some weaksauce trolling right there.

 

[Gotchaye]

Woo, apparently my latest post on dHP will be appearing on Freshly Pressed. That is, it'll be on the wordpress.com homepage in a day or two!

Apparently they hand pick 10 blog posts every day for that promotion. I'm so happy! Hopefully this will elevate us.

Nice. Also you forgot the gif.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Nice. Glad the ball is still slowly rolling. If Pennsylvania and Ohio start this scheme moving, it's going to get scary. Pennsylvania in particular seems particularly vulnerable to this. The Governor openly stated his support for it.

If this happens - and it sure looks like it is - then Obama needs to nationalize it in a big way. Ignoring it or working it at the state level will do nothing for public awareness and pushback.

 

[RDreamer]

Nice. Also you forgot the gif.

Woops

Also, last night I'm pretty sure I dreamt that I should make dHP mugs.

 

[Oblivion]

Okay, I wasn't too bummed out on the filibuster reforms that we got, cause I thought we improved post cloture delays, which was supposed to be 2 hours, dropped from 30. But it turns out it's STILL 30 hours.

Consider me on board the Fuck Harry Reid train.

 

[RustyNails]

Woo, apparently my latest post on dHP will be appearing on Freshly Pressed. That is, it'll be on the wordpress.com homepage in a day or two!

Apparently they hand pick 10 blog posts every day for that promotion. I'm so happy! Hopefully this will elevate us.

Nice!


As for those devious Republican plans, Is it too optimistic to hope for some sort of federal injunction?

 

[cartoon_soldier]

If this happens - and it sure looks like it is - then Obama needs to nationalize it in a big way. Ignoring it or working it at the state level will do nothing for public awareness and pushback.

Agreed. GOP is pushing this from the top of RNC, Democrats need to get in front of it.

 

[Qazaq]

Are you now equating supporting NPV to supporting voter ID laws?

Are you now avoiding the actual point being made?

Qazaq, you do realize can advocate for an objectively superior position even thought it might benefit one side or another?

No.


No, as in, if you're a politician. And those are the people who decide these things. You and I? Sure.

In professional politics?

No. Whether or not they "should", they cannot forget about that. Or, rather, they don't. Again, the Hurricane Sandy relief vote is one of the most obvious examples on how such a clear moral thing to do was complicated by politics and partisan advantage, in some way (I mean I don't know what the politics behind it were all that much, but they were there).

You can think it's despicable, but it's always there.

That's why Joe Schmo NeoGAF poster's opinion on this stuff is all fine and well, but in terms of reality, you cannot ignore the political partisan implications. Because the politicians never do.

 

[The Librarian]

Are you now avoiding the actual point being made?

I'm just asking you to clarify your positions, dude. Is supporting NPV the same as supporting voter ID laws?

Besides, another reason for supporting NPV is that it can't be manipulated in the way the electoral college can. Like what the Republicans are trying to do in VA, PA, MI, and OH.

 

[platypotamus]

Ignatz, you have to ignore Dax. She's basically being as dense, partisan, and stubborn as any of the Republicans proposing the district switch. As soon as you realize that, it's better to not engage with her.

wat. My PoliGAF kid brother is really my PoliGAF kid sister? Or is she a lot older than I previously thought too?

Cosign. I enjoy Dax's post (here and on the new blog) regardless of this topic.

WAT. I thought I asked you guys if I missed anything while I was gone for the past week or so? I thought you guys said no? You've been holding out on me!

 

[RDreamer]

wat. My PoliGAF kid brother is really my PoliGAF kid sister? Or is she a lot older than I previously thought too?

I like how people keep discovering this every 3 pages or so. At this point Dax should just have her avatar straight up say it so we don't have to be surprised anymore.

WAT. I thought I asked you guys if I missed anything while I was gone for the past week or so? I thought you guys said no? You've been holding out on me!

here

 

[Qazaq]

I'm just asking you to clarify your positions, dude. Is supporting NPV the same as supporting voter ID laws?

Does the Hurricane Sandy aid vote have anything to do with the EC?

They're just examples to point out that politicians are usually coming from a huge grey of whether a policy helps people and is also advantageous to the party. Of course it matters if something is good policy -- but you can't forget about the politics, and a lot of times these two intertwine. Voter ID laws are a good example of that. There are scores of Republicans that really believe there is Voter fraud; or even if it's fraud that's not quite the same as literally people showing up to vote as someone else. Even if you throw facts in their face -- to them, it is genuinely good policy AND advantageous.

Besides, another reason for supporting NPV is that it can't be manipulated in the way the electoral college can. Like what the Republicans are trying to do in VA, PA, MI, and OH. That doesn't have anything to do with party.

Actually, you could argue that the NPV could make it an even more manipulatable process. Imagine doing the 2000 election recount, except no one really knows where to look for faulty voting areas.

 

[RustyNails]

Rob & Farhan, can you guys categorize your blog entries? It makes it easier for search engines

 

[Amir0x]

hhahaha

not even a photoshop

A pesky Musca domestica (per pooler Brian Beutler of Talking Points Memo) landed on the president's face during a press conference Thursday to announce his picks to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Obama swatted at the fly a couple of times, and the official White House transcript records, "This guy is bothering me here—(swatting at a fly.)"

Link

 

[The Librarian]

Does the Hurricane Sandy aid vote have anything to do with the EC?

What does Hurricane Sandy have to do with anything? I don't understand your point.

They're just examples to point out that politicians are usually coming from a huge grey of whether a policy helps people and is also advantageous to the party. Of course it matters if something is good policy -- but you can't forget about the politics, and a lot of times these two intertwine. Voter ID laws are a good example of that. There are scores of Republicans that really believe there is Voter fraud; or even if it's fraud that's not quite the same as literally people showing up to vote as someone else. Even if you throw facts in their face -- to them, it is genuinely good policy AND advantageous.

So if I advocate for a national popular vote but at the same time condemn voter ID laws, am I being a hypocrite?

Actually, you could argue that the NPV could make it an even more manipulatable process. Imagine doing the 2000 election recount, except no one really knows where to look for faulty voting areas.

This example doesn't work. You're applying problems with the electoral college and assuming it'll be the same in a NPV. Gore won the popular vote by about 500,000 votes, so the recount in Florida wouldn't have mattered.