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[T'Zariah]

Since 9/11, conservatives have really force-fed this nation that America is the greatest in everything and the world is jealous of everything we do.

It's leaked into things like health care where only the delusional or ignorant could believe the rest of the modernized world looks up to us. We have the best emergency care and generally great health care for those who can easily afford it, but for everyone else it's pretty shit.

This is where we need to make a distinction about HealthCare debates in this country.

Our Health Care is top notch by any standards and in certain areas of the country easily trounces the rest of the world.

It's the costs that are the problem with the system that causes everything else to be fucked.

 

[PhoenixDark]

This is where we need to make a distinction about HealthCare debates in this country.

Our Health Care is top notch by any standards and in certain areas of the country easily trounces the rest of the world.

It's the costs that are the problem with the system that causes everything else to be fucked.

In short, our health care is fine. Our health insurance is atrocious.

 

[Fenderputty]

This is where we need to make a distinction about HealthCare debates in this country.

Our Health Care is top notch by any standards and in certain areas of the country easily trounces the rest of the world.

It's the costs that are the problem with the system that causes everything else to be fucked.

This is often a source of an argument coming from the right though. We have the best care due to the "for profit" model of insurance we have. Our for profit model attracts the best doctors and will see the highest R&D for new meds etc etc. This often ignores basic data that people in countries with a single payer systems live longer and have better general care overall. But boy o boy we have the best specialists in the world if you ever get that rare form of some genetic nerve disease or some rare cancer.

 

[kingkitty]

Carlos Danger drops to fourth place for likely voters according to a Quinnipiac poll released today.

 

[jamesinclair]

Carlos Danger drops to fourth place for likely voters according to a Quinnipiac poll released today.

If only Obama had whipped out his dick, this country would have been such a better place

 

[zero shift]

There was a cool app released today that lets you vote on bills before the House, and your representative will be able to see how you vote. It shows what bills have been introduced to the House, what's being voted on at the moment, and a link to a summary of each bill.

Now there’s another entrant in this space: Capitol Bells, an iPhone app that lets constituents “vote” on legislation alongside their representatives. Unlike other attempts at bringing transparency to the legislative sausage factory, this one works in real time. And crucially, it could prove as useful to lawmakers as to voters.

Ted Henderson is the developer behind the project. Until January, Henderson was a staffer for Rep. Dale Kildee, a Michigan Democrat. When his boss retired this year, Henderson spent the next seven months coding an app to help new staffers become accustomed to Congress’s unique buzzer system that indicates when votes are happening.​

I downloaded it. >.<

This app is great. And I just realized who represents my district! Paul Ryan!

 

[Black Mamba]

The author of a pretend postcard intended as an economics lesson for President Barack Obama could perhaps have benefited from more rigorous study in the fine art of spelling.

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann's welcome message to the leader of the free world took Obama to task for policies that Fleischmann's called "burdensome" to Chattanooga-area businesses.

The congressman praised Tennessee's pro-growth, right-to-work policies and criticized the increasingly unpopular health care reform that Republicans call Obamacare.

His missive also added two new verbs to the English lexicon, while inventing an adjective and misspelling the name of one of the original 13 colonies.

"We appreciate that you are in town celebrting [sic] the businesses that have come to Tennessee thanks to our low regulation, low taxes and right-to-work policies," Fleischmann wrote in his faux postcard. "While here, I invite you to visist [sic] a few historial [sic], natural attractions like Ruby Falls, a true Chattanooga treasure."

The card was addressed to the president at "1600 Pensylvannia [sic] Avenue."

Tennessee has attracted thousands of jobs during the Great Recession through a combination of business-friendly policies and strong tax incentives, but the state's education system consistently ranks near the bottom of the pack.

Fewer than half of Hamilton County students in grades 3 through 8 can read at their grade level, according to standardized test results.

L
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[The Librarian]

Brian Beutler for Fed chair.

 

[Jooney]

L
O
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And here comes Black Mumba with his liberal elitism, telling honest hard working Americans like the gentlemen from Tennessee how to spell words "correctly". If the good Representative wants to spell Pennsylvania with one 'n' then it his god given right as an American.

Spoiler

this is just sad

 

[NYCmetsfan]

L
O
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Well at least we know he was born and raised there

 

[RustyNails]

L
O
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I like how the article subtly implies that Fleischmann probably fell through the cracks in Tennessee's abysmal education system, hence the mistakes in postcard.

 

[The Librarian]

Some signs from the last Moral Monday protest of the legislative session in North Carolina.

 

[Jooney]

Some signs from the last Moral Monday protest of the legislative session in North Carolina.

Which one are you? There's no Sophie Ellis Bexter doppelgänger in sight.

 

[Jackson50]

This is often a source of an argument coming from the right though. We have the best care due to the "for profit" model of insurance we have. Our for profit model attracts the best doctors and will see the highest R&D for new meds etc etc. This often ignores basic data that people in countries with a single payer systems live longer and have better general care overall. But boy o boy we have the best specialists in the world if you ever get that rare form of some genetic nerve disease or some rare cancer.

Yet much of the research for those novel treatments is publicly financed. Universal healthcare can provide comparable innovation to our currently execrable system.

Nate Silver did a Q&A on Deadspin a few hours ago.

http://deadspin.com/espns-nate-silver-is-here-to-answer-your-questions-951328525

How excited are you to work alongside Colin Cowherd and Rick Reilly?

 

[Link]

At least one of his parents was an American citizen. So he was born an American citizen. So he can run for president.

Not according to Republicans' own argument.

 

[User 406]

Not according to Republicans' own argument.

May I remind you that that argument was against a black man, and therefore would be completely inapplicable to Ted Cruz.

 

[Black Mamba]

Article is long and I made a thread about here, so here it is:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=638543

Here is the gist.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &#8212; Former Indiana and current Florida schools chief Tony Bennett built his national star by promising to hold "failing" schools accountable. But when it appeared an Indianapolis charter school run by a prominent Republican donor might receive a poor grade, Bennett's education team frantically overhauled his signature "A-F" school grading system to improve the school's marks.

Entire article pretty much exposes the fraud.

better than the Benghazi e-mails!

 

[RDreamer]

Oh boy...

MADISON (WITI) — Act 10 is arguably the most controversial law the state of Wisconsin has seen in a generation. The law limited most collective bargaining powers for most public employees. Police and fire unions were exempted from the reforms, but now, Gov. Scott Walker has suggested expanding Act 10 to include those unions.

“I think now, for those areas, having seen that the world didn’t come to an end for other municipal employees, there might be a greater opening going forward because they’d say, ‘hey, you know, things worked out,’” Gov. Walker said Monday, July 29th.

The remarks came at a public policy forum at UW-Milwaukee’s downtown Milwaukee campus.

In the uproar over the law curtailing collective bargaining powers for state employees, like teachers and nurses, two major unions were exempted.

Gov. Walker says the reason for that was public safety.

“If I had one jurisdiction where somebody walked off, or didn’t come to work or slowed down on things, and someone was injured or killed because of that — I said I can’t deal with that,” Gov. Walker said.

This app is great. And I just realized who represents my district! Paul Ryan!

Howdie fellow Wisconsinite. Luckily for me Ryan doesn't represent me, though his district is pretty close!

 

[empty vessel]

Oh boy...

I can't say I have a problem including police unions. It was politically smart to isolate them.

 

[Jooney]

I can't say I have a problem including police unions. It was politically smart to isolate them.

Wait, you don't think that police should be able to collectively bargain? That seems incongruent with your views on other PS employees.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Oh boy...

Oh Walker, you're doing a bang up job. Speaking of jobs, how's that coming along?

The monthly reports for 2013 show that the state has added 18,800 jobs in the first six months of this year. Added to the previous two years, and the count is 80,882, meaning the governor has 169,118 jobs remaining to meet his goal.

Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have asked.

 

[empty vessel]

Wait, you don't think that police should be able to collectively bargain? That seems incongruent with your views on other PS employees.

I'm not a fan of police. I'm happy to grant them collective bargaining if all public employees have it, but I'm not happy to treat them special by giving it to them to the exclusion of other public employees.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Scott Walker wants one more scalp before running for president, basically.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Scott Walker wants one more scalp before running for president, basically.

Scott Walker would be a terrible candidate for president.

Go for it GOP!

 

[Wilsongt]

I said God damn! Suffer, North Carolina.

 

[Jooney]

I'm not a fan of police. I'm happy to grant them collective bargaining if all public employees have it, but I'm not happy to treat them special by giving it to them to the exclusion of other public employees.

A groups right to collectively bargain is not contingent on your personal viewpoint of said group. If that was the case, the right to pull collective bargaining rights from Teachers was justified, based upon the views of many in Wisconsin (e.g. Supporters of Walker).

I understand that the Police are no prize at times but stripping CB rights is going to hurt ordinary people and their families.

We should be holding onto and fighting for union rights for all groups, and not readily throw away hard-fought victories based on personal prejudice.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

At this point I really feel like only living in blue states.

The thing if some of this stuff goes through, is it gonna be reversed? Things like collective bargaining, are they going to be able to reinstate it? It opens them up to attacks about favoring certain employees and giving "hand outs". I just feel like a lot of the stuff the GOP is pushing they know is unpopular but they are paying for it to be passed knowing it will be next to impossible to overturn.

But hey, they'll save a few bucks on their taxes!

 

[PhoenixDark]

I'm not a fan of police.

 

[RDreamer]

Scott Walker would be a terrible candidate for president.

Go for it GOP!

You know it's going to happen, right? I'd bet almost all the money I have that he's going to run.

And speaking of the Republican run for presidency, the new quarrel between Christie and Rand Paul is pretty hilarious and I hope it's a preview of what's to come.

 

[Black Mamba]

You know it's going to happen, right? I'd bet almost all the money I have that he's going to run.

And speaking of the Republican run for presidency, the new quarrel between Christie and Rand Paul is pretty hilarious and I hope it's a preview of what's to come.

Christie is starting to sound a lot like Rudy. NJ is practically NY. He is a loudmouth. Hm...

 

[empty vessel]

A groups right to collectively bargain is not contingent on your personal viewpoint of said group. If that was the case, the right to pull collective bargaining rights from Teachers was justified, based upon the views of many in Wisconsin (e.g. Supporters of Walker).

That's exactly how democracy works, though. It's a different question whether what happened in Wisconsin (or anywhere in the US) is actual democracy (I think it's broken here), but nevertheless democracy is just the sum of personal viewpoints.

I understand that the Police are no prize at times but stripping CB rights is going to hurt ordinary people and their families.

I personally don't consider police ordinary people. That's my opinion, obviously, and keep in mind I live in the US, not Europe. Police are different here. Think somewhere between Europe and Egypt, but probably closer to Egypt. Especially if you're a minority (which I'm not, and lord help me if I were, because I'd be off the charts radical if I did not have to just to think about it but actually live it).

 

[T'Zariah]

You know it's going to happen, right? I'd bet almost all the money I have that he's going to run.

And speaking of the Republican run for presidency, the new quarrel between Christie and Rand Paul is pretty hilarious and I hope it's a preview of what's to come.

Scott Walker? Nah. He'd be stomped out of oblivion. I don't think he wants that kind of attention. He's content with fucking Florida over.

 

[Jooney]

Scott Walker? Nah. He'd be stomped out of oblivion. I don't think he wants that kind of attention. He's content with fucking Florida over.

That's Rick Scott.

Scott Walker is the Gov of WI.

My bet is that Walker will be on many a VP Shortlist.

 

[Aaron]

That's Rick Scott.

Scott Walker is the Gov of WI.

My bet is that Walker will be on many a VP Shortlist.

To bring what exactly? His only national presence is negative press.

 

[T'Zariah]

That's Rick Scott.

Scott Walker is the Gov of WI.

My bet is that Walker will be on many a VP Shortlist.

Oh, fuck.

I didn't realize I was mixing the guys up.

 

[Jooney]

To bring what exactly? His only national presence is negative press.

Conservative credentials - broke the unions, cut taxes, easily overcame a temper tantrum Democrat recall election, cut gov worker jobs and pay, signed a voter ID law, repealed instate tuition for illegal immigrants...

He would be the Bulldog VP that shores up the base.

Oh, fuck.

I didn't realize I was mixing the guys up.

That's ok. They're both terrible in their own unique ways.

 

[Black Mamba]

Scott Walker can't be President. He's too conservative and suffers from the same Paul Ryan Douche Genetic Disorder. But I think Jooney is right, he could totally be VP. He won't help much but would help bring in some extra conservative money and make them feel better about themselves.

Walker's jobs record in Wisconsin is so horrible, though, I wonder if he can survive his next real election.

 

[Aaron]

Conservative credentials - broke the unions, cut taxes, easily overcame a temper tantrum Democrat recall election, cut gov worker jobs and pay, signed a voter ID law, repealed instate tuition for illegal immigrants...

He would be the Bulldog VP that shores up the base.

I guess this assumes the GOP are stupid. Because they don't need to shore up their base. It's as shored as it's ever going to get, and it won't win them a general. They'll need to reach out further, and even as VP Walker is pure poison.

I'm betting it will be Christie - Rand Paul hate fuck ticket.

 

[Oblivion]

Scott Walker can't be President. He's too conservative and suffers from the same Paul Ryan Douche Genetic Disorder.

Actually, it's his similarity to Paul Ryan that I think will allow him to be a top contender for the Republican presidential nominee. As Jooney listed, the dude has godlike credentials in conservative circles, but more importantly, like Paul Ryan, Walker always appears polite, and well mannered, which is something the beltway absolutely adores. He's not a bomb thrower like Ted Cruz and some of the other teabaggers, which gives him the reputation of being a "serious" candidate (again, just like Ryan the wunderkind).

Ryan was a bit damaged during the election, but the David Gregories, Tom Brokaws, and Joe Scarboroughs of the world are still enamored with him, so the choice will ultimately come down to him and Walker, imo.

 

[Jooney]

I guess this assumes the GOP are stupid.

Is there a body of post-election evidence that suggests otherwise? See the trope that the GOP just needs to get more whites and they'll be OK in 2016. Or their inability to reign in people like Steve King who go in front of a camera and say absolutely vile things about Mexican immigrants. Or their continuing temper tantrums on repealing ObamaCare (38 times and counting).

Because they don't need to shore up their base. It's as shored as it's ever going to get, and it won't win them a general. They'll need to reach out further, and even as VP Walker is pure poison.

I don't think they will change. They still fear the base and need to appease them. The VP pick could go the same way as the last two data points - Sarah Palin and Paul Ryan - two people that the base loves, but the rest of the country loathes.

Walker is also an executive (Governor) which the GOP loves.

I'm betting it will be Christie - Rand Paul hate fuck ticket.

Rand Paul is just as much as a "shore up the base" candidate as Walker, with the exception that he may be better with disenchanted / libertarian-leaning youth.

 

[Black Mamba]

But I think independent voters think Ryan is a douche. He has the douche gene. I think he's generally toxic and said as much during the election. Granted this is also anecdotal and I'm in Cali so taken with a grain of salt, but I've still yet to encounter a non-conservative female who didn't think Ryan was a douche (and I do mean swing voters) and even among the conservative ones it was very nose-pinching.

Walker isn't as bad as him in appearance but I just don't see either of them as very good national politicians.

And if the GOP is gonna go more hard-line conservative, might as well go with Rand Paul or Cruz (although, Cruz's droopy face makes him have long odds IMO).

I know it's partially superficial, but it's the truth.

 

[Aaron]

Rand Paul is just as much as a "shore up the base" candidate as Walker, with the exception that he may be better with disenchanted / libertarian-leaning youth.

That's why young Paul is a good pick. You get the shoring plus the added value of the 'undecided' and at least a shot at some of the youth vote. With Walker all you get are people who will never for vote Democrat anyway. You might get a few more actually going to the polls, but they're more likely to be motivated by Fox News scare tactics. I feel as a candidate Walker has no value. Palin was at least entertaining.

I wouldn't be surprised for Paul Ryan to rise up again either. My Republican coworker practically has a crush on him.

 

[T'Zariah]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhar...lly-could-obama-be-americas-best-president/2/

Best and worst article in the world?

And

at Reagan's economic performance being "superb"

 

[Aaron]

Reads like an Onion piece.

 

[Mrs. Manky]

Christie is starting to sound a lot like Rudy. NJ is practically NY. He is a loudmouth. Hm...

One could (crudely) say that Sandy was Christie's 9/11. In the sense of a tragedy that a leader dealt with, and came out of with positive press. (but no more than that, i'm ;not trying to truly compare Hurricane Sandy with 9/11, please don't hurt me)

Anyone have pics of Christie in a dress? Then our comparison could be complete.

 

[The Librarian]

Which one are you? There's no Sophie Ellis Bexter doppelgänger in sight.

Those are pictures taken from MoralMonday's twitter. I wasn't actually there because of school, otherwise I would've been!

 

[thepotatoman]

So The Economist wrote an article about what Romney was planning in his first 200 days according to his aides. Very interesting to see exactly what democrats avoided and republicans are missing out on.

http://www.economist.com/news/unite...victory-never-was-what-if-mitt-romney-had-won

Michael Leavitt, the former Utah governor who chaired Mr Romney’s transition team, describes plans to deliver a “jolt of confidence” by showing seriousness in a few big areas. He would simplify America’s spaghetti-spill of a tax code. He would grapple with the deficit; expand domestic energy production; and reduce the role of government in health care by hollowing out “Obamacare” reforms. Success was to be measured by bosses releasing cash they were hoarding when Mr Obama was president, and rushing to join a Romney-led American revival.

Team Romney’s 200-day plans included immediate, 5% cuts to public spending excluding security and social payments (though more money for defence), a weakening of the rules that Republicans say favour trade unions, a squeeze on public-sector jobs and pay, and a global push for free trade. Mr Romney would also have proposed lower income- and corporate-tax rates, offset by closing loopholes. Abolishing the Environmental Protection Agency, a conservative dream, was not on the cards. But “personnel is policy”, notes Glenn Hubbard, Mr Romney’s chief economic adviser. Those chosen to regulate energy and tackle climate change would have weighed costs against benefits minutely. A long-term squeeze on welfare and health spending was a priority: wholesale immigration reform was not.

I guess it shouldn't be that surprising. Romney spent his whole life around businessmen and investors, and is one himself, so of course he would govern solely with the businessman and investor in mind. I know that was obvious, but it's nice seeing pretty clear evidence that we weren't just creating an unfair caricature. At least we'd still get to keep some amount of climate change protections as long as it doesn't hurt businesses too much. After all you don't want those beach houses to get messed up.

Simplified tax code would maybe be nice too, as long as its not just simplifying the loops the rich have to jump through to avoid taxes, or removing the parts the poor benefit from like mortgage tax deductions.

 

[RDreamer]

Scott Walker can't be President. He's too conservative and suffers from the same Paul Ryan Douche Genetic Disorder. But I think Jooney is right, he could totally be VP. He won't help much but would help bring in some extra conservative money and make them feel better about themselves.

Yeah I don't think he can ever actually win the nomination, but I know he's going to try. I feel like if/when he does he'll be a bit of a media darling like Ryan was, and that's more dangerous because he's a bit better at hiding his toxicity than Ryan ever was. That's why he'd probably make a 100x better VP than Palin or Ryan. I could definitely see a Christie/Walker ticket, and unfortunately that would probably do pretty well.

Walker's jobs record in Wisconsin is so horrible, though, I wonder if he can survive his next real election.

I feel like people in Wisconsin don't actually know his jobs record is fucking horrible. He's always found ways of playing games with the numbers and pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. I think he'll be fine in the next real election. I'm still not sure who can or will be willing to take him on.

 

[User 406]

Simplified tax code would maybe be nice too, as long as its not just simplifying the loops the rich have to jump through to avoid taxes, or removing the parts the poor benefit from like mortgage tax deductions.

 

[zero shift]

So I watched the documentary "The House I Live In". I was a bit curious to what

Spoiler

the mother's son dying with heroine addiction had to do with bad policy.

Couldn't he have just went to a drug clinic to get treatment? How is that the War on Drugs fault?

Yeah I don't think he can ever actually win the nomination, but I know he's going to try. I feel like if/when he does he'll be a bit of a media darling like Ryan was, and that's more dangerous because he's a bit better at hiding his toxicity than Ryan ever was.

Dat brown bag movement.

I feel like people in Wisconsin don't actually know his jobs record is fucking horrible.

I don't even think "playing games with the numbers" should qualify. Anybody who isn't blind should see that Wisconsin has gotten worse under him. Its just plain cognitive dissonance and mental gymnatistics.