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[Aylinato]

How about this? Apparently the GOPs extreme rhetoric isn't extreme enough.

The hell did I just read. So many wrong things I won't even begin to try to dismantle that much ignorance.

 

[Piecake]

For the record, raising the minimum wage strikes me as a little like rent control -- it's an appealing solution, but it doesn't really address the problem, it just moves incentives around. If we want to guarantee people low rent housing, we should build a bunch more housing at a low rent, and if we want to guarantee people necessities, we really ought to just give them the necessities directly. What's the point of adding a bunch of controls to the free market and then hoping that the market will reach an equilibrium you like as a result? It's much more practical for the government to actively enter the market for infrastructural products.

Matt Y has a good take on this

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox...als_affordability_or_single_family_homes.html

DC's Office of Planning recently released a roadmap for what they're calling the "Midcity East" area—essentially the next frontier for rising land values and gentrification in the District of Columbia. The plan contains a lot of worthy aspirations, but lurking near the heart of it is a basic contradiction. They want to do various things with reconnecting streets and parks that will make the neighborhood a better place to live. And they want to ensure that the neighborhood remains affordable. But they also want to "Strengthen the Zoning Code to preserve the availability of the current supply of single family housing stock" — i.e., make it harder than it currently is to replace existing structures with denser ones.

But this just doesn't work. If a neighborhood becomes a better place to live, then you inevitably get some combination of more homes are built and the price of homes rises. To the extent that you prevent homebuilding, you only intensify the affordability concerns.

Seems like an easy solution would be to allow builders to actually meet low-income renter demand. The issue is mostly political though since constituents prefer houses since they look nicer and generally have more wealthy and thus, 'better' people in them

Minneapolis has some pent up rental demand that is finally being met. The issue is that it is mostly expensive condos in downtown. Well, that could work out well since you pay for location, so it makes sense to have good apartments in the best locations. To have it work though, the increased supply needs to drive down prices for the rentals outside the super desierable area, making them more affordable to families. I am not totally sure on how many 2-3 bedroom apartments there are in the twin cities though

 

[KingK]

I'm sure, but then what number is good enough? Look at countries like Switzerland or Norway. A McDonald worker in Norway makes about 24 USD an hour, and look at how inflated their cost is over there.

Norway is 64% more expensive than the US to maintain the same standard of living.

I'm fine with raising the minimum wage to $15, but let's not argue that it will not raise the total cost of living for everyone. Because it will.

I know others have already addressed this, but you are correct that increasing the minimum wage will raise the total cost of living. The other part of it though, is that it also raises purchasing power for the median income, and the ratio is not 1:1. The median income is increased more than cost of living is when you increase the minimum wage. I mean, using your own example, sure it costs 64% more to live in Norway, but their McDonald's worker is making over 300% more than their US counterpart.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Fixing healthcare.gov by the end of November is a few weeks later than I'd hoped, but the degree to which it's a problem will depend on the incremental progress along the way. The improvements, both anecdotal and specifically, since launch are a decent sign.

Federal officials said Friday that HealthCare.gov would be working smoothly for the vast majority of users by the end of November.

Jeff Zients, a top White House adviser who was brought in to lead the "tech surge" to assess the site's problems and fix them, announced the timeline on a conference call with reporters.

"The top-line result is that the HealthCare.gov site is fixable," Zients said. "But it'll take a lot of work."

The administration is appointing QSSI, which helped build the site's data services hub, as a "general contractor" to coordinate the effort.

Zients gave some new specifics about the scope of the site's problems and how it had improved in the last few weeks. At its launch, "very few people" could create an account on the site, Zients said, Now more than 90 percent are capable of completing that step of the process.

But in terms of the actual application for enrolling in coverage, Zients said that the site's performance has been "volatile." At times, as few as three in 10 users have been able to move through the application.

The administration has "dozens of items" to address, Zients said. They can generally be divided into two groups: performance problems (site speed, response times, reliability) and functional problems (bugs that prevent the site from working properly).

Asked by TPM if the end of November goal was acceptable in the administration's eyes, given that Dec. 15 is the deadline for enrollment to have coverage start on Jan. 1, 2014, federal officials stressed that many people are already able to enroll and that the site would continue to improve between now and the end of next month.

"It will get better and better each week," Julie Bataille, spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said. "People will be able to apply by Dec. 15 in order to get coverage by Jan. 1."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/admin-healthcare-gov-will-work-smoothly-by-end-of-november

 

[eBay Huckster]

There are supposedly six others, and then ten Democrats calling for an extension of the open enrollment period, which is perfectly fine.

I can think of Manchin and Pryor for the first bit and Hagan/Shaheen for the second, but I'm drawing a blank on anyone else.

 

[Tamanon]

That's actually a pretty good turnaround. The real test will be once the insurances themselves roll out, not just the signups, any mistakes there will be super-magnified.

 

[Piecake]

I know others have already addressed this, but you are correct that increasing the minimum wage will raise the total cost of living. The other part of it though, is that it also raises purchasing power for the median income, and the ratio is not 1:1. The median income is increased more than cost of living is when you increase the minimum wage. I mean, using your own example, sure it costs 64% more to live in Norway, but their McDonald's worker is making over 300% more than their US counterpart.

Personally, I am in favor of a set minimum wage of 8-10 bucks that is tied to inflation, but then greatly increase the federal earned income tax credit. I think that is a far more efficient way to do things and wont increase prices nearly as much. Right now, the tax credit for people with no kids is piddly. We should increase that. We should also increase the benefit for people with kids as well.

The nice thing about this plan is that one common idiotic statement by conservatives is that they dont want some high school student making 15 bucks an hour flipping burgers 10-20 hours a week. Well, if we don't want that we can simply not allow minors or dependents to claim the credit.

 

[KingK]

I can think of Manchin and Pryor for the first bit and Hagan/Shaheen for the second, but I'm drawing a blank on anyone else.

I wouldn't be surprised if Donnelly is one of them.

Personally, I am in favor of a set minimum wage of 8-10 bucks that is tied to inflation, but then greatly increase the federal earned income tax credit. I think that is a far more efficient way to do things and wont increase prices nearly as much. Right now, the tax credit for people with no kids is piddly. We should increase that. We should also increase the benefit for people with kids as well.

The nice thing about this plan is that one common idiotic statement by conservatives is that they dont want some high school student making 15 bucks an hour flipping burgers 10-20 hours a week. Well, if we don't want that we can simply not allow minors or dependents to claim the credit.

Yeah, I would definitely prefer a solution like this to one that strictly relies on the minimum wage. Either way, minimum wage definitely needs to be tied to inflation so we can avoid having the same political debates about how it's going to destroy the economy every time it's due for an increase.

 

[TacticalFox88]

How about this? Apparently the GOPs extreme rhetoric isn't extreme enough.

Jesus fucking...


I don't....


WHAT?!

Literally every single word was a lie. Not just any lie. But a BOLD FACE FUCKING LIE that any person with ANY rational thought should be able to call bullshit.

Holy...

I...fuuuuck.

People being this goddamn stupid piss me off.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Looks like Crist is gearing up for the Governor's Race in Florida.

Comments are surprisingly... positive

Florida Politics is too often ignored in the national press even though its the 3rd largest state. Its policies affect millions.

Amazing how this guy was considered a frontrunner for 2012 just recently.

Now he just needs to come out of the closet.

 

[PhoenixDark]

What incentive does Obama have to purposely create a system that doesn't work initially? Nearly every single scam in human existence is easy to sign up for and initially accessible.

I'm not even mad at that article, it's simply pathetic.

 

[Thatonemoor]

Facebook gold for anyone that wants to read it:

Sometimes people forget that people like us in the south aren't taught about the civil war. We are taught about the War of Northern Aggression. There are always two sides to the story and the socio-economic reasons have been lost to name calling and finger pointing on both sides.

 

[KingGondo]

What incentive does Obama have to purposely create a system that doesn't work initially? Nearly every single scam in human existence is easy to sign up for and initially accessible.

I'm not even mad at that article, it's simply pathetic.

The conspiracy theories make a lot more sense if you understand the central conceit of the fringe right wing: Obama is simultaneously a devious mastermind and oblivious buffoon. No contradiction there.

 

[speculawyer]

Crank up the defibrillator: The New York Post is having a coronary over what it says is "Obama's plan" to sissify the United States Marines. "A change to the Marine Corps' uniform hats could take the hard-nosed Leathernecks from the Halls of Montezuma to the shops of Christopher Street," gasps the tabloid in what it calls an "exclusive" article headlined "Obama wants marines to wear 'girly' hats." Christopher Street is a snarky reference to the historical and symbolic center of gay life in New York City.

The Post goes on to claim that "officials are on the verge of swapping out the Marines' iconic caps…with a new version that some have derided as so 'girly' that they would make the French blush." Hats aside, from the derisive tone and language, clearly someone doesn't think that either gays or women are tough enough to serve, not to mention the insult to the entire nation of France and our commander in chief, who has nothing to do with this decision.

 

[RustyNails]

Facebook gold for anyone that wants to read it:

Sometimes people forget that people like us in the south aren't taught about the civil war. We are taught about the War of Northern Aggression. There are always two sides to the story and the socio-economic reasons have been lost to name calling and finger pointing on both sides.

I like to call it War of Northern Aggression towards Southern Bullshit.

 

[Fox318]

President needs to give the Coast Guard their own uniforms

 

[ivysaur12]

Fixing healthcare.gov by the end of November is a few weeks later than I'd hoped, but the degree to which it's a problem will depend on the incremental progress along the way. The improvements, both anecdotal and specifically, since launch are a decent sign.


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/admin-healthcare-gov-will-work-smoothly-by-end-of-november

Not as fast as I'd like, but the incremental steps are a positive.

What are the negatives towards extending the open enrollment? Even as a good faith gesture towards the more conservative Dems up for reelection?

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Amazing how this guy was considered a frontrunner for 2012 just recently.

Now he just needs to come out of the closet.

He was never ideologically rigid. He embraced obama. The problem is the legislature is like 65% republican. Gonna be hard to expand Medicaid or create an exchange.

Dems really need to fight for state houses and legislatures. They could really help national dems, let alone their constituents. 2010 hurt so bad.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Not as fast as I'd like, but the incremental steps are a positive.

What are the negatives towards extending the open enrollment? Even as a good faith gesture towards the more conservative Dems up for reelection?

Why do it now? It just gives ammo to republican challenges to the law. If need be he can do it later and even possibly use it has a bargaining chip.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

To be fair, that was also the fringe left wing's view of Bush 43.

It was bush = stupid, Cheney = evil genius.

Still an incorrect assessment.

 

[Wilsongt]

Facebook gold for anyone that wants to read it:

Sometimes people forget that people like us in the south aren't taught about the civil war. We are taught about the War of Northern Aggression. There are always two sides to the story and the socio-economic reasons have been lost to name calling and finger pointing on both sides.

Except... Not. I was taught about the civil war which was started at Fort Sumter by the Confederate Army.

 

[FyreWulff]

30 days sounds reasonable, accounting for weekends, memorial day, and thanksgiving weekend being in there.

I would have not believed a 2 week window.

 

[Aaron Strife]

What's the matter with Kansas

Sam Brownback, who has served in Kansas as a Congressman, U.S. Senator, and now Governor, is in danger of being unseated after one term, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for KWCH-TV in Wichita. Today, the Democratic ticket of Paul Davis and Jill Docking edges the Republican ticket of Brownback and Jeff Colyer, 43% to 39%.

Seems too good to be true, but let's not forget that Kansas' GOP is in disarray and Sebelius was elected governor as recently as 2006.

Dems have a good chance at cleaning up with governors' races next year. They might lose Arkansas, but pick up Maine, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, with Ohio, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Kansas as reach states.

Also, you know, Texas.

 

[PhoenixDark]

It's pretty amazing just how bad the 2010 republican governors have been. People support "cutting government spending" as an abstract concept within a vacuum, but once the cuts are on display people begin to withdraw their support. There certainly is waste that can be cut, and programs that can be closed, but cutting everything simply does not work.

Jennifer Granholm was a horrible governor, but Snyder is has somehow managed to be worse. I'm not sure anyone can fix things here, given the national economy still being shitty and Detroit's situation.

 

[KingGondo]

Dems have a good chance at cleaning up with governors' races next year. They might lose Arkansas, but pick up Maine, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, with Ohio, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Kansas as reach states.

Also, you know, Texas.

I've heard rumblings that Democrat Brad Henry (Oklahoma's Governor from 2002-2010) might run next year. Apparently the OK Constitution only prohibits governors from serving more than 2 consecutive terms, not 2 total.

He's still extremely popular, and he would at least provide some kind of bulwark against the extremism of our insane legislature.

I really hope he does, because our current governor (Fallin) is terrible.

 

[Wilsongt]

What's the matter with Kansas


Seems too good to be true, but let's not forget that Kansas' GOP is in disarray and Sebelius was elected governor as recently as 2006.

Dems have a good chance at cleaning up with governors' races next year. They might lose Arkansas, but pick up Maine, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, with Ohio, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Kansas as reach states.

Also, you know, Texas.

Eh... I dunno about SC. People hate Haley, but Shaheen pissed a few people off with his stance on gay marriage. It's hard to say. Haley has been fucking up left and right... But it's SC. The GOP voted for Newt, for Christ sakes.

 

[Joe Molotov]

I've heard rumblings that Democrat Brad Henry (Oklahoma's Governor from 2002-2010) might run next year. Apparently the OK Constitution only prohibits governors from serving more than 2 consecutive terms, not 2 total.

He's still extremely popular, and he would at least provide some kind of bulwark against the extremism of our insane legislature.

I really hope he does, because our current governor (Fallin) is terrible.

Then he can restore Do You Realize to it's rightful place as Oklahoma's State Rock Song.

 

[Hobbestetrician]

Then he can restore Do You Realize to it's rightful place as Oklahoma's State Rock Song.

Damn straight.

 

[theprodigy]

Eh... I dunno about SC. People hate Haley, but Shaheen pissed a few people off with his stance on gay marriage. It's hard to say. Haley has been fucking up left and right... But it's SC. The GOP voted for Newt, for Christ sakes.

that's why SC is under "reach state" status, silly

 

[Baraka in the White House]

Why do Democrats always, always throw Republicans a life vest when they're against the ropes? There's so much peacocking from the right over the Obamacare roll out it's maddening. Just when they were fresh out of viable talking points the administration practically re-energized their talking heads for the next couple years.

 

[KingGondo]

Then he can restore Do You Realize to it's rightful place as Oklahoma's State Rock Song.

Yeah, that's fucking ridiculous. A local band achieves worldwide fame, still chooses to live in Oklahoma, and writes a beautiful song about the simply joy of just being alive.. NOPE.

Can't have that. Apparently these "rock stars" say and wear controversial things.

Ugh, I hate our fucking legislature.

 

[The Technomancer]

Then he can restore Do You Realize to it's rightful place as Oklahoma's State Rock Song.

while another said he opposed the song because band member Michael Ivins had worn a red T-shirt with a yellow sickle and hammer during a previous appearance by the band

Its amazing how some parts of the country are still living in the goddamn 60s

 

[Joe Molotov]

Its amazing how some parts of the country are still living in the goddamn 60s

Just imagine if he was wearing a Che shirt, probably would have been thrown in jail on the spot.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Why do Democrats always, always throw Republicans a life vest when they're against the ropes? There's so much peacocking from the right over the Obamacare roll out it's maddening. Just when they were fresh out of viable talking points the administration practically re-energized their talking heads for the next couple years.

It's beyond frustrating, to the point I simply don't defend the law anymore with friends; I'll return to being one of the few defenders of it once the site works. There were always going to be glitches, anyone familiar with major launches of anything would be expecting that (see: Diablo 3 "midnight" launch). And yes, state governments fucked over the exchange by not setting up their own. But there is no excuse for a two month delay due to a site simply not working, given the money involved and the prep time. They have more than a year.

To make matters worse, there are countless people in Silicon Valley who owe the administration favors, or would love to be owed a favor by the administration. How is it that none of them were contacted until now?

 

[RoninChaos]

How about this? Apparently the GOPs extreme rhetoric isn't extreme enough.

If I had the time I'd F5 and see how many times capitalism and destroy are used. Just for shits and giggles.

 

[Black Mamba]

So Tom Cole came out today in support of tax revenues via closing loopholes. I'm sure he won't backtrack on that soon,

"Well, I think that's possible," Cole said in an interview set to air Friday night. "I think both sides would like to deal with the sequester. And we're willing to put more revenue on the table to do that, and we would like to do it with entitlement savings."

The congressman said a deal "could" include curbing tax loopholes, although it "depends on what they are." He expressed openness to revenue-raising tax reforms on repatriation of stranded profits overseas and ratcheting back the carried interest loophole, which allows private equity firms to avoid paying some taxes by having their income taxed as capital gains. "I think that's certainly -- this is my personal view, it's not speaking for anybody else -- that ought to be something on the table," he said. "So those kinds of things are reasonable."

He said the GOP is "much more into what I'd call pro-growth revenue" like expanded offshore drilling and "one-time things like timber sales." He acknowledged that "there are some" Republicans who oppose any new tax revenue, no matter what. "But, you know, the reality is, you're going to have to have a deal here. And a deal means everybody gives something up."

 

[TacticalFox88]

Sometimes I wonder what's worse.

Politics or Gaming Side.

*sigh*

 

[Oblivion]

Sometimes I wonder what's worse.

Politics or Gaming Side.

*sigh*

The correct answer is both.

 

[East Lake]

Gaming side is worse. At least politics matter. Imagine being on your death bed knowing that a huge amount of your life was spending money on, playing, and defending the Nintendo brand on internet forums.

 

[Wilsongt]

At least we're not PopGAF.

 

[Riki]

Gaming side is worse. At least politics matter. Imagine being on your death bed knowing that a huge amount of your life was spending money on, playing, and defending the Nintendo brand on internet forums.

What's wrong spending your life doing something you enjoy?
The defending, sure that can be wasteful, but if you enjoy playing video games why is it any worse than spending hours on here arguing politics?

 

[East Lake]

What's wrong spending your life doing something you enjoy?
The defending, sure that can be wasteful, but if you enjoy playing video games why is it any worse than spending hours on here arguing politics?

There's nothing wrong with playing games. The problem is when it becomes your identity.

Damn I love Ellen but if she sues Sony, I'd be pissed and would like never see her as I do now. (I love her!) Nobody messes with my Sony.

- A gaffer on a business conglomerate

 

[ivysaur12]

At least we're not PopGAF.

There's nothing wrong with playing games. The problem is when it becomes your identity.

- A gaffer on a business conglomerate

Ellen... DeGeneres?

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Ellen... DeGeneres?

Juno

 

[ivysaur12]

Juno

"My Sony" dear god, I hope @NeoGAFShitPosts saw that one.

 

[ISOM]

Why do Democrats always, always throw Republicans a life vest when they're against the ropes? There's so much peacocking from the right over the Obamacare roll out it's maddening. Just when they were fresh out of viable talking points the administration practically re-energized their talking heads for the next couple years.

Do you mean the failure of the obamacare website? I don't think there was much the administration could of done to make it run perfectly from the start. Huge new programs that are initiated by the federal government have a history of not starting out well.

 

[makingmusic476]

Do you mean the failure of the obamacare website? I don't think there was much the administration could of done to make it run perfectly from the start. Huge new programs that are initiated by the federal government have a history of not starting out well.

My bigger concern is the number of Dems backing away from the bill. They should be presenting a united front, pointing out that the website has significantly improved over the past three weeks and people are getting enrolled.

Instead they're fracturing, allowing Republican fearmongering to win the day.

 

[Fenderputty]

Sometimes I wonder what's worse.

Politics or Gaming Side.

*sigh*

I've not yet been banned in an OT or political thread. Can't say the same for the gaming side :/

 

[leroidys]

There's nothing wrong with playing games. The problem is when it becomes your identity.

- A gaffer on a business conglomerate

This is in no way exclusive to videogames. See: trucks, apple products, sports teams,...

 

[KingGondo]

"My Sony" dear god, I hope @NeoGAFShitPosts saw that one.

@NeoGAFShitPosts is how I get the vast majority of my exposure to Gaming Side.

I plan on keeping it that way.