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[RustyNails]

Why is Huckabee such a fixture in republican politics. Was he really that well liked in Arakansas?

 

[Diablos]

Because he's from Arkanseezy, where Bill Clinton was in charge once upon a time. It's a reminder to the Fox crowd that "nyuck nyuck I had his jerb too".
He had Presidential ambitions (i.e. weight loss) but that has clearly all gone straight to hell. I'm sure Huckabee is a bitter and confused old man by now.
It's like he built himself up to break himself down in the name of partisan politics watered down to a half-assed Fox News run. It's a shame he gained back the weight.

 

[ivysaur12]

I actually agree. Which is why I find it ridiculous that Hillary HAS to be the Democratic nominee to win the presidency. Honestly I think any democrat who doesn't step on their own feet will win in 2016 especially with Obama campaigning for them.

The Democrats have an interesting bench of Senators (few governors -- I don't think we'll see a Dem governor presidential candidate for a while), but none are really ready for prime time in 2016. Who would it be? Klobuchar and Gillibrand have -- slowly -- begun to increase their national profile, but that seems more geared towards 2020/2024 than anything else. By 2024, you'll have those two, Kamala Harris, and more.

And as I say this, I remember that article about Sherrod Brown, who, yes, would be ready for prime time in 2016, but for some reason, we just keep forgetting him. It also doesn't seem as if he has any higher office aspirations. And of course, there's Obama himself, so, ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[Metaphoreus]

With Obama's popularity having the momentum of a runaway freight train I think the real question is how could any Democrat lose if he campaigns for them.

=|

It hasn't even been four months since the lowest approval ratings of Obama's presidency, and there are still more than 20 months until the next election. Your optimism is premature.

 

[Diablos]

=|

It hasn't even been four months since the lowest approval ratings of Obama's presidency, and there are still more than 20 months until the next election. Your optimism is premature.

Low gas prices help him, but generally I'm in agreement with you here. Way too premature to act like he's exiting the White House with Clinton-esuqe approval ratings.

 

[Oblivion]

Well, here's the one out of three things Rand Paul actually has a point on:

"I think that's the real hypocrisy, is that people on our side, which include a lot of people, who made mistakes growing up, admit their mistakes but now still want to put people in jail for that," Paul told the Hill. "Had [Bush] been caught at Andover, he'd have never been governor, he'd probably never have a chance to run for the presidency."

Paul continued, "I think in politics the biggest thing, the thing that voters from any part of the spectrum hate worse than anything is hypocrisy. And hypocrisy is, 'Hey I did it and it's okay for me because I was rich and at an elite school but if you're poor and black or brown and live in a poor section of one of our big cities, we're going to put you in jail and throw away the key.'"

 

[Teggy]

Geez, Savannah Guthrie grilling Obama on the pre-game show. Isn't there a better time for that?

 

[Diablos]

Well, here's the one out of three things Rand Paul actually has a point on:

Word.

 

[Aaron Strife]

The Democrats have an interesting bench of Senators (few governors -- I don't think we'll see a Dem governor presidential candidate for a while), but none are really ready for prime time in 2016. Who would it be? Klobuchar and Gillibrand have -- slowly -- begun to increase their national profile, but that seems more geared towards 2020/2024 than anything else. By 2024, you'll have those two, Kamala Harris, and more.

And as I say this, I remember that article about Sherrod Brown, who, yes, would be ready for prime time in 2016, but for some reason, we just keep forgetting him. It also doesn't seem as if he has any higher office aspirations. And of course, there's Obama himself, so, ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

Democrats' nominee could be Martin O'Malley and they'd still have a decent chance of winning with the way things are going. Of course, Obama's approval rating could crater again, and there are certainly bad candidates (Cuomo, Webb, Schweitzer) but that's only because Hillary is taking up all the oxygen.

 

[Diablos]

Democrats' nominee could be Martin O'Malley and they'd still have a decent chance of winning with the way things are going. Of course, Obama's approval rating could crater again, and there are certainly bad candidates (Cuomo, Webb, Schweitzer) but that's only because Hillary is taking up all the oxygen.

Cuomo banned fracking though. *bow*
Not to mention he's a pioneer as far as legalizing gay marriage goes and he passed the NY SAFE act.
He's not that bad, he could be a lot worse.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Cuomo banned fracking though. *bow*
Not to mention he's a pioneer as far as legalizing gay marriage goes and he passed the NY SAFE act.
He's not that bad, he could be a lot worse.

He's horrible on economics which is what 2016 is shaping up to be about.

 

[B-Dubs]

He's horrible on economics which is what 2016 is shaping up to be about.

This is true, but he will do the right thing if he's pushed so if you give him a Dem congress he'll wind up doing everything you'd want him to. He's not his father, but there's far worse candidates for the Dems out there. We're bumping the state minimum wage up to 10 an hour and the city is getting 11, which is the second time he'll have raised the minimum wage as Governor.

 

[Aaron Strife]

This is true, but he will do the right thing if he's pushed so if you give him a Dem congress he'll wind up doing everything you'd want him to. He's not his father, but there's far worse candidates for the Dems out there. We're bumping the state minimum wage up to 10 an hour and the city is getting 11, which is the second time he'll have raised the minimum wage as Governor.

Cuomo would orchestrate a scheme to give Republicans control so he wouldn't have to do anything tough, just like he did in New York.

 

[eBay Huckster]

Cuomo would orchestrate a scheme to give Republicans control so he wouldn't have to do anything tough, just like he did in New York.

And he'd do this even if Democrats somehow regained 2008-level House and Senate majorities next year, dude's legitimately that craven

 

[NYCmetsfan]

what a horrible superbowl. I blame Obama

 

[Wilsongt]

what a horrible superbowl. I blame Obama

Well, cheaters did win... So, it lines up.

 

[RustyNails]

Kris Kirspy says parents should have some "measure of choice" in vaccinating their kids

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said Monday that public officials need to strike a "balance" on vaccinations that allows parents "some measure of choice" in immunizing their children.

Christie was asked about a measles outbreak afflicting the western U.S. during a visit to a facility for MedImmune, an American company that manufactures a flu vaccine. The visit was part of the governor's three-day trip to London.

Asked about the outbreak's link to parents who object to the measles vaccine, Christie said that he and his wife chose to vaccinate his four children, according to the New York Times.

“It’s more important what you think as a parent than what you think as a public official," Christie said, as quoted by the Times. "I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that’s the balance that the government has to decide.”

In response to the outbreak, President Barack Obama urged parents to vaccinate their children during a pre-Super Bowl interview on Sunday.

"I understand that there are families that, in some cases, are concerned about the effect of vaccinations," he said. "The science is, you know, pretty indisputable. We’ve looked at this again and again. There is every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren’t reasons to not."

By contrast, Christie said Monday that "not every vaccine is created equal, and not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others," according to the Times.

fuck outta here.

 

[FyreWulff]

Every disease is a threat you fucks

It's like people have forgotten the main driver for vaccines was the DEATHS they caused.

 

[Metaphoreus]

Kris Kirspy says parents should have some "measure of choice" in vaccinating their kids

fuck outta here.

Are you really upset at Christy's comments? They seem pretty sensible to me. He even gives the government the ultimate decision-making power: "[T]he government has to decide" the balance.

And TPM's "contrast" is silly: Christy is talking about the extent to which government should compel parents to vaccinate their children, but Obama is talking about whether parents should decide to vaccinate their children.

 

[FyreWulff]

Are you really upset at Christy's comments? They seem pretty sensible to me. He even gives the government the ultimate decision-making power: "[T]he government has to decide" the balance.

And TPM's "contrast" is silly: Christy is talking about the extent to which government should compel parents to vaccinate their children, but Obama is talking about whether parents should decide to vaccinate their children.

If everyone vaccinated we wouldn't need vaccines for certain diseases anymore. Because the things you're vaccinating for would no longer have reservoirs that they hide and re-infect from.

Dumbfucks being dumbfucks are keeping these diseases alive.

 

[PhoenixDark]

It's a slippery slope.

She's arguing drag is the slippery slope. While I don't agree I have some sympathy for her argument I'll admit I find drag rather distasteful. Especially now, as it almost feels like ugly parody/stereotyping of black women.

 

[jamesinclair]

Kris Kirspy says parents should have some "measure of choice" in vaccinating their kids

fuck outta here.

By contrast, Christie said Monday that "not every vaccine is created equal, and not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others," according to the Times.

He's right though.

The flu shot can kindly fuck off.

And apparently theres a chicken pox vaccine these days, but getting chicken pox isnt a big deal.

However, the point is that now the message will be "Obamas black helicopters are coming to inject diseases into your arm"

 

[Coriolanus]

However, the point is that now the message will be "Obamas black helicopters are coming to inject diseases into your arm"

"and as we all know, injecting these "healthy vaccines" is the first step down the drug addiction ladder. Very soon little timmy will be injecting pot, weed, marijuana and all kinds of ganja."

 

[RustyNails]

Are you really upset at Christy's comments? They seem pretty sensible to me. He even gives the government the ultimate decision-making power: "[T]he government has to decide" the balance.

And TPM's "contrast" is silly: Christy is talking about the extent to which government should compel parents to vaccinate their children, but Obama is talking about whether parents should decide to vaccinate their children.

Yes I am. What's to gain by telling parents "This is A, which is 99% proven to be true and this is B, which is 99% proven to be fraud. Pick one. B said A causes autism btw"?

 

[Black Mamba]

One of my best friends works for the Gates foundation (not a scientist but a mathematician) and IIRC, he's specifically working on eradicating polio in the world.

Can't wait to hear him vent this week when I see him. lol.

 

[Metaphoreus]

Yes I am. What's to gain by telling parents "This is A, which is 99% proven to be true and this is B, which is 99% proven to be fraud. Pick one. B said A causes autism btw"?

I'm not sure I understand your quotation--is B a person?

In any event, neither the TPM article nor the NYT article that is its source quote Christy as having said anything akin to what you say here. And unless Obama was calling on states to force parents to have their children vaccinated, then what he said and what Christy said are fully compatible. The reaction against Christy is base political grandstanding.

 

[Plinko]

He's right though.

The flu shot can kindly fuck off.

And apparently theres a chicken pox vaccine these days, but getting chicken pox isnt a big deal.

However, the point is that now the message will be "Obamas black helicopters are coming to inject diseases into your arm"

It is a huge deal for us adults who never contracted it as a child. Getting chicken pox can be deadly.

 

[Aaron Strife]

She's arguing drag is the slippery slope. While I don't agree I have some sympathy for her argument I'll admit I find drag rather distasteful. Especially now, as it almost feels like ugly parody/stereotyping of black women.

As an actor who's done drag before several times I can't agree with this viewpoint. Drag is not inherently offensive the way blackface is.

I also find it interesting that we're focusing on "men in dresses and wigs" here when there's plenty of women-as-men drag.

 

[thepotatoman]

It is a huge deal for us adults who never contracted it as a child. Getting chicken pox can be deadly.

And not all people have the best immunity systems for various reasons. Some can't take vaccinations even if they want to.

It'd be nice to let those kids live normal lives, without forcing them to risk their lives or lock themselves in their room forever, just so some parents can go crazy over an idiotic conspiracy theory.

 

[ivysaur12]

I'm not sure I understand your quotation--is B a person?

In any event, neither the TPM article nor the NYT article that is its source quote Christy as having said anything akin to what you say here. And unless Obama was calling on states to force parents to have their children vaccinated, then what he said and what Christy said are fully compatible. The reaction against Christy is base political grandstanding.

I'm against anyone proclaiming even the smallest doubt in vaccinations.

This also isn't the first time Christie's dealt with this problem.

Louise Kuo Habakus, an anti-vaccination activist who runs the site FearlessParent.org, provided a letter to MSNBC Monday in which Christie purportedly wrote that he understood their concerns about ties between vaccine mandates and autism – long discredited by public officials – and supported their push for parental choice. She shared a photo showing Christie meeting with her and what she said were other anti-vaccination activists with her organization, the NJ Vaccination Choice Coalition, as well as other autism groups at a meeting they organized with the then-candidate in August 2009.

“I have met with families affected by autism from across the state and have been struck by their incredible grace and courage,” Christie wrote in the letter. “Many of these families have expressed their concern over New Jersey’s highest-in-the nation vaccine mandates. I stand with them now, and will stand with them as their governor in their fight for greater parental involvement in vaccination decisions that affect their children.”

A spokesman for Christie did not immediately respond to repeated requests for comment. The letter’s existence was first reported by The Daily Beast.

“I spent a lot of time with Governor Christie working on this,” Habakus said. “He’s been absolutely constant on this issue since I first met with him in 2008.”

Habakus added in a follow-up call that, despite the letter’s mention of autism and vaccine mandates, the group’s in-person meeting with Christie did not touch on claims of a link between the two.

“Vaccines were one of many topics discussed and he expressed support for parents who wanted more of a dialogue and more participations and more say in this,” she said. “He believed parents should have more say and involvement.”

Nonetheless, she said autism was one of her many concerns with vaccinations.

Chris Christie is seen in a photo with activists with the NJ Coalition For Vaccination Choice. Photo by Courtesy of Louise Habakus

 

[B-Dubs]

Bill Gates is trying to irradicate polio and these schmucks are trying to bring it back.

 

[Gotchaye]

Are you really upset at Christy's comments? They seem pretty sensible to me. He even gives the government the ultimate decision-making power: "[T]he government has to decide" the balance.

And TPM's "contrast" is silly: Christy is talking about the extent to which government should compel parents to vaccinate their children, but Obama is talking about whether parents should decide to vaccinate their children.

Sure, if you look only at what Christie said in a vacuum about what the law ought to be it's not crazy. But we care about what politicians don't say as well as what they do say, and we care whether they're straightforwardly answering the questions put to them.

Christie's original comments seemed pretty accepting of people who choose not to vaccinate their kids. He said his own kids were vaccinated, but this isn't clearly presented as the right choice for everyone. Obama's remarks were much clearer on this point.

Christie wasn't even asked whether the government should be jailing parents who don't vaccinate their kids, or whatever. He was just asked whether parents should vaccinate their kids (and whether the measles vaccine was safe). He answered in a pretty weaselly way. It's a bit like the "I'm not a scientist" dodge. It seems reasonable to think that he's trying not to say something obviously ridiculous while still going out of his way not to offend people who are anti-vaccine. He seems to not want to give the impression that he thinks they've made a very wrong decision for their children. But that's the impression responsible people should be giving.

 

[speculawyer]

I'm against anyone proclaiming even the smallest doubt in vaccinations.

This also isn't the first time Christie's dealt with this problem.

Now THIS was a time when Christie should have used his tough-guy schtick and yelled at these people to get a clue about real situation.

 

[ivysaur12]

TROLL LEVEL: INFINITE

EDIT: Also, was PD right?

@ppppolls
This Walker boom may be happening all over now- tied for the lead of the GOP field on our North Carolina poll this weekend

 

[speculawyer]

EDIT: Also, was PD right?

Walker may be peaking too early. He'll get on stage and people are not going to be real interested in Insurance salesman Derp.

 

[PhoenixDark]

"We've seen just a skyrocketing autism rate. Some people are suspicious that it's connected to the vaccines. This person included. The science right now is inconclusive, but we have to research it."

--Barack Obama, Pennsylvania Rally, April 21, 2008.

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/2/7963837/obama-vaccine-autism

 

[adamsappel]

He's right though.

The flu shot can kindly fuck off.

And apparently theres a chicken pox vaccine these days, but getting chicken pox isnt a big deal.

However, the point is that now the message will be "Obamas black helicopters are coming to inject diseases into your arm"

There is no universal flu shot, so it's a crap shoot each year; this year they totally botched it. There are also very contradictory instructions to the medical community from the CDC about Tamiflu. But you should get the flu shot in case they do get it right, because I have the flu right now and it sucks.

Chicken pox isn't a big deal if you get it as a kid, but it's terrible to get it as an adult, and getting it as a kid means you might get shingles when you are older. Shingles is awful.

 

[HylianTom]

Walker may be peaking too early. He'll get on stage and people are not going to be real interested in Insurance salesman Derp.

Exactly what I was wondering.

Last time around, we saw a merry-go-round of frontrunners, a different flavor every month.. but in the end, the big guys got who they wanted.

 

[ivysaur12]

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/2/7963837/obama-vaccine-autism

It's also terrible, though let's also remember that he was pointing to someone when he said "This person included", not actually talking about himself. Necessary context for that quote.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I don't think this is like 2012, where a variety of candidates with no shot at the nomination were leading at different periods. Scott Walker is qualified and has a shot at the nomination, which separates him from Hermain Cain for instance. While he is not good on the stump it's worth noting that we're having this discussion because he gave a good speech in Iowa that impacted conservatives in a way nothing Bush/Romney/Christie/etc have done has. So at worse he's an average speaker in a crop of average speakers, but has the best message and record (from a conservative perspective, not mine).

It's also terrible, though let's also remember that he was pointing to someone when he said "This person included", not actually talking about himself. Necessary context for that quote.

And to Obama's credit, a few months later he took a rather firm position on the issue (pro vaccine). Still it shows that politicians are willing to say anything at any time. Vaccines don't cause autism.

 

[Metaphoreus]

I'm against anyone proclaiming even the smallest doubt in vaccinations.

This also isn't the first time Christie's dealt with this problem.

http://www.msnbc.com/sites/msnbc/fi...age/public/christie_8-27-09.jpg?itok=_dZ8E9Jh

Sure, if you look only at what Christie said in a vacuum about what the law ought to be it's not crazy. But we care about what politicians don't say as well as what they do say, and we care whether they're straightforwardly answering the questions put to them.

Christie's original comments seemed pretty accepting of people who choose not to vaccinate their kids. He said his own kids were vaccinated, but this isn't clearly presented as the right choice for everyone. Obama's remarks were much clearer on this point.

Christie wasn't even asked whether the government should be jailing parents who don't vaccinate their kids, or whatever. He was just asked whether parents should vaccinate their kids (and whether the measles vaccine was safe). He answered in a pretty weaselly way. It's a bit like the "I'm not a scientist" dodge. It seems reasonable to think that he's trying not to say something obviously ridiculous while still going out of his way not to offend people who are anti-vaccine. He seems to not want to give the impression that he thinks they've made a very wrong decision for their children. But that's the impression responsible people should be giving.

There are two distinct issues here, and understanding which issue Christie is addressing is critical to understanding his comment and how to react to it. The first issue is this: Should the government mandate that parents have their children vaccinated? The second is this: When given the choice, should parents choose to vaccinate their children? Christie's comment clearly relates to the first issue, and not the second. Obama's clearly relates to the second, and not the first. Recognizing this doesn't require reading Christie's answer in a vacuum; it only requires reading it.

Christie's points--that sometimes, government should not compel parents to vaccinate their children, and that the decision whether to compel them to do so will hinge on the facts surrounding a particular disease and vaccine--aren't some fringe concept; in fact, I imagine that everyone in this thread accepts those principles. Ultimately, the complaint is not that Christie said what he did, but that he failed to say something else. But this is no justification to misrepresent what he did say. I don't have as much of a problem with someone complaining about what Christie failed to say, which is Gotchaye's complaint. The bigger problem is that people are taking Christie to task for saying something he didn't--such as casting doubt on the safety of vaccines or presenting the vaccines-cause-autism theory as scientifically sound or an appropriate basis on which to reject vaccinations.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

The vaccine stupidity in the GOP continues

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rand-paul-vaccines-voluntary

Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham asked Paul whether vaccines should be mandatory after Christie's office tried to walk back the governor's remarks on allowing parents to have "some measure of choice" in vaccinating their children. Paul went a step further than his potential 2016 presidential opponent in his response.

"I'm not anti-vaccine at all, but particularly, most of them ought to be voluntary," Paul said. "What happens if you have somebody not want to take the smallpox vaccine and it ruins it for everybody else? I think there are times in which there can be some rules, but for the most part it ought to be voluntary."

Literally when the stupidity of this movement is actually causing an outbreak its popularly is rising in the party of stupid

The Kentucky senator then brought up the failed 2011 push by another potential 2016 rival, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), to require sixth-grade girls be vaccinated with Gardasil, which protects against HPV, as an example of an unnecessary mandate.

"While I think it's a good idea to take the vaccine, I think that's a personal decision for individuals to take and when they take it," he said.

Paul said he staggered his own children's vaccinations over time because he didn't think they needed, for example, a hepatitis B immunization as newborns.

As TPM previously reported, Paul was a member of a group of right-wing doctors called the Association Of American Physicians and Surgeons that promoted a number of debunked or conspiratorial medical theories. The AAPS opposes mandatory vaccines and has published at least one study that shows "alarming evidence" for a link between certain vaccines and autism.

Doug Stafford, a Paul adviser, told BuzzFeed on Monday that he didn't know if Paul was still a member of the group. He added that Paul does not endorse all the group’s views.

 

[Dan]

Unborn children must be protected at all costs! But once those kids are born, parents can make all the stupid choices they want that put the children and general population at risk. Ugh.

I maintain that civil rights for minors is one of the next frontiers. Quit letting parents intentionally poison children in various ways.

 

[Wilsongt]

All it's going to take is the first incident of polio to really fuck up this country and the anti vaxxers.

These people don't realize the dangerous side effects that having things like measles and mumps can cause.

 

[RustyNails]

Either way, how the republicans trip over themselves in order to look or say anti-science stuff is legendary. Fracking is harmful? Nuh uh. Junk food in school leads to childhood obesity? Nuh uh. Global warming? more like global conspiracy. Vaccines? Evil big government! Let people decide if they want to kill their kids. All hail hypno-reagan.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarra...ithout-sounds?utm_term=.ndPKAmqBk4#.yiROOz5vx

LOL GOPers in Florida trying to bribe Pitbull into their party.

 

[jamesinclair]

I cant wait until the Democrats retake the whitehouse

President Obama is asking the new Republican Congress for a base defense budget of $534 billion in 2016, the Pentagon said on Monday in its annual budget release, exceeding by $35 billion the mandatory across-the-board reductions known as sequestration.

Separately, Mr. Obama is asking for an additional $51 billion to fund operations in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, as well as the continued American military presence in Afghanistan.

...

In short, defense officials want to erase the idea that the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will automatically lead to smaller Pentagon budgets.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/us/politics/obamas-budget-seeks-534-billion-for-pentagon.html

The president will ask Congress to break through its own spending caps — commonly referred to as “sequestration” — and allocate about $561 billion for Pentagon expenditures, about $38 billion more than is currently allowed under the law.

Whats $534 billion among well connected military contractor friends?

 

[Teggy]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarra...ithout-sounds?utm_term=.ndPKAmqBk4#.yiROOz5vx

LOL GOPers in Florida trying to bribe Pitbull into their party.

“Who wouldn’t want Pitbull?” she said. “He can’t just get us votes in the 305, he can get us votes worldwide.”

Hm...

 

[RustyNails]

I cant wait until the Democrats retake the whitehouse



http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/us/politics/obamas-budget-seeks-534-billion-for-pentagon.html




Whats $534 billion among well connected military contractor friends?

Deficits dont matter.

 

[jamesinclair]

Deficits dont matter.

Bullshit