American Politics during the Obama Presidency

[QUOTE=Tiny12;444258]There's a common thread. You don't believe people should say or listen to things you disagree with. [/QUOTE]Wow Tiny. What a dumb thing to say. I strongly support free speech and difference of opinion. Seeing all sides of an argument helps to get at the truth. However, it is also appropriate to consider motive and integrity, and to point out dishonesty and deception. And that's where I find much of my intellectual stimulation in discussing politics.

[QUOTE]You believed it was appropriate that the IRS prevent Tea Party groups from exercising free political speech. [/QUOTE]Wrong. I believe it was appropriate for the IRS to screen and investigate potentially fraudulant applications for tax-exempt status. Especially in the case of the Tea Party, which was widely considered a political movement, whereas the requirement for 501c tax-exempt status is that a group is primarily non-political (promoting social improvement).

[QUOTE]Now you have a problem with 47 Senators writing a letter, because they're Republicans. [/QUOTE]Wrong again. I have no problem with Republicans voicing their opinion and writing a letter. But they should have written it to the editors of American newspapers like the New York Times, or taken out a full-page ad. Not to a foreign government in the middle of negotiations with our President.

[QUOTE]So you believe the 47 Senators should be prosecuted for treason? That's interesting. [/QUOTE]Wrong again. Did I say that? Your pattern is saying I said things or took positions that I didn't. I don't believe the 47 Senators should be prosecuted for treason. And it will never happen, Obama is too reasonable and level-headed to counter one distraction with another. I do believe they did something stupid and damaging to our country. It's fair to point out that Democrats have taken actions out of step with Republican presidents in the past. But like I said, the letter to Iran was on a different level, a direct and blatant effort to undermine our President in the midst of negotiations. I doubt any of those other examples triggered the backlash we are seeing against the 47 Republican Senators.

Tiny I appreciate you making the effort for some real debate and discussion. But stop mis-characterizing my statements and positions. It's dishonest.

I am so sorry I know this is not the place to make this post but I just dont know were. I make several trips to BA a year. I would like to plan my next trip to coincide with a party at jacksons....Jackson if you would be so kind as to give me a heads up on your next party if its any time other than the first 2 weeks in May I will be there .... Regard.

Esten, Then why the applause in your post below for the 255,000 people who signed the petition to prosecute the 47 senators for treason? O.K., I guess I misunderstood. You were commenting on popular disapproval of the Senators' letter, but don't believe they should be imprisoned.

Writing what you already know, if an organization wants to primarily promote political candidates it will organize as a TAX EXEMPT PAC, instead of a 501(c)(4). If a group wants to promote a particular issue like reproductive rights (Planned Parenthood), the Environment (Sierra Club) or lower taxes and lower government spending (Tea Party groups), and will be involved in politics in doing so, it forms a 501(c)(4). If a 501(c)(4) like Moveon.org Civic Action, or President Obama's Organization for Action, or Citizens for Tax Justice were stonewalled by the IRS, you'd be screaming bloody murder.

You need to consider whether partisanship is blinding you. What's frightening is that it did blind President Obama and at least four senators, who made pronouncements, or wrote letters to the IRS, encouraging it to clamp down on 501(c)(4)'s that they disagreed with.

[QUOTE=RevBS;444224]...He was afraid that with success, [highlight]people would get "soft" as in America[/highlight]. What he meant was not just physical, but mental & emotionally as well.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=RevBS;444264]...Iran is the power in the Middle East, and the sooner you recognize that, the easier life will be...The Fundamentalists have a hard time dealing with it. [highlight]And they [the Americans] are no different in their blind beliefs from the rabble you seen in the streets in Dasmacus, Cairo, or Teheran[/highlight].[/QUOTE][QUOTE=RevBS;444198]Not really want to harp on the [highlight]White American issue, but the rise of the rest of the world economically, and the corresponding rise of the minorities at home has them feeling marginalized[/highlight]. The middle class is shrinking as technology & competition has made many jobs obsolete.

There is a large pool of Americans who are too old to reinvent themselves even as they live longer and need more income. The adage of the young taking care of the old is seeing a reverse in America. Consumerism is the face of America today, that is where the banks make their money, not from your savings.

Immigrants are still coming in everyday. [highlight]Their [the immigrants] energy & skills are making up for the lethargy of the home grown[/highlight].[/QUOTE][QUOTE=RevBS;443823]...1976, Montreal Olympic Games. I was actually there. I saw Bruce Jenner won the gold medal in the decathlon. [highlight]He was Mr. America, and now or soon to be, he will be Ms. America[/highlight]. I have seen it all now, I can die happy.

Perhaps he got involved with the East German women & steroids. They won 10 out of 14 women track & field finals. But then, the steroids are about masculine hormones, very puzzling. Oh, I got it! [highlight]It's the evolution of the American man, soon to be in every family & household. You see, he is surrounded by a nest of dominant women[/highlight] who made all the decisions and gets all the media attention. Who cares about an ex-Olympian jock! Like plants, being out of the sunlight, they shrivel & fade away. Let's see what happen to Lamar Odom, then we will know for sure...[/QUOTE]More back-handed racist / sexist / anti-Caucasian / anti-America / anti-American male comments by Rev BS as he gleefully decries the what he believes is their inevitable extinction.

Rev, I'm going to start calling you out on this racist/sexist hate-speech every time I see it.

Enough is enough.

Thanks,

Jax.

[QUOTE=Jackson;444299]More back-handed racist / sexist / anti-Caucasian / anti-America / anti-American male comments by Rev BS as he gleefully decries the what he believes is their inevitable extinction.

Rev, I'm going to start calling you out on this racist/sexist hate-speech every time I see it.

Enough is enough.

Thanks,

Jax.[/QUOTE]Ah, Stonewall Jackson.

If you just want me to stop posting, why don't you just say so.

Extinction???? And you forgot to include American women.

[QUOTE=RevBS;444302]Ah, Stonewall Jackson.

If you just want me to stop posting, why don't you just say so.

Extinction???? And you forgot to include American women.[/QUOTE][SIZE=+2][b]Hey Rev,

I want you to stop posting racist anti-American comments here!

Instead, I suggest that perhaps you might consider participating in the al jazeera website forum where you will be welcomed as a hero.

Thanks,

Jax[/b][/SIZE]

I don't want you to go into cardiac arrest.

Hey Rev, stick around though. Just don't use the words "America" and "American" and you should be fine LOL. Honestly, I have never taken your comments like Jackson did, they are mild compared to much of the mud thrown around here. Mud which in some cases (cough) some folks (cough cough) can't even back up when asked.

Tiny- yes my point in mentioning the petition was simply to point out how much disapproval there has been to the Iran letter. That petition is now up to 315,000 signatures. While it is no longer the top story, it is still getting mentioned in the news cycle a week later. Man, did you see some of these stories and editorials?

Germany lashes US Republicans over Iran letter (AFP)
Tom Cotton picked apart by Army general over mutinous Iran letter (Washington Post)
47 Senators Stomp On The Constitution (AZ Republic: Editorial)
GOP Senators Try A Reckless Move To Stop Iran Nuclear Talks (San Francisco Chronicle Editorial)
Senate Saboteurs (Kentucky The Courier Journal Editorial)
GOP Letter To Iran Is A Reckless Intrusion Into Nuclear Talks (MA Boston Globe Editorial)
GOP Letter To Iran Disgraces America (Detroit Free Press Editorial)
Hate Mail: Senators Seek To Sabotage Obamas Foreign Policy (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editorial)
GOP senators' DUMB-destructive letter (Massachusetts Daily News Editorial)

Here's a good rundown of the nationwide coverage:
Senate letter on Iran derided coast to coast as a "political abomination.".
[URL]https://storify.com/ReThinkDefense/senate-letter-on-iran-derided-coast-to-coast[/URL]

I am in agreement for a pipeline from Canada and Alaska.

But not for oil, but we do and will need is Water.

But my local politician said that there is not any profit in it, so the Republicans will not vote for what is needed for the people, only Big Business.

Can you right wingers live on Oil? And say there is no Climate Change and we do not need Clean Water?

Sure you can buy bottle water, that no one checks that it is Okay for you and I.

A lot of fish that we eat comes from Thailand. Only 2 % gets checked.

Check this out:

[url]http://economyincrisis.org/content/dirty-water-dangerous-fish[/url]

[URL]http://www.youtube.com/embed/h1nEPzsFpc0?feature=player[/URL]

Maybe I should have put this in the joke section. Watch Rick Santorum squirm at the rantings of someone who would be right at home here. Although I do agree with her about lobbyists. Never noticed that nuke in Charleston though.

[URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdAYYGUP-pA[/URL]

Mandatory voting. Surprise Ted Cruz did not think of it first.

[URL]http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/03/19/obama-broaches-the-idea-of-mandatory-voting/[/URL]

And why not put it on the weekend if Big Business is so vehemently against a public holiday.

Oh, I forgot, we have football on.

[QUOTE=RevBS;444353]Mandatory voting. Surprise Ted Cruz did not think of it first.

[URL]http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/03/19/obama-broaches-the-idea-of-mandatory-voting/[/URL]

And why not put it on the weekend if Big Business is so vehemently against a public holiday.
Oh, I forgot, we have football on.[/QUOTE]People shouldn't be forced to vote if they don't want to. If I don't know or care who the best candidate is for an office, I often don't vote. Better to leave the choice up to those who are informed and care.

[QUOTE=WorldTravel69;444348]I am in agreement for a pipeline from Canada and Alaska.

But not for oil, but we do and will need is Water.

But my local politician said that there is not any profit in it, so the Republicans will not vote for what is needed for the people, only Big Business.

Can you right wingers live on Oil? And say there is no Climate Change and we do not need Clean Water?

Sure you can buy bottle water, that no one checks that it is Okay for you and I.

A lot of fish that we eat comes from Thailand. Only 2 % gets checked.

Check this out:

[url]http://economyincrisis.org/content/dirty-water-dangerous-fish[/url][/QUOTE]So why do you think no one will build a water pipeline? What right wingers are working against that? If you want to increase the clean water supply in northern California, where you live, nuke some of the nutty environmental regulations, like the one protecting the delta smelt. Ending that one alone would get you another million acre feet a year of useable water.

We've debated the oil pipeline again and again, and, respectfully, you're dead wrong. The increase in worldwide carbon emissions, if any, from the Keystone pipeline would be insignificant. It's safer and cheaper transporting oil from Canada and North Dakota by pipeline than by train. We're encouraging the Canadians to build pipelines to their west coast, for export to China, and to eastern Canada. This would be negative both for our energy security and jobs. You don't think we should get involved in Middle East wars, right? Well why don't you understand that having an additional 700,000 barrels a day of production from Canada shipped to USA Gulf Coast refineries makes us less likely to send young men to die in places like Iraq?

As to the fish from Thailand, there are antibiotics in chicken and beef produced in the USA. The latest studies indicate that people who eat vegetarian diets with fish are healthier than strict vegetarians or meat eaters. We're better off having affordable shrimp and tuna packaged in Thailand than not having it. It's better for peoples' health and better for their pocket books.

Thanks,

Sentinel Tiny.

Tiny,

There is much to recommend about mandatory voting. Just raising awareness and civic duty especially among the younger voters will be a good thing.

I have respect for our soldiers even if they have been fighting in the wrong wars, but it is the people who tends to be not involve who do not give them respect. And that is because they do not vote.

I know that there is a Civics class in high school and mandatory voting will continue their further involvement in civic duties. People who are against it only think of self-interest.

[URL]http://www.wsj.com/articles/civics-instruction-moves-up-in-class-1419613231[/URL]

[B]Mandatory Voting[/B]

[QUOTE=RevBS;444359] People who are against it only think of self-interest.[/QUOTE][B]au contraire[/B]

People who want to deprive others of the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" are the selfish ones. They try to argue their case with cries of the "greater good," but [u]they[/u] want to decide what's good for the rest of us.

Mandatory voting flies in the face of the Declaration of Independence and it has Constitutional First Amendment problems.

"Since voting is a form of speech, not voting is also a form of speech a silent protest by those who don't like any of the candidates, perhaps.

Maybe Obama figures since he's issuing fines for not buying insurance, he can fine them for not speaking, too."

[QUOTE=Punter127;444361][B]Mandatory Voting[/B]

[B]au contraire[/B]

People who want to deprive others of the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" are the selfish ones. They try to argue their case with cries of the "greater good," but [u]they[/u] want to decide what's good for the rest of us.

Mandatory voting flies in the face of the Declaration of Independence and it has Constitutional First Amendment problems.

"Since voting is a form of speech, not voting is also a form of speech a silent protest by those who don't like any of the candidates, perhaps.

Maybe Obama figures since he's issuing fines for not buying insurance, he can fine them for not speaking, too."[/QUOTE]That is why there is a vote. After the last vote, you said the majority does not speak for the minority. Heads, I win. Tails, you lose. That says it all.

That's how the Indians ended up in reservations. I know that's a little before your time. So you and your Bible are excused.