Political Discussion

RenegadeMonster said:
What country can I move too?
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I have given serious thought to this myself. The US is really getting to the point where "the right" no longer have any conservatives in charge nor any interest in governing in a way that does not directly benefit them or their benefactors. The covid fiasco is proof enough of this. Even when handed all the correct and easy moves on a fucking platter and surrounded by experts, trump intentionally chose every wrong move both personally and in his office. Instead of taking a temporary loss with some hard choices to curtail the spread he chose tantrums and to wilfully disbelieve and negate what needed to be done. And the Republican party let him do it and even in his absence they are not being conservative in any real meaningful way. And the Democratic party still won't take any stand or take any action.

The kicker is of course money/work. The countries that would be best (NZ/Aus, Canada, Spain) are kind of full up on the IT security wonk work that I do and immigration is very difficult (except for Spain, but their economy is fucked in the extreme).
 
yukbon said:
I have given serious thought to this myself. The US is really getting to the point where "the right" no longer have any conservatives in charge nor any interest in governing in a way that does not directly benefit them or their benefactors. The covid fiasco is proof enough of this. Even when handed all the correct and easy moves on a fucking platter and surrounded by experts, trump intentionally chose every wrong move both personally and in his office. Instead of taking a temporary loss with some hard choices to curtail the spread he chose tantrums and to wilfully disbelieve and negate what needed to be done. And the Republican party let him do it and even in his absence they are not being conservative in any real meaningful way. And the Democratic party still won't take any stand or take any action.

The kicker is of course money/work. The countries that would be best (NZ/Aus, Canada, Spain) are kind of full up on the IT security wonk work that I do and immigration is very difficult (except for Spain, but their economy is fucked in the extreme).
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Don't forget, that if any of us were actually to follow through with moving to a different country, unless we renounce our US citizenship, we still have to pay federal income tax to the United States. The United States is the only nation in the world who taxes you based on citizenship and not where you live.

This mean you would need to budget to be able to afford paying both countries taxes, or face the risk of the United States coming after you for tax evasion. If your not paid up on your US taxes, don't expect to be able to visit the United States again.

And yes, the United States will penalize you if you don't prepay in your taxes.
 
yukbon said:
I have given serious thought to this myself. The US is really getting to the point where "the right" no longer have any conservatives in charge nor any interest in governing in a way that does not directly benefit them or their benefactors. The covid fiasco is proof enough of this. Even when handed all the correct and easy moves on a fucking platter and surrounded by experts, trump intentionally chose every wrong move both personally and in his office. Instead of taking a temporary loss with some hard choices to curtail the spread he chose tantrums and to wilfully disbelieve and negate what needed to be done. And the Republican party let him do it and even in his absence they are not being conservative in any real meaningful way. And the Democratic party still won't take any stand or take any action.

The kicker is of course money/work. The countries that would be best (NZ/Aus, Canada, Spain) are kind of full up on the IT security wonk work that I do and immigration is very difficult (except for Spain, but their economy is fucked in the extreme).
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"The Right" isn't the only party doing this. Increasingly the Left is looking more and more like the right, except they are for abortions and gay rights. But if we want to talk about politicians with no interest in governing in a way that does not directly benefit them or their benefactors, there are tons of examples of democrats doing the same sort of insider trading, back room politics and accepting legal bribes to directly go against what is best for their constituents.

www.opensecrets.org

Political Parties

Candidates aren't the only ones raising record amounts of cash -- the political parties collect hundreds of millions of dollars each election cycle. The parties may only raise "hard money," which is given by individuals and political action committees and is subject to federal contribution...
www.opensecrets.org www.opensecrets.org

While overall dark money spending is roughly even between the parties right now, Democrats have a clear edge in congressional races, Krumholz said. Around 65 percent of dark money TV ads in 2020 Senate races and 85 percent of dark money TV ads in House races are sponsored by liberal groups, according to Krumholz.

"Unfortunately, there has been comfort with this that has grown over time on both sides of the aisle," Krumholz said. "Nobody wants to be the sucker that is playing by the rules when someone is getting away with murder."

One large dark money group, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, has funneled millions of dollars to more than 100 liberal groups, accepting individual donations as large as $51.7 million and $26.7 million, all without having to reveal any information about who is behind those donations.

www.nbcnews.com

Democrats used to rail against 'dark money.' Now they're better at it than the GOP.

Reformers wonder whether anyone can be trusted to dismantle a system that allows secret funding of campaigns.
www.nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com

Insider and several other news organizations have this year identified 47 members of Congress who've failed to properly report their financial trades as mandated by the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012, also known as the STOCK Act.

While lawmakers who violate the STOCK Act face a fine, the penalty is usually small — $200 is the standard amount — or waived by House or Senate ethics officials. Ethics watchdogs and even some members of Congress have called for stricter penalties or even a ban on federal lawmakers from trading individual stocks, although neither has come to pass.

47 members of Congress have violated a law designed to stop insider trading and prevent conflicts-of-interest

The moral of the story is that you don't get to the senate in either party unless you can take a few bribes.
 
Also, it’s a pet peeve of mine that so many liberals with means are so willing cede control of this country to the fascists and flee to some fictional utopian country. Most of these underlying issues don’t disappear at the US border. There are plenty of problems everywhere and you can either choose to stick your head in the sand and ignore them (in which case why move? many choose to live in a willful ignorance right here in the USA already) or you can try to make things better for those that have less of a voice and lack the means to flee or the privilege to ignore.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
Also, it’s a pet peeve of mine that so many liberals with means are so willing cede control of this country to the fascists and flee to some fictional utopian country. Most of these underlying issues don’t disappear at the US border. There are plenty of problems everywhere and you can either choose to stick your head in the sand and ignore them (in which case why move? many choose to live in a willful ignorance right here in the USA already) or you can try to make things better for those that have less of a voice and lack the means to flee or the privilege to ignore.
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When I say flee to a different country I'm only Joking. If I were to move to another country it would be for other reasons.

But yes, I agree with trying to make things better. Though it's a long road ahead. Our system disadvantages us from making any progress in fighting back if we don't have money. And I would say that right there is a pet peeve of mine.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
Also, it’s a pet peeve of mine that so many liberals with means are so willing cede control of this country to the fascists and flee to some fictional utopian country. Most of these underlying issues don’t disappear at the US border. There are plenty of problems everywhere and you can either choose to stick your head in the sand and ignore them (in which case why move? many choose to live in a willful ignorance right here in the USA already) or you can try to make things better for those that have less of a voice and lack the means to flee or the privilege to ignore.
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the thing is, both parties are locked in a spiral of inaction and not helping anyone who doesn't feed their machine. So, maybe the right are explicitly fascists but the left are basically ineffective quislings, unable or unwilling to help. Student loan forgiveness? nope. Unfucking the supreme court before Roe v Wade is overturned? nope. A sane national healthcare policy? nope, nope, nope. There is no real incentive or path for a third party to come in, and that's what it would take to get either the republican or democratic parties to actually make some changes for the benefit of their general constituency. The closest we came was the tea party and that was subsumed into the shitshow that is the GOP today.

and yeah, other countries have their issues -- but their social benefits and protections are actually at least intended to work. I don't know that there is anything that can be done to change the US for the better, it seems both parties are in a race toward the bottom and both are equally commited to not letting anyone else try either.
 
I've considered expatriating primarily for healthcare and to get my kids out of an increasingly hellish shithole. My limited research has put me in London based on the criteria by which I might actually be accepted. My work is extremely transferable although the shift to the metric system would be a little difficult since I work in construction.
 
I'm going to have to record NBC 10 at 11 tonight.

They have an investigation about PFAS and the lack of action by the state to regulate and eliminate it.

They said water samples from dozens of cities show extremely high levels of PFAS in the communities water supply. Levels they said that are dangerous.

They are going to talk much more about what they uncovered, the states lack of action despite talking about eliminating PFAS for years and what they plan to do about it now.
 
I haven't really watched much live tv at all in recent months. Everything that I do watch is streaming.

I happened to be watching the local NBC channel tonight for the first time in months to watch the local and national news.

And I could have sworn it's the middle of the election cycle with the number of political ads on.

Just before the voice started at 8:00pm I saw a political that just left me scratching my head.

It was a "tell your congressman to vote no to Bidens build back millionaires plan so New York millionaires don't get another tax cut."

The commercial started off showing the pandemic life story or a ridiculously rich white guy from New York.

It went along the lines of this guy working from home since the pandemic started. His second home. Since he was busy he couldn't be bothered with home schooling his kids so he hired a tutor. Because he couldn't pick one tutor that he thought was right for his kids he got two.

Everything was just over the top. The house was huge. The set was oozing money.

There was no indication that this was a political ad until the end. It just seemed comical at first and then at the end there was the voiceover that said "tell your congressman to vote no to Bidens build back millionaires plan so New York millionaires don't get another tax cut."

They never did say who sponsored the add. And I don't get the game here. Is this a blame your opponent for exactly what you are doing type of deal?

I don't get the whole Biden tax cuts for New York millionaires angle. The commercial was more like satire out of a late night show than a political ad.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I haven't really watched much live tv at all in recent months. Everything that I do watch is streaming.

I happened to be watching the local NBC channel tonight for the first time in months to watch the local and national news.

And I could have sworn it's the middle of the election cycle with the number of political ads on.

Just before the voice started at 8:00pm I saw a political that just left me scratching my head.

It was a "tell your congressman to vote no to Bidens build back millionaires plan so New York millionaires don't get another tax cut."

The commercial started off showing the pandemic life story or a ridiculously rich white guy from New York.

It went along the lines of this guy working from home since the pandemic started. His second home. Since he was busy he couldn't be bothered with home schooling his kids so he hired a tutor. Because he couldn't pick one tutor that he thought was right for his kids he got two.

Everything was just over the top. The house was huge. The set was oozing money.

There was no indication that this was a political ad until the end. It just seemed comical at first and then at the end there was the voiceover that said "tell your congressman to vote no to Bidens build back millionaires plan so New York millionaires don't get another tax cut."

They never did say who sponsored the add. And I don't get the game here. Is this a blame your opponent for exactly what you are doing type of deal?

I don't get the whole Biden tax cuts for New York millionaires angle. The commercial was more like satire out of a late night show than a political ad.
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www.washingtonexaminer.com

GOP super PAC runs TV ads against vulnerable Democratic senators

The Republican-aligned super PAC founded by former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is on TV in three states, with $3 million worth of attack ads targeting three vulnerable incumbent Democratic senators. The America Next ads hope to boost GOP efforts to win back the Senate majority in the 2022...
www.washingtonexaminer.com www.washingtonexaminer.com

The Republican-aligned super PAC founded by former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is on TV in three states, with $3 million worth of attack ads targeting three vulnerable incumbent Democratic senators.

The America Next ads hope to boost GOP efforts to win back the Senate majority in the 2022 midterm elections, with spots criticizing Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.
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This is targeting the TV watching crowd which are 100% never going to change their minds politically and to be frank, are kind of the lowest common denominator to begin with. Like, when I read your post and it started with you watching TV my first thought was there's your problem.
 
yukbon said:


www.washingtonexaminer.com

GOP super PAC runs TV ads against vulnerable Democratic senators

The Republican-aligned super PAC founded by former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is on TV in three states, with $3 million worth of attack ads targeting three vulnerable incumbent Democratic senators. The America Next ads hope to boost GOP efforts to win back the Senate majority in the 2022...
www.washingtonexaminer.com www.washingtonexaminer.com
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That's the commercial. But the one I saw was more generic. It didn't have a candidate listed at the end.
 
This morning I saw a article that had the headline of "No one with power is listening".

And that pretty much sums up our representatives today. They don't give about what their constituents want or what's best for them.

They care about maintaining their parties power, looking out for their own best interests as well as the best interests of their donors and nobody else.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
This morning I saw a article that had the headline of "No one with power is listening".

And that pretty much sums up our representatives today. They don't give about what their constituents want or what's best for them.

They care about maintaining their parties power, looking out for their own best interests as well as the best interests of their donors and nobody else.
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It's hard to listen to Americans who want lower pharmaceutical prices when you are being bankrolled by the pharmaceutical companies.
It's hard to listen to Americans who want Medicare for All when you are being funded by health insurance companies.
It's hard to listen to Americans who want things like a living wage, dignity at work, affordable health care, affordable educational opportunities, and a cleaner environment when you are bankrolled by the companies that would lose profit if any of these things happen.

You cannot serve two masters, thus, our politicians are going with the people that pay them the best.
 
nolalady said:
It's hard to listen to Americans who want things like a living wage, dignity at work, affordable health care, affordable educational opportunities, and a cleaner environment when you are bankrolled by the companies that would lose profit if any of these things happen.
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I don’t necessarily agree with this. A rising tide raises all boats. What would happen though is that stock prices would initially take a dive and that would hit directors and they bankroll the political classes.

The one that’s going to be interesting going forward is stop consuming and promoting endless consumption based growth or burn.
 
Joe Mac said:
I don’t necessarily agree with this. A rising tide raises all boats. What would happen though is that stock prices would initially take a dive and that would hit directors and they bankroll the political classes.

The one that’s going to be interesting going forward is stop consuming and promoting endless consumption based growth or burn.
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I have to point out the obvious that the historical record is that the US rabidly votes against the self interest of its own people pretty religiously since at least the Reagan administration. Unions, consumer protection, regulations, Healthcare, jobs etc, all shut down on the regular. Republican policy has been to do whatever the money says and sell it as rugged individualism to the Hoi polloi and obstruct any progressive policies by any means necessary. Which you can see even now with McConnell and trump. and the democratic party's response is middle of the road obeisance as if the Republicans are acting in good faith.
 
nolalady said:
It's hard to listen to Americans who want things like a living wage, dignity at work, affordable health care, affordable educational opportunities, and a cleaner environment when you are bankrolled by the companies that would lose profit if any of these things happen.
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Employers also do not want Universal Healthcare even though they wouldn't need to pay for a percentage of it. Right now Healthcare keeps peoples attached to jobs. Without healthcare employers would have to increase salaries to entice people to stay or join them. Which is something they very much would not like to do.

Many corporations are lobbying against universal healthcare.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Employers also do not want Universal Healthcare even though they wouldn't need to pay for a percentage of it. Right now Healthcare keeps peoples attached to jobs. Without healthcare employers would have to increase salaries to entice people to stay or join them. Which is something they very much would not like to do.

Many corporations are lobbying against universal healthcare.
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Um, I was thinking that if my employer gave me like, say 25% of the money they pay into insurance for me both of us would be supremely happy with that arrangement.
 
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