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Wilt
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:41 pm    Post subject:

Aeneas Hunter wrote:
You would have to wipe off the syrup.


You're from Texas, so correct me if my view of Ted Cruz is wrong.

From what I've seen, it seems to me he's a charlatan, who acts as some anti-government Tea Partier, but is actually a pro-government former Bush administration official, elitist.
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:17 pm    Post subject:

Charlatan and elitist, yes, pro-government, not sure. I'm not sure that he really stands for much of anything other than promoting himself. He is highly intelligent -- I mean off the charts intelligent. He is quick and clever as a speaker, which is why he came out of nowhere to win the Senate seat. He knows how to play to the anger and resentment that festers in white, suburban Texas. But you always get the feeling that he's fake, and he doesn't generate a lot of passion here, even among the wingnuts. I get the sense that they like his rhetoric but suspect that there's something not quite right about him.

There is a lot more warmth toward Rick Perry, even though he was the butt of jokes long before he ran for President. Most people here knew that he wasn't presidential material. The sense is that he's a dumbass, but he's our dumbass. Plus, Perry did things like go to California and New York to persuade businesses to relocate to Texas. Goofy, yes, but it creates the impression that he was trying to promote the state, and not just himself. Cruz doesn't seem to get that sort of reaction.

Cruz seems to have grandiose dreams. I wouldn't be shocked if he pulls a Palin and doesn't finish his term. You can see that the other GOP senators are already getting sick of him. He is going to be marginalized within his own party, which means that he can only get attention by doing outrageous stuff. That will get old. Watch for him to angle for a VP nomination or (heaven forbid) a Supreme Court nomination.
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Wilt
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:28 pm    Post subject:

Aeneas Hunter wrote:
Charlatan and elitist, yes, pro-government, not sure. I'm not sure that he really stands for much of anything other than promoting himself. He is highly intelligent -- I mean off the charts intelligent. He is quick and clever as a speaker, which is why he came out of nowhere to win the Senate seat. He knows how to play to the anger and resentment that festers in white, suburban Texas. But you always get the feeling that he's fake, and he doesn't generate a lot of passion here, even among the wingnuts. I get the sense that they like his rhetoric but suspect that there's something not quite right about him.

There is a lot more warmth toward Rick Perry, even though he was the butt of jokes long before he ran for President. Most people here knew that he wasn't presidential material. The sense is that he's a dumbass, but he's our dumbass. Plus, Perry did things like go to California and New York to persuade businesses to relocate to Texas. Goofy, yes, but it creates the impression that he was trying to promote the state, and not just himself. Cruz doesn't seem to get that sort of reaction.

Cruz seems to have grandiose dreams. I wouldn't be shocked if he pulls a Palin and doesn't finish his term. You can see that the other GOP senators are already getting sick of him. He is going to be marginalized within his own party, which means that he can only get attention by doing outrageous stuff. That will get old. Watch for him to angle for a VP nomination or (heaven forbid) a Supreme Court nomination.


Thanks for the reply.

By the way, when I say pro-government, I mean in the sense that George W. Bush was a "big government conservative," which allowed him to legitimize the imperial presidency, expand medicare, etc. It seems Cruz was that type of conservative, until the Tea Party movement appeared and he sought to exploit it.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:20 am    Post subject:

I understood what you meant by pro-government. I just don't know about Cruz. You are right that his pedigree would suggest that he is that kind of conservative, but then his actions don't match his pedigree.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:00 pm    Post subject:

For anyone who feels the urge to know more about today's voting rights decision, here is a very good summary. Be warned that the legal issues are fairly dry.

http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/03/opinion-analysis-a-small-victory-for-minority-voters-or-a-case-with-profound-constitutional-implications/#more-226436
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:48 pm    Post subject:

Aeneas Hunter wrote:
For anyone who feels the urge to know more about today's voting rights decision, here is a very good summary. Be warned that the legal issues are fairly dry.

http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/03/opinion-analysis-a-small-victory-for-minority-voters-or-a-case-with-profound-constitutional-implications/#more-226436



Thanks. Hard to understand Kennedy being in the majority on the other side of the fence considering the ruling of last year. Methinks he is conflicted. Scalia is just Scalia. I still can't for the life of me fathom why he is considered such a brilliant legal mind.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:39 pm    Post subject:

KobeBryantCliffordBrown wrote:
Aeneas Hunter wrote:
For anyone who feels the urge to know more about today's voting rights decision, here is a very good summary. Be warned that the legal issues are fairly dry.

http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/03/opinion-analysis-a-small-victory-for-minority-voters-or-a-case-with-profound-constitutional-implications/#more-226436



Thanks. Hard to understand Kennedy being in the majority on the other side of the fence considering the ruling of last year. Methinks he is conflicted. Scalia is just Scalia. I still can't for the life of me fathom why he is considered such a brilliant legal mind.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:52 pm    Post subject:

The media tends to portray the Supreme Court in binary terms: conservative justices with a certain agenda vs. liberal justices with a certain agenda. In fact, the justices split in all sorts of different ways depending on the specific issue. On some issues, Scalia and Ginsburg are on the same side. Each justice has his or her own personal views on jurisprudence.

In the case of Kennedy, there is apparently a meaningful difference between getting rid of the preclearance requirement and actually getting rid of the whole Voting Rights Act. This appears to be true for some of the other dissenters, too. As that article indicates, the big fight was over the question of whether the plaintiffs had raised the district-by-district argument in the lower courts. Even I found all of that discussion to be boring. Only Clarence Thomas was truly challenging the statute itself.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:20 am    Post subject:

Well done O... well done. I think he should get another Nobel Peace Prize!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-says-it-wont-rule-out-building-nuclear-weapons-10139229.html
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:11 am    Post subject:

KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
Well done O... well done. I think he should get another Nobel Peace Prize!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-says-it-wont-rule-out-building-nuclear-weapons-10139229.html


Oh, remind me again the name of the only nation-state in the history of the world to use these types of weapons on a civilian population? Yeah, yeah, yeah - we sure know "peace" ... we've only been at war for 93% of our existence! 222 of 239 warmongering years since 1776 ...

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia getting in on the act? Yeah, and what? Are we honestly supposed to believe that those screwballs having a weapon is any scarier than Pakistan having 'em? Or North Korea? Or Israel? FFS, why do we continue to believe that it's our magical right to dictate to the rest of the SOVEREIGN world what they can and cannot have? Would the right thing have been to throatpunch King Abdullah when President Obama moved within range? Would that have been your desired approach?

Sharif, Jong-un, Netanyahu or Salman? I wouldn't trust any of those four to act more rationally than the other three ...


Last edited by the association on Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:24 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:22 am    Post subject:

the association wrote:
KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
Well done O... well done. I think he should get another Nobel Peace Prize!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-says-it-wont-rule-out-building-nuclear-weapons-10139229.html


Oh, remind me again the name of the only nation-state in the history of the world to use these types of weapons on a civilian population?

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia getting in on the act? Yeah, and what? Are we honestly supposed to believe that those screwballs having a weapon is any scarier than Pakistan having 'em? Or North Korea? Or Israel? FFS, why do we continue to believe that it's our magical right to dictate to the rest of the SOVEREIGN world what they can and cannot have? Would the right thing have been to throatpunch King Abdullah when President Obama moved within range? Would that have been your desired approach?

Sharif, Jong-un, Netanyahu or Salman? I wouldn't trust any of those four to act more rationally than the other three ...


Why does Saudi Arabia want nukes now... oh it's because of O's buddy buddy negotiations with Iran.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:43 am    Post subject:

KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
the association wrote:
KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
Well done O... well done. I think he should get another Nobel Peace Prize!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-says-it-wont-rule-out-building-nuclear-weapons-10139229.html


Oh, remind me again the name of the only nation-state in the history of the world to use these types of weapons on a civilian population?

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia getting in on the act? Yeah, and what? Are we honestly supposed to believe that those screwballs having a weapon is any scarier than Pakistan having 'em? Or North Korea? Or Israel? FFS, why do we continue to believe that it's our magical right to dictate to the rest of the SOVEREIGN world what they can and cannot have? Would the right thing have been to throatpunch King Abdullah when President Obama moved within range? Would that have been your desired approach?

Sharif, Jong-un, Netanyahu or Salman? I wouldn't trust any of those four to act more rationally than the other three ...


Why does Saudi Arabia want nukes now... oh it's because of O's buddy buddy negotiations with Iran.


Exactly two groups share this geopolitical delusion ... nut jobs here in flyover country and nut jobs over there in the "holy land".

If the latter applies, maybe that's how Israel HaYom might characterize the negotiations these days ... but feeble desperation always has been unbecoming from my perspective, whatever its source. The fear is palpable ...

As for me, I don't give much of a rip whether or not the Independent publishes an article with the vaguest of titillating information for folks like you ... don't worry, we'll top off "the chosen ones" with our newest, latest and greatest technology and weaponry to blunt any (imaginary) threat. And then we'll sit by with amusement as they intimate that the technology and weaponry actually stem from their defense industries. And we'll collectively roll our eyes when they puff out their chests to boast of their might.

Go shoot some children with rocks in their hands already ... this white phosphorus foreplay is unbearable.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:13 am    Post subject:

Every nation wants nukes. It's the weapon that keeps others at bay. Notice no ones attacking N Korea.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:24 am    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
Every nation wants nukes. It's the weapon that keeps others at bay. Notice no ones attacking N Korea.


The delusional sense of entitlement we have foolishly bestowed upon our least appreciative ally never fails to amaze me ... but sadly, we're ultimately to blame for allowing this dysfunctional relationship to spiral out of control in the bought hands of our elected leaders and our system of government.

And 100% agreed re: North Korea and the suggested deterrent effect ...
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:39 am    Post subject:

KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
the association wrote:
KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
Well done O... well done. I think he should get another Nobel Peace Prize!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-says-it-wont-rule-out-building-nuclear-weapons-10139229.html


Oh, remind me again the name of the only nation-state in the history of the world to use these types of weapons on a civilian population?

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia getting in on the act? Yeah, and what? Are we honestly supposed to believe that those screwballs having a weapon is any scarier than Pakistan having 'em? Or North Korea? Or Israel? FFS, why do we continue to believe that it's our magical right to dictate to the rest of the SOVEREIGN world what they can and cannot have? Would the right thing have been to throatpunch King Abdullah when President Obama moved within range? Would that have been your desired approach?

Sharif, Jong-un, Netanyahu or Salman? I wouldn't trust any of those four to act more rationally than the other three ...


Why does Saudi Arabia want nukes now... oh it's because of O's buddy buddy negotiations with Iran.


Saudi Arabia and Iran are regional rivals. Saudi Arabia would've developed their own nuclear program if Iran had gotten nukes. Iran has been trying to acquire nukes before Obama ever came into office.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:41 am    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
Every nation wants nukes. It's the weapon that keeps others at bay. Notice no ones attacking N Korea.


Not to mention its old technology....the biggest impediment to acquiring the bomb is acquiring enough fissile material to make a bomb. The know how to do it has been out there long enough.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:03 pm    Post subject:

lakersken80 wrote:
KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
the association wrote:
KobeRe-Loaded wrote:
Well done O... well done. I think he should get another Nobel Peace Prize!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-says-it-wont-rule-out-building-nuclear-weapons-10139229.html


Oh, remind me again the name of the only nation-state in the history of the world to use these types of weapons on a civilian population?

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia getting in on the act? Yeah, and what? Are we honestly supposed to believe that those screwballs having a weapon is any scarier than Pakistan having 'em? Or North Korea? Or Israel? FFS, why do we continue to believe that it's our magical right to dictate to the rest of the SOVEREIGN world what they can and cannot have? Would the right thing have been to throatpunch King Abdullah when President Obama moved within range? Would that have been your desired approach?

Sharif, Jong-un, Netanyahu or Salman? I wouldn't trust any of those four to act more rationally than the other three ...


Why does Saudi Arabia want nukes now... oh it's because of O's buddy buddy negotiations with Iran.


Saudi Arabia and Iran are regional rivals. Saudi Arabia would've developed their own nuclear program if Iran had gotten nukes. Iran has been trying to acquire nukes before Obama ever came into office.


First, I'm not sure your premise that Iran is "trying to acquire nukes" is even accurate. That argument is significantly less than one-sided ...

But nevertheless ... when only one nation-state in the region is enabled to acquire nuclear (and conventional) weapons technology from the U.S., the Soviet Union and France, stockpile such weapons without any oversight from the international community, and then prattle on and on that it's the victim in the strife that envelops that part of the world (despite its enormous assymetrical advantage courtesy of said patrons), you eventually discover that others in the region want some security of their own ... ergo, had Israel not begun acquiring such nuclear weaponry 45+ years ago, the Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia might not (supposedly) be trifling with these ideas today.

Where is the mystery here?
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:14 pm    Post subject:

Honestly, I'm not sure that Israel's nukes have much to do with it. I think Jodeke hit the nail on the head.
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:36 am    Post subject:

LINK
Sean Penn is more an activist than I knew. I too like his choice of mates Charlize Theron

Viewing the pictures of war pounded me with, we Americans have not experienced and don't consider the real impact of what war on our soils would encompass.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 4:40 pm    Post subject:

I'm not into politics much, but I do really hate Harry Reid because I see him as the slimiest of liars. The true picture of what's wrong with politics.

Interesting interview he just had. He has no regrets about telling blatant lies about others. He even smiles a smirk of pride when talking about it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/31/harry-reids-appalling-defense-of-his-attack-on-mitt-romneys-tax-record/
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:07 am    Post subject:

We have a deal with Iran on their nuclear program. For now, it's just a "framework" that will lead to an actual deal in the next few weeks.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:31 am    Post subject:

Call me a skeptic, but I remember when we had a deal with North Korea back in the day....and eventually they used it as a stalling tactic to bide more time to develop the bomb.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:37 am    Post subject:

lakersken80 wrote:
Call me a skeptic, but I remember when we had a deal with North Korea back in the day....and eventually they used it as a stalling tactic to bide more time to develop the bomb.


We'll have to see, but I think this deal includes heavy inspections. The threat is to increase sanctions if the Iranians do any shenanigans. It looks like their economy is in a really bad shape, which is a result of current sanctions. The dynamics between state and society is entirely different in North Korea, so we shouldn't just assume both regimes work under the same pressures. Still, we'll just have to wait how this develops. I'm cautiously optimistic.
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 7:19 am    Post subject:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/05/israel-iran-deal_n_7006518.html

Among other reasons, I'm very clearly unfit for world leadership because I don't think I'd be able to suppress the urge to smack the F out of Netanyahu on the daily ... this guy is a real piece of work, made all the more insufferable by that ever-present sneer we must endure as he reiterates his endless library of hypocritically expansive demands.

If these truly are the contours of a 21st century relationship with an ally (and assuming for a moment that 1. lobbying by foreign governments was actually prohibited here in the U.S.; 2. the legislative branch of my hypothetical government was not occupied by 535 cowards and their staff members who will sell-out for or against guns, god, greenbacks or gays at the drop of a hat; and 3. the federal executive departments were not already infiltrated by a similar army of unpatriotic drones), I would be REALLY tempted to sever all diplomatic, economic and military-industrial ties until new leadership emerged and a real sea change bubbled to the surface in Israel ... this miserably ceaseless manipulation and hand-grabbing was too much already 50 years ago.
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 2:50 pm    Post subject:

the association wrote:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/05/israel-iran-deal_n_7006518.html

Among other reasons, I'm very clearly unfit for world leadership because I don't think I'd be able to suppress the urge to smack the F out of Netanyahu on the daily ... this guy is a real piece of work, made all the more insufferable by that ever-present sneer we must endure as he reiterates his endless library of hypocritically expansive demands.

If these truly are the contours of a 21st century relationship with an ally (and assuming for a moment that 1. lobbying by foreign governments was actually prohibited here in the U.S.; 2. the legislative branch of my hypothetical government was not occupied by 535 cowards and their staff members who will sell-out for or against guns, god, greenbacks or gays at the drop of a hat; and 3. the federal executive departments were not already infiltrated by a similar army of unpatriotic drones), I would be REALLY tempted to sever all diplomatic, economic and military-industrial ties until new leadership emerged and a real sea change bubbled to the surface in Israel ... this miserably ceaseless manipulation and hand-grabbing was too much already 50 years ago.


Having read a few of your posts, you might also be unfit to post in a political thread. I'm not sure why the mods would let you continue with some of the comments you've made, such as the shoot a kid holding a rock.
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