American Politics Thread: Orange is the new POTUS

[Flash Walken]

Cp moderators embarrassing themselves in this thread. What a disaster

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by GGG

Or send me the same type of people you send Canada.

I don't really understand all of the uproar over this proposed legislation. On its own, I don't see how it is racist. As many have noted, the idea of a partly merit-based immigration system shouldn't be that controversial. It seems to have worked rather well in Canada. I don't think that there is evidence that it has been abused here or has unfairly excluded applicants from certain regions (although that is an interesting question and I'm curious if there is a study out there).

That said, the devil may be in the details. I presume, like Canada, the Americans are proposing a mixed system that still allows for family-based applicants along with merit-based applicants. If not, that is probably a recipe for disaster. Even then, it strikes me as bad policy rather than racism or xenophobia.

Similarly, I think the drastic reduction in he number of successful applicants is clearly bad policy. However, open discussions about the appropriate number of immigrants are perfectly reasonable, even necessary.

All that said, like the travel ban, I suppose that when one views this proposed legislation in the context of Trump's campaign rhetoric, it suddenly takes on the taint of racism.

[direwolf]

What a surprise. Illuminaughty pops back into the thread and we find ourselves talking about Hillary's emails and uranium deals again. Christ on a cracker, enough already.

Let's get back on track, shall we? Since the White House is leaking like crazy, it looks like Sessions is escalating the war with the media and looking to punish journalists for not revealing their sources.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKBN1AK1UR

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, taking up an issue that has infuriated President Donald Trump, went on the attack against leaks on Friday, and said that the government was reviewing policies on compelling journalists to reveal sources.

"One of the things we are doing is reviewing policies affecting media subpoenas," Sessions told reporters as he announced administration efforts to battle what he called a "staggering number of leaks undermining the ability of our government to protect this country."

"We respect the important role that the press plays and will give them respect, but it is not unlimited," he said.

A media subpoena is a writ compelling a journalist to testify or produce evidence, with a penalty for failure to do so. The fact the administration is reviewing its policy leaves open the possibility of sentencing journalists for not disclosing their sources.

Speaking to reporters after the media event with Sessions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the department was just starting to review the policy on media subpoenas and could not say yet how it might be changed. But he did not rule out the possibility of threatening journalists with jail time.

Under U.S. law, a government attorney must seek the attorney general's approval before issuing a subpoena to attempt to force a member of the news media to divulge information to authorities.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by direwolf

What a surprise. Illuminaughty pops back into the thread and we find ourselves talking about Hillary's emails and uranium deals again. Christ on a cracker, enough already.

Let's get back on track, shall we? Since the White House is leaking like crazy, it looks like Sessions is escalating the war with the media and looking to punish journalists for not revealing their sources.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKBN1AK1UR

Lol, Trump taking lessons straight from Papa Vlad's book.

Funny how no other administration in history has had these kinds of issues. But yeah, somehow it's the media's fault and nobody else's that your administration is 'leaking' all the horrible **** that goes on in this gong show of a WH.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Cp moderators embarrassing themselves in this thread. What a disaster

Can you expand? If you are going to criticize someone at least have the decency to be clear about what you are talking about.
#driveby

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Makarov

I don't really understand all of the uproar over this proposed legislation. On its own, I don't see how it is racist. As many have noted, the idea of a partly merit-based immigration system shouldn't be that controversial. It seems to have worked rather well in Canada. I don't think that there is evidence that it has been abused here or has unfairly excluded applicants from certain regions (although that is an interesting question and I'm curious if there is a study out there).

That said, the devil may be in the details. I presume, like Canada, the Americans are proposing a mixed system that still allows for family-based applicants along with merit-based applicants. If not, that is probably a recipe for disaster. Even then, it strikes me as bad policy rather than racism or xenophobia.

Similarly, I think the drastic reduction in he number of successful applicants is clearly bad policy. However, open discussions about the appropriate number of immigrants are perfectly reasonable, even necessary.

All that said, like the travel ban, I suppose that when one views this proposed legislation in the context of Trump's campaign rhetoric, it suddenly takes on the taint of racism.

Too late. No room for open discussion. The late night comedians have already made their conclusion that it's racist. Making a immigration policy where there are points given for speaking English is a non-starter.

http://toofab.com/2017/08/03/donald-...kimmel-fallon/

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Illuminaughty

I'm not a Trump supporter but I'd gladly one on one you any day in Geo politics. I'm a little outnumbered in this hug box but we could take it to qallout?

If the points you can make are strong and the things you say make sense, people here will back you. Calling this place a hug box is one of the more ridiculous things I've ever heard and one of the ####tiest excuses to avoid a debate I've heard.

About the only reason I could see you wanting to avoid it is you can't gish gallop multiple people. And yes, I assume most things you're going to use in any debate will be utter horse#### because you think Seth Rich is a thing.

Can I interest you in some 9/11 theories I've heard?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Wild GM

Can you expand? If you are going to criticize someone at least have the decency to be clear about what you are talking about.
#driveby

Because the same user keeps being allowed to come back in here and derail the thread with the same garbage. I get wanting a diverse set of opinions and solid debate but this dude isn't interested in any of that and instead just bogs everything down in his useless alt+right conspiracy theory nonsense.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Because the same user keeps being allowed to come back in here and derail the thread with the same garbage. I get wanting a diverse set of opinions and solid debate but this dude isn't interested in any of that and instead just bogs everything down in his useless alt+right conspiracy theory nonsense.

So?

He's an idiot, but I don't think having a dissenting opinion is the worst. It's not like that stops Trump from doing stupid #### for us to talk about after. He comes in, he embarrasses himself for a page or two, we move on. It's harmless and not something I want to see the mods stepping in on. Especially since most of the mod team are engaging him in this conversation.

[Coach]

I don't think the legislation is being considered racist as much as ironically unAmerican in the context of conservatives and what their supposed heroes believed in.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Illuminaughty

Why? I thought you lefties were all about diversity and inclusion... Clearly not when it comes to a difference of opinion.

Am I interrupting your game of soft lob tennis?

Deplorable much?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Illuminaughty

Am I interrupting your game of soft lob tennis?

It's funny, because while the answer is yes, you're interrupting it by basically just spraying wild forehands all over the place and into the stands, and never actually hitting a shot in. So suffice it to say, it's not a big improvement.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Because the same user keeps being allowed to come back in here and derail the thread with the same garbage. I get wanting a diverse set of opinions and solid debate but this dude isn't interested in any of that and instead just bogs everything down in his useless alt+right conspiracy theory nonsense.

I'd like to hear from FlashWalken if that's what he was referring to.
And hhaaaaaaaaaaaaavee you met the ignore button?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

So?

He's an idiot, but I don't think having a dissenting opinion is the worst. It's not like that stops Trump from doing stupid #### for us to talk about after. He comes in, he embarrasses himself for a page or two, we move on. It's harmless and not something I want to see the mods stepping in on. Especially since most of the mod team are engaging him in this conversation.

Political discussion are among the toughest to moderate - my general approach is that if people want to discuss politics online anywhere they have to accept that this stuff is going to happen. So do we shut it down or allow it happen within some reasonable boundaries?

[Lanny_McDonald]

A good piece on Trump's communication strategy of late.

http://observer.com/2017/08/donald-t...ews-seth-rich/

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Wild GM

Political discussion are among the toughest to moderate - my general approach is that if people want to discuss politics online anywhere they have to accept that this stuff is going to happen. So do we shut it down or allow it happen within some reasonable boundaries?

Not to speak for anyone but I believe FlashWalken wasn't referring to the actual moderation of the thread.

He was referring to the fact that this thread gets destroyed for a few days every time we engage Illuminaughty, and the fact that there are mods actually engaging him and sending us into the same trap where this guy just pukes the same five facts up and obviously is never going to give an inch or see anything.

[dino7c]

South Park was so right as usual...A choice between a ###### and a turd. Honestly I blame the dems for Donald. They wanted the first women president so badly they ran a terrible candidate with a ton of baggage. She lost to Trump FFS, can you imagine the landslide had the republicans ran a serious candidate that didn't say "grab em' by the #####"

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by dino7c

South Park was so right as usual...A choice between a ###### and a turd. Honestly I blame the dems for Donald. They wanted the first women president so badly they ran a terrible candidate with a ton of baggage. She lost to Trump FFS, can you imagine the landslide had the republicans ran a serious candidate that didn't say "grab em' by the #####"

well, unless you are a Trump supporter, its pretty obvious that Hillary won the popular vote by a wide margin (in terms of the history of US elections).

I blame the Hillary campaign for an error is strategy by not focusing on primary Democratic states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

I would say equally, that Hillary would have easily won if it weren't for Comey 'reopening the investigation' of emails 10 days before the election... something never done in the history of US politics.

I don't think that many voters were turned off by the ##### grab statement... just look at the numbers...

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Not to speak for anyone but I believe FlashWalken wasn't referring to the actual moderation of the thread.

He was referring to the fact that this thread gets destroyed for a few days every time we engage Illuminaughty, and the fact that there are mods actually engaging him and sending us into the same trap where this guy just pukes the same five facts up and obviously is never going to give an inch or see anything.

If posters would rather everyone ignore the poster in question, that's a fair comment. I chose not to, maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't.

But Flash saying we're 'embarrassing' ourselves in this thread is nothing but a drive-by cheap shot at us. Not called for, and definitely not appreciated.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by dino7c

South Park was so right as usual...A choice between a ###### and a turd. Honestly I blame the dems for Donald. They wanted the first women president so badly they ran a terrible candidate with a ton of baggage. She lost to Trump FFS, can you imagine the landslide had the republicans ran a serious candidate that didn't say "grab em' by the #####"

you don't give Donald enough credit. No Republicans would have won. That party is in the toilet.