The Biden Presidency - 2020

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

You're the one claiming Biden in office increases abortion access. He has had options such as setting up clinics on federal land but passed. Don't think Democrats even brought a bill to vote.

Nominating anti-abortion judges, supporting ant-abotion candidates in primaries and stuff like this shows he's not the ally on abortion you think.

BIDEN tonight at a fundraiser in NYC: “I’m a practicing Catholic. I don’t want abortion on demand but I thought Roe v Wade was right.”

— AlexGangitano (@AlexGangitano) February 7, 2024

Right now your arguments involving Biden can be summed up as such:

Trump spends 4 years openly attacking unions and worker rights and Biden does 1 anti-union thing so both are the same.

Biden has consistently said as a Catholic he doesn't believe in abortion but recognizes and agrees to a woman's right to abortion access while Trump spends 4 years trying to make abortion illegal. Both are the same.

[Brian Swartz]

Rainmaker is many things, and some of them I strongly disagree with, but he's not an idiot or dumb.

[GrantDawg]

You could fool me with the way he argues dumb crap.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Right now your arguments involving Biden can be summed up as such:

Trump spends 4 years openly attacking unions and worker rights and Biden does 1 anti-union thing so both are the same.

He took away their only leverage and fucked over 113,000 workers. Trump sucks on labor rights but that one action is worse than anything he did in office. All the other shit doesn't matter if union members are not legally allowed to strike.

Originally Posted by Atocep

Biden has consistently said as a Catholic he doesn't believe in abortion but recognizes and agrees to a woman's right to abortion access while Trump spends 4 years trying to make abortion illegal. Both are the same.

Abortion is the only reason he and his party stand a chance right now. I'd probably shut the fuck up if I was him and stop using right-wing terminology like "abortion on demand".

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Without 60 Senate votes, I'm told nothing can change on those issues.

Also lol at union rights.

reuters.com

lol at this link

"We’re thankful that the Biden administration played the long game on sick days and stuck with us for months after Congress imposed our updated national agreement,” Russo said. “Without making a big show of it, Joe Biden and members of his administration in the Transportation and Labor departments have been working continuously to get guaranteed paid sick days for all railroad workers.

“We know that many of our members weren’t happy with our original agreement,” Russo said, “but through it all, we had faith that our friends in the White House and Congress would keep up the pressure on our railroad employers to get us the sick day benefits we deserve. Until we negotiated these new individual agreements with these carriers, an IBEW member who called out sick was not compensated.”

[RainMaker]

Literally signed a bill that made it illegal for rail workers to strike and then threw them a bone of 4 sick days. A tiny fraction of what they were asking for.

Long term, rail companies now hold all the leverage. There's a reason the Teamsters begged him to stay out of the UPS labor dispute.

[JPhillips]

Glad you know more than the IBEW.

I'm sure Trump will be better for them.

[RainMaker]

A lot of the stuff I'm mentioning is bad and we've known Biden was a pretty bad politician for 40 years. But I voted for him last time and would vote for him now because Trump is worse.

But I won't vote for a war criminal who funds genocide. There's really nothing that can convince me to vote for someone who belongs at the Hague. There's a line that needs to be drawn at some point.

[Kodos]

Hell yeah!

Also, wrong thread!

[JPhillips]

So I get this is fantasy, but bear with me.

What would happen if 15 GOPers in the Senate and 40-50 in the House all became Dems? I think they could swing the party far enough right that they would be something like UK Tories. There are already plenty of center folks among the Dems and if the far left broke off, as I think they would, it would only solidify the new Tory/Dems.

The GOPers would have to bend a bit on corporate regulations and climate, but I bet tax policy, foreign policy, judges, and a lot more would feel pretty comfortable for them.

[Atocep]

Mike Johnson is now complaining that the Israel/Ukraine funding deal doesn't include anything for the border.

[Edward64]

Nice. Sooner the better so we can go on to the next step.

Rest of the article talks about what could happen with the GOP House. But who the frak really knows nowadays.

Breaking down the House endgames for the Senate's foreign aid plan - Live Updates - POLITICO

The Senate is set to approve its $95 billion national security funding package as soon as Tuesday, delivering long-stalled aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Then the House will take its turn — and there will be a multi-directional battle to decide the fate of the bill.

If true, I don't mind having separate votes. But let's have the votes and get people on record.

Johnson has expressed support for Ukraine generally but has not said whether he’d slate a House vote on the Senate’s aid bill, which many conservatives oppose. His spokesperson Raj Shah told Playbook in a statement that Johnson wants to consider the bill “on its own merits.”

“The speaker merely conveyed that each component of the supplemental must be evaluated on its own merits and can potentially be considered separately,” he said in a statement.

[Thomkal]

Thanks George Santos-Dems win Special Election to replace him

[Jas_lov]

Looks like the Dem, Suozzi, is going to win big.

[JPhillips]

And the far right is settling on never making the mistake of kicking out a guy like Santos again. The whole party just needs to be burnt to the ground.

[JPhillips]

dola

Pilip is a great example of how parties misunderstand identity politics. The GOP picked Pilip because she's a woman, black, and Jewish. They just assumed a lot of those groups would vote for her based on identity. She doesn't have any electoral experience, doesn't have a network, doesn't have name recognition, and it's identity politics are premised on a candidate being seen as a part of the group. In suburban NY, she wasn't seen as part of any of her identity groups and she doesn't have the history to have established herself as part of the group.

Dems do the same thing all the time thinking a candidate with military experience is enough to swing voters.

[Thomkal]

looks like Florida is sending permission slips home with their kids for the parents to sign because they are going to read and discuss a book written by an African-American.


https://twitter.com/ChuckWalterFL/st...20780373373048

[Thomkal]

Ha! The FBI just charged the informant in james comer's hunter and joe biden probe of making false statements and obstruction:


https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/stat...40350559240321

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

looks like Florida is sending permission slips home with their kids for the parents to sign because they are going to read and discuss a book written by an African-American.

https://twitter.com/ChuckWalterFL/st...20780373373048

What in the fuck?!

[flere-imsaho]

I don't see why you're shocked. This kind of thing happens just as much under a Biden or Trump Administration. I mean, I'm sure a Trump Administration will ban books just as much as the Biden Administration has.

[Lathum]

Holy shit.

Russian activist and Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in prison | Alexei Navalny | The Guardian

[GrantDawg]

I'm amazed he lived as long as he did.

[GrantDawg]

Matt Gaetz has gone woke. He admits white privilege.

“It’s a black thing…Most black folks hide cash.” - Fani Willis Father

Maybe my privilege is showing but is this a thing?

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 16, 2024

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Holy shit.

Russian activist and Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in prison | Alexei Navalny | The Guardian

Maybe Tucker can interview Putin about this and get mocked to his face some more.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Maybe Tucker can interview Putin about this and get mocked to his face some more.

Apparenty you missed this:

Tucker Carlson criticised for praising Putin before Navalny death: ‘Leadership requires killing people’ | The Independent

Of course, he's now scrambling to explain away these comments since Leader Putin, you know, killed someone.

[RainMaker]

Did anyone see the Tucker clip where he's just fascinated that Russia has shopping carts that are coin operated? Like the guy has never been in an Aldi before.

[bronconick]

Didn't he grow up rich? Probably hasn't had to shop for himself in decades, if ever.

[Ghost Econ]

So are we going to get a mea culpa from our enlightened centrists about the whole Hunter Biden thing being BS, or will they continue to both sides it?

https://newrepublic.com/post/179163/...-epic-disaster

[Ksyrup]

Meanwhile, James Comer will probably get re-elected at a 75-25% clip again.

[JPhillips]

Amazing that Dems don't even try to make anything out of the numerous examples of the GOP working with Russian intelligence.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Amazing that Dems don't even try to make anything out of the numerous examples of the GOP working with Russian intelligence.

i think that depends on who you are listening too-Rep Goldman, Swalwell, and others have been on TV and in congressional hearings talking about it and showing examples. They aren't just ignoring it

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Amazing that Dems don't even try to make anything out of the numerous examples of the GOP working with Russian intelligence.

The problem is most of their supporters are perfectly OK with it and there's a lot of people that don't see Russia as a threat, which is unfortunate.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Meanwhile, James Comer will probably get re-elected at a 75-25% clip again.

Comer also claims he has a lot of other evidence and doesn't need this guy, which we know is bullshit, but this more about the upcoming election than finding anything. They know there's nothing there but they're hoping the blur the lines with some voters on Trump and Biden both being corrupt. The more people that believe both sides are the same the better it is for the GOP.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

i think that depends on who you are listening too-Rep Goldman, Swalwell, and others have been on TV and in congressional hearings talking about it and showing examples. They aren't just ignoring it

No Senate hearings. No coordinated media strategy. No ad campaign.

Dems always wait for the news networks to do the work they need to be doing.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Amazing that Dems don't even try to make anything out of the numerous examples of the GOP working with Russian intelligence.

I think they've spoken up a lot about it. They blamed the 2016 election on it for years. It sticks with some people. Others won't care.

They're also kind of in a weird spot since Menendez is part of the foreign relations committee and he was essentially an employee of the Egyptian and Qatari government.

[RainMaker]

Potential new immigration policy. Nearly identical to Trump's that was shot down by the courts. Will be interesting if Democrat states fight this like the fought Trump's or if there position has changed now that a Democrat is doing it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/u...um-border.html

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

So are we going to get a mea culpa from our enlightened centrists about the whole Hunter Biden thing being BS, or will they continue to both sides it?

https://newrepublic.com/post/179163/...-epic-disaster

As a moderate/independent and proponent of "both sides", I assume you are referring to me? If so, feel free to quote me on where you think I need to provide a mea culpa.

Just search on "Hunter" on this thread or others, and let me know if you find something.

[Edward64]

Joe, don't spend too much effort getting her back right now. She should have known better, it's on her.

US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina ‘didn’t have a worry in a world’ when she went to Russia. Then she was arrested for treason | CNN

When dual US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina boarded a flight from Istanbul to Russia in January, the last thing on her mind was that she would find herself behind bars weeks later on treason charges, her boyfriend told CNN’s Brianna Keilar Wednesday.

Karelina “had no fear, she was so proud to be going home… she’s so proud of Russia,” boyfriend Chris Van Heerden said, adding that the 33-year-old was excited to see her elderly grandparents in her hometown of Yekaterinburg. “She did not have a worry in the world,” he added.

It had been several years since the Los Angeles resident had returned to Russia, he said, which is why he bought her a ticket to Russia as she was feeling homesick. The pair had been on a four-day holiday to Istanbul. She went on to Russia, while he returned to California - and that’s when he discovered she had been detained.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Potential new immigration policy. Nearly identical to Trump's that was shot down by the courts. Will be interesting if Democrat states fight this like the fought Trump's or if there position has changed now that a Democrat is doing it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/u...um-border.html

It's behind a paywall so assume similar to what CNN is reporting.

Biden considering executive action to close southern border, sources say | CNN Politics

The article did not mention it and is not clear. Is Joe wanting to push this in hopes the House will vote for his Ukraine-Israel-Taiwan bill?

If it's separate, I wouldn't think Joe would push for it as it would PO his base even more.

[Ghost Econ]

Originally Posted by Edward64

As a moderate/independent and proponent of "both sides", I assume you are referring to me? If so, feel free to quote me on where you think I need to provide a mea culpa.

Just search on "Hunter" on this thread or others, and let me know if you find something.

Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - The Biden Presidency - 2020

Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - The Biden Presidency - 2020

Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - The Biden Presidency - 2020

There's more about guns, taxes, children, but it's a weird obsession.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

There's more about guns, taxes, children, but it's a weird obsession.

Thank you. Appreciate the opportunity to respond to my specific quotes. Let's go through each one because I like to go into details.

Per your newrepublic link, I believe this is the issue in question. If I'm incorrect, please provide the quote in the story you believe I missed.

Alexander Smirnov, a longtime FBI informant with ties to Ukraine, had claimed to have proof of Biden and his son Hunter accepting bribes from a Ukrainian oligarch. Republicans repeatedly touted Smirnov’s claims in their quest to impeach the president. But last week, the Justice Department announced that it was charging Smirnov with making a false statement and creating a false record related to the bribery allegation.

Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - The Biden Presidency - 2020

It's pretty obvious the below original statement is inaccurate.

They've tried to amend that statement without actually saying they're amending it. So, GOP continues to pick at it.

All this because the black sheep couldn't remember to pay for his laptop repairs and abandoned the laptop.

Your newrepublic article said Hunter/Joe being bribed is a lie. What does that have anything to do with what I said about Joe above?

I have never said that Joe took a bribe. I have said Joe did meet with Hunter's business partners (including Burisma). Source: look at your 3rd link below where I highlighted.

Front Office Football Central

Originally Posted by Edward64

It may well be no business deals discussed but I can easily see Joe being aware of the players in the room, the reason for the meeting, and Hunter prepping him with some key details & stuff to say or not to say (normal stuff in any big meeting).

I'd be surprised if there are actual transcripts but an email summary/recap is probably more likely. Yes, I'd like to see those come out if not already.

Same as above.

Front Office Football Central

Originally Posted by Edward64

I believe Joe participating in phone calls is a new disclosure? I don't remember reading about it and not the 20 times.

I get Joe may not have formally discussed business dealings (e.g. contractual details etc.) but participation in actual calls increases the odds that he did listen in and was a party to some details (and not just niceties as mentioned below).

Still not a smoking gun though (e.g. show me the money trail to Joe, show me the relevant text, emails etc. to Joe). Unless Joe received some $, this is still a nothing burger and, at best, a blind spot for his frakking son.

Devon Archer debate focuses on Hunter Biden ‘illusion of access’ | The Hill

Same as above.

Question to you: are you saying you do not believe Joe was in calls or meetings with Burisma representatives? Or are you saying he did participate in calls/meetings but there is no evidence Joe took bribes?

Looking forward to your response or clarification.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think they've spoken up a lot about it. They blamed the 2016 election on it for years. It sticks with some people. Others won't care.

They're also kind of in a weird spot since Menendez is part of the foreign relations committee and he was essentially an employee of the Egyptian and Qatari government.

Dems haven't evver tried to weave everything together for the American public. Just the stuff we know now suggests the most successful intelligence operation in world history. The way the Russians have infiltrated conservative orgs and PACs, the money flowing through those groups to candidates, the social media manipulation, the direct contacts between Russian intelligence and GOP electeds, all point to a massive and successful effort to capture the conservative movement.

And fuck Menendez. Fetterman is dead right on him.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Dems haven't evver tried to weave everything together for the American public. Just the stuff we know now suggests the most successful intelligence operation in world history. The way the Russians have infiltrated conservative orgs and PACs, the money flowing through those groups to candidates, the social media manipulation, the direct contacts between Russian intelligence and GOP electeds, all point to a massive and successful effort to capture the conservative movement.

And fuck Menendez. Fetterman is dead right on him.

I think they've tried, their messaging is just shit.

First, they tried to blame Hillary losing on the Russians which I think many Americans rolled their eyes at. She was a shit candidate that was not likable. So dragging Russia into that made the rest of the stuff seem less impactful. Sure Russia wanted Trump to win but a lot of countries have preferences.

There was also the Mueller investigation which Democrats put way too much trust in. We had a year or more of crazy conspiracy theories about what he'd find and reveal to the public. In the end, while the report had some damaging stuff in it, it fell well short of what Democrats anticipated. They didn't have a plan after that.

It also doesn't help that the party doesn't have a lot of politicians that relate to the public. Letting this old guard of bought and paid for liberals like Pelosi steer the ship was a disaster. The party should have had a massive purge in 2016 and let younger talent on that wasn't already poison to the majority of the public.

[Flasch186]

No offense to all but when the conversation turns into the dance with Edward about what he said or didn’t say that’s exactly when it’s supposed to go to the other thread so he can Bob and weave and all thus saving threads from devolving into the same.


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[Edward64]

So far the conversation has been neutral. No drama queen stuff yet.

[Edward64]

re: social security mess and looming 2034-2035.

We had an earlier discussion on possible fixes like increasing/removing payroll tax limits, later retirement age etc. Below article mentioned another option that I don't remember reading about. Essentially, removing the tax benefits of 401k, IRAs.

To save Social Security, they may come for your 401(k)Â* - MarketWatch

There is talk in policy circles of getting rid of these plans entirely — or at least ending the tax breaks, which pretty much amounts to the same thing. That would be a political shock and a financial earthquake, especially for the middle class.

Policy wonks argue that these accounts mainly benefit very high earners while doing little to increase savings. They want to use those extra taxes to bail out Social Security, which is hurtling toward a crisis.

According to Boston College’s calculations, ending tax-deferred 401(k) plans and IRAs would raise $185 billion a year in extra taxes.

The article doesn't present stats who are in the "mainly benefit very high earners" (or define it).

From what I remember how it was sold to the masses, 401k/IRA were in lieu of pension plans. If they remove 401k/IRA, what will replace it to encourage people to save?

[Flasch186]

E

It has nothing and never had anything to do with neutral but instead the dominance and adultery of the point of the thread as you get called out and a tennis match begins. SMH


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[miked]

Or they could increase the cap so people earning $500k pay SS taxes on $500k. But hey, end tax breaks for middle class instead.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

E

It has nothing and never had anything to do with neutral but instead the dominance and adultery of the point of the thread as you get called out and a tennis match begins. SMH

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You can view it as such I guess?

I view it as 2x2 exchanges so far. No big deal (so far at least) other than you wanting to insert yourself and make it into a drama. But you do you, little man.

[flere-imsaho]

I have to feel that getting rid of the tax benefits of 401ks would be an actual death sentence for whichever party tried to implement it, to say nothing of all the financial institutions that benefit from administering them that would lobby against this.