Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Inauguration Day 2021

I have a bad feeling about the United States Inauguration Day 2021.  Personally, I think Rep. Nancy Pelosi needs to be in California that day.  This is because Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden are sworn in during the same ceremony, one right after the other, which means they are in the same place, at the same time.

Speaker of the House Pelosi is next in the chain of command, should shit happen.

Lunatics willing to storm the Capital Building are willing to plant Very Large Bombs in DC that day, possibly nuclear, if the lunatics can get ahold of them.  They're batshit crazy enough to consider everyone in DC - especially the "anti-Trump" Republicans - to be a "traitor," and President Trump (sexual predator, traitor) has already announced he won't be there, so their demagogue isn't there to be a meat shield.

I really want the day to go well, with no violence anywhere.  But, I doubt it will, and the GOP will be there afterwards to fuck America more.





Tuesday, August 14, 2018

If buying a gun was like getting an abortion

The artificial termination of pregnancy is such a messy subject.  But, the truth is that a huge part of that mess is the sheer, unbridled hypocrisy surrounding it.


This meme does two jobs, really well. It points out how little Americans actually give a shit about life - I mean, 30 000 firearm deaths per year, yet the solution is "more guns"?  Yeah, no.

And let's not let women end unwanted pregnancies, but fuck your socialist state if you expect me to help pay to have a healthy baby born, or to raise a healthy child who doesn't turn to crime to survive?  Yeah, classic.

I mean, nothing like using a gun to murder people who provide medical support to poor women who want to stay healthy and keep their babies, right?  What could possibly be more "2018 American" than that?

"Pro-Lifers" are so full of shit, the stink reeks to Heaven and God and Jesus are offended.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Healthcare - important things to know

Medicare is a federal program that provides health coverage if you are 65 and older or have a severe disability, no matter your income.

Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides health coverage if you have a very low income.


Unless you have a Republican Governor, then "Fuck you."





Tuesday, April 24, 2018

The Fallacy of Relevancy of Wealth

People like Gov Scott Walker or Rep Paul Ryan delude themselves into believing they were relevant to their billionaire masters .

What most of the one percent fail to realize is that they are meat shields for the 0.1%.

The difference between a millionaire and a billionaire is three orders of magnitude both literally and figuratively. The literally part is self evident, but the figuratively part is so hard for most people to grasp that they don't.

At billionaire status, money becomes irrelevant to action. Want a car? Done. Want a house? Done. Want an island? Okay, maybe you need to finance that one - but you can. Fantasy and reality blur. Money is an abstraction; money is a way of keeping score. It's just numbers. To really keep score you need a new yardstick. How many cars? Are they this months' fashion? Do you own a house in the right location (nevermind that you have no idea what it looks like even though the broker whose name you don't remember sent you pictures, as long as the property management people turn a profit renting it out, and you can say you own a house in the right neighborhood).

The one percent can't do these things. So many of the one percent struggle with the same stupid shit the rest of us do, they just find a way to make it all a lot more expensive for themselves and thus live the same paradigm, it just costs more. (Okay, yes, orders of magnitude between vacationing at the state park campground and the chalet on France, but it remains an issue of budget constraint rather than absurdist fantasy.)



Saturday, April 14, 2018

"The end of Humanity was announced on Twitter."

That would be such a fitting epithet of the waste of human potential since 1980.  I mean, seriously, what a fucking mess we've made of the entire world, after all the hard work the generations before 
spent trying to make things better for later generations.

“The worst apprehensions have come true,” Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., wrote in a tweet. “Our warnings have been left unheard."


Oh, bullshit.  You people bloody well knew your posturing would be ignored. You practically engineered it to be ignored.  Don't be such drama queens and try to claim the moral high ground.

A fucking TWEET!?  Jesus, let's just all act like children now, and break-up with each other in text messages, because "Hey, fuck you, too!"

“A pre-designed scenario is being implemented,” Antonov said. “Again, we are being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences. All responsibility for them rests with Washington, London and Paris."

1) if the scenario is pre-designed, then it was also pre-selected, and you asswipes were just itching for an excuse to use it, so don't try claiming "Oh, gosh, we're surprised, and we're totally reacting";

2) don't be immature whiny babies and try to pretend you're not responsible for your own actions. You bloody well know you could act like grown-ups, and take the high ground, and own your actions and stick with "We're responding." But, nooooo, act like children and say "Not my fault I acted like a jerk! Not my fault I killed people! Not my fault!"

Bullshit. The leadership of the US, France and UK acted like assholes, Mr Antonov, tell your leaders to at least have the decency to act like a grown-ups and own up to being assholes right back.



Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Keep perspective - gun deaths are preventable, and need to be prevented

  • This is stripped from a Jane Smith G+ thread.  I did this, because I have seen these arguments before, and refuting them is worth highlighting and making easy to find again.  The first thread has the basic persuasive argument goal of convincing you, the reader that "Gun deaths aren't that bad, so let's not waste time doing anything."  Seriously.  Read it and ask yourself at the end if you feel like spending time on gun violence isn't a waste of time.
  • So, below that, I rip the entire thing to Hell.  Again, because the point is that "Yes, people die in car accidents - which are already heavily regulated."  
  • If we can apply some very simple and basic regulation, and reduce the number of firearm deaths by any amount, then we have done a good thing.  According to CDC statistics - tracking firearm deaths, among other things - more than 38,000 people - or about 96 per day were killed, in the United States, by firearms.
  • If 96 people per day isn't worth doing something about, then we have no claim on morality, period.
  • By the way, the last year the Center for Disease Control was allowed to study and recommend ways to prevent firearm deaths (before Republicans shut down that research) was 1997.  Yeah, a major Federal Agency charged with keeping Americans safe from preventable things that kill them, was 1997.
  • Where's the outrage at the terrorism our government supports through the sale of arms to folks all around the world? Wouldn't it make sense to reduce the huge numbers of deaths of innocent people by constraining these industries of death? In 2015 there were 333 teenagers killed in mass shootings in this country. That is a big deal but global United State sponsored and supported terrorism has killed untold numbers more. If the objective is to save lives let's invest our time and efforts were it will do the most good anything else is a dereliction of our responsibilities as citizens of the largest state sponsor of terror on the planet.

    All major causes of needless deaths deserve to be addressed.

    The campaign to minimize loss of life should be proportionate to the deaths each cause is responsible for.

    The nation's citizens should demand that those in positions to institute change prioritize each campaign such that the most deadly are addressed first. This will help save the most number of lives.

    For the age group 15-19 years, the death rate from opioids (2015) was 4.6/100,000 or 15,180 (https://goo.gl/9SEMTP)

    For teens killed or injured by gun violence (2015), 2696
    Deaths by mass shooting (2015), 333 (https://goo.gl/epjdYy)

    -Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States.
    -Excessive drinking is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths among underage youth each year.
    -Although drinking by persons under the age of 21 is illegal, people aged 12 to 20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States. More than 90% of this alcohol is consumed in the form of binge drinks.
    -On average, underage drinkers consume more drinks per drinking occasion than adult drinkers.
    -In 2010, there were approximately 189,000 emergency rooms visits by persons under age 21 for injuries and other conditions linked to alcohol. (https://goo.gl/kUkNMb)

    In 2015, 2,333 teens in the United States ages 16–19 were killed and 235,845 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes. That means that six teens ages 16–19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. (https://goo.gl/uZ4pPa)

    No one can reasonably deny that gun violence is a problem, especially teenage deaths from guns which in 2015 accounted for 2,696 (10.8%) and _mass shootings which accounted for 333 (1.3%). However, to focus on Mass Shootings with as much attention as is being given to it since the Parkland event, to the chagrin of the other 89.1% who died needless and preventable deaths should lead any reasonable person to a rational conclusion, we are not being "informed" to act wisely and responsibly toward the issue of preventable teen deaths in this country. We are making a bigger issue out of the least of the concerns. Why? Isn't this about saving lives? Or is there some other more important concern?
    REPLY
    3d
  • Icarus Anne Riley's profile photo
    Conditional "yeesssssss...." except there are a shitload of vehicle safety laws on the books, from engineering requirements of the vehicle frame, seatbelts and airbag systems, to engineering requirements for road material and grade of curves to reduce accidents, and roadside railings, and laws requiring use of seat belts (which save lives), and laws against texting and driving (which kills people), and laws against drunk driving (which can kill people), and laws restricting purchase and consumption of alcohol, and laws and restrictions concerning the consumption of illegal drugs.

    There are an estimated 263 million registered motor vehicles in the United States. Each American spends an average of 1 hour per day on the road. Statistically, motor vehicles - which are heavily regulated who can own, who can operate, and the design and safety of their devices and skill level - means, that, yeah, they're gonna kill people.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_vehicles_in_the_United_States
    http://newsroom.aaa.com/2016/09/americans-spend-average-17600-minutes-driving-year/

    Conversely, firearms really are poorly regulated. Want to own a device whose entire function is to kill people? Sure! In most states, you just go buy one. Seriously. Some states have background checks, or waiting periods, but a lot of them don't!
    http://lawcenter.giffords.org/category/state-law/state-waiting-periods-for-guns/

    Most states do not require any competency training in the proper usage, storage, or lawful use of guns. That seems really stupid, to me. Apparently, 26 states let you "carry concealed" without first proving you know how to use the damn thing.
    https://www.thetrace.org/2016/02/live-fire-training-not-mandatory-concealed-carry-permits/

    The NRA opposed smartguns - which would prevent unauthorized people - like children in the home - from using them. Why would the NRA block this common sense security device? Fuck, the court can order a breathalizer installed on cars to stop people who can't seem to stop themselves from driving drunk from driving drunk. But, smart gun locks? Noooooo
    forbes.com - The NRA's Next Battleground ... Smart Guns

    Apparently, "every" American consumes 2.3 gallons of ethanol every year (per capita). So, if beer is 5% alcohol, that means about 46 gallons of beer per year, per person.
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/442818/per-capita-alcohol-consumption-of-all-beverages-in-the-us/

    So, alcohol kills people? Duh. Cigarettes do, too, but there always seems to be that weird thing about "letting adults kill themselves by ingestion of lawful poisons," thing that is always a funny slippery slope, all the time.

    Now, as noted before, it is already illegal pretty much everywhere, to consume any substance that impairs reflexes, senses or judgement, and then operate heavy machinery. But, you know, people do it all the fucking time, anyway, right? Yeah, well, imagine if it wasn't illegal - then the death rates would soar.

    So, you're right to say "More needs to be done to prevent motor vehicle deaths!" and to say "More needs to be done to prevent alcohol and drug deaths!"

    But, luv, while I appreciate that you did, in fact, write very eloquently and politely (which, let's face it, is rare on the Interwebs anymore), I'm calling the commonly used (but not so well as you did) "But, look at all these other [heavily regulated] things that kill people, while [very poorly regulated] guns hardly kill anyone at all!" is hand-waving "don't look behind the curtain" persuasive argument bullshit.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Gun owners give gun owners a bad rep

Um, yeah.  So, first the meme is full of shit, and clearly constructed for a particular Kool-Aid drunk audience.  I pulled this from a G+ thread, which I am totally unclear how it came up on my feed, anyway, but there you go.



But, the kicker for me was the comments section.  These are exactly the kind of people I don't feel safe letting them own guns.  



Own a gun, I don't care. Just don't be an asshole about it.

I've found myself repeating this mantra a lot lately. Probably a combo of things, but really it all comes down to Parkland, Florida, and how the GOP in Florida are telling students to shut up, even while making it _easier_ for people to buy guns in Florida. And fucking _President_ Trump (barf in my mouth) is saying teachers should carry guns. 





Only political drunks arm teachers and deny the need to ban assault weapons

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

GOP vs DNC - again

The DNC are bought by oligarchs, same as the GOP - oligarchs are opportunists, and the American political system runs on money, so duh, of course they're all bought by the same people.

However, the GOP have become the absolute haven of the morally bankrupt, greedy, selfish and mentally unstable - and their media machine has fed the flock so much Kool-Aid that the flock doesn't fucking care, and many of the flock have become just as morally bankrupt, while ironically, chanting they are the bastion of morality.

Strangely, that means the DNC is a rat bag mess of "everyone not totally corrupt enough to join the GOP" - because the US has a two-party system.

Why does the US have a two party system?  Economics - the system has become so bankrupt that only by having majority rule can anything get done.  Thus, any game theory will tell you, that there is no benefit to backing any party or organization which is not one of the "top two most likely to win."  Does that fucking suck? Yep, sure does.

But, that's also why we have ONLY the DNC and GOP as serious contenders.

Yes, there are third party groups who are worth investing in at the local level. Hell, Jesse Ventura won governorship as an Independent.  But, at the higher profile - and more expensive - offices, you're going to get the majority backing the Big Two, and it sucks shit that votes for third parties look great on paper, but don't mean squat at the end of the day.

Is that a shitty reality?  Yes, yes it is.

Now, if third parties can get decent leadership, and steal some local and state offices, thus building their higher profile, and potentially build some serious brand recognition, they can potentially draw dollars - and thus voters - toward them in sufficient numbers to matter.

Am I a DNC apologist?  Fuck off.

Do I believe in the principle of "Support the lesser evil, while constantly trading up to a better lesser evil, until there isn't any evil to have to choose from?"  Yep.  I call it bitter realism.



Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Mike Pence thinks men are dogs and Muslims have good ideas

Vice President of the United States of America Mike Pence thinks men are dogs and Muslims have great ideas.

So, here's the deal: Vice President Pence won't have a meal with a woman without his wife present, because you know, men only think women are good for sex and without his wife there to chaperone him, poor Mike might be unable to control his urges to fall in bed with her, if she so much as looks like a woman, instead of looking like a man.

Listen, Mike, you're kind of pathetic. Did you know many Muslims hold this same view? Well done!

Also, Mike won't attend any functions where alcohol is served. Maybe it's because his lack of self-control might lead him to drink, and you know, really fail to control his urges regarding women and he might grope someone. You know, people kind of frown on groping, so probably a good thing he choose stay away.

Or, hey, maybe I'm being unfair to poor Mike and his Evangelical beliefs. Maybe he just avoids events with alcohol, because he thinks alcohol is the root of all evil. That belief would put him in good company. There are at least a billion people in the world who avoid events where alcohol is served for exactly this reason: they're called Muslims.

You know, Mr Vice-President of the United States, this would all be resolved if you just grew up, accepted that women are people, that men really can control their own urges better than dogs can, and that grown-ups accept responsibility for their own actions.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/pences-gender-segregated-dinners/521286/

Monday, January 8, 2018

America the Shameful

Saw an advert during the Golden Globes for yet-another "Your family dies because you can't afford the prescription drugs," television series.  Only in America. No, really. Every other fucking civilized country has national healthcare and people don't die because they can't afford medicine. And the GOP just spent 2017 fucking America harder by cutting CHIP and raiding Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security AGAIN! What a fucking embarrassment we are.



Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Stop being obtuse - the GOP are worse than the DNC

If you still think "both parties are the same," then you're being an obtuse idiot.

The GOP have fallen off the "far-right" cliff a long time ago, and stopped giving a fuck about the rule of law, and care only about power for the sake of power, and money for the sake of money.

This leaves the DNC as the "rat bag" of every halfway sane and decent person who wants to enter politics.

Among other things, that means the criminal types go GOP, and the "not a criminal" types go DNC.

Are both parties backed by the ultra wealthy elitists? Duh, yes. The ultra-wealthy elitists are opportunists who will buy any politician they can. But the most buyable, and most corrupt, have gone GOP today.

As long as the GOP exists, "both parties are the same" remains a lie that apathists and cynics tell themselves to justify their apathy and cynicism.



Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Limp Dick is God's Will

It's not rocket science. If my tax money can be spent to help a man control his body, then it can be spent to help a woman control her body.

If my tax money can be spent to help men make babies, then my tax money can be spent to help birth and raise healthy children.





Monday, October 2, 2017

NFL players kneeling in patriotic protest

This got passed to me, but the author got stripped off. It's one of those thinfs I wish I had written.

--

The NFL players are people expressing their Constitutional rights of free speech. Their private corporate employers can fire them, or not, since doing so is not a violation of the First Amendment. In contrast, the President of the United States speaking to squelch their First Amendment rights, and - again - using inflammatory language to do so, skirts the issue - again - of violating the Constitution, and - again - diminishes the Oval Office.

The root problem is inequality in America. The root problem is the rich and powerful exploiting the government of the people, by the people, for the people to oppress and abuse the people, rather than to serve the people.

In classic Orwellian fashion, the rich and powerful have again exploited the media machine to manipulate the people into some stupid argument about who is a "real patriot," and so we bicker and swagger about "who's a good boy" (or girl, or non-binary gender identifier), instead of being smart and recognizing the root problem: that billionaires are yanking our chains, like dogs, to get us to fight with each other, while they steal our money and our rights, and call us ungrateful slobs for not thanking them.

Meanwhile, the flag is a symbol that gets misused daily, and the National anthem is a song that most people can barely sing only when someone plays it for them. The idea that "real patriots" kow-tow to a government that most of them bitch and whine is "too invasive," and "out to get them," is insane.

http://taskandpurpose.com/flag-code-explainer-trump-nfl-national-anthem/


Monday, July 10, 2017

Traitors Trump

The Donald said he would burn the GOP to the ground. The sweet irony that the GOP lost control of the mob they created, and a charlatan like Trump stole the mob from them.

That would the The Donald The Treasonous Traitor, by the way.

I really want this whole thing to blow up so big, that even Vice President Pence and the GOP recognize it would be suicide to pardon these traitors.

...and then I want Vice President Pence to pardon these traitors...

...because then,  the Sleeping American Majority, which is just now starting to rouse from its complacency and tolerance of the oligarch-worshiping ignorance-embracing hate-driven cancer eating at our underbelly, May finally awaken and the civil upheaval  and accompanying painful growth spurt can finally happen.





Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Funny, how no one *really* tries Libertarianism

You know, that's a good point. You never hear people chanting the praises of unbridled libertarianism, or decrying the shortcomings of a failed libertarian society (oh, wait, there was that Mad Max meme).

It's as if no one ever wants to seriously give it a try...

Kim Brown originally shared:

I'm still waiting for any Libertarian to give me one example of a successful libertarian country.



Larry Lyons

Larry Niven told it best in one of his stories, Cloak of Anarchy. Any case of anarchy or libertarianism dissolves into violence and strongman rule after a very short time.

http://www.larryniven.net/stories/cloak_of_anarchy.shtml


Oh, wait, apparently the CEO of Sears did try libertarian corporate structure and has nearly destroyed the company, and the oligarchs of Hondouras have tried it, and have successfully destroyed the country.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/column-this-is-what-happens-when-you-take-ayn-rand-seriously/


And here is how things can go when the Libertarian model is applied to services that are really the public responsibility, such as incarceration

And an example of the ever popular "well those city-owners assets to private industry, and we'll be just as loyal, no really" gone horribly wrong (because in a big corporation, the sociopaths always rise to the top)


Friday, April 7, 2017

Trump's Syrian Distraction - 60 missiles WAS NOT APPROPRIATE RESPONSE

Shared with me:


Personally, I think President Trump gets off on ordering a billion taxpayer dollars of men and materiel to fire tens of millions of taxpayer dollars of missiles to blow the shit out of a few hundred million dollars of materiel and men, just because it strokes his ego to know people will kill people because he wants them to, and other people will worship him for it.

Yes, absolutely some response was required. 60 missiles and sending every foreign nation to DefCon Four anticipating irrational attack from our ego maniac President is NOT an appropriate response.


(Just as a reminder, President Trump paid ZERO income taxes for nearly 20 years.  So, all those "taxpayer" dollars President Trump is wanking off on blowing up?  YOUR MONEY.)



Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Focus, Berned, Focus - Electiongeddon2016 is OVER

“hillbots” - how quaint.

Listen, “Berned,” #Electiongeddon2016 is over. We have Trump.

Clinton is gone and relegated to the dustbin of history. Both of them. Let it go. We have Trump and the GOP.

So, you're mad at the DNC because you feel cheated and defeated by the 40 year slow burn of the GOP? You can point to the neo-liberal failings of Clinton and Obama? You’re mad that Obama wasn't radical enough.

That's nice. Remember the part where Obama spent 8 years barely able to get anything done at all, due to GOP obstruction? Oh, you've already forgotten because #Electiongeddon2016 left you feeling Berned and angry?

Where were you during the Clinton years? Where were you during the Bush years? Where were you during the Obama years? You do know the GOP were stealing your shit long before Bernie’s Kiss magically woke you up during #Electiongeddon2016, right, Berned?

Congratulating yourself that a Trump presidency is “punishing” the DNC is just plain stupid. The DNC still exists. The DNC will continue to exist. The DNC isn't “punished,” because you voted Trump, or Stein, or - this is my favorite - wrote in Sanders (after he dropped out and told you not to), instead of Clinton.

No, Berned, the DNC are doing just fine despite your choice. It's the rest of America that's getting fucked and that's why everyone thinks you're being an asshole, Berned.

What are you doing - TODAY - about GOP voter suppression, Berned?

What are you doing - TODAY - about GOP gerrymandering, Berned?

What are you doing - TODAY - about GOP brainwashing and gaslighting of America, Berned?

What are you doing - TODAY - in your district to unseat the GOP with candidates you do like, Berned?

In other words, Berned, what are you doing other than tearing down the only bulwark - shitty as it may be - standing between everyone in America and the naked fascism of the GOP?

Or, are you just hung up on Clinton and the DNC and feeling “berned,” so you’re just as useless to humanity as the Trumplings you congratulate yourself in being better than?

Focus, Berned, Focus.



Satan's Son - the GOP hate you

GR “The Liberal RN” B wrote:
(And, I mean, really, about the only thing I can add to this seriously epic rant is some amusing links. Sometimes a work of art is so beautiful, just don't fuck with it, you know?)

Satan's Son, Prince Reibus Claims #RepubliKlanners Never Questioned Obama's Legitimacy...

Wait! What? Repeat that, #PrinceReibus (R-Satan's Son)? You unmitigated fucksticks didn't question his legitimacy? For EIGHT fkn years, your #Klanbaggers demanded to "see the birth certificate" and calling him a secret Muslim/Kenyan. Shit, even that overweight glob of grease, former House Speaker Newt(ron) "Bomb" Gingrich (R-I Cheat On Sick Wives) said on TV that Obama had a Kenyan Colonialist mindset (and HOW the FCK would he know what Obama was thinking and thinking like? When did this slug become a mind reader?). And all of those "Birther" asshats were led by none other than Our Dear Leader, The #GiantOompaLoompa, The #NuclearCheeto, The #VulgarTalkingYam, #GoldenShowers, himself, Donald J. #tRump (R-Ferret-Wearing-Shitgibbon)...and you can sit there with a straight face telling that lie? Oh, let's not forget the notorious Joe "You Lie!" Wilson (R-I Have No Fucking Manners), who screams like a spoiled toddler in the middle of the State of The Union address. 

I could go ON and ON with plenty of documented statements by elected #Klanbaggers and #ReichWingDouchbags that attempted to delegitimize President Obama. Not one word from YOU, #PrinceReibus, nor from #MitchTheBitch "Mumbles" McConnell (R-Yertle The Turtle), nor #LyinPaulRyan (R-Eddie Munster)to EVER condemn that shit. No, not once. You sat there grinning on the sidelines, tacitly endorsing this shit, while the #Klanbaggers screamed "Take our country back". We all know that meant, "Take it back from the NITWH*".

So, to borrow a couple of movie quotes, #PrinceReibus:
"Don't tell me you're innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry." - Michael Corleone (The Godfather)
"Reap the whirlwind!" - Billy The Kid (Young Guns)

In other words, #PrinceReibus, "Go fornicate with thine ownself, injest excrement and expire" because "Thou dost protest too much".

#EvilGOPBastards, #ReichWingDouchebags #Klanbaggers #GOPFail


(source)