lloyd christmas

It doesn't. Even if health care is believed to be a "right", the gov doesn't subsidize any of our other rights provided by the constitution. Why should health care be any different? Especially when so many of us do not take care of ourselves.

NYC Steel Workers Union < China/Ukraine IRT leverage. I do not believe Trump is the most honest person out there. I can promise you that. However, I do not think it is fair to compare a businessman to a career politician who used his position in government to generate wealth for himself and his family. Same for the Clintons, Obamas and any member of the GOP that has done the same.

I agree with what you said. However, as the starting point in regards to the Joe/Hunter Biden issue, can we all agree that career politicians becoming multi multi millionaires during and after their time in office is something that raises any number of serious questions that need answered? Let's agree on that and go from there. Folks on both sides like to throw out the "term limits" issue. I wholeheartedly agree that we need term limits for folks just like Joe Biden. There is absolutely no way you can spend almost 5 decades in DC and not be wrapped up in endless backdoor deals where someone, somewhere now has leverage on you. In this case it would seem that China and Ukraine potentially hold the leverage. Dirty money, kickbacks and bribes become normal to people like Biden who have been there that long. Hell, he probably no longer sees anything wrong with it because it has gone on so long. I just don't see how anyone can deny the fact that Biden is surrounded by shady issues. Just look at his houses. He bought a 10,000 square foot house in 1974. In 1996 he built a house on 4 acres that is almost 7000 square feet. All this while being consistently listed as one of the poorest members of the senate. I just don't buy the book sales and speaking fees line anymore. Call me cynical, I just don't. Sim posted a video that details Biden's plagiarism and lies about school. While it may not be surprising and good for a laugh or two, it shows what his character is like. He is willing to lie, cheat and steal to get ahead in politics. That is what dirty politicians do.

I agree with this. However, the flip side is exactly true and defines where we are as a country. The left is driven further left by Trump. At the same time, the right is driven further right by the Clintons, Obamas, Sanders, Pelosis and Bidens of the world. They are the reason we ended up with Trump. The Democratic Party owns the vast majority of the bullshit that is going on right now or has gone on in the last few years. They own the violence in major cities, BLM, Antifa, the defund the police movement, the identity politics, The Squad, the Russian Collusion hoax, the impeachment, the Kavanaugh hearings, Epstein, Weinstein, Carlos Danger, the cancel culture, the media and the mishandling of the Virus response/endless lockdowns on the state level.

This is the shit that needs to stop.

I remember speaking to climate scientists during non flying days while supporting Deep Freeze missions in Antarctica. I wanted to go directly to the source and pick their brains. I even visited a couple of their labs and offices to see exactly what they were doing down at McMurdo over the couple months that I was there. One of the things they said that stuck out most to me was how inaccurate their historical data was in regards to temperature readings and CO2 levels. Where on the planet were the readings taken? What specific type of instrument was used to take the readings? What time of the year were the readings taken? How was the data recorded decades ago? Who took the measurements and what are their motives? Frequency and consistency were the biggest concerns. These scientists were talking about data from just the last 5-7 decades...

The media is in the D's corner. That is for sure. That is exactly how a politician who has been in DC for 45+ years can look into the camera and say with a straight face that he will fix all of our society's ills if elected. I would like to address the "all of them will be factual" comment but I honestly don't even know what to say other than that is one of the most intellectually dishonest things I have read recently. Trump won in 2016 based on what he promised on the campaign trail paired with absolute disgust of career politicians. Trump has largely delivered on his campaign promises and Joe Biden is the definition of the DC swamp that the average american despises. You are right, this election will be about voter turnout. Trump's base has only grown. I would say the media and politicians on the left are grossly underestimating just how big his base has become. There are a lot of people out there who couldn't pull the lever for Trump in 2016 based on his personality and the fact that he had no political experience. These people are in the Trump camp now because he has done what he said he was going to do. Trump's personality and his past shenanigans are nothing new at this point. I don't see attacking his character this time around as a winning strategy for the Dems but that is what they are doing. And it seems to be the only thing they are doing. I have said it before on this forum, I don't see how the Dems can make a winning calculation with a Biden/Harris ticket. Especially given the civil unrest in today's society. Biden is the literal architect of the 1994 crime bill and Harris has been ranked as one of the most progressive politicians in the Senate. The Dems run the cities where this unrest is taking place and the politicians pushing the "defund the police" argument all have a D next to their name. The politicization of sports will have a negative impact on Dems too. You can't even turn on tennis without seeing BLM in the stands. Hell, the only news NASCAR has made this year is a fake story about racism and Bubba Wallace. The polls people need to be paying attention to are the number guns sales and major sporting viewership. Gun sales are through the roof and major sports viewership is down although I think the NFL is doing OK. I don't think you can ignore those numbers. Our family owns a condo on the Gulf of Mexico. Been there a few times this summer. There are Trump signs everywhere in people's yards but also on the beach, on the back of cars and hanging from balconies. These folks aren't local... Yes, they come from AR, LA, GA, MS and TX but a whole hell of a lot of them come from IL, OH and IN. Trump's base is there and it is strong.

You are right. I am solidified in my stance. However, I am willing to change my mind and my vote. Sell me on the modern day democrat party, it's tactics and it's candidate.

Trump will "allow" for the peaceful transition of power... That is out right funny considering members of the democrat party are openly calling for violence and mayhem before, during and after the election. Along with all of the other temper tantrum tactics like impeachment, stacking the SCOTUS, adding States, mail in voting shenanigans, false narratives when it comes to race relations, etc. And the defund the police bullshit coming from democrats in democrat run cities is part of the plan too. Let's make sure the police departments are in a really bad spot when it comes to dealing with democrats "burning it all down" when Trump runs the tables on November 3rd. At least Bloomberg isn't out there violating election laws by paying off criminal's fees in Florida so they can vote. Oh wait. Yes he is... And the alternative??? Biden? That dude is the literal architect of the 1994 crime bill. He sniffs and rubs up on women and children. His son is a train wreck who made millions off of the very countries that Democrats accuse Trump of being in bed with. I used to be a middle of the road guy when it comes to politics. I have always just wanted left alone. I am a simple Texan. But this is fast becoming right vs wrong IRT policies and politics. I would so much rather have the loud mouthed New Yorker who gets shit done and protects the country instead of someone in the Democrat party who has been in DC for almost 50 fucking years. The republicans don't owe the democrats shit when it comes to a SCOTUS pick after the Kavanaugh debacle. Trump is the President and there is a republican senate. There will be a 3rd Trump SCOTUS justice.

McConnell's play was a hell of a gamble. Hillary was a shoe in at that point.

Why do we assume that Garland would have been confirmed by a Republican senate even if McConnell had allowed the vote? And does anyone really think that the Dems would not be nominating RBG's replaced right now if they controlled the Oval Office and Senate? They would have already started the process.

Looks like Sim joined on Sept 19, 2007 and Prozac joined a little later on December 10, 2008. FWIW, I joined in early 2005 and I still jerk off to the Sears catalog. Don't hate.

I think it is safe to say that judging politicians based on their morality is a mistake.

Excellent. We are both strict law and order guys when it comes to voting.

What is your definition of "legally entitled" to vote?

This. The federal government will not relinquish control over the entire election process once they have it. Add it to the list of programs that the federal government mishandles on scales that are hard to measure. Like the USPS... The Dems will get what they want on this one. But, it is going to bite them. It will be a complete clusterfuck just like Trump has said. We will not know the results for months and the mistakes, miscounts, lost ballets, fraud and the rest will end up in the court system being litigated for years. Trump will then be accused of not wanting to leave office. I can't wrap my mind around smart people here actually advocating for the federal government to take control over our voting rights. IT IS THE PROCESS THAT PROTECTS US FROM THE GOVERNMENT. How can anyone seriously think they can pull this off regardless of your political leanings? There are endless threads on this very website detailing many of the things that the federal government mishandles. They won't get this one right either. It will be a disaster of epic proportions.

The "how did we get here" question IRT our criminal justice system, policing and systemic racism is being asked and will continue to be asked throughout this election cycle. Biden and Harris have a lot of explaining to do. That was my point with the moderates. I believe moderates will lean towards law and order and they will stay away from politicians who contributed to shaping our current criminal justice system. Rioting and looting only cements peoples belief in law and order policies. Folks on the right certainly will not be plucked away from voting Republican even if they aren't Trump fans. So where does that leave the Dems? As you said above, "even if their “tough on crime” stances from, say, the 90s, put them at odds with where the Democratic Party in particular is today". Again, not a good look in my opinion. I think Americans are even more sick of career politicians today than they were in 2016. Career politicians created all of these problems but now are running on fixing them. Same old same old. I don't think people are interested in hearing any more of that.

You are pretty strong supporter of Dems and their policies. If the most you can say about Biden/Harris is "I don't think they were particularly bad" what do you think moderates are saying?

Any truth to rumor that all missions in the AOR are now combat missions? No more combat support. Heard this from someone who just got back from the Deid.

Any reason we couldn't mail everyone with a SSN above 18 a code of some sort that can be used online instead of by mail?

A prediction. There are undercover federal agents in the crowds in Portland and Seattle. They are running intel and building cases on 50 - 100 people. In a few weeks, you will see raids on where these 50 - 100 people live. They will be arrested and charged with serious federal crimes such as domestic terrorism, assault on federal officers, arson etc. They will be denied bail and will face decades in federal prison. That is how these protests will end. The rest of these criminals will wonder if they are next and start to rethink their decisions.

Excellent insight TurnHer4 There is a narrative out there that suggests our country is overtly racist, run by racists, founded on racism and policed by racist officers who are enforcing racist laws. What I see in each of those instances is more complicated than the narrative suggests. The narrative is also given no context whatsoever and the starting point is never the truth. There is more to the story and there are different sides to each story. We must do our best to understand the truth and see things as they truly are. Here is what bothers me. Because of my political beliefs and conservative views, I am labeled a racist, sexist, xenophobic bigot. I have even been called a Nazi to my face. In reality, I am living the best life I know how to while trying to be the best father, husband, son, uncle, coworker and neighbor that I can be. I feel like I am being punished for sins that I did not commit. We are headed in the wrong direction. The answer to our society's injustices towards minorities will not and can not be fixed by applying the same type mind set towards whites. Equality goes both ways. It is very hard for folks like me that just want left alone to see what is going on in politics, sports, hollywood and academia. I do not want to see BLM painted on our city streets or on a pitcher's mound during a baseball game. I do not want to see looting, rioting, arson, assault or vandalism in our streets in the name of an issue that is not discussed honestly. Our society has it's issues, that is for sure. But, we can't fix hate with hate.

Big baseball fan here. Just about as big as they come. I was counting down the days until opening night. I made it .69 seconds into the first game. BLM is emblazoned on the back of the pitchers mound and players were kneeling. Our country is in for some serious changes post COVID and civil unrest. One of the casualties will probably be sports as we know it. People have gotten used to living life without sports. On top of that, I think that professional sports executives are grossly underestimating how tired the average american is of these social justice issues. I just want to watch sports. That's it.