2020 US Elections | Biden certified as President | Dems control Congress

Status
Not open for further replies.
No. We need more death things.
:)

I'm absolutely not into anything military, but I know we can't do entirely without in the current world, and that the US is not going to lower its budget. But I don't see why raising it would be necessary though. Yes, warfare has changed, and 'cyber' is the thing now and probably needs extra investment; but surely that also means something else is now less necessary. Maybe it's empty election talk, but I'm not sure what purpose that would serve - except if Biden is taken the left's support for granted and is primarily focusing on the centre-right now.
 
:)

I'm absolutely not into anything military, but I know we can't do entirely without in the current world, and that the US is not going to lower its budget. But I don't see why raising it would be necessary though. Yes, warfare has changed, and 'cyber' is the thing now and probably needs extra investment; but surely that also means something else is now less necessary. Maybe it's empty election talk, but I'm not sure what purpose that would serve - except if Biden is taken the left's support for granted and is primarily focusing on the centre-right now.

Ultimately, its a game of keeping up with the competition. The Russians and Chinese are going through a period of military and technological expansion, so the chances of the US not doing the same are zero.
 
:)

I'm absolutely not into anything military, but I know we can't do entirely without in the current world, and that the US is not going to lower its budget. But I don't see why raising it would be necessary though. Yes, warfare has changed, and 'cyber' is the thing now and probably needs extra investment; but surely that also means something else is now less necessary. Maybe it's empty election talk, but I'm not sure what purpose that would serve - except if Biden is taken the left's support for granted and is primarily focusing on the centre-right now.

Biden has clearly decided to gamble the house on pissing all over the left on the theory that they will be so desperate to get rid of Trump that it won’t matter. He’s delivered one feck you after another to the progressives, and honestly his gamble is probably going to pay off. But feck him anyway for it.
 
Biden has clearly decided to gamble the house on pissing all over the left on the theory that they will be so desperate to get rid of Trump that it won’t matter. He’s delivered one feck you after another to the progressives, and honestly his gamble is probably going to pay off. But feck him anyway for it.
Personally I don't believe his platform is in any way a feck you to progressives, but that the purity test crowd have a disproportionate voice in both social and mainstream media.

His climate change plan, for example, is far more progressive than any of a Presidential candidate in history. But some try to equate it being as bad as Trump because...I honestly don't know.
 
Ultimately, its a game of keeping up with the competition. The Russians and Chinese are going through a period of military and technological expansion, so the chances of the US not doing the same are zero.
I'm not disputing that, but the US is ahead on lots of fronts already. Surely tech changes mean there are also parts of the military that don't need as much funding as before.
 
Biden has clearly decided to gamble the house on pissing all over the left on the theory that they will be so desperate to get rid of Trump that it won’t matter. He’s delivered one feck you after another to the progressives, and honestly his gamble is probably going to pay off. But feck him anyway for it.

I doubt this particular policy will matter much given that most people voting for him aren't doing so out of inspiration, but rather to get rid of Trump. Also, progressives aren't all lobotomized under the same suite of policies. I knew more than a few Sanders supporters who are simultaneously patriotic, pro-military but also want M4A and better environmental policy.
 
Ultimately, its a game of keeping up with the competition. The Russians and Chinese are going through a period of military and technological expansion, so the chances of the US not doing the same are zero.

I am sure this is true, but then why not redirect funds to where they are needed and cut spending? Do we really need 12 aircraft carriers? It looks like there are plans to build 7 new ones, at a cost of $13 billion each. So we are talking about $100 billion on 7 new ships. This is insane. Defense is the second largest item on the budget. It is over 10X larger than the NIH budget. It is more than is spent on Medicare. There is a no more perfect metaphor for this country than spending more on ways to kill people than make them better and this being as mandatory campaign platform. This country sucks.
 
I am sure this is true, but then why not redirect funds to where they are needed and cut spending? Do we really need 12 aircraft carriers? It looks like there are plans to build 7 new ones, at a cost of $13 billion each. So we are talking about $100 billion on 7 new ships. This is insane. Defense is the second largest item on the budget. It is over 10X larger than the NIH budget. It is more than is spent on Medicare. There is a no more perfect metaphor for this country than spending more on ways to kill people than make them better and this being as mandatory campaign platform. This country sucks.

If there was a national will to change the amount of money spent on healthcare, environment, infrastructure, then I'm sure the politicians pushing these policies would get elected. Instead we select people based on whether or not we'd feel comfortable having a beer with them.
 
If there was a national will to change the amount of money spent on healthcare, environment, infrastructure, then I'm sure the politicians pushing these policies would get elected. Instead we select people based on whether or not we'd feel comfortable having a beer with them.

Which is why we keep getting frat boys as our leaders.
 


Very promising.

Why would that be alarming to Republicans? Wasn't it widely predicted that, except in some states, mail-in votes would general favour the Democrats? Or does this go beyond the expectations?

Also, how do they know this? They aren't counting those votes yet, are they? I suppose they're polling mail-in voters?

Six questions in two lines - that must be some kind of (sad) record.
 
Why would that be alarming to Republicans? Wasn't it widely predicted that, except in some states, mail-in votes would general favour the Democrats? Or does this go beyond the expectations?

Also, how do they know this? They aren't counting those votes yet, are they? I suppose they're polling mail-in voters?

Six questions in two lines - that must be some kind of (sad) record.

They’ve probably compared applications against Democrat/Republican registration databases.
 
Why would that be alarming to Republicans? Wasn't it widely predicted that, except in some states, mail-in votes would general favour the Democrats? Or does this go beyond the expectations?

Also, how do they know this? They aren't counting those votes yet, are they? I suppose they're polling mail-in voters?

Six questions in two lines - that must be some kind of (sad) record.

The key word is ballot ‘requests’. That doesn’t mean they’ve actually be returned as votes yet, but it shows the interest.
 
Personally I don't believe his platform is in any way a feck you to progressives, but that the purity test crowd have a disproportionate voice in both social and mainstream media.

His climate change plan, for example, is far more progressive than any of a Presidential candidate in history. But some try to equate it being as bad as Trump because...I honestly don't know.

When the Biden team is privately talking about how the platform is a lie, e.g. how several economic recommendations are just to calm the Warren fans down and that they're not going to actually happen, then progressives might be right when they're looking at what Biden is actually doing, who's endorsements he's coveting and who the party wants at the convention etc rather than caring about what Biden's staffers have written on his website.
 
They’ve probably compared applications against Democrat/Republican registration databases.
The key word is ballot ‘requests’. That doesn’t mean they’ve actually be returned as votes yet, but it shows the interest.
Ah OK - thanks for clarifying.

On a tangent, I just realized a beautiful paradox: US elections have been politicized and that's a bad thing. (I suppose it's shallow and has been said before, but screw that: I'm all chuffed I came up with this. :lol: )
 
His climate change plan, for example, is far more progressive than any of a Presidential candidate in history. But some try to equate it being as bad as Trump because...I honestly don't know.
I'm not sure Democrats understand climate change tbh.

If Biden plan doesn't address climate change(Or really climate breakdown) with anywhere near the correct response(The Green New Deal)then the outcome will be the same as Trumps policy. It won't matter if it's the most "progressive" platform in American history.
 
I'm not sure Democrats understand climate change tbh.

If Biden plan doesn't address climate change with anywhere near the correct response(e.g. The Green New Deal)then the outcome will be the same as Trumps policy. It won't matter if it's the most "progressive" platform in American history.

I seriously doubt this is accurate given that AOC and Sanders were involved in the task force policy recommendations.
 
If you think Sanders and AOC will have any power in a Biden administration, i don't know what to tell you. The left lost. Biden will make a few empty gestures during the campaign and if he wins, nothing will change.
 
I'm not sure Democrats understand climate change tbh.

If Biden plan doesn't address climate change(Or really climate breakdown) with anywhere near the correct response(The Green New Deal)then the outcome will be the same as Trumps policy. It won't matter if it's the most "progressive" platform in American history.
This is kind of my point. So he writes a platform with both of the most vocal proponents of the green new deal and the public (here you) still says it'll be the same as Trumps approach (which is actively rollback regulations and help keep the US addicted to fossil fuels)
 
I seriously doubt this is accurate given that AOC and Sanders were involved in the task force policy recommendations.

This is kind of my point. So he writes a platform with both of the most vocal proponents of the green new deal and the public (here you) still says it'll be the same as Trumps approach (which is actively rollback regulations and help keep the US addicted to fossil fuels)
I have a friend in the Nigerian banking sector who would like to talk to you two.
 
and so it begins in Wisconsin



Edit: To add context, by law the deadline for absentee ballots to be mailed in WI is 9/17. If the SC sits on this for even an extra day there is no way (according to some of the election clerks) that they will be able to get all the ballots out in time. Also, the federal deadline for overseas and military absentee is the 19th. This is from the same supreme court that brought you such hits as:

1. Making us vote in person in the middle of a pandemic
2. Allowing the outgoing republican gov. strip all the power of his position (special recognition goes to the repub controlled state house and senate for their supporting role)

There is no way he timing of this is accidental. This was done to make absentee voting as impossible as they can in hopes of aiding dear leader.
 
Last edited:
and so it begins in Wisconsin



Edit: To add context, by law the deadline for absentee ballots to be mailed in WI is 9/17. If the SC sits on this for even an extra day there is no way (according to some of the election clerks) that they will be able to get all the ballots out in time. Also, the federal deadline for overseas and military absentee is the 19th. This is from the same supreme court that brought you such hits as:

1. Making us vote in person in the middle of a pandemic
2. Allowing the outgoing republican gov. strip all the power of his position (special recognition goes to the repub controlled state house and senate for their supporting role)

There is no way he timing of this is accidental. This was done to make absentee voting as impossible as they can in hopes of aiding dear leader.


Yep this is the sort of crap that keeps me up at night. I'm voting in AZ and need to figure out the most surefire way to vote early and successfully.
 
and so it begins in Wisconsin



Edit: To add context, by law the deadline for absentee ballots to be mailed in WI is 9/17. If the SC sits on this for even an extra day there is no way (according to some of the election clerks) that they will be able to get all the ballots out in time. Also, the federal deadline for overseas and military absentee is the 19th. This is from the same supreme court that brought you such hits as:

1. Making us vote in person in the middle of a pandemic
2. Allowing the outgoing republican gov. strip all the power of his position (special recognition goes to the repub controlled state house and senate for their supporting role)

There is no way he timing of this is accidental. This was done to make absentee voting as impossible as they can in hopes of aiding dear leader.

But at least you guys have an independent judiciary, a typical element of an OECD country.
 
Military spending needs to up in various areas, so yes.

Then take the money from the other areas of the budget. The amount of the waste and inefficiency in the Defense budget is absolutely astounding. Just closing down the false claims hustles from military contractors would save enough money to fund whatever you think needs to be increased. Streamling the massive inefficiencies of production that are designed to spread pork across as many congressional districts would also save a ton alone. I've talked to privates in Afghanistan and majors that worked at the Pentagon and all of them had many stories of how much the military wastes money.
 
Was discussing something similar with my republican voting neighbour today. He was delighted he’s > 65 as he’s now on Medicare and he’s saving a small fortune on private health insurance. So I asked why
everyone can’t be on Medicare (m4a). He said it’d cost too much.
I mentioned that I know the missiles won’t buy themselves but maybe we could divert some money from missiles to healthcare. He said it’d be way too expensive.
Then later on he said that his daughters doctor is driving a Bentley convertible. I told him that maybe the doctors need a “haircut“.
Anyway, the point is they (Repub voters) only see the bad with m4a and don’t realize it’s just a decision that needs to be made, then it can become a reality.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.