I am declaring my independence

[Goatnapper'96]

I didn't realize the national democratic party is officially chasing Oprah for 2020. And only one week after she gave her speech! They are way more desperate than the republicans!

You can laugh all you want at a party nominating someone who lost to Trump. Go ahead, I'll laugh a little with you. That party might have some serious issues. But they are not the dumpster fire that has allowed Trump and his demagoguery to completely take over their party.

The reality is the Democrats introduced so much stupid crap as they got intoxicated with their shangra la of the electorate of the ascendency, and its assurance of eternal electoral dominance, that they fostered the coalition of those fed up with the absurd. Trump was a reaction to the Democrat/leftist cultural overreach. He was able to uniquely leverage the fatigue with batshit crazy liberal nocturnal emissions. Democrats were to blame more than Republicans. All reasonable people would agree with me.

[Uncle Ted]

I didn't realize the national democratic party is officially chasing Oprah for 2020. And only one week after she gave her speech! They are way more desperate than the republicans!

V9Kvtp2TwWqD67rcorbYBEn9HTt8ht3_8ycNWYTupjQ.jpg

I am guessing that The Rock, who is currently a registered GOP'er, will most likely be the Libertarians' candidate.

[frank ryan]

The reality is the Democrats introduced so much stupid crap as they got intoxicated with their shangra la of the electorate of the ascendency, and its assurance of eternal electoral dominance, that they fostered the coalition of those fed up with the absurd. Trump was a reaction to the Democrat/leftist cultural overreach. He was able to uniquely leverage the fatigue with batshit crazy liberal nocturnal emissions. Democrats were to blame more than Republicans. All reasonable people would agree with me.

The GOP is accountable for the shitty actions of their voters. They weren’t compelled to vote for an unstable, bigoted moron.

[Sleeping in EQ]

I was a little sad that no one got the joke in my original comment.

I got it. Woody Allen in Annie Hall.

[wuapinmon]

I got it. Woody Allen in Annie Hall.

TripletDaddy would've gotten it and then said something even funnier in response.

[Uncle Ted]

The GOP is accountable for the shitty actions of their voters. They weren’t compelled to vote for an unstable, bigoted moron.

The GOP'ers didn't have any choice... you know, the "lessor of the two evils" (Hillary is pretty damn evil) and the supreme court thing. Of course, they should have realized they could have just voted for Johnson and not held their noses while voting.

[Omaha 680]

What I've been realizing is that the federal discretionary budget amounts leaves only about 6% available, as Social Security, Medicare, Military, governmental employee costs and debt service consume the other 94%.

So in reality, each party is arguing over almost nothing. There is only a difference in style and not much more. That is why in no small part the economy moves along however it wishes no matter if Obama or even Trump are president.

I agree with your frustration.

Everyone keeps using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means. Mandatory spending consumes about 60% of the budget. Debt service 5 to 6%. That leaves about 35% that is discretionary that can theoretically be played with year to year. Unfortunately about 55% of that 35% is defense spending, which is hard to negotiate between the two extremes. So yeah generational entitlements absolutely are the main driver for our debt crisis, but there is room to save in discretionary spending. That's why I always say I hate dumb cliches like grand bargain but that's the only way we solve the debt issue: a restructuring of entitlements coupled with a reduction in defense spending.

Not sure what you mean by government employees unless you are referring to pensions, but that is included in the 60% mandatory spending number. The really depressing part is these percentages are computed on the federal budget outlays, which has been significantly greater than actual revenue for decades (minus a brief period in the 90s).

The GOP is accountable for the shitty actions of their voters. They weren’t compelled to vote for an unstable, bigoted moron.

What about all those racist working class rust belt voters who supported Obama but then switched to Trump. Can we blame them too?

[Northwestcoug]

The reality is the Democrats introduced so much stupid crap as they got intoxicated with their shangra la of the electorate of the ascendency, and its assurance of eternal electoral dominance, that they fostered the coalition of those fed up with the absurd. Trump was a reaction to the Democrat/leftist cultural overreach. He was able to uniquely leverage the fatigue with batshit crazy liberal nocturnal emissions. Democrats were to blame more than Republicans. All reasonable people would agree with me.

Even if it is true that the dems are to blame more than the republicans for Trump (which I, a reasonable person, disagrees with), a sane political party would have done everything it could have to make sure he didn't end up as the candidate. The GOP didn't prevent the nomination of an abject clown. Therefore, the GOP is not a serious political party.

And yes, the democrats nominated Hillary. But she was at least a serious candidate, despite her numerous flaws and ethical shortcomings.

[Omaha 680]

I will add, to be fair, that when I say debt crisis I mean the structural problems with entitlements that will overwhelm us if not fixed. Entitlemebt outlays are just now starting to exceed payroll taxes, so we got to where we are at mostly by out of control discretionary spending, to which defense is a large contributor.

[falafel]

The GOP'ers didn't have any choice... you know, the "lessor of the two evils" (Hillary is pretty damn evil) and the supreme court thing. Of course, they should have realized they could have just voted for Johnson and not held their noses while voting.

Can you imagine the lunatics Johnson would have nominated for the Supreme Court? He'd try name the Former President of Mexico. Er, what's his name.. ugh, I'm having a brain... agh.

[Uncle Ted]

And yes, the democrats nominated Hillary. But she was at least a serious candidate, despite her numerous flaws and ethical shortcomings.

The democrats' primary was totally rig against anyone that tried to run against Hillary... Bernie was the only one stupid enough to try. Didn't you hear what Pocahontas said?!?

Asked if DNC system was rigged in Clinton's favor, Warren says 'yes'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she believes that the Democratic National Committee was "rigged" in favor of former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 primary.


Asked Thursday by CNN's Jake Tapper whether she believes that the Democratic campaign organization was tipped in favor of Clinton over her primary opponent, independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Warren responded without hesitation: "Yes."
[...]

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/02/politi...ged/index.html

[Northwestcoug]

The democrats' primary was totally rig against anyone that tried to run against Hillary... Bernie was the only one stupid enough to try. Didn't you hear what Pocahontas said?!?


http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/02/politi...ged/index.html

What I would have given for a national party to rig the nomination against Trump...

[Uncle Ted]

Can you imagine the lunatics Johnson would have nominated for the Supreme Court? He'd try name the Former President of Mexico. Er, what's his name.. ugh, I'm having a brain... agh.

"Uber Lawyers"... Sounds good to me!

[Topper]

Everyone keeps using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means. Mandatory spending consumes about 60% of the budget. Debt service 5 to 6%. That leaves about 35% that is discretionary that can theoretically be played with year to year. Unfortunately about 55% of that 35% is defense spending, which is hard to negotiate between the two extremes. So yeah generational entitlements absolutely are the main driver for our debt crisis, but there is room to save in discretionary spending. That's why I always say I hate dumb cliches like grand bargain but that's the only way we solve the debt issue: a restructuring of entitlements coupled with a reduction in defense spending.

Not sure what you mean by government employees unless you are referring to pensions, but that is included in the 60% mandatory spending number. The really depressing part is these percentages are computed on the federal budget outlays, which has been significantly greater than actual revenue for decades (minus a brief period in the 90s).



What about all those racist working class rust belt voters who supported Obama but then switched to Trump. Can we blame them too?

Look at this pie chart.

https://media.nationalpriorities.org...ending_pie.png

Debt is 7%, but how many of those are discretionary?

[wuapinmon]

Everyone keeps using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means. Mandatory spending consumes about 60% of the budget. Debt service 5 to 6%. That leaves about 35% that is discretionary that can theoretically be played with year to year. Unfortunately about 55% of that 35% is defense spending, which is hard to negotiate between the two extremes. So yeah generational entitlements absolutely are the main driver for our debt crisis, but there is room to save in discretionary spending. That's why I always say I hate dumb cliches like grand bargain but that's the only way we solve the debt issue: a restructuring of entitlements coupled with a reduction in defense spending.

Not sure what you mean by government employees unless you are referring to pensions, but that is included in the 60% mandatory spending number. The really depressing part is these percentages are computed on the federal budget outlays, which has been significantly greater than actual revenue for decades (minus a brief period in the 90s).

I'm willing to be an adult to make up for the Baby Boomers' and Greatest Generation's greed.

http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...l=1#post936557
http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...l=1#post924277
http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...l=1#post818620
http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...l=1#post800576
http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...l=1#post760535
http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...ity#post628081