Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[froot loops]

Even if he didn't ruin the economy or start a nuclear war, could you imagine the Trump fatigue with 4 years of this? It would be never ending.

[Dr. Strangelove]

John Thune, Senate's 3rd highest ranked Republican, just called on Trump to quit.

[Dr. Strangelove]

LMAO

[ame]https://twitter.com/franklinleonard/status/784785327638585344[/ame]

[froot loops]

HumilaTED.

[Da Geezer]

Hack said:

This is why I think it's important to filter all of this through the inequality prism. No matter how the pie is split, the world's richest people will still be the world's richest people and afford to do the things nobody else can. But if that happens in an environment in which everyone else has enough, then that's better. Even if you eliminate all ethical concerns, redistribution comes with the practical benefit that you won't have excess capital out there hunting for bubbles to inflate or masses of regular people to dupe and defraud until they need state assistance.

1. This assumes that "the pie (to) split" is a fixed pie. I'm not sure if this is true anywhere (maybe in Saudi or N. Korea), but I do know it is not true in the US. Almost everyone in the US is better off today than they were 15 years ago. This idea of a fixed pie is pernicious. It is the underpinning of talk of the poor revolting, and is the justification for violence.

2. The idea that people are poor because those with capital are seeking "masses of regular people to dupe and defraud until they need state assistance" is factually untrue. Is it really your contention that these "masses" need government because they were "duped"? The wealthiest five people in the US are Gates (Microsoft), Bezos (Amazon) Buffett (Birkshire), Zuckerberg (Facebook), and Ellison (Oracle). Four of the five directly made life better for the masses. Buffett is one step removed. But all are rich because they marketed products to everyone. Even a welfare recipient in the US carries a phone/computer on their person that allows them to use Microsoft et al.

3. Disparities in outcomes derive from disparities in talent. People with capital are not sitting around on yachts figuring out how to screw the ignorant underclass. They are trying to mass-market ideas that make the lives of everyone better. This has been "the American system of manufacture" since the early 1800s and certainly through Henry Ford and his generation. The whole notion of equity or social justice is the socialist smokescreen for redistribution. Capital and markets have made life better for everyone.

4. The idea that government creates demand and thus prosperity is widely accepted in the US. It is nowhere true, and has never been true in history. The only demand that government can create is with money (or assets) taken from it's citizens. While the poor do have a greater propensity to spend and certainly can spend more of government largess (the origin of the multiplier effect), it is not clear that this creates more net demand if the financial system is allowed to function. This is another reason socialists hate banks in particular.

[Dr. Strangelove]

The Saudis bombed a funeral hall in Yemen today, killing at least 82 and injuring 500 more. There are extremely graphic photos circulating of piles of body parts and charred remains. We're quietly supporting them in their relentless bombing of civilians there, it should be noted

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37598413

[froot loops]

Why are these Republican Senators succumbing to Political Correctness?

[Dr. Strangelove]

[ame]https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker/status/784804121396346881[/ame]

[Dr. Strangelove]

Also, Arnold just announced that he will not vote for Trump

[froot loops]

https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker/sta...04121396346881

I wonder if they are apoplectic that it is on tape or that he said the words? This is not some new character flaw.

[Dr. Strangelove]

[ame]https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/784818338002329600[/ame]

[iam416]

Of course there are. Do we not know Trump? Further, Hillary is UP. She's saving the big guns for troubled waters. My guess is she has at least another 4-5 of these things to leak.

[CGVT]

They need to save them so he doesn't drop out of the race.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Both Republican Senators from Alaska calling on Trump to quit. But no word yet from Alaska's most important citizen, the former Governor of 2.5 years

[Dr. Strangelove]

[ame]https://twitter.com/MatthewRycroft1/status/784838374834204672[/ame]