Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[froot loops]

If we didn't spend more than we have, we wouldn't need such devices. Perhaps we should rethink our priorities and pay down some of principal debt to reduce interest obligations?

That a different discussion, it has no business dictating the debt ceiling discussion. The debt ceiling is about stuff that is already spent, Playing chicken with the country's credit rating is ludicrous.

Most advanced countries do no have debt limits, for good reason, they are stupid.
.

[whodean]

IMO a rethinking of priorities would first and foremost include an increase in revenue. The corporate-tax burden is particularly small here, especially in comparison with what a deal commerce gets from light-touch regulation. We wouldn't have been in this position in the first place without a whole bunch of untrue trickle-down nonsense. I think you start with a get-what-you-pay-for approach, and end this fiction that government can provide wanted services without being properly funded.

If we really wanted to be revenue neutral (we're way past a time when it mattered or could be fixed, we're just kicking the can down the road now so why not lard up the spending) yes, a combination of revenue increases and spending cuts would have to happen. But the American public would never agree to it at this point. Got used to the shit that spending gives. Hell only just over half of individuals pay any income tax right now.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Trump tried to do the ol' "Why Ivanka, how nice of you to join us!" trick while meeting with congressional leaders today. They weren't having it

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/349473-gop-leaders-visibly-annoyed-when-ivanka-stopped-by-oval-office-to-say

[Dr. Strangelove]

[hack]

If we really wanted to be revenue neutral (we're way past a time when it mattered or could be fixed, we're just kicking the can down the road now so why not lard up the spending) yes, a combination of revenue increases and spending cuts would have to happen. But the American public would never agree to it at this point. Got used to the shit that spending gives. Hell only just over half of individuals pay any income tax right now.

They wouldn't agree to it were it their own money, but with income equality at a historic high, I'm confident you could convince a supermajority to lay the wood on a certain undertaxed minority. I mean, obscuring that would mean spending billions on multimedia propaganda campaigns to obscure reality and create false villains...

[Dr. Strangelove]

Caught Geezer's latest show. He makes some good points. By teaming up with Nancy Pelosi, Trump has indeed revealed Paul Ryan to be a total RINO

True conservatives must not be afraid to adopt liberal proposals unlike the failing RINOs!!!! #MAGA #TrumpTrain

[ame]https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/905578866730815488[/ame]

[Ghengis Jon]

Paul Ryan is a classic republican, rendered impotent by circumstance, and exposed as someone who puts partisan ideology above reality and common sense. 'Death of a RINO' is simply the GOP devouring each other in a fit of both self righteousness and self pity.

Pass the popcorn please.

[froot loops]

The Post is reporting Bannon and Meadows are brainstorming for a replacement to Ryan.

[Dr. Strangelove]

The Post is reporting Bannon and Meadows are brainstorming for a replacement to Ryan.

I'll bet the applicants are racing to line up

[froot loops]

Maybe Lou Dobbs or Bannon should be elected speaker of the house.

[Ghengis Jon]

I think Dennis Rodman would be appropriate for this administration.

[iam416]

This is all an ingenious ploy to get Pelosi back in charge and on center stage. Two more years of that the Rs will control everything that doesn't touch an ocean and half that does.

Long con, boys, long con.

[iam416]

The NYT on CNN's missteps: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/05/b...i.html?mcubz=0

It reminds me of S5 of The Wire (which, of course, was half-brilliant and half-WTF).

[hack]

I've worked with those kinds of editors before. They exist whether you're angling for a Pulitzer or just doing a front-of-the-magazine blurby piece on mountain trekking in Turkey. I took my name off the story, as ridiculous as it is to have to do on travel fluff, and that editor is now a yoga instructor. The world would be a better place if most people at CNN became yoga instructors. Honestly it would probably be a better place if you kicked every damn baby boomer-aged journalist out of management. The ones that stuck as reporters are gems. Elevate that crowd and you'd have an immediate return to just-the-facts-ma'am reporting.

[iam416]

IMO, one of the most damning moments in the The Wire is when Omar is shot and killed and it passes through the newsroom without anyone taking notice of the significance. That, to me, was Simon's outrage at the direction the press had gone. And, IMO, with clicks and the internet it has only moved further down that road. Again, IMO, the slew of Russia stories are things journalists feel are important but the folks -- or a lot of them -- don't, at least not in that volume.

That said, technology and the market have more or less crushed local news, so I guess it's more of a wistful nostalgia -- certainly that's how Simon probably sees it -- his criticism is legitimate and extremely heartfelt, but he knows there's nothing that can be done.

Oh well. All it does is make me want to watch The Wire again. Been several years since my 4th re-up. I'm due!