Politics

RobertDyck · 2017-02-21 10:09:39

Institutionalized robbery:
I volunteer at charity called the Computer Lending Library. I volunteer all day every Friday. We take refurbished used computers, and lend them to low income individuals. They have to take a one week course in computer fundamentals, which emphasizes how to use a computer for a job. The course is free, but they have to spend the time to complete it. Then they get a two year loan of free refurbished computer. One of our clients came in a few months ago. He said he just walked along the sidewalk and fell, hit his head. He woke up in the hospital a few months later. When he did, he discovered a "Public Trustee" had taken control of his finances. While he was in hospital, the trustee had entered his house, taken all his possessions. He was angry, and reported the Public Trustee refused to give his stuff back. Saturday I met a neighbour at the grocery store. She told me of a friend who also was placed under "Public Trustee". This other person was older, was in hospital for a few months. But she owned her house. The Public Trustee sold her house; and she never got the money.

I'm shocked this is happening now. This is Canada, in my city, now. The client of the charity where I volunteer is not a close friend, just a client. But if this can be done to him, it can be done to anyone. This has to stop.

So back to the Middle East. They have said they are acting because Western covert ops murdered their leaders. Then Western soldiers acted openly to engage in combat against them. They claim they are acting in self defence. They want all foreign soldiers off their soil. You should be able to understand that.

kbd512 · 2017-02-21 14:01:27

Rob,

It looks like your friends wound up on the wrong end of a well-intentioned law that did not take into account the fact that there are people in this world who would steal money from their own parents and grand parents. I will refer you back to my previous comments about the path to ruin. It's terrible that people are that cruel to each other, but that is part of the human condition and writing another law won't change it. At some point, a modicum of common sense and common decency must be applied.

Going back to the topic of immigration, which is more cruel?

1. Simply sending someone back to the country they came from because they broke the law by going into another country without permission.

2. Forcing someone into a way of life where they live in fear of our government and unscrupulous people who exploit them in working conditions that would generally cause them to be immediately shut down by OSHA if American workers were involved and oh by the way, they can't speak the language so most of the authorities can't help them since they can't communicate with them (and won't because they fear our government).

We can't feed, clothe, house, and provide health care for every person who decides they want to come here. We're past broke. America has already been looted by the trade deals President Trump referenced. We can't pay our bills or grow our economy when a trillion dollars per year is being sent to foreign countries to grow their economies. We're just creating money out of thin air and nobody will call our Fed's activities what they are because no sane person wants to see the world's economic system come crashing down around them. All fiat currency systems eventually fail because there's no incentive for fiscal responsibility. If everyone wants to maintain the current system, dysfunctional as it is, then we can do that and accept anyone who wants to come here, so long as the rest of you take no issue with our Federal Reserve printing money whenever it is required to stabilize the world economy or our economy.

We are going to make mistakes with the money supply and that is inevitable as long as humans are involved. After all the criticisms that have been leveled against us, do you still want us controlling the world economy or would you rather each nation be individually and collectively responsible for the world economy?

If the answer is yes, then we will continue running things pretty much the way they've been run and we'll generally get the same results. You'll get the good with the bad. Immigration will continue, we'll keep printing money, and the rest of the world will generally have to accept what we do or the system ends in undesirable ways for all parties involved.

If the answer is no, then America will become a very insular place that limits immigration and foreign intervention. Economic activity will be directed towards paying debts, you won't see nearly as many wars absent an actual attack, and you also won't see us provide much in the way of aid to our allies.

With respect to the Middle East, you can blame the US all you want but that place was a mess before we arrived and it'll be a mess long after we leave. Whether the new mess is better than the old mess is a matter of opinion. With respect to "they", who is that, Rob?

RobertDyck · 2017-02-21 17:11:15

First the United States doesn't run the world economy. It's one nation of many. It has the world's largest economy so has significant influence. There are various international agreements about banking, foreign exchange, etc., they aren't dictated by the US.

Second whining about trade is not appropriate. In the 1990s the cost of a base model laptop computer was $4,000, high performance models cost more. With inflation that base model would cost $6,000 today. Are you willing to pay that? Withing foreign trade, forget a free smart phone with your usage plan, you will have to pay $800 for the handset in addition to the usage plan you pay now. High end smart phones would cost more. When StarTak was first introduced in January 1996, it was $1,000 in currency of that day. Are you willing to pay $1,500 to $3,000 in today's dollars for a high-end smart phone? In addition to the usage plan?

Yes, I'm upset with loss of jobs in my city too. We had a thriving textile industry; all that manufacturing has moved overseas. We had a thriving furniture manufacturing industry, all moved to Mexico. We lost other industries for stupid reasons. The CN Railroad started in Transcona, a suburb of Winnipeg, and where I grew up. That "merged" with an American railroad, resulting in some work moving to Chicago, other remaining Canadian work moving to Edmonton. We had the largest meat packing industry in Canada, processing as many cattle per year as Calgary, and more hogs than any other location in Canada. But politicians allowed housing in infiltrate the industrial park. Then residents of those new homes complained about the smell. City politicians closed the entire meat packing industry, a company in North Dakota took the work. But during the "mad cow" scare, no Canadian livestock was allowed across the border, so all Canadian farmers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northwest Ontario were screwed. The source of that infected cow proved to be an American farm, it didn't come from Canada, but American politicians never did completely lift restrictions. They just allowed animals born after a certain date. Winnipeg had 5 major beef packing plants, and 3 pork plants, plus various support facilities, all closed. That resulting in thousands of workers out of a job.

Then there was Manitoba Sugar. Farmers in Manitoba grew sugar beets, a plant in Winnipeg processed them to sugar. I always made a point of buying Manitoba Sugar because it supported local business. But they sent bulk sugar to a company in Quebec for packaging, brought the packages back for sale to stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Northwest Ontario. Why send the sugar that far for packaging, just to bring it back? They should have built a packaging plant attached to their processing plant. I heard some idiots complain of the smell from the sugar plant. I have to say "idiots" because all money comes from industry. Not retail, not university, from industry. But Manitoba Sugar relied on Pepsi as a major customer. When Pepsi changed to high fructose corn syrup, they lost the contract. They sold to Rogers Sugar, who immediately shut down the plant. Not only did plant workers lose their jobs, but farmers had no where to sell their sugar beets.

But if America isolates itself, advantages of trade will die. Do you want to pay $6,000 for a base model laptop?

As for American immigration: you realize America currently depends on the immigrants who are there. They are doing jobs that America citizens just don't want to do. They are not committing crimes. You claim immigrating to the US is a crime, but other than that, they aren't. Several American politicians have said the best way of dealing this them is give them a way to become legal citizens. Don't deport them; give them a way of becoming legal American citizens without ever leaving the country. They currently pay sales tax, because stores collect that at the till. They currently pay rent; the landlord pays property tax. They don't pay Social Security, but aren't qualified to collect. Once legal, they'll pay income tax and Social Security like everyone else. That makes more sense.

kbd512 · 2017-02-21 18:29:53

For better or worse, the US Dollar is the world's reserve currency. If you don't think the US Federal Reserve is running the economy, then there was never any reason to transfer hundreds of billions of dollars to overseas banks. You are free to believe whatever you want, but that's the way things actually are. If our economy fails, China's economy goes with it, and most other Asian economies suffer a very hard hit.

Sending a trillion dollars of wealth out the door every year is not whining about trade. It's an unsustainable economic fact of life, unless we're permitted to keep printing money. Nobody has called us on it, so I guess that's what everyone else wants. If anyone "loses faith" in the system again, you were warned in advance about what would happen. A US dollar is merely a coupon to the store. Incidentally, I also want the Canadians, Mexicans, and Chinese to have food on the table and live indoors. It works out better for everyone that way.

Dell still assembles computers in the US and they don't cost $6K or anything close to it.

RobertDyck · 2017-02-21 19:44:46

After the US banking system collapse of 2008, Iceland stated their intent to abandon their own Krona and adopt the Canadian dollar. Some US government officials were worried the Canadian dollar would become the world reserve currency. They applied diplomatic pressure on Iceland to adopt the US dollar instead. The government of Iceland decided to avoid that diplomatic quagmire, and just keep their own Krona.

As long as the US continues to spend more than it has, you're guaranteed there will be another crisis as bad as 2008. The US federal government deficit for 2016 was $427 billion. Republicans (or was it Tea Party?) made a huge deal about this during the 2012 election. I disagree with most of what the Tea Party says, but they're right about the deficit. Balance the budget or suffer another economic crisis as bad as 2008. This time Europe won't be able to bail out the US, and China just won't.

But also notice I talked about the budgetary deficit, not trade deficit. They're entirely different. Trade deficit balances itself out: buy goods from one country, they buy goods from a third country, who buys goods from you. If it doesn't balance, then currency exchange rates are adjusted until it does balance. There's a complex system in place to do this automatically. You don't print money to pay for a trade imbalance.

I wonder what would happen to the Canadian economy if the world adopted the Canadian dollar as reserve currency?

Dell does not manufacture CPU chips, or motherboard chipsets, or hard drives, or even motherboards. When there is a custom motherboard with a Dell logo silk screened onto it, the motherboard is manufactured under contract overseas. Final assembly is fairly trivial.

China is currently working hard to shift their economy to serving their own domestic economy, instead of exporting to the US. It's proving to be painful.

Last edited by RobertDyck (2017-02-22 02:20:56)

SpaceNut · 2017-02-21 21:32:29

History of US Immigration and Amnesty

https://www.uscitizenship.info/articles … p=247.html

Undocumented Workers Currently in the United States:Immigration Amnesty Bill creates a four-year, renewable Z visa for those unlawfully residing within the U.S. before January 1, 2007.

Daniel Ramirez’s lawyer: Illegal immigrants have constitutional rights under Obama amnesty

Department of Homeland Security Outlines Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

Trump Enforcement Plan Has Immigrants Bracing for Raids, Deportations

Now this is what makes america great Texas man, walking 15 miles to work every day, 'No Excuses' to 2 jobs a day. That man walks 2.5 hours to work from Plano to Braum's in McKinney 5 days a week and has a GREAT attitude. A local resident who raised nearly $4,000 with a GoFundMe page to help.

Tom Kalbfus · 2017-02-22 12:16:07

SpaceNut wrote:

Farming falls under a different wage bracket not the same as the hourly wage earner....which happens to include resturants and others....
In fact Trumps wineries want to hire under HB-1 visa's pickers for a wage of 11 something an hour which is 4 plus greater than the minimum wage....
Trump Vineyard Requests Visas For Still More Foreign Workers “America First” doesn’t apply to Trump wines.
Now the illegals would love to work for that as is propably 3 times what they are normally paid in mexico for a wage....or as slave labor here....

Trump never said he would ban all immigrants. Also since Trump owns it, there is no reason why illegals should work for him! All they would have to do is give Trump as a reference then they'd cross check it, and Trump would see to it, they get legal status, that is if he really wants to hire them!

Tom Kalbfus · 2017-02-22 12:18:28

RobertDyck wrote:

After the US banking system collapse of 2008, Iceland stated their intent to abandon their own Krona and adopt the Canadian dollar. Some US government officials were worried the Canadian dollar would become the world reserve currency. They applied diplomatic pressure on Iceland to adopt the US dollar instead. The government of Iceland decided to avoid that diplomatic quagmire, and just keep their own Krona.

I seem to recall that I had full access to my account during the so called "collapse of the US bank system!" I had no trouble getting my money, so you must be referring to another country named the "United States", Mexico is one, just as an example, its official name is "The United States of Mexico".

As long as the US continues to spend more than it has, you're guaranteed there will be another crisis as bad as 2008. The US federal government deficit for 2016 was $427 billion. Republicans (or was it Tea Party?) made a huge deal about this during the 2012 election. I disagree with most of what the Tea Party says, but they're right about the deficit. Balance the budget or suffer another economic crisis as bad as 2008. This time Europe won't be able to bail out the US, and China just won't.
But also notice I talked about the budgetary deficit, not trade deficit. They're entirely different. Trade deficit balances itself out: buy goods from one country, they buy goods from a third country, who buys goods from you. If it doesn't balance, then currency exchange rates are adjusted until it does balance. There's a complex system in place to do this automatically. You don't print money to pay for a trade imbalance.
I wonder what would happen to the Canadian economy if the world adopted the Canadian dollar as reserve currency?
Dell does not manufacture CPU chips, or motherboard chipsets, or hard drives, or even motherboards. When there is a custom motherboard with a Dell logo silk screened onto it, the motherboard is manufactured under contract overseas. Final assembly is fairly trivial.
China is currently working hard to shift their economy to serving their own domestic economy, instead of exporting to the US. It's proving to be painful.

kbd512 · 2017-02-22 12:33:50

RobertDyck wrote:

After the US banking system collapse of 2008, Iceland stated their intent to abandon their own Krona and adopt the Canadian dollar. Some US government officials were worried the Canadian dollar would become the world reserve currency. They applied diplomatic pressure on Iceland to adopt the US dollar instead. The government of Iceland decided to avoid that diplomatic quagmire, and just keep their own Krona.

Iceland is free to do what Iceland wants to do.

RobertDyck wrote:

As long as the US continues to spend more than it has, you're guaranteed there will be another crisis as bad as 2008. The US federal government deficit for 2016 was $427 billion. Republicans (or was it Tea Party?) made a huge deal about this during the 2012 election. I disagree with most of what the Tea Party says, but they're right about the deficit. Balance the budget or suffer another economic crisis as bad as 2008. This time Europe won't be able to bail out the US, and China just won't.

The state and federal governments paid $113B in benefits to illegal immigrants at last reporting. The USAID budget was $50B. The foreign military aid budget is $13B. The Affordable Care Act costs $300B over the top of MEDICAID. We can cut those budget line items. Europe and China didn't bail the US out of anything. The US Federal Reserve sent hundreds of billions of dollars to those banks. We're just deeper in debt.

RobertDyck wrote:

But also notice I talked about the budgetary deficit, not trade deficit. They're entirely different. Trade deficit balances itself out: buy goods from one country, they buy goods from a third country, who buys goods from you. If it doesn't balance, then currency exchange rates are adjusted until it does balance. There's a complex system in place to do this automatically. You don't print money to pay for a trade imbalance.

If we didn't have such a massive trade deficit, there would be more taxable income and corporate profits or fewer purchases that were made with credit (debt). There's no need to manipulate currency unless you have idiotic artificial systems of trade. It makes no sense to make glass for an iPhone in Europe, chip sets in America, memory in Korea, and then ship all those individual components to China for assembly. Only in a world of artificial economic activities by corporations that want to prevent their profits from being subject to taxation does that make sense. Currency valuation is artificially adjusted by printing more money to support this shell game.

RobertDyck wrote:

I wonder what would happen to the Canadian economy if the world adopted the Canadian dollar as reserve currency?

See if you can convince enough other people that they should switch from USD to CAD. We've never tried it, so we don't know. We could also try the Amero Dollar (Canada, Mexico, US).

RobertDyck wrote:

Dell does not manufacture CPU chips, or motherboard chipsets, or hard drives, or even motherboards. When there is a custom motherboard with a Dell logo silk screened onto it, the motherboard is manufactured under contract overseas. Final assembly is fairly trivial.

Dell has vendors in the US and foreign countries. We still make chip sets and boards here in the US, just not nearly as many as we used to. Hard drives are now chip sets.

RobertDyck wrote:

China is currently working hard to shift their economy to serving their own domestic economy, instead of exporting to the US. It's proving to be painful.

I wish them good fortune in their efforts.

SpaceNut · 2017-02-22 20:22:14

kbd512, What is in the "state and federal governments paid $113B in benefits to illegal immigrants" as there should be getting nothing for assistance if they are not in the process of becoming American...So after amenesty there should be a paper trail for those that are trying other wise send them packing....

The trouble with "The Affordable Care Act costs $300B over the top of MEDICAID." is the insurance companies rules to not pay after you have paid there high premium and the Hospitals/ Doctor practices that are over charging even for simple care...

SpaceNut · 2017-02-22 20:38:48

Tom Kalbfus the banking system near collapse was not at the local levels but at the federal/world side of the coin...
This was also the period of the housing market foreclosures and crashes, the auto industry bailouts ect....
Then there was the rising gas and oil prices which were very crippling to America.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial … %80%932008
https://www.thebalance.com/2008-financi … is-3305679
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 … nking-2008

Lehman Brothers went bankrupt. Merrill Lynch, AIG, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bradford & Bingley, Fortis, Hypo and Alliance & Leicester all came within a whisker of doing so and had to be rescued.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St … ing_bubble
https://www.washingtonpost.com/realesta … story.html
https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/hu … ial-crisis

http://www.counterpunch.org/2008/11/24/ … to-crisis/
https://www.aaat.com/automotive-industry-crisis.cfm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotiv … E2%80%9310

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000s_energy_crisis
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/2008-us- … eview.html
ch.gaschart?Country=USA&Crude=f&Period=84&Areas=USA%20Average%2C%2C&Unit=US%20%24%2FG

SpaceNut · 2017-02-22 22:11:32

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2 … urche.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mos … 81d0ebc346

http://www.chron.com/houston/article/Fe … 727623.php

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2017/0 … d-seattle/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article … s-U-S.html

https://www.texastribune.org/2017/02/02 … bol-unity/

http://abcnews.go.com/US/muslim-activis … d=45651684

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mus … 0k-n724221

SpaceNut · 2017-02-23 17:57:44

That may all change with this ICE Agents Take Undocumented Mom With Brain Tumor From Hospital To Detention Center from El Salvador awaiting brain surgery to remove a tumor was taken from a Texas hospital.

The mother of two had been held at Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, since Jan. 26, 2017, while her family members in New York tried to petition for her asylum. But she collapsed at the facility this month after experiencing severe headaches, nosebleeds and memory loss.
She was taken to Texas Health Huguley Hospital in Fort Worth on Feb. 11, where doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumor that required surgery.
Around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, a physician told ICE agents that Beltran-Hernandez was “stable.” She was subsequently discharged from the hospital and returned to ICE custody at Prairieland Detention Center. ICE is keeping her under observation and says that she has round-the-clock care available.
“Ms. Beltran will continue to have access to 24 hour emergency medical care and to any required specialized treatment at an outside facility,” ICE told The Huffington Post.

Given the odds this could be the first of those to die from immigration problems and detainment....

SpaceNut · 2017-02-23 19:43:30

The town hall meeting were filled with professional and democrats not republicans as was hope is the alternative fact being given by Trump for the out comes from them. All I have is that these are the tough questions that both side of the aisle want answers too... Metairie, Louisiana, At A Town Hall, Constituents Literally Turn Their Backs On GOP Senator, “Do your job!” they chanted. and from Springdale, Arkansas, Angry Constituents Hammer Tom Cotton At Town Hall: ‘Do Your Job’ The packed meeting was raucous from start to finish.

More hacks and blackmail towards Manafort faced blackmail attempt, hacks suggest. Stolen texts include a text that appears to come from a Ukrainian parliamentarian named Serhiy Leshchenko, appear to show threats to expose relations among Russia-friendly forces, Trump and his former campaign chairman.

Trump's Russia problem dogs Republicans at town halls Constituents are demanding GOP lawmakers investigate the president's ties to Moscow.

kbd512 · 2017-02-23 22:29:48

ICE agents took an illegal immigrant to a detention center who a judge had previously ordered deported before anyone was aware that she had a brain tumor, and ICE provides 24/7 medical care for her. The rest of us aren't changing our vocabulary to cater to liberal agendas. If I decide to walk across the border into Mexico, Mexican Police will arrest me because I'm an illegal immigrant, I'll be sent to a Mexican prison, and no health care will be provided unless my family can pay for it. Violating immigration laws while you have a medical condition, knowingly or otherwise, does not make you special.

According to her relatives' story, she ran away from her abusive domestic partner in El Salvador and was caught trying to come into the US near Hidalgo. El Salvador's police and medical professionals failed to do their jobs. The El Salvadorans provided no protection for their own citizen. The police in Mexico failed to enforce their border. Uncle Sam did what the Mexicans and El Salvadorans, probably the Guatemalans as well, all failed to do.

I feel bad for the kid who grew up in a country that cared so little for his mother that their police did not arrest her abuser and the medical professionals provided no health care for her. His mother made a poor decision about who to have a child with and how to resolve the bad situation that she put herself and her child in when she decided to resolve it by breaking the immigration laws of Mexico and the US. As a result of the multiple poor decisions an illegal immigrant made, the American tax payers will pay for her poor choices because we treat illegal immigrants as well as anyone else living here.

If ICE is already paying someone to care for this woman 24/7, then a hospital with a good neurology and neurosurgery department is the best place to do that. If she can't walk and requires 24/7 medical care, she's not a flight risk. This whole thing is just dumb, but she created the situation she finds herself in now.

kbd512 · 2017-02-23 23:18:19

SpaceNut wrote:

The town hall meeting were filled with professional and democrats not republicans as was hope is the alternative fact being given by Trump for the out comes from them. All I have is that these are the tough questions that both side of the aisle want answers too... Metairie, Louisiana, At A Town Hall, Constituents Literally Turn Their Backs On GOP Senator, “Do your job!” they chanted. and from Springdale, Arkansas, Angry Constituents Hammer Tom Cotton At Town Hall: ‘Do Your Job’ The packed meeting was raucous from start to finish.
More hacks and blackmail towards Manafort faced blackmail attempt, hacks suggest. Stolen texts include a text that appears to come from a Ukrainian parliamentarian named Serhiy Leshchenko, appear to show threats to expose relations among Russia-friendly forces, Trump and his former campaign chairman.
Trump's Russia problem dogs Republicans at town halls Constituents are demanding GOP lawmakers investigate the president's ties to Moscow.

The "Not My President" people are Congressman Cassidy's constituents? How is that possible when liberals say that Republicans don't represent them? All those liberals did was yell at him. It's a form of communication, but generally not very constructive. They didn't come there to make any attempt at establishing a dialog with their "not representative from Congress". "Do your job!" is a protester's chant, not a public policy.

SpaceNut · 2017-02-26 23:26:53

Tom Kalbfus wrote:

Trump is the President, so he either does something in space or you have to wait four years until you get the President you like. I think trashing Trump is not going to be helpful in getting him to do what we want. The first thing to do, if you want a return to manned moon missions, is to stop trying to get Trump impeached, stop looking for dirt on Trump, stop trying to do the things the Democrats are trying to do, to get him out of power, we only have one President at a time. If you prefer someone else, you are going to have to wait, and put the Space Program on hold until there is someone in the White House that you want t try and persuade. Trashing Trump and Trying to persuade Trump are polar opposites, you can't do both at once!

SpaceNut · 2017-02-27 17:57:44

President George W. Bush says it's important to have a free press: 'Power can be very addictive'

Bush calls for answers on possible connections between Russia and Trump campaign
Bush said he supports an investigation that explores possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign.
“I think we all need answers,” Bush told Matt Lauer.

Bush defends the media as a check on "addictive" power
Bush critiqued Trump’s feud with the media, calling it “indispensable to democracy.”
“Power can be very addictive. And it can be corrosive. And it's important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power.”

George W. Bush opens up on Trump's war with the media, travel ban, Russia and veterans

Choose Your News: How Viewers of Different News Outlets See Trump

The proliferation of media outlets has long meant that, with the click of a remote control or a mouse, Americans can choose their news.
In the Trump era, that means that different media consumers are experiencing different realities when it comes to the presidency and the state of the country.
The data show that viewers of different media outlets often had wildly divergent views of the president's job performance, the state of the country, the wisdom of various policy proposals and the bias of the media itself.

Plenty of alternative facts and poll charts.....

Spicer: 'We did our job' by arranging pushback against Russia reports Sean Spicer questioned over WH role in knocking down reports of Trump campaign ties to Russia.

Top House Republican hasn't seen 'evidence' of Trump-Russia contacts

Schiff said it was “completely inappropriate” for the White House to ask CIA officials and Republican members to knock down the report from The New York Times and that anyone receiving that request “should politely decline.”

Trump has repeatedly derided the story as "fake news."

Trump's choice for Navy secretary withdraws

President Donald Trump's choice for secretary of the Navy, businessman Philip Bilden, said Sunday he was withdrawing from consideration for the post, citing concerns about privacy and separating himself from his business interests.
Bilden's withdrawal raises similar issues to that of Vincent Viola, Trump's nominee for Army secretary who stepped aside earlier this month. Just last week, the Pentagon sought to tamp down reports that Bilden might pull out.

SpaceNut · 2017-02-27 19:58:09

So the border Agents detail 'daily' border fence battle, seek post-Obama 'restart' well you need to turn it back before that as the fence has done nothing to stop the flow for multiple decades..

That ‘gate’ was created by perpetrators on the Mexican side using a blowtorch to cut a metal panel and then affixing hinges and latches. Putty and paint are used to touch up the American side, making the gate almost indiscernible.

Wow they must have been sleeping when they did that and they are finally awake.

Mexican Catholic Church calls US immigration policies an 'act of terror' Straight from a priest

Archdiocese said the new policies amounted to “not only the application of an inhuman legalism but a true act of terror.”

Millions of Mexicans living in the U.S. could be targeted for deportation, including people simply arrested for traffic violations.
The Trump administration memos replace narrower guidance focusing on immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes, are considered threats to national security or are recent border crossers.

I have no problem with deporting them if the crime that they have done is more than just crossing a border without papers....But even a decade with legal papers is stupid....

Pro-Trump town riled up after immigration officials arrest popular restaurant manager

A southern Illinois community that solidly backed President Donald Trump has rallied behind a Mexican restaurant manager who doesn't have legal permission to live in the U.S. and has been detained by immigration officials. Letters of support for Juan Carlos Hernandez Pacheco have poured in from West Frankfort's mayor, police chief, high school athletic director and the county prosecutor. They describe Hernandez as a role model and praise his robust civil involvement, including funding school scholarships, benefit dinners for families in need and hosting a law enforcement appreciation event. Hernandez, 38, came to the U.S. in the 1990s but didn't obtain legal status, according to friends. He has been the manager of La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant for a decade in the community with coal mining roots, about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis. I think he may have done more for the people here than this place has ever given him. I think it's absolutely terrible that he could be taken away."

Tom Kalbfus · 2017-02-28 00:45:26

SpaceNut wrote:

President George W. Bush says it's important to have a free press: 'Power can be very addictive'
Bush calls for answers on possible connections between Russia and Trump campaign
Bush said he supports an investigation that explores possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign.
“I think we all need answers,” Bush told Matt Lauer.
Bush defends the media as a check on "addictive" power
Bush critiqued Trump’s feud with the media, calling it “indispensable to democracy.”
“Power can be very addictive. And it can be corrosive. And it's important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power.”

The Media did not put a check on Obama's power when he was President! The Media did not hold Obama to account at all! So why the difference between the Media's behavior with Obama and then Trump? The main thing is the Media put Obama in the white house, it didn't matter what Obama did in the past, the Media just ignored it! the problem with a free media is that its unbalanced, and it allowed to get its way, it would lead to one party rule of this country. The President could then murder somebody and the News Media would not report on it, because it would be their guy doing the murdering! So here is what Trump needs to do, he needs to rebalance the media so the next election is more fair, as it is not now. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN need to be balanced out by other networks on the opposite side of the political spectrum, right now there is only Fox News, we need to grow others! That is why Trump is not letting CNN into his press conferences. If the Media is not fair, then neither is the political process! We can't have a media that is mostly under the control of on party!

George W. Bush opens up on Trump's war with the media, travel ban, Russia and veterans
Choose Your News: How Viewers of Different News Outlets See Trump
The proliferation of media outlets has long meant that, with the click of a remote control or a mouse, Americans can choose their news.
In the Trump era, that means that different media consumers are experiencing different realities when it comes to the presidency and the state of the country.
The data show that viewers of different media outlets often had wildly divergent views of the president's job performance, the state of the country, the wisdom of various policy proposals and the bias of the media itself.
Plenty of alternative facts and poll charts.....
Spicer: 'We did our job' by arranging pushback against Russia reports Sean Spicer questioned over WH role in knocking down reports of Trump campaign ties to Russia.
Top House Republican hasn't seen 'evidence' of Trump-Russia contacts
Schiff said it was “completely inappropriate” for the White House to ask CIA officials and Republican members to knock down the report from The New York Times and that anyone receiving that request “should politely decline.”
Trump has repeatedly derided the story as "fake news."
Trump's choice for Navy secretary withdraws
President Donald Trump's choice for secretary of the Navy, businessman Philip Bilden, said Sunday he was withdrawing from consideration for the post, citing concerns about privacy and separating himself from his business interests.
Bilden's withdrawal raises similar issues to that of Vincent Viola, Trump's nominee for Army secretary who stepped aside earlier this month. Just last week, the Pentagon sought to tamp down reports that Bilden might pull out.

Tom Kalbfus · 2017-02-28 00:47:47

SpaceNut wrote:

So the border Agents detail 'daily' border fence battle, seek post-Obama 'restart' well you need to turn it back before that as the fence has done nothing to stop the flow for multiple decades..
That ‘gate’ was created by perpetrators on the Mexican side using a blowtorch to cut a metal panel and then affixing hinges and latches. Putty and paint are used to touch up the American side, making the gate almost indiscernible.
Wow they must have been sleeping when they did that and they are finally awake.
Mexican Catholic Church calls US immigration policies an 'act of terror' Straight from a priest
Archdiocese said the new policies amounted to “not only the application of an inhuman legalism but a true act of terror.”
Millions of Mexicans living in the U.S. could be targeted for deportation, including people simply arrested for traffic violations.
The Trump administration memos replace narrower guidance focusing on immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes, are considered threats to national security or are recent border crossers.
I have no problem with deporting them if the crime that they have done is more than just crossing a border without papers....But even a decade with legal papers is stupid....
Pro-Trump town riled up after immigration officials arrest popular restaurant manager
A southern Illinois community that solidly backed President Donald Trump has rallied behind a Mexican restaurant manager who doesn't have legal permission to live in the U.S. and has been detained by immigration officials. Letters of support for Juan Carlos Hernandez Pacheco have poured in from West Frankfort's mayor, police chief, high school athletic director and the county prosecutor. They describe Hernandez as a role model and praise his robust civil involvement, including funding school scholarships, benefit dinners for families in need and hosting a law enforcement appreciation event. Hernandez, 38, came to the U.S. in the 1990s but didn't obtain legal status, according to friends. He has been the manager of La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant for a decade in the community with coal mining roots, about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis. I think he may have done more for the people here than this place has ever given him. I think it's absolutely terrible that he could be taken away."

If wespend our money feeding Mexican Immigrants, there is no money left over for Space. We can either have a space program or a welfare state, as you can see, most states with massive welfare states don't have a space program!

Tom Kalbfus · 2017-03-01 21:17:44

Should we spend resources hunting for witches? If not, then what have you to hide? Do you have a broomstick in the closet?

Antius · 2017-03-02 15:12:07

Here is graph showing US public debt:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pu … of_GDP.pdf

It might be manageable, if it weren't for the declining EROI of fossil fuels. The world economy cannot grow on $50/barrel oil and yet, a large part of global oil production isn't profitable beneath this price level. As large fields are depleted and smaller and non-conventional oil deposits replace them, rising energy costs will act as a constant headwind against economic growth.

A lot of people still don't get the idea behind peak oil, how it would actually work out in the real world. Right now we are living in a bubble of low interest rates that makes it possible to pour money into previously unprofitable ventures like shale oil. This has allowed oil production to continue growing, but debt levels are pushing US oil majors into bankruptcy. Over the past several years, our leaders have burned the future in a vain attempt to keep business as usual going for just a little while longer. If interest rates rise significantly, the world will be hit by unserviceable debt and an energy crisis. It is a question of when, rather than if.

Forget about space travel for the time being. Right now is the time for a nuclear renaissance. But it has to start with regulatory reform. America and the western world need cheap energy if you ever want a space travel future.

Last edited by Antius (2017-03-02 15:25:36)

Terraformer · 2017-03-02 16:01:14

Shards. America's managed to get back to WWII levels of debt without actually having a world war.

I wouldn't say we need energy prices to remain as low as they have been in order to have a space travel future, though. It all depends on how committed we are. It might come down to a choice between keeping our cars, and taking the train to free up resources for rockets...

I don't think a future marked by massive inequality is going to be a bad thing for space travel, either, at least not with the current crop of billionaires.

Void · 2017-03-03 09:18:12

Please allow me to stink up things for you.

http://worldoutofwhack.com/2017/02/20/a … er-zeihan/
Quote:

The end of American dependence upon extra-continental energy sources does more than sever the largest of the remaining ties that bind America’s fate to the wider world, it sets into motion a veritable cavalcade of trends: the reindustrialization of the United States,the accelerated breakdown of the global order, and a series of wideranging
military conflicts that will shape the next two decades.– Peter Zeihan,“The Absent Superpower
Peter credits energy and resource innovations with reshaping the global geopolitical environment. He predicts by 2019, US oil production costs could drop to $25 per barrel, making US shale producers potentially the lowest cost oil producers on the planet. America’s move into energy independence he says, will reshape global dynamics for at least the next three decades.

http://www.valuewalk.com/2017/02/qa-aut … a-world/3/

As far as the debt goes, he thinks that as bad as it is, it is not as bad as other places. There is no where else for nervous Asians and Europeans to park their money. Shale backed bonds apparently being an asset that some of them want.

As far as the human capitol, he thinks that a lot of skilled human capital will come here from various places as the rest of the world gets more and more messed up.

Good news for you guys is he thinks you will manage your situation, along with France and the Netherlands.

S.E. Asia and the South Pacific should do fine.

Mexico will do good, but we know that some adjustments with that relationship are being proposed by the current administrations supporters.

https://meic.cfainstitute.org/2013/03/2 … il-policy/
Quote:

Statistics shared with an increasingly intrigued audience included:
50% of all natural gas as produced in the United States is from shale oil
Texas supplies 25% of Mexico’s natural gas and this will rise to 50% in the next five years
New York has moved from zero natural gas usage a year ago to using nine billion cubic meters today — in the space of 12 months (a consumption greater than Belgium’s)

As far as greenhouse gasses and alternative energy, the USA/North America have the following advantages at this time and going forward:
1) The shale oil is very light and clean. 20-30 year supply?
2) The natural gas is much cheaper than for Germany or China. 95 year supply?

As it happens wind and solar efforts are being mated with quick reaction natural gas power plants.

So the USA can meet its commitments to fight global warming relatively easy compared to other places. And if other nations develop wind and solar techniques because it is harder for them, it will be easy for the USA/North America to acquire them at a low cost.

From what I read, the situation for Europe is a mess in waiting, and that is likely why the UK wants out.

And China's future, appears to be very bad, with a future Mao being created to handle things when the Ponzi scheme fails.

That's what I am getting for information.

Just now Opec and its Lacky friends in the USA and elsewhere are trying to use Russia Phobia, to stop this process, but I think the worst they can do at this point is slow things down.

For my part, I have no problem with working with Russia. We have plenty of much more evil friends than that.

But we will have to see what is real. I am sure Peter Zeihan will not get everything right. I have never seen anyone predict the future with anything near 100% accuracy.

Last edited by Void (2017-03-03 09:51:18)

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