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#3226 2026-08-09 16:08:52
- RobertDyck
- Moderator
- From: Winnipeg, Canada
- Registered: 2002-08-20
- Posts: 8,515
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Re: Politics
One concern is that if Democrats call themselves "Democratic Socialists" or in any way embrace socialism, then they won't get elected. Americans will not elected a communist government, or anything that smacks of communism.
In 2014 professors Martin Gilens (Princeton) and Benjamin Page (Northwestern) published a study. They analyzed over 20 years of data to measure how voter preferences affect federal legislation. They found Congressmen do not care what voters say. They do not care how many voters contact them on a bill. Zero impact. But then they analyzed the data gain, this time only including donors who had donated $1 million or more to their election campaign. There was a direct correlation. America is not a democracy, America is a plutocracy. That means rule by the rich.
The rich controlled both the Democrat and Republican parties. It didn't matter who was elected. Then Donald Trump. He promised to "drain the swamp". Well, he did eliminate influence by those who bought and paid off Congress before Trump. However, Trump replaced one swamp with another swamp. One group of rich people were replaced by a different group of rich people. Trump still doesn't care what average voters want.
So who is going to actually "drain the swamp"? Senator John McCain et al passed a law closing a loophole in election spending limits. The law restricted third party spending. One group called "Citizens United" wanted to campaign against Hillary Clinton. They didn't like the law that said they can't spend however much money they want. They appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Roberts completely rewrote the case, then sat as chief justice hearing the case that he himself rewrote. Rather than seeking permission to spend money on billboards in one county, it became a broad principle that created Political Action Committees (PACs) and Super PACs. So when Congress tried to solve the problem, Justice Roberts undid all that work. He didn't just perpetuate the problem, he expanded it.
I'm still not hearing any American politicians address the real problem.
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#3227 2026-08-09 16:21:59
- SpaceNut
- Administrator
- From: New Hampshire
- Registered: 2004-07-22
- Posts: 30,831
Re: Politics
socialist for the people and not at the government control...
Project 2025 is a 900-page conservative policy blueprint titled Mandate for Leadership, published by The Heritage Foundation alongside former Trump administration officials. While Donald Trump distanced himself from the plan during his campaign, his administration has enacted numerous executive actions and policies that closely mirror its core proposals.
Executive Power and the Federal Workforce
Reclassify tens of thousands of civil service workers as political appointees to ease terminations and instill political loyalty.
Bring independent regulatory agencies and the Department of Justice under direct presidential control.
Build a database of vetted conservative personnel to rapidly replace career federal employees.Dismantling Federal Agencies
Move to abolish or heavily downsize the Department of Education.
Restructure or scale back agencies like the FBI and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Terminate all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices and programs across federal departments and the military.Immigration and Border Security
Launch mass deportation operations and targeted immigration raids.
Dismantle aspects of the asylum system and restrict humanitarian protections.
Challenge birthright citizenship through executive and legal measures.Reproductive and LGBTQ+ Rights
Restrict access to abortion medication, including efforts to revive the Comstock Act to stop mailing abortion pills.
Rescind federal guidance or policies protecting emergency abortion care and travel funding for reproductive services.
Implement restrictions on gender-affirming medical care, ban transgender individuals from military service, and remove gender-identity language from federal regulations.
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#3228 2026-08-09 17:06:51
- RobertDyck
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- From: Winnipeg, Canada
- Registered: 2002-08-20
- Posts: 8,515
- Website
Re: Politics
In Canada, education is provincial jurisdiction. There's a constant debate whether the provincial government should have more control, or school boards. For a long time it was back-and-forth. When I was a child, some years we had to write provincial exams at the end of the year. Other years not. I haven't followed a lot since I left university. Did get involved in 1999 when a candidate for provincial Premier promised to reduce post-secondary tuition, but didn't say how. I had been an instructor at a major community college in 1992, and had strong opinions based on when I was a student. I wrote a formal paper, and presented to the provincial Minister of Education. My ideas got corrupted, because university administration wanted to pad their budget. They didn't want efficiencies that made education more efficient, affordable and more accessible to students.
The point is the Canadian federal government is not involved with education. So I don't see why the US federal government has a department of education. Shouldn't that be state?
Terminating DEI is actually a good idea. When trying to get rid of prejudice, there were be a point where not all prejudice is eliminated, but any further DEI efforts will not be effective. Further efforts simply perpetuate prejudice by enforcing prejudice in reverse direction. This will result in backlash by those now prejudiced against. Once emancipation has gotten to a certain point, eliminate all DEI efforts. The goal is to ensure individuals are hired entirely and solely on their ability to do the job. Again, once blatant segregation and prejudice is eliminated, allow ability to be the sole criteria. The US passed that point years ago. So yes, it's long overdue to eliminate DEI.
The rest is shocking. "Scale back agencies like the FBI"? That's America's federal police. How can you scale back the FBI?
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#3229 2026-08-09 17:56:56
- tahanson43206
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- Registered: 2018-04-27
- Posts: 25,570
Re: Politics
For RobertDyck ... my comment here was not helpful so I'm replacing it with Thanks for your comments about politics. (th)
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#3230 2026-08-09 20:59:41
- RobertDyck
- Moderator
- From: Winnipeg, Canada
- Registered: 2002-08-20
- Posts: 8,515
- Website
Re: Politics
Tom, I am worried. The Woke left went too far. Yes, I agree all races are equal. Yes, women can do almost everything. Few jobs today require the muscular strength of a man. I have met women firefighters here in my city, but I do have to ask if they are able to sling an elderly man in a burning building over their shoulder and carry them down stairs to get out. But warehouse work uses pallet jacks and forklift trucks, etc. However, the problem is the Woke Left tried to claim that all straight white men are evil. Indoctrinating children to think that LBGTQ is normal, but straight is mentally ill. Children will lean toward LBGTQ and straight children will try to pretend to be LBGTQ just to be accepted. That's the problem. It's not acceptance, it's indoctrination.
I could go on. In a normal, healthy population, 2% to 3% are LBGTQ, the rest are straight. Conceiving a child requires one man and one woman. That's biology. All developed countries have a birth rate problem. I've posted this before. It takes an average of 2.1 babies born per adult woman just to sustain the population. If fewer, the population is shrinking. And it doesn't shrink right away. First the older generation gets old and retires. Then you have few young adults in their prime, maintaining infrastructure and paying taxes. How do you support an ever growing retired segment of the population? This problem exists in absolutely every developed country. On farms, children are a free workforce. In cities, children are an expense. As the country urbanizes, birth rate drops. The US didn't go from farms to high-density cities with apartment towers and condo towers all at once. The US went from farms, to small towns, to suburbs, to cities. The intermediate steps slowed the process.
LBGTQ is a natural part of the human species. It has a purpose. When there is the perception of overpopulation, the proportion of LBGTQ increases. The "T" is modern surgery, it didn't exist in ancient times, but LBGQ did. This means young children are impressionable, straight children can be convinced to become LBGTQ. So it's not a matter of accepting what a person is at birth. That base 2% are born LBGTQ, but a large portion of young, prepubescent children can be convinced to change from straight to LBGTQ. And this is harmful to society.
America has a "fertility" rate of 1.57 to 1.60 per woman. This is below replacement level, below sustainability. This means the US requires immigration just to sustain its population, and sustain its economy.
Here's the thing. Trump is a backlash against Woke going too far. If America has a strong backlash to Trump, resulting in a backlash even more Woke, even farther left, then expect an even stronger backlash against that. What is more extreme than Trump? Here's a hint: JD Vance. And I'm sure there are others that no one has heard of, even more extreme just waiting to cause even greater harm.
So I am begging America to dampen-down the swings. Try to understand the other side. Please please PLEASE try to be sane. Try to understand the real problems.
And this won't just be long-term. If the Democrat party goes full "Democratic Socialist" now, that will give MAGA a renewed majority at this year's mid-term election. Do you want Trump to have that much power?
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#3231 2026-08-12 15:09:59
- RobertDyck
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- From: Winnipeg, Canada
- Registered: 2002-08-20
- Posts: 8,515
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Re: Politics
YouTube: Maddow: 'Is this how we invade Greenland?!'
A company based out of Texas has been formed specifically to drill for only on Greenland, or off the shore of Greenland. They do not have permission to operate at all, in any way, from the government of Greenland. In fact, Greenland passed a law, a moratorium on all oil exploration. Citizens of Greenland have expressed concern. Government officials of Greenland have stated they would send police to stop it. But the company sent equipment and personnel to start drilling, with statement to investors they would commence drilling by end of this year.
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#3232 2026-08-12 15:32:04
- RobertDyck
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- From: Winnipeg, Canada
- Registered: 2002-08-20
- Posts: 8,515
- Website
Re: Politics
August 8, 2026, NL Times: Dutch, NATO troops to train in Greenland amid Trump’s push to take island from Denmark
The Netherlands will send military personnel to Greenland next month for a NATO exercise. The Arctic Sentry mission is designed to shield the High North from interest by Russia and China. NATO diplomats, however, allegedly told De Telegraaf the mission also aims to stop the United States from taking Greenland from Denmark. The news comes as President Donald Trump continues to push for U.S. control of the island.
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7, President Donald Trump said Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.” He argued the island is strategically vital for the U.S., claimed it is surrounded by Chinese and Russian ships, and said Denmark does not invest enough in its security.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a warning the next day, on July 8. She said, "We defend every centimeter” of the island.
Denmark, Belgium, France, and Canada will also join the exercise. Belgium is sending roughly 30 special forces troops plus other personnel.
Dutch marines and navy forces have trained for years in Scandinavia and the northern seas. “The Netherlands has a lot of experience in the High North, and we regularly participate in exercises in this area,” Defense told Dutch media.
“The Arctic region is of strategic importance, also for our security,” Defense stated. Protecting it is a joint duty of NATO members. “Therefore these kinds of exercises are of great importance.”
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#3233 2026-08-13 12:04:51
- Calliban
- Member
- From: Northern England, UK
- Registered: 2019-08-18
- Posts: 4,354
Re: Politics
I'm not sure why Trump has such an obsession with Greenland. It's resources have been largely untapped to date because it is one of the most difficult and expensive operating environments in the world. Some 80% of it is covered by an ice cap a kilometer thick. The ice free fjords are mountainous, making transportation across Greenland difficult. There are no convenient localities for ports. It is bitterly cold for much of the year. For six months of the year, the fjords are iced up. No one has challenged Denmark for this land because it is some of the least valuable land on the planet. I can only imagine that this is another example of Trump looking at a map, seeing a large chunk of land and then thinking that the US shoukd own it, because it happens to be in the same hemisphere. He has managed to get everyone's backs up over one of the crappiest pieces of land on the planet.
Last edited by Calliban (2026-08-13 12:06:51)
"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."
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#3234 Today 10:52:18
- RobertDyck
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- From: Winnipeg, Canada
- Registered: 2002-08-20
- Posts: 8,515
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Re: Politics
I'm not sure which thread to post this. It applies to the space community. Ukraine struck the Progress Rocket Center, where Soyuz-2 rockets are assembled. In the 1990s, after the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia wanted to eliminate reliance on foreign components. The control system for Soyuz rockets was designed in the 1960s in Ukraine, and manufactured in Ukraine. The upgrade replaced analogue controls will all digital, but most importantly all Russian. This factory is the only place Soyuz launch vehicles were assembled.
SpaceX imposed a white list on Starlink this last February. Since then, Russia has not been able to use Starlink. Russia started launching satellites to build their own satellite internet system, they're on equivalent to Starlink. Ukraine has been very successful since Russia lost access to Starlink, all Russian progress in the war has halted, effectively the front lines have been frozen since then. Russia used Wifi repeaters to control drones, so Ukraine targeted those repeaters. Russia convinced Belarus to install repeaters along the border with Ukraine, and Russia used them to send drones to attack Kyiv. Zelensky told Belarus to remove the repeaters, or Ukraine will take them down by force. Belarus complied. It's not clear if the repeaters were physically removed or just turned off, but either way they're not working. Russia can no longer send drones into Kyiv. So Russia is sending ballistic missiles, that don't require continuous communication. Now Russia is launching internet satellites. Preventing this satellite system is definitely a valid military target.
That launch vehicle is used to launch Russian satellites, but also used to launch both Soyuz spacecraft and Progress cargo vessels to the International Space Station. Soyuz-2 rockets can lift 8 metric tonnes to Low Earth Orbit. Progress rockets are much larger, able to lift 23.7 tonnes to LEO or 6.3 tonnes to GTO. But Proton rockets are "aging out". New Angara rockets have a similar capacity as Proton, but "slow to reach a decent launch cadence".
reference: Ukraine strikes major Russian rocket factory with cruise missiles
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