2020 US Presidential Election

[Greg Sacramento]

This is the part that frustrates me. My mom has been showering him and looking after him on her own for months, and he's supposed to be getting social care and a district nurse to help out, but so far she's had no help at all. Literally nothing. Macmillan applied for a disabled badge when he was first diagnosed as his mobility was appalling. The council didn't give it to him. They wrote a letter saying there wasn't enough information in the application - and I'm not making this next bit up - they wanted my mom to go and get statements from various Drs and nurses that included evidence of disability. Macmillan does all this stuff for you to take the pressure off, so if their application was no good, then what more can my mom do? It was outrageous.

We are still waiting for some kind of professional care assistance. The GP (who has been good in all fairness) said they should be getting help and he has applied for it. The system is so overwhelmed now that it's at breaking point, and people aren't getting the help they should be. My mom and dad have both worked since the age of 16 and have paid taxes their entire lives.

So, I can see what you mean when you say the elderly get neglected. They do here as well.

@Ed209, so sorry for the hardships. Lots of Love.

It's a universal problem as to how the elderly and disabled in need are treated and few elected officials of any party care. Systems don't care.

Time and time again, I witness an elder with serious medical problems being rejected for disability. Heard during the same shifts a punk saying "my girlfriend just had another kid which will give me $500 dollars more a month for beer and pot". I use the word pot, because this goes back to the early 80s.

Just a few more words today, because I can't see what I'm typing. Also, in serious pain - entire body including nerve, vein and artery disease. All pain meds increase my tinnitus to a sonic whistle level. Doctors want to cut off my legs.

I'm not registered with any political party. I feel that most politicians are controlled by money. I do not support Progressive politicians most of all, as I believe they are all selfish, dumb and nuts.

The only politician that I ever supported was George McGovern.

 

[Juan]

This is the joke of the day. This chap will not be able to tame inflation unless he raises interest rates to 10%:

Powell says Fed will keep tightening until inflation has been tamed

 

[Wrfortiscue]

You're clearly and deliberately misrepresenting my post by saying that I think that every Republican is satan. If you read my post, you'll see that I made a reference that ''some Republicans'' and ''MAGA Republicans/conservatives'' have a tendency to support authoritarianism, as opposed to conservative Reaganites who believe in the rule of law, individual rights & democracy.

Anyway, it's interesting that you call yourself a moderate, but often parrot far right talking points and refer to far right news organisations & twitter users. I respect your opinion, but I just want to point out that your previous posts are at odds with your claim of being a moderate.

Nah I wasn't referring to you at all. Yes I parrot conservative memes because some are hilarious to me or far fetched like the Trump ones lol. I am moderate conservative, and used to be Democrat. I hate the media's portrayal of conservatives and the same goes for fake Hollywood who spew a bunch of crap. I get annoyed too on the other side because they just want to keep proving Democrats wrong instead of doing anything. Fake Republicans are spineless too. Again it really doesn't matter, what the hell can I do about anything. I mean Trump is backing Dr. Oz who has pretty much anti conservative views. It doesn't make sense lol.

 

[Ed209]

@Ed209, so sorry for the hardships. Lots of Love.

It's a universal problem as to how the elderly and disabled in need are treated and few elected officials of any party care. Systems don't care.

Time and time again, I witness an elder with serious medical problems being rejected for disability. Heard during the same shifts a punk saying "my girlfriend just had another kid which will give me $500 dollars more a month for beer and pot". I use the word pot, because this goes back to the early 80s.

Just a few more words today, because I can't see what I'm typing. Also, in serious pain - entire body including nerve, vein and artery disease. All pain meds increase my tinnitus to a sonic whistle level. Doctors want to cut off my legs.

I'm not registered with any political party. I feel that most politicians are controlled by money. I do not support Progressive politicians most of all, as I believe they are all selfish, dumb and nuts.

The only politician that I ever supported was George McGovern.

You've had a very tough time, Greg, but you still find time for others on here. You have a good heart.

 

[Juan]

I think inflation data for the UK is published today...

Wondering if the UK also has a Bail-Out those Billionaires Better Plan, like the US... with the taxpayers money.

But hey, eat less and, when the winter comes, remember to wear a coat at home!

 

[Ed209]

I think inflation data for the UK is published today...

Wondering if the UK also has a Bail-Out those Billionaires Better Plan, like the US... with the taxpayers money.

But hey, eat less and, when the winter comes, remember to wear a coat at home!

The inflation in the UK is like a runaway express train. The Bank of England had one job to do and failed miserably. Although, I can't blame everything on them as the supply chain issues are a global problem.

However, I said a while back that the second lockdown was a huge economic risk (which is why I didn't agree with it at the time and voiced my concerns, although I could see why they did it).

What we have now are broken supply chains and a lot of extra money in circulation (too much money). The perfect recipe to drive demand up whilst simultaneously debasing the value of the pound.

We have seen time and time again that you cannot create free energy/productivity to spur growth (like the monetary supply is some kind of perpetual motion machine). At some point that "productivity" will come at a price, because you cannot create something out of nothing.

 

[Christiaan]

I think inflation data for the UK is published today...

Wondering if the UK also has a Bail-Out those Billionaires Better Plan, like the US... with the taxpayers money.

But hey, eat less and, when the winter comes, remember to wear a coat at home!

The poor will most certainly bear the brunt in this situation.

It's also interesting that quite some Conservative politicians in the UK think that the poor are stupid and lazy. One Conservative minister said that people in economic hardship due to inflation & rising energy costs should just look for a job with a higher pay. As if people can pluck jobs like apples from a tree. Another Conservative MP said that there's no need for food banks in the UK and that the real problem is their cooking skills. It can't get more Dickensian than that.

@Ed209, do you think that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has a credible plan to tackle the cost of living crisis?

 

[Juan]

Another Conservative MP said that there's no need for food banks in the UK and that the real problem is their cooking skills. It can't get more Dickensian than that.

I think the UK government and Rishi Sunak are done. They will be kicked out of office in the next election.

That Sunak chap is just disgusting, raising taxes to others while his own family of billionaires has been paying zero taxes.

If we lived in the 90s instead of in the "Internet era" streets would be already on fire, there would be strikes, barricades, tyres on fire, roads blocked, parliaments surrounded by demonstrators... it's sad the world has become such a shit.

 

[Christiaan]

The main problem I have with that is teachers grooming, even if not on purpose. You would be surprised the agenda they want to push on students that reflects their own.

Believe me, I know. My wife worked in a very liberal school and they would be biased. Can't wear anything promoting trump but Obama or Hillary for sure.

I just worry about indoctrination because of teachers views. Like my son loves rainbows and the color pink, he shouldn't be pushed to explore his feminine side and taught about gender switching or whatever lol. If the time comes it comes I'll support him if that's the case.

From my experience as a teacher, I think that most teachers want to create an environment in which students can have an open debate about certain issues. Of course, you'll meet some colleagues who have a left-wing, centrist or right-wing bias, but most of them don't try to 'brainwash'' pupils to think like they do. At least, that's my experience on 4 different schools (ranging from vocational to middle/high school).

 

[Wrfortiscue]

From my experience as a teacher, I think that most teachers want to create an environment in which students can have an open debate about certain issues. Of course, you'll meet some colleagues who have a left-wing, centrist or right-wing bias, but most of them don't try to 'brainwash'' pupils to think like they do. At least, that's my experience on 4 different schools (ranging from vocational to middle/high school).

That's all I can ask for honestly.

 

[Christiaan]

I think the UK government and Rishi Sunak are done. They will be kicked out of office in the next election.

That Sunak chap is just disgusting, raising taxes to others while his own family of billionaires has been paying zero taxes.

If we lived in the 90s instead of in the "Internet era" streets would be already on fire, there would be strikes, barricades, tyres on fire, roads blocked, parliaments surrounded by demonstrators... it's sad the world has become such a shit.

That story about Sunak is indeed disgusting. It makes one wonder why he's still Chancellor. It's often the case in many other countries, where there's one rule for the rich and another for the poor. My country also has that problem.

We sure need some activism to change this system. Perhaps you're right about the current technology that is making us more like slackers than as proactive people who take matters into their own hands. It's no reason why slacktivism is a trendy word nowadays, as people can't be bothered to use some of their spare time to be active in a protest organisation/group but rather restrict themselves to post things on the internet or sign an online position as a way to make their voice heard.

 

[Luman]

The poor will most certainly bear the brunt in this situation.

It's also interesting that quite some Conservative politicians in the UK think that the poor are stupid and lazy. One Conservative minister said that people in economic hardship due to inflation & rising energy costs should just look for a job with a higher pay. As if people can pluck jobs like apples from a tree. Another Conservative MP said that there's no need for food banks in the UK and that the real problem is their cooking skills.....

The main reason for poverty is people having children that they cannot afford. I have little sympathy for these parents, and their hobby of creating children should not be financed by the taxpayers. Another reason for poverty is a lack of knowledge regarding money management, which is a very important subject that should be taught, starting in elementary school.

 

[Ed209]

do you think that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has a credible plan to tackle the cost of living crisis?

The only thing he can do is introduce a windfall tax for the big energy companies who are making a profit on top of their regular profit. They could reallocate some of that money towards the poorest families who are desperate. I don't think they should have privatised the energy and water sectors in the first place because they are vital services that should be under the control of the government. That's especially true in times like these. First thing I'd do is renationalise it all because it's clear that the competition isn't working to drive prices down. When the oil prices go up, they raise their prices instantly, but when they go down they barely move, and what you have over time is an ever-widening profit margin. I know there's a delay in terms of the spot price of oil reaching the pumps, for example, but my point still stands. I've followed these markets for years and they have always taken the piss. I've invested in quite a few oil companies in my time, so I have an understanding of the logistics.

To make matters worse, Ofgem is now changing the price cap to every 3 months instead of just April and October. This means that the energy companies can take even more money from the consumers because the fixed tariffs will only last a maximum of 3 months now; it's a joke, to be honest. It's a move that supports the energy companies, and yet, Ofgem is supposed to be looking out for the consumer, and it's even funded by the consumer!

So, in short, I'd get rid of all these companies and renationalise it all. These are essential commodities that have a dramatic impact on the overall economy, so it should be monitored closely and given at a price that allows for maintenance of the infrastructure. It should not be used for making huge profits that come at the expense of everything else.

 

[Juan]

We sure need some activism to change this system. Perhaps you're right about the current technology that is making us more like slackers than as proactive people who take matters into their own hands. It's no reason why slacktivism is a trendy word nowadays, as people can't be bothered to use some of their spare time to be active in a protest organisation/group but rather restrict themselves to post things on the internet or sign an online position as a way to make their voice heard.

Here in Spain the only employees that have gotten salary raises to keep up with inflation are those who went on strike, and in Southern Spain (Cádiz) they carried out a violent strike for like 2 weeks... and then got a salary raise and better working conditions. This is the only way. It has always been the only way forward for employees to defend their rights.

 

[Juan]

The only thing he can do is introduce a windfall tax for the big energy companies who are making a profit on top of their regular profit.

Sunak can do that and he could also talk to his filthy rich wife so that she pays back taxes due in the UK, instead of being domiciled at some tax haven overseas.

 

[Ed209]

Sunak can do that and he could also talk to his filthy rich wife so that she pays back taxes due in the UK, instead of being domiciled at some tax haven overseas.

The non-dom law in the UK dates back to 1799 and was introduced by William Pitt as a way to keep wealth within the country. The problem is with the law itself rather than Rishi Sunak or his wife as it's not as though he introduced it himself just so his wife could exploit the system. 99% of law-abiding citizens would do the same who live in this country, and so it's a matter of a law change if the majority of people want this to be scrapped.

The company she receives her dividends from pays its taxes in India where it is based, and it was founded by her father. It's within her rights by the letter of the law to pay £30k a year; that's just the way it is unless that rule is scrapped. I know the US has a global reach on their taxes, but there is an argument that this may impact the taxes that some of the occupied third world countries recieve (where those companies operate).

The press had a frenzy over that story by stirring up political tensions because it sells and it riles people up. It was silly, though, because everybody knows that this has been going on for hundreds of years, but it was somehow Rishi's fault?

I can understand those criticising his political decisions, but not that.

 

[Christiaan]

The main reason for poverty is people having children that they cannot afford. I have little sympathy for these parents, and their hobby of creating children should not be financed by the taxpayers. Another reason for poverty is a lack of knowledge regarding money management, which is a very important subject that should be taught, starting in elementary school.

Well, even blue collar workers generally had more children and they were still able to purchase a house in the '50s, '60s & '70s. One should not forget that religion also played a more prominent role in the lower echelons of society, which partly explains why lower class households back than had more children than blue-collar families nowadays.

The problem is that the working class has become the working poor, the precariat (instead of proletariat) if you will. For instance, the minimum wage of a worker hasn't increased in the same rate of productivity since at least the '60s (in US context), while the inflation of basic consumer goods + soaring house & energy prices also come into play, which naturally means that one can't afford certain things that we once could have easily purchased. The same can be said for lower middle class white-collar workers in many Western countries.

Another aspect is bargaining power. Unions are now weaker than what they were in the '50s. If unions have a decrease in memberships, it means they have less money, manpower and the lack of a considerable network to put pressure on employers to improve the wage of blue-collar/white-collar workers. As we see in the following graph, membership rates have declined from the '50s onward and the composition of unions has changed in the course of time. The equalising effect of organised labor has become less powerful and thus it has largely benefited the higher echelons of society.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Well, even blue collar workers had generally had more children and they were still able to purchase a house in the '50s, '60s & '70s. One should not forget that religion also played a more prominent role in the lower echelons of society, which partly explains why lower class households back than had more children than blue-collar families nowadays.

The problem is that the working class has become the working poor, the precariat (instead of proletariat) if you will. For instance, the average wage of a blue-collar worker hasn't increased in the same rate of productivity since at least the '60s (in US context), while the inflation of basic consumer goods + soaring house & energy prices also come into play, which naturally means that one can't afford certain things that we once could have easily purchased. The same can be said for lower middle class white-collar workers in many Western countries.

View attachment 50299

Another aspect is bargaining power. Unions are now weaker than what they were in the '50s. If unions have a decrease in memberships, it means they have less money, manpower and the lack of a considerable network to put pressure on employers to improve the wage of blue-collar/white-collar workers. As we see in the following graph, membership rates have declined from the '50s onward and the composition of unions has changed in the course of time. The equalising effect of organised labor has become less powerful and thus it has largely benefited the higher echelons of society.

View attachment 50300

$23 minimum wage is ridiculous, some teachers don't even make that lol.

 

[Christiaan]

The only thing he can do is introduce a windfall tax for the big energy companies who are making a profit on top of their regular profit. They could reallocate some of that money towards the poorest families who are desperate. I don't think they should have privatised the energy and water sectors in the first place because they are vital services that should be under the control of the government. That's especially true in times like these. First thing I'd do is renationalise it all because it's clear that the competition isn't working to drive prices down. When the oil prices go up, they raise their prices instantly, but when they go down they barely move, and what you have over time is an ever-widening profit margin. I know there's a delay in terms of the spot price of oil reaching the pumps, for example, but my point still stands. I've followed these markets for years and they have always taken the piss. I've invested in quite a few oil companies in my time, so I have an understanding of the logistics.

To make matters worse, Ofgem is now changing the price cap to every 3 months instead of just April and October. This means that the energy companies can take even more money from the consumers because the fixed tariffs will only last a maximum of 3 months now; it's a joke, to be honest. It's a move that supports the energy companies, and yet, Ofgem is supposed to be looking out for the consumer, and it's even funded by the consumer!

So, in short, I'd get rid of all these companies and renationalise it all. These are essential commodities that have a dramatic impact on the overall economy, so it should be monitored closely and given at a price that allows for maintenance of the infrastructure. It should not be used for making huge profits that come at the expense of everything else.

Isn't that the plan that Keir Starmer has introduced? I hope that some Conservatives MPs will brake ranks to form a majority with Labour in support of this plan, but I'm afraid that Chancellor Sunak and old school Thatcherites like David Frost & Steve Baker have a lot of influence within the party to sway the party rightwards, in the direction of budget cuts and lower taxes for companies. In that case, you can almost be certain that they won't think about nationalising essential energy companies.

 

[Christiaan]

Here in Spain the only employees that have gotten salary raises to keep up with inflation are those who went on strike, and in Southern Spain (Cádiz) they carried out a violent strike for like 2 weeks... and then got a salary raise and better working conditions. This is the only way. It has always been the only way forward for employees to defend their rights.

Your country shows that there's strength in numbers when it comes to workers' rights. Our labour unions are generally weak and don't act as assertive as their counterparts in Spain. We tend to follow a certain method of consensus decision-making called the ''Poldermodel'', which means that labour unions and employers' organisations should seek consensus with the state as an intermediary to get those two on board. In practice, what we often get are watered-down policies that make neither side happy

 

[Juan]

The non-dom law in the UK dates back to 1799 and was introduced by William Pitt as a way to keep wealth within the country. The problem is with the law itself rather than Rishi Sunak or his wife as it's not as though he introduced it himself just so his wife could exploit the system. 99% of law-abiding citizens would do the same who live in this country, and so it's a matter of a law change if the majority of people want this to be scrapped.

Rishi Sunak and his party are ruling the UK and they have the power to change the law, if they wish.

What is deeply unfair is Sunak and his wife not paying tax in the UK (Sunak himself was paying elsewhere for at least a year, while he was in the government) and then raising taxes to others.

 

[Juan]

Your country shows that there's strength in numbers when it comes to workers' rights. Our labour unions are generally weak and don't act as assertive as their counterparts in Spain. We tend to follow a certain method of consensus decision-making called the ''Poldermodel'', which means that labour unions and employers' organisations should seek consensus with the state as an intermediary to get those two on board. In practice, what we often get are watered-down policies that make neither side happy

In Spain workers set one of the regional parliaments on fire in 1992. Those were the good old times.

During the Greek debt crisis, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, and the collapse of the real estate bubble, citizens surrounded the Parliament in Madrid and the politicians there went on air to talk about the problems of the country... the faces of those politicians revealed everything: FEAR.

For workers to have rights and not be trampled upon, the government has to fear workers and their unions. Sadly, this is no longer the case.

 

[Ed209]

Rishi Sunak and his party are ruling the UK and they have the power to change the law if they wish.

What is deeply unfair is Sunak and his wife did not pay tax in the UK (Sunak himself was paying elsewhere for at least a year, while he was in the government) and then raised taxes on others.

He doesn't have the power to change a law. He could propose a bill and try to get it through the Commons and the House of Lords, but that's about it.

It's a 223-year-old law that hasn't been given any attention until a couple of months ago. Her money is her business at the end of the day, and nobody has any right to snoop around her monetary affairs unless a law has been broken. The press created a storm in a teacup to get people frothing at the mouth so that they could sell more newspapers. It's what they do; divide and enrage.

As far as his policies go, he needs to do a lot more, and this is an area in which he can be criticised. What his wife does with her money, however, has no bearing on how the UK operates. Also, the idea that governments will always invest or better utilise the tax money they receive is ludicrous. They are experts at mismanaging and losing vast sums of money in many instances. I could play devil's advocate and say that none of us here are privileged enough to know what Rishi's wife does with her money. For all we know, she could be giving a lot of money to children's hospitals or be investing in job-creating enterprises or doing other such endeavours that help society. It's not such a simple equation, and it doesn't always work out better if more money finds its way into the government's hands.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Tired of false characterizations made towards other members within this thread.

Many are tired of bias from elected Progressives towards Jews.

Many are tired of Progressives hating everything old, including the elderly. Just one of many sources:

Progressives hate everything old, including the elderly

Many compassionate people are tired with elderly and disabled being mistreated.

 

[Luman]

Tired of false characterizations made towards other members within this thread.

Many are tired of bias from elected Progressives towards Jews.

Many are tired of Progressives hating everything old, including the elderly. Just one of many sources:

Progressives hate everything old, including the elderly

Many compassionate people are tired with elderly and disabled being mistreated.

The intellectual dishonesty in today's far-left and progressives is unbelievable. You cannot discuss anything with them, and expect responses that are mature and well thought out.

 

[Luman]

Biden's approval rating has dropped to an all-time low. He did it the old-fashioned way - he EARNED it!

Biden's approval dips to lowest of presidency: AP-NORC poll

President Joe Biden's approval rating dipped to the lowest point of his presidency in May, a new poll shows, with deepening pessimism emerging among members of his own Democratic Party.

Only 39% of U.S. adults approve of Biden's performance as president, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research, dipping from already negative ratings a month earlier.

Overall, only about 2 in 10 adults say the U.S. is heading in the right direction or the economy is good, both down from about 3 in 10 a month earlier. Those drops were concentrated among Democrats, with just 33% within the president's party saying the country is headed in the right direction, down from 49% in April.

Of particular concern for Biden ahead of the midterm elections, his approval among Democrats stands at 73%, a substantial drop since earlier in his presidency. In AP-NORC polls conducted in 2021, Biden's approval rating among Democrats never dropped below 82%.

Read the rest:

https://apnews.com/article/biden-approval-rating-drops-ap-norc-poll-d41bce85e1b062b588a32908b2affa65

 

[Carlos1]

The intellectual dishonesty in today's far-left and progressives is unbelievable. You cannot discuss anything with them, and expect responses that are mature and well thought out.

The extreme left is borderline evil.

 

[Juan]

Did you say "raising interest rates"?

That may be the answer

 

[Christiaan]

The intellectual dishonesty in today's far-left and progressives is unbelievable. You cannot discuss anything with them, and expect responses that are mature and well thought out.

Alright, let's talk about being mature, since you're the paragon of noble behaviour around here @Luman. If you're so mature, why do you talk about your president being a sleepy geezer and the VP as a tramp? Granted, sometimes we have intellectual debates about policies of both sides of the political aisle, but most of the time you talk about superficial things like the personality of politicians and why you don't like them.

And if someone tries to point out one of the fallacies of your argument, you often resort to whataboutism (often mentioning BLM and left wing rioters, but nothing about Proud Boys, white power organisations and the like), name calling of certain politicians (sleepy Joe, etc.) & using misogynistic slurs against Kamala Harris. And then I haven't even started about the lack of empirical evidence of certain claims that you've made in this thread, such as that men can reclaim their ''manhood'' and restore society to its former glory if they use a tanning machine for their 'cojones'. Talk about pseudoscience...

Anyway I think this meme gives a good summary that every conversation with @Luman follows a certain script

 

[Christiaan]

The extreme left is borderline evil.

Perhaps this will refresh your memory about the current state of the GOP. And nope, this is not some progressive propaganda commercial. It's from old school conservatives who have lost faith in a party that one believed in democracy & the rule of law.