USPOL Nov: I would've preferred Huckabee have said nothing at all

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > USPOL Nov: I would've preferred Huckabee have said nothing at all

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Unless posted:

I still find it staggering how much the USA has reduced its dependence on foreign oil since 9/11.

Isn't this because fracking? And also why the current price is low? Fracking is like some yo yo on the price of gas because prices tank when it gets online but it's too expensive then to keep doing.

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 05:00

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 15:15

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

FlamingLiberal posted:

Fracking is natural gas. That has no relation to oil.

Fracking is about wringing out sponges made of literal rocks, that includes oil too.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/North_Dakota_and_fracking

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 05:27

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Boon posted:

Yeah I'm not so sure about the accuracy of this. Even in states like MN where the revenues exceed spending, there seems to be a growing debt. Interest doesn't make sense because revenue exceed spending by a significant amount

States take out loans all the time, even if they can pay for them because it is cheaper to barrow. Think of it like using your credit card instead of burning your entire paycheck.

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 06:29

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

foobardog posted:

From what I've seen of him afterward, he could have quietly started their necessary pivot away from racism, social conservatism, and scorched earth tactics, especially with the wins in 2010. But the suicidal fanatics thought that with a victory in 2010 and a true believer in 2012 they would have defeated liberalism forever.

Instead, the party is imploding to a regional rump party, rather than using people's short memories to suggest that they've always been at war with Eastasia.

I remember when Michael Steele ended up Talking to Puppet Michael Steele on the Daily Show and Jon consoled him for getting canned because he was black.

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 08:05

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Guys, the list says that Wilson signed up using his .gov email, so unless he's that loving stupid this list is fake. (Or, shocking twist: Someone signed him up for the klan as a joke)

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 17:44

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Bushiz posted:

While Hillary's emails are a total political non scandal it does show the general level of technical incompetence of the people inside the beltway. I would be totally unsurprised if there's more than one senator who has a password that's just the name of their hometown.

I assume their klan membership predates their time in congress?

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 22:59

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Raenir Salazar posted:

I'm still catching up on the thread so I don't know if this has been adequately addressed but we can see how clearly this is false today. The GOP has a very large extremist wing that by all rights should be their own separate party entirely because of FPTP.

And that extremist wing gets largely shut out of government because they're not centrists. Where as in a PR system they might get 30% of government for all time. Even in the video you posted it detailed how the two parties were the most centrist parties because FPTP makes anything else unelactable.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2015 17:49

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Chalets the Baka posted:

What? In case you've missed it, the extremist wing has effectively taken over the establishment conservatives. They have enough seats and influence to logjam the entire legislative process, partly thanks to our separation of powers. In a PR system, assuming we also abolished gerrymandering and money in politics, tea partiers would achieve nowhere near 30% of the seats in Congress. In fact, their influence is greatly exaggerated because of our FPTP system in combination with the other inefficient aspects of our political system. The extreme right wing's rise can be blamed almost entirely on a FPTP system, and under PR their actual influence would be revealed for what it truly is.

We can use the House Freedom Caucus as a measurement of the strength of the tea party, which currently has 38 seats or about 8% of congress. If you think that this "fringe" only represents 8% of the electorate then you're wildly misrepresenting the current state of American politics. Racist populism (READ: Tea Party) is easily more than 8% of the electorate which is demonstrated by the GOP primaries being dominated by Carson and Trump. If there were a tiny minority they wouldn't be pandered to so heavily.
I mean, we joke about they're ruining government but most of that isn't the fault of centrist FPTP voting, it's the fault of dumb Hastert rules and the filibusterer which are causing our electoral disfunction.
Again, even with gerrymandering they only have 38 seats in a body of 435, and were forced to kiss Ryan's rings.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2015 18:19

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

zoux posted:

17% say they support the Tea Party, which is happily the lowest level since they started tracking it.

The article also says the Tea Party has 32% among republicans, yet it does not represent 32% of their elected officials.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2015 18:45

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Amergin posted:

Also free speech.

Not really.

# ¿ Nov 10, 2015 05:18

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

ZobarStyl posted:

Is there any significant overlap between "people who watch football obsessively" and "potential Dem voters that are on the fence re: Bernie v. Hillary?" Not to discount such folk, but it seems like a small part of the potential audience.

I'm also perfectly willing to accept the "DWS is completely incompetent" narrative.

Me but hockey. I think I missed most of the republican debate because of it?

# ¿ Nov 10, 2015 19:16

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Tigntink posted:

I've seen lots of idiots on twitter claiming that it was making them fall asleep. People talking about real issues? BORING.

It's talking about talking about the real issues that gets the viewers.

# ¿ Nov 16, 2015 02:06

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Combed Thunderclap posted:

No politician who ever says they want to spend more time with their family really does.

Other than Biden, but that has to do with his son.

# ¿ Nov 16, 2015 03:50

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Meg From Family Guy posted:

I'd like to think that both sides are capable of arguing the merits of each party's members policy actions without saying that one side literally wants to starve children

I don't think you understand, this isn't hyperbole. They think it builds character and motivates them. I'm sure someone can get you a link.
EDIT: Like this one where Rush says they should go dumpster diving if they're so hungry

HootTheOwl fucked around with this message at 04:35 on Nov 16, 2015

# ¿ Nov 16, 2015 04:32

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

OAquinas posted:

8 billion well spent, making sure a bomb with fins hits the ground with enough accuracy for a nuclear warhead to affect the target.

To be fair, there's a real concern about hacking the GPS on our guided weapons, and making sure your nukes don't miss is money well spent.

# ¿ Nov 18, 2015 00:27

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

So serious question about the refugees: I know that the opposition to relocating them in America (amongst other places) is just racist shitheels but would it be politically expedient to create better conditions in current refugee tent-cities, leaving them in a position to re-settle their homes after the conflict?

# ¿ Nov 18, 2015 00:32

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

fade5 posted:

As an example of why coming back and restarting life is so hard in a place like Syria: kids are going back to school in Kobani. You may be wondering how the town got the schools reconstructed.

They didn't. They're using whatever buildings are still standing. Some of those building are still damaged from the fighting but oh well, there's no alternative. There's no power and no electricity in the buildings, and running water is only available in certain parts of the city.

This is an example of a good outcome, because even though Kobani is hosed up, it's still generally peaceful. Most of the rest of Syria is not. Even if Syria would come to some sort of ceasefire, so much of it is destroyed with no facilities like electricity, gas, running water, or even usable roads that rebuilding will take billions of dollars of infrastructure investment (which isn't going to happen).

This is why so many people are leaving, they don't see a future for them or their children or grandchildren, all they see is death in the short term and struggle in the long term.

Maybe I don't understand the costs, but compared to the amount we're spending on backround checks and relocations is it really that much more to secure loans to rebuild? You said in the last post it was a lack of funds but surly an international effort could afford it compared to their current plans? It's cheaper to patch up a school than move it's occupants somewhere in the US/EU whatever?

# ¿ Nov 18, 2015 01:52

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Joementum posted:

The NRSC has a man dressed up as a tree following Russ Feingold around.

???

# ¿ Nov 18, 2015 04:08

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Inferior Third Season posted:

Isn't it a big no-no for soldiers in uniform to make political statements to the public?

This looks like Facebook so it technically isn't public.
I mean, you're still not supposed to but it's only enforced if you openly shout your intent to shoot the president.

# ¿ Nov 19, 2015 18:54

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

ratbert90 posted:

John Stewart of course says it all perfectly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrqSizC-T-4

It's very tasty?

# ¿ Nov 24, 2015 00:56

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

Mr Interweb posted:

So ISIS says they plan on attacking New York.

Anyone wanna explain to me what the conservative logic is of Obama wanting Isis to attack A major Democratic stronghold like that?

America too good, owes the rest of the world and needs to be taken down a peg.

# ¿ Nov 24, 2015 01:00

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

crazy cloud posted:

America actually works like Tinkerbell except with consumption instead of audience applause. When GWB encouraged us to go shopping after 9/11 it wasn't "haha GWB is dumb" it was more "if you fuckers spend enough money we'll grow powerful enough to deploy the gundam"

Economics is the biggest religion of all, only the gods provide tangible answers when people believe in them. (Literally the stock market is nothing but trading money for faith)

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 07:23

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 15:15

HootTheOwl: May 13, 2012; Hootin and shootin

DemeaninDemon posted:

Sorry your fate is sealed. TO THE BLOCK!

Ironically I had to work black friday and thus didn't have to listen to my lovely aunt explain how we're living in communism.
Is there an SMBC graph where it's an upward curve and the axis are labeled "Likelihood of being first against the wall in actual communist country" over "Sincerity of belief Obama is a Marxist?"

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 07:26

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > USPOL Nov: I would've preferred Huckabee have said nothing at all