The Next President is...

[SpeedOfHeat]

On 1/7/2021 at 11:06 AM, Blue said:

Video of Ashli Babbitt getting shot yesterday.

She fought to defend our country and then died attacking it.

 What a mess.

[BashiChuni]

9 hours ago, Prosuper said:

Both parties are corrupt, our govt is bought and paid for and they don't give a shit about you.

this.

[jazzdude]

Both parties are corrupt, our govt is bought and paid for and they don't give a shit about you.

If this is the case, then where should we go as a nation?

[Prozac]

10 hours ago, Prosuper said:

Both parties are corrupt, our govt is bought and paid for and they don't give a shit about you.

This sounds defeatist to me. Sure we have problems. We always have. But we are not an oligarchy like Russia. We are not corrupt like Brazil. We still have a system of government that stands head and shoulders above most of the rest of the world. Don’t like where things are going in Washington? Disillusioned with D AND R candidates? You have more power than just your vote. You’d be surprised the amount of change that can be accomplished on a local, grassroots level. In fact, local government has been something of a shining light in recent years. You’re not alone in becoming disillusioned with the process in Washington. But in this country, the government still derives its legitimacy from the people. We absolutely should strive to continually improve the system, but it starts with us at a grassroots level. 

[Prozac]

3 hours ago, jazzdude said:

Curious about the baseops opinion on this one:

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/an-air-force-combat-veteran-breached-the-senate

Synopsis is a retired AF Lt Col participated in storming the Capitol building (flexi-cuff guy in the photos from 6 Jan).

What should happen to him now that he's been identified as participating?

Seems to be precedent to court martial him should the DoD decide to pursue it, but would that be the right answer?
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/02/25/military-retirees-can-still-be-court-martialed-supreme-court-affirms/

I find this guy’s backpedaling laughable. He just found the flexcuffs on the floor and was looking for a cop to give them to? He assumed he was “welcome into the capitol building” as the mob was storming it? He is just now realizing that his actions will have consequences and is trying to hold onto his job and his retirement. I feel bad for his family. He is 53 with a wife and three kids. Wonder how they feel about dad’s “patriotic” actions? He knew there would be consequences for an action like this (or at least he should have). I hope it was worth it for him. 

[BashiChuni]

47 minutes ago, Prozac said:

We are not corrupt like Brazil.

lol

[slackline]

45 minutes ago, Prozac said:

This sounds defeatist to me. Sure we have problems. We always have. But we are not an oligarchy like Russia. We are not corrupt like Brazil. We still have a system of government that stands head and shoulders above most of the rest of the world. Don’t like where things are going in Washington? Disillusioned with D AND R candidates? You have more power than just your vote. You’d be surprised the amount of change that can be accomplished on a local, grassroots level. In fact, local government has been something of a shining light in recent years. You’re not alone in becoming disillusioned with the process in Washington. But in this country, the government still derives its legitimacy from the people. We absolutely should strive to continually improve the system, but it starts with us at a grassroots level. 

This!

Saying what @Prosuper said is what leads to QAnon and Parker having such a strangle hold on certain people.  Not saying that’s where he’s at, but if supposedly educated and intelligent people believe his sentiment, then of course they’ll believe storming the Capitol is worthwhile.  Don’t be so jaded as to lump us into the same category as other countries.  

Also, this sentiment doesn’t sit well with the sentiment that our country has zero race problems or equality with women vs men pay/opportunities.  If we’re totally equal in race and gender, then it is probably not happening under a corrupt government.  Those in the far right can’t claim both situations are true.  Not a 100% correlation, but that logic is pretty sound.

[jazzdude]

I think a lot of people who like to talk the talk about be a "patriot" or revolutionary are about to find out the hard way that there is a significant price to pay for walking the walk.

[Prozac]

57 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:

lol

Go spend some time down there. Then come back and tell me we’re the same. No contest brother. 

[FDNYOldGuy]

1 hour ago, jazzdude said:

11 hours ago, Prosuper said:

Both parties are corrupt, our govt is bought and paid for and they don't give a shit about you.

If this is the case, then where should we go as a nation?

For policy: overturn Citizen’s United and remove corporate and special interest money from politics; enact laws to stop the revolving door between government agencies/positions that shift policy, lobbying groups, and corporations; revise the tax code to close loopholes that allow wealthy and corporations to stuff billions in offshore tax havens (and simplify the code for the average folks, while you’re at it). 

Saying what we could do personally is a minefield, but that’s the crux itself. We need to stop allowing ourselves to be polarized and thinking of opposing viewpoints as the enemy/dumb/not patriotic/whatever.

Realize that, while someone may not trust the mainstream media (bring back Fairness Doctrine), FB/Twitter/whatever.com lead to information feedback loops that stop presenting opposition viewpoints and turn into echo chambers that take all of us away from reality, while dehumanizing the opposing viewpoint. 

Lastly, we could all use to have some more in empathy. Just because we can’t understand or relate to how BLM or Trumpers/anti-vaxxers or COVID scared/trans people or religious people/flying spaghetti monster supporters or any other “different” viewpoint is, doesn’t mean it is meritless or not worth considering. What’s stupid to me is dear to someone else and vice versa, so understanding that we have these differences and trying to see where someone else is coming from could help humanize the other side and bridge the gaps.

Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes and Golden Rule would go a long way. 

[Prozac]

52 minutes ago, MyCS said:

Twitter/FB: US president personal Twitter account banned.

Govt: Can you ban the accounts of terrorist organizations, dictators, and those who are affiliated with them?

Twitter/FB: Crickets

As an independent voter, I want to hear both sides of the BS from both parties. Have to determine which is less full of $#@t. 

It’s one thing to use something like Twitter to spout your agenda, bullshit ridden as it may be. It’s quite another to use it to incite riots, violence, and insurrection. From a business/market standpoint, I can absolutely understand why Twitter wants nothing to do with it. From a free speech standpoint, what the president did was literally analogous to yelling “fire” in a crowded theater. Sorry. He doesn’t get a pass on either count. 

[Sua Sponte]

[17D_guy]

1 hour ago, Prozac said:

It’s one thing to use something like Twitter to spout your agenda, bullshit ridden as it may be. It’s quite another to use it to incite riots, violence, and insurrection. From a business/market standpoint, I can absolutely understand why Twitter wants nothing to do with it. From a free speech standpoint, what the president did was literally analogous to yelling “fire” in a crowded theater. Sorry. He doesn’t get a pass on either count. 

 

2 hours ago, MyCS said:

Twitter/FB: US president personal Twitter account banned.

Govt: Can you ban the accounts of terrorist organizations, dictators, and those who are affiliated with them?

Twitter/FB: Crickets

As an independent voter, I want to hear both sides of the BS from both parties. Have to determine which is less full of $#@t. 

I would also add there is an intelligence reason to not taking those down so fast sometimes.  I cannot go into further detail.

But they do take down a lot of stuff, just because you don't see it doesn't mean its happening.  I've posted on here some about the "hunters" that go after bot/ISIS/disinformation accounts.  Watching their work is pretty amazing.

[BashiChuni]

4 hours ago, Prozac said:

Go spend some time down there. Then come back and tell me we’re the same. No contest brother. 

everyone in DC is bought and paid for. doesn't matter the "R" or the "D" (sts). if you think the most powerful government in world history isn't corrupt....we are probably way worse.

WE NEED TERM LIMITS

 

[Sua Sponte]

3 minutes ago, MyCS said:

It's no secret what methods intelligence agencies use to those with access to our methods and posses the need to know.

The fact you're talking about it here in an open forum is probably not a good idea. Anyone can use this site. No different than talking about high value targets. 

K

[M2]

Didn't take long... 🤣🤣🤣

[uhhello]

2 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

everyone in DC is bought and paid for. doesn't matter the "R" or the "D" (sts). if you think the most powerful government in world history isn't corrupt....we are probably way worse.

WE NEED TERM LIMITS

 

While I agree, we already have the ability to vote out whoever we want.  Nobody does.  

https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/reelection-rates

[M2]

Bound to happen! 🤣🤣🤣

[Splash95]

Thoughts on big tech (trying to) cancel Parler? 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/parler-app-store-number-1-google-suspension

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/amazon-suspends-hosting-parler-its-servers-citing-violent-content-n1253648

 

[Kiloalpha]

11 minutes ago, Splash95 said:

Thoughts on big tech (trying to) cancel Parler? 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/parler-app-store-number-1-google-suspension

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/amazon-suspends-hosting-parler-its-servers-citing-violent-content-n1253648

Amazon, Apple or Google can cancel or end whatever contract they like, in my opinion, as long as they’re doing so legally. Parler will have to find someone else, or make their own solution. Such is the cost of business.

[dream big]

On 1/9/2021 at 4:17 AM, Prosuper said:

I believe we will see mass voter non participation in future elections. I'm 58 and finally understand that both political parties are clubs for the sole purpose of getting the made guys elected. It was never about public service, since the Biden's are now in power the big money donors will call all the shots to include military contractors. Those of you still in Afghanistan or on the hook for it, we will be probably be staying now.  Back to the status quo , business as usual.

We spent the last month removing metric tons of equipment and personnel out of an unnamed third world wonder...only to be told we have to prepare to undo that and put everything back in a few weeks..
 

 

[Sua Sponte]

3 hours ago, Kiloalpha said:

This is a really bad analogy. The inverse would have to be true then.

Democrats who have been asking Twitter for months to ban Trump (ie. a business should be able to choose its customers)... therefore should have been ok with the bakery not baking that cake.

The truth is a bakery makes an individualized product for customers, and is a contractor in that regard. They aren’t required to take every job.

Twitter has a platform for everyone to use, and thanks to Section 230/the first amendment, is regulated as if they were a digital public park. They do have to accept every legal customer initially.

For example, you can’t stop someone from walking into a public park and having a discussion. But you can have them kicked out or suspended for inciting violence. 

I personally think Trump being suspended for a period of time is fine legally. But I don’t think the threshold for a ban has been met. Especially when the Ayatollah can post this:

How is Trump banned... but he isn’t?

Your logic is flawed. Twitter is a contractor as well, they provide a product, their social media forum/app/content, that you may use...if you agree to their Terms of Service. If you don’t agree, or adhere, to those ToS, then you aren’t using their service. If you violate the ToS, then you’re gone. It’s really that simple.

Here’s another example. A moderator here limited me posting awhile back because he said something in this thread that wasn’t true, I posted data that proved him wrong, which apparently made him mad.

He didn’t warn me or message me, he just did it. After inquiring why, he just told me when it would expire. Do I think what I said was wrong? No. Do I think he was being a snowflake? Yeah. Do I think he targeted me because he doesn’t like my political stance and got mad I made him look stupid? Yeah, there are people who post worst stuff than I did, but they didn’t have that happen.

However, I could’ve argued what he did wasn’t fair and was bullshit, which would’ve probably done nothing that have him ban me. Or I could just wait for the expiration of the post limit. At the end of the day I don’t have to use the forum and he doesn’t have to let me, I agreed to the ToS when I signed up.

Life isn’t fair, wear a helmet.

[FLEA]

2 hours ago, Kiloalpha said:

Amazon, Apple or Google can cancel or end whatever contract they like, in my opinion, as long as they’re doing so legally. Parler will have to find someone else, or make their own solution. Such is the cost of business.

Sure but the conglomeration is sure indicative that tech has grown into key monopolies and I would say it's time for the Fed to come in and break them up. When you can literally prevent businesses from competing with other businesses you contract with, and there is no meaningful alternative, you are too big and the FTC hammer needs to come down. 

[Sua Sponte]

1 hour ago, dream big said:

We spent the last month removing metric tons of equipment and personnel out of an unnamed third world wonder...only to be told we have to prepare to undo that and put everything back in a few weeks..
 

 

That’s because of some now censored idiot who wanted to show he pulled out of that country before the inauguration to say he did it. Solely due to optics.

[FLEA]

There are some other ties here. 1.) This totally conflicts with principles of net neutrality. The entire purpose of net neutrality was to prevent providers from preventing access to content and 2.) Im curious how the provider, in this case Amazon's, status a s a common carrier factors into this.