Gruber said Americans are stupid. He’s only a contract worker like Chickenhead who also calls Americans stupid and worse.
I think I know why the GOP still hasn’t come up with their own version of the Affordable Care Act(an example might be Medicare part D) I especially like the part where prescription drug prices are fixed or cannot be negotiated.
This was why George W. Bush and congressional Republicans overcame almost solid Democratic opposition and wrote, and passed into law, the Medicare Part D privatized drug and insurance options that “added $15.5 trillion (in present value terms) to our nation’s indebtedness” according even to Republican economist Bruce Bartlett.
The first major emergency endangering the continuance of Medicare occurred in 2008, when President Bush and the Republicans in Congress tried to block Democrats from halting a 10.6% cut, which Bush’s plan forced in the rate-schedule that traditional Medicare paid doctors for their services to their patients under Medicare. This pay-cut to doctors was expected to cause so many physicians to abandon traditional Medicare patients, that the traditional Medicare program would likely collapse. This pay-cut to doctors was scheduled to start on July 15th; but, just days earlier, on 9 July 2008, Bloomberg News bannered “Senate Votes Reversal of Cuts in Medicare Doctor Fees,” and reported that, “The Senate voted final passage of legislation that would halt a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements to doctors.”
The cause of the 10.6% cut that the Republicans sought was in order to pay for the rising taxpayer-subsidy going to private insurers in Bush’s “Medicare Advantage” program—the Bush-initiated Part D private competitor to Medicare Part B. Democrats wanted to salvage traditional Medicare, not to cut it in order to add to the high government subsidies already being paid to those private insurers, which were huge financial backers of the Republican Party…
…The only reason enough Republicans voted, July 9th, for the Democratic bill, H.R.6331, so that it passed, was that 2008 was an election year: Millions of seniors would otherwise have voted Republicans out of office in November 2008, on account of their physicians dumping them. Because of this imminent electoral danger, President Bush’s veto of the Democratic bill was overridden—but just barely. Traditional Medicare was thus barely salvaged.
On 25 July 2008, the Los Angeles Times bannered “Medicare Part D a Boon for Drug Companies, House Report Says: Taxpayers pay up to 30% more for prescriptions under the privately administered program” than under the publicly administered one. Nicole Gaouette reported that, “U.S. drug manufacturers are reaping a windfall from taxpayers because Medicare’s privately administered prescription drug benefit program pays more than other government programs for the same medicines.
…In the two years Medicare Part D has been in effect, drug manufacturers have taken in $3.7 billion more than they would have through prices under the Medicaid program.”
For example, “Bristol-Myers made an additional $400 million from higher prices for a single drug, the stroke medication Plavix.” I looked up the political-contribution record of Bristol-Myers at opensecrets.org: it was about 75% Republican, an investment which had now been returned to Bristol-Meyers hundreds-fold.
The Republican minority on the House committee that issued this report (big beneficiaries of those same corporations) objected to it, saying many seniors had “learned to love Part D,” the Republican Medicare-supplement.
No wonder big business loves Republicans. But taxpayers and voters would hate them if only they knew the corrupt reality that stands behind conservatism (otherwise more honestly called “crony-capitalism” or “plutocracy”).
…Basically, these people were Republicans, since Republicans hate government (in a democracy).
They love “the private market” in all matters; many Republicans aren’t just conservatives, they’re “libertarians.” They favor “liberty,” such as was propagandized by Milton Friedman’s 1962 Capitalism and Freedom, and 1980 Free to Choose. (After all, conservatives in Chile’s dictatorship loved Pinochet whose economic system was designed by Milton Friedman; conservatives in Germany’s dictatorship loved Hitler who started the privatization-craze; conservatives in Spain’s dictatorship loved Franco; conservatives in Italy’s dictatorship loved Mussolini; etc.)
Thus, everybody else (that is, non-Republicans) were now paying hefty subsidies to those corporate-operated insurance plans, in order to prevent these for-profit plans from being obviously uncompetitive with the government-operated Medicare Part B insurance. In fact, the CBO study, under its sub-head “Medicare Advantage Plans Cost the Government More Than Traditional Medicare,” said: “In 2007, CBO estimates, the average payment to such [Part D] plans is 12 percent above what traditional FFS [Part B] costs.”
Now, after the Republican U.S. Supreme Court, in 2010, finally unleashed unlimited corporate political spending via their Citizens United decision, voters in Florida and elsewhere are being inundated with shady political commercials to confuse and deceive them so they’ll vote now to lock in this corruption via a Republican House, Senate, and White House. The kleptocrats are hoping that there will be enough suckers for it all to work.”
A 15-minute vote was scheduled, and at the end of 15 minutes, the Democrats had won. The Republican leadership froze the clock for three hours while they desperately whipped defectors. This had never been done before.
Tom DeLay bribed Rep. Nick Smith to vote for the legislation, using the political future of Smith’s son for leverage. DeLay was later reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee.
The leadership told Rep. Jim DeMint that they would cut off funding for his Senate race in South Carolina if he didn’t vote for the bill.
The chief actuary of Medicare, Rick Foster, had scored the legislation as costing more than $500 billion. The Bush administration suppressed his report, in a move the Government Accounting Office later judged “illegal.”
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a “no” vote, spent the night “hiding on the Democratic side of the floor, crouching down to avoid eye contact with the Republican search team.”
Rep. Butch Otter, who provided one of the final votes after hours of arm-twisting from the Republican leadership, said, “I thought there was a chance I would get sick on the floor.”
Remember all this? Probably not. There wasn’t much reporting on it at the time. It wasn’t a major controversy, despite resulting in multiple official investigations. I went back through the archives of National Review’s “The Corner” to see if they covered the scandal. Not really…”
ChickenHead
10 years ago
Tbone, if you want to join the conversation with the big boys…
…which you are welcome to do, if you can act like a big boy…
…simply state your opinion and the reasons you hold that opinion.
If you feel your facts or your analysis will be questioned, include a link that supports your position.
Putting an entire article in quotes is pretty meaningless… perhaps even foolish.
tbonetylr
10 years ago
You really are a dummkoph aren’t you? You can’t put 1 and 1 together because you’re too stupid and don’t know math. Do I have to spell it out for you mindless moron?
1)You see dipsh*t, whatever the GOP has said about Gruber doesn’t really matter and are also lies. They said he’s the “architect” of the ACA and he “lied” to Americans which are both lies.
2)Nobody should want the GOP style of healtcare(see my first link).
3)There isn’t anything wrong with the way the ACA was written/passed compared to how the GOP/Bush put together Medicare part D(see my second link).
DUUUUUH Chickenhead.
tbonetylr
10 years ago
“Putting an entire article in quotes is pretty meaningless… perhaps even foolish.”
You ignoramus, neither of the quoted articles were in the “entire” form. DUUUH Chickenhead, you can’t even read the entire articles so what’s it matter dummy?
tbonetylr
10 years ago
4)GOP Hypocrisy, if you can’t see any within the above then you’re(Chickenhead etc…) retarded. Of course it might be “boring” nonetheless is certainly informational among the minions here.
More to the point ~ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/supreme-court-just-took-case-could-gut-obamacare-heres-how-states-can-save-it
“On Friday, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear King v. Burwell, a case that could gut Obamacare and leave millions of Americans without health insurance. The case hinges on what is essentially a typo in the Affordable Care Act, a mistake that conservatives claim invalidates most of the subsidies the bill provides to help people buy insurance. If the justices buy the conservatives’ argument—and there’s reason to think they might—residents of the 34 states that provide health insurance via the federal government’s HealthCare.gov, rather than through a state-run exchange, could lose their subsidies. Many people would be unable to afford to buy insurance (as the ACA requires), and the whole system could collapse.
Here’s the good news: There may be a workaround. But there’s also bad news: The solution requires the cooperation of Republican governors and legislators.
The King plaintiffs base their argument on the fact that in parts of the Affordable Care Act, the text says subsidies will be available for people “enrolled through an Exchange established by the State.”
HUUUUUUH, by “State”
States only matter according to GOP’s in Obamacare but not with Nebraska and the Keystone Pipeline.
The GOP wants to fasttrack the Keystone pipeline, they don’t want Obama to care/worry about Nebraska but states DO MATTER when it comes to OBAMACARE. Hehehehehe!!!!!
F***** GOP hypocrites! http://triblive.com/news/editorspicks/7156479-74/pipeline-obama-bill#axzz3JHVvnMbu
“The pipeline fight is coming to a head as Obama is seeking to cement his environmental legacy by forging a climate deal with China, imposing carbon limits on U.S. power plants, setting aside more public land for conservation and, in an announcement made Friday, providing $3 billion to poor countries to cope with the impact of global warming.
In public, the president and his aides have said they will wait for the State Department review, which has been suspended until Nebraska’s Supreme Court rules whether the pipeline’s route through that state was properly approved. That decision could come out any day; once it does, several agencies will have a chance to comment on whether the project serves the national interest. Secretary of State John Kerry can then issue a final determination, which would be subject to presidential approval.”
ChickenHead
10 years ago
Well, Tbone, apart from being a chronic sourpuss when you drink, the numbered point format was far superior to the uninteresting semi-coharent rambling…
…though that picked up again as the alcohol kicked in.
Do you ever reread your comments after you sober up?
One more question, Tbone… why are you pushing off all the hate here for the GOP?
Maybe you did not notice, but there is very little love for the Republicans here. The only time they get any support is when they have a policy that pushes back against some Democrat policy that is even more whacked out.
If you have some important idea you want everyone here to understand and consider, you are really better off focusing on the idea than the Republicans.
You might actually find people agreeing with you.
tbonetylr
10 years ago
“though that picked up again as the alcohol kicked in.”
As a f****** stupid dork contract worker like Gruber who gave you the authority to determine the “alcohol kicked in” stage?
You’re nothing but a F****** dummkoph!
“Maybe you did not notice, but there is very little love for the Republicans here.”
Other than Leon, who might that be???
Chickenhead has a BIG MOUTH who is quick to speak for anyone on ROKDROP. What a f*ckin dork!
Perhaps you should inform/contact your stupid girly(BIG MOUTH) minions before you say such ignoramus things because I’d guess them girlies/puppy dogs of yours would be hard pressed to say that there is non-relenting “love for the Republicans” here at the ROK DROP.
setnaffa
10 years ago
So, tbone, why are you so full of hate? Who pissed in your Wheaties today?
Are you just realizing that Barry is the reason there is a 43% unemployment level among young blacks? Or have you not yet figured out that Gruber was talking about you and your fellow travelers?
It was never GOP voters who supported Obamacare. So those are not the “stupid” folks Gruber was talking about.
ChickenHead
10 years ago
Tbone, you are the kind of guy other perceive as being beyond help.
If you are abused, you come back for more… which is not uncommon, as it is natural to react with equal hostility even if there is no substance behind it.
But if you are treated nicely or respectably, you reject it… even if the advice is sincere or correct… and you act with bitter hostility to everyone.
This attitude doesn’t get you far in your 20s… but someone still might try to help you thinking you will grow out of it. In your 30s, few will do anything for you… and will actively sabotage you the closer you get to 40. After that, you will simply be discarded like much of the human detritus one sees… angry old men bitter from a lifetime of failure, irrelevance, and disrespect.
Do you want to be there Tbone? You are well on your way.
You need to shape up your act. If you can’t be smart or amusing or clever, at least be nice.
Ugh, can we get an “Open Endless Argument Thread” for the usual suspects who hijack every stinking OT?
ChickenHead
10 years ago
I think we need a “Whiners About Hijackers Who Demand an Open Endless Argument Thread” thread for stupid girly bigmouth boring ignoramus dummkoph dummy dorks who love Republicans and can’t add 1 + 1.
Actually, CH made sense there… No doubt tongue-in-cheek as usual; but well-researched:
Proverbs 26:18-19 (ESV): Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”
Ephesians 4:25 (ESV): Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Psalm 15:3 (ESV): [O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;]
who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor,
[nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.]
No wonder Leon was disturbed! I’m pretty certain CH did it without reflective belt or safety goggles!!
ChickenHead
10 years ago
Regardless of belief, the Bible is full of interesting stories and useful wisdom which can guide one to a better way of living if applied thoughtfully.
Setnaffa appears to live his life and regulate his thinking in accordance with many of the good principles found in the Bible.
For that, he should be admired and respected…
…and I mean that.
tbonetylr
10 years ago
GOP illegal/FRAUDULENT 2014 elections via dead drops on twitter http://rt.com/usa/206403-republicans-twitter-election-fraud/
“The National Republican Congressional Committee used secret codes over Twitter to share polling data with third-party organizations, an investigation shows, possibly violating election laws forbidding third-party groups from coordinating with campaigns.
Using techniques normally associated with secret agents, an investigation by CNN showed the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) shared polling data with Super Political Action Committees (Super PACs) by using dead drops and cypher codes.
Reporters found that a normal tweet involved in the process would be posted on public accounts and read, for example: “CA-40/43-44/49-44/44-50/36-44/49-10/16/14-52–>49/476-10s.”
The anonymous source told CNN the tweets he or she captured in screenshots stretched back to July, but the groups have communicated in this manner for four years. Staffers for each group deleted individual tweets every few months, so only the past few months of data were available when CNN first viewed the Twitter accounts. The network’s Chris Moody argued these techniques were designed to skirt election laws.
He found out that two outside groups and a Republican campaign committee had access to the information posted to the accounts. They include American Crossroads, the super PAC founded by Karl Rove, the American Action Network, a nonprofit advocacy group, and the NRCC, which is the campaign arm for the House GOP.
And just minutes after Moody asked the NRCC about the scheme, the Twitter accounts were deleted.”
ChickenHead
10 years ago
Tbone: “GOP illegal/FRAUDULENT 2014 elections via dead drops on twitter”
Article: “Tweeting such information, then, would seem illegal – but election experts are not so sure.”
Reality: The system is broken and any “fix” will quickly be corrupted to push the boundaries of the letter of the law while openly violating the spirit of the law… as is the intention of those in both parties who created the “fix” to show “something is being done” while already formulating the work-around.
JoeC
10 years ago
The Economist magazine offers an explanation to the question many have asked:
Keystone Fails but why was there a vote before the Nebraska pending court case has yet to be decided? Duh, the GOP would prefer to ignore that via fast tracking the deal even though S. Dakota native Americans call it “WAR.” What would the GOP do without the Keystone? http://news.yahoo.com/u-senate-heads-vote-keystone-xl-pipeline-060923212–finance.html
“What’s more, Jon Chait argues Republicans may not actually want Keystone built, so much as they want to complain about Keystone not being built.
The trouble is, there’s little reason to think Republicans actually care about approving Keystone. Its value to them lies entirely in its use as a talking point. […]
You have to ask yourself what Republicans would get out of the pipeline. It doesn’t carry much benefit for American energy firms – the benefits would flow to Canadian oil companies, who would otherwise have to find more expensive means to transport their product…. If Obama approves the Keystone XL pipeline, then Republicans pretty much have no jobs plan any more.”
A South Dakota Sioux tribal leader says building the Keystone XL pipeline is a violation of an 1868 treaty, and threatens ‘war’ against the pipeline. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2014/1118/Sioux-tribe-calls-Keystone-XL-approval-act-of-war.-What-does-that-mean
…and says it will close reservation borders if the government attempts to build a pipeline there.
“The House has now signed our death warrants and the death warrants of our children and grandchildren. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will not allow this pipeline through our lands,” tribe President Cyril Scott said in a statement. “We will close our reservation borders to Keystone XL.”
The Rosebud Sioux Tribe is not alone in its opposition to the pipeline. A new alliance of ranchers and Native Americans oppose the pipeline in South Dakota, and a number of tribes have adopted tribal resolutions against the project. And some South Dakota tribes have even been “preparing for nonviolent battle with “resistance training” aimed at TransCanada,” reports McClatchy, adding that “they’re considering everything from vigils to civil disobedience to blockades to thwart the moving of construction equipment and the delivery of materials”
setnaffa
10 years ago
tbone, that vote happened because Democrats allowed it. And it was 41 Democrats who knew Obama could veto it but still chose to sacrifice Mary Landrieu….
setnaffa
10 years ago
“I might respect Setnaffy had the choice been his. He never had one, ergo the problem…”
What choice was that? I’m a sinner who needs a Savior? That choice?
I, myself, support tolerance and diversity and believe segregation of Native Americans is a human rights violation ranking up there with the slavery of African Americans or the denial of women to vote.
Native Americans need to be accepted into diverse modern American society and there are few better ways of showing acceptance than by allowing them not only to be caretakers of the land in accordance with their culture, but also caretakers of hundreds of miles of petroleum-transporting pipeline.
Even better, instead of encouraging their Stockholm Syndrome-inspired isolation and self-segregation, perhaps it is time to incorporate them into America’s diverse culture and move them into cities, with the resource-heavy oil companies being replacement caretakers for former Native American lands.
It is a true shame to see discrimination toward Native Americans to the point they do not feel like full members of American society. There is no better way to solve this than by abolishing the archaic reservation system and sending it the way of the plantation system.
Support Native American rights and make ALL American land accessable to Native Americans as it is for European American encroachers. Stop the segregation and isolation by destroying the reservation system.
No Equality, No Peace!
tbonetylr
10 years ago
“tbone, that vote happened because Democrats allowed it.”
Wrong, it ain’t about “allowing” and there ain’t any plural in democrat(s) because it was a democrat(stupid woman) as she was stupidly trying to look good/compete with the Louisiana/GOP even though she’s losing according to the polls by double digit #’s.
If she didn’t call for the vote a republican would’ve?
The question is…why don’t the democrats NOW call for the vote of recently nominated Attorney General/Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch instead of what they seem to be doing…wait until next year when the republicans can vote her down?
ChickenHead
9 years ago
“why don’t the democrats NOW call for the vote of recently nominated Attorney General/Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch”
Because she is black and she is a woman…
…hooray…
…but her record of fascism is even scarier than Holder’s…
…so it is a real delemma for Democrats…
…just like taxpayer funded abortions… for poor minorities… would be a real dilemma for the Republican right.
Fortunately, the Democrats are wisely going to ignore the situation until it falls under Republican control… then they can avoid another destructive right-wing racist AG while screaming how Republicans are against women and minorities.
…quite a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too scenario for the Democrats.
Obama will be “forced” to appoint the white male (with more liberal credentials that he really wants) and the Democrats can get in a second round of outrage over Republican racism and misogyny.
“Another black man pushes Asian onto NYC subway tracks”
What leads you to the say the assailant was black? I’ve seen this story on two major media sites and both seem to make a point of not saying what color they were which is what makes me think the guy was black but what’s your reason?
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Smokes, could it be all the videos of a black man the police released in the manhunt?
Ahh that would explain it then. The story didn’t interest me enough to go tracking down all the coverage. Find it odd that with the US being the anti-Korea in terms of safety measures why suicide doors aren’t standard on all public train systems. We’re talking about a country that won’t let you put neon lights on your car because it’s too distracting and could cause accidents.
Watch as a group of people who wouldn’t believe fire was hot after 1000 people told them it was and had to stick their hands in it to believe find out just how 5hitty the DPRK is.
Hmm.. we should take up a collection to get Tom booked on one of their “tours”.
setnaffa
9 years ago
tbone, NOTHING gets a vote in the Senate unless the Majority Leader (in this case Harry Reid) allows it.
The other is about Harry Reid, too.
I’m not saying there are no issues abot the GOP; but the Democrats currently own the White House and the Senate.
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Univision will take a break in the 2014 Latin Grammys to broadcast President Obama’s speech on immigration “reform”.
This shows the deep racism of whites as none of the networks will be showing the speech during the 2014 Caucasian Grammys.
The Caucasian Grammys have gotten so superficial of late, I prefer to watch The Pasties, plus I hear it gets you bonus points on your White Card at the annual White People’s meeting.
Denny
9 years ago
Michael Phelps self-proclaimed girlfriend admits she was born a MAN
Denny: “Michael Phelps self-proclaimed girlfriend admits she was born a MAN”
Actual Quote: “I was never a man”
Article: “Chandler was born a male however in name only, and is actually intersex, meaning she had male genitalia, but no testicles, while also having a uterus and no ovaries.”
Reality 1: It is exceedingly rare for a “man” to be born… with all known cases having to be a “boy” first.
Reality 2: She has the crazy lady look… or crazy dude-looks-like-a-crazy lady look… or something… and it would not be surprising to learn that Michael Phelps has no idea who the fukk she is.
Reality 3: Smokes is probably looking into swimming lessons.
setnaffa
9 years ago
Denny’s used to be a good place to get coffee and breakfast. Not so sure any more… Far too polarized and racist, if you ask me…
Denny looking at pictures of the woman in question in the article I can understand why Phelps would think she was 100% female which really she now is. Also after reading the article it seems like Phelps should get away from this woman because she seems like the fatal attraction type. The way the article is written she seems completely obsessed with him.
GI Korea: “… I can understand why Phelps would think she was 100% female which really she now is.”
Biology argues differently. Naughty bits may have been cutoff, altered, or otherwise rearranged. Hormones and other chemicals may have been injected and otherwise administered as well. But nothing, absolutely nothing (with current medical technology), can change the fact that this “woman” is a male of the species. As we all know, boys and girls are different. It goes deeper than number of skin folds, shape and size of orifices, and artificially introduced chemicals.
Superficial differences are just that, superficial. Sex reassignment surgery cannot change chromosomes.
Even a man’s and woman’s bone structure differ to such an extent that the center of gravity of male and female bodies are different.
The scope of my comment is limited to normal circumstances. I realize there can be biological complications. I suppose we’d have to rely on medical science to make such determinations, not on how one “feels” or what they prefer…
GOP whining white men lawmakers, they crack me up with their petulant child behavior.
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Leon, she (as self-identified) was born intersex.
The “normal” rules of what differentiates the men and women (from the extreme ends of the gender scale we generally encounter) do not apply.
It is possible she is genetically every bit a woman… or it is even possible she has mosaic genetics… with both male and female cells.
There is not enough information in the article to determine her situation… if it even matters.
If her action and thinking are pleasingly feminine and her naughty bit are compatible, it would likely be much better to wake up with that each morning than with some of the 100% real-born “women” one encounters on a daily basis.
Sheesh… I’m starting to sound like Smokes rationalizing away his tranny habit.
BTW, I’m for the Obama’s temporary 3 year relief for immigrants because immigration has been a thorn in the side of do something Americans. Of course for you do nothing Americans(GOP lovers/likers/supporters) I’m not surprised at your lazy and whining ways.
CH: “Maybe you did not notice, but there is very little love for the Republicans here.”
I hear nothing but crickets on this historical night at ROKDROP by ALL the “non-loving republicans.”
Perhaps you’d be better off saying…’like’ rather than “love” aye? It doesn’t take “love” to get the ball drooping jock itch GOP “liking”(LOVING) crowd to get sweaty all over.
CH: “but her record of fascism is even scarier than Holder’s…”
Do you even know what “fascism” means? Or what about “amnesty.” I doubt you and most GOP’s do…
Chickenhead is right on with the republicans new “fascism” word since “socialism” stopped grabbing the ire of republicans/Foxnews regular watchers. Next, you’ll be talking about “secret science.”
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republicans-amnesty-and-the-point-which-words-lose-meaning#break
“Saul Anuzis, a former head of the Michigan Republican Party who ran for the RNC chairmanship, decided it was time for his party to throw around the word “fascism” to add weight to their condemnations. “We’ve so overused the word ‘socialism’ that it no longer has the negative connotation it had 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago,” Anuzis said. “Fascism – everybody still thinks that’s a bad thing.”
In context, it was clear that Republicans who accused Obama of “fascism” didn’t know what “fascism” means, and they didn’t much care. The definition of the word was meaningless – all that mattered, Republicans said in 2009, was “finding something that raises the consciousness of the average voter.” If that meant changing the meaning of words, so be it.
More than five years later, in the immigration debate, Republicans are committed to the “amnesty” talking point, since they assume it sounds bad. But when Betsy Woodruff asked GOP lawmakers what the word means, many of them had no idea.
Some of the top legislators who frequently use the term can’t actually explain what amnesty is. I spent the past few days asking Republican senators what they meant when they referred to amnesty in terms of immigration policy. The answers I got were intriguing. That’s because while Republican congressional leaders are always eager to discuss their opposition to this vague, amorphous concept, many of them are downright befuddled when asked to explain what that concept looks like in real life. Their responses ranged from straightforward to nonsensical.
When I asked Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican, what specific immigration policies he was referring to when he used the term amnesty, he said, “I don’t understand the question.”
…Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) who said amnesty “would be a pathway to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants. Told that meant, by definition, Obama’s plan wouldn’t constitute “amnesty,” the Arkansas Republican replied, “That might require whatever.”
lawmakers shouldn’t use words if they don’t know what the words mean. Second, politicians shouldn’t change the meaning of words just because they feel like it.
This goes far beyond “amnesty.” The word “socialism” no longer means anything – Republicans decided it was a synonym for “liberal.” “Judicial activism” has been stripped of its definition. So has “court packing” and “socialized medicine.”
These used to be perfectly good words with perfectly clear meanings, right up until political figures decided entirely new, made-up definitions helped “raise the consciousness of the average voter.”
Part of the problem is the fact that Republicans don’t seem to know the meaning of the words they use, but the larger concern is that they just don’t seem to care. I half expect GOP lawmakers to respond to future questions about words they’re misusing by saying, “I’m not an etymologist.”
If “I’m not a scientist” works for the party, maybe this will, too?”
tbonetylr
9 years ago
The point is…Chickenhead etc…(because I’m so “annoying” right GI Korea?) is/are by definition a GOP LOVER(S)!!!
At this high school he received a standing ovation for his immigration intentions for which in part he won the 2012 election and 60+% of Americans support Obama.
Soon after that Obama or the Senate voted his plan in 62 for(including 14 repubs) and 32 against. The house/congress promised to vote but only in “bits and pieces”(Obama said OKAY FINE and DANDY) but of course the repubs in the house/congress broke their promise.
Be sure to watch Obama speak LIVE tomorrow or in about 14 hours at the website above!
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Ski club sides with ‘f*cking racist pussy’ white supremacist over neocon(former John McCain Hawk Advisor) in dispute..
So today, does the GOP prefer white supremacists over war hawks? I think the GOP LOVES both white supremacists and war hawks!!!
The pair got into an argument during a chance encounter on a ski lift and then resumed the dispute during a Christmas party at the Big Mountain Club.
Spencer berated Scheunemann after learning he worked in Washington “for being a neocon and for believing in this whole democracy BS.”
Scheunemann – who called the 36-year-old Spencer a “f*cking racist pussy” in front of other members at the holiday event — told the club it must choose between him and the white nationalist.
The club chose to keep Spencer as a member and expelled Scheunemann – several weeks after the white nationalist was arrested and expelled from Hungary, where he was organizing an international congress of white supremacists…
…Jason Richwine, the co-author of a controversial Heritage Foundation(GOP) report criticizing a U.S. Senate immigration reform bill, had written a research study that found recent Hispanic immigrants had a “real cognitive deficit” compared to U.S.-born whites.
Richwine, who eventually resigned from the conservative think tank over his previous research, also had written for AlternativeRight.com, a web forum operated by Spencer and the white supremacist think tank he oversees.”
For Chickenhead because his English is VERY poor(as well as his math)…He needs to know what “amnesty” is as do SOOOOO many other GOP’s.
After he learns what “amnesty” is he can then explain what he said here…
“but her(Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch) record of fascism is even scarier than Holder’s…”
Hehehe, this ought to be good!!! Go ahead dummkoph = Chickenhead, tell us all about the fascism of Loretta Lynch?
“I know some of the critics of the action call it amnesty. Well, it’s the not. Amnesty is the immigration system we have today. Millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time. That’s the real amnesty, leaving this broken system the way it is. Mass amnesty would be unfair. Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary it to our character.
What I’m describing is accountability. A common sense middle- ground approach. If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up.”
ChickenHead
9 years ago
On Amnesty: With the granting of working privileges for both un-skilled and tech-skilled aliens, the groups most affected by this are unskilled Americans and lefty tech workers… both of which generally vote Democrat.
It is quite amazing that long-term Democrat supporters such as unions and the black/Hispanic-American communities are completely silent on this… as this will hurt them far more than well-off Republicans who will simply have access to cheaper yard work.
Middle class Democrats and Republicans will likely feel some wage and employment pressure as well… but the Democrats are silent.
Suicide by liberalism.
On Fascism: You make interesting points, Tbone… but the reality is she fits a good number of the items on a fascist checklist based on her speeches and work history… though, as a neo-fascist, this might not be immediately apparent.
I can go down the entire checklist in detail… but to give an idea… fradulent elections are a component of fascism and she opposes Voter ID laws which help insure there is no voter fraud… or the use of scapegoats in which she has openly blamed white racism for black failings… or an obsession with law and order over human rights, such as her great support of policing-for-profit civil asset forfeiture for those not even charged with a crime… or cronyism, as she and Eric Holder’s wife were founding sisters of a sority in 1980… etc.
Just because someone is not waving a flag and saluting an idolized leader does not mean they have no fascism in them.
Be aware she has been advising AG Holder… and, it seems, had some influence in the decision not to go after corrupt bankers… which is another characteristic of fascism.
We can argue this further, if you wish.
Denny
9 years ago
Obama’s immigration order gives tech community some – but not all – of what it wants
I’ve never been to New York City before, but the street slum scenes there looks about 5 times as worse than Korea’s worst looking dirt slum in Itaewon. I now want to praise Itaewon for its cleanliness and crime free nature, after seeing this video, thanks to slum city, New York.
Old news, but even a lazy troll attempt by Tom is welcomed after this overload of CH vs. TBone poop. 😛
setnaffa
9 years ago
Do you agree? Is the comparison to Harding more appropiate than Carter? Is Obama’s regime more scandalous than Warren Harding’s? http://victorhanson.com/wordpress/?p=7910
setnaffa
9 years ago
BTW, I think tbone is probably just thinking he can convince us that volume equals quality. But I still hope someone intervenes for him.
He seems torn between (on the one hand) wanting to drive certain folks away with his filth and drivel, and (on the other hand) engaging in “magic thinking” that Democrat social programs will usher in the Jubilee…
He writes (or at least cuts and pastes) like he really believes that having more and more people on unemployment and/or foodstamps will drive the economy towards Utopia (instead of bankruptcy and ruin).
John Wayne famously said, “Life is hard; its harder when you’re stupid.” Perhaps tbone should “change the channel” or just “MoveOn”.
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Setnaffa, be aware that Tbone is likely to be chronically dependent on the State for the rest of his life.
He has almost no savings, he has no marketable skill, he has no social ability or network of successful friends… he has no ability to get another easy overseas job… and, most of all, he has no plan… except to push Democratic ideals… which he expects will take care of him…
…and, sadly, he may be right… as dependent people are threatening to outnumber productive people… and the government is certainly on the side of Big Business and the Chronically Dependent while doing its best to be against the Independently Productive.
Smokes, relax. Tbone no longer interests me. After digging deeper, I realize there is nothing that I can say or do that will “punish” him for being a screwball bag of diicks more than he has/will do to himself. His life is/will be its own punishment. He might change… in which case he deserves pity and assistance… but he likely will not… as most don’t. He will just become more bitter and hateful and blaming of others… and cause others to laugh at him even more… behind his back or to his face, depending on their manners.
We have all known this type of person in Real Life and we wondered what they were like when they were younger. Look no farther than Tbone.
Besides, I have a bigger fish to fry… or, more accurately, I have a big fish on the hook and I simply need to wait until the cook arrives.
It might take a year or two… but I am patient… and I assure you of an interesting and satisfying show.
Setnaffy calling someone out for “magic thinking” priceless!
setnaffa
9 years ago
Leon, you’re saying never seen God’s work in your life, or that you have and you rejected it anyway. But I have seen it in mine, and my family. Nothing dramatic like seas parting or the like; but if we meet we could chat about it over a seasonally-appropriate beverage.
You think I believe in “magic thinking”; but unfortunately, that doesn’t fit the facts. We all have faith in something. Your faith seems to be that either God doesn’t exist. Mine is based on the Bible and my need for a Savior.
Pardon me for mentioning it; but we’re all imperfect. We all make mistakes. Sometimes big ones. If you’re reading this, you, like me, have been blessed to avoid getting killed while blundering around. And I believe it’s because He isn’t finished with us yet.
You’re entitled, under the US Constitution, to believe what you want. As long as you live.
And then, if I’m right, you’ll meet Jesus.
JackBSwift
9 years ago
So we let all these immigrants sign up on the tax rolls.
They have no reported income, but a lot of dependants!
Got it Setnaffy. You believe that a cosmic zombie (who was his own father), born from a ‘virgin’, can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in all humans because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree and thereby pissing off an invisible wizard who lives in the sky (who couldn’t find the only 2 humans on Earth)? Seems legit.
Every one of the extinct religions had adherents who were just as fervent as you. When yours evolves into something else or dies out all together, well, it will be the same. One thing I do know, some of the bitterest, meanest, unhappy people I have ever met claim to be Christians, and the more hardcore they are about it, the unhappier they seem and the worse they treat others. Isn’t that odd?
Any way, you certainly have the freedom to believe anything you like as well. I’d fight to protect that right. But I’d ask you to kindly please not vote. 😛
Cheers!
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Setnaffa, I read the story and I have one sincere question.
If this gentleman continued eating hamburgers, he would not only enjoy his life more, but he would meet God sooner. This seems like a win-win.
I am asking this question with honesty and sincerity because it is one of the handful of dealbreakers when I look at organized Christianity…
…if Christians truly believe in the wonders of the afterlife, why are they so resistant to the idea of dying and why do they possess such a desire to extend life?
This lack of true faith was especially noticible compared to Muslims who were downright careless in their actions… with total faith that Allah would do the correct thing.
I have asked this question of others since childhood and have received nothing of substance… which I recognized even as a child.
I am not asking to make fun of you or trip you up in your answer.
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Cosby Show and the attack on Bill. Why? Because he helped Obama, it all makes sense now! The GOP is behind the attack on Bill Cosby. http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2014/10/07/did-the-cosby-show-help-obama-get-elected/
Q: So explain that idea, because a number of people have made it, and you talk about it in the book, that if not for Bill Cosby and “The Cosby Show,” Obama might not be president.
A: Well, the person who made the point, 15 minutes after Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, was Karl Rove. He was on Fox News. And he was talking to Chris Wallace about the social significance of the election.
And they pointed out for the first time, we were going to have an African-American family in the White House. And Karl Rove said, no, wait a second, you know, we’ve already had an African-American family that was sort of America’s family, and that was the Huxtables and “The Cosby Show.”
tbonetylr
9 years ago
CH: “On Amnesty:”
Obama did not grant amnesty you foolish liar. Did Obama snap his finger and immediatly give 5 million undocumented immigrants citizenship? NOOOOO!!!!! Amnesty is what President Reagan did in 1986( Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986) which gave citizenship to nearly three million undocumented immigrants. Just Google “Reagan on Amnesty” Youtube.
CH: ” as this will hurt them far more than well-off Republicans who will simply have access to cheaper yard work.
Middle class Democrats and Republicans will likely feel some wage and employment pressure as well… but the Democrats are silent.”
I’ll bet you that you’ll never be able to show us that there will be “cheaper yard work” in the aggregate and the “wage pressure” is upward, have you been ignoring the states that just passed minimum wage increases? In fact, there will be more in the future. As a GOP lover it’s strange that you’d be blaming Obama on “cheaper yard work” when the GOP loves that idea, them cheap SOB’es.
Oh I know, you just won’t believe me but what about Megyn Kelly/Foxnews? http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/11/20/megyn-kelly-admits-obamas-executive-action-isnt-amnesty-fox-news-and-republicans-purposefully-lie/
For months Fox News has been perpetuating the myth that the executive action President Obama will propose is “amnesty.” However, on the November 19th broadcast of The Kelly File Megyn Kelly admitted to her viewers that what the president is proposing is not amnesty at all, and that the word is purposefully being used as “a hot button term that the right uses to sort of get people upset” — and it works.
Here’s the video of her admission via Media Matters:
The lie that the executive action is “amnesty” is not only being spread by Fox News, but also by those in Congress and the Senate. It’s become the go-to catch phrase to embolden the conservative base to come out against the president.
This morning, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) tweeted out that what the president will sign is “unilateral amnesty” making the assumption that those are the president’s words, even though President Obama never said his intentions were to offer amnesty.”
johnnyboy
9 years ago
From dictionary.com :
amnesty
1. a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
2. Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole.
3. a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.
johnnyboy
9 years ago
Like JackBSwift, I wonder what the estimated numbers are for how much “fair share” these people “coming out of the shadows” will be paying, since most of them likely don’t make enough money to pay any taxes at all.
Including tax credits for dependents, they may end up TAKING their fair share instead.
I suspect that if the fees for illegal residents to get right with the law are on par with what it cost for people to come into the country as legal residents (over the thousand dollar mark if I remember correctly) then many of these people will choose to remain in the shadows.
tbonetylr
9 years ago
CH: “On Fascism:”
“but to give an idea… fradulent elections are a component of fascism and she opposes Voter ID laws which help insure there is no voter fraud”
Don’t forget how the GOP is most recently ALL in on election fraud using twitter. F****** FASCISTS!
You also forgot the cut back on early voting in key swing states/voting on college campuses which have gone hand in hand with Voter ID laws, all initiated by the GOP to quash the vote.
Chickenhead is for gutting voting rights = Chickenhead is a FASCIST!
Or is it that Chickenhead is a racist? Which do you favor more Chickenhead, racism or fascism?
Why don’t you tell us all about the “communist agenda of Loretta Lynch?”
I think Loretta Lynch is more against bringing race/racism(the darker skin type) into Voter ID laws.
If you could you’d want us all to believe you without any questions and that you could lead us(so we should follow you) to a greater good. Chickenhead is a FASCIST!
CH: “It is quite amazing that long-term Democrat supporters such as unions are completely silent on this” – what Chickenhead would have you believe is Obama’s immigration plan.
But who has suppressed the labor Unions? Ahhh haaaaah, the GOP = Fascists!
Rand Paul calls out GOP over voter fraud claims http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rand-paul-gop-voter-fraud
“Sen. Rand Paul thinks the GOP might be over-hyping instances of voter fraud, and that Republicans shouldn’t scrap early voting.
“There is still some fraud, and so we should stop that,” the Kentucky senator, considered a leading potential contender for the GOP’s 2016 presidential nomination, told former Obama adviser David Axelrod during a sit-down Tuesday at the University of Chicago.
“Although the incidence of fraud is relatively small,” Axelrod said.
“It probably is, and I think Republicans may have over-emphasized this. I don’t know,” replied Paul, who made clear that, like most of his party, he supports voter ID requirements.
Republicans have cited fraud to justify a host of restrictions on voting in recent years, including strict voter ID laws in Texas, North Carolina, and other states. They’ve continued to seize on any opportunity to highlight fraud, even though studies have conclusively shown that the amount of such fraud is so small as to be statistically insignificant.”
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Setnaffa: “BTW, I think tbone is probably just thinking he can convince us…”
“us”?
Hey, didn’t you get CH’s memo? “Nobody” on the ROKDROP has a love for the GOP.
Senaffa: “So, tbone, why are you so full of hate?”
I don’t hate anyone or anything but when I want to watch people hate I just turn on Foxnews or read comments from others on ROKDROP.
tbonetylr
9 years ago
GOP Benghazi report obliterates Fox News’ version of Benghazi
The report was released on a Friday and foxnews ain’t talking about it on TV. Hehehe!!!
http://jaybookman.blog.ajc.com/2014/11/22/gop-led-report-obliterates-fox-news-version-of-benghazi/
“That’s pretty much a slam-dunk refutation of the entire Benghazi conspiracy theory so avidly argued by many conservatives, and again, it comes from the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee. Similar press accounts of the committee findings were filed by NPR, the Washington Post, The Hill, NBC, etc. The whole right-wing Benghazi narrative is exposed for what it always was, which is nonsense.
Of course, no media outlet has been more fixated on Benghazi than Fox News. Here’s the story and headline on the Fox home page, in such tiny text it had to be highlighted so you can find it:…”
Tom
9 years ago
A white girl in Korea describes a white guy she met in a pub.
This just about describes well the state of white expat guys in Korea.
Andy
9 years ago
Gambling nuke commander linked to fake poker chips
The admiral fired last year as No. 2 commander of U.S. nuclear forces may have made his own counterfeit $500 poker chips with paint and stickers to feed a gambling habit that eventually saw him banned from an entire network of casinos, according to a criminal investigative report obtained by The Associated Press.
Though Rear Adm. Timothy M. Giardina’s removal as deputy head of U.S. Strategic Command was announced last year, evidence of his possible role in manufacturing the counterfeit chips has not previously been revealed. Investigators said they found his DNA on the underside of an adhesive sticker used to alter genuine $1 poker chips to make them look like $500 chips.
Giardina, who remains on the Navy payroll as a staff officer in Washington, was never charged with counterfeiting. Instead he was found guilty in May 2014 of two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer — lying to an investigator and passing fake gambling chips. He was given a written reprimand and ordered to forfeit $4,000 in pay.
If this guy was enlisted, he would of been icarcerated/discharged.
setnaffa
9 years ago
CH, your question is fine! I’m sorry about the length of my answer. It is, in many ways too long because I am not eloquent. And too short because some things almost require a book.
First, please remember that we consider there was only one sinless man, Jesus Christ. The rest of us have sin and weakness.
Second, most Christians consider suicide a sin, even in cases of terminal cancer. Paul wrote about wanting to go home but being forced to remain to help others in Philippians 1:21-23 (ESV)
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
(We ought to believe the length of our life and the state of our health are in God’s hands. There is the book of Job, if you want to read more.)
Third, as to authenticity, there are a lot of folks who believe they are a Christian because they regularly attend a church, because their parents were, etc. Others recognize it’s not about rituals or performance art, it’s about developing a relationship with someone who actually loved us enough to volunteer to be crucified in our place. It’s human nature to hang false labels on ourselves (think “Stolen Valor”); but Jesus talks about this in Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ”
Finally, I would like to point out that there have been thousands of Christians killed in horrific ways rather than convert to Islam (even with crossed fingers)–in just the last six months (Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and many other countries). American and Korean Christians have, for the most part, not been tested like that; but that time is coming.
You should just go visit Nelson’s church some Sunday morning. They’re nice folks and you can see for yourself whether they have something real or not. “Taste and see” wrote Isaiah…
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Leon,
“Tbone posting a wall of text. mmmm
Setnaffy calling someone out for “magic thinking” priceless!”
It’s not like you’re full of creativity, you’re either anti-religion/setnaffa or kissing Chickenhead’s buttocks in the tree.
“He who is without sin can cast the first stone”
And, you don’t have to read the “wall of text” now do you? Perhaps you should provide a link or two once in a while so you’re not always SAME SAME = Leon!!
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Vet Suicide bill ready to pass http://www.stripes.com/news/va-suicide-overhaul-bill-gets-push-in-congress-1.315022
Who cares about Clay Hunt’s wrist/suicide? He volunteered, he(and all other idiots) got what was coming to him, DOD dept’s mass employment socialist overpaid salary never ending deep azz well, then Vet status retirement $$$ after wimpy can’t handle real civilization life due to his unskilled labor/non-educated dummy crazy mind let me rape a woman and get by with it status, plus donated funds probably from “Wounded Warrior” to top it off with his own punk face suicide.
Like SOOOOO many leachazz Vets…22 punk azz Vets per day off themselves, while Veterans caught triple-dipping on benefits.
If I were Obama I get out the pen and veto this suckazzbill.
One veteran on disability collected nearly $210,000 in benefits in 2013, while another earned more than $122,000 — nearly three times what his actual military pay would have been — according to a watchdog report being released Thursday that found tens of thousands of veterans are triple-dipping on disability.”
I know I’m not the only one sick of a certain someone’s desire to hijack every single open thread…
Enough dude, let other people talk once and a while; you’re the new RetiredGI only with Tom’s attitude and talent for humor.
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Defunding immigration order ‘impossible’ says House GOP panel. But some republicans just don’t believe it and won’t accept it – there must be a “red herring.”
Sorry GOP dummies, but on this funding matter there are NOT “a lot of ways to skin a cat.”
“We cannot, literally cannot, defund that agency in an appropriations bill because we don’t appropriate that agency. That agency is entirely fee-funded,” spokeswoman Jennifer Hing said.
“As of right now, our understanding is the primary agency responsible for implementing any type of executive order is CIS and we don’t fund CIS. There are no appropriated dollars,” she added.
He and GOP leaders have come under pressure from conservative Republicans to use a funding bill to prevent Obama’s administration from carrying out executive actions on immigration that could give legal status to millions of immigrants.
Those conservatives have called for a spending measure to defund certain agencies that would carry out the order.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), who wants to defund the order, said he didn’t buy the argument from appropriators.
“I just don’t believe that,” he told reporters.
“They’re contriving red herring arguments to get to the point that enough members will walk out of this Congress and go home for Thanksgiving saying, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do.’ ”
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) also dismissed the argument and said lawmakers could attach language to an appropriations bill that would result in defunding the order.
Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations panel, acknowledged the procedural difficulties in defunding Obama’s order, but said there are ways around them.
“That’s one of the challenges we’ve always had, but to say you can’t do something, maybe we need to explore more options,” he said.
“You can put a rider on a lot of things. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat.”
Budget expert Stan Collender, executive vice president at Qorvis MSLGROUP, agreed that Republicans have options.
“Congress can, if it wishes, use an appropriations bill to include authorization language,” he said. “There’s no constitutional prohibition against that.”
But while Collender warned to take Rogers’ words about defunding with a “grain of salt,…”
tbonetylr
9 years ago
Amnesty ~ Chickenhead Style…Where was the GOP vitriol uproar in 2012???
It must be okay for illegals to volunteer for the military and not a peep be heard. Why weren’t there threats of gov’t shutdown or an Obama impeachment? Hypocrits! Shame Shame Shame, illegals serving in the USA military.
‘Undocumented immigrants can now serve in the military, says Department of Defense
Policy change will allow recruiters to target up to 1,500 foreign nationals with specialized skills who arrived in the U.S. before age 16.’ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/undocumented-immigrants-join-u-s-military-dod-article-1.1953440
“Immigrants who came to the U.S. with their parents before age 16 are eligible and may be part of a broader strategy to create new paths to citizenship. There are up to 2 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who might qualify for the MAVNI program through 2012’s Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program.”
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Setnaffa, thank you for your kind reply.
I understand suicide is considered a sin… and this makes sense on every level.
This leads to the question of what constitutes suicide. In this case, would continuing to eat hamburgers be considered a form of slow suicide when it was known to possibly speed up death? How does this fit with Christians who smoke, eat unhealthy foods, engage in risky behavior, or lack exercise?
At what point does behavior known to speed up death become a sin? Especially when this behavior is intentional. Are they all going to hell?
This leads back to the original question.
Is not wearing a seatbelt, refusing medical care, or not looking both ways before crossing the street a supreme act of devotion and faith to God (who demands constant demonstrations of devotion and faith) or is it sinful carelessness bordering on suicide while showing a lack of faith that God will care for his flock?
I have never gotten a clear answer on the thinking behind this. Perhaps there really isn’t one?
I await your thoughtful reply.
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Tbone, as I have stated before, “illegal aliens” who came to America as children are likely socialized primarily as Americans. If they are willing to serve in the military and can demonstrate they are “American” in thinking, values, and the belief in promoting America over the country of their birth, they should be given American citizenship… as they likely ARE Americans.
Immigration “reform” should be about abolishing the perverse systems of incentives to import those who don’t share American values and don’t have the best interests of America in mind. Further, immigration should be one of the indirect tools government uses to manage the labor force with cost/benefit in mind for the nation and its citizens rather than as a tool to generate more private profit at public expense.
Obama’s immigration “reform” program should have been coupled with very clear disincentives for more illegal immigrants to flood in and abuse the system.
Denny
9 years ago
Jeb Bush: Time For Gop Congress To Pass Amnesty Bill
I can’t say for sure that it will turn out this way, but it would be clearly wrong to thin out the ranks of the military due to spending cuts and then turn around and fill those positions back up with illegal immigrants just to allow them a path to citizenship.
I believe we have spoken about this before.
Perhaps the GOP cannot defund the new orders for USCIS, but I have a hard time believing that these 5 million people will be able to pay for the processing fees for the paperwork to grant them temporary amnesty.
In that case I can only see 2 outcomes for the president’s plans:
1. USCIS will lower the fees specifically for this class of people and subsidize the fees using funds from those who have followed the rules and paid their fees in full.
2. Many of these people will simply decide not to participate and perhaps wait for a better deal to come along.
Even if the GOP can’t defund USCIS in particular, I am sure they have other ways to counter the president’s actions. Whether or not they will be productive, who knows?
A bipartisan tone has been set for the next 2 years. I can’t see how anything will get done, but then again what’s new?
At the very least, the republicans should flood the president’s desk with any decent bills they can. The president will have to start vetoing or signing bills into law, now that Dirty Harry won’t be able to run defense for him.
In closing I would like to present a scenario:
You are at home and someone rings your doorbell. When you answer the door you find 2 flaming bags on your porch, and various other smaller, flaming bags scattered across the lawn.
Upon closer inspection, you find that all the bags obviously contain dog shit.
You only have enough fire extinguisher to extinguish one bag and will likely have to stomp out the others.
What do you do?
The bags on the lawn don’t have nearly as much shit in them and would be good candidates to step into, but they never really made it anywhere close to your porch and will burn themselves out rather quickly in isolation.
That leaves the two on the front porch.
The answer becomes more evident.
You must use the extinguisher on the one that is fullest of shit and though it may be disgusting, you have to hold your nose and get up close and personal with the other bag of shit.
Imagine this plays out almost exactly the same way every two years.
Welcome to the American election cycle. Sometimes the best option seems like letting the house burn down.
johnnyboy
9 years ago
“A bipartisan tone has been set for the next 2 years. I can’t see how anything will get done, but then again what’s new?”
That was supposed to be partisan…….
johnnyboy
9 years ago
“Jeb Bush: Time For Gop Congress To Pass Amnesty Bill”
Well, it’s been a few years since anyone really had a good reason to say it but it looks like he’s trying to bring it back in style:
“BUCK FUSH!!!!”
setnaffa
9 years ago
CH, when you decide to decide, let me know. Some folks like to visit car dealers to kick the tires, others are willing to take a test drive…
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Satnaffa, I must say that your answer is disappointing.
In all honesty, you are now marketing Christianity to me like a shady used car dealer trying to get me on the lot where high-pressure emotional tactics have a better chance of overcoming fact-based comparative shopping by the consumer.
I’m not saying this to offend you… but as an honest observation on the flow of our conversation.
I am sure your church is filled with kind and well-meaning people and I, on my best behavior, would get along nicely with them and enjoy myself. I do appreciate the invitation, even if I am unlikely to take you up on it.
None-the-less, my reasonable questions remain unanswered… as they have for my entire life.
These are not intentionally tricky “Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?” questions.
Defining the boundaries of what constitutes sinful suicide and what demonstrates deep faith in God’s will should be on the mind of EVERY true believing Christian… and the answer should be as automatic as quoting favorite scripture…
….as seemingly innocent actions like having that extra doughnut could be considered a suicidal act while getting a medical checkup or buckling a seatbelt could be considered a lack of faith in God’s ability to care for his flock… or worse, a desire to overcome God’s will. The result, based on Christian beliefs, is eternal damnation for acts that may be well-intentioned due to ignorance or may be self-serving with full knowledge.
These questions should not be answered to satisfy me… but should be answered to fill in a large gap in the Christian belief structure… which, true believers, should immediately see a serious existential issue.
Satnaffa, I am not teasing you on this. I seriously would like an answer… and, perhaps an answer why most Christians don’t even consider this treacherous yet obvious pathway to Hell as an issue worth consideration and resolution.
Returning to the basic issue, Christians have asked me to accept Christianity through faith alone… yet generally have demonstrated through their actions very little faith that God will care for them, that they accept God’s will without trying to influence it to their benefit, or that they believe so strongly in the afterlife that they will happily accept death if offered to them.
As a rational person shown irrational and contrary behavior, this influences not only my ability to accept the beliefs of Christianity but also my ability to respect them.
I have explained my reasoning honestly and sincerely.
I hope you can understand this and I hope you consider this issue further, perhaps with other church members. If you don’t wish to do it for me, you should certainly do it for yourself…
…as, per your stated beliefs, it could mean the difference between heaven and hell.
tbonetylr
9 years ago
God(Leon) Love Machine, setneffa and chickenhead Love(squirting among themselves), I suggest a weekly running via this route so they all can learn to visualize themselves in the freakiest way they all know how.
Leon Loves the God Machine…
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/week-god-112214
“First up from the God Machine this week is a curious reaction from the right to President Obama quoting Christian scripture in his national address on immigration policy this week.
If you missed it, referencing Exodus 23:9, told Americans, “Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger – we were strangers once, too.”
In an interesting twist, conservatives who generally push for more mixing of religion and politics, and who complain that the president isn’t more overtly religious all the time, began complaining after Obama’s speech about the Biblical reference. Emily Arrowood noted yesterday:
The hosts of Fox & Friends were incensed that President Obama quoted scripture in a primetime address detailing his upcoming executive action on immigration, challenging him to a “scripture-showdown” and claiming it’s “repugnant” for Obama to “lecture us on Christian faith.” […]
According to [co-host Elisabeth] Hasselbeck, Obama used the Bible to guilt people into supporting his executive action, and that’s “not what the scholars behind the Bible would interpret as proper use, perhaps.”
Because no one’s ever used Scripture to guilt someone into supporting a position, right?
It was, incidentally, the co-hosts of “Fox & Friends” who also complained just 48 hours earlier that the president doesn’t espouse Christian values often enough.
But they weren’t the only ones complaining. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) also wasn’t happy. “I always thought that Scripture was eternal and unchanging, but apparently, now that Obama is President, Scripture gets rewritten more often than Bill Cosby’s Wikipedia entry,” Huckabee wrote on his Facebook page.
Fox’s Bill O’Reilly also said of Obama, “He is one of the most secular presidents, perhaps the most secular president we have ever had, yet, he invokes scripture in the speech.”
For what it’s worth, Thomas Jefferson edited his Bible to remove references to Jesus’ divinity, so I don’t think Obama, who’s made countless public references to his Christian faith, is in the running for any Most Secular Presidents awards.
Also from the God Machine this week:
* Muslims in the D.C. area held their first-ever worship services at the Washington National Cathedral last weekend. A woman named Christine Weick reportedly snuck into the invitation-only Islamic prayer service to interrupt and promote Christianity. She was escorted from the building.
* The school board in Orange County, Florida, allowed an evangelical Christian group to distribute Bibles to school children. Now Satanists are demanding equal treatment, leading the board members to reconsider their policy.
* This is one of those paragraphs you just don’t see often: “Stripper poles, a lingerie shop and a room called ‘The Dungeon’ weren’t enough to keep a church in Athens, Ga. from buying a new piece of real estate. The Athens Link Fellowship recently purchased both Chelsea’s Strip Club and The Fantasy World Lingerie Shop, looking to convert the previously salacious establishments into places for worship, television station WAGA reported Tuesday.”
* Come to think of it, the same goes for this one: “When Asia Lemmon, a former adult film star and mother of two, visited the Department of Motor Vehicles in Hurricane, Utah to renew her driver’s license recently, her experience roughly resembled that of most Americans: She stood in line, filled out forms, and signed tedious paperwork. When it came time to take a new picture for Lemmon’s license, however, things took an odd turn. As officials readied the camera, Lemmon abruptly placed a colander on top of her head. She encountered initial resistance from confused DMV workers, but after explaining that she was a ‘Pastafarian’ and presenting paperwork detailing how the headgear was a component of her religion, officials relented and snapped the photo.”
* The Church of England this week “formally adopted legislation which means its first female bishops could be ordained next year. The amendment was passed with a show of hands at the general synod.”
* And TV preacher Pat Robertson told his audience this week that he was able to help cure a young man’s neck injury through the divine power of a text message. Robertson seemed to be quite serious about this.”
setnaffa
9 years ago
CH,
As I said, your questions are fine; but they show you’ve been misled about what the Bibles tells us about God’s grace. Christianity is not about what rules to follow, regardless of what others may say. It’s about getting to know Jesus personally. God gave us His Word so we could know Him. And begin to understand there are really only two “religions” in the world:
The two religions are
1. My actions will save me, if I follow the rules.
2. Jesus Christ will save me if I just call on Him.
Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”,
Christians are not perfect. We all have moments of temptation, fear and doubt. And being affluent tends to make us dependent on the wrong things. But God hasn’t changed. And His promises still stand. I was “forced” to go to church as a child and in spite of a lot of teaching and preaching it took me a while to internalize a lot of it. I developed a deeper faith because of things that happened around and to me in the last eight years.
Newton’s Laws of Physics apply too. Every action has a consequence. You may remember what Mickey Mantle said: “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” That’s about Quality of life, not Eternal Salvation or Quantity of life here on Earth.
If you choose not to visit the church, you can listen to their weekly podcasts in your own time and away from others who might mock you. It might help you answer the questions.
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Setnaffa,
“As I said, your questions are fine; but they show you’ve been misled about what the Bibles tells us about God’s grace.”
As the questions I asked were consistent with both your writing and clear scripture, I’m not sure how I could have been misled.
“Christianity is not about what rules to follow, regardless of what others may say.”
This statement confuses me… as my impression of Christianity is that it is heavily based upon rule-following… starting with the Ten Commandments and ending with very clear instructions on how not to go to Hell… with many of these rules being arbitrary and unjust to the point of sending billions of basically good people to Hell through no fault of their own.
While there are Christian sects which believe being a good person is as important as following the rules perfectly, that runs counter to scripture and the teachings of mainstream Christianity… though it would seem a loving and just God would be more interested in rewarding those who acted with kindness and good intentions throughout their lives even if they never heard of Jesus… while a petty and vindictive God would send good people to hell for being skeptical about something seemingly designed to be difficult to believe.
It is all very confusing… and just as in our conversation, nobody has been able to make it less confusing for me… or ever sincerely tried… as I suspect it is easier to ignore than think about too much.
“Acts 2:21 ‘And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
I hope you are not saying that it is OK to steal, kill, and bare false witness… and then simply ask Jesus for forgiveness to make everything right… as calling upon the name of the Lord is more important than any rules.
I have met plenty of Sin All You Want And Then Ask For Forgiveness Christians… and they have generally been terrible people… but you seem like a really nice and sincere guy, Setnaffa, so I don’t take you for that kind of Christian. I suspect you follow “the rules” of Christianity, though I am starting to suspect you don’t have a very clear idea about what many of those rules are. I suspect most Christians don’t… as they have never considered anything beyond the most shallow and convenient aspects of God’s expectations… even though many of them are quick to condemn others to Hell for whatever mild transgression they happen to notice.
I asked these and many other questions sincerely when I explored Christianity at a young age… and the answers ranged from avoidance to outright lies. Even as a child, I was frustrated by adults trying to bullshyt me. I doubt that Jesus turned water into “a kind of grape juice”. This was a big turnoff. It is still a big turnoff. I continue to ask these questions when there is an opportunity… but I no longer expect an honest answer. I can only suspect that most Christians are simply trying to maximize their spiritual profit from a big pile of jumbled and contradictory nonsense which evolved for reasons other than to represent the ideas of God.
“It’s about getting to know Jesus personally.”
This statement troubles me as well… as prisons are full of people who “know Jesus personally” but don’t “follow the rules”… which makes them disturbingly dangerous. Again, I don’t think you fall into this category, but I would hope there would be a bigger division between Real Christians and Christians of Opportunity concerning knowledge of the rules of Christianity and a sincere desire to follow them.
“Christians are not perfect. We all have moments of temptation, fear and doubt.”
I understand this… but let’s look at it another way. I have never seen a Christian walk out of their house with a set of jumper cables. They go to their car and put the key in with True Faith that the motor will start. This is a straightforward demonstration of faith, belief, and trust… in their car. I have seldom seen this level of faith, belief, or trust in God… and those who demonstrated that level of commitment generally had obvious mental problems which adversely affected their lives… indicating the Christian God to have a really, really cruel sense of humor, at best.
I have a hard time keeping a straight face when lectured about the wonders of God by somebody whose actions demonstrate faith that their refrigerator is more reliable than their deity.
Setnaffa, I realize these are strong statement… but I give them out of a sincere desire to express my deepest thoughts on the matter with the hope that honest writing will encourage honest answers which fully address the issues I am interested in.
It is a duty of Christians to spread the Word… and part of that duty is clearly understanding the word they spread to the point of being able to answer any reasonable and logical question asked of them. My questions were reasonable and logical.
Again, I encourage you to discuss these issues with the members of your church and see if your combined wisdom can resolve issues that may well have serious consequences if ignored.
setnaffa
9 years ago
“sending billions of basically good people to Hell through no fault of their own”
There was only one good man. Jesus. And we crucified him. For our crimes.
We’re all imperfect. We all fall short of the righteousness God demands. We all deserve eternal separation. But God sent His Son to die in our place so that we would have a way out.
No one goes to Hell unwillingly. The only way there is to reject Jesus. Simple truth. Too simple for some folks. Either Jesus’ death paid for all sin or it did not. If it did not, we’re all still headed for Perdition. I believe it did and we have a way to know if we’re headed to Heaven instead…
1 John 5:12 (ESV) “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
I’ve seen pro quarterbacks fumble a snap. I’ve seen surgeons make mistakes. I’ve watched singers with wonderfully-trained voices miss a note. Because they’re human. Like all of us.
You have seen Christians who were still imperfect humans. We all have (many of us every time we look in the mirror). The Bible points out that we are not capable of being perfect on our own. We all still make mistakes. Even after years of going to church and studying the Bible. In fact, the Bible is full stories of people who made multiple mistakes but kept on trusting God to keep His promises.
The Devil trying to keep you away from considering whether you want to know Jesus personally. I heartily recommend you contact Nelson C. or Steve H. over at Songtan Baptist if you want to hear about the way from guys who won’t shovel bovine waste in your Cheerios. (Not that I would; but we’ve probably never met. It’s easier to tell who someone really is over coffee.)
setnaffa
9 years ago
BTW, both Romans and Hebrews provide a lot of detail about what I’ve been saying. 🙂
ChickenHead
9 years ago
Setnaffa, I am increasingly disappointed in your diversions, misdirections, and avoidance of directly answering reasonable questions.
I had hoped to a have an enlightening conversation with you on this… as you occasionally inject Christianity into various topics… so it must be important to you… so you must have some deeper idea of fundamental concepts… and it seemed a good chance for you to openly explain them to a willing audience instead of being stuck intermittently trying to introduce Christianity by stealth to a difficult crowd.
Instead, I got the standard shallow talking points… most (all?) of which I have heard before.
Setnaffa, I still think you are a nice and sincere guy… and I think you hold many reasonable opinions about the world which you can likely explain in detail.
But on this topic, I’m not sure you can explain the details or rationalize your beliefs without resorting to avoidance, circular logic, and magic. I won’t hold this against you, as it is the standard rather than the exception…
…and, rather than the standard, it may actually be the absolute.
Gruber said Americans are stupid. He’s only a contract worker like Chickenhead who also calls Americans stupid and worse.
I think I know why the GOP still hasn’t come up with their own version of the Affordable Care Act(an example might be Medicare part D) I especially like the part where prescription drug prices are fixed or cannot be negotiated.
http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-who-really-benefits-when-republicans-change-medicare-2012-9
“However, as will be documented here, the historical record is clear that Republican politicians do not push privatization in order to provide more services to the public at lower cost, but instead to provide new taxpayer-subsidized profit-centers for Republican-donating corporations.
This was why George W. Bush and congressional Republicans overcame almost solid Democratic opposition and wrote, and passed into law, the Medicare Part D privatized drug and insurance options that “added $15.5 trillion (in present value terms) to our nation’s indebtedness” according even to Republican economist Bruce Bartlett.
The first major emergency endangering the continuance of Medicare occurred in 2008, when President Bush and the Republicans in Congress tried to block Democrats from halting a 10.6% cut, which Bush’s plan forced in the rate-schedule that traditional Medicare paid doctors for their services to their patients under Medicare. This pay-cut to doctors was expected to cause so many physicians to abandon traditional Medicare patients, that the traditional Medicare program would likely collapse. This pay-cut to doctors was scheduled to start on July 15th; but, just days earlier, on 9 July 2008, Bloomberg News bannered “Senate Votes Reversal of Cuts in Medicare Doctor Fees,” and reported that, “The Senate voted final passage of legislation that would halt a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements to doctors.”
The cause of the 10.6% cut that the Republicans sought was in order to pay for the rising taxpayer-subsidy going to private insurers in Bush’s “Medicare Advantage” program—the Bush-initiated Part D private competitor to Medicare Part B. Democrats wanted to salvage traditional Medicare, not to cut it in order to add to the high government subsidies already being paid to those private insurers, which were huge financial backers of the Republican Party…
…The only reason enough Republicans voted, July 9th, for the Democratic bill, H.R.6331, so that it passed, was that 2008 was an election year: Millions of seniors would otherwise have voted Republicans out of office in November 2008, on account of their physicians dumping them. Because of this imminent electoral danger, President Bush’s veto of the Democratic bill was overridden—but just barely. Traditional Medicare was thus barely salvaged.
On 25 July 2008, the Los Angeles Times bannered “Medicare Part D a Boon for Drug Companies, House Report Says: Taxpayers pay up to 30% more for prescriptions under the privately administered program” than under the publicly administered one. Nicole Gaouette reported that, “U.S. drug manufacturers are reaping a windfall from taxpayers because Medicare’s privately administered prescription drug benefit program pays more than other government programs for the same medicines.
…In the two years Medicare Part D has been in effect, drug manufacturers have taken in $3.7 billion more than they would have through prices under the Medicaid program.”
For example, “Bristol-Myers made an additional $400 million from higher prices for a single drug, the stroke medication Plavix.” I looked up the political-contribution record of Bristol-Myers at opensecrets.org: it was about 75% Republican, an investment which had now been returned to Bristol-Meyers hundreds-fold.
The Republican minority on the House committee that issued this report (big beneficiaries of those same corporations) objected to it, saying many seniors had “learned to love Part D,” the Republican Medicare-supplement.
No wonder big business loves Republicans. But taxpayers and voters would hate them if only they knew the corrupt reality that stands behind conservatism (otherwise more honestly called “crony-capitalism” or “plutocracy”).
…Basically, these people were Republicans, since Republicans hate government (in a democracy).
They love “the private market” in all matters; many Republicans aren’t just conservatives, they’re “libertarians.” They favor “liberty,” such as was propagandized by Milton Friedman’s 1962 Capitalism and Freedom, and 1980 Free to Choose. (After all, conservatives in Chile’s dictatorship loved Pinochet whose economic system was designed by Milton Friedman; conservatives in Germany’s dictatorship loved Hitler who started the privatization-craze; conservatives in Spain’s dictatorship loved Franco; conservatives in Italy’s dictatorship loved Mussolini; etc.)
Thus, everybody else (that is, non-Republicans) were now paying hefty subsidies to those corporate-operated insurance plans, in order to prevent these for-profit plans from being obviously uncompetitive with the government-operated Medicare Part B insurance. In fact, the CBO study, under its sub-head “Medicare Advantage Plans Cost the Government More Than Traditional Medicare,” said: “In 2007, CBO estimates, the average payment to such [Part D] plans is 12 percent above what traditional FFS [Part B] costs.”
Now, after the Republican U.S. Supreme Court, in 2010, finally unleashed unlimited corporate political spending via their Citizens United decision, voters in Florida and elsewhere are being inundated with shady political commercials to confuse and deceive them so they’ll vote now to lock in this corruption via a Republican House, Senate, and White House. The kleptocrats are hoping that there will be enough suckers for it all to work.”
How did Bush pass Medicare schedule D?
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/lessons_from_the_medicare_pres.html
“Here are some things that happened on the night the GOP pushed the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit through the House of Representatives:
A 15-minute vote was scheduled, and at the end of 15 minutes, the Democrats had won. The Republican leadership froze the clock for three hours while they desperately whipped defectors. This had never been done before.
Tom DeLay bribed Rep. Nick Smith to vote for the legislation, using the political future of Smith’s son for leverage. DeLay was later reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee.
The leadership told Rep. Jim DeMint that they would cut off funding for his Senate race in South Carolina if he didn’t vote for the bill.
The chief actuary of Medicare, Rick Foster, had scored the legislation as costing more than $500 billion. The Bush administration suppressed his report, in a move the Government Accounting Office later judged “illegal.”
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a “no” vote, spent the night “hiding on the Democratic side of the floor, crouching down to avoid eye contact with the Republican search team.”
Rep. Butch Otter, who provided one of the final votes after hours of arm-twisting from the Republican leadership, said, “I thought there was a chance I would get sick on the floor.”
Remember all this? Probably not. There wasn’t much reporting on it at the time. It wasn’t a major controversy, despite resulting in multiple official investigations. I went back through the archives of National Review’s “The Corner” to see if they covered the scandal. Not really…”
Tbone, if you want to join the conversation with the big boys…
…which you are welcome to do, if you can act like a big boy…
…simply state your opinion and the reasons you hold that opinion.
If you feel your facts or your analysis will be questioned, include a link that supports your position.
Putting an entire article in quotes is pretty meaningless… perhaps even foolish.
You really are a dummkoph aren’t you? You can’t put 1 and 1 together because you’re too stupid and don’t know math. Do I have to spell it out for you mindless moron?
1)You see dipsh*t, whatever the GOP has said about Gruber doesn’t really matter and are also lies. They said he’s the “architect” of the ACA and he “lied” to Americans which are both lies.
2)Nobody should want the GOP style of healtcare(see my first link).
3)There isn’t anything wrong with the way the ACA was written/passed compared to how the GOP/Bush put together Medicare part D(see my second link).
DUUUUUH Chickenhead.
“Putting an entire article in quotes is pretty meaningless… perhaps even foolish.”
You ignoramus, neither of the quoted articles were in the “entire” form. DUUUH Chickenhead, you can’t even read the entire articles so what’s it matter dummy?
4)GOP Hypocrisy, if you can’t see any within the above then you’re(Chickenhead etc…) retarded. Of course it might be “boring” nonetheless is certainly informational among the minions here.
More to the point ~
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/supreme-court-just-took-case-could-gut-obamacare-heres-how-states-can-save-it
“On Friday, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear King v. Burwell, a case that could gut Obamacare and leave millions of Americans without health insurance. The case hinges on what is essentially a typo in the Affordable Care Act, a mistake that conservatives claim invalidates most of the subsidies the bill provides to help people buy insurance. If the justices buy the conservatives’ argument—and there’s reason to think they might—residents of the 34 states that provide health insurance via the federal government’s HealthCare.gov, rather than through a state-run exchange, could lose their subsidies. Many people would be unable to afford to buy insurance (as the ACA requires), and the whole system could collapse.
Here’s the good news: There may be a workaround. But there’s also bad news: The solution requires the cooperation of Republican governors and legislators.
The King plaintiffs base their argument on the fact that in parts of the Affordable Care Act, the text says subsidies will be available for people “enrolled through an Exchange established by the State.”
HUUUUUUH, by “State”
States only matter according to GOP’s in Obamacare but not with Nebraska and the Keystone Pipeline.
The GOP wants to fasttrack the Keystone pipeline, they don’t want Obama to care/worry about Nebraska but states DO MATTER when it comes to OBAMACARE. Hehehehehe!!!!!
F***** GOP hypocrites!
http://triblive.com/news/editorspicks/7156479-74/pipeline-obama-bill#axzz3JHVvnMbu
“The pipeline fight is coming to a head as Obama is seeking to cement his environmental legacy by forging a climate deal with China, imposing carbon limits on U.S. power plants, setting aside more public land for conservation and, in an announcement made Friday, providing $3 billion to poor countries to cope with the impact of global warming.
In public, the president and his aides have said they will wait for the State Department review, which has been suspended until Nebraska’s Supreme Court rules whether the pipeline’s route through that state was properly approved. That decision could come out any day; once it does, several agencies will have a chance to comment on whether the project serves the national interest. Secretary of State John Kerry can then issue a final determination, which would be subject to presidential approval.”
Well, Tbone, apart from being a chronic sourpuss when you drink, the numbered point format was far superior to the uninteresting semi-coharent rambling…
…though that picked up again as the alcohol kicked in.
Do you ever reread your comments after you sober up?
One more question, Tbone… why are you pushing off all the hate here for the GOP?
Maybe you did not notice, but there is very little love for the Republicans here. The only time they get any support is when they have a policy that pushes back against some Democrat policy that is even more whacked out.
If you have some important idea you want everyone here to understand and consider, you are really better off focusing on the idea than the Republicans.
You might actually find people agreeing with you.
“though that picked up again as the alcohol kicked in.”
As a f****** stupid dork contract worker like Gruber who gave you the authority to determine the “alcohol kicked in” stage?
You’re nothing but a F****** dummkoph!
“Maybe you did not notice, but there is very little love for the Republicans here.”
Other than Leon, who might that be???
Chickenhead has a BIG MOUTH who is quick to speak for anyone on ROKDROP. What a f*ckin dork!
Perhaps you should inform/contact your stupid girly(BIG MOUTH) minions before you say such ignoramus things because I’d guess them girlies/puppy dogs of yours would be hard pressed to say that there is non-relenting “love for the Republicans” here at the ROK DROP.
So, tbone, why are you so full of hate? Who pissed in your Wheaties today?
Are you just realizing that Barry is the reason there is a 43% unemployment level among young blacks? Or have you not yet figured out that Gruber was talking about you and your fellow travelers?
It was never GOP voters who supported Obamacare. So those are not the “stupid” folks Gruber was talking about.
Tbone, you are the kind of guy other perceive as being beyond help.
If you are abused, you come back for more… which is not uncommon, as it is natural to react with equal hostility even if there is no substance behind it.
But if you are treated nicely or respectably, you reject it… even if the advice is sincere or correct… and you act with bitter hostility to everyone.
This attitude doesn’t get you far in your 20s… but someone still might try to help you thinking you will grow out of it. In your 30s, few will do anything for you… and will actively sabotage you the closer you get to 40. After that, you will simply be discarded like much of the human detritus one sees… angry old men bitter from a lifetime of failure, irrelevance, and disrespect.
Do you want to be there Tbone? You are well on your way.
You need to shape up your act. If you can’t be smart or amusing or clever, at least be nice.
Ugh, can we get an “Open Endless Argument Thread” for the usual suspects who hijack every stinking OT?
I think we need a “Whiners About Hijackers Who Demand an Open Endless Argument Thread” thread for stupid girly bigmouth boring ignoramus dummkoph dummy dorks who love Republicans and can’t add 1 + 1.
“dummkoph dummy dorks”
Heh what?
Okay, I can’t tell if thaw was CH or a tbone sock puppet…
It certainly looks to be T-bone, the real CH would never claim I love repubs. Still doesn’t excuse the use of “dummkoph dummy dorks” though… 😛
This whole thread is probably Obammy’s fault to begin with.
Only Jeebus can save us now…………
The answers can be found in scripture.
Proverbs 26:18-19, Ephesians 4:25,Psalm 15:3.
Gonna be tough for someone to impersonate me. I have no personality…..
I’m sure CH will give it a whirl.
Not gonna be that tough for someone to impersonate you. You have no personality…
CH just gave it a whirl.
Bravo old chap! Bravo!
*yawn*
Actually, CH made sense there… No doubt tongue-in-cheek as usual; but well-researched:
Proverbs 26:18-19 (ESV): Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”
Ephesians 4:25 (ESV): Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Psalm 15:3 (ESV): [O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;]
who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor,
[nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.]
No wonder Leon was disturbed! I’m pretty certain CH did it without reflective belt or safety goggles!!
Regardless of belief, the Bible is full of interesting stories and useful wisdom which can guide one to a better way of living if applied thoughtfully.
Setnaffa appears to live his life and regulate his thinking in accordance with many of the good principles found in the Bible.
For that, he should be admired and respected…
…and I mean that.
GOP illegal/FRAUDULENT 2014 elections via dead drops on twitter
http://rt.com/usa/206403-republicans-twitter-election-fraud/
“The National Republican Congressional Committee used secret codes over Twitter to share polling data with third-party organizations, an investigation shows, possibly violating election laws forbidding third-party groups from coordinating with campaigns.
Using techniques normally associated with secret agents, an investigation by CNN showed the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) shared polling data with Super Political Action Committees (Super PACs) by using dead drops and cypher codes.
Reporters found that a normal tweet involved in the process would be posted on public accounts and read, for example: “CA-40/43-44/49-44/44-50/36-44/49-10/16/14-52–>49/476-10s.”
The anonymous source told CNN the tweets he or she captured in screenshots stretched back to July, but the groups have communicated in this manner for four years. Staffers for each group deleted individual tweets every few months, so only the past few months of data were available when CNN first viewed the Twitter accounts. The network’s Chris Moody argued these techniques were designed to skirt election laws.
He found out that two outside groups and a Republican campaign committee had access to the information posted to the accounts. They include American Crossroads, the super PAC founded by Karl Rove, the American Action Network, a nonprofit advocacy group, and the NRCC, which is the campaign arm for the House GOP.
And just minutes after Moody asked the NRCC about the scheme, the Twitter accounts were deleted.”
Tbone: “GOP illegal/FRAUDULENT 2014 elections via dead drops on twitter”
Article: “Tweeting such information, then, would seem illegal – but election experts are not so sure.”
Reality: The system is broken and any “fix” will quickly be corrupted to push the boundaries of the letter of the law while openly violating the spirit of the law… as is the intention of those in both parties who created the “fix” to show “something is being done” while already formulating the work-around.
The Economist magazine offers an explanation to the question many have asked:
Why so many Koreans are called Kim?
One of the things I learned is that foreigners who become naturalized Korean citizens also get to choose their own Korean surname.
I might respect Setnaffy had the choice been his. He never had one, ergo the problem…
Does every thread need ancient scribblings in it? Obammy and Jebus – ALL THE TIME! Guess I’m going to have to start counterpointing again.
Another black man pushes Asian onto NYC subway tracks
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/16/man-nyc-subway-pushed_n_6167904.html
“Hands down! Don’t push!”
Keystone Fails but why was there a vote before the Nebraska pending court case has yet to be decided? Duh, the GOP would prefer to ignore that via fast tracking the deal even though S. Dakota native Americans call it “WAR.” What would the GOP do without the Keystone?
http://news.yahoo.com/u-senate-heads-vote-keystone-xl-pipeline-060923212–finance.html
“What’s more, Jon Chait argues Republicans may not actually want Keystone built, so much as they want to complain about Keystone not being built.
The trouble is, there’s little reason to think Republicans actually care about approving Keystone. Its value to them lies entirely in its use as a talking point. […]
You have to ask yourself what Republicans would get out of the pipeline. It doesn’t carry much benefit for American energy firms – the benefits would flow to Canadian oil companies, who would otherwise have to find more expensive means to transport their product…. If Obama approves the Keystone XL pipeline, then Republicans pretty much have no jobs plan any more.”
A South Dakota Sioux tribal leader says building the Keystone XL pipeline is a violation of an 1868 treaty, and threatens ‘war’ against the pipeline.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2014/1118/Sioux-tribe-calls-Keystone-XL-approval-act-of-war.-What-does-that-mean
…and says it will close reservation borders if the government attempts to build a pipeline there.
“The House has now signed our death warrants and the death warrants of our children and grandchildren. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will not allow this pipeline through our lands,” tribe President Cyril Scott said in a statement. “We will close our reservation borders to Keystone XL.”
The Rosebud Sioux Tribe is not alone in its opposition to the pipeline. A new alliance of ranchers and Native Americans oppose the pipeline in South Dakota, and a number of tribes have adopted tribal resolutions against the project. And some South Dakota tribes have even been “preparing for nonviolent battle with “resistance training” aimed at TransCanada,” reports McClatchy, adding that “they’re considering everything from vigils to civil disobedience to blockades to thwart the moving of construction equipment and the delivery of materials”
tbone, that vote happened because Democrats allowed it. And it was 41 Democrats who knew Obama could veto it but still chose to sacrifice Mary Landrieu….
“I might respect Setnaffy had the choice been his. He never had one, ergo the problem…”
What choice was that? I’m a sinner who needs a Savior? That choice?
Please elucidate.
While 58 of 100 Senators voted to approve legislation to curb the NSA it still failed to pass.
Link didn’t work:
http://www.wired.com/2014/11/usa-freedom-act-fails-in-senate/
I, myself, support tolerance and diversity and believe segregation of Native Americans is a human rights violation ranking up there with the slavery of African Americans or the denial of women to vote.
Native Americans need to be accepted into diverse modern American society and there are few better ways of showing acceptance than by allowing them not only to be caretakers of the land in accordance with their culture, but also caretakers of hundreds of miles of petroleum-transporting pipeline.
Even better, instead of encouraging their Stockholm Syndrome-inspired isolation and self-segregation, perhaps it is time to incorporate them into America’s diverse culture and move them into cities, with the resource-heavy oil companies being replacement caretakers for former Native American lands.
It is a true shame to see discrimination toward Native Americans to the point they do not feel like full members of American society. There is no better way to solve this than by abolishing the archaic reservation system and sending it the way of the plantation system.
Support Native American rights and make ALL American land accessable to Native Americans as it is for European American encroachers. Stop the segregation and isolation by destroying the reservation system.
No Equality, No Peace!
“tbone, that vote happened because Democrats allowed it.”
Wrong, it ain’t about “allowing” and there ain’t any plural in democrat(s) because it was a democrat(stupid woman) as she was stupidly trying to look good/compete with the Louisiana/GOP even though she’s losing according to the polls by double digit #’s.
If she didn’t call for the vote a republican would’ve?
The question is…why don’t the democrats NOW call for the vote of recently nominated Attorney General/Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch instead of what they seem to be doing…wait until next year when the republicans can vote her down?
“why don’t the democrats NOW call for the vote of recently nominated Attorney General/Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch”
Because she is black and she is a woman…
…hooray…
…but her record of fascism is even scarier than Holder’s…
…so it is a real delemma for Democrats…
…just like taxpayer funded abortions… for poor minorities… would be a real dilemma for the Republican right.
Fortunately, the Democrats are wisely going to ignore the situation until it falls under Republican control… then they can avoid another destructive right-wing racist AG while screaming how Republicans are against women and minorities.
…quite a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too scenario for the Democrats.
Obama will be “forced” to appoint the white male (with more liberal credentials that he really wants) and the Democrats can get in a second round of outrage over Republican racism and misogyny.
Crafty yet elegant.
“Another black man pushes Asian onto NYC subway tracks”
What leads you to the say the assailant was black? I’ve seen this story on two major media sites and both seem to make a point of not saying what color they were which is what makes me think the guy was black but what’s your reason?
Smokes, could it be all the videos of a black man the police released in the manhunt?
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/nyregion/bronx-subway-killing-investigation.html?referrer=
Ahh that would explain it then. The story didn’t interest me enough to go tracking down all the coverage. Find it odd that with the US being the anti-Korea in terms of safety measures why suicide doors aren’t standard on all public train systems. We’re talking about a country that won’t let you put neon lights on your car because it’s too distracting and could cause accidents.
Friends of Kim – North Korea Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtwVs_G5myw
Watch as a group of people who wouldn’t believe fire was hot after 1000 people told them it was and had to stick their hands in it to believe find out just how 5hitty the DPRK is.
Hmm.. we should take up a collection to get Tom booked on one of their “tours”.
tbone, NOTHING gets a vote in the Senate unless the Majority Leader (in this case Harry Reid) allows it.
The other is about Harry Reid, too.
I’m not saying there are no issues abot the GOP; but the Democrats currently own the White House and the Senate.
Univision will take a break in the 2014 Latin Grammys to broadcast President Obama’s speech on immigration “reform”.
This shows the deep racism of whites as none of the networks will be showing the speech during the 2014 Caucasian Grammys.
The Caucasian Grammys have gotten so superficial of late, I prefer to watch The Pasties, plus I hear it gets you bonus points on your White Card at the annual White People’s meeting.
Michael Phelps self-proclaimed girlfriend admits she was born a MAN
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2841581/Michael-Phelps-girlfriend-admits-born-male-describes-amazing-sex-Olympic-swimmer.html
Denny: “Michael Phelps self-proclaimed girlfriend admits she was born a MAN”
Actual Quote: “I was never a man”
Article: “Chandler was born a male however in name only, and is actually intersex, meaning she had male genitalia, but no testicles, while also having a uterus and no ovaries.”
Reality 1: It is exceedingly rare for a “man” to be born… with all known cases having to be a “boy” first.
Reality 2: She has the crazy lady look… or crazy dude-looks-like-a-crazy lady look… or something… and it would not be surprising to learn that Michael Phelps has no idea who the fukk she is.
Reality 3: Smokes is probably looking into swimming lessons.
Denny’s used to be a good place to get coffee and breakfast. Not so sure any more… Far too polarized and racist, if you ask me…
Denny looking at pictures of the woman in question in the article I can understand why Phelps would think she was 100% female which really she now is. Also after reading the article it seems like Phelps should get away from this woman because she seems like the fatal attraction type. The way the article is written she seems completely obsessed with him.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/20/nsa-director-china-can-damage-us-power-grid/
The only answer the Admiral can come up with is “International Law”? We may be pwned already.
GI Korea: “… I can understand why Phelps would think she was 100% female which really she now is.”
Biology argues differently. Naughty bits may have been cutoff, altered, or otherwise rearranged. Hormones and other chemicals may have been injected and otherwise administered as well. But nothing, absolutely nothing (with current medical technology), can change the fact that this “woman” is a male of the species. As we all know, boys and girls are different. It goes deeper than number of skin folds, shape and size of orifices, and artificially introduced chemicals.
Superficial differences are just that, superficial. Sex reassignment surgery cannot change chromosomes.
Even a man’s and woman’s bone structure differ to such an extent that the center of gravity of male and female bodies are different.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/12/female-lower-back-has-evolved-to-accommodate-strain-of-pregnancy/
Just curious, but if you are born with both genital types, which gender’s chromosomes will you have?
Also for clarification, does that make me…………..bicurious?
The scope of my comment is limited to normal circumstances. I realize there can be biological complications. I suppose we’d have to rely on medical science to make such determinations, not on how one “feels” or what they prefer…
The corruption of a generation … belatedly.
GOP whining white men lawmakers, they crack me up with their petulant child behavior.
Leon, she (as self-identified) was born intersex.
The “normal” rules of what differentiates the men and women (from the extreme ends of the gender scale we generally encounter) do not apply.
It is possible she is genetically every bit a woman… or it is even possible she has mosaic genetics… with both male and female cells.
There is not enough information in the article to determine her situation… if it even matters.
If her action and thinking are pleasingly feminine and her naughty bit are compatible, it would likely be much better to wake up with that each morning than with some of the 100% real-born “women” one encounters on a daily basis.
Sheesh… I’m starting to sound like Smokes rationalizing away his tranny habit.
Obama historical speech, this night will be remembered in history.
http://www.newsweek.com/where-can-i-watch-obamas-immigration-speech-285890I\
BTW, I’m for the Obama’s temporary 3 year relief for immigrants because immigration has been a thorn in the side of do something Americans. Of course for you do nothing Americans(GOP lovers/likers/supporters) I’m not surprised at your lazy and whining ways.
CH: “Maybe you did not notice, but there is very little love for the Republicans here.”
I hear nothing but crickets on this historical night at ROKDROP by ALL the “non-loving republicans.”
Perhaps you’d be better off saying…’like’ rather than “love” aye? It doesn’t take “love” to get the ball drooping jock itch GOP “liking”(LOVING) crowd to get sweaty all over.
CH: “but her record of fascism is even scarier than Holder’s…”
Do you even know what “fascism” means? Or what about “amnesty.” I doubt you and most GOP’s do…
Chickenhead is right on with the republicans new “fascism” word since “socialism” stopped grabbing the ire of republicans/Foxnews regular watchers. Next, you’ll be talking about “secret science.”
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republicans-amnesty-and-the-point-which-words-lose-meaning#break
“Saul Anuzis, a former head of the Michigan Republican Party who ran for the RNC chairmanship, decided it was time for his party to throw around the word “fascism” to add weight to their condemnations. “We’ve so overused the word ‘socialism’ that it no longer has the negative connotation it had 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago,” Anuzis said. “Fascism – everybody still thinks that’s a bad thing.”
In context, it was clear that Republicans who accused Obama of “fascism” didn’t know what “fascism” means, and they didn’t much care. The definition of the word was meaningless – all that mattered, Republicans said in 2009, was “finding something that raises the consciousness of the average voter.” If that meant changing the meaning of words, so be it.
More than five years later, in the immigration debate, Republicans are committed to the “amnesty” talking point, since they assume it sounds bad. But when Betsy Woodruff asked GOP lawmakers what the word means, many of them had no idea.
Some of the top legislators who frequently use the term can’t actually explain what amnesty is. I spent the past few days asking Republican senators what they meant when they referred to amnesty in terms of immigration policy. The answers I got were intriguing. That’s because while Republican congressional leaders are always eager to discuss their opposition to this vague, amorphous concept, many of them are downright befuddled when asked to explain what that concept looks like in real life. Their responses ranged from straightforward to nonsensical.
When I asked Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican, what specific immigration policies he was referring to when he used the term amnesty, he said, “I don’t understand the question.”
…Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) who said amnesty “would be a pathway to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants. Told that meant, by definition, Obama’s plan wouldn’t constitute “amnesty,” the Arkansas Republican replied, “That might require whatever.”
lawmakers shouldn’t use words if they don’t know what the words mean. Second, politicians shouldn’t change the meaning of words just because they feel like it.
This goes far beyond “amnesty.” The word “socialism” no longer means anything – Republicans decided it was a synonym for “liberal.” “Judicial activism” has been stripped of its definition. So has “court packing” and “socialized medicine.”
These used to be perfectly good words with perfectly clear meanings, right up until political figures decided entirely new, made-up definitions helped “raise the consciousness of the average voter.”
Part of the problem is the fact that Republicans don’t seem to know the meaning of the words they use, but the larger concern is that they just don’t seem to care. I half expect GOP lawmakers to respond to future questions about words they’re misusing by saying, “I’m not an etymologist.”
If “I’m not a scientist” works for the party, maybe this will, too?”
The point is…Chickenhead etc…(because I’m so “annoying” right GI Korea?) is/are by definition a GOP LOVER(S)!!!
Tomorrow Obama will speak where he did soon after his last election win in 2012.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/president-obama-speaks-del-sol-high-school
At this high school he received a standing ovation for his immigration intentions for which in part he won the 2012 election and 60+% of Americans support Obama.
Soon after that Obama or the Senate voted his plan in 62 for(including 14 repubs) and 32 against. The house/congress promised to vote but only in “bits and pieces”(Obama said OKAY FINE and DANDY) but of course the repubs in the house/congress broke their promise.
Be sure to watch Obama speak LIVE tomorrow or in about 14 hours at the website above!
Ski club sides with ‘f*cking racist pussy’ white supremacist over neocon(former John McCain Hawk Advisor) in dispute..
So today, does the GOP prefer white supremacists over war hawks? I think the GOP LOVES both white supremacists and war hawks!!!
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/ski-club-sides-with-fcking-racist-pussy-white-supremacist-over-neocon-in-personal-dispute/
“A private ski club in the town recently sided with Spencer in a dispute with another member, Randy Scheunemann, a neoconservative foreign policy expert, former lobbyist for the Georgian government, and former advisor to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
The pair got into an argument during a chance encounter on a ski lift and then resumed the dispute during a Christmas party at the Big Mountain Club.
Spencer berated Scheunemann after learning he worked in Washington “for being a neocon and for believing in this whole democracy BS.”
Scheunemann – who called the 36-year-old Spencer a “f*cking racist pussy” in front of other members at the holiday event — told the club it must choose between him and the white nationalist.
The club chose to keep Spencer as a member and expelled Scheunemann – several weeks after the white nationalist was arrested and expelled from Hungary, where he was organizing an international congress of white supremacists…
…Jason Richwine, the co-author of a controversial Heritage Foundation(GOP) report criticizing a U.S. Senate immigration reform bill, had written a research study that found recent Hispanic immigrants had a “real cognitive deficit” compared to U.S.-born whites.
Richwine, who eventually resigned from the conservative think tank over his previous research, also had written for AlternativeRight.com, a web forum operated by Spencer and the white supremacist think tank he oversees.”
GOP senator(Oklahoma – Tom Coburn) warns(incites) of violence after immigration order. This puts any GOP claim to shame that Obama or even Al Sharpton has done anything close to it in Ferguson, MO
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/19/usa-today-capital-download-with-tom-coburn/19263969/
For Chickenhead because his English is VERY poor(as well as his math)…He needs to know what “amnesty” is as do SOOOOO many other GOP’s.
After he learns what “amnesty” is he can then explain what he said here…
“but her(Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch) record of fascism is even scarier than Holder’s…”
Hehehe, this ought to be good!!! Go ahead dummkoph = Chickenhead, tell us all about the fascism of Loretta Lynch?
Obama speech script…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-obamas-immigration-speech/2014/11/20/14ba8042-7117-11e4-893f-86bd390a3340_story.html
“I know some of the critics of the action call it amnesty. Well, it’s the not. Amnesty is the immigration system we have today. Millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time. That’s the real amnesty, leaving this broken system the way it is. Mass amnesty would be unfair. Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary it to our character.
What I’m describing is accountability. A common sense middle- ground approach. If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up.”
On Amnesty: With the granting of working privileges for both un-skilled and tech-skilled aliens, the groups most affected by this are unskilled Americans and lefty tech workers… both of which generally vote Democrat.
It is quite amazing that long-term Democrat supporters such as unions and the black/Hispanic-American communities are completely silent on this… as this will hurt them far more than well-off Republicans who will simply have access to cheaper yard work.
Middle class Democrats and Republicans will likely feel some wage and employment pressure as well… but the Democrats are silent.
Suicide by liberalism.
On Fascism: You make interesting points, Tbone… but the reality is she fits a good number of the items on a fascist checklist based on her speeches and work history… though, as a neo-fascist, this might not be immediately apparent.
I can go down the entire checklist in detail… but to give an idea… fradulent elections are a component of fascism and she opposes Voter ID laws which help insure there is no voter fraud… or the use of scapegoats in which she has openly blamed white racism for black failings… or an obsession with law and order over human rights, such as her great support of policing-for-profit civil asset forfeiture for those not even charged with a crime… or cronyism, as she and Eric Holder’s wife were founding sisters of a sority in 1980… etc.
Just because someone is not waving a flag and saluting an idolized leader does not mean they have no fascism in them.
Be aware she has been advising AG Holder… and, it seems, had some influence in the decision not to go after corrupt bankers… which is another characteristic of fascism.
We can argue this further, if you wish.
Obama’s immigration order gives tech community some – but not all – of what it wants
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/11/20/obamas-immigration-order-will-give-tech-community-some-but-not-all-of-what-it-wants/
Woman walking in New York City for 5 hours, gets sexually harassed 150 times. But when she puts on the Muslim hijab, nobody approaches her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgw6y3cH7tA
I’ve never been to New York City before, but the street slum scenes there looks about 5 times as worse than Korea’s worst looking dirt slum in Itaewon. I now want to praise Itaewon for its cleanliness and crime free nature, after seeing this video, thanks to slum city, New York.
Old news, but even a lazy troll attempt by Tom is welcomed after this overload of CH vs. TBone poop. 😛
Do you agree? Is the comparison to Harding more appropiate than Carter? Is Obama’s regime more scandalous than Warren Harding’s? http://victorhanson.com/wordpress/?p=7910
BTW, I think tbone is probably just thinking he can convince us that volume equals quality. But I still hope someone intervenes for him.
He seems torn between (on the one hand) wanting to drive certain folks away with his filth and drivel, and (on the other hand) engaging in “magic thinking” that Democrat social programs will usher in the Jubilee…
He writes (or at least cuts and pastes) like he really believes that having more and more people on unemployment and/or foodstamps will drive the economy towards Utopia (instead of bankruptcy and ruin).
John Wayne famously said, “Life is hard; its harder when you’re stupid.” Perhaps tbone should “change the channel” or just “MoveOn”.
Setnaffa, be aware that Tbone is likely to be chronically dependent on the State for the rest of his life.
He has almost no savings, he has no marketable skill, he has no social ability or network of successful friends… he has no ability to get another easy overseas job… and, most of all, he has no plan… except to push Democratic ideals… which he expects will take care of him…
…and, sadly, he may be right… as dependent people are threatening to outnumber productive people… and the government is certainly on the side of Big Business and the Chronically Dependent while doing its best to be against the Independently Productive.
Smokes, relax. Tbone no longer interests me. After digging deeper, I realize there is nothing that I can say or do that will “punish” him for being a screwball bag of diicks more than he has/will do to himself. His life is/will be its own punishment. He might change… in which case he deserves pity and assistance… but he likely will not… as most don’t. He will just become more bitter and hateful and blaming of others… and cause others to laugh at him even more… behind his back or to his face, depending on their manners.
We have all known this type of person in Real Life and we wondered what they were like when they were younger. Look no farther than Tbone.
Besides, I have a bigger fish to fry… or, more accurately, I have a big fish on the hook and I simply need to wait until the cook arrives.
It might take a year or two… but I am patient… and I assure you of an interesting and satisfying show.
Princess Leia, walking for 10 hours in NY City:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DCDYSJwwE4
CH, looking forward to an interesting BBQ…
Here’s a tip on dieting… http://nakediwilldepart.org/
Tbone posting a wall of text. mmmm
Setnaffy calling someone out for “magic thinking” priceless!
Leon, you’re saying never seen God’s work in your life, or that you have and you rejected it anyway. But I have seen it in mine, and my family. Nothing dramatic like seas parting or the like; but if we meet we could chat about it over a seasonally-appropriate beverage.
You think I believe in “magic thinking”; but unfortunately, that doesn’t fit the facts. We all have faith in something. Your faith seems to be that either God doesn’t exist. Mine is based on the Bible and my need for a Savior.
Pardon me for mentioning it; but we’re all imperfect. We all make mistakes. Sometimes big ones. If you’re reading this, you, like me, have been blessed to avoid getting killed while blundering around. And I believe it’s because He isn’t finished with us yet.
You’re entitled, under the US Constitution, to believe what you want. As long as you live.
And then, if I’m right, you’ll meet Jesus.
So we let all these immigrants sign up on the tax rolls.
They have no reported income, but a lot of dependants!
Therefore a big Federal refund.
More of the nanny state.
Got it Setnaffy. You believe that a cosmic zombie (who was his own father), born from a ‘virgin’, can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in all humans because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree and thereby pissing off an invisible wizard who lives in the sky (who couldn’t find the only 2 humans on Earth)? Seems legit.
Every one of the extinct religions had adherents who were just as fervent as you. When yours evolves into something else or dies out all together, well, it will be the same. One thing I do know, some of the bitterest, meanest, unhappy people I have ever met claim to be Christians, and the more hardcore they are about it, the unhappier they seem and the worse they treat others. Isn’t that odd?
Any way, you certainly have the freedom to believe anything you like as well. I’d fight to protect that right. But I’d ask you to kindly please not vote. 😛
Cheers!
Setnaffa, I read the story and I have one sincere question.
If this gentleman continued eating hamburgers, he would not only enjoy his life more, but he would meet God sooner. This seems like a win-win.
I am asking this question with honesty and sincerity because it is one of the handful of dealbreakers when I look at organized Christianity…
…if Christians truly believe in the wonders of the afterlife, why are they so resistant to the idea of dying and why do they possess such a desire to extend life?
This lack of true faith was especially noticible compared to Muslims who were downright careless in their actions… with total faith that Allah would do the correct thing.
I have asked this question of others since childhood and have received nothing of substance… which I recognized even as a child.
I am not asking to make fun of you or trip you up in your answer.
Cosby Show and the attack on Bill. Why? Because he helped Obama, it all makes sense now! The GOP is behind the attack on Bill Cosby.
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2014/10/07/did-the-cosby-show-help-obama-get-elected/
Q: So explain that idea, because a number of people have made it, and you talk about it in the book, that if not for Bill Cosby and “The Cosby Show,” Obama might not be president.
A: Well, the person who made the point, 15 minutes after Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, was Karl Rove. He was on Fox News. And he was talking to Chris Wallace about the social significance of the election.
And they pointed out for the first time, we were going to have an African-American family in the White House. And Karl Rove said, no, wait a second, you know, we’ve already had an African-American family that was sort of America’s family, and that was the Huxtables and “The Cosby Show.”
CH: “On Amnesty:”
Obama did not grant amnesty you foolish liar. Did Obama snap his finger and immediatly give 5 million undocumented immigrants citizenship? NOOOOO!!!!! Amnesty is what President Reagan did in 1986( Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986) which gave citizenship to nearly three million undocumented immigrants. Just Google “Reagan on Amnesty” Youtube.
CH: ” as this will hurt them far more than well-off Republicans who will simply have access to cheaper yard work.
Middle class Democrats and Republicans will likely feel some wage and employment pressure as well… but the Democrats are silent.”
I’ll bet you that you’ll never be able to show us that there will be “cheaper yard work” in the aggregate and the “wage pressure” is upward, have you been ignoring the states that just passed minimum wage increases? In fact, there will be more in the future. As a GOP lover it’s strange that you’d be blaming Obama on “cheaper yard work” when the GOP loves that idea, them cheap SOB’es.
Oh I know, you just won’t believe me but what about Megyn Kelly/Foxnews?
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/11/20/megyn-kelly-admits-obamas-executive-action-isnt-amnesty-fox-news-and-republicans-purposefully-lie/
For months Fox News has been perpetuating the myth that the executive action President Obama will propose is “amnesty.” However, on the November 19th broadcast of The Kelly File Megyn Kelly admitted to her viewers that what the president is proposing is not amnesty at all, and that the word is purposefully being used as “a hot button term that the right uses to sort of get people upset” — and it works.
Here’s the video of her admission via Media Matters:
The lie that the executive action is “amnesty” is not only being spread by Fox News, but also by those in Congress and the Senate. It’s become the go-to catch phrase to embolden the conservative base to come out against the president.
This morning, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) tweeted out that what the president will sign is “unilateral amnesty” making the assumption that those are the president’s words, even though President Obama never said his intentions were to offer amnesty.”
From dictionary.com :
amnesty
1. a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
2. Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole.
3. a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.
Like JackBSwift, I wonder what the estimated numbers are for how much “fair share” these people “coming out of the shadows” will be paying, since most of them likely don’t make enough money to pay any taxes at all.
Including tax credits for dependents, they may end up TAKING their fair share instead.
I suspect that if the fees for illegal residents to get right with the law are on par with what it cost for people to come into the country as legal residents (over the thousand dollar mark if I remember correctly) then many of these people will choose to remain in the shadows.
CH: “On Fascism:”
“but to give an idea… fradulent elections are a component of fascism and she opposes Voter ID laws which help insure there is no voter fraud”
Don’t forget how the GOP is most recently ALL in on election fraud using twitter. F****** FASCISTS!
You also forgot the cut back on early voting in key swing states/voting on college campuses which have gone hand in hand with Voter ID laws, all initiated by the GOP to quash the vote.
Chickenhead is for gutting voting rights = Chickenhead is a FASCIST!
Or is it that Chickenhead is a racist? Which do you favor more Chickenhead, racism or fascism?
Why don’t you tell us all about the “communist agenda of Loretta Lynch?”
I think Loretta Lynch is more against bringing race/racism(the darker skin type) into Voter ID laws.
If you could you’d want us all to believe you without any questions and that you could lead us(so we should follow you) to a greater good. Chickenhead is a FASCIST!
CH: “It is quite amazing that long-term Democrat supporters such as unions are completely silent on this” – what Chickenhead would have you believe is Obama’s immigration plan.
But who has suppressed the labor Unions? Ahhh haaaaah, the GOP = Fascists!
Rand Paul calls out GOP over voter fraud claims
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rand-paul-gop-voter-fraud
“Sen. Rand Paul thinks the GOP might be over-hyping instances of voter fraud, and that Republicans shouldn’t scrap early voting.
“There is still some fraud, and so we should stop that,” the Kentucky senator, considered a leading potential contender for the GOP’s 2016 presidential nomination, told former Obama adviser David Axelrod during a sit-down Tuesday at the University of Chicago.
“Although the incidence of fraud is relatively small,” Axelrod said.
“It probably is, and I think Republicans may have over-emphasized this. I don’t know,” replied Paul, who made clear that, like most of his party, he supports voter ID requirements.
Republicans have cited fraud to justify a host of restrictions on voting in recent years, including strict voter ID laws in Texas, North Carolina, and other states. They’ve continued to seize on any opportunity to highlight fraud, even though studies have conclusively shown that the amount of such fraud is so small as to be statistically insignificant.”
Setnaffa: “BTW, I think tbone is probably just thinking he can convince us…”
“us”?
Hey, didn’t you get CH’s memo? “Nobody” on the ROKDROP has a love for the GOP.
Senaffa: “So, tbone, why are you so full of hate?”
I don’t hate anyone or anything but when I want to watch people hate I just turn on Foxnews or read comments from others on ROKDROP.
GOP Benghazi report obliterates Fox News’ version of Benghazi
The report was released on a Friday and foxnews ain’t talking about it on TV. Hehehe!!!
http://jaybookman.blog.ajc.com/2014/11/22/gop-led-report-obliterates-fox-news-version-of-benghazi/
“That’s pretty much a slam-dunk refutation of the entire Benghazi conspiracy theory so avidly argued by many conservatives, and again, it comes from the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee. Similar press accounts of the committee findings were filed by NPR, the Washington Post, The Hill, NBC, etc. The whole right-wing Benghazi narrative is exposed for what it always was, which is nonsense.
Of course, no media outlet has been more fixated on Benghazi than Fox News. Here’s the story and headline on the Fox home page, in such tiny text it had to be highlighted so you can find it:…”
A white girl in Korea describes a white guy she met in a pub.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7zQFYqqPgg
This just about describes well the state of white expat guys in Korea.
Gambling nuke commander linked to fake poker chips
The admiral fired last year as No. 2 commander of U.S. nuclear forces may have made his own counterfeit $500 poker chips with paint and stickers to feed a gambling habit that eventually saw him banned from an entire network of casinos, according to a criminal investigative report obtained by The Associated Press.
Though Rear Adm. Timothy M. Giardina’s removal as deputy head of U.S. Strategic Command was announced last year, evidence of his possible role in manufacturing the counterfeit chips has not previously been revealed. Investigators said they found his DNA on the underside of an adhesive sticker used to alter genuine $1 poker chips to make them look like $500 chips.
Giardina, who remains on the Navy payroll as a staff officer in Washington, was never charged with counterfeiting. Instead he was found guilty in May 2014 of two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer — lying to an investigator and passing fake gambling chips. He was given a written reprimand and ordered to forfeit $4,000 in pay.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/22/gambling-nuke-commander-linked-to-fake-poker-chips/?intcmp=latestnews
If this guy was enlisted, he would of been icarcerated/discharged.
CH, your question is fine! I’m sorry about the length of my answer. It is, in many ways too long because I am not eloquent. And too short because some things almost require a book.
First, please remember that we consider there was only one sinless man, Jesus Christ. The rest of us have sin and weakness.
Second, most Christians consider suicide a sin, even in cases of terminal cancer. Paul wrote about wanting to go home but being forced to remain to help others in Philippians 1:21-23 (ESV)
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
(We ought to believe the length of our life and the state of our health are in God’s hands. There is the book of Job, if you want to read more.)
Third, as to authenticity, there are a lot of folks who believe they are a Christian because they regularly attend a church, because their parents were, etc. Others recognize it’s not about rituals or performance art, it’s about developing a relationship with someone who actually loved us enough to volunteer to be crucified in our place. It’s human nature to hang false labels on ourselves (think “Stolen Valor”); but Jesus talks about this in Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ”
Finally, I would like to point out that there have been thousands of Christians killed in horrific ways rather than convert to Islam (even with crossed fingers)–in just the last six months (Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and many other countries). American and Korean Christians have, for the most part, not been tested like that; but that time is coming.
You should just go visit Nelson’s church some Sunday morning. They’re nice folks and you can see for yourself whether they have something real or not. “Taste and see” wrote Isaiah…
Leon,
“Tbone posting a wall of text. mmmm
Setnaffy calling someone out for “magic thinking” priceless!”
It’s not like you’re full of creativity, you’re either anti-religion/setnaffa or kissing Chickenhead’s buttocks in the tree.
“He who is without sin can cast the first stone”
And, you don’t have to read the “wall of text” now do you? Perhaps you should provide a link or two once in a while so you’re not always SAME SAME = Leon!!
Vet Suicide bill ready to pass
http://www.stripes.com/news/va-suicide-overhaul-bill-gets-push-in-congress-1.315022
Who cares about Clay Hunt’s wrist/suicide? He volunteered, he(and all other idiots) got what was coming to him, DOD dept’s mass employment socialist overpaid salary never ending deep azz well, then Vet status retirement $$$ after wimpy can’t handle real civilization life due to his unskilled labor/non-educated dummy crazy mind let me rape a woman and get by with it status, plus donated funds probably from “Wounded Warrior” to top it off with his own punk face suicide.
Like SOOOOO many leachazz Vets…22 punk azz Vets per day off themselves, while Veterans caught triple-dipping on benefits.
If I were Obama I get out the pen and veto this suckazzbill.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/30/veterans-caught-triple-dipping-on-benefits/?page=all
“Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, is taken to task over those veterans who are abusing the government benefits system.
One veteran on disability collected nearly $210,000 in benefits in 2013, while another earned more than $122,000 — nearly three times what his actual military pay would have been — according to a watchdog report being released Thursday that found tens of thousands of veterans are triple-dipping on disability.”
I know I’m not the only one sick of a certain someone’s desire to hijack every single open thread…
Enough dude, let other people talk once and a while; you’re the new RetiredGI only with Tom’s attitude and talent for humor.
Defunding immigration order ‘impossible’ says House GOP panel. But some republicans just don’t believe it and won’t accept it – there must be a “red herring.”
Sorry GOP dummies, but on this funding matter there are NOT “a lot of ways to skin a cat.”
Hehehehehe!!!!!
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/224837-appropriations-panel-defunding-immigration-order-impossible
“In a statement released by Committee Chairman Hal Rogers’s (R-Ky.) office hours before Obama’s scheduled national address, the committee said the primary agency responsible for implementing Obama’s actions is funded entirely by user fees.
“We cannot, literally cannot, defund that agency in an appropriations bill because we don’t appropriate that agency. That agency is entirely fee-funded,” spokeswoman Jennifer Hing said.
“As of right now, our understanding is the primary agency responsible for implementing any type of executive order is CIS and we don’t fund CIS. There are no appropriated dollars,” she added.
He and GOP leaders have come under pressure from conservative Republicans to use a funding bill to prevent Obama’s administration from carrying out executive actions on immigration that could give legal status to millions of immigrants.
Those conservatives have called for a spending measure to defund certain agencies that would carry out the order.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), who wants to defund the order, said he didn’t buy the argument from appropriators.
“I just don’t believe that,” he told reporters.
“They’re contriving red herring arguments to get to the point that enough members will walk out of this Congress and go home for Thanksgiving saying, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do.’ ”
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) also dismissed the argument and said lawmakers could attach language to an appropriations bill that would result in defunding the order.
Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations panel, acknowledged the procedural difficulties in defunding Obama’s order, but said there are ways around them.
“That’s one of the challenges we’ve always had, but to say you can’t do something, maybe we need to explore more options,” he said.
“You can put a rider on a lot of things. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat.”
Budget expert Stan Collender, executive vice president at Qorvis MSLGROUP, agreed that Republicans have options.
“Congress can, if it wishes, use an appropriations bill to include authorization language,” he said. “There’s no constitutional prohibition against that.”
But while Collender warned to take Rogers’ words about defunding with a “grain of salt,…”
Amnesty ~ Chickenhead Style…Where was the GOP vitriol uproar in 2012???
It must be okay for illegals to volunteer for the military and not a peep be heard. Why weren’t there threats of gov’t shutdown or an Obama impeachment? Hypocrits! Shame Shame Shame, illegals serving in the USA military.
‘Undocumented immigrants can now serve in the military, says Department of Defense
Policy change will allow recruiters to target up to 1,500 foreign nationals with specialized skills who arrived in the U.S. before age 16.’
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/undocumented-immigrants-join-u-s-military-dod-article-1.1953440
“Immigrants who came to the U.S. with their parents before age 16 are eligible and may be part of a broader strategy to create new paths to citizenship. There are up to 2 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who might qualify for the MAVNI program through 2012’s Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program.”
Setnaffa, thank you for your kind reply.
I understand suicide is considered a sin… and this makes sense on every level.
This leads to the question of what constitutes suicide. In this case, would continuing to eat hamburgers be considered a form of slow suicide when it was known to possibly speed up death? How does this fit with Christians who smoke, eat unhealthy foods, engage in risky behavior, or lack exercise?
At what point does behavior known to speed up death become a sin? Especially when this behavior is intentional. Are they all going to hell?
This leads back to the original question.
Is not wearing a seatbelt, refusing medical care, or not looking both ways before crossing the street a supreme act of devotion and faith to God (who demands constant demonstrations of devotion and faith) or is it sinful carelessness bordering on suicide while showing a lack of faith that God will care for his flock?
I have never gotten a clear answer on the thinking behind this. Perhaps there really isn’t one?
I await your thoughtful reply.
Tbone, as I have stated before, “illegal aliens” who came to America as children are likely socialized primarily as Americans. If they are willing to serve in the military and can demonstrate they are “American” in thinking, values, and the belief in promoting America over the country of their birth, they should be given American citizenship… as they likely ARE Americans.
Immigration “reform” should be about abolishing the perverse systems of incentives to import those who don’t share American values and don’t have the best interests of America in mind. Further, immigration should be one of the indirect tools government uses to manage the labor force with cost/benefit in mind for the nation and its citizens rather than as a tool to generate more private profit at public expense.
Obama’s immigration “reform” program should have been coupled with very clear disincentives for more illegal immigrants to flood in and abuse the system.
Jeb Bush: Time For Gop Congress To Pass Amnesty Bill
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/11/20/Jeb-Bush-After-Obama-Exec-Action-Time-for-GOP-Congress-to-Pass-Amnesty-Bill
I can’t say for sure that it will turn out this way, but it would be clearly wrong to thin out the ranks of the military due to spending cuts and then turn around and fill those positions back up with illegal immigrants just to allow them a path to citizenship.
I believe we have spoken about this before.
Perhaps the GOP cannot defund the new orders for USCIS, but I have a hard time believing that these 5 million people will be able to pay for the processing fees for the paperwork to grant them temporary amnesty.
In that case I can only see 2 outcomes for the president’s plans:
1. USCIS will lower the fees specifically for this class of people and subsidize the fees using funds from those who have followed the rules and paid their fees in full.
2. Many of these people will simply decide not to participate and perhaps wait for a better deal to come along.
Even if the GOP can’t defund USCIS in particular, I am sure they have other ways to counter the president’s actions. Whether or not they will be productive, who knows?
A bipartisan tone has been set for the next 2 years. I can’t see how anything will get done, but then again what’s new?
At the very least, the republicans should flood the president’s desk with any decent bills they can. The president will have to start vetoing or signing bills into law, now that Dirty Harry won’t be able to run defense for him.
In closing I would like to present a scenario:
You are at home and someone rings your doorbell. When you answer the door you find 2 flaming bags on your porch, and various other smaller, flaming bags scattered across the lawn.
Upon closer inspection, you find that all the bags obviously contain dog shit.
You only have enough fire extinguisher to extinguish one bag and will likely have to stomp out the others.
What do you do?
The bags on the lawn don’t have nearly as much shit in them and would be good candidates to step into, but they never really made it anywhere close to your porch and will burn themselves out rather quickly in isolation.
That leaves the two on the front porch.
The answer becomes more evident.
You must use the extinguisher on the one that is fullest of shit and though it may be disgusting, you have to hold your nose and get up close and personal with the other bag of shit.
Imagine this plays out almost exactly the same way every two years.
Welcome to the American election cycle. Sometimes the best option seems like letting the house burn down.
“A bipartisan tone has been set for the next 2 years. I can’t see how anything will get done, but then again what’s new?”
That was supposed to be partisan…….
“Jeb Bush: Time For Gop Congress To Pass Amnesty Bill”
Well, it’s been a few years since anyone really had a good reason to say it but it looks like he’s trying to bring it back in style:
“BUCK FUSH!!!!”
CH, when you decide to decide, let me know. Some folks like to visit car dealers to kick the tires, others are willing to take a test drive…
Satnaffa, I must say that your answer is disappointing.
In all honesty, you are now marketing Christianity to me like a shady used car dealer trying to get me on the lot where high-pressure emotional tactics have a better chance of overcoming fact-based comparative shopping by the consumer.
I’m not saying this to offend you… but as an honest observation on the flow of our conversation.
I am sure your church is filled with kind and well-meaning people and I, on my best behavior, would get along nicely with them and enjoy myself. I do appreciate the invitation, even if I am unlikely to take you up on it.
None-the-less, my reasonable questions remain unanswered… as they have for my entire life.
These are not intentionally tricky “Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?” questions.
Defining the boundaries of what constitutes sinful suicide and what demonstrates deep faith in God’s will should be on the mind of EVERY true believing Christian… and the answer should be as automatic as quoting favorite scripture…
….as seemingly innocent actions like having that extra doughnut could be considered a suicidal act while getting a medical checkup or buckling a seatbelt could be considered a lack of faith in God’s ability to care for his flock… or worse, a desire to overcome God’s will. The result, based on Christian beliefs, is eternal damnation for acts that may be well-intentioned due to ignorance or may be self-serving with full knowledge.
These questions should not be answered to satisfy me… but should be answered to fill in a large gap in the Christian belief structure… which, true believers, should immediately see a serious existential issue.
Satnaffa, I am not teasing you on this. I seriously would like an answer… and, perhaps an answer why most Christians don’t even consider this treacherous yet obvious pathway to Hell as an issue worth consideration and resolution.
Returning to the basic issue, Christians have asked me to accept Christianity through faith alone… yet generally have demonstrated through their actions very little faith that God will care for them, that they accept God’s will without trying to influence it to their benefit, or that they believe so strongly in the afterlife that they will happily accept death if offered to them.
As a rational person shown irrational and contrary behavior, this influences not only my ability to accept the beliefs of Christianity but also my ability to respect them.
I have explained my reasoning honestly and sincerely.
I hope you can understand this and I hope you consider this issue further, perhaps with other church members. If you don’t wish to do it for me, you should certainly do it for yourself…
…as, per your stated beliefs, it could mean the difference between heaven and hell.
God(Leon) Love Machine, setneffa and chickenhead Love(squirting among themselves), I suggest a weekly running via this route so they all can learn to visualize themselves in the freakiest way they all know how.
Leon Loves the God Machine…
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/week-god-112214
“First up from the God Machine this week is a curious reaction from the right to President Obama quoting Christian scripture in his national address on immigration policy this week.
If you missed it, referencing Exodus 23:9, told Americans, “Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger – we were strangers once, too.”
In an interesting twist, conservatives who generally push for more mixing of religion and politics, and who complain that the president isn’t more overtly religious all the time, began complaining after Obama’s speech about the Biblical reference. Emily Arrowood noted yesterday:
The hosts of Fox & Friends were incensed that President Obama quoted scripture in a primetime address detailing his upcoming executive action on immigration, challenging him to a “scripture-showdown” and claiming it’s “repugnant” for Obama to “lecture us on Christian faith.” […]
According to [co-host Elisabeth] Hasselbeck, Obama used the Bible to guilt people into supporting his executive action, and that’s “not what the scholars behind the Bible would interpret as proper use, perhaps.”
Because no one’s ever used Scripture to guilt someone into supporting a position, right?
It was, incidentally, the co-hosts of “Fox & Friends” who also complained just 48 hours earlier that the president doesn’t espouse Christian values often enough.
But they weren’t the only ones complaining. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) also wasn’t happy. “I always thought that Scripture was eternal and unchanging, but apparently, now that Obama is President, Scripture gets rewritten more often than Bill Cosby’s Wikipedia entry,” Huckabee wrote on his Facebook page.
Fox’s Bill O’Reilly also said of Obama, “He is one of the most secular presidents, perhaps the most secular president we have ever had, yet, he invokes scripture in the speech.”
For what it’s worth, Thomas Jefferson edited his Bible to remove references to Jesus’ divinity, so I don’t think Obama, who’s made countless public references to his Christian faith, is in the running for any Most Secular Presidents awards.
Also from the God Machine this week:
* Muslims in the D.C. area held their first-ever worship services at the Washington National Cathedral last weekend. A woman named Christine Weick reportedly snuck into the invitation-only Islamic prayer service to interrupt and promote Christianity. She was escorted from the building.
* The school board in Orange County, Florida, allowed an evangelical Christian group to distribute Bibles to school children. Now Satanists are demanding equal treatment, leading the board members to reconsider their policy.
* This is one of those paragraphs you just don’t see often: “Stripper poles, a lingerie shop and a room called ‘The Dungeon’ weren’t enough to keep a church in Athens, Ga. from buying a new piece of real estate. The Athens Link Fellowship recently purchased both Chelsea’s Strip Club and The Fantasy World Lingerie Shop, looking to convert the previously salacious establishments into places for worship, television station WAGA reported Tuesday.”
* Come to think of it, the same goes for this one: “When Asia Lemmon, a former adult film star and mother of two, visited the Department of Motor Vehicles in Hurricane, Utah to renew her driver’s license recently, her experience roughly resembled that of most Americans: She stood in line, filled out forms, and signed tedious paperwork. When it came time to take a new picture for Lemmon’s license, however, things took an odd turn. As officials readied the camera, Lemmon abruptly placed a colander on top of her head. She encountered initial resistance from confused DMV workers, but after explaining that she was a ‘Pastafarian’ and presenting paperwork detailing how the headgear was a component of her religion, officials relented and snapped the photo.”
* The Church of England this week “formally adopted legislation which means its first female bishops could be ordained next year. The amendment was passed with a show of hands at the general synod.”
* And TV preacher Pat Robertson told his audience this week that he was able to help cure a young man’s neck injury through the divine power of a text message. Robertson seemed to be quite serious about this.”
CH,
As I said, your questions are fine; but they show you’ve been misled about what the Bibles tells us about God’s grace. Christianity is not about what rules to follow, regardless of what others may say. It’s about getting to know Jesus personally. God gave us His Word so we could know Him. And begin to understand there are really only two “religions” in the world:
The two religions are
1. My actions will save me, if I follow the rules.
2. Jesus Christ will save me if I just call on Him.
Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”,
Christians are not perfect. We all have moments of temptation, fear and doubt. And being affluent tends to make us dependent on the wrong things. But God hasn’t changed. And His promises still stand. I was “forced” to go to church as a child and in spite of a lot of teaching and preaching it took me a while to internalize a lot of it. I developed a deeper faith because of things that happened around and to me in the last eight years.
Newton’s Laws of Physics apply too. Every action has a consequence. You may remember what Mickey Mantle said: “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” That’s about Quality of life, not Eternal Salvation or Quantity of life here on Earth.
If you choose not to visit the church, you can listen to their weekly podcasts in your own time and away from others who might mock you. It might help you answer the questions.
Setnaffa,
“As I said, your questions are fine; but they show you’ve been misled about what the Bibles tells us about God’s grace.”
As the questions I asked were consistent with both your writing and clear scripture, I’m not sure how I could have been misled.
“Christianity is not about what rules to follow, regardless of what others may say.”
This statement confuses me… as my impression of Christianity is that it is heavily based upon rule-following… starting with the Ten Commandments and ending with very clear instructions on how not to go to Hell… with many of these rules being arbitrary and unjust to the point of sending billions of basically good people to Hell through no fault of their own.
While there are Christian sects which believe being a good person is as important as following the rules perfectly, that runs counter to scripture and the teachings of mainstream Christianity… though it would seem a loving and just God would be more interested in rewarding those who acted with kindness and good intentions throughout their lives even if they never heard of Jesus… while a petty and vindictive God would send good people to hell for being skeptical about something seemingly designed to be difficult to believe.
It is all very confusing… and just as in our conversation, nobody has been able to make it less confusing for me… or ever sincerely tried… as I suspect it is easier to ignore than think about too much.
“Acts 2:21 ‘And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
I hope you are not saying that it is OK to steal, kill, and bare false witness… and then simply ask Jesus for forgiveness to make everything right… as calling upon the name of the Lord is more important than any rules.
I have met plenty of Sin All You Want And Then Ask For Forgiveness Christians… and they have generally been terrible people… but you seem like a really nice and sincere guy, Setnaffa, so I don’t take you for that kind of Christian. I suspect you follow “the rules” of Christianity, though I am starting to suspect you don’t have a very clear idea about what many of those rules are. I suspect most Christians don’t… as they have never considered anything beyond the most shallow and convenient aspects of God’s expectations… even though many of them are quick to condemn others to Hell for whatever mild transgression they happen to notice.
I asked these and many other questions sincerely when I explored Christianity at a young age… and the answers ranged from avoidance to outright lies. Even as a child, I was frustrated by adults trying to bullshyt me. I doubt that Jesus turned water into “a kind of grape juice”. This was a big turnoff. It is still a big turnoff. I continue to ask these questions when there is an opportunity… but I no longer expect an honest answer. I can only suspect that most Christians are simply trying to maximize their spiritual profit from a big pile of jumbled and contradictory nonsense which evolved for reasons other than to represent the ideas of God.
“It’s about getting to know Jesus personally.”
This statement troubles me as well… as prisons are full of people who “know Jesus personally” but don’t “follow the rules”… which makes them disturbingly dangerous. Again, I don’t think you fall into this category, but I would hope there would be a bigger division between Real Christians and Christians of Opportunity concerning knowledge of the rules of Christianity and a sincere desire to follow them.
“Christians are not perfect. We all have moments of temptation, fear and doubt.”
I understand this… but let’s look at it another way. I have never seen a Christian walk out of their house with a set of jumper cables. They go to their car and put the key in with True Faith that the motor will start. This is a straightforward demonstration of faith, belief, and trust… in their car. I have seldom seen this level of faith, belief, or trust in God… and those who demonstrated that level of commitment generally had obvious mental problems which adversely affected their lives… indicating the Christian God to have a really, really cruel sense of humor, at best.
I have a hard time keeping a straight face when lectured about the wonders of God by somebody whose actions demonstrate faith that their refrigerator is more reliable than their deity.
Setnaffa, I realize these are strong statement… but I give them out of a sincere desire to express my deepest thoughts on the matter with the hope that honest writing will encourage honest answers which fully address the issues I am interested in.
It is a duty of Christians to spread the Word… and part of that duty is clearly understanding the word they spread to the point of being able to answer any reasonable and logical question asked of them. My questions were reasonable and logical.
Again, I encourage you to discuss these issues with the members of your church and see if your combined wisdom can resolve issues that may well have serious consequences if ignored.
“sending billions of basically good people to Hell through no fault of their own”
There was only one good man. Jesus. And we crucified him. For our crimes.
We’re all imperfect. We all fall short of the righteousness God demands. We all deserve eternal separation. But God sent His Son to die in our place so that we would have a way out.
No one goes to Hell unwillingly. The only way there is to reject Jesus. Simple truth. Too simple for some folks. Either Jesus’ death paid for all sin or it did not. If it did not, we’re all still headed for Perdition. I believe it did and we have a way to know if we’re headed to Heaven instead…
1 John 5:12 (ESV) “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
I’ve seen pro quarterbacks fumble a snap. I’ve seen surgeons make mistakes. I’ve watched singers with wonderfully-trained voices miss a note. Because they’re human. Like all of us.
You have seen Christians who were still imperfect humans. We all have (many of us every time we look in the mirror). The Bible points out that we are not capable of being perfect on our own. We all still make mistakes. Even after years of going to church and studying the Bible. In fact, the Bible is full stories of people who made multiple mistakes but kept on trusting God to keep His promises.
The Devil trying to keep you away from considering whether you want to know Jesus personally. I heartily recommend you contact Nelson C. or Steve H. over at Songtan Baptist if you want to hear about the way from guys who won’t shovel bovine waste in your Cheerios. (Not that I would; but we’ve probably never met. It’s easier to tell who someone really is over coffee.)
BTW, both Romans and Hebrews provide a lot of detail about what I’ve been saying. 🙂
Setnaffa, I am increasingly disappointed in your diversions, misdirections, and avoidance of directly answering reasonable questions.
I had hoped to a have an enlightening conversation with you on this… as you occasionally inject Christianity into various topics… so it must be important to you… so you must have some deeper idea of fundamental concepts… and it seemed a good chance for you to openly explain them to a willing audience instead of being stuck intermittently trying to introduce Christianity by stealth to a difficult crowd.
Instead, I got the standard shallow talking points… most (all?) of which I have heard before.
Setnaffa, I still think you are a nice and sincere guy… and I think you hold many reasonable opinions about the world which you can likely explain in detail.
But on this topic, I’m not sure you can explain the details or rationalize your beliefs without resorting to avoidance, circular logic, and magic. I won’t hold this against you, as it is the standard rather than the exception…
…and, rather than the standard, it may actually be the absolute.
Perhaps, some day, one of us will see the Light.