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JJLehto View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 07 2016 at 22:36
Originally posted by timothy leary timothy leary wrote:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/01/the-dark-side-of-globalization-why-seattles-1999-protesters-were-right/282831/

Yup. 

It's funny, I started out thinking all this stuff wasn't a good idea, or at least had some major negatives, saw a few (not many back in 2004-2006) pieces here and there how NAFTA was bad for us, but in college I buried all that. Learned economics and all the arguments, theories, models etc etc Kept believing "its a net good" "both sides will benefit" "markets will adjust and here's XYZ 123 why wages wont be hurt like you think"

Today..I'm back to the beliefs I had over 10 years agoLOL   
Excellent point made about the mockery. I've seen alot of that since 2008. Mockery, sometimes with hateful tones, at any opposition. In so many areas and issues. Its pretty god damn easy to see why so many people have become loathful of it all and feel they are treated as lowly peons, because often we are viewed and treated that way

Of course none of what I've said justifies Trump. Ironically, he will be a true crony capitalist, running the US as a corporate aristocracy, or at least he'll try to. Paul Ryan has already expressed excitement at finally getting a chance to private Medicare. Trumps' Sect of Education pick wants to gut public education, he continues to add billionaires, wall st people/investors and lobbyists. People's somewhat justified anger has steered them in the totally wrong direction. Hell, Trump is mocking a Union leader. Those who have suffered from globalization and figured Trump was worth a shot are gunna be badly let down.


Edited by JJLehto - December 07 2016 at 22:42
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 07 2016 at 22:39
Trump has named Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, to head the EPA. 
oi...


Edited by JJLehto - December 07 2016 at 22:45
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 04:08
Originally posted by JJLehto JJLehto wrote:

Trump has named Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, to head the EPA. 
oi...
No surprise there. But it could have been worse. He could have picked Sarah Palin for the job. "Drill baby, drill!" LOL
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 07:19
Originally posted by JJLehto JJLehto wrote:

Trump has named Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, to head the EPA. 
oi...
The question is, so far, which one of his appointees is not a disgrace? 


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 09:33
Originally posted by JJLehto JJLehto wrote:

More to the right, but there's been some leftist resurgence as well. Again due to globalization but also the global push for austerity and neoliberalism. Both sides are venting frustration at establishment politics that is woefully out of touch with the people and sold out to certain interests. In Italy they tried to altar the f-ing constitution to make it easier to pass their unpopular ideas, this is lunacyLOL
I guess people are naturally conservative in nature, even those who may be liberal in politics, so understandable it takes an overall rightward swing. And now that immigration and muslims have gotten into the picture....

In a very real way, we're repeating history. The world rejected "laissez faire" before. Be it socialism or fascism, or moderate capitalism, most of the Earth gave a finger to it. I know we're not laissez-faire today, but neoliberalism has still brought the same results. Left and right rejections of it, loss of faith in the establishment, a turn inward...rejecting global society, immigrants, embrace of authoritarian rhetoric. 


We are moving towards populism, rather than left or right.  Right is naturally a little more, ahem, attractive because of the deadly cocktail of populism and nationalism but it all started with the left populists in Greece.  So it's more about who's willing to speak up for the people and offer support for what they want (however outrageous the proposal may be).  This necessarily also means abandoning the middle in politics.  And as much as one may lament the consequences of that, it must be recognised as a symptom and not the malady itself.  As Steve (lazland) has summed up before, people have grown weary of the elite, whether it's D.C, London or Delhi's Lutyens zone.  We even have a term called Lutyens journalists, meaning journalists who are only concerned with Delhi political intrigue and clueless about the nation.  Now, the previous center-left dispensation would have never undertaken a disastrous move like demonetisation but they also reached a point where they were doing nothing, pretty much.  They had a very competent team including people who had studied in elite universities abroad but their collective output failed to inspire.  And because they were mostly all technocrats, they were too keen to compromise and be loyal to their political masters rather than bring their intelligence and expertise to bear on govt policy.  It's a difficult situation with no clear solutions as of now.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 09:53
NYT: Trump expected to name fast-food executive Andrew Puzder as LABOR secretary. An outspoken critic of all labor regulations. 


The dick with which 'Muricans have f**ked themselves continues to grow bigger and bigger.... 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 13:22

I see the ever growing list of America's future officials and I tend to break out into hysterical giggles sporadically.

For some reason Trump reminds me of the con artists who sell the Eiffel Tower or Tower Bridge to muddle-headed tourists; he goes about it brazenly in broad daylight and to hell with everyone else. Somehow you've got to admire it.

This guy is just going to use his position to multiply his personal wealth and that of his family and acquaintances, I guarantee it. I just can't see anything else being his goal. Certainly not the good of the population.

By and large he's undertaking the most gigantic scam that anyone has pulled in the whole of history, ever. It's like watching the world's biggest bank heist broadcast live all over the world.

And all the while analysts are meanderingly looking for the cause and the meaning of it all and not seeing the wood for trees. Long live the experts, whatever their credentials may be. It’s hilarious!

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 14:01
^Oh but at least we're saved from anybody ever using the wrong server to send emails...



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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 14:40
Originally posted by The T The T wrote:

NYT: Trump expected to name fast-food executive Andrew Puzder as LABOR secretary. An outspoken critic of all labor regulations. 


The dick with which 'Muricans have f**ked themselves continues to grow bigger and bigger.... 


yeah... that news elicited a major chortle ..  oh well.  Perhaps Trump has a soft spot for Hardee's Angus burgers.. those things rule.  Let it not be said Trump wasn't going to profit from this. Lifetime supply of burgers.. coming his way!

At this point...  it does appear this is going to be a circus and a freakshow of historic proportions...  I'm simply enjoying the spectacle.  Thankfully nothing he can really do, short of blowing us and world up really affects me, my job is recession and Trump proof and am white and straight.  So America wanted this clown...those who voted for him, those too lazy to vote, those who wasted their vote on 3rd party because they didn't 'like' Hillary.. well enjoy him.. and we'll see you all in 4 years and we can talk about cleaning up this sh*t show....
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 23:25
Originally posted by The T The T wrote:

NYT: Trump expected to name fast-food executive Andrew Puzder as LABOR secretary. An outspoken critic of all labor regulations. 




Shocker. 

It's a shame. The working class is justifiably angry and frustrated, I can't even blame them, I've been harping on such issues for 10 damn years now, but their anger has steered em wrong. 
Now we got Trump who is gunna make inequality, thus the economy, worse, hates unions, is appointing pro "capital" over labor people all over the place. For the few jobs he'll keep here, the longer result is a bad one. And I can't even blame the working class...they are justified, and they were right to believe Clinton would not be much help. BUT they should've been smart and stuck Democrat like they always do. 

Now we have to pray the Democratic party fights back. Minimize the damage, obstruct if need be for really major things. Don't compromise backwards as they've done, or if they ever must make it as little as possible. Usually I'd give this no hope. BUT with them in a hole AND with progressives leading the charge. Maybe they will
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2016 at 23:31
This here is a GREAT article. 
Discusses why free trade hasn't worked out the way we're told/taught in econ class.
It's long but hit's on tons of great points and explains well. Everyone should read it. Both realistic and theoretical issues are raised, and that Trump, while correct in the sentiment he's tapped misses the issue (manufacturing jobs have been shedding since the 50s) and solution (policies to create jobs and boost demand, not tariffs)

An excellent read, lots of detail
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2016 at 16:04
A little bit of good news in the cabinet construction - Giuliani's bowed out of the running for secretary of state. Apparently replaced on the shortlist by an equally baffling possibility, Rex Tillerson.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2016 at 18:43
Just curious. Romney it seemed was in the works as Secretary of State. Then Trump had that phone conversation with Taiwan, and since then he's been looking elsewhere for Secretary of State. Does anyone know if perhaps Romney pulled out because of that Taiwan call?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2016 at 19:24
Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

Does anyone know if perhaps Romney pulled out....?

Romney can't pull out because Mormons don't believe in birth control. Wink

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 10 2016 at 00:49
You mean they have to stay in there, regardless of how hellish it is?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 10 2016 at 07:24
Hell is in the head not a woman's vagina.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2016 at 06:25
I was just wondering: taking Donald Trump's ...ahem... unique stance on foreign diplomacy, especially regarding China the last few days, what do you think will happen?:

1) Trump will manage to destroy decades of patient diplomacy in just a handful of 5-second tweet bursts.
2) The Chinese (and other nations) will just diplomatically ignore his outbursts.

Which leads to:

3) Which of the two would be worse for the general image of the American presidency?


Edited by npjnpj - December 12 2016 at 06:30
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2016 at 11:07
1) Yes. 
2) Some very important nations like Malta or Eritrea will probably ignore his outbursts. Ah, and of course Philippines and Russia. 

What a corrupt yet intelligent Republican did (open China), a corrupt and imbecilic Republican will undo (close China) 

3) The image of the presidency is already at the bottom level ever since November the 8th... 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 13 2016 at 08:18
Rick Perry energy secretary

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 13 2016 at 11:39
^Isn't this the third or fourth cabinet position that has been slated with an individual that previously boasted about abolishing said department or agency? Perry couldn't even remember what DOE was called at one point. Madness.
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