Thoughts and Prayers!!!

[knapplc]

1 minute ago, Redux said:

 

Don't be naive.  If the government as a whole wanted to take care of the problem, it could and it would.  The puppet show you're referring to is an absolute farce.  The 3 branches of government is a convenient excuse for why we don't get changes we desperately need. It allows finger pointing, then people can get online and complain that of only that OTHER party would just be reasonable..... 

 

Um... the House passed legislation.

 

Moscow Mitch won't even let it come to the floor in the Senate.

 

Don't "both sides" this one. This is entirely on Mitch McConnell and the Republicans.

[Redux]

1 minute ago, knapplc said:

This is entirely on Mitch McConnell and the Republicans.

 

It's always a both sides thing because there are no sides.  It's population vs the government, not left vs right.

[knapplc]

2 minutes ago, Redux said:

 

It's always a both sides thing because there are no sides.  It's population vs the government, not left vs right.

 

"The government" is not some monolithic body.

[Redux]

2 minutes ago, knapplc said:

 

"The government" is not some monolithic body.

 

It really kinda is.  We fight, it wins.  Business as usual.

[knapplc]

8 minutes ago, Redux said:

 

It really kinda is.  We fight, it wins.  Business as usual.

 

Consider this tough love. I'm sorry to have to do this. Don't click it if you don't want to see it. You know what it is.

 

Spoiler

 

[Redux]

29 minutes ago, knapplc said:

 

Consider this tough love. I'm sorry to have to do this. Don't click it if you don't want to see it. You know what it is.

 

  Hide contents

 

 

FIFY

 

I have a vastly different opinion of politics than most, I'm well aware of that.  I'm not going to try converting anyone though.  I just think it's beyond stupid to believe that the reason we aren't getting change is because the various branches and people in power just can't agree or block eachother.  Sure it looks good for a news headline and a big rabble rabble discussion on a message board.  But it all boils down to this: They don't want to fix it.  Neither side.  No branch.  None.

 

Fixing the problem takes money out of their pockets, both sides.  Fixing the problem means one less issue they can use to exploit us, divide us, keep us angry at ourselves.  America is the only country with mass shooting problems, and the reason we can't fix that is because one guy from one political party blocked it and he's not even the president?  Come on...

[commando]

interesting 

 

 

[funhusker]

25 minutes ago, Redux said:

 

FIFY

 

I have a vastly different opinion of politics than most, I'm well aware of that.  I'm not going to try converting anyone though.  I just think it's beyond stupid to believe that the reason we aren't getting change is because the various branches and people in power just can't agree or block eachother.  Sure it looks good for a news headline and a big rabble rabble discussion on a message board.  But it all boils down to this: They don't want to fix it.  Neither side.  No branch.  None.

 

Fixing the problem takes money out of their pockets, both sides.  Fixing the problem means one less issue they can use to exploit us, divide us, keep us angry at ourselves.  America is the only country with mass shooting problems, and the reason we can't fix that is because one guy from one political party blocked it and he's not even the president?  Come on...

That one guy is the Senate Majority Leader.  Not some state rep from New Hampshire.

[TGHusker]

 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/dayton-mayor-sherrod-brown-trump-mass-shooting-eye-183722741.html

 

First the mayor and senator's reflection on their meeting wt Trump.

Quote

 

Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, a Democrat, and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, confronted Trump after greeting him on the tarmac at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

“Both of us spoke with the president right after he got off Air Force One,” Brown told reporters. “Both the mayor and I asked the president to call on Sen. [Mitch] McConnell to move to bring the Senate back in session this week, to tell the Senate he wants the background checks bill that has already passed the House on the floor for a vote.

“I asked the president to promise to me and the American people he will sign that bill,” Brown said.

 

Quote

Brown said also Trump expressed a desire to give awards to the police officers who quickly responded to Sunday’s shooting in Dayton.

“I said, ‘Mr. President, respectfully, the most important thing you can do for these police officers is to take these assault weapons off the streets,’” Brown said.

 

 

Quote

 

Brown said he was glad Trump visited the victims.

“They were hurting,” he said. “He was comforting. He did the right things, Melania did the right things. And it’s his job in part to comfort people. I’m glad he did it in those hospital rooms.”

 

 

Trump's version:

 

Quote

 

Traveling aboard Air Force One en route to El Paso, Trump accused Whaley and Brown of “misrepresenting” his visit.

“Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love,” Trump tweeted. “Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!”

 

 

Who do you believe?

[Redux]

54 minutes ago, funhusker said:

That one guy is the Senate Majority Leader.  Not some state rep from New Hampshire.

 

That's not the point.  The point is the system is such a fallacy that the President can't do s#!t even if they wanted to.  If the president doesn't have the power to make any kind of real change then what's the point?  And I'm not talking Trump, just the position in general.  I understand how we are all taught it works, but it's just a veil.

[commando]

16 minutes ago, Redux said:

 

That's not the point.  The point is the system is such a fallacy that the President can't do s#!t even if they wanted to.  If the president doesn't have the power to make any kind of real change then what's the point?  And I'm not talking Trump, just the position in general.  I understand how we are all taught it works, but it's just a veil.

trump banned bump stocks with an EO

[Redux]

6 minutes ago, commando said:

trump banned bump stocks with an EO

 

Whatever sitting president at the time would have been credited with that.  Good for him, but it didn't matter who was in office.

[ZRod]

2 hours ago, Redux said:

 

Whatever sitting president at the time would have been credited with that.  Good for him, but it didn't matter who was in office.

It's checks and balances for the same reason you have managers and directors in a business. You're less likely to make huge errors if their are multiple chains involved who check what is being done. The President's real power lies in the veto, and their ability to appoint people to unelected positions within the government. They also function as one of the main contacts with foreign nations. Further more they are commander of  the armed forces, and over the years they have been given a too much leeway. So they do have a lot of power.

 

There was a time when I would have agreed with your view, but once you start following the money you realize where the problem is. Special interest groups. In this case the gun lobby. There is zero reason for the Democratic party to not want to increase gun regulation and follow through. They typically take no money from the NRA. The gun debate, unlike healthcare or wall street is a strictly one way street when it comes to funding. The NRA backs the GOP with gobs of money. You will find nothing close on the Democratic side. There is only one reason we see no change in this country and it's the NRA. To suggest anything else means your not being honest, or haven't paid attention.

[Redux]

And I absolutely believe you believe that.  But believing all that means you 100% accept that the government functions the way we are told it does.  I don't.  Political battle lines and a nation picking sides is a form of control.  Racism, gun violence, gay rights, abortion.  It's all leverage tools.

[ZRod]

8 hours ago, Redux said:

And I absolutely believe you believe that.  But believing all that means you 100% accept that the government functions the way we are told it does.  I don't.  Political battle lines and a nation picking sides is a form of control.  Racism, gun violence, gay rights, abortion.  It's all leverage tools.

Political battle lines are the difference of opinion everyday people have. The things you listed are the things that people care about, not made up issue to keep the masses in check. I would agree that the government is dysfunctional, and disagree that both sides are trying to do nothing to stay in power.