The US Politics/Elections Thread 2.0

[Gibson87]

Biden just announced sanctions on Russia. From CNBC

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/22/biden-says-us-will-sanction-russian-financial-firms-sovereign-debt-and-individuals-after-ukraine-incursion.html

Quote

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden said Tuesday that Russia has begun “an invasion” of Ukraine, and he announced sweeping sanctions on a major Russian bank VEB and its military bank.

The sanctions will prohibit American financial institutions from processing transactions for VEB and its military bank. This would effectively cut the banks out of transactions involving U.S. dollars, the global reserve currency. 

 

“That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western financing,” Biden said in remarks at the White House. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets. or European markets either.”

 

[downzy]

1 hour ago, Gibson87 said:

Biden just announced sanctions on Russia. From CNBC

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/22/biden-says-us-will-sanction-russian-financial-firms-sovereign-debt-and-individuals-after-ukraine-incursion.html

 

It's the first, but significant, step.  

But if the US and its European allies really wanted to get tough it would require banning Russia from the SWIFT financial system. 

This would require paying off the Europeans since Russia owes many European creditors billions, but it would hobble the Russian economy. 

This is how the US brought Iran to the negotiating table a decade ago.  

[downzy]

4 hours ago, Sweersa said:

If they can't come to a sense to reduce the size of themselves, it will probably work itself out naturally in time.

Maybe, but the direct and collateral damage would be considerable.

The U.S. is still far and away the richest country on the planet.  It can afford a lot.  But it has challenges ahead with an aging population that's going to put social security and medicare under enormous strain. 

Increasing taxes on the wealthy and increasing immigration would both help alleviate this problem, but due to politics, it's not something I can see happening.  

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

Wow! Putin's Russian troops invaded Ukraine because the US gave them weapons of mass destructions and Russia feared for their safety. Who didn't see this coming? Obviously Biden didn't. His speech today was weak and embarassing to all Americans and the free world.

Putin wants the countries who were in the USSR back and he will do what he wants to get them back. I doubt anyone can stop him.

As far as those sanctions. Please Russian can get whatever they need from China. They don't need the US to give them anything. Putin will get what he wants and if it fucks with his people, he doesn't give a damn about them. He knows no one will buck him same as China. The athletes who were stuck in the hotel during the Olympics and suffered shitty food and whatever, are now complaing about it. So what? Who is going to talk to China about it? No one. Money talk and shit walks and as long as China keeps paying big bucks for what they want, ie: Basketball games and other celebrities who do commercials for them, no one will do a damn thing. This whole world has gone down hill and all those men and women who have fought in wars to keep our freedom are rolling over in their graves.

The President of Ukraine doesn't seem too worried so why should the US? His life would be easier if they became part of Russia again. he can just have a stress free life and not worry about having a country to deal with. This whole thing is one BIG JOKE!

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

11 minutes ago, downzy said:

Maybe, but the direct and collateral damage would be considerable.

The U.S. is still far and away the richest country on the planet.  It can afford a lot.  But it has challenges ahead with an aging population that's going to put social security and medicare under enormous strain. 

Increasing taxes on the wealthy and increasing immigration would both help alleviate this problem, but due to politics, it's not something I can see happening.  

We may be the richest country on the planet, but we have many homeless and poor people that no one seems to give a shit about. I see the news everyday about many Dallas poor neighborhoods who have still been not helped since last eyar's ice storm.

Look at San Franciso and LA with all those homeless people and their governors don't give a shit. 

The US is not doing right by it's middle class or poor people. If you're rich you're golden otherwise the rest of us all struggle just to get by on pay check pay check while dealing with crime going up and covid too.

it's just shamefull how many people in government don't give a shit.

[Gibson87]

19 minutes ago, downzy said:

But if the US and its European allies really wanted to get tough would require banning Russia from the SWIFT financial system. 

I personally think they're waiting to play that card until Russia launches a full-scale assault on Ukraine.

[Sweersa]

26 minutes ago, downzy said:

Maybe, but the direct and collateral damage would be considerable.

The U.S. is still far and away the richest country on the planet.  It can afford a lot.  But it has challenges ahead with an aging population that's going to put social security and medicare under enormous strain. 

Increasing taxes on the wealthy and increasing immigration would both help alleviate this problem, but due to politics, it's not something I can see happening.  

Yes, as far as the tax increase, it's easy to say just tax the rich, I have a wealthy uncle and he gets fucked pretty hard already with taxes, but he's not billionaire level. 

I've found the more money I make, the harder they fuck me too. Oh well, one of the certainties in life, I suppose. I need to have kids. Everyone I know with a ton of kids gets monster returns on their taxes, though I'm sure it's a wash with how much they spend on them.

[downzy]

28 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

Wow! Putin's Russian troops invaded Ukraine because the US gave them weapons of mass destructions and Russia feared for their safety. Who didn't see this coming?

None of that is true.

29 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

His speech today was weak and embarassing to all Americans and the free world.

What did you want him to do?  Commit to going to war over Ukraine? 

29 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

As far as those sanctions. Please Russian can get whatever they need from China

Being cut off from doing business in the US and Europe is significant.  Most of Russia's exports are to Western Europe.  Reorienting their industries to China is not easy feat, especially considering most of Russia's economic might is either located or geared towards Western Europe.

31 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

His life would be easier if they became part of Russia again. he can just have a stress free life and not worry about having a country to deal with. This whole thing is one BIG JOKE!

Sorry, but not living under the thumb of an autocratic asshole is something worth fighting for.  The best things in life require hard work.  

[downzy]

30 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

We may be the richest country on the planet, but we have many homeless and poor people that no one seems to give a shit about

The result of which is a choice, not one caused by a lack of resources.

31 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

I see the news everyday about many Dallas poor neighborhoods who have still been not helped since last eyar's ice storm.

Of course not.  You're stuck with Republican control of state politics because people get riled up about cancel culture and critical race theory, ignoring the very real problems that actually affect people day to day.  Until enough people in your state care enough about the problems that actually affect them in any real or material way, you'll continue to get stooges calling the shots.

32 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

Look at San Franciso and LA with all those homeless people and their governors don't give a shit. 

San Francisco and LA have the same governor since both cities are from the state of California.  And it's not accurate to say that the Governor (Gavin Newsom) doesn't give a shit.  Too often the problem is liberal NYMBYs not allowing local and state governments from building low-income housing anywhere near their neighbourhoods. 

34 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

The US is not doing right by it's middle class or poor people.

And ultimately that's on the American people for not voting and supporting the politicians who campaign on issues that will materially improve their lives.  Again, if your main concerns are cancel culture, vague notions of critical race theory, immigrants stealing jobs, and whatever nonsenses the GOP wants to throw at the wall, you're going to get the government you deserve. 

36 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

it's just shamefull how many people in government don't give a shit.

I disagree.  I think a lot of people in government do care.  The difference is that too many elected representatives care more about their careers by ginning up nonsense.  Ultimately I'd argue that too many American people don't give a shit, and the government is a reflection of their apathy.  

34 minutes ago, Gibson87 said:

I personally think they're waiting to play that card until Russia launches a full-scale assault on Ukraine.

Yeah, if tomorrow or some time this week or next Russian tanks pull into Kiev we'll see a massive increase in sanctions, with access to the SWIFT financial system being the nuclear option.  

[downzy]

25 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Yes, as far as the tax increase, it's easy to say just tax the rich, I have a wealthy uncle and he gets fucked pretty hard already with taxes, but he's not billionaire level. 

I've found the more money I make, the harder they fuck me too. Oh well, one of the certainties in life, I suppose. I need to have kids. Everyone I know with a ton of kids gets monster returns on their taxes, though I'm sure it's a wash with how much they spend on them.

And yet the rich in America have never had it better, both in terms of marginal rates they pay on income, and the little to no taxes they pay on a lot of passive income.  It's not an accident that wealth has accumulated amongst the few all the while there's an a full on assault on the tax code by conservatives for the past 40 years. 

Granted, some of the inequality stems from larger structural changes as we move from an industrial to a post-industrial economy, but other nations have found ways to address the issue better than others.  

[Sweersa]

3 hours ago, downzy said:

And yet the rich in America have never had it better, both in terms of marginal rates they pay on income, and the little to no taxes they pay on a lot of passive income.  It's not an accident that wealth has accumulated amongst the few all the while there's an a full on assault on the tax code by conservatives for the past 40 years. 

Granted, some of the inequality stems from larger structural changes as we move from an industrial to a post-industrial economy, but other nations have found ways to address the issue better than others.  

According to Dave Ramsey, most millionaires are self-made, however, I'm assuming you are not talking about millionaires, as they are not that uncommon, especially these days with inflation. I'm assuming you're referring to the 1%, and it's hardly just an American problem, though I know it's fun to try to make it out to be.

[downzy]

23 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

According to Dave Ramsey, most millionaires are self-made, however, I'm assuming you are not talking about millionaires, as they are not that uncommon, especially these days with inflation. I'm assuming you're referring to the 1%, and it's hardly just an American problem, though I know it's fun to try to make it out to be.

No, it’s not an American problem in the same way as gun violence isn’t just an American problem.  But America is in a different class onto itself with respect to both.

And yes, the issue isn’t the top ten percent, but the 1 to 2 percent, the majority of which gain their wealth through inheritance.  The tax code has been gamed in so many ways that guys like Mitt Romney or Warren Buffet pay less tax proportionate to their income than their assistants. I’ve friends who are apart of the 0.001 percent. I’ve spent time at their $75 million estate in the Hamptons. Wonderful and nice people.  But if most people saw first hand how frivolous the lifestyle is there would be riots in this he streets.  Obscene doesn’t even begin to cover it. 

[Sweersa]

12 hours ago, downzy said:

No, it’s not an American problem in the same way as gun violence isn’t just an American problem.  But America is in a different class onto itself with respect to both.

And yes, the issue isn’t the top ten percent, but the 1 to 2 percent, the majority of which gain their wealth through inheritance.  The tax code has been gamed in so many ways that guys like Mitt Romney or Warren Buffet pay less tax proportionate to their income than their assistants. I’ve friends who are apart of the 0.001 percent. I’ve spent time at their $75 million estate in the Hamptons. Wonderful and nice people.  But if most people saw first hand how frivolous the lifestyle is there would be riots in this he streets.  Obscene doesn’t even begin to cover it. 

Violence is a problem, especially within the major cities, America has a unique situation, neither of us are qualified to fully understand or resolve. Maybe Chicago and California should try more gun control to see if it makes their problem better, won't effect me, I live in a rural area in a "free state", which is high gun ownership, almost no crime.  I welcome anyone against the private ownership of modern firearms to volunteer to help like-minded government officials confiscate them from civilians. 

[downzy]

1 hour ago, Sweersa said:

Maybe Chicago and California should try more gun control to see if it makes their problem better, won't effect me, I live in a rural area in a "free state"

Where do you think the guns flooding into California and Illinois come from?

[Sweersa]

13 minutes ago, downzy said:

Where do you think the guns flooding into California and Illinois come from?

Don't care, but I'm sure many laws were broken in however they were obtained, or made.

[downzy]

2 hours ago, Sweersa said:

neither of us are qualified to fully understand or resolve

Maybe not, but I did write a sixty-seven page analysis on the gun industry in the US for my senior year at the University of Toronto that involved reading dozens of books and nearly a hundred academic papers and articles.  

7 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Don't care, but I'm sure many laws were broken in however they were obtained, or made.

Ah, crass, flippant, and selfish cynicism as a response to having your position or viewpoint held up to scrutiny.  

[Sweersa]

21 minutes ago, downzy said:

Maybe not, but I did write a sixty-seven page analysis on the gun industry in the US for my senior year at the University of Toronto that involved reading dozens of books and nearly a hundred academic papers and articles.  

Ah, crass, flippant, and selfish cynicism as a response to having your position or viewpoint held up to scrutiny.  

Then perhaps you read about how the federal government rarely prosecutes those who willfully lie on the form 4473 to obtain firearms illegally for themselves, or others. If they want to make a change, they need to nail the people who they usually just shrug off when they fail the NICS check after lying on those background check forms. But it' easier just to throw more laws on the books, and inconvenience those who play by the rules. 

I live in the US, and have done numerous background checks to obtain firearms, including heavily restricted ones (think suppressors, short barreled rifles, machine guns, etc.) which have fairly invasive requirements. It's basically a joke to those in the industry, because we're all straight shooters (no pun intended) and jump through all these hoops to peacefully enjoy such a hobby. Criminals are laughing about it too, as they have their own methods to obtain what they want, unlawfully and with no restrictions because they don't care. One can get stuff out of Europe to North America (and Central America) if they know the right people, but it's easier to scrutinize the legal firearms market in the US. 

Again, just cut through all the bullshit, go for full confiscation of all firearms from those who possess them. I support that, though for different reasons than you probably, if you would dare go that far, and I wish people on that side of the "argument" would. 

[Sweersa]

I forgot to talk about the woes and ill-fated Canadian long gun registry, with it being only fair since you take such an interest in US issues. 

At least you can get Norinco (Chinese) goodies in your country. Maybe we can arrange some Chinese surplus 7.62x39 traded for some 30 round magazines. Just kidding, we can't do that without an approved ATF Form 6, which will not get approved.

[downzy]

2 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Then perhaps you read about how the federal government rarely prosecutes those who willfully lie on the form 4473 to obtain firearms illegally for themselves, or others. If they want to make a change, they need to nail the people who they usually just shrug off when they fail the NICS check after lying on those background check forms. But it' easier just to throw more laws on the books, and inconvenience those who play by the rules. 

I live in the US, and have done numerous background checks to obtain firearms, including heavily restricted ones (think suppressors, short barreled rifles, machine guns, etc.) which have fairly invasive requirements. It's basically a joke to those in the industry, because we're all straight shooters (no pun intended) and jump through all these hoops to peacefully enjoy such a hobby. Criminals are laughing about it too, as they have their own methods to obtain what they want, unlawfully and with no restrictions because they don't care. One can get stuff out of Europe to North America (and Central America) if they know the right people, but it's easier to scrutinize the legal firearms market in the US. 

Again, just cut through all the bullshit, go for full confiscation of all firearms from those who possess them. I support that, though for different reasons than you probably, if you would dare go that far, and I wish people on that side of the "argument" would. 

But there's a middle ground.  We have it in Canada.  We allow for a certain level of gun ownership, in some ways similar to what many in America experience and enjoy.  It's not an either/or dichotomy. 

There are illegal guns in Canada (almost all are from the US).  But it is not a problem anywhere close to the same scale as we see in the US, mostly because there are standardized federal gun regulations that prevents weak gun laws in one province to affect provinces that have more onerous restrictions.  American guns laws is akin to having leaks on one side of a slanted boat, where the water leaking flowing to the more populated areas.  

[Sweersa]

1 hour ago, downzy said:

But there's a middle ground.  We have it in Canada.  We allow for a certain level of gun ownership, in some ways similar to what many in America experience and enjoy.  It's not an either/or dichotomy. 

There are illegal guns in Canada (almost all are from the US).  But it is not a problem anywhere close to the same scale as we see in the US, mostly because there are standardized federal gun regulations that prevents weak gun laws in one province to affect provinces that have more onerous restrictions.  American guns laws is akin to having leaks on one side of a slanted boat, where the water leaking flowing to the more populated areas.  

I accept the inherent dangers of living in a free, or more free society. 

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

A rep from China accuses the US from causing panic in the UKraine by saying how Russia will invade them, just as Russia troops and war machines march into the Ukraine.

Let the blame game begin. It seems that no matter what the US does, it always gets the blame for whatever crazy fucker wants to invade another country.

I saw the sanctions the US is applying to Russia and honestly I hope it helps, but Russia continues to go further into the Ukraine. Seems to me Putin has prepared himself for whatever will be thrown at him.  Hopefully like Hitler he will soon be elimimated. Maybe by his own people.

[downzy]

 

[downzy]

 

[downzy]

 

[downzy]

They’re not even making the slightest effort to hide it anymore: