Octopus Overlords

malchior wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 1:05 am Trump shot himself in the foot with this one. He thought he would get soldiers on his side but many former soldiers are tweeting out that Gallagher was a disgrace. If you haven't read about what Gallagher was accused of - it was horrific and Trump signaled that someone who committed war crimes is ok by him. The man is a complete stain on *HUMANITY* much less our nation.

There were two other such pardons as well. Fox hosts were crowing about how this ends efforts by the government to "second guess" the actions and choices of our brave troops.

These are cases where war criminals were reported by THEIR FELLOW SOLDIERS. The effect will be to chill any more of that.

I, uh, I don't think that PR campaign is telling the message you want to deliver...

Gov. Kristi Noem has a message for South Dakota: "Meth. We're On It."

Pyperkub wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 4:55 pm I, uh, I don't think that PR campaign is telling the message you want to deliver...

Gov. Kristi Noem has a message for South Dakota: "Meth. We're On It."

Lighten up, he's got a busy agenda.

Pyperkub wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 4:55 pm I, uh, I don't think that PR campaign is telling the message you want to deliver...

Gov. Kristi Noem has a message for South Dakota: "Meth. We're On It."

"Also, I'm naked and screaming at cops in the middle of the street and OH MY GOD THE BUGS THE BUGS THE BUGS!!!"

Saw a WH spokeswoman saying the orange moron had a doctors visit because he works so hard. HAH! At what? Tweeting hate and playing terrible golf? They did say he had a higher heart calcium lvl in 2018 so all hope is not lost.

NY Times

The Navy SEAL at the center of a high-profile war crimes case has been ordered to appear before Navy leaders Wednesday morning, and is expected to be notified that the Navy intends to oust him from the elite commando force, two Navy officials said on Tuesday.

The move could put the SEAL commander, Rear Adm. Collin Green, in direct conflict with President Trump, who last week cleared the sailor, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, of any judicial punishment in the war crimes case. Military leaders opposed that action as well as Mr. Trump’s pardons of two soldiers involved in other murder cases.

Navy officials had planned to begin the process of taking away Chief Gallagher’s Trident pin, the symbol of his membership in the SEALs, earlier this month. But as he waited outside his commander’s office, Navy leaders sought clearance from the White House that never came, and no action was taken.

Admiral Green now has the authorization he needs from the Navy to act against Chief Gallagher, and the formal letter notifying the chief of the action has been drafted by the admiral, the two officials said.
...
The Navy also plans to take the Tridents of three SEAL officers who oversaw Chief Gallagher — Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, Lt. Jacob Portier and Lt. Thomas MacNeil — and their letters have been drafted as well, one of the officials said.

Under Navy regulations, a SEAL’s Trident can be taken if a commander loses “faith and confidence in the service member’s ability to exercise sound judgment, reliability and personal conduct.” The Navy has removed 154 Tridents since 2011.

My well thought out and detailed opinion of the White House and it's orange turd that refuses to be flushed and is being licked well by the GOP.



EDIT: The gaulded eyed sob.

Why did Trump choose Stephanie Grisham as his press secretary? Because she’s no slouch in the bald face lie department either.

If they did leave those notes, they sure weren't wrong.

Which Democrat matches you best on these 10 questions?

I got Booker with 6 and a three-way tie among Sanders, Warren, and Steyer (who?) for second at 5. Buttigieg and Gabbard tied for last at 2.

Biden - 8
Klobuchar- 7
Buttigieg - 6

Kraken wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 2:28 am Which Democrat matches you best on these 10 questions?

I got Booker with 6 and a three-way tie among Sanders, Warren, and Steyer (who?) for second at 5. Buttigieg and Gabbard tied for last at 2.

How do you not know who Tom Steyer is? He has single handedly kept all the advertising platforms solvent with his ad buys. They are everywhere. My kids have said that they'd vote him president if only he'd promise never to appear in an ad ever again (they are 10 and 13).

Biden - 8
Yang - 7
Klobuchar - 6

To no surprise at all, Sanders and Warren pulled up the rear.

I had a hard time with questions 6 and 7 as a fiscal conservative, and it's a shame only 3 of the Democratic candidates give a crap about the national debt.

7 - Sanders
6 - Warren
5 - Booker, Yang


I'm surprised Yang came in so high.

Still voting Warren in the primary, tho.

stessier wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 4:22 am

Kraken wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 2:28 am Which Democrat matches you best on these 10 questions?

I got Booker with 6 and a three-way tie among Sanders, Warren, and Steyer (who?) for second at 5. Buttigieg and Gabbard tied for last at 2.

How do you not know who Tom Steyer is? He has single handedly kept all the advertising platforms solvent with his ad buys. They are everywhere. My kids have said that they'd vote him president if only he'd promise never to appear in an ad ever again (they are 10 and 13).

I am pretty sure I have seen more Steyer ads than I have for any other current Democratic candidate combined.

Warren and Yang 6
Buttigieg and Sanders 5


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sander - 8
Warren - 5
Booker - 4
.
.
.
.
.
Gabbard - 1

Ack -

Booker - 5
Steyer - 5
Biden - 4
Harris - 4
Klobuchar - 4
Sanders - 4
Yang - 4
Gabbard - 4

More a Democratic voter of opportunity than belief apparently. At least for those 10 questions.

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:26 pm NY Times

The Navy SEAL at the center of a high-profile war crimes case has been ordered to appear before Navy leaders Wednesday morning, and is expected to be notified that the Navy intends to oust him from the elite commando force, two Navy officials said on Tuesday.

The move could put the SEAL commander, Rear Adm. Collin Green, in direct conflict with President Trump, who last week cleared the sailor, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, of any judicial punishment in the war crimes case. Military leaders opposed that action as well as Mr. Trump’s pardons of two soldiers involved in other murder cases.

Navy officials had planned to begin the process of taking away Chief Gallagher’s Trident pin, the symbol of his membership in the SEALs, earlier this month. But as he waited outside his commander’s office, Navy leaders sought clearance from the White House that never came, and no action was taken.

Admiral Green now has the authorization he needs from the Navy to act against Chief Gallagher, and the formal letter notifying the chief of the action has been drafted by the admiral, the two officials said.
...
The Navy also plans to take the Tridents of three SEAL officers who oversaw Chief Gallagher — Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, Lt. Jacob Portier and Lt. Thomas MacNeil — and their letters have been drafted as well, one of the officials said.

Under Navy regulations, a SEAL’s Trident can be taken if a commander loses “faith and confidence in the service member’s ability to exercise sound judgment, reliability and personal conduct.” The Navy has removed 154 Tridents since 2011.

Or not.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will not allow the Navy to take away an emblem signifying membership in the elite SEALs unit from an officer convicted of posing with an teen ISIS fighter's corpse.

"The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin. This case was handled very badly from the beginning," the tweet read. "Get back to business!"

"Get back to business." What a dumb fucking asshole.


(Though I do recognize that the whole pin issue moves the matter from "he should be in the brig" to "he shouldn't keep his pin")

As much I don't foresee a time when I pull the level for any one in the GOP, this quickly lets me know I'm still not really a blue voter.


Biden 5
Klobuchar 5
Booker 4
Buttigieg 4
Gabbard 4
Steyer 4
Harris 3
Sanders 3
Yang 3
Warren 2

And given that Warren is my preference, it also lets me know that these 10 questions aren't at the heart of my vote, which honestly, is to reel in a runaway GOP and I think Warren is best suited among the field at the moment.

This does encourage me to get informed about Klobuchar, I guess.

pr0ner wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:52 am

stessier wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 4:22 am

Kraken wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 2:28 am Which Democrat matches you best on these 10 questions?

I got Booker with 6 and a three-way tie among Sanders, Warren, and Steyer (who?) for second at 5. Buttigieg and Gabbard tied for last at 2.

How do you not know who Tom Steyer is? He has single handedly kept all the advertising platforms solvent with his ad buys. They are everywhere. My kids have said that they'd vote him president if only he'd promise never to appear in an ad ever again (they are 10 and 13).

I am pretty sure I have seen more Steyer ads than I have for any other current Democratic candidate combined.

I don't watch much live TV and have not seen any political ads by anyone. If Steyer is advertising online, my ad blocker is zapping him.

I got Biden and Yang, which isn't really that surprising given my conservative roots.

I got Steyer, Harris and Biden, but I think those questions are too binary.

Jaymann wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:06 pm I think those questions are too binary.

That was definitely an issue I had with the questions I had the biggest issue with. Like the government getting into college pricing question. Not sure how I feel about the government getting involved with that, and there was no "stay out of it" answer.

The cancelling student debt question was another one I have issues with. I get that it's an issue, but I don't see how the government can make $1.6T in debt that's probably not held by the government just vanish.

I got Booker, Warren, Harris, Sanders, but I agree about the too-binary questions.

I got Biden dead last.

i don't think the EC should be kept as-is or abolished - it should be reverted to how it originally operated (as intended, not this modern compromised watered-down version)

hitbyambulance wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 5:33 pm i don't think the EC should be kept as-is or abolished - it should be reverted to how it originally operated (as intended, not this modern compromised watered-down version)

Wouldn't buying off a couple dozen electors be cheaper and easier than fighting for swing states?

pr0ner wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:18 pm

Jaymann wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:06 pm I think those questions are too binary.

That was definitely an issue I had with the questions I had the biggest issue with. Like the government getting into college pricing question. Not sure how I feel about the government getting involved with that, and there was no "stay out of it" answer.

The cancelling student debt question was another one I have issues with. I get that it's an issue, but I don't see how the government can make $1.6T in debt that's probably not held by the government just vanish.

Yeah, I don't like the questions either. A HUGE part of the equation is also which candidate would be able to best do what they say they will do.

Here's one crappy binary choice.

Health care for many Americans is provided by private insurance plans paid through their employers. In an overhaul of the American health-care system, private insurance should

Be Eliminated
Continue to Exist

For me, I think a 21st Century Economy would be best served with a basic Medicare for All type coverage, and Employers/Insurers can offer supplemental Insurance.

Nuclear power is another one - where is invest in Fusion?

Electoral College is a third. I've argued here that we should keep it, but raise the number of representatives based on population for now (current # fixed almost 100 years ago - it's time to make our representatives more equal in the number of people they actually represent, and more responsive to them).

My answers gave me:

7 Steyer
6 Biden
6 Booker
6 Harris
6 Yang
5 Klobuchar
4 Buttigieg
4 Sanders
4 Gabbard
3 Warren

But, for the remaining issues, I'll probably vote Warren. I also want increased financial regulation and investigation, and she would be tops at that. I want tax plans favoring increasing inequality (and, given Citizens United and Dark Money) reined in - Warren will be best at that. Warren also has indicated to me that she actually listens to the issues people have (see her visits to coal country for example, whereas other candidates are mostly playing the talk on TV and treat CA like an ATM), and will formulate policy accordingly. I don't know about the rest.

If this were a normal election (when was the last time we had sane candidates and a sane entrance - 1996 maybe?), I'd be inclined to vote more conservatively (Harris/Biden probably), but it's not.

I have no faith in Steyer and Yang (Billionaires with no prior Government Experience need not apply - see Trump),

I have little faith in Biden to do more than creep back towards an Obama status quo (and maybe get halfway there, or less, based on how ill-prepared he appears to be for GOP resistance).

I may take another look at Klobuchar and Booker, but I see them as also-rans currently.

Mayor Pete needs to do better with the Black vote projections - if he starts doing better there, I"ll look more closely, but I see him more like the billionaires w/o relevant experience.

Sanders I see as lesser than Warren, as I see her as more practical (which is odd, given some of her policy preferences), but it's based on how they stump. I like that both have strong ground games, as I think that is the key electability concern.

Pyperkub wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:13 pm

Health care for many Americans is provided by private insurance plans paid through their employers. In an overhaul of the American health-care system, private insurance should

Be Eliminated
Continue to Exist

For me, I think a 21st Century Economy would be best served with a basic Medicare for All type coverage, and Employers/Insurers can offer supplemental Insurance.

That was where it began to lose me as well for the pretty much the same reason. I was working very hard to find the answer that best matched "Medicare for All type coverage, and Employers/Insurers can offer supplemental Insurance." and had to stretch for an answer. How is that not included? Then it just kept getting worse. The strongest take away I got was if this the mainstream liberalism then I'm still not very blue at all, not matter how much I won't vote GOP. My best hope is the donkeys don't earn my resentment. Which goes back to for all I disliked about Obama (and it was a lot), he has still been the best president in my lifetime.

Holman wrote: Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:33 pm I got Booker, Warren, Harris, Sanders, but I agree about the too-binary questions.

I got Biden dead last.

I got Yang and Booker, which makes some sense.

I generally agree about the binary questions, but at the same time I think that's hard to avoid if you're going to distill this into a quiz with specific results.

El Guapo wrote:I got Yang and Booker, which makes some sense.

I got Booker 8, Yang 7, and Gabbard at the bottom with 1.

El Guapo wrote: I generally agree about the binary questions, but at the same time I think that's hard to avoid if you're going to distill this into a quiz with specific results.

+1

It's not intended to be a nuanced reflection of the quiz-taker's complete political outlook, it's just a way to match you up with candidates using their existing positions on certain topics.

Alefroth wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 3:52 pm

El Guapo wrote:I got Yang and Booker, which makes some sense.

I got Booker 8, Yang 7, and Gabbard at the bottom with 1.

El Guapo wrote: I generally agree about the binary questions, but at the same time I think that's hard to avoid if you're going to distill this into a quiz with specific results.

+1

It's not intended to be a nuanced reflection of the quiz-taker's complete political outlook, it's just a way to match you up with candidates using their existing positions on certain topics.

Thou hast been taught to preserve all life as sacred. A man lies fatally stung by a venomous serpent. He pleads for a merciful death. Dost thou:

A. End his pain
B.Heed thy beliefs and refuse

C. Give him a shot of morphine.

D. Give him a double shot of morphine.

I'd like to think I'd end his life. I'm not sure I could. It's not out of the teachings all lives are sacred. It's likely out of the fact that I was not raised a killer. Fishing is really the only killing I've done. I've present for butchering enough but I've never done itself and while I come from a family of hunters, I was not raised to hunt, myself. I ran over a kitten once that crawled into the wheel well of my car and it wrecked me. I shot a bird in flight with a BB gun once and it wrecked me. Intentionally taking the life a person who is not doing me no harm? I can't imagine myself able to man up.

What Would Warren Do?

LordMortis wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:59 pm I'd like to think I'd end his life. I'm not sure I could. It's not out of the teachings all lives are sacred. It's likely out of the fact that I was not raised a killer.

Perhaps the prospect of being imprisoned would affect your decision too.

Jaymann wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:48 pm C. Give him a shot of morphine.

1 Biden
1 Buttigieg

Jaymann wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:49 pm D. Give him a double shot of morphine.

1 Warren
1 Yang

LordMortis wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:59 pm I'd like to think I'd end his life. I'm not sure I could. It's not out of the teachings all lives are sacred. It's likely out of the fact that I was not raised a killer. Fishing is really the only killing I've done. I've present for butchering enough but I've never done itself and while I come from a family of hunters, I was not raised to hunt, myself. I ran over a kitten once that crawled into the wheel well of my car and it wrecked me. I shot a bird in flight with a BB gun once and it wrecked me. Intentionally taking the life a person who is not doing me no harm? I can't imagine myself able to man up.

1 Sanders
1 Gabbard
1 Abe Simpson

LawBeefaroni wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 5:20 pm 1 Abe Simpson

LawBeefaroni wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:43 pm

Thou hast been taught to preserve all life as sacred. A man lies fatally stung by a venomous serpent. He pleads for a merciful death. Dost thou:

A. End his pain
B.Heed thy beliefs and refuse

Without Googling, I'm going to trust my hazy memory and guess...