Octopus Overlords

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 11:06 am**

PLW wrote:
El Guapo wrote:If they're supposed to pay a "typical" wage under the H-1B visa program then they should be held to that, and that has the virtue of probably being enforceable without changes to the law.

However, requiring that companies hire citizens before non-citizens lawfully in the country would be very difficult (to show a violation you would presumably have to show that there were equally qualified citizens that the company declined to hire), and would be problematic as a policy and a constitutional matter (because it would involve discriminating in employment decisions against equally-qualified people on the basis of national origin).
A better way to make it work would be to quit tying the H1B to a specific employer, at least beyond some period. Then, market competition should drive up their wages to the efficient level.

Agreed - yeah that would be much better. Though it would involve Congress passing a law, which it's generally not in the business of doing these days (unless this can be changed via an agency regulation).

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 11:31 am**

Pluto did pretend to be a planet. It might not even be from our solar system. Don't tempt Trump to declare the first interplanetary "police action" against actual illegal aliens.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 11:32 am**

He needs to address the Triton situation first.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:49 pm**

El Guapo wrote:
Zarathud wrote:What really pisses me off is that after planning to challenge the 14th Amendment, Trump will then turn around and claim to defend the Constitution and the founding principles.
It's just facially ridiculous. It can't be done - there's just no basis for it at all, notwithstanding his evident consultations with "many lawyers". It's like Trump calling for invading Pluto.

Well, see, the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers was pretty much perfect. It's all those Amendments that the filthy librals crammed in there that gotta go. Except for that second one. That one's okay. The first one's sometimes okay, but only when I get to say what I want, and no good when other people say mean things I don't like. That's why we got the second one.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:51 pm**

Signed,

George Zimmerman.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:54 pm**

What's amazing is that I can't really rule out the possibility that Trump, were he to get the nomination, might pick George Zimmerman as his VP.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:11 pm**

hepcat wrote:....and just like that, I'm back to having no doubt whatsoever that Trump is a ridiculous candidate.

I heard an amazing statistic this morning at most Republican women are functional morons. No, really -- 60% of them have a favorable opinion of that misogynist asshole. And that reminded me of Santorum's wife supporting his notion that women shouldn't be educated...

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:33 pm**

El Guapo wrote:What's amazing is that I can't really rule out the possibility that Trump, were he to get the nomination, might pick George Zimmerman as his VP.

Cue training montage video set to Night Ranger song as Zimmerman begins to learn how to talk to other humans, point at people without using a gun and jogging in a grey sweatsuit.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:36 pm**

hepcat wrote:point at people without using a gun

With humorous attempts at using finger guns with a facepalming coach looking on.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:36 pm**

hepcat wrote:
El Guapo wrote:What's amazing is that I can't really rule out the possibility that Trump, were he to get the nomination, might pick George Zimmerman as his VP.
Cue training montage video set to Night Ranger song as Zimmerman begins to learn how to talk to other humans, point at people without using a gun and jogging in a grey sweatsuit.

That could happen though, right? Really Trump is in the political version of the Tyson Zone.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:54 pm**

El Guapo wrote: Unless Trump thinks that a constitutional amendment can somehow be unconstitutional.

I mean, if the quotes in the articles are correct, that's exactly what he is saying.

Posted: **Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:04 pm**

I would love to see a list of things Trump would add to or subtract from the Constitution. Reporters should ask him about it. You know he'd go big.

Posted: **Thu Aug 20, 2015 8:09 pm**

Oh, geez.

Apparently a couple of kids in Boston were arrested for beating a homeless Mexican with a pipe. Here's what they told the cops:

"Donald Trump was right — all these illegals need to be deported."

And how did Teh Donald respond when told about the incident?

I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again. They are passionate. I will say that, and everybody here has reported it.

Stay classy, Donald.

Posted: **Thu Aug 20, 2015 10:33 pm**

I meant to post that story after I read it in the Globe this morning and I totally forgot, so thank you. More detail:

According to State Police, the Leader brothers were on their way home from a Red Sox game when they found the victim sleeping near the John F. Kennedy/UMass stop on the Red Line.

He told police he was awakened by two men urinating on his face. He said they ripped away his blankets and sleeping bag, and started rummaging through his things.

“Next thing . . . he was getting hit in the face and head,” according to the State Police report. “He remembers being punched several times and hit with the metal pole.”

The man was taken to Boston Medical Center, where he remained in fair condition Wednesday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said. The police report said he had a broken nose, bruises on his head, and a large bruise across his torso.

The brothers walked away from the scene laughing, a witness told State Police.

Alerted by witnesses, troopers arrested the brothers, and said the men continued to be disorderly in custody. Steve Leader allegedly urinated on his cell door, and both brothers allegedly made threats to staff members.

Police said Scott Leader, 38, told them it was OK to assault the man because he was Hispanic and homeless.

“Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported,” he allegedly told the police.

Fucking baseball fans. And:

Prosecutors and police said the Leader brothers have extensive criminal records.

Scott Leader was convicted of a hate crime and imprisoned for one year after attacking a Moroccan man in Boston days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, according to court records. Leader threw a cup at the man, who was working at a Dunkin’ Donuts, calling him “terrorist” and several ethnic slurs.

Now they have a candidate who sees the world as they do. And he's the frontrunner.

Posted: **Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:17 pm**

38??? I thought these were a couple of kids.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 1:47 am**

Southie boys never grow up.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:53 am**

I still don't understand why the rest of the GOP field isn't united in a full-throated denunciation of Trump.

Obviously the party establishment wants him out, but even the Tea Party types have everything to gain from Trump leaving the race. They could so easily join one another in declaring that Trump is an aberration who doesn't reflect true Republican values. It would make them look politically serious, it would make them look virtuous, and it would free up many of his supporters for their own use. Instead, and almost without exception, they're racing themselves to the bottom to see who can agree with Trump's positions, leaving him entirely in charge of setting 2016 campaign doctrine.

It must be strange to be so clearly terrified of your own base.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:20 am**

Denouncing the popular guy is tricky business. It can backfire, but if they are unified (as you suggested) it might work more easily. Maybe.

It's pretty embarrassing that someone so crass, buffoonish and overtly racist and bigoted can lead the polling.

It's insane, really. Are the American people treating politics like a reality TV show where you want to obnoxious blowhard to stick around because he makes for entertaining tv?

And poor Heidi Klumm. With his recent comments someone wrote an article that shows that Trump has gone after her many times over the years. He was making public comments on her appearance shortly after she had given birth. I assume she rejected him at some point and his ego is unable to let it go. His comments implying the moderator having her period...What a complete ass.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:27 am**

GreenGoo wrote: It's pretty embarrassing that someone so crass, buffoonish and overtly racist and bigoted can lead the polling.

And yet it's been my perception that the Republican Party has been pandering to this sort of voter base for years. I haven't always felt like a staunch Democrat...in fact, the first time I voted Democrat in the presidential election was for Bill Clinton's second term. At this point, the GOP just needs to be blown up and be replaced by a second party with a better-conceived platform and all-inclusive purpose. I strongly feel if you're not rich, white, bigoted and misogynist , you have no business voting Republican at this time.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:32 am**

Jeff V wrote:
GreenGoo wrote: I strongly feel if you're not rich, white, bigoted and misogynist , you have no business voting Republican at this time.

Unfortunately, that demographic makes up a large part of the country still.

Holman wrote:
Obviously the party establishment wants him out, but even the Tea Party types have everything to gain from Trump leaving the race. They could so easily join one another in declaring that Trump is an aberration who doesn't reflect true Republican values.

Joking aside, I honestly think most Tea Party members DO believe he reflects their values. I encountered one in the office a couple weeks ago, and wrote about it at the time around here.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:38 am**

GreenGoo wrote:It's insane, really. Are the American people treating politics like a reality TV show where you want to obnoxious blowhard to stick around because he makes for entertaining tv?

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:39 am**

For the record, Heidi Klumm is still stunning. In fact now that she's older and more mature, she looks unbelievably good in a way that was missing as a young woman. Elegant, beautiful, sassy, smart and full of confidence. I was amazed at how she looks and presents herself. I wanted to openly cheer her on and secretly covet her. Blondes aren't even my thing, but wow.

Yet another thing Trump is wrong about.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:39 am**

Anonymous Bosch wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:It's insane, really. Are the American people treating politics like a reality TV show where you want to obnoxious blowhard to stick around because he makes for entertaining tv?

He's not Prime Minister.

You don't see me confused over the various mayor scandals hitting major cities in the US, just the Presidential one(s).

I'm not as shocked by localized pockets of idiocy.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:41 am**

Anonymous Bosch wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:It's insane, really. Are the American people treating politics like a reality TV show where you want to obnoxious blowhard to stick around because he makes for entertaining tv?

Well played, sir, well played indeed...

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:47 am**

Max Peck wrote: Well played, sir, well played indeed...

For the record, Whenever I see his face, I hear stan (kyle? Nope, it was stan) asking "what the fuck is wrong with German Torontonian people?"

I had a co-worker that cheered him on, and rationalized that as long as he was a successful mayor, who cares what he does? Which made me lol. I'm not libertarian enough for that I guess.

Still, "I've got enough to eat at home" was pretty brilliant, even if it just confirmed to me that everything being claimed about him was true.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:51 am**

The best part is, with Hillary facing some challenges that she may not be able to overcome, you guys might be looking at a GOP President. Currently, the most popular choice is Trump.

Hilarious.

Scary.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:57 am**

GreenGoo wrote:He's not Prime Minister.

And Donald Trump isn't (yet) POTUS.

If you didn't see Canuckians "treating politics like a reality TV show" re: Rob Ford, you simply weren't paying attention. The point being, regardless of whether Ford was running for Mayor, councillor, or dog catcher, such shenanigans are hardly a uniquely American phenomenon.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:58 am**

I said it before, we're inching closer to the reality of a President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho -- and that's really the most frightening part.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:16 am**

Anonymous Bosch wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:He's not Prime Minister.
And Donald Trump isn't (yet) POTUS.

If you didn't see Canuckians "treating politics like a reality TV show" re: Rob Ford, you simply weren't paying attention. The point being, regardless of whether Ford was running for Mayor, councillor, or dog catcher, such shenanigans are hardly a uniquely American phenomenon.

You are a touchy thing, aren't you?

No one said it was uniquely American. To the best of my knowledge there hasn't been a brawl in congress or the senate in my life time, so you're doing well, in a world-wide sense.

If you think politics is politics whether it's at the national level or the PTA, well, your sense of scale, importance and impact are a little off, imo.

I don't know what the fuck is wrong with Torontonians. Call me when he's leading the polls outside of his geoloc.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:16 am**

Please. We all know President Lindberg is the right man for the job.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:46 am**

I just watched a clip of Rachel Maddow on Jimmy Fallon last night, and she raised a couple of good points:

1) He really doesn't want to be president because he doesn't want to work that hard, never mind the fact that it ages you about 40 years (look at any pair of before and after photos with the possible exception of Reagan, who was already embalmed).

2) Assuming he doesn't get the nomination, he's maneuvered himself into a no-lose situation. If runs as a 3rd party candidate, the Democrats will owe him for handing them the election. If he doesn't, the Republicans will owe him for staying out of the race.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:47 am**

GreenGoo wrote:
Anonymous Bosch wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:He's not Prime Minister.
And Donald Trump isn't (yet) POTUS.

If you didn't see Canuckians "treating politics like a reality TV show" re: Rob Ford, you simply weren't paying attention. The point being, regardless of whether Ford was running for Mayor, councillor, or dog catcher, such shenanigans are hardly a uniquely American phenomenon.
You are a touchy thing, aren't you?

No.

GreenGoo wrote:No one said it was uniquely American.

When you said "Are the American people treating politics like a reality TV show..." that seemed to be what you were implying.

GreenGoo wrote:If you think politics is politics whether it's at the national level or the PTA, well, your sense of scale, importance and impact are a little off, imo.

I don't. My point was simply that the antics and attention garnered by the likes of Trump and Ford seem analagous in terms of "reality TV show politics" and, in that sense, not exclusively American.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:55 am**

hepcat wrote:
Jeff V wrote:
GreenGoo wrote: I strongly feel if you're not rich, white, bigoted and misogynist , you have no business voting Republican at this time.
Unfortunately, that demographic makes up a large part of the country still.

And this is why when someone identifies themselves as a Republican, I wonder which of those tags actually apply. There's also the generational Republicans who are stupifyingly ignorant on specifics, but, like their religion, are block voters because their parents were. So when they are rich or apparently bigots, I assume they are just idiots and adjust accordingly.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:56 am**

This isn't the first time you've jumped in when Americans have been generalized.

Politics as a spectacle has always been a thing. I don't have a lot of experience seeing that spectacle be rewarded on the national level. It's...disturbing.

Ford was in office when scandal hit. Trump *is* the scandal and he's using the scandal in an attempt to gain office. That's different, imo. And it's working!? which bothers me.

That said, Ford got re-elected after the scandal so as far as I'm concerned all bets are off with regard to Toronto. Nuke it from orbit and start over, imo.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:03 pm**

hepcat wrote:Please. We all know President Lindberg is the right man for the job.

I'm going to have to go with McCloskey.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:08 pm**

President Tom Beck for life!

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:17 pm**

But you're in good hands with President Palmer.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:17 pm**

But he can't hit a curveball.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:26 pm**

tgb wrote:I just watched a clip of Rachel Maddow on Jimmy Fallon last night, and she raised a couple of good points:

1) He really doesn't want to be president because he doesn't want to work that hard, never mind the fact that it ages you about 40 years (look at any pair of before and after photos with the possible exception of Reagan, who was already embalmed).

2) Assuming he doesn't get the nomination, he's maneuvered himself into a no-lose situation. If runs as a 3rd party candidate, the Democrats will owe him for handing them the election. If he doesn't, the Republicans will owe him for staying out of the race.

Maddow is right on the money, I do believe.

Posted: **Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:29 pm**

Yeah, I think she is. I mean, everyone thinks Trump is an idiot. He might be a curmudgeon but I don't think he's stupid. I think he's exactly where he wants to be.

Octopus Overlords

The Art of the Donald Trumpocalypse

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