Political Randomness

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:44 pm

gbasden wrote:I think it's crap that she gets a huge golden parachute, but how is that the fault of our elected leaders? Personally, I'd love to see some kind of law that limited executive compensation, but then again I've been told I'm a pinko commie who hates the free market. Are you proposing some kind of legislation to ban this kind of thing?

I really wish I had an answer but I don't have a clue. I could rant about the problem all day but none of it has a good solution proposed at the end. I'm looking for leadership that does.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:24 pm

I, uh, I have no words:

he Republican mayor of Midland City, Alabama got nasty on Facebook after losing her seat to a black candidate in this week’s mayoral election.

“I lost. The ni**er won,” griped Mayor Patsy Capshaw Skipper when someone asked her how the election turned out.

And people wonder why large chunks of the GOP are perceived as racist.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:46 pm

Midland City is next door to Dothan.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:18 pm

Who didn't see this (as predictable as the sun rising tomorrow) coming?

I think I’ve been hacked," Skipper told the Dothan Eagle

And then she hid/deleted her account.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:29 am

You know what makes a 600% price increase all better? A 50% reduction for a generic:

Drugmaker Mylan (MYL) said Monday that it will offer a generic version of the life-saving allergy treatment EpiPen for half the list price of the brand name treatment, which had become the center of a national controversy over skyrocketing drug prices.

The move marks a sharp shift after Mylan vigorously defended multiple increases that resulted in a list price of about $600 for a two-pack of the emergency injection treatment, up from about $100 in 2009.

The generic version "will be identical to the branded product, including device functionality and drug formulation," Mylan said in a statement.

It will hit shelves within several weeks at a list price of $300 for a two-pack carton in dosages of either 0.15 milligrams or 0.30 mg, the company said.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:47 am

My math is generally pretty bad, but isn't $600 a 500% increase from $100 (i.e. it was increased to 600% of the old price)?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:48 am

Isgrimnur wrote:You know what makes a 600% price increase all better? A 50% reduction for a generic:

Drugmaker Mylan (MYL) said Monday that it will offer a generic version of the life-saving allergy treatment EpiPen for half the list price of the brand name treatment, which had become the center of a national controversy over skyrocketing drug prices.

The move marks a sharp shift after Mylan vigorously defended multiple increases that resulted in a list price of about $600 for a two-pack of the emergency injection treatment, up from about $100 in 2009.

The generic version "will be identical to the branded product, including device functionality and drug formulation," Mylan said in a statement.

It will hit shelves within several weeks at a list price of $300 for a two-pack carton in dosages of either 0.15 milligrams or 0.30 mg, the company said.

I love how they've been blaming it on the "opacity" of pharma coverage, etc. They noted that it's the fault of higher deductibles that patients are noticing the price gouging. So it was all well and good when employers and insurers were getting gouged but now that the bothersome peons are complaining, blame their deductibles.

Pyperkub wrote:Who didn't see this (as predictable as the sun rising tomorrow) coming?

I think I’ve been hacked," Skipper told the Dothan Eagle
And then she hid/deleted her account.

Of course. Not just a bigoted moron, but also a coward.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:49 am

Bad math checking. There are reports that have stated 600% on the increase, but most of it is the 600% increase on Bresch's pay increase.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:42 pm

Pyperkub wrote:I, uh, I have no words:

he Republican mayor of Midland City, Alabama got nasty on Facebook after losing her seat to a black candidate in this week’s mayoral election.

“I lost. The ni**er won,” griped Mayor Patsy Capshaw Skipper when someone asked her how the election turned out.
And people wonder why large chunks of the GOP are perceived as racist.

There seems to be a trend lately of the worst of the GOP racist contingent speaking their inner dialogue publicly, thinking it will be ignored by their supporters. I dub it the Trump Effect.

tjg_marantz · Post by **tjg_marantz** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:56 pm

#veteransforkaepernick
It's a thing on Twitter and it's heart warming

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:16 pm

EpiPen Tycoon

tjg_marantz · Post by **tjg_marantz** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:31 am

And the police union completely prove what assholes the Santa Clara PD can be.

To serve and protect... Unless our feels are hurt.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:35 am

tjg_marantz wrote:And the police union completely prove what assholes the Santa Clara PD can be.

To serve and protect... Unless our feels are hurt.

Football players aren't the only people that can protest.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:47 am

"Our members have the right to do their job in an environment free of unjustified and insulting attacks."

No they don't.

On the one hand we have a QB who doesn't stand during anthems and wears socks with pig cops on them.

On the other we have public servants threatening to not do their jobs unless a private organisation suppresses the QBs free speech rights for them.

That's not how that works.

That's not even examining a police force who's so thin skinned they'll stop working if someone says something bad about them.

Whether QB has a point or not is completely irrelevant.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:06 am

GreenGoo wrote:
"Our members have the right to do their job in an environment free of unjustified and insulting attacks."
No they don't.

On the one hand we have a QB who doesn't stand during anthems and wears socks with pig cops on them.

On the other we have public servants threatening to not do their jobs unless a private organisation suppresses the QBs free speech rights for them.

That's not how that works.

That's not even examining a police force who's so thin skinned they'll stop working if someone says something bad about them.

Whether QB has a point or not is completely irrelevant.

This isn't them not doing their jobs. This is something they volunteer for. In fact in reality it is a an wasteful use of public dollars that there was/is a big push to stop irregardless of the Kap drama.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editoria ... story.html

The Rams are playing at the Coliseum for three seasons while the team builds a $2.6-billion stadium in Inglewood. During two exhibition games last month, the Los Angeles Police Department reassigned some 200 on-duty officers to provide traffic control and security outside the stadium ticket gates at taxpayer expense. This should not continue.

Several Los Angeles City Council members sent a letter to Rams owner Stan Kroenke last month, politely asking him to fully fund the public safety presence outside the stadium, which includes the LAPD, the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol. But Kroenke did not respond to their letter. Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city will meet again with Rams officials to try and hammer out a cost-recovery contract before the first home game of the season Sept. 18.

Last week, former City Councilman Dennis Zine attempted to force the issue by filing a lawsuit to block the city and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck from spending any more tax dollars on security until the city is reimbursed and the team agrees to foot the bill in the future. Zine argued that the free security — which would cost about $2 million for the season — is an illegal gift of public funds to a “billion-dollar corporation.” He announced the lawsuit alongside officials from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing LAPD officers, who said that officers and detectives had been pulled from their investigations and assignments to handle security.

It isn't a duty of the cops to provide security to private enterprises. They should pay for their own needs as far as increased security. Bad enough they seem to expect the public to pay for their stadiums and give them insane tax breaks.

The NFL is a leech.

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainmen ... ch/418971/

Obama’s campaign committee paid Chicago about $2 million as a rental fee to use Grant Park, and to cover police overtime costs for maintaining order. By the moment he stepped to the microphone on November 4, 2008, Obama was president-elect, and since Obama was appearing in Grant Park both as a hometown hero and as the first African American president, his acceptance speech engaged a clear public interest. But Obama took the high road, believing it would be unfair for city taxpayers to be saddled with the expense.

The NFL’s billionaire owners preferred the low road, arriving in Chicago with their hands out. While negotiating to hold the draft in Chicago, the NFL said it would come only if it were awarded free use of Grant Park. The city waived the $937,000 fee normally charged for large events there—the sole time, the Chicago Tribune reported, a for-profit enterprise received use of Grant Park without a fee. The Auditorium Theater was provided free as well, with taxpayers picking up utility costs for all the lighting and television-transmission facilities. The NFL provided no security deposits against damage to either venue. Had damage occurred, taxpayers would have been left on the hook as NFL owners boarded their private jets to depart.

tjg_marantz · Post by **tjg_marantz** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:08 am

I was in a rush this morning. Thanks for quoting that part GG, that's exactly what I wanted to do but ran out of time.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:47 am

Rip wrote:It isn't a duty of the cops to provide security to private enterprises. They should pay for their own needs as far as increased security. Bad enough they seem to expect the public to pay for their stadiums and give them insane tax breaks.

You're absolutely correct and I agree that the NFL should probably have their own security staffing at stadiums. However, every large-scale public event I've ever been part of (nothing as large as an NFL game, granted) the town or city has required that a set number of police officers are on site. If they weren't supervising traffic, they were there to deal with anything that escalated above what private security could handle. I guess what I'm saying is that it would be unrealistic to expect zero police officers to be on site for an NFL game, regardless of the location or venue.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:52 am

I'm against cops working private security anyway.

If they're not there in a public capacity then I'm good with them taking the day off, permanently. If they're getting paid with public money then I fail to see how it's "volunteering".

I'm still not ok with them holding the league hostage unless they punish an employee for saying things the cops don't like.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 4:41 pm

GreenGoo wrote:I'm against cops working private security anyway.

If they're not there in a public capacity then I'm good with them taking the day off, permanently. If they're getting paid with public money then I fail to see how it's "volunteering".

I'm still not ok with them holding the league hostage unless they punish an employee for saying things the cops don't like.

It is volunteering because they belong to a union. The union I am sure that has language specifying what things they can be required to work overtime for. Pretty common issue these days as powerful politicians want to use them like personal security for rich people yet avoid having to actually hire enough to meet such demands. Because money.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/police-union-p ... /313961791

The president of the police union told Channel 11 News Tuesday that he plans to file a grievance after learning that some officers are being forced to work traffic details at Beyoncé’s concert.

Pittsburgh officials said they have enough officers to staff Tuesday night’s concert at Heinz Field, but the union said the city went about it the wrong way.

The police union said 32 officers from different zones throughout the city will be forced to work Tuesday night on traffic details before and after the concert because not enough officers signed up for the voluntary off-duty detail known as secondary employment.

Bob Swartzwalder, the Fraternal Order of Police president, contended that forcing officers to work the concert us a violation of their contract.

“This is strictly an issue of secondary employment and the officers’ right to choose what type of secondary employment they engage in,” he said.

Sources told Target 11’s Rick Earle that some officers balked at volunteering because of what they called Beyoncé’s anti-police lyrics. However, Swartzwalder said the issue is strictly about staffing and the fact that there aren’t enough officers to work every detail.

Earlier this month, the city forced officers to work the Pittsburgh Marathon. The union insists that the city has options.

“The traffic management plan allows them to hire county police officers and state police although that's going to be tremendously more expensive,” Swartzwalder said.

The police union already filed an unfair labor practice over the marathon, and now they plan to file another for the Beyoncé concert.

Combustible Lemur · Post by **Combustible Lemur** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 5:33 pm

Meh, I have not* seen their actual contract, but as a teacher I can't decide which after school groups I do and don't technician for that's decided by my employer, who charges the company for my overtime.

*edit

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 9:29 pm

Syrian Kidnapper Who Shot Me Twice Is Now a CIA-Vetted 'Moderate'

It was with some surprise watching a video of a victorious band of western-backed rebels that I noticed the face of America’s newest ally in the war against Isis in Syria.

It was the face of a man I last saw in May 2014 when he leant forward to shoot me twice in the left ankle at almost point-blank range while my hands were tied. It was punishment for having attempted to escape his gang of kidnappers in northern Syria who had hoped to sell me on.

He shot me in the middle of a crowd of onlookers, after a savage preliminary beating, denouncing me as “a CIA spy”. Now, it seems, he works with them.

The grainy footage of the video - posted last month on Facebook - showed Hakim Abu Jamal waving his Kalashnikov in the air to proclaim a small victory, courtesy of US air power, on a dusty street in the border town of al-Rai.

I remember him well from across the years. Now, Hakim, forage cap on his head, was standing in the middle of a group of ten other Syrian rebel fighters all belonging to a CIA-vetted group.

The group was backed by Turkish artillery and US airstrikes to oust Isis fighters from a key stretch of road before the capture of the town of Jarabulus last month. Hakim Abu Jamal, who also goes by the names Abdel Hakim al-Yaseen and Hakim Anza, was among the hundreds of other Syrian rebels who crossed from Turkey into Syria two weeks ago to purge ISIS.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:48 pm

Biased media getting what they deserve.

Combustible Lemur · Post by **Combustible Lemur** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 2:52 am

Deletion. Due to self editing.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 6:40 pm

Obama cancels meeting with Philippine president

President Barack Obama will no longer meet with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the White House announced Monday, after Duterte's expletive-filled rant directed at the commander-in-chief raised eyebrows worldwide.
...
Duterte had warned Obama not to ask him about the more than 2,000 extrajudicial killings reported in his country Monday, threatening: “Son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum.”

Earlier Monday in China, Obama said he had instructed his aides to assess whether the planned meeting with Duterte, scheduled for Tuesday at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, would still be productive.

"Clearly, he's a colorful guy," Obama said, prior to the cancellation.
The President will instead meet with President Park of the Republic of Korea this afternoon.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:25 pm

Anti-feminist, anti-gay, anti-tolerance Phyllis Schlafly is dead.

Widely credited with leading to fight to defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s, Schlafly was relevant as a standard-bearer of the Christian Right at least into the 2000's.

Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin remain to carry on her legacy and message in the tone she established.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:43 pm

Holman wrote:Anti-feminist, anti-gay, anti-tolerance Phyllis Schlafly is dead.
.

What's the opposite of Rest In Peace? Let's go with Burn In Hell.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:00 pm

She reminds me of that character Dave Chappelle played in his skit about the black KKK member. She fought againstt equal rights for women, for god's sake. What kind of a person fights against rights for themselves?

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:04 pm

hepcat wrote:She reminds me of that character Dave Chappelle played in his skit about the black KKK member. She fought againstt equal rights for women, for god's sake. What kind of a person fights against rights for themselves?

Pretty much every Muslim in the west who pushes for Sharia?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:07 pm

So conservatism is like Sharia law?

Glad you're finally coming around. It has become dangerously bigoted and close minded, you're absolutely right.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:16 pm

hepcat wrote:So conservatism is like Sharia law?

Glad you're finally coming around. It has become dangerously bigoted and close minded, you're absolutely right.

I didn't say that either.

I could have just as easily said every person that pushes for more gun control.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:20 pm

That makes no sense though. People pushing for more gun control aren't normally gun owners even. Your original assertion that being conservative is akin to following Sharia law was much better. You wrote it, now own it.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:09 pm

hepcat wrote:That makes no sense though. People pushing for more gun control aren't normally gun owners even. Your original assertion that being conservative is akin to following Sharia law was much better. You wrote it, now own it.

Whether you own a gun or not it is still restricting your freedom.

Just like Voter ID supposedly restricts the freedom of people that never vote anyway.

tjg_marantz · Post by **tjg_marantz** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:37 am

False eq... Moving goa...

Oh what the fuck ever.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 7:20 am

Rip: A woman who voted against equal rights for women because she's a conservative is like a Muslim under Sharia law!

World: Thanks for admitting that.

Rip: Errr...uh.... season two of Twin Peaks is like Sharia law!

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:08 am

Rip wrote:
hepcat wrote:That makes no sense though. People pushing for more gun control aren't normally gun owners even. Your original assertion that being conservative is akin to following Sharia law was much better. You wrote it, now own it.

Whether you own a gun or not it is still restricting your freedom.

Just like Voter ID supposedly restricts the freedom of people that never vote anyway.

Refusing to allow me to drive a tank is so restricting my freedom!

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:23 am

I can't murder a man just to see what it feels like. Goddamn freedom restricting laws!

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Wed Sep 07, 2016 11:47 am

Christie ending decades-old tax agreement with Pennsylvania

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Friday he is pulling out of a nearly 4-decade-old income tax agreement with Pennsylvania, all but ensuring that thousands of residents in each state will see their tax burdens go up.

The Republican governor said his hand was forced because the Democrat-led Legislature failed to find $250 million in health insurance savings for public workers despite assuming the savings in the budget. He said he will reconsider ending the agreement if lawmakers deliver the savings.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Wed Sep 07, 2016 4:46 pm

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/07/us/po ... ments.html

Sounds like someone is really worried about what Wikileaks is preparing to drop.

I was wondering why the "rigged elections ridiculous" talking point suddenly morphed into "the Russians are fixing the elections" talking point.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Sep 07, 2016 10:06 pm

Lock her up! No, not her (sorry Rip), the other one.

A North Dakota judge issued a warrant Wednesday for the arrest of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who is accused of spray-painting construction equipment during a protest against the Dakota Access pipeline.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Sep 07, 2016 10:56 pm

Rip wrote:http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/07/us/po ... ments.html

Sounds like someone is really worried about what Wikileaks is preparing to drop.

I was wondering why the "rigged elections ridiculous" talking point suddenly morphed into "the Russians are fixing the elections" talking point.

It will be fascinating to watch if Putin gets Trump the presidency. I wonder what Vladimir will do with his new country if that happens?