President Donald Trump

[Fresno Bob]

maybe you should try a different word that you know the meaning of.

keep digging that hole....

[cardboardbox]

keep digging that hole....

keep using words you dont understand...

[swampdragon]

Hey, it's freaking cold outside, so that must mean that Global Warming is a hoax!!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946531657229701120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

why would Trump go out of his way to say something so inane and proven wrong

[Redbirds Fan]

Thanks man... LOL (Seriously I am laughing as I type this....) We may disagree at times, but your still good shit Lucky.

Well, you know, I'm here to entertain.

That last post was probably was probably too long for anyone to actually read, almost 13,000 characters (or about 100 tweets worth under the old format). And that was after some judicious editing. But I think it's a complicated issue. Trump has accomplished a great deal to advance the cause of the right, but not always the things he most often lists as among his greatest hits.

You're good stuff too, bg. We do disagree at times, but I'm always interested to see what you have to say.

[Moonlight J]

Getting back to income/opportunity inequality, the graphs align nicely with this:



We're producing more now than we ever have, but it is not being reflected in employment opportunities nor our income. Those jobs are being sent overseas, and the new tax law won't change that. Plus, the ultra rich have successfully lobbied lawmakers to strip the labor protections, ask your labor pool to do more work with less reward so less money goes to the labor and more stays in their pocket. The American Dream...for 5% of the population

[TranaGreg]

So let's use a specific example. To those who believe that big government is the problem, and that social programs/support should be provided for through voluntary donations & organizations, how do you specifically propose dealing with this issue:

The Opioid Plague's Youngest Victims: Children in Foster Care

As more Americans struggle with opioid addiction and find themselves unable to perform their duties as parents, children are pouring into state and country foster care systems. In Montana, the number of children in foster care doubled since 2010 ... Altogether, nearly 440,000 kids are spending this holiday season in foster care, compared with 400,000 in 2011.

I'd suggest that while volunteer agencies absolutely have a part to play, that the government needs to be involved.

Child welfare agencies across the country are doing heroic work, but they simply cannot find enough foster families to meet the growing demand. In some places, kids in foster care are sleeping in social workers' offices. Many children are shipped off to prisionlike institutions ...

You can argue all you want about how people who earn their money should be able to keep it, but these are real issues that require real solutions - and that means real money to pay for people & facilities & resources. In my humble opinion, as a society we have a greater obligation than to say, let the church organizations & United Way figure this out.

[Bernie Brewer]

why would Trump go out of his way to say something so inane and proven wrong

Isn’t this the $1,000,000,000 question? It’s clear no one has the courage to take away his Twitter. Geez, his attorneys for the Mueller investigation should have forced him to stop, but he persists. His tweets will be used against him in that investigation.

[Bernie Brewer]

Well, you know, I'm here to entertain.

That last post was probably was probably too long for anyone to actually read, almost 13,000 characters (or about 100 tweets worth under the old format). And that was after some judicious editing. But I think it's a complicated issue. Trump has accomplished a great deal to advance the cause of the right, but not always the things he most often lists as among his greatest hits.

You're good stuff too, bg. We do disagree at times, but I'm always interested to see what you have to say.

See, that wasn’t too hard to recognize. There has been much accomplished. Maybe not all was great as he’d like to profess, Despite him being a horrible person, the do nothing Congress has done some things. And while these are not his accomplishments, they are things getting done. Politico, not known for supporting the GOP, published a congressional scorecard of secret accomplishments

http://https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/12/26/congresss-secret-achievements-000604

It ain’t much but it’s something.

One last thing RB, be careful, if you’re objective and give Trump any credit you’ll be outted as a closet supporter. I mean you are, but you’re still wanting to stay in the closet, right? Oh and Fresno will demand you pay because us closet trumpsters are moochers living off the teet!

[baldgriff]

So let's use a specific example. To those who believe that big government is the problem, and that social programs/support should be provided for through voluntary donations & organizations, how do you specifically propose dealing with this issue:

The Opioid Plague's Youngest Victims: Children in Foster Care



I'd suggest that while volunteer agencies absolutely have a part to play, that the government needs to be involved.



You can argue all you want about how people who earn their money should be able to keep it, but these are real issues that require real solutions - and that means real money to pay for people & facilities & resources. In my humble opinion, as a society we have a greater obligation than to say, let the church organizations & United Way figure this out.

I dont have an answer for all of the problems of the world. If you wanted the government to take care of all of these issues, maybe our government should focus it rather than spending trillions and trillions in wasteful spending. Here's the problem - I dont trust what the government in doing currently (or over the last 20 years) as it pertains to policy, protecting big business and making back room deals that puts money in their own pocket. If I dont trust them, why should I empower them more.

I absolutely do care that there are so many kids in need, veterans in need, families in need. All of these government programs we put out there and the problem continues to grow. If the government was so good at curing the ills of the world, why do we continue to see growing numbers of people taking their services? Why are more and more people becoming more and more dependent upon them.

[Bernie Brewer]

Getting back to income/opportunity inequality, the graphs align nicely with this:



We're producing more now than we ever have, but it is not being reflected in employment opportunities nor our income. Those jobs are being sent overseas, and the new tax law won't change that. Plus, the ultra rich have successfully lobbied lawmakers to strip the labor protections, ask your labor pool to do more work with less reward so less money goes to the labor and more stays in their pocket. The American Dream...for 5% of the population

This isn’t a partisan issue. It gets politicized in the way both parties deal with it. The GOP Presidential campaign was all over this issue. Whether you think is was sincere or pandering, it was a hot topic at least in the early primaries. Even Trump acknowledged the growing wage disparity. In fact, it’s one of the reasons he won.

Whether you believe the tax law change will help or hurt the middle class in the long run, it was an effort to address this. Yes, it helps the “rich” forever, while the tax “relief” to the middle class will phase out over several years. As flawed as it is, it again is something other than the status quo. But, let’s assume the GOP isn’t in control of the three branches ever again, are the Dems going to let those expire? That would lead to their ouster from control yet again.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/04/politi...ass/index.html

[cardboardbox]

But, let’s assume the GOP isn’t in control of the three branches ever again, are the Dems going to let those expire? That would lead to their ouster from control yet again.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/04/politi...ass/index.html

First thing I would do in Jan if I'm Ryan/McConnell, try to make the middle class tax cuts permanent. Pretty sure that will require 60 votes in the senate, I think. How many dems vote against that?

[Bernie Brewer]

I dont have an answer for all of the problems of the world. If you wanted the government to take care of all of these issues, maybe our government should focus it rather than spending trillions and trillions in wasteful spending. Here's the problem - I dont trust what the government in doing currently (or over the last 20 years) as it pertains to policy, protecting big business and making back room deals that puts money in their own pocket. If I dont trust them, why should I empower them more.

I absolutely do care that there are so many kids in need, veterans in need, families in need. All of these government programs we put out there and the problem continues to grow. If the government was so good at curing the ills of the world, why do we continue to see growing numbers of people taking their services? Why are more and more people becoming more and more dependent upon them.

TarnaGreg’s post, though the opioid crisis a real issue that needs serious addressing, is an example, but it’s an example of the disconnect of what people complaining about bigger government and out of control spending are talking about. I truly mean no offense TG. I am a huge fan of more funding for this specific crisis. My brother lost his son last March to an Oxy OD after being prescribed for chronic back pain. He was 35 an left behind three kids, ages 17, 13, & 11.

The opioid epidemic, police using excessive force towards minorities, women’s right, equal rights for the LGBTQ community, research into cures for cancer, ALS (my Mom died of ALS), Alzheimer’s, MS, and other horrible decease/illness, etc. are worthy causes. Those of us who are Fiscal Conservatives and social liberals just want to eliminate waste. Doing studies on whether chickens have lips or how to flip coins into beer cups (both fictional and ridiculous examples, I hope) probably are not essential. But those kinds of ridiculous programs exist. And both parties are to blame because most congress creatures have their pet projects and friends looking for graft.

[Gregg]

for the record, Bernie has been a multiple contributor to the petty cash fund.

All we ask is for everyone to give something that reflects what the site gives to them. If that means sending along $0.02, so be it

Have we ever fallen short of the funds needed?

Do we get enough contributions spread over the community so that no one is burdened too much.

It would be sad to lose anyone because of their lack of funds to contribute.

[Bernie Brewer]

First thing I would do in Jan if I'm Ryan/McConnell, try to make the middle class tax cuts permanent. Pretty sure that will require 60 votes in the senate, I think. How many dems vote against that?

I’m not sure that changes anything since they all voted against it now. The test will be when they flip control of house and senate and then vote in favor or let it expire. Then true colors will be shown.

[TranaGreg]

I dont have an answer for all of the problems of the world. If you wanted the government to take care of all of these issues, maybe our government should focus it rather than spending trillions and trillions in wasteful spending. Here's the problem - I dont trust what the government in doing currently (or over the last 20 years) as it pertains to policy, protecting big business and making back room deals that puts money in their own pocket. If I dont trust them, why should I empower them more.

I absolutely do care that there are so many kids in need, veterans in need, families in need. All of these government programs we put out there and the problem continues to grow. If the government was so good at curing the ills of the world, why do we continue to see growing numbers of people taking their services? Why are more and more people becoming more and more dependent upon them.

And here's my problem - people see wasteful spending & use that as the reason that government needs to be smaller. Guess what? Every organization has waste. Get 10 people together & someone will come up with a silly idea & another one will screw the dog. Get 10,000 together, or 100,000 together, and waste is inevitable. But it's not a reason to give up on the idea that government can actually do good things.

Microsoft, one of the world's most successful businesses, came up with ideas (and spent millions & millions of dollars) on things like Windows ME and Vista and Microsoft Bob (look it up!); Samsung distributed phones that catch fire; Apple released things like the Mighty Mouse.

Yeah, there's waste in government programs. But if we just eliminate those programs, where does that get us?