GeorgiaDon

After that speech I really think people should be questioning whether the president has dementia. He spent the first six minutes rambling on about trade talks with China, then more minutes on trade with the UK, then he called his own border patrol and justice department liars for claiming that the great majority of drugs come through legal ports of entry. He spent several minutes lamenting the fact that we don't automatically execute anyone caught dealing drugs. He really seems to get a hard on about killing people. He went on and on repeating the lie about how building a wall cut violent crime in El Paso. Somewhere in all of that, he spent about three sentences to announce a declaration of a national emergency so he can build his wall. He said nothing about the sources of the money, how he is going to steal it from the military and hurricane relief. Now he is off for a long weekend of golf. If there really is a national emergency, then how in hell does he have time for golf? Even GW Bush didn't go golfing the day after 9/11. Don

The "socialism" he protests is access to health care, education, and the vote. Easy for him to oppose those things for everybody else when he got a nice $400 million dollar hand up from his father. Don

If the campaign theme was "I'll build the wall and you will pay for it", would you still have voted for that? Trump's whole campaign was bait and switch. "Repeal Obamacare and replace it with much better and cheaper coverage" became "repeal Obamacare and replace it with... nothing!" Go back to the old days when it was impossible to get insurance if you had ever had cancer, backache, acne... "Cut taxes for everyone" became "cut taxes for the super wealthy, and let everyone else worry about how to pay off the deficit". "I'll make much better trade deals" became "farmers won't be able to sell their produce to anyone outside the US, and everyone will pay more for anything made of aluminum or steel (or maybe just pay more for everything)". Don

Those are both probably better than mine which is no (unpaid) secret service protection for travel outside the white house, especially to play golf. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Kudos The body is made of many parts.Then why do you focus so much on the colon? Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

I thought it came from his anti-immigration promises.Part and parcel of the same thing. Trump-led changes in the American spirit: 1. Hatred of brown-skinned people. 2. Hatred of immigrants. 3. Hatred of the poor (except when you need them for votes). 4. Hatred of the educated. 5. Hatred of anyone with a history of health problems. 6. Hatred of anyone with a gender identity other than traditional male or female. 7. Hatred of anyone with a sexual identity other than "straight". 8. Contempt for clean air and water. 9. Contempt for free speech. 10. Contempt for judicial institutions. 11. Contempt for our descendants (i.e. sticking them with a crippling national debt, and a fouled planet. 12. Contempt for anyone in the world who was not born a rich white American. 13. Contempt for the US's history as a world leader. 14. Hatred of anyone who is not an evangelical Christian. I'm sure I've missed a couple of things, but that will do for a start. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

We've been through this before, and it turns out Ron fully supports criminal or con-man behaviour as long as the perpetrator is 'winning'. I believe the concept you are searching for is pragmatism.One could argue that pimps, drug dealers, and hit men are "pragmatic". They all provide a service that is in demand, for a price. No doubt you find them admirable as well. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Well, Argentina did just become the largest buyer of US soybeans so perhaps market forces have shifted.Two ways for a country to become the largest buyer: 1. Country 2 increases buying to overtake country 1, or 2. Country 1 stops buying, so country 2 becomes the largest consumer by default. Which do you think applies in the case of soybeans? Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

For 25 years Dr. Ted Danner, a well respected University of British Columbia geology professor, would pick up cans and bottles as he walked to and from campus. In Canada there is a deposit paid on soft drink cans and bottles, and he used the funds raised by redeeming them for a scholarship that supported geology graduate students. When he died he left $1.2 million dollars to the geology department to support grad students, and a significant part of that endowment was funded by picking up empty bottles. Given a choice between Dr. Danner's "rambling" and your pretentious bullshit, I know who I prefer to support. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Before I was born I was nothing; I have no memories, regrets, or sense of missing out because I did not exist. I'm quite sure it will be the same after I am dead. All that matters is what I do now, while I am alive. I hope when I get to the end of the road I don't have too many regrets about things I didn't get to do, or people I let down. I try to do my best to ensure I'm remembered as a good father, husband, colleague, teacher, researcher, friend, etc. When I'm gone I won't be aware of anything, but I hope the people I leave behind will remember me and not think "good riddance". Live today, enjoy today. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Apart from the obvious issue of granting the President the power to unilaterally change the Constitution by executive order (leaving essentially no daylight between "President" and "Dear Ruler"), there is also the issue of what system will replace the 14th amendment. What will suffice to qualify someone as a US citizen, if not the fact that they were born here? Both mommy and daddy have to prove they are citizens? If birthright citizenship is disqualified, how would they prove their citizenship? How many generations back would someone have to be able to document their US citizen ancestors? What would happen if mommy is a citizen and daddy is not? Some apparently already think this situation disqualifies Obama from citizenship. How about if daddy has flown the coop, or mommy isn't completely sure who daddy is? Would this constitutional revision be retroactive? Would children of legal immigrants be stripped of their citizenship? One thing is for certain: don't expect thought-out answers from the divider-in-chief. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Loving vs Virginia was decided in 1967, not the 1950s. And yes it was very controversial. I'm amazed at how the USA embraced racism as the law of the land long after the rest of the world (except South Africa) had moved on. In his dissent on the ruling on same sex marrage, Justice Clearance Thomas wrote that marriage was purely a State matter, each State could decide for themselves what they would recognize. Of course Thomas has an interracial marriage, and he and his wife were married in Virginia, so in effect he was arguing that his own marriage was illegitimate. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

I agree that the current democratic leadership is old, stale, uninspiring, and a thorough housecleaning is in order. Even here in Georgia where a democrat has a shot at the governorship, it seems to me that the political ads are watered down, way too underplayed. Even when they are talking about Republicans wanting to strip health insurance from everyone with pre-existing conditions they do it without conveying any sense of outrage. On the other hand the Republicans are running ads that make it clear they are completely untethered from any regard for the truth. They photoshop Stacey Abrams photos to make her skin super dark and her eyes and teeth super white to the point where she looks demonic, and then they lie through their teeth saying she wants to unleash sex offenders and armed violent criminals on our schools. They are really playing up the fear angle, and the appeal to racism and sexism is totally in your face. Who would choose an insane criminal-loving black female demon over a nice white boy? But back to the issue at hand, how will pitchforks and marching up (I assume Capitol) Hill at dawn keep the Republicans from voting on those judges when they control the agenda and have a majority in the senate? Republicans are already playing up the "Democrats are nothing but an insane mob" angle; it's hard for me to see how proving them right will sway enough votes towards the democrats to help. Unfortunately it might already be too late for the senate. Pelosi and Schumer should have stepped aside months ago so they could be replaced with dynamic new leaders. Not going to happen now. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

That would make sense only if there was a way to both delay the vote on the nominations and win the senate. Since it now takes only a simple majority to confirm judges, and the Republicans have that and control of the process, I don't see how Democrats could block voting on the judges until after the new senate is seated. Maybe you can explain how that could be done? Also there is no way the Democrats could win back the senate without campaigning or while fucking the millennial vote. Maybe you can offer a convincing scenario about how that could be accomplished? The worst case scenario is having the judges confirmed while failing to take the senate (or even seeing the Republican majority increase), which is what you seem to be advocating. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

While this would be nice in principle it is impossible in practice. The court is needed (as the founding fathers realized) because there will always be potential for conflict in interpreting ambiguous laws (and no law can be written to cover every possible circumstance), and more significantly there will always be circumstances calling for some "interpretation" of the Constitution. If things were cut and dried, with only one possible way to see things, there would be no need for the court. As it is, we have 9 justices so they can discuss and debate, bringing their experience and knowledge to the table. Of course when there is a "grey area" in a law individual justices will turn to the same personal principles and ethics that also govern their political leaning. Having principles is not the same as being a political partisan. And, of course, any President will nominate people who agree with him/her on principles. The best (though not an easy) solution to many of these controversies is for Congress to get off their ass and produce well written laws, laws that are founded on constitutional principles and have as little ambiguity as possible. Want the EPA to regulate CO2? Make it a law, not just a regulation originating with the EPA. Want abortion to be available in every State? Pass a federal law, or if necessary a constitutional amendment. Elect politicians who will fight to pass strong legislation so the Supreme Court isn't asked to decide if clean air and water is subordinate to corporate profits, or if control women's bodies and lives should rest in the hands of religious ideologues, or if people have a right to marry the partner of their choice, and on and on. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Needless to say that's very strange behavior. He's an emeritus professor, which means he is retired but still has a relationship to the university, which is to say he's likely still doing some level of research/publishing. However he would not be employed (=paid) by the university, contrary to what the article implies. I could speculate that some level of dementia might possibly be involved. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Doesn't that just make him even more Trumpy? The mango Mussolini will just have to pardon him now! Does someone have to be actually convicted before being pardoned? Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

At first I thought that would be impossible because you would not be able to transfer information between multiverses. Then I realized that wouldn't be an issue, given the information content of the posts in question. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Translation: "I've cheated on everything else in my life, so why can't I cheat my way to the Presidency?" Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

The Saudis can go pound sand, of which they have a lot. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

There are lots of "interesting" ramifications of a decreasing and aging population. In addition to the ones you mention, what will happen to real estate values when there are more houses available than people to occupy them? We have some recent experience of the "ripple effects" through the whole economy when real estate loses much of it's value. For better or worse our economy is based on the notion of constant growth. Businesses that sell less this year than they did last year are considered to be in trouble, and that is reflected in their stock value. How is the economy going to continue to grow forever when the consumer base is shrinking? I'm reminded of some old science fiction stories where the "poor" are forced to actually consume things (such as walking miles a day to wear out a pair of shoes per week) while the "rich" are allowed to use robots to do the consuming for them. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/woodlands/news/article/La-Porte-plane-crash-victims-identified-as-13081248.php _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Nope, things change.Your answer brands you as a traitor. Not much of a surprise, given your long stated wish to tear up the 1st amendment to the Constitution and impose a Christian Taliban on the US. Despite your lip service to fighting communists you have never offered the slightest evidence of understanding the real greatness of the United States, or the vision of the Founding Fathers. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

Some have argued that Trump cannot commit obstruction of justice because he is head of the justice department so, by definition, whatever he says goes. Similarly as ultimate head of the intelligence services it might be argued that it is within his powers to override the unanimous findings of a every branch of the intelligence services and accept, as official US policy, whatever lie Putin whispers in his ear. I wonder if they take the same view of treason: as head of state Trump is constitutionally allowed to make whatever policy he wants, even returning Alaska to the Russians, or commanding the armed forces to stand down as Russian tanks roll in Washington's streets. It is truly remarkable the swath of destruction this President is leaving in his wake in service of his monumental narcissism. Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

So he can dish it out but he can't take it. What a surprise! Don _____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)