Phil1111

Agree about irresponsible media. But have to disagree about the idea that what she did was wrong. IMO the valedictorian bit is irrelevant. If a athlete did the same thing I'd see no difference. If a similar HS student on their own initiative came up with the same well thought out speech. It would be well served for open and inquisitive minds to consider the topic. Absent racist, sexist or unlawful topics of course. Debate is important for minds yet to formulate values. After all the absence of values is what forms GOP supporters.

Name them.

I thought you were a NSA spy?... In any event you're wrong as usual. "Results. The United States accounted for 42% of prescription drug spending and 40% of the total GDP among innovator countries and was responsible for the development of 43.7% of the NMEs. The United Kingdom, Switzerland, and a few other countries innovated proportionally more than their contribution to GDP or prescription drug spending, whereas Japan, South Korea, and a few other countries innovated less. Conclusions. Higher prescription drug spending in the United States does not disproportionately privilege domestic innovation, and many countries with drug price regulation were significant contributors to pharmaceutical innovation." You call excess profits that arise from political lobbying, handouts. "From 2000 to 2018, the profitability of large pharmaceutical companies was significantly greater than other large, public companies, but the difference was less pronounced when considering company size, year, or research and development expense. Data on the profitability of large pharmaceutical companies may be relevant to formulating evidence-based policies to make medicines more affordable." So the industry is more profitable and innovates no more that other countries with universal healthcare. Instead paying shareholders the excess profits that a captive US market generates.

McConnell and the other GOP leaders conducted the litmus test on trump after the November election.They tested again after Jan. 6th with the same results. They determined that challenging trump supporters in the party was still caustic.

Come-on Joe. Some people have dreams about winning the lottery. Some dream that the justice system still works. Some dream that the teflon Don will finally sizzle in in the fry pan like he deserves.

No its sad how FOX has so benumbed common sense. That when a simple miscalculation is made its not instantly obvious that the calculation must be in error. That you reexamine the calculations until it makes sense. That the rationale of FOX and the conservative right can so corrupt science. Scientists all over the world are the most trusted profession. Politicians the least. Yet for the US right, for trumpists, b.s. is lapped up like bourbon at a GOP convention.

Thats why the international credibility of a state and its leaders is so important. Biden will still take time to turn the US image aground.

русский-bot I like that. Yours?

The power of FOX is strong in this one.

So silly. Here is another well known university. "Americans Should Avoid Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine"

So as bad or worse this year.

I was thinking that it was a rhetorical question. Texas and Florida set new benchmarks each week for stupidity of governance. Ms Smith appeared on BBC. It seems as if the newsworthy stupidity of Mr. trump has been replaced by the GOP on the world stage. Abortion, no-license open carry, etc. etc.

Now sitting at over 1.5 Billion with 700 million in China and 300 million in India.

Could it be possible that a high school valedictorian has more guts and brains than Greg Abbott?

'In other words, the overwhelming majority of respondents had economic reasons for joining up; for most enlistees, it seems military service is a job first and a calling second."

There are several famous quotes about this line of thinking but here is one. “I have no right to throw my arms out in a crowd, for I might hit somebody on the nose. My right stops where his nose begins. I have no right to drink if my drinking injures others.” Sure its an anti vaxxers right not to get vaccinated if they so choose. But if they subsequently infect someone who due to medical condition is especially vulnerable to covid. Who due to medical condition, age, or other factors can't be vaccinated. They should be held accountable for all of the subsequent injury. Just as drunk driver is held to account when identified. If you don't want to get vaccinated. But want to interact with others...wear a full hazmat suit whenever you leave your residence.

Well you got me there. Sometimes when the nail is hammered past the flush position. I loose track of whether a finish or spiral nail was in use.

Anti-democratic legislation is sweeping trough GOP country. Voting restriction legislation is proof trump is alive. Still pulling the strings on the puppets that act for him and his message. "trump is almost six months removed from the Oval Office, but Democrats are warning of an all-sirens-blaring emergency for American democracy. And a group of academic experts declared on Tuesday that they agree. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison warned during a Tuesday morning appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that Republican laws that would tighten access to the ballot were just one element making this “one of those break-the-glass moments because our democracy really is in balance.” After Republicans quashed a proposed commission into the Jan. 6 insurrection last week, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) lamented that “Donald Trump’s big lie has now fully enveloped the Republican Party. Trump’s big lie is now the defining principle of what was once the party of Lincoln.”

I have to agree with Joe and BIGUN. Usually you make some good points but an exaggerated sense of pointed specificity. Sometimes leads to argument for the sake of argument. Carry-on.

Perhaps crime does pay. According to this news story trump's buddy Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and his fiance bought a sailboat. They had a survey done and then renamed the boat! But now claim that somebody scammed them out of the purchase price. Seems kinda fishy to rename a boat whose title has not been transferred to you yet. What say you Joe? Meanwhile their dreams of sailing away from their troubles seems to have run aground.

Meanwhile in the western US Amid Historic Drought, a New Water War in the West "While drought consumed much of the West last year, setting the stage for an extensive wildfire season, the conditions this spring are far worse than a year ago. More than half of the West faces “extreme” drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, including wide areas of California and Oregon. Scientists have said the region may be going through the worst drought period in centuries." Given that trump country is the area of this drought I've tempered my sympathies a bit. Obviously hurricanes will spread a blessing to other areas of trump country.

Ron?

So on the Memorial weekend trump's QAnon little trooper Michael Flynn called for a military coup. he was speaking at a GOP/QAnon Texas conference. Where else could he be on this cherished weekend? While most Americans think about the heroes like Audie Murphy, Alvin York,etc. The GOP and trumpists plot coups. The latest polls state "Fifteen percent of Americans believe that “patriots may have to resort to violence” to restore the country’s rightful order," Meanwhile US Federal Judges warn "Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the United States District Court in Washington wrote: “The steady drumbeat that inspired defendant to take up arms has not faded away. Six months later, the canard that the election was stolen is being repeated daily on major news outlets and from the corridors of power in state and federal government, not to mention in the near-daily fulminations of the former president.” The poll went on to state that only 20% of republicans outright reject QAnon. With the rest prepared to acknowledge its theories are at least partially based in fact. Meanwhile the rest of America is rapidly arming itself in numbers never seen before in all of America's history.

Why do you insist upon baiting?

Imagine the feeling when the wind gets knocked out of you. You gasp for breath but nothing happens. Now think about that hour after hour. Imagine being in bed week after week dependent upon everyone. Tubes in and out of every orifice. Imagine the feeling of knowing you infected another vulnerable person. Now they are in the aforementioned sick state. Needle....pfft.