up-country_sinclair

I know it seems unlikely, but it is possible that Trump may end up introducing what amounts to a single payer plan.

He promised to repeal and replace, and he also promised insurance for all.  He's also always talking about negotiating for a better deal, and the Federal government is the greatest negotiating position possible.

21 hours ago, ozmeldo said:

Anyone do the math on the retirement? You'll need 4/800k plus 22.5 million baht simply to spend into the grave.

 

Would you mind fleshing this out a little bit?  How did you get that 22.5 million figure?

6 minutes ago, Jonmarleesco said:

It took seventeen years for this plagiarism claim to raise its head? Seems something of a coincidence in the circumstances.

There were indications that she was going to be offered a high ranking job in the administration; it's only practical that people would take a look at her past statements and writings.

She cheated and got caught.  

7 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

We can only hope the protesters behave themselves and show respect to the incoming POTUS 

Yes, I think everyone hopes that the protests are peaceful.   But what many people hope for is that the incoming POTUS deserves the respect of the office.

We've truly gone down the rabbit hole when anyone listens to Trump accusing others of lying.

Sad news.

He is a lifelong public servant and deserves respect.

14 hours ago, sfokevin said:

I found a nice older house in a exclusive mubaan it needed a lot of work  but the rent is 15k baht a month

14 hours ago, sfokevin said:

I spent about 300k redoing it.

14 hours ago, sfokevin said:

the Thai lady who owns it lives in Bangkok and is happy for me to stay forever!

Of course she wants you to stay forever.

I don't see why people pay attention to the political opinions of celebrities.  Generally speaking, their opinions are not particularly well informed and they are nearly never experts in the field they are commenting on.

But what's more concerning to me is that the president elect is so thin skinned that he feels compelled to respond every slight; whether real or imagined.  Has he never heard the axiom that one should never "punch down".  He's the President-Elect of the United States of America for god's sake, and he's sparring publicly with an actress.

Comedy Central.

Netanyahu is saying the driver has an allegiance to Daesh.    I have no idea whether or not this true, but he'd better hope it's not.

This guy is an idiot and he's lucky he's still breathing.

I was recently quoted 62,000 for the D and 70,000 for the E.

5 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

How is the establishment of jewish settlements throughout the West Bank not colonialism?

Of course it's colonialism.  The apologists for the occupiers get very uneasy when people recognize the "settlements" for what they are.

3 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

I read the article and posted a quote from it that says Kerry admitted coordinating with the UN Security Council.  Someone needs glasses.

Someone needs to stop deliberately posting false information.

How many times is Trump going to announce/attempt to take credit for these jobs?  This is the second time this month.  Do you think he can squeeze in a third before the 31st?

2 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 Lots of people who hate Israel and who hate Jews agree.

Well, that didn't take long.

Secretary Kerry is not pulling any punches!

Quote

“Regrettably, some seem to believe that the U.S. friendship means the U.S. must accept any policy regardless of our own interests, our own positions, our own words, our own principles, even after urging again and again that the policy must change,”

Quote

“My job above all is to defend the United States of America, to stand up for and defend our values and our interests in the world, and if we were to stand idly by and know that in doing so, we are allowing a dangerous dynamic to take hold, which promises greater conflict and instability to a region in which we have vital interests, we would be derelict in our own responsibilities,” 

America first. 

Bravo!

Oh man.  Secretary Kerry is lighting up Netanyahu right now over the illegal settlements.  He's also highlighting the shortcomings on the Palestinian side, but Netanyahu and his policies are being exposed like never before by the US government.

I didn't vote for you in 2004 or for your boss in 2008 or 2012, but you're doing America proud today.  

Well done, sir.   

Netanyahu told New Zealand's foreign minister that its promotion of the UN resolution would be a "declaration of war".

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/28/netanyahu-told-new-zealand-backing-un-vote-would-be-declaration-of-war

5 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Perhaps Israel should consider venting their anger towards the 12 members who voted for this resolution.  3 abstained, US, UK and Norway.

 

Permanent members	China  France  United Kingdom  United States  Soviet Union
Non-permanent members	Bangladesh  Bolivia  Czechoslovakia  Gabon  Jamaica  Kuwait  Nigeria  Norway  Portugal  Zambia

The occupiers and their apologists are desperately trying to spin this resolution as really has nothing to do with Israel's illegal land theft.  They normally would move to their default position of it being about the anti-semitism ( in all of these countries), but this time they're throwing up the smoke screen of it being about "treachery".  

Spare us the nonsense.

President Obama put the foreign policy interests of the United States first.    While that is clearly shocking to the Israel First crowd, it's a long overdue return to how policy should be determined.  The tail can no longer wag the dog.  

What's the scandal here?

I hope that President Obama and the US crafted the resolution and pushed for its passage.

The US needs to its own interests first, not Israel's.

Bravo!!

It was a long time coming.

A sincere question for the Trump supporters:  Do you truly believe that Trump is interested in the "job" of president?  Not the title, prestige or ceremony that come with it, but the job itself.  Not the massive ego stroke it will bring, but the motivation to get out of bed in the morning to improve the lives of all Americans.

Because, quite frankly, I don't.  The man is in his 70s and I haven't seen any evidence that he's done anything for anyone other than himself in those seven decades.  His foundation was a self-enriching scam.  His "university" was a self-enriching scam.  His multiple bankruptcies were self-enriching scams.  Therefore it's not much of a leap to conclude that his candidacy (and now presidency) are self enriching scams.

So when the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue states that Trump is "woefully unfit" to be president, this is partly what he is referring to.  He could also be referring to the preponderance of evidence which indicates that Trump knows next to nothing about domestic and foreign policy.

Another question for the Trump supporters:  If Trump could somehow find a way to leave office in the next year or two without embarrassment (for example, a health issue) do you think he would jump at the chance?  I have no doubt whatsoever that he would.  

It's Trumps right to choose who he wants and it appears he's going with a man who by some accounts puts Israel before the US.   It will be interesting to see what happens if/when Trump realizes that his ambassador is doing the bidding of another boss.

Trump doesn't care about the UN or the illegal settlements.

He's a con man who will quite possibly bring the world to the brink of disaster with one of his 4 am tweets.