heybruce

I don't know how your reply got mislabeled, but that second box you replied to was definitely not me.

Actually the goal in all the conflicts you mentioned was to allow the people to choose their own governments, except for Vietnam and Nicaragua. Those two were when the Soviet Union and the US were applying a "with us or against us" approach to world affairs, with very bad results. Yes, China is vital to the world economy. That's another reason why war is a bad idea. That's why China should not attempt to retake Taiwan by force. If China can convince the people of Taiwan they will be better off under Xi's rule then that's what should happen. I think that's unlikely to happen.

Yes, the world economy is critically dependent on microprocessors and losing them would have unimaginably bad consequences. No, buying or stealing TSMC's equipment is not an option, and it's not a simple matter of bringing it across the ocean and setting it up. Educate yourself on the subject. Defense contractors are private businesses that are expected to make a profit for their shareholders. Just like all other private businesses. That's the US system, and it has worked better than alternatives.

fascism făsh′ĭz″əm noun A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, a capitalist economy subject to stringent governmental controls, violent suppression of the opposition, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. This wouldn't be the first time a fascist came to power with the support of a dedicated, violent minority.

A conspiracy theorist dealing with facts? Can you give an example. Though I will agree the approach of a vague admission of possible misjudgment is better than the Trump approach of outright denial of the obvious.

Or go to the other extreme and require women to have unprotected sex whenever they are ovulating. Isn't that being pro-life? If you want to present one ridiculous extreme you may as well present the other.

Republicans used to be business friendly. DeSantis is clearly business hostile, with a childish resentment and gross sense of entitlement in terms of using government to get even with those who have offended him. Businesses considering locating in Florida will take note. Apparently DeSantis doesn't care, he hopes to be in the White House and to leave the problems he's creating in Florida for someone else to clean up.

"That is the correct way to deal with mistakes." The correct way to deal with a mistake is to not admit to them until presented with irrefutable evidence, then apologize with vague and noncommittal words?

"We don't live in a world without contraceptive options." Apparently you live in a world in which sex only happens between responsible, informed, consenting adults. One in which birth control is always available and never fails. A world in which circumstances (job loss, relationship break-up, death...) never happens after conception. For those who live in the real world it's important to have abortion as a last ditch option.

"In other words, the desire for war against China is not actually about protecting Chinese on some island off the coast of China. It's about hatred towards Chinese, wanting to clip China's wings." Now your being childish. The desire is to prevent war with China and allow the people of Taiwan to choose their own government. The fact that Taiwan has become a critical piece of the modern world economy gives this desire great urgency.

"Okay, if right now today, if TSMC was to scrap or stop any new research into developing new chips, and carry on mass producing existing chips. Well, that's certainly not going to cause anarchy and chaos over the next ten years, right ? ????" Do you expect TSMC manufacturing to continue if there is a war between Taiwan and China? Even if the facilities were taken intact the key workers would have left. Manufacture of the most advanced microprocessors would end. And yes, that would cause massive economic disruption in the very near future, and it would last for much longer than ten years. Remember the supply shortages caused by a shortage of microchips during the pandemic? Imagine that time a hundred or more. Manufacture of automobiles, appliances, consumer electronics, business electronics, server farms, high tech communication infrastructure, key steps in supply chains, etc. would stop. Things would go downhill rapidly from there. "So, if they move production to California very soon, to mass produce existing chips, and don't bother designing new chips, things are okay, right ? ????" No. As was pointed out, it would take many years to build the facility and train the people, and it is unrealistic to expect chip technology to stand still while that is happening. And you can't simply import people with the necessary skills (even if such rare people were willing to be come to the US or Europe). You need talent that comes up to speed with the new facilities and has a steady stream of new workers to replace those that leave. Regarding the rest: Taiwan is buying the military hardware it is using to defend itself, it isn't a gift from the US. And if Apple and Tesla are building or importing anything that violates US laws against providing material useful for the Chinese military or internal repression then they are violating sanction laws and should be prosecuted.

Yes! Call me crazy, but I expect judges in general and Supreme Court Justices in particular to be honest and follow the law. When they are caught breaking the law the consequences should be swift and severe.

Translation: You are ok with a Supreme Court Justice who is dishonest and commits major lies by omission on financial disclosure forms.

You think the life of a non-sentient assemblage of cells takes priority over the life of the woman carrying them. I disagree.

The fetus does not achieve "human person" until it has a brain capable of consciousness. That doesn't happen until the third trimester. Until then it has the potential to become a person, which is significant. I'm sure all women contemplating an abortion consider this potential and weigh it against the impact to the rest of that woman's life. Few women make that choice lightly, but it should be their choice.

"Look, if Taiwan did have vital technology for export, how about tell Taiwan to relocate their production centre to California ? That way, it will be safe. And how important is Taiwan economically to us ? The USA, Britain, and Europe, imports massively more goods from China than from Taiwan. Taiwan is a small fish compared to China." You could do a little research and answer your own questions. "In dominating the fabrication of the most advanced semiconductors, the giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) has captured a technology that’s crucial to the cutting-edge digital devices and weapons of today and tomorrow. TSMC accounts for more than 90% of global output of these chips, according to industry estimates." https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/taiwan-china-chips/ State of the art microprocessor manufacturing plants take tens of billions of dollars and many years to build. Once built a huge technically capable work force must be recruited and trained. Such building is taking place in the US and Europe, but by the time it is complete the facilities in Taiwan will have had years to advance their manufacturing abilities to a new level. How important is all this to the world? Important enough to throw the entire world into a major economic depression, with anarchy and chaos breaking out around the world. It that important enough?

Off-topic: I confess, I love that movie. I've seen it more times than I can count. It did not make me gay or let me score with Susan Sarandon (or Columbia or even Magenta!). But it was a lot of fun.

Really? Old Milton Berle comedy routines should be banned from schools? It seems what was considered family entertainment and good fun in the 1950's is too radical for modern conservatives.

If the father is present he should have an input. If he's really keen on the women having the baby he should pull out all stops in terms of financial and other commitments to persuade her to do so. However the women, who bears the burden and risk of pregnancy, should have the final say. What if the father isn't present? This topic is about denying women abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Many women don't know they are pregnant after six weeks.

If pregnancy is no big deal, why is the woman more than ten times as likely to die during pregnancy than by having an abortion? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22270271/ It doesn't seem child support is as easy to achieve as you think. https://www.aecf.org/blog/only-1-in-4-single-mother-families-receive-child-support "It's a perfect world for them." Are you really that clueless?

"Really not much different from being a fat guy with a bit of a hangover." How about a fat guy with a hangover waking up next to a barfly with mental issues who is now pregnant with his baby? That sort of thing does happen. If the fat guy did a runner, would you deny the woman the choice of an abortion? Both are equally responsible, but only one is forced to deal with the consequences.

"Unless she's at high risk of health complications, where's the burden of pregnancy?" Seriously? If you were passing a kidney stone the size of a melon, wouldn't you consider that a burden? "The other parent pays child support, obviously, in an ideal world." But we don't live in an ideal world, do we? Treating it as if it were is idiotic.

"Women say abortion none of men's business." I agree with them. I would be happy to let women decide for themselves the abortion issue without "help" from men. They have much more at stake and know the issue in a way no man ever can. However this topic is about a law denying women that right. That is everybody's business. Regarding your second comment--when your post is vague, expect people to ask for clarification.

Who is saying it is none of my business? No one is seeking child support from me. Where do you get your strange assumptions?

So?