1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

That's the same motivation as the long term Republicans that have publicly endorsed Harris in the upcoming election.

Yes, both sides were eagerly seeking the all-important Cheney Family endorsement...

"democracy" is like the word "love". it's so abstract that it barely means anything.

 

in most cases, western govts do whatever they want and they don't check in with everyone. it's more of a dictatorship.

although dictatorships can be fairly benign. it doesn't have to be oppressive. 

 

but let's say the govt allows you to vote on every issue.

so ... abortion. yay or nay? now 51 per cent of the population votes yes and the other 49 per cent votes no.

but you still have a very highly divided population where half the population hates the other half. 

 

people like to remain deluded and believe that most of their lives aren't being dictated by higher ups. 

 

western people are deluded with these elections. at least in China people understand there is a BOSS. 

 

1 hour ago, WDSmart said:

@diceman, Ask it again, and I'll answer it. I just don't want to scan back to try to find it.

Oh! I see now. Your question is the basis for this forum. Sorry...

I've given my answer, but yes, you're right. The forum does have a lot of insulting comments. That's, in part, because Trump has increased the division in the USA by a lot. I've never seen it as bad as it is now. 

 

The most boring aspect of the insults is their lack of originality. Nothing creative.

 

If one looks at the insults Trump uses routinely, they are straight out of primary school.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

The real store of value IMO is gold and silver.

I believe the BRICS countries have been buying up Gold  and that the currency will be backed by Gold  but lets wait and see.

6 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

If only those b*****y communist, single cat ladies didn't have a vote.......and those without any kids.....Trump could have walked it.

 

It's not that you would have to take the vote away from single women or those couples without kids. You could just introduce a weighted syste, so those with kids have a vote that counts more. Ranked Voting 2.0, so to speak.

 

 

3 minutes ago, johng said:

I believe the BRICS countries have been buying up Gold  and that the currency will be backed by Gold  but lets wait and see.

India and China have always been big gold buyers, but that is more because of the cultural and religious significance, particularly in India.

 

IMO silver is underrated. It's in nearly every smartphone, tablet, laptop and desktop on the planet.

3 hours ago, WDSmart said:

I don't object to requiring someone trying to vote to identify themselves. What I do object to is making the list of acceptable IDs so restrictive that many people, especially minorities and the poor, can't easily get them. And, these types of rules are made, IMO, specifically to limit the voting ability of such people. 

     Not just your opinion, that's exactly what is happening.  Republicans want to make voting as difficult as possible.  Donald Trump, himself, said if voting was made easy, Republicans would never win another national election.  So, difficult is the Republican game plan--oppose mail-in voting, oppose absentee voting, oppose same-day registration,

oppose convenient places to vote, make registering to vote as difficult as possible, intimidate voters with armed 'election observers' at polling places, remove legitimate registered voters from the voter rolls, gerrymander districts to favor Republican candidates, etc., etc.  

3 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

Actually that looks pretty good. But you'd still need four fifths of the states to peform constitutional surgery, and since many states benefit from EC, this never going to happen.

     There is an on-going effort, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, to modify the Electoral College in determining presidential elections.  If enough states ratify the compact to represent 270 EC votes, the national popular vote will be used by those states to determine the presidential winner.   So far, states with a total of 209 EC votes have ratified, with legislation pending in states with a total of 50 EC votes.  

    I don't think you are quite correct when you imply that small population states, the supposed beneficiaries of the EC, would never vote to eliminate the EC.   Surprisingly, of the states that have ratified the compact, there are six states with 5 EC votes or fewer.   You would think these states, being some of the smallest in population,  would have turned down the compact but each voted in favor of the importance of using the popular vote to determine presidential winners.

3 hours ago, johng said:

I don't know @susanlea    any thought on the 2 x assassination attempts ?

 

@susanlea might have. btw he/she/it probably shares with you office space. Go around and introduce yourself.

1 hour ago, newnative said:

     There is an on-going effort, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, to modify the Electoral College in determining presidential elections.  If enough states ratify the compact to represent 270 EC votes, the national popular vote will be used by those states to determine the presidential winner.   So far, states with a total of 209 EC votes have ratified, with legislation pending in states with a total of 50 EC votes.  

    I don't think you are quite correct when you imply that small population states, the supposed beneficiaries of the EC, would never vote to eliminate the EC.   Surprisingly, of the states that have ratified the compact, there are six states with 5 EC votes or fewer.   You would think these states, being some of the smallest in population,  would have turned down the compact but each voted in favor of the importance of using the popular vote to determine presidential winners.

The compact you refer to is unlikely to survive legal challenge.

 

"The Supreme Court has also held that congressional consent is required for interstate compacts that alter the horizontal balance of power among the states."

 

Since this arrangement appears to be a power grab by Democrat states, only if they are in full control of Congress could they get the required consent.

 

One law professor has argued that Congress cannot consent to the NPVIC, because Congress has no power to alter the functioning of the Electoral College under Article I, Section VIII.

 

The CRS report concluded that the NPVIC would likely become the source of considerable litigation, and it is likely that the Supreme Court will be involved in any resolution of the constitutional issues surrounding it.

 

Given that the Supreme Court ist dominated by Republican appointed judges, it is highly unlikely they would sanction this compact.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact#:~:text=The National Popular Vote Interstate,and the District of Columbia.

he isn't, he is a threat to the Status Quo, the US want endless wars, military expansionism, endless hostility and theft of resources, all under the guise or "spreading Democracy' 

all the US politicians are bought out by various lobbyists. Trump is independently wealthy so cannot be corrupted...

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying

 

The reason why people like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have become popular is that the American democratic system is not working for most people, there is great discontent in America. In particular people like Biden and Harris being pushed through by the Democratic Party does not sit well with most people. Most Americans also did not want Trump to run

 

Whoever wins this race, it is  unlikely that this discontent with American politics will disappear. This underlying discontent is the greatest threat  to democracy in the US.

3 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Yes, both sides were eagerly seeking the all-important Cheney Family endorsement...

Trump is actually a third party candidate.  He is not really a Republican.

38 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

The compact you refer to is unlikely to survive legal challenge.

 

"The Supreme Court has also held that congressional consent is required for interstate compacts that alter the horizontal balance of power among the states."

 

Since this arrangement appears to be a power grab by Democrat states, only if they are in full control of Congress could they get the required consent.

 

One law professor has argued that Congress cannot consent to the NPVIC, because Congress has no power to alter the functioning of the Electoral College under Article I, Section VIII.

 

The CRS report concluded that the NPVIC would likely become the source of considerable litigation, and it is likely that the Supreme Court will be involved in any resolution of the constitutional issues surrounding it.

 

Given that the Supreme Court ist dominated by Republican appointed judges, it is highly unlikely they would sanction this compact.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact#:~:text=The National Popular Vote Interstate,and the District of Columbia.

      Yes, there's debate regarding the compact--I side with those who believe states have the power to manage their electors--but I find it encouraging that 17 states, both with large populations and small, have voted to recognize popular vote as the way to elect presidents in the 21st century.  Also encouraging that other states are looking into it.  

11 minutes ago, newnative said:

      Yes, there's debate regarding the compact--I side with those who believe states have the power to manage their electors--but I find it encouraging that 17 states, both with large populations and small, have voted to recognize popular vote as the way to elect presidents in the 21st century.  Also encouraging that other states are looking into it.  

 

Looks like a recipe for civil war.

"Threat to democracy?" Impossible, considering the kind of folks that Trump loves and considers "very special people..." Here are a few of Trump invitees for a tour of the Capitol as a bon voyage gesture to himself.

 

(One thing needs to be pointed out as weakness in our democracy is that it turned out that my local Lotus's has more bathroom stalls on its ground floor than in the halls of our Congress. Shame, shame, shame...)

 

 

15 hours ago, Cory1848 said:

On the contrary, the Electoral College system keeps it very unfair, as voters in small states like North Dakota have more voting power than those in large states like California. And while there are some small blue states (Vermont) that have outsize power, and some large red states like Florida that have less (although Florida’s looking pretty purple again), this imbalance works in Republicans’ favor. Which is why a Democratic candidate can win the popular vote by millions of votes and still lose the election; that would never happen to a Republican candidate.

Oh please. Forever?? 

1 hour ago, watthong said:

"Threat to democracy?" Impossible, considering the kind of folks that Trump loves and considers "very special people..." Here are a few of Trump invitees for a tour of the Capitol as a bon voyage gesture to himself.

 

(One thing needs to be pointed out as weakness in our democracy is that it turned out that my local Lotus's has more bathroom stalls on its ground floor than in the halls of our Congress. Shame, shame, shame...)

 

 

Those pics are halarious. How could the one at Pelosi's desk not be here. 

20 hours ago, Sheist said:

 

Your assessment is factually and legally incorrrect.  He was found guilty by a jury of his peers, not any person or group he told his followers to hate.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db

 

LIES - I will try again - patiently.

THAT 'trial' was a kangaroo court hearing in NY full of anti-Trumpers hitting him with a BS penalty for the 'damage' done to the nutter woman from an ALLEGED sexual abuse that happened 30+ years ago - which was previously thrown out of court. 

 

I wont bother even thinking about your definitions BS.

12 hours ago, watthong said:

"Threat to democracy?" Impossible, considering the kind of folks that Trump loves and considers "very special people..." Here are a few of Trump invitees for a tour of the Capitol as a bon voyage gesture to himself.

 

(One thing needs to be pointed out as weakness in our democracy is that it turned out that my local Lotus's has more bathroom stalls on its ground floor than in the halls of our Congress. Shame, shame, shame...)

 

 

yes, look at them, pesky violent insurrectionists, trying to take down the Government,  armed with flags and megaphones

the 2nd photo clearly shows these violent insurrectionists holding the capitol officer hostage, while demanding to know the whereabouts of Mike Pence...so they can hang him!😏

21 hours ago, cdemundo said:

January 6th.

That should be warning enough for all to see, but not for those "who will not see".

Trump tells his supporters to vote twice.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/world/trump-encourages-supporters-to-try-to-vote-twice-sparking-uproar-idUSKBN25U2FX/

1 hour ago, frank83628 said:

yes, look at them, pesky violent insurrectionists, trying to take down the Government,  armed with flags and megaphones

the 2nd photo clearly shows these violent insurrectionists holding the capitol officer hostage, while demanding to know the whereabouts of Mike Pence...so they can hang him!😏

 

thanks for the caption, MAGAfans definitely need it.

(btw, slow day at the office? between a yawn and a mouse click?

@susanlea is still on his/her/its vacation? I see.)

2 hours ago, Marcous said:

Trump tells his supporters to vote twice.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/world/trump-encourages-supporters-to-try-to-vote-twice-sparking-uproar-idUSKBN25U2FX/

FAKE NEWS!!

another media lie. and from the so called gold standard of journalism !

you should verify your claims rather than going by just the headlines. he was referring to the possibility of mail in ballots not beimng tabulated, so go in in operson... but orange man bad 

 

 

On 9/18/2024 at 3:17 PM, johng said:

Easy answer  he is not a threat to democracy  he is a threat to his opponents   who have done everything undemocratically  possible to try and stop him regaining the presidency.

Trump not a threat?? WTF: remember Jan 6, 2021? He didn't accept that a democratic chosen Biden could become president.
Read this: He adores dictators, can easily be flattered (he is a narcissist), he wants the army in the streets, he refuses to answers questions he doesn't like, he wants free speech, but only for those who agree with him:

On 9/18/2024 at 6:34 PM, diceman said:

russian troll? wow just coz i dont feel the world needs to know my every amazing insightful opinions on everything? (unlike you!)  better up the meds mate, they aint working.

This is the  intolerant left , the world has seen how they get, when things dont go their way.

– Protesters created havoc across Washington on Inauguration Day, shattering glass storefronts and torching cars but never posing a serious security threat to President Trump’s official inaugural ceremonies.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hundreds-of-protesters-arrested-in-inauguration-day-clashes

 

 

 

OP,

the answer is simple. Any institution or human effort based on truth,honesty, and transparency will suffer from leadership of anyone whose entire career and business is based on lies.

 

Compulsive liars offer nothing to anybody in ANY endeavor.

On 9/20/2024 at 8:32 PM, Steven55 said:

Trump not a threat?? WTF: remember Jan 6, 2021? He didn't accept that a democratic chosen Biden could become president.
Read this: He adores dictators, can easily be flattered (he is a narcissist), he wants the army in the streets, he refuses to answers questions he doesn't like, he wants free speech, but only for those who agree with him:

he didn't call for abc to be shut down at all. another MSM lie repeated by the derangement posse

On 9/21/2024 at 12:10 PM, riclag said:

This is the  intolerant left , the world has seen how they get, when things dont go their way.

– Protesters created havoc across Washington on Inauguration Day, shattering glass storefronts and torching cars but never posing a serious security threat to President Trump’s official inaugural ceremonies.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hundreds-of-protesters-arrested-in-inauguration-day-clashes

 

 

 

yes, and all those shops n businesses borded up in the run up to 2020 election, and after Trump 'lost', no damage, no violence, nothing,  nadda..... so who were those businesses worried were going to kick off??

On 9/19/2024 at 8:59 PM, frank83628 said:

he isn't, he is a threat to the Status Quo, the US want endless wars, military expansionism, endless hostility and theft of resources, all under the guise or "spreading Democracy' 

all the US politicians are bought out by various lobbyists. Trump is independently wealthy so cannot be corrupted...

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying

 

The most misleading rhetoric in the election cycle.

Threat to democracy and fascist!