On 13/10/2020 at 23:34, Jara said:

Just catching up with this thread.  Each to his own, I suppose, but I don't get it. Why is Kamala Harris a 'snake'? A 'lying little piece'? What are you basing that on? (I'd hardly even heard of her until a few months ago)

She lied at the Pence debate about fracking and taxes. She would also not directly answer a question about stacking the supreme court.You are right each for their own but she comes across to me as a snake. 

  On 14/10/2020 at 07:39, dl4e said:

She lied at the Pence debate about fracking and taxes. She would also not directly answer a question about stacking the supreme court.You are right each for their own but she comes across to me as a snake. 

"Comes across to me...'? Hard to argue with that.

The Supreme Court? A break, please....I see politicians not directly answer questions every day of the week - doesn't mean they're snakes.  I'd say Trump is afraid of her.

Funny how her main achievement thus far has been drilling Gorsuch. Now, because of Trump's stacking the Court, he could well be sitting in judgement of her becoming Veep. 

American political system is weird. I hadn't realized how weird until I read about the Senate. I knew it was a State's rights House but my god -  every State gets two senators? Really? So every redneck just about gets his own senator (Wyoming - pop. 500,000 gets as many as California - pop. 44 million) ?

I realize that was what they had to do to bring a group of disparate colonies together in 1776 but it's certainly weird. Stack away, I reckon.

 

I look at it and think - what truly does impact us in Australia and what is us getting on our high horse because we see a country failing and like to feel superior.

Gun control, health care, education, racial injustice...there's a lot that should change but at the end of the day, not my circus, not my monkeys.

For decades the most important thing for us has been our military alliance with the Americans and US foreign policy. Sure they've dragged us in to some wars that they (and us) had no place in, but largely it's worked in our favour. 

And Trump's one man plan of Mutually Assured Destruction seems to be working for him and so far for us. 

But it's now abundantly clear that Climate Change is our biggest threat. The world has to put the same effort and spending in to fighting climate change as it has Covid 19. The US is in prime position with it's tech industry and with just enough manufacturing still around to really make a huge difference. 

Biden's far from perfect but the world can't afford to have climate deniers in the White House. 

  On 14/10/2020 at 07:39, dl4e said:

She lied at the Pence debate about fracking and taxes. She would also not directly answer a question about stacking the supreme court.You are right each for their own but she comes across to me as a snake. 

You mean more of a snake than Trump, who just lies and spreads dangerous misinformation?

He told people to drink bleach FFS. He refutes the use of masks. He wanted to reduce testing to 'lower the number of cases'. 

As a woman, I find it quite shocking how easy it is for us to point to women and call them snakes when they behave like every male politician on this planet. Harris is no more a bender of the truth to suit her political agenda, than Pence, let alone Trump.

One thing I know for sure, with Harris as VP, birth control will continue to be provided under health care in the US and there is a much bigger chance that abortion laws won't change. If it's up to Trump, the poor can go to hell, and if it's up to Pence, we are all going to hell if we don't follow his own strict Christian points of view. No bloody thanks. 

  On 15/10/2020 at 00:45, Jaded said:

You mean more of a snake than Trump, who just lies and spreads dangerous misinformation?

He told people to drink bleach FFS. He refutes the use of masks. He wanted to reduce testing to 'lower the number of cases'. 

As a woman, I find it quite shocking how easy it is for us to point to women and call them snakes when they behave like every male politician on this planet. Harris is no more a bender of the truth to suit her political agenda, than Pence, let alone Trump.

One thing I know for sure, with Harris as VP, birth control will continue to be provided under health care in the US and there is a much bigger chance that abortion laws won't change. If it's up to Trump, the poor can go to hell, and if it's up to Pence, we are all going to hell if we don't follow his own strict Christian points of view. No bloody thanks. 

Great comment.

The people who feel that instinctive dislike of Harris (like calling her a snake simply because she side-stepped a question about the Supreme court, or Trump calling her a 'monster') do so for one reason: she's an eloquent, forthright woman of colour. 

  On 15/10/2020 at 00:45, Jaded said:

You mean more of a snake than Trump, who just lies and spreads dangerous misinformation?

He told people to drink bleach FFS. He refutes the use of masks. He wanted to reduce testing to 'lower the number of cases'. 

As a woman, I find it quite shocking how easy it is for us to point to women and call them snakes when they behave like every male politician on this planet. Harris is no more a bender of the truth to suit her political agenda, than Pence, let alone Trump.

One thing I know for sure, with Harris as VP, birth control will continue to be provided under health care in the US and there is a much bigger chance that abortion laws won't change. If it's up to Trump, the poor can go to hell, and if it's up to Pence, we are all going to hell if we don't follow his own strict Christian points of view. No bloody thanks. 

Where did I say more of a snake than Trump ? As far as I am concerned they are pretty much the same. As I said I feel a bit sorry for the yanks.

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:08, Jara said:

Great comment.

The people who feel that instinctive dislike of Harris (like calling her a snake simply because she side-stepped a question about the Supreme court, or Trump calling her a 'monster') do so for one reason: she's an eloquent, forthright woman of colour. 

Political correctness gone nuts. What has being a woman and of colour got to do with anything.

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:33, dl4e said:

Where did I say more of a snake than Trump ? As far as I am concerned they are pretty much the same. As I said I feel a bit sorry for the yanks.

Please explain how they are the same? 
One is a proven liar who has made dangerous and false accusations while in office. The other dodged some questions at a debate, something every single presidential and VP candidate has done. 
Should we talk about how many questions Pence dodged? 
Maybe it’s true that both parties are not exactly great, but how you can compare a lying, cheating, deluded, inexperienced, egotistical halfwit and Harris, is just beyond me. 
 

Neither are perfect and nobody wishes more than me that the Democrats had a better candidate than Biden, but he and Harris sure as [censored] are a far better option than to keep this nut job in office. 
 

Edit: and we all know that you can cover up the sentiments with “political correctness gone wrong”, but nobody would even blink an eye if Harris was a man. It’s because she is a woman, and a woman of colour no less, that idiots like Trump feel it’s their right to call her names. Despicable ones at that. 

Edited October 15, 20204 yr by Jaded

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:37, dl4e said:

Political correctness gone nuts. What has being a woman and of colour got to do with anything.

Well I don't know- you're the one who used such unpleasant terminology as 'snake' and 'lying little piece of work' - - I thought you might have a reason for such language. Given that you couldn't come up with one, I can only assume the worst.   

  On 14/10/2020 at 07:39, dl4e said:

She lied at the Pence debate about fracking and taxes. She would also not directly answer a question about stacking the supreme court.You are right each for their own but she comes across to me as a snake. 

Sacre Blue, 'stacking the supreme court'!!!Pots calling black kettles...

  On 15/10/2020 at 06:39, dieter said:

Sacre Blue, 'stacking the supreme court'!!!Pots calling black kettles...

All Presidents from Bush Snr onwards have appointed 2 justices each to the Supreme Court, but Trump is about to eclipse that with this latest appointment. As for the rest such as the Appeals Court etc...

Edited October 15, 20204 yr by hardtack

  On 15/10/2020 at 08:44, hardtack said:

All Presidents from Bush Snr onwards have appointed 2 justices each to the Supreme Court, but Trump is about to eclipse that with this latest appointment. As for the rest such as the Appeals Court etc...

And not one of the appeals court appointments is a woman... or a person of colour... 

I'm surprised Trump isn't more sympatico, being a person of colour (orange) himself.

  On 14/10/2020 at 10:03, Jara said:

"Comes across to me...'? Hard to argue with that.

The Supreme Court? A break, please....I see politicians not directly answer questions every day of the week - doesn't mean they're snakes.  I'd say Trump is afraid of her.

Funny how her main achievement thus far has been drilling Gorsuch. Now, because of Trump's stacking the Court, he could well be sitting in judgement of her becoming Veep. 

American political system is weird. I hadn't realized how weird until I read about the Senate. I knew it was a State's rights House but my god -  every State gets two senators? Really? So every redneck just about gets his own senator (Wyoming - pop. 500,000 gets as many as California - pop. 44 million) ?

I realize that was what they had to do to bring a group of disparate colonies together in 1776 but it's certainly weird. Stack away, I reckon.

 

NSW 6 Senators 8 Million people

Victoria 6 Senators 7 Million people

Tasmania 6 Senators 300,000 people 

Your point being?

Edited October 16, 20204 yr by Dante

  On 16/10/2020 at 04:32, Jara said:

I'm surprised Trump isn't more sympatico, being a person of colour (orange) himself.

If you'd said that about a woman who wore a lot of makeup you'd be howled down, do you see the irony?

Probably not.

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:52, Jaded said:

Please explain how they are the same? 
One is a proven liar who has made dangerous and false accusations while in office. The other dodged some questions at a debate, something every single presidential and VP candidate has done. 
Should we talk about how many questions Pence dodged? 
Maybe it’s true that both parties are not exactly great, but how you can compare a lying, cheating, deluded, inexperienced, egotistical halfwit and Harris, is just beyond me. 
 

Neither are perfect and nobody wishes more than me that the Democrats had a better candidate than Biden, but he and Harris sure as [censored] are a far better option than to keep this nut job in office. 
 

Edit: and we all know that you can cover up the sentiments with “political correctness gone wrong”, but nobody would even blink an eye if Harris was a man. It’s because she is a woman, and a woman of colour no less, that idiots like Trump feel it’s their right to call her names. Despicable ones at that. 

Perhaps you should read her record as a judge in California, look it up.

 

  On 16/10/2020 at 04:44, Dante said:

NSW 6 Senators 8 Million people

Victoria 6 Senators 7 Million people

Tasmania 6 Senators 300,000 people 

Your point being?

Yes, I know about ours - I've grown up with it - but all I was saying was that I was surprised how weird America's was - it's ten times worse than ours. It's why they get all these redneck yokels in positions of power. I mean - California and Wyoming same number of senators, and they choose which fundamentalist Catholic gets to sit on the Supreme Court? Jeez... I'm sure it's not news to a man of the world like your good self, but it was to me.

  On 16/10/2020 at 01:59, Jaded said:

And not one of the appeals court appointments is a woman... or a person of colour... 

Here's the list, there's certainly women and persons of colour (including women of colour). 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Donald_Trump#United_States_courts_of_appeals

Edited October 16, 20204 yr by Ethan Tremblay

  On 16/10/2020 at 04:46, Dante said:

If you'd said that about a woman who wore a lot of makeup you'd be howled down, do you see the irony?

Probably not.

feel free to howl me down

  On 16/10/2020 at 04:52, Jara said:

Yes, I know about ours - I've grown up with it - but all I was saying was that I was surprised how weird America's was - it's ten times worse than ours. It's why they get all these redneck yokels in positions of power. I mean - California and Wyoming same number of senators, and they choose which fundamentalist Catholic gets to sit on the Supreme Court? Jeez... I'm sure it's not news to a man of the world like your good self, but it was to me.

Why is their position 10 Times worse and how did you arrive at 10 times. What is the difference to our set up, should we change ours, and what would your system be?

You obviously have an issue with Catholics and certainly the fact that you call people redneck yokels means you have an issue with working class people. Do they have to have a college degree to have any rights in your view.

  On 16/10/2020 at 04:54, Jara said:

feel free to howl me down

I'll leave that to others.

  On 16/10/2020 at 05:25, Dante said:

Why is their position 10 Times worse and how did you arrive at 10 times. What is the difference to our set up, should we change ours, and what would your system be?

You obviously have an issue with Catholics and certainly the fact that you call people redneck yokels means you have an issue with working class people. Do they have to have a college degree to have any rights in your view.

The main issue with her appointment is that Obama was howled down/blocked by McConnell for trying to install a new judge in the supreme court 300 days out from an election, the reason being that it was an election year.  They now do the same thing 30 days out from an election simply because they have the numbers and not a peep out of McConnell.  Reeks of hypocrisy. 

  On 16/10/2020 at 05:25, Dante said:

Why is their position 10 Times worse and how did you arrive at 10 times. What is the difference to our set up, should we change ours, and what would your system be?

You obviously have an issue with Catholics and certainly the fact that you call people redneck yokels means you have an issue with working class people. Do they have to have a college degree to have any rights in your view.

The '10' was rhetorical - I can't be bothered doing the maths, but any system which gives 40 million people the same number of representatives as 500,000 is weird. That said, it's their country, they can do what they like with it. Trouble is, it tends to mean they do what they like with us - elect people who do nothing about climate change, foe example, which threatens us all. Plus they elect Trump, which threatens the contents of my stomach.

Catholics? Each to his own, although having grown up one, I'm a bit suspicious, especially of the sort of creepy cult Barret is a member of (we've got our own local variations - I've seen em up close - too close for comfort, really - I grew up in one of the slummier areas of Melbourne - pervo priests everywhere)

Working class? I'm one of them.

Edited October 16, 20204 yr by Jara

  On 16/10/2020 at 04:52, Jara said:

Yes, I know about ours - I've grown up with it - but all I was saying was that I was surprised how weird America's was - it's ten times worse than ours. It's why they get all these redneck yokels in positions of power. I mean - California and Wyoming same number of senators, and they choose which fundamentalist Catholic gets to sit on the Supreme Court? Jeez... I'm sure it's not news to a man of the world like your good self, but it was to me.

I'm on your side, but Tasmania produced Eric Abetz; you maybe saw his latest piece of Nazi-like chauvinism in this morning's press?

  On 16/10/2020 at 05:25, Dante said:

Why is their position 10 Times worse and how did you arrive at 10 times. What is the difference to our set up, should we change ours, and what would your system be?

You obviously have an issue with Catholics and certainly the fact that you call people redneck yokels means you have an issue with working class people. Do they have to have a college degree to have any rights in your view.

Are you really sure you're not Andrew Bolt?