Current Events Thread

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thebigabd said:
The current budget shortfall is about $750 billion.

The formula really isn't that complicated... You just have to be willing to make some cuts. Let's start high level.

The Lankford Report (which Oklahoma Senator James Lankford releases every year) identified $383 billion in wasteful govt spending. There would likely be debate on items in that report, but lets assume for a moment that we can agree on this number (either from items within the report, or other items out of the report, or some combination).... $385 billion in savings.

Bring military spending down to 2% of GDP (NATO minimum requirement). This would reduce the military budget to $420 billion instead of $750 billion. $330 billion in savings. China, our primary military rival, currently spends $178 billion their military. Meaning, this drop would still have us spending more than double what they do. I would drop it to 1%, but that would cause problems with NATO potentially because of the 2% commitment.

Cancel all foreign aid. $50 billion in savings.

Smaller Items
Remove mandates on the USPS to pre-fund 75 years of future pension payments. $5.5 billion in annual savings.
Stop building the Mexican border wall that he promised Mexico would pay for. $2 billion in annual savings.
Let 450,000 non-violent drug offenders out of jail/prison (which is actually a Libertarian concept, not a liberal one). Unknown savings.

HIGH LEVEL SPENDING SAVINGS: $775 billion in savings

Taxation Changes


Implement Inequality Tax on Large Corporations
This is a proposed tax on large employers exorbitant pay gaps between their executives and typical workers. Revenue raised from McDonalds, Walmart, JP Morgan, Home Depot, Amazon, Apple, and American Airlines ALONE would be $4 billion in extra tax revenue.

Implement "Extreme Wealth" Tax
Implementing a wealth tax, which has been proposed by Mike Bloomberg, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren would generate roughly $250 billion in additional tax revenue per year

2 new taxes on extreme wealth and spending cuts would result in:

$775 billion in spending cuts
$255 billion in additional tax revenue

Total: $1.03 trillion

Can it be done? Yes. Will cuts have to be made? Yes. Do we need to raise more tax revenue? Yes.

There are lots of other things I would like to do, but this is a very high level example showing there is absolutely a solution to this problem.
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I think you have shown that large cuts can be made without raising taxes.

And you wouldn't raise that much additional tax revenue because businesses and the wealthy will find ways to avoid it by moving their business and accounts out of the US.
 
I saw a great interview with Ken Burns, who is a brilliant documentary film maker (if you haven't seen his documentary on the Vietnam War, it's an absolute must watch)... I think he provides some great perspective on what is going on right now with the renaming of airports, public buildings, schools, etc and also the tearing down of statues.

For those who don't want to watch it... he basically says that there is a social reckoning right now and that we just need to listen and let it play out. He readily admits that it's going to go too far....

He says "the most important thing is the reckoning, and for us not to get distracted by the arguments of too far.... the real issue is that for too long non-white citizens didn't enjoy equal justice under the law.... They were held as slaves for centuries... We are in the midst of a reckoning of our racial past, and we need to listen to those who have born the brunt of it. We (white people) don't have the facilities to receive this information, so we have to just listen... and we have to permit mistakes to be made, and allow people to overshoot the mark, because for too long people have had a knee on their neck"....

I think that is a very moving comment.... and one that provides perspective in these hostile times.... As the rage boils over, mistakes are going to be made. They will take it too far... And we have to allow some mistakes to be made. We can't use this as an opportunity for healing and real change if we fight the reckoning every step of the way.

If we go out there and start defending Confederate statues, bigots, racists, etc then we miss our opportunity to allow healing... to allow this moment to progress us. Some of the logic is CORRECT, that property shouldn't be destroyed, that people we celebrate did bad things but we still honor other things they stood for, etc... That's where the mistakes are going to be made. We have to allow those mistakes, listen, and try to move forward.

Many are not going to heed that advise. They are going to double-down, put down the reckoning with force, and try to return society to the status-quo.... I think what Ken Burns is telling us is that if we do that, we miss an opportunity.

Just food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOwrd2kRQcA
 
thebigabd said:
I saw a great interview with Ken Burns, who is a brilliant documentary film maker (if you haven't seen his documentary on the Vietnam War, it's an absolute must watch)... I think he provides some great perspective on what is going on right now with the renaming of airports, public buildings, schools, etc and also the tearing down of statues.

For those who don't want to watch it... he basically says that there is a social reckoning right now and that we just need to listen and let it play out. He readily admits that it's going to go too far....

He says "the most important thing is the reckoning, and for us not to get distracted by the arguments of too far.... the real issue is that for too long non-white citizens didn't enjoy equal justice under the law.... They were held as slaves for centuries... We are in the midst of a reckoning of our racial past, and we need to listen to those who have born the brunt of it. We (white people) don't have the facilities to receive this information, so we have to just listen... and we have to permit mistakes to be made, and allow people to overshoot the mark, because for too long people have had a knee on their neck"....

I think that is a very moving comment.... and one that provides perspective in these hostile times.... As the rage boils over, mistakes are going to be made. They will take it too far... And we have to allow some mistakes to be made. We can't use this as an opportunity for healing and real change if we fight the reckoning every step of the way.

If we go out there and start defending Confederate statues, bigots, racists, etc then we miss our opportunity to allow healing... to allow this moment to progress us. Some of the logic is CORRECT, that property shouldn't be destroyed, that people we celebrate did bad things but we still honor other things they stood for, etc... That's where the mistakes are going to be made. We have to allow those mistakes, listen, and try to move forward.

Many are not going to heed that advise. They are going to double-down, put down the reckoning with force, and try to return society to the status-quo.... I think what Ken Burns is telling us is that if we do that, we miss an opportunity.

Just food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOwrd2kRQcA
Click to expand...

Historically if the signs weren't observed and the problem had to be resolved by revolt then there is always overshot. Thats why it's so much better to care of it before that point. I totally expected there to be more violence than there has been so far. I don't think any of it is justified, but I still expect it.
 
SoonerBounce13 said:
so disappointing for conservatives.

Basically, Louisiana was requiring abortion facilities to have admitting privileges with hospitals right?
Click to expand...

Yes, but they were using that as a way to restrict abortion, which is restricting access to care. Look, I disagree with abortion. However, the law of the land has legalized it and this kind of work around is not legal and should be struck down by the SCOTUS.

Abortion is a very divided issue. Usually right down the middle. However, it is either legal or illegal. There’s no work around. Currently, it is legally allowed under US law. Period.
 
mict085 said:
Yes, but they were using that as a way to restrict abortion, which is restricting access to care. Look, I disagree with abortion. However, the law of the land has legalized it and this kind of work around is not legal and should be struck down by the SCOTUS.

Abortion is a very divided issue. Usually right down the middle. However, it is either legal or illegal. There’s no work around. Currently, it is legally allowed under US law. Period.
Click to expand...

Looking at it from a legalistic viewpoint, I would want to know if other procedures in the state are required to have admitting privileges.

From a religious viewpoint, I don't care. Anythign that prevents abortions from happening is OK and supersedes the law of man
 
SoonerBounce13 said:
Looking at it from a legalistic viewpoint, I would want to know if other procedures in the state are required to have admitting privileges.

From a religious viewpoint, I don't care. Anythign that prevents abortions from happening is OK and supersedes the law of man
Click to expand...

I’m not sure about other procedures and admitting privileges. I’m unfamiliar with anything happening in Louisiana.

From a religious point of view, doesn’t matter. I am a firm believer in law and order and due process. There is a legal process to create laws and/or amend laws that is decided on by consensus. Abortion was made legal and upheld by the SCOTUS. It’s the law of the land. I don’t agree with it, but it’s the law. I will never take part in it or assist during the procedure for any reason. If we want to change the law, the go through the process of changing the law. Otherwise, it stands.
 
Kind of an interesting story developing in France.... they are experiencing a "green wave" right now.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53213783

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN1jfyw9e1Y

The French Green Party - Europe Ecologie Les Verts (EELV) - achieved historic results during yesterday’s second round of the French municipal elections. EELV won several major cities including Lyon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Besançon, Poitiers, Annecy, and Tours. In addition the party, also comfortably won again in the major city it already held, Grenoble.
Click to expand...

Macron's party lost in every major city.

The far-right party of Marine Le Pen had decent results, but the far-left Green Party took the night.

It would be VERY interesting to see a major nation being led by a Green Party. Not sure that has ever happened before.
 
How are you guys voting on 802?
Who do republicans think has the best shot to unseat horn?
 
thebigabd said:
100% yes on 802.
Click to expand...

I'm undecided.
I do think we need to figure something out but I think the objections to 802 are legitimate...mainly, why put it in the constitution? and how is it going to be funded? What happens if for some reason teh Feds pull out and we are still stuck with the full bill?
 
Pretty funny video going around of the lies Biden was caught in during his first run for President. Covers a couple different lies and plagiarism issues. I don’t know how to link it from facebook
 
SoonerBounce13 said:
Pretty funny video going around of the lies Biden was caught in during his first run for President. Covers a couple different lies and plagiarism issues. I don’t know how to link it from facebook
Click to expand...

I have a great memory when it involves useless information (meaning things I can't make money from). For some reason, I remember lots of political jokes making fun of both parties. Here is one from Johnny Carson back in 1988: "President hopeful Joe Biden was grilled today about being expelled from Syracuse University for plagiarism. Biden responded (Carson pushes his hand away), 'That was four-score and seven years ago'."
 
SoonerBounce13 said:
Looking at it from a legalistic viewpoint, I would want to know if other procedures in the state are required to have admitting privileges.

From a religious viewpoint, I don't care. Anythign that prevents abortions from happening is OK and supersedes the law of man
Click to expand...

Seems Clarence Thomas agrees with you. Some valid points.

[TWEET]1277735379953750018[/TWEET]
 
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