US after 4 more years of Trump?

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

13 hours ago, Gerry Maddoux said:

Depends. For example, if you were elderly and had poor quality of life with incontinence, heart failure, stroke, dementia, depression, any one of a thousand things, and it had gotten so bad that you really didn't wish to go on, but your religious beliefs and concerns over legacy and family opinion prohibited your taking your own life, what a way out. 

Of if you're 90 and don't wish to spend a year sitting at home, why not do what you want to do and come what may?

I know some people in both categories. I rather suspect that hundreds if not thousands have died of Covid who were simply ready to go to heaven and didn't have a way out of their dilemma until this "old man's friend" came along. We used to call pneumococcal pneumonia the old man's friend. Not many people made it to 80 or 90 because they'd get pneumococcal pneumonia and die. Well, here's the replacement for that subset I mentioned. And I'm not being morbid. Just think of all the hundreds of thousands of people living empty lives in nursing homes. 

Personally, I'd much rather live my life. If it's my time, this little bastard knows where to find me. At age 76, I wear a mask out in public for the sake of others, not for myself. i walk six miles a day in the sunshine. But I also understand the stultifying entrapment of the human soul by loneliness and loss of dignity. If life is a longevity contest, by all means, isolate. If it is an adventure, then go for it. My opinion. 

Beautifully said Gerry. My mother is almost 100 years old. She has all her marbles, is very vital and everyone loves her. She is miserable being locked in virtual solitary confinement at the assisted living facility and of course is getting none of the amenities advertised in the brochures, which supposedly make $6,000/month rent for a 400 sq foot apartment palatable. She does not want to continue living like this, who can blame her? She comes out to see family, and the facility overreacts by putting her in 14 day quarantine immediately afterwards. This is no way to live, she contributed to society in multiple ways her entire life and this is her reward? 

[Gerry Maddoux + 3,627]

12 hours ago, Enthalpic said:

Ward is capable of fighting back but I would like to register my utter contempt for this sort of juvenile and disparaging language.

As a Canadian, if you wish to throw stones at the United States, we can take it. If you wish to direct them toward President Trump, he can surely take it. Like so many of your fellowmen who've come here and tried to be comedians making fun of us to our face, or singers behaving badly, we in the U.S. can even tolerate your rather insipid, sexually-derailed softballs.  

But as one gentleman to another presumed male--though your handle Enthalpic is somewhat neutral--I have to point out that gentlemen need to behave like gentlemen. And what you wrote was beyond the pale. It is not my duty to order you off of this site, but after this type behavior it would be the single best thing for you to do. 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

14 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

@frankfurter won't believe it unless they do a double blind study and kill at least 350 people giving them nothing but sugar pills. Because that's science, this is just anecdotal as are all positive results. Fear must be maintained!! Those lizard brains aren't going to flip without the fear factor dialed up to 10.

What all panic prophets need to see. 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

1 hour ago, Ward Smith said:

Beautifully said Gerry. My mother is almost 100 years old. She has all her marbles, is very vital and everyone loves her. She is miserable being locked in virtual solitary confinement at the assisted living facility and of course is getting none of the amenities advertised in the brochures, which supposedly make $6,000/month rent for a 400 sq foot apartment palatable. She does not want to continue living like this, who can blame her? She comes out to see family, and the facility overreacts by putting her in 14 day quarantine immediately afterwards. This is no way to live, she contributed to society in multiple ways her entire life and this is her reward? 

Some people do well in confinement and some do not. We kept my mother in law at our house for three months. She was going nuts and went home. Doing much better now. She is 85 with several medical problems. She needs to feel free. If someone wants to take the chance that should be their choice but going back to a facility is not guaranteed once you break the rules. 

For that kind of money she should be able to hire a live in caretaker or two alternating. 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by ronwagn

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

1 hour ago, ronwagn said:

Some people do well in confinement and some do not. We kept my mother in law at our house for three months. She was going nuts and went home. Doing much better now. She is 85 with several medical problems. She needs to feel free. If someone wants to take the chance that should be their choice but going back to a facility is not guaranteed once you break the rules. 

For that kind of money she should be able to hire a live in caretaker or two alternating. 

I bought her a house years ago and she had a caretaker. Unfortunately there was a fire so she had to leave. The assisted living was the best option among many bad choices

We had no idea the shut downs would occur within weeks of her moving in. Assisted living is quite the racket. Years ago I was offered an investment in one, sadly I turned it down, not believing the returns could be that good. In reality they were better.

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

4 hours ago, Gerry Maddoux said:

 

As a Canadian, if you wish to throw stones at the United States, we can take it. If you wish to direct them toward President Trump, he can surely take it. Like so many of your fellowmen who've come here and tried to be comedians making fun of us to our face, or singers behaving badly, we in the U.S. can even tolerate your rather insipid, sexually-derailed softballs.  

But as one gentleman to another presumed male--though your handle Enthalpic is somewhat neutral--I have to point out that gentlemen need to behave like gentlemen. And what you wrote was beyond the pale. It is not my duty to order you off of this site, but after this type behavior it would be the single best thing for you to do. 

Thanks Gerry but no need to worry about me. I've got Enthalpic on ignore, and there he'll stay. There's a small bug in this site software, wherein if I'm reading a thread and a message pops up saying there are new posts, if I click on that, Enthalpic's drivel shows up if it was also one of the new posts. I know he follows my posts like a lost puppy and I know he'd dearly love for me to fill his empty life by paying attention to him. But his psychosis is on him, he's a multiple fraud and frankly not worth my or anyone's time. The more we ignore him, the sooner he can haunt some other site, where people with zero science background might be impressed with his phony credentials and limited knowledge. 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

7 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

I bought her a house years ago and she had a caretaker. Unfortunately there was a fire so she had to leave. The assisted living was the best option among many bad choices

We had no idea the shut downs would occur within weeks of her moving in. Assisted living is quite the racket. Years ago I was offered an investment in one, sadly I turned it down, not believing the returns could be that good. In reality they were better.

I am familiar with the expense but sometimes it is possible for people who don't live in expensive areas to find an apartment and caretakers for a much better price. It is a tough situation, but some Certified Nursing Assistants have a lot of experience and can do the job for some patients. A lot depends on the patient being able to cooperate with care and get along with the caretaker and vice versa. Of course medical conditions can get too complicated and CNAs have legal limitations. 

 

[0R0 + 6,251]

18 hours ago, Enthalpic said:

0R0 is hanging onto his flawed analysis and continues spreading false information - despite evidence to the contrary.  Look through his posts from months ago if you want.  0R0 has the capacity for reason but refuses the newer data right in his face; sadly "trump logic" is taking over a previously bright person.

 

Herd is way off and for that to happen without a vaccine will require many more deaths.

 

I was hoping that the Southern outbreak wouldn't happen but pointed it out when it did. it was not a projection.

Herd immunity is not way off. Most dense population centers are at it or nearly half way there. You need to take antibody prevalence and multiply X 3 to get an estimate of T cell immunity, which is long term. Also consider cross immunity of about 30% from exposures to other coronaviruses, thus giving herd immunity at 70% of 70% / 3 or 17% antibody prevalence with R0 of 2.3. For NYC subway riders where R0 is north of 15 without masks, probably 10-12 with them, you need to get 95% of the 70% that are susceptible, thus the antibody prevalence target for HIT would be 22%. That has already happened in NYC, Boston, and many other locations.

Note that herd immunity does not mean no cases, and it does not apply to those never exposed, who will have to wait for the rate of infection to drop to a level acceptable to them. What it does mean is that the infection rate can't spike up in the herd immune region, and that outbreaks die down rapidly and eventually the virus infections drop off to near nothing.

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

32,000 more votes in Florida for the Democrats.  Unbelievable.

Bloomberg pays fines for 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote

Bloomberg pays fines for 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has reportedly raised more than $16 million in an effort to help convicted felons in Florida register to vote. 

The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition estimated Bloomberg's fundraising push has already paid off monetary obligations for 32,000 felons, Axios reported. 

"The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and no American should be denied that right," a Bloomberg spokesperson told the news outlet. "Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it."

Florida passed a law in 2018 reinstating voting rights for felons that dictated they could register only if they pay all fines, fees and restitution — sometimes totaling more than $1,000 — owed to the government. 

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Florida, last week ruled to uphold the law. 

 

Last week, several television networks also pledged to donate money to the cause. 

 

Bloomberg, who ran in the Democratic primary for president, has endorsed the party's nominee, Joe Biden, and has donated at least $100 million to the former vice president's campaign to defeat President Trump

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,539]

4 hours ago, Dan Warnick said:

32,000 more votes in Florida for the Democrats.  Unbelievable.

Bloomberg pays fines for 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote

Bloomberg pays fines for 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has reportedly raised more than $16 million in an effort to help convicted felons in Florida register to vote. 

The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition estimated Bloomberg's fundraising push has already paid off monetary obligations for 32,000 felons, Axios reported. 

"The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and no American should be denied that right," a Bloomberg spokesperson told the news outlet. "Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it."

Florida passed a law in 2018 reinstating voting rights for felons that dictated they could register only if they pay all fines, fees and restitution — sometimes totaling more than $1,000 — owed to the government. 

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Florida, last week ruled to uphold the law. 

 

Last week, several television networks also pledged to donate money to the cause. 

 

Bloomberg, who ran in the Democratic primary for president, has endorsed the party's nominee, Joe Biden, and has donated at least $100 million to the former vice president's campaign to defeat President Trump

I am quite sure Bloomberg has contributed 1 billion dollars to the Democratic party's effort to thwart Trump since 2018.

One cannot help but notice the center of the entire Trump resistance movement centers around NY. From legal investigation processes to extreme financial enrichment.

I once followed a thread that van Eck went Into some depth on the culture of a certain brokerage institution. Frightening to say the least, such as Bloomberg who's ties are deeply entrenched into China. 

Then there is the fbi branch in NY that are deeply entrenched into investigations of any matters involving Trump..

And not a word from our press, nor Barr. Aside from sitting down a key fbi director...My opinion Bloomberg is the deep state...will your mileage vary...but of course comes to mind.

 

[UNC12345 + 171]

Can someone give me an update on "Obamagate"?  I don't hear it mentioned anymore - is it still a thing?

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

On 9/23/2020 at 10:26 AM, Eyes Wide Open said:

I once followed a thread that van Eck went Into some depth on the culture of a certain brokerage institution. Frightening to say the least, such as Bloomberg who's ties are deeply entrenched into China. 

Those matters have now gotten far worse.  The mental contamination has spread deeply into other Wall Street banks and the contempt, abuse and disdain heaped upon Mr. Ordinary American is breathtaking.  The average American is considered a fool, there to be plucked  (translate: raped) by the Street for their own gain.  It started with about 3,000 people doing the worst, now it has spread to far more.  The real question is:  when do ordinary Americans stop "taking it"?  And, what will they do then? 

[Rasmus Jorgensen + 1,169]

On 9/21/2020 at 6:12 PM, Gerry Maddoux said:

I would like to register my utter contempt for this sort of juvenile and disparaging language.

I would register same for both sides. I see character attacks from many; not just enthalpic. 

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,539]

6 hours ago, UNC12345 said:

Can someone give me an update on "Obamagate"?  I don't hear it mentioned anymore - is it still a thing?

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/read-michael-flynn-court-documents-released

 

Have a read. Take the time to read the actual texts. 

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

5 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

Those matters have now gotten far worse.  The mental contamination has spread deeply into other Wall Street banks and the contempt, abuse and disdain heaped upon Mr. Ordinary American is breathtaking.  The average American is considered a fool, there to be plucked  (translate: raped) by the Street for their own gain.  It started with about 3,000 people doing the worst, now it has spread to far more.  The real question is:  when do ordinary Americans stop "taking it"?  And, what will they do then? 

Posted in another thread

Banks aren't patriotic, not even close

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

21 minutes ago, Eyes Wide Open said:

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/read-michael-flynn-court-documents-released

 

Have a read. Take the time to read the actual texts. 

Notice how carefully they redacted names to protect the guilty while allowing the innocent to be dragged through the slime and mud. The idiot judge who refused to accept the Justice Department dropping this case is looking like a world class partisan moron about now. I hope Trump just goes ahead and declassifies the names, so they can have their just desserts and maybe get to use some of that insurance we tax payers paid for to defend themselves in court. More reasons the Demoncrats can not allow this election to be fair. 

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,539]

6 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

Notice how carefully they redacted names to protect the guilty while allowing the innocent to be dragged through the slime and mud. The idiot judge who refused to accept the Justice Department dropping this case is looking like a world class partisan moron about now. I hope Trump just goes ahead and declassifies the names, so they can have their just desserts and maybe get to use some of that insurance we tax payers paid for to defend themselves in court. More reasons the Demoncrats can not allow this election to be fair. 

By the Book...Susan RIce. 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/susan-rices-mysterious-email-11590103327

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,539]

5 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

Those matters have now gotten far worse.  The mental contamination has spread deeply into other Wall Street banks and the contempt, abuse and disdain heaped upon Mr. Ordinary American is breathtaking.  The average American is considered a fool, there to be plucked  (translate: raped) by the Street for their own gain.  It started with about 3,000 people doing the worst, now it has spread to far more.  The real question is:  when do ordinary Americans stop "taking it"?  And, what will they do then? 

The depth of corruption is numbing, combine that with the Press turning a blind eye and Democratic leadership being complicit? How does one even begin to clean up such a cabal..Ordinary Americans will only react when it shoved in there face, and that event may vary well be to late. 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

I watched a program the other evening discussing felons and voting.  They made the point that voting is a right, not a privilege, and as such the right to vote cannot be taken away.  The same as any other right is protected by our constitution.  If that is the way that the Constitution is written, either in original format or as amended, then I would agree that even felons should be assured of their right to vote.

Further, if it is viewed as a right under our constitution, then I believe every prisoner in jail or already released should have the right to vote.  This could actually lead to candidates having to campaign to convicts, and so be it.  We've got, what, 2 or 3 million people in prison?  We damn sure need more judicial reform, minor drugs (think marijuana) reform, etc. and maybe if more attention was paid to what "the prison vote" was going to be, needed reforms would come more quickly.  Honestly, politicians need to know what lies to tell and who to tell them to.

Can anyone else share what they know about the realities of the Constitution with regards to the right vs privilege to vote?

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

5 hours ago, Dan Warnick said:

Can anyone else share what they know about the realities of the Constitution with regards to the right vs privilege to vote?

As you accurately point out, voting is a right, and not a privilege.  Its abridgement is well beyond the powers of the government. 

The status as a Voter is a decision made by the individual States.  It is not necessary, and for most of the US history was not a requirement anywhere, that a voter be a US citizen.  Typically the States had a residency requirement, which varied, and that was it. 

Politicians cannot leave well enough alone, so somewhere I think around 1970 the US Congress passed a Statute that voting in Federal elections required US Citizenship. The Congress had no authority to do that but did it anyway.  So far, the issue is not challenged in the Supreme Court, but if it were, those pansies would ratify the Congressional action.  Worthless crowd.

The States then shifted over to requiring citizenship for voting rights.  However, there is no Constitutional ground or foundation for the proposition that this could be done post-facto.  What the Government giveth, the Government cannot taketh away.   But they take anyway, it is in the nature of bureaucrats to do that. 

When Edward Snowden was in the transit lounge in Moscow, John Kerry, then the US Secretary of State, revoked his passport  (electronically).  Did Kerry have the Constitutional authority to do that?  Of course not. He, being an arrogant jerk, did it anyway. What a jerk. 

The point I make is that you can have all the Constitution you want, including the 2nd Amendment, and governments will ignore the provisions all a function of who is sitting in the Governor Chair and what party commands the Legislature.  Remember, the Democrats revoked open carry and open ownership of firearms specifically to disarm American Blacks, the one group that needed guns the most to dissuade the rednecks from doing lynchings.  With the Black population disarmed, they become easy prey for both criminals and politicians.  And the (white) cops.  Does anyone seriously think a cop would attempt to arrest some black man in Staten Island selling "loosies," cigarettes sold singly, if that black man were armed open-carry with a big pistol?  I don't think so.  It is the disarmed population that is preyed upon and murdered.  The Democrats disarmed the Blacks precisely in order to oppress them.  Another very unpleasant reality that nobody much likes to focus on.  

Bottom line:  your Constitution is basically dead.  It has been usurped by the deep State, and by the Democratic Party.  Ugh. 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

18 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

As you accurately point out, voting is a right, and not a privilege.  Its abridgement is well beyond the powers of the government.

I remain unconvinced.  The program, which is actually a series, is called "Whose Vote Counts, Explained" and it is showing on Netflix here at the moment.  It looks pretty Leftist, to the point that I almost didn't watch the first episode.  That is because of the cast of commenters and interviewees, but I decided to give it a go to see if I could learn anything important even if it is a Leftist propaganda-type production.  Here is a listing of the people involved, and wouldn't you know it, AOC is right at the top of the list!

Whose Vote Counts, Explained (2020) Full Cast & Crew

Further, I found the following analysis of voting rights, or lack thereof, which shed some interesting light on the subject:

The right to vote is not in the Constitution

Now I don't know if that article is neutral or left- or right-leaning, but it does seem to lay out facts for consideration.

What do you think?

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

3 hours ago, Dan Warnick said:

What do you think?

Try the US Constitution:  

The 15th Amendment states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Looks pretty solid to  me.  

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

23 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

The status as a Voter is a decision made by the individual States.  It is not necessary, and for most of the US history was not a requirement anywhere, that a voter be a US citizen. 

 

33 minutes ago, Jan van Eck said:

Try the US Constitution:  

The 15th Amendment states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Looks pretty solid to  me.  

We've had this argument before, what you said above didn't square with the constitution then, and doesn't now. 

Now if we go back far enough, there was obviously a time shortly after the US government was originally formed that citizenship as defined today didn't exist. Conversely, when Ellis Island was open, citizenship was almost immediately granted.  I've often said we need to reopen Ellis Island and other legitimate points of entry rather than the hodge podge we have today. Even Ellis Island did some preliminary vetting, something largely absent today. This idea that random strangers can sneak into the country and impact elections and the government with no skin in the game is problematic to me.

As an immigrant you might feel different, but my immigrant wife and naturalized citizen has her own opinion on the subject. She's probably more patriotic than I am for this country. She certainly knows what's worse, she's lived it. She doesn't want America to go down into the same toilet so many other countries are in. 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

3 hours ago, Jan van Eck said:

Try the US Constitution:  

The 15th Amendment states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Looks pretty solid to  me.  

Did you read the article I linked?