2020 Election MEGAthread

[Raev]

Originally Posted by FatherSioux [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Get your mask facts here folks!

Yes! Patriam and Castle are saying some useful things as well. I feel like we are finally getting a few decent posts here in this thread now!

Originally Posted by Patriam1066 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

We’re in the late republic phase (Rome’s institutions failing post 133 BC). That doesn’t mean conspiratorial thinking will help.

Just to be clear, I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with the world as it is right now. It is serving its intended purpose perfectly.

Originally Posted by Patriam1066 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

gradually increasing interest rates back to 3-5% would undo most of the economic problems we face.

Your points regarding the financial bubble are well taken. But the US national debt is currently $27 trillion. 4% interest would require about $1 trillion in interest per year. Historically it has been impossible for countries to pay off over 100% debt/GDP in real terms. So we have to choose between a deflationary collapse (massive defaults) or inflationary collapse (Venezuela/Weimar Germany style wheelbarrows of printed cash).

Originally Posted by Patriam1066 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

elections with rank choice voting, etc. Basically, allowing more opinions into the system than just republicans and democrats, who are both bought and paid for

Yes, I agree 100%, but how do you plan to accomplish this within a political system that is obviously designed NOT to work? The fact of the matter is that a substantial fraction of Americans prefer the status quo. You have the welfare leeches on the bottom, the people who like the moral superiority of lecturing their betters, and of course the psychopaths at the top who have no intention of letting go of their power.

Like I told Castle, the devil is in the details.

[Castle2.0]

• Biggest thing is open the freaking economy. We had record low unemployment and record high stock market. This included record low unemployment for black Americans
• Tossing money doesn't work. It doesn't work for schools or low income communities. People need social support systems in place. I worked with inner city kids for years in a mentorship program. The social component of success is huge. Seeing other people being successful that you know and modeling what they do. Seeing others from your situation go on to become successful and having faith the process works. No idea if the platinum plan will achieve this. If it's just more money, it won't work. Also, my focus isn't on "EQUALITY OF ALL" my focus is on "BETTER FOR ALL." I don't care if Bezos has 2 trillion or 20 trillion. I care if people at all levels are improving. Capitalism when it's well executed does this.
• Develop more nuclear plants.
• Crack down on riots. Arrest rioters. Antifa already labeled terrorist organization - start arresting leaders/organizations and charging them. Investigate where funding is coming from. Don't censor people. If people make clear calls for physical violence, charge em.
• Taking on China has happened to some degree. CCP is has 90M members. You cannot be a member and become a US citizen. No longer can CPP members send their kids to US for citizenship while the kid is still a professing member. This is a start. I lived in China 10+ years, too much to unpack here. The whole dialogue on China has shifted globally. EU refused to lead, the US is now leading. Expect some big changes in the future. Definitely some big risks as well.

[Danth]

Originally Posted by Raev [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Your points regarding the financial bubble are well taken. But the US national debt is currently $27 trillion. 4% interest would require about $1 trillion in interest per year. Historically it has been impossible for countries to pay off over 100% debt/GDP in real terms. So we have to choose between a deflationary collapse (massive defaults) or inflationary collapse (Venezuela/Weimar Germany style wheelbarrows of printed cash).

Penn Central 2.0, but on an international scale. As in that case, if we go, we'll drag a lot of other leveraged nations down with us. That reality is helping prop things up longer than might otherwise be the case (if we were Venezuela, we'd have collapsed already). The complete lack of even the pretense of financial responsibility in the federal government over the past twenty years should disgust everyone. Instead it barely receives mention in media since it's no longer a political talking point--both parties are guilty and turn a blind eye. I'd say it's our own fault, but it really isn't. Nobody asked FDR to take the dollar off the gold standard. Nobody asked Nixon to let it free float. The government took that power on its own, people's opinion be damned, and neither party was interested in fixing it because they all have their hands in the pot. It's too late now, we're past the point of recovery, now it's only a question of when the bottom gives out (played skillfully, they might kick that can down the road for many years) and how bad it'll be when it happens.

As I age I gradually accept that governments are much like the ecology of western North America: Either of them have to burn once in awhile to get rid of the rotten rubbish undergrowth and renew themselves.

Danth

[Domo]

just checked Trumps twitter and I think got brain damage

[Raev]

Originally Posted by Castle2.0

We had record low unemployment and record high stock market

Unfortunately, neither of these are true. The unemployment numbers are "adjusted" based on people who have given up work and many of those jobs are part time waiters and bartenders or low skill stuff like Amazon stockers. The stock market numbers are an illusion created by fiat money. When priced in gold, the stock market has never recovered from the dot com crash. It just looks that way due to all of the Fed printing.

Originally Posted by Castle2.0

Tossing money doesn't work. It doesn't work for schools or low income communities. People need social support systems in place. I worked with inner city kids for years in a mentorship program. The social component of success is huge. Seeing other people being successful that you know and modeling what they do. Seeing others from your situation go on to become successful and having faith the process works. No idea if the platinum plan will achieve this. If it's just more money, it won't work. Also, my focus isn't on "EQUALITY OF ALL" my focus is on "BETTER FOR ALL." I don't care if Bezos has 2 trillion or 20 trillion. I care if people at all levels are improving. Capitalism when it's well executed does this.

All of this is excellent, especially the parts on equality and mentorship. But why hasn't this approach worked already? Has every social worker since 1960 been doing it wrong?

Originally Posted by Castle2.0

Antifa already labeled terrorist organization - start arresting leaders/organizations and charging them. Investigate where funding is coming from. Don't censor people. If people make clear calls for physical violence, charge em.

OK, this is all very reasonable. Except that I think you would be absolutely shocked if you found out where all that funding was coming from.

Originally Posted by Castle2.0

Taking on China has happened to some degree. CCP is has 90M members. You cannot be a member and become a US citizen. No longer can CPP members send their kids to US for citizenship while the kid is still a professing member. This is a start.

Certainly reasonable. But what do you think about http://www.deepthroatipo.com/ ? (normally I would post a link, but his name is just too good). The short version is if our cumulative deficit with China is some $20 trillion then, adding in interest, the CCP owns some $40 trillion in US stocks and bonds via a large number of shell companies.

[Raev]

Originally Posted by Domo [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

just checked Trumps twitter and I think got brain damage

Don't you think this post is rather low quality compared to those that surround it? Or are you just desperate to stir up more partisan anger?

Originally Posted by Danth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'd say it's our own fault, but it really isn't. Nobody asked FDR to take the dollar off the gold standard. Nobody asked Nixon to let it free float.

You aren't really wrong, but then, no one tried to stop them either. They couldn't do these things if they couldn't convince the public it was basically OK to do so.

Originally Posted by Danth

now it's only a question of when the bottom gives out (played skillfully, they might kick that can down the road for many years)

They won't kick any more. The whole point of COVID is to distract everyone from the inevitable fiat collapse.

Originally Posted by Danth

As I age I gradually accept that governments are much like the ecology of western North America: Either of them have to burn once in awhile to get rid of the rotten rubbish undergrowth and renew themselves.

The founders would have been shooting long ago. Modern men are enervated by chemicals and distracted by porn and, dare I say it, video games.

[Fame]

Google vs. US

The solution is obviously to subject these corporations to the governments will?

[Jibartik]

Originally Posted by Castle2.0 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Cynical and fatalistic won't help you much in life. I don't think that attitude comports with reality either.

You are the most cynical and fatalistic person here! You're afraid of me being a draconian communist, that is the definition of being cynical and fatalistic.

If you think socialism is communism Id argue you're being a hard core fatalist, because you're cynical about humans and the structure of our goverment.

[Domo]

Originally Posted by Raev [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Don't you think this post is rather low quality compared to those that surround it? Or are you just desperate to stir up more partisan anger?

nah dont think so.

I dont really care who wins. And I think that most people know who they voting for since 4 years. So why even talk about the election.

Or does anyone here think they can persuade someone to vote for someone else than they planed to vote for before?

But Trumps Twitter is cancer, simple as that. An Manbaby crying about everyone who isnt kissing his ass and spreading fake news like candy.

But hey, it seems to work for him and his fans.

[FatherSioux]

Let’s leave this Domo alone, he seems genuinely sad and beaten down by the daily grind.