Free speech be damned --- Curt Schilling fired

[Yah Mule]

Bef,

Lots of people are divisive so no need to post youtube videos. Mcconnell is a clown. If you can't see the Obama admin has been a staggeringly divisive we will agree to disagree. Race relations now are worse than at any point I can recall in my lifetime, much of that has been fueled by him. Cop hatred, media dishonesty and vitriol, the massive growth in the grievance industry where it is now acceptable to be offended by everything and blame anyone and everything (aside from yourself) for ones circumstance in life. This administration has gone around the world apologizing for America and at times has knocked America as being unjust and unfair (see Mrs Obama's speech at Tuskegee). It has been a national disgrace in my opinion.

Ronald Reagan announced his campaign for President in Philadelphia, Mississippi. 16 years after three civil rights workers were murdered there and local authorities covered it up. That was no coincidence. We'll definitely agree to disagree about who wants a divided nation.

Ya mule,

Presidential historians give resounding high marks to the Reagan presidency and specifically how it unified a fractured nation. Trying to use Reagan as an example of a divisive president is funny.

Reagan left office with middling approval ratings and objective historians placed him middle of the pack as a President. The one major accomplishment of the conservative movement over the last 20 years - aside from stealing the 2000 election, starting a forever war in the middle east and crashing the world economy - was the reimagining of Reagan's record. Congratulations, I guess.

[Yah Mule]

Trump has an interesting choice. He can't pick a candidate as ridiculous as himself because of electability issues. He can't take anyone too establishment friendly because the Republicans will happily join Democrats the first time there's a chance to impeach him. Given his total lack of qualifications for the job, that's almost inevitable.

[KJ Duke]

Trump has an interesting choice. He can't pick a candidate as ridiculous as himself because of electability issues. He can't take anyone too establishment friendly because the Republicans will happily join Democrats the first time there's a chance to impeach him. Given his total lack of qualifications for the job, that's almost inevitable.

Whenever I hear someone say "qualified" for President I want to puke. Because resume does not equal good judgement, good ideas, morality or a host of other issues that makes someone "qualified". Qualified is a CYA term insisted on my lawyer-politicians and pushed by established Parties to discredit anyone that won't play their game and the public eats it up. I don't want someone that plays the Party game. I want the opposite.

If there were "qualifications" a few of the top of my head would be (there are others, no doubt): 1) general intelligence (not a high barrier, 2) capable negotiator, 3) ability to listen to input on all sides of an issue and make decisions that are best for the public, 4) an understanding of humanity and free market forces and how government choices/legislation will affect such forces.

Trump scores a 3 or 4 on my scale.
Bernie scores a 2 or 3.
Hilary scores a 1.

Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson are both 4s. If I expanded the scoring to include other issues, both would run away with it compared to the entire field of 2016 candidates.

Don't be brainwashed by resume "qualifications". I've known many CEO's who are incredibly unqualified for anything, other than politicking their way to the top. And even worse, candidates that have spent their careers almost exclusively in law and politics are probably the most unqualified people on the planet to make decisions when it comes to economic and social issues because they are trained to look at rules-based systems, and tend not to look at second and third derivative effects.

[Yah Mule]

Not brainwashed, thanks for asking, though. I just recognize a dangerous racist lunatic who is already lowering our status in the eyes of the rest of the world by the success he's enjoyed so far. Not that he doesn't truly represent a significant percentage of the conservative movement in this country. He's simply willing to scream out loud all the racist and misogynist crap that most Republicans prefer to dress up in code words.

[Edwards Kings]

Reagan left office with middling approval ratings and objective historians placed him middle of the pack as a President. The one major accomplishment of the conservative movement over the last 20 years - aside from stealing the 2000 election, starting a forever war in the middle east and crashing the world economy - was the reimagining of Reagan's record. Congratulations, I guess.

Nice rewrite bro...you kill me!

"Reagan left office with middling approval ratings" Unlike you, I will cite references. Per Gallup:

Ronald Reagan January 1981-January 1989 52.8 Average
Ronald Reagan January 1981-January 1985 50.3 1st Term Average
Ronald Reagan January 1985-January 1989 55.3 2nd Term Average

So after President Reagan's first term with a "middling approval rating" of 50.3, he won the 1984 election with nearly 59% of the popular vote, carried 49 states and 525 electoral votes (in case you were counting, there were only 538 available so that is about 97.6%), his average second term approval rating actually went UP.

And on the "stealing" of the 2000 Election, let it go. The people had their chance to kick President Bush out four years later. President Bush won, carrying 31 states, and had more popular vote than any other person in American history at that time. Gore did not even have the stones to run. Late last year, CNN (not exactly a conservative or Republican mouthpiece), concluded:

"Taken as a whole, the recount studies show Bush would have most likely won the Florida statewide hand recount of all undervotes. Undervotes are ballots that did not register a vote in the presidential race."

"The first major review: The players: A group of newspapers including the USA Today, Miami Herald, and Knight Ridder newspapers conducted the first major review of the Florida ballots. How it worked: The group hired the accounting firm BDO Seidman to examine more than 60,000 "undervotes" -- ballots that did not register a vote in the presidential race -- from all 67 Florida counties. These were ballots the Florida Supreme Court ordered to be hand counted with its December 8, 2000, decision. The newspapers applied BDO Seidman's findings to four vote-counting standards. This was published in April 2001. The results: The study shows that Bush likely would have won the statewide recount of undervotes even if the U.S. Supreme Court had not intervened to stop the counting. It also reveals that, ironically, the most lenient standard of vote counting —advocated by Gore — gives Bush his biggest lead. "

All the studies concluded President Bush would have won without Supreme Court intervention. The only way Vice President Gore would have won is if they had included "overvotes" (ballots that included multiple votes for president and were thus not counted at all). Prior to conceding, Vice President Gore never requested the overvotes be counted (and for my part, with multiple votes for president, how do you decide really which one was the voters intent?).

In short, tight election, Vice President Gore lost and conceded that loss, that loss was upheld by the US Supreme Court, subsequent reviews (excluding overvotes) confirmed the Florida result, and the American people confirmed resoundingly four years later.

One more thing on "objective historians"...I have never read one and I read a bunch. I can quote many positives about the Reagan presidency, but you will not like him any better or ever agree with me. I will quote President Kennedy who voiced his deep dissatisfaction and resentment with historians who had rated some of his predecessors: "No one has a right to grade a President—even poor James Buchanan—who has not sat in his chair, examined the mail and information that came across his desk, and learned why he made his decisions."

Not trying to make you made or anything....now, about Joe Blanton....

[KJ Duke]

Not brainwashed, thanks for asking, though. I just recognize a dangerous racist lunatic who is already lowering our status in the eyes of the rest of the world by the success he's enjoyed so far. Not that he doesn't truly represent a significant percentage of the conservative movement in this country. He's simply willing to scream out loud all the racist and misogynist crap that most Republicans prefer to dress up in code words.

I'm just gonna assume you've been suckered by the media because you're just repeating the same charged words designed to manipulate, which I can read in the NYT or outraged twitter accounts of people that skim along the surface of information. I don't want to become the defender of Trump because he says a lot of stupid things, but if you listen to entire interviews of him rather than soundbites and consider what he has accomplished vs what someone like Hilary has accomplished (nothing but destructive, over-reaching govt policies and self-enrichment) ... why exactly do you think she is more "qualified"?

Trump has started and grown businesses (some good, some bad but overall has been very successful), employed, promoted and negotiated with people of all races. Hilary is/was a lawyer, dogged her entire life by questionable back-door political financial deals that made her rich, lying to cover her ass when she made mistakes, creating policies that have been very bad for citizens and very good for her large donors. The only thing she qualifies for is "politician", having the ability to manipulate those who are willing to suspend belief in what she does for what she says.

[KJ Duke]

And onto the racism question:

I don't buy the NYTimes-ish definition of racism/sexism "anyone saying anything publicly about a race/group in a negative light". Every race/group has it's negatives and people that point them out are not necessarily racists. Actual racists have contempt based solely on race, whereas most "so-called racists" are just people coming from a viewpoint of ignorance based on a lack of positive interaction or having an otherwise skewed generalistic viewpoint. If I meet a black guy who instantly doesn't like me because I'm white, that's a racist.

If Kayne West says a bunch of stupid shit in public about white people, that doesn't make him a racist ... it makes him a guy that says stupid shit in public. Same as Trump, neither qualify as racists.

[NorCalAtlFan]

A gecko manifesto and the famous kj point system. This post has tipped the blanton post. Let's keep it going!

[Driver Love]

And onto the racism question:

I don't buy the NYTimes-ish definition of racism/sexism "anyone saying anything publicly about a race/group in a negative light". Every race/group has it's negatives and people that point them out are not necessarily racists. Actual racists have contempt based solely on race, whereas most "so-called racists" are just people coming from a viewpoint of ignorance based on a lack of positive interaction or having an otherwise skewed generalistic viewpoint. If I meet a black guy who instantly doesn't like me because I'm white, that's a racist.

If Kayne West says a bunch of stupid shit in public about white people, that doesn't make him a racist ... it makes him a guy that says stupid shit in public. Same as Trump, neither qualify as racists.

Great post. I do not think Trump is racist and the people who have spent lots of time around him (including numerous black people) do not either. However not a day goes by without seeing some fool, often in the media or public eye, scream "Trump is racist!!!" Again, we live in this sad, weak, pathetic, ever coarsening society where people not only are easily offended by every little thing but they WANT to be offended, they bathe in it and ultimately throw the "racist" word around as a weapon where it does not a belong. It is sad because to me, that is more hurtful to the people who have faced legitimate racism in the past. What happened at Missouri this year (as a bunch of fragile liars played the victim and threw the racism word around) was a national disgrace and that university is paying for it now. Systemic, institutionalized racism in America is over. Are there racist people? Of course. That isn't systemic or institutionalized. There will always be some racist people who say, write or do racist things. You cannot legislate idiot out of a humanity given humanity is flawed. Just as there are those who will say horrible racist things toward a particular race there are those who will be mean to fat people or gay people or mock the kids in the band in school or brand the jocks in the school as stupid of whatever. There will always be aholes. No nation provides more opportunity for prosperity for black people than America yet you will see groups of black people scream oppression or stomp on the flag and video it with their high tech i-phone while wearing designer close. Rough world they live in.

Institutional or systemic racism is over. Name one entity or institution that is allowed to be racist now without being destroyed for it. legit racism has been forced deep into the shadows (where it belongs). If someone in public life makes a racist comment in public (Riley Cooper, Mel Gibson) or even private (LA Clippers owner) or in the distant past (Paula Dean) they are absolutely destroyed. We have had a black president, Sec of state, sec of defense, Attorney general, supreme court justice, governors, senators, mayors, political leaders, business owners, doctors, lawyers, business owners, inventors, military leaders... The list goes on and on. Those things cannot happen in a nation that is awash in institutional or systemic racism and watching race hustlers in todays society desperately try to divide us based on skin pigment is also a national disgrace.

[BK METS]

I am far from a Trump supporter, but I don't think he qualifies as a racist. He is crude, obnoxious, vulgar, and pretty much any other word to describe an idiot.. Yes he is. But if given the choice of Trump or Hillary, the choice isn't even a close one for me. I really don't care about his words all that much, but he does need to think before he speaks. His actions show he is a good man, smart, kind, generous, and most of all, not a politician, but true and real to what Americans are concerned with today and this is why he is where he is at. And I would take that over a lying, corrupt snake, and criminal, any day, including the day of the election. I hope for another choice, as KJ mentioned, but comparing Trump to Hillary is not even remotely fair.

If you think about it, America needs a Trump like candidate. If he would just shut his mouth and do what he does, we would have the perfect candidate. Unfortunately, he speaks.

[NorCalAtlFan]

It's amusing to me that the people who think racism doesn't exist or accuse others of using it as a "weapon," didn't experience systemic, unrelenting racism for hundreds of years.

Hey, another Napoli hr. Vroom vroom!

[KJ Duke]

It's amusing to me that the people who think racism doesn't exist or accuse others of using it as a "weapon," didn't experience systemic, unrelenting racism for hundreds of years.

Hey, another Napoli hr. Vroom vroom!

Who said it didn't exist? I didn't see anyone say that.

Let's see, I went to an almost all-black jr high and high school in one of the worst communities in the country. You think racism is one-way? It isn't. My closest friend throughout school was black. My roommate and closest friend throughout college and thereafter for a few years was black. Then I lived with a black girl for two years. Then I married an Hispanic girl. I've studied business, socio-economics and demographics for twenty-five years. Yeah, I know absolutely nothing about black people or minorities or racism or social injustice. C'mon norcal, don't tell me you're a liberal propaganda believer.

The root of the problem is a government that limits opportunity and forces people to live by its crumbs which over generations leads to govt dependency, a loss of hope, desperation, crime and drug abuse ... all of which leads to racism by both sides, one side resentful for feeling trapped and repressed and the other disgusted of the criminal end result.

[NorCalAtlFan]

nice straw man comeback.
shockingly enough kj, this wasn't directed at you.

we are broke. and we don't have the resolve to fix ourselves, resulting in hillary vs a donald.

now, how 'bout that nats-cubs series!

[Gekko]

US National Debt = 19.2+ Trillion
Debt per Taxpayer = $161,025

http://www.usdebtclock.org/#

People worried about PC, abortion, guns, rights of transgenders and gays, racism. Politicians LOVE IT when citizens occupy their time focused on those issues and not the "real" issues.

For 19.2 trillion dollars, the government could have given every taxpayer $161,025. Instead the economy is DOA (even with 0% interest rates), most people are broke (or will be soon between health care and college tuition for our youngsters) and our country is bankrupt.

[KJ Duke]

nice straw man comeback.
shockingly enough kj, this wasn't directed at you.

we are broke. and we don't have the resolve to fix ourselves, resulting in hillary vs a donald.

now, how 'bout that nats-cubs series!

I didn't actually think it was, but you threw out a falsity (people stating racism doesn't exist). Not sure where the straw man is either ... sounds like you're basically stating that anyone that doesn't buy into the media/overly-sensitive definition of racism doesn't understand it.

[NorCalAtlFan]

gecko, how much would the illegal aliens get.......

[KJ Duke]

gecko, how much would the illegal aliens get.......

With Trump ... If they're hot like his wife they get a double share. He's not a racist but he might a hot-ist.

[Gekko]

gecko, how much would the illegal aliens get.......

NYC Budget Being Overwhelmed by Hospital Costs for Illegal Aliens

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/de-bla ... id/727257/

[Gekko]

reminder...

4. Keep a "When all else fails lock box" In your home. Consider gun/ammo/cash.

[KJ Duke]

Rule #1 gek, never quote a story from newsmax even if they get it right once awhile.

[Gekko]

Rule #1 gek, never quote a story from newsmax even if they get it right once awhile.

Hey, i figured that's where Vogel gets his news (and opinions from)

[NorCalAtlFan]

gecko, how much would the illegal aliens get.......

With Trump ... If they're hot like his wife they get a double share. He's not a racist but he might a hot-ist.

touche.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

Ya mule,

Presidential historians give resounding high marks to the Reagan presidency and specifically how it unified a fractured nation. Trying to use Reagan as an example of a divisive president is funny.[/quote]

Reagan left office with middling approval ratings and objective historians placed him middle of the pack as a President. The one major accomplishment of the conservative movement over the last 20 years - aside from stealing the 2000 election, starting a forever war in the middle east and crashing the world economy - was the reimagining of Reagan's record. Congratulations, I guess.[/quote]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reagan won the cold war without firing a shot.
Pretty impressive feat in my book.
Reagan will be regarded as a great president by historians.

[cfolson]

Ya mule,

Presidential historians give resounding high marks to the Reagan presidency and specifically how it unified a fractured nation. Trying to use Reagan as an example of a divisive president is funny.

Historians' ratings of Reagan are good, but not great. This site rates him as the highest since LBJ. Note that Obama (small sample size) is roughly the same:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historica ... ted_States

[knuckleheads]

Trump has an interesting choice. He can't pick a candidate as ridiculous as himself because of electability issues. He can't take anyone too establishment friendly because the Republicans will happily join Democrats the first time there's a chance to impeach him. Given his total lack of qualifications for the job, that's almost inevitable.

If there were "qualifications" a few of the top of my head would be (there are others, no doubt): 1) general intelligence (not a high barrier, 2) capable negotiator, 3) ability to listen to input on all sides of an issue and make decisions that are best for the public, 4) an understanding of humanity and free market forces and how government choices/legislation will affect such forces.

Trump scores a 3 or 4 on my scale.
Bernie scores a 2 or 3.
Hilary scores a 1.

Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson are both 4s.

KJ, I was just about to stick a Vote Trump sign in my yard but then I remembered another scale of yours:

NFBC Lifetime Rankings...

7 - KJ Duke (141)
8 - Dave Potts (137)
9 - Lindy Hinkelman (137)
10 - David DiDonato (135)
11 - Shawn Childs (134)

I guess you can say you are the Jon Huntsman of the NFBC.

Also, it seems Hillary lines up in the Hinkelman spot when comparing your two scales. Might want to revise one or the other if you are trying to dissuade Hillary supporters.