Prepping?

[RobertMBlevins 51]

Well...after reading all these posts...I am no longer convinced that the Electoral College system is a fair system. Like a lot of other folks, I thought maybe it WAS...now I am not so sure. Maybe we SHOULD get rid of them after all. Some of your arguments are pretty convincing on the idea of dismantling the EC. 

This thread started out as one about prepping and morphed into something else. 'Prepping' as discussed at Dropzone is a lot less radical than other sites. You should see what people post at the Northwest Firearms Forum, for example. They want to store away everything possible against the zombies and the apocalypse...anything short of a nuke LOL. 

Over there, I am the Designated Liberal Gun Owner. Barely tolerated, somewhat accepted. 

It helped that I became a Bronze Supporter of the site. But one thing I never do over there is talk politics. NEVER. That would be like joining an anti-animal cruelty site and saying you torture cats for fun. Not a good idea.  

Edited October 17, 2020 by RobertMBlevins

[JoeWeber 484]

33 minutes ago, RobertMBlevins said:

Over there, I am the Designated Liberal Gun Owner.

I always enjoy how liberals are simply defined as anti gun. Tell that to the gopher I wasted this afternoon.

[ryoder 357]

36 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

I always enjoy how liberals are simply defined as anti gun. Tell that to the gopher I wasted this afternoon.

 

[RobertMBlevins 51]

I could be wrong, but I sense that *most* Americans have just HAD IT with all the hatred, the violence, the division, and the lies/crazy stuff. And that there is going to be a major shift in leadership coming, and some respect returning to the White House. I thought of it kind of like Pearl Harbor...we sat out that war for two years and then the wake up call came. 

The truth has been (historically) that Americans can be slow to react sometimes, but when they finally do, it is usually decisively. I think instead of Pearl Harbor this time it has been the pandemic, the hatred, and the riots. 

I know several people who are dyed-in-the-wool Republicans. They are cleaning customers for the most part. Because let's face it...you have to be well-to-do to afford a service like that. We don't work cheap. And amazingly, over the last three weeks, all of them have told us individually that they are voting for Joe Biden. They don't necessarily enjoy this a couple of them said...but they see no other choice. (That link above wasn't an advertisement. We have a waiting list for new service longer than your arm. :) ) 

I also see that some Republican Senators are finally turning their backs on Trump. Ben Sasse from Nebraska was the latest. You probably saw the article the other day where he blasts Trump REALLY hard. ("He flirts with dictators," etc just Google if you haven't seen his town hall statements.) My hope is that enough of them will see the light and realize their party is being destroyed from the inside by Trump...and hopefully refuse to vote for confirmation on Amy Coney 'Dodge-the-Questions' Barrett. 

It's also possible US Senator Susan Collins out of Maine might not confirm either. She's under a lot of pressure there and Maine residents have had just about enough of her. A confirmation vote for Barrett that almost ensures the ACA will be eliminated is the last thing she needs in an election year. There are a couple of others sweating bullets right now on re-election, which frankly...they deserve since they supported Trump blindly for nearly four years. I have no sympathy for anyone who doesn't have the guts to do what's right. In case you didn't know, as far as Congress goes....Republicans will withhold prime committee appointments to their US Representatives if that rep votes against something supported by the party, no matter how ridiculous that 'something' happens to be. It's how they keep the rank and file in Congress in line. Dems do this to a certain extent as well (to be fair about it) but nothing on the level that Republicans will do with their own. 

As far as 'prepping,' I don't prep for zombies or the Apocalypse. I prep for a possible natural disaster, which is much more likely than zombies. We're set well for food, med supplies, communications, power, water, shelter etc. If everything were suddenly cut off completely, we could last about two months easily. A lot longer on some things, although after two months the food and water would start to run short, I'll admit. However, prepping is an ongoing process and I keep improving our situation on that. I figure we're still better prepared than 95% of everyone else. It wasn't easy. Lots of Amazon orders, smart shopping, and spreading out the costs over a long period of time certainly helped. 

 

[wmw999 487]

Sasse made it clear in his rant that he hates Trump as a nearly-everything, but that he is a conservative through-and-through, and allied with him because of conservative appointments and the like. The problem isn't just Trump, is the power-is-the-end approach to politics in the Republican party. Amy Coney Barrett appears to be an impeccably qualified candidate (as was Merrick Garland); the reason to vote against her (for a conservative) is the manner in which she was appointed, not her qualifications. And that's a shame.

One can disagree with her viewpoints (and I do, but few who actually have worked with or for her speak against her. If she is, in fact, confirmed, I really hope she gives honest consideration to issues (as it appears the others have done -- any justice who is seen as "turncoat" periodically is probably doing exactly that).

Wendy P.

[JoeWeber 484]

9 hours ago, RobertMBlevins said:

I could be wrong, but I sense that *most* Americans have just HAD IT with all the hatred, the violence, the division, and the lies/crazy stuff. And that there is going to be a major shift in leadership coming, and some respect returning to the White House. I thought of it kind of like Pearl Harbor...we sat out that war for two years and then the wake up call came. 

The truth has been (historically) that Americans can be slow to react sometimes, but when they finally do, it is usually decisively. I think instead of Pearl Harbor this time it has been the pandemic, the hatred, and the riots. 

I know several people who are dyed-in-the-wool Republicans. They are cleaning customers for the most part. Because let's face it...you have to be well-to-do to afford a service like that. We don't work cheap. And amazingly, over the last three weeks, all of them have told us individually that they are voting for Joe Biden. They don't necessarily enjoy this a couple of them said...but they see no other choice. (That link above wasn't an advertisement. We have a waiting list for new service longer than your arm. :) ) 

I also see that some Republican Senators are finally turning their backs on Trump. Ben Sasse from Nebraska was the latest. You probably saw the article the other day where he blasts Trump REALLY hard. ("He flirts with dictators," etc just Google if you haven't seen his town hall statements.) My hope is that enough of them will see the light and realize their party is being destroyed from the inside by Trump...and hopefully refuse to vote for confirmation on Amy Coney 'Dodge-the-Questions' Barrett. 

It's also possible US Senator Susan Collins out of Maine might not confirm either. She's under a lot of pressure there and Maine residents have had just about enough of her. A confirmation vote for Barrett that almost ensures the ACA will be eliminated is the last thing she needs in an election year. There are a couple of others sweating bullets right now on re-election, which frankly...they deserve since they supported Trump blindly for nearly four years. I have no sympathy for anyone who doesn't have the guts to do what's right. In case you didn't know, as far as Congress goes....Republicans will withhold prime committee appointments to their US Representatives if that rep votes against something supported by the party, no matter how ridiculous that 'something' happens to be. It's how they keep the rank and file in Congress in line. Dems do this to a certain extent as well (to be fair about it) but nothing on the level that Republicans will do with their own. 

As far as 'prepping,' I don't prep for zombies or the Apocalypse. I prep for a possible natural disaster, which is much more likely than zombies. We're set well for food, med supplies, communications, power, water, shelter etc. If everything were suddenly cut off completely, we could last about two months easily. A lot longer on some things, although after two months the food and water would start to run short, I'll admit. However, prepping is an ongoing process and I keep improving our situation on that. I figure we're still better prepared than 95% of everyone else. It wasn't easy. Lots of Amazon orders, smart shopping, and spreading out the costs over a long period of time certainly helped. 

 

If you are right it will be because you only need 50.1% to claim "most". No matter what happens on November 3 the country will still be in a very sad state.

Edited October 17, 2020 by JoeWeber

[gowlerk 661]

22 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

I also see that some Republican Senators are finally turning their backs on Trump.

I would interpret this as analogous to rats fleeing a sinking ship. Sasse has known what he knows for a long time. Suddenly he has courage for some reason. 

[wolfriverjoe 392]

6 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

I would interpret this as analogous to rats fleeing a sinking ship. Sasse has known what he knows for a long time. Suddenly he has courage for some reason. 

Sasse also said something to the effect that the Presidency isn't all that important, that the Senate holds the real power.

Not sure I agree entirely with that, but I have to admit that McConnell thwarted Obama on a lot of things and has done a lot to ensure the conservative agenda during the Trump debacle. 

[headoverheels 110]

1 hour ago, gowlerk said:

I would interpret this as analogous to rats fleeing a sinking ship. Sasse has known what he knows for a long time. Suddenly he has courage for some reason. 

Sasse voted against calling witnesses in the impeachment trial. He aided and abetted.

 

[gowlerk 661]

1 hour ago, wolfriverjoe said:

Sasse also said something to the effect that the Presidency isn't all that important, that the Senate holds the real power.

There is no military attache following Moscow Mitch around with a case full of codes. There is only one Commander in Chief. As I'm sure even Sasse knows. It's good for him that he has excuses at the ready though.

[wolfriverjoe 392]

6 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

There is no military attache following Moscow Mitch around with a case full of codes. There is only one Commander in Chief. As I'm sure even Sasse knows. It's good for him that he has excuses at the ready though.

Very true.

But, from a different viewpoint, look at the Federal Judge garbage.

McConnell essentially stopped Obama from appointing any federal judges. 

And since Trump took over, he's been appointing them at a rate that is astonishing. 
He's put more in place than anyone in a long time.

They are almost exclusively white and male. And young enough that their impact will be felt for a looong time.

 

https://www.npr.org/2020/07/02/886285772/trump-and-mcconnell-via-swath-of-judges-will-affect-u-s-law-for-decades

[ryoder 357]

15 minutes ago, headoverheels said:

Sasse voted against calling witnesses in the impeachment trial. He aided and abetted.

 

When called on to vote to remove the cancer from the White House, he also refused to do his duty.

[RobertMBlevins 51]

Quote

 

'McConnell essentially stopped Obama from appointing any federal judges. 

And since Trump took over, he's been appointing them at a rate that is astonishing. 
He's put more in place than anyone in a long time...'

 

Point of Order: Obama appointed approximately 39% of the Federal judges now serving. 329, plus two to the Supreme Court.

Trump has done approximately 194. This is a higher rate per Presidential term than Obama, yes.  

The basic score is approximately 165 per term for Obama, versus 194 for Trump. 

How many of the Obama judges have retired, been replaced, etc since Obama's first year in office I do not know. But that's the score more or less. The lesson is we shouldn't give Trump another term, and an opportunity to make things worse. 

Edited October 17, 2020 by RobertMBlevins

[RonD1120 34]

Thinking about prepping, I ran across this ...again:

 

[wmw999 487]

I think there are true believers and extremists in a lot of directions. Al Qaeda, ISIS, some of our homegrown militias that train incessantly, some right-wing religious folks who see only one true way and want everyone to live the same way (return to “decency”, no outward display of homosexuality, some left-wing folks who are fine with shaming churchgoers — the list goes on

We aren’t a country of one true way; a tight association of states isn’t designed to be that. Trying to drive in a direction is wrong.

Wendy P. 

[jakee 335]

1 hour ago, RonD1120 said:

Thinking about prepping, I ran across this ...again:

 

Why does a true believer want to kill me?

[gowlerk 661]

1 hour ago, RonD1120 said:

Thinking about prepping, I ran across this ...again:

 

I'd cut him if he stands, and I'd shoot him if he'd run
Yes I'd kill him with my Bible and my razor and my gun

[Phil1111 167]

23 minutes ago, jakee said:

Why does a true believer want to kill me?

Because at the heart of these so called "true believers" is a thief and a killer who is only interested in himself. Those not exposed to such luciferian thinking would say "welcome friend", come and enjoy peace and a meal with us".

[ryoder 357]

31 minutes ago, jakee said:

Why does a true believer want to kill me?

Fully explained here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_True_Believer

[SkyDekker 253]

On 10/17/2020 at 4:35 AM, wmw999 said:

Amy Coney Barrett appears to be an impeccably qualified candidate

She has been a judge for 3 years. Not sure I can really agree with this statement.

[riggerrob 139]

On 10/12/2020 at 2:27 PM, brenthutch said:

I thought we were talking about prepping 

Let's return this discussion to prepping.

How many beans, bullets and bandaids should I stock?

How many bottles of bleach should I stock?

Is powdered bleach better than liquid bleach (longer shelf life)?