TriGirl

So, no more immigrants like his in-laws?

Yeah, this is one thing I was about to mention. About the only thing I can see as a legitimate gripe from drivers is being told they were being paid one percentage, and actually receiving something much lower. This has been going on for a couple of years -- I had a driver ask me if I minded telling him how much I paid for the trip. He was comparing his compensation, based on reports from other drivers that Uber was giving them a lower cut, and learned they were right. Well, at least they announced it! Drivers at least have the information to determine whether to keep working for them after that.

We still haven't heard from Johnny for this year's update. Anyone? (and, well done, Turtle!)

Can you prove the existence of a coincidence? My post was not regarding coincidence. It was in reply to the article you posted (see below) Post hoc: the boat showed up (it happened after), ...ergo, propter hoc: Therefore, the teens' praying caused it to happen. It did not. ETA: and the name of the boat? That's just a statistical probability considering the numbers of evangelicals in Florida.

Post hoc, ergo propter hoc. (Not)

It's about time. This is the part of the article that just gets me: "Maryland's Office of State Prosecutor and the city's ethics board have launched probes into whether any laws or ethics rules have been violated." Uh... DUH! (ethics rules). You can't sell to, or solicit to sell to, an entity over which you have control. I don't know the laws in Maryland, but if she is not forced to forfeit the profits from those sales, I'll be disgusted.

Really sad part is that it isn't only "brown people" in "shithole countries" being killed or injured with weapons the U.S. and other producers sell. U.S. forces are also killed and injured by them, when the pretty easily make it into the hands of our enemies. So, our continuing to sell weapons with the current "safety measures/regulations" in place is definitely the way to go. No need to clean that up at all.

In a lot of places in the U.S., homeless people and low income/no health insurance patients just go to the E.R. for any issue. An E.R. has to check you out, regardless of ability to pay. The bills simply go unpaid, since these patients have no means to do so. It's a sad state of affairs when the only way you can be seen by a health care professional is to take up time/space in an emergency room, but if we're unwilling to address affordable basic health care, we as a society are going to keep having to cover peoples' health care however they can get it.

I saw examples of these books on one of the weekly comedy shows (I think it was John Oliver). If they were well-written and -edited, topical books, she may have had some kind of defense. But no, they're total crap (and as you noted, self-published).

Some social security benefits are also paid out to children who have never (and may never) paid into SS. Kids born with a variety of mental and physical ailments are eligible to receive benefits. some of my money goes there, and I'm well more than okay with it. This IS the right thing for a society to do.

You could have written in someone else. Evan McMullen pulled 30% of the vote in Utah, and made a clear showing in several other states as a write-in candidate, with only about two months of campaigning right before the election. You can vote FOR whomever you want. I voted for John McCain twice -- just not when he was the nominee of a major party (by that time he had flipped on many issues I liked him for before).

Well, that's why states also have their own constitutions, congresses and supreme courts. It should be heralded as a huge win for states' rights, too ... but it won't be. Well done, Kansas Supreme Court.

The sad thing is that he purposefully interchanged "the Russians" with "Russians"* in at least the two Sunday interviews I saw. At least one interviewer caught up with his trick (though it was buried in a rant) and cleared it up later in the segment (because no one could get a word in to refute anything Giuliani was spewing, as he kept talking over his interviewers and spinning off on random, unproven tangents). *Note: "the Russians" = Russian government-backed operatives. "Russians" = individual Russian citizens with no other government affiliation. He tried to say there was nothing criminal about talking to "Russians," (which there is not), but in response to questions about assistance offered from the Russians. Without allowing the interviewer to clarify, Giuliani just took off (verbally) from there, leaving the premise to just sit there.

I'd be happy to help a refugee. If, for a person or small family it would be helpful/appropriate, that help could include hosting in my home until they could get on their feet. I would sincerely hope that any religious organization in the U.S. would feel the same way.

I would like to see its infrastructure included in the "upgrade" plan to make it a better form of transportation. I'm lucky enough to live on the north end of the auto train route, and have to travel to just past the south end of that run 3x per year. It is SOOO easy to load what I need in the car and have it driven into the train car, then go relax in my spacious seat with tons of storage space and really good recline (with a foot rest AND a leg platform). I eat a good dinner in a dining car (no extra cost); can bring on whatever snacks/beverages I want for myself or can purchase in the club car; get a reasonably good night's sleep (depending on the location of the kid car); have access to tea/cocoa/coffee for free; plenty of large restrooms per car; enjoy a continental breakfast (again in the dining car, no extra cost). Upon arrival, I can take my time getting my things and departing the train. Then I simply wait for my vehicle to offload, and I'm on my way to my work location, usually by 10 am. No extra bag fees, no weight limits, no complicated TSA line. I have my own car (saves the government money on a rental), yet I have put no extra wear/tear on the vehicle. It's a great option for families to get to the theme parks in Orlando -- get a sleeper car for the whole family, with the easily packed vehicle coming along with you. Snowbirds also use it for their semi-annual migration patterns. Unfortunately, this is the only regular business that keeps this particular line in operation (hence this is the ONLY auto train Amtrak has). With better infrastructure, faster trains on cross-country routes, and better access to local transportation at major destinations, rail could be a viable option for more travelers. My parents refuse to fly anymore. Trains are a great way for them to travel (retirees -- they have more time available!)

It wasn't that they knew who he was, it was that they didn't understand how bad it really was. Again, it is a tradition that the presidential candidate would work toward the nation's interest and well-being. Sure, people make big claims on the campaign trail that bear no fruit once in office, but a complete fraud, totally and completely lying about a myriad of things is so unreasonably outside the norm that I think most people who voted for him simply brushed off the counter arguments and fact checkers as detractors. "Because, really, how likely is it that someone so wholly unqualified would have the support of XX or YY? And XX and YY know more about this than I do, an average citizen with no experience in government or big business?" I agree, too many things went wrong to lead to this outcome. But the human error part of it could have been somewhat negated by actually seeing his financial statements, or if we had some additional requirement or experience for qualifying to apply for the job besides being a natural-born citizen over the age of 35. Washington has an idea and is giving it a go.

Simply having never been indicted for fraud or money laundering is not proof of financial integrity. The voting public has been taken in by "trust me." In the past this was enough (as enough accusers to the contrary would have been believed). In this era, it seems Washington has decided they need more. Like a security background investigation with a polygraph.

True (no law stating it), but Washington has passed its own bill, which may become law. This type of bill is proposed because of Trump. He can't be pulled from office because any future release of those earlier tax returns will show he lied about his business acumen or net worth. But in the spirit of "it is a tradition," anyone else who took that office agreed to the unwritten rules of behavior and decorum (as well as certain disclosures). Trump says he doesn't have to do a lot of things because it isn't against the law. Washington is simply fixing what now has been identified as a loophole.

Historically speaking, I concur. Additionally, the understanding (if I recall correctly from school) was that the electors would cast their vote for the "right" person, even if the uneducated masses screwed it up in their own states. The founders created a system that made some sense for the intent and the circumstances at the time. They could not have conceived of mass shootings with a high powered firearm. They also could not have predicted such an immense disparity in the population numbers of the states. Regardless, the question on the table is how we move on from here? What is our intent today and for the future? States picking, or people?

Senators are supposed to vote in the best interest of the country. Having the same number from each state, regardless of the population, ensures sparsely populated states like Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Kansas, etc., get to contribute equally in the state of the union. The House, though it is the lower house of our legislature, is filled with representatives based on the states' populations. Traditionally, they should be advocating more for the constituents in their congressional districts within the full national framework. It isn't called the people's house for nothing. Of course, "supposed to" and "traditionally" are the key words here WRT representation. As for the chief executive -- are we trying to say the states are voting for the president, or are the people voting? If the former, then perhaps each state should only get two votes. If the latter, either revert to "one vote per eligible voter," or adjust the electoral college to reflect population distribution more fairly.

Yes, I know the truth. I'm calling out the folks who have not denounced his behavior -- particularly those who expressed strong opinions in this forum about the previous office holder. If Obama was their example of not representing everyone, and especially lack of leadership, then what are the examples of things Trump does that have proven to be "better"? Of course, in particular I'm referencing his statements in the wake of the atrocities that are the subject of this thread, just to narrow the responses. Agreed. And this is my point: he swore to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States..." and to "bear true faith and allegiance to the same." I fail to understand how he has accomplished that in this instance in particular. The holder of this office is often referred to as the leader of the free world. Yet, I've not seen him LEAD in the wake of this crime (and one in which he is directly praised as an influencer by the accused).

You know, I seem to recall more than one conservative on this forum criticizing the previous president because of his "lack of leadership." I can't find the post now, but when questioned by another posted about what sort of leadership he wanted, one poster simply reiterated that Obama didn't "lead." I would like to know how the current group of conservatives here interprets anything the current president says/does regarding the national dialog on this issue as "leading." How is he standing up for "all Americans"? Or for the right to life for citizens of our allies? If the previous president was so flawed because he didn't "lead," please explain to me how the current president is superior in that respect.

Public servants take an oath of office. Many choose to place a hand on a holy book. This is akin to being put under oath in court (IMHO). Someone (legislative branch) should try the idea that the president has utterly broken his oath of office. "I do solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and that I bear true faith and allegiance to the same." Was he crossing his fingers over that bible as he said these words? His supporters -- ESPECIALLY the evangelicals -- should also be called out for allowing blasphemy of this scale. Just MHO, as someone who HAS supported and defended the Constitution for nearly 3 decades.

Speaking of McConnell... Someone on the news this morning said McConnell gave Trump the idea to take this budget deal, then declare a national emergency for the rest. Anyone else see reporting of the like?

Same way as before: when they come into the U.S. through regular points of entry!