World is Falling Apart Thread (Locked forever)

[Tanooki]

You do realize the President has no legislative power, right? There's a limit to how much change he can effect.

I know, its a compromise with the House and Senate which now are Republican majority! Hopefully we will see some solid changes for the better with all this in place. Looking forward to the Trump interview this evening on 60 minutes.

I knew you knew, but one could flip the coin and ask what about Obama in his first two years? And furthermore, why did he not put any sustained real attempts to work with the other side once he lost control? Instead he turned to blowing out executive orders infuriating the hell out of all sorts of people as while it is a presidential privilege at some point you're basically crowning yourself king throwing out decree after decree.

[CRTGAMER]

I think Trump will make solid changes, cutting down all the waste in government and getting rid of excess pandering (NAFTA and Money Aid) to other countries over our own. Really, crack down on the government waste; the perception "the Federal Government will take care of it" of of all the Taxpayer funded programs. We ALL pay (except "Non-Profits" which do profit) for every program be it low cost housing, environmental, free phones for hearing loss, smartphones for low income to call their kids, security, infrastructure, etc.

How many watched 60 minutes a few weeks ago when they followed the Syrian family path to the U.S.?

1. Taxpayer funded American offices in Syria interviewing potential immigrants.
2. Taxpayer funded airplane transport for approved immigrants to the U.S.
3. Taxpayer funded housing, meanwhile we have so many homeless.
4. Taxpayer funded new job created and schools for kids.

I updated my previous Reply. Here is one example of Government Waste!

http://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states

States Providing Cell Phones from the Government to Low-Income Residents
The ability for the financially disadvantaged to get a free cell phone in these tough economic times is moving at breakneck speed across the country. While the Lifeline Assistance and Link-Up programs were helping people afford landline phones since 1996. It wasn’t until 2008 that the first state certified a company to provide cell phones for free. That was when Tracfone launched Safelink Wireless in Tennessee.

What are the Lifeline eligibility rules for each state?

The eligibility requirements vary from state to state, due to various government aid programs that are state-specific. However, these programs are simply added on to the qualifying federal programs that are available in all states. Here are the federal programs you can count on qualifying with in every state

- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
- Medicaid
- National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section Eight)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Head Start (if income eligibility criteria are met)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF)
- State assistance programs (check your state).

In addition, you are able to qualify by your income level. Most states want to see that your total household income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your state; a smaller number of states are at 150%. Each state page we link to above will tell you in detail what those levels are.

[marurun]

Aid programs are not government waste. I can't even. No.

[dsheinem]

Cell phones are a basic tool for most jobs - getting them and having them - in the 21st Century. There's no problem giving those to people who may need them. Also, the program often grossly mischaracterized: http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/cellphone.asp

Also - or https://www.google.com/amp/s/dailydot.r ... ent=safari

[CRTGAMER]

Aid programs are not government waste. I can't even. No.

Some of the programs are important, just need better screening to ensure the funds are actually helping the needy and not lining yet another Tax Exempt Non-Profit's pockets. I have to contest the Free Cell Phone paid for by Taxpayers! That "Free" cell phone when Government sponsored certainly more costly then the consumer shopping the best deals on their own.

[marurun]

Aid programs are not government waste. I can't even. No.

Some of the programs are important, just need better screening to ensure the funds are actually helping the needy and not lining yet another Tax Exempt Non-Profit's pockets. I have to contest the Free Cell Phone paid for by Taxpayers!

Nobody's going to hire someone for a job if they don't have a phone these days, even for a minimum wage part-time gig. If you're poor, you may have to move a lot, and constantly changing land-line service (in the places you can still get it) can be an insane process. If we're willing to help the poor with food and housing, why not with an essential service which is basically required for interacting with modern society? It's not like we're subsidizing cable TV or something.

[MrPopo]

CRT is just trying to raise awareness of the evils of Big Nonprofit.

[Blu]

Forlorn Drifter, just wanted to give a quick shout out and thank you for your post. I can definitely empathize with the grappling you made out over your vote. I respect your views, what you want to change in government, and how you hope it will be done. Thanks for being you and sharing your perspective.


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[Forlorn Drifter]

Again guys; thanks for being so understanding.

Just to guve a bit more of my idealism, I'll tell y'all a story. Some time ago in Church, we had a sermon about being the best version of you that you can. To avoid the religious bits, it boiled down to taking what you are, all of your strengths and pro-people ideas and putting them forward. So I sat down and thought about what I was, who I am, and it came in a simple package- I'm a stereotypical Texas cowboy to the bone.

But I have to be the *best* stereotypical Texas cowboy for this to be a worthwhile way of working for things. And if we look at the slew of westerns, true history, tall tales, and shit eating grin Texas pride- the best version of that cowboy goes for simple answers to big questions (yet ones that hit at the heart, and have a lot of depth despite their simplicity), the best version of that cowboy fights for the little guy against the big bad guy, the best version of that cowboy is somewhat conservative (as I am) but in a non bigoted way, the best version of that cowboy gives a big Texas Howdy and Welcome to everybody, and the best version of that cowboy knows that the key to his own happiness and everybody else's is letting them do what they want as long as it isn't stepping on anybody else's toes and rights.

I aspire to be that cowboy. I want to be the best version of that stereotype, the one little kids gather around the TV to watch, like the Lone Ranger, or one of those movies where Sam Elliot is the overall good but stern cowboy. There aren't many role models of this type that are well known enough to use as an example, but someone else who sits in a similar mold and I view as a bit of a role model would be Chris Pratt.

Now excuse me, I weirdly emotional tonight and have to figure out if I'm finally proud of who I've decided to be, or if this will be my return to counseling/therapy.

[Exhuminator]

let's be reminded of the actual stats from exit and other polling:

Blacks - 88% Clinton, 8% Trump
Latinos -65% Clinton, 35% Trump
Muslims - 72% Clinton, 4% Trump
LGBTQ - 78 % Clinton, 14% Trump
Women - 54% Clinton, 42% Trump

It is a misrepresentation to pull out a minority of the voters in those groups and have them stand in as an argument against the concerns felt by a large number of people who are otherwise like them, and who have been targeted in the lead up to/wake of the election.

Just like it's a misrepresentation to pull out a minority of Trump voters' bigoted actions, and have those bad actors stand as an argument against the morality held by a larger number of people who are otherwise not like them, aside from the fact they voted for the same candidate.

And even if those numbers you cited represent a minority of voters, those voters are still minorities that voted for Trump. (And let's not forget, 29% of Asians voted for Trump too.) There's a lot I could draw from that fact, and perpetuate a debate about, but I think we're all pretty tired of ragging on each other by now. Everybody in this thread knows where they stand, versus where everybody else does. I don't think I'm going to change anyone's mind to my stance, anymore than they're going to change mine to theirs. I just hope we can all get along for the next four years.