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Steve

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Everything posted by Steve

  1. I wonder what would have happened if they had thrown out the election and declared Trump the winner and enough for the presidency? And with a Republican supreme court. My 'what if' is if the election was stolen in open day light, with a 'so what, fuck you' to the American people. Civil war? And in what manner?
  2. Impeach Biden https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/02/economy/june-jobs-report/index.html he US economy added 850,000 jobs in June, when adjusted for seasonal changes. It was far more than economists had expected and a signal that American job growth is accelerating. It was the biggest monthly jobs gain since August 2020, when the economy added 1.6 million jobs.
  3. Hey Coss, Can the President of the US arbitrarily control global oil prices? Even if he allows high production in America? Just asking for a friend. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/05/oil-explainer-energy-prices-rise-after-opec-fails-to-reach-deal.html Energy prices are hovering above the $75 level after OPEC and its allies could not reach a key deal on their oil output policy last week, amid rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Without a deal, oil prices could surge and threaten to derail a frail economic recover https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-oil-prices-are-rising-and-how-it-will-impact-india-7341460/ Why are crude oil prices rising? Crude oil prices have been rising steadily since the beginning of 2021 when Brent Crude was trading at about $52 per barrel buoyed both by hopes of improving demand due to economic recoveries across geographies as well as supply cuts by key oil-producing countries. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries extended supply cuts made in 2020 when crude oil prices had reached a low of under $19 per barrel through the first five months of 2021. Saudi Arabia notably made an additional voluntary production cut of 1 million barrels per day between February and April of which only 250,000 barrels of production has been restored in May and 750,000 barrels of production is set to be restored over June and July.
  4. Also, Coss, as I've always said the bad thing about these supremacists is they are cowards. Because they are cowards they go after soft targets. Its why you see a lot of videos of attacks on isolated women, children, older people and if its someone 18 to 30, the person is isolated. Dylan Roof said he chose the church (filled with the elderly) because he didn't think he would get out alive if he went to a place where young black adults congregated. Notice how these groups NEVER go to these areas uninvited and/or without police escort. A white Texas gun rights group wanted to march through a black area, might have been Dallas. In a bad area and they asked the local black activists if it was okay. They had to. It would have went pear shaped very, very badly had they didn't, gun in tow or not. The activists said no. They saw for what it is. Why do they have to go through THAT neighborhood for gun rights? Its a strange dichotomy but systemic targeting left such neighborhoods dangerous (over policing, etc) and so you have an area where shooting people isn't an issue. It's done regularly. Going out in the middle of woods with AKs shooting at straw men with slurs written on it is one thing. Doing for real is another. Especially against an area where they have been doing it real time routinely. I've heard the term 'battle ready' branded about. Same with some latino areas. Proud Boys once tried to go to Maxine Waters office in South Central Los Angeles, asking the cops for protection. The cops said we can protect you when you gather in front of the office and local gangs patrolled the area for them. There is no parking lot they can go to, they had to find street parking and they didn't exactly fit the neighborhood profile. They got driven out. A few them were denyinig who they were with. The one thing with cowards is they are dangerous because they go after soft targets, but because they are cowards they will give up the fight sooner than anyone. Hence Philadelphia. Even if they were armed to the teeth, and willing to use it they'd be slaughtered. The police, their ally, would have to get them out.
  5. My hometown. Philadelphia is probably the city most associated with symbolism for the founding of the country. It's also a city that has some of the grittiest people (yours truly excepted). They came in the middle of the night very quietly, with zero fanfare no advance notice for a reason. From what I know about Philly, a city where I can't even visit my old area, they got off very, very lucky. And they know it.
  6. The Republican masses are gone. Done. They'll be for an all out Civil War. The establishment of the party know this and are probably as scared of the masses as anyone. They are trying to walk a tight line between being in the favor of the masses and decency. It's not an easy line to walk. There are a few who are happily going along with the madness because they are in it purely for the power and visibility (Gaetz for example) and these folks are completely corrupt morally. The party is rotten in the core. Very rotten. So are the Democrats but in a more traditional type of rotten. The Republican core see no problem in literally anything. Including assassinating certain folks. There is no line with them. None whatsoever. I suspect the military high command knows this and have some internal issues themselves. We've seen one retired general or admiral too many condone some things. The military has had an issue with these types for a couple decades now and are just starting to address it. It may be too late. Look at Flynn, very, very high up in the military command structure when he served and he went full MAGA and full on insurrection. That should scare the shit out of people more than it has. If at all. He's not alone.
  7. The event itself isn't the worst of it Coss, its the actions of the Republican party. Instead of being embarrassed people representing their party would do such a thing, they are against any investigation of it. Why? Because they and their supporters saw nothing wrong with it. I've heard Republicans I know minimize the event. And yes, unfortunately I know a few.
  8. With respect to history and lower species, mankind has progressed. And societies deem themselves enlightened. Does a truly enlightened society enslave others? Modern enlightened societies are inclusive are they not? They battle the base instincts we haven't been able to remove genetically. Domination (unless she's dressed in a German military officer's uniform and orders you to call her Frau Mistress), random and arbitrary violence, removal of justice, fairness in all institutions but most importantly in the legal system.
  9. ...luckily for me I have British sounding surname. Must have been why I was a wee bit luckier to at least get the interview.
  10. Another thing Coss, there are stats and damn lies as the saying goes...sorta. Hmm...slavery in the areas now deemed USA started at least in 1619. America as we know were British until 1776 but in reality until the war ended in the early 1780s. The importation of slaves ended in 1809 (by the British) to the Americas. So, America imported the lions share of its slaves as a British colony. And if we use 1776 as a start, then the USA proper imported slaves for...hmmm...carry 24...plus the 9...carry the 1, okay, 33 years. So, in that chart, does America get credited for slaves since 1776 or 1619? Hmm...just wondering. Because I don't think it was put up there to gaslight and even so, Its "only" 377k, so, was it really that bad? I'd also like to add that what made the slave trade in America uniquely bad was that your progeny were slaves forever. Even the children of slaves in Arabia were deemed moslem and thereby protected by the Quran. Not that the Arabs treated slaves with anything other than brutality. Just saying. Also, two other things. If one can think of any form of depravity today. These thoughts and acts in mankind are centurie old. Imagine such a person on his own plantation, with legal ownership over other humans and being free from any consequences to carry out any depravity? Including raping little boys or girls. And also it might be added, very unique that they enslaved their own children borne from rape. Its hard to find the same done in other places. Not even the Arabs. Secondly, the issue isn't just slavery. Slavery ended 150 years ago. Had the enslaved or their progeny been afforded full rights and justice and fairness offered to any other US citizens INCLUDING immigrants who came later, I don't think it would be such an issue. It seems in America conservatives try to reduce it to slavery and it was so long ago but knowingly exclude that the legacy of slavery includes another 100 years of government apartheid, institutional, systemic and endemic regulations, laws, etc, designed specifically to marginalize those descendants. Including up to today in EVERY institution. A few examples. Its been proven that black homeowners routinely have agencies undervalue their home, even in a hot real estate market and there are untold billions as a collective lost in the sale of the home. Now, their property taxes seem to be assessed fairly though..hmm..wonder why? Every major bank (and numerous regional banks), Bank of America, Wells Fargo, every single one, if you google has been fined for lending discrimination. Charging higher interest rates for the same financial background and credit rating. The car loan industry has an even more egregious history. Education? Hmm....black boys as young as Nursery school are suspended from school in all socio-economic groups at multiple higher than any other group. Interestingly enough almost all are done by the so called "Karen" teachers. My cousin teaches 4th grade in Philadelphia and said she has many students who were suspended by "other" teachers and she's never had to once. Wonder why? Employment? You can google multiple studies where 2 sets of CVs are sent to a company with equal backgrounds. One with a British sounding name. The other with a name you may see in the NBA. Guess who got called in for in interview about 8 times more? Its a tough one. Law enforcement? As you know by now I've posted a link numerous times on the FBI 2006 report about white supremacists joining law enforcement in large numbers. Darrell Wilson who murdered Mike Brown for example, came from a police department that was not only corrupt but also found to have KKK members. But that was left out of the main media, even the so called 'liberal media' like CNN. The amazing thing is there hasn't been more violent uprisings. The far right stubs their toe and there is a mass shooting. They aren't being killed. They think I can't have that 24th gun to make it a clean 2 dozen, welp, I'm going to shoot up a shopping center. Blacks in America would love to have their problems. Wonder if they are up for a trade?
  11. Hey Coss, Can you tell me any institutionalized slavery industry in Africa before the Arabs and Europeans were there? Yes, slavery happened on every continent. But I'm talking about it as an industry. I'm at a loss with respect to Africa specifically, where slavery prior to the Arabs and Europeans was reduced to POWs who eventually became part of the tribe, intermarrying, etc, and many returning years later. Because as you know there were no walls or barriers separating these tribes. Also, as I understand it the enslaving powers gathered slaves one of two waves. Directly or extorting/paying one tribe to enslave its rival or neighbors. Basically, someone is going on this slave ship. You or the other guy. Finally, I find it interesting that someone would indirectly justify enslavement of people they now call their descendants supposedly fellow citizens. Furthermore, if we are going to use the 'well, they were involved too', then can neo Nazis justify the holocaust because its fact that a few Jews helped the Nazis get other Jews? As well as some German Americans, American citizens, fought for the Nazis? As well as Italian Americans for the fascists in Italy. Does that justify the Nazis? or the other way around? Not sure. So, is the assertion some are making that American slavery isn't wrong if any Africans in some form or fashion? Or that American blacks can't state that America enslavement was wrong if Africans were in the process at some point? I've actually been to Cape Coast in Ghana, a British slave fort. Took the tour, talked to local people as well as others in Accra, the capital. Apparently they were given no choice and the biggest tribe there, the Ashanti, fought the British initially. And then were forced to help in the trade or end up on the ship themselves and 1000s were anyway. Interesting. It's all very interesting. It explains the Republican support though.
  12. ...related to my other post, I'd also like to see the G8 or even better the G20, get involved in the environment as well. The Sahara desert was once mostly grasslands. There is a present plan to plant a million trees in sub Sahara to stop the expansion of the desert. I applaud that. I'd love to see a financial incentive to save the animals of Africa that are used for Chinese meds or western exotic markets, etc. If the lasts Rhino is gone its not good for all of us. So, how about an incentive like the more Rhinos such and such countries have, the more money. Pay these game wardens a good wage. Use modern technology, donate it, such as drones, night vision glasses. Give these game wardens the salary and tech to do the job. Same with saving the Amazon in South America. I'd love to see some leadership at the G20 level for all these things, green, environment, etc, lets get together and work on viable solutions. We may not agree with most things with Russia and China but they are globally influential as well and so work on common / mutual interests.
  13. The Paris Agreement was something similar to what I wanted to see the big nations do. My preference would have been to have the G8 unite to change all their economies to green in come industries. Cars for a start. All government cars over a certain time, be hybrids or whatever kind of vehicle that we can get a consensus on. Also, there are some government functions all governments do well. I read a study years ago about the big inefficient ones. Conservatives like to say that the government doesn't know how to run businesses and that's not true. What you will find is corruption, graft, etc, behind huge so called inefficient state owned businesses. There are all kinds of consultants that can spot things as well.
  14. Here is the thing about that inefficient rail. Money changes hands it isn't lost. Those workers, reinvested their salary into the local economy. They bought or rented homes. They shopped at the local grocer, all manner of businesses. The economy actually distributed their salaries back into the country. Private businesses sometimes takes that revenue overseas. Not saying the private business who bought the rail did but if they are a multi-national company some of that money may have been redistributed overseas.
  15. One thing we should be doing is not having a congresspersons salary and benefits determined by them. For example. Cav obviously hates Nancy Pelosi. Part of his taxes pays her salary. Nancy Pelosi is elected by the people in the San Francisco area. Not even the whole city, only a part. Why should Cav's taxes pay the salary for someone he had no say in electing? Congress tries to gaslight the American people saying 'Well, she is doing things for America' Bullshit. Her primary responsibility is to serve the people in her district. She has no obligation to help a coal miner in West Virginia or a rancher in Kansas or a suburban mom outside Philadelphia. Nor she should she. There are things before Congress that regularly concerns all Americans but in theory she votes by how much it positively or affects her constituents. So, her district should be paying her salary and benefits. I would even say not even the state of California but that state can make its own decision but for sure, none of us should be. Let each district or state determine its own salary for the people they represent. If Texas wants to pay Ted Cruz 1 million year, that's their business and if NY wants to pay AOC 50k a year, that's their business.
  16. Republicans not wanting to investigate the January 6th Capitol Building invasion in large part because most Republican voters were in favor of the riot and wants more probably is the biggest, overt indicator, America is done as a Republic. You simply can't have a functional representative government where roughly 45% of the people have no issue in violating its canons. And they are all okay with that. The Republican masses know that America in its present form and trend, won't survive and they want to rebuild something, anything where they get to run things.
  17. Although I've stated on numerous occasions America is on a non stop decline. I would suggest some things to stay the decline and hopefully end it but the ending would mean a complete cultural change in America. 1.Cut the military budget in half. Close or greatly reduce most of the various military installations around the world. This would not include everything. I would increase the VA funding. Military that fought and died for America's mostly failed modern wars should have the best care of a grateful and guilty nation. Any vet who has seen combat and been in a combat zone should have free medical care, including dental, psychological counseling, etc. 2. Medicare for all. And I would try and partner with Canada on some things like pharmaceutical discounts, etc. 3. Massive infrastructure spending. Start with projects in the poorest areas of America, inner city, rural poor. Only use American companies who will hire American citizens first and foremost. 4. Using carrot and stick policies make green energy a state, local and federal policy. Have a time table where pretty much all government vehicles are green, be it hybrid electric cars or whatever. Mail trucks, federal vehicles for the bureaucracy, all government agencies. Solar panels on government buildings in the south or southwest where they get more days of sunlight than elsewhere or wind energy where they get more like Maine, Vermont, mountainous areas, etc. 5. High speed regional trains. NY to Washington DC is a given. Stops in north Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, limited stops to smaller areas like Wilmington NJ. ....just a start.
  18. I also believe reparations are owed. In large part for continued endemic and systemic targeted post slavery. 100 years of apartheid including policies that stunted or denied growth. 60 years of either targeting (mass incarceration, institutional targeting, etc) or simply neglect. I'd limit beneficiaries to those that 1. Can trace their ancestry to slavery on both sides of the family. 2. Are identified legally as Black (birth certificate, driver's licenses, government documents). 3. You would have to apply and legally be held responsible for fraud. Controversial to some, not to me. More than willing to hear counter arguments.
  19. This is going to sound harsh. This new Juneteenth fed holiday is bullshit. The Congressional Black Caucus' real job is to placate America's 45 million blacks when they have been done wrong but their number one job is to guarantee the black vote. Especially in swing states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. And now Georgia and North Carolina. In return these politicians get individual benefits such as to chair an important committee, get ambassadorships later on or be on board of directors of big companies and collect a check, be VP, or whatever. The DNC will not help any true progressive black candidate. He or she has to play ball. The DNC is just as anti AOC as the Republicans are because she is a threat to the establishment. She won't take corporate money and that makes her dangerous. The CDC all take PAC money. They don't serve the communities they purport to serve. Any independent candidate gets negated. Money is poured in to make sure he or she fails. This holiday is misdirection. Whenever any group is the lowest on the socioeconomic totem pole generation after generation now going into centuries its by design. Appalachia has been poor for about 300 years. Originally Scots Irish, and have been neglected for centuries and are usually the butt of jokes. I've heard various areas of other countries described by Americans as the Appalachia of blah, blah, blah. I've done it. The coal industry even in good times was very tough. The government knew the industry was dying and did nothing to transition it into something else. The late Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia had a high level of power and transferred some federal services to his state. Whenever Americans need an FBI background check it goes to West Virginia for processing not Washington DC. But that only produces so many jobs. There is a county in Kentucky, 99 percent white, 99 percent Republican and almost everyone on welfare https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2016/11/8/inside-owsley-americas-poorest-white-county There is reason Blacks as a collective have been on the lowest socio-economic level. The few times Blacks have tried to create their own economic independence such as Little Italy, Chinatown, etc, its targeted in a variety of ways. Pre World War two prospering black areas were simply burned down and attacked or some other subterfuge (Wilmington NC, Tulsa Ok, Rosewood, Fl, Manhattan Beach, Ca...formerly Bruce's Beach, black family Bruce, etc.) 50s the freeway expansion cut through any black business area (Overtown, Miami, Central Ave LA etc. ) these days there are other things. Infrastructure could be a fantastic start to help reverse the lot of America's generational poor. Both parties know this and its a win-win all the way around. The biggest no brainer for the economy. Use American companies, America's low and unskilled labor. You can pay someone who is currently on welfare, 15 dollars an hour to simply wear a orange vest and hold a 'Detour' sign. All the money stays in America if done right. We learned that in FDRs programs during the depression. It staved off starvation for millions. But instead of a sort of 'Marshall Plan' for America's poor and especially America's black poor, we get offered a bullshit national holiday. Personally, I'd be more than willing to get rid of MLK's birthday holiday, Black History Month and this bullshit for a real, honest plan that addresses endemic and systemic issues. https://www.npr.org/2021/06/18/1008095439/juneteenth-is-a-federal-holiday-now-but-what-that-means-for-workers-varies-widel
  20. Coss, America is done. I've been saying it for ages. Economically, there are a few huge bubbles that will all be a domino effect on each other. Other countries share some of these issues but America being the largest economy and unable to work together to solve them will not recover I think when the next big crash happens. When I say 'not recover' I mean America will no longer be as relevant after as it was before. The Republican party is no longer ideologically the same. They are effectively a party whose primary goal and purpose is to maintain power in a changing America and changing world. This power is ideological, demographical, socio-culturally. They know they don't have the numbers. America is a center left country so they either want their own country or part of America to rule themselves or end America as we know it and start over. Either one means an end to the constitution and the rule of law. In their present incarnation they believe that there are no rules for them. They believe they are in an existential fight. They believe they will never, ever mentally and emotionally live in a left of center America. They see the liberal wing of America as not only barriers but the enemy and if they can get away with it will have some form of 'purge'. They have lost all sense of reality. They are more than willing to 'believe the lie' rather than accept the truth.
  21. To be fair, the mainstream media does similar stuff, but Faux...er..ah..Fox News is worse.
  22. Cav is correct that Trump can win in 2024. In fact, I'd say if he ran he'd likely win. Just because you can win doesn't win you are best for the country (Bush won twice, Nixon won twice). He will beat Kamala Harris fairly easily I think. Probably beat Biden as well because the progressives farther left won't come out to vote for him. Neither will Blacks. The one person who can run and win as a Dem is maybe..maybe...Bernie. AOC could win. Dems best choice is to go outside of politics and grab a businessman or general. Think outside the box. Maybe a Mark Cuban. He's a Texan so he might be able to carry that state. My best advice is find a brash, crass far left progressive who can match or beat Trump in soundbites, unapologetic and far left. If anything, it illustrates vividly that America has past the point of no return from ever returning to any past glory.
  23. ...and no matter how cut and dry the killing is, a black Republican must ALWAYS excuse any killing of a black guy by a white cop or person. No matter how horrendous and obvious. Or pretend it never happened and dont say a thing about it.
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