POTUS 2016

[Sentura]

I wonder how far he'll go before we'll see a revolution... 

[El Moroes]

2 hours ago, (HP) said:

We now live in a world where NASA needs to create a separate twitter account because Trump's administration is censoring science. This isn't fiction guys, this isn't a joke, this is happening right here, right now in 2017, take a few seconds pause and let this sink in for a bit. This administration is also trying to censor National Park's voices, and non surprisingly Trump also institutes a media blackout at the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

...

[Vorontsov]

1 hour ago, Sentura said:

I wonder how far he'll go before we'll see a revolution... 

Aren't democrats mostly anti-guns?

[-HP-]

25 minutes ago, Vorontsov said:

Aren't democrats mostly anti-guns?

Definitely not, that's a misconception, the world is not black and white. Democrats and leftists at large usually call for gun control enforcement, not necessarily anti guns.

Also, you can fight a revolution without the involvement of devices that eject fast moving projectiles, you know that right?

[Sigma]

37 minutes ago, Vorontsov said:

Aren't democrats mostly anti-guns?

Nope... nope nope nope nope nope. Go to the midwest, throw a stone at a group of democrats and you'll have a group of democrats with guns pointing at you. Source: Am Midwest liberal. @(HP) hit it on the nose though. Hopefully we can fight this without use of force. Escalation is never good for anyone.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Sigma

[Vaya]

Quote

'On Thursday, Hannity framed his questioning to suggest Muir was against it. Wholeheartedly agreeing with the president that waterboarding 'works' as a means of extracting information, Hannity said: 'If I had an opportunity to speak with David Muir, I'd say, OK, two guys go into your house, they kidnap your child, one guy gets away with your child, you tackle the other guy, that guy knows where your child is, would you not waterboard that guy?''

Why do republicans all think they're in fucking diehard

 

[spa]

14 hours ago, (HP) said:

Democrats and leftists at large usually call for gun control enforcement, not necessarily anti guns.

Ask a republican and those two things are the same..

[Vorontsov]

How people think it is

How it really is

[twiz]

I'm really fucking tired of Trump referring to the trade deficit with Mexico like we're LOSING that money.  No, idiot, it does not mean that.  It means that we have a higher standard of living, our currency is more valuable.  The reason we have a trade deficit is because it is CHEAP to make things there because they A) don't get paid as much (lower standard of living) and B) their currency is weaker than ours (a USD buys more...).  If you want our trade deficit to be gone, you need to drive our standard of living and value of our currency down to the point that it no longer makes sense to buy things from Mexico, because it is just as cheap to build it here!!! 

Which is sort of what he's proposing.  Tariff Mexican goods, artificially inflating their price.  Congratulations, you've just artificially weakened the USD.  Now a $1 buys $0.80 worth of goods.  Victory!  Mexico is not going to pay for that - they can't.  A Mexican widget costs what it costs to make.  They won't/can't just eat a 20% cut to their costs - they'll just raise the price of the widget accordingly.  A tariff will ultimately come through as a higher end cost for the consumer.  You know, US citizens.  Brilliant.

Since we can't feasibly maintain the same quality of living AND produce everything here, we'll go to the next place.  Further south, more to China and Indonesia.  So what then?  Now we'll have big scary trade deficits with them.  Tariff 'em!  Worked for Mexico!  Keep going down that road, it'll turn out great.

It's exactly like going to the god damn grocery store.  You have a trade deficit with the store.  You buy a lot more things from them than they buy from you.  Sure, you could grow all your own food and raise livestock and fabricate your own toilet paper, but it is much fucking cheaper to TRADE your money for it from someone who can do all that work for less than you could yourself!

First world countries do not get their high standard of living and powerful currency from raw manufacture of goods.  It comes from STEM.  Focus on specialized goods, things that are cutting edge and low-volume that we are expertly equipped to make, that still command a high price because there isn't the tech in Mexico or China or wherever to undercut it... and by the time there is, we've already innovated on that.

As an engineer, this shit pisses me off.  We're at a crossroads, and yes, it's painful.  Bulk manufacturing is dying here because we are too good for it!  I know it hurts, factory workers losing their jobs, etc... but it has to happen!  Either we shoot ourselves in the foot to keep those jobs around a little longer, or we push forward, make sure our future generations are equipped to innovate and create.  That's what made America a world leader in the first place.  Manufacturing, we loved you, but I think its time we moved on.

[Sprony]

Deus Ex has become real:

[Vorontsov]

That picture is so cool, like the beginning of a batman game.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Vorontsov

[FMPONE]

3 hours ago, Sprony said:

Deus Ex has become real:

That really is an astounding image...

[Sprony]

So, California wants to leave the USA. 

[Vorontsov]

7 minutes ago, Sprony said:

So, California wants to leave the USA. 

[D3ads]

^^ Not the first time they've tried it, wont be the last. Wont happen.

All this hysteria about the "Muslim ban" that Trump supposedly invited, turns out he took what Obama put in place and toughtened it. There is no mention of Islam or any ethnicity, the only country mentioned is Syria...

"I hereby proclaim that the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens from countries referred to in section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12)"

These are "countries of concern", already under restrictions according to the "Terrorist Travel Prevention Act" from 2015:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/158/text

Last year four other countries were added to the bill.. Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/02/18/dhs-announces-further-travel-restrictions-visa-waiver-program

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Lebanon and Egypt are not included it's true.. neither is Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan and many other Islamic countries.. this is a long way off from a blanket ban on muslims that the media and some people are claiming (which would be completely unworkable anyway)...