Trump Is Fucked

[Rikk]

Just another check on power. It’s not perfect but overall it has worked well. No form of government is more efficient than a dictatorship. Few turn out good. To avoid that you have to compromise and deal with some stupid shit.

NITRO...

...I try. I really do. When we talk outside of this forum, I enjoy so many of your posts.

But when you come into this part of the forum, you write more stupid things than Sammy's written bad lyrics.

Let me ask you a question:
Have you ever heard of Adam Smith?

Do you know what "the invisible hand" is?

Did you actually say that "no system of government is more efficient than a dictatorship"?

My God, man. GET AN EDUCATION!!!!

It's not just the complete lack of morality that makes a dictatorship inefficient. It's not just the complete lack of human rights that makes such a system broken.

In ANY dictatorship, prices and supply are HINDERED by the person in power, based on their own needs & preferences (and often sick ideals). Dictatorships (by their very nature) lack a true free-market economy. A free-market economy is the bedrock of any efficient society.

You MAGA idiots go on about wanting to rid the United States of socialism...and then you prop up systems like Russia (which is slowly turning back to its old self) and dictatorships in general...which more often than not DO NOT SUPPORT honest prices and a real system of demand & supply. BY DEFINITION, fascist systems AND communist systems DO NOT allow for free market economies. They do allow for some private property rights and the existence of a compromised market economy (with very wealthy individuals), but the government is always seeking to implement their own ideals and priorities into the market...and, thus:

THE COUNTRY IS RUN FAR MORE INEFFICIENTLY THAN A DEMOCRACY!!! ALWAYS!!!!

The fact that modern Republicanism (under Trump) is openly touring the "efficiency" of dictatorship is the biggest proof anyone needs that modern Republicanism has NOTHING to do with old-school Conservative values.

Old-school Conservative values are based, more than anything, on the idea of SMALL government...government having LESS power. THAT'S IT. (Read Milton Friedman. Reagan claimed he was going to create a U.S. government that followed the ideals of Friedman...but he ended up going in for a system of bigger government than anyone imagined, making Friedman quite disgusted.)

A dictatorship by its very definition is about BIGGER government and taking away the rights, ideals & needs of citizens and placing all of this in the hands of the government. Any dictatorship (fascist, communist, etc.) is based on compromising the economy (which harms prices, demand & supply) and, by taking away rights of citizens (and their ability to communicate what they need), ends up working for very few citizens except those in power.

One ends up with mass starvation (The Philippines under Marcos is a good example of this) and very few people able to achieve their true potential in order to not only help themselves but their nation as a whole.

ANYBODY who says that a dictatorship is the "most efficient" form of government has very little understanding of history, economics or political science.

(The old political arguments between Democrats and Republicans were based on the age-old debate of fairness vs. efficiency. Modern debate with modern Republicans is a debate of education vs. pure ignorance.)

[Rikk]

A completely retarded notion debunked in history over and over...

You think Hitler and the Nazis were "efficient"? Read a fucking book...

I've noticed this: MAGAs read few books. They follow the others in their cult and rarely seem to form their own, thought-out opinions.

Another good example of a dictatorship resulting in a terrible, inefficient economy (and government) is Marcos' regime in the Philippines.

[Hardrock69]

I have to laugh about people who want to get rid of Socialism in the United States. So they want to get rid of our first responders. Get rid of our national Highway System. They want to get rid of our military. They want to get rid of all politicians. All these and more are paid for by our SOCIALIST SYSTEM OF TAXATION. AMERICA is a SOCIALIST NATION. Some peeps just don't get it.

[DLR Bridge]

I have to laugh about people who want to get rid of Socialism in the United States. So they want to get rid of our first responders. Get rid of our national Highway System. They want to get rid of our military. They want to get rid of all politicians. All these and more are paid for by our SOCIALIST SYSTEM OF TAXATION. AMERICA is a SOCIALIST NATION. Some peeps just don't get it.

Socialism is an often times misunderstood and misused term. Everything you said and more about the social programs and systems in America is correct and there are many more to mention. Those that swat down socialism are sidled with the notion that it only means ‘free stuff from the government for lazy mother fuckers.’ I’m not sure how that came about, but I do know that there is large contingency of right leaning folk who are living off Uncle Sam’s teet.

[Rikk]

I have to laugh about people who want to get rid of Socialism in the United States. So they want to get rid of our first responders. Get rid of our national Highway System. They want to get rid of our military. They want to get rid of all politicians. All these and more are paid for by our SOCIALIST SYSTEM OF TAXATION. AMERICA is a SOCIALIST NATION. Some peeps just don't get it.

What gets me the most is Milton Friedman, possibly the father of what was modern Capitalism had an entire section in his most-read book about all the exceptions to a free-market economy. He talks about hospitals, police forces, etc., and states that these systems (a minority of society's systems) cannot function properly in a system of free market (competition, privatization). They will be, in theory and in practice, inefficient. There is NO SUCH THING as a completely free market economy.

One cannot have anarchy (at least that's how I feel).

The big misconception is that any vote for Conservatives (or Republicans) is a vote for SMALL government. Today's Republicans believe in bigger government than any other example we've seen in our history. Classically, the right-wing branch is supposed to push for the ideals of small government. But today more than ever, Republican governments seek MORE power than ever before. They even more blatantly want to remove the complete separation of church and state. The Trump government put us in further debt than any government before. Yes, they aim to lower or end government spending to social programs (education, Social Security, etc.) while creating MASSIVE spending towards military, private projects that only benefit the very rich (e.g. stadiums, energy companies, etc.) with the latter having NO provable benefit towards the tax-spending populace. And they fuck with the tax laws enough that not only are we spending more tax dollars (or incurring more debt) that ever before BUT the richest of the rich also foot none of the bill. THAT is sick. It takes real balls.

NOW...because Trump is touting the "efficiency" or "greatness" of dictators (even Reagan spoke out against such an idea), his minions follow along and (blindly) make statements like: "Well, dictatorships are efficient." PEOPLE DO NOT EVENTUALLY RISE UP AGAINST DICTATORS JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE LESS SAY (which in itself is evil); THEY RISE UP BECAUSE THEY ARE STARVING...THEY BECOME DESPERATE!!

Whether or not it's a Communist system (e.g. Pol Pot, Stalin) or a Fascist system (e.g. Hitler, possibly Marcos), it NEVER works. It's not just evil. It's inefficient. The Adam Smith model of information, of signals, of prices, of supply meeting demand...it all falls apart in a dictatorship.

Trump pushes certain ideals because they are preferable to him. For him, personally, a fascist system in which he is able to achieve complete power is preferable. It does not matter to him one iota if he's actually feeding his minions. As long as he's getting his message out by having a marriage with some part of the media, he can achieve this.

His final step in achieving this would be to give himself immunity from our laws.

When Nixon made the argument to Frost that a President doing something (even if it's illegal) make its law by its quality of being done by a President, almost every American balked at the idea.

Here we are, 50 years later...and another President is making that argument, and he has such a strong following that they clap and say, "Yes. If YOU do it, we're with you."

THAT is some scary shit.

[Nickdfresh]

Socialism is an often times misunderstood and misused term. Everything you said and more about the social programs and systems in America is correct and there are many more to mention. Those that swat down socialism are sidled with the notion that it only means ‘free stuff from the government for lazy mother fuckers.’ I’m not sure how that came about, but I do know that there is large contingency of right leaning folk who are living off Uncle Sam’s teet.

The US is a "mixed economy" blending the state and capitalism and Keynesian economics has been the bedrock since the Depression. I recall arguing with an extremist right wing guy that did nothing but bitch about deficits and how big our gov't was/is. Of course this moron worked for the Army Corp of Engineers and I told him he fit in perfectly there, but he could always quit and make the gov't leaner and more effective...

[nick500]

Colorado decision overturned. 9 to 0.
Brain dead journalists don't even look on the SCOTUS web page. Opinion is posted.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/slipopinion/23

[Romeo Delight]

Unanimous ruling by Supreme Court. Thank goodness there is some sense left there. There was no other path here. Was never a state capability as the Ruling outlined. I still can't believe some radicals calling for dissolution of the Supreme Court can;t see the irony. That guy is a fascist...so I want to be a fascist so he doesnt get into power. Its so crazy.

[Kristy]

Unanimous ruling by Supreme Court. Thank goodness there is some sense left there. There was no other path here. Was never a state capability as the Ruling outlined. I still can't believe some radicals calling for dissolution of the Supreme Court can;t see the irony. That guy is a fascist...so I want to be a fascist so he doesnt get into power. Its so crazy.

???

[Romeo Delight]

The US is a "mixed economy" blending the state and capitalism and Keynesian economics has been the bedrock since the Depression. I recall arguing with an extremist right wing guy that did nothing but bitch about deficits and how big our gov't was/is. Of course this moron worked for the Army Corp of Engineers and I told him he fit in perfectly there, but he could always quit and make the gov't leaner and more effective...

There has been some great examples of Government investing in infrastructure to benefit future generations. Hydro electric is a great example. So amazing though that in the US infrastructure is literally crumbling. I can get behind creating surplus for future generations through smart spending.

The challenge lies in when the government is either inept or corrupt. Unfortunately those are quite common. I seem to recall a stadium in Montreal that was a 13 fold increase over original costs...and can be blamed largley on government corruption and incompetence. Lets be clear, government just isn't that capable. Corruption exists in private sector...New York has rampant corruption that would exist in any scenario.

[Von Halen]

Make America Great Again, Again!

[Nickdfresh]

Unanimous ruling by Supreme Court. Thank goodness there is some sense left there. There was no other path here. Was never a state capability as the Ruling outlined. I still can't believe some radicals calling for dissolution of the Supreme Court can;t see the irony. That guy is a fascist...so I want to be a fascist so he doesnt get into power. Its so crazy.

So this is "news"? These opinions were shared weeks ago and it was pretty obvious that this is the outcome. Even the "liberals" didn't find the arguments convincing (and neither did I to be honest)...

[Nitro Express]

Make America Great Again, Again!

Oh this coyote and roadrunner cartoon is far from over. We will see some even crazier shit before it’s over.

[Nitro Express]

There has been some great examples of Government investing in infrastructure to benefit future generations. Hydro electric is a great example. So amazing though that in the US infrastructure is literally crumbling. I can get behind creating surplus for future generations through smart spending.

The challenge lies in when the government is either inept or corrupt. Unfortunately those are quite common. I seem to recall a stadium in Montreal that was a 13 fold increase over original costs...and can be blamed largley on government corruption and incompetence. Lets be clear, government just isn't that capable. Corruption exists in private sector...New York has rampant corruption that would exist in any scenario.

You need both the government and the private sector but each works best when you hit the sweet spot of just enough regulation with just the right amount of free market capitalism. What brings the downfall is corruption. When both the private sector and government become corrupt and collude you get fascism and that’s what we are seeing now. Fascism is a real bitch and it will go after anyone who stands up against it and bully the rest into submission.

[FORD]

The flaw in the court ruling is that the 14th amendment argument for removing someone from the ballot is based on a criminal conviction. The orange fuck has 91 criminal indictments against him so far, so there's no question he's a criminal piece of shit. But sadly, no criminal convictions as of yet. And the corrupt judges that he appointed (or maybe some were appointed by previous BCE administrations) continue to delay trials, so even if he is convicted eventually, it will be too late to kick his enormous ass off the ballot.

Sadly the 14th amendment doesn't exclude him from the ballot in the civil cases that found him to be a rapist and a fraud.