I got no skin in the game
[QUOTE=Barkeater;5224200]You sound like a Trump supporter, but really, this is not the forum for this. Go get yourself some pussy and chill out bro. .[/QUOTE]My personal take on politics is that it's all a load of bullshit. I fall right down the middle and I think both sides have some strong and legitimate points. I just wish society would go back to actually hearing people out, debate style. Rather than just ignorantly labeling people as filthy trump supporters or filthy liberals. Gone our the days of intelligent and civil conversation. Do I want government getting all up in our grill, forcing business closures and stabbing away at our personal freedom? Hell no. But do I also want to walk around in a mad max town with a bunch of people who aren't following covid protocol / no masks and coughing up in my face because they think it's a hoax? Fuck no. There's a middle ground where we can rely on our government to enforce these things and allocate our tax dollars properly into funding a vaccine (which lets be proud we did just that!) but also allow the economy not to collapse in on itself. The problem circles back to two parties hating each other and not willing to compromise.
I'll be the first to say I didn't like Trump. I think he set a bad example by refusing to wear a mask in public because that definitely sends the wrong message. But let's give credit where credit is due the guy put his signature on the bill to get started on a vaccine ASAP. There seems to only be two extreme solutions. Lock everything up and let business go to shit. Or ignore the virus completely take the gamble on whether you live or die. Come on guys, there's a common ground. Whether your red or blue we all like to smash pussy, so let's start from there! And then work our way up to finding out how best to handle a pandemic!
While this ain't exactly the site for this topic. The forum is called STUPID SHIT in NOVA so I think it's fair game.
If you're not with me. Then you must be against me.
[QUOTE=FloorHump422;5224898]What legitimate points does conservatism have? We haven't seen true conservatism in this country since the '50's. What could possibly be attractive about maintaining the status quo of gross inequality we currently live in? As to your point about the vaccine, the health care companies made a point of not accepting tax-payer funding during its development. If anything, Trump contributed negatively to its development by challenging the advice of medical professionals and completely ignoring any sort of national response to the virus.
Being a moderate these days is a tacit acceptance of the undemocratic and oligarchical practices of the GOP aka the Qanon Party. If our "left" is center everywhere else in the world, where does being in the "center" here put you?[/QUOTE]Is the mentality that causes this kind of divide to begin with. I know little to nothing about politics, admittedly. But what I'm good at is human psychology. And here is where I'll dissect your post, because frankly you make some strong points. You call me out and tell me companies refused to accept payers tax dollars, which may be true. They're getting paid from somewhere I just don't know the details. And that's ok. I don't claim to be an expert, my studies are focused elsewhere. But telling me that conservatism doesn't offer any good points and implying that by not being an extreme liberal I'm somehow racist, undemocratic, and a Qanon supporter is just wrong. You're falling into the exact trap that I talked about in my post, you're hating on an entire group of people that share a different opinion than you. Rather than fostering an environment of acceptance and trying to include people and bring them together despite having different outlooks on the world. You're making them an enemy. (How's that for status quo). Even if the other side is 90% wrong and 10% right. Even if conservatism for the most part is outdated. We owe it to ourselves to hear people out because at the end of the day a person has undergone some struggle to get to that point. The point where trump even becomes an appealing candidate is done by some struggle that has been simply ignored by the other party, and I'm not going to pretend I know what it is because I don't. But let's put it into something I can understand. When we closed down the economy and forced people into quarantine. We undoubtedly destroyed people's livelihoods. We killed small businesses and forced many family owned restaurants out of business. We kept people safe, but at what cost?
And that doesn't mean I think what we did was the wrong thing. Maybe it was the right call. We had to mitigate this pandemic that did also kill hundreds of thousands of lives, and maybe even more if we didn't do what we did. But even still that doesn't mean we can deny the consequences of doing so. Every action has an equal but opposite reaction. I'm not an expert but by fostering an environment of inclusion and mutual respect all I'm saying is that I double my chances of finding experts from BOTH sides in order to yield an ideal solution.
Government has simply failed us all
[QUOTE=GripNSip;5230777]Is the mentality that causes this kind of divide to begin with. I know little to nothing about politics, admittedly. But what I'm good at is human psychology. And here is where I'll dissect your post, because frankly you make some strong points. You call me out and tell me companies refused to accept payers tax dollars, which may be true. They're getting paid from somewhere I just don't know the details. And that's ok. I don't claim to be an expert, my studies are focused elsewhere. But telling me that conservatism doesn't offer any good points and implying that by not being an extreme liberal I'm somehow racist, undemocratic, and a Qanon supporter is just wrong. You're falling into the exact trap that I talked about in my post, you're hating on an entire group of people that share a different opinion than you. Rather than fostering an environment of acceptance and trying to include people and bring them together despite having different outlooks on the world. You're making them an enemy. (How's that for status quo). Even if the other side is 90% wrong and 10% right. Even if conservatism for the most part is outdated. We owe it to ourselves to hear people out because at the end of the day a person has undergone some struggle to get to that point. The point where trump even becomes an appealing candidate is done by some struggle that has been simply ignored by the other party, and I'm not going to pretend I know what it is because I don't. But let's put it into something I can understand. When we closed down the economy and forced people into quarantine. We undoubtedly destroyed people's livelihoods. We killed small businesses and forced many family owned restaurants out of business. We kept people safe, but at what cost?
And that doesn't mean I think what we did was the wrong thing. Maybe it was the right call. We had to mitigate this pandemic that did also kill hundreds of thousands of lives, and maybe even more if we didn't do what we did. But even still that doesn't mean we can deny the consequences of doing so. Every action has an equal but opposite reaction. I'm not an expert but by fostering an environment of inclusion and mutual respect all I'm saying is that I double my chances of finding experts from BOTH sides in order to yield an ideal solution.[/QUOTE]Brothers, my take on this is simple: if the government wants us to shut everything down to keep us safe, then the government should keep us whole in the meantime. Not just rich people who have lobbied for favors, but all of us.
The failing of government today is that while they state what is safe or not, they offer no systematic method of allowing people to live decently if those people previously had a livelihood based on social gatherings. It is shut down, stay home, and if you cannot work from home, then starve. This is the modern failing of government.
Calling ourselves conservative or liberal does not negate this fundamental fact: we are undeserving our most vulnerable populations, including our disabled veterans, the elderly who are poor and working families, in the richest country in the history of the world and we have no true universal health care, no properly set living wage, and a broken system of winners and losers created by lobbyists called the stock market. That the market is still trading and picking winners despite the pandemic is just wrong.
So, I have mixed feelings. Based on all of the waste in the government, paying the people who are forced to stay home should be a drop in the bucket. If everyone stayed home for 1 to 2 months, but lost nothing due to a subsidy that can be paid for by removing tax loop hole from some billionaires plus access to a vaccine, this would work and get us back to work fast. Stop trading on wall street until we get back to work. Then recover together.
Back to the regularly scheduled program.
Escorts vs. Massage parlors
I see a lot of escort agencies (e. G. BG) described in the massage parlor forum. Could I ask that you post messages in the appropriate forum? Thanks.
TrumpWe are literally one year behind everyone else. Trump has failed us conservative
[QUOTE=SonChi;5230867]Brothers, my take on this is simple: if the government wants us to shut everything down to keep us safe, then the government should keep us whole in the meantime. Not just rich people who have lobbied for favors, but all of us.
The failing of government today is that while they state what is safe or not, they offer no systematic method of allowing people to live decently if those people previously had a livelihood based on social gatherings. It is shut down, stay home, and if you cannot work from home, then starve. This is the modern failing of government.
Calling ourselves conservative or liberal does not negate this fundamental fact: we are undeserving our most vulnerable populations, including our disabled veterans, the elderly who are poor and working families, in the richest country in the history of the world and we have no true universal health care, no properly set living wage, and a broken system of winners and losers created by lobbyists called the stock market. That the market is still trading and picking winners despite the pandemic is just wrong.
So, I have mixed feelings. Based on all of the waste in the government, paying the people who are forced to stay home should be a drop in the bucket. If everyone stayed home for 1 to 2 months, but lost nothing due to a subsidy that can be paid for by removing tax loop hole from some billionaires plus access to a vaccine, this would work and get us back to work fast. Stop trading on wall street until we get back to work. Then recover together.
Back to the regularly scheduled program.[/QUOTE]We are literally one year behind everyone else. Trump has failed us conservative ideas has failed us. The fact that America did not demonstrate any leadership towards the pandemic. No guidelines for America no guidelines for the world to follow. We were told that we were on our own state. Oh my Trump left there was no guidelines left to buy them on what they were doing. There were no plans. We are so far behind that we're basically starting all over. It was a complete disaster. Weaponiizing even the whole idea about wearing mask is appalling. Getting the vaccine is out started in a slow snail speeds. Some vaccines disappeared or not being given out. The short time Biden is President businesses is coming back. Gas prices are up because more cars are on the highways. We have traffic in a business economy. Oil Pipe lines burst in Texas, also help rise gas prices. Conservatism is made to scare people into how bad things will be in Democrats rule. The hypocrisy is real. Trump gets accused by 26 women for sexual assaults and pays off a hooker for hush money and harassment. Governor Cumo gets three people angry because he was asking for a kiss and the Republicans want Governor Cumo to resign.
The Divided Sates of America
[QUOTE=Shinshi86;5246618]Not trying to selectively quote your post, it's just that what I'm about to write will be quite lengthy.
Your first two sentences laid out the unadulterated truth: [U]both parties suck[/U]. Which is why I'll never understand why fellow Americans are so hell-bent on maintaining the two-party status quo. Seems most are masochists who enjoy this mess for both themselves & others. You're also 1,000% right that it starts at the local level, but again the majority won't even do that much. They'll blindly adhere to the whole "red vs blue" conflict which resembles bad reality TV.
Are Democrats technically more diverse, modern, and accepting in most of their ideological stances (compared to Republicans)? Sure, I won't refute that. But I've never been one to condone choosing between the "lesser of two evils. " It's a copout and--frankly--a coward's way of voting. All it does is keep the status quo in place. We have third party candidates for a reason. I don't get why we don't vote in the most qualified person who represents our values instead of making it a 50-50 coin flip.
But I also hold Democrats responsible for some bullshit. They didn't call for an emergency vote on an economic stimulus package when they could have. They hypocritically whine about pork-spending in the Republican drafts despite being guilty as sin in their own past legislation (especially during the Obama administration). They wasted everyone's time with not one--but TWO--impeachment proceedings which were unsuccessful.
Again, I write this Bible of a post to emphasize that no political party is innocent. To me, they're both equally deplorable in the manner in which they failed us. I just wish everyone else would be just as outraged as I and vote accordingly. But I doubt I'll ever see the responsible ones ever held accountable. This country is broken, and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if we get surpassed as a global superpower and undergo a further recession into obscurity. Frankly, we Americans made out bed and must lie in it. This is what the majority wanted after all. Hopefully, I'll have already moved out of the US before some of the worse shit takes place.[/QUOTE]United? United in what? We're supposed to be one country, that is looked up to by the rest of the world as a superpower and yet that time has long passed because we're really not number one anymore. Our healthcare sucks, our education sucks, the middle class has been swallowed whole by the divisional gap between the rich and poor, our job security is failing and social security will be in shambles by the time us working folk retire. We have been surpassed by other countries already and you want to know the irony of it all? This big superpower we proclaim to be is in debt trillions to China.
We have all these glaring issues that remain to be fixed but we're too busy maintaining the poor status quo by slinging mud at each other. This bickering and arguing amongst ourselves doesn't serve us at all and as the divide continues to grow year after year our chances of retaking that number 1 slot become slimmer and slimmer. Republicans have failed us. As stated the government was in their hands during this pandemic and while countries initially hit harder by the pandemic recovered, we managed to make it worse. (Ok I guess we are number one in something) but what did the democrats do once they took the reigns? Did they double down on getting the vaccine out? No they spent our tax dollars on another failed impeachment. Why? Trump is gone, get over it move on! Our government should have shifted gears IMMEDIATELY a to get a vaccine ready and instead they wasted a valuable month on stupid shit. Time is money people and WE should be holding our representatives accountable.
We pay them. A lot. More than we should. Let's be honest? Why? If they are serving our interest maybe politics should be a volunteer position? Someone whose willing to fix this country and not take a penny to do it certainly would have my best interest in mind. As stated before they don't have our interest at heart, it's their interest. Their paycheck, their legacy that they have to protect. And that's why they resort to mudslinging rather than talk about their platform. It's nothing more than a game, a fight for job security. And you can't win elections by explaining why you're the best candidate, you win by trashing the opposition and creating the illusion that you're better by comparison.
Did you know that George Washington, our founding father and first president, was vehemently against a two party system? He warned that the creation of political factions would build a machine solely intent on seeking and retaining power rather than incline the interest of men and public liberty. Well golly gee, 200+ year big brain play that we all just conveniently ignored and now the problem blew up in our faces.
It's in our hands to respect each other. Be excellent to each other if you will. Because our differences shouldn't divide us. They should unite us. In order to do that we have to rise above the political bullshit and start seeing us all as Americans first and everything else second.
It's no wonder a hooker can come here to NOVA and charge $$$ for service when she only charges $. 5 in Tampa. One country folks. Not 50 disillusioned states. And it all starts by spitting out the bullshit narrative both parties are spoonfeeding you.
You're right to an extent
[QUOTE=GripNSip;5247283]It's in our hands to respect each other. Be excellent to each other if you will. Because our differences shouldn't divide us. They should unite us. In order to do that we have to rise above the political bullshit and start seeing us all as Americans first and everything else second.
It's no wonder a hooker can come here to NOVA and charge $$$ for service when she only charges $. 5 in Tampa. One country folks. Not 50 disillusioned states. And it all starts by spitting out the bullshit narrative both parties are spoonfeeding you.[/QUOTE]There's definitely a divide in this country which needs to be bridged while basic human decency & respect should be given to those around us. With that being said, there are some who frankly aren't worthy of inclusion at the adult's table. Exhibit A is Deranged--and others like him--who feel the overwhelming compulsion to be a vindictive, sarcastic prick just because they can. I typically treat such a group like children (or ignore them outright) owing to the fact that they've not earned the right to be treated differently.
Yes, that category of folks might constitute a sizable portion of citizenry (35% - 45% ?) . But when such a group is so set in their ways and want nothing more than to keep the status quo while believing their party is the perfect answer to everything? How can anyone even bother wasting a millisecond conversing with such fanaticism? You'd think shaming them by exclusion would hammer the point down & shame them to change some of their ways, but some like Deranged might just wear that as a badge of honor & feel further vindicated in their belief system.
Selective outrage at its finest
[QUOTE=Deranged;5248007]Again with the holier-than-thou preaching with nothing of substance to contribute. No wonder you have to pay people to spend time with you.[/QUOTE]Believe whatever you like. I couldn't care less what your perception of me is. Fact of the matter is you're the one who allowed those earlier posts to cause such personal angst. And what's even more hilarious is they weren't even initially directed at you--not unless you're one of those who are indeed complacent with the current state of the country.
Also I've contributed a fair amount to both this forum and the present conversation. Remember it was you who rolled up in here with the shitty attitude and sarcasm. That speaks far more volumes about you than anyone else here. So spare me your selective outrage and victimhood. You act like an asshole, I'm going to treat you as such. Don't like it? Pound sand.
Its Covid, not the China Virus
There are lots of different kinds of Chinese Food, and lots of different Virus' that come from China. The Avian flu for one. If you mean Covid just say Covid and stop being dense. You can say 'I had Itallian food for dinner, but until you say what you ate I don't know if you had pizza or pasta.
[QUOTE=SlapNutts;5259372]Rhetoric? It is the China Virus, that's where it came from. Just like "Lyme Disease" came from Lyme, Connecticut. If that's the case Chinese food shouldn't be called that any more, or Italian food is that racist too? Or Japanese car? Or is it only racist when it's a virus?.[/QUOTE]
More sex / mental problem than racist
[QUOTE=Barkeater;5259640]There are lots of different kinds of Chinese Food, and lots of different Virus' that come from China. The Avian flu for one. If you mean Covid just say Covid and stop being dense. You can say 'I had Itallian food for dinner, but until you say what you ate I don't know if you had pizza or pasta.[/QUOTE]No doubt lots of virus' come from China and other places as well, but in the year 2020 I think we all know that this is a " China Virus " , and I don't feel racist to describe it as such. The previous poster gave only a few of the many things named by place of origin, if I throw in " Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever " it probably wouldn't be thought that I didn't like people from the Rockies.
Call it what makes you feel PC and I'll call it the China Virus and hope they pay a price for the millions dead around the world.
You do know that they let people travel from Wuhan to wherever they wanted OUTSIDE of China, and that they have the only economy that has grown in the last year?
Spanish Flu came from Kansas they lied and kept it a secret
[QUOTE=Grafenberg;5260242]The Spanish flu came from China.[/QUOTE]Wrong! 1918 flu aka Spanish Flu came from Kansas USA from our Swine treatment which supplied our US Military. Which killed 50-100 million people worldwide. Why are we not prosecuted from those deaths? Did we close our borders or stop commerce? Did we take responsibility? Fact is we were expected to get a major pandemic. We was overdue for a big one. If this was man made. Then we are screwed because a natural one has not come out yet. Better pray to God this was the big one.
