(11-06-2020 10:59 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(11-05-2020 10:05 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(11-05-2020 09:56 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  Maybe mail in balloting only works in states controlled by the GOP? LOL.

Florida was so embarrassed by 2000 they actually reformed the system. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jeb Bush was an outstanding Governor for Florida, and could’ve been an outstanding President of the US. But after Bush/41 and Bush/43, the people had — understandably — had enough.

BS. The way the Bush family has acted the last 4 years... they can all go rot too.

I think republicans must do several things:

1) Form the Resistance. Forget this talk of compromise. Democrats' idea of compromise is, "We get what we want and you learn to like it." As Obama said, "Republicans can come along, but they have to sit in the back of the bus." If Georgia turns out well, then the senate republicans are the last line of defense, and must make sure to stick together 100% and vote down any democrat proposal that does not include meaningful compromise. If Georgia breaks badly, then at least make everything come down to 50-50 with Harris (or whoever becomes VP when they 25th Amendment Biden) breaking the tie. It's time to hang together or we will all hang separately. Particularly on things like packing the Supreme Court, or new justice appointments, or the GND, or confiscatory taxes against corporations and the "rich."
2) Come up with some concrete proposals instead of just saying no to everything democrats propose. If the democrat house sends over a bill, propose amendments to implement those proposals. And get every damn republican reading from the same sheet of music. That's what Newt did with the Contract in 1994, and that was probably the republicans' biggest single election victory ever. Too bad 1) it wasn't a presidential year (although quite frankly I like President Bill Clinton a lot, not lefty Bill of today, but President Bill), and 2) they forgot about it as soon as they got into power, in order to chase Monicagate. I've put some out here, but a quick rerun,
a) subsistence-level universal basic income (UBI) based on Milton Friedman's negative income tax (NIT) or the Boortz-Linder prebate/prefund, universal private health care/insurance based on the Bismarck model (and note that Friedman, Boortz, Linder, and Bismarck would all be considered conservative),
b) paid for with a national consumption tax that also generates enough tax revenue to balance the budget with a lower, flatter, and broader (fewer/no deductions/exclusions) income taxes (like Europe or Bowles-Simpson or Domenici-Rivlin), and also provides a mild amount of trade protection (enough to swing things the other way in several cases),
c) legalization of marijuana and decriminalization of other drugs, and
d) addressing the upward economic mobility of poor blacks with school choice to get them out of failed inner-city schools and enterprise zones to bring economic development to the inner cities. Both c) and d) should build on the gains made this time with minorities, and the UBI structure removes the economic incentive for fathers to abandon mothers and children, and removes the economic disincentive presented by the current welfare plantation.
3) And for goodness' sake, start active campaigns to educate people. I think most people, including some intelligent and well educated people I know, think that Democratic Socialism espoused by the likes of Bernie and AOC is the same thing as European Social Democracy. They're not. That's clearly the lie that the likes of Bernie and AOC have tried to perpetuate. Note which term is the noun and which is the adjective in each. The proposals I outlined above would basically put us in pretty much a Social Democracy mode. Democratic Socialism is about redistribution of income and wealth; that is the first step toward becoming Venezuela. Voters need to understand that. Ross Perot's PowerPoints were very clear and simple presentations of what was wrong with the system then. We can do the same today, and get it out there. Buy adverts if necessary, but do whatever it takes. If Donald Trump wants to lead the Resistance, find a way to leverage that into explaining the reality of issues.
4) Start taking elections as seriously as democrats do. This means more active efforts to develop attractive candidates and probably also means creating a dirty tricks department to dig up stuff like the democrats did with Christine Blasey Ford to oppose Kavanaugh. I find it incredible to believe that people like Pelosi and Schumer and Biden and Kamala the **** don't have skeletons in their closets, so find them and expose them.
5) Push to get secure elections wherever it can be done. I like embedding thumbprints and photos in voter ID cards and storing them online (the technology is actually pretty cheap) and requiring you to get a match to vote (and if you vote once then that is noted in the database and you can't vote again). Make it the law in states where republicans control

(11-07-2020 10:51 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I think republicans must do several things:

1) Form the Resistance. Forget this talk of compromise. Democrats' idea of compromise is, "We get what we want and you learn to like it." As Obama said, "Republicans can come along, but they have to sit in the back of the bus." If Georgia turns out well, then the senate republicans are the last line of defense, and must make sure to stick together 100% and vote down any democrat proposal that does not include meaningful compromise. If Georgia breaks badly, then at least make everything come down to 50-50 with Harris (or whoever becomes VP when they 25th Amendment Biden) breaking the tie. It's time to hang together or we will all hang separately. Particularly on things like packing the Supreme Court, or new justice appointments, or the GND, or confiscatory taxes against corporations and the "rich."
2) Come up with some concrete proposals instead of just saying no to everything democrats propose. If the democrat house sends over a bill, propose amendments to implement those proposals. And get every damn republican reading from the same sheet of music. That's what Newt did with the Contract in 1994, and that was probably the republicans' biggest single election victory ever. Too bad 1) it wasn't a presidential year (although quite frankly I like President Bill Clinton a lot, not lefty Bill of today, but President Bill), and 2) they forgot about it as soon as they got into power, in order to chase Monicagate. I've put some out here, but a quick rerun,
a) subsistence-level universal basic income (UBI) based on Milton Friedman's negative income tax (NIT) or the Boortz-Linder prebate/prefund, universal private health care/insurance based on the Bismarck model,
b) paid for with a national consumption tax that also generates enough tax revenue to balance the budget with a lower, flatter, and broader (fewer/no deductions/exclusions) income taxes (like Europe or Bowles-Simpson or Domenici-Rivlin), and also provides a mild amount of trade protection (enough to swing things the other way in several cases),
c) legalization of marijuana and decriminalization of other drugs, and
d) addressing the upward economic mobility of poor blacks with school choice to get them out of failed inner-city schools and enterprise zones to bring economic development to the inner cities. Both c) and d) should build on the gains made this time with minorities, and the UBI structure removes the economic incentive for fathers to abandon mothers and children, and removes the economic disincentive presented by the current welfare plantation.
3) And for goodness' sake, start active campaigns to educate people. I think most people, including some intelligent and well educated people I know, think that Democratic Socialism espoused by the likes of Bernie and AOC is the same thing as European Social Democracy. They're not. That's clearly the lie that the likes of Bernie and AOC have tried to perpetuate. Note which term is the noun and which is the adjective in each. The proposals I outlined above would basically put us in pretty much a Social Democracy mode. Democratic Socialism is about redistribution of income and wealth; that is the first step toward becoming Venezuela. Voters need to understand that. Ross Perot's PowerPoints were very clear and simple presentations of what was wrong with the system then. We can do the same today, and get it out there. Buy adverts if necessary, but do whatever it takes. If Donald Trump wants to lead the Resistance, find a way to leverage that into explaining the reality of issues.
4) Start taking elections as seriously as democrats do. This means more active efforts to develop attractive candidates and probably also means creating a dirty tricks department to dig up stuff like the democrats did with Christine Blasey Ford to oppose Kavanaugh. I find it incredible to believe that people like Pelosi and Schumer and Biden and Kamala the **** don't have skeletons in their closets, so find them and expose them.
5) Push to get secure elections wherever it can be done. I like embedding thumbprints and photos in voter ID cards and storing them online (the technology is actually pretty cheap) and requiring you to get a match to vote (and if you vote once then that is noted in the database and you can't vote again). Make it the law in states where republicans control

This is a brilliant post. Agree with all of it particularly points 1,3,5.

For point one I strong agree with the consumption tax. A VAT is the fairest tax of all and can be sold to Americans if done well.

We have to educate young people. We must have a voice on college campuses. We are losing generations to brainwashing

Definitely agree w/ college campuses. The big problem w/ that tho is many college students are concerned about student debt. Student debt is another issue to address. I don't know the answer to that.

And the one thing that republicans need to do the next time they get control over both houses is to pass a set of minimum security standards for elections were federal officeholders are elected. States can still control elections, but if it involves federal officials there have to be minimum standards. States can always go higher but not lower.

(11-07-2020 03:32 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Definitely agree w/ college campuses. The big problem w/ that tho is many college students are concerned about student debt. Student debt is another issue to address. I don't know the answer to that.

Part of it is to prevent running up so much debt to start with. Tie the amount of debt you can accumulate to the earnings potential of your degree--say, if it's in STEM, maybe you can borrow $100K, if it's gender studies maybe $5K.

(11-07-2020 03:35 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(11-07-2020 03:32 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Definitely agree w/ college campuses. The big problem w/ that tho is many college students are concerned about student debt. Student debt is another issue to address. I don't know the answer to that.

Part of it is to prevent running up so much debt to start with. Tie the amount of debt you can accumulate to the earnings potential of your degree--say, if it's in STEM, maybe you can borrow $100K, if it's gender studies maybe $5K.

That's smart, but I imagine it'd get struck down in courts.

The strange thing is, I think these dumb programs hurt the smaller state universities more then it helps them. You get these students that choose those as their majors then complain about their school (as well as the government & Republicans of course) when they get so much debt, a weak job, & no way to pay it off w/.

(11-07-2020 03:32 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  And the one thing that republicans need to do the next time they get control over both houses is to pass a set of minimum security standards for elections were federal officeholders are elected. States can still control elections, but if it involves federal officials there have to be minimum standards. States can always go higher but not lower.

^^^This^^^ Require mail in ballots be requested by the voter. No ballots accepted after Election Day except Overseas and Military get 5 days beyond election day. State issued ID required to vote. Any vote counts without observers from both political parties voids those votes, political parties could waive right to observe. One final rule, election officials cannot under any circumstance "Cure" aka fix a ballot.

(11-07-2020 03:39 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  

(11-07-2020 03:35 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(11-07-2020 03:32 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Definitely agree w/ college campuses. The big problem w/ that tho is many college students are concerned about student debt. Student debt is another issue to address. I don't know the answer to that.

Part of it is to prevent running up so much debt to start with. Tie the amount of debt you can accumulate to the earnings potential of your degree--say, if it's in STEM, maybe you can borrow $100K, if it's gender studies maybe $5K.

That's smart, but I imagine it'd get struck down in courts.

I think if the earnings calculations are actuarially sound, it should pass muster. Just like a good driver gets cheaper car insurance than a guy with two at-fault wrecks and a DUI.

IF they win the senate GOP needs to obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. Delay every Biden cabinet appointment.

(11-05-2020 03:36 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(11-05-2020 02:56 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  What should the GOP do?

Gridlock. Don't budge on a THING. Don't confirm any judges. Don't pass any bills.

If Biden issues an EO, one of Trump's many circuit court judges can put a stop to it.

When Kamala takes over in a few months, the GOP's sole purpose will be to protect the Constitution from her.

Which will ultimately make its way to the courts.

It's a good thing Trump flooded the courts with conservatives.

And he isn’t done yet. Still has nearly 3 full months left in the term, Cocaine Mitch needs to clear the docket and keep pushing through these judges.

Thanks zerO!

(11-05-2020 10:00 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(11-05-2020 02:56 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  What should the GOP do?

Gridlock. Don't budge on a THING. Don't confirm any judges. Don't pass any bills.

If Biden issues an EO, one of Trump's many circuit court judges can put a stop to it.

When Kamala takes over in a few months, the GOP's sole purpose will be to protect the Constitution from her.

Make the life of every person that you know or think might have voted for Biden miserable with every resource available to you.

Is that the right answer?

Well that’s certainly the barmaids answer. She is making a “list” to punish those who supported Trump, all the way down to people donating as little as a thousand bucks.

These people are brownshirt, jack-booted thugs.

(11-07-2020 04:15 PM)JMUDunk Wrote:  

(11-05-2020 10:00 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(11-05-2020 02:56 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  What should the GOP do?

Gridlock. Don't budge on a THING. Don't confirm any judges. Don't pass any bills.

If Biden issues an EO, one of Trump's many circuit court judges can put a stop to it.

When Kamala takes over in a few months, the GOP's sole purpose will be to protect the Constitution from her.

Make the life of every person that you know or think might have voted for Biden miserable with every resource available to you.

Is that the right answer?

Well that’s certainly the barmaids answer. She is making a “list” to punish those who supported Trump, all the way down to people donating as little as a thousand bucks.

These people are brownshirt, jack-booted thugs.

We have to push back