Ten oz

I honestly don't believe this is the result of voter sentiment. Republicans have made it known out in the open it is in their favor to supress voting inareas with large minority populations and used 2010 to draw favorable districts. Additionally the overall popular vote was only won in 2 of the 5yrs listed. In 2016 it is suspected that not only did Republicans actively supress voter turnout in the minority populations of swing states but investigations are ongoing into whether or not assistance from Russian intelligence was accepted. The political movements we are seeing today are arguably not grass roots movements driven by voter sentiment. Rather the are assualts on democracy driven by propoganda and gerrymandering.

@ Airbrush, how many satellites did (and still due) the U.S. have over Iraq and Afghanistan? Using force as a means to achieve international goals is nearly always easier in theory than execution. The plan where we just send in bombers and blow up all targets at once with minimal collateral damage to ourselves or allies has yet to work anywhere. It is laughable to me anyone would encourage that strategy without noting its history of leading to protracted conflicts without end.

Slave is a stronger word than I would use but there are many things which which are culturally forced/pressured to do for employment which do not impact performance or productivity. How a person wears their hair, whether or not they shave, and etc are things that should be left to personal choice in my opinion. It is worse for women. In most office environments women are excepted to have shave legs, under arms, and natural hairless faces. While not written into them rules by many employers societal norms demand it.

There will always be diversity: education, economics, age, diet, religion, and etc. In places where there isn't much racial or ethnic diversity people still separate themselves by other things. In my opinion the less people concern themselves with their own perceived cultural norms the better. One of the more burdensome things about my job is the I must shave daily. It is considered more professional. My face hates it! I have tried many different razors and lotions but the discomfort persists. It is a stupid cultural norm that causes me to shave. In no way does it change who I am. It merely changes the way other perceive me, but why does it matter, why should other give a rats bottom whether or not I shave daily vs weekly?

"China on Monday criticized President Donald Trump's threat to cut off U.S. trade with countries that deal with North Korea and rejected pressure to do more to halt the North's nuclear development. Trump issued the threat after North Korea on Sunday exploded a thermonuclear device in its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. The threat was seen as a warning to China, North Korea's main trading partner and only major ally. A foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, criticized Trump's stance as unfair to Beijing. "What is definitely unacceptable to us is that on the one hand we work so hard to peacefully resolve this issue and on the other hand our interests are subject to sanctions and jeopardized," Geng said at a regular news briefing. "This is unfair." Such an approach would be drastic if applied to China, from which the United States imports goods worth about $40 billion a month." http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/china-trumps-trade-threat-korea-unacceptable-49606206 I understand the administrations positions regarding diplomacy with North Korea. They feel other admins have tried and it never works. A strongman only understands strength and all that stuff. I do not understand the admins position towards China and South Korea. We (U.S.) NEED China and South Korea as partners on this; they are suppose to be our allies here. Diplomacy with China and South Korea is critical/tactical here and in my opinion what other economic complaints the admin has with them needs to be kicked down the road for now.

Eskimo's have 50 words for snow. To an extent I think we, people generally, associate was isn't known about our mind with the labal unconscious. As we attempt to understand our number of words for consciousness grow; pre-conscious, unconscious, subconscious, etc. As with the all the words for snow the labels we are using to describe a thing doesn't actually explain that thing scientifically.

^^^Took humans hundreds of thousands of years to realize we aren't the center of the universe. I imagine it will take another hundred thousand to realize we aren't the pinnacle of life.

They need us more from our perspective. How do we empirically weigh who needs whom more? It is our (U.S.) choice that we take a leadership role in the world. That comes with many caveats which leads to the feelings that relations lack parity, on all sides.

And still have a hundred times more than most.

"President Trump took aim at the nation in a series of tweets, calling its words and actions "hostile and dangerous" to the United States. He also tweeted about China and South Korea. "North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success," Mr. Trump tweeted. "South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!" he added." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-north-korea-hostile-and-dangerous/ Today Trump is subtly and not so subtly insulting China and South Korea for their diplomatic approaches toward North Korea problem. In my opinion a united front where all our allies and would be allies feel equally motivated to create a resolution. I don't think finger pointing in the media is a positive step. We need South Korea's and China's help on this and antagonism is not a useful step towards creating good will.

Many sentient animal feel things but there is a spectrum. Many animals appear to feel pain and fear while feelings like regret and vainity is less abundent.

One huge barrier to worldwide nuclear disarmament is that is that it always seems incumbent upon the others to do so. The U.S.and Russia have the most nuclear weapons yet countries with considerably fewer are typically singled out. Ironically the U.S. and Russia have little need for nuclear weapons as both possess, especially the U.S., other weapon systems and tool of wars that far eclipse other nations around the world. The U.S. doesn't need nuclear weapons to roll over other nations. Yet a country like North Korea does arguably need nuclear weapons to prevent being rolled over. Its a conundrum. If my country (United States) gave up its nuclear weapons I would be willing to support us unilaterally disarming others like Kim Jung-un. Saying no one should have nukes as they pose too great a threat to the world is a much different position than saying only we should have nuclear weapons and should be trusted managing the threat they pose to the world.

he Justice Department confirmed in a court filing late Friday that neither it nor the FBI has evidence that Trump Tower was the target of surveillance efforts by the Obama administration during the 2016 presidential election. The Motion summary of Judgement was filed in D.C. district court in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the watchdog group American Oversight, which is seeking government records of surveillance in Trump Tower. In March, Trump wrote on Twitter that he had discovered that former President Barack Obama had Trump Tower wiretapped during the run-up to the November election, which he called "McCarthyism." http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/348987-justice-dept-says-it-has-no-evidence-of-trump-tower-wiretapping This is an example of an effect of Trump. He makes illegitmate claims putting the onus on others to correct. Resources are wasted correcting the record and by the time the matters get resolved the general public isn't paying attention anymore. How many man hours were lost by the DOJ & FBI on this and at what cost to tax payers just so Trump could temporarily change media focus with a bit of whataboutism? The Presidents wastes his own agencies, helmed by his appointees, time chasing fictions. The loss in productivity has an associated cost which tax payers must cover.

Natural selection selects for everything. I am not sure why you feel there is agreement it doesn't select for types of awareness? If it exists within life today it must have been selected for.

You are likely right but it's still odd. His base seems to have been using South Korea as a potential victim of North Korea's aggression to justify Trump's dangerous rhetoric. It is bizarre to me that his supporters don't mind spending billions defending and arming South Korea yet feel taken advantage of by trade deals.

"President Trump has instructed advisers to prepare a withdrawal from the United States’ free-trade agreement with South Korea, several people close to the process said, a move that would stoke economic tensions with the U.S. ally at a time both countries confront a crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. While it is still possible Trump could decide to stay in the agreement in order to renegotiate its terms, the internal preparations for terminating the deal are far along and the formal withdrawal process could begin as soon as this coming week, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. A number of senior White House officials are trying to prevent Trump from withdrawing from the agreement, including national security adviser H.R. McMaster, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, these people said." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/09/02/trump-plans-withdrawal-from-south-korea-trade-deal/?utm_term=.1be1c472113c I cannot think of a good reason for Trump to strain relations with South Korea at a type when we need South Korea as a tactical staging ground for missile defense systems, ports for ships & subs, and bases on land.

One big problem those of faith have when attempting to interpret philosophical concepts related to religion of athiests, like Sam Harris, have is that those who believe already have a tangible and form view of who and or what God is. It is sort of like when tin foil hat wearing alien hunters applaud scientists saying they don't think earth is the only home of life in the universe. Acknowledging life may exist elsewhere in the universe in no way shape or form supports or defends Area 51 or Phoenix lights conspiracy theories but people attempt to make those connection. In Science info is only ever at the level of the best as it is known. I believe in gravity to the best I can given the education and knowledge I have to understand it. As knowledge goes and changes so to what may understanding. Nothing is taken on faith. Those who believe in God do so without the best knowledge and education they can understand. Saying life may exist on Mars isn't equal to saying human like aliens built pyramids on mars. One is an acknowledgement of the limits of what is known and the other is wild leap.

Since starting this thread a lot have change. Conservatism had a strong 2016 in part by wrapping itself in populism taking points. Tax cuts, regulation reductions, limiting immigration, complaints of weakening or manipulated currency, and etc all play roles in the U.S., UK, and French elections. Currently here in the U.S. our president is out pushing for major cuts and in France they just took a step backwards on worker rights. Both are being sold with populist language claiming it will create jobs. So I figured I bump this thread. Are we seeing signs that these approaches will work and is populism and Conservatism compatible as advertised?

Wise decisions; in what context? Saying Kim is more experienced than Trump doesn't mich considering a lot of people are more experienced at governing than Trump.

This is a misleading post. You are playing with context. Swansont rendered an opinion about the motives behind those who put up and celebrate the monuments. The comparison was the symbolism of the Confederate Flag. The opinion was not about how minorities perceived the monumnets/symbolism. The poll you provided doesn't shed light on what Swansont posted. Rather it deflects to a different unrelated point. If zero percent of African Americans wanted confederate statues moved that would mean that those who erected them didn't intend for them to be a constant reminder. The two things aren't the same.

If everything we "believe" to be trure about the universe were false that alone wouldn't be a evidence of god. Proof of god isn't in criticism of other things. People take this appraoch too often. An exapmle would be Football fans who exercise their love of the Cowboys by overly critiquing the Eagles and Giants without acknowledging or really even commenting much on the Cowboys themselve. The goal isn't to necessarily convice others their team (Cowboys) are great but rather it is prevent a superior view towards other teams. Debating how terrible other footbal teams are doesn't actually make the Cowboys any better or worst. Debating the application of belief in science doesn't make god any more or less real.

"Russia believes that the policy of putting pressure on Pyongyang to stop its nuclear missile program is misguided and futile," Putin said in an article published overnight by the Kremlin, ahead of the BRICS summit in Xiamen, China. "The region's problems should only be settled through a direct dialogue of all the parties concerned without any preconditions. Provocations, pressure and militarist and insulting rhetoric are a dead-end road," he added. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/01/putin-says-pressure-on-north-korea-is-both-futile-and-a-dead-end-road.html Under normal conditions I would would welcome the POTUS sitting down with North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, and etc. free of pre-conditions and talking it out. It is the ideal diplomatic step I had hoped for just a few couple months ago. However post Charlottesville and Trump attacking his own parties leadership over Healthcare I am honestly fearful about the ideal of Trump speaking on USA's behalf about anything. Post healthcare failure, current budget battle, natural diasters, and him picking what looks like a losing fight over taxes I believe President Trump would be content letting others worry about North Korea. Trump's presidency style seems to be entirely around media narrative victories without any real consideration for policy. Protests in Charlottesville, Hurricane Harvery, and North Korea are just inconveniences to Trump; They aren't things he cares about. The world cannot afford Trump coming out talks with North Korea and having Charlottesvile type meltdowns at the microphone talking about fake news, bothsides, and woe is me.

The monument in Charlottesville wasn't paid for with federal funds. Paul Goodloe Mcintire paid for the statue and even bought up the land to put it on, It went up 59yrs after the war ended. So why should federal funds be responsible for it now? There are 1,503 symbols ( monuments, statues, names of schools, roads, parks, bridges, counties, cities, lakes, dams, and etc) of the Confederacy spread out across 36 states. Many of these went up a hundred years after the war ended. some have gone up within that last decade. Are all "historical" works that deserve to either stay or be preserved in a museum? The Confederate Monument in Springfield, TN just went up in 2012 is it now a automatically some important part of history which can't be removed? As for Robert E Lee being a traitor: "On May 29, 1865, President Andrew Johnson issued a Proclamation of Amnesty and Pardon to persons who had participated in the rebellion against the United States. There were fourteen excepted classes, though, and members of those classes had to make special application to the President. Lee sent an application to Grant and wrote to President Johnson on June 13, 1865: Being excluded from the provisions of amnesty & pardon contained in the proclamation of the 29th Ulto; I hereby apply for the benefits, & full restoration of all rights & privileges extended to those included in its terms. I graduated at the Mil. Academy at West Point in June 1829. Resigned from the U.S. Army April '61. Was a General in the Confederate Army, & included in the surrender of the Army of N. Virginia 9 April '65. Oath of amnesty submitted by Robert E. Lee in 1865 On October 2, 1865, the same day that Lee was inaugurated as president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, he signed his Amnesty Oath, thereby complying fully with the provision of Johnson's proclamation. Lee was not pardoned, nor was his citizenship restored." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee#President_Johnson.27s_amnesty_pardons

What did I predict? Throughout this thread I have posted that Kim has more experience, North Korea has a history of challanging new U.S. presidents, and that Trump's tough talk hasn't been useful. Those are statements and not predictions. Do you think Kim Jong-un would be in power today had his father given up North Korea's weapons program? It is the catch 22 of all this. Only thing keeping us from just going in and changing regimes is the fact that Kim has weapons and a military capable of serious warfare

I wasn't aware there was one. Seems like a passive aggressive gift. If people wanted it moved I wouldn't grab a torch and chant anti-Semitic rhetoric over it.