Nominations for stupidest political act of the year so far...

[imatfaal]

There is stiff competition from the UK with the "Brexit" vote followed up rapidly by the "what the flip have we done" realisation, and the "we still want all the good bits" pout - and frankly on the United States side the failure to agree to stop selling weapons of war to those on a terror watchlist seemed to be a shoo in; but this latest farce from Washington just adds layers of ineptitude, corruption, and sheer downright nastiness to an already strong contender

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/senate-zika-funding_us_5772937fe4b0dbb1bbbc00c2

 

A spending bill with 1.1 billion to be set aside for funding the US response to the Zika virus has failed in the house because of the stupendous amount of pork-barrelling, partisan riders and add-ons.

[EdEarl]

 

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedy. -- Sir Ernest Benn

I wish US politicians were this good.

Edited June 29, 2016 by EdEarl

[John Cuthber]

The UK an US are having a competition about this.

At the moment (post brexit vote) the UK is in the lead.

But

The Americans have a Trump card.

(It's OK, I will get my coat)
Incidentally, the UK's recent "psychoactive substances bill" is a pretty solid contender too.

A strict interpretation of it would ban teaching chemistry, enjoying yourself (and most absurdly of all) the bill itself.

That takes a special kind of stupid.

Edited June 29, 2016 by John Cuthber

[Phi for All]

I nominate those Americans who were too poorly educated to understand exactly what Donald Trump meant when he said, "I love the poorly educated!" and are voting for him because of it.

[iNow]

Stupidest political act of the YEAR so far...

I'm sorry, but you've set the bar far too high, sir. Perhaps we can start a bit simpler and (while it will still be quite a challenge) instead work to isolate the stupidest political act of the week or month?

[StringJunky]

I'm sorry, but you've set the bar far too high, sir....

Trump might become president.....In fact, I hope the US does then the US and UK can look total twats together in front of the world.

[waitforufo]

Paris Climate Agreement, December 2015

[Moontanman]

I'm sorry, but you've set the bar far too high, sir. Perhaps we can start a bit simpler and (while it will still be quite a challenge) instead work to isolate the stupidest political act of the week or month?

 

 

Lately I am thinking stupidest moment of the hour might be easier to sort out...

[Phi for All]

Lately I am thinking stupidest moment of the hour might be easier to sort out...

 

Clearly a template is needed.

 

Mistaking corporate manipulation of fear for actual conservatism seems to be a common factor. Ditto bigotry leading to intolerance and racism. And a lot of the worst ones in the US revolve around the fact that the People can just go fuck themselves if a decent opportunity to make the Dems look bad crops up.

 

Of course, most of this is due to the decision to underfund public education in order to promote privatizing it.

[MigL]

Are we voting already ?

The year's only half over.

 

I'm sure there's much more to come !

[Janus]

Are we voting already ?

The year's only half over.

 

I'm sure there's much more to come !

It depends on what type of "year" we are talking about. Many institutions use a fiscal year that goes from July 1 to June 30, which puts us right at the end of the fiscal year.

[imatfaal]

It depends on what type of "year" we are talking about. Many institutions use a fiscal year that goes from July 1 to June 30, which puts us right at the end of the fiscal year.

 

Fiscal years in the UK tend to be accounting periods and can run from/to any date - and whatever timing you choose I reckon we have a pretty good contender from June 2016! We could also look at the Financial/Tax Year which in the UK traditionally runs from Lady Day but for corporations now runs from April Fools Day - is there a message there?

[Willie71]

Bill Clinton getting on the plane to discuss "grandkids" with Loretta Lynch? Does anyone actually believe that?

[waitforufo]

Bill Clinton getting on the plane to discuss "grandkids" with Loretta Lynch? Does anyone actually believe that?

Every Democrat in the country does.

[iNow]

Oh, FFS. Really? Hyperbole much?

 

I fully understand that accuracy and truth are less important to you than narrative and partisan tribalism, but can you please at least ATTEMPT to make true and/or precise assertions?

Edited July 3, 2016 by iNow

[Phi for All]

Every Democrat in the country does.

 

Delusion runs strong on Black and White World.

[imatfaal]

Whilst Bill might be a bill of a sh!t It turns out that the man so keen to see Bill burn for various sexual and other shennanigans was more than happy to cover up proper sexual crime if the perpetrator played sport for his university team - I always thought that Ken Starr was a prurient bully rather than a puritan truth-seeker; nice to know he finally got sacked.

[John Cuthber]

Holy S***! it turns pout that we are not even in the same league...

[MigL]

Wow !

But I guess if I was a Chinese billionaire or government official ( the two are probably the same ), I would be worried about the billion poor people rising up and demanding their share of the pie.

China has a revolution coming real soon, and the advantaged will do anything to retain power and wealth.

[John Cuthber]

It's terrifying, but it's brilliant.

[Delbert]

EdEarl: "I wish US politicians were this good" (sorry, quoting seems problematic with my browser)

 

As I've said before on this forum: we elect the politicians.

 

The elected politician is only there as a consequence of the view of that living organism formed by the populace.

 

We here in the UK elected three times what I believe some have suggest to be someone who pursued unnecessary war or wars - among other things. In spite of all this, he triumphed in three general elections.

 

It's up to us to ensure we sus out the con artists, charlatans, buffoons, popinjays, Arthur Daleys, tin-pot looney-tunes and umpteen others to numerous to mention.

[waitforufo]

Oh, FFS. Really? Hyperbole much?

 

I fully understand that accuracy and truth are less important to you than narrative and partisan tribalism, but can you please at least ATTEMPT to make true and/or precise assertions?

Hey, I was trying to be generous. The other alternative is that Democrats enjoy and approve of their candidates and leaders lying and getting away with it. You have to admit that Hillary, and her supporters are a great example of that second alternative.

Edited July 6, 2016 by waitforufo

[iNow]

Another alternative is that dehumanizing labels are used too often to flatly disregard nuanced and differing positions of largely decent human beings.

 

People aren't monolithic in their views, whether or not you approach them with this more accurate understanding is another matter entirely.

[waitforufo]

Here is what Willie71 said. I point this out because this is what we are talking about.

Bill Clinton getting on the plane to discuss "grandkids" with Loretta Lynch? Does anyone actually believe that?

Now do you believe that meeting was a discussion about the "grandkids" or not? Were you lied to? Do you have respect for people who lie to you? I don't. I don't even if their lies are to protect me from suffering.

 

Then there is you.

Another alternative is that dehumanizing labels are used too often to flatly disregard nuanced and differing positions of largely decent human beings.

People aren't monolithic in their views, whether or not you approach them with this more accurate understanding is another matter entirely.

First, please specifically quote the dehumanizing labels I have used on this topic.

 

I'm struggling to understand how being lied to is in any way nuanced. Or perhaps you are suggesting that accepting lies is an acceptable nuanced position. I fail to understand how people can have a differing position about being lied to. I really can't imagine that anyone likes being lied to even when the lie is to spare them suffering. Perhaps you can better explain. Decent human beings don't lie to gain advantage over others or to promote their own self interest.

[iNow]

"Liberals all do this..."

"Democrats all accept that..."

 

I'm commenting on the forced us/them dichotomies you seem compelled to unnecessarily introduce in nearly every post you make.

 

We can have a mature discussion. I suspect most of us actuall agree on many if not most things.

 

All of that, however, gets lost in noise of your labels and partisan tribalism.

 

On another note, it tickles me to no end that so many people planning to vote for Trump say they're doing so because Clinton lies too much.