Political Randomness

[El Guapo]

I had no idea that this was allowed and becoming a thing. Yikes, this sucks really bad:

For more than a decade, the Atlanta area has been dividing into ever smaller pieces segregated by race and class as cities are carved out from unincorporated county land. But the law signed in May could take the balkanization one step further: It will allow the wealthiest residents of Stockbridge to vote to form their own town, taking with them the most important commercial corridors and about half of its tax revenue. The new city would also be able to leave Stockbridge’s $15.5 million of debt with the smaller, poorer remnant of the city. Residents of the rest of Stockbridge will have no say in the outcome of the November ballot proposal. And that doesn’t worry only them; it has investors and credit rating agencies up in arms, too.

What possible justification is there for not splitting the debt?

I mean hell, based on this standard couldn’t a “city” divide itself leaving behind some empty blocks and creating a brand new one that is debt free?

And it’s a dick move. I live in Montgomery County Maryland, there is already a distinct difference in the quality of the public schools, and some of the wealthy areas want to break away from the county school district. That would leave the county district with considerably less money while keeping the oldest and poorest performing schools.

There is no empathy or compassion.

I would guess that the creditors would have at least colorable arguments for going after the new city for its share of the debt.

[LordMortis]

Under their game can a person declare their property it's own debt free town and then pass the measure by unanimous vote?

[Fitzy]

I had no idea that this was allowed and becoming a thing. Yikes, this sucks really bad:

For more than a decade, the Atlanta area has been dividing into ever smaller pieces segregated by race and class as cities are carved out from unincorporated county land. But the law signed in May could take the balkanization one step further: It will allow the wealthiest residents of Stockbridge to vote to form their own town, taking with them the most important commercial corridors and about half of its tax revenue. The new city would also be able to leave Stockbridge’s $15.5 million of debt with the smaller, poorer remnant of the city. Residents of the rest of Stockbridge will have no say in the outcome of the November ballot proposal. And that doesn’t worry only them; it has investors and credit rating agencies up in arms, too.

What possible justification is there for not splitting the debt?

I mean hell, based on this standard couldn’t a “city” divide itself leaving behind some empty blocks and creating a brand new one that is debt free?

And it’s a dick move. I live in Montgomery County Maryland, there is already a distinct difference in the quality of the public schools, and some of the wealthy areas want to break away from the county school district. That would leave the county district with considerably less money while keeping the oldest and poorest performing schools.

There is no empathy or compassion.

I would guess that the creditors would have at least colorable arguments for going after the new city for its share of the debt.

I would hope so. Sadly I think it’s arguable that the debt is the least egregious of a shit ton of crap in this story.

[Smoove_B]

FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection

The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection stops unfair, deceptive and fraudulent business practices by collecting complaints and conducting investigations, suing companies and people that break the law, developing rules to maintain a fair marketplace, and educating consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities.

Consumer Finance Protection Bureau

Not anymore you don't:

A Republican federal trial judge held on Thursday that the entire Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — all of it — must cease to exist. The case is CFPB v. RD Legal Funding.

Judge Loretta Preska’s decision on this matter can barely even be described as an “opinion” because she devotes less than two pages of analysis to this question before proclaiming that a federal agency must be simply wiped away. Instead, Preska adopts the reasoning of two federal appellate judges who dissented in a similar case holding that the CFPB is, in fact, constitutional. Significantly, a crucial segment of Preska’s conclusions were only shared by one of these dissenting judges — out of a total of ten judges who heard that federal appellate case.

...

So, if Preska’s RD Legal Funding opinion is reviewed by a higher court, there is very little chance that she will be affirmed (though it’s possible that the Supreme Court will ultimately agree with Kavanaugh’s analysis, Henderson and Preska’s reasoning is way out in right field). There is a danger, however, that the Trump administration will refuse to appeal this case — setting off a chaotic series of events where non-parties to the litigation attempt to intervene in the case after the district judge has already handed down a judgment.

In other words, if no one can be found who is both willing and able to appeal this decision, an entire agency set up to protect consumers will cease to exist due to the whim of a single person.

Nothing to worry about here, I guess.

[Holman]

I had no idea that this was allowed and becoming a thing. Yikes, this sucks really bad:

For more than a decade, the Atlanta area has been dividing into ever smaller pieces segregated by race and class as cities are carved out from unincorporated county land. But the law signed in May could take the balkanization one step further: It will allow the wealthiest residents of Stockbridge to vote to form their own town, taking with them the most important commercial corridors and about half of its tax revenue. The new city would also be able to leave Stockbridge’s $15.5 million of debt with the smaller, poorer remnant of the city. Residents of the rest of Stockbridge will have no say in the outcome of the November ballot proposal. And that doesn’t worry only them; it has investors and credit rating agencies up in arms, too.

What possible justification is there for not splitting the debt?

I mean hell, based on this standard couldn’t a “city” divide itself leaving behind some empty blocks and creating a brand new one that is debt free?

And it’s a dick move. I live in Montgomery County Maryland, there is already a distinct difference in the quality of the public schools, and some of the wealthy areas want to break away from the county school district. That would leave the county district with considerably less money while keeping the oldest and poorest performing schools.

There is no empathy or compassion.

I would guess that the creditors would have at least colorable arguments for going after the new city for its share of the debt.

I would hope so. Sadly I think it’s arguable that the debt is the least egregious of a shit ton of crap in this story.

I would guess that this is also about setting up an autonomous school system serving certain neighborhoods and excluding certain others.

[Isgrimnur]

RE: CFPB

What a shit show.

[El Guapo]

RE: CFPB

What a shit show.

I'd say that there's a 80%+ chance that gets reversed on appeal.

[Defiant]

How not to campaign:

Mr. Patel has waged the most millennial of campaigns. On a recent Thursday evening, he was sitting in a former bar in the East Village that he uses as his campaign headquarters. His campaign manager handed him one of three phones that was logged into the dating app Tinder, and Mr. Patel began furiously swiping right.

All around the bar — adorned with blue-velvet booths and a sound system that was playing Kanye West — campaign volunteers, logged onto Tinder, Grindr or Bumble, were doing the same thing. Mr. Patel calls it Tinder banking: Participants set up an account with a picture of an attractive person, usually not themselves, and begin seeking matches. Mr. Patel uses a picture of his brother.

He compared it to the practice of creating a fake online persona to lure someone into a relationship. “It’s kinda like catfishing,” he admitted, “but you are telling people who you are.”

When someone responds, Mr. Patel replies with a political pickup line: “Hi Sarah. Are you into civic engagement?” He soon reveals who he really is.

link

[malchior]

RE: CFPB

What a shit show.

I'd say that there's a 80%+ chance that gets reversed on appeal.

Agreed but that we now have a core building of activist anti-government judges flexing their muscle is not encouraging considering all the other attacks on our democracy. I didn't know anyone was talking about it here but one analysis which I am struggling to find now called it 'execrable' legal thinking. The article above gets into that territory by noting the opinion seems to miss recent SCOTUS opinions relevant to the case. That is a pretty big and embarrassing miss.

[Smoove_B]

Once again, The Onion wins:

EVERYWHERE—Claiming that they just couldn’t stand this bullshit anymore, Americans across the country confirmed Thursday that someone, anyone needs to please, just make it stop. “Please, please, please, we’re begging you here, just put an end to it immediately,” said sources, noting that it had all gone way, way too far and they would do almost anything for even a few glorious minutes of respite. “We’re on our hands and knees, pleading with you to make it all go away once and for all. What’s it going to take? Jesus Christ, just stop it! Stop it right now!” At press time, sources confirmed that they knew deep down it was never going to stop.

[Daehawk]

So Trump wants to combine the Departments of Labor and Education to make The Department of Lubrication and then send them to Uranus.

[Paingod]

I had no idea that this was allowed and becoming a thing. Yikes, this sucks really bad:

For more than a decade, the Atlanta area has been dividing into ever smaller pieces segregated by race and class as cities are carved out from unincorporated county land. But the law signed in May could take the balkanization one step further: It will allow the wealthiest residents of Stockbridge to vote to form their own town, taking with them the most important commercial corridors and about half of its tax revenue. The new city would also be able to leave Stockbridge’s $15.5 million of debt with the smaller, poorer remnant of the city. Residents of the rest of Stockbridge will have no say in the outcome of the November ballot proposal. And that doesn’t worry only them; it has investors and credit rating agencies up in arms, too.

What possible justification is there for not splitting the debt?

I mean hell, based on this standard couldn’t a “city” divide itself leaving behind some empty blocks and creating a brand new one that is debt free?

And it’s a dick move. I live in Montgomery County Maryland, there is already a distinct difference in the quality of the public schools, and some of the wealthy areas want to break away from the county school district. That would leave the county district with considerably less money while keeping the oldest and poorest performing schools.

There is no empathy or compassion.

If debt isn't split, why not then take a second vote and split the remaining town, leaving the $15.5M in debt with a single unoccupied house that gets to keep the debt and town name?

[Unagi]

New New York.... where Trump Tower is left behind with the city's debt?

[Daehawk]

Sarah Huckabee gets kicked out of a VA food joint

HAHahahahhaa...the owner has that right under Trump. Hit the road bitch ya lousy pos mouthpiece. She had the nerve to say she is always nice to others and treats them with respect. yet she has called reporters names and shit. Her daddy started tweeting rude remarks right away. Food stuff even. The place should tweet back to him to have a nice big hot cup of STFU.

[Chaz]

The worst part of that is how she dropped the name and location of the restaurant, and specified that it was the owner that asked her to leave. That pretty much ensures that the full weight of the MAGA, r/thedonald, and Russian bots are currently coming down on her head. I find it hard to believe that Sanders didn't know exactly what was going to happen when she posted that tweet, and it's disgusting.

[Daehawk]

She is a disgusting troll.

If I lived near there Id go eat there every day.

[pr0ner]

She is a disgusting troll.

If I lived near there Id go eat there every day.

Steak and potatoes costs $27 there, so even I wouldn't go eat there every day if I lived nearby.

Also:

[Daehawk]

Steak and potatoes costs $27 there

That even leaves out 1 visit.

Oh hey doesn't Trump and the gang support bakerys refusing to wait on homosexual folk? I wonder if they'll say this is different.

[Chaz]

Homosexuality is a choice, though. Being a redhat is a part of you.

[hepcat]

While I despise Trump and all his lackeys, I think stunts like this are going to backfire. You attract more flies with honey and all that.

[gbasden]

While I despise Trump and all his lackeys, I think stunts like this are going to backfire. You attract more flies with honey and all that.

I just have so many philosophical issues with this. Yes, if both parties are engaging in good faith, fine. But Trump and his followers break norms and shit the bed daily. Why is it the responsibility of the left to play nice?

[Daehawk]

Some choice tweets about it....















This is Mike Huckabees terrible tweets....



His Tweet makes me mad ...so I tweeted this...



Now if Im taken off twitter and he is not theres going to be a problem there.

[hepcat]

While I despise Trump and all his lackeys, I think stunts like this are going to backfire. You attract more flies with honey and all that.

I just have so many philosophical issues with this. Yes, if both parties are engaging in good faith, fine. But Trump and his followers break norms and shit the bed daily. Why is it the responsibility of the left to play nice?

Because it’s hard to claim you’re the better person when you sink to their level. At some point deceny and sense may return. But it will take that much longer if folks don’t try to rise above it all. And yes, I’m perfectly aware how hypocritical I sound. However, IRL I have tried to be an adult in situations like that. If nothing else, it keeps ammunition out of the orange one’s hands. He lives for shit like that. It lets him Jim Jones the hell out of his sheople.

But on the Internet? It’s game on, baby!

[Daehawk]

I went back and deleted my post. I stand by it but I dont need to be hassled by Twitter or the Gov over it. Besides they'd probably ban me and leave the Huckster alone and that would be too much for me.

[gbasden]

While I despise Trump and all his lackeys, I think stunts like this are going to backfire. You attract more flies with honey and all that.

I just have so many philosophical issues with this. Yes, if both parties are engaging in good faith, fine. But Trump and his followers break norms and shit the bed daily. Why is it the responsibility of the left to play nice?

Because it’s hard to claim you’re the better person when you sink to their level. At some point deceny and sense may return. But it will take that much longer if folks don’t try to rise above it all. And yes, I’m perfectly aware how hypocritical I sound. However, IRL I have tried to be an adult in situations like that. If nothing else, it keeps ammunition out of the orange one’s hands. He lives for shit like that. It lets him Jim Jones the hell out of his sheople.

But on the Internet? It’s game on, baby!

If somebody is doing something truly horrible, I think it's morally wrong to treat them as a civilized person who just has a different opinion. I love the fact that people are following around Kristen Nielsen around and playing the sounds of the crying children her agency has created. When Sarah Huckabee Sanders is blatantly lying every single day from that podium I don't mind that she's told she's not welcome in polite society. I don't want Stephen Miller treated like a respectable human being.

[Alefroth]

While I despise Trump and all his lackeys, I think stunts like this are going to backfire. You attract more flies with honey and all that.

You need to stop trying to attract flies.

[GreenGoo]

If somebody is doing something truly horrible, I think it's morally wrong to treat them as a civilized person who just has a different opinion. I love the fact that people are following around Kristen Nielsen around and playing the sounds of the crying children her agency has created. When Sarah Huckabee Sanders is blatantly lying every single day from that podium I don't mind that she's told she's not welcome in polite society. I don't want Stephen Miller treated like a respectable human being.

This is me. I'm tired in particular of treating deplorables as if we just disagree on policy regarding the economy and things of that nature. You're simply a shitty person, and if it weren't politics I would simply say things like you're a misogynist prick and to fuck off, but because there is this left/right divide somehow alt-right opinions are just opinions?

Fuck. That.

[RunningMn9]

I went back and deleted my post. I stand by it but I dont need to be hassled by Twitter or the Gov over it. Besides they'd probably ban me and leave the Huckster alone and that would be too much for me.

Was that your first day on Twitter?!

No one on twitter would hassle you, and the Gov will never see your comment. You needn’t worry.

[RunningMn9]

And yeah, fuck deplorables. Right in their dumb faces. They no longer deserve common courtesy.

[YellowKing]

Tolerating intolerable actions is why Trump has been able to do as much damage as he is done. The GOP decided early on that they were just going to roll over. Had they stood up to him from the get-go and said "This is not how the President acts, get in line or we don't cooperate," I think we'd see a very different Trump.

There's still this delusion in Washington that this is "you just have to let Trump be Trump." He's one man. An entire Congress could have stood up to him. And they didn't. The checks and balances failed miserably because the GOP decided to sell out every scrap of moral dignity they had.

[Daehawk]

Glenn Beck cant take the heat so he exits the kitchen

Glenn Beck walks off a live interview with CNN's Brian Stelter after he's asked about a Daily Beast report that his media company, The Blaze, is in dire financial straits.

[dbt1949]

If a person is half black and half white why are they almost always called black?

[Skinypupy]

Um, because they are black.

[gilraen]

Glenn Beck cant take the heat so he exits the kitchen

Glenn Beck walks off a live interview with CNN's Brian Stelter after he's asked about a Daily Beast report that his media company, The Blaze, is in dire financial straits.

Hmm...I was just thinking the other day that I haven't seen or read anything about Glenn Beck in a while.

[hepcat]

Obviously he's bucking for a KFC ad.

[dbt1949]

Um, because they are black.

Why aren't they white?

[Skinypupy]

Um, because they are black.

Why aren't they white?

Why should it matter to you either way?

Not trying to be rude...I'm just not understanding why it's any of our business when someone chooses to identify their race a certain way.

[dbt1949]

Because it's not just that persons view of their identity. Everyone else ,including the media, also have their ideas on it too.

[El Guapo]

dbt's question is a good one. The U.S., throughout its history, has tended to define "white" and "black" in fairly binary terms, and in what became known as the "one drop" rule, if you have *any* black heritage (the 'one drop' of 'black' blood), you are regarded as "black", even if your family is mostly white.

It's different in many other countries (especially in Latin America), where they have tended to have a racial scale that is more of a spectrum.

[coopasonic]

You can only be white by being 100% white. That sounds familiar for some reason...