Politics

[Neophyte]

No argument here...

I can assure you that government bloat, and gross mismanagement is alive and well in local government entitles just as it is in D.C. with few exceptions... It was my experience that republican led states, counties, and cities were much better managed than their democrat run counterparts (big surprise there...LOL)... Still a lot of waste and repetition across the board, but less...

During a typical CBA negotiation, there would usually be 3 of us sitting across the table from at least a dozen city level officials with 75-100% being unelected bureaucrats. Each council member has at least 1 assistant, and city managers would often have several deputy city managers under them, all with at least 1 assistant... Then, there would be 1 or 2 attorneys and their assistants... A dozen or more people were doing the job that could easily be accomplished by 3 or 4 individuals, and this is pretty much how they staff and spend at the administrative level all the way down the line...

The laughable irony is that they would sit across that table and be lecturing us about cost, budgetary discretion, and priorities... The negotiations in most cases were actually a slam dunk because their accounting people obviously had no clue how to calculate and manage revenue, whereas our actuary people where spot on with the numbers which even their CPA's would eventually concede...

It’s this bloat that a lot of us want to get rid of.
Starting with the incompetent federal government. I’ve yet to see a problem made better by federal intrusion.

 

[BSO Dave]

And sadly, in large part due to the moderators, but Trump provided the ammunition, Vance had to spend half the night trying to explain something Trump said.

In very large part due to the moderators who were, once again, biased and obnoxious... 3 to 1 again, and Vance handled it like a seasoned pro...

Vance, however, put on a master class of how to graciously, articulately maneuver around their bullshit... Vance won this debate on two fronts ... He achieved his main goal of destroying the caricature of him that is being portrayed by the MSM, which is a mean, unlikeable, and unsympathetic guy... He also won on delivering the better hopeful message while still reminding the American people who was in charge and therefore responsible for the shitshow of the last 3.7 years...

Many pundits are saying this may be the first time in VP debate history that a VP debate actually moves the needle with voters... Hell, even some said they got the impression that by the end of the debate, Vance even convinced Walz to vote the Trump/Vance ticket...

 

[deewayne2003]

We never got close to killing most of the taliban... which is why as soon as the window of opportunity opened for them to regain control of the country, the taliban is who retook the government..

I believe you can indeed nation build with people culturally stuck centuries behind... but that takes letting the professionals do their jobs and the politicians sitting down, shutting up, and allowing that to happen.. which, by the way, includes the State Department (who in my opinion is marginal at maintaining state to state relationships.. but has incredibly limited capacity, much less understanding of nation building.. they actually really suck at it...)...

As far back as 2004 I said ipods and playboy magazines did more to bring Afghanistan back into the 19th century than the US Government did (after just a couple of years of US occupation and US forces and contractors bringing the western world with them)...

And.. for what its worth.. the good ole USA played a HUGE role in reverting Afghanistan to the stone age.. At one time they were actually a fairly "modern" nation...

If the bureaucrats had stayed out of the way, we might have gotten them back to the 1970's during the recent war (where they once were, and were pretty damn good at.. before WE designed, funded, and backed the Taliban for the purpose of running off the Soviets in the 1980's)..

This was Afghanistan in the mid 1970's... Doesnt look that different than much of Europe or the US to me...

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I loved the movie "Charlie Wilson's War"(2007)

“These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world…and then we fucked up the endgame.” - Charlie Wilson on the U.S. abandoning Afghanistan post-Soviet occupation in 1989

 

[Brent in Az]

In very large part due to the moderators who were, once again, biased and obnoxious... 3 to 1 again, and Vance handled it like a seasoned pro...

Vance, however, put on a master class of how to graciously, articulately maneuver around their bullshit... Vance won this debate on two fronts ... He achieved his main goal of destroying the caricature of him that is being portrayed by the MSM, which is a mean, unlikeable, and unsympathetic guy... He also won on delivering the better hopeful message while still reminding the American people who was in charge and therefore responsible for the shitshow of the last 3.7 years...

Many pundits are saying this may be the first time in VP debate history that a VP debate actually moves the needle with voters... Hell, even some said they got the impression that by the end of the debate, Vance even convinced Walz to vote the Trump/Vance ticket...

The moderators tried to bait Vance multiple times with the question of would he separate illegal immigrant families that have children born in the USA?
Vance masterfully sidestepped the question.

 

[Brent in Az]

Former Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake is backing Harris. Flake has always been a sellout, and a Trump hater.
When McCain died, Flake saw the writing on the wall and scurrued off with his tail between his legs

 

[Datchew]

GOP was in control when we invaded Iraq. A war that should never have happened and it’s ramifications we are still feeling today.

Wasn't that the same GOP that you defend when people call them RINO's and you then so condescendingly criticize MAGA and their "ilk?"

 

[Red Leg]

In very large part due to the moderators who were, once again, biased and obnoxious... 3 to 1 again, and Vance handled it like a seasoned pro...

Vance, however, put on a master class of how to graciously, articulately maneuver around their bullshit... Vance won this debate on two fronts ... He achieved his main goal of destroying the caricature of him that is being portrayed by the MSM, which is a mean, unlikeable, and unsympathetic guy... He also won on delivering the better hopeful message while still reminding the American people who was in charge and therefore responsible for the shitshow of the last 3.7 years...

Many pundits are saying this may be the first time in VP debate history that a VP debate actually moves the needle with voters... Hell, even some said they got the impression that by the end of the debate, Vance even convinced Walz to vote the Trump/Vance ticket...

I think Vance did a terrific job handling the moderators and being gently dismissive of an opponent who was clearly out of his depth. He has cemented himself as the lead contender for the nomination in 28 regardless of the outcome next month.

Unfortunately, he also had to spend too much time doing as we would say in the Army "what the general meant to say" cleanup for Trump. Whether climate change, January 6th, etc, Trump's words were an issue he had to overcome. Fortunately, he had a couple topics like abortion which for the first time in my experience a republican handled with ease, and he deflected the school shooting issue by politely baiting Walz who swallowed it whole.

I suspect, I am not the only republican this morning that wishes Vance was at the top of the ticket.

 

[Neophyte]

Flake is an appropriate name.

I’m not a traditional Republican and never have been. I’m a far right conservative that makes the republicans look like the tax and spend rectal orifices they are and accuse the democrats/communist of being.

To me Barry Goldwater was a liberal.

 

[Wheels]

I think Vance did a terrific job handling the moderators and being gently dismissive of an opponent who was clearly out of his depth. He has cemented himself as the lead contender for the nomination in 28 regardless of the outcome next month.

I agree with your thoughts here.

The average American probably didn't know much about either Vance or Walz prior to the debate. Vance's debate performance reminded me of Obama at the 2004 DNC Convention. You may not agree with him but you can see him using the springboard for bigger things.

 

[mdwest]

I suspect, I am not the only republican this morning that wishes Vance was at the top of the ticket.

Were Vance on the top of the ticket, I think November 2024 would likely look a whole lot like November 1980... there really wouldnt be much of a race, no matter who the D's put against him.. Biden, Harris, or Walz...

Im not even a huge fan of Vance (he's growing on me.. but I've still got some distance to go before I would call myself a real supporter)... but compared to all other options on both sides of the aisle.. I think he is a no brainer.. and unless Harris is just outright successful in every measurable way in the event she takes the office in a few months... he is definitely the front runner in 2028 and wouldnt have much problem beating her in the next cycle..

 

[Neophyte]

Were Vance on the top of the ticket, I think November 2024 would likely look a whole lot like November 1980... there really wouldnt be much of a race, no matter who the D's put against him.. Biden, Harris, or Walz...

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Im not even a huge fan of Vance (he's growing on me.. but I've still got some distance to go before I would call myself a real supporter)... but compared to all other options on both sides of the aisle.. I think he is a no brainer.. and unless Harris is just outright successful in every measurable way in the event she takes the office in a few months... he is definitely the front runner in 2028 and wouldnt have much problem beating her in the next cycle..

Do you think there will be a country to have an election in 2028 if Harris gets elected?

 

[Hunt anything]

Do you think there will be a country to have an election in 2028 if Harris gets elected?

I don’t think it will be recognizable unless the GOP can take control of the House and Senate.