Trump's Supreme Court nominee

[filghy2]

Time to put this thread out of its misery I think. How can you have a discussion or debate with people who refuse to explain, clarify, elaborate or respond on anything of substance?

[MrFanti]

So where is this swamp?

Just about every federal agency to start with....
But, really no point in me going any further if you're still asking this question.

I do appreciate the civil debate though!

[Stavros]

Just about every federal agency to start with....
But, really no point in me going any further if you're still asking this question.
I do appreciate the civil debate though!

I can understand why a Libertarian would criticize Federal agencies, but in one particuar case, the Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) it begs the questio: Can commercial enterprises be relied upon to protect the enviroment without the imposition of Federal law? To which the answer is: No.

Moreover, the EPA has one of the most successful records in US government in achieving its aims. The standard complaint is that the 'reams of regulations' that companies must adhere to in order to operate weakens their performance and profit margins, when this is usually not the case. They just don't like regulations.

For example, when oil was disovered in Alaska the companies decided to build an 800km pipeline from the North Slope to Valdez, but spent four years in litigation as the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society used the new EPA to force the companies to provide environmental stipulations in this most pristine and beautiful part of the USA. Imagine, five years without making any money! And yet, when the oil was discovered it was worth less than $2 a barrel, by 1979 it was over $10 and by the 1980s one of the firms on the North Slope was making $600 million a month net profit.

Fast forward to 2018 and not only are environmental scientists being dismissed from the EPA, as many of the regulations passed during the Obama era as can be are being repealed simply because they were passed when Obama was President. The astonishing fact is that for the first time in over 40 years commercial firms are being allowed to pollute the environment, because they have no interest in being responsible citizens, but is that not part of the 'cult of the individual' that you would support in a Libertarian America?

So I would ask you to think again about this Ageny of the Federal governent. You can read about its accomplishments in these two links:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...irst-40-years/

https://www.ehso.com/ehshome/epa-accomplishments.htm

[BostonBad]

The Illuminati runs the show and they're pissed when they lose control. They lost it with him so the media went wild with their shit.

[MrFanti]

the Obama era

Case in point.
The previous administration weaponized the IRS (Federal Agency) to target conservatives (see story below)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...=.99b7601d948a

Now, the IRS must be purged of all factors that were used to weaponize it against conservatives. As long as those constituents remain in Federal power, it doesn't matter if one is Green Party, Libertarian, or what not, if you get too strong, a federal agency will be weaponized against you.

[Stavros]

Case in point.
The previous administration weaponized the IRS (Federal Agency) to target conservatives (see story below)
Now, the IRS must be purged of all factors that were used to weaponize it against conservatives. As long as those constituents remain in Federal power, it doesn't matter if one is Green Party, Libertarian, or what not, if you get too strong, a federal agency will be weaponized against you.

Case not proven. First of all I offered you the example of a Federal Agency, the EPA as an agency that has had a positive impact on American life, yet you offer in return the IRS which is rather like telling me what you had for lunch when I asked you what you had for breakfast.

Second, as your link makes clear:
Although the IRS is part of the Treasury Department, it “is an independent enforcement agency,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said

And as your link also makes clear the IRS was suspicious of the number of organizations seeking tax exemption status-

The number of organizations applying for tax-exempt status under that provision more than doubled after 2010, Lerner said. It was a scramble that began after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on corporate and union spending in political campaigns, a move that was seen as a green light for outside groups to become more involved, as well.

Both Democratic- and Republican-allied interests have formed such organizations, but the conservative groups have raised vastly more money.

I am surprised that you are surprised that Conservative groups should all believe they must be able to agitate for their cause with buckets of money and not say where it came from or pay taxes on it.

And, again, as your link makes clear, the IRS chasing people for taxes is not new and not exclusive to one President.

Speaking of Presidents, what does the current President's tax profile look like?

[filghy2]

These allegations were investigated by the IRS Inspector-General, the FBI and the DoJ. They found no evidence of illegal activity or systematic partisan bias in targeting organisations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy It may be news to Mr Fanti, but I'm pretty sure political advocacy organisations are not entitled to tax-exempt status.

The biggest problem with the IRS is that it has been so starved of funds that it's capacity to pursue tax-avoiders like Trump has been severely impaired.

I see that Mr Fanti has dropped the veil and is progressively revealing himself to be a right-wing zealot. Purging all public officials who are not ideologically-correct is something that Communists or Nazis would do.

[MrFanti]

Case not proven.

Please....
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lois-le...irs-targeting/

If that doesn't convince you well....then I guess you truly can't see the swamp.....

[MrFanti]

Case not proven. First of all I offered you the example of a Federal Agency, the EPA as an agency that has had a positive impact on American life,

EPA positive impact? I offer you EPA swamp here...
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...on-epa-n865461

[filghy2]

Did you actually read that article? It's about corrupt behaviour by Scott Pruitt, not the agency.