Thought for the Day

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Originally Posted by MrFanti

I'm for ANY voter that thinks outside of the brainwashing that makes them believe there are only two parties, Republican and Democrat.

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Would you agree with me, that to build an alternative to the two main parties, it must come from the base -that a successful 'third party' needs to be established in a place and build a reputation through local politics, such as a town or city council. People are not going to vote Green because of Jill Stein, but they might if a Green Party was able to demonstrate to local people that it had the policies they support -for example, on pollution, energy saving strategies in the home, carbon reductions in the town etc- and the people to implement such policies.

I understand that the two main parties have the money and the infrastructure, but is it impossible for a third party to win local support? Or is it that potential game changers don't make the effort? The Black Panther Party in the 1960s and 1970s had many flaws, but it also had a strong social base in Oakland and a few other places, and was this not the best means to build a party with national appeal, albeit in their case a restrictive one?

This is close to the top of my reading list. It helps counter the dangerous rubbish people have heard from RFK, with the scary thought that this odious fool is being tipped by some people, if Trump wins, to be given a job related to health care, for which he is so obviously not qualified.

Maybe someone can mail him this book, though I doubt he reads books, whatever.

Breakthrough by William Pao review – the drugs do work | Science and nature books | The Guardian

Tuesday's night humiliating loss in the 2024 Election should be a wake up call for the Democratic Party,that they need to change their messaging to voters,because their current messaging isn't resenating with voters anymore. And do some serious soulsearching about what went wrong for them,and how the pollsters were way off with their projections. And go back to the drawing board and come up with a new strategy on how to rebuild and expand their base and reach new voters. And also come up with a new plan to win the 2026 Midterms and find candidates that has an excellent chance of winning the 2028 Presidental Election.

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

Tuesday's night humiliating loss in the 2024 Election should be a wake up call for the Democratic Party,that they need to change their messaging to voters,because their current messaging isn't resenating with voters anymore.

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IMHO, Bernie Sanders was 100% spot on as to one of the reasons for what went wrong for them.

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

Tuesday's night humiliating loss in the 2024 Election should be a wake up call for the Democratic Party,that they need to change their messaging to voters,because their current messaging isn't resenating with voters anymore. And do some serious soulsearching about what went wrong for them,and how the pollsters were way off with their projections. And go back to the drawing board and come up with a new strategy on how to rebuild and expand their base and reach new voters. And also come up with a new plan to win the 2026 Midterms and find candidates that has an excellent chance of winning the 2028 Presidental Election.

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Looks to me like the Democrat campaign has effectively killed all pollsters since most folks with a brain will never take them seriously any more.

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Originally Posted by MrFanti

Looks to me like the Democrat campaign has effectively killed all pollsters since most folks with a brain will never take them seriously any more.

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Polling is not a perfect science as most polls are 'adjusted' -we had this in the UK in 2017 when the polls suggested the Tories were way ahead of Labour and the result was a hung Parliament. Turned out the pollsters 'adjusted' the figures and in the process this reduced the assumed impact of first time voters

I am not a pollster, but I also got wrong my prediction that Harris would win the popular vote, as was the case with Clinton and Biden, because I did not believe Trump had, or could grow his voter base, which is precisely what he did. When someone is so full of rage, lies and contempt for the process, it is hard to accept the voters agree with him. And in some of the Senate and House races, the votes are close, so on one level it has not been a rollercoaster victory for Trump -either way, the US is now more bitterly divided than I think it has been in my lifetime.

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Polling is not a perfect science as most polls are 'adjusted' -we had this in the UK in 2017 when the polls suggested the Tories were way ahead of Labour and the result was a hung Parliament. Turned out the pollsters 'adjusted' the figures and in the process this reduced the assumed impact of first time voters

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The problem for pollsters is that it's increasingly difficult to get people to respond. I never get polled because I never take a phone call if I don't recognise the number. Experience tells me it's likely to be a scammer or someone else trying to get money out of me.

Non-response seems to be a bigger problem with Trump-leaning voters who tend to be mistrustful of pollsters. They try to make adjustments based on what happened previously, but as every election is different it's always an inexact science.

Here is a link to an article from CNN on how readers felt about the outcome of the 2024 Election. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/09/polit...-dg/index.html

Two contrasting articles in the Sunday papers

In the Telegraph but behind a paywall=

"Janet Daley
Trump is obnoxious – but his victory shows the American Dream is alive
Latino voters switched over to the Republicans in their millions. They share the hope of building a richer, better life in a new country".
Trump is obnoxious – but his victory shows the American Dream is alive

And then this:

Andrew Gumbel
The US has lost faith in the American dream. Is this the end of the country as we know it? | Donald Trump | The Guardian

With Donald Trump winning 312 electoral votes in the 2024 Election,and Republicans gaining control of the US Senate and keeping their majority in the House Of Representatives,they have completed the trifecta of dominance of Washington DC and too push through their leader's dangerous agenda for the next year four years to reshape the government and the country. Will be interesting to see how the Democrats and their Party Leadership respond being in the minority,and how they are going to stop anything the Republicans try to ram through both chambers. And be the guardrail to protect democracy and keep Donald Trump in check.

Who was POTUS when Russia annexed Crimea in 2008 and who was POTUS when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and 2022?

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Originally Posted by MrFanti

Who was POTUS when Russia annexed Crimea in 2008 and who was POTUS when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and 2022?

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Russia did not annex Crimea in 2008, it did issue 'ethnic Russians' with Russian passports, which was seen at the time as provocative. This is what Putin said

"In an interview with Germany's ARD television in 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow recognizes all of Ukraine's borders, and that there is no issue of ethnic conflict in Crimea. His comments, delivered shortly after Russia's military intervention in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia, stand in stark contrast with Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine."
Putin's 2008 Comments On Crimea, Before A Sharp Change Of Tack

Obama was President when Crimea was illegally annexed in 2014 and said this

"“Part of what happened was, both myself and also [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel, who I give enormous credit for, had to pull in a lot of other Europeans kicking and screaming to impose the sanctions that we did and to prevent Putin from continuing through the Donbass and through the rest of Ukraine,” he added.
Obama said that the sense of identity and ability to push back against Russia developed in Ukraine after the 2014 annexation, and that identity and ability is what led to the fierce resistance now.
“We challenged Putin with the tools that we had at the time, given where Ukraine was,” he said."
Obama defends 2014 Crimea response: ‘We challenged Putin with the tools we had at the time’

Joe Biden was President in 2022.

Can you confirm, Mr Fanti, that you think NATO or states in Europe should have waged war against Russia in 2014? And what, in legal terms, would have been the Casus Belli -and would such a war have required the authorisation of the Security Council of the United Nations?

Who was President when the The Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan was signed in 2020, and can you re-frame this as the USA surrendering to the Taliban, even giving them a date when US forces would be removed from Afghanistan? Why did the US Govt exclude the Afghan Govt from the negotiations that led to the 'Agreement'?

Who was President when Israel formally annexed the 'Golan Heights' that in legal terms was, and is Syrian territory? Can you confirm that the USA does not believe there is any merit in adhering to the International Law on territorial sovereignty, or that Israel is a special case and can do anything it wants, anywhere anytime, with the full approval of the USA?

They didn't really start with Crimea until later. They went after Georgia in 2009. I was in afghan getting rocketed and eating dust sandwiches at the time, so O, O, and B

Not surprising at all that Donald Trump picks Robert F Kennedy Jr,who is a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer to be in charge of Health And Human Services which oversees the CDC,NIH,FDA and fifteen other departments. RFK Jr has a few things in common with Matt Gaetz,Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard,all are conspiracy theorists that have very warped views,no experience and are unqualified for the jobs they are being appointed for. And will be interesting to see if any Republicans pushback againist Donald Trump and say no to confirming any of these batshit crazy picks,or will they fall in line and confirm them anyway?.

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

Not surprising at all that Donald Trump picks Robert F Kennedy Jr,who is a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer to be in charge of Health And Human Services which oversees the CDC,NIH,FDA and fifteen other departments. RFK Jr has a few things in common with Matt Gaetz,Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard,all are conspiracy theorists that have very warped views,no experience and are unqualified for the jobs they are being appointed for. And will be interesting to see if any Republicans pushback againist Donald Trump and say no to confirming any of these batshit crazy picks,or will they fall in line and confirm them anyway?.

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Also illegal, in terms of the written law, but these days who cares about that when the President-elect is himself a convicted criminal?

Illegal to promise job in exchange for political endorsement?

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Also illegal, in terms of the written law, but these days who cares about that when the President-elect is himself a convicted criminal?

Illegal to promise job in exchange for political endorsement?

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Completely Agree 100%. And very informative video.

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

Completely Agree 100%. And very informative video.

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Seems like Hillary Clinton did it first

Hillary Clinton Endorses Barack Obama
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/u...t-clinton.html

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Originally Posted by MrFanti

Seems like Hillary Clinton did it first

Hillary Clinton Endorses Barack Obama
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/u...t-clinton.html

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Relevance? She endorsed him after he won the primaries, which is what almost always happens. She didn't drop out in return for a job. There have been many cases where someone has taken a job after losing the primaries - eg George Bush senior became Reagan's VP in 1980.

All the people who for a perverted creep and sexual predator and convicted felon Donald Trump,two weeks ago in the 2024 General Election are now regretting their decision,it is way too late to have buyers remorse now. You get what you voted for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4erSbHJrg8

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

All the people who for a perverted creep and sexual predator and convicted felon Donald Trump,two weeks ago in the 2024 General Election are now regretting their decision,it is way too late to have buyers remorse now. You get what you voted for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4erSbHJrg8

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Yep!!!
Kinda like when D.C. voted drug addict Marion Barry as mayor....

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Also illegal, in terms of the written law, but these days who cares about that when the President-elect is himself a convicted criminal?

Illegal to promise job in exchange for political endorsement?

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Actually not convicted at this point. In the US sentence and conviction paperwork have to come down.

Matt Gaetz withdraws from Attorney General consideration after Donald Trump picked him for the job last week,will be interesting to see who Donald Trump nominates next to be Attorney General and will he actively interfere and pressure Republican Senators to confirm them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_BshyLjKzI

Donald Trump announces former Florida Attorney General Pamela Bondi as his new attorney general pick. Lets see how many Republican Senators will vote to confirm her,and how many of them will do the right thing and don't confirm her,because of her checked past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Uya9obIgU

The American People have been warned about what would happen if the Convicted Felon Donald Trump wins the 2024 Election and gets a second term,unfortunately many people weren't paying attention or took the warnings seriously. And now they're seeing it take place right in front of them,with the people that he is selecting for cabinet positions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88v3dzHOrfw

The FOX Propaganda Channel confesses its plan for their leader Donald Trump. And they can claim all they want that it is classic conservatism,but most people know that it is a much darker and downright terrifying agenda to reshape the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLDKdw8YnU4

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

The FOX Propaganda Channel confesses its plan for their leader Donald Trump. And they can claim all they want that it is classic conservatism,but most people know that it is a much darker and downright terrifying agenda to reshape the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLDKdw8YnU4

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They are all biased!
FOX/OANN = Conservative
MSNBC/CNN=Liberal

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Originally Posted by MrFanti

They are all biased!
FOX/OANN = Conservative
MSNBC/CNN=Liberal

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No matter what happens over the next 4 years, it's good to know that the only reponse from The Fanti will be 'bothsidesism' and 'whataboutism'.

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Originally Posted by MrFanti

They are all biased!
FOX/OANN = Conservative
MSNBC/CNN=Liberal

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Fair Broadcasting was ended by Reagan in 1987, Murdoch encouraged him to do so. I think you know this, so why complain? You also did not list the platform of The Great Elon Musk, as biased as it gets, but which some people are terrified of crossing, free speech being what it is in the US these days-

‘We live in a climate of fear’: graphic novelist’s Elon Musk book can’t find UK or US publisher | Elon Musk | The Guardian

The Grift that keeps on giving,the Convicted Felon and Con Artist Donald Trump back again with a new scheme. This time selling Acoustic and Electric Guitars on his failing social media platform. And he ain't only one his son Donald Trump Jr is getting in on the grift. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vNDjq7ombg

Now For Some Positive News: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez donates over 1,000 Turkeys to NY-14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rgIyB1nutw

"President-elect Donald Trump on Monday promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods coming from Mexico, Canada and China starting on the first day of his administration, a policy that could sharply increase costs for American businesses and consumers.The move, Trump said, will be in retaliation for illegal immigration and “crime and drugs” coming across the border.".
Trump ups the ante on tariffs, vowing massive taxes on goods from Mexico, Canada and China on Day 1

While this may be yet more evidence that the Republican Party has rejected Free Trade, or Free Market Capitalism in favour of 'Government Everywhere', it seems to me there is a massive question that is not being asked, though I don't know how this debate actually takes place in the US:

How is the Federal Govt, or any State Govt in the US campaigning to end addiction to Fentanyl?

If so many Americans are dying from Fentanyl, and criminal gangs making millions of dollars from the trade, why not attack the fundamental problem: the use of the drug, instead of (or in addition to) the suppliers?

There is a trade in Marijuana because millions of Americans like it, and use it. The same is true of tobacco, alcohol and donuts. All can have negative long term side effects, from Diabetes to Addiction to Death.

Taxes on imports seems to me an instrument that may be more about global trade than drugs, and Trump wants to re-structure global trade so that the US wins every time -even though the US is dependent on imports for so much of its industrial output.

So not an advance anywhere, just the next US Govt going round in circles, while people's lives suffer and end. Level of policy innovation: none at all.

There are some 11,000 nKorean troops in russia now fighting alongside the ruskies against Ukraine and have3 been sending missiles / rocktes to russia as well. Iranian drones are also in use by the ruskies, and houthies are reported to be making there way to russia to join the fighting. And the US hasn't done a damn thing about it.
Any thoughts on this???

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Originally Posted by Paladin

There are some 11,000 nKorean troops in russia now fighting alongside the ruskies against Ukraine and have3 been sending missiles / rocktes to russia as well. Iranian drones are also in use by the ruskies, and houthies are reported to be making there way to russia to join the fighting. And the US hasn't done a damn thing about it.
Any thoughts on this???

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You mean apart from providing more than $100 billion in arms and other aid to Ukraine, which has been opposed by Trump and his MAGA cronies? What have the Romans ever done for us?
https://www.cfr.org/article/how-much...-going-ukraine

Israel or Housing?

"Last month, the Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs published a revealing report on the cost to American taxpayers of the war in Gaza. Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza, and more recently on Lebanon, has cost the U.S. $22 billion. This is only the publicly declared number, the report describes, as efforts have been made to obscure through bureaucratic tactics the total amount of aid and the types of systems involved.
A particularly glaring example was the decision to arrange 100 separate arms deals with Israel between October 2023 and March 2024, each kept below the dollar threshold that would require reporting to Congress.".
It's time for the US to stand up to Israel

"On Wednesday, I went to a luncheon hosted by the Columbus Metropolitan Club on the topic of homelessness. The panelist posed a question to one of the panelists: what would it cost to end homelessness in America?
The panelist Bob Weiler, a real estate developer in Columbus, said the money exists, but the political will doesn’t....
there should be cheaper ways to house people than simply paying the median rent, but these figures suggest that on the high end, eliminating homelessness in the United States should cost somewhere from $11 billion to $30 billion per year.".
What would it cost to end homelessness in America? — Scioto Analysis

Buckle Up,Buttercup: Representative Jasmine Crockett delivers a powerful breakdown of how Donald Trump's economic policies will directly affect working families and the broader economy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksZfYa2yWsc

Right Wing Christian Nationalist And Insurrectionist MAGA Mike Johnson is panicking because he may lose the majority in the House Of Representatives,as Democrats surprisingly flipped seats in the house. And he knows that if he ends up losing the majority,he'll be no longer speaker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaKa...ist=LL&index=8

President Joe Biden made a major announcement this evening,that he is pardoning his son Hunter Biden in connection with two federal cases. Right Wing Media outlets like The FOX Propaganda Channel and others are going to freaking about this announcement,and if their leader Donald Trump granted one of his sons a pardon,they wouldn't have a problem with it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGp5P8WQQ_I

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Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0

Right Wing Christian Nationalist And Insurrectionist MAGA Mike Johnson is panicking because he may lose the majority in the House Of Representatives,as Democrats surprisingly flipped seats in the house. And he knows that if he ends up losing the majority,he'll be no longer speaker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaKa...ist=LL&index=8

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And the dopey ass look on Mike Johnson's face is priceless,because he knows he'll be up a creek without a paddle if he loses the control of the House Of Representatives.

The GOP shocked as Democrats House Win becomes official. On January 3rd 2025 the House Of Representatives will look very different. MAGA Mike Johnson will have a 2-3 seat majority,which will make very hard for him getting rules and legislation pass or get things done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXfxdG7qD7g

Where's the Pardon for Thousands of Black Men Locked Up for What Hunter Did? | Opinion
https://www.newsweek.com/wheres-pard...pinion-1994163