BeginnersMind

You won't find me identify myself with the left. Others here do because I don't care for many of Trump's positions. I believe what I believe and am and have been registered Independent for 20 years. I voted for Daddy Bush and Romney. My ballot is usually split between Rs, Ds, and Ls...with my heart with the Ls and my R and D votes often cast in hopes of defeating the other guy. And no, I did not vote for Hillary. I voted for the goofy f--ker Johnson.

Your post makes your side of the case well so I'll leave it but quibble with isolationism. It's not a word that only had meaning in the context of Washington's Farewell Address. It's just that we know its usage in that setting from grammar school. And what is happening now is towards that direction, not the other, which at its extreme is also undesireable. The globalist dream, setting aside all the conspiracy chatter that word engenders at PPP, is as unrealistic and bad for us as isolationism. I look at the isolationist rhetoric and find it troubling because it's not thoughtful. Your post is. Trump will Trump.

I advocate free trade. The Rs and Ds do not, but the change in the Rs position recently has been unfortunate. At least there used to be some voice for free trade. A - Presidents have some influence on the market, but less than they take credit for or are blamed. B - This chart compares oranges(!) to house shingles. It's absurd to draw any conclusions from.

Bring manufacturing jobs home. We don't need other countries. Withdraw from multinational treaties and agreements. These are a weak intellectual arguments (not yours, but that come from the Twitter-sphere and meme-logic). Isolationism in the context of what Washington meant is irrelevant in 2018, so my use of the term is not meant to imply any equivalence. Washington, reading Hamilton's pen, was advocating a short-term isolationism in order for the fledgling country to have a chance at survival. It was excellent advice at the end of the 18th beginning of the 19th century but we outgrew it. We don't have to be as linked as Europe because we have a natural isolation in the form of our oceans. But that doesn't mean that we should turn our backs on the benefits of free trade and good relations with other countries.

Assume you're reacting to me mentioning free trade. That used to be a Republican ideal, and one I supported. The Dems don't want it but they are more for free trade than the Rs right now. I don't trust either side to support free trade because it costs some political capital.

I don't hang on your every word and no, I did not see your correction. Simply pointing it that you made an error is all you had to do. Moving on from that, "protect my family" is a much more frequent and supportable justification for people having a handgun than anything to do with tyranny and a well-regulated militia.

Do you believe, like Trump, that the federal government can prevent forest fires? How about hurricanes and blizzards? Of that there is little doubt. But that's not a forestry issue. I mentioned Trump because Trump jumped in on the issue to lay blame. You have more faith in his research ability than me.

Isolationism is the ideal pushed by the new Rs these days. It hurts the brain to think how backwards it is. The freakin Dems are more for free and open trade than the Rs who think we can bring back a manufacturing economy that is a) largely still here and b) gone in other respects for a reason.

Now you did it. DC Tom and 3rd will be here any second on this topic.

That is a clear and cogent argument in support of a living and evolving Constitution if I ever heard one. Here I had you pegged as a conservative originalist. This issue doesnt move me much. If we allow guns, sad and lonely people will kill innocents. Good guys with guns won’t stop it except in 2 headline stories a year. And that’s the price of the freedom to own.

The way they run their elections feels a bit Venezuelan “democracy” that is for sure. Its worth beating the dead horse. Punch ballots in 2018.

The fire discussion was in the “boarder” thread for etymological reasons I did not trace. Trump says the fires are the result of Forest mismanagement. No doubt after hours of long study of the problem. Fires are natural. Clearing deadfall and many other tasks are not and are terrible for the health of forests. And at the edges of community and forest, fires will happen, especially in areas known to have dry spells. There is no way to avoid it and it’s probably the price people have to accept when living there. Just like accepting flooding when living near the ocean or in a flood zone (hi New Orleans). We waste a ton of money trying to terraform for convenience. Some projects may be worth it but some are absurd.

Broward County is a ***** disaster. I trust the current result and how FL can’t get it’s ***** together is beyond me. That Snipes’s name is in the media and known to us is something to be ashamed of as voters.

Great facts there. With 46% of voters independent, it shouldn’t be so shocking when a styled moderate splits a ticket. FL has a lot of split tickets too.

Shaq is a bust too, don’t forget.

Not in mine. Not in most. Can't do that in my state and many others. In my state, you have to attest that you will be out of state on election day to vote by mail. And if you mail it in, but are in-state on election day, you have to go to your polling place and cancel your mail in ballot in person. It's absurd how dated the election process is. Agree that voter ID laws are long overdue.

Stop making sense. That Florida still votes using punch cards is ridiculous. I feel like I’m watching a time warp seeing this. And not to 2000, which was bad enough, but to 1940. Hopefully none of these shenanigans change any results except to maybe upgrade the ***** voting process in Florida. Voter ID. Ability to vote by mail. Holiday for voting or more than one day to vote. Registration option with license. All of these make sense but few states do them. Neither party wants to make it easier to vote—fear of change.

The botch was the belief in Peterman. McCarron was the worst QB in preseason so his departure was earned. Can’t predict the injuries so I don’t blame them for Allen and Anderson going down. That is mostly the result of two pro bowl linemen quitting.

The Republican dream: 1 square foot, 1 vote.

I guess you advocate him blowing up his elbow and ruining his career like so many others who had the UCL injury. In a non playoff year.

Peterman is one of the worst QBs in football. He was one of the best in college 2 years ago. Pryor is playing WR. He was one of the best QBs in college football his year. Bills could win 100-0 with Kyle at QB. Question is stupid.

Being ceitical of something that is only mean spirited against a guy who has held his head high through the end of his life dream is not about me. It’s about expecting decency from others. Meme-lovers from the hipsternet usually hold 1950s practices out as idyllic. But expecting better behavior, which is part of the 50s fiction, is apparently now a bad thing. Pick a lane. Be better. Be mean.

I agree with Wacka. Punches self in the nuts.

You can argue whether it was a valid criticism, but the justices take judicial temperament and the appearance of blind justice seriously, and that’s why Kavanaugh got some heat for his emotional bombastic testimony. I didnt see it as a valid critique since it was not a notmal day in the day in the life of a justice but it is a properly aloof fraternity.

Your “no doubt” is misplaced. They don’t cheer, stand, or celebrate political moments. She is past her best years as a jurist but I wish her good health as a person.