Beto 2020

[Js1 86929]

2 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

It's a gimmick and I don't even know what problem it is intended to solve. Cabinet officials already hold press conferences and testify before Congress.

A town hall is about getting in front of voters. Cabinet officials are not voted into office. The President appoints the cabinet and they all serve at his pleasure, not the voters'.

Also, there are 21 people in Trump's cabinet. There would be a public town hall from the Executive basically every single weekday.

What's the point?

I agree.  This is a dumb gimmick. 

[DigglerontheHoof 21516]

On ‎3‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 9:03 PM, Brisketexan said:

It’s not an indictment of white people or anyone else. Walk into El Rancho market as a white guy, and you’ll feel out of place. People won’t be rude to you - they’ll interact as need be, maybe even be friendly. You’ll just know you ain’t in a white people grocery store.

Austin isn’t segregated like “I’ll be damned if you let brown/Black people infect our community.” But, interestingly, that’s how it started (austin was very purposefully, and effectively, segregated back in the day). Now, people move into those communities decades later, and they just still are that way.

Oh, and I love my Far West HEB, but it really isn’t that diverse. There’s some, but it almost all comes from the apartments along Greystone. You want an awesomely diverse HEB? Hit up the Lamar and Rundberg store. I’ve heard half a dozen languages on one trip.

The point here isn’t that white folks in Austin are racist. They really aren’t, at least not more than most folks are (everyone has a baseline of some racism, it’s how we’re wired). What they are is lacking in self-awareness. It’s easy to say “I’m not racist!” when maybe 5% of the people you see and deal with are of a different race. Understand that you live in a lily-white community, and you don’t have a diverse perspective. Again, it often reminds me of the apocryphal tales after the 2000 election of upscale white voters in NYC - “how could Bush have won? I don’t know ANYONE who voted for him!”

I don't ever have the feeling of the bolded text.  I'm the only white guy in many places I go and don't feel out of place....although my Spanish is piss-poor and I do have the language barrier at Hispanic dominated stores  Perhaps, it was how I was raised.  My parents made a concerted effort to expose my sister and I to minorities early and often.  

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, I'd be curious to see the responses of whomever is serving under Pres. O'Rourke as DNI and CIA when he tells them to go have their town hall meetings.  "Uh sir, that'd be giant 'Fuck No' from me, sir."  And the Dept. of Transportation Town Hall, I imagine, would look a lot like a City of Austin Council meeting.  With half the room clamoring for more highways and half the room asking for more federal bike lanes.  Sec. of Defense's town hall would devolve in 90 seconds into a shouting match about how the Pentagon spends too much money.  Sec. of Homeland Security is gonna end up like a bad thread on Nextdoor.com, "Uh, Mr. Secretary...there have been some brown people in my neighborhood lately moving a lot of boxes...what are you doing about this?  They look shifty."  

I do think though that some more transparency and access would help with agencies like the Treasury and Veterans Affairs, and unlike State...those guys are always in town.  

Edited April 4, 2019 by Lobo

[bad_teammate 13479]

*President O'Rourke bursts into Secretary Warren's office*
*hops up on Warren's desk and squats down to get near eye level*

"Elizabeth! You've skipped two straight town halls! Very uncool! We cannot unlock the power of America's ingenuity engines and bring forth a message of hopeful determination and justice without literal daily television appearances!"

- "Sir I'm on the phone with the chair of the UN Council on Economics and Finance."

"Whatever! Do your town halls or I'm replacing you with Oprah. Now there's someone who knows how to work an audience!"

*kickflip off desk*

[Bama Chick 28596]

Yes having the Secretary of Defense spend one hour per month listening to active duty military and their families about issues with base housing will certainly keep them from doing all their important work.

Having the Secretary of Transportation sit down for an hour a month and listen to air traffic controllers explain why our system is woefully out of date will completely wreck their schedule.

Having the Secretary of Energy sit down with coal miners to help explain why the president understands they’re scared of being forgotten but let’s have a conversation about why coal is a dying energy source and how we can help transition them so they don’t get all angry and economically anxious and vote for a conman who wants to burn it all down and won’t help them anyhow.

Having the Secretary of Education sit down with a bunch of young people burdened by student loans for one hour to listen to their suggestions on how to fix a broken system will completely shut down her ability to do her job.

Yeah. These people are so busy! They can’t take one hour a month to meet with citizens! They have to go to things like Davos and campaign rallies and speeches and shit.

[Seasick Sailor 3747]

16 hours ago, Bama Chick said:

When did you order?

I placed my order on March 19 and it’s still showing “Waiting Order Fulfillment”.

grumble grumble grumble

I ordered some stuff on 3/18 and got confirmation that it shipped this morning.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

8 minutes ago, Bama Chick said:

Yes having the Secretary of Defense spend one hour per month listening to active duty military and their families about issues with base housing will certainly keep them from doing all their important work.

Having the Secretary of Transportation sit down for an hour a month and listen to air traffic controllers explain why our system is woefully out of date will completely wreck their schedule.

Having the Secretary of Energy sit down with coal miners to help explain why the president understands they’re scared of being forgotten but let’s have a conversation about why coal is a dying energy source and how we can help transition them so they don’t get all angry and economically anxious and vote for a conman who wants to burn it all down and won’t help them anyhow.

Having the Secretary of Education sit down with a bunch of young people burdened by student loans for one hour to listen to their suggestions on how to fix a broken system will completely shut down her ability to do her job.

Yeah. These people are so busy! They can’t take one hour a month to meet with citizens! They have to go to things like Davos and campaign rallies and speeches and shit.

People just want some more accountability and reassurance that the cabinet secretaries are working for the people.  The town hall idea isn’t terrible but it’s not realistic either.

At least Beto isn’t promising to close Guantanamo Bay. 

[Js1 86929]

27 minutes ago, Bama Chick said:

Yes having the Secretary of Defense spend one hour per month listening to active duty military and their families about issues with base housing will certainly keep them from doing all their important work.

Having the Secretary of Transportation sit down for an hour a month and listen to air traffic controllers explain why our system is woefully out of date will completely wreck their schedule.

Having the Secretary of Energy sit down with coal miners to help explain why the president understands they’re scared of being forgotten but let’s have a conversation about why coal is a dying energy source and how we can help transition them so they don’t get all angry and economically anxious and vote for a conman who wants to burn it all down and won’t help them anyhow.

Having the Secretary of Education sit down with a bunch of young people burdened by student loans for one hour to listen to their suggestions on how to fix a broken system will completely shut down her ability to do her job.

Yeah. These people are so busy! They can’t take one hour a month to meet with citizens! They have to go to things like Davos and campaign rallies and speeches and shit.

The President sets the policy. They serve at his/her pleasure and enact his policy.  They are not beholden to voters. 

"Why can't you do X/Y/Z?"

"Talk to Beto.  He decides." 

[Dahobbs 18183]

7 minutes ago, Js1 said:

The President sets the policy. They serve at his/her pleasure and enact his policy.  They are not beholden to voters. 

"Why can't you do X/Y/Z?"

"Talk to Beto.  He decides." 

Having your employees meet with the people you represent since you probably don't have time to while being President seems like proper delegation to me? We complain that government and politicians are disconnected from reality the rest of us live in, but suggesting this simple way to start to correct is criticized as gimmicky. . . 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

1 minute ago, Dahobbs said:

Having your employees meet with the people you represent since you probably don't have time to while being President seems like proper delegation to me? We complain that government and politicians are disconnected from reality the rest of us live in, but suggesting this simple way to start to correct is criticized as gimmicky. . . 

Seems like we’d get more out of a town hall than the routine Congressional hearings.

[bad_teammate 13479]

24 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

People just want some more accountability and reassurance that the cabinet secretaries are working for the people.  The town hall idea isn’t terrible but it’s not realistic either.

How would town halls increase accountability? Or even reassurance? What if a cabinet secretary is really good at her job but sucks at town halls?

Voters talk to their elected representatives and press about their concerns. The elected representatives talk to the cabinet secretaries in Congress (and the President has ultimate say over them). The Press has wide access to the cabinet secretaries.

What is the specific problem that is trying to be solved here?

Quote

Having your employees meet with the people you represent since you probably don't have time to while being President seems like proper delegation to me?

Both the President and Cabinet Secretaries have staff to do this. It's why Congress exists. It's why the press exists.

 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Not biting on the concern trolling over the dumb town hall idea.

Edited April 4, 2019 by Hugo Stiglitz

[Bama Chick 28596]

The President sets the policy. They serve at his/her pleasure and enact his policy. The president is beholden to voters.

The president is asking his cabinet to speak with citizens to uncover issues that he may wish to influence or fix with the policy he’s asking those very cabinet members to enact.

"Why can't you do X/Y/Z?"

"X/Y/Z is within our power. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Many times the people in charge don’t experience these issues like you do. Can I get your information so my aide for X/Y/Z can meet with you to get more details? Then I’d be happy to bring it to the president’s attention.”

No one gripes when a president has a bullshit Blue Ribbon Commission of tech CEOs to collaborate with the Commerce Secretary on internet privacy or police chiefs to discuss public safety with Homeland Security.

But everyone is all cynical and screaming about wasting time because Beto wants his Secretary of Education to meet with teachers and his Secretary of Transportation to meet with flight attendants and his Secretary of Defense to meet with military wives.

Cabinet members enact policies set by the president. Is it so horrible to have a president willing to listen to citizens and have those citizens give him their thoughts on those policies?

[Dahobbs 18183]

12 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

That is true, but it should be delegated way further down than cabinet secretaries. 

Why? I agree that is a way to do it. I just don't find any compelling reason why it is the only way to do it. 1 hour a month doesn't seem so onerous as to compromise the ability to do the job. 

[bad_teammate 13479]

Two questions I would love to see answered:

- What specific problem does mandating a monthly town hall for each cabinet secretary solve?

- Why isn't this already done?

----------------------------

Quote

No one gripes when a president has a bullshit Blue Ribbon Commission of tech CEOs to collaborate with the Commerce Secretary on internet privacy or police chiefs to discuss public safety with Homeland Security.

Yes, which should indicate to you that communication is already happening.

Quote

But everyone is all cynical and screaming about wasting time because Beto wants his Secretary of Education to meet with teachers and his Secretary of Transportation to meet with flight attendants and his Secretary of Defense to meet with military wives.

What you're describing is not a town hall, and it's not what Beto described. What you just described is a specific organizational meeting, and those already happen. As you mention above.

"Not a handpicked audience. Not a theatrical production. But a real, live, town hall meeting -- not just to answer questions, but to be held accountable." - Beto O'Rourke

Also, I am literally screaming at my computer as I type this. I'm a crazy person. Men with huge butterfly nets are chasing me around, but they can't catch me because I greased myself up before escaping my padded room.

Quote

 Is it so horrible to have a president willing to listen to citizens and have those citizens give him their thoughts on those policies?

Did someone argue against Beto doing town halls?

Go for it. Party on.

The easiest thing for a bad boss to spend is his employees' time.

Just now, Dahobbs said:

Why? I agree that is a way to do it. I just don't find any compelling reason why it is the only way to do it. 1 hour a month doesn't seem so onerous as to compromise the ability to do the job. 

The "it's just one hour!" thing is COMPLETELY disingenuous.

Maybe Beto likes to saunter into a room full of people with zero ideas or preparation and completely full of confidence that all he needs is his white man's height, salt and pepper hair, flailing limbs, and earnest shouting. But as Hillary said to Donald in the debates, "Yes, I prepared for this debate. I am also prepared to be president."

A serious person, the kind of person you want in cabinet positions, is going to spend a lot of time preparing for massive public interrogations. Days, even.

------------------------

Two questions I would love to see answered:

- What specific problem does mandating a monthly town hall for each cabinet secretary solve?

- Why isn't this already done?

 

[Bama Chick 28596]

Whatever. You’re pointless to have a discussion with because you’re so entrenched in your righteousness and you don’t discuss. You browbeat and you’re exhausting.

Anyway, for folks who were worried about Beto’s website just being a merch store -

[Guest Lobo]

As I stated clearly in my post above, there’s some obvious benefit to certain departments meeting 1:1/town hall style with folks.  However, look back at some of the most progressive and populist Democrat administrations.  There exists a purposeful obfuscation between high level cabinet members (even undersecretaries aren’t deployed to public events) and the citizenry.  I think it’s been that way for a reason but I like O’rourke challenging the status quo with some of this bloat. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19557]

39 minutes ago, Bama Chick said:

Whatever. You’re pointless to have a discussion with because you’re so entrenched in your righteousness and you don’t discuss. You browbeat and you’re exhausting.

Anyway, for folks who were worried about Beto’s website just being a merch store -
 

New Cloak Room motto? 

[gmr548 16681]

I think the cabinet town hall thing is largely pointless in a practical governing perspective, but I also don't find it detrimental, and I'm not going to scoff at anyone coming in after Trump trying to increase access/accountability/transparency.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[bad_teammate 13479]

*Betophile gets asked a couple of questions*

 

OK let's check out Beto's platform! Exciting!

I recognize this! It's his speech from Saturday! I saw this live! BETO! BETO! BETO! BETO!

#1 - On Campaign Finance

No policy here, and most of it is off-topic. These last two paragraphs are ASTONISHING.

----------------

These challenges and the threats to our democracy cannot be met by half measures or with only half the country. It’s gonna take all we’ve got and it’s gonna take all of us.

The differences between us — where we live, who we love, to whom we pray, how long our families have been in this country, the color of our skin, the party to which we belong — those differences cannot be allowed to define us or divide us now. Before we are anything else, let us be Americans first and together do the work of this country.

----------------

lol... what? What on earth does that have to do with campaign finance?

#2 - On Healthcare

Two paragraphs, but at least they're on topic.

Quote

So if we believe in universal, guaranteed, high quality healthcare – because we see the consequences to our fellow Americans who go without – then let us come together around a policy that prioritizes affordability of prescription drugs, lowers the costs of premiums and ensures that in a country where one of the largest providers of mental health care services is our county jail system, a country where we have a maternal mortality crisis that is 3x as deadly for women of color — that universal healthcare means everyone gets primary healthcare, mental healthcare — and universal also means every woman makes her own decisions about her own body.

Why is he starting with "IF" we believe?

Primary mental healthcare guaranteed is great. Love it.

Quote

We can give every American and every business the choice to enroll in Medicare without eliminating plans that many Americans like for their families because they work for their families.

This is a false promise. It's a lie.

"We" absolutely CANNOT offer the choice to enroll in Medicare while ensuring that existing plans will not be eliminated. It is an impossible thing to guarantee without instituting some regulation that neither employers nor insurance companies are allowed to change plans.

It's a lie we already tried. Why are we trying the same lie again?

#3 - On Education

- Living wage for teachers. GREAT

- I have no idea what "able to pursue debt-free higher education" means. Tuition grants? Books & cost of living grants?

#4 - On Unions

85 words. 3 of them about unions. From the section "On Unions".

"Let's strengthen unions"

#5 - On Equality

An on-topic paragraph with some big, vague stuff in it. But at least it's mostly on topic.

#6 - On Criminal Justice Reform

Quote

let us not just end the prohibition of marijuana, or the expungement of the records of those arrested soley for possession of a substance legal in most of this country — let’s go beyond ending cash bail, prisons for profit and the war on drugs and confront the true legacy of slavery, of segregation and suppression, of how people have been criminalized and kept down based on their race and ethnicity.

Strongest section yet. Lots of great stuff here.

Let's go BEYOND these specific ideas and GET VAGUE!

("Soley" isn't a word, Beto. It's "solely". $10M and you can't hire a copy editor? Come on, son.)

#7 - On Immigration

All right, my Mexicirish boyfriend, bring it home!

- Dreamers automatic citizens, love it.

- Path to citizenship, probably love it.

- No separating families seeking asylum, love it.

Boilerplate Dem platform, though, hoping to see Beto be The Immigration Candidate.

#8 - On National Security

The first paragraph doesn't say anything. The second paragraph is about immigration, not national security. lol

#9 - On Veterans

Quote

who came back from Vietnam to a country that did not understand or thank them for their service

This is not true. Vietnam vets were very well received by the nation upon their return.

Quote

their PTSD treated, a roof over the head of every homeless vet, an investment in the treatments and conditions unique to combat and service —

good

Quote

let us also make sure that before we enter yet another war that we have exhausted every single peaceful alternative

ugh, starting from the posture that we must be satisfied OR ELSE, of course, neolib bloodthirst

#10 - On Climate Change

Quote

then let us organize this country around an historic effort to free this economy from a dependence on greenhouse gas emissions, invest in the technologies and jobs in renewable energy that will speed this transition

What transition? Away from a "dependence"? Does that mean we stop doing it entirely or we just do it a lot, but don't depend on it?

Quote

we have an opportunity now to meet an existential threat to this planet by ensuring that public health policy, economic policy, and the engine of a far more conscientious capitalism is put to work in service of our ability to meet this challenge.

oh yes conscientious capitalism let's go

oh yeah

#11 - On Foreign Policy

yawn. literally using the "America is an indispensable nation" trope. Lazy nonsense.

#12 - On Democracy

Quote

We must sign into law a new voting rights act, we must forever banish big money from our politics, end gerrymandering, and enact same-day voter registration in every part of the country.

Good. Wait, why wasn't the banishing of big money in the campaign finance section?

#13 - On Income Inequality

314 words. 5, at best, are about income inequality ("unwavering pursuit of economic democracy.")

"Economic democracy" is a phrase with a meaning, and i sincerely doubt Beto either knows what it is or advocates for it if he does know what it means. He doesn't come across as very intelligent or well-read.

 

 

 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Maybe Beto will release his 2014 1040EZ tax return tomorrow.

[Dahobbs 18183]

9 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

*Betophile gets asked a couple of questions*

 

Overacting and exaggeration to minimal slight. . . and you think it is reflective of Bama Chick? Might want to check that mirror bud.   

[bad_teammate 13479]

3 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Maybe Beto will release his 2014 1040EZ tax return tomorrow.

How upset are you going to be if he doesn't?

2 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

Overacting and exaggeration to minimal slight. . . and you think it is reflective of Bama Chick? Might want to check that mirror bud.   

I don't complain that people are mean to me. I don't appeal to refs, I bite your ear off.

Also, I would LOVE some questions about Bernie and his policy platform. Go over to the Bernie thread and do your worst

Edited April 4, 2019 by bad_teammate

[Dahobbs 18183]

Just now, bad_teammate said:

I don't complain that people are mean to me. I don't appeal to refs, I bite your ear off.

Zidane headbutt gif appropriate?

[tantric superman 4668]

Let them do survey monkey.

[tantric superman 4668]

1 hour ago, Dahobbs said:

Overacting and exaggeration to minimal slight. . . and you think it is reflective of Bama Chick? Might want to check that mirror bud.   

I'm on board with Bama Chick 95% of the time, but she does have a pretty light trigger reaction to policy/tactical criticisms of her preferred candidates, it seems. I'll be the same way when one of these guys becomes my favorite. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4998]

6 hours ago, Bama Chick said:

The President sets the policy. They serve at his/her pleasure and enact his policy. The president is beholden to voters.

The president is asking his cabinet to speak with citizens to uncover issues that he may wish to influence or fix with the policy he’s asking those very cabinet members to enact.

"Why can't you do X/Y/Z?"

"X/Y/Z is within our power. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Many times the people in charge don’t experience these issues like you do. Can I get your information so my aide for X/Y/Z can meet with you to get more details? Then I’d be happy to bring it to the president’s attention.”

No one gripes when a president has a bullshit Blue Ribbon Commission of tech CEOs to collaborate with the Commerce Secretary on internet privacy or police chiefs to discuss public safety with Homeland Security.

But everyone is all cynical and screaming about wasting time because Beto wants his Secretary of Education to meet with teachers and his Secretary of Transportation to meet with flight attendants and his Secretary of Defense to meet with military wives.

Cabinet members enact policies set by the president. Is it so horrible to have a president willing to listen to citizens and have those citizens give him their thoughts on those policies?

Lol, you think that's how it's gonna go down? Maybe one or two, but after that it will pretty much devolve into people asking why our government is spreading chemicals over us with jet engines or why we can't see Obama's actual birth certificate from Kenya and crap like that. 

[BradInATX 9208]

Remember when Beto first announced and b_t tried to pretend that he liked Beto and supported him and viewed as an asset to the party vs. a threat to his beloved Bernie? 

That veneer of bullshit lasted what, a week?

[Bama Chick 28596]

I'm on board with Bama Chick 95% of the time, but she does have a pretty light trigger reaction to policy/tactical criticisms of her preferred candidates, it seems. I'll be the same way when one of these guys becomes my favorite. 

Only to people that act like self important dicks who think they’re vastly funnier than they are and whose go to method of “discussion” is to outright dismiss and belittle people who don’t bow down to their worldview.

I’m happy to have disagreements and discussion with folks coming from a place of good faith.

And if you think I have a light trigger when someone criticizes my guy, please go engage our resident Bernie Bros. Just mentioning his tax returns or voting history on guns will get you a multi paragraph screed full of personal insults, random italics, a bunch of these ~~~~~~, and tired, recycled reddit-speak.

I have a 12 pound trigger compared to that bunch.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Behold the outrage of the right.

“What is that doing to her head and to her perception of herself and what she's able to contribute this country, when the president of the United States has called Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals?" O'Rourke said. "He then went on to call asylum seekers animals and an infestation. Now we would not be surprised if in the Third Reich other human beings were described as an infestation, as a cockroach or a pest that you would want to kill."

 

[bad_teammate 13479]

38 minutes ago, BradInATX said:

Remember when Beto first announced and b_t tried to pretend that he liked Beto and supported him and viewed as an asset to the party vs. a threat to his beloved Bernie? 

That veneer of bullshit lasted what, a week?

I went to Beto's Houston rally on Saturday in a Beto t-shirt and holding my Beto yard sign on a paint stirrer. (DON'T DOXX ME HOUSTON SURLIES WHO SAW ME! CONSEQUENCES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME! I'LL BACKTRACE IT!)

If Beto is going to win the Dem spot in the general I want him to win overall. I don't just want him to win overall, I want him to skate across this nation dropping nuclear bomblets on the Republicans. I want Beto to win so hard that he gets full Congressional domination and enacts so much positive change that they blow up all of Mt. Rushmore and replace it with Beto standing gloriously on a countertop.

You guys are so disconnected from political movement on the ground you think the online arena is reality. 

If the Republicans start talking shit about my beautiful idiot Gen X son? I'm down for war. I'll take his skateboard and smash it over a Republican's head.

But among shitlibs and leftist douchebags and brocialists? This is streetball. We're all friends (in my mind) so we're talking shit and fouling hard sometimes, but we all go home and play again tomorrow.

Fuck a Republican, though, and fuck the ledge cucks.

[UTDD 362]

Very hard to implement practically and it likely won't accomplish that much meeting by meeting, but in theory I believe it's a good psychological move in that it 1) gives people the impression that they are being heard more versus being ignored by professional bureaucrats closeted away in a D.C. ivory tower and 2) having these people sometimes hear real concerns from ordinary voters live and in person might hopefully give them some perspective when they tackle true issues.  If you work say three straight years only surrounded by D.C. pros, it's probably quite easy for some people to lose one's grounding and perspective.  This is similar to why in theory CEOs at corporations (and Boards) also should be required to more often communicate directly with ordinary shareholders as well.  I know of a specific example with a specific CEO that made a major decision change on certain layoffs (not huge about 55 people involved but still...) because he actually met certain workers (a smart HR head arranged this)  in this specific department and decided to retrain most of these people for another area versus termination.  Sometimes putting a face on a problem makes a huge difference.  Sometimes it's not really about actually accomplishing a specific goal every meeting, but to show a tone and vision for your administration/company that translates long-term to better results.    

I also really believe Trump got a huge boost in 2016 pushing the idea that Washington professionals were just people in a swamp closeted away no perspective on the problems of ordinary Americans.  In a sense, it really is easy to ignore ordinary Americans because they never interact with them.  Having more forced interaction to normal voters might help set the right tone about what kind of administration one is going to run, etc.

[bad_teammate 13479]

Hugo, how's this self-dealing gonna show up in Beto's taxes?

lol

Quote

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke paid roughly $110,000 in campaign funds to a web development company while either he or his wife owned it, public records show.

(As long as the work was done and at fair market rates, I have zero problem with this personally.)

[Anastasis 23699]

21 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

Hugo, how's this self-dealing gonna show up in Beto's taxes?

lol

(As long as the work was done and at fair market rates, I have zero problem with this personally.)

He faced scrutiny in 2013 after purchasing Twitter stock before it was available to the general public, which ethics watchdogs said was a violation of House rules.

 

Hugo just jizzed his pants. 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Time to launch an investigation.

[scottsins 2039]

When did you order?

I placed my order on March 19 and it’s still showing “Waiting Order Fulfillment”.

grumble grumble grumble

I ordered the first day that they were available and for mine earlier this week.

Still waiting on my yard signs though.

[scottsins 2039]

Have any of you been to a town hall?  They’re dominated by crazy people demanding answers to their personal conspiracy theories and grievances.  The politicians DGAF, even about the normal people with real questions, and just go through stump speech answers.  Unelected cabinet members would butcher that process even worse than the charismatic elected politicians.  I can’t think of a more giant waste of time for a cabinet secretary or for the people trying to address problems.
There are better avenues to get in touch with the people who are actually going to be addressing things like housing on military bases, technical issues with air traffic control systems, etc.   And there are more appropriate outlets for coal miners to bitch that it’s not 1930 anymore and for college students to bitch about student loan debt.  

I went to a town hall for MJ Hegar and your assessment is basically the total opposite of what I observed.

[Patrick Bateman 3966]

 

[bad_teammate 13479]

Hell yes, Beto.

- Do not apologize for the comparison when centrists and right-wingers inevitably freak out about it.

- Do not walk it back.

[Hank Kingsley 21598]

Love it. Looks like Beto has learned after taking it easy on Cruz. 

 

 

[Celery Man 21076]

2 hours ago, Anastasis said:

He faced scrutiny in 2013 after purchasing Twitter stock before it was available to the general public, which ethics watchdogs said was a violation of House rules.

 

Hugo just jizzed his pants. 

If I remember from the senate campaign, he mea culpa’d and sold it off/jettisoned the profits in whatever appropriate fashion pretty immediately after being called out on it.

[bad_teammate 13479]

Follow-up on the complete dishonesty of politicians who use the "If you like your plan, you can keep it!" line...

In 2014, only 72% were continuously enrolled for 12 months. And that's without a massive new plan to expand Medicare availability to everyone.

This especially impacts the young, who constantly lose their insurance.

Medicare for All is the answer. 

Medicare for America is a trick. (Hell, even at the name level.)

[henrygandorf 29218]

17 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

Follow-up on the complete dishonesty of politicians who use the "If you like your plan, you can keep it!" line...

In 2014, only 72% were continuously enrolled for 12 months. And that's without a massive new plan to expand Medicare availability to everyone.

This especially impacts the young, who constantly lose their insurance.

Medicare for All is the answer. 

Medicare for America is a trick. (Hell, even at the name level.)

not to inject mayor pete in this, but one of his talking points is how younger people these days will change jobs/careers more often than their parents changed job titles (for the same company) - sorry, i'm paraphrasing.

i think the inevitability/accuracy of that statement is going to affect how healthcare is handled.  it has to, right?  there's definitely a correlation, and the sooner people realize it, the sooner it gets "fixed".

[Anastasis 23699]

17 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

In 2014, only 72% were continuously enrolled for 12 months. And that's without a massive new plan to expand Medicare availability to everyone.

uh, that's not what that first infographic shows. It shows that 94% of individuals with employee sponsored covered were continuously enrolled in a plan at 12m follow-up, 4% had had break in their coverage but were covered at time of follow-up, and 2% were uninsured at follow-up. And none of that has anything to do with "if you like your plan you can keep it". 

[henrygandorf 29218]

to add, the phrase "it's easy therefore to see why young people are not as spooked by the idea of losing their current insurance" is hilarious to me.

young people are never going to be spooked because they're used to being on their parents' plan and once they're off it (25?) they think they're indestructible.  'young people' will likely never be "spooked" about anything related to health insurance.

[bad_teammate 13479]

36 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

uh, that's not what that first infographic shows. It shows that 94% of individuals with employee sponsored covered were continuously enrolled in a plan at 12m follow-up, 4% had had break in their coverage but were covered at time of follow-up, and 2% were uninsured at follow-up. And none of that has anything to do with "if you like your plan you can keep it". 

Only 72% were enrolled in their existing plan. Switching to a new plan isn't keeping the same plan. You're on A plan, yes, but the sales pitch isn't, "if you like your plan, you might be able to keep it, but you'll have another one if you can't".

And what does "if you like your plan you can keep it" if not being able to stay on the same plan? What do you think that phrase means?

It's the same thing. And it's a lie.

In fact, it's an even BIGGER lie this time, because Medicare for America is specifically designed to entice employers to drop private health insurance in favor of expanded Medicare. Oh, and just like under the Obamacare regime, some private plans won't be allowed because they don't meet up to the new standards set out by Medicare for America.

Tens of millions of Americans will see their plans either change or go away completely. Even if what we are misleading them into is better than what they had, it is still a purposeful misleading. Why lie? What is the point?

If expanded Medicare is (1) better insurance for people to have and (2) overall cheaper, then just put everyone in it.

[Bama Chick 28596]

My order shipped!

Also, did any of y’all lead a canvassing event during his senate run?

I got a call asking if I’d be willing to organize and head one up in my area but I’d like to get some real world info on what it’s like before I say yes.

Everything they’ve told me is all sunshine and unicorns - which is their job - but I don’t want to get myself in over my head in my first interaction with the campaign. I want to hear what it’s really like and if I think I’m up for the responsibility.

Thanks for any stories or advice!

[bad_teammate 13479]

2 hours ago, Bama Chick said:

Also, did any of y’all lead a canvassing event during his senate run?

I got a call asking if I’d be willing to organize and head one up in my area but I’d like to get some real world info on what it’s like before I say yes.

Just sign up, they'll give you all the info you need well ahead of time. You are just as capable, if not moreso, than the rest of us yahoos who go do this.

Wear comfortable shoes, bring lots and lots of water, plaster on a smile, find your zen center, and have some snacks around. Knock doors, preach the gospel of Beto, and get Trump the hell out of office.

And if you see my Bros out on the street, the fight doesn't start until we do our dance routines first. We are the Jets and we get AT LEAST 30 seconds of below-the-waist snapping. Hop, twirl, then out come the switchblades.

[bad_teammate 13479]

Forgot to say this: STICK TO THE SCRIPT

I joked in the Bernie thread about choosing "defend the candidate" over "thank them for their time and leave", but I'm making fun of myself.

If you are canvassing for a Dem in the South, some people are going to be hostile, they're going to be disingenuous, they're going to bait you and bait you and bait you. Believe me, there are people who are just waiting for you to show up with your Beto shirt so they can own you with logic power they learned on YouTube and talk radio.

You smile and you follow the script. Read it a hundred times the night before and commit it to memory.

When you get locked in with a weirdo, you go into full "name, rank, and serial number" mode.

A nice, put-together lady like you walking around smiling in a Beto shirt is worth its weight in gold for Beto's campaign, so if you don't have social anxiety stuff going on you really need to do it.

Democracy fucking rules, guys, go do it.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Stump speech.