***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[lightweight champion]

So give a free pass to those who actually committed felonies?

 

[aepps20]

So many of our Comrades get it. Today was the most devastating day in the history for libs. The Judge ruled that Flynn was coerced into Lying for Comet. He pled guilty to protect our President Elect from this Witch Hunt. Dims have no Clue.

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

Listening to Van Jones praise Trump for the criminal justice reform feels “different”

 

[Nike Jordan]

Listening to Van Jones praise Trump for the criminal justice reform feels “different”

Van Jones has been funny in the light.

 

[Brownstone]

Van Jones has been funny in the light.

How so?

This is a win period. Objectively good legislation that could have been better, but could not have been at all also. Trump is signing it I'll give him that....

 

[AEA18]

Congress's Criminal Justice Reform Act boosts privatization, fails to dismantle mass incarceration, nor does it implement sentencing reform. We speak to Eddie Conway and Natasha Pratt Harris about the proposed reform

 

[IATT]

 

[whywesteppin]

because it never gets old and because it's appropriate again today:

 

[dacomeup]

 

[sonoftony]

Van Jones has been funny in the light.

Those butter stains must've been from all the biscuits he ate

 

[blastercombo]

Prison reform turns out to be “build more prisons”

 

[whywesteppin]

Prison reform turns out to be “build more prisons”

Solution to overcrowded prisons: build more prisons

Solution to mass shootings: more guns

Solution to poor schools: keep kids home

 

[blastercombo]

Solution to overcrowded prisons: build more prisons

Solution to mass shootings: more guns

Solution to poor schools: keep kids home

More jails, more guns, less schools.......... America

 

[Belgium]

Poor Rudy. Seemingly wasn't even aware that Don Jr is on record testifying to Congress that Trump signed the letter of intent.

 

[dwalk31]

Senate passes sweeping criminal justice reform bill
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/senate-passes-sweeping-criminal-justice-reform-bill-n949586

 

[dwalk31]

This is a win period. Objectively good legislation that could have been better, but could not have been at all also. Trump is signing it I'll give him that....

This

 

[Belgium]

Welp

Guess the NVA party got what they wished for. I voted for them in the last federal election and in this year's local elections for the record. If it wasn't for this ridiculous and wholly irresponsible stunt I assume I would've voted for them again.

Forcing the government to come crashing down because of a damn non-binding immigration pact. The former Minister of Asylum & Immigration was a very popular politician from their party. Then they withdrew from the federal government, turning it into a minority government and effectively crippling it. This non-binding pact that they're supposedly taking such a righteous stand on is something their own Ministers in the government not only agreed to sign in the past, some of them even agreed to promote it according to internal government memos.
Then all of a sudden the NVA party leader started acting like it was the end of the world to sign this non-binding pact, despite its signing having 2/3 majority support in parliament, and proceeded to withdraw his party from the government. Obviously you can't function as a minority government when you only represent a small fraction of voters at best, so a no-confidence motion was bound to happen and succeed.
Excerpt:
Michel was subsequently asked by the King to be a caretaker prime minister, with reduced powers, while parliament seeks to construct a new alliance of parties that can take the reins of power. It is expected that the talks with parties will take several days but that a election will be held in the new year.
The N-VA, a Flemish nationalist party with hardline views on immigration, walked out of the government earlier this month over Michel’s signature to a UN migration pact providing for a common global approach to migrant flows.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/18/belgian-pm-charles-michel-resigns-no-confidence-motion
Belgian PM Charles Michel resigns after no-confidence motion
Country braces for snap election as parliament rejects minority administration

Belgium’s government of four years has fallen on the issue of migration after the country’s parliament rejected an appeal from prime minister, Charles Michel, for its support for a minority administration.

Michel was forced to offer his resignation to the King of the Belgians, Philippe, after the Socialist party, with support from the Greens, proposed a vote of no confidence in his administration.

The country is now braced for a snap election in January. The head of Michel’s party said the opposition had rejected the government’s “fair offer” in order to secure a political scalp.

“The Socialist opposition and Greens wanted a trophy and have it”, said David Clarinval, chairman of the liberal Reform Movement party.


Following the departure of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), the largest of the coalition government’s four parties, Michel had appealed to the federal parliament to back a minority administration until the country held its general election next May.

Michel was seeking a “coalition of good will” to see him through until the poll of 26 May, warning that the country would be otherwise left rudderless for months should his government fall.

But in a dramatic day in the Belgian parliament, the Socialist party refused to countenance such a proposal.

During an evening sitting of the chamber, Michel told MPs in response that he would be offering his resignation to the King.

“My call did not convince,” Michel said. “It was not heard. I have decided to resign and go to the King immediately.”

In answer to calls for an early election, Michel refused, saying it would only lead to “stagnation for the whole of 2019”.

As MPs applauded, the prime minister buttoned his waistcoat, picked up his briefcase, shook the hands of a number of government ministers, and left.

Michel was subsequently asked by the King to be a caretaker prime minister, with reduced powers, while parliament seeks to construct a new alliance of parties that can take the reins of power. It is expected that the talks with parties will take several days but that a election will be held in the new year.

The N-VA, a Flemish nationalist party with hardline views on immigration, walked out of the government earlier this month over Michel’s signature to a UN migration pact providing for a common global approach to migrant flows.

The draft UN accord lays down 23 objectives to open up legal migration and better manage a global flow of 250 million people, 3% of the world population.

The US dropped out of talks on the pact last year and countries including Italy, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Australia have rejected it. The deal is expected to be ratified at the UN headquarters in New York on 19 December.

 

[whywesteppin]

More jails, more guns, less schools.......... America

A-men!

More beer, more coal, less vegetables.... AMERICA

 

[whywesteppin]

What a terrible week for new legislation.

Bump stock ban? Are you kidding me? What happened to my 2A rights? How am I going to protect my family? I thought this was America. This is the beginning of the end.

And criminal justice reform? Why? These are animals. They deserve to be locked up. Are you going to risk the safety and security of my family just to score political points? Yikes. Build the wall, now.

 

[blastercombo]

Pass legislation to take attention off your entire hand picked team going to jail 1 by 1 while they get completely undone with nothing more than sex from a troll looking spy

 

[the qbz]

Pass legislation to take attention off your entire hand pick team going to jail 1 by 1 while they get completely undone with nothing more than sex from a troll looking spy

Jokes on you as they are going to jail not prison

Boooooom

 

[infamouserror]

For those who think the only punishment is the Foundation dissolving

I hope our resident convenient fry-cook lawyer understands that this, along with obvious logistical concerns, is why we can't rely on charity to support the social safety net; sociopaths like his own president will always exploit the empathy of others. While it's true government will misuse tax payer money from time to time but on the whole it makes a lot more sense than counting on accountability and transparency from a private organization.

 

[the qbz]

On a serious note this story is heartbreaking

Their lungs are crystalizing.
One guy took 6 hours to cut his yard becuase his breathing is so bad.
He has his grave already picked out.

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Evil is the only way to describe this administration.

 

[dwalk31]

While it's true government will misuse tax payer money from time to time

You saved me the time by conceding this point.

But on the whole it makes a lot more sense than counting on accountability and transparency from a private organization.

Perhaps, but we can agree to disagree on that point.

But to further my point, a combination of private and public funding is the most reasonable solution (in my opinion). My point on private donations was to dispel the idea that organizations are unable to survive without federal funding. That is simply not true. And deciding to cut federal funding does not mean that an initiative is unimportant. I believe the onus should be placed on private individuals/companies, churches, etc. to ensure that certain initiatives are still funded even with de-funding from the federal government.