Current or modern politics in the United States

[deepsepia]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

In fact, as Mr Trump has told us, there was a record turnout to his inauguration.

If Trump wants to see a real crowd . . . just announce a "goodbye party" . . .

[Roubignol]

‘Good for business’: Trump adviser Bolton admits US interest in Venezuela’s ‘oil capabilities’

At least John Bolton doesn't hide US goal on Venezuela.

With the Venezuela crisis escalating after the US’ provocative intervention against elected leader Nicolas Maduro last week, an honest admission by National Security Advisor John Bolton was overlooked by the media: It’s about oil.

Trump’s top adviser, who has been branded the most fervent hawk in the administration, has admitted that Washington is heavily invested in political outcomes in Caracas particularly because of Venezuela’s vast untapped oil reserves.

Indeed, it just so happens that Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

The Trump administration isn't even pretending when you have Bolton literally say it's about oil. No American can legitimately support this coup. It's not about anything good. Just theft.
— Geoffrey Cramer (@gcramer30) January 28, 2019

Speaking to Fox Business host Trish Regan, Bolton said that the US had “a lot at stake” in Venezuela’s political crisis, specifically citing the country’s oil and the economic benefit it could bring to the US.

It will make a big difference to the United States economically if we could have American oil companies invest in and produce the oil capabilities in Venezuela.

"We're in conversation with major American companies now...It would make a difference if we could have American companies produce the oil in Venezuela. It would be good for Venezuela and the people of the United States." - John "Chickenhawk" Bolton, servant of Swamp King Trump. pic.
— HootHootBerns #RunBernieRun (@HootHootBerns) January 28, 2019

During a separate appearance on Fox Business, Bolton was less explicit, telling host Stuart Varney that getting rid of Maduro was paramount since he was bringing “countries with interests hostile to ours” into the country and ousting him would be a “potential major step forward” for “business” opportunities in the region.

Of course, Bolton also repeated the usual lines, claiming the US intervention in Venezuela’s domestic politics was about ousting an “authoritarian” leader and protecting democracy and human rights — but the comments about oil betrayed what many have suggested is the underlying reason and driving force behind the White House’s interference.

According to the CIA World Factbook, as of January 1st, 2017 Venezuela had the largest proven oil reserve estimate of any country, including Saudi Arabia.
— Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) January 23, 2019

The real reason the US cares about “democracy” in #Venezuela summed up in 32 seconds. pic.
— Danielle Ryan (@DanielleRyanJ) January 26, 2019

The USA has been destroying Venezuela for its oil, just like Iraq and have started a coup, trying to install their puppet regime under Guiada. The US sanctions are illegal under international law not endorsed by UN Security Council- Former UN Rappoarteur https://t.co/eTniRxdE5M
— Dr Tom O'Connor (@justeconomics) January 27, 2019

Venezuela happens and people people fall for the usual auld left versus right crap as an opportunity to bang on about their political prejudices and gallop off on their hobby-horses.

Oil & money & who gets to get it is the reason for this situation, nothing else.
— Seán Ó Morchoe (@JohnMurphy51) January 27, 2019

Bolton’s interest in seeing the US economy profit off Venezuela’s plentiful natural resources shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Trump himself has a history of arguing for regime changes in oil-rich countries around the world… but only if US companies benefit.

“I’m interested in Libya if we take the oil. If we don’t take the oil, no interest,”he told Fox in 2012 a month after the disastrous US-led NATO intervention which left Libya a failed state. “We’ll help you, but we want 50 percent of your oil,” he said of Libya in another interview. Trump has also advocated a “take the oil” policy for Iraq in the past.

Trump on Libya in 2011: We should “Immediately go into Libya and knock this guy out... We should’ve said we’ll help you, but we want 50% of your oil.“

Oh Trump, such a humanitarian guy pic.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2019

Bolton isn’t the only one to admit oil is a primary factor in US actions in Venezuela. Florida’s Republican senator Marco Rubio tweeted last week that refining the much-sought after heavy crude from Venezuela already “supports great jobs” for Americans in the Gulf Coast.

Biggest buyers of Venezuelan oil are @ValeroEnergy & @Chevron. Refining heavy crude from #Venezuela supports great jobs in Gulf Coast.

For the sake of these U.S. workers I hope they will begin working with administration of President Guaido & cut off illegitimate Maduro regime.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 24, 2019

Despite clear admissions that oil is a primary interest for Trump and Bolton, that aspect of Venezuela’s crisis has been mostly overlooked by mainstream media in the US and Europe, with journalists, who are usually more hostile to Trump, unquestioningly adopting the narrative that the intervention is about “democracy” instead.

READ MORE: Washington orchestrates coup in Venezuela, incites civil war, in name of ‘democracy’

Last week, Trump recognized Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president, declared Maduro’s presidency “illegitimate” and called for regime change. The European Union, along with US allies in the Western Hemisphere quickly lined up to back Trump’s position, while Russia, China, Turkey and Venezuela’s allies in Latin America spoke out against the move.

Maduro’s government has accused the US of trying to engineer a “coup” and waging an “economic war” against it.

[TheBare]

I had confidently predicted that this was going to be a meeting of The Communist Party of the United States of America ...

OK I'll give you that one

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by TheBare

OK I'll give you that one

Funny, I don't see Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez anywhere in that pictures.

You right wing guys accusing center left politicians of being "Communists" completely ruin your credibility. Over the top rhetoric and power grabs leave no room for the dialogue and compromise necessary for democracy to function.

There are communists and anarchists out there. They are gaining support from the generation coming of age and finding themselves deprived of avenues to prosperity. You really aren't going to like it as they gain power.

"History repeats itself, the first as tragedy, then as farce" - Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon, 1852

[TheBare]

There are communists and anarchists out there.
They are gaining support from the generation coming of age and finding themselves deprived of avenues to prosperity.

If they made an effort to take advantage, there are untold avenues of prosperity in the US Maybe not if you're taking liberal arts or lesbian folk dancing as a viable degree. They are only bitching about not getting enough free stuff Unfortunately the ones that worked hard made their own way and had some ethical standards are the ones that will be paying That is until their money runs out. I would not want to put my future in the hands of these overgrown self absorbed cell phone idiots.

BTW here's one for you just to keep you happy
A real center left hero

It is a RIGHT to have a good job. Yeh well it is NOT. It is a right to be able to EARN a good job and that is available to all. It takes hard work and some semblance of intelligent thinking to do that. It is no ones responsibility but your own !

[Jenny48549]

Let me give you a little reality check on what young people run into these days in this country.

My daughter graduated from college with a double major in biology and psychology. She has been working as a medical technologist for 3 years now, does supervisory and research work for the department without getting paid for it, and got a 1% raise this year. She is barely making over $50,000 per year before taxes and still has @$80,000 in college loans to pay off after going to a state college. Oh yeah, and she got doo doo from that supposed "middle income tax cut".

The cost of living in the Northeast is through the roof and with all that money to pay off yet, you tell me how kids like her are supposed to get ahead.

Do the math......I don't think so. And people don't think that something needs to change ????? Get real

[TheBare]

Good for her she deserves better

I would say she was getting seriously taken advantage of and after 3 years she should look elsewhere.

Results from a 2008 Gallup poll indicated that eight of the top ten Democratic states were located in the region, with every Northeastern state having a Democratic party affiliation advantage of at least ten points

[Jenny48549]

Originally Posted by TheBare

Good for her she deserves better

I would say she was getting seriously taken advantage of and after 3 years she should look elsewhere.

She is but that's not as easy as you might think either.

[diamelsx]

Originally Posted by TheBare

If they made an effort to take advantage, there are untold avenues of prosperity in the US Maybe not if you're taking liberal arts or lesbian folk dancing as a viable degree.

Last I checked the top 5 majors in the country are Business Health Services Social Sciences Environmental Sciences in engineering. this has been the case for a couple years. The underwater basket weaving narrative is just the way for people to justify not paying for education.

Originally Posted by TheBare

They are only bitching about not getting enough free stuff Unfortunately the ones that worked hard made their own way and had some ethical standards are the ones that will be paying That is until their money runs out.

Actually, a majority of college students these days are paying their own way. Free tuition is just them wanting things to go back to the way they were back in the good old days. if folks from Generations past were able to get free or low-cost tuition they feel they shouldn't have to buy house to get theirs.

Originally Posted by TheBare

I would not want to put my future in the hands of these overgrown self absorbed cell phone idiots.

BTW here's one for you just to keep you happy
A real center left hero

You got to love the way she is breaking things. The thing you probably going to end up fearing the most is her ideas is not going to stay confined to the youth and we'll spread to the people higher up the age scale. It is already happening you see this when they pull people on her ideas how popular they are. I guess that economics degree is not from a diploma Mill.

Originally Posted by TheBare

It is a RIGHT to have a good job. Yeh well it is NOT. It is a right to be able to EARN a good job and that is available to all. It takes hard work and some semblance of intelligent thinking to do that. It is no ones responsibility but your own !

The problem is too many people are putting in the time, effort, money and the work only to end up in debt, a debt they can never get rid of. Higher education has been converted from a step up to a form of indentured servitude.

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by Jenny48549

Let me give you a little reality check on what young people run into these days in this country.

My daughter graduated from college with a double major in biology and psychology. She has been working as a medical technologist for 3 years now, does supervisory and research work for the department without getting paid for it, and got a 1% raise this year. She is barely making over $50,000 per year before taxes and still has @$80,000 in college loans to pay off after going to a state college. Oh yeah, and she got doo doo from that supposed "middle income tax cut".

The cost of living in the Northeast is through the roof and with all that money to pay off yet, you tell me how kids like her are supposed to get ahead.

Do the math......I don't think so. And people don't think that something needs to change ????? Get real

This posting had me check the CPI calculations. The bureau of Labor Statistics calculates inflation over the past year at 1.3%, which doesn't sound so bad. BUT, food increased at 1.6%, Restaurant & take-out meals at 2.8%, and rents at 3.4%. Other items like auto insurance, auto repairs, medical, and natural gas (heating & cooking) are up at double, triple or 4 times the rate of inflation. Clothing prices are flat. A closer look shows that the whole CPI is kept low by the steep decline in gasoline prices.

This is no real surprise to me as I track my spending and note that my grocery bills are higher despite eating less and pretty much cutting meat from my diet. I rarely eat out anymore. Rents have held steady lately but had climbed steeply over the previous 3 years.

The long and short of it is that working folks are falling further behind. We have really known something was amiss when wages have been stagnant despite record low unemployment. But we know why that is. Folks are taking any job & jobs with pay cuts just to survive while companies are making record profits. Industry is not expanding because demand is not there and a downturn is imminent. Working people will have real trouble keeping things together when that happens because they can't save in these conditions.

Just to add insult to injury, fast food outlets are now able to replace human chefs with robots. We have already seen cashier jobs disappearing with self checkout. A ton of jobs have been automated out of existence, e.g., accounts payable clerks.