Current or modern politics in the United States

[9876543210]

Wasn't sure where to put this but here is as good a place as any.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has come out with a new report which has some amazing data. The report is on the explosion of hate groups in the US since Obama became President. A brief quote:

"The SPLC found there were 1,360 Patriot groups in 2012 – an 813 percent rise since 2008, the year before Obama took office. The groups include 321 militias. These numbers far exceed the movement’s peak in the 1990s, when militias were inflamed by the 1993 Brady Bill and the 1994 assault rifle ban."

1,360 "Patriot" groups? Most organized in the last four years? Oh yes, racism is really dead! And I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

http://www.splcenter.org/home/splc-r...ng-threat-of-v


And if you're interested, there's an interesting interactive map where you can check out the hate groups in you're area:

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map

[Reclaimedwg]

Originally Posted by 9876543210

wildtig2013,



I partially agree with you and partially agree with Bloomberg. It does seem ridiculous that we need to come up with such a law. Its the epitome of the nanny state. `But have you seen some of the people around you? And the size of some of the kids in our schools? We've been trying to educate the public about this for quite a while and the problem only seems to have gotten worse.

I don't know. I look around and wonder how much this is going to cost us in health costs in the years to come. Maybe Bloomberg's law isn't so bad.

Bloomberg is a Dictator and I am glad someone is seeing it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/ny...-ban.html?_r=0

If you don't think Bloomberg is a Dictator, read this other Law passed by his administration:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/09/...-takes-effect/

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/download...escription.pdf

[Puhbear69]

Originally Posted by wildtig2013

Bloomberg is a Dictator and I am glad someone is seeing it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/ny...-ban.html?_r=0

If you don't think Bloomberg is a Dictator, read this other Law passed by his administration:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/09/...-takes-effect/

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/download...escription.pdf

If you think, Bloomberg is a Dictator (in this 1. case), than welcome, join the Diabetes Type II division.

[9876543210]

wildtig2013,

Originally Posted by wildtig2013

Bloomberg is a Dictator and I am glad someone is seeing it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/ny...-ban.html?_r=0

If you don't think Bloomberg is a Dictator, read this other Law passed by his administration:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/09/...-takes-effect/

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/download...escription.pdf

Ugh, well, I hardly think Bloomberg is a dictator. Far from it. You might want to check the definition of the term before you use it:

http://dictionary.reference.com/brow...tor?s=t&path=/

These laws wouldn't have been approved unless a city council agreed with him.

Anyway, as I said in my last post, I think its ridiculous that Bloomberg has to go to that type of extreme in order to wake up the people of NYC. But I can somewhat understand it. I have no doubt that whats behind this is that the Mayor is in his office looking at a spreadsheet showing current and projected health care costs for the city. And he's going through the roof trying to figure out how to prevent the City from paying those exorbitant expenses.

The real problem is there is little he can do about it. Obamacare "might" help a little bit but very little. The problem is Obamacare did virtually nothing to reign in costs. Hospitals and other health care providers can (and do) charge whatever they want and their costs are based on somebody's whim. If you haven't seen it please read this excellent article by Steven Brill called "The Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us":

http://healthland.time.com/why-medic...re-killing-us/

The very first sentence:

We now spend 20 percent of our GDP—an estimated $2.8 trillion for 2013—on health care. It’s time to cut through the policy debate and follow the money.

20% of our GDP devoted to health care? And costs rising faster than anyone can imagine?

I can see Bloomberg looking at that spreadsheet and freaking out. He's got to do something to slow down those costs and banning huge cups of soft drinks is pretty simple. If it gets people to quit drinking the stuff, or at least not drink as much of it, then it could save the taxpayers a few bucks in the future.

[Puhbear69]

The Cost of Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association (Association) released new research on March 6, 2013 estimating the total costs of diagnosed diabetes have risen to $245 billion in 2012 from $174 billion in 2007, when the cost was last examined.

This figure represents a 41 percent increase over a five year period.....

Read more...

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

Of course there are cases of adult - onset diabetes included.

But - adiposity and extended sugar consume bear a very high risk of getting a diabetes illness.

The harmfully side effects of this illness aren't joky too!!! I think they will not been included in the costs of the diabetes statistic, but at least I do not know for sure.

[scoundrel]

While I am doubtful that Jeb Bush will be elected President in 2016, I suspect he might run and if he does, he won't come last in the Primaries. A lot of people dismissed the Republican challenge in 2012 but like it or not, Mitt Romney had a lot of Democrats bricking it (British vernacular phrase which indicates a sudden loss of weight) in the final days before the November 2012 poll was taken. Had it not been for Hurricane Sandy, which threw into high relief the dogmatic nonsense of the Republicans wanting to privatise disaster relief provision and had it not been for the timely intervention of Senate candidate Todd Akin, who thinks women who have been raped shouldn't be allowed to have abortions and who couldn't resist the self-important urge to say what he thinks during his election campaign, no matter how fascist and loathsome his thinking is, I reckon Mr Obama could have been waiting for Florida to count the hanging chads.

Jeb Bush is a smart operator and would be at least as polished a candidate as Mitt Romney, and lest we forget, Mr Romney ran a much more effective campaign than people thought he would, and he definitely gained traction against Mr Obama in the TV debates. I think Jeb Bush shouldn't win; but I wonder who the Democrat will be in 2016. After eight difficult years and going to the polls with a ghastly deficit, as they inevitably will, the Democrats need to be thinking now about who they should pick to argue their case in three years time.

[9876543210]

Puhbear69,

Originally Posted by Puhbear69

The Cost of Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association (Association) released new research on March 6, 2013 estimating the total costs of diagnosed diabetes have risen to $245 billion in 2012 from $174 billion in 2007, when the cost was last examined.

This figure represents a 41 percent increase over a five year period.....

Holy cow! A 41% increase in five years! No wonder Bloomberg is doing this.

The harmfully side effects of this illness aren't joky too!!! I think they will not been included in the costs of the diabetes statistic, but at least I do not know for sure.

Not quite sure what you're saying here (translators can sometimes not work that well) but I think you're suggesting that diabetes is not a joke. You are correct about that. I'm no expert but I do know you don't want it as its extremely expensive since you wind up having many medical problems from it. You can lose a leg one year, an arm a few years down the road, your teeth after that, etc., etc. I don't know for sure but I'd bet diabetes is one pre-existing condition that would get you denied from every insurance company.

I've known a couple of people with it and its not pretty. Once it really gets a hold of you its a very sad thing to watch over time.

[Puhbear69]

...but I think you're suggesting that diabetes is not a joke.

Yes I did.

Here you can't get denied from insurance companies, except the private one.

Of diabetes type II one will lose the eyesight soon or later.
One will get erectile dysfunctions on type I, high, high risk of arteriosclerosis, ongoing with heart problems. Degenerative joint disease, fungal deceases (because of a higher sugar level) and so on. No, that's not a joke.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by qwerty007

That's an easy one.

If she doesn't stick her dick in the fan during the next 3 years , it's gonna be Hillary - without a doubt. Obama has already started to repay the Clinton's by having the tv 'chat' with Hilary - extolling her virtues.

The republicans are gonna have a real tough time of it. They've lost the new immigrant vote to the Dems, now they're going to have to figure out how they are going to stop the flood of females from voting for her. Not an easy task.

Jeb v Hillary will be a rout.

I am not convinced that Hillary Clinton will be a strong candidate in 2016. I don't believe she showed particularly well against Mr Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary election. I am sure that in Mr Clinton she will have by far the best campaigner on her side and that will count for a great deal; but she herself does not impress me overmuch.

There will almost certainly be a primary election. I wonder who else the Democrats can field?

[dethtongue]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

I am not convinced that Hillary Clinton will be a strong candidate in 2016. I don't believe she showed particularly well against Mr Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary election. I am sure that in Mr Clinton she will have by far the best campaigner on her side and that will count for a great deal; but she herself does not impress me overmuch.

There will almost certainly be a primary election. I wonder who else the Democrats can field?

Biden for sure. Its almost obligatory he participates and that Obama would back him. So far his many verbal stumbles seem to be greeted with bemused affection (unless your a conservative that is) rather than disdain, but that could change if he were a serious contender. So far he also seems to have avoided being characterized as your typical vice presidential buffoon (Quail/ Gore) or scheming evil henchman (Cheney/ Agnew) as well.