2A advocates should pray for a full recovery

[VikingsGuy]

I feel like these arguments always end up focused on originalist or texturalist views vs pragmatist/living interpretations of the Constitution no matter what. And I can see the point of view where CU is a reasonable decision based on an originalist view but who honestly believes we are better off today with that decision? At what point do we acknowledge the limitations of the Constitution for predicting the extent of money and corporations' influence in politics?

The best thing that ever happened to “campaign reform” was CU. Without CU you would have have just seen even more creative structures, political gymnastics, direct billionaire funding and much of it simply being moved off shore given the global nature of communications in 2022. But with CU we can pretend their was a utopia within our grasp that the court denied us. We have had many forms of campaign reform at the state and fed level over the many decades - none amounted to anything more than a bureaucratic tangle that further distracted us from the real issues.

 

[Irrelevant]

The best thing that ever happened to “campaign reform” was CU.

CU created Super PACs and dark money.

A look at the impact of Citizens United on its 9th anniversary

Citizens United vs. FEC is 9 years old, and its impact on big money in federal elections is now clearer than ever before.

www.opensecrets.org

The majority pf Americans wish to see less money in politics not more.

Most Americans want to limit campaign spending, say big donors have greater political influence

Americans overwhelmingly support limits on political campaign spending, and most think new laws could effectively reduce the role of money in politics.

www.pewresearch.org

 

[LWC55]

Yeah I have a huge problem with that...

Claim
Proof of conspiracy

- Talking about a different virus
- Talking about a different vaccine
- Talking about an individual versus a population
- The event, getting a virus has already occurred.
- Did not ask the question
- Something said years before, which may not reflect current opinion and/or science


I'm not defending the video or Fauci but the claim and the use of this as evidence is ridiculous.

The medical community was wrong about HIV initially, are we going to say that because they were wrong and changed their minds based on the data they observed they are wrong forever forward about anything?

Fauci - "The most potent vaccination is getting infected yourself".

I'm not a doctor...obviously. But throughout my life life that statement has to my knowledge pretty well held true. I understand C-19 is new but are there any other known viruses where the vaccination provides better protection than recovering from said virus infection? Where it is recommended you get the vaccine, even if you have just recently recovered from the virus?

 

[Ben Lamb]

 

[VikingsGuy]

CU created Super PACs and dark money.

A look at the impact of Citizens United on its 9th anniversary

Citizens United vs. FEC is 9 years old, and its impact on big money in federal elections is now clearer than ever before.

www.opensecrets.org

View attachment 217640

The majority pf Americans wish to see less money in politics not more.

Most Americans want to limit campaign spending, say big donors have greater political influence

Americans overwhelmingly support limits on political campaign spending, and most think new laws could effectively reduce the role of money in politics.

www.pewresearch.org

View attachment 217641

No - politicians, billionaires, NGOs and unions created Super Pacs and dark money within a failed framework of campaign reform.

I do not fear speech - and I do not need bureaucrats and the two parties to decide what type or how much speech I receive.

I reject on first principles a premise that the Dem party and GOP should collaborate to use the state police power to horse trade how much, how little, in what form or when I can speak or be spoken to about my government and elections.

I have no problem with public hanging for bribery or government corruption if that is your concern.

I also am warming up to the Will Smith approach to offensive non-political speech

 

[406dn]

Citizen's United won't be overturned in my lifetime. It is already bearing fruit, some like it, I don't.

It is naive to think that in a country as large as ours, that money would not be a tool to use in politics. My largest complaint about the ruling is that it allows donors a shield on their identity.

If I stand in the public square and start talking, everyone can know who I am. Donors are afforded anonymity with the various PAC, interest groups. There are so many ways to remain hidden from view while trying to influence an election. The very least that should be done is that a donor list for every political campaign group should be publicly available.

 

[Sytes]

I agree about derailing and not wanting to have his closed so I’m out.

Oh to hell w/ that. You manage yourself better than the vast majority here (myself included).
Keep contributing your opinion. People complain about thread jacking when the topic doesn't agree with them otherwise, they themselves, backed by their pom pomeries thread jack frequently.
There's a point to move on back to the main topic and you've shared your intent far beyond the vast majority AND in a respectful manner.
Everyone, even the atheists and those who love to fence sit, understand (or should) if they expect to share their opinion, it's a reciprocal street.
There are a few arsehats that stoop to specific personal attacks (childish bullying) when their opinion isn't vaulted as the fact of the thread... meh, need arsehats to know the good of others.

Hope you continue to contribute. Need varied opinions shared vs a pep rally for the vocal few.

Cheers.

As for Ukraine/Russia:

 

[Perlodid]

The best thing that ever happened to “campaign reform” was CU. Without CU you would have have just seen even more creative structures, political gymnastics, direct billionaire funding and much of it simply being moved off shore given the global nature of communications in 2022. But with CU we can pretend their was a utopia within our grasp that the court denied us. We have had many forms of campaign reform at the state and fed level over the many decades - none amounted to anything more than a bureaucratic tangle that further distracted us from the real issues.

I'm not pretending there was a utopia killed by the courts. I'm stating that CU directly allowed and encouraged corporations and interest groups to influence politics to a greater extent than they could prior to the decision. Would money still have influenced elections regardless because of how global communication is done today? Of course - does that mean every attempt to limit its influence is entirely useless? Just give up because the process is already compromised and let it happen? If large corporate interests pushing politicians isn't a real issue, I don't know what is.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

known viruses where the vaccination provides better protection than recovering from said virus infection?

Context, there are lots of viruses that straight up kill you so.... not getting the virus is the best course of action
Ebola virus... pretty sure I'd take that vaccine before getting Ebola (there is no vaccine)
PrEP for HIV
HPV vaccine
Pertussis
lots of others....

Where it is recommended you get the vaccine, even if you have just recently recovered from the virus?

See this is why it's just not comparable, each disease is different, science evolves over time, what someone says as a expert versus what you say as the head of a public health agency are going to be different.

Maybe influenza and Covid are different, maybe he changed his mind based on new information, maybe he was speaking in the context of a single person versus trying to make people comfortable with a vaccine give the hesitancy. We don't know, but there are lots of logical reasons, that aren't he's corrupt.

Now a huge check in his account from Moderna would be great proof of corruption...

I'm not defending the statement, just trying to show why this isn't a smoking gun.


To be clear Fauci has probably made bad calls and people have likely died from those calls, but that's because he's a MD and that's part of the job.

Think about about generals say to troops versus what they know, villain's or doing a job...

 

[noharleyyet]

Citizen's United won't be overturned in my lifetime. It is already bearing fruit, some like it, I don't.

It is naive to think that in a country as large as ours, that money would not be a tool to use in politics. My largest complaint about the ruling is that it allows donors a shield on their identity.

If I stand in the public square and start talking, everyone can know who I am. Donors are afforded anonymity with the various PAC, interest groups. There are so many ways to remain hidden from view while trying to influence an election. The very least that should be done is that a donor list for every interstate's group should be publicly available.

Be interesting to know who buys both blue/red. The phrase, "Show me the rules so I can figure out how to defeat them" comes to mind. Money doesn't rest or rust.

 

[406dn]

Be interesting to know who buys both blue/red. The phrase, "Show me the rules so I can figure out how to defeat them" comes to mind. Money doesn't rest or rust.

I have no doubt there is overlap.

Back when I was a young man, a friend from work was relaying that his father in law retained attorneys with Republican ties and attorneys with Democratic ties. He used them depending who needed to be lobbied.

 

[BigHornRam]

Be interesting to know who buys both blue/red. The phrase, "Show me the rules so I can figure out how to defeat them" comes to mind. Money doesn't rest or rust.

There goes Elon again, driving down the center line getting yelled at by everyone.

Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors, teases 'significant improvements'

Musk took a 9.2% passive stake in the company.

www.cnbc.com

 

[noharleyyet]

There goes Elon again, driving down the center line getting yelled at by everyone.

Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors, teases 'significant improvements'

Musk took a 9.2% passive stake in the company.

www.cnbc.com

Passive stake, active influencer

 

[noharleyyet]

There goes Elon again, driving down the center line getting yelled at by everyone.

Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors, teases 'significant improvements'

Musk took a 9.2% passive stake in the company.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Ben Lamb]

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