Playing the Constitution card.
#241
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Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
Ian
#244
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
Well thank god we've got you here to keep us rational and intellectually well balanced. I must have slipped through the cracks. Deary, deary me !
I don't like the guy. He started on me a week back without cause. He has proved in another post that he has a nasty streak in him and a coward who hides behind a keyboard to boot.
I don't like the guy. He started on me a week back without cause. He has proved in another post that he has a nasty streak in him and a coward who hides behind a keyboard to boot.
FYI - It's weird to make personal remarks about somebody's home, family, security or personal well-being. It's creepy. Just stop.
#246
Just Joined
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 25
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
I realize on BE threads personal experience is not often viewed as objective, but areas that I know something about through direct experience have shown over the decades an increase in crime, but as I wrote a lot depends on geography as USA a big country. From the news it appears overall crime statistics are down from the 80's, and I did read one report saying outside of the urban areas US crime statistics not too dissimilar to those to some areas of Europe.
Your personal experience not withstanding, this article on the subject in general makes an interesting read: The world is not falling apart: The trend lines reveal an increasingly peaceful period in history..
#247
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
Of course people's perceptions can be very different to that reality:
"Despite double-digit percentage decreases in U.S. violent and property crime rates since 2008, most voters say crime has gotten worse during that span, according to a new Pew Research Center survey."
"These polling trends stand in sharp contrast to the long-term crime trends reported by the FBI and BJS. Both agencies have documented big decreases in violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when U.S. crime rates reached their peak. The BJS data, for instance, show that violent and property crime levels in 2015 were 77% and 69% below their 1993 levels, respectively."
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank...-with-reality/
Last edited by Giantaxe; Apr 18th 2017 at 3:49 pm.
#248
Just Joined
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 25
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
I have to disagree. The Vietnam war was winding down when I arrived, negotiations were taking place to end it. That was never a war that was a threat to world peace and stability overall. China thru Nixon had been brought in from the cold The cold war with the USSR was still on but both sides were well aware of AMD.
Compare that to now. A demagogue in the Kremlin who has ambitions to recover a lost empire. In North Korea a leader who is treated like a God and is completely unpredictable as well as a ruler of a country with nuclear weapons. In the White House a man without any experience whatsoever in politics surrounded by advisors who have no experience either. Steve Bannon ? God help us all ! The EPA was in it's infancy when I arrived. Now it's on it's death bed. What does that portend for the future of the health and well being of this country?
What's happening now is a game of deadly brinkmanship between a novice politician and leader... Trump against a Russian demagogue and an unbalanced paranoid N. Korean leader.
If ever there was a scenario for blundering into a massive, destructive conflict the time is now.
Compare that to now. A demagogue in the Kremlin who has ambitions to recover a lost empire. In North Korea a leader who is treated like a God and is completely unpredictable as well as a ruler of a country with nuclear weapons. In the White House a man without any experience whatsoever in politics surrounded by advisors who have no experience either. Steve Bannon ? God help us all ! The EPA was in it's infancy when I arrived. Now it's on it's death bed. What does that portend for the future of the health and well being of this country?
What's happening now is a game of deadly brinkmanship between a novice politician and leader... Trump against a Russian demagogue and an unbalanced paranoid N. Korean leader.
If ever there was a scenario for blundering into a massive, destructive conflict the time is now.
One thing I will wholeheartedly agree with is your comment about the EPA. Global Warming if far and away the greatest existential threat we're facing and is worth worrying about if anything is. Sadly it seems most people want to remain blind to the severity of this problem so beyond taking personal responsibility and voting green I'm not sure what can be done about it at this point.
Last edited by bartholemues; Apr 18th 2017 at 4:57 pm.
#249
Just Joined
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 25
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
True, but remember that the plural of anecdote is not data, even when it's morpeth spouting.... and with the fall in crime being so marked since the 70's and '80's, I wonder how many areas of the country have actually seen an increase? Chicago, presumably, but I am sceptical that the list is very long.
Of course people's perceptions can be very different to that reality:
"Despite double-digit percentage decreases in U.S. violent and property crime rates since 2008, most voters say crime has gotten worse during that span, according to a new Pew Research Center survey."
"These polling trends stand in sharp contrast to the long-term crime trends reported by the FBI and BJS. Both agencies have documented big decreases in violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when U.S. crime rates reached their peak. The BJS data, for instance, show that violent and property crime levels in 2015 were 77% and 69% below their 1993 levels, respectively."
Voters’ perceptions of crime continue to conflict with reality | Pew Research Center
Of course people's perceptions can be very different to that reality:
"Despite double-digit percentage decreases in U.S. violent and property crime rates since 2008, most voters say crime has gotten worse during that span, according to a new Pew Research Center survey."
"These polling trends stand in sharp contrast to the long-term crime trends reported by the FBI and BJS. Both agencies have documented big decreases in violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when U.S. crime rates reached their peak. The BJS data, for instance, show that violent and property crime levels in 2015 were 77% and 69% below their 1993 levels, respectively."
Voters’ perceptions of crime continue to conflict with reality | Pew Research Center
#250
Banned
Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
I can't say I disagree with the basis of your views here but the actual outcome of your worries are rather nebulous at this point. I guess we'll see how it all plays out in the coming years but based on recent history I'm more inclined to think that much of the current craziness will mostly play itself out politically much like other more recent political conflicts such as the cold war. Obviously having Trump in charge isn't helpful but fortunately the US political system and a divided Republican party should hamstring his ability to do much more than run his mouth.
One thing I will wholeheartedly agree with is your comment about the EPA. Global Warming if far and away the greatest existential threat we're facing and is worth worrying about if anything is. Sadly it seems most people want to remain blind to the severity of this problem so beyond taking personal responsibility and voting green I'm not sure what can be done about it at this point.
One thing I will wholeheartedly agree with is your comment about the EPA. Global Warming if far and away the greatest existential threat we're facing and is worth worrying about if anything is. Sadly it seems most people want to remain blind to the severity of this problem so beyond taking personal responsibility and voting green I'm not sure what can be done about it at this point.
I think Trump is changing his mind over his election statement that the US will leave the international agreement reached in Paris on clean air. One good thing for us in California is that the State will in no way repeal it's environmental regulations despite what Washingto does. We tend to grumble about paying higher prices for gasoline than other States do because all gasoline for sale in California has to be specially refined. Governor Brown whose in his last term has placed an eleven cents a gallon increase on a gallon of gas effective January 1st 2018. It's purpose is to fund infrastructure repairs and updates. This wont go down well with a lot of people but how I see it is that when a gallon of gas becomes a bit too pricey it further encourages car buyers to move more and more towards hybrids and all electric vehicles
Last edited by dc koop; Apr 18th 2017 at 6:16 pm.
#251
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
r his election statement that the US will leave the international agreement reached in Paris on clean air. One good thing for us in California is that the State will in no way repeal it's environmental regulations despite what Washingto does. We tend to grumble about paying higher prices for gasoline than other States do because all gasoline for sale in California has to be specially refined. Governor Brown whose in his last term has placed an eleven cents a gallon increase on a gallon of gas effective January 1st 2018. It's purpose is to fund infrastructure repairs and updates. This wont go down well with a lot of people but how I see it is that when a gallon of gas becomes a bit too pricey it further encourages car buyers to move more and more towards hybrids and all electric vehicles
California won't repeal its environmental regulations, but I suspect that Trump will try to impose rolled-back federal fuel economy standards on it, leading to a court fight.
#252
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 25
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
#253
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Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
I've heard it said that during a war, China could suffer casualties of one million people per day... and still be able to fight for well over 3 years! Frightening.
Ian
#254
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,543
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
I remember when Canadian PM Joe Clark tried to increase the tax on gasoline by 18 cents a gallon. Unfortunately, he had a minority government and a vote of non-confidence was called which triggered a general election... and he lost. Pierre Trudeau then became PM (again)... and subsequently raised the tax on gasoline by 20 cents. Fun times!
I've heard it said that during a war, China could suffer casualties of one million people per day... and still be able to fight for well over 3 years! Frightening.
Ian
I've heard it said that during a war, China could suffer casualties of one million people per day... and still be able to fight for well over 3 years! Frightening.
Ian
#255
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,543
Re: Playing the Constitution card.
Which is all very nice but even the Paris Accords are a drop in the bucket of what really needs to be done to prevent the inevitable catastrophic warming that is likely to arrive this century. A lot of the offsetting being done is BS anyway. A one child per family limit imposed today would probably be the minimum required to prevent this. Personally I'm committed to having none to try and offset others