After The Ball Drops Tonight, It'll Be Back To Reality

[Ray From Cleveland]

And even more obvious: the Democratic policies that are contributing to a big drop in stock prices has a massive impact on one’s retirement savings - and one’s retirement lifestyle.

Very true. My sister wanted to retire late this year. Poor girl is on salary and works ridiculous hours so she was really looking forward to it, but now she's unsure if she can make it since her IRA took such a hit. Terrible timing because us baby boomers are getting out of the workforce in record numbers, and many of us did depend on our IRA accounts to live comfortably without any worries.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

And this is why there is nothing I can do to change things. People like you on both sides have been brainwashed into this way of thinking.

Truth can be disturbing at times. It's so much easier to just throw your arms up and say "there's nothing I can do about it!" Change does happen based on who is running this country. Anybody that actually thinks it doesn't matter is completely ignorant of US politics and policies.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Truth can be disturbing at times. It's so much easier to just throw your arms up and say "there's nothing I can do about it!" Change does happen based on who is running this country. Anybody that actually thinks it doesn't matter is completely ignorant of US politics and policies.

Nothing changes but the window dressing based upon who is running the country. Both sides spend too much and take away too many of our rights. If it helps you to sleep at night to think that you side is some how better, then I am happy for you.

 

[Road Runner]

It's pretty depressing what Biden did to this country.

That's the biggest understatement at the beginning of the new year.

I look forward to happiness and prosperity in 2023.

I would love for that to happen too, but that's not going to happen underneath our current administration.

 

[Lisa558]

Very true. My sister wanted to retire late this year. Poor girl is on salary and works ridiculous hours so she was really looking forward to it, but now she's unsure if she can make it since her IRA took such a hit. Terrible timing because us baby boomers are getting out of the workforce in record numbers, and many of us did depend on our IRA accounts to live comfortably without any worries.

Yup. Biden and the Dems have made things uncertain, if not outright difficult, for tens of millions of people who were responsible their whole lives, saving into IRAs and 401Ks, and now are worried. And all this happened in two years!

In the interim, Biden and the left’s focus remains on bringing in as many semi-literate illegal aliens as possible, expanding the welfare state, and valuing diversity of competence. The perfect recipe to destroy a country.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

I would love for that to happen too, but that's not going to happen underneath our current administration.

Maybe one day you will move on and not tie your happiness to a political party.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Yup. Biden and the Dems have made things uncertain, if not outright difficult, for tens of millions of people who were responsible their whole lives, saving into IRAs and 401Ks, and now are worried. And all this happened in two years!

In the interim, Biden and the left’s focus remains on bringing in as many semi-literate illegal aliens as possible, expanding the welfare state, and valuing diversity of competence. The perfect recipe to destroy a country.

Not to mention they'll never be happy until our entire country looks like a freak show with guys kissing each other on the park bench, other guys in dresses using women's facilities, and girls with dicks. The left hates normal people.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Nothing changes but the window dressing based upon who is running the country. Both sides spend too much and take away too many of our rights. If it helps you to sleep at night to think that you side is some how better, then I am happy for you.

So what rights have Republicans ever took away? And don't say abortion because it's not even mentioned in the Constitution. In the meantime we have a dictator that's allowing the FBI to silence free speech via social media, and even paying them to do it, the rest of the commies trying to prosecute Trump for exercising his rights to free speech and peacefull assembly, suggesting that we take away liability protection from gun manufacturers and gun sellers putting them all out of business so we have no place to get guns from, bringing in third worlders to create a single-party country forever.

But oh, it doesn't matter what party you vote for.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

So what rights have Republicans ever took away?

Have you heard of the PATRIOT ACT?

FISA Courts?

NSA Spying on US citizens?

The right to smoke a joint vice getting blasted drunk

 

[Clipper]

MAGA media does this to them.

The Fox News goon squad has got some of the herd ready to hurl themselves off a building as they rant & rave from their Ivory Tower about how bad things are.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Have you heard of the PATRIOT ACT?

FISA Courts?

NSA Spying on US citizens?

The right to smoke a joint vice getting blasted drunk

The Patriot Act was created to give our authorities the ability to tap into phone, text and emails of terrorists communicating with people within our country. People in the middle-east don't have any of our constitutional protections. This was a reaction to the 911 terrorists freely using our communications to conduct their plot. The FISA court was established in 1975 under a Democrat House. It worked fine until Democrats abused it in 2015 to spy on a foe of the deep state. Even then they used lies to get their warrants. The NSA was established by Democrat Harry Truman.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

The Patriot Act was created to give our authorities the ability to tap into phone, text and emails of terrorists communicating with people within our country. People in the middle-east don't have any of our constitutional protections. This was a reaction to the 911 terrorists freely using our communications to conduct their plot. The FISA court was established in 1975 under a Democrat House. It worked fine until Democrats abused it in 2015 to spy on a foe of the deep state. Even then they used lies to get their warrants. The NSA was established by Democrat Harry Truman.

You are such a good little puppet.

It was a Repub POTUS that used the PATRIOT Act to let the NSA spy on US Citizens.

The FISA Court abuses started under the same POTUS.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

You are such a good little puppet.

It was a Repub POTUS that used the PATRIOT Act to let the NSA spy on US Citizens.

The FISA Court abuses started under the same POTUS.

Bullshit. The NSA didn't start spying on citizens until long after Bush was gone. What the NSA did during Bush was have a computer look for keywords programed into the system. When a keyword was used it was only then an agent would listen to the conversation or checkout the email. During the Bush years, not one American was ever charged or convicted of anything using the NSA system.

 

[j-mac]

I have not defended a thing, nor a person, nor a party, nor any damn thing except for myself and mine



Whatever makes you happy. The whole premise if this thread is based upon people like you that tie their happiness and security to one party being in power.

The joys of knowing both parties suck and care about nothing but themselves is I do not have to be miserable half the time like you people on here if an election does not go my way

The downfall is knowing that people like you will keep doing it no matter how long things go without changing.

And here I thought when you came to this site you were here to debate ideas…When in reality all you do is bash Trump, and defend democrats with your “I don’t take sides” bullshit….We have enough jello to nail to walls there buddy….If you stand for nothing, then you’re just wasting time here, serious people don’t approach life like that.

So, why not get out of that comfort zone of standing for nothing, and tell us what the hell you do stand for? Give us some ideas to chew on?

Any average dumbass can spend their time being contrarian, it’s truly the intellectually brave that take a stand.

Maybe you can’t. Maybe it terrifies you to have to defend something rather than just bitch, moan about others that you disagree with…What a miserable existence that must be.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

And here I thought when you came to this site you were here to debate ideas…When in reality all you do is bash Trump,

Do you think you debate on here? Or do you shout down those that do not think just like you?

I do not even talk about Trump all that often and just about never bring him up. You cannot even make up good lies about me

defend democrats with your “I don’t take sides” bullshit….We have enough jello to nail to walls there buddy….If you stand for nothing, then you’re just wasting time here, serious people don’t approach life like that.

I am very firm in my views and beliefs. The fact that I have not sold my soul to one party or the other does not change that.

So, why not get out of that comfort zone of standing for nothing, and tell us what the hell you do stand for? Give us some ideas to chew on?

I do that every day.

Any average dumbass can spend their time being contrarian, it’s truly the intellectually brave that take a stand.

It takes no courage to be part of the tribe that controls this forum.

Maybe you can’t. Maybe it terrifies you to have to defend something rather than just bitch, moan about others that you disagree with…What a miserable existence that must be.

I defend the idea that the duopoly sucks and there is no fundamental difference between the two parties each and every day. I am a very happy person, since unlike you and the OP, I do not tie my happiness to one party being in power. Today a new Congress takes their seats and not a damn thing will change in our country , yet people celebrate it like it will.

 

[j-mac]

Do you think you debate on here? Or do you shout down those that do not think just like you?

Well, now that is a good question....When I started on political message boards back in the late '90s, debate was what took place. In fact moderation was tight, and people were much more civil to each other. In fact the crap fest you see go on now in these sites would have never happened...I guess I, over the years have contributed to the degradation of the purpose of these sites...But, I'm not alone in that for sure...

I am very firm in my views and beliefs. The fact that I have not sold my soul to one party or the other does not change that.

How in the hell would we know? You certainly don't offer much on your views or beliefs from what I read....Like I said being a contrarian is not hard....

I do that every day.

Not from what I see....You're big on poking holes, mostly in arguments from the right, but I rarely see you open up your views on a particular subject...

It takes no courage to be part of the tribe that controls this forum.

LOL...You really think that the right controls this forum? Take a look at the mods in here? Hell, you have at least two prolific ones that come in here and are among the worst flamers in the site....

I defend the idea that the duopoly sucks and there is no fundamental difference between the two parties each and every day. I am a very happy person, since unlike you and the OP, I do not tie my happiness to one party being in power. Today a new Congress takes their seats and not a damn thing will change in our country , yet people celebrate it like it will.

And what does that get you? Tilting at the "duopoly sucks" windmill? How's that help the country, or change any minds....? As for not tying your happiness to one party or the other being in power, I don't think a whole lot of people do, in the real world that is, to the extent that you think they do...But, what would you like to see the Republican's change in a real way, with a slim control of only the house? Tell us that, and how they would effect that change with only the house?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Well, now that is a good question....When I started on political message boards back in the late '90s, debate was what took place. In fact moderation was tight, and people were much more civil to each other. In fact the crap fest you see go on now in these sites would have never happened...I guess I, over the years have contributed to the degradation of the purpose of these sites...But, I'm not alone in that for sure...

I joined my first internet forum in 2000, after a few years of being on a BBS. It seems that over that time these forums have followed the path the country has taken, civil discourse is not really our thing now in this country so it would be crazy to expect it to be in a setting like this where there are no consequences for anything said to anyone.

How in the hell would we know? You certainly don't offer much on your views or beliefs from what I read....Like I said being a contrarian is not hard....

I cannot help that you do not pay attention to most of my post.

LOL...You really think that the right controls this forum? Take a look at the mods in here? Hell, you have at least two prolific ones that come in here and are among the worst flamers in the site....

This board is about 75/25 right vs left. Far more people from your tribe than the left.

And what does that get you? Tilting at the "duopoly sucks" windmill? How's that help the country, or change any minds....?

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness". There is no changing minds on forums like this. Has anyone ever changed your mind on any topic on this forum? Lets face it, people do not come here to be open minded.

What is the alterative for me? Do I just give up and go back to picking the lesser of two evils even though I do not see a difference between them?

As for not tying your happiness to one party or the other being in power, I don't think a whole lot of people do, in the real world that is, to the extent that you think they do

It is what the OP is about. I agree that out in the real world people do not do it. But here it is common place.

But, what would you like to see the Republican's change in a real way, with a slim control of only the house? Tell us that, and how they would effect that change with only the house?

They cannot change anything, which is why I do not get people celebrating them taking over. Even when the Repubs had the House, the Senate and the White House they did not change anything.

It is my belief that the biggest threat to our country is out of control spending by our Govt. What did the Repubs do about that while in power?

 

[j-mac]

I joined my first internet forum in 2000, after a few years of being on a BBS. It seems that over that time these forums have followed the path the country has taken, civil discourse is not really our thing now in this country so it would be crazy to expect it to be in a setting like this where there are no consequences for anything said to anyone.

I agree. But damn, don't you miss it? Hell, believe it or not, in the early days message boards like this were instrumental in helping me adjust my ability to listen to what others say, and be open to changing my mind...Today unfortunately, you are right in the sense that it is really nothing more than a daily insult fest....And, there are no consequences because the moderation is in on the degrading of the sites like these....

I cannot help that you do not pay attention to most of my post.

Oh but I do.....Of the members on this site believe it or not, I think that if the act was dropped there could be some good conversations, but that's not possible today....

This board is about 75/25 right vs left. Far more people from your tribe than the left.

That might be the case among posters here, but certainly not within the mod ranks....

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness". There is no changing minds on forums like this. Has anyone ever changed your mind on any topic on this forum? Lets face it, people do not come here to be open minded.

On this forum, sadly no....But it doesn't have to be that way....If people would just calm down, and post to express ideas, instead of looking for the easiest insult to throw, that could change...

What is the alterative for me? Do I just give up and go back to picking the lesser of two evils even though I do not see a difference between them?

No. Certainly there are some things that you agree with, then at that point it is incumbent upon everyone to work toward those beliefs. It's up to you to decide the best path for that....However, just shooting down everything you think comes from one party or another, isn't the answer...Tell me, how has it worked out for you so far?

It is what the OP is about. I agree that out in the real world people do not do it. But here it is common place.

As a label you assign? or in what others have told you?

They cannot change anything, which is why I do not get people celebrating them taking over. Even when the Repubs had the House, the Senate and the White House they did not change anything.

It is my belief that the biggest threat to our country is out of control spending by our Govt. What did the Repubs do about that while in power?

Admittedly not much....Which is why we in the Republican party need change in our leadership. Big Government RINO's looking to go along to get along is not the answer. We need to get back to Conservative principles, and Constitutional adherence....If that's even possible anymore.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Admittedly not much....Which is why we in the Republican party need change in our leadership. Big Government RINO's looking to go along to get along is not the answer. We need to get back to Conservative principles, and Constitutional adherence....If that's even possible anymore.

You may not agree, but in my opinion the last actual conservative president was a guy named Calvin.

Over the last 60 years or so conservativism has become to mean only social issues and not fiscal ones.

This is why we have 32 trillion dollars in debt. One party did not do that alone