The Philadelphia Inquirer, a leftist newspaper in the model of the New York Times, publishes philly.com. They do some good work, especially in their annual survey of the school system.
Not a single vote? Not a single nut? No Oreos? No crackers? Not a mistaken chad to be had?
Either there is no independence of thought in geographical areas, or there are economies of scale in vote fraud.
Either way, perhaps we should count votes by taking the logarithm of each precinct's total per candidate. Except when the number of votes is zero, of course.
Fr Martin Fox said... What happens when the money runs out?
Can't we assume that those precincts are self sufficient?
100 years ago, when our nation was kicking around around whether to ratify the 16th Amendment, a big fear was that Easteren states would subsidize Western and Southern States, which turned out to be true. I sure hope things haven't changed.
If you let an urban subculture discourage you from voting, then the morons have won.
The American electorate chose the most unqualified and candidate in history, not just once, but gave him a second bite of the apple. Evidently he convinced enough people that taxing the 1%, along with birth control, abortion and Big Bird are the paramount issues of the day.
What number of votes did Bush or McCain get from those same areas? If it was, let's say, not zero, we should be suspicious. Has anyone done a comparison?
2008 results. There are some where McCain comes close to zero. So, again, I think it is plausible some of those could've ended up as a zeroed out column, maybe. But 59? Though someone more familiar with Philly should check that I'm looking at the right stuff.
How many places was it? Wasn't it like, 59? One I'd believe. But, 59?
My point, perzactly.
There was some commentator, I think on MSLSD, saying white people are against abortion because we want to increase our race.
Considering black people are a decreasing proportion of the population, we can only conjure, but, if several million more Mexicans go home the next "dip" in the "recession", and the Roe Effect is real, we may have the last laugh.
Meantime, impeachable offense?
Pogo said...
It's no longer a subculture, but the dominant one.
See, I thought they meant 59 of the what, 70 some wards. But if there are even further divisions within those wards, then I could see the 59 being possible if there are loads of divisions. So, what does that even mean? Are there some divisions that only got a hundred or so votes total?
@ EMD, Mark Steyn broke out some excellent gallows humor about that motto in his post-election column:
In my own state [NH], where the Democrats ran the board on Election Night, the "Live Free Or Die" license plates look very nice when you see them all lined up in the parking lot of the Social Security office.
"Still, was there not one contrarian voter in those 59 divisions, where unofficial vote tallies have President Obama outscoring Romney by a combined 19,605 to 0?"
You have to admire the Philadelphians' ability to do error free work.
So now we know that those stories about Republican poll watchers being thrown out of those Philly polling places were bogus, b/c anyone claiming to be a Republican there is obviously lying.
But still, around 20,000 votes to 0 is a little hard to swallow.
Much easier will be Obamacare.
Please don't mention Philadelphia and Ritmo. He can tell you about all Brazilian soul, Philadelphia white soul (Hall & Oates), and various and sundry other types of soul.
He's the soul man, in touch with Earth, Putumayo rhythms, the oppressed.
Walter Russell Mead's theory is that, once again, black folks are getting the shaft and arriving late to the party.
The lovely old city political machines of New York, Baltimore, Philly, Chicago etc and the way the Irish and the Italians got a hold of them and used them in a gentle, softly corrupt quid pro quo kind of way isn't the option it once was to a better life.
The economy is shifting beneath us and we're rocketing into a globalized, tech and information driven future on his theory.
In the meantime, both parties are behind.
I'd still prefer the competent Mormon manager and the small town Randian Congressional budget wonk of the 50's to the New Raw Deal community organizer.
We can't afford it. More empty promises, budget deficits. More people arguing more fiercely over what isn't there.
Come to think of it: Philadelphia has been successfully community organized.
As for the quality of Obama voter's lives, it hasn't probably changed that much like in South Chicago, though I'd be interested in hearing how it has? There's probably hope for many there who had a lot less, but probably a lot of mostly empty promises and a gravy train and people hustling to get on it.
As for race relations, they're a lot like they were in many ways, but a little different on my view. The economy will likely make them worse, and now we're institutionalizing a much more left of center set of policies on the national level. Old civil rights legacy activists and the Trayvon case shows where a lot of black folks are as a voting bloc.
It must just be me, but I can't believe that a lot of suburban America, upper middle brow and young America don't see the inherent dangers in such an approach even if they share in the sentiment, and even moral concern of black folks.
The "99% and above" isn't the statistical anomaly. The anomaly is that these same precincts are reported to have had a much higher turnout relative to total registered voters than other precincts. If the turnout information is true -- and one needs to be careful to confirm that information -- it could mean a much better than normal GOTV.
Or it could be good, old-fashioned ballot-box stuffing.
More butthurt, I see. Did Ms. Kubler-Ross include butthurt as a symptom of mourning? If not, maybe the next edition should add that.
But there's one bit of silver lining. Big Mike and Pogo can still go to Tea Party rallies for the next four years and yell about how the government should keep its hands off their Medicare. Everyone needs a hobby!
We can't afford it. More empty promises, budget deficits. More people arguing more fiercely over what isn't there.
The only way out of this, politically, is to print money, or as we call it these days, Quantitative Easing. Eventually this is going to cause price inflation in a very big way, meaning higher taxes for everybody and financial oblivion for people holding cash.
It galls me to say it, but the goldbugs were right.
If Phiily were part of NJ, Pennsy would vote like Texas. In the 1700's, the Germans and Scots-Irish farmers in PA got fed up with the pacifist Quakers in Philly controlling the Commonwealth's govt and not helping defend them from Indians. Many, like my ancestors, moved to NC, and another red(neck) state was born.
the other way out is to soak the rich for ever last cent.
That only works in the very short run. After that they do things to shelter their money or they move to another country. Then you have no rich people and no money.
Eric - the point is the country has spoken and they want their hunk of flesh. They will get it. I think Boehner should just give Obama everything he wants.
Eric - the point is the country has spoken and they want their hunk of flesh. They will get it.
Yes, but my point is anybody who thinks that will actually have a noticeable effect on the budget picture is bad at math. Thus my comment about QE. The government will start printing more money as a stealth tax. There's no other way.
I think Boehner should just give Obama everything he wants.
He seems inclined to do just that. But I don't think it will matter whether he does or not. The voters have decided they like the Party of Free Stuff, and generally when that happens it's a self-reinforcing trend that only ends when they run out of other peoples' money. Which is, as Heinlein observed, "bad luck".
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc. The uber rich vote Dem. Soak them and watch the Dems in Congress from Cal and NY go nuts.
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc.
The deduction-capping part is already happening. If you have a home loan in Northern California, between the loan interest deduction, state taxes, and property taxes, you're already paying AMT.
I think the Democrats should do everything they want to do with no Republican votes. They can do that as they have already demonstrated with Obamacare. Then there will be no Republican to blame or to get credit.
Republicans should continue to propose common sense budget reforms and repeals and let the Democrats be on record as ignoring them.
It's not a good idea to be associated with increased spending, taxing and overreach.
I think the Democrats should do everything they want to do with no Republican votes. They can do that as they have already demonstrated with Obamacare. Then there will be no Republican to blame or to get credit.
Except when you control the media it's more of a "heads I win, tails you lose" situation. If the Republicans don't go along the Democrats will say they could have fixed everything but for those mean old Republicans.
If, on the other hand, they get some Republican votes when things are worse in 2016 they'll say "We led a bipartisan effort to fix things but it just wasn't possible."
Can't gerrymander your way out of this one, can you?
It's no longer a subculture, but the dominant one.
Lol. You've been the subculture for quite some time, Deary. Elections are a lagging indicator when it comes to demography. Your love for eighties synth-pop bands are the tip of an iceberg which, in your case, leads inexorably to the real-life inspiration for this guy.
If dull, white and boring were a country, you'd be its ruler.
In the 1700's, the Germans and Scots-Irish farmers in PA got fed up with the pacifist Quakers in Philly controlling the Commonwealth's govt and not helping defend them from Indians. Many, like my ancestors, moved to NC, and another red(neck) state was born.
Alternatively, they could have just negotiated peaceably with the REAL Americans, as did this guy - whose actions only led to the development of the most important city in colonial America, its first capitol, and the place from which anyone first dared to declare independence.
Maybe people who respect the independence of others are better at declaring their own.
Alternatively, maybe it's better that your ancestors moved onto a state that took another century or more before non-slave based real free enterprise was forced upon them, with an economy that lagged so atrociously far behind Philadelphia's and Pennsylvania's the inevitable result.
Amazing. Perhaps there's a mathematical explanation that's politically feasible. To me, it sounds like "just another way for an elite party in decline to believe its own bullshite", though.
The powers that be will never remove their partisanship from the districting process. The best way forward is just to abolish the farce of local congressional districts, and allow the states to vote for candidates or party lists on a statewide, at-large basis. For all the third party candidates, that would be a much better way to express their will than to pretend that throwing an election off for the ideologically imperfect Republican or Democratic presidential candidate accomplishes anything other than even worse results.
It would also help smooth over the gridlock in Congress, without relinquishing the rights of the political minority to have its voice heard and prevent problematic legislation from being ramrodded through.
Tuesday that the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with Kelley.
Cathy Santos, 56, founder of the National Alliance of Women Veterans, had one theory: "We ran [the lone Republican] out of town!" she said and laughed.
I wonder why our leftist trolls so consumed by intemperate comments have nothing to say about this? Well, not really. If you support a president who lies to further his race baiting it's pretty clear your complaints about others' intemperate comments aren't made in good faith.
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc. The uber rich vote Dem. Soak them and watch the Dems in Congress from Cal and NY go nuts.
Dems are hoping to bait us into supporting revenge taxation. Ten years from such a change those rates will be used to justify much higher rates on the middle class.
"Gerrymandering and Republican control over the redistricting process has gotten so out-of-whack, that Democratic House candidates got half a million more votes than Republican House candidates, despite the fact that the latter party held onto control of the chamber. "
-- That makes perfect sense if Republicans are holding onto rural centers and Democrats are hanging onto urban centers. That's... basic maths.
This is easy. The areas of a state that produce voted Red. The areass that are consumers of benefits voted Blue. Just look at Illinois. A lot of red there in the counties that actually do important work
The first of those links has potential for proof the election was stolen; the second is not even somewhat useful as proof. The states that don't have voter ID could simply show that they are more in line with Democrats' ideas regarding policy. It would help support an argument for fraud, but alone isn't enough.
"Second, Zero won every state without a voter ID law."
Instapundit this morning says "Don’t Be Hasty. Remember, they want you to be depressed, and to respond stupidly and impulsively."
You can't out vote massive fraud. IN MN, we lost the voter ID amendment.
Fuck voting. The Constitution is dead. Kelo and Roberts' ACA bullshit and no voter ID means the nation is screwed. What's the 'smart and sensible' libertarian/conservative response to that?
Titus, you and the rest of the Dems are evil assholes. Being gay and saying 'tits' doesn't lessen that.
The next year is going to be a clusterfuck of regulation upon regulation and tax increases and a big economic downturn and losses upon losses of health insurance. Hell, Walmart just cut huge numbers of quite poor employees off their plans via price increases.
That's your fucking fault. Yours. So go to hell with your mendacious greed.
Oh, Pogo, don't despair. I felt like you do on voting day. I was a poll watcher at my own precinct. I saw people bringing in members of a group home for the mentally disabled. All of them clutching Democrat "sample ballots," and all of them legally registered. I had the same terrible gut feeling I had when I saw a group home patient twenty years ago who had a bilateral mastectomy for fibrocystic breasts and a total abdominal hysterectomy for menstrual cramps. Someone was taking advantage of them. If it's this bad in my little corner of the world that leans Republican/libertarian, what's the point of voting? But, if you don't vote, it just makes their winning by fraud that much easier. I will keep voting, but I have to admit that my confidence in our system is badly shaken.
"but I have to admit that my confidence in our system is badly shaken."
I appreciate the idea not to despair, which is a sin. I may feel differently in a few months. We'll see. But I think of this:
"It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope." (Tolkien, Fellowship of the Ring)
The Philly and Ohio and Florida bullshit are fraud on a massive scale, in the most important swing states.
If someone can show me how GOTV or some other nonsense can outdo this scale of fraud, I'd like to know.
I'm pretty sure we'll get one sooner or later, given the rapidly expanding global population and the greater competition by more players for ever-diminishing resources, (oil, potable water, arable land)...it's inevitable.
And my confidence in the system is simply gone. Zero. None. I believe nothing that comes from their mouths or pens.
I have quit watching the news or reading the news, save a few web pages.
I do note happily that the day after that national fraud my little neighborhood association thwarted a lefty takeover of our volunteer group, which involved their attempts at voter fraud, by 80 votes to 30.
"The next year is going to be a clusterfuck of regulation upon regulation and tax increases and a big economic downturn and losses upon losses of health insurance. Hell, Walmart just cut huge numbers of quite poor employees off their plans via price increases."
Poor, poor Walmart. This is nothing new with them, although it's so convenient now for them (or you) to blame Obamneycare. For years Walmart has encouraged their employees to seek Medicaid (and other public assistance) as they paid their own people so little many couldn't even afford the company's own insurance plan.
Robert Cook said... For years Walmart has encouraged their employees to seek Medicaid (and other public assistance) as they paid their own people so little many couldn't even afford the company's own insurance plan.
For each of those same years you were free to offer them employment which included health benefits. Your greed ill suits your politics.
I'm pretty sure we'll get one sooner or later, given the rapidly expanding global population and the greater competition by more players for ever-diminishing resources, (oil, potable water, arable land)...it's inevitable.
This doesn't exactly fit well with your insistence we reduce military spending. Maybe you should work on a set of policies that fit all the circumstances rather than whatever you're carping on at the moment. Or just drop the absurd paranoia.
Wal-Mart heir Samuel Rawlings Walton gave $300,000 to Obama’s SuperPAC.
he gave the maximum $30,800 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008, and $40,000 to the OVF this election.
"**Wal-Mart endorsed the employer mandate in ObamaCare, which gives Wal-Mart an advantage by crushing smaller competitors. **Wal-Mart has profited from Dodd-Frank, which fixes the price Wal-Mart has to pay banks for processing debit cards. **Wal-Mart has lobbied for and profits from higher minimum wage. **Wal-Mart is a top beneficiary of eminent domain takings, a government power protected by the types of judges Obama appoints. **Big Business generally benefits from Big Government."
These are your people, Cook, once you consider what socialism always ends up as.
The powers that be will never remove their partisanship from the districting process. The best way forward is just to abolish the farce of local congressional districts, and allow the states to vote for candidates or party lists on a statewide, at-large basis
Democracy in action. It's not how well your particular needs might be served by an individual, it's the party they belong to.
Believe it or not, Ritmo, there are locations that do have different requirements, like water in heavily agricultural districts.
Meanwhile, this reminds me of that note from "The Fountainhead", you get the oxen to act the same, and it's easier to put the yoke on them.
This also shows why elimination of the Electoral College would be a fiasco. Because places like this can always conjure up votes for their preference somehow.
I still advocate an EC where each state gets ONE vote. Therefore, a candidate must appeal to a wide swath of people.
Eric - the point is the country has spoken and they want their hunk of flesh. They will get it. I think Boehner should just give Obama everything he wants.
I'm inclined to agree. Give him EVERYTHING and when things are shittier, let him explain why.
Also, toss in Instapundit's oft-described Hollywood tax hikes. Don't help them. Ditto his idea to tax former government employees 75% of all income above their government salary when they become lobbyists.
Also, abandon, wholesale, IP. Property rights should not extend at all to the digital realm since scarcity is a non-issue and, hell, those who rely on digital piracy protections don't vote Republican anyway. Repeal DMCA post haste, slice protections on IP down to 7 years with no option for renewal. Let them live with the same rules things like drugs have to deal with.
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc. The uber rich vote Dem. Soak them and watch the Dems in Congress from Cal and NY go nuts.
Brilliant idea.
Then there will be no Republican to blame or to get credit.
Give them credit --- they'll blame Republicans anyway. They still blame Republicans for the problems with the stimulus and Obamacare.
You could likely find the opposite of this in some hell hole in Mississippi.
Have fun with "likely". We have what did happen.
I don't care about voting either and I stopped drilling in my kids to have much love of country or any desire to vote. It's pointless.
What was the vote count compared to 08' in these corridors?
Was it lower? I could see many who were not happy with Obama staying home on that day, over voting for Romney.
African American, even though are supportive of President Obama are not happy with him as well. ----------
Representative White foresees change, but slowly, as the black community becomes more aware that the socially liberal policies of leaders like President Obama have not — and will not ever — benefit African Americans. “I think that all of us as Americans are proud that we have elected the first black president. But at some point you have to be truthful…about his impact on blacks.” “African American voters, at a rate of 95 percent [in 2008]…participated in electing the first black president, but economically, socially, nothing has really changed for the betterment of black voters,” White emphasized.
Representative White foresees change, but slowly, as the black community becomes more aware that the socially liberal policies of leaders like President Obama have not — and will not ever — benefit African Americans. “I think that all of us as Americans are proud that we have elected the first black president. But at some point you have to be truthful…about his impact on blacks.” “African American voters, at a rate of 95 percent [in 2008]…participated in electing the first black president, but economically, socially, nothing has really changed for the betterment of black voters,” White emphasized.
The African American community and urban communities in general really need to have their local leaders tethered to their needs, you can have a good local politician and once they get up higher in the state/national Democratic Parties their views change. Mostly because it takes money to win, so they go against their constituents on certain issues.
"This doesn't exactly fit well with your insistence we reduce military spending."
Marshall, I don't follow your point.
I don't say it's inevitable we'll have another world war because I want one, but because our own belligerence, coupled with the increasing competition among world players for greater access to and control over ever scarcer resources makes it unavoidable, (and my own view that we should drastically slash our War budget does not mean we will).
If the government cared about women's health it would care about heart disease and diabetes, but also it would care about the rising levels of obesity.
Imagine a party platform mandating that any weight loss program (for women only ) is free under all insurance plans, under preventative health.
Robert Cook said... "This doesn't exactly fit well with your insistence we reduce military spending."
Marshall, I don't follow your point.
Really? It's tough to figure out that if we expect a World War we should enter it with as strong a military as possible?
You justified your position that we can afford to reduce our military and hand over the saved proceeds to various Democratic constituencies is based on the fact that we do not in fact need our military, that there is no military threat. But now there's a World War in our future?
Robert Cook said... "For each of those same years you were free to offer them employment which included health benefits."
My last name notwithstanding, I am not one of the Koch Brothers and am in no position to offer anyone employment, being just a working stiff myself.
So neither you nor Walmart offered these people health insurance. On the other hand Walmart did offer them the best job they could find, while you offered squat. And you conclude Walmart is the bad guy?
WE will be a precipitating agent of the next world war. If we reduce our war budget and decide to engage in the world in a less belligerent manner, perhaps there's a chance it won't happen.
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits, they encourage their employees to seek public assistance!
How is this a boon for local economies? How can one not see them as larcenous swine, given that the Walton family is one of the richest in the entire world, yet Walmart's own practices and active encouragement to their employees to seek public assistance fosters greater expense to the taxpayers of the areas where they operate, (while garnering ever greater riches for the Walton family)?
How is this a boon for local economies? How can one not see them as larcenous swine, given that the Walton family is one of the richest in the entire world, yet Walmart's own practices and active encouragement to their employees to seek public assistance fosters greater expense to the taxpayers of the areas where they operate, (while garnering ever greater riches for the Walton family)?
Cook, you need to actually go to a WalMart sometime and preach to the people looking to save a buck. Althouse would never be caught dead in a WalMart; Meade might go there to buy the occasional shirt.
Robert Cook said... My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits, they encourage their employees to seek public assistance!
How is this a boon for local economies? How can one not see them as larcenous swine, given that the Walton family is one of the richest in the entire world, yet Walmart's own practices and active encouragement to their employees to seek public assistance fosters greater expense to the taxpayers of the areas where they operate, (while garnering ever greater riches for the Walton family)?
What a hodgepodge of nonsense. We know by revealed preference Walmart has offered these employees the best job they can find, so the employees would be worse off without them. Those who qualify for Medicaid with Walmart would still qualify without, and likely even more would qualify. So what you're pointing to as a cost is not created by Walmart but previously existed in the community. The only accurate statement that can be made is that Walmart employment does not alleviate all the financial ills of its employees, to which the reasonable responses are "And?", "duh", or "no shit Sherlock".
As usual your entire argument comes down to envy. And that's no justification for damaging the economy.
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits.
Yup. If it wasn't for that stinkin' Walmart, the local folks would be shopping at Saks 5th Avenue, the way you do.
WE will be a precipitating agent of the next world war. If we reduce our war budget and decide to engage in the world in a less belligerent manner, perhaps there's a chance it won't happen.
I agree this is your best overstep-recovery option. But when you asserted we are likely to engage in World War the cause was scarce resource competition. So when you put these two statements together you apparently believe less belligerence creates arable land and increases rainfall.
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits, they encourage their employees to seek public assistance!
You must absolutely hate illegal immigration. Or maybe you hate all the government benefits.
Of course, the ownership class by and large loves illegal immigration. What's not to like? Lower costs, everyone pays for the benefits, they win.
That hasn't stopped liberal rags from promoting illegals. "How else will you get locally grown vegetables!" Now there's a reason to take down a state. Not that I have any issues with IAs, only that the culture doesn't mix to well with the US culture of dependence.
"If someone can show me how GOTV or some other nonsense can outdo this scale of fraud, I'd like to know."
If you're correct, and fraud really does run that deep, then there are only two ways to fix it.
Truly massive, in-person, on-site monitoring by trusthworthy poll observers. No apologies, no excuses, and no delicate political calculus so as to avoid offending anyone's racial sensibilities. This will require organized outright defiance of corrupt local law enforcement, local election officials, and hired thugs. The left is willing to put forth this kind of effort. Are we?
The second method, obviously, is to play by the same rules the other guys use. Hijack the machine and use fraud to counter fraud. Elect someone who will then institute reforms. This is a dangerous and morally compromising path. The Democrats have demonstrated how it's done, and now demonstrate the crippling consequences of relying on deceit and bribery.
I agree this is your best overstep-recovery option. But when you asserted we are likely to engage in World War the cause was scarce resource competition. So when you put these two statements together you apparently believe less belligerence creates arable land and increases rainfall.
Thanks to the EPA and the Obamao, the US is producing less. Instead of making the world's grain, we pump it into our gas tanks.
Thanks to the Obamao, oil costs are going up, which means US grains will cost even more.
And thanks to the Obamao, other energy costs are going up too. All of this will make goods scarcer, US products more expensive, and all for what?
I mean that our aggressive belligerence in seeking to gain control of resources may precipitate the next world war.
Proponents of our military expenditures say it is necessary to "defend" ourselves. At present, we are not in any danger against which we must defend. Reducing military expenditures--even dramatically--does not mean completely disarming. It merely means scaling back to more modest levels, in keeping with our actual needs. Our present expenditures are driven by those who make money off the war economy, as well as by our drive to impose American hegemony around the world.
If we try to work in cooperation with the other major players in the world to husband the available resources and to try to develop alternative energy sources and effective ways to desalinate water, we may head off such a world war.
The Romster won, if all the real votes had been counted.
Other than "I don't know how Obama managed to win, I don't know anyone who voted for him," do you have the least shred of evidence to back up this very serious charge.
"Yup. If it wasn't for that stinkin' Walmart, the local folks would be shopping at Saks 5th Avenue, the way you do."
No, but more local small businesses might be in operation, thus keeping profits made circulating in the local economy. This is not the case with Walmart (and other big box chain stores).
Cook, If you troubled yourself to find out how a Wal-Mart employee's wage rose w/ job tenure, you'd see that as an employer it's basically a job-training program w/ guaranteed employment for successful graduates.
Robert Cook said... If we try to work in cooperation with the other major players in the world to husband the available resources and to try to develop alternative energy sources and effective ways to desalinate water, we may head off such a world war.
Thanks for climbing down, but you can skip the meaningless blather next time.
They have not been given a single good reason to vote Republican. Instead of voter suppression or hystical charges of fraud why not come up with a few ideas on changing that? You might lose the bigot vote?
They have not been given a single good reason to vote Republican. Instead of voter suppression or hystical charges of fraud why not come up with a few ideas on changing that? You might lose the bigot vote?
Like what? Student loan forgiveness? Amnesty? Free birth control?
Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
"Which had no discernable effect on wages since one set of low paid workers replaced another."
You don't and can't know this.
Moreover, the Walmart effect takes money out of the local economy (see my previous link) and it destroys independent small businesses! This turns business owners--of necessity--into wage earners who must find jobs working for others. It removes more alternatives to jobs other than those offered by Walmart and other similar bigbox chain stores. I thought you people here were all about the "small businessman" and how government regulation was killing him. How about the predatory and anti-competitive effects of stores like Walmart?
Matt Taibbi has famously referred to the "vampire squid" that is Goldman Sachs--and he's not wrong--but the term applies no less to Walmart.
Robert Cook said... Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
"Which had no discernable effect on wages since one set of low paid workers replaced another."
You don't and can't know this.
Moreover, the Walmart effect takes money out of the local economy (see my previous link) and it destroys independent small businesses! This turns business owners--of necessity--into wage earners who must find jobs working for others. It removes more alternatives to jobs other than those offered by Walmart and other similar bigbox chain stores. I thought you people here were all about the "small businessman" and how government regulation was killing him. How about the predatory and anti-competitive effects of stores like Walmart?
I'm getting tired of having to explain the economic facts of life to you , conmrade Bob. So I'll just cut to the chase. Nope. You're wrong.
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157 comments:
This is why I won't vote anymore.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, a leftist newspaper in the model of the New York Times, publishes philly.com. They do some good work, especially in their annual survey of the school system.
Not a single vote? Not a single nut? No Oreos? No crackers? Not a mistaken chad to be had?
Either there is no independence of thought in geographical areas, or there are economies of scale in vote fraud.
Either way, perhaps we should count votes by taking the logarithm of each precinct's total per candidate. Except when the number of votes is zero, of course.
I think I'm with Pogo. Why waste my time and gasoline?
I'm sure there were elections in the South back in the day when the black guy running got zero votes. Same thing as Philly.
Of course, the white guys also got zero black votes.
What happens when the money runs out?
We should all wait for Ritmo to show here. He's the expert on Philly.
Fr Martin Fox said...
What happens when the money runs out?
Can't we assume that those precincts are self sufficient?
100 years ago, when our nation was kicking around around whether to ratify the 16th Amendment, a big fear was that Easteren states would subsidize Western and Southern States, which turned out to be true. I sure hope things haven't changed.
Toldja.
Anybody who knows the Philadelphia area knows that a great portion of Philadelphia county is not inner city.
South Philly and the northeast are middle class enclaves.
And Bob's right about the Inky. A hard Left Knight Ridder rag from the word go.
Supposedly Cuyahoga County, OH (only the northern half of which encompasses Cleveland) and Broward County FL tell a similar story.
The Romster won, if all the real votes had been counted.
All you need is one voter to come forward and say he voted for Romney.
11/12/12 6:47 PM
Cleanup in aisle 5.
It won't be long until Pennsylvania votes 100% Democrat.
If Phiily were part of NJ, Pennsy would vote like Texas.
If Phiily were part of NJ, Pennsy would vote like Texas.
Call me Marty Two Times...
rhhardin said...
All you need is one voter to come forward and say he voted for Romney.
We'll all send flowers to his funeral.
If Phiily were part of NJ, Pennsy would vote like Texas.
Pittsburgh is Austin?
All you need is one voter to come forward and say he voted for Romney.
If they make a movie about the guy who does that, I've got the title for it.
Zero votes seems like overkill.
Were the Philly Dems watching Fox News?
"Dense" does seem accurate.
Sounds racist to me.
Has any dictator ever given himself 100% of the vote?
Definitely not Romney country!
Is "dense urban corridors" a racist phrase?
Depends on who's talking.
What happens when the money runs out?
Print more? I mean that's what we are doing now.
Romney really was a terrible candidate. He didn't get 100% of the vote anywhere.
"This is why I won't vote anymore."
If you let an urban subculture discourage you from voting, then the morons have won.
Fr Martin Fox said...
If Phiily were part of NJ, Pennsy would vote like Texas.
South Jersey is a suburb of Philly, padre.
Does that count?
@Sorun
It's fraud. Massive fraud.
Can't outvote that.
My vote is worthless.
So, we should give a shit when they go bankrupt...why?
How many places was it? Wasn't it like, 59? One I'd believe. But, 59?
If you let an urban subculture discourage you from voting, then the morons have won.
The American electorate chose the most unqualified and candidate in history, not just once, but gave him a second bite of the apple. Evidently he convinced enough people that taxing the 1%, along with birth control, abortion and Big Bird are the paramount issues of the day.
So, I would say, yes, the morons have won.
What number of votes did Bush or McCain get from those same areas? If it was, let's say, not zero, we should be suspicious. Has anyone done a comparison?
It's no longer a subculture, but the dominant one.
Pogo said...
This is why I won't vote anymore.
FU's were invented in MN and exported eastward.
Time for MN to nip FU's in the bud.
2008 results. There are some where McCain comes close to zero. So, again, I think it is plausible some of those could've ended up as a zeroed out column, maybe. But 59? Though someone more familiar with Philly should check that I'm looking at the right stuff.
in Ward 29-2 in 2008, Obama received 221 votes. McCain received 2 votes.
Kerry smoked Bush 236-8 in 2004 in Ward 29-2!
Matthew Sablan said...
How many places was it? Wasn't it like, 59? One I'd believe. But, 59?
My point, perzactly.
There was some commentator, I think on MSLSD, saying white people are against abortion because we want to increase our race.
Considering black people are a decreasing proportion of the population, we can only conjure, but, if several million more Mexicans go home the next "dip" in the "recession", and the Roe Effect is real, we may have the last laugh.
Meantime, impeachable offense?
Pogo said...
It's no longer a subculture, but the dominant one.
.Wanna bet?
And that's only the "official" count.
PS Notice how quiet it is at the troll table?
Ah, so wait. The divisions go even lower than just the ward levels?
See, I thought they meant 59 of the what, 70 some wards. But if there are even further divisions within those wards, then I could see the 59 being possible if there are loads of divisions. So, what does that even mean? Are there some divisions that only got a hundred or so votes total?
Live Free or Die my ass.
Matthew Sablan said...
Ah, so wait. The divisions go even lower than just the ward levels?
Depending on where, a lot of wards are divided into precincts.
Divisions are below the ward level, Matthew. So, as the article states, the 59 are 3.5% of all voting division in Philadelphia.
Ok. See, that I can start to believe that it may not be fraud then.
Ok. See, that I can start to believe that it may not be fraud then.
Oh, it's fraud alright. Just not vote fraud.
@ EMD, Mark Steyn broke out some excellent gallows humor about that motto in his post-election column:
In my own state [NH], where the Democrats ran the board on Election Night, the "Live Free Or Die" license plates look very nice when you see them all lined up in the parking lot of the Social Security office.
"Still, was there not one contrarian voter in those 59 divisions, where unofficial vote tallies have President Obama outscoring Romney by a combined 19,605 to 0?"
You have to admire the Philadelphians' ability to do error free work.
Since this has gotten some national attention, I'm confident the GOP will get a few token votes in the next election. There, problem solved.
Those black voters are racist!
So now we know that those stories about Republican poll watchers being thrown out of those Philly polling places were bogus, b/c anyone claiming to be a Republican there is obviously lying.
Even in the old Soviet Bloc the communist slate of candidates only received 99.5%
Commies do sloppy work.
100% for one candidate would indicate they are racists but only if they and their chosen candidate were white. IOW, nothing to see here per the MSM.
I bet those districts have been exquisitely gerrymandered.
The most degenerate neighborhoods in America are naturally Democratic strongholds.
Boss Tweed smiles.
But still, around 20,000 votes to 0 is a little hard to swallow.
Much easier will be Obamacare.
Please don't mention Philadelphia and Ritmo. He can tell you about all Brazilian soul, Philadelphia white soul (Hall & Oates), and various and sundry other types of soul.
He's the soul man, in touch with Earth, Putumayo rhythms, the oppressed.
We have always had these dense urban corridors that are extremely Democratic
And they're better off for it!
Walter Russell Mead's theory is that, once again, black folks are getting the shaft and arriving late to the party.
The lovely old city political machines of New York, Baltimore, Philly, Chicago etc and the way the Irish and the Italians got a hold of them and used them in a gentle, softly corrupt quid pro quo kind of way isn't the option it once was to a better life.
The economy is shifting beneath us and we're rocketing into a globalized, tech and information driven future on his theory.
In the meantime, both parties are behind.
I'd still prefer the competent Mormon manager and the small town Randian Congressional budget wonk of the 50's to the New Raw Deal community organizer.
We can't afford it. More empty promises, budget deficits. More people arguing more fiercely over what isn't there.
Come to think of it: Philadelphia has been successfully community organized.
As for the quality of Obama voter's lives, it hasn't probably changed that much like in South Chicago, though I'd be interested in hearing how it has? There's probably hope for many there who had a lot less, but probably a lot of mostly empty promises and a gravy train and people hustling to get on it.
As for race relations, they're a lot like they were in many ways, but a little different on my view. The economy will likely make them worse, and now we're institutionalizing a much more left of center set of policies on the national level. Old civil rights legacy activists and the Trayvon case shows where a lot of black folks are as a voting bloc.
It must just be me, but I can't believe that a lot of suburban America, upper middle brow and young America don't see the inherent dangers in such an approach even if they share in the sentiment, and even moral concern of black folks.
There's got to be a better way, people.
You'd think a voter for Romney would self-identify right now and wonder what happened to their vote.
And how's that working for them?
It's either extreme voter fraud or a community where folks have lost the ability to think for themselves - or maybe to think at all.
I vote for the latter.
I love it that the media swine at the Inquirer assign three journolistas to try to offer some rational explanation.
Disparate impact. They should study why there is a lack of diversity in their communities.
Not even Chicago is so "extremely" packed and that city birthed Obama the politician.
Are Blacks Finally Waking Up?
Oh, well. Perhaps they voted for the status quo in a final grand gesture of solidarity.
We have never before had these dense urban corridors that are wholly, completely and totally Democratic.
FIFY
Are blacks finally waking up?
Ah, no. At this point, I don't think it's achievable.
The "99% and above" isn't the statistical anomaly. The anomaly is that these same precincts are reported to have had a much higher turnout relative to total registered voters than other precincts. If the turnout information is true -- and one needs to be careful to confirm that information -- it could mean a much better than normal GOTV.
Or it could be good, old-fashioned ballot-box stuffing.
edutcher said...
Toldja.
Anybody who knows the Philadelphia area knows that a great portion of Philadelphia county is not inner city.
South Philly and the northeast are middle class enclaves.
And Bob's right about the Inky. A hard Left Knight Ridder rag from the word go.
Supposedly Cuyahoga County, OH (only the northern half of which encompasses Cleveland) and Broward County FL tell a similar story.
The Romster won, if all the real votes had been counted.
A few counties in Colorado had close to a 140% turnout over voter rolls. Interesting dontcha think?
Nah, Democrats never engage in good, old-fashioned ballot box stuffing.
'Cept maybe in Chicago, where they brag about that sort of thing. [Seriously. They do brag about it. You could look it up.]
Ah, where's this Obama fellow from?
More butthurt, I see. Did Ms. Kubler-Ross include butthurt as a symptom of mourning? If not, maybe the next edition should add that.
But there's one bit of silver lining. Big Mike and Pogo can still go to Tea Party rallies for the next four years and yell about how the government should keep its hands off their Medicare. Everyone needs a hobby!
Democrats always cheat where they don't even need to! Great theory.
somefeller said...
More butthurt, I see. Did Ms. Kubler-Ross include butthurt as a symptom of mourning? If not, maybe the next edition should add that.
I mentioned the troll table was quiet on this one and finally they send in a couple of second-stringers.
PS Some phony folksy seems obsessed with the concept of butthurt as if he has massive personal experience.
As one of his idols told another girl, put some ice on that so it don't swell up too bad.
Democrats always cheat where they don't even need to. Great theory!
Obama won PA by slightly under 290K votes. He had a 465K margin in Philadelphia Co.
Why don't white liberals send their kids to school with urban corridor kids?
mccullough said...
"Why don't white liberals send their kids to school with urban corridor kids?"
Because the only thing white liberals want from people in the "urban corridor" is their votes, dead or alive, voting or not voting.
The last thing white liberals want from them is their kids sharing a classroom with the white liberals' kids.
Therefore, vouchers will never happen.
We can't afford it. More empty promises, budget deficits. More people arguing more fiercely over what isn't there.
The only way out of this, politically, is to print money, or as we call it these days, Quantitative Easing. Eventually this is going to cause price inflation in a very big way, meaning higher taxes for everybody and financial oblivion for people holding cash.
It galls me to say it, but the goldbugs were right.
the other way out is to soak the rich for ever last cent.
If Phiily were part of NJ, Pennsy would vote like Texas.
In the 1700's, the Germans and Scots-Irish farmers in PA got fed up with the pacifist Quakers in Philly controlling the Commonwealth's govt and not helping defend them from Indians. Many, like my ancestors, moved to NC, and another red(neck) state was born.
the other way out is to soak the rich for ever last cent.
That only works in the very short run. After that they do things to shelter their money or they move to another country. Then you have no rich people and no money.
Eric - the point is the country has spoken and they want their hunk of flesh. They will get it. I think Boehner should just give Obama everything he wants.
Eric - the point is the country has spoken and they want their hunk of flesh. They will get it.
Yes, but my point is anybody who thinks that will actually have a noticeable effect on the budget picture is bad at math. Thus my comment about QE. The government will start printing more money as a stealth tax. There's no other way.
I think Boehner should just give Obama everything he wants.
He seems inclined to do just that. But I don't think it will matter whether he does or not. The voters have decided they like the Party of Free Stuff, and generally when that happens it's a self-reinforcing trend that only ends when they run out of other peoples' money. Which is, as Heinlein observed, "bad luck".
Alex,
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc. The uber rich vote Dem. Soak them and watch the Dems in Congress from Cal and NY go nuts.
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc.
The deduction-capping part is already happening. If you have a home loan in Northern California, between the loan interest deduction, state taxes, and property taxes, you're already paying AMT.
the other way out is to soak the rich for ever last cent.
Because it worked so well in the 30's.
we need another World War.
Let's reinvent the New Deal.
I think the Democrats should do everything they want to do with no Republican votes. They can do that as they have already demonstrated with Obamacare. Then there will be no Republican to blame or to get credit.
Republicans should continue to propose common sense budget reforms and repeals and let the Democrats be on record as ignoring them.
It's not a good idea to be associated with increased spending, taxing and overreach.
We don't need Democrat lite.
I think the Democrats should do everything they want to do with no Republican votes. They can do that as they have already demonstrated with Obamacare. Then there will be no Republican to blame or to get credit.
Except when you control the media it's more of a "heads I win, tails you lose" situation. If the Republicans don't go along the Democrats will say they could have fixed everything but for those mean old Republicans.
If, on the other hand, they get some Republican votes when things are worse in 2016 they'll say "We led a bipartisan effort to fix things but it just wasn't possible."
My vote is worthless.
As are you.
Can't gerrymander your way out of this one, can you?
It's no longer a subculture, but the dominant one.
Lol. You've been the subculture for quite some time, Deary. Elections are a lagging indicator when it comes to demography. Your love for eighties synth-pop bands are the tip of an iceberg which, in your case, leads inexorably to the real-life inspiration for this guy.
If dull, white and boring were a country, you'd be its ruler.
In the 1700's, the Germans and Scots-Irish farmers in PA got fed up with the pacifist Quakers in Philly controlling the Commonwealth's govt and not helping defend them from Indians. Many, like my ancestors, moved to NC, and another red(neck) state was born.
Alternatively, they could have just negotiated peaceably with the REAL Americans, as did this guy - whose actions only led to the development of the most important city in colonial America, its first capitol, and the place from which anyone first dared to declare independence.
Maybe people who respect the independence of others are better at declaring their own.
Alternatively, maybe it's better that your ancestors moved onto a state that took another century or more before non-slave based real free enterprise was forced upon them, with an economy that lagged so atrociously far behind Philadelphia's and Pennsylvania's the inevitable result.
Another example (other than the Rove debacle) of why Republicans believe their own spin, and over-exaggerate their perceived sense of influence.
Gerrymandering and Republican control over the redistricting process has gotten so out-of-whack, that Democratic House candidates got half a million more votes than Republican House candidates, despite the fact that the latter party held onto control of the chamber.
Amazing. Perhaps there's a mathematical explanation that's politically feasible. To me, it sounds like "just another way for an elite party in decline to believe its own bullshite", though.
The powers that be will never remove their partisanship from the districting process. The best way forward is just to abolish the farce of local congressional districts, and allow the states to vote for candidates or party lists on a statewide, at-large basis. For all the third party candidates, that would be a much better way to express their will than to pretend that throwing an election off for the ideologically imperfect Republican or Democratic presidential candidate accomplishes anything other than even worse results.
It would also help smooth over the gridlock in Congress, without relinquishing the rights of the political minority to have its voice heard and prevent problematic legislation from being ramrodded through.
You guys should think about it.
This is from my AP news alert:
Tuesday that the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with Kelley.
Cathy Santos, 56, founder of the National Alliance of Women Veterans, had one theory: "We ran [the lone Republican] out of town!" she said and laughed.
I wonder why our leftist trolls so consumed by intemperate comments have nothing to say about this? Well, not really. If you support a president who lies to further his race baiting it's pretty clear your complaints about others' intemperate comments aren't made in good faith.
mccullough said...
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc. The uber rich vote Dem. Soak them and watch the Dems in Congress from Cal and NY go nuts.
Dems are hoping to bait us into supporting revenge taxation. Ten years from such a change those rates will be used to justify much higher rates on the middle class.
"Gerrymandering and Republican control over the redistricting process has gotten so out-of-whack, that Democratic House candidates got half a million more votes than Republican House candidates, despite the fact that the latter party held onto control of the chamber. "
-- That makes perfect sense if Republicans are holding onto rural centers and Democrats are hanging onto urban centers. That's... basic maths.
If dull, white and boring were a country, you'd be its ruler.
It's intriguing that being white is a handicap to the left. I must say, your naked disdain for white people speaks volumes.
I'm going to repost these 2 articles when everybody is conscious.
First, poll watcher saw 10% of Romney votes flip to O in an Allentown precinct.
Second, Zero won every state without a voter ID law.
Yeah, it was stolen.
You could likely find the opposite of this in some hell hole in Mississippi.
rhhardin said...
All you need is one voter to come forward and say he voted for Romney.
No one will come forward. Philly knows how to deal with snitches:
http://www.snitching.org/2009/12/a_witness_intimidation_crisis.html
This is easy. The areas of a state that produce voted Red. The areass that are consumers of benefits voted Blue. Just look at Illinois. A lot of red there in the counties that actually do important work
The first of those links has potential for proof the election was stolen; the second is not even somewhat useful as proof. The states that don't have voter ID could simply show that they are more in line with Democrats' ideas regarding policy. It would help support an argument for fraud, but alone isn't enough.
no more projecting pubes.
look internally.
tits.
"Second, Zero won every state without a voter ID law."
Instapundit this morning says "Don’t Be Hasty. Remember, they want you to be depressed, and to respond stupidly and impulsively."
You can't out vote massive fraud. IN MN, we lost the voter ID amendment.
Fuck voting. The Constitution is dead. Kelo and Roberts' ACA bullshit and no voter ID means the nation is screwed. What's the 'smart and sensible' libertarian/conservative response to that?
Nothing.
You cannot outvote fraud on this kind of scale.
Titus, you and the rest of the Dems are evil assholes. Being gay and saying 'tits' doesn't lessen that.
The next year is going to be a clusterfuck of regulation upon regulation and tax increases and a big economic downturn and losses upon losses of health insurance. Hell, Walmart just cut huge numbers of quite poor employees off their plans via price increases.
That's your fucking fault. Yours. So go to hell with your mendacious greed.
Oh, Pogo, don't despair. I felt like you do on voting day. I was a poll watcher at my own precinct. I saw people bringing in members of a group home for the mentally disabled. All of them clutching Democrat "sample ballots," and all of them legally registered. I had the same terrible gut feeling I had when I saw a group home patient twenty years ago who had a bilateral mastectomy for fibrocystic breasts and a total abdominal hysterectomy for menstrual cramps. Someone was taking advantage of them. If it's this bad in my little corner of the world that leans Republican/libertarian, what's the point of voting? But, if you don't vote, it just makes their winning by fraud that much easier. I will keep voting, but I have to admit that my confidence in our system is badly shaken.
"but I have to admit that my confidence in our system is badly shaken."
I appreciate the idea not to despair, which is a sin. I may feel differently in a few months. We'll see. But I think of this:
"It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope." (Tolkien, Fellowship of the Ring)
The Philly and Ohio and Florida bullshit are fraud on a massive scale, in the most important swing states.
If someone can show me how GOTV or some other nonsense can outdo this scale of fraud, I'd like to know.
"We have always had these dense urban corridors that are extremely Democratic.""
Democrat not democratic
If it was democratic Chicago republicans would have an equal chance to be as corrupt as Chicago democrats.
Fr Martin Fox said...
What happens when the money runs out?
What always happens when the mob takes over. They start selling church property.
"we need another World War."
I'm pretty sure we'll get one sooner or later, given the rapidly expanding global population and the greater competition by more players for ever-diminishing resources, (oil, potable water, arable land)...it's inevitable.
garage mahal said...
Democrats always cheat where they don't even need to!
How ya gonna get good at something unless you practice?
Is "dense" a dog whistle?
Had this discussion here in another thread yesterday.
Democracy is shit and your vote is worthless.
On the other hand: cocktails.
And my confidence in the system is simply gone. Zero. None. I believe nothing that comes from their mouths or pens.
I have quit watching the news or reading the news, save a few web pages.
I do note happily that the day after that national fraud my little neighborhood association thwarted a lefty takeover of our volunteer group, which involved their attempts at voter fraud, by 80 votes to 30.
A small victory amidst a great evil.
"The next year is going to be a clusterfuck of regulation upon regulation and tax increases and a big economic downturn and losses upon losses of health insurance. Hell, Walmart just cut huge numbers of quite poor employees off their plans via price increases."
Poor, poor Walmart. This is nothing new with them, although it's so convenient now for them (or you) to blame Obamneycare. For years Walmart has encouraged their employees to seek Medicaid (and other public assistance) as they paid their own people so little many couldn't even afford the company's own insurance plan.
Robert Cook said...
For years Walmart has encouraged their employees to seek Medicaid (and other public assistance) as they paid their own people so little many couldn't even afford the company's own insurance plan.
For each of those same years you were free to offer them employment which included health benefits. Your greed ill suits your politics.
Robert Cook said...
"we need another World War."
I'm pretty sure we'll get one sooner or later, given the rapidly expanding global population and the greater competition by more players for ever-diminishing resources, (oil, potable water, arable land)...it's inevitable.
This doesn't exactly fit well with your insistence we reduce military spending. Maybe you should work on a set of policies that fit all the circumstances rather than whatever you're carping on at the moment. Or just drop the absurd paranoia.
"Poor, poor Walmart."
Wal-Mart heir Samuel Rawlings Walton gave $300,000 to Obama’s SuperPAC.
he gave the maximum $30,800 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008, and $40,000 to the OVF this election.
"**Wal-Mart endorsed the employer mandate in ObamaCare, which gives Wal-Mart an advantage by crushing smaller competitors.
**Wal-Mart has profited from Dodd-Frank, which fixes the price Wal-Mart has to pay banks for processing debit cards.
**Wal-Mart has lobbied for and profits from higher minimum wage.
**Wal-Mart is a top beneficiary of eminent domain takings, a government power protected by the types of judges Obama appoints.
**Big Business generally benefits from Big Government."
These are your people, Cook, once you consider what socialism always ends up as.
Damn, those New Black Panther Party guys did the job, didn't they? Not a single vote against Dear Leader. Like being in North Korea, but with food.
The powers that be will never remove their partisanship from the districting process. The best way forward is just to abolish the farce of local congressional districts, and allow the states to vote for candidates or party lists on a statewide, at-large basis
Democracy in action. It's not how well your particular needs might be served by an individual, it's the party they belong to.
Believe it or not, Ritmo, there are locations that do have different requirements, like water in heavily agricultural districts.
Meanwhile, this reminds me of that note from "The Fountainhead", you get the oxen to act the same, and it's easier to put the yoke on them.
Of course, that last IS subject to change!
This also shows why elimination of the Electoral College would be a fiasco. Because places like this can always conjure up votes for their preference somehow.
I still advocate an EC where each state gets ONE vote. Therefore, a candidate must appeal to a wide swath of people.
Eric - the point is the country has spoken and they want their hunk of flesh. They will get it. I think Boehner should just give Obama everything he wants.
I'm inclined to agree. Give him EVERYTHING and when things are shittier, let him explain why.
Also, toss in Instapundit's oft-described Hollywood tax hikes. Don't help them. Ditto his idea to tax former government employees 75% of all income above their government salary when they become lobbyists.
Also, abandon, wholesale, IP. Property rights should not extend at all to the digital realm since scarcity is a non-issue and, hell, those who rely on digital piracy protections don't vote Republican anyway. Repeal DMCA post haste, slice protections on IP down to 7 years with no option for renewal. Let them live with the same rules things like drugs have to deal with.
Boehner and the Repubs should offer 50% tax rate on all income, whether from salary, cap gains, dividends, etc., in excess of $1 million a year, and cap all deductions, etc. The uber rich vote Dem. Soak them and watch the Dems in Congress from Cal and NY go nuts.
Brilliant idea.
Then there will be no Republican to blame or to get credit.
Give them credit --- they'll blame Republicans anyway. They still blame Republicans for the problems with the stimulus and Obamacare.
You could likely find the opposite of this in some hell hole in Mississippi.
Have fun with "likely". We have what did happen.
I don't care about voting either and I stopped drilling in my kids to have much love of country or any desire to vote. It's pointless.
What was the vote count compared to 08' in these corridors?
Was it lower? I could see many who were not happy with Obama staying home on that day, over voting for Romney.
African American, even though are supportive of President Obama are not happy with him as well.
----------
Representative White foresees change, but slowly, as the black community becomes more aware that the socially liberal policies of leaders like President Obama have not — and will not ever — benefit African Americans.
“I think that all of us as Americans are proud that we have elected the first black president. But at some point you have to be truthful…about his impact on blacks.”
“African American voters, at a rate of 95 percent [in 2008]…participated in electing the first black president, but economically, socially, nothing has really changed for the betterment of black voters,” White emphasized.
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/11/12/black-legislator-obamas-given-us-nothing-but-abortion/
White is an African American.
I wonder when women may realize the same, that free contraception isn't everything and become more balanced on the issues that really affect them.
Representative White foresees change, but slowly, as the black community becomes more aware that the socially liberal policies of leaders like President Obama have not — and will not ever — benefit African Americans.
“I think that all of us as Americans are proud that we have elected the first black president. But at some point you have to be truthful…about his impact on blacks.”
“African American voters, at a rate of 95 percent [in 2008]…participated in electing the first black president, but economically, socially, nothing has really changed for the betterment of black voters,” White emphasized.
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/11/12/black-legislator-obamas-given-us-nothing-but-abortion/
White is an African American.
...except they've voted in these patterns for decades and things are no better.
It won't change and Republicans should stop wasting their time trying. Appeal to Asians who have been screwed over by affirmative action.
I wonder when women may realize the same, that free contraception isn't everything and become more balanced on the issues that really affect them.
It seems a lot of women feel they cannot effectively manage their own lives.
"These are your people, Cook, once you consider what socialism always ends up as."
Not at all. I didn't vote for Obama, (who's no more a socialist than was Richard Nixon, and may be less one, in any case).
The African American community and urban communities in general really need to have their local leaders tethered to their needs, you can have a good local politician and once they get up higher in the state/national Democratic Parties their views change. Mostly because it takes money to win, so they go against their constituents on certain issues.
"This doesn't exactly fit well with your insistence we reduce military spending."
Marshall, I don't follow your point.
I don't say it's inevitable we'll have another world war because I want one, but because our own belligerence, coupled with the increasing competition among world players for greater access to and control over ever scarcer resources makes it unavoidable, (and my own view that we should drastically slash our War budget does not mean we will).
"For each of those same years you were free to offer them employment which included health benefits."
???
My last name notwithstanding, I am not one of the Koch Brothers and am in no position to offer anyone employment, being just a working stiff myself.
If the government cared about women's health it would care about heart disease and diabetes, but also it would care about the rising levels of obesity.
Imagine a party platform mandating that any weight loss program (for women only ) is free under all insurance plans, under preventative health.
I do not think it would go over well.
Robert Cook said...
"This doesn't exactly fit well with your insistence we reduce military spending."
Marshall, I don't follow your point.
Really? It's tough to figure out that if we expect a World War we should enter it with as strong a military as possible?
You justified your position that we can afford to reduce our military and hand over the saved proceeds to various Democratic constituencies is based on the fact that we do not in fact need our military, that there is no military threat. But now there's a World War in our future?
Robert Cook said...
"For each of those same years you were free to offer them employment which included health benefits."
My last name notwithstanding, I am not one of the Koch Brothers and am in no position to offer anyone employment, being just a working stiff myself.
So neither you nor Walmart offered these people health insurance. On the other hand Walmart did offer them the best job they could find, while you offered squat. And you conclude Walmart is the bad guy?
It figures.
Marshall,
WE will be a precipitating agent of the next world war. If we reduce our war budget and decide to engage in the world in a less belligerent manner, perhaps there's a chance it won't happen.
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits, they encourage their employees to seek public assistance!
How is this a boon for local economies? How can one not see them as larcenous swine, given that the Walton family is one of the richest in the entire world, yet Walmart's own practices and active encouragement to their employees to seek public assistance fosters greater expense to the taxpayers of the areas where they operate, (while garnering ever greater riches for the Walton family)?
How is this a boon for local economies? How can one not see them as larcenous swine, given that the Walton family is one of the richest in the entire world, yet Walmart's own practices and active encouragement to their employees to seek public assistance fosters greater expense to the taxpayers of the areas where they operate, (while garnering ever greater riches for the Walton family)?
Cook, you need to actually go to a WalMart sometime and preach to the people looking to save a buck. Althouse would never be caught dead in a WalMart; Meade might go there to buy the occasional shirt.
Robert Cook said...
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits, they encourage their employees to seek public assistance!
How is this a boon for local economies? How can one not see them as larcenous swine, given that the Walton family is one of the richest in the entire world, yet Walmart's own practices and active encouragement to their employees to seek public assistance fosters greater expense to the taxpayers of the areas where they operate, (while garnering ever greater riches for the Walton family)?
What a hodgepodge of nonsense. We know by revealed preference Walmart has offered these employees the best job they can find, so the employees would be worse off without them. Those who qualify for Medicaid with Walmart would still qualify without, and likely even more would qualify. So what you're pointing to as a cost is not created by Walmart but previously existed in the community. The only accurate statement that can be made is that Walmart employment does not alleviate all the financial ills of its employees, to which the reasonable responses are "And?", "duh", or "no shit Sherlock".
As usual your entire argument comes down to envy. And that's no justification for damaging the economy.
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits.
Yup. If it wasn't for that stinkin' Walmart, the local folks would be shopping at Saks 5th Avenue, the way you do.
Robert Cook said...
WE will be a precipitating agent of the next world war. If we reduce our war budget and decide to engage in the world in a less belligerent manner, perhaps there's a chance it won't happen.
I agree this is your best overstep-recovery option. But when you asserted we are likely to engage in World War the cause was scarce resource competition. So when you put these two statements together you apparently believe less belligerence creates arable land and increases rainfall.
My point about Walmart is that, Walmart presents itself as a boon to local economies, as a source of employment, yet they not only pay piss-poor wages and offer scant (or too-expensive for their own employees) benefits, they encourage their employees to seek public assistance!
You must absolutely hate illegal immigration. Or maybe you hate all the government benefits.
Of course, the ownership class by and large loves illegal immigration. What's not to like? Lower costs, everyone pays for the benefits, they win.
That hasn't stopped liberal rags from promoting illegals. "How else will you get locally grown vegetables!" Now there's a reason to take down a state. Not that I have any issues with IAs, only that the culture doesn't mix to well with the US culture of dependence.
"If someone can show me how GOTV or some other nonsense can outdo this scale of fraud, I'd like to know."
If you're correct, and fraud really does run that deep, then there are only two ways to fix it.
Truly massive, in-person, on-site monitoring by trusthworthy poll observers. No apologies, no excuses, and no delicate political calculus so as to avoid offending anyone's racial sensibilities. This will require organized outright defiance of corrupt local law enforcement, local election officials, and hired thugs. The left is willing to put forth this kind of effort. Are we?
The second method, obviously, is to play by the same rules the other guys use. Hijack the machine and use fraud to counter fraud. Elect someone who will then institute reforms. This is a dangerous and morally compromising path. The Democrats have demonstrated how it's done, and now demonstrate the crippling consequences of relying on deceit and bribery.
I agree this is your best overstep-recovery option. But when you asserted we are likely to engage in World War the cause was scarce resource competition. So when you put these two statements together you apparently believe less belligerence creates arable land and increases rainfall.
Thanks to the EPA and the Obamao, the US is producing less. Instead of making the world's grain, we pump it into our gas tanks.
Thanks to the Obamao, oil costs are going up, which means US grains will cost even more.
And thanks to the Obamao, other energy costs are going up too. All of this will make goods scarcer, US products more expensive, and all for what?
Marshall,
I mean that our aggressive belligerence in seeking to gain control of resources may precipitate the next world war.
Proponents of our military expenditures say it is necessary to "defend" ourselves. At present, we are not in any danger against which we must defend. Reducing military expenditures--even dramatically--does not mean completely disarming. It merely means scaling back to more modest levels, in keeping with our actual needs. Our present expenditures are driven by those who make money off the war economy, as well as by our drive to impose American hegemony around the world.
If we try to work in cooperation with the other major players in the world to husband the available resources and to try to develop alternative energy sources and effective ways to desalinate water, we may head off such a world war.
The Romster won, if all the real votes had been counted.
Other than "I don't know how Obama managed to win, I don't know anyone who voted for him," do you have the least shred of evidence to back up this very serious charge.
"Yup. If it wasn't for that stinkin' Walmart, the local folks would be shopping at Saks 5th Avenue, the way you do."
No, but more local small businesses might be in operation, thus keeping profits made circulating in the local economy. This is not the case with Walmart (and other big box chain stores).
The extraction of money from communities in the new economy
We know...Walmart has offered these employees the best job they can find, so the employees would be worse off without them."
Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
The Walton Gang is more clever than I realized. Who else could've come up w/the idea of making the poor worse off through lower prices?
Cook, If you troubled yourself to find out how a Wal-Mart employee's wage rose w/ job tenure, you'd see that as an employer it's basically a job-training program w/ guaranteed employment for successful graduates.
If it were run by the gov't, you'd love it.
Robert Cook said...
We know...Walmart has offered these employees the best job they can find, so the employees would be worse off without them."
Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
Which had no discernable effect on wages since one set of low paid workers replaced another.
Robert Cook said...
If we try to work in cooperation with the other major players in the world to husband the available resources and to try to develop alternative energy sources and effective ways to desalinate water, we may head off such a world war.
Thanks for climbing down, but you can skip the meaningless blather next time.
When did urban become a euphemism for Black? Anyone know?
They have not been given a single good reason to vote Republican. Instead of voter suppression or hystical charges of fraud why not come up with a few ideas on changing that? You might lose the bigot vote?
They have not been given a single good reason to vote Republican. Instead of voter suppression or hystical charges of fraud why not come up with a few ideas on changing that? You might lose the bigot vote?
Like what? Student loan forgiveness? Amnesty? Free birth control?
The way to win is easily discernable.
It is not by being sober and reasonable.
You need to use negative advertising, fear and hate. Us vs them. Lie and obsufcate. Use wedge issuses to split up the Democratic coalition.
The best move is to split the Hispanic vote off from the black vote. They already hate each other.
Republicans used to be good at this but we ceded it to the Democrats. Now is the time to go back to basics.
Fear and hate wins elections.
Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
"Which had no discernable effect on wages since one set of low paid workers replaced another."
You don't and can't know this.
Moreover, the Walmart effect takes money out of the local economy (see my previous link) and it destroys independent small businesses! This turns business owners--of necessity--into wage earners who must find jobs working for others. It removes more alternatives to jobs other than those offered by Walmart and other similar bigbox chain stores. I thought you people here were all about the "small businessman" and how government regulation was killing him. How about the predatory and anti-competitive effects of stores like Walmart?
Matt Taibbi has famously referred to the "vampire squid" that is Goldman Sachs--and he's not wrong--but the term applies no less to Walmart.
Robert Cook said...
Often because Walmart has driven other local employers out of business.
"Which had no discernable effect on wages since one set of low paid workers replaced another."
You don't and can't know this.
Moreover, the Walmart effect takes money out of the local economy (see my previous link) and it destroys independent small businesses! This turns business owners--of necessity--into wage earners who must find jobs working for others. It removes more alternatives to jobs other than those offered by Walmart and other similar bigbox chain stores. I thought you people here were all about the "small businessman" and how government regulation was killing him. How about the predatory and anti-competitive effects of stores like Walmart?
I'm getting tired of having to explain the economic facts of life to you , conmrade Bob. So I'll just cut to the chase.
Nope. You're wrong.
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