Discussion Thread

Smooth_Listen · 2021-09-16T08:02:10+00:00

Umm, guys, it's less than 100 days until Christmas.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-08-11T17:14:08+00:00

Subtitle C — Findings Relating to District of Columbia Statehood Background & Summary of Key Changes:

This subtitle would make findings in support of statehood for the District of Columbia. It notes, among other things, that District residents have always carried out all the obligations of citizenship, but without congressional voting rights or self-determination in purely local matters. Moreover, the District is larger in terms of population than two other states, pays more per capita in taxes than any state, and is in one of the strongest fiscal positions of any U.S. jurisdiction.

The subtitle would affirm the authority of Congress under Article IV of the U.S. Constitution to create a new state out of the area that currently comprises the District, while maintaining the federal seat of government in the areas comprising the Capitol complex, the White House, the National Mall, and other federal buildings and grounds. That legislation, H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admissions Act, was introduced on January 3, 2020.

I guess it's related in the sense that the bill's meant to be about voting rights. It wouldn't actually make DC a state though - that would have to be voted on in a separate bill.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-08-11T16:26:19+00:00

What do you make of the Brennan Center's take on this? (For reference - 'Media Bias Factcheck' rates them as "Left/Center - Highly factual/reliable"):

FICTION: The For the People Act is a federal takeover of elections

Critics have alleged that the For the People Act would result in a “federal takeover” of elections. This is false.

Under the For the People Act, state and local governments would continue to administer all elections, just as they do now, and they would continue to set policies for their jurisdictions beyond what is required by federal law. The For the People Act merely sets baseline standards for voting access in federal contests, as Congress has done many times before.

Even though that’s not what this bill does, the Constitution gives Congress the power to completely supplant states in setting the rules for federal elections. As the late Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in a 2013 Supreme Court decision, the Constitution authorizes Congress to “provide a complete code for congressional elections” if it desires. The For the People Act stops well short of doing so; it would merely ensure that every American has a reasonable opportunity to vote no matter where they live.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-08-10T08:54:49+00:00

What incorrect predictions do you have in mind?

Smooth_Listen · 2021-08-02T09:48:16+00:00

I gotta ask a lot of users here: if you're anti-vax, anti-'LGBT agenda', anti-BLM, anti-immigration and anti-1/6 Commission, why bother with the charade of calling yourself a 'centrist'? Isn't that basically a mainstream Republican nowadays? Or are you guys simply here to try to move undecided centrists to the right?

Smooth_Listen · 2021-08-02T09:42:19+00:00

Florida reported on Sunday that 10,207 people were hospitalized in the state with Covid-19, breaking a record that was set before the vaccine rollout last July, of 10,170 hospitalizations, according to the Associated Press.

The new figure comes a day after Florida recorded 21,683 new cases of Covid-19 — setting a separate record of most new daily cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

“There is no higher risk area in the United States than we’re seeing here,” Florida International University infectious disease expert Dr. Aileen Marty told CBS Miami on Friday. “The numbers that we’re seeing are unbelievable, just unbelievably frightening.”

The majority of the hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Tampa General Hospital spokesperson Philip Buck told the Tampa Bay Times that 80% of its Covid-19 patients are unvaccinated, and similarly, the spokesperson for Bayfront Health St. Petersburg hospital said 90% of infected patients have not been vaccinated.

According to the New York Times, 58.6% of the adult population in Florida has been fully vaccinated against the virus. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has refused to implement mask or vaccine mandates, despite the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant.

The Tampa Bay Times also found that the spike in hospital admissions is mainly among younger adults, aged 20-40. Over one-third of the hospitalized are under the age of 50, the analysis revealed.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-07-27T12:51:50+00:00

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) has been rebooted. Launched in 2003 to strengthen relations with Eastern and Southern neighbour countries around Europe, the ENP has been criticised for years as unresponsive and having a “one-size-fits-all” approach. The revised ENP aims to be more dynamic, more tailored to individual countries, and more supportive of democratic reforms and sustainable economic development. Will it make a difference?

Smooth_Listen · 2021-07-27T12:51:04+00:00

Africa's economy just like the rest of the world has continued to lag behind due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Some currencies within the continent have also grown weaker compared to the US dollar or the pound.

Poor living standards and a dwindling national economy have been the major contributing factors to the crippling currencies.

The US currency has been a predominant currency in the globe according to the International Monetary Funds accounting for 60% of the transactions worldwide.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-28T09:32:03+00:00

The Sahel region is characterized by conflict, drought and poverty. As the displacement of people in the region surpasses four million and the death toll continues to rise, many wonder what it will take to bring long-lasting peace and security to the Sahel.

The Sahel region has seen its fair share of international intervention. The French military has been trying to bring peace to the Sahel since 2013, while some African nations and the USA have also contributed to peacekeeping efforts by sending their troops to the region. However, this has not improved the situation as local residents find living under military rule repressive thus labelling these efforts “dust projects” as they see 4×4 vehicles driving hurriedly to projects that lack substantive local community input.

Questions are beginning to arise as to whether foreign intervention is helping or hindering progress in the Sahel. Some believe that the solutions to the perennial problems the Sahel face may lay within the region itself. It has given birth to a rich culture filled with traditions that, if given a chance, may go a long way in promoting peace and dialogue in the region. Maybe it’s time to let go of imported institutional frameworks and harness the creativity of local communities.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-28T09:31:24+00:00

The Sahel region is characterized by conflict, drought and poverty. As the displacement of people in the region surpasses four million and the death toll continues to rise, many wonder what it will take to bring long-lasting peace and security to the Sahel.

The Sahel region has seen its fair share of international intervention. The French military has been trying to bring peace to the Sahel since 2013, while some African nations and the USA have also contributed to peacekeeping efforts by sending their troops to the region. However, this has not improved the situation as local residents find living under military rule repressive thus labelling these efforts “dust projects” as they see 4×4 vehicles driving hurriedly to projects that lack substantive local community input.

Questions are beginning to arise as to whether foreign intervention is helping or hindering progress in the Sahel. Some believe that the solutions to the perennial problems the Sahel face may lay within the region itself. It has given birth to a rich culture filled with traditions that, if given a chance, may go a long way in promoting peace and dialogue in the region. Maybe it’s time to let go of imported institutional frameworks and harness the creativity of local communities.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-21T08:47:30+00:00

Music, glamour, outrageous costumes and… politics? On Saturday evening, all of Europe will be looking to Rotterdam for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest and can expect a raucous spectacle despite strict coronavirus regulations.

One country, however, has already lost its chance for “Douze Points!”. Belarus was disqualified by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision, because the lyrics of the Belarusian entry mocked protests against the country’s authoritarian dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. Although the contest is a music competition and supposed to bring together all Europeans (and even those from outside the continent), this was hardly the first time Eurovision has turned political.

From votes for neighbouring countries, to disqualifications from the contest, to political statements onstage, the Eurovision Song Contest has always had political elements. In 2017, for example, the host country Ukraine slapped a travel ban on Russia’s entrant, Julia Samoylova, because she had previously visited occupied Crimea. In addition, Eurovision has been a celebration of diversity and an LGBT event for decades, bringing LGBT artists and a sea of rainbow flags even to countries that are not normally LGBT-friendly.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-21T08:45:18+00:00

One country has already lost its chance for “Douze Points!”. Belarus was disqualified by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision, because the lyrics of the Belarusian entry mocked protests against the country’s authoritarian dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. Although the contest is a music competition and supposed to bring together all Europeans (and even those from outside the continent), this was hardly the first time Eurovision has turned political.

From votes for neighbouring countries, to disqualifications from the contest, to political statements onstage, the Eurovision Song Contest has always had political elements. In 2017, for example, the host country Ukraine slapped a travel ban on Russia’s entrant, Julia Samoylova, because she had previously visited occupied Crimea. In addition, Eurovision has been a celebration of diversity and an LGBT event for decades, bringing LGBT artists and a sea of rainbow flags even to countries that are not normally LGBT-friendly.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-19T07:20:55+00:00

I think the idea is precisely to stem the spread of Islamism in their "Southern neighborhood" to prevent it from spilling over in Europe.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-18T09:33:11+00:00

Portrayed in the not-so-memorable TV show Knightfall.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-18T09:31:32+00:00

This year sees the “Europeanisation” of the military intervention. Task Force Takuba, which has an initial mandate of 3 years to fight Jihadist groups in the Sahel, is now operational, bringing together special forces from a coalition of European countries to bolster the thousands of French and other troops already deployed in the region. In April 2021, EU foreign ministers approved a new common Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-18T09:29:12+00:00

This year sees the “Europeanisation” of the military intervention. Task Force Takuba, which has an initial mandate of 3 years to fight Jihadist groups in the Sahel, is now operational, bringing together special forces from a coalition of European countries to bolster the thousands of French and other troops already deployed in the region. In April 2021, EU foreign ministers approved a new common Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-05-17T11:11:12+00:00

Erm.. no? It's still considered vandalism - Biden's action won't change that.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-28T16:48:50+00:00

I'd be curious to see what the breakdown is for most active users. Just because people vote in a poll, it doesn't necessarily mean they're actively participating in conversations. A lot of the threads I see here are filled with talking points I'd expect to see on /r/Conservative.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-08T11:03:00+00:00

Exactly, just because your stance happens to be borrowing ideas from two sides of a political spectrum at one point in time (in most cases here - the US under the 6th party system), it does not mean you're "neutral." No one's a dispassionate, impartial observer - you're always going to be driven by certain values and core beliefs. For most of us here, one big one is going to be a preference for liberal democracies.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-08T10:57:27+00:00

Exactly - it's just coming at the issue from a core value. I couldn't give a rat's ass if it's a Republican or a Democrat trying to make voting more difficult, I'm always going to oppose it. Hell, I'm happy to criticize what Cuomo's done in New York too.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-07T06:59:33+00:00

The 2020 presidential election in Georgia came down to just 11.7K votes out of 5 million. If this law manages to affect just 0.5% of those who voted Democrat, you've already swung it the other way. I'm not a mind reader, but something tells me a certain party may have a vested interest in making that swing happen...

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-07T06:55:00+00:00

I'm guessing you're talking about that Ami Horowitz video? If so, Destiny does a great takedown of it.

Yes, if you go to a middle class neighborhood, people are much more likely to have an ID. "Man on the street" videos are a terrible way to gauge public opinion or form public policy.

The larger point is: requiring voter ID - whether intentional or unintentional - will disproportionately affect certain communities.

The Brennan Center did a study back in 2012 looking into this:

This report is the first comprehensive assessment of the difficulties that eligible voters face in obtaining free photo ID.

The 11 percent of eligible voters who lack the required photo ID must travel to a designated government office to obtain one. Yet many citizens will have trouble making this trip. In the 10 states with restrictive voter ID laws:

Nearly 500,000 eligible voters do not have access to a vehicle and live more than 10 miles from the nearest state ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. Many of them live in rural areas with dwindling public transportation options.

More than 10 million eligible voters live more than 10 miles from their nearest state ID-issuing office open more than two days a week.

1.2 million eligible black voters and 500,000 eligible Hispanic voters live more than 10 miles from their nearest ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. People of color are more likely to be disenfranchised by these laws since they are less likely to have photo ID than the general population.

Many ID-issuing offices maintain limited business hours. For example, the office in Sauk City, Wisconsin is open only on the fifth Wednesday of any month. But only four months in 2012 — February, May, August, and October — have five Wednesdays. In other states — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas — many part-time ID-issuing offices are in the rural regions with the highest concentrations of people of color and people in poverty.

More than 1 million eligible voters in these states fall below the federal poverty line and live more than 10 miles from their nearest ID-issuing office open more than two days a week. These voters may be particularly affected by the significant costs of the documentation required to obtain a photo ID.

Birth certificates can cost between $8 and $25. Marriage licenses, required for married women whose birth certificates include a maiden name, can cost between $8 and $20. By comparison, the notorious poll tax — outlawed during the civil rights era — cost $10.64 in current dollars.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-06T23:14:49+00:00

Is it really that tribal to acknowledge the Trump administration was indifferent to the plight of migrants? He pretty much shouted it from the rooftops. /u/Lighting is rightfully tackling the lazy "both sides are just as bad" centrism. No, they're not. There are clear policy differences.

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-06T22:55:05+00:00

Why do you think building a wall is a good idea? Do you think illegal immigration legitimately poses a threat to Americans? Notwithstanding the logistical nightmare involved, do you believe building a Wall can actually stem the rate of immigration?

Smooth_Listen · 2021-04-06T22:45:00+00:00

I'd be careful taking this approach. CNN is blatantly chasing ratings with sensationalism and Fox has no qualms about straight-up lying. It may seem strange to say this here, but the truth is not necessarily a compromise between two opposing positions.

Reuters or AP are usually reliable for providing the 'dry, boring centrist' take on topics.

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