U.S. Politics

[Tommy]

Wow. The Economist Intelligence Unit (not exactly a partisan outfit) downgraded the US from "full democracy" status to "flawed democracy" based upon the decline of trust in the political system.

http://www.businessinsider.com/economist-intelligence-unit-downgrades-united-states-to-flawed-democracy-2017-1

I think important to note (and why I put it in this thread rather than the Lyin' Don thread) is that they do not blame this on Donald Trump, but rather see his election as a function of the failing of the American system.

Haha The Economist is definitely not a non-partisan organization. I even interviewed at their research arm in 2006 and the majority of it was spent with the English MD complaining about Bush.

[Johnny English]

Haha The Economist is definitely not a non-partisan organization. I even interviewed at their research arm in 2006 and the majority of it was spent with the English MD complaining about Bush.

Haha at the fact that you think a ten year old anecdote regarding a single individual who worked for a different part of the organisation is remotely relevant.

[Tommy]

Haha at the fact that you think a ten year old anecdote regarding a single individual who worked for a different part of the organisation is remotely relevant.

Haha. Hey at least I have some reason to feel they're non partisan. You just claimed as such just because. I read that rag periodically and it definitely isn't "non partisan".

[Johnny English]

Haha. Hey at least I have some reason to feel they're non partisan. You just claimed as such just because. I read that rag periodically and it definitely isn't "non partisan".

I read it occasionally. As the site's self proclaimed expert on all things economics you'll be familiar with the fact that there are a number of schools of economic thought, many conflicting, and the magazine reflects that. The fact that you may be more an advocate of one or two ahead of others does not make the publication partisan.

The fact that Congress has consistently over the last eight years polled at record low levels of satisfaction and trustworthiness should probably speak to the conclusion of this report.

[Tommy]

I read it occasionally. As the site's self proclaimed expert on all things economics you'll be familiar with the fact that there are a number of schools of economic thought, many conflicting, and the magazine reflects that. The fact that you may be more an advocate of one or two ahead of others does not make the publication partisan.

The fact that Congress has consistently over the last eight years polled at record low levels of satisfaction and trustworthiness should probably speak to the conclusion of this report.

I'll have to look closer as to how they did their ratings, but if they did it based on public opinion then of course we'd get a "flawed" rating. We're split in half essentially.

[Johnny English]

I'll have to look closer as to how they did their ratings, but if they did it based on public opinion then of course we'd get a "flawed" rating. We're split in half essentially.

Congress approval ratings were somewhere round the 20s a year ago, as I recall.

[Tommy]

Congress approval ratings were somewhere round the 20s a year ago, as I recall.

And that's crazy because as divided as we are you'd think that the people actually elected to represent the public would at least collectively get 50pct or more depending on who's in charge. 20pct means that the public believes congress is completely ineffective as a branch of government.

[Badger]

https://theintercept.com/2017/01/23/14-senate-democrats-fall-in-line-behind-trump-cia-pick-who-left-door-open-to-torture/

The Democrats who voted to confirm Pompeo were:

Joe Donnelly of Indiana
Dianne Feinstein of California
Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire
Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota
Tim Kaine of Virginia
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Joe Manchin of West Virginia
Claire McCaskill of Missouri
Jack Reed of Rhode Island
Brian Schatz of Hawaii
Chuck Schumer of New York
Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire
Mark Warner of Virginia
Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the lone member of his party to vote against his confirmation.

[Tommy]

Chuck Schumer is a surprise.

[Badger]

Chuck Schumer is a surprise.

Not really. He's a stooge.

[JFIF]

I love The Economist and it's far from "partisan". 

And who wasn't making fun of Bush in 2006?

[Tommy]

I love The Economist and it's far from "partisan". 

And who wasn't making fun of Bush in 2006?

I used to read it regularly, but haven't in a while. Found out they have a new editor in chief. The one before her was a pretty vocal critic of conservatism. I guess it's changed a bit.

[bojanglesman]

I'm officially burned out on politics.  I don't know how people can make a career of this excrement.

[bojanglesman]

Comedian Bill Burr has a simpler explanation for Clinton’s defeat, which he laid out on Conan Monday night.

“I’m sick of people making excuses for her. She blew it,” Burr said, to stunned silence from the audience. “See that? Nobody thinks that, but she blew it. Listen, she lost to a guy who said three things a week that would torpedo anyone else’s campaign. How do you do that? It’s like playing a football game where the other team throws 20 interceptions, and you still figure out how to blow it. At what point do you take responsibility?”

I think Hillary Clinton is the Jets?

[Tommy]

I think Hillary Clinton is the Jets?

But she won the popular vote!

I'm sick of that argument. It's like a team losing 14-10, but led the game in time of possession, first downs, and total yards and their fans blaming the winning team.