The Donald and Crazy Bernie

[Sam]

Yeah, like, wasn't he writing about the US? And really wrong?

What's the deal with citing foreign nationals who are bashing our entire form of government when you guys think it'll help you out?

Nevermind the fact that "want things" and "wants tangible, physical goods and services paid for without an accompaniment of levied taxes" are two very different things

Well, unless you're talking about military spending or Mitt Romney's 2012 tax plan ...

[Jaecp]

Well, unless you're talking about military spending or Mitt Romney's 2012 tax plan ...

Sure, sure and I realize you're being tongue in cheek with me, but it baffles me sometimes how people immediately jump to the worst possible interpretation of someones words :-/

[Jedidiah]

Well history proved him embarrassingly wrong.

It looks mighty accurate to me in today's USA. The voters are giving themselves more and more free stuff.

[Jaecp]

It looks mighty accurate to me in today's USA. The voters are giving themselves more and more free stuff.

So our democracy has ceased to exist? Like the British guy said 200 some years ago?

[Darth Executor]

So our democracy has ceased to exist? Like the British guy said 200 some years ago?

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

Perhaps, but the two professors have conducted exhaustive research to try to present data-driven support for this conclusion. Here's how they explain it:
Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organised groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence.

[Jaecp]

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

I've seen that study before, actually.

It's 180 away from what Rogue, Jedidiah and Cowpoke are claiming

[One Bad Pig]

Yeah, like, wasn't he writing about the US?

Assuming the quote is his (which seems to be an open question, though it appears to be in line with his general opinion), he could not have been writing about America, which was consistently referred to as a republic (not a democracy) AFAICT.

And really wrong?

I don't see how that's been demonstrated.

What's the deal with citing foreign nationals who are bashing our entire form of government when you guys think it'll help you out?

It's not our form of government that he's bashing. And I find it interesting that the US didn't have much problem balancing the federal budget until the Senate became directly elected by the people.

Nevermind the fact that "want things" and "wants tangible, physical goods and services paid for without an accompaniment of levied taxes" are two very different things

Not especially. Nobody wants to pay taxes.

[Cow Poke]

It's 180 away from what Rogue, Jedidiah and Cowpoke are claiming

At least I'm in good company.

[One Bad Pig]

I've seen that study before, actually.

It's 180 away from what Rogue, Jedidiah and Cowpoke are claiming

It's also amusingly 180 away from Democrats' claims to be representing the people against Republican 'fat cats' - when's the last time a Republican policy got implemented against the Democrats' wishes? Even GWB's major accomplishments had broad support from Democrats.

[Sam]

It's also amusingly 180 away from Democrats' claims to be representing the people against Republican 'fat cats' - when's the last time a Republican policy got implemented against the Democrats' wishes? Even GWB's major accomplishments had broad support from Democrats.

Bush's 2003 tax cuts and Medicare Part D had very slim Democratic support.

[rogue06]

Well history proved him embarrassingly wrong.

You think? It has only been in the past couple of decades that we really realized that we can vote ourselves stuff. The boom during Reagan and the technological boom under Clinton gave us a large cushion that has been frittered away and we've got an economy that now is on the same path that Greece is.

[Sam]

Bush's 2003 tax cuts and Medicare Part D had very slim Democratic support.

Both massively increased deficit spending, too, for what it's worth.

[Cow Poke]

Both massively increased deficit spending, too, for what it's worth.

Which pleases you, yes?

[Sam]

Which pleases you, yes?

Obamacare, the policy I've most vociferously supported, continues to reduce the deficit even more than originally calculated.

'Course, I certainly wouldn't have minded deficit spending on the right things when the fiscal multiplier made it essentially free ... But we missed that boat big time.

[Jedidiah]

So our democracy has ceased to exist? Like the British guy said 200 some years ago?

It is well on the way.