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FCC To Suspend Most Operations Thursday if the Partial Government Shutdown Continues (fcc.gov)

The Federal Communications Commission will suspend most operations in the middle of the day January 3 if the partial government shutdown continues, the agency has announced [PDF]. In a statement, it said: In the event of a continued partial lapse in federal government funding, the Federal Communications Commission will suspend most operations in the middle of the day on Thursday, January 3. At that time, employees will have up to four hours to complete an orderly shutdown of operations. However, work required for the protection of life and property will continue, as will any work related to spectrum auctions, which is funded by auction proceeds. In addition, the Office of the Inspector General will continue operations until further notice. The Commission on Wednesday will release a Public Notice detailing the effects the suspension of operations will have, including on electronic filing and database systems, filing deadlines, regulatory and application fee payments, transaction shot clocks, and more. The Public Notice will be available on the Commission's website, www.fcc.gov.

199 of 398 comments (clear)

  1. Shutdown is kind of a joke by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Look at those list of qualifications for the things that are not really shut down.

    Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

    That's just for the FCC but the general trend carries across the whole government.

    For just one example - you can still update passports... and most national parks are still open.

    I think this shutdown may last a while, because I 'm not sure there's much pain that most non-government people will see...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by olsmeister · · Score: 2

      Maybe we just leave it 'shut down.'

    2. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      Trump is still in the White House, so that is clearly not true.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by hey! · · Score: 2

      That's because they've prioritized things with *immediate* effect. But over time you can't expect federal workers in "essential" positions to continue working without pay.

      For example DHS scrounged money to pay Coast Guardsmen today, but it is probable that they wont' receive paychecks in January. It is also likely that the Coast Guard will have difficulty paying to run its ships. ICE and Border Control agents are also working without pay. Coast Guardsmen can't leave, but eventually people working on border security are going to get other jobs.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    4. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      My guess is you never knew anything the FCC actually did, so you have no idea.

      That's just for the FCC but the general trend carries across the whole government.

      Except the EPA isn't monitoring pollution, the FDA isn't approving drugs, Social Security is shut down (if you're on it you keep getting checks, but you cannot get on it). Military, etc. as already fully funded, but if this keeps going on, there's a lot of programs that are going to start shutting down.

      you can still update passports...

      At consulates, not everywhere.

      and most national parks are still open.

      Most national parks have some pre-shutdown funding still available. They'll all be closed if this keeps going on. In the mean time, they've suspended trash pickup and restroom maintenance.

      It's possible that this partial shutdown, since like 3/4 of the budget was already allocated, may go on for a while. But I doubt it. My guess is it'll be pretty obvious in a few weeks once the last few dollars run out and people get out of the holidays slowdown and want to do things that require a non-shutdown government.

      --
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    5. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by ron_ivi · · Score: 1

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on"

      So might be best if the shutdown continues forever.

    6. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

      The Democrats all left DC to party during the shutdown, proving what I said was in fact true.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    7. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Luckyo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The problem with your example is that such hypothetical agency was likely formed in a response of a long term trend causing some kind of a severe disaster due to long term growth of animal population.

      Stoppage of such agency would not result in short term losses, but it may lead to economic disaster in half a decade. Because in many fields, government is the last line of defence acting when short term thinking corporations fail. Be it handling an oil spill, damage to overall farming output due to wrong kind of short term benefit long term catastrophic fertilization methodology and chemistry, or national defence.

      Which brings us to difference between the government and corporation, and one of the few of Trump's actual (as opposed to those numerous imagined by sufferers of TDS) flaws. He has problems segregating "government functions that cannot be carried on like a corporation because of government being the last line of defence with no backup" and "government functions that are not the last line of defence, and where government's role can be at least to a significant extent picked up by private sector". We've seen this in many of his moves where he has treated government like a CEO treats a company. National government by design needs to take in account the long term effects of its polities, because the scenario of breakdown of government is nothing like a corporate bankruptcy. In case of corporate bankruptcy, government steps in with everything from its judiciary to its executive to manage this failure. When government breaks down, there is nothing above it to do the same. Society itself, and everything within it will collapse should this occur, and it will take a long time and a lot of damage for next governing body to re-emerge from anarchy that follows such events in human history, often with state borders themselves getting altered dramatically by such an event.

      So in this regard, this is a dangerous game. Both for Trump and his ever increasingly hysterical opposition which is now engaging is absurd accusations which appear to mostly be "we agree with your views on border security, but because we must be seen in disagreement with you due to our audience largely suffering from TDS, we'll just alter our position to one that of diametric opposite of views we had just a month ago". At this point, given this rapid turnaround on both this issue and "pull the troops out of wars = bad" swing that happened effectively overnight, it's very difficult to see the current political events as those that are occurring between two rational actors invested in the future of their state. All while Trump clearly indicates that his primary interest is the future of the state with his actions.

      It's going to be interesting to see how this unfolds, and if the more sane centrists can take control back within the democratic party to return to some kind of politics of the principles and actually be able to agree with Trump on points that were theirs just a few months ago, such as importance of having secure borders or that having soldiers participating in undeclared wars is bad.

    8. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      The Democrats all left DC to party during the shutdown, proving what I said was in fact true.

      Which is better, canceling your vacation while nothing's happening or sitting at your desk while nothing's happening, looking like a fat, angry toddler.

      Remember, these were the first government shutdowns every to happen while one party controlled both congress and the White House. Republicans have spent two years with majorities and the presidency and only managed to fuck up.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    9. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by Weirsbaski · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Look at those list of qualifications for the things that are not really shut down.

      Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      There's a small but growing list of jobs being done by federal employees who are not currently being paid. You might count this as "carrying on", but most rational people would categorize this right into "unsustainable".

      * Disclaimer: yes, I know these employees will eventually get back pay, but the ability to work-then-back-pay is the reason "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

      --

      I am not a sig.
    10. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You should get the award of the year for the most non-empathic person in the US. Just because YOU don't have an issue with not getting paid for a few weeks/months while continuing to work doesn't mean others are in the same position. You do realize as a simple example someone just starting out probably has no savings, in fact probably is making student loan payments.

    11. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Known+Nutter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And fuck your sweeping generalizations.

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    12. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Luckyo · · Score: 1

      Why am I not surprised you have no one to spend the New Years with and are instead busy trolling on slashdot?

    13. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by rmdingler · · Score: 1

      Hear hear... though I've a hunch your well parsed logical argument will be denounced most by those in the greatest need of its wisdom, I commend you for its utter, infallible, sanity.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    14. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Patent+Lover · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You are a dick, but I suspect you know this.

    15. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      Now ask me if I care. I suspect you know the answer.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    16. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Patent+Lover · · Score: 1

      Well, fuck you and Happy New Year!

    17. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      And government employees have ALWAYS been granted back pay

      *salaried government employees have always been granted back pay.

      Fuck you for making light of this situation all the while ignoring that the people most affected are at the same time those most vulnerable. But you're a republican so you don't give a fuck about others.

    18. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      I would have swapped the word order of treasonous and fucking in order to take advantage of alliteration and increase the intellectual impact of your quality statement.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    19. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What about the essential personnel who are working without the promise of ever being paid for it? I don't know about you but I don't work for free. And if this administration has taught you anything, past actions don't matter a damn, we do what the fuck ever now. Add to that government jobs may be cushy and perky but for my field at least I would require a more advanced degree and about 3 decades of experience in government to be making what I make in the private sector. Given my current experience and degree I would be making about a quarter what I make now. I pity the government worker deemed essential working for nothing right now and IF they get back pay its going to suck.

    20. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by Luckyo · · Score: 1

      The centrists in Republican party are in control. Did you forget who Trump was just a few years ago?

      He is the one who had republicans cheer for gay rights, and put on a judge that was attacked by democrats for every imagined sin they could falsely accuse him of. Even after going through massive public character assassination attempt that almost cost him everything, he still sided with them on principle in upholding Roe v. Wade.

      The evidence is there if you stop turning away from it because of your TDS. Centrists are in control of republican party, and Trump's primary role was dragging them to centrist positions, kicking and screaming. It's why democratic party made its massive lurch to far left. To oppose Trump in everything and #resist, the only way to go was to the far end of left ideologically. It's why they flipped in a matter of a month on border security and support for war in Syria when Trump basically adopted something close to their positions on both points. It's no longer about the principles. It's about opposition to the character of Trump, no matter what position he takes.

      That's why if rational centrists were to take back control in democratic party, they would have an easy time with Trump. When it comes to principles, they agree on most things. The only major complaints centrists have are about the public persona of Trump. And a rational human being should be able to overcome their feelings when their rational interests dictate otherwise. At least when they're that high on ladder of governmental authority.

    21. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by pete6677 · · Score: 1

      There is a TON of fat and waste in Homeland Security. Restructure it back to how the departments were organized prior to 9/11, and get rid of the albatross that is Homeland Security. Get rid of the TSA while we're at it.

    22. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by pete6677 · · Score: 1

      The DMV is not a federal function, and thus is unaffected by the shutdown. Of course you would know this if you were anywhere near as smart as you claim to be.

    23. Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      In the mean time, they've suspended trash pickup and restroom maintenance.

      Did they try calling creimer?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    24. Re: Shutdown is kind of a joke by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      What fuck up? I count a government shutdown as a plus.

      Of course you do, Vladimir.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  2. Alright! by ArchieBunker · · Score: 2

    Firing up my pirate transmitter. Tune into 6925KHz.

    --
    Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    1. Re:Alright! by Tablizer · · Score: 2

      Firing up my pirate transmitter. Tune into 6925KHz.

      "Boooogeeer!"

      [old WKRP sitcom meme]

    2. Re:Alright! by fermion · · Score: 1

      And Rush Limbaugh can now say Fuck that Bitch as much as he wants

      --
      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
    3. Re:Alright! by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

      Turn it up to 11...

    4. Re:Alright! by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I hate to admit I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about! Can even see the scene in my mind...

      WKRP rocks! But (domesticated) turkeys still can’t fly...

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  3. Re:Oh Noes! by Lirodon · · Score: 1

    What shall we do without our precious FCC? How can we end this madness? How long can we live with this horrific government shutdown?

    In all seriousness, it's just politics as usual. The 'scary' government shutdown can go on for months for all I care.

    break out the uncut R-rated movies in primetime for sweeps!

  4. Re:Oh Noes! by aitikin · · Score: 1

    In all seriousness, it's just politics as usual. The 'scary' government shutdown can go on for months for all I care.

    Pretty obvious you don't work for the fed in a non-essential position. Nor do I, so it won't make much of a difference personally, but I'd imagine the general instability of not having a paycheck would absolutely suck.

    --
    "Don't meddle in the affairs of a patent dragon, for thou art tasty and good with ketchup." ~ohcrapitssteve
  5. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why should they? Donald Trump said Mexico would pay for it.

  6. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by hey! · · Score: 1

    Just fund the wall that Americans want and need. Stop serving the interests of Mexico, Russia, and China.

    Those countries don't care whether we have a wall or not. Mexico is fine with the wall, as long as we don't expect them to pay for it.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  7. Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a joke] by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Basically "anything that is really at all useful carries on".

    But "useful" is a matter of degree and timing. For example, Federal permits are often required for various business activities. Many of those are being postponed, meaning businesses have to wait. It can muck up schedules, hurting profits.

    I'm sure you have a personal "to do" list, and many of those items can be postponed some without much problem, but after a while it will catch up to you and cause direct problems.

    ...and most national parks are still open

    But toiletry and garbage-related maintenance is on hold. I shouldn't have to explain the details of those downsides.

    It's stupid that our system allows this so easily. It should have a cruise control mode that funds at existing levels until budget agreements are made. Stop throwing monkey wrenches into our civilization; I LIKE civilization. It seems many don't. Let's not #MakeCavesGreatAgain.

  8. Re:Pesos by hey! · · Score: 2

    Haven't you heard? Mexico is already paying for the wall. They're just doing it with money taken out of US taxpayers' pockets.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  9. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The only reason Trump wants a wall is so he has a symbol of "something he did" (worthless as it is by itself anyway...) "against the migrants" - hoping as he does that it will overshadow his treason and decades in prison.

    If it even 1/4 built by the time Trump dies in prison, assuming at all, I'll enjoy going down there and turning it into a modern art installation since it has no value as a barrier against migrants anyway. It's a moron's best idea.

    Worthless. Shutting down the government over it is just Trump realizing he's got nothing else to do but wait for Mueller to cut his dick off and throw it in prison.

  10. ...and this is a bad thing, right? by grasshoppa · · Score: 1

    I know we're all supposed to be angry at democrats/republicans ( depending on your allegiance of course ), but I just can't bring myself to be upset about the shutdown, or this particular aspect of it. Perhaps we should consider making this a more permanent state of affairs?

    --
    Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
    1. Re:...and this is a bad thing, right? by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2

      ... I just can't bring myself to be upset about the shutdown ...

      Perhaps if the shutdown involved Congress and the White House -- after all, they actually haven't done anything productive. But regular people, just trying to do their jobs and pay their bills, are now caught up in this -- over partial funding for wall almost no one wants (or cares about) and DHS says we don't actually need. Even Trump tweeted, on Dec 20, 2018 (last fucking week), that the Border is currently "tight":

      With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent!

      And, contrary to what he might think (and I use that word generously), the military really had/has nothing to do with this.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    2. Re:...and this is a bad thing, right? by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      Same. It's hard to even notice it outside the news. I'd bet most people don't even know there is a partial government shutdown.

    3. Re:...and this is a bad thing, right? by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      It's hard to notice a shutdown after a single week (or less since many programs had some leftover funds... the FCC/Smithsonian aren't shutting down until Wednesday and National Parks haven't shutdown yet either) between Christmas and New Years? How much interaction do you normally have with the federal government? How much normally happens between Christmas and New Years?

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    4. Re:...and this is a bad thing, right? by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

      Tax refund? Uncle Guido visits me 11 or so times a year Fed, State, Local and the only purpose is to go through the till and take their fair share, pretty much everything plus what I can borrow. Then push me around and say I had better have more next time.

      Oooo part of the government is shutdown ;) Darn! lol Woot! In fact I don't feel sorry for anyone not working. Since they will all get paid in the end even though they did not have to show up for work.

      Just my 2 cents ;)

  11. Re:Oh Noes! by hey! · · Score: 1

    The 'scary' government shutdown can go on for months for all I care.

    Well, the silver lining here is that one way or other we'll find out whether there really are any intolerable side effects, because it looks like this is going to drag on indefinitely.

    Every past time this has been done it's been Congress who started it, and at the first twinge of pain they've chickened out. But in this case nobody has much political incentive to do anything. Trump and his aides have recklessly taken credit for the shutdown before it even happened, which means he'll look weak if he compromises. But by the same token, Congress escapes the lion's share of the blame for any pain that (hypothetically) results.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  12. Not to worry FCC Executives by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1

    I'm sure Verizon will advance you some cash... (sigh)

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  13. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by sjames · · Score: 1

    Yeah, well us paying for it is still better than no wall.

    Speak for yourself, or better yet, pony up on the gofundme and leave the rest of us out of it.

    Also, we could easily make Mexico pay for it by not giving them anymore money.

    Cool, so do that then and quit monkeywrenching.

  14. Promises kept by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    If you like your Mexico paid for the wall, you can keep your Mexico paid for the wall.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  15. Re: Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Which volunteers are taking up the slack on [some toilets & garbage duties].

    Oh, traditional communism. How about that. But how long can we expect them to keep that up?

    That is exactly what it does have for anything of consequence.

    Like I said, consequence is relative and time-related. Just because you can postpone something doesn't mean it has no consequence. I can postpone dental visits for a year or so, but if I never went to a dentist, I'd probably have screwy or missing teeth. (Then again, some rural people seem to view such as a badge of honor for reasons that escape me.)

    MakeGovernmentSmallAgain

    Whether the gov't is too big or too small in general is probably another debate for another time. Let's try to focus on specifics here. And nobody agrees on what parts are too big. The military is too is big by some accounts, I would note.

  16. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 4, Informative

    Just fund the wall that Americans want and need.

    Sigh. Anonymous Coward - Over and over and over and over and OVER again, Trump made it clear that MEXICO was going to pay for the wall. He made it clear that his fantastic negotiating skills will make that a reality.

    All we're doing is holding him to his promise.

    A promise *every* Trump supporter repeated back to me throughout 2016 and a lot of 2017.

    Is that so hard? All he has to do is do what he said: Head to Mexico, and return with a check for $40 Billion dollars for the wall.

  17. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 1

    The only reason Trump wants a wall

    I thought it was "slats" now? Whatever those are.

  18. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    70% of people polled don't want to pay for Trump's 2000 mile long penis extension. "Do you think maybe he's compensating for something?" -- Shrek

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  19. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    Most of the fentanyl from China is mailed directly into the US, but thanks for playing!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  20. Tactically all this benefits Trump mightily by SuperKendall · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Largely because they're using funds left over. The Smithsonian, for instance, will close on the 2nd or 3rd of Jan IIRC because of lack of funds. I imagine the national parks will close as well.

    All the outdoor parks and memorials will remain open because there's no need to close them. Trees keep growing, rivers keep flowing...

    Just wait. All those school trips to the Smithsonian will start kicking in sometime after the holiday break, and you'll see stories of disappointed kids in the news.

    Disappointed children from the richest counties in the nation is press that helps Trump though, so it will quickly die off.

    The best possible scenario here is for Trump to do zip, he gets massive bad press

    And here is where you discover exactly why it's super bad to have journalists deliver massive bad press on a subject 24x7 - because when the subject does deserve it, absolutely no-one pays attention or cares.

    both parties come together to over-ride his veto.

    That is actually what Trump is hoping for and would assure him a 20/20 victory. Funny how many people that hate Trump so badly, seem to take steps to ensure him achieving whatever victory he desires...

    If they had just quietly paid for the wall they could have plastered him with the failure of it in 2020. Here's a big 'ol tactical clue for Democrats: Half-assed wall is way better for the Democrats than zero wall. Trump has got more benefit out of a fictional wall than Pink Floyd!

    Some people claim that True is playing eight-dimensional chess. I think he's just an average guy who managed to work his way into the kingdom of the sub-level morons.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Tactically all this benefits Trump mightily by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      All the outdoor parks and memorials will remain open because there's no need to close them. Trees keep growing, rivers keep flowing...

      They don't have to but they do, lest someone stub a toe. It's the facetious arrogancy of government that thinks you cannot survive anything briefly without them combining with the desire of a faction to inflict as much pain as possible, the way cash-strapped school districts cancel bus service first, before a millage, to annoy parents into driving their kids.

      Anyway it's winter and not the prime season for tourism and camping.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    2. Re:Tactically all this benefits Trump mightily by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"All the outdoor parks and memorials will remain open because there's no need to close them. Trees keep growing, rivers keep flowing..."

      Unless you are under the Obama administration and then close and ROPE/CONE OFF outdoor parks, monuments and/or parking, just to prove a point. So the shutdown won't pay for the operational aspects, but they somehow can pay rangers and police to force people to not enter parks, to park their cars, or get too close to monuments??

      https://naturalresources.house...
      https://talkingpointsmemo.com/...

  21. One question: by Locke2005 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why are the executive branch and congress still receiving full pay and benefits?

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re:One question: by hey! · · Score: 1

      They actually go so dysfunctional in the 2nd Bush term that they had to pass a law saying that Congress couldn't get paid if it didn't pass a budget. What they did in response was to start passing budgets which they subsequently ignored.

      That's why we're here now. They didn't put wall money into the budget, and now that Congress is turning over the President doesn't think he can get wall funding into next year's budget.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    2. Re:One question: by rsmith-mac · · Score: 1

      Why are the executive branch and congress still receiving full pay and benefits?

      Because as part of checks and balances between the branches, it ensures that no branch can withhold another branch's pay in order to starve them out. Imagine the President purposely withholding bills solely to sink Congress's pay, thereby forcing them to pass bad legislation in order to remain personally solvent. Or Congress doing the same to the President.

    3. Re:One question: by JThundley · · Score: 1

      I actually saw a different opinion on this recently that kind of changed my mind on the issue. Like most people, I agreed with you: no work = no pay, especially when they're causing bigger problems than are being fixed. The argument I heard against this is that rich congress people could use government shutdowns as a weapon against people who aren't rich. Congressional salary isn't high, of course these people are all rich from previous endeavors and/or lobbyists or other political bullshit. We don't want to punish people in government who aren't rich or have principles, right?

    4. Re:One question: by Artagel · · Score: 2

      In some cases, it is unconstitutional to cut the pay. For example, federal judges salaries and the President's are protected by the constitution from being cut (or not paid) by Congress.

      Article II Sec 7 of the U.S. Constitution restricts the authority of Congress to alter the President's compensation:

      "The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected[.]"

      Article III Sec 1 of the U.S. Constitution similarly restricts Congress' authority to not pay judges:

      "The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office."

      Some things, like Social Security payments have permanent authority and appropriation. Those continue forever as long as there is money to pay.

    5. Re:One question: by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

      Here's a free clue for you - the FCC is part of the Executive branch.

    6. Re:One question: by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      So in about 200 years, they should have enough money to actually build a wall! Awesome!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  22. Re:Seven deadly words... by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    RIP, George Carlin!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  23. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Trump doesn't seem to understand that we are responsible for a good portion of the civil wars and political unrest that they're escaping from. We fund whichever side suits our current administrations interests. Just look at Iran/Contra. We were selling weapons to Iran to support the contra's. I still think North was a scapegoat, he may have been involved but not to the extent they made it out to be.

  24. Re:Deep state punishes by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    Cowardly idiots want a wall. Of course, you might be on to something -- the American public is full of cowardly idiots who have accepted bullshit like "papers please" when flying, increasingly intrusive security at public venues, idiotically harsh laws, etc.

  25. Its not as if the FCC by WCMI92 · · Score: 1

    actually does anything worthwhile.

    --
    Corporatism != Free Market
  26. Amateur radio by DaMattster · · Score: 2

    As an amateur radio licensee, this kind of pisses me off because this will cause a huge back log of new licensee applications and new hams will have to wait longer for their call sign. To me, communications are critical. The Federal Bureaucracy is so bloated, surely there is an agency that is much lower down the food chain that would not be so mission critical.

    1. Re:Amateur radio by Jiro · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's one of the tricks of the shutdown. If the government forces you to use their services, when the services get shut down, the part about being forced to use them doesn't get shut down as well. That artificially makes the shutdown 1) particularly harmful to the public, and 2) particularly good for the government, compared to a real shutdown.

      If the government actually shut down, you wouldn't be able to apply but you wouldn't need to, since there would be no government to require you to apply.

      It's the same reason why the "shutdown" doesn't result in the TSA being removed from airports and people being able to travel without them.

    2. Re:Amateur radio by speedlaw · · Score: 1

      It's a hobby till those lovely cell towers are out.

    3. Re:Amateur radio by Lije+Baley · · Score: 1

      And in other Amateur Radio news...Billy Crowell soldiers on, shutdown or not.

      --
      Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
  27. Re:Fire up your whattaboutism by fermion · · Score: 1

    There are pictures. We will see if the rumor is true that it would not even make it past the teeth

    --
    "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
  28. Re:Deep state punishes by citylivin · · Score: 1

    Walls are pretty easy to get around / under / over / through. I am not sure that a wall will really solve all of americas immigration problems.

    Luckily, the second aspect of trumps plan, making america a shitty place to live, is more likely to affect people choosing to move there. Mission accomplished i guess?

    --
    As a potential lottery winner, I totally support tax cuts for the wealthy
  29. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Nope. I aint payin for some bullshit metal slats in the middle of the fucking desert. Fuck that. No, FUCK that.

    No money from Mexico, no wall. That was the promise, which has now been exposed as just another lie from trump to his brain dead supporters.

    Keep it closed until he leaves office or gets impeached for all I care. trumptards can suck on this one. It's their own fault for voting for loser trump.

    trump's administration is so corrupt and ineffectual that the government might as well be closed anyway.

  30. And? by Dan+East · · Score: 1

    CC To Suspend Most Operations Thursday

    And given the current FCC leadership, nothing of value was lost.

    --
    Better known as 318230.
  31. Money would be paid long before that was an issue by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    But over time you can't expect federal workers in "essential" positions to continue working without pay.

    All actually essential functions would receive emergency funding if truly needed, even if the workers did not take advantage of the many free loan options they have. Remember they are still going to receive all the pay they would have had they been working, so those loans are paid back as soon as the shutdown is over.

    Do taxes stop being collected? No? Well then the government actually has money to pay whoever it likes, doesn't it?

    Oh and it the reason the coast guard got money at all was Trump intervened to make that happen...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  32. Re:Oh Noes! by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

    In all seriousness, it's just politics as usual. The 'scary' government shutdown can go on for months for all I care.

    As one opinion piece I saw today said, it's rather disturbing how Americans now see a government shutdown as a commonly-used political tool instead of the crisis of governance that it used to be.

  33. Keep it closed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I aint payin for some bullshit metal slats in the middle of the fucking desert. Fuck that. No, FUCK that.

    No money from Mexico, no wall. That was the promise, which has now been exposed as just another lie from trump to his brain dead supporters.

    Keep it closed until he leaves office or gets impeached for all I care. trumptards can suck on this one. It's their own fault for voting for loser trump.

    trump's administration is so corrupt and ineffectual that the government might as well be closed anyway.

    What I want to know is, why do trump and his trumptards hate America so much that they would sell us all out to the Russians?

    LOL@vword: TIMBER yep, you said it...humpty trumpty is falling down, tiimmmmmmmberrrrr

    1. Re:Keep it closed by hey! · · Score: 1

      As a Democrat, I'm open to a deal.

      Yeah, the wall is a stupid waste of money, but in the grand scheme of things five billion is peanuts for a country that's proposing to spend 680 billion. By the time we finish paying for the Littoral Combat Ships, we'll be replacing them before we ever got them to work, and we'll have spent a lot more of them than we'll ever spend on a wall.

      So make us an offer, Mr. President. Let's say you cut twenty billion bucks from the Defense budget request, you get ten billion for your wall and we get ten billion for Medicaid expansion. That's how democracy is supposed to work, you cut deals, you don't take hostages.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    2. Re:Keep it closed by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

      So make us an offer, Mr. President. Let's say you cut twenty billion bucks from the Defense budget request, you get ten billion for your wall and we get ten billion for Medicaid expansion. That's how democracy is supposed to work, you cut deals, you don't take hostages.

      On a budget that is expected to be $1 trillion in the red.. Yeah.. Your solution sucks. How about we just cut the twenty billion so we don't have to borrow it and then pay interest on it for decades?

    3. Re:Keep it closed by hey! · · Score: 1

      Even better. Now figure out a way to get everyone else to do it.

      It boils down to this: it's democracy that sucks. Now figure out a better system.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    4. Re:Keep it closed by speedlaw · · Score: 1

      Because a trump-tard would eat shit if he knew a liberal would have to smell his breath....they are that stupid...whatever polling Dumpf got early on showed him he had a stooopid 30%...

    5. Re:Keep it closed by hey! · · Score: 1

      Actually, I'd say citizenship for dreamers is well worth five billion. As for giving Trump the win, it probably wouldn't matter because it'd split the Republican coalition.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  34. Re:Deep state punishes by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

    ...the PUBLIC wants a wall...

    The polls I've seen, a.k.a. reality, disagree.

  35. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by hey! · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Even if Mexico *were* to pay for it, the Trump Administration would need authorization from Congress because that's how the Constitution works. If Trump finds 5 billion bucks in the White House sofa cushions he couldn't just spend it; it'd have to go into the treasury and await appropriation, just like taxpayer money.

    In every democracy I know of the legislature passes an annual budget which sets spending limits and priorities. It then creates authorizing legislation that creates or continues programs which spend the money. Finally it passes some kind of appropriation legislation which allows the money to actually be spent. Appropriation is the final step that allows the legislature to tweak exactly where the budgeted money goes.

    In most countries failure to pass an appropriation bill requires the government to resign and call general elections, so it seldom happens. In the US this is not the case, but until around 1980, appropriations bills never failed. After 1980 frequency of appropriations bill failures have gradually increased, but the issues have always been things like tax increases or disagreements over whether budgeted and authorized spending should actually go forth.

    This is the first government shutdown in US history where the objective was to spend money that was never budgeted.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  36. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by jamesborr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seems to me a perfectly workable compromise could exist here. Trump could agree to no additional funding for the wall, while the Democrats could agree to redirect all social services spending (i.e. food stamps, housing assistance, education funding, medical assistance, etc.) currently being spent on people here illegally, being spent instead on building a wall and repatriating those not here lawfully.

  37. Yes, it is the deep state by dcooper_db9 · · Score: 1

    Otherwise knows as the American Republic. It has three branches of government rather than one and no branch by itself gets to change the course of the country. That is by design and while it's imperfect it has prevented the rise of totalitarian leaders.
    In order for a leader to push through major changes he is or she must have either the overwhelming support of the American people, or a strong coalition of allies. Building a coalition is hard work and requires compromise. The president does not have the popular support necessary to force through his agenda and neither he or his party are willing to compromise.

    --
    I do not block ads. I do block third party scripts.
  38. Re:That is Capitalism, not Communism by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    This is why former communist nations were horrible environmental disaster areas.

    It may be lack of democracy and free speech. Totalitarians treat citizens as expendable pawns because they can; they won't be voted out. Besides, I said "traditional communism", not Soviet-style.

    Not according to the many Democrats crying at our intent to leave Syria and draw down in Afghanistan...

    You are focusing on one narrow aspect of the military. Further, it's not so much there's a withdrawal, it's that the administration has not laid out plans for what to do if say ISIS or Taliban raise up again. If their plan is "just live with them", at least say so openly and honestly. They didn't ask for feedback from allies and citizens, and had no public discussion on such points.

  39. More Fake News from someone who did not RTFA by SuperKendall · · Score: 1, Insightful

    My guess is you never knew anything the FCC actually did, so you have no idea.

    I do, but apparently you did not since your claim requires stating what is important they are not continuing operations on.

    Except the EPA isn't monitoring pollution

    Companies are still legally responsible for pollution so it's not like they are doing to start while monitoring is suspended.

    the FDA isn't approving drugs

    Fake News, applications still being processed.

    Social Security is shut down (if you're on it you keep getting checks, but you cannot get on it)

    Fake news, that kind of bullshit only happens under Democrats who want you to think the government is more important than it is or in fact stoppable. Applications will be processed, just with some delay.

    you can still update passports...
    At consulates, not everywhere.

    More fake news, can mail a passport in from anywhere to get renewed or apply at any USPS office

    For a guy whose handle claims they always RTFA that is a LOT of background reading you did not do before throwing out a lot of unfounded assertions!!!!

    Most national parks have some pre-shutdown funding still available. They'll all be closed if this keeps going on

    Takes money to shut down most parks. Why even close them? The stuff Obama did was just plain mean, like putting barricades around national monuments you could just walk up to. None of that happening this time.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:More Fake News from someone who did not RTFA by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      Companies are still legally responsible for pollution so it's not like they are doing to start while monitoring is suspended.

      My friend will be furloughed next month because their company needs an OSHA safety sign-off to proceed. I'm pretty sure chemical companies also need periodic EPA sign-offs to work.

    2. Re:More Fake News from someone who did not RTFA by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Except the EPA isn't monitoring pollution
      Companies are still legally responsible for pollution so it's not like they are doing to start while monitoring is suspended.

      And when the EPA hasn't approved some process or equipment as complying, does the company shut down or run without approval (and thus be violating regulations). I suppose some can use old stuff. But yeah, I imagine a lot of companies will take advantage of this window to handle any disposal issues that they were stockpiling.

      the FDA isn't approving drugs
      Fake News, applications still being processed.

      Did you even read your link? Yes, the applications that were started in 2018 for new drugs are being continued if there's enough money left in their dedicated accounts. No new drugs approvals are even being considered as of Jan 1 2019, and the companies that started approvals in 2018 cannot add more money to those dedicated accounts in 2019 to finish it.

      Social Security is shut down (if you're on it you keep getting checks, but you cannot get on it)
      Fake news, that kind of bullshit only happens under Democrats who want you to think the government is more important than it is or in fact stoppable. Applications will be processed, just with some delay.

      Did you even read your link? It's talking about SSD, which while a component of SS is pretty small. It's talking about how hearings cannot be scheduled. And yes, paperwork is still being processed. However they cannot do the benefits validation until they're back. Which is a vital part to actually getting checks.

      you can still update passports... At consulates, not everywhere.
      More fake news, can mail a passport in from anywhere to get renewed or apply at any USPS office

      Yes, the mail service is still working. Yes the government didn't destroy all forms. But you cannot go to a passport office to get a passport. While some things can happen by mail, not all.

      Most national parks have some pre-shutdown funding still available. They'll all be closed if this keeps going on
      Takes money to shut down most parks. Why even close them? The stuff Obama did was just plain mean, like putting barricades around national monuments you could just walk up to. None of that happening this time.

      Got it, you don't think they should shut down the parks. I mean, they will, because they do every shutdown. But this is just a "why". It's not happening yet cause there's still a little cash left in those accounts.

      But yes, mothballing things does cost money. Government shutdowns tend to cost more than just keeping the government running, and they also don't produce the services we expect from government.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  40. Re:Money would be paid long before that was an iss by hey! · · Score: 1

    All actually essential functions would receive emergency funding if truly needed,

    I'm wondering where you think that emergency funding will come from. The Constitutional mechanism we're dealing with here is that the Executive Branch can't spend money without legislative approval. Now you may be able to pull some treasury sleight of hand to move approved spending to specific purposes, but in the US treasury functions are also tightly controlled by Congress (e.g. securitizing debts).

    That's what DHS has done with the Coast Guard; it's searched under the sofa cushions and found already appropriated money to pay the last paycheck of the year. Trump can't simply order DHS to continue paying the Coasties indefinitely; he doesn't have the authority.

    Finally, there is no guarantee that furloughed federal workers will receive anything, although in the past it has been customary to award them back pay, that's a norm not a rule. In fact Trump has floated the idea of using money "saved" by the shutdown to pay for the wall.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  41. Ok lets play that game by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    It may be lack of democracy and free speech. Totalitarians treat citizens as expendable pawns

    Yes, that's what I said, communists.

    Besides, I said "traditional communism", not Soviet-style.

    Oh no you don't.

    Name ONE COMMUNIST COUNTRY, of any form, that has not brought about vast ecological disaster.

    You are focusing on one narrow aspect of the military.

    Whatever, warmonger. I was for getting out of Afghanistan (and Syria) before Trump was even a thing.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re: Ok lets play that game by rmdingler · · Score: 1

      Name one communist country that didn't see large percentages of their population get outright murdered, let alone the ecological side effects. I'm on team human first. Science tells us that the better off we are, the more conscientious we are about stewardship of the environment, resource management, and improving quality of life. There's a positive feedback loop associated with capitalism that allows upward socioeconomic mobility for more people than any other system. This gives people more time for education, and concurrent to that, they become more aware of long term environmental issues, and become better at planning and saving for the future.

      Screw you if you want to take that away.

      Sigh... more people & societies benefiting from a deployed political system flies in the face of the selfish gene. It should not come as a shock to us that raising the living standard of the bottom 20%ish of the World for our own good is as difficult to grasp as the federal reserve notes blown about a Money booth.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    2. Re:Ok lets play that game by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      The existing countries didn't follow communism as originally written. Anyhow, I'm not here to promote nor defend "communism", only correct inaccuracies about it. Correcting false statements about X and promoting X are not necessarily the same thing. For example, pointing out false statements about gonorrhea does not mean I'm promoting gonorrhea.

      Whatever, warmonger.

      You ignored my original statement. I didn't I say was for staying. Trump just left wrong, without giving a plan and consulting allies. Learn reading comprehension. So far you appear to be a sloppy reader based on both your "communism" reply and your "warmonger" reply. Shape up, Sloppo!

  42. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    No, Trump lost the popular vote. No candidate won that and even among the losers, Trump was behind Clinton.

    By will of the people, Trump lost and basically weaseled his way in on a technicality AGAINST the will of the people.

  43. Guarantee is already in place by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Now you may be able to pull some treasury sleight of hand to move approved spending to specific purposes,

    Bingo.

    Finally, there is no guarantee that furloughed federal workers will receive anything

    Wrong. The fix is in.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Guarantee is already in place by hey! · · Score: 1

      (1) There pot of already appropriated money is finite. The Coast Guard thing is a one off. This is especially true because in our system many normal treasury functions are still controlled by Congress.

      (2) Last I heard HR 7368 was referred to committee and died there. It'll have to be reintroduced next year, I think, although it *should* pass. Then of course Trump has to sign it.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  44. GREAT by WindBourne · · Score: 1

    this stops the FCC from destroying more of America.
    NOW, ideally, it is time to EPA to announce a shutdown, at least at the top.

    --
    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
  45. Time to fix is before problem begins, not after by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Which is better, canceling your vacation while nothing's happening

    Cancelling your vacation to make something happen, before everyone else in the whole federal government gets back from vacation...

    That is what was so despicable about what Democrats did, they did not even TRY to resolve anything during this week, ensuring the shutdown would affect everyone in the weeks ahead instead of mostly not being an issue because of the holiday.

    That is why it's the Democrats looking like a fat, angry toddlers here... imagine how low you have become when Trump looks like the adult in the room. That is what has happened here, and it was something the Democrats did to themselves.

    Trump at work while the Democrats play...

    Remember, these were the first government shutdowns every to happen while one party controlled both congress and the White House.

    Here is where you fail to think strategically - the shutdowns happened after Democrats won a large election. That is what people mostly think, despite the fact the new house members don't start until the new year.

    The Republicans also all voted for the spending bill; if just ten democrats had supported it would have passed. Not to mention we had the meeting with Trump and the Democrats leaders where the whole country saw plainly it was between Trump and the Democrats, the Republicans are out o the mental picture (control or no).

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Time to fix is before problem begins, not after by rmdingler · · Score: 1

      Come on.

      Your loyalty is admirable, yet, you are clearly too intelligent to rally behind this Trump fellow, partisan affiliation aside... the democrats are inherently flawed, but so are the republicans.

      Arguing on the side of one or the other means you fall prey to the illusion that fealty to one of the two is admirable, rather than playing into the hands of the folks who seek to minimize the efforts of the minority still not politically uninterested.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

  46. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Dunbal · · Score: 2

    Polls are BS. We had an election

    And the election proved that polls are BS

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  47. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by hey! · · Score: 4, Informative

    Fentanyl doses are measured in micrograms. The street price of fentanyl amounts to about $1600 per gram. If you wanted to smuggle a million dollars of fentanyl past the wall you could just hand it through one of the fence slats or toss it over the wall. Or hide it in one of the millions of tons of cargo that are shipped into the US.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  48. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Dunbal · · Score: 1

    Trump lost the popular vote

    Means nothing. Who is sitting in the White House today? QED.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  49. Re:Deep state punishes by hey! · · Score: 1

    You know, such a thing as a "deep state" actually does exist. More in places like Egypt and Pakistan than the US, but it's a matter of degree.

    However, the deep state has nothing to fuck to do with this situation, which is an impasse between elected officials.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  50. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 1

    That... after the liberal left demanded to know where the funding would come from and forced him to find an answer that wouldn't immediately impact the taxpayers. No political applicant would state that in the middle of a campaign.

    Only the "liberal left?"

    Fact check Anonymous Coward: During ANY election where a candidate proposes new spending, they have to explain where the funding will come from.

    For example, in the 2016 campaign, when Hillary Clinton proposed free tuition to state colleges for families earning under $125K she outlined exactly how the USA would pay for it (via changes to the tax code.)

  51. This Is It! by Scarletdown · · Score: 2

    This is your big chance, everyone. With the freakin' FCC out of action for a bit, you can finally do stuff like; you no longer have to tinkle; you can finally take a piss. Fellatio no longer must be called a trouser friendly kiss...

    etc, etc...

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
    1. Re:This Is It! by strikethree · · Score: 1

      I am guessing that the majority completely missed this great Family Guy reference. That was an awesome episode.

      --
      "Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
  52. Re:Great by PPH · · Score: 1

    Pick up a case of Baofengs while they last.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  53. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

    I would be willing to bet that if he closed off the Southern Border for an extended period of time, Mexico would be more than willing to negotiate payments for said wall.

    Quite a bit of money flows back into Mexico's economy from legal / illegals working here in the US.

    You cut that cash flow off and they'll change their tune in a hurry.

  54. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by Solandri · · Score: 1

    It's stupid that our system allows this so easily. It should have a cruise control mode that funds at existing levels until budget agreements are made.

    The reason our system allows this so easily is to encourage lawmakers to compromise. Because presumably legislation and programs which have already been passed are likely to be more valuable than new legislation up for consideration. So nobody in their right mind would hold existing programs hostage as a ploy to try to get new programs passed.

    Unfortunately, control of the country has fallen into the hands of extremist ideologues. That's what a two party system does - shifts power away from the center and towards the extremists. Take a bell curve and the power (bulk of the mass) is in the center. But split the belt curve down the middle, and the two new centers of mass are now closer to the extremes. Thus this sort of funding brinksmanship in order to push radical ideas is becoming the norm, rather than the exception.

  55. Will anyone notice? by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

    Before:

    Verizon: Hey, we're going to make everyone pay to access services other than our own, and throttle Netflix to MODEM speeds. MWAHAHAHAHA!
    FCC: Oh, OK, Have fun

    After:

    Verizon: Hey, we're going to make everyone pay to access services other than our own, and throttle Netflix to MODEM speeds. MWAHAHAHAHA!
    FCC: *snore*

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  56. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

    Oh and just as a reminder, all Presidents lie, not just Republicans.

    Most recent case in point, a few from Obama off the top of my head:

    His promise to close Guantanamo.
    Went on Jay Leno and proclaimed " There is no spying on Americans " after the Snowden revelations.
    If you like your doctor / healthcare plan, you can keep them.

    Moral of this story: Presidents can promise you anything, the problem is people keep believing it.

  57. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by quantaman · · Score: 1

    Just fund the wall that Americans want and need.

    Sigh. Anonymous Coward - Over and over and over and over and OVER again, Trump made it clear that MEXICO was going to pay for the wall. He made it clear that his fantastic negotiating skills will make that a reality.

    All we're doing is holding him to his promise.

    A promise *every* Trump supporter repeated back to me throughout 2016 and a lot of 2017.

    Is that so hard? All he has to do is do what he said: Head to Mexico, and return with a check for $40 Billion dollars for the wall.

    It's not even that. Just because Trump ran on the idea of the wall doesn't mean the Democrats need to give him a wall for nothing. In addition to electing Trump voters also elected Democrats in the Senate and those Senators needs to agree to wall funding, just like Obama needed GOP support for many of his policies.

    And Democrats were actually willing to give Trump $25 billion in wall funding, which he desperately wanted, in exchange for DACA, which Trump also claimed to have wanted.

    Of course Trump took all of 2 minutes to break his word and blow up that deal also

    --
    I stole this Sig
  58. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by quantaman · · Score: 4, Informative

    Fact check: Only partway through his campaign did he mention that Mexico would fund it. That wasn't an initial campaign promise only the "wall" was. That... after the liberal left demanded to know where the funding would come from and forced him to find an answer that wouldn't immediately impact the taxpayers.

    Asking how you intend to pay for your signature campaign promise.

    A classic gotcha question.

    --
    I stole this Sig
  59. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 1

    Well, the argument he's using is that the new Nafta deal is better for US to the tune of 1 Border Wall.
    A dubious claim, but no more than the idea that tax cuts for private jet owners qualify as "tax reform".

    If you squint and look sideways at it, it can appear that he kept his promises, and that's all Fox News needs to spin it to the maga-hats.

  60. I am not for either side by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Your loyalty is admirable, yet, you are clearly too intelligent to rally behind this Trump fellow

    I am not rallying behind Trump. I have always been, and shall remain, a Libertarian...

    What I am laying out is the raw honesty of the tactical situation. Just because Trump has behaved better tactically does not mean I am necessarily for him - I have always wanted both sides to do well, because I want balance.

    But the Democrats seem to exhibit zero situational awareness of the optics of the actions they take, and I think all too often are pushed into a frenzy of madness and the wrong corner simply because it happens to be the opposite place Trump has chosen to be...

    That is how we find ourselves in a place where many Democrats are proclaiming we should carry on endless war and stay in Syria and Afghanistan! How many would have said that a year ago?

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:I am not for either side by rmdingler · · Score: 1

      I find myself, principally, reluctant to favor party line direction, (and it even pains me to type it) in any way, shape, or form... fortuitively, I still enjoy that particular freedom.

      I could certainly be in much direr straits. We are blessed, to be raised, in the wessed.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

  61. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by sjames · · Score: 1

    And as the other AC points out, we'll be paying for them AND the useless wall if Trump gets his way. The cost of the illegals is irrelevant to this discussion because they will be here with or without the wall.

    As for the drugs, those come in by submarine, tunnels, and catapult. The wall won't do much for any of those routes.

    So, time for Trump to fulfill the whole promise and get Mexico to pay for it if he wants it so bad. Otherwise, if you want it so bad, pony up.

  62. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Cyberax · · Score: 4, Informative

    Trump could agree to no additional funding for the wall, while the Democrats could agree to redirect all social services spending (i.e. food stamps, housing assistance, education funding, medical assistance, etc.) currently being spent on people here illegally, being spent instead on building a wall and repatriating those not here lawfully.

    Illegal aliens don't get foodstamps or housing assistance. The only medical care they can get is Medicaid for pregnant women giving birth in the US.

    Education is paid for by local taxes (usually property and sales) which illegal immigrants pay almost always. And anyway the US has to provide secondary education to everybody.

  63. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Cyberax · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A milk jug full of pure fentanyl is enough to give a hit to every junkie in the US. That's how powerful it is.

  64. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Cyberax · · Score: 1

    His promise to close Guantanamo.

    And he tried to do that. The craven Congress denied him funds for that.

  65. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Mr.+Dollar+Ton · · Score: 1

    Not really, they are paid to fulfill him.

  66. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Patent+Lover · · Score: 1

    How about tell Trump to go fuck himself and watch as Democrats use their subpoena power to do some real investigations not involving Hillary's emails.

  67. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Patent+Lover · · Score: 1

    Mexico's not that fucking stupid to pay for a wall. Only certain idiots would think they would.

  68. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Patent+Lover · · Score: 1

    I'll bet you even more that he doesn't have a clue how to close off the Southern border.

  69. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Patent+Lover · · Score: 1

    LOL, Trump in 2018 averaged 15 lies a day. Unfortunately for him it's all in his tweets for the world to see.

  70. Saw an editorial cartoon yesterday by Snotnose · · Score: 1

    3 guys sleeping on their desks, 1 desk empty. One guy says "See? I told you Fred was non-essential".

    That's pretty much how I view these shutdowns. The asshats responsible not only get paid on time, with their salon, jacuzzi, steam room, and health benefits. They don't look around afterwards and say "Hmm, these people are non-essential, we got ourselves a budget issue . Mebbe we can do without half of them and save some money."

  71. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

    I'm reporting on the gofundme, "We The People Will Fund The Wall":
    --
    The gofundme crowdsourcing page is at 14 million dollars at this writing (12/21/2018 @ 11:24 PM CST), contributed by 227,989 people over 5 days.

    Doing a linear extrapolation, it will take 357 days to reach the goal of 1 billion dollars, and 16.4 million people
    .
    That's fuzzy math because the sample size is very small. So far, the average donation is $61.40.
    Gofundme gets 2.9% of the total funds raised plus 30 cents per donation.
    That's $29,000,000 plus (assuming 16.4 million donations) $4,920,000 for a total of $33,920,000.
    --
    12-29-2018, 11:04 AM

    Goal $1,000,000,000
    Current Donations $18,060,906
    Current People 297,520
    Current Days 12
    People/Day 24,793
    Donations/Day $1,505,076
    Days Til Goal 664
    People Til Goal 197,677,791

    --
    Today, 12-31-2018, 9:34 PM

    Goal $1,000,000,000
    Current Donations 18,495,710
    Current People 305,416
    Current Days 14
    People/Day 21,815
    Donations/Day $1,321,122
    Days Til Goal 757
    People Til Goal 231,179,230

    Average donation has moved to $60.50.

    So, good luck with that shit.

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  72. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    GLHF Hope you come up with something so these years of screaming don't make you guys look stupid..

  73. Re:Now how can we make that permanent? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    I think you'd be quick to find that, if we didn't have an FCC, there would be plenty of people who simply jammed radio stations to be an asshole. The same kind of people who see a blank wall and aren't happy until it's covered with graffiti or deface a website just to brag about defacing it. Destruction for the sake of destruction. People get off on weird things....

  74. Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by raymorris · · Score: 1

    Theoretically illegal aliens aren't supposed to be able to apply on their own, but in fact about 60% do receive public assistance. Certain states with a lot of illegal immigrants, which are known for being liberal and flouting federal law regarding immigration and drugs, go ahead and hand out the money. Also someone who is legal will apply and have six dependents in their household. The six dependents don't have to be legal.

    1. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by Cyberax · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Theoretically illegal aliens aren't supposed to be able to apply on their own, but in fact about 60% do receive public assistance.

      Only immigrants with children born in the US (i.e. the US citizen) can receive public assistance. I would like to see the source for the 60% figure, that doesn't seem to be correct.

      Certain states with a lot of illegal immigrants, which are known for being liberal and flouting federal law regarding immigration and drugs, go ahead and hand out the money.

      That's up to states, they can't dole out federal money to illegals.

      The six dependents don't have to be legal.

      That's not how welfare works (SNAP, EITC or TANF). You can't claim welfare for dependents who are not the US citizen and there's also a 5-year ban. The exception I think is WIC which does give benefits to the mother of the US citizen. Here's an overview: https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-rep...

      My background: I'm a legal immigrant and I actually researched that stuff before immigration, in case I needed it.

    2. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I would like to see the source for the 60% figure, that doesn't seem to be correct

      The source starts with an “H” and ends with an “itty”.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    3. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      and I actually researched that stuff

      What are you doing here then? Slashdot is not a forum for informed and factually correct discourse.

      Wait what.... you're an immigrant. Deport him, #MAGA!

      *note the incredible amount of both sarcasm and disappointment in my post.

    4. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      Hillary Clinton's Titty?

    5. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      An illegal immigrant stole my identity and the CA EDD forced me to use a different SSN for EDD-related stuff for a time because someone else was using it. They could easily have been receiving health care under my name. They certainly bought a car using my social. The court in Nevada City granted a judgement against me on the basis of a check cashing card with my social written on it with a pen. Haven't had the time and money to deal with this stuff, and it's shafted my credit score which makes it virtually impossible to be a full-fledged member of society.

      I'm anti-wall, but we do need to do something about the way we let illegal immigrants do things that really do harm citizens.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    6. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      How do you know that an illegal immigrant stole it and not your best buddy Bubba?

    7. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Because when I got proof of debt on the car I got a tiny shitty photocopy of his picture. Which I promptly lost in a move, of course. I can't afford stability, especially not now.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    8. Re: Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      And this picture shows that they are illegal immigrants? Perhaps you're making assumptions. Also, you might be a racist.

      Nah. If they weren't illegals, why would they need my identity? My credit was already bad, and it worked for their scam because clearly the dealer was part of it. They could have used their own bad credit if they had any identity of their own.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      You're lying. Again.

      Why are you a neo-nazi, anyways? Do you have a conversion story to share?

    10. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      Only immigrants with children born in the US (i.e. the US citizen) can receive public assistance. I would like to see the source for the 60% figure, that doesn't seem to be correct.

      If you want a source, just check AM radio. He's repeating it almost word-for-word.

    11. Re: Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      You have to be pretty fucking exceptionally racist to look at a picture in California and still come up with that stereotype.

      I mean, fuck-an-A that's bottom of the barrel stupid right there.

    12. Re:Not supposed to, but 60% of them do by GLMDesigns · · Score: 1

      From: https://www.nysenate.gov/newsr... All text below comes directly from NYSenate.gov

      Education. As a result of a 1982 Supreme Court decision, states are required to provide K-12 public education for students without legal immigrant status.

      Health. New York State law requires that hospitals treat everyone who requires emergency care.

      Labor. illegal immigrants are eligible for workers' compensation,

      Welfare. The short answer appears to be that they are not legally entitled to most benefits, but do in fact receive them.

      TL/DR: Typically, any proof an illegal alien provides as evidence of legal status, regardless of its fraudulent nature, will satisfy social services agencies that determine the person's benefit eligibility because an intake clerk simply cannot make the determination that someone is an illegal alien. Therefore, the law is usually overlooked and illegal aliens manage to qualify for state and local benefits.

      --
      If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
      Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
  75. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Patent+Lover · · Score: 1

    Like a mythical wall in the desert?

  76. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    Not tea bag of a plan there. You know the humanitarians will get in a hussy fit over it.

  77. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by owlaf · · Score: 1

    This post is serving the interests of Russia encouraging an easy swayed president that ends up taking orders from far right (to the point of nut jobs) talk show hosts

  78. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by psycho12345 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Here's food for thought:

    It took the Nazis 10 years to round up and murder 6-8 million people. They had the full force of the Gestapo and local police to enforce their will. They didn't have to bother with courts or any such rule of law nonsense.They also had the help of government records, in both Germany and in the lands they conquered/annexed. And yet it still took them 10 years.

    What you are proposing eclipses that in scope of people and area. So good luck, you will need to turn American into the Fourth Reich to achieve it and it will still take you over a decade.

  79. Re:Shut it all down by psycho12345 · · Score: 1

    I love morons who suggest closing the Department of Energy. Do you have any idea what they actually manage? Hint, it is NOT something you want turned over to a university, EVER.

    And no, most of those departments exist to handle when shit crosses state lines. Because guess what, the Constitution EXPLICITLY forbids states from doing interstate economic agreements, it was a major reason it was created at all.

    Interstate Highway system and National parks asays Transportation and Interior stay. Maybe can get rid of education. Commerce? Forget it, that's one that is again explicitly ceded to the Feds.

  80. Welcome by raymorris · · Score: 1

    > My background: I'm a legal immigrant and I actually researched that stuff before immigration, in case I needed it.

    Welcome. I bet you thoroughly researched what you're entitled to, what you're supposed to get. Here's the thing - illegal immigrants are not *allowed* to be in the country, yet they are. What they are *allowed* to do and what they actually do are very different. By the very definition of "illegal immigrant".

    Quoting from the State of New York web site:

      -----
      Whether illegal aliens can obtain state benefits is not clear-cut. The short answer appears to be that they are not legally entitled to most benefits, but do in fact receive them. ..
    A fair interpretation of the federal statute and state regulation must result in the conclusion that illegal aliens should not receive any form of state public assistance. However, illegal aliens do, in fact, receive state public benefits. That's because the burden of determining lawful status in the U.S. is on the shoulders of county social services employees who have neither the legal jurisdiction nor the practical ability to determine one's immigration status. Only an immigration official or federal worker whom the Secretary of Homeland Security has authorized may determine the immigration status of a person in the country.
    ----

    > That's up to states, they can't dole out federal money to illegals.

    It's unlawful for them to release people who are fugitives from the feds, but they do it. It's official written policy in many places. They "can't" issue cards allowing people to sell illegal drugs, but they do it. It's not lawful to dole out federal money to these same illegal immigrants, but it is common.

    Quoting Politifact:
    --
    Cortes said "We have right now ⦠in the state of California, 55 percent of all immigrants are on public assistance."
    Thatâ(TM)s true of households but not individual immigrants.
    --

    Here's an interesting study (not an objective source, but reasonable methodology)
    https://cis.org/Report/63-NonC...

    1. Re:Welcome by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      Whether illegal aliens can obtain state benefits is not clear-cut. The short answer appears to be that they are not legally entitled to most benefits, but do in fact receive them

      Illegals might be getting state benefits, but not the federal ones (SNAP or TANF). I'm also curious about the 60% figure, I can't seem to find anything about it.

      Only an immigration official or federal worker whom the Secretary of Homeland Security has authorized may determine the immigration status of a person in the country.

      And these authorized officers check all the federal welfare applications.

      The last thing an illegal immigrants wants is attention from the government, so they try to lie low and behave themselves (crime amongst illegal immigrants is _lower_ than in the general population).

      It's unlawful for them to release people who are fugitives from the feds, but they do it.

      No they don't. Illegal border crossing is a civil infraction in the US, not a felony. So states are not obliged to notify the federal police about it.

    2. Re:Welcome by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      Thatâ(TM)s true of households but not individual immigrants.

      And it turns out that poor immigrants are actually using less welfare than poor native families: https://www.sciencedirect.com/...

    3. Re: Welcome by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      They steal identities to steal welfare benefits.

      How are you going to receive benefits on stolen info? Do you know how many steps you need to pass to get it?

    4. Re:Welcome by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      I'm also curious about the 60% figure, I can't seem to find anything about it.

      You're not hating hard enough while you search. If you hate hard enough, the numbers will not only cite themselves at your command, they'll even grow.

  81. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 1

    Mexico bought $250 Billion worth of American goods and services last year alone.

    Thousands upon thousands of American jobs depend on selling things to Mexico,

    You want to end that trade and kill those jobs for what?

  82. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 1

    They definitely get free medical care at emergency rooms. I have a friend who works at the local public hospital, and she says most of the emergency room traffic and many admitted patients are illegals.

    Also, Nashville schools give all students free lunch, and many are illegals. I know kids who are illegal- born in Mexico but raised here from a young age.

    Yes, illegals get government benefits. Sorry.

  83. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    You are really wound up. You just sit in your basement and shake with rage don't you?

  84. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 1

    The polls were BS because people were ashamed to admit who they were voting for.

  85. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    That's what a two party system does - shifts power away from the center and towards the extremists.

    The polarizing nature seems to go through cycles, based on 240 years of history. There are probably ways to dampen it, but the fixes would probably take a Constitutional amendment, which are very difficult to pass. Ridding gerrymandering would help. Let a computer draw district maps or limit the polygons to say 6 lines.

  86. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    I would be willing to bet that if he closed off the Southern Border for an extended period of time, Mexico would be more than willing to negotiate payments for said wall.

    Yeah but then how would Donald Trump sell his stuff? I mean most of it is made in Mexico.

  87. Really? by Alypius · · Score: 1

    And who, pray tell, would even notice?

  88. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    It's stupid that our system allows this so easily.

    This right here. Other countries have in their constitution that bills of appropriation for government services can not deal with any matter other than appropriation for government services. I.e. you want to fund the wall, it has to be separate from the agreement that keeps the government running.

  89. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Target+Drone · · Score: 1

    The Democrats can't do anything about this as both the senate and the house are Republican controlled. It's not until Thursday when a new congress is sworn in that Democrats take control of the house. The last 2 weeks Trump has been blaming Democrats for not funding the wall when it fact it's been the Republicans.

  90. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by gtall · · Score: 1

    Umm...you do intend to retire some day, yes? Are you aware the U.S. is generating new people at below the replacement rate which means that when you retire, you can count on reduced benefits, including Medicare and SS? One way out of this dilemma is to welcome immigrants into the country. They want to come here, they want to work. It would be the Christian thing to do...errr...that is if you are not an Evangelical.

  91. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 1

    Ok but...
    Counterpoint: Introducing nazis into the discussion may not be the thread-winning strategy you think it is.

  92. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by quantaman · · Score: 1

    How about the Democrats give Trump and this Representative Democracy Constitutional Republic of The United States of America its proper US Constitution Article IV Section 4 protection against invasion (and protection again resultant violence on domestic US ground when the illegals use force against US border security)?

    You know why no one has built a wall previously? Why the GOP still isn't actually willing to give up meaningful concessions to the Democrats in exchange for wall funding?

    Because a wall isn't actually an effective use of funds to keep out illegal immigrants and protect US security. It's a good campaign slogan since it's a simple concept, but reality gets more complicated.

    Yes, for all the clammoring about "our Democracy", it's designed as REPRESENTATIVE and therefore a Republic.

    What's your point?

    Mexico isn't going to pay for the wall directly, but after it's built there is always Trump (and future presidents) MASSIVELY TARRIFING all items Product of Mexico or even Made in Mexico imported into the US.

    Trade wars are more complicated than that. Trying to extort money from another nation does not end well, if for no other reason than other countries rightfully see your behaviour as a threat and find ways not to make it worth your while.

    ICE and the US Border Patrol are insufficient in number and weaponry, the US military shouldn't need to have to defend the border as a backup against a mass threat of invasion (an approching caravan)

    Wow, you almost made me split my tea over my keyboard.

    We as a nation also, plain and simple, don't need Democrats fighting incrementally and aggressively for a PURE Democracy when even STATES operate as Republics (Assembly, Senate, Governor, note all state laws are by popular vote only),

    Rant about one thing at a time.

    Trump should ideally start jailing the resisting Democrats for US Constitutional violations...

    Well this post sure started out batshit crazy and then went downhill.

    But then, liberals would accuse Trump of fascism

    Accuse him of fascism for jailing political opponents?!? How unfair!!!

    Constitution of the United States of America (as required in Article II Section 1 Oath of Office) especially pertaining to Article IV Section 4.

    Do you think if you cite things specifically enough that we'll believe you over all the real constitutional scholars?

    often relying on their honor to comply with the laws.

    Whatever the hell that means.

    Yeah, right. It's long overdue to not allow DACA, DREAM, or even asylum to otherwise illegal aliens of any nation (not just Mexico) unless a proven life-threatening reason exists... and even then they shouldn't get EXPRESS priviliege toward citizenship.

    Yeah, someone has to get rid of those kids who sometimes didn't even realize they weren't born in the US!

    --
    I stole this Sig
  93. Remember by The+Evil+Atheist · · Score: 1

    Remember how Fox News and conservative Slashdotters keep bringing up Obama "learning on the job", or being a mere "community organizer"? And now they unashamedly voted in someone with even worse qualifications? Those Slashdotters should own up and admit they're fucking idiots.

    --
    Those who do not learn from commit history are doomed to regress it.
  94. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    Umm...you do intend to retire some day, yes? Are you aware the U.S. is generating new people at below the replacement rate which means that when you retire, you can count on reduced benefits, including Medicare and SS?

    Is there any information you leftist get right? We're generating new people below replacement, but we are importing 1,000,000 per year. As far as I know this is the largest amount of legal immigration on Earth.

    But hey, good job cherry picking a detail and leaving out the associated details so it appears you are correct. Lying by omission is lying.

  95. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    Most illegal immigration occurs via ports of call or other sources than the southern border.

    Once again, you shortsighted asshole, just because a point of entry isn't the LARGEST entry point doesn't mean you don't benefit by securing it.

    If 3 robbers will come in through the door and two will come in through the window, locking the window still reduces the number of robbers who will get in the house.. See how that works?

  96. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    Even if Mexico *were* to pay for it, the Trump Administration would need authorization from Congress because that's how the Constitution works.

    What the fuck are you blathering about? If Mexico pays for it, Trump does not need Congressional approval.. He's not spending US money. Do you need congressional approval to spend your paycheck? No? Yeah, I'm pretty sure Mexico doesn't need US Congressional approval to spend their own money.

    Trump would need approval to spend taxpayer funds..Mexico could spend their money however the fuck they wanted to. If they said "this is for a wall" then Trump could spend it on a wall. It's not a gift to the general fund and it's not taxpayer funds..

  97. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    .... government shutdown means the Legislature cannot be convened.

    No it doesn't. The fact that the media calls this a government shutdown does not make it one. Only non essential services have been shutdown. The VAST bulk of the Federal Government is still in full operation. If you turn off 25% of the lights in a room, is it dark? No.. And neither has the government shutdown when 75% of it is still running.

  98. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

    LIKE freedom,

    Good! So do I!

    I want all government to shut down, stop stealing money from people, stop redistributing the stolen proceeds, stop controlling people.

    Wait you just said you like freedom. Now you're effectively saying you want to live as a serf under the local warlord or crime boss.

    Personally I prefer actual freedom. That requires a government to enforce it.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  99. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    That's not how it works. You don't get to criticize the other guy's corrupt president and then fellate your own. Obama could have solved gitmo with a fucking pen. Just write an executive order insisting that everyone in there either be charged and speedily tried, or released. Anything else is unconditional but let's face it, nobody who orders a drone strike on a wedding gives a shit about anything. Obama is simply the most charming war criminal in recent history, and should be regretted (I was trying to write regarded but got auto corrected, but I like this better) as such.

    Obama didn't need to fund anything. All he had to do was insist that the Constitution be respected, but your favorite constitutional scholar couldn't even manage that. We'll never know if he could have closed gitmo because he literally did not even make a meaningful attempt to do so. He wrote enough executive orders to have used them for toilet paper, but that one somehow escaped him. And the somehow is that he didn't actually try.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  100. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Cyberax · · Score: 1

    Just write an executive order insisting that everyone in there either be charged and speedily tried, or released.

    He was specifically barred from doing this by Congress: https://www.washingtontimes.co...

    Yup, home of the brave, land of the free.

  101. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

    Eh that's just a stupid reply.

    The comparison was sound. No one was actually either calling anyone Nazis or comparing them to Nazis. But the logistical operation of finding 10 million people scattered throuhout the general population is something that's happened before. The best way to figure out how long it would take now is to see how long it took before.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  102. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    He was specifically barred from doing this by Congress: https://www.washingtontimes.co...

    Nope. Totally wrong. They blocked spending. They didn't block releasing them. The correct, humane, constitutional thing to do if they couldn't be transferred somewhere for trial was to release them. And if Obama wanted to release them, all he had to do was call congress' bluff. Just give notice to congress that he wanted to bring them to trial, issue an executive order stating that anyone not brought to trial would be released as per the constitution, then spend the next 45 days telling the american people that congress was keeping gitmo open. Then at least he's tried, and it's not his fault. But he did fuck-all, which is how we know it was a lie from the start. He pandered to idiots, and the idiots are still sucking his cock for it. You're so useful.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  103. No such thing by raymorris · · Score: 1

    Once again you're confusing what people are supposed to do with what they actually do.

    > > Only an immigration official or federal worker whom the Secretary of Homeland Security has authorized may determine the immigration status of a person in the country.

    > And these authorized officers check all the federal welfare applications.

    There is no "federal welfare application", for most of these programs. Most of the money is administered by the states, received from the federal taxpayers in annual chunks based on how many recipients the state reports. The state reports X milion recipients, and gets Y billion dollars from the feds. States are supposed to check eligibility, but in many states the clerks are barred by state law from actually checking immigration status. In other states, they just don't bother. Government bureaucrats aren't known for excellent work.

    >> It's unlawful for them to release people who are fugitives from the feds, but they do it.

    > No they don't. Illegal border crossing is a civil infraction in the US, not a felony.

    Robbery is a crime. Domestic abuse is a crime. Yet cities release illegal aliens who have already been convicted of these crimes, in violation of ICE detainees. According to acting ICE director Thomas Homan, "among âoe*criminal* aliens that have been released, rather than turned over to ICE, nearly 10,000 have recommitted *another* crimeâ between January 2014 and August 2017".

    > So states are not obliged to notify the federal police about it.

    Wrong again. 1907. TITLE 8, U.S.C. 1324(A) provides prison sentences of up to 10 years for knowlingly transporting illegal aliens (cities do this by policy), concealing, aiding and abetting, conspiracy to do these things, etc.

    Again, we're not talking about what the law says people are *supposed to* do. They aren't *supposed to* BE in the US. By definition we're talking about people who don't follow the law like you do.

  104. Well duh, when you define "poor" as "entitled to b by raymorris · · Score: 1

    The article defines "poor" as basically "entitled to benefits", then looks at only those people. So we learn that a lot of people who are entitled to benefits get benefits. That's amazing! Maybe their next study will find that a lot of people who have a bus pass ride the bus.

    What they didn't mention while talking about "poor people" is that people who enter the country illegally are exceedingly likely to be either "poor people" or criminals.

    It's my understanding that immigrating legally takes a very, very long time. One reason the wait is so long is because it's based on how many *additional* immigrants the country accepts after the million who enter illegally each year. You would have gotten through much quicker if a million people didn't "cut in front of you in line" by entering illegally. You waited your turn, while watching all those other people skip the line in front of you. I find it interesting that you went through the long and arduous process, yet are so anxious to make stuff up to defend the people who skipped in front of you. If I were you, I'd might pissed at those people, thinking "I've been waiting, get in the back of the line like I did and wait your turn".

  105. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by mvdwege · · Score: 1

    Fuck off with your 'both sides' bullshit. The only ones using the government shutdown as a weapon have been the Republicans.

    --
    "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
  106. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by markdavis · · Score: 1

    >"It's stupid that our system allows this so easily."

    Agreed. And if something is shut down, then it should mean just that- nobody gets paid. Not now and not later. Closing services and then turning around and PAYING everyone for having done no work is crazy. And that includes Congress, President, etc. Being ACTUALLY unpaid after the new year would surely motivate them to pass a budget.

    >"It should have a cruise control mode that funds at existing levels until budget agreements are made."

    Better yet, it should also be coupled with a balanced budget amendment so that it is impossible to spend more than is taken in. Period. Budget exceeds revenue? Flat percent spending cut across the board automatically. Either spend less, tax more, or some combination of both.

  107. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by markdavis · · Score: 1

    >"Illegal aliens don't get foodstamps or housing assistance."

    Until we turn around and do yet another "amnesty" and make them all citizens. Because, this is the last time, and we will prevent the situation from happening again by tightening the border and enforcement... yeah right. Rinse and repeat.

    >"That's up to states, they can't dole out federal money to illegals."

    But they CAN dole out state money, and some states do. And in theory, illegal immigrants are not supposed to be able to work- we have laws to prevent it. Yet the laws are ignored or skirted, and so there is no local, state, or federal income tax on any of those earnings, and no SSI collected, and no worker's comp.

    Simple math. If we weren't providing any untaxed employment, and weren't providing any "free" services and benefits, then there wouldn't be much illegal immigration because they could not survive (or it would be only crime and illegal activity that supports them such as theft, drugs, smuggling, human trafficking, etc; because you can be assured that charity won't cover it).

  108. FCC To Suspend Most Operations by NikeHerc · · Score: 1

    How would we know the FCC was suspending most ops???

    --
    Circle the wagons and fire inward. Entropy increases without bounds.
  109. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    You dont think that has something to do with the shitty progressives trying to get people fired and physically harmed for disagreeing with them? I mean... Seems pretty clear to me.

  110. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    yea because you would rather have our land invaded. Fuck you, and Fuck them.

  111. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by DigressivePoser · · Score: 1

    And you can fuck off with your partisan bullshit. A shutdown occurs when an agreement over spending can't be made. It takes both Republicans and Democrats to make that happen. You only blame Republicans because you agree with Democrats spending habits.

  112. Re:Gradual Vice Clamp [Re:Shutdown is kind of a jo by mvdwege · · Score: 1

    No, I blame Republicans because they are to blame.

    Is a lobotomy required these days to be a Republican?

    --
    "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
  113. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    You're right, but only because he isn't creative enough to get it done.

    If Mexico was willing to pay for the work, they'd also probably be willing to get paid to do the work which means that he could have Mexico hire Mexicans, and use his executive powers and responsibilities over matters of National Security to allow them to cross the border by a few feet and do the construction.

    It is true though that if you want to do the graft in dollars, then you need Congress to pork-barrel it for you.

  114. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    You're fighting on a hill that doesn't even exist.

    He was blocked from spending money on releasing them.

    You can't release people that are in US custody into Cuba without permission from Cuba. I mean, what are you thinking when you say "release?" You mean open the door to the cage, and let them walk out onto the military base? Now what? You're going to starve them to death by detaining them in the parking lot? You can't leave them on the military base and have "released" them, and Cuba wouldn't take them.

    So you do have to spend money to release them at all; and if you're not allowed to release them in the US, you have to get permission from some country to release them there. People who were actually released, it was because they convinced a country to take them.

    Without the ban on spending money, they'd do the normal thing in that situation; pay some other country to let them settle there. Easy solution, works out best for everybody. But that was not allowed by Congress.

  115. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    The funniest part IMO was last week when the Republican leadership in the Senate proposed a "compromise" where the Democrats in the House would agree to spending on the wall. The very spending that same person was currently the one stopping!

    Republicans love voting to spend money on the wall; as long as their sure there is somebody else in the process who has the "no" votes to stop them. ;)

  116. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    they're

  117. Don't you mean the State of New York is lying? CA? by raymorris · · Score: 1

    I think you mean to claim the State of New York is lying when they say that they are sending out welfare checks to illegal aliens. And Politifact is lying when they confirmed it, in your imagination. And the State of California was lying in 2016 when they passed a bill allowing illegal aliens to receive state benefits. And the census bureau is lying in their Survey of Income and Program Participation, according to your wish. Again, from the State of New York web site nicely explains the situation in most states (California being the exception since they've passed laws actually allowing some and or preventing workers from checking immigration status in other cases):

      -----
    Whether illegal aliens can obtain state benefits is not clear-cut. The short answer appears to be that they are not legally entitled to most benefits, but do in fact receive them. ..
    A fair interpretation of the federal statute and state regulation must result in the conclusion that illegal aliens should not receive any form of state public assistance. However, illegal aliens do, in fact, receive state public benefits. That's because the burden of determining lawful status in the U.S. is on the shoulders of county social services employees who have neither the legal jurisdiction nor the practical ability to determine one's immigration status. Only an immigration official or federal worker whom the Secretary of Homeland Security has authorized may determine the immigration status of a person in the country.
    ----

    You can have a look at the Census Bureau study, the Survey of Income and Program Participation, for yourself if you'd like, rather than fervently arguing whatever some comedian told you on late night TV, without having idea clue whether what the comedian told you has any basis in reality.

  118. Parks are not closed (mostly) by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Your other responses have some nice backtracking, but this is outright wrong still:

    Got it, you don't think they should shut down the parks. I mean, they will, because they do every shutdown

    If you were paying attention you'd know they haven't shut down most outdoor parks.

    So not EVERY shutdown.

    But this is just a "why". It's not happening yet cause there's still a little cash left in those accounts.

    Wrong, if they still had money they'd be providing services but they are not. They just aren't manning the parks right now.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Parks are not closed (mostly) by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      I notice you accused me of backtracking without actually pointing it out. Seems rhetorically effective, but it's dishonest, I think you know it's dishonest, and a lie. Yes, paperwork is processed, but that doesn't mean services are operational. For instance, the fact that the FDA has some money left over from 2018 to do some approvals is a small caveat on a larger point... the shut down will prevent new approvals. If you discovered an cure for cancer right now, there is nothing you can do to get FDA approved.

      You are right that Trump changed the position on shutting down outdoor parks (although the websites that host the official shutdown plans seem to in fact be shutting down). It's a pretty new change, so I wasn't aware of it. You can see it's causing issues.

      Wrong, if they still had money they'd be providing services but they are not.

      Yes, but money is running out. The Smithsonian and the National Zoo shut down today. Enjoy!

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    2. Re:Parks are not closed (mostly) by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      I withdraw the part of my post that agrees the parks are staying open. You are just 100% wrong. The link I used in that post referenced Joshua Tree. It just shut down. Looks like even Trump's express change to policy couldn't survive contact with reality. Shocking.

      Cross posed to the GP post, so people will see it.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  119. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    Mexico could spend their money however the fuck they wanted to. If they said "this is for a wall" then Trump could spend it on a wall. It's not a gift to the general fund and it's not taxpayer funds..

    Though the very idea of Mexico sending money to the US specifically to build a wall to keep people from entering the US is laughable - and fully counter to the claim that Trump has made many times about Mexico "sending bad hombres" to the US. If the illegal immigrants are so awful, then it would be in the best interests of Mexico to keep them moving, not to slow down their departure.

    If Mexico pays for it, Trump does not need Congressional approval

    Trump's latest scheme is that Mexico would somehow pay for the wall by way of tariffs and taxes through NAFTA 2.0. However the money that comes in to there goes into the general fund, so no Trump would not be able to tap into it on his own initiative (sans congress) to spend it on his own pet projects. He would need congressional approval. Now if for some reason Mexico sent a check specifically to build the wall, it might be possible to use that as such - though there is a big problem with that one too, namely that financial gifts to the federal government are required to be unconditional unless congress specifically passes a law allowing them to be used for a specific project.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  120. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 1

    Just like Medicare For All, right dipshit?

    Please provide me with the name of a Presidential Candidate with the Republican or Democratic Nomination who ran on a platform of "Medicare for all."

    Thanks.

    (Dipshit.)

  121. Re:Why do Democrats hate America? by Tyler+Durden · · Score: 1

    And the bad news is, you don't judge Trump for being a retard.

    --
    Happy people make bad consumers.
  122. Re:No matter whether you have a D or an R... by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    Agreed, there are plenty of douchebags on both sides of the aisle. Can we work together in a spirit of cooperation to hold ALL the douchebags accountable? Step one is to vote them all out of office!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  123. Re: The Statue of Liberty by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    here let me hit you with a liberal favorite "It doesn't mean the same thing anymore"

    Pretty sure I've heard that from you constitution haters. Eat a fat bowl of dicks and see me in the streets. 7230 S Las Vegas BLVD

  124. Parks started closing today by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

    I withdraw the part my other response to this post that agrees the parks are staying open. You are just 100% wrong. The link I used in that post referenced Joshua Tree. It just shut down. Looks like even Trump's express change to policy couldn't survive contact with reality. Shocking.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!
  125. Re: Why do Democrats hate America? by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

    I state the fact that we have immigration to make up for our birth deficiency and you take that as me having a problem with people of color? What the fuck is wrong with you? I said we're importing 1M people/year.. That's a fact. If you can point to the sentence where I said something negative about that, I'd love to see it.

    As for where, the State Department, mouth breather.