Election? We Don't Need to Honor Your Stinkin' Election!

As expected, The House went about its usual closed-door wheeling and dealing to pass a Federal spending bill. Still needs the actual vote but it's a done deal for all intent and purpose. In order to get the deal done there were a number of 'concessions' made to avoid the usual 'government shutdown' ---- a concept that is a cruel tease. Some of the more screw-you voters inclusions are:

> A provision that stops the city of D.C. from enacting recently-passed marijuana legalization by blocking any funding to enable that. This is despite the fact that voters approved legislation by 70%. Take that voters.

> A provision that increases maximum allowable political donations from the current $32,400 up to an astounding $324,000. Step right up rich folks... get your fresh, hot politicians right here....

> The repeal of a provision that was enacted on the heels of the banking industry's bending-over of the American public that prevented banks from using funds backed by taxpayers to trade in the oh-so-safe derivatives market.


Your government at-work ladies and gentlemen. Doing the bidding of the American People as always.

Source

This is the end my only friend the end.

So is seems its going to be easier to buy yourself an election, well americans of all parties should rally and arrest all these corrupt politicians.

And yet people still have faith in the government to do what is right and to spend our tax dollars wisely ! Feather bedding has always been around but never exposed and in your face as it has been these last several years. We really do need answers and plans not more bureaucratic bought and paid for crony political B.S.

One day people will finally learn ... the game is rigged .. the politicians dont give a damn about the people they supposedly represent ..

a reply to: jtma508

Hunger Games is capturing the imagination of the youth. The Mitch McConnells of the world have gained advantage and they don't plan to let it go again. Orwell and Huxley would be impressed.

I think Frank Zappa nailed it when he said freedom is a charade the corporate owners allow until it becomes bothersome or too expensive. At that point the theater props will be taken away. (paraphrasing)

I believe this day is coming before 2016 because I can't conceive that a US presidential debate will actually address the surveillance state in any open & meaningful way. The elections are dangerously close to being exposed for what they really are --theater. At this point I really doubt that vote counts and participation rates are legitimate. It's too easy to manipulate for the shadow government. Maybe they are legit? I'm just saying it would be near trivial to change all the numbers when you can intercept internet backbone traffic.

The only other plausible way forward that I can see is to create a "fear event" 10x bigger than 9/11. Now is A good time to exit this charade. The US will be the evil empire in the next world war. I ask myself the question is Canada far enough?

I think "taxation without representation" fits the bill nicely here. This proves your vote means absolutely nothing to these asshats in DC.

a reply to: jtma508

Merely because Washington D.C. voted to legalize Doobies somehow gives them the right to federal funds? I didn't get to vote for that either...just saying.

The other points you raise seem business as usual, though. Personally, I'd like to see who added those provisions to the funding bill.

I will give them one last chance...IF, this is a short term- two month bill to fund gov't and not for the fiscal year which ends NEXT SEPTEMBER- otherwise it becomes officially time for the third party option...not that an extra party will change much in the long term...sigh.

a reply to: nwtrucker

No, you don't understand. Because D.C. is a District, the Feds control it's finances. It's not that they get Federal funding anymore than any other 'state' but on DC's case, the Feds control their purse strings and can tell them where, when and on what they can spend their own tax revenue --- thereby giving them control of DC's politics by economic proxy.

Don't worry everyone...the ignorant will still place their votes. I'm unsure how many threads I have stated that voting is a scam, but will say it again to spread awareness!

VOTING IS A SCAM!!!

The days of improving America are over. Now its all about how many beds these politicians can sleep in every night.

a reply to: amicktd

I think most folks here know that. The problem is getting other people to realize this.

a reply to: jtma508

I stand corrected. Thank you. However, it's still illegal federally. That same body is- I almost gag on this one- bound by those federal laws and cannot finance 'illegal' action.

A mulligan on that one is as far as I can go on that one.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

New people join ATS everyday!

So what the politicians want is first presented as an issue before the ballot. Everyone votes first to get a feel good about having a say then regardless of the outcome, they go ahead with it anyway.

They been doing that since I can remember.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

Mmmm, I don't think the US will be the evil empire in the next world war. I guess it will be the near cripple in the next world war. But you're drop dead correct about the 2016 election being pointless theater and what's more important is that practically everyone I meet and talk to sees it the same way. 2016 may well be the election where the result slogan will be "If they hold an election and no one but the candidates show up to vote, is it a valid election?"

The very fact that so, so many of the voting public see these presidential elections as a gross fraud on the voters is really a significant thing, if for no other reason than that perception robs any winner of political capital and any type of mandate except to go off and hide somewhere. Who knows, maybe that would be the best result considering the slate of hopeless hacks in the running.

I don't have a problem with my/our money being not used on weed.

Talk about burning it.

> A provision that increases maximum allowable political donations from the current $32,400 up to an astounding $324,000. Step right up rich folks... get your fresh, hot politicians right here....

Step right up unions too.

Some Democrats are already expressing opposition to a provision that repeals what they view as a key financial regulation that was part of a package of reforms for Wall Street banks. The spending bill does away with a rule that prevented banks from using funds backed by taxpayers to trade derivatives, which they argue contributed to the financial collapse in 2008.

Frank Dodd Act is in still effect so that was much to do about nothing.

a reply to: jtma508

Now watch as they start a draft over something soon...
Same pattern as the last recession/depression. These Oligarchs can repeat it ALL since no one is stopping them.
THEY are smoking ALL of you with race,2 party diversions and fear so they will have you.
Come to the center and vote INDEPENDENT ...you know deep down you want to just to make them ALL mad.
RUSSIA is already discussing arming space with an ABM system so our SECRET starwars stuff will show up soon.

originally posted by: neo96
I don't have a problem with my/our money being not used on weed.



Talk about burning it.

Yet no issues with spending many, many times more tax dollars on drug law enforcement? o_O

For whatever it is worth, DC decriminalized weed in July and, despite efforts by Congress to force them to maintain status quo and continue the ridiculous cycle of arrests, that decriminalization remains in effect. In some ways this recently passed law wasn't even needed... the only benefit it had was found in the semantical difference between the words "legalized" and "decriminalized."

a reply to: burdman30ott6

It doesn't take $$ to make something legal.

All it takes is someone walking over to their 'Ye ole filing cabinet' and ripping up the law.

I am not exactly thrilled here.

originally posted by: neo96
a reply to: burdman30ott6



It doesn't take $$ to make something legal.



All it takes is someone walking over to their 'Ye ole filing cabinet' and ripping up the law.



I am not exactly thrilled here.

In DC's case it isn't that easy. They have to go through Congress for approval of any law change. This funding block is apparently targeted to keep exactly that from happening, as no DC employee may spend resources (time or money) on preparing the paperwork related to the law to submit to Congress.

I'd like to know how much tax money was wasted on this spending bill... I mean we already know it wastes $1.1 Trillion, but I mean additional to that, how much did it cost the taxpayers to have this piece of crap written up?

a reply to: burdman30ott6

I'd like to know how much tax money was wasted on this spending bill

Here's the breakdown.

www.washingtonpost.com...

Some I don't have a problem with.

Others I do.