Biden a Disaster?

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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by pp4me » Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:08 pm

I didn't vote for him but I have to say I got about what I expected.

Andy McCarthy said this before the election and it states my opinion of Joe much better than I can say it myself....
Biden, too, is deeply flawed, in ways different from Trump. His embarrassingly patent senescence and habitual incoherence are problems, to be sure. But in his prime, such as it was, he was never regarded as serious presidential material, despite his several attempts. Mediocrity is something he’d have to aspire to. He was a gentleman’s-C undergrad who went on to finish 76th out of 85 in his law-school class. He entered politics in a one-party state right out of law school, and there he has stayed for a half century, plagiarizing his way through as he did in school. If he has distinguished himself, it is mainly by being wrong on virtually every issue of great public consequence, often after vacillating from one side to the other. His accomplishments are nil. The defining attribute of his current campaign is to run away from a few sensible positions he used to hold. Otherwise, he would not have been viable to today’s woke Left, against which he is largely impotent.
Actually, I just always thought he was a buffoon. But now a dangerous one.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by vnatale » Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:57 pm

pp4me wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:08 pm

I didn't vote for him but I have to say I got about what I expected.

Andy McCarthy said this before the election and it states my opinion of Joe much better than I can say it myself....

Biden, too, is deeply flawed, in ways different from Trump. His embarrassingly patent senescence and habitual incoherence are problems, to be sure. But in his prime, such as it was, he was never regarded as serious presidential material, despite his several attempts. Mediocrity is something he’d have to aspire to. He was a gentleman’s-C undergrad who went on to finish 76th out of 85 in his law-school class. He entered politics in a one-party state right out of law school, and there he has stayed for a half century, plagiarizing his way through as he did in school. If he has distinguished himself, it is mainly by being wrong on virtually every issue of great public consequence, often after vacillating from one side to the other. His accomplishments are nil. The defining attribute of his current campaign is to run away from a few sensible positions he used to hold. Otherwise, he would not have been viable to today’s woke Left, against which he is largely impotent.


Actually, I just always thought he was a buffoon. But now a dangerous one.


After I witnessed his cowardly performance during the Clarence Thomas hearings 30 years ago in his role as head of the committee I have since detested him. During those hearing he also revealed himself to have a caveman-like attitude towards women. I have yet to read or hear anyone else note this which was clearly evident to me.

All he's done in the intervening 30 years has been nothing but to deepen my dislike of him.

When Obama was considering vice-presidential candidates I was ABB - Anyone But Biden.

There was no way I was ever going to vote for him for any position.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by pp4me » Wed Aug 18, 2021 4:14 pm

vnatale wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:57 pm
pp4me wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:08 pm
I didn't vote for him but I have to say I got about what I expected.

Andy McCarthy said this before the election and it states my opinion of Joe much better than I can say it myself....
Biden, too, is deeply flawed, in ways different from Trump. His embarrassingly patent senescence and habitual incoherence are problems, to be sure. But in his prime, such as it was, he was never regarded as serious presidential material, despite his several attempts. Mediocrity is something he’d have to aspire to. He was a gentleman’s-C undergrad who went on to finish 76th out of 85 in his law-school class. He entered politics in a one-party state right out of law school, and there he has stayed for a half century, plagiarizing his way through as he did in school. If he has distinguished himself, it is mainly by being wrong on virtually every issue of great public consequence, often after vacillating from one side to the other. His accomplishments are nil. The defining attribute of his current campaign is to run away from a few sensible positions he used to hold. Otherwise, he would not have been viable to today’s woke Left, against which he is largely impotent.
Actually, I just always thought he was a buffoon. But now a dangerous one.
After I witnessed his cowardly performance during the Clarence Thomas hearings 30 years ago in his role as head of the committee I have since detested him. During those hearing he also revealed himself to have a caveman-like attitude towards women. I have yet to read or hear anyone else note this which was clearly evident to me.

All he's done in the intervening 30 years has been nothing but to deepen my dislike of him.

When Obama was considering vice-presidential candidates I was ABB - Anyone But Biden.

There was no way I was ever going to vote for him for any position.
I think you do have to credit him with some good political instincts whether you admire that sort of thing or not.

What he's doing now with Afghanistan is a good example, I think. Lay low, say very little, wait for the air to clear and then can come back and make the credible claim that he bravely did what 3 presidents before him weren't able to do despite the promises they made. I think that will actually work in the long run as long as there aren't too many horror stories coming out of Afghanistan.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Benko » Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:25 am

18 months ago I would have considered this thought crazy, but like the open US border, has it occurred to anyone that the Afghanistan result was desired?
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Kbg » Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:12 am

I know that all government statistics are lies, but if you like government statistics that support your loose border viewpoint you are really going to like these.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/sout ... -component

Surf around, enjoy! Data wise you are 100% correct.

Where it doesn't work so well is the opinion that we are letting everybody in.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp- ... statistics#

Win some, lose some. Such is life.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Benko » Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:17 am

Kbg wrote:
Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:12 am
I know that all government statistics are lies, but if you like government statistics that support your loose border viewpoint you are really going to like these.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/sout ... -component

Surf around, enjoy! Data wise you are 100% correct.

Where it doesn't work so well is the opinion that we are letting everybody in.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp- ... statistics#

Win some, lose some. Such is life.
Of course we are not letting everyone in--cuban refugees (who hate communism) aren't being let it.

Aside from that obvious point, what is the point of your link? Border isn't really open?
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Kbg » Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:24 am

Read closer, I'm sure you will figure it out. If you can't, not my problem.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by sophie » Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:47 am

Benko wrote:
Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:25 am
18 months ago I would have considered this thought crazy, but like the open US border, has it occurred to anyone that the Afghanistan result was desired?
Nah I don't think so.

The main difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Democrats firmly believe that social engineering is possible through policy initiatives, and that such policies have entirely predictable results - but based mostly on wishful thinking with a dab of cherry-picked data to cite as "facts". I'm sure the Afghanistan disaster (and it is that, no question) arose from exactly this type of thought process.

Republicans are too well aware of the realities and the dangers of unintended consequences, and in general shy away from top-down social engineering. They've also got their blind spots but not nearly as badly.

I guess that's why our political history cycles between Democrat administrations that do a lot of stuff that sounds good but creates an unholy mess, and Republicans who are generally better at holding the reins and manage to undo the worst of the mess - but then look like they're not doing enough and so we need a Democrat to swoop in and fix things....lather, rinse, repeat.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by sophie » Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:49 am

p.s. Thomas Sowell's book, "The Vision of the Anointed" goes into a lot of detail on the evils of social engineering policies and their unintended consequences. It's a very good read, highly recommended - and I would suggest getting it in physical form as it's likely high on the list of the government censors.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by pp4me » Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:30 pm

Two people with grounds-eye views of such matters give their opinions....

Laura Logan in an interview with Tucker came down on the side of it being intended consequences. Unfortunately, you have to subscribe to Fox Nation to see the whole thing. I got it for free as a Veteran.

Fred Reed, on the other hand, says it was unintended but completely predictable.....

https://www.unz.com/freed/despair-in-th ... raveyards/

Speaking of the collapse of Saigon in which he was a participant in the chaos as a reporter. Even brought a fake wife out with him as did many others.....
Meanwhile the PR apparatus insisted that the sky wasn’t really falling even as it did and no, no, no the US had not gotten its sit-down royally kicked by a ratpack of rice-propelled paddy maggots, as GIs described the opposition. Many in government seemed to believe this. This was an early instance, to be repeated in another part of Asia, of inventing a fairyland world and then trying to move into it.
My own theory about why U.S. soldiers were pulled out before Afghans were evacuated is that this was probably intentional. I base this on my 4th and 5th watching of "The Last Days in Vietnam" in which it was revealed that the original standing orders were for only Americans to be evacuated - orders that were not obeyed.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Benko » Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:33 pm

sophie wrote:
Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:49 am
p.s. Thomas Sowell's book, "The Vision of the Anointed" goes into a lot of detail on the evils of social engineering policies and their unintended consequences. It's a very good read, highly recommended - and I would suggest getting it in physical form as it's likely high on the list of the government censors.
Sophie,

what you are describing is the last half century of the D party--what the Ds have been. .

Please watch this 13 min 2013 interview with KGB defector (to US) Yuri Bezmenov for understanding of what is going on now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX3EZCVj2XA
KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov's warning to America
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by KayFaybe » Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:55 pm

pp4me wrote:
Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:30 pm
Fred Reed, on the other hand, says it was unintended but completely predictable.....

https://www.unz.com/freed/despair-in-th ... raveyards/
Why would anyone believe Fred Reed about anything? I'm embarrassed that anyone on this forum of long-time Republicans / anarchists / Trump voters would even bring him into the conversation.

Reed showed his true colors in this column:

A Vaporware Executive: An Attitude, Not a President
-- Fred Reed, October 24, 2020
Everybody and his goat has weighed in on the election, so I will too. This will make no difference to Trump’s core followers, for whom he is a cult figure, or to those who detest him. The undecided may be interested.

Note how insubstantial Trump has been, pretending to be what he isn’t and claiming to have done what he hasn’t. Does no one notice? He has heavy support from Evangelicals. Ask him to name the books of the Pentateuch, or the second book, or what church he regularly attended, or ever attended, in New York. He was going to end the wars, but what war has he ended? To reduce the trade deficit, but it has grown. To get rid of all illegal aliens withing two years, but have they gone? To bring back factories from China and Mexico, but how many have returned? He is called a law-and-order President. Yet he hid, besieged, in the White House during the greatest eruption of lawlessness the country has ever seen, with a statue being pulled down across the street from his house. His handling of the virus? America remains hardest hit in the world, and it worsens by the day.

Trump, like all Presidents, has fulfilled the two critical jobs expected of him, protecting Wall Street and the military budget. What else has he done?

Almost nothing. All in good fun. But in the crucial field of international relations, he has been a disaster.
As we all know:

1. Donald Trump is the greatest president in U.S. history.
2. Donald Trump is the most Christian man in, oh... 2021 years.
3. He is the greatest anti-war president in history.

etc.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Xan » Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:32 pm

tomfoolery wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:45 pm
KayFaybe wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:55 pm

As we all know:

1. Donald Trump is the greatest president in U.S. history.
2. Donald Trump is the most Christian man in, oh... 2021 years.
3. He is the greatest anti-war president in history.

etc.
I'll take your word for it, if I recall correctly, you have a PhD or some advanced degree in military history?
Please stop accusing KayFaybe and kbg of being the same person. There isn't any evidence for it and they've explicitly denied it.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by vnatale » Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:35 pm

Xan wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:32 pm

tomfoolery wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:45 pm

KayFaybe wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:55 pm


As we all know:

1. Donald Trump is the greatest president in U.S. history.
2. Donald Trump is the most Christian man in, oh... 2021 years.
3. He is the greatest anti-war president in history.

etc.


I'll take your word for it, if I recall correctly, you have a PhD or some advanced degree in military history?


Please stop accusing KayFaybe and kbg of being the same person. There isn't any evidence for it and they've explicitly denied it.


However, we've not yet had on record KayFaybe and Tomfoolery NOT being the same person?
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by pp4me » Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:33 pm

KayFaybe wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:55 pm
Why would anyone believe Fred Reed about anything?
Because he's blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. It was originally an injury in Vietnam, subsequently fucked up by a doctor working for the Veterans Administration.

So he has a lot of experience with things FUBAR.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Maddy » Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:08 pm

If you folks want to kill the forum, just do it.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by KayFaybe » Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:37 pm

pp4me wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:33 pm
KayFaybe wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:55 pm
Why would anyone believe Fred Reed about anything?
Because he's blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. It was originally an injury in Vietnam, subsequently fucked up by a doctor working for the Veterans Administration.

So he has a lot of experience with things FUBAR.
Sure, but doesn't the fact that Reed has TDS completely discount anything he might say?
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Mark Leavy » Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:53 pm

Maddy wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:08 pm
If you folks want to kill the forum, just do it.
Maddy, I wish I had your gift for concise speech.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by KayFaybe » Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:43 am

The best forum on the internet doesn't need drama queens.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Maddy » Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:26 am

Nineteen posts, and not a meaningful (or even genuine) contribution yet.

Is this all you're here for? To heckle, insult, and play coy "catch me if you can" games?

So what if you were to succeed in killing this forum? Would that make you feel really important?

What kind of person is it that stomps on somebody else's sandcastle and gets pleasure from it? What kind of person lurks in the shadows, taking pot shots at people with opposing viewpoints without ever having the guts to actually make an argument?
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by glennds » Mon Aug 23, 2021 10:14 am

Maddy wrote:
Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:26 am
Nineteen posts, and not a meaningful (or even genuine) contribution yet.

Is this all you're here for? To heckle, insult, and play coy "catch me if you can" games?

So what if you were to succeed in killing this forum? Would that make you feel really important?

What kind of person is it that stomps on somebody else's sandcastle and gets pleasure from it? What kind of person lurks in the shadows, taking pot shots at people with opposing viewpoints without ever having the guts to actually make an argument?
Might you be willing to lead by example?
If you will not, do you feel your post becomes ironic, valid as your complaints might be?
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Kbg » Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:35 am

Xan wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:32 pm
tomfoolery wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:45 pm
KayFaybe wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:55 pm

As we all know:

1. Donald Trump is the greatest president in U.S. history.
2. Donald Trump is the most Christian man in, oh... 2021 years.
3. He is the greatest anti-war president in history.

etc.
I'll take your word for it, if I recall correctly, you have a PhD or some advanced degree in military history?
Please stop accusing KayFaybe and kbg of being the same person. There isn't any evidence for it and they've explicitly denied it.
Xan,

It's fine, don't worry about it. tf lives in the alt universe where stuff is made up daily anyway. It's a good headspace to be in for those who truly do know everything. SomeDude's Florida where there is no COVID seems pretty nice as well.

Personally, I think tf is just ticked off because he's met his sarcastic match. For those watching with popcorn and soda, my Sarcazy award scorecard has KayFayBe in the lead. I give large deductions when the response to a sarcastic volley ends up with essentially...well you're stupid. tf is going to have to up his game if he's going to win any of the long volley matches.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Xan » Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:43 am

I'm beginning to think that Maddy is right, and that the sarcasm wars are messing everything up.
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by Kbg » Mon Aug 23, 2021 12:16 pm

Xan wrote:
Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:43 am
I'm beginning to think that Maddy is right, and that the sarcasm wars are messing everything up.
She is.

Everyday I come to the board I have a couple of thoughts.

A) There's really not much content for the supposed purpose of the board which is to talk about PP stuff any more comparative to the "Other" section. Craig is probably right on this aspect of the PP...after a while there's just not much more new that can be said.

B) How much longer can the COVID threads keep dragging on?

C) Why do I continue to bother with the board and should I stay?

By volume it appears clear that most posters are here for the politics and not the investing. It also appears the pool of posters has gotten fairly small with many having left beginning about March 2020. Look at the opening title to this thread...pure Apple Newsish, designed for controversy starting with a biased premise. If that's what you want the board to be and represent, works for me. I'm not a moderator. But if your intent/mission is to foster a place where people can learn about, ask questions and push the PP envelope with alternative approaches, I think you are defeating yourself by allowing this stuff to go on.

Imagine if you are completely new to the PP and heard that this board was the place to go for all things PP. You lurk for a while checking out the posts and I think you discover there isn't much to help you in terms of current content and if you go to the other section and aren't into alt politics you are probably completely turned off.

In this case I think a counterfactual question is useful. The board is now a moderated PP board with no "other" section. To me there are two plausible scenarios.

1) The board completely dies as the political junkies/bomb throwers don't have a place to post any more so they leave
2) The board reorients itself to PP stuff again and becomes more like Bogleheads or other forums that actually do discuss investing as the primary content
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Re: Biden a Disaster?

Post by sophie » Mon Aug 23, 2021 12:30 pm

Kbg,

The beauty of the PP is that there isn't much left to talk about, after almost 10 years of discussions on the topic.

The board has always had active "other" discussions, and very often the "other" posts outscored the PP-related posts. This is nothing new. I viewed this board as a combination of PP info and a refreshingly unique place to hear discussions about various topics du jour from a strongly libertarian perspective. Currently, there's a lot more grist for the former than the latter, so the proportion of posts isn't really surprising.

I'm anticipating a return of investing topics soon though, as the details of new tax policies being put in place by the Biden administration become clear. Just wait a while.

FInally, may I just say that the flood of worthless posts from a (very) small number of contributors is doing a lot more to destroy the forum than a bit of online bickering or a preponderance of politically oriented posts. It's difficult to hold a discussion that gets derailed about every 3rd post, also.
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