NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 09:07 AM) No it doesn't. Small states have very few electoral votes in comparison to large states, so to say it disenfranchises 80% of the country is pure nonsense. You missed the point. 80% of the country is indeed disenfranchised with regard to the Presidency, not because of small states, but because they are not in SWING states. If you are not in FL, OH, VA, IA, WI, CO, NH and maybe one or two more states in play... then your vote is pretty much irrelevant due to the electoral college setup. The arguments about urban vs rural, small state vs large state, etc. are about representation. The legislature is the representative body, and the balance struck by having 2 senators per state regardless of size and at least 1 house rep... is a great setup to protect that. It is a representative body. The Presidency is one person. It cannot be representative in any similar sense. It is the only truly national elected office, and therefore should be decided by the nation of EQUAL voters.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 09:05 AM) Well that hasn't really changed... Can't argue with you there.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 08:59 AM) I think a proportional vote through the electoral college solves this better than a pure popular vote where only major cities would decide elections. I believe voters whould decide elections. Voters in a district for representatives in a district... voters in a state for a senator... voters in the nation for the only truly national office. Any electoral college setup effectively disenfranchises 80% of the country, and gives more weight to rural voters than urban ones. Simply put, I believe every vote should have the same value. Therefore, I believe that for Prez/VP (and ONLY those offices), a national popular vote is the only fair method.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 3, 2012 -> 01:13 PM) I think the price slashing will help a lot. Didn't somebody say parking is now 20 bucks even? And $10 on Sundays.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 08:57 AM) You still aren't going to get states like Alaska, ND, SD, etc...to do the same. We'll see. Give it time, and one or two conflicted votes for Prez.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 08:46 AM) I reiterate, this is the United States of America. Not the United couple of states with major metropolitan populations of America. Different regions need their voices heard for different reasons, and while this is convenient to ignore, it's NOT fair, regardless of how many times people repeat that it is. What's "popular" in downtown Manhattan is not so popular in Custer, South Dakota...for good reason. If you truly believe in not focusing power on a few states, then the popular vote is exactly what you are looking for.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 08:46 AM) Never gonna happen. You will never see states with populations the size of North or South Dakota, Hawaii or Alaska pass this law, because it will compeltely nullify their citizens voices. Therefore it will never be 100% passed across the union, and therefore never go through. That's funny, because Hawaii already passed it. So did Vermont, as another example. These states have passed the law or have it pending as of today: California DC Hawaii Illinois Maryland Massachusetts New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Vermont Washington In addition to those, there are states like Colorado and New Mexico where it is still pending a Congressional vote (about a dozen states are in this type of position). Then there are Maine and Nebraska, who are already one foot in the door with their systems - and again, they are smaller states. The only states where the measure has come up and been voted down in legislature are Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota and Rhode Island. Now imagine if Romney wins the popular vote this time around, but loses the electoral college. Couple that with the Obama hate, and I'm guessing some red states find a way to pass the law. Back and forth, so on and so on... it makes its way to where only a few states haven't done it. Then they pressure is on.

By the way, for those who are in favor of a popular vote instead of an electoral college for President (like me, because the popular vote is the only fair method)... there is a path to get there without a Constitutional amendment. And it has already started. As of now, about 12 states have passed conditional laws stating that, if/when all the other states do the same, they will mandate their electors in the electoral college to vote with the winner of the national popular vote. So, as more states do this, if eventually they all do it, you will then effectively have a national vote for President. As more states pass laws like this, there will be enormous pressure on the ones remaining that don't. I think this is an eventuality.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 04:31 PM) Isn't it true that the candidates will know who won even before Election Day begins? I read somewhere that candidates know exactly what is going to happen at 5 a.m. on Election Day. Are Mitt and Barack going to spend Monday night hanging out in a Hot Tub Time Machine? WTF?

QUOTE (MnSoxFan @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 07:17 PM) We need a 1Bman for W-S next year, Black will be promoted, and Bucker nor Pangilinan is going to be our 1Bman there I hope. Panglinan was released. Barnum may get there quick, but probably not to open the season. They had an overflow of recent draftees that are C/1B combos, one of them may get there. Or they'll find someone on the heap.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 01:38 PM) I think the Sox would be doing handstands in joy if somebody would take Dunn and his contract off the Sox hands. Do you all at least agree on that? With nothing in return? Hell no.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 01:15 PM) Really? Anyone else thinking this? I certainly am.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 09:15 AM) Also the fiscal cliff is more of a gradual slope. There is time to work out solutions even after the date the sequestration kicks in, the Bush tax cuts expire and the temporary payroll tax cuts go away. If you are talking short term, the actual effect can be small, yes. However, what you are losing sight of here is that corporations will start making difficult decisions as the deadline approaches, if action isn't taken, because they need time for effect and they can't wait for the dithering to end. That causes job losses, and markets tank. After the election, no matter who is elected, Congress and Obama need to get to work on this before ANYTHING else, and work at it full tilt until it is taken care of. Lots else to do, but it can all wait behind this.

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 10:31 AM) I think lost in all of this is Kenny Williams Jr. is presumably a real person, and is trying hard to succeed at his job. I wish him the best. I don't think it is lost here, multiple people (myself included) said this was better for the player as well. KW Jr can get out from the pressure of being in Daddy's back yard, and the weirdness that probably caused with his teammates at times. Also, the one offensive position the Sox system actually has some good talent depth is outfield, so KW Jr had nowhere to go here. There are about 6 to 8 outfielders in the system, maybe more, that he'd be behind. Maybe the CO system lacks OF depth.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 10:00 AM) Tracy is a legitimate minor league player. KW, Jr. probably is not. I assume this is a joke, right? Mark Tracy is a 24-year-old 22nd-round draftee who has played three seasons of A Ball, with an OPS never higher than .758, as a 1B/DH. And it looks like he's only played in parts of those seasons, either due to injury or being a bench guy. In any case, he's actually less "legitimate" than KW Jr was, amazingly enough. They made the trade to get rid of the distraction and clear a path for more talented OF players in the Sox system. They offered him around, and this was probably the best they could get for him. He also happens to be a Chicago area kid.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 09:59 AM) Funny you mentioned front office. I actually read an article where someone in some teams' front office was discussing this very subject and had the same view I have a few years ago. The player they were talking about was different. It was Jim Thome. Wait a second... are you saying you were with Ozzie on that one? You didn't want Thome around because he was too slow, or not versatile? You thought Mark Kotsay was better than Jim Thome?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 09:51 AM) http://www.cnbc.com/id/49620569/New_ADP_Co...n_for_September That's the ADP report, not the government report. You are comparing apples to oranges, not to mention that ADP's oranges are typically all over the map and not looked at in a serious way like the government numbers are.

QUOTE (Special K @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 08:51 AM) What are "the indications." Rumors posted here and there. Nothing substantial, at least not that I've seen. Which was kind of my point - it is all speculation at this time. No one knows any of this absolutely, most teams would at least consider offers for most players at this stage, and the Royals and Sox appear to be a fit in this regard.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Oct 25, 2012 -> 08:13 PM) Chrysler taking the Obama bailout bucks and moving to China? http://washingtonexaminer.com/jeep-an-obam...03#.UIniz4Z0iou This of course turns out to be 100% false. They are building in China FOR China and SE Asian markets, because they are doing well. No jobs being moved.

171k jobs added in October, beating everyone's expectations. 86k upward revision for August and September. UE goes up to 7.9 from 7.8 due to large numbers of people going back to looking for work. That's about as good as the news can get right now on the jobs market. Still not fantastic, but good progress. But all of this recent momentum in jobs, and in the housing market, is going to go down the tubes if we don't avoid the fiscal cliff.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 08:38 AM) Called it! I figured you'd be happy, but... "Called it"? When did you call it? I've seen you complain about him more than anyone else (and I agreed with you), but I don't recall you saying you predicted he'd be traded.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 02:17 AM) With a few days remaining, does Romney truly have a shot at this? I have a gut feeling that as bad as Obama is, Romney might be the worst president ever, even worse than Quayle would have been. And I'm a lifelong Republican saying this. It is awfully late in the game, and the electoral math means that Romney needs to win almost every one of the 10-or-so swing states. He is behind in virtually all of them right now, in the polls at least. I suppose there is a chance that the hurricane recovery story turns bad in a serious hurry, making Obama look bad... or maybe some other huge event occurs that we aren't anticipating... but barring something like that, Romney has no real shot at it. If you want evidence, look at what the Romney campaign has been doing the past week or two. It is textbook desperation stuff. They are throwing money at states where Obama has double digit leads or close to it... they are putting up ads that are so patently false, that they make the other ads from the rest of the campaigns to date look like well-researched scientific works. These are death throes. The Romney campaign firing money in every direction while on its last gasp.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 02:19 AM) Absolutely not. Absolutely? Are you the Royals GM or something? Its all speculation. No one can speak in absolutes on this, unless you are telling us you have inside knowledge of the Royals high front office. And there are indications the Royals are dangling a position player or two for pitching, so... the only thing you can say absolutely is that it is possible.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 08:02 AM) Another reason that I'd like to see A. J. return is that I think he would be a tremendous asset as a left handed DH if Konerko can't play. He could DH, with Dunn at first, vs RHP, whenever Paulie is hurt, or in need of a day off. A. J. was tremendous vs. RHP last season. For that reason, Dan Johnson may indeed be with the team next year, but not as a 3B. He'd be a bench bat, 1B/DH maybe OF, and PH. Depending on the Sox backup IF and OF players on the bench, if they get a guy who can cover all three skill infield positions, that does allow a slot for a guy like Johnson.

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Nov 2, 2012 -> 07:17 AM) KW never really wanted his son drafted by the Sox and there was not an easy way to solve the situation. Minor move, but removes a distraction. What are people going to do on this thread when the Gameday posts come up? I think you hit it on the head, with removing the distraction. Benefits everyone, including KW Jr.