StrangeSox

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 11, 2015 -> 04:24 PM) I have a hard time believing that Joes crab shack will be on the forefront of anything. lol'd, but I'm at least hearing more and more stories on the news about restaurants experimenting with no tipping policies. Most of the rest of the world manages to make service industries work without relying on customers' tips, but there's concerns that ending tipping could mean taking money out of workers' pockets if there aren't other changes and guarantees.

Carson's got his flat tithing thing, but he won't commit to 10%, 15% or some other number. No analysis of Fiorina's magic 3-page tax plan, either (seriously, how do candidates get away with that sort of nonsense?) For whatever reason, they haven't released a detailed analysis of Kasich's plan yet. Maybe because it's relatively new? I think he just released it a couple of weeks ago. His plan looks superficially similar to Bush's, though, so that might be a point of comparison. You can find their publications here. They're a conservative think tank generally in favor of cutting taxes, so if anything they're going to be putting a positive light on the policy implications. Re: tax cuts for the rich, absolutely. There's no reason that a tax plan would need to be structured that way. Want to give everyone a tax cut but focus it on the middle income group? Just cut the rates on the middle income tax brackets. Everyone who gets to that bracket or higher would see a cut. Another example was how Republicans really fought against continuing the payroll tax cuts a couple of years ago, cuts that primarily benefit wage earners and not the wealthy. edit: one thing this chart doesn't show is the gigantic crater these proposals would blow in the federal budget, especially the crazier ones like Cruz and Carson.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Nov 11, 2015 -> 03:45 PM) The key is to move next to someone who has a snowblower and loves to use it. So much so that they clean my driveway every time in snows. I noticed a large pickup truck-mounted plow sitting in our potential new neighbor's driveway... Our current neighbor did this for us several times and is usually really good about it when I'm out of town for work.

Where'd you find that?

Analysis of Republican tax plans from the Tax Foundation:

Ok, but is Butler denying his wealth privilege? I guess I don't see why it's being brought up. Butler could be acting as an advocate for those that didn't come from his wealthy background.

Yeah we have an offer accepted on another house nearby. Gotta see how the home inspection and any possible issues from that goes.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 11, 2015 -> 11:02 AM) How did it ever go with that property you guys were taking a contractor to look at? Terribly, that house pretty much needs to be torn down.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Nov 11, 2015 -> 07:59 AM) He demanded the president acknowledge his privilege. Do you think you don't have privilege by having that kind of money? He should acknowledge it himself then. Has he denied it? Maybe he does openly acknowledge it.

At the Republican debate, Ted Cruz said he'd cut 5 agencies — but could only name 4 Is there something about Texas that makes their politicians want to cut so many federal agencies they can't even remember all of them?

Seems weird to base your vote for President on municipal minimum wage increases anyway.

Democrats have no bench because they are getting their clocks cleaned in so many non presidential races.

I'm not thrilled with the democratic candidates but I still subscribe to a least harm voting policy.

Agreed partially. It's definitely driven at least partially by anti establishment sentiment. But sort of by definition it is the base that drives primary elections. First votes are still months off though.

Same with Kevin white, hopefully good but we haven't seen anything from him yet.

Yes, Clinton is definitely comparable to Trump and Carson, great point. How many Democrats are pushing magic tax plans that guarantee 4+% annual GDP growth?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 10, 2015 -> 03:01 PM) You should be fair at least. The man is a brilliant surgeon and by all accounts an outstanding person. Again, the perception by the media is he is a buffoon. Nobody is questioning his skills as a surgeon, but he isn't applying for a job at a hospital. Also, many of those accounts are coming into question, and some of his own stories make him look pretty awful. Do tell.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 10, 2015 -> 03:00 PM) Every time I hear Carson (and Trump for that matter), I think, how in the hell is this guy leading the primary. This is the base that the Republican party has cultivated over the years.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Nov 10, 2015 -> 02:24 PM) No, I think hiring a professional coach who knows how to put out a respectable, professional looking team (that still isn't good) is what you hired Fox to do. I don't get the gushing over him or the 100% faith that he'll turn this mess around. I know you guys aren't saying this is a playoff team or they're going to the superbowl next year. But I'll refrain from being excited until they actually win some tough games and not meet the "we're not embarrassing anymore" bar. I see some people saying "I like the improvements so far, seems to be heading in the right direction." I don't see anyone gushing or saying that this regime is a 100% lock to turn this team completely around into a playoff contender.

You have to balance every negative thing you say about somebody with one positive thing, it is the rules of journalism.

Carson also has a weird tale of a time when he wanted to fire a woman who worked in his department, but he didn't have the courage to do it. Fine, no big deal, very few people take joy in firing someone and it can be a difficult situation to face. But as he recounts it, he thanked God because one day she just disappeared and he never heard from her again, taking the burden off of his shoulders. No sign of concern for her well-being, just glad she's not his problem anymore. It's like the story he told about the alleged hold-up at a fast food restaurant after the Oregon shooting. He claims that he was standing in line when someone came in the rob the place, and the guy pointed the gun at him. Brave Ben Carson redirected the robber to the cashier. Who thinks these stories are personally flattering? They make him look like a sociopath, but he's apparently proud of them.

If you take out the Clausen start, they're averaging 3 more ppg than last year.

Assaulting the journalists trying to cover the events was pretty crappy. So is the police asking people to report "hateful and/or hurtful speech." http://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/u...t_amendment.php

QUOTE (CrimsonWeltall @ Nov 10, 2015 -> 12:56 PM) Indeed. More confirmation that Ben Carson was duped by a prank, not given an honesty reward by his professor. Exactly. The real story is that Carson was the most gullible student in the class, not the most honest (how would the scenario that Carson invented even have tested honesty? it makes absolutely no sense). But that morphed into a story of 1) Ben Caron's moral superiority, especially over those other elitists at a place like Yale and 2) God's divine intervention to gift him another $10 in his time of need.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Nov 10, 2015 -> 12:22 PM) Pk, but you did not answe rthe question. It is highly likely/probable that a kid of his background with his grades in his situation, if he so chose, would have gotten a scholarship to West Point... Cool. What does that have to do with his claims that he 1) personally met General Westmoreland and 2) was actually accepted to West Point but turned it down?