Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=nonniey;1307137]Well, the issue is we are the world hegemonic power. That is expensive. Would you want to cede that? We already are seeing the ramifications of our surrender in Afghanistan cutting the defense budget in half would be pouring gas on a fire.[/quote]

That is the challenge right? And if so who takes the mantle of power. I would say as a typical American citizen my individual safety would be better served at the local and state level for safety. If we are spending $2,000 per capita annually on military expenditures, I would prefer if half of that was used directly toward my regional safety, but I do not work in an area or industry that is impacted by foreign terrorism and far more likely to be impacted by someone domestically.

In terms of Afghanistan I fail to see how our withdrawal is bad. Instability in that region makes China worried and focus on their backyard and thus means they are less focused on us.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

In the letter, which Greenberg wrote after his indictment in late 2020 as part of an effort to land a presidential pardon, the Orlando-area tax official claimed that he, Gaetz, and others had sex with a minor they believed to be 19 at the time. Greenberg first learned she was underage after receiving an “anonymous tip” on Sept. 4, 2017, he wrote. He then confirmed her age by improperly querying the teen’s personal information in the Florida state drivers’ license database, which he had access to as a local tax collector.

“Immediately I called the congressman and warned him to stay clear of this person and informed him she was underage,” Greenberg wrote in a handwritten draft of the letter, adding that Gaetz was “equally shocked and disturbed by this revelation.”

“There was no further contact with this individual until after her 18th birthday,” he added.

[url]https://www.yahoo.com/news/witness-confirm-matt-gaetz-told-004539530.html[/url]

Give the guy his due process ... but I think its common ground that no one is going to bat for Matt Gaetz. Cant imagine many Rs or voters will champion him or stand by him.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=SunnySide;1309109]In the letter, which Greenberg wrote after his indictment in late 2020 as part of an effort to land a presidential pardon, the Orlando-area tax official claimed that he, Gaetz, and others had sex with a minor they believed to be 19 at the time. Greenberg first learned she was underage after receiving an “[B]anonymous tip[/B]” on Sept. 4, 2017, he wrote. He then confirmed her age by improperly querying the teen’s personal information in the Florida state drivers’ license database, which he had access to as a local tax collector.

“Immediately I called the congressman and warned him to stay clear of this person and informed him she was underage,” Greenberg wrote in a handwritten draft of the letter, adding that Gaetz was “equally shocked and disturbed by this revelation.”

“There was no further contact with this individual until after her 18th birthday,” he added.

[url]https://www.yahoo.com/news/witness-confirm-matt-gaetz-told-004539530.html[/url]

Give the guy his due process ... but I think its common ground that no one is going to bat for Matt Gaetz. Cant imagine many Rs or voters will champion him or stand by him.[/quote]

So it was that kind of party

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

Scooby Axson, USA TODAY
Thu, February 3, 2022, 5:06 PM
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas broke multiple records in a meet last month, renewing debate around LGBTQ+ equality in sports.
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas broke multiple records in a meet last month, renewing debate around LGBTQ+ equality in sports.

Days after some members of the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming team issued a statement supporting a transgender teammate, more than a dozen others sent a letter to the school and the Ivy League stating that Lia Thomas should not be allowed to compete.

The school said last month that it would comply with the NCAA, who adopted new standards for transgender athletes. The determination for transgender participation in sports will be made by a national governing body but are subject to reviews and recommendations by the NCAA.

The letter was sent by Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a three-time Olympic swimming gold medalist and Founder and CEO of Champion Women.

The letter stated that if Thomas were allowed to compete she could break "Penn, Ivy, and NCAA Women’s Swimming records; feats she could never have done as a male athlete.”

“We fully support Lia Thomas in her decision to affirm her gender identity and to transition from a man to a woman. Lia has every right to live her life authentically,” the letter, obtained by the Washington Post, read. “However, we also recognize that when it comes to sports competition, that the biology of sex is a separate issue from someone’s gender identity. Biologically, [B]Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the women’s category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female."[/B]

[url]https://www.yahoo.com/sports/penn-swimmers-transgender-teammate-lia-220619318.html[/url]

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=SunnySide;1310035]Scooby Axson, USA TODAY
Thu, February 3, 2022, 5:06 PM
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas broke multiple records in a meet last month, renewing debate around LGBTQ+ equality in sports.
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas broke multiple records in a meet last month, renewing debate around LGBTQ+ equality in sports.

Days after some members of the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming team issued a statement supporting a transgender teammate, more than a dozen others sent a letter to the school and the Ivy League stating that Lia Thomas should not be allowed to compete.

The school said last month that it would comply with the NCAA, who adopted new standards for transgender athletes. The determination for transgender participation in sports will be made by a national governing body but are subject to reviews and recommendations by the NCAA.

The letter was sent by Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a three-time Olympic swimming gold medalist and Founder and CEO of Champion Women.

The letter stated that if Thomas were allowed to compete she could break "Penn, Ivy, and NCAA Women’s Swimming records; feats she could never have done as a male athlete.”

“We fully support Lia Thomas in her decision to affirm her gender identity and to transition from a man to a woman. Lia has every right to live her life authentically,” the letter, obtained by the Washington Post, read. “However, we also recognize that when it comes to sports competition, that the biology of sex is a separate issue from someone’s gender identity. Biologically, [B]Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the women’s category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female."[/B]

[url]https://www.yahoo.com/sports/penn-swimmers-transgender-teammate-lia-220619318.html[/url][/quote]

Imagine being so dumb to think biological men don’t hold a physical advantage over women. Along with the morally corrupt thought men can be pregnant.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=Chico23231;1310040][B]Imagine being so dumb to think biological men don’t hold a physical advantage over women.[/B] Along with the morally corrupt thought men can be pregnant.[/quote]

Especially after fully going through puberty.

Obviously this doesn't need to be a partisan issue. I'm all for LGBTQ rights - but I'm anti-unfair advantages in sports. If the science supports the argument that she has an unfair advantage over her competitors I'm all for leveling the playing field.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=mooby;1310044]Especially after fully going through puberty.

Obviously this doesn't need to be a partisan issue. I'm all for LGBTQ rights - but I'm anti-unfair advantages in sports. If the science supports the argument that she has an unfair advantage over her competitors I'm all for leveling the playing field.[/quote]

Unfortunately seems like everything is made into a partisan issue nowadays. I personally think the positions western civilization is taking with the T part of LGBTQ are insane.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=nonniey;1310048]Unfortunately seems like everything is made into a partisan issue nowadays. I personally think the positions western civilization is taking with the T part of LGBTQ are insane.[/quote]

The main problem and it’s an acute problems is the transitioning of kids under the age of 16. Also the fact social media pushes up posts of lies, false narratives of gender to children is sickening.

Parents allowing their kids to be raised by social media…this is the results. We are promoting Suicides and mental illness.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[url]https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/02/why-interest-rates-could-drive-a-debt-crisis/[/url]

Why Interest Rates Could Drive a Debt Crisis

Good article here on rising debt and interest rates. But this article addresses a couple narratives often avoided:

The fact that America “owes the money to ourselves” due to domestic lending does not mean the debt is free. The people and businesses lending the federal government tens of trillions must be repaid, and those future repayments (and the interest costs) will have to paid out of significantly higher taxes, reduced federal benefits, higher inflation, or more borrowing until the markets stop lending.

No, Japan’s 200 percent of GDP debt does not prove that debt does not matter. Its past three decades of deficit spending have been accompanied by sluggish economic growth. Japan’s debt has not been inflationary because much of it has been funded by substantial domestic savings — such as corporate retained earnings equaling 89 percent of GDP. America’s entitlement-driven annual deficits are projected to far exceed — and prove more politically difficult to reverse than — Japan’s smaller annual deficits that financed flexible priorities such as stimulus and infrastructure.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=mooby;1310044]Especially after fully going through puberty.

Obviously this doesn't need to be a partisan issue. I'm all for LGBTQ rights - but I'm anti-unfair advantages in sports. If the science supports the argument that she has an unfair advantage over her competitors I'm all for leveling the playing field.[/quote]

I think the most equitable would be to have four divisions instead of two especially at youth and collegiate levels. I like the IAAF standards of requiring hormone levels of testosterone and estrogen to be at above below levels to compete professionally. That shouldn’t be done at high school levels though. My opinion is biological sex should determine your competitive division but that seems to be a lightening rod and I don’t care enough to argue in favor of that on a public platform.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=BaltimoreSkins;1310063]I think the most equitable would be to have four divisions instead of two especially at youth and collegiate levels. I like the IAAF standards of requiring hormone levels of testosterone and estrogen to be at above below levels to compete professionally. That shouldn’t be done at high school levels though. [B]My opinion is biological sex should determine your competitive division[/B] but that seems to be a lightening rod and I don’t care enough to argue in favor of that on a public platform.[/quote]

+1 I agree with that. Also agree I don't want to face the backlash that would come with trying to argue in favor of that position lol.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

Feb. 16, 2022

Last year, investors bought nearly one in seven homes sold in America’s top metropolitan areas, the most in at least two decades, according to the realty company Redfin.

Those purchases come at a time when would-be buyers across the country are seeing wildly escalating prices, raising the question of what impact investors are having on prices for everyone else. Investors were even more aggressive in the final three months of the year, buying 15 percent of all homes that sold in the 40 markets.

Real estate investors can be large corporations, local companies or wealthy individuals, and they generally don’t live in the properties they are buying. Some look to flip homes to new buyers, while others rent them out.

The growing number of investor purchases has drawn increasing scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly as buyers target minority neighborhoods.

“One of the reasons housing prices have gotten so out of control, is that corporate America sensed an opportunity,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) last week at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, a panel he chairs.

Brown took direct aim at private equity firms and corporate landlords in particular.

“They bought up properties, they raised rents, they cut services, they priced out family home buyers, and they forced renters out of their homes,” he said.

[url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2022/housing-market-investors/[/url]


SOMETHING has to be done about housing prices. Whether buying or renting. Great if youre the seller.

My little brother sold his townhome for more that it was worth to someone in NY who never saw it. I imagine its rental now. As someone who lives in a townhouse neighborhood, home owners are so much better than renters.

Old brother, conversely, bought a beach house in Delaware without seeing it. Just swooped in with DC metro money and bought it. hes not renting, just a nice beach house 3 hours away but imagine an older couple maybe looking to retire or young family looking to stay in Bethany Beach but they cant compete with rich people from DC throwing stupid money aorund.

Foreign investors and foreign companies .. should be limited in how much of the US they can buy. We are free market capitalists but dang.

I dont even want to know how much square footage of the US actually is owned by China govt or "people"

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=SunnySide;1313958]Feb. 16, 2022

Last year, investors bought nearly one in seven homes sold in America’s top metropolitan areas, the most in at least two decades, according to the realty company Redfin.

Those purchases come at a time when would-be buyers across the country are seeing wildly escalating prices, raising the question of what impact investors are having on prices for everyone else. Investors were even more aggressive in the final three months of the year, buying 15 percent of all homes that sold in the 40 markets.

Real estate investors can be large corporations, local companies or wealthy individuals, and they generally don’t live in the properties they are buying. Some look to flip homes to new buyers, while others rent them out.

The growing number of investor purchases has drawn increasing scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly as buyers target minority neighborhoods.

“One of the reasons housing prices have gotten so out of control, is that corporate America sensed an opportunity,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) last week at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, a panel he chairs.

Brown took direct aim at private equity firms and corporate landlords in particular.

“They bought up properties, they raised rents, they cut services, they priced out family home buyers, and they forced renters out of their homes,” he said.

[url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2022/housing-market-investors/[/url]


SOMETHING has to be done about housing prices. Whether buying or renting. Great if youre the seller.

My little brother sold his townhome for more that it was worth to someone in NY who never saw it. I imagine its rental now. As someone who lives in a townhouse neighborhood, home owners are so much better than renters.

Old brother, conversely, bought a beach house in Delaware without seeing it. Just swooped in with DC metro money and bought it. hes not renting, just a nice beach house 3 hours away but imagine an older couple maybe looking to retire or young family looking to stay in Bethany Beach but they cant compete with rich people from DC throwing stupid money aorund.

Foreign investors and foreign companies .. should be limited in how much of the US they can buy. We are free market capitalists but dang.

I dont even want to know how much square footage of the US actually is owned by China govt or "people"[/quote]

This whole post is the antithesis of "free market capitalist economy." In our free market capitalist economy everything has a price. Housing, healthcare, warfare, there is no industry which is immune to the free market.

I'll also take "why are millennials depressed" for 1000 Alex. We're told if we go to college and get a degree it will help us achieve our life goals - getting married, raising kids, buying a house to name 3. Meanwhile we instead get saddled with insane student loan debt, a housing market that we can't compete in and also have to juggle a shit recession/insane inflation every 10 years.

Rant aside this country is fucked. At least the trannies can't use their bathroom of choice though.

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

My god, what an absolute fucking legend…read it and then focus on the last sentence:

[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FO-fGlbXEAMTFjd?format=jpg&name=small[/IMG]

Every single sentence prior to the last is filled with major bragging. Lololol

Re: The Common Ground thread
 

[quote=Chico23231;1314221]My god, what an absolute fucking legend…read it and then focus on the last sentence:

[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FO-fGlbXEAMTFjd?format=jpg&name=small[/IMG]

Every single sentence prior to the last is filled with major bragging. Lololol[/quote]

This is hilarious.

[URL="https://youtu.be/_g4puS9vEtI"]What I imagine playing golf with Trump is like.[/URL]