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posted by martyb on Thursday May 30 2019, @09:48PM   Printer-friendly
from the Mandering-the-racist-Jerry dept.

From Slate

If we had a fair Supreme Court not driven by partisanship in its most political cases, Thursday’s blockbuster revelation in the census case would lead the court to unanimously rule in Department of Commerce v. New York to exclude the controversial citizenship question from the decennial survey. Those newly revealed documents show that the Trump administration’s purpose in putting the citizenship question on the upcoming census was not its stated one to help Hispanic voters under the Voting Rights Act, but rather to create policy that would be “a disadvantage to the Democrats” and “advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic Whites.” It’s difficult to produce a greater smoking gun than explicitly saying you are hoping to help the GOP by increasing white voting power. But this revelation, coming from the hard drive of a deceased Republican political operative and made available to Common Cause by his estranged daughter, is ironically more likely to lead the Republican-appointed conservative justices on the Supreme Court to allow the administration to include the question that would help states dilute the power of Hispanic voters.

[...]And here is where Thursday’s revelations fit in. The New York Times reported that the hard drive of the late Republican redistricting guru Thomas B. Hofeller contained documents indicating that the real purpose of including the citizenship question was to allow Republicans to draw new congressional, state, and local legislative districts using equal numbers of eligible voters in each district, not equal numbers of persons, a standard that would greatly reduce the power of Hispanics and Democrats in places like Texas. According to the Times, files on Hofeller’s hard drives, subpoenaed in litigation concerning North Carolina redistricting, show that Hofeller “wrote a study in 2015 concluding that adding a citizenship question to the census would allow Republicans to draft even more extreme gerrymandered maps to stymie Democrats. And months after urging President Trump’s transition team to tack the question onto the census, he wrote the key portion of a draft Justice Department letter claiming the question was needed to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act—the rationale the administration later used to justify its decision.”

[...]Thursday’s revelations should be damning. The ACLU is already seeking sanctions in the trial court in the census case for government officials lying about the real reason for including the citizenship question. But instead the revelations may help to prop up a case that should embarrass government lawyers to argue.

Yep.


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  • (Score: 3, Touché) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday May 30 2019, @09:58PM (88 children)

    by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Thursday May 30 2019, @09:58PM (#849439) Journal

    Defend this, I dare you. You'll be signing your own warrants to a long, long stay "in Hell."

    --
    I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
    • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:13PM (28 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:13PM (#849444)

      OK. But I'm really playing devil's advocate, at least initially:

      Allowing the districts to be drawn without regard to citizenship status means that those who are here in the country unlawfully are counted in districting maps. They cannot vote and while they can have input they cannot set policy by voting nor should they. Lines are already drawn unfairly to parties that have lower tolerances on allowing unlawful immigrants by including them. This fixes that. That this benefits the Republican party is an incidental benefit.

      • (Score: 5, Informative) by NewNic on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:18PM (24 children)

        by NewNic (6420) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:18PM (#849448) Journal

        There are people in the USA who are here lawfully, but are not citizens.

        But to take on your point. There was a reason that the census is supposed to count all people in the country and not just citizens. Those non-citizens affect the economy (mostly positively) and resource allocation should take them into account.

        Furthermore, not counting non-citizens has real impacts on citizens.

        --
        lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
        • (Score: 4, Interesting) by bob_super on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:46PM (10 children)

          by bob_super (1357) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:46PM (#849463)

          Interestingly, rural agricultural areas have lots of visa and green card holders too, as do lots of red southwestern states.
          I am not completely convinced that this fully benefits the R guys, if suddenly they lose representatives because those reliably-R rural counties "shrank".

          As for justifying it : What does the constitution say ? Do representatives represent a fixed number of voters, or a fixed number of people ? In the latter case, once again not all votes are equal in the USA...

          • (Score: 3, Interesting) by NewNic on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:06PM

            by NewNic (6420) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:06PM (#849468) Journal

            Do representatives represent a fixed number of voters, or a fixed number of people ?

            On the basis of population. But check the history.

            --
            lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
          • (Score: 4, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:14AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:14AM (#849649)

            Which may be cast by their employer.

            Too soon?

          • (Score: 4, Informative) by mhajicek on Friday May 31 2019, @05:29AM (7 children)

            by mhajicek (51) on Friday May 31 2019, @05:29AM (#849657)

            All votes have never been equal in the USA. The votes of people in less populous states are worth more.

            --
            The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
            • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:34AM

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:34AM (#849669)

              Fuck Wyoming! Those free-loading bastards!

            • (Score: 3, Informative) by EEMac on Friday May 31 2019, @01:36PM (5 children)

              by EEMac (6423) on Friday May 31 2019, @01:36PM (#849781)

              Yes, of course. That's what keeps the union of the United States of America intact. Without it, the people of Wyoming (and _many_ other states) would be completely swamped by a few population-heavy coastal cities, and would never have a voice in national government.

              • (Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday May 31 2019, @02:45PM (3 children)

                by DeathMonkey (1380) on Friday May 31 2019, @02:45PM (#849808) Journal

                So it's "One man, one vote, except when doing otherwise would benefit me."

                • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday May 31 2019, @04:33PM (1 child)

                  by bob_super (1357) on Friday May 31 2019, @04:33PM (#849861)

                  One Man, One Vote, where the Value of Vote is a function of Location.

                  • (Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Friday May 31 2019, @08:08PM

                    by Osamabobama (5842) on Friday May 31 2019, @08:08PM (#849948)

                    You could think of it as the rest of the country throwing them a bone to subject themselves to life in Wyoming. You may not think that's fair, but it was negotiated in good faith long ago (before Wyoming was a place), so any change would need to re-open those negotiations.

                    --
                    Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
                • (Score: 3, Touché) by EEMac on Friday May 31 2019, @08:36PM

                  by EEMac (6423) on Friday May 31 2019, @08:36PM (#849959)

                  I live in a coastal state. But nice try.

              • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:23PM

                by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:23PM (#849822)

                Despite the fact that you disagree with me [soylentnews.org] (check your facts friend, and you'll see that what I say is true), one of the things that made our nation possible (most of the smaller states would never have ratified the Constitution if the big states could just run roughshod over them), is the idea of a *federal* republic, with each state having its say (in the Senate), while the people have theirs (in the House).

                That was put in place for *exactly* the reasons you mention.

                One of the key ideas behind our Constitution was to employ democracy, but ensure that the rights of minorities (e.g., small states) were protected.

                That concept was watered down some with the direct election of Senators (which I think, given the circumstances, was on the whole a good idea, given the corruption and poor quality of many state legislatures).

                That said, despite the fact that I live in one of those "population-heavy coastal" states (not cities, it's the states that have two representatives in the Senate, so it wouldn't matter If I lived in a city or in a trailer in the woods in a populous state), I'm still in favor of our federal system. Including the Electoral College. And for exactly the same reasons as you bring up.

                However, if the folks from those small states would elect people who were willing to deal in 'the art of the possible' rather than obstructionism and blaming 'those other guys' (gee, it's funny how you folks didn't even *try* to do Immigration reform or even present a *draft* plan to replace the ACA when you had both houses *and* the presidency from 2017-2019. I wonder why?), we might actually get some governing done. Just a crazy thought.

        • (Score: 2) by legont on Friday May 31 2019, @12:59AM (9 children)

          by legont (4179) on Friday May 31 2019, @12:59AM (#849545)

          This is all true, agree. However, voting district division should be based on number of people who can vote. Alternatively, non-citizens should be able to vote. The current systems gives more voting power to citizens who harbor non-citizens. Perhaps it is good, but if so it has to be openly stated.

          For example, I have more voting power because my wife has green card.

          --
          "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
          • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Hyper on Friday May 31 2019, @07:05AM (5 children)

            by Hyper (1525) on Friday May 31 2019, @07:05AM (#849676) Journal

            Why should people who are not citizens be allowed to vote? If these people want a say in how the county is run shouldn't they join the country? As a citizen?

            • (Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @07:30AM (2 children)

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @07:30AM (#849685)

              History, dude. It's what's for dinner. Constitution refernces "persons", not "citizens" both for census and for the bill of rights.

              • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:29PM (1 child)

                by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:29PM (#849860)

                Is that the same Constitution where slaves were three-fifths of a person?

                • (Score: 4, Funny) by urza9814 on Friday May 31 2019, @07:11PM

                  by urza9814 (3954) on Friday May 31 2019, @07:11PM (#849925) Journal

                  No, it's not. It's been changed since then. Sounds like you've got a ~250 year long change log to go review :)

            • (Score: 3, Interesting) by DeVilla on Saturday June 01 2019, @04:00AM (1 child)

              by DeVilla (5354) on Saturday June 01 2019, @04:00AM (#850081)

              Context. He was saying "either the census has to ask who is a citizen" to determine voting power based on number of citizens represented or "they need to let the non-citizens vote" since they are included in the count of the represented.

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 01 2019, @02:51PM

                by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 01 2019, @02:51PM (#850193)

                That makes more sense. Thankx.

          • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday May 31 2019, @11:57PM (2 children)

            You are aware that the census is used for many, many other things than just districting, right?

            The data collected is used by state and local governments as well as the Federal government to allocate resources for roads, public transportation, housing, economic forecasting, and a hundred other things. What's more, the private sector also uses census data for a myriad of purposes.

            Getting an *accurate* count of persons, not citizens (as is explicitly required by the Constitution -- you know, the supreme law of the land) is incredibly important to both government and the private sector.

            More detail:
            https://www.census.gov/about/what.html [census.gov]
            https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/guidance/data-uses.html [census.gov]
            https://clintonwhitehouse3.archives.gov/WH/EOP/CEA/html/censusreview.html [archives.gov]
            https://news.psu.edu/story/141197/2009/07/27/research/probing-question-why-census-important [psu.edu]
            https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/understanding_how_census_data_can_help_in_making_planning_decisions [msu.edu]
            https://www.nap.edu/read/4805/chapter/18 [nap.edu]
            http://statchatva.org/2019/03/25/census-data-indispensable-intelligence-for-the-nation/ [statchatva.org]

            --
            No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
            • (Score: 2) by legont on Saturday June 01 2019, @02:09AM (1 child)

              by legont (4179) on Saturday June 01 2019, @02:09AM (#850049)

              Do you imply that the citizenship question somehow limits the counting of all the souls in the country? The news here is that republicans supposedly want to use the results to redraw the districts and for that want to find out who is eligible to vote. Democrats don't want to find out who is eligible to vote because they believe it will be to their disadvantage. End of story.

              --
              "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
              • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Saturday June 01 2019, @02:50AM

                Do you imply that the citizenship question somehow limits the counting of all the souls in the country? The news here is that republicans supposedly want to use the results to redraw the districts and for that want to find out who is eligible to vote. Democrats don't want to find out who is eligible to vote because they believe it will be to their disadvantage. End of story.

                End of story? That's not even scratching the surface, friend. The Census Bureau's own people say that including such a question would result in a significant under-count. The Rs are trying to institute the questions in order to perpetuate their power (maybe you should read TFA, which is what we're purportedly discussing here). Regardless of what the Ds want or think about it, they aren't the ones trying to game the system in this case.

                What's more, as I pointed out and for which I provided lots of documentation, an inaccurate census will hurt *everyone*, not just Ds.

                I recognize that it's difficult to get past the whole "them Dems hate America and want to destroy it" thing you've got going, even if it's complete horse shit.

                Perhaps one day you may come to understand that we, as Americans, have much more in common than we have differences. And that sacrificing important roles of government (whether that be the Census or the usurpation of Congressional power to the Executive, etc, etc., etc.) hurts *all* of us.

                Understanding the issues here takes more than just looking to see who supports what and piling on with "your" side.

                As Americans, we're all on the same side -- or we should be. Which is why your shallow depiction and broad-brush pronouncements pain me so much. More's the pity.

                --
                No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
        • (Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Friday May 31 2019, @03:08AM (2 children)

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @03:08AM (#849603) Journal

          There was a reason that the census is supposed to count all people in the country and not just citizens. Those non-citizens affect the economy (mostly positively) and resource allocation should take them into account.

          Given that the census dates from a time with very low immigration barriers when merely being in the country was enough to get citizenship rather quickly, counting everyone was pretty close to counting citizens. I doubt the founders thought that such effects were relevant enough to mandate the census.

          • (Score: 5, Informative) by Whoever on Friday May 31 2019, @04:59AM (1 child)

            by Whoever (4524) on Friday May 31 2019, @04:59AM (#849643) Journal

            Given that the census dates from a time with very low immigration barriers when merely being in the country was enough to get citizenship rather quickly, counting everyone was pretty close to counting citizens. I doubt the founders thought that such effects were relevant enough to mandate the census.

            I think you are wrong. The first naturalization act was passed in 1790. The first census was taken in 1790, so I think that there would be plenty of immigrants who had not applied for naturalization at that time.

            According to this page:
            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_history_of_the_United_States#Population_in_1790 [wikipedia.org]
            approximately 1/4 of the population in 1790 were immigrants, most of whom would not have become naturalized citizens.

            • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday May 31 2019, @12:04PM

              by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @12:04PM (#849747) Journal

              The first naturalization act was passed in 1790. The first census was taken in 1790

              The constitutional mandate for the census from 1787 predates that first naturalization act. And that act wasn't much of an obstacle to obtaining citizenship.

              most of whom would not have become naturalized citizens.

              Yet. Well, probably most of them were naturalized citizens already since they would have predated that first naturalization act.

      • (Score: 5, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:22PM (1 child)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:22PM (#849479) Journal

        Allowing the districts to be drawn without regard to citizenship status means that those who are here in the country unlawfully are counted in districting maps.

        They're not changing that, though! The maps will still be drawn the normal way.

        They're just trying to make the numbers used less accurate.

        Once again they're literally just cheating at the election.

        • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:40AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:40AM (#849571)

          Not exactly true -- a state with more illegals will get more representatives, and THEN the district borders in that state get drawn perhaps on the basis of eligible voters. But what this does, is take representatives away from citizens in other states.

      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @07:25AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @07:25AM (#849684)

        There's no devil's advocate to play. They admitted it.

    • (Score: 1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:19PM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:19PM (#849449)

      1. I'm not going to trust the legitimacy of a supposed email from an "estranged daughter", especially via Slate.

      2. The motives don't matter. It could have been for rounding them up, like that democrat FDR did to Americans with Japanese ancestry. No matter the motive, this is legit.

      3. States of the union in active rebellion against our border control should not be rewarded with the ill-gotten gains of increased representation in congress.

      4. Doing the opposite, trying to create a disadvantage to the Republicans by aiding and abetting the illegal replacement of uncooperative pro-America voters, makes you far more deserving of Hell.

      • (Score: 5, Informative) by NewNic on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:10PM

        by NewNic (6420) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:10PM (#849470) Journal

        Yet another ignorant post.

        RTFA before you comment and you might not make it obvious you are an idiot.

        --
        lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:30AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:30AM (#849615)

        Next time, login in jmorris. Don't award yourself mods, that's not nice.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @08:05AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @08:05AM (#849693)

        It could have been for rounding them up, like that democrat FDR did to Americans with Japanese ancestry.

        Which was a complete and total violation of the Constitution and human rights, by the way.

    • (Score: 4, Interesting) by RamiK on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:25PM (17 children)

      by RamiK (1813) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:25PM (#849455)

      Defend this, I dare you.

      I can try: In the range of the evil gerrymandering is and does, motivated by racism or otherwise, dividing around citizens rather than illegals+citizens is probably the lesser of evils. After all, a truly good Democratic candidate would win regardless of this crap by breaking away from the parties corporate ties and making real promises for real changes rather than being another closeted moderate republican. At which point, they'd be able to use the data to draw the borders as the democrats see fit.

      Don't forget, the road to hell might be paved with good intentions, but the road to heaven surely must be tiled with a few bad ones. The more the republicans push their corporate agendas through racial divisions, the more those agendas take the nature of the means in people's hearts. It's a gradual process, but eventually the poor whites will see them for what they are. And it won't be because the democrats explained it. It will be because the republicans act the way they act.

      --
      compiling...
      • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:18PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:18PM (#849473)

        It feels like it is Democrat's identity politics that is really ratcheting up the racism. It is also interesting to me that counting lawful residents is seen as having racist overtones, but is not the reverse true? The very reason Democrats want open borders is to import voters and divvy them up into one identity group or another, keeping them all individually powerless so that they rely the largess of the DNC machine.

        • (Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:20AM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:20AM (#849523)

          The very reason Democrats want open borders

          BZZT! Wrong.

          Why does this ridiculous trope keep getting rolled out? I guess folks are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

          • (Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:42AM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:42AM (#849572)

            OK genius -- explain why Democrats seem to have a hardon for anything that would mean deportation or the prevention of importation of illegals?

            • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:51AM

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:51AM (#849619)

              How does me saying that the trope that "democrats are for open borders" is complete bullshit mean that I think Democrats are for open borders?

              No one is for "open borders." And saying that the Ds want open borders is just more bullshit grasping at straws. Which is what I said.

              Are you stupid or just lack reading comprehension skills?

      • (Score: 4, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:19PM (2 children)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:19PM (#849475) Journal

        Gerrymandering based on race is evil enough that we passed a law making it a crime.

        Republicans don't care about silly things like laws, or anything, just thought it was was noteworthy....

        Voting Rights Act of 1965 - Racial Gerrymandering [wikipedia.org]

        • (Score: 3, Informative) by ilPapa on Friday May 31 2019, @04:54AM (1 child)

          by ilPapa (2366) on Friday May 31 2019, @04:54AM (#849638) Journal

          Republicans don't care about silly things like laws, or anything,

          As their base shrinks, they have had to do increasingly immoral and desperate things in order to hang on to their shrinking power. In 2016, they had to actually ask a hostile foreign country for help, and they're doing it again for 2020. Mitch McConnell has refused to allow an election security bill that was passed with bipartisan support in the House come up for a vote.

          As the GOP becomes more desperate, they become more dangerous. They have become a party of degenerates.

          --
          You are still welcome on my lawn.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:22PM (9 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:22PM (#849478)

        Don't forget, the road to hell might be paved with good intentions, but the road to heaven surely must be tiled with a few bad ones.

        "There is no greater treason than doing the right thing for the wrong reason." MLKjr, quoting TS Elliot.

        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by khallow on Friday May 31 2019, @03:21AM (8 children)

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @03:21AM (#849611) Journal

          "There is no greater treason than doing the right thing for the wrong reason."

          I can think of plenty of counterexamples. For example, doing the wrong thing for the wrong reason.

          And when someone considers hypocrisy a greater treason than actual treason (such as the various officials who famously served as figureheads for Nazi conquest of various states), then perhaps they need a greater understanding of the virtues of hypocrisy. The key one is that you can get someone to do the right thing by exposing their hypocrisy.

          • (Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:47AM (7 children)

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:47AM (#849636)

            khallow, it is tiresome for those of us with understanding and education to constantly be explaining things to you. Here is the list:
            1. Right thing for right reason. Golden.
            2. Wrong thing for the right reason. Lesser evil.
            3. Right thing for the wrong reason. Greatest treason.
            4. Wrong thing for the wrong reason. Stupid. Evil stupid.

            Are we clear now? "Treason doth never prosper, for if it does, none dare call it treason." Sir John Harington (or Harrington) (August 4, 1561 – November 20, 1612)

            • (Score: 2, Touché) by khallow on Friday May 31 2019, @12:06PM

              by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @12:06PM (#849750) Journal

              Are we clear now?

              What is clear is that you had nothing to say on the subject. But if you're ever willing to contribute, I'm willing to listen.

            • (Score: 3, Insightful) by khallow on Friday May 31 2019, @12:45PM (4 children)

              by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @12:45PM (#849761) Journal

              4. Wrong thing for the wrong reason. Stupid. Evil stupid.

              Let us keep in mind that the "wrong thing" can be highly advantageous for the party making the decision, say such as killing people (murder or otherwise) in order to gain personal wealth or conspiring with a foreign invader. It's not "evil stupid" in that case.

              For example, suppose I make billions of dollars in profits by encouraging wars. Wrong things, wrong reasons, but billions of dollars in profits is not what I'd call "stupid".

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:49PM (1 child)

                by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:49PM (#849917)

                but billions of dollars in profits is not what I'd call "stupid".

                And this is why you fail khallow! You are evil stupid, and a worshipper of Mammon! Quit sucking up to the rich, khallow, you loser!

                • (Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday June 02 2019, @12:59PM

                  by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Sunday June 02 2019, @12:59PM (#850551) Journal

                  You are evil stupid, and a worshipper of Mammon!

                  What makes being a worshipper of Mammon any less valid than your viewpoint? At some point, you'll just have to realize that name-calling isn't going to cut it. There's a lot of people in the world for which a few billions of dollars will always be more valuable than your opinions.

              • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday May 31 2019, @07:23PM (1 child)

                by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Friday May 31 2019, @07:23PM (#849930) Journal

                You wouldn't call it stupid because you have no understanding of externalities. Thanks for exposing yourself as being the exact same species as the corporate raiders ripping this country apart. I always knew you were, but this makes it obvious even to the dumbest reader.

                --
                I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
                • (Score: 0, Troll) by khallow on Monday June 03 2019, @04:17AM

                  by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday June 03 2019, @04:17AM (#850722) Journal

                  You wouldn't call it stupid because you have no understanding of externalities.

                  To the contrary, by not calling such things stupid when they frequently, obviously are not stupid, indicates I have a better understanding of such things than you.

                  Thanks for exposing yourself as being the exact same species as the corporate raiders ripping this country apart.

                  You are too. I know you meant this in some sort of metaphorical sense, but if we were doing that, then we would have to grant that you don't actually have a metaphorical similarity to go with that empty insult.

            • (Score: 1, Offtopic) by hemocyanin on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:02AM

              by hemocyanin (186) on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:02AM (#850029) Journal

              I'm not going to resort reliance on a famous person as a logical argument. Instead, I will look at this from a purely pragmatic perspective:

              • Right thing for right reason: Great.
              • Right thing for wrong reason: Equally Great in effect (and we can shake our heads at the reasoning and seek to address that underlying issue, but the effect is what matters).
              • Wrong thing for wrong reason: Bad but at least we can address the root cause and potentially get a better outcome later.
              • Wrong thing for right reason: Extra bad because our opportunity to fix the error by addressing the underlying root cause is handicapped and we are thus assured more wrongs in the future.
    • (Score: 1, Troll) by Username on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:36PM (5 children)

      by Username (4557) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:36PM (#849460)

      Assuming that all non-citizens are black or hispanic is motivated by racism itself. Also, how can we measure the depth of the migrant crisis without people asking this simple question? It's not like they wont be counted. Have you tried evading a census taker? They take their job seriously. Even if they didn't want to be found out, they can lie, and say they are citizens. A lot of noncitizens lie anyway just to be able to vote.

      • (Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:46PM (4 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:46PM (#849497)

        A lot of noncitizens lie anyway just to be able to vote.

        No they don't.

        Stop repeating lies.

        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:22AM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:22AM (#849525)

          A lot of noncitizens lie anyway just to be able to vote.

          No they don't.

          Stop repeating lies.

          As I mentioned elsewhere [soylentnews.org], these folks are running out of semi-convincing bullshit and are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

          Sigh.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:11PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:11PM (#849846)

            Ya it has gotten worse, they are dug in like ticks and think they are superior for holding marginalized opinions that other people are too partisan to even consider. The irony is mind blowing. Hell, TMB even defended Trump as some master troll!

            • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday May 31 2019, @07:21PM

              by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Friday May 31 2019, @07:21PM (#849929) Journal

              It's darkly hilarious is what it is. Not usually my kind of humor, but it's one of those "laugh or you'll cry" things.

              --
              I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @08:28PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @08:28PM (#849957)

          Shut the fuck up, you retarded sack of shit. No matter how many times the MSM spreads lies, your dipshit ass can't help but believe them.

    • (Score: 5, Insightful) by RandomFactor on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:41PM (12 children)

      by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:41PM (#849462) Journal

      Wanting to use NON CITIZENS to conversely gerrymander voting districts the other way is just as slimy and it all boils down to your stance on that issue.
      .
      .
      I came to the realization in the 80s that gerrymandering should have ended long ago.
      .
      .
      The word gerrymandering was coined around 1812. Political operatives using voting districts to help their side any way they legally can is disenfranchising by design. Disenfranchising people and groups is evil, but it's nothing new. (I'm constantly astounded at people that think things going on for hundreds of years are shocking and new, and have come to the conclusion that civics is dead.)
      .
      .
      Voting districts should uniformly start at a specific point (e.g. most South Western tip of each state) and be a consistent algorithmically generated grid that ignores geography and demographics and generates the requisite number of districts. Drawing districts based on demographics and geography and the 'ability to get to a polling place' are obsolete in the modern age and gerrymandering should be also.

      --
      В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
      • (Score: 2, Interesting) by bob_super on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:09PM

        by bob_super (1357) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:09PM (#849469)

        Show elementary kids a map with one square per thousand people, and ask them to color the map to get as equal compact contiguous squares of each color.
        Grab the ones that fit the requirement, pick one at random, or by averaging the groups.

        That should please the R side, because pseudo-random with reduce minority votes. The kids will tend to group cities in one blob, as is currently done in doctored maps anyway.
        That may piss the D side, but who cares ? They keep bending backwards anyway, and they wouldn't dare blame kids.

      • (Score: 3, Interesting) by krishnoid on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:28PM (3 children)

        by krishnoid (1156) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:28PM (#849483)

        The best recommendation I heard was that you have a choice of voting within your district, or in any neighboring district. I think that would remove the problem, but the topology theory is a bit beyond me.

        • (Score: 3, Interesting) by RandomFactor on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:39PM (2 children)

          by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:39PM (#849492) Journal

          Hmmm, that might work also, but we would promptly get sliver thin runners everywhere to add layers to protected districts.

          The topology angle was that in the 1700's crossing a river, lake, mountain, gorge, etc. to get to a polling place was a significant hardship so district lines followed topology so that you would have an accessible polling place. That had value then. Now it does not.

          --
          В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
          • (Score: 2) by krishnoid on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:49PM (1 child)

            by krishnoid (1156) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:49PM (#849503)

            I meant topology (mathematically, graph/edge/map theory) vs topographically (geographical features).

            • (Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Friday May 31 2019, @12:08AM

              by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @12:08AM (#849512) Journal

              errr, yes you did :-p

              --
              В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:09AM (4 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:09AM (#849514)

        All voting districts should be regular convex polygons.

        • (Score: 2, Funny) by fustakrakich on Friday May 31 2019, @12:47AM (3 children)

          by fustakrakich (6150) on Friday May 31 2019, @12:47AM (#849542) Journal

          I would prefer a dodecahedron, at least in the mountains...

          --
          La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
          • (Score: 2, Interesting) by RandomFactor on Friday May 31 2019, @01:02AM

            by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @01:02AM (#849549) Journal

            Well, it is more the principle of the thing. Any regular auto generated human interference free shape is fine. I think I would go with hexagons just because that's how D&D taught us the world worked outside of the square dungeon layouts. Also bees are awesome.

            --
            В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:27AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:27AM (#849655)

            I would prefer a dodecahedron

            Priceless to gerrymander flying buzzards.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:14PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:14PM (#849878)

            Hands off the dodecalicious! [theinfosphere.org]

      • (Score: 2) by dry on Friday May 31 2019, @06:23AM (1 child)

        by dry (223) on Friday May 31 2019, @06:23AM (#849667) Journal

        Here in Canada, we still use geographic features to a large degree to mark ridings (districts) as it makes sense. What we have to prevent gerrymandering is an independent, non-political organization that takes care of drawing boundaries, as well as running the elections, called Elections Canada. It works pretty well though the last government took lessons from your Republicans and managed to fuck it up a bit. Manipulating the voter ID laws to disenfranchise, stopping the encouragement of voting by Elections Canada, including making it hard to register and check your registration.
        We do have an advantage though. The Federal government is in charge of the Federal election (and each Province in charge of their own) and we have separate elections. Later this year, I'll vote for a Federal MP and that is it.

        • (Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Friday May 31 2019, @09:30AM

          by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @09:30AM (#849718) Journal

          an independent, non-political organization /quote?

          It would be even better if it had those words in the actual name. Like 'Independent Council' does. :-p

          --
          В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:11PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:11PM (#849471)

      It's fake news. You can tell by all the outage and righteous indignation. And then! You noticed who submitted the story? Please! don't get so worked up like you always do.. There's nothing there. You should question any system, or anybody, that favors republicans, or democrats! They signed their own warrants to a long, long stay "in Hell"!

      It's roundup time, way out west, when the cactus is in bloom...

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:26PM (3 children)

      by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:26PM (#849481) Journal

      Oh, they're defending it.

      They are actively opposed to representative Democracy because they always lose at it.

      • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:00AM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:00AM (#849546)

        Yeah, things were so much better when only the DNC could rig elections. Oh well, they still have the primaries... Bear witness to the last 50 years...

        But, Hey! The democrat Party is cool with all this as long as they lose to republicans. Maintains... "predictability". Since they all eat at the same table, they know what to expect from each other. You let other interests into the picture, and it's total chaos! It was pure madness before the GOP/DNC settled into their groove in the mid/late 1800s. And now, it's a total lock. Everybody else is statistically invisible. And nobody will lift a finger, except to shoot at each other. What could be better?

        • (Score: 3, Troll) by hemocyanin on Friday May 31 2019, @01:49AM (1 child)

          by hemocyanin (186) on Friday May 31 2019, @01:49AM (#849576) Journal

          Oh well, they [Democrats] still have the primaries...

          After the debacle with HRC there was finally some pushback on superdelegates and a compromise solution was reached, superdelagates will only get to vote if no candidate passes a 50% threshold on the first vote. Suddenly it makes sense why there are 18,345 or so candidates running in the Democrat primary. It give superdelegates back their power because it guarantees a second vote -- I wonder what they have to pay the filler candidates to run so they can go ahead and pick the next HRC on the second vote?

          • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @02:36AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @02:36AM (#849592)

            the next HRC on the second vote

            That would be Biden. Shame that his voting record gets so little press.

            But none of that matters. The dems "lose" to republicans, that doesn't change anything. The family business is still intact. The pendulum swing is by design. Wildly exaggerating the minutest differences keeps it going

    • (Score: 1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 31 2019, @01:10AM (7 children)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @01:10AM (#849553) Journal

      I just got out of bed. Half awake. What I'm seeing is, an acknowledgement that the D's capitalize on, and exploit illegal aliens? I think we've been saying this all along. Thanks for the confirmation.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:59AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:59AM (#849642)

        I just got out of bed. Half awake.

        And how is that any different from normal for you? Half-woke Runaway, peoples! There are things he does not know!
        (And, he suffers from Confirmation Bias. So Sad.)

        • (Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Friday May 31 2019, @08:49AM

          by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @08:49AM (#849705) Journal

          Your bias is showing too, Ari.

      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday May 31 2019, @07:26PM (4 children)

        by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Friday May 31 2019, @07:26PM (#849931) Journal

        Shit yes they capitalize on illegals, though not as much or as literally as Republicans do. The illegals are in a hellish catch-22 and I would not wish their situation on anyone but my worst enemies. And maybe people like you, just for it to be a learning experience :)

        --
        I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
        • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 31 2019, @07:39PM (3 children)

          by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @07:39PM (#849937) Journal

          It's a catch-22 of their own making. They weren't invited to crash the border, and break laws. In most cases, they PAID for the privilege of breaking the law.

          • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:22AM (2 children)

            by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:22AM (#850032) Journal

            No dispute there. But ask yourself, what is it that would make people desperate enough to do something like that? And, does US foreign policy have anything to do with it, for example? All things are interconnected. Karma is a bitch.

            --
            I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
            • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:39AM (1 child)

              by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:39AM (#850038) Journal

              Cash payments, among other things, will cause people to jump a border. That, and promises of economic reward. It seems that Soros is actively recruiting people in Central America to join the caravans. SOMEONE is certainly financing the caravans!

              • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday June 01 2019, @03:30PM

                by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Saturday June 01 2019, @03:30PM (#850198) Journal

                Holy hell, now you've descended to the "OMG yew gaize it's SOROS!!!!111one" level. You're deteriorating even faster than I suspected. I'm going to be watching with a kind of sick, morbid curiosity, taking internal bets on how long before you go postal.

                --
                I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by istartedi on Friday May 31 2019, @03:52AM

      by istartedi (123) on Friday May 31 2019, @03:52AM (#849620) Journal

      Challenge accepted. Being "objectively" something is not the same as being that thing. Orwell:

      Pacifism is objectively pro-Fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side you automatically help that of the other. Nor is there any real way of remaining outside such a war as the present one.

      Although it's not an all-out war, it's plain that the GOP and Dems are both willing to do unethical things to win. The GOP has a strong argument that most countries have some form of voter ID. The fact that it's "objectively racist" to require ID in this country is frosting on the cake for some, but not all proponents. The same is true on the other side, we just don't have a smoking memo that says something like, "we can hasten the demise of middle-aged white men as a political force by stopping voter ID".... or do we? I haven't looked.

      --
      Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:15AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:15AM (#849625)

      Someone, somewhere, had a reason for supporting something. Lets focus on that, and not who can cast votes legally. After all, Democrats need to inflate population numbers to support their voter fraud, and that would be bad for the party who historically votes tyrants into power (communists) because free stuff and good feelings.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:17AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @04:17AM (#849628)

      Someone, somewhere, had their own reason for supporting something and wrote it down. Lets focus on that, and not who can cast votes legally. After all, Democrats need to inflate population numbers to support their voter fraud, and that would be bad for the party who historically votes tyrants into power (communists) because free stuff and good feelings. Democrats do not want Republicans to get in the way of ballot harvesting and signature fraud.

    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @08:31PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @08:31PM (#849958)

      Illegals, Terrorists, Felons, Trannies, Fags, Commies and other assorted malcontents and rejects of society are furious because the MSM spent years promising them that Queen Hillary would be easily coronated and they would sit back and enjoy the labor of others. Despite being wrong yet again, you scum of society never stop fighting for the fruits of everyone else's labor. Pay for your own dick removal.

      • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:31AM

        by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Saturday June 01 2019, @01:31AM (#850034) Journal

        In my case, "dick removal" would entail reaching into the sock drawer and dropping my vibrator in the trash, and why would I do that? Did you have a point somewhere, like, *besides* on top of your head...?

        --
        I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:03PM (6 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:03PM (#849440)

    Born in the USA and no felony convictions. All others can get directions to the nearest beach and pack sand.
    There... I defended it.

    • (Score: 5, Insightful) by RandomFactor on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:21PM (2 children)

      by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:21PM (#849476) Journal

      Naturalized Citizen that went through the process correctly is fine IMO.
      .
      My concern with removing the right to vote for criminal convictions is that any mechanism used to disenfranchise people can, and will, be abused (for example, drawing voting districts). People's liberty should not be something that politicians and bureaucrats are incented to screw with just because you don't agree with them.

      --
      В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
      • (Score: 5, Informative) by mhajicek on Friday May 31 2019, @05:46AM (1 child)

        by mhajicek (51) on Friday May 31 2019, @05:46AM (#849661)

        This is why we have the drug war, many drug offenses are felonies, and felonies remove the right to vote. Marijuana was banned because it was used more by black people.

        --
        The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:37AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:37AM (#849671)

          And sailors and jazz musicians. Imagine the reaction when middle class white kids (AKA "hippies") started using the stuff! Hilarity, and a whole prison-industrial complex, ensued.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @10:17AM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @10:17AM (#849732)

      Born in the USA and no felony convictions

      What about bailouts? Should people who have received state funding because they were idiots still be able to vote, or does that only apply to people who have received state housing?

      • (Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Friday May 31 2019, @11:20PM

        by Osamabobama (5842) on Friday May 31 2019, @11:20PM (#849999)

        Wait, why wouldn't idiots be allowed to vote? Are you suggesting wholesale changes to the American system?

        --
        Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 03 2019, @02:36PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 03 2019, @02:36PM (#850858)

        Personally, I am against the removal of a right to vote by any non-voluntary means (people that become citizens of a different country, obviously, shouldn't be voting in this one).

        The involuntary removal of such a right is just too ripe for abuse. Does that mean that we need to poll the prisons? In my opinion, yes! If the prisoner voting block (heh) is sufficient to need catering to, then it means that we have too many prisoners and that this voice needs to be heard.

        In my opinion, one citizen = one vote. Also, the census is clear that it is a counting of people, not citizens.

  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:07PM (27 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:07PM (#849442)

    I'm appalled by the fact that the current administration is trying to entrench their power, and even more appalled by the fact that I'm not surprised. Between Gerrymandering and what have you, it's standard fair, unfortunately.

    Even so, can we maybe be a bit less bias in our summary and articles?

    "If we had a fair Supreme Court not driven by partisanship in its most political cases" (Assumes that the Supreme Count is partisan political.)

    "lead the court to unanimously rule in Department of Commerce v. New York to exclude the controversial citizenship question from the decennial survey" (Really? You are sure it'd be unanimously? How much legal theory and legal history do you know?)

    "But this revelation ... is ironically more likely to lead the Republican-appointed conservative justices" (Emphasizes political basis of the appointees, and assumes they'll judge along political grounds and condemns them for this action they haven't yet done.)

    Now I happen to think that the Supreme Court has been very political and undermined in many ways, but can't the reporters act impartial and let the reader draw their own conclusions? Trying to cast the court as bad buries the real story that they administration is trying to (further) rig the political process.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:14PM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:14PM (#849445)

      EVERYONE entrenches their power. We just have an administration who is extremely poor at concealing it. (Or who just doesn't care, which may be a scarier thought.)

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:50PM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:50PM (#849504)

        Game of Thrones is fantasy fiction, you know. . . Fiction. Fantasy. Not real.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:46AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:46AM (#849573)

          Game of Thrones is fantasy fiction, you know. . . Fiction. Fantasy. Not real.

          Yes, it is. On the other hand, it is startling how much that show aligns with real life these days. Clearly, George RR Martin has been paying careful attention to what has been going on in the world especially of late. Just sayin'.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:18PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:18PM (#849879)

          Good. It's nice you know what fiction is. You clearly don't understand reality, though.

    • (Score: 5, Touché) by BK on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:19PM (4 children)

      by BK (4868) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:19PM (#849450)

      The article is from Slate. Slate stopped trying almost 3 years ago. At this point, they are journalists only in the sense that you or I or any AC here might be a journalist.

      --
      ...but you HAVE heard of me.
      • (Score: 3, Funny) by krishnoid on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:26PM (2 children)

        by krishnoid (1156) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:26PM (#849456)

        If I click on your name, there's a Journal tab there, but there isn't one for AC, so ...

        • (Score: 2) by BK on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:29PM (1 child)

          by BK (4868) on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:29PM (#849457)

          Ok. I’ll give you that one. Anonymous can’t be a real journalist.

          --
          ...but you HAVE heard of me.
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @07:10AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @07:10AM (#849680)

            Yet they now want to prosecute Julian for it? Right.

      • (Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:52PM

        by RandomFactor (3682) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:52PM (#849464) Journal

        /s/3/23/

        --
        В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
    • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:21PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:21PM (#849454)

      Transparency is the true honesty. And it says right at the top: "aristachu wrote." Can't get more transparent than that.

    • (Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:59PM (13 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @10:59PM (#849466)

      Like the AC said above, just look at the name of the submitter. That should explain everything about the tone of the submission. And it shows that SoylentNews has caved in to terrorism by the squeaky wheel. I hope, but doubt, that this will be the end of it.

      • (Score: 5, Informative) by aristarchus on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:19PM (12 children)

        by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:19PM (#849474) Journal

        If you RTFA, you might notice that it is in fact an opinion piece, where, you know, the author is expressing an opinion. But there are links in the Fine Summary to the news that is the basis for the editorial, which you could read, and judge for yourself whether the author's indignation is justified or not.

        • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:35PM (6 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:35PM (#849488)

          There's an acceptable compromise here; 16 million+ illegal aliens can go live with Nancy and Chuck.

          • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:40PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:40PM (#849493)

            You're just trying to get free housing, to go along with all that Obamacare and Nixon-era welfare! AC is an illegal!!

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:00AM

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @12:00AM (#849509)

              Man, Il oved all them free obamabucks back in the days. Chumpbucks are garbage. I laid them out for feral cats, they gave me the stink eyes.

          • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 31 2019, @01:47AM (2 children)

            by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @01:47AM (#849574) Journal

            How can you "live with" someone who isn't even alive?

            • (Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday May 31 2019, @02:59AM (1 child)

              by fustakrakich (6150) on Friday May 31 2019, @02:59AM (#849600) Journal

              It's just for the weekend...

              --
              La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
              • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:03AM

                by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @05:03AM (#849645)

                No, you are confused. That was at Bernie's.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:51AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:51AM (#849578)

            There's an acceptable compromise here; 16 million+ illegal aliens can go live with Nancy and Chuck.

            Actually, they (well, some of them at least, we can't take all 16 million+) can come to Albuquerque, NM if they want. We have room here.

        • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:10AM (4 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:10AM (#849552)

          the author is expressing an opinion

          Exactly! Opinions we've already heard a million times we don't need. And that one was particularly whiny. Maybe this might help you understand why your shit gets rejected all the time... But, I doubt that too! Eh...

          • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:19AM (2 children)

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:19AM (#849559)

            Bazinga! There is a new opinion, that we haven't heard before! A racist conservative whining about how they keep hearing the same things about justice and human rights all the time, and are sick of it! How novel!

            • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:39AM (1 child)

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @01:39AM (#849570)

              Nah, we're just tired of you people voting for the same old shit, even after all the outrageous stories about the people you vote for. You people are the real cynics in this novela! That's why your stupid opinions are so banal and tiresome... Wake me when you step out of your little box!

              • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:56AM

                by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @06:56AM (#849674)

                ah, we're just tired of you people voting for the same old shit,

                You fucking Nazi scum! You killed my grandparents, and they were not even Jewish! I hate you! I despise you! I will kill you, and your dog, and you gerbil, you fucking Nazi! I am sick and tired of being subjected to your racist shit! I will purge you, with a High Colonic, of liquid Mercury at a temperature of molten lead! I will collect your melted bowels and use them for a "found object" art installation. I will charge admission. Americans will pay for your disembowelment, you racist Nazi shit! Oh, and I disagree with your political opinions.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:51AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 31 2019, @03:51AM (#849618)

            Opinions we've already heard a million times we don't need.

            Just not yet a million times that you heard MAGA?
            You must be sensorially disabled.

    • (Score: 2) by DrkShadow on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:04PM (1 child)

      by DrkShadow (1404) on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:04PM (#849467)

      Agreed. This has lead me to just closing my PolitiNe-- er, SoylentNews tab and going without for a day or so. Normally I like the tech news and try to keep up, but The Register started maxing out the CPU usage of my browser and causing it to freeze like it had a coin miner on board, so I left it.

      Beta News then, maybe?

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:24PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 30 2019, @11:24PM (#849480)

        Fuck Beta.

    • (Score: 2) by HiThere on Friday May 31 2019, @12:29AM

      by HiThere (866) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 31 2019, @12:29AM (#849531) Journal

      That's "standard fare" as in the food that you eat.

      --
      Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
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