View Full Version : The joy of Communism
How Havana is collapsing, building by building
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/12/02/havana-cuba-collapsing-buildings-housing-unesco/1998606002/
"HAVANA — Rafael Álvarez was up at 6:30 a.m. to warm milk for his baby daughter when he heard the sound of pebbles falling.
“That’s when the floor below us came loose. We were left hanging in the air, then fell into the abyss.”
Álvarez, 41, a baker, was buried in rubble to his waist. His mother, daughter and two others were killed when the 101-year-old building collapsed.
“Save the babies!” were his mother’s last words, he said....."
Guess their housing shortage is getting to be like CA's.
Communism...the gift that keeps on giving...giving misery, giving poverty, giving corruption, giving the veneer of equality...understood to be merely a veneer by most under its thumb.
How many of their own people has communism murdered?
It just hasn't been tried by our democrats here in the USA - they would TOTALLY be able to get it right
bblhead672
12-03-2018, 17:18
It just hasn't been tried by our democrats here in the USA - they would TOTALLY be able to get it right
Let them prove it by first moving to the socialist sh*t hole of their choosing and turning it around. I'll pitch in for the one way airline tickets.
bandycpa
12-04-2018, 18:18
The wife and I visited Havana in September. The second we stepped off the boat, we couldn't believe how bad the buildings and infrastructure looked. We knew it would be somewhat run down, but this was beyond what I expected. Not every building was that dilapidated (tourist attractions looked ok). But going to certain places in the city, you'd think the building was about to fall down around you.
What we were told by the tour guide was that the government owned the building, but the residents owned the inside of their apartments ("from the paint in"). So, if something in the whole of the building needed to be fixed, they could either wait on the government to do it, or they could all pitch in to help with the repairs. Ironically, in a communist country, no one is willing to take on that cost. That's why trees were literally growing out of the guttering (if the gutters were still completely up).
Even the old classic cars they want the tourists to ride have refurbished Hyundai engines in them.
WarriorDiplomat
12-04-2018, 21:57
The wife and I visited Havana in September. The second we stepped off the boat, we couldn't believe how bad the buildings and infrastructure looked. We knew it would be somewhat run down, but this was beyond what I expected. Not every building was that dilapidated (tourist attractions looked ok). But going to certain places in the city, you'd think the building was about to fall down around you.
What we were told by the tour guide was that the government owned the building, but the residents owned the inside of their apartments ("from the paint in"). So, if something in the whole of the building needed to be fixed, they could either wait on the government to do it, or they could all pitch in to help with the repairs. Ironically, in a communist country, no one is willing to take on that cost. That's why trees were literally growing out of the guttering (if the gutters were still completely up).
Even the old classic cars they want the tourists to ride have refurbished Hyundai engines in them.
The Democrats would take on the cost America is a wealthy nation and for that sin we must all have our property, money, initiative, discipline and work ethic taken away and redistributed to those that were not blessed with property, money, initiative, discipline and work ethic....the state must redistribute....all same same. If Jared Polis gives up his 400+ million in wealth and Pelosi gives hers and the Clintons give up theirs and the Obamas give up theirs and old Bernie Sanders gives up his Al Gore shares his the Hollywood elite gives up theirs and all the rest of the Democrats who somehow go from regular joes to 1% working for the state?? Trump made his money in inheritance lost it all and regained it without help from the state he must be punished and so do the Koch bros whose family gained wealth from Russia oil then stood against communism after the senior Koch saw communism first hand, Bill Gates criticizes those with money and has become generous he says but then again he has not given up his wealth and absolutely will not let someone else distribute it how about Warren Buffet he has the same sentiment as Gates but is reluctant to give up his wealth and George Soros forget about it he will not give up his wealth but he will see a nation such as ours to serfdom........punish them too and maybe I will consider being charitable as they are ALL MUST BE SAME SAME
miclo18d
12-05-2018, 00:35
The Democrats would take on the cost America is a wealthy nation and for that sin we must all have our property, money, initiative, discipline and work ethic taken away and redistributed to those that were not blessed with property, money, initiative, discipline and work ethic....the state must redistribute....all same same. If Jared Polis gives up his 400+ million in wealth and Pelosi gives hers and the Clintons give up theirs and the Obamas give up theirs and old Bernie Sanders gives up his Al Gore shares his the Hollywood elite gives up theirs and all the rest of the Democrats who somehow go from regular joes to 1% working for the state?? Trump made his money in inheritance lost it all and regained it without help from the state he must be punished and so do the Koch bros whose family gained wealth from Russia oil then stood against communism after the senior Koch saw communism first hand, Bill Gates criticizes those with money and has become generous he says but then again he has not given up his wealth and absolutely will not let someone else distribute it how about Warren Buffet he has the same sentiment as Gates but is reluctant to give up his wealth and George Soros forget about it he will not give up his wealth but he will see a nation such as ours to serfdom........punish them too and maybe I will consider being charitable as they are ALL MUST BE SAME SAME
Some are more equal than others.
mojaveman
12-05-2018, 17:51
The wife and I visited Havana in September. The second we stepped off the boat, we couldn't believe how bad the buildings and infrastructure looked. We knew it would be somewhat run down, but this was beyond what I expected. Not every building was that dilapidated (tourist attractions looked ok). But going to certain places in the city, you'd think the building was about to fall down around you.
Sounds almost identical to what east Germany looked like when I went to work and live there about ten years after the wall came down. What was even worse was the scar that communism left on the psyche of the people. They had very little idea of what a free market was and what it was like to be competitive. Everybody still wanted to share and to be miserable because that's just the way it was during the DDR.
Speaking of sharing misery...complete transcript at link.
Sanders’ Prepared Remarks for Brooklyn College Rally
Thank you all very much for being here today and thank you for being part of a political revolution which will transform America.
Thank you for being part of a campaign which is not only going to win the Democratic nomination, which is not only going to defeat Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in modern American history, but with your help is going to transform this country and, finally, create an economy and government which works for all Americans, and not just the one percent. Today, I want to welcome you to a campaign which says, loudly and clearly, that the underlying principles of our government will not be greed, hatred and lies. It will not be racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia and religious bigotry. That is going to end. The principles of our government will be based on justice: economic justice, social justice, racial justice and environmental justice.
<snip>
https://nhlabornews.com/2019/03/full-transcript-and-video-of-senator-sanders-2020-launch-event-in-brooklyn/
The Democratic Party = The ORIGINAL Department of Just-Us
Well speaking of the party of JUST-US...oh, they’re telling us just where they will take the country...
House votes in favor of illegal immigrant voting
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Friday, March 8, 2019
House Democrats voted Friday to defend localities that allow illegal immigrants to vote in their elections, turning back a GOP attempt to discourage the practice.
The vote marks a stunning reversal from just six months ago, when the chamber — then under GOP control — voted to decry illegal immigrant voting.
“We are prepared to open up the political process and let all of the people come in,” Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and hero of the civil rights movement, told colleagues as he led opposition to the GOP measure.
The 228-197 vote came as part of a broader debate on Democrats’ major legislative priority this year, HR 1, the “For the People Act,” which includes historic expansions of voter registration and access, as well as a major rewrite of campaign finance laws.
The measure would have had no practical effect even if it had passed. Illegal immigrants — and indeed noncitizens as a whole — are not legally able to participate in federal elections.
But Republicans had hoped to send a message to localities such as San Francisco, where noncitizens are now allowed to vote in school board elections.
“It sounds like I’m making it up. What kind of government would cancel the vote of its own citizens, and replace it with noncitizens?” said Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Texas Republican.
He pointed to last year’s vote, when 49 Democrats joined the GOP to decry noncitizen voting.
On Friday just six Democrats voted in favor.
A 1996 federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, but there is no prohibition on localities, and indeed a number of jurisdictions allow it, to some extent.
Famously liberal Takoma Park, a small jurisdiction in Maryland, has for several decades allowed noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in local elections.
Experts say as many as 40 states or territories allowed noncitizen voting dating back to the nation’s founding.
San Francisco in July began allowing noncitizens to vote in school board elections — though they must be parents or legal guardians of students.
<snip>
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/8/house-votes-favor-illegal-immigrant-voting/?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3wD_yIJrXaxJF_7fGPRsCnM_UvS3n5sTKBcySXx MIaY877tt2arVXZGw0
Bread and Circuses?
Who needs the circus when we have congress. American politicians make PT Barnum's freak shows look like they were run by a 10 year old kid who only previous experience was a failed lemonade stand.
For that matter - most ten years olds would be better and budgeting than the current crop of DC shitheels
The House right now can pass all the goofy crap that they wish now but correct me if I am wrong. Doesn't this crap have to be approved by the Senate and then signed by the Potus? I see two years of none of their pie in the sky laws not being passed, but they will be able to tell the masses that they tried and that they care.
The House right now can pass all the goofy crap that they wish now but correct me if I am wrong. Doesn't this crap have to be approved by the Senate and then signed by the Potus? I see two years of none of their pie in the sky laws not being passed, but they will be able to tell the masses that they tried and that they care.
You are correct that this shit won’t become law...for now.
But, there is no longer any pretense (as if there ever was - but some very smart people have been fooled) of where they want to take the country. They are on record.
Any third party vote or any abstaining because Trump is such a flawed candidate (and he is) but come on...these socialist, open border, green new mess idiots...if allowed to gain power will undoubtably ruin the country. These votes are canaries in the coal mine that everyone should see - and no one should ignore.
Euro socialism is starting to collapse from the sear weight of entitlements also.
The “Smoke and Mirrors” Illusion of the Scandinavian Welfare State
Bernie Sanders claims that Finland should be an economic model for the United States; yet the cost of living in Finland is astronomical: a reflection of the astronomical taxes needed to prop up the social welfare state as it limps along.
OpinionColumnistsEconomics
By David Unsworth Last updated Mar 7, 2019
Should Finland really be our guiding light when it comes to managing the economy? (T2T)
The term “smoke and mirrors” is tossed around in the political realm from time to time. The educated layman understands that the concept involves distorting reality: presenting a carefully-crafted illusion as a reality. But where does the term come from and what does it really mean?
The technique of using smoke and mirrors was first widely attributed to German charlatan Johann Georg Schrepfer, who in the mid to late 18th century, wowed the courts of Europe with his impressive ability to summon forth ghosts and spirits. This “supernatural” ability led to acclaim and renown for the mysterious citizen from Leipzig. Of course, the reality was that the “spirits” were an illusion; the product of a secret home-made projection which used smoke and mirrors to project the otherworldly images around the room, much to the fright of Schrepfer’s unwitting audience.
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How does the concept of smoke and mirrors relate to the rise of Bernie Sanders and his fond pontifications upon the wonders of Scandinavian style socialism and social safety nets?
Bernie and friends point to the eminently obvious advantages of supposedly “socialist” Finland, Sweden, and Iceland: we are told on a routine basis that they are models that we should emulate. Free of ultra-wealthy and ultra-greedy capitalists (due to astronomical income taxes), they are peaceful and productive lands where astoundingly wise and good bureaucrats and government public servants have perfected the ideal economic model for a just society.
The grateful citizens line up around the block to applaud their virtuous, compassionate, and generous leaders, to whom they owe so much for their wondrous standard of living.
Unfortunately, the reality of life in Scandinavia does not quite live up to Bernie Sanders’ and Elizabeth Warren’s starry-eyed descriptions.
Have Sanders and Warren actually visited Finland? Do they understand how the economy works in Finland?
I can tell you this. After visiting Finland, I don’t think many Bernie supporter would actually take Finland over the US when it comes to quality of life. It is true: there is no extreme poverty in Finland…but there sure are a lot of people sponging off of the government. This so-called “safety net” comes with an enormous price tag. How does Finland pay for everything?
Well…government programs are funded by outrageous taxes on just about everything you can imagine: alcohol, cars, gas, clothing, food.
https://panampost.com/david-unsworth/2019/03/07/the-smoke-and-mirrors-illusion-of-the-scandinavian-welfare-state/?cn-reloaded=1
Finland Cabinet just resigned
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-finland-government-idUSKCN1QP0R6
Badger52
03-08-2019, 17:02
You are correct that this shit won’t become law...for now.
I trust McConjob and HIS circus about as far as '.'
That far.
I trust McConjob and HIS circus about as far as '.'
That far.
Concur. Not a dime’s worth of distance between establishment snake oil peddlers in both major parties.
WTF did Rs do during that brief window when they had the House, the Senate and the WH?
These should be boom times for the nation...things are good...but things could be so much better - for all - if we really focused on building this country.
Instead we bicker about which bathroom to use and give time to folks who want to abolish the use of fossil fuels in 10 years with NO responsible substitute on the horizon.
Badger52
03-08-2019, 17:27
WTF did Rs do during that brief window when they had the House, the Senate and the WH?
They obstructed to insure their rice-bowl, a Star Fleet Prime Directive.
Spots on the gallows are equal; none is more equal than others. And hemp is still a growing industry... how 'bout that economy?
...the phrase "foreign and domestic" comes to mind
WTF did Rs do during that brief window when they had the House, the Senate and the WH?
That was what I thought when I read "the Republicans 'control' the House, the Senate and the White House."
Not true, at least, not by a realistic definition of "control."
Sure, it would seem that 51 - 49 in the Senate, and 218 - 217 in the House (plus a Republican President) = "control."
But the real numbers are:
To defeat a filibuster by the minority of the Senate = 60 votes.
Before the 2018 elections, the Republicans held only 54 seats in the Senate.
After the 2018 elections, the Republicans held only 52 seats.
That's not enough to defeat a determined Democrat filibuster.
And the House always has a few "Independant" "Abstainining" "Dead" (literally, dead Representatives and otherwise vacant seats) that a margin of 220 - 225 is neded to have "control." (Thank God there is no filibuster in the House, else 261 would be needed for a 60% closure.)
That was what I thought when I read "the Republicans 'control' the House, the Senate and the White House."
Not true, at least, not by a realistic definition of "control."
Sure, it would seem that 51 - 49 in the Senate, and 218 - 217 in the House (plus a Republican President) = "control."
But the real numbers are:
To defeat a filibuster by the minority of the Senate = 60 votes.
Before the 2018 elections, the Republicans held only 54 seats in the Senate.
After the 2018 elections, the Republicans held only 52 seats.
That's not enough to defeat a determined Democrat filibuster.
And the House always has a few "Independant" "Abstainining" "Dead" (literally, dead Representatives and otherwise vacant seats) that a margin of 220 - 225 is neded to have "control." (Thank God there is no filibuster in the House, else 261 would be needed for a 60% closure.)
Thank you for that. You are absolutely correct about the numbers with respect to filibuster - but I was thinking of (and particularly disappointed with) the attempted Obamacare repeal - where opposition from a few senators meant Rs couldn’t even muster a simple majority for what amounted to THE signature campaign issue for many. I can still see the “maverick” giving that late night thumbs down sign...:mad: