America - The Official Thread

[PeterJB]

Typical question: How can a place be founded, if people were already living there?

Founded is not quite the same as discovered. The United States of America was founded by Europeans and colonials of European descent on a part of North America occupied by various Native American tribes. Strictly speaking it was Native Americans that discovered the Americas (presumably travelling across the Bering Strait from Russia), however, the rest of the world did not know it existed until Columbus "discovered" it in 1492.

The same applies with somewhere like Australia. The Aborigines discovered and settled there first some 40,000 years ago, but until Willem Janszoon sighted it in the 17th century there is little evidence to suggest anyone other than the Aborigines knew it was there, after which knowledge of its existence became more universal.

 

[Scaff]

Founded is not quite the same as discovered. The United States of America was founded by Europeans and colonials of European descent on a part of North America occupied by various Native American tribes. Strictly speaking it was Native Americans that discovered the Americas (presumably travelling across the Bering Strait from Russia), however, the rest of the world did not know it existed until Columbus "discovered" it in 1492.

The same applies with somewhere like Australia. The Aborigines discovered and settled there first some 40,000 years ago, but until Willem Janszoon sighted it in the 17th century there is little evidence to suggest anyone other than the Aborigines knew it was there, after which knowledge of its existence became more universal.

Vikings, not Columbus.

 

[Liquid]

When there would be no shame at all in saying something like "Oh, I see you're right about that. Thanks for the info".

It's as if the ability to learn new things when given information isn't something to be proud of.

The first few times I started posting in this subforum, and it was almost a decade ago now, I got schooled. Quite a bit. But since then I've learnt so much from people here with a rich depth and breadth of knowledge that has helped smoothen down my world view so that it is more rounded and, crucially, more consistent.

There are topics I was formerly in favour of that I no longer am.
There are topics I was formerly against that I am now in favour of.
There are topics in which other members are with me.
There are topics in which other members are against me.

There are still occasions where I simply don't have a reply to someone. They've got me. It happens. But it's all generally been kept civil, interesting and intelligent. Learning new things should never be a bad thing. Looking at or listening to other points of view should always be considered; I often find the cringe reading of things I am against quite interesting in understanding more why I believe in what I believe.

It's a shame how the floodgates have opened and the deluge of junk has appeared. A constant stream of drivel with no interest in reasonable discussion is billowing out with no fix in sight. Rebuild that wall.

echo chamber lol

 

[PeterJB]

Vikings, not Columbus.

To the best of my knowledge the Vikings kept their discovery to themselves, which would be why it's only been within the past 50 years or so that we've had concrete evidence that they settled there.

 

[Scaff]

To the best of my knowledge the Vikings kept their discovery to themselves, which would be why it's only been within the past 50 years or so that we've had concrete evidence that they settled there.

Quite agree, here’s what I should have added to my post.

 

[ryzno]

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/feds-deem-seattle-portland-new-york-city-as-anarchist-jurisdictions

 

[McLaren]

Don't think New York is one of those states you'd want to cut federal funding to when it's 1 of 7 who contributes more than it receives. No federal funding for the state, no $26.6 billion in return.

 

[Chrunch Houston]

Don't think New York is one of those states you'd want to cut federal funding to when it's 1 of 7 who contributes more than it receives. No federal funding for the state, no $26.6 billion in return.

This 26 billion, what is this? Is that federal income tax New Yorkers pay? I would have thought it would be higher.

Anyway, I don't see how the New York state government is going to interfere with New Yorkers filling out those 1040s.

 

[Scaff]

This 26 billion, what is this? Is that federal income tax New Yorkers pay? I would have thought it would be higher.

Anyway, I don't see how the New York state government is going to interfere with New Yorkers filling out those 1040s.

It is.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...more-to-federal-government-than-they-get-back

 

[Chrunch Houston]

It is.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...more-to-federal-government-than-they-get-back

It is, what? That article had nothing to do about anything that I said.

Edit: Oh you must be talking about the taxes collected being higher.

Still, there is no mechanism for the state to stop the feds from getting what's theirs.

 

[Scaff]

It is, what? That article had nothing to do about anything that I said.

Edit: Oh you must be talking about the taxes collected being higher.

Still, there is no mechanism for the state to stop the feds from getting what's theirs.

I am talking about the amount.

 

[UKMikey]

Politico: Romney backs vote on Supreme Court nominee

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/...g-a-vote-on-next-supreme-court-nominee-419898

 

[huskeR32]

Politico: Romney backs vote on Supreme Court nominee

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/...g-a-vote-on-next-supreme-court-nominee-419898

It's laughably naive of me, but I was holding out hope he was going to stand up on the right side of this thing. Alas.

 

[mustafur]

It's laughably naive of me, but I was holding out hope he was going to stand up on the right side of this thing. Alas.

The enemy of the enemy is not your friend.

 

[Joey D]

It's laughably naive of me, but I was holding out hope he was going to stand up on the right side of this thing. Alas.

While Romney still is probably one of the better Republicans he's still very Mormon. Mormons will do everything in their power to make abortion illegal because White American Jesus demands it or something. That's the only reason I see him supporting this.

 

[Dennisch]

Just making sure he still has a job next year. And what better way than to flip flop your way through 2020?

 

[Danoff]

Just making sure he still has a job next year. And what better way than to flip flop your way through 2020?

I'd still take Romney over almost any other republican (Senate or otherwise).

 

[Liquid]

Devil's Tangent:

What does the forum think Richard Nixon would make of today's Republican party and, specifically, the current Republican government and Presidency?

Nixon is one of my guilty pleasure interests; one of the most fascinating characters, certainly in all of modern history.

 

[TexRex]

Interesting.

I do know what Nixon would say if he was alive today...

"HEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPP!!!"

 

[Tornado]

He'd be furious that all it took to get people to hate him and resign in disgrace was Watergate.

 

[Liquid]

He'd be furious that all it took to get people to hate him and resign in disgrace was Watergate.

@dick_nixon - June 1972
I have no knowledge of the secret, illegal break-in at the Watergate Hotel. DNC needs to increase their security. Bad!

@dick_nixon - October 1973
CROOKED McGovern wanted to turn the U.S of. A. into a COMMIE PARADISE. We just made sure that didn't happen to protect our nation. AMERICA!

 

[Danoff]

While we're musing about the presidency in general... prior to Trump I'd have said that the worst president in the history of the US was FDR. FDR set out to accomplish a set of goals, and didn't care what was in his way. He attacked basic principles that the nation was built on if they got in his way of achieving his ends. His court packing scheme fundamentally undermined the system of checks and balances that the nation requires, and he used it to trample the constitution. The damage it did was lasting.

I rank Trump as worse than FDR because he does the same kind of thing - attacks the foundations of the nation when they get in the way of his desired ends. The difference between Trump and FDR, is that FDR at least thought he was serving the nation's best interest (by all accounts anyway). Trump is clearly serving his own interests. And in some ways he's doing even more damage than FDR in the process.

One hopes that if Trump gets ousted, the Democrats would try to repair the damage. I don't have a lot of faith in that though, as some democrats are already poised to do the opposite. I think that the damage from Trump will not be repaired. It will only continue to erode the nation. We'd need a group of elected officials that actually hampered their own power to repair what he has done, and I think each one will turn to their "agenda" and just use greater power to push it through.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

That's my fear: that politics will only get more dirty as Dems vs Repubs intensifies, while the Constitution erodes. The erosion may not be so gradual.

 

[TexRex]

Pubes*

 

[05XR8]

The word is used to talk about the founding of a nation and the system it follows.
Sometimes the method involves mass murder or genocide.

A nation was founded upon occupied land.

"Found," in this sense, refers to the establishment thereof, rather than a supposed discovery.

Founded is not quite the same as discovered. The United States of America was founded by Europeans and colonials of European descent on a part of North America occupied by various Native American tribes. Strictly speaking it was Native Americans that discovered the Americas (presumably travelling across the Bering Strait from Russia), however, the rest of the world did not know it existed until Columbus "discovered" it in 1492.

The same applies with somewhere like Australia. The Aborigines discovered and settled there first some 40,000 years ago, but until Willem Janszoon sighted it in the 17th century there is little evidence to suggest anyone other than the Aborigines knew it was there, after which knowledge of its existence became more universal.

I know all this. I just like how a people choose to make their claim/stamp on a place, that already had/has a thriving community. Edit: forgot to add this

Well, in my lifetime, other than Nixon and Reagan eras showing straight up racial divides by way of laws, don't think I've heard(from birth to 2008) a president speak so blatantly...
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-white-supremacy-racehorse-theory-1064928/

 

[UKMikey]

Well, in my lifetime, other than Nixon and Reagan eras showing straight up racial divides by way of laws, don't think I've heard(from birth to 2008) a president speak so blatantly...
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-white-supremacy-racehorse-theory-1064928/

Rolling Stone won't let me read this story without a subscription so I'm going with Yahoo News:

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-preached-white-supremacy-minnesota-212455144.html

 

[Rallywagon]

Rolling Stone won't let me read this story without a subscription so I'm going with Yahoo News:

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-preached-white-supremacy-minnesota-212455144.html

Yeah the headlines have it though "America Barely Noticed."

 

[Chrunch Houston]

Well, in my lifetime, other than Nixon and Reagan eras showing straight up racial divides by way of laws, don't think I've heard(from birth to 2008) a president speak so blatantly...
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-white-supremacy-racehorse-theory-1064928/

Rolling Stone won't let me read this story without a subscription so I'm going with Yahoo News:

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-preached-white-supremacy-minnesota-212455144.html

So after not seeing 'theonion.com' in the URL, I then looked around for the word 'opinion'. Again, nowhere to be found.

Such a crap story, told from such a crap point of view. It's laughable.

Besides, Biden is the real racist, and here is the rock solid proof!

 

[UKMikey]

So after not seeing 'theonion.com' in the URL, I then looked around for the word 'opinion'. Again, nowhere to be found.

Such a crap story, told from such a crap point of view. It's laughable.

Besides, Biden is the real racist, and here is the rock solid proof!

I thought you had to spread your fingers out so they resembled a "W". It sounds like you're memeing it wrongly.

At any rate, once Biden starts attacking refugees and Somali congresswomen as Trump seems to have done in his speech, then maybe we can determine who's the real racist. Is it still just an opinion when it contains documented falsehoods? It's not exactly expressing calm.

 

[McLaren]

A) The "white power" OK-symbol was a major testament to how stupid & gullible Americans are on both sides; we let 4chan pull of one of the biggest trolls in history. Now, the rise & acceptance of Q has blown that bar way out of the water by once again, listening to 4chan.

B) Most of the people that were being attacked for showing the OK-symbol were conservatives. So he should have your vote locked & loaded Chrunch.