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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez


markstanco

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I honestly don’t understand why a freshman congresswoman from NYC deserves so much attention on a UT fan message board or in the national discourse. I stated like 50 pages ago I was sure that everyone just wanted to bone her, but this breathless obsession continues unabated and it is strange to me.

I have no need to defend this woman just bc I’m mostly left in my political beliefs. She’s also not my rep. If she lacks an understanding on economic issues, who cares?

Why is it so important for people to comment on every public statement she makes? I can’t even reliably identify my local Congress people to know what they say

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13 minutes ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I honestly don’t understand why a freshman congresswoman from NYC deserves so much attention on a UT fan message board or in the national discourse. I stated like 50 pages ago I was sure that everyone just wanted to bone her, but this breathless obsession continues unabated and it is strange to me.

I have no need to defend this woman just bc I’m mostly left in my political beliefs. She’s also not my rep. If she lacks an understanding on economic issues, who cares?

Why is it so important for people to comment on every public statement she makes? I can’t even reliably identify my local Congress people to know what they say

100% this. you'd think a more local example of stupidity, as @Hugo Stiglitz mentioned, louis gohmert, would be a better target. or maybe we should start a "stupid things congress critters say" thread.

but pig bellmont is correct. this obsession is very, very strange. we've never focused so narrowly on a freshman representative. it's uncanny.

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4 hours ago, achooloco said:

Still waiting for that link of proof of homeless camps in nyc...lol

I spent the weekend with a homeless community in New York to see what it's really like to live on the streets

 
Oct. 7, 2018, 9:56 AM
 
new york city homelessness48-year-old Malian immigrant Moustafa is homeless, but still plies his trade as a mechanic to stay afloat.  Daniel Brown/Business Insider  Take a walk through any borough of New York City and you're likely to encounter people living on the street. 

Homelessness is on the rise in the city, up 39% from 2016. And even more are opting to live in the city's streets, parks, and alleys than shelters — nearly 4,000 as of July, the most since 2005. 

There's a vast diversity to the people living without secure housing, and the various situations they find themselves in. 

In central Brooklyn, a flashpoint of gentrification in the city, we met Moustafa, a 48-year-old mechanic who lost his shop and his home three years ago. 

Moustafa now lives nearby in a community of about a dozen homeless mechanics who live out of their vehicles and try to get work when they can. He invited us to spend the day and night with him to get a glimpse into what it's really like to be homeless in New York. 

Here's what we saw: 

(This story was originally published in September 2017).

 

When we first met Moustafa, he was changing the the brakes on a car in the parking lot he lived in for a seemingly affluent customer. The area is full of industrial parking lots full of diesel trucks and small buses. He and his fellow homeless mechanics often do work for customers in them.

When we first met Moustafa, he was changing the the brakes on a car in the parking lot he lived in for a seemingly affluent customer. The area is full of industrial parking lots full of diesel trucks and small buses. He and his fellow homeless mechanics often do work for customers in them.Daniel Brown/Business Insider
 

Some other people were hanging around the lot, but weren't interested in talking.

Some other people were hanging around the lot, but weren't interested in talking.Daniel Brown/Business Insider

The lot had a number of small buses and vans parked in it that Moustafa said many of the homeless in the area lived in. Some people had built out patio areas in front of their vehicles with plants, flowers, and equipment for work.

The lot had a number of small buses and vans parked in it that Moustafa said many of the homeless in the area lived in. Some people had built out patio areas in front of their vehicles with plants, flowers, and equipment for work.Daniel Brown/Business Insider

Moustafa moved to the US from Mali nearly 20 years ago and had run his own auto shop for many years until 2014. Moustafa lost his shop after a new landlord raised his rent and he couldn't make the payments. He was evicted not long after.

Moustafa moved to the US from Mali nearly 20 years ago and had run his own auto shop for many years until 2014. Moustafa lost his shop after a new landlord raised his rent and he couldn't make the payments. He was evicted not long after.Daniel Brown/Business Insider

He says that these days he can earn $600 in a good week doing repairs in the lot. He makes a lot less in a bad week, and he makes nothing during the winter because there's no roof over the lot.

He says that these days he can earn $600 in a good week doing repairs in the lot. He makes a lot less in a bad week, and he makes nothing during the winter because there's no roof over the lot.Daniel Brown/Business Insider
 

After Moustafa finished up the car, another man walked in the lot to use a hose there. The lot, and the entire block, was very fluid: people came and went, and it was hard to decipher who was living on the block and who had homes.

After Moustafa finished up the car, another man walked in the lot to use a hose there. The lot, and the entire block, was very fluid: people came and went, and it was hard to decipher who was living on the block and who had homes.Daniel Brown/Business Insider
 

Moustafa said he'd been living in a small bus in the lot for about a year. Before that he tried staying in a shelter, but left after a month because he needed his "own space to breathe."

Moustafa said he'd been living in a small bus in the lot for about a year. Before that he tried staying in a shelter, but left after a month because he needed hisDaniel Brown/Business Insider

The shelter rooms are about as big as the rectangular slab of concrete below, Moustafa said. "They treat you like an animal," he added.

The shelter rooms are about as big as the rectangular slab of concrete below, Moustafa said.Daniel Brown/Business Insider

He said he was only allowed to bring 2 bags into the shelter, which was a problem because he has a lot of possessions.

He said he was only allowed to bring 2 bags into the shelter, which was a problem because he has a lot of possessions.Daniel Brown/Business Insider

There were other aspects of the shelters that he didn't like, he said, like the strict rules about entering and leaving and the health of those staying there. "They don't check their health," he said. "I prefer to be in the streets."

 
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6 minutes ago, tjhooker said:

Amazon was taking away no revenue from the city or state.  It was going to be positive in the billions in collected tax revenue.

But they wouldn't have collected almost any tax dollars from Amazon which was the issue. Additionally, the terms allowed AMZN to change the agreement at will anytime. It was a bad deal. Cities like NYC do not need to give incentives to companies. Foxconn is the perfect example of what happens when politicians provide tax give aways to companies.  

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1 minute ago, tjhooker said:

That is absolutely wrong.

Cuomo's office said when the HQ2 project was announced in November that it would bring in $27.5 billion in new tax revenue over 25 years, largely based on an economic-impact studycommissioned by the governor (another was commissioned by the city but not released). Of that amount, $14 billion would go to the state, and $13.5 billion would go to New York City.

Given that figure, Cuomo said the Amazon investment would bring in $9 in tax revenue for every $1 of revenue forgone because of the incentives.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hq2-leaving-new-york-city-would-mean-tax-revenue-loss-2019-2

Again, that is not tax revenue from Amazon itself.

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2 minutes ago, tjhooker said:

That is absolutely wrong.

Cuomo's office said when the HQ2 project was announced in November that it would bring in $27.5 billion in new tax revenue over 25 years, largely based on an economic-impact studycommissioned by the governor (another was commissioned by the city but not released). Of that amount, $14 billion would go to the state, and $13.5 billion would go to New York City.

Given that figure, Cuomo said the Amazon investment would bring in $9 in tax revenue for every $1 of revenue forgone because of the incentives.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hq2-leaving-new-york-city-would-mean-tax-revenue-loss-2019-2

Over 25 years, I can make any math work in my favor. 

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10 minutes ago, tjhooker said:

Correct it is the total economic impact.  What does it matter even if those totals are half that in reality?  Still very positive.  Heck, payroll taxes alone for 25K workers making on average $150K/yr is probably worth it.

jobs, jobs, jobs and the multiplier effect from them.  simple really, and beautiful, potentially yuge.

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-multiplier-effect-of-innovation-jobs/

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4 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

I think NY is gonna be OK. 

sure.  but they don't have a choice on this yuge deal now.  multiplier effect is real, yo. 

look at the cities bending over backwards and doing acrobatics to attract the deal you imply NY doesn't need?  seems like a bit of sour grapes.  it would have been additive for the area in total.  which doesn't mean it would have been all smooth sailing.

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Just now, zork said:

sure.  but they don't have a choice on this yuge deal now.  multiplier effect is real, yo. 

look at the cities bending over backwards and doing acrobatics to attract the deal you imply NY doesn't need?  seems like a bit of sour grapes.  it would have been additive for the area in total.  which doesn't mean it would have been all smooth sailing.

Great. They shouldn't get tax breaks to set up shop there. No company should.

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Just now, Bash Riprock said:

I started to dislike her when Ben Shapiro invited her to a Debate. He said he would donate 10k to her favorite charity. She said the invitation was a form of 'Cat-calling'. JFC. Nut job.

That is the Democratic Party ladies and gentlemen. 

Why on earth would anyone debate Ben Shapiro? That's a complete waste of time.

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One of the other sticking points was that Amazon isn't union friendly and wasn't going to amend their stance. I think if Amazon would've compromised a little there, then something could've been worked out. Then again, if Amazon allows the NYC locations to unionize it would've meant a lot of fights across the nation for them. 

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39 minutes ago, tjhooker said:

Correct it is the total economic impact.  What does it matter even if those totals are half that in reality?  Still very positive.  Heck, payroll taxes alone for 25K workers making on average $150K/yr is probably worth it.

don't payroll taxes go to the fedl?  what percentage would have gone to the community to make this "worth it"?

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18 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

I started to dislike her when Ben Shapiro invited her to a Debate. He said he would donate 10k to her favorite charity. She said the invitation was a form of 'Cat-calling'. JFC. Nut job.

That is the Democratic Party ladies and gentlemen. 

Debate nerds are the shittiest people on earth.

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6 minutes ago, futureman said:

yep.  it is a complete waste of time to get ridiculed and destroyed in a debate by common sense.  very threatening to the left. 

Of course futureman thinks Ben Shapiro is a intellectual powerhouse shredding liberals with his logic and common sense. Definitely not an alt-right huckster. 

 

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7 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Of course futureman thinks Ben Shapiro is a intellectual powerhouse shredding liberals with his logic and common sense. Definitely not an alt-right huckster. 

 

I’m not a Ben Shapiro fan, but I’m gonna need a refresher on the definition of “alt right”. If you peddle prepper materials are you in automatically?

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1 hour ago, tjhooker said:

Amazon was taking away no revenue from the city or state.  It was going to be positive in the billions in collected tax revenue.

That's disingenuous at best.  Cutting a business a tax break by definition means that collected revenue is lower than the city has deemed necessary to pay for infrastructure, etc.

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Shapiro is no Buckley. Today's version of a political debate consists of "hur dur, so you're really saying you support pedophilia and rapists." It's been dumbed down for the masses. Shapiro is the McDouble with cheese of political discourse. He peddles mental junk food.

There hasn't been someone good at defending their political views in a debate with intelligence since Hitchens died. I never cared for his politics nor his metaphysics but damn the man could give a good argument.

 

Edited by F250
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2 hours ago, tjhooker said:

Only federal payroll?  You must live in Texas.  Most other states and especially democratic states another large portion comes out of your paycheck for the city and state. 

I assume you know what the f in fica stands for.  75-90% of payroll tax, depending on your state, go to the fed.  there is little to no direct local benefit from a company being in your city.  corporate taxes, payroll taxes, all go to the fed.  where the community benefits, and where local leaders place their bets, is that they will reap gains (more significant than the subsidies they gave up) in sales taxes (retail), gas taxes, property taxes, etc.  the company might sponsor the local little team, or the pbs station (tax breaks, once again for the corporation) -  indirect benefits like that. 

what Alexandria argued, and is a legit concern, is what will happen to the people born and raised in these communities once the people making $150k/yr move in?  it's called gentrification.   where will the poor people go?  what will the community look like 10 yrs from now?  newer, shinier, a lot like every other suburb in America.   sometimes the pros don't add up to the cons.  contrary to conservative philosophy, it's not always about money.  there is quality of life.  there is the uniqueness of a community - the architecture, the culture, the history.

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11 hours ago, tjhooker said:

Amazing. She loves dogs. 

My apologies for being a few pages back, but have you ever seen how much Trump hates dogs? I'd say her dog-acceptance is most exceptional in comparison to our Emperor Tang. in his miserable mind, a dog is clearly something to be scorned.

 

 

 

Edited by bolverk
This asshole would rightly get negged to Bolivia by Surly's "my dog is awesome" posters if he came in here expressing those views.
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  • hayden_horn changed the title to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez


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