Senior moment? Was more like a petit mal event (cross post to actuaries diagnosing). He just froze and stared. Hope he got checked out and is ok enough to leave the senate and thrive at home
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His team left him there for a looong time before reacting as if he does that all the time.
Honestly politics seems like a bit of a retirement job at this point.
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There should be an age limit for politicians
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There is. Unfortunately itās a lower limit.
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This saga is interesting. Itās political politics and itās turning into a feud.
Great quote in that article.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala. Rogers called it a ādeliberate taxpayer-funded manipulation of the selection process,ā adding, āItās clear that far-left politics, not national security, was the driving force behind this decision.ā
The bolder part always sets off yellow flashing lights for me. Next we will find out that the evidence involves āa lot of people are saying thatā, but āwe do not comment on ongoing investigations.ā In the end, it is a faith based argument, so reason and logic will not avail you.
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This article from the wsj, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-founders-anticipated-the-threat-of-trump-becda1b?mod=wknd_pos1, which you could read the text here, https://tinyurl.com/5n7u2cyz, is not the primary reason for this post.
The headline within the wsj link says " This weekās indictment of the former president outlines the sort of demagogic challenge to the rule of law that the Constitutionās architects most feared"
I didnāt know what the phrase ādemagogic challengeā meant, so I asked chatgpt.
Here is itās answer:
chatgpt
The term ādemagogic challengeā refers to a situation in which a political leader or public figure uses populist, inflammatory, or manipulative rhetoric to gain support and influence over the masses. A demagogue is a person who seeks to appeal to emotions, prejudices, and fears of the public rather than relying on rational arguments or thoughtful policies.
A demagogic challenge typically involves exploiting peopleās dissatisfaction, anger, or discontent with the status quo, presenting simplistic solutions to complex problems, and often scapegoating certain groups or individuals to divert attention away from the real issues. Demagogues are skilled at tapping into peopleās emotions and using persuasive language to rally support and create a strong and loyal following.
While some leaders genuinely seek to address the concerns of their constituents and work towards positive change, demagogues tend to use their charisma and manipulation to achieve personal or narrow political goals. They may not have a genuine interest in the welfare of the people they claim to represent, and their actions can sometimes undermine democratic institutions and principles.
Demagogic challenges can be harmful to society as they can lead to the spread of misinformation, polarization, and a deterioration of political discourse. They may exploit divisions within the population and weaken trust in democratic processes.
It is essential for citizens to be critical of political messages and to be informed about the issues at hand, rather than blindly following charismatic leaders who appeal primarily to emotions. Being vigilant against demagogic challenges is crucial for maintaining a healthy and functioning democracy.
I thought, āHoly shit! Itās talking about Trump.ā
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We are failing at this.
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This is good lawā¦
ā¦ for both sides.
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I donāt think they should be banned from owning stock, they should just be forced into a standardized, diverse portfolio thatās the same for every Congressperson and invests as broadly as reasonably possible. And any purchases or sales should require filing and receiving approval for such, with a long and immutable time window between approval and actual purchase/sale.
This should be open and easily accessible to the public.
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We should repeal/strike down the Permanent Apportionment Act and revert to 1 representative per 30,000 people. Then sell the Washington Commies football team to another city, and use their old stadium for the Houseās business (since at that point there would be like 11,000 or so representatives).
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I like the simplicity of banning them from trading stock. Not sure how realistic either solution is.
I mean, should one enter Congress in their 30s and remain a politician, they just canāt develop a 401k balance because you canāt buy?
Not that Iām crying for the poor politicians that would have to survive on only their pensions, book deals, speaking fees, etc.
Iād be fine with them investing in the funds available to all federal employees in the Thrift Savings Plan, or in a specified list of five private funds with the same strategies, (if there are legal problems with using the TSP funds directly). Individual Funds | The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
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I guess I donāt care enough to argue against that. But I donāt think anything would break if they were restricted to cash, t-bonds, pensions, whatever.
I agree that anyone with enough money (say $10 million) might do better in the market than as a representative, but who cares?
Itās a cute idea. And I get intent. But once you go to put it into text, it becomes a tar baby.
- bonds?
Convertible corporate bonds?
REITs
LLCs
Hedge funds
See, it gets pretty esoteric pretty quickly.
Maybe just make them all subject to the same insider trading rules everyone else has to obey?
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Are they not allowed to own mutual funds under this proposal?
I donāt have a problem with them owning mutual funds. Individual securities are more problematic though.
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I donāt think anyone on GoActuary does. But Iād be happy with whatever rules are simple, popular, and effective.
(Admittedly it might be impossible to make something without loopholes.)
I think my proposal works. "Hereās a short list of named index funds. Also, checking accounts, CDs, bank savings accounts, and two āprimaryā residences (one in DC, one in your district).