Russia isn't in a position to defeat the US, compete economically with it, compete agriculturally with it, or compete industrially with it.

Ah please Jai, I think we all know that WWIII is one of the most improbable events that could happen, and it's very unlikely it'd happen between Trump and Putin, let alone about hairstyles. Also, this new (kind of) cold war, was not "started" by Obama. The tensions were building up before he became president.

Here's a weird little skit I wrote:

Putin: So we each build big wall around country?
Trump: Yes.
Putin: And then nuke everyone outside wall?
Trump: Of course. That will solve ISIS. And China.
Putin: Will that not cause major climate change and significant economic and political crisis-
Trump: That's Socialist talk! Lies spread by Sanders and Clinton!
Putin: Is American democratic system truly this crazy?
Trump: I promised to make America great again. That means nobody else matters but you in foreign policy.
Putin: So like Cold War. But no neutral countries.
Trump: And none of those foreigners.

@Ox yes you're right that underlying tensions were building towards a new cold war. The main factors for that were the expansion of NATO eastward, the invasion of Iraq and the inflammation of the middle east that led to the Chechnya crisis, and the western opposition to Putinism. That being said, Obama had several chances to move us away from a cold war scenario. His support for the mMidan protests, his backing of Yanukovich's removal, his castigation of Russia's role as an oppressor, and his decision to support and arm the Poroshenko government that is riddled with corruption and neo-nazism were all mistakes. Obama and the EU should have listened to Professor Cohen's warnings. We would be in a much better position overall.


And you're wrong to think WWIII isn't possible. The mini-crisis that ensued between Turkey and Russia is evidence it can (and in my opinion) will happen given the right timing of events. If Turkey had invoked Article 5, its likely NATO would have to come to Turkey's defense. Things may seem peaceful in Scotland but the world is not by any stretch of the imagination peaceful. At the least extent expect many more proxy wars in the coming decade which would be equally disastrous.

Edited 12/9/2015 20:24:20

Nothing of importance would happen.

I'm serious, everyone is making these grand predictions about how the U.S will be totally destroyed if Trump becomes president. Am I the only one who thinks that a Trump presidency would lead to nothing? Neither Democrats or Republicans in Congress would work with him, and he'd likely be impeached within the first year unless he tones his policies down.

This is rash to say. Didn't Bush go to war pretty quickly? And he seemed much better until presidency (I believe). Maybe America will fill up the territorial ambitions of Greater Puerto Rico by annexing all the Middle East.

And you're wrong to think WWIII isn't possible. The mini-crisis that ensued between Turkey and Russia is evidence it can (and in my opinion) will happen given the right timing of events. If Turkey had invoked Article 5, its likely NATO would have to come to Turkey's defense. Things may seem peaceful in Scotland but the world is not by any stretch of the imagination peaceful. At the least extent expect many more proxy wars in the coming decade which would be equally disastrous.

Foreign wars and invasions are profitable. Complete destruction is not. There will not be a third world war, just probably more proxy wars.

This is rash to say. Didn't Bush go to war pretty quickly?

Bush had (almost) his entire party behind him and solid control over most the government. Donald Trump is hated by his fellow Republicans and would have little influence outside the executive branch.

Bush: War.
Hillary: War.
Trump: War.
Rubio: War.
Sanders: Everyone makes $15 an hour + War
Florina: War.
Cruz: War.

Paul: We stay out of everyone's business, close the borders, and increase economic activity.
Carson: We stay out of everyone's business, close the borders, and increase economic activity.

Who always wins? War does.

Sanders: Everyone makes $15 an hour + War

Lolwut.

Edited 12/10/2015 01:43:32

^ We are already fighting a proxy war in Syria, so the only way to avoid war at this point is to pull all of the troops home and close our borders. Basically, America should enter isolationism.

The problem with raising the minimum wage is that everyone else's salaries above $15 go down. Raising the minimum wage isn't going to magically create more money. Prices will rise, and it is basically a big set of inflation.

I remember when I was in middle school. :P

Edited 12/10/2015 01:58:58

"The problem with raising the minimum wage is that everyone else's salaries above $15 go down. Raising the minimum wage isn't going to magically create more money. Prices will rise, and it is basically a big set of inflation."

You're only half right here, Benjamin. Prices on all commodities will raise and inflation would be near runaway, but anyone above $15.00 would also get raises. Let's use the workplace that I am at right now:

Now:
entry level 9.00
specialized 9.50
supervisor 10.50
asst. mgr 15.00
gen mgr 45k/year ish

after min wage is raised to 15
entry level 15.00
specialized 15.50
supervisor 16.50
asst mgr 21.00
gen mgr 60k/year ish

That's one thing people who do the math on costs of minimum wage fail to take into account. If you move the floor up, you also move the whole ladder that's on the floor up as well. You can't just add up the increased costs of the base wages. You have to add up the costs of EVERYONES wages increasing.

And I also completely agree with you, Eklipse. Trump would be an awful president, but we have a history of surviving awful presidents without too much fuss. It would be unfortunate, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. (Really, I don't see how it could be much worse than it is now...)

^What's wrong with a Nobel Peace Prize winner as president?

@Economics, m. wage etc.
It is complicated, and considering economics disagree on fundamental concept no one really knows what is going on. (People definitely THINK they know, through)

Personally, I believe that minimum wage should be capable of AT LEAST support a family. Hardly the case in US now.

I love (and hate) how Americans have given up the debate if a federal minimum wage is even constitutional?

Every American before Goldwater (essentially every anti-New Dealer) would have said no. We've gone from a country that outright shunned socialism to accepting the merits of some socialist policies to wanting socialist policies. Sad state of history. I say what happened to rugged individualism?

911 happened

I'm pretty sure rugged individualism has nothing to do with 9/11 and besides it was more than dead before that.

TBest he doesn't deserve any peace prize, and everyone knows it.

Because world war 2 happened

Because viewpoints change. Social democracy and social liberalism are largely post-WWII phenomena.

Just like very few people would've said that democracy is an appropriate form of government prior to the late Enlightenment, very few people now would argue that a federal minimum wage is unconstitutional. In the end, that issue's left to the SCOTUS (and even they have been known to reinterpret the constitution from time to time- we all remember Dred Scott).

Times and ideologies change. If you think a line of argument is worthwhile, you could simply pursue it rather than lamenting its unpopularity.

I understand that of course. But there's also something to be said for a society that changes its ideals, values, form of government, and economic system too nonchalantly. All empires have collapsed from change that was either radical and of quick order or by infinitesimal compromise with the opposition to the normal political order. America is an empire and it will collapse because we've been too eager to substitute our values for european ones or for ones that seemed popular. Change is good in many respects (of course civil rights and the post-civil war amendments come to mind), but whole systematic changes in the way of governance are detrimental, which is why a supermajority of Americans feel their country is headed down the wrong path. We are so polarized because there is not even a semblance of a unity of values or culture or politics (and that's a very new phenomenon).