2014 Election Megathread

[Admiral Yi]

Meh, she's batshit for so many other delightful reasons than just wanting to confer full legal citizen status to a zygote at the moment of conception.  Like still believing that WMDs were in Iraq because her husband said so.  Or that states can nullify federal laws.  Or that the United Nations could eliminate Iowa private property rights.  Or that her Smith & Wesson is for personal defense against the government.  Or impeachment, or abolishing the EPA and Department of Education, et cetera, and so on.

Like I said, enjoy your new batshit Senator.

I would be interested in knowing your source of information for the details of Ms. Ernst's views, but I have a strong suspicion you will not tell me.

[derspiess]

Fine.  Jodi's from the Mid Midwest, then.  Enjoy your new batshit Senator.

Am I safe in assuming she's batshit because she opposes abortion?

Meh, she's batshit for so many other delightful reasons than just wanting to confer full legal citizen status to a zygote at the moment of conception.  Like still believing that WMDs were in Iraq because her husband said so.  Or that states can nullify federal laws.  Or that the United Nations could eliminate Iowa private property rights.  Or that her Smith & Wesson is for personal defense against the government.  Or impeachment, or abolishing the EPA and Department of Education, et cetera, and so on.

Like I said, enjoy your new batshit Senator.

That's my Seedy.

[11B4V]

Hi, I'm Jonie Ernst. I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm......

[derspiess]

MAKE EM SQUEAL

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I'm opposed to large corporations manipulating the law to give themselves an advantage.  This treaty has that in spades, particularly the IP provisions.  It just so happens that I find common ground with Chomsky and the unions on this one.

Please elaborate.

The EFF page on the issue has the details on the IP section.  Basically, the agreement as the US wants it would give media companies significant power to manipulate the markets for their products (see "parallel importation"), exert more control over their products after first sale (see "regulate temporary copies"), and stifle competition and complaint through the legal system (see "place greater liabilities on internet intermediaries" and "enact a 'three-step test' language that puts restrictions on fair use"),  It would give all companies a legally-binding means of locking consumers and businesses into their products (see "escalate protections for digital locks").

Other than the IP portion, the portions dealing with pharmaceuticals would give those companies even more power to manipulate pricing in that market as well.

The only freedom granted by this partnership will be the freedom for large companies and industry groups to create artificial markets at their whim.

[11B4V]

Appears to be Bachman batshit

WASHINGTON -- Voters in Iowa elected Republican Joni Ernst to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, making her the state's first woman senator.

Ernst, a state senator and lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard, catapulted to stardom during the GOP primary with ads featuring her castrating hogs and pulling a handgun from her purse. The spots also helped Ernst win support from prominent Republicans, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. The woman who branded herself a "mother, soldier, leader" convinced Republicans she was the party's best chance to turn red a Senate seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

While Ernst propelled herself to victory by painting herself as a Midwestern woman who grew up on a farm, Democrats pointed to questionable statements to claim she's a hard-right conservative, if not a conspiracy theorist.

Agenda 21
While campaigning last November, Ernst backed a right-wing theory that the United Nations' sustainable development plan Agenda 21 is a conspiracy that would enable the government to strip Americans of their freedom and eliminate private property rights.

    All of us agreed that Agenda 21 is a horrible idea. One of those implications to Americans, again, going back to what did it does do to the individual family here in the state of Iowa, and what I've seen, the implications that it has here is moving people off of their agricultural land and consolidating them into city centers, and then telling them that you don't have property rights anymore. These are all things that the UN is behind, and it's bad for the United States and bad for families here in the state of Iowa.

States Can Nullify Federal Laws
At a forum held by Iowa's Faith & Freedom Coalition in July, Ernst suggested that states can somehow nullify laws passed by the federal government.

    You know we have talked about this at the state legislature before, nullification. But, bottom line is, as U.S. senator, why should we be passing laws that the states are considering nullifying? Bottom line: our legislators at the federal level should not be passing those laws. We're right ... we've gone 200-plus years of federal legislators going against the 10th Amendment's states' rights. We are way overstepping bounds as federal legislators. So, bottom line, no we should not be passing laws as federal legislators -- as senators or congressman -- that the states would even consider nullifying. Bottom line.

WMDs In Iraq
Ernst told the Des Moines Register's editorial board in May that she believed there were weapons of mass destruction found during the United States' invasion of Iraq. From the Daily Beast:

    "We don't know that there were weapons on the ground when we went in," she said, "however, I do have reason to believe there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq." When a Register reporter quizzed her on what information she has, Ernst said, "My husband served in Saudi Arabia as the Army Central Command sergeant major for a year and that's a hot-button topic in that area."

Ernst later clarified those comments in a statement conceding that there were no WMDs in Iraq, although the country had used them before.

47 Percent Mentality
Audio recorded by Radio Iowa in 2013 revealed that Ernst, like many conservatives, holds a "makers vs. takers" view toward social welfare programs. But as Greg Sargent reported, her comments went further than former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's infamous "47 percent" video.

    We're looking at Obamacare right now. Once we start with those benefits in January, how are we going to get people off of those? It's exponentially harder to remove people once they've already been on those programs ... we rely on government for absolutely everything. And in the years since I was a small girl up until now into my adulthood with children of my own, we have lost a reliance on not only our own families, but so much of what our churches and private organizations used to do. They used to have wonderful food pantries. They used to provide clothing for those that really needed it. But we have gotten away from that. Now we're at a point where the government will just give away anything.

Climate Change Skeptic
While hardly unique among Republicans, Ernst has claimed she does not possess the scientific knowhow to weigh in on whether humans are causing climate change. But she did chalk it up to "cyclic changes in the weather" during an interview in May.

    Yes, we do see climates change, but I have not seen proven proof that it is entirely man-made. I think we do have cyclic changes in weather, and I think that's been throughout the course of history. What impact is man-made. ... but I do think we can educate people to make good choices.

She Really Likes Her Gun
An ad featuring Ernst shooting at a target that is supposed to represent the federal government isn't the first time she has used such a stark metaphor. Speaking at a 2012 NRA event, Ernst said her firearm would help protect her if the government imposes on her rights.

    I have a beautiful little Smith & Wesson, 9 millimeter, and it goes with me virtually everywhere. But I do believe in the right to carry, and I believe in the right to defend myself and my family -- whether it's from an intruder, or whether it's from the government, should they decide that my rights are no longer important.

Ernst also has suggested that President Barack Obama should be impeached, expressed openness to privatizing Social Security, called for abortion providers to be punished if a fetal personhood bill were passed, and opposed a federal minimum wage hike.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/05/joni-ernst-conspiracies_n_6104820.html

[Admiral Yi]

The EFF page on the issue has the details on the IP section.  Basically, the agreement as the US wants it would give media companies significant power to manipulate the markets for their products (see "parallel importation"), exert more control over their products after first sale (see "regulate temporary copies"), and stifle competition and complaint through the legal system (see "place greater liabilities on internet intermediaries" and "enact a 'three-step test' language that puts restrictions on fair use"),  It would give all companies a legally-binding means of locking consumers and businesses into their products (see "escalate protections for digital locks").

Other than the IP portion, the portions dealing with pharmaceuticals would give those companies even more power to manipulate pricing in that market as well.

The only freedom granted by this partnership will be the freedom for large companies and industry groups to create artificial markets at their whim.

The entire purpose of granting patent protection is to create the power to create artificial markets.  While a reasonable person can certainly disagree about the optimal level of patent protection, characterizing the level proposed by the US as "welfare for Shareholder Inc." seems over the top.

And when you say the only freedom, does that mean the treaty would not include anything else?  No reductions in tarrifs or nontarrif barriers?

[The Minsky Moment]

  you see a mysterious attractive stranger and before you know who he is your making out with him and only after you wake up in the morning do you start to realize with whom you went to bed. 

Really Hans, don't ask, don't tell.

[CountDeMoney]

I would be interested in knowing your source of information for the details of Ms. Ernst's views, but I have a strong suspicion you will not tell me.

You don't even finish movies so I wouldn't expect you to know your own candidate's platforms, you condescending ass twat.  But, even with the risk of getting ensnared by the Yicratic Method, since your preferred economic model has given me a lot of free time the last couple years, I'll play along with a Google search.

Personhood Amendment sponsorship:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/10/22/editorial-amending-constitution-simply-statement/17693041/

Iraqi WMDs:
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/susan-milligan/2014/05/13/jodi-ernsts-stunning-iraq-wmd-claim

State Nullification of Federal Laws:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/joni-ernst-nullification_n_5631097.html

You know, we've discussed her before on this board:  she was the one a couple years ago that said local law enforcement could and should arrest Federal agents for enforcing Obamacare.

Mah Guns against Mah Government:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/10/23/the-real-problem-with-joni-ernsts-quote-about-guns-and-the-government/

United Nations conspiracies, there are Bangladeshi Blue Helmets parachuting into the corn fields of Cedar Rapids:
http://news.yahoo.com/will-joni-ernst-s-flirtations-with-the-political-fringe-haunt-her-in-november-223054974.html

Impeachment and other general silliness:
http://news.yahoo.com/joni-ernst---impeachment--of-obama-should-be-on-the-table-204439051.html

[The Minsky Moment]

welfare for Shareholder Value, Inc..

It's not really about economics at all.  It is a diplomatic initiative to corner China and increase US regional standing.  Hence (I assume) seedy's reluctant support.

[CountDeMoney]

welfare for Shareholder Value, Inc..

It's not really about economics at all.  It is a diplomatic initiative to corner China and increase US regional standing.  Hence (I assume) seedy's reluctant support.

You assume correctly.

[The Minsky Moment]

The entire purpose of granting patent protection is to create the power to create artificial markets.  While a reasonable person can certainly disagree about the optimal level of patent protection, characterizing the level proposed by the US as "welfare for Shareholder Inc." seems over the top.

The stuff that Baron/EFF is talking about is mostly copyright issues, not patent.  The ban on parallel imports does raise an eyebrow as the Supreme Court recently ruled that such grey goods imports are OK after a first sale, so it could be viewed as an attempt to expand copyright rights via treaty.

[derspiess]

Rev. Al says the election was a defeat for the Clintons.

[The Minsky Moment]

Rev. Al says the election was a defeat for the Clintons.

Logical fallacy: argument from lack of authority

[CountDeMoney]

So, since my bro-in-law is going to be looking for work with the change in gubernatorial administration, the 7 year old had some suggestions:  being a veterinarian, or better yet, working for McDonald's.