Im gonna say it for the 6846th time:
Adding heavy taxes on things like fuel & electricity hits the working class, or anyone else that requires a car to go to work, the most.
Its one of the key reasons the yellow vests are a thing.
A bunch of academics recently came out saying the same thing.
But frankly, you dont need academics to come to this conclusion, all you need is knowledge of the fact that public transport doesnt drive early nor late enough for people working in shifts in these areas. Hence you require a car.
Only big corporations like oil refineries have the finances to facilitate transport for their workers (some do here).

And thats without going into the politics of this shit.
Its all easy to be for this stuff when you work a 9-5 job in the middle of a city AND live in or near the city.
Plenty of public transport available, using a car to enter a carfree city center is stupid anyhow.
But yeah, trying to get people like that to realize this fact is like talking to a brick wall.

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Reforming-Americas-Healthcare-System-Through-Choice-and-Competition.pdf

Long, but very hot off the press. Insight into where the Trump Administration wants to take US healthcare.

As a provider and receiver of healthcare in the US, I'd say there are some good ideas and some not-so-good ideas. Nothing worthy of hyperbole, although I'm sure that won't stop some people who feel the need for the dopamine rush that comes from panic.

Some people sky dive. Some people drive fast cars. Some people hyperventilate over news. Whatever floats your boat and keeps you from turning to heroin.

Tim has called Republicans "stupid" for not taking the censorship of their base seriously. This could be more proof of this or the surest sign they really just don't care.

http://thefederalist.com/2018/12/13/the-new-nafta-trade-deal-lets-big-tech-squelch-conservative-speech/

Little of column A, little of column B.

Most Republicans are happy to be the Washington Generals. It's more profitable to be controlled opposition.

Well, they're going to be marching to Google's beat soon if they don't do something. And Google probably doesn't like them as much as they think they like Google.

Dumbasses, all of them.

I've always had concerns that the new NAFTA might have provisions that are objectionable, but I wouldn't have expected an expansion of Section 230.

Proposed by the US (Trump) of all people.

The irony is that this was pointed out in the MSM from day 1 as a criticism of the new agreement

The only thing that gives me hope for the future is the potential for a major tech crash in 2019.

I don't think it's really going to happen. Or if it does that the replacements won't be worse.

Frankly, the Republicans needed to get their heads out of their collective asses a year ago. Instead they're infighting over prison reform of all things.

Republicans aren't a monolith. Not even close. Half or more are just a different stripe of enemy.

That is true. My point is that they waste time over nonsense and can't recognize actual threats. I'd give the same criticism to the base too. But the politicians seem especially guilty this time around.

They aren't under threat. Many republicans thrived under Obama.

The campaign commercials came easy, and the donations flowed.

And they weren't expected to deliver anything.

You say that, but Rand Paul got booted off Facebook for a brief period, and a Republican congressional candidate got banned from Twitter in the 2018 midterms.

I'd say those are pretty direct attacks.

Yeah, Rand Paul is an outsider.

Think instead of creatures like Rubio.

I used to like that guy. Now I'm convinced he's clueless.

Remember when Flake was considered a diehard conservative? Turns out he was just McCain's bootlicker.

He's not clueless. It's just that his goals aren't in alignment with the people who vote for him.

You think he's basically a grifter wanting campaign contributions or something?

Rubio was in serious debt in 2015. Now he has a net worth of ~$500,000.

I don't think he's intentionally trying to fleece anyone, but his financial fortunes have improved dramatically through politics, and he's not likely to risk that.

Sounds like a senator. I can't think of a Senator who hasn't gotten rich in Congress. Even "the people's Socialist" Bernie Sanders is stupid rich (in his case, in the millions).

And taking major political stands is risky. He's always going to play things nice and safe.

I guess, but mass censorship of his allies must be a risk in the long run.

And do what the most moneyed donors want him to do.

I mean, he doesn't have to be Ted Cruz. But that's just the point.

You'd expect *enough* Republicans to want to do something to push the bootlickers into defending themselves.

Unless you think the Tech companies have enough money and sway on their own.

Which, considering Google was the single largest lobbying organization in the past several years, is very believable.

The average age of republican senators is 61 according to Google.

These people have no personal experience with this problem.