Fair enough. I hate being labeled myself. I was trying to be, ya know, sarcastic (as long as we are flinging around stuff like “people like you”).
Nuance is good by me, but if you ask around, you’ll hear that it doesn’t win elections - much less hearts and minds. Still, I’m sorry if my arguments were too subtle (?).
I’m “coming from” a place where I’m tired of hearing the same talking points and arguments regurgitated again and again. Not your fault, of course, or even Starving Artist’s fault, but I sometimes lose patience with the usual dialogue.
I’m no psychic, or particularly astute, but I read the thread titles and I swear I can predict with great accuracy what will be posted. There’s got to be a better way, but damn if I know what it is, or what to do about it.
Meanwhile, I try to be a thorn in the side of ideologues of any stripe - if only to get them to think again on what they seem to be so set upon. It helps me too - I’m not above being “conned” by rhetoric that tells me what I want to hear.
Well, ruthless memetic combat seems to win elections, at least recently… but I’ve never been one to put politics above truth.
I don’t think you could find a better message board for people holding intelligent rational discussion. Talking points are, more often than not, called out.
There are the Usual Suspects, of course… but sometimes what will be posted is what people honestly believe.
Bush said back in 2001 that global warming needed to be addressed, but Kyoto wasn’t the answer. In the four years since, he’s not presented an alternative. The clock’s a-ticking, the polar icecap’s a-melting. Meanwhile, he’s playing stallball on this, quite successfully.
I’m talking about something completely different - Bush’s and the GOP’s efforts to minimize the taxation of wealth, and income earned from wealth rather than from work. Bush has moved the ball forward a great deal here; chances are that if it hadn’t been for Katrina, they’d have been able to get permanent estate tax repeal through Congress by now.
These are the means by which one creates a permanent aristocracy.
I was referring not just to his birth, but the repeated bailouts of his failed businesses by Daddy’s friends and connections.
If you go into the dairy business, and all your milk spoils, it’s hard to fail if someone comes along and buys up your spoiled milk at a price that gives you a hefty profit.
Of course not - can’t prove a negative. But if he’d been born in my family, no one would have been available to buy his failed businesses for enough money to make him come out ahead.
His record in business is solely one of being rescued by sugar daddies. What’s amazing about that, other than access to sugar daddies?
As far as politics goes, I’ve long since stopped suggesting he’s incompetent. He’s quite successful at the parts of his current job he cares about - look at his record with tax cuts for the rich. Look at his record of ladling no-bid contracts to outfits like Halliburton. Look at his record of gutting the inspectors-general to make it easier for those contracts to be simply about free money.
Rangers? According to John Helyar’s 1995 economic history of baseball, Lords of the Realm, Bush was a gladhanding figurehead. I bet I could manage that.
Oval Office? It depends on what one’s objectives are. Certainly, few people could service his rich buddies, and well-connected corporations, with the skill his Adminstration has managed.
But the country would be better off today if danceswithcats or Airman Doors - to pick a coupla guys who I often disagree with, who have no particular talent for politics, but who unquestionably have the country’s best interests at heart - had been running it since January 20, 2001.
Can I have a cite for Republican echo chambers? :rolleyes:
How many? Building strawmans today? I think she counts. Not any more than you or I though?
Calling NOLA occupied is pretty fucking delusional in my book.
I’m not a rightwinger.
[quote[Now to the hijack…[/quote]
Okelly dokelly.
Normally this logic is sound. In this particular case though, it is nonetheless wrong.
Yes, me too, and many others besides.
I will be happy to discuss the Harkens issue with you in minute detail. First though, you need to bring yourself up to speed (and, I assure you, it will be painful.)
We discussed all of your points in a huge harangue a couple of years ago.
Here it is:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=123597&highlight=krugman
If you would like to discuss this topic, than fine. I’m not really willing to repeat myself over and over again. Read that thread. Study it. Take notes. Come back with questions or objections so that we cover new ground, and I will happilly discuss any issues you still have.
Covered, complete with cites for stock price, timelines, the whole deal.
And, I look at the rest of your post and see that we’ve covered it all as well.
Seriously, no offense intended here, but I hate to do the same work twice. Read the thread carefully, come back and ask questions with links to the relevant posts in that thread, and I’ll be glad to reply in detail.
Rarely, if ever, has a topic been so minutely examined on this board as that one. I daresay, neither Elucidator nor I have ever been the same since.
Thanks for that statement of confidence. After tomorrow, I may have a better focus on reform in PA. Perhaps if unknowns can successfully sweep the rascals out of Harrisburg, other states will feel equally inspired, and then the District of Columbia will be the next political machine to be dismantled.
What you appear to be is an “anti”. Anti-liberal, anti-leftist, anti-criticism of the arrogant, disingenuous, walk in lock-step, chant the talking point, insert roll-eye smiley here, anti-ness.
Here’s what troubles me about that. I mean, in addition to the subtle reminders of the beginnings of fascism. Once you’ve weakened or destroyed all the ideas and things and people you are against, what do you do next?
How do you manage a large, diverse, superpower country, and what is your vision about the future of that country and the well-being and security of its citizens.
What message are you sending to the rest of the world?
And after we’ve digested all the talking points, and the double talk, and the blast-from-the-past Clinton references, and the staged photo-ops…
What have you got for us? What are you for? To quote a “delusional, manipulated, ignorant cow”: “What is your Noble Cause?”
No need to literally answer that, as you well know. We are living it as I type this, aren’t we?
Except for the fact that what you would call “rightwing” is actually a majority of the country.
Not the majority of the SDMB, for sure, and probably not a majority of internet users in general. Nevertheless, a majority of people IRL. So who’s the anti-?
Consider the 2004 election. I don’t remember a huge number of pro-Kerry people, but everyone and their brother made sure to proclaim they were anti-Bush. And we know how well that strategy worked.
But what a thoughtful, well-expressed one, zeeny. Despite the Google ads brouhaha, will you (pretty please with sugar on it) become a Member? We’re hungry for fresh meat and
:o
Um, er, what I mean is, this place is always eager for some fresh blood, so
:smack:
Erm, what I want to say is, I like your style. You’ll make a fine Doper. Will you stick around?
It may appear that way to you. To me, this indicates you’re not particularly bright.
Go to Disneyland! Weep that there are no more worlds to conquer? Perfect my fascism by persecuting those loyal to me? Play video games?
I dunno, I’m not sure what I’ll do when I’ve destroyed all opposition. Thanks for bringing the question up. Sooner or later, I’ll need to give it some thought.
With an iron fist? What is this dictator school?
An SOS. I hope that someone gets my. I hope that someone gets my. I hope that someone gets my…
message in my bottle.
My opinion of your intelligence (none too high) has dropped further. I don’t recall referring to Ms. Sheehan as you quote me referring to her.
I get the feeling you’re not really talking to me.
I’m not exactly sure we share the same consensus reality here, pal. So, no.
Do-overs? Only the president gets do-overs, Updike. How’s that Rita thing working out for him anyway? Is he standing up all tall and studly in your eyes again? Hows that “silent majority” taking it?
Yeah, sure, but shit happens and things change. Been almost a year now, and GeeDub’s approval ratings are just above approval ratings for goat felching. Whaddaya think? Bottom out at 35%? 30%? Still falling, you know. 25%?
After tomorrow, I may have a better focus on reform in PA. Perhaps if unknowns can successfully sweep the rascals out of Harrisburg, other states will feel equally inspired, and then the District of Columbia will be the next political machine to be dismantled.