The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[JWBear]

You guys can split hairs down to fvcking atoms all you want; the fact of the matter is that the right wing bat**** fringe, and it's encouragers, have drug the level of political discourse in this country down to an unbelievably low level. They have no real substancive policy complaint. they just hate the man. At least those who hated Bush did so because of the things he actually did! The "Teabaggers" hate him for things he's never done and has no intention of doing. It's paranoia, pure and simple. And those in power in the Republican party egg them on with more concern with their party's success than what is actually best for America.

The lunatics are running the Republican party

[scaeagles]

Whatever you say, JW. It simply isn't worth playing tit for tat with my examples of stupid dems and your examples of stupid republicans.

[€uroMeinke]

I'm certainly one for being unilaterally stupid and immoral

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I'm certainly one for being unilaterally stupid and immoral

I suppose it really depends on what type of immorality...

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by JWBear

I suppose it really depends on what type of immorality...

The stupider the better

[scaeagles]

You guys are the masters of spin.

Byrd used a quote from Goering and basically said that Bush uses the same strategy as a Nazi.

As far as reasonably intelligent....I agree! This is why I tried repeatedly to say I didn't want to go down this line of conversation, but you kept goading. So look in the mirror, WB and JW, as you wonder who keeps pushing it.

And uh, by the way, there's still the whole Durbin thing that GD linked to. But I'm sure there's a way to justify that....after all, he's saying what you think.

For the record - and for you JW and WB, I guess it's the broken record - I didn't bring up anything trying to justify one side doing because the other side did. The ONLY reason I brought up anything was because JW claimed the dem leadership doesn't do it. Quit rewriting thread history and read it.

[innerSpaceman]

I understand the urge to defend yourself scaeagles, but you're really just as guilty in perpetuating the Godwin tangent as anyone. You could just as easily change the subject or stop addressing that one.


I think the Godwin angle is a bore, too. What about the element flippyshark brought up? Do you disagree with the sense that conservatives tend more to complain about the not-yet-happened than progressives do? Or do you think that's an equal-opportunity failing as well?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I understand the urge to defend yourself scaeagles, but you're really just as guilty in perpetuating the Godwin tangent as anyone. You could just as easily change the subject or stop addressing that one.

Umm, he tried. He said he didn't bother responding and JW insisted on demanding an answer.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I understand the urge to defend yourself scaeagles, but you're really just as guilty in perpetuating the Godwin tangent as anyone. You could just as easily change the subject or stop addressing that one.

Everytime I get out they keep pulling me back in. I did try to stop, but JW kept pressing for an answer.

I think the Godwin angle is a bore, too. What about the element flippyshark brought up? Do you disagree with the sense that conservatives tend more to complain about the not-yet-happened than progressives do? Or do you think that's an equal-opportunity failing as well?

I think it depends on the issue. I would agree conservatives do tend to be more paranoid about what could happen. I think the left, however, does tend to extrapolate on what could happen. Whether one agreed with FISA (that was the phone conversation monitoring? was that the right acronym?) or not, I always thought it funny that so many were worried that the government had the time, desire, or resources to be even interested in their conversations. Without a doubt the potential for abuse did (and does, unless I missed some repealing of it recently) exist, but I wasn't concerned about it. It seemed the left was incredibly paranoid about the potential. And the charges of the government abuse of it were certainly there prior to passage.

Which is what I think the health care debate comes down to. It is a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG bill, and as with any legislation, there is potential for abuse, varied interpretations, and unintended consequences. Are some being put forth ridiculous? Certainly. Are all extrapolations? No.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Whether one agreed with FISA (that was the phone conversation monitoring? was that the right acronym?)

FISA is the act (and by extension the court process defined by that act) that was circumvented to carry out the wiretapping. Perhaps there was some extrapolation as to where the ultimate endpoint was, but the fact was that the administration had already started making up their own rules and had already actively played CYA games by declaring the President above the law to do the thing it had already done by not submitting their actions to the FISA court for review.