The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux) - Page 384

Alex · 09-16-2008, 05:32 PM

For the record, I think Leo and I are making two completely different points (though attributing the source to the same cause), so don't intertwine what I said with the point he is trying to make. The instances I've been talking about aren't relevant to the instances he is talking about. My reading of what he is saying is that when he's makes arguments of a certain type/method he is told they aren't fair, or aren't appropriate, or people are insulted by it; then they go on to make arguments of the same type and when he points this out he's told it is somehow different.

My point is that there two recent instances (in my view) of direct name calling and they were handled differently (and I don't mean moderately, just generally).

We are both attributing these different situations to the same cause of the political slant on this board making one side more palatable than the other.

Shiny taco boobies (sadly, searching that phrase at google images does not produce anything comedic).

scaeagles · 09-16-2008, 05:38 PM

I think Kevy could develop some sort of image about that which would be amusing.

JWBear · 09-16-2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Wait. I believe there is a grab bag of appropriately distracting thing that "should" be said in case of overwhelming discussions:

Choose one from the following selection:

Shiny
Pass the Popcorn and/or Red Vines
Get a room
Something about a Sphincter and accouterments
Boobies
Tacos

(I feel as if I'm forgetting a few important choices - forgive me.)

Pancakes.

Alex · 09-16-2008, 06:23 PM

I feel bad for Carly Fiorina. She answered a question honestly and in a way that makes perfect sense. And yet it was incredibly stupid of her in the political realm.

When asked if Sarah Palin could run a Fortune 500 company she said, essentially, "no, but that's not what she's running for." She later expanded that none of the four names on the ticket would be candidates to run a Fortune 500 company and that is fine because it is a "fallacy" to say that running the United States is like running a Fortune 500 company.

She's absolutely right. They are not the same skill. It is kind of like asking if any of them are qualified to coach the Green Bay Packers. We actually had a VP candidate -- Jack Kemp -- who might have been but it is irrelevant.

To blunt it, she should have immediately said "and I wouldn't be able to run the country."

In a moment of pure loaded blarney, when All Things Considered ran the story they ended it with this meaningless bit of arched eyebrow "when she ran Hewlett Packard she had revenues of $80 billion. President Bush's last budget proposal was $3 trillion."

She's right, they aren't at all the same thing. Being able to work a boardroom is not the same as being able to run a government, work with an adversarial (even when of the same party) congress, fight wars, engage in international diplomacy, play the necessities of political kabuki.

But she'll be hung out to dry a bit for speaking the truth.

And to the extent that the Repubilcans talk about the story it will be to agree wtih her that running the government is nothing at all like running the country when in 2000 Bush ran as the CEO candidate, looking to put federal government on a more business-like model.

And to the extent that the Democrats talk about the story it will completely ignore how much they ridiculed in 2000 the idea that running the government is anything at all like running a country.

Strangler Lewis · 09-16-2008, 07:12 PM

The other day I saw a Prius adorned with McCain and pro-vet bumper stickers.

The day before I saw a guy in a minivan screeching around a minimall parking lot at an unsafe speed. He had an Obama bumper sticker.

And I think to myself . . . what a wonderful world.

Alex · 09-16-2008, 07:18 PM

I can understand wondering about a Prius and pro-McCain (though his daughter, who is campaigning actively for him, drives a Prius; an issue that came up recently at a Detroit stop when an autoworker asked if he has purchased this non-American car for her).

Not sure why there's dissonance between a Prius and pro-vet, though. I know plenty of pro-vet hippies.

BarTopDancer · 09-16-2008, 07:20 PM

Wasn't Bush the owner of the TX Rangers? And wasn't he a fairly decent owner?

alphabassettgrrl · 09-16-2008, 07:49 PM

I thought Bush was a terrible owner when he had the team? Maybe I'm wrong.

It was a Prius with an Obama bumper sticker that yelled at me yesterday when I rode my bike to school.

BarTopDancer · 09-16-2008, 07:55 PM

The kids don't like it when mom and dad fight.

Alex · 09-16-2008, 07:56 PM

When we were in Tahoe over the weekend we saw a giant pickup with a McCain sticker idling at a light next to a Prius with an Obama sticker.

Seemed to encapsulate all of the stereotypes.

Yes, Bush was the managing partner in the Texas Rangers ownership group for five years. No, he didn't suck. As to whether he was good, that probably depends on how you define good? He turned a $1MM investment into $10MM when he sold. And his tenure includes the original agreement that lead to the Ballpark in Arlington. But the team was around .500 through his era.

Was that asked because of my "coach the Green Bay packers" comment?

09-16-2008, 05:32 PM	#3831
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	For the record, I think Leo and I are making two completely different points (though attributing the source to the same cause), so don't intertwine what I said with the point he is trying to make. The instances I've been talking about aren't relevant to the instances he is talking about. My reading of what he is saying is that when he's makes arguments of a certain type/method he is told they aren't fair, or aren't appropriate, or people are insulted by it; then they go on to make arguments of the same type and when he points this out he's told it is somehow different. My point is that there two recent instances (in my view) of direct name calling and they were handled differently (and I don't mean moderately, just generally). We are both attributing these different situations to the same cause of the political slant on this board making one side more palatable than the other. Shiny taco boobies (sadly, searching that phrase at google images does not produce anything comedic).
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09-16-2008, 05:38 PM	#3832
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	I think Kevy could develop some sort of image about that which would be amusing.
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09-16-2008, 06:23 PM	#3834
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I feel bad for Carly Fiorina. She answered a question honestly and in a way that makes perfect sense. And yet it was incredibly stupid of her in the political realm. When asked if Sarah Palin could run a Fortune 500 company she said, essentially, "no, but that's not what she's running for." She later expanded that none of the four names on the ticket would be candidates to run a Fortune 500 company and that is fine because it is a "fallacy" to say that running the United States is like running a Fortune 500 company. She's absolutely right. They are not the same skill. It is kind of like asking if any of them are qualified to coach the Green Bay Packers. We actually had a VP candidate -- Jack Kemp -- who might have been but it is irrelevant. To blunt it, she should have immediately said "and I wouldn't be able to run the country." In a moment of pure loaded blarney, when All Things Considered ran the story they ended it with this meaningless bit of arched eyebrow "when she ran Hewlett Packard she had revenues of $80 billion. President Bush's last budget proposal was $3 trillion." She's right, they aren't at all the same thing. Being able to work a boardroom is not the same as being able to run a government, work with an adversarial (even when of the same party) congress, fight wars, engage in international diplomacy, play the necessities of political kabuki. But she'll be hung out to dry a bit for speaking the truth. And to the extent that the Repubilcans talk about the story it will be to agree wtih her that running the government is nothing at all like running the country when in 2000 Bush ran as the CEO candidate, looking to put federal government on a more business-like model. And to the extent that the Democrats talk about the story it will completely ignore how much they ridiculed in 2000 the idea that running the government is anything at all like running a country.
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09-16-2008, 07:12 PM	#3835
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	The other day I saw a Prius adorned with McCain and pro-vet bumper stickers. The day before I saw a guy in a minivan screeching around a minimall parking lot at an unsafe speed. He had an Obama bumper sticker. And I think to myself . . . what a wonderful world. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
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09-16-2008, 07:18 PM	#3836
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I can understand wondering about a Prius and pro-McCain (though his daughter, who is campaigning actively for him, drives a Prius; an issue that came up recently at a Detroit stop when an autoworker asked if he has purchased this non-American car for her). Not sure why there's dissonance between a Prius and pro-vet, though. I know plenty of pro-vet hippies.
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09-16-2008, 07:20 PM	#3837
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	Wasn't Bush the owner of the TX Rangers? And wasn't he a fairly decent owner? __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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09-16-2008, 07:49 PM	#3838
alphabassettgrrl Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,978	I thought Bush was a terrible owner when he had the team? Maybe I'm wrong. It was a Prius with an Obama bumper sticker that yelled at me yesterday when I rode my bike to school. __________________ Why cycling? Anything [sport] that had to do with a ball, I wasn't very good at. -Lance Armstrong
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09-16-2008, 07:55 PM	#3839
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	The kids don't like it when mom and dad fight. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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09-16-2008, 07:56 PM	#3840
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	When we were in Tahoe over the weekend we saw a giant pickup with a McCain sticker idling at a light next to a Prius with an Obama sticker. Seemed to encapsulate all of the stereotypes. Yes, Bush was the managing partner in the Texas Rangers ownership group for five years. No, he didn't suck. As to whether he was good, that probably depends on how you define good? He turned a $1MM investment into $10MM when he sold. And his tenure includes the original agreement that lead to the Ballpark in Arlington. But the team was around .500 through his era. Was that asked because of my "coach the Green Bay packers" comment?
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