General Politics Thread VI: Qwuallified For Agriculture

[caveBEAR]

http://www.theexaminingroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/boehnercrying.jpg

You guys know the drill. Here's some great sites;
http://www.google.com
http://www.wikipedia.org

And some News sites:
CNN (http://www.cnn.com/)
CQ (http://corporate.cqrollcall.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=12)
Five Thirty Eight (http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/)
Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/)
MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/)
Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/)
Kaiser Family Foundation (http://www.kff.org/)
Politico (http://www.politico.com/index.html?refresh=1)
Roll Call (http://www.rollcall.com/)
Think Progress (http://thinkprogress.org/)
White House (http://www.whitehouse.gov/)

General Thread V: The Stats
Jason Tate 625
loveisdead 562
saysmydoctor 473
BEERfortheBEAR 383
Jake Gyllenhaal 372
Simulcast 300
GeeBee 188
crackedthesky 165
Zeran 154
Scrandon 139
sjb2k1 132
Machu505 122
jwicklun 95
J.C. 91
Mitch 86
kofiadrian 78
xshady121 73
perceptrons 68
mcm1610 63
Theseventhson 63
jawstheme 50
Love As Arson 50

[Scrandon]

What's the story for the title?

[jawstheme]

Haha, love the great sites suggestions.

[GeeBee]

GeeBee cracks the top ten...

[Simulcast]

An even 300. Not bad.

[FueledByFrodo]

Subscribin'.

[loveisdead]

Haha. Google and Wikipedia.

[loveisdead]

I edited some in. Sorry to take away the humor that was google and wikipedia.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

yea, what's the origin of the title?

[jawstheme]

I find http://www.democracynow.org/ to be a good site, but a better television program.

[perceptrons]

If I recall, someone was saying how great North or South Dakota was and their go-to point was that it had agriculture.

[Alou]

I must have missed that. :(

[loveisdead]

If I recall, someone was saying how great North or South Dakota was and their go-to point was that it had agriculture.

Yeah something like that. And he spelled qualified the way it's spelled in the thread title.

[perceptrons]

I tried to find it the other day, but couldn't figure out which thread it was in.

[sjb2k1]

el oh el.

[loveisdead]

I wish people didn't care so much (http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/white-house-backs-off-of-obama-earmarks-pledge/) about earmarks.

[jwicklun]

95. Rankin'.

[jwicklun]

And I thought the FOB one would've been great.

[saysmydoctor]

I'd add Wonk Room/Yglesias to the suggested sites along with the CBO's blog. Sometimes the CBO blog is kind of technical for me, but you get a good gist.

[loveisdead]

I'd add Wonk Room/Yglesias to the suggested sites along with the CBO's blog. Sometimes the CBO blog is kind of technical for me, but you get a good gist.

I was going to add Ezra and Yglesias. But I don't wanna add them in without adding in a conservative blogger too.

[jawstheme]

I wish people didn't care so much (http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/white-house-backs-off-of-obama-earmarks-pledge/) about earmarks.

But shouldn't we care where that money is being spent?

[sjb2k1]

I wish people didn't care so much (http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/white-house-backs-off-of-obama-earmarks-pledge/) about earmarks.
they care right up until their state needs the assistance.

[loveisdead]

But shouldn't we care where that money is being spent?

If it's an earmark I personally don't care. They're necessary.

[caveBEAR]

Haha, love the great sites suggestions.

Haha. Google and Wikipedia.

:bow:

I edited some in. Sorry to take away the humor that was google and wikipedia.

No worries. I wanted to add in real ones, but was feeling sluggish, so I went the easy way out. The lulz were just a bonus.

What's the story for the title?

yea, what's the origin of the title?

I tried to find it the other day, but couldn't figure out which thread it was in.

In a thread a while back, a Lower Dakotan was trying to say that Palin was 'qwuallified (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81554752#post81554 752)' to run for President. I found this to be hilarious (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81554872#post81554 872), and wished for it to be the next General Thread title. Broken Parachute said that Lower Dakota sucked, and Lower Dakotan took offense (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81555082#post81555 082) to this. Broken Parachute told L.D. to tell us why his state doesn't suck (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81555792#post81555 792), and the first thing Low Down came up with 'agriculture, national monuments, and plenty of other great things (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81556282#post81556 282)'.

It was an amusing day.

[bNz719]

Hahaha, poor kid. Shut down on AP and lives in South Dakota.

[sjb2k1]

hahahaha holy shit how did i miss that guy
im just saying i would want a women president. she is in no way qwuallified to run any country.

[jawstheme]

If it's an earmark I personally don't care. They're necessary.

They open up the door for lobbyists, sepcial interest groups, and potential waste. While I agree they're necessary, there has to be a better way.

[loveisdead]

They open up the door for lobbyists, sepcial interest groups, and potential waste. While I agree they're necessary, there has to be a better way.

Yeah, I'd agree there's a better way. Then that should be the discussion, not "earmarks are bad" when everyone is asking for them.

[jawstheme]

Yeah, I'd agree there's a better way. Then that should be the discussion, not "earmarks are bad" when everyone is asking for them.

Agreed. From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-earmark.htm
"One of the major problems with earmarks is that they bypass traditional systems of review. A politician, for example, can designate that earmarked funds go to a particular group without bothering to see if other groups could use the money more efficiently. Earmarks may even be appropriated when they aren't needed, for projects which in no way benefit the constituency, and sometimes they amount to little more than payoffs with taxpayer funds."

The solution seems relatively simple; design a system to review earmarks based on need and efficiency.

[saysmydoctor]

The stimulus, which in large part, is essentially a lot of earmarks. Schumer secured tax credits for Upstate New Yorkers who do work on their homes to make them more energy efficient (concerning heating units and stuff). Several major roads were repaved and some beautification was done. Hackett Middle School kind of looked ratty outfront, but now with the redone sidewalks and the special patterns on the roads along with the repaving and slight traffic pattern fixes, traffic moves smoother (except when school let's out, but that's natural) and it looks nicer.

I know there's of course legendary bad ones, but I've learned it's not appropriate to paint them all with the same brush.

[*crying stars*]

Congresswoman Giffords stood up today. That's good news.

In a thread a while back, a Lower Dakotan was trying to say that Palin was 'qwuallified (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81554752#post81554 752)' to run for President. I found this to be hilarious (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81554872#post81554 872), and wished for it to be the next General Thread title. Broken Parachute said that Lower Dakota sucked, and Lower Dakotan took offense (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81555082#post81555 082) to this. Broken Parachute told L.D. to tell us why his state doesn't suck (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81555792#post81555 792), and the first thing Low Down came up with 'agriculture, national monuments, and plenty of other great things (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=81556282#post81556 282)'.

It was an amusing day.

Aww, South Dakota isn't that bad (if you don't linger too long.) My parents lived in Sioux Falls and we went back recently to see where they got married and stuff. Still can't believe that was their biggest city. So glad they moved out to California before I was born.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Aww, South Dakota isn't that bad (if you don't linger too long.) My parents lived in Sioux Falls and we went back recently to see where they got married and stuff. Still can't believe that was their biggest city. So glad they moved out to California before I was born.

South Dakota is known for one thing...

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/terminal01/2011/1/24/12/the-united-states-of-shame-29689-1295890145-21.jpg

[*crying stars*]

South Dakota is known for one thing...

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/terminal01/2011/1/24/12/the-united-states-of-shame-29689-1295890145-21.jpg

If it's any consolation, they moved from "Rape" to "Oldest State". (Really Iowa? Come on.)
Side note: Got to love Utah for being known for Porn Usage.

[Simulcast]

I want to move to Idaho now.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Bad news for Machu Matt though

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

They make a cute couple

http://www.perfil.com/export/sites/diarioperfil/img/2011/01/espectaculos/0125_belen_chapur_g.jpg_1121220956. jpg

[loveisdead]

They're interviewing Boehner on Parker/Spitzer. My god is he lame.

[Machu505]

Bad news for Machu Matt though Heart attacks got nothin' on me.

[loveisdead]

And Parker is a terrible interviewer.

[*crying stars*]

They're interviewing Boehner on Parker/Spitzer. My god is he lame.

Important question: has he bawled yet?

[neo506]

im gonna make the list for this thread! thats my goal

[neo506]

Arizona State Senator Linda Gray has weighed in (http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0111/AZ_lawmaker_Roe_v_Wade_a_factor_in_ shootings.html#) with her own special brand of crazy: Training of people to respect human life. It is ironic that today today is the day 38 years ago that the Supreme Court said we do not have to respect the life of an unborn and we have gone through now more then a generation of people, a large number of people who believe that it is fine to take an infant prior to it being born and to kill it. What type of respect is that for human life? So now we have this generation of people who have that idea and it continues on, that why respect life if we can kill an infant who can’t defend themselves. It goes back to the value in the creation of life and the respect for that life and if your not trained and have that type of character in realizing that all human life deserves respect this is what our country has come to.
Got that? Jared Loughner attempted to assassinate Rep. Gabby Giffords because abortion is legal.

[neo506]

This is astounding:

There’s another infamous shooting of a nine-year-old girl that is making headlines this week in Tucson. This time, we wonder if the rest of the media will bother to cover it. The little girl’s name was Brisenia Flores. She lived near the border with her parents and sister outside the town of Arivaca, Arizona. On May 30 of 2009, a woman named Shawna Forde, (http://crooksandliars.com/taxonomy/term/6505) who led an offshoot unit of Minutemen who ran armed border patrols (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/chilling-shawna-forde-video-patrolli) for patriotic “fun”. Forde’s gang had decided to go “operational,” which meant they concocted a scheme to raid drug smugglers and take their money and drugs and use it to finance a border race war and “start a revolution against the government” (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/some-neighborhood-watch-fordes-minut). They targeted the Flores home, which had neither money nor drugs, based on dubious information. They convinced Flores to let them in by claiming to be law-enforcement officers seeking fugitives, then shot him point-blank in the head when he questioned them and wounded his wife, Gina Gonzalez. And then, while she pleaded for her life, they shot Brisenia in cold blood in the head. (Her sister, fortunately, was sleeping over at a friend’s.)

[loveisdead]

This is astounding:

There’s another infamous shooting of a nine-year-old girl that is making headlines this week in Tucson. This time, we wonder if the rest of the media will bother to cover it. The little girl’s name was Brisenia Flores. She lived near the border with her parents and sister outside the town of Arivaca, Arizona. On May 30 of 2009, a woman named Shawna Forde, (http://crooksandliars.com/taxonomy/term/6505) who led an offshoot unit of Minutemen who ran armed border patrols (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/chilling-shawna-forde-video-patrolli) for patriotic “fun”. Forde’s gang had decided to go “operational,” which meant they concocted a scheme to raid drug smugglers and take their money and drugs and use it to finance a border race war and “start a revolution against the government” (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/some-neighborhood-watch-fordes-minut). They targeted the Flores home, which had neither money nor drugs, based on dubious information. They convinced Flores to let them in by claiming to be law-enforcement officers seeking fugitives, then shot him point-blank in the head when he questioned them and wounded his wife, Gina Gonzalez. And then, while she pleaded for her life, they shot Brisenia in cold blood in the head. (Her sister, fortunately, was sleeping over at a friend’s.)

Holy fuck.

[sjb2k1]

edit: sorry, i didn't actually read that.
what the fuck man, what the fuck.

[saysmydoctor]

I generally don't read Crooks and Liars but holy shitttttt if that's true.

[crackedthesky]

Holy shit, I was in the top ten posters? I only actually stopped by that thread like a total of three times, haha. Guess I was really worked up about something xD

[Machu505]

Killed a fucking nine year old girl. Holy shit.

[sjb2k1]

she claims the cartel did it.

[crackedthesky]

This is astounding:


There’s another infamous shooting of a nine-year-old girl that is making headlines this week in Tucson. This time, we wonder if the rest of the media will bother to cover it.The little girl’s name was Brisenia Flores. She lived near the border with her parents and sister outside the town of Arivaca, Arizona. On May 30 of 2009, a woman named Shawna Forde, (http://crooksandliars.com/taxonomy/term/6505) who led an offshoot unit of Minutemen who ran armed border patrols (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/chilling-shawna-forde-video-patrolli) for patriotic “fun”. Forde’s gang had decided to go “operational,” which meant they concocted a scheme to raid drug smugglers and take their money and drugs and use it to finance a border race war and “start a revolution against the government” (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/some-neighborhood-watch-fordes-minut). They targeted the Flores home, which had neither money nor drugs, based on dubious information. They convinced Flores to let them in by claiming to be law-enforcement officers seeking fugitives, then shot him point-blank in the head when he questioned them and wounded his wife, Gina Gonzalez. And then, while she pleaded for her life, they shot Brisenia in cold blood in the head. (Her sister, fortunately, was sleeping over at a friend’s.)

Now is not the time to be talking about making guns harder to obtain, though, right? Guess 2009 wasn't the time, either. Wonder when the magical, proverbial "time" actually is...

Here's something I'm interested in seeing:
What's the ratio of people whose lives have been saved by guns to that of people whose lives were taken by them? I'm not talking wars, but domestically.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

In addition to "What the fuck is wrong with humanity" news...

A 13 year old Pennsylvania boy may be tried as an adult (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110125/ts_alt_afp/uscrimejusticechildren). The crime? When he was 11, Jordan Brown shot his father's girlfriend (who was eight months pregnant) with a 20 gauge shot gun. After he killed her, he went off to school like what he had just done was no big deal.

[crackedthesky]

In addition to "What the fuck is wrong with humanity" news...

A 13 year old Pennsylvania boy may be tried as an adult (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110125/ts_alt_afp/uscrimejusticechildren). The crime? When he was 11, Jordan Brown shot his father's girlfriend (who was eight months pregnant) with a 20 gauge shot gun. After he killed her, he went off to school like what he had just done was no big deal.

Interestingly, the article states that he plead not guilty, but doesn't provide any kind of evidence for or against his involvement. It just mentions that nobody was home and they found a cartridge outside the house. I'm curious to see what the likelihood is, if any, that he didn't do it.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Another news story I came across today was a Virginia GOP state senator's initiative to have violent sex offenders to be castrated (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_va_sex_offenders_castration;_ylt =AlKFjIrQrS0fyyxdWLIIxw2s0NUE;_ylu= X3oDMTQyYXJzZG5mBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTE wMTI2L3VzX3ZhX3NleF9vZmZlbmRlcnNfY2 FzdHJhdGlvbgRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhc gRjcG9zAzgEcG9zAzUEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tl BHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawN 2YXNlbmF0b3JzZWU-) (as an alternative for costly prison sentences). Sex offenders (pedophiles, serial rapists) is something I tend to think cannot be rehabilitated. Not sure whether I would support this.

[crackedthesky]

Another news story I came across today was a Virginia GOP state senator's initiative to have violent sex offenders to be castrated (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_va_sex_offenders_castration;_ylt =AlKFjIrQrS0fyyxdWLIIxw2s0NUE;_ylu= X3oDMTQyYXJzZG5mBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTE wMTI2L3VzX3ZhX3NleF9vZmZlbmRlcnNfY2 FzdHJhdGlvbgRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhc gRjcG9zAzgEcG9zAzUEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tl BHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawN 2YXNlbmF0b3JzZWU-) (as an alternative for costly prison sentences). Sex offenses (pedophilia, serial rapists) is something I tend to think cannot be rehabilitated. Not sure whether I would support this.

Well, his error is in thinking that a penis is required to commit sexual crimes. Unless you're going to cut off the guy's arms and legs, cut out his eyes, and remove whatever causes the sex drive from his brain, this is just an inhumane and monumental waste of time.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Well, his error is in thinking that a penis is required to commit sexual crimes. Unless you're going to cut off the guy's arms and legs, cut out his eyes, and remove whatever causes the sex drive from his brain, this is just an inhumane and monumental waste of time.

Well, the part I am unsure of is that biologically, that a man's testicles/testosterone is what drives them to commit these acts. One theory I've heard is that in these cases, it's a sense of power and trying to have control over their victims.

[crackedthesky]

Well, the part I am unsure of is that biologically, that a man's testicles/testosterone is what drives them to commit these acts. One theory I've heard is that in these cases, it's a sense of power and trying to have control over their victims.

I'm pretty sure there's probably an immense combination of things. I'm also pretty sure that it varies depending on the person.

[loveisdead]

So sick of this snow. Holy hell.

[macabre]

So sick of this snow. Holy hell.

Seriously...

[wrppdarndyrfngr]

So sick of this snow. Holy hell.

Fuck Snow.

Subscribin'

Not even in the top General Thread posters anymore. kinda sad. fuck growing up.

[saysmydoctor]

Found this interesting.
(http://crookedtimber.org/2011/01/27/information-feudalism/)

[jwicklun]

What about female molesters? What the hell are they going to do with them?

[David87]

Super glue their vagina's shut, obviously.


Or just use a lightsaber and cauterize the wound

[jawstheme]

This is astounding:



There’s another infamous shooting of a nine-year-old girl that is making headlines this week in Tucson. This time, we wonder if the rest of the media will bother to cover it.The little girl’s name was Brisenia Flores. She lived near the border with her parents and sister outside the town of Arivaca, Arizona. On May 30 of 2009, a woman named Shawna Forde, (http://crooksandliars.com/taxonomy/term/6505) who led an offshoot unit of Minutemen who ran armed border patrols (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/chilling-shawna-forde-video-patrolli) for patriotic “fun”. Forde’s gang had decided to go “operational,” which meant they concocted a scheme to raid drug smugglers and take their money and drugs and use it to finance a border race war and “start a revolution against the government” (http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/some-neighborhood-watch-fordes-minut). They targeted the Flores home, which had neither money nor drugs, based on dubious information. They convinced Flores to let them in by claiming to be law-enforcement officers seeking fugitives, then shot him point-blank in the head when he questioned them and wounded his wife, Gina Gonzalez. And then, while she pleaded for her life, they shot Brisenia in cold blood in the head. (Her sister, fortunately, was sleeping over at a friend’s.)

Awful. I doubt this will receive much coverage in the national media.

[Zeran]

I find http://www.democracynow.org/ to be a good site, but a better television program.
i really like that site.
If I recall, someone was saying how great North or South Dakota was and their go-to point was that it had agriculture.

i still don't know why there are two dakotas.

[Zeran]

Awful. I doubt this will receive much coverage in the national media.
conservative media bias!

[bNz719]

Something like this should be in the media, regardless of bias. It seems despicable that it wouldn't be given attention because it doesn't agree with their views. But so it goes.

[jawstheme]

Something like this should be in the media, regardless of bias. It seems despicable that it wouldn't be given attention because it doesn't agree with their views. But so it goes.

If it's a rich white girl that wants to grow up and be a politician though, it's everywhere. They're both obviously tragedies, but it bothers me that one is a national story for a month, and the other is chalked up as basically, "it's sad, but it happens."

[Simulcast]

It's the same story with police. 11 policemen were shot last week, a couple of them dying, but nobody heard about it.

I'm so sick of the media.

[bNz719]

It really says a lot about the shortsightedness of the people in charge of these news outlets who decide which stories to run and which not to. And the worst part of it is the enormous effect it has on the people. Would the story be run, it'd bring a lot more awareness of what's really going on on our side of the border and there'd be absolute outrage and condemnation. Instead, events like these go unnoticed by the public. It's scary to think that most people get their news at the discretion of these types of people.

[*crying stars*]

My Politics in Policy Making Professor:

"My wife said that Michelle Bachmann must have had Botox all over her body- crazed."
"The Department of History should have called themselves what? Data. Data- that's a hip word."
"Sputnik moment- BULLSHIT."

This is going to be a great class.

[neo506]

It's ridiculous that Clarence Thomas can get by year after year denying that his wife was being paid over $100,000/year by the Heritage Foundation and yet an FBI agent who fails to disclose on his Financial Disclosure Report gets indicted (http://mississippicriminaldefenseblog.com/2010/01/15/false-statements-to-a-federal-officia/)

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

So much for political civility

http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Brock/racistlettertolee.jpg

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/rush-limbaugh-boycott-leland-yee_n_814601.html?ir=Media

[loveisdead]

I've been trying to be more civil but shit like that makes it awfully hard.

[sjb2k1]

hooray for free speech?

[saysmydoctor]

My Politics in Policy Making Professor:

"My wife said that Michelle Bachmann must have had Botox all over her body- crazed."
"The Department of History should have called themselves what? Data. Data- that's a hip word."
"Sputnik moment- BULLSHIT."

This is going to be a great class.
I'm taking a similar class, Intro to the Public Policy Process.

[neo506]

Two Republican senators are introducing a resolution that would end the constitutional right to citizenship that comes with being born on U.S. soil. (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/140723-sens-paul-and-vitter-introduce-citizenship-resolution)

Rand Paul (Ky.) and David Vitter (La.) are introducing a resolution this week that would amend the Constitution so that a person born in the United States could only become an American citizen if one or more of his or her parents is an legal citizen, legal immigrant, or member of the armed forces, according to a joint press release Thursday.
And their rationale, according to Paul? "Citizenship is a privilege, and only those who respect our immigration laws should be allowed to enjoy its benefits," Paul said. "This legislation makes it necessary that everyone follow the rules, and goes through same process to become a U.S. citizen."

[neo506]

So much for political civility

http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Brock/racistlettertolee.jpg

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/rush-limbaugh-boycott-leland-yee_n_814601.html?ir=MediaNow can we stop calling these types of things "isolated incidents"?

[Simulcast]

Now can we stop calling these types of things "isolated incidents"?

Based off of one fax and a shooting by an apolitical lunatic? Probably not.

[Machu505]

So sick of this snow. Holy hell. True that. Fuckin' ten inches in Nicholas County.

[Machu505]

Two Republican senators are introducing a resolution that would end the constitutional right to citizenship that comes with being born on U.S. soil. (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/140723-sens-paul-and-vitter-introduce-citizenship-resolution)

Rand Paul (Ky.) and David Vitter (La.) are introducing a resolution this week that would amend the Constitution so that a person born in the United States could only become an American citizen if one or more of his or her parents is an legal citizen, legal immigrant, or member of the armed forces, according to a joint press release Thursday.
And their rationale, according to Paul? "Citizenship is a privilege, and only those who respect our immigration laws should be allowed to enjoy its benefits," Paul said. "This legislation makes it necessary that everyone follow the rules, and goes through same process to become a U.S. citizen."
Wouldn't survive a court challenge. Besides, it's pretty dumb anyway.

EDIT: Nevermind, it's an amendment. Still dumb.

[FueledByFrodo]

So sick of this snow. Holy hell.
So am I. Except when I get a break from finals out of it.

[Scrandon]

DEAR RAND PAUL (FREE MARKET WACKO #1):

Doesn't the Invisible Hand of the Free Market guarantee that individuals acting in their own self-interest will maximize the common good? Aren't immigration laws just another form of the government preventing private individuals from acting in their own self-interest? Or did I miss the 'except brown people clause' in the Wealth of Nations? Aren't these two positions logically contradictory in the most basic form?

Please phrase your answer in the negation of one or more of your absurd beliefs.

Sincerely,
A concerned citizen

[sjb2k1]

victory!!! (http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/9015991/)

[Simulcast]

Anyone paying attention to Egypt?

Edit: The internet has been shut off by the government

[loveisdead]

Anyone paying attention to Egypt?

Been getting updates about it on twitter. Pretty crazy.

[Simulcast]

Thankfully #bornthiswaylyrics is still trending.

[crackedthesky]

Two Republican senators are introducing a resolution that would end the constitutional right to citizenship that comes with being born on U.S. soil. (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/140723-sens-paul-and-vitter-introduce-citizenship-resolution)

Rand Paul (Ky.) and David Vitter (La.) are introducing a resolution this week that would amend the Constitution so that a person born in the United States could only become an American citizen if one or more of his or her parents is an legal citizen, legal immigrant, or member of the armed forces, according to a joint press release Thursday.

And their rationale, according to Paul?"Citizenship is a privilege, and only those who respect our immigration laws should be allowed to enjoy its benefits," Paul said. "This legislation makes it necessary that everyone follow the rules, and goes through same process to become a U.S. citizen."


So now what constitutes a citizen? Do our babies have to take the citizenship test?
We'd have to say goodbye to America, considering most grown Americans wouldn't even pass it...

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Rahm Emanuel is back on the ballot (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/rahm-emanuel-supreme-court-decision_n_814915.html)

When Obama hosts a Youtube Town Hall, 99% of questions submitted deal with pot legalization (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/obama-youtube-pot-questions_n_814811.html)

[FueledByFrodo]

LEAP, the Drug Policy Alliance, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Students for Sensible Drug Policy and the Marijuana Policy Project released what they called a "joint" statement

I really hope that was intentional.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

I really hope that was intentional.

haha... I've been to a couple of drug policy conferences and there have been representatives from those organizations. If anything, they are quite professional with zero pot humor. Which is good if they want to be taken seriously.

[jwicklun]

Shits getting intense in Cairo.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Shits getting intense in Cairo.

Given the many problems in this country, I am still grateful that our society has not deteriorated in the form of riots and violence like Egypt and the 2009 Iran protests.

[*crying stars*]

I'm taking a similar class, Intro to the Public Policy Process.

How are you liking it so far? My professor is older and kind of crazy. I love it.

So much for political civility

http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Brock/racistlettertolee.jpg

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/rush-limbaugh-boycott-leland-yee_n_814601.html?ir=Media

I think I might throw up.

[Machu505]

Part of me doubts the veracity of that fax.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Part of me doubts the veracity of that fax.

I'm not implying that Limbaugh inspired that fax, but I believe that this particular fan of his is a downright ignorant racist who wanted to defend his favorite radio host.

[apoemtothedead]

From now on, I'm signing all my emails "Death to all Marxists! Foreign and Domestic!"

[*crying stars*]

President Obama has nominated a former Clinton administration lawyer to be a federal judge in Manhattan; he could become the first openly gay man to serve on the federal bench in the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/nyregion/28judge.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes

[J.C.]

Sorry for being tardy to the party.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

bBIh04-I-iQ

[Zeran]

why is it not surprising that absolutely 0 of the republicans on the financial crisis committee endorsed the final report?

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Joe Biden thinks The Onion's portrayal of him is hilarious (http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110128/ts_yblog_theticket/biden-thinks-the-onions-spoofs-of-him-are-hilarious)

[neo506]

Rick Perry prevailed upon Republicans to withdraw their children from the state's elementary and secondary public schools while giving a keynote address to a group of Texas conservative business leaders at a recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Houston.

While reluctantly (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1/25/938824/-Texas-governor-declares-fast-track-emergency-for-abortion-restrictions) admitting that Texas faces fiscal challenges the Governor refused to acknowledge a $30 billion deficit. It seems that Texas does not do shortfalls much less deficits. But Mr. Perry did concede that the budget was such that school funding would be deeply cut. The Governor assured those present that the solution to the school budget crunch is the creation of more affordable private Christian elementary and secondary schools.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2011/1/28/939444/-Governor-Rick-Perry-Urges-Republican-Voters-to-Abandon-Public-Schools-

[Nevuk]

is anyone watching the egyptian situation? http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[*crying stars*]

Joe Biden thinks The Onion's portrayal of him is hilarious (http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110128/ts_yblog_theticket/biden-thinks-the-onions-spoofs-of-him-are-hilarious)

Good ol' Joe. He's so chill.

[neo506]

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfqnfmKbFs1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg

[*crying stars*]

Back in the old days, Sid Caesar, for those of you old enough to remember, was called a comic genius for impersonating foreign languages that he couldn't speak. But today the left says that was racism; it was bigotry; it was insulting. And it wasn't. It was a service.

Apparently Rush sees himself as a comedian.

[loveisdead]

Apparently Rush sees himself as a comedian.

He's also sacrificing a great deal of legal precedent to make his point.

Edit: Meh, I'm exaggerating.

[neo506]

Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.
For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.)
As Baumann points out, the legislation would even forbid families of rape victims to use tax-free health savings accounts to pay for the abortions.


http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion

[*crying stars*]

Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law. For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.)
As Baumann points out, the legislation would even forbid families of rape victims to use tax-free health savings accounts to pay for the abortions.


http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion

Other types of rapes that would no longer be covered by the exemption include rapes in which the woman was drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes. "There are a lot of aspects of rape that are not included," Levenson says. As for the incest exception, the bill would only allow federally funded abortions if the woman is under 18.


This is disgusting.

[FueledByFrodo]

Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law. For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.)
As Baumann points out, the legislation would even forbid families of rape victims to use tax-free health savings accounts to pay for the abortions.


http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion
Fuck Chris Smith. I hate my district.

[Machu505]

Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.
For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.)
As Baumann points out, the legislation would even forbid families of rape victims to use tax-free health savings accounts to pay for the abortions.


http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion And to think I was cautiously optimistic about the 112th Congress. At least my Republican lawmaker didn't cosponsor this.

[loveisdead]

That bill is absurd.

[J.C.]

We should let the free market decide what is and isn't rape.

#boldnewconservativeideas

[jawstheme]

^ hahahahaha, nice.

[bNz719]

7.04pm GMT: Thanks Haroon, this is Richard Adams in the Guardian's bureau in Washington DC, where there has been an abrupt change in attitudes towards events in Egypt today.

The main US cable news networks had given Egypt minimal coverage so far this week, partly because of the time difference but also because of the president's state of the union address on Tuesday night absorbing so much energy.

That has all changed today, with the the extraordinary scenes from Egypt filling America's TV screens – even if the early morning bulletins were more interested in Charlie Sheen's hernia.

The exception has been Fox News, where coverage has been more muted. "You probably don't give a lot of time thinking about Egypt," a Fox News presenter suggested about an hour ago, before explaining that "groups linked to al-Qaida" were in danger of taking over the government in Cairo.

[jawstheme]

And now I'm back to being pissed about conservative idiots.

[jwicklun]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/The-day-part-of-the-Internet-apf-1092937415.html?x=0
Eygpt is partly disconnected from the internet.

[neo506]

Jon Stewart appointed to 9/11 museum board (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/nyregion/28stewart.html).

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Apparently Rush sees himself as a comedian.

That's the thing I don't get about talk radio hosts (primarily Limbaugh and Beck)... when they say controversial things, they use the defense that it was all in the name of entertainment and comedy. Yet, when they rant about Obama's policies, it's all in the name of political debate. Even Limbaugh addresses the beginning of each show as "The Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies". I guess conservatives study how to mock a world language.

[loveisdead]

Thought this was a good read (http://socialistworker.org/2011/01/28/standing-up-for-justice)

[bNz719]

Fantastic article - in particular, the last few sections.

[loveisdead]

Fantastic article - in particular, the last few sections.

I honestly couldn't tell you a favorite section. I thought about copy and pasting so many different parts.

[Love As Arson]

In his speech Tuesday, Obama signaled that a drastic and permanent reduction in working class living standards is at the center of his strategy to double exports within five years. What does “making the US competitive” with low-wage countries such as China and India mean in the context of an economic policy that equates “growth” and “job-creation” with boosting corporate profits? It means shrinking the labor cost gap between the US and these emerging market countries by reducing US wages, pensions and benefits and intensifying speedup on the job.
Obama sought to evoke the aura of Kennedy and the 1960s space race, declaring that globalization and the rise of China had created “our generation’s Sputnik moment.” This was an entirely cynical attempt to make the case for unity and sacrifice in answer to a new challenge to the nation as a cover for an actual policy of class warfare against the vast majority conducted in the interests of a small, aristocratic minority.
Under Obama’s program―dubbed “winning the future”―all the sacrificing will be done by the working class. It will be devastated by cuts in social spending (a five-year freeze in non-defense discretionary spending) followed by attacks on the basic entitlement programs―Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
The rich will get a further cut in their tax rates (in the name of “simplifying” the tax code) and an even bigger share of the national wealth.
“We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business,” Obama proclaimed, echoing the remarks of President Calvin Coolidge that the “business of America is business.” Obama has unashamedly turned the White House into a branch office of JPMorgan Chase or General Electric. Indeed, in the run-up to the speech he appointed multi-millionaire JPMorgan executive William Daley as his White House chief of staff and put General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt in charge of the newly created Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
In 2008, powerful financial and political interests maneuvered to channel popular anger against the Bush administration and its militarist and pro-business policies behind the Obama campaign. In 2010, the ruling class manipulated the mid-term elections―exploiting widespread popular disillusionment over the betrayal of Obama’s campaign promises and disgust with his right-wing policies―to engineer a Republican victory and justify a further lurch to the right by Obama.
The entire experience of this administration proves the undemocratic character of the two-party system and its complete subordination to the financial oligarchy.

http://wsws.org/articles/2011/jan2011/pers-j27.shtml

[bNz719]

I honestly couldn't tell you a favorite section. I thought about copy and pasting so many different parts.

Yeah, it was great all throughout. I'm actually interested in reading some of his books now to be honest.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Right-wing billionaires to have a circle jerk in Palm Springs (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/koch-brothers-gather-billionaires_n_815719.html#s232309&title=Rush_Limbaugh).

[loveisdead]

Yeah, it was great all throughout. I'm actually interested in reading some of his books now to be honest.

I've been dragging my way through A People's History. It's fascinating. I need to get on the ball and finish it.

[JuneJuly]

Was Michele Bachmann really suggesting that America is going to end during this generation?

In the same speech that she said that our founders worked tirelessly to end slavery? ;-)

[loveisdead]

Ayn Rand is a huge hypocrite (http://boingboing.net/2011/01/28/ayn-rand-took-govern.html)

[loveisdead]

Why Bachmann was looking at the wrong camera (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/michele-bachmann-response-video_n_815622.html)
The reason, it appears, is that Bachmann delivered her speech to TeaPartyHD's camera, which had the teleprompter she used. But most of the world -- well, nation -- saw the footage shot by network cameras that were allowed to video the speech.

[loveisdead]

:lol: Glenn Beck (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/glenn-beck-chris-matthews-bachmann_n_815610.html)

[*crying stars*]

:lol: Glenn Beck (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/glenn-beck-chris-matthews-bachmann_n_815610.html)

She can win the Presidency? For all of our sakes, let's hope not.
Also, did not know he thought that the three-fifths clause was put in place to end slavery.WOW.

[loveisdead]

What Beck says at the end of that rant just fucking infuriated me. Oh my God you stupid fuck.

[jwicklun]

I found it humorous that he legitimately thought Bachman had a chance of being the next president.

[loveisdead]

She can win the Presidency? For all of our sakes, let's hope not.
Also, did not know he thought that the three-fifths clause was put in place to end slavery.WOW.

Wait til you hear what he says at the end.

[loveisdead]

Is nobody else heated that GLENN BECK is telling CHRIS MATTHEWS to watch his tone because a crazy might take what CHRIS MATTHEWS says the wrong way?

[Love As Arson]

lol:

An interview recently surfaced that was conducted in 1998 by the Ayn Rand Institute with a social worker who says she helped Rand and her husband, Frank O’Connor, sign up for Social Security and Medicare in 1974.

Federal records obtained through a Freedom of Information act request confirm the Social Security benefits. A similar FOI request was unable to either prove or disprove the Medicare claim.

Between December 1974 and her death in March 1982, Rand collected a total of $11,002 in monthly Social Security payments. O’Connor received $2,943 between December 1974 and his death in November 1979.

http://www.cynical-c.com/?p=21253&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

[loveisdead]

lol:



http://www.cynical-c.com/?p=21253&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

Haha I posted this a few posts up. Fuck her.

[caveBEAR]

A conservative hypocrite? Color me 'shocked'.

[Simulcast]

A conservative hypocrite? Color me 'shocked'.

She wasn't a conservative. Not in the least bit.

[Love As Arson]

Haha I posted this a few posts up. Fuck her.
Her hypocrisy is annoying. What I find more annoying is, how she managed to convince people that her simplistic philosophy is insightful. Her arguments wouldn't even be acceptable in a high school paper.

[loveisdead]

Her hypocrisy is annoying. What I find more annoying is, how she managed to convince people that her simplistic philosophy is insightful. Her arguments wouldn't even be acceptable in a high school paper.

Do you have any links or thoughts of your own about your problems with her?

[Love As Arson]

Do you have any links or thoughts of your own about your problems with her?
As it pertains to her fiction, I just found the writing atrocious. Her ideas themselves either do not make sense in reality or neglects the concrete relations of capital and its situation with regard the other facets of human life. One of her characters says something about never asking another man to live for his sake, and he asks the same courtesy; however, what is capitalism but the capitalist forcing individuals into relations that benefit their profits? Sure, one could go elsewhere, but these relations are pervasive and one must expend most of their time in settings that they have no control over, for profits they do not get in return. Her affinity for reason and rationalism leave a bad taste in my mouth, for those terms have within them preconceived notions regarding a normal state of affairs,e.g., it is reasonable to have hierarchy or "rational division of labor". More importantly, her entire argument for the kind of government we need is essentially authoritarian. The government exists to protect individual rights, yet in capitalism one's rights are equivalent with the amount of wealth or property one has. Generally speaking, wealth is concentrated in the hands of small portion of the population, so that small portion requires armed force to protect it from the masses, on whom they've built their fortunes. In her mind, workers holding their workplace hostage for better wages or engaging in a general strike should be met with appropriate physical force, for the act of a worker asserting their power is an assault on the material circumstances of those who have, through their own force of will, managed to become part of the elite.

[loveisdead]

Thanks for that, Dom.

[Scrandon]

Ugh, God, it's not that big of a deal. People who are critical of capitalism still live off wages and the like. I don't like Ayn Rand, am not trying to defend her, but come on.

[loveisdead]

Ugh, God, it's not that big of a deal. People who are critical of capitalism still live off wages and the like. I don't like Ayn Rand, am not trying to defend her, but come on.

There's a bit of a difference.

[Scrandon]

There's a bit of a difference.
I mean, isn't she just getting her own money back out of Social Security? I don't see the big deal.

[caveBEAR]

She wasn't a conservative. Not in the least bit.

My apologies, I should have worded that better;

Wow, someone modern conservatives salivate over being hypocritical to the modern conservative belief structure, what a surprize.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

I thought she was considered libertarian

[caveBEAR]

I thought she was considered libertarian

All I know is the Glenn Beck/Alex Jones types tend to go nuts for her.

[loveisdead]

I gave her her own thread.

[caveBEAR]

I gave her her own thread.

I can't wait for the Google search trolls to flood that thread. Should be great for :popcorn: & :lol:

[loveisdead]

I can't wait for the Google search trolls to flood that thread. Should be great for :popcorn: & :lol:

Her ghost should come and delete the thread if she truly doesn't believe in handouts.

[loveisdead]

A Marxist explanation (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n03/benjamin-kunkel/how-much-is-too-much?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=3303) for the financial crisis.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Somebody's got a crush on Sarah Palin (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/29/jimmy-mcmillan-sarah-pali_n_815871.html)

[loveisdead]

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to have weekly discussions? Not like abortion and the typical stuff, but something like the Ayn Rand thing.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to have weekly discussions? Not like abortion and the typical stuff, but something like the Ayn Rand thing.

Other than Ayn Rand, what type of discussions are you thinking of? When you posted that question, I thought about the type of feature articles Slate.com does. They usually take current topics and turn it into a discussion for the readers to think about.

[loveisdead]

Other than Ayn Rand, what type of discussions are you thinking of? When you posted that question, I thought about the type of feature articles Slate.com does. They usually take current topics and turn it into a discussion for the readers to think about.

We did this in my sociology class senior year. It was a once a week course and each week he wrote a topic on the board, asked us to pick sides and then debate. I have some topics in mind that we used in the class.

[loveisdead]

Also, I think it would be a good way to attract users who don't come in too often.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

We did this in my sociology class senior year. It was a once a week course and each week he wrote a topic on the board, asked us to pick sides and then debate. I have some topics in mind that we used in the class.

For the past two and a half years when I was taking graduate courses, I worked for a institute on campus dealing with policy issues. Topics we worked on was regarding services for children of incarcerated parents, drug policy, incarcerating 16 and 17 year old offenders as adults, truancy prevention, racial and ethnic disparity in the criminal justice system, re-entry programs for convicted criminals once they leave prison, etc. Much of the discussion would be about whether these programs would save taxpayers in the long run (i.e. taxing and regulating drug consumption, saving money it would cost to incarcerate certain offenders). The children of incarcerated parents project was one thing I was heavily involved in. The argument being that by providing mentors / social support for these children, it will deter children from leading the life of crime like their parent.

[caveBEAR]

From listening to the old members at the hotel/golf club I work at, I've come to the conclusion that whenever someone refers to 'the government' as if it's one all-knowing, cohesive unit...they're going to follow it with a really, really fucking stupid statement.

[neo506]

VFW WILL DEFEAT BACHMANN PLAN
"NO WAY, NO HOW, WILL WE LET THIS PROPOSAL GET ANY TRACTION IN CONGRESS."


WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2011 — America's oldest and largest major combat veterans' organization announced it will do everything within its power to defeat a plan introduced by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) to cut $4.5 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"No way, no how, will we let this proposal get any traction in Congress," said Richard L. Eubank, the national commander of the 2.1 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and its Auxiliaries.
On her website, the three-term congresswoman lists more than $400 billion in suggestions to cut federal spending. The VA suggestion would cap increases to VA healthcare spending, and reduce disability compensation to account for Social Security Disability Insurance payments — in other words, an offset. She says her plan is intended to generate discussion.



http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/VFW-Will-Defeat-Bachmann-Plan/

[Scrandon]

From listening to the old members at the hotel/golf club I work at, I've come to the conclusion that whenever someone refers to 'the government' as if it's one all-knowing, cohesive unit...they're going to follow it with a really, really fucking stupid statement.
And when people like that talk about the possibilities of government infringing upon your rights, they never allow for the possibility that anyone else would in the absence.

[Zeran]

a somewhat scathing critique of obama and the state of the union (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-bromwich/obama-incorporated_b_815756.html)

[wrppdarndyrfngr]

So I might be a government employee sometime in the next 2 months. Trying to not rest all my hopes on it.

Also in other personal news I now have smartphone that can access the internet. Wooo welcome to 2007.

[loveisdead]

Probably a late pass, but I think this is hilarious.
l1Zb-Y5A3Vg

[perceptrons]

So I might be a government employee sometime in the next 2 months. Trying to not rest all my hopes on it.

Also in other personal news I now have smartphone that can access the internet. Wooo welcome to 2007.
With a smartphone? More like welcome to 2004.

[caveBEAR]

I still use a Samsung flip-phone - no internet access.

Fuck the future.

[Simulcast]

I still use a Samsung flip-phone - no internet access.

Fuck the future.

Word. I'm not planning on having a data phone for a very long time.

[caveBEAR]

Word. I'm not planning on having a data phone for a very long time.

I have no need for that shit. If I'm not near my laptop, then I'm doing something that requires me not to stare at Facebook.

[Simulcast]

Exactly.

[wrppdarndyrfngr]

With a smartphone? More like welcome to 2004.

Just got the evo shift 4g yesterday. Trying to get used to it.

Haha ya I'm an late adopter.

[AdamJL]

<3 Liberal youtubers
bOea1lR2b6E

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Bill O'Reilly to John Boehner (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/29/oreilly-boehner-crying-credbility_n_815784.html): "Listen, John... you have to keep your emotions under control. You're hurting your credibility"

John Boehner (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/30/boehner-no-apologies-for-tears/): "I'll cry if I want to cry! You're not my dad!"

[*crying stars*]

"It's a bad habit, but I have it. And it's a legal product," Boehner said. "I choose to smoke. Leave me alone."

Then he burst into tears.

[knash9]

Also, I think it would be a good way to attract users who don't come in too often.

I'd be down for it. I don't post in here but I lurk it and I'll post more with the weekly topics

[loveisdead]

I'd be down for it. I don't post in here but I lurk it and I'll post more with the weekly topics

Thanks for the feedback. It's done in a few other places throughout the site so I don't see any reason to not try it here. I'll start one next Monday after the ayn rand thread dies down and see how it's received.

[loveisdead]

Ha. I never knew this site existed.
http://www.krugmaniswrong.com/

[knash9]

Thanks for the feedback. It's done in a few other places throughout the site so I don't see any reason to not try it here. I'll start one next Monday after the ayn rand thread dies down and see how it's received.

No problem and I need to start posting in here

[bNz719]

Not sure if anyone else caught 60 Minutes' segment on Julian Assange tonight, but I thought it was fantastic. My respect for both Julian Assange and what he's doing and for Steve Kroft as an interviewer has grown.
Link (http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7300034n&tag=contentMain;contentAux) if you're interested.

[Matt Chylak]

Fox "forgets" where Egypt is located
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907270040

[caveBEAR]

http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/images/item/live-20090727.jpg

[J.C.]

I remember when we invaded Egypt.

[jwicklun]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/31/sarah-palin-media-boycott-blamed-egypt_n_816159.html
My God, this woman is horribly stupid.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/31/sarah-palin-media-boycott-blamed-egypt_n_816159.html
My God, this woman is horribly stupid.


The level of narcissism of that woman is astounding

[jwicklun]

Let's make this incident about me! Me! Me! Me!

[neo506]

Tom McClintock (R-CA) has introduced H.R. 421 (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h421/show) – "To require that the Government prioritize all obligations on the debt held by the public in the event that the debt limit is reached."

This bill would prioritize payments to China and our other creditors over our own citizens should Congress not raise the debt ceiling.

According to Talking Points Memo (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/pay-china-first----republicans-wild-plan-to-avoid-us-debt-default.php?ref=fpblg), Pat Toomey (R-PA) will do the same in the Senate.

If passed, the plan would require the government to cut large checks to foreign countries, and major financial institutions, before paying off its obligations to Social Security beneficiaries and other citizens owed money by the Treasury -- that is, if the U.S. hits its debt ceiling.

[neo506]

Nearly half of the Republican Primary voters who support Sarah Palin say they are at least somewhat likely to vote for a third-party candidate if she does not win the GOP presidential nomination.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey (http://nation.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/31/rasmussen-third-party-problem-palin-voters) finds that 46% of Likely Republican Primary Voters who favor Palin say they are at least somewhat likely to vote third-party if she isn't nominated. That includes 22% who say it is Very Likely.


Rasmussen also says (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/january_2011/46_of_gop_primary_voters_who_favor_ palin_might_back_third_party_option _if_she_isn_t_nominated) that one-third of GOP primary voters say Palin is the nominee they'd least like to see at the top of the GOP ticket. So at the same time that Palin backers are threatening to bolt if she isn't the nominee, a huge chunk of the party is saying they really don't want Palin as their nominee.

[loveisdead]

Nearly half of the Republican Primary voters who support Sarah Palin say they are at least somewhat likely to vote for a third-party candidate if she does not win the GOP presidential nomination.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey (http://nation.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/31/rasmussen-third-party-problem-palin-voters) finds that 46% of Likely Republican Primary Voters who favor Palin say they are at least somewhat likely to vote third-party if she isn't nominated. That includes 22% who say it is Very Likely.


Rasmussen also says (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/january_2011/46_of_gop_primary_voters_who_favor_ palin_might_back_third_party_option _if_she_isn_t_nominated) that one-third of GOP primary voters say Palin is the nominee they'd least like to see at the top of the GOP ticket. So at the same time that Palin backers are threatening to bolt if she isn't the nominee, a huge chunk of the party is saying they really don't want Palin as their nominee.


Eh don't expect that many to follow through with it. Hillary supporters were the same way and a decent chunk came around.

[*crying stars*]

http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/images/item/live-20090727.jpg

:rotfl:

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

It's going to be a busy weekend for child sex traffickers in Texas (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110131/us_nm/us_nfl_superbowl_sex;_ylt=AhGG0ufk5 oDWH.Se9_V02Eys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvbm 1oamJzBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTEwMTMxL3VzX 25mbF9zdXBlcmJvd2xfc2V4BGNjb2RlA21v c3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDOARwb3MDNQRwdAN ob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2 xpc3QEc2xrA3N1cGVyYm93bGFtYQ--).

[Scrandon]

That's disgusting

[saysmydoctor]

The Super Bowl? Really? Alright...

[jwicklun]

.....Wow.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Many potential 2012 Republican candidates have some sort of baggage that will no doubt be exploited (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013003972.html) during the Republican primary season.

[J.C.]

It's going to be a busy weekend for child sex traffickers in Texas (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110131/us_nm/us_nfl_superbowl_sex;_ylt=AhGG0ufk5 oDWH.Se9_V02Eys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvbm 1oamJzBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTEwMTMxL3VzX 25mbF9zdXBlcmJvd2xfc2V4BGNjb2RlA21v c3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDOARwb3MDNQRwdAN ob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2 xpc3QEc2xrA3N1cGVyYm93bGFtYQ--).

Business won't be as booming now that Lawrence Taylor is off the streets.

[neo506]

Many potential 2012 Republican candidates have some sort of baggage that will no doubt be exploited (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013003972.html) during the Republican primary season.I cant wait for Santorum to run. The slogans and taglines will be hilarious

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Business won't be as booming now that Lawrence Taylor is off the streets.

In the comment section of that article, someone wrote something to the extent that Ben Roethlisberger will no doubt take advantage of his time there.

[Jason Tate]

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion

Congress is still 86% men, right?

[jwicklun]

That's insanely shameful.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

GOP definition of rape: "We both had a couple gin & tonics. I don't see what the big deal is. Let's just call it surprise sex"

[*crying stars*]

This scares the living shit out of me. The redefinition of rape (if it fucking passes) will have ramifications on rape laws.

I will have no rights if anything (god forbid) happens to me. It's almost enough for me to support that castration bill that one Congressman was pushing for.

[Nuns On A Bus]

Sen Schumer apparently thinks that the three branches of government are the House, the Senate, and the President. ("http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG0Jpu9geWY&feature=player_embedded)

[J.C.]

Judicial can suck a peen.

[sjb2k1]

oh shit, i so want to go
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/01/5966584-dems-choose-charlotte-for-2012-convention

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/2d3d30d5-a601-46f4-b910-21c9458f4dc6.jpg

[bNz719]

:lol:

[sjb2k1]

what lawyer would actually take her case? haha

[saysmydoctor]

Sen Schumer apparently thinks that the three branches of government are the House, the Senate, and the President. (http://%22http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG0Jpu9geWY&feature=player_embedded)
On the same day the Courts reared their ugly heads...

[saysmydoctor]

I wish I hadn't paid for all this.
(http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/02/tampas-teco-streetcar-line-may-be-the-little-engine-that-could.html)

[jwicklun]

My God listening to Fox and Friends complain about Superman being played by a Brit has to be the most annoying thing ever. God they are so fucking stupid.

[Jason Tate]

My God listening to Fox and Friends complain about Superman being played by a Brit has to be the most annoying thing ever. God they are so fucking stupid.
Seriously?

:hitself:

[jwicklun]

Seriously?

:hitself:

And about Spiderman being a Brit, and Captain America being filmed in England. I know there has been instances where they have shown even greater stupidity, but by God this makes me want to bang my head on a desk full of thumb tacks, just so I can feel something else than the utter stupidity I had to hear/watch.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

I wonder if they also complained when Batman Begins came out.

[*crying stars*]

I doubt Fox and Friends figured out Christian Bale was a Brit until recently since he used to do his interviews in his American accent to "not confuse the viewer."

[loveisdead]

What's the website that lists all those statistics about Israel and Palestine? It was posted somewhere in here awhile ago and I can't find it.

[loveisdead]

Nevermind haha. I found it.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Holy shit... there's still a living WWI veteran (and he just turned 110) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/frank-buckles-the-last-ww_n_817147.html)

[Machu505]

Holy shit... there's still a living WWI veteran (and he just turned 110) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/frank-buckles-the-last-ww_n_817147.html) Lives in West Virginia too. Charles Town, fuck yeah.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Now that Egypt President Hosni Mubarak announced he will no longer seek re-election, sources are suggesting that Wyclef Jean will announce his intention to run for president of Egypt.

[apoemtothedead]

Now that Egypt President Hosni Mubarak announced he will no longer seek re-election, sources are suggesting that Wyclef Jean will announce his intention to run for president of Egypt.
Ha!

[*crying stars*]

Found this interesting, the Top 30 cable news programs for January (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/cable-news-ratings-top-30_4_n_817182.html#s233787&title=1_The_OReilly).
Obviously, Fox dominates the Top 15 or so. O'Reilly was number one, and his 11pm repeat was number 11.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Found this interesting, the Top 30 cable news programs for January (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/cable-news-ratings-top-30_4_n_817182.html#s233787&title=1_The_OReilly).
Obviously, Fox dominates the Top 15 or so. O'Reilly was number one, and his 11pm repeat was number 11.

Retired baby boomers like to watch TV

[Zeran]

Now that Egypt President Hosni Mubarak announced he will no longer seek re-election, sources are suggesting that Wyclef Jean will announce his intention to run for president of Egypt.
burn.

[loveisdead]

Any of you guys dealing with this icy shit please be careful on your commute. It's terrible outside.

[David87]

Retired baby boomers like to watch TV


This.

The average viewing age of Fox News is something like 59 or 60something.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Any of you guys dealing with this icy shit please be careful on your commute. It's terrible outside.

Good news... Punxatawney Phil predicts an early spring.

[neo506]

Found this interesting, the Top 30 cable news programs for January (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/cable-news-ratings-top-30_4_n_817182.html#s233787&title=1_The_OReilly).
Obviously, Fox dominates the Top 15 or so. O'Reilly was number one, and his 11pm repeat was number 11.Interestingly, Fox News suffered the biggest ratings decline (http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/january-2011-ratings-fox-news-on-top-for-9-years-beats-msnbc-cnn-combined_b51100) of all the cable news networks from January 2010 to January 2011 (-21% in Total Viewers and -31% in younger viewers)

Glenn Beck was particularly hard hit. He lost 40% of his total audience and fully half of viewers in the critical 25-54 year old demo. And he is still losing advertisers as well.

[caveBEAR]

Interestingly, Fox News suffered the biggest ratings decline (http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/january-2011-ratings-fox-news-on-top-for-9-years-beats-msnbc-cnn-combined_b51100) of all the cable news networks from January 2010 to January 2011 (-21% in Total Viewers and -31% in younger viewers)

Glenn Beck was particularly hard hit. He lost 40% of his total audience and fully half of viewers in the critical 25-54 year old demo. And he is still losing advertisers as well.

You can only scream that the sky is falling for so long before people realize it's still up there.

[crackedthesky]

Maybe they finally scared their viewers to death. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

[neo506]

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lg06dalS421qa8syoo1_r1_500.p ng (http://www.theonion.com/articles/republicans-vote-to-repeal-obamabacked-bill-that-w,19025/)

Click Through for the article

[neo506]

Michele Bachmann: Naked pictures of me could show up on the Internet

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) recently announced her opposition to the federal Transportation Security Administration's full-body scanners due to worries that "naked pictures" of herself could somehow end up on the internet for the world to see after being screened.

According to MinnPost, Bachamann told patrons at an Iowa coffee shop that she planned on opting out of such security procedures in order to avoid the possibility that such exposing images could end up online.

http://www.americablog.com/2011/02/michele-bachmann-naked-pictures-of-me.html

[Jason Tate]

No one wants to see that.

[neo506]

Last month, Bill O’Reilly argued that God exists because there is no explanation for the tides. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/06/oreilly-god-causes-tides_n_805262.html) Well, someone took the five seconds it takes to explain to Bill O’Reilly that it’s actually the moon’s gravity that sets the tides in motion. Bill O’Reilly quickly fired back at the “pinheads” with an airtight retort: How did the moon get there? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyHzhtARf8M&feature=player_embedded)

In case O’Reilly wants to humor himself with the answer, Bad Astronomy has a pretty thorough rebuttal (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/01/31/bill-oreilly-tidal-bore/).

[caveBEAR]

Michele Bachmann: Naked pictures of me could show up on the Internet

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) recently announced her opposition to the federal Transportation Security Administration's full-body scanners due to worries that "naked pictures" of herself could somehow end up on the internet for the world to see after being screened.

According to MinnPost, Bachamann told patrons at an Iowa coffee shop that she planned on opting out of such security procedures in order to avoid the possibility that such exposing images could end up online.

http://www.americablog.com/2011/02/michele-bachmann-naked-pictures-of-me.html

:shudder:

That's the best reason I've heard so far for ditching the scanners.

[jwicklun]

Bill O'Reilly is just digging himself a bigger hole. Jesus Christ.

[perceptrons]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fiMAJ8jeK0U/TSe5gZQodbI/AAAAAAAAADk/pW3JuDqmML4/s1600/Tides.jpg

[caveBEAR]

:appl:

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Senate Democrat block health care repeal vote

[jwicklun]

Amazing.

[Jason Tate]

Wait, you're saying congress can mandate that we all purchase non-imprisonment from the IRS on an annual basis?

[J.C.]

Last month, Bill O’Reilly argued that God exists because there is no explanation for the tides. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/06/oreilly-god-causes-tides_n_805262.html) Well, someone took the five seconds it takes to explain to Bill O’Reilly that it’s actually the moon’s gravity that sets the tides in motion. Bill O’Reilly quickly fired back at the “pinheads” with an airtight retort: How did the moon get there? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyHzhtARf8M&feature=player_embedded)

In case O’Reilly wants to humor himself with the answer, Bad Astronomy has a pretty thorough rebuttal (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/01/31/bill-oreilly-tidal-bore/).

Bill seems to indicate he'd have a harder time believing in God if Mars had a moon, so I'm sure his disbelief will double upon learning that it has two.

[saysmydoctor]

Wait, you're saying congress can mandate that we all purchase non-imprisonment from the IRS on an annual basis?
I saw that and laughed a lot.

[neo506]

Court rules free Internet porn not unfair to pay sites (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/02/appeals-court-free-porn-isnt-unfair-competition-to-pay-sites.ars)

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Court rules free Internet porn not unfair to pay sites (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/02/appeals-court-free-porn-isnt-unfair-competition-to-pay-sites.ars)

The Constitution shall rule in favor of my love for porn star Gianna Michaels.

[sjb2k1]

so, 5 dead in Egypt today. sad, but part of history in the making.

[bNz719]

The army needs to step up and defend the people against the pro-Mubarak policemen who are attacking the protesters.
I don't know if that will happen, but if it does, it's going to be interesting to see how long Mubarak will stay in power afterwards.

[Simulcast]

So much for "new tone"...

E3ctO7fdrcc

Wonderful people.

[loveisdead]

At least it's congruent with my thought that anyone who wears a Cowboy hat sucks.

[jawstheme]

Except Clint Eastwood westerns.

[sjb2k1]

wow, put him back in the fields?