Done with Palin and the Tea Party

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Yeah, I was thinking that they may lose this seat but overall it bodes well for them. We'll see though, I haven't looked at any polling.

[Furunculus]

since when did spam become acceptable here?

[Skullheadhq]

since when did spam become acceptable here?

Since the thread title says Palin?

[HoreTore]

than a blind shot in the dark.

Fortunately, norwegian women are quite hot, so I can leave the lights on...

Well Obama is a Scoialist, and you guys need to get over it.

Due to a year of "Obama is a socialist babyeating terroristcommie", I am no longer able to tell whether such statements are actaully serious or just jokes...

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Due to a year of "Obama is a socialist babyeating terroristcommie", I am no longer able to tell whether such statements are actaully serious or just jokes...

He obviously is a socialist though, even if he's on the Right in Europe he's the closest thing america has had to a real Socialist in about 30 years or so, it seems.

[PanzerJaeger]

Yeah, I was thinking that they may lose this seat but overall it bodes well for them. We'll see though, I haven't looked at any polling.

42-53.

[Lemur]

He obviously is a socialist though, even if he's on the Right in Europe he's the closest thing america has had to a real Socialist in about 30 years or so, it seems.

By the loose-to-nonexistant definition of "socialist" in the current dialogue, Nixon would have been Chairman Mao (see Title IX, China, etc.) and Maggie Thatcher would be Lenin (NHS, etc.). But let's not the actual, you know, meaning of words get in our way.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

By the loose-to-nonexistant definition of "socialist" in the current dialogue, Nixon would have been Chairman Mao (see Title IX, China, etc.) and Maggie Thatcher would be Lenin (NHS, etc.). But let's not the actual, you know, meaning of words get in our way.

All modern Europeans (exluding the absolute Fringe) believe in some form of state-socialism, even if it only extends to point-od-access healthcare and preventing children from dieing of poverty. Obama believes in these things, many in America don't.

America is far to the Right of Europe, to the extent that Obama has more in common with our David Cameron than David Milliband.

[Lemur]

Well, I still find it curious (to the point of absurdity) when people fling the term "socialist" at anyone to the left of Genghis Khan. There's a little point about collective ownership and nationalization of profitable businesses that somehow gets left out of the conversation. To reach an equivalent level of sloppiness and dull thinking, let's make sure to label anyone to the right of Abbie Hoffman a "fascist." I mean, really. Do words mean anything anymore? I can live with "liberal" and "conservative" being used to describe the opposite of their definitions, but this thing with "socialist" just takes the cake.

Going slightly back on-topic, here's a report on O'Donnell's operation. One-sided, but still worth a gander.

And surprising absolutely no-one, a staffer who helper her go on and on about the evils of gays just came out. For a good length of time this young man was her only aide. His story is also worth a read.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

42-53.

Delaware is a blue state though, right?

[Beskar]

Well, I still find it curious (to the point of absurdity) when people fling the term "socialist" at anyone to the left of Genghis Khan. There's a little point about collective ownership and nationalization of profitable businesses that somehow gets left out of the conversation. To reach an equivalent level of sloppiness and dull thinking, let's make sure to label anyone to the right of Abbie Hoffman a "fascist." I mean, really. Do words mean anything anymore? I can live with "liberal" and "conservative" being used to describe the opposite of their definitions, but this thing with "socialist" just takes the cake.

I have spoken to Lemur before on this and I completely agree with him, as I have said earlier, which you brought up, he has far more with the right and our conservatives, than he is to socialism in any regard. America would be a far better place if Obama was actually a socialist, he would challenge the corporations and perhaps rescue America from them.

[HoreTore]

He obviously is a socialist though, even if he's on the Right in Europe he's the closest thing america has had to a real Socialist in about 30 years or so, it seems.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.....

*ahem*



Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[Lemur]

Best. Summation. EVAR. (Contains exactly one f-bomb toward the end.)

Silly VB software won't let me embed this hilarious video. Why does it hate freedom?

[Strike For The South]

"The reason that you don't tell [people] that masturbation is the answer to AIDS and all these other problems that come with sex outside of marriage is because again, it is not addressing the issue," she said. "You're just gonna create somebody who is, I was gonna say, 'toying with his sexuality.' Pardon the pun."

So you're telling me it's this or closet muslims who want to make us commies?

I liked it better when politicians were just lying sex hounds.

[Crazed Rabbit]

And they have a plan. (Maybe)

As much of a plan as the cyclons did at any rate.

Anyways, while this woman does not seem like a good candidate, the GOP establishment did need to get beaten around the head for all their mistakes. My hope is that the platitudes about small government and small budgets will be more than lip service in the future.

CR

[Furunculus]

America would be a far better place if Obama was actually a socialist, he would challenge the corporations and perhaps rescue America from them.

that is a judgement for the american people to make.

[Vladimir]

that is a judgement for the american people to make.

No, no, it works.

*clears throat*

The UK would be a far better place if Cameron was actually a right-wing conservative; he would challenge the nanny state and prehaps rescue the British from it.

[Beskar]

The UK would be a far better place if Cameron was actually a right-wing conservative; he would challenge the nanny state and prehaps rescue the British from it.

Only question would be "What is a true right-wing conservative?" but I have no problems with you saying your comment.

[InsaneApache]

It does make you think, given the blandness of our MPs, that Common Purpose might have a point.

[gaelic cowboy]

Christine O'Donnell on human mice, lying to Nazis, and the women of Middle Earth

O'REILLY: Everybody knows that scientists have enough knowledge to clone a human being if they wanted to.

O'DONNELL: Right.

O'REILLY: But they're not, at least not that we know of. And now they're in the monkey realm. And I don't understand, if that's the possibility that people might be cured, why the objection. Because I never buy the slippery slope....

O'DONNELL: By their own admission these groups admitted that the report that said, "Hey, yay, we cloned a monkey. Now we're using this to start cloning humans." We have to...

O'REILLY: Let them admit anything they want. But they won't do that here in the United States unless all craziness is going on.

O'DONNELL: They are -- they are doing that here in the United States. American scientific companies are cross-breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains. So they're already into this experiment.

Is this real does she really think there cloning mice with fully functioning human brains.

Methinks she and the republican voters of her state have misplaced there own brains somewhere.

My favorite is this quote

O'DONNELL: A lie, whether it be a lie or an exaggeration, is disrespect to whoever you're exaggerating or lying to, because it's not respecting reality.

MAHER: Quite the opposite, it can be respect.

COMEDIAN EDDIE IZZARD: What if someone comes to you in the middle of the Second World War and says, 'do you have any Jewish people in your house?' and you do have them. That would be a lie. That would be disrespectful to Hitler....

O'DONNELL: I believe if I were in that situation, God would provide a way to do the right thing righteously. I believe that!

MAHER: God is not there. Hitler's there and you're there.

O'DONNELL: You never have to practice deception. God always provides a way out.

That sound we can all here from Delaware is the bottom of the barrel being scraped it's priceless seriously is this the best Tea party candidate in the whole state surely not

[HoreTore]

No, no, it works.

*clears throat*

The UK would be a far better place if Cameron was actually a right-wing conservative; he would challenge the nanny state and prehaps rescue the British from it.

The best part of our democracies, is that the existance of socialists makes the conservatives more able to govern, and the existance of conservatives makes the socialists more able to govern.

If they also alternate power every now and then, it becomes even better.

[Hosakawa Tito]

The Demopublicans will underestimate the tea party movement at their peril, same as the Republicrats have in the primaries. Both parties have more in common than their supposed differences suggest, but at least the tax & spend Dems are true to their ideology. The GOP talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk when in power, and are just as incapable/incompetent in governing as the Dems.
Most current pols of both parties are only concerned with keeping & increasing their own power & influence, lavishing patronage on friends & family, securing a fat pension and/or lobbying position after the political career is over. The political elite isn't so much afraid of the tea party candidates as individuals, but they do fear the awakening of the electorate that supports them. The establishment are the ones out of touch with the voters. People are pissed off to the highest level of passivity about this economy, and no incumbent from either party better take his reelection for granted. Go Carl Paladino!

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Agreed. This was a dumb move. Castle was no RINO, just a moderate.

[spmetla]

The best part of our democracies, is that the existance of socialists makes the conservatives more able to govern, and the existance of conservatives makes the socialists more able to govern.

If they also alternate power every now and then, it becomes even better.

I'll have to agree with you there, I'd hate to have a single political force in perpetual power or worse being the only option.

I also hope that this Tea Party thing becomes a regular party, that way it can siphon away the ultra conservatives that I can't stand (the Christian version Wahibism etc). If it leaves a Republican Party that is intellectual and moderate then let the fringe go, the polarization of both parties is ridiculous at best and destructive at worst.

[Furunculus]

The best part of our democracies, is that the existance of socialists makes the conservatives more able to govern, and the existance of conservatives makes the socialists more able to govern.

If they also alternate power every now and then, it becomes even better.

agreed, but it is a matter of degrees............ ;)

[HoreTore]

I'll have to agree with you there, I'd hate to have a single political force in perpetual power or worse being the only option.

I also hope that this Tea Party thing becomes a regular party, that way it can siphon away the ultra conservatives that I can't stand (the Christian version Wahibism etc). If it leaves a Republican Party that is intellectual and moderate then let the fringe go, the polarization of both parties is ridiculous at best and destructive at worst.

Indeed. McCain was too good a man to be associated with the rabble of the tea partiers, people like him do not deserve to be associated with him.

And when I say "they", I mean people like the retards who ruined the speech he made when he acknowledged defeat. That act was beyond criticism, they should all have been hanged, I say!

[Seamus Fermanagh]

So many rich sub-themes.....good thread.


1. Rory: I cannot speak for the Protestant churches, but the Catholic Church has held the view that sex within a consecrated marriage is not soley for procreation but is an expression of the couples' love for one another and, by extension, an expression of God's love. The narrow view -- menopause ends sex etc. -- has been discarded for some time now.

2. Delaware IS a "blue" state and ANY Republican has an uphill battle for a win there. GOP leadership, by taking the stance they did in the primaries, provided the grass roots conservatives of that state with a LOT of motivation to support O'Donnell. That motivation will carry into November and she will have a strong turnout of her supporters. Nor, despite the hopes of some of the leftie pundits, will there be a lot of GOP deserters voting for the Dems. The question was, is, and will be: Can the Democrats get enough of their core voters motivated to show up at the Delaware polls? If they do, then they win -- their core constituency has the numbers (and that was true for Castle as well). If they do NOT turn out that vote, then a motivated minority could achieve a plurality and she could win.

GOP hierarchy rationale pretty much ends up being: DE is liberal, so if we run a reasonably popular moderate/lib Republican the Dem core voters won't be too jazzed one way or the other and our superior organization and funding will let us win. They believe a conservative will polarize things, turn out the Dem core, and generate a defeat. By contrast, the Tea Party wing is looking at things from a different perspective. They truly believe that electing a moderate runs counter to their goals because many GOP moderates vote with the GOP on procedural issues and vote frequently with the Dems on substantive issues. The Tea Partyers view committee chairs etc. as less important than being able to filibuster without the filibuster being broken OR being able to stop an opposing filibuster.

3. Lemur: I have to agree that the USA tends to use different defs on a lot of these political labels than are actually in a dictionary. The problem is that people vote with their tongues and change meanings to suit themselves. "Humongous" is now a word and "slut" has apparently become a compliment...go figure. What you are decrying is no more than normal here in the USA -- we like our labels nicely black and white and don't want to bother with all of the manifold shades of gray in between as it takes too long for a soundbite.

4. Masturbation quotations. In my opinion, this is just one more bit of proof that politics has changed forever in the electronic world. You wil always be held accountable for everything you have ever said ever to anyone anywhere because it has been recorded and some person will gleefully post it and use it to make you look like a rectal sphincter the moment you go into politics. Therefore, we will have an even greater trend toward candidates without baggage -- which they will achieve by never having said, done, or thought anything that wasn't pablum. We are self-selecting our politicians of the future in such a manner that virtually ANYBODY of substance will avoid political office as readily as they would avoid eating a smallpox-laden petri dish Jello dessert.

[Lemur]

What you are decrying is no more than normal here in the USA -- we like our labels nicely black and white and don't want to bother with all of the manifold shades of gray in between as it takes too long for a soundbite.

I understand what you're saying, and I love the flexibility and organic growth of the English language, but ... there's more at work here. There's something downright Orwellian in the perversion of political labels, the deliberate stripping of all meaning from language in politics. "Socialist" is a great example. 90% of the people who call this politician or that policy "socialist" don't appear to know what the word means, or ever meant. The other 10% are like yourself, content to let the malapropism slide for personal, philosophical or political reasons. But perverting language is a nasty game, and it comes at a cost.

Example: I have a relative who is a very smart lady. Wildly successful business consultant, self-made fortune, reads almost as much as I do, etc. She's come under the Tea Party's spell, I'm afraid to say. And this very smart woman, whom I respect deeply, told me less than a week ago that my home state, Wisconsin, is "socialist." She was not being ironic, she was not being humorous, she was as serious as a heart attack. Somehow the birthplace of the Republican party, the #2 dairy state, the manufacturing powerhouse that is Wisconsin is "socialist."

I didn't bother arguing with her. It's as if someone tells you with a straight face that reindeer are a negro-Freemason conspiracy. It's so off-the-wall-loony that there's just no point in going into it.

But because "socialist" has been strip-mined of any meaning, this otherwise intelligent woman feels perfectly at ease using it to describe anything. Since language has stopped being a tool for communication and become a sort of political-positioning moose call, I might describe my grapefruit as "socialist" and be exactly as correct as this woman or Phillipvs. That's not the organic growth of the English language; that's forced devolution. That's the willful act of discarding meaning. That's exactly the sort of linguistic postmodernism that you would find disgusting were it used for any other purpose than scoring points for the home team.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Well I know of another word that's thoroughly post-modern by now: gay.

[PanzerJaeger]

Delaware is a blue state though, right?

Castle, the moderate Republican that O'Donnell defeated, was polling much higher than his Democratic opponent, Chris Coons. Deleware shifted from an easy Republican pick up to an easy Democratic one, and with it went the Republican chances for the Senate.

I thought we - the Right - were all working towards the same common goal, but these Tea Party rednecks seem to be operating on their own agenda. They're more interested in their own personal power instead of cleaning up the fiscal disaster the current officeholder has wrought.