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[Flying_Phoenix]

I rememer I use to consider something in which the political parties would be out of government and into a home. Like trying to find a way so that its the voters who "unionize" in a way and form their own parties but politicans can't affliate themselves to a particular party. Imagine that say OWS united a bit further or the Tea Party and the leaders of those movements list politicians they recommend and vote for and thus the people vote for them.

Spoiler

Then reality came to me.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

So now Huma Abedin's life has been threatened because of Michelle Bachmann's idocy. Can she be sued or thrown out of congress for this?

 

[Blergmeister]

Objectively, I support proportional representation with reasonable thresholds for representation. PR is inclusive which may enhance satisfaction with democracy. And I would support electoral reform in the U.S. if it were accompanied by broader institutional reform. Presently, I am reluctant to introduce additional political parties into our system. Our current institutional environs is not propitious for the consensus building a more diverse party system might necessitate. Honestly, I think if we introduced minority parties into our present system, the problems would only be compounded.

I am curious to what sort of change you would support? From your statement it seems you have somthing in mind as an ideal outcome but are reluctant due to pragmatic concerns? Can you explain your postion more thoroughly?

 

[Aaron Strife]

So now Huma Abedin's life has been threatened because of Michelle Bachmann's idocy. Can she be sued or thrown out of congress for this?

Unfortunately i think the only thing that can throw her out of Congress is the voters of the sixth district themselves. I'm really hoping this is the one.

I guess Abedin (as well as Keith Ellison) could sue Bachmann for slander as well.

 

[Loudninja]

Obama Campaign To Host Fundraiser With ‘The Wire’ Castmembers

Castmembers from the defunct HBO series ‘The Wire’ will headline a fundraiser for President Obama in Martha’s Vineyard next month, the Sunlight Foundation reports. The event will be hosted at the home of “Judy and Ron Davenport,” the site reports, and tickets cost between $500-$2,500.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.c...aign-to-host-fundraiser-with-wire-castmembers

 

[PhoenixDark]

Obama Campaign To Host Fundraiser With ‘The Wire’ Castmembers

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.c...aign-to-host-fundraiser-with-wire-castmembers

I'm a big fan of The Wire but this sounds so dumb, especially given Obama's stance on the war on drugs.

I'm guessing David Simon won't be attending ha

 

[tranciful]

As I have suggested in the past - we should ban organized political parties and make people run on their merits.

I think getting the money out of politics and adopting the alternative vote would both help make 'merits' much more important in politics.

-Alternative vote system so we're not forced to vote for the lesser of two evils
-Limit campaign fund raising
-Limit campaign spending
-More televised debates, less TV ads
-Consider public funded campaigns (I'm not yet entirely convinced this would help)

Except it forces candidates into irrational stances in order to maintain party support. You don't see a problem with that?

Your excuse is essentially: "I'm lazy, deal with it."

They stick with party lines because they don't get money from the party if they go off message. Get the money out of politics.

 

[Jackson50]

Seriously, I am curious how old Kosmo is. Sounds like some stuff some kid in high school would come up with.

Or Rick Perry. Remember when he revealed his scheme to "fix" Washington? Kosmo must have lapped it voraciously.

I am curious to what sort of change you would support? From your statement it seems you have somthing in mind as an ideal outcome but are reluctant due to pragmatic concerns? Can you explain your postion more thoroughly?

I'm not sure there is an ideal outcome. Nonetheless, I prefer not to aggravate the situation. My concern stems from combining multipartism with presidentialism. It's an institutional arrangement that typically exacerbates deadlock. If you consider the lack of cooperation during the current session problematic, could you imagine introducing additional political parties into the calculus? As for reform I would support, I think reforming the Senate would prove beneficial. We should ensure that our current system functions properly.

 

[Jackson50]

So now Huma Abedin's life has been threatened because of Michelle Bachmann's idocy. Can she be sued or thrown out of congress for this?

Yes. Each chamber can expel its members. I don't think it's a realistic outcome. Nevertheless, her behavior should be referred to the House Ethics Committee. And the House Republican leadership should remove her from the House Committee on Intelligence.

 

[Big Baybee]

So now Huma Abedin's life has been threatened because of Michelle Bachmann's idocy. Can she be sued or thrown out of congress for this?

Damn that sucks. Bachmann is a piece of shit.

 

[Kosmo]

My excuse is that I want to know what policies a candidate supports and declaring allegiance to a party platform is the most efficient way to do that.

By forcing people into party affiliation to really have any chance of getting elected, it's essentially supporting stereotyping out of laziness.

 

[Kosmo]

So now Huma Abedin's life has been threatened because of Michelle Bachmann's idocy. Can she be sued or thrown out of congress for this?

I don't support Bachman's statements, but the "closing ranks" that has been done around Huma is pretty hilarious. People are talking of her like she is some super important political figure, when in fact she is just a former intern, now State Dept. "confidant" who is married to an ex-Congressman who was tweeting his dick around.

Spoiler

Rumors of her being Hillary's secret lover aside, of course

 

[Big Baybee]

I don't support Bachman's statements, but the "closing ranks" that has been done around Huma is pretty hilarious. People are talking of her like she is some super important political figure, when in fact she is just a former intern, now State Dept. "confidant" who is married to an ex-Congressman who was tweeting his dick around.

Spoiler

Rumors of her being Hillary's secret lover aside, of course

Wow Kosmo.

 

[eznark]

I guess it's only okay to call Condi a secret lesbian

 

[KingGondo]

I don't support Bachman's statements, but the "closing ranks" that has been done around Huma is pretty hilarious. People are talking of her like she is some super important political figure, when in fact she is just a former intern, now State Dept. "confidant" who is married to an ex-Congressman who was tweeting his dick around.

Spoiler

Rumors of her being Hillary's secret lover aside, of course

You're right, it's not a big deal at all when a sitting Congresswoman publicly (and baselessly) accuses a member of the president's administration of being an Islamic extremist in an attempt to rile up her mouth-breathing constituents.

Your adjective "hilarious" fits the situation perfectly.

 

[RustyNails]

I don't support Bachman's statements, but the "closing ranks" that has been done around Huma is pretty hilarious. People are talking of her like she is some super important political figure, when in fact she is just a former intern, now State Dept. "confidant" who is married to an ex-Congressman who was tweeting his dick around.

Spoiler

Rumors of her being Hillary's secret lover aside, of course

She's still an ex-congressman's wife. Like it or not, it's a big deal.

 

[Aaron Strife]

I don't support Bachman's statements, but the "closing ranks" that has been done around Huma is pretty hilarious. People are talking of her like she is some super important political figure, when in fact she is just a former intern, now State Dept. "confidant" who is married to an ex-Congressman who was tweeting his dick around.

Spoiler

Rumors of her being Hillary's secret lover aside, of course

I too think it's hilarious when peoples' lives are threatened because some idiot fundie from Minnesota is reviving the McCarthy era. Good show, old chap!

Consider also that she's attacking Keith Ellison, a fellow Congressman from her own state, one that incidentally has the highest Nigerian population in the country. You think it's okay to be making these incendiary remarks? Well, as long as when someone actually gets shot she comes out with a press release saying it was a joke or something.

 

[Kosmo]

I too think it's hilarious when peoples' lives are threatened because some idiot fundie from Minnesota is reviving the McCarthy era. Good show, old chap!

Consider also that she's attacking Keith Ellison, a fellow Congressman from her own state.

Her life was not threatened in any way more than kooks that threatened Bush or Obama or make silly remarks on Twitter.

An individual, described as a Muslim man, made the unspecified threat after Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) last week claimed Abedin’s family had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and asked for a probe to see if she is helping the Islamist organization.

The man was questioned by the NYPD and the State Department and has not been charged, sources said.

 

[The Technomancer]

I too think it's hilarious when peoples' lives are threatened because some idiot fundie from Minnesota is reviving the McCarthy era. Good show, old chap!

Consider also that she's attacking Keith Ellison, a fellow Congressman from her own state, one that incidentally has the highest Nigerian population in the country. You think it's okay to be making these incendiary remarks? Well, as long as when someone actually gets shot she comes out with a press release saying it was a joke or something.

Highest Somali population outside of Africa I think. It was kind of fascinating moving to Minnesota and seeing just how common woman in hijabs are

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Those replies...

I recommend putting Kosmo on your ignore list.

 

[worldrunover]

Her life was not threatened in any way more than kooks that threatened Bush or Obama or make silly remarks on Twitter.

Except that Abedin is a private citizen.

 

[Kosmo]

So how many here deriding Bachman have actually read the 16-page letter?

(*crickets*)

Here, read it for yourself: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100244266/Bachmann-Letter-Responding-to-Ellison

Now if we can keep the discussion on the actual letter, please let me know what you have an issue with and not just the MSNBC talking points.

Specifically read item 2 relating to Abedin. It's hardly incendiary.

 

[PhoenixDark]

By forcing people into party affiliation to really have any chance of getting elected, it's essentially supporting stereotyping out of laziness.

The problem is that if the government was full of multiple parties, we'd simply have even more division and nothing would get done since no one would ever have a majority. Which would mean parties would join together as in parliamentary systems, meaning even more compromise. It's an inefficient system.

I think it would make more sense for the filibuster to be drastically changed (not eliminated) so that the senate could actually get things done as it once did historically. I think people would be far more motivated and into politics if the votes had actual consequences on their lives in major ways every day. The gridlock and constant compromises tend to make people complacent and not realize what is happening. Whereas if you suddenly lost access to birth control or taxes were suddenly raised, you'd take notice immediately

On a side note, I wish democrats would take a page from Scott Walker and ram shit through immediately.

 

[reilo]

So how many here deriding Bachman have actually read the 16-page letter?

(*crickets*)

Here, read it for yourself: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100244266/Bachmann-Letter-Responding-to-Ellison

Now if we can keep the discussion on the actual letter, please let me know what you have an issue with and not just the MSNBC talking points.

Specifically read item 2 relating to Abedin. It's hardly incendiary.

You are honestly defending Bachmann's bullshit? What the fuck dude.

 

[Kosmo]

You are honestly defending Bachmann's bullshit? What the fuck dude.

No, I am asking you to read item 2 in her actual letter, which talks about Abedin, and let me know which part you have a problem with.

 

[RustyNails]

So how many here deriding Bachman have actually read the 16-page letter?

(*crickets*)

Here, read it for yourself: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100244266/Bachmann-Letter-Responding-to-Ellison

Now if we can keep the discussion on the actual letter, please let me know what you have an issue with and not just the MSNBC talking points.

Specifically read item 2 relating to Abedin. It's hardly incendiary.

Huma's dead father's community organization had a person who was part of another organization that may or may not have been linked with the Muslim Brotherhood, which conclusively means that Huma Abedin is a secret Islamic spy hell bent on creating terror babies with the most pro-Israeli congressman in the congress (as a cover of course), and also steal secret White House documents and leak them to Hamas and Hezbollah.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Her life was not threatened in any way more than kooks that threatened Bush or Obama or make silly remarks on Twitter.

You realize the kooks that threaten Bush or Obama or make silly remarks on Twitter are actually investigated and it's treated as a serious crime, right?

Whatever you're weird.

 

[Kosmo]

Huma's dead father's community organization had a person who was part of another organization that may or may not have been linked with the Muslim Brotherhood, which conclusively means that Huma Abedin is a secret Islamic spy hell bent on creating terror babies with the most pro-Israeli congressman in the congress (as a cover of course), and also steal secret White House documents and leak them to Hamas and Hezbollah.

I'm so glad you watch the Daily Show - I should have disqualified their talking points as well.

You realize the kooks that threaten Bush or Obama or make silly remarks on Twitter are actually investigated and it's treated as a serious crime, right?

Whatever you're weird.

Correct, as was the case here. And as is typically the case, they are determined to be no threat at all, as happened here.

Since I know you guys are lazy, here is the text - which part are you taking issue with?

 

[Dr. Pangloss]

I'm so glad you watch the Daily Show - I should have disqualified their talking points as well.



Correct, as was the case here. And as is typically the case, they are determined to be no threat at all, as happened here.

Since I know you guys are lazy, here is the text - which part are you taking issue with?

http://i.imgur.com/LNdlf.png[IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Ot62R.png[IMG][/QUOTE]

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3WcuvL737A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3WcuvL737A[/URL]

 

[Aaron Strife]

The key is that Obama's approval is trending upward whereas Carter/Bush's approvals were going down.

 

[Kosmo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3WcuvL737A

Snark always makes me feel tingly inside. So which part of the letter did you have an issue with again?

The key is that Obama's approval is trending upward whereas Carter/Bush's approvals were going down.

Trending up like Microsoft stock the last decade.

 

[Dr. Pangloss]

Snark always makes me feel tingly inside. So which part of the letter did you have an issue with again?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtwVQlWjBvA

I don't particularly care. Muslim Brotherhood seems analogous to our social right to me. I never did like the mixture of politics and religion.

 

[PhoenixDark]

The key is that Obama's approval is trending upward whereas Carter/Bush's approvals were going down.

Trending up seems an overstatement. It's mainly stagnant, and will likely decrease as the economy worsens over the summer. By just about any historical indicator, he's done.

 

[RDreamer]

It's pretty amazing watching all these flip flops in one spot

 

[NathanMcMahon]

Those replies...

I recommend putting Kosmo on your ignore list.

The problem is that everyone quotes him. He never responds with anything of substance or adds anything to the discussion, but people still want to quote him. You just can't ignore his particular brand of lazy hate because of it.

 

[Kosmo]

The problem is that everyone quotes him. He never responds with anything of substance or adds anything to the discussion, but people still want to quote him. You just can't ignore his particular brand of lazy hate because of it.

Substance is above - I'm still waiting for someone to address the facts instead of going "DERP Bachman DERP"

 

[PantherLotus]

quote who?

 

[Jackson50]

So how many here deriding Bachman have actually read the 16-page letter?

(*crickets*)

Here, read it for yourself: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100244266/Bachmann-Letter-Responding-to-Ellison

Now if we can keep the discussion on the actual letter, please let me know what you have an issue with and not just the MSNBC talking points.

Specifically read item 2 relating to Abedin. It's hardly incendiary.

*Raises hand*

You only respond to the liberal straw man inculcated in your feeble mind by talk radio and Fox News.

I take umbrage with the entire letter. It propagates baseless anti-Muslim hysteria. But regarding Abedin specifically, the incredulity expressed at her qualification for security clearance is beyond the pale. Not only is the argument fallacious, the evidence is poor. The association of her family to the MB is highly tenuous. The mere existence of the charge is incendiary and deplorable.

 

[The Technomancer]

I'm so glad you watch the Daily Show - I should have disqualified their talking points as well.



Correct, as was the case here. And as is typically the case, they are determined to be no threat at all, as happened here.

Since I know you guys are lazy, here is the text - which part are you taking issue with?

Her father supported a guy who worked for another organization that was known to work with The Muslim Brotherhood? Really? I'm pretty sure every one of us have relatives with similar "connections" to something distasteful.

 

[ToxicAdam]

The U.S. would be amazing if instead of Democrats vs Republicans, we had Democrats vs Greens.

Yes, please give me a country where Cynthia McKinney has more of a voice.

smh


Also, lol at the idea of reading 16 pages of anything Michelle Bachmann writes.

 

[RustyNails]

So anyone wanna know how Barack Hussein Obama is linked to Nation of Islam?

 

[Dr. Pangloss]

If we must damn all by six degrees of separation, then let's go after this guy: Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Pete King supports the IRA.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Her father supported a guy who worked for another organization that was known to work with The Muslim Brotherhood? Really? I'm pretty sure every one of us have relatives with similar "connections" to something distasteful.

Bill Ayers!

 

[gcubed]

If we must damn all by six degrees of separation, then let's go after this guy: Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Pete King supports the IRA.

who cares about the IRA? They're white

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Her father supported a guy who worked for another organization that was known to work with The Muslim Brotherhood? Really? I'm pretty sure every one of us have relatives with similar "connections" to something distasteful.

I'm about as related to Kurt von Schleicher as she is to the Muslim Brotherhood.

 

[The Technomancer]

I mean, you can make a possibly decent connection that her father therefore supported the Muslim Brotherhood in some of its ideals (maaaaaybe) but with a connection like that the gulf between "may support" and "is working for" is a gaping chasm. To say nothing of then suggesting that his daughter might be "working for" them.

 

[Jackson50]

Her father supported a guy who worked for another organization that was known to work with The Muslim Brotherhood? Really? I'm pretty sure every one of us have relatives with similar "connections" to something distasteful.

Stop peddling talking points. Only Kosmo can.

 

[Kosmo]

. To say nothing of then suggesting that his daughter might be "working for" them.

She didn't.

 

[The Technomancer]

She didn't.

The only reason security clearance would be an issue is if her "connections" to the Muslim brotherhood might be a threat to security. Bachman seems to be suggesting that she wasn't even investigated for this, which is absurd. The far more reasonable assumption would be that she was investigated in the course of seeking security clearance and they realized how tenuous the connection was.

Again, if you suggest that a person's affiliations are a threat to security then you are saying something about the nature of those affiliations.

 

[War Peaceman]

Do you not realize that this is exactly what happens now?

You are only advocating for more political parties and more choice, not banning of organized political parties.

I was agreeing with you.