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[PhoenixDark]

Republican Jesus

 

[PantherLotus]

Why are you asking this?

Because I'm interested. I think the answers get to the core differences between most of us, and I think we're all much closer ideologically than we think.

 

[RDreamer]

Quick PoliGAF poll!

1. Do you think the government should help those that cannot help themselves?

2. Do you believe the government should have a right to regulate individual freedoms when they encroach on the freedoms of another?

3. Do you believe that there are some things/goals so large (in scope or money) that only a government could see them realized?

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

 

[empty vessel]

Because I'm interested. I think the answers get to the core differences between most of us, and I think we're all much closer ideologically than we think.

This is where Marxism begins, believe it or not. If most humans want the same things at a very high level of abstraction (which I agree with), where do you suppose the fissures begin to form? It's when we get divided into classes, which is to say, when we create social relations that divide people into groups with opposing interests. Capitalism is such a system. It is a system that creates two classes with mutually opposed interests. It divides by its very nature.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

This is where Marxism begins, believe it or not. If most humans want the same things at a very high level of abstraction (which I agree with), where do you suppose the fissures begin to form? It's when we get divided into classes, which is to say, when we create social relations that divide people into groups with opposing interests. Capitalism is such a system. It is a system that creates two classes with mutually opposed interests. It divides by its very nature.

empty vessel, I'm curious. What would your alternative to Capitalism be? I mean most critics of it seem to not know what they want but you seem like a very informed and level headed individual.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

Because I'm interested. I think the answers get to the core differences between most of us, and I think we're all much closer ideologically than we think.

Okay fine. My answer: What ever the fuck works. Ideologies often help us find the truth as much as religion helps us fine the answer of "Where we came from." Like it or not politics IS a science. Economics IS a science. Are businesses over regulated? Are unions bad? What type of health care should we use? Will the government reach to far if they do X? Will Y help it cool it down? The point I am getting at is that to find these answers you have to look at both sides and look at places that have passed such legislation. If I want to know say if the rich will leave or no longer be competitive if we tax them to high I merely look at history as well as other nations that use the Capitalist system (all but Best Korea) to see the causes and effects of them taxing the wealthy more. Same thing with health care, union rights, etc. Same thing with economics. What do we do in a recession? Lets see what we have done previously. What worked, what did not. Lets see what other countries did and compare.

This pretty much describes how I see the entire process, research collect data, look at statistics, decide. (Of course I put things into context, I don't believe that say the Norwegian prison system would be right for America despite having lower crime rates).

Whatever gives people the highest quality of life, whether its Communism or Ayn Rand Anarchism, is the way to go. And democracy, in theory should get us there.

Now to be fair ideologies DO have their place. Using philosophy for politics may get a bad wrap due to it in the 20th century led to the death of 100+ million individuals. However we must not forget that democracy in 1776 was very much the same way. It was in every way as radical that cold October night in 1917. And it led to intense prosperity. But in the system we have, one that is suppose to guide us to prosperity in trial and error, it should not exist unless the system has collapsed.

TLDR: Yes to all of them. Whatever works.

 

[Oblivion]

Like negative numbers, right?
I mean, how can I give you 5 apples if I only have 3?

I don't want to get to the whole pi in the sky argument* but whatever your answer is, imaginary numbers are not really different from real numbers.
They either have innate meaning or they don't.

Or to put it in slightly more technical terms, if you accept a polynomial as something that have a "real" meaning then you have to accept a 2 dimensional plane of numbers.

* in short - the question whether mathematics is a feature of a the universe or of our mind.

Negative numbers ain't imaginary, dawg. I think you mean something like the square root of a negative number.

/continuederail

 

[dramatis]

TLDR: Yes to all of them. Whatever works.

So your ideology/philosophy is probably pragmatism.

 

[Kosmo]

empty vessel, I'm curious. What would your alternative to Capitalism be? I mean most critics of it seem to not know what they want but you seem like a very informed and level headed individual.

Give everybody $1 Billion. I wish I was joking, but this is basically his plan.

 

[Loudninja]

Obama, DNC Raise $60 Million In May
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/obama-dnc-raise-60-million-in-may?ref=fpb

 

[RDreamer]

Give everybody $1 Billion. I wish I was joking, but this is basically his plan.

No it isn't. You just want that to be his plan do you can easily dismiss it... That or you really just can't comprehend it.

 

[Chumly]

Give everybody $1 Billion. I wish I was joking, but this is basically his plan.

No your just trolling.

 

[eznark]

Do you just have some sort of collection of Walker pics or what? Should we be concerned?

Yep. I have an entire folder that is shared with the world. You can access it through google image search.

Republican Jesus

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

This is the douchiest picture I've ever seen of the guy.

And what kind of parent rides a motorcycle without a helmet? Scott "Blasé about being around to see my children grow up" Walker.

 

[eznark]

This is the douchiest picture I've ever seen of the guy.

And what kind of parent rides a motorcycle without a helmet? Scott "Blasé about being around to see my children grow up" Walker.

Eh, it was in a parade for the 100th Harley Anniversary. I think maybe 1 in 20 people wore helmets as they went through downtown. You can see the helmets strapped to the back. When he actually rides he wears a full face helmet...now that is douchy.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

Eh, it was in a parade for the 100th Harley Anniversary. I think maybe 1 in 20 people wore helmets as they went through downtown. You can see the helmets strapped to the back. When he actually rides he wears a full face helmet...now that is douchy.

Yeah now I see the helmet, okay. And there's nothing douchy about wearing a helmet that will actually protect the rider (I ride a motorcycle and wear a full helmet, I'd love to not wear one but there's no reason to that isn't pure idiocy).

 

[planar1280]

Good news for Obama, Bad news for Romney


CNBC Breaking:

Jobless Claims fell more than expected. Down by 12,000 to 377,000




Is it good or bad

 

[eznark]

It's good news in that it stops the bleeding for a week, but it's kind of meh since the old saw is that jobless claims always fall during holiday weeks.

 

[Averon]

Good news for Obama, Bad news for Romney


CNBC Breaking:

Jobless Claims fell more than expected. Down by 12,000 to 377,000




Is it good or bad

It's good on the surface, but the economic indicators such as this has been completely out-of-whack with the actual results.

 

[Dr. Pangloss]

This is where Marxism begins, believe it or not. If most humans want the same things at a very high level of abstraction (which I agree with), where do you suppose the fissures begin to form? It's when we get divided into classes, which is to say, when we create social relations that divide people into groups with opposing interests. Capitalism is such a system. It is a system that creates two classes with mutually opposed interests. It divides by its very nature.

You say there is one constraint on society. The divide into classes with opposing interests. But what about the scarcity of resources? Sure all humans want to have basic healthcare, food, or a job. But say everyone needed a car to get to a job. There isn't enough oil in the world to fuel all those cars. A lack of resources would need capitalism to insure that they go to those that can optimize them. You don't send oil to Africa to be turned into petrol-chemical products. You send it here to America where we have the infrastructure to do it.

 

[gcubed]

nothing says rugged individualism like riding a harley

fixed.

 

[eznark]

fixed.

Don't try and white wash the fact that PL is a rabid anti-dentite

 

[gcubed]

Don't try and white wash the fact that PL is a rabid anti-dentite

we are all a little anti-dentite


have the doombringers posted the VA Quinnipac poll?

 

[RustyNails]

Don't try and white wash the fact that PL is a rabid anti-dentite

Really find me anyone who likes dentists

 

[RustyNails]

have the doombringers posted the VA Quinnipac poll?

It's funny because Obama has 6 pt lead, with 14 pt lead over women and CNN is saying they're both tied.

 

[eznark]

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/ente...ly-reached-first-stage-wisconsin-grief/53259/

Funny, despite the lack of Craiggers.

 

[Invisible_Insane]

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/ente...ly-reached-first-stage-wisconsin-grief/53259/

Funny, despite the lack of Craiggers.

Ferguson is Best Craig.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

So your ideology/philosophy is probably pragmatism.

*Looks up on Wikipedia*

Pretty much. Not to sound like a dick but I can't imagine anybody choosing another ideology.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/ente...ly-reached-first-stage-wisconsin-grief/53259/

Funny, despite the lack of Craiggers.

This is hilarious.

EDIT - It doesn't even link the whole thing. There's much more to the segment.

"Democracy died tonight!" LMAO!

 

[ToxicAdam]

A new New York Times/CBS News poll finds 68% of Americans hope the Supreme Court will overturn some or all of the President Obama's landmark health care law.

Boom.

Just 24% said they hoped the court "would keep the entire health care law in place."

--- /// ---

Possible Frank-Dodd alterations:

Congressional Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee released two spending bills that seek to alter the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, reports The Hill.

“The 2013 Financial Services bill contains a provision that would make the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), created by the Dodd-Frank law, subject to the appropriations process starting in fiscal year 2014, rather that allowing it to receive money from the Federal Reserve… The 2013 Agriculture bill, meanwhile, provides $128 million less in funding than the Obama administration said would be necessary for the Commodity Futures Tradition Commission (CFTC) to carry out Dodd-Frank.”

 

[Fox318]

Boom.




--- /// ---

Possible Frank-Dodd alterations:

All comes down to what side of the bed Kennedy woke up on.

 

[eznark]

Boom.




--- /// ---

Possible Frank-Dodd alterations:

Too bad the republicans nominated the architect of ObamaCare

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

Too bad the republicans nominated the architect of ObamaCare

He said he changed his mind though.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Chuck Todd tells me on Twitter:

Obama-DNC raised $60M.

Romney and RNC raised $76.8 million in May​

Ruh-roh.

 

[eznark]

He stole my gag!

http://www.nationalreview.com/kudlows-money-politics#

You didn’t see it in the mainstream financial media Wednesday morning. But stocks loved Governor Scott Walker’s spanking of public-sector unions and Democrats in Wisconsin. The Dow jumped about 165 points right at the opening on Wednesday, and was up over 200 points later in the day. There really was no other news. There was some speculation about central bank stimulus in Europe and the United States. Blah, blah, blah. But there was nothing specific or concrete.

So it’s an easy point to make: Markets love the Scott Walker landslide.

 

[RustyNails]

Boom.




--- /// ---

Possible Frank-Dodd alterations:

Currently I opted out of employment healthcare insurance because it was costing me $350 a month. My wife is on a simple emergency insurance for $50/month. The only reason I opted out of the insurance is because of the steep price, and I would've answered YES to the pollster as well. I'd wager pretty much everyone who answered yes have similar reasons. If the complete insurance coverage was simply $50/month, I'd reply with NO.

He stole my gag!

http://www.nationalreview.com/kudlows-money-politics#

Of course no one will explain what Walker's victory got to do with Dow. It's stretching. Dow rebounded because of Spain Solution.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Chuck Todd tells me on Twitter:

Obama-DNC raised $60M.

Romney and RNC raised $76.8 million in May​

Ruh-roh.

Yup, where are all the people who said Obama will be able to out raise Romney and deal with Super PACs now?

Democrats will lose these elections because they are underestimating Romney and underestimating the effects of a billion dollar advertising campaign against Obama and them.

It's laughable how devoid from reality they are.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Of course no one will explain what Walker's victory got to do with Dow. It's stretching. Dow rebounded because of Spain Solution.

Assigning almost any news to the fluctuations of the Dow is stretching. It's the worst kind of reductionist reporting there is.

 

[Dude Abides]

He stole my gag!

http://www.nationalreview.com/kudlows-money-politics#

Cocaine's a helluva drug.

 

[The Technomancer]

*Looks up on Wikipedia*

Pretty much. Not to sound like a dick but I can't imagine anybody choosing another ideology.

So many ideologies and opinions are based on "well this is how things should be" regardless of weather or not that's how things are. Anti-abortion laws are a perfect example of this.

I'm a pragmatist at heart but my standards of success and what we should be working pragmatically towards puts me at odds with others sometimes.

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

So many ideologies and opinions are based on "well this is how things should be" regardless of weather or not that's how things are. Anti-abortion laws are a perfect example of this.

To me abstinence programs and the drug war are the basket case examples of this.

I'm a pragmatist at heart but my standards of success and what we should be working pragmatically towards puts me at odds with others sometimes.

I guess that's a fair point. But really all I look for is the highest quality of life for the average American (highest amount of social mobility, access to needs, purchasing power). You can say "But which ones do you consider more important", but to me all of them are equally important because if one of them drifts away all of them dissolve.

 

[ezekial45]

Chuck Todd tells me on Twitter:

Obama-DNC raised $60M.

Romney and RNC raised $76.8 million in May​

Ruh-roh.

I don't understand, $60m just this past month, or just so far. As in that's all they have.

 

[RustyNails]

I was waiting to see if both Obama and Romney will remain apolitical during CMT awards. Obama did, but Romney couldn't. The man will lick the butt hole of lucifer for a vote.

The video featured a faux news report in which the show's co-hosts - actress Kristen Bell and country star Toby Keith - refuse to share the stage, prompting a campaign between the two over who will win the spotlight.

Included in the mock news story were interviews with actor Matthew McConaughey, journalist Steve Kroft and rocker Jon Bon Jovi, all of whom debated the choice between Bell and Keith.

"As they say, as country goes, so goes the country," Bon Jovi said, tweaking a famous political phrase about the swing state of Ohio.

The segment then switched to Obama, seen staring pensively out an Oval Office window as someone off camera asks with urgency, "Mr. President, do you have a decision?"

Turning to the camera, Obama replied, "This is one of the toughest decisions I've had to make since I've been in office. But I think I've decided."

He then walked to his desk, leaned over an official-looking document and circled both names on the sheet of paper.

"I want them both," he said.

The segment immediately cut to Romney, who was staring into the camera with a giant Texas flag hanging behind him. (The presumptive GOP nominee has been campaigning in the Lone Star State this week.)

"Boy, I thought the presidential election was a tough race, but it's nothing compared to the politics at the CMT Music Awards," Romney said.

Offering a solution, he proposed that both Bell and Keith host the show.

"See, I just put two people back to work," he joked. "You're welcome, America."

So sad.

 

[The Technomancer]

I guess that's a fair point. But really all I look for is the highest quality of life for the average American (highest amount of social mobility, access to needs, purchasing power). You can say "But which ones do you consider more important", but to me all of them are equally important because if one of them drifts away all of them dissolve.

Same here, but I have met people, both online and in real life, who don't agree that we should be working towards increasing the baseline standard of living for all citizens.

 

[RustyNails]

Assigning almost any news to the fluctuations of the Dow is stretching. It's the worst kind of reductionist reporting there is.

At the very least Europocalypse has some impact on global financial markets, including Wall st. No one gives a flying crap about Wisconsin. Not even Wisconsinites.

 

[Incognito]

no doubt romney wrapping up the nomination finally allows donors to coalesce. still, that's an impressive sum and hopefully wakes up big wig democratic donors. just in texas the past two days, romney raised between $15-20 million - including nearly $4 million here in San Antonio.

 

[Kosmo]

I was waiting to see if both Obama and Romney will remain apolitical during CMT awards. Obama did, but Romney couldn't. The man will lick the butt hole of lucifer for a vote.

So sad.

Which part of "faux news report" and "mock news story" didn't you understand? Are you implying this was unscripted?

no doubt romney wrapping up the nomination finally allows donors to coalesce. still, that's an impressive sum and hopefully wakes up big wig democratic donors. just in texas the past two days, romney raised between $15-20 million - including nearly $4 million here in San Antonio.

They will both have around the same money (give or take a $100M), so at least Obama won't be able buy the election like he did in 2008 when he outspent McCain 3-1. That's what Walker did, right?

 

[RustyNails]

Which part of "faux news report" and "mock news story" didn't you understand? Are you implying this was unscripted?

It was scripted, but Romney's campaign revealed it's desperation. SEE I GAVE TWO PEOPLE JOBS HEHEHEHE (plz vote for me )

 

[Kosmo]

It was scripted, but Romney's campaign revealed it's desperation. SEE I GAVE TWO PEOPLE JOBS HEHEHEHE (plz vote for me )

You are grasping at straws to find criticism.

 

[RustyNails]

You are grasping at straws to find criticism.

I'm not. I simply cringed.

 

[Sirpopopop]

I have to agree with Kosmo here.

Just for that I've flayed myself ten times.