I don't know this time DA. I don't have much to say about the first link, that's pretty bad---but lets not forget people like Michael Steele, who was African American last time I checked. I'm a bit curious about Link #2...I read it, but I didn't see any mention of the Hotel owner's political affiliation. How does it relate to the GOP?
Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats
- Thread starter GasBandit
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Armadillo
This. The first link sounds like some random asshat posted something racist on the RNC Facebook page, not that the RNC themselves either posted or supported it. News flash: some people are racists. It did get removed, correct?
Second link? No mention of the RNC or the Republican Party anywhere. I don't know what exactly you were going for with this one, DA.
GasBandit
Staff member
Yep, I linked that too, on the page previous to your post. Republicans aren't done shooting themselves. Over. And over. Mark my words.
Sorry I'm still not 100% here folks - I'm still playing catch-up from the 5 weeks where I was working 7 days a week (and NOT coming here) and yet falling farther behind each day.
Some links for you today though -
There's a huge tussle going on between Republicans and Conservatives (yes, the two are different) in New York - the GOP has put up a candidate that many call a RINO (though that term has lost its meaning lately). She's apparently "too liberal." So this guy named Doug Hoffman is running against her as an independent, and polls show that it will surely split the vote and hand the election to the Democrats (together the (R) and (I) candidates have the majority in the polls, but since they split that majority the (D) is ahead with 30-something percent)... but many Conservatives are saying this is a good thing! There are rumblings going around that Conservatives (and a recent gallup poll shows there are more conservatives - 40%- than moderates or liberals) are going to do this EVERY TIME the GOP puts up a non-conservative candidate. In this manner, they want to force the Republican party back to the principles for which they purport to stand, rather than just trying to win whatever they can just to perpetuate the party for its own sake. It'll be interesting to watch.
What if dubya had done that?
Alan Grayson is wearing out his welcome with .... Democrats! His own party! A New York Democrats calls him "One fry short of a Happy Meal."
Harry Reid has officially decided that the Senate will go ahead with a government health insurance option that includes an opt-out provision for states.
Want to know more about the Senate healthcare bill that will be unveiled this week? The Wall Street Journal has the details of what we can expect.
Meanwhile, Harry Reid and the Democrats are making sure that the labor unions are happy with their healthcare bill ... concessions abound.
Medicare fraud.
Democrats. They care about you.
Charles Krauthammer says it best ... Obama's foreign policy strategy is to essentially make America one nation among the many.
Obama's healthcare reform plans rely on the idea that they will achieve both accessibility and lowering costs. One cannot work without the other. Here's why.
This attempt to institute Obamacare is an assault on our values of individual choice, personal accountability, and rewards for ambition.
When times get tough ... tax marijuana!
Barney Frank says that single-payer systems DO work .. we could be like Scandinavia!
Economists are saying that the S&P 500 is overvalued by 40% and is about to fall.
The dollar, again, has hit a 14-month low against the Euro and the Yen.
Senate Republican Lamar Alexander says that Obama is promoting a climate change bill that will deliberately kill American jobs. Barbara Boxer got her thong in a wad over that comment. (Sorry for the mental image)
Despite what the government may tell you, it is still possible for federal employees to make charitable contributions to ACORN through the government's annual workplace charity campaign.
When it comes to cable news networks, CNN has hit rock bottom.
I guess this is what they learn in journalism school nowadays.
I hope they do split the vote. Putting a liberal RINO will be the exact same thing as voting for the liberal Democrat. I'd rather lose and be able to live with my vote than to vote for someone who is against my politics in every way possible just so I can stick it to someone with a (D) on the end of the ballot.
GasBandit
Staff member
Barney has let the cat out of the bag. Barney Frank has gone on record saying that the Democrats are trying to do everything they can to increase the role of government in your lives.
If you want to know how to scare away the achievers, just look to New York as a model. New York has managed to scare away the evil wealthy earners. You won't be surprised to learn that this is costing New York a lot of money. Over one million taxpayers have fled New York City since 2000. And of course, they were the ones paying the most taxes.
More on that "conservatives vs republicans" thing I was talking about yesterday.
Seems as though Harry Reid is gearing up to use the reconciliation tactic to get his healthcare bill passed in the Senate. This is the tactic that would require only a simple majority - fifty votes plus one - for final passage. This actually PROBABLY means that Harry Reid wants to attach the health care takeover to some budget bill. Budget bills can't be filibustered ... so they can pass on a simple majority vote. Now, let me remind you of a video from 2007. In this video you will hear Barack Obama say that we cannot pass healthcare reform using this reconciliation tactic.
Barack Obama came out with this line earlier this week for his political opponents. He says that "just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm not tough." If you'll recall, there was a columnist who actually proposed that referring to Obama's skinniness was racist. Timothy Noah's "When 'Skinny' Means 'Black.'"
This headline really says it all: Harry Reid is shopping for reelection insurance.
Here's an explanation as to why a health insurance mandate will make people worse off. And you thought this was all about your health?
John Kerry says that Gen. McChrystal's request for more troops is too ambitious. Why are we letting John Kerry dictate our foreign policy, again?
Our pay czar has extended his reach to now include 525 second-tier executives at the seven companies receiving "exceptional assistance" from the government.
Could it be that one reason Congress has performed so poorly is because, for 100 years, its members' compensation has been totally unrelated to their performance?
Nineteen states are now making moves to reassert your rights as individuals to make decisions about your healthcare.
The New York Times thinks that our economic problems could be solved by more economic stimulus from the federal government.
Chicago is going to pay bounty hunters to rat out businesses that cheat on their taxes.
If you want to know how to scare away the achievers, just look to New York as a model. New York has managed to scare away the evil wealthy earners. You won't be surprised to learn that this is costing New York a lot of money. Over one million taxpayers have fled New York City since 2000. And of course, they were the ones paying the most taxes.
More on that "conservatives vs republicans" thing I was talking about yesterday.
Seems as though Harry Reid is gearing up to use the reconciliation tactic to get his healthcare bill passed in the Senate. This is the tactic that would require only a simple majority - fifty votes plus one - for final passage. This actually PROBABLY means that Harry Reid wants to attach the health care takeover to some budget bill. Budget bills can't be filibustered ... so they can pass on a simple majority vote. Now, let me remind you of a video from 2007. In this video you will hear Barack Obama say that we cannot pass healthcare reform using this reconciliation tactic.
Barack Obama came out with this line earlier this week for his political opponents. He says that "just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm not tough." If you'll recall, there was a columnist who actually proposed that referring to Obama's skinniness was racist. Timothy Noah's "When 'Skinny' Means 'Black.'"
This headline really says it all: Harry Reid is shopping for reelection insurance.
Here's an explanation as to why a health insurance mandate will make people worse off. And you thought this was all about your health?
John Kerry says that Gen. McChrystal's request for more troops is too ambitious. Why are we letting John Kerry dictate our foreign policy, again?
Our pay czar has extended his reach to now include 525 second-tier executives at the seven companies receiving "exceptional assistance" from the government.
Could it be that one reason Congress has performed so poorly is because, for 100 years, its members' compensation has been totally unrelated to their performance?
Nineteen states are now making moves to reassert your rights as individuals to make decisions about your healthcare.
The New York Times thinks that our economic problems could be solved by more economic stimulus from the federal government.
Chicago is going to pay bounty hunters to rat out businesses that cheat on their taxes.
Are you honestly suggesting that the reason anyone becomes a Congressman is for the pay or that paying them more would actually help fight the corruption? I'm supposed to be the naive one, not you Gas.
GasBandit
Staff member
Are you honestly suggesting that the reason anyone becomes a Congressman is for the pay or that paying them more would actually help fight the corruption? I'm supposed to be the naive one, not you Gas.[/quote]
More like, paying them LESS would be a good idea. In my opinion, in fact, one should not be able to support themselves in politics (outside of the presidency, of course) - legislating should be a part time labor of love.
Are you honestly suggesting that the reason anyone becomes a Congressman is for the pay or that paying them more would actually help fight the corruption? I'm supposed to be the naive one, not you Gas.[/QUOTE]
More like, paying them LESS would be a good idea.[/QUOTE]
It still doesn't change the fact that they are doing it for power, not money.
GasBandit
Staff member
Are you honestly suggesting that the reason anyone becomes a Congressman is for the pay or that paying them more would actually help fight the corruption? I'm supposed to be the naive one, not you Gas.[/quote]
More like, paying them LESS would be a good idea.[/quote]
It still doesn't change the fact that they are doing it for power, not money.[/QUOTE]
Which also doesn't alter that we should be paying them less.
Are you honestly suggesting that the reason anyone becomes a Congressman is for the pay or that paying them more would actually help fight the corruption? I'm supposed to be the naive one, not you Gas.[/quote]
More like, paying them LESS would be a good idea.[/quote]
It still doesn't change the fact that they are doing it for power, not money.[/QUOTE]
Which also doesn't alter that we should be paying them less.[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately they get to decide for themselves how much they make.
GasBandit
Staff member
Also part of the problem.
So I've been trying to think of a viable solution to this. My first thought was the obvious was have another branch of government set the others salary. However this would give rise to the ease of abuse. Veto our bill? Pay cut. Pass my legislation? Pay raise.
I think I have it with my second idea. Require all pay changes of top level government employees and elected officials to be approved by a referendum on the ballots. After all we are the only bosses that the President and members of Congress have. Why shouldn't we have a say in their compensation?
I think I have it with my second idea. Require all pay changes of top level government employees and elected officials to be approved by a referendum on the ballots. After all we are the only bosses that the President and members of Congress have. Why shouldn't we have a say in their compensation?
because having an election costs more than what we'd save
because having an election costs more than what we'd save[/QUOTE]
It's not about saving money. It's about keeping them honest... or at least as honest as you can make a politician anyway.
because having an election costs more than what we'd save[/QUOTE]
Why not do it every 2 years with the regular elections?
I wonder what the chances are that a raise would ever pass.
because having an election costs more than what we'd save[/QUOTE]
Why not do it every 2 years with the regular elections?
I wonder what the chances are that a raise would ever pass.[/QUOTE]
I would assume it would be done with the normal federal elections. No need to waste money on organizing more elections.
@DarkAudit You're right. I forgot that the president and Congress have to answer to the UN. Wait that's not right. Oh right, the states hold them accountable. No, that's not it. Well shucks, it seems that only the voters have the ability to hire and fire people in those positions. Golly what could I be missing?
Oh. maybe you think it's these guys that are the bosses?
GasBandit
Staff member
Lesse, what was it K-dawg said yesterday? Something to the effect of "You mean [he] apologized for it and so now everything completely fine?" :mmhmm: Guess everybody has to stop hating on Fox now, huh?
Heh, good for her, doubly so for sticking it to republicans, who were happy to ride her coattails of popularity during the election and then throw her to the wolves when she was no longer politically convenient. After all, if Bill Clinton can make 31 million in speaking fees in 4 years, I don't see why Palin can't get some scratch too.
You mean, while the commissioner was in washington anyway, he asked about another issue of recent national attention in which the commissioner was involved? And why the hell is the NFL commissioner being called to Washington to talk to a committee about sports injuries? Why is this a good use of our legislators' time?
I don't approve of Bush signing a flag, but really, this is just reaching. Bush signed a little dollar store flag that probably would have ended up in the garbage otherwise after the rally (it's not like all those little flags get full "burials with honors" like proper flags do), and the Glenn Beck thing is absolutely just a bunch of tilting at windmills. It wasn't even a real flag, it was a depiction of a flag. Beck did pretty much what innumerable political cartoonists and satirists have done in the past - change the iconography of the flag to something else to make a point.
Ok, time for MY links
Gallup has found that, when you spell it out for people what it actually is to be a Libertarian, 23 percent of America is.
One of the first things you learn in Economics 101 is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Well when it comes to healthcare, Barack Obama is offering free breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
Could Washington's plans to rein in executive salaries eventually result in even higher executive pay?
From Victor Davis Hanson ... All Falling Down . . .
When it comes to banking, size isn't the only thing that matters.
The White House is catching a lot of flak for giving perks to its top donors.
How's that stimulus spending working out for ya? Philadelphia was awarded $157 million in federal funds. It has only spent $1 million so far and only saved 52 jobs.
Obama signed his first defense authorization bill, only after complaining that there was too much pork spending in the bill.
Guess who is back at the government trough ... GMAC! Boy, aren't we glad we bailed them out?
The Senate has agreed to extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit.
Ethics offices in Washington are at odds with each other, so they call in Nancy Pelosi to intervene.
This one ought to get the Turbochristians charged ... scientists have been able to grow artificial sperm and eggs.
Costco says that it is now going to start accepting food stamps.
(Canadian) right wing women rock (?)!
You can't go to Switzerland to die any more.
U.S. Official resigns because he doesn't know what we're fighting for in Afghanistan any more.
Oh lord I just got so much dumber. You don't actually read that website do you?
Oh lord I just got so much dumber. You don't actually read that website do you?[/QUOTE]
I'm a bleeding heart liberal, and I agree with you.
Oh lord I just got so much dumber. You don't actually read that website do you?[/QUOTE]
I'm a bleeding heart liberal, and I agree with you.[/QUOTE]
Seriously, I'm just... I just... I think I'm forgetting words.
Close. But think bigger.@DarkAudit You're right. I forgot that the president and Congress have to answer to the UN. Wait that's not right. Oh right, the states hold them accountable. No, that's not it. Well shucks, it seems that only the voters have the ability to hire and fire people in those positions. Golly what could I be missing?
Oh. maybe you think it's these guys that are the bosses?
J
JONJONAUG
Sounds like good news to me man.
GasBandit
Staff member
Calling something a "hate crime" makes my eyes roll. Equal protection under the law gets thrown UNDER THE BUS for such things. If I am standing next to someone who is gay or otherwise enjoying minority status... and someone else comes up and punches each of us, why is the assaulter punished less for punching me than for punching the person next to me? The same (increased) penalty should apply to all, not just a select few. And frankly, I think the penalty for a great many crimes should be made more harsh, especially for violent crimes. But you have to treat everyone equally, otherwise it's just state-sanctioned reverse-discrimination.
Calling something a "hate crime" makes my eyes roll. Equal protection under the law gets thrown UNDER THE BUS for such things. If I am standing next to someone who is gay or otherwise enjoying minority status... and someone else comes up and punches each of us, why is the assaulter punished less for punching me than for punching the person next to me? The same (increased) penalty should apply to all, not just a select few. And frankly, I think the penalty for a great many crimes should be made more harsh, especially for violent crimes. But you have to treat everyone equally, otherwise it's just state-sanctioned reverse-discrimination.[/QUOTE]
Maybe when everyone is attacked equally we won't need it, eh? Until then, people who are targeted for being different need extra protection from bigoted, self righteous assholes.
Funny how that works.
I'm not arguing against whether we should have hate crime's etc, but how is it "extra protection"? It doesn't provide protection, it provides harsher punishment for those who others decide did it for "reason A" rather than "reason B" right?
I'm not arguing against whether we should have hate crime's etc, but how is it "extra protection"? It doesn't provide protection, it provides harsher punishment for those who others decide did it for "reason A" rather than "reason B" right?[/QUOTE]
I'm going with harsher punishment is a deterrent. I know it isn't perfect, but then I don't have the answers on what the perfect solution to ending bigotry and hatred is.
I'm not arguing against whether we should have hate crime's etc, but how is it "extra protection"? It doesn't provide protection, it provides harsher punishment for those who others decide did it for "reason A" rather than "reason B" right?[/QUOTE]
I'm going with harsher punishment is a deterrent. I know it isn't perfect, but then I don't have the answers on what the perfect solution to ending bigotry and hatred is.[/QUOTE]
Fair enough. As far as ending stuff like that, I don't see how getting sentenced to prison for 20 years for murder and getting sentenced to prison for 22 years for hateful murder really makes a difference...
Thinking about that though... isn't that reasoning the same reasoning pro-death penalty people use? Isn't that regularly dismissed by the left as a poor argument?
Calling something a "hate crime" makes my eyes roll. Equal protection under the law gets thrown UNDER THE BUS for such things. If I am standing next to someone who is gay or otherwise enjoying minority status... and someone else comes up and punches each of us, why is the assaulter punished less for punching me than for punching the person next to me? The same (increased) penalty should apply to all, not just a select few. And frankly, I think the penalty for a great many crimes should be made more harsh, especially for violent crimes. But you have to treat everyone equally, otherwise it's just state-sanctioned reverse-discrimination.[/QUOTE]
Actually it would just be state-sanctioned discrimination. Ironically the meaning of discrimination is colorblind.
GasBandit
Staff member
But that's not how the LAW works. It is supposed to be blind and treat all equally. So if society is having problems with increased assaults against -whoever-, the concept of equal protection under the law says that ALL punishment for that crime must get harsher, not just when those of a subgroup are the victim. To do otherwise the very definition of discrimination.
Obviously you've never come to my place for dinner.
But, seriously, even though what you say is correct according to conventional wisdom, it is constitutionally irrelevant.
---------- Post added at 02:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:46 PM ----------
Touche. I was just calling it something different because, as we all know, only white (and now, apparently straight) people can be racists.