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Republican radicalism increasing

By iwog   Follow   Tue, 15 May 2012, 1:23pm   11,653 views   197 comments
In Lafayette CA 94549   Watch (1)   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike  

Steve Vaillancourt, New Hampshire Lawmaker, Ejected From House After Nazi Salute

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/steve-vaillancourt-new-hampshire-lawmaker-voter-id_n_1518432.html

Michele Bachmann issues complete and total fiction about redistricting

http://news.yahoo.com/bachmann-fundraising-whopper-202734700.html

Tea Party members now bought and paid for by........big banks. (great revolution there eh trout?)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-30/tea-party-congressmen-accept-cash-from-bailed-out-bankers.html

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1. iwog Follow Befriend (48) 272 threads 12,452 comments 47 male Lafayette, CA Premium

   38   1:29pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Austinhousingbubble says Obama came into office with something approaching plenipotentiary status. The energy in the air was palpable. He enjoyed what was most probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to effect real and progressive reforms that would have put our tottering nation back on it's feet and back into the hands of the people. You're dead wrong. Obama was chained the moment he took office by the propaganda machine that you and most Democrats are cogs in. His approval rating was crashing even before his staff positions were filled. He had enough momentum for one single cause and he picked health care. It was probably the most important progressive priority, but he was hopelessly outmatched by the media and a Republican party who wanted him to fail no matter what the cost. It's fashionable in left wing circles to hate Obama for not being liberal enough. You and Yves Smith and others I've talked to take great pride in trumpeting your objectivity and willingness to criticize the president. I'm not going to participate. Austinhousingbubble says As for point number three, I fail to see how the war machine/Military Complex has withered one bit under Obama's watch. You're going to find out the difference when the next Republican president enters the stage either this year or 4 years from now. You're going to find out the difference between managing ongoing wars you were left with while trying to bring them to a conclusion, and starting brand new wars against peaceful nations that aren't a threat to us. I can't even believe this comment is necessary, but it illustrates my point perfectly. You fail to see how the war machine/Military Complex has withered one bit under Obama's watch? What objective statistic is your favorite? - Innocent civilians slaughtered by American forces - Financial cost of military adventurism - Numbers of American troops sent overseas - Numbers of foreign nationals imprisoned without cause - Violations of the Geneva convetion and numbers of people tortured by Americans I'm about to be condescending again. "When I say I fail to see how the war machine/Military Complex has withered one bit under Obama's watch, what I really mean to say is Obama is only 1/10th the despot that Bush was however to protect my liberal credentials I'm going to say he's the same"

2. Austinhousingbubble Follow Befriend 7 threads 677 comments

   39   9:18pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   iwog says You're dead wrong. Obama was chained the moment he took office by the propaganda machine that you and most Democrats are cogs in. His approval rating was crashing even before his staff positions were filled. He had enough momentum for one single cause and he picked health care. It was probably the most important progressive priority, but he was hopelessly outmatched by the media and a Republican party who wanted him to fail no matter what the cost. Obama had an almost 80% approval rating through 2008 and it stayed near 70 for the first half of 2009. It was his staff appointments that made lowly "cogs" like myself scratch our balls and wonder WTF -- and keep in mind, I understood Obama to be the centrist politician that he is, despite the populist sash his campaign managers/marketers had draped him in. I was still very surprised by the appointment of Giethner and Summers (and later on, welfare-queen/jobs-killer extraordinare J Immelt) -- and the relegation of Volcker. It's not unreasonable that this helped momentarily send his approval rating below 50% in the latter half of '09. Not that approval ratings are an especially reliable metric. People are insanely fickle. It's fashionable in left wing circles to hate Obama for not being liberal enough. You and Yves Smith and others I've talked to take great pride in trumpeting your objectivity and willingness to criticize the president. Quite the opposite is true -- there was something of a personality cult forming around President Obama from very early on. Objectivity, meanwhile, is not fashionable, though I wish it were. I try to be and I often fail. - Innocent civilians slaughtered by American forces - Financial cost of military adventurism - Numbers of American troops sent overseas - Numbers of foreign nationals imprisoned without cause - Violations of the Geneva convetion and numbers of people tortured by Americans Again, at least a thousand innocent Yemenis and Pakistanis -- read women, children and rescue teams -- slaughtered by extralegal unmanned drone attacks...I'll not let you dance around that. Let's also not forget about the Neocon-tinged invasion of Libya last year and the ongoing saber rattling with Iran and Syria. Your last two bullets are absurd in light of the ready adoption and escalation of both rendition and torture under Obama -- which is to say nothing of the creepy NDAA provisions in 2011. I'm sorry, but your contentions here, much like your blind swipes at the author of the invective from NC, are hasty and lacking in ballast. If Obama hadn't run on a platform of CHANGE, it would be one thing, but he did, and he deserves to be pilloried. (By the way, the Ryan plan was shit-canned in the Senate.)

3. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

   40   9:31pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Austinhousingbubble says rowemoore says Austinhousingbubble, are you voting for Romney? Or just not voting and voting for Romney? You mean, for which centrist figurehead will I vote?... That is exactly what I mean. So, what is your answer?

4. thomas.wong1986 Follow Befriend 16 threads 4,426 comments

   41   9:38pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   iwog says I can't even believe this comment is necessary, but it illustrates my point perfectly. You fail to see how the war machine/Military Complex has withered one bit under Obama's watch? What objective statistic is your favorite? - Innocent civilians slaughtered by American forces - Financial cost of military adventurism - Numbers of American troops sent overseas - Numbers of foreign nationals imprisoned without cause - Violations of the Geneva convetion and numbers of people tortured by Americans I'm about to be condescending again. "When I say I fail to see how the war machine/Military Complex has withered one bit under Obama's watch, what I really mean to say is Obama is only 1/10th the despot that Bush was however to protect my liberal credentials I'm going to say he's the same" If you went overseas.. You think you have any rights ? Seriously IWOG.. you got to be kiddin ? Their laws apply to their own citizens ... citizens of one nation have no rights when they travel outside their borders... Dont be a pig head..

5. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

   42   9:44pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   thomas.wong1986 says If you went overseas.. You think you have any rights ? Seriously IWOG.. you got to be kiddin ? Their laws apply to their own citizens ... citizens of one nation have no rights when they travel outside their borders... Dont be a pig head. What the fuck are you talking about? Who are you referring to with "their laws"?

6. thomas.wong1986 Follow Befriend 16 threads 4,426 comments

   43   9:55pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Your rights are not extended overseas.. you are at their mercy!

7. Austinhousingbubble Follow Befriend 7 threads 677 comments

   44   10:06pm Wed 16 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Obviously, I dislike both candidates and I don't feel very compelled by the lesser of the two evils/evil of the two lessers argument, either. FWIW I'm not in a swing state. Sorry to be reticent...I'll talk specifics after the elections. Meanwhile, I actually feel very strongly that Americans enjoy far more enfranchisement with their dollars and the way in which they invest or spend them. This is actually a more high-level decision with greater implications than casting a vote. Most Americans I know still keep their money in banks and use BoA and CHASE and invest in companies like GE.

8. clambo Follow Befriend (5) 1,070 comments Santa Cruz, CA

   45   12:24am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike (1)   Obamacare will give $6 million to the Chicago hospital where Michelle and Valerie worked, and Obama's pal runs. The Obama campaign paid Rev. Wright $150,000 to "shut up" before the 2008 election. And they're trying John Edwards for using campaign money to shut up a floozy.

9. errc Follow Befriend (7) 29 threads 1,203 comments 31 male Premium

   46   5:55am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Well which is it iwog? Last year you were critical of obama saying that the repukes don't need bother running someone in this presidential election,,,they already have their guy in the white house Gay marriage doesn't bother me, singling out any group/class/race/guild and extending them privileges not enjoyed by the rest of the citizenry, does Be careful what you wish for, when it comes to buying into the bullshit that presidential candidates claim to support or promise during election years. Four years ago, obama said that he'd leave well enough alone with MMJ, and not direct fed resources to fight the states on their handling of mmj laws. How'd that turn out once he was in office? I find it hard to fight for gays "rights", the most persecuted group of people in this country need all the support they can get,,pot smokers. We put them in prison. Gays seem to be a protected class that enjoys an extremely high quality of life here in america. Crowing about their struggles is a slap in the face to the millions locked in cages for pot, or the many sick that are forced to suffer because of terrible gov possible and a lazy populace too drunk at the bars to give a hoot

10. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    47   6:47am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   errc says the millions locked in cages for pot exaggerate much?

11. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    48   6:48am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   Austinhousingbubble says Obviously, I dislike both candidates and I don't feel very compelled by the lesser of the two evils/evil of the two lessers argument either. FWIW I'm not in a swing state. Sorry to be reticent...I'll talk specifics after the elections. Fuck your reticence - this is an online forum and you are anonymous for god's sake. Suppose you were in a swing state? Who would you vote for? Would you vote?

12. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    49   6:54am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   thomas.wong1986 says Your rights are not extended overseas.. you are at their mercy! Who are you talking about? The French?

13. Bigsby Follow Befriend 2,826 comments Monterey, CA

    50   6:54am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   errc says Gay marriage doesn't bother me, singling out any group/class/race/guild and extending them privileges not enjoyed by the rest of the citizenry, does Err...

14. freak80 Follow Befriend (4) 52 threads 4,416 comments Corning, NY Premium

    51   6:59am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   bdrasin says What you see as a radical social experiment I see as totally normal and unproblematic If it were just me that saw it as a radical social experiment, it wouldn't be a problem. But a lot of other people think the same thing and won't vote for modern-day Democrats because of it. Maybe the solution is to just abolish the institution of marriage altogether. When the divorce rate is almost 50%, what's the point?

15. Bigsby Follow Befriend 2,826 comments Monterey, CA

    52   7:02am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Cloud says I want to be a Boston Celtic. I am demanding to be in the NBA. What can I do? Guess I'll get a crooked judge to make it so by fiat. Maybe if I claim to be 1/17 Cherokee Indian it will all work out. Read a book or a newspaper FFS. Anything really.

16. freak80 Follow Befriend (4) 52 threads 4,416 comments Corning, NY Premium

    53   7:08am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike (1)   Cloud, it's time to turn off the AM radio.

17. Austinhousingbubble Follow Befriend 7 threads 677 comments

    54   7:08am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   rowemoore says Fuck your reticence No.

18. Bigsby Follow Befriend 2,826 comments Monterey, CA

    55   7:10am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Cloud says Howabout reading a little human history? 5,000 years of it? Yeah, you should do that. And please don't tell me you're a creationist as well.

19. errc Follow Befriend (7) 29 threads 1,203 comments 31 male Premium

    56   7:19am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   rowemoore says errc says the millions locked in cages for pot exaggerate much? No. Have you ever been locked in a cage for smoking pot? Of course not, as you stated you are a wealthy progressive, and this country doesn't imprison wealthy white people for smoking pot,,,only the poor and the non whites. Isn't that why the wealthy progressives make these silly laws? Maybe you could use some perspective

20. freak80 Follow Befriend (4) 52 threads 4,416 comments Corning, NY Premium

    57   7:37am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (2)   Dislike   Wealthy progressives are totally out-of-touch with most of the USA. They're just as out-of-touch as the rednecks in small-town USA.

21. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    58   7:42am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   errc says rowemoore says errc says the millions locked in cages for pot exaggerate much? No. Have you ever been locked in a cage for smoking pot? Of course not, as you stated you are a wealthy progressive, and this country doesn't imprison wealthy white people for smoking pot,,,only the poor and the non whites. Isn't that why the wealthy progressives make these silly laws? Maybe you could use some perspective Please show me some proof that there are "millions" locked up for smoking pot. There are not, and you know it. If your point is pot laws are stupid and should be changed, I agree. But making ridiculous exaggerations does not strengthen the argument.

22. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    59   7:46am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   wthrfrk80 says Wealthy progressives are totally out-of-touch with most of the USA. They're just as out-of-touch as the rednecks in small-town USA. A false equivalence.

23. rootvg Follow Befriend (8) 1 threads 792 comments Danville, CA Premium

    60   7:51am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (3)   Dislike (1)   wbblair3 says "The Republicans will keep going right until they reach BNP status." They'll keep going until they reach NSDAP status. "If the Dems would just drop the gay marriage thing, they'd regain permanent majority status." No one against gay marriage would vote Dem anyway, and many independents either don't care or are for allowing gay marriage, so what do they have to lose? Once again, pols on both sides don't address the most important issues, the ones where they might actually have something to lose by being CORRECT and promoting the CORRECT solutions to, for instance, our economic crisis, one of which is to bring back REAL accounting methods in the banks and then take into receivership all of those who in reality remain insolvent, which is most if not all of the TBTF ones, breaking them up into banks of a size that are NOT systemically dangerous. The Dems can't drop the gay marriage thing because homosexuals increasingly own the party. That IS what's wrong with the party and the primary reason Dems are headed back into the wilderness beginning in January 2013. We don't live in the United States of San Francisco.

24. rootvg Follow Befriend (8) 1 threads 792 comments Danville, CA Premium

    61   7:54am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   rowemoore says errc says the millions locked in cages for pot exaggerate much? I don't know anybody who's locked in a cage for weed. Ohio decriminalized possession in small amounts many years ago. If you get caught with it, they can write you a citation but most of the time they just take it away.

25. APOCALYPSEFUCK is Shostakovich Follow Befriend (28) 169 threads 4,153 comments Premium

    62   8:01am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   If the psychoconservative right believed in their own supremacist line, they would dump airplane full of drugs in cities and let the weak minded kill themselves with the shit. The merely disabled they'd advocate eating in cannibal sushi restaurants.

26. Bigsby Follow Befriend 2,826 comments Monterey, CA

    63   8:06am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   rootvg says The Dems can't drop the gay marriage thing because homosexuals increasingly own the party. That IS what's wrong with the party and the primary reason Dems are headed back into the wilderness beginning in January 2013. We don't live in the United States of San Francisco. Where is the facepalm smilie when you need it?

27. errc Follow Befriend (7) 29 threads 1,203 comments 31 male Premium

    64   8:18am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   rowemoore says Please show me some proof that there are "millions" locked up for smoking pot. There are not, and you know it. If your point is pot laws are stupid and should be changed, I agree. But making ridiculous exaggerations does not strengthen the argument. hey if you say so. living in constant fear of the police state threatening to put you in a cage for smoking pot, and actually being forced into said cage for any amount of time are one and the same, for those that have experienced the terror. This country is one big open air prison, but like i said, being a wealthy white progressive, you likely don't have much perspective. the laws aren't on the books to put people like you in cages when you smoke grass. they are on the books to put the poor working class whites, the mintorities and the infirmed. Unless of course, they have enough money to pay a connected attorney, but you have to be okay with being extorted by one rather than the other THis country throws millions of pot smokers into cages, for breaking unjust laws, and causing no harm to society. I guess if i was on the other side of the stick, and benefited somehow from those unjust laws, i would sit here and argue your same silly points also. how do you differentiate between open air prisons and people cages?

28. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    65   8:34am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   I don't smoke pot. Judging by your incomprehensible rant, you smoke too much. errc says hey if you say so. living in constant fear of the police state threatening to put you in a cage for smoking pot, and actually being forced into said cage for any amount of time are one and the same, for those that have experienced the terror. ... how do you differentiate between open air prisons and people cages?

29. errc Follow Befriend (7) 29 threads 1,203 comments 31 male Premium

    66   8:52am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   have you ever had armed militants kick in your door smash a gun into your skull, put you in shackles, steal your money, ransack your home, and then throw you in a cage? Maybe you lack some perspective

30. bdrasin Follow Befriend 6 threads 488 comments Alameda, CA

    67   9:00am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   wthrfrk80 says bdrasin says What you see as a radical social experiment I see as totally normal and unproblematic If it were just me that saw it as a radical social experiment, it wouldn't be a problem. But a lot of other people think the same thing and won't vote for modern-day Democrats because of it. Maybe the solution is to just abolish the institution of marriage altogether. When the divorce rate is almost 50%, what's the point? Of course you're right; a majority (or at least close to a majority) of Americans agree with you and that's why its politically a loser as you've noted. But I'm still not able to consider sacrificing the welfare of my friends, relatives and their families as a political concession - if it was your loved ones who's families were on the line, wouldn't you do the same? Regarding abolition of marriage (or at least, getting government out of marriage), probably good in theory but hopeless in practice because too many people rely on it for support. If my aunt's partner dies before my aunt she'll be destitute because she won't be able to collect her partner's social security or spouse's portion of pension, even though they've been together for forty years and raised four (biological) children together. On the other hand if my mother dies before my father, she'll get his social security and a portion of his pension (and she'd be entitled to this even if they divorced, which at this point is unlikely). I'd like to see this kind of security be extended to all couples, including same-sex couples. I do well know that most of my countrymen disagree with me. So be it; here I stand, I can do no other. Still think this is all about a tribal desire to see my enemies lose?

31. rooemoore Follow Befriend 41 threads 905 comments Ross, CA

    68   9:01am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   errc says have you ever had armed militants kick in your door smash a gun into your skull, put you in shackles, steal your money, ransack your home, and then throw you in a cage? Maybe you lack some perspective I think you lack the ability to form an argument. "cages" become "air prisons" and if one hasn't had armed militants kick in their door they lack "perspective".

32. iwog Follow Befriend (48) 272 threads 12,452 comments 47 male Lafayette, CA Premium

    69   9:27am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike   Austinhousingbubble says - Innocent civilians slaughtered by American forces - Financial cost of military adventurism - Numbers of American troops sent overseas - Numbers of foreign nationals imprisoned without cause - Violations of the Geneva convetion and numbers of people tortured by Americans Again, at least a thousand innocent Yemenis and Pakistanis -- read women, children and rescue teams -- slaughtered by extralegal unmanned drone attacks...I'll not let you dance around that. Let's also not forget about the Neocon-tinged invasion of Libya last year and the ongoing saber rattling with Iran and Syria. There seems to be a huge amount of denial here. I list some specific objective statistics by which one might measure the difference between the two. You're just throwing out a few examples that you consider "bad" without even acknowledging that Obama is far and away better in every category. Not just better, but black and white better. Austinhousingbubble says Your last two bullets are absurd in light of the ready adoption and escalation of both rendition and torture under Obama Bullshit. This is a lie. I'm beginning to doubt your sincerity. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/EnsuringLawfulInterrogations

33. clambo Follow Befriend (5) 1,070 comments Santa Cruz, CA

    70   9:44am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike (1)   Here you go fanboys.

34. thomas.wong1986 Follow Befriend 16 threads 4,426 comments

    71   9:50am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   Its all smoke to cover up the failure of the administrations to deal with the poor economy... This is why we need to hire someone who actually knows Economics/Business and not a street activitist...

35. rootvg Follow Befriend (8) 1 threads 792 comments Danville, CA Premium

    72   9:52am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike (1)   thomas.wong1986 says Its all smoke to cover up the failure of the administrations to deal with the poor economy... This is why we need to hire someone who actually knows Economics/Business and not a street activitist... It's coming.

36. leo707 Follow Befriend (12) 10 threads 3,516 comments Oakland, CA leo707's website Premium

    73   10:19am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   thomas.wong1986 says Your rights are not extended overseas.. you are at their mercy! WTF are you talking about? Do you think that the US is the only country in the world where the rule of law is in effect and travelers have rights? Christ, in many countries a US citizen is treated with more respect and "rights" than the locals.

37. thomas.wong1986 Follow Befriend 16 threads 4,426 comments

    74   10:24am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like (1)   Dislike (1)   leoj707 says Christ, in many countries a US citizen is treated with more respect and "rights" than the locals. DOLLARS, are respected... and if you aint got none.. they kidnap you, hold you for ransom... see Latin America..

38. thomas.wong1986 Follow Befriend 16 threads 4,426 comments

    75   10:26am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike (1)   leoj707 says WTF are you talking about? Do you think that the US is the only country in the world where the rule of law is in effect and travelers have rights? Bullshit... get real.

39. leo707 Follow Befriend (12) 10 threads 3,516 comments Oakland, CA leo707's website Premium

    76   10:55am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   thomas.wong1986 says DOLLARS, are respected... and if you aint got none.. they kidnap you, hold you for ransom... see Latin America.. What kind of idiot would kidnap someone with no money? Isn't the point to kidnap someone who can pay a large ransom?

40. leo707 Follow Befriend (12) 10 threads 3,516 comments Oakland, CA leo707's website Premium

    77   10:56am Thu 17 May 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   thomas.wong1986 says leoj707 says WTF are you talking about? Do you think that the US is the only country in the world where the rule of law is in effect and travelers have rights? Bullshit... get real. So, that is a yes then?

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