We were leaning on the bar last night and Vic was saying how much he admired Mr Bush who he had seen on the news.He said that Mr Bush made everything sound so simple and easy to understand wheras European politicians make everything seem so complicated.When he'd finished I felt it my duty to remind him that Mr Bush makes everything sound so simple because he is used to addressing a simple audience and the reason Euro politicians make everything seem so complicated is that everything is complicated and Euro audiences are not prepared to put up with politicians who pretend otherwise because doing that underestimates their intelligence.
Well made point, spendius. However, I would add that Mr. Bush makes it all seem simple because he is simple minded. He has everything as black or white, which is nice for him, I suppose, but he misses so much nuance. It's true that the American people are looking like simpletons lately. And it makes me sick to see it. Rove is such a master at PR and political strategy, I fear for the rational, thinking world sometimes.
Lola:-
I just can't imagine you electing a simple-minded President.It is the audience.Mr Bush must be using the best brains to compose his speeches surely.Isn't it a cliche that we get the politicians we deserve.TV plus ads was the big mistake.That must lead in the direction of lowest common denominator.We have the wonderful BBC and they set the standards.
Mr. Bush is a puppet. He uses nothing. He's being used and he's narcissistically vulnerable enough to believe he's in control. It is the lowest common denominator. The country is split and the chasm is becoming an ocean. It's a culture war. Who would have thought we'd have to fight the battles of the enlightenment anew in his century?
Lola:-
That's terrible.Are you serious.Sometimes adversarial politics can get the better of one.You always have to fight those battles.Maybe my Americanism is of the simple-minded type.You are hinting,maybe more than that,at hydra-headed Stalinism.
Yes, I'm serious. It's frightening to me and many others. Stalinism is going too far, I think. But Onward Christian Soldiers (a song Rove sings as he walks the halls of the White House) is more like the Crusades. Simple minded nationalism is a dangerous thing. And at home...we're in danger of returning to a McCarthy-like era. There are many people on this board and in the public media who are speaking in defense of McCarthy and holding Nixon up as an fine example of morality. It stinks pretty bad around here.
Lola:-
Do they not know that it doesn't work.From what you say there won't be an election in'08 or maybe not even a Union.The East Coast could always join the EEC.Come back home to Mama.
There are still Germans that believe in Hitler. Nothing strange about Americans and our politics where over 150 nationalities represent our citizenry. Let's look at Bush's revisionist ideas about social security into a private investment scheme. Most don't bother to do the math, but that's the lowest denominator of our country today; too stupid to understand simple matters. If workers are allowed to invest $1,000 in 2009, the first year of this "plan," those 40 year olds would have invested about $30,000 (plus $100 added per year) by age 65. There's no guarantee that the investment will show any gain during that 25 year period, so we must assume that the conservative total portfolio will be valued at about $60,000 upon retirement. With inflation during that 25 year period, how much do you think $60,000 will buy? Retirement fund? I don't think so.
c.i.
You can't eat cheques.Cash is a lousy roof.
All pension plans are posited on the notion that the working population will keep the non-working population.In the "old" days there were few elderly people and as society didn't change much the wisdom they had was valuable.That situation no longer exists.Now there are a lot of elderly people and society changes fast.
The upper class have always invested in land.Make your own provisions mate.
spendius, The same situation doesn't exist because congress has been irresponsible in not adjusting the benefit as longivity increased from 65 to 80. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how contributions must increase or retirment age must increase, but congress has been too chicken to address this issue.
BTW, this subject has been on the table for the past ten years or so.
c.i.
It's going to be on the table for a lot longer than 10 years.It is the BIG issue.Democracy will probably founder on it.Scylla and Charbadis was it.
I don't blame the chickens.Telling the voters the truth on this is not what politicians do.They do creative accounting,finger crossing and hope to die.
If the budget creators get screwed too tight they'll down tools and if the budget scoffers get flattered even more they'll demand more.
Now let's not go getting serious around here.
Quote:From what you say there won't be an election in'08 or maybe not even a Union.
Spendius, I luv ya I luv ya I luv ya.........but I don't think I said anything about not having an election. McCarthy wasn't into ending all elections or the union either. There has been some talk about the blue states seceding.....but we know if we did that, the reds would self destruct in short enough time and then we'd have to pick up the pieces. Far better to just win the next elections. Come on Spendi......help us fight. Take sides for a change.
Lola:-
Me????Pick sides.You must be joking.My side lost every battle years ago.We are now waiting for it all to unwind which it inevitably must.
The foundation stone of a proper English education is "deferred gratification".You are all,as far as I can see,determined to deny that.I'm an ascetic.
Allowing advertising on TV is so disastrous that TV itself will have to be eradicated.I don't expect you to agree because you live in a place which derives it's instantly gratifying lifestyle from media.London is the same.
There are now so many people with votes who have never worked under the pitiless exigencies of capitalism and who are enthusiastic adherents to the same exigencies when at their leisure that there is no possible hope in any direction.All the policies being pursued now are designed to cover up that basic fact.
I thought you were going to provide some answers.
Lola:-
Of course McCarthy was into ending elections.He was into pogroms for anybody who disagreed with him.Elections are about more than traipsing down to the polls to hang a chad.Saddam had elections.
Lola:-
And another thing.If you want some help from over here pick a decent candidate next time.Kerry was a joke.And it sure ain't Hilary.If she stands she'll get shredded.
And he won 100 percent of the votes.
There's a shepards crook round my neck pulling me out of the door.See youa..........
see you tomorrow, Spendi.
Well, I was feelin' sad and feelin' blue,
I didn't know what in the world I was gonna do,
Them Communists they wus comin' around,
They wus in the air,
They wus on the ground.
They wouldn't gimme no peace. . .
So I run down most hurriedly
And joined up with the John Birch Society,
I got me a secret membership card
And started off a-walkin' down the road.
Yee-hoo, I'm a real John Bircher now!
Look out you Commies!
Now we all agree with Hitlers' views,
Although he killed six million Jews.
It don't matter too much that he was a Fascist,
At least you can't say he was a Communist!
That's to say like if you got a cold you take a shot of malaria.
Well, I wus lookin' everywhere for them gol-darned Reds.
I got up in the mornin' 'n' looked under my bed,
Looked in the sink, behind the door,
Looked in the glove compartment of my car.
Couldn't find 'em . . .
I wus lookin' high an' low for them Reds everywhere,
I wus lookin' in the sink an' underneath the chair.
I looked way up my chimney hole,
I even looked deep inside my toilet bowl.
They got away . . .
Well, I wus sittin' home alone an' started to sweat,
Figured they wus in my T.V. set.
Peeked behind the picture frame,
Got a shock from my feet, hittin' right up in the brain.
Them Reds caused it!
I know they did . . . them hard-core ones.
Well, I quit my job so I could work alone,
Then I changed my name to Sherlock Holmes.
Followed some clues from my detective bag
And discovered they wus red stripes on the American flag!
That ol' Betty Ross . . .
Well, I investigated all the books in the library,
Ninety percent of 'em gotta be burned away.
I investigated all the people that I knowed,
Ninety-eight percent of them gotta go.
The other two percent are fellow Birchers . . . just like me.
Now Eisenhower, he's a Russian spy,
Lincoln, Jefferson and that Roosevelt guy.
To my knowledge there's just one man
That's really a true American: George Lincoln Rockwell.
I know for a fact he hates Commies cus he picketed the movie Exodus.
Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight
When I run outa things to investigate.
Couldn't imagine doin' anything else,
So now I'm sittin' home investigatin' myself!
Hope I don't find out anything . . . hmm, great God!
Good night Spendius.......sleep tight.
