14
   

Monitoring Biden and other Contemporary Events

 
 
Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 02:32 pm
@hightor,
hightor wrote:

“A balanced treatment of an unbalanced phenomenon is a distortion of reality and a disservice to your consumers.”


I guess their argument has some foundation, but it seem related to the argument flat Earthers make about being short changed in media coverage over the spherical Earth argument.
hightor
 
  3  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 02:43 pm
@Frank Apisa,
I pulled that quote from the article that georgeob1 found so objectionable. The thing about the flat earthers, anti-vaxxers, 9/11 truthers, etc. is that they think their hypotheses deserve respect as if it were some sort of human right. "This is what we believe...how dare you dismiss our worldview!"
georgeob1
 
  -2  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 03:39 pm
@hightor,
Yes the poor demented bastards refuse to accept the prescriptions that the self appointed (and self-absorbed) " governing elites" continue to impose on them, They have the unvarnished temerity to insist that their views be considered by those in government who presume to make rules for them that go beyond the powers delegated to them in our Constitution.

I find that Democrats have become increasingly tone-deaf, avid consumers of their own propaganda, and increasingly no longer able to see or detect the increasingly obvious fact that their programs and policies are being rejected by a fast-growing segment of our population. The reception in West Virginia to Bernie Sander's recent newspaper editorial urging West Virginians to rise up and discipline Senator Manchin for his continued refusal to support the idiotic collection of new taxes, new powers for the IRS, and new social programs designed to give government the power to control new aspects of public life - all salted with a little infrastructure dust - "Build Back Better" legislation, was not at all what the Socialist from Vermont wanted or anticipated. Former Governor of VA Terry McAuliffe recently discovered to his dismay that Virginia parents do indeed have the temerity to demand some oversight of what their children are taught in the public schools they pay for with their taxes. Our dim-witted, lightweight President appears increasingly unaware of the accumulating bad consequences of and crumbling public support for the policy programs his handlers are feeding him.

All this appears to be gaining momentum, as Schumer & Pelosi struggle with their delegations to find a path through the mess they have created. The next few months could prove to be eventful.
edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 04:02 pm
If I had my druthers both parties would be outlawed. Neither one is worth a ****. They barely do anything at all that benefits the ordinary citizen.
Builder
 
  -2  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 05:00 pm
@edgarblythe,
Quote:
They barely do anything at all that benefits the ordinary citizen.


The situation is mirrored down under, Edgar. We literally have just one independent senator working for the people, and both major parties playing at being in opposition, while doing nothing about eachother's crimes.

And what sucks even more, is when people assume you support red or blue, when you're really just a shade of mauve.
edgarblythe
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 05:29 pm
@Builder,
Thanks. I'm glad somebody here understands.
Builder
 
  -2  
Reply Wed 20 Oct, 2021 06:33 pm
@edgarblythe,
Quote:
I'm glad somebody here understands.


You're welcome.

Centrism appears to be difficult for many here to comprehend.
0 Replies
 
hightor
 
  3  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 03:32 am
@georgeob1,
Quote:
They have the unvarnished temerity to insist that their views be considered by those in government who presume to make rules for them that go beyond the powers delegated to them in our Constitution.

Sorry, georgeob1, but the earth is not flat, vaccines are an important part of public health, and crazed Islamists crashed jets into the WTC and the Pentagon.

I don't understand the anti-IRS sentiment. The taxes that aren't collected because of cheating and deception simply raise the share the rest of us have to pay.
Frank Apisa
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 06:02 am
@hightor,
hightor wrote:
Quote:
They have the unvarnished temerity to insist that their views be considered by those in government who presume to make rules for them that go beyond the powers delegated to them in our Constitution.

Sorry, georgeob1, but the earth is not flat, vaccines are an important part of public health, and crazed Islamists crashed jets into the WTC and the Pentagon.

I don't understand the anti-IRS sentiment. The taxes that aren't collected
because of cheating and deception simply raise the share the rest of us have to pay.


Yup. On the button. And as I suggested earlier, if people as intelligent and as accomplished as George are buying into this bullshit, our nation is in HUGE trouble.


0 Replies
 
blatham
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 08:04 am
@georgeob1,
Quote:
I find that Democrats have become increasingly tone-deaf, avid consumers of their own propaganda, and increasingly no longer able to see or detect the increasingly obvious fact that their programs and policies are being rejected by a fast-growing segment of our population

What the **** are you talking about?

Democrats have now won the popular vote in seven of the last eight elections, something no party has done before in U.S. history. This is also their fourth consecutive popular-vote victory; the last time that happened was the party’s run from 1932 through 1948.
izzythepush
 
  0  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 08:08 am
@blatham,
I think he means the fast growing segment of voters who still can vote, not the even bigger segment who are having their right to vote stole from them.
blatham
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 08:35 am
@izzythepush,
Quote:
I think he means the fast growing segment of voters who still can vote, not the even bigger segment who are having their right to vote stole from them.

That's the GOP strategy certainly but I understand you were speaking tongue in cheek.

For george, though, what we probably ought to take away from what he's written is that for a very long while he has been dependent upon a very narrow band of media/opinion. I'll wager, for example, that george has no books in his library that take up a careful study of political/news media so his notions of such are derived almost entirely from what Fox or Limbaugh etc tell him about "mainstream media". He believes this stuff.
blatham
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 09:38 am
Duh.
Quote:
A couple of days after Joe Biden was declared the president-elect, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced that he'd be willing to pay up to $1 million as a reward to those who could produce proof of voter fraud. Even at the time, this seemed unwise.

As we've discussed, the Texas Republican was effectively arguing that he and his party assumed there was widespread fraud, but they couldn't prove it, so he hoped financial rewards would produce evidence GOP conspiracy theorists couldn't find on their own. Patrick was basically telling the public, "We can't back up our talking points, so I'll pay you to help."

But it wasn't long before a related problem emerged. While the Republican lieutenant governor seemed to assume that bounty hunters would find evidence of Democratic fraud — he explicitly pointed to Milwaukee, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, without offering any proof — actual evidence pointed to a handful of instances in which Donald Trump supporters cast illegal ballots in key 2020 battlegrounds.

Why the Trump Organization is reportedly facing a new criminal inquiry
In Pennsylvania, for example, Robert Richard Lynn pleaded guilty after getting caught trying to cast a vote for his dead mother. Bruce Bartman, another Pennsylvania Republican, was caught doing the same thing. The Washington Post reported in May highlighted a related case involving Ralph Thurman, a Trump supporter accused of trying to cast his son's vote, who also eventually pleaded guilty.

It wasn't long before folks — including me — wondered aloud whether Texas' Dan Patrick would ever follow through on his financial-reward system. As it turns out, we now have an answer. The Dallas Morning News reported today:

Nearly a year after offering up a hefty bounty for evidence of voter fraud in the wake of Donald Trump's loss, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has handed out his first reward. But instead of going to an informant who smoked out fraud by Democrats, Patrick's five-figure payout went to a progressive poll worker in Pennsylvania whose tip led to a single conviction of illegal voting by a registered Republican.

Evidently, the progressive poll worker in Pennsylvania was a man named Eric Frank who uncovered Ralph Thurman's illegal gambit — and who sought a financial reward set up by the Texas lieutenant governor.

Patrick isn't paying Frank a cool million, but the Pennsylvanian did receive a check for $25,000. He told the Morning News, "It's my belief that they were trying to get cases of Democrats doing voter fraud. And that just wasn't the case. This kind of blew up in their face."

The newspaper's report added, "With few strings attached, and more cases of alleged GOP voting fraud still in Pennsylvania courts, Patrick may be asked to shell out even more cash to his opponents."
Steve Benen
0 Replies
 
georgeob1
 
  0  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 10:31 am
@edgarblythe,
I agree, the country (and the political parties that purport to represent our people) are very polarized, and on both sides, far too influenced by the interest groups that powerfully influence their behavior. However, in our democracy the government doesn’t have the power to “outlaw” political parties.
I believe that this polarization was a significant fact in the Republican nomination of an outsider (Trump), who was then definitely not favored by the Republican establishment, and his subsequent victory in 2016. Meanwhile, in the wake of Hillary's defeat, the far-left wing emerges as the most powerful remaining segment of the Democrat elites, and a very bitter (and often illegal) campaign was quickly launched to undermine every aspect of the Trump Presidency. Trump's angry response to all this added even more fire to an already bad situation.
Even in a protracted primary campaign, the Democrats failed to produce a viable candidate for the 2020 election, and so finally, and somewhat desperately, settled on Joe Biden, who was a then well-known political lightweight, famous for his lack of enduring political values and positions, and adapting to any political breeze that came his way. This suited the Left-wing elements of the Democrat party well - all they needed was an electable, obedient figurehead.
And here we are.
All this followed several decades of erosion of our cultural norms and the remaining institutions, outside of government, able to influence behavior - everything from families and parental authority and responsibility, to religion, the accepted roles of men and women in our society and many other formerly widely accepted values. Now ambitious left-wing progressives are leading government into this emerging void - a very dangerous thing, in my view. The clear destination is a totalitarian government with the control of all aspects of the lives of its subjects. The history of such governments and movements in the last century is filled with ghastly tyrannies, mass executions, and poverty for all.
Contemporary activists are changing the meanings of familiar words, creating new terminologies, removing cultural symbols & statues, rewriting major events in our history in what appears to be a systematic attempt to end our traditional founding principles of individual liberty and responsibility and replace it with a new system, based on a class structure of race and sexual orientation -- all while attempting to silence (or cancel) all who object.
Human nature is complex and filled with contradictions. We are not like ants, all the same and, in effect part of a larger organism. No enduring, perfect organization of human affairs and lives has yet emerged in history, and none likely ever will. simply because of the complexity of our common human natures and the many differences among the individual people among us (and in any of the various groups to which contemporary progressives would assign us).
Our country was founded based on the principles of individual liberty (with specified inviolable rights) and equal justice for all; the primacy of local or State governments; and a Federal Government with limited, specifically enumerated powers. It. and an evolving, cosmopolitan culture including elements and contributions from all its diverse inhabitants, has yielded unmatched, sustained liberty and economic growth. It remains a preferred destination for potential immigrants across the world.
Now some want to replace it create a new totalitarian ant hill. The Loudun County. VA School board appears to be a leading example. So far it doesn’t look so good
neptuneblue
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 10:42 am
@georgeob1,
Really...

SMDH
0 Replies
 
georgeob1
 
  0  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 10:57 am
@blatham,
blatham wrote:

Quote:
I find that Democrats have become increasingly tone-deaf, avid consumers of their own propaganda, and increasingly no longer able to see or detect the increasingly obvious fact that their programs and policies are being rejected by a fast-growing segment of our population

What the **** are you talking about?


The brilliant success the Democrats are achieving in advancing their efforts to control everything, from child care to bank accounts with their new legislative program, and the widespread support it is generating.

Notwithstanding your carefully worded quote, contemporary facts are what they are. Democrats are falling fast and will likely lose both Houses of Congress in the coming election. We may even see a second Trump term as President (something about which I have mixed feelings) after the current fiasco.
Frank Apisa
 
  2  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 11:29 am
@georgeob1,
georgeob1 wrote:

I agree, the country (and the political parties that purport to represent our people) are very polarized, and on both sides, far too influenced by the interest groups that powerfully influence their behavior. However, in our democracy the government doesn’t have the power to “outlaw” political parties.
I believe that this polarization was a significant fact in the Republican nomination of an outsider (Trump), who was then definitely not favored by the Republican establishment, and his subsequent victory in 2016. Meanwhile, in the wake of Hillary's defeat, the far-left wing emerges as the most powerful remaining segment of the Democrat elites, and a very bitter (and often illegal) campaign was quickly launched to undermine every aspect of the Trump Presidency. Trump's angry response to all this added even more fire to an already bad situation.
Even in a protracted primary campaign, the Democrats failed to produce a viable candidate for the 2020 election, and so finally, and somewhat desperately, settled on Joe Biden, who was a then well-known political lightweight, famous for his lack of enduring political values and positions, and adapting to any political breeze that came his way. This suited the Left-wing elements of the Democrat party well - all they needed was an electable, obedient figurehead.
And here we are.
All this followed several decades of erosion of our cultural norms and the remaining institutions, outside of government, able to influence behavior - everything from families and parental authority and responsibility, to religion, the accepted roles of men and women in our society and many other formerly widely accepted values. Now ambitious left-wing progressives are leading government into this emerging void - a very dangerous thing, in my view. The clear destination is a totalitarian government with the control of all aspects of the lives of its subjects. The history of such governments and movements in the last century is filled with ghastly tyrannies, mass executions, and poverty for all.
Contemporary activists are changing the meanings of familiar words, creating new terminologies, removing cultural symbols & statues, rewriting major events in our history in what appears to be a systematic attempt to end our traditional founding principles of individual liberty and responsibility and replace it with a new system, based on a class structure of race and sexual orientation -- all while attempting to silence (or cancel) all who object.
Human nature is complex and filled with contradictions. We are not like ants, all the same and, in effect part of a larger organism. No enduring, perfect organization of human affairs and lives has yet emerged in history, and none likely ever will. simply because of the complexity of our common human natures and the many differences among the individual people among us (and in any of the various groups to which contemporary progressives would assign us).
Our country was founded based on the principles of individual liberty (with specified inviolable rights) and equal justice for all; the primacy of local or State governments; and a Federal Government with limited, specifically enumerated powers. It. and an evolving, cosmopolitan culture including elements and contributions from all its diverse inhabitants, has yielded unmatched, sustained liberty and economic growth. It remains a preferred destination for potential immigrants across the world.
Now some want to replace it create a new totalitarian ant hill. The Loudun County. VA School board appears to be a leading example. So far it doesn’t look so good


George...saying that Trump was not the favored candidate of the Republican establishment does not come close to capturing the flavor of the opposition to him. His fellow candidates, among other things, pointed out that Trump was a phony, that he was a liar, that he was a business failure, that he did not have the intelligence nor temperament to be president...and so much, much more.

THEY WERE RIGHT. HIS PRIMARY OPPONENTS IN 2016 WERE RIGHT...THAT TRUMP WAS UNFIT TO BE PRESIDENT.

And to suggest that the Democrats had to "settle" for Joe Biden is ludicrous. Joe Biden won the primary battles necessary to get the nod. He had many competent adversaries for the spot...EACH OF WHOM WAS MUCH MORE QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB THAN TRUMP.

Just sayin'!
0 Replies
 
hightor
 
  3  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 11:36 am
@georgeob1,
Quote:
The history of such governments and movements in the last century is filled with ghastly tyrannies, mass executions, and poverty for all.


Which of those governments and movements succeeded in countries where there was a well-functioning democracy and a healthy economy? I don't know where you're getting this conviction that we face the inevitability of totalitarianism simply because state governments either haven't been able to or have chosen not to fulfill their responsibilities to the citizens of their states.

Quote:
...and a very bitter (and often illegal) campaign was quickly launched to undermine every aspect of the Trump Presidency.

What "illegality" are you referring to?

And I was hoping you might answer this question: what's your problem with collecting taxes owed to the government?
georgeob1
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 12:23 pm
@blatham,
nd make judgments based on my own observations
blatham wrote:

For george, though, what we probably ought to take away from what he's written is that for a very long while he has been dependent upon a very narrow band of media/opinion. I'll wager, for example, that george has no books in his library that take up a careful study of political/news media so his notions of such are derived almost entirely from what Fox or Limbaugh etc tell him about "mainstream media". He believes this stuff.


That is a somewhat idiotic, fallacy-ridden statement. It also suggests a rather narrow understanding of many real experiences in life. Moreover it is patronizing and offensive. You don't know what I read, watch or listen to, and you don't know what I have seen, done and experienced in a life that I suspect involves many things you have never seen, or perhaps ever imagined.

I will gladly concede that I have no books purporting to "analyze" aspects of popular media. I simply don't find the subject either interesting or important. I take everything in the various media to be selective reporting reflecting the biases of the owning organization and its leaders, and to be, at best, articulations of a particular point of view on the matters in hand. At worst they are simply deceptive. I find it odd that you so consistently attach such importance to your favored sources and the usually superficial "analysis" they offer.

I prefer to think for myself, and make judgments based on my own observations of the concrete actions of political leaders, based simply on the knowledge and experiences I have accumulated over time. I find it enjoyable to spend more time reading history than newspapers or watching TV media.
blatham
 
  2  
Reply Thu 21 Oct, 2021 12:26 pm
@georgeob1,
Quote:
Notwithstanding your carefully worded quote

Carefully worded? Here it is again...

Quote:
Democrats have now won the popular vote in seven of the last eight elections, something no party has done before in U.S. history. This is also their fourth consecutive popular-vote victory; the last time that happened was the party’s run from 1932 through 1948.


That's not "carefully worded". It's a precise statement of fact. And that precise statement of fact tells us what the majority of American citizens have thought about Republican and Democratic party programs, policies, ideas and personalities over the last eight elections. Conservatism has been a consistent loser. It's not an opinion nor a skew of data. It's the factual truth.
 

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