QM:I'm happy to see that you accept the label 'right wing nutjob', that saves us time.
I wonder where you get your 90% figure (or your implication that 100% of teachers unions are democrat)...if true, why don't right wingers believe in education and journalism? No one is stopping them from being teachers or journalists.
You're part right about McCain, I did respect him for the most part (but didn't always agree with him) until he sold his soul and lost his mind in/after 2000 when the 'straight talk express' took a 90 deg right turn into a sewage filled ditch of lies, direction changes, blatant pandering, and BS. It makes me shudder to think what might have been if he had been president during his 'right wing wind sock' days, turning whichever way the right wing wind blew that day.
You have no idea when or how I was raised, so you should refrain from commenting on that subject. Let's just say your statement is wrong, as I'm sure are most of your assumptions about me.
The idea that the left is 'running roughshod' over the right is more complete insanity, the left is incapable of being cohesive enough to do much of anything intentionally. The right is cohesive, but their ideas are insane and proven repeatedly to be wrong for the most part. I do give them credit for knowing how to get their agenda furthered, I just disagree with their agenda as enacted.
Obama is on track to spend more than bush, but he has not yet. The reasons for the respective spending sprees and amount of each is another discussion in itself.
All taxpayers tired of being 'over' taxed are not right wing nutjobs, or even right wingers. That's an utter falicy and insulting BS. It's seemingly easy for you to point at the failings of one underfunded, over administrated program (public schools) and make the leap to the theory that all governmental programs are failures, but that is a gross simplification of a multifaceted problem. Even so, that theory doesn't hold water. The 'free market' for higher education shows that many, if not all completely 'private' schools provide sub par education (if any at all) while many schools using 'public' funds are among the highest ranked in the nation.
I'm sure you did call the feds attempt at stoping the failed CEO's from looting the failing companies we had just bailed out "obamatrons trying to loot corporations in the name of "social justice" ", so why isn't it 'the far right trying to loot the pensions and paychecks of the teachers' in the name of social justice? What's good for the goose...right? A legal contract is a legal contract, right?
I'm not sure if you are ignoring my last statement there or if that's some kind of 1/2 assed, racist response. Either way, TOTAL FAIL.
>> ^quantumushroom:
Dear right wing nutjob: Stop calling anyone or anything that isn't lock step in line with your insane far right wing agenda 'liberal' or 'democrat'. Because someone doesn't agree with your narrow, self centered world view, does not make them part of the groups you wish them to be in. Not everything that's left of the farthest right possible is liberal or democratic, only nutjobs think that way.
Labels save time, especially when they're accurate. American teachers' unions and 90% of American journalists are democrats, which used to mean liberal but now means socialist.
You, sir, are a tool. (please note I don't use the term 'conservative' because the right wing nuts of today are not conservative in the least, they want to make social laws fostering their viewpoint alone, that's not conservative, and they spend more liberally than their 'liberal' counterparts whenever they can.)
One of the many flowers in your garden of ignorance can be traced to this root: you were raised with the idea that "good conservatives" are RINO assholes like McCain who keep silent and compromise on every point in order to to be liked, while leftards and their failed schemes run roughshod over them. Now that the real Right has found its voice, there's a real chance at real change, however small.
The Kenyanesque Hawaiian has spent 3 trillion dollars in 3 years with more on the way. Spare the lecture about RINOS and spending, they're amateurs by comparison.
Your second point has already been dealt with...because the far right will take everything public servants have worked for and were contractually due and reduce them to minimum wage part time workers without benefits, those public servants were forced to unite and fight for what they worked for and earned.
'Dealt with' but not properly defended. The "far right"? And who might that be? Taxpayers who have had enough? People who see government schools for what they are? Dummy factories. Indoctrination centers. The free market does a better job teaching at half the cost. No wonder the unions hate vouchers and charter schools.
The Age of the Union is past. Put another way, if you can make a union competitive, fine by me, just don't expect GM-style bailouts. Ever. And to hell with all government unions. You may disagree and that's fine.
It's funny, I recall you being a voice for the CEO's of banks when they took golden parachutes after bush bailed them out of the ditch they drove into, saying they had contracts, and contracts must be enforced...why does that not apply to those making less than 10 million a year?
>>> You're bringing up stuff that has nothing to do with my original statement. The closest thing I remember to "defending CEOs" is calling out obamatrons trying to loot corporations in the name of "social justice". Utter crap.

Letting right wing nutjobs re-write contracts and negate our obligations was one of our biggest mistakes.
Fail. The Kenyanesque Hawaiian never met a spending cut he liked. He's overclocked this economy because he wants to cripple it. Here comes the broom to sweep the moonbats out of the belfry.
Speaking of rewarding failure.

on top of all that is the time and effort spent trying to make sure you do everything correctly and just trying learn how to do it in the first place. my time costs $70/hr. i've probably spent $1000 worth of my time this week alone trying to learn how to be a good accountant and financial advisor.

now i'm going to start my own religion and make tax evasion one of its prime tenants. but, we will burn the works of ayn rand and forbid anyone from "pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps". we shall instead study the writings of vonnegut, devote ourselves to the history of radical anarchist movements of the 20th century, forbid sexual repression and of course, we will love our bodies and never think them sinful or imperfect. instead of taking the sacrament, we will rub each others backs and necks and shoulders and legs. the power of touch will be > than the power of prayer. and we will look at the teachings of new age healers with great skepticism, despite what we may or may not have in common with them. hallelujah. amen.

In reply to this comment by blankfist:
Yeah, I noticed that when I was self-employed (read that as being a freelancer), my taxes went way up. I now owe back taxes. It becomes difficult to remain solvent. It's like the high taxes are there to discourage people from competing with the larger companies, and I've almost caved multiple times and gone back to working for corporations. I shudder to think.

And then there's the problem of where your money is spent. It's not locally generally. A lot of it goes to wars and death. I'd much rather spend locally and help those I have a chance of encountering daily.

In reply to this comment by peggedbea:
being self-employed may or may not be turning me into a libertarian. i feel like i'd rather take 20% of my income and just hand it over directly to my elderly neighbors than send it to the pilfering sociopaths in washington. ... i'm currently researching the best ways to commit tax evasion.

Yeah, I noticed that when I was self-employed (read that as being a freelancer), my taxes went way up. I now owe back taxes. It becomes difficult to remain solvent. It's like the high taxes are there to discourage people from competing with the larger companies, and I've almost caved multiple times and gone back to working for corporations. I shudder to think.

And then there's the problem of where your money is spent. It's not locally generally. A lot of it goes to wars and death. I'd much rather spend locally and help those I have a chance of encountering daily.

In reply to this comment by peggedbea:
being self-employed may or may not be turning me into a libertarian. i feel like i'd rather take 20% of my income and just hand it over directly to my elderly neighbors than send it to the pilfering sociopaths in washington. ... i'm currently researching the best ways to commit tax evasion.

I love me a marijuana christmas. I shudder to think how much thought went in to setting that up.

*Shudders

So much to say here - everything is so wrong!
This is very wrong. Why would you want to start your child's life with that kind of baggage and guilt. Quick, cap of any individuality and adventure she has growing inside her before she becomes her own person with "Ideas".

Daddy will help you build the wall!

"Females were created to feel accepted by men"
"Kissing, I hope I never do that - I'll ask the Lord's forgiveness"

The age old practice believing sex is for procreation only and not to be enjoyed - A wonderful thing to pass on to your children - not. These kids will grow up dysfunctional and feel guilt for the rest of their lives for every sexual thought, desire or touch.

I do, sweetpea, I do feel strongly. Sometimes I just stay away from things like this for my own mental health. Grit my teeth and wait for it to pass.

It is just discouraging to see stuff like this capture so many votes and head for Number One. That comic that hpqp posted was right on -- all that self congratulation. I shudder.

Besides, there are plenty of great people much more articulate than me already here. I am enjoying them enormously!


>> ^draak13:

@StimulusMax, you do make an interesting point; we can't jump to equality because the people on top don't get on board with it.
@bareboards2, I'm surprised you didn't contribute more to the conversation. I thought this would be something you felt strongly about!

Sick of the lies
Sick of the war

We’ll never have another, don’t be a silly bugger,
Check under the tree have a more than a stocking stuffer
It make my belly shudder, Don’t want to eat my supper
Come mother earth wanna serve jam and peanut butter

Another latecomer, here comes a great summer,
Arnie Schwarzenegger owns more than eight hummers,
But the trees suffer, too many woodcutter,
Each and everyone is killing off the earth mother
I shouldn’t even entertain the scene, humanity: insanity machine
Admit that it is us that lost this dream, Last generation passed the buck onto me.

Like a duck out of the water, we’re not going where we oughta
Pretend we’re getting tougher, fronting that we got this covered
But the rights are given up ah, given to the new-world-order
Too many men are nutters, taking out sisters and brothers.

Oh why won’t you see for your self, oh why wont you see for your self

Because I’m sick of the lies and I’m sick of the war and I’m
Sick of the lies and I’m sick of the war.

What did I really come here for? should have been among the sons of war
Time is on, and many man come but gotta be a part of the freedom cause
What a mess were in, we’ve got money in the tin,
But a president acting like a totalitarian
Some of them think it don’t matter, why the fat cats are getting fatter
Some of them think the phenomenon is given on a silver platter
What you seek to gain is what you can’t afford, well I’m
Sick of the lies and sick of the war

There’s a young man in an old cafe, rising his coffee cup he says
“I’m holding on to yesterday, until I build a better world some way”

Just let your mind fall away, It doesn’t matter what the haters say
Forget that man has to be this way
Forget that man has to be a slave
Follow your art, say what you’re saying
It’s all around so why are we waiting?
Come on people now we better start celebrating,
People all around, we better start celebrating
People all around, we better start celebrating
Come on everybody, we better start celebrating
People all around, we better start celebrating
Come on everybody, come on everybody now yo

People all around, we better start celebrating
If your mind is not ok then do some meditation
There better be another way until we’re communicating
We got to move faster because humanity is fading
I can see that we need intelligence operating,
We better call Mister T and the rest of the A-Team
We need true intentions and not just faking
We got no time for stalling or procrastinating

Sick of the lies and I’m sick of the war.

>> ^NetRunner:

>> ^blankfist:
Not so much "Manichean" as I am just reacting to the cards dealt me in this compulsory system. I haven't a choice to NOT being affected by human government outside of leaving the planet, so I have to actively play a role.
What it sounds like you want is more direct democracy. I shudder to think. I think we should've learned the lessons of majority rule when the US broke the treaties with the Native Americans. But I guess old tyranny dies hard.

You make a lot of pronouncements about things being tyranny or some other absolute evil, and cast a lot of aspersions on people like me that we have some sort of absolutist ideal of what is good that we're trying to impose.
Like the comment I've quoted, for example.
My idea of democracy is that if you're going to have laws, it's best for everyone who will be bound by those laws get a say in what they are. Your primary argument against it, if I phrase it charitably, is that democracy alone isn't sufficient for bringing about a utopia where we have perfect moral justice for all. I agree. I'm just saying I think it's a necessary component of a free society, not that it's the only thing necessary for a perfect one.


Keyword being "impose". That's where our disagreements begin.

>> ^blankfist:

Not so much "Manichean" as I am just reacting to the cards dealt me in this compulsory system. I haven't a choice to NOT being affected by human government outside of leaving the planet, so I have to actively play a role.
What it sounds like you want is more direct democracy. I shudder to think. I think we should've learned the lessons of majority rule when the US broke the treaties with the Native Americans. But I guess old tyranny dies hard.


You make a lot of pronouncements about things being tyranny or some other absolute evil, and cast a lot of aspersions on people like me that we have some sort of absolutist ideal of what is good that we're trying to impose.

Like the comment I've quoted, for example.

My idea of democracy is that if you're going to have laws, it's best for everyone who will be bound by those laws get a say in what they are. Your primary argument against it, if I phrase it charitably, is that democracy alone isn't sufficient for bringing about a utopia where we have perfect moral justice for all. I agree. I'm just saying I think it's a necessary component of a free society, not that it's the only thing necessary for a perfect one.

>> ^NetRunner:
You're so Manichean about things. I'm with Churchill -- democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried.
In any case, the platonic ideal of democracy is that all citizens get an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. What you're describing, by definition, isn't democracy. If people's choices are being usurped, or made meaningless, it's ceased to be democracy.
What we need is more democracy, not less.


Not so much "Manichean" as I am just reacting to the cards dealt me in this compulsory system. I haven't a choice to NOT being affected by human government outside of leaving the planet, so I have to actively play a role.

What it sounds like you want is more direct democracy. I shudder to think. I think we should've learned the lessons of majority rule when the US broke the treaties with the Native Americans. But I guess old tyranny dies hard.

>> ^MaxWilder:

Wow, a Kathy Griffin clip where she's endearing instead of annoying! Cool!


Weeeell... a little from column A, but a lot from column B. I still find listening to her to be like listening to fingernails on a black board. But I'd take that over seeing Michelle Bachmann's evil, cold, souless, dead stare... *shudder*

>> ^Lawdeedaw:

Shudders at memories. I hate you MrFrisk.



Why, have you spent some time in the hole?

Shudders at memories. I hate you MrFrisk.

*shudder* horrible horrible free market - right wing propaganda. "Built in welfare transfer system" = *lies

And these 'spontaneous' interviews with the token maximally pigmented dude and the painted dude? *lies

Early buyers are impatient idiots. The companies knows that there will always be impatient idiots who want to have the prestige of owning sth "first!" <-- (these people). So why not charge more if there are impatient idiots? When the companies run out of impatient idiots, they lower their prices. *lies .

Sorry, but I dislike ideologues (must have sth. to do with growing up in Germany)

From the yt info:

Mercedes Sosa canta Gracias a la Vida - Letra de Violeta Parra

Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto
me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro
perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco
y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado
y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo.

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto
me ha dado el oido que en todo su ancho
graba noche y dia grillos y canarios
martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos
y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado.

Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto
me ha dado el sonido y el abedecedario
con él las palabras que pienso y declaro
madre amigo hermano y luz alumbrando,
la ruta del alma del que estoy amando.

Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto
me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados
con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
playas y desiertos montañas y llanos
y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.

Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto
me dio el corazón que agita su marco
cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano,
cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo,
cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros.

Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto
me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto,
asi yo distingo dicha de quebranto
los dos materiales que forman mi canto
y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto
y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto.

Gracias a la Vida
Gracias a la Vida
Gracias a la Vida
Gracias a la Vida

Translate to English:

Mercedes Sosa - Thanks to life or Thanks Giving(Violeta Parra)

Thanks to life (Thanks Giving), which has given me so much.
It gave me two beams of light, that when opened,
Can perfectly distinguish black from white
And in the sky above, her starry backdrop,
And from within the multitude
The one that I love.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me an ear that, in all of its width
Records— night and day—crickets and canaries,
Hammers and turbines and bricks and storms,
And the tender voice of my beloved.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me sound and the alphabet.
With them the words that I think and declare:
"Mother," "Friend," "Brother" and the light shining.
The route of the soul from which comes love.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me the ability to walk with my tired feet.
With them I have traversed cities and puddles
Valleys and deserts, mountains and plains.
And your house, your street and your patio.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me a heart, that causes my frame to shudder,
When I see the fruit of the human brain,
When I see good so far from bad,
When I see within the clarity of your eyes...

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me laughter and it gave me longing.
With them I distinguish happiness and pain—
The two materials from which my songs are formed,
And your song, as well, which is the same song.
And everyone's song, which is my very song.

Thanks to life (Thanks Giving)
Thanks to life
Thanks to life
Thanks to life

Oh, and length 5:29. Now I have to watch again to catch what she said after the song!