February 2012
113 posts
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People Dislike Friedersdorf Today
I posted a quote from Conor Friedersdorf yesterday that garnered a tad more attention than I expected. It was unanimously (as far as I can tell) negative. People were not fond of his association of Bob Jones University and Notre Dame, his use of the word “Indoctrinated” to describe what most people call “education,” and the vague idea of something about higher education...
Tumblr Update
Fail
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FREE MARKET CAPITALIST REPUBLICANS PROMISE TO FIX...
aheram:
Promising even more government intervention to promote the free market.
“It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work....”
– Barack Obama
Notice he’s not talking about just four-year college. What a snob.
(via soupsoup)
Excellent. If it’s people’s patriotic duty to get a post high school education/job training, guess who will end up on the line for the bill?
If you guess “The Taxypayer,” well...
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Hell Has Frozen Over. There is a Pro-Santorum... →
You have no idea how many times I’ve scrolled the Santorum tag on Tumblr without seeing a single positive mention of the Senator. It seems that has changed. The frothy mixture has arrived!
“The American project was not about maximizing national wealth nor international...”
– Charles Murray, “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010”
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“But can we please admit that many four year colleges do in fact attempt to...”
– Conor Friedersdorf
Let’s hear it. Is Conor wrong?
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Bob Kerrey Back In the Game
The Washington Post is reporting that Bob Kerrey has changed his mind and will run for Senate. Updtates to follow #lnk @JournalStarNews
— Lincoln Journal Star (@JournalStarNews) February 27, 2012
Seems that the Nebraska Senate race is about to get a lot more interesting. Kerrey’s been out of Nebraska politics for a long time, but he was a force to be reckoned with back in the day.
Also,...
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What Would You Do?
What’s the swiftest way to unite America behind President Barack Obama?
If you guessed “Have foreign troops invade the United States, kill civilians without consequence, and install a puppet government,” touché to you. Despite the obvious truth behind the idea that our “President” is an atheist Muslim seeking to force secularism on our society, nothing would bring Americans together quite like a...
“And by slamming Obama for being a “snob,” Santorum, if only indirectly, also...”
– Santorum and Obama want to increase your taxes and dictate your life decisions. Joy.
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“If, however, people are told that today’s prices are an outrage, that oil can be...”
– Frum
Inactive
You won’t be hearing much from me this weekend. Apologies in advance.
Anywho, consider this a friendly reminder that my Ask box is always open. (That’s what she said.)
Ask away. Consider this my GPOY, with post substituted for picture.
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“How can our country, with a President who knows discrimination in his core, how...”
– Vermont resident Frances Herbert • Discussing the issues her wife, Takaka Ueda, is facing. Herbert is legally married to Ueda — a native of Japan and her partner of 13 years — and in shock, after the Department of Homeland Security sent a letter denying Ueda’s request to stay in the country. Ueda...
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“I despise what the GOP has become. But it is what it is. And Santorum is its...”
– Sullivan’s “tepid” endorsement of a Santorum nomination.
With all due respect, I must disagree with Andrew. The winner of the nomination, no matter how bad the polls look today, has a real shot at the White House. We (Americans) cannot risk a Santorum presidency.
Even if...
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“Please stand with me against the foreign company TransCanada and their attempt...”
– Julia Crawford of Direct, Texas
Crawford’s family ranch has been threatened by eminent domain. This would be an example of crony capitalism at its finest. Democrats don’t hold a monopoly on such practices.
No to eminent domain. Yes to a greater respect for private property rights.
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“My sense is that the president’s are (1) secure; (2) clean; and cheap only...”
– Frum
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Separating Church and State
politicalprof:
This year’s Republican primary has brought the return of the culture war: the war between those who some allege to be godly against others presumed to be ungodly; the war between those who insist they are moral against those who are found to be immoral. Front and center in the culture war this year has been contraception, most notably things like the birth control pill, the...
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“It’s my fault that I got tongue tied and didn’t explain myself well...”
– Sullivan says this is deserving of an Yglesias Award, given for people who courageously criticize their political allies when necessary.
I agree “Severely”
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Avoid Frothy Mixtures →
As promised, here’s my article supporting Romney over Santorum. Obviously, I support Ron Paul, but Romney is worlds better than the former Senator from Pennsylvania.
Give it a read, and let me know what you think.
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Campfire Tales: On equality, universal healthcare... →
There are many people who see my lifestyle, with my apartment and well-kept, often designer (though often secondhand) clothes, two-year-old car and specialized diet (mostly organic/free-range, mostly vegetarian), and judge me. As if because I come from privilege I am undeserving of the help I now receive to keep myself fed. Further, there are people who see eating well on government assistance...
squashed:
huskerred:
Raising taxes on certain categories of people to pay for our egregious spending habits in Washington only passes the buck to future generations.
Technically raising revenue pays for the spending we’re doing now—which eliminates the need to pass the buck to future generations. Any budget has two sides. Money in. Money out. Taxes are low now. A more progressive tax system...
squashed:
huskerred:
fralcon:
As a general rule, wealth buys political influence. If a country is having fiscal problems, the blame likely lies with the corporations and individuals who benefited the most from its policies. Don’t blame the public worker who has the unmitigated gall to be in the middle class. Look at the businesses and individuals connected to government officials. This is...
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fralcon:
As a general rule, wealth buys political influence. If a country is having fiscal problems, the blame likely lies with the corporations and individuals who benefited the most from its policies. Don’t blame the public worker who has the unmitigated gall to be in the middle class. Look at the businesses and individuals connected to government officials. This is why austerity measures are...
Number 200 goes out to DemocratsAreSexier. In response to her Tumblr name, I humbly respond with the following:
Maybe
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In Light of Last Night's Debate →
This seems quite appropriate. If the Santorum does win the nomination, this is by far the greatest positive. Cleanse the GOP of the theocratic deal with the devil and return to traditional limited government conservatism.
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“What I find somewhat infuriating in the language of the linked poll is the...”
– Sullivan’s best when he’s mad.
What Santorum is basically saying is something like this:
“Those people aren’t quite as human as me. Their lives, their happiness, their value is not as important as my own. Therefore, they shouldn’t get the same things or the right to...
“So really the only people Chavez is helping are the leftist North American...”
– Jakke
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Seems Appropriate
Given what seem to be the main topics of the debate tonight, this snippet from an article of mine that will publish Friday seems appropriate:
For the GOP to move forward, it must break the death grip help on it by religious fundamentalists. Like it or not, the battles on abortion and gay marriage are largely over. Freedom has won the day, and fundamentalists have lost their bid to run the lives of...
Romney/Santorum
I’ve got an article on Romney/Santorum for my campus rag that’s due for submission in a couple hours. Feel free to send me pros for Romney and cons for Santorum.
This will be painful.
Here is the link to my tentative intro.
Hey So Hate To Break This To Everyone
thecallus:
Hold up on the magical auto industry recovery.
Detroit “recovered” to well under the equity payback mark because of a whole mess of awful subprime auto loans. The G.19 reports revealed a massive increase in credit extension that drove the big Q4 that Obama is crowing about and the Republicans are idiotically saying “would have happened anyway”. Herp a doo: guys,we’re talking a whole...
Husker Red: I keep hearing that government is bad →
squashed:
huskerred:
squashedcomments:
squashed:
huskerred writes:
Government has traditionally been the cause of misery and suffering far more than a helpful hand for those in need. Why trust it now?
Would you mind elaborating on this? “Traditionally?” Are we talking 18th-century traditionally? Or are we talking about…
That’s probably the spot where we’ll reach an impasse. I simply...
Husker Red: I keep hearing that government is bad →
squashedcomments:
squashed:
huskerred writes:
Government has traditionally been the cause of misery and suffering far more than a helpful hand for those in need. Why trust it now?
Would you mind elaborating on this? “Traditionally?” Are we talking 18th-century traditionally? Or are we talking about…
That’s probably the spot where we’ll reach an impasse. I simply can’t understand why...
I keep hearing that government is bad
squashed:
huskerred writes:
Government has traditionally been the cause of misery and suffering far more than a helpful hand for those in need. Why trust it now?
Would you mind elaborating on this? “Traditionally?” Are we talking 18th-century traditionally? Or are we talking about some sort of dogma embedded in conservative tradition. E.g. “Santa Claus traditionally wears red.” Or is this...
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Republicans and "Smaller" Government
politicalprof:
One constantly hears that Republicans are the party of small government while Democrats are the party of big government. And, of course, the person making this claim usually makes it clear that small government is good and big government is bad.
Except, of course, this characterization of the two parties’ positions on government is factual twaddle.
Think about it this way:...
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“But what we could do, at a minimum, is cushion the unadvantaged against some of...”
– Frum
A year ago, I’d have applauded this line of thinking. Not so sure how I feel about it today. Government has traditionally been the cause of misery and suffering far more than a helpful hand for those in need. Why trust it now?
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“And yet even among the friends of liberty, many people are deceived into...”
– Ron Paul (via ronpaulrevolution)
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What a Nice Guy!
All the fawning over the President for his likability reminds me how much liberals used to lambast Republicans for liking Bush. How “Cool” or “Likable” a President is means nothing to his effectiveness at governing, but everything for winning elections.
For what it’s worth, I like the President and First Lady. They seem like intelligent people and good parents. That...
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“My friends, whether they be homosexual or not, know me, and they know that I’m...”
– Chris Christie • Regarding his recent veto of a bill that would have legalized gay marriage in New Jersey. Politicians who oppose marriage equality use this defense a lot, because hey, it’s easy to speak on behalf of your unnamed gay friends and say that they’re cool with your anti-gay marriage...
#Politics
I can promote one more #Politics tag today. My apologies if good material goes without the tag.
Today was filled with rather excellent content.