On the topic of the benefits of federal government, I thought I'd share this video. You will have to get past the fact it is Olberman, but it is an amusing and satirical take on the whole stupid Texas succession thing: YouTube - Countdown WTF!! Segment: Texas Secession
I don't watch Limbaugh or Olberman, you should do the same. EDIT: And Evanar, nobody above was claiming ridiculously that we should or could live without social order and government. The debate is about the location and size of that government, and the conservative believes it should be small and local. And that fucking works, just ask all the small nations in Europe. A huge federal government is just like all governments - prone to waste and corruption. Smaller governments are (in theory) just easier to control. There are no good examples of a country the size of the United States, Canada has a similar geographic size but not the population density.
The topic isn't Olberman, the topic is the federal government. Did you watch it? And while I know you won't listen to me, Olberman is not a Limbaugh-like character. I watch lots of Fox News, (don't listen to Limbaugh, radio bores me) and I look at fact checking of both the right and left, and either the right is lazy or doesn't know how to fact check, or they have not been able to catch Olberman in many mistrusts because he doesn't make very many. I guess you can judge. Of course he has a point of view, and shares it constantly, but my experience is that he bases it off a stronger factual and conceptual framework than most of the loud-mouths on the right. Is Olberman right all the time? Hell no, when I watch I try to do so with a critical eye just like when I watch Fox, and I just don't see the BS from Olberman I see and hear from the bits of Limbaugh I do catch.
Nope. Limbaugh also says things that are interesting and true. Those are the essential elements of a convincing lie. Moderate and impartial news is what I'm looking for, and Olberman is incapable of delivering it. So I refuse to watch him.
I'm with evanar on this one, government is a necessity, how much government is the real question. With regards to making the federal government smaller and relying solely on state governments, that's also crazy talk and doesn't solve our current problems either. If you think local governments (county, state, etc) is a well oiled machine even when compared to the federal government you are sorely mistaken. As far as letting the free market dictate everything, in theory that might work, but in theory communism also works. However in the real world, the US hasn't been a pure capitalist society ever. What many people seem to forget is that America is a melting pot, not just with regards to races and nationalities but with economic policies and our type of government. We take things that work for us and make them our own. That's why we are a republic not a democracy, that's why we practice capitalism as well as socialism and not just one or the other. In fact, the moment this country stops looking for the best solutions and only looks for solutions that fit a particular model or ideology we are doomed to fail.
Afraid of other opinions. Got it. I watch Bill Oriley (among others) and I haven't become an idiot yet, are you afraid it will infect your brain and change you somehow? (am I wrong here?) 'Moderate' Ok, isn't 'moderate' a political stance? Right there you are asking for something that conforms with your preconceived notion of what is 'moderate.' And 'impartial'? What is that? How do you know? Aren't you just judging that by your preconceived notions as well? Take that spanking study I posted the other week. If I'd posted a study that said something to the effect of 'spanking works and has no negative consequences' you would probably the the first one to champion it, right? And without question, I'd bet as well. Because that is what you already believe, and that is what you expect to see. I'm not trying to attack you here, the bottom line is I don't believe complete impartiality exists, so I try to find many perspectives and come to a sort of synthesis. I think your rigid notion of what you perceive to be 'moderate and impartial' is in itself close minded and inherently bias. (everyone is this way to some degree or another, myself included, the difference is I can admit it) Take a quick look at The Propaganda Model: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_model http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlyb1Bx9Ic
Haha, but i still don't think communism has ever been honestly attempted in the real world (i completely agree that its almost utopia in theory) good lord perry needs to stop running his mouth. him versus hutchison is going to kill them both, they're total scumbuckets for their campaigning tactics. the rumor at the capital is that perry has a thing for young boys, so in the keywords for her campaign web site, hutchison put "perry gay boys" or something similar in it... i'm also curious to see where the hell they are getting those poll numbers. I know a few country rednecks who have seriously discussed the secession thing. Pretty much everyone here is aware that we can't actually secede (besides the tea party asshats I guess?) and in response to his tirade about all that fed provided shit, a. half of it is trivial/doesnt matter at all, and b. people forget that tax also gets collected to be redispersed to support all these programs. guess who is one of the highest grossing states for tax revenue? was it just me or did his rant have racist (towards mexicans) undertones?
Thanks for the completely off-base diatribe, but that's exactly what it was - off-base. You don't know me and take a fractional slice of my political standing to get up on your soapbox. I am not fundamentalist, I believe the federal government serves a purpose, and that purpose it laid out by our Constitution. Other than that, they are now too far-reaching, corrupt, and can be bought and sold like commodities. Go back to sucking on the teat that the establishment provides for you. On EDIT: I was trying to figure out what really set you off, and I think it must have been the Federal Reserve comment. You mean you don't have a problem with a private organization run by unelected officials that passes around TRILLIONS of tax payer money with no oversight or accountability? Okay for you, but not okay for me. If it was the 10th amendment comment, again I wasn't saying the Federal government is not without its purpose. It's just that purpose is clearly defined in our Constitution and again, they are WAY overstepping the bounds IMHO. I hope that clears it up for you, I am not an anarchist, I am just not an imperialist.
I think he is operating under the assumption of Texans racism towards Mexicans, and saying if they are already afraid of Mexicans, they would have to be way more afraid if they were a sovereign country. As for the 'mostly useless' part, yes, sports teams are not critical, I think that section was in part because a) Olberman is a big sports guy, and b) Texas takes sports teams very seriously? Further edit: I've been looking for a good website to fact-check Olberman, and all I can come up with is this Hardly a quality source
Not all of us. I'd welcome a turning back to basics. No roads, no towns, no governments. Just people taking care of thier own community. Whether it be neighbors or family. Lawlessness you say? Just read the news with government in place. I hear what you're saying, but you really don't have to come off like a total antisocial asshole to say it.
Shit! These threads always devolve into people calling each other names. Chill the fuck down. "Can't we all just get along?" I don't think anybody here wants Communism or Anarcho-capitalism. These are just models to illustrate ideas. It's doubful either one would work in real life. Anyhow, here's an interesting article I found on Wikipedia. It talks about how Hong Kong's economy is mostly laissez-faire, but the government does step in once in a while.
I'm not sure if your oversimplification here is meant to be funny or if things are really that black and white to you. I'm not afraid of differing opinions at all, I listen to NPR and all sorts of what would be considered liberally slanted media. I just simply refuse to give audience to a side show fear monger like Limbaugh or Olberman. See above. I listen, watch, and read all sorts of media. I also have friends from all walks of life and from all of the world. Liberal friends from Egypt, Indian, Turkey, Germany... And we have lovely conversations about politics, religion, etc. The difference is that with them it's civil and they don't constantly bash my point of view. And trust me, you didn't need to admit that you're closed minded or biased. It's pretty obvious, plus remember that political quiz we took a while back? My dot was in the middle and you were way off in the corner, where you belong.
ooooooooooo whammy! Give him a break, he is a grad student and needs to practice ranting (I finally understand him after he made that comment) oh god, he is gay for obama
Did someone get ownzored or something? I must have missed it. No, the world is not that black and white to me. You think I am 'closed minded and bias' but you are not at all? El-Oh-El. Again, there is no such thing as a human without bias, and if there were, it certainly wouldn't be like you. Also, if you honestly think Olberman is that far on the left, you don't really know what far left is
Everybody has a slant, no argument there. The sharper the angle, the lower the objectivity. That's all I'm saying. More slant, less objectivity. We may both be miles away from unbiased but at least I can get there on foot. Anyway, Olberman isn't far left either. I know that. But his show (like Limbaugh and Glenn Beck) is sensationalized, editorialized, biased crap. I just chose not to fill my head with that lowest common denominator shit. As I've said before, some people use media the same way that a drunk uses a light post - more for support than illumination. I'll take my news straight as possible, and hold the editorial. I can chew my own food, thank you very much. At least someone like Anderson Cooper editorializes with some subtlety and class, Olberman is a circus clown by comparison.
I've wanted to respond to this thread but haven't gotten around to it. MSP, I disagree. I believe that the above comment was explicitly about the failure of government to create jobs and I addressed that. If anyone thinks I'll apologize for attacking people who believe in this tea party/randian nonsense then your sadly mistaken. I agree with you that once one recognizes that there is a role for government, we can debate what that role is. But the problem I so commonly see is that people are unwilling to even take that position. I know you are, and that is why I didn't direct my comment to you. And Wiskas, I realize some people may be willing, or able to make that sacrifice. From what I've seen of your lifestyle, you may be part of this group. But the fact remains that the vast majority of the people in America are not, and they need to realize. And yes I am an uptight and busy grad student. So I have to crank out forum replies faster than your mother can service the crew of the USS Nimitz.
I wasn't disagreeing with you, just the way you presented what you did. You're right. government is mandetory. All things in moderation though. And yes, living a sustainable lifestyle is what I was made for and there are very few of us. hense the planet suffers and nobody cares to do anything about it. Adressing all posters: I am not pro or con Obama. i am not republican or democrat. I see a worrysome trend taking place in the politics we use to make our decisions and I'm here for as much a shout-out I can muster. It's bullshit no matter what. the validity of the internet as a reliable form of education and information has been comprimised.
Some people come to their conclusions based on what is right verses wrong, not what is right verses left/democrat verses republican/conservative verses liberal. Some times you really seem to think the only sensible answer is "the middle" (defined and judged by you, middle or not) instead of the truth. There is a middle ground between opinions, but not between facts. To begin, I think your whole notion of right/left is skewed, as is most of the countries. I've been saying this forever (even though no one listens) but the media, and the right in particular, have pushed the notion that Democrat/Republican is the same thing as Left/Right, Liberal/Conservative. Ever notice how Republicans are more than willing to talk about being on the right, and even bragging about how conservative they are, while VERY few Democrats will embrace the label of "left" or "liberal?" American politics are tilted rightward, because Democrats are closer to the center than they are to the left. Next, I think that 'light post quote' is YOUR light post, you can't help but bring it up every chance you get! Finally, some people are able to attend the circus without becoming a clown
I love rustling the leaves because it always turns into a fire anyways! YouTube - Arthur Brown - Fire
I don't care how "busy" you are... you need to slow your roll homie... You seem to judge people from a sentence or two from what I've seen. I don't think that's fair.
Yeah, that stimulus package did WONDERS for our unemployment rates. It's so amazing the amount of people that have been able to find gainful employment and how the numbers of job losses have taken a dramatic downturn. :retard: Why Government Can’t Create Jobs | The Freeman | Ideas On Liberty Here is an article from approximately 1 year ago: From Bad to Worse: Unemployment Rate Hits Working Americans Across the Spectrum ...and here is the data for last month: September Unemployment: ACTUAL LOSS 995k - The Market Ticker YouTube - Alan Grayson: "Which Foreigners Got the Fed's $500,000,000,000?" Bernanke: "I Don't Know." On EDIT: Let me add this: http://www.x-rates.com/d/EUR/USD/graph120.html Flooding the market with all of this artificial printed money that is being borrowed from foreign markets is killing the value of what you and I have in our bank accounts. It's time for a wake up call.
