Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Miscellaneous 53
1) I think that David Frum (a person who I consider to be a reasonable Republican - his authorship of the "Axis of Evil" speech, aside) basically has it right. The danger with all of this hate-filled and violent imagery (Palin's cross-hairs, etc.) isn't so much that it's going to trigger some psychotic lunatic to kill people (those people, Mr. Frum points out, have a greater tendency to listen to different "voices"). The danger, he thinks (and, yes, I agree), is far more the toxic political environment that it creates. I mean, just think about it for a second. Who in his or her right mind would ever want to cooperate with somebody who constantly refers to him/her as the enemy (not to mention a whole hell of a lot of other things)? I mean, I certainly don't see it happening.............2) I'll admit it here. There's a part of me that really wants to like Bill O'Reilly. a) He has a good sense of humor. b) He's self-deprecating (juxtaposed, of course, with a healthy does of ego). And c) on some occasions, he actually IS fair.....But it's hard - mainly because he's largely full of shit. For instance, when asked why he hasn't been criticizing the vitriol of right-wing talk-radio, he responded (with a total straight face, I swear) by saying that it was because talk radio is mostly entertainment, not news. It's like, what, he doesn't think that we remember all of the criticisms that he had for Air America? For Rosie O'Donnell on "The View"? Those particular objects of his vitriol WEREN'T entertainment?....My God. What a frigging jerk, huh?............3) I gotta be honest with you, folks. Most of the people that I know have NOT been engaged in this relentless left versus right free-for-all. They basically see it/this lunacy for what it is; a facile/puerile/infantile/sordid/shallow/shameless/etc. attempt to glorify the particular....and they eschew it.....Well, that, and they apparently lead some busy lives, too.
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10 comments:
I used to be a busy person, I used to be well rounded with lots to do and lots to see...then I got this damn computer, became addicted to politics....and here I sit. It's sad really. I sometimes wish the computer would crash so I could get back to my old life that is passing me by. Linda deleted her blog... she's doing the right thing!
I've been on both sides of the political fence and to be honest, while I am still a liberal, I feel most of the hardcore types on both sides are either morons or trying to sell snake oil. First and foremost I consider myself American but I must say this attitude has lost me many friends on the left and not won me any on the right.
What "Left verus Right free-for-all"? Honestly, I don't know wha the hell you're talking about. I see the Right's main goal as bringing down a Democratic president, and the Left's main goal being getting legislation passed that will benefit the entire country (and at the same time defending against attacks from the Right).
I DON'T see an equal back and forth where each side is equally guilty. Being a centerist, that's probably how you imagine it, but I don't see it.
I am 100% in agreement with you w!
I agree that the Republicans have acted irresponsibly for the past two years, and that there has indeed been a lot of vitriol coming from that quarter. But if your position is that the left (commentators and politicians) has pretty much been playing patty-cake during this same time period, that's a complete and total nonstarter. Sorry.......Oh, and as for all of this wonderful legislation, I guess that we'll just have to see. The law of unintended consequences may in fact ultimately play a role here - hopefully not.
I know that you consider yourself a liberal, double b, but I see you more as an independent person whose mind is continuously open, and who never defends the indefensible.
So, Independents (like yourself) are so awesome that if someone agrees with you they must be one (even if they say they aren't)?
I never said the Democrats passed "wonderful" legislation. It was all highly compromised by concessions given to Republicans. If the legislation had been a compromise between Democrats and Progressives perhaps it would have been almost "wonderful"... but it wasn't.
Hopefully what was passed will be enough to get the job done in a half-assed manner. I think that's the best we can hope for.
I did not "defend the indefensible" by the way. What's indefensible, I believe, is that part of you wants to like that douchebag Bill O'Reilly.
Forget the Republican-Democrat-Progressive stuff. Look at the legislation itself. Does it bend the cost-curve? No, it doesn't. Is it at all logical? Again, no. For instance, the fine for noncompliance is significantly LESS than the cost of insurance. This will obviously lead to people NOT buying insurance UNTIL they are sick (of which they CAN because of the no pre-existing condition clause)......And what about the Cap and Trade legislation (which, no, didn't pass because of the Senate)? There was a provision in that that precluded people from being able to sell their homes until they made energy upgrades to them. a) That is dictatorial and b) it would have been an idiotic thing to do in the middle of a housing recession......Look, I'll give it to you here. At least the Democrats are trying (as opposed to the Republicans who want to solve EVERYTHING via tax-cuts) to solve some problems. But they hardly ever seem to think things through.
Making political hay over a tragedy, absent any evidence whatsoever, is totally indefensible, in my opinion.......You also seem not to be offended by the other examples of left-wing depravity; Palin's face (her actual face) in the cross-hairs, Roland Martin's going gangsta' stuff, The idiotic HuffPo piece about breaking knee-caps, etc..
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