Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

Likely the qualities winning him the "racialist" vote.

S_A_M

Here's an unofficial poll for you
 

How can you not be? The only thing left for either of them - hell, any candidate - to do is fuck up. Their positions are set.

Here's an unofficial poll for you
 

It's hard to warm to a screamer, particularly if you have ever worked in a law firm.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

That fits the ones I knew -- but it was a very small sample size.

S_A_M

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

Actually, this sums up Edwards quite well.

Here's an unofficial poll for you
 

I am FOR Hillary in a lukewarm sense. (Which may be your point.)

As for the others, I like Obama a lot but have concerns. I have many more concerns about Edwards, and like him less. I would be happier with HRC than with either of these two.

S_A_M

Here's an unofficial poll for you
 

As a general rule, I spend money on general elections, not primaries. And so I don't have to make up my mind until it's time to walk into the polling booth a few weeks from now. If I had to make up my mind today, I'd vote for Hillary based not just on her experience, but also on her constancy over the years and the impressions I've had meeting her. She had a depth of knowledge about some of the issues we were discussing that was impressive on any level and rare in a politician. She is clearly presidential timber.

I have not yet met Obama, and if he can stand up over time, and can keep running a campaign like he is now, he might well be even better.

I like Obama. He's the only one in the field that I can stand listening to anymore.

Among his other sins, I think Edwards has jumped the shark recently with his All Populism, All the Time message.

I cannot bear the thought of reliving the Clinton Drama for another 4 to 8 years.

On the Republican side, Romney is a cipher, and a transparent one at that, but it seems that he has the potential to be a competent president if it comes to that.

I admit to liking McCain a little because, well, I still have a soft spot for the guy, despite the neoconservative knucklehead that he's turned out to be.

Huckabee is fun to watch, in part because he'll play a role in destroying what's left of the Reagan coalition, but he doesn't really know what he's doing as a candidate, and he's not gonna win anything in any event. He'll have his day in the sun in Iowa, and maybe South Carolina, but far as I can tell, he doesn't have anything approaching a national campaign apparatus, and I think you still need one to actually win a nomination.

Here's an unofficial poll for you
 

I would like HRC more if she weren't in a permanent defensive crouch. She may even have good reasons for the posture, given all the shit she's received over the years, but that doesn't mean I want to vote for her.

He seems like a genuinely nice guy. I'd invite him to dinner, but wouldn't vote for him

Given his background, it comes across as satire

You ain't kidding, although she is the most "leader-like" of the Dems

I don't disagree with the cipher comment, but I think it's an unfortunate consequence of candidates all pandering to 250K otherwise unimportant citizens of Iowa.

He's a hero, and gives great TV, but I hate 2/3s of his positions and would rather have a beer with Obama. Or Cheney.

In the end - concur. He's a two-trick pony, if that. Crashes faster than Dean. Or Buchanan.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

IMHO you don't have to explain this at all. I took it as you criticizing folks who see things only as "me, me, me, mine, mine, mine" taxwise. Hopefully, Sebby is on board with the idea that to be a municipality, state or country that functions well, then everyone has to ante up (in whatever way makes most sense) for not just schools but to rush your drunken ass to the hospital when your liver goes early. Spread out the risk. If someone truly wants to "keep" all of what he/she earned, that someone better move to Lancaster and grow a long beard where you can "opt out" and keep all your wood carved piggies to yourself.** Or you can go the illegal opt-out route and become a Hassidim (own schools/even private docs). Same long beard, but closer to the City and Yiddish is easier than German (plus you get speedy Lubuvitcher ambulance drivers instead of those damn slow horses). Until then, people who bitch about taxes in general are better served coming up with specific ways to make levying them "more fair."

**Of course, an opt out would never work or even a line-item tax bill since most would "opt out" of things like First Aid squad and other shit but then they'd cry foul when left 1/2 dead on the side of the road. It already happens with health care insurance opt-outs who show up in ER and demand free care anyway.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

Nova Lox is one of my favorite foods, I know a bit of Yiddish and don't like shaving too much...

But seriously, I don't have a problem with paying a fair share of taxes. I don't know how the debate got warped into that.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

Taking away the lower capital gains rate is an unfair wealth redistribution. No matter how you slice it, it is penalizing success, killing the margins for people who have accumulated capital, and for what? To what glorious end? To fuck up Wall Street and hand the money to the government to waste?

It's also insanely reckless considering our country's awful savings rate. Are you really suggesting we should force more older people back into the work force? Are you really suggesting we should carve more money for our "government" out of retirees' hides? The last thing we need to be doing in this country is taking money AWAY from people who have diligently planned and saved in part based on the knowledge that a large part of their reitrement income would be taxed at a discounted rate. You're hurting the older members of the middle class. I don't see how you can say that is fair.

BTW, I did not lump you into the group of people desiring HDTV for welfare mothers. You've debated with me enough to know that. Your appetite for progressive taxation is far from that, but I still say its a form of wealth redistribution.

Here's an unofficial poll for you
 

Dissent. Screamers are wonderful. It's the moaners who are disturbing.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

I thought someone was talking about protesting the payment of taxes (not just a portion). Oh nevermind.

Groucho Marxism
 

Nor, I would note, in a Libertarian one.

Groucho Marxism
 

obesity is a bigger problem in the states than starvation.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

It's not taking money away from people who have saved. I'm just saying that the same tax should be imposed on income from investment as from salary or wages. As for retirees, if they are counting on the income from savings being taxed at a lower rate, they get that through (i) a lower marginal rate on their lower retirement income and (ii) the appreciation for their working years tax-free.

Groucho Marxism
 

I'm not aware of many Libertarians favoring abolition of the Court system.

I'm biased, but Obama rocked tonight, didn't he?

Obama
 

Women voted for him 35% to Hillary's 30%. Independents were something like 57-17. She is going to get killed in N.H., where independents can vote in in the Dem. primary. She is going to get killed in S.Carolina, which is 50% black on the Dem. side. I can't wait to see the new odds tomorrow.

eta: Michigan is on 1/15, and she will be probably be beaten there too.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

How does that make for losing the lower cap gains rate pre-retirement?

Obama
 

I thought all the Dems pulled out of Michigan to punish us for changing the date.

"Iowa picks corn; New Hampshire picks Presidents"

Obama
 

Doubtful. She's the only Dem running.

Obama
 

You are right, and I had forgot that, but It seems a little unclear here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)_presidential_primaries,_2008 - as to whether candidates cannot campaign there (or Florida) and/or whether their delegates cannot vote. Nonetheless, perceptions based upon the only two large states to vote before 2/5 may matter.

If this keeps up he's going to have to get himself a platform one of these days. I like the guy's somewhat centrist vibe, but "hope" and "change" are a little vague.

I want to bang Chuck Norris' wife (blonde behind Huckabee during speech).

Yep. Everything Obama needed to happen - young people, independents, some Republicans coming out to caucus who historically never do, but did tonight - happened. Big, big win.

And he gave a great speech.

Go for it. "Chuck Norris's tears cure cancer" may be the best answer Huckabee has for a health care platform.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

2. All government is essentially a risk pool. Either you want low premiums or you want covered claims. Can't have both. Period.

Libertarians don't have a good answer for who provides the schizophrenics with the padded room and who takes custody of the abused kids. Life ain't Little House on the Prairie. If you thought Victorian London was a paradise, vote Paul.

didn't he say he wants to attack Iran? or is flat out lying okay for you guys?

Groucho Marxism
 

Can you parse this for me? "Transitional Action: Repeal all laws that presume government knows better than the individual how to run that person’s life." Link. If you don't start with Article III, there's nowhere to start at all.

Ron Paul supporters rally in World of Warcraft
 

POTD.

Was that a subliminal message in tonight's speech that I missed? Now that I think about it, I bought an awful lot of popcorn tonight.

I don't remember that part. Bombing Pakistan, sure, but Iran?

Educate me.

Groucho Marxism
 

are you saying that for Libertarians 9/11 wasn't even a simple crime?

doesn't everything he said since starting to run count, or does he get a pass like Kerry did with his medals?

Shorter Iowa Analysis
 

• Obama looks like he's won by a fairly significant margin. Romney, by contrast, has been caucus blocked.

Beutler

Groucho Marxism
 

It's their fucking platform. Ask them whether it's empty rhetoric, not me.

I never thought Kerry's military service was a reason to vote against him -- that was Slave.