Nutjobs Ranting About Politics.

[Replaced_Texan]

I realize that there are heart attacks, duels, girly-men and other assorted political goings on here in the US, but has anyone been paying attention to the situation in Russia? 150 dead, most of the dead were kids, most of the injured were kids, most of the hostages were kids. Most of the hostage takers are still at large, reportedly exchanging gunfire with the extraction team. I was listening to a description this morning on the radio, and it sounded just awful. As horrible, as awful, as much as 9/11 still gives me nightmares, there seems to be something even more barbaric about deliberately putting kids in harms way, and then setting off explosives that injure them. I can only imagine what the Russian rage must be like today.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by bilmore
Sullivan's gay. How could he do anything other than what he did?

His sacred cow is different than yours, yes.

I will add one thing more. And that is the personal sadness I feel that this president who praises freedom wishes to take it away from a whole group of Americans who might otherwise support many parts of his agenda. To see the second family tableau with one family member missing because of her sexual orientation pains me to the core. And the president made it clear that discriminating against gay people, keeping them from full civic dignity and equality, is now a core value for him and his party. The opposite is a core value for me. Some things you can trade away. Some things you can compromise on. Some things you can give any politician a pass on. But there are other values - of basic human dignity and equality - that cannot be sacrificed without losing your integrity itself. That's why, despite my deep admiration for some of what this president has done to defeat terror, and my affection for him as a human being, I cannot support his candidacy. Not only would I be abandoning the small government conservatism I hold dear, and the hope of freedom at home as well as abroad, I would be betraying the people I love. And that I won't do.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
2 months ago, I would have recommended Sullivan, but since then, I think he drank some spiked Kool-Aid or something.

Though Sullivan's sacred cow doubtless has something to do with it, it also sounds like he's concluded that conservatism is dead under GWB. Do you disagree?

But conservatism as we have known it is now over. People like me who became conservatives because of the appeal of smaller government and more domestic freedom are now marginalized in a big-government party, bent on using the power of the state to direct people's lives, give them meaning and protect them from all dangers. Just remember all that Bush promised last night: an astonishingly expensive bid to spend much more money to help people in ways that conservatives once abjured. He pledged to provide record levels of education funding, colleges and healthcare centers in poor towns, more Pell grants, seven million more affordable homes, expensive new HSAs, and a phenomenally expensive bid to reform the social security system. I look forward to someone adding it all up, but it's easily in the trillions. And Bush's astonishing achievement is to make the case for all this new spending, at a time of chronic debt (created in large part by his profligate party), while pegging his opponent as the "tax-and-spend" candidate. The chutzpah is amazing. At this point, however, it isn't just chutzpah. It's deception. To propose all this knowing full well that we cannot even begin to afford it is irresponsible in the deepest degree. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the only difference between Republicans and Democrats now is that the Bush Republicans believe in Big Insolvent Government and the Kerry Democrats believe in Big Solvent Government. By any measure, that makes Kerry - especially as he has endorsed the critical pay-as-you-go rule on domestic spending - easily the choice for fiscal conservatives. It was also jaw-dropping to hear this president speak about tax reform. Bush? He has done more to lard up the tax code with special breaks and new loopholes than any recent president. On this issue - on which I couldn't agree more - I have to say I don't believe him. Tax reform goes against the grain of everything this president has done so far. Why would he change now?

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I realize that there are heart attacks, duels, girly-men and other assorted political goings on here in the US, but has anyone been paying attention to the situation in Russia? 150 dead, most of the dead were kids, most of the injured were kids, most of the hostages were kids. Most of the hostage takers are still at large, reportedly exchanging gunfire with the extraction team. I was listening to a description this morning on the radio, and it sounded just awful. As horrible, as awful, as much as 9/11 still gives me nightmares, there seems to be something even more barbaric about deliberately putting kids in harms way, and then setting off explosives that injure them. I can only imagine what the Russian rage must be like today.

Horrible story on the cover of this morning's chron about how a dozen mothers were allowed to leave, but could only take one child with them and were forced to leave others behind. How sick can you get?

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
Horrible story on the cover of this morning's chron about how a dozen mothers were allowed to leave, but could only take one child with them and were forced to leave others behind. How sick can you get?

The Chechen rebels are going to find out when Putin gets a hold of them. Absolutely indefensible. How this helps the Chechen cause is beyond me...

[SlaveNoMore]

Did you just call me Coltrane?
Yes. But there are plenty of wink wink nods out there.

You dish well. But the taking part? Not so much.

You call people "rednecks" and then accuse those same people of hatred.

Irony is apparently not big in the Second City

[Shape Shifter]

Why wasn't Pat Buchanan asked to speak at the RNC this year? I would have liked to hear him read these excerpts from his book, Where The Right Went Wrong:

"George W. Bush plans to fun God's Pork for 'faith-based' groups to enable Republicans to get a foot in the church door by making the pastor dependent on federal dollars."

"As custodian of the national economy . . . George W. Bush has compiled a fiscal record of startling recklessness."

Is the tent not big enough for PJB?

[SlaveNoMore]

Shape Shifter
Why wasn't Pat Buchanan asked to speak at the RNC this year? ... Is the tent not big enough for PJB?

I could similarly ask why Lyndon LaRouche wasn't allowed to speak in Boston.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
Why wasn't Pat Buchanan asked to speak at the RNC this year?

I don't get this either. I heard he pulled alot of traditional democratic voters in at least Fla. in 2000. You think we'd have him there to appeal to those Buchanan dems.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
You call people "rednecks" and then accuse those same people of hatred.

Irony is apparently not big in the Second City

Actually, I wasn't calling ALL Republicans rednecks. I was referring to the redneck faction of the party. Sorry for the confusion.

SS invented irony.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I could similarly ask why Lyndon LaRouche wasn't allowed to speak in Boston.

I don't think that LaRouche actually served within a Democratic administration, did he?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Though Sullivan's sacred cow doubtless has something to do with it, it also sounds like he's concluded that conservatism is dead under GWB. Do you disagree?

Buchanan doesn't. {Spree: video interview.}

Jesus Christ. What does it mean to an old-timey liberal when Pat Buchanan Is Making Sense?

ETA: Great minds think alike.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I could similarly ask why Lyndon LaRouche wasn't allowed to speak in Boston.

I always enjoyed it when his minions held protests in the park across the street from the building I used to work in. Perhaps they're worried about being overexposed.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I don't think that LaRouche actually served within a Democratic administration, did he?

Slave -- Go for Joycelyn Elders... She can teach kids to TCB live onstage!!!

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I realize that there are heart attacks, duels, girly-men and other assorted political goings on here in the US, but has anyone been paying attention to the situation in Russia?.

It's terrible, and I finally started learning a bit about the whole thing. It's a mess. It may be even worse than our own battle with terrorists, because it's truly internal. It would be like Atticus and his merry band of berkeley liberals insisting that California become its own nation, except rather than using bird-friendly shade-grown coffee beans, they're using children and other civilians, as weapons.