Politics: Where we struggle to kneel in the muck.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by bilmore
When my son loses a football game, he always manages to find something about the refs to complain about. He doesn't lose very gracefully.

(Italy's voters chose a Kerry-clone. NYT front page. Germany's voters reject the Kerry-clone. Very small blurb. Chirac's bribery stories. Not so much. Ink problem in Afghanistan. Big news. )

In a temporary defense of the media, the LA Times does have a very nice article today about how happy the Afghans are with the elections. I saw a few yesterday too, including one surprising quote somewhere-or-other about the opposition candidate's complaints being laughed out of Kandahar of all places.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
2 sorta.

I saw something on the news that Australia's unemployment rate is at 2.8%, which is supposedly extraordinarily low on a historical basis for them. The nation supposedly also feels like things are good and getting better.

Actually NYT mid last week was speculating that a Howard loss was likely due to unhappiness with being tied to Bush, but whatever,

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by bilmore
When my son loses a football game, he always manages to find something about the refs to complain about. He doesn't lose very gracefully.

Um, OK. Do any of your son's explanations revolve around bees?

(Italy's voters chose a Kerry-clone. NYT front page. Germany's voters reject the Kerry-clone. Very small blurb. Chirac's bribery stories. Not so much. Ink problem in Afghanistan. Big news. )

I've not followed the German elections, so I'm not sure what you meant by their "Kerrry-clone." In accordance with GOP orthodoxy, wouldn't that be Schroeder?

In any event, I'm curious -- did any of these events affirming the Rightness of GWB's Iraq policy garner (in your view) sufficient attention on FNC, the outlet most directed to his reelection chances? If not, then I will smile at your knowing satire but accept it as less than a full explanation for the phenomenon.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me

Call me what you will, but I don't see no pink elephants in the mirror when I'm brushing my teeth. You are an impossibly convoluted caricature of a libertarian.

Uh, why exactly is it bad to be a pink elephant? Should I "pick a side" or "develop some consistency"? Will I get shot if I can't be pigeonholed? Is not fitting into one of the neat little voter categories defined by the press a sign of mental illness?

Show me a man who prides himself on consistency above all else and I'll show you the second most stupid man in any room, right below to the guy who's proud to announce what group label he fits under.

*I see plenty of pink elephants, but they've got nothing to do with politics.

[SlaveNoMore]

sebastian_dangerfield
You remind me of that line in Holidays in Cambodia where Biafra properly describes upper middle class white self-loathing

Funny. Calling it "Democrat" is much more succinct.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Gattigap
so I'm not sure what you meant by their "Kerrry-clone." In accordance with GOP orthodoxy, wouldn't that be Schroeder?

bilmore was even sloppier than you state here. Kerry is the clone, the "old europe" guys are the mold not the copy. we can't keep letting him get away with this sort of false allegation.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
bilmore was even sloppier than you state here. Kerry is the clone, the "old europe" guys are the mold not the copy. we can't keep letting him get away with this sort of false allegation.

Mea culpa.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Funny. Calling it "Democrat" is much more succinct.

Sez you. I never engage in "self-loathing." As a (Not Italian) Catholic, I follow the rule that every sperm is sacred/every sperm is great/when a sperm is wasted/God gets quite irate.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I've not followed the German elections, so I'm not sure what you meant by their "Kerrry-clone." In accordance with GOP orthodoxy, wouldn't that be Schroeder?

Yes.

In any event, I'm curious -- did any of these events affirming the Rightness of GWB's Iraq policy garner (in your view) sufficient attention on FNC, the outlet most directed to his reelection chances?

Don't know. Don't get it.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Sez you. I never engage in "self-loathing." As a Not Italian Catholic, I follow the rule that every sperm is sacred/every sperm is great/when a sperm is wasted/God gets quite irate.

I'm picturing you with lots of little stoppered bottles, and it's . . . disquieting.

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Aussies are pretty much just Texans with funny accents and wanderlust,

I don't really see funny accents and wanderlust as a distinction, at least in the view of most Marylanders at the time of a Texan administration.

Maybe Texans who drive on the wrong side of the road?

[bilmore]

Originally posted by baltassoc
Maybe Texans who drive on the wrong side of the road?

Ever been to Texas at closing time? Still no distinction.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by bilmore
Don't know. Don't get it.

Market forces at work.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Market forces at work.

In my defense, they offer almost no nudity. What would be the point?

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Why must you continually try to frame every debate as some sort of suburb vs. urban poor conflict. You've responed to my challenge that most conservatives are phonies hiding an agenda by shooting the messenger. Here's a tip - your technique of reframing/warping the issue so that you can make every debate one about class and race, is transparent. A mongoloid could spot that you're trying to goad everyone into debates where you can take strong moral positions about inequality which make the opponent look like an ogre. You remind me of that line in Holidays in Cambodia where Biafra properly describes upper middle class white self-loathing:

Oh. My. God. Let's ignore class and race here? I spent half of last night arguing that Kerry has never addressed our nation's security! Where were you?

You seem a bit sensitive bout this class and race thing though. Ya ever consider talking to someone 'bout that?

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Stop trying to call me a classist/racist/anti-urbanist. My post had no hint of any of that. At least when I crash and burn, I admit it, instead of trying to morph the subject fifty times. Admit it, man - you're a conservative - you want people to adhere to certain morals, but you just can't stomach saying it because that forces you to give up all intellectual credibility in the argument.

I certainly do not mean to label you or anyone else here as a "racist", at least in the overt sense. And I can admit that I want people to adhere to certain morals. I can admit that. I just don't want the Federal government or an activist judge telling me what those morals are and aren't. I love how you throw out this kind of nonsense too. Why would admitting to morals force someone to give up all intellectual credibility in an argument. The argument is whether the Federal government should be telling us which ones to follow. You say drugs-no, abortion-yes, I say drugs-no, abortion-no, you say I'm a hypocrite because I say drugs-yes, abortion-no. Its an endless stream of senseless misrepresentation and mischaracterization from you. Conservatives-this, you-that. Its like you are daydreaming an argument with an imaginary opponent.

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield

And get rid of your hard on for for arguments about the ghetto. Its sounds contrived from an obviously whitebread Catholic kid from the better side of the tracks.

That is simply not going to happen. I understand that people don't want to hear about it, and I've seen how far people will go to ignore it, but its the height of failure in our society, and the strongest argument a conservative (or really, anyone) has to point out hypocricy in this nation. But like I said, it sounds like you are a bit sensitive to this. You should talk to someone about that.