Waiting for Fitzgerald

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by bilmore
Point is, Stalin had loads of popular suppport. He was just good at figuring out what sections he could do without. And then, of course, acting on that knowledge.

This sounds familiar.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Gattigap
You mean it's not a general reference to your ouevre? Whoa, my bad.

How would my general ouevre be a film of shit over my eyes? this makes no sense. And calling my general ouevre a film of shit is itself just a personally disparaging statement, as, obviously, the ideas I bring out here are representative, at least in part, of the thoughts, opinions and philosophies of a majority of the electorate. Do you ever wonder why the dims are out of power across the board at the Fed level and in a majority of the governor's houses?

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
This sounds familiar.

Yeah, and now his wife's running. Scary.

[Spanky]

1) Yes some regimes just rule for power alone. Saddam was one of them. He started out as a Arab socialist nationalist but his regime deterioated into a government that was there just to serve him. Generally these regimes keep their people poor. Myanmar is another example. But the most brutal regimes are the ones that follow an ideology and therefor think the atrocities that they commit are for the common good. When you are doing something for the common good you can excuse almost anything. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Pol Pot - all true believers. That is why they were so brutal and effective.


2) Stalin actually improved his country in many ways, and there was logic in most of the things he did. He definitely improved the standard of living of most Russians. He was a true believing communist and everything he did was in line with communist ideology. You have the dictatorship of the prolitariate that has to rearange the body politic until every thing is working correctly and then the state can wither away. But before the state withers away you need to suspend persoanl liberties and chop off some heads.

3) I can't think of any communist government that was popularly elected. In 1917 the Karensky government was elected in Russia. The Bolsheviks overthrew the government by force. They never held an election. Mao took over by force, Ho Chi Minh, Pol Pot, Castro, and Ortega. Poland, Hungary, Romania Czecholosavakia - all coups.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by bilmore
Yeah, and now his wife's running. Scary.

"Ping! Pow!

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Mild con -- at least when the discussion is about Stalin, etc., Spanky doesn't resort to his classic "stories about people I hob-nob with as a substitute for analytical thought" routine.

Or another way of looking at is practical experience as opposed to pie in the sky theories that have never been tested.

[Penske_Account]

On Sunday, October 16, a truly unique political event will take place. Teaming up with the legendary rock group U2 for a one-night only appearance will be Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.).

So what does the Irish rocker have in common with the conservative senator?

As in the case of Santorum, Bono’s religious convictions inform his activities.

The U2 leader shared some of his faith perspectives with the author of the book "Bono in Conversation.” He said, "It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people.”

Santorum told "Christianity Today” that "faith is a source of morality; it’s a source of virtue; it’s a source of reason. It’s a tremendous influence on my worldview"

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
On Sunday, October 16, a truly unique political event will take place.

Teaming up with the legendary rock group U2 for a one-night only appearance will be Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.).

So what does the Irish rocker have in common with the conservative senator?

As in the case of Santorum, Bono’s religious convictions inform his activities.

The U2 leader shared some of his faith perspectives with the author of the book "Bono in Conversation.” He said, "It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people.”

Santorum told "Christianity Today” that "faith is a source of morality; it’s a source of virtue; it’s a source of reason. It’s a tremendous influence on my worldview.”

Is there an Adult thread for dirty photoshops on Santorum' homepage message board?

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
It was personal disparagement of Spanky's writing style, where he uses the phrase "Pay Attention", which he would not have to use if the libs would actually pay attention to what he writes. It was a form criticism bereft of substance. What part of that do you have trouble understanding?

"Substance." Good to know that this is the touchstone of your posting philosophy. I'll try to emulate your approach, and start by accumulating a warehouse of doctored images of American politicians.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by bilmore
Yeah, and now his wife's running. Scary.

I am definitely not on the Hillary bandwagon. Yikes.

There has to be somebody in b/w her and whatever crazy evangelical freak Penske wants.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by bilmore
Did you do all that in one breath?

Actually, the Revolution was a completely popular one, brought about by the crushing brutality of life under the Tzars. Once the Whites were on their way out, there was to be a haggis in every pot, free land for all, and the opportunity to take whatever you wanted from anyone who had more then you. Pretty compelling for a populace that was slowly starving to death.

Point is, Stalin had loads of popular suppport. He was just good at figuring out what sections he could do without. And then, of course, acting on that knowledge.

I don't disagree with that. FWIW, my response was an attempt at humor re: Spanky's black/white historical classifications, and tendency to label anyone who doesn't wholeheartedly agree with him as a member of a simpering, pacifistic Left.

[Spanky]

What liberals fail to realize is that the greatest evil occurs when the individual can be sacrificed for the good of society. That is what "dictatorship of the prolietariate" is all about. If our rights come from man, then those rights can be taken away by man. So when government wants to improve on the state body politic, and can suspend individual rights to do so, that is when you can justify killing millions of people.

However, if rights are God given, and cannot be taken away for the common good, it is much harder to start exterminating people for the common good.

If there is a universal moral code that says we have rights then mass killings are hard to justify. But if all morality is relative, rights are just given by man and are relative and can be taken away for the common good (like in a communist society) that is when the killing fields get organized.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Gattigap
"Substance." Good to know that this is the touchstone of your posting philosophy. I'll try to emulate your approach, and start by accumulating a warehouse of doctored images of American politicians.

there is far more substantive point behind the satire of some of those pictures than anything in any of y'all's "fuck yous" or "films of shit" and other PoPD. That just vacuous masturbatory waste product staining the board, much like Clinton abusively stained his intern's dress.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
I am definitely not on the Hillary bandwagon. Yikes.

There has to be somebody in b/w her and whatever crazy evangelical freak Penske wants.

Interesting. Again with PoPD.

First of all, you supporting Hillary would not be that surprising. She is not that far left of the criminal you have in office as your mayor (plus she is a Chicagolander).

Second, I have already put forth my dream ticket for 2008. Do you pay attention? Do you listen to the words or the beat?

McCain/Bush (Jeb). McCain is a real evangelical freak. Indeed. Why so much hate and bias Coltrane? Still bonking from yesterday?

[Spanky]

Originally posted by bilmore
Yeah, and now his wife's running. Scary.

I will bet that Hillary is going to be our next President. Anyone willing to give me odds?