Keeping it civil instead of returning to our dark ways

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Genesis was Hello here.

Wow, just nine days ago. How things have fallen apart. To be fair, though, Say Hello (from what little I have read) does appear to be maintaining at least some level of civility, and I did not see any indication that anyone else actually signed on to the pledge.

[Gattigap]

For those curious about GWB's hunchback revealed during the debates, it appears that the Secret Service has been permitted to speak. It was a strap holding his bulletproof vest in place.

No explanation for the blurting of "let me finish!" during the debates, though. Perhaps it's like the kid in the back of the car yelling "will you stop touching me!" except that, as Bill Cosby once noted, if you've got a kid yelling that when there's no one touching him, you need to send the kid away.

• Call off the conspiracy freaks. Now it can be told: That mysterious bulge on President Bush’s back during the first presidential debate was not an electronic device feeding him answers, but a strap holding his bulletproof vest in place.
  
  Speculation about the bulge on the Internet only increased since Georges de Paris, the Washington tailor who makes Bush’s suits, told The Hill last month that it was nothing more than a pucker on the back of Bush’s coat caused when he crossed his arms.
  
  But sources in the Secret Service told The Hill that Bush was wearing a bulletproof vest, as he does most of the time when appearing in public. The president’s handlers did not want to admit as much during the campaign, for fear of disclosing information related to his personal security while he was on the campaign trail.
  
  The suspicion that Bush was, indeed, wearing something under his coat was given further credence by Dr. Robert M. Nelson, a senior research scientist for NASA and Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and an international authority on image analysis, who conducted tests while working at home on his own computers.
  
  “I am willing to stake my scientific reputation to the statement that Bush was wearing something under his jacket during the debate,” Nelson told Salon.com. “This is not about a bad suit. And there’s no way the bulge can be described as a wrinkled shirt.”

[LessinSF]

IF it hasn't been posted:

Ladies and gentlemen, you needn't fret anymore. We have decided
that we can't live in the United States anymore, because so many
of you in the "heartland" are so full of shit. We were all going
to move to various other countries, but then we thought - why
should WE move?

We are tired of rednecks in Oklahoma picking the leader who will
Determine if it is safe for us to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. We
are sick of homophobic knuckle-draggers in Wyoming contributing to
the national debate on our gay marriages. So we have done the only
thing we could.

We seceded.

May I present to you: AMERICAN COASTOPIA.

That's right, American Coastopia. The states of Washington, Oregon and California are joining us on one coast, and we will provide all of New England. In the middle of the country, we have taken Iowa and Illinois, mostly because we need the fine produce of Iowa's soil, and the museums in Chicago are fabulous.

The other dot is New Orleans, which you don't deserve. American
Coastopia needs a place to gamble, and the locals want nothing to do with you.

Sure, you can visit, but it isn't part of your country anymore.
I can sense your worry. Who will get all the banks? You can
fucking have most of them, because we're taking downtown and
midtown Manhattan back, turning the whole thing into a giant
artist colony replete with movie studios and progressive think
tanks. Wall Street and other financial institutions will be
relocated to Charlotte, which we believe will suit your needs
better. Frankly, the good folks in Manhattan are sick of being a
terrorist target for your benefit.

A word about our politics. Abortions will be safe and legal in
American Coastopia, and homosexual men and women will be free to marry at their discretion. We will have our own currency, and trade with any countries we want. Everyone will have health care. Everyone will have an identity card. Homelessness and unemployment will be virtually unknown. We believe in a meritocracy and a huge chasm between church and state. 100% of our cars will be hybrid by 2006. Yes, we're taking all the people that ever created everything beautiful. Yes, we're taking all the funny people too. All the sculptors, architects, surgeons, philosophers, violinists and fishermen.

You should have treated them better when you had them.
We have no pledge of allegiance, but I can say this: I am no
longer From your United States of America. I belong to American
Coastopia, the United States of My Friends, the Nation of Two: my wife and I. We hold our noses as we fly over you. We are sickened by the way you treat people that are different from you. The rest of the world despises America, and we don't want to be lumped in with you anymore.

Please, all of you who went to bed last night sick with worry,
come to us. In American Coastopia, the light is always on, the
hazelnut lattés are always hot, and we have a trundle bed for each and every one of you.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Gattigap
For those curious about GWB's hunchback revealed during the debates, it appears that the Secret Service has been permitted to speak. It was a strap holding his bulletproof vest in place.

I couldn't believe how much time was spent on this ridiculous point. I will note, however, that at least WE weren't the ones checking out the President's package.

[SlaveNoMore]

LessinSF
...Who will get all the banks? You can fucking have most of them, because we're taking downtown and midtown Manhattan back, turning the whole thing into a giant artist colony replete with movie studios and progressive think tanks...

Sheer fucking brilliance.

Given the choice between "knuckle-dragger Wyoming" and this Marxian-Streisandian Distopia, I'm choosing the cyanide.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by LessinSF
IF it hasn't been posted:

Ladies and gentlemen, you needn't fret anymore. We have decided
that we can't live in the United States anymore, because so many
of you in the "heartland" are so full of shit. We were all going
to move to various other countries, but then we thought - why
should WE move?

We are tired of rednecks in Oklahoma picking the leader who will
Determine if it is safe for us to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. We
are sick of homophobic knuckle-draggers in Wyoming contributing to
the national debate on our gay marriages. So we have done the only
thing we could.

We seceded.

May I present to you: AMERICAN COASTOPIA.

That's right, American Coastopia. The states of Washington, Oregon and California are joining us on one coast, and we will provide all of New England. In the middle of the country, we have taken Iowa and Illinois, mostly because we need the fine produce of Iowa's soil, and the museums in Chicago are fabulous.

The other dot is New Orleans, which you don't deserve. American
Coastopia needs a place to gamble, and the locals want nothing to do with you.

Sure, you can visit, but it isn't part of your country anymore.
I can sense your worry. Who will get all the banks? You can
fucking have most of them, because we're taking downtown and
midtown Manhattan back, turning the whole thing into a giant
artist colony replete with movie studios and progressive think
tanks. Wall Street and other financial institutions will be
relocated to Charlotte, which we believe will suit your needs
better. Frankly, the good folks in Manhattan are sick of being a
terrorist target for your benefit.

A word about our politics. Abortions will be safe and legal in
American Coastopia, and homosexual men and women will be free to marry at their discretion. We will have our own currency, and trade with any countries we want. Everyone will have health care. Everyone will have an identity card. Homelessness and unemployment will be virtually unknown. We believe in a meritocracy and a huge chasm between church and state. 100% of our cars will be hybrid by 2006. Yes, we're taking all the people that ever created everything beautiful. Yes, we're taking all the funny people too. All the sculptors, architects, surgeons, philosophers, violinists and fishermen.

You should have treated them better when you had them.
We have no pledge of allegiance, but I can say this: I am no
longer From your United States of America. I belong to American
Coastopia, the United States of My Friends, the Nation of Two: my wife and I. We hold our noses as we fly over you. We are sickened by the way you treat people that are different from you. The rest of the world despises America, and we don't want to be lumped in with you anymore.

Please, all of you who went to bed last night sick with worry,
come to us. In American Coastopia, the light is always on, the
hazelnut lattés are always hot, and we have a trundle bed for each and every one of you.

Is this one of "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" books or "Venus on the Half Shell" themes? Where a planet jetisons all of its worthless inhabitants? Except in the book, the worthless are the hair stylists, accountants, etc.

Or am I thinking of another book?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

So, four years from now, what happens in Texas?

Can the Dems win Texas if there's not a Texan in the race? Is there a Texan Dem. who could be a realistic candidate?

Put Texas in the Ds column and Ohio and Florida are just bad memories.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by LessinSF
IF it hasn't been posted:

We seceded.

May I present to you: AMERICAN COASTOPIA.

That's right, American Coastopia. The states of Washington, Oregon and California are joining us on one coast, and we will provide all of New England. In the middle of the country, we have taken Iowa and Illinois, mostly because we need the fine produce of Iowa's soil, and the museums in Chicago are fabulous.

Ummm... good luck to them with that. Taken Illinois with what? [Zell Miller] Spitballs? [/Zell Miller]

They should know almost every county in IL outside of Chicago went red, and the folks south of I-80 are heavily armed (like, more guns than people, heavily armed). Not to mention the vast majority of the armed forces and air bases would be left behind. Who's gonna let them fly over?

Also, Iowa went red today as well...

Still the idea of a bi-coastal autonomous collective is kind of quaint. Peace Love Dope!

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Sheer fucking brilliance.

Given the choice between "knuckle-dragger Wyoming" and this Marxian-Streisandian Distopia, I'm choosing the cyanide.

I refuse to believe that the stripper capital of the world is a worse alternative than cyanide. At least do a tour of our clubs here before you do yourself in.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
Ummm... good luck to them with that. Taken Illinois with what? [Zell Miller] Spitballs? [/Zell Miller]

They should know almost every county in IL outside of Chicago went red, and the folks south of I-80 are heavily armed (like, more guns than people, heavily armed). Not to mention the vast majority of the armed forces and air bases would be left behind. Who's gonna let them fly over?

Also, Iowa went red today as well...

Still the idea of a bi-coastal autonomous collective is kind of quaint. Peace Love Dope!

Hey, it's fine with me if the suburbs stay in Jesusland. Coastopia can take Chicago (with me) and Wonk.

Although we're going to need Manhattan to keep those banks.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Hey, it's fine with me if the suburbs stay in Jesusland. Coastopia can take Chicago (with me) and Wonk.

Although we're going to need Manhattan to keep those banks.

And I don't want a freakin' ID card. I foresee trouble in paradise.

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally posted by Pretty Little Flower
Wow, just nine days ago. How things have fallen apart. To be fair, though, Say Hello (from what little I have read) does appear to be maintaining at least some level of civility, and I did not see any indication that anyone else actually signed on to the pledge.

Oops, I guess I am wrong about the "Say Hello maintaining civility" thing. I suppose I may be reading this out of context, but he actually seems to be somewhat of a jackass. As the kids like to say these days: My bad.

http://www.lawtalkers.com/forums/sho...647#post133647

And so soon after the civility pledge, too! How disappointing.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I don't think you're simple, and I understand the impulse to neutrality, but I think it's a false neutrality. There is no neutral position here. Either the state can arrest you for having sex with a consenting adult in your own bedroom, or it can't. If you think it should be able to do this, you can reach that conclusion in different ways, but all will have a moral component.



I wasn't trying to be unfair. I was trying to say that if you're going to take the side of Texas in the Lawrence case, you can do it because you dislikes gays. That's a moral choice. Or you can do it because you think that the Constitution should be construed in accord with the original views of the framers. But that's also a moral choice.

I'm not taking the side of Texas, as I've said several times now. ANd I'm not talking about neutrality with this particular case. Rather, I'm trying to have my cake and eat it too, right result in this case but still protecting me from the tryranny of the judiciary.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
So, four years from now, what happens in Texas?

Can the Dems win Texas if there's not a Texan in the race? Is there a Texan Dem. who could be a realistic candidate?

Put Texas in the Ds column and Ohio and Florida are just bad memories.

Not likely. Texas has gone Republican every election since 1976, even when Clinton was running and Perot was in the race.

[ilikenewsocks]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?

Although we're going to need Manhattan to keep those banks.

The banks will definitely flee as soon as they realize the 80% top marginal tax rate that will be required* to end homelessness and provide health insurance for all.

Apparently, economics, much like clothes, are optional in Coastopia.

* And even if it's not actually required, it'll be done anyway because it's only fair to tax the daylights out of the rich.