Friday, September 7, 2012

Democrats? as in Democracy?

 The Democrat Party, for the first time in it's history, passed a platform without a single reference to God, and surprisingly failing to mention or recognize Jerusalem as the capital of our ally Israel. Rather predictably, this raised some eyebrows.

Taking stock of the consternation that this generated among their supporters, since most Americans still acknowledge believing in a Higher Power, and certainly the vast majority of Jewish voters would assert that Jerusalem is Israel's capital, some wiser heads decided that they had gone a bridge too far and that an amendment to the platform was in order. 

 Accordingly, one was proposed and put to a vote:



After seeing, and more importantly hearing this, the question becomes do they actually believe in democracy? It seems that their own delegates are not immune to having "what's good for them" shoved down their throats, or elsewhere.

H/T to Powerline

81 comments:

Constitutional Insurgent said...

The parliamentary fracas is similar to the rule change at the GOP convention. Both parties have a unilateral committment to gaining and maintaining political power....and little else.

It's like the company overruling it's stockholders. The major problem is that most stockholders only see two viable companies to invest in.

FreeThinke said...

" ... the vast majority of Jewish voters would assert that Jerusalem is Israel's capital ... "

I wouldn't be too sure of that, if I were you, Silver.

The vast majority of Jews in America still vote for pointedly Marxian-liberal-leftist-progressive-socialist candidates. A large percentage of these people are militant atheists. The American left -- as we have known and known and loathed it -- was virtually created by Jews -- in Hollywood, Academia and the "Communications" Industry -- and they consider the in-my-never-humble-opinion deleterious role they continue to play in American politics FAR more important than anything that has to do with Zionism.

For instance, I heard just yesterday, a self-identified Jewish woman say she much prefers to listen to AL JAZEERA than to FOX. The interviewer asked her, "But why would you want to do that when the folks who run Al Jazeera want to annihilate Israel, and would have you killed if they could?"

She answered -- I swear to God -- "I don't care. I STILL would rather listen to AL JAZEERA than
to FOX News."


Apparently, a true story, and one I have NO trouble believing, because I was brought up in and around New York City and earned a Master's Degree at NYU.

I KNOW whereof I speak having LIVED in the Belly of the Beast, as it were.

No, let the vigorous Denials, the cries of Outrage, and the vehement Denunciations begin.

~ FreeThinke



Anonymous said...

All normal Americans should be alarmed at the level of influence the Marxust have in the Democrat Party.

Ducky's here said...

Al-Jazeera is pretty damn good. A lot better source of Middle Eastern news than Faux News.

I would suggest the documentary "Control Room" for some insight and then download the app from the iStore.

Constitutional Insurgent said...

I'll take al Jazeera over FNC as well.

Unknown said...

FT made a cogent point, which is that we cannot lump all “Jews” together as a homogenous group of people. They are not. But at the same time, we must understand that Marx himself was a Jew and the Jewish people historically believe collectivization is the only path to social justice.

Are all American leftists Jews? No, but I think a hefty number of them are, followed by black Muslims, followed by a host of nitwits who think Ché Guevara was cool, or that Mao was profound —NONE of whom are adherents of traditional American values. Their only interest in American Democracy is that it provides an excellent bridge to political success. All one has to do is convince low IQ citizens that something for nothing is entirely possible, label is progressivism, and the result will be that these morons will vote for Satan himself —or Barack Obama, to get it.

FreeThinke said...

"I'll take al Jazeera over FNC as well."

Why am I not surprised to see that coming from you?

~ FreeThinke

Constitutional Insurgent said...

@Ft - Not for me to say. Possibly because I favor facts over political theater?

The quality of reporting versus infotainment shows a marked disparity betwen the two networks.

FreeThinke said...

"Al-Jazeera is pretty damn good. A lot better source of Middle Eastern news than Faux News."

What makes you say that, Ducky? I'd really like to know.

I have problems with FOX, myself, but my concerns are probably very different from yours.

Why would you want to champion the spokesmen for backward, barbaric, violence-prone peoples whose virulent hatred for anything not identical to themselves is a cancer in the corpus mundi?

What could it POSSIBLY BE about the Jews that makes them the object of SO MUCH animosity?

WHY are they ALWAYS under attack?

~ FT

FreeThinke said...

That PARALLEL UNIVERSE thing again!

INCREDIBLE!

~ FreeThinke

viburnum said...

I don't think the DNC would have backpedaled as fast as they had, and trampled rough shod over the clear voice of their delegates to do so, were they not convinced that omitting either point was a major tactical blunder.

Silverfiddle said...

FT et al:

Viburnum wrote this article, not me.

Ducky's here said...

Hey Silverfiddle, Freethinker and Sinclair are plotting a pogrom.

Not good publicity for your religion thread.

Ducky's here said...

Freethinker, here's an easy ay to find out.

Watch al-Jazeera and decide for yourself if the coverage isn't more comprehensive than Fox.

Lot less pandering and fewr dog whistles than Faux.

Sam Huntington said...

That’s interesting; Ducky thinks that a dialogue constitutes violence against Jews. Dunce.

Always On Watch said...

The video says this to me: FUBAR!

Shaw Kenawe said...

Why is it necessary to mention God in a political platform?

We are a pluralistic society where our citizens worship many different gods and no gods.


FT: "A large percentage of these people [Jews] are militant atheists..."

Is a "militant atheist" anything like a "militant religionist?" I would define a "militant religionist" as someone who forces people to acknowledge god in a political setting whether it is appropriate or not.


Ducky's here said...

Sam Huntington, once again reminding us how badly irony impaired is the fringe right.

Man, you guys must be an absolute kick at a party.

Anonymous said...

Ducky: Visit the fringe left sometime and you'll find the same lack of appreciation/understanding of irony.

Silver,
Did you not watch or listen to anything about the RNC? They changed the rules so they could kick out delegates who didn't vote the way they wanted. They passed a platform for no-exception pro-life. THAT is not even CLOSE to representative of the majority of Republican voters, and you and I both know it.

This is not a false equivelancy argument, this is not me saying "well it's okay because you do it too." I'm pointing out that NEITHER party is concerned with representation at this point. All they're concerned about is votes.

Neither party will listen until more people start jumping ship. If you want to advance the cause of democracy, representation, liberty, and all those things I know you love (I love them, too), then you have to start calling BOTH parties on their attempts to stifle dissent.

Unknown said...

Are some of you comparing Fox News vs al-Jazeera news?
Or are you comparing Fox News opinion programs to al-Jazeera news?
Curious.

Silverfiddle said...

@ Jack: If you want to advance the cause of democracy, representation, liberty, and all those things I know you love (I love them, too), then you have to start calling BOTH parties on their attempts to stifle dissent.

No I don't. There are already more than enough people giving the GOP its well-earned criticism.

It's more fun throwing rocks at the democrat party

Constitutional Insurgent said...

@Mark - "Are some of you comparing Fox News vs al-Jazeera news?"

Speaking for myself...this^

Ducky's here said...

Are some of you comparing Fox News vs al-Jazeera news?

-----
Yes. al-Jazeera is more comprehensive and balanced.

Ducky's here said...

Neither party will listen until more people start jumping ship.

-----
Where to jump to?

Unknown said...

@ Ducky ... oh, okay I get it. Situational irony: you were only pretending to be an ignorant ass. Got it. Hahahahaha.

Jersey McJones said...

This is why it's so hard to get anything done in America today. We have a conservative demographic that is stuck in the mud of hot-button, pointless, pseudo-issues. I don't give a rat's ass whether we recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, or is God is mentioned at a political convention. It seems to me only a moron would fuss over such stupidity.

JMJ

FreeThinke said...

To avoid confusion in the future may I please suggest placing a prominent, unmistakeable BY-LINE under the title or headline of each article from now on?

An excess of modesty is almost as a bad as an excess of overt self-esteem.

AHEM! ;-)

~ FreeThinke

Silverfiddle said...

FT: The author's name appears below each article.

@ Jersey: It seems to me only a moron would fuss over such stupidity.

That's your Democrat party!

viburnum said...

For those of you who seemingly either missed the point of the post, or skipped over the video, what I was highlighting was the clear cut example of the DNC employing the maxim attributed to Josef Stalin that; "It's not the people who vote that count, it's the people who count the votes!"

When Democrats blatantly stifle even their own in the interest of political expedience, what should the rest of us expect from them? Democracy?

Ducky's here said...

Viburnum, Jack does a good job above of demonstrating the bipartisan nature of this problem.

viburnum said...

While I agree that Ron Paul and his delegates were treated shabbily, it's beyond question that the RNC had the votes behind them to do what they did.

It's equally apparent to anyone who listens that the DNC did not.

Finntann said...

Jack is mostly right, but I should point out that the platform needs to represent the votes of the delegates, not the people at large. Don't like the way the delegates vote? That's an internal party issue.

And along that line, we need to point out to Steve that neither the RNC nor the DNC are part of the US government. Likewise, whether or not the DNC or RNC recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital is irrelevant, other than as a political position either supporting recognition or not. Steve seems mighty confused about the difference between our government and the political parties that may at times comprise it.

I mostly agree with Jersey, however I don't know if I would go so far as to refer to someone who holds something of value that I do not, a 'moron'.

As far as the post goes, it is spot on calling out the sacrifice of the rules of order upon the altar of political expediency. If you are disatisfied with the methodology by which your party is run, you need to address that within your party.

Meanwhile, the rest of us can point and laugh.

Cheers!

Trekkie4Ever said...

I have heard and seen this recording and still can't believe how much some Democrats even hate to hear the word "God" or "Jerusalem."

Those two Arabs looked like they were about to poop bricks, they were so angry.

And seriously, anyone who claims to love Jehovah God or Jesus Christ, be in a party that opposes everything the Word of God teaches and says?

That's a conundrum.

Finntann said...

Steve, you're a frigging imbecile, and completely unqualified to engage in political discourse.

"It's not the US governments position to say its people must acknowledge a God"

Has it? Given the post upon which you are commenting, the discussion is about the Democratic Party, is quite clearly and distinctly not the US government. Despite the fact that many of it's members hold positions in the US government it is not the US government, any more than the fact that 54.7% of the members of the 111th Congress are Protestant makes the Protestant Church part of the US government.

"the base we start at is not his bigoted position."

I apologize, I shouldn't have called you an imbecile... as calling you an imbecile is an insult to imbeciles everywhere.

Furthermore, the parties represent neither the government nor the people... the individual elected representatives do. The parties represent the interests only of their party membership.

I'd tell you to F yourself right back, but obviously given your vitriolic history of posting on this blog you are aggressively overcompensating for you inability to even F a thimble.

Now, my arms are getting tired of mopping the floor with your sorry uneducated ass, so alas... I must move on.

Cheers!

Sam Huntington said...

Finntann for Secretary of State!

Unknown said...

Does anyone else find it odd that one of the main things Obama and other Democrats have been running on is the pro-abortion issue and phony war on women hysteria yet they have Cardinal Timothy Dolan give a Life prayer at the DNC?

Here is what he prayed.

“Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us to defend it. Life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected,” Dolan said in prayer delivered immediately following President Obama’s address accepting his party’s nomination..

So they voted God back in. I just can't believe this, well actually I can... But, something tells me the fight is not over to take God & Jerusalem out again.
Lots of them are upset about this, it just makes my heart so sad to watch.
The noes had it, but the teleprompter told the speaker to go ahead and give it to the yeses. Weird... This was one time we had complete transparency for once!

Z said...

I watch Al Jazeera when I'm channel surfing and it's there......but not for long. Some of the presentations aren't bad but there's a definite strange thread that runs through their selection of what they present... (funny, I accidentally typed threaD the first time)

SF...odd that the leftists here haven't mentioned the obvious point that the GOD AND JERUSALEM platform inclusions were voted OUT by the people and IN by my mayor...(God help me)
Even Lanny Davis on FOX said "that was a very low moment for the Democrat party" and Juan WIlliams agreed. (nice that FOX has leftists on so often, isn't it? Such a relief from CNN, for example)
Also, Juan WIlliams said he'd given a speech at a high school on Wed. and the teachers there told him there had been no heavy rains predicted for THursday and they were all wondering about that: that was a lie, too.

anyway...of course, the voice vote didn't matter........this was handled like Obama handles his office so often "Executive Edict"...he doesn't like Congress's input, he makes an executive decision. DOne.
Nothing about this vote and the obvious LIE about it surprised me.
It sure surprised a lot in the crowd, though..particularly all the people with ARAB AMERICAN on their T-shirts who kept screaming "NO" as loud as they could.
WHat a bunch, huh?

Check this out..THIS is the kind of people at the DNC...horrible..and even Jon Stewart agrees.

http://www.glennbeck.com/2012/09/06/even-jon-stewart-is-shocked-by-the-people-at-the-dnc/

Ducky's here said...

Then why did Obama get an 8 point poll bump, z?

It was actually beautifully choreographed.

I though it went much better than Clint Eastwood talking to the invisible black man like it was Ralph Ellison. Your mileage may vary and I'm sure it did.

Z said...

Ducky, and you're the one who's always saying you don't LOVE OBAMA!! :-)
8 point bump? WOW, where did you get that? Reuters is saying the bump was 'slim'... but if he did get an 8 point bump, you're asking ME why? Because people aren't thinking, that's why? WHat else?

Did you hear anybody ask "who's going to pay for these promises?"
did you hear anybody say "wait, wasn't that voice vote the other way and we're ignoring true democracy?" I could go on and on.
Or how's about SIXTEEN TRILLION?


How's about that Obama statement "I don't want to spike the ball" over Osama..? Well, my goodness, he sure changed HIS mind, huh!? :-)

You might slam Eastwood but the DNC sure took it seriously enough to drag James Taylor out to combat it with "I'm an old white man and I LOVE OBAMA!"
You can't make these people up.

I'm truly hoping you watch the linked video I included; you should really be so proud.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

LOL

Z said...

Ducky..."Despite a dismal August jobs report, President Barack Obama emerged from the Democratic National Convention with "momentum," a top aide said Friday. Senior adviser David Plouffe acknowledged that the party gathering would probably not yield any significant change in public opinion polls, but he suggested it may help Obama's get-out-the-vote machine."

If this is the best Plouffe has, where'd YOU get the info he doesn't have that Obama got an 8 point bump?

Z said...

beamish, they blaming the RNC yet? :-)

Jersey McJones said...

@ Jersey: It seems to me only a moron would fuss over such stupidity.

That's your Democrat party!

Silver, the Democrats had a bit of a scuff over the platform because it seemed to many of them that the "issues" at hand were divisive and pointless, kind of mean-spirited, boisterous, asking for trouble, and well... stupid.

Who the %$#@ are we to tell Israel what their capital should be?

Many Israelis would rather a far-long term approach to the issue, and would rather not even discuss it for the foreseeable future.

Yet you Americans conservatives INSIST Jerusalem MUST be the capital of Israel.

Why don't you just move there, convert, of course, and enjoy the way Jewish people really see American conservative Christians who are such friendly friends of Israelis.

I'd love to be there for that. I've known a few Israelis in my day, and they have NOTHING in common with you guys.

JMJ

Ducky's here said...

@z - where'd YOU get the info he doesn't have that Obama got an 8 point bump?
--------------
Gallup

Z said...

Ducky.....no, Gallup's not reported eight points ...if anything, there's the same 3 point bump Romney got.

viburnum said...

@ Steve

Glad I'm awake early enough to laugh at your pathetic delusional diatribe before Silver boots you again.

When it comes to intellect son, you aren't a pimple on Finntann's ass.

Get a clue!



Unknown said...

Who the %$#@ are we to tell Israel what their capital should be?

The lesson for today is this: if you don't know what you're talking about, keep quiet. Otherwise, you will convince everyone that you're an ignorant ass.

FreeThinke said...

Sorry, Viburnum, but I don't think it's the least bit amusing to find turds in my scrambled eggs at breakfast, turds in my burger meat at lunch, and more turds in my stew, on my pizza, or in my chow mein at dinner. Turds also make a lousy midnight snack.

Laying turds all over someone else's blog should NOT be tolerated. Turds should be FLUSHED.

Metaphorically speaking Freedom of Expression does NOT include the right to excrete fecal matter into our food, in our laps, or on our carpets and upholstered furniture.

In the words of the immortal Anne Animus:

If it's yellow,
Let it mellow.
It its brown,
FLUSH IT DOWN.


The First Amendment does not confer the right for us to ABUSE one another. Only a LAWYER would argue against that.

Cheerio!

~ FreeThinke

Silverfiddle said...

Jersey: You said only a moron would argue over such issues, and I pointed out it was your democrats on the convention floor who were moronically arguing over it.

Now, on to the deeper issue. Jerusalem is Israel's capital, although it is not internationally recognized. It is, of course, a proxy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

I have also known a few Israelis, and I agree with you that the typical Israeli has very little in common with a fundamentalist Christian American.

Les Carpenter said...

Finn and Silver, welcome to the club. It is a badge of honor to be maligned and spoke of in such terms as Steve uses when he lets his inner self out to play. Proving once again that he is a barbaric hate filed deranged delusional individual.

Always On Watch said...

What language, exactly, did the Democratic Party put into the platform? Was is the same language as before or language with both similarities and omissions? See THIS at Right Truth.

Z said...

ANita, I'm so glad you found and posted that prayer. But I don't think it's odd at ALL. He prayed at the RNC and DNC and I believe they don't vet a prayer.
Rather than odd, I think the DNC people must have flipped out when they heard that prayer standing up for the unborn after all their screeches of approval for killing babies. "abortion.? YES YES YES" It was really sad to listen to that on Tuesday, wasn't it.
A very odd people, the Liberals.

viburnum said...

Actually Steven, before you arrived I don't recall anyone here 'bashing' liberals in the sense that you imply. To be sure, we had some rather animated discussions but never the sort of despicable, personally derogatory, invective that you introduced. I for one would be glad to see an end to it, so would you be so kind as to expedite your permanent departure?

Jersey McJones said...

Steve, I've been blogging as JMJ for over a decade. I started on Hannity's boards.

Silver, the issue is just another divisive BS sleaze to rile up the religious-right rabble who believe one day Israel will reunite to a certain state, rebuild the Temple (ain't gonna happen - nothing to put in it), and then the Rapture will come and all the loving, caring, friends-of-Israel, conservative Christians will go to heaven while the rest of us suffer a hundred years of apocalypse.

It's a steaming pile of stupid $#@!.

The "issue" came to the Dems, not the other way around. The vast majority of Democrats would rather leave it up to the Israelis and Palestinians and stay the hell out of it.

JMJ

Z said...

viburnum, please check out every first comment from Steve and realize who starts the nastiness. Here's a good start, admittedly more tempered than most.."...especially when people like you use that God to divide people against each other."

JMJ..I'm a Christian and what you've written about the temple and Jews is nothing I spend time thinking about! WOW.
That the Dems have left GOd out is a huge challenge for 3/4 of Americans; I'm thinking that's why they felt they needed to lie that hard to get Him back in the platform?

The Absolute Marxist said...

Liberal Alter Egos? Who the 'f needs those?

Now here's a few for my Republican friends...

Shake it like an Etch-a-Sketch!

...and save the rich!

The Absolute Marxist said...

You think that SF is bad, you should try posting at pShaw's blog...

She won't post anyone who doesn't pretend that she has integrity.

Teresa said...

The only reason the DNC allowed Cardinal Dolan to give a prayer is because he was invited and accepted doing the closing prayer at the RNC Convention. They are afraid they've alienated Catholic voters as it is. They couldn't take the chance to alienate more of the Catholic vote.

The Democrat Party of old is gone. It is now the Party of radical progressives who ascribe to Saul Alinshy's rules.

Silverfiddle said...

Catholics went for Obama by 7 points in 2008, and I predict he still gets over 50% of the Catholic vote this go around.

The religious liberty issue doesn't matter as much as social justice for Obama Catholics.

Teresa said...

If the 2010 election is an indicator of things to come I believe Obama may be surprised at how much of the Catholic vote he loses. I suspect some will stay home and not vote for either party (out of those who voted for Obama in 08) and that his support among Catholics will drop about 9% because those who were on the fence now know that is the only chance of repealing Obamacare, and many more are worried about Obama's position on gay marriage as well as the HHS mandate. Plus, some care primarily about economics (not social justice) and many of those I believe will go for Mitt Romney.

Silverfiddle said...

I hope you're right, Teresa

Ducky's here said...

As political as my photography gets

Mustang said...

Nothing beats having a mind of your own. Do you do your own film developing, Ducky?

Ducky's here said...

Yeah, Segways, the urban curse. Every year they knock down a few folks in the North End where the streets are really narrow and cramped.

I use Adobe Lightroom for post processing. Terrific software, recommended.

viburnum said...

Lots of good shots there Ducky. One of them flipped me out though. The woman in "Sea Breeze" is my step daughter's twin.

FreeThinke said...

I loved, loved, LOVED "Forest Nymph, " Ducky. Truly UNIQUE. A bit sinister too -- in a pleasant sort of way.

Lots of good stuff.

Didn't know you like old fashioned, tacky businesses on boardwalks at the seaside as much as I. -- Pure nostalgia for me.

Didn't think any of that survived into the modern era. Looks like The Jersey Shore at Asbury Park in the 1940's.

"Manufactory" is outstanding too.

In what town are the houses in "Gulls" located? More nostalgia for me.

Thanks for sharing.

~ FT

Silverfiddle said...

Careful taking pictures of the FED, Ducky.

You could find yourself carted off by flying monkeys.

KP said...

Great stuff, Ducky. I really like the "waiting for warm weather" and "manufactory". Like FT, I admire the old boardwalk shops seen in many of the pics.

Those in "first piercing" remind me of the boardwalk between Mission Beach and The Big Dipper roller coaster, heading north to Pacific Beach and Crystal Pier in San Diego (but that section is slowly being modernized).

Well done and thanks for sharing your work.

Ducky's here said...

The security guard asked for ID. I'm getting used to it.

This was in a public space outside the Fed.

Ducky's here said...

Don't get me going on old coasters, KP. Loved the old Cyclone at the old Revere Beach amusement park.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Ducky,

Loved looking at Old Towne photos and others around Beantown trying to figure out where they were taken.

The Arch Street Church [St. Anthony's Shrine] is a favorite.

Thanks for sharing.

Ducky's here said...

FT, "Gulls" was shot from the parking lot of an abandoned fish processing plant in Gloucester.

Yes, I really like old boardwalks. The seedier the better.

Silverfiddle said...

"This was in a public space outside the Fed."

Like that matters. they own everything.

KP said...

@Ducky, do a search for on Google images for The Giant Dipper, (or Big Dipper) also known as the Mission Beach Roller Coaster.

The whole thing is wooden and was built in 1925. If you rode it you would know it is old and made of wood. It is wildy rickety and a very rough ride (side to side whiplash type stuff even after refurbishing twenty years ago :-)

It has a near twin at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. They are the only two remaining coasters on the West Coast built by noted coaster builders Prior and Church.

Liberalmann said...

The Republicans do have a platform. Both Romney and Paul Ryan, the boy wonder, have made very clear policy statements this year. So has the Republican majority in the US Congress, which tried to enact Ryan’s slash-and-burn budget into law. Republican-controlled statehouses have been clear, too. For starters, they want to take us back to Mayberry. In more than two dozen states, Republicans have pushed through restrictive voter ID laws that disenfranchise minority and poor voters while accomplishing nothing else. Romney and Ryan both back these measures to move the clock back to early 1965, before the Voting Rights Act.

Their stated desire to outlaw abortion moves the clock back four decades to 1973, while their stance on birth control brings us back to the 1920s: Both Romney and Ryan support radical laws declaring that once sperm meets egg, the resulting fertilized egg becomes a legally recognized person, thus outlawing most effective birth control methods such as the pill.

Their plans for Social Security and Medicare, which would easily be solvent into the next millennium if we lifted the cap that exempts all income over $110,000 from Social Security and Medicare taxes, bring us back to the era of the Great Depression, food lines, and Hoovervilles. Their environmental deregulation mantra brings us back to an age before science when we soiled our environment out of ignorance—only now we’ll do it because of the one percent’s pathological greed. Their plans to gut education funding and aid to college students will move us back to the 19th century, when schooling was the privilege of the elite. Again, I can go on and on—these are just a few key pet peeves of mine. You’d do well to read their speeches and the Ryan budget.

If Romney and Ryan ascend to power, it’s likely that such a Republican sweep will also give the party control of the Senate while further solidifying their control of the House of Representatives. By my math, that would give the GOP althree branches of government. So don’t count on any discussion or debate—just lots of quick votes on bills written by corporate lobbyists and religious zealots. I figure it will take them perhaps one month to roll back about 130 years or so of social progress. And you won’t know what hit you. When democracies fall hard, they do it fast. Take Germany. In 1932 the Nazis won 37 percent of the seats in the federal legislature, but by early 1933 Hitler was chancellor and the nation was constructing concentration camps. Historically, radical governments see no point in lollygagging when they finally get to make their moves.

In our case, the date will be mid-February 2013 when we kiss goodbye Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, legal abortions, hormonal birth control, the Voter Rights Act, the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts, progressive taxation, and any remaining laws curtailing Wall Street. Give them another few months before they start talking about divvying up our national parks, national forests, and other public lands, or privatizing chunks of the interstate highway system. When people finally rise up to respond to all of this, we’ll be in uncharted territory.

This all brings me to the disappointing presidency of Barack Obama, and the failure of third-party movements to give us real choice beyond Democrats and Republicans. Sure, the Greens have a great platform. Had Ralph Nader won New York in 2000, I would have gone to the Electoral College as an elector. But I wasn’t holding my breath or making hotel reservations. Still, we thought we could expand the debate, literally. But we were never allowed into any debate. The problem is that we had our heads in the sand, harboring delusions that the United States is a democracy, rather than a corrupt, gamed, winner-take-all system.

Always On Watch said...

Gah!

Villagairosa is insisting that the vote was a 2/3 majority.

You can't make up this stuff!

KP said...

Mr. Villaraigosa's real name was Tony Villar. His new name is a combination of his birth name and that of his second wife, Connie Raigosa. Okay, no big deal.

Villaraigosa is not an attorney. He failed the bar exam four times.

Villaraigosa became a teachers union organizer. As with most liberal politicians who are mouthpieces for teachers unions and against vouchers or school choice, his kids attended private schools.

He still bears the tattoo "Born to Raise Hell."

This guy is a real winner.

FreeThinke said...

" ... American Democracy ... provides an excellent bridge to political success. All one has to do is convince low IQ citizens that something for nothing is entirely possible, label is progressivism, and the result will be that these morons will vote for Satan himself —or Barack Obama, to get it."

Yes indeed! This is, of course, the Achilles Heel of our pseudo-egalitarian system, Mr. Sinclair.

Some one somewhere once said something to the effect that "democracies cannot survive after 'the people' realize they have the power to vote themselves large sums of money from the public till."

The wit and wisdom of Plato, Socrates and Aristotle et al., The Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and selections from the less captious, vituperative, and anti-Life writings of Saul of Tarsus (i.e. St. Paul), and the U.S. Constitution, gave Civilization ALL it has ever needed to go on, but we don't want to ACCEPT "received wisdom" and so we make ourselves miserable by constantly arguing against and making attempts to destroy the very things that could save us.

Addiction to DISPUTE coupled with the unholy desire to ACT the PART of GOD in human affairs are probably more harmful to human progress than the occasional urges a small percentage have to commit murder, rape, robbery, vandalism and extortion.

If the thinking of the people has been perverted by aggressive campaigns of misinformation, disinformation, loud, continuous exhibitions of rotten taste, and perversion disguised and billed as "enlightenment," the people have been rendered UNFIT to govern themselves and are thus ripe for dictatorship.

~ FreeThinke

jez said...

The only problem with received wisdom is that it isn't as reliable as an argument whose logic one can rehearse oneself, whose evidence one can assess oneself, and whose aims one is satisfied that one agrees with. I don't want to find myself not knowing what I'm doing, or why, or to what purpose. Tradition contains a lot of good ideas, but we must tactfully apply it to where it is applicable and modify it to new situations as they arise. Tradition by itself is considered harmful.
I'm not interested in acting the part of God, only the part of a man using his senses and intellect to their fullest to try to do the best he can with his time alive. I suggest you do the same, you're not dead yet. :) Be of good cheer!

FreeThinke said...

I can only repeat:

[W]e don't want to ACCEPT "received wisdom" and so we make ourselves miserable by constantly arguing against and making attempts to destroy the very things that could save us.

Thanks for providing an excellent case in point.

IF you feel you must reinvent the wheel in order to be able to "believe" it actually works, please be my guest.

I say, you're wasting a good deal of precious time.


Pip pip! and CHEERIO!

§;-D

~ FreeThinke

jez said...

The wheel is excellent, provided it has a flat surface to roll on, and that you want to be mobile.

Traditions are great provided they are APPLICABLE to your situation and SUITABLE to your needs. You don't need to reinvent it, but you do need to understand it in order to get the most out of it. Belligerent conservatives resent even that.

Good luck!