The Imus Nonsense

[Paleontole]

Fred Thompson better be running for the republicans!

[Kyronea]

Taxation, eh? I believe in a combination of the national sales tax and Keynesian scaled income tax. Basically, the idea is for us to only charge the upper-middle class and higher with income tax, and allow the lower-middle class and below to simply be charged the sales tax. If it is worked out sufficiently, it will be much fairer to all. The rich have more money to use, so they should be taxed more, simply because it will not affect them as adversely as it might affect, say, a single mother working two jobs trying to support her children.

Thus far, though, no one on either side has taken this position, and I doubt any ever will, because it is the most sensible thing to do and politicans are anything but sensible. As for your question Zeality, at the moment I am supporting Obama, but only so long as he continues to be the best among a somewhat sub-par field--in my opinion, of course. I will probably not ever vote for Hillary because of her pro-censorship positions and overall populism...she does far too much to take any position if it will gain her votes. I like her as a person, but she's not my choice for President by any means.

So, what will I do if Obama does not end up the Democratic candidate? I'll probably research and then vote for a third-party candidate instead, or an Independent if one is running. I see no one among the Republicans I'd be willing to vote for anytime soon, certainly.

Paleontole: Fred Thompson? Oh, please, no. The last thing we need is another actor as President, especially one that was also a lawyer.

[Paleontole]

Paleontole: Fred Thompson? Oh, please, no. The last thing we need is another actor as President, especially one that was also a lawyer.

He's not a bad guy though, better than McCain easily. I'd switch parties and vote for Hillary before wanting McCain to win. I use to be on the Guiliani bandwagon, and would prefer to see him if it isn't Thompson. Ron Paul is good too, but I'm a realist, he won't get the nominaton.

[Kyronea]

I won't deny that he has merit, but frankly he has too many negative aspects for me to be willing to vote for him. McCain...I once supported McCain, but he has embarrassed himself beyond all recognition far too often lately to even be considerable. I quote directly from an interview:

Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”

Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we’re not going to distribute them,’ knowing that?”

Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.

Furthermore, he is hopelessly pro-censorship, and that is a definite turn-off for me when it comes to supporting ANYONE.

[Paleontole]

Oh definitely, the censorship stuff, he's wrong on Iraq too among many other things. If he wins the primary they might as well not even run a campaign at all, because a lot of people will just view someone like him as an extension of a lot of Bush policies, and if they haven't looked recently, his approval ratings are in the 25-35% range.

Guiliani is a bit more moderate, Thompson isn't but a lot of people like him, both have actually done pretty well in head to head polls vs the democrat candidates. McCain ruined himself, and I hope this time next year I don't have to listen about him anymore.

[Lord J Esq]

This gets down to what I'd do in his place if I wanted to get their votes. There are a few tactics I could use (my favorite would actually be one that's so radically different from how politicians normally act I won't bother bringing it up as a serious suggestion),

Well now of course I have to know. Out with it! Don't make me make Burning Zeppelin beg.

[Kyronea]

Well, I'll admit I know not all that much about Thompson. Guiliani though...I once liked him, but after some research, I feel he has too many skeletons in the closet, and is a bit too authoritarian for my tastes. Besides--though people rarely remember it--he had Bush-esque approval ratings in New York City before 9/11...that alone ought to say something about his capabilities as a leader.

Lord J: I'd like to know as well. Of course, if it were ever me running for President, I'd be completely straight with everyone. I wouldn't promise anything I wouldn't actually do; any promises I make would be completely upheld; I would not hide anything about my character that people might not like; and I would never, NEVER compromise my opinions for the sake of votes. Of course, I'd probably never get elected if I tried that, but that's not the point.

[ZeaLitY]

I guess it's no secret that I'm against Hillary on pain of nepotism. if Hillary gets a term, it will mark a two-family power struggle lasting 24 years (almost 30 if she gets two terms). George Washington would kick our asses for that.

[Kyronea]

I guess it's no secret that I'm against Hillary on pain of nepotism. if Hillary gets a term, it will mark a two-family power struggle lasting 24 years (almost 30 if she gets two terms). George Washington would kick our asses for that.

I agree with you completely...it'd be a sad state of affairs. We might as well have the two families marry and turn into the bloody Kings and Queens of America if we let that happen.

[Lord J Esq]

Lord J: I'd like to know as well.

You mean Leebot? Or is there something you wanted to know from me?

Of course, if it were ever me running for President, I'd be completely straight with everyone. I wouldn't promise anything I wouldn't actually do; any promises I make would be completely upheld; I would not hide anything about my character that people might not like; and I would never, NEVER compromise my opinions for the sake of votes. Of course, I'd probably never get elected if I tried that, but that's not the point.

Ah, but it is, mon ami! Somebody is going to get elected president, and how the candidates present themselves will have a big impact on their respective odds of success.

Also, don't take it personally, but I don't think you're being honest with yourself when you say that you'd not hide anything about yourself, and would never compromise your opinions for the sake of votes. Nor is such an overriding idealism necessarily a mark of excellent character.

[ZeaLitY]

Well, Imus is fired. May Al Sharpton shut his goddamn mouth now. At least Oprah and Seal have criticized blacks for using the term. Penn and Teller are probably rolling in their...beds, I guess, since they aren't exactly in the grave...

The Sharpton dislike isn't new in my arena. Back in my high school political science class, he was sort of the butt of his own joke. His criticisms of the Iraq war backfired due to his style exaggerated grandstanding (one of his better quips was, "people are dying in helicopters and we don't know why!?). And before you say it, no, our political science class wasn't pro-war.

[Kyronea]

You mean Leebot? Or is there something you wanted to know from me?

Yes, Leebot, though I'm always interested in hearing how others would try running.

Ah, but it is, mon ami! Somebody is going to get elected president, and how the candidates present themselves will have a big impact on their respective odds of success.

Aye...it's rather sad that one has to inflate themself and create this attractive song and dance type of image to get elected, when one should be elected on their merits for the position at hand.

Also, don't take it personally, but I don't think you're being honest with yourself when you say that you'd not hide anything about yourself, and would never compromise your opinions for the sake of votes. Nor is such an overriding idealism necessarily a mark of excellent character.

Perhaps...but what I meant by not compromising my opinions were thing such as my support for gay marriage and many other civil rights, not something that wouldn't have too much of an effect if I compromised my opinion.

Besides, I'll probably never be running for President in any case, so the point is academic at best.

Well, Imus is fired. May Al Sharpton shut his goddamn mouth now. At least Oprah and Seal have criticized blacks for using the term. Penn and Teller are probably rolling in their...beds, I guess, since they aren't exactly in the grave...

Well, it was probably a case of covering their asses on the part of the company that fired him, really.

The Sharpton dislike isn't new in my arena. Back in my high school political science class, he was sort of the butt of his own joke. His criticisms of the Iraq war backfired due to his style exaggerated grandstanding (one of his better quips was, "people are dying in helicopters and we don't know why!?). And before you say it, no, our political science class wasn't pro-war.

Sharpton is a blustering fool that enjoys the sound of his own voice far too much for his own good, though he does have his heart in the right place.

[Paleontole]

Well, I'll admit I know not all that much about Thompson. Guiliani though...I once liked him, but after some research, I feel he has too many skeletons in the closet, and is a bit too authoritarian for my tastes. Besides--though people rarely remember it--he had Bush-esque approval ratings in New York City before 9/11...that alone ought to say something about his capabilities as a leader.

Thompson is more of a 'straight up' conservative I guess. His name is being thrown out there because conservatives look at Guiliani and go "uhh..." and then they look at McCain and go "uhh..." so he could be very successful if he actually declares he is running. Guiliani did have low numbers, but he was able to accomplish a lot while being mayor, so he deserves a little credit for that.

I guess it's no secret that I'm against Hillary on pain of nepotism. if Hillary gets a term, it will mark a two-family power struggle lasting 24 years (almost 30 if she gets two terms). George Washington would kick our asses for that.

I think a lot of people from that time would kick our asses for that. And you're right, the people who made the foundation of this country gave up monarchy, we don't need any dynasties here.

Well, Imus is fired. May Al Sharpton shut his goddamn mouth now.

Yeah, it's kind of unfortunate. But in the end, Sharpton and that crew make their living and fame on going off with stuff like this. Imus is gone, at his age I'm not sure if he will do much more, and the real problems are still unsolved, which seems fitting for some reason. This was handled very poorly.

[Lord J Esq]

Aye...it's rather sad that one has to inflate themself and create this attractive song and dance type of image to get elected, when one should be elected on their merits for the position at hand.

I agree with you philosophically. But the system you are describing is not the system of power in the United States. I'm not actually a democrat in the lowercase D sense of the word. But I recognize that democracy is the shots get called in this land, and I say play the hand you're dealt. A candidate can't win on merit alone, so pay attention to things like personal style, community engagement, charisma--all traits that, in a healthy meritocracy, would probably be prerequisites anyway.

Perhaps...but what I meant by not compromising my opinions were thing such as my support for gay marriage and many other civil rights, not something that wouldn't have too much of an effect if I compromised my opinion.

How do you decide now which issues, and which positions, will be important to the future you? Mister Bush is great at not compromising his opinion. He is the textbook case that I point out when well-meaning people start talking about integrity.

Well, Imus is fired. May Al Sharpton shut his goddamn mouth now. At least Oprah and Seal have criticized blacks for using the term. Penn and Teller are probably rolling in their...beds, I guess, since they aren't exactly in the grave...

I take it you listened to the guy. Well, I won't judge. But now that he's gone, you can listen to the local classical music station instead.

Sharpton is a blustering fool that enjoys the sound of his own voice far too much for his own good, though he does have his heart in the right place.

I was going to rebuke and correct you...but after thinking about it, I could not have put it better myself. Actually I could, but it's not terribly important: He's a turgid, self-important, fool...not a blustering one.

[Kyronea]

I agree with you philosophically. But the system you are describing is not the system of power in the United States. I'm not actually a democrat in the lowercase D sense of the word. But I recognize that democracy is the shots get called in this land, and I say play the hand you're dealt. A candidate can't win on merit alone, so pay attention to things like personal style, community engagement, charisma--all traits that, in a healthy meritocracy, would probably be prerequisites anyway.

True enough...true enough.

How do you decide now which issues, and which positions, will be important to the future you? Mister Bush is great at not compromising his opinion. He is the textbook case that I point out when well-meaning people start talking about integrity.

I don't. I have been hypothosizing as of the current conditions. I certainly recognize that in the future such opinions may no longer be necessary, but when the point is merely an exercise in thought and not in reality, why bother extrapolating the future?

I was going to rebuke and correct you...but after thinking about it, I could not have put it better myself. Actually I could, but it's not terribly important: He's a turgid, self-important, fool...not a blustering one.

Aye...fair enough. He's also confusing...oftentimes I find it hard to understand exactly what he is saying. I usually pay him no real mind, though...he's not truly important in the scheme of things.