News:

Nitpicky? Hell yes.

Main Menu

American Politics for a naive Limy.

Started by Tank, June 20, 2010, 09:10:29 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

KDbeads

Quote from: "Businessocks"In short, R's have a more direct pipeline and personal relationship with Jesus; D's are a bunch of pot-smoking heathens who are sodomizing themselves into hell.   lol

While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way ;)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. - Douglas Adams

pinkocommie

Quote from: "KDbeads"
Quote from: "Businessocks"In short, R's have a more direct pipeline and personal relationship with Jesus; D's are a bunch of pot-smoking heathens who are sodomizing themselves into hell.   lol

While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way :D  Seriously, my state is reliably D leaning with pretty much the same attitude toward gun control.  My sweetie, who is from South Carolina, was delighted to see so many Obama stickers on cars that also had NRA stickers.  I guess that's one of the reasons why I tend to identify as liberal instead of democrat.
Ubi dubium ibi libertas: Where there is doubt, there is freedom.
http://alliedatheistalliance.blogspot.com/

Will

Quote from: "Tank"I wouldn't start this thread on any other forum I have been on as it would be asking for a flame war. However I hope that will not be the case here.

I have often observed the absolute hatred with which Republicans dis Democrats and visa versa. Why the vitriol? Is it just a symptom of the style of America argument which is often very adversarial by comparison the the way Brit's tend to discuss things. Or is it something people really feel or is it something else I'm not aware of?

Comments much appreciated.
It's harder to hold our politicians accountable here in the States because they're more entrenched. It has a lot to do with being so economically powerful, the side effect of which is massive corporatist corruption. When politicians are doing mostly corporate bidding, they have to distract people from their misconduct by having these big, dramatic, overblown battles and making truly absurd statements. It's theater intended to distract from what's really going on, convincing people it's us vs. them at all costs. When Republican representative Joe Wilson yelled "You Lie!" in the middle of President Obama's State of the Union last September, it wasn't about actually disagreeing with the President, it was about getting the right wing fanatics up in a tizzy and pissing off people on the left.

As American economic power wanes, expect to see this more commonly in other countries.
I want bad people to look forward to and celebrate the day I die, because if they don't, I'm not living up to my potential.

KDbeads

Quote from: "pinkocommie"
Quote from: "KDbeads"While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way :D  Seriously, my state is reliably D leaning with pretty much the same attitude toward gun control.  My sweetie, who is from South Carolina, was delighted to see so many Obama stickers on cars that also had NRA stickers.  I guess that's one of the reasons why I tend to identify as liberal instead of democrat.

Whoo hooo, someone from south cacalaky who swings the other way!!!.  Honest, I can say that, graduated high school in SC and got my degrees there too ;)   Off campus, there aren't many non republicans!
Here I'm a funky colored dot in a red state.
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. - Douglas Adams

Big Mac

Quote from: "KDbeads"While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way ;)

But you will need armor piercing bullets (most rifle rounds will slice through soft body armor quite nicely, FYI) if the government decides you are not a suitable person.

When the people are armed with arms and knowledge, they are the most fearsome force the state has to fear. And rightly so, we hold the power not our elected officials. The Founding Fathers intended a government afraid of its people not the other way around.

I do not hunt. My arms are all designed for combat. I see no reason why I should be pigeon-holed to certain types of weapons because Uncle Sam says so.
Quote from: "PoopShoot"And what if pigs shit candy?

TheJackel

Quote from: "Big Mac"
Quote from: "KDbeads"While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way ;)

Big Mac

Quote from: "TheJackel"
Quote from: "Big Mac"
Quote from: "KDbeads"While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way ;)

Obviously not what I was getting at but I can probably make biological arms. Unwashed Bible thumpers during the middle ages did it, I imagine a strapping young man who can read tomes better than they could produce worse. Not that I would.

I am referring to small arms.
Quote from: "PoopShoot"And what if pigs shit candy?

Tank

What a wonderful insight this thread is turning out to be. Effort, thoughts and contributions much appreciated.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Big Mac

Quote from: "Tank"What a wonderful insight this thread is turning out to be. Effort, thoughts and contributions much appreciated.

If you ever come to Texas, we'll take you out, get you drunk and shoot my vast array of firearms in the woods.
Quote from: "PoopShoot"And what if pigs shit candy?

Tank

Quote from: "Big Mac"
Quote from: "Tank"What a wonderful insight this thread is turning out to be. Effort, thoughts and contributions much appreciated.

If you ever come to Texas, we'll take you out, get you drunk and shoot my vast array of firearms in the woods.
I would love to do that!! I'll do the guns before the booze though, I'd like to be able to remember the experience!!
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Thumpalumpacus

Quote from: "Tank"
Quote from: "Big Mac"
Quote from: "Tank"What a wonderful insight this thread is turning out to be. Effort, thoughts and contributions much appreciated.

If you ever come to Texas, we'll take you out, get you drunk and shoot my vast array of firearms in the woods.
I would love to do that!! I'll do the guns before the booze though, I'd like to be able to remember the experience!!

... not to mention hit the target?
Illegitimi non carborundum.

Businessocks

Quote from: "Big Mac"
Quote from: "KDbeads"While I want gun rights within reason (seriously, I don't need an armor piercing fully automatic whatever to kill me a deer), I also prefer laws off my body, away from my mind, out of my house and away from my property.  Gee, I'm a mixed bag aren't I?  Hence why I ignore political leanings and read everything before deciding either way ;)

But you will need armor piercing bullets (most rifle rounds will slice through soft body armor quite nicely, FYI) if the government decides you are not a suitable person.

When the people are armed with arms and knowledge, they are the most fearsome force the state has to fear. And rightly so, we hold the power not our elected officials. The Founding Fathers intended a government afraid of its people not the other way around.

I do not hunt. My arms are all designed for combat. I see no reason why I should be pigeon-holed to certain types of weapons because Uncle Sam says so.

These two views brilliantly show the different gun rights views of many D's and R's.  D's want guns for hunting and sport.  R's want guns for hunting and defense.  Both make valid points, in my opinion.  

One other major point I forgot to list last night is that R's define themselves as pro-small gov't and accuse D's of ballooning the size and expenses of the gov't.  I think the truth, however, is that they like to build different parts of the gov't. up.  R's like a good, strong defense, and D's like many gov't. social programs.  

And someone made the point about identifying more as a Liberal than a D.  I total think that label is a good fit for many who like the human rights aspects of the D party but who also appreciate the idea of a smaller gov't who interferes as little as possible with one's personal choices in the bedroom and in recreational choices.  I find it ironic that the Liberals are pitted as dire enemies to R's.  I think Liberals are those who take parts from both parties more than any other group.  Now the Tea Bag movement, that is the opposite of a Liberal, I think.
The god of the cannibals will be a cannibal, of the crusaders a crusader, and of the merchants a merchant.  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thumpalumpacus

Both parties want a bigger government.  Democrats want it to run the economy; Republicans want it to run your sex-life.

Of course, that is a crass over-generalization, the sine qua non of an American political discussion.  Nuances need not apply.
Illegitimi non carborundum.

KDbeads

Quote from: "Businessocks"Now the Tea Bag movement, that is the opposite of a Liberal, I think.
Unfortunately I think you are right on that one.  The tea baggers I've met are seriously ill-informed on the issues, lack enough knowledge to grasp certain concepts and in general really have no clue how to behave as human beings.  But these are the ones I've met, might be different elsewhere.
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. - Douglas Adams

Big Mac

Quote from: "KDbeads"
Quote from: "Businessocks"Now the Tea Bag movement, that is the opposite of a Liberal, I think.
Unfortunately I think you are right on that one.  The tea baggers I've met are seriously ill-informed on the issues, lack enough knowledge to grasp certain concepts and in general really have no clue how to behave as human beings.  But these are the ones I've met, might be different elsewhere.

Really? The ones I've met (I'm not a tea bag party member but there are A  TON in Austin) have been a little eccentric but they know the political scene inside and out. It's like people who study celebs except these guys have an amazing amount of knowledge of politics. Aside from the assumption they're all angry (the ones I met were very calm but determined in their views) they were actually cheerful folks who want their voices to be heard. I don't disagree with some of their views. I would like to see a much smaller federal government that doesn't meddle with my affairs like a nosy nanny.

I don't see either party as liberal (I know plenty of conservative Democrats) or conservative (I know plenty of liberal Republicans) but they do tend to lean one side more often than the other. I don't disagree, they plan on expanding government powers and such. They have different ends (sort of, bigger defense vs. bigger social programs as someone pointed out) and ways of going about it.
Quote from: "PoopShoot"And what if pigs shit candy?