McCain Chooses Palin as Running Mate

[GregBurch]

Sigh....

When will the Democrats ever learn the art of political judo, so well mastered by the Republicans? Go after your opponent's strengths. The Evangelicals are the only energized, true-believers (in the political sense) that the Republicans have in this election - witness the 13 pages of this thread generated by their evangelical pick for VP. Now the Evans, so long a monolithic block, are showing signs of fracture along generational lines. Rather than tapping descreet wedges into those cracks, most ham-handed Dems can be relied upon to hit the whole group with a fat sledge hammer.

That's one of the things I like about Obama - he actually appears deft. But then, who wouldn't look politically deft standing next to Bill Maher?

Again, sigh....

For what it's worth, I'm as far from an "evangelical" as it would be possible to get (that should be obvious by now). And I'm totally enthusiastic about the Palin pick. But I know Sarah Palin and I'm not afraid of her. Actually, I don't really know her personally, but I hope to. What I do know is women just like her -- the managing partner of my law firm -- the most powerful woman in the US legal business -- bears no small resemblance to her. I could name half a dozen women like her I know professionally, and for whom I have great respect. There's something fundamental about them that is skew to the left's dogmatism about feminism. And this is one of the key factors in drivng the attacks against Palin off target and that is turning them into deadly ricochets.

 

[Urwumpe]

The left's dogmatism on feminism... yeah. The democratic party women are sure the most dogmatic feminists. Like Hill(ary Clin)ton and Madelaine Albright...

I think, the discussion needs really a break. Because I observe many people replacing facts by wishful thinking and I fear the look into the mirror to notice me doing the same.

 

[replicant]

You can say, the end of the Weimar republic was not the vote of the people, but the believe of the political leadership of all parties at that time, that their fundamental believes are more important as the decisions of the voters.

Looking at what is happening here in the US with both major parties and the smaller splinter ones, why does that suddenly make me queasy?

 

[Andy44]

Looking at what is happening here in the US with both major parties and the smaller splinter ones, why does that suddenly make me queasy?

Because you're seeing the parallels and not the deltas. I will be the first to agree with anyone who says that the executive branch is becoming too powerful, that the level of nationalism in the U.S. is alarming, and that the society is becoming too militarized, but none of this is new; it's been going on for decades at a much slower pace than what we saw in post-WWI Germany.

As the banner in On the Beach said: "There is still time, brother."

 

[pattersoncr]

...the society is becoming too militarized, but none of this is new; it's been going on for decades at a much slower pace than what we saw in post-WWI Germany...

I don't have any data to point to but it seems to me that the percentage of the US population that are members of the military is as low now as its ever been.

 

[Urwumpe]

it's been going on for decades at a much slower pace than what we saw in post-WWI Germany.

Don't forget that Germanies population was never demilitarized until WW2. When the army got dissolved, the people joined the armed branches of the extreme parties.

And the main problem is not militarism (which the USA still don't really know in it's extreme), but actually a very stupid (and pretty unamerican) mindset: Being a soldier is good and risking your life for your country also. But don't bother me to bring sacrifices myself for the sake of the soldiers. They are strong men and women, they don't need help.

Also, I find it strange, how the RDF works for some US citizens. Nobody sane in Germany would be proud of a son going to Iraq. They would be proud of him when he returns and have damn mixed feelings while he is away. I know that from those relatives who serve in Afghanistan - the mixed feelings have the strange tendency to be infective among all. I know from the better documentaries that many relatives of US soldiers go through the same certain uncertainty. But why is the republican party dominated by people, who think that dying for your country is something to be proud of (Like Patton puts it: It is your job to make the other bastard die for his country)? Don't they have relatives there? And if they have people there... do they think the Iraqi insurgents will drop their weapons on the first sight of a US soldier?

It is just strange... and why must it always be the liberal parties in the whole western world, to make laws for the support of soldiers who return home with physical or psychological injuries, while the work of the conservative parties is limited to send them into war? Didn't people understand, that for some soldiers, war does not end after they returned home? :dry:

 

[Star explorer]

hillary clinton must be very mad

 

[replicant]

it's been going on for decades at a much slower pace than what we saw in post-WWI Germany.

So kind of like the frog in the water that is heating up very slowly?


-----Posted Added-----

But why is the republican party dominated by people, who think that dying for your country is something to be proud of (Like Patton puts it: It is your job to make the other bastard die for his country)?

:speakcool: I thought of exactly the same Patton quote while watching the tear jerk videos at the RNC. It seems their thinking has shifted a great deal. To me it seems to be the tying of the holy crusade of God into the mix. The war as a "task from God" mindest. I suppose that if you die in God's holy crusade then you automatically go to heaven.

Doesn't that sound like the philosophy of our enemies?

I have taught my 6 year old son and will teach my 2 year old son as well as my newborn daughter this :

"Never spend your life on someone else's cause."

It is just strange... and why must it always be the liberal parties in the whole western world, to make laws for the support of soldiers who return home with physical or psychological injuries, while the work of the conservative parties is limited to send them into war? Didn't people understand, that for some soldiers, war does not end after they returned home? :dry:

I have to constantly remind my in-laws and brainless flight-attendants who see those "nasty" people on the street all the time that there is a one in four chance that the homeless person is a veteran. It's disgusting. Use them up in a war and then throw them away. I see bumber stickers all over that say "support our troops". The sad fact is that these same people hate social programs, regard the homeless as scum, and relegate them to charity. "God helps those who help themselves" is what they like to say, or that if you are homeless in America you choose to be there.

 

[GregBurch]

Here's a funny note. Keith Olberman and Chris Mathews have been dropped by MSNBC as election coverage anchors:

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=h...25nA0nQ60rq4Q3FQ7BqqnyQ7BX4KnA0yqQ3FQ60UVjiyb

I wonder why? :rofl:

 

[dougkeenan]

Ah, the right's firebreak in action - punished by the media overlords for trying to bring a little balance to the airwaves!

 

[Urwumpe]

The great media conspiracy. :lol:

 

[GregBurch]

Ah, the right's firebreak in action - punished by the media overlords for trying to bring a little balance to the airwaves!

Well, it raises one of the issues I tried to discuss in the "sticks and stones" thread (see my discussion of Bill Moyers' complaining about "media consolidation"). There's PLENTY of wealth and a HUGE amount of media saavy on the left. If partisans of the left feel that they have a hard time getting their message out through the mass media, why don't they just open their ample wallets to create an outlet of their own? It can clearly be attempted, viz. Air America.

I'm genuinely curious to hear reasons offered by reasonable people on the left as to why this doesn't happen.

 

[Andy44]

They do have an outlet of their own: CNN. But I see what you mean. The flop known as Air America really made me laugh. To think anyone would want to listen to a self-important blowhard like Al Franken is to see how out of touch the Limousine Left is. Many conservative radio hosts have said that the reason the left can't get traction in talk radio is because they can't handle callers who argue with them, they have to control everything. While I believed there was some truth to that, I also am keen to notice how Rush and Hannity and Savage manage contrary callers, steering the conversation or cutting them off if necessary, so maybe it's just a matter of radio show expertise. On the left you now have a few radio shows that seem to be thriving, such as Stephanie Miller, etc. Washington Post Radio in DC runs her, although the station also runs conservative shows.

 

[replicant]

One thing is for certain, I am tired of hearing about the pregnant daughter thing. They really need to get off of that issue or they deserve to lose. All they do with it is galvanize her supporters, martyr her, and possibly bring in sympathy votes.

The focus needs to be on why she herself is terrifying. In fact, if I were a suspicious person, I wouldn't put it past her supporters to egg that on now.

 

[replicant]

Talk about reaching. Maybe you don't understand implications in written paragraphs, so for the last time I will attempt to get this through to you.

Can I do these things by bargaining as an educated professional, OR will I have to beg as a peasant in a feudal theocracy?

Notice the use of the word OR.

I am a working professional, who doesn't want to end up bucking hay because it's the only job left AFTER WE TURN INTO an ignorant feudal kingdom with every decent job overseas over something as stupid as abortion and gay marriage.

"AFTER WE TURN INTO"

My God, it couldn't be any clearer than that.

It's not too late for McCain, he could still get my vote if he does three things:
1. Drop Gidget the beauty queen theocrat

GIDGET'S fuedal theocracy.


-----Posted Added-----

She flip-flopped but she didn't lie.

So "hitting it out of the park" by omission and misleading is perfectly Ok then?

"flip-flopping". wow. I can't begin to tell you how many times I heard that cute little phrase four years ago. What's Ironic was that Kerry never actually flip-flopped. He gave the President emergency power to go to war if the inspectors found anything and the Iraqis refused to comply. Stupid of him, yes. Flip-flopping, no. Kerry was never "for" the war.

Now that we have established from one of her own supporters that she was indeed flip-flopping, I want that as well war is a "task from god" plastered all over every billboard and stated on every channel as many times as i heard "flip-flopper" four years ago.