When was the last time you cheered for cancer?

[woot]

Not sure what that is. I find this guy very mucch to my liking when it comes to politics:

snip

Eddie, I identify with some of your rhetoric, as I put a high value on freedom. However, I think the tendency to call anyone who acknowledges that at least some regulation is necessary a socialist is extremely detrimental to the cause. Ultimately, if completely unregulated markets work best for everyone, and if this can be shown to be the case, I would support it. From what I've seen, this simply isn't true. That's not to say I like everything or anything that Obama is doing, but putting the emphasis on the rich vs. poor divide, especially while emphasizing this fantasy that the rich work harder than the poor, is really off-putting to those of us who recognize that opportunity (upbringing, inheritance, values, dumb luck) has as much to do with the ability to obtain wealth as anything, that the value of different kinds of labor cannot be perfectly associated with what the market is willing to pay for it, and that the infrastructure and environment provided by the US that allows so many to become megawealthy cannot be simply forgotten when it comes to determining those people's "fair share" for taxation purposes.

I'm not a libertarian, and I think it's largely because the movement seems so cruel and heartless, not because I don't identify with many of its values. The emphasis on socialism as the great satan, and the tendency to call anyone who disagrees with you a socialist is a recipe for marginalization.

For instance, the various bankers who so damaged the economy have not seen any jail time, and it seems that the reason why is because they didn't actually break any laws. Is it therefore an effort of socialism to try to regulate these banks to prevent them from duping consumers into buying their bogus products? Should every single person in the US, regardless of ability or specialty, be required to become an expert in financial matters in order to do anything at all with their money other than hide it under a mattress? I realize this is an extreme example, but I think theoretical concerns like "redistribution of wealth" need to take a back seat to what seems to me like the much more important concern of "what works best for everyone?" That would certainly include encouraging more businesses to stay in America, encouraging innovation, and encouraging the best and brightest to work as much and as productively as they can, but shouldn't it also include at least some measure of concern for the middle class and even the poor? Do we really feel good about the growing chasm between the rich and the poor? Why has this never happened in America before? Is it a necessary evil for the "job creators" to be sufficiently rewarded? Why was it not necessary before? Why is it not necessary in other modernized countries?

I don't know very much about this stuff, but the rhetoric employed just seems really selfish to me, and seems to be missing the forest for the trees.

I'd appreciate being set straight on this stuff if I'm way off.

[wuapinmon]

[BigPiney]

lol

[edward777]

First that's Lenin, not Stalin in the picture. Second, does that mean Hillary is more evil than Stalin?

[falafel]

First that's Lenin, not Stalin in the picture.

That's the joke.

[Maximus]

All I know is that when I flew out of Venezuela nobody forced me through a naked body scanner or tried to stick their hands down my pants. A friend of mine did have to remove his shoes since he had the kind with thick heels (which are often used to smuggle drugs). I did not see any TSA or Homeland Security sort of things going on at stations. Oh, and at least under the law there you cannot arrest someone forever, with no trial as you can under the US Patriot Act. Come to think of it I have never been subjected to any rude so-called security airport guys in China either. Once in Russia, just after the Chechyan attack on a theater in Moscow, I did get stopped but not searched -- I think the police there figured I did not look Chechyan.

As for the economy, I am aware of problems caused by Chavez. However Obama has done damage on such a massive scale to the economy that it may take decades to fix it. Oh well, at least if he gets elected and the economy totally tanks I can look abroad for work. I have heard many young people today are checking into Asia and Europe out of desperation.

please dont tell me you are as stupid as you seem.

[SeattleUte]

That's not Stalin. Idiots.

[falafel]

That's not Stalin. Idiots.

Do you also think that is a quote by Stalin? Or even Lenin?

[wuapinmon]

That's not Stalin. Idiots.

I see you're not familiar with trollquotes.com.

For example,



I think this one would be better if it said "Charles Darwin" rather than "Hawking."

[il Padrino Ute]

That's not Stalin. Idiots.

woosh!

[wuapinmon]

Don Hugo ain't long for this world.