Confessions of a Former Republican

[guyser]

there is absolutely no difference between a creationist and an environmentalist. Both think science is a tool to be manipulated in the service of their ideology.

Therein lies the problem.

[jacee]

Presidents don't act alone. They need congress. The Clinton balanced budget was a republican congress. If you look at the stats at the state level you see that republicans are generally better at keeping finances in order:

http://www.moneychanges.org/2012/04/blue-state-budget-blues/

Nonsense. Democrates want to lynch a few rich people but they refuse to reverse the Bush tax cuts for the middle class that put a 2 trillion dollar hole in the budget. The willingness to go after the small change while ignoring the big ticket items shows that the democrats care more about symbolic gestures than actually solving the problem.

The democrats refuse to reform entitlement programs and actually want to expand them. This means their "plans" are nonsense. The Ryan plan is the only one that comes close to addressing the structural issues but it has other problems. The fact is neither of the parties have credible plans to deal with the deficit.

The record at the state level proves otherwise. Republican states are doing better. Blue states are destroying themselves.

Ignoring the obvious I see?

Republican states are "energy, mining" states - the article avoids the word OIL - hellbent for money regardless of costs to the environment and people.

Republican states also have the highest rates of POVERTY:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_poverty_rate

So ... Republican-controlled states deplete finite resources and damage the environment to put megaprofits (from public resources) into a few rich private hands, while contributing little or nothing to reduce poverty or to provide equal opportunity for all citizens.

If Republicans believe in "equal opportunity", why don't they do something about it TimG?

[JerrySeinfeld]

The Democrats have committed to two steps that will reduce the deficit, and the Republicans have committed to two steps that will make the debt worse. Yet you're convinced that the Republicans are the better choice.

-k

How is spending more money good for the deficit? Only in a democrat mind.

[TimG]

I'd like to see some real specifics of this apparent anti-science ideology that is so widespread on the left.

GMOs are the best example. The scientific consensus is that they are largely beneficial but environmental groups are dogmatic in their opposition - a dogmatism that is no different from the dogmatism driving the creationists.

[JerrySeinfeld]

GMOs are the best example. The scientific consensus is that they are largely beneficial but environmental groups are dogmatic in their opposition - a dogmatism that is no different from the dogmatism driving the creationists.

You are correct. It's funny how warmongers skirt right over the cause nowadays and get right to the warmth.

Rule number one in a liberal mind: western society is to blame.

What a shitty way to live life. always negative and angry at such a great society. yuck. get real.

Edited September 14, 2012 by JerrySeinfeld

[JerrySeinfeld]

I thought this might be a good article to read and perhaps have some discussion about the ideological pigeon-holing that's going on in the US with the Culture Wars over the last 30 some odd years.

If you aren't a liberal in your youth, you have no heart. If you aren't a conservative as you age, you have no brain.

[jacee]

If you aren't a liberal in your youth, you have no heart. If you aren't a conservative as you age, you have no brain.

But it doesn't work that way in reality. People don't 'become' conservative as they age: the current elders who sustain the Tories simply came from a more conservative era - depression/war/post war.

The new seniors are increasingly baby boomers, liberal-lefties predominate.

People don't change much, but generations differ.

[JerrySeinfeld]

But it doesn't work that way in reality. People don't 'become' conservative as they age: the current elders who sustain the Tories simply came from a more conservative era - depression/war/post war.

The new seniors are increasingly baby boomers, liberal-lefties predominate.

People don't change much, but generations differ.

You're right about one thing: the baby boomers got us into this mess and they're sure as hell gonna make sure they never vote us out of it.

[Bitsy]

You're right about one thing: the baby boomers got us into this mess and they're sure as hell gonna make sure they never vote us out of it.

Who is "us", Jerry. I was ignonred the first time I asked so I shall try again, where do you live in the US?

[JerrySeinfeld]

Who is "us", Jerry. I was ignonred the first time I asked so I shall try again, where do you live in the US?

First off, I'm not telling you where I live.

Second, the mess the USA is in affects not just US citizens. We're all in this together, Bitsy.

As you saw with the credit crisis, the crap the US is involved in affects the entire world.

Edited September 14, 2012 by JerrySeinfeld

[Bitsy]

First off, I'm not telling you where I live.

Second, the mess the USA is in affects not just US citizens. We're all in this together, Bitsy.

As you saw with the credit crisis, the crap the US is involved in affects the entire world.

Well, I guess that answers that...you don't live in the US. I suspected as much.

So carry on, I could care less where you live now that I know it is not here.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Well, I guess that answers that...you don't live in the US. I suspected as much.

So carry on, I could care less where you live now that I know it is not here.

I own property in the US and half my family is American. Not that I have to justify anything to you.

Edited September 14, 2012 by JerrySeinfeld

[Bitsy]

I own property in the US and half my family is American. Not that I have to justify anything to you.

Of course, you don't have to justify anything to me but after reading your less than sapient posts about the US for several months now, my curiosity was aroused. Owning property in the US and even having family here hardly qualifies your low-informed opinions as reality. You are speaking from talking points put out by the radical right wing of the Republican party, yours is merely parroting not a voice of personal experiences

[JerrySeinfeld]

Of course, you don't have to justify anything to me but after reading your less than sapient posts about the US for several months now, my curiosity was aroused. Owning property in the US and even having family here hardly qualifies your low-informed opinions as reality. You are speaking from talking points put out by the radical right wing of the Republican party, yours is merely parroting not a voice of personal experiences

No it's not. It's an unrefutable fact that US real estate speculation ruined the world's economy. You don't have to live on American soil to be cognizant of this simple truth.

[Bitsy]

No it's not. It's an unrefutable fact that US real estate speculation ruined the world's economy. You don't have to live on American soil to be cognizant of this simple truth.

May I suggest that you watch Inside Job to see who ruined the world's economy. After that, we can talk.

[JerrySeinfeld]

May I suggest that you watch Inside Job to see who ruined the world's economy. After that, we can talk.

Ah yes the big bad bankers.

If that's your take, fine, but it goes to your credibility. There were many culpable parties over several decades which led to the financial meltdown.

All intelligent people know this.

[Shady]

Ah yes the big bad bankers.

If that's your take, fine, but it goes to your credibility. There were many culpable parties over several decades which led to the financial meltdown.

All intelligent people know this.

Exactly. Like government policy..er..Democrat policy that lowered lending standards as to facilitate mortgages to people that wouldn't otherwise qualify. That worked out super well.

[kimmy]

If you aren't a liberal in your youth, you have no heart. If you aren't a conservative as you age, you have no brain.

Well, Jerry, as you age you might wake up to the fact that today's Republicans have absolutely nothing to do with conservatism, except where sex and Old Time Religion are concerned.

-k

[kimmy]

How is spending more money good for the deficit? Only in a democrat mind.

The only firm commitment Romney/Ryan have made are cutting revenue, boosting expenses, and promising that they're not going to make the cuts Paul Ryan proposed in his budget.

You and the other mighty deficit hunters can get back to me when Willard gets down to telling us what he's actually going to cut.

-k

[kimmy]

Presidents don't act alone. They need congress. The Clinton balanced budget was a republican congress. If you look at the stats at the state level you see that republicans are generally better at keeping finances in order:

http://www.moneychanges.org/2012/04/blue-state-budget-blues/

The red states, with the exception of Texas, are broke-ass deadbeats receiving welfare from the blue states.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/04/the_red_state_ripoff.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/even-critics-of-safety-net-increasingly-depend-on-it.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2004/09/red_states_feed.html

The most conservative states in America, the deep south, are also by far the poorest and underachieving states in America.

Nonsense. Democrates want to lynch a few rich people but they refuse to reverse the Bush tax cuts for the middle class that put a 2 trillion dollar hole in the budget. The willingness to go after the small change while ignoring the big ticket items shows that the democrats care more about symbolic gestures than actually solving the problem.

The democrats refuse to reform entitlement programs and actually want to expand them. This means their "plans" are nonsense. The Ryan plan is the only one that comes close to addressing the structural issues but it has other problems. The fact is neither of the parties have credible plans to deal with the deficit.

Granted. But one party wants to boost the deficit by spending on military spending and tax breaks for rich-guys. If they do actually attempt to reduce expenses it is going to come in the form of ending programs and tax credits that will take money out of the pocket of low and middle class consumers which will take money out of the economy. And they've promised to repeal the regulations that were put in place to keep the banks from wrecking the economy all over again.

You won't have too hard of a time convincing me that the Democrats are bad for the economy and the debt. But you haven't provided a single reasonable argument to show that the Republicans aren't far worse. The only firm commitments that Team Willard has provided are sheer bloody delusional lunacy. You can see that for yourself, and your only response is "yeah, b-b-but the envirofascists..."

The record at the state level proves otherwise. Republican states are doing better. Blue states are destroying themselves.

Clearly not.

-k

[JerrySeinfeld]

The only firm commitment Romney/Ryan have made are cutting revenue, boosting expenses, and promising that they're not going to make the cuts Paul Ryan proposed in his budget.

You and the other mighty deficit hunters can get back to me when Willard gets down to telling us what he's actually going to cut.

-k

They should cut everything. The government is too big.

[kimmy]

Exactly. Like government policy..er..Democrat policy that lowered lending standards as to facilitate mortgages to people that wouldn't otherwise qualify. That worked out super well.

As people keep pointing out to you, Shady, the banks gave out *far* more risky mortgages than any quota required them to, and they did so because thanks to deregulation of derivatives, they were able to make money hand-over-fist at it while passing the risk on to others.

But leaving that aside for the moment: the whole argument that "they lowered lending standards as to facilitate mortgages to people that wouldn't otherwise qualify" just supports the idea that regulations shouldn't have been tampered with in the first place.

Both parties share blame for eroding the regulations that led to the collapse-- it started under Clinton and continued under Bush Jr-- but there's only one party today campaigning with a promise to cut more regulations. You're cheering for them.

-k

[JerrySeinfeld]

As people keep pointing out to you, Shady, the banks gave out *far* more risky mortgages than any quota required them to, and they did so because thanks to deregulation of derivatives, they were able to make money hand-over-fist at it while passing the risk on to others.

But leaving that aside for the moment: the whole argument that "they lowered lending standards as to facilitate mortgages to people that wouldn't otherwise qualify" just supports the idea that regulations shouldn't have been tampered with in the first place.

Both parties share blame for eroding the regulations that led to the collapse-- it started under Clinton and continued under Bush Jr-- but there's only one party today campaigning with a promise to cut more regulations. You're cheering for them.

-k

Businesses need less red tape. It's a fact. Less red tape means more jobs.

[kimmy]

They should cut everything. The government is too big.

Yeah, well, your guy is the one telling us he's going to spend more money buying navy ships and hiring guys to march around carrying rifles all day.

-k

[JerrySeinfeld]

Yeah, well, your guy is the one telling us he's going to spend more money buying navy ships and hiring guys to march around carrying rifles all day.

-k

The first job of any great nation is to protect itself.