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Posted

Democracy in trouble, Gore says in book

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 | 1:10 PM ET

CBC Arts

Al Gore, the former U.S. vice-president who has devoted the last few years to protecting the environment, has turned his attention to saving the American political system.

Gore released a new book on Tuesday, The Assault on Reason, which describes U.S. politics as a rigged game that suppresses honesty and rewards deception.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2007/05/22/gore-book.html

"It may not be true, but it's legendary that if you're like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country. Which makes you probably knowledgeable about one more country than most Canadians." - Stephen Harper

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Posted

What's truly wrong with the American system is brand loyalty. If you're Republican, you support the party, no matter what. Same goes for the Democrats. The same can be said about Canadian politics as well.

The problem with this is that loyalty impairs ability to see beyond the brand and judge the product for what it is.

Posted
What's truly wrong with the American system is brand loyalty. If you're Republican, you support the party, no matter what. Same goes for the Democrats. The same can be said about Canadian politics as well.

The problem with this is that loyalty impairs ability to see beyond the brand and judge the product for what it is.

I think that its more true in the US than in Canada. One only had to listen to the Con and Dem radio, and hear the hatered come out of the mouths of these guys especially the Cons like Hannity. I don't think that it goes as deep in Canada.

Posted

Gore is really on to something here, I fear. And it's a bigger issue that just climate change or just GWBushes horrific dishonest Iraq debacle.

There seems to be a concerted campaign in some quarters to destroy all concept of meaning and to make discourse impossible.

Religious fanatics who try to equate the fabrications of 'intelligent design' with scientific inquiry are essentially saying scientific inquiry has no meaning.

Religious fanatics who try to tell you that 'faith' and 'reason' are compatible are essentially saying that the meanings of those respective words are changeable at whim. Likewise those who try to tell you that 'fetus' and 'baby' are the same thing. (If they were the same there would be no need for a different word.)

Israel apologists who try to paint simple critics as anti-semites are essentially working to destroy the meaning of the word anti-semite.

And security enforcement officials who try to tell you that waterboarding, stress positions, and partial suffocation are not torture are working to remove meaning from the word 'torture'.

These are just a few examples that come to mind, but there are more.

Posted
Gore is really on to something here, I fear. And it's a bigger issue that just climate change or just GWBushes horrific dishonest Iraq debacle.

There seems to be a concerted campaign in some quarters to destroy all concept of meaning and to make discourse impossible.

Religious fanatics who try to equate the fabrications of 'intelligent design' with scientific inquiry are essentially saying scientific inquiry has no meaning.

Religious fanatics who try to tell you that 'faith' and 'reason' are compatible are essentially saying that the meanings of those respective words are changeable at whim. Likewise those who try to tell you that 'fetus' and 'baby' are the same thing. (If they were the same there would be no need for a different word.)

Israel apologists who try to paint simple critics as anti-semites are essentially working to destroy the meaning of the word anti-semite.

And security enforcement officials who try to tell you that waterboarding, stress positions, and partial suffocation are not torture are working to remove meaning from the word 'torture'.

These are just a few examples that come to mind, but there are more.

What does any of that have to do with the subject of this thread, Gore's book on American Politics. If you want to get on a rant, start a rant thread.

Posted

Does anyone think that Gore might be thinking about a run for President ?

Hey Ho - Ontario Liberals Have to Go - Fight Wynne - save our province

Posted

Gore is really on to something here, I fear. And it's a bigger issue that just climate change or just GWBushes horrific dishonest Iraq debacle.

There seems to be a concerted campaign in some quarters to destroy all concept of meaning and to make discourse impossible.

Religious fanatics who try to equate the fabrications of 'intelligent design' with scientific inquiry are essentially saying scientific inquiry has no meaning.

Religious fanatics who try to tell you that 'faith' and 'reason' are compatible are essentially saying that the meanings of those respective words are changeable at whim. Likewise those who try to tell you that 'fetus' and 'baby' are the same thing. (If they were the same there would be no need for a different word.)

Israel apologists who try to paint simple critics as anti-semites are essentially working to destroy the meaning of the word anti-semite.

And security enforcement officials who try to tell you that waterboarding, stress positions, and partial suffocation are not torture are working to remove meaning from the word 'torture'.

These are just a few examples that come to mind, but there are more.

What does any of that have to do with the subject of this thread, Gore's book on American Politics. If you want to get on a rant, start a rant thread.

Did you notice? ... Gore's book is called the 'Assault on Reason'.

Posted
Gore released a new book on Tuesday, The Assault on Reason, which describes U.S. politics as a rigged game that suppresses honesty and rewards deception.

Yeah Gore the man who claimed to have invented the internet, made a science fiction movie which he tried to pawn off as reality. I guess one could say he knows something about deception.

Posted
Yeah Gore the man who claimed to have invented the internet. . . .

Does anyone actually believe that?

"It may not be true, but it's legendary that if you're like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country. Which makes you probably knowledgeable about one more country than most Canadians." - Stephen Harper

Posted
Yeah Gore the man who claimed to have invented the internet. . . .

Does anyone actually believe that?

Believe what, that he claimed he did, or believe that he did.

Posted
Believe what, that he claimed he did, or believe that he did.

Are you telling me you didn't understand what he meant?

I can't believe people still bring this up. There are a lot of things to criticize Gore for, no need to make stuff up.

Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable.

- Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")

Posted

Believe what, that he claimed he did, or believe that he did.

Are you telling me you didn't understand what he meant?

I can't believe people still bring this up. There are a lot of things to criticize Gore for, no need to make stuff up.

I've never heard that it wasn't true that he made the claim.

Posted
I've never heard that it wasn't true that he made the claim.

I've never heard that it was true that he made the claim. Perhaps you can show me where he said "I INVENTED the internet?"

Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable.

- Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")

Posted
I never new how the story started but a little bit of looking turned up this.

http://www.timberfish.com/blog/2007/03/al_...he_internet.php

Exactly.

"When I read this in context and as quoted, it certainly seems like a far less absurd statement. Sure, it's still a politician taking more credit than he deserves, but it's also a far cry from saying, "I invented the Internet."

What's really interesting is that everyone from blogs to respectable news organizations repeated the quote using the word "invented" which was misleading and inaccurate. It's like a huge game of Chinese Whispers (Telephone)."

Now you know :)

Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable.

- Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")

Posted
Exactly.

"When I read this in context and as quoted, it certainly seems like a far less absurd statement. Sure, it's still a politician taking more credit than he deserves, but it's also a far cry from saying, "I invented the Internet."

What's really interesting is that everyone from blogs to respectable news organizations repeated the quote using the word "invented" which was misleading and inaccurate. It's like a huge game of Chinese Whispers (Telephone)."

Now you know :)

No, not really. He wasn't claiming to invent the nuts and bolts but the idea. So it is legitimate to say he claimed to have invented the internet.

Posted
No, not really. He wasn't claiming to invent the nuts and bolts but the idea. So it is legitimate to say he claimed to have invented the internet.

No it's not, because he never claimed to invent the internet.

What you are trying to do is exactly what is written in your link:

"What's really interesting is that everyone from blogs to respectable news organizations repeated the quote using the word "invented" which was misleading and inaccurate. It's like a huge game of Chinese Whispers (Telephone)."

Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable.

- Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")

Posted

No, not really. He wasn't claiming to invent the nuts and bolts but the idea. So it is legitimate to say he claimed to have invented the internet.

No it's not, because he never claimed to invent the internet.

What you are trying to do is exactly what is written in your link:

"What's really interesting is that everyone from blogs to respectable news organizations repeated the quote using the word "invented" which was misleading and inaccurate. It's like a huge game of Chinese Whispers (Telephone)."

I'm not trying to do anything. He claimed to have invented the internet.

Posted
I'm not trying to do anything. He claimed to have invented the internet.

So, why use the word invent? Why not quote what he actually said?

Almost three thousand people died needlessly and tragically at the World Trade Center on September 11; ten thousand Africans die needlessly and tragically every single day-and have died every single day since September 11-of AIDS, TB, and malaria. We need to keep September 11 in perspective, especially because the ten thousand daily deaths are preventable.

- Jeffrey Sachs (from his book "The End of Poverty")

Posted

because it fits.

It does fit your agenda doesnt it? Well good for you.

I would think the truth would be better in your post, but obviously you dont. Oh well ...continue on then.

Agenda of truth.

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