Humorless Politics Thread

[Kormod]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/03/11/red-states-are-the-real-welfare-states/

States receiving the most federal funding per tax dollar paid:

1. New Mexico: $2.63
2. West Virginia: $2.57
3. Mississippi: $2.47
4. District of Colombia: $2.41
5. Hawaii: $2.38
6. Alabama: $2.03
7. Alaska: $1.93
8. Montana: $1.92
9. South Carolina: $1.92
10. Maine: $1.78

It'd be cool if Obama had a spigot handle next to his desk labeled "federal funding to Mississippi and Alabama," but, unfortunately, he doesn't.

[buffcoat]

There was a significant story last year about the amount of government assistance collected by those most against government assistance.

There's a line among pro-choicers that most pro-lifers are ok with abortion in cases of "rape, life of the mother, and me."  That applies to most people who are vehemently against others.

In fact, the Tea Partiers react most strongly to government aid going to people they feel don't deserve it rather than the idea of government aid itself.

Look in the mirror, jerks.

[Smelodies]

What's the moderate position on "Obama is a Muslim"?

In order for Obama to be Muslim, he'd have to be religious.  The man is a closet agnostic.  "That's above my pay grade."

[buffcoat]

What's the moderate position on "Obama is a Muslim"?

In order for Obama to be Muslim, he'd have to be religious.  The man is a closet agnostic.  "That's above my pay grade."

Good point.  I suppose in actuality I believe he is *nominally* Christian.  Inasmuch as I believe most highly educated Americans are only nominally religious, to avoid the approbation that comes from declaring their actual feelings.  I think his comments about the strength of his faith are pandering (not that that makes him unique among politicians).

The real answer, though, is that "I don't give a damn" is vastly insufficient to describe the level of how much I don't care and how unimportant this issue is to me.  And further, that I am unbelievably annoyed that it seems to be so f*cking important to such a large swath of my fellow Americans.

[Kormod]

Kind of hilarious that those people are going to have to choose between two non-Christians (a Muslim and a Mormon) come election day.

[masterofsparks]

What's the moderate position on "Obama is a Muslim"?

In order for Obama to be Muslim, he'd have to be religious.  The man is a closet agnostic.  "That's above my pay grade."

Good point.  I suppose in actuality I believe he is *nominally* Christian.  Inasmuch as I believe most highly educated Americans are only nominally religious, to avoid the approbation that comes from declaring their actual feelings.  I think his comments about the strength of his faith are pandering (not that that makes him unique among politicians).

The thing that's most amusing to me about the "Obama is a Muslim" is the fact that the people saying this were probably the same people complaining about the inflammatory Jeremiah Wright comments that came to light during the 2008 election. I don't think anybody's mistaking that guy for a Muslim, and everyone seemed OK with Obama being a Christian if it meant placing him in that church when Wright was saying those things, so what I want to ask those people is "Which is it?"

[wood and iron]

What's the moderate position on "Obama is a Muslim"?

In order for Obama to be Muslim, he'd have to be religious.  The man is a closet agnostic.  "That's above my pay grade."

Good point.  I suppose in actuality I believe he is *nominally* Christian.  Inasmuch as I believe most highly educated Americans are only nominally religious, to avoid the approbation that comes from declaring their actual feelings.  I think his comments about the strength of his faith are pandering (not that that makes him unique among politicians).

The thing that's most amusing to me about the "Obama is a Muslim" is the fact that the people saying this were probably the same people complaining about the inflammatory Jeremiah Wright comments that came to light during the 2008 election. I don't think anybody's mistaking that guy for a Muslim, and everyone seemed OK with Obama being a Christian if it meant placing him in that church when Wright was saying those things, so what I want to ask those people is "Which is it?"

That answer of course is "Secret Muslim".

[cavorting with nudists]

I suspect they probably do think Rev. Wright was a "Muslim" masquerading as a Christian.  Here's the key: "Muslim" is less a matter of religious allegiances for them than it is a word for people they don't like who are b-l-a-c-k.

[Kormod]

Wright "dabbled in Islam" in the '60s (link). I think that's enough for any self-respecting conservative to label Trinity United Church of Christ a mosque.

[dave from knoxville]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/03/11/red-states-are-the-real-welfare-states/

States receiving the most federal funding per tax dollar paid:

1. New Mexico: $2.63
2. West Virginia: $2.57
3. Mississippi: $2.47
4. District of Colombia: $2.41
5. Hawaii: $2.38
6. Alabama: $2.03
7. Alaska: $1.93
8. Montana: $1.92
9. South Carolina: $1.92
10. Maine: $1.78

It'd be cool if Obama had a spigot handle next to his desk labeled "federal funding to Mississippi and Alabama," but, unfortunately, he doesn't.

I don't get this, from that article: "Republican states, on average, received $1.46 in federal spending for every tax dollar paid; Democratic states, on average, received $1.16." Huh?

[Kormod]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/03/11/red-states-are-the-real-welfare-states/

States receiving the most federal funding per tax dollar paid:

1. New Mexico: $2.63
2. West Virginia: $2.57
3. Mississippi: $2.47
4. District of Colombia: $2.41
5. Hawaii: $2.38
6. Alabama: $2.03
7. Alaska: $1.93
8. Montana: $1.92
9. South Carolina: $1.92
10. Maine: $1.78

It'd be cool if Obama had a spigot handle next to his desk labeled "federal funding to Mississippi and Alabama," but, unfortunately, he doesn't.

I don't get this, from that article: "Republican states, on average, received $1.46 in federal spending for every tax dollar paid; Democratic states, on average, received $1.16." Huh?

Yeah, the ratio between dollars received and dollars paid is pretty lop-sided; but I think the data was taken from 2009 -- when the unemployment rate (from what I remember) went above 10% -- so it's not that unbelievable.

[dave from knoxville]

But I am talking about the fact that in all cases, for every dollar taken in, more than a dollar is dispensed. Even this old out-of-touch liberal understands that can't go on for more than a few minutes.

[InspectorHound]

I think low-population states are skewing the averages. California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Massachussetts, New Jersey, etc. all receive less than $1 for every tax dollar put in.

[buffcoat]

Also, deficit spending, yeah?  I don't think all 50 states are greater than 1, but the numbers don't have to add up exactly depending on what you count as "money sent to the states" when the United States as a whole is spending a pretty good clip more than it takes in in taxes.

[dave from knoxville]

I think low-population states are skewing the averages. California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Massachussetts, New Jersey, etc. all receive less than $1 for every tax dollar put in.

I understand that, but all of these states are either Democratic states or Republican states. So in the AGGREGATE, according to the figures, all states collectively receive more than they pay. As a math teacher, I feel it necessary to say that renders the article incorrect.