Humorless Politics Thread

[Nicksy]

oh... oops.

But regardless of that, if he can't engage with reality on domestic issues, there's no way he can do it in his foreign policy.

[todd]

Having Ron Paul around is great on a practical level. His presence in American politics has saved me a lot of time. Now I don't have to engage morons in a debate to know if they're full of shit - their homemade bumper stickers do the talking for them!

[Gilly]

Ron Paul is the candidate that conservatives who are upset with Neo-Conservatism should be voting for. There's not even a question.... he's a classic Republican who has adapted to the times without destroying the constitution. I look at those in my family who vote Republican... they're well off but not top 5 percent. Ron Paul is the kind of politician they should get behind.

People get behind a guy like Ron Paul because he actually doesn't just talk change, he shows how he wants to make the change. Why are they morons for supporting somebody who is sick of the way our country has been run? Better question, who's the bigger moron, someone who backs a guy who has unattainable plan for change or someone who believes that one of the major party candidates is actually going to change things? I'll be the moron voting for Obama but I'm a huge fan of the way Ron Paul goes about his business.

[Beth]

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/the-view-couch-not-so-cozy-for-mccain/

This picture cracks me up. It looks like they're discussing Weight Watchers points or something. But actually, I kind of applaud Whoopi Goldberg a little???

On the topic of abortion, Mr. McCain said that Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in 1973, was “a very bad decision.” He said he would not impose a litmus test on any of his nominations to the Supreme Court “because that’s not fair to the American people.” But, he said, he would nominate justices who would interpret the constitution as it was written and not legislate from the bench.

This prompted Whoopi Goldberg to worry that if he wanted to return to the constitution as it was written, and not as it was amended, she would be returned to slavery.

ZING!

[Nicksy]

Yeah, I watched most of that interview here this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/12/mccain-grilled-on-the-vie_n_125972.html

I was actually very impressed with their grilling of him. They really had him looking like a shifty creep. Not that he needs any help.

[yesno]

(1) I was going to rant on about Paul but suffice to say he's an ideologue, and that's dangerous.

(2) Whoopi's point is really, really stupid.

[Beth]

(1) I was going to rant on about Paul but suffice to say he's an ideologue, and that's dangerous.

(2) Whoopi's point is really, really stupid.

I don't think it was really a point, but rather a joke. And I found it slightly humorous. Hence I applaud her, because I normally don't even smile when she cracks a joke.

[todd]

Ron Paul is the candidate that conservatives who are upset with Neo-Conservatism should be voting for. There's not even a question.... he's a classic Republican who has adapted to the times without destroying the constitution. I look at those in my family who vote Republican... they're well off but not top 5 percent. Ron Paul is the kind of politician they should get behind.

People get behind a guy like Ron Paul because he actually doesn't just talk change, he shows how he wants to make the change. Why are they morons for supporting somebody who is sick of the way our country has been run? Better question, who's the bigger moron, someone who backs a guy who has unattainable plan for change or someone who believes that one of the major party candidates is actually going to change things? I'll be the moron voting for Obama but I'm a huge fan of the way Ron Paul goes about his business.

The way he goes about his business is something to be admired, I guess... but his "business" is the ugliest amalgamation of libertarian "starve the beast" tax policy and social conservatism. His pro-life libertarian (a complete clusterfuck of a contradiction) bullshit is as paper thin as any other fake libertarian.

Libertarianism has become an umbrella for disaffected republicans. They're usually crackpots who insist abolishing healthcare and schools will lead to some private enterprise utopia, and "people who get behind a guy like Ron Paul" are the political equivalent of that guy in philosophy class who WON'T SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT AYN RAND.

[Gilly]

I agree with how backwards his platform is, but he never claimed to be Libertarian. I'm also not willing to moan about the kids who are excited about him because I think any interest in the political system is a good thing. I'm not a fan of Ron Paul because of his ideals, I'm a fan because he's ignited a spark in a lot of kids (and adults) who would have let this election fly over their head. I don't think he knew he was going to do that, but it's not that surprising that it happened.

[JonFromMaplewood]

Anyone who thinks privatization will solve all of our problems should try out the rail system in England.

[todd]

I agree with how backwards his platform is, but he never claimed to be Libertarian. I'm also not willing to moan about the kids who are excited about him because I think any interest in the political system is a good thing. I'm not a fan of Ron Paul because of his ideals, I'm a fan because he's ignited a spark in a lot of kids (and adults) who would have let this election fly over their head. I don't think he knew he was going to do that, but it's not that surprising that it happened.

I guess you and I will have to agree to disagree. The only good vote for Ron Paul in my mind is one that would've gone to McCain otherwise (which is most).

[yesno]

I bet Weev supports Ron Paul.

[Martin]

Anyone who thinks privatization will solve all of our problems should try out the rail system in England.

Word.

[Gilly]

I bet Weev supports Ron Paul.

Absolutely. But I bet Weev didn't care about politics before Ron Paul and that's what matters. Do we only want kids to care about politics as long as they support liberal thought or at least the two major parties? I don't think so. My idealogy is that 100 percent of this country votes for whoever they feel like voting for. Ron Paul ignited something in people who would have never voted before because he represented something that wasn't just talk.

[yesno]

Gilly, I totally agree with your point.  I just hold all those newly-involved younguns don't get turned off the whole thing when they realize that no one ever gets a politician they can be happy with.  I'm not sure that the virtues of incrementalism have many defenders among the commenters on Digg.com.