tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post3482868017996709502..comments2023-10-30T09:10:39.502-07:00Comments on (insert title here): missing the pointBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799024060528185282noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-60140557424165106142012-07-18T07:21:28.078-07:002012-07-18T07:21:28.078-07:00Good comments, all around. I'm sure that there...Good comments, all around. I'm sure that there are "good ones" (there always are) but I stand by my assertion that as an organization, it is cynical to the core. (And yeah the Dems are at most marginally better.) <br /><br />My liberal friends complain about media bias just as loudly. I would argue that the real (and really dangerous) bias there is against challenging the establishment in favor of maintaining access. And that is a huge problem that transcends any specific example of partisan bias.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06799024060528185282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-39753048906417223272012-07-18T06:00:03.261-07:002012-07-18T06:00:03.261-07:00We judge ourselves by our intentions and our oppon...We judge ourselves by our intentions and our opponents by a strict interpretation of their actions. That's always going to produce distortions.<br /><br />Incidentally, what would help is a press that was interested in reporting the news fairly. If they esteemed their calling and played it straight they could build up a lot of credibility and prevent egregious distortions of interpretation from partisans and politicians. Instead, their willingness to pose as unbiased while pursuing the gain of one side has distorted our public life still more.<br /><br />Honesty and modesty would be best for us all, but in the present climate I don't see how that's going to happen. There are too many incentives to the contrary.W.B. Picklesworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03187309512838841997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-91621427487895229972012-07-18T05:51:25.627-07:002012-07-18T05:51:25.627-07:00What you describe about wanting only to win electi...What you describe about wanting only to win elections is true of many in the political class. It is a weakness of man whereby he seeks to protect his comfort and privilege. Come to think of it, that's just a weakness of human beings in general. I don't believe that Republicans are any more guilty of it than Democrats, perhaps less because they receive less approbation for their trouble.<br /><br />As for governing poorly, that's true too often. From a conservative's point of view, they govern poorly when they don't actively try to make the government more modest in its stance towards all of us. That isn't an entirely libertarian point as "us" includes those who have shaped this nation before us and those who are to come. So modesty as I view it includes a certain deference to tradition.<br /><br />You're probably right about much military spending being wasteful and criticism thereof being frowned upon (though there was hyperbole at work there.) But it wouldn't be hard to substitute "Social Security" and see that a similar attitude is at work. A GOP pol suggests it needs reform and they make commercials portraying him pushing grandma off a cliff. (And it should also be noted that there has been some questioning of patriotism emanating from the Left in the past few years.W.B. Picklesworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03187309512838841997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-19138593025138199912012-07-18T03:20:44.960-07:002012-07-18T03:20:44.960-07:00as somebody who has worked in GOP circles, you cou...<i>as somebody who has worked in GOP circles, you couldnt be further from the truth on this. i knew, personally, (been to their family bbqs, played with their kids...) many GOP office holders.</i><br /><br />This. At least two of the candidates that I recommend on the blog are people I know personally, both of whom I consider friends. They couldn't be more sincere about trying to make government work better.<br /><br /><i>Republicans govern poorly <b>by design</b> and call it "smaller government"...with the notable and notably expensive exception of the military, where no expenditure is too lavish, no mission beyond our grasp, and no criticism acceptable within the bounds of loyalty. </i><br /><br />We'll get a chance to find out if these assertions are true here in the Midwest, and soon. Wisconsin has given its approval to a nihilistic Scott Walker, while I live in Minnesota under the deeply altruistic and heavily sedated Mark Dayton. We'll have a good chance to gauge which party governs more poorly in 2014.Mr. Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920907647566015611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-9185783623722753232012-07-17T23:35:04.547-07:002012-07-17T23:35:04.547-07:00"But I do not believe that they stand for any..."But I do not believe that they stand for anything except winning elections. "<br /><br />as somebody who has worked in GOP circles, you couldnt be further from the truth on this. i knew, personally, (been to their family bbqs, played with their kids...) many GOP office holders.<br /><br />democrats, in my experience, dont try to govern. they try to appease voter groups. that is why CA is still spending money it doesnt have on questionable projects... on the road to bankruptcy with a budget that does not add up.Ginohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09606046924332159076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-4144495607872655042012-07-17T18:49:05.528-07:002012-07-17T18:49:05.528-07:00I reserve the right to use a little hyperbole here...I reserve the right to use a little hyperbole here. But only a little. <br /><br />Obviously, Republicans (and here l mean the party not necessarily the people that vote for it) are not philosophical nihilists. But I do not believe that they stand for anything except winning elections. <br /><br />Democrats sincerely attempt to govern, and often end up doing it poorly. Republicans govern poorly <i> by design</i> and call it "smaller government"...with the notable and notably expensive exception of the military, where no expenditure is too lavish, no mission beyond our grasp, and no criticism acceptable within the bounds of loyalty. <br /><br />Nihilistic? Maybe not quite. But deeply cynical and dangerously destructive? You bet. <br /><br />And I'm tired of being polite about it.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06799024060528185282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29320675.post-29169651286651750732012-07-17T18:08:49.644-07:002012-07-17T18:08:49.644-07:00That Mitt Romney is simply a terrible candidate,
...<i>That Mitt Romney is simply a terrible candidate,</i><br /><br />Maybe; we're gonna find out.<br /><br /><i>nominated by a party that is cynical to the point of nihilism.</i><br /><br />Nihilism is quite a charge, doncha think? The usual definition of nihilism is that life has no intrinsic value. Do you really believe the Republican Party believes this? On what basis?Mr. Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920907647566015611noreply@blogger.com