Thursday, September 18, 2008
Vicious Bastards
Poll shows support for torture among Southern evangelicals... that's because the categorization is just a polite stand-in for "redneck".
HELPING OUT PALIN #9
This is the ninth in a twenty part series. Click here for an explanation.
#9 How would you balance concerns over human rights and freedom in China with the United States' growing economic interdependence with that country?
Our economic interdependence with China encourages liberalization in their economy and the spread of political rights.
Any punitive action that we take against another country just tends to increase the support of the people for the rulers, regardless of who or what they are. Bombing Kosovo increased Milosevic's popularity in Serbia. U.S. sanctions against Cuba are the number one reason Castro managed to stay in power for fifty years.
The most oppressive regimes in the world (Burma and North Korea) are also regimes which completely isolate themselves from the broader world — Tyranny can only survive in a vacuum.
If we really want a country to be kinder to its own citizens we ought to encourage it to become more interdependent with the broader world community, and China is on the right path.
#9 How would you balance concerns over human rights and freedom in China with the United States' growing economic interdependence with that country?
Our economic interdependence with China encourages liberalization in their economy and the spread of political rights.
Any punitive action that we take against another country just tends to increase the support of the people for the rulers, regardless of who or what they are. Bombing Kosovo increased Milosevic's popularity in Serbia. U.S. sanctions against Cuba are the number one reason Castro managed to stay in power for fifty years.
The most oppressive regimes in the world (Burma and North Korea) are also regimes which completely isolate themselves from the broader world — Tyranny can only survive in a vacuum.
If we really want a country to be kinder to its own citizens we ought to encourage it to become more interdependent with the broader world community, and China is on the right path.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Ownership Society
I had no idea that this is what the Republicans meant!
So apparently the U.S. Government will now own 80% of AIG.
And there are around 305,000,000 Americans.
So congratulations, citizen! You now own 0.0000002624% of AIG! See if they'll cut your rates.
So apparently the U.S. Government will now own 80% of AIG.
And there are around 305,000,000 Americans.
So congratulations, citizen! You now own 0.0000002624% of AIG! See if they'll cut your rates.
Don't fuck with Adlai!
Sort of unbelieveably, in her Wall Street Journal, Lady de Rothschild takes a potshot at Adlai Stevenson:
Now I really like Adlai (that commercial I posted yesterday was one of his). Hell, here's a commercial from 1952 and one from 1956 endorsing Civil Rights, a decade before Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, what's "elitist" about that?
Democrats Need to Shake The 'Elitist' Tag - WSJ.com: "I must face the uncomfortable truth that liberal elitism has been a weakness of the Democratic Party for more than half a century. In 1952 and 1956, for example, Adlai Stevenson emerged as the presidential candidate of the party's 'new politics' wing. But while Stevenson's stylish, articulate, high-brow manner thrilled the nation's intellectuals, he could never connect with large numbers of working-class Democrats who found him aloof and aristocratic.He didn't lose because he was elitist and couldn't connect with working americans. He lost because he ran against Dwight "I kicked Hilter's ass" Eisenhower. Harry Truman offered to take a demotion and run for VP again if Ike would run as a Democrat.
The 'new politics' Democrats have found their new, improved Stevenson in Mr. Obama."
Now I really like Adlai (that commercial I posted yesterday was one of his). Hell, here's a commercial from 1952 and one from 1956 endorsing Civil Rights, a decade before Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, what's "elitist" about that?
SRSLY?
Hmmm.
A prominent Hillary Clinton backer is endorsing John McCain because Barack Obama is too "arrogant" and "elitist". Steelworker? West Virginia coal-miner? Migrant farm worker?
Naah, globe-trotting baroness.
What can "elitist" possibly mean to this woman?
A prominent Hillary Clinton backer is endorsing John McCain because Barack Obama is too "arrogant" and "elitist". Steelworker? West Virginia coal-miner? Migrant farm worker?
Naah, globe-trotting baroness.
What can "elitist" possibly mean to this woman?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
GREAT QUOTES IN POLITICAL HISTORY: Never Edition
"Never. Is never good enough for you?"
— Nancy Pelosi, 2005, on her timetable for offering a plan to change social security. (source)
HELPING OUT PALIN #8
This is the eighth in a twenty part series. Click here for an explanation.
8. Other than more drilling, what steps do you suggest the U.S. take in order to move toward energy independence? Do you believe more investment is needed in alternative energy research? If so, how would you recommend this funding be allocated?
Well, first off, drilling is stupid.
1. It's not much oil.
2. Offshore drilling is extremely vulnerable to weather fluctuations.
3. The oil we have in the U.S. should be saved for the future, for things like Airplane fuel, for which there is no good substitute yet, or plastics manufacturing, etc.
I would "fund" alternative fuels by creating market incentives for them through a carbon tax. Why pick and play favorites that are innefficient (ethanol) or mythological (clean coal) or potentially apocalyptic (nuclear)? Tax Carbon, all carbon output, and then split the proceeds from the tax between a flat rebate to the American citizenry, and infrastructure improvements (SUPERTRAIN!).
This will reduce greenhouse gases, encourage people to live greener lives (everybody gets the same rebate, so those who use less carbon will actually profit on the deal), and create more investment (jobs!) and liveable communities.
The idea of "Energy Independence", is, by the way, a ridiculous idea. Is there any particular reason we shouldn't buy wind power from Canada if they can make it cheaper than we can? The problem with our current energy regime isn't the foreign sources, it's the fact that it's destroying the planet and increasingly expensive.
8. Other than more drilling, what steps do you suggest the U.S. take in order to move toward energy independence? Do you believe more investment is needed in alternative energy research? If so, how would you recommend this funding be allocated?
Well, first off, drilling is stupid.
1. It's not much oil.
2. Offshore drilling is extremely vulnerable to weather fluctuations.
3. The oil we have in the U.S. should be saved for the future, for things like Airplane fuel, for which there is no good substitute yet, or plastics manufacturing, etc.
I would "fund" alternative fuels by creating market incentives for them through a carbon tax. Why pick and play favorites that are innefficient (ethanol) or mythological (clean coal) or potentially apocalyptic (nuclear)? Tax Carbon, all carbon output, and then split the proceeds from the tax between a flat rebate to the American citizenry, and infrastructure improvements (SUPERTRAIN!).
This will reduce greenhouse gases, encourage people to live greener lives (everybody gets the same rebate, so those who use less carbon will actually profit on the deal), and create more investment (jobs!) and liveable communities.
The idea of "Energy Independence", is, by the way, a ridiculous idea. Is there any particular reason we shouldn't buy wind power from Canada if they can make it cheaper than we can? The problem with our current energy regime isn't the foreign sources, it's the fact that it's destroying the planet and increasingly expensive.
Darwin
Did you ever wish you could watch an hour long discussion of Charles Darwin by two prominent biologists?
Charlie Rose with E.O. Wilson and James Watson.
Charlie Rose with E.O. Wilson and James Watson.
Brown Voters
I posted the 2004 exit polls yesterday. Remember this part?
And among the poorest Americans the result is even starker:
Now imagine what the last couple of election cycles would've been like if poorest 5% of Americans weren't allowed to vote.
Well, you don't have to. Because undocumented Hispanics that live in America, do American jobs, and pay American taxes don't get to vote.
What the American electorate will look like once we offer amnesty and citizenship to them is left as an exercise for the reader.
*Note also that Nader scores highest amongst the wealthy. You gotta be pretty rich in order to "vote your conscience"...
| VOTE BY INCOME |
|  | KERRY |  | NADER | |||
TOTAL | 2004 | 2000 | 2004 | 2004 | ||||
 | ||||||||
Less Than $50,000 (45%) | 44% | n/a | 55% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
$50,000 or More (55%) | 56% | n/a | 43% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
And among the poorest Americans the result is even starker:
| VOTE BY INCOME |
| | KERRY | | NADER | |||
TOTAL | 2004 | 2000 | 2004 | 2004 | ||||
| ||||||||
Under $15,000 (8%) | 36% | n/a | 63% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
$15-30,000 (15%) | 42% | n/a | 57% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
$30-50,000 (22%) | 49% | n/a | 50% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
$50-75,000 (23%) | 56% | n/a | 43% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
$75-100,000 (14%) | 55% | n/a | 45% | 0% | ||||
| ||||||||
$100-150,000 (11%) | 57% | n/a | 42% | 1% | ||||
| ||||||||
$150-200,000 (4%) | 58% | n/a | 42% | * | ||||
| ||||||||
$200,000 or More (3%) | 63% | n/a | 35% | 1% | ||||
| ||||||||
Now imagine what the last couple of election cycles would've been like if poorest 5% of Americans weren't allowed to vote.
Well, you don't have to. Because undocumented Hispanics that live in America, do American jobs, and pay American taxes don't get to vote.
What the American electorate will look like once we offer amnesty and citizenship to them is left as an exercise for the reader.
*Note also that Nader scores highest amongst the wealthy. You gotta be pretty rich in order to "vote your conscience"...
Rumor has it...
that I'll be getting some yard signs to sell today. Thirty-five signs, first come, first serve, eight bucks a pop.
Monday, September 15, 2008
GREAT QUOTES IN POLITICAL HISTORY: Greatest American Congress Edition
It seems to me that if the Senate and the House of Representatives, in this long and arduous session, had done nothing more than pass this security Bill, Social Security Act, the session would be regarded as historic for all time.
— FDR, signing Social Security into law, 1935
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