I think people should have the right to bear arms.
I DO NOT believe that people should be able to legally purchase automatic assault rifles. Hand guns, hunting rifles, sure, but assault rifles and military grade weapons should be kept ONLY to the military.
What do you mean "why so serious?" I cannot think of any reasonable way to discuss this incident without being serious. I really dont know how could the government stop these kind of things, especially when guns are so easily obtained in some of the states.
jamoose, Im pretty sure this was meant to be a joke or sarcastic response, as in the latest batman incarnation, this was a signature phrase of The Joker's.
I'd just like to add that people do vote, but they fail to vote for their interests. ie. Most of the poor rural population votes republican
The conservative movement enjoys the freedom to keep retrograde substance laws in place because it locks down at least half the population the moment they utter the word "Jesus." Therefor any attempt by a progressive to look "centrist," (and gain the coveted swing vote) must include a bow to some of these conservative values which most of the developed world knows to be a completely backward approach to governance. Chief among these issues to be adopted by "pragmatic," politicians is anti-drug policy and draconian imprisonment for minor criminals.
To put it bluntly, evangelicals are the root cause of most crime in the US.
what is the John Steinbeck quote(ok, Im pretty sure it was Steinbeck who said it anyways), " the reason communism never took root in America is because the american worker does not see himself as the downtrodden proletariat, but as a temporarily embarrassed(displaced?) millionaire".
in other words they are suckered into believing that their not being political hypocrites for wanting to see an end to Social Security, Unemployment benefits and other forms of 'welfare' even when they themselves actively participate and are benefiting from those very same programs. personally I think it has more to do with the propaganda machine that the republican party and 'conservatives' have spent the last 30 or more years building. of course there is that wonderful turn of phrase from Mr. Conservative(Barry Goldwater) arguing that the worst thing to happen to the conservatives is getting involved with the religious right; and the addition of the ultra religious definitely does add an Imprimatur of god on the whole pile of hypocrisy.
Once again, voting and affiliation clearly are not one in the same. How does the Republican party, apparently loosing affiliates over the last decade, GAIN seats in the house of representatives?
Clearly more people vote republican than actually identify themselves with the party when prompted to do so. I would think that great leap of conscious thought would be simple for a poster capable of up-rooting a Pew research article, but thus far you appear to have missed the reading comprehension boat three times now.
By all means, continue to miss the point being made.
Unless you mean to imply that 50% of the population resides in the top two income brackets, there's not much to be said. Clearly there is a discrepancy between people who are identified with a party and how they vote.
or the ultra liberals who were to pissed off at the fact that Obama was not able to fulfill their wildest dreams as far as lawmaking goes decided to decline from voting at all as a way of 'punishing' the president for the fact that the republicans would rather do NOTHING at ALL than allow the president to get anything done. not to mention the huge propaganda machine that swallowed the Tea Party Movement whole(if it truly were a grassroots movement at all) and made it the story of the day for months on end, and propped up republican turnout.
I'd just like to add that people do vote, but they fail to vote for their interests. ie. Most of the poor rural population votes republican
The conservative movement enjoys the freedom to keep retrograde substance laws in place because it locks down at least half the population the moment they utter the word "Jesus." Therefor any attempt by a progressive to look "centrist," (and gain the coveted swing vote) must include a bow to some of these conservative values which most of the developed world knows to be a completely backward approach to governance. Chief among these issues to be adopted by "pragmatic," politicians is anti-drug policy and draconian imprisonment for minor criminals.
To put it bluntly, evangelicals are the root cause of most crime in the US.
what is the John Steinbeck quote(ok, Im pretty sure it was Steinbeck who said it anyways), " the reason communism never took root in America is because the american worker does not see himself as the downtrodden proletariat, but as a temporarily embarrassed(displaced?) millionaire".
in other words they are suckered into believing that their not being political hypocrites for wanting to see an end to Social Security, Unemployment benefits and other forms of 'welfare' even when they themselves actively participate and are benefiting from those very same programs. personally I think it has more to do with the propaganda machine that the republican party and 'conservatives' have spent the last 30 or more years building. of course there is that wonderful turn of phrase from Mr. Conservative(Barry Goldwater) arguing that the worst thing to happen to the conservatives is getting involved with the religious right; and the addition of the ultra religious definitely does add an Imprimatur of god on the whole pile of hypocrisy.
I believe you're recalling Werner Sombart's work "Why Is There No Socialism In the United States", although I don't know that I recognize the passage you're paraphrasing. Perhaps Steinbeck wrote something similar at a later date. Sufficed to say though, the point is a good one. Despite the fact his work was published in the 19th century his words appear describe a modern day situation without much trouble.
"For the average American being successful means first and foremost becoming rich. This explains why that restless striving, which we recognized as an essential part of the American national character, is applied before all else to [economic] life."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Sounds reasonable to me.
jamoose, Im pretty sure this was meant to be a joke or sarcastic response, as in the latest batman incarnation, this was a signature phrase of The Joker's.
what is the John Steinbeck quote(ok, Im pretty sure it was Steinbeck who said it anyways), " the reason communism never took root in America is because the american worker does not see himself as the downtrodden proletariat, but as a temporarily embarrassed(displaced?) millionaire".
in other words they are suckered into believing that their not being political hypocrites for wanting to see an end to Social Security, Unemployment benefits and other forms of 'welfare' even when they themselves actively participate and are benefiting from those very same programs. personally I think it has more to do with the propaganda machine that the republican party and 'conservatives' have spent the last 30 or more years building. of course there is that wonderful turn of phrase from Mr. Conservative(Barry Goldwater) arguing that the worst thing to happen to the conservatives is getting involved with the religious right; and the addition of the ultra religious definitely does add an
Imprimatur of god on the whole pile of hypocrisy.
or the ultra liberals who were to pissed off at the fact that Obama was not able to fulfill their wildest dreams as far as lawmaking goes decided to decline from voting at all as a way of 'punishing' the president for the fact that the republicans would rather do NOTHING at ALL than allow the president to get anything done. not to mention the huge propaganda machine that swallowed the Tea Party Movement whole(if it truly were a grassroots movement at all) and made it the story of the day for months on end, and propped up republican turnout.
I believe you're recalling Werner Sombart's work "Why Is There No Socialism In the United States", although I don't know that I recognize the passage you're paraphrasing. Perhaps Steinbeck wrote something similar at a later date. Sufficed to say though, the point is a good one. Despite the fact his work was published in the 19th century his words appear describe a modern day situation without much trouble.
"For the average American being successful means first and foremost becoming rich. This explains why that restless striving, which we recognized as an essential part of the American national character, is applied before all else to [economic] life."