Political Thread XX

[Guard Dog]

I look at it a different way. In the US women have the freedom to defend themselves using firearms. Men are larger and stronger. Firearms are a force equalizer. There is an old saying here in the US. God made all men but Sam Colt made all men equal.

[Tagaziel]

It's also perfectly safe for patients. You can't die due to errors in medical care if you can't afford medical care in the first place. 

 

 

I look at it a different way. In the US women have the freedom to defend themselves using firearms. Men are larger and stronger. Firearms are a force equalizer. There is an old saying here in the US. God made all men but Sam Colt made all men equal.

It's good to see that myths are still alive in this day and age.

Edited August 14, 2018 by Tagaziel

[Blarghagh]

http://www.euronews.com/2017/11/24/which-eu-countries-have-the-highest-rate-of-sex-crimes-

 

It doesn't seem to shake out that way, since these numbers don't really compare to yours, GD.

 

USA is perfectly safe for women; you just get shot rather than manhandled.

Don't quote me on this, but reputable sources told me in Soviet USA you get manhandled after.

[HoonDing]

[Hurlshort]

 

I'll bet you all the beans that you only think that they did.

Yes, your experiences MUST be absolutely representative of everyone else in the world.

 

Jeez, you guys sell out so hard just to be snarky that we cant ever really discuss anything.

 

 

I don't see where the snark has been on my end. You made a snarky comment about sexual assault claims. I asked you if you knew the number of false reports, you responded with snark. I gave you the numbers. You misunderstood 70-90% going unreported as meaning 70-90% of people are assaulted. I was surprised by that. Are we caught up?

 

I just don't get what your message is here. It reads like you are being dismissive of people who come forward with sexual assault claims. That seems like a terrible precedent to take.

[Blarghagh]

Oh, you're the 'you guys' I'm lumped in with? That's fine.

[Malcador]

Interestingly https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/08/14/pennsylvania-grand-jury-report-on-sex-abuse-in-catholic-church-will-list-hundreds-of-accused-predator-priests

 

or

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/predator-priests-identified-grand-jury-report-pennsylvania-priest-abuse/

Edited August 14, 2018 by Malcador

[Blarghagh]

That page isn't loading for me, I just see some gothy page about democracy dying in darkness and the content field is blank.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

Jeez, you guys sell out so hard just to be snarky that we cant ever really discuss anything.

 

lol

 

"<X> diddled my <Y> <Z+10> years ago, I swear. Get em, Twitter!"  This is the world we live in.

 

 

The prevailing opinion round these parts is that these accusations are approximately 358% absolute truth? *nodnod*

 

 

Don't bother replying, I already got an adult answer from majestic.

[Tagaziel]

Interestingly https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/08/14/pennsylvania-grand-jury-report-on-sex-abuse-in-catholic-church-will-list-hundreds-of-accused-predator-priests

 

or

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/predator-priests-identified-grand-jury-report-pennsylvania-priest-abuse/

Color me unsurprised.

[Gromnir]

 

 

I'll bet you all the beans that you only think that they did.

Yes, your experiences MUST be absolutely representative of everyone else in the world.

 

Jeez, you guys sell out so hard just to be snarky that we cant ever really discuss anything.

 

 

I don't see where the snark has been on my end. You made a snarky comment about sexual assault claims. I asked you if you knew the number of false reports, you responded with snark. I gave you the numbers. You misunderstood 70-90% going unreported as meaning 70-90% of people are assaulted. I was surprised by that. Are we caught up?

 

I just don't get what your message is here. It reads like you are being dismissive of people who come forward with sexual assault claims. That seems like a terrible precedent to take.

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

[smjjames]

Gary Johnson is running for NM Senate (on the Libertarian ticket, naturally) http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/401816-gary-johnson-launches-senate-bid Looks like he's running on his record as NM governor back when he was a Republican. Go him making it easier for Democrats to hold that state, though they are favored to hold it anyway.

 

The article does state that he's likely to siphon support from the Republican candidate, but really, he's going to siphon some from both. We'll never know the proportion that gets siphoned away from whom without a ranked ballot or something similar.

[Guard Dog]

There is a lot of disgust to go around James. It may not seem like it but D & R zealots are the minority. But their voices are the loudest. Dislike of both parties is as high as it has been in my lifetime. If the LP offers a reasonable and intelligent alternative there is a real opportunity here. Now, if only the LP were able to offer a reasonable and intelligent alternative. 

[Gromnir]

Now, if only the LP were able to offer a reasonable and intelligent alternative. 

might not be possible.  is paradoxical for a libertarian candidate to be most concerned 'bout national and international issues.  

 

interviewer: what is your platform ms. candidate?

 

libertarian prez candidate: nothing.

 

...

 

i: what? 

 

lpc: we need less government and less international entanglements, so my platform is nothing. the federal government shouldn't be involved in any activity beyond what is absolutely imperative. to advocate a national health, education or welfare plan would thus be counterproductive to the needs of the ordinary American citizen.

 

the interviewer, momentarily slack-jawed and nonplussed, recovers quickly and asks about the rumors of the candidate's marijuana use in college...

 

libertarian is a tough sell at the national level.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I'm sure James Weeks has a bare platform.

 

[Guard Dog]

I am convinced there is a happy medium to be found. After all libertarianism is not anarchy. And I do think there is an appeal to the idea of a government that leaves you alone for the average American. But so far the LP has done a poor job communicating that message. It cannot be denied however the party is in better shape now than it has ever been. Especially now that it is firmly in the control of the “little L” caucus.

[smjjames]

There ARE Libertarians who are just anarchists or anarchocapitalists under a different name though, and those tend to be the loudest voices. Which is kind of the problem with Libertarians. Yes, there is a reasonable argument for toning down the military industrial complex and doing less military stuff around the world, but it shouldn't be at the cost of ceding to our rivals and just turtling up into hermitage isolation, which is the issue I have with L/libertarianism (which I've voiced before).

 

Anyhow, seems like the best route to office for third party groups is wearing the jersey (or skin if you want to get macabre) of either main party. After all, you have Rand Paul (and previously, his dad Ron Paul) who are pretty clearly Libertarian, but run under the Republican jersey. And then there is the aggressive bodysnatcher-esque method that Trump did.

 

@kaineparker: I heard that it had something to do with a bet he made.

[Malcador]

"That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves" --  Kim Stanley Robinson 
 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Libertarians are ancap-lite who accept the need of a state to protect their property but think it can be kept small instead of worshiping Pinochet to own the left. Anarchists are pretty cool guys who we have to thank for a lot of the early labor movement including the haymarket affair, something tells me they wouldn't get on very well with libertarians.

Edited August 15, 2018 by KaineParker

[ShadySands]

It's because people who ascribe to some ideas and groups that aren't the norm are generally painted as the extreme. Democrats and Republicans can have nuance but Democratic Socialists have to be 100% socialist on everything and Libertarians have to be 100% libertarian on everything full stop.

[Gfted1]

I just don't get what your message is here. It reads like you are being dismissive of people who come forward with sexual assault claims. That seems like a terrible precedent to take.

This. This is exactly the kind of derp that makes me cut bait with you. I challenge a random, somehow uncounted (?), statistic and the clown car pulls up and disgorges this. I never even addressed the claims that were actually filed!. I honestly cant fathom how you operate in rl conversations.

[Malcador]

Ironic that you are whining about people being snarky in the post he quoted though.

[Gfted1]

Yeah, I appreciated the irony of that statement too but I had already "sent it" so I was going to live with it. Cool redirect by you though.

[Malcador]

That'd matter if I were Hurlshot, not my task to answer on his behalf to your point, so no need to complain.

[Gfted1]

Ooooohh, now I get it, you feel post #205 is snarky.