[BeaverFever]

commanderkai commanderkai:

Here's a question, Beaver. If this commentary was against liberals/Democrats, USING the same language, just changing a few quotes/polls, would this be "Very well said"?

Well, I'm no fan of the Democrat or Liberal Parties - or anybody who blindly follows or blindly opposes any "party" for that matter. Half of the Liberals and Democrats are completely indistinguishable from their counterparts across the aisle in both style and substance. They belong that particular party because their family members do, or because the people to whom they're directly connected do.

Are there some Liberals and Democrats that I like? "Like" is a strong word, but there are some who appear to be better than others, or are "the best of the worst". It's usually more accurate to describe the Libs and Dems as "less right wing" rather than "left wing".

The NDP gets to sit on their moral high horse because they're rarely in office and when they are, they're not always so different from the rest. Plus some of their ideas just sound like they're living in a dream world. I get that they want radical change and whatnot, but it just sounds amatuerish to get up there and promise the moon and the stars every election. This is still Cautious Canada where change is incremental and where old money families and big business can easily rock the canoe. So I just don't pay attention to the NDP, Green or BQ or others because they are at best spoilers who split the vote.

So to answer your question directly, while I think there is plenty of criticism to fire at Democrats and Liberals, the "Animal House" analogy presented in this article doesn't really apply. I would accuse them more of being faux progressives who talk the talk of social justice and "fighting for the little guy" and then climb into bed with big business. The hysteria, the veiled death threats and coded calls for violence are far worse on the political right and pretty substantial. The percentage of crazies and the way those crazies have been embraced by the established political leaders is a new phenomenon. The Republican party is definitely being radicalized, but it should be noted that it is also being divided, with some of the more sane members trying to find their own space.

[bootlegga]

$1:

On Friday at the Southern Republican Leadership conference, Sarah Palin repeated her slogan: "Don't Retreat, Reload." This time she insisted it was "not a call for violence". The fact she would have to make that explicit tells us something about how dire things have become.

She had to tell people not to be violent?!? Hello idiots! I mean WTF

It reminds me of the Simpson episode where a Rush Limbaugh type radio personality urges everyone to take action to overthrow the corrupt Joe Quimby, so Moe starts handing out grenades to patrons in his bar. He only stops when Barney tells him that it was really a call for grassroots political action.

[commanderkai]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

So to answer your question directly, while I think there is plenty of criticism to fire at Democrats and Liberals, the "Animal House" analogy presented in this article doesn't really apply. I would accuse them more of being faux progressives who talk the talk of social justice and "fighting for the little guy" and then climb into bed with big business.

Fair enough.

$1:

The hysteria, the veiled death threats and coded calls for violence are far worse on the political right and pretty substantial. The percentage of crazies and the way those crazies have been embraced by the established political leaders is a new phenomenon. The Republican party is definitely being radicalized, but it should be noted that it is also being divided, with some of the more sane members trying to find their own space.

See, this is false. Death threats and hysteria are certainly not new, and Republicans have been a target of both just as much as the Democrats have. The Democrats turned just as radical, and the Republicans turned rightward to follow suit. Acting like this is a purely Republican/conservative phenomenon is wrong.

The Republicans didn't go far right, while the Democrats stayed happily in the center (this is referring to the US political spectrum). The election of Obama didn't magically turn the United States into a left of center country. The Republican leadership, although kicking up more rhetoric, is still rather tame, especially for the conservative pundit class, that the left continues to play as the real leadership of the Republican Party.

[BartSimpson]

Lemmy Lemmy:

I don't like the metaphor because frat boys, at least, know how to have fun.

And Republicans don't?

$1:

The RNC has fired the staff member responsible for getting the $2,000 tab at a bondage-themed California nightclub reimbursed to the donor who paid for it.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04 ... lub-visit/

[PublicAnimalNo9]

bootlegga bootlegga:

$1:

On Friday at the Southern Republican Leadership conference, Sarah Palin repeated her slogan: "Don't Retreat, Reload." This time she insisted it was "not a call for violence". The fact she would have to make that explicit tells us something about how dire things have become.

She had to tell people not to be violent?!? Hello idiots! I mean WTF

Watch today's Daily Show with John Stewart for an hilarious look at this. It's not a Palin parody but funny as hell nonetheless.

[BeaverFever]

$1:

Outcrazying The Crazy: How A Prankster Plans To Infiltrate And Destroy The Tea Party Movement

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/inside-man-how-a-prankster-plans-to-destroy-the-tea-party-movement.php?ref=fpa

FTR, I don't think his plan will work, unless fostering internal paranoia among partiers is his real agenda.