tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post1056364118745426239..comments2023-11-10T04:17:00.492-05:00Comments on View From The Porch: Somebody please wake me up.Tamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-75858193190579087542011-04-12T23:24:45.970-04:002011-04-12T23:24:45.970-04:00Funny how identical our reactions were, Tam. I got...Funny how identical our reactions were, Tam. I got very amazed, and then all at once very tired and sad.Matt Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03500429239798601210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-11425338153244360402011-04-12T08:05:10.879-04:002011-04-12T08:05:10.879-04:00There's hard history coming, all right.There's hard history coming, all right.Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-28296024954328450212011-04-11T22:29:20.267-04:002011-04-11T22:29:20.267-04:00Ed: He's better than some, but I was mostly be...Ed: He's better than some, but I was mostly being cynical. His <b>most</b> important qualification this election cycle is that he's black.<br /><br />If we're chatting up people we'd <b>actually</b> like to see win, I'm sticking with Gary Johnson, even if he's got all of a half point more chance than Ron Paul did last go 'round.<br /><br />But ultimately, I agree with you and Billy Beck. We're flat fucked. We are--to quote the man himself--not voting our way out of this. As you and he have said, there's principles involved here, principles of how things actually <b>work</b>, and those principles are being violated. And while we can disbelieve in gravity all we want after we've fallen off the cliff, the sudden stop at the end is going to <b>suck</b>.perlhaqrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01920117742664645165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-34631705383120826692011-04-11T20:56:39.590-04:002011-04-11T20:56:39.590-04:00Staghounds, whenever I think of the idea of a Pres...Staghounds, whenever I think of the idea of a President Trump, I'm reminded of a solid #2 as well. Pretty much like the last one I dropped off at the local big-wigs swimming pool.Alan J.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-26998319687176518302011-04-11T18:55:46.602-04:002011-04-11T18:55:46.602-04:00Perlhaqr: I'll check him out. At the moment I&...Perlhaqr: I'll check him out. At the moment I'm not qualified to comment, but if you think he's worth a look, I'll look.<br /><br /> I'm actually being two-faced here. If I say "It's all going to fall down" I'm disregarded as a Chicken Little fan. So I pretent it's important who we elect.<br /><br /> Even a complete Tea-Party government couldn't get us out of this mess, as we're way too far behind the curve. The present entitlement state should have been dismantled back during the Eisenhower administration, and now it's too late, by decades and tens of millions of lives.<br /><br /> The idea that demography is destiny is so obvious it should be inked indelibly on the inside of every voter's eyelids but it's not.<br /><br /> We've created a class of slugs that now makes up roughly 40% of the population, most of which would sit down, light up a J, and starve to death rather than take their honest place in a lassez-faire society.<br /><br /> To maintain a reasonable Social Security net for everyone now over mid sixties we would need a minimum of six people working for everyone collecting. To maintain the rather extravagant promises of Bush II and his kid brother Barry, we would need eight. Last time I looked, said ratio was less than three to one and dropping fast.<br /><br /> I'm finally disgusted enough to admit publically that it can't be fixed. The Republicans won a great "victory" getting thirty something billion taken out of the budget after half a month of wrangling. During that same half month, the national debt increased fifty-four billion.<br /><br /> The only thing Congress can do (and stay in office) is to raise the debt ceiling, otherwise known as inflating/debaseing the currency, which punishes everyone who's been fool enough to put money in the bank or think they can get by on a fixed pension or annuity.<br /><br /> California, as usual, leads the country by example, but only by a few years. The first place they'll cut if law enforcement, the last place will be welfare payments. Welfare recipients vote, and the prime motivation of almost all politicians is to stay in power.<br /><br /> Those willing to work will be marginalized and ignored, except on April 15th. <br /><br /> How bad will it get? I really don't know, but I'm glad I have my discretely defensible seven acres several miles off the nearest road wide enough to have a stripe down the middle.<br /><br /> I doubt I'll have to fight off hordes of screamers, but a small hillside barn with a couple of head of Dexters and a few dozen chickens, all subtly ensconced behind some trees, far away from the prying eyes of the taxman, might just prove the difference between surviving comfortably and living on cheap starch off the back of a National Guard truck.Ed Fosternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-9565925544167483762011-04-11T13:12:34.953-04:002011-04-11T13:12:34.953-04:00"Hurry! Dial 1-900-GOP-VOTE or 1-900-DEM-VOTE..."Hurry! Dial 1-900-GOP-VOTE or 1-900-DEM-VOTE! Only 99 cents a call! Kids, ask your parents first!"<br /><br />You jest, but I am not convinced this method would result in measurably worse results than our current method. Hell, I'm not sure randomly picking names out of a phone book would either.<br /><br />I've often pondered, in fact, whether if we treated serving in Congress like jury duty, we wouldn't have a <i>better</i> result than what we have now. Especially if you do some equivalent of voir dire to make sure the person has basic cognitive skills, and isn't the type that might be storing jars of urine in the basement. Actually, even if you didn't do that, the result might still be be better.Sebastianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14648225987293475835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-8546726085945322572011-04-11T12:26:42.769-04:002011-04-11T12:26:42.769-04:00Please, somebody, give me the pill I take to get o...<i>Please, somebody, give me the pill I take to get out of this madhouse.</i><br /><br />Sister, when you get that pill, you'd better get a bottle, and you'd damn-well better share!<br /><br /><br /><br />tweakerSpeakerTweakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13520767686388236987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-42717895882677583882011-04-11T11:59:07.461-04:002011-04-11T11:59:07.461-04:00Better Half's theory:
Helmet and seat belt law...Better Half's theory:<br />Helmet and seat belt laws have allowed the stupid to live and breed a better idiot.<br />Thus we have Trump leading polls and Jersey Shore.Stretchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-8169017987703039862011-04-11T11:12:44.297-04:002011-04-11T11:12:44.297-04:00Ed Foster: Lt. Col. Allen West. Normally, I'd...Ed Foster: Lt. Col. Allen West. Normally, I'd say a freshman congressbeing would be a lousy candidate for President, but, apparently that doesn't actually matter...perlhaqrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01920117742664645165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-251391749509148062011-04-11T10:46:28.105-04:002011-04-11T10:46:28.105-04:00"...I'd vote for Paul Reubens first. He&#...<em>"...I'd vote for Paul Reubens first. He's more statesmanlike, public wanking and all..."</em><br /><br />Ah, come on. That's all that politicians <em>do</em>, wank in public.<br /><br />It's a spectator sport of sorts, and the latest wanker to inhabit the Anal Office is rather good at it all, if the reaction by the proles is any indication.<br /><br />Jeeze.theirritablearchitecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04105315709746689270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-37508288350647213712011-04-11T09:56:43.446-04:002011-04-11T09:56:43.446-04:00Assuming that there was no fifth choice, "no...Assuming that there was no fifth choice, "none", or "don't know/no preference", Trump would have been my solid #2 choice.<br /><br />At least as said above he's made a payroll, built things, and is no one's b!tch.staghoundshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05976667812875074135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-33316403897789531962011-04-11T09:56:39.600-04:002011-04-11T09:56:39.600-04:00This is what happens when sheeple conflate the wil...This is what happens when sheeple conflate the wildly disparate concepts of an American Idol "vote", with the precious right of the Citizen to cast his or her Vote in participation in their own governance as a member of We the People.<br /><br />They think the leadership of this nation is the equivalent of a game show based on mindless popularity, rather than a meritocracy guided by competence, experience and skillful accomplishment.<br /><br />Given the present administration, it appears that they effected the former, and eschewed the latter.<br /><br /><br />Jim<br />Sunk New Dawn<br />Galveston, TXJimhttp://smokeonthewater.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-82348000528091265352011-04-11T09:51:09.353-04:002011-04-11T09:51:09.353-04:00Joan of Arrrrrrgh may be on to something.
Could w...Joan of Arrrrrrgh may be on to something.<br /><br />Could we all be wasting bandwidth seriously considering the ramifications of a wicked, prankish version of the Bradley Effect?<br /><br />I'm thinking of the opening line of every <i>Candid Camera</i> episode. "I'm Alan Funt. <b>We thought it would be fun if...</b>"<br /><br />gviglobal village idiothttp://www.alpharubicon.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-72946914400193119402011-04-11T09:23:26.486-04:002011-04-11T09:23:26.486-04:00Am I alone in remembering Trump Punted an old lady...Am I alone in remembering Trump Punted an old lady out of her house to make way for some expansion of some sort? You KNOW that'll come up during an election cycle right? And she'd be on every station telling of her life on the street eating cat food, and hello Obama's second term.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-3902586326931126042011-04-11T09:21:25.387-04:002011-04-11T09:21:25.387-04:00As seen elsewhere: "How did Trump get to be s...As seen elsewhere: "How did Trump get to be so popular in certain political circles? Here’s my take: when all we have to choose from are fools, ceteris paribus, Americans tend to choose the most entertaining fool."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-86371557222333927742011-04-10T23:58:38.914-04:002011-04-10T23:58:38.914-04:00Ed, in my most deeply cynical moments; I sometimes...Ed, in my most deeply cynical moments; I sometimes wonder if you're not right, in that our public education from pre-K to grad school has dumbed the population down to the point where democracy is not a viable form of government anymore. As Glenn Reynolds says, "When something can't go on forever, it won't."<br /><br />Which then makes me also wonder if Robert Heinlein didn't have it right in Starship Troopers when he wrote that the great Democracies of the 20th Century failed because they voted themselves into unsustainable largess followed by disaster.<br /><br />I always pull myself out of that funk by remembering that whatever happens in Washington, at heart we're all still Americans. A free people, with liberty - the means to defend it, and a history of over 200 years of kicking the ass of anyone who tries to take it away.Alan J.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-50236607575853816612011-04-10T21:13:24.687-04:002011-04-10T21:13:24.687-04:00It was a hover craft, and they did have guns....lo...It was a hover craft, and they did have guns....lots of guns. Woa.Tremainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05082851293732617816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-73553224560691469012011-04-10T21:12:14.487-04:002011-04-10T21:12:14.487-04:00Good lordy if a pollster asked me today I'd sa...Good lordy if a pollster asked me today I'd say Trump because it's way too early and people need to chill. I've already said and will say whatever to throw the Left off the track.<br /><br />And I will say this, after kicking it around on my own blog: Trump can be our Biden: accident insurance. And then keep Boehner as SOH. More insurance.Joan of Argghh!https://www.blogger.com/profile/14729682908266300507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-23788412059573085702011-04-10T20:23:30.579-04:002011-04-10T20:23:30.579-04:00I'm voting for the best president in the futur...I'm voting for the best president in the future of mankind, President Lindberg! http://is.gd/ZPUPqrJosephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16207808793722026516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-64403209016675995112011-04-10T19:59:44.343-04:002011-04-10T19:59:44.343-04:00Donald Trump is a circus clown...and will bring NO...Donald Trump is a circus clown...and will bring NO dignity to the Republican party....Mossyrocknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-90232874673492576212011-04-10T19:54:31.489-04:002011-04-10T19:54:31.489-04:00Ya know tho, Mormon lore has it that the last U.S....Ya know tho, Mormon lore has it that the last U.S. President will be Mormon. Romney ?Spudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00689059709873763146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-65081977326366356772011-04-10T19:44:11.945-04:002011-04-10T19:44:11.945-04:00Maybe "derisive laughter" wasn't one...Maybe "derisive laughter" wasn't one of the available checkboxes on the survey form?<br /><br />Ya never know...<br /><br />MMark Algerhttp://www.babytrollblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-27271131296853318802011-04-10T19:30:45.541-04:002011-04-10T19:30:45.541-04:00Joseph: There has got to be a decent, electable co...Joseph: <i>There has got to be a decent, electable conservative out there who isn't the typical "old rich white guy" mold.</i><br /><br />There are lots of them, I'm sure. But most of them don't have a national reputation, and none of them are fool enough to risk subjecting themselves to the MSM reputation-grinder. They saw what happened to Sarah Palin, to Scott Brown, to Governor Walker, and especially to Joe the Plumber -- all so they can go to Washington, disinfect the oval office, get sliced'n'diced by Congress and the DC media for four-to-eight, and accomplish absolutely nothing. And they wonder "Why bother?" <br /><br />gvi: <i>It's 18 months until election 2012.</i><br /><br />But it's less than 12 months to the first party primaries and caucuses. Probably less than six until the last reasonable starting date. 'Dark horse' candidates may still be possible, but how long has it been since anybody won either party's nomination without showing well in the early primaries?wolfwalkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-22778879054302635132011-04-10T19:26:15.321-04:002011-04-10T19:26:15.321-04:00"You (and half the other commenters here) see..."You (and half the other commenters here) seem to be missing my point:"<br /><br />Don't disagree in any way. I was responding to John's comment about being cynical about Mitt Romney.oghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07551049745184408924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-8464867174482712662011-04-10T19:11:56.615-04:002011-04-10T19:11:56.615-04:00Sides that, a man that rich should be able to affo...Sides that, a man that rich should be able to afford a better rug.<br />Although he is experienced with bankruptcy, might come in handy for the nation....he did it and came out richer...soooo..?Spudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00689059709873763146noreply@blogger.com