by Geoff | Oct 3, 2016 | Politics, Society
Some years ago, a friend of mine, on reading the then-new Harry Potter book’s line about a ‘wretched American President’ declared he was done. And that Rowling had, in intending to insult Bush, instead insulted Clinton, the whole of the series (excepting Philosopher’s Stone) being set in the Clinton administration. Seems she forgot her own timeline.
Anyway, I then expressed my opinion that a liberal bent in an author is not exactly a shock. Wedging in an attempted insult for no good reason is a sign of being a hack, to be sure, but the political leaning is to be expected.
And it continues. Every election cycle, we get the hoary trope of the current crop of popular actors making the usual impassioned plea to elect whomever the Democratic party is running, lest the world end, movies all become ‘Birth of a Nation’ (the original), and art wither and die. And, like a Pavlovian response, conservatives decry this as spoiled, irrelevant, and likely highly uninformed twits mouthing whatever pabulum they have been instructed to. Which isn’t wrong, but is very, very tiring.
Look, unless you live in a fantasy world, which far too many conservatives seem to, you can safely assume that every single actor, writer, singer, dancer, artist, et-fraking-cetera is a leftist. Seriously. It is like assuming fire is hot. You just do it.
This shouldn’t be a surprise. The political left is usually aligned with the concerns of the arts community, so it makes sense to support those who support you. Duh.
Can we stop pretending this is a surprise, and move past it. Constantly rehashing the same tired nonsense is one of those things that hurt the conservatives more than anything, and we, as a body, need to stop. And to those in the arts, please look critically at the policies and practices of the Democratic party before doing as they ask, and blindly supporting them. You might be surprised at just what it is they are supporting…
by Geoff | Jun 29, 2016 | Politics
[sta_anchor id=”top”]So, as I hope we all know, I am so not a Democrat. I want to go over some of the planks on their platform draft, and ask some pointed questions – because some of this is common sense, and some of it is a sign they need to hire someone who understands cost of living and basic economics. This is copied from the DNC Convention site as it appeared on June 29, at about 9:30 CDT. Not responsible for any changes on their part. While I may not hit every one, nothing from their post has been edited in the least (just blockquoted).
Quick topic guide, since there is a lot here: Jobs Minimum Wage Education Death Penalty Tax Immigration Healthcare Energy Abortion Prison Drugs
Let’s start at the top…
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by Geoff | Jun 16, 2016 | Politics, Society
Summary: No such animal.
Well, not exactly. There can be some common sense that is not an infringement on the 2nd Amendment, but so far it seems like that is the land beyond the fields we know. Inaccessible and alien. But there is a place for regulation that is at once smart, effective, and not placing an excessive burden on anyone.
Let me get one thing out of the way – the absolute nonsensical suggestion that we ‘ban anyone ever investigated by the FBI for terrorism’ thing. First, investigated is not convicted. We do not punish people for being suspected of crime. Except sexual or racial ones, but that is another post (preview – it’s total bullshit leftard assholes doing it, and they need to grow the fuck up). All it takes to be on that investigation list is an anonymous phone call claiming that person X has started talking about jihad, and you are concerned. That’s all. Bang, investigated. Even if all that consists of is a phone call to the local PD to see if there is anything to it. It’s still a file, still an investigation. Those advocating this seem to fail to understand that simple reality. Likewise, the no fly/terror watch list. Two lists, both easy be added to, and nigh impossible to be removed from. The Star Chamber has no place in America, despite the President using it to sanction assassinations of American citizens.
We can be better than that.
So what do I propose? It is simple, and breaks down into 3 tiers, and one dealer/manufacturer tier. A mere 4 points. I think it is simple, effective, and mostly foolproof. Yes, I know the universe is constantly inventing better fools (see Oberlin College, Mizzou, etc.), but this is both specific enough to work, and general enough to deal with new developments and information. It even scales. So here is what I think would work… (more…)
by Geoff | May 27, 2016 | Politics
As this is rapidly becoming the realistic choice in November (and no, your Green/Libertarian/Birthday or other parties are not realistic), there has been a lot of discussion about how Donald Trump became the Republican candidate. It seems, from what I see, to boil down, on the Republican side, to two arguments. One is that he is the candidate furthest outside the establishment, obviously true as he has never entered politics before now; and that he is a skilled con artist and has duped the electorate into supporting him. The latter seems to be the establishment view, which reinforces those who take to the first explanation.
On the left, the general argument seems to be that his supporters are stupid, ignorant, racist, assholes. Needless to say, this is neither correct nor helpful. But that is the left’s modus operandi of late.
Let me offer a different view. On that may give some insight into how intelligent, reasonable people can support a candidate that approaches the election like a bad reality tv show, and wasn’t wrong to do so.
First, look at the reason we support any candidate. Broadly, I see two reasons that are valid, and one that is terrifyingly common but invalid. The valid reasons are that the person has or appears to have the same values and beliefs I do, or that they are promising (and seem likely to actually do or attempt) to do something I want done. These are your positive, valid, reason to support any candidate. The invalid one is to support them because they are X party. And only support them for that reason. I am ignoring, intentionally, the idea of voting against someone as opposed to for someone.
So, in the reasons we support candidates, Trump hits both marks. He is, or appears to, have a set of values that people like, and is saying he will do things they want done. But, then, so were the other 17 Republican also-ran types a year ago. So why Trump?
I think the reasons are many, but to a large chunk of the population (and remember, he has been winning by insane margins) Trump is saying words they can hear as ‘things will be like they were when I remember them being good’. That ignores the actual time you are remembering, by the way. Trump is speaking to the majority of the nation that doesn’t instantly embrace whatever screaming micro-minority issue the hard left has decreed we all must make the kowtow before. Not that these voters would not, in time, support these things. The huge swath of the nation that the left denigrates as ‘Jesus Land’ or ‘flyover country’ is, in the end, very much in favor of personal freedom, and rights of self-expression. They do not, however, change their views quickly, as there is something to be said for letting things come gradually and be better understood. And there is a belief that any view rammed down someone’s throat is inherently questionable (else why the ramming?), and that if you need to do that for acceptance, maybe there is a flaw in the view. And Trump speaks to that.
Trump speaks to the people that feel left behind by the growing political overclass – the all too frequently expressed that the people should shut up and let their betters in the government tell them how to think, speak, do their jobs, etc.
Trump speaks to the idea that we can return to the Pax Americana years of the 1950s. We can’t, not in the same way, but it looks good on paper. Without the segregation, of course. And it is of course, there are and always will be racists that oppose it, but the vast majority of people support equality.
Trump also knows that the political system has devolved, at the national level, into a reality TV show.
Trump doesn’t back down. This is one of those things I like in theory, but think the practice might not work so well for anyone who isn’t Trump. In short, there is, I believe, a vast frustration with the politicians and others who, if presented with a negative response, immediately apologize and claim they were taken out of context. Seriously, stand for yourself, if you honestly had a moment of unthinking anger, and said something that you can demonstrate is wildly against who you are, then yes, apologize. But if you simply say something unpopular, stop apologizing. It makes you look pathetic. The phrase ‘courage of your convictions’ is there for a reason. For example, Trump’s famous ‘all Mexicans are rapists and thieves’ comment is actually
“What can be simpler or more accurately stated? The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc. This was evident just this week when, as an example, a young woman in San Francisco was viciously killed by a 5 time deported Mexican with a long criminal record, who was forced back into the United States because they didn’t want him in Mexico. This is merely one of thousands of similar incidents throughout the United States. In other words, the worst elements in Mexico are being pushed into the United States by the Mexican government. The largest suppliers of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs are Mexican cartels that arrange to have Mexican immigrants trying to cross the borders and smuggle in the drugs. The Border Patrol knows this. Likewise, tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border. The United States has become a dumping ground for Mexico and, in fact, for many other parts of the world. On the other hand, many fabulous people come in from Mexico and our country is better for it. But these people are here legally, and are severely hurt by those coming in illegally. I am proud to say that I know many hard working Mexicans—many of them are working for and with me…and, just like our country, my organization is better for it.” -https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trumps-epic-statement-on-mexico-2015-7
Notice that he never says or even implies all immigrants are criminals. So no apology. This, as much as anything, has garnered him support – he says what he believes, and then refuses to back down.
Lastly, this seems to be an electoral cycle where the greatest qualification a candidate could claim was to be outside the establishment. Your establishment candidates on the Republican side were the first out. The people rejected them resoundingly. There is a lesson there, and the kingmakers in both parties should pay attention – you work for the people, you are not our masters. Why is a deranged muppet like Bernie Sanders still going? It isn’t just because in a just world Hillary Clinton would be under multiple federal indictments over mishandling classified information, it is because she is a purely establishment candidate, and if the Democrats had not instituted superdelegates in the wake of (and to prevent another) Jimmy Carter, there is a very real chance she would have dropped out by now.
Do I support Trump, no. Not at all. I disagree with his blustery personality. For those who know me, this is a no-brainer. I don’t like loud, blustery, people. But do I think that any supporters are ignorant, racist, hateful people? No, because unlike those inflicted with the far left’s mental instability, I know there is room for dissent and disagreement in a political system. And I embrace that – alloys are always stronger than the pure element. I just wish we had picked someone better.
But then again, maybe we picked who we deserve.
by Geoff | Mar 22, 2016 | Politics, Society
Seldom do state representatives make news. At least in a way that is not somehow tainted by scandal. Tennessee’s Martin Daniel (R) has done just that.
And oy, the balls on this guy.
He introduced a bill, the Tennessee Student Freedom of Speech Act, that put forth the intolerably radical proposition that students on college campuses should be able to say what they want without repercussions. As long as it doesn’t disrupt the proceedings of the campus. Since the media is currently filled with examples of immature, coddled macro-infants who seek nothing more than to silence by force or mob action anyone they disagree with, one might expect there to be objection to such a radical bill. And there is.
But not because it would force said macro-infants to at least pretend to maturity. Actually, that is not, it seems, possible per Democratic rep John DeBerry. He portrayed students as “half-baked”, and implied that students were incapable of making good decisions or hearing dissenting opinions.
“There are young people who are not ready yet — they’re half-baked, half-cooked — who are recruited to work against their own parents, their own nation, and I would be concerned as a parent and as a citizen,” DeBerry said to Daniel, according to the Tennessean. “Free speech is one thing; being stupid is another.” (source)
Support from the right was also not forthcoming – the above quote was from a Q&A session where Daniel was asked if this freedom of speech extended to ISIS recruiters.
He said it did. Not a popular opinion with those who usually defend freedom against the increasingly totalitarian political left.
And damn right it does. Freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones, and arguably the most vital, of our Republic. Without the freedom to say what we will without official censure, we are not free citizens, but vassals of the state. As I have said time and again, if you want to rail against the vile Lilliputians, you can. And more power to you – the state cannot punish you for that. You can lose your friends, significant other, job, and so on, but there can be no legal action against you. That is what free speech is – the right to say something unacceptable without fear of prison.
Yes, that right ends at calls for violence. And that is indeed a tricky criteria. ‘Someone get those guys’ means something different at recent Trump rallies than it might at a church social. Calls for direct violence (not ‘I wish someone would do something to those #@!#$ Lilliputians’ from an average citizen) need not be ‘go beat down those protestors’. It can also have the flavor of ‘Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?’.
But absent that call to violence, there should be no expectation of official action against speech.
Martin Daniel gets this. As much as we can all agree that ISIS is a horrible organization that is a blight on the face of the world, if they want to have a recruiter on campus, then they must be allowed that freedom. Must. Be. Allowed. If for no other reason than to stand for your own right to speak. Rights denied to one are denied to all.
by Geoff | Mar 15, 2016 | Politics, Society
It is the official election day in Illinois, and so far early voter turnout is (or is reported to be) setting records. I suspect that, unlike other cycles, this one has people worried. And with good reason. At no time in my life have I ever cast a vote that was as much against a candidate as for one.
And it feels dirty, you know?
So I wanted to get some thoughts down on this primary, and on the state of the campaign as a whole. It is my opinion, and I don’t expect you, the reader, to agree. I hope you think, and hope even more that your candidate of choice was considered, and not just ‘X is winning on the Y side, so I vote for them’. But then, if that is the case, honestly, you likely will never see this.
I also want to say that I value the fact that friends are all over the spectrum – it is important to know and engage with people you can disagree with. We all need more of that, and need to remember that we are all after the same basic things in life, and life politic. We simply disagree on process. Disagreement is not a sign of deep corruption of the soul – it is just a difference of opinion.
That said, let’s look at the Democrats. Clinton and Sanders. Clinton has a lot of magical thinking attached to her – a sense that since things were not so bad last time a Clinton was President, that will happen again. Wrong, of course, but understandable. The sad reality is that Clinton is a relic of an older time, and does not see it. I know a lot of people like to equate saying negative things about Clinton as sexist (or racist if said about Obama), but the simple reality is that she has some problems, and her gender has nothing to do with them. As an aside, why are similar attacks on Sanders not antisemitic? The main problem is the potential indictment for her private server and other actions around that whilst Secretary of State. Since others (men) have been charged for far less, and had their lives ruined, this is by no means a sexist issue. This is a serious national security issue, and symptomatic of a level of arrogance that is hard to explain away.
Sanders is another issue altogether. He has the best ads I have ever seen from a politician, and seems to focus on being positive, without the weirdly exploitative Clinton ads. His main issues are economics. Yes, there is a lot of social benefit in European systems that we don’t have here. There is also a much higher tax level, across the board. And yes, your taxes would increase under that system. Maybe as much as double. The European system was also purchased with American defense commitments. Since we were there to blunt a Soviet attack, other nations didn’t need to spend on defense themselves, allowing that money to funnel into unsustainable social programs. Simply put, the European system does not work in a long run. Further, by ‘making the rich pay their fair share’, Sanders demonstrates a misunderstanding of two things – first, the richest Americans pay the majority of the tax bill already, and second these are the people most able to leave should things be cheaper elsewhere. Keep that in mind – if moving to Canada results in a lower tax bill, I can’t do it – I don’t have the money or ability to not work for a year. Only the ones Sanders refers to as needing to pay more can pull that off.
All in all, despite Sanders’ real problems with economics and history, were I to vote Democrat, I would be voting for him. Positivity counts.
Now the Republicans. Let’s get this pared down some – Rubio, Kasich, please just drop already. We get it, you believe in yourselves or something. So did the Black Knight.
You won’t. Let. It. Go.
Cruz – no one’s first choice, not even Cruz’s. But in a primary focused on tossing out the establishment, somehow Cruz became the best (least worst at least) choice. Cruz is an outsider, and anti-establishment. He is, despite it all, the best remaining choice for a Republican candidate. It isn’t the best choice we have ever had, but it could be worse.
It could be Trump. Ah, Trump. The hell of it is, I like some of what he is doing. I like the refusal to bend into a pretzel apologizing when someone is offended. We do that too much – and it makes one think that the original comment was not meant – which leads to distrust. And enough already. But refusing to apologize or admit you are wrong, even when you should, is a sign of a weak individual. I like Trump taking and espousing unpopular positions. I wish I believed he believed them. But I don’t. What I do believe is that Trump is speaking to a lot of anger in the population. People tired of being taken for granted, of the government trying to ‘save’ them as the same government actively works to destroy them. Of being mocked by politicians (Obama’s ‘bitter clinger’ comment comes to mind). Trump speaks to that anger, but has no specifics, and no real plans. As I have said before – he wants to win the election, not be the President. Trump acts a lot like the poor kid fighting to prove he is as good as everyone else.
As an aside, if you think that Trump supporters are automatically racist/sexist/x-phobic (and kudos to the left for using people with a psychological condition as a synonym for ‘hate’), you have a serious stereotype problem. That is no more or less offensive than assuming all blacks vote Democrat, all Southerners are inbred, or all homosexuals are sex fiends. Grow up. If you can’t figure that out, get out of political activity until you do – you and your rabid intolerance and hate are what is hurting this country.
In the final analysis, however, we have a system that has lasted centuries, with bad Presidents, and disputed elections that left people feeling oppressed (Japanese internment camps for 100 Alex), left out, and generally angry. No matter who the next President is, we all need to remember that there was an election, and people voted. Maybe we disagree with their choice, but in the end, the people had their say. If that is so very unpalatable to you, then you have my pity. Wait four years. Trump/Cruz/Sanders/Clinton won’t destroy the country in four years. If you really believe that to be a possibility, grow up.
