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Expanding our perspective does not improve our options much, sadly. Joel Send a noteboard - 14/08/2012 04:23:48 PM
Even if it does much to explain the length of my posts. ;) Running a nation of 310 million is necessarily a nuanced exercise. Too bad nuance does not win elections.
Just providing Jens with a viewpoint. I would like to say "they don't even show support for my most basic rights? Fuck 'em." But I can't, for my example and other reasons (obviously).

It comes down to how much one can reasonably expect of an anti-government government, and the only reasonable answer is "nothing." If Republicans were calling for LESS (rather than NO) spending, with increased oversight and accountability to reduce fraud and waste, that would be supportable, even laudable. However, that is not what is on the table; the two party system is offering another all-or-nothing choice between expanded government or none.

Best case scenario is probably Obamas insistence on industry subsidies instead of the "shovel ready" jobs he promised (combined with GOP Congressional obstructionism) slowing government spending and trimming the deficit without doing anything to stimulate the economy. Remember, we got an $800 billion stimulus despite Obamas advisors telling him full recovery required $1+ trillion, solely because he did not want to let Republicans say he added a trillion dollars to the deficit (how did that work out? ;))

That is not an appealing choice, but Romneys stated plan to raise middle and lower class taxes to pay for a millionaire tax cut is worse. Even if it actually created trickle-down jobs (which would be a historic first,) the wages of new employees would just be taxed out of existence to pay for it. It is not even about no taxes vs. higher taxes any more, but whose should increase. Apart from that, the GOPs only plan for government is to eliminate what exists—except in the bedroom and doctors office.
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This message last edited by Joel on 14/08/2012 at 04:26:14 PM
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Paul Ryan is selected as Republican VP candidate - 11/08/2012 05:01:47 PM 1764 Views
Personally? No, I'm not voting Republican at all this year. - 11/08/2012 05:18:06 PM 806 Views
Ya know that narrative of the right getting further right is pretty ridicolous - 11/08/2012 06:43:44 PM 774 Views
it could possibly be the "all or nothing" budget fights and gay marriage among other things - 11/08/2012 08:19:11 PM 814 Views
Yeah, I forgot the Dems are very enlightened about gay marriage now for what? 2 Months? - 11/08/2012 08:59:17 PM 869 Views
+1 - Great post! *NM* - 12/08/2012 04:32:21 AM 504 Views
We're on a roll here Isaac. I agree with you again. - 12/08/2012 08:18:32 AM 821 Views
yet despite that, dems didn't put referenda and push bills discriminating against gay people - 12/08/2012 07:55:38 PM 895 Views
They certainly have, they've just done it less and less recently - 12/08/2012 09:39:53 PM 768 Views
Fred Phelps is 82 - 13/08/2012 01:28:01 AM 714 Views
So is Pat Robertson *NM* - 13/08/2012 02:41:28 AM 479 Views
They're not enlightened at all. - 21/08/2012 02:04:09 PM 981 Views
Agreed, but ya'll continue doing it anyway. - 11/08/2012 08:24:09 PM 807 Views
Thank you for making sense. - 12/08/2012 08:01:53 AM 776 Views
voting third party is a good idea - 11/08/2012 08:15:41 PM 791 Views
I'm sorry, but anyone that votes for Obama after the past 3 and 1/2 years is a moron..... - 12/08/2012 03:30:47 AM 715 Views
If you are proud of not voting, please shut up: The adults have a country to run. - 12/08/2012 04:11:49 AM 738 Views
Candidates have to earn my vote - I'm not a slave like you to the 2 party system. - 12/08/2012 04:24:02 AM 879 Views
Who said anything about the two-party system? - 12/08/2012 04:29:36 AM 713 Views
No offense intended, but voting third party is as stupid as not voting. - 12/08/2012 04:42:28 AM 961 Views
I strongly disagree. - 12/08/2012 05:11:52 AM 799 Views
as the saying goes "the lesser of two evils is still evil" - 12/08/2012 08:06:20 PM 785 Views
Nice asshatery. - 12/08/2012 07:56:57 AM 955 Views
Wouldn't you love to have a "none of the above" option..... - 12/08/2012 03:36:54 PM 728 Views
Or you could use a PR system and act like responsible adults. *NM* - 12/08/2012 05:47:14 PM 388 Views
Oh dear. - 11/08/2012 06:26:07 PM 768 Views
I'm happy with it, I like Ryan - 11/08/2012 06:47:21 PM 790 Views
What a shock. - 11/08/2012 08:18:35 PM 911 Views
Re: What a shock. - 11/08/2012 08:51:12 PM 883 Views
ryan isn't going to help rmoney win wisconsin - 11/08/2012 08:21:27 PM 885 Views
Picking Ryan was an olive branch to the GOP rank and file. - 11/08/2012 08:05:41 PM 1003 Views
definitely a bold pick but not going to help him enough in november - 11/08/2012 08:27:59 PM 815 Views
Who cares? He's hot. - 11/08/2012 11:53:42 PM 974 Views
So are you a fan of David Cameron? - 12/08/2012 12:12:50 AM 645 Views
Lol. Nice one. *NM* - 12/08/2012 08:22:01 AM 439 Views
- 13/08/2012 03:31:38 PM 857 Views
Wonderful choice! Truly wonderful.....check the video. - 12/08/2012 03:22:48 AM 712 Views
Nice video. - 12/08/2012 06:52:59 PM 814 Views
Can you explain your fascination with Ryans ideas, please? - 13/08/2012 04:08:35 AM 767 Views
No, it doesn't change my opinion any - 12/08/2012 07:50:21 AM 898 Views
I hear even the DNC has rejected its TN Senate nominee. - 12/08/2012 05:46:37 PM 806 Views
Yes, they disavowed him - 12/08/2012 08:00:33 PM 801 Views
Does not work in the US - 13/08/2012 01:17:58 AM 757 Views
We do not need most of the populace to cast protest votes, only most voters. - 13/08/2012 01:33:41 AM 718 Views
Your distinction misses my greater point - 13/08/2012 01:51:26 AM 766 Views
*shrugs* Vote absentee then. - 13/08/2012 02:28:32 AM 789 Views
I was going to vote Romney anyway, so no, it doesn't change anything. - 12/08/2012 10:39:15 PM 797 Views
But I'm guessing you're glad with Ryan? Prefer him over the alternatives? Or not? - 12/08/2012 10:49:35 PM 956 Views
I disagree - 13/08/2012 12:52:07 AM 819 Views
Bloomberg has imploded - 13/08/2012 07:12:56 PM 719 Views
Bloomberg has become a national laughingstock. - 13/08/2012 08:13:24 PM 807 Views
Not as much as either Obama or Romney, surely. - 13/08/2012 08:23:41 PM 794 Views
Makes sense for you. You are Romney's target audience. - 13/08/2012 01:19:26 PM 730 Views
What should Obama have done? - 13/08/2012 07:31:23 PM 761 Views
And how much of that do you expect from Romney? - 14/08/2012 10:21:33 AM 1088 Views
Certainly more than from Obama. - 16/08/2012 12:00:19 AM 700 Views
Mmm, Objectivism. Another reason for me to vote Obama. - 12/08/2012 11:00:34 PM 880 Views
But doesn't he say he detests Rand? - 12/08/2012 11:53:47 PM 623 Views
Link to audio of Paul Ryans address to The Atlas Society. - 13/08/2012 03:37:27 AM 925 Views
Or you could have just read my response which posted prior to yours - 13/08/2012 01:45:07 PM 697 Views
Sorry, I completely missed your link. - 13/08/2012 03:09:11 PM 820 Views
Don't get me wrong - 13/08/2012 12:53:10 AM 736 Views
Actually I believe he promised to vote for Romney if I did - 13/08/2012 03:48:35 AM 876 Views
What an amusing retrospective. - 13/08/2012 04:20:02 AM 891 Views
Uh... how exactly did you get to spending and budget timelines? - 13/08/2012 04:59:45 AM 721 Views
Tangentially, of course. - 13/08/2012 05:08:18 AM 757 Views
I tried reading it again, but my eyes glazed over when you started babbling about lesbian covens. - 14/08/2012 12:30:03 AM 666 Views
It was a hyperbolic reference to the extreme left (one stolen from Matt Groening, btw.) - 14/08/2012 10:12:09 AM 738 Views
Interesting. - 14/08/2012 11:34:30 AM 809 Views
They have a pill for that now. - 14/08/2012 01:14:39 PM 849 Views
I'm pretty sure the solution is you learning elementary composition. *NM* - 15/08/2012 11:33:57 PM 511 Views
Your willful reading incomprehension is neither my fault nor problem. - 16/08/2012 07:40:46 PM 804 Views
I don't think you can succinctly do anything. *NM* - 16/08/2012 09:33:38 PM 519 Views
I just did. - 16/08/2012 09:36:21 PM 796 Views
EDIT: ACK! Hoist on my own petard! - 14/08/2012 12:25:27 AM 747 Views
No birth control, no right to choose, no planned parenthood? - 13/08/2012 01:58:51 PM 670 Views
They are really doing a public service that way. *NM* - 13/08/2012 02:26:39 PM 357 Views
I agree with your statements - 14/08/2012 12:53:41 AM 891 Views
It's mostly nonsense - 14/08/2012 04:46:11 AM 798 Views
Well - 14/08/2012 02:54:06 PM 1011 Views
'Nonsense' refers to the thing said about the religious right by the media - 14/08/2012 04:01:47 PM 1004 Views
I'm wondering if "belittles" is the wrong word. - 14/08/2012 06:30:23 PM 1055 Views
Re: I'm wondering if "belittles" is the wrong word. - 15/08/2012 01:45:59 AM 754 Views
I have to keep this short, because I am on the iPad. - 15/08/2012 05:38:48 AM 712 Views
Triple reply chain is usually a good point for the trim-edit anyway - 15/08/2012 05:27:20 PM 899 Views
Or shows it's time to quit. - 15/08/2012 10:20:17 PM 1106 Views
Agreed - 15/08/2012 10:54:05 PM 671 Views
The question, as for Tom, is what you believe Romney would improve for small businesses. - 14/08/2012 01:38:29 PM 830 Views
I am aware of that, thank you. And I don't distill my choice down to small business, either. - 14/08/2012 02:24:24 PM 881 Views
I see your point, but... - 14/08/2012 02:30:22 PM 652 Views
Well - 14/08/2012 03:09:18 PM 837 Views
Are you really going to let Obama con you into voting for him again? - 21/08/2012 02:00:06 PM 659 Views
I honestly haven't decided. - 21/08/2012 04:13:44 PM 1030 Views
Expanding our perspective does not improve our options much, sadly. - 14/08/2012 04:23:48 PM 778 Views
None of that is that important. - 14/08/2012 08:53:10 PM 833 Views
Agreed. *NM* - 15/08/2012 02:21:55 PM 475 Views
Bullshit - 21/08/2012 01:46:42 PM 852 Views
This makes me more likely to vote R this year. - 15/08/2012 02:31:06 PM 749 Views

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