Comments Posted By Still Liberal
Displaying 71 To 80 Of 99 Comments
OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND, OUT OF LUCK
Typical G. W. Bush. Doesn't understand the situation, offers a boneheaded solution and ignores those who might have a different, more useful opinion. But he is still light years ahead of the IOC, the most corrupt "governing" body of sports on the planet. This multi-billion dollar con game needs to be eliminated. The Olympics are the dirty end of the patriotic stick. Ginning up national pride then levying massive entry fees for host countries and participant nations with a majority of sporting events that most people would not walk across the street to see for free if not wrapped in national and Olympic flags. A pox on their house.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 7.07.2008 @ 20:03
THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE'S SILLY SUGGESTION
This is a very tough issue. I was raised with guns and hunting in a very rural area, so there is a bias toward the necessity and recreational use of guns. Gun bans are effective in some other countries. Japan and Great Britan have very strong anti-gun laws and very low rates of gun related deaths (annual rate of about .04 per 100,000 in Japan and .05 per 100,000 in England). The United States consistently rates around 14 or more gun deaths per 100,000 obout 30,000 per year. Regardless of one's politics, this is a very troubling figure, but it doesn't mean gun bans should be used here.
Given that we have the Second Amendment, it would seem that effective mental health treatment (50% or more of gun deaths are suicides), better enforcement of gun related criminal laws (the use of guns in crimes) (40% of gun deaths are homicides), and widespread education about the safe use of guns would be far more useful solutions than gun bans which will not happen.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 1.07.2008 @ 18:28
For the life of me, I do not understand why Rick Moran is not a national political columnist. This piece is a better explanation of conservative patriotism (and conservative thought)than Krauthammer, Goldberg, Malkin, Coulter or Bennett ever dreamed of producing. Some conservative ideas set my teeth on edge, but all Americans need to understand each other, even when (or especially when) we don't agree. This blog is where I come for the best take on conservatism, even when I get pissed off by it on occasion! Keep up the outstanding thought and the craft of writing.
Your thoughts are much appreciated.
ed.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 28.06.2008 @ 12:54
OBAMA DROPS PRE-EMPTIVE RACE BOMB
Obama's comments about people pointing out he is black are the race card, whether it invites criticism or not. Every candidate for President is subject to intense criticism from the opposition. I have yet to hear any responsible Republican politician mention Obama's race in a negative manner. It is not likely that we will hear this either. Obama is subject to the opposition creating doubt about his experience, youth and policies. If you want to call that fear, so be it.
It is inevitable that some ultra conservative 527's and blogs will create racial whisper campaigns, the same type as Romney faced as a Mormon and McCain endured in his last run concerning the "black baby" issue. Ultimately, it is simply not necessary to make any appeals to people who will vote against Obama based simply on race. His race is self-evident. So is his inexperience, kooky friends, and doubtful policies.
The latter are fair game for criticizing him as it is with any politician. The way out of the Catch 22 is to call bullshit when it occurs. Fair minded people will know the difference between a racist attack and a fair criticism.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 21.06.2008 @ 16:24
One of the most successfully marketed (and incorrect) right wing ideas is that of poverty and the "welfare state." This is a very easy attack line on liberals. The fact is, poverty was not created nor is it maintained by programs to assist the poor. The fact is that poverty rates have declined significantly since the introduction of modern assistance programs in the United States.
Poverty has been with us always ans likely always will be. Before the so called welfare state, people were incarcerated or placed in poor houses if they could not work or pay their bills. Poverty has many root causes. The lack of desire to work is but one small part of the problem, not the be all and end all that I see it represented often as by right wing folks.
I don't know very many liberals who do not think personal responsibility is important. I started working at 13 and have paid my own way entirely now for nearly 40 years. Society does owe the weakest of its members help and assistance when it is needed. Such help should be focused on getting people in a position to care for themselves. Many people, for a multitude of reasons (such as mental illness or retardation, severe addictions, etc.) will never be able to care for themselves and society is obligated to help. Remember, the vast majority of people work themselves off of public assistance.
I have no problem with conservatives claiming personal resonsibility as their issue. They are good at it. Just remember that the vast majority of self-identified liberals also live responsible lives and make their own way in the world. Most conservatives are compassionate and caring people, not the mean spirited, uncaring jerks they are stereotyped as. Most liberals are, by the same token, responsible and self-suffecient.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 16.06.2008 @ 20:44
IT'S OBAMA IN A LANDSLIDE - OVERSEAS
Great post. Every dominant power that has ever existed has been on a track of rise, rule, then decline as other powers begin their rise. This will also be true for the United States as the world's dominant power. This undeniable fact does NOT, however, mean that we have to play along with those who wish to fast forward the process.
America has lead the world in most of the things that allow modern societies to exist and flourish - inventions to enhance productivity and to communicate quickly, ideas to build wealth and share the process with everyone willing to work for it, charitable and governmental systems for sharing our great success with the world, protection for the weak from those who would take advantage of them, and and an environment that allows capitalism to flourish (and regulated suffeciently to curb potential abuses) to fuel payment for all of the good we have created and shared.
Any right thinking person will admit that America has made mistakes, sometimes some real doozies. But the same right thinking people will also readily acknowledge that America has done much more good than bad; in fact, many times over. I am not prone toward isolationism, but we cannot allow the U.N. and other organizations to promote the demise of American strength and leadership.
As flawed as he may be, John McCain seems to understand this basic premise and he will have my albeit somewhat reluctant vote as the best team to work for the betterment of America and the world through our sustained leadership in a very unfriendly and unappreciative world.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 13.06.2008 @ 11:07
"All good suggestions. But spectacular dunks make the highlight shows and promote the league. That simple.
ed."
You are of course correct. But I miss the game in which players had to be thinkers, not thugs. Guess I am officially old.
And, Dear Editor, any chance of an update on the Iraq War? It seems a lot of positives politically and militarily are happening but it is very hard to get specifics. I was one who grumped about getting into the wrong war in Iraq, but if can have a positive outcome, I will happily admit being wrong, eat my hat and send a donation to the G. W. Bush Library.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 11.06.2008 @ 13:58
I wouldn't put a lot of stock in Donaghy’s allegations, but the number of phantom fouls is quite high in playoff basketball.
The sport could be instantly improved by making the goals 12 feet high instead of 10 feet. The dunk needs to be limited or eliminated (high school girls can dunk, for heaven's sake!)and basketball returned to a purer shooting game. Raising the goal would help lessen the wrestling matches under the goals as well, as rebounds would go further. My 2 cents.
All good suggestions. But spectacular dunks make the highlight shows and promote the league. That simple.
ed.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 11.06.2008 @ 13:02
A LITTLE ALTERNATE HISTORY: 'HOPKINS SLAMS FDR IN NEW BOOK'
FDR brought the country out of the Great Depression and helped lead the Allied powers to victory in World War II. George Bush is an ineffectual, despised nincompoop whose high water marks are a misbegotten "war", restrictions of American core freedoms, an horrendous addition to the national debt and fearmongering on a scale not seen since Joe McCarthy.
If you want to attack Scott McClellan, making an apples and horse dung comparison is probably not the way to do it.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 1.06.2008 @ 23:31
Well, this is interesting. I went to the official Obama for President website for a look at any available updates on position papers to help me discuss this post. It is absolutely impossible to access the website without giving contact information first. Is it just me, or is this just a little arrogant in demanding my e-mail address before I can use the website? My conservative friends tell me that a far left liberal would not give a second thought to a mandate for getting access and I'm not so sure they are not correct.
My vote is still for McCain but I suspect Rick is right in the Obama election. We were so desperate for change after Watergate, we bought an unknown peanut farmer as president. We are going to buy another pig in a poke, sight unseen.
Comment Posted By still liberal On 29.05.2008 @ 23:09
