Comments Posted By bsjones
Displaying 91 To 100 Of 237 Comments
BEGALA: APRIL 15TH SHOULD BE 'PATRIOT'S DAY'
WHY I AM HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE WITH TAXES
I like America. I like the roads. I like the bridges. I like the satellites. I like the cell phone networks. I like the power grids. I like the national parks. I like the military. I like the police force. I like the fireman. I like the NAVY SEALS. I like kickin ass 24/7 all over the globe. The sun never sets on American military bases.All of this is made possible, in part, by government. It costs money.
I've traveled outside the country a great deal. The places with high taxes and big government are places most Americans would like to visit. Think Britain, Netherlands, Italy, etc... Places with little government and low taxes are places most would prefer not to visit. Think Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Government is necessary for civilization. (Ask the ancient Romans.) Government costs money. Paying for government is called taxes.
Saying that government can't do things right but private business always gets things is laughable. Government screws things up. Private business screws things up. The story tellers who insist that government is inefficient and ineffective while private business is efficient and effective are telling fairy tales for their masters.
Comment Posted By bsjones On 15.04.2009 @ 15:22
Scrapiron,
Can you tells us which comments prove democrats are stupid? Are you even sure you know which comments were written by democrats? Will you explain this stuff about being a Nazi or communist and living in the third world?Can you do this without name calling?
Comment Posted By bsjones On 15.04.2009 @ 01:27
It comes down to the rights that are guaranteed to us under the Constitution (and perhaps implied in the Declaration of Independence).
First, do we accept that we have these rights universally?
Second, when, if ever, do we limit these rights?
Third, what is the procedure for abridging these rights, if, and when it is justified?Do we accept the ACLU stance that there is never a justification for limiting rights? Or, do we just abridge the rights of those with whom we disagree? In other words, why are we only getting exercised about this now?
There are a few civil libertarians on the right, the most prominent being Ron Paul, but I think many on the right are only upset because the right to assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances as represented by Tea Parties is only now potentially going to be infringed.
Comment Posted By bsjones On 14.04.2009 @ 17:20
Here is the liberal Glenn Greenwald's take on the subject. He he blogs at the liberal Salon.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/
Comment Posted By bsjones On 14.04.2009 @ 15:28
Americans only have First Amendment rights as long as we are content not to exercise them. It has been this way my entire adult life. This is nothing new, but it is nice to hear someone acknowledge reality. It's refreshing.
Comment Posted By bsjones On 14.04.2009 @ 15:19
The Beckian Wing of Conservatism
Hyperbolic free speech from the duly elected Republican Representative from Illinois Mark Kirk about the possibility of the duly elected Governor from Illinois being shot over tax policy.
Elected Representative Kirk:
“I think that the decision to raise taxes by 50 percent in Illinois is political suicide,” Kirk said of Quinn’s proposal to raise the tax rate to 4.5 percent from 3 percent, coupled with an increase in the personal deduction. “I think the people of Illinois are ready to shoot anyone who is going to raise taxes by that degree.”Does it makes sense that one of the good people of Illinois would be ready to shoot their elected Governor over tax policy changes?
Just political speech?
Comments?
Comment Posted By bsjones On 16.04.2009 @ 23:12
Mike Farmer,
Comment Posted By bsjones On 16.04.2009 @ 14:21
My question was simply if hyperbolic infotainment comes at a cost.
Mike Farmer,
At the bottom of all my posts in this thread are the questions:
At what cost Glenn Beck style infotainment?
Comment Posted By bsjones On 15.04.2009 @ 17:31
Is there a benefit?
Is there a cost?
What are they?
Mike Farmer,
post #59 was me.
Comment Posted By bsjones On 14.04.2009 @ 23:29
In post 44 I referred to lonely little old ladies with mild mental illness not being completely stable.(Hi, Mom.) I genuinely wondered if anyone else thought the phenomena could be wide spread or if they had any first hand experience of it. I wondered out loud if there was a possible negative effect of consuming too much of the wildly hyperbolic entertainment programming by this group that I consider vulnerable.
Nobody responded. Today I came across this:
http://brendancalling.com/2009/04/14/more-proof-the-right-wingers-are-short-sighted-and-not-very-bright/
Any comments?
Comment Posted By bsjones On 14.04.2009 @ 18:35
