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Post by Queen E on Nov 7, 2012 14:43:53 GMT -5
Election? OVER. Now what? Here's the place to discuss! BUFFY: New semester, new classes. Whole new vistas of knowledge to be confused and intimidated by.
TARA: I think this one's gonna be kind of fun. Greek Art's gonna touch on so many things -- mythology, history, philosophy...
BUFFY: The professor spit too much when he talked. It was like being at Sea World. The first five rows will get wet.
TARA: That was just, you know, um, enthusiasm.
BUFFY: It seemed very much like saliva.
TARA: We'll sit farther back next timeWelcome to the Open Topic Discussion- Part 7! So, go to it. All are welcome to talk here about pretty much whatever you want. Religion, politics, philosophy... you name it!
But, before we go any further, here's the deal:While we have relaxed the rules about religion and politics only in this forum, we're still adhering to the "no bashing" rules. There's a little black button up above if you need a refresher on those.
Please keep any disagreements potentially created here from carrying over to the other threads. This forum may be suspended if we feel it becomes detrimental to the harmony of the S'cubies.
Technopagans do reserve the right to reprimand, apply strikes and modify/delete posts if posters don't take the rules seriously.
With that said, we'd also like to address the fact that techs will probably frequently be involved in the discourse. While they will strive to adhere to the rules themselves, it is quite possible that, at some point, the regular members may feel they have stepped out of bounds. If you feel a board admin is out of line, please report this to the other Techs and/or your CoW members. And that's pretty much it! Follow those guidelines and we should all be good. Oh, and to quote Karen, 'cause I love this:
"You know politicians. Bunch of bitchy little girls."
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Post by Sue on Nov 7, 2012 14:45:56 GMT -5
I have a lot of thoughts that I hope I get around to writing down -- advice to over-confidant Dems who are going on and on and the Republicans having to re-calibrate. Maybe later. For now, a few quotes from various entries here: maddowblog.msnbc.com/(In general it looks like the entries aren't actually written by RM herself. Also, sadly, like nearly all internet sites I wouldn't recommend reading the comments.) But did like a couple of observations: --The GOP apparently isn't familiar with actuarial tables, either, choosing to be heavily reliant on older voters. --Watching Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) earn a big win last night, I couldn't help but think about the way in which Senate Republicans were indirectly responsible for the outcome. You'll recall that it was Warren's consumer-advocacy work that led President Obama and congressional Democrats to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. GOP policymakers fought the agency's existence, but they also drew a line in the sand: under no circumstances would Warren be allowed to head the CFPB. As a result, Obama asked Warren to help structure the agency; Richard Cordray got to worklooking out for consumers; and Democrats approached Warren with an idea: "You know, there's this Senate race coming up in Massachusetts...." Sen. Scott Brown (R) looked to be in a fairly strong position, but Warren beat him with relative ease yesterday, ending up with an eight-point edge with nearly all the precincts reporting. If Senate Republicans had allowed Warren to receive a simple, up-or-down vote, she very likely would have spent 2012 at the CFPB, instead of on the campaign trail, and Democrats may have struggled to find a candidate who could have dispatched Brown so easily. But the GOP's obstructionist instincts stopped the party from thinking ahead. And from an article on Puerto Rico's election voting: The two-part referendum first asked voters if they wanted to change Puerto Rico's 114-year relationship with the United States. A second question gave voters three alternatives if they wanted a change: become a U.S. state, gain independence, or have a "sovereign free association," a designation that would give more autonomy for the territory of 4 million people. With 243 of 1,643 precincts reporting late Tuesday, 75,188 voters, or 53 percent, said they did not want to continue under the current political status. Forty-seven percent, or 67,304 voters, supported the status quo. On the second question, 65 percent favored statehood, followed by 31 percent for sovereign free association and 4 percent for independence. Also: xkcd.com/1131/
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Post by Sue on Nov 7, 2012 14:46:32 GMT -5
Sorry, not quite ready to let it go. Still pumped. And relieved. Oh, so incredibly relieved.
And hopeful.
Praying/vibing/thinking hard thoughts like crazy that there are REAL and realistic folks in both parties who will work together.
I don't necessarily think term limits are the solution. If you get a great person in there I don't think electing a new, unexperienced person who you can't know as well every other election or so is necessarily the best solution.
At first I though maybe you could hold incumbants to a higher standard -- like, require they get 55% of the vote to hold on to their seats. But, beyond the impossible logisitics that just promotes more "I have to get mine for MY constituents and the heck with the rest of you" mentality
I think we need a Steve Jobs/Bill Gates of Congressional Evaluation.
sigh sigh sigh.
I know they already do that and instead of the fact of being moderate and willing to compromise being an ASSET it turns out it gets folks un-elected.
bah humbug
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Post by Sue on Nov 7, 2012 15:01:44 GMT -5
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Post by Sue on Nov 7, 2012 19:24:22 GMT -5
here are the top election tweets of the night.
Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt): "I don't speak Spanish and Telemundo's election coverage is making ten times more sense than CNN's. #ayecarumba"
Rainn Wilson (@rainnwilson): "SITCOM IDEA: "Whitehouse Mates". Mitt and Obama TIE & have to share the Whitehouse & govern together. Also, one is gay."
Dana Gould (@danajgould): "Why is the same show on EVERY CHANNEL?"
Conan O'Brien (@teamcoco): "No matter who wins - the new world order orgy inside their sacred Westchester County ziggurat will begin on time, with a sacrifice."
Aziz Ansari (@azizansari): "Had a good chuckle at the Illuminati meeting this morning about the "election" that is "tomorrow." Hahaha! Have fun guys."
Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling): "In my movie Election Day dir by Garry Marshall I get engaged to Bradley Cooper in an voting booth. 'I have a prop for you.' coos Bradley"
Stephen Colbert (@stephenathome): "Rock the Vote! Or if you're middle-aged with a sentimental side, Easy Listen the Vote!
Damon Lindelof (@damonlindelof): I keep waiting for John King to wave his hand over Wolf Blitzer's crotch and turn it red"
The Daily Show (@thedailyshow): "#TDSBreakingNews New York goes for the Democrat! (Save this tweet for use in 2016, 2020, etc.) #DailyShowLive"
The Daily Show (@thedailyshow): "#TDSBreakingNews Long voting lines in key states. Either that or they're selling iPads at Florida schools. #DailyShowLive"
Eric Stonestreet (@ericstonestreet): "So now what states can Mitch and Cam get married in?"
Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley): "I'm sorry, @mittromney, you're no longer in the running to become America's Next Top President."
Daniel Tosh (@danieltosh): "good luck today Florida! try not to pull a "Florida"
Big Bird Romney (@bigbirdromney): "Mitt Romney still deciding which Mitt Romney will deliver Mitt Romney's concession speech. #Election2012"
Steve Levitan (@stevelevitan) "Hey Trump, did you see Mitt Romney's concession speech? That's what graciousness and good hair looks like"
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Post by Sue on Nov 7, 2012 19:56:05 GMT -5
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Post by Michelle on Nov 9, 2012 20:44:08 GMT -5
I love this. Really affecting:
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 9, 2012 21:58:07 GMT -5
So I voted for Johnson out of principle. In the end, I couldn't bear to vote for a presidential candidate that kept stumping on the continued growth of the American Empire, because I think it's time to assume crash positions. Johnson is likeable and capable enough and his platform comes closest to one I can support.
Glad Romney didn't win, and am hoping that Obama might be more willing to do and say things that need to be said and done now that he doesn't have to worry about being reelected. Will he talk more candidly about climate change? Will he dare hope broach the subject of Peak Oil?
On Obamacare, we'll get to see it implemented in earnest now. Everyone will be able to stop speculating about what will or will not happen and we can actually see what it actually does. And we can move on to fixing what doesn't work rather than trying to undo it before it has a chance to take effect.
One thing I will appreciate when I drive away from next weekend is not seeing that War on Coal propaganda anymore.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 9, 2012 22:30:27 GMT -5
Spring, on the question of straight couples not marrying in protest, I think most of the gay people I know would find the idea nothing more than a celebrity stunt.
Personally, I think there are better ways to protest; acts of civil disobedience that help gay couples surmount the legal obstacles they face, for example. Simply furthering education on the issue, ie why legal recognition matters, would be more helpful as well.
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Post by SpringSummers on Nov 11, 2012 15:48:06 GMT -5
So I voted for Johnson out of principle. In the end, I couldn't bear to vote for a presidential candidate that kept stumping on the continued growth of the American Empire, because I think it's time to assume crash positions. Johnson is likeable and capable enough and his platform comes closest to one I can support. Glad Romney didn't win, and am hoping that Obama might be more willing to do and say things that need to be said and done now that he doesn't have to worry about being reelected. Will he talk more candidly about climate change? Will he dare hope broach the subject of Peak Oil? On Obamacare, we'll get to see it implemented in earnest now. Everyone will be able to stop speculating about what will or will not happen and we can actually see what it actually does. And we can move on to fixing what doesn't work rather than trying to undo it before it has a chance to take effect. One thing I will appreciate when I drive away from next weekend is not seeing that War on Coal propaganda anymore. That was the worst. It was everywhere around here.
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Post by SpringSummers on Nov 11, 2012 15:58:06 GMT -5
Spring, on the question of straight couples not marrying in protest, I think most of the gay people I know would find the idea nothing more than a celebrity stunt. Personally, I think there are better ways to protest; acts of civil disobedience that help gay couples surmount the legal obstacles they face, for example. Simply furthering education on the issue, ie why legal recognition matters, would be more helpful as well. Interesting take. Thanks for adding your thoughts to this. Ultimately, I don't think its a big issue - and have never thought to ask any gay people I know what they think of it. I know it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, though I'm not sure that's fair.
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Post by Queen E on Nov 13, 2012 14:11:07 GMT -5
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Post by Sue on Nov 13, 2012 16:53:48 GMT -5
Carolyn sent this to me with the heading Did you write it?No, but I wish I had. Perfect!
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Post by Sue on Nov 13, 2012 17:18:49 GMT -5
From my sister in law:
>>>> >>>> To help save the economy, the Government will announce >>>> next month that the Immigration Department will start deporting >>>> seniors (instead of illegals) in order to lower Social Security >>>> and Medicare costs. >>>> >>>> Older people are easier to catch and will not remember >>>> how to get back home. >>>> >>>> I started to cry when I thought of you. >>>> >>>> Then it dawned on me ... oh, crap ... >>>> >>>> I'll see you on the bus!
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Post by Sue on Nov 13, 2012 17:21:01 GMT -5
And this one, even better, from my brother in law:
One sunny day in January, 2013, an old man approached theWhite House from across Pennsylvania Avenue where he had been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the U.S. Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go in and meet with President Romney." The Marine looked at the man and said, "Sir, Mr. Romney is not President and doesn't reside here." The old man said, "Okay," and walked away. The following day the same man approached the White House and said to the same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Romney." The Marine again told the man, "Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Romney was never elected President and has never resided here." The man thanked him and again just walked away. The third day the same man approached the White House and spoke to the very same U.S. Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Romney." The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at the man and said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to speak to Mr. Romney. I've told you already that Mr. Romney has never been the President and has never resided here. Don't you understand?" The old man looked at the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I just love hearing it." The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, "See you tomorrow, Sir."
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