Comments on: Electability http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/ America's favorite blog Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:02:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Paul http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32527 Fri, 16 May 2008 05:23:02 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32527 Dave. I know you won't believe me when I apologize if you took personal offense. I was just making an easy joke. David, you made a lot of good points regarding corrupt politicians, and why lord acton said "great men are almost always bad men." It has created the eternal discourse between people who like omelettes and people who hate breaking eggs. Often, in America, they're one and the same, which is why I believe a lot of political "debates" are retarded ones. Good rants by all, anyway. Dave. I know you won’t believe me when I apologize if you took personal offense. I was just making an easy joke.
David, you made a lot of good points regarding corrupt politicians, and why lord acton said “great men are almost always bad men.”
It has created the eternal discourse between people who like omelettes and people who hate breaking eggs.
Often, in America, they’re one and the same, which is why I believe a lot of political “debates” are retarded ones.
Good rants by all, anyway.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32524 Fri, 16 May 2008 02:00:00 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32524 Make that paddle my canoe up a stream of [semi]consciousness. Make that paddle my canoe up a stream of [semi]consciousness.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32523 Fri, 16 May 2008 01:58:12 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32523 I've got to add the fact that I don't like lawyer jokes. While there are some lawyers who deserve those jokes, I have three lawyers who are friends and one who is a close acquaintance, and the political figures I have known, associated with in campaigns, and admired for their integrity and honesty, have all been lawyers. Teachers, lawyers, elected officials, and bureaucrats are all in the main decent, hard-working, dedicated individuals, and all are essential to the well-being of this nation. As with policemen, when one of these people is a discredit, it hurts all of us, and not just in small ways. I would also like to add that politics does not corrupt politicians. If they behave in a corrupt manner, they are just being who they always were, and noboby noticed. Because they wield so much power, they are under constant pressure by corrupters, of course, mostly the special intere$t$. But I don't think corruption is the biggest problem. Misguided ideology is. Most of the damage done by the Bush administration is because of ideology. It just happens that they are apparently also one of the most corrupt administrations, or at least the softest on corruption on behalf of major corporate interests. But Huey Long was also corrupt. But he wound up doing a great deal of good for LSU and for the public schoolchildren of Louisiana because his ideology was New Deal, and because he taxed the shit out of oil interests in Louisiana, along with the reminder that if they didn't like it, they could go fuck themselves. Would that he had not been corrupt, because it proved his undoing. But the good folks of Louisiana benefitted from his ideology. The good folks of the United States have been royally screwed by Bush's ideology. Do not ask me how I got from point A to point Z in this one. I have no idea. But I do love to take an occasional ride on a train of [semi]consciousness. I’ve got to add the fact that I don’t like lawyer jokes. While there are some lawyers who deserve those jokes, I have three lawyers who are friends and one who is a close acquaintance, and the political figures I have known, associated with in campaigns, and admired for their integrity and honesty, have all been lawyers. Teachers, lawyers, elected officials, and bureaucrats are all in the main decent, hard-working, dedicated individuals, and all are essential to the well-being of this nation. As with policemen, when one of these people is a discredit, it hurts all of us, and not just in small ways.

I would also like to add that politics does not corrupt politicians. If they behave in a corrupt manner, they are just being who they always were, and noboby noticed. Because they wield so much power, they are under constant pressure by corrupters, of course, mostly the special intere$t$. But I don’t think corruption is the biggest problem. Misguided ideology is. Most of the damage done by the Bush administration is because of ideology. It just happens that they are apparently also one of the most corrupt administrations, or at least the softest on corruption on behalf of major corporate interests.

But Huey Long was also corrupt. But he wound up doing a great deal of good for LSU and for the public schoolchildren of Louisiana because his ideology was New Deal, and because he taxed the shit out of oil interests in Louisiana, along with the reminder that if they didn’t like it, they could go fuck themselves. Would that he had not been corrupt, because it proved his undoing. But the good folks of Louisiana benefitted from his ideology. The good folks of the United States have been royally screwed by Bush’s ideology.

Do not ask me how I got from point A to point Z in this one. I have no idea. But I do love to take an occasional ride on a train of [semi]consciousness.

]]> by: Dave von Ebers http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32520 Thu, 15 May 2008 23:06:23 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32520 Yeah, Paul. Sure. There's that "all lawyers are evil" thing again. Just once, I'd like all you clever lawyer-haters to wake up in a world without us. Without any means to vindicate <i>your</i> rights; without anyone to defend <i>you</i> if you're wrongly accused of a crime; without anyone to go to bat for <i>you</i> when the bank tries to foreclose on your house, or the insurance company denies your claims, or the doctor amputates the wrong leg. You think those things don't happen, or they won't ever happen to you? Don't be too sure. You'd be amazed at what I've seen some 21 years in the law biz. For what it's worth, and it ain't much, my clients are predominantly African American, Latino, or working class white folks, with a few small business owners here and there. I don't do PI work, divorce or med mal; nor do I represent Fortune 500 companies. I'd hazard a guess that most folks who comment here make at least as much, if not more, money than I do in an average year, and that's just fine with me. As long as my 13 year old Saturn starts in the morning, I've got no complaints. You know, I could care less if people think all lawyers are hypocrites, or charlatans, or thieves. But it was lawyers who wrote the damn Constitution and Bill of Rights, while our friends in the medical profession were still letting blood to cure the common cold. So, if your asking me to be ashamed of the profession of Abraham Lincoln, Clarence Darrow, Thurgood Marshall and, yes, Hillary Clinton, too ... well, don't hold your breath. Yeah, Paul. Sure.

There’s that “all lawyers are evil” thing again. Just once, I’d like all you clever lawyer-haters to wake up in a world without us. Without any means to vindicate your rights; without anyone to defend you if you’re wrongly accused of a crime; without anyone to go to bat for you when the bank tries to foreclose on your house, or the insurance company denies your claims, or the doctor amputates the wrong leg. You think those things don’t happen, or they won’t ever happen to you? Don’t be too sure. You’d be amazed at what I’ve seen some 21 years in the law biz.

For what it’s worth, and it ain’t much, my clients are predominantly African American, Latino, or working class white folks, with a few small business owners here and there. I don’t do PI work, divorce or med mal; nor do I represent Fortune 500 companies. I’d hazard a guess that most folks who comment here make at least as much, if not more, money than I do in an average year, and that’s just fine with me. As long as my 13 year old Saturn starts in the morning, I’ve got no complaints.

You know, I could care less if people think all lawyers are hypocrites, or charlatans, or thieves. But it was lawyers who wrote the damn Constitution and Bill of Rights, while our friends in the medical profession were still letting blood to cure the common cold. So, if your asking me to be ashamed of the profession of Abraham Lincoln, Clarence Darrow, Thurgood Marshall and, yes, Hillary Clinton, too … well, don’t hold your breath.

]]> by: Paul http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32519 Thu, 15 May 2008 22:32:37 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32519 Jim, point taken. I was just commenting on what appeared to be some kind of moral outrage going on in the killing fields when the machetes are in full swing. I generally, like most people, leave that up to the "never again" historians, so they have something to do. Personally, I think it's not "fair play" to be telling Hillary to quit. It's unreasonable, an unlikely, so why keep bringing it up? I believe if dems have a problem with it, they should reorganize their own game of nominating people so it's not such a drawn out affair, but then again, maybe it suits dems political purposes in the long run, and look at me moralizing in circles, and I'm going to make fun of me soon if I don't stop it. To Dave, one response was enough, but... you just had to go back for one more, didn't you? "oh wait. I notice Paul's ass somewhat bruised, but quite fully kicked. Let's fix that right now..." All I can say is I can empathize with your chagrine when you noticed that someone who used the term "tittyfuck" was lecturing you on social propriety, but just think how I felt when I was given a heads up on hypocrisy by an admitted practicing attorney. So maybe we can come together in our pain. Jim, point taken. I was just commenting on what appeared to be some kind of moral outrage going on in the killing fields when the machetes are in full swing.
I generally, like most people, leave that up to the “never again” historians, so they have something to do.
Personally, I think it’s not “fair play” to be telling Hillary to quit. It’s unreasonable, an unlikely, so why keep bringing it up?
I believe if dems have a problem with it, they should reorganize their own game of nominating people so it’s not such a drawn out affair, but then again, maybe it suits dems political purposes in the long run, and look at me moralizing in circles, and I’m going to make fun of me soon if I don’t stop it.
To Dave, one response was enough, but… you just had to go back for one more, didn’t you? “oh wait. I notice Paul’s ass somewhat bruised, but quite fully kicked. Let’s fix that right now…”
All I can say is I can empathize with your chagrine when you noticed that someone who used the term “tittyfuck” was lecturing you on social propriety, but just think how I felt when I was given a heads up on hypocrisy by an admitted practicing attorney.
So maybe we can come together in our pain.

]]> by: Dave von Ebers http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32513 Thu, 15 May 2008 02:11:09 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32513 The key to Bill Clinton was the message. No Rovian tactics, no underhanded, back-stabbing BS. It was the message. Seems to me, he forgot that along the way. The key to Bill Clinton was the message. No Rovian tactics, no underhanded, back-stabbing BS. It was the message. Seems to me, he forgot that along the way.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32511 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:16:46 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32511 Jon, I remember it the same way you do. Thanks for the reminder. My dad, who was 84 at the time, and who looked to me to help him sort through the candidates, but most definitely still had a mind of his own (and a lovable one, at that), was so impressed with Bill Clinton's campaign that he made a $50 donation on his own, and told me about it later, and quite proudly. To my knowledge, Dad had never before been moved to make a donation to a presidential candidate, although he voted. Jon,
I remember it the same way you do. Thanks for the reminder. My dad, who was 84 at the time, and who looked to me to help him sort through the candidates, but most definitely still had a mind of his own (and a lovable one, at that), was so impressed with Bill Clinton’s campaign that he made a $50 donation on his own, and told me about it later, and quite proudly. To my knowledge, Dad had never before been moved to make a donation to a presidential candidate, although he voted.

]]> by: Jon http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32503 Wed, 14 May 2008 21:16:44 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32503 As for generally "ethical" campaigns that were successful, I might even throw in Bill Clinton's. I may be forgetting something, but don't recall any Rovery or other knavery there. I guess that would tend to show the difference between his appeal as a candidate and his wife's. As for generally “ethical” campaigns that were successful, I might even throw in Bill Clinton’s. I may be forgetting something, but don’t recall any Rovery or other knavery there. I guess that would tend to show the difference between his appeal as a candidate and his wife’s.

]]> by: Dave von Ebers http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32480 Tue, 13 May 2008 20:17:15 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32480 Jim, I've heard of foot fetishes, but never breast-enhanced shoe fetishes. Not that there's anything wrong with that. And, for what it's worth, I meant no sarcasm there. Jim, I’ve heard of foot fetishes, but never breast-enhanced shoe fetishes.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

And, for what it’s worth, I meant no sarcasm there.

]]> by: Jim (OJNTNJ) http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32479 Tue, 13 May 2008 19:39:32 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/05/08/electability/#comment-32479 Dave, in conjunction with breast enhanced Nike shoes no less...ditto on that "just an observation" thing. Dave, in conjunction with breast enhanced Nike shoes no less…ditto on that “just an observation” thing.

]]>