We Are Voting Yes

Looks like ALL of the politicians owe taxes. So f...

2009-03-03T11:37:28.204-05:00

Looks like ALL of the politicians owe taxes. So far 4 of Obama's cabinet picks are in the same boat. And one of them was picked for Sec. of Treas. I think Sarah would have fit in just right.

Great - A bigger government. Europe certainly pro...

2009-02-05T21:06:13.772-05:00

Great - A bigger government. Europe certainly proves that bigger government works. Permanent unemployment at 10% HERE WE COME!!!! I'm all for that change. *snickers*

How about rendition. Nice pickup on that one. Obama removes Gitmo but allows the practice of rendition to remain. Now that's some change we can believe in.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4425135/Barack-Obama-to-allow-anti-terror-rendition-to-continue.html

I do realize that, and of the objections I listed,...

2009-02-04T11:40:02.620-05:00

I do realize that, and of the objections I listed, this is probably lowest on my list, as it is in part related to providing employment.

As I understand it, this money is an expansion of the AmeriCorps program. It has also swelled to $200 million in the Senate.

The money is allocated as such:

* $65 million for AmeriCorps State and National grants
* $65 million for AmeriCorps VISTA
* $13 million for research related to volunteer service
* $10 million for AmeriCorps NCCC
* $6 million for upgrades to information technology
* $1 million for State Commissions

* $40 million for the National Service Trust

I don't know what the National Service Trust is or what it does. I also don't know what is meant by "state and national grants," which comprises the same amount of money that is directed into the VISTA program, and six and a half times the amount directed into NCCC - both of which, per my understanding, are the actual volunteer wings of AmeriCorps.

While I do think there are very valid reasons to expand AmeriCorps, I'm not sure that I agree that it should be done in the context of this stimulus package - especially if it is creating partisan strife over how the money is allocated. Creating 16,000 "paid internships" or volunteer positions isn't the same thing as building permanent, long-lasting jobs. Can you contend that these internships ultimately impact the overall economy? Yes, you can. But is it the immediate jolt that we need, which is ultimately the purpose of this legislation? I don't know.

I reiterate that this is probably the point that the GOP raises that I agree with the least. I'd be curious to learn more about how AmeriCorps believes these finances will impact their operations, and how they feel it will help to boost the economy.

• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corpor...

2009-02-04T11:11:58.354-05:00

• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

I hope you realize that this is essentially $160 for full time entry level job creation?

This isn't just paying volunteers at the local community center for their time. This program is paying for full time social service workers... who will be sorely needed in these times.

There are thousands of people who are graduating from college with out jobs. These positions are essentially paid internships.

Thank you Heidi. I'm glad you took the time to app...

2009-01-29T22:28:56.614-05:00

Thank you Heidi. I'm glad you took the time to appreciate the ramblings of two friends trying to solve the world's problems. :)

I would like to express my deep felt gratitude for...

2009-01-29T14:37:35.536-05:00

I would like to express my deep felt gratitude for both the original posting and Max’s response. In a world baron of role models (current president excluded) and flooded with the delusional fantasy of celebrities, being young and impressionable can be a rather flat experience. Often times I have found the postings and responses on your page to be the only thought provoking material in my day. Some of this may be a result of my ignorance in finding it, nevertheless, I am thankful

I agree - I left my final point hanging, but this ...

2008-12-17T13:29:26.764-05:00

I agree - I left my final point hanging, but this was mostly because it was not the subject of this post. The short form of that argument is that I have yet to hear anything resembling a compelling argument for restricting gay marriage rights that does not reek of outright intolerance and ignorance. I plan to explore this further later on, but I wanted to make one point at a time.

And I think this point is an important one. The leftist movement to reclaim religion for political gain is counter-productive. I did not attack religion itself, just the futility of debating it.

I find it most humorous that you spend an entire p...

2008-12-16T23:56:15.431-05:00

I find it most humorous that you spend an entire post ridiculing the cycular logic and rigidity of religious and/or faith-based arguments, yet end with a definitive proclamation, supported by no logical argument or reason of your own, that "gay marriage in no way infringes upon the rights of straight members of society."

If you are going to conclude with such a generalized decree, supported seemingly by nothing else than "my opinion is couched in reason," you should probably pause before lambasting those who make their own conclusions "couched in belief." Or at the very least, lay out some of those reasons upon which you rest your final conclusion. Otherwise, you are no better than those "manicured televangelists," who spend 90% of their diatribes damning those who would disagree with them, and 10% dictating their final message.

I am not saying I disagree with what it is you have written. I just think it's very easy, and far too kitsch, to write off religious thinkers as artifacts of an antiquated way of viewing the world, and support contrasting points of view with, "well, I employ reason."

If you are such a firm believer in reason and empiricism, instead of hammering home the tired, albeit well documented, argument that religion has caused countless problems in human history, articulate an argument for why gay marriage does not infringe upon straight members of society and use that as a basis for your post. It would be much more thought-provoking and much less prone to be written off as another rant by an angry atheist, striking out against a sub-culture that just won't come around to see his inerrant point of view.

Choose your words carefully. When you refer to the "religious right," you are referring to a group of people that encompasses a wide spectrum of beliefs, opinions, and social mores. It may not come off as wildly intelligent (or tolerant) to claim that "the wont" of the religious right is to claim they are being victimized. It is akin to saying that Jews are stingy, or Muslims are violent. (Which we all know does not fly among more "progressive" circles.) Such generalizations certainly do not comport with liberal thought. Considering you are a champion of such, you may want think twice before employing such a tactic.

In closing, I find it quite amusing that members of the religious right are the true martyrs; especially as we approach Christmas time. A time when Christmas trees and nativity scenes are plucked from the public eye because......(drum roll) ..........agnostics/atheists are so deeply offended by their presence. How one group can so vehemently insist their beliefs are being offended by the mere presence of a Christmas tree, and then turn around and call others martyrs, boggles my mind.

But maybe I'm using cyclical logic.

(update to previous comment... typos!)top song: th...

2008-11-14T16:06:51.778-05:00

(update to previous comment... typos!)

top song: the vocal riff was lifted from sesame street's "pinball song"! (aka the "1-2-3-4-5, 6-7-8-9-10, 11-twe-e-e-e-e-e-lve" song). second song: nice acid jazz, could hang with the brand new heavies, cfm band, etc.

i can't say that i really "get" her, then again i'm not huge on outkast either... but yeah, she's got huge star potential.

Don't worry - Your work will be moved offshore soo...

2008-11-13T13:31:57.495-05:00

Don't worry - Your work will be moved offshore soon enough.

It's good that he won it. I mean, looking around m...

2008-11-06T14:44:28.390-05:00

It's good that he won it. I mean, looking around my area it was like we were the hometeam watching the McCain/Palin's step onto our field.

I do find it weird that alot more guys are giving me hi-fives because a black guy finally got in. But that's all the inside knowledge you'll get in a public forum.

Too bad Drudge and Kos and whatnot are gonna blow away with dust

Well you'll have to look elsewhere for Republican ...

2008-11-05T17:38:19.161-05:00

Well you'll have to look elsewhere for Republican vomit. I just don't support socialists. Sorry.

Mark Warner for 2016!

Can I have your vomit?I hear Republican vomit make...

2008-11-05T16:12:18.141-05:00

Can I have your vomit?
I hear Republican vomit makes a mighty powerful aphrodisiac

Though I'd prefer your tears

I just vomitted.Obama voters better hope that Obam...

2008-11-05T14:22:51.035-05:00

I just vomitted.

Obama voters better hope that Obama proves more centrist than his voting record; otherwise, the backlash against the Democrat party will be enormous in upcoming elections.

Increasing taxes now would be devastating. Cutting off free trade - Devastatig. Preventing secret ballots in unions - Bad.

The Troopergate report is out. The report recomme...

2008-11-04T13:52:09.860-05:00

The Troopergate report is out. The report recommends the governor's office review its policy on use of personal e-mail accounts. On account of Open Records Acts, state governments are wise to insist that employees (including governors) route all business e-mail through a central e-mail archive and to encourage employees to take all personal e-mail to personal accounts. --Ben http://legal-beagle.typepad.com/wrights_legal_beagle/2008/08/local-government-e-mail-and-the-freedom-of-information-act.html

The socialism argument holds water because a socia...

2008-11-04T12:18:39.851-05:00

The socialism argument holds water because a socialist isn't just a person who advocates for a graduated tax plan but someone who spreads the wealth around all individuals, which Obama is doing by essentially giving 30% of the electorate welfare checks in the form of tax credits.

im nervous about the level of intelligence of amer...

2008-11-02T14:40:39.129-05:00

im nervous about the level of intelligence of americans.

Hey, I read National Review almost every day.I thi...

2008-10-31T14:07:05.641-04:00

Hey, I read National Review almost every day.

I think this article hits on some really good points. The public financing charge is the biggest legitimate critique of Obama, outside of the experience argument. I think the author is largely right on this point. I've always had mixed feelings on campaign finance reform, and I continue to have mixed feelings on it.

Related to the VP candidates, I think this is McCain's own fault - and I don't think you can blame the media entirely. People wanted - and still want - to know about Sarah Palin. And the fact is, the media has a duty to inform us about her - and they had a much steeper hill to climb with her than they do with Biden. They had to start from nothing, whereas the country at least had a familiarity with Biden. Had McCain chosen Pawlenty or Romney or Lieberman or Ridge, I would guarantee there would be more balanced coverage between McCain's veep and Biden. The focus on Palin was wrought by her inexperience - which is part of the reason why the media gave so much attention to Obama in the first place. People want to know about them because they're gathering a lot of support. Obama had almost 2 years for the media to look into his past; there was a much shorter window with Palin, and thus, more focus was granted her over Biden. And finally - people are more interested in Obama than Biden. Coverage of the Democratic ticket goes to Obama, whereas McCain deliberately shifted the coverage of his campaign to Palin. You can't have it both ways.

On the third point, I just think the author is wrong. I personally think the associations argument is horribly weak and has been used for lack of a better argument. And if you look at the narrative that has been present throughout Obama's political career - which you can see the seeds of in Dreams from My Father - the overall narrative is the same: change begins at the ground up, not the top down, and that politics needs to be altered to reflect that reality. To me, that is the overarching theme and purpose of the Obama presidential bid, and I think it has been consistent throughout his career. Evolving positions on other issues are to be expected - and if you're me, to be demanded. I don't want a demagogue in the White House.

And lastly, the socialism argument is just false. To criticize Obama as a "socialist" for revisiting tenants of a graduated tax plan - which McCain has not suggested eliminating, by the by - is misleading and false. Was Bill Clinton a socialist? Because essentially, this is returning to many of the tenants of the Clinton economic plan in the '90s.

So that's my response to the article. Again, I can't argue the financing question - but I think the remaining three are less valid.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OGFhOWY3YTZkM...

2008-10-31T13:50:50.084-04:00

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OGFhOWY3YTZkMzliYjFjYTlkMjNjMGNhMTc3ZjYyMWM=&w=MA==

I know you will crush the source - But you should read the article. It is an interesting take.

It's a bit dusty in here....

2008-10-30T11:02:40.063-04:00

It's a bit dusty in here....

What does that even mean?

2008-10-28T17:24:11.414-04:00

What does that even mean?

Maddow just pulled a CBS.

2008-10-28T17:21:38.175-04:00

Maddow just pulled a CBS.

Well Matt, that is only part of the point that I'm...

2008-10-28T14:53:25.524-04:00

Well Matt, that is only part of the point that I'm making...but you're right, it is a part of it nonetheless. I also don't outright call her a hypocrite, though I do think this is somewhat hypocritical. I don't have any specific examples of Maddow making fun of O'Reilly for something like this - though I expect it would happen.

Sullivan - The point that Chris makes here is that...

2008-10-28T14:05:02.682-04:00

Sullivan - The point that Chris makes here is that we all know Rachel Maddow would go out of her way to make fun of O'Reilly if O'Reilly did this. That's why she's a hypocrite and the fact that she has a show makes me think even less of MSNBC (which isn't saying much since it is the least reputable and least watched news channel).

I wish she'd just go away.

Agreed. I've also noticed production problems on ...

2008-10-28T13:14:05.893-04:00

Agreed. I've also noticed production problems on the show. It is a shame - hopefully they'll get them worked out, given the fact that she only seems to be gaining viewership.