Partisan Politics Good For America?

[Dan H]

Interesting, slightly tongue-in-cheek food for thought for this holiday season. Have a good one, everyone.

http://theweek.com/article/index/272656 ... -just-dont

[Dan H]

http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=229674

[Indy]

I think that Republicans, and especially white republicans who own and operate businesses should return the favor and hate University of Michigan graduates. And those who are Catholic should hate Marquette.

How is this returning a favor? Since when did Michigan alumni say they hate Republicans?

And side note: It has nothing to do with politics, but when people write "news articles" (which are really editorials) and write it likes its a note in middle school, it drives me crazy. If you want people to listen to you, write better than a kid. The rules aren't that hard to follow.

[Dan H]

Denninger's a pretty big smart-ass, but interesting cherry pick of his comment. You don't have any thought of the U of M prof writing an article that "It's okay to hate Republicans." ?

You lose a lot by eliminating the context, he's merely using absurdity to illustrate the absurdity of the alternate position.

For example, here's what preceded your quote, which IMO speaks directly to premise of this thread:

Just curious, you see, because people have been expelled from academia (never mind everywhere else) for expressing anything that might offend anyone -- like, for instance, saying it's ok to hate some group.

Except for hating white people.

And especially except white republicans.

You really can't have this one both ways. Either it's "ok" to hate one group of people or another, or it's not -- irrespective of the group.

So if you're giving tacit approval to the UM prof's position, it seems a bit hypocritical to deny Denninger the alternate position don't you think?

[Ghost]

But it IS ok to hate Republicans.

And Muslims. And blacks, And Jews. And whites. And women. And men. And everyone else.

You can hate whoever you want. That's a fundamental right we all have, by virtue of being human. It's how you handle that hate that matters.

The article in question is ignorant and idiotic at best. Wording things that way is about the worst possible way to make a point, and the author did a terrible job.

The reason liberals "hate" "Republicans" is because Republican policy is grotesquely delusional, is moving against the increasing trend towards acceptance of minorities and people in general, and is against the best interest of those in society who are doing the worst. And as the middle class erodes, that means more and more people. And I hate that it's happening, because the destruction of the middle class is the one thing that could actually destroy this country. I do not believe the Democrats have the answer, because they suck just as hard. However, they suck in different, slightly less self-destructive ways.

Political rhetoric is awful enough without this sort of article. Personally, I don't hate anyone in this system. I hate the system. It's broken and it will not get better. Both sides prosper from the broken dynamic we have now, and the media is a third party that both feeds on and feeds the current dichotomy. With media being such a powerful force in the world today, that leaves the rest of us completely fucked.

It's OK to hate Republicans. I don't. I hate that there are Republicans, and I hate that there are Democrats, and I hate that we usually can't talk to each other. And I hate this article.

[Dan H]

I think history is replete with plenty of examples of what road we go down on when it's regarded as okay to hate particular cultural sub-groups.

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on whether or not it's okay. Disagree yet defend to the death the right to say it, etc, etc.

[Indy]

I don't think the preceding paragraph excuses, at all, the one I posted.

[Nodack]

So, that article "It's ok to hate Republicans" upset so many people. I noticed there isn't a single quote from the article itself aside from the title. You would think there would be all kinds of juicy quotes.

http://inthesetimes.com/article/17426/w ... _get_along
Editor's note: This article was originally titled “We Can't All Just Get Along” in the print version of the magazine. The title was then changed, without the author's knowledge or approval, to “It's Okay to Hate Republicans.” The author rejects the online title as not representative of the piece or its main points. Her preferred title has been restored. We have also removed from the “Comments” section all threats to the author's life and personal safety.

[Indy]

Truth is no fun Nodack.

[Dan H]

So, that article "It's ok to hate Republicans" upset so many people. I noticed there isn't a single quote from the article itself aside from the title. You would think there would be all kinds of juicy quotes.

http://inthesetimes.com/article/17426/w ... _get_along
Editor's note: This article was originally titled “We Can't All Just Get Along” in the print version of the magazine. The title was then changed, without the author's knowledge or approval, to “It's Okay to Hate Republicans.” The author rejects the online title as not representative of the piece or its main points. Her preferred title has been restored. We have also removed from the “Comments” section all threats to the author's life and personal safety.

"I hate Republicans. I can’t stand the thought of having to spend the next two years watching Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Ted Cruz, Darrell Issa or any of the legions of other blowhards denying climate change, thwarting immigration reform or championing fetal “personhood.”

"It’s fine for me to use the word “hate” when referring to Republicans and for them to use the same word about me, but you would never use the word “hate” when referring to people of color, or women, or gays and lesbians."

"Obviously, my tendency is to blame the Republicans more than the Democrats, which may seem biased. But history and psychological research bear me out."

"So now we hate them back. And for good reason."

Yup, no juicy quotes in there whatsoever.

PS - love you guys, have a Merry Christmas.

[Mori Chu]

I don't hate Republicans. But I do dislike how mud-slingy and negative political talk can get. And I dislike TV networks like Fox News and MSNBC that just stir the pot and don't even attempt to present objective journalism. I think it adds a lot of bad energy into the system.

[Indy]

But it keeps people in power and wealthy. I can't see if ever changing unless we start getting +90% turn out in elections, and our system is geared against that.

[Indy]

PS - love you guys, have a Merry Christmas.

Same here. Well for me it is merry winter solstice, but I know what you mean.

[Nodack]

PS - love you guys, have a Merry Christmas.

Same here. Well for me it is merry winter solstice, but I know what you mean.

I love you guys too, but Dan said it.

I get your point Dan. Democrats are capable of hating Republicans just as much as Republicans are capable of hating Republicans. The author teaches college and her teaching partisan politics in school is a bad thing. Does she teach partisan politics in class or did she just write an article that got printed and somebody changed the title to piss off more people to get more hits?

Partisan politics are everywhere. That is true. Type in "I hate democrats" or "I hate liberals" and you will get dozens or articles to read up on why Democrats are the most vile evil people on the face of the earth.

Ghost has it right. The system is broken and it isn't going to be fixed. The whole election process makes it a competition. Nobody gets elected by showing why they should be elected. Our elections are just a continuing war where the goal is to destroy the other side. The other side is made up of evil people who's only goal is to destroy America and if you elect them the entire nation and possibly the world will come crashing down around us.

[Indy]

I meant that to everyone here. I edited on my phone so I think I deleted the wrong quote tag. Sorry about that Dan.

[Ghost]

I think history is replete with plenty of examples of what road we go down on when it's regarded as okay to hate particular cultural sub-groups.

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on whether or not it's okay. Disagree yet defend to the death the right to say it, etc, etc.

Apologies that my point didn't come through. What I mean is we've got the right to feel and believe however we want. In that sense, it's OK. And when you and I see someone like the Westboro Baptist Church being troglodyte idiots picketing soldiers' funerals, it's also OK to call them out for their disgusting actions. But hey, they get to believe what they want. In that sense, it's OK. And that applies to any group.

[Dan H]

I think history is replete with plenty of examples of what road we go down on when it's regarded as okay to hate particular cultural sub-groups.

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on whether or not it's okay. Disagree yet defend to the death the right to say it, etc, etc.

Apologies that my point didn't come through. What I mean is we've got the right to feel and believe however we want. In that sense, it's OK. And when you and I see someone like the Westboro Baptist Church being troglodyte idiots picketing soldiers' funerals, it's also OK to call them out for their disgusting actions. But hey, they get to believe what they want. In that sense, it's OK. And that applies to any group.

No worries. Unfortunately the whole concept of "fighting words" seems to have gone out the window or I think more people would be punching Fred Phelps and his loonies in the face. But the Freedom Riders are doing yeoman's work in that regard.

[Cap]

This is actually happening on the floor of the US House of Representatives:

[youtube][/youtube]

[Dan H]

It does seem somewhat fishy that they're going after Petraeus for 'leaking' secrets to someone that had a top-secret clearance when they let the production staff of Zero Dark 30 sit down with stacks of files from JSOC to make their movie more realistic. Seems leaking is okay when it benefits the admin, not so much otherwise. Add to that of course we haven't seen the evidence of what was actually leaked, if it was. You'd think if the case was damning it would have resulted in an indictment before now.

I don't know if it's Benghazi blackmail, I would suspect it's something more simple, though.

[Nodack]

WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. and Justice Department prosecutors have recommended bringing felony charges against David H. Petraeus, contending that he provided classified information to a lover while he was director of the C.I.A., officials said, and leaving Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to decide whether to seek an indictment that could send the pre-eminent military officer of his generation to prison.

Mr. Holder was expected to decide by the end of last year whether to bring charges against Mr. Petraeus, but he has not indicated how he plans to proceed. The delay has frustrated some Justice Department and F.B.I. officials and investigators who have questioned whether Mr. Petraeus has received special treatment at a time Mr. Holder has led a crackdown on government officials who reveal secrets to journalists.

Sounds to me like Holder is being asked by the justice Dept., FBI and investigators to prosecute the case and he is reluctant and putting off a decision and being accused of giving Petreus special treatment. To FOX it sounds like a Benghazi payback with Obama and Holder pulling the strings to prosecute him.