Both Parties are the Same

Alright. Here’s the conversation I said was coming up in my 15 Differences post. Again, not only are both parties NOT the same, but NO information about EITHER party (or anything else, for that matter) is accurate when gathered from within the ‘bubble’ on ‘Bullshit Mountain.’ One source of information will never be correct. Especially if it’s FOX “News” since they lie. About everything. Yes, always.

It amazes me how EVERYTHING this guy believes is based on fantasy.  Of course, when his proof consists of simply stating, “HAHAHA! What a laugh! That’s not true, you Kool-Aid-drinking Leftie,” and then changing the subject, what else could you expect?

Enjoy…

Gaijin

Why do we give the idiots a chance to lead? Idiots vote for idiots.

Mac

My understanding is that it is virtually - not completely - but virtually impossible to be an intelligent human being and also vote for one of these morons.

Ishua

It goes both ways, brother. Yes, there are some real dipshits on my side of the fence. But your side make the heterosexual AIDS scare MUCH bigger than it has turned out to be. MUCH bigger. Same with Global cooling in the 70s, the nuclear arms race of the 80s and the global warming craze of today. Remember, your idiot is in the White House at this moment. What a legacy he's leaving... [You kind of get the feel of where this is going right from the start, don’t you? Claim ‘Both Parties are the same!’ and add a whole bunch of other topics (none of which are true, though) to lessen the magnitude of the stupidity of that AIDS comment.]

Gaijin

It's hard to have a legacy when you don't have any compromising individuals to work with. [I get it, be nice. He is your friend, after all.]

[He’s not my friend, though.]

Bill Mancuso

There is no "heterosexual AIDS scare." There is only an AIDS scare. "Global Cooling" was a tiny fringe theory that the vast majority of scientists laughed at in the 70's, but Republicans like to play it up because they always play up nonsense since no real facts back up their nonsense. Educated Americans and the rest of the world do not believe Reagan's nuclear threat was tiny, but you'd have to have a knowledge of actual facts that exist outside the right-wing denial/revision of history. Between 1990 and 2012, almost 24,000 papers were written about climate change - 14 of them deny man has been influencing it. [I meant to type 24, not 14. And it’s really 23, not 24. So, sue me.]

And yes, what a legacy that idiot Obama is leaving:

Affordable Health Care

Wall Street Reform

Ended the War in Iraq

Drawdown of War in Afghanistan

Eliminated Osama bin laden

Turned Around U.S. Auto Industry

Pay-Go

Cut Deficit in Half

Lowest Spending in 50 Years

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Recapitalized Banks

Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Toppled Moammar Gaddafi

Reversed Bush Torture Policies

Improved America’s Image Abroad

Established a New Cyber Security Office

Kicked Banks Out of Federal Student Loan Program, Expanded Pell Grant Spending

Created Race to the Top

Boosted Fuel Efficiency Standards

Increased Support for Veterans

Created Conditions to Begin Closing Dirtiest Power Plants

Passed Credit Card Reforms

Eliminated Catch-22 in Pay Equality Laws

Improved Food Safety System

Achieved New START Treaty

Signed Serve America Act

Expanded Wilderness and Watershed Protection

Ended the Previous Practice of Forbidding Medicare from Negotiating With Drug      

        Manufacturers for Cheaper Drugs

Gave the FDA Power to Regulate Tobacco

Pushed Federal Agencies to Be Green Leaders

Passed Fair Sentencing Act

Invested Heavily in Renewable Technology

Consumer Protection

Ended Previous Policy of Offering Tax Benefits to Corporations Who Outsource Jobs

Crafting Next-Generation School Tests

New Policy to Promote Federal Hiring of Military Spouses

Cracked Down on Bad For-Profit Colleges

Improved School Nutrition

Ended Previous Policy of Awarding No-Bid Defense Contracts

Expanded Hate Crimes Protections

Children’s Health Insurance Authorization Act

Expanded Stem Cell Research

Provided Payment to Wronged Minority Farmers

Helped South Sudan Declare Independence

Limited Salaries of Senior White House Aides

Ended Media Blackout on War Casualties

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

Shit, I could go on.

Then Republicans gained a majority in the House and obstructed every single attempt at progress, instead desiring to return America back to the glory days of the Confederacy. Which must account for that lowest recorded approval rate in history. [9%] Now, THAT is a legacy.

[As to the fear of Reagan and his global nuclear threat, this song expressed that fear by everyone in the world outside of America...]

Ishua

How's that Kool-Aid, Bill? You sell it well. If you were being truly honest about any of your list you'd be giving a lot, LOT of credit where credit is due. To the guy who paved the way for MUCH of what Obama has been able to do: Bush. But I don't expect that of Lefties. Being on the Left means never having to admit where you're wrong or say you're sorry.

[Classic. I always forget that when anything good happens, Republicans directly or indirectly are responsible. And anything bad that happens, Democrats are directly responsible. Budget surplus: Reagan. 9/11: Clinton. Recession: Obama. Bin Laden executed: Bush.]

Bill Mancuso

And there's the problem with blind, obedient right-wing followers such as yourself, Ishua: I stated simple facts that are irrespective of Party ideology. Since these unbiased facts completely negate your distorted right-wing view of reality, you believe they are "Lefty." They are not. You also perceive me as a "Kool-Aid Drinking Lefty" because I don't agree with right-wing extremism, such as yourself. You would be wrong. Right-wingers believe facts are liberal biased. They are not; it just happens liberals are more receptive to facts than conservatives. Which, again, might account for that lowest recorded Republican approval rate in history. But ignore that unbiased fact and call me a Kool-Aid drinker again if it makes you feel better. Unless you think the polls are biased or liberal skewed - just ask President Romney - ooh, yeah. No.

But my favorite is when right-wingers proclaim both Parties to be equally fucked up. That's the closest they get to admitting the Republican Party is fucked up - without admitting it. 'Yeah, we may be fucked up, but so are you just the same!!!!' Let's see, Democrat fuck up: Health care website is glitchy. May take 2 months to fix. Republican fuck up: Ignore terrorist attack warnings for 8 months, then let terrorist attack happen, killing 2,977 people. Promote horrible National Security Advisor who presided over biggest attack on American soil since 12/7/41 to Secretary of State. Then lie the U.S. into invading another country for no reason, killing a couple hundred thousand citizens plus over 4,000 more Americans. Yeah, both Parties are equally screwed up. Oh, also which one of those "equal" events are the Republicans launching an investigation into? Yeah, the one for which Bush paved the way.

Speaking of which - Bush paved the way for Obama. Good one. I like how you didn't address anything I said, instead just made a hollow statement and didn't back it up with any facts. Not that there are any to back up your hollow statement. You didn't sell it well. You didn't sell it well at all.

Then, there's your classic projection: Lefties never admit when they're wrong or say sorry. Yup. Like Republicans who have 8 kids on Medicaid but denounce Medicaid for everyone else then explain why it's ok for the Republican but not for anyone else? THAT kind of never admitting when you're wrong or saying sorry? Or being a hypocritical flaming bag of shit.

[As for “Being on the Left means never having to admit where you're wrong or say you're sorry,” I forgot to ask him: What about Obama accepting the blame for Benghazi, even though it wasn’t his fault? What about Hillary also taking the blame for Benghazi even though it wasn’t her fault? What about the first 3 years of Obama’s presidency when Republicans kept accusing Obama of going on an “Apology Tour,” even though he didn’t? What about this best-selling book:

 Ah, missed opportunities. He would have ignored it and changed the subject anyway.]

Ishua

Bag of shit? Wow, you're classy, too. You really enjoy the anonymity of the web, don't you, Bill? Call names because you don't have to look me in the eye. Charming.

Ok, here we go: and just to be clear I never called Obama an idiot. He's a well-meaning fool.

[This was the first time ever in the years of my debating right-wingers that my points were each responded to. Most of them, anyway.  It surprised me and actually made me momentarily think I did poor research before posting. Then I looked again closely at his responses.]

And yes, what a legacy that idiot Obama is leaving: [Apparently, he thinks when I reference him calling Obama an idiot, I’m the one who said it.]

Affordable Health Care - If the roll-out of a $650,000,000 piece of shit website is any indication as to how the rest of this bill will work then we're fucked as a nation. The problem is if you're right then we're all ok. But if you're wrong then we've got a long way to go.

Wall Street Reform - Not on your life. Yes BOTH parties are in it all the way up. If you can't see that then you're a fool, too. Just look at the net worth of our elected "public servants" before they enter public service and compare it to their worth when they leave. No comparison. And how about the STOCK Act? Repealed while you and I were sending good vibes to everyone in Boston. Wall Street reform? Ok, sure...

Ended the War in Iraq - On the timeline that Bush had already established.

Drawdown of War in Afghanistan - Same.

Eliminated Osama bin laden - Based on the information gotten from KSM as a result of the "torture" you cowards want to ban. Way to play it on both sides, Bill.

Turned Around U.S. Auto Industry - This wasn't as big a fiasco as it could have been but it certainly wasn't a slam-dunk.

Pay-Go - Also known as tax and spend.

Cut Deficit in Half - HA! This is just funny! Want to account for that $17,000,000,000,000?

Lowest Spending in 50 Years - See previous.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - This is where your appreciation of Kool-Aid comes in. What again did ARRA do? What was promised and what did it do? Right. Nothing.

Recapitalized Banks - Just what our banks needed, government (see OUR) money.

Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” - Which I support

Toppled Moammar Gaddafi - Wait, WHAT?? Obama did that? That wasn't the Arab Spring? Did he invent the internet, too? While you're at it give him credit for inventing electricity.

Reversed Bush Torture Policies - Like?

Improved America’s Image Abroad - How? And then Syria came along. Fail.

Established a New Cyber Security Office - Cool. Another HUGE expansion of government. What's that costing us? Is that a part of the $17,000,000,000,000?

Kicked Banks Out of Federal Student Loan Program, Expanded Pell Grant Spending - Yeah, because education isn't funded enough, right? And after kids get out of college with $100,000 of they can apply that Women's Studies degree at McDonald's.

Created Race to the Top - By taxing the top and shipping jobs overseas. Good one, Barry.

Boosted Fuel Efficiency Standards - Which I support!

Increased Support for Veterans - Yes, the VA is a shining example of how large government can take care of so many people and make it affordable. Let's do Obamacare just like that!

Created Conditions to Begin Closing Dirtiest Power Plants - Good stuff!

I'd continue but I've got too much work to do tonight. You see I have to make as much money as I can. I mean with 50% of the country not paying any federal income taxes SOMEBODY has to pay for all the shit you guys are promising...

Look, Bill. The reality is you and the rest of your Baby Boomers are seeing the end of the line and you're scared. I understand that. Much of your lives have added up to less than you expected. You didn't get to bang Twiggy, play with the Doors or change the world. Your mantra of not trusting anyone over 30 had to be reexamined because, well, you're all over 30. Well over 30. And that makes you all hypocrites. The problem is you've never quite realized that big government, even when you are running it, isn't, and has never been, the answer. In fact if you put aside your utopian dreams long enough to read some history you'd realize that every major conflict in the last 100 years was the result of government getting too big. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. [Why produce evidence when you can repeat random catch-phrases to “prove” your point?] The more power you give the government the more you rob yourself, and your offspring, of a future. [Or repeat random Republican talking-points that are disproved by facts from the real world.]

One final thought: you might want to tone down your vitriol a little. Remember, we Republican bags of shit have all the guns.

Cheers.

Bill Mancuso

This is fun. I’m glad you’re trying.

First, let me apologize [See what I did there? I apologized. Nyah!] if it seemed like I was calling YOU a hypocritical flaming bag of shit. I was not. [And, like Barry & Hillz, I apologized for something I didn’t do. Double-Nyah!] I thought it was clear I was calling Idaho Teabagger candidate, Greg Collett a hypocritical flaming bag of shit for having 8 kids on Medicaid while opposing Medicaid for anyone else. I had no reason to call you a hypocrite, especially since you said nothing that was hypocritical at that point. Were you intentionally misunderstanding me just to give yourself a false reason to denounce what I said? That is a Republican Standard Operating Procedure, after all.

Second, you did, in fact, call Obama an idiot. If you scroll up, you’ll notice you typed the exact words, “Remember, your idiot is in the White House at this moment. What a legacy he's leaving...” It is also Republican Standard Operating Procedure to ignore what everyone (including yourself) says if you think it furthers your misinformed cause.

Ok. Now, pay attention as I relay non-partisan real world facts to you, which debunk your right-wing, bubble-manufactured, self-reassuring misinformation.

Affordable Health Care - you are confusing a glitchy website that is only one way to check your corporate insurance options with the actual LAW itself. In the states where Governors implemented it, their websites are working fine and insurance costs are on an average of 30% - 50% less for more or equal coverage. In states where Governors refused to implement the program, all Republican Governors, that forced the Federal Government to come in and implement the program on their own – which costs the state more money in the long run. State’s rights, right? And for a fact, the website cost is $174M, but hey, if it makes you feel better to think it’s $650M, then have at it. It is the number that was invented within the right-wing bubble, so I wouldn’t expect you to believe any different. Even Glenn Beck’s ‘The Blaze.com’ debunks the fake $650M number (a bit out of date – the article came out a couple weeks ago).

The Blaze: Rumor Check: Obamacare Website Might Be Glitchy, But It Didn’t Cost $634 Million

 

And the Obamacare website was only out for THREE WEEKS before Republicans demanded hearings for why this was “destroying America.” However, when Bush’s Medicare Part D had the EXACT SAME WEBSITE PROBLEMS, after FOUR MONTHS they were STILL saying, uh, let’s see…

John Boehner (R-OH): “The implementation has been horrendous… The good news is that the competition that’s being created has lowered premiums significantly.”

Nathan Deal (R-GA): “Like most significant problems, the new benefit has not gone without a few isolated glitches and unexpected problems. But I believe that if there is anything wrong with the plan, most of it has been fixed and what hasn’t, can be fixed over time.”

Tim Murphy (R-PA): “Any time there is something new, there is going to be some glitches.”

Joe Barton (R-TX): “Rather than trying to scare and confuse seniors, I would hope we can work together as we go through the implementation phase to find out what is wrong with the program and if we can make some changes to fix it, let us do it and let us do it on a bipartisan basis.”

Hypocritical flaming bags of shit. Not you, Ishua. The Republican obstructionists I just quoted. They could work to make the LAW better, but instead choose to obstruct.

Hearing Problems:

Republicans Begged For Patience After Awful 2006 Medicare Part D Rollout

And to be clear, this type of screw-up happens EVERY time a new large undertaking in government occurs. It happened with Social Security. Now people love it. It happened with Medicare. Now People love it. And EVERY time, Republicans proclaimed that it’s a big government takeover by SOCIALISM! Talk about worn out mantras. Listen to this fear-mongering fucktard in 1961 who got all his fear-mongered “facts” wrong. NOTHING he says exists in countries with socialized health care:

Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine

 

[Funny: This video from the Ronald Reagan Library is titled, "Ronald Reagan Speaks Out ON Socialized Medicine." The actual title of the record is, "Ronald Reagan Speaks Out AGAINST Socialized Medicine." Even the Reagan Library is subtly trying to hide the fact that this whole speech is fucking ignorant.]

Record Album Cover

My favorite, all-time fear-mongeringest bullshit from that fiction is the final line: "We are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children, what it once was like in America when men were free." NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Health care for everyone will take away my freeeeedoooommmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

Fucktard. Not you, Ishua. I meant Ronny Ray-Gun.

[I guess all the senior citizens on Medicare today are telling their grandchildren what it was like in America way back when men were free.]

Wall Street Reform – Dodd-Frank and the Consumer Protection Act. Republicans have done nothing but try to gut or prevent or defund this. Because the ability of banks and corporations to bilk the people out of as much money as possible is way more important than the ability of people to make a decent living and perhaps save a couple of dollars for a rainy day. [I forgot to respond to his STOCK Act statement. Yes, it is bullshit and I commented on it being bullshit somewhere either on Twitter or in a previous blog post. I can’t find it. Anyway, one example of bipartisan bullshittery doesn’t make both Parties equal. Bullshit STOCK Act clearly explained HERE on a “Liberal” website.]

Ended War in Iraq – Only after Obama said in his stump speeches during his Presidential run in 2008 that he would have all the troops out of Iraq by 2012 – which was much lauded by the people – did Bush start saying ‘Uh yeah 2012 Merica freedom no troops in Iraq no more.” Prior to Obama’s campaign promise, Bush had no exit date and made no mention of an exit date. And even then, the Bush administration made no actions toward a withdrawal. Bush just basically proclaimed “Yeah, what he said.” Of course Republicans ignore the part they don’t like and give credit to who they want. R.S.O.P. 

AlterNet: Maliki Endorses Obama's Iraq Timeline in Huge Blow for McCain, Bush: In a stunning breakthrough for Obama, Iraq's prime minister endorsed the Dem candidate's timeline for withdrawing combat troops from Iraq

Drawdown in Afghanistan – Same.

Eliminated Osama bin Laden – Your right-wing torture fantasies are sickening. No information was gained by torture – despite the debunked lies told by Bush, Rice, Rumsfeld and Cheney. Torture doesn’t work. Torture makes it more difficult to obtain information. But go on believing what you wish. Despite facts.

The Last Word: Rewrite: Why torture made it harder to find bin Laden

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Turned Around U.S. Auto Industry – 1.1 mil jobs saved, 250,000 jobs added – the most growth in a decade; auto industry leaders say 167,000 more jobs are on track by 2015; auto is 20% of jobs in Michigan; GM, Chrysler & Ford are profitable for first time in 7 years; all auto loans have been repaid to the government; GM up 14% & Chrysler up 26% from 2010-2011.

Cut Deficit in Half – Don’t mistake deficit for debt.  

Forbes: The Best Kept Secret In American Politics-Federal Budget Deficits Are Actually Shrinking!

Lowest Spending in 50 Years – You’re right, that’s not true. It’s actually the lowest spending in 60 years.  

MarketWatch: Obama spending binge never happened Commentary: Government outlays rising at slowest pace since 1950s

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – If ARRA was so bad, why did a whole bunch of Republican Governors call press meetings to show off their giant checks that ARRA provided to them for economic recovery spending? Oh, right, they pretended it wasn’t Obama’s ARRA but took all the credit for themselves. Hypocritical flaming bags of shit.  

ThinkProgress: REPORT: After Voting To Kill Recovery, 110 GOP Lawmakers Tout Its Success, Ask For More Money

Recapitalized Banks – Bringing in capital at practically no cost to the federal government is bad? However, I do agree that since then, banks have only gotten bigger [Three times bigger, to be precise.] and more of a threat to the economy. We need to bring back Glass-Steagall. Yeah, I know Clinton repealed it. Fucking capitalists.

Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” - You support bigotry and suppression of a minority group of people. Well, good for you, bubby.

Toppled Moammar Gaddafi – Yes, it was part of the Arab Spring. However, the overthrow of the Libyan government was led by Obama and UN-mandated military forces. Republicans liked to call it “Leading From Behind.” Military strategists called it “Competent Leadership.” 

The Daily Beast: Is Obama Still Weak? The GOP loves accusing Obama of “leading from behind,” but Michael Tomasky says that’s looking pretty good after Gaddafi’s death.

Reversed Bush Torture Policies – Like… closing CIA black sites and banning enhanced interrogation.

Improved America’s Image Abroad – In general: MediaMatters: Facts Puncture The Myth That Obama "Apologies" Have Ruined U.S. Standing

As for Syria – How does that make Obama look bad? First, and let’s get this straight - no matter what position Obama takes, Republicans take the opposite and vilify him for it. Obama says he will invade Syria, Republicans say he shouldn’t. Obama says he will do it without Congressional approval, Republicans demand that he should. Obama says he will get Congressional approval, Republicans say he is weak. Obama says he won’t invade Syria, Republicans say he is weak. Obama gets Syria to not only admit they have chemical weapons but ALSO gets Russia to do his bidding without costing one American cent or life – and Republicans say Obama is weak and that Russia is their new favorite country and fucking Putin is the new greatest world leader. Republicans are fucking sad and pathetic in their blanket opposition to Obama.

Established a New Cyber Security Office – Huge expansions of government are apparently bad only when Democrats are in charge. Are you a hypocrite or do you complain when Republicans massively increase the size of government, as well? First, expansions of government or “big governments” are meaningless in regard to effective government function – that’s a right-wing canard. What counts is how government is run – whom it protects, whom it doesn’t. Generally, Republicans protect corporate profits. They continually say they hate government, which is why they run for office – because there is no better place to dismantle it and protect corporations than from the inside. Democrats generally protect people, which is why they run for office – because there is no better place to make government a well-functioning machine than from the inside. See, government size doesn’t matter, it’s the empathy of those within. Rich people make middle class people think poor people are the problem to distract us from the fact that the richest are really the problem by paying no taxes.

Kicked Banks Out of Federal Student Loan Program, Expanded Pell Grant Spending – You seem to completely misunderstand what this means. Most of the money was going to banks in the form of interest payments, so now that they are no longer in the business of collecting huge interest payments from students, the grants make it so students start out life with less debt. By your little rant, you seem to want to protect corporate profits over the well-being of the student. But I would expect no less from a right-winger.

Created Race to the Top – Again, you seem to not understand reality. What does awarding schools money by creating a contest to reach educational goals have to do with corporations shipping jobs overseas? I mean, other than nothing. Repeating the mantra of ‘poor millionaires’ doesn’t mean anything. They pay less effective taxes than I do. Personally choosing to send jobs overseas, like they have been for over 30 years has nothing to do with Obama – but keep blaming him, Republicans will always believe you.

Boosted Fuel Efficiency Standards – Agreement? It does affect you personally, and without empathy, that’s the only thing Republicans understand, so it’s not surprising.

Increased Support for Veterans – Obama pushed two jobs bills for Vets – both of which Republicans filibustered. Obama increased VA budget to recruit more mental health professionals. Obama expanded Veterans Centers in rural areas. Obama expanded housing vouchers program for homeless veterans and a supportive services-housing program to prevent Vet homelessness. Yes, the VA record-keeping backlog is a clusterfuck, something that began long before Obama was President. The Obama Administration is trying to work on it, and it is still a clusterfuck. Good thing Congress is working so well and helping the issue and not randomly shutting down the government, filibustering and defunding anything that may hinder progress in this [and every other] area. But I see you had no effective critique and instead chose to whip out a straw-man argument about big government and then change the subject to Obamacare. My attention sure was diverted from the fact that Obama has increased support for Veterans.

Created Conditions to Begin Closing Dirtiest Power Plants – Yes, that is good stuff!

And there it is. The “50% of the Country Pays No Federal Taxes” bullshit. How long were you waiting to pull that one out? You are correct, but let’s look at context, shall we? Who isn’t paying Federal Taxes? Retired seniors. The unemployed. Students. The disabled. Children. People earning below the lowest tax bracket: the poverty stricken. All of these people pay more in other taxes as a percentage of their income (if they have income) than this next group who is also not paying ANY Federal taxes: Giant million & billion dollar profit Corporations such as Exxon, GE, Bank of America, Valero Gas, PG&E, Tenet Healthcare, Atmos Energy, Integrys Energy Group, American Electric Power, Con-Way, Ryder System, Pepco Holdings, Paccar, Computer Sciences, NiSource, Baxter International, Wisconsin Energy, Duke Energy, DuPont, Consolidated Edison, Verizon, Interpublic Group, CMS Energy, NextEra Energy, Navistar International, Boeing, Wells Fargo, El Paso, Mattel, Honeywell International, DTE Energy, Apple and Corning.

Another 140 corporations or so pay less than half of their tax rate, paying an effective rate from 15% all the way down to 1% - excluding those above who pay NO taxes, of course. And the best part – those corporations that paid NO taxes – took advantage of so many fucking loopholes that together, they received a total of $21.8 Billion in returns. What the fuck? Pay NO taxes AND get a refund? How’s THAT for government handouts? One year of $21.8B in free corporate handouts could pay Welfare (TANF) to the poor for over TWO YEARS. (2011 TANF cash assistance was $9.6B)

Remember when I pointed out that rich people were convincing middle class people that poor people were the problem to distract us from rich people actually being the problem by paying no taxes? Thanks for helping me to reiterate my point.

Look, Ishua, the reality is you live within an impenetrable bubble on top of Bullshit Mountain so you have no idea what is really happening in the really real world. Turn off FOX “News.” It’s nice to see you drifted off like a good Republican into more nonsense about banging Twiggy and playing with the Doors and ‘sad big government utopia-loving Baby Boomers’ to distract from the fact you have no idea what you’re talking about. Like every major conflict being about government that is too big. What the hell does that even mean? Stop with the “big government” canard. It’s meaningless dog-whistle straw-man nonsense that free-thinkers do not fall for. Only right-wingers within the bubble believe that. You say it, repeat it and agree with it because no outside information influences your decision-making ability. And as far as big government goes, if Republicans hate it so much, why are they the hypocritical flaming of bags shit who expand it all the time?

Salon: The GOP’s “small government” tea party fraud

Oh, right, big government is only bad when Democrats are in charge. Silly me, I forgot.

What makes you think I’m anywhere near the age of a Baby Boomer? Gen X, son.

And your final right-wing statement is to threaten me with a gun. Like a good Republican, if you can’t use intellect to defend yourself with, just kill your opposition. Idiocy through superior firepower. I’ll tone down my vitriol as soon as you grow a pair of brain balls.

Cin Cin.

Gaijin

Okay, gentlemen, and I am using that title loosely for both of you, since you are, in essence, both great guys who would take a bullet for friend, even some strangers, but any name calling is not allowed. We can call the asshats in power whatever we want, but must keep ourselves above their vitriol and bullshit. I think you guys might actually get along in real world, non political terms. Just a thought. My main thing I need to ask you both, what is a solid, comprehensive way to tackle all of these great problems we are facing? What are the compromises that both sides must make to bring about realistic steps forward? As for the real world that the three of us live in, where we don't rely on government support or handouts, next time everyone is in Los Angeles, I say it's time to fire up the old vaporizer, grab some Oskar Blues Brewery beers, fire up some wood and have a good old BBQ with some laughter, words, and general tom foolery.

Mac

Gaijin, I have the solution. This is real. The ONLY way to begin to tackle all of these problems that we are facing is to get money out of politics. This is not an easy answer or an easy solution because it is going to require some kind of public funding of campaigns which could be incredibly complicated. Without this, elections will continue to be decided by those with the most money, and by that I generally mean corporate money.

Bill Mancuso

We didn't call each other names (other than right-winger or left-winger, liberal or conservative - which aren't really names but positions). Ishua mistook me calling Teababber Greg Collett a hypocritical flaming bag of shit for calling him that. I did not, which I explained. Only one of us was threatened with violence, though.

So far, the compromises have been to extend the Bush Tax Cuts, operate far below the Republican budget plan at sequester levels, no public option, no single payer, no gun control, remove large chunks of the Voting Rights Act, pretend corporations are people, decrease welfare spending, decrease government employees, block 17 jobs bills, no DREAM Act, no Anti-Rape Amendment, no Health Care for 9/11 First Responders, no Wall Street reform, not closing Guantanamo Bay, etc. - basically every single thing Dems want has been blocked by Repubs since they won the house in 2010. Democrats compromise on everything. They mostly have no spine, never fight for their values. Repubs get basically everything they want, but still can't take "yes" for an answer and continually threaten the economic security of this nation because Obama is still A.) the President B.) a Democrat and C.) Black. Until all those things are finished, Repubs will never compromise - just cause unnecessary problems, pretend to offer solutions, and blame Obama for the damage that they unnecessarily caused. But I only base that opinion on five years of solid, consistent observation.

And yes, Mac is right, large corporate bribes - I mean, "donations" are a big factor in distorting the democratic process. Candidates should be allotted an equal amount of money to spend on campaigns - whether from taxes or disclosed capped contributions, I don't care. Close a bunch of corporate tax loopholes. Increase the minimum wage to equal 2013 inflation levels instead of leaving it at the 1968 level - which would naturally result in decreased welfare spending. Increase infrastructure spending. Decrease military spending - our military is bigger than the next 14 countries. Who exactly are we planning on invading next? Remove the cap on social security taxation. Give tax breaks to corporations that bring jobs back to the US. Increase taxes on companies that ship jobs overseas. Increase spending on alternate energy. Repeal the 2006 law forcing the Post Office to unnecessarily fully fund its pensions 75 years into the future to force it to fail so Republicans can privatize it. Stop fucking fracking. Re-implement GHW Bush's Cap And Trade Act. Re-implement Glass-Steagall. Get religion out of politics. Repeal all the fake Republican voter fraud laws that don't prevent voter fraud since it is not happening but only prevents statistically Democratic-leaning voters from voting. And most importantly - pay attention to what politicians DO, not what they SAY. People might stop voting against their best interests. And those ideas are only a fraction of a start.

Oh, and maybe a law that prevents companies from using unregulated factories in foreign countries that regularly burn down and kill hundreds of exploited, overworked, underpaid workers. Perhaps call it the Fuck Those Wal*Mart Cunts Act.

And what he said…

*****     *****     *****

Couple of days went by. I was tempted to post, “Bueller… Bueller… Bueller… Bueller…” Apparently, no one was truly interested in discussing solutions.

That interruption by Gaijin toward the end to loosely call both of us gentlemen (and proclaim both parties to be the same) gave Ishua an excuse to disappear from the conversation and not respond to his verbal ass-kicking. What burns me is that I never called Ishua a name. But Ishua pretending I did was taken at face value by Gaijin. I never call my sparring partners names other than ‘Republican’ or ‘right-winger’ or ‘conservative’ or the like, because I don’t want them to get upset and leave. I enjoy our little “talks.” Go ahead, check all my posts. You won’t find one instance. (Not counting what I add afterward about those inept fuckwits for the post-conversation comments at the end or in blue brackets during, of course.)

Oops. I just realized I called him ‘bubby’ after he expressed his support of homophobic bigotry. Sorry for lying to you. I have been exposed as a fraud. Please stop reading my blog.

Also after a couple days, Robert Reich posted this:

Yes.

The Count Censored

Artist: Sting

Song: Russians

Album: The Dream of the Blue Turtles

Release Date: 1 November 1985

In Europe and America
There's a growing feeling of hysteria
Conditioned to respond to all the threats
In the rhetorical speeches of the Soviets

Mr. Khrushchev said "We will bury you"
I don't subscribe to this point of view
It'd be such an ignorant thing to do
If the Russians love their children too

How can I save my little boy
From Oppenheimer's deadly toy
There is no monopoly in common sense
On either side of the political fence

We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the Russians love their children too

There is no historical precedent
To put the words in the mouth of the President
There's no such thing as a winnable war
It's a lie we don't believe anymore

Mr. Reagan says "We will protect you"
I don't subscribe to this point of view
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the Russians love their children too

We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
What might save us, me, and you
Is if the Russians love their children too