I thought last week’s open thread was unusually civil and informative. I don’t know if that makes for an entertaining blog, but it was certainly a nice change-up from our usual name-calling.
So here’s a new sandbox to play in — or shit in — at your discretion.
Fulton County,GA……………like Detroit and Philadelphia, another “Hillary Village”. And like King County and Harare, Zimbabwe, a strong turnout for the Democrats!
Thanks Goldy. You da man.
Don, if you haven’t already, please check out the drinking liberally thread. It’s for your own good. Seriously.
Question – What do Ron Sims, Maria Cantwell, and Christine Gregoire have in common? (And, No, it’s not constipation)
Answer – All are soon to be former public servants, courtesy of the voters from the Great State of Washington. Unless of course we still let felons, slightly dead, out of state and illegal alien voters still vote in the next election.
Hillary/Churchill in 2008. Both are strong liberals, and with Hillary trying to join the Marines, she has a strong military background!!
ba dum bum ching!
Binder Bombshell
The “Big Binder” has finally been released.
It confirms that the numbers don’t nearly add up and that hundreds more unverified provisional ballots went into the ballot machines than previously acknowledged.
The county’s summary worksheets and explanatory documents try to downplay the discrepancy. But having inspected a fair number of pollbooks in the last couple of days, it’s pretty clear there were a lot of serious unacknowledged problems with election-day ballot security.
Wel, well, well!! How can this be!! The Democrats have assured us that all was well!! [hehe]
Nice blog hacking JCH. Bravo!
I see the “wish upon a Republican” and the red herring fishermen are out in force tonight.
Zapporo @6,
You were apparently under the mistaken impression that JCH was blocked. He isn’t. His comments are merely being held for approval, and when they are not off-topic, I let them through. Since this is an open thread, there is no topic for him to go off of.
And our favority fairy godmother from Oregon is here too.
Did you give Chrissy the glass slippers?
What were you thinking???
She’s one of the sorority stepsisters not Cinderella.
Goldy, You’ve blocked 75% of my posts, on or off topic. I’m certain the TROLL Trophy was mine until you moved the goalpost!
zap @ 2
Item 1. I don’t need AA. On my pension, I can’t afford to drink.
Item 2. I’m already close to Jesus. If you’re closer than me, stay away from me because I don’t want to catch what you’ve got.
Item 3. I have friends who are gay. You’re not one of them.
Zap @ everywhere else
What are YOU drinking tonight — radiator fluid?
Let’s talk Michael Jackson. Here’s my question. Since he at one time was black, does that mean going 90 MPH on Interstate 101 in a 6 MPG SUV with his “bodyguards” is “politically” and “environmentally” correct? Or, like O. J., he is innocent because he is black? If the police arrest the driver for speeding, are they racist? Is it OK for Michael to fly in private Gulfstreams and destroy the ozone? How about those evil SUVs? Where do the libs stand here? DON, Goldy, how about an update!
Memo to Mrs. JCH: Your parrot got loose again!
Speaking of parrots, have any of you heard the parrot joke? It goes like this.
A motorist is stopped at a red light when he notices a young man about 20 years old with a mohawk haircut and a yellow, green, and blue haircut.
“What are you staring at?” the young man angrily yells at the motorist.
“Oh,” the motorist replies, “just that I screwed a parrot 20 years ago, and I wonder if you’re my son.”
Don that was for you.
Definitely all for you.
Don’t be afraid to click on some of those links.
It’s ok. People are there to help.
Have a great weekend!
The Big Binder is out. And it ain’t pretty.
Since this is an open thread and I’m in a joking mood I might as well tell the penguin joke too.
A truck driver was dispatched at 9AM to transport a shipment of penguins to the zoo.
Around noon, he returned to the freight yard with the penguins still in the truck.
“Hey!” the freight dispatcher yelled at him. “I told you to take those penguins to the zoo!”
“I did,” the driver replied, “and they had a great time! They want me to take them to the beach after lunch!”
Open a public sandbox, go there to build a sand castle, and the right wing nuts will be the nasty kid who comes along and kicks it over. That’s really all they know how to do.
Timothy Noah writes eloquently this week about the closest thing here in the USA to what Hillary was so effectively attacked for proposing, single payer health care:
http://www.slate.com/id/2114554/
It turns out that the “customers” of the VA system get far better health care, for less money, than anything they could possibly get access to through “private enterprise” (which as the current administration amply demonstrates, isn’t really about enterprise without government aid, just that the aid tends to be at the top, and not the bottom).
Time to kick the profiteering insurance industry out of the running of our hospitals. How many of us would do better to have representative government steering the availability of health care rather than the hired bureaucrats of profiteers? All but the very richest of us…
ATLANTA – The state Senate’s Democratic caucus, led by the chamber’s black members, walked out of the Legislature Friday after an emotional vote on voting rights. Immediately after a 7 p.m. vote that would eliminate 12 of the 17 forms of identification that may be used at Georgia polls, a majority of Senate Democrats, including all black members, left the chamber. “This is wrong!” Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, shouted before the exit. ………….OK….Goldy and DON, Can you explain how asking EVERYONE for a valid ID before voting is racist? [Let’s work together, DON and Goldy, to make voter fraud a capital offense. After a few dozen hangings, I think many Democrats may think twice before “voting dead”.]
“Binder Bombshell
The “Big Binder” has finally been released.”
Ever notice how every bit of news on Sound Politics is a “bombshell”? You’d think both Logan and Sims would be behind bars by now, given the hyperbole of Shark’s blogs.
Trouble is, it’s all pretty mundane stuff, some volunteer poll workers had to redo some totals on a ballot folder and cross out some old numbers. Shark posts photos of the calculations as if they were photos of the final moments of Jimmy Hoffa. -yawn-
Despite bitter resistance to any taxation that might pay for such perfection, the Sharkies expect at least King County to hold an election like it were an Apollo moon shot: NO HUMAN ERROR ALLOWED!
Where were these folks when George II was trying to sell us on another war in Iraq?
Aaron NO TO SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!!!!
Adriel @ 18:
Yup, there goes that sand castle. Bet you didn’t even bother to read the article, or the follow up:
http://www.slate.com/id/2114620/
So do you have some buddies in the insurance industry? Just hate government on general principal? I thought so…
I have friends that moved from Canada, one had a wife’s appendix rupture she waited a week to get medical attention because they were all booked up, meanwhile she was extremely sick and in pain. The doctor informed her that if she had waited even 12 hours longer her husband would have been picking out flowers for her funeral.
Socialism doesn’t work, when a brain surgeon gets paid the sames as a proctologist, what’s his motivation.
I am being filtered now? I bring venomless opinions and i get filtered?
Goldy, You should “filter” Republican votes..you know, kind of like King County did. Your “open thread” is a joke.
Yesterday, U.S. Senator Robert C, Byrd, D-W-Va, spoke before the Senate on freedom saying, freedom is a fragile thing and never more than a generation from extinction. He quoted Pres. Madison who even then held the belief that there are many instances of the abridgment of the people by gradual and silent encrouchment of those in power than by violant and sudden usurption. Madison was right then and it’s still right. Byrd went on to say, the loss of freedom will not come as a thunderclap rather when it goes it will silently slip from us, little by little, like so many grains of sand sliding softly through an hour glass.
I’m escaping sheetrock and college financing hell for a bit tonight, so guess I should join in on the fun of building the sandcastles!
Aaron, there are some indications that the sorts of programs ala the VA are already coming into being…check out the Overlake system or Virgina Mason. VM in particular has a huge network of local, small clinics that are all fed off the VM hospital. There are mobile mammo, bone scan, etc units that travel between all the small clinics for increased service. Overlake has an astoundingly good computer system that shares all records between all their various clinics, departments.
Now if they could follow your last suggestion of cost containment for we consumers, I’d be happy to give them a real progress mark. The congressional health plan is already in place…extend that bureaucracy to all of us and make these freakin’ thieving insurance companies bid for the contracts.
Free market for health insurance certainly doesn’t work. If all are opposed to socialized medicine, at least use what’s already in place to offer the public affordable rates.
Gee Chee…cheery thought. :(
I love listening to Byrd speak to history. He’s forgotten more about it than most of us will ever know.
Unkl Witz@17. Sez it all! The errorless can’t tolerate errors. Projecting distracts from their own errors.
I see in the news that congressional Republicans don’t like the idea of cutting farm subsidies to corporate farms so they’re going to cut food assistance to the poor instead.
G Davis@23, didn’t mean to rain on your parade. But, Byrd’s loss of freedom speech hits home, compares to the another expression, “coming like a theif in the night.” Ever so quietly. Bedtime for Bonzo. Have a good one! :-)
I think Mr. C. is starting to take his meds again. Did you all notice? Oh, sure, he had a couple of bad flare-ups over the last week, but better overall. Here is a helpful suggestion. . . stay away from discussions and suggestions of homosexuality with Mr. C. He has some real insecurities in that department.
I enjoy reading Goldy’s posts and all of your follow-ups. I am afraid I haven’t much to contribute. I figure that if I don’t have something useful and relevant to say, I should just keep my mouth shut (or, more likely, filled with double-chocolate cake). Anyway, I am sure learning a lot.
You know, it’s funny. I can’t remember who I wanted to win for Governor, and I don’t remember who I voted for. I am happy enough with Gregouire, though. And I think women politicians are just a lot nicer then men. I hope she gets to stay.
hugs and kisses!
Public Notice. To all who see my typo errors, just consider I was a sub @ KC. :-) Handcounting gave me carpel tunnel and now I miss the keys. I don’t know whether to sue Rossi or Reed. What ya think Don?
Straight to the top baby –
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c.....php#005130
(besides the Bush-Cheney operatives now being sentenced for their roles jamming Dem phones in VT in 2000, it looks possible that Bill Frist may end up in trouble too)
Delay’s next.
I’m interested in people’s opinions about the bankruptcy law being discussed and voted on in Congress. On the one hand I feel that there are many that take advantage of the “out” Chapter 11 gives them, and would like to see something that done to cut down on that. On the other hand, we are a nation of entrepreneurs, who if we don’t at first succeed, we try, try again. Most bankruptcies (I believe) are the result of hard working people falling on tough times.
I’m interested in reasoned positions on both sides of the issue. Would anyone care to chime in?
Daniel…in my increasingly humble opinion, I would vote against any legislation that tightened the financial noose on common citizens but did nothing to address the increasing corporate fascination with using that same tool.
All in all, I believe we reap what we sow. If we’re reckless with our money, we should clean up the mess we made.
But until the corporate noose is tightened, I would not go after the average joe. And the tool should be available for those that can truly demonstrate circumstances beyond their control caused their financial demise…sickness, etc.
cricket…very interesting! It would truly be a breath of fresh air if some of the dirty tricks were shown the light of day…and the higher the better.
Someone needs to go after direct mailing Rove.
G. Davis @ 31 said, “in my increasingly humble opinion, I would vote against any legislation that tightened the financial noose on common citizens but did nothing to address the increasing corporate fascination with using that same tool.”
What specifically would you suggest to improve the bill? What should be taken out?
I would toss the whole thing out unless corporate bankruptcy is given the same stringent rules this gives to the average joe…
If they’re going to mess with the rules, make all the rules the same for all…business and citizen alike.
Its expected to pass isnt it?
Chee @ 34
I think you should spell it “carpal” and sue Rossi for being a big fraud.
I think banks should stop complaining about people filing for bankruptcy until they stop pushing credit cards like crack. But it isn’t going to happen. In the World According to Dubya, even as food is taken away from the poor in order to give money to corporate agribusinesses, the poor who fell for the American Bank Scam (which is very similar to the Nigerian Bank Scam, except it’s legal) will be shaken down for their last penny even as corporations are enabled and encouraged to file Chapter 11 in order to (a) break their union contracts and (b) screw their stockholders.
Oh, I forgot to mention, (c) screw their retirees too.
Thank God, Mrs. Cynical is still alive! When she disappeared for a few days, I suspected Mr. Cynical had done something to her. I feared he had chopped her up, thrown her pieces into the wok, and eaten her along with the tofu.
JCH @ 20 I personally think a state voters ID would be a great idea. But you and your neonuts would throw a fit…because it should be funded by the state with no cost to the person receiving it. OMG…raise my taxes for something decent….NO WAY…..lmao@u
Unkl Witz @ 21…yes they do seem like bombshells…but most of them are duds……now you know why this blog out does snarks by about 3:1 in posts.
When it comes to election reform, we need to focus on the issues that are causing the biggest problems.
Don @ 45–
I only eat “free-range” tofu! So now are you going to convince us that in addition to being a failed AMWAY salesman, 30-year Guv’mint Atty hack and a long-time cutest butthole Judge in the annual (or is it anal) Fremont District Gay Pride Parade….that in addition to all these qualities, you are now a sicko Galloping Gourmet?? Where will it all end Don?
I suspect it will all end at the BIG BINDER & the sad, pathetic case of PREMATURE CERTIFICATION by those 2 DOOFUS’s (or 2 DOOFAE)sp??.
Mrs. C @ 34–
What am I going to do with you (all 450 lbs and growing)!
I’m trying to finish my model WWII PBY, I’m looking all over for my new tube of airplane glue and I find it almost empty lodged in one of your rolls of fat!
Typical, the repugs want election reform, but then they turn around and snag 4 deomocrats into voting with them to not change the primary date to August. Typical, my way or NO WAY neocons
I am being filtered now? I bring venomless opinions and i get filtered?
Adriel – did you read the tiny note below the “Say it!” button at the bottom of each thread? Blog spam is a real problem, so certain keywords get automatically flagged as spam, or comments than contain more than one link, etc. Goldy holds those and deletes the true spam ones.
We’ve all gotten tripped up by that filter now and then, there’s nothing nefarious about it.
Zapporo @ 9:
Glass is passe’. It’s all about wood now.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/.....ron12.html
Welcome to Libertarian Utopia :)
I’m interested in people’s opinions about the bankruptcy law being discussed and voted on in Congress
Daniel – There are so many problems with that law it’s hard to know where to start. One of my biggest problems with it is that it removes most of the risk CC companies should be forced to assume when making lending decisions (that’s the whole point of credit scores, credit reports, etc.) The companies sure reap the rewards (50% of CC company profits these days come from penalties and fees).
Republicans also rejected provisions (amendments) that would protect people who need to declare bankruptcy because one spouse was in the military (i.e. shipped off to Iraq and the family loses one income), people who rack up unexpected medical bills (which is surprisingly common as a reason for bankruptcy), etc. I’m not sure I’ve seen a law that hurts the most vulnerable American workers more.
Also, as with the whole manufacturered malpractic crisis*, there simply aren’t that many people “taking advantage” of bankruptcy as a way to get ot of paying debts they could otherwise pay. But, I suppose I should take a little comfort in the fact that the states with the highest numbers of bankruptcies are all red states. So, once again, Republicans vote against the self-interest of their own constituents.
* http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ss.....cs/3077808
Here’s a good summary of the bankruptcy bill:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.c.....005781.php
One of the most interesting statistics is that “two-thirds of the extra million bankruptcies may have been caused by medical emergencies.” – so two problems (insurance companies + usurious credit card companies) combine to make life impossible for the working man, and the GOP responds by (as Kevin puts it) “The poor get shafted, the very real crisis of medical bankruptcy is ignored, the rich are allowed loopholes that let them off the hook, and credit card companies can continue on their merry way knowing they won’t have to pay the price for their own folly.”
For those of you who believe it’s only liberals that oppose the bankruptcy bill, please think again: http://instapundit.com/archives/021597.php
But Jcricket..that is their history…..screw the poor and give everything to their friends……nothing changes
jcricket–
I actually agree with you about the consequence of the Bankruptcy Bill which essentially “bails out” credit card companies for poor credit evaluation(uncerwriting).
My wife & I get an AVERAGE of 3 credit card applications per day. The latest “scam” is to make the applications look like IRS refund checks. We have received 6 of those from VISA related entities (a university, Alaska Airlines etc.).
I believe credit card companies should be forced to better evaluate credit and raise standards….not count on legal relief.
jpgee-
“Screw the poor”???
Not really….the “poor” as you call them often screw themselves by living a lifestyle their income cannot sustain. Then they blame the credit card companies for their lack of restraint.
I know a guy in the REPO business. His stories are endless about “poor” people buying luxury autos, stereos etc. etc. while their kids are neglected. He has heard every sob story every invented.
The “poor” often screw themselves by failing to prioritize, sacrifice and work harder….don’t kid yourself jpgee. I’m not saying “some” people aren’t misfortunate with health issues or other difficulties that contribute to financial problems.
The problem with the jpgee’s of the world is that they constantly resort to broad generalizations (i.e. the poor) as if all poor people are “VICTIMS”. That is why jpgee is such a nincompoop!
ATLANTA – The suspect in the Atlanta courtroom shootings that left a judge and two other people dead was apprehended on Saturday, according to U.S. television news networks. CNN and Fox television stations reported that Brian Nichols, 33, was taken into custody in north Atlanta after a standoff. [Yes, but can he still vote Democrat in the next election?]
I believe credit card companies should be forced to better evaluate credit and raise standards….not count on legal relief.
I’m with you. It seems fairly basic, but CC companies have good lobbyists, obviously.
My wife & I get an AVERAGE of 3 credit card applications per day. The latest “scam” is to make the applications look like IRS refund checks. We have received 6 of those from VISA related entities (a university, Alaska Airlines etc.).
Just FYI – I used to receive that many too, but now I receive almost none. You can write the credit bureaus and ask them to take you off the “market my information to random third parties” list. This prevents all those credit card companies from getting your info (except when you explicitly apply for credit). It’s also a nice way to limit the potential for ID theft (since no one can steal those credit applications from your mailbox if you don’t get any).
Cynical – While I understand your point about the generalization of the poor as “victims”, in this case I feel the generalization is apt. Credit card companies hook people with misleading promises of low credit and then jack up the rates with all sorts of underhanded tactics. The latest is if customers use up too much of their credit they get hit with a fee. Or, if they go over the limit (not like the CC company couldn’t prevent that, like they used to), they get hit with a fee. Or, if you pay the minimum, you end up getting deeper and deeper in debt.
And don’t get me started on those “pay day” loan places, which end up charging people like 1000%. Doesn’t the Bible have something pretty negative to say about usury like this?
To be fair, the state is also guilty, the lottery being a “tax on people who can’t do math” (which is disproportionately played by the poor).
Do you guys know the difference between a blond and a washing machine?
A washing machine wont follow you around after you dump a load in it…..
jcricket@62.
Due to the House’s structure the dam bill will pass muster but I deem it discriminates. A Debtor is a Debtor no matter how you look at it. Credit card companies peddle the dope, set up stands inside colleges, starting our youth out at an early age…IN DEBT; add in their student loans to that also. At that age their mind is not developed fully and they splurge away. Open your mailbox, how sweet, another credit card that you didn’t apply for called the Golden Golden Golden that superceeds your Platinum Platinum Platinum Plus. Just call the 1-800 and your magically in like Flynn. Heaping debt upon debt. The credit card companies need RELIEF. Excuse me, we need relief from the debt peddlers. Right to refusal..yes, but many already in debt see it as the only way out. More like getting gifted by another screwing for virginity’s sake.
We have two interesting topics going on in here: (1) judges and their family members are being shot by disgruntled litigants upset at how their cases were handled and (2) bankruptcy reform that will make it nearly impossible for a lot of people to discharge debts owed on usurious credit cards and enormous uninsured medical debts.
Will some people in category 2 above be driven to homicidal madness when they can’t get their enormous debts discharged, like the truly crazy people in category 1 above? If so, who will that homicidal madness be directed against? Bankruptcy court judges and staff — highly secure federal court buildings? Bankruptcy trustees — generally private attorneys with unsecured offices? Credit card company officers and directors? Doctors and hospital administrators? Collection agencies? The homes of any of the above, which are much easier to identify with most public records being available on the internet?
Bush pushed for corporate relief, sold us out, gave his support to corporate credit card companies. Bush silently taking us back to the days of “Debtor’s Prison,” which England once had and abolished. Serve in prison if you have no way left to pay your credit card debts. Next step, reinstating slavery? With Bush’s mind-set, the prison camp for America’s debt violators could be Abu Ghraib where you go naked and are dragged around by a dog collar or strung up to soften. Many are the dark red herrings Bush throws out to stir the public up, attempting to defray the heat off the real issues and dog’s hind flanks. Bow-Wow Bush needs to Bow out. Where is Monica?
Why blame the credit card companies? While I think the bankrupcy bill is wrong I think the fault is with the people using the cards.
This is a debtor nation. The mindset of how much are the payments is more prevelent than how much does it cost.
Until people realize that debt=slavery this country is in serious finacial trouble. The best thing to do with credit cards is just say no.
Sharks got his copy of the “Big Binder” Goldy was kind enough to tell us all about a few weeks ago and now Goldy and his friends are shitting their pants. It’s still early in analysis but already the binder, along with other information recently obtained, raises more questions and doubts and does not answer a damn thing. Thanks Goldy, if it weren’t for you we may never have known this binder existed. Your “Model Election” is crumbling around you. You should be embarassed to have put your support behind this election and this result. It says alot about someone that would try so hard to defend and explain away, with spin, what is so clearly F’d up. This means to me you cannot and never will be ojective about any issue Goldy. Partisan all the way. Go down with the sinking ship. You don’t stand on principle, you stand for nothing. Disappointing Goldy, very disappointing. You’ll sell your soul and your reputation for this disaster – very sad.
jcricket@62–
I also believe that a state sponsored lottery is BS. State’s promoting & generating $$ from gambling is unacceptable to me.
Lottery tickets are the absolute worst gamble in terms of odds. It’s amazing how many lazy, stupid people there are.
A friend of mine owns a small grocery store. Said it’s amazing how many loser’s on food stamps buy beer, cigarettes & lottery tickets…while their sickly kids wait out in the car. The state shouldn’t be in the food stamp business and gambling. Even though you can’t use food stamps to buy the lottery tickets, these losers pull their few dollars out to buy them.
I’m getting a little nervous in that agreeing with you jcricket makes me wonder if there is something bad in my water!
Joe Stalin: “It’s not important who votes, it’s who counts the votes.” Oh Nelson, Some things don’t seem to change, do they??
This country was founded by lotteries. It is how the revolutionary war was funded. It is the ONLY fair taxation because it is totally voluntary. Don’t want to particiapte? Don’t buy the tickets.
Hey JCH, drop me an email. You don’t list yours so I can’t send you a personal note.
Vince @ 67
We’re blaming the credit card companies because they lie, cheat, and swindle their customers. They’re no better, morally, than the Nigeran bank scam thieves.
Chris @ 68
The only people shitting their pants is the Rossi camp as their crusade crumbles before their eyes.
Cynical @ 69
Well good golly good gosh, Cyn, we agree on something! Even Mafia bookies give you better odds than the state lottery.
JCH @ 70
Every single vote that put Gregoire in the governor’s chair — every one — was counted by a Republican at least once and in many cases several times.
Given the bi-partisan nature of our discussion here about and against the bankruptcy bill I have two questions:
1) How is it that all Republicans in the senate voted for it, and many Dems did too, and
2) Why hasn’t the powerful Sound Politics site written against it?
The topic has managed to produce two of the most reasonable comments by Mr Cynical I have ever read here. Seems like people like Mr. Cynical should be speaking about it in conservative forums too.
Cynical @ 69. Lotteries have a long history in this country. The revolutionary war was funded by a lottery. It is the only fair taxation.
Daniel @ 75. This bankruptcy bill shows just how corrupt our economic system has become. Ursury is considered a sin in every major religion for good reason. It is enslavement. We have a society that likes to play now and pay later. Credit card companies have preyed on that mentality and are getting burned. This bill lets them take advantage of the weak without recourse. Shows you just how out of touch D.C. politians are with the people they represent. (both parties).
j.c.h. drop me an email. I have something I would like to discuss with you privately. vince@totalsense.com
Daniel K @75
Answer number one is easy. Follow the money. Senate campaigns cost big bucks, and who better to help underwrite a campaign than multiple large corporate donors.
Answer to #2 is beyond my knowledge. I would have expected Matt Rosenberg to make a topic of it. Based on the level of interest in it here, I would expect him to get some good opinions.
I will refer to an old anti-drug slogan: “Just Say No” to credit cards. But some people can’t fathom the consequences of borrowing money in order to live outside their means, and corporations are happy to oblige.
My uncle in Berkely has a variant of that slogan: “Don’t Say No, Say N20” which may explain the result of the Senate vote.
Marks @ 77
Yes, and more than a whisper of H2S.
76……The subject of your “private discussion” is? At this point, I prefer to keep it on the board. BTW, “Lotteries have a long history in this country. The revolutionary war was funded by a lottery. It is the only fair taxation.” Lotteries are voluntary…Correct? No one is FORCED by gunpoint to play a lotterery. Taxes, on ther other hand……[Try not paying your taxes!]
Nothing to be paranoid about. I do a little political audio thing on my website. Thought it might be fun to do an interview. Didn’t want to distract from the discussion at hand by posting it here. You can remain anonymous if you like.
Vince @ 78
Item #1 … Now we know … you think the only legitimate tax is a voluntary tax. Whatever.
Now it’s my turn. We all hate taxes. But without taxes there can be no government, and without government there can be no civiliation. No private property. No commerce. No wealth on which, or from which, to pay taxes. We’d all still be living in caves or trees.
So what’s wrong with voluntary taxation? Plenty. Freeloaders wouldn’t pay anything, leaving it to others to fund the things that make possible the freeloaders’ survival and prosperity (e.g., military, police, courts, education, roads, sewers, etc.). More enlightened folks who recognized the necessity of government and paying taxes to support it, seeing themselves taken advantage of by freeloaders, would soon stop paying anything, too. Only a fool puts money into the kitty when nobody else does, right? Then … collapse.
That’s what’s wrong with your idiotic idea that taxes should be voluntary.
Item #2 … Credit card companies are getting burned? No, I don’t think so. They’re doing just fine, thank you. They borrow money at 1.5% and lend it out at 21%, so they have some margin to accomodate bad debt. They figured out long ago they make more profit by giving credit cards to everyone (including cats and dogs) and writing off a certain amount of bad debt, than they do by restricting credit to reasonable credit risks. That’s why they issue credit cards like water. Apart from the fact the credit card companies are earning massive profits, even if they weren’t they would deserve no sympathy from anyone.
What about the unwary consumers who are getting burned by usurious rates, hidden fees, bait and switch rates, and so on? You don’t seem to have any concern for them.
Yes, Vince, we know where your head is. Up your ass.
82…Vince, Pass. Thanks for your consideration. Ask again after the trail. JCH
DON..Re: Credit Card Debt……..I get a kick out of students at expensive universities who run up tens of thousands of debt, then are shocked….yes shocked, that they have to pay the money back at the AGREED rate and the AGREED amount of interest. They are victims!! They are Democrats in the making!! Someone else must pay, or the “evil” credit card companies [Mastercard, Visa,etc] must “understand” and forgive their debts. [The credit card companies “eat” the debt, and charge others higher rates.] Yes, we must understand!! [Bull Shit…….Make the little Democrats to be pay!!!]
You misunderstand me. I stated that lotteries are the only FAIR tax. All taxes are regressive by nature. As a free society we have to decide what we want to hand off to the government to do. We must also pay for those services.
I don’t have any issue with taxes that are directly related to services. Example is fuel taxes to pay for roads, property taxes to pay for police and fire etc… I also support the notion of toll roads and bridges. So long as those funds pay for the project they are paid for.
Taxes I don’t agree with are when money is used to benefit the few. Things like building stadiums for millionaires.
RDC @80
No, H2S is the measure in current form.
Naturally, politicians in large numbers produce vast amounts of it…
Don @ 76-
Meaningless comment by you (as usual).
Just because a ballot was counted by an R doesn’t mean it was legimately cast. This is the point. Based on KingCo’s very own reconciliation numbers, no one can say with any certainty who won. You and I can argue till hell freezes over but it won’t change the fact that these reconciliations are going to prove to be flawed, Election Director Logan failed to clearly identiify, investigate and disclose all discrepancies to the Canvassing Board prior to certification.
Remember, the difference is only 129. Not much of a difference to accumulate enough errors, omissions & neglect to show that the election result is in doubt. Time will tell.
Mr. Cynical……..Perhaps we need another “Troll Poll”. In addition, after the reelection, the first steak is on me. Chardonnoy, too. DON can park our cars.
Don,
No one has ever accused you of being smart, have they? Your comments and lack of substance highlights the ignorance and denial that makes up your life. You are blind and naive if you do not think that the further this election is investigated the more clouded the result becomes. Splash some cold water on your face and come back to reality. Thanks for the entertainment though, you really know how to make me laugh.
Voter fraud: capital offense! I figure a few dozen arrests will do the trick! Remember when a few thousand “Upper East Side New Yawkers [99% Democrats] double voted in NY as well as Miami and Boca Raton? Can you imagine them doing the “perp” walk in hand cuffs? How about the black districts that vote at 115% in Milwaukee, Philly, and Det”riot”? [For Dems, whatever it takes to win!] I figure these Democrat terrorists are just as dangerous as the Middle East criminals.
Kalifornia Democrats learn from their comrades in King County, WASH. Remember, said a famous communist, “It’s who counts the votes!!” Enjoy, commie libs!! Without informing mayoral challengers, Los Angeles City Clerk Frank Martinez ordered election workers Tuesday night to use blue highlighter pens to re-ink thousands of voters’ ballots that had “bubbles” partially or faintly filled in, the Daily News learned Friday….
“I’ve never heard of anything like this before,” said Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies. “It’s unprecedented. You don’t tamper with the ballots.
“You want to have the ballots in the same condition when they were deposited into the ballot box and you never want to touch ballots in terms of putting a mark on them. It’s shocking.”
Discussion question for Democrats: If Democrats believe in higher taxes, why does Mrs. John Kerry Heinz pay taxes at the marginal tax rate of 12%? In addition, how did the Kennedys make their money? Final question: How can black districts in NY, Philly, Detroit, and Chicago vote at 115% of registration, and the MSM is scared shitless to discuss this voter fraud? “All pigs are equal, but pigs who vote Democrat like DON are a little more equal than others!”
Carla @9 — You must admit that your reference to “wood” is somewhat obscure. However I am quite sure that I have figured it out.
I don’t envision you as a smiling dutch lady clogging in Amsterdam so let’s throw out the stupidly obvious. I don’t know if you are given to entendre. If so I could blather on about how conservatives have hard wood (i.e., elms and oaks) while liberals are more prone to smaller softwood varieties (ficus bonsai). True, but I doubt that was your intent. An authentic liberal would have said “hemp” which is the ultimate renewable resource. But that’s not what you wrote, is it?
Now, being a flaming liberal from oregon, I would have guessed tree-hugger. But wood is the product of dead trees. Hmmm, I think I’ve got it. You’re a closet conservative logger? Blogging about social issues to hide your true agenda — Chainsaw tree massacre. Am I right here? Anybody want to chime in and let us know about the “real” Carla? It’s the power you crave isn’t it? Nothing quite like holding that 30 inch Stihl MS660 in your hands and letting it rip. Oh, the cruel irony of it all.
Chris @89 – Please be careful.
Don just changed meds.
We don’t want to get him too upset.
You see, he has this secret “thing” for Mrs. C and it’s tearing him apart. He keeps humming the song “My Baby’s Got Mudflaps” over and over and over and over again. We all know Spinal Tap wasn’t that great and obviously Prozac just wasn’t doing the job. Anyway, go easy on him. Just remember, its the meds talking.
chris @ 89 you said Your comments and lack of substance highlights the ignorance and denial that makes up your life……if that is how you think of Don….he sounds like the Complete Repug. No offense Don…..just get tired ot the same little kids spewing their same ‘nya nya nya’ and never backing up a word of theirs.
Vince @ 86
“Taxes I don’t agree with are when money is used to benefit the few. Things like building stadiums for millionaires.”
Now we’re getting somewhere! But the list is a lot longer than stadiums. The latest number on Dubya’s giveaway to Big Pharma and HMOs in the guise of prescription drug benefits for the elderly is now up to $1.2 trillion over 10 years. And that is only one of a very long list of massive subsidies enacted or being pushed by the GOP.
Cynical @ 88
“Just because a ballot was counted by an R doesn’t mean it was legimately cast.”
But it DOES mean the ballot exists and R’s had an opportunity to make sure it was counted correctly.
The “reconciliation” is a non-issue, Cynical. Logan and the county auditors have said all along that poll books don’t normally reconcile, and aren’t intended to. The protections against illegal voting are at the front end. In King County alone there were nearly a million voters and over 4,000 poll workers, so it was inevitable there be mistakes in precinct-level recordkeeping performed by mostly elderly volunteers who do this one or two times a year. The mistakes by voters and poll workers in handling provisional votes were due to the fact the provisional voting procedure is new and no one has much experience with it, and the procedure itself lends to confusion (for example, by using the same ballots as regular voters — the only difference was an extra envelope).
Chris @ 89
By all means enjoy living your fantasy while it lasts. Rossi has no evidence; his case is built entirely on conjecture, which doesn’t cut it in a court of law. A cold dose of reality is coming in a few months.
zap @ 91
It’s true I hum “my baby has mudflaps” as I drive on I-5, but I assure you my affection is for my pickup, and Mr. C has nothing to fear. My pickup — she’s the one for me — and there can be no other.
jp @ 92
Not to worry. Just wait for Judge Bridges’ ruling. They’ll go real quiet then.
Don-@ 93-
Do you really believe any Auditor or Judge will buy the Logan “we did everything perfect on the front end” scheme?
Don, the mailed out thousands and thousands of unauthorized & unrequested ballots ON THE FRONT-END!
Logan inapproriately fed hundreds on provisional ballots DIRECTLY into ACCCUVOTE on the FRONT-END.
Logan failed to scan & input hundreds of signature cards into the KingCO voter registration system ON THE FRONT-END!
Logan failed to eliminate hundreds of FELONS, DEAD PERSONS & Duplicate Voters ON THE FRONT-END
The front-end??? MY BACK-END!!!!!!!!!
Can’t post, even on the “open thread”! Typical Democrat double standard. DON, Hillary, Fidel, Goldy………Aloha!
Cynical@97….. Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them.
Chris@89…..Your description of Don is revealing. If that’s what Don is, what are you?
jpgee@92. Child’s play. That’s putting it mildly. It’s a syndrome right out of the books, “I’m Okay,Your Not Okay” and “Fair Fighting.” The when-in-doubt syndrome, form of dis-ease, when confronted with intelligance, drops to the gut level; hitting below the belt.
Bush Lied!!! Bush Lied!! Bush Lied!!……Oh,………Never mind!!! [hehe] NY Times: Iraq Had WMD ‘Stockpiles’ in 2003
In a stunning about-face, the New York Times reported Sunday that when the U.S. attacked Iraq in March 2003, Saddam Hussein possessed “stockpiles of monitored chemicals and materials,” as well as sophisticated equipment to manufacture nuclear and biological weapons, which was removed to “a neighboring state” before the U.S. could secure the weapons sites.
Don@96. Rossi and followers like the comfort zone denial offers them. Denial is an mechanism of escape, has been known to exist long after the coffin lid closes. Even the long black shiney hearse pulling up at the graveside bearing the deceased didn’t jolt them back to the reality of their loss. Nice try Don.
JHC@107. GADS..no shit!
chee noun – Partisan Hack totally devoid of meaningful thought. Typically an idescretion not used in well-mannered polite company.
“Bill Clinton, during the Lewinski hearings, descended to the third burning level of chee when he attempted to redefine the meaning of ‘is’.”
chee adjective – California surfer euphanism for irrelevant and untrue (“totally bogus”).
“Whoa dude, that is like so totally Chee.”
Don and Chee,
You are both ridiculous. Not even worth the effort. You are both blind to the facts and the events that are unfolding before your eyes. You are afraid to see the truth and continue to live in denial. All your stupid responses that basically say, “no your in denial” are asinine. I am open to the information and evaluate it for its true worth. You on the other hand dismiss this evidence out of hand. You, like Goldy & CG, stand behind this election as a “Model Election” and are proud of the way it was conducted. You are partisan hacks that would deny the sun rises if the democrat party would benefit from it. You have no principles; the ends justify the means to you. You have no credibility and with every post, denying the clear and indisputable evidence of errors in this election, you further deteriorate your ability to be taken seriously. Try thinking for yourselves for once and quit drinking the Kool-Aid, it has clearly clouded your vision. You can’t even see what is slapping you in the face.
zaporro. Your zapper can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Your well-meaning ust hasn’t figured how to go about it as yet.
Crissy@111. Your not wearing any clothess again.
chris@111. And your not wearing your glasses either. Neither Don Or Chee have EVER denied that “error’s” existed. Get over yourself.
Chee your stupid ass comments tend to annoy me, but your ignorance is a welcome form of entertainment.
What’s worse then denying errors occured is acknowledging they did and still saying it was a model election and/or supporting the (temporary) result of the acknowledged f’d up election. And then you criticize those that refuse to ignore the obvious. So now you want to say things were screwed up, errors were made but so what? You would not say that if all things were equal but Rossi was sitting in the office.
I’ll spell it out in simple terms for you Chee…You are an asshole.
Or maybe you’d better understand…
he who plays where others deficate is either covered in stench or the cause of the stench. (Stupid, isn’t it? but maybe now you’ll understand)
Gee..thanks. Your so special, you give me room to grow on. :-)
MORON @112 –
Whoa Dude, You are like so Chee.
Pull your head out of your Chee.
Wipe your Chee.
Pull up your pants before people see your plumber Chee.
Insignificant Rodent Chee.
Big fat buffalo Chee.
King County Metro Chee District
Karl Marxist Chee.
Frontal Lobotamy Chee.
Chee in a Punchbowl.
Fraudulent hanging Chee.
The empty pit of Chee.
The world needs one less Chee.
Your looking for an occasion to be offended,use my experiance (Don’s or anyone else) to be offended. Sticks and stones is a child’s game, one that is meant to hurt other children. Feng Shu would help your energy.
Dear Chee @118 — Really, I was doing you a favor in the nicest way possible. You wouldn’t have listened otherwise. When so many people tell you point blank that you are an idiot a$$hole, most people will step back and cogitate a bit on that and perhaps present a more reasonable perspective. Cheeisms are nothing if not humorous. Feng Shu is actually “Feng Shui” and is yuppie B.S. You want spiritual enlightenment and positive energy? Volunteer in your community. Call your parents or grandparents and let them know how much they mean to you. Donate some blood. Cook a meal for the homeless. Don’t post ten thousand ridiculous times trying to single-handedly convince the world. And you are definitely no Don. Don has a sense of humor and the ability to articulate a reasonable view. Prove that you can do the same.
You do not have to defend your position. You do not have to do me an favors. I have no problem with your posting over and over. I can take what you say for who you are or leave it. Your opinion is just that, yours. Good rule is to not underestimate. What you do not know is not a problem for me. What you know is not a problem for me. What I know or do not know may be a problem for you, but that is not my problem either. This is America in case you have forgotten.
zapporo@119. post 120 was a reply to your 119. An add to that: My life is full and enriched. I am blessed in many ways. My life does not depend on what Zapporo or any other Tom, Dick or Harry playing Guru thinks of me. Frankly, I don’t care. Your real intent is tissue-paper thin. Sell your cleverness and buy more bewilderment.
Chee-A-Pet,
You bring no substance to this debate. Your posts are meaningless, you just post stupid ass comments also know as bullshit.
My attempt to communicate with our little Chee-A-Pet………….
“The light in a soul reflects the true inner being of which upon you gaze. To find truth look within the eyes of those you oppose as the truth shines brighter then the dimness of the soul that gazes back at you.”
I just pulled that rambling crap from my ass and lay in this post and it makes more sense then anything you have ever posted.
Typical Chris, rambling yes, but didn’t notice any differance in the spot it comes from.
Chee @123 – Chris posted well @122. His words are deep, filled with mystical wisdom, perhaps even with a hint of humor. Try it sometime.
Chee, I really worry about you.
Loosen up. Get out. Breathe the fresh air. Get off the blogs. Find your soulmate. Live your life with purpose! You can break away. Don’t let the harsh criticism here deter you. You can be the finest liberal you can be. All it takes is willpower. Just do it!
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