Republican Platform starting to lose its gilding?

[esskreemr]

Three subjects, in each, the Republican response seems to be way out of sorts with the reported American public opinion:

1) ANWAR - most Americans would rather see other options pursued before irreperably damaging this pristine wildlife reserve

2) Social Security - Most American feel that the system needs fixed, not overhauled into "personal retirement savings accounts".

3) Terry Schiavo - It's sad that this is a major issue, but it is one that will have effects much greater than that of one person's life coming to an end. It is also apparently going to have implications on the seperation of powers as well as the levels of self-governance of states.

As I predicited earlier, the hubris of the Republican party (the majority of which are extremely out of touch with the majority of Americans) will eventually lead to them cutting their own throats. How many other people's throats will they cut before the "common" man decides enough is enough?

[Bayou Bum]

1) ANWAR - most Americans would rather see other options pursued before irreperably damaging this pristine wildlife reserve

Besides not agreeing with calling the area a "pristine wildlife reserve", what poll are you refering to that shows "most" Americans are opposed to ANWAR?

2) Social Security - Most American feel that the system needs fixed, not overhauled into "personal retirement savings accounts".

Again, what poll are you refering too?

3) Terry Schiavo - It's sad that this is a major issue, but it is one that will have effects much greater than that of one person's life coming to an end. It is also apparently going to have implications on the seperation of powers as well as the levels of governance of states.

Agreed that this is a major embarrassment to the Republican party.

As I predicited earlier, the hubris of the Republican party (the majority of which are extremely out of touch with the majority of Americans, will eventually lead to them cutting their own throats. How many other people's throats will they cut before the "common" man decides enough is enough?

I don't agree that they are "extremely" out of touch with the majority of Americans or they wouldn't be slowly increasing their majority with every election. And I wouldn't say they are cutting their throats ... just yanking the feeding tubes out!

[noodle]

hey, dont forget this one.

for those who don't have the time to read it: florida is attempting to pass legislation which allows college students to sue professors who teach evolution as fact because it is intolerant to their beliefs. and its actually on its way to being passed. its actually making its way through the proper channels without being shot down.

hell in a handbasket, i tells ya

[esskreemr]

Originally Posted by Bayou Bum

Besides not agreeing with calling the area a "pristine wildlife reserve", what poll are you refering to that shows "most" Americans are opposed to ANWAR?

I may have to retract this one. There are several polls that are conflicting with each other. It's probably a result of the wording...

Again, what poll are you refering too?

Social Security Polls:
http://www.pollingreport.com/social.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Mar14.html
http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/...ocialsecurity/

An important note: I'm not debating rather or not Bush's SS plans have been fairly represented in the media, this is primarily concerning people's impressions...

I don't agree that they are "extremely" out of touch with the majority of Americans or they wouldn't be slowly increasing their majority with every election. And I wouldn't say they are cutting their throats ... just yanking the feeding tubes out!

Look's like we're at a "draw"...

[ThatReallyHurt]

Originally Posted by Noodle

hey, dont forget this one.

for those who don't have the time to read it: florida is attempting to pass legislation which allows college students to sue professors who teach evolution as fact because it is intolerant to their beliefs. and its actually on its way to being passed. its actually making its way through the proper channels without being shot down.

hell in a handbasket, i tells ya

I've got a better idea - why don't they make classes democratic? That way, everyone in the class can vote on answers to questions. I can just see it now...

"Yes, everyone was created by a supreme being and put here on the planet. Yes, it only happened a few thousand years ago. No - even though we've sent people to the moon and robots to the outer solar system, we're pretty sure that the universe actually revolves around the Earth. Oh, and we voted that Pi is now 5, because all those decimal places were too hard to remember and 5 is easier to work with than 3."

All joking aside, how would a law like this affect those who are going to university and trying to become an anthropologist or archaeologist... what about someone who wants to work in the pharmeceutical industry? Bacteria "evolve" rather quickly, do they not? I consider myself to be a religious person, but I really can't see handing in a report saying "the new drug Blahamine no longer has any effect on E.coli batch 2005/09A because the Lord hath decreed that additional proteins are now present in the cell membrane".

Yes, you go to school to learn specific things; however, you also go to school to get tools that allow you to learn, rationalize, and make decisions for yourself.

[esskreemr]

Creationists teach that the Biblically determined age of the Earth is somewhere between 10,000 and 6,000 years. This is based not on actual dates, but on "working" back from a known date.

Apparently, God is a really good at antiquing...

[Maeve_Mari]

Originally Posted by ThatReallyHurt

Yes, you go to school to learn specific things; however, you also go to school to get tools that allow you to learn, rationalize, and make decisions for yourself.

Ah, the key to the puzzle here.
THEY don't want you to think for yourself out of fear that you won't be controllable that way and vote for the issues that benefit them best!

They must tell you want to think and keep you from any tools that allow you to rationalize.

Truly an unbelievable state. And I mean both the current state of affairs AND the state of Florida. I've run across a number of off the right side of the wall issues coming out of them lately! What's up with that? Is Jeb trying to distract his members from seeing what's happening behind the curtain??

[Philistine]

Originally Posted by noodle

hey, dont forget this one.

for those who don't have the time to read it: florida is attempting to pass legislation which allows college students to sue professors who teach evolution as fact because it is intolerant to their beliefs. and its actually on its way to being passed. its actually making its way through the proper channels without being shot down.

hell in a handbasket, i tells ya

Also from the article:

"Students who believe their professor is singling them out for “public ridicule” – for instance, when professors use the Socratic method to force students to explain their theories in class – would also be given the right to sue."

If only this law were in place when I was in law school!

--Philistine

[keith]

Originally Posted by esskreemr

Creationists teach that the Biblically determined age of the Earth is somewhere between 10,000 and 6,000 years. This is based not on actual dates, but on "working" back from a known date.

Apparently, God is a really good at antiquing...

with most of the variation due to disagreements on how much longer folk lived in the old testemant days, they all tend to agree on the begat counts though.

[Maeve_Mari]

Originally Posted by Philistine

Also from the article:

"Students who believe their professor is singling them out for “public ridicule” – for instance, when professors use the Socratic method to force students to explain their theories in class – would also be given the right to sue."

If only this law were in place when I was in law school!

--Philistine

Where does this even come from?
Who thinks these things up anyways? Do law firms maintain an area in the practice for exploration and have young go-getters google around for the absurd and then challenge them to encourage, recruit, and file suits against their findings?

I just received in the mail a resolution of a class action suit that I unknowingly became a part in. I really don't know anything at all about the situation - I do recall receiving some legalese form that said something about my cell carrier and how they slighted me as a user. I tossed the form - I didnt even have that cell carrier anymore - and didn't really feel slighted anyways. Well, yesterday I got a letter stating that the class action suit has completed and that the letter would serve to inform me of the award I received. In the letter, it included at note that informed me that, "The attorneys have been paid." And my award in this lawsuit? I have been awarded the opportunity to purchase a cell phone accessory at a 20% discount, not to exceed a full price of $35, thus giving me a grand savings of $7 total.

When I stopped celebrating this great windfall and regained my composure, I was once again reminded by the final statement in the letter, that, "The attorney's have been paid."

Is that what these suits are all about? The attorney's being paid?

[keith]

Originally Posted by Maeve_Mari

Is that what these suits are all about? The attorney's being paid?

we'll make you a frothing right winger yet

[noodle]

Originally Posted by Maeve_Mari

Where does this even come from?
Who thinks these things up anyways? Do law firms maintain an area in the practice for exploration and have young go-getters google around for the absurd and then challenge them to encourage, recruit, and file suits against their findings?

I just received in the mail a resolution of a class action suit that I unknowingly became a part in. I really don't know anything at all about the situation - I do recall receiving some legalese form that said something about my cell carrier and how they slighted me as a user. I tossed the form - I didnt even have that cell carrier anymore - and didn't really feel slighted anyways. Well, yesterday I got a letter stating that the class action suit has completed and that the letter would serve to inform me of the award I received. In the letter, it included at note that informed me that, "The attorneys have been paid." And my award in this lawsuit? I have been awarded the opportunity to purchase a cell phone accessory at a 20% discount, not to exceed a full price of $35, thus giving me a grand savings of $7 total.

When I stopped celebrating this great windfall and regained my composure, I was once again reminded by the final statement in the letter, that, "The attorney's have been paid."

Is that what these suits are all about? The attorney's being paid?

its not terribly uncommon for this kind of lawsuit to require you to pay the attourneys for collecting on the settlement.

[Maeve_Mari]

Originally Posted by noodle

its not terribly uncommon for this kind of lawsuit to require you to pay the attourneys for collecting on the settlement.

I'm less concerned about the attorney's being paid for settlements, than I am for attorneys turning trivial nothings into lawsuits whereby the objective is little else than getting themselves some payment!

And I agree. It's not terribly uncommon. The letter I got yesterday wasn't the first "settlement" I've received in useless actions!

[Gav]

Originally Posted by noodle

hey, dont forget this one.

for those who don't have the time to read it: florida is attempting to pass legislation which allows college students to sue professors who teach evolution as fact because it is intolerant to their beliefs. and its actually on its way to being passed. its actually making its way through the proper channels without being shot down.

hell in a handbasket, i tells ya

AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Hooo Hoo Hooo Hooo Hooo

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

What next? Burnt at the stake for heresy?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Nice one Noodle, you really got me with that one.

Oh wait. it's not April 1...

[achilleus]

Originally Posted by esskreemr

As I predicited earlier, the hubris of the Republican party (the majority of which are extremely out of touch with the majority of Americans) will eventually lead to them cutting their own throats. How many other people's throats will they cut before the "common" man decides enough is enough?

I have yet to read it, but I hear this book is quite interesting. It's premise, which you can read by clicking the link, is pretty much what you're touching upon here.

Anyone here read it? Or heard about it?

[Maeve_Mari]

Originally Posted by achilleus

I have yet to read it, but I hear this book is quite interesting. It's premise, which you can read by clicking the link, is pretty much what you're touching upon here.

Anyone here read it? Or heard about it?

I did just hear about it the other day. The author was on the Bill Maher show last week and was talking about this book. I didn't think the interview went all that well - but that show's format doesn't always lend itself to getting to the point - but I wrote it down as a good next read.

One of the themes from the book was to ask and answer how the Republican Party convinced these heartland state, middle American people to vote with them. The author points out that although the Republican Party talks a morals game, the legislation that's been passing is in complete opposition to the economic and political needs of the people that support them. He joked, that these minimum wage WalMart employees are cheering the passage of new estate tax legislation and reduced tax liabilities for annual retirement incomes over $500K. As if these people will ever be beneficiaries of the policies of the party they elected! And all under the guise of something we all have been duped with called "values."

[BrianH]

Originally Posted by noodle

...florida is attempting to pass legislation which allows college students to sue professors who teach evolution as fact because it is intolerant to their beliefs.

Has anyone else been struck by the thought that the news from Florida has been mired in the bizarre lately? I always thought the loose nuts rolled down to southern California, but I'm changing my mind about that. Is Jeb hoping all this stuff will get him into the White House?

[Gav]

I was thinking that. I always assumed that Florida was quite a liberal modern state. Seems I might have been wrong.