[clue-talk] Wow, Card's a little political...

[Collins Richey]

On Sat, Nov 1, 2008 at 10:30 AM, Sean LeBlanc <seanleblanc at comcast.net> wrote:

>
> Do you see people yelling incendiary things at Obama rallies? Things like
> "off with his head" or "bomb him"?

This is a red herring. Numerous people at these rallies heard no such
thing, and it seems that only one journalist (with the appropriate
party affiliations) heard these remarks. Is this any different than
shouting down conservatives who dare to speak at universities or
damaging the cars of those who dare to display Republican signs or
painting over Republican yard signs?

>
> Do you see his campaign calling people un-American, or referring to mythical
> "real Americans" and mythical places like the "real America"?

Not so mythical if you live there. If you believe in the
constitutional republic founded by the constitution, it's perfectly
logical to consider the politics of "wealth redistribution" as
essentially un-American.

>
> So, yes, invoking Hitler and the Nazis is perfectly legit, IMHO. They
> whipped up a fear of the "other", and frankly, the dog-whistle politics, the
> Southern Strategy and the rampant xenophobia aimed at Obama (by trying to
> paint him as a "secret Muslim", "palin' around with terrorists", etc.) is
> just about all the McCain campaign has been about. I guess it's what Rove
> knows best....whipping up fear of the other.

Is that any different than whipping up fear of religious Americans and
opposing their right to speak up on political issues? You are mixing
metaphors. The concept of Obama as a secret Muslim is so far below the
radar of what McCain supporters actually value, it's not even worth
discussing. And there's no paint needed to realize that Obama has
palled around with terrorists. It's a part of his history, and
choosing to deny it does not change the evidence,


>> I was looking for the quote I referred to earlier -- don't why it isn't
>> in my quotations file, and came across this, which feels apropos:
>>
>> There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not
>> want merely because you think it would be good for him.
>>  -- Robert A. Heinlein
>
> Again, this is looking at stuff strictly through a lens of fiscal policy, it
> seems. There is much more to the picture than just fiscal policy, IMHO.

Yes, there's much more to this statement than fiscal policy, it's a
political philosophy. You either believe in the freedom to manage your
own life/fiscal situation (be all that you can be), or you believe
that the wise intellectuals must do this for you (you don't really
know what's good for you or your fellow citizens).

>
> And, as I pointed out earlier, Obama is running with a Friedmanite disaster
> capitalist crowd, so I don't think the Democrats are going to bring
> "socialism" to this country, regardless of all the hyperbole coming out of
> the 'wingers like Limbaugh, Klannity (*), Michael Weiner (aka Savage) etc..
>

Have you ever bothered to research the party affiliation of most KKK
members or George Wallace or Bull Connor? Have you ever listened to
the hyperbole coming out of the mouths of Al Franken, Randi Rhodes,
the reverend Wright, the reverend Jackson, etc. If you don't agree
with someone, it's always hyperbole.

And, of course, the all-time guilt by association trip is: anyone who
associates with and benefits from a superbly skilled campaign manager
like Carl Rowe must be a fascist. After all he helped to elect GWB,
and GWB is a known fascist. QED.

-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.