The Glade 4.0

Now, the second way to keep our democracy healthy is to maintain a basic level of civility in our public debate. (Applause.) These arguments we’re having over government and health care and war and taxes -- these are serious arguments. They should arouse people’s passions, and it’s important for everybody to join in the debate, with all the vigor that the maintenance of a free people requires.

But we can’t expect to solve our problems if all we do is tear each other down. (Applause.) You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question somebody’s views and their judgment without questioning their motives or their patriotism. (Applause.) Throwing around phrases like “socialists” and “Soviet-style takeover” and “fascist” and “right-wing nut” -- (laughter) -- that may grab headlines, but it also has the effect of comparing our government, our political opponents, to authoritarian, even murderous regimes.

Now, we’ve seen this kind of politics in the past. It’s been practiced by both fringes of the ideological spectrum, by the left and the right, since our nation’s birth. But it’s starting to creep into the center of our discourse. And the problem with it is not the hurt feelings or the bruised egos of the public officials who are criticized. Remember, they signed up for it. Michelle always reminds me of that. (Laughter.) The problem is that this kind of vilification and over-the-top rhetoric closes the door to the possibility of compromise. It undermines democratic deliberation. It prevents learning –- since, after all, why should we listen to a “fascist,” or a “socialist,” or a “right-wing nut,” or a left-wing nut”? (Laughter.)

It makes it nearly impossible for people who have legitimate but bridgeable differences to sit down at the same table and hash things out. It robs us of a rational and serious debate, the one we need to have about the very real and very big challenges facing this nation. It coarsens our culture, and at its worst, it can send signals to the most extreme elements of our society that perhaps violence is a justifiable response.

"Government .. is the roads we drive on and the speed limits that keep us safe. It's the men and women in the military, the inspectors in our mines, the pioneering researchers in public universities."

Oh that's so nice and comfy, isn't it. How about this, Mr. Community Organizer?

Government is forcing you to buy health insurance. Government is seizing your money with a vague promise you'll get some of it back at a negative rate of return if you live long enough to retire. Government is seizing your home because some developer promises to build something on what once was your property that will deliver more property taxes. Government is finding you in an airport with too much cash in your pocket, seizing that cash and telling you that you're just flat out of luck. Government is forcing you to pay an employee more than that person is worth to your business, and then telling you that you cannot pay a top level executive what he IS worth. Government is (or will be) health care rationing. Government is telling you that you cannot invest your own money in a business venture you find promising. Government is charging you with a federal crime if you pick an eagle feather up you see lying on the ground. Government is telling you that you cannot use property that you own because it might - just might - be a nifty habitat for some esoteric mouse that, by the way, has never been actually seen anywhere near your property. Government is telling you that you cannot advertise a home with a "walk-in closet" because the phrase "walk-in" discriminates against people in wheel chairs. Oh ... and government is spending over a billion dollars of taxpayer money a year on electric scooters for lard asses who are simply tired of hauling their massive selves to the bingo game down at the community hall. Government is allowing teacher's unions to control the education of our children. Government is forcing the top 1% of income earners to pay 40% of all personal income taxes while allowing the bottom 50% of income earners to become net tax consumers. Government is chasing businesses and jobs overseas with confiscatory taxation. Government is creating a financial meltdown by encouraging and then virtually guaranteeing hideously bad mortgages by the tens of millions ... and then blaming Wall Street when it all turns into s#!t stew. Government is owning General Motors. Government is ignoring the law and giving unions advantages in bankruptcy proceedings. Government is flying elected officials all over the globe on meaningless junkets while demonizing corporate executives who dare make use of private aircraft. Government is taxing a man his entire working life, and then coming back for half of what he has left when he dies. All of this and Obama tells the grads that "government is the roads we drive on." Only a freshly minted college grad would buy a load of waste material like that.

In comic strips the person on the left always speaks first. - George Carlin

His message is a good one at the surface, and I believe most people here, despite our differences in opinion, appreciate when the discourse is kept civil and not personal.

However, this message coming from him will ring in the Hall of Irony Fame for eternity.

Especially since his new book has him referring to the tea party folks as tea baggers.

19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

What's the the difference in consciously using it unscripted(whatever the hell that means) and consciously using it in a book he wrote himself? He still did it and then comes out and says "hey everybody, let's be nice!"

What's the word for that...

In comic strips the person on the left always speaks first. - George Carlin

It's OK to disparrage white males, because they don't fit into his agenda, or election strategy.

What's the the difference in consciously using it unscripted(whatever the hell that means) and consciously using it in a book he wrote himself?

The difference is the amount of thought that goes into using the word. But whatever. Feel free to get as offended and smug about it as you like. I was just pointing out the context. /shrug

19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

Wow... hadn't see that before, but the omission is glaring.

I think Nitefox maybe be transposing of Monte's tendencies to you RD... such as the whole Ron Paul is a racist thing.

He didn't mention native americans or chinese americans in there too. I suspect that he's pointing to specific groups that were a large force, and that this was targeted for those audiences. Seriously, you guys read way too much into things.

19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

He didn't mention native americans or chinese americans in there too. I suspect that he's pointing to specific groups that were a large force, and that this was targeted for those audiences. Seriously, you guys read way too much into things.

The difference is the amount of thought that goes into using the word. But whatever. Feel free to get as offended and smug about it as you like. I was just pointing out the context. /shrug

*grin* Yeah, I've noticed that my exchanges with more than one poster have been more nettlesome since Monty left. I suspect my "reasonable Lefty" cred was in part just a comparison to his posting style.

19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

Partially, since to some degree, we do live in the comparitive. However, I will say that you have lent yourself to appologist politics more so than I'm used to seeing from you recently.

Probably true. I have a natural tendency to push back against the other person's views in any conversation, and most people on these forums are really strongly anti-Obama. When I post on Lefty sites, I'm usually one of the more conservative commenters.

What's the the difference in consciously using it unscripted(whatever the hell that means) and consciously using it in a book he wrote himself? He still did it and then comes out and says "hey everybody, let's be nice!"

What's the word for that...