The Democrat Thread

[kapkomet]

I'm also a big proponent of the environment. Here's an excerpt from an interview with J. Craig Venter

 

(Independent geneticist J. Craig Venter raced an international consortium of scientists to map the human genome in the 1990s. Now he's putting the same cutting-edge science to work on today's energy crisis, engineering a whole new generation of biofuels.)

 

LINK

I guess I'm in the camp that biofuels aren't the answer - at least the way our government is going about it today. I think it's a great idea, yet, subsidizing corn, when it doesn't even work... I have a problem with that, for example.

 

 

[BigSqwert]

I guess I'm in the camp that biofuels aren't the answer - at least the way our government is going about it today. I think it's a great idea, yet, subsidizing corn, when it doesn't even work... I have a problem with that, for example.

I think they're looking at other alternatives beyond corn. From the same interview:

We're using a unique type of algae that we've genetically engineered to turn sunlight and CO2 into C8 and C10 and larger lipids. The people that initially grew algae viewed it as farming—you know, you grow a bunch of algae and then you harvest it. But it's totally different if the algae are chemical factories. Ours continuously secrete these molecules, so we get constant production of something that can basically be used right away as biodiesel.

[bmags]

As I said, I'd like to open a separate thread about this... because some of this stuff I'm for (hilighted in bold). But, I think that any president is delusional about PAYGO, because Congress is a bunch of idiots when it comes to that (without regards to party). I have a lot of questions that I want serious answers to.

 

PAYGO f*d BushI over when it was the first law to limit congressional spending that had worked, and consequently had to increase the taxes.

 

I think, one point you are missing in this whole thing, is that a president can be more than just what his executive office grants him. A president can embody the temperament and culture of the country at the moment. They can reflect and influence the mood of the country. After 9/11, Bush was the confident leader that we were all looking for at the time and it helped unite all of us despite whatever politics we had, and since then we've suffered some of the most divisive politics I've seen in my life*. Beyond what I like about him as a candidate, I think his ability to get the country to move, not only the government, in a more positive way with his speeches and attitude that you backhand swipe him with is something very special that Obama brings. For instance, after his race speech, people once again got on the soap box of "well what did he propose, just more empty talk" even though it was one of the more substantive speeches we've seen from a politician recently. Somethings government policies can't change, as I'm sure you'll agree. Race relations, education, service, humanitarian efforts, these are all things we as individuals must participate in actively. Obama has been able to foster these debates, and in my opinion, he'll keep these things on the table, and our country together can heal these problems and wounds, not just the government. Much of the institutional governmental problems we had have been overturned, but the societal problems from those lingers. And people find in Obama the motivation and encouragement to go out and let's get this done.

 

*I believe due to the 90's bitter fights being largely over morality and politics, they are not close to the bitter divide of the 00's, with the heavy and very much strategically placed division between the mid-US and the coasts, especially degrading entire regions with such heavy innuendos questioning their patriotism and loyalty.

[Texsox]

You know what I find interesting about this discussion? For years, hell for as long as I can remember, people have been basically mourning how apathetic voters were in this country. We had barely 50% of the country showing up to vote. People felt like their votes don't make a difference. People were turned off by negative campaigning and stayed home. So many other democracies were working so much better than us. Country x has an 85% voter turnout rate, country y has a 90% voter turnout rate, we practically developed democracy and we can't even get people to turn out. On and on, op-ed piece, editorial, whatever.

 

Now, one side puts out a candidate that people are genuinely excited about. There's a flood of new voter registrations. The supposedly apathetic young people are working in record numbers and at least in the primaries were turning out in record numbers. There's an air of excitement around this election that I haven't seen in my lifetime. People genuinely want to talk politics, people who debated in October of 2003 never bothering to vote again are actually excited about maybe having a chance in the next 4 years to fix some of these messes the last disaster has made.

 

And after all those statements about how bad it was for this country to barely get people coming to the polls, when we finally get a measure of excitement, especially amongst the younger folks (Hiya!), we're told how scary it is, how bad it's making our candidate look, how we should just calm down, how we're just embarrassing ourselves, how we're driving away voters because we're working too hard.

 

Take your pick. Either enjoy the crap we've put up with in the White House for what, 20 years now, because good people found enough to hate about the process that they didn't turn out and vote, or enjoy having something a little better because people got back involved and tried to make a difference.

 

Giving someone a pass because people are excited about the election isn't logical. There are standards that should still apply. People have been excited about candidate and against certain candidates every election since I've been around. The anti-Reagan crowds were as vocal as the pro-Reagan crowds. Clinton had his own electrifying effect during his first race. In fact, I think even more than Obama. Perhaps because I see similarities in both.

 

Voters are telling you how to change their vote, how to win their support, and if a campaign does not want to listen, that will insure 20 more years.

We do not want your vote because we're excited!!!!!! OBAMA ROX!!!!! You SUK!!

There was an author on Colbert or Daily Show that proposed that today campaigns basically hold up a mirror to the voter and claim they are just like us. I think that is true. When the campaign, and I mean both the official and the "water cooler, internet message board" is portraying the candidate as being very unlike ourselves, the support dims. Obama will need support from groups other then the excitable kids. And btw, new voters have been excited in every Presidential race since I've been around. They think they invented sex, drugs, and rock n roll, along with candidates. remember Clinton appearing on MTV!! Woah! Boxers or Briefs? Inhale? Electrifying the youth.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Obama Responds:

[HuskyCaucasian]

Michael Smerconish on Race for the White House on MSNBC just OBLITERATED any argument that "just a symbol" comment was presumptuous or elitist. I hope the video ends up on YouTube. It was classic. Pat Buchanan tried to take the GOP talking points and label Obama and Smerconish came back with a quote from early June that just slapped Pat across the face. I wanted to hi-five him.

Edited July 30, 2008 by Athomeboy_2000

[lostfan]

Hahaha

 

edit: god dammit I don't know how to get that to post, if someone wants to point out what's wrong with that code be my guest

Edited July 30, 2008 by lostfan

[BigSqwert]

Hahaha

 

edit: god dammit I don't know how to get that to post

Enable html when you perform a "full edit".

[HuskyCaucasian]

Hahaha

 

edit: god dammit I don't know how to get that to post, if someone wants to point out what's wrong with that code be my guest

Here ya go

 

[lostfan]

Thanks. :

[BigSqwert]

Sweet track.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Great Video:

[bmags]

Great Video:

 

that's a little somber, can someone put a techno beat on that?

[HuskyCaucasian]

that's a little somber, can someone put a techno beat on that?

give me a day

[Balta1701]

Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet

[HuskyCaucasian]

Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet

No one does it better than The Onion.

[HuskyCaucasian]

EDIT: Deleted post. I misread the quote.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Athomeboy_2000

[bmags]

WaPo piece on the convoluted nature of McCain's campaign.

[HuskyCaucasian]

This is actually a pretty effective ad IMO:

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Not a shocker here:

 

McCain Planned To Attack Obama If He Visited Troops Abroad

What the McCain campaign doesn’t want people to know, according to one GOP strategist I spoke with over the weekend, is that they had an ad script ready to go if Obama had visited the wounded troops saying that Obama was...wait for it...using wounded troops as campaign props. So, no matter which way Obama turned, McCain had an Obama bashing ad ready to launch. I guess that’s political hardball. But another word for it is the one word that most politicians are loathe to use about their opponents—a lie.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Michael Smerconish on Race for the White House on MSNBC just OBLITERATED any argument that "just a symbol" comment was presumptuous or elitist. I hope the video ends up on YouTube. It was classic. Pat Buchanan tried to take the GOP talking points and label Obama and Smerconish came back with a quote from early June that just slapped Pat across the face. I wanted to hi-five him.

Video here.

 

Text Here:

SMERCONISH: All right. Nobody was in a room from a journalistic standpoint when that statement was offered, but, The New York Times - I'm amazed that no one has brought this up so far - June 4, 2008, a direct quote from Senator Obama, "I love when I'm shaking hands on a rope line and I see a little old white lady and a big burly black guy and Latino girls and all their hands are entwined, and they are feeding on each other as much as on me. It's like I'm just the excuse." In other words, he's said it before, in the proper context. It's a feel good statement about the country and what he represents. We don't have to debate what he said behind closed doors because we have him on the record. And giving him the benefit of the doubt, he said the same thing yesterday that he told the Times on this day.

[kapkomet]

To me the arrogance of this is astounding. The world has been waiting for BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one else, just him and what HE represents. HE is a symbol of America. HE is the one who will bring us together. HE is the one... blah blah blah...

 

And he's not even been elected yet. THAT is why the McCain ads are gaining traction has having some truth to them, and why the Obamatrons are so incensed by it and screaming "HE'S GETTING DESPARATE !!!###!!!" crap, because it cuts and it brings up the point that this man has very little international experience, yet he gets figurative rose pedals thrown at him wherever he goes.

 

Of course, I'm wasting my time, because I'll just get 85 links about how McCain sucks and Obama has a "good" reason for everything.

[bmags]

To me the arrogance of this is astounding. The world has been waiting for BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one else, just him and what HE represents. HE is a symbol of America. HE is the one who will bring us together. HE is the one... blah blah blah...

 

And he's not even been elected yet. THAT is why the McCain ads are gaining traction has having some truth to them, and why the Obamatrons are so incensed by it and screaming "HE'S GETTING DESPARATE !!!###!!!" crap, because it cuts and it brings up the point that this man has very little international experience, yet he gets figurative rose pedals thrown at him wherever he goes.

 

Of course, I'm wasting my time, because I'll just get 85 links about how McCain sucks and Obama has a "good" reason for everything.

 

except they aren't gaining traction.

[HuskyCaucasian]

except they aren't gaining traction.

maybe they are:

 

I have three theories as to why Obama isnt going on the offensive right now.

 

1) He doesn't feel he has to push back right now after the gains he made with his Iraq trip.

2) He's just taking it because he knows that he'll announce his VP next week and that will give him solid coverage until the Olympics and then after the Olympics is the convention.

3) The campaign has an ad / targeting strategy and they wont let McCain throw them off.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Athomeboy_2000

[bmags]

I guarantee that's the off shore drilling because when people are asked:

 

do you think Obama is arrogant?

Yes 36%

No 64%

 

Do you think McCain is arrogant?

Yes 35%

No 65%

 

Despite this, they are both clearly arrogant. As has been stated, it takes a big of arrogance to think you can be the leader of the free world.

 

And I'd like to think an exhibit of arrogance would be how excited are people to work with you. I don't like working with arrogant people, but it sure seems a lot of his staff are very excited to work for him, while McCain's have complained of his ability to stay on their message.

 

Kapkomet reads this as "McCain SUCKS"