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Author Topic: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0  (Read 1387571 times)

Strife26

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18540 on: January 27, 2017, 02:37:59 pm »

Honestly I'd rather not have anarchists at all.


Are there any moderates left in politics?

Tim Kaine is pretty centrist/moderate as Democrats go, and theres certainly some of the moderate 'old guard' around in the Republicans like maybe John McCain, but I'm not sure who qualifies as Moderate in the Republican side. Some of the more moderate Dems would be found in the red states.

Also, Trump told a lie right to May's face during the joint press conference, and not some vague diplomatic or political edging that every politician does, it's a straight up verifyable lie.

Honestly I'd rather not have anarchists at all.


Are there any moderates left in politics?

Not until one personally joins that second oldest of professions.

One would argue politicians or perhaps the priesthood, but I know you mean the military.

I was talking about politics, actually, in the sense that "everyone except me isn't a *real* moderate"
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Dozebôm Lolumzalìs

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18541 on: January 27, 2017, 02:41:24 pm »

The problem I see with this is that I feel like these grassroots movements are going to drive hard left, much like how the Tea Party drove hard right.

Doesn't sound like a problem to me. Dogmatic extremism is problematic, yes, but...

Look at it this way. Would you rather have evolutionary anarchists, or revolutionary anarchists? (Assuming you're not one yourself.) One of them works within the system to alter it democratically. The other tears down the system from outside. If you disagree with anarchism, you want the anarchists inside and listened-to. Otherwise they'll just tear the state down themselves.

What the heck is an 'evolutionary anarchist'? Is that like evolution run amok or something?

...I'm pretty sure I fabricated that word, but in my mind, it is the opposite of a revolutionary anarchist.

I consider myself in that category. I don't think that a revolution would be good right now - the powerful would most likely win, and any success would be bought with far too much bloodshed. No, reducing power to sheer strength is not in our interests. If it is possible to change the system from within, to change things peacefully and without bloodshed, then we should do that.

Of course, it's debatable whether that would work. But again, it's also debatable whether the people would come out on top in a revolution.

Honestly I'd rather not have anarchists at all.

You've got a few ways to achieve this:

  • Convince anarchists that the state is actually good. This requires both a strong theoretical argument and real results - make a government without the problems anarchists point out.
  • Use the threat of force to suppress all anarchist movements.
  • Kill all anarchists.

Unfortunately, 1 is probably infeasible. So you've got a choice between:

  • Engaging in ideological genocide (will result, most likely, in the tool of death being used against you by an oppressor)
  • Suppressing us (will result, most likely, in revolution)
  • Letting us speak freely (may or may not result in anarchism being realized)

If I were you, I'd pick the bottom.

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Are there any moderates left in politics?

Meh. I agree that radicalization is prevalent, but I don't really see a problem with that. Again, it's dogmatic or FREEDOM-reducing radicalization that causes problems. And I am clearly not dogmatic or anti-freedom, which means that your taking issue with my post is anti-free speech and must be censored for the sake of freedom. :P

So, epiphany on immigration stuff. I think I figured out a "pathway to citizenship" that people won't disagree with.

You'd be surprised how many people can disagree with a concept just because it came from a "liberal". (And "liberal" means "not as far-right as I am.")

(Granted, leftists can do the same. Sometimes.)

Spoiler: cynical!Dozebom (click to show/hide)

You see, when you join the US military as an immigrant, you can attain citizenship even without permanent residency. Why not extend this to illegal immigrants? They can get citizenship if they fight on the country's behalf.

"I don't want those Mexicans in our army! They'll just cowardly run away, or perhaps shoot us all."
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Lord Shonus

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18542 on: January 27, 2017, 02:42:57 pm »

So, epiphany on immigration stuff. I think I figured out a "pathway to citizenship" that people won't disagree with.


You see, when you join the US military as an immigrant, you can attain citizenship even without permanent residency. Why not extend this to illegal immigrants? They can get citizenship if they fight on the country's behalf.

It's been done to some extent. There was (and probably is) considerable resistance to the notion of using foreign "mercenaries" in our armed forces.
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smjjames

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18543 on: January 27, 2017, 03:01:09 pm »

Somewhat mixed reaction to the joint presser on the British side of the pond, maybe more negative than positive, dunno. Our British Bay12 friends likely have a better finger on it though. Most of it seems to be aimed at Theresa May though, not Trump.

Maybe it's about as mixed as it can be since both May and Trump are newcomers to foriegn policy and it seemed almost neutral with equal praising on both sides.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2017, 03:06:04 pm by smjjames »
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PTTG??

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18544 on: January 27, 2017, 03:05:41 pm »

Honestly I'd rather not have anarchists at all.


Are there any moderates left in politics?

Hillary Clinton Democrats. Remind me how that turned out?

....theres certainly some of the moderate 'old guard' around in the Republicans like maybe John McCain...

Are we talking about Twitter!McCain, or actual McCain, the one who rubber-stamps everything Trump does?
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MrRoboto75

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18545 on: January 27, 2017, 03:32:57 pm »

Also, Trump told a lie right to May's face during the joint press conference, and not some vague diplomatic or political edging that every politician does, it's a straight up verifyable lie.

No that's merely an alternative fact.
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Rockphed

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18546 on: January 27, 2017, 04:06:22 pm »

If you e.g. give 30,000 people $10K to live on, they have to spend it. Say 2/3rds of that goes to creating minimum-wage jobs and you set those at $20K. That just made 10,000 jobs to feed/cloth/house the other 30000....
That's the kind of stuff that unfortunately only works out that way in economics textbooks :)

It doesn't even work there.  Economists calculate GDP as all the money people recieve, less transfer payments (like the 10K you are giving to each of those 30K people).  In other words, the money had to be taken from somewhere else.

So, epiphany on immigration stuff. I think I figured out a "pathway to citizenship" that people won't disagree with.


You see, when you join the US military as an immigrant, you can attain citizenship even without permanent residency. Why not extend this to illegal immigrants? They can get citizenship if they fight on the country's behalf.

It's been done to some extent. There was (and probably is) considerable resistance to the notion of using foreign "mercenaries" in our armed forces.

This was proposed a couple years ago.  Both parties were set to go along with it right up until someone put in "or attending college" after "serving in the US military".  Republicans pointed out that during Vietnam people dodged the draft at diploma mills (my personal guess at when the US college system really got messed up) by utilizing similar language and demanded that bit be removed.  Democrats (many having dodged the draft at those diploma mills with some of the Republicans) dug in harder.  The whole thing looked dead-on-arrival until Obama pushed it through by executive order.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2017, 04:11:54 pm by Rockphed »
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Dozebôm Lolumzalìs

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18547 on: January 27, 2017, 04:24:41 pm »

Or we could, you know, fix the diploma mills by having a governmental body approve colleges...

Just kidding. Of course. We don't need the government in our Ivory Towers, we're entangled with politics too much as it is. :P

If you can't tell how this would be a bad idea, imagine this: the Big Bad Purple Party takes control of this governmental body. They approve the colleges that lean Purple, and don't approve the colleges that lean Orange. See? More government is not necessarily good, liberals. Messing with the status quo can have negative repercussions. Think it through before you patch it with a law.

Ferex: The EpiPen fiasco is not solely capitalism's fault. Yes, yes, a competitive system that rewards immoral decisions, I get that. But in this case it wouldn't have happened if the approval agency hadn't established a monopoly for EpiPen.

I recognize that even anarchists can reasonably advocate for more laws - within the state system, it's better to have laws that protect the people and limit the other oppressive institutions. But leftists can make bad laws too.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2017, 04:28:56 pm by Dozebôm Lolumzalìs »
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smjjames

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18548 on: January 27, 2017, 04:44:12 pm »

@Doze: As Teddy Roosevelt said "BREAK UP THOSE BANKS!"

Okay, no that was Sanders, but I'm pretty sure Teddy Roosevelt would have said the same.

Also, wouldn't the Government being in control of drug prices also prevent those price hikes? That of course, assumes that it's actually enforced.
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Dozebôm Lolumzalìs

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18549 on: January 27, 2017, 04:53:10 pm »

Oh, indeed, a completely government-controlled price system would solve that. (Although that may have repercussions... can't forget that.)

But this isn't about socialist health insurance handed out by the state. This is about the approving body that determines which drugs are legal to sell in America.
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martinuzz

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18550 on: January 27, 2017, 04:57:10 pm »

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
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http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73719.msg1830479#msg1830479

Rolepgeek

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18551 on: January 27, 2017, 04:59:34 pm »

@Doze: As Teddy Roosevelt said "BREAK UP THOSE BANKS!"

Okay, no that was Sanders, but I'm pretty sure Teddy Roosevelt would have said the same.

Also, wouldn't the Government being in control of drug prices also prevent those price hikes? That of course, assumes that it's actually enforced.
Sure. And make pharmaceutical companies extremely reluctant to develop new drugs.

Regulation=/=Good.
Regulation=/=Bad.

It's a tool.
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martinuzz

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18552 on: January 27, 2017, 05:04:25 pm »

Sry, another one, seems I missed this one on inauguration day.
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Friendly and polite reminder for optimists: Hope is a finite resource

We can ­disagree and still love each other, ­unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist - James Baldwin

http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73719.msg1830479#msg1830479

Egan_BW

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18553 on: January 27, 2017, 05:05:39 pm »

That's quite something.
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Criptfeind

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Re: Doc Helgoland's Asylum for the Politically American: T+0
« Reply #18554 on: January 27, 2017, 05:17:10 pm »

Aren't the beagle boys and Scrooge Mcduck bitter enemies? Why do they look so in cahoots in that picture?
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