There are philosophies that sound good on paper, but have failed so tremendously every time attempted that it isn't a question of if believing in those ideals makes you a good or bad person - but at what time in human history did you adopt those beliefs? 

Socialism sounds fantastic in theory, in a Utopian world... In a time where you might still be afforded the conceit of thinking that humanity would embrace it fully and live up to the noble goals it espouses, considering yourself a socialist wouldn't be such a damning character trait. 

In a society where socialism has repeatedly been tested, and because of human weakness has overwhelmingly failed to deliver on its promise, but instead has consistently delivered worse misery, suffering and human rights abuses than it claims to be th solution for - considering yourself a socialist makes you suspect of being a psychopath. 

Wed Jan 13 2021 13:25:33 MST from Google Bot Subject: Re: The middle of the road freakin' moved for sure

 

Sun Jan 10 2021 22:11:18 MST from boxfiddler Subject: The middle of the road freakin' moved for sure

 In 1st grade we opened the day with prayer, Bible reading, and the Pledge.  By 2nd grade the first 2 were history.  By 6th grade, so was the pledge.  

You know the original pledge was written by Francis Bellamy, a devout socialist. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bellamy

BONUS:  The original salute to the flag as the pledge was being recited was the right arm extended and the palm flat, Hitler and the Nazi's loved it so much they adopted it as their salute.  

 

It is disappointing. At least I got to live more than half my life as evidence of a Democratic Republic based on a free market economy giving the opportunity to anyone who applies themselves to better their position in society - if only they are smart and driven enough to leverage opportunity should it present itself to them. 


The people who consider me an enemy refuse to acknowledge this. There must be some reason that I have been able to pull myself out of poverty and despair into affluence and happiness, other than my own labor, my own efforts, my own determination. 

Their reason for why I was able to reverse my poor fortune? 

Oh yeah - I'm white, I have a dick, and I use it the way it was biologically designed to be used. These are the 3 greatest evils to the Left. 

Wed Jan 13 2021 17:41:10 MST from boxfiddler

You're always the enemy when you don't agree with or care about a position.  I'm tired of being taken as a Republican by Democrats, a Democrat by Republicans, and anarchist by idiots who don't get Libertarianism (not that I'm well-versed in it), anti-science by those who prostrate themselves at the feet of Scientism, et al, ad nauseum.  I don't see any way to salvage this nation, and that both pisses me off and makes me cry. 

 

Normally it is I who sees these kind of things - but my wife blew my mind just now. 

Everyone has focused on this idea that Biden is going to get replaced by Harris - and that this was the plan all along. My wife saw it one step further. 

Republicans won't try to remove Biden under any circumstances if it means Harris will be the next President. She said, "Republicans will never impeach Biden if it means his removal elevates Harris to POTUS." 

But... I took it one further. Republicans would try and block a 25th amendment attempt by the DEMOCRATS to remove Biden, if Harris would take the Presidency. Then the Democrats get to scream, "Racist and sexist!" 

For all the credit Trump deserves for outsmarting them for almost 4 years straight - they brought their A Game at the end. 

The problem the Republicans have had for a long time is they're too ethical, too moral. They can't imagine the scenarios that their opposition would contemplate, because they would never considering contemplating such despicable behavior themselves. Their moral absolutism is a weakness. 

Trump didn't have this weakness - he is *very* situational. He isn't REALLY a Republican. He is very good at seeing what his enemy would do, because he would do the same damn thing if the tables were turned. He assumes the WORST of his opposition, where party Republicans tend to assume the BEST about theirs. 

I know this, because although people think I'm far Right Wing - I'm actually just WAY pro-Donovan Colbert. It is easy to mistake those things... but there is a distinct difference. 


There is a point where most people who are far Right won't take an action in their best interest because of a moral objection. 


One of my "nicks/handles" on the original Citadels was "Flexible Moralities". 

That describes Donald Trump - and the *entire* Democrat Party. 

I'm so sick of the left's bullshit.  They act like they're the only ones who care about facts, but can't be bothered to learn any, or how things work, or what economics is about.  They're purely emotional to the point where a gay dude I know is in favour of censoring people with "wrong ideas" and I'm over here like "YOU STUPID BITCH YOU GONNA GET YOURSELF KILLED"

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:50:16 MST from TheDave

I'm so sick of the left's bullshit.  They act like they're the only ones who care about facts, but can't be bothered to learn any, or how things work, or what economics is about.  They're purely emotional to the point where a gay dude I know is in favour of censoring people with "wrong ideas" and I'm over here like "YOU STUPID BITCH YOU GONNA GET YOURSELF KILLED"

What I actually said was something like "You don't see how that will immediately be used against minorities?"

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:44:15 MST from ParanoidDelusions

Normally it is I who sees these kind of things - but my wife blew my mind just now. 

Everyone has focused on this idea that Biden is going to get replaced by Harris - and that this was the plan all along. My wife saw it one step further. 

Republicans won't try to remove Biden under any circumstances if it means Harris will be the next President. She said, "Republicans will never impeach Biden if it means his removal elevates Harris to POTUS." 

But... I took it one further. Republicans would try and block a 25th amendment attempt by the DEMOCRATS to remove Biden, if Harris would take the Presidency. Then the Democrats get to scream, "Racist and sexist!" 

For all the credit Trump deserves for outsmarting them for almost 4 years straight - they brought their A Game at the end. 

The problem the Republicans have had for a long time is they're too ethical, too moral. They can't imagine the scenarios that their opposition would contemplate, because they would never considering contemplating such despicable behavior themselves. Their moral absolutism is a weakness. 

Trump didn't have this weakness - he is *very* situational. He isn't REALLY a Republican. He is very good at seeing what his enemy would do, because he would do the same damn thing if the tables were turned. He assumes the WORST of his opposition, where party Republicans tend to assume the BEST about theirs. 

I know this, because although people think I'm far Right Wing - I'm actually just WAY pro-Donovan Colbert. It is easy to mistake those things... but there is a distinct difference. 


There is a point where most people who are far Right won't take an action in their best interest because of a moral objection. 


One of my "nicks/handles" on the original Citadels was "Flexible Moralities". 

That describes Donald Trump - and the *entire* Democrat Party. 

 

Ha, I've felt that way about all the vice presidents.  Trump, same thing, they HATED Pence, it wasn't until the end they thought he was the lesser evil

Yeah, but Harris as a choice for the Republicans makes Pence look like Mr. Fucking Rogers. 

Yeah. Bush was Reagan's. Gore was Clinton's. Cheney was Bush's, Biden was Obama's. 

And because we go with incumbents, generally - unless we switch parties... that 2nd place shit always gets at least one term that gets them in the history books. It is like the mediocre politician's playbook for getting the Oval Office. 

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:56:54 MST from TheDave

 

Ha, I've felt that way about all the vice presidents.  Trump, same thing, they HATED Pence, it wasn't until the end they thought he was the lesser evil

Fri Jan 15 2021 20:41:20 MST from ParanoidDelusions

Yeah, but Harris as a choice for the Republicans makes Pence look like Mr. Fucking Rogers. 

Yeah. Bush was Reagan's. Gore was Clinton's. Cheney was Bush's, Biden was Obama's. 

And because we go with incumbents, generally - unless we switch parties... that 2nd place shit always gets at least one term that gets them in the history books. It is like the mediocre politician's playbook for getting the Oval Office. 

 

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:56:54 MST from TheDave

 

Ha, I've felt that way about all the vice presidents.  Trump, same thing, they HATED Pence, it wasn't until the end they thought he was the lesser evil

 

Hahaha, I still laugh every time I image Cheney as President. That would be the best triggering EVER.  

Cheney doesn't want that kind of role. He likes to slither around back in the shadows. 

Sat Jan 16 2021 01:16:30 MST from TheDave

 

Fri Jan 15 2021 20:41:20 MST from ParanoidDelusions

Yeah, but Harris as a choice for the Republicans makes Pence look like Mr. Fucking Rogers. 

Yeah. Bush was Reagan's. Gore was Clinton's. Cheney was Bush's, Biden was Obama's. 

And because we go with incumbents, generally - unless we switch parties... that 2nd place shit always gets at least one term that gets them in the history books. It is like the mediocre politician's playbook for getting the Oval Office. 

 

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:56:54 MST from TheDave

 

Ha, I've felt that way about all the vice presidents.  Trump, same thing, they HATED Pence, it wasn't until the end they thought he was the lesser evil

 

Hahaha, I still laugh every time I image Cheney as President. That would be the best triggering EVER.  

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:44:15 MST from ParanoidDelusions

Republicans won't try to remove Biden under any circumstances if it means Harris will be the next President. She said, "Republicans will never impeach Biden if it means his removal elevates Harris to POTUS." 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’ll file to impeach Joe Biden on Jan. 21
https://www.syracuse.com/us-news/2021/01/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-shell-file-to-impeach-joe-biden-on-jan-21.html

Holy christ - this is where I end up getting kicked off of regular social media for taking the obvious crack that this is why we shouldn't elect women - they hold grudges and will try and get revenge even when it isn't smart. ;) 

But... it won't go anywhere. It sure sets the precedent though - every incoming President is going to be spending their entire administration dodging impeachment, and whoever replaces them will be facing impeachment the minute they finish their oath. 

Well get to the point where a Federal janitor at the White House is the next in the line of succession. 

Sun Jan 17 2021 17:52:35 MST from Google Bot

 

Fri Jan 15 2021 19:44:15 MST from ParanoidDelusions

Republicans won't try to remove Biden under any circumstances if it means Harris will be the next President. She said, "Republicans will never impeach Biden if it means his removal elevates Harris to POTUS." 

 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’ll file to impeach Joe Biden on Jan. 21
https://www.syracuse.com/us-news/2021/01/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-shell-file-to-impeach-joe-biden-on-jan-21.html

Two, maybe 3 years ago, I got into a drunken free-for-all in Vegas that lost me a friend and permanently damaged another one. It involved 40+ year old men rolling around punching each other on Freemont Street as the crowds split around us like the red sea, oblivious to two middle aged men trying to beat one another to death - blackout drunk straight men dry-humping barely protesting gay men in hotel bedrooms in an effort to dispel any rumors that the straight guy was homophobic, and accusations of white nationalism and racism. One part Leaving Las Vegas and one part Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas, with an extra dash of 2020s to come -  I think both Hunter S. Thompson and John O’Brien would both listen to the story and want to produce the adaptation.

Here is the gist of it – in a barely coherent rant I told my friend who is an East Indian that something had to change with the narrative of Identity Politics, or disenfranchised white men who were content, fat and happy with their big screen TVs and iPhones were eventually going to start reaching inward and discovering their dormant blood-thirsty savage northern barbarians, complete with hordes of them with blue palm-shaped handprints on their faces coming over the hills and descending into cities and villages in an orgy of blood-letting and violence.

I have this problem where I suggest that I presciently see a future scenario and people think I am advocating its arrival. I once looked out a window at a backhoe outside the office I worked at and said, “10 minutes before we suffer a fibercut that takes us down for a week.”

10 minutes later, when it happened, the CFO got in my face and said, “if you god-damned knew it was coming, why didn’t you fucking stop it?!?” (true story).

I said it would happen, not that I had any magic power to not make it happen. That isn’t the same as wanting the fiber cut – it was just obvious it was going to happen.

So now… 3 years later?

What did I tell you? What did I fucking TELL you?!?

At some point during the BLM riots, they also destroyed my former friend’s Henna shop in Scottsdale.

I wasn’t supporting these guys. I wasn’t advocating them. I was saying the narrative that was being promoted at the time was creating an escalation that inevitably leads to: