tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post6850517383175818643..comments2023-10-25T06:13:28.265-04:00Comments on The Conservative Wahoo: Ornstein and Mann Identify the Problem in Washington: RepublicansThe Conservative Wahoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17818674434286683162noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-659417857505491092012-05-04T12:37:03.603-04:002012-05-04T12:37:03.603-04:00B.Franklin--you came looking for nothing of the so...B.Franklin--you came looking for nothing of the sort. You came looking with your squishy left of center, we are never guilty of ideology, we only deal in facts mindset-- (which is ridiculous, and ideologically based itself) to post a spam version of a comment that shows the only person who hasn't read the article (won't buy the book, sorry--no interest in enriching charlatans) is you, and the article in question is my post. <br /><br />"Used to be legislators worked together to solve the problems of society. Now the republicans just refuse to govern, so people suffer and so they can blame the government. Wake up, smell the coffee, drop the hate filled exaggerated rhetoric and start being part of the solution." What country are you talking about here, Ben? The U.S.? Well, perhaps in the glory days of 200 seat Democrat majorities in the House and thirty seat majorities in the Senate--something akin to this happened. But that isn't cooperation and bipartisanship now is it, that is one party government. <br /><br />Sorry Ben. Sell it somewhere else.The Conservative Wahoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17818674434286683162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-87697563034329825552012-05-04T12:29:06.884-04:002012-05-04T12:29:06.884-04:00Wow. I came looking for some counter arguments to...Wow. I came looking for some counter arguments to Ornstein and Mann's opinion piece and new book but, it appears I have found more evidence if their argument. <br /><br />I must say, from the above article and the comments it appears that no one has taken the time to read what O&M have written. It's easy enough to fact check and the detail you claim is missing is explained in the book.<br /><br />Also, there is no mention of Ornstein and Mann's central contention - that the Republican strategy of tearing down the institutions of government by refusing to govern and lead, by fanning the the flames of populist anger towards government by hyperbolic language has put party loyalty before country. I guess more succinctly, the strategy is to destroy people's lives, point to a self fulfilling republican prophecy of a failed government and then take power. <br /><br />Used to be legislators worked together to solve the problems of society. Now the republicans just refuse to govern, so people suffer and so they can blame the government. Wake up, smell the coffee, drop the hate filled exaggerated rhetoric and start being part of the solution.<br /><br />It's really disappointing to see the nature of political discourse.<br /><br />B. Franklin<br />Postmodernben@gmail.com<br /><br />PS. Please go to any natural history museum and you will see millions of fossils demonstrating the history of evolution. Saying science is faith based demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the mechanisms of science, feel free to email me and we can discuss. Such misunderstandings can be dangerous and harmful.B. Franklinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-46797240184970813222012-04-29T19:49:15.713-04:002012-04-29T19:49:15.713-04:00An example of what happens when the pseudo intelle...An example of what happens when the pseudo intellectuals are put in charge.<br /><br />Of Ships and Shuttles<br />Sunday, 29 April, 2012<br />Phillip C. Goddard<br />Six hundred years ago China was unrivaled on the global stage, a dominant economic power with technological skills that were unmatched by India, the Ottoman Empire or any of the European powers. It was a medieval superpower who’s Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di determined to reinforce the preeminence of the Chinese Han after centuries of domination by the Mongols.<br />He launched a series of wars against Mongolia to consolidate his northern borders; Established Beijing as the capital of China; dredged and restored the Grand Canal from Beijing to Hangzhou; Commissioned the Yongle Cannon the largest encyclopedia of its time, and ordered Admiral Zheng He to carry out a series of voyages of exploration with the Chinese Imperial Fleet.<br />Admiral Zheng He commanded an impressive armada of 317 ships carrying 27,000 men to establish diplomatic contacts and develop trade with nations in South East Asia, India, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. Over 27 years in a series of seven voyages the Chinese Imperial Fleet reigned supreme over large areas of the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Some researchers believe that they entered the Atlantic Ocean and may have visited the Caribbean nearly a century before Columbus.<br />Abruptly, the maritime expeditions of Admiral Zheng He were brought to an end because of the cost of maintaining the fleet. An imperial decree made it unlawful to construct ships with more than one mast and China began a period of introspection and inward focus resulting in a long period of decline. The age of exploration was over for China and the nations of Europe would command the oceans of the world in the centuries ahead. The Age of European exploration would lead to European dominance in economic and military matters.<br />A short 50 years ago President Kennedy challenged his nation to embark on another voyage of exploration, this time into space with the objective to put a man on the moon. Implied was an exploration of the solar system and beyond. In a few short years Americans walked on the surface of the moon and developed a constellation of satellites that circle the globe, providing a vast array of services.<br />Communications, global positioning and weather satellites are but a few that we all benefit from. America led in the design and construction of the International Space Station and developed the remarkable shuttle program that resupplied it and rotated the crews that manned the facility. America’s technological and human feats in the exploration of space have been unparalleled but now with the end of the shuttle program with no clear replacement in sight, it seems that another imperial edict has abandoned the leadership in space exploration as America retreats from its unchallenged position. It seems as though it has turned away from taking man to the frontiers of space with an absence of vision for the future.<br />It is but another example of a lack of leadership that would maintain America’s role in the forefront of space exploration and technological innovation. It is a retreat from lofty goals of space exploration that benefit all mankind. Instead it is one more expression of Obama’s vision that America is not extraordinary or exceptional but is willing to pay the Russians double the price for delivering its astronauts to the International Space Station now that they have a de facto monopoly on the service. <br />Indeed it is ironic that it is the descendants of the Yongle Emperor have articulated a goal of establishing a colony on the moon during the third decade of this century while the Obama Administration remains mute on the subject.<br /><br />phillip.goddard@braggadax.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-71566564684218981342012-04-29T11:59:25.438-04:002012-04-29T11:59:25.438-04:00...or that we put a man on Mars!
I see this as ju......or that we put a man on Mars!<br /><br />I see this as just part of the Democrats multifaceted approach to elections. They trot out a couple of Brookings hacks to to buck-up the (so called) intellectuals in their party who are getting killed in water cooler debates all across the country. The authors try to give them some modicum of moral authority, but you're right, they just accuse in flowery language. There's no substance to their argument, and for good reason, Obamaism cannot be defended on any terms. <br /><br />I'm curious as to why they always say conservatives are anti-intellectual. Is it because we refuse to accept their bullshit on face value? For example, global warming has been debunked as a viable theory. The data supporting this theory has been PROVEN false and the proponents PROVEN to be corrupt. So by accepting global warming as fact, who are the anti-anti-intellectuals here.<br /><br />Another faith based science is evolution. If evolution is real, fine, I have no problem with it. But the evidence just isn't there. The fossil record does not exist. And some present day creatures could not possibly have evolved incrementally through random mutation. But we are cretins for rejecting their half-assed construct. <br /><br />And lastly, the whole idea of socialism is a lie from beginning to end; in fact the biggest lie in history. Whole countries for decades have tried to make it work. They did everything they could, even substituting death and imprisonment for market incentives, and it still didn't work. Markets are no more and no less than the will of the people both individually and collectively and proportionately. That's it. And for leftists, that is the problem."The Hammer"https://www.blogger.com/profile/16342812251947807673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591018003444406729.post-21273092288471971752012-04-29T08:13:42.516-04:002012-04-29T08:13:42.516-04:00The GOP lacks an understanding of science? This ch...The GOP lacks an understanding of science? This charge comes from the party of the congressman who thought if we put too many people on Guam, the island might tip over?Tom de Plumenoreply@blogger.com