OT: Election/Politics thread, Part 6

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:04 pm

Feanor wrote:You really think Sarah ""people-walked-with-dinos" Palin knows that fruit fly research is integral to trying to undertsand the Down Syndrome her own son has? I don't.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ruit-flies

No, I don't think Sarah Palin knows that fruit fly fruit fly research is integral to down syndrome research. Unlike you however, I don't find this discovery 'scary.'

Second, I just disagree with the fundamental idea that it is anti-science for Palin to say these things. Is it 'anti-education' for John McCain to mock Obama's $3m request for a new planetarium that doubtlessly would serve schoolchildren more than any other group? I certainly don't think so, yet it's the same logic.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:22 pm

The idea of Palin in the Oval Office sneering as she cuts funding for public good scientific research she doesn't know about it, doesn't understand, or is opposed to religiously, is as scary to me as the thought of Simone Gagne becoming the next Brandon Sutter.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:29 pm

Jared wrote:I'm obviously all for gov't spending for science. However, I should also note that the earmark process is not the best way to fund science, as I believe they tend to be non-competitive. Much better are competitive grant mechanisms, where the best proposals get the money.

Though regardless of that point, her comments were pretty anti funding of science. To say “Sometimes these dollars they go to projects having little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not!” is basically saying that agricultural research, or scientific research on fruit flies doesn't have much to do with the public good.

A bright scientist with the right skills can make a persuasive argument for even the most esoteric research. Government can't and shouldn't fund everything. Drawing the line isn't anywhere near as cut-and-dried as either side of the debate would have you believe. Lots of promising and important research rightfully sees little public support, and that's just the way it has to be.

Edit: That said, we should really dedicate some public funding to developing systems that prevent the exploitation of credit cards in campaign fundraising.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:30 pm

Does the VP even have the authority to cut funding at their whim?

EZSnappin · Post by **EZSnappin** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:32 pm

She'll be too busy running the Senate to worry about trying to cut funding for fruit fly research.

I kid, sorta.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:33 pm

I'm assuming McCain wouldn't last the whole eight years.

I don't know if it's come up in any one of these threads, but if I hear another Obama ad that mentions "shipping jobs overseas" like some jobs wouldn't still move overseas as diferent jobs were created under an Obama administration I'll be convinced he has Lou Dobbs on staff.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:36 pm

Sarah Palin has the intellectual capacity and curiousity of a fruit fly.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:40 pm

Feanor wrote:I'm assuming McCain wouldn't last the whole eight years.

I don't know if it's come up in any one of these threads, but if I hear another Obama ad that mentions "shipping jobs overseas" like some jobs wouldn't still move overseas as diferent jobs were created under an Obama administration I'll be convinced he has Lou Dobbs on staff.

You can't win Michigan and Ohio without saying it.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:41 pm

Feanor wrote:The idea of Palin in the Oval Office sneering as she cuts funding for public good scientific research she doesn't know about it, doesn't understand, or is opposed to religiously, is as scary to me as the thought of Simone Gagne becoming the next Brandon Sutter.

You're not gonna get any argument from me disputing Palin's ignorance on many issues. She clearly is ignorant on a ton of issues.

But the same could be said about Obama for many issues. I patently reject that idea that because Obama appears presidential and seems to be a smart guy, he won't let his own far left biases drive executive decisions on topics that he is otherwise ignorant of.

I think it's FAR more likely that Obama will make tax policy decisions that directly affect everyone on this board, of which he is completely ignorant of their economic consequences, than there is risk in VP Palin cutting $200k worth of research in France.

In fairness, I don't believe McCain has the slightest grasp of basic economics either, but he's not trying to take as much of our money out of our pockets.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:45 pm

JRod wrote:
Feanor wrote:I'm assuming McCain wouldn't last the whole eight years.

I don't know if it's come up in any one of these threads, but if I hear another Obama ad that mentions "shipping jobs overseas" like some jobs wouldn't still move overseas as diferent jobs were created under an Obama administration I'll be convinced he has Lou Dobbs on staff.
You can't win Michigan and Ohio without saying it.

Yeah, true. I just hope that on this issue the gang here is right and Obama is already limbering up for a flip-flop.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 4:00 pm

Feanor wrote:
JRod wrote:
Feanor wrote:I'm assuming McCain wouldn't last the whole eight years.

I don't know if it's come up in any one of these threads, but if I hear another Obama ad that mentions "shipping jobs overseas" like some jobs wouldn't still move overseas as diferent jobs were created under an Obama administration I'll be convinced he has Lou Dobbs on staff.
You can't win Michigan and Ohio without saying it.
Yeah, true. I just hope that on this issue the gang here is right and Obama is already limbering up for a flip-flop.

I think it's more like our manufacturing sector is outdated. The Ford/GM model is not as competitive as the asian/european model. Blame the unions, health care costs, but I think it simply comes down to product.

Ford/GM are offereing the wrong products for a recession with high gas prices. Trucks, SUVs and large cars are not the answer. The you have the green car push. The big three clearly wanted to kill alternative fuel cars. Where honda, toyota and others felt they were losing ground to the American automakers.

You won't hear Obama, McCain, Dobbs or just about anyone say that some of the problems are due to our economy not shifting and adapting. Detriot's problem I believe is due to Detriot fighing green cars. Had they been on the forefront of this effort, I think we would have a stronger economy.

And like I've said before, I don't believe we live in a global economy. To me that means, Italy makes Olive oil, US makes cars and Japan makes electronics. We can't make olive oil so there's some exporting and importing of products and goods we can't/won't/don't make here.

Instead, we have a global workforce. With the low cost of shipping things around the world, it's more cost effective to make items in the countries with the cheapest workforce.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:16 pm

The problem with a liberal witch hunt....

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:55 pm

Feanor wrote:The idea of Palin in the Oval Office sneering as she cuts funding for public good scientific research she doesn't know about it, doesn't understand, or is opposed to religiously, is as scary to me as the thought of Simone Gagne becoming the next Brandon Sutter.

I find it amusing that she is wearing a polar bear pin lately, when she fought vehemently to keep the polar bear off of the endangered species list.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:56 pm

EZSnappin wrote:She'll be too busy running the Senate to worry about trying to cut funding for fruit fly research.

I kid, sorta.

And don't forget "writing all kinds of good policy"

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:59 pm

Naples39 wrote:
You're not gonna get any argument from me disputing Palin's ignorance on many issues. She clearly is ignorant on a ton of issues.

I don't blame her at all. She was put in way over her head by her party.
She knows about Alask-AHHH.....but not about things the "2nd in charge of the free world" needs to know about. Wonder what Cheney thinks about this
lady possibly inheriting his job?

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:02 pm

matthewk wrote:No matter what the results come November 5th, there is hope for our future. My son's school held a mock election yesterday. McCain won.

You sure you are in Wisconsin?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... a-549.html

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:45 pm

JackB1 wrote:
matthewk wrote:No matter what the results come November 5th, there is hope for our future. My son's school held a mock election yesterday. McCain won.
You sure you are in Wisconsin?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... a-549.html

I said there is hope for our future, not our present.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:45 pm

WSJ article (as opposed to an opinion piece) on the tax, fiscal and health care policies:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1224971 ... %3Darticle

Post by **Jared** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:11 pm

JackDog wrote:Can anyone imagine what would happen if this was Obama?

(Palin effigy pic)

No need to imagine...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/ap_ ... ama_effigy

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A life-sized likeness of Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree with a noose around its neck Wednesday at the University of Kentucky, the second time in about a month such an effigy of the Democratic presidential nominee was reported on a college campus.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:34 pm

Jared wrote:
JackDog wrote:Can anyone imagine what would happen if this was Obama?

(Palin effigy pic)
No need to imagine...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/ap_ ... ama_effigy

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A life-sized likeness of Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree with a noose around its neck Wednesday at the University of Kentucky, the second time in about a month such an effigy of the Democratic presidential nominee was reported on a college campus.

This entire exercise demonstrates the stupidity of "hate crimes" legislation.

OTOH, after sitting through the 30-minute Obama infomercial I'm wondering if I can borrow one of those nooses for myself.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:22 am

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081030/D944H6R80.html

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:06 am

This is great!

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n ... jones.html

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:31 am

TheGamer wrote:This is great!

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n ... jones.html

That is very cool.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:27 am

This is for all of us that are not voting for Obama but are still forced to support him. 40 percent of the funding that goes to ACORN comes from our taxes. I now present Bertha Lewis. Executive director of NY ACORN

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YfUEPeO2_pc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

Yeah I repeat it like a broken record ,but it really pisses me off.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:32 am

Jared wrote:
JackDog wrote:Can anyone imagine what would happen if this was Obama?

(Palin effigy pic)
No need to imagine...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/ap_ ... ama_effigy

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A life-sized likeness of Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree with a noose around its neck Wednesday at the University of Kentucky, the second time in about a month such an effigy of the Democratic presidential nominee was reported on a college campus.

Yeah,that pretty f*cked up. Did you see this type of response to the idiots that did it too Palin?

Police immediately took it down but released no information about their investigation.

University President Lee Todd said he planned to apologize to the Obama family on behalf of the school and that he is "personally offended and deeply embarrassed by this disgusting episode."

Federal authorities have been notified, Todd said. He said the effigy violates the university's code of ethics and won't be tolerated.

"I am outraged because we work very hard, every day, to build bridges across the divides," Todd said. "Diversity and inclusion are among our most precious core values. Episodes like this serve only to erode our confidence in and respect for one another."

I didn't.