Rumour has it that there's a vast leftist, anti-US conspiracy taking form on the campuses of America, between teenage anarchists and wannabes who think they'll cool and just want to be a part of that movement.
Without giving the game away too much the rumours are, that the american left has worked out with their superior perceptive powers, that they and islamic militants share the same enemy and so have kind of "teamed up".
Their common enemy is obviously american capitalism (others would argue the enemy is simply America), and despite being unlikely partners in just about every aspect (Megatron and Optimus Prime anyone???), this is the fundamental bonding point with which both ideological groups are most focused on (Unicron anyone???).
I think this definitely shows the lengths some lefties will sink to with their hatred of Bush and the right; and they are so blinded by this hatred they fail to see that this partnership will unltimately lead to their own demise.
Of course I'm talking about agnst ridden, uni-students who've been taught the politically correct version of islamic culture and the struggles of palestine, and combined with their inability to get any sex (perhaps because they've convinced themselves it's better not to shower than put money in the pockets of US coporate giants for useless items like soap, their appearence a cleaner looking version of a New York, crack-head street kid ....)waste their young years protesting about shit that doesn't matter, not you left-coasterios, you're all way beyond that kind of extrem liberalism...... aren't you????
Sorry, never responded to Muckcat on Thursdays thread, don'r want him having the accuse me of being a "spew and run".
What do I suggest we do about the billion muslims, I suggest we start getting a little western education into the minds of muslim children, see out this war on terror (taking out all the regimes that force "their countrY" to live under religious rule or dictatorship) which causes the hardcore muslims to have a jihadist mind-set, or be extremists. It might not work, but neither will doing nothing and just sitting by and allowing the biggest threat to world peace since nazism continue it's world dominance for god mission unabated.
Posted by K.A at February 21, 2005 03:04 AMMothering: Help your peace-loving child avoid the draft:don't wait until he's 18
Posted by Sharon at February 21, 2005 05:22 AMTheir common enemy is obviously american capitalism (others would argue the enemy is simply America), and despite being unlikely partners in just about every aspect (Megatron and Optimus Prime anyone???), this is the fundamental bonding point with which both ideological groups are most focused on (Unicron anyone???).
No! You have it all wrong! It's the MCP Cone! We need to take our Light Cycles and save the uplink!
For those attached to reality, the extreme right white supremacists are on the rise! These guys are recruiting and their ranks are swelling. It's good to know the feds are so worried about Mohammeds they forgot, or maybe even support, the T. McVeighs amongst us. It's difficult when you don't know if the Seig Heils are coming from the republi-cons or the Aryan Brotherhood. Oh well, they share so many characteristics it doesn't matter.
Posted by phidipides at February 21, 2005 06:53 AMFor Steve, and every angry-left asshole trying to drag the Democratic Party into their angry-left grave:
http://www.emergingdemocraticmajorityweblog.com/donkeyrising/archives/001064.php
Posted by Cupcake at February 21, 2005 10:06 AMI have outrage fatigue and I am sick and tired of people who insist just because I am sick and tired I should just give up my firmly held principles and beliefs and become just like them...you know who you are, without mentioning any names.
You know I didn't used to be so cynical, so filled with disgust and contempt. I used to believe in the inherent good of people, naively so I guess. I used to enjoy finding common ground and working with others on the other side to find a common solution to issues. But, that has changed over the past 4 years as when I see that in a blink of an eye leaders on all sides of the aisle have let me down and lied to me.
I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Honestly, I don't like being so frustrated and at times angry, but the stakes are too important for my own childrens' future and I can't quit now. If I quit now, I will never forgive myself because I can proudly say at least I spoke up and fought for my beliefs. At least I tried my hardest to work for what I believe in for my children sake...the next generation's sake. I did not remain silent or apathetic, and even if I fail, at least I can proudly say I tried.
And for those who continue to believe that "compromise" is still a workable option, I direct you to the latest fiasco and most likely future smear-lying campaign. The latest victim, the AARP is being targetted by the Swift Boat for Liars club gang for its being against Dear Leaders Destruction of Social Security initiative. Some thanks from Junior and the gang huh, getting a knife in the back or a bloody horses head in your bed is always a sign of thanks from the republicans I have been told. Especially after the AARP supported and worked with these people aka the devil (and all his misleading and lying) for the prescription drug benefit....it doesn't pay to work with the devil.
These people don't want compromise and bipartisan solutions, they want their way or the highway. I have learned my lesson, guess some people are a little slower than others to learn this lesson wouldn't you agree Cupcake.
Posted by emal at February 21, 2005 10:48 AMemal:
"These people don't want compromise and bipartisan solutions, they want their way or the highway."
My point above was about voters. Your point is about the criminals running the country. If you think about this for a while, you will notice a difference between the two groups.
I have also strongly advocated for the Dems to go after the Republicans in kind. Fire with fire. Gutter smear for gutter smear. Jesus Christ, don't we have enough ammo? Use it!
"I have learned my lesson, guess some people are a little slower than others to learn this lesson wouldn't you agree Cupcake."
You learned the wrong lesson. You learned that in order to feel good about yourself and get out of bed in the morning you have to see the majority of voters in this country as wrong on the issues, when in fact whether they're right or wrong they're THE MAJORITY. Yes, they're stupid, yes they're easily led, but the solution to that problem is to LEAD THEM more effectively than the other guys. Whatever it takes.
I understand the need to generate protective thoughts, but the angry left is so full of them, and so completely at the margins politically (see above link) that there's just no fucking point talking to you people. So I'm done.
Posted by Cupcake at February 21, 2005 11:20 AMCupcake, now look who is angry???
You have no idea about my opinions on matters and if my views are out of the mainstream or not. Just because I post at this website does not mean I am on the fringes of the democratic party, to the contrary. For that matter before this past election cycle I have never been involved in anything political and was registered as "unenrolled" (or independent) because I used to vote across party lines...but not anymore. You have no idea about my views, but I can guarantee that my values are in line with the majority of democratic views on social and economic issues and that these aline with the values of the majority of people in this country. I still don't consider the fact that being in the same group as 48% of the people in this country constitutes the fringes.
I personally think your acting as if you are on the same side of the issues, yet continuing to come to this blog and lob attacks, badmouth,and ridicule the commenters as well as the proprietors of the site (people you claim to be in agreement with on the actual issues but not procedures) is funny especially since you claim we are the ones who are angry. But go ahead and cut your nose off despite your face. How to "get along" and foster the lines of communication with people on the same side of the issues facing this country cupcake. Keep up the good work, take your ball and go home...now that's productive. Puhleeze cupcake, knock of the "you know best" condescending attitude and let's stop bickering among ourselves here. I am certain we agree on more things than we disagree and ultimately want the same exact thing and are working toward the same goal. We are not the enemy,cupcake, honestly, please stop treating us as if we were.
Posted by emal at February 21, 2005 12:38 PMMuch has been said here from Daniel and others comparing US economic growth to Europe's economic growth. Here's a column from today's Investor's Business Daily. I'll paste it in because the content changes daily.
EU's Growth Gap
Economics: Europe has been the source of many of America's most beloved fairy tales. Not all are of ancient origin. Take the European Union's insistence five years ago that its economy would leapfrog ours by 2010.
The so-called Lisbon Strategy was unveiled with much fanfare. Struck in the Portuguese capital, the deal essentially predicted the EU economy would pass up America's and leave it in the dust.
At the time, it sounded reasonable. The EU was adding new members, and the common wisdom was that the U.S., though a big military power, was suffering from what geostrategists like to call "imperial overreach." Europeans, with their savvy ways and state-directed investment schemes, would soon be No. 1.
Didn't happen. Since 1991, output has grown 27% faster in the U.S. than in the EU — a big difference. And those who expected the gap to narrow after 9-11, as the U.S. spent hundreds of billions fighting terror, have been sorely disappointed. The gap is widening.
We're not the only ones to notice. TIMBRO, a Swedish free-market think tank, has put out a report titled simply, "EU Vs. USA." It details just how far Europe is falling behind.
"Europe lags behind the USA when comparing GDP per capita and GDP growth rates," it says. "The current economic debate among EU leaders lacks an understanding of the gravity of the situation in many European countries. Structural reforms of the European economy as well as far-reaching welfare reforms are well overdue."
A study last year by the U.S. Labor Department also compared long-term trends in the U.S. and other countries. It pegged real per-capita GDP in the U.S. at $34,960 in 2003, a full 24% higher than the $26,698 average in Europe's biggest, richest countries.
EU powers seem to have gotten the message. Earlier this month, the Lisbon Strategy was quietly amended. Gone is the bombast about the EU economy's overtaking ours.
In its place is a much more modest — and in our opinion, realistic — goal: to create lots of new jobs and cut into Europe's chronically high unemployment rate. That rate is now 9%, and higher in key countries such as Germany.
That means hard work — and even harder thinking.
The EU welfare state, in which more than half of all unemployed remain so for a year or more, will have to be pared back radically. So will punitive rules that make it expensive for companies to hire workers — and impossible to fire them once they're hired.
That will bring back some of the creative destruction that makes economies thrive.
Equally important, the EU must slash taxes. Because of the "wedge" — what businesses pay the government to employ workers — it costs 11.5% more, on average, to bring on an employee in the EU than in the U.S., OECD data show.
The EU must also abandon its foolish embrace of the Kyoto accord on global warming. The pact's annual cost, put at $150 billion, will kill growth and turn Europe into an economic backwater.
Europe's fast-aging population — which within decades will be in decline — means changes must be made quickly. Europe has too few high-productivity workers to support a burgeoning base of retirees. And importing millions of immigrants from North Africa and the Mideast won't solve the problem.
The European Union isn't really an economic superpower. It may be large, but it's not dynamic.
If it does what's needed, however, it can be both.
Posted by muckdog at February 21, 2005 03:21 PMIf the European Union were a state in the USA it would belong to the poorest group of states. France, Italy, Great Britain and Germany have lower GDP per capita than all but four of the states in the United States. In fact, GDP per capita is lower in the vast majority of the EU-countries (EU 15) than in most of the individual American states. This puts Europeans at a level of prosperity on par with states such as Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia. Only the miniscule country of Luxembourg has higher per capita GDP than the average state in the USA. The results of the new study represent a grave critique of European economic policy.
Stark differences become apparent when comparing official economic statistics. Europe lags behind the USA when comparing GDP per capita and GDP growth rates. The current economic debate among EU leaders lacks an understanding of the gravity of the situation in many European countries. Structural reforms of the European economy as well as far reaching welfare reforms are well overdue. The Lisbon process lacks true impetus, nor is it sufficient to improve the economic prospects of the EU.
EU versus USA is written by Dr Fredrik Bergström, President of the Swedish Research Institute of Trade, and Mr Robert Gidehag, until recently Chief Economist of the same institute and now President of the Swedish Taxpayer's Association.
Posted by muckdog at February 21, 2005 03:22 PMIf the European Union were a state in the USA it would belong to the poorest group of states. France, Italy, Great Britain and Germany have lower GDP per capita than all but four of the states in the United States. In fact, GDP per capita is lower in the vast majority of the EU-countries (EU 15) than in most of the individual American states. This puts Europeans at a level of prosperity on par with states such as Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia.
Poor Europe, lazy and socialist without a future. No doubt Boeing eats the lunch of
Pretty impressive for Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia.
Posted by rlprather at February 22, 2005 08:31 PM