tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post6004978977761978113..comments2024-03-18T21:52:45.757-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Planning for the "Pardon Tsunami"David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-21352593747212628652007-03-01T01:18:00.000-08:002007-03-01T01:18:00.000-08:00MW.. yes it is comtempable but also what we are se...MW..<BR/> yes it is comtempable but also what we are seeing from the current GOP is unprecedented (at least since WWII).reasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06594313655855683716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-83649229273475891032007-02-28T18:29:00.000-08:002007-02-28T18:29:00.000-08:00Quote: "Are you aware of the enormous levels of hy...Quote: "Are you aware of the enormous levels of hypocrisy that we are experiencing from the GOP recently?"<BR/><BR/>I remember discussion of the so-called "nuclear option" around the time of Alito's appointment. I'm not sure what non-binding censure you're referring to (I'm guessing it has something to do with the Iraq war). I would not be terribly astonished if the GOP (being Congressmen) were, shall we say, operating with a double standard for selves vs. opposition. That sort of thing is contemptible. A true statesman may have a double standard, but only to the extent of holding himself to a *higher* standard and giving others the benefit of the doubt. There, does that answer your question?<BR/><BR/>I'm not aware of any party in Congress composed purely of statesmen, so it's hard to get extremely upset over Congressmen being their normal contemptible selves. Democrats not excepted, although I do like Lieberman. There are probably other good ones that I don't know about, and to the extent that I know about a bad one I'll vote against him, but Niven's Law states, "There is no cause so noble it won't attract fools," and that applies to political parties as much as anything.<BR/><BR/>-M.D.W.B.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04048881524085910509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-76008952656352864962007-02-28T05:40:00.000-08:002007-02-28T05:40:00.000-08:00I would like MW and RM to answer this one.Are you ...I would like MW and RM to answer this one.<BR/><BR/>Are you aware of the enormous levels of hypocrisy that we are experiencing from the GOP recently? Most obvious recent case in point the threats re the "nuclear option" with respect to Judicial appointments, followed by the use of fillibuster to stop a non-binding censure motion.<BR/><BR/>In general, it can be summarised by the meme from the left-blogosphere - "its OK if you're Republican".<BR/><BR/>For Republicans, it seems there is no dignity any more, only winning. At any price to the process - which I personally regard as more important than the result.reasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06594313655855683716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-59321303141865380802007-02-26T16:15:00.000-08:002007-02-26T16:15:00.000-08:00DB wrote: "Nothing has worked so far. So tell me h...DB wrote: "Nothing has worked so far. So tell me how YOU would gently but irresistably insist that millions of 'decent conservative' stand up and recognize that their movement has been taken over by -- AT BEST -- vicious-stupid dogmatists."<BR/><BR/>For whatever it's worth, I'm approximately your definition of "ostrich," agreed with most of what RM wrote about self-correcting systems. On my own terms, I'm an "extreme optimist," which is defined as "someone who believes his civilization will probably survive even if it doesn't take his advice."<BR/><BR/>It's worth noting, then, that RandomSequence's post on Germany, "What the folks on the left see is an oncoming systemic failure...," made me sit up and think in a way that none of the others in the thread have. What is it about that post that makes me willing to entertain the possibility of a GOP Conspiracy Of Evil? Partly a good historical anecdote; partly the fact that I don't have to filter out hatred. Actually, any kind of strong emotion is off-putting. Allow the reader to form her own emotions in response to the arguments presented. Bonus credibility points for presenting all sides of an argument, a la Richard Feynman's talk on cargo cult science.<BR/><BR/>For what it's worth, you first came to my attention for your opinions on privacy and the "Transparent Society," with which I agreed. Thus you are influencing minds on some issues, even if they're not your top priorities.<BR/><BR/>-M.D.W.B.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04048881524085910509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-83730473341718496752007-02-26T15:43:00.000-08:002007-02-26T15:43:00.000-08:00Brin wrote: "But that's a last choice. We can only...Brin wrote: "But that's a last choice. We can only win-win by ENDING "culture war" and to do that the dems and libs must shrug off the lefties and be the mature ones. We must reach out to sincere American 'ostrich' conservatives and give them a place inside the tent."<BR/><BR/>That's precisely why the hate you spout is so off-putting.<BR/><BR/>"Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity."<BR/><BR/>-M.D.W.B.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04048881524085910509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-2070299545425844892007-02-26T15:42:00.000-08:002007-02-26T15:42:00.000-08:00Brin wrote: "But that's a last choice. We can only...Brin wrote: "But that's a last choice. We can only win-win by ENDING "culture war" and to do that the dems and libs must shrug off the lefties and be the mature ones. We must reach out to sincere American 'ostrich' conservatives and give them a place inside the tent."<BR/><BR/>That's precisely why the hate you spout is so off-putting.<BR/><BR/>"Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity."<BR/><BR/>-M.D.W.B.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04048881524085910509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-41143539510556411282007-02-26T11:51:00.000-08:002007-02-26T11:51:00.000-08:00RadicalModerate,Let me expand on the bases for my ...RadicalModerate,<BR/><BR/>Let me expand on the bases for my fear, and why these discussion always devolve:<BR/><BR/>My grandparents were Germans, my grandfather from a Jewish family, my grandmother not. My grandfather was a conservative guy, totally committed to his German nationality, culture, etc. In '32, Hitler had not yet risen to fuhrerdom yet, the Nazi were a minority in the Reichstag, and a still active political culture existed. On the other hand, him with eyes to see could see the danger on the horizon.<BR/><BR/>My grandfather refused to recognize the gathering clouds, because doing so would force him to recognize the cancer gnawing on German culture. The problem was not just of current events, but a confluence of events that would, one way or another, completely reorganize German society (maybe it could also have been on the left? hypotheticals...) Fortunately for me, my grandmother had family associated with the Nazi party, who gave her a heads up, and she dragged grandpa into refugee status kicking and screaming. Of course, my grandfather returned to Germany as soon as it was safe, and lived out his life there.<BR/><BR/>What the folks on the left see is an oncoming systemic failure. The right can not see it, or really even consider it, because it brings into question not just policy questions, but underlying questions of value. Maybe the left is being hysterical; we haven't had yet a massive depression (but watch out for the Chinese T-bonds), crime has not yet skyrocketed (but watch out for some of the returning soldiers; it's what we saw in the '70's); and the brownshirts aren't on the streets yet (we'll see when the Bushites are out of office, how their supporters react).<BR/><BR/>But if we wait until all the data is in, it may be too late. Just like global warming, some prophylactic response is required, because once the diagnosis is finalized, there is no treatment at that advanced state.<BR/><BR/>It's not yet 1932 in America. But it is reasonable to say it's 1928, and we still have enough time to act, if proactively. We do know that there is a conspiracy afoot: the Iranians back in 2003 offered peace on our terms, and we refused to even respond; it is practically absurd to explain such a massive failure on simple incompetence – Condi Rice is not a moron. Conservatism must do some deep soul searching, and act against its own short term interest to expel the parasites that are hell-bent on feeding on the carcass of this nation.RandomSequencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259854206507818658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-7971321690196409252007-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:002007-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:00David Brin asks:"So tell me. Given that the "decen...David Brin asks:<BR/><BR/>"So tell me. Given that the "decent conservatives" DO have their hands over their ears and eyes, seeing no evil and hearing none while they shout "Nah! Nah! Nah!" while the republic burns... how do you suggest waking them up?"<BR/><BR/>Answer: support Ron Paul's presidential campaign. If Paul end's up as the nominee, then teamism will require Republicans to switch back to Goldwaterite stances. If he doesn't win, but shows well, he will still be the biggest anti-Iraq-was voice in Republican ears.<BR/><BR/>If Hillary becomes the front runner on the D side, Paul will be the biggest anti-war voice period. He was anti war before it was cool.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-75313080536738046042007-02-26T08:16:00.000-08:002007-02-26T08:16:00.000-08:00Reason--I did say that the GOP needs some soul-sea...Reason--<BR/><BR/>I did say that the GOP needs some soul-searching, albeit obscurely:<BR/><BR/><I>As far as I can tell, the GOP isn't in anybody's hands after the election. There appears to be a huge fight brewing between the libertarian (small 'l' not big 'L') and the socially conservative wings of the party. Golly, self-correction at work. No Evil Cabal here. Just the occaisional Invisible Hand.</I><BR/><BR/>As usual, you can argue forever about whether the soul-searching is initiated proactively through the initiative of individuals or just happens as a result of system complexity. I suspect that real answer is that either viewpoint works equally well.TheRadicalModeratehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04671143818738683349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-64728518624163399192007-02-26T02:28:00.000-08:002007-02-26T02:28:00.000-08:00Actually DB you have failed to notice something in...Actually DB you have failed to notice something in RMs posts.<BR/><BR/>He has implicitly (without actually saying it) admitted that Democratic victories are a good thing. What he has not yet said, is that Republican party needs to do some soul searching.reasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06594313655855683716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-57181768138957830852007-02-25T20:52:00.000-08:002007-02-25T20:52:00.000-08:00Terrific!Thou art now a master in thine own right,...Terrific!<BR/><BR/>Thou art now a master in thine own right, grasshopper!<BR/><BR/>;-)David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-49798738943660231092007-02-25T18:15:00.000-08:002007-02-25T18:15:00.000-08:00"If your point is that it's PRAGMATICALLY self-def..."If your point is that it's PRAGMATICALLY self-defeating to use phrases like "ostrich" and hypocrite while trying to lure conservatives to recognizing their duty... well... I am always willing to listen to pragmatic alternatives. So you tell me."<BR/><BR/>You won me over to your side two years ago, and you did it with optimism and pragmitism, not name-calling. <BR/><BR/>And I plan on doing the same favor for my dad. It'll be tough to convince him that we need to move past this "culture war," but if he votes for a Democratic candidate in the next election, or at least keeps from voting straight-ticket Republican, then it will be worth it. That's all I can offer for now. See you in the next post.Kelsey Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13285652800584374081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-41127020869211444982007-02-25T17:13:00.000-08:002007-02-25T17:13:00.000-08:00Look, I share your disgust with many of the dems a...<I>Look, I share your disgust with many of the dems and libs and lefties. My reason is simple. They are on the right side and they are NOT helping by waging culture war.</I><BR/><BR/>What culture war are you talking about?Don Quijotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03355584994080980478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-11503587098150357752007-02-25T15:58:00.000-08:002007-02-25T15:58:00.000-08:00the preceding was addressed to fhydra... sorry...the preceding was addressed to fhydra... sorry...David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-26004209208300628182007-02-25T15:57:00.000-08:002007-02-25T15:57:00.000-08:00Huh. SO I have to be therapist and miracle worker...Huh. SO I have to be therapist and miracle worker, eh?<BR/><BR/>Urgh... I see your point but it makes me very angry. I (like all of us) have been lectured to ad nauseam for decades by people who wear flags on their sleeve and claim to own patriotism. <BR/><BR/> I have a PERFECT right to call them hypocrites when they screech at mice during the Clinton era then hysterically ignore dragons when "their" side is in charge.<BR/><BR/>If your point is that it's PRAGMATICALLY self-defeating to use phrases like "ostrich" and hypocrite while trying to lure conservatives to recognizing their duty... well... I am always willing to listen to pragmatic alternatives. So you tell me.<BR/><BR/>Nothing has worked so far. So tell me how YOU would gently but irresistably insist that millions of "decent conservative" stand up and recognize that their movement has been taken over by -- AT BEST -- vicious-stupid dogmatists.<BR/><BR/>Don't give me anything about how they are afraid to stick their necks out. We have all been preached about their manly patriotic virtues, all our lives. That part is the lamest of all.<BR/><BR/>Help me out here. I am all alone calling for a new coalition. Most dems are falling for the self-righteous lure of Rove's trap, his "culture war." They are human and given the provocations, you can't blame them.<BR/><BR/>So tell me. Given that the "decent conservatives" DO have their hands over their ears and eyes, seeing no evil and hearing none while they shout "Nah! Nah! Nah!" while the republic burns... how do you suggest waking them up?<BR/><BR/>Better yet, do YOU plan on doing some wakening?David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-50141769911452503022007-02-25T15:46:00.000-08:002007-02-25T15:46:00.000-08:00Has anyone else noticed that dialogue has now ne...Has anyone else noticed that dialogue has now near completely degenerated to the classical left/right, liberal/conservative antagonism?<BR/><BR/>Everyone concedes the valid points of the other side, the level of discourse here being high, but rather than trying to find the common interest and seeking a path forward, the realm of discussion remains bogged in the polarizing issues.<BR/><BR/>RM answered my "meme strategies" post, and the key thing said in his response was that he believed "the system" would endure and correct for the excesses of the current administration. I don't think so. I greatly fear that "the system" is badly broken. On either side of the aisle, the interest is not the good of the nation, but Power. I suspect that most of those in power would genuinely say and most to some extent believe that they act for the good of their constituents, but "the system" has constrained those within - if they want to retain their positions - to act and talk in certain ways, and will prevent those not willing to conform from ever reaching positions of power.<BR/><BR/>One of the mechanisms "the machine" uses is the polarization of discourse. Everyone here seems to understand that the liberal and conservative labels are artificial and transient regarding any particular issue. But discussion, even here, seems to break down along those lines, and others have commented about the growing antagonism and vituperation of each "side" for the other.<BR/><BR/>This was a part of what led to my disenchantment with politics. It's nearly impossible to talk about *anything* in any group larger than three about matters which require some change or action by government without it becoming just another arena of partisan bickering.<BR/><BR/>-- TWZAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-4283355142846050832007-02-25T15:35:00.000-08:002007-02-25T15:35:00.000-08:00Perhaps I should point out that the Democratic par...Perhaps I should point out that the Democratic party will have a hard time persuading genuine conservatives to come to their tent if they keep implying that conservatives are hypocrites and like to bury their heads in the sand.<BR/><BR/>First of all, ostriches, like any other warm-blooded creatures, can not bury their heads in the sand. That would suffocate them.<BR/><BR/>However, they don't like sticking their heads up when they don't have to. If they're guarding a nest, they lay low and hope any enemies around will pass them. And it's hard to convince them that they should stand up instead of trying to blend in to the background. They have families, they have jobs, and they don't want to do anything irrational. But you aren't going to convince them any easier by showing contempt for them, and that's exactly what they see when you say they're "ostriches" and "hypocrites" and make "nonsense excuses" every time Bush does something bad. <BR/><BR/>I also have to point out one thing you said earlier: "...the ostriches will be the very ones who could have saved us, and did not." Convincing conservatives to join the rest of us in a fight for our freedoms is a hard job, and I admire you for taking it, but the fact is you have the obligation of persuading them to join us. You have to assure them that voting Democratic will pay off and provide them with more security for them and their families. If you can't do that, then it will be <I>your</I> fault, not theirs.Kelsey Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13285652800584374081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-3777836989520951712007-02-25T13:00:00.000-08:002007-02-25T13:00:00.000-08:00Okay, Tacitus is right and I apologize. The UN is ...Okay, Tacitus is right and I apologize. <BR/><BR/>The UN is a totally legitimate matter for discussion. In fact, the whole issue of world governance in the coming century is vast and I have a lot to say about it... as I hope you guys will, too.<BR/><BR/>This does not mean that I was wrong to point out that the UN strawman is used as a silly-ass distraction by the loony right.<BR/><BR/>But you are not loony-right and I should not have tarred you with that brush.<BR/><BR/>RM, please. I suppose I am one of those Bush haters. Though my credibility is good since I can speak up for other conservatives. Barry Goldwater is a hero and I can say good things about Reagan and even George Sr. My rage it the present clade is perhaps even better based than the reflex displayed by the folks at that party. I see it as less a matter of left-right than than of sane-insane or possibly loyal-vs-treason.<BR/><BR/>Dig it, though. Goppers used to brag that the average education level of GOP voters was a bit higher, weighted by all the poor folks who voted dem. Well now the balance has swung WAY the other way. Despite still having nearly all the poor, the dems have higher education averages. Why? <I>Because a vast majority of those with post-graduate degrees and complex knowledge of the world can see what these horrendous morons are doing to civilization.</I><BR/><BR/>That party wasn't just about effete Boston intellectuals. <BR/><BR/>Look, I share your disgust with many of the dems and libs and lefties. My reason is simple. They are on the right side and they are NOT helping by waging culture war. Yes, if I must choose one bilious side, I will put on a blue uniform and march into battle for the Union, singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic. in this, our Civil War Redux.<BR/><BR/>But that's a last choice. We can only win-win by ENDING "culture war" and to do that the dems and libs must shrug off the lefties and be the mature ones. We must reach out to sincere American "ostrich" conservatives and give them a place inside the tent. <BR/><BR/>That is Karl Rove's worst nightmare. We should do it for that reason, if no other.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-38908138499019979492007-02-25T12:34:00.000-08:002007-02-25T12:34:00.000-08:00DavidI don't think I can give you a polite pass on...David<BR/><BR/>I don't think I can give you a polite pass on this one. You engage in a discussion on how to effectively project force in the world when needed. And when I make what seems to me to be a valid point-don't count on the UN for much-you accuse me of trying to distract from bigger issues.<BR/><BR/>I guess on one level you are agreeing with me. You refer to the "pathetic UN" and seem to lump it in with "picayunish distractions".<BR/><BR/>You mention a number of valid threats to world peace and consider the concept that the UN, created to deal with this sort of thing, is impotent to be irrelevant?<BR/><BR/>Oil for Peace was less significant than the Dutch "peacekeepers' looking the other way. <BR/><BR/>Current options for dealing with rogue nations.<BR/><BR/>-US declares them Evil. Its our job to spend blood, money and reputation.<BR/>-UN sends ferocious scolding commisions.<BR/>-Nothing happens. World hopes for the best.<BR/><BR/>I don't like any of 'em.<BR/><BR/>I am entirely prepared to discuss any issue on the table, given the limitations of this format. But this issue matters to me. Maybe to others. Maybe not.<BR/><BR/>Tacitus2<BR/><BR/>ps mild points for the UNAEC, which seems to be doing a tricky balancing act on Iranian nuke issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-34555300783514541742007-02-25T12:22:00.000-08:002007-02-25T12:22:00.000-08:00Francis, Hawker--Have to agree with you that there...Francis, Hawker--<BR/><BR/>Have to agree with you that there's nothing quite so vituperative as a right-wing shout-show.<BR/><BR/>However, an anecdote: Last summer I attended a dinner party in Boston with a bunch of old college friends from MIT. They're all still living in Boston or the New York area, all highly educated, all moderately-to-ridiculously successful. For the last ten years I've been living in Austin, TX, which is usually a blue dot in a sea of red but, uh, somewhat more conservative than the Boston suburbs.<BR/><BR/>I don't remember how the conversation turned to Bush but I was dumbfounded at the level of, not concern, not even disgust, but outright hatred. Of course, I got outed as a conservative in their midst. The temperature dropped several degrees. We all hurriedly changed the subject.<BR/><BR/>There was a similar article in the NYT last year about how liberals in New York had ended friendships with conservatives and stopped inviting them to social functions. (I don't have a Times Select subscription, so I haven't been able to locate it.)<BR/><BR/>I can understand this level of nastiness from the talking heads--they make money by inflaming the public. From ordinary people... Well, it's just weird. I don't get it.TheRadicalModeratehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04671143818738683349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-29372126933999347032007-02-25T11:46:00.000-08:002007-02-25T11:46:00.000-08:00Andrew Smith, thanks for referring folks to:http:/...Andrew Smith, thanks for referring folks to:<BR/>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1434540.ece<BR/>"SOME of America’s most senior military commanders are prepared to resign if the White House orders a military strike against Iran, according to highly placed defence and intelligence sources."<BR/><BR/>Which backs up my longstanding claim that the Officer Corps is the one thin line, standing between us and horrific danger... which is why the monsters have been waging relentless war against the professional military throughout this benighted century.<BR/><BR/>What is NOT mentioned is the possibility that such a mass resignation may be the GOAL of an attack on Iran. Or at least a side benefit that this administration would find attractive, and NOT a deterrent, after all. What better way to erase, in a clean sweep, perhaps several dozen of our brightest and most honorable top flag officers, opening slots for rapid promotion of a few chosen zealots?<BR/><BR/>Where are the conservatives who spent THIRTY YEARS hectoring us that we "lost Vietnam because of relentless meddling in military affairs by clueless, draft-dodging politicians"? Hammer this contradiction on your nearest ostrich.<BR/><BR/>Along similar lines, the matter of<B> readiness is the core hypocrisy</B> that the dems ought to be skewering. During the Clinton Admin, goppers were screeching that we weren't <I>quite </I>ready to support <I>both</I> South Korea and Taiwan at the same time, in a major surprise war with China, WHILE having sufficient reserves for a second major surprise conflict. I swear, that is the rationale of their rage at Clinton on the issue of readiness.<BR/><BR/>Today, China is never mentioned. Danger to Korea and Taiwan? Off the radar. Venezuela's skyrocketing and potentially destabilzing arms buildup? Grist for shock radio rants, but only according to very careful scripts that never let the listener actually envision a basic fact... that our present military would be in no condition to step in, even if Venezuela invaded all its neighbors. <BR/><BR/> Except the Navy. God bless the Navy.<BR/><BR/>Which is, of course, why two of our best battle groups have been sent into the narrow waters of the Persian Gulf... I mean, what's happened to paranoia, when we really need it?<BR/><BR/>Tacitus, the Clinton/liar canard is one of the Big Lies of all time. So he fibbed about nookie in a hallway. The proof of the pudding is in stuff like the<I> steep decline in secrecy,</I> during his administration. Inveterate and fundamental liars do not do that sort of thing. Period. Nor do they leave professional prosecutors and law agencies alone to do their job. IN TODAY'S NEWS - neutral agencies have <I>given high scores to all of the eight Federal prosecutors</I> recently fired by Bush. <BR/><BR/><B><I> An act that we should skewer ostrich hypocrites with, by asking "What if Clinton had done this even ONCE?"</I></B><BR/><BR/>Please, please, Oil for Food? You are bringing THAT up? When this administration and its cronies steal more EACH DAY than leaked out of that program during its entire span? The UN? OMG... is there no limit to the number of picayune distractions that the right can point at, pretending in their minds that such niggles balance a monstrous assault upon every principle of the Enlightenment? <BR/><BR/>The biggest one is The right's obsession with #$#$#@ TEACHERS UNIONS! I swear, the left should simply dissolve the pathetic little things in a sudden jiu jitsu move, just to see the right stumble about looking for another bogey man to blame for the fall of western civilization! Riiiiiiight. Some organizations representing impoverished and hardworking <I>school teachers</I> merit eye-popping rage, but no attention at all to ripoff CEOS and insider-trading trillionaires. (Dang, I sound positively lefty, now. But so would Adam Smith, if he were here, right now.)<BR/><BR/>RM... you raise Occam's Razor and I respond with exactly the same principle. <B>When every single action of an administration shares one and only one trait -- to fundamentally weaken Pax Americana --what is the simplest hypothesis?</B> The "stupid frat boys" explanation is getting thin. <BR/><BR/>Yes, I <B>officially accept</B> the "stupid, dogmatic frat boys" explanation!<BR/> The alternative "Manchurian Candidate" explanation is NOT my official stand.<BR/> But as a contrarian, I must raise the plausibility that no one else dares mention!<BR/><BR/> Moreover, it deserves a place at-table. Especially when American military, diplomatic, financial, moral, scientific, engineering, intellectual and social power have ALL been demolished to unprecedented degrees. Along with America's internal cohesion, with half the country pitted against the other half's throats in bilious, hate-drenched "culture war." I mean <I>what are the odds that such consistency could have happened just by "stupid" accident?</I><BR/><BR/>Hawker, there ARE left wing Ann Coulters! dogmatic mania is not limited to the right. But the equivalent lefties have audiences of about thirty in insipid, neo-marxist, postmodernist college classes. Pathetic and powerless dunces.<BR/><BR/> In fact, the very fact THAT these absurd college dunces so enrage the right is one more sign of the ostrich effect. Teachers' unions and lefty-flake college profs... oh, and the pathetic UN. Oh, where is the Politburo when you really need it!David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-591369419720712592007-02-25T11:33:00.000-08:002007-02-25T11:33:00.000-08:00David Brin's pet conspiracy theory is that Bush, C...David Brin's pet conspiracy theory is that Bush, Cheney, etc. are taking orders from the Saudi royal family, a group that runs a country that promotes an ideology that's about as American as North Korea is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-16856447189778244852007-02-25T11:03:00.000-08:002007-02-25T11:03:00.000-08:00(Unrelated note: does anyone else have to always t...<EM>(Unrelated note: does anyone else have to always try twice to get a post up? Seems to not like my first word verification, no matter how careful I am.) </EM><BR/><BR/>Not quite always. What I think is going on there is that the verification rotates every few minutes rather than is based on the page. Therefore if you've spent five minutes thinking about what you are going to post, the word expected is going to be different from the one on the screen.<BR/><BR/>To be honest, when I'm writing a long post I normally just click submit and leave the box blank the first time.<BR/><BR/>And re: the air force preventing an assault on its own, I'll believe it when I see it. And I'd expect it more if the USAF focussed on bombers rather than appeared to be run by fighter-jocks.Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09335780760314634220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-86310789597765968792007-02-25T09:32:00.000-08:002007-02-25T09:32:00.000-08:00It has been said that diplomacy is the art of sayi...It has been said that diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice Doggie" while you look for a rock. Many of the abilities that make a good diplomat also make a good ladies man. Ben Franklin was noted for his abilities as both also.<BR/><BR/>Air Force as first response: The Air Force has been claiming that it could do the job of stopping the enemy alone since the 1920's. It hasn't seemed to work yet. But in the Air Force's credit, they have gotten much closer... The United States Air Force no longer has mere Air Superiority, they talk now of Air Supremecy: not only do we do whatever we want in the air, the enemy can't do ANYTHING at all in the air.<BR/><BR/>Francis: Got it in one. There is no left wing equivilant of Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh et al. You don't hear Al Franken call for the extermination of thier political opponents.<BR/><BR/>(Unrelated note: does anyone else have to always try twice to get a post up? Seems to not like my first word verification, no matter how careful I am.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-31391630898380242007-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:002007-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00David— Likewise, the destruction of BOTH our allia...David—<BR/><BR/><I> Likewise, the destruction of BOTH our alliances AND our military readiness are facts far too profound and overwhelming not to be deliberate.</I><BR/><BR/>Let me see if I can spell out what you’re implying:<BR/><BR/>1) Bushco is actually a front for their cronies, who in this case would probably be the petroleum industry. They would certainly benefit the most from suppression of energy research and from Middle East instability.<BR/><BR/>2) Bushco is systematically degrading internal government accountability structures (like OTA) to boost the interests of their cronies.<BR/><BR/>3) And, most important to your scenario, Bushco is systematically degrading readiness and international reputation actually to <I>weaken</I> the US so that we can fall into a <I>1984</I>-style state of perpetual low-level war--is it Eurasia, or Eastasia, that Oceania is at war with this year? Presumably, this is to act as the major distraction through which Bushco’s cronies get to loot us still further.<BR/><BR/>I’m intentionally leaving out the nuances and outliers of the Evil Plan. Am I sort of on the right track here?<BR/><BR/>So, one question: Does this even come close to adhering to Occam’s razor? You have provided countless examples of Bushco’s obvious ineptitude—and I agree with the vast majority of them. Could a crew so obviously inept and unsubtle really be capable of such a vast, nuanced--and admittedly treasonous, if true--plan? Oh, yeah—all of Bushco’s cronies would have to be complicit in the plan, with absolutely no leaks. And the MSM, which is now controlled by the 5 Evil Media Companies and has no doubt uncovered this conspiracy numerous times, has decided to suppress the story, thereby forgoing the profits that accrue to them during the subsequent impeachment run-up, no doubt because they are <I>also</I> in on the conspiracy.<BR/><BR/>In my experience, if you have to judge something as either evil or stupid, stupid wins about 95% of the time.<BR/><BR/>----------------------------------------<BR/><BR/>David, just FYI: You got a <I>Transparent Society</I> citation—with an interesting tidbit about how unworried young people are about personal privacy—in <A HREF="http://www.dynamist.com/weblog/archives/002465.html" REL="nofollow">Virginia Postrel’s blog</A>. Kinda interesting.<BR/><BR/>I posted this once before: I’d love to see an update of that book.<BR/><BR/>----------------------------------------<BR/><BR/>Finally, Doug, Hawker, et al.: A lot of military readiness has to do with the ability of ground troops to stop an initial armored attack at some hotspot, giving the US enough time to fully mobilize and defeat the attacker in detail. I wonder if airpower is good enough now to perform that job, given unassailable US air superiority and the availability of precision-guided, armor-piercing, cluster munitions. It’s a question, not an assertion, BTW.TheRadicalModeratehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04671143818738683349noreply@blogger.com