Comments on: Glenn’s soulmate?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Perhaps, if the Republicans, while claiming to champion individual freedoms, weren’t at the same time primarily attacking social rights like abortion, gay marriage, and nude beaches I would support their professed economic agenda. Not that I believe them on the economics. I’ve not seen a Republican administration not expand the federal beauracracy and increase the deficit; but they have done their best to get creationism into schools, to sponsor laws against nude beaches, etc. I believe them wholeheartedly when they say they will work against some people’s civil rights, I can’t believe them when they say they will help the economy. Thus I will not support any Republican candidate who does not repudiate the party’s social platform. I will vote the Libertarian Party instead.

By: Jonathan Allen

Jonathan Allen — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:34:00 +0000

Glenn Beck = Loud mouth idiot who loves to smoke poles.

By: David Hyland

David Hyland — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:16:00 +0000

The name-calling advances nothing in this sort of back-and-forth. If “progressive”, “liberal”, “conservative”, etc., are actually just brands, let’s say so, define them clearly, trademark them, add a few more for nuance, look at what a candidate really wants to do, be an informed voter and get to the polls. The only real problem I see is that many voters will end up being confused. Wanting to protect Social Security and Medicare does not make a candidate “liberal” any more than Bill Clinton’s call to “end welfare as we know it” made him a “conservative”. There are too many issues to suggest a position on one of them permits us to assign a “brand” to any candidate. “Center Right Republicans” don’t want the word “progressive” used by “Center Left Democrats” because it sounds softer and more appealing. “Common sense conservatism” gets thrown around because it, too, sounds softer than “Far Right Republican”. In early 21st century American politics, there are only a few things you have to avoid to have a shot at winning. Don’t scare the elderly by telling them their Social Security is going to disappear. Don’t tell moderate swing voters, especially women, they or their daughters will lose control over their bodies or fertility. Don’t tell moderately wealthy Republicans they are going to have to give up 20% capital gains tax rates. Real bootstrappers don’t necessarily fall in line with Republicans on social or economic issues. Paula Deen, agoraphobic, abandoned by her husband, started making sandwiches from her home and turned her little business into a media and culinary juggernaut and has made herself a multi-millionaire. She is almost romantically in love with Jimmy Carter. She understands poverty and wealth. She’ll pay more in taxes if she is asked to do so. One of the biggest private sector job creators in the United States – Bill Gates – would do so as well even as he is spending much of his fortune to help end common diseases and donates computers to poor school systems. People don’t always vote in their own personal economic interest (or have a more expansive view of that interest) because even marginally wealthy people realize they will leave their gated communities and find the infrastructure of their country is crumbling. We tried G.W. Bush’s brand of economics, wiped out a budget surplus in the first two years of his presidency and drove us into a near-Depression no President could have repaired in one term. Many voters are afraid. Don’t make them feel or assume they are stupid.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:59:00 +0000

Wow! I think Mitt Romney intentionally plans on blowing this campaign as he is so off kilter with reality. Now, along comes Paul Ryan. These guys are going to bring down this country not necessarily intentionally but by ignorance and “pie in the sky” thinking. Look at the stance on birth control? On Medicare? On jobs…these are out of touch people who can’t run this country let alone try and deal with the intricacies of international issues. I’m scared that they will buy theri way into the white house. Please stay with President Obama for 4 more years. He is a great President. Thank you.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 02:12:00 +0000

I guess I’m confused here. By Ryan’s definition of a Progressive, which includes runaway govt growth and unchecked spending, Obama, both Bushes and Reagan would all be Progressives. The problem, IMO, is not progressivism, but the fact that we’ve sold our democracy to corporations.

By: Truth2Power

Truth2Power — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 20:28:00 +0000

Yes, Glenn, you can go home now to lalaland.

By: DH Fabian

DH Fabian — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 18:26:00 +0000

Thanks! I live in an apartment building for the elderly and disabled, a few miles from Madison WI. There are a couple of Beck fans here, and I am eager to share this news! Funny thing about Romney making this choice. Ryan is not a conservative, severe or otherwise. He is an avowed devotee of Ayn Rand. As the elderly are aware, Paul Ryan’s political philosophy is completely in step with fascism — by actual definition, not as the common political insult. This is a serious threat to democracy.