A Virtual Tie
"The fact that Donald Trump would encourage the worst aspects of the character of his half-witted groupies is further proof (as if any more were needed) that the man is a dangerous sociopath. Were he to be elected in eighteen days I would have predicted that he would someday be remembered as the champion mass murderer of world history. Fortunately I won't have to make that prediction. Not even the American people are that dumb. Not quite."
I wrote that paragraph on this site less than two weeks ago. All bets are off. It probably would have been wise of me to remember the words of the legendary, muckraking journalist, H.L. Mencken, who once wrote that "nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." Smart dude, that Mencken.
I wrote that paragraph on this site less than two weeks ago. All bets are off. It probably would have been wise of me to remember the words of the legendary, muckraking journalist, H.L. Mencken, who once wrote that "nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." Smart dude, that Mencken.
I won't get into the details regarding the reopening of the investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails. It's all too bizarre and thoroughly depressing to think about. This time around, the primary focus is - incredibly - the texting scandal of a few months back between Anthony Weiner and a fifteen-year-old girl. What the FBI's James Comey was thinking when he decided to have another peek into this Pandora's box is anyone's guess. Have he and the Donald made some kind of backroom deal? Nothing would surprise me at this late stage. All I know for certain is that enough voters have decided that this latest "scandal" is enough to place Trump in serious contention to be declared "President-elect" in five short days. Isn't that something?
I'm almost at the point where I hope he wins. The American people deserve Donald Trump. What's ironic is the sad fact that the rest of the planet doesn't deserve him. If a Trump administration does indeed come into being, the entire global population will suffer greatly because of American electoral stupidity. Ain't that a riot?
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I'm almost at the point where I hope he wins. The American people deserve Donald Trump. What's ironic is the sad fact that the rest of the planet doesn't deserve him. If a Trump administration does indeed come into being, the entire global population will suffer greatly because of American electoral stupidity. Ain't that a riot?
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| Anthony Weiner |
It's impossible to believe that the people of this doomed country (at least the ones that vote) are, quite possibly, within less than a week from electing the most Hitleresque candidate to come along since der fuehrer himself. Don't make the mistake of dismissing that last sentence as a wild exaggeration from an unhinged lefty. The fact of the matter is that for the last half century, the Republican Party has been crawling - ever-so-slowly and ever-so-surely - toward an insanely dark and disturbing place. If you've yet to notice this undeniable phenomenon, you haven't been paying attention. A Trump administration might be just the thing to awaken you from your apathetic slumber.
As I have pointed out too many times, Hillary Clinton was never my ideal candidate; I believe she is, at heart, a plutocrat. But I'm not going to make the same mistake in 2016 that I made sixteen years ago when I cast my lot with Ralph Nader. The result of that fiasco was eight years of George W. Bush, a man who is in serious competition with James Buchanan for being remembered as the most insanely incompetent chief-executive in history. Dr. Jill Stein is a decent, intelligent human being - there's no argument about that - but this is not the year for third party experimentation. Even six months of a Trump presidency would mean the end of this country. Think I'm off base? Fine. I just got the wildest idea: Let's all vote for Donald Trump on Tuesday and see what happens!
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| Dr. Jill Stein ` |
These might not be the happiest of times to be alive, but they sure ain't boring! Did you ever dream it would get this weird?
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
SUGGESTED READING:
Disarmed and Dangerous
The Radical Lives and Times of Daniel and Phillip Berrigan
by Murray Polner and Jim O'Grady
Fathers Dan and Phil Berrigan are today remembered as "religious extremists", which I think is a misnomer. They merely took the gospel of Jesus Christ literally. For this, they happily paid a heavy price. I'm just now finishing this excellent biography. Here's a link to order it:
"Blessed are the peacemakers."
posted by Tom Degan @ 1:21 PM
24 comments
24 Comments:
How can this presidential election be so close? One may wonder in amazement.
Could it be the effects of indoctrination by FOX/talk radio, and corporate media’s false equivalence, “horse race” ratings pandering, failure of fact checking, hired shills, and scandal mongering. But what do I know?
I know it's off subject, but ...It might be...it COULD be...it IS A CUBS VICTORY IN THE WORLD SERIES!!! HO-LEE COW!!!
Way to go Cubbies!
Now back to your regularly scheduled schooling of conservatives.
Tom Degan: "I'm almost at the point where I hope he wins. The American people deserve Donald Trump. What's ironic is the sad fact that the rest of the planet doesn't deserve him."
Tom, it's not that the American people deserve Trump, it's that they're sick and tired of a corporatocracy that only promises business as usual. I don't have to remind you that fringe elements always surface during tough times. We're there, and I'll agree with you on one thing -- we ain't seen the toughest yet.
Whether Clinton or Trump, the worst is yet to be.
"They merely took the gospel of Jesus Christ literally."
Does that include Jesus claim that "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."?
Do you think they believed that?
Or when Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." he didn't include the law against homosexuality?
I have said I will vote on issues, but the more I learn about the pay for play details, how the Clintons became multimillionaires by using their foundation and influence, the more I find it an abomination that such a woman would get to the highest office. We know she made 22 million in speeches to hedge fund groups. Anyone seriously believe there were not expectations? The Guardian had a good article about how DC has been run again and again with this kind of corruption. I am considering not voting on the presidency but voting on ballot issues and other offices.
I've read that the feminists overlooked Bill's abusive behavior with women based on the issues he had that they wanted. So issues are used to get away with selling government to the highest bidder and why would it stop if she is rewarded for it by those who overlook it because it's her. And yet, the environment and social issues matter so much to me and Trump is on the wrong side of all of those :(. I hate this election. Really really hate it
Rain, how DID the Clintons become multimillionaires by using their foundation? Are you suggesting they kept donated money for themselves? I'm curious what information you have on this. They donated to it, unlike Trump and his foundation.
Clinton's "Pay to play" is a Republican talking point. Can you cite evidence of this?
From the Washington Post: there is no evidence that foundation donors received special treatment in direct exchange for their contributions.
Also, what about the Trump Foundation being used for bribing the Florida AG to toss out the Trump University fraud case. What about the Trump Foundation being used to pay off Trump's lawsuit settlements?
Are you equating the two foundations?
Factcheck.org says: CharityWatch, a project of the American Institute of Philanthropy, gave the Clinton Foundation an “A” rating.
Daniel Borochoff, president and founder of CharityWatch, told us by phone that its analysis of the finances of the Clinton Foundation and its affiliates found that about 89 percent of the foundation budget is spent on programming (or “charity”), higher than the 75 percent considered the industry standard.
We know she made 22 million in speeches to hedge fund groups.
Source please. Are banks the "hedge fund groups"?
Are you aware the Clintons donated 10% of their gross income to charity? Are you equating Trump's use of his foundation to pay lawsuit settlements to the Clintons donating to, NOT taking money from, their foundation?
I know it's easy to believe the decades long smearing of Hillary by the Right. Look at Comey's October surprise. All innuendo and zero facts. But this sways the uninformed voters, doesn't it?
Guilt by actions is one thing, but guilt by accusation has been the standard for Hillary.
She is a neocon and neoliberal. THOSE are her qualities to distrust. But you won't hear anything about that on TV or from her enemies.
I have no problem casting my vote for Hillary. Republicans lost me forever after conducting needless investigations and smearing the Clintons during Bill's administration. And I don't vote third party after Bush stole the election in 2000 and started the second Iraq war. Apparently I became a defacto Democrat during my first presidential vote to give Jimmy Carter a second term (unlike most Americans, I didn't like Reagan).
As far as I'm concerned, Republicans are either grifters or fools.
Hey Major Cluckie Major,
He certainly didn't include the law about eating shellfish, or wearing clothing of two different cloths. I don't see anyone in evangelical America selling their daughters into slavery, or killing disobedient children.
Christian gardeners all over this great land "plant tow different crops in the same field"
Your cherry picking of the Bible is typical of how your kind uses the IMAMGE of something while disregarding, or even perverting the SUBSTANCE.
Jesus basic message was LOVE AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, and that's it really.
But conservatives call that "Socialism". The New testament replaces the Old, and the Old was not written for anyone BUT The Jews anyway. Like Lewis Black says "It's not your book".
Ironic that an Atheist knows more about your myths and legends than you do.
Dave, it worked like this-- approach someone or they approach them and get Bill a big consulting fee while they also donate to the Foundation. They didn't need to get money from the foundation although they got travel on the planes etc. The Russian uranium deal was okayed by Clinton's state department and it's been a problem a lot of places in the west Here's one piece on it Clinton influence on Russian nuclear deal and Foundation receives millions. The NY Times also covered that one. If you want to know the accusations based on pay for play, do a search. The mainstream media is not covering it.
You do not get wealthy as they are without a way. Some of us might've believed Bill got those big speaking fees or consulting fees [where he never consulted] because he's so cool... Uh huh and power had nothing to do with it...
I think it's better not to kid ourselves. We don't have to play the game of seeing it all as the Clintons' word for it-- the vast right wing conspiracy. There is a lot there for those who care but you have to look.
That said, I had to vote for her in the end based on issues. I don't trust her, worry about her neocon, globalist tendencies, but Trump is wrong (in my opinion) on some big issues that matter a lot to me. It wasn't the abuse of women (Clinton has a husband who did that too) but Trump's lack of interest in being fully informed, where he gets all his info on things like climate change. He's said a lot of things about what he'll do and I believe he would try-- so his stand on right wing issues made him impossible for me to vote. I felt no pride though in my vote. Just, for me it was the only option and a third party vote might've helped Trump win. So... I did it and just hope I have been wrong about her.
Mozart,
As a self proclaimed Atheist, what is the foundation of your standards of behavior?
If Jesus is a myth or legend, how can you know for sure what his basic message was?
Rain,
Thank you for your information. The Independent Journal Review is obviously Right leaning.
There was no "pay for play" in the sense the Clintons personally took foundation money to increase their wealth. It went to the foundation.
If you want to see corruption why not look at Trump buying off the Florida AG with his foundation? I mean, perspective. It's always worse if Hillary does it, but even Hillary hasn't bought a court system. She's been grilled endlessly by the FBI and hostile Republican hearing leaders who cannot hang her with anything real. If she's such a mastermind genius then, isn't that exactly what Americans want?
How many millions of dollars over twenty years have been spent to convince Americans Hillary is a liar, traitor, and all around bitch? Really. FOX demonization alone has been rampant for decades. Facts are facts.
Sure the Clintons help arrange deals. They accept money for speeches. They are doing what capitalists do. Trump does it too, only for his personal gain, not charity.
As I wondered, are you equating the Trump and Clinton foundations? Quite different if you look.
Why is it that Trump lies all the time, but Hillary is the bigger notorious liar? Seriously? Why are her emails given more air time than all issues combined? Even AFTER the investigation concluded no criminal wrongdoing. Don't you wonder about that? I gave a partial answer at the top of the thread.
Hillary is always presumed guilty. Nobody can even cite a single crime. If you don't think she really has been under attack by the Right for decades, just like Obama is and will continue to be demonized, you're missing much of the story.
Trump is a true sociopath and authoritarian. A very bad combination, and he is VERY convincing. It's all about who to be angry at and who to blame. Works all the time. See the con? No wonder fools believe he will make America great again.
It's no surprise to me and I don't know why it's a surprise to anyone, that Trump could win. Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and Bush. These Boomers have fucked up America for 35 years, one generation basically. Only the wisdom of our founding fathers might save us. President is not a King and he needs Congress to get most things done. But there is no check between the president and launching nuclear missiles. If Republicans keep majority, the decline of America will be complete, with a president willing to sign any laws they pass. "Government is the problem!" Reagan's famous quote that started the dismantling of America. Goldwater said, "Extremism is the defense of liberty, is no vice." We will prove that thinking wrong also, but it won't matter, there will be nothing left. So vote for the extremist Trump Boomers! Hell you won't be around to have to fix the mess, if it can be fixed. We might be able to fix the Republican financial mess, but only if we still have a government to act.
Cluckie, I have read the new testament. Try it sometime. And one can be moral with no religion. I noticed that as usual you completely disregarded all I said concerning your hypocritical cherry picking the Bible.
Rain,
Don't get me wrong. I dread another Clinton administration too. I feel your pain.
Buh'leeve me.
Dave, on my rant blog, I wrote extensively on how the pay for play worked for the Clintons. If someone someday follows the money trail on things like the Russian buying our uranium okayed by the State Department during her tenure and the donations as well as lush speaking and consulting fees, alongside the foundation donations, it's all there. Whether it will ever be proven, who knows. Not being found guilty does not mean innocent.
Congress went off on Benghazi while the real story was Arab Spring and our involvement in helping to overthrow a dictator in Libya, which led to chaos there and more inroads for ISIS. Hillary is a globalist and for those who are, like the neocons, her stand on wars is different than a nationalist. Anyway I voted for her but never felt worse about a vote. There was no choice as electing him is such an unknown and he disagrees with me on so many issues that matter to me-- not to mention who he'd appoint to the Supreme Court. Ugh.
If she wins, I hope she'll prove me wrong!
Glad to hear you are reading the Bible Mozart, keep doing so and ask God, no challenge God, to reveal Himself to you.
Majormajor: "If Jesus is a myth or legend, how can you know for sure what his basic message was?"
Please look back at what Mozart has written. He never claimed, specifically, that Jesus, the man, was a myth or legend -- only Christian beliefs. Although your question - and Mozart's statement - about his "basic message" should be examined. Why? Because it's also the "basic message" of most mainstream religious beliefs - once the patriarchal laws, fairy-tales, and other nonsense is sifted through and thrown out.
Don't forget that the gospels were not written until, at the earliest, thirty or more years after the death of Jesus, and even then were not written by any of Jesus's followers -- they were written and perpetuated by disciples of Saul (Paul). Jesus's followers had another take on this whole matter.
The whole of Christendom is revisionist history to the core -- not unlike many aspects of American history.
JG - you are not completely accurate.
Matthew and John were disciples. Luke, while not a disciple, accompanied Paul during his ministry and both were contemporaries and co-laborers with Peter (a disciple). And, remember, according to the text, Paul did have a direct revelation from the Christ post resurrection. John Mark was a very close associate Peter and his gospel is essentially considered to be Petrine due to that fact.
Jesus' followers (disciples) were in concert with Paul, though there was period (understandably) where there was quite a bit of turmoil and "gear-grinding" between Christians from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds (as described in Acts).
Now, whether you believe any of it is obviously your call.
To MM's point... The moral code found in the Bible has common ground with other religions - that is true (and not surprising). However, by definition, Christianity does not. Jesus made some very exclusive, bold, and morally transcendent truth claims which, if you don't believe them, you'd have to consider the man a megalomaniac or a loony (and his followers deluded saps). So, no, orthodox Christian belief does not cohere with other faith tradition. It sticks out like a sore thumb.
Your final statement is a mighty bold one. Quite as assertion to cast out there as a punctuation to your post.
JG
"Jesus's followers had another take on this whole matter."
Support please with evidence.
So Cluckie has not changed. He avoids answering the simplest of questions. Is it that he can't stay on subject long enough to formulate an answer, or is it that he's just SCARED?
Either way, his lack of answers WERE answers. And exactly the ones we thought we'd get from someone like him. No wonder he supports Trump.
Harley, neither are you completely accurate. Although, and I don't disagree, there were followers (disciples) of Jesus named Matthew and John, it's believed within several scholarly circles that neither is directly responsible for the penning of either Gospel referenced under their name. Authorship in those ancient days typically revolved around common belief or influence -- totally different than today.
There have been several discoveries of other ancient texts in the last century, along with scholarly research, that dispels many of the current notions that you, yourself, have claimed [e.g., "Jesus' followers (disciples) were in concert with Paul"].
Personally, based upon my own reading and research, I find the teachings of Jesus to have been hijacked and co-opted by Paul for other reasons, and thus the true messages never permitted to be revealed to later generations.
Mozart,
Playing your same old game I see. In a review of your posts directed towards me, there wasn't one question asked! Zero question marks. So what questions of yours haven't I answered?
Just a reminder, Tom has professed to being a Christian, I'm surprised you don't take him to task for his faith.
"Authorship in those ancient days typically revolved around common belief or influence"
Like Plato, Aristotle, Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, or Tactius?
JG - no, the preponderance of the manuscript evidence as well as early 1st and 2nd century testimony points to the accuracy of the nominal authorship. You can find a whole industry, beginning with 19th century German theological liberalism and crossing the pond to America later, aimed at discrediting both authorship as well as content of NT scriptures. All of it aimed at squaring the Bible with 18th and 19th century emerging materialism and secular humanism - with an anti-supernatural premise. If you choose to hold them as valid critiques, then you'll definitely likely come to the conclusions you have. Actually, the evidence for surrogate authorship would do quite the opposite - both Mark and Luke were likely very heavily influenced by Peter. Anyway...
Please provide an example of a concept taught by Jesus that was discredited or contradicted by Paul in his epistles.
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