Random Political Thoughts

[DangerousBlossom]

Please please please let there be a government shutdown. My commute will improve so much. Please please! A nice, month-long shut down would be best.

Sorry to disappoint you, but the Calif. government has been shuting down every year for a while now.  (They can never agree on the budget.)  Really, you can't even tell the difference.

[Frys Girl]

Sorry to disappoint you, but the Calif. government has been shuting down every year for a while now.  (They can never agree on the budget.)  Really, you can't even tell the difference.

I can only go by what I've seen... when the gov't is closed here, traffic is smooth and even. When those federal crabs have to clock in, congestion and cussing.....

[analog kid]

It would be disastrous for the country, but some people just want to watch the world burn.

[Juan]

A year or so ago, I read an article that showed how serial killers and politicians had almost identical personalities.  It's so, so true.

[Frys Girl]

It would be disastrous for the country, but some people just want to watch the world burn.

Seems it has been more disastrous without their shutting down.... or if you prefer no comparison, disastrous period.

[analog kid]

Seems it has been more disastrous without their shutting down.... or if you prefer no comparison, disastrous period.

In what way?

[Frys Girl]

In what way?

We aren't exactly living in The Golden Age, kiddo.

[b_dubb]

I like what Thomas Pynchon called Generation X (my generation): the Preterite (or passed over) Generation. that seems more true every fucking day. shit clothes, shit products ... made in sweat shops in third world shit hole ... paid for by working shit jobs where we get paid in semi-worthless fiat currency. enough with globalism already. it's not helping anyone but the very wealthy

[DangerousBlossom]

I can only go by what I've seen... when the gov't is closed here, traffic is smooth and even. When those federal crabs have to clock in, congestion and cussing.....

In Sacramento a lot of the state workers keep working even when they are not being paid.  I guess things are different in D.C. (or wherever you are).  When I first saw your "name"  I thought you were a geek girl from the Bay Area who shopped at Fry's all the time! 

But as I have nothing at all against geek girls, I thought that was kind of cool.

[Frys Girl]

In Sacramento a lot of the state workers keep working even when they are not being paid.  I guess things are different in D.C. (or wherever you are).  When I first saw your "name"  I thought you were a geek girl from the Bay Area who shopped at Fry's all the time! 

But as I have nothing at all against geek girls, I thought that was kind of cool.

Thanks! I'm just a lover of Futurama.

[blackshap9]

Gas prices will go over 5$. Why? Because government needs money. The higher the price the more tax revenue they rake in. The longer the economy is in the toilet the higher the price of living will become. Come on folks, this is Gerald Celente 101 here.

[b_dubb]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17229009

i'm guessing we'll see a resignation in the near future from a public servant.  guess who?

[HAL 9000]

Gas prices will go over 5$. Why? Because government needs money. The higher the price the more tax revenue they rake in. The longer the economy is in the toilet the higher the price of living will become. Come on folks, this is Gerald Celente 101 here.

Your notion that government revenues will increase based on gas prices is completely wrong. The amount government obtains from gasoline taxes is based solely on usage, NOT on price.

The current Federal tax is 18.4¢ PER GALLON. In fact, historically (and theoretically), as gas prices increase, revenue from gas taxes decrease, as consumers tend to use less gas as prices increase. Since tax revenue is based on a percentage of usage (per gallon), and not on overall price, revenues rise and fall based solely on how much people buy/use, NOT the price per gallon.

Econ 101 

HAL 9000 (aka Milton Friedman Jr.)

[Frys Girl]

I'm not totally sure what Rush Limbaugh said and the context, but I don't think the public ought to be paying for birth control. I don't think we should pay for viagra either! Why is what he is saying so outrageous? Get a grip people.

[MV/Liberace!]

Why is what he is saying so outrageous? Get a grip people.

i agree.  i also think this dumb girl deserves anything that gets thrown at her since she made the CHOICE to stick her kisser on TV and publicly offer her idiotic opinion on a controversial subject.  that's the breaks.  and i think the obama administration and the democratic leadership in congress suck balls for jumping into the middle of it as they have.  rush is a private citizen, not an employee of the government.  elected government officials have no business issuing statements against private citizens or attempting to get them fired due to the words they choose to use in public.  this isn't the first time they've gone down this road with rush, though.  remember the "phony soldiers" thing?  the democratic leadership (reid and pelosi) even went so far as to send a letter to premiere radio networks in complaint.  that letter sold on ebay for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and i think the proceeds were used to benefit some charity for wounded soldiers.

there are people on this planet who haven't had a drink of clean water in their entire lives, and this elitist hole is complaining that she can't get free spermicide during LAW SCHOOL?  fucking entitled college brat.  we truly need a nuclear holocaust with the subsequently ensuing road warrior scenario in order to weed these people out.  they are weakening our country and our species in every measurable way.

[b_dubb]

i agree.  i also think this dumb girl deserves anything that gets thrown at her since she made the CHOICE to stick her kisser on TV and publicly offer her idiotic opinion on a controversial subject.  that's the breaks.  and i think the obama administration and the democratic leadership in congress suck balls for jumping into the middle of it as they have.  rush is a private citizen, not an employee of the government.  elected government officials have no business issuing statements against private citizens or attempting to get them fired due to the words they choose to use in public.  this isn't the first time they've gone down this road with rush, though.  remember the "phony soldiers" thing?  the democratic leadership (reid and pelosi) even went so far as to send a letter to premiere radio networks in complaint.  that letter sold on ebay for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and i think the proceeds were used to benefit some charity for wounded soldiers.

there are people on this planet who haven't had a drink of clean water in their entire lives, and this elitist hole is complaining that she can't get free spermicide during LAW SCHOOL?  fucking entitled college brat.  we truly need a nuclear holocaust with the subsequently ensuing road warrior scenario in order to weed these people out.  they are weakening our country and our species in every measurable way.

While I agree there are more important things for tax dollars to be paying for besides birth control for college students I think Limbaugh's remarks just obscure the issue further. If he'd refrained from name calling the discussion might still be centered around how ridiculous her remarks are. Instead everyone's talking about what an ass Limbaugh is.

[MV/Liberace!]

Instead everyone's talking about what an ass Limbaugh is.

who is this "everyone" group you speak of?  there are plenty of people out there who have no problem with what rush said or how he said it.  on the contrary, they're cheering him on.  this country is fucked in part due to the obsession with speech being inoffensive and sterile.

[MV/Liberace!]

in other news, frank luntz looks like an overweight howdy doody.

[b_dubb]

who is this "everyone" group you speak of?  there are plenty of people out there who have no problem with what rush said or how he said it.  on the contrary, they're cheering him on.  this country is fucked in part due to the obsession with speech being inoffensive and sterile.

everyone who isn't rush fan boy. rush's rush to the bottom shouldn't be construed as an attempt to breakout of a sterile and inoffensive restraints. what he's doing is appealing to the lowest common denominator. which has again misdirected the conversation

[MV/Liberace!]

everyone who isn't rush fan boy.

have you done some sort of market research to verify this over the course of the last 24 hours?  what constitutes a rush "fan boy"?  am i one?  if i am, by how many hours should i cut back listenership in order for my opinion on his comments to be considered valid and/or objective?

[Frys Girl]

everyone who isn't rush fan boy. rush's rush to the bottom shouldn't be construed as an attempt to breakout of a sterile and inoffensive restraints. what he's doing is appealing to the lowest common denominator. which has again misdirected the conversation

What rush to bottom?!?!

He is saying these women want to have their sex practices free of consequence and on the public purse. That's outrageous. Rush never said he was mr. Manners. What is outrageous is the highest office's reaction, participation, and exploitation of Rush. I don't even agree with Rush most times, but this is common sense.

I'll say I'd be ashamed to be asking for birth control coverage. I dont care how 1950s what i says seems: you don't just put it all out there. Whats next? STD therapy? If men and women want to use their sex lifestyles(dangerous ones) as political fare, don't cry when someone reacts.

Joke is on Fluke though. She's just getting used by the administration to get votes of single, confused women who don't have voice enough to say no to promiscuity. Obama just made dumb people feel safe. What else is new?

[blackshap9]

Your notion that government revenues will increase based on gas prices is completely wrong. The amount government obtains from gasoline taxes is based solely on usage, NOT on price.

The current Federal tax is 18.4¢ PER GALLON. In fact, historically (and theoretically), as gas prices increase, revenue from gas taxes decrease, as consumers tend to use less gas as prices increase. Since tax revenue is based on a percentage of usage (per gallon), and not on overall price, revenues rise and fall based solely on how much people buy/use, NOT the price per gallon.

Econ 101 

HAL 9000 (aka Milton Friedman Jr.)

The assumption is made that consumption remains relatively the same. I just don't see people giving up their cars. I will say this, next year we'll come back to this post and see if consumption is lowered because of gas price. I can see 6 dollars a gallon without a major shift in consumer behaviour and if that happens (and I believe it will) then my statement proves to be valid.

[DangerousBlossom]

everyone who isn't rush fan boy. rush's rush to the bottom shouldn't be construed as an attempt to breakout of a sterile and inoffensive restraints. what he's doing is appealing to the lowest common denominator. which has again misdirected the conversation

I'm no Rush fan girl, but I think this whole free birth control pills thing is an appeal to the lowest common denominator.  They are just picking one of the most prescribed Rx's and promising to give it to people free.  May as well just say, "vote for me and I'll give you $10/mo." ($10 is the most common co-pay for BCP's)

BTW, poor people already get BCPs for free (at least in Calif. were they are covered under MediCal).  The women on MediCal are less likely to pick them up than the women who pay for them.  Sometimes half the returned to stock Rx's are free BCPs.

I also do not know why a healthy young women with few Rx costs should get freebies while an older person who has arthritis or high blood pressure or whatever has to pay for all of his Rxs.

End of rant.

[Frys Girl]

I'm no Rush fan girl, but I think this whole free birth control pills thing is an appeal to the lowest common denominator.  They are just picking one of the most prescribed Rx's and promising to give it to people free.  May as well just say, "vote for me and I'll give you $10/mo." ($10 is the most common co-pay for BCP's)

BTW, poor people already get BCPs for free (at least in Calif. were they are covered under MediCal).  The women on MediCal are less likely to pick them up than the women who pay for them.  Sometimes half the returned to stock Rx's are free BCPs.

I also do not know why a healthy young women with few Rx costs should get freebies while an older person who has arthritis or high blood pressure or whatever has to pay for all of his Rxs.

End of rant.

This is sensible and logical. Thank you.

[stevesh]

there are people on this planet who haven't had a drink of clean water in their entire lives, and this elitist hole is complaining that she can't get free spermicide during LAW SCHOOL?  fucking entitled college brat.  we truly need a nuclear holocaust with the subsequently ensuing road warrior scenario in order to weed these people out.  they are weakening our country and our species in every measurable way.

Aw, man, I was gonna say that.

[stevesh]

The assumption is made that consumption remains relatively the same.

Not so fast. This is one of the most interesting things I've seen in a while, and I'm still thinking about what it means:

http://www.oftwominds.com/blogfeb12/gasoline-tanking02-12.html

[b_dubb]

Rush has a career because he makes these over the top remarks. He joins himself to the discussion. Which does nothing but muddy the water. The woman's remarks were ridiculous and stupid. Calling her a 'slut' was a publicity stunt for Rush. And by doing so he changed the context and made her seem like a victim. Which further serves to polarize discourse.  A reasonable response would havUe been to point out how stupid her ideas were, call her a child and say if you can get into law school you can buy your own damn birth control.

[Lovely Bones]

I also do not know why a healthy young women with few Rx costs should get freebies while an older person who has arthritis or high blood pressure or whatever has to pay for all of his Rxs.

End of rant.

A very good rant, DB.  Medicare doesn't have Toprol XL, my mother's blood pressure med, on its "formulary," won't cover it, and the generic still gives her heart arrythmias (sp?).  So she pays for the drug herself.  I don't see the little old ladies from her senior living facility getting any congressional time. 

Same goes for dental and vision care. 

[Lovely Bones]

Rush has a career because he makes these over the top remarks. He joins himself to the discussion. Which does nothing but muddy the water. The woman's remarks were ridiculous and stupid. Calling her a 'slut' was a publicity stunt for Rush. And by doing so he changed the context and made her seem like a victim.

I have to disagree, b_dubb.  She had already put herself out there in the "victim role," claiming that she and her friends would have to work "a whole summer" to pay for their birth control.

Waaaahhhh! 

[b_dubb]

you disagree that her remarks were ridiculous and stupid? 

my point is this: rush pulls these STUNTS to get attention.  to inject his name into the public discourse.  by doing these STUNTS he further polarizes the issues.  he's furthering his own career at the expense of the quality of public discourse.