So, Shithead...Why Did YOU Pick Him?

[A Theist]

You are one bitter leftwing old coot. The door to this country swings both ways and there certainly aren't any barriers on our borders that will keep you from leaving. If you're that miserable here why don't pack your sh*t and go to some other country where you'll be happier, like Venezuela or even North Korea. Go over there and talk your bullsh*t against their countries. See how far that'll get you.

In the bolded part it seems like you're saying "our country gives you freedom of speech... so shut up!" Can you see the problem with that? Sometimes people criticize their country because they want it to be a better place, regardless of how good or bad it already is. Pointing out that other countries wouldn't tolerate dissent doesn't address the legitimate criticisms of the country you reside in.

No. That's not the way I meant it. I wasn't telling him to shut up. He has every right in this country to run his big mouth and to jack his jaws no matter how much of his goofy bullsh*t I take issue with. In America he has every liberty to his opinions and to criticize this country. America also allows me those same liberties to respond. Speech is a valued freedom here. We have greater liberties with vocalizing our opinions than most European countries do. I was only trying to point out, that in the course of his shoveling out vitriol and hogsh*t and America bashing, he should at least appreciate the liberties he has in this country without the worry of government retribution that he would receive in other countries,...I wasn't telling him to shut up.

[DeistPaladin]

I was only trying to point out, that in the course of his shoveling out vitriol and hogsh*t and America bashing, he should at least appreciate the liberties he has in this country without the worry of government retribution that he would receive in other countries,...I wasn't telling him to shut up.

I'm reminded of that scene in "Get Shorty", where a mob lieutenant (played by Dennis Farina) is speaking to his boss about a problem he was having with his peer (played by John Travolta).

"He's got no respect for us!"

"No, he's got no respect for YOU."

While I know it is the custom of the wacky right here to conflate itself with "real America", the fact is that Min's contempt for the right wing is not taken by anyone else to be an attack on America itself.

And furthermore, if anyone hates this country and the constitution it is the wacky right wing. For all your flag waving, the only value you people have is "win at any cost".

[CliveStaples]

I'm reminded of that scene in "Get Shorty", where a mob lieutenant (played by Dennis Farina) is speaking to his boss about a problem he was having with his peer (played by John Travolta).

"He's got no respect for us!"

"No, he's got no respect for YOU."

While I know it is the custom of the wacky right here to conflate itself with "real America", the fact is that Min's contempt for the right wing is not taken by anyone else to be an attack on America itself.

And furthermore, if anyone hates this country and the constitution it is the wacky right wing. For all your flag waving, the only value you people have is "win at any cost".

I guess that depends on what you think the 'wacky' right wing is. Is Paul Ryan "wacky right wing"? Is Antonin Scalia "wacky right wing"? Was Milton Friedman "wacky right wing"?

[DeistPaladin]

Is there a good argument that Barack Obama is close to the mainstream?

There is a curious divide in perceptions in America on Obama.

To the right wing, he's a dangerous radical bomb-throwing Marxist who somehow managed to sneak into the White House.

To people like me on the center left, he's a center-right president who promised "Yes we can!" as a candidate and has governed by "Aw c'mon guys" as a president.

He's done little since getting into office that doesn't involve throwing liberals under the bus and running after conservatives hoping for some sort of bipartisan healing and that everyone will love him as a great uniter of America. Only recently has it finally dawned on him that Republicans have no intention of negotiating in good faith and will hate him no matter how much he bends over backward.

Yet, despite how "compromise", "bipartisanship" and "reaching across the aisle" (code words for conservatives get most everything they want while liberals get a few scraps from the table, if that) are characteristics of nearly every policy of his, conservatives still rail against him as if he was some sort of dangerous, divisive, far-left demagogue.

This is what makes discussion so frustrating. It's like we live in different realities. It's so different from my conservative Reagan-worshiping Republican days. Back then, we spent 10% of our time discussing the facts and 90% discussing what to do about them. Today, we can't even nail down what the facts are in order to have a rational discussion.

---

I guess that depends on what you think the 'wacky' right wing is. Is Paul Ryan "wacky right wing"? Is Antonin Scalia "wacky right wing"? Was Milton Friedman "wacky right wing"?

Our posts seem to have crossed.

By wacky right, I mean the Tea Party, which I can only assume that "A Theist" is a member of the way he posts. Since my post was addressed to him and not Paul Ryan or Antonin Scalia, it's an appropriate term.

But since you asked, Paul Ryan isn't insane. He just wants to destroy Medicare. Antonin Scalia isn't insane. He's just a fascist. Milton Friedman isn't insane. He just promotes a policy of economics that has been proven to be disastrous.

[A Theist]

I was only trying to point out, that in the course of his shoveling out vitriol and hogsh*t and America bashing, he should at least appreciate the liberties he has in this country without the worry of government retribution that he would receive in other countries,...I wasn't telling him to shut up.

I'm reminded of that scene in "Get Shorty", where a mob lieutenant (played by Dennis Farina) is speaking to his boss about a problem he was having with his peer (played by John Travolta).

"He's got no respect for us!"

"No, he's got no respect for YOU."

While I know it is the custom of the wacky right here to conflate itself with "real America", the fact is that Min's contempt for the right wing is not taken by anyone else to be an attack on America itself.

And furthermore, if anyone hates this country and the constitution it is the wacky right wing. For all your flag waving, the only value you people have is "win at any cost".

Responding to your more recent post DP, you assume wrong. I'm not a member of the Tea Party....although I do notice the hypocrisy and the double standards from the naive elitist pompousasses on the looney left. The left is quick to point out and criticize all those horrible extreme 'eccentricies' like flag waving, patriotism, and love of country,...but when extremes, like rape, rioting, burning and vandalizing private property, assault, drug use, attacking police are coming from far left anarchists like the 'Occupy Wall Street' terrorists you guys are silent.

[Faith No More]

I realize you're given to hyperbolic, political rhetoric, A Theist, but accusing the left of being rapists? That is low, even by political rhetoric standards. Shame on you.

[Whateverist]

...uh, all I did was politely ask for a good "Obama is a centrist" argument. Why all the insults?

Cuz yur an asshole!

---

You are one bitter leftwing old coot. The door to this country swings both ways and there certainly aren't any barriers on our borders that will keep you from leaving. If you're that miserable here why don't pack your sh*t and go to some other country where you'll be happier, like Venezuela or even North Korea. Go over there and talk your bullsh*t against their countries. See how far that'll get you.

Why is it that belligerent idiots like yourself always think that rational people who disagree with you are the ones who should leave the country? Wrapping yourself in the flag doesn't give you any proprietary rights. Your brand of patriotism would fit better back in nazi germany than it does here and now.

[DeistPaladin]

The left is quick to point out and criticize all those horrible extreme 'eccentricies' like flag waving, patriotism, and love of country,...

I've seen no love of country or patriotism on the wacky right. There's plenty of flag waving but that's called "overcompensation". You only love the country when you get to run it. Otherwise you want to burn it all down.

but when extremes, like rape, rioting, burning and vandalizing private property, assault, drug use, attacking police are coming from far left anarchists like the 'Occupy Wall Street' terrorists you guys are silent.

You get all your information from Breitbart and Fox Noise, don't you?

[A Theist]

I realize you're given to hyperbolic, political rhetoric, A Theist, but accusing the left of being rapists? That is low, even by political rhetoric standards. Shame on you.

...and shame on you too because you knew what I meant. My reference was to the 'Occupy Wall Street' thugs who are far left anarchists and it's a fact that some have been chared with rape and sexual assault....

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationno...rrest.html

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manha...WA6cPzgnXL

http://abcnews.go.com/US/sexual-assaults...d=14873014

[Faith No More]

...and shame on you too because you knew what I meant

If that's what you truly meant, then I apologize, but your comment came across as an attempt to use an example of a few individuals as a talking point to demonize an entire ideology. Perhaps if you weren't so prone to these generalizations, I wouldn't have made that inference.