dagblog - Comments for "Hi, It's Me, Stilli - Ranting Again!"

Thanks, a lot, Arty! Like

stillidealistic — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:31:08 +0000

Thanks, a lot, Arty! Like said, I don't know a lot about his history, and given that he's made sense on a number of issues, I wondered why he was persona non grata in these parts!

For me, my opinion comes from

Gregor Zap — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:01:43 +0000

In reply to Now, come on, Zap! There is a

For me, my opinion comes from mutually accepted facts. Bush implemented the tax cuts 8 years ago and the economy is in the $hitter, therefore, tax cuts did not bring the nation prosperity. The two premises are on ALL the networks. It's not rocket science really. There have been no accounting of these two agreed upon facts. I have not heard anyone note, "If we have had tax cuts for eight years already and no growth, why are we still thinking their continuance will work, if we just give it more time? Because people are stupid.

I agree with you on

artappraiser — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:59:52 +0000

In reply to Friedman is well informed

I agree with you on Friedman. I think he's a bete noire of the liberal blogosphere based on long ago misunderstanding of his positions on Iraq which happened at the time the blogosphere was growing by leaps and bounds--people who hadn't been reading his positions before the Iraq war had started, he wrongly got a label of a Bush supporting neo-con. But ya know what? Back in the day, he got to award winning status by pointing out important stuff that few others were saying. But he never evolved to new thoughts and ideas, just repeating the same things in various forms, the Peter Principle thing. So I don't usually feel the need to defend him from liberal blogosphere pile-ons based on misunderstanding what he's about--because he's become mediocrre. Just felt like piping up this time because it's you sayin it, Flav , didn't want it to look like you're that unusual. And also to let Stilli know she's only nuts in delusional liberal blogophere terms. He often says things that would be considered liberal in the meatspace world, that's not unusual for him. It's the utter hatred of Friedman that one sometimes sees in the liberal blogosphere that's nuts, that doesn't make any sense. It's like hating Hillary for her one-time voting position on Iraq, throwing out all the other stuff like health care Hillary, calling Hillary a neo-con, etc.

Wise words, SJ. I think you

stillidealistic — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:46:56 +0000

In reply to stilli, I believe the answer

Wise words, SJ. I think you have that right. There's much to be done...I wish we had a step by step guide to follow. I would enjoy the work, but I swear, I just don't know where to put my energy, I don't know what to DO.

Thanks, des. I find there are

stillidealistic — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:42:05 +0000

In reply to Heh. I read Friedman just to

Thanks, des. I find there are times when someone I don't care for much starts saying things all of a sudden that I agree with, so I find myself paying more attention to them. Then I need a reality check! Thanks for helping!

stilli, I believe the answer

SleepinJeezus — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:39:42 +0000

In reply to Thanks a lot, Larry. I feel

stilli, I believe the answer lies in LarryH's last paragraph. It's all about equity and justice. Before we as a country can begin to even discuss the important questions you raise, there must first be a sense that the playing field is not set against one side or the other. At present, any such discussion can rightly be viewed as the wealthy simply looking to consolidate more wealth by taking it away from the lower classes in society.

Want Peace? Work for Justice. Only then can we begin to work with confidence upon the very important issues you raise.

Hahahaha! You got me there!

stillidealistic — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:38:37 +0000

In reply to I am inclined to be pissed

Hahahaha! You got me there! But I was talking more about the people who vote based on the crap e-mails that come into their inboxes about whatever the latest scare is, and don't bother to investigate whether it is true or not. Or vote a certain way because cuzin Elmer said to, and he's real smart about that stuff. Or (God help me it's true in my own family) "Well, I voted for Fiorina because I heard some bad stuff about Boxer." Or putting the repubs back in power only with an even further right agenda because the dems didn't fix things fast enough. I call it stupidity. But sometimes even I can be insensitive.

Thanks a lot, Larry. I feel

stillidealistic — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:31:02 +0000

In reply to Frankly I wouldn’t waste my

Thanks a lot, Larry. I feel honored that you would do that for me! Seriously, no snark!

The money quote you referred to has me concerned, but at the same time, I do believe SOMETHING is going to be done w/ Medicare and Social Security, whether we like it or not. I would like to see the cap for how much of earnings is taxed eliminated and the age raised a couple of years over time, rather than a reduction in benefits. I know there is opposition to the raise in age, but let's face it, 65 today isn't what 65 was then. And perhaps there should be an exemption for back-breaking physical labor, vs. sitting at a desk. Seems like there should be a combination of changes that will insure it is viable. Interestingly enough, I have heard a number of young people saying who cares about social security, it isn't going to be there when I need it, then in the next breath say they don't want to see the age raised. Well...isn't getting it at 67 or 69 better than not getting it at all at 65?

As for Medicare...there are huge financial issues with the amount of money spent on end of life care. We are all going to be there someday and no one likes to talk about it, but there ARE realities that need to be faced. Call them death panels all you want, but can we really spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on surgery after surgery to make it so an incontinent woman in her 80's doesn't need depends (and this question hits really close to home, so please don't think I am being insensitive because it doesn't affect me) and resuscitation after resuscitation for a 90 year old male who will NEVER leave the hospital because he is afraid to die? We aren't very good at discussing things like this is this country, where they are in others. If we want socialized medicine, and I think we do, these things need to be talked about.

Friedman is insidious is the

SleepinJeezus — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:09:56 +0000

In reply to Friedman is well informed

Friedman is insidious is the term that comes to mind. He has all the social consciousness of a tree stump, only with less warmth. About the nicest thing I could say about him is that, ummm... let me think, here... he's got a great moustache. Beyond that, he's almost diabolical in his cold calculations about what it takes to preserve his station in life. (See LarryH's brilliant assessment upthread.)

A massive yacht at full sail

SleepinJeezus — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:56:48 +0000

In reply to Frankly I wouldn’t waste my

A massive yacht at full sail will swamp the dinghys in the harbor where they sleep?