Enough blathering.. here's my updated map...
Thursday, January 21, 2016
300 (or so) Days Out
I'm about a week behind here, but who's counting? Here is my updated map, I think my main change is Florida to the Democratic nominee. Really, there is very little significant polling this far out. I should have taken into consideration that there would be plenty of polling regarding the primaries but very little for the general election. So really, this isn't based on much. The truth is, at this point the more interesting question is: who will the nominees be? One reason I moved Florida back to the Democratic camp is that the Republican party is just a godawful mess right now. Trump and Cruz are the leading candidates and ... well let's be honest, they're both big old steaming piles of dog shit. Trump is a racist and a narcissist . Cruz is a douche who is hated by just about everyone who knows him. I don't see either doing well in the general election and further, given that Trump almost certainly IS a narcissist, I believe if Cruz is the nominee, Trump will run as an independent. If that happens, Hillary or Bernie is likely to win all the toss ups, even states like North Carolina and maybe Arizona.
Hillary/Bernie is the other interesting question at this point. I will say in the past week I've experienced the first belief that Bernie really could become the nominee. I still love both candidates and I want the one most likely to win in the general election to become the nominee, and I still, right now, think that is Hillary. The truth is Bernie is a liberal, Hillary is a moderate but a very sane one. Bernie is the better candidate but unless the Democrats take both the House and Senate (unlikely, given Gerrymandering) will it really matter which of them is President? I don't think so. That's just my personal belief. I'm sure Bernie will talk about liberal issues that liberals care about, more often than Hillary, and when he does, his positions will be liberal, and Hillary's will be moderate (or, as Fox will call them "insanely communist socialist freedom hating and satanic").
Enough blathering.. here's my updated map...
Enough blathering.. here's my updated map...
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
The Manipulation of the Mindless Masses for Money, Money and more Money
To paraphrase Andy Rooney, Didja ever notice all you have to do is mention guns, or background checks, or waiting periods - and you are immediately met with shouts of tyranny and trampling of our freedoms? Didja ever notice that this type of reaction somehow only ever happens with the 2nd Amendment?
I believe many staunch gun rights advocates have a knee-jerk (or NRA-inspired knee-jerk) reaction to ANY attempt to discuss gun control, background checks, waiting periods or anything similar. It's like there has been a short circuit integrated into their brains that ANYTIME ANYONE says ANYTHING about guns, they spit out some rote response about the 2nd amendment.
But what about when other Amendments are changed or modernized? Take the 1st Amendment for example, free speech specifically. Why isn't there a large group of angry people complaining that by not constitutionally protecting the false shouting of "fire" in a theater, or that by not constitutionally protecting libel and slander, the big scary Government is taking away our freedoms, and crapping on the Constitution. Hmmm?
Why wasn't the decision that libel is NOT protected under the 1st amendment met with staunch resistance, outcries of tyranny and demands for the reinstatement of our total unfettered freedom to say whatever shit we want to!? Why wasn't the decision that falsely yelling "fire" in a crowded area, causing panic, injury, and possibly death - why wasn't the decision that this is not constitutionally protected under the 1st amendment - why wasn't that met with an endless supply of angry mobs beseeching the rest of the country to wake up and smell this governmental power grab of our personal rights and freedoms!? Why didn't that happen?
Well... it didn't happen because when those things came to pass, we actually had a situation where both major political parties cared about improving our country and both parties saw the benefit and logic behind the decision and neither party pandered to hysteria, or (more accurately) were paid to pander to hysteria. But the REAL reason it never happened is because it's bullshit and anyone who can think rationally knows it.
Anyone who can think rationally knows that it is not a threat to your freedom of speech to say you cannot materially and substantially lie about someone else to the point where they are harmed because of your lie - and not be held responsible for your actions. It is not a threat to your freedom of speech to say "you can say just about anything you want... but of course you can't do obviously criminal things like falsely yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater and causing panic and injury to others" - that is not a threat to your freedom of speech and everyone knows it.
So why then is the 2nd Amendment different? The minor reasons I've already stated above, but the major reason is this: The gun manufacturers want to sell more guns because it makes them more money, and - SPOILER ALERT - they like money. Money is important and your life and the lives of anyone killed by guns is not only not important, it is virtually insignificant, especially compared to money. Further, those gun manufacturers pay the NRA well to make sure and stir everyone up about their freedoms being trampled, and the NRA in turn stirs everyone up, and pays the politicians handsomely to do the bidding of the gun manufacturers. When people die, the number of potential gun owners lost in each massacre is greatly and obscenely outnumbered by the increase in guns sold to the remaining portion of the population who are willing to be manipulated into buying more guns. The more shootings, the more profits to the gun manufacturers -- and let's not forget our lesson: money is important... they like money. Money good. YUM. Death insignificant.
As for the people being (easily, in my opinion) manipulated by the gun manufacturers, why don't they care about other Amendments the way they do the 2nd? Well, the answer is in the question, because they're being manipulated and don't care to ... stop being manipulated. I believe they believe the 2nd Amendment is more important than, for example, the 1st Amendment, because when we compare the two, specifically comparing the differences when the two are "changed" or "modernized" by laws or by the Supreme Court, I believe those people think their guns and the 2nd Amendment are vital to preventing the loss of their freedoms, while the 1st Amendment.. not so much. Nothing could be further from the truth (or reality). Guns and the 2nd Amendment aren't needed when you have so many willingly following and accepting the lies of people like Trump.... When you happily accede to the government takeover of your rights and your freedoms... why would you need a gun? You're already invited them in to rob you! They rob you of your most valuable asset - knowledge. And you let them.
While the NRA scares you into thinking the negro boogyman is coming to your house and you better be arm yourself to the teeth - the Billionaire egomaniac quietly ships your neighbors back to Mexico, all with the boisterous approval of the white folks who are just here to "make America great again".
So when I see the knee-jerk reaction to anyone saying anything sensible about gun control or background checks or waiting periods, my reaction is "you didn't even think about what was said before shouting '2nd Amendment!! FREEDOM!! TYRANNY!!!' in my face, did you?" And the fact that you aren't shouting the same things about sensible changes or restrictions to other Amendments, like the 1st for example, that proves to me that you are being manipulated. Worse, you probably have no idea to the extent to which you are being manipulated. Which is exactly how those who seek to manipulate you like it.
Further, the fact that you aren't screaming when we change the definition of Freedom of Speech, and the fact that you aren't screaming when the Supreme Court tweaks the meaning of the words in an Amendment other than the 2nd proves to me, absolutely fucking proves to me that when you spew haughty warnings about our sacred Constitution - you are totally and completely full of hypocritical bullshit.
It's very similar to people who take one part of the bible, scream that it's the word of god and unquestionable and then completely fucking ignore other parts of the bible that they don't feel like following. Sorry dude, but don't tell me how much you love and protect our Constitution when you not only fail to protect other parts of it with equal fervor, you actually behave and support policies that directly contradict the Constitution. Am I really supposed to take someone seriously when they scream that the Constitution is sacred and keep your hands off my guns and the 2nd Amendment... and then turn around and want to violate both the equal protection clause (14th Amendment) and freedom of religion (1st Amendment) by enforcing their religion on others? Talk about taking away someone's freedoms. The Federal Government isn't taking our freedoms, you're thinking of radical far right fascists like Kim Davis, Rush Limbaugh, and anyone who thinks that this is a Christian nation and our laws should be based on the Bible. FAIL. Obscene and blatant violation of the 1st Amendment.
I believe many staunch gun rights advocates have a knee-jerk (or NRA-inspired knee-jerk) reaction to ANY attempt to discuss gun control, background checks, waiting periods or anything similar. It's like there has been a short circuit integrated into their brains that ANYTIME ANYONE says ANYTHING about guns, they spit out some rote response about the 2nd amendment.
But what about when other Amendments are changed or modernized? Take the 1st Amendment for example, free speech specifically. Why isn't there a large group of angry people complaining that by not constitutionally protecting the false shouting of "fire" in a theater, or that by not constitutionally protecting libel and slander, the big scary Government is taking away our freedoms, and crapping on the Constitution. Hmmm?
Why wasn't the decision that libel is NOT protected under the 1st amendment met with staunch resistance, outcries of tyranny and demands for the reinstatement of our total unfettered freedom to say whatever shit we want to!? Why wasn't the decision that falsely yelling "fire" in a crowded area, causing panic, injury, and possibly death - why wasn't the decision that this is not constitutionally protected under the 1st amendment - why wasn't that met with an endless supply of angry mobs beseeching the rest of the country to wake up and smell this governmental power grab of our personal rights and freedoms!? Why didn't that happen?
Well... it didn't happen because when those things came to pass, we actually had a situation where both major political parties cared about improving our country and both parties saw the benefit and logic behind the decision and neither party pandered to hysteria, or (more accurately) were paid to pander to hysteria. But the REAL reason it never happened is because it's bullshit and anyone who can think rationally knows it.
Anyone who can think rationally knows that it is not a threat to your freedom of speech to say you cannot materially and substantially lie about someone else to the point where they are harmed because of your lie - and not be held responsible for your actions. It is not a threat to your freedom of speech to say "you can say just about anything you want... but of course you can't do obviously criminal things like falsely yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater and causing panic and injury to others" - that is not a threat to your freedom of speech and everyone knows it.
So why then is the 2nd Amendment different? The minor reasons I've already stated above, but the major reason is this: The gun manufacturers want to sell more guns because it makes them more money, and - SPOILER ALERT - they like money. Money is important and your life and the lives of anyone killed by guns is not only not important, it is virtually insignificant, especially compared to money. Further, those gun manufacturers pay the NRA well to make sure and stir everyone up about their freedoms being trampled, and the NRA in turn stirs everyone up, and pays the politicians handsomely to do the bidding of the gun manufacturers. When people die, the number of potential gun owners lost in each massacre is greatly and obscenely outnumbered by the increase in guns sold to the remaining portion of the population who are willing to be manipulated into buying more guns. The more shootings, the more profits to the gun manufacturers -- and let's not forget our lesson: money is important... they like money. Money good. YUM. Death insignificant.
As for the people being (easily, in my opinion) manipulated by the gun manufacturers, why don't they care about other Amendments the way they do the 2nd? Well, the answer is in the question, because they're being manipulated and don't care to ... stop being manipulated. I believe they believe the 2nd Amendment is more important than, for example, the 1st Amendment, because when we compare the two, specifically comparing the differences when the two are "changed" or "modernized" by laws or by the Supreme Court, I believe those people think their guns and the 2nd Amendment are vital to preventing the loss of their freedoms, while the 1st Amendment.. not so much. Nothing could be further from the truth (or reality). Guns and the 2nd Amendment aren't needed when you have so many willingly following and accepting the lies of people like Trump.... When you happily accede to the government takeover of your rights and your freedoms... why would you need a gun? You're already invited them in to rob you! They rob you of your most valuable asset - knowledge. And you let them.
While the NRA scares you into thinking the negro boogyman is coming to your house and you better be arm yourself to the teeth - the Billionaire egomaniac quietly ships your neighbors back to Mexico, all with the boisterous approval of the white folks who are just here to "make America great again".
So when I see the knee-jerk reaction to anyone saying anything sensible about gun control or background checks or waiting periods, my reaction is "you didn't even think about what was said before shouting '2nd Amendment!! FREEDOM!! TYRANNY!!!' in my face, did you?" And the fact that you aren't shouting the same things about sensible changes or restrictions to other Amendments, like the 1st for example, that proves to me that you are being manipulated. Worse, you probably have no idea to the extent to which you are being manipulated. Which is exactly how those who seek to manipulate you like it.
Further, the fact that you aren't screaming when we change the definition of Freedom of Speech, and the fact that you aren't screaming when the Supreme Court tweaks the meaning of the words in an Amendment other than the 2nd proves to me, absolutely fucking proves to me that when you spew haughty warnings about our sacred Constitution - you are totally and completely full of hypocritical bullshit.
It's very similar to people who take one part of the bible, scream that it's the word of god and unquestionable and then completely fucking ignore other parts of the bible that they don't feel like following. Sorry dude, but don't tell me how much you love and protect our Constitution when you not only fail to protect other parts of it with equal fervor, you actually behave and support policies that directly contradict the Constitution. Am I really supposed to take someone seriously when they scream that the Constitution is sacred and keep your hands off my guns and the 2nd Amendment... and then turn around and want to violate both the equal protection clause (14th Amendment) and freedom of religion (1st Amendment) by enforcing their religion on others? Talk about taking away someone's freedoms. The Federal Government isn't taking our freedoms, you're thinking of radical far right fascists like Kim Davis, Rush Limbaugh, and anyone who thinks that this is a Christian nation and our laws should be based on the Bible. FAIL. Obscene and blatant violation of the 1st Amendment.
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