T_Bone4Justice

Reply to Filibusters--Won't Stop Talkin' Till Tomorrow.... in Politics JoeUser Forums

Solnac, I don't think that Republicans will be able to change the filibuster rule. Here's why: Rule XXII by its terms provides that any motion to amend the Senate Rules requires the agreement of two thirds present and voting. If all 100 Senators are present, 67 votes would thus be needed. They won't have the 67 votes to change the filibuster rule because there are not enough Republican Senators to do so. Secondly, not all Republican Senators want to c

Reply to I might just go ahead and give up. Good-bye. in Misc JoeUser Forums

grins wickedly, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Why swat a fly with a sledge hammer when a fly swatter will suffice? Everyone has problems and at times life just seems too much to bear but things will get better if you want them to get better. From what you wrote here it sounds as if you are suffering from depression which can be easily resolved with therapy and/or medication. Don't give into dispair because there is a way out

Reply to Autopsy on The Donkey in Politics JoeUser Forums

"Democratic critics omit the overriding fear factor and the security perception of an incumbent president — despite his gross inadequacies — in time of war and terrorism." They also omit the "anti-Kerry" vote. There were a lot of Republicans who wanted to vote Bush out of office but just couldn't bring themselves to vote for Kerry. The "anti" vote was not limited to the Democratic voter.

Reply to Do you think when I say Auschwitz? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

"Did Germany attack the United States first when the US decided to go to war with them back in World War 1 and 2?" Germany didn't but Japan did. Japan, Germany, and Italy were all members of the Axis powers so when one of them attacked us, they all did. Iraq did not attack us and Iraq was not alligned with al Qaeda. Al Qaeda attacked us, not Iraq. Comparing Iraq with Nazi Germany isn't really a fair or accurate comparison. If we attacked I

Reply to Thanksgiving Haiku in Art JoeUser Forums

I'm not very good at Haiku so I will just say this: "Happy Thanksgiving Steven!"

Reply to 10 People-Traits That Piss Me Off... in Humor JoeUser Forums

As a person who had lived abroad and traveled abroad extensively, I can vouch for your assertion that there are many Americans living abroad who never even ATTEMPT to learn the language of the country they are living and working in. Our double-standards are so ridiculous...

Reply to Britain Revokes Declaration of Independence! in Current Events JoeUser Forums

kingbee... Great post!

Reply to feminism: the new f-word in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Bungy32, excellent response.

Reply to Bring back fiscal sanity - PLEASE!!! in Politics JoeUser Forums

What concerns me is how a new round of tax cuts are going to be paid for with the cost of Iraq continuing to skyrocket. I read that Bush is planning on cutting funds for federal Pell Grants to help pay for the proposed tax cuts. I hope that isn't the case because the Pell Grant budget is facing short falls as it is. The last thing we want are kids not being able to go to college because they can't get the money they need.

Reply to Entertainment industry gets most of what it wanted in Politics JoeUser Forums

terpfan 1980, You know how we got around our fear of violating copyright laws in law school? We had to cite just about EVERY sentence we wrote to an attibutal source! We were told that we have no orignal thoughts so we better find a credible source(s) to back up everything we say! It sound stupid but it actually makes you much better researcher. Anyway, that's my little digression....

Reply to My Infamous Quotes, Nov. 21, ‘04 in Misc JoeUser Forums

Steven: "He nuanced the lie with reliance on what is is; besides, lying about personal sex behaviour is hardly paramount when weighed against a false pretense to go to war. " I think that pretty much sums up the comparisons in a nutshell.

Reply to Step to the Left, Step to the Right: Where Do We Fit In? in Politics JoeUser Forums

notsohighlyevolved: "Post-structuralist political theory (especially Michel Foucault's) is extremely helpful when you want to extend your understanding beyond the left-right model." Yes, I am famiar with Foucault. I studied his political philosophy during undergrad as well as many others. Nice to point him out to others who may not have heard of him, though.

Reply to Step to the Left, Step to the Right: Where Do We Fit In? in Politics JoeUser Forums

For anyone who is tired of the "left" and "right" scale...here is a web site that offeres more: http://www.digitalronin.f2s.com/politicalcompass/analysis2.html They argue that politics is more than "left" and "right" and should include verticle poles as well. For example: Collective Communism is at the extreme polar left while Neo-liberalism is at the extreme right. Fascism is at the polar north while anarchism is at the polar south. These

Reply to Step to the Left, Step to the Right: Where Do We Fit In? in Politics JoeUser Forums

I would add that a theocracy can and most often is fascist in the sense that they are systems of extreme right-wing dictatorial governments. If you can't negotiate your positions (which most political positions based on religion cannot be as they are deemed preordained and infallable) then they are indeed fascist and authoritative in nature. They seek to impose their unwavering positions on society as a whole and give no consideration to other's posit

Reply to Rubes of Hicksville: Welcome to My Arrogance BBQ in Politics JoeUser Forums

"Have a passion for ideology does not however give you the superiority to judge those that disagree." Agreed. Nor does it give the ideological far right a mandate to impose their percieved "superior morality" on the 78% of Americans who do not agree with the 22% who want to do just that. Open mindedness has to be a two-way street. If the ideological far right is not open to compromising their positions while seeking to impose them on the ma

Reply to Homosexuals Taking Over the Earth! in Blogging JoeUser Forums

"One has to wonder how gay one must be to have sex with somebody of the opposite gender." It has nothing to do with "how gay they are." Most of the time it has to do with wanting to be accepted by family, friends, and society. It's called societal peer pressure to conform to perceived "normal" standards. It doesn't call into question how "straight" or "gay" someone is.

Reply to Homosexuals Taking Over the Earth! in Blogging JoeUser Forums

carebear07, I would also like to add that sexuality is not so black and white as saying "I am straight, I am gay, I am whatever." There are infinate shades of gray in sexual orientation as there are in most other things in life. Some people are attracted to one sex or the other, others are attracted to both, and yet others fall somewhere in between and blow all of the stereotyping right out the window. This is one area where you cannot always fit pe

Reply to Homosexuals Taking Over the Earth! in Blogging JoeUser Forums

carebear07, I have written extensively on the subject of homosexuality and the myths associated with homosexuality/religion, gay rights/law, and gay oppression. If you are interested in another point of view, you are welcome to check out these three articles in my blog.

Reply to I've had it in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I see that KarmaGirl. I was just making sure that she wasn't just waiting for her blog to be disabled by management.

Reply to Active vs. Passive Research in Misc JoeUser Forums

iamheather, when it comes to nature...I have to agree with Eastern Diamondback that passive research might be more prudent if you are not an expert in that field. However, I think active research should be the preferred method for academic endeavors and for blog articles if those articles are to be taken seriously. I also think that people should actively research political issues before taking a position on any given subject but I realize that a lot

Reply to I've had it in Blogging JoeUser Forums

dabe, you aren't really leaving are you? You can't let certain people run you off because that is exactly what they want. Don't give into the tempation to just hang up the towel. There are days when I have felt frustrated as well...but don't leave. It makes certain people all too happy to think they can intimidate others and if you go, you just reinforce their delusions of self-proclaimed authority and superiority. There are some decent people here

Reply to I don't use it, why should I have to pay for it? in Politics JoeUser Forums

Valid points made throughout this article. We don't always get to pick-and-choose what we pay for. People should look at this issue from the standpoint that someone else is paying for something that benefits THEM but not necessarily all those who pay for it. By pooling money together and allocating budgets, everyone benefits in lieu of a few.

Reply to Ignorance Is Bliss: in Politics JoeUser Forums

Daniel Ruoss: "Keep up the condescending attitude." Preceded by: "Wahh! Wahhh! I lost so the country must be wrong, not me! Wahhhhhhhh!!!! ----How typical. The country doesn't go your way so all of us Bush voters are automatically ignorant. Whatever, buddy. Here's an investment tip.... Buy Kleenex and other tissue paper makers stock. With all of this liberal crying it should shoot through the roof!" Followed by: "It helps us get more

Reply to Rascism... The Unconscious Varietal in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Great post greywar...I knew a guy in law school who said that Americans would never vote for Gore because they didn't want a Jew (Leiberman) being a heartbeat away from the Presidency. He also beleived that Leiberman's primary candidacy failed because the majority of Democrats didn't believe a Jew could defeat Bush. That may be true to some extent...I just don't know how widespread it was. I think Leiberman's failed presidential run had to do with m

Reply to Marine kills unarmed Iraqi - Murder? I don't think so. in Current Events JoeUser Forums

notsohighlyevolved, great post and I agree with you. Something else to keep in mind is that this soldier will be given a lawyer and a fair trial. His lawyer will and can present any mitigating, extenuating, or aggravating circumstances in his defense to the Court. Those circumstances may not let him off of the legal hook, but it will certainly have an effect on the severity of his punishment if he is found