Constructive gadfly
Published on November 16, 2004 By stevendedalus In Politics

Seventy percent of the populace believed Iraq had direct ties to Al Qaeda;

A third believed weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq;

The war in Afghanistan in all intents and purposes is over;

Fallujah was the only pocket of insurgency remaining;

Moral issues are more important than terrorism;

Gays’ incursion upon marriage is an intent to upstage American lifestyle;

Those with “safe” jobs don’t think outsourcing is a problem;

Hollywood is the root of all sins;

Urbanites, unions, and Dixie Chicks are the new axis of evil;

Embryonic stem cells will be thawed for insemination;

Abortion is premeditated murder;

A woman’s choice is but a nagging vestige of women’s liberation;

A president who thinks too much necessarily lacks resolve;

A president who takes us to war— provided he’s a Republican — has resolve;

Those who do not attend church frequently have no concept of morality;

Tax cuts for the wealthy are essential for a thriving economy;

Though we are a Christian nation, others should be secular;

Keeping insurance companies happy is more important than universal health care;

Malpractice is simply an occupational hazard;

AK47s are essential to hunting because there are many animals that are too damned elusive;

To Christianize public institutions is the way of the Lord;

Massachusetts is for losers;

Bruce Springsteen is no longer boss.

Tort reform is essential to save business and health providers [less than 2% of costs];

Building new prisons is more important than repairing schools.

A president who never makes a mistake is preferable to a nuanced flip-flopper.


Comments (Page 1)
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on Nov 16, 2004
steven: Brilliant as always. Some of my favorites:

Though we are a Christian nation, others should be secular;


You know why this is -- I saw it summed up so well on another thread. One blogger said, "Bush is a Godly man." and another blogger's reply was, "So is Bin Laden." Obviously Godliness is allowed so long as it's the Christian view of God.

Keeping insurance companies happy is more important than universal health care;


With all the move toward implementing Christian values in the government, you would think that the "morality voters" would want to make sure that the sick receive care.

To Christianize public institutions is the way of the Lord;


It seems as though many folks are unaware of what Jesus had to say about church and state.
on Nov 16, 2004
"The war in Afghanistan in all intents and purposes is over"

Is it any wonder that the media calls this the "fogotten" war? The problems in Afghanistan are far from being over yet no one is paying attention to what is going on over there. Pity. I haven't seen you around my blog lately Steven. Where have you been?
on Nov 16, 2004
My husband was recently asked to pay for his plane ticket for a mission he was selected for in the war that's over.
on Nov 16, 2004

specter is a freakin liberal.

forgot one

 

on Nov 16, 2004
"My husband was recently asked to pay for his plane ticket for a mission he was selected for in the war that's over."

That is completely ridiculous that your husband has to pay for his own plane ticket when he was called to "serve" his country.
on Nov 16, 2004
kingbee: "specter is a freakin liberal."

Yeah, that's one of my favorites as well...
on Nov 16, 2004
Bloody brilliant, friend Steven! I think you're about my favorite political blogger here.
on Nov 16, 2004
Ooo! I've got another one:

We should still follow the doctrine of Manifest Destiny.
on Nov 16, 2004
As long as liberals believe their opposition is rooted in ignorance, they will continue to falter.
on Nov 17, 2004

Pity. I haven't seen you around my blog lately Steven. Where have you been?
Pre-occupied with  a novel.
It seems as though many folks are unaware of what Jesus had to say about church and state
Yes, J. drew a line between soul and Caesar.
As long as liberals believe their opposition is rooted in ignorance, they will continue to falter.
There is always the learning curve even for conservatives--not all of Kerry's 53 million votes came from blue states.

The 2 out of 26 makes you a cultural issue voter. 

on Nov 17, 2004
Madine "As long as liberals believe their opposition is rooted in ignorance, they will continue to falter."

What makes you say that "liberals" believe their opposition is rooted in ignorance? Simply debating and writing about religious beliefs surely isn't tantamount to saying the opposition is ignorant? From what I've seen, it is the leadership of the Christian right who thinks that those on the left who oppose their agenda are ignorant of religion and religious doctrines. In fact, I have seen a letter by a religious right leader to the President which says "the left hates you because they hate your Christ." Letters like that are not going to help the Christian right cause. In fact, I don't see anything that even comes close to resembling Christian behavior in that letter. I can't tell you how many times I have had people from the religious right completely dismiss what I have to say by reflexivly responding "you don't know anything about religion," "go to this link and see what Christianity is all about," and "you have a narrow view of religion" when they have no basis for assuming that I or anyone else do not know anything about religion. In fact, if these people actually read what I had to say before jumping to that conclusion, they would plainly see that I know quite a bit about religion. Just because I don't agree with the methodology of "strictly interpreting" the Bible, doesn't mean that I am ignorant of religion or religious doctrines. I have no problem with religious faith...I have a problem with the Church and certain religious groups trying to force their interpretation of it on me and the rest of the country.

I think that there is a lot of arrogance on both sides. I believe that there is a certain level of reflexive disagreement on both sides. People on all sides of the political spectrum need to start LISTENING more to each other or this country is going to continue to go down a very dangerous path. I think that all sides of the political spectrum need to start being more flexible and more willing to COMPROMISE. One of the biggest problems with legislating and/or prescribing religious doctrines through legislation, is that there is no ROOM for compromise as most Christians beleive in the infallability of their beliefs. If their beliefs are infallible, how do you negotiate or compromise? Negotiation and compromise are the life blood of a democratic republic. If we are to be ruled by strict interpretations of infallable religious doctrines...we will no longer have a democratic republic. We will have established an authoritative, religious theocracy.
on Nov 17, 2004
Good luck with the novel Steven....mind if I ask what your novel is about?
on Nov 17, 2004
Keeping insurance companies happy is more important than universal health care;

Malpractice is simply an occupational hazard

Tort reform is essential to save business and health providers [less than 2% of costs];

Building new prisons is more important than repairing schools.


These issues piss me off the most, the lack of them being hammered on is most disconcerting to me. I have trouble believing people are not concerned enough to rise up and make their concerns heard on these issues and even more trouble believing there are those forcefully stymieing those persons trying do something.

As long as liberals believe their opposition is rooted in ignorance, they will continue to falter.

Well, Madine, it would be nice for those opposed to addressing the above concerns to give "liberals" some good reasons. The only person at JU who has really done this to any degree has been Drag., so what's up?
on Nov 17, 2004
----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! Keep up the condescending attitude. It helps us get more votes for 2008! Enjoy the minority!
on Nov 17, 2004
...mmm, these issues were being brought up during the election and have been talked about for a while. Recently, with insurance premiums going up, states going broke supporting a burgeoning prison population with your taxpayer dollars, and healthcare being available to fewer and fewer people because of cost, these issues are become urgently more pressing. Are you saying no?

Keep up the condescending attitude.

Wahh! Wahhh! I lost so the country must be wrong, not me! Wahhhhhhhh!!!!

...Bush voters are automatically ignorant

If I look at your sentences in this order, I really must agree...

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