You watch a lot of movies, don't you, you jerk, you?

Yes.

Romney's campaign has a major hurdle to overcome... resistance in
some parts of the religious community.
The meeting below may set the tone for all the "not-Romney"
talking-points between now and the Iowa caucuses, and
Iowa may become the bellwether for the entire GOP campaign


This source obviously has a point of view...


This is what theocracy looks like
Steve Bogira
Nov 18, 2011

Great Ad. I hope it helps defeat Obama. Obama has plenty of lies out there to match the contenders BS. Whatever works.

What works must be preceded by an end to the internecine slaughter to which we subject our fellow citizens. You want a stop to lies, stop lying. You want a more civil exchange of ideas, mutual respect, the best for the country? Start showing those qualities to those around you.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

The only thing great about that ad is that it shows very clearly the desperation of the Perry campaign, or their low opinion of the voters by imagining anyone would believe such crap. It is insulting.

Don't expect that from either party, it is not going to happen.

Great quote.

I thought it was not only clever but funny. It shows that both sides can use the sound bite to their advantage. Nothing has changed in that respect. Nothing desperate about it, more like politics as usual. And if you don't think it already has gained traction you are deluding yourself, you must think the average voter is smart.

What is your opinion of the young people in your life I wonder? Do you expect them to be dumb, stupid? Or do you give them a chance to live up to your high expectations? And what about the other adults around you? What would you want them to conclude from your words and actions? Would you want to be surrounded by others who behave, act and think like you do?

Are you walking the talk? Are you treating others as though they're smart? Are you being clever by taking soundbites out of context in a plain attempt to deceive?

This is the sword I spoke of. If this is what you reap, this is what you will sow. I've used the word "you" very freely here, and I promise you I consider these same questions regarding my own behavior.

I don't want mudslinging like this. I think it has NO positive effect on our political process, regardless of who's the target. I want a better process, I work toward a better process, and I urge those around me to believe in and strive for a better political process. This ad and countless others like it are the OPPOSITE of what I am working for.

amen sir

Great goals.

This is the new norm. I don't see it going away anytime soon.

Additional Edit: Maybe our thinking is shaped by the people we encounter everyday. I don't know what your job is, maybe you can enlighten us, in very general terms. I am in Healthcare, I see a wide swath of the public every day. I have very little hope of an informed electorate participating in any vote, based on my day to day experiences in dealing with the general public. Maybe that is where we differ so much. I am very cynical.

Well said. Applying the Golden Rule to politics... coming to a campaign near you?

You mean the one about whoever has the gold makes the rules?

I'm pretty sure that's the operative one at this time, although you could argue that, the I've got the pistol so I'll keep the pesos rule is in play as well. Its a feedback loop, I suppose.

Politico
ALEXANDER BURNS
11/22/11

Family Leader writes off Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Ron Paul

I don't think Romney's Mormon faith makes him a better candidate for President. But I also don't consider it a disqualifying factor. I think it is clear that Romney was not given consideration by the board based on his faith.

I wonder what it would be like, or what I would be like if I lived in a world which was as finite and well defined as the one where these folks appear to live. How do they handle the inevitable ambiguities and conflicts that arise in life? Questions that don't have a certain answer in "the book". I think in some ways it must be very comforting to know that it's all taken care of. That there are no unanswered questions. I don't think I would be comfortable in such an environment though. I have too little faith, or faith that is too weak. I have a strong need to understand "why" and "how". Sometimes I realize that there are things I don't know, and I then try to find someone or some source that is credible and that I trust. I increase my reliance on those sources. In the past some of those sources were religious figures, scholars, pastors, family leaders. But I was unable to reconcile the differences between the normal humanity of these people, their faults, their striving, their failures, their misfortunes with the story I was getting from the texts, and with my own experience.

I've since increased my reliance on my own judgement, and reduced the amount of literal credibility I assign to people whose actions are like those of the board described above.