'Why I’m So Mean'

[Valerie]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

"Barack Obama's presidential campaign shattered all records when it came to fundraising"
Goldman Sachs was top Obama donor - CNN


Top Contributors to Barack Obama | OpenSecrets

 

[eflatminor]

Did you just call for a 90% across the board federal income tax rate?

No, an economist did based on a reasonable return of wealth to its owners.

Which you apparently support or you wouldn't have quoted him. Well, that says it all folks. Nothing more to see here. Good luck with your plan.

 

[Dr.Drock]

Midcan has been here before I was on this board. Since I have been here I have NEVER seen that poster demonstrate ANY ability for independent thought - just parroting.

Maybe before I joined, but that is a long time for someone never to show the ability.

*shaking head back and forth in amazement*

That's all I've ever seen, nothing but parroting. The only time you ever hear his "opinions" are when he's posting 2nd grade insults that are said during recess.

The times people need to be worried about themselves are when midcan says things like "I agree" or "good point." I hope he keeps calling me an idiot, then posting "facts" from Daily KOS.

 

[BDBoop]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

I posted that when it came out. I had NO IDEA Rolling Stone was a left wing hack site. Thank god for the good people of this board.

 

[BDBoop]

It doeesn't advance one's argument to inform stupid people that they're stupid.

In the first place, many of them already know they're not very bright.

In the second place insulting them only reinforces their committment to hating your and by extention, your POV, too.

This is a lesson that I truly wish the left understood better than it does.

The left crafts their arguments FOR THEMSELVES. They craft their arguments in ways that their professors would approve of, but in a way that makes the terminally stupid feel even dumber than they are.

They ought to be crafting those arguments in a way that the STUPID can understand them.

The GOP figured out this public relations fact 40 years ago!

They KNOW that the best way to appeal to the stupid is to pander to their conceits and to their fears and The GOP realized that complex arguments better suited to a college debating society are NOT going to do THAT.

That brings up an interesting point. When my friends and I find an article that interests us, we share. When I do that here, I better be ready to run the gauntlet. Never mind that I am a liberal sharing with liberals. The conservatives take offense.

I find that rather strange.

Even when I say "This is for liberals. You'll blow off the source, you'll disagree with the assertions, I'm sharing with people who agree with me," they still form a gauntlet.

 

[sitarro]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

I posted that when it came out. I had NO IDEA Rolling Stone was a left wing hack site. Thank god for the good people of this board.

Really? No idea? Really? What size blinders do you wear? I guess you missed these.

 

[sitarro]

The last one was really a special issue.... a roundtable discussion between Paul Krugman, Mickey Moore and David Gergen........hopefully they had a drop cloth on the table to capture all of the drool these three were putting out.

 

[flacaltenn]

It doeesn't advance one's argument to inform stupid people that they're stupid.

In the first place, many of them already know they're not very bright.

In the second place insulting them only reinforces their committment to hating your and by extention, your POV, too.

This is a lesson that I truly wish the left understood better than it does.

The left crafts their arguments FOR THEMSELVES. They craft their arguments in ways that their professors would approve of, but in a way that makes the terminally stupid feel even dumber than they are.

They ought to be crafting those arguments in a way that the STUPID can understand them.

The GOP figured out this public relations fact 40 years ago!

They KNOW that the best way to appeal to the stupid is to pander to their conceits and to their fears and The GOP realized that complex arguments better suited to a college debating society are NOT going to do THAT.

That brings up an interesting point. When my friends and I find an article that interests us, we share. When I do that here, I better be ready to run the gauntlet. Never mind that I am a liberal sharing with liberals. The conservatives take offense.

I find that rather strange.

Even when I say "This is for liberals. You'll blow off the source, you'll disagree with the assertions, I'm sharing with people who agree with me," they still form a gauntlet.

If you want a circle-jerk -- there's plenty of public/private forum rooms reserved for leftists and democrats. I've found that to be REALLY REALLY boring and intellectually smothering -- but hey -- just trying to make you a happier leftist...

Could be -- posting lefty-friendly shit that needs vetting and critique HERE --- just might make you a SMARTER leftist...

 

[Dr.Drock]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

I posted that when it came out. I had NO IDEA Rolling Stone was a left wing hack site. Thank god for the good people of this board.

Really? No idea? Really? What size blinders do you wear? I guess you missed these.

To be fair, there were a couple issues in there that didn't edit out his grey hairs.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I know this will be hard to believe, but often when I call a right wing conservative stupid I feel a bit of remorse. My mom would have corrected me, my dad would have added a much more colorful stupid. But face it folks, the right wing today are the puppets of the rich, and they prove it almost daily. And is there any need to mention the dreamy libertarians who think fantasy-land is for real? So it was a pleasure coming across Jonathan CHait's piece on why he can't help but be un-PC. Enjoy. Oh, and do as i do, save the link, for tomorrow a right wingnut will repeat the same nonsense. It's all they do.

By Jonathan Chait

"There are just a lot of people out there exerting significant influence over the political debate who are totally unqualified. The dilemma is especially acute in the political economic field, where wealthy right-wingers have pumped so much money to subsidize the field of pro-rich people polemics that the demand for competent defenders of letting rich people keep as much of their money as possible vastly outstrips the supply. Hence the intellectual marketplace for arguments that we should tax rich people less is glutted with hackery. The very simple fallacy I pointed out by de Rugy has been knocking around for years, without end. (Here it is in a piece by Stephen Moore in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal op-ed page. Here is Senator Jim DeMint making it today in an interview with the approving editors of Reason.) A similar problem exists, perhaps to an even worse extent, with climate change denial." Why I

Funny, I never feel bad when I call you stupid, I just hope I can use your ignorance to educate other people who still know how to think. For example, libertarians are almost never right wing, we just seem like we are right wing because you think anyone that does not believe in collectivism is right wing.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Midcam,

forcing people to accept facts is a gift to that person.

sometimes you have to use a delicate touch and sometimes you have to heave Huge bombs of facts at them at high velocity.


Either way you are trying to help your fellow man.

even the ones who need to catch the fact bombs

I have a shitload of gifts for you, I will deliver them once someone invents something to force you to accept them.

 

[flacaltenn]

Midcam,

forcing people to accept facts is a gift to that person.

sometimes you have to use a delicate touch and sometimes you have to heave Huge bombs of facts at them at high velocity.


Either way you are trying to help your fellow man.

even the ones who need to catch the fact bombs

I have a shitload of gifts for you, I will deliver them once someone invents something to force you to accept them.

I thought you were gonna say, "I have a shitload of gifts for you, open wide".

Waterboarding isn't torture..

Accepting gifts from leftists sure is..

Especially the self-deluded ones.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

"Conservatism is so influenced by business culture and by business modes of thinking that it lacks any political imagination, which has always been, I have to say, a property of the left." Irving Kristol

Senseless off topic quote.

Check.

You see folks the replies hardly start when an apologist for greed appears. Of course I know lots of intelligent people who aren't rich, same goes for canny and inventive. Katz, they always do better? Are you sure as history tells another story, and so called experts have a proven record on the same level as random dart throwing. I have linked that fact before.

What makes you think a thrown dart is random? Are you aware that I can conclusively prove that throwing a dart is not random?

The obvious aside, if smart people do no better than random how do you explain the fact that Warren Buffet has consistently made more good pick than bad ones in playing the market? How do you explain the fact that Bain Capital more often than not managed to turn companies that were bleeding money into successful ventures?

Intelligence, by itself, is not a guarantee of success, but an intelligent person will always do better than a dumb one on the long run if they apply themselves. If it didn't work that way the world would be ruled by Dodo birds..

And then there are the usual wingnuts who know everything there is to know by some magical power for if you link a source or a book, they boohoo you. Is it any wonder they can be classified as stupid. Mom's on my shoulder saying be nice.

How does linking to a book prove anything?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Politcal-Theory-Montesquieu-Melvyn-Richter/dp/0521290619/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338417742&sr=8-2"]Amazon.com: The Politcal Theory of Montesquieu (9780521290616): Melvyn Richter: Books[/ame]

Oh boy, I just proved I am smart because I linked to a book on Amazon and now no one can argue with me.

Except, of course, that I didn't.

But rich people I know and many aren't so bad, but folks they ain't much different from the poor sucker who just lost his job only when you are rich those things matter less. And if you were lucky enough to have rich parents you're set.

Except, of course, when you aren't.

Two of my favorite links below. For those whose knowledge comes into their head from that magic place, no need to read as you have your instructions already.

"Many conservatives and libertarians defend the current levels of income inequality on the basis of merit. They claim the rich got rich because they worked harder, longer or smarter than the rest. However, researchers have conducted a vast number of empirical studies on what factors contribute to success, and in what proportion. A classic example of one of these studies is the 1972 book Inequality, by Christopher Jencks. (1) And these studies show that the meritocrat's position is not just arguably wrong, but clearly wrong." The rich get rich because of their merit.

Amazing, you found a study that disagrees with merit system. I really like this example.

And, last but not least, dumb luck -- being at the right place at the right time. John D. Rockefeller once described becoming rich as a 3-step process: "1. Go to work early. 2. Stay late. 3. Find oil."

Not quite sure how that disproves anything since two of those involved working hard to become an overnight success, but feel free to pretend it proves you are smarter than anyone else, you will anyway.

"On moral grounds, then, we could argue for a flat income tax of 90 percent to return that wealth to its real owners. In the United States, even a flat tax of 70 percent would support all governmental programs (about half the total tax) and allow payment, with the remainder, of a patrimony of about $8,000 per annum per inhabitant, or $25,000 for a family of three. This would generously leave with the original recipients of the income about three times what, according to my rough guess, they had earned."UBI and the Flat Tax

We could also argue that it is perfectly reasonable to kill a child of less than 10 years if said child proved to be an economic burden to the parents. I hope no one will, but it doesn't change the fact that we can argue that.

That is the difference between thinking and reading. Thinking people realize that not all arguments are equally sound.

"Conservatism is the theoretical voice of this animus against the agency of the subordinate classes. It provides the most consistent and profound argument as to why the lower orders should not be allowed to exercise their independent will, why they should not be allowed to govern themselves or the polity. Submission is their first duty, agency, the prerogative of the elite." Corey Robin 'The Reactionary Mind' Kristol quote from this source too.

Second off topic quote that proves that, once again, midcan is incapable of thinking.

Check.

Tell me something, which part is it that argues that blacks, Hispanics, and women, should mindlessly follow them?

Most of that debt is from our last president, please pay attention. Are you up to paying off the last president's debt?

I would go through the math with you here, but it is a total waste of time to discuss math with a person that thinks that you get to blame the stimulus on one guy and give another guy credit for it working.

Added, comments below.

Merit is earned when one works hard.

So only the rich work hard? Are you sure, I see lots early morning heading into work, guess they all bum when they get there? You think?

Not even close to what she said.

Did you just call for a 90% across the board federal income tax rate?

No, an economist did based on a reasonable return of wealth to its owners.

And you, being an intelligent person, posted it to show how stupid some people can be, except you didn't. That is why no one that can think takes you seriously, you don't even realize that you are contradicting yourself.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

I posted that when it came out. I had NO IDEA Rolling Stone was a left wing hack site. Thank god for the good people of this board.

You didn't know that a magazine dedicated to rock and roll music is left wing?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

It doeesn't advance one's argument to inform stupid people that they're stupid.

In the first place, many of them already know they're not very bright.

In the second place insulting them only reinforces their committment to hating your and by extention, your POV, too.

This is a lesson that I truly wish the left understood better than it does.

The left crafts their arguments FOR THEMSELVES. They craft their arguments in ways that their professors would approve of, but in a way that makes the terminally stupid feel even dumber than they are.

They ought to be crafting those arguments in a way that the STUPID can understand them.

The GOP figured out this public relations fact 40 years ago!

They KNOW that the best way to appeal to the stupid is to pander to their conceits and to their fears and The GOP realized that complex arguments better suited to a college debating society are NOT going to do THAT.

That brings up an interesting point. When my friends and I find an article that interests us, we share. When I do that here, I better be ready to run the gauntlet. Never mind that I am a liberal sharing with liberals. The conservatives take offense.

I find that rather strange.

Even when I say "This is for liberals. You'll blow off the source, you'll disagree with the assertions, I'm sharing with people who agree with me," they still form a gauntlet.

I never try to share with people who agree with me, I prefer to challenge the people who disagree with me to change their minds. That might explain why I don't whine when people who disagree with me come in and argue.

 

[eots]

Keanu Reeves doesn't like meanies either

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Ec2Lc_jew]Saxondale - Keanu Reeves in court - YouTube[/ame]

 

[sitarro]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

I posted that when it came out. I had NO IDEA Rolling Stone was a left wing hack site. Thank god for the good people of this board.

What about TIME magazine, did you think it was a serious publication also?

 

[BDBoop]

These are the puppet masters of the right wing today. These are the knowledge creators of the right wing in America today. These are the republican ideologues who control the minds of the right wing conservative today.

'Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney'

"They're trying to buy a presidency - and they expect a big payoff on their investment"

"Presidential politics has always been a rich man's game. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United that upended decades of limits on campaign donations, financing a presidential race is the exclusive domain of the kind of megadonor whose portfolios make Mitt Romney look middle-class. "I have lots of money, and can give it legally now," Texas billionaire and top GOP moneyman Harold Simmons recently bragged to The Wall Street Journal. "Just never to Democrats."

In past elections, big donors like Simmons gave millions for advocacy groups like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. By law, such groups were only allowed to run issue ads – but instead they directly targeted John Kerry, drawing big fines from the Federal Elections Commission. Now, with the blessing of the Supreme Court, the wealthy can legally hand out unlimited sums to groups that openly campaign for a candidate, knowing that their "dark money" donations will be kept entirely secret. The billionaire Koch brothers, for instance, have reportedly pledged $60 million to defeat President Obama this year – but their off-the-book contributions don't appear in any FEC filings."

Read more: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney | Politics News | Rolling Stone

And this is some of what America gets in return.

Why Private Equity Firms Like Bain Really Are the Worst of Capitalism | Josh Kosman | Politics News | Rolling Stone
_

I posted that when it came out. I had NO IDEA Rolling Stone was a left wing hack site. Thank god for the good people of this board.

What about TIME magazine, did you think it was a serious publication also?

Breitbart and Beck run hack sites. Rolling Stone is an award winning magazine that happens to be liberal.

Sad that you don't know the difference, really.