Open Thread: Family Values

I'm only half kidding (0.00 / 0)

When I suggest that this White House should hire Aaron Sorkin to fix its messaging.

For a candidate of extraordinary vision, President Obama has done a mediocre job of casting his policies in terms of core principle, making them interesting, and generally capturing our imaginations, even in oratory, the way he did on a regular basis in 2008.

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@DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 05:49:34 AM CST

Strange how even Democrats are looking to be lead (0.00 / 0)

and rely on messaging.

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by: hannah @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 07:30:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]

A society that needs a government needs a leader. (0.00 / 0)

And a leader who needs popular support needs a message.

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@DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 11:34:41 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Under our system, the people are those who govern and, while their (0.00 / 0)

agents may need a unifying director of operations, the people, who govern themselves, can set the agenda and don't need to be lead.

Conservatives do claim their traditional authoritarian role under the rubric of the "consent of the governed," as if, having once agreed to the formation of a nation/state, the people have given up power to a rotating dictatorship in place of hereditary or ecclesiastic rulers.

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by: hannah @ Thu Nov 11, 2010 at 07:53:39 AM CST

[ Parent ]

You'd prefer an Executive Chairman of the United States? (0.00 / 0)

There can be and are legitimate leaders of people. Leader and ruler are not synonymous. The Presidency is not just an administrative position; it occupies a special place in our civic worldview, in our national identity, even in our lives.

There's a difference between being free and being alone.

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@DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Nov 11, 2010 at 12:45:20 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Are Democrats too thoughtful and responsible? (4.00 / 2)

I present 2 examples:

1. In 2006, a Democratic staffer took pictures of a Republican state senate candidate removing signs prior to the election. I said, don't send them to the press, it will just be humiliating for him. It never hits the press. In 2010, the Republicans send out press releases with copies of pictures of a Democratic candidate's spouse, not the candidate herself, removing signs. Wailing, gnashing of teeth and UL editorial follow.

2. In 2007, a Democratic state rep is popped for a DUI, and the party chair issues a statement expressing regret and the seriousness of the matter. In 2010, a former Republican state rep who has just been elected to serve again, and who is the chairman of the Hillsborough County Republican Committee, gets popped for a DUI, second offense, and not only is the Republican state chair not releaseing a statement, his press secretary refused to comment.  

So, I ask this question: are Democrats too thoughtful and responsible?    



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 09:51:56 AM CST

In my opinion (0.00 / 0)

No. Those are still virtues.

But the reverse is certainly true. The GOP -- enough elements of it to be troublesome anyway, and at high levels -- is not thoughtful or responsible enough.

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by: JimC @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 10:33:22 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Does Anyone (0.00 / 0)

know what, if anything, is happening with John Stephen's brother, the Judge, who was threatening Democratic campaign workers about sign placement?  Court people are not supposed to engage in partisan activity.

A liberal listens to a conservative and says "You may have a couple of points there.  Let's try to compromise.

A leftist listens to a conservative and says "Your ideas are ridiculous.  Shut up and listen."

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by: Ref @ Fri Nov 12, 2010 at 07:43:39 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Lou Wins Again! (4.00 / 5)

So, in the good news department, Lou D'Allessandro won his recount for state senate over Joe Levasseur. Lou actually increased his margin,  

In related good news, Mr. Levasseur was on the losing end of the NH Supreme Court decision that was announced today throwing out the Manchester tax/spending cap charter amendment.

Any fair minded person would have to agree that this was a good day for Manchester!    



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 14:42:48 PM CST

Shorter Joe Miller (0.00 / 0)

I know "intent of the voter" has been the accepted standard for 234 years, but can you ignore it once, just for my sake?

Miller has also argued that the law requires Murkowski's name to be spelled properly, though election officials ruled that misspellings are okay as long as the voter's "intent" is clear - a subjective standard that could lead to a litany of disputes.

"The voter wrote 'Murkowsky.' So we can assume their intent was ... "

"Hey, you're being subjective!"

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by: JimC @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 16:02:21 PM CST

More awesomeness (0.00 / 0)

... from our new Congress-elect.

Congressman-elect Allen West (R-Fla.), who rode the tea party wave to unseat Rep. Ron Klein (D-Fla.), has hired Joyce Kaufman, a local conservative talk radio commentator known for her provocative and sometimes incendiary statements, as his chief of staff.

In discussing the move on her show Tuesday afternoon, the husky-voiced radio commentator said she is excited to come to Washington and get a "bird's-eye view" of Congress. Kaufman dismissed the outgoing Democratic leadership as "garbage."

(snip)

Kaufman has been a prominent and controversial voice on the Florida political scene for decades. For example, according to the Miami New Times, she said about illegal immigrants on a 2007 show, "If you commit a crime while you're here, we should hang you and send your body back to where you came from, and your family should pay for it."

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by: JimC @ Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 16:57:42 PM CST

Legacy. (0.00 / 0)

Bush's was an exhausting presidency that will, I suspect, be remembered more for its waste - of time, lives, money, moral standing and economic strength - than for anything else.

-Joe Klein

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@DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Nov 11, 2010 at 17:14:51 PM CST