Four more years!

[Dunderhead]

Those "communist" items are capitalism at its finest. Selling goods in demand and making a profit.

At it's finest?  Let's see...

In Communist countries, sporting a Capitalism bag gets you shot in the face.  And in south Philly a Mitt Romney button gets you a Black Panther, billystick up the pooper.  In Detriot a Romney/Ryan sign gets your brakes cut by an SEIU union thug.  

No...it's symbolic.  Self-hating Capitalism, shielding themselves from their guilt.  Freedom at it's most ignorant.  Capitalism on the wane.  Snake eating it's tail.  Head up a5s.

But, hey...freedom to be ignorant, and someone making a buck on it.  Gotta love it!

Try wearing an Obama shirt where my folks live in Idaho....

My mom worked for a lawyer out there who had Obama signs on his front lawn.... The guy left the state after getting repeated death threats!

And let's not forget all the racist, insane, war loving, closeted, Romney voting psychopaths  packing them mega-churches and keeping the fish-bumper-ornament makers in business.....

The idiots in the shirts in those pictures would wear a shirt with Charles Manson on it if it were popular or would make them look cool (this actually WAS cool for a while there) and are not examples of anything other than simple idiocy.

It's almost as if...as if...America wasn't really meant to be as democratic a nation as it's become. Perhaps these deluded masses weren't meant to have so much say in how things are run...like we were supposed to be some sort of limited republic with guaranteed rights to protect minority groups from popular tyranny....

[Mendota Heights]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZs9RDj3i7E

Ron Paul just KILLED it here. He called the government "psychopathic authoritarians"...and I LOVE IT!

He also killed the freedom movement by giving up earlier this year.

[Mendota Heights]

(Posted the same message twice, moderator please remove this post.)

[Jason]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZs9RDj3i7E

Ron Paul just KILLED it here. He called the government "psychopathic authoritarians"...and I LOVE IT!

He also killed the freedom movement by giving up earlier this year.

I wouldn't say that. It's going to continue. There's still Rand Paul and Justin Amash in Congress, and lots of people in my area are starting up campaigns to run at the state level and then work their ways up. I'd run myself if my atheism wouldn't overshadow my politics in the eyes of the people.

[Dunderhead]

This is a fun chart

[Mendota Heights]

This is a fun chart

Keynesian money printing FTW!

[Dunderhead]

At the end of the day that's what all economic "stimulus" boils down to, defying gravity. All those excess dollars have to come out of the economy sooner or later, and each downward plunge is just the law of supply and demand at work, supply and demand desperately trying to find a true equilibrium that discounts all the easy money pumped into the system by the government. And each time it happens, why, we just need more stimulus to keep the party going, so we push harder and take ever more drastic measures with ever diminishing returns until finally the entire system collapses under its own weight. Government manipulation of the interest rate is the problem with our economy, it always has been, it's the core issue here that everyone ignores. It's price fixing at its most destructive.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

"Those seeking profits, were they given total freedom, would not be the ones
 to trust to keep the government pure and our rights
 secure. Indeed, it has always been those seeking wealth
who were the source of corruption in government."

- Thomas Jefferson

[Dunderhead]

Agreed completely.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

And the great wind tunnel blows on!

[Dunderhead]

And the great wind tunnel blows on!

Yep

[hypehat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZs9RDj3i7E

Ron Paul just KILLED it here. He called the government "psychopathic authoritarians"...and I LOVE IT!

Man, you gotta stop putting these politicians on a pedestal like they're Jesus Christ on a bloody pogo stick just because they say things you agree with. What kind of slavish moron are you? Think for yourself, bro... etc etc.

[Mike's Beard]

I wish I had found this before the Election ended. Nonetheless I guarantee you guys will love this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX_1B0w7Hzc&list=PLQ-7WiWmOuK-55mfcd_tdcvy-57VMCkOW&index=3&feature=plpp_video

[Jason]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZs9RDj3i7E

Ron Paul just KILLED it here. He called the government "psychopathic authoritarians"...and I LOVE IT!

Man, you gotta stop putting these politicians on a pedestal like they're Jesus Christ on a bloody pogo stick just because they say things you agree with. What kind of slavish moron are you? Think for yourself, bro... etc etc.

I don't exactly put the man up on a pedestal but he's right about what he's saying. Granted, he's addressing a populace that wallows in stupidity on a daily basis, but...

[Jason]

I wish I had found this before the Election ended. Nonetheless I guarantee you guys will love this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX_1B0w7Hzc&list=PLQ-7WiWmOuK-55mfcd_tdcvy-57VMCkOW&index=3&feature=plpp_video

That is one of my favorite series on the internet. "Romney" destroyed "Obama" in that one. But that's usually what they go for with those shows. The "politically incorrect" competitor usually wins. Check out the Darth Vader v. Adolf Hitler one.

[Mike's Beard]

Funnily enough the Vader vs Hitler was the first one I ever saw.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Love this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlwilbVYvUg&noredirect=1

[Mendota Heights]

This is by far the most epic political rap battle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTQnarzmTOc

Friedrich von Hayek vs John Maynard Keynes.

[Bean Bag]

"Those seeking profits, were they given total freedom, would not be the ones
 to trust to keep the government pure and our rights
 secure. Indeed, it has always been those seeking wealth
who were the source of corruption in government."

- Thomas Jefferson

Greed, corruption.  Booze, prostitution.  Not wise pursuits.  But..what about Hitler?  Mao?  Stalin?  What was that about, Erik?  Anyone? China...1 kid, forced abortions.  Genocide, infanticide, holocaust, gas chambers.  Women stoned to death, beheadings.  Saddam Hussein, Iran, Hamas.
 
What explains that stuff?
Is it Exxon?  Bain Capital?   


Demonize profit, wealth and freedom all you want.  Jefferson's honorable concept of civil service is not to demonize corporations and the pursuit of wealth in the private sector.  And it sure don't mean federal "bails outs" of Wall Street and federal "buy outs" of GM.  It doesn't mean the President should be picking winners and losers in the private sector -- giving billions to Solyndra, while taxing/regulating the American Coal and Oil industry into oblivion.

That's $5/gallon gas.  $6/gallon gas.  $7/gallon gas.  Etc.  But most importantly, it's not the role of Gov't.  That's too much power.  That's delusional and suicidal.

What's bubbling up in the world today is bad.  The same seed that lead to human suffering on the scale of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc.  It always has.  Tyranny.  The opposite of YOU.  The opposite of FREEDOM.  They make the decisions.  And people are marching right along.

It starts by destroying the one entity that most threatens government's dominance.  The private sector.

Because that's where you and I get to make decisions INSTANTLY with MYRIAD options -- without them.  The private sector feeds us, clothes us, iPhones us, Beach Boys us.  The private sector is wonderful.  It provides for us...infinitely better than GOVERNMENT ever could.  There's those that will tell you differently.  But look at the world around you!  Don't listen to them.  None of this could have been created if they had their way.  None of it!


LISTEN...by supporting this march to demonize the Private Sector and Capitalism...you are supporting Tyranny.  Tattoo it on yourself, if it helps.  You're handing them everything....

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Oh stop! I'm just taking something of a middle-ground on these issues.

Thr group-think on this thread is annoying btw! A dissenting view is healthy in such situations. BTW: what makes the private sector even possible if not some form of organization??

I can love and hate capitalism at my will! Hell, it might even sell Michael Moore a DVD, so you ought to praise me. Do I have to unconditionally love an abusive spouse or parent?

Reality is shaded and so is the marketplace/private sector. Take a break from the kool-Aid.

[Bean Bag]

I hear ya.  Thanks for hanging in there.  But what if pop-culture is the kool-aid?  Making you believe that you're "middle ground" on the issues.  It's worth a thought...

Here's a spectrum:  1 2 3 4 5

5 is total anarchy.  1 is total government.  The Articles of Confederation was a 4.75.  Apparently, too weak.  Didn't work.  So the Constitution was created at about 4.  They stopped there.  What's that?  3 is more reasonable in these modern times?  Ok fine, you got "social security."  We're all 3's now.

What if our concept of 5 fades away.  We can't imagine full blown freedom no more.  And the 4's become our max.  Wouldn't a 2.5 be middle ground?  You bet'chya.  We're 2.5s now!  And what if our sense of anarchy/total freedom is now a 3 -- like back in those wild west days, when we could buy a 20 oz soda in NYC and smoke in a bar.  Is the 2 now more reasonable?  You know it is.

1 2 3 4 5

What if we use a temperature scale.  The human body operates at 98.6.  Let's say 105 is total anarchy and 72 is total gov't.  Now the scale is no longer relative to our fancy.  It's 98.6 or stuff breaks.  It's based on parameters beyond our control -- with results we can't fake.

The thermometer decides.  The consequences are real.  You can say you're middle-ground till your blue in the face, but who are you negotiating with?  I think life's a little more like this.  Everything has consequences.


POINT IS:    It's important that we (as a nation) understand the extremes, together.  And have a common understanding of them.  I assumed we did.  But I've heard all sorts of stuff.  Up is down, left is right.  I've heard people swear that John McCain and Mitt Romney were "far right."  That is impossible -- unless you understand the scale.

I am way to the right of John McCain/Mitt Romney...but I'm nowhere NEAR anarchy.  Even I can't imagine life under the Constitution!  I'm not off the map...because what about anarchy?  The only thing that explains it is we are 2s now.  4's and 5's no longer are "conceivable" to many people.

Simply put -- something is intentionally obscuring people's range of visibility.  And that's why I'm concerned.  Einstein's dead...so I don't think anyone's looking into it.  

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Thank you Bean Bag. It's nice to see one of you guys presenting ideas rather than just complaining or droning out "the facts"

I think a lot of backslapping cats in this thread are too young to actually remember Reagan and that whole trajectory. I don't hate the free market and pop culture is nothing other than what the term itself suggests and then it's still only some guy's term anyhow. Do I hate cars because one runs me over? Laying blame where blame is due is only sensible but it pays to be realistic as you've pointed out.

As for freedom: did you ever have to sit on a long plane flight full of smokers back when you could blaze in-flight? Freedom to breath in oxygen is the same freedom to burn a free market cigarette. See, you can't oversimplify.

[Peter Reum]

I'm stoked I don't have to post 47 times a day for the next 4 years

[Bean Bag]

Thank you Bean Bag. It's nice to see one of you guys presenting ideas rather than just complaining or droning out "the facts"

I think a lot of backslapping cats in this thread are too young to actually remember Reagan and that whole trajectory. I don't hate the free market and pop culture is nothing other than what the term itself suggests and then it's still only some guy's term anyhow. Do I hate cars because one runs me over? Laying blame where blame is due is only sensible but it pays to be realistic as you've pointed out.

As for freedom: did you ever have to sit on a long plane flight full of smokers back when you could blaze in-flight? Freedom to breath in oxygen is the same freedom to burn a free market cigarette. See, you can't oversimplify.

Just catching up on this thread....

Yeah bro, I hear ya... nothing's ever "simple."  Yet many always try to make it so.  Human nature.

Smoking is an interesting case in point.  One can bust out the ole' chestnut:  "your freedom ends where it meets my face" or something like that.     I'm always reluctant or hesitant to go down the banning route.  They made similar cases with alcohol... "it's the children and the wives who get beaten by all the drunk dads" etc.  And you know... those are real concerns.  Nobody wants that.  So... people vote "yeah!"  And they felt good about themselves.  Like they had stopped bad stuff.  No, they banned alcohol.  Let's be real.  Nobody banned beating.  If they only banned beating!  Which I assume was already illegal... but I'm no lawyer.

In reality -- just reality now -- it wasn't the alcohol that was beating the kids.  It was dad.  All along.  Who knew!  And, sure, dad may have stopped beating because he was no longer drinking... or sh**t maybe, being sober caused it more.  And maybe he got better at it (more focused.)  Or maybe it stayed the same, sh**t I don't konw.

The only thing we knew for sure was booze got made real dirty, in people's basements, with wood alcohol in it.  And it was poison!

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I was talking about on a freaking plane! A cramped enclosed space where kids and the elderly and the infirm have to all share the same canned air....C'mon, man!  I'm not for banning smoking in bars or outdoors. Not at all. There is always a line where one's ideology is tested and this separates the sociopaths from the rest of us...... Always..... As does this board.