Mirror mirror on the wall, who..............

It’s quite obvious that my last post “CAUTION dimwits at work” caused the blood pressure of some folks to rise, but I think that’s good, it means that the subject provoked some serious thinking and if lucky, thinking out of the box, not just defending prejudices.  I believe the learning process is somewhat like laying bricks, we stack information one on top of the other, quite often only remembering what fits within our belief system, forgetting those things we disagree with and with time the “mortar” hardens and the whole thing turns into our prejudices. Once we’ve convinced ourselves that we now know what there is to know about an issue and we’ve make up our minds that we’re right, our brain filters what we hear and see and stops taking in any contrary information on the issue. That’s where the saying “Don’t confuse me with the facts my mind is made up” comes from. Breaking out of that pattern is no easy task because we’re hard wired to repeat what has worked for us in the past. If you were born in a staunch democratic family there’s a better than a 50/50 chance you’re a democrat and of course the same is true if you’re a republican. We behave the same way with religion and even with the food we like/dislike. That’s how we become clones and appear to have had one too many shots of Kool-Aid. Of course there are different levels of this defective thinking process, some folks are like that when it comes to religion, some it’s over politics and then there’s the zombie who walks around spewing one absurdity after the other, because it reflects that hardened core belief in….whatever. This phenomenon was well demonstrated with the Laidlaw project by the shareholders some of them still clinging to the belief that LLEG will make them rich.....someday. Now we see it with the national budget and national debt debate going on. The political dimwits/zombies are not prepared to open their minds one silly centimeter, they completely ignore the warnings from the worlds leading economist and are prepared to risk all. In their minds, their action will save us from economic disaster, the very disaster that their action/position may trigger. Convoluted? You bet, but very human in our need to feel in control and being right.

Comments

[Antonio Andolini]

While not raising the debt limit (leading to default) is problematic, continuing deficit spending is unacceptable. Economists may argue for raising the debt limit, but how many of them work for those who are making money off the national debt. Bringing this issue to a head brought about more public awareness. In the past, the debt limit was just raised with little fanfare.
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/105193.pdf

[Rocky]

It's sad that we have to use theatrics and deceit to accomplish the task of getting our fiscal house in order.

[toonist]

Why don't we who have been paying into these "entitlement" programs all our working lives, some for over 40 years and more, why don't we just tell those shitheads in Washington that WE WANT OUR MONEY NOW....EVERYTHING WE'VE PUT IN WE WANT IT ALL NOW! Not monthly with the option of having you jerks lower it, or even not send it, we want it all in one lump sum, everything we put in,NOW bastards! Cut the checks then go away! I hate this government!!!!

[Rocky]

They don't have your money toonist, they spent it on all sorts of things, like Iraq, bridge to nowhere, to Mobil to look for oil and on and on and on.

[Antonio Andolini]

The last paragraph of this piece says it all.
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20110723/OPINION02/707229975

[Antonio Andolini]

Holding legislators in check:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/22/forcing-the-irresponsible-to-act-responsibly/

[Antonio Andolini]

What to do about those "right-wing rejectionists."
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/22/its-official-tea-is-good-for-the-gop/?page=1

[Tim]

With you Toonist! GIMME MY MONEY!!

Todays funny

http://reason.com/assets/mc/jtaylor/bokpressconference.jpg

[toonist]

The Tea Party doesn't run the Republican Party the Koch brothers do:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/opinion/29rich.html

[Rocky]

Between their ignorance and their naivety, the Tea Party members are a bad joke out of control. I bet I agree with 90% of their concerns, but their failure is in their remedies which are simplistic.

[toonist]

You agree with 90% of their concerns? They want to cut "entitlements" they don't want to raise taxes, the Koch brother's taxes and the likes! Cut spending...school lunches, medicare, medicaid, Wic and other needed social services! Let the rich keep it all then they'll let it trickle down. It'll trickle down all right...to the municipalities then we're totally screwed!Simple remedies from simple minds! And where are the Democrat's testicles?

[Rocky]

Slow down there toonist, you'll end up in the ER. I believe most people would agree that the course we've been on is unsustainable. Where I really part with the TeaWits is on defense....well it's not really defense it's OFFENSE. Why aren't these dimwits holding the Pentagon budget hostage? There's plenty of money there, take 20% to 30% of that money and SSI & Medicare is set for a few years! The Pentagon is a sacred cow for the dimwits and a black hole for our tax money.

[toonist]

UNSUSTAINABLE! NO SHIT! We can keep giving the Koch's of the f'n country all the tax breaks and then bill us for it! I love Ron Paul's 'Bring all the troops home...'plan.

[Rocky]

I like Ron Paul too, he's as close to my way of thinking as any of them, although he too is too simplistic at times. The BIG issue that nobody is talking about and is the 10,000lb gorilla in the room is energy. It's making us poor heating our houses and driving our cars, it's the reason for most of our military spending and it's just going to go up in price by about 10%/yr and we've reached peak oil production. With the Chinese wanting to live like Americans, we're in a heap of trouble going forward and the dimwits answer is drill, drill, drill. I wonder if they ever heard about "the law of diminishing returns"?

[Antonio Andolini]

The answer to energy (and other) concerns is for each of us to become as independent as possible. Relying on Uncle Sam to solve the problem is like junkies asking their connection to recommend a rehab facility.
While you may find Ron Paul "too simplistic," the message of limited government and personal responsibility is being heard more and more every day.

[Tim]

Can we avoid the name calling? I have a few I have been saving, but thought better of it for the sake of keeping it civil.

“Why aren't these dimwits holding the Pentagon budget hostage?” Name calling aside, are you referring to all of our Government, or just one party? Just wondering who on the Dems side is advocating for it? I know Ron Paul is and a few others on the GOP side.

I have been having this same conversation with family members lately, the same exact discussion like you were all standing right here.

I’ll say to you what I said to them. Look, it is simple, follow the Constitution, period. That is the baseline for conversation. If you can’t agree to that then don’t expect anything to change until there is a consensus on that. We were given the ultimate power to direct our destination through electing others to represent our views. If we can’t make that work, then give it up. It has to work or there is no need for a Constitution. Now, you say the Tea Party members are the issue. Well guess what, they were elected to go to Washington with a mandate, in fairly large numbers. You may not like or agree with their mandate, but I believe that mandate is growing in popularity and has been for some time now. And I see no signs of it going away any day soon. So if you have an issue with that group of Americans, then try changing their minds or put someone in office who will vote against them. Not trying to come off arrogant or demeaning, but government welfare, whether corporate or social has never, will never and can never work. It always ends the same, and it’s looking like that again. Sad really, there will always be those who just can’t seem to grasp that.

[Rocky]

Sorry if the term "dimwit" offends you Tim, but I don't know of a better word to describe a person who faced with a complex issue resorts to reducing that issue to its lowest common denominator and then suggest a simplistic solution that's at that new moronic level. It's as if lowering the bar is equal to jumping higher, it's a way to dumb down the issue and offer a solution at their level of comprehension. That my friend is a dimwit, and I've heard just too many Tea Party members do just that and the classic Palin comment about Russia is a perfect example. I don't believe Ron Paul is a dimwit, but just too many of them fit my description of a dimwit. I too have a whole list of names that might be more appropriate, but all are more....nasty than dimwit.

[Antonio Andolini]

Be it dimwit, progressive, Republicat or Demican, we all are subject to the ever-growing threat of criminal prosecution by the federal government. There are more federal criminal laws than anyone can count! Keep thinking, "that can't happen to me." It can and does.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703749504576172714184601654.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_6

[Tim]

It does not offend me Rocky, it just dumbs down the conversation. Hard to resolve anything if you can’t get past the name calling.

But curious, why didn’t you answer the question?

[Tim]

Is this the Palin remark you keep refering to?

CHARLES GIBSON (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) What insight into Russian actions particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of this state give you?

GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN
They’re our next door neighbors. And you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.

[Rocky]

So Antonio, how do you suggest we put the brakes on the issues we're talking about? It's not good enough to point at a problem and say "it's got to go", we need to come up with a realistic approach to accomplish our stated goal/goals. Just saying "we need to get the government out our lives" isn't enough, not only that but it gives the simple of mind the idea that if we say it often enough it will happen or we'll vote for someone who says he'll do that when in fact that elected person has "0" chance of making that happen. My contention is that we're dealing with issues that have been compounding for years and short of a major and destructive revolution, won't be turned around any time soon. your previous comment about energy where you said that we need to become more "independent". I agree, but how are we going to do that? You and I may be able to become more "independent", but is it a course of action that everybody can follow? Don't we need government or other social structure to educate, finance or help that process along? These changes won't happen on their own and we need structures of one kind or other to guide and lead the way. The problem has become that those charged with leading the way have sold out to those who are benefiting by the current situation. The lobbyist are writing the legislation that benefit those who sign their paycheck. This system impacts every issue from energy to healthcare.

[Rocky]

Yes Tim, she also made a similar remark on another occasion. The fact that she could not answer some fairly fundamental question about American/Russian policies was the important point and deflecting the topic to how close geographically Alaska is to Russia was the "tactic" used to dumb down the subject. Again the point was that she didn't know the subject matter and here she was being considered for VP and a heartbeat from being President. Now tell me that this isn't the tactic of a dimwit? (Sorry for using that word again)

[Tim]

Not unlike these "dimwits". Just curious if you are still working on that answer? ;)

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the--if he--if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not--that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement....Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true." Bill Clinton

"That Obama ... I would like to cut his nuts off." - Jesse Jackson
"Those rumors are false ... I believe in the sanctity of marriage." - John Edwards
"I invented the Internet." - Al Gore
"The next Person that tells me I'm not religious, I'm going to shove my rosary beads up their ass." - Joe Biden
"America is - is no longer, uh, what it - it, uh, could be, uh, what it was once was - uh, and I say to myself, uh, I don't want that future, uh, for my children." - Barack Obama
"I have campaigned in all 57 states." - Barack Obama (Quoted 2008)
"You don't need God anymore, you have us Democrats." - Nancy Pelosi (Quoted 2006)
"Paying taxes is voluntary." - Sen. Harry Reid
"Bill is the greatest husband and father I know. No one is more faithful, true, and honest than he." - Hillary Clinton (Quoted 1998)
And the most recent gem of wisdom from the "Mother Moron":
"We just have to pass the Healthcare Bill to see what's in it." - Nancy Pelosi (Quoted March, 2010)

[Rocky]

Tim, just curious. How come you only have Democrats putting their foot in their mouths? I have a book here given to me 4 or 5 years ago, that's full of G. W. Bush statements. Want to borrow it? This crap is not Republican or Democrat, it's what politics has done to people like you and I. If we were ever to be in their position/shoes, would we be any different? I think Jesse Jackson is telling the truth, there are days when Obama talks like a Tea Bagger and I want to castrate him too.

[Tim]

Yes Rocky, both parties are responsible, glad to see you agree with me. I am not, have not or will not advocate for either party. I am an American first and loyal to one thing, liberty. But I noticed how you fixated on a particular group as being “dimwits” when in fact as you stated it is not. I am just trying to stay on one topic right now, the original one you brought up and I am waiting for an answer to so we can move on to the next topic. This is starting to feel like trying to put your thumb on a watermelon seed. ;)

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday as much as I am! :)