Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

it can be amazing how experience can shape one's opinion of a controversial subject.

I didn't see much on the news about stem cells tonight. First night in a while it hasn't been at least mentioned in passing.

Why is it that the issuses that are important to be usually aren't addressed by candidates?

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Because they really don't want to tick anybody off with the deep issues. It's much easier to jump on bandwagon issues, like the gay marriage amendment, abortion, and the war in Iraq (which both candidates supported, by the way).

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I dunno, that gay marriage thing ticked off a lot of people. That's the kinda thing you don't try when you're trying to get re-elected. He was just pandering to votes that he, more than likely, already had. It probably just made a bunch of people who otherwise wouldn't have voted vote against him.

I've started reading up on this stem cell thing. It's really hard to find good, non-biased info.Everything is written from a slant form that shows a hidden political agenda. From what I've read, it's the evil that's gonna bring on Armageddon, or it's the greatest medical breakthrough possible. It's like everything on the internet.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Que the Queen song: Another one bites the dust.....

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RIP Nathan "Buz" Buzdor

It ticked off a lot of liberals, and it ticked off a lot of independents. It didn't tick off very many Republicans, and it drew back a lot of Republicans that were wavering. Nobody thought the Gay Marriage Ban was going to pass, especially not Bush; its actual purpose was to give the Neocon cheerleaders something to cheer about an reinvigorate the right wing against the left.

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true... I do know that my republican friends were kinda upset, just cus it was on of those <slap self on forehead> "God, what is he thinking? Is he TRYING to not get re-elected?!?"

It did serve one purpose, though. It made me re-evaluate my own stance on the subject, which is apathy. I don't see how gay marriage is gonna hurt the country. When gay people get married and celebrate by going on interstate killing sprees, then, it's a problem, but until then, I could care less. If marriage makes people happy, let 'em do it. (Imagine, this coming from a republican, and a christian.... I thought I was supposed to be a hatemonger who only likes straight white people)..


Anyone find any non-political-agendaed stem cell info yet?

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Nice to see a Republican being rational about this. But really that's a topic for another thread.

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IJ is right. Bush knew ahead of time that it would fail. But he pushed it anyway. Why? To try to clench the conservative vote. In the end, however, he ended up alienating a lot of people.

I've learned a lot about homosexuality this summer from working at the VA. I thought I knew all there was to know about this issue and how to respond to it (certainly not with hate!). But what I discovered was that I really knew very little about it at all, and regardless of what I tried to tell myself, I lacked the understanding necessary to minister to gay people. I'm still not sure I'm quite there yet.

StrongRad:

I know there are people like that godhatesfags dude, but let's not allow his ilk to establish our who we are. That godhatesfags dude will have to answer for his crimes in time, but don't give people the idea that we are all like that.

I just finished my first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Jefferson Barracks Veteran's Center, working mostly with recovering drug addicts. I really learned a lot about acceptance this quarter. I'd even like to stay at the VA, but the powers that be have already decided to transfer me to a nursing home for the remainder of my training.

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another off topic post from me? Sure, why not!?!?


I used to think the godhatesfags (herein known as ghf) was a joke. It really scared me when I found out it was real. It was one of those <again, with the slap on the forehead>"God, is this guy trying to give christians MORE bad publicity?!?!?" moments.

I just think it's funny when so-called "non judgemental" and "open minded" people label me as a homophobe and/or a racist as soon as I mention republican.

They also assume that I am against stem cell research, gay marriage, The UN, the working class, and the elderly. Still, as IJ said, this is a topic for another thread.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Think about how scary it is when that nutjob comes within a few blocks of your house and your dorm ("Reverend" Phelps and his family/"congregation" demonstrated both at the private college in my home town and at the college I attended).

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I hate old people.... grrrrr



The question (in my mind anyway), wouldn't that jerk him out of the Republican Party, and place him in the "mostly conservative, but with some liberal sense" party?

I share plenty of my values with the Republican party, but I would never place myself in that group (or any other group like that). I just have trouble believing that one party could represent all of my opinions.

(Personally, I think checking the "vote <party choice>" option on the ballots is a wussy way out)

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western KY university never got him. We did get this wacko dude that told us we were all going to hell, even if we repented, or something like that. He got beat up cus he called some sorority girl a very funny, and rather true (i knew her) bad name..

Then, there were the people with "crotch poles". At least, that's what the paper called them. They were these poles with banners on them that fit into these harneses that wrapped around their waists. The banners had pictures of "sinners" doing such evils as leaving liquor stores, buying playboy, using the computer, watching TV, etc... Annoying people, but exercising free speech.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Hey, I've done those things before! Where can I get a "crotch pole"? Er... :goblin:

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trying to keep mind out of gutter... trying to keep mind out of gutter... reminding self that this is a "family board"...

To Stu, the republican party is no less illogical than any other party... It's our nut jobs that make us all look bad. I agree, the straight ticket button on the voting machine is a joke and should be removed.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

SeeThroo? I think you mean STU.

I agree with Stu. The Republicans tend to be conservative in values, but they also favor big businesses like Stuff-Mart and Macrosoft (Hail the great Emperor Williamus Gatius!), which I don't. The fact is that, in 2000, I really felt like Bush didn't represent me at all. He just suddenly appeared on the Republican ticket without even trying to express any interest in issues. The next thing you know, almost every Christian friend of mine thinks he's the best thing since Jesus. WTC (what the crap)?

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I think that voting machines should have a built-in quiz that makes sure each voter actually knows how the candidates stand on the "Top 10" issues before it lets them vote for them. I'm only half-kidding.

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I did, and it's been fixed... whoops!

I hate "Stuff-Mart". If you want to hate it more, work there for 2 years, during christmas, on christmas eve before making a 5 hour drive home... you'll hate it more.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

The straight ticket thing just ensures that there are uninformed voters out there on both sides. I was discussing this issue about a week ago with my friend's dad, whose response was "You can vote for individual people?"

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

IJ's point is that people who exercise the right to vote ought to be informed enough to make intelligent decisions, and not just be herded by their political party into voting along party lines. I agree with him 100% on that.

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no argument here. Of course, low voter turnout would be even lower... we could do a hand recount of the entire nation... there'd be, like 3000 of us. LOL

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Yes, but then the decision would be made by intelligent people. Who would you rather do the voting, 3000 intelligent people, or 3000 intelligent people mixed in with a million idiots? (Not calling anybody and idiot here...)

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intelligent people... but then, ya gotta decide who's intelligent and who isn't... and there are plenty of intelligent people who know nothing about the election issues....

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

"Intelligent people" is the wrong term, here. "Informed" is the correct word. You don't have to be a smart to have an informed opinion (look at me, for example). And nobody would "decide" who counted -- it would be the people who showed up, were willing to take the quiz, and were informed enough to pass (I'd be willing to let a 50% or 67% pass, even). Each person would decide for themselves.

Of course, I'm not actually advocating this, not only because it would be impossible to enforce, but also because it could easily turn into the modern equivalent of a Jim Crow law.

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The problem is that people generally let the TV tell them how to vote rather than looking at the candidates and making an informed decision. But I would say that making informed decisions is an intelligent thing to do. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a VA chaplain; you just have to read. Oops, I said a dirty word.

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I wasn't trying to imply that either party was more (or less) illogical then any other. I tend to agree with the conservatives on some issues, liberals on others.

All I was really trying to say was thinking a group of millions can agree with you on every issue is silly. (possible I suppose, but I think being struck by lightning in the middle of an alian abduction on the way home from picking up your lottery winnings is more likely).

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That happened to me, once.. I think it was during a blue moon on February 29th, in the year the University of Kentucky won the NCAA 1A National Football championship. LOL



Do you think the case could be made to do away with the current 2 party system? I mean, partisan politics is really a problem.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

I don't think that disolving 2 party politics would fix the problem. To be honest, the way things are set up right now aren't all that bad.

For the most part, the representitives from Utah (where I am from) vote the way I feel. If one of them decided to go all crazy (and vote liberal... ) he wouldn't be in office very long.

I suppose the only way to fix the problem would to have everyone vote on every issue (no matter how small). That would also do away with the electoral college issue. But you can imagine the problems that would cause. (it's friday, I need to go spend the weekend researching the current issues, so I can spend another 4 hours voting on all of them).

I think the way things are set up right now works ok. For the most part, I feel like I am being represented appropriately. (If I didn't there are little things I can do about it). Personally, I don't want to spend all that time time voting on everything. Sad as it sounds, I have other things I would rather do. (I am not trying to sound lazy or apathetic, I am just comfortable with the representative democracy we currently have).

Edit: nice topic change.

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I kind of agree, but there are times when it seems like partisan politics can get in the way. Still, I guess this is the best we can do, every system has problems. As for the learning issues thing, well, that's kind of their job. Learn the issues, learn what your people think and vote accordingly.

Here's something strange... For some reason, and I have my ideas, people always vote democrat here, the republican might as well not run. The only exception for this is Rep. Hal Rogers (R). For some reason, he is unbeatable here. He does republican things, but the people, who vote democrat, still like him.

As for the topic change, I'm gonna change it back if the discussion ever gets back to stem cell research, and I'm sure it will if I ever find any useful info/data.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

I was referring to you and me (the uniformed/possibly slightly more informed voters).

Of course it is the representatives job to know the topics.

Also agreed on the futility of voting (here it is anything but republican). meh. Time for bed.

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Stu. Man. Utah? Doesn't that mean you are represented by Senator Orrin Hatch? What about his INDUCE act? And what about that thing where he wants to blow up people's computers?

(For more information on the INDUCE act, see Slashdot.)