Comments on: Breakfast Links: Politics, MegaMillions & Tear Vampires http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/ escape colon w q Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:13:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Poyla http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/#comment-6626 Poyla Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:56:36 +0000 http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/#comment-6626 "Have you ever used sugar..... or PCP?" - Mitch Hedberg. “Have you ever used sugar….. or PCP?” - Mitch Hedberg.

]]> By: felix http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/#comment-6623 felix Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:05:23 +0000 http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/#comment-6623 That was sort of my problem with the thing, although, I didn't have the wherewithal to really examine it. There were all sorts of questions that seemed super ambiguous to me or framed in a really annoying way. I guess thats just the sad state of US politics today. Sigh. That was sort of my problem with the thing, although, I didn’t have the wherewithal to really examine it. There were all sorts of questions that seemed super ambiguous to me or framed in a really annoying way.

I guess thats just the sad state of US politics today. Sigh.

]]> By: Scott Klein http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/#comment-6622 Scott Klein Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:53:43 +0000 http://comments.deasil.com/2007/11/02/breakfast-links-politics-megamillions-tear-vampires/#comment-6622 Glassbooth is a reasonable questionnaire among an unreasonably debased politics. "Extending" the right of habeas corpus implies that it's not a human right (or that the prisoners in Gitmo aren't human). "Enhanced methods of interrogation" is the Bush cadre's euphemism for torture. Why avoid calling it torture but later call it "genocide" in Darfur? Why are Iran and North Korea "rogue countries" while we are the ones fighting an illegal war of aggression? Is it because we can call it a crime only when it's not our government doing it? Worse, though, is the question "I support of oppose setting a timetable of withdrawal for US troops to leave Iraq." I want the troops to leave today. The only timetable I'm interested in is a train schedule. Do I support a timetable or oppose it? Same with farm subsidy support. Does the King Ranch, a Texas agribusiness with billions in revenue and land the size of Rhode Island, need $8 million in cotton subsidies? How about the other huge conglomerates that benefit from corn subsidies? Do I support farm subsidies or oppose them? Why not ask "I support or propose single payer health insurance along the British and Canadian models"? Probably because almost no politicians would have "similar" views with the overwhelming majority that supports this. Again, not really Glassbooth's fault. The results were an arguably correct map of what passes for politics in America. Nice to see that neither Obama nor Clinton were in my top three. I support charter schools -- but in the New York City model, not as a back door to aid religious schools; another poorly worded question -- which made some conservatives and me "similar." Whatev. Glassbooth is a reasonable questionnaire among an unreasonably debased politics. “Extending” the right of habeas corpus implies that it’s not a human right (or that the prisoners in Gitmo aren’t human). “Enhanced methods of interrogation” is the Bush cadre’s euphemism for torture. Why avoid calling it torture but later call it “genocide” in Darfur? Why are Iran and North Korea “rogue countries” while we are the ones fighting an illegal war of aggression? Is it because we can call it a crime only when it’s not our government doing it?

Worse, though, is the question “I support of oppose setting a timetable of withdrawal for US troops to leave Iraq.” I want the troops to leave today. The only timetable I’m interested in is a train schedule. Do I support a timetable or oppose it?

Same with farm subsidy support. Does the King Ranch, a Texas agribusiness with billions in revenue and land the size of Rhode Island, need $8 million in cotton subsidies? How about the other huge conglomerates that benefit from corn subsidies? Do I support farm subsidies or oppose them?

Why not ask “I support or propose single payer health insurance along the British and Canadian models”? Probably because almost no politicians would have “similar” views with the overwhelming majority that supports this.

Again, not really Glassbooth’s fault. The results were an arguably correct map of what passes for politics in America. Nice to see that neither Obama nor Clinton were in my top three. I support charter schools — but in the New York City model, not as a back door to aid religious schools; another poorly worded question — which made some conservatives and me “similar.” Whatev.

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