Why are democrats acting like republicans? Outside of Elizabeth Warren, they are all so Casper Milktoast. Even the President is behaving more like a republican than is preferable. This is the term where he should be way left of center and use the Office as a bully pulpit.

Given the lousy performance of our economy and the state of our infrastructure, Democrats should be wiping the floor with Republicans. Instead they're implicitly backing the 4 Horsemen of Supply Side: Deregulation, Privatization, Free Trade, and Trickle-Down.

Every time this nation has experienced an economic downturn, it has been Keynesian economics that have turned us around and put us back on the path to prosperity. I know the President is trying, but I wish he would spend the rest of his term farther to the left and pointing out the failure of supply-side economics. The 4 horsemen need to meet their waterloo. Somebody needs to expose the GDR's as the frauds they truly are.

Politicians have their own stock market.I think this started with Bill Clinton.Instead of leading or being a leader,he pioneered today`s modern practice of consulting the polls before making any decision.Now this is not all bad,he was an elected official,but he took public opinion to a new level.What should I have for breakfast this morning?Public opinion is finicky and can change rather rapidly.Instead of doing their job,politicians are constantly watching their "stock market".This is somewhat like basing your long term decisions on today`s temperature.But we know today`s temperature is going to change.They just care what today`s temperature is right now.

[This message has been edited by NDJ (3/4/2014)]

The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it.

Who controls the house? How many Republicans does it take to filibuster? There are your answers...

"I think this started with Bill Clinton."

I think it started with Saint Ronnie.

Who controls the house? How many Republicans does it take to filibuster? There are your answers...

As true as that thought is, it is no excuse for not being out front explaining the harsh realities of supply-side economics. The President and his party need to give Paul Krugman and Robert Reich a much loader bullhorn. And somebody needs to expose the procreateing mess the that last little government shutdown temper tantrum and the austerity policies are having in the world of GSA contracting and agencies having the proper staff to accomplish their stated missions.

People believe what they want to believe - and while I might find Dr. Krugman to be source of wisdom, and YOU might find Dr. Reich to speak nothing but plain wisdom and common sense, vast swaths of America do not, and those swaths have been artfully allocated into safe R (and conversely, safe D) congressional districts.

The shutdown was painful and the sequester has been VERY destructive, but the Dow's up and the rentier class are making bank, so why should Congress do anything? The rubes will yell (mostly at the wrong buildings) regardless.

See also, this: http://www.motherjones.co...ects-facts

[This message has been edited by Bridgier (3/5/2014)]

Back to the question: does every house or senate district have a Democrat candidate? If not, why not? If you want to see change in Montana, you need a two party system. It's March, people. It's time to rally.

And none of you are questioning the sanity of a two party system?

Until that changes we will always have a "Follow the Flag," We're Number One," "My Country Right or Wrong," jingoistic, bunch of sheep, falling for the American dream.

"Sightless, unless
The eyes reappear
As the perpetual star
Multifoliate rose
Of death's twilight kingdom
The hope only
Of empty men.
Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom

Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow
Life is very long

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper."

Selected verse from "The Hollow Men", by T S Eliot. As always, I remain your hopeful socialist, T James Bolton

If you like your socialist dream you can keep your socialist dream T.James Bolton.

NDJ's last post summarizes Bridgier's point. A knee jerk reaction to Tucker's use of the word "Socialism".

No matter who you have that uses past data to show how policies will lead to this or that, there is a large segment of the population who vote R who will continue to vote R no matter what is said, because it is a vote against those awful welfare chiselers who use food stamps to pay for abortions.

There is no reasoning with that sort of mindset. All we do is be comforted that they are mostly old and will be dead in twenty years or so. Until then, the best course of action is what I see Obama doing, that is, pushing through a progressive agenda in enlightened states to make the quality of life and the ability to succeed through hard work possible. Also, using the power of the executive order wherever and whenever to help the common man. Once the crackers in the deep south see how well the other states are doing, eventually the federal government will fix itself. Only its going to take a very long time.

I think America would be vastly better served by some form of parliamentary system, or barring that, changing how electors are allocated.

The Electoral college is the source of the rot in our system.

NDJ, Dear Boy,

If you are getting the definition of socialism from the same place most wingnuts do, then I understand your fear driven, retort. Your reply, if left without response, creates the very black and white mentality that I refer to.

Believe it or not there was a time when dialog and critical thinking was something people engaged in. Even the words democrat and republican have become terms of derision or disdain. Believe me, it is difficult even for people that think for themselves. For example, I vacillate between the philosophy and actions of Gandhi and Che Guevara. Both admirable in wildly different ways, both world changing.

What do you know of the events that brought about the Cuban Revolution How about the governance of Sweden, Finland or other countries that have a much longer history than our great country. That's right I said great country but at the very most in our infancy and Like all youth, full of hope, ambition but a bit naive.

If your information is coming exclusively from Fox, CNN, talk radio or from behind the pulpit, you might consider doing some independent research and open, thoughtful, dialog.

I hear, from the radio, as I write this post a perfect example of American distraction or "the dumbing of America." Headline; "Christian groups complain that the character portraying Jesus in the new movie, The Life Of Christ, is too sexy."

Really! REALLY? Larry, it is times like this moment that I wish you would lift the profanity ban. I will drop my F-bomb elsewhere.

I love the way Richard tosses these Molotov Cocktails every now and then, to recycle the patented MC.com "Republican Hate Fest." Most of you are so totally bought in to the divisiveness on both sides that you have lost your grip on reality. The fact is, we are all slaves to the extortion and oppression of our "benevolent tyrants" and the longer we can keep the hate going, the better for them. If anybody here thinks anyone in the Kingdom of Washington, DC is doing anything for the benefit of the "common man", you're delusional.

Point of fact:

Tucker Bolton holds up the pacifist Gandhi and mass murdering Guevara as his heros. He calls them both "admirable". I concur on one, but when did slaughtering tens of thousands of people become an "admirable" human trait? Che Guevara was a mass murderer, Tucker. Are you so perverted by your hatred that you can't even make the distinction?

Gunnar wants the rest of the Country to be just like the socialist paradises of Michigan, Illinois, and New Jersey. Are you serious? Have you ever been to New Jersey?

Bridgier chimes in with "The Electoral college is the source of the rot in our system." The Electoral College is the only thing left in the Constitutional Democratic Republic process that helps to level the playing field for all 50 States. When it goes, 95% of them will be nothing more than feudal provinces of the Kingdom of DC, which will depend on them for nothing more than tribute. Frankly, I rather enjoy the fact that Presidential candidates still have to come here, to the sticks, if for no other reason than the inconvenience.

I was thinking more like the socialist paradises of the west coast....Washington, Oregon, and California. The beer there is awfully good.

To be inclusive, I guess I should throw in the socialist paradise of Alaska, too. Although it is mainly run by the Republicans, at least they all get a free handout from the government. How cool is that?

If we want honor in politics, then we should stop electing lawyers.

I love that "JWA's" IP address geo-located to "DC".

Several years ago a pilot friend of mine crashed an airplane.In this instance he and his passenger were killed and while the aircraft could not be rescued or identified pictures of the wreck were published and in the news.A gruesome picture.Skip forward a bit.In my little town,other pilots heard me talking about the deceased and had seen pictures of the wreck.The two I am mainly talking about had never heard this pilot`s name previously uttered and certainly had never met him or ever laid eyes on him.Over the next months their stories had spiraled to discussing his logbook,his hours,the time they relished when they flew together with the deceased to discussing personal aspects of his life.These two actually sadly missed their departed friend.As much as three of them spent together is is suprising that the 3 of them never flew together.BUT WAIT!!! It finally came out that they did!!!After a year or so of talking about this person who they had never met or laid eyes on but yet both had their personal nicknames for while referring to their adventures together from flying to the 19th hole I really could not listen any more.I had only known the guy for a little over a decade. hSkip to present on mc.com.Someone makes a post about socialism and undying love and hope for socialism.I make a one sentence post about a socialist healthcare disaster in the US and a president who lied.This leads me to an idea.It could be weekly or daily,it doesn`t matter as I am up to the task.Remember,hopefully without my having to bring Spock in,that I mentioned that a deceased pilot was a friend within earshot of another couple of pilot friends or mine,no more,no less.They wrote a book about him in their minds and also in oratory.So,to my idea.I can post a sentence daily or weekly.The fine people,from,but not limited to mc.com who want to participate can turn my sentence in to not just a book,but a NOVEL with themselves as contributing characters from their harrowing personal life experiences in the sometimes arduous and at times simply terrifying journey to the randomly chosen group of words which was the start of and then grew in to what would eventually their very existence.Hey,kudos if someone can personally can write the behind the scenes "in the know" and "real story" after the novel is completed.

I like your IP spying on posters to milescity.com David Schott.Are you a fan of the NSA? How far does your spying here go? Can you read emails sent through this site David Schott?

Ummm, "DC" is visible to *everyone* dumbass. Look for it next to the US flag on JWA's post.

I do not have that flag on my screen David Schott. Tell me how to use the information you refer to in order to determine your IP address as an example please.

Can you read emails sent through this site David Schott?

Oddjob sayth:

I love the way Richard tosses these Molotov Cocktails every now and then, to recycle the patented MC.com "Republican Hate Fest."

I am heartened by the fact that not even Oddjob appears willing to push forward the four horses of supply-side economics. Maybe we are making more progress than I thought.

I just want to know who can and cannot read IP address here and if some can read any email sent through this site if you look up someone and hit the email button.David Schott can read IP address here as per his post.How can I do this? David Schott says I am a "dumbass" for not knowing how.Tell me how to read David Schott`s IP address as he seems to have lost his tongue.

He didn't say you can read IP addresses, he said you can see where the IP address is geo-located. Look at his post, in the right hand corner after his name there is a tiny American flag and then it says WA, which indicates that Dave's IP address is located in Washington state.

I believe Dave is one of the admins and has access to the server logs, although I have no idea what sort of logging Larry does of the messaging functions.

That said, you might want to slow down and READ what he wrote regarding the ip address of JWA, not the ip address of NDJ. READING, how does that work?

And yes, I think america is mostly held hostage by the vast tracts of land and the welfare mooches that live thereupon that are granted an outsized influence in our electoral system.

procreate! nath'd by Gunnar.

[This message has been edited by Bridgier (3/6/2014)]

For Tucker...

Explaining Socialism To A Republican
http://www.addictinginfo....epublican/

See how long I've been toiling at this very task kelly? http://milescity.com/foru...iew/75743/

You might notice Bridgier that I said there was not a flag on my screen.Tell me about reading again.I rebooted and now it is there.But now I am a "dumbass" and cannot read for asking a question and pointing out that there was something that did not appear on my screen?So if I am in Montana,and I go to a library in Wyoming and log in here,will it say WY after the little flag and that will tell my IP address?

NDJ wrote:

Can you read emails sent through this site David Schott?

No, he can't. And neither can I. All "emails" (aka "private messages") sent through this site are simply handed off by the MilesCity.com software to an SMTP server that delivers them. They aren't logged or stored or saved - or viewable at all to anyone except the recipient.

Re-read your original post, NDJ, and quit playing the part of the wounded whiner. You posted:

I like your IP spying on posters to milescity.com David Schott.Are you a fan of the NSA? How far does your spying here go? Can you read emails sent through this site David Schott?

...and in my opinion, Dave is completely justified in calling you a dumbass. Although, I think I would have called you a snippy little beaver. But that's just me.

Bridgier wrote:

I believe Dave is one of the admins and has access to the server logs, although I have no idea what sort of logging Larry does of the messaging functions.

Dave is a moderator here. He does not have access to the server, only I do. Since switching to Azure, however, I no longer log traffic to this site simply because it takes tons upon tons of disk space that costs money and has to be managed forever. Instead, I now use Google Analytics, which basically just logs aggregate-type information. IP addresses are attached to transactions in SQL server, and it's always been that way. That's where stuff like the GeoIP information comes from. Private messages do not go through SQL server at all. They are only passed along via SMTP.

So basically, just like posting in Putin's Russia

"Dumbass" was being too kind.

Actually I *can* read your emails, "NDJ", but only *your* emails. And not just the emails you send via this site but all of your emails. The information I have gleaned from your emails has been the key to my success in life. Don't take that away from me, buddy. I need your wisdom now more than ever.

I don't understand how the location tracking stuff works, but I am in Oklahoma, not DC or ID. I even rechecked my profile and it accurately shows OK.

I just mentioned that because someone questioned my location. Just getting the hang of this stuff.

[This message has been edited by JWA (3/6/2014)]

I for one am glad that you are representing milescity.com and not Miles City David Schott.You seem to be a poor representative.

JWA wrote:

I don't understand how the location tracking stuff works, but I am in Oklahoma, not DC or ID. I even rechecked my profile and it accurately shows OK.

The GeoIP location shown on posts is not 100% accurate - it's basically just a best guess by the software on the site. The database it relies upon undoubtedly needs to be updated. I should probably put that on my list of things to do.

mass murdering Guevara

OK dumbass, (yes you, NDJ) here is another name for you, Fulgencio Batista. He is the benevolent asshole that Fidel and Che deposed. He, the puppet of the CIA, the Mob and the man that had twenty thousand dissidents slaughtered while holding the entire island captive and ignorant.

That bloody bastard, Che that taught the peasants to read and write and helped Fidel repatriate the farms and land that had been stolen from the people of Cuba. This is falling on deaf ears as I am sure the propaganda you buy into comes from other sources.

I suspect that you would not value my opinion of Papa Ho Chi Minh. He left a perfectly comfortable life in Paris and returned to defend his homeland from the greedy, imperialists that took over from the failed French. BTW, I am a Vietnam veteran. I protested the war after I was discharged and am ok with it.

I have said, in the past that I missed the cold war. It was easy to understand before the proliferation of the corporate, oil wars in the mid east. Recent events seem to point us towards a return to that very situation on top of all the other BS world police actions we are involved in.

Damn! I'm so frustrated by the lack of repartee that I am rambling on bumfuzzled like the idiots I try to rail against.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, tension mounted... and rode off....

I see stories like the one below on a daily basis. It pretty clearly debunks a myth the TP crowd constantly parrots. The data is there and easy to find. The fixes to the problems all seem relatively simple. Austerity isn't a solution, it is the problem. If a simpleton like me can eventually figure this stuff out, why the hell can't everyone else do so and move this country in a positive and progressive direction. It is pretty depressing.

Highest Minimum-Wage State Washington Beats U.S. in Job Creation
When Washington residents voted in 1998 to raise the state’s minimum wage and link it to the cost of living, opponents warned the measure would be a job-killer. The prediction hasn’t been borne out.

In the 15 years that followed, the state’s minimum wage climbed to $9.32 -- the highest in the country. Meanwhile job growth continued at an average 0.8 percent annual pace, 0.3 percentage point above the national rate. Payrolls at Washington’s restaurants and bars, portrayed as particularly vulnerable to higher wage costs, expanded by 21 percent. Poverty has trailed the U.S. level for at least seven years.

The debate is replaying on a national scale as Democrats led by President Barack Obama push for an increase in the $7.25-an-hour federal minimum, while opponents argue a raise would hurt those it’s intended to help by axing jobs for the lowest-skilled. Even if that proves true, Washington’s example shows that any such effects aren’t big enough to throw its economy and labor market off the tracks.

http://mobile.bloomberg.c...-jobs.html

NDJ wrote:

I for one am glad that you are representing milescity.com and not Miles City David Schott.You seem to be a poor representative.

A simple "I'm sorry my ignorance caused me to falsely accuse you of spying on milescity.com users," would have sufficed. Dumbass.

Seems there might be a problem with the site software or something D.Schitt.You still are not a very representative.

See ya, Dumbass.

An excerpt from Kelly's post above...

AddictingInfo.org wrote:

Democracy is a form of government in which all citizens take part. It is government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Socialism is where we all put our resources together and work for the common good of us all and not just for our own benefit. In this sense, we are sharing the wealth within society.

Of course when people hear that term, “Share the wealth” they start screaming, “OMG you want to rob from the rich and give it all to the poor!” But that is NOT what Democratic Socialism means.

To a Democratic Socialist, sharing the wealth means pooling tax money together to design social programs that benefit ALL citizens of that country, city, state, etc.

...

A worthwhile read:

http://www.addictinginfo....epublican/

Tucker Bolton said

"Fulgencio Batista. He is the benevolent asshole that Fidel and Che deposed. He, the puppet of the CIA, the Mob and the man that had twenty thousand dissidents slaughtered while holding the entire island captive and ignorant."

So what you are saying is, that it is acceptable to replace an oppressive, murdering, U.S. puppet Thug who holds "the entire island captive and ignorant" with an oppressive, murdering Communist\Marxist Thug, who holds the entire island captive and ignorant.

One of them is a hero. Do I have that right?

Now as I understand it, in Cuba, the prisons are still full, the labor camps are still full, the mass graves are (still filling?), nobody can leave, and the people are equal in their poverty and misery.

But they are better off.

Right?

Apparently, I just can't see the benefits of the Socialist Paradise. It must be all that indoctrination I got as a youth, on the concept of "Freedom".

As an aside, thank you for your service, Tucker. Please understand I don't pretend to know your experience or feelings on that, but it comes from the heart of someone who has been on both sides of that coin, as well (and still is).

I guess it all comes down to whose propaganda you choose to believe.

....or the reality you choose to ignore.

http://www.hrw.org/world-...-2012-cuba

There's no escaping this polar vortex, is there, Oddjob?
http://www.hrw.org/world-...ted-states

Didn't we have some sort of discussion along these lines earlier about Africa?

Oddjob basically said that silly liberals don't understand the real problems that undergird poverty in Africa, that simply spending money won't change anything, blah blah blah - the implication of course being that those underlying structures are somehow immutable, an a priori fiat accompli and not a creation of man and therefore subject to modification at the hands (and the money) of men.

He brings the same level of rigor to his context-free analysis of the modern Cuban state - "It's a poophole, 'nuff said", as though there aren't REASONS that it is the way it is today, and that not all of those REASONS can be laid at Che's feet.

[This message has been edited by Bridgier (3/7/2014)]