Reply to: Brazen political polemic

[Spacecadet]

That's the one, I couldn't remember which "airport economics book" it was, I'm a sucker for buying them...

So I'm not the only sucker who bought it at an airport

[Advocate]

Freakanomics, good book

TM

That's the one, I couldn't remember which "airport economics book" it was, I'm a sucker for buying them...

[Spacecadet]

Freakanomics, good book

TM

crap

[themistry]

I read an economic article recently that suggested the cause and effect of cash in an election is not as obvious.

It seemed to suggest that the winning candidate received more money but not that the candidate with the most money wins. The evidence seemed pretty convincing on the surface.

Freakanomics, good book

TM

[expat]

...
Now then, Mr McCain seems an honourable chap, brave war hero and all that, but I can’t help thinking that there’s a dose of stupidity in his years of public service. My grandfathers both went to war, got their medals and were undeniably brave men, but it turned them into pacifists. Both were pretty schocked when my Dad joined the army, and the one remaining grandfather is very pleased that I’ve never volunteered to put my ass in the way of bullets, because he’s seen what it does to people.

In short, I wouldn’t want as president a guy who has been through all the horrors of war yet puts across a message that young people should go and join the army. I share the view of Wilfred Owen;

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Right then, back to the laughing and joking.

That's probably why my dad never had any exciting or funny stories to tell about action in WWII until his kids were all too old to join up. Then he had loads of them.

[Mich the Tester]

I am so glad you said that, I thought it was just me being mean!!! I saw him do it last night and he just looked like some old Grandad trying to be cool!

Every time I see McCain I think of the “It’s” man at the beginning of Monty Python. He is a walking, well, hobbling, casualty ward. The man has some bizarre injury that means he can’t lift his arms above shoulder height. That’s because when he got burnt to a cinder at war, he went back for more and got shot down. Eventually, he was captured by the enemy and spent years of starvation and torture in a PoW camp, and refused the offer of the enemy to go home early, saying he didn’t want to leave his mates behind. Obviously the Vietcong were tiring of his political speeches and wanted to be rid of him, but he was having none of it. Having witnessed and even suffered all the horrors of war, he joined the Republican party and supported sending lots more young chappies and chappesses to get their asses blown apart in wars. He has three sons who all joined the navy, one of whom is now fighting in Iraq, and will, in about 20 years time, turn up on the stage at a Republican party conference, probably even more mutilated than his Dad, to launch his campaign for the presidency.

Now then, Mr McCain seems an honourable chap, brave war hero and all that, but I can’t help thinking that there’s a dose of stupidity in his years of public service. My grandfathers both went to war, got their medals and were undeniably brave men, but it turned them into pacifists. Both were pretty schocked when my Dad joined the army, and the one remaining grandfather is very pleased that I’ve never volunteered to put my ass in the way of bullets, because he’s seen what it does to people.

In short, I wouldn’t want as president a guy who has been through all the horrors of war yet puts across a message that young people should go and join the army. I share the view of Wilfred Owen;

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Right then, back to the laughing and joking.

[expat]

Imagine America with immigrants destroying the indigenous culture.

Yours
Chief Cybertory speak with forked tongue

[expat]

But a candidate with little money won't win, which is counter to my understanding of democracy

I think the point is, a candidate who does not have enough support, will:
a) not raise much money, and
b) not win.

One is not causing the other.

[Bagpuss]

I read an economic article recently that suggested the cause and effect of cash in an election is not as obvious.

It seemed to suggest that the winning candidate received more money but not that the candidate with the most money wins. The evidence seemed pretty convincing on the surface.

But a candidate with little money won't win, which is counter to my understanding of democracy

[Advocate]

I think they have a system where you won't win unless:

a/ you keep mentioning God
b/ you are good out soundbites
c/ you are bankrolled to the tune of tens of millions

The American system, the utimate triumpth of style over substance

I read an economic article recently that suggested the cause and effect of cash in an election is not as obvious.

It seemed to suggest that the winning candidate received more money but not that the candidate with the most money wins. The evidence seemed pretty convincing on the surface.

[ace00]

...............
The American system, the utimate triumpth of style over substance

But is there a better one? You know Obama's campaign had massive funding from people making individual contributions to a cause they believe in. Think that would happen in the UK? And religion is an integral part of American life, and politics.

[cailin maith]

Fonzie

Oh

[Bagpuss]

I am so glad you said that, I thought it was just me being mean!!! I saw him do it last night and he just looked like some old Grandad trying to be cool!

Fonzie

[cailin maith]

Is it just me that thought John McCain looked a nobber when he did that double thumbs up thing?

I am so glad you said that, I thought it was just me being mean!!! I saw him do it last night and he just looked like some old Grandad trying to be cool!

[Bagpuss]

Let's hope that he doesn't raid American pensions, allow mass immigration, implement stupid Human Rights laws and put up taxes to an unsustainable level.

Imagine America with immigrants destroying the indigenous culture.

Yours
Chief Cybertory speak with forked tongue