Disqus - Latest Comments for McNeil

Re: What's the Matter With Alaska?

McNeil — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:38:50 -0000

You know, when an election's results indicate that the election either features rampant corruption or just really stupid voters, it's really saying something. Second worst form of government and all that.

But seriously, an early concessions speech depressing turnout? That's nonsense. It stands to reason that it would depress republican turnout far more than democratic turnout. There does seem to be something rotten in the state of Alaska.

Re: Sarah Palin Mind-Bogglingly Stupid

McNeil — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:05:58 -0000

In her defense, some of those Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? questions are tough.

Re: BREAKING: Same-Sex Marriage Ban Passes in California

McNeil — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:01:39 -0000

When I heard about this it initially took some of the shine out of the Obama victory. Then, the more I thought about it, the more shine it removed. There is a lot of good happening in the US right now, but there is still so much work to be done. It's amazing that acceptance and tolerance could win such an amazing victory and suffer such a crushing defeat in the same night. Only in America.

Re: American Voting is Broken

McNeil — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:33:00 -0000

Yeah, it's almost embarrassingly easy to vote in Canada. Show up with a government ID and cast a ballot. And just think, we haven't had a government usurped by a super-secret cabal that rigged the election yet. Well, not that I know of. And if we have, then all told they've done a pretty good job, so no harm no foul and all that.

Re: Who You Vote For

McNeil — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:18:36 -0000

Well that's what I meant by amazing. It's amazing that Obama supporters don't have enough respect for democracy to obey the law!

Re: Who You Vote For

McNeil — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:10:02 -0000

That was amazing.

Re: Last Word on the Obamamercial

McNeil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:09:50 -0000

I have searched long and hard for somebody who also believes that Fear Factor represents a perfect "10" in television quality, and I just find it profoundly satisfying that I have found them.

Re: Palin on the First Amendment

McNeil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:07:20 -0000

In her defense, "Amendment" is a big word. So is "constitution". She can't be expected to understand aaaaaaaall of those syllables.

Re: Eight to Ten Hour Wait to Vote in Atlanta

McNeil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:05:58 -0000

Yeah, I think it's been made pretty clear in this blog that the best that can reasonably be hoped for from an Obama presidency is a slight nudge of the needle of American politics toward the left. But change is usually either a slow process, or it's unsuccessful.

And a large voter turnout does seem to signify that Americans still have some faith that their government is still capable of doing some good, and that it just needs the right people. Or it just needs to not be George Bush. A little bit of Column A,....

Re: Reagan Adviser: Palin Would Have Had Harder Time Getting Job at McDonalds

McNeil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:02:00 -0000

I have to say, McDonalds has a pretty rigorous screening process for 17 year olds who will still get my order wrong.

Re: The Election in One Sentence

McNeil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:59:17 -0000

Yeah, Bush/Cheney-- the day-old-sushi administration.

Re: Those Wacky Canadiens...

McNeil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:58:06 -0000

I really thought I was the only one who talked about how enjoyable killing animals is, but apparently the president of France agrees with me.

Feel free to use that sentence out of context any time you like.

Re: There's Something Happening in America

McNeil — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:38:36 -0000

And those are the same ignorant whites who will vote for McCain simply because he's not black. Oh well. It is amazing to see what is happening, gush away.

Re: Two Reasons Why Obama-Biden is a Lock to Win

McNeil — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:34:05 -0000

You know what? I'm not sure you can realistically use the term "astonishingly stupid" when describing anything regarding republicans and the 2008 election. I'm calling your bluff and wagering that you are not, in fact, astonished. Now if they'd made 7 well reasoned and poignant arguments about, well, anything, then that would be astonishing. Maybe in 2012.

Re: William Kristol Gives Bad Advice

McNeil — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:23:53 -0000

Yeah, the less you allow Palin to participate in a free-flowing exchange of ideas, the better. Somehow I have a creeping feeling that the entire McCain campaign will later be revealed as a huge practical joke on the media. "Yeah, we were just messin' with you guys. I mean, come on, did you see who we put on our ticket as VP? And you guys took it seriously. Well America, you just got punk'd." I'd be willing to bet heavily that this is what is going on behind the scenes.

Re: Obama Rally in Grant Park

McNeil — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:00:33 -0000

15 points worth. Guaranteed.

Re: Democrats More Trusted on Taxes

McNeil — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:08:20 -0000

Denying people whose income is low enough to allow them the ability to waive tax payments the right to vote may just be the best idea I've ever heard. It's like an anti-civil rights movement! It'll be revolutionary. Well, in a free country it would be revolutionary. I mean, all that time those lazy, indolent poor people spend lounging around and exercising their fundamental freedoms could be better spent going out and getting a job. And that goes double for you, visible minorities. Back in my day, we didn't complain about persistent systemic social inequalities contributing to economic disparities. We worked and we liked it.

And while we're fixing those poor moochers, we should really re-examine this "letting women vote" thing. See, by virtue of their smaller size (and therefore smaller brains), I really don't think that letting them make such an important decision like voting is healthy for our democracy.

Re: Pop Quiz

McNeil — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:25:22 -0000

Well, I'm no economist, but from what I gather a sales tax is a regressive tax that is harder on the poor than it is on the rich. If everybody's paying the same 7% of their income out on sales tax (or so), then it means more to the one on food stamps than it does to the one making six figures. Taxing everybody equally isn't necessarily taxing everybody fairly.

And while I do agree that it's become a bit too fashionable to tax the rich, many of whom are rich because they are highly trained, skilled and capable, I think they can handle it a bit more than those hovering around the poverty line. And hopefully some of the more econ savvy people will correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't much of the new proposed $700 billion bailout go to very well off (if not rich) people? How much of that goes to those who are defaulting on their mortgages? If my tax money was going to help rich bankers stay rich even when they fail, I'd want some tax reforms too.

Re: Speaking of NRO

McNeil — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:43:25 -0000

Tell that to somebody making six figures and up. Redistribution of wealth? *Shudder*.

Re: Cause and Effect

McNeil — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:14:43 -0000

I know you've mentioned this before, but while I'm sure there are crazies supporting Obama as well, they're sure as hell well hidden. At this point I really wish they'd show up to balance some of this crap out. I actually feel embarrassed for the McCain campaign. Or rather, I feel the embarrassment the McCain campaign would have if he didn't seem hell bent on whoring the last vestiges of his credibility out in order to sleaze his way to the presidency. These people are giving thoughtful and intelligent political conservatives a bad name. Everytime I see something like this I feel like saying "Wait, I may be liberal but I honestly do not think conservatives are idiots simply for being conservative!" But man, sometimes people can make it hard.

Re: McCain Supporters Defend Muslim-Americans

McNeil — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:01:03 -0000

And this is the one my browser won't let me watch. It's as if Firefox itself hates John McCain. Stupid liberal web broswers. Doesn't it know that man is a hero?

Re: The Banality of Evil

McNeil — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:12:02 -0000

I couldn't even finish watching it. So does this make anybody else feel ashamed to be white? Yeesh.

Re: Voting for Obama Anyway

McNeil — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:08:59 -0000

I think it's a tad depressing, but at the same time there's something more real and legitimate about a campaign that is decided by an actual honest-to-goodness crisis. After all, if voters only get to see how a candidate performs through the lens of those two years and hundreds of millions of dollars of campaigning. Which is fine-- it's important to know in a general way where a candidate comes from-- but when a candidate becomes president they eventually have to react to crises such as this one, and they don't have time to run through tracking polls to see how their reactions test in battleground states. So if, hypothetically, one of McCain or Obama completely dropped the ball and embarrassed themselves in their reaction to the current financial crisis, that is something that should carry great weight with voters. It's a litmus test of whether the candidate will make a reasoned and informed decision, or whether they'll start invading Middle Eastern countries.

Re: For the Record

McNeil — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:00:22 -0000

....

Battered women jokes? Pedophilia jokes? What? I've never heard a battered woman joke, and I think I'm proud of that fact. I don't think that really is one of those things that everybody does privately that they don't talk about. No, I think that's just you.

And how could they not mean any harm? How is mailing an obviously racist and distasteful depiction of racial stereotypes with the intention of damaging the candidacy of a black presidential nominee not supposed to do harm? The not owning up to it is just the icing on the cake. That's just cowardice. If they made something that was obviously racist, they should at least have the integrity to own up to it, possibly admit it was wrong (but that might be a bit much to hope for), and accept the requisite criticism. But to deny any wrong was done because some woman's mom happens to be married to a hispanic man is, uh, not the strategy I would have opted for. But I guess that's why I'm not in politics.

Anyway, I get that a lot of things along these lines are blown way out of proportion, as insult is perceived where none was intended. But I think most of us can agree that this is being blown pretty much to the appropriate proportion. I think that mailing is the second most appalling thing about this entire scenario, behind making it in the first place.

Re: For the Record

McNeil — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:31:28 -0000

And the daughter was kind enough to say that only one person was offended. I think her count might have been a bit off there. I'm pretty offended, and I'm a person, so she's off by at least one. Unless she meant me, I suppose.

This is obviously completely despicable, and while I would say that I am enraged further by these people's attempts to defend themselves, I'm not sure there's anything they can say that would placate me.