Disqus - Latest Comments for DennisMN

Re: The Great Recession; or, Why Do the Republicans Hate America?

DennisMN — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:22:16 -0000

Michael, I have tried to hold my tounge at your posts, but I believe you have gone way to far this time.

Frankly, I don't think you are any better than a right-wing ideologe with your comments- you see those who disagree not only as wrong or different, but evil. You have every right to disagree with the GOP, but they don't have to simply roll over and accept what you think are the right views. They have different views and even though it might not be the right one in your eyes, that only makes it different. Republicans don't hate America, they just have different ways on how to fix it.

I am a Republican. I care about how to help those who are losing their jobs. I don't look at my Democatic friends as pricks simply because I happen to disagree with them.

I think this post was very mean spirited and you have basically become what you profess to hate. How shameful.

Re: Dissin' Detroit and It's Consequences for Conservatism

Cannonshop — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:00:10 -0000

sure.

Re: Dissin' Detroit and It's Consequences for Conservatism

DennisMN — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:26:31 -0000

Cannonshop, my I use your comments in a post? You made some very good points.

Re: Understanding An Obamacon

DennisMN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:53:33 -0000

CStanley, I don't really expect or care that people in the party will look kindly on my choice. And I have not left the party, Pete has, but I have not. I will still vote for the GOP on many of the downballot races including Senator. I'm complaining, but I am staying in, so get your facts straight. I will continuue to fight for change by staying in.

Again, I think that instead of getting angry at the people who leave, there needs to be more thought given into why people are leaving the party altogether or are voting for Obama.

Re: Why Same-Sex Marriage Matters (To Me)

DennisMN — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:51:30 -0000

D.E.,

It was my poor attempt at a joke. I tend to lean conservative, but I live in Minnesota which is a fairly "blue" state and liberal. Maybe because of this, the Twin Cities where I live tends to be very gay friendly as well as fairly liberal. So, I was trying to say that because I live in a tolerant area, I was a tad bit lucky that medical workers would be accepting. Hence, liberal have their uses. :)

I'm not the world's greatest comedian, huh? :)

Re: A Conservative’s Four-Point Case Against Sarah Palin

DennisMN — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:39:23 -0000

Pete,

I think you have to go beyond Salon and Andrew Sullivan (who is pretty biased towards Obama) if you want to find some dirt on Palin. In regards to the Agents of Intolerance charge, you might want to see this:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-sexe...

and this:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gV5jvU52RD3W...

This isn't to say that I like her views. But she hasn't pushed a social agenda while governor.

I doubt that this will sway you, but I think the vision of Palin as a mean-spirited person is not so clear.

Re: Beating the “System”

DennisMN — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:39:11 -0000

Sorwell,

I don't know if I would go as far as saying McCain is running a Rovian campaign.

Yes, I am sorry about both of the things you have addressed, but if you think that I am going to vote for the Dems this time around, you would be wrong. The GOP does have many problems, but I just am not persuaded by the Democrats answers. It comes down to the better of two evils, then I will go to the GOP.

I know that isn't the answer you want, but it's the answer I have come to.

Re: McCain’s Somewhat Smart Negative Campaign

RememberNovember — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:20:03 -0000

Fair enough, but your declarative headline leans it more to a praisworthy stance. A question mark puts in in the rhetorical postulation rather than the definitive judgement you make.

McCain has not been a positive-platform player since day one of his candidacy. He was tired and beaten before by much better candidates ad only survived through ducking under the radar- a tactic that works on Survivor but not so much real life.
Ironic, given his history.

Re: McCain’s Somewhat Smart Negative Campaign

DennisMN — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:07:24 -0000

Remember November:

Whoa, calm down there! The fact is, Obama does have little experience, as did George Bush in 2000 and I would agree he hasn't been the best president. Could Obama be a good or even great president inspite of not having a lot of experience? Yes. That's why I brought up the whole Lincoln stuff, you never really know what could happen.

That said, any opponent would be a fool as to not exploit their opponent's supposed weakness. For McCain and Clinton, Obama's supposed weakness is his lack of experience and that is where they would and have attacked. It is a legitamate question to ask, regardless of the party.

The thing is, politics is about presenting a positive view of yourself and a negative view of your opponent. Obama has done the same thing with McCain and Clinton. That doesn't make him nasty or mean, it just makes him a politician.

As for your saying that I am "heaping praise" on negativity, you seemed to miss the point that I said McCain also needs to present a positive image of himself. Going negative can only go so far. You also have to present a reason why someone should vote for you. McCain hasn't done that well. To his credit, Obama has done that much better.

Re: The (True) Wisdom of Crowds

Rambie — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:12:02 -0000

DennisMN,

That's good to hear. I did a quick Google search but couldn't find the article, but I do remember it talking about the Utah chapter of Log Cabin Republicans. Perhaps it was a local spokes person and not a national one. Like there was a chance of stopping the amendment here in Utah (it passed by 60%+).

Re: The (True) Wisdom of Crowds

DennisMN — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:25:17 -0000

Rambie,

I don't know what news sources you were reading, but I can tell you that back in 2004 Log Cabin was involved in trying to defeat the gay marriage amendment in Congress. I worked with several of the heads of national group and they were hard at work in dealing with anti-gay moves in the GOP. Log Cabin did not endorse President Bush because of his support for the Marriage Amendment.

I do get tired of the supposed stories that say Log Cabin tends to acquiese to the hard right, when I can tell you that in my time, we have pushed back. Here in Minnesota, we worked hard when such gay marriage bans reared their heads.

Re: The Conservative Reformation: ‘Stops’

DennisMN — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:06:47 -0000

Pete,

You had a good post on conservatives, but I think you were wrong to exclude neocons from the picture since they do make up a large part of the GOP and will have to be part of any reformation of the GOP. I think the problem you is only looking at the foriegn policy aspect of some neocons and not looking at the whole history of that movement. This Wiki entry has some good points: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatives

I guess what I am getting at is that they did have some good points when it comes to social policy, seeing a place for government, which set them apart from Goldwater conservatives and liberals who wanted to spend money but failed to connect it with values. In many ways, Grand New Party, by Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam (which I suggest you read) is based on some of those early neoconservative beliefs on social policy.

While I do blame the neocons for an overly agressive foreign policy that got us into the mess that is Iraq (I tend to be more of a Scrowcroftian realist), that doesn't mean that necons have no value whatsoever.

I guess I would add that the social cosnservatives might also have a place in the GOP. And know that I am choking on those words. But the social cons are not a monolith, especially younger conservatives that are might be anti-gay marriage, or pro-life, but more concerned on issues of the environment or the poor. I disagree with Sam Brownback, but he has been good on issues like Darfur.

I guess what I am trying to say is that we should not start doing what the far right has done for so long in the GOP, decide who is in and who is out. Go ahead and propose a new plan, but let's let people decide if this is a vision for them or not, let's not become as hard-hearted as they are.

Dennis

Re: A Grin, A Smirk, A Moment

DennisMN — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:44:48 -0000

Pete, aren't you being a bit hasty? Seeing a few mental images doesn't make a campaign and we still have five months before the election.

Re: The latest hypocritical repackaging of the GOP

DennisMN — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:05:20 -0000

Paul,

While it a bit hypocritical, it's not like the farm bill passed soley on GOP votes. It also got an overwhelming vote from Democrats as well and they have also talked about cutting out the pork. Colin Peterson, a Democrat from Minnesota was behind the bill.

If you are going to attack the GOP for it's obvious hypocrisy, then at least put some of the blame on the Dems as well.

Dennis

Re: On “The Real McCain”

DennisMN — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:20:21 -0000

George,

I don't think I am looking for excuses. I don't like what the GOP has become, you are correct. But I don't think the answer is to leave the party, at least not now. Many have left and the party has only grown more conservative, not less. I also don't think I am a good fit in Democratic party. I don't hate Dems, I just respectfully disagree. I think I can make a change by standing up within the party and sharing my views which is what I have done.

As for voting for the GOP, I think you assume too much about me. I didn't vote for W. in 2004 because of some his stances. You shouldn't assume that just because I am in the party, that I just vote for anyone with an R behind their name. If McCain or Giuliani wasn't the nominee, I would probably not vote Republican this year because I didn't agree with the other candidates.

So, yes I don't like what the party has become, but I want to change it and not just walk away and let the far right win.

Re: On “The Real McCain”

DennisMN — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:15:06 -0000

Jill, thanks. Know that the post was not directed against you or anything. And thanks for sharing the post even if I don't agree. We need to know everything about the candidates.

Re: Dear Senator: When You’re President …

DennisMN — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:33:23 -0000

Pete, that was a GREAT post and sums up my thoughts. Good job, bud!