Kirk's Random Brain Dump http://kirk.vangorkom.org A collection of stuff that interests me. posterous.com Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:22:30 -0700 On Presidential Failure and Sloppy Language http://kirk.vangorkom.org/on-presidential-failure-and-sloppy-language http://kirk.vangorkom.org/on-presidential-failure-and-sloppy-language
The press never reported that Democratic strategist James Carville said he wanted President Bush to fail before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But a feeding frenzy ensued when radio host Rush Limbaugh recently said he wanted President Obama to fail. 

This whole kerfuffle is stupid and results from sloppy use of language. Persons of either political persuasion who want the opposition to "fail" are not in the slightest wishing for the failure of America as a whole, they simply have a different vision of how the country can best succeed. This division is natural and healthy in a republic, but the toxicity of our public discourse over the last few years is not. It's time for a new tone and some good faith discussions on a national level like the ones we have with our friends and neighbors.
(Okay, I know that was naive, but a guy has to dream!)

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Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:40:55 -0800 Scrooge McDuck on Money Supply (1967) http://kirk.vangorkom.org/scrooge-mcduck-on-money-supply http://kirk.vangorkom.org/scrooge-mcduck-on-money-supply

TANSTAAFL


Disney, please produce more (or at least release DVDs) of your classic propaganda and educational films. They made a huge impression on me growing up.

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Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:11:00 -0800 EFCA: Plain Lies http://kirk.vangorkom.org/efca-plain-lies http://kirk.vangorkom.org/efca-plain-lies

I'm trying to keep the politics to a minimum here, but I keep seeing ads for the so-called "Employee Free Choice Act" and have to speak up. This is the worst name I've seen for a bill since the "PATRIOT" act. There's absolutely nothing about preserving free choice in the bill, which in the words of George McGovern "strips working Americans of the right to a secret-ballot election" opening them up to "intimidation and coercion" from union bosses.

I'm begging you Washington... leave the little guy alone. We can make our own decisions just fine without broken limbs and terrorized families.

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