kurtster wrote: 
FB and other places don't necessarily mean you have to kiss ass. It's still all up to you/me, though for some people it might get complicated (real life friends, family or customers). And there are even options for managing that.

There is some common decency and courtesy involved (especially when you're not in 'your own space'), but that's life. I don't shit on the proverbial carpet either when I get invited to another's house, but I don't have to agree with every opinion my host puts out there. If they don't like contrary views, don't invite me anymore (kick me off your friends list or hide my stuff).

I do the same, though controversy usually isn't the reason (rather the opposite: tedium).

 RichardPrins wrote: 

Thanks.  I genuinely mean what I said about the international aspect of RP.  Its part of what makes this place so cool and so valuable in my life.  Opposing views are one thing, but alternate foreign perspectives are a whole nother thing.  Agree or disagree, they mean something.  I'm not talking about the people who pop in here for a couple of months and dump gasoline and leave or get tossed.  Long time regulars don't have to keep re explaining themselves to other long timers.  Every once in awhile we all reveal a little more about ourselves to each other that at the moment may be taken one way but in the context of passed time it means something else deeper than the face value of the remark.  And we all have our passions.  What real music lover is not passionate about music for some reason or another ?  Of course passion leaks into other things here now and then.  And as many here deny this reality ... music and politics are joined at the hip. 

Like a few others, I don't do FB, tweet, or in my case, don't even text.  This is it for me on the net.  And largely for the reasons mentioned above.  You don't have to kiss anyone's ass here to be here like in FB and other places.  You just have to follow the rules.  And try and be respectful. 

On the voting thing.  Its been more than a pet peeve most of my life.  Like since I first was able to vote in 1972 when the Conflict in Viet Nam was winding down.  And I voted for McGovern, not Nixon.  So I'm not just mentioning this notion to be newly contrary or confrontational to anyone.  I have been known to come right out and ask someone if they vote if a conversation goes in that direction.  Its as much a part of me as hating cheese omelets.  I would starve and die if that was the only thing I was allowed to eat.  Its a texture thing that will never be overcome.

Rarely will I outright use it against someone in an argument where I begin to run out of patience, but I have.  Here and in face space.  Usually it just tempers my responses and keeps me from taking that person seriously in political discussions.  But when someone of this ideal calls me out on my thoughts, I get offended.  I'm gonna respond eventually especially if they just push too hard.  They can interact with others on their own terms.  Not my business.  I'm not a moderator or anyone special.  If the other person doesn't care that's their own space.  Would not that be an international courtesy as well ?  I may get snarky or sarcastic in someway, but it would never go personal in a deliberately mean way.  Not to say that it hasn't in the past, but to say its never the goal and for the most part I'll check out now before I cross that kind of line anymore.  I dish it out at times, but I can take it, too.  And I do recognize the difference between bs and constructive criticism from the long timers.  With as much stuff that has been thrown at me (and deserved in some cases), I have never once complained to BG about anything or anyone. 
So Vive le difference (sp)

FWIW ...

 kurtster wrote: 
In most cases you won't be able to know/determine their voting behaviour. Also the validity of their objections just isn't connected to their right to vote (which isn't a mandatory requirement, thus they are free to do as they please). You can of course argue on whether someone should always vote, but that's simply another discussion.

A few have in the past expressed exactly the opposite (mainly in response to political discussions), namely that this is an American place (or the related version that only Americans can/should criticize on American politics). So kudos for not having this rather insular and foolish outlook.

 RichardPrins wrote: 
Glad I backscrolled.

Ok, good counter.  Yes the 1st Amendment does trump, however ... 

If all someone does is bitch and moan about the state of things and doesn't exercise their Constitutional right to vote, then I will simply refuse to grant validity to their objections and do so under my 1st Amendment rights as well.  If you want for me to respect your political opinions, then you better vote (provided your a citizen).  I cannot hold a foreigner to that standard however.  Its just how I roll.  You're free to offer opinions and I am free to accept or reject them as I see fit as you are of mine.  I do admit to abohring apathy and will call it out under those circumstances, if warranted.  No one has to meet my standards on anything.  I'm just stating were my respect for others begins and ends on political matters.

I do not see RP as an American place.  Its truly an international gathering if you will.  There are plenty of threads dedicated to many countries and universal experiences, such as music and other artforms.  My thoughts on voting and bitching only apply to the Americans participating and commenting on American politics. 

 kurtster wrote: 
Oh, you poor sad bastard. They've drilled so deep into your remaining neurons, there isn't even a you there anymore. I'm continually amazed that your ilk (just look at the response to my posts) can be so wrong, wrong, wrong, so much. What's the line, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. 

Funny how The Man You All Hate So Much punk'd ALL of you with that uncanny trick of having Repugs 'vote' on military action in Syria. Brilliant! First time in history you psychopaths were actually considering NOT going to war! Oops, too late, problem solved. All we could hear from youz was some cloakroom mumbling about Putin this and Putin that, yet another homoerotic fantasy for y'all!

Now, it's all about how this administration is purposely keeping the parks closed. The Invasive KockBros John Birch Society Dominionist Carcinoma has practically eaten our entire body politic, is trying to eat the whole world; but hey, look, there's a pimple! WHAT ABOUT THAT PIMPLE?!?!

Obama in deep doo doo? Repugs ARE the doo doo actual human beings HAVE to wade around in to bring Humanity to the place of Peace, Prosperity and Progress that is everyone's birthright.

Something none of you will ever understand unto your last vicious inhalations.

 Atman wrote: 

I just love how you only show up when your man Obama is in deep doo doo.

Do you have an alarm connected to the septic tank to wake you up only when it starts overflowing ?

 Monkeysdad wrote:

mutepoint wrote: 

keeping it classy...?

 Atman wrote: 
Good Gawd man, did you wake up this morning and take vitamins or dumb-f*ck pills?! You're just full of yourself aren't you?!

 mutepoint wrote: 
Always validating to hear from the top of the heap. At least the contents of a douche bag have been somewhere interesting, which I'm sure you'll never be without threats, intimidation or 'the devil's breath' in your pocket. As for 'illiterate', when you've got one of these running your nervous system, being a KockBros troll doesn't require literacy so much as a willingness to be a hate queen. Well, and getting paid.



Enjoy, your Place In The Sun is going to last about as long as George Eastman's.

Just between you and me, I do admire your ability to be so arrogant with the fraction of a percent that you have actually been accurate with your prognostications here.

 mutepoint wrote: 
Ha! He says 'KOCKbros' as if I had some too!

 Atman wrote: 
Yup. Classy as ever.

 ScottN wrote: 
Let's get a couple of things straight here.  There have been absolutely no cuts in spending.  The only thing cut so far has been the rate of increases in spending.  Nothing has been cut back below previous spending levels.

The deficit is not being reduced by modest economic growth.  It is being reduced by all time record amounts of incoming tax revenue as a direct result of increased taxes.  We presently have the fewest amount of people working in over 30 years.  It means that those who are working, which is what is left of the shrinking Middle Class, are paying an ever increasing amount of taxes, while the poor and rich pay virtually nothing.  The income gap has widened under Obama, not shrunk.  It is now at about the same levels just before the Great Depression.

All you Democrats went and jumped on Reagan's back over his trickle down theory.  Well Reagan said it worked when trickling down from the rich.  You all said it didn't work.  Well we have a new trickle down theory in operation, only its supposed to trickle down from the government instead of the rich.  How's that working for ya ?  The rich are getting richest under Obama.

Its not raining ... you're being peed on.

 Monkeysdad wrote: 
Waddayoo - resent being put in the 'et al' category. Sorry you feel left out, it's not like you don't deserve it after your previous post here:

I think his Presidency has tanked. Who's suffering the most with the government shut-down? Mostly those who voted for him. Those who want smaller or at least a more efficient government are resplendant as I write this.
He's boxed himself into a crappy situation; the big players on the world stage no longer take our President seriously.

Lame Duck indeed.

Just a question. Do your KockBros handlers write it for you or do they give you some leeway exactly what to say?

So here's some fer yee - MonkeesAss from Lamie Valley? or do you prefer - MonkeyAds?

Sorry to lower the curve from personal threats/outrageous lies/pure insanity to Telling The Truth! As with libel and slander, truth is an affirmation not ad hominem. Perhaps you should read this, if you can still see through the astigmatic lens of yer Repug Bubble:

Vote for My Budget or I’ll Shoot Myself

 Atman wrote: 
Real stand-up commentary as usual eh Atman?! Nice to see you still ride high above everybody. Weren't you always on about others' ad-hominem attacks?!

Keep on keeping it classy!

 ScottN wrote: 
Hmph. I keep harking back to 2008 when candidate Obama talked about his predecessor borrowing money from foreign lands and doubling a deficit to 9 Trillion and firmly telling us that it was unpatriotic. Well, we're ready to blow through 17 Trillion now...on President Obama's watch - after a Democrat owned Government for 2 solid years from 2009 thru 2010.

Whatever happened to "Elect me and I'll go through our budget line by line and eliminate the wasteful spending"?(paraphrased, but you heard it too)

I think his Presidency has tanked. Who's suffering the most with the government shut-down? Mostly those who voted for him. Those who want smaller or at least a more efficient government are resplendant as I write this.
He's boxed himself into a crappy situation; the big players on the world stage no longer take our President seriously.

Lame Duck indeed.

 Isabeau wrote: 
Well, at least, with the current Troll Flavors, up to his old tricks pukepoint/Besearker and Blurtster, et al, RP becomes a one-stop Faux Noise aggregator for KockBros bullyboy propaganda! They must be spending billions all over the interwebs, FB for one is blighted with all their fake science, fake everything ads.

 Monkeysdad wrote: 
Neither of those posted sites say that the deficit will not go up.  It will, at least temporarily go up. Ironically, the House knew this when it authorized the spending bills.
What is also true is that the rate of the deficit is shrinking.  Largely due to modest economic growth and spending cuts the Dems agreed to make

 mutepoint wrote: 
Threats dear boy? I'd first have to value your opinion in order for you to insult me. 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
What people (like to) call themselves is another issue altogether, but...

Is Half the Tea Party Libertarian? - Reason-Rupe Surveys : Reason.com

PS: I suspect some libertarians might see themselves as true Republicans as well.

 RichardPrins wrote: 
I haven't heard a lot of Tea Party types call themselves libertarians. They tend to think of themselves as true Republicans, as opposed to RINOs...