Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Sunday, April 3, 2011
My New Favorite Quote
"He's a politician. It's like being a hooker. You can't be one unless you can pretend to like people while you're fucking them." http://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Flogic and Flogicians
Recently, I have become fed up due to being confronted with case after case of someone using "logic" to justify almost anything. For these special yet rampant cases, I have coined a phrase which I believe is not only descriptive but fitting of this flawed logic.....FLOGIC (Flawed LOGIC)!
Though this type of logic usually manifests in early childhood, it is just a part of the learning process. In normal cases, education and parenting teach the individual to utilize actual logical thought. However, flogic doesn't generally truly take root until one becomes a teenager. Just think of all the teenagers out there who think it is perfectly logical that they should get the newest and coolest smart phone despite not keeping up on their chores or bringing home bad grades. The problem is exacerbated when the flogical parents nurture this behavior.
These special teenagers then grow up and get jobs where they quickly get promoted to become our bosses. But who in their right mind, you ask, would promote these flogical people? Flogicians, of course! When a boss becomes so adept at utilizing flogic that they are able to confound, confuse, misdirect and befuddle staff that utilizes actual logic, their bosses quickly move them up the corporate ladder to become fellow Flogicians. For more specific examples, check out On The Job Front.
A Flogician is someone so adept at using flawed flogic that they can magically (like a magician) twist and manipulate logical thought to arrive at any conclusion desired, regardless of actual logic.
Believe it or not, Corporate America has not cornered the market on this. In fact, Corporate America pales in comparison to the hordes of Flogicians who have managed to get themselves elected into public office. In this case, a normal Flogician enters the realm of a Flogitician (Flawed LOGIc poliTICIAN).
A prime example is extending the tax breaks for the rich to the tune of $600+ Billion. Their flogic is that this will somehow (magically) create jobs for the middle class (despite 8+ years of evidence that it has the opposite effect). This, of course, was all during their rantings and ravings about how deeply in debt this country is and how urgent it is that we hack the Federal budget. Excuse me, didn't that just ADD to the deficit?
In their brilliance and with an additional $600+ Billion more to slash, they are contemplating not extending unemployment benefits (which only saves about $30 Billion or 1/20th of what we lose from extending tax breaks to the rich), public education and other "unnecessary" niceties we middle and lower class kind of need.
If we follow this to its Flogical conclusion, I'm sure they will somehow manage to give themselves big fat pay raises to make sure they all fall into the top tax brackets so they can take advantage of all those sweet tax breaks!
Only Flogiticians could get this country into the mess in which we currently find ourselves (which didn't just happen over the last two years morons)!
Though this type of logic usually manifests in early childhood, it is just a part of the learning process. In normal cases, education and parenting teach the individual to utilize actual logical thought. However, flogic doesn't generally truly take root until one becomes a teenager. Just think of all the teenagers out there who think it is perfectly logical that they should get the newest and coolest smart phone despite not keeping up on their chores or bringing home bad grades. The problem is exacerbated when the flogical parents nurture this behavior.
These special teenagers then grow up and get jobs where they quickly get promoted to become our bosses. But who in their right mind, you ask, would promote these flogical people? Flogicians, of course! When a boss becomes so adept at utilizing flogic that they are able to confound, confuse, misdirect and befuddle staff that utilizes actual logic, their bosses quickly move them up the corporate ladder to become fellow Flogicians. For more specific examples, check out On The Job Front.
A Flogician is someone so adept at using flawed flogic that they can magically (like a magician) twist and manipulate logical thought to arrive at any conclusion desired, regardless of actual logic.
Believe it or not, Corporate America has not cornered the market on this. In fact, Corporate America pales in comparison to the hordes of Flogicians who have managed to get themselves elected into public office. In this case, a normal Flogician enters the realm of a Flogitician (Flawed LOGIc poliTICIAN).
A prime example is extending the tax breaks for the rich to the tune of $600+ Billion. Their flogic is that this will somehow (magically) create jobs for the middle class (despite 8+ years of evidence that it has the opposite effect). This, of course, was all during their rantings and ravings about how deeply in debt this country is and how urgent it is that we hack the Federal budget. Excuse me, didn't that just ADD to the deficit?
In their brilliance and with an additional $600+ Billion more to slash, they are contemplating not extending unemployment benefits (which only saves about $30 Billion or 1/20th of what we lose from extending tax breaks to the rich), public education and other "unnecessary" niceties we middle and lower class kind of need.
If we follow this to its Flogical conclusion, I'm sure they will somehow manage to give themselves big fat pay raises to make sure they all fall into the top tax brackets so they can take advantage of all those sweet tax breaks!
Only Flogiticians could get this country into the mess in which we currently find ourselves (which didn't just happen over the last two years morons)!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Creative Solutions to WIDESPREAD Political Corruption
Why does Washington submit bills containing portions of law and spending that are irrelevant to the purpose of the bill? How does this happen? I would love to get control of our politicians' credit cards and use them in this fashion! I'm going to purchase office equipment, but in the fine print I'll be getting myself a new Porsche. I wonder if they'd like being stuck with that bill for "office equipment"?
Why does it seem that by and large We The People do not factor into Washington's decisions and actions? When the two sides of the aisle take a break from slinging mud at each other, the only legislation that seems to get through seems irrelevant to the masses and only beneficial to special interests/corporations/the politicians themselves...
Obviously becoming a politician at the National level is not only a popularity contest, but has come down to who can pay the most for the position (which requires backing from special interests, corporations; who are now entities yikes, and other even more nefarious sources). Unfortunately, it is starting to trickle down to the State level also.
Here are my two creativde ideas for solving this problem:
1. Let's see if the average Joe can make the political system work. Instead of electing our officials (which now takes millions of dollars to become), we should create a system similar to Jury Duty. Every legal U.S. Citizen who meets a certain predefined minimum qualifications would be placed in a pool. Every 2-4 years a drawing is done to determine our representatives. I bet my neighbor Joe would be more likely to pass meaningful legislation that benefits We The People than the current polishes slick-tongued, corporate-sponsored (aka special interest) politicians.
2. Let's just go all in on Infotainment! Let's make being a politician a reality TV show. We could have cameras follow each representative around 24/7 documenting every conversation, meeting, deal, vote, indiscretion, etc. This could be a live stream so we can collectively "police" our politicians for a small fee. Then there would be a weekly show highlighting the best (worst) clips. Let's see what REALLY goes on behind closed doors! While we are at it, we could throw in some capital punishment for certain offenses (like doing the bidding of special interests). Can you imagine what the advertisers would pay for a spot? Oh yeah, we could use the proceeds to pay down our National Debt!!
Do you have a better idea? I'd love to hear it.
Why does it seem that by and large We The People do not factor into Washington's decisions and actions? When the two sides of the aisle take a break from slinging mud at each other, the only legislation that seems to get through seems irrelevant to the masses and only beneficial to special interests/corporations/the politicians themselves...
Obviously becoming a politician at the National level is not only a popularity contest, but has come down to who can pay the most for the position (which requires backing from special interests, corporations; who are now entities yikes, and other even more nefarious sources). Unfortunately, it is starting to trickle down to the State level also.
Here are my two creativde ideas for solving this problem:
1. Let's see if the average Joe can make the political system work. Instead of electing our officials (which now takes millions of dollars to become), we should create a system similar to Jury Duty. Every legal U.S. Citizen who meets a certain predefined minimum qualifications would be placed in a pool. Every 2-4 years a drawing is done to determine our representatives. I bet my neighbor Joe would be more likely to pass meaningful legislation that benefits We The People than the current polishes slick-tongued, corporate-sponsored (aka special interest) politicians.
2. Let's just go all in on Infotainment! Let's make being a politician a reality TV show. We could have cameras follow each representative around 24/7 documenting every conversation, meeting, deal, vote, indiscretion, etc. This could be a live stream so we can collectively "police" our politicians for a small fee. Then there would be a weekly show highlighting the best (worst) clips. Let's see what REALLY goes on behind closed doors! While we are at it, we could throw in some capital punishment for certain offenses (like doing the bidding of special interests). Can you imagine what the advertisers would pay for a spot? Oh yeah, we could use the proceeds to pay down our National Debt!!
Do you have a better idea? I'd love to hear it.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
When Did It Really Go Wrong?
I woke up this morning in a haze (after completing a 580 mile road trip at 2 this morning) and flipped on my television. There was some local Sunday morning political talk show on. I don't recall the channel or program or even the name of the host or guest (remember I was in a haze). I do recall the representative was a Republican from Colorado.
He kept stating that the people (I assume he meant you and me) have become angry over the last two years. Every chance he got, he mentioned the last two years as when "we the people" became angry. I have noticed the Republican party as a whole seems to be doing this. I guess we are just supposed to forget about the 8+ years previous to that since everything up until two years ago was peachy keen.
I'm a little concerned that our leaders (not just the Republicans) play it pretty fast and loose with the finger-pointing, blaming and facts. Anything that goes wrong is quickly propagandized by spin doctors and thrown at the other party like a grenade.
When and how did this type of behavior not only become acceptable but the de facto method of "debate" by our leaders? Our Leaders? Aren't Leaders supposed to set the example? Should we be teaching our children this method of dispute resolution?
Either politicians took their cue from the playground, or the playground has taken its' cue from politics. Because apparently whomever is the meanest, nastiest liar on the "playground" wins. In Grade school we just called them BULLIES!
Why has Washington turned into a pack of bullies? Why do we let them keep getting away with it?
He kept stating that the people (I assume he meant you and me) have become angry over the last two years. Every chance he got, he mentioned the last two years as when "we the people" became angry. I have noticed the Republican party as a whole seems to be doing this. I guess we are just supposed to forget about the 8+ years previous to that since everything up until two years ago was peachy keen.
I'm a little concerned that our leaders (not just the Republicans) play it pretty fast and loose with the finger-pointing, blaming and facts. Anything that goes wrong is quickly propagandized by spin doctors and thrown at the other party like a grenade.
When and how did this type of behavior not only become acceptable but the de facto method of "debate" by our leaders? Our Leaders? Aren't Leaders supposed to set the example? Should we be teaching our children this method of dispute resolution?
Either politicians took their cue from the playground, or the playground has taken its' cue from politics. Because apparently whomever is the meanest, nastiest liar on the "playground" wins. In Grade school we just called them BULLIES!
Why has Washington turned into a pack of bullies? Why do we let them keep getting away with it?
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