Economic Green Shoots; Punk Rock Raid; Syria at War, and Stingy States: Reason Evening Links

Jon Corzine strikes out. Former New Jersey senator and governor limps through his testimony to the House. 

Unemployment claims down. New jobless claims lowest in three years. Hasty media declare recovery. Grain of salt: Dig the workforce participation level. 

Syria's army may be falling apart. Rebels claim military defectors have killed "27 soldiers and secret policemen." Border violence get worse as enemy-rich Assad regime tries to block aid to dissidents. Regime attempts to buy support with subsidy-rich 59 percent increase in spending. 

Next stop, Nowhere: Authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province raid punk rock concert, arrest 65 youths, shave off boys' Mohawks and restyling girls' hair into bobs. The unlucky music fans will be subjected to extensive retraining in order to instill proper Islamic values. "We're not torturing anyone," a police chief tells AP. "We're not violating human rights. We're just trying to put them back on the right moral path."

Jacques Tootite. Former French President Jacques Chirac convicted of embezzlement and violating public trust in scandal over no-show jobs for party members during his tenure as mayor of Paris.

More Paris institutions: Shakespeare and Company owner George Whitman dies at 98. The Left Bank bookstore, a successor to the original English-language shop started by Sylvia Beach, has hung on as a literary center for nearly 60 years.

Good country people. Red states dominate 247wallst.com's ranking of most charitable states. Maine, home to undertaxed-millionaire horrormeisters, is nation's cheapest state. 

A bunch of movies you probably haven't seen get Golden Globe nominations from the preposterous "Hollywood Foreign Press Association." 

Get Reason email! Reason offers a variety of email alert options. Sign up for one or all of them today.

Comments

[Apatheist]

So much for the claims of the "no more evening links" people.

[Episiarch]

Yeah, FoE! In your face!

[Fist of Etiquette]

'ello, what's all this then?

[Episiarch]

It's called you being wrong. So very wrong. Just like Khan was wrong about thinking Kirk couldn't get his shields down. How does that feel, to be like Khan? Huh?

[Episiarch]

You are an obsession, you're my obsession,
Who do you want me to be, to make you sleep with me?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Well, someone will have to cajole Cavanaugh into settling Evening Links to a set time every day. I have a feeling the Gentleman Lifeguard is incorrigible and I don't have it in me, but this all over the place posting thing simply will. not. stand.

[Episiarch]

Where's your sense of fun? Of adventure?

[AlmightyJB]

I remember when 709 comments were alot and meant a spirited discussion. I'm guessing that what follows is crap, so after a brief scan, I'm going to bed,

[PantsFan]

Yes. End this tyranny of people who wake up before noon.

[R]

Also the east coasters.

[Fire Hydrant]

Whoa. 654 comments? What the

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

This. 3:44 pm is not "evening." Also, so called "Morning Links", according to those who are fortunate enough to live under or west of the Big Sky, are more like "Middle of the Night Links". Fraud, I tells ya.

[RoboCain]

I was wrong.

[Fist of Etiquette]

NO! Admit nothing. Do not give them the satisfaction.

[Apatheist]

I am satisfied, with my new galaxy nexus that is.

[AlmightyJB]

How's the touchscreen? I know that posting from my Thunderbolt has always been frustrating which is why I often ignore apostrophes and don't correct spelling errors. Otherwise, I do like it.

[Auric Demonocles]

These links are much more evening-ly. I approve.

[Banjos]

They said you got no rights, you're a punk
Mohawk, tattoos, kid you're fucked

[foie gras]

Banned in Indonesia?

[Gojira]

And, last time I'm linking this, I promise. I was intending to put it in evening links, but had begun to think that they weren't happening today, which is why this is also in the previous two threads. But the stupid is so strong, I wanted as wide an audience as possible to see it.

The rich really do just hoard wealth like dragons, and only moar taxes can produce jobs, says a rich person who claims to hoard his wealth.

[capitol l]

Hey! Another "Where the fuck do I start" type article.

You know the type. There's just sooo much that's wrong that there's no one good place to start whacking at with the crowbar. So you throw your hands up, mutter "Jesus Christ", and back away from the link slowly.

[Gojira]

Yeah, I just hate to think of the damage this causes those who promote free markets when someone who has clearly benefited from them says, "Free markets don't work; I hoard my money and FUCK everybody else, and I'm not going to let go of a penny of it unless you force me to."

If you'll forgive some cliched use of OWS terminology, it's basically someone from the 1% saying, "Yeah I'm fucking you, and I'm gonna keep doing it unless you make me stop! Libertarianism can never work because of people like me!"

And of course, most people aren't down with the argument that the guy should get to keep every penny anyway because it's his money to begin with.

[capitol l]

I like how the guy was arguing that by taking $9million and splitting it up we'd sell 3000 cars, or some such nonsense.

*mutters "Jesus Christ"*

[Field Marshall Gill]

"Free markets don't work; I hoard my money and FUCK everybody else, and I'm not going to let go of a penny of it unless you force me to."

The irony of this article is that they clearly do not say where this guy's money IS. It almost certainly isn't stuffed into his mattress, so it is either invested in a CD, a bank account, stocks, ect, ect.

His money provides capital to produce jobs, even if he is to stupid to realize it.

[Amakudari]

The two smartest arguments made by those who believe that rich people DO create the jobs are that 1) the success of Silicon Valley proves that entrepreneurs and investors create the jobs, and 2) the observation that brilliant entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs create demand out of thin air by inventing products people didn't know they wanted. These arguments sound seductive and persuasive, but they miss the key point. Click this follow-up to see why: No, Entrepreneurs Like Steve Jobs Do Not "Create Jobs" By Inventing Products Like The iPhone

If you click above, you can come to understand why not even entrepreneurs in new fields create jobs.

[capitol l]

"If there were no people there'd be no nuthin' !!!"

[JW]

No, Entrepreneurs Like Steve Jobs Do Not "Create Jobs" By Inventing Products Like The iPhone

Huh. Look at that. Another "business" media mouthpiece that I can safely ignore.

[Maxxx]

Saying "the entrepreneur and investors create the jobs," in other words, is like saying a seed creates a tree.

A seed does not create a tree. The seed starts the tree, and contains the blueprint (idea) for the tree. But the tree is created by a combination of this blueprint plus soil, sunshine, nutrients, water, and a climate that has perfect temperature and atmosphere with enough of the above resources to go around.

Maybe, but I've never seen a law start a tree without a seed.

[Viscount Auh20]

Okay, I will say that legitimately that Steve Jobs gets way too much credit. He was an asshole who wore a turtle neck. Thank engineers for the iPhone. They work their ass off while Steve gets credit.

[Amakudari]

Somewhat. And I wouldn't simply congratulate Jobs, either. Heck, the design owes itself to Jonathan Ive and his team. But if you look at the enormous number of products out there that are designed by engineers run wild -- like every smartphone before the iPhone -- it's pretty obvious that good managers are absolutely vital to a good product, too. Working hard can still produce pretty awful results.

[Sam]

What came first, the product or the customer?

Hmm...

[capitol l]

You know that you've hit rock bottom when a pregnant muslim man forcibly shaves your mohawk.

The shame is incomprehensible.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Actually, it looks like the dude on the left is getting a reverse mohawk. Insidious.

[capitol l]

Not that it matters, because none of this is real; evening links do not exist (I've heard).

[Episiarch]

Peter Gabriel in Genesis level insidious.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Genesis? What's that?

[capitol l]

The thing you play Sonic on.

[Episiarch]

It was this thing that existed before Phil Collins destroyed it.

[capitol l]

Phil Collins does look like a hedgehog.

[RoboCain]

Actually, I always thought Trick of The Tail was one of their best albums.

[Fist of Etiquette]

HA! Missed opportunity for a Khan quote.

[Episiarch]

God damn it, this is about original Genesis, not the Genesis Device!

[capitol l]

The original Genesis was called something completely different and didn't come with the Sonic game; that's how you tell them apart.

[PantsFan]

Sega Master System?

[capitol l]

Technically yes, but there's also the biblical Genesis to consider.

[Amakudari]

I'm pretty sure the Master System came first.

[capitol l]

LOL Yer crazy. The universe is like 8000 years old or something, dude.

Res Ipsa Loquitur

[Sanity Clause]

It was this thing that existed before Phil Collins destroyed it.

I think Steve Hackett leaving the band is what really fucked it up. They had at least one decent post-Gabriel album, maybe two. Then Hackett left, and the shit really went downhill.

[JW]

Genesis? What's that?

You're all idiots, insulting FoE's intelligence like that.

[Mike M.]

Obama, his thugs, and his compatriots in the UK are now conducting an all-out manhunt to try and find the hero who leaked the ClimateGate e-mails.

If this person is in the US or UK, he should try and find a way to disappear. If he gets found, he will likely be arrested and detained indefinitely without trial, or possibly even killed outright.

[Jose]

Nah. He needs to release the password to the 200,000 emails that are still encrypted.

[Amakudari]

Ha, good luck, now that we're deploying Predator drones for routine law enforcement. We'll get him!

[Tulpa]

It's been fun to watch how this story has morphed over the past couple of days as it goes through the Reason grapevine.

By next week the drones will have been shooting puppies.

[Coeus]

By next week the drones will have been shooting puppies.

If the cops start using them regularly, you think they won't?

[Amakudari]

"Morphed"? Try almost verbatim (as for the grapevine, I haven't been here but maybe once this week):

But former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), who sat on the House homeland security intelligence subcommittee at the time and served as its chairwoman from 2007 until early this year, said no one ever discussed using Predators to help local police serve warrants or do other basic work. Using Predators for routine law enforcement without public debate or clear legal authority is a mistake, Harman said.

"The drones"?

Which ones? They've been used more than once, and the Border Patrol has fairly wide latitude to use them in cooperation with law enforcement. This is the first well-known instance, but the department that used it has identified two dozen other flights. The FBI and DEA also use them. Keep in mind that this is since June for SWAT in North Dakota. That's about as many SWAT call-outs as Grand Forks has in a year.

Unless you seriously think I believe that the ClimateGate whistleblower will be hunted down with Predator drones.

[Brian from Texas]

No real punk dresses like that. Those posers got what they deserved.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You will notice their law enforcement officers are held to the same high physical standards as ours.

[capitol l]

Don't mock people in poor countries that can't even afford maternity leave. It's just wrong.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I think the bun in his oven was wrapped around a lot of meat and cheese and whatever else they eat over there.

[PantsFan]

If your government shuts down, will you still be able to breathe and post on Reason?

[Fluffy]

Evening links are just wrong.

It's like I turned on Mad Men and Gilligan and the Skipper walked by holding martinis.

[RoboCain]

With the bovinator playing Ginger?

[RoboCain]

Fraternity getting shut down over a rape joke proves we live in a rape culture:

http://jezebel.com/5867922/fra.....to-members

[Eduard van Haalen]

There should be an "opposites attract" romantic comedy about a Reason poster and a Jezebel poster. They would would make Beatrice and Benedict look compatible. I know *I'd* watch it.

[dunphy]

and why the fuck are the police investigating a NON CRIME?

the femitards at feministing would claim it's conspiracy to commit rape or some such rubbish

[Old Man With Candy]

"Anti-abortion chalking"?

Oh, the horror!

[Ken Shultz]

"Authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province raid punk rock concert, arrest 65 youths, shave off boys' Mohawks and restyling girls' hair into bobs."

If they'd stayed up all night trying to think up new and better ways to make those kids even more rebellious, they couldn't have come up with a better strategy.

[Banjos]

I always wanted a mohawk, but it would look ridiculous on me. Alas, I was not designed to look like a badass.

[Ken Shultz]

Mohawks look good on even the people they look bad on.

Even short little mohawks look good.

The only mohawks that look bad are semi-mohawks, which look bad on everyone.

You cannot look bad in a mohawk. short or long.

Mohawks even look good on retarded people. There's no such thing as a bad mohawk.

Liberty spikes are like that--but even better. You can't look bad in liberty spikes. It's unpossible.

[Clorox]

A Tshirt for KenShultz

[RoboCain]

That's the best shirt ever.

[<3 (*)(*)]

You mean you don't look like this, but with a banjo?

http://images4.wikia.nocookie......dorova.png

[Fluffy]

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blo.....00867.html

Rush Limbaugh claims Ron Paul has said that 9/11 was an inside job.

Limbaugh is such scum. He's yet another name on the list of people I'm ashamed to say I once liked.

[foie gras]

Along with Lew Rockwell(people I used to like but are now ashamed)

[foie gras]

Though I do like RP. But I hate most talking/blogging heads.

[Fluffy]

Rockwell can be harsh, but I don't know of any occasion where he's simply deliberately made up a lie to attack an opponent.

Hey, maybe I just don't read him enough.

But Limbaugh is deliberately and knowingly lying.

Now every time I hear this asshole claim to be honest in the future, I'll have to remember this lie and hate him all over again.

[Rush]

As I was playing golf with my good friend Donald Trump over the weekend, and the subject of effective Viagra doses came up because I can't even see my willy in a mirror anymore, he said, 'you know, Rush, that Ron Paul really fucked me over. I have contacts in Singapore that produce SuperViagra distributed exclusively to old German men inside Ladyboy bathhouses around South-East Asia. If you could do one of those hits of yours on your show on him, I might have a hookup." Sorry, Ron but I need my SuperViagra.

[Colin]

Unless you believe he was the true author of the newsletters.

[CrackertyAssCracker]

Wait, I thought they were too un-PC. What lies do they contain?

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Thomas DiLorenzo is not credible, and provides no links to the transcript to give this proper context.

I will research and get back to you all.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Even though Rush does not cover himself in glory here, DiLorenzo is doing his usual context-less misquoting. Here is the actual first quote:

But Ron Paul has said things, for example, make you think that he believes 9/11 was an inside job, Ron Paul. He hasn't said it word-for-word, but the only conclusion you can draw when you listen to him talk about his theories on it

That is from this transcript, easily accessible and in plain English.

Like I said, Rush is dancing on a line here, but DiLorenzo claims to be an historian, and this is academically sloppy work. When you say and quote that "Rush repeated the Neocon Lie of the Day that Ron Paul has said that 9/11 was "an inside job."", you better goddamned well not drop the context.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Wonderful - I have to find out that DiLorenzo out-and-out lied about the other two Rush quotes as well. What an asshole.

here is what DiLorenzo wrote:

[Rush] said today that Ron's supporters are "uninformed TEA Party conservatives" who support Ron's "Waco nut job things" he says about foreign policy

And here is the quote from that same transcript I linked above:

Where is his support coming from? That's what I would like to know. I have my ideas. But, for example, are we to believe that Ron Paul is attracting the precious independents and precious Democrat crossover voters? Is that where he's getting his support? Or is he getting his support from uninformed down the line Tea Party conservatives who really are not hearing the wacko nut job things he's saying about foreign policy.

Nothing about "Waco", first of all. Second of all, it is a question, not a statement, and third, he did not call Ron Paul's supporters "support(ers) of 'Waco (sic) nut job things'", but in fact suggested that these TEA Party supporters of RP are uninformed, and they must be because they clearly are not hearing what RP has to say about foreign policy.

This is still a pretty shitty establishment attitude on Rush's part, but Jesus Christ it's like DiLorenzo doesn't even try. He has been in trouble for this shit before and he will knock it off. It is why I will not read his historical work, even though some of it is good and important - he is not credible.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://thehill.com/homenews/ad.....-on-holder

House GOP proposes 'lost confidence' resolution on Attorney General Holder

"Nearly two-dozen Republicans are backing legislation stating that Congress 'has lost confidence' in Eric Holder to continue as attorney general."

"The resolution, introduced by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and supported by 21 GOP co-sponsors, resolves 'that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress has lost confidence in the Attorney General of the United States.'" ...

----------

Tea-bagging scum trying to depose the one of the Great Liberator's children-protecting, gun-constraining subordinates? Ugh!

[Eduard van Haalen]

A vote of no confidence? What is this, the UK? Vote impeachment already!

[Res Publica Americana]

And try him for crimes against humanity. That'll be wonderful.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.unionleader.com/art...../712159997

NH: PSU protest: Guns on campus?

"Last Friday, two Second Amendment activists planned to protest the University System of New Hampshire's campus gun ban by violating it. Their intent was to stroll the Plymouth State University campus with loaded rifles slung over their shoulders."

"This was no ambush. They notified university officials of their plans at the start of the week. There was to be no shooting; only a peaceful act of civil disobedience designed, as most are, to illustrate a political point. The university's reaction was to treat these men as threats to the safety of students."

"The university got a restraining order, which sent the matter to court ... What was silly was the on-campus reaction of administrators and some professors." ...

---------

I'm surprised SWAT wasn't notified of the militia incursion at the college.

[RoboCain]

You know, back in the 70's kids on the rifle team brought their guns with them on the bus to High School, and left them in their lockers during to day, so they could practice after school.

And there were no school shootings.

[Res Publica Americana]

Before 1934, a kid could order a belt-fed machine gun through the mail.

And there were no school shootings.

[R]

Probably should have gone with an "empty holster" protest instead. At least that way when you get arrested you can sue the police instead of get jail time.

[dunphy]

a lawyer did this in seattle (except not empty holster. .. he had a gun) to protest seattle's illegal anti-gun law in city parks passed by EXECUTIVE ORDER by their liberal mayor

needless to say WE won and the gun law was overturned

[R]

Unless New Hampshire has a preemption law that doesn't specify that campuses are victim disarmament zones, I don't see this working.

[RoboCain]

So should I watch Lifeforce (1985) or Hostel 3?

[foie gras]

Lifeforce of course. Tobe Hooper's greatest film. Plus titties and space vampires.

[Fluffy]

Yeah, that ain't no choice at all. Gotta go with Lifeforce.

Not a Hostel fan.

[RoboCain]

I thought Hostel 2 was very good. Surprising to me, because sequels are rarely better than the original.

[dunphy]

i like that uber nerd chick that was in it. can't remember her name

she is SO unattractive, it's kind of endearing

decent boobs too

[Gojira]

Um, neither.

[PantsFan]

Or as was mentioned a few days ago

[RoboCain]

No.

[Episiarch]

No, this.

[RoboCain]

Looks fun, but it's not an option, because I don't have it.

[Tim Cavanaugh]

Lifeforce all the way. One of the great smokin' bods of regular movie history.

[RoboCain]

So far:

Lifeforce: 2
Hostel 3: 0

[Colonel_Angus]

The question is always, "Which one do you want to watch first"?

[RoboCain]

Well, that is the question. Which one will I watch when I can't stand anymore Newt.

[joshua corning]

Hostel 3

I have seen Lifeforce and cannot remember any of it.

So by default i would go with the movie i have not seen as just by random chance it might be more memorable.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.latimes.com/news/lo.....9554.story

ICE Agent Convicted

"Frank Johnston, a top Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, had a valuable informant ? or so he said."

"The informant was a Syrian-born, Arabic-speaking man who purportedly had information about an Albanian organized crime group ... Johnston actively vouched for the man ? a convicted felon."

"In reality, however, the informant was a fraud, prosecutors say. They alleged that Johnston had tried to get the man signed up as an informant and secure him a favorable sentencing deal in exchange for a lucrative consulting position. Johnston was paid as much as $4,000 a month in consulting fees at the same time he was deceiving agents, attorneys and even a federal judge by claiming that the man was working as a confidential informant ..." ...

----------

His out-of-agency brethren can now detain us indefinitely without due process, fellas! Be sure to hide a cyanide capsule in a fake tooth before you ever do anything ever again.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://jpfo.org/kirby/kirby-greek-gifts.htm

"
... "The Federal Government of the United States has a juicy military equipment giveaway program for local law enforcement agencies. Department of Defense Program 1033 was initiated in 1997 as a response to the 'war on drugs' and the 'war on terror'. For a small city or small town police department it's pretty much a 'kid in the candy store' fantasy. Guns, ammunition, ballistic vests, armored personnel carriers, boots, helmets ? you name it ? is up for grabs. Why Bull Frog, Oregon would need an armored personnel carrier is perhaps a bit unclear. But if they really want one? They can have it! ..." ..."

--------

Cock-fighting's is public enemy #1! We must fight it with APCs!

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/new.....caught-ta/

NV: Metro Police officer fired after beating caught on tape (video available)

"A Las Vegas police officer has been fired after an internal investigation found he violated several department policies during a March beating that was caught on tape."

"Officer Derek Colling's employment was terminated by Sheriff Doug Gillespie, effective today, officials said. Colling had been on paid administrative leave."

"Videographer Mitchell Crooks was in his driveway videotaping police on March 20 as they investigated a burglary report across the street."

"Crooks says Colling, 37, arrested and beat him when he refused to stop filming." ...

------

Wait -- aggravated assault & battery = no more than being fired? Fuck, man! I wonder if I can do that to a cop and just get fired! But first, I'd love to spend half a year on paid leave!

[R]

I'm frankly astounded he actually got fired. It's a major step up from the punishment Las Vegas police officers usually get when they hurt or kill someone, which is jack and squat.

[Coeus]

The majority of commenters on policeone seem to agree with you. But I'd bet you have a different opinion of Michael Crooks than they do.

http://www.policeone.com/news/.....stigation/

[Coeus]

Wait -- aggravated assault & battery = no more than being fired?

I have it on good authority that being fired is worse for a cop than jail. Because then they wouldn't be able to help people any longer.

[dunphy]

what i said is that many cops would rather face 6 months in jail and keep their job than get fired and get no jail.

[Coeus]

I know. Then I said "I guess they value being above the law that much."

And then you said that they joined to help people so it was a part of their identity. And that was why they wanted to keep the job and go to jail instead. All I did was summarize the conversation. Cause apparently you've never heard of "volunteer work".

[dunphy]

actually, i have. i have done a lot of volunteering how about you?

fwiw, my agency and many others have volunteer police officers. they are called reserves. they work w/o pay

you could put in an app. you might have to study for the psych test, though

(hint: don't say you smell stuff burning that isn't actually there. it will help you hide signs of organic brain damage)

yw

[Coeus]

actually, i have. i have done a lot of volunteering how about you?

Awesome, then you know your argument's full of shit. Enough said. As for volunteer work try Eagle Scout (well, not really, since I quit with only my final project left) and Red Cross all through college (and after).

you could put in an app. you might have to study for the psych test, though

I'm still wondering how low the standards were on the one you took, seeing as how you still can't seem to grasp the incredibly simple concept of the non-agression principle.

[dunphy]

i can grasp the concept. heck, i can grok it.

i can grok the concept of phrenology too.

doesn't make it a valid concept in neuroscience though

hth

[Coeus]

i can grasp the concept. heck, i can grok it.

I'm calling bullshit. If you completely understood every aspect of it, you'd understand that it's a fundamental tennent of libertarianism, and you'd quit calling yourself a libertarian.

[dunphy]

you can quit yer bitching any day now. a fundamental concept of libertarianism is not that you get to determine how exactly the NAP is applied. i have no idea what in particular you think about my philosophy that is inconsistent with NAP, but regardless you are not the grand arbiter of libertarianism.

does ron paul's support of a secure border violate the NAP in your opinion?

[Coeus]

i have no idea what in particular you think about my philosophy that is inconsistent with NAP, but regardless you are not the grand arbiter of libertarianism.

Bullshit. Utter bullshit. There is not a fucking libertarian on the goddamn planet who thinks depriving someone of their freedom for doing something that doesn't violate someone else's person or property is in accordance with the NAP. This isn't some niggling little doctrinaire detail.

You put people in jail for putting substances in their own body that your masters do not approve of.

You put people in jail for owning property that your masters do not approve of.

There is no libertarian on the planet who thinks that these are the actions of a libertarian.

does ron paul's support of a secure border violate the NAP in your opinion?

You really don't understand the NAP at all, do you? The answer is that it depends. Do the property owners care? If they don't want people trespassing then it's valid. If they want people to come over than it's not. Paul isn't a libertarian anyway. He's just the best we've got.

[dunphy]

oh btw, props for the false assertion that cops are "above the law"

you must watch a lot of seagal or something

[Coeus]

you must watch a lot of seagal or something

Well it's either that, or I use my fucking eyes. Not a big Segal fan. Is this a case of that legendary "cop intuition" I hear so much about? The one that makes the phrase "resonable suspicion" meaningless? Jeeze, I feel so much safer now, knowing that there are so goddamn many of you guys running around with such elite skills. Almost makes up for the constantly demonstrated inability to keep y'alls fingers out of the fucking trigger guard when you're not shooting.

[dunphy]

yup. you got it . reasonable suspicion is MEANINGLESS ... that's why courts constantly wrangle over what exactly it means, why cops are suppressed during hearings because they didn't have RS (which is apparently meaningless in your narrow mind), and why people who actually understand such concepts can have vigorous informed debates on it, like at volokh.com

yup. RS is meaningless

the more frothy you get, over arguing over your inane statements and trying to justify them, the more ridiculous your twisting of reality becomes

you actually sound like a lying cop, caught in a lie, and trying to twist his way out of it. how ironic

[Coeus]

why people who actually understand such concepts can have vigorous informed debates on it, like at volokh.com

Sorry charlie, it is in fact basically meaningless. Sure, every once in awhile a cop gets jammed up for frisking whoever he wants, but in the majority of states "he was walking in a suspicous manner" is all that is needed. A cop who knows how to properly word a report can justify a Terry stop whenever he wants. Now, this isn't a fact, but it is my opinion. I'd call a standard judged that way pretty damn meaningless.

you actually sound like a lying cop, caught in a lie, and trying to twist his way out of it.

Odd. I detect nothing similar in our writing styles. Still, you would be the authority, judging by your continued bullshit about the NAP.

[?]

i love that one day a crackhead is going to shoot you in the face

[dunphy]

it's 2011. crackheads are passe. i haven't seen one in ages

mebbe your mama rented new jack city for you?

these days , it's sprackers, and heroin fiends, hth.

[Coeus]

oh btw, props for the false assertion that cops are "above the law"

Read the article at the top of the thread you're commenting on, you willfully blind douchenozzle.

[sloopyinca]

How long has it been since we've had a good Ground Zero Mosque story?

[Fist of Etiquette]

There's never been a good Ground Zero Mosque story.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://tenthamendmentcenter.co.....al-rights/

You don't have 'Constitutional Rights'

"You do not have constitutional rights."

"You just have rights."

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights ..."

"Unalienable: not capable of being repudiated."

"You don't worship as your conscience dictates because the Bill of Rights says you can. You don't speak your mind because of a grant from the government. You don't defend your life, family and property because the framers saw fit to write the Second Amendment."

"Most Americans hold a seventh grade civics notion that the Constitution gives us certain rights. In fact, the Bill of Rights merely sets limits on the federal government ..."

------------

Every American should read into this sort of stuff

[RoboCain]

It should be taught in school.

[Res Publica Americana]

Don't push your luck -- you might get lynched for suggesting something like that. *Shudders and hides*

[Bingo]

I don't like the idea of positive rights, even vaguely used.

[Res Publica Americana]

Positive rights are a ludicrous concept. That most of our neighbors and compatriots believe in that toxic shit is heartbreaking and worrisome.

[Tulpa]

Property rights are borderline positive rights.

[Fluffy]

Not really.

I consider a "positive right" to be a right I could not enjoy without other people laboring to provide me with the substance of that right.

I don't need any of you to labor to have a property right. If every other human died tonight, leaving just little old me, all the world would be my property, so I'd still enjoy property rights even without your help. But I can't have a "right to medical care" in the same manner. To have a "right to medical care" I need somebody to provide the medical care and/or someone to pay for it.

[Tulpa]

I guess that $20 limit for getting a jury trial is written in natural law?

One could argue that the right to due process, freedom of speech, right to bear arms, and a few others are fundamental human rights. (I don't find natural rights theory convincing, but some versions are at least coherent.) But most of the BoR deals with ad hoc privileges that the people are afforded in return for giving power to the government.

[Fluffy]

In your example, I think it's more the reverse:

That the BoR acknowledges that the right to a jury trial is fundamental, but asks us to cut the state some slack about demanding a jury for trivial matters dealing with less than $20.

To make it consistent and remove your objection, I'd be more than happy to say Fuck it, jury trials ALWAYS, no exceptions no matter how petty the matter.

[Local Cop]

You familiar with your rights? Sounds like PC for warrant at your house, drug dealer.

[PantsFan]

What a GOAL

[Fist of Etiquette]

B?ckstr?m never heard of the poke check?

[Greg]

Bad goaltending all around made this look better... I'm a forward not a goalie, but I know if I'm skating that slowly I'm probably not going to end up going to the backhand.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.examiner.com/gun-ri.....ice-deaths

Washington Post wonders if gun rights advances are responsible for police deaths

"In the wake of last week's fatal shooting of a Virginia Tech policeman, and his murderer's subsequent suicide, comparisons to 2007's massacre at that school were inevitable, as were attempts by the forcible citizen disarmament lobby to exploit this new puddle of blood to dance in."

"An editorial in the Washington Post over the weekend started with a discussion of Officer Deriek W. Crouse's murder at VA Tech, and then moved on to cover law enforcement deaths nationwide, particularly the third or so of which that are caused by gunfire. That number went up in 2010, and again this year, and in speculating on the reason for the spike, WaPo's editorial board predictably hypothesized that perhaps it's gun rights that are responsible:" ...

[RoboCain]

Why not blame global warming? I mean if it's warmer, more criminals can go outside. How about gay marriage? If criminals could marry their prison bitches, they would be too busy picking out china patterns to shoot cops.

[Res Publica Americana]

Roflmfao.

I wouldn't put it past them. Wait a few months, and see what they pull out of their blue asses next.

[dunphy]

actually, there is a saying amongst cops that "jack frost is the best cop" and often , at least when the first cold spell hits, we see a drop in crime. people are less likely to go outside in general and commit crimes as well, when it's cold as fuck

this doesn't mean alaska, where it's cold as fuck for months on end is crime free.

[dunphy]

iow, they are predictably.. idiots

[Fist of Etiquette]

Red states dominate 247wallst.com's ranking of most charitable states.

I seem to recall this mentality in left-leaning Europe. The mindset is that their copious taxes means the state will take care of "charity" to the poor. I imagine blue states (we're all in purple, really) believe more heavily in government as provider.

[joshua corning]

Good country people. Red states dominate 247wallst.com's ranking of most charitable states. Maine, home to undertaxed-millionaire horrormeisters, is nation's cheapest state.

What is up with Virginia/West Virginia?

Virginia makes the top 10 while West Virginia makes the bottom 10....

Am I going to have to pull out a map* and find Washington DC?

*My hatred of he east coast is expressed by my intentional ignorance of its geography. (Seriously I can find Yemen quicker then I can find Rhode Island.

[RoboCain]

My guess would be that West Virginia has fewer people who can afford to give to charity.

[Heroic Mulatto]

My hatred of he [sic] east coast is expressed by my intentional ignorance of its geography.

The feeling is mutual, by the way.

[dunphy]

there was a study a little while ago that concluded conservatives give a greater %age of their income to charity than liberals

the liberals 'splaining it away at DU was pretty funny.

it mostly fell along the "they just give their money to fake churches that are really just front groups for right wing causes" etc.

[sloopyinca]

Um, yes, please!!!

And a pic for the illiterate.

[Res Publica Americana]

Shit -- I have to try that!

[Bingo]

Bacon is good, bacon-flavored _______ is overplayed. Poor sausage has been playing second fiddle ever since that meme took off.

[sloopyinca]

If you want to know what's going on in the sausage-flavored scene, I believe Epi is still around.

[Bingo]

Wonder if he measures his sausage intake by the ounce or by the inch...

[sloopyinca]

He'd lose count either way. My guess is by the link.

[Episiarch]

By the foot!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I saw that on Drinking Made Easy. They put the cooked bacon in and by they time they took it back out it looked raw.

I seem to recall they had a something else similar-flavored vodka, too.

[Bingo]

Study finds unattractive men most likely to incorrectly think women really dig 'em

"Women, for the record, consistently underestimated their male partners' interest in them sexually." ... lol

[Res Publica Americana]

So they weren't aware the incidence of sexual interest by men was 1?

[Res Publica Americana]

*101 percent?

[Gojira]

A dude from Ireland I knew in college once complained when we were all sitting around in a bar and giving the "1-10" scores to chicks as they came in.

He said, "You stupid Americans, overcomplicating everything! There is no 1 through 10, it is only 1 or 0: you'll fuck it, or you won't!"

That bit of profound wisdom has stuck with me ever since. Though when drunk, it sounds like I have binary turrets as I walk around slurring, "0,1,1,1,0,1,1,0" as I pass people by.

[Res Publica Americana]

It's tempting, but you get to kill time and fling hormones with a 1-10 scale, examining and rating all the individual parts thoroughly and repeatedly.

If you're lucky, the chick you're staring it is drunk enough she wouldn't notice if you walked up and checked her out up and down -- that way, you can even take photos or grope (if you're an off-duty LAPD cop).

[Coeus]

that way, you can even take photos or grope (if you're an off-duty LAPD cop).

Or an off duty Houston cop. I saw a guy grabbing ass on like 3 chicks at one of my frequented bars last year. All 3 freaked out, called over the bartender and I saw him shrug apoligetically. I get smooshed in close to him trying to get a drink, and the little faggot grabs my ass. I spun around hollering "What tha fuck" and he whips out a badge.

Now, you might be thinking "I'd bet you wanted to shove that badge up his ass". You'd be wrong. I wanted to create a new orifice to put the fucking piece of tin in. Thankfully, I was trying to get my first drink, instead of my 6th, so I'm not typing this from state prison right now.

[dunphy]

cool story, bro

[Coeus]

Just because you found your technicolor PD after some kind of tornado blew you there, doesn't mean this shit isn't endemic everywhere else.

[dunphy]

and you can wear a dress and click your heels all you want, doesn't mean you're not a hairy fat ugly guy in a dress.

[Coeus]

???

You understand that you are Dorothy in this metaphor, yes? It makes no sense to turn it around, since my experiences are not magical nor hard to believe in the slightest. You're not propositioning me, are you? Are you actually a small asian cop in Houston who gets too drunk in Pub Fiction?

[dunphy]

you really are this deluded, and of course all your stories about evul cops discussing their latest shenanigans are SO credible.

yawn

[Coeus]

and of course all your stories about evul cops discussing their latest shenanigans are SO credible.

I don't believe I've ever posted any of those (though I do have them, I spent my summers growing up at the local courthouse, and I overheard some fucked up shit).

Regardless, this is another reason why you're a douchenozzle. You post anecdotes all the time, and no matter how retarded they appear, I don't say you're lying. The reason I don't say that is because I couldn't possibly know. Now, apparently, you have no such standard. Not suprising.

[Bingo]

I have gotten into this argument many many times with my buddies. The 1-10 scale is bullshit, especially since 5 and below are supposed to be the "unattractive" ranks. It's either you would smash it, you would smash it after X number of drinks (which is basically the same as the first), or you wouldn't. It's binary, not some sliding scale.

WTF kinda nerd goes around saying a girl is an 7.8 anyways? Jesus christ.

[Fluffy]

But you need some way to differentiate between Yes answers.

After all, you can only hit on one girl at a time. Most of us can only take one girl at a time home. So if there are 10 Yes girls in a bar, how do you rank them?

More classification is always better than less. As a libertarian and honorary Aspberger's sufferer you should know this.

[Bingo]

Holy shit, yes
Yes
Sure
Why not?

Obviously each yes has a different enthusiasm attached to it, therefore we can use an organic system that doesn't require a rigid quantitative approach and also allows for diverse options like "god damn yes", "until it was raw", "smash it like Thor's hammer", or even "I would give my left nut for her to sit on my face".

Really, a numerical system just isn't sufficient.

[Episiarch]

Bingo is correct. There are an infinite number of mental states possible regarding each individual chick. Each woman is unique, thus your overall reaction to her is unique.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"...but federally-funded researchers can always tell when women are attracted to them. 'They don't say so in so many words, but I know they're turned on,' said one researcher, 'especially when I look in on them through my binoculars.'"

[Gojira]

A French court has found our old friend Chirac guilty of corruption.

Freedom Fries FTW!

[Res Publica Americana]

I wonder if they'll have the honor in them to find themselves guilty, too. French courts aren't exactly a paragon of integrity.

[PantsFan]

Did I just see an ad for second hand smog?

[Colonel_Angus]

"We're not violating human rights. We're just trying to put them back on the right moral path."

Fuck you, cocksuckers.

[love-dress]

The long and slender evening cocktail dresses

[love-dress]

http://www.mylove-dress.com

[dresses1dfgh]

We're not violating human rights. We're just trying to put them back on the right moral path."

[Tulpa]

WaPo: 48% of Americans are low-income

The definition of "low-income"? Making less than twice the poverty line.

So it's basically like that Dilbert strip where the boss started cracking down because 40% of sick days were taken on Monday or Friday.

[Coeus]

God, Tulpa. Don't you realize that they wouldn't be "low income" if the rich would just pay their "fair share"?

[protefeed]

Where the poverty line is defined as "Make enough money to afford a roof over your head, a car, a color TV with cable, and enough food to become morbidly obese"

you know, "rich" to most of the world.

[Lefty McGee]

But the soup kitchens and food banks are in higher demand than ever!!@!eleventyone!!

[Spoonman.]

And look, I send $20 a month to the food bank. Nearly feeds another human for a whole month, according to their statistics.

Which is more than I can say for my federal taxes.

[Coeus]

Because the actual news today is so goddam depressing, here some bagging on feminists:

It's ok when we do it, because...patriarchy.

http://jezebel.com/5868205/sho.....-tim-tebow

Now compare to feminist takes on articles discussing deflowering of virgin female celebrities.

[Coeus]

Also, I believe that the SOPA vote is today (yet another bit of depressing news). Anyone wanna put money on it not passing?

[Bingo]

When was the last time any bill that massively increased government power didn't pass? Ugh, I need a drink.

[?]

WTF kinda nerd goes around saying a girl is an 7.8 anyways? Jesus christ.

John

19:25:

Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

19:26:

And Jesus said, "Dat ho's like a eight."

[protefeed]

It's a 3 point scale:

2: "She's so hot, there's no way she'd fuck me."

1: "I'd fuck her, and she might let me."

0: "Even I wouldn't fuck her."

[joshua corning]

I think the "she might let me" women should be put above the "no way" women.

In fact I fail to see how a women who is hot enough to fuck and also willing to fuck is anything but perfection

[Cytotoxic]

David Frum: Ron Paul makes the GOP hate the middle class...or something. WARNING: READING THIS WILL MAKE YOU DUMBER

http://fullcomment.nationalpos.....dle-class/

[PantsFan]

No sht, it's David Frum

[Coeus]

They ripped him a new asshole in the comments, so at least there's that. Last election cycle, that shit went mostly unchallenged.

[chris]

He got ass raped in the comments;

The only reason anyone even publish David Frum's articles is because his father-in-law (Peter Worthington) is a big-shot in the newspaper industry.

The man is a joke, through and through. His is a constant source of shame for Canadians everywhere.

[Colin]

As a kid, I saw that Quincy episode when it aired, and totally bought it.

Then, about a year later, I bought a DK record and finally realized what bullshit it was.

Quincy punks forever!

[non]

Does Yahoo Finance have it's own mutual fund, because that would be hilarious?

[Thunderbitch]

Just started watching The Wire . . . so do the nigger dykes end up eating others pussies? I gotta know.

[non]

Actually I'm not sure how I found the Yahoo Finance story by the millionaire who admits to selfishly hoarding all his money, but it doesn't change my view on the comedic value of having those people in charge of investing money for people who believe them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

DEE

Bate

DEE

Bate

Dee

Bate

[New West Republic]

Who's Dee?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Please hold your applause until there's someone worth applauding.

[Bee Tagger]

where we doin this?

[Bee Tagger]

Hold on Fox, I just got a google chat, one sec.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Extraordinary backdrop? It looks like the same garish blue/red wallpaper to me.

[Bee Tagger]

In 20 years, which of those things will be laughed at the hardest? Facebook message, tweet, or email?

[Bee Tagger]

Thank you, Fox. I now know that my only two choices are Newt or Mitt.

[Holder's Boyfriend]

Where the hell is the debate thread?

[Bee Tagger]

Reagan + Christmas = lots of conservatives changing their pants.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Gingrich is going out on a limb by wishing GOP primary voters a Merry Christmas.

[Gannicus]

My god Newcular Titties looks revolting. Who's out there supporting this guy?

[Bee Tagger]

Uh, Gingrich just said he'd leave Obama without a leg to stand on. Is he saying that he'd be hanging... like say... from a tree?

[Fist of Etiquette]

YOU ADVOCATED AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.

[Amerifuntimes]

Why are they letting gingrich talk for like 5 minutes?

[Bee Tagger]

Trying to figure out what the ratings would be like for that 3 hour de....zzzzz

[Joe M]

Postrel would've had a dedicated thread.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich: I keep my finger wet and in the wind.

[flacid tuna]

Ron Paul is Calvin Coolidge.

[Amerifuntimes]

Fucking insulting question to Paul and nice deflection.

[Bee Tagger]

Ha, the "compliment" portion of Ron Paul's question was pretty backhanded.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Even Santorum?

[Holder's Boyfriend]

I like Megan's nose job

[Fist of Etiquette]

Santorum was totally eye-fucking her.

[RoboCain]

I would totally penis-fuck her, if you know what I mean.

[Bee Tagger]

the dreaded male gaze accomplishes both

[flacid tuna]

I feel bad for Santorum.

[Half of US poor or low income]

Capitalism works as well as Communism. Think Perestroika II will help?

(AP) WASHINGTON - Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans ? nearly 1 in 2 ? have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5.....ow-income/

[RoboCain]

I hate Santorum's nose. I find it mathematically offensive.

[Bee Tagger]

Santorum had a conservative SWAT team knocking down his door, shooting his dogs.

[Bingo]

Not sure if my liver will be able to handle this again...

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Tough" Newt just got a boner.

[Holder's Boyfriend]

Mitt has a lot of KY in his hair tonight.
-Is that a Mormom thing

[Fist of Etiquette]

How much is Mitt getting from Staples for mentioning them?

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

Welcome to the Fox News Republican Debate... brought to you by Carl's Jr.

[RoboCain]

"Fuck you, I'm eating"

[flacid tuna]

Bachmann overdid the makeup tonight.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Is Michele Bachmann an angel?

[Bee Tagger]

I can't help feeling helpless when she's around.

[Fluffy]

LOOOOO-seeeeeee, where is the debate thread?

[Bingo]

She's ignoring us for twitter... as usual.

[Chancellor]

Bachman is looking pretty good for a Harpy...

[Fist of Etiquette]

Michele Bachmann: No hand of a stranger.

[Bee Tagger]

Oooo, Bachmann is a fan of the hand of the stranger move.

[Gannicus]

Bachman's really got the make up caked on tonight.

[RoboCain]

She looks good for 55.

[Proprietist]

Yeah, damn. Was going to say the same thing. She looks about 15-20 years younger, and pretty hot.

[alexdroog]

Did Bachmann just admit that politician aren't real people?

[RoboCain]

Is Rick Perry actually high on drugs?

[Chancellor]

Get it on???

[Voros McCracken]

Perry goes Tebow?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rick Perry: Tim Tebow for president.

[RoboCain]

LOL

[Bee Tagger]

holy crap. rick perry is an 8 year old

[Gannicus]

Teeeeeeeeebooooooooooowwwww!

[Amerifuntimes]

Huntsman's eyebrows are always very active.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Goddammit, now that's all I'm going to be able to see.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Paul was the first to dis Trump, wasn't he?

[Bee Tagger]

Uh, I just watched Virgin Diaries on TLC last night. Not all Americans are getting screwed.

[flacid tuna]

Dear Donald Trump,

FU.

Sincerely,
John Huntsman

[Bee Tagger]

Yeah, why bother egging trump on? like he has anything to lose making things ugly in the media.

[Bee Tagger]

Santorum solving problems at home: words
Abroad? bombs.

[Gannicus]

I don't dislike Huntsman. Its too bad he's run such a bad campaign.

[RoboCain]

I agree.

[Amerifuntimes]

His presence is very reassuring. Rather be looking at his face than Romney-Newt-bear-pig.

[Proprietist]

He's making a strong attempt to be the "adult in the room." I'd take tax hikes if they'd come in the package of accepting the Bowles-Simpson proposal, which I understand is the basis for his plan.

[John Thacker]

But the problem is that his "adult in the room" comes with a large dose of also hating those stupid voters.

And sure, many politicians do, but they at least try not to show it.

[Donald Trump]

I'd ask better questions:

#1 What do you think of my great TV show?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Fox News: Tell us how bad Obama is.

[Donald Trump]

#2 What do you think of my fantastic books?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Michele Bachmann talks to her debt.

[Donald Trump]

#3 What do you think of my wife's tits?

[Kolohe]

Republicans are supposed to be against artificial inflation.

[Amerifuntimes]

Zing!

[Gannicus]

I hope we get something on Fast and Furious tonight. Hearing the words "throw Holder in jail" never get old.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wallace is going to argue for Gingrich and Romney?

[Bee Tagger]

Slick move by Romney comparing Newt's attack to one Obama would make.

[flacid tuna]

I picture a thought bubble above Newt's head, "I see what you did there."

[Fist of Etiquette]

Romney: Vote for me, I don't fail every time.

[Gannicus]

What's wrong with people that we're still arguing about the merits of capitalism and creative destruction in the year 2011.

[Lefty McGee]

Why do you hate the poor?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Mitt Romney: I run business just like Obama.

[Bee Tagger]

It's almost like Newt will say whatever someone pays him to say.

[Bingo]

We should totally get a fund going for the next debate.

[Backerac'ed]

We 4chan should totally get a fund going for the next debate.

[Tonto]

Who you calling we, paleface?

[flacid tuna]

Fascism Mae and Fascism Mac.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul called Gingrich a fascist.

[Gannicus]

Preach on Ron Paul.

[RoboCain]

I still wish he was a better speaker.

[Gannicus]

I do too. Imagine his ideas coming out of the Romneybot.

[Bingo]

Honestly all we need to do is fake a few focus groups and poll results saying that libertarianism is super popular and we'll have reprogrammed him to our cause.

[Bee Tagger]

I can't imagine Gingrich's team woke up today and hoped their candidate would be defending GSEs in the debate.

[Viscount Auh20]

Every time he speaks, I remember that I wish libertarianism had a better standard bearer than Ron Paul.

And I gave the guy money.

[your]

$10 didn't do much damage

[Fist of Etiquette]

A key part of every agreement Newt had was that they wouldn't call it lobbying.

[Donald Trump]

Holy shit, no wonder Newt got away with banging other women
-I almost believed him

[Fist of Etiquette]

Bachmann is 10 seconds away from getting the back of Newt's hand.

[Michelle Bachmann]

He get that hand shoved up his own ass

[RoboCain]

The pretty lady just made sense.

[Joe M]

Gingrich: I was in the private sector.
Paul: GSE means government sponsored enterprise.
Gingrich: Uh, not all GSEs are bad!

Total fucking dodge.

[flacid tuna]

1.6 million.

[Bee Tagger]

Look, my policy is to bleed them dry piece by piece. You want Tiffany's to go out of business?

[Gannicus]

Newt's definition of lobbyist is as narrow as Obama's.

[Whoopie]

He's not a lobbyist lobbyist

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich: Break up Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. More paychecks that way.

[Bee Tagger]

Moar 5 minute questions, plz

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich has no intention of answering that Paul Ryan question.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Paul, Santorum and Huntsman have gotten two questions at this point, no?

[flacid tuna]

Will Fox not have a question on Iraq?

[Bee Tagger]

Yes, finally, accounting terms. It's like Mitt is handing me a nice warm glass of milk and scratching my back with his robotic claws as I drift off to sleep.

[Amerifuntimes]

I loled.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul goes Gingrich on Cavuto.

[Whoopie]

Earmarks?
I didn't know Ron Paul had pierced ears!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Yeah, dumbass, he didn't complain about earmarks.

[Tulpa]

Unfortunately, he can't explain his position even with two time allotments.

"The money is spent whether we have earmarks or not."

That's all he had to say, but he can't say it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rick Perry is trying to figure out who this is asking him questions.

[RoboCain]

He looked like he was trying to take a shit.

[Bee Tagger]

Perry literally doesn't understand one word of the question he's being asked.

[Joe M]

People want A Leader to tell them what to do. That's Paul's biggest weakness.

[Whoopie]

that bitch better not shave his eye brows

[Tony]

Just tuned in, but RP is looking good delivering his insane bullshit.

You guys think you can gotv enough to win states beyond Iowa? He'll never have another chance, so you guys gonna put down the cheetos or what?

[Proprietist]

Do you just enjoy being shriveled dickwad, or can you just not help it?

[Tony]

I'm just wondering if you are going to vote and accomplish something or sit on your ass and complain.

[tarran]

Oh look, anothar moran who thinks voting acomplishes sumoething.

How's the guy you voted for doing repealing Bush's assaults on our civil liberties, boy?

Proud of your vote for a torturer? Proud of giving the peace prize to a guy who tried to keep troops in Iraq while making them immune to prosecution?

Well, at least your guy wouldn't ally the US with a side in a civil war where both sides are committing atrocities unlike that loon McCain, right?

God, Tony, I suspect guys like Cheney get down on their knees every day and thank God for suckers like you.

[Tony]

So is there a third choice besides voting and sitting on your ass and complaining, and if so why aren't you exercising it?

[Mr. FIFY]

Well, if we went out and protested, we'd be branded "domestic right-wing terrorists"... something the Occutards don't have to worry about, eh?

[Shit Sandwich]

[Giant Douche]

[Bingo]

Perry needs his his own low-budget public access show call-in show, it'd be hilarious.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rick didn't get that Cavuto was dissing Congress.

[but]

he had a decent reply

[Fist of Etiquette]

Riffing off a Congress dis is seldom a bad move.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Tax holiday". Let's call it what it is, a tax Christmas! YEAHHHH!

[Amerifuntimes]

Hahahahaha

[Gannicus]

More Megan Kelly please.

[SIV]

Megyn should have worn a latex catuit.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Free market answer on job creation from the Romster.

[Lost_in_translation]

US and china only two countries in future. OMG what is huntsman planning!!!

[gaijin]

a cross breeding program

[Kolohe]

Firefly's final revenge on an uncaring world.

[Tulpa]

Fuck, is Huntsman a gorram browncoat? That's shiny.

[Tony]

Romney whoring for Big Oil. Huntsman is looking good being sane.

[Mr. FIFY]

And come next year, Obama will ramp up his whoring of Big Government.

Fuckheads is fuckheads.

[gaijin]

Newt would like to try the judicial branch.

[Tulpa]

I like how Newt identifies himself with FDR.

[RoboCain]

I want permission to start drilling Megyn Kelly, if you know what I mean.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Do you mean you would like to penis her?

[Fluffy]

I really am missing the Reason live blog. Blowing off the live blog = not cool.

I can't watch these debates and count on Reason to keep me informed.

Why can't I watch the debates? Because watching a debate where Paul is going to speak is like watching a Red Sox game where Daisuke is pitching. Everyone in my house and probably in my town is better off if I just change the channel.

[Bingo]

http://twitter.com/#!/LucyStag

[Ted S.]

How much are you willing to pay Lucy to live-blog the debates?

[Tulpa]

I'm pretty sure he's wrong about nobody criticizing Jefferson for axing judges.

[rather]

I'm going to research archived papers to answer that question

[John Thacker]

Although in fairness the Federalists had created a ton of new judges in the lame duck session and pushed them through.

But still, you'd have to assume that the Team Federalist partisans attacked Jefferson.

Just look at the classic Reason video.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

American Exceptionalism! Rah! Rah! Rah!

Oh, "I will be like FDR," that's what I want to hear from a Republican candidate.

The thought of a Gingrich presidency makes me want to eat the barrel of a 12 gauge.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Gingrich with a good attack on lawyers.

[mr simple]

That's true about lawyers. Dictatorial assholes.

[rather]

"As an historian...."

Poor Megan Kelly is going to be billed by Newt for a mullion bucks

[Tulpa]

Yes, to preserve American freedom we must impeach any judge who doesn't force people to say "under God".

[Gannicus]

Did Newt want to take on the judiciary like how Jackson did with the Trail of Tears?

[Kicky]

Hey Rick, the gov't would like the entire internet, most every computer, and the vast majority of roads back. You can keep GM and Ford, but they better have good offroad capability.

[Fluffy]

When Gingrich said how the creation of the internet proved that big government is a good thing, it just showed that Tulane doctorates are worthless, at least in history.

The government enforced a telecommunications monopoly for decades, literally making it ILLEGAL for anyone to attempt to compete with Ma Bell. There were no private sector innovations in telecommunications because they would have been ILLEGAL.

I'm not impressed that the government was able to invent packet switching after making it illegal for anyone else to invent packet switching.

[Fidonet]

What am I, chopped liver?

[gaijin]

wtf is bachmann talking about? The courts are not an arbiter of law?

[Proprietist]

I don't know, but she looks really good spouting stupidity.

[Tulpa]

The president has failed to take his authority back from the courts?

How do they feel about Citizens United, Heller, and the Obamacare cases?

[Tulpa]

Take my Constitution, please!

[Tony]

Newt is impressive.

[rather]

liar

[Tony]

He's full of shit in an impressive way.

[gaijin]

massive too.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Finally got to "separation of powers" at the very end of his answer.

[mr simple]

Half of the judges appointed in the next 4 years will be appointed by the president? Really Mitt?

[Bee Tagger]

Santorum is constantly in shock that no one cares about him.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rick Santorum is Rick Santorum's favorite Supreme Court justice.

[RoboCain]

When is this goatfuck scheduled to end?

[Tulpa]

Is John Jay still available?

[mr simple]

I bet Scalia's tearing up at home.

[Gannicus]

Wow, way too many Scalia picks. Jesus.

[Tulpa]

Scalia's all right. The Alito love is more distrubing.

[Gannicus]

I would say Thomas is alright. Scalia loves him some jackbooted police. For him government power is fine as long as its yielded for conservative causes.

[John Thacker]

You mean like allowing flag burning and allowing people to grow pot in their house without the police looking in with heat lamps and allowing criminals to get off if they can't confront the CSI lab people? Or when Scalia says that the government can't ban violent video games?

Scalia has several areas where he's ruled in a non-"conservative" anti-jackbooted police way. Not that he's perfect.

Alito OTOH totally sucks.

[RoboCain]

I'm surprised no one picked Jesus.

[Tulpa]

TEEEEEBBBBBOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!

[Fist of Etiquette]

You can't ask three people a question about the Courts and then go to the other candidates and expect them to give you a name without commentary.

[Bee Tagger]

You can if you want playful banter before cutting to commercial.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

What a surprise. The neo-cons sucking Scalia dick.

[John Thacker]

Yes, because they're all in favor of flag burning.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I've been tweeting @BeaverCleaver this whole time.

[Tulpa]

The commercial break talking heads are speculating about campaign consultants hooking up in sleazy bars.

[flacid tuna]

Guess where Megan Kelly is headed after the debate...

[RoboCain]

I can't take another whole hour of this shit....

[Bee Tagger]

More fiber.

[Joe M]

Seriously. I'm off to play some Deus Ex.

[gaijin]

in Iowa?

[Tulpa]

They don't call it "Sioux City" for nothing.

[Bee Tagger]

There is a movement to do away with the electoral college big enough to buy commercial time in prime time?

[Tulpa]

Let's start with showing how crazy Ron Paul is on Iran.

[flacid tuna]

wow, Paul got applause

[Gannicus]

He's got a good point. This is what people were saying about Iraq before that happened.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul: I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world as it is is vexing enough.

[Bee Tagger]

Yes, that should have been what he went with on the follow-up

[flacid tuna]

but Paul, you didn't answer my false premise!

[Proprietist]

Ouch, Paul's bombing this one.

[gaijin]

^^nice!

[bitchslap]

I'll try one more time...

[Bee Tagger]

So this is how you get more debate time, take a point of view that the moderators find deplorable.

[Tulpa]

Congressman Paul, if you had Jack Bauer on the phone with a terrorist with the secret code to disarm a fertilizer bomb, would you authorize him to shove a screwdriver up his ass?

[RoboCain]

LOL

[Gannicus]

I thought he was going well for a while, but this answer is not ending well.

[Tulpa]

You mean the little friendly beep that all the other candidates have also been ignoring, Brett?

[gaijin]

Rick Santorum: Kill em all. 'Them' I mean.

[Lost_in_translation]

Listen to santorum, he's promising to invade Iran on day one.

[Sanatorium]

al Quaeda: code work for I'll kill the fuckers

[Tulpa]

Uh, pretty sure both al-Qaeda and Iran are insulted by claiming they're equivalent, Rick.

[John Thacker]

If he's planning to bomb them, insulting them is hardly the worst crime.

[Bee Tagger]

Twitter check:

secupp S.E. Cupp
Ron Paul: It makes more sense to work with people. Yes, I think Ahmedinejad wants to work with us. If "work with us" means kill us.

[Fluffy]

S E Cupp is a worthless cunt.

[RoboCain]

But she's hot.

[Voros McCracken]

What if sharks with laser beams attached to their heads were threatening to rape Scarlett Johansson. What would you do then, smartguy?

[Montani Semper Liberi]

The beep means shut the fuck up Rick.

[Amerifuntimes]

Santorum golden happy lucky war expert

[Fist of Etiquette]

Santorum went through his own beep and Romney's next beep as well.

[Tulpa]

What does Romney think we should do.

[Tulpa]

I suppose we should have bombed the Soviets when they wouldn't give our U-2 spy plane back too.

[Mitt]

'Pretty please' only works with my wife

[flacid tuna]

Going to war to recover an unmanned drone is perhaps the most retarded thing I've ever heard of.

[Bee Tagger]

I have searched Twitter for "Ron Paul" when he talks foreign policy for almost every debate. I have seen this exact tweet from a different person every time:

"When Ron Paul is the most sensible person on the stage, you know there's a problem"

[Newt]

A revolving credit line at Tiffanys works with mine

[Tulpa]

It's disgusting the difference in the question Romney got and the question Paul got. Romney was allowed to squeak by without actually saying what he would do about the captured drone, an actually existing situation, rather than a hypothetical one.

[Proprietist]

I think the answer Paul should have said was "if the threat is truly imminent, I will instruct Congress to formally declare war on Iran. Until then, we should not provoke them and use diplomacy to avoid military confrontation." Easy.

[Kolohe]

Isn't Syria falling apart?

[Kolohe]

And aren't they next on the target list, anyway?

[gaijin]

Bachmann: Ron Paul should be indefinitely detained as a threat to 'merica's safety.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Shorter everyone else but Paul: MOAR WAR! MOAR!

[Amerifuntimes]

It's about time for some Israel cocksucking

[Amerifuntimes]

Fools and knaves!

[Proprietist]

The ping, Michelle. The ping.

[Tulpa]

She's an originalist with respect to the Iranian constitution too!

[Michelle]

Knaves, I say!

[Lost_in_translation]

Fools AND knaves

[Tulpa]

I am impressed with her vocabulary.

[Gannicus]

This is the exact same shit Bush and other neocons were saying about Iraq. If these people were in power during the Cold War we'd all have died in a nuclear war.

And am I the only one who doesn't give much of a shit about Israel? Isn't time they put on their big boy pants and take care of themselves?

[jesus]

Jew hater

[RoboCain]

Flip-flopper!

[John Thacker]

If these people were in power during the Cold War we'd all have died in a nuclear war.

The problem for me is that when I hear people say that line, I think about LBJ's disgusting ad against Goldwater.

[curiousgeorge]

Didn't Reagan prove em wrong? Or was there some big difference between his position and Goldwater's?

[Proprietist]

Did he just say "Why do we have to bone so many countries?"

[flacid tuna]

He just lost the debate.

[Ted S.]

Don't bone me!

[gaijin]

Paul is right...and that's why he won;t be the republican nominee I think.

[TDK]

Ron Paul only gets fired up talking about this stuff. Good for him.

[Amerifuntimes]

Fiery Paul is even less articulate then Placid Paul but I enjoy him just the same.

[hazeeran]

I disagree. He made a hell of a point about the '62 missile crisis.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul's Achilles' heel is having to answer for his foreign policy in 60 seconds.

[gaijin]

true, though the exchange with bachmann was as close as this thing has come to an actual debate.

[Xenocles]

At least nobody could manage to ignore him.

[Michelle Bachmann]

I A E A

I A E A

I A E A

[gaijin]

War. What is it good for?

[TDK]

Bachmann: We must destroy everyone so America can be safe

[Kolohe]

Kick ass answer by Paul invoking the Cuban Missile crisis

[Amerifuntimes]

Also when he mentioned Switzerland and Sweden.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Off the rails.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Damn, Paul is getting pissed.

God, I want to punch this dick head who keeps telling Paul about the beep. Who the fuck is that guy?

[Tulpa]

Known knave Brett Baier

[Fist of Etiquette]

Yeah, Paul is the only one gettng that reminder.

[Tulpa]

He just nabbed Huntsman too.

If one of the golden boys gets it we know they're serious.

[Lost_in_translation]

Fuckin Paul is awesome when he gets pissed.

[Bee Tagger]

Newt brought jokes!

[Michelle Bachmann]

You assholes still all want to fuck me?

[rather]

Michelle, don't ask

[Michelle Bachmann]

I'll take that as a yes from you

[rather]

Hmm, I've always wanted to use my hand on another woman...sure

[Michelle Bachmann]

What, no tongue?

[Xenocles]

Not with all that makeup on. Seriously, are you wearing an inch of foundation?

[rather]

I guess you won't be fucking her in the ass, old man

[Xenocles]

You could say that, yes.

[Koan]

Paul not only lost the debate - his campaign is now over.

[RoboCain]

Bullshit.

[Lost_in_translation]

Or he just grabbed a whole bunch of more votes. Just depends on the sanity of voters.

[Kolohe]

In that case, he's toast

[Lost_in_translation]

Probably, but that's what alcohol is for.

[Proprietist]

He at least just talked more Democrats into registering as Republicans and voting for him. What do they have to lose?

[Sam]

I actually had a few blindly progressive friends text me and tell them that Paul has their vote b/c of this debate, his foreign policy views and Obamas likely signature of the defense and Internet censorship bills

[Joe M]

Yeah yeah, some dipshit has posted that after every debate.

[gaijin]

Huntsmann: I hate the hate.

[hazeeran]

The Paul-Bachmann exchange was worth watching.

[Bee Tagger]

Love Huntsman for saying "second of all" 20 seconds after the beep

[Fist of Etiquette]

John Huntsman: Occupy GOP Debate!

[Gannicus]

My hope of a Paul win in Iowa is over, but I love him as much as ever after that Iran exchange.

[Fluffy]

Are there really any Iowa voters who don't know what Paul's foreign policy views are by now?

[Tulpa]

You have no idea how fleet-footed an Iowa voter can be.

[Gannicus]

Haha, amazing reference.

[Bee Tagger]

I can't help but think that pro-Huntsman people are projecting their foreign policy hopes on him. He's extremely vague in his answers.

[Proprietist]

Syria is allies with Iran? I thought they were allies with Saddam, who was Iran's enemy.

[Xenocles]

All these Arabs are the same, obviously.

[Lost_in_translation]

Why is no one taking Jordans threat to israel seriously. I mean they're the same as al Qaeda. Bomb Jordan!

[Lost_in_translation]

They supported Hezbollah which got assistance from Iran. I don't know if Syria and Iran were besties though?

[Proprietist]

Ah crap, I had that totally backwards. Wow.

[gaijin]

I know I shouldn't, but why do I feel sorry for the Rick Perry?

[Tulpa]

"There should be no space between Israel and the United States"

Wait, are we annexing Lebanon?

[Kolohe]

And reversing plate tectonics!

[hazeeran]

Hey, Gingrich is all about "big ideas."

[Rick Perry]

I'm using words and I hope at the end they become sentences...

[flacid tuna]

Destroy or retrieve it? Cale walk.

[Xenocles]

I love kale.

[RoboCain]

Me too!

[Tulpa]

Newt doesn't have an answer.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich just discovered thoughts can be edited before being spewed at people.

[flacid tuna]

lunar colony!

[SIV]

HEROIN!

[SIV]

Oh, that was Huntsman.

[Tulpa]

Horse Tranquilizers! Gleemonex!

[Bee Tagger]

Nice, Huntsman wants to open the Methodone XL pipeline.

[LilDebbie]

huntsman wants to cut our addiction to importing oil by... importing oil

[gaijin]

Huntsmann: We are stupid.

[Fist of Etiquette]

John Huntsman: Americans are idiots.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Obama got out his Jump to Conclusions mat.

[Tulpa]

Did any of these candidates know what Keystone pipeline was two months ago?

[Montani Semper Liberi]

I didn't know people still wore American flag lapel pins. Welcome to 2001, Michelle.

[RoboCain]

Aren't they all wearing one?

[Montani Semper Liberi]

I didn't see Perry wearing one. Michelle was the first I noticed. I could be wrong. I haven't really been paying too much attention to what they look like.

[Michelle Bachmann]

That's my nipple tat

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rick Perry, you're in the pocket of Big Oil. Why?

[mr simple]

Once our nation solved its problems through dance.

[Xenocles]

Did Bachmann forget what country this is? She just used the expression "take the decision."

[Amerifuntimes]

wtf perry

[Bee Tagger]

That settles it, whoever suggested the Rick Perry call-in show should be made president of a television network right now.

[gaijin]

no shlt...that would be hilarious. Like carnac...only low brow 😉

[Ted S.]

I suggest the Union Broadcsting System.

[Rick Perry]

Lavatories of innovation!

[RoboCain]

There is a lot of hot air in Texas.

[Gannicus]

Crony capitalism is ok at the states! States rights! Pick winners or losers in the Governor's mansion!

[hazeeran]

"The bill of rights was signed 220 years ago." Non-sequitor of the century.

[Bee Tagger]

I heard sedated, come-down Perry answering the question but then I looked at the screen and it was smirking cowboy catch phrase Perry. That really threw me.

[flacid tuna]

the fox debate commentators suck

[gaijin]

understatement. Especially Neil Cavuto..he seems to think of his questions as he asks them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

They say the same about Hit & Run debate blog commenters.

[Tulpa]

Wow, the online people are riippping into Paul.

[RoboCain]

And by "online people" you mean useful idiots of the military industrial complex?

[flacid tuna]

the fox people on the live stream in between debate segments

they suck

[TDK]

This country is doomed.

[Chris Wallace]

In a surprise twist, I'd like Governor Perry to diagram his last sentence. Governor Perry?

[hazeeran]

I'd pay money.

[Fluffy]

Yay, Jacksonville finally scored.

[Berr]

Yeah, well some of us are holding Atlanta -11.5. I'm not too worried.

[Ted S.]

It's not as if Atlanta is getting past Green Bay.

[TDK]

Also holy shit do they love smoking Gingrich's pole.

[Bingo]

Softball to Perry... yawn.

[Tulpa]

Debate Questioners: "OK, Rick Perry, we're going to put this one on a tee for you. Don't fuck it up this time."

[gaijin]

Hezbelloah and Iran are using mexico to invade america?

[Lost_in_translation]

Well in the 80's the soviets did that...

[Lost_in_translation]

Wolverines, ho!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rick Perry: I can't even keep Texas safe.

[Bee Tagger]

Perry wants to penetrate into the southern part ... oh forget it.

[hazeeran]

Perry: It's time to invade Venezuela!

[Montani Semper Liberi]

War with Hezbollah, War with Hamas, War with Iran, War with Mexican drug Cartels, War with Venezuela. Is there anyone we shouldn't be fighting according to Perry?

[gaijin]

Unfortunately, most of the candidates on the stage seem to agree we need to fight someone. always.

[RoboCain]

Canada?

[Lost_in_translation]

That would seem our safest war, eh?

[Rick Saint Oral]

Fight during the day and be home for dinner

[gaijin]

monroe doctrine like we did with cuba? I'm not a historian but, wtf?

[Tulpa]

JFK invoked the Monroe Doctrine during the missile crisis.

[Bingo]

Venezuela has the largest Iranian Embassy in the world... better bomb 'em all, thanks Perry!

[LilDebbie]

what the fuck did he even say?

[Tulpa]

I think he was trying to recite the United Airlines schedule, though I'm not sure.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Call of Juarez: GOP Debate edition

[Gannicus]

Bravo.

[Tulpa]

OMG there's a flight from Damascus to Caracas! Nuke them! Right away!

[Lost_in_translation]

The way he said it too made it sound like he thought Damascus was in Iran.

[Bingo]

OK guys, jihadi training camps in S. America... seriously?

[Tulpa]

And there are communists on the space station!

[Kolohe]

Frankly, if I was working on my game to smite infidels, I'd rather be doing that in Cancun then Yemen.

[Gannicus]

Iran!

[War]

Is there no problem I can't solve?

[Bee Tagger]

Ah, companies in America do wrong, sanction them. Abroad? bomb them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Romney is in the pocket of Big Card.

[Bingo]

The GOP's foreign policy is literally based of the plot of the Modern Warfare games.

[Bee Tagger]

Please please follow up with Newt about Arizona and their state marijuana laws.

[gaijin]

So they gave Paul the 'Iran' question and now he's not going to get a chance to answer anything else is he?

[Tulpa]

Mission Accomplished

[RoboCain]

OK, that exceeds my Newt limit. I'm going to go watch Lifeforce.

[hazeeran]

Anyone who supports E-Verify is NOT a free marketer.

[Colin]

xenophobia is more important.

[Megan Kelly]

Will you kiss Latino ass?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Anti-gay marriage. That will get you the Hispanic vote.

[gaijin]

Huntsmann clearly just watched South Park

[Bingo]

More authoritarianism, more control.

Oh this is a great question "Based on how much you want votes, how much do you give a shit about the rights of others?"

[Bee Tagger]

Let's see if Paul can bring back the warskis with some anti-immigration talk.

[Bee Tagger]

Oh, the embarrass him with Iran questions and leave him by the side of the road plan is in effect.

[Amerifuntimes]

Yeah, this is pissing me off.

[Gannicus]

Glad to see Huntsman at least arguing that immigration is a good thing economically.

[Bee Tagger]

Agreed. It's the anti-Santorum.

[Koan]

This is way it's looking - Paul gets the Iran "gotcha", nothing else . . . and the post-debate analysis will all be about how Paul fucked himself on that answer.

[gaijin]

well, maybe he'll get to defend the newsletters to close it out.

[veemee sashimi]

The problem is I wonder if these folks are assuming something's true when it might not be. A decade of constant war is a long god damned time even for normally pro-war Republicans.

They don't talk about it much, but I do think there is a growing sense even in GOP ranks that we may have to dial it back some in the very near future.

[Tulpa]

Here's Wallace. Brush up on your newsletter history.

[Bingo]

::ROMBOT PROCESSING QUESTION::

::WARNING: ATTACK IMMINENT::

::BEGIN DEFLECTION::

[gaijin]

Romney: We should not discriminate against people based on sexual preference...unless it involves marriage.

[Newt]

Embryos are like cute puppies!

[hazeeran]

Lettucelation, mmmm

[Fist of Etiquette]

Gay rights, except for marriage, OF COURSE.

[Tulpa]

Ouch, Romney doesn't recall the whole list of positions he's changed...

[Christine O'Donnell]

I like it!

[Bingo]

He stores policy questions in RAM, must have rebooted once he finished up that series.

[Gannicus]

"I'm sorry, I don't remember everything I've flip flopped on."

[Fist of Etiquette]

Chris Wallace: Mitt Romney, I will destroy you.

[gaijin]

Fox wants it's newt bad.

[Bee Tagger]

Mitt: I had a gay man beneath me.

[George Takei]

Ohhhhhhhh, myyyyyyy!

[Bingo]

I love how the moderators take war in the Mid East and now S. America (!) in stride but grill these people on the most trivial shit.

[Proprietist]

I like how they haven't asked Paul any questions since his bombing of the Iran question.

[Kolohe]

Romney seemed like he got a half hour on that last question

[Bee Tagger]

Attack Dog Santorum: Strike!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Did Wallace just ask Santorum to tag in and take over going after Romney?

[Tulpa]

Hmm, my live feed just shut down

[SIV]

All this focus on Newt made me forget what a slimey, statist POS Mittens is.

[Bingo]

HOLY FUCK ROMNEY ISSUED GAY MARRIAGE LICENSES WHO THE FUCK CARES ABOUT OUR FISCAL CRISIS AND UNENDING WARS??!!?

[Proprietist]

The one good thing about Romney maybe, and he's disowning it?

[hazeeran]

Rhetorical right?

[Lost_in_translation]

Who gives a shit about the economy, we have wars ( of the drug, culture and middle east type) to fight.

[Bingo]

We are so fucked. Either one of these people wins or Obama wins.

[Bee Tagger]

Well, here we are, its 2011 and unemployment is effectively over 11% and gay marriage is the hot topic.

[Kolohe]

Same sex marriage was required?

[mr simple]

Mitt: I'm not gay!

[Gannicus]

"We don't care about the fact that most of you want to start World War 3, lets rehash the abortion debate for the millionth time."

--Fox moderators

[Kolohe]

Is a drone strike a 'natural death'?

[Lost_in_translation]

After birth abortion

[hazeeran]

Which war to start first: you decide.

[gaijin]

pregnancy is a seminal issue

[Lost_in_translation]

Dude, Gingrich just snickered when she said that.

[Tulpa]

I like it when Bachmann says "seminal"

[Bingo]

Oh wonderful defunding Planned Parenthood, the classic wedge issue.

Goddamnit, just go away So-Cons. PLEASE.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich: Bachmann is a lying bitch.

[veemee sashimi]

Anyone else think Newt Gingrich reminds them of STEVE SMITH.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

How does anyone on the question panel talk with Newt's cock in their mouths?

[Bee Tagger]

I'M A SERIOUS CANDIDATE. I INVENTED THE PIANO-KEY NECKTIE.

[Amerifuntimes]

Hahahaha.

[Proprietist]

LOL

[Proprietist]

I'm totally serial, guys. Facts exist because I say they do.

[LilDebbie]

I'M A SERIOUS CANDIDATE

[gaijin]

Bachmann: I'm serious. I'm right.

[Bachmann]

I CAN HAZ REBUTTAL?

I IS SERIOUS! BE NICE!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Michele Bachmann: I WON'T BE IGNORED, DAN.

[Amerifuntimes]

Holy fucking A ask Ron Paul a question.

[gaijin]

Nope, the moderators got what they wanted on the Iran question and they are done with him.

[Proprietist]

They want the Iran answer to be what people walk away with. Brilliant political sabotage.

[Bee Tagger]

WHAT JUST HAPPENED. SOMEONE TELL ME

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

Bachmann is a serious candidate. She has many leather bound books and her apartment smells of rich mahogony.

[Newt Gingrich]

Where did you get your facts, the toilet store?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Gary Johnson makes a brief appearance at the debate.

[hazeeran]

Thou shalt not spill on another republican!

[Kolohe]

What the heck happened?

[TDK]

Fox is a professional organization. What the heck was that?

[flacid tuna]

What about a question on the FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM?!?!?!

[mr simple]

You've all disgraced the great St. Reagan!

[Bee Tagger]

THE ONLY NFL PLAYER NAME I REMEMBER IS TEBOW

[Gannicus]

I think it was a crowd member making a stink about the Federal Reserve.

[Fluffy]

Has Paul had a question since 10:20?

[veemee sashimi]

No. After the Iran thing they decided to shut him out.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Tebow > Rick Perry

[Koan]

Told ya . . . Paul gets the one gotcha, and all the criticism. Classic frame up - and Paul walked right into it.

[Amerifuntimes]

God that's so sinister. I didn't even think it was possible but 35 minutes passed and no Paul question.

[gaijin]

It's blood sport afterall.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich: Very big (government) solutions.

[hazeeran]

"not asking enough questions." I see what you did there RP.

[Bingo]

RONALD
FUCKING
REAGAN

[gaijin]

Huntsmann: We need trust in...our wars abroad?!?!?

[Kicky]

The Herp amongst these Derps is plentiful.

[mr simple]

Was it just me or did Huntsman sound like he was wrapping up a bed time story?

[Gannicus]

The constant war mongering of much of the GOP really dismays me.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Now, let's go to the very insufferable Frank Luntz to tell us whether it was Romney or Gingrich who won the debate.

[Amerifuntimes]

God I'd love to punch that fucker.

[Amerifuntimes]

God I'd love to punch that fucker.

[Fluffy]

When the revolution comes I call dibs on Luntz.

[Tulpa]

I'm writing a debate song and searching in vain for something that rhymes with Luntz. Any suggestions?

[Luntz]

"Any suggestions?"
don't

[Cuntz]

Rhymes with Luntz?

Or were you being facetious?

[Bingo]

OK so the main difference between the GOP candidates and Obama is:

a) We do more wars, more better
b) Fetal rights!
c) Fuck da sodomites

Did I miss anything?

[Colin]

Fuck da immigrants, too.

[mr simple]

Can't let the debate get in the way of post-debate coverage!

[Colin]

I agree with Paul's foreign policy, but no libertarian will ever get the nomination with it. I'd rather have a half-libertarian -- someone who was libertarian on everything but foreign policy -- than someone who's no libertarian at all.

Which is what we constantly get.

[hazeeran]

"Half libertarian" is a generous description of recent republican administrations.

[Lost_In_Translation]

psst, he's saying we haven't gotten any half-libertarians in a while (Reagan, stretching it, was the last, Coolidge before that).

[curiousgeorge]

Pretty sure Coolidge was the closest thing to a libertarian this country saw since Jefferson.

[Proprietist]

If there was a libertarian with John Huntsman's foreign policy positioning it might be more successful, honestly. Focus on trade as deterrent to war, and call for rational cuts and reexaminations of whether we need so many bases.

[Gannicus]

Charles Krauthammer looks like a corpse at a funeral after the funeral home guy has dressed it up.

[Colin]

You mean he looks just like he normally does.

[LilDebbie]

t colin you're forgetting the imperialism is a huge part of the problem. scratch that portion of foreign policy and you're no longer libertarian.

[Proprietist]

Let's look on the bright side: at least there was no newsletters questions. They could have plunged the dagger harder.

[Gannicus]

God, how silly of me to think I could sit through a post-debate show of Hannity and Luntz.

Time to cleanse my palate with tonight's Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

[Bingo]

Yeah I turned that shit off right after Paul spoke, I think Bachmann might have been next.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul needed to answer on Iran much better than he did. He was trying to push too many national defense ideas into that ridiculously small amount of time and just came across badly.

[hazeeran]

Does he have any other choice?

[Fist of Etiquette]

I think a little more practice on concisement might be helpful. It's difficult but not impossible to make that foreign policy idea into the bumper sticker they want.

[Tulpa]

He could just address the Iran question itself, without dragging in his entire foreign policy laundry list.

[Lost_In_Translation]

He could have, but then he wouldn't be Paul.

[veemee sashimi]

I really think there is something to this. Remember this is sort of the ultimate "disaffected" campaign (with all the good and unfortunately bad that comes with that). Polish (not the country) would kill him in that sense. Ranting and raving and waving his arms in the air, while yelling at both the parties about how stupid they are being for pursuing this foreign policy is jarring compared to the sort of smooth and calm ways others advocate for starting WWIII.

In one sense that costs him with many people who view him as a "crank" simply because he seems to be acting like one, but if this is something _you_ hate about our foreign policy, it quenches your own desire to be able to do this yourself. That he has a platform to yell and scream at people like Newt Gingrich for their sins (past, present and unfortunately future) is "crank" to 80% of the people and cathartic to the other 20%.

And that feeling is a lot more powerful than political insiders understand. Ron Paul is the closest any of these people have to a candidate that's going to tell these assholes to go fuck themselves. To try and put polish on that is to diminish the effect.

It seems to me a libertarian who has a legitimate shot at taking the Iowa caucuses is probably maxing out his support relative to his actual policy positions. I never thought I'd see it.

[Mike E]

After the question was repeated again on Iran, Paul should have refused to play the game with the questioner. Every time he responded he was digging his hole deeper and deeper.

[hazeeran]

I don't think they understood he wasn't buying the premise, because he doesn't buy the grounds for that premise which is that the U.S. should intervene in the first place.

Not that I'm surprised by that, or much anymore.

[Tulpa]

If Iran got nukes, loaded them onto missiles pointing at the US or Europe, and said "we're going to bury you infidels", then I think (and I'm sure RP thinks) intervention would be warranted.

So he should have said, "there are some situations where intervention would be proper and others where it wouldn't. It depends on the details and I'm not going to get into that here."

[hazeeran]

Broadly agree. I did like the "when I was drafted you warmongering kiddos" episode.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Yeah, I concur, with a followup saying the premise of the question was flawed.

Paul's not the greatest spokesman for the libertarians, but he was the only one that got enough support for attention, :/

[Mike E]

The only thing that I like about Newt is that he calls out stupid questions.

[Rush]

WASHINGTON ? With Dakota Meyer standing at attention in his dress uniform, sweat glistening on his forehead under the television lights, President Barack Obama extolled the former Marine corporal for the "extraordinary actions" that had earned him the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor.

Obama told the audience in the White House East Room on Sept. 15 that Meyer had driven into the heart of a savage ambush in eastern Afghanistan against orders. He'd killed insurgents at near-point-blank range, twice leapt from his gun turret to rescue two dozen Afghan soldiers and saved the lives of 13 U.S. service members as he fought to recover the bodies of four comrades, the president said.

I didn't see any of this in real time, but did Obama really read off that list of accomplishments and it didn't occur to him that someone was making shit up? Did the press covering the event just buy it/ Well, I suppose this report indicates some had doubts, but come on! How much credulity does the average person have, much less the most brilliant president in our nations history? Shit, I've seen Superman accomplish less in a two and half hour movie than what they were claiming this guy had accomplished. Unreal.

[chris]

Whoops, forgot to switch back.

[mr simple]

Hannity has a wistful look in his eye while talking to Gingrich.

[El Commentariaso]

WHO WON

[U Didd]

"Economics must not dictate situations which are obviously religious."

[Fire Hydrant]

This is like the worst chat room ever.

[Mike E]

Dogs piss on you.

[Anthony Weiner]

How ya doin'?

[Osama bin Laden]

I prefer Republican foreign policy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"For all your supporters, I asked all other candidates questions of controversy as well."

I watched the other interviews, Hannity. you did no such thing to anyone but Paul.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Hannity's a douchenozzle and damned proud of it.

[Amerifuntimes]

That was fucking egregious. And I don't know how Paul stands it when every. single. talking head asks Paul which other candidate he would endorse/tries to paint him as a spoiler-traitor by asking him about third party runs.

[El Commenatariosa]

In Memoriam: Chistopher Hitchens 1949-2011

[rsi]

I especially like liked the hit job he did on Mum Teresa.

[-]

Yeah. Great job exposing her for the fraud she was.

[rather]

I'd love to know his final words

[Jingles]

Fuck.

[Ken Shultz]

Never enjoyed reading anybody more who I disagreed with so thoroughly.

I hope he was wrong. I hope there is a hereafter, and he's in it, sipping scotch somewhere with Mother Theresa.

Terribly sad to see him go.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

I hope he was wrong. I hope there is a hereafter, and he's in it, sipping scotch somewhere with Mother Theresa.

Geez, the guy just died and here you are pissing on his grave.

[Tulpa]

What comes around, goes around

[rsi]

http://reason.com/blog/2008/12.....-bah-humbu

[Anonymous]

This country is fucked. WSJ running editorial on why Ron Paul can't win, and of course they are right. Well, here's to stockpiling guns on my family's ranch and hoping that I can get there when the revolution comes to ride it out. Wolverines FTW.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

This needs to go viral:

So... you like Ron Paul, except for his foreign policy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded

[Gojira]

Bonus: in the recommended video links to the right, there's a hot Asian chick with a series titled "100 Reasons to Support Ron Paul".

[heller]

I like Ron Paul, except for his border policy and his willingness to allow states to not respect rights.

[Amakudari]

Ditto, but my list gets a lot longer for other candidates. And since those two areas are already fubar and possibly worse than Paul's vision, I could care less. The idea of a candidate who has clearly articulated principles and a clear voting record against things like the war, compulsory health insurance and the deficit is enough for me.

And, of course, it's almost like the Republican Party wants to lose its libertarians. It's running pro-war candidates across the board after getting the shit kicked out of them for those positions in '06 and '08, plus its top two candidates were responsible for proposals or actual law that are functionally identical to PPACA. Beyond that we have fundies, a semi-literate governor, the other Mormon, a serial sexual harasser, and some other guy (but he doesn't matter because he doesn't attend the debates). The GOP has really outdone itself.

It's almost like their goal is to take away Ron Paul votes by making the party so repulsively stupid that swing voters would feel too guilty to register Republican to vote in the primaries.

[R C Dean]

his willingness to allow states to not respect rights.

Given a choice between the states not respecting rights and the feds not respecting rights, I'll take the states every time.

[veemee sashimi]

It's a hell of a video.

After tonight he should continue to hammer home the fund-raising discrepancy among active militray between him and everyone else including Obama. It's a very nice bullet point.

Like others have pointed out, ironically I find his foreign policy views potentially the least objectionable thing about him. And in the GOP that probably will cost him an otherwise good shot at the nomination.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Paul, Gingrich, Romney, Perry, and Bachmann all called 'winners' by CBS.

Yes, I put Bachmann last because she's a woman. DEAL WITH IT.

[AlmightyJB]

After Paul and Johnson and anybody not running for prez I like Bachmann. She seems like the most informed of the leftovers and I think she probably has bigger balls then than all of the men put together. Gingrich is a douchbag, Romney is an opportunist, and Perry is a bullshitter.

[Tulpa]

Bachmann is an intellectual cipher who would wind up like Bush, a stooge of smarter people than she.

1. Paul
2. Romney
3. Santorum

After that you might as well throw spaghetti at the wall.

[Col Dubois]

Isn't santorum a cross between #2 and #3?

[AlmightyJB]

Christopher Hitchens has passed away. While no doubt, not a libertarian by any means, If you haven't read his work, It's your loss. Farewell to a great writer and a very intelligent and interesting man.

[Joshua Corning]

not a libertarian by any means

He was coming around....if he had lived another 20 years he would have become one of us.

[-]

He was too intelligent ever to "become" a libertarian.

[Tulpa]

I'm sure he's in a better place now. And seriously pissed about it.

[Res Publica Americana]

Paul should have said "when your entire premise is bullshit, answering your loaded question is impossible."

[SIV]

Nothing funny about this Friday.

[Koan]

That's the problem with Paul, god bless him . . . he's the wrong guy at the right time. By wrong guy I really mean "wrong politician". Love his principles, his views, etc. But our message is being delivered by the kooky old uncle sort who wears ill fitting suits, is unpolishd in the extreme, has a diffcult time pushing the message in a coherent way that can be understood by the average voter, goes WAY off point, and is pushing 80. Sorry folks, hate it and scream against it, but we do live in the media age, and a little bit of message discipline coupled with a somewhat tidier image would do wonders for libertarianism.

[Joe M]

Look at the bright side. Even if he isn't elected president, and even if he's not the best representative, he's started a real movement that's not just going to disappear after 2012.

[Troy]

Fuck. Hitchens is dead. The forces of reason lost a super-twinked level 85 palidan. I, unlike some others who post here and shall not be named, except by the moniker asshole, agree with much of what he has written. Mother Teresa was a fraud. Kissinger is a fucking war criminal and gets treated like some sort of elderly Oracle. And I love the way he threw the theists fucking head in sand. Cuz dudes...let the God meme die. Just let it go. It'll be ok. REally.

[rather]

RIP

[rather]

RIP