2012 US General Election Discussions: Start to Finish

Kobi · 02-02-2012, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLast

Yup, Al Sharpton stood his ground and brought it home!

Whoops- want to add something.

I know that a big part of this comes from my past professional life, but, I am really having a hard time with the fact that Newt Gingrich has displayed textbook bi-polar behavior as well as a whole lot of traits that fit into Narcissistic Personality Disorer- and this just gets glossed overby the media. His grandiosity is delutional in nature, but, because he is bright and has been able to make "normalcy approximations" & social adaptations in life to "hide" the actual pathology he has, it is never really called out.

There is evidence that bi-polar disorder is genetically linked and his mother suffered from this mental disorder. His marriage history from marrying his high school math teacher at the age of 19 and his mother saying that his first wife continued "mothering" him so he could grow up is just so chracterological!

Why the hell isn't this getting the attention it should? many people with bi-polar disorders do really well in life when they are treated, but the office of the presidency would be one stressful situation for someone with this disorder to function effectively. Add the personality disorder stuff and this is not a good combination for someone that has the power to use nuclear weapons within a few seconds.

I'm getting tired of Gingrich's behavior getting passed off as simply erractic. I think that voters do have a right to know about a presidential candidate's mental health history. The real history. This is saying alot because I believe strongly in confidentiality about these matters. But he is running for president and questions about his mental and emotional stability have been floating around for 3 decades. Frankly, in stead of his ex-wives being questioned about fidelity, I'd like to see them interviewed about any psychiatric history and medications he may have taken or is taking. Psychiatric records are not contained in regular medical records, so even if he presented medical records, this information would not be present.

In my jaded cynicism, I just presume anyone who thinks they should be President has a wee bit of mental dereangement going on.

Cin · 02-02-2012, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kobi

In my jaded cynicism, I just presume anyone who thinks they should be President has a wee bit of mental dereangement going on.

Well at the very least a more than ample dose of grandiosity if not out right megalomania.

With maybe a side order of narcissism.

Cin · 02-03-2012, 08:27 AM

Romney's Horrific Immigration Plan: Make Immigrants' Lives Miserable So They Leave

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney stole a page from the restrictionists’ playbook this week when he promoted the idea of “self-deportation” during a presidential debate. “If people don’t get work here,” Romney stated, “they’re going to self-deport to a place where they can get work.” Rather than initiate a constructive solution to our nation’s immigration problems, Romney is jumping in bed with immigration restrictionist groups who support policies that tear American families and communities apart, devastate local economies, and place unnecessary burdens on U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants.

Romney’s use of the term “self-deportation” is not at all surprising given his recent collaboration with Kris Kobach, the current Secretary of State of Kansas who continues to serve as chief legal counsel to the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), an arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

Kobach, the self-professed author of several state and local immigration-control bills, advised Romney on immigration during his 2008 presidential bid and has long-promoted the strategy of “attrition through enforcement”— the immigration-control strategy to drive away the unauthorized population by making their lives so miserable that they will choose to “deport themselves” rather than remain in the U.S.

“Attrition through enforcement” laws—like Arizona’s SB1070 and Alabama’s HB56—were explicitly designed to interfere with the everyday activities of immigrants and go far beyond denying unauthorized immigrants work. These laws deny access to housing, school, work, and even water and electricity to anyone who can’t prove legal status. The laws’ supporters have made it clear that making people miserable and encouraging them to leave the state is the intended consequence of their policies.

It’s troubling that a serious Presidential candidate would adopt the code words of extremist immigration control organizations and propose that making people’s lives miserable so that they’ll leave is an acceptable policy goal. By using the term “self-deportation,” Romney is making it clear that he is on board with restrictionists groups’ strategy to force all unauthorized immigrants to leave the U.S., regardless of the time they have spent here, U.S. citizen family members, and their years of tax contributions.

Doesn’t this country deserves to hear more detailed and thoughtful approaches from politicians and policy makers—approaches that offer a way forward rather than divisive and punitive so-call “solutions” to unauthorized immigration?

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews...so_they_leave/

Kobi · 02-03-2012, 08:50 AM

I was mulling this over while having coffee this morning wondering why is this newsworthy? Has Donald Trump become that important a figure in the landscape of the USA? Or is his opinion just a sign of the times?

I miss the country we once were. We used to run the place, I think, based on a certain set of values and principles guided by a certain ideology to protect the wellbeing of the collective people.

We have become, it seems, a different place. We have become a place where economics has become our ideology, and certain values and principles have become paramount as a result. And, these things are not only in direct opposition to the wellbeing of the collective people, money is systematically and deliberately being used to change the behavior and beliefs of the collective to bring them into the fold of the economic ideology. And, the scary part is, it is working brilliantly.

The paradigm shift is very odd. Fascinating.

Kobi · 02-03-2012, 10:17 AM

Did Romney's self deportation thing apply to Americans who self deport to save their sanity? Times like this when a moon colony is looking like an attractive option.

Sooooo, which of my Canadian pals is going to sponsor me until I get settled? I know Tim Horton's and Players smokes, and Canadian Tire (is that your version of Walmart?), and eh. And, I'm relatively housebroken.

AtLast · 02-03-2012, 01:18 PM

My current fantasy- is that on Sunday there is a massive pro union demonstration at the Super Bowl in Indianna. And that the NFL player's association announces that no future Super Bowls can be played in any right to work state- starting now. So, all existing schedules for this event will be cancelled as of Sunday in those state's already chosen (including 2013) that are right to work states.

No union players in right to work states! Then it all moves onto the NBA, NHL, MLB.......

Cin · 02-03-2012, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kobi

Did Romney's self deportation thing apply to Americans who self deport to save their sanity? Times like this when a moon colony is looking like an attractive option.

Sooooo, which of my Canadian pals is going to sponsor me until I get settled? I know Tim Horton's and Players smokes, and Canadian Tire (is that your version of Walmart?), and eh. And, I'm relatively housebroken.

LOL. Well, let me say this about that, Canada's PM at the moment is really not a nice guy. So I don't think it's gonna be that different once you get here. That said, Canada does have a more open immigration policy. And they appreciate immigrants. Still one does have to actually meet the criteria to be able to immigrate.

AtLast · 02-03-2012, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

LOL. Well, let me say this about that, Canada's PM at the moment is really not a nice guy. So I don't think it's gonna be that different once you get here. That said, Canada does have a more open immigration policy. And they appreciate immigrants. Still one does have to actually meet the criteria to be able to immigrate.

Maybe you have to come from California.... really glad Maddow brought this up, I remember it well and we have to give credit where credit is due!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...=latino-voices

Self-deportation.
The brilliant idea was not Mitt Romney's. But ever since he introduced it as a viable solution to the country's broken immigration system, he's been getting all the credit.

Long before the Republican front-runner made it a tenet of his immigration policy, Daniel D. Portado, founder of Hispanics Against Liberal Takeover (HALTO), a "militant, self-deportation movement encouraging all minorities to leave the United States" was championing the cause in the early 1990s following the passage of anti-immigrant Prop.187 in California -- on the radio, to talking heads, even California's Governor Wilson adopted self-deportation as a solution.

Only it was a joke.

In an interview from 1996 with This American Life radio host Ira Glass, Daniel D. Portado is asked why he is still in California if his mission is to self-deport.

He replies, "Well, I am here to help everyone get out. I hope to look forward to the day where I will stand at the border and say, will the last Mexican out of California please turn out the lights? That will be me."

Political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, the creator of the satirical movement, talks to Rachel Maddow about the gift that keeps on giving.

I wonder if Daniel D. Portado -- aka. Mr. Alcaraz -- is receiving royalties from Mitt Romney's camp for the trademark?

He has already sent a Cease and Desist notice to Patriots for Self-Deportation for use of the word he coined. But more importantly, is he being considered for a cabinet post? Secretary D. Portado.

For more updates by the noted right-wing Hispanic Self-Deportationist: Daniel D. Portado's Twitter

------

Prop 187 was a horrible experience in our state.

02-03-2012, 08:27 AM	#3
Cin Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Butch Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: Truly Madly Deeply Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: In My Head Posts: 2,815 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 6,333 Thanked 10,401 Times in 2,477 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Romney's Horrific Immigration Plan: Make Immigrants' Lives Miserable So They Leave GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney stole a page from the restrictionists’ playbook this week when he promoted the idea of “self-deportation” during a presidential debate. “If people don’t get work here,” Romney stated, “they’re going to self-deport to a place where they can get work.” Rather than initiate a constructive solution to our nation’s immigration problems, Romney is jumping in bed with immigration restrictionist groups who support policies that tear American families and communities apart, devastate local economies, and place unnecessary burdens on U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants. Romney’s use of the term “self-deportation” is not at all surprising given his recent collaboration with Kris Kobach, the current Secretary of State of Kansas who continues to serve as chief legal counsel to the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), an arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). Kobach, the self-professed author of several state and local immigration-control bills, advised Romney on immigration during his 2008 presidential bid and has long-promoted the strategy of “attrition through enforcement”— the immigration-control strategy to drive away the unauthorized population by making their lives so miserable that they will choose to “deport themselves” rather than remain in the U.S. “Attrition through enforcement” laws—like Arizona’s SB1070 and Alabama’s HB56—were explicitly designed to interfere with the everyday activities of immigrants and go far beyond denying unauthorized immigrants work. These laws deny access to housing, school, work, and even water and electricity to anyone who can’t prove legal status. The laws’ supporters have made it clear that making people miserable and encouraging them to leave the state is the intended consequence of their policies. It’s troubling that a serious Presidential candidate would adopt the code words of extremist immigration control organizations and propose that making people’s lives miserable so that they’ll leave is an acceptable policy goal. By using the term “self-deportation,” Romney is making it clear that he is on board with restrictionists groups’ strategy to force all unauthorized immigrants to leave the U.S., regardless of the time they have spent here, U.S. citizen family members, and their years of tax contributions. Doesn’t this country deserves to hear more detailed and thoughtful approaches from politicians and policy makers—approaches that offer a way forward rather than divisive and punitive so-call “solutions” to unauthorized immigration? http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews...so_they_leave/ __________________ The reason facts don’t change most people’s opinions is because most people don’t use facts to form their opinions. They use their opinions to form their “facts.” Neil Strauss

02-03-2012, 08:50 AM	#4
Kobi Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Biological female. Lesbian. Relationship Status: Happy Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hanging out in the Atlantic. Posts: 9,234 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,840 Thanked 34,617 Times in 7,640 Posts Rep Power: 21474860	Trump endorses Romney I was mulling this over while having coffee this morning wondering why is this newsworthy? Has Donald Trump become that important a figure in the landscape of the USA? Or is his opinion just a sign of the times? I miss the country we once were. We used to run the place, I think, based on a certain set of values and principles guided by a certain ideology to protect the wellbeing of the collective people. We have become, it seems, a different place. We have become a place where economics has become our ideology, and certain values and principles have become paramount as a result. And, these things are not only in direct opposition to the wellbeing of the collective people, money is systematically and deliberately being used to change the behavior and beliefs of the collective to bring them into the fold of the economic ideology. And, the scary part is, it is working brilliantly. The paradigm shift is very odd. Fascinating. __________________

02-03-2012, 10:17 AM	#5
Kobi Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Biological female. Lesbian. Relationship Status: Happy Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hanging out in the Atlantic. Posts: 9,234 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,840 Thanked 34,617 Times in 7,640 Posts Rep Power: 21474860	Did Romney's self deportation thing apply to Americans who self deport to save their sanity? Times like this when a moon colony is looking like an attractive option. Sooooo, which of my Canadian pals is going to sponsor me until I get settled? I know Tim Horton's and Players smokes, and Canadian Tire (is that your version of Walmart?), and eh. And, I'm relatively housebroken. __________________

02-03-2012, 01:18 PM	#6
AtLast Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Woman Preferred Pronoun?: HER - SHE Relationship Status: Relating Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: CA & AZ I'm a Snowbird Posts: 5,408 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 11,826 Thanked 10,827 Times in 3,199 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	My current fantasy- is that on Sunday there is a massive pro union demonstration at the Super Bowl in Indianna. And that the NFL player's association announces that no future Super Bowls can be played in any right to work state- starting now. So, all existing schedules for this event will be cancelled as of Sunday in those state's already chosen (including 2013) that are right to work states. No union players in right to work states! Then it all moves onto the NBA, NHL, MLB.......