Comments for armchair pundit http://armchairpundit.metapede.com Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:51:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Dear Conservative Friend by jason smith http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/08/19/dear-conservative-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-390 jason smith Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:51:31 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=589#comment-390 i like this. well written. i like this. well written.

]]> Comment on America: The Game by jason smith http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/08/21/america-the-game/comment-page-1/#comment-387 jason smith Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:22:49 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=615#comment-387 My critique aside about the application of your theory I do think you are spot with the winner and loser theme. My critique aside about the application of your theory I do think you are spot with the winner and loser theme.

]]> Comment on Elimination Dance: Small-Government Fanatics by Tariq http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/07/12/elimination-dance-small-government-fanatics/comment-page-1/#comment-383 Tariq Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:18:14 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=577#comment-383 Government is a necessary and vital component of society. That said its tendency is to grow. Never the opposite. So if no one opposes this growth what will be the outcome? Government is a necessary and vital component of society. That said its tendency is to grow. Never the opposite. So if no one opposes this growth what will be the outcome?

]]> Comment on Elimination Dance: Small-Government Fanatics by Tony Perrie http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/07/12/elimination-dance-small-government-fanatics/comment-page-1/#comment-374 Tony Perrie Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:19:25 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=577#comment-374 In some cases, government programs operate more efficiently than private companies. Private insurance companies are way more expensive to run than Medicare on average. I'm not sure that there is a clear alternative to limited democracy. Minarchists, anarcho-capitalists, and anarcho-syndicalists all make valid points. However, markets (free or otherwise) never really happened until government protection was provided. Unfortunately, our current fascist oligarchic cleptocracy isn't really doing it for me either. I don't know all the answers nor even all of the questions. Where am I? Seriously though. My thinking is that Eugene Mirman knows what's good for America. Here's his thinking on the matter. "We should probably use some form of socialist capitalism, where people's hard earned money isn't being snatched away by a tyrannical government, yet everyone has health care and shelter and snacks and a place to make out. I call this new system: sociocapaweeeeee! It is a fun government that has three basic rules: 1) No hitting. 2) Kids eat free. 3) Poor people aren't allowed to swim." In conclusion, stay off those truther websites. In some cases, government programs operate more efficiently than private companies. Private insurance companies are way more expensive to run than Medicare on average.

I’m not sure that there is a clear alternative to limited democracy. Minarchists, anarcho-capitalists, and anarcho-syndicalists all make valid points. However, markets (free or otherwise) never really happened until government protection was provided.

Unfortunately, our current fascist oligarchic cleptocracy isn’t really doing it for me either. I don’t know all the answers nor even all of the questions. Where am I?

Seriously though. My thinking is that Eugene Mirman knows what’s good for America. Here’s his thinking on the matter.

“We should probably use some form of socialist capitalism, where people’s hard earned money isn’t being snatched away by a tyrannical government, yet everyone has health care and shelter and snacks and a place to make out. I call this new system: sociocapaweeeeee! It is a fun government that has three basic rules:
1) No hitting.
2) Kids eat free.
3) Poor people aren’t allowed to swim.”

In conclusion, stay off those truther websites.

]]> Comment on Let the newspapers die by Ben Clemens http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/03/03/let-the-newspapers-die/comment-page-1/#comment-364 Ben Clemens Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:10:08 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=529#comment-364 In general journalism is a lot like many other professions that are a lot less unique and valuable with the interweb than without it, and I am good with the transition (and the painful but necessary sucking-out-of money). And certainly there is nothing sacred about how journalism has been practiced; it's a business like anything else. But the present circumstances are not like the car companies or banks, where the products are not selling because no one wants them; the journalism being produced today is extremely popular and the basis for a lot of the other content as commentary on the web. The fact that the web has no business model to pay for this content is a distorted situation; once the papers are dead (and all the local papers too, that's for sure), people will eventually make new cheaper sites and publications to fill the void. In the mean time, much of the existing expertise and knowledge about how to gather and publish the same news that is immensely popular will be discarded, and that will be our loss. In general journalism is a lot like many other professions that are a lot less unique and valuable with the interweb than without it, and I am good with the transition (and the painful but necessary sucking-out-of money). And certainly there is nothing sacred about how journalism has been practiced; it’s a business like anything else. But the present circumstances are not like the car companies or banks, where the products are not selling because no one wants them; the journalism being produced today is extremely popular and the basis for a lot of the other content as commentary on the web. The fact that the web has no business model to pay for this content is a distorted situation; once the papers are dead (and all the local papers too, that’s for sure), people will eventually make new cheaper sites and publications to fill the void. In the mean time, much of the existing expertise and knowledge about how to gather and publish the same news that is immensely popular will be discarded, and that will be our loss.

]]> Comment on What’s the big deal about Obama? by Shawn Smith http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/01/25/whats-the-big-deal-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-361 Shawn Smith Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:08:25 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=508#comment-361 Great comment Margaret. And I'm glad you approve my use of this priceless picture of you. Great comment Margaret. And I’m glad you approve my use of this priceless picture of you.

]]> Comment on What’s the big deal about Obama? by margaret http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/01/25/whats-the-big-deal-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-360 margaret Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:19:15 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=508#comment-360 I always wanted to believe in Obama: despite a very lean track record in terms of experience, almost everything he said or did seemed right to me. What other candidate so personified ethics, pragmatism, post-partisanship, intelligence, discipline, hard work? What other candidate was as artful at walking the line between the moral imperative to help your fellow man and recognition of the power of the market? Who else objected to the war in Iraq, and all its attendant issues, as early and consistently as Obama? I just wasn't sure the rest of the country would be willing to vote for a madrasa-educated black man. Or a woman, for that matter. So that day on the mall for me was all about pride in being part of the body politic that made a decision for Obama when history and entropy and so much was against him. For the first time in 8 long years I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!! Love the pic. Tho just seeing it is making me cold again. I always wanted to believe in Obama: despite a very lean track record in terms of experience, almost everything he said or did seemed right to me. What other candidate so personified ethics, pragmatism, post-partisanship, intelligence, discipline, hard work? What other candidate was as artful at walking the line between the moral imperative to help your fellow man and recognition of the power of the market? Who else objected to the war in Iraq, and all its attendant issues, as early and consistently as Obama? I just wasn’t sure the rest of the country would be willing to vote for a madrasa-educated black man. Or a woman, for that matter. So that day on the mall for me was all about pride in being part of the body politic that made a decision for Obama when history and entropy and so much was against him. For the first time in 8 long years I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!

Love the pic. Tho just seeing it is making me cold again.

]]> Comment on The economy’s willing executioners by Ben Clemens http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2009/01/11/the-economys-willing-executioners/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Ben Clemens Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:08:02 +0000 http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/?p=496#comment-353 I also like George Soro's take on the systemic problems, http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21352 I also like George Soro’s take on the systemic problems, http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21352

]]> Comment on Why the Democrats will lose in ‘08 – Part 2 by Tony Perrie http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2008/08/03/why-the-democrats-will-lose-in-08-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-337 Tony Perrie Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:21:26 +0000 http://www.metapede.com/blog/?p=452#comment-337 We have always been at war with Eurasia. We have always been at war with Eurasia.

]]> Comment on Why the Democrats will lose in ‘08 – Part 1 by flights » Blog Archive http://armchairpundit.metapede.com/2007/10/23/why-the-democrats-will-lose-in-08-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-104 flights » Blog Archive Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:44:48 +0000 http://www.metapede.com/blog/?p=230#comment-104 [...] Why the Democrats will lose in ‘08 - Part 1 Category: politicsTags: 2008 Election, McCain, ObamaActivity: Comment (RSS) [...] [...] Why the Democrats will lose in ‘08 – Part 1 Category: politicsTags: 2008 Election, McCain, ObamaActivity: Comment (RSS) [...]

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