Comments on: Season's Change http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Tue, 6 Jan 2009 11:55:14 +0000 By: Unbeliever http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9999 Unbeliever Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:25:11 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9999 Adam, I appreciate your input. I've usually voted Republican because that was the only party interested in smaller government. You are right, however, that the current crop of Republicans are no longer interested in smaller government, only in controling people and staying in power. If I ever saw a Democratic candidate that said that he believed in property rights and was against wealth-redistribution, I'm sure that I would give him my vote. But somehow, I don't see that happening anytime soon. I want to know: why can't we have a viable party that is for personal freedom AND personal responsibility. I'm left with the theocrats or the socialists. Adam,

I appreciate your input. I've usually voted Republican because that was the only party interested in smaller government. You are right, however, that the current crop of Republicans are no longer interested in smaller government, only in controling people and staying in power.

If I ever saw a Democratic candidate that said that he believed in property rights and was against wealth-redistribution, I'm sure that I would give him my vote. But somehow, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I want to know: why can't we have a viable party that is for personal freedom AND personal responsibility. I'm left with the theocrats or the socialists.

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9978 Ebonmuse Tue, 14 Nov 2006 00:56:18 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9978 Unbeliever, I suggest you ask yourself what makes the Democrats any more "statist" than the Republicans. On the contrary, George W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress have presided over one of the most staggeringly massive expansions in government entitlement programs in America's entire history, with a corresponding massive increase in deficit and expansion of the federal bureaucracy. The "faith-based initiative" is nothing but a system of distributing government pork to religious groups whom the Bush administration hopes will support them in return, and homeland security funding, as it has been allocated by the Republicans, has worked out the same way. Even the Republican tax cuts were so regressive as to make little practical difference for anyone other than the top 1% of earners, and their failure to revise the alternative minimum tax means that many people's taxes may actually increase (unless the new Democratic Congress takes action, which they have said they will). And let's not forget the Republicans' blatant authoritarianism when it comes to people's private lives; their recent decision to ban adults from gambling over the Internet in their own homes was the most recent, but hardly the most egregious, example. (Need I mention Terri Schiavo?) If you're concerned about statism, I suggest you vote for Democrats. At least they seem to be able to balance the budget and are much less concerned with what people do in their private lives. Unbeliever, I suggest you ask yourself what makes the Democrats any more "statist" than the Republicans. On the contrary, George W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress have presided over one of the most staggeringly massive expansions in government entitlement programs in America's entire history, with a corresponding massive increase in deficit and expansion of the federal bureaucracy. The "faith-based initiative" is nothing but a system of distributing government pork to religious groups whom the Bush administration hopes will support them in return, and homeland security funding, as it has been allocated by the Republicans, has worked out the same way. Even the Republican tax cuts were so regressive as to make little practical difference for anyone other than the top 1% of earners, and their failure to revise the alternative minimum tax means that many people's taxes may actually increase (unless the new Democratic Congress takes action, which they have said they will). And let's not forget the Republicans' blatant authoritarianism when it comes to people's private lives; their recent decision to ban adults from gambling over the Internet in their own homes was the most recent, but hardly the most egregious, example. (Need I mention Terri Schiavo?)

If you're concerned about statism, I suggest you vote for Democrats. At least they seem to be able to balance the budget and are much less concerned with what people do in their private lives.

]]> By: Unbeliever http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9977 Unbeliever Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:48:59 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9977 I truly wish that "None of the above" were a valid option. I truly wish that "None of the above" were a valid option.

]]> By: Joe Hardwick http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9967 Joe Hardwick Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:57:46 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9967 the Notocratican party? the Notocratican party?

]]> By: Unbeliever http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9966 Unbeliever Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:46:59 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9966 Take the socialism out of the Democratic Party, and I'll be happy to vote for them. But because of the statist nature of the left, I've never once cast a ballot for a Democratic candidate. As BletchleyPark said, they are coming for our money. The Democrats have their hearts in the right place, but their hands in the wrong place: our wallets. It is time for the Democrats to embrace freedom, not just for minorites and gays, but for taxpayers and property-owners. The freedom to control your life and what belongs to you, what you have worked hard to earn. If I want to see church/state separation and smaller government, is there a viable party for me? Take the socialism out of the Democratic Party, and I'll be happy to vote for them. But because of the statist nature of the left, I've never once cast a ballot for a Democratic candidate.

As BletchleyPark said, they are coming for our money. The Democrats have their hearts in the right place, but their hands in the wrong place: our wallets. It is time for the Democrats to embrace freedom, not just for minorites and gays, but for taxpayers and property-owners. The freedom to control your life and what belongs to you, what you have worked hard to earn.

If I want to see church/state separation and smaller government, is there a viable party for me?

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9844 Ebonmuse Sun, 12 Nov 2006 16:21:22 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9844 <blockquote>Your spiteful afterglow posted above is not constructive or helpful.</blockquote> I didn't claim it was either. I claimed it was cathartic. This country has been controlled by a cabal of warmongering fanatics for too long for me not to feel joy at the election returns. As I said, however, once the euphoria fades, the real, constructive work of undoing the damage they have done and returning America to the path of sanity will begin.

Your spiteful afterglow posted above is not constructive or helpful.

I didn't claim it was either. I claimed it was cathartic. This country has been controlled by a cabal of warmongering fanatics for too long for me not to feel joy at the election returns. As I said, however, once the euphoria fades, the real, constructive work of undoing the damage they have done and returning America to the path of sanity will begin.

]]> By: Christopher http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9750 Christopher Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:40:53 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9750 If minority faiths can openly run for office now, perhaps in the future we will see some open atheists running for office as well (hopefully ones that don't just tow party lines- any party...). If minority faiths can openly run for office now, perhaps in the future we will see some open atheists running for office as well (hopefully ones that don't just tow party lines- any party...).

]]> By: lpetrich http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9745 lpetrich Sat, 11 Nov 2006 19:48:21 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9745 The Republican Party had indeed been the party of Abraham Lincoln. But over the last few decades, it has become the party of Jefferson Davis, as none less than Trent Lott has more-or-less stated. And overshadowed by the election to the House of the first Muslim is the election to that body of two Buddhists: Hank Johnson of Georgia Mazie Hirono of Hawaii Like the Muslim, both Buddhists are Democrats. The Republican Party had indeed been the party of Abraham Lincoln. But over the last few decades, it has become the party of Jefferson Davis, as none less than Trent Lott has more-or-less stated.

And overshadowed by the election to the House of the first Muslim is the election to that body of two Buddhists:

Hank Johnson of Georgia
Mazie Hirono of Hawaii

Like the Muslim, both Buddhists are Democrats.

]]> By: Chris http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9719 Chris Sat, 11 Nov 2006 13:53:55 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9719 BletchleyPark: I disagree. The current crop of Republicans were unethical *before* they got into office. Indeed, their unethical dirty tricks are a significant part of *how* they got into office (and took over the party). Free markets are good (usually). "Capitalism" is a word often used to cover corporate welfare and other forms of rent seeking, which is not good at all. And it's been a long time since Republicans were the party of less intrusive government in anything other than empty rhetoric (longer than my lifetime, anyway). Why don't you ask Michael Schiavo which party is less intrusive? You seem to be one of those people under the delusion that the party of Eisenhower and Goldwater is still around. It isn't. There's a wolf in elephant's clothing instead. P.S. Fire brigades and fires were not originally my metaphor, but Churchill's (who used it as an example of when to reject neutrality); I just embellished it a bit to apply it to the media. BletchleyPark: I disagree. The current crop of Republicans were unethical *before* they got into office. Indeed, their unethical dirty tricks are a significant part of *how* they got into office (and took over the party).

Free markets are good (usually). "Capitalism" is a word often used to cover corporate welfare and other forms of rent seeking, which is not good at all. And it's been a long time since Republicans were the party of less intrusive government in anything other than empty rhetoric (longer than my lifetime, anyway). Why don't you ask Michael Schiavo which party is less intrusive?

You seem to be one of those people under the delusion that the party of Eisenhower and Goldwater is still around. It isn't. There's a wolf in elephant's clothing instead.

P.S. Fire brigades and fires were not originally my metaphor, but Churchill's (who used it as an example of when to reject neutrality); I just embellished it a bit to apply it to the media.

]]> By: BletchleyPark http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9693 BletchleyPark Sat, 11 Nov 2006 02:34:53 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2006/11/seasons-change.html#comment-9693 Being an atheist does not mean you support the Democrats on their every policy. The Republicans have been in power so long that they allowed their ethics to erode away till they were guilty of all kinds of stupid behind-the-scenes behavior. The reason the Republicans have been in power so long is that past Democrats, Bill Clinton foremost among them, let their power go to their glands and got caught. It will always be thus; the party in power will trash the hotel room till they get thrown out by management. I support the separation of church and state, but I want to decide what I do with my money--even how much to give to what charity, etc. The Democrats will raise taxes and misspend them the way only government can do. They'll take your money too, make no mistake about it! This site should remember that separation of church and state is good; being an atheist is good; smaller, less intrusive government is good; low taxes are good; capitalism is good. Your spiteful afterglow posted above is not constructive or helpful. In a few years, you'll be upset again, "gnashing your teeth" when the public see how much of their paychecks disappear into that big sinkhole in Washington. Being an atheist does not mean you support the Democrats on their every policy. The Republicans have been in power so long that they allowed their ethics to erode away till they were guilty of all kinds of stupid behind-the-scenes behavior. The reason the Republicans have been in power so long is that past Democrats, Bill Clinton foremost among them, let their power go to their glands and got caught. It will always be thus; the party in power will trash the hotel room till they get thrown out by management. I support the separation of church and state, but I want to decide what I do with my money--even how much to give to what charity, etc. The Democrats will raise taxes and misspend them the way only government can do. They'll take your money too, make no mistake about it!

This site should remember that separation of church and state is good; being an atheist is good; smaller, less intrusive government is good; low taxes are good; capitalism is good. Your spiteful afterglow posted above is not constructive or helpful. In a few years, you'll be upset again, "gnashing your teeth" when the public see how much of their paychecks disappear into that big sinkhole in Washington.

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