en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/951720 Comments by RegaloDiSpine http://biggovernment.com/cprandoni/2011/03/24/union-v-house-republican-showdown-scheduled-for-next-week/#IDComment137419274 You have posted the makings of an interesting idea. But considering what Congress did over the last two years, do you really think it wise to give it not only the power to create laws but to execute those laws as well? (Not to mention it would require a bit of fiddling with the U.S. Constitution). I know it sounds like a stretch, but maybe a better solution would be to have Congress actually do its job and make all laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated powers of the government. That is, rather than passing barebones legislation that allows numerous bureaucratic agencies to then develop capricious regulations to implement the “intent” of those laws, our Congress should be enacting laws which, in the form in which they are passed, can be implemented by the Executive agencies. Regulations could then simply address the logistics of carrying out those laws. Thus federal agencies would no longer be able to act as de facto lawmakers and our elected representatives would be directly accountable for the laws that are imposed upon us. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:21:52 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/cprandoni/2011/03/24/union-v-house-republican-showdown-scheduled-for-next-week/#IDComment137419274 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/05/04/the-fantasy-world-according-to-contessa-brewer/#IDComment72637088 Robert - that is the saddest part of her commentary. Her hoped for presumptions aside, her comments suggest an uncaring attitude toward the possible result. That is what is most pathetic about her statements. Kudos for catching it. Wed, 5 May 2010 05:54:06 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/05/04/the-fantasy-world-according-to-contessa-brewer/#IDComment72637088 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/05/04/the-fantasy-world-according-to-contessa-brewer/#IDComment72636179 I think you would find that Contessa doesn't know the answer to that either, Gipper. You could ask her but chances of getting a cogent response....my odds, slim to none. But I'm willing to pay cash money... Wed, 5 May 2010 05:49:26 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/05/04/the-fantasy-world-according-to-contessa-brewer/#IDComment72636179 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/05/04/the-fantasy-world-according-to-contessa-brewer/#IDComment72627736 Personally, I am shocked, shocked that there is prevarication going on here. Wed, 5 May 2010 05:10:13 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/05/04/the-fantasy-world-according-to-contessa-brewer/#IDComment72627736 http://bigjournalism.com/jhoft/2010/04/13/anything-to-slander-the-tea-partiers-msm-invents-phantom-white-man-who-heard-slur/#IDComment68098899 I don’t disagree that the entire scenario reeks of the tactic you list. But, don’t you think they failed in part by picking the abstract, anonymous tea partiers to attack? What came afterwards – demands for apologies from “conservative” leadership – is right out of the book (Rule 4). However, as the story goes on they are in danger of violating Rule 7 – it gets to the point of being ritualistic. Well, actually, from the perspective of many of us, pulling the ‘ole race card is already ritualistic, boring even in its predictability. In fact, much about the way this story is playing out makes me think that both the media and the CBC are relying more on Baghdad Bob’s Guide to Effective Propaganda than Alinsky. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:21:32 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/jhoft/2010/04/13/anything-to-slander-the-tea-partiers-msm-invents-phantom-white-man-who-heard-slur/#IDComment68098899 http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/04/13/surprise-msm-ignores-tea-party-worships-obama/#IDComment68063659 Perhaps you and I don't use the same dictionary – Lizard might suggest yours is the Newspeak version – for the definition of coherent. Coherency doesn’t require validity (or even rationality as your writing demonstrates); only premises that are accessible to the understanding, intelligible would be a word you may want to look up. So you have yet to demonstrate your own claimed rationality, even by attempting, and failing, to deconstruct my statement. And again you insert presupposition in your statements (e.g. your statement on Lizard’s post) which only serves to show your inability to make a valid argument. You’re invited to keep playing – the more we meet failure, the more we may learn to succeed. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:40:16 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/04/13/surprise-msm-ignores-tea-party-worships-obama/#IDComment68063659 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bshapiro/2010/04/13/elitism-killed-the-critical-star-print-critics-whine-their-way-to-irrelevance/#IDComment67900026 Thanks for that Doh - and since I imagine we both like the fireworks found in the comments - I'm glad it was Ben who wrote it and not me. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:26:01 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bshapiro/2010/04/13/elitism-killed-the-critical-star-print-critics-whine-their-way-to-irrelevance/#IDComment67900026 http://biggovernment.com/jhoft/2010/04/13/big-easy-beatdown-gop-official-and-boyfriend-savagely-beaten-leaving-srlc-dinner/#IDComment67883139 I hope the best for Ms. Bautsch and Mr. Brown and, I hope the eventual publication of the police report gives us more useful information. Now for this - cripes Leo, Randy…have you ever tried reading what you post without wearing those narrow-minded minded glasses you have on? “Rare black conservative”? “Sounds like something from urban culture”? “…The crime is highly unusual for White behavior”? You do know that black, white, latino, whatever, people have individual human traits, personalities, strengths, weaknesses? We all, regardless of race, have the propensity for reason, love, understanding, and we all have the ability to be irrational, vicious, cruel – you understand that don’t you? We should all be concerned when people act, based on racial differences or even political ideology, to harm others who aren't part of their "group". But at the same time, perhaps we should check ourselves to ensure that we are not acting out against others (or saying something ignorant) because of a preconception about the differences between their “group” and us. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:15:22 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/jhoft/2010/04/13/big-easy-beatdown-gop-official-and-boyfriend-savagely-beaten-leaving-srlc-dinner/#IDComment67883139 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/04/13/overnight-thread-media-wise-did-the-bloom-just-come-off-the-obama-rose/#IDComment67859923 The unfortunate part is that we will see pieces like this from Milbank and then the handlers will get Obama to give the disenchanted some face time, maybe shoot some hoops, open up a little bit, and then they’ll go back to writing the same sycophantic pap they’ve given us for the past two years. At a later post, dustrider mentions it is like battered spouse syndrome – and in a way, that analogy is apropos. Too bad they have all deluded themselves into thinking they are independent thinkers. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:23:20 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/mwalsh/2010/04/13/overnight-thread-media-wise-did-the-bloom-just-come-off-the-obama-rose/#IDComment67859923 http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/04/13/surprise-msm-ignores-tea-party-worships-obama/#IDComment67816372 Your comment prompted me to go back and read all the comments on this thread before your post to see if I had somehow missed the elements used to state your point. Odd, I couldn’t really find them, you know, the incoherent thoughts, calls of the destruction of the “MSM” and the President. Oh, sure, there are opinions posted here – generally regarding the subject of the article. And, wow, there are some rather coherent position statements made by dcase, FamousDrScanlon, and DontTreadOnMe. (But I think the best post so far is LizardLips’ quote which implicitly provides the reader with a good idea of his/her position in a rather coherent manner). Then it dawned on me – why bother going to so much trouble to provide you with a cognizant response? Considering that you clearly posted out of context regarding the subject matter of the article, made the assumption that somehow everyone posting here is a tea party member who somehow should be compelled to respond to you, and your inquiry began with using the logical fallacy of loaded questioning. So, I guess my only real response to you would be – prove you are rational first and then maybe we can talk. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:48:10 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/04/13/surprise-msm-ignores-tea-party-worships-obama/#IDComment67816372 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bshapiro/2010/04/13/elitism-killed-the-critical-star-print-critics-whine-their-way-to-irrelevance/#IDComment67808984 What is interesting is that in this article, which is a criticism of professional criticism, Mr. Shapiro is using the medium hailed by the critics as being the instrument of the death of their art to demonstrate what elements could resuscitate that art. And in so doing, he has generated several comments from those who disagree with him and those who don’t - people who have said he is wrong on his opinions about Hitchcock but who have for some reason come back to read his opinions on Kurtz and Scott and Corliss. And maybe with that he has given us possible proof for his final statement, “Good criticism doesn’t have to die. It requires only the courage of conviction, and even more so, honest critiques that reflect the movies reviewed rather than the self-aggrandizement of the reviewers.” And I too liked Lost in Translation for more than Johansson’s physique. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:09:26 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bshapiro/2010/04/13/elitism-killed-the-critical-star-print-critics-whine-their-way-to-irrelevance/#IDComment67808984 http://biggovernment.com/capitolconfidential/2010/04/13/labor-unions-employment-at-wal-mart-like-slavery/#IDComment67788805 Conspiracy theory? Nah, I prefer the term hypothesis. And I think your hypothesis may serve as a valid explanation of the way this government is currently behaving. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:09:55 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/capitolconfidential/2010/04/13/labor-unions-employment-at-wal-mart-like-slavery/#IDComment67788805 http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/04/13/surprise-msm-ignores-tea-party-worships-obama/#IDComment67784558 It seems to me that it doesn't matter what the popularity of the Tea Party movement is, but more linked to the popularity of the President, his administration, and the Democratic Congress Agenda. That is, the stories will be more negative toward the Tea Party when the popular opinion of the current agenda (and its promoters) falls. This in an effort to continue propping up failing policies with biased reporting - attempting to get less tuned in Americans to form opinions unfavorable of the Tea Party and more favorable to Obama. I hope you're right about the bottom line but, it doesn't seem to be working so far. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:42:04 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/04/13/surprise-msm-ignores-tea-party-worships-obama/#IDComment67784558 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jphillips/2010/04/12/more-post-racial-hum-bug/#IDComment67776915 Makes me wonder what the hiring quotas in government run health facilities will be for "others." Drat...I should have thought of that. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:45:19 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jphillips/2010/04/12/more-post-racial-hum-bug/#IDComment67776915 http://biggovernment.com/capitolconfidential/2010/04/13/labor-unions-employment-at-wal-mart-like-slavery/#IDComment67775561 Something very incongruous about this caught my attention. Recent news reports (many apparently promoted by Mari Gallagher at HuffPo) and efforts by Michelle Obama have highlighted the negative health effects of “food deserts.” Areas of Chicago’s South Side are identified as a food desert. So, if the South Side is comprised of food deserts (which are now a cause célèbre for the left) why would they oppose Wal-Mart’s expansion? Ah…is this a smoking gun? Recently Sen. Kirsten Gillabrand (D-NY) announced proposed legislation to get $1 Billion in funding for construction of grocery stores in these “food deserts.” So, perhaps this is less about subjecting the communities in this area to what Cobb has implied is Wal-Mart’s brand of ”slavery” and more about holding out to expand the government plantation with subsidized grocery stores which, who wants to bet, will be staffed only by union employees. Really, why let private business do what the government can do so much more disastrously? Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:34:43 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/capitolconfidential/2010/04/13/labor-unions-employment-at-wal-mart-like-slavery/#IDComment67775561 http://bigjournalism.com/jhoft/2010/04/13/anything-to-slander-the-tea-partiers-msm-invents-phantom-white-man-who-heard-slur/#IDComment67770441 Does any of this resemble the work Winston Smith did at the Ministry of Truth? Why yes, come to think of it, it does. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:54:24 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/jhoft/2010/04/13/anything-to-slander-the-tea-partiers-msm-invents-phantom-white-man-who-heard-slur/#IDComment67770441 http://bigjournalism.com/mvadum/2010/04/13/msm-yawns-as-leftists-plot-to-sabotage-tea-party-misuse-social-security-numbers/#IDComment67768540 The above - soon to be nominated for Best Letter to the Editorial Board of any Major Newspaper or Cable News Outlet. Update - Uh, about that nomination...seems the nomination committee didn't think it was supportive enough of the elitist view of the right. Sorry, about that. Maybe if you substitute TEA Party Movement with "anti-war", "conservative" with "progressive", and blame it all on Fox, maybe they'll reconsider. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:38:52 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/mvadum/2010/04/13/msm-yawns-as-leftists-plot-to-sabotage-tea-party-misuse-social-security-numbers/#IDComment67768540 http://bigjournalism.com/mvadum/2010/04/13/msm-yawns-as-leftists-plot-to-sabotage-tea-party-misuse-social-security-numbers/#IDComment67765695 In my state, as I am sure is the case in many, the data mining they plan to do under false pretenses would most likely represent identity theft. The difficulty with prosecution is that most states would not be able to establish jurisdiction until the acts (of the consipiracy to engage in criminal acts) occur within their states. As for whether federal law enforcement might have an interest - well, ask yourself if they care about these jokers when Code Pink can publish its conspiracy to kidnap individuals without facing prosecution, or black panthers can threaten to beat non-conformists voters without penalty. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:15:40 +0000 http://bigjournalism.com/mvadum/2010/04/13/msm-yawns-as-leftists-plot-to-sabotage-tea-party-misuse-social-security-numbers/#IDComment67765695 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jphillips/2010/04/12/more-post-racial-hum-bug/#IDComment67564669 I couldn’t bring myself to fill it out. My wife had to do it. Something about the implicit fatalism of marking the box that says “This is what I am” as opposed to what some other percentage of the country marks as being, “what they are”, and there is nothing I’ll ever be able to do about it. No matter how enlightened I might pretend to be, how educated I become, or how tolerant I can tolerate being, I will always be “what I am” and the government, guided by the intelligentsia, will decide I am allowed to exercise my rights only to the point where the outcome matches the outcomes entitled to those in the “what they are” group. And, somewhere, some Department of Bureaucratic Redundancy Department staffer is going to put my census form in the pile of “that kind of American” so that somehow I can get plenty of my fair share, whatever that is, after making certain that I have paid my fair share first. Mr. Phillips' theme is definitely on point, elucidating – and sadly – only serves to increase my level of disappointment in how short a distance our government has come over far too long a time. Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:37:10 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jphillips/2010/04/12/more-post-racial-hum-bug/#IDComment67564669 http://biggovernment.com/mcrowley/2010/04/10/voicemails-expose-lefts-racism/#IDComment67196346 Wow, you start off actually sounding reasonable "...what a tremedous indictment of the entire left wing..." and then you fall into the same trap that it seems everyone weathering this currently politically climate has, you generalize about who watches Fox and who should be apologizing. I don't personally accept the premise that two - not mild but racially charged - voicemails indicts the entire left. But neither can they be excused by you, or me. Sun, 11 Apr 2010 03:01:23 +0000 http://biggovernment.com/mcrowley/2010/04/10/voicemails-expose-lefts-racism/#IDComment67196346