Random Thoughts

[m_mcgregor]

Random Thought #1: It occurs to me that if the Metal Gear Solid series was produced by an American, there would have been a character in it called Comiccon.

PS: I may have already mentioned this, but Metal Gear Solid 4 is an awful trainwreck of a game.

Random Thought #2: I would love it if Penn and Teller could keep their Libertarian pipe dreams

Comments

[liz_marcs]

What a lot of people were missing about Frank's tirade against the Obama!Nazi protester isn't just because he's liberal, gay, or just plain mean. He's also Jewish and his district is heavily Jewish. That woman was yelling her Nazi and Final Solution slogans in a room full of people who are related to the Holocaust dead and survivors (and there are a lot of people in that category around here). Note the hissing from the audience in that video. They weren't necessarily supporting any kind of public option for health insurance, but they sure as shit were reacting to the Obama!Hitler!Nazi! slogans.

So, yeah. That's a big reason why Frank went off like a big ol' Roman candle on her ass. Frankly, I was shocked he was as polite as he was. He was probably sitting on his burning need to leap into the audience and slap her senseless.

Frank covers the congressional district next door to me (my congressman is Ed Markey who votes the way I want him to 90% of the time so I keep re-electing him). Last time Frank was up for re-election, he was running practically unopposed. I think he was up against a LaRouchite, a Libertarian, and a Republican who was so right-wing that other Republicans were laughing at him (most of the Republicans in eastern MA have been branded as RINOs by the national party because they're not completely nuts). Frank was so far ahead in the polls that he ended up running a bunch of public service ads rather campaign ads. Seriously.

Other years he's had no one running against him at all. Those years he usually runs quirky ads reminding people to go out and vote, and he usually throws up his District Office/DC office phone number on the TeeVee screen. So, you might say that there's no avoiding Frank where I live.

Massachusetts has it's problems, as does it's universal healthcare policy...but when you look around, it appears to be one of those states that's among the least problematic to live in.

Let me just say that the last 8 years has made me really, really grateful to be a New Englander, and especially someone who is a Masshole. (What? Yankee Fans call us Massholes all the time!)

Also, here's an amusing write-up of the UHC policy in Massachusetts, plus humorous take on why we are willing to pay high taxes in this state.

Sadly!No usually does national stuff, but every once in a while they wave the MA liberal flag when someone tries to use our state as a reason why liberals are "evil".

[phoenixgod2000]

I agree with you in regards to that particular protester and Barney. I was sort of amused by his takedown of her. I just don't like the congressman in general, and I don't like the fact that people are equating a few nutjobs with the average person going to townhall meetings. I don't equate every person who disliked the Iraq War with Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink.

I've been to Mass a few times. I have family that live in Glaucester and I am fairly certain they are the only conservatives in the state (at least they complain about taxes a lot). In fact, last time I went was a week after that pregancy pact controversy broke out a year and a half or so ago. The east coast is an interesting place. I live in Ca and to a sunny california boy, it is almost a different world.

Its interesting that you bring up the UHC policy, because from what I read the effects have been in your state, it seems like more evidence to not spread a system like that to the rest of the country. I consider it to be the biggest failing of Romney, who I supported for president (and later VP--Stupid Palin!).

Jon

[liz_marcs]

Well, the problem is that those nutbags have managed to convince around 45 percent of the public that at least one of their outrageous claims is true. The sane debate has long been drowned out by nuts and those seeking political advantage. Course these people are probably the same that vote and claim the government doesn't represent them.

[hpchick]

Thanks for that link to Sadly, No!

My father got a job offer years ago, which would have required my Masshole family to relocate to Georgia. I was a junior in a fairly prestigious local high school at the time, which was a factor in their decision to stay in Boston. They probably would have been a little bit better off financially if my dad had taken the job & moved. They were discussing this a few weeks ago and making me feel a bit guilty. That link gives me ammo against their guilt trips.