Anti-Obama emails

[Alicia Leonard]

An old dear friend handed me an email (spam) that she printed and brought with her to my house. I read part of it and handed it back to her and told her "that kind of Sh** po'd me. She became defensive and I explained to her it was spam with no facts to back it up. She responded, "oh, you must be for Obama?" I was able to explain to her that this was SPAM....not to be believed or passed around, regardless of whom I choose to vote for. Some people are so gullable....and she is a worldly chick....astonishing!

I think this is the part that distress me the most. People I love and respect buying into something in an email and not doing the research on it. Bottom line- people believe what they want to believe, no matter the source.

 

[Gypsea]

No doubt. I was against it then as I am now (along with "Compassionate Conservatism" and many other issues). Bipartisanship is very, very rarely a good thing. The more that politicians fight amongst themselves, the less damage they do, but they still save face with their constituents and donors.

OK, so you don't believe its a good thing to get the best minds that we have on both sides of the isle to make decisions that would be best for the American people as a whole but for the infighting to continue so that they can save face and give donors and constituents whatever they want no matter how crazy. Wow!!!! What a country!

 

[6thGen]

OK, so you don't believe its a good thing to get the best minds that we have on both sides of the isle to make decisions that would be best for the American people as a whole but for the infighting to continue so that they can save face and give donors and constituents whatever they want no matter how crazy. Wow!!!! What a country!

Best minds that we have? Are you serious? McCain-Feingold. Sarbanes-Oxley. NCLB. Do you want me to go on? This is bipartisanship at work .

 

[Gypsea]

Best minds that we have? Are you serious? McCain-Feingold. Sarbanes-Oxley. NCLB. Do you want me to go on? This is bipartisanship at work .

Our founding fathers did a pretty good job of it!!!!

 

[6thGen]

Our founding fathers did a pretty good job of it!!!!

From Washington's farewell address

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight,) the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

 

[Gypsea]

From Washington's farewell address

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight,) the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

On this we can agree.