Category Archives: Politics

Scott’s political bits

LAWBI #55: Knowing When To Know You Don’t Know is Half the Battle

Do you consider yourself to be an adequately informed member of your community?

Do you, perhaps, suspect you are much more well-informed than the average American?

It’s OK — I like to think I know more than everybody else, too. And you’re reading … well, something, hell, whatever this is. But you’re reading! That’s a good indicator you probably know several things that others do not. Many, many Americans don’t ever read at all. Or, worse, only read magazines, which is like not reading, but with pictures.

So. We have established that we are better informed than a lot of folks. Good for us. And it is good for us. It comforts us, gives us confidence, buoys our self-esteem. You know what’s even better, though, than knowing how well-informed we are?

That’s right: Showing other people how well-informed we are. Oh, man. Sometimes, nothing feels better than showing other people how well-informed we are. I mean, it’s not just good for us — it’s good for the people we’re showing! We impart knowledge; they receive knowledge. It’s a win-win, really.

Read the rest at Creative Loafing

Uninformed People in States with Terrible Infrastructure want to Secede from the Union

According to this Red Alert Politics post, Americans in 14 states have filed petitions formally requesting permission to secede from the United States since the Kenyan Socialist Menace was reelected. Gawker says the total is up to 19.

It’s an interesting form of protest, really–one that comes off as much more legitimately political than, say, blowing up crybaby-style on Twitter a la The Blustery Hairpiece. And it is, of course, more symbolic than literal. But you’ve gotta wonder how much consideration really went into these things; like, what would happen if America went, “OK, sure, Louisiana–you can keep your Tabasco-and-titty-beads economy, and here’s a wet-vac for the next hurricane”? Are people in Texas right this moment writing down lists of possible names for their new currency (“that’ll be 14 bullets, suh”) and figuring out where they’re gonna get, like, steel and coal and anything else not made of steer hides and hyperbolic pride?

On the Subject of Maine and Maryland Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage by Popular Vote

Yes, on that subject: I’m unbelievably stoked. To me, it’s probably the most important and telling thing that happened yesterday.

Why is a straight, married, fairly boring guy so stoked that two states became the first in the country to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote?

Because the mainstreaming of our LGBT citizenry is currently the most accurate barometer we have for gauging our country’s level of tolerance for individual civil liberties. It’s very simple: more people being OK with gay folks having the same rights as straights = fewer people actively obstructing someone else’s happiness just because they’re scared of something they don’t understand. (And if you want to infer that I’m using code for “Crazy for Jesus” here, feel free, but you’d only be half-right.)

Happiness and fearlessness, people. That’s the goal.

Crazy Political Person Makes Up Crazy Political Conspiracy Theory

I pretty much only pay attention to politics when politics veer off into blackly comic absurdity. Which, these days, basically means all the time.

And lo, here comes former General Electric CEO Jack Welch tweeting that the new, encouragingly low unemployment statistics are a sham, perpetrated by the villainous left in an attempt to rebound from Obama’s poor debate performance.

And just when you think, “oh, no big deal, it’s just one hard-line nutjob shouting into the void,” other, more influential hard-line nutjobs start backing him up.

Politicians are ugh.

My Ideal President

… is a 52-year-old retired sociology professor who lives in an Airstream on 3 acres of New Mexican foothills, and wouldn’t take the job unless the Secret Service threatened to kill one of his dogs if he didn’t.