Orchid Win7 v1 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> Sometimes I think my country is messed up.

Two words: libel tourism.

Also, what's up with the House of Lords Spiritual?  You get to make laws for the
Kingdom just because you're an Anglican bishop?  OTOH, I can't figure out why
the USA looks more like a theocracy than the UK.  I'm glad your bishops don't
think like Pat Robertson or Ali Khamenei.

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Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> On Wed, 08 Aug 2012 21:18:47 +0100, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:
> > And then I remember that some people live in the USA. :-D
>
> Indeed.  There's a lot of good here (and in the UK) as well, but there is
> a lot that is completely whacked out here as well.  I'm waiting for the
> day when our government is sponsored by Exxon or BP.  (Oh, wait, we might
> already be there).

If you doubt this, recall how they're all screaming up and down for domestic
drilling, because we need to be energy independent, yet when an amendment was
introduced to keep the domestic oil in the USA, it was voted down--by the
Republicans.

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On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:08:28 -0400, Cousin Ricky wrote:

>  OTOH, I can't
> figure out why the USA looks more like a theocracy than the UK.

Because while it would be illegal to have a religious "test" to hold 
public office, candidates who don't espouse their love for Jesus (or in 
rare cases, just God is enough - for the Jewish and Muslim elected 
officials), 79% of the people in the US are Christians who think that 
there's something wrong with those who don't believe in a supernatural 
deity, angels, or other superstitious nonsense that's commonly held 
(don't let them hold some "weird" superstitious nonsense like 
Scientology, though - because their brand of superstition is always 
"superior" to that of the crazy people), and they won't vote for someone 
who they think is "wrong in the head" when it comes to which sky fairy 
they believe in.

Jim

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On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:17:05 -0400, Cousin Ricky wrote:

> If you doubt this, recall how they're all screaming up and down for
> domestic drilling, because we need to be energy independent, yet when an
> amendment was introduced to keep the domestic oil in the USA, it was
> voted down--by the Republicans.

That doesn't surprise me one bit.  The Republican agenda is simple:  Vote 
for whatever Obama is against, and vote against whatever Obama is for.  
Then blame him for failing to move things forward.

IOW, blame Obama for not being a Republican or not holding to Republican 
values.  If only he would believe what they believe, then there'd be no 
problem.  Other than we'd have Republican values dictating policy.

Jim

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On 09/08/2012 05:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:08:28 -0400, Cousin Ricky wrote:
>
>>   OTOH, I can't
>> figure out why the USA looks more like a theocracy than the UK.
>
> Because while it would be illegal to have a religious "test" to hold
> public office, candidates who don't espouse their love for Jesus (or in
> rare cases, just God is enough - for the Jewish and Muslim elected
> officials), 79% of the people in the US are Christians who think that
> there's something wrong with those who don't believe in a supernatural
> deity, angels, or other superstitious nonsense that's commonly held
> (don't let them hold some "weird" superstitious nonsense like
> Scientology, though - because their brand of superstition is always
> "superior" to that of the crazy people), and they won't vote for someone
> who they think is "wrong in the head" when it comes to which sky fairy
> they believe in.

Man, I thought that was just a myth... The USA is seriously that messed up?

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Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>   The Republican agenda is simple:  Vote
> for whatever Obama is against, and vote against whatever Obama is for.
> Then blame him for failing to move things forward.

Obamneycare comes to mind.

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On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:48:49 -0400, Cousin Ricky wrote:

> Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>>   The Republican agenda is simple:  Vote
>> for whatever Obama is against, and vote against whatever Obama is for.
>> Then blame him for failing to move things forward.
> 
> Obamneycare comes to mind.

Yep.

It's amazing to me to watch Republicans who gave Kerry so much shit over 
being a "flip flopper" not have a problem at all with Romney's 
inconsistent and frequently opposing views on different topics.  I find 
it quite fascinating (and somewhat baffling) to watch.

Myself, I'm OK with people changing their views on things when they get 
more information - that's called "learning" and it's important.  Of 
course, there needs to be some validity to the change in view based on 
the new information - in Romney's case, it seems like so much of his new 
"learnings" have to do with convenience for the audience he's talking to 
at the moment.

Jim

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On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:47:31 +0100, Orchid Win7 v1 wrote:

> Man, I thought that was just a myth... The USA is seriously that messed
> up?

Go read about Michelle Bachmann for a prime example of the attitudes some 
people have - and she's one who actually got *voted in*.  Ironically, she 
also chairs the house intelligence committee - though she would appear to 
have very little intelligence herself.

Jim

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Orchid Win7 v1 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> On 09/08/2012 05:28 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> > Because while it would be illegal to have a religious "test" to hold
> > public office, candidates who don't espouse their love for Jesus (or in
> > rare cases, just God is enough - for the Jewish and Muslim elected
> > officials), 79% of the people in the US are Christians who think that
> > there's something wrong with those who don't believe in a supernatural
> > deity, angels, or other superstitious nonsense that's commonly held
> > (don't let them hold some "weird" superstitious nonsense like
> > Scientology, though - because their brand of superstition is always
> > "superior" to that of the crazy people), and they won't vote for someone
> > who they think is "wrong in the head" when it comes to which sky fairy
> > they believe in.
>
> Man, I thought that was just a myth... The USA is seriously that messed up?

It's no myth.

A couple of the lies leveled at President Obama are that he is a Muslim or that
he is an atheist.  The fact that these lies are even worth telling indicate the
kind of atmosphere here.  (Another lie about President Obama is that he is a
progressive.  I only wish that one were true.)

Michele Bachmann (who was a serious contender for the Republican nomination for
president) recently spun a great tale about how our government has been
infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood.  (The Muslim Brotherhood claims to be
unaware of this development, but maybe that's just part of the ruse.)  Many
Republicans, including former presidential candidate John McCain and the speaker
of the House told Bachmann that she was out of line, but just when you thought
sanity might break through in that party, fellow former candidates Rick Perry
and Rick Santorum came out and defended her.  And make no mistake, Bachmann has
the solid backing of the voters in her district.

It has been trendy for politicians, including presidential candidates, to state
that our problems are too great for man to solve, and that we must hand them
over to the Almighty.  In other words:

   "I cannot solve your problems, therefore, you should vote for me!"

And this is actually a selling point.

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On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:08:56 -0400, Cousin Ricky wrote:

> A couple of the lies leveled at President Obama are that he is a Muslim
> or that he is an atheist.  The fact that these lies are even worth
> telling indicate the kind of atmosphere here.  (Another lie about
> President Obama is that he is a progressive.  I only wish that one were
> true.)

Actually, I think there's probably a very good chance that Obama is 
culturally Christian but religiously atheist.  Of course, he could never 
admit that because it would be political suicide.

> It has been trendy for politicians, including presidential candidates,
> to state that our problems are too great for man to solve, and that we
> must hand them over to the Almighty.  In other words:
> 
>    "I cannot solve your problems, therefore, you should vote for me!"
> 
> And this is actually a selling point.

The other selling point (used mostly by Republicans, though never 
explicitly stated) is "Government is inefficient; let us prove it.  Vote 
for us!"

Jim

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