Notice how disciplined Bush is in staying "on message" with his responses to Kerry's

critiques here:



http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/21/k

erry.tues/index.html

But what were Germanys taxes,

and what was the welfare system like? You're probably talking about an entirely different effect, about the

incentive to be on public assistance.

There are...

I don't see many rich people

choosing to become poor because of the threat of taxes. As a percentage of disposable income, what's left over

after survival and basic physical needs, the poor...

Bel, I'll vote to stop the

bleeding first and you vote to let us bleed, thinking you're going to fix the true cause of the bleeding. I'm

convinced the first approach is not only...

More clever fear politics

today:



http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/

19/hastert.remark/index.html

I have no interest in trying

to "prove" things that are a matter of public record (such as Rove's anti-American statement about the agent, but

see below links), but can only summarize some...

When I detailed multiple,

obviously criminal activities you replied you're "not defending any of the Bush gang's actions." The implicit

agreement is there. If you want to "plead no contest"...

Well I congratulate you for staying "on message". If you go on vacation, I'll argue your

position for you for fifty bucks! ;) You repeatedly assert the two candidates are the same (though you...

DeepBlue, It's not private,

though it seems so. That's just who's mixing it up the most right now. I appreciate your measured input and your

voice of reason.

If I thought this was essentially about "Democrat vs. Republican" as you just said, I'd agree with

more than 50-75% of what you just said (though that wouldn't be enough to make me not vote for...

So the disagreement is

twofold:

1. Over the degree of difference between the candidates. I think that might be our biggest

disagreement. This election is fundamentally different than the...

Bel, I really just suggested a

logical framework of possibilities wherein we might agree to disagree, and thereby make progress in identifying the

critical issue; and was not trying to make...

Bel, the position you are

arguing for is fundamentally one of principle, rather than pragmatism. I respect everyone's right to vote their

conscience. And you must know by now that I agree...

This

first thing you look at is what does it mean to have integrity as an American? What does it mean for America to have

integrity? For example, what would it really mean to support...

I'm skeptical about this characterization of Kerry to say the least. I'd like to look at

the "top ten" examples of Kerry's indecisiveness -- if there are ten important ones -- in detail,...

The two explanations aren't

mutually exclusive factors. I agree with your "simple" analysis.

Nice posted article, by the way. I don't

think you're beating a dead horse. Scummy ethics and...

* Thanks for the info, a.k.a. Your first link is pretty informative. This guy is one of

the most fascinating political figures in the Bush administration -- maybe a sort of human microcosm and...

Is a grand jury inverstigating

him?

Nice posts, Whitehall and

Belgareth.

To Aristotle's Politics I'll add Plato's Republic. These are the founding documents

for Western political thought. For political rhetoric and emotions...

:lol: Gotta love capitalism!

* Very illustrative! Aren't you suggesting I'd be more patriotic (i.e., believe more in the

legitimacy of democracy) to not question the current de facto political process, as to whether it might...

And in case there is still any

question as to whether, how unabashedly, and to what extent, that the Republicans pander to the basest

emotions (e.g., survival fear) better than the Democrats...

That is certainly one

reasonable perspective. Motivating one's base is more important than converting fence sitters. I saw (progressive

Democrat) Dennis Kucinich speak out here in Oregon at...

:lol:
.........

Here's a news item regarding

some of the other emotional devices Arnold used in his speech,

http://www.kron.com/Global/story.asp?S=2256828
...and

here's the text of the actual speech....