Recent Blog Posts (RSS)
Field Theory: Intense Uniformity 4:21PM on 4 Dec 08
Hard News: Total Attitude 12:02PM on 4 Dec 08
Up Front: Hellfire's a Promise Away 2:49PM on 1 Dec 08
Random Play: The Key’s under the Matt 12:48PM on 1 Dec 08
Speaker: Camp as a row of Spiegeltents 4:23PM on 27 Nov 08
View all posts on Public Address
Public Address Cafe (RSS)
System > Public Address Cafe >
Public Address
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1044
Hard News: Quite the Two-Step
What do you call it when a lobby group knee-jerks in two different directions at once? A jig? The Ombudsman's call for a Royal Commission inquiry into the criminal justice system is "doomed to failure" says Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McMcVicar. And the same call is "long overdue" says Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman (and new National Party candidate for Wigram) Marc Alexander.
Graeme Edgeler
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 838
Well - he has a sense of humour, at least:
Russell Brown
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 5330
Moderator
Well - he has a sense of humour, at least:
That's weird ...
Danyl Mclauchlan
From: Wellington
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 495
The Huckabee phenomenon is interesting on a number of levels; his economic policy is all over the place - he wants to abolish income tax - but in general he genuinely appears to be the 'compassionate conservative' George W pretended to be, and is an advocate of large-scale state based solutions to social and economic problems (The Libertarian Cato Institute gave him an 'F' for spending and tax policy in 2006). The only thing that differentiates him from the left is that he feels the solutions should all be 'faith based'.
If he wins the nomination it will signify that the transformation of the GOP from a conservative party into a Christian party is complete.
JP Hansen
From: Waitakere
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 113
"Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play"
Can't get more American than that! Well, unless you're shooting the deer and antelope.
BenWilson
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1418
but in general he genuinely appears to be the 'compassionate conservative' George W pretended to be, and is an advocate of large-scale state based solutions to social and economic problems
So long as that solution isn't "let's have another great big war".
Something that just occurred to me about Iraq. The received wisdom that war is good for the economy seems to have been completely forgotten.
BenWilson
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1418
"Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play"
It does seem that on Bush's Range, discouraging words are seldom heard.
Paul Campbell
From: Dunedin
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 592
and besides - that mixing of deer and antelope - that's just gonna have to stop right there when the christian right take over ...
Russell Brown
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 5330
Moderator
Something that just occurred to me about Iraq. The received wisdom that war is good for the economy seems to have been completely forgotten.
Not as much as the "we're saving the women of Iraq from the Islamic extremists" rationale has been forgotten.
But there's a reason for that.
Emma Hart
From: Christchurch
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1148
The only thing that differentiates him from the left is that he feels the solutions should all be 'faith based'.
And being fervently anti-abortion and opposed to gay marriage. He talks about a 'culture of life' but
When asked what Jesus would do about the death penalty: "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office, that's what Jesus would do."
Ha ha. Now answer the bloody question, how do you reconcile being 'pro life' and 'pro death'? He wants Creationism taught in schools, but believes science has proved bumblebees can't fly, and uses that as a metaphor for his campaign.
Seeing him represented as a smart, moderate candidate just goes to show how low the bar is.
Conor Roberts
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 37
I've been watching Huckabee for a while now. He is very interesting.
I think he'll win Iowa, as 40% of the Republican voters are evangelical Christians and he is an ex-preacher. Also the evangelicals know how the somewhat odd Iowa caucus system works…
Huckabee has spent around $9 per vote in Iowa against Romeny's $200 (and before critics of the EFB say 'ha', perhaps you should consider how much worse Romney would be doing if he didn’t just outspend Huckabee).
This is pretty amazing considering how well he is doing there, his is truly a groundswell campaign - but he'll struggle going forward without staff and campaign infrastructure. What is does show is how unsettled the Republican race for the White House is, whilst Giuliani is out front – I don’t think many Republican voters like him much, and his numbers have been sliding.
Heading to liberal New Hampshire and out East, Huckabee will struggle. Especailly since he thinks evolution is a myth. Although if he can at least hang in there until South Carolina, things might get interesting.
Whatever you say about American politics – it’s bloody fascinating.
LegBreak
From: Wellington
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 564
Is Huckabee his real name?
It just seems so perfect….
Russell Brown
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 5330
Moderator
Ha ha. Now answer the bloody question, how do you reconcile being 'pro life' and 'pro death'? He wants Creationism taught in schools, but believes science has proved bumblebees can't fly, and uses that as a metaphor for his campaign.
Check this out. The director of the school science curriculum in Texas has been forced to resign after sending a private email to several colleagues notifying them of a talk on the conflict over teaching evolution.
Yup: science teacher forced to resign for implicitly endorsing science ...
Neil Morrison
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 641
He wants Creationism taught in schools...
he won't be interrested then in The Genetic Basis for Political Participation
BenWilson
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1418
If science had proved Huckabee can't be POTUS it might make sense.
I still think Creationism has a place in schools - at least one class in which the 20 most famous creation myths are placed side by side. If it's treated in an anthropological way, it's just another branch of science - "What did primitive people think?". It would be worthwhile to chuck in quite a lot of other stuff that primitive people thought and did to put the wisdom of the ancient world in perspective.
But I know that's not what people who want Creationism taught are thinking of. The surprising resemblance of the North Island to a flat fish might just swing them in behind pre-European Maori Creationism. Or the extremely gory and violent Creation of the ancient Greeks might be more appealing to those so inclined.
Paul Campbell
From: Dunedin
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 592
Don't worry - this whole thing will stop being an issue when Destiny take over the govt .....
Kyle Matthews
From: Dunedin
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 2497
PS: And don't forget to vote for the Public Address Word(s) of the Year 2007.
Would a little alphabetical action have hurt too much? Hours I tell you, hours!
Craig Ranapia
From: North Shore, Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 4374
On the other side of the race, Hilary's in some trouble.
And the failure of Operation Barbarossa was some trouble for the Third Reich. Ok, that's an overwrought analogy but is her campaign loaded with Obama sleeper agents?
And before anyone accuses me of being a partisan Hillary-hater, WTF can I say about the unspeakable fuck-tards that make up the GOP slate that wouldn't get me sent to the (virtual) naughty step for a long time out? Perhaps when the GOP are locked out of the White House and Congressional majorities for a couple of decades, Republican moderates and real conservatives are going to get their spines out of hock, bring the theo-cons to heel, and take their party back.
Believe it or not, if I was American I'd change my voter registration to Democrat just so I could cast a primary vote for Obama. Not a flawless candidate by any stretch of the imagination, but forget all this crap about 'Is America ready for a black President' and ask this one: Is America - and the world - ready for a President who can be mistaken for an adult with the lights on?
Russell Brown
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 5330
Moderator
Believe it or not, if I was American I'd change my voter registration to Democrat just so I could cast a primary vote for Obama. Not a flawless candidate by any stretch of the imagination, but forget all this crap about 'Is America ready for a black President' and ask this one: Is America - and the world - ready for a President who can be mistaken for an adult with the lights on?
Me too. I keep waiting for something to snap me out of it, but I just keep finding him impressive.
His main whoopsie with potential Democrat voters so far has been failing to put sufficient distance between him and a preacher who claims to have been cured of homosexuality.
Emma Hart
From: Christchurch
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1148
Believe it or not, if I was American I'd change my voter registration to Democrat just so I could cast a primary vote for Obama.
A friend of mine is considering doing just that. She voted for Bush twice, and now can't bring herself to choose any of the current slate of Republican candidates.
Emma Hart
From: Christchurch
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1148
His main whoopsie with potential Democrat voters so far has been failing to put sufficient distance between him and a preacher who claims to have been cured of homosexuality.
He did get there in the end. In fact, his speech on this made quite an impression with me, as it contains, y'know, policy and stuff. Commitments.
McClurkin is a talented performer and a beloved figure among many African Americans and Christians around the country. At the same time, he espouses beliefs about homosexuality that I completely reject.
Please login to post a reply.