Politics Shmolotics

[Bloodrunner]

I disagree with this statement.

That's cool man. We can disagree on things.

Do you have a particular issue you can point out that would prove otherwise?

[Bloodrunner]

Indoctrination at its finest.

Indoctrination? So you believe that I lack the ability to think critically? How did any of my statements lead you to believe that? Did I happen to lean anywhere to one side of the political spectrum or did I insist on objectivity and critical thinking?

[Bloodrunner]

This post makes me want to throw my diploma in a ****ing fire. I don’t have any problems with the link either. The post is just shameful. Represent better.

Yeah and your avatar leads to me to believe you are an extremely rational person.

[Bloodrunner]

I disagree with your statement that both sides want the "SAME OUTCOME". It starts out on where the sides stand on the eternal question of equality vs. liberty. One side believes in more government control as a way to engineer a more equitable and egalitarian society. (everybody has the same amount of material possessions) The goal is equality of outcomes, mostly through state coercion.

The other side values liberty over equality. All men are created equal, but of course none are born equally in wealth, stature, ability or even ambition. "Created equal" means we are born equal under the Law of Nature and Rule of Law - not that because you were born with fewer advantages that you could through government, force equalization of condition…..you have the right of freedom, not condition. You have the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness…..not the right to things, services and the wealth of others. The "equality" the liberty side does believe in is equality of opportunity. (still much work to do there)

Looking at the underlying political philosophies it comes down to Locke vs. Rousseau. Locke argued that we have natural rights inherent in us as human beings that pre-exist the state, and the only legitimate purpose of the state is to protect those rights. Rousseau on the other hand maintained that all rights come from the state - the government may exercise authority over anything/everything to promote what it sees as the common good. We have the rights the government allots to us and no others.

Very wise sir. I agree with that and disagree with those who would coerce equality. This goes against all that is Adam Smith and the free market society. But again, the same outcome is sought by both sides. We all want equality and liberty in tandem in one free society, its just that one side believes it can only be coerced or values one higher than the other. But both sides want both equality and liberty. They would not have one without the other.

[Smell the Glove]

Yeah and your avatar leads to me to believe you are an extremely rational person.

You’re a grad student at my university and you’re judging me on my avatar? Trash. You’re a child.

[-HIC-]

Dont know how you arrived at that conclusion. Each researcher has a different perspective. If you opened it up and read one sentence of one research paper that somebody spent months on, that somebody being a PHD student or Fellow at what is considered the Ivy of the South, then you probably didn't spend enough time on it. Believe me, we are well in tune with the issues of "Climate Change". Please tell me sir did you happen to find anything on Energy Intensity in developing economies? Or the income elasticity of demand relative to per capita GDP and what that means for emissions? How bout Environmental Kuznets Curve or the relative of it the Engle Curve? Probably not. But hey, you probably know better than all of us college kids.

I bet you are a lot of fun around a campfire. [emoji57] I joke, of course. If you are paying for your own education, have some fun in college. Study, carefully, all the kuznet curves you can find!

If your parents, or the rest of us, are paying please knock it out and join the workforce as soon as possible.

Save some of these posts and read them again after working and paying taxes for 10-15 years. You will chuckle a bit.

Like others, I completely disagree with your earlier statement regarding political parties. Also, name dropping and writing a resume on your self superiority on subjects is a bit much. But hey, I am sure it makes you the cool cat on campus!

You seem like you have some smarts so the next time your professor is up there pushing something remember this; those who cannot do, teach. [emoji848] Joking again, maybe.

- My last statement is kind of an inside joke at the office. I have all the respect in the world for the underpaid K-12 public educators!



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[Bloodrunner]

You’re a grad student at my university and you’re judging me on my avatar? Trash. You’re a child.

You have also not attempted to prove anything otherwise, but just hurled insults as would some barbarian with a club attempting to beat a seal. You should probably think as a thinking person would, 'hey this guy probably knows not to judge a person by their avatar'. But can you see how the combination of your comments and avatar would lead me to that conclusion?

However, do you think its more noble to call a person names over the internet? A person you don't know, who may or may not differ that much on opinions or background, but posted a thought on the internet.

Also, not really understanding why you are freaking out so much. Just because you went to the university doesn't mean you are the authority on how the current students should behave nor did I claim to be any sort of authority on the matter we are discussing. Just shared something interesting from class that I thought held some weight. Is that really that wrong of me to do? Anyway man, hope you keep in touch with the current students as an alumni. Have a good one.

You have also not attempted to prove anything otherwise. Something a Rice graduate should know when faced with a statement they do not agree with.

[Bloodrunner]

I bet you are a lot of fun around a campfire. [emoji57] I joke, of course. If you are paying for your own education, have some fun in college. Study, carefully, all the kuznet curves you can find!

If your parents, or the rest of us, are paying please knock it out and join the workforce as soon as possible.

Save some of these posts and read them again after working and paying taxes for 10-15 years. You will chuckle a bit.

Like others, I completely disagree with your earlier statement regarding political parties. Also, name dropping and writing a resume on your self superiority on subjects is a bit much. But hey, I am sure it makes you the cool cat on campus!

You seem like you have some smarts so the next time your professor is up there pushing something remember this; those who cannot do, teach. [emoji848] Joking again, maybe.

- My last statement is kind of an inside joke at the office. I have all the respect in the world for the underpaid K-12 public educators!


Sent from my SM-T377T using Tapatalk

Uh yeah man, 30 years old been working since 19. So you have no respect for those who teach above the 12th grade level? Also, where did I push for self superiority anywhere in my original post. Think I said something to the effect, "not that I'm more qualified than anyone else."

Also how I finance my education should have no bearing on my character whatsoever. And yes, I am paying for it. But thanks for the advice man and the multitude of under the rug insults.

[AZST_bowhunter]

Very wise sir. I agree with that and disagree with those who would coerce equality. This goes against all that is Adam Smith and the free market society. But again, the same outcome is sought by both sides. We all want equality and liberty in tandem in one free society, its just that one side believes it can only be coerced or values one higher than the other. But both sides want both equality and liberty. They would not have one without the other.

I slightly agree with this comment... Very slightly.. There is a small fraction of politicians that are truly doing this job for the people and that are truly trying to achieve equality and liberty. Guys like Rand Paul come to mind for this ( I really miss Ron). But lets all be honest here, Alexander Fraser Tytler was spot on when he said,

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.”

This is where we are heading, case in point "I got my Obama phone, he gave me a phone, I'm gonna vote for him." Lets see what happens with welfare reform (this is a death sentence for lifelong politicians).. The tax reform is full of uncertainty and bacon. Anyone ever wonder why every election talks about the same "key issues". The GOP leadership and the Dem leadership are just going through the political motions, making it seem like they are fighting for the people. Give me a break.. How can anyone put trust into a group that votes there own raises and vacation time, wheres the equality in that? The only equality in the United States takes place on that hill. Look at the Alabama race, this isn't a "blue wave" these are the guys that feel the pressure of their cushy lifestyle threatened by the fact the American people put in an outsider as the POTUS. These guys are all toasting today at the "blue wave" our politicians created.. There are a lot of voters in our country that are blind to the fact that our government does not truly represent them, they just feed us enough to keep the machine going.

[batmaninja]

You’re a grad student at my university and you’re judging me on my avatar? Trash. You’re a child.

You got that right.

I remember my first beer, I didnt go posting about it internets

[Ironman]

I slightly agree with this comment... Very slightly.. There is a small fraction of politicians that are truly doing this job for the people and that are truly trying to achieve equality and liberty. Guys like Rand Paul come to mind for this ( I really miss Ron). But lets all be honest here, Alexander Fraser Tytler was spot on when he said,

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.”

This is where we are heading, case in point "I got my Obama phone, he gave me a phone, I'm gonna vote for him." Lets see what happens with welfare reform (this is a death sentence for lifelong politicians).. The tax reform is full of uncertainty and bacon. Anyone ever wonder why every election talks about the same "key issues". The GOP leadership and the Dem leadership are just going through the political motions, making it seem like they are fighting for the people. Give me a break.. How can anyone put trust into a group that votes there own raises and vacation time, wheres the equality in that? The only equality in the United States takes place on that hill. Look at the Alabama race, this isn't a "blue wave" these are the guys that feel the pressure of their cushy lifestyle threatened by the fact the American people put in an outsider as the POTUS. These guys are all toasting today at the "blue wave" our politicians created.. There are a lot of voters in our country that are blind to the fact that our government does not truly represent them, they just feed us enough to keep the machine going.

Good post!

[Clay C]

(Baker Institute is globally ranked as the #2 think tank on Politics and Energy). On a weekly basis, I'll walk by U.S. Congressmen and women

Found the issue.

[flywise]

Very wise sir. I agree with that and disagree with those who would coerce equality. This goes against all that is Adam Smith and the free market society. But again, the same outcome is sought by both sides. We all want equality and liberty in tandem in one free society, its just that one side believes it can only be coerced or values one higher than the other. But both sides want both equality and liberty. They would not have one without the other.

Both sides absolutely DO NOT want equality and liberty.
It's very easy to see on a daily basis that one side has no interest at all in liberty and as for equality, I want no part of the equality that side is selling. To be equal would be to move one group of people down to the lowest level

[Shane]

jerp nailed it. They don't want the same things at all. One side wants equal outcomes, decided upon by a controlling government ruling class. There's not a lot of liberty in that approach. The other side wants the liberty of equal opportunity that can only occur through freedom from an oppressive government.

Those are not two ways to achieve the same thing. They're opposites and mutually exclusive.

But if "both sides" means the Democrat party and the Republican party establishments, then I'll agree that they both do want the same thing. They want government control over everything, and they only fight with each other over who gets the power.

[Ætheling]

Starting to see why none of our Rice grads ever work out.