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Comments Posted By phoenixdoglover

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The Republican Encyclopedia of Hindsight Deals

How about the psychological interpretation? There is a growing body of evidence to indicate differences between the personality traits of conservatives and progressives. In some respects, people gravitate toward a political pole because their brain is wired that way.

Conservatives then, by their nature, resist change, and cannot play the part of “change agent”. Even if they see the merit of a proposal, they are subject to their in-built preference to reject the idea. Thus they are frequently playing either the loyal opposition or something much less noble, depending on how much change is in the offing.

So vigorous debate is good; the best ideas are forged from red hot steel, etc. If the idea works, despite the conservative foot-dragging, they feel entitled to take credit, as they were part of the necessary adversarial process. Or so goes the Monday morning rationalization.

Now let’s turn this thing around a bit. Do you think the Tea Party wing of the GOP is conservative? Don’t they seem more like a strange blend of Christo/fundamental/libertarian/anarchists? Don’t they want a lot of change? And might you be riled about about them (contemptuous, mocking, whatever) because you are a “conservative progressive”?

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 11, 2014 @ 9:37 am

The Once and Future Impeachment of Barack Obama

Gallup poll had Congressional approval bottoming out a few months ago at 9%. Then it “rebounded” and is around 12% now.

Any way you look at it though, there is still ample opportunity for Congress to do worse. The impeachment idea might do the trick.

Seriously though, even if you accept the argument that the GOP has been reduced to existing for the sole reason of existing, at some point might not the electorate turn off the TV, step outside, and decide to change this?

There are some hopeful signs. Take the average age of a Fox viewer, for example. Only a string of medical discoveries is going to save that demographic.

But I agree with the basic analysis. It could be a show trial only. The votes wont be there. And the window will be only about 10 months long (Jan-Oct 2015), before 2016 campaigning looms larger, and some Senators lose their nerve.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 10, 2014 @ 8:43 am

Huffington Post Finalizes Its Divorce From Its Bloggers

Good day!

Yet another refugee from HP. The change was so abrupt, I barely got out with the clothes on my back. I went back at night, but it was just a bunch of people hunched over their smartphones, ignoring each other, whispering “like…like…like”.

I managed to get out with my interest and opinions still intact. Hope that will come in handy here. I’m looking forward to some good reading and some spirited discourse.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 10, 2014 @ 8:20 am

The Weekend Music Thread-A Tribute to Neil Young

I know this thread is getting a little old, but I had to put in my 2 cents.

Neil Young is the musician that made my junior and senior years in high school tolerable. His music fit my mood and youthful anxieties about our world at the time. And even without the social commentary, his guitar playing, especially with Crazy Horse, was superb – an ebbing and flowing wail of protest. I could, and did, listen to Cowgirl in the Sand, Southern Man, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, and whole album sides time and time again.

So yes, here’s to Neil Young!

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 10, 2014 @ 9:03 am