The “True Grit Is An Idiot And Batman Can Continue To Claim Relevance Here” Open Thread.

May 4, 2009 11:11 am

by Icarus · 60 comments

Enough with the threadjacks here.

If you wish to continue the conversations that have nothing to do with Shafer or the Lt. Governor’s race, please continue to do so in this space. If you wish to join me in mocking those who do, please feel free to join in, as well.

{ 60 comments }

Doug Deal May 4, 2009 at 11:16 am

I drove by Erick’s house during lunch and I must say, for the 69th most powerful conservative, he can certainly use some yard maintenance.

Someone on council should pass “eye sore” legislation.

Icarus May 4, 2009 at 11:17 am

If only Obama was a member of the Macon City Council, even an honorary member, all yards would be green and neatly mowed, and would never need watering.

True Grit May 4, 2009 at 11:20 am

Rather than debate through dialogue you call names. Very responsible and adult.

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 11:20 am

In my own defense (and thanks for such high praise Daniel!), every comment I made over there was directly related to Shafer.

I’ll play nice and withhold the mean statement I was about to add… :)

Justin Tomczak May 4, 2009 at 12:21 pm

Icarus 05.04.09 at 11:17 am

If only Obama was a member of the Macon City Council, even an honorary member, all yards would be green and neatly mowed, and would never need watering.

Icarus – this latest not-so-thinly-veiled attack on Oxendine should be retracted immediately! Shame on you I say! Have you no decency Sir?

Icarus May 4, 2009 at 12:34 pm

“Have you no decency Sir?”

Not even the smallest amount.

Yet still, more than Ox.

(I just can’t stop myself)

Jason Shepherd May 4, 2009 at 12:35 pm

Erick, my last exam is Wednesday, after that, I don’t mind doing yard work for extra money!

Kellie May 4, 2009 at 12:41 pm

Great title, Icarus. It pulls people in. ;-)

UGALiberal May 4, 2009 at 12:43 pm

Since we are doing off-related topics, My Blog Staff and I met/questioned Bill Ayers this weekend. He was… interesting to say the least:

Icarus May 4, 2009 at 12:44 pm

D. Adams from the host thread:

“Icarus,
First you bait with acusing batman of having no class, after he was talking about Shafer and legislation he supported or killed, then Rugby baits with a sacastic Monds and Libertarian comment and we defend ourselves and our positions… and we’re accused of threadjacking, wtf.”

WFT is that we were following the over-done pattern of Batman deciding to engage in telling the Republicans who their nominee is, only to then counter when challenged that his is the party of ideological purity. It’s old, it’s tired, and it’s been done. You guys may never get tired of it, but the rest of us would like to discuss actual politics, and not what could happen if just 48% of the people would just change their views to match your vision of limited government (anarchy).

You weren’t cut off, you were relocated. If you wish to continue to discuss utopian Libertarianism and why we should care about it, here’s your space.

Ramblinwreck May 4, 2009 at 12:45 pm

My 10 year old daughter mows our 2 acres for $15. I can get you the same deal. Of course there’s the time and expense of getting from Rising Fawn to Macon but I’m sure we can work that out.

Daniel N. Adams May 4, 2009 at 12:48 pm

For extra MONEY?! You capitalist pig, you!

Doesn’t Obama want us to do everything for free… then let the gov take care of all our needs… the rich and the overworked printing presses at the treasury will pay for it all. Didn’t you know that?

If the prices of everything goes up… not to worry, it’s “just” inflation… “we have no control of that.”

Justin Tomczak May 4, 2009 at 12:48 pm

Would she take $3.75 for a 1/2 acre in East Cobb? By my math, that’s proportional.

Jason Shepherd May 4, 2009 at 12:53 pm

Ramblinwreck, you are also paying her in food and shelter. Adding that, how much is it REALLY per acre?

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 12:54 pm

Icarus,

Again, I point to the simple fact that the GOP lost ME. I was once among its most ardent supporters, and even I eventually saw through the blatant and rampant hypocrisy.

Hell, you even point it out yourself in the GOP when it is someone you don’t like (Ox).

Yet you blast me for pointing out that your entire party – with a FEW exceptions – is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.

Dang dude – even the Democrats will at least be HONEST about their intent to rape us!

Daniel N. Adams May 4, 2009 at 12:58 pm

Icarus,

Until we get our own primary, we are force to participate in yours (D’s or R’s)… and because we usually get stuck with one of them, we try to get y’all to go with the one that is closest to our and the American founders “purity” position of limited government (not anarchy). So pointing out where those running stand in conflict to this… however old is necessary. It’s call being diligent… which is what some of the founders asked us to be. I wish it wasn’t that way… but the last few years shows what happens when we stop or don’t do enough of it.

The General May 4, 2009 at 12:59 pm

Isn’t it illegal for the government to start child labor? I can just see it now, a new generation of Americans telling their grandchildren that their families struggled to make ends meet, so Obama hired them to do yard work at the White House.

Icarus May 4, 2009 at 1:05 pm

“Again, I point to the simple fact that the GOP lost ME.”

O.K., we lost you. There’s a lot of people we need to get back before we’re the majority. Guess what? You’re not going to be one of them. I know that, and anyone that reads this knows that.

You’re not for public schools. You don’t believe the government can use the power of eminent domain for anything, certainly not transportation projects.

Most of the rest of us, who are still for limited government, see value in those two things above, and many others that you will never support. I’m sorry that we lost you, but we’re just not willing to meet your terms to have you back.

“Yet you blast me for pointing out that your entire party – with a FEW exceptions – is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.”

No, we blast you for injecting yourself into every intra-party discussion to tell us how best to represent our interests when you are not one of us.

AND, more importantly, we blast you for threadjacking damn near every thread to discuss ideological purity that is unattainable, when some of the rest of us understand the need to work within what is possible to try and make things better, rather than holding out for the impossbile and wishing things were perfect.

“Dang dude – even the Democrats will at least be HONEST about their intent to rape us!”

I have no physical interest in you whatsoever.

Ramblinwreck May 4, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Justin. $3.75. We can do that. Then there’s the $400 charge for travel to East Cobb and back with me driving the truck. Let me know if you’re still interested. I think I can find East Cobb. Used to live off Post Oak Tritt.

Ramblinwreck May 4, 2009 at 1:10 pm

Jason, whatever it is per acre is cheaper than my rate/hour so I’m coming out ahead. She earns spending money and we call it PE for our homeschool curriculum so everybody wins, especially dad. As soon as she can reach the pedals I’m going to let her start driving the 82 hp tractor and running the bush hog.

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 1:16 pm

Icarus:

As Daniel has said, Libertarians HAVE to be involved in tracking/debating their ‘second’ choice, because we don’t have our own primary yet and therefore we have to use y’all’s to try to work for the best we can get within your parties.

Want to change that? Then let Libertarians have equal ballot access in Georgia. (So far, 64 members, not a single one of which is a currently elected official at the State Rep level or higher.)

The sad thing here? As crazy as Ray McBerry is on several issues, right now HE may be the best bet for libertarians to vote for. At least HE stands by what he believes in – misguided though it may be on several points.

Again, to me it comes back to honesty and integrity. I really don’t care what message the GOP sends, as long as you admit it, stick to it and stand up for it. Right now, y’all aint doing none of that!

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 1:18 pm

btw: On McBerry: I meant only so far as the GOP Primary goes, and I was speaking SOLELY for myself here, based on what I have seen so far while working on my ‘Ray McBerry and Liberty’ article, forthcoming on SWGA Politics.

Ramblinwreck May 4, 2009 at 1:19 pm

I keep hearing all these debates on what’s wrong with the GOP and how to fix it but there is still one thing that I don’ hear anyone mention. I have yet to hear anyone in the current party leadership demand that our elected officials we’re sending to DC observe the intent of the Constitution 100% of the time. We know what the intent is but everyone not only ignores it but refuses to even acknowlege it for fear that it might actually happen. If everyone in Washington did that we wouldn’t have near the problems we have today.

If they observed the intent of Article I Section 8:
There wouldn’t be about 80+% of the spending.
If you don’t have the spending you don’t need the taxes.
If you don’t have money to spend you wouldn’t get the swarm of lobbyists trying to buy favors because there wouldn’t be anything to buy.
A session of Congress wouldn’t take much longer than a session of a state legislature and Nancy Pelosi wouldn’t need to make so many trips to California in that private jet.

Unless and until the GOP takes a principled stand that it will be the party of people who obey the law 100% of the time then they’re going to be perceived, correctly so, as no different than Democrats. In that case there should be a third party alternative and you shouldn’t have to commit unnatural acts to get on a ballot.

rugby May 4, 2009 at 1:26 pm

“As Daniel has said, Libertarians HAVE to be involved in tracking/debating their ’second’ choice, because we don’t have our own primary yet and therefore we have to use y’all’s to try to work for the best we can get within your parties.”

Yeah, no you don’t.

You guys really have no idea how politics works.

TPNoGa May 4, 2009 at 2:28 pm

Sice this is an open thread:

I still don’t know who I am supporting in the GOP primary. But, the more I think about it, I am not so sure I can vote for Karen Handel. Don’t get me wrong, I like her, it’s just I really think our Governor should have graduated college, if not college, at least UGA. :-)

I have looked into Monds, I am intrigued (but I have time for that). I am still looking into the rest.

Bill Greene May 4, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Why doesn’t the GA LP have its own primary yet? It’s a recognized party for most offices in Georgia. Doesn’t it get to decided how it picks its own candidates, by convention or by primary? Or is it a question of funding?

Chris May 4, 2009 at 2:58 pm

Bill – its a question of the LP having never run anyone who could garner > 1% of the vote. The LP is a “political body”. They nominate via convention and then have to get signatures to be on the ballot. Their primaries are decided by the LPGa members, and not by the public at large like the Democrats and Republicans. To become a political party, they’d have to run a candidate who got 20% of the vote.

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 3:23 pm

Chris:

Monds got 33.4% of the vote just 6 months ago. Typical GOP ‘forgetting’ things that disagree with them…

Furthermore, both Givens and Buckley forced runoffs in their respective races (4.9 and 3.4% respectively – ALSO greater than 1%, just FYI there.)

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 3:27 pm

Chris:

Also, I should point out that LP-Ga’s Governor candidate has gotten at LEAST 2% in every race since 1990 that one was run. (Secretary of State’s Election Results website shows we didn’t run a Gov candidate in 1994.)

IndyInjun May 4, 2009 at 3:29 pm

Your friendly fairtax accountant joins this repartee to remind that barter or sale of lawn care or bushhog services will be fully taxable….

So are Girl Scout cookies.

Macon probably imposes a seasonal roadside vendor fee, so better ante that up too, otherwise Erick will be cannon fodder for worse reasons than obscenities toward Obama….

David Staples May 4, 2009 at 3:35 pm

As Chris got partially correct, the Libertarian has to get at least 20 percent in Georgia to become a political party. Until then, for nearly every office in Georgia, we would have to collect signatures – something that neither Democrats nor Republicans have to do – just to get on the ballot. Can you imagine how many fewer candidates would be on the ballots if D’s and R’s had to collect signatures on a petition as well?

With the advances we’ve had in technology, I wouldn’t think it unreasonable to drop the 20 percent requirement. The computerized voting systems have plenty of extra room for more candidate names. If someone can afford to pay the filing fee, they should be listed on the ballot. Period.

True Grit May 4, 2009 at 3:40 pm

DK—There’s a far cry from PSC to Governor. 33% won’t be attainable. Further, Buckley didn’t cause the runoff: Saxby did.

David Staples May 4, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Oh, and as a side note, I used to consider myself just an independent, voting mostly Republican. However, once I found out about the Libertarian Party just over a year ago, I’ve found my political home. The GOP continues to grow further and further away from it’s previous limited government roots. When the GOP is no longer the party of limited government, but supports bailout after bailout, where else is a voter supposed to turn other than the Libertarian Party?

Yes, the Libertarian Party hasn’t always been the biggest party out there… we realize that. But it’s those of us who actually care about a limited government (not anarchy) that are working to grow it to a point where we can compete on a level playing field with Democrats and Republicans. (Hence you’ve probably noticed that Kellie and Dark Knight are also new Libertarians like myself. But if you want to pay no attention to that trend, feel free. The GOP will be dead in no time. :-) )

Dark Knight Begins May 4, 2009 at 3:46 pm

TG:

Had all of Buckley’s votes gone to Marshall or had even 0.03% of Buckley’s votes gone to Shameless, there would have been no run off.

You can blame whoever you want, but the numbers say BUCKLEY caused the runoff, not Shameless.

David Staples May 4, 2009 at 3:47 pm

True Grit – agreed. Saxby was so alike to Martin in his big government ways, only those that were afraid to vote for the Libertarian voted for Saxby. Most of those were the ones with the only reason being the 60 votes. Good thing that never came to pass..

Bill Simon May 4, 2009 at 4:01 pm

Doug,

Someone on council should pass “eye sore” legislation.

If you had done that in Cherokee County, some kook would have called the Sheriff and accused you of “stalking”.

rugby May 4, 2009 at 4:43 pm

“we would have to collect signatures – something that neither Democrats nor Republicans have to do – just to get on the ballot.”

Because Democrats and Republicans are legitimate political entities.

“Had all of Buckley’s votes gone to Marshall or had even 0.03% of Buckley’s votes gone to Shameless, there would have been no run off.”

Since we’re splitting hairs–sure Buckley had something to do with the runoff but you saw when the runoff happened, it was Obama voters who helped out Martin, not Buckley causing a runoff. Oh, an .03% of Buckley’s votes is only around 40 votes.

True Grit May 4, 2009 at 4:45 pm

Come on Caped Crusader….you know very well that if Buckley hadn’t been in the race those votes would have gone proportionally to Saxby or they would have sat at home. Martin wouldn’t have got many of those. Buckley was as clueless as Martin in the debates and the only reason he got so many votes is because he wasn’t Martin and he wasn’t Saxby.

seenbetrdayz May 4, 2009 at 8:40 pm

Are you sure that Buckley’s representation of fiscal responsibility (sorry for swearing amongst Republicans) didn’t have some influence on the voter decision-making?

seenbetrdayz May 4, 2009 at 8:48 pm

Oh, an .03% of Buckley’s votes is only around 40 votes.

Or ~ 3,833

Icarus May 4, 2009 at 8:53 pm

Or 38.33 (around 40), for those attempting to do math at home.

Though that might explain why you keep telling us you’re close to 50% + 1…

seenbetrdayz May 4, 2009 at 9:06 pm

I never said any such thing. I’ve always said that the best hope for the libertarians is that the (R)epublicans keep losing by that critical 2-3% until they give up and go away.

The Republican party can only shrink, at this point. Libertarians, on the other hand, have nothing to lose. :)

Doug Deal May 4, 2009 at 9:23 pm

Bill, who said local constabularies were NOT involved?

DKB, the only thing that caused the runoff were the voters of Georgia. You are crazy if more than an ultra small handfull of voters voted for Buckley because he was Buckley. He was a horrible candidate, and if you plan on growing the party, you will need better candidates in the future.

c_murrayiii May 4, 2009 at 11:26 pm

I voted for Buckley…to make Saxby face a run off, and that is the only reason. I hoped it might send a message to Saxby, I doubt it did though.

Doug Deal May 5, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Same here, c_m.

Kellie May 5, 2009 at 2:53 pm

I voted for Saxby in the run off only because I didn’t want Martin. So, obviously we need some better choices.

Icarus May 5, 2009 at 3:09 pm

For the last time Kellie,

No.

I will not run for the Senate.

Doug Deal May 5, 2009 at 3:16 pm

Icarus,

We need a draft movement to get some PP poster or commentor to run for Senate [cough[ [cough] [cough] Farris [cough] [cough] [cough] in the primary against Johnny.

This sucker patriot wouldn’t even need to campaign, just sign up to take campaign donations and open a web site to accept them to recover the filing fee.

Kellie May 5, 2009 at 4:57 pm

Run Ickie Run!

Icarus May 5, 2009 at 9:52 pm

No Kellie No!

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