Tell 'em Conrad...I mean Taylor sent 'ya

A wee bit of a problem here (0.00 / 0)

From what limited amount I've seen, Taylor isn't running a campaign of issues, and has no intention to do so.  He's running a campaign of popular identity.  Hell, even I call him by his first name (damn my blackened soul.)  He didn't bring up Burns as an example of his beliefs or policy issues, and attempting to tie him to Burns on those things will likely fail.  Burns was a U.S. Senator, and likable ole Taylor with the big ole hat and bigger smile won't have to concern hisself with them weighty thinkin's.  Shucks.  He's just got to ensure support from those who think his good buddy got a raw deal.  That's what he's doing.

I'm not certain what the best tactic to beat him will be.  But erudite policy comparisons and negative campaigning likely won't be it.  

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by: Rob Kailey @ Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 21:53:09 PM UTC

Some logic for a post with not much... (1.00 / 1)

Burns voted for privatizing Social Security. This is bad because we need to leave it in the same hands as the people who bankrupted it. These are the same people responsible for Amtrak and the Post Office.

Burns opposes an increase in the minimum wage. This is also bad because God forbid people get paid what their worth is actually worth.

Burns wants to give tax breaks to companies that take American jobs overseas. The main reason that companies take their jobs overseas is to avoid exploitive taxation for being an "evil corporation" and some candidates (I.E. Barry) would further raise these taxes and only increase the trend.

Also, a national sales tax would allow for decreases in other taxation. Albeit a 23% is a little much, a 28% capital gains tax is a little much too.

Maybe Taylor is what Senate District 22 needs...

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by: msu-11 @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 04:36:39 AM UTC

Logic, much???... (4.00 / 2)

I'm sure those Social Security privateers would feel great right about now had they invested their pension in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Amtrak and the Post Office? Last I heard they were still delivering people and mail and doing just fine. Last I heard people's Social Security checks were arriving. Bankrupt? Naw. Out-of-date? Maybe. But privatize it? Not as long as the corporate wage structure remains skewed, which brings me to my next point...

If god were to forbid people getting paid what their worth was actually  worth, he'd cap corporate officer's pay at about 4x the wage of the lowest paid worker.

The main reason corporations take jobs overseas is that there are no laws protecting the environment or workers rights, and those economies haven't grown to the point that the wage structure there is competitive with ours. You want to talk patriotism? Then talk about those CEO's that would rather give a job to a kid in the third world working 12-16 hours a day, living in a hut, breathing toxic air than try to compete on American soil. I'd say they are about the worst miscreant anti-patriots out there.

National sales tax?  Hahahahaha. The most regressive tax there is. Tax the poor to feed the rich. That's revolution talk. Ain't gonna happen.

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by: JC @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 17:14:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh but JC, (0.00 / 0)

You missed the coup de grace.  In all the abuses of reason that msu-11 (quit shaming my school, fool) commits, the most illogical is pretending that that fantasy of Conrad's legacy has anything to do with the Montana legislature, and what it needs.

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by: Rob Kailey @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 20:09:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Theres more... (0.00 / 0)

Well, I wouldn't feel good about losing my pension in Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. However, the beauty of the privatization of pensions is that the consumers have a choice of where to place their investments.

Yes, you are correct in saying that Amtrak is still delivering passengers and that the USPS is still delivering mail. However, would Amtrak still be delivering passengers if it were not for the $29 billion in government subsidies that the government has provided for it. Also, the federal subsidies for Amtrak last year totaled close to $1 billion. This is approximately one-third of the operating budget of Amtrak. Thats efficiency right there. How many other successful companies are still in business when they can only gain 2/3 of their required budget funds from their operations? Leave it to the government to throw money at problem like that.

Also, if the USPS were not less efficient than its private competitors, would it not be possible for companies such as UPS and Fed-Ex to survive in the marketplace? They survive because they can provide the same (or very similar) service to customers and do it better that the government can.

So for God to forbid (Synonyms:   ban, block, censor, debar, defend, defy, deny, deprive, disallow, enjoin, fend, gainsay, halt, impede, inhibit, interdict, preclude, prevent, prohibit, proscribe, refuse, restrain) people from getting paid what their worth, he would limit their salaries? That sounds about like what you're saying with CEO's pay. God is depriving them from what their worth? Thats how you made it sound.

Is there any evidence supporting your claim that the main reason corporations ship their jobs overseas because "there are no laws protecting the environment or workers rights?" That seems like a feel-good way to hide from a problem.

So according to what I'm reading on here (this website) income tax is unfair, and sales tax is unfair, what are some taxes that are fair that can provide for certain candidates (Barry) to plan for $1trillion in new spending?

And Patriotism? If you want to talk patriotism by equating it to "those CEO's that would rather give a job to a kid in the third world working 12-16 hours a day, living in a hut, breathing toxic air than try to compete on American soil," go ahead, degrade patriotism to a single issue. As for my patriotism... I believe in what this great country stands for and its status in the world. I believe that the founding fathers had a vision for what this country is and what it should be. Therefore, in addition to believing in this great country, I also believe in what is laid out for it in the Constitution and that the best way to figure out what it means is to read the words of it. I believe that the power of America comes from the individual, after all, as a democratic republic, thats where the government derives its power as well. I believe that people have the right to work hard, succeed, and make this country better for others by their own free will. Every man has his own free will, what he chooses to do with it is up to him. I also believe that "the government is best that governs the least (Thomas Jefferson)." I also believe that a strong military is essential to the survival of this Republic and that by maintaining strength in that it allows for people to have the freedom to degrade those who sacrifice everything for this country. I believe in America. HOW DARE YOU DISCUSS MY PATRIOTISM WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT I BELIEVE IN!!!

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by: msu-11 @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 20:12:58 PM UTC

That's easy (0.00 / 0)

HOW DARE YOU DISCUSS MY PATRIOTISM WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT I BELIEVE IN!!!

'Cause you're just so enjoyably easy to make fun of.

Dude, you've completely misrepresented what JC wrote.  And you kinda sound like a defensive git.  Well actually, you really are a defensive git.

And I really would appreciate it if you would quit insulting my Alma Mater with the silliness you hide behind your moniker.  (Dude or Dudette, only a git would pitch a fit about how someone doesn't know your patriotism without knowing you when you hide behind Internet anonymity.  I don't think you're 'unpatriotic'.  I think you're an idiot.)

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by: Rob Kailey @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 21:48:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The founding fathers were also revolutionaries... (0.00 / 0)

a calling to which I highly aspire.

And, eh, Wulfgar said the rest for me.

Except I wasn't talking about YOUR PATRIOTISM, unless you are a CEO shipping jobs overseas. Then I guess I was. And if so, I still mean it.

--
ps, as with Wulfar, I too am a Moo-U grad, from back when cowboy hippies were yet to be the big rage. And I and my draft card (#134 in the big lotto) decided we didn't want to build nukes for Uncle Sam, so moved on to the "soft" sciences.

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by: JC @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 22:09:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Easy to make fun of? (0.00 / 0)

I dont see many people making fun of me on here. Up until this last post, my history on here has just been bringing more facts (and opinions) to the table of the discussions. If you honestly make fun of me, go ahead, it goes both ways. Say some things  on here so I can see whats being slung around. Sorry about misinterpreting what JC said. It wasnt defensive, I'll get defensive when the time comes, it was just fun. So, Ill be around. happy blogging.

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by: msu-11 @ Tue Jul 15, 2008 at 04:44:25 AM UTC