U.S. Elections 2008

[theowne]

Canada's not perfect...have you ever been to free dominion? I visited earlier and read through a few racial taunts before I left.

 

[Mongo]

I may go visit those sites but I don't know if I can stomach them.

Don't. I made the mistake of looking at a few of them. I've seldom seen such cesspools of hatred, intolerance and venom in my life. (Ironically, they constantly accuse those with different views of being "sheep", yet they themselves are incredibly prone to "groupthink" and tribal patterns of behavior.)

 

[Admiral Beez]

Don't. I made the mistake of looking at a few of them. I've seldom seen such cesspools of hatred, intolerance and venom in my life. (Ironically, they constantly accuse those with different views of being "sheep", yet they themselves are incredibly prone to "groupthink" and tribal patterns of behavior.)

One of the most amusing parts about Freedominion is how they post supposedly legit media articles with far right slants. You start to read them and then ask yourself how could any bricks and mortar, for profit media outlet say such things. It's at that point that you realise that the article is not a media article at all, but is instead simply posted on some guy's blog in a format mimicking real for profit media. These guys seem to think that if they can think it up and post it on the internet then it's news. Bunch of dummies.

 

[Mot]

kEiThZ-That we don't consider our electorate capable of making decisions on fundamental rights within our democracy says a lot and is not something to be proud of.....


Supporting a majority voting on the equal rights of minorities is not standing on the side of fairness and equality. It's mob rule.
Perhaps you can interpret for us what you meant by the above statement in terms of the discussion on anti gay measures and SSM in Canada that we are having in this thread.

 

[kEiThZ]

kEiThZ-That we don't consider our electorate capable of making decisions on fundamental rights within our democracy says a lot and is not something to be proud of.....


Supporting a majority voting on the equal rights of minorities is not standing on the side of fairness and equality. It's mob rule.
Perhaps you can interpret for us what you meant by the above statement in terms of the discussion on anti gay measures and SSM in Canada that we are having in this thread.

I happen to have faith that the Canadian people would vote for expanded rights. And that a campaign would serve to educate the public. Perhaps I just have more faith in the Canadian people than you do.....

 

[kEiThZ]

It'll be interesting to see the relationship between the Obama administration and the Conservative government. Especially after the leak that cost them a few states in the primary....

I am liking this new approach to a continental carbon trading system.....it's a good way to find common ground.

 

[Tewder]

Tewder, Coddling a person or group's bigotry whether it's derived from religion or elsewhere is not helping make it go away.

I'm not suggesting we coddle it. It has to be 'fought' of course, but as I said before it takes time to raise the social consciousness of a people.

Then again you live here and were able to marry so you really don't know what it is like to still live in a place where you cannot when you were more than ready to do it. You don't feel the frustration of people demonizing you based on your sexual orientation on a regular basis, that simply does not happen here.

Of course I know what it's like. You act as if Canada arrived at this age of enlightenment a thousand years ago (and I'm simply not that old!!), and that homophobia doesn't exist it Canada. Not true. I married three years ago because we were elated to finally have the ability to do so, but also because Harper was taking the issue to Parliament.

 

[Whoaccio]

One of the most amusing parts about Freedominion is how they post supposedly legit media articles with far right slants. You start to read them and then ask yourself how could any bricks and mortar, for profit media outlet say such things. It's at that point that you realise that the article is not a media article at all, but is instead simply posted on some guy's blog in a format mimicking real for profit media. These guys seem to think that if they can think it up and post it on the internet then it's news. Bunch of dummies.

I love the spread of factual relativism that is rampant among parts of the "right." Things can be totally wrong, and prooven as such, but as long as a large enough group of people think it it qualifies as an "opinion" it is treated like a legitimate piece of fact. Conservapedia is probably the greatest example I can think of. Beware the "homosexual agenda!"

 

[theowne]

Conservapedia:

Obama will likely become the first Muslim to be sworn in as President, on January 20, 2009, and could select the Koran for this purpose.

lol. What's wrong with these people?

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

did you read barack obama's page on cuntservapedia? checkout his religious affiliation.

if he was really a muslim, that's fine. it's the way they use that word to describe him, it's their intent and objective in the way they use it.

that website is filled with so many lies, it's hard to tell if they're being serious or if it's a satirical website. the scary thing is that these people have reproductive organs and could have or do have offspring.

 

[Admiral Beez]

It'll be interesting to see the relationship between the Obama administration and the Conservative government. .

If Harper gets it right it will be bad for the Liberals. Don't forget that the usual insult thrown at Harper is that he's Bush's lapdog or an adherent to Bush's politics. It will be hard for Liberals to use such accusations if Harper is seen working well with Obama.

Liberals calling Harper Obama's lapdog will not be as effective.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

lol. What's wrong with these people?

the real question is, what isn't?

 

[Mongo]

Why I am hopeful about the direction the incoming Obama administration will take: Part LXXVII, Science

http://sharp.sefora.org/people/presidential-candidates/barack-obama-presidential-candidate/

I will restore the basic principle that government decisions should be based on the best-available, scientifically-valid evidence and not on the ideological predispositions of agency officials or political appointees. More broadly, I am committed to creating a transparent and connected democracy, using cutting-edge technologies to provide a new level of transparency, accountability, and participation for America’s citizens. Policies must be determined using a process that builds on the long tradition of open debate that has characterized progress in science, including review by individuals who might bring new information or contrasting views. I have already established an impressive team of science advisors, including several Nobel Laureates, who are helping me to shape a robust science agenda for my administration.

In addition I will:

Appoint individuals with strong science and technology backgrounds and unquestioned reputations for integrity and objectivity to the growing number of senior management positions where decisions must incorporate science and technology advice. These positions will be filled promptly with ethical, highly qualified individuals on a non-partisan basis;

Establish the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to ensure that our government and all its agencies have the right infrastructure, policies and services for the 21st century. The CTO will lead an interagency effort on best-in-class technologies, sharing of best practices, and safeguarding of our networks;

Strengthen the role of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) by appointing experts who are charged to provide independent advice on critical issues of science and technology. The PCAST will once again be advisory to the president; and

Restore the science integrity of government and restore transparency of decision-making by issuing an Executive Order establishing clear guidelines for the review and release of government publications, guaranteeing that results are released in a timely manner and not distorted by the ideological biases of political appointees. I will strengthen protection for “whistle blowers” who report abuses of these processes.

My administration will increase funding for basic research in physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering at a rate that would double basic research budgets over the next decade. We will increase research grants for early-career researchers to keep young scientists entering these fields. We will increase support for high-risk, high-payoff research portfolios at our science agencies. And we will invest in the breakthrough research we need to meet our energy challenges and to transform our defense programs.

Obama science advisor Sharon Long implied that Obama would stand by the doubling, even in the current economic downturn. Wired reported on October 28, 2008, that at a talk delivered to the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, Long was asked whether Obama would stand by the promise. "The answer is, how can we afford not to?" Long responded, noting that the root of scientific advancement is basic research.

There can no longer be any doubt that human activities are influencing the global climate and we must react quickly and effectively. First, the U.S. must get off the sidelines and take long-overdue action here at home to reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions. We must also take a leadership role in designing technologies that allow us to enjoy a growing, prosperous economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. With the right incentives, I'm convinced that American ingenuity can do this, and in the process make American businesses more productive, create jobs, and make America’s buildings and vehicles safer and more attractive. This is a global problem. U.S. leadership is essential but solutions will require contributions from all parts of the world—particularly the rest of the world’s major emitters: China, Europe, and India.

I will restore U.S. leadership in strategies for combating climate change and work closely with the international community. We will re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate change problem. In addition I will create a Global Energy Forum—based on the G8+5, which includes all G-8 members plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa—comprising the largest energy consuming nations from both the developed and developing world. This forum would focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues. I will also create a Technology Transfer Program dedicated to exporting climate-friendly technologies, including green buildings, clean coal and advanced automobiles, to developing countries to help them combat climate change.

Federally supported basic research, aimed at understanding many features of nature— from the size of the universe to subatomic particles, from the chemical reactions that support a living cell to interactions that sustain ecosystems—has been an essential feature of American life for over fifty years. While the outcomes of specific projects are never predictable, basic research has been a reliable source of new knowledge that has fueled important developments in fields ranging from telecommunications to medicine, yielding remarkable rates of economic return and ensuring American leadership in industry, military power, and higher education. I believe that continued investment in fundamental research is essential for ensuring healthier lives, better sources of energy, superior military capacity, and high-wage jobs for our nation’s future.

<snip>

As president, I will increase funding for basic research in physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering at a rate that would double basic research budgets over the next decade. Sustained and predictable increases in research funding will allow the United States to accomplish a great deal. First, we can expand the frontiers of human knowledge. Second, we can provide greater support for high-risk, high-return research and for young scientists at the beginning of their careers. Third, we can harness science and technology to address the “grand challenges” of the 21st century: energy, health, food and water, national security, information technology, and manufacturing capacity.

Obama has expressed his belief in evolution stating, in an interview with The New Yorker editor David Remnick, “[e]volution is more grounded in my experience than angels.”

In an interview with the York Daily Record in March 2008, Obama addressed the topic of science and religion, saying:

"I'm a Christian, and I believe in parents being able to provide children with religious instruction without interference from the state. But I also believe our schools are there to teach worldly knowledge and science. I believe in evolution, and I believe there's a difference between science and faith. That doesn't make faith any less important than science. It just means they're two different things. And I think it's a mistake to try to cloud the teaching of science with theories that frankly don't hold up to scientific inquiry."

A group of 61 Nobel Laureates in science endorsed Barack Obama saying that they "support the measures he plans to take – through new initiatives in education and training, expanded research funding, an unbiased process for obtaining scientific advice, and an appropriate balance of basic and applied research – to meet the nation’s and the world’s most urgent needs."

Bill

 

[kEiThZ]

If Harper gets it right it will be bad for the Liberals. Don't forget that the usual insult thrown at Harper is that he's Bush's lapdog or an adherent to Bush's politics. It will be hard for Liberals to use such accusations if Harper is seen working well with Obama.

Liberals calling Harper Obama's lapdog will not be as effective.

I wondering what will happen when Harper manages to negotiate a continent wide carbon trading scheme with the Obama administration. That'll really suck the wind out of the NDP and Liberal climate change policy. I am waiting to see that one...will be quite interesting to watch.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

Why I am hopeful about the direction the incoming Obama administration will take: Part LXXVII, Science

http://sharp.sefora.org/people/presidential-candidates/barack-obama-presidential-candidate/

Bill

Stem Cell Research

Obama supports expanding federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and voted for the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (S. 5), which was later vetoed by President Bush.

In an interview with Nature Magazine, Obama said, "As president, I will lift the current administration's ban on federal funding of research on embryonic stem-cell lines created after 9 August 2001 through executive order, and I will ensure that all research on stem cells is conducted ethically and with rigorous oversight." He explains that a large number of embryos stored for in vitro fertilization will eventually be unused and destroyed, and thus using them for research when they are freely donated for such purpose could save lives and not interfere with moral concerns.

Adult Stem Cells

In his Nature Magazine interview, Obama also says that adult stem cell research cannot replace embryonic stem cell research, even though it has made some progress in disease treatment. He said, "Recent discoveries indicate that adult skin cells can be reprogrammed to behave like stem cells; these are exciting findings that might in the future lead to an alternate source of highly versatile stem cells. However, embryonic stem cells remain the 'gold standard' and studies of all types of stem cells should continue in parallel for the forseeable future. Rather than restrict the funding of such research, I favour responsible oversight of it."

finally, someone who gets it.