tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post877020342569243611..comments2024-03-28T03:00:07.229-04:00Comments on Rational Nation USA: Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders Rising?...Les Carpenterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-2977063386926197582015-06-11T08:07:45.858-04:002015-06-11T08:07:45.858-04:00Good going Jerry and Les... it is not often that t...Good going Jerry and Les... it is not often that tangents actually increase the level of knowledge and discourage in such discussionsdmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-64202351752140426492015-06-11T00:36:28.120-04:002015-06-11T00:36:28.120-04:00No need to keep quiet. Your point was clear and u...No need to keep quiet. Your point was clear and using inertia did not interfere or change the point you were making. Jerry Critterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870618647449723147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-89527149833466579852015-06-10T22:27:59.039-04:002015-06-10T22:27:59.039-04:00Yes Jerry you are correct, inertia is the force re...Yes Jerry you are correct, inertia is the force responsible for keeping objects traveling in the same direction once in motion. Until energy is dissipated or an opposing energy acts on it.<br /><br />Sorry, I ain't a physicist and was trying to keep it simple. But you are right and I should have said it right or kept quiet.<br /><br />Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-62991464784072160282015-06-10T22:05:06.812-04:002015-06-10T22:05:06.812-04:00Also, to get really technically nitpicky, it is no...Also, to get really technically nitpicky, it is not inertia that the pendulum loses, but energy. As the pendulum swings energy changes back and forth between momentum and potential energy. Frictional forces slowly reduce the total energy available so the maximum momentum and potential energy eventually goes to zero (assuming no change in center position). During all of this, the inertia of the pendulum has not changed. The inertia is determined by the mass of the pendulum which has not changed (neglecting quantum effects). <br /><br />Sorry! This is probably way too much information.Jerry Critterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870618647449723147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-78262357832771580882015-06-10T17:25:14.208-04:002015-06-10T17:25:14.208-04:00Astute observation Jerry; and, as the center is mo...Astute observation Jerry; and, as the center is moving slowly left (at least at present) the reality is America is moving left, gradually.<br /><br />So, if liberals are smart they will stay just ever so slightly to left of center to avoid backlash (or whiplash. :-).<br /><br />Politics is as much an art as a science.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-82160766719957803682015-06-10T16:57:12.547-04:002015-06-10T16:57:12.547-04:00Your pendulum explanation is correct when the cent...Your pendulum explanation is correct when the center stays in one place. Our political center is always shifting, however, and therefore the pendulum will swing forever. In fact, if the center shifts fast enough, the swings will become greater and greater, causing a very unstable situation. Jerry Critterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870618647449723147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-17294252848544412362015-06-10T15:27:18.900-04:002015-06-10T15:27:18.900-04:00A pendulum will swing only so far before losing in...A pendulum will swing only so far before losing inertia and opposing forces take over moving it back in the opposite direction when once again inertia is lost an opposing forces move it back. This continue until eventually the pendulum stops in the middle.<br /><br />Perhaps we will someday be so lucky with the political pendulum BB Idaho? But I ain't counting on it. Certainly not in my lifetime.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-6395580193523683202015-06-10T14:22:27.187-04:002015-06-10T14:22:27.187-04:00IMO, the GOP strong-arm tactics in WI have been su...IMO, the GOP strong-arm tactics in WI have been successful, doing everything they wanted. However, the results have been destructive, wages have fallen, WI is way behind<br />in job creation, and restrictions on voting as well the flood of outstate $$ are disliked. This is reflected in the latest polling there: Clinton 52/Walker 40 and Feingold 52/Johnson 38.<br />The situation is similar in <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/kansass-failed-experiment/389874/" rel="nofollow">Kansas</a><br />Kansas where the over reach has even driven some state GOP leaders into the opposing camp. Perhaps in these cases, an inadvertent push reversing the pendulum.<br />BB-Idahohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388509941702241290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-48824160752116091892015-06-10T01:37:50.078-04:002015-06-10T01:37:50.078-04:00Clinton is not a progressive democrat. Of course S...Clinton is not a progressive democrat. Of course Sanders or Warren are a better choice to represent progressives.Jerry Critterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870618647449723147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-56005962263260636352015-06-09T19:10:19.766-04:002015-06-09T19:10:19.766-04:00My choice to live if I didn't live here.<a href="http://www.forbes.com/2011/01/19/norway-denmark-finland-business-washington-world-happiest-countries_slide_10.html" rel="nofollow">My choice to live if I didn't live here.</a>Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-9057072289382209682015-06-09T18:55:38.871-04:002015-06-09T18:55:38.871-04:00Agree with the general tone of your statement. Exc...Agree with the general tone of your statement. Except in my opinion Hillary makes it easy to sell her candidacy short. Either Sanders or Warren would be a better choice to represent the progressive brand than Clinton who in my view has integrity issues. BIG time,Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-59690220764546159252015-06-09T18:39:48.121-04:002015-06-09T18:39:48.121-04:00The Happiest Countries in the World.<a href="http://www.forbes.com/2011/01/19/norway-denmark-finland-business-washington-world-happiest-countries.html" rel="nofollow">The Happiest Countries in the World.</a>Shaw Kenawehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08637273000409613497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-14900215491876639862015-06-09T16:55:07.691-04:002015-06-09T16:55:07.691-04:00We had a recent commenter here, whom I will not na...We had a recent commenter here, whom I will not name (as to keep it non-personal) who said that Hillary's Presidency was inevitable, and that "men" had better get used to it. This was from a Hillary supporter, of all things. Not only was this sexist, it presented Hillary as a candidate whose Presidency will arrive due to destiny, or inevitability..... as opposed to any sort of valid reason to elect her. This supporter sure sold her candidacy very short.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-25774460281228860032015-06-09T16:52:20.603-04:002015-06-09T16:52:20.603-04:00While I do not disagree in general I an extremely ...While I do not disagree in general I an extremely uncomfortable with HRC and view her "ascension" as equally as bad as a republican being elected president. <br /><br />I keep hoping a viable moderate and rational republican (in the mold of Weld and Baker) will emerge and carry the day.<br />Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-36514905274684166122015-06-09T16:49:55.839-04:002015-06-09T16:49:55.839-04:00Two worn-out "typical politicians" who h...Two worn-out "typical politicians" who have trouble answering basic questions (BIG trouble) and who both campaign out of some sort of entitlement to power, you mean?dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-50250856252358453282015-06-09T16:44:18.506-04:002015-06-09T16:44:18.506-04:00You may very well be right BB Idaho. If so it is n...You may very well be right BB Idaho. If so it is not a desirable or rational choice IMO. Neither deserve a second and third look based on what we know of both candidates of which you speak.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-15111793317518005942015-06-09T16:32:27.465-04:002015-06-09T16:32:27.465-04:00IMO, Sanders is a bit like Ron Paul as well: folk...IMO, Sanders is a bit like Ron Paul as well: folksy, common language and highly motivated followers.<br />And we saw that highly motivated followers like Paul's and McGovern's were not enough to make them electable. Add the "s-word" and Sanders becomes unelectable as well. Also, among the flock<br />of GOP candidates, there are a few IMO, that could not win the presidency. We could very well be<br />presented with the battle of the family dynasties in this one.BB-Idahohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388509941702241290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-10807140451205261962015-06-09T13:35:40.872-04:002015-06-09T13:35:40.872-04:00I agree, RN, with your analogy of Sanders to McGov...I agree, RN, with your analogy of Sanders to McGovern. As much as I like Sanders, I fear that he is not electable. And the worst thing that could happen to this country in the 2016 election is for a republican to be elected to the White House. The democratic candidate must have a good chance of winning.Jerry Critterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870618647449723147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-57559067890496812862015-06-09T13:20:54.379-04:002015-06-09T13:20:54.379-04:00I didn't know about Walker's foreign polic...I didn't know about Walker's foreign policy agenda... but looking it up, I see it now. I'm a fairly recent convert to opposing the wars and entanglements of the neo-cons and also of the left (Obama, with his new wars and expansion of old ones and all-time record military spending).<br /><br />As for Walker's agenda and unions, I think it should be easy to effectively bargain.... and also easy to choose not to participate in the bargaining. I would agree with you that's clear that Walker only wants one of these. I also think that unions would become more popular if they didn't routinely throw the dues into a slush fund used for very partisan campaign and lobbying purposes. That's not bargaining at all.<br /><br />-----------------<br /><br />Back to Sanders and his reputation....and those of his opponents. When I read of the phony claim of sexist writings against Sanders, I immediately thought of the scorched-earth tactics of the Clinton campaign (see my Tue Jun 09, 11:03:00 AM EDT comment)<br /><br />When I read of the ridiculous and sexist condemnation of Hillary by Ralph Nader (the reality matched the claims of what Nader was doing), I didn't think even for a second that Rep. Sanders was behind this attack. He just doesn't have that reputation. He just seems like a straight shooter. And whatever I think of the majority of his agenda, that's good.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-32990289096713194632015-06-09T12:28:19.713-04:002015-06-09T12:28:19.713-04:00Like he'd be all set to re-invade Iraq and pro...Like he'd be all set to re-invade Iraq and probably bomb Iran? Yuppers, he's just what the neocon Tea Party folks and the MIC ordered.<br /><br />Of course everyone knows his agenda is to shut down unions and deprive labor of the ability to effectively bargain for wages and benefits; thus insuring keeping wages and other labor associated costs lower for businesses. Perhaps one day folks will see though the smoke and mirrors created by the oligarchs and plutocrats. But I ain't holding me breath. Big money controls the agenda and payoffs are standard fare.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-43173686849584047392015-06-09T12:16:39.438-04:002015-06-09T12:16:39.438-04:00Believe it or not, BB, there's stuff about Wal...Believe it or not, BB, there's stuff about Walker that rubs me the wrong way. Despite my strong support for him on one particular issue.dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-32928477992031626692015-06-09T11:03:08.269-04:002015-06-09T11:03:08.269-04:00The hounds are already treating Sanders seriously....The hounds are already treating Sanders seriously. Perhaps funded by, Hillary, famous for her "destroy anyone" campaigning. I read a report of Sanders writing something outrageous about women and sex, more than 40 years ago. That was what the headlines were.<br /><br />I found his actual writings... if anything, he was guilty only of writing silly musings long after he should have put the pen down. If that's all they can get on him...dmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-51171910271912095082015-06-09T10:48:50.680-04:002015-06-09T10:48:50.680-04:00Wisconsin may be an early outlier. Most of my Wis...Wisconsin may be an early outlier. Most of my Wisconsin relatives and friends are still reeling in<br />outrage over Guv Walker; a snootfull of far right may be forcing the WI pendulum? BB-Idahohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388509941702241290noreply@blogger.com