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Wikipedia Edits Forecast Romney's Vice Presidential Pick

Hugh Pickens writes writes "In 2008, as The Washington Post wrote at the time, 'just hours before [Sen. John] McCain declared his veep choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, her Wiki page saw a flurry of activity, with editors adding details about Palin's approval rating and husband's employment. ... Palin's entry was updated at least 68 times, with at least an additional 54 changes made to her entry over the preceding five days.' The obvious — in hindsight — implications of the Wiki activity: Aides were going into the entries to tune them up and clean out any material that was either embarrassing or erroneous. Now Mark Memmott writes on NPR that today's Wikipedia activity may lend a clue to Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick, expected to be announced within a few days. So what's going on now with some of those said to be among the leading possibilities to be joining Mitt Romney on the Republican ticket? On August 7, Rob Portman's Wikipedia page was revised 100 times, the Wikipedia page for Marco Rubio was revised 22 times, and the page for Tim Pawlenty was revised only 5 times. Of course, Memmott adds, somebody who knows about the 2008 Wiki tea leaves may just be messing with our minds."

300 comments

  1. Colbert! by scorp1us · · Score: 5, Funny

    He's activated the Colbert Nation to edit Wikipedia yet again on his show last night.

    --
    Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
    1. Re:Colbert! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      This is genius. When the Colbert Nation descends upon a Wikipedia page, Wikipedia blocks it out, making any "real" covert updates difficult or impossible. How is Wikipedia supposed to tell the difference between an active Colbert viewer and a campaign shill?

      Will the ability (or lack thereof) to apply wiki "make-up" to a potential VP influence the selection?

    2. Re:Colbert! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      s/Colbert/NPR/ (k yeah I suck at perl)

      You can't post an article about Wikipedia explaining the game to everyone. Now that the public's attention has been drawn to these articles, the social science behind the articles has been tainted.

    3. Re:Colbert! by billstewart · · Score: 1

      Amazing. My first thought about the topic was that now that people know that it would obviously be manipulated, and my next thought was that Colbert should do something about it. But sure enough, he's smarter than I am and had already done it :-)

      --

      Bill Stewart
      New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
    4. Re:Colbert! by sarysa · · Score: 1

      Is there a name for this kind of effect, a la Streisand Effect and Osborne Effect?

      Maybe we should call it the Truman Effect (after the Truman Show movie), when people discover that they're lab rats, they intentionally tamper with the results...

      --
      Charisma is the measure of someone's ability to lie with a straight face.
  2. What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...did the GOP start believing in Wikipedia?

  3. Entirely possible by Cute+Fuzzy+Bunny · · Score: 2

    Its entirely possible that whichever candidate will get the nod had his wikipedia fixed up a couple of months ago, to avoid notice of this. The other candidates fixing theirs up might just be window dressing in case there is a problem with the first candidate and they need a replacement.

    1. Re:Entirely possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Your theory requires careful planning AND execution of a plan by a politician. Somehow, I find myself looking for other more credible explanations.

    2. Re:Entirely possible by Cute+Fuzzy+Bunny · · Score: 1

      Ah yes, the "presume incompetence rather than malice" theory...

    3. Re:Entirely possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its entirely possible that whichever candidate will get the nod had his wikipedia [page] fixed up a couple of months ago...

      Yes, and it's also entirely possible that Mitt Romney will release his tax returns for the last 10 years.

      But if you believe your own post and you hold your breath in hopes of such openness, I'll soon be able to pry your laptop from your cooling, inanimate phalanges.

    4. Re:Entirely possible by cayenne8 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes, and it's also entirely possible that Mitt Romney will release his tax returns for the last 10 years.

      I'd like him to make a deal with Obama..Mitt releases these tax returns....and Obama opens up all his college transcripts/records for his years in school....

      All of that should provide some interesting fodder for the press......

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    5. Re:Entirely possible by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

      Can you provide a link to Romney's college transcripts?

      No, you cannot. He has not released them. Why should Obama be obligated to do something that Romney has not done? Obama on the other hand has released his tax returns.

      --
      Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
    6. Re:Entirely possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yawn. Give it a rest. We had W's piss-poor transcript and that stopped nobody from voting for him.

      PS- the assumption that there's something wrong with Obama's college records was started by the racist wing of the Republican party. Do you really want to be associated with that bunch?

  4. There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mitt Romney 2.0.

    You see with the power of science, he'll clone himself and thereby double the power on the ticket!

    1. Re:There's only one clear choice. by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Funny

      Great, now that's two missing tax returns.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:There's only one clear choice. by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 2

      Gee... I wonder how Reid could be proved wrong???

      There has to be something bad in there if he's willing to go through the huge amount of political damage.

    3. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reid has thirty years of financial disclosures. If you want to make tax returns part of that process, go for it.

      Non-partisanly. For the whole of Congress. Otherwise you're just being a sanctimonius part loyalist yourself.

    4. Re:There's only one clear choice. by medcalf · · Score: 2, Interesting
      First, the political damage is not that huge. Second, it's very likely that Romney has paid little income tax, though quite large amounts of other taxes, given that most of his income is from investments, which are taxed as capital gains. So given the current media's biases, what are the odds that, if that's correct, people will hear the full story, vice just hearing "Romney paid no taxes"?

      Also, as an aside, I think Reid is traveling a dangerous road. Do we really want our political leaders decided on baseless rumors, guilt until the target proves innocence, and purely partisan/tribal cheerleading? Really? Because that's where Reid is going in service of the Obama campaign, and the immediate reaction on Twitter (thousands of tweets claiming Reid is a pederast, with as much evidence as Reid produced) may look funny now, but won't look all that funny when we reach the logical conclusions of such tactics.

      --
      -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
    5. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Bigby · · Score: 1

      Or hire a firm in China that will clone him and ship his clone to America. The clone will be from the south though...

    6. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Reid is going down the path the birthers laid for him. I find it funny that now the republicans suddenly have a problem with people calling for what should be public records.

      It is not a good thing when either tribe does it, but this is what tribalism leads too.

      Personally the fact that investment income is taxed at such a lower rate is something the public needs to hear about. This is why you hear of CEOs taking $1 salaries, because they prefer to be paid in ways that avoid the taxes on income. Reid's current course of action is not how to have that discussion though.

    7. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Reid will not comment on the matter unless he his on the floor of the Senate. This is because Reid is protected from being sued for telling a lie as long as he is on the Senate floor. You wont see him repeating his lies on the Sunday shows because he can be personally sued for making false statements.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    8. Re:There's only one clear choice. by smooth+wombat · · Score: 1, Redundant

      Do we really want our political leaders decided on baseless rumors, guilt until the target proves innocence, and purely partisan/tribal cheerleading?

      You mean like Obama isn't an American citizen because he doesn't have an original birth certificate? That kind of baseless rumors, guilt until proven innocent and purely partisan/tribal cheerleading?

      --
      We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    9. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      “And by the way, ladies and gentlemen, have you heard that Harry Reid’s the butt-boy of some of the Mafia dons that he works for in Las Vegas?” Have you heard that? Have you heard about some of the shady real estate deals that Harry Reid — the L.A. Times had the story way back in the ‘90s. Now I think it’s up to Harry Reid to prove — remember the phony solider episode with Harry Reid, carrying forth a lie that I was denigrating genuine military heroes?”

      But if what Reid claims to have knowledge of is true, then how Reid obtained this information is a crime that government agents should look into.

      “I’ll tell you what ought to be happening here — IRS agents should be interrogating Harry Reid to determine who it is that supposedly leaked confidential tax information about a private citizen to him. And Harry Reid, having disclosed publicly what he was told, should be investigated as well for passing such information on to the public. This is a felony, what Harry Reid is doing. So if anybody needs to be investigated here, it’s Harry Reid. IRS agents ought to be talking to him and trying to figure out who leaked. You know, who is this guy from Bain that’s calling Harry Reid? Who are these people? And then he publicly disclosed what he was told, and he doesn’t know if it’s true. He’s demanding that Romney prove it, so Harry Reid’s admitting he doesn’t know if it’s true. If anybody should be investigated by government agents, it’s Harry Reid.”

    10. Re:There's only one clear choice. by ElmoGonzo · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I'm sure Reid has inside knowledge -- after all he IS a high-ranking member of the LDS Church and has many friends who would know more about the Romney situation. Obviously he can't have access to the tax returns themselves (that would be a felony) so he can't produce any "evidence" but John McCain (who HAS seen the returns from when Romney was being considered for VP in 2008) has stayed mum on the subject which strongly implies that he knows a little more than we do.

    11. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why should your tax records be public record? If you cheated then they can become public record as part of your trial, if not its nobodies business.

    12. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      Because they are government records.

    13. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 2, Insightful

      So you think that Romney didn't pay ANY taxes for 10 years and the IRS just let it go?
      I think I'm going to side on Reid is a moron.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    14. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 0

      The 'birth certificate' issue has come up for many presidential candidates in the past. The only reason it was an issue is because Obama refused to release it, unlike other presidential candidates.
      You did notice that once it was release the issue was done. Just like previous candidates.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    15. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      It was not dropped, use google and see for yourself.

      The scumbag sheriff joe for one would not let it go, state senators and other various republican hangers on kept going with it.

      What other candidates had this issue? Obama never refused to release the document, they showed a legit short version way early.

    16. Re:There's only one clear choice. by chad_r · · Score: 1

      Like Social Security numbers? Like the names of embedded spies?

    17. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      SSN should be public yes, if they were used correctly it would not be a problem.

      Embedded spies names should be public after a certain amount of time has passed. There should be a law that after a certain amount of maximum time all government records are public.

    18. Re:There's only one clear choice. by paiute · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So you think that Romney didn't pay ANY taxes for 10 years and the IRS just let it go?

      There are many ways to make millions and not pay taxes. You just need good lawyers and accountants.

      --
      If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
    19. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, that kind of response won't look like there's something to hide in those returns at all.

    20. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Monkey-Man2000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, remember McCain saw something like 10+ years of Romney's tax returns during his vice-presidential vetting and decided that Sarah Palin was a better candidate for vice-president. Just think about that for a bit, Palin a better "heartbeat from the president" than Romney 4 yrs ago. What has Romney done since except campaign more for president and now hide his tax returns from public? I've read reports how there's a good chance that he DIDN'T pay taxes particularly in 2009 because of the stockmarket dive and even McCain hasn't seen those tax returns.

      I want to know what he's hiding personally, and I think the issue probably will "swiftboat" Romney if he doesn't go ahead and release them ASAP...

      --
      This post was generated by a Cadre of Uber Monkeys for Monkey-Man2000 (603495).
    21. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I find it very unlikely that Romney's taxes would reveal anything illegal. The bad things people are expecting to see are either a very low effective tax rate, evidence of lots of off-shore accounts, or evidence that he was lying to the Mormon church about his income (he claims to tithe 10%; if he is not actually doing so, that would be awkward for him).

    22. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why should your tax records be public record?

      That's part of the price of authority, should you want it. And as long as they

      want to make us take the piss test, they should too.

      Somebody else posted that Romney was given amnesty by the IRS back in '09 if he

      repatriated the money in his Swiss bank account before they would actually

      charge him with tax evasion. This is probably the real issue. Seems weird that

      it hardly every comes up while everybody focuses on the absurd.

    23. Re:There's only one clear choice. by medv4380 · · Score: 1

      Your SSN does become public. Sometime after your Death.

    24. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 2

      Christopher Schurmann 1896 Election
      Charles Evans Hughes 1916 Election
      George Romney 1968 Election
      Barry Goldwater 1964 Election
      Lowell Weicker 1980 Election
      Roger Calero 2004 and 2008
      John McCain 2000 and 2008

      Mitt's father was questioned too when there was a chance he might become the nominee because the Romney's were from Mexico. By extension Mitt himself released his birth certificate to Reuters because questions arouse.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    25. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yes. No one is saying Romney illegally paid no income taxes, but it's quite easily for him to have paid virtually no taxes relative to his income. We know Romney's IRA is an enormous $100 million + (given IRA contribution limits would either make him the greatest investor in the world or there's something unorthodox going on).

      What's likely happened is that he put his shares of the Bain Capital LLC, which he was the sole shareholder, into his IRA at an arbitrary and very low value (since it's a private company the share's didn't have a market price). Then when he left Bain in 2002, the other partners of Bain Capital had to buy the LLC from Romney (because that's what holds the trademarks and such). So Romney's IRA got hundreds of millions of dollars for those shares from 2002 - 2009. Since you don't pay taxes on investments in the IRA until you retire and start taking money out, Romney hasn't paid any taxes on them. It's quite possible for him to have an effective income tax rate during those years of 1%.

      Any major investor in Bain Capital would be privy to this information and have signed confidentiality agreements making revealing this information a large legal risk, hence revealing it anonymously via Harry Reid.

    26. Re:There's only one clear choice. by ColdWetDog · · Score: 0

      You're an older guy.

      Say what you will about Ms. Palin's intellectual chops but,

      who would you rather stare at all day. Mitt or Sarah?

      It's not like you're expecting them to say anything smart in either case.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    27. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      For how many of them did the scandal continue after they released the documents?

    28. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Princeofcups · · Score: 4, Informative

      First, the political damage is not that huge. Second, it's very likely that Romney has paid little income tax, though quite large amounts of other taxes, given that most of his income is from investments, which are taxed as capital gains.

      Wrong. They never cash in their investments, so they never pay that tax. They leverage their assets for cheap loans. Jobs was a master of this, as is Ellison.

      --
      The only thing worse than a Democrat is a Republican.
    29. Re:There's only one clear choice. by medcalf · · Score: 1

      Yes, that kind as well.

      --
      -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
    30. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Cute+Fuzzy+Bunny · · Score: 2

      Do we really want our political leaders decided on baseless rumors, guilt until the target proves innocence, and purely partisan/tribal cheerleading?

      Versus the current system where two trillion dollar parties backed by billionaires select two nearly identical people to run for office?

    31. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is why you hear of CEOs taking $1 salaries, because they prefer to be paid in ways that avoid the taxes on income.

      CEOs take $1 salaries because they want to signal to their boss (the shareholders) that they recognize their job is to drive shareholder value. If they do not drive value then they don't deserve a "paycheck." This can lead to CEOs doing dumb things such as driving short-term gains by not investing in the future but that's not the point I'm trying to make--which is: their decision has little to do with taxes.

    32. Re:There's only one clear choice. by readin · · Score: 2

      You mean like Obama college transcripts and Harry Reid's tax returns?

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
    33. Re:There's only one clear choice. by readin · · Score: 1, Funny

      Yeah, his and Harry Reid's.

      Party loyalist = useful idiot

      This got modded flamebait while the post it responded to is +1. I've been noticing this recently - posts that seem to come from conservatives are getting down-modded a lot. I'm wishing I had done some meta-moderating. When I had the chance. I'm not getting the invitations to do so - perhaps because I've recently been getting negative mods for conservative comments.

      Yeah, I know, this will be modded down too.

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
    34. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Informative

      No it lets them get paid in stock, which they use to get loans against to avoid paying taxes. It really is that simple.

    35. Re:There's only one clear choice. by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Insightful

      They shouldn't have to be, but when you run for political office, there's a tacit understanding that you no longer have the degree of privacy you would have if you were just Joe Q. Citizen. Sure, you can refuse to show your tax records at that point, but your opponents and the electorate are also free to draw whatever conclusions they want from that.

      The underlying point here is that political damage doesn't have to be logical, rational or, hell, even right. But damage is damage nonetheless. A lot of Republicans are really getting concerned that the longer Romney refuses the more people will assume he has something nasty to hide, so that even if it is nothing more than a bit embarrassing when and if it does come to light, he will have already put too many holes in the hull of his campaign.

      Here's my advice for anyone running for public office. If you value your privacy, don't bother. They are mutually exclusive.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    36. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Dishevel · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The birthers have been denounced by almost every conservative with any real voice.
      The biggest guy on the birther side is Donald Trump. We all know he is just getting air time to increase his shows ratings so even that guy dose not really count.
      If as many prominent Dems stepped up to denounce Harry as Repubs did to denounce birthers we would not really be having this conversation.

      --
      Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
    37. Re:There's only one clear choice. by MightyMartian · · Score: 1, Informative

      Hah! Just try to post anything even vaguely anti-Libertarian, and all the Ayn Rand types around use every mod point they can to mod the post into oblivion.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    38. Re:There's only one clear choice. by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Personally the fact that investment income is taxed at such a lower rate is something the public needs to hear about.

      Trouble is..if you start taxing the hell out of investment...that hits all of us 'normal' people in the retirement bank account.....the less tax is one thing that helps and encourages us to save and invest this way for retirement.

      Are you going to be able to only target increased investment taxes on those who live on it from being wealthy vs those saving to retire on it...or maybe already ARE retired and living off those investments?

      Considering that those investments have taken a huge hit, and are already constricting seniors trying to live off them...taxing them extra is going to squeeze them even harder...what's the remedy to that? How do you propose going after the few super wealthy that can get around taxes this way, without hurting those normal folks that need this investment as a way to save for retirement and try to beat inflation?

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    39. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Dishevel · · Score: 1

      An Arizona sheriff, a reality show rich guy and a bunch of crazy bloggers?
      Pretty much that is the entire birther movement. Almost all real republicans have denounced the birthers.
      I just think that the democrats should all denounce Harry Reid.

      --
      Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
    40. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 2

      Well as you can see John McCain's and Roger Calero's names have two dates. You can name one person who still pushes the idea in the entire country. I hardly consider that a continuing conspiracy. 6% of people don't think we landed on the moon. Sharif Joe only constitutes .00000000000000000000003% so until you reach the 6% threshold I think your conspiracy theory is a conspiracy theory.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    41. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      posts that seem to come from conservatives are getting down-modded a lot.

      Oh boo hoo! The injustice! The lib'rul injustice!!!

      Have you considered the possibility that most of the "Posts that seem to come from conservatives" are dishonest, whiny, or just stupid? Nah . . . couldn't be!

    42. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 0

      Reid is saying exactly that! He is saying Romney paid NO TAXES which is of course moronic.

      Why do you think Romney doesn't want to release his taxes, because it wont make the attacks go away about his wealth, it just validates the random accusations.

      No one sane thinks Romney did anything illegal, they just want to attack his success. We are just all envious of our neighbors and want to take what they have. It's as simple and childish as that.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    43. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Or have a friend named Obama. GM made billions in profit and got a tax refund, guess that's okay though because they contribute to the 'correct' campaign.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    44. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What position does Reid hold in the LDS church? Wikipedia does not say.

      How exactly is a church leader going to know how much a member pays in taxes? The LDS church does not ask for any income documentation. A member's bishop may have a guess at your gross income based upon the tithing you pay. If somebody dose not want the local leadership having that information, then there are other channels to make payments. I doubt Romney handed his bishop a $10 million check. All the bishop is going to do is ask if you payed a full tithe. The exact definition of gross/net etc... is up to the member.

    45. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Neither is your receptionist. You're setting the brow pretty low here... and you seem to be proud of that. Sad.

    46. Re:There's only one clear choice. by AwesomeMcgee · · Score: 1

      Your sig just has me wondering terribly, you didn't return the value and I'm dying to know! Unless you meant to use the assignment operator in which case the statement alone would be self documenting.

    47. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, remember McCain saw something like 10+ years of Romney's tax returns during his vice-presidential vetting and decided that Sarah Palin was a better candidate for vice-president. Just think about that for a bit, Palin a better "heartbeat from the president" than Romney 4 yrs ago. What has Romney done since except campaign more for president and now hide his tax returns from public? I've read reports how there's a good chance that he DIDN'T pay taxes particularly in 2009 because of the stockmarket dive and even McCain hasn't seen those tax returns.

      I want to know what he's hiding personally, and I think the issue probably will "swiftboat" Romney if he doesn't go ahead and release them ASAP...

      Do you also wonder if Obama claimed at Columbia to be an Indonesian citizen foreign exchange student with the name Barry Soetoro?

      Indonesian citizenry would be a killer for Obama - because Indonesia does not permit dual citizenry, thus Obama would have had to renounce his US citizenship.

      After all, Obama won't release his college records.

      I want to know what he's hiding personally.

    48. Re:There's only one clear choice. by AwesomeMcgee · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Make the taxes on investment income far more progressive than the normal tax code and suddenly it doesn't effect any of the average folks you're trying to protect. Oh but wait, this whole "increased taxes are bad for everyone" motif is just a ruse, so you were being hypothetical and not seeking an actual answer that would solve problems. Sorry, carry on.

    49. Re:There's only one clear choice. by AwesomeMcgee · · Score: 1

      6% of people don't think we landed on the moon.

      until you reach the 6% threshold I think your conspiracy theory is a conspiracy theory.

      So you're saying you don't think we landed on the moon?

    50. Re:There's only one clear choice. by AwesomeMcgee · · Score: 2

      On those merits he should have picked Natalie Portman, he might have actually won at that, I mean, who wouldn't vote that way?

    51. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well, if they really are interchangeable than it doesn't matter who wins, so i would vote for
      besides the only affection that i can have for any politician is sadism, as i really want to punch them in the face
      so thank you but no, i would rather stare at the pavement, the chance of hearing something smart is roughly the same

    52. Re:There's only one clear choice. by cayenne8 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Oh but wait, this whole "increased taxes are bad for everyone" motif is just a ruse, so you were being hypothetical and not seeking an actual answer that would solve problems.

      I wouldn't mind modest tax increases if...

      Everyone had to pay them. Even the poorest person out there working can pay at least $1 federal tax. No one working should not pay anything net.

      Before raising it...by law, any new revenues can NOT be used for new spending...only to pay things off. And..like any family does that is in fiscal difficulty....CUT SPENDING.

      Doing these things first...I'd be cool with modest tax increases.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    53. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Pascal+Sartoretti · · Score: 1

      There are many ways to make millions and not pay taxes. You just need good lawyers and accountants.

      And make sure that these good lawyers don't cost you more than the tax savings...

    54. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem i have with equivalent investment earning taxes is:investments are highly variable and don't always make money. IN a losing year, if you liquidate and investment , you lose money on it.
      Paychecks are always positive, and can be taxed thusly. You never earn -$4500 at a job.
      Investments sometimes lose value. Do we give refunds on that?

    55. Re:There's only one clear choice. by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

      First, the political damage is not that huge. Second, it's very likely that Romney has paid little income tax, though quite large amounts of other taxes...

      Interesting. Normally right-wingers do not acknowledge the existence of taxes other than income taxes (virtually the only progressive tax it in the combined American local, state, and federal government revenue systems) since they are constantly decrying that 46% of Americans "do not pay taxes", ignoring the highly regressive FICA, sales taxes, etc. that cause the total tax rate of the bulk of the middle class (not just the marginal rate) to be nearly as high as that of the top 1%: http://www.ctj.org/pdf/taxday2012.pdf . In fact once you get into to the top 1% your overall tax rate is lower than the brakcets just below you, and the higher you go (0.1%, 0.01%, etc.) the lower it drops.

      --
      Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
    56. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      McCain chose Palin primarily because he felt she could motivate the Republican base to show up.

    57. Re:There's only one clear choice. by readin · · Score: 1

      The proper response to a whiny or stupid post is to point out why it is dishonest, whiny, or stupid. Mod downs should be used for things that are "off-topic", "flamebait", "troll"ing, or if something is rated highly and shouldn't be ("overrated"). The fact that you disagree with something because you think it is whiny or stupid is not a good reason to down-mod. (I'll agree that you should down-mod clearly dishonest stuff - but it has to be really really clear that the person is lying on purpose rather than just not realizing he has wrong information). It used to be that I would see conservative and liberal posts both get mostly fair mods with occassional deviations. Now I see more and more conservative posts getting unfair mod downs.

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
    58. Re:There's only one clear choice. by INowRegretThesePosts · · Score: 1

      Wrong. They never cash in their investments, so they never pay that tax. They leverage their assets for cheap loans. Jobs was a master of this, as is Ellison.

      Please elaborate on that. As cheap as the loan may be, it still will have an above-inflation interest rate. So they will not profit much from their assets.

    59. Re:There's only one clear choice. by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

      See what I mean. The Libertarians around here view mod points as a weapon of their holy creed.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    60. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Ardias · · Score: 1

      Here are some ways to make millions and not pay taxes.

      Many companies pay their CEO's a $1 nominal salary. The company then takes out a $10M life insurance policy on the CEO. The CEO "borrows" money from the life insurance with a promise to pay it back later. The company forgives any money borrowed against the policy.

      A company gives may perks to the CEO in lieu of a salary. (e.g. - free vacation with use of company jet, free use of mansion owned by company, free use of car owned by company, etc...) CEO effectively lives a lavish lifestyle without having to pay for it himself. The company pays the CEO in stocks and options that vest later so CEO can delay taxes on those while living quite comfortably.

      The company is incorporated in a foreign nation, and pays the CEO a big salary in that nation's currency. CEO keeps salary in offshore bank account.

  5. Hmmm... by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Curiously, the entry for Beelzebub was edited 250 times, Quetzalcoatl 100 times and Ronald Reagan's Zombie an astonishing 345 times.

    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    1. Re:Hmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I would totally vote for any candidate who ran with Beelzebub as their running mate. He is after all the devil we know.

    2. Re:Hmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Curiously, the entry for Beelzebub was edited 250 times, Quetzalcoatl 100 times and Ronald Reagan's Zombie an astonishing 345 times.

      Cthulhu's page - still frozen. Guess I'll need to wait a few more strange eons to vote for the greatest evil.

    3. Re:Hmmm... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

      Curiously, the entry for Beelzebub was edited 250 times, Quetzalcoatl 100 times and Ronald Reagan's Zombie an astonishing 345 times.

      Cthulhu's page - still frozen. Guess I'll need to wait a few more strange eons to vote for the greatest evil.

      The FSM page is still editable.

      Of course, His Noodlyness would never stoop so low as to be vice President.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    4. Re:Hmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      best comment of thread

    5. Re:Hmmm... by necro81 · · Score: 1

      And yet, Kang and Kodos haven't received much treatment...yet.

  6. I thought by wisnoskij · · Score: 2

    Wikipedia locked articles for controversial subjects. And what is more controversial than a politician come election period.

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
    1. Re:I thought by dkleinsc · · Score: 1

      Lots of things are more controversial than a particular politician (e.g. pretty much anything about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). With politicians' pages, the New York Times actually ran an article on a Hillary Clinton supporter that was "protecting" her page from criticism by reverting any negative edits he could find.

      --
      I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
  7. Quick! by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 2

    Quick! Someone go make 200 edits to David Duke's Wikipedia entry!

  8. Re:What? Since when... by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well... every smartass has to point out there is some bad information in Wikipedia. The GOP should be right at home there.

  9. So much for Bilderberg conspiracies... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Bilderberg conspiracy followers were all predicting that Romney would pick Mitch Daniels as his VP.

    1. Re:So much for Bilderberg conspiracies... by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 3, Funny

      This is most assuredly false as Mitch Daniels has been named to head Purdue University starting in January.

      A education-hating man that pulled all the funding he could out of Indiana's great University system... named president of a University. Welcome to 2012.

    2. Re:So much for Bilderberg conspiracies... by dgatwood · · Score: 2

      I suspect their exact words were, "If you think you can do a better job at running this university on such a small budget...".

      Besides, I think it's perfectly apt. It gives him a chance to put his money where his mouth is. If he succeeds, then American universities are horribly inefficient. If he fails, the Republican education policy will be unimpeachably shown as an abject failure.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    3. Re:So much for Bilderberg conspiracies... by h4rr4r · · Score: 2

      Or he will succeed in saving money, and destroy the value of those degrees at the same time.

      You know like all those advertised on daytime TV private colleges. They make tons of money, and sell degrees that are totally worthless. Which is pretty much the perfect outcome in the mind of any politician.

    4. Re:So much for Bilderberg conspiracies... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      " You know like all those advertised on daytime TV private colleges. They make tons of money, and sell degrees that are totally worthless "

      Ummm, they are infinitely more useful than a 100,000 dollar masters degree in "social humanities and women's studies of sub-Saharan Africa" in any state university that will barely qualify you a job as a barista in Starbucks.

      People go to college to learn skills to make a living in their lives. Getting a useless degree at some super expensive school is more useless than a fly by night trade school because after getting your degree you will have far less debt.

    5. Re:So much for Bilderberg conspiracies... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      One of those daytime private schools will sell you a degree in underwater basket weaving of the Sahara as well. The fact that is slightly cheaper is not helping.

      People who go to college to learn skills just to make a living should go to a trade school, or do an internship. I went to a university and got what I wanted a real university education.

  10. Naked and petrified by tepples · · Score: 3, Funny

    Rob is probably one Portman that you don't want to see naked and petrified.

    1. Re:Naked and petrified by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      HOT GRITS!

    2. Re:Naked and petrified by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, the good old days. Slashdot, I've missed you.

    3. Re:Naked and petrified by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Back when Slashdot was relevant. Those were the days, now it's just a stewing pot for MS haters tipped off by trolls now and again.

    4. Re:Naked and petrified by sarysa · · Score: 1

      I think the hate's shifted more toward Apple these days. It's hard to say...Apple's been a lot more active than Microsoft on many fronts, so maybe for that reason I'm reading it wrong?

      --
      Charisma is the measure of someone's ability to lie with a straight face.
  11. Semi-protection by fufufang · · Score: 1

    I reckon Wikipedia should start semi-protecting all those pages, so the random staffers can't create new accounts and remove embarrassing contents.

  12. this doesn't really look like insiders by Trepidity · · Score: 2

    It's not impossible, but if you look at the editors who've made most of the edits, they're fairly active, longstanding Wikipedians who edit lots of things. A more likely explanation is that the causality is the other way around: they've heard the speculation about Rob Portman and Marco Rubio from the news, just like the rest of us have, and went over to see what shape the Wikipedia article is in. Some out of personal interest, some out of political interest, but probably not with inside information.

    1. Re:this doesn't really look like insiders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The initial cleansing of the article from controversies and criticism - before the story broke - was made by an anonymous editor which has edited no other page. The subsequent edit wars after the publicity involved longstanding wikipedians, as these things are wont to do.

    2. Re:this doesn't really look like insiders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wikipedia editors wouldn't update the same page dozens of times on the same day except maybe after a major news story like the Colorado massacre.

      There could be an edit battle between GOP and Dem media operatives though.

    3. Re:this doesn't really look like insiders by Vegan+Cyclist · · Score: 1

      I was going to ask about this - in my own experience, Wikipedia editors don't seem to take kindly to people updating pages in areas that they're actually involved in...so i'd be surprised if they were to allow campaign members to 'clean up' entries.

    4. Re:this doesn't really look like insiders by LihTox · · Score: 1

      I was going to ask about this - in my own experience, Wikipedia editors don't seem to take kindly to people updating pages in areas that they're actually involved in...so i'd be surprised if they were to allow campaign members to 'clean up' entries.

      Perhaps that explains the high edit count on Palin's page in '08: a furious back-and-forth between McCain staffers and Wikipedia editors?

  13. Replace it with a link to a real model by milbournosphere · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Tannenbaum maintains an election model that currently predicts an Obama win (334 to 206 electoral votes) http://www.electoral-vote.com/

    1. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nate Silver's model is 301.5-236.5, and he has a better track record than Tannenbaum.

      http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

    2. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by MyLongNickName · · Score: 1

      The numbers are even worse for the Republicans (347-191) accoring to Tannenbaum's "Rasmussen fee" page. Here he filters out Fox's polling company which has questionable polling practices. This polling group has consistently polled in favor of Republicans. From electoral-vote.com: "Silver analyzed 105 polls released by Rasmussen Reports and its subsidiary, Pulse Opinion Research, for Senate and gubernatorial races in numerous states across the country. The bottom line is that on average, Rasmussen's polls were off by 5.8% with a bias of 3.9% in favor of the Republican candidates."

      It is a long way to November, but barring a revelation that Obama was involved in Michael Vick's dogfighting ring, this is going to be an easy win for Obama.

      http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2012/Pres/Maps/Aug08-noras.html

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    3. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by inthealpine · · Score: 1

      Hahaha..
      The latest polls have spotted Obama 11 points in the sample to put Obama 4 points ahead of Romney. I'm not a fan of Obama (because he sucks at his job) and I'm not a fan of Romney (because he only would suck only slightly less than Obama), but you would have to think that Democrats would vote at a higher rate than they did in 2008 to produce the predicted results.

      If you think that's mood of the country, good, it will be that much easier to kick Obama out if you are delusional.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    4. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      How does he suck at his job?
      The president passes only gas, you know that right?
      This one seems to have done an ok job at not starting too many wars, or making too much of a dumbass of himself.

      I do not like him, I like Romney even less, but not by much. I still recognize that neither can really do much of anything without Congress.

    5. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by MyLongNickName · · Score: 1

      The link is interesting, but the underlying analysis shows that both sources predict the same outcomes in each state. The difference appears to be that Nate Silver doesn't simply use a "winner takes all" model, he weights the votes based on probabilities of winning states. I didn't see any explanation of the methodology in my two minute visit, but doing a state by state comparison of maps showed that each one was predicted the same in each model. Nate's might be a bit more realistic because the more states you have predicted to go your way, the more likely you are to get upset in one of them.

      Eleven states supply half of our country's electoral votes: California, Texas, NY, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey. If you can keep it close in these eleven states, you have a chance of the other 39 + DC helping you get victory. Romney would need to somehow win over Florida, North Carolina, Virginia AND hold onto a couple "Big 11" states with a narrow Republican edge. The odds of Romney turning around any one of the three states is small. All three would take some Presidential scandal.

      Bottom line is Nate's more conservative approach still has Romney getting crushed.

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    6. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by MyLongNickName · · Score: 1

      You do realize that we do not have a direct election based on majority, right? And I won't be voiting for either candidate, so please don't claim I am looking at it through rose colored glasses.

      If you want to put some money up on the election, I am certainly willing.

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    7. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by inthealpine · · Score: 0, Troll

      You do know his party had a super majority in congress for the first 2 years of his presidency? That means that Obama could direct exactly what he wanted, which he did.
      His stimulus was a trillion dollar failure.
      Obamacare is already in the red.
      The economy is growing at less than 2%.
      Employment isn't keeping pace with those entering workforce
      All economic benchmarks set by Obama, Obama has failed to reach
      ***Obama's policies are making our situation worse, not better.

      Let's just put it this way, if you owned a business would you hire Obama to run your business???

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    8. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Keep telling yourselves that. In fact there's little point in you even bothering to vote now is there?

    9. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Teancum · · Score: 1

      A whole lot can happen between now and November, where the real fight hasn't started yet in terms of Obama vs. Romney yet. I certainly wouldn't count out Romney from winning, but I will admit that at the moment the contest is up to Obama to lose by doing something really stupid.

      I really like these charts, particularly the ones covering previous elections. What seemed to galvanize voters in 2004 was the decided lack of leadership on the part of John McCain, or at least a feeling that Obama could do a better job than McCain in terms of responding to the financial panic of 2004 that happened right before the election. Something similar could certainly happen in the next few months. Obama's response in such a situation will be critical.

      It is also possible that this could be sort of like the 1972 elections, but in reverse. Obama might be able to get a decisive win, but ends up losing Congress or at least not really helping his party much in terms of control of Congress. It certainly seems unlike for the Democratic Party to regain the House of Representatives, and the Senate is likely going to either stay on a razor thin margin of control by the Democrats or perhaps gain a thin majority for Republicans.

    10. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Informative

      His Stimulus? You mean the one started by his predecessor?

      Obamacare AKA Romneycare?

      I am not sure how a president is responsible for an economy, if he was I am not sure how you would be against the Stimulus.

      I am not sure what he has to do with employment, unless you think the government needs more workers.

      I am not sure why he set economic benchmarks, other than advertising.

      I cannot see what polocies you mean, other than the ones Romney would continue since wallstreet is dictating them.

      What would help is reimplementing the regulation that was removed that allowed the banks to gamble. That and breaking up any too big to fail bank.

      I would not hire a lawyer to run a business nor would I want a businessman to run a country.

    11. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Monkey-Man2000 · · Score: 1

      Make sure to check out Nate's histogram under the "Electoral Vote Distribution" on the right about 4 or 5 panels down, which is kind of jaw-dropping IMO. His most probably outcome right now is Obama with about 335 electoral votes(!), which is a huge landslide.

      --
      This post was generated by a Cadre of Uber Monkeys for Monkey-Man2000 (603495).
    12. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Viewsonic · · Score: 3, Informative

      He did not have a super majority the first two years. They owned both the house and the senate, but not enough votes to be a super majority. Republicans filibustered everything they could, and did.

    13. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Everything I read from actual economists indicates that the stimulus worked in that the economy would have been much worse off if it hadn't been done. The stimulus didn't instantly fix everything, but it prevented things from truly entering Great Depression level suckage. I am personally much better off now than I was four years ago, and while Obama is disappointing in many areas, Romney outright terrifies me.

      My disappointment with the stimulus is that during the first year or so, Obama could have done a whole lot more to reign in the banks that caused this mess in the first place, or at least tried to. He should have pushed hard to toughen up regulations on banks and big business in general, and also break up some of the bigger institutions so they wouldn't be "too big to fail."

      "Obamacare" is disappointing, but only because it really isn't socialized medicine. I'm against the socialization/nationalization of many things, however I'd accept Canada-style healthcare over what we have now absolutely any day. It makes sense in modern society that essential healthcare be considered a fundamental service.

      The biggest hit to the the US during Obama's term was the credit rating downgrade. However this was directly caused by Republicans who were literally suggesting that the US default on its debt, including someone who at the time was being taken seriously as a contender for the GOP nomination. The fact that that people who suggest we simply not pay our bills are considered electable also terrifies me.

      At this point I'm not sure what Obama could do directly to create employment aside from trying to get the government to hire more (which would mean more government spending, something the GOP will lambast him for). Simply lowering taxes for the rich and corporations will not help, not in the era of globalization. The best he could do is try to create incentives for companies to hire American citizens on American soil (especially Americans who will be involved with the direct production of goods, such as manufacturing), create heavy disincentives for offshoring and using foreign contractors, and also potentially disincentives for consumers buying foreign-made goods. (I'm certain the GOP would also decry such attempts as socialism!)

    14. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by medcalf · · Score: 2

      Every time I read crap like this (or equivalent crap from the partisan Right), I feel just a little more inclined against a broad-based popular vote. Sadly, the alternatives all tend to be worse even than uninformed, blinkered partisans voting.

      --
      -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
    15. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And then Kennedy died and was replaced by a far right-winger part of the 'No' crowd.

      It would have been better if Obama had 66 votes in the senate, and a majority in the house.

    16. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Richy_T · · Score: 1

      2004? If only he wasn't eligible for office again. Though that would mean we would have been through 8 years of him so maybe not.

    17. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Iran marching toward a nuclear weapon

      Egypt and Libya handed over to the Islamists on a silver platter

      45% increase in debt.

      Regulatory policies strangling business

      That perfect health care for all, casuing businesses to not hire and drop coverage to put more people on the dole.

      Unemployment above 8%

      GDP Growth below 2%

      Changed his mind four times on that OBL kill, which was set up by the hardwork of Bush, Bush worked 8 strong, Obama got the save.

      Domestic energy production hamstrung, while billions of tax dollars wasted on masturbatory green energy companies, run by his cronies.

      A racist running the Justice Department.

      Hundreds of Mexican citizens and a US law enforcement officer dead because of Obama/Holder's agenda on guns.

      Photo ID laws being challenged because they interfered with typical Democrat voters, the Dead and Illegal Aliens.

      Chrysler bondholders screwed out of their money so the UAW could receive a giant wad of cash in the illegal government takeover of the Auto industry.........

      Yeah, he's a raving success.

    18. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by h4rr4r · · Score: 0

      Crap like stating the truth. I will not be voting for either of the two front runners.

      Nice projecting though.

    19. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Hatta · · Score: 1

      How does he suck at his job?

      The Oath of Office he took has two parts:

      I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

      He has failed to faithfully execute the laws, permitting fraud and perjury by executive level bankers, and war crimes committed by the previous administration to go completely unpunished. He has failed to uphold the Constitution by authorizing warrantless wiretaps and military detentions.

      The guy is a god damned crook and should be impeached immediately.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
    20. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by inthealpine · · Score: 2

      The Stimulus was 100% Obama. Bush did not write, sign or implement that bill.

      Romney was governor of a state and signed a bill for healthcare in that state. How is that hard to understand?

      Unemployment and economic growth are affected by federal policy (taxes, regulation, etc.) Obama has an anti-business regulatory ideology and the economy reflects that

      On banking regulation Senator Obama was against reviewing and revamping the sub-prime mortgages where GOVERNMENT mandates forced banks to make loans to people everyone knew could not pay them back.(This was of course prior to the 2008 crash) Yes, the feds would punish banks who did not make loans to people who they knew could never repay them on the basis of 'fairness'.

      Breaking banks into two groups, investment & lenders would do what you ask in 'breaking up' banks. There is no such thing as 'too big to fail' only 'too corrupt to fail'.

      I would consider anyone who has been successful as a citizen to be president. Obama was a bad student, professional protester, periodic lecturer and absent Senator. Romney is not savior, but 4 years of improved economics couldn't hurt in my opinion.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    21. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by inthealpine · · Score: 1

      I reviewed and on the house you technically correct as their voting bloc was 58.8% not 60%. However the Senate did have a super majority 60% until Kennedy died.

      My point is still valid even if only 1 half of the congress had a super majority. I'm sure you don't mind the Senate and Obama blocking all the bills passed by the House since 2010? It's only when ideas you don't like get blocked it's "part of the process", but if you like the ideas then "it's obstruction".
      There is a reason it's difficult to pass laws, laws are normally not good.

      --
      "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
    22. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by mcmonkey · · Score: 1

      The numbers are even worse for the Republicans (347-191) accoring to Tannenbaum's "Rasmussen fee" page. Here he filters out Fox's polling company which has questionable polling practices. This polling group has consistently polled in favor of Republicans. From electoral-vote.com: "Silver analyzed 105 polls released by Rasmussen Reports and its subsidiary, Pulse Opinion Research, for Senate and gubernatorial races in numerous states across the country. The bottom line is that on average, Rasmussen's polls were off by 5.8% with a bias of 3.9% in favor of the Republican candidates."

      Given that the companies making the polling machines are controlled by Republicans, and most polls have proven to be unreliable since the advent of digital, no-manual-recount polling machines (coincidence, I'm sure), I'll not be surprised if those "questionable polling practices" turn out to more accurately predict the election outcome.

    23. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by operagost · · Score: 1

      You act like you are some sort of classical liberal, then you parrot the democratic party talking points. You know that the stimulus bill was designed by Democrats, Obama, and the Apollo Alliance, but you blame it on Bush. You know that there is a constitutional difference between a federal and a state-run health care system, but you ignore it. You know that the President has "invested" tax money into state and local governments, but said the private sector (except for his green energy companies, of course), is "doing fine", but you ignore it. Why do you say these things?

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    24. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by MyLongNickName · · Score: 1

      Um... the Rasmussen polls have shown to be off the mark in the Diebold era already, so I'm not sure your logic follows.

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    25. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Teancum, what the hell is with your offensive user name?

      Are you some fucking dirtbag pedophile? I fucking hate people that flaunt that shit like it's something they are proud of.

    26. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm going to say to you what was shouted back in Bush Senior's beating way back when: "it's the economy, stupid".
      It fails on your watch, you're a failure.
      Should Obama get elected with the dismal economy , then I view that as a failure of democracy.
      And I say that as someone who would hold the same view if a Repub was the current president.

    27. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teancum

      In LDS theology he was a Nephilite leader.

      --
      Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
    28. Re:Replace it with a link to a real model by LanMan04 · · Score: 1

      His Stimulus? You mean the one started by his predecessor?

      Nope, you're thinking of the bailout. That was started on Bush's watch. The stimulus is 100% Obama's.

      Unless you mean the post-9/11 Bush stimulus that put a couple hundred bucks in everyone's pocket.

      --
      With the first link, the chain is forged.
  14. Whooosh! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Was that a duck?

  15. Re:What? Since when... by uigrad_2000 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Tea Party --> Freedom from government and lawyers
    SOPA --> More power to government and lawyers
    Wikipedia opposes SOPA, tea party supports Wikipedia??

    --
    Free unix account: freeshell.org
  16. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Informative

    Tea Party supports Freedom from government and lawyers how? They are a another tool to get the useful idiots to vote in policies that hurt themselves. Ask those folks about their stance on gay marriage and watch how fast they support government intrusion into people private lives.

  17. Re:What? Since when... by vlm · · Score: 2

    ...did the GOP start believing in Wikipedia?

    Is it a revealed work or intelligently designed? I think we can rule out being intelligently designed. That leaves us with a revealed work. Also the deletionists have made a nice apocrypha of wiki pages. So. GOP was taken over by religious nuts awhile back and they like a revealed work, surprise surprise.

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  18. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Ever since they realized they could "Change history" by editing the facts to match Sarah Palin's version of Paul Revere's ride.

  19. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since when did the GOP start believing in Wikipedia?

    The GOP is positioning Wikipedia as the propaganda arm of their new AmerCIA domestic intelligence group. I seem to recall them also releasing iPhone and Android Apps.

  20. I'm wondering about the other side by OakDragon · · Score: 2

    I'm wondering who Obama's running mate will be.

    1. Re:I'm wondering about the other side by mkkohls · · Score: 1

      I'm wondering who Obama's running mate will be.

      If you go by the fact that at the convention the vp speaks before and inttroduces the president then we will see good old saxaphone playing Bill Clinton as Obamas VP. Sounds like fun.

  21. Its Portman by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Based not only on the wiki edits, but also Nick Silver's post at the 538 blog this morning (conclusion: Portman helps Romney the most, with the least risk) and the numbers on Intrade which usually turn out to be correct, I'd say with 95% certainty that the pick is Rob Portman, it has already been decided, and we'll be hearing about it in the next few days.

    1. Re:Its Portman by plover · · Score: 1

      The wiki edits prove nothing. The real reason there are only 5 edits for Pawlenty is that he is the most boring person on the planet*. There is simply nothing to clean up behind that Marvin J. Milquetoast.

      * yes, I know Al Gore invented boring politicians, but Pawlenty raised it to an art form.

      --
      John
  22. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    As a proud Tea Party supporter I have to inform you that I am pro gay marriage, sorry to shatter your delusion. Less government means less government across the board, leading to greater freedom for ALL.

  23. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1, Insightful

    As opposed to your little ad hominem?
    I am no paid shill, nor does the USA have socialists in power and I went to both public and private schools.

    Way to be wrong on pretty much all accounts.

  24. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Good for you, now go talk to the ones holding the "Keep government out of medicare" signs about that.

    I would like to inform you that sometimes government intrusion is needed for freedom. Without government intrusion you could not own land, as I could just take it.

  25. Sigh... by miltonw · · Score: 1

    Really competent, intelligent, honest people cannot run for political office. This is especially true of the presidency. For many, many years, the choice has only been who is least destructive. That keeps getting harder as the quality continually drops and the corruption rises. We are manipulated into thinking we have a choice but we don't. Anyone have any suggestions for a decent country to move to?

    1. Re:Sigh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Iceland has been showing itself to be pretty good about not screwing over its population in the past while.

      That's about the only country I've noticed as not being a complete failure to the populace.

  26. Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Whatever sacrificial lamb the GOP picks to 'run with Romney' will never be heard of in presidential politics again, once Millard "Mitt" "He's a mormon (not that that really matters (of course not)) shh!" Romney loses.
    It was inevitable that Romney would 'win' the candidacy and it is inevitable that he will lose the race. No one could have beaten Obama outside of Reagan so the GOP took good ol' Mitt out, shined him up, and ran him as their idea of a 'equality' candidate. The GOP stance is that every religion is equal and now they've proven it by running a Mormon in a race where no one could win. Mitt will walk away a little bruised, ghost-write some books, and fade into history and all those Mormons will stay in the GOP camp because the GOP 'had the balls' to run a Mormon candidate.
    This is all just a game. You people aren't even players -- you're the pieces.
    Don't vote, it just encourages them.

    1. Re:Who cares? by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

      He's a mormon (not that that really matters (of course not)) shh!" Romney loses.

      How bout we leave Romney's religion out of it, and the right can (maybe) leave Obama's religion out of it.

      Honestly, this is an election for president, not pastor.

  27. Chris Christie: 38 times today by freality · · Score: 1
    1. Re:Chris Christie: 38 times today by bmo · · Score: 1

      Chris Christie is persona-non-grata ever since he defended appointing Sohail Mohammed to the New Jersey Superior Court.

      And then he told the Tea Potty that they're morons, and rightly so.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y83z552NJaw

      --
      BMO

  28. Re:What? Since when... by inthealpine · · Score: 1, Troll

    What law prevents gay marriage? Answer: None.
    Marriage is a contract that a State chooses to recognize or not recognize. The federal government has NOTHING to do with it. If a state chooses to recognize a contract between two opposite sex, two same sex, or 3 same or mixed sex partners its the sates business, not the federal government.

    Your view seems to be that the FEDERAL government should force states to recognize contracts of same sex marriages, but what about mixed partner marriages of all types?

    For the record my opinion is that the state has the right under the constitution to decide IF it recognizes contracts and what criteria said contract cannot have. However, I would advocate for NOT recognizing ANY marriages as I don't think it is the business of the federal or state government to define what a cultural 'norm' is or is not.

    --
    "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
  29. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    My view is based on Full Faith and Credit. You will find that in the Constitution. If one state recognizes a marriage, all must.

    The federal government disagrees with your beliefs, otherwise why did it pass DOMA?

  30. Re:What? Since when... by bmo · · Score: 2

    They don't.

    They believe in Conservapedia.

    http://www.conservapedia.com/Main_Page

    Go. Read.

    --
    BMO

  31. Must be a better way to pick a vp by magarity · · Score: 1

    The VP's two jobs don't happen very often but when they occur it's pretty important. I wish there was more of a primary selection process for VP rather than the candidate's behind the scenes political machinations as recommended by their overpaid consultants. If the president is incapacitated then we get the VP, like it or not, who did not have to go through the primary process and be selected by the party members as the president was.

    1. Re:Must be a better way to pick a vp by mcmonkey · · Score: 1

      The VP's two jobs don't happen very often but when they occur it's pretty important. I wish there was more of a primary selection process for VP rather than the candidate's behind the scenes political machinations as recommended by their overpaid consultants. If the president is incapacitated then we get the VP, like it or not, who did not have to go through the primary process and be selected by the party members as the president was.

      We should go back to the old system of the person who comes in second at the election becomes VP. That would certainly open the field for more serious 3rd party candidates--you don't need to win to be relevant, just finish second. And if the P can't complete the term, who do you want to fill in? The person who was the choice of the second most people in the country? (Generally, not always, due to the electoral college.) Or some nobody very few people ever heard of until his/her home state became a swing state?

      It's good enough for Miss America, it's good enough for president.

    2. Re:Must be a better way to pick a vp by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

      We could go back to the way it was supposed to be. That would be pretty interesting.

    3. Re:Must be a better way to pick a vp by magarity · · Score: 1

      There is no "way it was supposed to be". The constitution just says the president and vice president are chosen by the electors of the states. How the electors choose who to choose is completely up for interpretation.

    4. Re:Must be a better way to pick a vp by magarity · · Score: 1

      The problem with the runner-up as VP is the VP's second job - casting tiebreaker votes in the senate. This is part of the balance of power structure between the branches of government. If the VP is of a different political philosophy than the P then the tiebreaker vote stops becoming a balance of power between the branches and becomes a mechanism of political parties.

    5. Re:Must be a better way to pick a vp by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

      In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President.

      Article II, Section 1. Granted, it didn't last long (12th Amendment in 1804), but that's what was originally in the Constitution.

  32. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That was exactly what I was going to say... also, I heard that the GOP gets most of its money from an investment into showers specifically designed for birds. Pigeons actually.

  33. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cool; then we can apply it to CCW licenses, too.

  34. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Without government intrusion you could not own land, as I could just take it.

    Heh, only if you have a bigger gun..

  35. Who Will Mitt Select? by NicknamesAreStupid · · Score: 2

    He should select Ron Paul. It would consolidate the Republican base. On the other hand, if Ron Paul runs as an independent in just a few swing states (e.g., Texas), Ron will give the election to Obama. As VP, Ron could be effectively managed, as Kennedy did with Johnson and Reagan did with Bush. Remember what Mr. Gates used to say, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

    However, I am talking about Mitt, a man with few political instincts. Therefore, he will pick Portman as an electoral hedge, because Rob is from the critical swing state of Ohio.

    1. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, look, a Paulinista. How cute.

      IF Ron Paul runs as an independent? You know as well as I do that he'll never do that. Ron Paul is a loyal Republican...he just wants to pull the Republican party in a different direction, from the inside. Ron Paul is not Ross Perot.

    2. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      How would that help?

      Those voters will already vote for the Republican candidate. Ron Paul could not carry Texas or any other such state. I am not sure why would even think he could, other than the fevered dreams of false libertarians.

    3. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by PeeAitchPee · · Score: 1

      Ummmm . . . hate to break it to you, but Texas is about as far from a swing state as possible. It is as predictably (as in, double-digit lead) red as New York, Maryland, and California are blue. Texans haven't voted for a Democrat for President since 1976. See http://www.270towin.com/states/Texas

    4. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by Richy_T · · Score: 1

      Many Libertarians are committed to voting third party rather than Romney. Supposedly if Paul joined with Romney, that could pull some of those votes in and help prevent a spoiler. It's all academic though.

    5. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by NicknamesAreStupid · · Score: 1

      Paul got 12% of the vote in the Texas primary and Romney got just over two-thirds, http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/state/tx. This was after the primary race was already in the bag for Mitt. Polls showed Paul would have done even better if Santorum and Gingrich had not bee splitting the ticket. As a favorite son, Ron Paul does not have to win in Texas. He just needs to get 15% (double digits) of the Republican vote for Mitt to lose as Massachusetts presidential candidates usually do in Texas.

    6. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      However, I am talking about Mitt, a man with few political instincts. Therefore, he will pick Portman as an electoral hedge, because Rob is from the critical swing state of Ohio.

      Or he might pick Stallman as his running mate because Hemos poured hot grits down his pants... oh, you meant a different Rob and Portman. Never mind.

    7. Re:Who Will Mitt Select? by toddestan · · Score: 1

      You do realize that you're talking about the guy that endorsed the Constitution party's candidate in the last election?

  36. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    I agree 100%.

    All states should have to recognize the others CCW permits.

  37. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 0

    That was the point I was making.

  38. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You mean as opposed to your small-minded, hate filled, racist diatribe?

    You are starting to annoy me.

  39. Re:What? Since when... by inthealpine · · Score: 1

    Full Faith and Credit didn't even apply to banning interracial marriages according to the supreme court, so precedent would not favor your opinion.

    The DOMA was not necessary IMO as a state could simply choose not to recognize ANY marriages as easily as it could choose to define what it would recognize. If state A want's to recognize a contract between a man and lamp post, state B does not have to create law and provide ceremonies for those in state B who might wish to have a contract with a lamp post.

    --
    "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"
  40. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are a fucking moron. You have never talked to someone who claims association with the Tea Party, you have never read any documents that accurately portray the Tea Party's positions.

    You simply spout the crap you heard from the Dems and others who so viscerally hate the very idea that government should be smaller and more efficient and that individuals are more important than the government. In a word, Socialists.

    Open your fucking mind and trying thinking instead of regurgitating.

  41. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Idiots like you often confuse "smaller government" with "no government".

    Government provides the legal context for property ownership. That's good. Government also interferes with your use of that land. That's bad.

    Just Google "Oregon, man jailed for storing rainwater". Yes, Government is telling this guy that rain water that falls from his roof cannot be stored in a pond his land. In fact, they are putting him in jail for doing so. That's the state government. If he was able to do it, you can be sure that the EPA would be there telling him what he could or couldn't do with the pond.

    That is the government that the Tea Party is against.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  42. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    I should not have called you an idiot. My apologies. in advance.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  43. Re:What? Since when... by cpu6502 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    >>>...did the GOP start believing in Wikipedia?

    About the same time the DNC became a pro-war party.

    --
    My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
  44. Re:What? Since when... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

    Cool; then we can apply it to CCW licenses, too.

    You need a license to go counterclockwise?

    Where do you live?

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  45. Name recognition by rlwhite · · Score: 2

    Being selected as a VP candidate gives that politician instant name recognition in presidential politics. Sometimes this is enough to make them an early contender for a presidential nomination in the next election (Edmund Muskie, Walter Mondale, Sarah Palin) or gives them a building block for later campaigns (FDR, Bob Dole). This is somewhat of a modern phenomenon. The age and performance of the candidate and the strength of the field are certainly factors.

  46. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    You mean the tea party is against mineral and water rights?

    How are those different than property rights?

    Someone else owns that water, he is talking it from its rightful owner.

    When what you do on your land impacts the value of my land the government should step in.

  47. Just how "everyman" is Romney? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1
    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    1. Re:Just how "everyman" is Romney? by medcalf · · Score: 1

      And this differs from Obama (before or during - and almost certainly after - his presidency) how exactly?

      --
      -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
    2. Re:Just how "everyman" is Romney? by Richy_T · · Score: 1

      Do you wish to draw a comparison with the current office holder?

    3. Re:Just how "everyman" is Romney? by fustakrakich · · Score: 2

      It doesn't. And it doesn't matter. This whole campaign is a farce designed to give the appearance of opposition to the Obama regime.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    4. Re:Just how "everyman" is Romney? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      No.. There's nothing to compare. Expect maybe that Obama looks a lot better on camera..

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    5. Re:Just how "everyman" is Romney? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought that was standard treatment for any serious contender for the Presidency, along with a high-level briefing to ensure that they don't campaign on a platform against existing programs or agreements with other nations.

  48. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    Assuming you are replying to me, you replied to the wrong person. I never post AC.

    Get an account and we can converse, until then have a nice day.

  49. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    Where do you morons get the idea that the Dems are about socialism.

    I support socialism more than the Dems do, in some situations anyway. In others I am far to the right of them.

    I have spoken to tea party members, or as we called them before the Obama election Republicans.

  50. Re:What? Since when... by Dishevel · · Score: 0

    No. The libs are as usual, correct.
    If you do not agree that government should provide you with everything then you obviously want to abolish the government.
    There really is no rational middle ground here.
    Fucking idiots. They will never understand that government is not your friend. Never.
    They can not imagine that real solutions come from the people with the problems.

    --
    Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
  51. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    Go troll elsewhere.
    The low karma is an indication to stop doing that.
    How about you be quiet until such time as that you can act like an adult.

  52. Re:What? Since when... by Shetan · · Score: 1

    If a state chooses to recognize a contract between two opposite sex, two same sex, or 3 same or mixed sex partners its the sates business, not the federal government.

    Does the Federal government give tax benefits to married people? If so, they need a definition of "married". That definition could be "as legally defined in your state" but I don't know enough about the US Constitution to know if it would be legal to have the Federal government tax people differently based on which state they live in.

  53. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    Nice strawman.
    Nice use of Libs, when you have no idea of the political leaning of the persons you are speaking of. Plus the personal attacks tell us the reason you are so mad is because the world is big and confusing to people with such tiny brains like yourself.

  54. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    No problem. Now go ahead and explain how you value land rights but not water rights. Do you also not believe in mineral rights?

  55. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No. How do you like that?

    How about you go wax your weenie?

  56. Re:What? Since when... by Dishevel · · Score: 0

    Libs are easy to spot.
    They rail against making government smaller by letting everyone know that with zero government things would be bad.
    Really?
    There is the strawman. Your strawman. Why do you feel the need to protect a government that has always only grown in power?
    Why when people want the government to get out of an area of our lives they have no business in do you feel the need to point out what things would be like with no government?
    Liberals need to believe that the answer is a government program. Why this is I do not know.
    They should not. It has never really worked for them but they keep hoping.
    Conservatives. Real ones. Not most republicans. Should look at their own actions first and what they can do to solve their problems.
    Small government is good. Big government and no government is bad.

    --
    Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
  57. Re:What? Since when... by BenJury · · Score: 4, Informative

    There's a difference between collecting water than runs off your house and putting up a 20 foot damn to create a reservoir and stop water flowing into the local river.
    What would you do if you were down stream and your river dried up?

    --
    Blatant Advert: Android Apps!
  58. Paywalled if you have a habit of RTFA by tepples · · Score: 1

    His blog is also paywalled if you've already read a few New York Times articles linked from Slashdot this month.

    1. Re:Paywalled if you have a habit of RTFA by baegucb · · Score: 2

      Delete the nytimes.com cookie and you can continue reading.

    2. Re:Paywalled if you have a habit of RTFA by Hatta · · Score: 0

      Use the GNAA login: nigger/nigger.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  59. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You cannot 'own' land now. You lease it from the government. You have to pay 'rent' to the government. The government owns everything. And they can take your land also. We have to face facts. The weak will always be at the mercy of the powerful. The law is irrelevant. Ultimately only a man's conscience can keep him from pulling the trigger. It doesn't matter if he carries a badge or not.

  60. State, not federal by tepples · · Score: 1

    Obamacare AKA Romneycare?

    Governor Romney always maintained that Romneycare should be implemented by individual states, not as a federal tax the way Obama and the Democratic Congress did.

    1. Re:State, not federal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That Romney and his Big Government ideas...
      I always maintained that Romneycare/Obamacare/Whatevercare should be implemented by individual counties, nay, municipalities, nay, families, nay, people! Kickstart the old individualism that we Americans once took pride in! After all, who knows your healthcare needs better than yourself! Insurance in general is an affront to the ideals we espouse as red blooded Americans! You communists and your insurance and safety nets, your mentality absurd. If you get diagnosed with cancer, why, that's when you work a second job to EARN your medical treatment!

      (Insurance: I thought the idea was to pool risk. The larger the pool, the better. What is the benefit of many smaller pools, as we have now with multiple insurance providers? What's wrong with having only one large pool, and better still, have it exist as a nonprofit entity? And is there anything wrong with calling this controlling entity the Federal Government?)

  61. Dog Fighter II by tepples · · Score: 1

    barring a revelation that Obama was involved in Michael Vick's dogfighting ring, this is going to be an easy win for Obama.

    Breaking news: Brock Obama was heard singing the theme song of the TV show based on a popular dogfighting simulator video game.

  62. Bill is ineligible by tepples · · Score: 1

    Based on how I read the Twelfth and Twenty-second Amendments, Bill Clinton is ineligible to become Vice President because he is ineligible to become President on account of having twice been elected to a four-year term as President.

    1. Re:Bill is ineligible by chrysrobyn · · Score: 1

      I read it differently. If Clinton were VP, and served under a President unable to serve his last 0-2 years, Clinton could fulfill those duties legally and Constitutionally. If the President were unable to serve more than 2 years, Clinton would be able to serve 2 years. At that point, I do not know if a special election would be necessary or if we would need to follow the standard order of succession, which means the Speaker of the House would become President.

    2. Re:Bill is ineligible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, is there a "First Musician" position he could be in? Conveniently placed near the Oval Office so his soothing jazz can help Obama think?

    3. Re:Bill is ineligible by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure when the VP moves up, a new VP comes about.

      I would assume by appointment (with confirmation).

      I am basing this off of Gerald Ford being appointed after Agnew resigned (and the reading of the 25th amendment).

      Fun fact, Gerald Ford the only president that was never on the winning side of a presidential election.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
  63. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 0

    Talk about over simplification.

    Please tell me how it is big government intrusion to enforce water rights, when someone diverts a river.

  64. Re:What? Since when... by dave420 · · Score: 1

    No, in that case the government is interfering with some guy's decision to keep public property (the water, under Oregon law) on his land. And then you made up that nonsense about the EPA to further your argument. Please stop misrepresenting the facts and stop proffering your opinion as fact. It only serves to make you look foolish.

  65. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The story isn't as crazy as you make it sound. The pond on his land from rain on his roof was actually three reservoirs that were big enough for recreational docks and boats and required two 10ft dams and a 20ft dam to fill. This isn't rain water, this is messing with the local water systems and ecology and then complaining when the government tells him to stop doing it. He did have a permit but that was rescinded, probably when the government found out what his plans really were.

    If anything, this is the government acting to protect the public resources needed for everyone from being abused for the benefit of the few or one person. Which if you look at the original views of the Tea Party is what they wanted government to do in the first place.

    source:
    http://revmodo.com/2012/07/30/oregon-man-gets-30-days-in-jail-for-rainwater-catchment/

  66. Re:What? Since when... by Dishevel · · Score: 1

    That is not what he was doing.
    He was collecting the rain water falling on his property.

    --
    Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
  67. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What would you do if you were down stream and your river dried up?

    That's your problem not mine.

  68. Re:What? Since when... by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

    Someone else owns that water, he is talking it from its rightful owner.

    Wait....someone else owns the rainwater this man collected from landing on his own rooftop and other property?

    Who, pray tell...owns the rain that hits my house??

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  69. Re:What? Since when... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Informative
    I wish the govt...state AND federal, would get out of the marriage business.

    What the states and feds should do, is allow for, and enforce across state lines...civil contracts..between two or more of ANY sexual preference, etc. This should be the ONLY legal binding contract there is.

    If someone in this relationships also wants the "marriage" moniker on their relationship, let them get a church to do this....but merely having a church blessed marriage, would not hold any legal binding bonds....that is the civil contract part offered by the govt.

    Let that civil contract between 2 or more people, take care of all the inheritance, insurance...etc....and that would be the same for any group of people wanting such a legal relationship, and should do away with all this controversy of marriage.

    Let's put marriage back in the church where it resides, and out of Govt hands where it causes controversy. The Govt is there to help enforce contracts...let's put the govt back to work doing what it is supposed to do in this case.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  70. Re:What? Since when... by operagost · · Score: 1

    Sounds like you are to the "far right" like the Italian Fascists were to the "far right".

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  71. Re:What? Since when... by operagost · · Score: 1

    Do you also support all states giving "full faith and credit" to my Pennsylvania gun carry permit?

    If not, you're probably just another statist. By the way, I support removing just about all governments' ability to control marriage. It's the only way we can get the activist and politicians to shut up without losing more rights.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  72. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No. How do you like that?

    I have a friend who told me you have a small penis. I don't know this is true, I'm just sayin.

  73. How to get modded up on Slashdot by Oh+Gawwd+Peak+Oil · · Score: 1

    1. Say, "I know I'll get modded down for this . . ."

    2. Write a post with a conservative viewpoint.

    Bang! Instant recipe for being modded up on Slashdot.

    1. Re:How to get modded up on Slashdot by readin · · Score: 1

      It doesn't always work that way, but I'm pleasantly surprised this time. I've starting setting a low threshold when browsing political threads so that I don't miss the insightful comments.

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
    2. Re:How to get modded up on Slashdot by readin · · Score: 1

      It looks like we spoke too soon. The post now has two mod downs and only one mod up.

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
    3. Re:How to get modded up on Slashdot by readin · · Score: 1

      And another downgrade - this one two days after the post. I've seen other conservative commenters question that. Usually posts get all their mods on the day they're made, but it isn't unusual for a conservative post to get down mods several days later.

      --
      I often don't like the choices people make, but I like the fact that people make choices. That's why I'm a conservative.
  74. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...i.e. really to the far right?

  75. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    New Jersey. No left turns allowed.

  76. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Um, that's how it already works today. We have religious marriages that are performed by churches, and we have civil marriage contracts that are signed by individuals and hold legal authority. Part of every religious marriage ceremony is the signing of the civil marriage contract which gives the legal benefits in addition to whatever spiritual nature is bestowed by the ceremony. The only new thing you've asked for is the extension of the rights to civil marriage to any group of individuals. In other words, you're completely in agreement with the pro same sex marriage crowd, except that you seem to want to go further into polygamy. The rest of your post is just requesting what already exists.

  77. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So then you'd have no problem with me building a giant shade on my property and completely blocking sun from reaching your property? Oh, and leaning it upwind when it rains and gathering all the rain before it reaches your property?

    Consider the consequences.

  78. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please note, you are going to get modded down a lot because you feel the need to reply to every single reply to your post with one line non-contributing answers. If you don't agree with someone that replies to you but have nothing additional to contribute... shut the hell up.

  79. Re:What? Since when... by QuantumRiff · · Score: 3, Informative

    Don't forget he had 3 of them on his property.. Stocked with bluegill, a boat dock, etc. and this creek is a tributary of the Rouge River, a designated "Wild and Scenic River".. Not only was he keeping the water, he was blocking fish from going upstream for spawning..

    --

    What are we going to do tonight Brain?
  80. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    Again there is a difference between the government providing a legal structure for securing mineral rights for property owners and the government claiming those rights.

    Frankly, I find the idea of the government claiming that it owns the water that falls from the sky to be offensive.

    To address BenJury, Dave and others, it is irrelevant that his collection system huge, amounting to small lakes. The water apparently came from rain run off. (If he dammed a local creek, that's another thing). I reject categorically the idea that the government owns water that falls from the sky, state law or not. This is the difference between the government providing the mechanisms and abusing the mechanisms.

    Besides, It's Oregon for hecks sake. It hardly ever stops raining there,.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  81. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How can you claim fascism is leftist? I mean... really. You have a low UID, so how can you not know what the words you are using mean?

  82. Re:What? Since when... by necro81 · · Score: 1

    You mean the tea party is against mineral and water rights

    Of course they are. Isn't that why they dumped all that tea into boston harbor?

  83. Above a certain size by tepples · · Score: 2

    What is the benefit of many smaller pools, as we have now with multiple insurance providers?

    Above a certain size, there's enough of a base among which risk is already pooled that any marginal benefit of a larger pool is insubstantial.

    What's wrong with having only one large pool, and better still, have it exist as a nonprofit entity?

    Different entities can't compete to pool risk more efficiently.

  84. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "right" in the US generally refers to Republicans - or conservatives more specifically. Fascists are a form of statism, that is 'big government' taken to an extreme and has nothing to do with conservatism.

    Fascists are not the "right" any more than the Nazi's are. This is one reason statist is a more useful general purpose term. One who believes in the power of the state is a statist (and in the end a leftist). One who believes in individual rights and liberties is a conservative and occupies the (western) right.

    Yes it's all very confusing to a lot of you, I know.

  85. Re:What? Since when... by PRMan · · Score: 1

    Wikipedia was typed by a billion blind monkeys, right?

    --
    Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
  86. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    It is a reasonable claim based on recent federal law changes that would undoubtedly place his ponds under the jurisdiction of the EPA.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  87. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Ummmm. No. Not really.

    The problem doesn't lie with who's name is on the document, the problem lies with the document itself and how we, as a modern culture, look at marriage.

    The idea behind marriage was originally that women were property and men owned them. The contract was for the ownership of the bride. The bride never owned anything, ever. When the man died/left/got bored the woman was cast free. When the woman died so what? Replace her. If she left, hunt her down and stone her.

    Over the centuries this has changed and now we see women as nearly equal to men. The problem is that the marriage contract now reflects a legal partnership contract in that all property is considered to be owned by the partnership. That's why divorce is such a problem. Even worse is that religion has gotten involved and called the damned thing 'sacred', whatever that means, and now they say the invisible guy in the sky will get mad at us if we allow the 'wrong' types to marry.

    I say flush the whole thing. If people really want to buy a house 'together' then they can form a legal partnership under a legal name and buy stuff under that partnership. Kids, being humans and all (mostly(eventually)) are a problem but maybe they can be seen as detachable employees with certain benefits. Man-man, woman-woman, man-woman -- who cares. Just sign on the line and the contract is formed. Want out? There's a clause for that.

    Don't think this is sentimental enough? Try a divorce and then get back to me, or better yet try being denied benefits because the marriage contract doesn't cover you 'kind' of partnership. Sentimental partnerships are for twelve year olds. Get a lawyer.

  88. Re:What? Since when... by rokstar · · Score: 1

    I'd say that Bernie Sanders qualifies as a socialist. While he technically is 'in power' as a practical matter you are probably right.

  89. Re:What? Since when... by DragonWriter · · Score: 1

    Marriage is a contract that a State chooses to recognize or not recognize.

    Its a legal state some of whose effects are similar to effects which could be acheived through contract, and some of whose effects cannot be acheived through contract. Calling it a "contract" is misleading, at best.

    The federal government has NOTHING to do with it.

    Actually, as well as the state law consequences of marriage, there are federal law consequences as well. So, the federal government has quite a bit to do with it.

  90. Re:What? Since when... by Lendrick · · Score: 3, Informative

    There's truth in what you say, but the GOP already has wiki of their own, with all sorts of misinformation.

  91. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    Where do you think the water that ends up in creeks comes from?

    If you create an artificial lake you don't think that might impact the water others receive?

    I find the idea that you think a landowner owns the rain to be offensive, it is a public good and should be cared for by the state. My claim is as valid as yours. Ideological claims for their own stake are equally stupid.

  92. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No, there wasn't a creek. Nothing in the article says anything about flowing bodies of water, or creeks.
    The miraculous thing about reservoirs like this is that once filled, all water added to the system goes over the edge and back into the ecosystem. There's actually less evaporation in total than if the reservoir weren't built. So all he ever "stole" from the public... was 20 olympic swimming pools of water.

    So what if he built artificial reservoirs across gulleys on his land, filled them with 20 olympic swimming pools of water from the city/state/county water system, paid in full, and then let additional rainfall and runoff flow back into the system? Is he still a thieving landowner?
    According to the state he would be.

  93. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    Well, we are talking ideology here are we not?

    What is the argument over the size and role of government if not a Ideological argument?

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  94. Re:What? Since when... by Cyberax · · Score: 1

    Would it be OK if I dump some smelly (like "methyl mercaptane" smelly) garbage next to your land? After all, breathing is YOUR problem, ain't it?

  95. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No. This is just more dumb mental gymnastics. Take it somewhere else.

  96. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    A practical one perhaps?

    The simple fact is someone has to manage these shared resources and so far this is best we have come up with. I would prefer to select the size of government not based on ideology and theory but sound testing. The EPA for instance is something that some are ideologically opposed to, but history has shown we must have or we will have undrinkable water and rivers on fire.

  97. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    The people who own the water rights in that area.

    This is long settled law.

  98. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have been reading books on the Middle Ages and it turns out the marriage was largely civil until 900-1000 when the Church felt it necessary to begin to pull sexual and marriage under the Church authority. The attitude to extramarital sexual activity, homosexuality, and other "heretical unnatural perversions" changed remarkably between 900 and ~1300. Even Wikipedia makes a passing reference to marriage being largely a civil matter. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_marriage

    "Matrimony, for most of Church history, was a sacrament celebrated (as in the Judaic tradition) without clergy and was done according to local customs."

    The language used by the wikipedia author reflects religious views on marriage as a sacrament after this period.

    I think it would be best to go back to the customs BEFORE the Church was the Holy Roman Empire.

  99. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You mean as opposed to your small-minded, hate filled, racist diatribe?

    Do leftists just automatically throw in "racist" all the time now, regardless of the lack of any even tenuous justification for it?

  100. Oh crap! by PPH · · Score: 1

    I've been doing my research on issues and candidates for months in order to make the best informed choice possible at the voting boot. And then I discovered that I had bookmarked Uncyclopedia by mistake.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  101. Re:What? Since when... by Curunir_wolf · · Score: 1

    I would like to inform you that sometimes government intrusion is needed for freedom.

    Thanks for reminding us. Also, war is peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength!

    Without government intrusion you could not own land, as I could just take it.

    That's not intrusion, i.e. " An inappropriate or unwelcome addition, or Illegal entry upon or appropriation of the property of another. Actually, now that I think about it, the only entity I've heard of "taking" someone's land in the US for the past 200 years has been government.

    --
    "Somebody has to do something. It's just incredibly pathetic it has to be us."
    --- Jerry Garcia
  102. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Posting anonymously because I already moderated

    "full faith and credit" applies to contracts, not statutes.

  103. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    As they say, the devil is in the details.

    An EPA that fines and intimidates land owners based on their own ideology is just as bad as a land owner abusing his land.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  104. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's right. Fascists and Nazis are leftists!

    Two plus two equals five!
    War is peace!
    Freedom is slavery!
    The sky is purple!

    Glory hallelujah, and god bless the Republican party! God bless conservatism! Marching towards the truth!

  105. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    I disagree, we can return inappropriate fines. We cannot reasonably do anything once a landowner has poisoned his and his neighbors land.

  106. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What you have presented is an assertion, making an assertion does not constitute winning an argument. You need to back up your assertions with logic and facts which you have failed to do.

    Fascism concentrates power in the state, as does communism, socialism, and many others. This is all anti individualism, hence the term statism applies.

    Now fuck off. You bore me.

  107. Re:What? Since when... by Curunir_wolf · · Score: 1

    Please tell me how it is big government intrusion to enforce water rights, when someone diverts a river.

    "Water rights" generally does not extend to all water of any kind regardless of source, unless you live in a country with a totalitarian government (or a state with one, like Colorado). Collecting rain water is not diverting a river, any more than placing fill dirt in a temporary puddle is polluting navigable water. You should make some effort to educate yourself on the topic, before Agenda 21 is fully implemented and the only property right you have left is the right to pay taxes.

    --
    "Somebody has to do something. It's just incredibly pathetic it has to be us."
    --- Jerry Garcia
  108. Re:What? Since when... by Cyberax · · Score: 1

    What's the difference? If I own a plot on the Moon should I get rights to all the land on Earth that passes above it? If no then why not?

    How it's different from mineral/water/air pollution rights?

  109. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    The Sacketts will not be getting any money back.

    Any casual browsing will reveal outrage after outrage from a government that behaves in a manner that reasonable people would condemn...IRS, EPA, etc.all under the cover of "it's the law". That's the problem.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  110. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    If you own a plot on the moon, the moon dust that falls on it is yours.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  111. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    And to call it stealing is a real stretch.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  112. Re:What? Since when... by Cyberax · · Score: 1

    Why is it so? And can I then direct the Moon to fall on Earth and claim all the Earth as "falling moondust"?

  113. Re:What? Since when... by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

    So, just quit calling it marriage at all from the govt side....and then, problem solved.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  114. Re:What? Since when... by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Funny

    The idea behind marriage was originally that women were property and men owned them.

    Ahh...the good old days...before all the modern problems started...

    :)

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  115. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In other words, one size fits all.

    Automatic replication.

    The removal of competing solutions.

    I hope one state sends people to smash you in the face with bricks, and all the other states follow suit.

  116. Re:What? Since when... by sycodon · · Score: 1

    Go ahead and do it. It will be interesting to see.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  117. Re:What? Since when... by CAIMLAS · · Score: 1

    Tea Party supports Freedom from government and lawyers how? They are a another tool to get the useful idiots to vote in policies that hurt themselves. Ask those folks about their stance on gay marriage and watch how fast they support government intrusion into people private lives.

    That phrase, I do not think it means what you think it means.

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but "less government" is somewhat at odds with useful idiots - the end game scenario of which is bigger government, regardless of its color.

    --
    ~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
  118. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    but history has shown we must have or we will have undrinkable water and rivers on fire.

    If history shows that, then history also shows that the EPA caused the BP gulf explosion and all other environmental disasters that have occurred, since its formation.

    The simple fact is someone has to manage these shared resources and so far this is best we have come up with.

    So we should all just be happy with the status quo and leave the unaccountable agency alone.

  119. Re:What? Since when... by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

    ... There's actually less evaporation in total than if the reservoir weren't built....

    In the world I live in increasing the area of water surfaces increases evaporation since there is a larger surface to lose water from. Water losses from reservoirs is an important problem in areas with scarce water resources: http://www.unep.org/dewa/vitalwater/article46.html .

    Creating reservoirs has a very considerable effect on the surrounding environment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_reservoirs . This dude wants to be free from considering the costs he places on others.

    --
    Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
  120. Imagine... by inode_buddha · · Score: 1

    I've never seen a beowulf cluster of Apples.

    --
    C|N>K
  121. Re:What? Since when... by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

    I'm convinced that's as fake as the flat earth society and r/pyongyang. It's people acting in an elaborate joke. No proof of this of course, but I'm skeptical that so many people who are that dumb could figure out how to turn on a computer.

  122. Re:What? Since when... by AvitarX · · Score: 1

    Great, so now we need extra lawyers for all these things that are currently a fairly well understood and consistent contract between 2 people.

    That'll help for sure.

    --
    Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
  123. Re:What? Since when... by Arancaytar · · Score: 1

    SOPA -> More power to corporations.
    Tea Party -> More power to corporations.

  124. same-sex "marriage" is government intrusion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Same-sex pairs are free to live together, and even sign voluntary contracts sharing their property.

    But if government institutes same-sex "marriage", then everyone is forced to recognize it. Companies will have to provide benefits, hotels will have to allow them to sleep on the same bed (and smear it with blood and feces), etc.

    See http://frexpression.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/a-gay-man-decries-gay-rights/

    (Posting as anon to avoid being Kharma-lynched)

  125. Re:What? Since when... by bogjobber · · Score: 1

    Was that in 1812 or 1846? The Democrats were pro-war and have been since before the GOP existed. War of 1812, Mexican War, WWI, WW2, Korea, Vietnam all started under Democratic administrations. AFAIK the Democratic Party has never been anti-war.

  126. Re:What? Since when... by RaceProUK · · Score: 1

    What's a sunshade got to do with rainwater collection? Or do you just enjoy posting strawman arguments?

    --
    No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun
  127. Re:What? Since when... by RaceProUK · · Score: 1

    Does that mean NASCAR is illegal in New Jersey? :P

    --
    No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun
  128. Re:What? Since when... by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

    If someone in this relationships also wants the "marriage" moniker on their relationship, let them get a church to do this....but merely having a church blessed marriage, would not hold any legal binding bonds....that is the civil contract part offered by the govt.

    Let's put marriage back in the church where it resides, and out of Govt hands where it causes controversy. The Govt is there to help enforce contracts...let's put the govt back to work doing what it is supposed to do in this case.

    So what you're saying is that Atheists can't be married? Or Atheists must pretend to believe in God just long enough for a church whose beliefs they don't share to bless their union invoking a God they don't believe exists. Does any church get to declare people "married"? If I started the Church Of Anyone Can Be Married - whose only belief is that we marry any 2 consenting adults - does that count? Or is it only certain churches? If the latter, how do you decide which churches are allowed to marry people and which can't? (And by "churches", I include temples, synagogues, mosques, etc.)

    I don't see why two people going to the local courthouse can't call themselves "married." What is it about a church that makes those unions more special than non-religious ones?

    --
    My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  129. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  130. Re:What? Since when... by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

    I don't see why two people going to the local courthouse can't call themselves "married."

    They can call themselves what they want...church or not.

    I'm just saying the word 'marriage' should be stricken from anything the govt. supports, instills or enforces legally.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  131. Re:What? Since when... by bmo · · Score: 1

    It's not fake.

    It's run by Andy Schlafly. Phyllis Schlafly's son.

    They really believe this stuff. You have run into Poe's Law.

    "Poe's Law is an axiom suggesting that it's difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between parodies of religious or other fundamentalism and its genuine proponents, since they both seem equally insane. For example, some conservatives consider noted homophobe Fred Phelps to be so over-the-top that they argue he's a "deep cover liberal" trying to discredit more mainstream homophobes." --Rational Wiki.

    --
    BMO

  132. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    Because they built on a wetland. I fail to see the issue her. Again more people thinking they should be able to do anything and cause any damage they like because they temporarily own a piece of land. Impacting the neighbors or the next buyer is not your right.

  133. Re:What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In theory, that would work. The problem is, some people like the idea of getting married. They see it as a big deal, a social convention, something to aspire to, the foundation of a family and so on. So understandably, they feel a bit upset when told that, while they can sign a contract (or enter into a civil partnership) they're not allowed to call it marriage because some religion doesn't like the idea of them being together with the person they love.

    Also, why not go the other way around; call it marriage from the government point of view, and let religious groups hold whatever ceremonies they like, but not legal marriages (unless they comply with the government requirements)? Why should the religions get priority?

  134. So nice to read Tea Party propganda.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just Google "Oregon, man jailed for storing rainwater". Yes, Government is telling this guy that rain water that falls from his roof cannot be stored in a pond his land. In fact, they are putting him in jail for doing so. That's the state government. If he was able to do it, you can be sure that the EPA would be there telling him what he could or couldn't do with the pond.

    That is the government that the Tea Party is against.

    Wow, someone doesn't know the real story: "On Wednesday July 11, 2012, a Jackson County Circuit Court Jury convicted Eagle Point resident Gary A. Harrington on nine counts, each related to the unauthorized use of water. Under Oregon law, all water is publicly owned, and those who wish to use it for their own purposes must obtain a water right permit issued by the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD). State law grants various exceptions to this requirement, including an exception for collecting precipitation water that gathers on an artificial impervious surface, such as a rooftop or parking lot; in rain barrels, for example."

    And what he was doing specifically: "Harrington stored and used water illegally by placing dams across channels on his property and preventing the flow of water out of these artificial reservoirs without obtaining a water right permit. The height of each dam varies; two dams stand about ten feet tall and the third stands about 20 feet tall. The total amount of water collected behind these dams totals about 40 acre feet; enough to fill almost 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools. These man-made reservoirs feature boat docks, boats, and were stocked by Harrington with trout and Bluegill for recreational fishing." [Source: KVAL News (http://www.kval.com/news/local/Eagle-Point-man-jailed-for-illegal-water-reservoirs-164206356.html)]

    If you keep reading the news story, you would notice that this is not the first time Harrington has been busted for stealing water. This is the third time he has filled up his own personal ponds from irrigation channels.

    1. Re:So nice to read Tea Party propganda.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Stealing" rain water.

      You are as fucking stupid as Oregon is.

  135. Paul Ryan ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, now that we know, would someone care to make the counting on Paul Ryan articles because to me, it seems like it started slowly on August 3rd, with a burst of edits from the 8th on.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Ryan&offset=&limit=500&action=history

  136. Re:What? Since when... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    I would like to inform you that sometimes government intrusion is needed for freedom.

    You can argue that government intrusion is occasionally needed, and I (as well as probably the majority of americans) would agree with you.

    But in almost no circumstance does it "increase freedom". Government is about restraining people for various reasons (ostensibly for the public good), and to that end they place limits on people. The problem with your example is that in an anarchist system, you DO have the "freedom" to own land, you simply cant stop me from taking it. Government intrudes there to place limits on what your neighbor can do, by restricting them for the public good.

    The danger is when you start thinking that governments GIVE freedom, because they dont. The most they can do is protect them to some degree.

  137. Re:What? Since when... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    Theres a good quote from CS Lewis "The Screwtape Letters" that always comes to mind in these debates:

    Hidden in the heart of this striving for Liberty there was also a deep hatred of personal freedom. That invaluable man Rousseau first revealed it. In his perfect democracy, only the state religion is permitted, slavery is restored, and the individual is told that he has really willed (though he didn't know it) whatever the Government tells him to do. From that starting point, via Hegel (another indispensable propagandist on our side), we easily contrived both the Nazi and the Communist state. Even in England we were pretty successful. I heard the other day that in that country a man could not, without a permit, cut down his own tree with his own axe, make it into planks with his own saw, and use the planks to build a toolshed in his own garden.

    You can explain it away, and perhaps I would agree with some of the reasons for zoning-- the point still stands, and is worth thinking about any time you feel the urge to give the government more say in your life.

  138. Re:What? Since when... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    If one state recognizes a marriage, all must.

    Im not aware of a "reverse supremacy" clause in the constitution, could you kindly point it out to me?

  139. Re:What? Since when... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    Let's put marriage back in the church where it resides, and out of Govt hands where it causes controversy.

    Not a huge fan of the idea, but it makes a good deal more sense than trying to force churches to recognize marriages that go against their beliefs.

  140. Re:What? Since when... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    Conservative here.

    If you look at the talk pages of virtually any page, youll see that Im not alone by a long shot in being disgusted by the smears on that site. Kindly do not imply that all right-wing / conservatives support conservapedia.

  141. Re:What? Since when... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    Not war! Its "Kinetic Military Activity"!

  142. Re:What? Since when... by bmo · · Score: 1

    You are not a conservative.

    You are a RINO if you have reasonable views. It has been this way for a while. Barry Goldwater would be called a RINO were he alive today.

    The reasonable people have been chased out.

    --
    BMO