I think the Democrats are so attached to this idea of being nicer that it's become a GOP-devised trap around their brains. By defining all strong and unilateral action as their own, the GOP has left few options for their opponents, without appearing to be like the Republicans. In addition, every time a Democrat acts decisively and with strength, because they have been defined as having neither of those qualities, it leaves it open for the GOP to say "SEE? They're DICTATORS! They're EVIL! That happy face hid a DEMON!" Whereas the GOP has the demon face on all the time, so somehow this makes them trustworthy, literally the devil you know. This is played out in every cable TV debate where the right-winger ends up wiping the floor with the left by claiming that the left is defined by being "understanding of the other side." Which the GOP takes advantage of by giving no ground of their own and forcing the hapless leftie, out of principle, to pretend the rightie has something resembling a point. The rightie gains legitimacy, the leftie isn't listened to, and whose message gets across? All because a party is afraid to look mean.

It's absolute bullshit that's turned our culture into the full-scale psychosis it's become. In an older America, Obama would be making sense to most, and his bill would seem sensible, even dull. In this new constant-news-assault world, it's anything ITS OPPONENTS DEFINE IT AS. The burden of proof is not on the psychos making indefensible statements. It's on the sane to DISPROVE the insanity. And anything that makes good TV wins.

And the overtly discredited, destructive GOP, whether in power or not, get to define the terms of all debate. If the Democrats do this because they believe the GOP's insanity represents most of us, I have to wonder--they don't think much of our intelligence either, do they? The difference being that the GOP know how to make use of the stupidity they've generated in us. And so they win. Because the fucking Democrats want to be nice. To THEM. Not us.

And the GOP? Oh, they have already made it plain that they have no intent of being nice or doing good for any of us, even their base, at all. But instead of taking it as a warning and treating them accordingly, we respect it as principle.

I wonder if most of us have even figured out how much has changed, how little makes sense. How insane we have become, how much time we waste on opinions that we would never have even considered as legitimate at one time.

Some ideas and worldviews are wrong, just wrong, no matter how many people may hold them. Consensus reality is NOT REALITY. Unless we let it be. We aren't under any obligation to respect opinions we know to be destructive. But we do. We let it go on. We don't laugh at them, we don't ridicule them back to the wilderness. We actually pretend they may have a point and we can discuss all this out.

We can't. And we shouldn't. What is best for America, not cable TV, is what we should be doing. But instead we treat the future of this country as frivolous. So probably we deserve this.

Obama. Dance with the one who brung ya.

Um, that deficit news was announced a few days ago to very little reaction. So no, I don't think that's his reason.

The problem is that for some insane reason he wants to play nice with the GOP. When he should be ignoring them, like the idealess losers they are. He needs to wake up.

Absolutely! The insurance companies know you'd just be irresponsible with your money if they didn't take it as well.

It means you're a dangerous freak who needs watching.

Yes, it's a right. So is babbling on a street corner about the CIA, but it doesn't mean you're not insane and should be avoided and ignored as well.

News flash: Apple is as interested in taking your money as Microsoft ever was. And is even more of a monopoly. (a monopoly that's cool is still a monopoly)

Suck it up. That's where brand loyalty gets you.

>>You don't deserve an iphone. Now go back to using a plain old cell-phone, and stop wasting costly and advanced technology that you have no idea how to use.

Wow, and people wonder why I've come to despise Apple cultists like you. You just confirmed her point. Or did you not realize that sounds exactly like what she said Apple's customer service said?

I'm amazed looking at so many similar comments, it almost looks like...nah, Apple would never have a whole bunch of its own employees write in, would it? It doesn't need to. It has brainwashed and codependent customers to do that for free.

It is a PRODUCT. A product that does not work dependably, that is easily damaged, and that, if you complain, its maker treats you like you're stupid?

Is this how a company works, or a cult?

It's a tool. It is for a human's use. The human is not for the tool's use. Please, become sane.

"FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD! FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD!"

Almost?

If Steve Jobs announced the Apple iDeath, a phone that would spear you through the head when you turned it on, these people would be the first to buy it. And look forward to bragging about how great that spear feels in their head.

To be smug, and rich, and to be able to travel abroad and sneer. All while relating a boring travelogue whose phrasing, if not for its length, would be perfect for a greeting card or a book of "inspirational thoughts."

What a gasbag you are, Keillor.