That's what I think of when these self-styled followers of Ayn Rand work themselves into a frenzy now, over taxes, rather than the past 8 years of true tyranny from the republicans.

I think Mr. Madden's "synopsis" of Atlas Shrugged is pretty ridiculous. It completely misses the plot, theme and her view of man's capacity for greatness as being the "normal" for man. It's ironic that this noble view of the normal man is almost universally regarded as hateful and vicious. It's somewhat understandable when one gets the idea that someone as vapid and ignorant as Michelle Malkin, or someone as bone-stupid as Pam at her Atlas Shrugged website, but it's erroneous.

It seems to me that almost none of her detractors, and almost as few of her "followers" actually ever understand what she's written. I guess I shouldn't be that surprised, reading comprehension is obviously pretty low when a country could be fooled by GWB badly enough that an election was "close enough to steal" one time, and then vote for him again in 4 years. The media has a lot of guilt in this situation too, of course.

--Ron

That's what I'd say to Texas about that. They'd quickly turn into a banana republic if they did secede, being run by a bunch of asinine yahoos only exceeded in idiocy by Inhofe of Oklahoma (just barely). It'd be great not to have any more Texas fools in congress.

And I was born in Texas, but glad to live elsewhere now.

--Ron

So people like this linguist should have their lives messed up and wait patiently for equality until a fictional health care reform (or what-have-you) occurs? If there's ever going to be reform, it's not going to be affected by repealing DADT.

Fuck that.

Gay people have had decades now of their lives being treated as nothing more than political footballs.

What are they going to be asked to wait for after this fictional health reform? Some other super-important thing, no doubt (and for the blindingly obtuse, yes, i know health care reform is important).

--Ron

...sitting on the Supreme Court? Specious reasoning to support a suspect cause does not belong on any supreme court, much less the one in California. This is a disgusting ruling by digusting turds wrapped up in legalese and churlishness.

--Ron

"Some of the cartoonish, pseudo-tough-guy, low-lifes of the Right -- Rush Limbaugh, The Weekly Standard, National Review's Andy McCarthy -- have long referred to Guantanamo as "Club Gitmo."

That's exactly how they should be described, low-lifes. I really don't see how some people live with themselves, as I don't believe they truly believe their own bullshit.

--Ron

I think it's a good thing for people disappointed (at best) with the way Obama (and his team) has handled gay rights to make it known in the most effective way. Apparently that is withholding financial support. Neither party truly gives much of a damn about a vote or two, but they DO care about how much money comes their way.

I never held much hope for Obama on gay rights, he's been tone deaf (almost) the whole time he campaigned, and never matches action to his words. Action is what really matters, and the actions so far aren't promising.

I do get tired of being told that my rights should hold a back seat to a war, health care, and the like by people who already have all their rights. Or, these same people saying gay people are whiners, or to STFU, as if by being quiet and sitting passively waiting for rights to suddenly be bestowed on us is ever going to happen if we followed their lame advice.

Creating a second class of citizens by law, which is the status of gay people, simply cannot be justified. Just because there are other things that are wrong, does not make this status any less wrong, or more tolerable.

--Ron

Are those neocons who always are so excited about the prospect for more war. Yes, I'm talking about you, Charles Krauthammer, Bill Kristol, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Michael Savage and all you other thugs who believe in letting other people die so you can be blowhard in the media and get rich off of death.

I don't think I would benefit from seeing someone's death, but I do think it probably does provide a valuable service in forcing those who think these conflicts are a walk in the park (or the infamous cakewalk) to recognize the violence that comes with their warmongering.

Those people have put their lives on the line for less freedom than what we have here. For that, they should be honored. I don't know if I could do the same in their situation, and I'm sorry that they are in a situation where they think it necessary.

I think one lesson lost here is that Iran is providing an object lesson of what happens with the greater control invested in a leader currently in such vogue with the neocons, religious right-wing crazies, and to a lesser extent the ones who think Obama-can-do-no-wrong. There's a reason for checks and balances, and Iran shows us what that reason is.

--Ron

It's rare for someone to make an overarching point that comprehensive. Even rarer now is for someone to explicitly use reason as a standard for law and human relations. Nice work, thank you.

Particularly in regards to clerics marching with protesters, the Iranian government now has little claim to legitimacy with its own people. Personally, I hope Khamenei loses power and the people who won the election get into office, and then prosecute the Basijis and other thugs who responded with such violence. It'd be a nice object lesson for those over here who don't believe in any accountability for our previous regime.

--Ron