And frankly, mostly a pile of shit.

OK, first of all, a clear reading of Atlas Shrugged gives a clear outline of the "merchants of pull" and their results. Those are the people who closely parallel the crooks in finance of today, not the heroes of her book.

The biggest irony in all of this, is that her philosophy, which sees man as capable of great heroism, productivity, joy and happiness and sees all of that as being normal and natural to man, is widely thought to be exploitive and destructive. Little known also is that she reserved her strongest criticism for the conservatives, who are widely (and wrongly) thought to be examples of and adherents to her philosophy.

Anyway, the events of the last few years are anything but an example of what happens when a country follows objectivist philosophy.

Oh, and an FYI for the one who criticized Rand's philosophy for having it in fiction. She wrote a considerable body of non-fiction explicitly and clearly laying out her philosophy. Not that facts should get in the way of the mindless diatribes posted here or anything.

--Ron

That's a false alternative. How is this purported destruction of the Republican party supposed to take place? Yes, they are awful, but the continuing unjustice of gay people being second class citizens before the law cannot be justified by some pie-in-the-sky idea that Obama will be able to destroy the Republican party.

Did it occur to you that if gays had full equality before the law that maybe one of the biggest fundraising tools these republicans have would be pulled from under them? They've raised huge money on the backs of anti-gay bigotry. If gay rights were no longer an issue, then there'd be one less large chunk of money going to support the republicans.

@diane whats-her-face

It seems clear from what you posted about the Duke case you're talking about (assuming you're telling the truth, something I'm not going to bet on), that you think there's something wrong with gay people adopting children. You use a single case, that hasn't even been litigated as a reason for that, while you obviously have ignored the thousands of kids killed by their insane straight parents. No one is advocating the removal of children from straight families, and your specious insinuation that gay people are somehow unfit to be parents is not borne out by actual evidence. People are unfit parents regardless of orientation, but percentage-wise (and simply numerically), the majority now that harm their children is straight people. If you want anecdotal evidence of people unfit to be parents, I'd say a case could be made that fanatically religious people are more likely to be unfit parents (witness the number of them that have killed their children for religious reasons).

--Ron

At least not the whole thing as I understand it. I do think something to stop the silly 3/4 requirement to pass legislation or the budget would be better. With a 3/4 requirement that makes for a tyranny of the minority (the republicans). It gives too much power to a small portion of the legislature. They have nothing to gain by working with the other side, and so they don't.

The other thing, as a few others have mentioned, is to repeal 3-strikes and other stupid laws that have done nothing but increase the prison population. There's no reason on earth so many people should be locked up here, particularly over f'g vice!

Property taxes do NOT need to be raised. We're paying a huge amount (over $20,000 a year) as it is. That's more than enough.

And I sure am tired of all the turds who characterize any complaint made by someone as whiny. California has paid more than its share of the federal tax burden forever, it's time it got something back more in keeping with what it's provided and continues to provide.

I do think the proposition process needs some sort of overhaul, it was wrong that it was easier to take away my rights (prop 8) than it is to pass a fucking budget.

--Ron

Michelle Bachmann says no.

That's because all the blue states are supporting your red state's ass. Give the money back to us and then we'll talk.

--Ron

<<ARE YOU FRICKIN KIDDING!!!

The biggest state deficits this year ALL belong to very blue states and you're blaming conservatives?????

How's about you buy a clue?>>

Apparently it's a great substitute for sugar in canning fruits. My partner cans pomegranate jelly for gifts using raw sugar (better than the white stuff), since he is suspicious of anything but sugar. But, I know the concentrates work well as sweeteners for canning, because I buy the St. Dalfour brand of preserves (maybe I'll can myself someday, but until then, these are incredibly delicious). I found them because I was trying to eliminate so many over-processed foods, and I was reading labels of everything I buy (I still do that). Not only did this turn out the most delicious preserves I've ever tasted, but there's not a single unhealthy ingredient in them. I've recently found some other brands that use similar ingredients, so just look in your store. I'm sure if these things can be made commercially, they can be made at home as well with your own fresh fruit.

You're completely missing the point. That Sarah Palin got as far as she did is due to the lack of accountability in this country. Cheney & Bush & Co. have never been held to account for their crimes, the mindless media that cheered on the Iraq war have never been truly held to account for their garbage, and the people who helped choose Palin have not been held to account, except a small slice to McCain, who will never likely run for the President again.

THAT'S the point he's making, Palin is just the illustration for the point.

--Ron

"I'm confident Sotomayor will survive her grilling, but seriously, with leadership like this, the GOP might not survive as a national party. "

I'd change that "might" in the last phrase above to "should". It'd be better for the country, you know.

--Ron