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1. 

   wmconelly said, 9 months ago

   Does the guy UNDERSTAND U.S. Constitutional Government? Does he ‘get’ the parts about voting, majority rules and honorable opposition? Did he skip civics classes?
2. 

   Michael wme said, 9 months ago

   @wmconelly

   Cruz watched “Mr Smith Goes to Washington,” and thinks he learned to talk like a midwesterner from watching the movie.

   
   Which is his right as an American.

   
   And Cruz supported the shutdown (or, as Fox says, slimdown, since most of the government stayed open), but he had nothing to do with it: the Senate voted for cloture, so his stand for the slimdown had absolutely no effect.
3. 

   Michael wme said, 9 months ago

   And most people know that ‘entitlements’, whatever they are, are just handouts to the lazy and need to be stopped to save America.

   
   Only they’re not handouts: They’re called ‘entitlements’ because the recipients paid for them and so foolishly feel entitled to them. Just because I made all my car payments, that’s no reason to let me drive the car, give the car to someone more deserving!

   
   The entitlement programs are Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance.

   
   The amount most people pay for unemployment insurance is less than they get back, but they really shouldn’t expect to get anything back. Them what doesn’t work (because no one will give them a job and they don’t have the skills or the capital to open their own business) shouldn’t eat. Simple. Why let them get paid out of their own unemployment insurance premiums? That money is needed elsewhere.

   
   Social Security pays about 5% interest. Which every Randist knows is completely wrong and morally bankrupt. The very idea. Aristotle (the only decent philosopher in Rand’s world) said it was wrong for money to reproduce itself, which it does if it’s collecting any return on an investment: investments should never return a penny more than the original investment. Aristotle said it, Rand believed it, and that settles it.

   
   But people get back MUCH more from Social Security than they put in.

   
   Yes, of course, that what ‘return on investment’ means, and it’s about 5% for about 40 years.
4. 

   BrassOrchid said, 9 months ago

   It is weak and thready, but I believe Davies has put his finger on the pulse of the Anti-TEA-Party-party here. You know who people fear by upon whom they expend their venom. This is good. It is only by expressing opinions honestly and without rationalizations that we grow beyond them and see them for the illusions that they are.
5. 

   martens misses all her friends said, 9 months ago

   @Michael wme

   Nice post, Michael. An amazing mix of satire and information.
6. 

   Rad-ish said, 9 months ago

   Cruz will no longer have a political career in this country, he is finished, just like Newt when he shut the government down.
7. 

   cjr53 said, 9 months ago

   @Rad-ish

   Maybe cruz should run for Texas Governor. And return ALL of the financial assistance he received from kindergarten to final graduation from school. And pay back the $24 Billion to America that he wasted.
8. 

   cjr53 said, 9 months ago

   @cjr53

   I agree!
9. 

   mdavis4183 said, 9 months ago

   Poooooooooooooor Radish, the people who eleced him gave him an 8 minute standing ovation. He’ll be re-eleced to the senate.
10. 

    mdavis4183 said, 9 months ago

    The government took in 58 billion in new revenues diring the “shutdown”.
11. 

    Molon Labe said, 9 months ago

    @wmconelly

    You mean the part where the house of representatives holds the power to originate bills on how to determine how money is spent? How congress is supposed to pass a budget and not just continuing resolutions? The only budget the president offered was rejected by the senate 98-0. The last budget that was passed was on jan 29th of 2009, which makes it the last bush budget.

    How about having the senate bring bills to fund government to a vote, instead of demading that they be given money for legislation that more than 60% of the american people do not want.

    Did you skip civics class regarding the enumerated powers of the federal government? Did you skip the part about using regular order for the passing of important bills? And don’t mention Honorable opposition. You democrats wouldn’t recognize personal honor if it bit your butt.
12. 

    Rad-ish said, 9 months ago

    @mdavis4183

    Its the poor people of Texas who elected that idiot, it has nothing to do with me.
    Nationally 14% approve of the Tea Party, that means 86% don’t approve of them. You won’t get elected nationally with those numbers.
13. 

    BrassOrchid said, 9 months ago

    @Rad-ish

    What happened to the people who caused a shutdown when Reagan was President?
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