Comments on: Too studiously polite, eh? http://www.dustbury.com/archives/9496 I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:36:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CGHill http://www.dustbury.com/archives/9496/comment-page-1#comment-25943 CGHill Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:01:52 +0000 http://www.dustbury.com/?p=9496#comment-25943 Having already developed major plaque from Tex-Mex, I'm not <em>too</em> scared. Yet. The argument is made that all this sniping keeps the government from actually accomplishing anything. Persuaded as I am of the wisdom of that old bit about "that government is best which governs least," attributed to Tom Paine, or maybe Thomas Jefferson, I figure that keeping them yelling helps keep them out of my back yard and my pocketbook. Having already developed major plaque from Tex-Mex, I’m not too scared. Yet.

The argument is made that all this sniping keeps the government from actually accomplishing anything. Persuaded as I am of the wisdom of that old bit about “that government is best which governs least,” attributed to Tom Paine, or maybe Thomas Jefferson, I figure that keeping them yelling helps keep them out of my back yard and my pocketbook.

]]> By: canadienne http://www.dustbury.com/archives/9496/comment-page-1#comment-25942 canadienne Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:36:21 +0000 http://www.dustbury.com/?p=9496#comment-25942 OK, I am going to (politely) disagree. I think one of the things which is preventing any useful political discussion is the nastiness and name calling - which keeps the left and right sniping at each other and ineffectual. (I consider myself politically middle of the road, which would no doubt be a raving socialist in your country. Except I hardly ever rave.) And don't go dissing Quebec until you have visited Montreal - goofy French speaking enclave, I don't think so. Or mes amis Quebecois will come down there and clog your arteries with poutine. OK, I am going to (politely) disagree. I think one of the things which is preventing any useful political discussion is the nastiness and name calling – which keeps the left and right sniping at each other and ineffectual. (I consider myself politically middle of the road, which would no doubt be a raving socialist in your country. Except I hardly ever rave.)

And don’t go dissing Quebec until you have visited Montreal – goofy French speaking enclave, I don’t think so. Or mes amis Quebecois will come down there and clog your arteries with poutine.

]]> By: CGHill http://www.dustbury.com/archives/9496/comment-page-1#comment-25868 CGHill Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:56:47 +0000 http://www.dustbury.com/?p=9496#comment-25868 Not getting anything done is the hallmark of proper US politics; the original idea, after all, was to keep the government from getting too powerful. To the extent that name-calling and invective impede the seemingly-inevitable trend toward concentration of political power, it's performing a valuable public service. Not getting anything done is the hallmark of proper US politics; the original idea, after all, was to keep the government from getting too powerful. To the extent that name-calling and invective impede the seemingly-inevitable trend toward concentration of political power, it’s performing a valuable public service.

]]> By: canadienne http://www.dustbury.com/archives/9496/comment-page-1#comment-25866 canadienne Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:22:20 +0000 http://www.dustbury.com/?p=9496#comment-25866 What's wrong with civility? Much of what is vaunted as free speech is mostly name-calling and invective, which while it is admittedly fun, doesn't really get anything done. Maybe I am just too Canadian. I just can't see that as a bad thing. What’s wrong with civility? Much of what is vaunted as free speech is mostly name-calling and invective, which while it is admittedly fun, doesn’t really get anything done.

Maybe I am just too Canadian. I just can’t see that as a bad thing.

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