George Carlin's Solutions: Gasoline, Immigration and Iraq

[Mabus]

(Just posting it for a bit of levity)

President Bush and the liberals want us to cut the amount of gas we use.

The best way to stop using so much gas is to deport 11 million illegal aliens!

1- That would be 11 million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down.

2 - Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him (or her) a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq . Tell him if he wants to come to America then he must serve a tour in the military. Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it.

3 - After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal patriot.

This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves.

If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the canteen, rifle or ammo.

Problems solved!

[Methais]

Makes too much sense.

[Warriorbird]

More Carlin.

""And I certainly would never wish a president any sort of harm …out loud. It’s not in my heart to do such a thing –to any human being. I wish all people only the best at all times …out loud. Especially the president. Because even though I disagree with his policies, and think he is a dangerous imbecile, he is, after all, the President of all of us, and he is a fellow human being, deserving of respect. (That was hard to say, but I wanted to keep the record straight.) "

"No. First of all, I'm not liberal. I'm just about (being) anti-United States. I don't like the way this country operates. I think we've ruined this place. And I think it's largely because of businessmen. And businessmen are not liberals. So if that makes me a liberal, then that's just an association. It's not a choice. ... I do not care about changing anybody. Nobody. I go out there to show the rest of the Americans how badly they're doing. This country has been, for about 180 years now, badly mishandled. And it's been in the wrong hands. It's been in the hands of the business interests.

And a lot of the beauty of this country has been shattered by them. The physical beauty and the kind of institutional beauty that was originally built into this place - this experiment, this magnificent experiment in democracy is just being shredded to pieces by these right-wing Christians, the Ashcroft branch of Republicanism. (They're) just shredding the rest of the Bill of Rights which hadn't been shredded already. (But) they'd been doing a pretty good job on it up until then, anyway.

Everybody's got more jet skis and Dustbusters now and sneakers with lights in them. They've got more cheese on their thing that they buy. They get double helpings. See, Americans measure all their progress in the wrong way. They measure by quantity and by gizmos and toys. And not by quality and by things that are important."

[Methais]

I've been meaning to ask for a while since I don't know shit about politics at all....can someone explain to me what "left wing" and "right wing" is?

[Back]

I've been meaning to ask for a while since I don't know shit about politics at all....can someone explain to me what "left wing" and "right wing" is?

The “left” is usually associated with people whose views are more progressive or radically different from the norm. The “right” is usually associated with people whose views are less inclined to, or outright against, change from the norm. The “center” describes people who may lean a little left or a little right but not to the extremes of the left or right.

[Sean of the Thread]

Depending how left you go you enter complete idiotville. Depending how right you go you enter religious idiotville.

Blacklash being about as far left as you can go. Latrin/Ilvane etc being close to the extreme right.

In the just right or left of the middle are people with common sense.

That about sums it up.

[CrystalTears]

Ilvane is the left. Ganalon and PB are to the right, but I don't consider them extreme since they're not religious fanatics in the least. I don't know where Latrin leans. But yeah, Backlash is as left as you can get.

[Sean of the Thread]

Ilvane is to the left? I had her confused with another religious nut and for that I apologize.

Can you honestly say you don't know where Latrin leans? Here is a hint:

////////////////////////////////////

[Hulkein]

Latrin isn't your common right-wing religious guy. He is Catholic, if I remember correctly, not evangelical which is what the vast majority of the right wing religious sect is composed of.

He's religious, but I don't think he's extreme right wing.

[TheEschaton]

Latrin is merely a confused Catholic who doesn't understand our religion is very progressive. ;)

-TheE-

[Back]

I didn’t even include the religious aspect. I think you could say there is a left and a right within a religion.

And it should also be pointed out... most people are a little of both, it just depends on the issues.

[TheEschaton]

Hell, I found myself at a Heritage Foundation lecturer today and agreeing with most of what he was saying.

And also agreeing mostly with what Leon Kass said yesterday at our inaugural Religion and Law symposium.

-TheE-

[Gan]

Latrin is merely a confused Catholic who doesn't understand our religion is very progressive. ;)

-TheE-

My neighbor is a staunch Catholic/Republican and he's anything but progressive. In fact, he's planning to remove himself from the Republican party if Rudy gets the GOP nomination.

On that note, I'm ordering a Rudy 08 yard sign and a few bumper stickers so he can look at them, a lot between now and 09.

[Sean of the Thread]

Latrin isn't your common right-wing religious guy. He is Catholic, if I remember correctly, not evangelical which is what the vast majority of the right wing religious sect is composed of.

He's religious, but I don't think he's extreme right wing.

Catholics are pretty retarded all on their own.

[radamanthys]

I suppose Extreme left is socialism. Extreme right is Fascism. It's about who holds power.

Today: Republicans want more power to our nation (feel that power==excellence), liberals want less power to the people who have more power (or more power to the people who have less, equality==excellence)

However, the left-right ideal is skewed. In the real world, people's ideals are mostly about socially permissive/restrictive and econoimically restrictive/permissive.

Republicans lie in a slightly socially restrictive but economically permissive area
liberals are economically restrictive and socially permissive.
Libertarians are socially and economically permissive
Fascists are socially and economically restrictive.

So, to say left and right is lame... right means republican leaning, and left means democrat, and neither party is really totally conservative or liberal.
That's why there's a schism in the republican party today between religious right and libertarian right.

[radamanthys]

So no, Backlash, it's not about progressiveness. That's liberal rhetoric, and you should know that.

There are three virtues in politics: Order, equality, freedom. People usually adhere to all three, but it's impossible to have all three. One negates the others. So, national politics is a balancing act keeping those three in check, and not appearing to be lax on any of them.

Just fyi... Libertarian leaning republicans don't appreciate the religious right, save for the votes they bestow. We think that they are whackjobs, too.

[Bobmuhthol]

Since no one cited the historical background...

Left wing and right wing refers to the physical location of the people in whatever assembly that it came from. The radicals sat on the left and the conservatives sat on the right.

Edit: It originated in France, btw. I've forgotten all European history because I really don't care about it at all, so I can't remember the exact context, but the French government sat in order of their political beliefs from left to right.

[Hulkein]

Latrin is merely a confused Catholic who doesn't understand our religion is very progressive. ;)

-TheE-

Not as progressive as what you think, my friend.

[Hulkein]

Catholics are pretty retarded all on their own.

I understand your hatred for Catholicism, you call the entire religion 'retarded' everytime it's mentioned.

Were you molested by a priest?

[TheEschaton]

Well, Hulkein, the Pope also doesn't realize how progressivism Catholicism is either. ;)

-TheE-

[Stretch]

I happened to catch Inherit the Wind on veoh.com the other day.

Amazing how circular these issues become over time.

[Sean of the Thread]

I understand your hatred for Catholicism, you call the entire religion 'retarded' everytime it's mentioned.

Were you molested by a priest?

I would discuss it with you but ...

If you want a lesson pick up a history book then get back to me and try to argue how non retarded Catholicism is.

[Hulkein]

I know the history of the church. I also know the history of a lot of other church's. That's why I'm having trouble figuring out why you're scorned enough to say it's retarded every time it's mentioned. You act as if it's the only institution with bad spots in its past...

You also act like what happened in the past is 100% applicable to the current church and its current followers.

You say it is retarded and current Catholics are retarded. That would make people believe you have a problem with the current church and the current followers, not necessarily because of the history of the church.

[Latrinsorm]

I don't really get why people would pick out Catholicism either. I could understand picking out the Catholic Church, but Catholicism itself is so broad that throwing the whole thing out is tantamount to discarding pretty much all of Christianity.

I consider labelling an individual as right/left an intellectually bankrupt exercise, almost as bad as conservative/liberal.

I'm not really sure how LA Lights got tangled up in this. I thought they were cool in 3rd grade.

[Back]

So no, Backlash, it's not about progressiveness. That's liberal rhetoric, and you should know that.

Nice try. Get a dictionary.

[Hulkein]

What's progressive about yearning for a type of economic government that has consistently failed?

[ElanthianSiren]

What's progressive about yearning for a type of economic government that has consistently failed?

Are you serious? Please tell me you don't think all liberals are out there yearning for communism/socialism? Many liberals, myself included, believe most models flourish in this economy type but that there are certain business models that don't function for the health of society without government regulation (healthcare and transportation come immediately to mind, but there are plenty of others).

That doesn't == OMGZ We should all be socialists!!!

George Carlin is awesome BTW.

-M
edit: interestingly enough, I heard a funny joke the other day about why, if we believe so strongly in capitalism, the US doesn't privitize the army.

[Back]

What's progressive about yearning for a type of economic government that has consistently failed?

When Sweden fails, call me. When China fails, call me back. When you realize we already are half socialist, don’t bother.

[Mabus]

edit: interestingly enough, I heard a funny joke the other day about why, if we believe so strongly in capitalism, the US doesn't privitize the army.

From "The Private Side of War" Frontline, PBS:
"Between the logistics giant Halliburton and a myriad of armed security companies, private military contractors comprise the second largest "force" in Iraq, far outnumbering all non-U.S. forces combined. There are as many as 100,000 civilian contractors and approximately 20,000 private security forces. "

THAT mission has been accomplished.

;)

[Back]

From "The Private Side of War" Frontline, PBS

That was another great report from Frontline.

Big fan.

[radamanthys]

It's not about progression, it's about taking the values that you think are progress and attempting to make them manifest. If you look at Walter Reed, you'll see that such things as Universal Healthcare are not quite what you expect them to be. There's a difference between idealism and progressivism. If you're using it as a synonym, it's clearly not. Why the hell would limiting independent freedom be anywhere near progressive?

True Progressives only exist in a country dictated by tradition and stagnancy, of which the US and Republicans are neither. It's classic (French Revolution), not modern liberalism. There's a huge difference.

[radamanthys]

The citizens of the United States are not Chinese. We have extremely disparate cultures. And if you even come close to thinking the typical Chinese has the same quality of life as you enjoy, then think again. I'd be free to shoot you in the head for talking about Wen JiaBao the same way you speak of Bush.

Sweden? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/678046/posts
However, in the final analysis, they're basically capitalist, anyway.

[ElanthianSiren]

It's not about progression, it's about taking the values that you think are progress and attempting to make them manifest. If you look at Walter Reed, you'll see that such things as Universal Healthcare are not quite what you expect them to be. There's a difference between idealism and progressivism. If you're using it as a synonym, it's clearly not. Why the hell would limiting independent freedom be anywhere near progressive?

Why are you comparing a hospital set up under the US healthcare system to universal managed care? If you like, we can talk about New Zealand, but I feel you're reading a bit into my post. I never said universal healthcare, though Kellar and I had a great discussion about this once. I simply said the way that healthcare is set up is a travesty under a purely capitalistic model. Now, we can argue about medicaid, if you really want, and it'll get interesting. I hear people say they're against a revamp of healthcare or for the status quoa, and I often wonder what solution they offer for the growing number of conditions coming up as pre-existing (thus underwriting, thus inability to afford insurance).

My point was that regulation does not equate socialism or communism. It equates regulation.

[radamanthys]

The VA system is a wonderfun microcosm of how the US Government and Citizens will be run Universal Healthcare. I compared it to Walter Reed because that is the fate of Government run Healthcare around these parts; proliferating and exacerbating the issues in the VA/Walter Reed is exactly what you're campaigning for across the country.

It's a great thought, and I'd be all for it, but it's Idealistic and Altruistic and doomed to decrease Quality of Care and Clinical Efficacy.

Med school is hard. The talented kids go into medicine because it's tough and rewarding. When the hard work that a future doctor has to go through is mitigated by red tape and lack of reward/work, they'll become a lawyer. Significant numbers of Indian doctors will probably expatriate- they're only here because Medicine is rewarding for them. It'll be brutal.

I worked in state healthcare. It's gonna happen... it's already extremely taxing on funds to treat those who are provided care currently.

[Daniel]

I don't think the VA system is a microcosm of a universal healthcare system.

It's a poorly funded and politically disregarded facet of the healthcare system. That doesn't mean that a universal healthcare system will suffer the same fate.

[Sean of the Thread]

I don't think the VA system is a microcosm of a universal healthcare system.

It's a poorly funded and politically disregarded facet of the healthcare system. That doesn't mean that a universal healthcare system will suffer the same fate.

At least there are some big time oversight heading towards the VA now. Things can only be going in the right direction.

[Warriorbird]

"slightly socially restrictive"

That'll be a cold day in hell, Radamanthys. Slighty socially restrictive. Ha. Some conservative rhetoric there?

[Gan]

When Sweden fails, call me. When China fails, call me back. When you realize we already are half socialist, don’t bother.

China is socialist now???

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html#Govt

WHEW... Thought I missed something.

[Sean of the Thread]

China Communist state

[Hulkein]

When Sweden fails, call me. When China fails, call me back. When you realize we already are half socialist, don’t bother.

Sweden is a dobe of a country. You can't compare a small dinky country like that to ours.

As for China, it is my understanding that they're far from a socialist type of government that you would want for us. They have a higher Gini coefficient than we do.....

[Back]

Sweden is a dobe of a country. You can't compare a small dinky country like that to ours.

As for China, it is my understanding that they're far from a socialist type of government that you would want for us. They have a higher Gini coefficient than we do.....

Mainly my point was other economic theories work and have worked. Capitalism isn’t the summit. Countries are getting into hybrids these days so strictly speaking there is no pure socialism, but there are economies that are like socialism and capitalism’s love child. We are already at that point and as we move forward we adapt, adopt and improve.

[Latrinsorm]

"slightly socially restrictive"

That'll be a cold day in hell, Radamanthys. Slighty socially restrictive. Ha. Some conservative rhetoric there?I've heard it said that the entire breadth of American politics would be considered moderate in certain European political spheres. In terms of the breadth of history, the sort of restrictions even the most radical of American conservatives propose are at best "sorta" and usually fall neatly into "slightly".

I guess that was a (rather uncharacteristically!!!!) long-winded way of saying "perspective plz".

[radamanthys]

Because currencies are valued against others, economies are always competing. Therefore, with the world market like it is, less capitalist countries are going to be fundamentally poorer than capitalist ones. Socialism/communism was proven long ago not to work and they're the same animal.

And yes, on average, slightly socially restrictive. Compare to Nazi Germany, Stalin's Russia, Saddam's Iraq, and other systems of rule that completely restrict free thought and action, and you've got a party that's slightly socially restrictive. Especially due to the dichotomy between the religious/moral and libertarian rights. Bush is very socially impermissive, which grinds my gears. True liberty is freedom of choice, to me (I'd love to pay only the taxes that I want to pay, for example).

I foresee an upswing in libertarian thought in the future as we prove, once again, that socialism and totalitarianism don't work.

To be honest, I think that socialism and fascism, both being on the non-permissive ends of the Economic and Social spectra, respectively, are just as bad. Why limit freedom in either of those areas?

[Warriorbird]

Everything is slightly socially restrictive when compared to the most extreme examples possible.

I just don't see the Republican party as as good a vehicle for libertarian thought as you do. The grotesque spending (vaster than the dreams of limousine liberals) simply boggles the mind. They aren't conservative.

[radamanthys]

I'm talking the whole political spectrum, here, though. Compared to what's possible, ideal Republican social limits (due to diversity within the party) are less extreme than typical ideal democrat economic limits. Democrats tend to value equality over freedom, and Republicans tend to value order over freedom. Neither want less government, and therefore are all about expantion.

That said, I'm not an anarchist, there's certainly a place for government to protect our life, liberty and persuit of happiness from those who wish to restrict them. That's was the idea back then with the ol' boys, right?

However, the only role the government plays today is to spend one third of all of our incomes.

[Warriorbird]

In that we can at least be somewhat in agreement.

[Daniel]

However, the only role the government plays today is to spend one third of all of our incomes.


Lol. Seriously?

[Artha]

For the record, Backlash is nowhere near as liberal as you can get. Imagine a Backlash that grew up in Europe (where their right is our left), and then you'll probably be closer.

[Warriorbird]

It's kind of funny when one person paints Europe as more leftist than us and the other paints Europe as more extreme than us in both directions.

EDIT:

:P Bob

[Bobmuhthol]

I always get a laugh out of equal statements, too.

[Apathy]

Catholics are pretty retarded all on their own.

We can still drink you under the table.

+1

[Sean of the Thread]

We can still drink you under the table.

+1

I'm a German/Irish/English protestant and that trumps all drinking arguments.

[Hulkein]

Irish/German Catholic here.

[Jorddyn]

Ganalon and PB are to the right, but I don't consider them extreme since they're not religious fanatics in the least.

It doesn't take a religious fanatic to make an extreme right wing person.


I'm waiting on the libs in MA to start passing legislation regarding number of items inside a vehicle... more than 10 is a misdemeanor.. more than 20 is a felony.


God.. I can only hope you libs nominate this bitch.

Regarding the war

Personally.. the libs have fucked up our efforts over there so bad, there's no way we can win[b]. If we start conducting the war the way we should have from the beginning, we'll have the hippies in a "OMG LOOK AT THE CARNAGE!! WE NEED TO STOP!!!"

Of course... [b]hippies have never, ever been right about anything concerning war.. but let's keep having them dictate our war plans. Once they get their way and we withdrawal... then Iran goes in and establishes their own goverrnment there.. then proliferate nuclear weapons to the point where we can't do shit.. then what?

What we need is another wake the fuck up call... until then, the tree hugging idiots controlling the main media outlets will continue to condemn the war and the Bush Administration until their idea of peace is reached.

In regards to Obama admitting drug use...


It's fun to watch libs squirm on this.


Regarding Cindy Sheehan

Wait.. so I have to lose a son to criticize her now? Why is that the answer libs always give when something like this comes up.
[QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Parkbandit;544905]You should leave the Republican Party and join the libs since you have become as big a hypocrite as they have.

Regarding a poll stating liberals don't give as much to charity...

Wow.. alot of "I don't care who gives more" responses by the Libs.. I imagine if it were the other way around.. they would be crowing and crowing about it.


Regarding the Democrats winning both houses...

They have power in both houses with ultra Libs in key leadership positions. Let the leopard show their spots I say. Give us your liberal agenda.. solidifying the Republican base as well as the normal Democrats to ensure the demise of the Liberal movement and a move more towards the middle for the new Democratic party. I believe that is the only way to save the once great party from the hollyloons.

Regarding topless protestors...

While I am all about boobies.. what a stupid piece of legislation. Leave it to the libs...

Anyone with that much vitrol spewed towards another political affiliation as a whole is not "not extreme".

Jorddyn

[Apathy]

Holy shit have you been archiving that guy or what? That's the freakiest thing I've ever seen.

[Jorddyn]

Holy shit have you been archiving that guy or what? That's the freakiest thing I've ever seen.

It's called "search". There's a button at the top of the screen for it.

Jorddyn

[Latrinsorm]

Pretty much just doing ParkBandit's last 10 posts is a good chance at getting 8 or 9 vociferous lib-hate posts.

[Sean of the Thread]

Irish/German Catholic here.

And you wonder why I have angst against you and them!


Rofl

[TheEschaton]

Indian Catholic here - we brew our liquor from chestnuts and fucking mangoes.

You ain't got shit on us.

-TheE-

[Sean of the Thread]

Indian Catholic here - we brew our liquor from chestnuts and fucking mangoes.

You ain't got shit on us.

-TheE-

EWW YOU DRINK MANGOOES and NUT juice !

[Back]

For the record, Backlash is nowhere near as liberal as you can get. Imagine a Backlash that grew up in Europe (where their right is our left), and then you'll probably be closer.

Thanks. And although Artha looks like an anarchist he is really a cool dude.

[radamanthys]

Socialist is as extreme liberal as you can get (by modern American Political Left/Right standards).

Anarchy is the extreme of libertarians.
Socialist is the extreme of Democrats.
Fascism is the extreme of Republicans
Totalitarian is, well, totalitarian.


For someone who talks about politics so much, I'm surprised that you still equate anarchy with modern liberalism. Y'all are quite pro-government, even at the most extreme.

The two major parties aligned themselves both with the expantion of their own power on either end of the equasion? Never woulda thought.

[Back]

Anarchy is the extreme of libertarians.
Socialist is the extreme of Democrats.
Fascism is the extreme of Republicans
Totalitarian is, well, totalitarian.

Interesting summation.

[Hulkein]

And you wonder why I have angst against you and them!


Rofl

Haha, I didn't know you had angst against me.

Besides, I'm 2/3rds of what you are, and my Irish has English in it. If I had to get down more accurately it'd probably be 45% Irish, 45% German, 8% English, 2% Jew (stupid Germans). We just have a different religion.

[radamanthys]

Why is true fascism worse than true socialism? Both limit freedoms in the same ways, on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Unfortunately, polititians today are all about "we're more free if you give us more control". On both ends. Give a polititian who works to eliminate his power any day. None of them are qualified for the job; to go into politics you are probably a narcisistic, power hungry, greedy, liar. That's every politician at the national level.

[Warriorbird]

True fascism kills a lot more people. I think what you're reaching for is Communism, which really has some very conservative aspects in its execution on the actual planet. "True Communism" has only occurred in brief lived utopian communities and in the early days of post revolutionary Russia, where it didn't murder too many but a lot died because no work got done.

[radamanthys]

Not true fascism... totalitarian fascism. True fascism is quite a different breed of animal altogether. Oh, and Nazi Germany was a Socialist state. ;-)

[Back]

Try not to confuse an economic system with a government system.

[TheEschaton]

Nazi Germany SAID it was a socialist state.

Nehru's India...that was a socialist state.

-TheE-

[Sean of the Thread]

Nazi Germany SAID it was a socialist state.

Nehru's India...that was a socialist state.

-TheE-


Gov'ts say a lot of things. Doesn't mean they're true.

[radamanthys]

Socialism is a government controlled system of economics. To keep the two separate is impossible.

[Sean of the Thread]

Haha, I didn't know you had angst against me.

Besides, I'm 2/3rds of what you are, and my Irish has English in it. If I had to get down more accurately it'd probably be 45% Irish, 45% German, 8% English, 2% Jew (stupid Germans). We just have a different religion.

I'm obviously joking. I'm a drinker not a fighter.

[radamanthys]

I'm an American.

Though my pop was born in Deutchland.

[Stanley Burrell]

His get-up on Iraq's chemical weapons (before the whole debunking [Lewis Black's routine on "why stop then" regarding said debunking was teh shiznits too] was awesome too.

Get a bunch of 300 pound Boston bean-eating fucks and parachute them into the epicenter of Afghanistan (or something like that.)

That and his ten commandments skit.

And his playing the Architect in Scary Movie 3.

.

K, done.

[Stanley Burrell]

And his little kid answering machine skit.

[Stanley Burrell]

Anarchy is the extreme of libertarians.
Socialist is the extreme of Democrats.
Fascism is the extreme of Republicans
Totalitarian is, well, totalitarian.

Wh'bout Independents? :'(

[Latrinsorm]

Emo is the extreme of Independents. Nobody cares about them. Sry. :heart:

[serra7965]

His "The Planet is Fine" piece is fantastic:

"George Carlin's "The Planet Is Fine"
We're so self-important. So self-important. Everybody's going to save something now. "Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails." And the greatest arrogance of all: save the planet. What? Are these fucking people kidding me? Save the planet, we don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet. We haven't learned how to care for one another, we're gonna save the fucking planet?

I'm getting tired of that shit. Tired of that shit. I'm tired of fucking Earth Day, I'm tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is there aren't enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world save for their Volvos. Besides, environmentalists don't give a shit about the planet. They don't care about the planet. Not in the abstract they don't. Not in the abstract they don't. You know what they're interested in? A clean place to live. Their own habitat. They're worried that some day in the future, they might be personally inconvenienced. Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn't impress me.

Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The PEOPLE are fucked. Difference. Difference. The planet is fine. Compared to the people, the planet is doing great. Been here four and a half billion years. Did you ever think about the arithmetic? The planet has been here four and a half billion years. We've been here, what, a hundred thousand? Maybe two hundred thousand? And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for a little over two hundred years. Two hundred years versus four and a half billion. And we have the CONCEIT to think that somehow we're a threat? That somehow we're gonna put in jeopardy this beautiful little blue-green ball that's just a-floatin' around the sun?

The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through all kinds of things worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles...hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worlwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages...And we think some plastic bags, and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet...the planet...the planet isn't going anywhere. WE ARE!

We're going away. Pack your shit, folks. We're going away. And we won't leave much of a trace, either. Thank God for that. Maybe a little styrofoam. Maybe. A little styrofoam. The planet'll be here and we'll be long gone. Just another failed mutation. Just another closed-end biological mistake. An evolutionary cul-de-sac. The planet'll shake us off like a bad case of fleas. A surface nuisance.

You wanna know how the planet's doing? Ask those people at Pompeii, who are frozen into position from volcanic ash, how the planet's doing. You wanna know if the planet's all right, ask those people in Mexico City or Armenia or a hundred other places buried under thousands of tons of earthquake rubble, if they feel like a threat to the planet this week. Or how about those people in Kilowaia, Hawaii, who built their homes right next to an active volcano, and then wonder why they have lava in the living room.

The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we're gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, 'cause that's what it does. It's a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed, and if it's true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new pardigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn't share our prejudice towards plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn't know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, "Why are we here?" Plastic...asshole.

So, the plastic is here, our job is done, we can be phased out now. And I think that's begun. Don't you think that's already started? I think, to be fair, the planet sees us as a mild threat. Something to be dealt with. And the planet can defend itself in an organized, collective way, the way a beehive or an ant colony can. A collective defense mechanism. The planet will think of something. What would you do if you were the planet? How would you defend yourself against this troublesome, pesky species? Let's see... Viruses. Viruses might be good. They seem vulnerable to viruses. And, uh...viruses are tricky, always mutating and forming new strains whenever a vaccine is developed. Perhaps, this first virus could be one that compromises the immune system of these creatures. Perhaps a human immunodeficiency virus, making them vulnerable to all sorts of other diseases and infections that might come along. And maybe it could be spread sexually, making them a little reluctant to engage in the act of reproduction.

Well, that's a poetic note. And it's a start. And I can dream, can't I? See I don't worry about the little things: bees, trees, whales, snails. I think we're part of a greater wisdom than we will ever understand. A higher order. Call it what you want. Know what I call it? The Big Electron. The Big Electron...whoooa. Whoooa. Whoooa. It doesn't punish, it doesn't reward, it doesn't judge at all. It just is. And so are we. For a little while."

[Gan]

The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed, and if it's true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new pardigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn't share our prejudice towards plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn't know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, "Why are we here?" Plastic...asshole.
:rofl:
Winner.

[radamanthys]

Independants just don't agree with either party... they're typically libertarian leaning or hold opinions of a mix between the two parties.

They have no central dogma... they can be the most hardcore of believers in totalitarianism, or complete anarchists, or fascists, or socialists, or centrists. It doesn't matter. It's sorta like being agnostic.

[radamanthys]

lol, Carlin is hysterical.

I think comedians and politicians should switch spots. The things politicians say are oftentimes more comedic than insightful, and the things comedians say is so insightful it's comical.

Carlin talking about the Earth getting its revenge- kinda like saying that God created Religion... as population control. Keeping the balance and all that.

[Apathy]

Socialist is as extreme liberal as you can get (by modern American Political Left/Right standards).

Anarchy is the extreme of libertarians.
Socialist is the extreme of Democrats.
Fascism is the extreme of Republicans
Totalitarian is, well, totalitarian.


For someone who talks about politics so much, I'm surprised that you still equate anarchy with modern liberalism. Y'all are quite pro-government, even at the most extreme.

The two major parties aligned themselves both with the expantion of their own power on either end of the equasion? Never woulda thought.

Explain how anarchy is extreme of libertarians plz. That does not make sense.

[Hulkein]

Makes okay sense to me when taken in context with the rest of his comparisons.

[Latrinsorm]

Every law and government is an infringement upon personal freedom. Corollary: the most freedom exists in that environment most free of law and government.

Of course, most people prefer the freedom to relax or otherwise let down their guard, so we stick with governments.

[radamanthys]

I explained it earlier... libertarianism is social and economic permissiveness.

When a governmental system is completely permissive of all economic and social anything, there are no laws against anything, and no limits on economics. Libertarians are all about limited government, therefore once you reach 0 goverment, it's complete anarchy.

[Back]

I explained it earlier... libertarianism is social and economic permissiveness.

When a governmental system is completely permissive of all economic and social anything, there are no laws against anything, and no limits on economics. Libertarians are all about limited government, therefore once you reach 0 goverment, it's complete anarchy.

If you are going to go that far you may as well add religion into the mix. And other things like aesthetic tastes.

[radamanthys]

Explain... I'm having trouble figuring out what you're trying to say.