straightUp Loc: California

*sigh* Here's what the liberals are saying...

"Nothing will convince these knuckleheads until all their freedoms are gone and then they'll blame the democrats. Won't say fools, just foolish."

Maybe this is why there's so much attention on a third way these days... Libertarians are tired of conservatives and liberals yelling the same words at each other... and blaming each other for the same things.

Anyway, I wanted to comment on the heightened concern about communism that I noticed on this thread.

I think some folks here are confusing communism with totalitarianism. To it's credit, communism is a very democratic system. It just never got off the ground. What happened in every communist revolution, was essentially a hijacking. People like Stalin were not truly communists. They were opportunists that took advantage of the chaos created by popular movements like communist revolutions and when the smoke settled THEY were the ones in control. They promised the people communism but never delivered - instead, the Russians, the Chinese, Cubans... they all got tyranny. They got *some* socialism but probably not as much as we got. Mostly, they got tyranny - posing in a communist suit and passing out communist membership cards.

astrolite

Yeah, Like freedom?.....More like animals in a slaughter house, What you don't know WILL KILL YOU. I don't want to go "Blissfully" to the slaughter house!

straightUp Loc: California

Me neither, which is why I'm not affiliated with ANY political party or ANY of the major movements, except maybe Occupy - the only one that made any headlines and ISN'T orchestrated by the elite.

astrolite

My state has closed primaries, to vote for someone you have to be registered as a member of that party, for 30 years I was a democrat, then I saw the light! So I registered republican, but most of their candidates are as bad as the democrats, very few independents are running here, At least I get to vote for the least evil, crooked republican! And anybody I want in the National elections (although the democrats now have control of the vote counting machines, so nobodys vote counts anymore!)

vernon

the next time i see stalin i will ask him

straightUp Loc: California

Closed primaries is a messed up deal. What state do you live in? Personally, I don't see why anyone can't vote for the candidate they choose instead of being forced to vote the party line. Oh, wait... yes, I do... so states can manipulate the voters. duh.

straightUp Loc: California

You shouldn't need to. Communist ideas are very well documented and so are the actions of the Stalin regime. Anyone who knows even a little about both should be able to see the obvious conflict. If you were to ask Stalin, he would lie to you just like he did to his people. Maybe that explains why you're mislead... You think you can get honest answers from lying son's of bitches.

straightUp Loc: California

So anyway... back to the original question... It seems I was right in asking the Republicans - they *did* give me answers. Basically, according the Republicans that answered, we *have* to spy to keep ourselves safe from bad people.

So in conclusion... I guess I can say Republicans, as I had suspected, are proponents of a surveillance police state where apparently they feel safer.

Well, if that's what you guys want - then you're doing the right thing.

astrolite

Straight up, I live in FLORIDA, was born here, not a snowbird, But the site put "in hiding" . I'm proud of this state, even with all of it's failings! We still have a few rights and are not overun with wooly boogers...yet. but sure have a lot of liberals retired down here, taking over the government and importing their yankee liberal laws! One gets into local government, then only yankees are hired, given absurd salaries and lifetime contracts! So the community leaders are getting to be liberals in the big cities, and the rest of the state is going environmental land! Off limits to the taxpayers, a private playground for the environmental elite! Our govenor isn't perfect, but he has allowed more jobs to be created (notice how I phrased that?) NOT hired lots of drones on the taxpayers blood! We have our share of crooks and criminals, and more than our share of illegals, from every country! And of course some Katrina-Houston Survivors!!! Meaning black criminals from New Orleans, taken to Houston, housed, fed, and supported, then the crime rate in Houston went up 400%, when the FEMA money stopped they were distributed to several other states to join the local lifetime welfare class, in crime! As our NAACP leader said "these criminals are not our people, they are the Katrina survivors". But we are coping! We havn't become DC, Detroit or Chicago yet? Remember we have Concealed carry, Castle Doctrine, and "Stand Your Ground" Here we ARE ALLOWED TO DEFEND OURSELVES! And a lot of us speak Spanish, that helps everywhere here! Most of our Mexicans and Cubans are becoming good citizens. Can't say as much for the Haitians. Where do you live, are you happy in that state?? Astrolite

vernon

i thaught occupy was financed by the soros group

Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

That is good way to look at it.

straightUp Loc: California

I currently reside in Pennsylvania... which is another state featuring enough urban development (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh) where you get a lot of political blue. The rest of the state is pretty much red. Actually, I'm looking to get back to California which is where I come from, which is yet again, another state where there is enough urban development to get a lot of blue (Los Angeles, San Francisco) and the rest of the state is pretty much red too (which may surprise a lot of people). Kinda see a pattern here... Other than the climate (which really sucks in PA) a big reason why I prefer California is because there isn't as many ridiculous laws as there is in PA and property taxes are lower in California too. Like your state, California is another one of those "go to" states, so we get a LOT of immigration too from other states AND outside the country and of course all the challenges that come with that. Like you I am proud of California despite it's flaws. It's seems to be one of the more forward thinking states in the union - which I like (not everyone does).

BTW, in California we are also allowed to defend ourselves. I am a gun owner myself but I still think the NRA is a bunch of crybabies. I have no problem registering my guns and I do NOT need a frickin automatic weapon to defend myself or my family. One shot is pretty much all I need.

BTW, I went to Key West for the first time last year and I LOVED it! It's now officially my favorite place on the east coast - I would even consider retiring there - despite the fact that waves don't exist there. LOL

vernon

la. has open primaries since 76 and it has killed the demorat party .every now and then they try to sneak it back in but noway.

straightUp Loc: California

My understanding is that Soros funding came after the movement was already making headlines. I believe his foundation gave them $3.6 million. On the other hand the Tea Party is a loose affiliation of several masterminded organizations such as Americans for Prosperity which was actually founded by the Koch Brothers and Dick Armey's own FreedomWorks. The Koch Brothers alone spent about $196 million between 1998 and 2008 on their various projects which were eventually tied into the Tea Party movement. So I guess what I see on one hand is a "grassroots" veneer over the well funded network of special interest groups and superPACs (astroturf) and another true grassroots organization that some rich guy decided to help out.

What concerns me more than anything is how conservative lobbies created legal ways to fund these groups without disclosure. So I guess now, we won't be able to tell anymore how much is being spent or by who. But it's pretty safe to say almost all the big money will go to groups that promote the interests of those with big money right?

vernon

i dont think they are grass roots (occupy).the way i see them as anarchy and just crazies run amock.not the rapes and murder they committed in ny