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Rant about social conservatives

A quick reading of any history book that covers more than 100 years will show the utter foolishness of being on the conservative side on social issues. I say this because human nature is driven to change and progress. There is not one example in history of someone who was conservative in their time who reasonable modern people agree with. The English language is liitered with words to descibe people who were conservative in there own time: words like draconian, repressive, bigoted, tyrannical, oppessive, despotic, dogmatic, and intolerant just to name a few. So unless this a how you wish history to descibe you, then i suggest you re-examine you postion because the liberals and and progressives are the ones that history is kind to and they are to ones that are admired. The English language also has many words to descibe the people who were liberal in there own time: revolutionary, enlightened, tolerant, reformist, open-minded, and forward- thinking. In light of all of this if you still count yourself as a social conservative then you are either an idealogical, sheepish fool or a Machiavellian fascist.

Rant about the filibuster issue

Many reasons have been espoused as to why it is important to keep the filibuster as a tactic in the Senate. Most say something about maintaining minority rights, and while that is a solid reason and a noble goal, I think there are more important reasons. The real reason it is important is because it is a preservation of moderation and stability. Moderation is preserved because anytime you have to appeal to 60 out of 100 Senators it is likely that the issue will appeal to people on both sides and in doing that it will likely be moderate. Most people don't fall into the radical 20% on either side, but rather go back and forth depending to the issue. Stability is preserved because our system is designed to only allow for a slow change over time unless you have a super-majority of people backing it. Otherwise everytime the government switches hands from one party to the other society is radically changed, eventhough the party only has a minor-majority. This creates constant unrest and no middle ground is ever sought after.

Official Noam Chomsky Website
Department of Peace
Dennis Kucinich
John F. Kennedy on the separation of church and state

Adopt-A-Minefield

Human Rights Watch

The Responsibility to Protect
Genocide Intervention Fund

It is the nature and intention of a constitution to prevent governing by party, by establishing a common principle that shall limit and control the power and impulse of party, and that says to all parties, thus far shalt thou go and no further. But in the absence of a constitution, men look entirely to party; and instead of principle governing party, party governs principle.

-Thomas Paine, Dissertation on First Principles of Government (Paris, July 1795)