tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.comments2022-11-09T06:15:47.668-08:0021st CentristRod Randolph Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15347412633097611934noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-23283197697867116312012-12-14T17:17:16.961-08:002012-12-14T17:17:16.961-08:00Insightful and incite-ful all at the same time! I ...Insightful and incite-ful all at the same time! I tend to agree with this assessment, although I have never been one to rely upon a politicians' fidelity to his pledges. This one is particularly vexing for them, however, and would leave them up Cripple Creak without a hit of acid. But the impression left with the remaining Americans, considering the way the issue is framed as being like driving drunk with Thelma & Louise, might seem unforgivable or perhaps less forgivable than dishonoring a selfish and stupid pledge to a political has-been and shouldn't be. Great article, though. RichSir Richie Lipsethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13464394855243762851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-83454844256505328662012-11-05T10:01:07.369-08:002012-11-05T10:01:07.369-08:00I want a Centrist Party, too!I want a Centrist Party, too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-62477780200845672882012-05-11T09:09:41.173-07:002012-05-11T09:09:41.173-07:00Thanks, Sir Richie, for your suggestion on the suf...Thanks, Sir Richie, for your suggestion on the suffragettes, which I just included in my post. The nice thing about a blog post is that you can edit AFTER you publish. As a result, I find my posts definitely improve over time. Each post I write is definitely stronger, better written three days after I publish that it was at publication.<br /><br />As to Obama's courage or lack thereof, you have a point. However, I expect a certain pragmatism from politicians. Still they deserve cheers when they get it right... even if Obama lags behind even conservatives like Dick Cheney and John Bolton on this. But come on, he is the first President to come out in favor of same sex marriage. That is worth a pat on the back.Rod Randolph Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347412633097611934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-46533420230691442882012-05-11T07:39:12.748-07:002012-05-11T07:39:12.748-07:0010%? Maybe for urban areas or if you inclde peopl...10%? Maybe for urban areas or if you inclde people who simply experimented once or twice. For overall population usually from 2% - 4% self identify as gay or bi. Study results vary:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_sexual_orientation<br /><br />You are right about the suffragette movement, though I tend to see that as part of the civil rights movement. Same dynamic.Rod Randolph Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347412633097611934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-59279006707034483372012-05-11T06:40:18.276-07:002012-05-11T06:40:18.276-07:00What you call a "small minority" for gay...What you call a "small minority" for gays as opposed to you a "large minority" for blacks is a bit of a false comparison. I have heard reports that the homosexual community is upwards of one in ten making it far more than a small minority and cutting across gender and racial lines. In that sense it makes this minority even more discriminated against (and representative) than perhaps any demographic block in either political or cultural terms. The inability of Obama to simply have had the courage to state what he believes earlier only shows his absolute cowardliness and lack of character. I would call it playing politics with peoples lives and aspirations. This is not, and should not be a political issue framed on a scale from left to right. There is no center - just the obvious declaration that each and every person has the right to publicly declare and legally affirm their desire to be together and not worry about the offense it causes to "traditionalists," homophobes, and people who deign to proclaim that they are the spokesperson for this fictitious, cruel, and omnipotent being they call god. <br /><br />Overall a well considered article, but I do think you missed a huge "political showdown" in American civil rights and that is the Suffragette movement of the early 20th century. There have always been monied interests and moralistic windbags attempting to control and abridge the rights of others. Whether to keep power or to satisfy their own sense of self importance. It finally took awhile to wedge this one out of Barry, but it is positive it is now out on the public table, a bit cynical if it is only for getting some votes or conversely to make Romney look more like the narrow minded, limited, invertebrate that he is. I would agree with you that this issue is really already settled by the Bill of Rights and accepted American ideals, but it takes awhile to wrest the moral skeleton away from the religious nuts and bring it into a more rational and inclusive light of common justice, equality, and fairness.Sir Richie Lipsethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13464394855243762851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-44059441173882476042012-05-10T14:33:03.614-07:002012-05-10T14:33:03.614-07:00Obama seemed to hedge on declaring his support for...Obama seemed to hedge on declaring his support for same-sex marriage, and only when he was pinned down did he put his opinion forward- my guess he was holding back because of how many votes he would suffer from giving his opinion. Pretty lame. In 25 years this issue will be as irrelevant as support for slavery is now. The wheels of freedom turn as stuck in the mud of history!Mark Lipsetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-68371269651494358762012-05-07T10:32:40.746-07:002012-05-07T10:32:40.746-07:00Great stuff.Great stuff.Grover Norquisthttp://www.atr.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-58217989059286903072012-04-15T15:22:02.510-07:002012-04-15T15:22:02.510-07:00I'm pretty sure that everyone admits that it&#...I'm pretty sure that everyone admits that it's political theater designed to highlight the distinctions between the right wing (lower taxes for the wealthier) and the left wing (higher taxes for the wealthier). Nobody thinks it has a chance of passage. So the only possible reason for it is for partisan demagoguery. Since the right wing has been demonizing him for four years, fighting fire with fire is not surprising. I say, demagogue the daylights out of them. They deserve it.Carson Hardeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-6312338830989015752012-03-27T11:49:39.581-07:002012-03-27T11:49:39.581-07:00Got a nice emailed comment from one of the study a...Got a nice emailed comment from one of the study authors, Jesse Graham:<br /><br />Thanks for the thoughtful comments! You're right, what has gotten lost in the media coverage is the interesting own-group inaccuracies, on both sides. Here's a link to a more updated article, which is still under review after all these years: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2027266 . Thanks again,<br />JesseRod Randolph Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347412633097611934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-15708086779139019952011-12-10T17:59:28.686-08:002011-12-10T17:59:28.686-08:00Thank you, Ben, for using the term "stem-wind...Thank you, Ben, for using the term "stem-winder" on my blog. Ups the tone of the proceedings, says I. Well done! Very steampunk too, I might add.<br /><br />http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stemwinder<br /><br />http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-ste3.htmRod Randolph Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347412633097611934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-14825019839510526362011-12-10T17:40:36.105-08:002011-12-10T17:40:36.105-08:00Fascinating account of Vargas Llosa's stemwind...Fascinating account of Vargas Llosa's stemwinder at the Atlas Institute ... <br />quite a powerful speech. I like the way you tie it in with your 21st Centrist <br />concept. Rock on, Rod! Cheers!Ben Tamlynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-81759169753878890822011-11-21T17:10:34.603-08:002011-11-21T17:10:34.603-08:00Good Samaritan legal protections would not include...Good Samaritan legal protections would not include protections from claims arising from gross negligence. But if someone is saving our life for free, it is reasonable to require we not sue the good samaritan, provided he has made a good faith attempt to deliver care up to professional standards.Rod Randolph Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347412633097611934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048413775735440236.post-6646526442413304752010-02-12T05:46:08.376-08:002010-02-12T05:46:08.376-08:00Clear, well written, concise, smart, makes sense. ...Clear, well written, concise, smart, makes sense. My one question is whether it is fair to the poor to take away their right to sue if a doctor screws up royally. I can easily imagine, for example, an unethical doctor seeking to lower his taxes by providing shoddy treatment to poor people, and this resulting in a medical catastrophe. In such cases, is it right to exclude the patient from the same legal protections that anyone else would get? http://www.indigoprod.comMaxhttp://www.indigoprod.comnoreply@blogger.com