The U.S should be a part of Kyoto
Much like the economy, I don't think Man alone impacts the environment to the the degree we are seeing. A President's policy can speed up or slow down the rise and fall of the economy, but alone can not create a depression or a time of plenty. I think our actions have sped up the normal cycle. I think the evidence is there. What I don't understand is why, even if you don't believe in the science (and probably would like to see ID taught in the schools....oooooh, science is scary) why you wouldn't want to protect the giant ball of life we live on, anyway. It's not like can just uproot and move to the planet next door.
Unanimity on the court: good or bad?
To promote unanimity in the court I think would destroy the charter of the court. While I know it is the responsibility of the President to appoint the judges, I fear ensuring unanimity would be also ensuring partisanship on a body that should have no political ties, period.
Elections need to be publicly funded
Or, to corporate/special interests. Public funding would help re-focus the candidates, once they have been elected, to work on fixing our problems, not on repaying the 'favors'.
Political Symbolism - Barak and the Lapel Pin
I know this is about week and a half old news, but I think it captures the mentality of the Right in issues of "patriotism". If you question the president, especially in a time of war, you must hate America. And what about those of us who didn't place the little yellow magnetic ribbons on our cars in the early days of war?
Fast forward to present day. Barak Obama chooses not to wear a lapel pin of the flag. Is this akin to burning the flag? Or does he see the cult of the flag and it's implied importance as boarding on jingoism, and would rather have discourse and actions speak for him?
Personally, I think too many people cling to symbols of the country because it is something they can feel passionately about without really having to make any sacrifices.
I would like to see what others think, agree or disagree.
And the difference from heterosexuals is?
And with the divorce rate of heterosexual marries couples being like 50% (it's guess....I can look up the number later and update this) it's not as if we are "respecting the sanctity of marriage"....
But What If My Thoughts Are Pure?
I had stated a similar argument in a different thread, and I absolutely agree. Another point to consider, too, is that "desecration" assumes the flag has some religious significance. Which, it doesn't.
I agree, in principle. Maybe not 5, maybe 3, maybe 9, but more than 2. In Niels' original post he lists 5, but I think there are really only 3. The Social Conservative party seems it would have too narrow a focus (Taxes! We can't bash gays, censor media, or make choices for women with that! bah!). And the Progress Party could really be the what Libertarians call themselves to be sneaky. What you see, at lest in the media, especially very conservative and very liberal media, is the description of 3 parties: The Fundamentalist Right Party, The Far Left Party, and The Moderate Party.
Intelligent Design out of public schools
Personally, I think if you include ID in schools, you give it the credibility it's proponents want. While I strongly believe opposing ideas need to be presented in school (since thinking seems to be one of the things not being taught in school, maybe we could that), those need to be well informed ideas, not some fundamentalist nonsense. My only exception to this: if ID is added across the board to science programs, Pastafarianism needs to be, as well!
There are a few things I think are troubling with the notion of banning "flag desecration". 1) On the obvious side, it is protect by the first amendment. 2) Not so obvious, when did the the flag become a "sacred" artifact that could be desecrated? It's a symbol of the country not a holy relic. If those that want to ban flag burning need to get hot and bothered about something, why not follow the guidelines for respecting the flag: stop printing it on t-shirts, jackets, underwear, etc? I'm sure there are far more people wearing the flag than burning it.
