[Rhodes22-list] Baffle them with Bullshit

Bill Effros bill at effros.com
Tue Jul 4 13:07:19 EDT 2006


No Michael,

That's not what it means, and you know it.  I happen to like the man, 
and I say so.  It is the method of argument that I dislike.  I dislike 
the tactic of throwing a bunch of unrelated unsubstantiated tidbits on 
the table and then saying "See, that proves my point" when, in fact, it 
doesn't.  And I can say that it doesn't without attacking the man.  As 
you know, I also dislike ad hominem attacks, and strive mightily not to 
use them.

Bill Effros

Michael Meltzer wrote:
> Hell bill, how do you spell adhomimin attack,
>
> Reminds me "Death Penalty and Talmud Law"
> http://www.come-and-hear.com/editor/capunish_1.html
>
> And his is middle compared to the Stuff the Romans did. 
>
> BTW, why everyone gord is stuck on tax what about CT per capita "tax Gap" in
> taxes paied vs services, why do us CT people have to support the rest on the
> nation.
>
> -mjm
>
>
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org [mailto:rhodes22-list-
>> bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Bill Effros
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 10:27 AM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Baffle them with Bullshit
>>
>> Philip,
>>
>> So nice to have your political claptrap back on the list.  It's so
>> scattershot, it's hard to know where to start.  You like to string
>> together a bunch of non sequiteurs which you seem to believe will bring
>> any reader to your point of view.  For me, it's just "If you can't
>> convince them with logic, baffle them with bullshit."
>>
>> Where to start? Where to start?  History doesn't prove that might makes
>> right.  Nazi Germany?
>>
>> Oil is a resource, but not all resources are oil.
>>
>> We didn't fly airplanes into Arab buildings, we flew cruise missiles
>> into Arab buildings.
>>
>> Yes, we do blow ourselves up around women and children, only we call it
>> "collateral damage".
>>
>> "We need one to have the other?"  What does that mean?  Ancient Rome
>> didn't have oil -- still doesn't have it, today -- but they sure had
>> National Security.
>>
>> "Culturally sensitive" has a different meaning from "morally sensitive".
>>
>> What baffles our friends and delights our enemies are people who can't
>> see the difference.
>>
>> Knowing when to act...When Clinton attacked Bin Laden, Republicans
>> started the "Wag the Dog" mantra.  Who were you quoting then?
>>
>> What was Bush's response to the Cole attack?
>>
>> And just exactly when did Bin Laden say what he based his decision to
>> attack us on?
>>
>> You've gotten a free pass on a few go-rounds of this stuff for old
>> times' sake, but the days of shooting from the hip are over.
>>
>> Bill Effros
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 3drecon wrote:
>>     
>>> Wally,
>>>     I don't separate Oil (i.e. resources) from National Security.  We
>>>       
>> need
>>     
>>> one to have the other; otherwise, we are at the mercy of anyone else
>>>       
>> with
>>     
>>> resources.   We did not fly into Arab buildings.  They flew into ours.
>>>       
>> We
>>     
>>> didn't invade Kuwait, Iraq did.  We don't blow ourselves up around women
>>>       
>> and
>>     
>>> children.  As a matter of fact, we willingly hamstring ourselves and
>>>       
>> cost
>>     
>>> our young men and women their lives as a result to be "culturally
>>> sensitive".  This baffles our friends there and delights our enemies.
>>>       
>> To a
>>     
>>> certain extent, might makes right, as you put it.  History proves that.
>>> Knowing when to act and how is the trick.  I agree with the strategy,
>>>       
>> though
>>     
>>> I may differ with the specific targets at the time.  We spent too many
>>>       
>> years
>>     
>>> apologising and letting the radicals have their way.  Bin Laden said he
>>> based his decision to attack us on our response (or lack thereof) to
>>> previous attacks.
>>>
>>> Philip
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]On Behalf Of TN Rhodey
>>> Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 7:44 AM
>>> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>>> Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Reply to Frone Crawford
>>>
>>>
>>> Philip,
>>>
>>> I guess you are a proponent of the old might makes right theory? I  used
>>> that theory on my little brother and it worked out real well. I always
>>>       
>> got
>>     
>>> the big piece of cake. I am not sure if this is the best strategy for
>>> diplomatic relations. Should we not shoot for a higher standard?
>>>
>>> You ask what better reason then oil? We should go to war when our
>>>       
>> National
>>     
>>> Security is threatened.
>>>
>>> Wally
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>>>> From: "3drecon" <3drecon at comcast.net>
>>>> Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>>> To: "'The Rhodes 22 mail list'" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Reply to Frone Crawford
>>>> Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:25:48 -0400
>>>>
>>>> Frone
>>>>
>>>> I didn't say I was comfortable with the Republicans, I said they are
>>>>         
>> closer
>>     
>>>> to the Libertarian philosophy than any other "electable" party to-day.
>>>>         
>> I
>>     
>>>> assume you allude to the Patriot Act in the "incessant drive by  the
>>>> Republicans to limit personal rights and invade our private acts and
>>>> thoughts" as well as the moral chest pounding.  I am opposed to the
>>>>         
>> Patriot
>>     
>>>> Act.  I think it will be/has been abused just as the RICO act was and
>>>>         
>> is
>>     
>>>> abused.  I don't agree with the moral grand-standing any more than I
>>>>         
>> agree
>>     
>>>> with the liberals banning "hate" speech, becoming anti-religious and
>>>> forcing
>>>> the Bill of Rights on the States, contrary to the Founders intent.  I
>>>>         
>> also
>>     
>>>> don't see a conspiricy in "a propaganda machine  leading us to pre-
>>>>         
>> emptive
>>     
>>>> war, welfare for the agri / timber / oil companies,  selling off our
>>>> resources to pay the unconscionable deficits".  The real problem with
>>>>         
>> oil
>>     
>>>> is
>>>> the restriction on drilling, exploration and refineries; simply, supply
>>>>         
>> and
>>     
>>>> demand.  I don't know what you mean about the "agri/timber issues, but
>>>>         
>> if
>>     
>>>> that's what it takes to make our country prosperous, then that is what
>>>>         
>> we
>>     
>>>> should do.  A poor person never gave me a job (wealthy and corporations
>>>>         
>> did
>>     
>>>> (and government).  I will say here that I do one of the few legitimate
>>>> government tasks. . . defense (and as a civilian, declassification).  I
>>>> assume by your comment about oil, you believe we "went to war for oil".
>>>>         
>> If
>>     
>>>> so, what better reason besides retaliation?  Oil is in the national
>>>> interest.  If we can secure international oil routes and supplies by
>>>>         
>> going
>>     
>>>> to war, so what?  Liberals like to say we should go to war in Zambia,
>>>>         
>> or
>>     
>>>> Zimbabwe or elsewhere in the African continent. If not for precious
>>>>         
>> metals,
>>     
>>>> oil or resources, why?  If it is not in our national interest, why?
>>>>         
>> What
>>     
>>>> the hell were we doing in Serbia?  That is a European created problem
>>>>         
>> and
>>     
>>>> they should police it.  We have no national interest there.
>>>>
>>>> Philip
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>>>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]On Behalf Of
>>>> FCrawford0707 at aol.com
>>>> Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 10:46 AM
>>>> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] To DAVE about Virginia and in reply
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In a message dated 6/30/2006 8:47:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>> 3drecon at comcast.net writes:
>>>>
>>>> Frankly, I see the Democrats relying on Big Government and  growing it;
>>>> however, having said that, the Republicans, in recent years have
>>>>         
>> changed
>>     
>>>> course to
>>>> appease the liberals (who will not vote for them, no matter  what) and
>>>>         
>> have
>>     
>>>> their own brand of government growth.  I am a  Libertarian.  The
>>>> Republicans
>>>> are the only electable party that come  closest to that philiosophy for
>>>> now,
>>>> so
>>>> I identify with them.  The  interesting thing is the Founding Fathers
>>>>         
>> would
>>     
>>>> have been considered  liberals!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Philip - I am interested in your conclusion that as a Libertarian, you
>>>>         
>> are
>>     
>>>> somehow comfortable with the Republicans.  I find the incessant drive
>>>>         
>> by
>>     
>>>> the
>>>> Republicans to limit personal rights and invade our private acts and
>>>> thoughts
>>>> to be at odds with my own Libertarian leanings.  The abuse of  power by
>>>>         
>> the
>>     
>>>> present administration is frightening - a propaganda machine  leading
>>>>         
>> us to
>>     
>>>> pre-emptive war, welfare for the agri / timber / oil companies,
>>>>         
>> selling
>>     
>>>> off
>>>> our
>>>> resources to pay the unconscionable deficits, not to mention the
>>>> corruption
>>>> and incompetence.  I am not a strict Libertarian, in that I feel  there
>>>>         
>> are
>>     
>>>> roles best filled by government - for example, dredging and
>>>>         
>> maintaining
>>     
>>>> the
>>>> ICW.
>>>> There was a great idea thirty years ago that, if  followed, would
>>>>         
>> perhaps
>>     
>>>> have put our society in a happier and less contentious  frame than we
>>>>         
>> are
>>     
>>>> going
>>>> thru now - that of the negative income tax, in place of  all the myriad
>>>>         
>> of
>>     
>>>> government administered support programs that don't really  serve the
>>>> constituency
>>>> intended, and which produce a whole lot of waste.   With a negative
>>>>         
>> income
>>     
>>>> tax, the neediest are supported without the cost and  waste of
>>>>         
>> bureaucratic
>>     
>>>> infrastructure.  No one makes out better financially  by not working,
>>>>         
>> so
>>     
>>>> the
>>>> "welfare syndrome" is not present.
>>>>     Frone Crawford
>>>>     s/v Sunday Morning
>>>> __________________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> __________________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>         
>>> __________________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> __________________________________________________
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>>     
>
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