Congressmen say congressmen did nothing wrong
This is a classic example of Washington protecting Washington, from the Washington Post:
The House ethics committee ruled Friday that seven lawmakers who steered hundreds of millions of dollars in largely no-bid contracts to clients of a lobbying firm had not violated any rules or laws by also collecting large campaign donations from those contractors.
In a 305-page report, the ethics committee declared that lawmakers are free to raise campaign money from the very companies they are benefiting so long as the deciding factors in granting those “earmarks” are “criteria independent” of the contributions. The report served as a blunt rejection of ethics watchdogs and a different group of congressional investigators, who have contended that in some instances the connection between donations and earmarks was so close that it had to be inappropriate.
“Simply because a member sponsors an earmark for an entity that also happens to be a campaign contributor does not, on these two facts alone, support a claim that a member’s actions are being influenced by campaign contributions,” the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct said in a unanimous statement.
OWTH! (Off WIth Their Heads!)
It’s that “unanimous” part that really tells you what is going on. Not a single ethics committee member of either party found any of their colleagues guilty of a thing. Somehow, the contributors in this case magically got the impression that if they donated campaign money to these congressmen, they would get earmarks in return, while the congressmen in question do the “who, us?” routine.
The good news is that the FBI and Justice Department are conducting an investigation of their own, and maybe they won’t go so easy on these and other congressmen.
That all said, we have created a political system that drives this kind of behavior. Until and unless the public is willing to support tough campaign finance laws, including perhaps public financing of campaigns, we’re going to see this kind of behavior.
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306 comments Add your comment
josef nix
February 27th, 2010
6:19 pm
RW
It’s not that at all…don’t worry!
josef nix
February 27th, 2010
6:20 pm
RW
See? There I am at the top! Fore!
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 27th, 2010
6:34 pm
No, the government would never, ever unduly influence the housing market, why, of course not-
Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) — Fannie Mae will seek $15.3 billion in U.S. aid, bringing the total owed under a government lifeline to $76.2 billion, after its 10th consecutive quarterly loss.
Fannie Mae, which owns or guarantees about 28 percent of the $11.8 trillion U.S. home-loan market, has been hobbled by a three-year housing slump that wiped 28 percent from home values nationwide and led to record foreclosures.
It’s just our children’s money, who cares?
Southern Comfort
February 27th, 2010
6:35 pm
RW
I wouldn’t talk behind anyone’s back. I’m man enough that if I have something to say, I’ll put it out here.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 27th, 2010
6:36 pm
Kalifornia Assembly passes resolution for Cuss Free Week
F them.
josef nix
February 27th, 2010
6:39 pm
It appears that Hawaii dodged the bullet, but American Somoa and Guam may not have been so lucky…Chile announces that they appreciate the offers, but that they’re managing…
RW-(the original)
February 27th, 2010
6:40 pm
josef SoCo,
I said “reminds me of” and the funny thing is those guys never did realize we could just go to their sites and see what they were writing.
josef nix
February 27th, 2010
6:41 pm
Cuss free WEEK? Maybe better to start with 30 minutes and work our way up…
Southern Comfort
February 27th, 2010
6:43 pm
Whiner
They’d be better off placing cuss jars in all places of employment. That could help with their budget deficiencies.
Southern Comfort
February 27th, 2010
6:44 pm
RW
Shows the intelligence of some who we share air with, huh?!!
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
February 27th, 2010
6:47 pm
Nobody invites me to the St Elsewhere reindeer games (sniff, sniff)
TnGelding
February 27th, 2010
6:48 pm
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 27th, 2010
6:34 pm
You’ve got enough money for your children and their children and…
No More Progressives!
February 27th, 2010
6:50 pm
Jenifer
February 27th, 2010
3:31 pm
Ain’t but one thing going to solve this:
PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS!
You heard it here first, folks. Jenifer finally had a cogent thought.
josef nix
February 27th, 2010
6:52 pm
Somebody asked Unmentionable why he didn’t cuss…he told them I did enough for both of us!
Southern Comfort
February 27th, 2010
6:53 pm
Well…
I’ll leave everyone to their fun and rabble rousing. It’s back to my regular shift tomorrow. No more of this floating shift stuff for me. I’ll see y’all later on down the road.
TnGelding
February 27th, 2010
7:08 pm
Southern Comfort
February 27th, 2010
6:53 pm
Thanks for your contributions. Good luck and best wishes.
RW-(the original)
February 27th, 2010
7:22 pm
A time line for the AGW hoax
Salt & Light
February 27th, 2010
8:49 pm
josef:
Good works alone is NOT the answer …………….
Luke 18: A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
…… ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother. All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, FOLLOW ME (emphsis added).”
Midori
February 27th, 2010
9:03 pm
may I echo SC’s 6:35 pm, and insert “woman”.
what or who in the world is there to fear here?
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 27th, 2010
9:51 pm
I r o Dim- You know you fear, girlfriend, who are you kidding?
Just sayin…
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 27th, 2010
9:52 pm
fear me, geez. (-:
RW-(the original)
February 27th, 2010
10:46 pm
psst…come on you two. People are trying to sleep in here……
TnGelding
February 28th, 2010
4:31 am
The foxes guarding the henhouses. They’re just 535 frail individuals. They really need to revise their work ethics and work schedule. There is absolutely no reason for all their travel back and forth. Most of what they do is meaningless. Then they’d have more time to spend with their constituents instead of the lobbyists.
TnGelding
February 28th, 2010
4:43 am
Peter, Peter, deficit eater:
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10878
TnGelding
February 28th, 2010
5:01 am
Unhealthy summit:
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10880
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
6:31 am
WASHINGTON — The snowballing response made her the de facto coordinator of Coffee Party USA, with goals far loftier than its origin: promoting civility and inclusiveness in political discourse, engaging the government not as an enemy but as the collective will of the people, and pushing leaders to enact the progressive change for which 52.9 percent of the country voted in 2008. -Urinal
Get it? Coffee Party?
Can you say Airhead America?
(Should you happen to own a children’s shelter and some dummycrats come around wanting to “borrow” a 7 figure sum of money, you had best bar the door behind them and……hide the kids.
ew
eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
6:32 am
heh, I need more coffee, ew-
WASHINGTON — The snowballing response made her the de facto coordinator of Coffee Party USA, with goals far loftier than its origin: promoting civility and inclusiveness in political discourse, engaging the government not as an enemy but as the collective will of the people, and pushing leaders to enact the progressive change for which 52.9 percent of the country voted in 2008. -Urinal
Get it? Coffee Party?
Can you say Airhead America?
(Should you happen to own a children’s shelter and some dummycrats come around wanting to “borrow” a 7 figure sum of money, you had best bar the door behind them and……hide the kids.)
ew
eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Rightwing Troll
February 28th, 2010
6:54 am
WHY IS OBAMA NOT BOMBING THE TSUNAMI????
WHY??? WHY ? WHY???
Rightwing Troll
February 28th, 2010
6:58 am
WHY IS OBAMA NOT HELPING THE PEOPLE OF CHILE???? IT”S BEEN A DAY, OBAMA LIKES CHILE, ESPECIALLY WITH SALTINES AND SHREDDED CHEESE, WHY IS OBAMA NOT HELPING CHILE????
Rightwing Troll
February 28th, 2010
7:15 am
WHY IS OBAMA NOT HAVING A SECOND HELPING OF CHILE???? WHY????
@@
February 28th, 2010
7:48 am
Only thing that’s gonna stop this bribery are jail sentences. If I recall, Republicans have done time. Democrats? Anybody got a list of dems other than Jefferson?
The Brits have started their own Tea Party Movement? Once again Americans light the path to freedom.
Lady Liberty’s “left” foot is flat. It’s her right foot that’s on the move.
jconservative
February 28th, 2010
7:48 am
I Report – The problem is not Republicans or Democrats but the Incumbents the natiuon keeps returning to office.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
7:49 am
Signs reportedly held up at a Starbuck’s Party rally-
My kid has a dollar left and he is hiding it under his mattress, come and git it, obozo!
Where wood are kids be without the Teacher’s ewnion?
Raise my taxes!
Free Aborshuns!
Free Tibet!
Burn your General Motors SUV, er, I mean Government Motors, uh, never mind!
al-Gore= Minister of Energy!
Bush did it!
ew
But Wiser
February 28th, 2010
8:02 am
…(Atlanta)must face head-on the rugged task of reducing (pension) plan costs. That will mean making future retiree benefits less sweet. In so doing, the city will follow the private sector, which has been sipping this unsweet tea for decades as companies shifted workers to less-costly retirement plans. Urinal
When you work for the government, you are their slave. Of course this cost cutting plan will be offered only to the peons at first, the entrenched elected officials NEVER will accede to this.
The DC crowd would scream like a cat that just had its tail run over by a car if anyone ever brought this up to them, after all, they are fully vested in their retirement after only 1 term, and paying those pesky Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes is reserved for the “little people”.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
February 28th, 2010
8:29 am
Well, I see this SC guvner’s wife got her divorce. And now she’ll bawl like a big baby over something she wanted in the 1st place. Women–there ain’t no figuring them out.
I don’t see why people are so mad about these Congress people getting all the money they pile up while they’re in office. It’s been going on for decades. A guy that would make a church mouse look rich gets elected to Congress. In about six years he’s a millionaire. Where do people think all the money comes from? The tooth fairy? Like I say, it’s been going on for decades and they all do it. Ever hear of a retired Congress person applying for welfare or being featured in a news story about poor people scrambling to survive?
The only retired politican I ever heard of being down amongst the poor was a guvner from WV named Marland and he wasn’t no Congressman. I recall reading a big news story about how they found him driving a taxi cab in Pittsburgh after he left office. All the rest of the politicans that leave office are rich as Midas.
So go ahead and roar about it all if you want to. It ain’t going to change.
Have a good Sabbath everybody and don’t forget to go to church before you set about screwing everybody for your own gain next week.
No More Progressives!
February 28th, 2010
8:31 am
Scout
February 27th, 2010
3:20 pm
josef:
Incumbunts just have too much of an advantage. Just my opinion. I heard the other day that Rangle hadn’t even been “challenged” for 40 years.
Rangle is a Vet who served in Korea. Other than that, he has been an immovable object in the House since 1970, when he defeated Adam Clayton Powell.
It is doubtful that 1) anything will become of his ethics issues, and 2) a competent challenger will surface anytime before the sun explodes.
Normal
February 28th, 2010
8:40 am
I see President Obama is going to be in Savannah the week. Whiner, you should go down there and cheer him on.
BTW, Happy Sunday Y’all…Just one more wake up ’til Monday
A Sign of the Times
February 28th, 2010
8:44 am
A big, blue Oxendine for Governor sign was removed from the 2nd floor of the state Capitol this morning, after a complaint was made to the Georgia Building Authority.
The Nerve! I’m sure Mr. Oxendine will fix this problem once he is elected.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
8:46 am
Kalifornia is a greater risk than Greece, warns JP Morgan chief
Home^^ of the Starbuck’s Party, just sayin….
Kamchak
February 28th, 2010
8:50 am
Well…here he goes again.
Citing what he described as the “the persecution of a great hero who rid their land of Godless communists” as a possible cause, prominent TV evangelist and amateur seismologist Pat Robertson today argued that the 8.8 magnitude of the earthquake that struck Chile early this morning should serve as a warning to the population that “God is even angrier with them than he is with the people of Haiti.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say it must have to do with Chile’s persecution and attempted prosecution of their great former leader, and a personal hero of mine, Augusto Pinochet – who, it should be noted, had never been convicted of a crime when the Lord called him home three years ago.” The popular host of ‘The 700 Club’ and longtime bingo circuit icon also added, “General Pinochet not only assisted the CIA in the overthrow of Chile’s Marxist government, but is widely credited with personally arranging the meetings of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of his countrymen with Jesus.”
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
8:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama has signed a one-year extension of several provisions in the nation’s main counterterrorism law, the Patriot Act.
_Authorize court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones.
_Allow court-approved seizure of records and property in anti-terrorism operations.
_Permit surveillance against a so-called lone wolf, a non-U.S. citizen engaged in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group.
How’s that hopeandchange working out for you, Code Pinko?
hehehehehehee
stands for decibels
February 28th, 2010
8:56 am
As someone devoutly supportive of religious freedom, I submit yet another reason I am glad that we elected this.
The White House has been known to confer with religious leaders on important political and social issues — for instance, a meeting on torture with several religious denominations in June or Obama’s meeting with Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama just last week. On Friday, however, White House officials met with 60 members of atheist advocacy group the Secular Coalition for America, to discuss problems that they believe are fueled by religion.
The coalition’s press release notes that this is the first time an administration has met with a non-theist community.
It’s a good start.
stands for decibels
February 28th, 2010
8:58 am
“We elected this”? oy. This guy. This President. you know, Uppity Kenyan Muslim. That guy.
stands for decibels
February 28th, 2010
9:01 am
it must have to do with Chile’s persecution and attempted prosecution of their great former leader, and a personal hero of mine, Augusto Pinochet
Scourging and crucifixion are really too good for Pat Robertson, although I’d still gladly pay to see it happen.
What a pig.
Kamchak
February 28th, 2010
9:06 am
What a pig.
I know what you mean, but that’s an insult to every swine on the planet.
stands for decibels
February 28th, 2010
9:09 am
that’s an insult to every swine on the planet.
Sorry, Babe. Sorry Wilbur. You and your fellow swine are much, much better than Pat.
A Sign of the Times
February 28th, 2010
9:17 am
A swine in time saves whine. er.
A Sign of the Times
February 28th, 2010
9:26 am
Republicans don’t do too well in a down economy because their usual backers have lost millions and billions and they just don’t have as much cash laying around that is not already accounted for with such pressing issues and lobbyist payments and executive compensation and other items. So, in these trying times, the Republicans must seek out people such as Smoltz to run for soon-to-be vacated offices — John Linder, aka, Mr. (Anything But A) FairTax, comes to mind — since they can fund their own campaigns. Stick with your day job, Smoltz. After all, anyone that would back Tom Price cannot possibly be good for this state. I suggest South Carolina.
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
10:00 am
Equally significant is Barstow’s finding that most Tea Party groups have no affiliation with the G.O.P. despite the party’s ham-handed efforts to co-opt them. The more we learn about the Tea Partiers, the more we can see why. They loathe John McCain and the free-spending, TARP-tainted presidency of George W. Bush. They really do hate all of Washington, and if they hate Obama more than the Republican establishment, it’s only by a hair or two. (Were Obama not earning extra demerits in some circles for his race, it might be a dead heat.) The Tea Partiers want to eliminate most government agencies, starting with the Fed and the I.R.S., and end spending on entitlement programs. They are not to be confused with the Party of No holding forth in Washington — a party that, after all, is now positioning itself as a defender of Medicare spending. What we are talking about here is the Party of No Government at All.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28rich.html
TnGelding
February 28th, 2010
10:03 am
@@
February 28th, 2010
7:48 am
Rosty comes to mind. Cost Hillary her health care reform.
http://www.congressionalbadboys.com/Rostenkowski.htm
RW-(the original)
February 28th, 2010
10:04 am
The president has no business doing anything to address concerns over what some group perceives as problems caused by religion.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
Southern Comfort
February 28th, 2010
10:14 am
@@
Trafficant was a Dem, right? And he’s talking about running again as an independent.
getalife
February 28th, 2010
10:17 am
Good morning Bookmaners.
I give you the coffee party:
http://coffeepartyusa.com/
Need candidates to run on a government reform platform.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
10:36 am
You might want to check me, gitmo, but it seems that all of the Starbuck’s Party member kandidates are already in office, see obozo, Nasty Pelosi and Hairy Reed.
and pushing leaders to enact the progressive change for which 52.9 percent of the country voted in 2008.
Unless of course, you are looking to ratchet these hellbent socialists even further to the left, just sayin….
Honestly, you shouldn’t expect much more than this from the moonbats, clueless of American history, they don’t even know what Tea symbolizes, it’s like ew, tea is too icky for me, I like a double vanilla latte, uh, duh, why don’t we call ourselves duh latte party, uh, cool.
Morons, they know the Tea Party is kicking their ass, so yeah, the Buttermilk Party should turn things right around.
getalife
February 28th, 2010
10:42 am
Andy,
Two revolutions are better than one.
At least Americans are waking up to smell the coffee.
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
10:47 am
From Oklahoma City to Austin.
What is worse: islamic terrorists or right-wing wingnut terrorists?
Rightwing Troll
February 28th, 2010
10:50 am
I’d rather be a coffee bean than a nut sack…
I’m just sayin’
WHEN WILL OBAMA HELP THE METHODIST PREACHERS OF CHILE???? WHEN???
Southern Comfort
February 28th, 2010
10:52 am
“I’d rather be a coffee bean than a nut sack…
I’m just sayin’
I don’t care who you are, that’s funny as hell!!!!
Rightwing Troll
February 28th, 2010
10:52 am
Finn,
That’s easy, the right-wingnut terrorists are worse, as they actually walk amongst us and use our system to achieve thier goals.
Joey
February 28th, 2010
11:00 am
Finn:
Define what you see as the goals of Islamic Terrorist.
The goals of Right-wing Wingnut Terrorist.
Kamchak
February 28th, 2010
11:05 am
Define what you see as the goals of Islamic Terrorist.
The goals of Right-wing Wingnut Terrorist.
Inspire terror.
Another episode of two-word answers to simple questions.
Joey
February 28th, 2010
11:09 am
Inspire terror.
A totally un-inspired non-answer.
Kamchak
February 28th, 2010
11:11 am
Inspire terror.
A totally un-inspired non-answer.
If you want a different answer, ask a different question.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 28th, 2010
11:15 am
Oh great, so now the Starbuck’s Party members at the Bookman blog are gay bashing, do hit any better than this?
Joey
February 28th, 2010
11:19 am
Unless Kamchak is playing a multiple role here. I never asked you a question.
But I will play a short game with you. A different question.
What is it that convinces you that what you write in any way concludes the discussion?
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
11:19 am
Slideshow: The tea party’s military wing:
http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/02/oath-keepers-glenn-beck-tea-party-military
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
11:21 am
Joey, I’m not going to spend my Sunday schooling you. That’s what I pay taxes for.
Kamchak
February 28th, 2010
11:22 am
Unless Kamchak is playing a multiple role here. I never asked you a question.
Post in a public forum and you take your chances.
Geez.
Joey
February 28th, 2010
11:33 am
Kamchak:
Very good. A non-response, followed by a challenge, followed by a non-response accompanied by a dismissal. Good talking to you.
And Finn, I expected that you had nothing with which to follow up that joke of a post. Thanks for proving me right.
I love intelligent debate.
Kamchak
February 28th, 2010
11:40 am
I love intelligent debate.
And it all started with your “intelligent” question. Garbage in, garbage out.
Credit where credit is due.
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
11:42 am
Joey, You post asking other to give their opinions and then get all upset because they don’t post EXACTLY what you want to see. Get off yer lazy butt, dude.
You want to debate but all you post is a question? Do you even know what a debate is? I offered my opinion, you asked for clarification?
Instead of asking others to comment, why don’t you just post your own opinion? Too lazy? Why don’t you tell us why the right wing nut jobs and tea partiers aren’t a terrorist cell? A cult?
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
11:43 am
Joey,
And you want to know why posters treat you like trash?
Really?
30
February 28th, 2010
11:58 am
I love the smell of cyberbullying in the morning.
Southern Comfort
February 28th, 2010
12:08 pm
Cyberbullying and gay bashing on a Sunday morning…
Only at Bookman’s.
Finn McCool
February 28th, 2010
12:13 pm
See, Joey didn’t want debate. He wanted others to spend time documenting their opinion while he sat back and sniped their opinions.
31
February 28th, 2010
12:21 pm
Y-y-yeah! J-j-joey just wanted to s-s-sit back and s-s-snipe opinions!!!
RW-(the original)
February 28th, 2010
12:22 pm
Inspire terror.
Another episode of two-word answers to simple questions.
A completely erroneous simple answer though. People who commit acts of terror almost always have some desired goal in mind whether it be right wing which is almost always a lone wolf, left wing terrorists who are much more likely to be organized groups like ALF/ELF, the nuts that descend on any world financial summit, or Islamist radicals. They all have goals beyond inspiring terror.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
12:32 pm
“From Oklahoma City to Austin. What is worse: islamic terrorists or right-wing wingnut terrorists?”
If you’ll take the time to read the Austin Bomber’s Manifesto, I think you’ll find that his political views were essentially left-wing, right down to his propensity for cheating on his taxes.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0218102stack1.html
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
February 28th, 2010
12:37 pm
Nobody invites me to the cyber-bully reindeer games. (sniff, sniff)
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
12:39 pm
Joey
The question was:
“Finn:
Define what you see as the goals of Islamic Terrorist.
The goals of Right-wing Wingnut Terrorist.”
K’chak’s was:
“Inspire terror”
That is a succinct and correct answer to the question as posed. How they differ in their methods and in why they are motivated to this end is a matter of debate but as to their goals, this is the goal and nothing more and nothing less.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
12:46 pm
“That is a succinct and correct answer to the question as posed.”
Not so fast, josef–Most people view terror as a means to an end, not an end in itself, since it is almost always associated with individuals who DO have some kind of political agenda. As such, when asking what the goals of a terrorist are, the response “to inspire terror” is essentially a tautology, and ultimately answers nothing (a non-answer as Joey termed it).
Dave R.
February 28th, 2010
12:50 pm
I believe it was another josef (sorry, my friend not you!), who said, “The goal of terrorism is to terrorize” – Josef Stalin.
That is about a succinct as you can get.
RW-(the original)
February 28th, 2010
12:50 pm
That is a succinct and correct answer to the question as posed.
josef,
It’s only a correct answer as to it being Kamchak’s wrong-headed definition
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
12:54 pm
RW
I respectfully disagree (I’m not out to be lobbing grenades of contention just yet!) The goal of a terrorist is to inspire terror. The motivations are as varied as are the terrorists themselves. To start the debate on how and why, it is necessary first to acknowledge the essential goal which is to inspire terror. I am speaking here to what we call in the common parlance, the bottom line. Starting there we can then go off on the modus operandi of the posters which, in my opinion, has a note of nyanh-nyanh between them and, no doubt, is headed for a “my terrorist is better than your terrorist.”
As a means to an end, in that case make clear in the question itself that you are opening a discussion of the means. The end is the same, to inspire terror.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
12:59 pm
““The goal of terrorism is to terrorize” – Josef Stalin.”
Succinct, but meaningless, since it is a tautology: From Wiki: “a repetition of meaning, using different words to say the same thing twice, especially where the additional words fail to provide additional clarity when repeating a meaning”.
In Stalin’s case, like Kamchak, he doesn’t even bother to choose new words, he simply equates the noun (terrorist) to its infinitive form (to terrorize).
The real reason Stalin’s chose the tautology, of course, is to state that he doesn’t believe in or respect the association of terror with political goals. Which is an opinion in and of itself.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
1:04 pm
“(I’m not out to be lobbing grenades of contention just yet!)”
Well I am, so put up your dukes!
“in my opinion, has a note of nyanh-nyanh between them and, no doubt, is headed for a “my terrorist is better than your terrorist.”
Which was the whole point of Finn NotSoCool’s wrong-headed association of the Austin bomber with a right-wing agenda in the first place.
Normal
February 28th, 2010
1:05 pm
Well, you know what really burns my a$$? A flame about waist high…
_____________
No offense to Josef, but if the purpose of a terrorist is to inspire terror, then I had teachers who would qualify…
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
1:08 pm
LOL at Normal.
The only teacher who didn’t like me was my HS Physics teacher, primarily because I had to correct his errors on a regular basis. I sincerely tried not to be a smart-ass about it……
FinnMcCool
February 28th, 2010
1:11 pm
Austin pilot = hates paying taxes and doesn’t like where those tax dollars are going
Tea bagger = hates paying taxes and doesn’t like where those tax dollars are going
I don’t see many people associating tea party with liberals or the left. If you do, please point it out.
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
1:13 pm
BRUNO
En garde! The addition of the -ist suffix is to create a noun’adjective from the infinitive and means no more nor no less than one who. That’s the linguist/teacher’s knee jerking. Used adjectivally, then there is plenty of room for the hair splitting. Used nominally, there is not. Joey’s question as posed asked for the nominal definition.
Now, if we want to go off on the nyanh and discuss it from the perameters of the adjectival…just add the noun “actions” and then terrorist is a modification of the type of action and opens up the how and why.
Whether or not Joey and/or Finn is/are wrong-headed in their association is something I’ll need to go back and look over before I pass opinion/judgment.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
1:14 pm
“I don’t see many people associating tea party with liberals or the left. If you do, please point it out.”
Like I said, if you’ll bother to read’s the man’s Manifesto, his concerns about where his tax dollars are going echo the complaints from the left, not from the right. Until then, keep talking out of your ass.
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
1:14 pm
Normal–
And if you didn’t define and use your words properly, I would have been your terrorist. I’d lob red ink at it and then tell you your Mama the English teacher had to sign it!
Joey
February 28th, 2010
1:16 pm
Kind of interesting what happened while I was gone.
Some of you seem to really believe that the single purpose of terroist attacks is to terrorize. I especially liked the reference to Stalin as evidence of that single purpose. I am mathematician rather than an historian, but I was taught back in the 40s and 50s, when Stalin was still around, that Stalin had other goals and that he accomplished many of those goals using terrorism as a tool. But I was in the Georgia school system so maybe they got it all wrong.
It may be Finn and Kamchak and others of like mind really believe that terror is the sole purpose of terrorism. If so, that is a reflection on them, not me.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
1:21 pm
“En garde! The addition of the -ist suffix is to create a noun’adjective from the infinitive and means no more nor no less than one who. That’s the linguist/teacher’s knee jerking. Used adjectivally, then there is plenty of room for the hair splitting. Used nominally, there is not.”
I agree, but when you look at the stand-alone statement “The goal of a terrorist is to inspire terror”, the word “terrorist” is not being used adjectivally, it is being used nominally, which renders the statement a tautology.
Bruno
February 28th, 2010
1:24 pm
“I am mathematician rather than an historian”
Which ultimately is the source of the disagreement here. Like you, Joey, I am attempting to frame the statement strictly in terms of logic, not historical accuracy.
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
1:26 pm
Joey–
I mean this respectfully, so please don’t think I’m just trying to stir up trouble. As a mathematician you know the importance of formulae. This same attention should be paid to the mathematics of grammar.
Now that you have used terrorism, the ism suffix opens up a whole new can of worms with its concept of the philosophy of.
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
1:36 pm
Bruno
Okay, Immanuel, in your presentation of that logic, you might want to remember the selections on grammar as the presentation thereof in your magnum opus! The logic of mathematics must be expressed using the logic of grammar…
History? Logic doesn’t apply here!
Joey
February 28th, 2010
1:47 pm
Josef; With equal respect.
No way will I believe that a group or a person would set out to commit an act of terror (or terrorism) for the single purpose of creating terror. There must be some other objective. There is a goal(s) other than witnessing people being terrorfied.
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
1:49 pm
In all fairness to the mathematicians, my little mathematicians most frequently turn out to be my best writers once they understand that grammar and syntax have their own formulae. They’re not always the most creative, true, but when it comes to getting a point across in clear, concise and proper form, their heads and shoulders above my little humanities scholars who roll off on tangents full of wonderful word plays and advanced vocabulary but with logic absent from the creative juices when it comes to putting it down in a form someone other than they would be able to follow…
josef nix
February 28th, 2010
2:02 pm
Joey,
Again I’m being the English teacher here. You used the word “goals.” And yes, the “goal” of the terrorist is to inspire terror. Here you become more clear by using the word “purpose.” The purpose of that goal opens up the perameters of discussion of the act and, especially, the why aspect.
BTW
I am not trying to be an arcane hair-splitter with this. When we charge someone with being a terrorist it is an indictment of the act per se, which is an act to inspire terror with no judgment on the relative causes which led the individual to the ism. There is no difference between an IRA terrorist and a a radical Islamic terrorist (a Timothy McVeigh or any other). There is a world of difference in the motivations toward an acceptance of the ism.