US Republican Congress Lunacy Rant Thread

[Lurker]

First topic message reminder :

First on their agenda is their death panels. They should be charged with murder if one patient dies because of the Affordable Care Act Repeal.

[Lurker]

Republican Nazi values...

[nicko]

And he says he's not spamming

[Original Quill]

And he says he's not spamming

It's not spamming; it's fair comment on a panoply of issues.  Republicans and conservatives, in each case, serve special interests...the interests of the wealthy and privileged.

Every now and then it's good to undress those interests, and show that selfishness and greed are the ultimate political cause of the conservative.

[nicko]

It's my opinion he is, opinions are food and drink to Forums aren't they ?

[Original Quill]

I only meant that it doesn't fit the definition of 'spamming'.

Spamming is: ": unsolicited usually commercial messages (such as e-mails, text messages, or Internet postings) sent to a large number of recipients or posted in a large number of places."
https://www.merriam-Webster.com/dictionary/spam

I think Lurker's messages are highly analytical breakdowns of either Trump and his policies, or the Senate and it's policies. His posts are never repeated. Once posted in one or both threads, you never see them again.

[nicko]

And thank fuck for that, the mans obsessed !

[Fred Moletrousers]

And he says he's not spamming

It's not spamming; it's fair comment on a panoply of issues.  Republicans and conservatives, in each case, serve special interests...the interests of the wealthy and privileged.

Every now and then it's good to undress those interests, and show that selfishness and greed are the ultimate political cause of the conservative.

He also makes it quite clear that he knows nothing about "Nazis." To him the grossly overworked term is simply shorthand for anyone who is not as Left wing as he is.

There are one or two of us still around who know from bitter personal experience what a real Nazi is, and was capable of doing.

I do. He doesn't.

[Original Quill]

It's not spamming; it's fair comment on a panoply of issues. Republicans and conservatives, in each case, serve special interests...the interests of the wealthy and privileged.

Every now and then it's good to undress those interests, and show that selfishness and greed are the ultimate political cause of the conservative.

He also makes it quite clear that he knows nothing about "Nazis." To him the grossly overworked term is simply shorthand for anyone who is not as Left wing as he is.

There are one or two of us still around who know from bitter personal experience what a real Nazi is, and was capable of doing.

I do. He doesn't.

It is true that 'Nazi' is short-hand for RW, just as 'Commie' is short-hand for LW. Both tags are intended to cut, almost as much as convey information. But not completely.

'Nazis' also conveys the very close connection of the RW with militarism (Iraq, now Iran), authoritarianism (the Patriot Act) and restriction on civil liberties (children in cages). So, it is a useful metaphor, if a bit hurtful.

But it is also--in addition to hurtful--a reminder of guardrails in political dialogue. It means, if you go too far down that road you are becoming a 'Nazi' or a 'Commie'. Even if hyperbole, or not quite definite, it helps shape dialogue. So, it's not a taboo word, particularly as the RW is presently on one of its extreme rightward prowls.

[Lurker]

Well, Nazi may not fit but Russian Communist does.

[Fred Moletrousers]

He also makes it quite clear that he knows nothing about "Nazis." To him the grossly overworked term is simply shorthand for anyone who is not as Left wing as he is.

There are one or two of us still around who know from bitter personal experience what a real Nazi is, and was capable of doing.

I do. He doesn't.

It is true that 'Nazi' is short-hand for RW, just as 'Commie' is short-hand for LW.  Both tags are intended to cut, almost as much as convey information.  But not completely.

'Nazis' also conveys the very close connection of the RW with militarism (Iraq, now Iran), authoritarianism (the Patriot Act) and restriction on civil liberties (children in cages).  So, it is a useful metaphor, if a bit hurtful.

But it is also--in addition to hurtful--a reminder of guardrails in political dialogue.  It means, if you go too far down that road you are becoming a 'Nazi' or a 'Commie'.  Even if hyperbole, or not quite definite, it helps shape dialogue.  So, it's not a taboo word, particularly as the RW is presently on one of its extreme rightward prowls.

It seems that after a bit of research I'm going to have to eat a slice of humble pie, if not the whole plateful.

Strictly speaking - which is how I have always approached this issue because I was taught by people who had first-hand experience of German politics between 1920 and 1945 - to be "a Nazi" (with a capital 'N') one would have to be a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. This was, of course proscribed by the Allies occupying powers at the end of WW2.

In order to refer to nazi behaviour or nazi policies a lower case 'n' should always be used, because that is the form now accepted as being part of modern English.

What I must confess I did not know was that there is still an American Nazi Party, the ANP, founded by George Lincoln Rockwell in 1960 and, frankly, I am amazed that this has not also been proscribed by the US government.

[Fred Moletrousers]

Well, Nazi may not fit but Russian Communist does.

I'm not defending the policies...but I do know that your version of "Nazis" weren't the same as the Nazis that bombed my home town to rubble in the early part of the war and killed one of my schoolmates and his entire family and injured several more, and then fired V1s and V2s at us near the end of it.

[Original Quill]

Strictly speaking - which is how I have always approached this issue because I was taught by people who had first-hand experience of German politics between 1920 and 1945 - to be "a Nazi" (with a capital 'N') one would have to be a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. This was, of course proscribed by the Allies occupying powers at the end of WW2.

Metaphors tend to broaden meaning as they extrapolate.

[Original Quill]

In order to refer to nazi behaviour or nazi policies a lower case 'n' should always be used, because that is the form now accepted as being part of modern English.

Apparently not.  Here on Forumotion, for example, the lower case 'n' gets you a red underline, indicating stern disapproval of your spelling choice.

'Nazi' is a proper noun, calling for capitalization, and if you want borrow it you still must adhere to the rules of grammar, notwithstanding your taking metaphoric liberties.

https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/capitalization/10-rules-of-capitalization.html

[Original Quill]

What I must confess I did not know was that there is still an American Nazi Party, the ANP, founded by George Lincoln Rockwell in 1960 and, frankly, I am amazed that this has not also been proscribed by the US government.

The United States has a formal, written Constitution, and the First Amendment to it calls for freedom of speech, assembly/association, press, religion and demonstration.  Decisions of courts have further taken this to mean political parties and assembly, no matter how unpopular, are absolutely guaranteed. While the content may be abhorrent, it is the form that the Constitution protects.

Article VI thereof holds that the US Constitution is the highest law in the land.  Hence, the term 'unconstitutional' has come to mean a violation of the highest law of the land.  Alas, even the most unpopular of assemblies must be tolerated.

First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/12/10/1904778/-They-re-Not-Stupid-and-They-re-Not-Spineless-They-re-Evil-Let-s-Keep-That-Straight

Republican monsters....

[Fred Moletrousers]

In order to refer to nazi behaviour or nazi policies a lower case 'n' should always be used, because that is the form now accepted as being part of modern English.

Apparently not.  Here on Forumotion, for example, the lower case 'n' gets you a red underline, indicating stern disapproval of your spelling choice.

'Nazi' is a proper noun, calling for capitalization, and if you want borrow it you still must adhere to the rules of grammar, notwithstanding your taking metaphoric liberties.

https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/capitalization/10-rules-of-capitalization.html

Thanks for the link, the contents of which I am fully aware and have been so for over 70 years!

Forumotion's disapproval notwithstanding, there have long been two schools of thought in Europe over the appropriate use in conversational and written English of the word forms "Nazi" and "nazi." It may well be different in the USA and some other parts of the world, of course, where the historical significance of the history and existence of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei did not have anything like the same impact.

"Nazi" has become one of the most ridiculous of all social media petty insults and attempted put-downs in usually acrimonious debate, but to many - I would say most - armed forces veterans and members of similar organisations it is a term of extreme opprobrium and is highly offensive to the subject. It is in effect suggesting that they actually are Nazis.

Perhaps Lurker, yourself and other Left wing members of the forum might like to consider that in seeking out any real Nazis in this country the most likely place to find them would be in the higher echelons of the Labour Party leadership where antiSemitism and the persecution of Jewish people takes its lead from those who carried out Kristallnacht and worse. In the USA, according to your other informative post (for which thanks), the issue is regarded and treated differently.

In the meantime I shall continue to follow the guideline laid down in my last newspaper's editorial style book and differentiate in written English between jackbooted wearers of the Goldenes Parteiabzeichen and Iron Cross and extreme Right wing behaviour.

[Original Quill]

"Nazi" has become one of the most ridiculous of all social media petty insults and attempted put-downs in usually acrimonious debate, but to many - I would say most - armed forces veterans and members of similar organisations it is a term of extreme opprobrium and is highly offensive to the subject. It is in effect suggesting that they actually are Nazis.

The term 'Nazi', meaning extreme RW'er, is analogous to 'Commie' for the LW'er. But, whereas Karl Marx was a brilliant economic theorist, there is no redeeming founder to save the 'Nazi'.

That's about the only difference I can see.

[Lurker]

Too bad there is no ethics and honor with republicans...

[Lurker]

One of Trump's dick suckers...

[nicko]

Can't you give it a fucking rest just for Xmas ?

[Original Quill]

Can't you give it a fucking rest just for Xmas ?

I was about to ask for a boost...just for Xmas. Well done, Lurker.

[nicko]

The man should be Sectioned !

['Wolfie]

Well, Nazi may not fit but Russian Communist does.

The Communist Party has been sitting on the Opposition benches in Russia since before Putin's Nationalists took government...

Even though they're the 2nd biggest political party over there, the Communists have still only been getting between 15% and 20% of the votes in the elections, since 1991..

[Lurker]

[nicko]

If Trump is re-elected , will you "top" yourself ?

[Lurker]

If Trump is re-elected , will you "top" yourself ?

No you will see a billion times increase in anti-trump memes and cartoons...

[nicko]

We've seen enough already with you !

[Original Quill]

Larker!

[nicko]

Who or what is a "Larker" ?

[Original Quill]

Who or what is a "Larker" ?

A Larker is a winner.

[nicko]

So I,m a winner, Ta muchly !

[Lurker]

A dick head and a turtle head...

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

Republican politicians are immoral and incompetent!

[Lurker]

Republican logic...

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

Drama queen Lindsey Graham...

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

[Original Quill]

"Treason turtle"...I hadn't heard that. That's good. I'll write that down.

[Lurker]

[Lurker]

http://www.breakingburgh.com/extreme-cold-causes-mitch-mcconnell-to-fully-retract-his-head/

Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell apologized to colleagues today if his voice was unclear, blaming the persistent cold weather.

“Below a certain temperature, retracting my head into my body becomes an involuntary action over which I have no control.”

He explained it was a protective mechanism that can also be triggered if he is startled.

“Don’t worry as it’s all part of my normal physiology.”

McConnell said as soon as he got inside and warmed up, his head should gradually emerge again.

“As anyone familiar with my Senate record knows, I’m a cold-blooded creature, so cold weather presents a particular challenge.”

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