COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Saturday, December 29, 2007

The Iowa Loyal Jirga

The Deciders

Thursday is the day. A whole lot has happened in the last week and Iowa will set the tone for where America heads next. It is a virtual three way tie for the Democrats between Hillary, Obama and Edwards. The Republican establishment is out to crush the Republican leader, Mike Huckabee. Giuliani has fallen off the charts. McCain is still in the game and the Romney phenomenon looks more and more less phenomenal. The Iowans will speak. Will the people listen?

31 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Nope, don't think anyone gives to shakes about Iowa.

    Same as Hew Hampshire, what with the front loaded process.

    Florida will be the key, for the GOP. Then Super Tuesday, that'll make the difference, not Iowa or New Hampshire, or the John McCain would have done battle with Al Gore in 2000 and JFKerry would have beat GWBush in 2004.

    For the Democrats, South Carolina will be more important than either Iowa and New Hampshire.

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  3. Many South Carolina Republicans got a bogus holiday greeting card this week purported to be from from GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney citing controversial passages of the Book of Mormon. The last page features a photograph of a massive temple above a box that says "Paid for by the Boston Massachusetts Temple" Romney's campaign said it had nothing to do with the cards and a Boston Temple official said the temple had nothing to do with sending mail to South Carolina Republicans, who go to the polls Jan. 19, 2007. (AP Photo)

    Wasn't US, they all claim, but the Temple pictured is the real Temple, not a make believe building. Not a mis-stating of Mormon beliefs, just a false claim of sponsorship, perhaps is the case.

    The card contains passages that underscore some differences between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and those of denominations that are prevalent in South Carolina.

    "We have now clearly shown that God the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His first born, and another being upon the earth by whom he begat the tabernacle of Jesus, as his only begotten in this world," reads one passage from Orson Pratt, cited on the card as an "original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles."

    The card also cites a passage on Mary's virgin birth that underscores her race. "And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white."
    On the card, "fair and white" are in a bolder, larger font and on a separate line.

    Hutchins said the mailing hurts his temple, which, like the parent Mormon church, stays out of politics.

    "They have no business using that name or referring to the temple," Hutchins said. "It's a very hurtful thing and creates a misleading impression in peoples' minds." Hutchins said he alerted Tag Romney, one of Romney's sons, and church authorities about the mailings.


    But not inaccurate Mormon scripture, which is artfully and accurately quoted.

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  4. New York just ran a kick off back against New England. Lead 10-7.

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  5. Correcting my error and adding the recent field goal makes it 14-13 NY.

    Iowa is all blown out of proportion. Just the warmups.

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  6. Thanks be to God, we have a Pope willing to fight the Devil head on

    "You have to hunt high and low for a properly trained exorcist."
    Harder than finding a good chimney sweep these days.

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  7. There are no gentiles allowed in that Mormon Temple. They haven't studied the New Testament closely enough. Jesus wasn't a temple type guy. 'The time will come.' he said, 'when neither at Jerusalem nor on your mountain here will they worship.'

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  8. Knew a real sweet girl that was all wrapped up in that Temple stuff. I was a Coors man in a dry town, back in that day.

    Even read their Book

    Show Low, AZ.

    A good time was had by all, but I certainly did not qualify, not for the long term.

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  9. Does in not bother all you card carrying republicans that the party is so bound, so beholden, so subservient, to the conservative religious folk

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  10. This is a good game. New York 21--New England 16-half time. There is a guy named Classico on one of the teams, kind of a neat name.

    "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem...when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. God is Spirit."

    John 4:21-24

    They take that Temple stuff seriously, Rat, you'd have to give up more than Coors, to get in.

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  11. What card carrying republicans? I got no card.

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  12. And I don't see that Hucklebee has garnered many votes from the folk here. I can't think of even one.

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  13. Those "religious" conservative folk represent a good 20 to 30% of those in the Tent that have kept the GOP in power.

    The Librarian, small government, low regulation and Federal interference segment of the crowd, another 15 to 25% of those in the Tent, have been abandoned, their votes assumed by the GOP leadership. This is the second most likely segment of the Reagan coalition to bolt, come November.

    The Reagan Democratics, they only need to see Charlie Wilson's War and they'll likely bolt, depending upon whom the Dems put forward.

    The Northeast liberal wing of the GOP, in PA and NJ will be lost, for good, if any candidate but Rudy is nominated. The basic tenents of the constituencies have not changed, there just is not a "face" that ties them all together, though it was hoped by many that Mr Thompson could fill that bill.

    Leaves the GOP dependednt upon Rudy, still, if they want to carry Ohio. And as Ohio goes, so goes the nation.

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  14. That is oh so true, bob. About the Coors and the "other" stuff.

    Gave up the Coors, as time went by.

    But still wouldn't qualify for Temple membership, wouldn't want to even try, truth be known.

    I've always hoped that the girl has had a good life, she certainly deserved one, as much or more as anyone else I've known.
    Just not with me, better for the both of us, I'm sure.

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  15. 38-35--really good game--Patriots undeated--Randy Moss, from Marshall University, near my wife's place back there in Huntington WV did well. Missed one long pass, then they came right back to him, same play, caught it for the killing TD.

    Classico isn't Classico, but Flexico, I think, or something like that. My hearing, you know.

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  16. This Iowa vote will be interesting. Nobody seems to know what's really happening. I still say, it isn't fair, without the old folk in the rest homes!

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  17. Meanwhile, in news from IDAHOE:
    Boise State loses the Hawaii Bowl,
    and the Boise fire dept returns from a call and has to attend to a kitchen fire In the FIREHOUSE, after one of the boys left something in the oven.

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  18. :) Yeah,yeah, I read that--but they got the fire out!

    Which reminds me of the big fire about a year ago in Genesee, Idaho, near here, pop. about 1200, when the biggest building in town, housing the bar and cafe, burned completely to the ground just smouldering ruins left, and the fire department is 40 feet away diretly across the street!

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  19. On the card, "fair and white" are in a bolder, larger font and on a separate line.
    ---
    So Carolina voters being 50% Black.
    Huck and his supporters belong in Hell.
    Now.

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  20. Links Bobal, we need hot links!

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  21. Vatican denies exorcism report--what the devil is going on?--

    Exorcism Squads?
    The Daily Mail is reporting that Pope Benedict has ordered his bishops to set up special exorcism squads to deal with growing worldwide interest in Satanism. The plan was revealed to the online Catholic news service Petrus by Vatican "exorcistinchief" Father Gabriele Amorth. The Vatican quickly denied the report on Friday, according to UPI. "Pope Benedict XVI has no intention of ordering local bishops to bring in garrisons of exorcists to fight demonic possession," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told reporters.

    xxxxxxxxxxx
    I looked under 'big Genesee fire', but I quess the whole town wouldn't even be missed.

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  22. If that picture on Drudge is Benazir's assassin, he stands out in the crowd, with those fancy clothes, and expensive shades.

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  23. Nah, Albob:
    In your pic it's the OTHER GUY.
    I don't know why they circle Mr Shades too:
    Are they BOTH ASSASINS?
    They are both in the Drudge Shot, CIRCLED, Too.

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  25. So shades is the shooter and the Shawl guy had the explosive temper.

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  26. I saw that picture as well, but Shady looks to have a different jacket there.

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  27. Draw! Freeze!

    England announces some new nursery guidelines. The male toddlers have gone limp, need stimulation. Falling behind the girls in all categories.

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