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Doug t.  
11/11/10

Comments:
Miguel.
Ok. Ok. It's sad that Altemeyer is too afraid to answer basic questions, but you do try, so you get credit.
Altemeyer's remarks were about present day events, but if you want to go back to the 20th century. Let's dig up to corpses lay them ene to end, and (Chinese height/length deficiencies nothwithstanding) see how long a line the dead make.
You get measure the big government socialist Nazis.
I get to measure the big government socialist Marxists, Maoists, Pol Pot(heads). Etc.
My line of bodies is much much longer than yours.
If we stay focused on Altemeyer's objective - to effect current American politics - then I want a list from Altemeyer to prove his assertion that there is a preponderance of violence on the right.
I mean for a man with the explicit financial support of the entire Canadian government, it should be easy to prove. Unless it's another lie? I must keep a record of how many lies Altemeyer makes in his effort to change American government from his state position in Canada.


Doug T.  
11/11/10

Comments:
Miguel.
According to the Fed., the middle class is doing much better now than 20-30 years ago. That's the facts, regardless of which union "economist" you use, the facts paint a different picture. Oops, did your un-named source forget to account for demographics - well the Fed didn't.
So let's start with the facts. In the past 20-30 years:
1) middle class earnings have increased
2) tax rates, especially for the rich, have decreased dramatically.
I think your conclusion should be that lower, or possibly an elimination taxes on the wealthy benefits the middle class, and promotes the "general welfare".
I still would like to know any legislation you can think of, which would fall outside of your "general welfare" intreperration. Thus, your generality could encompass federal intrusion into any aspect of life. Oh, how totalitarian if you...
-------- Fed qoute
"Conclusion
The claim that the standard of living of middle Americans has stagnated over the past generation is common. An accompanying assertion is that virtually all income growth over the past three decades bypassed middle America and accrued almost entirely to the rich.
The findings reported here—and summarized in Chart 8—refute those claims. Careful analysis shows that the incomes of most types of middle American households have increased substantially over the past three decades. These results are consistent with recent research showing that the largest income increases occurred at the top end of the income distribution. But the outsized gains of the rich do not mean that middle America stagnated."
http://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications_papers/studies/middleincome/index.cfm


Miguel 
11/11/10

Comments:
High RWA violence...

Again you might want to watch "The Politics of Fear" to understand the links between the neo-con RWA's and the Muslim RWA's
They have their roots in the same era, and have the same cause and response...they are basically the same.


Miguel 
11/11/10

Comments:
Miguel.

So you're definition of promoting the general welfare is to take specific amounts of resources from specific individuals and re-distribute specific amounts of resrouces to other specific individuals?  There is no generality in that...

To spin this around: Can you think of a single thing that would fall outside of your desire to create laws for the "general welfare"?

Doug.
Actually it's in the general welfare of the nation as a whole to have a vibrant and effective middle class, the ability to get sick and not lose your home, have phone service in rural areas (and internet service as well...look how well the free market has done there), to NOT have wealth sequestered, have interstate highways...and a myriad of other services, all of which are paid for unequally.

It is also in the interests of the nation to prevent food riots, reduce homelessness, and stabilize economic inequality. Historically there is no greater threat to a nation than high levels of inequality.

Doug, you need to step away from the Reagan kool-aid for a minute and actually LOOK at what as happened historically since the beginning of the "great deregulation".However I have NO hopes that you will be able to do so, it's contrary to your pathology.


SeanNY 
11/11/10

Comments:
Correction:

"Some of them still believed Nixon was innocent of criminal acts even after he accepted a pardon for them."
 
Ford is often criticized for the fact that he did not ask Nixon to admit to anything before granting the pardon.  He pardoned Nixon for any criminal acts he committed or may have committed in office.  Under the Constitution a pardon is immediately effective and does not require any action on the part of the recipient.  there is no concept of "accepting" a pardon under US law.  Nixon did not and could not "do" anything to "accept" the pardon.
 
For example, when Clinton pardoned Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper (who had been court martialled for conduct unbecoming an officer) Lt. Flipper did not do anything to "accept" the pardon, likely due to the fact that he was already dead.  For over a century.
 
This mdoes not mean Nixon was innocent.  But the suggestion that Nixon's supporters somehow defied logic in protesting the innocence of a man who had "accepted' a pardon is false. 


Doug T.  
11/11/10

Comments:
Gary.
If it is so easy to google a bunch of leftist attacks. It would be equally easy to list the rightist attacks.
That is my challenge to Dr. Altemeyer. He stated that there are many more right-wing attacks. How about providing proof?
Dr. Altemeyer continues his games. He has no interest in facts, only using Canadian taxpayer's money to attampt to affect the American political election.
If you read have read the book, please discuss Altemeyer's conclusion. What is his focus? Why did he write the book?
It is not to disseminate scientific thought. No. Altemeyer is clear in his call (last 3-4 paragraphs) to affect American politics. His goal is clear.
Then again, if I am so easily refuted, how about you start using facts the next time.


Gary Williams Email
11/11/10

Comments:
Dr. Bob,
With the post of whatever was returned  by a search engine tasked with returning all instances of "left-wing violence".... and to post it as though it had any statistical  relevance whatsoever, has me now convinced that Dougy here sees himself as the self-appointed troll-gatekeeper whose job it is to make sure everyone who comes here looking for intelligent conversation instead gets his repeated  insults, ad homonyms, and faulty reasoning over why empirical data can be refuted solely by his own firm belief that it is otherwise. 

 That you and every other researcher studying the peculiar cognitive traits that keep him from accepting what his own activities here merely confirm, tells me you and the rest of us can expect nothing from him but the same sorts of mindless contrariness and site obstruction we see here today. He probably also believes his own insertion of nonsensical rebuttals as if they actually meant something is something that he, as a patriotic Tea Partier should continue to do in perpetuity as an "evil-site troll" fighting scientific evil as a religious duty.

I realize there';s some reluctance to bounce anyone at least pretending to speak in rational opposition to a given position, but Doug here has shown his true colors about having no intention of ever producing rebuttal evidence refuting the research that should be the focus of this site. 

He's a TROLL.....PERIOD.  As such, please block his attempts to clutter up and harass you and other posters wishing to use the site until he finally renders so difficult that it becomes unusable for those looking to use it for its primary  purpose. 
Please believe that I have not come by this decision lightly.  


Doug T. 
11/11/10

Comments:
Miguel.

So you're definition of promoting the general welfare is to take specific amounts of resources from specific individuals and re-distribute specific amounts of resrouces to other specific individuals?  There is no generality in that...

To spin this around: Can you think of a single thing that would fall outside of your desire to create laws for the "general welfare"?


Doug T. 
11/10/10

Comments:
Bob.
Do you always resort to name-calling when you remove yourself from a conversation? Troll? Isn't that so 1990's... I find this another mis-placed finger-pointing by someone who is very good at mis-placing his finger-pointing. You really should read the definition of a word if you don't know how to use it.
If - and I think that is always an if with the anti-intellectal crowd - you bother to look back through the comments you will see my general attempt is to keep on topic. However, I will answer questions, to my humble limits, truthfully, when asked to go off-topic.
Since the brain-washed, brain-dead leftists who visit this site gain so few truthful answers, I feel it is important to offer conservative opinions when asked.
And while we're on the subject of truthfulness, please explain to everyone, fully, which of the settings you have changed within this newsgroup.
How about you truthfully answer questions for awhile? Start with: Did you attempt to ban me while implying that you were gaining feedback before asking Miguel and myself to take the conversation elsewhere?
And why don't you waste more of your taxpayer funded IT support's time and ask them what the heck an anomymous proxy is?


Doug T. 
11/10/10

Comments:
Bob,
Here is my short list of violence by left-wingers in the last year...
Were you asleep during the entire last 12 months or do you just rely upon me to do the research that you cannot see?
November 10, 2010
MSNBC calls for a violent revolution after the Republicans gain seats.
http://www.foundingbloggers.com/wordpress/2010/11/msnbc-goes-radical-chic-its-time-for-a-revolution/
October 29, 2010
Moveon.org supporter chokes conservative.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/moveon-republicorp-activist-chokes-conservative-protester-at-arizona-rally/
October 28, 2010
Dr. Jill Rowland, NY Republican congressional candidate approached by man with a knife.
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/10/man-wielding-knife-accosts-republican-candidate-in-hotel-lobby/
October 25, 2010
Paul supporter had foot stomped on at same rally by a liberal.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/25/rand-paul-supporter-stomps-head_n_773857.html
October 25, 2010
GOP Denver headquarters vandalized. Signs defaced.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/25508231/detail.html
October 14, 2010
CBS reporter threatens radio show conservative for trying to interview Rahm Emmanuel.
http://biggovernment.com/amarcus/2010/10/28/exclusive-video-confronting-the-cbs-reporter-who-threatened-to-harm-a-conservative-radio-host/
October 5, 2010
Democrat staffer slaps a 68 year old female Republican campaigner.
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/10/top-new-jersey-dem-official-slaps-68-year-old-female-gop-staffer-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gatewaypundit2+%28Gateway+Pundit%29&utm_content=FaceBook
September 2, 2010
Discovery Channel gunman takes human hostages to protest broadcast content.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20015596-10391695.html
August 31, 2010
Pro-choice supporter threatens to murder pro-life supporters at abortion center.
http://www.lifenews.com/2010/08/31/state-5398/
August 29, 2010
Regan Stachler headbuts and pulls woman's hair after unleashing a anti-right tirade.
http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/8207844/
August 26, 2010
Democrat supporter, and blogger firebombs Carnahan office.
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/08/kaboom-tpm-muckraker-admits-their-blogger-is-suspected-carnahan-firebomber/
August 25, 2010
Gunfire at GOP Maryland office.
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/24764054/detail.html
July 8, 2010
New Black Panther Party is ready to rumble with all conservatives.
http://www.foundingbloggers.com/wordpress/2010/07/new-black-panthers-threaten-tea-party-with-rumble-dont-take-the-bait-tea-party/
June 28, 2010
Liberal talk show host Mike Malloy hopes former V.P. Cheney dies.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/06/28/lib-talker-malloy-happy-cheneys-hospital-hopes-miserable-bastard-dies
June 14, 2010
US Rep. Bob Etheridge, Democrat, physically attacks a student reporter.
http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2010/06/14/bob-etheridge-d-nc-02-attacks-student/
June 9, 2010
Former Republican congressional candidate punched while protesting bank reform legislation.
http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-protest-punch-100609,0,3507781.story
May 13, 2010
Utah Republican county chair has words "asshole" burned into his lawn.
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/13861
May 1, 2010
Faisal Shahzad, registered Democrat, attempts to blow up Times Square.
http://kxnt.cbslocal.com/2010/05/04/times-square-terrorist-says-he-acted-alone-is-registered-democrat/
April 13, 2010
Republican governor Jindahl supporters, a couple were attacked receiving coumpound leg fracture, broken nose, broken jaw and concussion.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/04/republican_officials_attacked.html
April 12, 2010
Molotov cocktail thrown at GOP house in Arizona
April 3, 2010
Ohio GOP office - brick thrown through window.
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/04/breaking-another-gop-office-attacked-in-ohio-smashed-windows/
March 30, 2010
Man arrested for threatening to kill US Rep. Eric Cantor and his family.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/35152.html
March 29, 2010
Union lackeys throw eggs at Tea Party buses, threaten conservative media.
http://www.foundingbloggers.com/wordpress/2010/03/breaking-video-reid-supporters-throwing-eggs-and-assaulting-andrew-breitbart/
March 28, 2010
Female, three time cancer survivor, assaulted at Tea Party meeting
http://www.examiner.com/x-11172-Minneapolis-Independent-Examiner~y2010m3d27-Woman-assaulted-by-Obama-Fanatic-at-Princeton-Minnesota-TEA-Party-Patriot-Meeting
March 26, 2010
Liberal talk show host calls for deaths of Limbaugh, O'Reilly, and Beck.
http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/2010/03/26/leftwing-nut-mike-malloy-calls-for-the-deaths-of-rush-limbaugh-bill-oreilly-and-glenn-beck/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FireAndreaMitchell+%28Fire+Andrea+Mitchell!+Exposing+Liberal+bias+cause+the+MSM+doesn%27t+have+to.%29&utm_content=Twitter
March 24, 2010
Republican Congresswoman Jenny Brown receives telephone death threats.
March 24, 2010
Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt receives telephone death threats.
March 22, 2010
Republican Eric Cantor's office receives gunfire through window.
February 21, 2010
IRS plane bomber is a left-wing nut.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_668073.html?source=rss&feed=7
February 15, 2010
CNN and HuffPo call for violence against Republicans.
http://biggovernment.com/ktaylor/2010/02/15/cnn-huffington-post-urge-violence-against-republicans/
February 12, 2010
Amy Bishop, leftist Obama-obsessed, UA-Huntsville professor murders three.
http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=5557
January 10, 2010
Martha Coakley operative knocks over reporter.
http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2010/01/13/coakleys-democrat-operative-knocks-over-reporter-coakley-lies-about-it/
September 3, 2009
Anti healthcare protester has finger bitten off by a (Moveon.org?) leftist.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/cspanjunkie/interview-man-who-had-finger-bitten-to
August 26, 2009
SEIU supporter creates fake hate crime.
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/26/fake-hate-crime-in-denver-dems-stand-by-smear-vandals-story-gets-weirder/
August 7, 2009
SEIU thugs attack Tea Partiers at Tampa Bay town hall.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33059
August 6, 2009
Tea party supporter Ken Gladney beaten up by SEIU thugs outside town hall event.
http://stlouisteaparty.com/2009/08/07/union-thugs-deliver-unprovoked-beating-on-black-conservative-at-carnahan-town-hall/


Miguel 
11/10/10

Comments:
Doug...
What part of "promote the general welfare" don't you understand?

A tax cut won't help me in any real way, what it will do is help the predators who have crippled the middle class (me).

Liberals don't want a plutocracy...it's very simple. We want a society in which people can succeed based on their merits, not on their parents (or grand parents) money. We want a society where one mistake doesn't doom you to homelessness, we want a society where a person who works hard for their whole life doesn't need to choose between cat food and heart medicine.

We want a society, that is NOT owned by large perpetual corporations.

There is the crux...
The political right has managed to fool its RWA followers, the majority of which are net recipients of tax bennies, into believing that a tax break for billion dollar corps and multi millionaires will help them. That is demonstrably false. All one has to do is look at the middle class wage stagnation that started with Reagan's tax cuts and the "great deregulation".

The idea that government has the right to control the efficiency and safety of vehicles, this is a GOOD thing... "for the general welfare", as is energy efficiency in homes and businesses. Because it is truly in the general welfare of the nation as a whole and the citizens thereof to reduce the amount of energy we use, both for environmental reasons and for economic and national security reasons.


Bob Altemeyer Email
11/10/10

Comments:
Scott's observation today about where this comment section has gone lately deserves some consideration. If you scroll back over the past few weeks, you'll see that almost all the comments have come from two people who are having a never-ending argument. I'm pretty sure neither will ever convince the other of much. I suspect they know that. Still they want to slug it out, and this is where they meet.

If you scroll back far enough, to before the troll showed up and someone decided to waste a lot of time grappling with him, you'll see that this site used to get more comments. It's still getting as many visitors as before, but people are less likely to say anything now, pro or con. I suspect it's because they see what's going on in the Comments section and it's not something they want to get involved in.

But this is only my impression, and so now I'm asking for your input. If this debate between Doug and Miguel has an audience, let me know here. That is, if there are people who want this back-and-forth to continue here, say so.  If there are not a lot of supporters, I'm going to ask Doug and Miguel to "take it outside."

I do thank Miguel for keeping Doug occupied in a safe setting. I just don't want all the arguing to "chill" participation by others who have read the book.


Bob Altemeyer Email
11/10/10

Comments:
To Scott: I'm sorry I've taken this long to respond to your comment of Oct. 30, which was about the attack on the MoveOn worker outside the rally for Rand Paul. You asked if this was an act of authoritarian aggression. It might well have been, and as others noted, it was the latest in a string of attacks by right-wingers against left-wingers.

I should also point out that sometimes left-wingers attack right-wingers. But the list of such attacks is comparatively short. This fits in with the research findings, which were NOT that low RWAs are never aggressive, but that high RWAs were reliably more aggressive than lows in a variety of contexts mentioned in the book: e.g. "Trials," electric shock experiments, "Possee," prejudice.


Scott 
11/10/10

Comments:
Dr. Bob,

Sorry to see what has happened to the comments on this website, I was curious to hear you comment on my post a couple of weeks ago with links to recent events. I will not engage with the person tying up the comments here either. One second of time would be too much.

Hope all is well with you.


Doug T.  
11/09/10

Comments:
Miguel.
Religion is illogical and expends a certain percentage of a society's output. The logical progression would be that a irreligious society would have evolved in human history. The fact that no significant human society progressed as atheist is fascinating. Or maybe the expense of a religion is more than offset by productivity increases to curry favor.
I think you're on to something... Union lackeys and minorities are selfish. Of course the axiom that when the majority are able to vote themselves beneficiaries the effort of the few; will we protect minority rights?
Democrats voting with their pocketbook. That's completely 180 degrees opposite of most conventional thought. Explain. Reference.
Again from the TEA (taxed enough already) perspective, limited Cobstitutional gov't will tax less and that means your pocketbook is rewarded.
In the last 2 years, we have went from about 20% federal spending (to GDP). Obamacare adds 15%. Obama's spending increases added another 3-5%, so we are looking at a doubling in government since Obama ascended to his throne.
Last I checked Republicans aren't the party telling you which medicine you can't yes (Avastin), what you can't eat, how much water your toilet uses, what type of lightbulb I can use, how efficient my car has to be, what credit cards can't be issued, how I can structure my home loan, who I can borrow for college from, what type of health insurance I have to buy, tell me I can't buy bottled water, tax me if I tan, social engineering bullcrap. Just what are the Repubs calling for - personal responsibility and that marriage isn't defined as a man copulating with a goat. Just who the heck is forcing their limited viewpoint on whom? It's the liberals who are scared to go out in the world on their own accord. They construct all sorts of safety nets in building their world in which noone can fail and noone can succeed.
Liberals are afraid of uncertainity, and fail to have enough brainpower to plan sufficiently for all conditions. As for myself. I am certain that I could improve my quality of life if I could opt out of Obamacare, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, forced federal student loans, etc, etc. Liberals are incapable of trusting others, as they cannot trust themselves.
Death panels as proven by the NY Times.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/09/a_death_panel_by_any_other_nam_1.html
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