Skeptical Avenger

quickhits: Hatred, wedge politics driving ‘scandals.’ Charlie...

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:39:18 -0400

Hatred, wedge politics driving ‘scandals.’

Charlie Cook: Red-faced Republicans, circling and preparing to pounce on a second-term Democratic president they loathe, do not respect, and certainly do not fear. Sound familiar? Perhaps reminiscent of Bill Clinton’s second term, after the Monica Lewinsky story broke? During that time, Republicans became so consumed by their hatred of Clinton and their conviction that this event would bring him down that they convinced themselves the rest of the country was just as outraged by his behavior as they were. By the way, what was Clinton’s lowest Gallup job-approval rating in his second term, throughout the travails of investigations and impeachment? It was 53 percent. The conservative echo machine had worked itself into such a frenzy, the GOP didn’t realize that the outrage was largely confined to the ranks of those who never voted for Clinton anyway.

These days, the country is even more polarized, and the conservative echo chamber is louder than ever before. Many conservatives made it all the way to Election Day last November unaware that their White House nominee was falling short. How could Mitt Romney possibly lose when everyone they knew was voting for him? Except that he did lose, and it wasn’t even a very close race. Five other post-World War II presidential elections had closer outcomes.

The simple fact is that although the Republican sharks are circling, at least so far, there isn’t a trace of blood in the water. A new CNN/ORC survey of 923 Americans this past Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, pegged Obama’s job-approval rating at 53 percent, up a statistically insignificant 2 points since their last poll, April 5-7, which was taken before the Benghazi, IRS, and AP-wiretap stories came to dominate the news and congressional hearing rooms. His disapproval rating was down 2 points since that last survey.

This is all very correct, but what really got my attention was the bit about polarization and “the conservative echo chamber.” Republicans have become so reliant on wedge issue politics over the years that they seem to have no idea how to operate without them. In fact, it seems to have become reflexive — they don’t even know they’re doing it.

Meanwhile, all the wedges are turning against them. But they don’t seem to be able to stop. And here again, we see a different sort of wedge that’s working just as poorly, but Republicans are so invested in in that they can’t stop.

Part of the problem is that the base takes these wedge issues extremely seriously. Republican voters believe that Benghazi is literally the worst thing ever, for example. When you have your ~~marks~~ constituents whipped up into that sort of a frenzy, you can’t just drop it when it’s not working for you. You’re pretty much committed to the issue, whether it’s a good idea or not. And it’s like that across the board; abortion is the Holocaust, gay marriage will destroy the family, undocumented immigrants are taking over America, etc. By amping everything up to eleven, they set themselves on courses they can’t reverse from — ever. If you drop the issue, the voters you’ve driven into a panic over it won’t show up at the polls.

And so now they find themselves screwed by their own outsized hatred of Barack Obama. The base literally believes he’s a Hitler in the making, so they can’t ever stop attacking him; even when it’s screwing them in the polls.

[photo via Wikimedia Commons]

So that’s how it works.

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:10:05 -0400

So that’s how it works.

the-fandoms-are-cool: superwholocks-bitch: so my nan was spouting some crap about how gay people...

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:42:15 -0400

the-fandoms-are-cool:

superwholocks-bitch:

so my nan was spouting some crap about how gay people aren’t really people because of what it says in the bible so I said “you think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you but if you walked the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew” and she shut the fuck up

she had no idea I was quoting a song from Pocahontas

my faith in my generation has been restored

"Mr. Obama has a firm grasp of the climate issue, and no one doubts that he cares about it. But as is..."

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:12:08 -0400

“Mr. Obama has a firm grasp of the climate issue, and no one doubts that he cares about it. But as is often the case with this president, the question is whether he will exhibit a sense of urgency to match his intellectual understanding.”

- New York Times editorial board. (via poptech)

A more accurate question would be: Is there anything this president can do to address the issue that doesn’t require input from a Congress that has proven inept, incapable, and unwilling to do its job?

(via liberalbutnotpartisan)

Yeah…I could use some help clothes shopping.

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:42:55 -0400

Yeah…I could use some help clothes shopping.

dont u think its more messed up to have a marine hold your umbrella as too a regular stooge who does it for palin?

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:28:10 -0400

Not if you are the President of the United States. I think that’s kind of standard operating procedure.

So, no, it’s not more messed up when a Marine holds an umbrella for the POTUS versus someone holding it for a regular stooge like Palin.

Sighs.

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:13:52 -0400

Sighs.

friendlyatheist: Anyone know from what show this is? -FA

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:44:54 -0400

friendlyatheist:

Anyone know from what show this is?

-FA

fucking-wicked: studdedbeauty: k1ng-and-l1onheart: lexuswillow...

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:15:46 -0400

fucking-wicked:

studdedbeauty:

k1ng-and-l1onheart:

lexuswillow:

This is an old family picture.

My family does not support my being in the LGBTQIA community. They actually are opposed to it. They tell me every day that its disgusting and that it’s sinful and I’ll go to hell for liking women.
I moved out when I was seventeen, and in January I moved back in with them because I couldn’t handle everything that was going on. Every day one of my five siblings tells me to go back to Minnesota. My little brother Charlie (the black baby in the picture) is now 8 and he constantly physically attacks me and tells me that I’m not his sister and to leave. My other siblings make it very obvious and clear that they don’t want me here and my parents tell me constantly that they’re gonna kick me out soon.
I’ve been saving every penny for a bus ticket to Oregon to stay with my best friend and today I found this picture in my sisters’ room ON DISPLAY. Not hidden. On display. They cut my face out of the picture.

And that… That was just the last straw.
I don’t care if anyone reblogs this or whatever, I don’t wanna get popular, I just want people to know that this is not what a family looks like. This is not something people should have to go through.

This is no life.

This is absolutely heartbreaking.

Religious cults are fucking crazy! Choosing a deity over their flesh and blood. Fucking INSANE.

This is why I’m atheist. Fuck people like this.

"Copy lab results?! You can’t fake science! What do you think this is - a Republican convention?!"

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:46:55 -0400

“Copy lab results?! You can’t fake science! What do you think this is - a Republican convention?!”

- Mr. Carl Gibson, the best (and most blatantly opinionated) man to ever teach physics at North Central High School (via alittlebluesomething)

I love this. :D

astro-stoner: shityo: morefunthanbeingsad: physicsphysics: An...

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:50:50 -0400

astro-stoner:

shityo:

morefunthanbeingsad:

physicsphysics:

An interesting model of our solar system’s path as it travels through space in the Milky Way.

Certainly a departure from usual models that show the Sun as a static object, which it certainly isn’t

I had no idea this was happening. Where are we going?

To fuck some shit up

Around the center of the Milky Way, which is heading towards the Andromeda Galaxy. And our whole Local Group is moving towards the Virgo Cluster.

But we’ll never actually reach the Virgo Cluster because space is expanding between us and them faster than we’re moving towards it.

Motherfucking science.

Hey, you know? If God is pissed off about some things, all he...

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:21:58 -0400

Hey, you know? If God is pissed off about some things, all he has to do is come down and kick some butt. But HE, in person, has to kick the butt, otherwise people will say that other things, like weather and stuff, is actually doing the butt kicking.

Occam’s Razor - the simpler explanation is usually the...

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:52:39 -0400

Occam’s Razor - the simpler explanation is usually the correct one.

"Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) intends to run for president — of the United States — and he’s been a guest..."

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:23:40 -0400

“

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) intends to run for president — of the United States — and he’s been a guest on Alex Jones’ show.

In other words, the guy raising the specter of Obama using “weather weapons” to kill Oklahomans is the same guy helping influence several Republican policymakers in 2013.

Maybe it’s just me, but I find that rather alarming.

”

- Reaching the ‘weather weapon’ stage (via wilwheaton)

liberalsarecool: Rigged is an understatement.

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:54:38 -0400

liberalsarecool:

Rigged is an understatement.

hatefulatheist: divineirony: Wolf Blitzer Asks Tornado...

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:25:39 -0400

hatefulatheist:

divineirony:

Wolf Blitzer Asks Tornado Survivor If She Thanked the Lord; Tells Him She’s an Atheist

There was a moment of levity in Oklahoma Tuesday when CNN host Wolf Blitzer, concluding an interview with a woman named Rebecca and her 19-month-old son Anders who survived the devastating tornado, asked her if she thanked the Lord for a decision that saved her life.

“I’m actually an atheist,” she replied, laughing.

She added she wouldn’t blame other people for thanking the Lord, though.

Rebecca said she decided to leave her house with Anders, a fateful move as it was later destroyed by the tornado. She returned after it hit to see her husband Brian searching the remains of the home for her and their son, leading to a tearful reunion.

I heard about this story this morning, and I love seeing this. I have to say that her awkwardness in being asked the question was obvious, but she was honest and spoke how she truly feels. That is brave, so often Atheists put in to that situation will simply go along with what is being said to not rock the boat. Bravo to this woman!

@rickygervais

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:56:35 -0400

@rickygervais

the-hunger-festivities: magicalorphanboy: bronzebasilisk: ryun...

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:08:10 -0400

the-hunger-festivities:

magicalorphanboy:

bronzebasilisk:

ryunwoofie:

sonneillonv:

autumn-and-eve:

erinsmomma:

How can someone stand behind abortion, when you have a life inside of you that God created for you? How can you say that this life isn’t worth it? If you can’t take care of the baby for whatever circumstances than there is always adoption available to couples who can’t conceive, but still want the joy of being parents. OPEN YOUR EYES! God has bigger plans for us all that we don’t even realize the picture.

Excuse me but it appears your baby is actually upside down
Did you take Sex Ed freshman year because babies come out headfirst

Hi, OP! As someone who was given up for adoption, allow me to call bullshit on your little post there! You see, when I was adopted, I was a white-skinned, healthy, neurotypical infant, which basically put me at the top of the list, right underneath white-skinned, healthy, neurotypical MALE infants! There’s only one kind of infant people wanted to adopt more than me! I was SOOO lucky! But if you actually bothered to look at the information readily available on the interwebs, you would be aware that the majority of people who are forced to rely on abortion for family planning are poor people and people of color. Of course, those two demographics intersect, thanks to the institutionalized racism of our society! Neat huh?!

Of course, even babies of color are not in high demand with couples looking to adopt. Many who do want to adopt outside their race choose to go outside the country, where laws are less strict and the process is often less expensive. Of course, most of the infants adopted this way are obtained in unscrupulous fashion, but who cares about that when you’re saving a little Korean or African baby from the horrible fate of growing up in Korea or Africa??? And all those children who have birth defects, are born with diseases or disabilities, or have other issues… WELL. Who wants to invest that kind of expense and time? Why would you adopt someone broken, LOLOL?!

Granted, there are some wonderful people who understand the system a little better, and make it a point to try and give POC and disabled children a good home. But they make up a very small fraction of potential adopters! This difference in supply and demand leaves a lot of children stuck in the foster system, where their chances of being adopted diminish with every passing year, and their chances of being physically or sexually abused INCREASE! Isn’t that wonderful?

And of course, we haven’t even talked about the person who is giving birth to the baby! I know you probably think pregnancy is a wonderful, happy time, and for some people it is, but it is also one of the greatest health risks a person can take. I love my son very much, and from the day I found out I was pregnant with him, I wanted him! But I also nearly died giving birth to him. You see, I had pre-eclampsia, the most commonly fatal birth complication in the world. My blood pressure was 180 over 130! At twenty-two years old, I was actually headed for a stroke, hah hah! How funny is that? And all it took was missing a single pre-natal appointment during which my blood pressure rose to dangerous levels and my body tried to kill both me and my son. Those seizures sure were fun, as was the emergency c-section performed without anesthetic! And being chained down while the operation was performed, because I was delirious and wouldn’t stop trying to fight off the doctors, that was a BLAST! It was great for my husband too, since he almost lost his wife and child in just forty-five minutes. You can imagine how thrilled he is at the prospect of me ever getting pregnant again. Babies are certainly cute, but pregnancy can have massive health complications, and I know it’s such a bummer, but they are PERMANENT. :( My abdominal muscles never recovered from being hacked through with a scalpel, and the flood of hormones caused by late pregnancy have changed things from heartburn (never used to have it, now, all the time!) to my emotional reactions (I cry when I see pictures of kittens now. I used to be tough). These are changes I did not ask for, cannot control, and cannot fix! And many people go through worse! I know, right? Unbelievable, but go look up the word ‘episiotomy’ and then look up ‘birth rape’ and I’m afraid you’ll find some stuff that just isn’t very shiny. Plus, the studies actually show that people who carry a baby to term, give birth, then give it up for adoption suffer HIGHER rates of post-pregnancy complications like post-partum depression and post-partum psychosis, general depression, and other mental health issues. Adoption actually isn’t good for the person giving birth at all!

I’m afraid the picture you chose to use there is also pretty disingenuous. I know, I know, it seems like nitpicking. I’m not trying to be mean! :( But that picture shows a fully developed, viable infant, and most abortions are performed when the fetus isn’t even a fetus - it’s a blastocyst. That’s just a clump of cells. Seriously! You can totally find pictures on the interwebs and they’re not even gross, LOLOL! Later-term abortions are usually performed because of health complications, though some of our intrepid state legislators are trying to change all that! They care so much about people who are pregnant, you see, that they want to force them to carry dead or dying fetuses inside them until their body either becomes infected while it rots in their tummies (this is called sepsis, and it makes people very sick, and can even kill them!), or forces it out naturally in a gush of blood and fluids! Isn’t that so caring of them? I’m so glad they’re around to make those decisions for me! And if a pregnant person is not allowed to terminate an unviable fetus, in some states, they have to carry the child to term, give birth to it, and then watch it die in their arms because its lungs weren’t developed, or its brain formed outside its skull, or any of a million possible birth defects that will kill you just as quick as lickity-split! Isn’t that wild?! Of course, these people go through terrible grief, and as I mentioned, some of them may get sick and die from not being able to abort dead or dying fetuses. But I guess that’s just A-okay with you, huh?

Basically, I think before you suggest adoption as a universal alternative, you should actually go do some research on adoption. And before you condemn abortion, you should do some research on abortions - not the stuff your church is giving you, the stuff the real doctors are saying. Go to Planned Parenthood (if they haven’t all been closed down, ROFLMAO!) and request whatever information they have on the process, the statistics of who has abortions and why… and actually, all of that is on the interwebs! Isn’t technology AMAZING?

And in closing, since I’ve been asked this question many times and I know it’s coming? Yes, I realize I am here talking to you because I was not aborted. But the thing is, if my mother had chosen abortion, I wouldn’t know the difference, so it wouldn’t matter to me. And if she decided that choice was best for her, then that choice would have been best for her, and I would never want to take that choice away from her. As it is, since I was given up for adoption, and since I have seen the statistics on how badly people who give their children up for adoption suffer, I have spent much of my adult life worrying about her, whether she’s healthy, whether she’s okay, and feeling that if she did suffer from any of the common post-birth symptoms, it is at least partially my fault, even though she made that decision on her own. Which is silly, I know, but at some point, all children have to stare down the consequences of their parents’ having them. For some, that’s poverty. For others, a life-time of their parents struggling to treat and care for a severe illness or disability. For others, it’s wondering if their mother ever got over giving them away, and wishing you could reach out and assure her that it’s okay, she doesn’t have to be haunted.

May your birth control never fail!

Pro.

Sonneillonv deserves a mother fucking standing ovation here.

Slow clap.

this is my favorite post because i think it’s the strongest argument for how abortion isn’t wrong and adoption is not always a solution so people should start researching and not just believing what ever is being shoved down their throats at church. This is not a slow clap this is thunderous boom of people all over the world saying thank you

stellar-indulgence: The combination of Titan’s low gravity and...

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:39:27 -0400

stellar-indulgence:

The combination of Titan’s low gravity and thick atmosphere would allow a human to fly by strapping “fake wings” to their arms.

The second-largest moon in the solar system, Saturn’s Titan is the only moon with a substantial atmosphere, which is much deeper than Earth’s. It’s so thick and the gravity so weak, in fact, that you could strap wings on your arms and flap them like a bird to fly. The air is mostly nitrogen, but the rest is mostly hydrocarbons, giving Titan’s atmosphere a thick orange smoggy haze that is opaque to visible light. Cassini studies Titan in infrared light (which can penetrate the haze) and with radar — and in 2004, via the Huygens Probe, an atmosphere probe became the first spacecraft to transmit from the surface of a moon other than our own. Titan is remarkably earthlike, apart from being so cold that water is as hard as rock; in addition to the atmosphere, it is the only place other than Earth known to have bodies of liquid on the surface — lakes as large as the Great Lakes, except that it’s not water: it’s probably methane or ethane. The climate is probably similar to some of our deserts, with gigantic monsoons perhaps once a decade or more, and long droughts between. NASA scientists are working on a mission called Titan Mare Explorer (TiME) specifically to study the lakes of Titan.

Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/ It’s Raining on Titan! Illustration Credit & Copyright: David A. Hardy (AstroArt)

In a few centuries, Titan may become the favorite tourist destination spot in the solar system.

gothlolita: im Sorry but you two cant get the marriage. the bible said Adam and Eve not matthew and...

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:45:07 -0400

gothlolita:

im Sorry but you two cant get the marriage. the bible said Adam and Eve not matthew and ashley. come back when youve legally changed your names