Civil Discourse Now

Where the far left and far right overlap for fun and enlightenment

Mark Small's Blog – September 2012 Archive (14)

TODAY'S SHOW: U.S. Senate candidate Andy Horning (Libertarian Party) and Indiana Senate District 35 candidate Mark Waterfill (Democratic Party).

   Today, September 29, 2012, Civil Discourse Now will host Andy Horning, the Libertarian Party candidate for United States Senate, and Mark Waterfill, the Democratic Party candidate for Indiana Senate, District 35.

   Andy has garnered a lot of press in the last couple of days, with speculation he will split votes and affect a race that also features U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly (Democrat) against State Treasurer Richard Mourdock (Republican). 

   Mark Warerfill also will…

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Added by Mark Small on September 29, 2012 at 6:11am — No Comments

"W" does not stump for Mitt, but talks offshore investments on November 1---on Grand Cayman.

   Was someone from SNL hired to schedule George W. Bush’s public speaking engagements? Or did one of the Super PACs that "lean" toward the Democratic Party dump some money to hire "W" for a specific gig? Or is "The Onion" at work here?

   On November 1-2, the former President will attend, and be the keynote speaker at, the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit on Grand Cayman Island. The general election is November 6.

   Mitt Romney has listed, in the tax returns he has…

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Added by Mark Small on September 28, 2012 at 6:13am — 1 Comment

Can Romney win in the presidential "debates"?

   The first presidential "debate" will occur on October 3.

   The dish on Mitt Romney is that he brings opponents down to his level. In my years of competitive debate in high school and, especially, college, and I understand the principle that a bad opponent can screw up a good team. The effect is akin to the pouring of Karo® syrup into the gear of the machinery of the brain.

   Comparisons frequently are drawn between sports and politics. In sports there is less subjective…

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Added by Mark Small on September 27, 2012 at 6:18am — No Comments

There will be no presidential "debates."

   People should not refer to the public Q & A sessions as presidential "debates."

   As a kid, I was interested in the idea that candidates for President of the United States engaged in debates. By the time I was aware of such matters, the "big" debates were in the past. Of course Lincoln and Douglas debated over a century before in their race for the United States Senate seat from Illinois. Those "debates" consisted of hour-long statements by each candidate in a Chautauqua…

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Added by Mark Small on September 25, 2012 at 6:03am — 1 Comment

Stewart Alexander, Socialist Party USA candidate for President of the United States.

   Stewart Alexander, Socialist Party USA candidate for President of the United States was our guest yesterday on "Civil Discourse Now."

   We filmed The Show yesterday. Due to techno-problems it will not be on the internet until later this morning.

Added by Mark Small on September 24, 2012 at 6:13am — No Comments

Today's Show: guest Stewart Alexander, Socialist Party of America candidate for President of the United States.

   We did not shoot "Civil Discourse Now" yesterday because today we have a Special Show.

   Our guest will be Stewart Alexander, Socialist Party of American candidate for President of the United States. Cameras will roll at 11. The Show should be up on the internet by 3.

Added by Mark Small on September 23, 2012 at 6:31am — No Comments

A response to the Ogdenesque critique of Autumn.

   Paul Ogden has written a blog demeaning the month of Autumn. He told me, yesterday, he was then writing such a piece. I feel compelled to defend what is my, and other people’s, favorite season, although other people (notably members of tribes indigenous to this continent when Europeans arrived) would wonder how anyone could hold as a "favorite" one of the natural phases of our calendar.

   First, Mr Ogden mischaracterizes autumn as a season of death, marked by cold, overcast,…

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Added by Mark Small on September 23, 2012 at 6:23am — 1 Comment

I am part of Mitt's 53%, and I will not vote for him.

   The majority of American pay income taxes. Choice of words gives rise to a claim that many Americans do not pay income taxes. Those Americans pay "withholding" taxes.

   "Taxable income" is defined as "[g]ross income minus all allowable deductions and exemptions; taxable income is multiplied by the applicable tax rate to compute one’s tax liability."  Black’s Law Dictionary, pocket ed., 1996.

   26 U.S.C. (United States Code) § 1 generally requires everyone to pay…

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Added by Mark Small on September 22, 2012 at 6:18am — 1 Comment

Wishful thinking: Romney is trying to blow this electon.

   Quotes aired or otherwise made public over the past several days have made me wonder how the Romney/Ryan ticket still has a shot at victory in 49 days:

   -Romney’s statements to fundraisers in which he writes off 47% of the American people as people whose votes will not bother to elicit curry, and as people who live off government handouts and should learn to fend for themselves.

   -Romney’s criticism of President Obama, in the same speech, as a person who has been…

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Added by Mark Small on September 19, 2012 at 5:07am — No Comments

Today's Show: Resident Imam Mikal Saahir of Nur-Allah Islamic Center, to discuss Islam; and Karl Scharnberg, Republican Party candidate for Indiana House, 96st District.

   Ignorance breeds fear. Fear begets hatred. Hatred feeds war.

   The events in the Middle East this past week have been tragic. For years many people in this country have said hateful things about each other. One target group for anger has been the Islamic community. My use of the phrase "Islamic community" is inaccurate, as the Muslim religion is comprised of groups who view their faith in different ways. It is interesting that amongst the written materials in Osama bin Laden’s…

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Added by Mark Small on September 15, 2012 at 5:52am — No Comments

Boycott companies that outsource customer service jobs.

   Yesterday I tried to make a reservation for a hotel room. Companies make it extremely difficult to call the hotel itself. Chains have "800" numbers. I understand the corporations want to keep down overhead, but the "800" operator usually does not know the specifics of a hotel. For example, earlier I booked a "river view" room in Evansville and, upon arrival, the desk person told me the king-size smoking "river view" room only technically had a "river view." I had the room assignment…

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Added by Mark Small on September 13, 2012 at 6:31am — 1 Comment

September 8 Show: guests Carlos May, Republican Party candidate for U.S. House, 7th District, and John Strinka, Socialist Party candidate for House, 39th District.

   We continue to roll toward the November elections this weekend with two guests. Carlos May is the Republican Party candidate of the United State House of Representatives, Seventh District. He seeks to unseat incumbent Democrat Andre Carson. John Strinka is the Socialist Party candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives, 39th District. Both have been guests on The Show before.

   We shoot at 11a.m. and go on-line at 3 p.m.

Added by Mark Small on September 7, 2012 at 5:57am — No Comments

A missing index of demographics: the "meanness" index.

   One index—amongst all the indexes trotted out to show our people’s health, medical care, spending habits—that I have not seen is one to gauge how mean people are.

   People seem to have become more mean over the years.

   In this context, mean means a/k/a is defined as "pettily offensive or unaccommodating; nasty." American College Dictionary, 1962 ed., p. 754. The dictionary is 50 years old, but the definition would seem to be as accurate today.

   Parts of…

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Added by Mark Small on September 4, 2012 at 6:10am — 2 Comments

Today: Rupert Boneham at the Road Dog Saloon at 11 am, everyone 21 & older welcome!

Everyone 21 years of age or older is welcome!

  In case you missed the news yesterday, we are proud to announce our guests for Saturday’s Show will be Rupert Boneham, Libertarian Party candidate for Governor of Indiana, and his running mate, Brad Klopfenstein, Libertarian Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

   We will shoot at 11 am at the Road Dog Saloon, 4861 Southeastern Avenue, Indianapolis. The Road Dog has good food and an excellent environment. I was pleased…

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Added by Mark Small on September 1, 2012 at 6:03am — No Comments

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