Romney makes Birther joke

[Sbane]

Yes, it is trolling because it makes sense in context. Businesses use these facilities in some form and they most certainly did not build that.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Infracting for trolling at the 2012 Election board is like giving speeding tickets at Indy 500.

[minionofmidas]

Half the people posting on this thread need to eat razorblades.

That's a joke, by the way.

But true.

[7,052,770]

It's probably time to start infracting for intentional distortions of the "you didn't build that" quote, since it's very well established that the antecedent of "that" isn't "your business."  Anyone who tries to imply that it is the antecedent is just intentionally trolling.

and the antecedent is ?

Seriously?

"Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build [those roads and bridges / general infrastructure from that great American system]"

And there's no way at all it could possible be "Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business -- you didn't build [that business]"? It's impossible and in fact trolling to say that?

Are you seriously arguing what he meant?  I can understand if you oppose infracting, but it's very obvious what Obama meant if you look at the entire quote.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

It's probably time to start infracting for intentional distortions of the "you didn't build that" quote, since it's very well established that the antecedent of "that" isn't "your business."  Anyone who tries to imply that it is the antecedent is just intentionally trolling.

and the antecedent is ?

Seriously?

"Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build [those roads and bridges / general infrastructure from that great American system]"

The antecedent is ambiguous. It could refer to the general system, the roads and bridges, the business, or the success in a general way. Not that it matters. It's clear enough what the point of his argument is.

[Maxwell]

Willard Mitt Romney: The Awkward Comedy tour

[Link]

It's probably time to start infracting for intentional distortions of the "you didn't build that" quote, since it's very well established that the antecedent of "that" isn't "your business."  Anyone who tries to imply that it is the antecedent is just intentionally trolling.

and the antecedent is ?

Seriously?

"Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build [those roads and bridges / general infrastructure from that great American system]"

The antecedent is ambiguous.

Only to a troll.

I've made the exact same argument to right wingers myself.  It is human nature to magnify your own efforts and diminish the efforts of others.  Most of us on the left learn to recognize this fact and adjust for it when we are 5.  Right wingers carry on right into adulthood thinking they are the only ones doing any work around here and they and they alone should be recognized when something works out.  Public roads, teachers, SBA loans, and government contracts have nothing to do with the success of companies like Ryan Incorporated.

Besides, wasting time talking about the Birther issue... 

Republicans think discussing racism is "wasting time."

[Vosem]

Besides, wasting time talking about the Birther issue...  

Republicans think discussing racism is "wasting time."

Discussing legally entrenched racism isn't a waste of time. Discussing racism in America is, largely because there are no reasonable government policies that can combat it any further at this point, and also because it's been marginalized enough that it is no longer a significant cultural phenomenon.

Also, congratulations on becoming the second person inducted to my ignore list, after Bandit. I tend to click the "Show" button anyway, so presumably we'll still have lots of fun.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

It's probably time to start infracting for intentional distortions of the "you didn't build that" quote, since it's very well established that the antecedent of "that" isn't "your business."  Anyone who tries to imply that it is the antecedent is just intentionally trolling.

and the antecedent is ?

Seriously?

"Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build [those roads and bridges / general infrastructure from that great American system]"

The antecedent is ambiguous.

Only to a troll.

I've come across this formulation of acceptance of ambiguity and complexity in interpretation as equivalent to trolling before. I don't really understand it, but sometimes internet memes go over my head.

[Link]

Besides, wasting time talking about the Birther issue...  

Republicans think discussing racism is "wasting time."

Discussing legally entrenched racism isn't a waste of time. Discussing racism in America is, largely because there are no reasonable government policies that can combat it any further at this point...

I do not believe that is true and even if it was true I think that is an odd thing for someone on the right to say.  I thought people on the right liked private sector solutions?  If there is enough of an uproar on the internet and through media outlets certain racist behavior will be curbed.  Frankly I didn't read the whole thread but I don't think anyone asked the government to step in in this situation.  I discuss all kinds of things the government doesn't have the power to regulate.  Since when was government's ability to regulate the prerequisite for discussing a social problem?

Also, congratulations on becoming the second person inducted to my ignore list...

If you are that upset about people discussing racism... imagine how African Americans feel when they have to listen to Romney.

it's been marginalized enough that it is no longer a significant cultural phenomenon.

Sure.  We only have a major party nominee making a racist joke in front of a crowd of people on live TV.  Yeah that's not a problem... but forum posts you don't like are.  Got it.  Racism bothers me a lot more than forum posts.  I have definitely read things on here that I find distasteful.  So distasteful the people that posted them were perma banned.  Those people never made it onto my ignore list.  I guess everyone has their priorities.

[7,052,770]

The antecedent is ambiguous.

Take off your partisan glasses and tell me which of these makes sense:

-- The government helped build a great infrastructure, roads and bridges.  If you have a business, you didn't build that infrastructure.

-- The government helped build a great infrastructure, roads and bridges.  If you have a business, you didn't build that business.



Not only is the second statement completely nonsensical, it doesn't fit into the paragraph at all.

[Vosem]

Besides, wasting time talking about the Birther issue...  

Republicans think discussing racism is "wasting time."

Discussing legally entrenched racism isn't a waste of time. Discussing racism in America is, largely because there are no reasonable government policies that can combat it any further at this point...

I do not believe that that is true and even if it was true I think that is an odd thing for someone on the right to say.  I thought people on the right liked private sector solutions?  If there is enough of an uproar on the internet and through media outlets certain racist behavior will be curbed.  Frankly I didn't read the whole thread but I don't think anyone asked the government to step in in this situation.  I discuss all kinds of things the government doesn't have the power to regulate.  Since when was government's ability to regulate the criteria for discussing a social problem?

It's not, it's just difficult for me to think of anything that could curb it at this point, and leftist Americans tend to think some sort of final push from somewhere will eradicate it.

Also, congratulations on becoming the second person inducted to my ignore list...

If you are that upset about people discussing racism... imagine how African Americans feel when they have to listen to Romney.

No, it's more about your signature and your hoplophobia. I'm not upset about people discussing racism, I'm upset about people who believe you can just easily get rid of it. Internet pushes can change the way politicians behave but not how regular people behave. I don't even know what you mean about the second half of your sentence; most of them probably disagree with him, some amount agree. My gut says few African Americans would consider Romney racist, but I haven't seen polling so I won't repeat that as a fact. Romney's father, George, marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.

it's been marginalized enough that it is no longer a significant cultural phenomenon.

Sure.  We only have a major party nominee making a racist joke in front of a crowd of people on live TV.  Yeah that's not a problem... but forum posts you don't like are.  Got it.  Racism bothers me a lot more than forum posts.  I have definitely read things on here that I find distasteful.  So distasteful the people that posted them were perma banned.  Those people never made it onto my ignore list.  I guess everyone has their priorities.

Whether birtherism is racist or not can be argued (I would say it isn't, but I understand how it could be viewed as such), but calling Romney's joke racist is just incredibly dishonest.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The antecedent is ambiguous.

Take off your partisan glasses and tell me which of these makes sense:

-- The government helped build a great infrastructure, roads and bridges.  If you have a business, you didn't build that infrastructure.

-- The government helped build a great infrastructure, roads and bridges.  If you have a business, you didn't build that business.



Not only is the second statement completely nonsensical, it doesn't fit into the paragraph at all.

Is it nonsensical? Or is it, in its non-absolute sense, a reasonable inference from the other statements he was making?  That is, one doesn't build a business all by oneself.

[Link]

Also, congratulations on becoming the second person inducted to my ignore list...

If you are that upset about people discussing racism... imagine how African Americans feel when they have to listen to Romney.

No, it's more about your signature and your hoplophobia.

So hang on a minute.  You can't handle someone criticizing Marco Rubio's factually incorrect, hyperbolic, hyperpartisan remark?  You can't handle someone disagreeing with giving every flight attendant in America a gun, but African Americans should listen to this birther stuff from the Republican presidential nominee and just keep their mouths shut?  Obviously not afraid of a little double standard are we?

Romney's father, George, marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.

That's a lie.  That was debunked over half a year ago.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Link.

Vosem, Romney will say ANYTHING that pops into his head depending on the time of day or who the audience is.  I would be careful about calling people out and putting them on "ignore" based on some off the cuff Romney pronouncement.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Is it nonsensical?

Yes, just like the majority of your posts.

[argentarius]

bbbbbut I read on the Atlas Forum that only Democrats make petty attacks while Republicans stick to the real issues...

Which board were you reading? This is a heavily democratic board in which republicans are frequently villified as trolls and Obama is held in a much higher regard than Romney.

[Vosem]

Also, congratulations on becoming the second person inducted to my ignore list...

If you are that upset about people discussing racism... imagine how African Americans feel when they have to listen to Romney.

No, it's more about your signature and your hoplophobia.

So hang on a minute.  You can't handle someone criticizing Marco Rubio's factually incorrect, hyperbolic, hyperpartisan remark?

Of course I can handle criticizing it, but the idea that it's some kind of stupid gaffe, when, at absolute minimum, 40% of the population agrees with him is just incredibly dumb.

You can't handle someone disagreeing with giving every flight attendant in America a gun,

This is something rather more difficult to handle, because it's an obvious measure and because your argument against it (flight attendants will go on murderous rampages) is just so bizarre.

but African Americans should listen to this birther stuff from the Republican presidential nominee and just keep their mouths shut?

Where did I say they should keep their mouths shut? I'm pretty confident most of them realize it was a joke (and that in fact calling birtherism a racist phenomenon is stretching the truth -- not necessarily breaking, but stretching), but if they feel offended, they should go ahead and say it.

Obviously not afraid of a little double standard are we?

Excuse me, what?

Romney's father, George, marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.

That's a lie.  That was debunked over half a year ago.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Link.

Having read more about it, admittedly it's unlikely (http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2007/dec/28/mitt-romney/george-romney-and-mlk-marched-but-not-together/), not impossible but unlikely, they did it, but it's historical fact that George Romney marched for civil rights, and there are witness accounts other than Romney himself who claim they met at Grosse Pointe.

Vosem, Romney will say ANYTHING that pops into his head depending on the time of day or who the audience is.

Clearly.

 I would be careful about calling people out and putting them on "ignore" based on some off the cuff Romney pronouncement.

I put you on ignore more for your irrational beliefs about arming airplane staff and your general belief that Republicans are racist than for any specific post.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

George's Romney record on civil rights is not an issue there. We're talking about Mitt Romney.