[MD] Imaginings

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Ham]
In Platt's (and the senator's) defense, perhaps they were aware that, the  week
before, an Obama video aimed at America's youth turned up at a Utah school...

[Arlo]
I saw this video, and I found it's language very misguided, criticisms of that
video are largely valid. This, however, does not excuse Russell's rhetoric. His
comment was, plain and simple, that a presidential address to the school
children is totalitarian. 

I can spades spades wherever they are, Ham, and I don't justify the evil
rhetoric of one side by pointing to the evil rhetoric of the other.

[Ham quotes Palin]
Given such statements, is it any wonder that many of the sick and elderly are
concerned that the Democrats' proposals will ultimately lead to rationing of
their health care by -dare I say it - death panels? 

[Arlo]
The public option as proposed by Obama amounted to allowing people the buy in
to Medicare before 65. Medicare already contains an "end of life" counseling
provision (thanks to Bush's 2003 Medicare Act). 

"Rationing" already occurs, both in Medicare and in the private sector.

[Ham]
Now, I realize how difficult it must be for a self-proclaimed "anarcho-Marxist"
to see things from a conservative perspective. 

[Arlo]
I've already said I find many parts of Obama's plan problematic, and I disagree
with them. Personally, I do not have a problem continue covering the end of
life counseling appointments for the terminally ill, but... and you may have
missed this in your zeal to try to paint me as an ideologue... as I've said I
have NO problem with intellectual dissent. It is the pandering to hyperbole,
the willful omission and distortion of facts in order to incite angry mobs of
misinformed voters... that is something I wonder why its difficult for YOU to
"see".

[Ham]
Possibly it will enable you to understand Platt's genuine concern over these
extreme governmental measures as something other than a "subversion of
intellectual discourse".

[Arlo]
I understand "concern", but it does not excuse subverting intellect to the will
 of an angry mob. Dissent about Obama's speech could have been dealt with from
a principled and intellectual position, instead many "conservatives" chose to
pander to fear through distortion and omission, and incite their misinformed
constituents. 

Possibly this will help you understand my frustration at the atrocious and,
dare I say, "evil" rhetoric that masquerades as intellectual discourse in this
country.