Category: Politics

Does being mean pay?

Wise Bread asks the question after Ann Coulter’s recent comments about John Edwards, “Does being a jerk pay?” Obviously in Coulter’s case the answer may be yes.

I’m not interested in what Ann believes. I’m interested in how she manages to survive by doing little more than upset people.
Of course, the press eats it up for fear of appearing biased and liberal. Fox News let Alan Colmes “talk tough” to Coulter before letting all the other commentators talk about just how great she is. This is how Coulter remains relevant. Even she seems to be aware of just how boring the whole routine has become. As she said to Alan Colmes on Hannity & Colmes:
I mean, this is the same thing we go through every six months. I say something, the same people become hysterical, and that’s the end of it.
And I think she’s right. Even though some more conservative people have jumped up to condemn her comments, this doesn’t hurt her. As Fox News Pat Caddell said:
It was very funny. They were raising money with it. So at least you raised money for them, Ann, but I’m sure it won’t hurt any of your book sales either.

If that’s the case and being a jerk or mean really pays (financially) what’s the advantage to being nice and lovable?
Does the jerk always win?
And to play hardball/devil’s advocate: Because Wise Bread is about being frugal/wise with our monies should we all be jerks to one another so we can be more financially sound?

Does God matter in politics?

The answer to that question probably has a lot to do with your political view and maybe your religious views as well. Barna has released a new study comparing Republican and Democratic views on God, religion and politics.
According to the survey:

  • The Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches.
    • 57% of Republicans agree
    • 40% of Democrats agree
  • Satan is a real spiritual entity.
    • 33% of Republicans agree
    • 17% of Democrats agree
  • Describe themselves as absolutely committed to Christianity.
    • 61% of Republicans
    • 48% of Democrats
  • Have spiritual convictions that qualify them as born again Christians.
    • 51% of Republicans
    • 38% of Democrats
  • Good works can earn salvation.
    • 35% of Republicans reject the idea
    • 23% of Democrats reject the idea
  • Attended church in the last seven days.
    • 53% of Republicans
    • 41% of Democrats
  • Qualify as unchurched.
    • 22% of Republicans
    • 34% of Democrats
  • Deem their religious faith to be important in their life.
    • 77% of Republicans
    • 67% of Democrats
  • Believe that God is the all-knowing, perfect creator and ruler of the universe.
    • 75% of Republicans
    • 65% of Democrats
  • Feel compulsion to share their faith with others.
    • 34% of Republicans
    • 24% of Democrats
  • Go to churches of 500+ attenders.
    • 18% of Republicans
    • 10% of Democrats
  • Attend Sunday school classes.
    • 25% of Republicans
    • 17% of Democrats
  • Participate in church-related small groups.
    • 25% of Republicans
    • 18% of Democrats

So you tell me… why does this survey make a difference? Or does it?

Via: Churchrelevance.com

The Simpson’s pick on eveyone

I remember as a kid people used to tell me The Simpsons were anti-Christian.
But in reality I think they’re more about laughing at everyone equally.
I haven’t seen a new episode in months but that doesn’t stop my love for the yellow family from Springfield.
Moby shared a couple quotes from last night’s show that I thought were very amusing…

bart: ‘i had a dream where i was in a family of cartoon characters and our
success funded a propaganda channel called fox news’
and
cletus: ‘brandine! i thought you were in iraq protecting us from 9-11!’

Gotta love satire.

Bush takes a look under the hood

On Friday, President Bush took a look under the hood of two plug-in electric cars at the White House, including an electric pickup truck by Phoenix Motorcars.
Bush made a short speech to reiterate his State of the Union Address saying: “I firmly believe that the goal I laid out, that Americans will use 20 percent less gasoline over the next 10 years is going to be achieved, and here’s living proof of how we’re going to get there.
Along with the truck, a Toyota Prius was also on display.
The Prius on display had a high-power lithium-ion battery made by A123 Systems. It can power the car for about 40 miles and recharge in five hours. The white truck, made by Phoenix Motorcars, uses a different kind of high-powered battery made by Altair Nanotechnologies. The battery has a range of 130 miles and can be recharged in about 10 minutes with a rapid-charging unit or trickle-charged overnight with its onboard charger.
Watch video here
Read the New York Times article.
Via Treehugger.

Barack in Texas this weekend


Presidential candidate Barack Obama was greeted in Austin yesterday by over 15,000 people in the state’s capital. The Star Telegram reported 20,000.
Sources for the Austin American Statesman suggested the candidate may have raised over $250,000 during his trip to the “Longhorn State.”

Standing on a platform slickened by intermittent rain, the third-year U.S. senator from Illinois and Democratic presidential candidate celebrated the nation’s history of overcoming injustices, ranging from slavery to civil rights discrimination to the denial of voting rights to women.
Obama, who has proposed a phased removal of U.S. troops from Iraq starting in May, said he’s proud of opposing the American invasion of Iraq from the start…
Obama said: “I am an imperfect vessel. This campaign is not going to be about me. Ultimately, it’s going to be about you.”
Urging people to enlist friends on his behalf, he said: “Tell ’em it’s time for you to turn off the TV, stop playing GameBoy. We’ve got work to do.”

Read more from the Statesman, Morning News, Chronicle and Star Telegram.