Confession Is Good For The Soul [Warden]

A fellow conservative traveler told me how he spent 20 minutes today patiently explaining to a left-leaning, low information voter what the purpose of the electoral college is and how it protects the interests of the citizens from smaller states. He was pleased at how receptive his target was. What she was hearing was completely new to her.

He concluded his story with this thought: "You know, I think some people just turn off the learning switch after they graduate from high school or college and go through the rest of their lives without learning much of anything unless they absolutely have to."

I remarked that this woman should be commended, at least, to being open to new information and reconsidering her opinion. It's a rare thing in humans, generally, and even more rare when it comes to political opinions.

I started thinking about some of the positions I believe that I've been wrong about and decided to list a small sample here. I'm hoping that you guys will do the same in the comments.

Why do this? First because admitting publicly that you were wrong about something helps to keep you humble and serves as a reminder that learning is a process that never ends. If you haven't changed your mind on a few important subjects over the past decade, then chances are you're neither curious about the world around you, nor intellectually rigorous with yourself.

Secondly, because evolving from an old position to a new one usually involves a logical thought process. People who go through this process are usually good at explaining how they arrived at their new opinion because of it. I find that people who have changed their minds on some topic of relative importance usually have interesting insights pertaining to that topic.

So with that said, here's a brief list of things I've changed my mind about.

Gay Marriage

Up until about 8 years ago, I self identified as a small L libertarian. I've always been, at my heart, a live and let live kind of person. I've never cared much about what other people do. In fact, if we're not friends for family, I'm unlikely to give anything that you do much consideration at all.

This attitude is as much temperamental as it is ideological and it steered me directly into the "I don't care if gays get married, it doesn't affect me" camp.

"I'm not a busybody. I'm not a control freak. Why should I care?" I thought.

This was my attitude until just a year or so before the gay marriage push became aggressive. A married couple I was friends with objected to gay marriage based on on scripture. I said that I agreed with them, but I didn't think that was a good enough reason to ban it. Then the wife looked at me and said, "They're using marriage to normalize it. Then they'll teach it to your kids in school. Eventually they'll go after your church. If it were about wills and health insurance and things like that, then they'd be happy with some other definition--a legal union, maybe. That's not what they're after."

I thought about this and the entire history of the left baiting and switching the public on issues and conceded that she was right. I didn't want her to be, honestly. I was emotionally committed the other way. I didn't want to be lied to again.

But she had her finger on it. There's no argument that where we are now was the goal all along. And they're going to keep on pushing. I wish I'd seen it earlier.

Iraqi Liberation

This one doesn't take much courage to admit because so many other people made the same mistake that I did, but looking back on it, George W Bush's attempt to nation build in Iraq was a horrendous miscalculation.

We misunderstood human nature. We believed falsely and naively that the principles of freedom, natural rights, individualism, representative government, and the rule of law could be successfully transferred to any group of people in the world, regardless of their culture, religion and history.

We were wrong. Our Constitution came from a miraculous confluence of specific events and individuals. The result of the American Revolution is the exception, not the rule and its ideals are not transferable to a people without rare preconditions already in place.

Rational Decision Making

I stepped out of college believing the economic theory that people, as a group, make rational economic decisions. Now, granted, I was young back then, but the very idea of this makes me laugh today.

Humans are not rational about anything, not as individuals, not in the aggregate. If we were rational actors in the economic sphere, then advertising wouldn't work. Take a stroll down your supermarket medicine aisle. Do you see that bottle of Excedrin that costs more than twice as much as the store brand bottle? Look at the ingredients. They're exactly the same and in the same amount.

Now check out Tylenol. It's 500 mg of acetaminophen. Tylenol Arthritis? 150 mgs more. That's it. There's no special ingredient. Yet, we will irrationally take one or the other depending on our symptoms.

Once you realize that people are emotional, not rational creatures, then the world begins to make less sense. You also stop believing in silly myths like the scientist as a man of cold, hard reason. Bullshit. Science is practiced by humans, with all their accompanying flaws. Ego, confirmation bias, greed, fear, dishonesty, stubbornness etc...

I've gotten many, many things wrong in my life. That'll never change. Sometimes it's embarrassing to be wrong. I've found that it can also be oddly thrilling--almost like uncovering a secret.

So what about you? What have you gotten wrong and why?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:28 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Uh oh

Posted by: dartist at December 07, 2016 09:07 PM (Cf0i2)

2 That doesn't happen too often.

Posted by: dartist at December 07, 2016 09:08 PM (Cf0i2)

3 I'll get the others.

Posted by: dartist at December 07, 2016 09:08 PM (Cf0i2)

4 Crossbows

Posted by: YaHump at December 07, 2016 09:09 PM (DNjb8)

5 First time Top Ten!

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at December 07, 2016 09:09 PM (di1hb)

6 Until you can argue your opponents position, to their satisfaction, you can't be sure what you are arguing against.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:09 PM (0F67M)

7 I still can't visually determine between Jill Stein and Janet Yellen.

And economically I think they are the same soul.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 07, 2016 09:10 PM (yLUuz)

8 Also, if your results match your desires, run the test again.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:10 PM (0F67M)

9 Delayed post or did 1.5 hours of comments get disappeared?

Posted by: PaleRider, link to SMFH funeral expenses for Carl at December 07, 2016 09:10 PM (dkExz)

10 So what about you? What have you gotten wrong and why?

Butt stuff.

Posted by: Megan at December 07, 2016 09:11 PM (EnCVy)

11 I also can't correctly use the terms "distinguish" and "determine" except after hitting "post"

Posted by: Kindltot at December 07, 2016 09:11 PM (yLUuz)

12 i guess she really wasn't interested in me.

that's what the court order means, right? right? i mean, maybe the court order says no, but her eyes were saying yes...

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at December 07, 2016 09:11 PM (WTSFk)

13 What have you gotten wrong and why?

8 years

Posted by: Prez'nit Pepperoni at December 07, 2016 09:11 PM (Tyii7)

14 I was wrong once. I thought I had made a mistake, but it turned out that I hadn't.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:12 PM (0F67M)

15 Elmers is best paired with white wine, not red.

Posted by: Joe Biden at December 07, 2016 09:12 PM (EnCVy)

16 This one doesn't take much courage to admit because so many other people made the same mistake that I did, but looking back on it, George W Bush's attempt to nation build in Iraq was a horrendous miscalculation.
***
In an alternate universe where Bush doesn't go into Iraq, the AQ leadership, like Zarqawi and Baghdadi before them go there.

President Gore invades Iraq in 2005 to universal acclaim.

After 8 years or so he declares victory and goes home, leaving a new more virulent version of Islamism calling itself ISIS to slowly claim the region...

Posted by: 18-1 at December 07, 2016 09:13 PM (aZq03)

17 I am not confessin' notting

Posted by: runner at December 07, 2016 09:14 PM (c6/9Q)

18 6 Until you can argue your opponents position, to their satisfaction, you can't be sure what you are arguing against.
Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:09 PM (0F67M)

Yeah, in retrospect I wish I had joined the debate team in high school. Supposedly they do make you argue both sides of an issue. I can see how that ability would be useful in life.

Posted by: rickl - THE MEDIA IS LYING TO YOU at December 07, 2016 09:14 PM (sdi6R)

19 Bush wasn't necessarily wrong about Iraq.

Obola deliberately sabotaged our policy there, which, until then, was w*rking, more or less.

Posted by: redc1c4 at December 07, 2016 09:14 PM (JROHO)

20 Wow, challenging question. The Trump election has forced me to confront one of my most sacred premises: free trade. Comparative advantage always made sense to me, we make what we're best at, you make what you're best at, and then we trade, and everyone comes out better from the whole thing.

And then we have a world in which half the stuff is made in Shenzhen, and rural communities in the US have no work, and I have to think I was wrong. I don't know what right looks like yet, but I have to admit it looks as though I got something wrong here.

Posted by: Splunge at December 07, 2016 09:15 PM (iMxBJ)

21 I am not confessin' notting

Those bodies were in the crawlspace when I bought the house.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:15 PM (0F67M)

22 Until you can argue your opponents position, to their satisfaction, you can't be sure what you are arguing against.
***
In my experience the left prides itself in willful ignorance of countervailing opinions.

Posted by: 18-1 at December 07, 2016 09:15 PM (aZq03)

23 I've never gotten anything wrong, Ever.

Posted by: TheTruth at December 07, 2016 09:16 PM (Av8i6)

24 in other news, the Michigan re-count is now deader than Hillary's campaign

legalinsurrection.com/2016/12/michigan- recount-watch-awaiting-court-ruling/

Posted by: redc1c4 at December 07, 2016 09:16 PM (JROHO)

25 In my experience the left prides itself in willful ignorance of countervailing opinions.

Not just that. They seem congenitally opposed to definition. It's like wrestling with smoke.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:17 PM (0F67M)

26 And then we have a world in which half the stuff is made in Shenzhen, and rural communities in the US have no work, and I have to think I was wrong
***
I would concur here.

It looks to me like our immediate choices are trade restrictions and working Americans, or "free trade" and Americans on welfare/SSDI.

The taxpayers will pay for it either way...so why don't we make the choice that gives a large segment of our country dignity and will hopefully force political changes in countries like China...

Posted by: 18-1 at December 07, 2016 09:17 PM (aZq03)

27 What have you gotten wrong and why?
-------------

Mitsubishi Starion, because, stupid.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:17 PM (ZO497)

28 Did you explain to her that the Electoral College is like affirmative action for the minority states?

Posted by: andycanuck at December 07, 2016 09:18 PM (iDIIX)

29 As a Democrat holding a local office in San Francisco and a government bureaucrat, I was wrong about everything. All the time.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at December 07, 2016 09:18 PM (EZebt)

30 What have I gotten wrong?

I used to believe that being good would over ride self interest for most people.

I've sadly learned otherwise...

I used to believe that if I was not Racist... that if I treated others equally... that I would be given the same respect....

And I used to believe that the Government was there for the common good... not to line their own pockets, and get their jolly's by the imposition of Power....

Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:18 PM (qf6WZ)

31 I can't think of any I've always been right.

Posted by: SOMEASSHOLESTOLEMYPEN at December 07, 2016 09:19 PM (XfJV2)

32 I used to think that NPR wasn't as bad as everyone said it was. Then today in the afternoon I turn it on just to see how they are coping and they're having a serious discussion comparing Trump to Hitler.

Posted by: kahall at December 07, 2016 09:19 PM (nfZq0)

33 28 Did you explain to her that the Electoral College is like affirmative action for the minority states?
Posted by: andycanuck at December 07, 2016 09:18 PM (iDIIX)

LOL! I'll have to remember that.

Posted by: rickl - THE MEDIA IS LYING TO YOU at December 07, 2016 09:19 PM (sdi6R)

34 What have you gotten wrong and why?
------------

Sucking on that fifth of Old Bushmill's while camped beside a ravine.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:19 PM (ZO497)

35 What have you gotten wrong and why?

waxing

Posted by: Hope's Rolo at December 07, 2016 09:20 PM (Tyii7)

36 Jeb Bush
@JebBush
Can't imagine a better pick than my friend @AGScottPruitt to reform an out-of-control EPA. He'll bring common sense back to the agency.

HOLY SHIT????????????

Posted by: Evilpens at December 07, 2016 09:20 PM (y3aQB)

37 In 1986, I bought the second Giuffria Album.

In retrospect, I should have gone with the Grim Reaper album released the year before.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 09:20 PM (c8Ctg)

38 ok. fine. I watched CNN once. BUT, it was at an airport !! I was forcefed.

Posted by: runner at December 07, 2016 09:20 PM (c6/9Q)

39 I used to be pro-abortion but after I saw the devastation abortion had on two close friends I became pro-life. One Mother's Day I went out to dinner with one of these friends and during the meal she got upset and started crying. She told me that she had had 3 abortions and that Mother's Day was always the hardest day of the year for her. By this time, she was 50 and knew she'd never have kids. Whatever anyone tells you, women regret their abortions.

Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (FSETn)

40 oh, and then I a gave a fake phone number to someone. I think it was IRS, but I am not sure.

Posted by: runner at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (c6/9Q)

41
For myself, I knew going into college forty plus years ago what I intended to study and that I was cut out for it. I also thought that, were I not cut out for it, I would receive worthwhile advice from those at the school as to what made good sense for me to try next.

Based on our kids' experiences, I see that I was naive. Colleges just want to keep the students enrolled so as to keep the money rolling in and suitability and future employability be damned, much less paying back borrowed funds.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Gob-Smacked Rage Monkeys (Suck It, NR!) at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (fOgSR)

42 I was wrong, Obama got elected.

I was wrong, Obama got re-elected.

I was wrong, Trump got elected. Thank God!

Posted by: Blanco Basura #Free Cthulhu (with full price purchase of Azatoth or Nyarlathotep) at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (IcT7t)

43 I've mentioned before that I used to be a liberal. Watching the Berlin Wall come down started the turnaround. I started reading NR and the American Spectator and gradually realized that I had been wrong about just about everything political. It was painful.

I think the reason the leftists try to shout down speakers with other POV is precisely because they fear that if they listen and question themselves, they might end up moving right - and that's a terrifying idea to them.

Posted by: Donna di deplorable ampersands&&&&and so there at December 07, 2016 09:22 PM (P8951)

44 I stepped out of college believing the economic theory that people, as a group, make rational economic decisions. Now, granted, I was young back then, but the very idea of this makes me laugh today.

Rational decision making in any sphere? Srsly?

I give you "tattoos."

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:22 PM (SRKgf)

45 I've been wrong about lots of things but I can't remember any...probably a mental block or erasing that part of my brain or something.

I knew Iraq was a big mistake though.

Posted by: CanaDave at December 07, 2016 09:22 PM (Vqfqv)

46 I used to believe that we all wanted a strong and prosperous America and the difference between Donks and decent people was a disagreement over the tactics and policies to get us there.

I was drinking a lot in those days.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:22 PM (Nwg0u)

47 I used to think Glenn Beck had valid points.
I also used to think Megyn Kelley was conservative.
And (even though I voted for him) I thought Trump was a closet liberal.

Posted by: jwb7605 at December 07, 2016 09:22 PM (DofIg)

48 When I was in Elementary school I voted for Carter in the mock election.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:22 PM (dKiJG)

49 Which gay marriage are we talking about?

The one that regularizes a long-term relationship, allows for shared benefits and inheritance? That one I can sympathize with, even support.

The one that practices lawfare, bankrupts businesses and gets people fired? That one I oppose wholeheartedly.

Posted by: Kodos the Executioner at December 07, 2016 09:23 PM (J8/9G)

50 36 Jeb Bush
@JebBush
Can't imagine a better pick than my friend @AGScottPruitt to reform an out-of-control EPA. He'll bring common sense back to the agency.

HOLY SHIT????????????
Posted by: Evilpens at December 07, 2016 09:20 PM (y3aQB)

That makes me rethink my belief that Trump made a good selection for the EPA head.

Posted by: buzzion at December 07, 2016 09:23 PM (z/Ubi)

51 Oh, yeah.

That whole marriage thing...

wrong about that, too.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 09:23 PM (c8Ctg)

52
When I was in Elementary school I voted for Carter in the mock election.

Did your mum pack your little suitcase and throw you out of the house when you got home?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 07, 2016 09:24 PM (Mk/Qf)

53 39 I used to be pro-abortion but after I saw the devastation abortion had on two close friends I became pro-life. One Mother's Day I went out to dinner with one of these friends and during the meal she got upset and started crying. She told me that she had had 3 abortions and that Mother's Day was always the hardest day of the year for her. By this time, she was 50 and knew she'd never have kids. Whatever anyone tells you, women regret their abortions.
Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (FSETn)

I was pro-abortion in grad school - else I'd have never gotten laid - and didn't think about it much until I saw my own children being born. Something snapped as they first saw the light of day.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:24 PM (SRKgf)

54 >>When I was in Elementary school I voted for Carter in the mock election.

Ooooh...

I voted Reagan and a couple of my teachers outright mocked me for it.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 09:24 PM (c8Ctg)

55 I keep forgetting that season 4 of Vikings has started.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (0F67M)

56 On the Iraq invasion and the attempt to make it into a stable democracy. I point to our enemy from December 7th 1941. A total fanatic enemy willing to crash planes into things to kill us.

The reason the rebuilding of Iraq was so difficult is we did not beat the enemy as soundly as we did the Imperial Japan in 1945. With out step 1 you can't have step 2.

To win the war we are currently in we will need to go to total war the defeat of radical islam must be total their ability to wage war must be gone.

Until we do this we will be in a war with an enemy that strikes at soft targets no matter what name the current crop of death cultists call themselves.

Posted by: Big V at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (wuhZk)

57 I used to believe that there really was a difference between the Republicans and Democrats. The last 8 years has cured me of that delusion.

Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (FSETn)

58
btw, is there anything cuter than luggage for little kids?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (Mk/Qf)

59
The one that regularizes a long-term relationship, allows for shared benefits and inheritance? That one I can sympathize with, even support.

The one that practices lawfare, bankrupts businesses and gets people fired? That one I oppose wholeheartedly.
Posted by: Kodos the Executioner at December 07, 2016 09:23 PM (J8/9G)

Every single Legal argument they had for Gay marriage, could be fixed with Contract Law...

Inheritance? Its called a Will.

Hospital visits? You can't stop someone with Power of Attorney from visiting...

Insurance? That's up to the INSURANCE companies... they could have changed that at any time...

Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (qf6WZ)

60 50 36 Jeb Bush
@JebBush
Can't imagine a better pick than my friend @AGScottPruitt to reform an out-of-control EPA. He'll bring common sense back to the agency.
HOLY SHIT????????????
Posted by: Evilpens at December 07, 2016 09:20 PM (y3aQB)
That makes me rethink my belief that Trump made a good selection for the EPA head.
Posted by: buzzion at December 07, 2016 09:23 PM (z/Ubi)

Nah. Jeb is either a) trying to back into relevance, b) a blind groundhog who just found an acorn, or c) lying like a bastard, or d) some combination of the above.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (SRKgf)

61 I used to think that both left and right loved this country and wanted the best for its citizens, they just had different methods. Now I realize neither actually gives a crap, it's only small town Americans that do. Ruralites.

Posted by: BamaBubba at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (vKTRb)

62 I confess. I broke out the long underwear today.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:26 PM (Nwg0u)

63
I thought that professional scientists had a firm grasp of the scientific method and would practice it ethically. The AGW scam and the Climategate emails showed me how far from true this was. The obfuscation and bastardization of data in order to conform to a politically desired outcome, rather than a scientifically derived one, disgusts me.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Gob-Smacked Rage Monkeys (Suck It, NR!) at December 07, 2016 09:26 PM (fOgSR)

64 i used to think that commenting on a blog meant i was published. i remember the first time i commented here and i looked over it again and again, thinking "i'm in print, i'm a writer!"

i'm still waiting for that check...

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at December 07, 2016 09:26 PM (WTSFk)

65 The one that regularizes a long-term relationship, allows for shared benefits and inheritance? That one I can sympathize with, even support.
The one that regularizes a long-term relationship, allows for shared benefits and inheritance? That one I can sympathize with, even support.

Long term relationship for male homosexuals in SF could be measured with a stopwatch, as near as I could tell.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:27 PM (SRKgf)

66 >>is there anything cuter than luggage for little kids?

Kate Upton Easter Bunny Vid.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 09:27 PM (c8Ctg)

67 I used to think it was OK to stick your dick in crazy.
Oh - its still perfectly acceptable, but you just dont let crazy know where you live.
Does that count?

Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 09:27 PM (anu2o)

68 I used to believe a variant of the "people are rational actors" lie, and believe that such things applied to politics. I believed that there were well-defined extremes on both sides, and that what generally got done was a moderate compromise between the two.

It took a long time and a lot of examples of how wrong I was to realize that the biggest extremists were defining themselves as moderates, to push a global fascist New World Order.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at December 07, 2016 09:27 PM (sp6+W)

69
And (even though I voted for him) I thought Trump was a closet liberal.
Posted by: jwb7605

It's too early to tell for sure.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 07, 2016 09:27 PM (IqV8l)

70 What am I wrong about? Hold on, my girlfriend has a tabulated and cross-referenced list!

Posted by: Afroman at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (dXUZR)

71 What have you gotten wrong and why?
-----------------
Moron Recommended 'The Spike'. Novel wherein a journalist/writer discovers that his world view and attitudes have been deliberately twisted/shaped by the far left. http://preview.tinyurl.com/jxhldyx

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (ZO497)

72 >>is there anything cuter than luggage for little kids?

Ace, in his Yellow Rain Slicker and Red Galoshes.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (c8Ctg)

73 I used to think that judges actually cared about the law. I thought they would try to decide an issue, with some thought towards fairness. I know now that they will agree to whatever the State wants, even if they have to twist themselves into knots to do so. I've had a county commissioner lie to me then apologize, but you sort of expect that from politicians. My view of the world seems to be more in line with that of the Godfather these days.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (OkKDg)

74 To win the war we are currently in we will need to go to total war the defeat of radical islam must be total their ability to wage war must be gone.

Until we do this we will be in a war with an enemy that strikes at soft targets no matter what name the current crop of death cultists call themselves.
Posted by: Big V at December 07, 2016 09:25 PM (wuhZk)

After the victories in Japan, and Germany... we were willing essentially outlaw Shitoism, and Nazism...

We were willing to enforce, via law, that they were not allowed...

We did not outlaw Islam in Iraq... nor even enforce a US style Bill of Rights...

When we allowed Sharia law into their constitution... we failed.

Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (qf6WZ)

75 was wrong once. I thought I had made a mistake, but it turned out that I hadn't.
Posted by: Grump928

So, you and Gen Matthis

Posted by: Jean at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (2RVmA)

76 What have you gotten wrong and why?
---
we attacked Pearl Harbor... it seemed like a great idea.

Posted by: The IJN at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (JROHO)

77 67 I used to think it was OK to stick your dick in crazy.
Oh - its still perfectly acceptable, but you just dont let crazy know where you live.
Does that count?
Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 09:27 PM (anu2o)

Crazy has many more ways to track you down now. These days, crazy + cunning will find you, and the bunny will boil.

Posted by: Splunge at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (iMxBJ)

78
Shorter Jeb!

Pick me! Pick me (for something... anything)!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Gob-Smacked Rage Monkeys (Suck It, NR!) at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (fOgSR)

79 What am I wrong about? Hold on, my girlfriend has a tabulated and cross-referenced list!
Posted by: Afroman
-------------------

And memory like an elephant.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (ZO497)

80 Iraqi Liberation

---------

19 Bush wasn't necessarily wrong about Iraq.

Obola deliberately sabotaged our policy there, which, until then, was w*rking, more or less.
Posted by: redc1c4 at December 07, 2016 09:14 PM (JROHO)

I agree. Something was nagging at me, at work the day of the invasion, and I just couldn't put a firm finger on it. I was firmly confident that our forces would pretty much steamroll Sadaam. I was right. Now, fast forward to the week after reaching Baghdad and ....enter the UN and that retard Paul, something or another, "B". The last name escapes me.

*facepalm*

Then, it came to me. Instant, soft as Charmin, target for attack and a clueless fucking civilian. Shit. Vietnam redux. Then, true to form, the (D)Marxists dug out the Summer of Love Playbook and off the cliff it went.

We go through four needless years of bullshit, reassert ourselves and STILL kick their fucking asses and then, O-Blame-O.

The error was not realizing just how much, and fast, the (D)Marxists would backstab the country. THAT, I should have realized from the git-go.

Posted by: Deplorable 98ZJUSMC at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (243CP)

81 So what about you? What have you gotten wrong and why?

Abortion. Like you said, small 'L' libertarian. Personal choice and all that. About 8 years ago I started thinking about the party in that act that doesn't get a choice. Saw one of those bumper stickers, "keep abortion safe, legal, and rare".

Rare? Why rare?

What other procedure should be rare? Breast cancer screenings? Colonoscopies? Heart bypasses? If it's such an empowering act, why would you want it to be rare, unless you knew, but couldn't admit to yourself, that you should probably not be doing it?

Posted by: hogmartin at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (8nWyX)

82 52
When I was in Elementary school I voted for Carter in the mock election.

Did your mum pack your little suitcase and throw you out of the house when you got home?
Posted by: Soothsayer at December 07, 2016 09:24 PM (Mk/Qf)

No, I cried when I got home I realized that I voted for the wrong person, I thought that I was really voting, I was in 1st grade.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (dKiJG)

83 I thought it would turn out OK If I dated a co-worker, even after I found out she was on her first year in AA.

Look, I'm bad at personal stuff. Astoundingly bad.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (yLUuz)

84 I thought that professional scientists had a firm grasp of the scientific method and would practice it ethically. The AGW scam and the Climategate emails showed me how far from true this was. The obfuscation and bastardization of data in order to conform to a politically desired outcome, rather than a scientifically derived one, disgusts me.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Gob-Smacked Rage Monkeys (Suck It, NR!) at December 07, 2016 09:26 PM (fOgSR)

I (perhaps naively) think most do, but that some bent the rules in their avidity for fame and fortune.

OTOH, I've been shocked at how many putative scientists have minimal grasp of scientific method. They got their degrees as cogs in a research machine, and spent grad school tightening one bolt on a car as it moved down the assembly line.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (SRKgf)

85 My opinions on abortion changed after A) My husband found his birth mom, B) I got pregnant and saw my son playing with his toe on a sonogram, and C) being in a position to make a "choice" based on him having heart defects (and potentially genetic disorders that it turned out he didn't have).

My opinions on living together being the same as marriage changed after living with on person for years, then later marrying another. Not the same *at all*.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (NOIQH)

86 70 What am I wrong about? Hold on, my girlfriend has a tabulated and cross-referenced list!
Posted by: Afroman at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (dXUZR)

Girlfriend? Shit... try Ex Wife!

Its in Court documents...

Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (qf6WZ)

87 Just had a room temperature brown sugar cinnamon Poptart and my eyes were just about rolling into the back of my head in ecstasy.

FUCK

Posted by: Max Power at December 07, 2016 09:29 PM (QCc6B)

88
That idiot totalitarian liar Zoe Lofgren (who is the new Cynthia McKinney) said: "...for the second time in sixteen years, people the American voters elected did not become president."

Zoe Lofgren, a member of the US Congress, doesn't seem to accept the system of the republic she serves.

Don't these cocksucking Democrats take an oath??

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 07, 2016 09:30 PM (Mk/Qf)

89 What am I wrong about? Hold on, my girlfriend has a tabulated and cross-referenced list!

Just go ahead and give her your house. Avoid the rush.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (0F67M)

90 To win the war we are currently in we will need to go to total war the defeat of radical islam must be total their ability to wage war must be gone.

In World War II, we built so many warships we didn't have the sailors to man them. That's the kind of commitment we would need.

Posted by: Kodos the Executioner at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (J8/9G)

91 I used to think that judges actually cared about the law.

-
I fell for that one, too. Darth Vader Ginsberg straightened me out.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (Nwg0u)

92 In WA state, we passed a law that gave gays all the rights of marriage in a legal partnership. (It also applied to people over 65, living together, but not marrying to protect their retirement benefits). Within two years, they passed "gay marriage". It's never been about the legal benefits.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (OkKDg)

93 Used to think the press was impartial.
Used to think leftists were not mentally ill, just misguided.
Used to believe free speech was guaranteed in the USA.
Used to believe NYC would never return to its old 1970's crappy self.
Used to wear shoulder pads.
Used to have big hair.

Posted by: RondinellaMamma at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (oQQwD)

94 I changed my mind about the 2nd Amendment. I now view it as the only guarantee that the other Amendments aren't taken as merely suggestions.

I shudder to think what Obongo would have done if the populace weren't armed.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (SRKgf)

95
Ace, in his Yellow Rain Slicker and Red Galoshes.

Adorable!

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 07, 2016 09:32 PM (Mk/Qf)

96 I think the funniest thing ever was the Moron, which one I could remember, said that he and his wife had 'Hallway Sex'.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:32 PM (0F67M)

97 Just had a room temperature brown sugar cinnamon Poptart and my eyes were just about rolling into the back of my head in ecstasy.
----------

Well, thank heavens it wasn't loaded.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (ZO497)

98 To win the war we are currently in we will need to go to total war the defeat of radical islam must be total their ability to wage war must be gone.

In World War II, we built so many warships we didn't have the sailors to man them. That's the kind of commitment we would need.

-
And we didn't try to separate the good Nazis from the bad Nazis.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (Nwg0u)

99 I used to think that judges actually cared about the law.

Same here. I now realize that in many cases they know the result they want, and reason backward from that.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (SRKgf)

100 according to my wife *everything* i do is wrong...

Posted by: redc1c4 at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (JROHO)

101 Posted by: RondinellaMamma at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (oQQwD)

Angel Flight suit... late 70's...

Enough said...

Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (qf6WZ)

102 On liberating Iraq, I don't think we can know it wouldn't work. But it was a BIG fucking job, and Bush's most horrendous miscalculation was not realizing he might be succeeded by a colossal clusterfuck.

Imagine FDR lost in 1944, and Dewey had waltzed in and thought, "Do we really give a shit if Hitler takes over Europe? Haven't we shed enough blood?" Would we now regard (perhaps in German) decision to focus on Europe first instead of Japan as a "horrendous miscalculation"?

Civilizing the Krauts and the Japs was no easy job. It took decades. Hell, we still have troops in both countries.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (rft/I)

103 But she's really hot and does the butt stuff! What could go wrong?

Posted by: Afroman at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (dXUZR)

104 I used to think that the Iraq war was the right thing to do. In a way I guess I still do but after seeing how completely Obama and the Dems screwed up our victory, I wish we had either said right up front that we were colonizing Iraq and that it was now ours lock stock and barrel, which would have given us a forward operating base to beat into submission any of the towel head leaders in the Middle East, or, just turned it to glass from the get go.

Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:34 PM (FSETn)

105 94 I changed my mind about the 2nd Amendment. I now view it as the only guarantee that the other Amendments aren't taken as merely suggestions.

I shudder to think what Obongo would have done if the populace weren't armed.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:31 PM (SRKgf)

Eh, not much more, I think. Obama's laziness, his inability to work with people who do not worship him, and his belief that his job consisted primarily of making speeches were a great asset to our side. He has done little that cannot be undone.

Posted by: Splunge at December 07, 2016 09:34 PM (iMxBJ)

106 I fell for that one, too. Darth Vader Ginsberg straightened me out.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks
-----------

Roberts

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:34 PM (ZO497)

107 74
After the victories in Japan, and Germany... we were willing essentially outlaw Shitoism, and Nazism...

We were willing to enforce, via law, that they were not allowed...

We did not outlaw Islam in Iraq... nor even enforce a US style Bill of Rights...

When we allowed Sharia law into their constitution... we failed.
Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:28 PM (qf6WZ)

Exactly.

Posted by: rickl - THE MEDIA IS LYING TO YOU at December 07, 2016 09:34 PM (sdi6R)

108 Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:32 PM (0F67M
Should I even ask what that is?

Posted by: CaliGirl at December 07, 2016 09:35 PM (Q5Ymk)

109 39 I used to be pro-abortion but after I saw the devastation abortion had on two close friends I became pro-life. One Mother's Day I went out to dinner with one of these friends and during the meal she got upset and started crying. She told me that she had had 3 abortions and that Mother's Day was always the hardest day of the year for her. By this time, she was 50 and knew she'd never have kids. Whatever anyone tells you, women regret their abortions.
Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (FSETn)

I was like you in grad school-until I was in a study session for a class in which I was the only girl (Jewish and Arab philosophers) and the rest of the students were ministry students. They asked why I would be for it, and since a friend of mine had had an abortion in undergrad, I explained. They asked me if she was the same as she was before, and I said no. Because she wasn't. She was...broken. The guy who was the father had been her boyfriend until she said she was pregnant. He drove her to an abortion clinic, and wouldn't let her back in the car until she was "finished."

They said that ending an innocent life- no matter how you do it- breaks you. It damages your soul. And it helped that many of the philosophers we were studying talked about this.

After my own miscarriages, I can't imagine terminating a viable baby. Yes, pregnancy is hard, and you are "inconvenienced" for nine months. But if you adopt the baby out, it lives, has a chance to make a difference, and allows a family who can't have babies of their own to love a child with all their hearts.

So, thanks guys, wherever you are. You did a good thing.

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 09:35 PM (VnCI9)

110 They say 'Fuck You' when they pass each other in the hall.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:35 PM (0F67M)

111 We had our case heard by a judge that was previously a family court judge. He made no attempt at all to read our briefs and wouldn't allow my husband or our attorney to say much when he heard the case. He's since moved on to be an appeals judge. He is totally incompetent. We tried a hearing with a second judge, who actually seemed sympathetic, but of course, too late. If you have money, they don't mess with you. If you don't, they won't leave you alone.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (OkKDg)

112 I thought that professional scientists had a firm grasp of the scientific method and would practice it ethically. The AGW scam and the Climategate emails showed me how far from true this was. The obfuscation and bastardization of data in order to conform to a politically desired outcome, rather than a scientifically derived one, disgusts me.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Gob-Smacked Rage Monkeys (Suck It, NR!) at December 07, 2016 09:26 PM (fOgSR)

Laymen often consider scientists to be the priests of some ascetic sect, dedicated to finding Truth.

The truth is that a LOT of them are basically careerist used car salesmen who abjure only stealing a stove while it's still hot.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (SRKgf)

113 Wow, if I start listing all the times I was wrong, by the time I hit post I would get banned for commenting on an old thread.

In the interest of participation then, I will go with the media version:

I am never wrong.

Posted by: Deplorable votermom @vm on Gab at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (Om16U)

114 Confession Is Good For The Soul

I got a hummer last night.

Just sayin'.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (784ZQ)

115 Now check out Tylenol. It's 500 mg of acetaminophen. Tylenol Arthritis?
150 mgs more. That's it. There's no special ingredient. Yet, we will
irrationally take one or the other depending on our symptoms.

Excedrin or Excedrin Migraine?

Different colored box, EXACTLY the same ingredients
.

Posted by: Nip Sip at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (NbJXF)

116 What was I wrong about? Believing that my once-beloved liberal arts college would continue to offer later generations of students the excellent and rigorous education it gave me. I'm disgusted with what the college has degenerated into; it's just one more overpriced playpen for SJW snowflakes. Needless to say, I've cut off donations.

Posted by: Basement Cat at December 07, 2016 09:37 PM (3C9q2)

117
I got a hummer last night.

Just sayin'.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (784ZQ)

#Fakenews!

Posted by: Nip Sip at December 07, 2016 09:37 PM (NbJXF)

118 What was I wrong about...nah, I got nothin'.

Posted by: Barack Hussein Obama, Division By Zero at December 07, 2016 09:37 PM (k8DTS)

119 I used to be pro choice ands drove around with a Kerry bumper sticker so...

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 09:37 PM (YMxoE)

120 I use to think Star Wars was good movie, and Goerge Lucas a Great Film maker.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:37 PM (dKiJG)

121 I get things wrong every day. In high school and college I was a liberal. Granted, we're talking about the late seventies and early eighties -- before the Democrats went full-bore Socialist -- but I was still wrong.

I also kind of used to be supportive of gay marriage up until 5 or 6 years ago. I thought it was morally wrong but bought into the line that gay marriage wouldn't affect me or my marriage. Boy was I wrong on that one.

Posted by: Michael the TEXIT at December 07, 2016 09:38 PM (nvMvs)

122 The first notable thing I was wrong about was that I thought I was, get this, too smart for school. The reasoning being that the teachers taught to the book, the class could go no faster than the class retard, and if I read the book and showed up for tests I passed with ease. Oh, and I hated the fuckin place.
Whatever. I was wrong.

First, I passed the tests but they flunked me anyways because of attendance and class participation.
II) Passing the tests doesn't mean you know shit, as subsequent life doth proved.
C) I wasn't taxing myself intellectually, so if I'd really wanted a challenge, the classes were there. But I wasn't.

The first of several life impacting "things I knew" that I've been wrong about, and frankly, the most severe.

The rest have been minor thoughts, which could be added to, modified, or deleted completely, without much cost to me.

Do I feel foolish thinking liberally about a woman's "choice" when younger? Sure, but it didn't impact my life.

Posted by: OneEyedJack at December 07, 2016 09:38 PM (kKHcp)

123 I thought the migraine had more caffeine

Posted by: Jean at December 07, 2016 09:38 PM (2RVmA)

124 I use to think Star Wars was good movie, and Goerge Lucas a Great Film maker.

In fairness, American Graffiti was good.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:38 PM (0F67M)

125 The left always takes an inch and then an inch and then an inch until it is a mile.

"Gay" marriage. No such thing. But "hate" is not a family value. Oh, ok.

I make room for hate, because I am a normal human being. Love, hate, fear, bravery, deceit, truthfulness. All qualities that make us a human being. God made us this way as the saying goes.

If we loved all the time, the Japs would have won in 1945.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at December 07, 2016 09:39 PM (ej1L0)

126

Angel Flight suit... late 70's...

Enough said...
Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (qf6WZ)

Did you rock it with platforms?

Posted by: RondinellaMamma at December 07, 2016 09:39 PM (oQQwD)

127 I have a confession. I'm going to be a great grandmother and I am NOT happy about it. Grandson is only 19, no job.. girlfriend.. no job. She's a mental case. I am praying.

Posted by: DeplorableJewells45 at December 07, 2016 09:39 PM (CNHr1)

128 I used to think that the Iraq war was the right thing to do.

Still do, but I was completely wrong about who the enemy was. We got smoked here at home.

Posted by: t-bird at December 07, 2016 09:39 PM (TqmC9)

129
I used to think Dave Matthews Band was good music.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 07, 2016 09:40 PM (Mk/Qf)

130 I've never been wrong about anything. I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

Posted by: John Nada - Formerly #NeverHillary at December 07, 2016 09:40 PM (KLyOA)

131 The truth is that a LOT of them are basically careerist used car salesmen who abjure only stealing a stove while it's still hot.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara
------------

This is about me, isn't it?

Posted by: Simon Cameron at December 07, 2016 09:40 PM (ZO497)

132 126

Angel Flight suit... late 70's...

Enough said...
Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:33 PM (qf6WZ)

Did you rock it with platforms?
Posted by: RondinellaMamma at December 07, 2016 09:39 PM (oQQwD)

Nope.... too hard to dance in...

and I was tall and skinny back then....

Posted by: Don Q. at December 07, 2016 09:40 PM (qf6WZ)

133 At last ... science finds some good in Disco ...

Flashing disco lights could stop Alzheimer's in its tracks, experts claim

Posted by: SMOD at December 07, 2016 09:40 PM (e8kgV)

134 Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 09:35 PM (VnCI9)
I wasn't pro or against abortion until I was pregnant and had an ultrasound. My brother is a nuclear med tech and also can do ultrasounds. I was maybe 10 weeks, he said to me, women abort their babies and call it a clump of tissue.
What I was watching was not a clump of cells. Forever changed my perspective.
Firmly anti abortion ever since.
I know why planned parenthood doesn't want ultrasounds performed before an abortion.

Posted by: CaliGirl at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (Q5Ymk)

135 OT:,They've charged two teenagers with starting the Gatlinburg fires.

I wonder if they are co-religionists of the Israeli arsonists?

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (YMxoE)

136 A long time ago I became a Charger fan. Was I wrong?

Posted by: Lurkalot at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (JKR1L)

137 I use to Enjoy watching NFL football.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (dKiJG)

138 Excedrin Migraine ingredients:250 mg of Aspirin.250 mg of acetaminophen.65 mg of caffeine.
Excedrin:250 mg of Aspirin.250 mg of acetaminophen.65 mg of caffeine.

Posted by: Nip Sip at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (NbJXF)

139 >>I used to think Dave Matthews Band was good music.

Until 1995 they weren't bad.

That 'Crash' album was just...well, gay.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (c8Ctg)

140 Nafta-watching it's devastation directly on my wife's hometown (Martinsville) and mine (Milton)-all textile manufacturing and furniture manufacturing gone to Mexico. In theory it would work, but in practice Mexico controls labor costs making fair competition impossible. Plus, national security- trade has resulted in an "information economy" but we can't any longer make things (like boots and uniforms) necessary for going to war.

Posted by: Farmer Bob at December 07, 2016 09:42 PM (sqpGi)

141 I once thought bankruptcy court had a duty to handle your payments responsibly.

Posted by: Barb the Evil Genius at December 07, 2016 09:42 PM (FQKBL)

142 What I was watching was not a clump of cells. Forever changed my perspective.
Firmly anti abortion ever since.
I know why planned parenthood doesn't want ultrasounds performed before an abortion.
Posted by: CaliGirl at December 07, 2016 09:41 PM (Q5Ymk)

You are absolutely right.

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 09:42 PM (VnCI9)

143 Mitsubishi Starion, because, stupid.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:17 PM (ZO497)

Never owned one. Drove one. Was doing 88 in third gear on the curvy on-ramp during the test drive and thought to myself that I need my license more than this car. Took it back and got a nice 4 door sedan.

Posted by: OneEyedJack at December 07, 2016 09:42 PM (kKHcp)

144 Once, last year I thought I was wrong,....

but I was mistaken.

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest at December 07, 2016 09:42 PM (LWu6U)

145 I used to think Dave Matthews Band was good music.

Now that's a confession.

Posted by: Hope's Rolo at December 07, 2016 09:43 PM (Tyii7)

146 At last ... science finds some good in Disco ...

Flashing disco lights could stop Alzheimer's in its tracks, experts claim

-
Yeah, but they'll be special doctor supervised disco light sessions three times a week at $1,500 a pop.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:43 PM (Nwg0u)

147 In an alternate universe where Bush doesn't go into Iraq, the AQ leadership, like Zarqawi and Baghdadi before them go there.

President Gore invades Iraq in 2005 to universal acclaim.

After 8 years or so he declares victory and goes home, leaving a new
more virulent version of Islamism calling itself ISIS to slowly claim
the region...

Posted by: 18-1 at December 07, 2016 09:13 PM (aZq03)

al Qaeda wanted Iraq, large standing Army, if you read the al Qaeda Reader by Raymond Ibrahim, the letters to Iraq from Zawahiri were fully on board with getting there and removing Saddam. The problem with Iraq was the unreasonable belief that a multi-polar, multi-religious population could live together with a democratic government. This was the mantra of the perfesseer Bernard Lewis, who has merely outlasted his critics, who were his peers. Read Andrew Bostom's missive on him or Daniel Pipes. It was a dinner with Bush and Cheney that Lewis convinced them that the Iraqis could be "free".
But Iraq was a gathering danger, had violated so many of their ceasefire obligations, were smuggling weapons via the oil for food program and were a general belligerent to the whole region. The biggest problem with OIF was the "Powell Doctrine" meaning we needed an exit plan. Bullshit, we needed a victory plan.

Posted by: The Mouse that Roared at December 07, 2016 09:43 PM (7N6ox)

148 144
Once, last year I thought I was wrong,....

but I was mistaken.

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest at December 07, 2016 09:42 PM (LWu6U)

I never had that problem, thinking I was wrong I mean

Posted by: Blackfoot Barry, dog eater at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (NbJXF)

149 A) Tylenol will kill you. Flush it, burn it, whatever - get it out of your house now.

B) yeah, abortion would have to be the big one for me.
And I will sincerely give credit for my conversion to the 'Ettes. I'll even name Lauren specifically, and I'm pretty sure a half dozen others (grammie, lindafell, infidel, lizzy?)

Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (anu2o)

150 A lefty is not worthy of one of my minutes, much less twenty.

Posted by: Eromero at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (zLDYs)

151 I used to read Encyclopedia Brown, but now, in my 40s, I've graduated to the Hardy Boys. Oh, that Chet and his jalopy!

But, seriously, are they still publishing those?

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (rft/I)

152 I heard a Christian commentator say something the other day, in response to a comment about arguing with the left, that really made me stop and think. He said (and I am paraphrasing here) "We cannot successfully promote our ideas because we use argument to support our point of view, and the left uses aesthetics. We write books, and they produce television shows, movies, plays and music."

And, by and large, this is true. You cannot watch television these days without being bombarded with left-think. The coolest character on most sit-coms is a gay guy; all of the bad guys on the various Law and Order shows are rich white men. Women kiss each other, illegal immigrants are championed, and the list goes on.

And what about conservative Christians? Heck, we cannot even have a home improvement show (which has absolutely nothing to do with sexual orientation) without incurring the wrath and hatred of the left because of what someone we associate with said.

The radical left is squeezing this nation tighter and tighter. But the harder they squeeze, the more slips through their fingers.

Posted by: DaveKinNC at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (/NgNT)

153 I use to think women loved to give blow jobs

Posted by: Mel at December 07, 2016 09:45 PM (NbJXF)

154 120 I use to think Star Wars was good movie, and Goerge Lucas a Great Film maker.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:37 PM (dKiJG)

The problem with George Lucas was that he was so obsessed with being a great film maker that he wouldn't delegate certain tasks to others (such as writing dialogue) in order to cover his weaknesses.

He probably had more "help" from the studio, making demands that certain things get changed to work better, in the original 3, but by the time of the prequels, nobody dared to criticize.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at December 07, 2016 09:45 PM (sp6+W)

155 When I was a teenager, I was attracted to teenaged girls, but now that I'm in my 40s, I'm attracted to women in their 20s.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 07, 2016 09:45 PM (rft/I)

156 >>I wasn't pro or against abortion until I was pregnant and had an ultrasound.

Yep. With me, it was not only this, but finding out at 18 weeks that son had complex congenital heart defects that would take multiple surgeries, etc. to address. They want you to think you can make a choice on behalf of your kid, that you can be "merciful" and brave by not giving the kid the opportunity to fight, to overcome, to have a valuable life despite a tough start. It was tough, in more ways than we expected, but looking back at that moment of choice - it's not your choice as to whether their life is worth living, it's theirs (and God's). It's arrogant to think you can decide for them.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (NOIQH)

157 I was uncertain about abortion until I saw an infant (my first born cousin.) and then another. Now I understand that it is murder.

All it took were a couple hours with a baby to undue all self interest and 18 years of conventional society brainwashing. And an open mind.

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (LWu6U)

158 Abortion,
Though I was more I don't care only crazy care. it a wasn't until I spent hours each week watching ultrasounds of my twins watching their personalities shine through and seeing their facial exexpressions and squirmy behavior all of which exist to this day and I can still clearly spot each identical twin in ultrasound picture and video.

They were evetually born 2 months early at 2 and 3 pounds. The next 3 months in the much and surgeries and million little details and dollars and late night phone calls and i became horrified by late term and partial birth abortions.

Most supportive thing I can still say As to abortion policy is every child deserves a mother not willing to have them murdered.

Posted by: Shiggz at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (G7wcY)

159 I once thought a judge would be impartial even if they were left leaning.

I once thought Prog scum were just sincerely wrong.

I once thought this country could work out it's differences.

I once thought someone could actually be a Christian while supporting the Left.

Not any more.

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (D2vc1)

160 I confess I was wrong to vote for President, in 1980, John B. Anderson.

I was young, easily misled, not informed!

Posted by: Count de Monet at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (JO9+V)

161 155
When I was a teenager, I was attracted to teenaged girls, but now that I'm in my 40s, I'm attracted to women in their 20s.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 07, 2016 09:45 PM (rft/I)

Why did you give up on the teenagers?

Posted by: Good ole Bill at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (NbJXF)

162 As much as I admire and am surprised by Trump's cabinet picks, I have the strange and kind of sad feeling they were made by a man not shooting for a second term. There's some real self awareness and wisdom that's hidden behind his bluster. He's a strange and complicated character.

Posted by: Max Power at December 07, 2016 09:47 PM (QCc6B)

163 But, seriously, are they still publishing those?

**************

Yes but they've updated Encyclopedia Brown to be a bit more modern. He's now a 12 year old tranny named Buzzfeed Brown.

Posted by: John Nada - Formerly #NeverHillary at December 07, 2016 09:47 PM (KLyOA)

164 Much = nicu

Posted by: Shiggz at December 07, 2016 09:48 PM (G7wcY)

165 A lefty is not worthy of one of my minutes, much less twenty.
Posted by: Eromero at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (zLDYs)

A fucking men.

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at December 07, 2016 09:48 PM (D2vc1)

166 As a teenager I was attracted intensely to women in their 30's+.

Posted by: Max Power at December 07, 2016 09:48 PM (QCc6B)

167 when Turkey refused to allow us to attack from the north as well, we should have re-paid them, Iran, and the Iraqi arabs by recognizing a free Kurdistan.

also, the first time the Iranians attacked our troops, we should have used stealth bombers to kill off their senior leadership, military AND civilian, from the top down.

that would have stopped that shit in its tracks.

Posted by: redc1c4 at December 07, 2016 09:48 PM (JROHO)

168 When I jumped off the truck reporting to my first Marine unit I actually thought FMF corpsmen such as myself were non-combatants.

Gunny 'suggested' I unf*ck myself right away. I appreciated his wisdom roughly 10 seconds after stumbling into my first ambush.

Posted by: Tonypete at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (tr2D7)

169 A reporter once asked James Cardinal Gibbons if he thought the Pope was infallible. Gibbons replied, "All I can tell you is that our last audience he called me Jibbons."

Posted by: Kodos the Executioner at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (J8/9G)

170 We heard our son's heart beat at 9 weeks, the Dr didn't even expect to hear it. How can people call it a clump of cells is beyond me.

My History teacher in College once equated abortion to the Romans and Greeks leaving babies to exposer

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (dKiJG)

171 >>I use to think Star Wars was good movie, and Goerge Lucas a Great Film maker.

From what I've read (and other 'rons are more knowledgeable about this), his earlier films greatly benefited from his wife, who was his film editor. Getting divorced/no longer working with her (and she's since passed) took its toll on his films.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (NOIQH)

172 I used to think abortion was the lesser of two evils.

Then I realized that very few evils are greater than ending an innocent life.

Posted by: Average Jen at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (11v76)

173 Chi, I'm glad my internet ramblings have made an impact. Haha. Thanks!

The thing about abortion is that it was packaged so expertly to have maximum manipulation. The language is so convoluted that most people (including a lot of Liberty minded people) default to being pro-choice because, hey who can oppose choice, right?

It takes a lot of unpacking to get things down to the nitty gritty level unless you have a life changing shortcut like I did when I was wheeled into the NICU to see why to expect after my water broke. 25 week old little girl, perfect in every way, laying in a blanket covered isolet. They peeled the blanket back just a hair so I could see her. It was the lightbulb moment for me.

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (YMxoE)

174 I was wrong about Vanessa Lane being a newly paved road.

Posted by: Pepe, Proud American Nationalist at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (Dj5/i)

175 I once thought the 'left' could be reasoned with. Hey, I was very young

Posted by: TJ Madison at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (VExmM)

176 I used to read Encyclopedia Brown, but now, in my 40s, I've graduated to the Hardy Boys. Oh, that Chet and his jalopy!
-------------------

Mrs. H gave her Nancy Drew books to our grandneice. Her mother later said that she didn't read them because 'She just couldn't relate to them'.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (ZO497)

177 Can anyone tell who the guy on the right is here?

http://bit.ly/2gXjAgr

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:50 PM (0F67M)

178 Planned parenthood really does hate ultrasounds. 90% of pregnant women considering abortion, who have an ultrasound, choose life.

Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:50 PM (FSETn)

179 But, seriously, are they still publishing those?

Original series ended in 2005.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 07, 2016 09:50 PM (784ZQ)

180 As my handle indicates, I've changed my mind about a lot over the years. But the ones that stick out:

Immigration: I used to be gung-ho for open borders. Swallowed the libertarian fantasy hook, line and sinker. Now I'm almost the complete opposite. What changed my mind? Well, living in California and seeing the consequences up close played a big role in it. Oddly, though, that wasn't what ultimately tipped it for me. It created doubts, but I left California still more or less believing in a generous immigration policy.

What really changed my mind was living in a working class neighborhood and coming to understand that, well, there are a lot of people who aren't really able to do much besides simple manual labor -- a lot more than I been aware of. If immigrants all take those jobs, those people aren't suddenly going to turn around and become software engineers. Moreover, it's not like those people will magically disappear from the balance sheet, replaced with shiny happy hardworking foreigners. They go on existing, and can actually become a net drain on society, wiping out any theoretical gains from immigration. I'm not an economist, but I don't know if there are any economic models that take this into account. Making money hand over fist is not really a gain if all your neighbors are meth heads and all the stores in your town go out of business because meth heads can't afford to buy anything.

2. The Iraq war. I could write a book about everything I was wrong about here, but I'll confine myself to one point. Unlike Warden, I never had any illusions about Iraq. My dad was in Vietnam, so I knew not to believe any of the happy talk going in. Where I was wrong was that I assumed Dubya and his people were smart enough not to believe their own press releases. When it became clear that they actually DID believe all that hogwash, I felt hurt and betrayed.

3. Free trade. As with immigration, I used to be a free trade fundamentalist. As with immigration, experience with the real world has chastened my earlier idealism. Unlike with immigration, though, I have not completely reversed myself here, because the benefits of free trade are hard to ignore. Nevertheless, it's become clear to me over the years that the benefits of free trade were oversold, and the drawbacks were inadequately considered. Furthermore, no tree grows to the sky: Even a wise policy eventually runs into diminishing returns, and I believe we have passed the point where whatever incremental gains we're chasing will be outstripped by unanticipated and difficult-to-quantify costs.

If I had to pick a theme running through all my reversals, it's that real life just never works out as neatly as a paper and ink model, and wise leaders try to take that into account.

Posted by: Ex-liberal at December 07, 2016 09:50 PM (XLZh6)

181 Wrote my confessional list and then my browser stopped and it was erased. Been wrong about many things including not updating my browser.

Great topic Warden!

Posted by: Pepe, Proud American Nationalist at December 07, 2016 09:52 PM (Dj5/i)

182 As a teenager I was attracted intensely to women in their 30's+.
Posted by: Max Power
------------

My English teacher, when I was in the 10th grade.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:52 PM (ZO497)

183 I had a few good conversations with a few liberal friends. This after asserting a few things that were bombast from their point of view. Like "The democrats are hopelessly corrupt." I did justify my assertions and evidenced well.

There's a short limit to the amount of rough treatment you should give someone who asks questions in good faith.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at December 07, 2016 09:52 PM (VdICR)

184 At last ... science finds some good in Disco ...

Flashing disco lights could stop Alzheimer's in its tracks, experts claim

-
There was a Monty Python skit where they proved penguin are as smart as people who can't speak English. They put foreigners in a peguin pond and asked them questions. They did no better than the penguins.

This may be similar. People who have Alzheimer's and stare into brightly flashing lights while Bee Gees is blaring answer questions just as well as people without Alzheimer's who stare into brightly flashing disco lights while Bee Gees music is blaring.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:52 PM (Nwg0u)

185 Posted by: Lizzy at December 07, 2016 09:46 PM (NOIQH)
Bless you Lizzy. You said that so well. It's not up to us.
Also, these girls that have Pap smears at PP, I try to get them to go to the catholic clinic. I tell them any DR that would perform an abortion was probably incompetent.

Posted by: CaliGirl at December 07, 2016 09:52 PM (Q5Ymk)

186 I use to think Star Wars was good movie, and Goerge Lucas a Great Film maker.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio

You were six years old!

Posted by: t-bird at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (HwVbl)

187 Thankfully, I've never been wrong about anything.

Well, except that one time when I said "there's no way the cops will catch us!"

They did.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (cJrMO)

188
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago

Chuck Jones, who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 1h1 hour ago

If United Steelworkers 1999 was any good, they would have kept those jobs in Indiana. Spend more time working-less time talking. Reduce dues

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (0F67M)

189 Posted by: Tonypete at December 07, 2016 09:49 PM (tr2D7)

Thanks Doc! I was one of 2 Marines in an all Navy Unit, for all the admiration I have for our Docs, after that experience, I have full on empathy too! Semper Fi

Posted by: The Mouse that Roared at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (7N6ox)

190 I was in favor of gun control - I mean people should not be able to walk into a flea market, or gun shop, or news stand and buy an automatic weapon anonymously for a few saw bucks. That is crazy, right? And then buy dozens of these guns and sell them on the street in NYC without breaking any laws. What insanity (I thought.)

Then I tried to buy a gun. In NJ. 3 certified checks, FBI fingerprint check, state wide mental health records check. 3 letters of character reference by noted citizens. Essay justifying purpose for approval by local PD. etc. etc.

I was shocked the the New York Times had lied to me for so long.

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (LWu6U)

191 Good points, Ex-liberal (I am a former Democrat). I still don't know how I feel about Iraq. Just sad as hell, I guess.

Posted by: Max Power at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (QCc6B)

192 WTF?!

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418

Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 09:54 PM (vBeA5)

193 Oh and my husband was once a Teamster.

But he organized a boycott of United Way at the same job so maybe it's a wash?

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 09:54 PM (YMxoE)

194 But, seriously, are they still publishing those?

Original series ended in 2005.

-
They got boring. The solution to the mystery was always Trump did it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 09:55 PM (Nwg0u)

195 I was wrong about how hard a 10 year old can throw a punch.

Posted by: Harry Reid at December 07, 2016 09:55 PM (5PYMG)

196 Used to be "pro-choice", then I became a nurse.

Posted by: Darth Randall at December 07, 2016 09:55 PM (6n332)

197 192 WTF?!

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 09:54 PM (vBeA5)

...er... I guess that's true -- from a certain point of view.

Kind of a strange time for Newt to bring it up though.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 09:55 PM (cJrMO)

198 >>>When I was in Elementary school I voted for Carter in the mock election.

Me too. Last Dem I voted for in a presidential election. Haven't always been happy pulling the R lever, but each time the Dems succeeded in finding someone I despised even more.

Posted by: Citizen Cake at December 07, 2016 09:56 PM (ppaKI)

199 I make room for hate, because I am a normal human being. Love, hate, fear, bravery, deceit, truthfulness. All qualities that make us a human being. God made us this way as the saying goes.

If we loved all the time, the Japs would have won in 1945.
Posted by: Hairyback Guy at December 07, 2016 09:39 PM (ej1L0)

Building on your point, I used to believe that anger and hatred were inherently bad.

Sometimes the energy we need to destroy something harmful and prevent greater harm from being done only comes from anger.

Some things are so terrible and so depraved that they are beyond all reason. It is okay, even healthy to hate these. Just look at how the Left continues to coddle people who would slit their throats! Insanity!

For a more biblical perspective, I refer to the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3. There is a time for every purpose under heaven.

Every emotion that the human brain is capable feeling exists for a reason. It's what you do with it that matters.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at December 07, 2016 09:56 PM (sp6+W)

200 Is Newt trying to prove a point about liberal hot takes? Otherwise...

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 09:56 PM (YMxoE)

201 I had a great Government class in High School. Required pass to graduate, and the teacher really pounded us hard. He taught Keynesian economics, and for years I thought I must have fallen asleep the day he whipped out the factoid/equation that proved that a dollar spent by the government created more wealth than a dollar spent by me, so I trusted what I had been taught, even though it never really added up for me.

The rest of my natural liberal tendencies (acquired through upbringing) eroded quickly when I actually started paying attention, starting around, oh, 9/11/2001.

Posted by: West at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (NDuMx)

202 American interventionism abroad is a force for good.

Eventually you realize the State department like all the other government departments is full of little Lisa Simpson's lacking humility and life experience this side of academic theory given enough power to run a worlwide play of trimming the table legs.

That foreign welfare and intervention just like domestically should be given rarely and sparingly and only after much begging on their part and verification on ours.

Posted by: Shiggz at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (G7wcY)

203 188
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago

Chuck Jones, who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 1h1 hour ago

If United Steelworkers 1999 was any good, they would have kept those jobs in Indiana. Spend more time working-less time talking. Reduce dues
Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (0F67M)

Chuck Jones should have stuck to Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Posted by: josephistan at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (7qAYi)

204 Thankfully, I've never been wrong about anything.

Well, except that one time when I said "there's no way the cops will catch us!"

They did.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes
--------------------

Ah. Reminds me of one of my *best* decisions; heading out the back door as the cops were coming through the front door.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (eeTCA)

205 149 A) Tylenol will kill you. Flush it, burn it, whatever - get it out of your house now.
Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 09:44 PM (anu2o)

I haven't heard of people dropping like flies from acetaminophen poisoning, but the difference between an effective dose and the LD50 is chilling. When I had surgery, they sent me home with a bottle of Tramadol and a bottle of Norco (oxycodone and Tylenol). The Norco bottle is still pretty much full, because I didn't trust myself not to take two in the morning, get fuzzy, have a nap, forget I already took some, have another two at noon, repeat until I crapped out my liver.

Posted by: hogmartin at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (8nWyX)

206 197 192 WTF?!

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 09:54 PM (vBeA5)

...er... I guess that's true -- from a certain point of view.

Kind of a strange time for Newt to bring it up though.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 09:55 PM (cJrMO)

I expect he will say his account was hacked.

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (VnCI9)

207 Me too. Last Dem I voted for in a presidential election. Haven't always been happy pulling the R lever, but each time the Dems succeeded in finding someone I despised even more.

Posted by: Citizen Cake at December 07, 2016 09:56 PM (ppaKI)

Likewise. I was dubious about Trump, but Hillary was bad enough that I'd have probably voted for an inanimate carbon rod over her.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (sp6+W)

208 For a more biblical perspective, I refer to the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3. There is a time for every purpose under heaven.

Every emotion that the human brain is capable feeling exists for a reason. It's what you do with it that matters.
Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party

Turn Turn Turn...

Posted by: The Byrds at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (5PYMG)

209 I never shoulda opened that damned umbrella.

Posted by: Prez'nit Poppins at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (Tyii7)

210 192 he preceded with this tweet:

December 7 is a good day to remember that the world is dangerous and shattering surprise is possible even when we have been warned.

Posted by: Deplorable votermom @vm on Gab at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (Om16U)

211 186 I use to think Star Wars was good movie, and Goerge Lucas a Great Film maker.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio

You were six years old!
Posted by: t-bird at December 07, 2016 09:53 PM (HwVbl)

I was 4 my cousin brought me for my birthday when we visited them in New York.

Watch I Am Your Father on Netflix and your opinion of Lucas will get worse, he really screwed David Prowse, they won't let the man work Official Star Wars conventions.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (dKiJG)

212 Iraq was a mistake of mine too. However, Obama really and purposely screwed the pooch on that. One can deliberate as to just stupidity or he meant to make ISIS. I believe the later..

Never was for gay marriage but was OK with gay civil unions for her reasons. Never give the left an inch, they will take a mile.

I bought a 928 in the early 90s.

Posted by: Jukin,The Deplorable & Profoundly Unserious at December 07, 2016 09:59 PM (cOHS7)

213
Ah. Reminds me of one of my *best* decisions; heading out the back door as the cops were coming through the front door.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (eeTCA)

yeah, that trick totally works! It's not like the cops have ever run across anyone smart enough to try it before....

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 09:59 PM (cJrMO)

214 ...and don't even bring up baseball.

Posted by: Prez'nit Poppins at December 07, 2016 10:00 PM (Tyii7)

215 I have a bottle of Tramadol and for the life of me, I have no idea where/when I got it.

Posted by: garrett at December 07, 2016 10:00 PM (c8Ctg)

216 I expect he will say his account was hacked.
Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (VnCI9)

Hey -- it worked for Weiner, right?

Oh --- actually, nevermind.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:00 PM (cJrMO)

217 Lauren,

I don't say that lightly.
I am 100% seroius. What you all have been doing matters. It actually changed me. From indifferent to vehemently anti. I can't be alone, ma'am. Keep up the good work.

And I say that as 50 yr old never-married dude. No, i never had any paricipation in an abortion, and I always knew it was wrong, but probably would've stroked a check without question in my younger days.

I knew well over a decade ago that not having my own children is and will be my life's biggest regret - I'll deal with that.
But I can maybe work to help somebody else not have that same empty feeling...

Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 10:00 PM (anu2o)

218 Tramadol is basically worthless.

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:01 PM (YMxoE)

219 I was dubious about Trump, but Hillary was bad enough that I'd have probably voted for an inanimate carbon rod over her.

In Rod we trust.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 07, 2016 10:01 PM (0F67M)

220 https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418

Have you noticed Gingrich hasn't been selected for any position in a Trump admin? There's a reason for that.

Posted by: John Nada - Formerly #NeverHillary at December 07, 2016 10:01 PM (KLyOA)

221 216 I expect he will say his account was hacked.
Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 09:58 PM (VnCI9)

Hey -- it worked for Weiner, right?

Oh --- actually, nevermind.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:00 PM (cJrMO)

: )

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 10:01 PM (VnCI9)

222 By the way, has anyone else been riding this ridiculous stock wave lately?

I keep feeling like this can't last and I should liquidate my etrade account while I'm up... then I look at my daily gains and am like "hmmm... maybe I should hold on..."

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:01 PM (cJrMO)

223 Oh, and what the heck, I'll throw in one more. I used to be solidly pro-choice...right up until the day I got a call from the girl I was dating, telling me she might be pregnant.

She wasn't, it turned out, but I'll never forget the emotional wallop I felt when she told me she planned to get an abortion. I was like, that's MY BABY. You can't kill my child! She wasn't even pregnant, and I still felt this enormous emotional connection to my entirely theoretical child. (Note: I didn't actually share any of these thoughts with her, because I was so shell-shocked -- I think I just mumbled some boilerplate about "I'll support you no matter what, blah blah blah," but inside my head I was going insane.)

I was working up the courage to tell her my real feelings and was ready to go down there and bar the door to the clinic myself when she told me it was a false alarm.

I'll never forget that moment, though. Changed my whole worldview. Literally overnight, those people out there protesting in front of clinics went from being bizarre freaks to being heroes, in my eyes.

Posted by: Ex-liberal at December 07, 2016 10:02 PM (XLZh6)

224 I grew up in a staunchly Democratic household. My mother's people were all working class, Scots-Irish, Appalachian coal mining folk who moved north to Indiana. FDR was a god. So I grew up a liberal Democrat. I was an atheist, too. Now I am neither of those things.

Change didn't happen all at once but things started changing when I hit bottom about 16 years ago and found faith. After that, holding Leftist positions on issues like abortion and 2nd Amendment rights became untenable. The logic supporting those positions didn't (and doesn't) follow.

So now I'm a conservative Republican. It makes for interesting family get-togethers.

Posted by: troyriser at December 07, 2016 10:02 PM (ZkXe+)

225 OK, don't got the twitter - what did Newt say?

Posted by: josephistan at December 07, 2016 10:02 PM (7qAYi)

226 I thought I could make it to the van without doing the tuna.

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at December 07, 2016 10:02 PM (x551D)

227 I like this game - I have been wrong about many things ...
I was wrong about Trump.
I have had to moderate my beliefs that free markets, if they exist, can solve security/cutural/political problems and that capitalism, intellectually freed from the existence of god, cannot meet the spiritual needs of people.
I am "this close" to admitting that I was wrong about abortion ...

Posted by: Random Joe at December 07, 2016 10:03 PM (qUxdc)

228 30 What have I gotten wrong?

I used to believe that being good would over ride self interest for most people.

********

This one for me, too.

Also, I use to be pro-abortion, but only until about 18.

Posted by: Warden at December 07, 2016 10:03 PM (MZ8Zz)

229 Hey everybody.

I've found that some people don't want to learn anything new, they just want to stay cocooned and ignorant. (As well as, often times, angry, destructive and stupid.)

When you can find people of any persuasion willing to listen and consider new ways of looking at their lives, cherish them. Because they're the exception, not the rule.

Posted by: qdpsteve at December 07, 2016 10:03 PM (u8kLQ)

230 Thank you, Chi. I really do appreciate that.

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (YMxoE)

231 Sometimes the energy we need to destroy something harmful and prevent greater harm from being done only comes from anger.
------

Dietrich Bonhoeffer struggled mightily with that question. In the end, he decided that to do evil (in this case, murder) was not the same as being evil. Thus, he became involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (ZO497)

232 I'll never forget that moment, though. Changed my whole worldview. Literally overnight, those people out there protesting in front of clinics went from being bizarre freaks to being heroes, in my eyes.
Posted by: Ex-liberal at December 07, 2016 10:02 PM (XLZh6)

That moment for me was reading the Gosnell grand jury indictment. It was ... shocking. That line between what was clearly horrific and barbaric and what was legal seemed ... I don't know, not to exist.

That case made me think. A lot.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (cJrMO)

233
I knew well over a decade ago that not having my own children is and will be my life's biggest regret - I'll deal with that.
But I can maybe work to help somebody else not have that same empty feeling...
Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 10:00 PM (anu2o)

If you are looking for ideas, collecting baby supplies and taking them to a crisis pregnancy center is always a good start. They always need diapers, baby wipes, baby clothes, and/or training for the moms.

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (VnCI9)

234 Of course you have to steel for the idea that you can convince a liberal, and then a week later they have reverted to their factory default.

I saw a clip from Aaron Sorkin's American President. In his moment of triumph he gives a speech about signing an education bill. It easily could have been a peace treaty, a jobs bill ect. It's just as much a Mcguffin as the unseen light-source in a suitcase that's opened with the lid toward the camera.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (VdICR)

235 WTF?!

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 09:54 PM (vBeA5)

...er... I guess that's true -- from a certain point of view.

Kind of a strange time for Newt to bring it up though.

-
I think he is right but he could use some context. But look at it this way. If the Japs weren't brilliant, we were retards.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (Nwg0u)

236 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration?

Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

237 I gave money for every Presidential election since W, after seeing what the left has done to people who gave to prop 8 I pussied out because I have a young son and I don't trust what the left or Hillary would have done to us as a family.

Are they still tweeting out peoples address and work still

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 10:05 PM (dKiJG)

238 >>>When I was in Elementary school I voted for Carter in the mock election<<<

Shit, I voted for Humphery, in a real election.

Posted by: Javems at December 07, 2016 10:05 PM (yOqwj)

239 "

That moment for me was reading the Gosnell grand jury indictment. It was ... shocking. That line between what was clearly horrific and barbaric and what was legal seemed ... I don't know, not to exist.

That case made me think. A lot."

Which is why Hollywood is absolutely refusing to distribute the Gosnell movie. Can't have that bit of truth getting out.

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (YMxoE)

240 We are truly living in unique times. Never before in history have the Republicans narrowly elected a radical president (with less than the majority of voters) whose main mission was to free a large portion of the country from government-enforced tyranny, and never before in response have the democrats threatened to leave the Union and democrat controlled states threatened to secede over this hated, vilified president for exactly that reason: he wants to emancipate many citizens from government supported slavery.

Oh wait, there was that one time. Democrats were about as mad as they are now that time too.

Posted by: docweasel at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (LyeFH)

241 I keep feeling like this can't last and I should liquidate my etrade account while I'm up... then I look at my daily gains and am like "hmmm... maybe I should hold on..."
Posted by: Harry Paratestes
-------------------

Two words: Stop Loss

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (ZO497)

242 The Gateway Pundit has the story of Detroit precinct #152 - sealed ballot box - seal said 306 votes - book said 306 votes - when they opened the box only 50 actual ballots inside. Would you care to guess who won that precinct? Fortunately for Hillary the Michigan recount is dead in the water - done.

Posted by: An Observation at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (c2hYz)

243 236 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration?
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

The CEO of Walmart

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (cJrMO)

244 236 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration?
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

Congratulations, Mr. Hat! You're gonna do great!

Posted by: hogmartin at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (8nWyX)

245 https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418

I think I get it. You have to read the previous few tweets, but he'll definitely need a fourth tweet to tie it all together.

Posted by: t-bird at December 07, 2016 10:07 PM (/cksx)

246
I'll never forget that moment, though. Changed my whole worldview. Literally overnight, those people out there protesting in front of clinics went from being bizarre freaks to being heroes, in my eyes.
Posted by: Ex-liberal at December 07, 2016 10:02 PM (XLZh6)

{{{Ex-liberal}}}}

A former boss told me I should abort my child if I wanted to keep on in my career. This was after four miscarriages. I decided there were far more important things, if that was how this organization rolled.

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 10:07 PM (VnCI9)

247 Except that time the democrats had guns and guts.

Posted by: docweasel at December 07, 2016 10:07 PM (LyeFH)

248 Tramadol is basically worthless. Like Pissing in Pacific Ocean

Posted by: Evilpens at December 07, 2016 10:08 PM (y3aQB)

249 I was shocked the the New York Times had lied to me for so long.
Posted by: Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest at December 07, 2016 09:53

Tis indeed shocking.

Nothing against you in particular, but a lot of us folks in flyover country figured that out a while ago.

As Michael Moore said...Trump is a big f-you to the establishment. For once he got something right.

Posted by: Farmer at December 07, 2016 10:08 PM (o/90i)

250 OK, don't got the twitter - what did Newt say?

-
75 years ago the Japanese displayed professional brilliance and technological power launching surprises from Hawaii to the Philippines

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, This Is the Dawning of the Age of the Trumpius! at December 07, 2016 10:08 PM (Nwg0u)

251 236 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration?
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

A small business owner?

Posted by: rickl - THE MEDIA IS LYING TO YOU at December 07, 2016 10:09 PM (sdi6R)

252 She told me that she had had 3 abortions and that
Mother's Day was always the hardest day of the year for her. By this
time, she was 50 and knew she'd never have kids. Whatever anyone tells
you, women regret their abortions.

Posted by: Obamaisacommunist at December 07, 2016 09:21 PM (FSETn)

I'm scratching my head. She had three and regretted them? Three?

Posted by: Tami at December 07, 2016 10:09 PM (Enq6K)

253 I should have stopped at two bags of dicks.

Posted by: MeAgain Smelly at December 07, 2016 10:10 PM (Tyii7)

254 Free trade always the right call.

Currency manipulation, unequal tarrif, raw deals from countries we are their free phone up military and child and slave labor do not equal fair competitive trade and healthy practices.

Posted by: Shiggz at December 07, 2016 10:10 PM (G7wcY)

255 Didn't know jack about politics until 9-11. Didn't vote in 2000. Bought one of those stupid Rainbow vacuums that cost about 10k after their "affordable payment plan" was thru. Thought buying the hubby a messenger bag would show he had impeccable taste....

Posted by: VillaRosa Vixen at December 07, 2016 10:11 PM (AqZIp)

256 I was convinced by Chevy Chase that I should not vote for Gerald Ford because he was clumsy. I voted for Jimmah Cahtuh, my first chance out of the gate. I have apologized for this stupidity many times, but apologies don't save all the people in Iran who have suffered because Carter favored the Ayatollah, nor all the victims of terror who have been killed by Iran-sponsored terrorism. From this, I came to believe that no one under the age of 25 should be allowed to vote, unless they can prove that they have functioning brains.

Our insulated, lovely American lives are easy to live, even when we elect idiots like Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. But these stupid decisions ripple through the world and make things worse for people who had no chance to vote.

I voted for Ross Perot, probably because I felt I needed to make a "principled" stand. By doing this, I helped release the Clintons into the world outside of Arkansas, so, indirectly, I am at fault for the deaths in Benghazi.

I have learned to vote for the Republican. So I was on Cruz Control, but voted for Trump, because I learned something from my Perot vote. I learned that I would NEVER do something to aid a Clinton again, especially if it was in my power to oppose one. I remembered my lesson when it mattered, and today Trump is going to be president and Hillary Clinton is not, partially because I helped Trump win Texas.

Posted by: MathMom at December 07, 2016 10:11 PM (AHxMr)

257 I used to think conservatives wanted lower tax rates because they wanted to pay less every April. Then someone taught me about the Laffer curve.

I think more than almost anything else, what turned me conservative was the Laffer curve.

Posted by: Average Jen at December 07, 2016 10:11 PM (11v76)

258 Watching NEERJA on Netflix good movie about the Pan Am Hijacking.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 10:12 PM (dKiJG)

259 I used to believe conservative single women were a dime a dozen as long as I looked in the right places, until I got screeched at and nearly pepper sprayed for wanting to violently grab pussies or rip women's arms off a la Michelle Fields by said principled conservative women simply for supporting Trump.

Now I'm just waiting for the Japs to perfect the fembot.

Posted by: John Nada - Formerly #NeverHillary at December 07, 2016 10:12 PM (KLyOA)

260 Posted by: Ex-liberal at December 07, 2016 09:50 PM (XLZh6)

Great post all-around. I'd say that your first point can also be used as a counter to free trade absolutism.

It does a country no favors to be completely dependent on imports across entire industries, just like it does a business no favors when their whole neighborhood is now meth addicts. Just as the business needs people who can afford their products to stay in business, the nation needs all of its strategic industries to protect from supply disruptions that might occur in times of war or other crises. Over-reliance on Chinese steel could really bite us in the ass, if relations with China were to fall apart.

In industries where other countries have structural advantages, such as Chinese manufacturing thanks to a combination of no environmental laws, few if any workplace safety laws, and currency manipulation on top of it, direct competition is not desirable.

They have tilted the playing field in their favor. Playing on a tilted playing field without trying to tilt it back is madness. Free trade is only desirable when there's a level playing field.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at December 07, 2016 10:12 PM (sp6+W)

261 I never got gay marriage wrong. I knew what they were after from day one.

Posted by: the littl shyning man at December 07, 2016 10:13 PM (U6f54)

262 Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (YMxoE)
That Gosnell story should be mandatory viewing right after the pregnant woman watches an ultrasound. It's a baby.
Gosnell is evil incarnate.

Posted by: CaliGirl at December 07, 2016 10:13 PM (Q5Ymk)

263 "A former boss told me I should abort my child if I wanted to keep on in my career. This was after four miscarriages. I decided there were far more important things, if that was how this organization rolled"

I'm so sorry, Moki. That's just awful.

I had an ex boyfriend tell me he was going to come down and make me abort...a child that wasn't his. Needless to say we didn't speak again.

The pressure we put on women to abort when society has decided they're too whatever to be a mother is unconscionable.

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:13 PM (YMxoE)

264 Fedral force and gun restrictions.

Sure yesterday it's Waco Texas but today it's Bundy ranch. Who will it be tomorrow? Obvious dangerous pattern emerging.

Posted by: Shiggz at December 07, 2016 10:13 PM (G7wcY)

265 Literally overnight, those people out there protesting in front of clinics went from being bizarre freaks to being heroes, in my eyes.
Posted by: Ex-liberal
---------------

Sshhhh... don't tell anyone, but nowadays when I see them out there, I run to Food Lion & buy a couple cases of bottled water for them.

Posted by: Chi - #FreeCthulhu at December 07, 2016 10:14 PM (anu2o)

266 A former boss told me I should abort my child if I wanted to keep on in my career. This was after four miscarriages. I decided there were far more important things, if that was how this organization rolled.
Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 10:07 PM (VnCI9)

If you don't mind my asking, what kind of career was that?

Posted by: Average Jen at December 07, 2016 10:14 PM (11v76)

267 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration? Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

******************

WHATCHA GONNA DO WHEN LINDA MCMAHON RUNS WILD ON YOU!!!

Posted by: Hulk Hogan, smoking cigars made of dollar bills from his lawsuit winnings at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (KLyOA)

268 uess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration?

Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

http://preview.tinyurl.com/jkxj8gl

Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (vBeA5)

269 When you can find people of any persuasion willing to listen and consider new ways of looking at their lives, cherish them. Because they're the exception, not the rule.
Posted by: qdpsteve at December 07, 2016 10:03 PM (u8kLQ)

Then we all must be rare birds. I'm seeing evidence of a lot of that here tonight.

A murder of morons?

Posted by: OneEyedJack at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (kKHcp)

270 When you can find people of any persuasion willing to listen and consider new ways of looking at their lives, cherish them. Because they're the exception, not the rule.
Posted by: qdpsteve at December 07, 2016 10:03 PM (u8kLQ)

Kinda depends on the subject matter imho.

Fire example

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (D2vc1)

271 RE: Iraqi Liberation
There's another angle worth considering on this. Think about the failure to recognize our concept of natural rights as a product specifically of Western Civilization rather than innate to humans everywhere. Sound familiar at all? Maybe a little "you didn't build that"-ish? That failure was a direct result of how severe the leftist infection of our education system has been for decades.

After all, WestCiv is the root of all (or at least much) evil in leftist thought, so its accomplishments and contributions to humanity must be downplayed and obfuscated. While they tell us our advances in mathematics and science are all due to Islam saving the West from it's foolish dark age, they are all too happy to pin the cardinal sins of Colonialism and Imperialism on the West. WestCiv produces only evil, so naturally something unarguably positive like the concept of human dignity and intrinsic rights cannot be a product of the West. In this case, there simply is no other group to attach that accomplishment to (rather telling, that), so they rewrote it as a universal impulse.

It was, I think, purely coincidental, but the left, in their maniacal drive to divest WestCiv of its positive contributions to humanity, quite thoroughly indoctrinated most people to believe all cultures will naturally gravitate toward an individual-affirming structure if only given the chance to be rid of this or that obstruction. This, of course, is bullshit. It took millennia of trial and error, the right conditions, untold amounts of bloodshed, and multiple groups of enlightened individuals throughout the years risking much to advance the cause of liberty inch by inch. The Founders produced the crowning achievement of this process, but even they could not have succeeded without the conditions established of Western Civilization at that time (and a good bit of luck).

Simply put, individual liberty is not the natural state of human affairs. It is uniquely the product of Western traditions and modes of thought combined with tremendous efforts. And it requires constant effort to maintain. The ignorant and the foolish taking it for granted causes no end of troubles.

Posted by: Cortillaen at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (rpKZV)

272 Dammit.

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (D2vc1)

273 Oh, yeah I was for the Iraq war. Still am, but not for any reasons I have ever heard anyone else espouse.

I knew the ME was a shit cauldron, and had been for some time, and I thought a bold move to change the dynamic could bring little but good.

The Iraq war was Bush's 'reset' button for the Middle East, and damn it, despite all the mistakes, it almost worked - Iraq was fairly stable, Libya had been muzzled, and Arab spring noises were ringing all over the place.

If Obama hadn't thrown it all away in Iraq and made it worse in Libya, Iran, Egypt and Syria, I still think the new dynamic that was working out under the Bush doctrine would have led to progress in the ME. But now, thanks to the abandonment by Obama, we have a burning, projectile vomiting shit cauldron - but subsequent events were not Bush's fault, or Cheneys, or anyone else who was calling the shots 2001-2008.

Posted by: West at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (NDuMx)

274 That makes me rethink my belief that Trump made a good selection for the EPA head.

Posted by: buzzion at December 07, 2016 09:23 PM (z/Ubi)

Maybe Hebby wants to derail the appointment by praising the guy.

Posted by: just the punchline at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (MiBfH)

275 In the 80's I gave money to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The shame hasn't gone away.

Posted by: Chuck C at December 07, 2016 10:16 PM (h99GH)

276 I once hated the Electoral College, myself. It was 1996, and the election was called for Bill Clinton before I was even off work (and the polls were still open here in CO).

I came to know better in the very next Presidential election.

Two very good reasons for the Electoral College...

1. With the EC, California is worth about 18 Idahos. In a pure popular vote scenario, California would be worth about 100 Idahos. When there are only fifty states, having any one state equal 100 of any other state is a bad thing. It really makes those small states worthless in the grand scheme of things, and no state should be worthless.

2. With the EC in place, there is actually a soft cap on how effective election fraud can be. It doesn't matter whether the Republican loses California by 1 million votes or by 10 million; the Democrat gets the same 55 electoral votes either way. Removing the Electoral College, or diminishing it with something like that Popular Vote Compact or whatever it's called, would enable fraudsters in a handful of corrupt political machine states to swing the Presidential election their party's way every single time.

Even staunch liberals should be worried about that second point. After all, a Democrat party that games the system so as to render itself incapable of losing an election has no reason whatever to listen to anyone, anymore.

Posted by: The Deplorable Prothonotary Warbler at December 07, 2016 10:16 PM (0OG8D)

277
If you don't mind my asking, what kind of career was that?

Posted by: Average Jen at December 07, 2016 10:14 PM (11v76)

I was a diplomat.

Posted by: Moki, deplorable mom and sammich maker at December 07, 2016 10:16 PM (VnCI9)

278 197 192 WTF?!

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/806620424796860418
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 09:54 PM (vBeA5)

...er... I guess that's true -- from a certain point of view.

Kind of a strange time for Newt to bring it up though.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 09:55 PM (cJrMO)

Its a 2nd tweet in a series of 3. The first one give some context.

Posted by: buzzion at December 07, 2016 10:17 PM (z/Ubi)

279 For example, my mind is closed to nearly all Progressive points of view. I will no longer entertain them in any scenario.

If that makes me closed minded, so be it. Fuck them.

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at December 07, 2016 10:17 PM (D2vc1)

280 "275 In the 80's I gave money to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The shame hasn't gone away."

Ouch. If it makes you feel better, I pestered people for MassPirg.

Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:17 PM (YMxoE)

281 American cars

2005 Chevy cobalt. Brand f the lot Nearly killed my young family from severe major electrical design defects.

Posted by: Shiggz at December 07, 2016 10:17 PM (G7wcY)

282 If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Posted by: Luther Ingram at December 07, 2016 10:17 PM (DMUuz)

283 Posted by: MathMom at December 07, 2016 10:11

Well said Mathmom.

Posted by: Farmer at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (o/90i)

284 I voted for Billy Jeff Clinton. Twice.
Damn, that looks bad, all written down like that.

Posted by: antisocialist at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (W2wn0)

285 Country Boy - S'ok. I read it as 'fine'.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (ZO497)

286 241 I keep feeling like this can't last and I should liquidate my etrade account while I'm up... then I look at my daily gains and am like "hmmm... maybe I should hold on..."
Posted by: Harry Paratestes
-------------------

Two words: Stop Loss
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 10:06 PM (ZO497)

Three words: Trailing Stop Loss

Posted by: Michael the TEXIT at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (nvMvs)

287 Thought buying the hubby a messenger bag would show he had impeccable taste....
Posted by: VillaRosa Vixen at December 07, 2016 10:11 PM (AqZIp)

Too early for Thread Winner?

Posted by: OneEyedJack at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (kKHcp)

288 279 For example, my mind is closed to nearly all Progressive points of view. I will no longer entertain them in any scenario.

If that makes me closed minded, so be it. Fuck them.

Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it
**********

I don't think so. I've been studying them my whole life.

Case closed on their satanic ideology.

Posted by: Warden at December 07, 2016 10:19 PM (MZ8Zz)

289 OneEyedJack: I'd say we're all smarter than the average bear... ;-)

Posted by: qdpsteve at December 07, 2016 10:19 PM (u8kLQ)

290 #284: Meh. You know better now, and that's what's really important.

Posted by: The Deplorable Prothonotary Warbler at December 07, 2016 10:19 PM (0OG8D)

291 Thought Bill Clinton was a decent family guy - yeah no
Thought people were too mean to Hillary in the 90s- um yeah nope
Thought poor Chelsea had a face for radio- yeah I was right about that one
Barack and JILL teamed up with Hill
To fetch a pail of voters
But Hill fell down and lost "THE CROWN"
When the Trumpster filled his quota

Hill remained down and wore a frown
Her supporters are all a-reeling
She sobbed and moped cause all is broke
Except her intact "glass ceiling"!

Posted by: VillaRosa Vixen at December 07, 2016 10:19 PM (AqZIp)

292 I am finding Korean movies more entertaining than anything Hollywood makes.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 10:20 PM (dKiJG)

293 284
I voted for Billy Jeff Clinton. Twice.

Damn, that looks bad, all written down like that.

Posted by: antisocialist at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (W2wn0)

I believe Mr. O'Spades did too.

Posted by: Tami at December 07, 2016 10:20 PM (Enq6K)

294 http://preview.tinyurl.com/jkxj8gl
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (vBeA5)

=====

Trump, you magnificent bastard!

Posted by: Flyboy at December 07, 2016 10:20 PM (L+dg+)

295 Definitely wrong on Iraqi 'Freedom'.

Soften somewhat on death penalty. I understand some of the reasons for not engaging it from a religious sense and a worst case scenario practicality.

Changed on demographic decline; it's not the disaster it's I assumed it was.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at December 07, 2016 10:20 PM (1G5R8)

296 Pushing that big red button...

Posted by: Krista McAuliffe at December 07, 2016 10:21 PM (sqpGi)

297 75 years ago the Japanese displayed professional brilliance and
technological power launching surprises from Hawaii to the Philippines
-------------------------------------
This is...controversial? Inflammatory? Yes, I know the U.S. had been prodding the Japs to DO something but, it wasn't exactly our finest hour and the Japs DID perform rather well that terrible day. Seems a rather factual statement to me.

Posted by: TJ Madison at December 07, 2016 10:21 PM (VExmM)

298 ..."i was wrong about trump".

i don't think i was wrong about trump, in the sense he represented ideas i didn't understand or differed with. he gave no reason to believe him about anything, he would say just about anything, changed his mind often, and for years came across as a self-promoting blowhard.

that he he conducting himself seriously and principally is to his credit, but not my demerit. when his advisors come on tv saying people don't know him, how thoughtful, engaging and respectful he is, well, how would we?

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at December 07, 2016 10:21 PM (WTSFk)

299 267 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration? Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

******************

WHATCHA GONNA DO WHEN LINDA MCMAHON RUNS WILD ON YOU!!!
Posted by: Hulk Hogan, smoking cigars made of dollar bills from his lawsuit winnings at December 07, 2016 10:15 PM (KLyOA)

CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKIN'

- The Rock
(that's all I got.)

Oh, I actually voted for Linda McMahon when we lived in the same state and she ran for senator. Kind of a RINO, tbh.

Not bad for a CT R I guess, but... eh

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:22 PM (cJrMO)

300 This is...controversial? Inflammatory? Yes, I know the U.S. had been prodding the Japs to DO something but, it wasn't exactly our finest hour and the Japs DID perform rather well that terrible day. Seems a rather factual statement to me.
Posted by: TJ Madison
-------------

Newtie is a historian. I see nothing wrong about the comment.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 10:23 PM (ZO497)

301 Sold Apple stock after buying low. Watching it go underwater for what seemed a decade, and then sold when it had a peak, just before the stock soared. Sigh.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (u82oZ)

302 In retrospect, maybe a self-destruct button in case of alien takeover was a little silly.

Posted by: NASA Shuttle Design Engineer at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (sqpGi)

303 In the last 10 years, I've figured out that approximately 95% of people are full of shit and/or faking it.

Posted by: Warden at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (MZ8Zz)

304 The truth is that a LOT of them are basically careerist used car salesmen who abjure only stealing a stove while it's still hot.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at December 07, 2016 09:36 PM (SRKgf)

And many of the so-called "climate scientists" would steal a hot stove, and come back for the smoke.

Posted by: just the punchline at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (MiBfH)

305 For example, my mind is closed to nearly all Progressive points of view. I will no longer entertain them in any scenario.
If that makes me closed minded, so be it. Fuck them.
Posted by: Country Boy - Deplorable and proud of it at December 07, 2016 10:1

That reminds me of something my Dad said in jest. He was tired of his liberal brother and said...well an open mind could just be a dumping ground for others BS.

Posted by: Farmer at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (o/90i)

306 289 OneEyedJack: I'd say we're all smarter than the average bear... ;-)
Posted by: qdpsteve at December 07, 2016 10:19 PM (u8kLQ)

not me. I am decidedly below the bell curve for bear intelligence.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (cJrMO)

307
Ouch. If it makes you feel better, I pestered people for MassPirg.
Posted by: Lauren

A mass purge would be fine.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (IqV8l)

308 Probably shouldn't have put the self destruct button right next to the bathroom door release button.

Posted by: NASA Shuttle Ergonomic Engineer at December 07, 2016 10:25 PM (sqpGi)

309 I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong.

Like that one time I got married . . .

Posted by: Count de Monet at December 07, 2016 10:26 PM (JO9+V)

310 I no longer talk to my childhood friend because he couldn't handle W being elected, he went into therapy because of it. He would just lose his mind over it and I have know since we were 3.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 10:26 PM (dKiJG)

311 I have been totally turned by Scott Adams. People - generally - don't care about issues. Some say they do and don't, and some really really care, but largely, no, people don't.

And they don't really care about facts. Same deal as with issues.

Posted by: blaster at December 07, 2016 10:27 PM (stTTh)

312 Nood-- ONT up

Posted by: Basement Cat at December 07, 2016 10:27 PM (3C9q2)

313 218 Tramadol is basically worthless.
Posted by: Lauren at December 07, 2016 10:01 PM (YMxoE)

I was sick for 18 years, In the middle of that (about 12-14 years in) I tried Tramadol. It cured me. For about 2 1/2 weeks. Then it slowly got less effective over the next week and a half until it stopped working entirely. I still took it for about 3 months, trying to get the magic back, never worked again. That was a pretty low point for me, as that was the first relief from constant pain and exhaustion that I had experienced for, well, about 12 years.

Farkin Tramadol, you goddam tease.

Posted by: West at December 07, 2016 10:28 PM (NDuMx)

314 When I was a kid, someone said "smell this" and I did.

Posted by: Jukin,The Deplorable & Profoundly Unserious at December 07, 2016 10:29 PM (cOHS7)

315 I no longer talk to my childhood friend because he couldn't handle W being elected, he went into therapy because of it. He would just lose his mind over it and I have know since we were 3.
Posted by: Patrick
--------------
I've had a couple of acquaintances anxiously say (with their eyes twitching back and forth) ; "My god... what about the election"? I just wave my hand and say, "Aw, it'll sort itself out", and then start talking about the weather or something.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 10:30 PM (ZO497)

316 I thought Iraq could work because even if people might not understand democracy, we all understand the idea of freedom.

It did not occur to me how much people like to deprive other people of their freedom. The entire history of the world somehow failed to dawn on my consciousness.

Because i want freedom and am happy to let others have it, i assumed this was normal thinking. turns out i'm a freak.

Posted by: buzzsaw90 at December 07, 2016 10:30 PM (EZDs2)

317 When I was a starving student (took me decades to look at rice again) I went to a church run Sunday dinner in Kansas. They needed someone to take the side of Carter in a debate with the Reagan debating students. I did very well in that debate. The home-made mashed potatoes and the green beens were stunning.

But now all I remember is guilt.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 07, 2016 10:31 PM (u82oZ)

318 That reminds me of something my Dad said in jest. He was tired of his liberal brother and said...well an open mind could just be a dumping ground for others BS.

Posted by: Farmer at December 07, 2016 10:24 PM (o/90i)

One of my favorite quotes to come out of the 40K universe: "An open mind is a fortress with its drawbridge down and its gates unbarred."

Sometimes great things come out of unusual sources, and that's a great analogy. We should not entertain anything, no matter what. Some things are obvious bullshit, and entertaining obvious bullshit is not high-minded, or useful. There's no shame in keeping the drawbridge up, lowering it for the things you want to let in, and telling the rest to piss off and take it somewhere else.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at December 07, 2016 10:32 PM (sp6+W)

319 In the 80's I gave money to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The shame hasn't gone away.

Posted by: Chuck C at December 07, 2016 10:16 PM (h99GH)

In the 80's the SPLC was actually engaged in taking on some serious bad guys. Bob Matthews' neo-nazi group, Der Bruderschweigen, had targeted SPLC attorney Morris Dees for assassination. Matthews and his people were serious business, responsible for several murders and bank robberies.

This was all high-profile, front-page headline stuff and the SPLC has used its reputation from that era as a means of establishing its legitimacy, especially when it comes to deciding who or what is racist. That they have abused that imprimatur of legitimacy isn't on you, it's on them.

Posted by: troyriser at December 07, 2016 10:32 PM (ZkXe+)

320 Off politics: In my early 30s, there was a thin, impeccabley dressed and made up woman who, when she walked into the bar (small town), all the heads would turn. I assumed she was probably "easy" and obnoxiously vain. Some years later, I ended up working with her. I couldn't have been more wrong. She was the kindest, sweetest, most hard working woman I have ever met. In truth, I was jealous, but I will never assume these things about attractive women again.

Posted by: PA Chick at December 07, 2016 10:33 PM (lwmUZ)

321 I liked Paul Ryan back in 2012.
Boy, was I a stupid dick.

Posted by: TexasJew at December 07, 2016 10:33 PM (Qp6gb)

322 284 I voted for Billy Jeff Clinton. Twice.
Damn, that looks bad, all written down like that.

----

me to, but the 2nd time was with 'reservations'

Posted by: buzzsaw90 at December 07, 2016 10:33 PM (EZDs2)

323 Abortion

I'm pro-choice, but I'm not pro-extortion. It's not my priority to tell people what to do with their bodies, until they want to take with from me what they want to do with their bodies as they will. I'm not obligated to pay for their tattoos, why should I be obligated to pay for their abortions?

Posted by: EmpireHasNoClothes at December 07, 2016 10:34 PM (PiuYU)

324 Prediction: A year from now, half of us will admit to being wrong on pizzagate. I have no idea which half.

Posted by: @votermom @vm at December 07, 2016 10:38 PM (Om16U)

325 Rahm Rombo Dead Fish Emanuel. Killin me 9 fingers.

Posted by: dartist at December 07, 2016 10:41 PM (Cf0i2)

326 I can't say I was wrong about the negative effects off-shoring in spite of moderating my globalism - I've always been a patriot and see the benefit of a strong American economy - not just for us, but for the rest of the world too. Believing in free markets and participating in the development of markets in foreign lands doesn't mean we ever should've sent our jobs there ... thank god for Trump's magic wand

Posted by: Random Joe at December 07, 2016 10:46 PM (qUxdc)

327 Posted by: Farmer at December 07, 2016 10:18 PM (o/90i)

Thank you, Farmer.

Posted by: MathMom at December 07, 2016 10:46 PM (AHxMr)

328 RE rationality: Herbert Simon and some of his graduate students pioneered a field of theory called "bounded rationality". In short, even if we may not make the "optimal" choice, we can have "optimal" processes for choosing. There are strategies about how you identify your options, when you stop looking, how you choose, which can be rational/sane/wise even if the result isn't optimal 100% of the time. For example, take your shopper buying Excedrin instead of the generic. He's using a rule of thumb, essentially, which may be rational because a big company with a famous brand has a lot at stake and is less likely to screw up with a defective product. Economists may say it's irrational, but for the shopper it saves him potentially hours of research.

RE Iraq: you misstate the problem. It's not that Iraqis are fundamentally incapable of civilization. It's that we tried to colonize Iraq while denying them access to civilization. We gave them representative government without freedom of speech. We built courthouses without teaching them morals, or justice. The world was treated to the sight of Americans overseeing regimes that burned churches and demolished girls' schools. We should have handed these countries over to the British after we conquered their leaders... they'd have known what to do.

Posted by: joe at December 07, 2016 10:46 PM (dRWGW)

329 204 Thankfully, I've never been wrong about anything.

Well, except that one time when I said "there's no way the cops will catch us!"

They did.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes
--------------------

Ah. Reminds me of one of my *best* decisions; heading out the back door as the cops were coming through the front door.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 07, 2016 09:57 PM (eeTCA)

====

*begins wondering when the neighborhood started look so rough*

*hand absent-mindedly checks wallet in back pocket*

Posted by: San Franpsycho at December 07, 2016 10:50 PM (EZebt)

330 Re the Iraq war - mixed feelings. Initially I doubted (thought Yemen would be better) but saw the strategery of it. When it turned out their whole plan to fix the mess after was "free markets" I was shocked that they thought that would somehow provide security. Eventually, they won the peace, but too late, and Obama threw it all away for politics, so we go back again ...

Posted by: Random Joe at December 07, 2016 10:56 PM (qUxdc)

331 236 Guess who was nominated to head the Small Business Administration?
Posted by: The Political Hat at December 07, 2016 10:04 PM (vBeA5)

That Penzey clown?

Posted by: Hugh Jorgen at December 07, 2016 10:57 PM (R5EqA)

332 I grew up believing it was wrong to kill someone, especially if all they did was to annoy you.

I got over it.

Posted by: Gen'l "Mad Dog" Mattis at December 07, 2016 10:59 PM (V2Yro)

333 One of my big lessons in my adult life was the mistaken assumption that if you are honest and do the right thing then others will be honest and do the right thing by you as well. It took a couple of particularly horrendous lessons to finally understand that this is not the case at all.

Posted by: Adam at December 07, 2016 11:20 PM (7/+ub)

334 I'm still conflicted on abortion. I'm also a small-l libertarian.

My pro-life friends tend to want to pray for people who disagree with them. My pro-choice friends demonize those who disagree with them. I won't shed a tear if it's made illegal some day.

I also noticed during the Veep debate how Kaine talked about his internal conflict with the death penalty, but not with abortion. He could have won a great number of people over (well, maybe not... he was a total dick that entire debate) if he had talked about his internal conflict with abortion, but of course, the left would not have any of that. Even Pence brought up his support for the Hyde Amendment.

I'm starting to buy in to the culture of life.

Posted by: Arch Stanton at December 07, 2016 11:37 PM (WV40F)

335 Oh, and I used to think that Hillary would be the first female President. I was definitely wrong about that.

She will *never* be President.

Posted by: Arch Stanton at December 07, 2016 11:38 PM (WV40F)

336 As someone who has experienced a fair bit of alcohol intake in his life (with a 20 year respite) I can say that I found much insight and personal reflection from your article.

As an analogy I used to pontificate that I had never been drunk on Tequila. Even though I had quaffed mass quantities of said beverage.

I had been stupid. Belligerent. Argumentative. Aggressive. Angry. Hateful and contemptful. I had never actually been drunk on it.

Now. Figure liberal progressivism.

Posted by: Jeffersonian at December 08, 2016 12:07 AM (56n2J)

337 3801 the gosnell movie is free on Amazon prime videos

Posted by: Shiggz at December 08, 2016 12:19 AM (G7wcY)

338 My political views have been almost like a swinging pendulum coming to rest.

As a teenager, I was a dogmatic fundamentalist Christian and stridently right wing on pretty much everything. In college, I lapsed into agnosticism and adopted a pretty robust libertarian worldview. Senior year of college, I ended up converting to Lutheranism. I've found that between that, working and paying taxes, and just generally observing the world around me, I've slowly gravitated back to center-right conservatism.

The country is getting diverse enough in every respect, it's not going to survive unless we learn to put our swords down and learn to put up with each other again. I support gay marriage, but not nearly as much as I support the right of people to have their lives ruined over their beliefs. Stand firm when you have to, but be kind when you can. That's all I've got.

Posted by: Luke at December 08, 2016 01:02 AM (V0qhm)

339 Woops, that should've read:

"but not nearly as much as I support the right of people to *NOT* have their lives ruined over their beliefs."

Posted by: Luke at December 08, 2016 01:06 AM (V0qhm)

340 Things I've been wrong about...

I used to like the beatles...
I used to think common sense was, you know, common...
I used to think we as a nation, for the most part, would do the right thing. Then we elected Obama. Twice...
I didn't believe in lizard aliens living amongst us. Then Obama put Valerie Jarret in his cabinet...
I didn't think people really believed in chem trails... or that the moon landings were faked... then I met some...
Journalists, for the most part, tried to get the story right...
I got a D in a 400 level match class, Complex Analysis. I got a lot of things wrong in that class...

Posted by: PaterNovem at December 08, 2016 01:53 AM (wxQ53)

341 A little OT, but man, the places life takes you sometimes can be weird. Back in high school I had a bunch of really conservative guys I hung out with, and I was basically the token liberal. I remember some of these guys were to the right of Attila the Hun back then, and I was the big liberal thorn in their side.

Fast forward to today, and I know a lot of these guys on Facebook, and I'm still the odd one out, because now I'm the only right-winger! The others all run the gamut from moderate liberal to far left. One guy was on Facebook the other day singing Obama's praises -- this was a guy who hated, hated, HATED Bill Clinton back in the day and used to go on and on about how liberals like Clinton were destroying America. Now he's a total Obama fangirl.

Possible explanation: Out of this whole group of guys, I'm the only one who went out to work in the "real world." They all became lawyers or college professors.

Posted by: Ex-liberal at December 08, 2016 02:10 AM (XLZh6)

342 I too wanted Bush to invade Iraq...to put an end to the farce of no fly zones and having all those forces there wasting money. But I never wanted to nation build...but like all things .gov it can't help itself...mission creep affects everything .gov does. I'm shocked the moon isn't carpeted with thousands of .gov installations. Must be something really hidden and difficult about doing that. Maybe we can send Muslims there. All of them.

Posted by: torabora at December 08, 2016 02:31 AM (IFFZY)

343 Operation Iraqi Liberation would have been more accurate and honest.

Posted by: torabora at December 08, 2016 02:36 AM (IFFZY)

344 #65 What do two gay guys bring on their 2nd date?
Nothing. There is no 2nd date.

What do two lesbians bring on their 2nd date?
A U-Haul.

Posted by: torabora at December 08, 2016 02:41 AM (IFFZY)

345 I used to think the Pope was a man of God who was guided and trained by the word and walked in righteousness. But after seeing this socialist Charlatan occupying the Vatican, I've been deeply disappointed.

Posted by: Juli0 at December 08, 2016 03:36 AM (aO1W9)

346 "Iraqi Liberation"

The problem, as always, is Islam. It requires its believers to live under the system of government specified by the 'faith'.

It is absolutely incompatible with the freedoms we take for granted in the West. Always has been, always will be.

Posted by: Aarradin at December 08, 2016 04:33 AM (+7Wfv)

347 292 I am finding Korean movies more entertaining than anything Hollywood makes.
Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at December 07, 2016 10:20 PM (dKiJG)

Have you seen Train to Busan? Wow.

Posted by: Average Jen at December 08, 2016 08:28 AM (11v76)

348 OK, I'll play. They say confession is good for the soul.

I voted for Bill Clinton, twice.

I gave up a steady IT job to take a job with a sure-fire DOT-COM company ... in 2000.

When I first heard about a search engine company named Google going public, I thought it was a stupid idea. How would it ever make money???

I bought a mountain lot in 2007, oops.

In a desperate attempt to escape the steady IT job (from which I previously tried to escape in 2000), I bought a small industrial repair business that competes with Chinese manufactured products. Pro-Tip: Any service business that competes with Chinese manufactured products is going to lose.

Posted by: Zon Toro at December 08, 2016 08:54 AM (82s/V)

349 RE: Rational Decision Making

It's easy enough to allow for irrational decisions and ignorance by stupid people by making the statement: "People will always exchange something they value less for something they value more. In that sense they will always be rational."

Posted by: Servius at December 08, 2016 09:41 AM (SXIn9)

350 My most recent big wrongness was thinking that there was no way Hillary wouldn't cheat herself into the white house.

I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life.

Posted by: Farmer Joe at December 08, 2016 10:00 AM (zSMr0)

351 The gay marriage thing was always obvious to me, from the moment that civil unions weren't good enough.

I still think Iraq had a shot of becoming something preferable to what it was and is again.
BHO made sure it never had a chance.

As time goes on, I find that the more I learn, the more I witness, I always change toward being more conservative.

Posted by: freshg at December 08, 2016 10:36 AM (gMx9e)

352 Until this election, I believed that the American people had been fatally compromised and corrupted by socialism. I believed that we were on a permanent downward spiral.

Posted by: david ferguson at December 08, 2016 01:20 PM (iFCFD)

353 I definitely vacillate on the gay thing. I worked in SF during the 70s and 80s. I have gay friends that are still friends after 40 years. But, I was also subject to lifestyle close ups that were uncomfortable. Complaints that their m�nage a trois couldn't get complete medical coverage and the like. The fact is, these are grown men behaving like children. Over the last several years when there's crowing about gay marriage, I ask them, what's the next horizon? Polygamy? Man-Boy love? What?
The most annoying thing is that except for being gay, they are conservative through and through. They drive Cadillacs, for heavens sake. I thought there was a rule about gays and imports.

Posted by: Anna Mac at December 08, 2016 06:15 PM (xujfC)

354 We misunderstood human nature. We believed falsely and naively that the principles of freedom, natural rights, individualism, representative government, and the rule of law could be successfully transferred to any group of people in the world, regardless of their culture, religion and history.

Yes. Now take the next step. Our open borders policies of the last decades are allowing those unsuited people and cultures to come here and corrupt our ability to keep those principles even for ourselves.

This truth is what drives the alt-right. Call it racist if you want, but the truth doesn't really care what you call it. See also: the Gods if the Copybook Headings.

Posted by: LBascom at December 10, 2016 04:55 PM (KTJxj)

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