The Revenge Of Stuart Smalley, Franken slaps down Lieberman

Payback is 12 letter word?

Franken shuts down Lieberman on Senate floor

Not a minute to spare.... but I understand that "Hotel" Harry Reid was at least an hour late to the Senate floor to make a motion to adjourn this afternoon.

Hey Minnesotans....are you proud of your Junior Senator?

So far! Why?

Agreed...now leave us our independence.

I'm hoping this was Al's attempt at comedy...either way it's questionable!

A true Obamanite...why does helping the afflicted demand afflicting the comfortable? Most people who are comfortable--aren't rich--the rich are extravagant--but in any case, why beat up Capitalism? Franken suceeded in it. Redistribution of wealth comment at it's finest.

If this is what Franken thinks of Reagan...I'd sure hate to think what he'll say about Obama in regards to a huge deficit, disarming our troops, disrespecting our only Mideast allie (Israel), rubbing shoulders with Chavez....oh wait...he won't say anything about that.

Jillian

Franken was a "D" list comedian and it appears his performance as a senator will be even less stellar.

Slàint,    

Patch    

A true Obamanite...why does helping the afflicted demand afflicting the comfortable? Most people who are comfortable--aren't rich--the rich are extravagant--but in any case, why beat up Capitalism? Franken suceeded in it. Redistribution of wealth comment at it's finest.


Jillian

Jillian,

Are you indicating being a capitalist is incompatible with having compassion for the sick, elderly, and impoverished and treating them ethically requires a redistribution of wealth that will somehow bring down our society? I believe his comment about afflicting the comfortable, at least to be consistent with Humphrey, was meant to mean causing those that are not noticing or helping the sick, elderly, and impoverished to take notice and help.

Do we treat these folks he was mentioning merely as losers in the game of capitalism?

And Patch,

He was lucky to get that "D" rating as a comedian. Had he been funnier, he may have won by a larger margin and arrived in Washington much sooner!

Politics in Minnesota is hard to figure if you just look at who gets elected- a second rate comedian, a washed up professional wrestler.

I believe that Franken thinks being a capitalist is incompatible with having compassion for the sick, elderly, and impoverished--and yes, that he believes in redistribution of wealth. I personally believe that a government based in socialism and redistribution of wealth is likely to slide into tyranny because it is what I've witnessed as a clinical social worker. Most programs are passed to appease political gain and are then never funded appropriately--or funded and then lost in the beaurocratic maze and exploited. Many times funding is also used for pet projects unrelated to the cause with which they were established.

Though many of us would love to "cause" those not noticing or helping the sick, elderly, and impoverished to "notice and help", but to me, forcing it through government redistribution of wealth on a large scale is unconstitutional. I don't have any numbers (wish I did--maybe I'll look) on how many private monies are donated, but I think community activism in combination w/limited government assistance is the way to go.

As for losers of capitalism...I think there will always be those who do not succeed in life...but then what is success? My career has been built around trying to empower people to succeed to the highest levels they can...and naturally everyone's abilities are different. I have worked with some people (just the other day there was one) who have the "abilities" to succeed but have chosen resentment, anger and withdraw from society due to traumas experienced. He refuses to utilize programs provided and desires to live in his car. I meet him where he's at so to speak...provide him w/counseling and for now that is fine w/him. In other words, only he can decide (when he's been pushed in the past he's withdrawn again) if and when he wants to reconnect. If he does...I'll be there to support him...but I can't do it for him. We are all ultimately responsible for who and what we are.

I think I answered your question!

Jillian

Jillian,

Yes, indeed you did answer my question. Thank you. I am not convinced that Franken would favor eliminating capitalism in our society, and am not as fearful about him bringing in socialism and redistribution of wealth as you evidently are. I am not sure that I understand how Franken's views would support a notion that our government should be based on those issues. I am glad you are concerned however. Every issue deserves a watchful eye.

I too, favor helping those needing help through private means as much as possible, with the least amount of government assistance that succeeds. It is this last part that needs the work, and where we have made the most mistakes in government, making certain that it succeeds. We don't hold the private sector responsible to succeed in the same way we do government, because the private business will usually go away if ineffective, the government won't.

I wish all politicians did good things for the highest moral reasons alone, but our political process has evolved where that is not the only way good things happen. As a clinical social worker, perhaps you are familiar with the notion that it is often better for clients to be effective than for them to be right. Some clients won't help themselves because they don't think it is right for them to have to act because it wasn't their fault that they need the help. They may be right, but they need the help. Not doing something would be ineffective for them, dangerous to them or others, and ultimately perhaps, not "right." I think politics is that way, sometimes.

Good story by the way. I bet you are great at your work!

I am giving "senator smalley" two years to be in a major corruption investigation. Attorneys can legally, not ethically, accept bribes. All others do so at their own peril.

Slàint,    

Patch