questions about the belief in god

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Friday April 25, 2014 · 3:30 PM PDT

2014/04/25 · 15:30

I have been an atheist since about the age of 12. Once I realized that, I went to science, and am now a biochemist and a neuroscientist. Having thought about this issue quite a bit, over what is now a long span of time, I've come to the conclusion that the specific belief in "god" is not really the most important philosophical concept; I think the belief in a soul is.

Poll

67 votes Show Results

Do you personally believe in a god or a soul?

67 votes Vote Now!

Do you personally believe in a god or a soul?

Believe in god

0 votes

Do not believe in god

1 vote

Believe in souls

6 votes

Do not believe in souls

1 vote

Believe in both god and souls

13 votes

Do not believe in either gods or souls

44 votes

Do not believe in Science

2 votes

Gelb/Biden could have prevented iraq

wildhypotheses

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Friday January 10, 2014 · 6:26 PM PST

2014/01/10 · 18:26

I see virtually no commentary about the Gelb/Biden plan for Iraq, but there should be more. The current situation provides a controlled experiment of their plan, without getting much commentary on its value.

Poll

20 votes Show Results

Do you believe that Gelb/Biden were correct?

20 votes Vote Now!

Do you believe that Gelb/Biden were correct?

Yes

9 votes

5 votes

Don't know

6 votes

"Speaker" Boehner

wildhypotheses

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Wednesday October 09, 2013 · 8:33 AM PDT

2013/10/09 · 08:33

Boehner must realize that the pressure is on him now, as strongly as it's ever been. But has anyone gotten through his fog to explain to him that there is probably no way for him to retain the speakership after this? If he hangs tough, the republicans will almost certainly lose the house. If he does the decent thing, allowing an open vote in the House, as he should, he likely will be voted out of leadership by his ridiculous caucus. As I have commented before, I really think his best chance is to save a little face by having a discharge position get around him. It would still cost him, as Nancy Pelosi would come out looking much stronger if it succeeds, but that may be the best scenario for him.

If Boehner faces the fact that he will almost certainly not be speaker in the next congress, he just might do the right thing and allow an open vote. In order for this to happen, it may be necessary for someone to take him aside and impress this on him, while he's at his most lucid moment (whenever that might be).

Why not try a discharge petition?

wildhypotheses

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Monday September 30, 2013 · 3:00 PM PDT

2013/09/30 · 15:00

I understand that discharge petitions have only rarely been used for major legislation, and that members of the majority party are often reluctant to sign on to them. However, given the weakness of Speaker Boehner and the stated positions of several republican members of the House that they are willing to vote for a "clean" bill, such as the one sent to them by the senate, why not try? No sane person wants a government shutdown or a credit default, and there are a few remaining sane republicans in the house. It only takes 17 republicans to support a discharge position; perhaps they can be found. And there actually is competent, rational, realistic leadership in the democratic party; let's urge those people to try.

Poll

29 votes Show Results

Should we call for a discharge petition?

29 votes Vote Now!

Should we call for a discharge petition?

yes

25 votes

1 vote

don't care

2 votes

am a troll

1 vote

Once again, the right is trying to falsify the framing of "choice"

wildhypotheses

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Sunday February 05, 2012 · 12:51 PM PST

2012/02/05 · 12:51

Many people speaking for the right-wing are raising hell about the Obama administration's rule on contraceptives. They are presenting it as a violation of the "freedom of choice" of those institutions, predominantly Catholic and Mormon, that will have to provide contraception for their employees. They should not be allowed to set this framing. The fact is that the new rules do not force anyone to use contraceptives; they instead increase the freedom of choice of the employees. What the rule does do is take the opportunity to make the choice about contraceptives away from administrators and give it to individuals. This is, of course, what right-wing rhetoric tends to glorify, but often violates in practice.

wildhypotheses

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Saturday January 28, 2012 · 1:57 PM PST

2012/01/28 · 13:57

Truman (HST) assumed the presidency in the Spring when I was in the 6th grade. He left office in the winter of my sophomore year of college. I learned a lot from him. For example, he said that one couldn't get rich in politics if you were honest. I think of that often, when observing current politicians who did not start off wealthy, but became so during or after serving in office, parlaying political influence into money: Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum.

HST pushed for universal, compulsory health insurance, which caused the Republican party to have a collective seizure. My classes were visited by local dentists and MD's to instruct us in the evils of such a system, and to convince our innocent minds of the great dangers in 'creeping socialism.' (It didn't work; I wound up a right-wing socialist.)

He once proposed in a speech that higher executive pay should be capped at a certain percentage of the workers' pay in the company. This really set off a storm among conservative republicans. (I grew up in an extremely right-wing, although libertarian, part of the country.)

Poll

47 votes Show Results

Which do you believe the greatest president?

47 votes Vote Now!

Which do you believe the greatest president?

Washington

4 votes

Jefferson

0 votes

Lincoln

10 votes

Theodore Roosevelt

3 votes

Franklin Roosevelt

28 votes

John Kennedy

1 vote

Lyndon Johnson

1 vote

Does Right-wing violent Rhetoric actually contribute to physical violence

wildhypotheses

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Sunday January 16, 2011 · 3:47 PM PST

2011/01/16 · 15:47

There is a lot of discussion of this topic currently, because of the shootings in Tucson, AZ. While there is considerable evidence that right-wing provocation may not have been a contributing factor to Mr. Loughner’s rampage, there are examples that make this point in a better way. Why aren’t people using the better examples?

Poll

132 votes Show Results

do you believe that right-wing, violent rhetoric contributes to gun violence?

132 votes Vote Now!

do you believe that right-wing, violent rhetoric contributes to gun violence?

yes

96 votes

18 votes

no, and we only need more guns, so people can defend themselves against the crazies

8 votes

yes, but only if the speakers seem to be promoting actual, physical violence

2 votes

stupid question

8 votes

Occam's razor and intelligence vs. stupidity

wildhypotheses

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Wednesday June 23, 2010 · 8:37 AM PDT

2010/06/23 · 08:37

There is clearly an important difference between the behavior of intelligent and stupid people(ie, Obama vs. Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton vs. Michelle Bachmann, etc.)

Having said this, it is clear that Gen. McChrystal is intelligent, not stupid. Occam's razor says the simplest explanation for any complicated problem is probably the correct one. Therefore, the simplest explanation for McChrystal's behavior is below the fold.

Poll

70 votes Show Results

McChrystal's motivation

70 votes Vote Now!

McChrystal's motivation

he's just careless with his staff's discussion

11 votes

he hates the administration and doesn't care who knows it

22 votes

he was too anxious, and/or drunk to pay attention during the discussion

4 votes

he wanted to get sacked, to pass the blame to obama

29 votes

he's following orders from the pentagon

4 votes

who's the dumbest senator?

wildhypotheses

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Monday April 12, 2010 · 11:14 AM PDT

2010/04/12 · 11:14

My wife and I were talking about this one evening, so I went through the current senators to decide which one I thought was least intelligent. I've made a poll below, to find out your opinions. I've excluded Bunning, because I think he is actually demented, much worse than stupid ("little green doctors"). I've included those who have been mentioned by others as possibly dumbest, and I've indicated their education, for those who think that might offer a clue (only one senator does not have a college degree, Mark Begich, but he's not likely for the list). I've included college majors, when they seem possibly indicative of intellect. I've also included comments about previous occupations, if they seem relevant. Lawyers are obvious from their degrees. I'll include a comment later, with our choice.

Poll

732 votes Show Results

Who's the dumbest senator?

Scott Brown (R-MA) BA, J.D.

Roland Burris (D-IL) BA, LLB, lobbyist, banker

Richard Burr (R-NC) BA (communications), Marketing, Kitchen Appliance sales

Bob Corker (R-TN) BS, real estate developer, construction company owner

John Cornyn (R-TX) BA, J.D. real estate agent

Jim Demint (R-NC) BS (communications), MBA, market research, advertising, sales

John Ensign (R-NV) BS, DVM, veterinarian, casino manager

Mike Enzi (R-WY) BA, MS, marketing, accountant, shoe store owner, computers

Charles Grassley (R-IA) BA, MA, farmer

James Inhofe (R-OK) BA, real estate developer, insurance executive

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) BA, lobbyist, congressional aide

John McCain (BS) navy pilot

Mark Pryor (D-AR) BA, J.D.

Harry Reid (D-NV) BA, J.D.

Jeff Sessions (R-AL) BA, J.D. teacher

732 votes Vote Now!

Who's the dumbest senator?

Scott Brown (R-MA) BA, J.D.

21 votes

Roland Burris (D-IL) BA, LLB, lobbyist, banker

36 votes

Richard Burr (R-NC) BA (communications), Marketing, Kitchen Appliance sales

19 votes

Bob Corker (R-TN) BS, real estate developer, construction company owner

7 votes

John Cornyn (R-TX) BA, J.D. real estate agent

23 votes

Jim Demint (R-NC) BS (communications), MBA, market research, advertising, sales

54 votes

John Ensign (R-NV) BS, DVM, veterinarian, casino manager

24 votes

Mike Enzi (R-WY) BA, MS, marketing, accountant, shoe store owner, computers

3 votes

Charles Grassley (R-IA) BA, MA, farmer

38 votes

James Inhofe (R-OK) BA, real estate developer, insurance executive

274 votes

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) BA, lobbyist, congressional aide

16 votes

John McCain (BS) navy pilot

72 votes

Mark Pryor (D-AR) BA, J.D.

6 votes

Harry Reid (D-NV) BA, J.D.

75 votes

Jeff Sessions (R-AL) BA, J.D. teacher

64 votes

if we had campaign finance reform, we would get single payer

wildhypotheses

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday December 20, 2009 · 7:29 PM PST

2009/12/20 · 19:29

It is clear to all of us that single payer is the best plan for national health care. Most of the opposition lies (and lies and lies) primarily in the system for campaign finance that we now suffer with. A member of congress, either chamber, has to spend a significant fraction (sometimes a major fraction) of their non-appearance on the floor time raising money.

Follow me over the fold for the solution.

Poll

42 votes Show Results

What's most important?

42 votes Vote Now!

What's most important?

Forcing TV stations and networks to provide free time for political campaigns

7 votes

Providing Governmental funding for all federal political campaigns

18 votes

trying to pass a bill for single payer health care

6 votes

primarying joe lieberman and ben nelson

4 votes

bitching about Obama's not having done enough

5 votes

Increasing the amount of tv information for good causes, to refute the republicans

2 votes

health insurance companies' greed, and others'

wildhypotheses

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 05, 2009 · 7:13 PM PDT

2009/10/05 · 19:13

It's important for health care delivery reform to curb the greed of the health insurance industry. But that's not all. There is other greed in the system. As an article in "The New Yorker," by Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Harvard, pointed out, there is also a significant amount of greed in the health care delivery industry, including from some MD's. Most MD's are not in it for money, but a significant minority is.

Poll

24 votes Show Results

What is more important?

24 votes Vote Now!

What is more important?

Regulating the health insurance industry

7 votes

Removing profit from health insurance and from health care companies

5 votes

Establishing a public option

1 vote

Making a single payer system

11 votes

A Second way to get to Single Payer

wildhypotheses

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday August 09, 2009 · 6:05 PM PDT

2009/08/09 · 18:05

A second way to get to single payer

(I diaried a first one a while back, which was swamped by up to four comments.)

follow me below the fold

Poll

72 votes Show Results

How to get to single payer

72 votes Vote Now!

How to get to single payer

Medicare for all

57 votes

Allow states to set up such programs on their own

6 votes

Arm-twist all blue dog democrats, threatening with primary opposition

2 votes

Arm-twist all republicans, threatening to expose their sex lives

2 votes

Massive public relations and advertising about single-payer

5 votes

Allow senate to do it themselves

0 votes

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