35 Comments

"there is no other option for realists except to call themselves Republicans."

Indeed. Being Gen x, and growing up in a blue collar neighborhood, the notion that I'd ever "identify" (to use a trendy word) as a Republican was risible. Yet, here I am. Rock-ribbed Republican.

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Sep 21Liked by William M Briggs

There are two parties in the US, the 'Haves" (0.5%) and the "Have-nots" (99.5%)

Politics is a stupid charade set up to amuse the 99.5% and to give them the impression that they matter. They don't.

A quote from a 1924 edition of the American Banker's Association not intended for the public sums up what is currently happening all around us:

"Capital must protect itself in every possible way, both by combination and legislation. Debts must be collected, mortgages foreclosed as rapidly as possible. When, through the process of law, the common people lose their homes, they will become more docile and more easily governed through the strong arm of government applied by a central power of wealth under leading financiers. These truths are well known among our principal men who are now engaged in forming an imperialism to govern the world.

By dividing the voter through the political party system, we can get them to expend their energies in fighting for questions of no importance.

It is thus by discreet action we can secure for ourselves that which has been so well planned and so successfully accomplished."

I repeat "By dividing the voter through the political party system, we can get them to expend their energies in fighting for questions of no importance."

Both parties take their instructions from the same 0.5% and they always will.

"I think I can say, and say with pride, that we have legislatures that bring higher prices than any in the world. "

"There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress. "

Mark Twain

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Sep 21Liked by William M Briggs

"Except that once you embrace Fantasy, you can’t stand being reminded of reality—for reality is harsh and unforgiving. Much better to impose your beliefs on others and make them by force of law lie to you, as you lie to yourself."

Excellent summation of the seemingly inexplicable ability of some to wrap themselves in a warm blanket of self delusion.

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Sep 21Liked by William M Briggs

This article truly took a "brutal" although artistically and imaginatively and regarding the truth pleasant turn.

Although I happen to agree on the general idea of "a spectrum" it cannot be denied that there is NO SUCH THING regarding THE TRUTH!

In the material there either is a wall or there is no wall. And of course just because there was yesterday a wall it doesn't mean that there is tomorrow a wall etc. pp. ... So in essence what I am trying to express is, that a yesterday democrat can become a saint and visa versa at any time! Which means no-one is lost or saved till the last trumpet! Whatever that means!? So everyone watch out ...

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Sep 21Liked by William M Briggs

Regarding the first chart showing sexual orientation by confessional background: as I pointed out on Twitter, the only number that actually matters is % gay; the "something else" and "bisexual" students are almost certainly left-leaning young women and spiritual women (read: "men") without the slightest hint of same sex attraction taking advantage of social conditions to appear more hip. That they would be compelled to do so is depressing to be sure. The upshot, though, is that the number of sexual minorities in the more conservative faiths is negligible—clear evidence yet again that many if not most are indeed not "born this way."

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Sep 21Liked by William M Briggs

P.S. That chart is genius.

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It appears that the communications and interdisciplinary fields in the graph have a denominator of zero and thus reach their own sort of infinitEy. So, even though Anthropology has 133:1 ratio it is a much shorter line than communications at 56:0 and interdisciplinary at 108:0 which are rated equally. See the difference between unanimous idiocy and a lone voice raised in favor of reality, Contra Mundum

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Sep 21Liked by William M Briggs

Your drawing is brilliant! I saved it for future reference.

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I can confirm that Briggs, with this artistic masterpiece, is precisely 38% more skilled in artistic rendering than in his previous effort. Imagine the right half of that graph hanging on a dartboard (if weapons are allowed in the building that declared the Rosary a weapon) at the Atlantic! Bravo!

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Not sure where you would include...”the sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, (and) d*ckheads...”

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