Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
Likewise, other Democratic institutions are often well-meaning but terrible in execution. Medicaid/Medicare are a prime example. When Republicans oppose these two forms of the welfare state, the Democrats can paint them as evil, money-hungry bastards who care nothing for the poor. (Which is, in part, true, but that's beside the point.) What Democrats fail to understand is that these bloated government agencies suck up tax dollars, subsidize the health care industry's ridiculous prices, and are going to lead to financial ruin.
Some of the more extreme conservatives have been calling for medicare to be heavily altered, they're the minority though.
To the point, though, Sarah Palin is blatantly stupid. She says stupid things constantly and shows striking ignorance on a large number of important topics, just because she's good at bullshitting and lying doesn't make her intelligent, it makes her devious.
Re: Sarah Palin is not stupid.
Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilogood analysis. the thing is that people can be both cunning and stupid at the same time. She is extremely intellectually limited in many areas, but not in all and she does excell at the cultivation of her image and manipulation of her electoral basis' fears, prejudices and expectations
The idea that she is unintelligent is merely a superficial analysis of her character, much like the dismissal of George W. Bush's intellect. Sarah Palin is immensely cunning. She is manipulative and sly, and she is dangerous. To handwave her presence as a non-factor would be foolish.When she originally was announced as John McCain's running mate, I believed she would fade into the background once they suffered their inevitable defeat. Instead, she has risen through the ranks with unparalleled rapidity, becoming a celebrity politician. But she has not turned out the way that the Republican party had, I suspect, initially hoped. Instead of being a Republican standard-bearer, Palin was rejected after the election by a fair portion of Republicans due to her inexperience and potential for liability. This is partially her own fault, of course, given her ignorance and tendency toward cut-and-paste political talking points, but she has not let that stop her. Assimilating herself into the Tea Party, she has gradually usurped its small government origins into a Republican sect. An offshoot of traditional right-wing politics though it may be, it is only a matter of time before the Tea Party is wholly brought into the fold of Republican party, quelled and assured that the establishment Republicans will look out for their interests.
And when the Tea Party is fully a part of the Republican party, Sarah Palin will be right there with them. A political figurine grudgingly accepted, but a part of something larger. She has already proven herself adept at generating revenue, tapping into the fears and worries of the American people, and using Christianity to draw voters to her cause. She has slowly crafted the image she wishes to present of herself, eagerly accepting interviews and appearing at media events to put herself in the spotlight.
Like I said, Sarah Palin is cunning. She has gone from unknown Alaskan governor to media centerpiece over the course of two years. The idea that she is in any way "stupid" is preposterous. Is she a conniver only interested in promoting herself and increasing her fame? Absolutely. But is she dumb? Not at all.
Originally posted by Bardock42wasnt hitler smart?
But she factually, scientifically provably, does not have sense or any knowledge about anything. I mean she's even more stupid than Christine O'Donnell...if you can believe that. And on top of that she's a pathetic, opportunistic quitter, abandoning the people she fooled into voting for her for money and fame (though, admittedly they are better off for it).She's like Hitler, with worse ideas.
Originally posted by 753
wasnt hitler smart?
He was charismatic for sure, but he made a ton of easily avoidable mistakes that arguably cost Germany the war.
Of course it's difficult to tell how much of that was from his own natural failings and how much was from the fact that throughout the entire war (but especially during the last two-three years) he was as high as a kite on barbiturates and other drugs.
I'd say he was of average intelligence all things considered, perhaps a little above average. He basically came in at the right time and the right place to gain a following among a malleable demographic...like Palin.
Originally posted by Omega VisionI think he was excpetionally intelligent (and he certainly wasnt stupid like her), he just ****ed up a lot because of how he concentrated all the decision making and dellusional beliefs about the german race. But I think most of his incompetence can be atributed more to emotional unbalance and not to intellectual limitations.
Debatable.He was charismatic for sure, but he made a ton of easily avoidable mistakes that arguably cost Germany the war.
Of course it's difficult to tell how much of that was from his own natural failings and how much was from the fact that throughout the entire war (but especially during the last two-three years) he was as high as a kite on barbiturates and other drugs.
I'd say he was of average intelligence all things considered, perhaps a little above average. He basically came in at the right time and the right place to gain a following among a malleable demographic...like Palin.
Originally posted by 753
I think he was excpetionally intelligent (and he certainly wasnt stupid like her), he just ****ed up a lot because of how he concentrated all the decision making and dellusional beliefs about the german race. But I think most of his incompetence can be atributed more to emotional unbalance and not to intellectual limitations.
Most of his achievements were only possible because he had some rather competent underlings and favorable conditions. Hell if the French hadn't jobbed to him when he remilitarized the Rhineland the war might have never happened and Hitler's rise might have fizzled. I've actually heard rather intriguing theories to the effect that Hitler was just a charismatic figurehead/puppet for someone else. In some theories that 'someone else' is actually the doctor who kept supplying him with drugs.
Originally posted by 753
I think he was excpetionally intelligent (and he certainly wasnt stupid like her), he just ****ed up a lot because of how he concentrated all the decision making and dellusional beliefs about the german race. But I think most of his incompetence can be atributed more to emotional unbalance and not to intellectual limitations.
/shrug
he certainly knew how to capitalize on situations to gain power. The way he manipulated his way in with Hindenburg, etc.
But, in a lot of ways we can see that his ideology kind of made him dumb. He would assign multiple commities to accomplish the same task, convinced the competition would make the best one succeed. Basically creating huge beurecratic redundencies. Nazi "hyper-organizationalism" is kindof mythical.
Originally posted by inimalist
/shrughe certainly knew how to capitalize on situations to gain power. The way he manipulated his way in with Hindenburg, etc.
But, in a lot of ways we can see that his ideology kind of made him dumb. He would assign multiple commities to accomplish the same task, convinced the competition would make the best one succeed. Basically creating huge beurecratic redundencies. Nazi "hyper-organizationalism" is kindof mythical.
Originally posted by inimalistyes, but I think his incompetence stemmed more from inexperience, dellusional belief and unbalancement. And he still made good strategic calls as well. As a party tactician he excelled
/shrughe certainly knew how to capitalize on situations to gain power. The way he manipulated his way in with Hindenburg, etc.
But, in a lot of ways we can see that his ideology kind of made him dumb. He would assign multiple commities to accomplish the same task, convinced the competition would make the best one succeed. Basically creating huge beurecratic redundencies. Nazi "hyper-organizationalism" is kindof mythical.
Originally posted by 753
yes, but I think his incompetence stemmed more from inexperience, dellusional belief and unbalancement. And he still made good strategic calls as well. As a party tactician he excelled
Originally posted by Omega Vision
The fact they made it as far as they did in spite of Hitler's poor decision making and hypercompartmentalization of the state is a testament to how damn good some of the German military and government were at their jobs.
Originally posted by 753
yes, but I think his incompetence stemmed more from inexperience, dellusional belief and unbalancement. And he still made good strategic calls as well. As a party tactician he excelled
no doubt