Octopus Overlords

Holman wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 8:36 pm A religious figure running as a Republican has a clear responsibility to forcefully denounce the Christian Nationalism of today's GOP.

If you know him, you should impress this upon him as strongly as you can. Otherwise he's just more Falwell/Cruz/Bachman/QAnon, tacitly or actively.

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 9:10 pm But as I've said, I'm bowing out of the specific political stuff here related to him, and I'm not in any position to comment on Michigan politics in general.

stimpy wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 9:17 pm

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 9:10 pm But as I've said, I'm bowing out of the specific political stuff here related to him, and I'm not in any position to comment on Michigan politics in general.

What's the point of this post, then?

The Lighthouse Initiative involves four words, four values, four strategies, and four solutions.
...
Four Words
In. God. We. Trust.
...
Four Values
Truth. Dignity. Respect. Love.
...
Dignity
...
Ralph speaks out on behalf of the protection of human life. He supports state legislation and citizen initiatives that will uphold and protect the life of unborn boys and girls and the conversation central to that protection, and is a staunch proponent of life.
Love
...
Government is an entity. It can’t love. This was made apparent by the many ways government tried to fix the pandemic. People were pushed aside and the government stepped in. ... If big government is removed from its lofty position, it will carve space for individuals, churches, and community groups to love and care for each other, and to make decisions based on a person’s name rather than a government I.D. number.
...
Four Strategies
God. Family. Country
Community Policing
Operation Roundtable
The Lighthouse Initiative
...
Ralph has served for 30 years as the police chaplain for the Michigan Chiefs of Police, the Southeastern Michigan Chiefs of Police, and for two local police departments in Michigan. He has seen first-hand the professionalism of Michigan’s police officers, not only on the streets, but also in pro-active training for law enforcement personnel. He will never defund the police, state, county, or local.
...
Four Solutions
Election Integrity
Budget Accountability
Educational Reforms
Constitutional Protection
...
Ralph has signed the National Pledge from Americans for Tax Reform not to raise taxes.
....
Each parent should have the privilege of choosing what kind of education is best for their child, and where they should receive it.

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 7:24 pm
I can't and won't comment on his politics

El Guapo wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 10:36 am At this point only Republican governors in solid blue states (Maryland, Massachusetts) are allowed to retain both their sanity and their electability. Unfortunately Michigan isn't blue enough for that to be the case anymore, it seems.

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 8:47 am

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 7:24 pm
I can't and won't comment on his politics

May I ask, why not ??


edit: sorry, I just now see that you’ve been asked and don’t want to comment further.


I guess I’m wondering if you are saying you can’t/won’t comment, to him, or to us here as well as to him.

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 12:54 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 8:47 am

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 7:24 pm I can't and won't comment on his politics

May I ask, why not ??
edit: sorry, I just now see that you’ve been asked and don’t want to comment further.
I guess I’m wondering if you are saying you can’t/won’t comment, to him, or to us here as well as to him.

I suppose I'm just treading a line between the fact that he's someone I know and like and I want him to do well in general on the one hand, and on the other I don't know about his political feelings, don't have any particular reason to think they would be the same as mine, and don't want to get involved in either defending him OR attacking him, if that makes sense. He's a great guy and I don't have any reason to think he has skeletons in his closet, so that's where I want to leave things for my part.

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 1:05 pm

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 12:54 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 8:47 am

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 7:24 pm I can't and won't comment on his politics

May I ask, why not ??
edit: sorry, I just now see that you’ve been asked and don’t want to comment further.
I guess I’m wondering if you are saying you can’t/won’t comment, to him, or to us here as well as to him.

I suppose I'm just treading a line between the fact that he's someone I know and like and I want him to do well in general on the one hand, and on the other I don't know about his political feelings, don't have any particular reason to think they would be the same as mine, and don't want to get involved in either defending him OR attacking him, if that makes sense. He's a great guy and I don't have any reason to think he has skeletons in his closet, so that's where I want to leave things for my part.

I don't mean this confrontationally, but it sounds like you are just want to keep liking him and are afraid to look under the covers. (perhaps that's exactly what you are saying too)

As others have stated (and I suspect you agree with, for the most part), people entering the GOP right now have really one of two (three?) agendas. To stand against what they saw for the last 4 years, and what happened on Jan 6th.... Or to get on board that movement (now that can be as an opportunist looking for power, or because their messaging actually speaks to their beliefs, etc.)

I guess I just feel if I knew and liked someone that made this move, I would very much want to know what his reasoning for joining the political sphere was... It should be quickly obvious if he was in the latter or former 2 agendas, and that would seem like a really easy way to decide if he is someone you actually want to 'do well'. I mean, I guess I am saying: you don't know what it is he wants to do - so I wouldn't be so fast to wish him well with it.

paulbaxter wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 12:54 pm He's a great guy and I don't have any reason to think he has skeletons in his closet, so that's where I want to leave things for my part.

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 1:05 pm
I don't mean this confrontationally, but it sounds like you just want to keep liking him and are afraid to look under the covers. (perhaps that's exactly what you are saying too)

Lansing — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an apology Sunday after a photo emerged showing her at a restaurant with 12 other people gathered around tables pushed together in violation of her health department's current epidemic order.

The May 15 order from the state Department of Health and Human Services says no more than six people can be seated together and groups of patrons must be six feet apart. The conservative news outlet Breitbart first reported the photo Sunday.

"Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been committed to following public health protocols," Whitmer said Sunday in a statement. "Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didn't stop to think about it.

"In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize."

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 9:12 am In which my state will turn Red at the time where its politicians will decide to never let go irrespective of the voters will in the future.

Not her first nor even third bit of hypocrisy, form ignoring travel advisories, to masking, to gathering, to immunizing priorities. She makes herself an easy target for any reasonable sounding GOP challenger.

She is a prime example of why it's so very very hard to keep voting for the democrat to keep the GOP from going full blown autocracy and why the "well, you kinda have to vote for us because look at the alternative" is a horrible and losing strategy for the party on the left.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/ ... 234477001/

Lansing — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an apology Sunday after a photo emerged showing her at a restaurant with 12 other people gathered around tables pushed together in violation of her health department's current epidemic order.

The May 15 order from the state Department of Health and Human Services says no more than six people can be seated together and groups of patrons must be six feet apart. The conservative news outlet Breitbart first reported the photo Sunday.

"Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been committed to following public health protocols," Whitmer said Sunday in a statement. "Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didn't stop to think about it.

"In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize."

Remus West wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:39 pmShe let people sit with her at a restaurant. All of whom had been vaccinated. Equating this to the shit the right is pulling is why it is so hard for Democrats to succeed.

The Republicans attempt to overthrow Democracy but that witch from Michigan had dinner with her friends and visited her sick father. Damn her.

Remus West wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:39 pm She let people sit with her at a restaurant. All of whom had been vaccinated.

Equating this to the shit the right is pulling is why it is so hard for Democrats to succeed.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:48 pmIt's not equating it to what the right is doing. It's hypocrisy that opens the door both to apathy and resentment. She is openly sitting above the rules she projects and is the chief executive of enforcing. She's inviting a loss that will doom our state with these sorts of actions. it's not good for her of the democratic party.

malchior wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:55 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:48 pmIt's not equating it to what the right is doing. It's hypocrisy that opens the door both to apathy and resentment. She is openly sitting above the rules she projects and is the chief executive of enforcing. She's inviting a loss that will doom our state with these sorts of actions. it's not good for her of the democratic party.

Really? People in 2022...in 18 months are going to care that she and some friends pushed a couple of tables together? This is the type of political damage that is immediate and will diminish over time. I think it's impact is damage to public health rules following more than anything else.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 1:07 pm

malchior wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:55 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:48 pmIt's not equating it to what the right is doing. It's hypocrisy that opens the door both to apathy and resentment. She is openly sitting above the rules she projects and is the chief executive of enforcing. She's inviting a loss that will doom our state with these sorts of actions. it's not good for her of the democratic party.

Really? People in 2022...in 18 months are going to care that she and some friends pushed a couple of tables together? This is the type of political damage that is immediate and will diminish over time. I think it's impact is damage to public health rules following more than anything else.

People voting for governor in Michigan who are not dyed in blue in 2022 are going to remember the governor has a track record of projecting rules that do not apply to her and her buddies and her family. That will affect her ability to get re-elected and that memory will also rub off on other blue candidates for office. We're a purple state that is on the verge on turning red by act of legislative process that is currently being held in check by the state executive branch and this will be remembered and will continue to circulate.

Kraken wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 9:51 pm It hinges on his "Truth" and "election integrity" planks. If the Big Lie is his truth, then election integrity means voter suppression and he's in step with the authoritarians. The pro-police, anti-choice, tax cuts, and God quotes are just old-fashioned Republican orthodoxy.