Jake

I don't think pro-life folks always understand what pro-choice means to many people. I would call myself pro-choice...but it's not because I love the idea of aborted fetuses. I don't plan to go have a bunch of unprotected sex knowing I can just undo that later at Planned Parenthood. It's an extremely tough question. What rights does an unborn fetus have? What moral value do we give it? It is not value-less nor is it sans rights, I suppose. However, it is not the same as me. It's not the same as a newborn. In many ways, newborns are not the same as me. We have all more or less agreed that children have fewer rights than adults. Why not fetuses having fewer rights than children? Yeah yeah, the right to "life" is a pretty hefty right. I know. I can't imagine that I'd ever allow myself to abort a child I conceived nor would I ever encourage someone else to do that, given some exceptions. If my wife or partner will die because of this child, I will do what I must to save her life. But that's my personal take. I have no definitive, absolute moment when a fetus becomes too human to abort. The line is blurry. If it can't feel pain, is that okay? Does it have to have 26 chromosomes, or is 13 enough (no more masturbating!)? I can understand how a person may come up with a moment in which the fetus is too man-like to wish to abort it. As a society, I don't see us coming to an agreement on that. There is no absolute logical moment, though many latch on to conception. Therefore, this is not the government's business. This is a moral issue with no clear resolution (obviously not as clear of a shared opinion as me not being able to steal from a business, etc). Individuals will have to decide for themselves, save for boundaries that we all share -- most of us don't think that every period or non-sexual emission of sperm is denying a child's right to life. Likewise, an abortion in the 8th month of pregnancy doesn't feel right to most of us. So we have some boundaries.

If a Repub believes that Mexicans will automatically vote for someone because they are a Cuban...they have their head up their ass. If the Mexican vote can be absorbed due to a Cuban running, then I'm going to get sick.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Nov 7, 2012 -> 06:58 PM) Otoh i read that on a three page South Carolina ballot, there were exactly four democrats, two of them being Obama and Biden. The other races were unopposed republicans. The losing US Congressman and Obama/Biden were the only Dems on the ballot I voted on

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Nov 7, 2012 -> 04:35 PM) Well my idea isnt to change the Republican party into the Democratic Jr party. Its to present a party that can compete with the Democrats. I dont think fundamentally changing will win for the Republicans. They just need to kill their big govt social ideas and stick with small govt. I agree, it would make them much more competitive. They can't go libertarian though IMO because libertarians are usually okay with social regulations coming from states. Repubs need to more or less acquiesce on these non-economic things

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Nov 7, 2012 -> 04:22 PM) Eh, I don't agree with that. Blacks are one of the biggest haters of homosexuals, yet 93% just voted Democrat. Perhaps the politicians yes, but not necessarily the party members. I agree, I'd say the "don't hang our poor, disabled, unemployed, immigrants, minorities etc out to dry" message is more important than the social stuff

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Nov 7, 2012 -> 04:16 PM) I think Reddy had a good explanation for it - if you focus your time on urban areas, the rural people will stop caring about voting because they're being ignored. I grew up in central Illinois (near Champaign, not exactly a tiny town and one pretty significant in the state because of the University). That was the mentality when voting for the governor. You didn't even get a campaign visit, and you sure as hell didn't get the policy proposals that actually affected your community. It's 90% Chicago, 10% everyone else. I met both mayoral candidates in high school in Pontiac I was impressed that they gave attention to some small towns

Sabermetrics came into a sport that was already ruled by statistics...it was a good, good thing but there was still only so much that can be done. Silver popularized statistical analysis of polling numbers in an arena that liked numbers as much as a grade schooler likes math class. Silver in politics is like introducing batting average to baseball fans.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 7, 2012 -> 10:57 AM) You guys agree with Donald Trump on the Electoral College. Reminds me of Nate Silver responding subtly to people clinging to Rasmussen Reports..."a broken clock is right twice a day" I bet Donald Trump and I agree on lots of things...we're probably anti-murder, pro-breathing...I'm sure there are other things

Nate Robinson for MVP

Americans don't have the stomach for a real libertarian's economic policy

Romney still hasn't fixed that strange look he always has on his face while he stumps

QUOTE (Brian @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 11:37 PM) Any estimation as to when Obama will speak? Romney has not yet conceded

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 11:17 PM) I actually don't know...I wonder if anyone here could shed some light on this. Personally, I think ALL drugs should be completely legalized. Enough of this black market s*** that kills more people than the drugs do. I am hesitant to do that...and while I don't think weed is a "gateway drug," I have to think that legalizing it might placate folks enough to not seek illegal drugs in as high of numbers

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 10:37 PM) Shut up with the Nate Silver s***, guys, seriously. Practically everyone witha brain predicted Obama. Stop pretending this guy is smarter than everyone else that said the same exact thing. Unfortunately, a lot of people tried to claim that all of the polling was in the tank for Obama (because for some reason they'd prefer that to being accurate). Many folks believed them. This board...not really -- you guys are smart, I'd imagine the Cubs message boards were the ones thinking Romney would get 300 electoral votes. I post on a HS Baseball Recruitment message board and they thought Romney would win 55% of the electoral vote. Lots of people are standing in echo chambers and never accept facts. This election is one more step towards the acceptance of facts.

FOX pundits not standing by their own decision desk

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Nov 5, 2012 -> 03:55 PM) Lee DeWyze was at the Karaokee bar I was at Friday. Not sure how I feel about that. lmao

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 02:19 PM) Other writers have alluded to it, but I don't worry about relapse, I worry about the toll those drugs have taken on his body. That contract, even at 5 years in length, could turn Alfonso Soriano-esque very quickly. I have to think all that time not playing much baseball probably extends his career a bit

FOX calls PA for BO

Off to the relationship thread we go

QUOTE (That funky motion @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 07:48 PM) I enjoy teaching my daughter and I even took her to vote with me. I'm amazed on how much her 2nd grade teacher has taught her about this election. When I was that age my grade school teachers unabashedly preached partisan politics to us. I had been thoroughly convinced that Al Gore was the anti-christ

QUOTE (That funky motion @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 07:26 PM) We have a winner. My wife is driving me nuts. I enjoy teaching these things to my girlfriend. Then again, I'm going into higher ed. and politics

ss2k5 is no dumb cookie

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 06:48 PM) I've got only 3 in me. This whole 12 pack will probably be gone by the end of this. Nervous drinking. I picked up another Samuel Adams Winter Classics 12pk. Good stuff and I won't get bored as I drink my sorrows/happiness away

QUOTE (Brian @ Nov 6, 2012 -> 06:33 PM) If O wins Florida and Ohio, is it pretty much over? I wanna watch a movie or something else. It paves the way for a blowout, I'd say