[Sixstrings]

I'm a left-leaning Independent, registered Dem, and I watch MSNBC -- but still, I like to be fair and objective. There is an overall theme coming from the Left more and more recently -- psychobabble. The Ed Show has a nightly segment called "psychotalk," profiling a different crazy Republican each day.

Even on this forum.. a number of times now, Preston has dragged psychology into politics. I'll never forget the "wire mesh monkey baby attachment disorder" thing.

I don't like this crap, IT'S VERY POOR LOGICAL ARGUMENTATION. This is not good reasoning. Appealing to the authority of psychology is not much different than appealing to religion.

The Right wraps themselves up in the Bible so they can never be questioned, they're backed by God, they cannot be wrong. And now the Left wraps itself up in Psychology -- similarly, they cannot be wrong and if you disagree then you're "delusional" and "psychotic." Those are actually very serious and quantifiable conditions, one would think a professional psychologist would know better than to throw the label around to an entire political movement.

And it's nonsense anyway.. why did MSNBC drag one particular psychologist on the air to ask pointed questions about how crazy the Tea Party is? Guys, that's no kind of journalism. That's more on the level of a talk radio stunt.

MSNBC should try more journalism. They're always saying Fox News isn't news, but as far as I can tell MSNBC isn't much better. They shouldn't be afraid of real journalism -- if the Left has a case to make, go out there and dig up facts and present them well, it's a lot of work but facts are more effective than fallacious appeals to authority.

The only point the psychologist would have is that a healthy person understands they can't always get their way. I'm sure the vast majority of Tea Partiers realize this, they're not going to riot in the streets or throw anyone's tea overboard. So as long as a political movement understands that the only acceptable change is peaceful change at the ballot box, and peaceful civil disobedience, then we don't have a problem here.

EDIT: best show on MSNBC is Dylan Ratigan.. that guy knows what he's talking about. O'Donnel is getting creepy and preachy like Glen Beck, but he has his moments. Maddow is great when she does some real journalism like her Afghanistan trips. Otherwise she's too partisan even for me. Ed Show Ed talks a good game, but when push comes to shove he shills for the corporatists.

Martin Bashir.. who dragged a psychologist on his show.. come on MSNBC, send this guy back to the British tabloids or over to CNN.

[Fishman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') don't like this crap, IT'S VERY POOR LOGICAL ARGUMENTATION. This is not good reasoning.

[Sixstrings]

Oh, you Republicans are still wrong Fish. I just won't call you crazy. You guys aren't crazy, you're looking out for your own wallets. That's quite sane, though I would argue at the end of the day isn't it nice to have a decent society surrounding your gated community?

There comes a point where tearing down the working man hurts you too. That's why Bush passed the drug bill, because Big Pharma was concerned seniors were getting so poor they couldn't afford the new meds. And now Walmart is starting to complain its customers can't even afford Walmart prices. So that's an interesting angle here, you may not care but perhaps things will get so bad that big business will do some good for the lower 80%, in the business community's own financial interest.

(that's also why Bush passed the earned income credit.. because business doesn't want to pay its employees a living wage, yet they want customers.. consumers need money from somewhere, doesn't grow on trees)

[NickyBoy]

Point of note-

The important difference between psychology and religion is that the fundamental tenants of psychology can (and are) constantly questioned/disproven/improved as new evidence presents itself.

This is not the case with religion - proof is seen as a 'test of faith' rather than a reason to improve. Religion tends only to change when it is politically prudent for it to do so.

Of course, trying to weigh an entire political party with either religion or psychology as a meter is, as a concept, ridiculous. Using religion is just more ridiculous by a significant factor of multiplication

Amusingly,as an outsider with no actual vested interest in your country, that seems to sum up American politics. Democrats tend to receive my support in most situations I read about not because of any definable positive qualities on their part but rather because they are less ridiculous than Republicans/Tea Partiers.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NickyBoy', 'T')his is not the case with religion - proof is seen as a 'test of faith' rather than a reason to improve. Religion tends only to change when it is politically prudent for it to do so.

[Ferretlover]

Off topic and other COC violation posts deleted. Please stay on topic.

[Sixstrings]

Yeah, getting too far into psychology is off topic. Bottom line on it is psychology is a "soft science," the Left should just leave it out of politics. It's not like calling a Tea Partier crazy will get him to vote Democrat.

[Subjectivist]

The Ohio Tea Party is challenging the Speaker of the House in his primary election.

http://www.gurrforcongress.com/

[dinopello]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Subjectivist', 'T')he Ohio Tea Party is challenging the Speaker of the House in his primary election.

http://www.gurrforcongress.com/

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dinopello', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Subjectivist', 'T')he Ohio Tea Party is challenging the Speaker of the House in his primary election.

http://www.gurrforcongress.com/

[Subjectivist]

Tea Party backed Mia Love, 30 year old African American woman wins her congressional race in Utah setting for first records. Youngest Republican elected to congress, first Republican African American Woman elected to Congress, first Hatian American elected to congress, first woman Mormon elected to congress.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/11 ... n-victory/