You mean that you converted to Islam, not Muslim, right?
And, probably more accurately, that you went through the motions of converting to Islam in order to get married, right? :)
Dizavin
· 1 year ago
heh, that's funny. "I am not American". when that phrase is said, it really could be followed with "I am a Canadian" and it wouldn't be that far off target.
Karoli
· 1 year ago
Hear hear! Well said.
Signed, another "not an American"
Omar Shahine
· 1 year ago
"Even worse, I converted to Muslim so that we could be married in an Iranian ceremony."
I think you mean, I converted to "Islam".
thePuck
· 1 year ago
Great post, Robert. I have to say that, increasingly, it seems that anything that speaks of reason, ethics, or even basic fairness (the fairness of kindergarten, not Mill's "On Liberty") is "unAmerican".
gRegor
· 1 year ago
Are you prepared to use aggression (the initiation or the threat of physical force) to achieve what you believe is "fair" in wealth redistribution?
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Derek and Omar, yeah, sorry, you are right. I was typing too fast. Fixed that.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
gRegor: I don't believe the taxation system is "intimidation or the threat of physical force." I'm not an American.
Mark
· 1 year ago
I'm a Canadian and this post reminds me of our famous "I am Canadian" Ad campaign....in reverse. Glad to hear there are some Americans that are willing to say what they think and not be afraid to offend their country a bit.
I really just wish we had more than two choices for president. The two-party system only serves to polarize issues and separate the country.
Phil Baumann
· 1 year ago
You are an American. So am I: a first-generation American and proud of it.
It's too bad that so many Americans have lost their way. It's partly a symptom of a rapidly changing world.
Don't be too down on yourself. Wearing you down is a part of the plan of psychopaths and heretics who are butchering our country.
When times get rough, most people lose their minds to mental illness. Change can be too stressful for some people. In an attempt to establish something solid, they often turn to things which give them the illusion of security: false religions, drugs, political extremism.
Don't let a suffering culture deprive you of your inalienable right to critical thinking.
I'm as frustrated as you. But I'm frustrated BECAUSE I'm an American. (But it's getting lonely.)
This may be a time to be sick to your stomach, but it's not a time to quit.
Grab a beer, Scoble. The game's not over. (:
m
· 1 year ago
Sorry just one little nitpick on an otherwise great post: one does *not* need to be Muslim to marry in an Iranian ceremony. I'm sure your wife will confirm that Iranian does NOT automatically= Muslim. One can be Iranian and not Muslim. However, you would be right in saying that you do have to convert to Islam if you wish to marry in a *Muslim* (not Iranian) ceremony.
Mary K
· 1 year ago
Whoo Hoo!!! I've been Scobleized again!!!!
You are such an inspiration and I appreciate your willingness to stand up and state your unamerican views...
not just because I share them... not just because I was born and bred in these not-so-united states...
Does this mean you're going to put a border fence around your house and issue passports and currency?
And could you make me an ambassador so I can park wherever I want? Mmmm...diplomatic license tags...
Christopher Galtenberg
· 1 year ago
I am not a listener of right-wing talk radio or one who parrots its doctrine. I am an American, and I do not surrender my proud title.
Tagertux
· 1 year ago
Thanks. Now can we get back to the tech. I live in the UK and I'm sick of the election already. I can't imagine what it's like over there. But if you keep covering it I might as well read a political blog...
Chris Saad
· 1 year ago
Awesome Robert - if you move to Australia I can hook you up with some awesome people and show you kangaroos :)
I am Canadian
· 1 year ago
Very well said, Robert!
Sounds to me like you could very well be a Canadian! :)
Mack D. Male
· 1 year ago
You're always welcome up here in Canada, Robert!
Matt Abrams
· 1 year ago
Bravo Robert! Nicely said...
Julia Ault
· 1 year ago
Goodness me Robert....you sound like a British liberal type like me..... You can come over here if you like :-)
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Tagertux: our politics and our technology gets all mixed together. Remember what happened to Microsoft when they tried to ignore politics?
Oxhorn
· 1 year ago
Oh dear, how else can this go?
I have a history of voting Republican. I must not be an American. I'm not voting this time because both candidates suck. I'm REALLY not an American. I believe that wealth should belong to those who earn it, that women DON'T have the right to murder, just like all people don't have the right to murder, that none of us, regardless of sexual orientation, have the right to marry whomever we love, that all faiths, even popular ones, should be tolerated, parodied, mocked, and ridiculed equally, instead of having certain ones that are ok to make fun of and others that are taboo, that all people--regardless of "minority" or "majority" status, should have an equal chance to get into college, live where they want, send their kids to whatever school they want and receive the same financial benefits, instead of categorizing people based on race or religion and handing out swag accordingly.
Boy, I must really not be an American.
RayD
· 1 year ago
Welcome to the rest of the world's population - even though we have our problems too...
Dave Tong
· 1 year ago
Could not agree more.
Jack Carlson
· 1 year ago
When I was in the Army I thought I was defending the America of the Constitution so that its freedoms could be preserved. These days I wonder. So perhaps this Vietnam vet isn't an American either, since I agree with the points you present.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Oxhorn: Republicans have been in charge for the last eight years. They also are the ones that are claiming that I'm not American and that you are American. So, no, you don't get to play this game.
Rowan
· 1 year ago
I'm not American (literally)... but you're welcome in OZ anytime...
And to all those people that think taxes are the root of all evil -- what's the alternative? No taxes? OK, no taxes then... so who pays for the infrastructure? Who pays for the cops? Who pays for the judges? Who pays the military? Who pays for anything? You? Are you going to police your own streets? Treat your own injuries? Pave your own roads? Good luck. Might sound nice in la-la-land, but in reality you're just blinded by your short-sighted greed.
Like it or not, taxes are the foundation of a civilized democracy. It is the price we pay to live comfortably and feel safe.
Go Scoble!
Deva Hazarika
· 1 year ago
Robert, I think it's very easy and a bit of a cop-out to write what you're not. I'd be much more interested in the answer to the question, OK if you're not an American, what are you?
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Deva: a human.
Deva Hazarika
· 1 year ago
Or, put another way, do you think your post is more being part of the problem or being part of the solution?
Deva Hazarika
· 1 year ago
Robert, great answer. FWIW, I think a post about why you are a human and what that means to you would be a more positive post than this one, and would have just as much impact.
JamesGecko
· 1 year ago
More accurately, you're not a straw man.
Marc Dierens
· 1 year ago
Algorithmic, there are, as with everything, advantages and issues with a 2 party system. In Belgium we have a splintered political system, which leads to a government always needing 4 to 6 parties to form a government, which makes it basically impossible to govern properly.
hshawjr
· 1 year ago
I am not an American that will be quiet anymore, I too am tired of those telling me what or how I should believe. :)
Christopher Galtenberg
· 1 year ago
I truly despair, seeing these comments of happy agreement.
Joe Programmer
· 1 year ago
If you're not an American, please feel free to leave.
I am Joe.
Jess Fein
· 1 year ago
Your commentaries on technology are usually interesting and well-informed.
Geert
· 1 year ago
Too much patriotism always seems to create problems, so it's actually nice and funny to see you are able to proudly say "I’m not an American". I am looking forward to your next post where you say "I don't live in the greatest nation in the world" ... because I wish people (especially politicians) should stop saying that! :)
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Geert: it's very hard to say lately that I live in the greatest nation in the world. But, there's a backlash against bloggers who aren't positive enough in today's tough economic times, so I probably won't write that post. :-)
Edwin Khodabakchian
· 1 year ago
During the last 8 years, America drifted too much to the right. But the beauty of the america and the american system is that it is flexible and we are on the path to adapt and correct that mistake. To do so, we need to put the politics, stereotypes, religions apart and come together and get ready for 4-8 years or hard work.
The big difference between Europe and America is the work ethics. Americans are very hard working and flexible. Europeans are on the other hand locked into a set of privileges and benefits they expect and have a hard time adapting to a changing world. But like you pointed out and Powell pointed out in his speech today, there is probably a right balance. It will be interesting to see once Obama wins where he stands regarding that balance...there is always risk of over-shifting to the left...which given the current situation could be disastrous.
Note: I am actually not American, but proud to live in America.
Christi
· 1 year ago
I subscribed to scobleizer on google reader to hear what you say about technology. I am unsubscribing because that is no longer what you do and I don't need to hear the depressing whines anymore.
Tyler Hayes
· 1 year ago
Good thing you're not being satirical at all ;)
I wrote a similar post at my own site, except instead of "I'm not an American" I was essentially contending "I'm not ignorant." Because I AM an American, and it's the people who believe all that crazy shit you wrote about above that aren't American.
Sorry dude, but that makes you very much an American... belief and a (frankly astonishing) level of self-focus are peculiarly American traits - well, in the West at least.
I'm British / UK. If I re-wrote this using my own country names, I'd disintegrate with embarrasment after about the 3rd line. We simply don't go on about ourselves this much.
Not that I disagree with you mind. I agree entirely. 100%. But you are American.
fracardi
· 1 year ago
Robert,
During these years, lots of people around the world are looking to US more and more scared and hopeless. But we also know that US is full of great people as you.
You are American, Robert! Keep going and fight for the great values you mention. They are 100% consistent with the history of your great country!
Francesco
G. Lautour
· 1 year ago
The world is watching and knows that the time has come for the USA to become "America" again, with all its generosity and positive spirit. So we are not so much in despair. Despite those pitiful eight years, your nation has done extraordinary deeds for others in the past and will continue to do so. Hopefully Robert, you are the kind of American that your country needs.
James
· 1 year ago
Republicans in charge? Really? Has anyone told Pelosi and Reid that they're Republicans?
I support nuclear power - and extracting our own oil rather than relying on hostile or unstable foreign nations for our economy's lifeblood. I know, because science has moved on from the religious mud-slinging of a few years ago, that the controversial stem cell research is greatly overrated: there are other ways to achieve those ends. I believe costs should largely be born by those who incur them, rather than trying to dump them on the shoulders of "the rich".
Oh, and as for "doing pretty well", the bailout is actually *bigger* this side of the Atlantic (I'm genuinely not American, give or take a grand-parent: I live in the UK) - and I know first hand that the much-vaunted "universal" health care is greatly overrated: I'd far rather pay something for it and be able to get a CT scan within a year, rather than wait multiple years to get a "free" government service instead.
Of course, the two-party system isn't as bad as it might seem either, when you look at countries where a party with just 40% of the vote gets unchecked control of the government, outvoting those who represent the other 60% of us. The bizarre false dichotomy between pro-life and pro-choice is something we manage to avoid, of course (instead, there was a democratic debate which laid out the rules for abortion, and can adjust those rules in future as the will of the people evolves) but it does keep most of the genuine lunatics out - we're stuck with actual terrorists (IRA affiliated) winning elections!
yag
· 1 year ago
Sorry Robert - you're part of the problem. Anyone who emphasizes the jerks on the right with the unamerican theme, and those who emphasize the "buck fush" jerks on the left are both part of the problem. Both are focusing on the things that tear us apart. As are you these last few weeks.
In the meantime, I haven't seen you talk about the actual physical assault by the Obama supporter on the 3 person pro-McCain folks standing on a corner in NYC.
I'm an American - Republican or Democrat or Independent or Libertarian. And so are you.
There's hope though - some groups (like PorkBusters.org) actually bring people together to say that there's a problem and there should be more openness via the web into everything both parties do. Talk about that much? Didn't think so.
It's a shame to see a friend descend into this crap. There are good people on both sides - and idiots on both. Sorry buddy - you should take some time and look at what brings us together instead.
yag
· 1 year ago
BTW - I'm not gonna unsubscribe - still interested in your opinions on things - no matter what. That's what makes me an American.
hey
· 1 year ago
ya fucking socialist of course you are american. no American believe we shouldn't have public servants like police officers and roads and infrastructure. you are a fucking idiot... seriously move to europe if you want to be a socialist please
Mark
· 1 year ago
A bunch of emotionalism and Obama talking points, amounting to nothing. Unsubscribed.
bob
· 1 year ago
IF YOU ARE NOT AN AMERICAN THEN GET THE FUCK OUT OR SHUT THE FUCK UP THIS IS THE MOST RETARDED SHIT I HAVE EVER READ
Four20
· 1 year ago
If Scoble gets taken out by the feds I call his blog
bob
· 1 year ago
I like how you only leave the nice comments even though you've probably got tons of criticism. you shoud be proud to be american. i dont even think you know what it means to be american. it doesn't mean being a libertarian or a socialist. Fukin A
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
yag: I understand your view and it even has a lot of merit.
Regarding attacks on Obama supporters. It's worse than that. Two days ago a reporter was attacked at a Palin rally and at the Republican convention there were some ultra liberals who attacked the Republicans.
I don't believe that violence is OK, on either side.
Agree that PorkBusters.org is a good site. 538 also seems to be pretty apolitical.
Got any other sites that can help us heal?
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Bob: I'm leaving all comments here. I haven't deleted any.
Markus Kobler
· 1 year ago
Not being an American and a liberal minded individual it pains me to think of how much the world has been changed by its current neoconservative American government.
Having said that, if you have not seed it already, you should checkout Johnathan Haidt's TED talk on the moral mind. Defiantly food for thought.
By the way, some new comments may be held in moderation until I get home later tonight (I'm getting on a plane to fly home right now).
Americasadmirer
· 1 year ago
Scobble,
You just know how to denonce your homeland. Please stop speaking ,and go to Saudia or Iran . Why don't you go there ? That's the Muslim's paradises isn't it? I heard that these great country made a lot for humanity, they also have probably a silicon valley there.
good bye and don't forget to continue blogging ...ee be careful they will can put you in jail for this or cut your fingers if you will write things that against the "public's moral"
from a Democratic Country, your lector
A
Bob
· 1 year ago
So some silly Republicans make stupid comments and you take a stand against all things Constitutional?
I am losing respect for you, Robert. Seriously. You shoot from the hip, but you do not seem to have a handle over the issues very much at all.
In a few weeks you will have what you want: a liberal Congress with a liberal White House. You will be on the clock for two years. I suspect the great gains Democrats make this election will all be given back in the mid-term elections. There will be no blaming someone else for the failed policies.
My goodness. Republicans have been in power the last two years? Where the hell do you get that?
A different Bob
Chaz
· 1 year ago
BRAVO!!!!!!!!
So very well said.
philatom
· 1 year ago
I don't always agree with you Scoble, and after friending (following?) you on FF a few months back it's fair to say I had become a little jaded with your increasingly frequent political and socio-economic missives, but I applaud you for standing up and saying how you truly feel about whats going on in your country regardless of how you think others will react, and for your efforts to show both sides of the same coin. Fair play, mate. The web would be a better place if everyone took the same approach. I'm just not sure I would have the time to follow them all on Friendfeed... ;)
jake
· 1 year ago
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the level of discourse drop after your right wing trolls get onboard.
From where I'm standing in Australia, America is no longer 'great'. Far from it.
Its a country primarily inhabited by the most ignorant people on this planet. You people let your leaders torture people, start unjustified preemptive wars all while letting fundamentalist christian doctrine divide your country to the point where even from over here you can feel the hate between the left and right growing. How much longer can you guys live off your reputation before everyone calls your loans in and you can't buy a new food let alone a new Hummer?
America sold out its children and its childrens children in the last 10 years. You got fat while the world starved.
David Novakovic
· 1 year ago
The vitriolic comments of red-necks who can't see the flaws in their own country are what the rest of the world sees. No wonder the rest of the world wants Obama.
Robert - I think it took a lot to say what you said. Well Done.
hi from Oz by the way ;)
Ben Finklea
· 1 year ago
Very interesting that you are pro-Nuke, a traditionally conservative standpoint. I for one agree with you - I just wish Obama did. There is currently no mention of nuclear power in the issues section of his website and only a passing mention during the most recent debate. I think it's the single most important issue in America today. With an abundance of electrical power, our dependance on fossil fuels would be cut in half in just a few years. Cheap nuclear power solves so many problems or makes them easier to solve - global warming, terrorism, pollution, economic growth, poverty, etc.
Everyone needs to read Power to Change the World. It will open your eyes on the risks/rewards of nuclear power.
Trish | eMail Our Military
· 1 year ago
Great post. We owe so much to those Americans who came before us who fought for all the freedoms we have. Thanks to them we're still free today.
Jason Hargrove
· 1 year ago
Really like this piece Robert.
Here's an interesting article that every American should read. Or rather, the entire Western civilization.
"In the New World Disorder, Loads of Rivals for America"
Time for us to all start working a bit smarter, methinks.
brian
· 1 year ago
i'll be honest this post was pretty lame, it made me feel as though i was reading the livejournal of a highschool 'anarchist.'
m
· 1 year ago
Am I crazy or did the post used to say "so we could be married in an Iranian ceremony"?
Currently it reads "Islamic ceremony" and IF it said that all along, then my first comment makes no sense, and please ignore it, thanks.
Sue
· 1 year ago
Robert, speaking only for myself, I hope that being here this week and all the intense conversations we had (we=lots of people) and the heavy political (but not pro-this-candidate-or-that) discussions in part spurred you to write this. Even if this post was coming all along, I want to think that being here with all these folks who bleed red, white and blue first egged it on. Virtual high five for writing this; for precinct walking and for getting to know Greensboro, North Carolina, and letting us get to know you better at the same time. (BTW, this is one of those "roots" things.)
Lynnelle
· 1 year ago
It's so sad when one feels compelled to denounce their country for the sake of personal truth, honor, and values, whatever or whoever they may be. But when you think about it, that's exactly how 'we' Americans came to be in the first place. BLOGing is good; express yourself; raise issues; don't hide and bitch - do something. Get Out and Vote. Let's take our country back so it's cool being here again.
Nicky
· 1 year ago
I enjoyed your post Robert. I thought you were pretty brave writing it, though because as I suspected it's brought all sorts of rather nasty remarks out of the blog woodwork. Now people "know" certain things about you you're going to lose readers and "followers." But that's probably for the best. Keep up the posting, tech stuff, opinions, and all.
Larry Magid
· 1 year ago
Robert,
I agree with everything you said but I AM an American. That's what America is (should be) all about -- tolerance, multiculturalism, inclusion.
lisa( kystorms)
· 1 year ago
Hey Robert First off let me say thank you for all the times in the last 2+ years you personally helped me understand the tech world via your posts. You may not have known you were helping me, but you did . Second - what you just did in this post was the most American thing, the MOST patriotic thing you can do for our country. You show us that diversity and disagreements in politics only breed more strength for our country. As the mother of a son who serves in the US NAVY I am proud to know that there are still people who are willing to stand up for our right to Free Speech . You are helping to keep the ability to vote, to be Americans alive.
God Bless :-) ps- not an Obama supporter but not a McCain Supporter either, just an American who loves her country.
Doug Swanson
· 1 year ago
Oh boo freaking hoo... What a martyr.
Grow up and stick to tech. You sound like an idiot.
And what's with all the plumber references? One guy asks a simple question of your candidate and you guys all go ape shit. This is liberal tolerance? This is accepting all viewpoints? It was a simple question!
You think Bush was a fascist, just wait until dissenting opinion is REALLY being silenced.
Ben
· 1 year ago
Sounds to me like you are a Canadian.... Your more than welcome here...
j
· 1 year ago
You ARE an American because you can believe all of those things, live peacefully in this country and not in a jail cell. Why do you have to use your nationality as a 'stick' to beat others with your beliefs on your blog? If has nothing to do with being an American. Personally, I think you're wrong about most if it but I would never say you are not an American. You only feed the flame of discrimination with those statements.
By the way, why do you believe nuclear is 'better' than coal? Define better. With coal, emissions can be controlled...what do you propose we do with nuclear waste?
TKH
· 1 year ago
Blah blah blah. I'm with Christi -- I'm unsubscribing. I'm doing this for the same reason I refuse to listen to Rush Limbaugh. Just like Rush, your use of the platform (blogs in your case) as your righteous platform is a real turn-off. I subscribed to you years ago b/c of the tech "talk". Someday I hope you'll realize that having me read your blog is a privilege and should not be taken for granted.
I am American and I am voting with my unsubscribe! I'm sorry, I just can't make myself believe you're as great as you think you are... Good bye!
MarkJ
· 1 year ago
"I agree with everything you said but I AM an American. That’s what America is (should be) all about — tolerance, multiculturalism, inclusion."
That's nice until...
"tolerance" means "mandatory acceptance and promotion."
"multiculturalism" means "mandatory celebration of all cultures...except your own."
"inclusion" means "mandatory inclusion of people in religious and civic organizations...who are openly hostile to the professed beliefs of those organizations."
Don't believe this is already happening? Try doing a NexisLexis search sometime or, better yet, talk to Joe the Plumber who's had his life turned upside down simply because he had the temerity to ask Our Tolerant, Multicultural and Inclusive Personal Savior a simple, pointed question about his proposed tax plan.
Angus McDonald
· 1 year ago
Wow, you yanks are sure confused about yourselves.
Interesting that you accept that the American brand is identified with the problems you highlighted. I would have expected that from Europeans - they're still smarting from WWII.
Almost the exact same thing could be said about I Am Not An Australian, or not. If you allow rednecks to define what an American is, then they will. Same over here.
I challenge you to do the opposite of that - find what Americans truly stand for that makes them appreciated in the world, much of which is NOT what you are saying you stand for, but probably resonates with you anyway. That would be a far more interesting post, and less partisan in its politics.
Angus
Tim
· 1 year ago
I don't believe you're "not an American", but I do believe you don't understand wealth redistribution or socialism. Wealth redistribution isn't building roads or schools. I has nothing to do with helping people with healthcare. It's all about punishing achievement, fostering dependence on the government and placing as much power with the government as can be had. The "rich" already pay the lions share of taxes in this country. A full 30% pay zero federal income tax. The top 5% pay 60% of the taxes. The top 25% of taxpayers pay more than 85% of all taxes. Is that not enough?
One more thing about socialism. It IS unamerican. It flies in the face of limited government and private property rights.
Dayngr
· 1 year ago
I think it's awesome that people feel secure enough in our amazing country to speak their minds. Freedom os speech is a beautiful thing.
I do have one major issue though with your post, it's the part where you say It’s enough to make me want to move to Australia. America is great because of it's diversity and because great people fought to make it as amazing as it is. If you love it, stay and help usher in change. If you don't then maybe you should go elsewhere.
Daqu40
· 1 year ago
Great rant Robert,
Lovely irony. I'm also frustrated with how awful things have gotten.
However you are sorely off base on a number of your assertions and this is part of what fans the flames of division in this country.
For instance stem cell research is not unfunded by the federal government. It is only off limits to research with any fetal material that was not from the lines identified in the policy. Also fetal stem cell research is not illegal. It simply can't be funded with federal money. Any adult stem cell research is open to federal funding. I'm sure there many stem cell researchers out there now employed with federal dollars. Besides we all know the whole stem cell debate is really the abortion debate.
I agree we have to government to regulate some things. Life would be total chaos without the FAA or FCC. However politicians and bureaucrats are just as capable of being greedy, wrong and overreaching as business people. The whole Fannie and Freddie thing was known for years. Our elected officials and those running those quasi government companies made sure it was a raging inferno before doing something about it. So what makes the government any more capable doing things right?
I've seen you do some great work touching on the political. The interviews with the folks in Washington D.C. were great. Keep up the good fight. Keep shining a light on things. It would be good for all of us if things changed so that you wouldn't even think of decrying you are not an american again.
David
· 1 year ago
Scoble, what with the snide remarks you respond with to your readers, I can't see why more people don't just flock here.
Alissa Landsone
· 1 year ago
Wow...I never thought I'd see this day. Robert Scoble has finally jumped the shark! I wish you the best Robert, it's time to move on to others who are actually adding value to the conversation....
Brock
· 1 year ago
Robert.. I've been reading you for years and say your best technology blogging was while you were at MSFT.
These days it seems I need to move on... reading your political views and other rambles is really frustrating... definitely not going to be at the top of my home page after today.. there are many other informative blogs that I'm happy to replace you with.
Where next for Scoble? Hosting a talk show on NBC maybe?
OH... I'm an American :)
Steve Kayser
· 1 year ago
STUPIDITY ON STEROIDS
Wow. Nothing like blowing your credibility sky-high with this twittering stupidity on steroids.
NON-HATING HATER DISPUTES
You just called people that oppose your views as haters on Twitter. Why would you do that? I'm not a hater, I've followed you for a long time, but I totally disagree with you. I'm a hater now? As are the others?
LACKS AN EVENT HORIZON
Are we haters because we disagree with your illogical, puerile, pedantic, solipsistic assertions or because of your black hole ego which lacks an event horizon?
MENTAL FLOSS-DROSS ALBATROSS
No wonder FastCompany is going down the tubes faster than fast- you're a colossal albatross of mental floss-dross dragging them down as quick as you can type.
BEAT IT
If, as you proclaim, you're NOT AN AMERICAN - beat it, go to another country where you can be NOT AN AMERICAN. I'm sure we can, and will, raise money for your airfare, as long as you vow never to come back. My email address is at the bottom if you want to take me up on it.
WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS
I'm glad some real Muslims corrected your post. Funny how you screwed up something as simple - yet so important as that. Actually - not so funny- when it really matters on a human level you display a perfectly shallow non-command of the facts.
YOUR EXCREMENTAL VISION NEEDS AN OPTORECTOMY
I've read your posts for a while and never before detected a need for an optorectomy (disconnection of optic nerve from rectum, to repair a crappy outlook on life). But you're "I'M NOT AN AMERICAN post displays a one-bit brain with a parity error. Check to make sure all your BYTES aren't odd.
HAVE YOU EVER LIVED IN EUROPE?
I have. Go live in a socialist Europe. They'll gladly take you as NOT AN AMERICAN. Wait in line for months to get your socialized health care. Redistribution of wealth is socialist - and a quick path down to a little town called Utopia (AKA Communism), And, as we all know and has been proven throughout time, communism is great! Just look at their broken down societies.
Brave AMERICAN SOLDIERS throughout history have died for your right to be publicly stupid. And now that you are loudly exercising that right why not be publicly brave and bright - leave the country? Grow a pair. Use'em. Leave. We'll survive without your tech ramblings that make most people's heads explode anyway. On the downside - the DUCT TAPE FOR THE HEAD market might crash.
WISDUMB
And the views you espouse? They're revolutionary? Full of WISDUM"? What the???
FAILS THE TURING TEST
Most "Americans" want the energy crisis solved, want health care for all, believe in separation of church and state. Believe in science, technology, equality and justice. You're cloaking yourself in what most Americans believe -- but then proclaim you're NOT AN AMERICAN? That even fails the Turing Turd test.
CEREBRUM VACCUOSO
You're "NOT AN AMERICAN." Well, I'll agree you're not thinking like one. Americans usually have some semblance of logic built on a foundation of facts and eventually try to come to right and reasonable conclusions. Your little rant is, at best, sophomoric on a 2nd grade level, PT Barnum-ese, absurdly illogical and full of pampered-punk pompousness.
YOUR BAROMETER
It is, however, a lot like a barometer. Big vacuum at the top.
This is a great country. Because of that you've flourished. More power to you. You can spout your 7 cans short of a 6-pack, smoke don't reach the top-of-your-chimney, parallel mind, serial world view. It's your right.
As an American. But you say you're NOT AN AMERICAN. So ....
Be Brave.
Be Proud.
Take a Stand.
If you're not an American -- Move to another country and blog all about it.
I've just removed you from my RSS subscriptions: since the days when you had insight into Microsft and the tech world, you've become less and less relevant. the politial ramblings and the rest of has become unberable. I can't remember the last time I read more than the headline of one of your posts let alone saved or shared it.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"I believe that SOME wealth should be redistributed from rich people to other places to improve our society. Like paying for schools, building roads, or even helping all people get access to health care. To me that seems fair because it’s our system that enabled people to build wealth. "
OK Robert, put your money where your mouth is... Please cut a check of half your net worth to the government to redistibute as they see fit. When I see that, then I will believe this is how you really feel. Sell your wife's BMW of yours. Sell your home. Empty your childrens college fund. Today. I want to read about it tomorrow. Put up or shut up.
thierry do Brasil
· 1 year ago
Don't you think that we all live on earth. Nobody is neither American, nor French, Brazilian neither. I am an earthian, so we all are.
First of all. What is an American. Somebody who lives in America, or lives in in the United States? Are shall you start calling your self I am not an United Statian!
davemall
· 1 year ago
You need to read Ann Coulter's books so that you can get your head screwed on straight Robert.
Douglas Karr
· 1 year ago
If you really cared about those less fortunate than us, you would do everything in your power to stop the government from taking care of them. They've done a stellar job all along, right? Social security, veterans affairs, welfare, Freddie and Fannie... show me one thing that they've not screwed up!
I want the government out of my home, out of my bedroom, out of my pocket book, and out of my life. The last 8 years have been government out of control, screwing up everything. Now you want the next 4 years of someone promising to do more.
Amazing.
lane h
· 1 year ago
Hell truly has frozen over. I find myself in near complete agreement with Scoble.
I'm an eleventh generation American with dual citizenship to a country that's considered a "social democracy". I've lived equal parts of my life in both countries. I've seen the best and the worst that both had to offer. America could learn alot from such countries that offer, in exchange for higher taxes, free education, free to extremely affordable healthcare and other services. We pay high taxes here and get next to nothing. People with health insurance go bankrupt here. You *are* your credit rating. The rich get richer and hey, if you fuck up, the taxpayers will bail your ass out.
Any American who drives on public highways and bridges, takes books out from the library, sends their child to public school, visits a park or calls 911 when they need a cop or a fireman enjoys the benefits of socialism. Unamerican? Evil? Don't use them.
Eyebee
· 1 year ago
I agreed with more in Robert's article that I've heard from anyone in either of the campaigns.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
BTW, When are you going to start thinking for yourself?
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
One more thing, I am unsubscribing from you - not so much that I disagree with your viewpoint which you are entitled to (even though you never gave any thought to the comments that urged you to do more research before did another one of these posts), it is that I can no longer trust you or your content or that of your employer, now that I know you have a major political axe to grind. It is a shame too, I've been reading you for years and years. My Fast Company subscription ran out about a month ago and the renewal card was sitting here to remind be to re-up.. I just pitched it to the pail. Goodbye Robert, I wish you well.
John
· 1 year ago
I will pray for you Robert.
Oxhorn
· 1 year ago
Scoble: My old college professors told me I wasn't a real American. My Democratic friends say my beliefs are un-American. Everyone on the internet says I'm un-American. Who's in power is irrelevant--if you can play this "pity-me" game, so can I, because ALL people think that those who don't believe like they do are "un-American". Republicans do not hold exclusive claim to this bigotry. To deny this inherent bias in all Americans is just being blind.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
I just can't let this go. So your argument is that if I disagree with one of your bullet points, then I am calling you Un-American. So in essence you are giving me the virtual finger for having a different viewpoint for which you applaud the Constitution for allowing in your first bullet point?
You are so out of your element here bud.
BTW anyone that follows politics knows Powell is not a conservative. So trying to use him to validate your arguments is very very weak.
davemall
· 1 year ago
Hey Robert - My hero is Steve Jobs. I truly admire the man. The products his company produces set the standard for other companies to shoot for. He is truly my hero.
However, he's not perfect. He put Al Gore on Apple's Board of Directors which I found completely nauseating. I wouldn't put Al Gore in charge of the local PTA.
danconover
· 1 year ago
Great post. Really enjoyed talking with you this weekend.
Bill
· 1 year ago
Robert, I fear you've jumped the shark with this post. Your frustration and fear is permeating your every post.
The simple fact is that you are American. Isn't it great to live in a place where you can express your views as such? It's very likely the political change you want will occur in a few short weeks. Why aren't you happy?
May I suggest that you take a vacation and come back in 2009 with a fresh attitude and outlook.
P.S. I miss your focus on technology and technological issues.
torabora
· 1 year ago
Gee, millions of Americans gave their lives defending freedom so you could cutely repeat "I am not an American". I get it. You are not an American. You certainly are a first class ass though.
Here is some free advice, leave America forever and don't let the door hit you in the ass. There are hundreds waiting to get in here so hurry up and make room.
Chris Howard
· 1 year ago
Robert, rather than being a human, you should think of yourself as a citizen, like all of us, a citizen of planet earth.
We can no longer live our insular, localized lives.
The actions of the USA of the last eight years have had a profound effect on the rest of the world. Depending on what side of the fence you sit politically, you can argue whether those have been good or bad.
But the point is, and whether its the invasion of Iraq or the recent financial disasters, everyone can see the influence across the globe, and how that shows we are all citizens of one community.
Therefore, you aren't American anymore, I aren't Australian. These are simply labels. We are all citizens of one home, one globe, one community, and we have to ensure the actions we take do the right thing by our home. And that comes right down to how we vote, and why we should vote.
In the course of human history, this election, whichever way it goes, will have a significant effect.
I suspect that one side of politics in the US still lives in America. We had the same problem here (in Australia) until last year, when we made the change.
As long as we taunt people as being unAmerican or unAustralian, we will continue to do damage economically, socially and environmentally to our home.
When we can call someone's behaviour or opinions "unEarthian", then we'll know we're on the right track.
Reginald Swain
· 1 year ago
If you are for socialism, truly you are unAmerican. You are supporting a system which cannot be implemented under out Constitution and requires a widespread infringement of personal liberty. Socialism is Slavery - every single socialist is either a wanna-be slaver or a slave to the government.
Socialism is slavery, and every single slaver is Hostis Humani Generis.
You want socialism? You want war. You want civil war without limits if you try to tear down the Constitution any more than has already been done. Socialism requries the destruction of personal liberty. Socialism birthed Naziism - birthed Communism - between them they murdered over 130 million of their own people and murdered tens of millions more since their inception. Yeah, that's un-American, chump. You better believe it.
You say you want stem cell research, but you really don't. You want Embryonic stem cell research because that way you get to murder children in the womb and be paid handsomely for offending people you hate - Christians and others - those who believe in their faith and don't convert for convenience's sake (unlike you).
Stem cells from ovaries and testes? That's fine with everyone from both sides of the political spectrum, works, and doesn't cost a life - but you are fixated on stem cells from murdered children so you can pretend your political opponents are "evil" and hurt them deeply at the same time. But you steep youself in bigotry to ignore facts and push a lie.
You ascribe horrific tendencies to your political opponents and ignore the fact that no opponent of ILLEGAL immigration has anything but admiration for LEGAL immigration - you pretend otherwise and in so doing, show again your inability to discern the truth. You show contempt for those who show respect for your country (legal immigrants), and protect those that spit on our laws (illegal immigrants) .
As for border enforcement, you're against it. A country that does not control its borders is not sovereign. And that's what you really want - uncontrolled borders, a surrendering of our sovereignty - a destruction of our country. Hoping to destroy our country's sovereignty by surrendering our borders is outright despicable.
The rest of your sorry screed is filled with twists, lies, and self-deception. You need to believe that your opponents are the same as the ridiculous stereotypes you hold in your hate-filled heart. I pity you.
Bryce Raley
· 1 year ago
You going to regret this one in a few days, if you don't already. From the logic of your email, you believe we should separate our politics from our faith among other things. Well you should have two blogs- one where you comment with your opinions- and this one where you stick to covering tech stuff. You're very good at what you do, but you just alienated some of your "tribe", by ranting about your political opinions.
"He who believes religion and politics don't mix, understands neither one." Who said it? How about Mahatma Ghandi.
You're certainly not Unamerican for believing whatever you choose to believe and even by discussing it. That is very American. However, I'm sure you would be intolerant of my beliefs because they don't shore up with yours. I'm a pro life Libertarian and evangelical Christian. So to you that probably translates to bigot.
On your socialist comments. Take a trip to Sweden. They are spiritually bankrupt and have a high rate of suicide. They fly to the UK for serious medical procedures. Their tax rates are near 65% plus a 20% VAT. I've traveled Sweden from east to west and have helped host swedes here in the states. They are amazing people. I love spending time with them. Not a lot of new business in Sweden- basically none. The employment law is nuts. Not a lot of people banging down the door to get into Sweden and these other socialist European countries you speak highly of. If they are so great, I'd apply for citizenship. I love people who praise other countries from the comfort and freedom of US soil. Our wonderful republic is only 200 years old. That's a small flicker of light in the 6000 years of recorded history. It wouldn't take much to put that flicker out. We're heading down that road with our big government, declining freedoms and loss of our moral compass. Good morals is good economics. Don't believe it- do business with crooks and tell me how it goes.
Ted
· 1 year ago
Poor idea, worse execution.
francinehardaway
· 1 year ago
I love you, Robert. By the current definition of American, I'm not one either. Divorces, affairs, paying for a teen-aged foster child's abortion, and willingness to pay taxes for things like education and health care for others...they all disqualify me. Those narrow definitions are what get us into trouble.
Alz
· 1 year ago
I think, IN GENRERAL, you are wrong. You are entitled to you ropinion, of course, but you preach "tolerance" and yet you're telling people how to do things. I agree with some points, but it would take a conversation to go through all of the issues.
On the other hand, I will point to one article on the problems of Europe. They are rather severe. I have a friend who was in Belgium for a few years with his family and he couldn't wait to get out.
This article explains why and probably explains why some countries are moving away from what some people call "Modern Liberalism".
Well said, good points. Come down to Aussie mate - we do have the right idea!!
They don't call it "The Lucky Country" for nothing.
angsuman
· 1 year ago
Your post really touched me and I will say that rarely happens. I too am not an American and I happen to agree with most of your thoughts.
I believe in pluripotent stem cell research because it has the potential to cure the currently incurable diseases and bring happiness and joy to millions or people worldwide. No longer will we have to suffer or see our close ones suffer continuously and without hope for cure. Never before in the history of science has one technology offered so much hope and promise in alleviating the world of diseases. if that is not God's will then I don't know what is. But frankly I don't have a hotline with God like apparently Jr. Bush has. I just feel that what is good for humanity and living beings at large should be in accordance with the will of any good being, whether is omnipotent or not.
BTW: I created an anonymous survey ( http://bit.ly/uspresidentialsurvey ) to know people's choice on the next US president. Would you like to participate? You can find the results so far in the link associated with this comment.
Quli
· 1 year ago
good post made for a great reading of mine
smartminion
· 1 year ago
Wow. I guess maybe I'm too conservative or just a brainwashed American or something but I took this as ridiculously smug and petty. I live in NC and realize what cronyism, high tax and poor executive leadership (by both parties) causes. I doubt you got much insight into in your visit.
One articulate, compassionate, hopeful liberal comes along and folks like you just suck it all in and get emotional. You forget that this isn't new. Behind all these idealistic, positive promises is the same group of (mostly) corrupt, self-serving people that will gladly take your vote, your money and your freedoms all because you don't like Bush but don't remember Carter. I'm disappointed at all the blind populism without regard to history in diatribes like these.
Personally, I suggest a "reboot" - vote ALL the incumbents out, implement term-limits, cut federal budgets by at least 30%, implement a fair/flat tax. That should be enough to get things back on track.
Barb Chamberlain
· 1 year ago
Nice post, Robert.
Obviously a lot of the posts here are from people who will not ever acknowledge the extent to which the Republican Party has an overt campaign of using language to demonize all who disagree with them as somehow un-American.
Note that the word "taxes" is on the bad list. As several people have pointed out here, taxes are the price of a civil society: roads, schools, garbage removal and disposal, public health, and more.
Suggested reading for those who are interested in a content analysis of the Bush White House and its applications of "political fundamentalism": David Domke's "God Willing: Political Fundamentalism in the White House, the 'War on Terror,' and the Echoing Press."
Warning: Very scholarly. As in, he did the research and demonstrates how Bush used the easily understood dichotomies so common to fundamentalists of all kinds-- good/evil, with us/with the terrorists--to dominate the public discourse and media coverage in the wake of 9/11.
@BarbChamberlain
Trooper
· 1 year ago
If your not an American, then move to Canada, they have national health care. We don't like socialism here.
TommyC
· 1 year ago
Robert you are way off the mark. You need a vacation. Are you insinuating that if someone does not agree with one or more of your points, they are Not An American?
The transfer of wealth argument is PATHETIC and is one of the most UnAmerican things that can be suggested.
Early on I did miss your focus on technology and technological issues, but now you just rant nonsense. You may win the battle, but will ultimately lose the war. You are blind and lost. Pathetic.
Jeremy
· 1 year ago
Guessing the FBI is now reading your blog, regularly...
sun secrets
· 1 year ago
My Dear Mr. Scoble. I/ve monitored your works for a very long time, and it is you, and Shel's book, along with Mrs. Blood that got me at the ripe age of 40 something blogging, something that was not part of my "Telecom" culture. Your thoughts and expression truly reflect that you are an American in the sense that your psyche reflects the vision that your founding fathers charted for this nation. Perhaps those that have brought this great nation to dought itself aren't Americans. You, in my humble opinion, are indeed an American./antonis hontzeas
Jesse Waite
· 1 year ago
Jeremy: LMAO.
As for the dudes who left negative comments, I wonder what country they think they have existed in for their whole lives. I believe in socialized goods, you know: good roads, police, firemen, the postal service, public schools, universities, scientific research so we don't drive our own species off a cliff, etc. I too am not American. If only I could find a way not to use them, then I can be American.
Has anyone seen my dog Plurality? I feel like beating something up, or meaner yet, shouting the implicitly violent logic of binary-reductionism at it. Was that a joke? Dammit---not an American.
Mark
· 1 year ago
"Guessing the FBI is now reading your blog, regularly…"
Oh please...ya the FBI better get all over Scoble....he is a serious threat to homeland security. Give me a break. Some people take this sh@t way too seriously. The article was a creative way to get an opinion across and it gets good rating. Go read the Blogging 101 guide book....be edgy, be controversial....it gets traction.
I commend the dude for speaking his mind...tech geek blogger or not, democrat or not.
Dawn
· 1 year ago
When it comes to writing a business blog, I don't see the value of having political rants. It's a polarized country. Why turn off half your potential audience? I don't like seeing political crap from either side when I'm reading a blog that's supposedly about something else. Haven't we gotten enough already?
Adam
· 1 year ago
I guess I must not be an American 'cause I think.
-Adam
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
I find it interesting to see the diversity of opinions here.
But some really missed the point I was trying to make, which is that if you try to talk about the issues you just get called names. Note that I didn't call anyone names. I called myself names, if anything. I just put out my point of view on the issues.
But many people here decided to call names. I think that says more about them than it says about me.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Dawn: yes, indeed, why talk about the issues? Why not take a stand.
Yes, my blog should just be press releases that make everyone feel good.
Sorry, that's really lame. And if 50% get pissed off, maybe that is a good thing!!!!
Terry
· 1 year ago
Stand back!!! I feel a spray coming on!! This is what America must do to join the real world. First compusory lifetime voter registration and like Australia compulsory voting. (get them all off their fat asses). Next citizen initiated referendum at election time. A good dose of socialism for the common good. Abolish all religions . none of them are true. Although the eye of a needle seems appropiate for the american version. Tax share turnover - abolish the rest.
Dawn
· 1 year ago
Taking a stand is great. But what's wrong with picking the hills you stand on? Why do we have to step over political crap everywhere we walk?
You "take a stand" on Twitter and on FF all the time. Why do you have to do it here, too? I don't think it's lame to suggest that there is a time and place for politics and that it need not be 24/7 everywhere we go.
Endlessly yelling at each other and pissing each other off doesn't accomplish anything. Quite the opposite, I'd say.
Well I'm not sure I agree or disagree. However I believe that was your aim with this post. It's not so much where you stand, but why. Encourage people to think, question their decisions and beliefs.
Living in South Africa I've seen what the blind following masses are capable of. If anyone is going to make a stand... at least know what it is that you are standing for.
Fascinating post, even more interesting are the comments.
jonas
· 1 year ago
Kudos Robert!
Social Media Marketing Blog
· 1 year ago
Kudos Robert, I'm not American too ..
Kevitivity
· 1 year ago
The problem with wealth redistribution is that it's in direct contrast with the American values of self reliance, self determination and self respect. These are values the Democratic party of the 50's used to uphold. These are also the values that have kept America competitive for so long. What is hard work and taking chances worth if the US "overlord" is there to wipe your butt and take care of you, cradle to the grave? These values came from our respect for the human spirit - and America's essence IS human spirit. The nanny-state would only hinder that spirit and create slaves of the state.
There are more problems with wealth redistribution - namely it penalizes the successful while being anti-capitalist. Furthermore, in America, people don't tend to stay in the lower 40% of our economy. Few Americans work minimum wage jobs all of their lives.
Economically, wealth redistribution is a disaster any way you look at it. History anyone?
Guiwald
· 1 year ago
Steve Kayser said: "I have. Go live in a socialist Europe. They’ll gladly take you as NOT AN AMERICAN. Wait in line for months to get your socialized health care."
In which European country did you live? In France or in Germany, you just don't need to pay the doctor when you need to go there (and I tried in Italia, it's the same). You just present your health card, and you have nothing else to do. In Germany, you don't pay your medicine more than 5 euros, in France, you just don't pay them: you present your prescription, your health card, and you get your drugs.
I don't say social system is the best, but I'm sure a US a bit more social would be better. An Europe a bit more liberal too, I guess.
@ Robert Scoble: You're American, but with a different vision that the common one. And I'm sure your country need people like you to be able to change things, and to make this land a better place to live.
PS : Sorry for my bad english.
ma
· 1 year ago
Hey scobble
1- if you can think freely and expose your though: because you are American 2- like many American muslims you married in us freely with the woman you want...because you are american 3- if you convert to the religion you want it's because you are American..go to Iran and try to convert to christian 4- Go to a muslim country and look how do they shoot at immigrants..if you can tell your opinion..it's because you are American
what a shi### post you had written
take care
Jeroen
· 1 year ago
hear hear!
Ben Israel
· 1 year ago
Hi Robert, I'm not an American. I'm observing the U.S. elections here from Malaysia. And I think most American's are so blinded by the politics that they miss the issues that are truly important. Most non-Americans I know, agree with me.
I truly don't understand how people can vote for a warmonger, vote against helping the poorer sections of economy, vote against healthcare that is not dependent on greedy insurance and pharmaceutical companies, vote for giving more money to Big Oil, vote for placing more guns in the hands of dangerous people, and.... vote for SARAH PALIN. I truly don't understand.
I do wish you the best of luck. The gut feeling is that come November 4, the Joe's will pick McCain and then whine for another 8 years.
igorthetroll
· 1 year ago
I like what you say but you need to practise what you preach!
Why not unblock me on Friend Feed and Twitter and I will give you the respect that you deserve.
Robert, we all have differences in opinions, learn how to respect others!
Bast
· 1 year ago
Hi, Good post about american facts, and great timing of course! I'm not an American, I'm from Europe and I just want to bring some details to what you say about it. First of all, I'm glad you consider Europe as a country but it is not. Considering that, even if from your point of view it's the same, believe me that there are great differences between European countries. Second of all, when you talk about Europe and socialism, believe me, on this one: you are an american! Why? Because you take all the european countries and put them in the same case based on some stuff you may have heard (health care, public school...), again, economic systems can be very different within Europe... I'm french and we are not drived by a socialist government. If you take Sweden, here you have your dreamed economic system called "social-democrate". Finally @Bryce Raley: please don't throw figures out of context. Suicide rate's just "normal" in Sweden, urban legend to say it's higher because of seasons/work/tax rates. The highest are Japan and France (because we are NEVER happy) :) Swedish are paying a lot of taxes but what you didn't said is: best health care system and accessible to everyone, financial help during studies in decent buildings (study and living), and the salaries are much higher than other european countries. Maybe, instead of checking the Business criteria, you can check what make most of people happy of living: decent salary, very high employment rate, clean cities (have you ever visited Stockholm?), close to nature...Well, Sweden may not be the first economic country in the world but aside the cold, it's an example for a lot of other ones.
Good post anyway, even if what you should have said is: I'm not a redneck... ;)
trueRevelator
· 1 year ago
"I'm not an American, I'm Canadian"... last time I checked, Canada and USA were in the same continent or has the polar meltdown already changed the shape of the continent?
and please, somebody explains me why TommyC says "The transfer of wealth argument is PATHETIC"?
That happens in many countries in Europe and the living standards over there are higher than in USA. May be the transfer of wealth is not the only reason, but it plays a main role.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"But many people here decided to call names. I think that says more about them than it says about me."
I don't think they missed the point. We get that poor Robert is being called names - even though this post is doing exactly the same thing in a backhanded way. However you say the comments are interesting. Please tell me why if you believe socialism is a noble cause, why is there no response to my request for you to cut a check for half your net worth to the goverment to so they can spend it as they see fit? And why don't you take the next step and ask the the government what they want you to do for an occupation. Perhaps you could better server society as something else that has nothing to do with technology? After all why should you have a choice of occupation if it does not serve the society well? If the world can go forward without Russert, surely it can go foward without another interview from Fast Company? Or better yet, maybe Fast Company can be government run??? Surely the government can figure out what reading best suits the society as a whole???
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
You see Robert posters like me and some of others have tried to engage you in dialog through our comments. Because it seems that what you have done here is take a page from the Carville book - what you do is design phrases to put people with a different viewpoint or curiousity on the defense - phrases like "You don't have a heart if you don't support universal healthcare" etc.. Its the same strategy with this post - I am calling you unamerican for having XYZ viewpoint. And this is not conducive to intelligent dialog. What you have done here is revealed yourself to be an elitist. The tone seems to be that if you do disagree with me then you are an ignorant cro-mag who resorts to name calling. Now onto the big picture. Political parties love this. Another convert. Another fool and his money soon to be parted. Because you see Robert the game is this: Politicians fool you into believing that you and he/she believe the same thing. And they do, if the money is right. The goverment no longer represents the people as evidenced most recently by the bailout bill. Its all about living off the tax payer, sitting at mahonagy desks with leather chairs, pontificating on the senate/house floor by day and sipping congnac and taking checks at night. You've been taken. And you don't even know it.
scottbourne
· 1 year ago
Brilliant Robert and here's my reaction to the comments you received.
About the people who unsubscribe to your stream because you dare to espouse your political beliefs - good riddance. This recently happened to me and during the purge I got rid of lots of assholes who don't deserve access to the free information I pass out every day. And within a few days after the purge, I actually had MORE followers. ANYONE who would unfollow or unsubscibe because of your political beliefs is UNAMERICAN. It's very possible to trust, respect, work with, buy from, play with, associate with, be friends with and gain knowledge from people we disagree with.
And for those who say anyone who doesn't kiss the republican ring should leave America - screw that. Those of us who love America need to stay here and rescue it from the likes of Karl Rove. I plan to stay and fight.
Again - I love your post. And the courage and spirit with which it was written. And I'd consider it an honor to be attacked by that UNAMERICAN right wing asshole Michelle Malkin.
dc crowley
· 1 year ago
wait til after the election. If McCain - Palin win it, then yes you are in trouble. But you can't do what you are doing from any other base in the world. No other kid could have grown up anywhere else in the world in the 70's like you did. America made you and heck it's OK. Still I can't talk. I left a religiously over zealous Ireland in the early 80's. Once I left the place picked up a little ;)
I notice how intolerant the far right can be. Maybe it's time to be an intolerant liberal and stop their nonsense.
Bryan Bro.
· 1 year ago
Sorry, I get your point but this came off as really weird.
Beth Granter
· 1 year ago
Awesome post. One thought though - as a self-proclaimed socialist feminist who feels feminism has a bad reputation, I feel it's important to reclaim the concept and mould it to what I believe. Similarly, as a non-stereotypical female, I refuse to be thought of as an exception when I show traditionally male accomplishments (e.g. logical thinking, climbing trees...) - as a female exhibiting these characteristics, I am redefining 'feminine'. Perhaps you can keep your views, tell the world you ARE American, and thereby change people's view of what constitutes an American.
In response to people criticising you for talking politics on a tech blog, to refer to the quote 'the personal is political', there should be no platform that is unsuitable for talking politics, because it affects every area of our lives and our existence.
whoindatgarden
· 1 year ago
So there are comments praising the lad and then there are those who wish he was aborted by his mom or does not live in this country.. Shows the temperament of the readers extreme views. At irrational behavior as the ability to think has been clearly lost. What Mr.Scoble expressed in his writings is a personal view based on his observations. What most people who are so virulent in their attack are missing is that they are just as angry at their situation but don't have the ability to accept responsibility for the malaise we have as they are also the ones who have supported it without thinking. America has for the last 40 years been at work dismantling the very structures we have fought hard to erect since the 1930's. Before the 1930's we had a very stoic class system that was basically the Rich versus the Poor. People will forget that there was no Minimum wage, there were no five day 40 hour work weeks, paid vacation, Occupational Safety etc etc. We have had to fight very hard to get those basic things you take for granted. The last forty years have been spent trying to strip slowly everything you have and take you back to the good old days of the 1920's. To enable that process the American Businesses and European Businesses have a great partner the Chinese Communist Party which is able to provide the labor that is needed to produce the goods without any worker rights in place. This gives a very good bargaining power to the Businesses to dismantle all the things you have taken for granted all along, with the threat that if you don't accept they will move shop to China primarily. So the last 40 years you have been comatose in your ability to think and have been sold this myth that Taxes, regulations and Government are the cause for your misery, that markets can do the best job for you and guess what they have, you have lost your ability to have any bargaining power and will accept whatever is thrown to you. Sure lets blame one or the other party, but truly the blame lies with us people and for being unable to think and be drunk on crap. If you want to change all this then wake up and start to THINK. Instead of berating Scoble on how awful he is or not cuz he expressed his views, express yourself and THINK clearly.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
dc.. Isn't the majority of America tolerant liberalism?
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
after all, if you criticize Obama, you would never be painted a racists, would you?
Susan Beebe
· 1 year ago
Wow, look at all the conversation this awesome post generated!!
Nice job Robert... I concur!! Looks like we're gonna have to CHANGE this country; don't move. I love America and want it to GROW up and face the music.
No more greed, self-centered-ness, lack of vision, or discipline. We must adopt a completely different strategy going forward to better manage this rich and diverse country. Not an easy task by any means. Obama brings the best hope for this needed change.
Kudos for such a well thought-out post...brilliant!
This post is offensive. Extremely. I get your point, but it's wrong. No sane person would make the claim that you're not American for any of the points you've given, even if they don't agree with them. You're insinuating that Republicans make that claim, but that's a flat out lie. If *YOU* believe that's true, then maybe you should consider making your trite little "I'm not American" saying true by leaving?
The rest of us sane folks, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Green Party, Independents, Catholics, Jews, Atheists, and all the rest, would be a whole lot happier here without the attitude shown here.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"No more greed, self-centered-ness, lack of vision, or discipline. We must adopt a completely different strategy going forward to better manage this rich and diverse country. Not an easy task by any means. Obama brings the best hope for this needed change."
My goodness.. the naivete displayed here is mindboggling. Don't you realize the money machine behind Obama is laughing that this is too easy? Don't you know that inside the machine they say he is so self-satisified that all you have to do is stroke the ego and he'll do your bidding while thinking he is actually calling the shots? Don't you realize its the same on both sides?
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
This is so futile. Both parties are one in the same... I label you unamerican, you label me racist etc.. etc... all the way laughing to the bank...and then you have Winer and Scoble... being used by the apparatus for the same purpose.. and they don't even know it. They are getting their egos stroked for the 'great posts' in the comments. They have been sucked into the machine and don't know it.
scottbourne
· 1 year ago
LOL people who said they are unsubscribing to you Robert are still hanging around and posting comments here.
"No wait - this time I am REALLY unsubscribing - REALLY I am - I mean it!"
LOL I love this shit.
whoindatgarden
· 1 year ago
Jeff Berlin, maybe he does know and guess what he is the one laughing all the way to the bank. You and I may post comments etc but it is on his blog and the traffic he generates adds to his bottom line. So it is possibly calculated risk he took writing this post to generate even more traffic to his site.
Christianity = Socialism... J
· 1 year ago
@ James from the UK:
Believe me, lines for free care are better than no care at all.
You have to wait for a CT scan.
Over here, without insurance, you just DIE....... And then your family can't afford to bury you. But of course, that's there own fault because they're poor -- they just don't work hard enough.
And hey, God loves Capitalists (or so the Right Wing would have us believe) despite universal healthcare, etc. being FAR more in line with actual Christian teachings....
They forget that there was one group even Jesus didn't like -- hypocrites and dogmatists.
Joe Wharton
· 1 year ago
Scoble:
I don’t know if you’re an American or not. What I do know is that 1) you didn’t have to insult my wife’s intelligence after she decided to unsubscribe to your blog (she did not say anything about your politics, just that she was tired of hearing politics on a technology blog- BTW that makes you very Non-Web 2.0); and 2) you didn’t have a video up as of this morning, even though you said in your response to my wife yesterday, “I’ll have a video of a tech startup up tonight”.
So, knowing those two things about you, I also know that you are 1) an asshole and 2) a liar. Good bye.
Mike O.
· 1 year ago
From an X - change fearing, X - bible beating, midwest farm raised redneck, X - bush backing, X - republican, and anti-Walmart consumer......
Thank you!! I don't know what I am now, but it's better than what I was, and this release feeeels goooood.....
Live and let live. I agree with Larry Magid, I thought this country was about the differences and how they worked together to make us better. I agreed with the Afghanistan invasion, but drew the line with Bush's personal and oil crusade in Iraq,. Our country isn't what is once was. Since WWII we have been on a steady decline and now we have hit rock bottom. I hate to disagree with my family, but it is time for new young inspiration.
While I didn't vote for Clinton, I have to admit that our country was the best I can remember in my lifetime.
It's time to educate and change.
tom
· 1 year ago
I'm also voting with my "unsubscribe". I read this blog for tech industry news, not political diatribes. Having an opinion is most American, but I didn't think this was an opinion column.
Herschel
· 1 year ago
Robert, I have to say you know how to drive traffic - 144 comments. You hardly ever get that much attention on a "tech" only post.
You know, when I get into a discussion about American poltics with my friends I ask "If you were GOD, what top three things in America would you change and why?"
Care to give an answer?
Maurice
· 1 year ago
BRAVO!
Now thats what i call nailing you colours to the mast :-)
dominic
· 1 year ago
you sound very French to me :-)
So you sound Canadian to a Canadian, Brazilian to a Brazilian, Aussie to an Autralian and French to me... sounds like a good start.
Moving to problem solving ( that's american isn't it ?), why don't the non american part of the US join the EC :-)
junal
· 1 year ago
Really enjoyed both writer and readers views....and i don't agree that a tech blogger cant talk about politics....
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Joe: I decided to get some sleep, I flew from North Carolina home yesterday and was dead tired when I got home. I'm uploading the video now.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
>No sane person would make the claim that you’re not American for any of the points you’ve given, even if they don’t agree with them.
I'd agree with that, but at many rallies and in many talk shows lately I've seen the points made that those who don't agree are "unAmerican." Oh, and Sarah Palin made that point too. So, I figured I'd just have some fun with those who call the people on the other side who call names rather than discuss the issues. Of course Jon Stewart had a stronger set of words for Palin: http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/200...
Oh, and Joe, I guess you can't use Google anymore. After all Google's CEO just endorsed Obama. So unAmerican!
Court
· 1 year ago
I am a Canadian, and know the healthcare in Canada for everyone is great, as long as you don't get sick. Everyone with a serious illness that I know has gone down to the US to pay for healthcare to get treated (including my family members). I think the grass is greener on the otherside complex is getting a little out of hand in the US.
I believe in equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. How do I tell a person paying 35% and $1M of their income they should pay more in tax when 40% of his countrymen don't pay tax? Doesn't seem to encourage innovation does it?
And this stemcell thing in the US seems to baffle me. The current adminstration has made it pretty clear that they do not oppose stem cell research, they just will not provide tax payer dollars to fund stem cell research from fetuses, which in itself is a highly theoritical, unproven field of research. Wow, a government criticized for being smart with its people's money. A little digging shows that 90-95% of medical research in the US (one of the KEY reasons why so much is discovered in the US, and not say, my home of Canada) is from private funding, yet people are up in arms on this issue...it is moronic.
And I am baffled by everyone who visits another country and pretends to know the intricacies of a society. Unless you live somewhere for greater than 5 years, I really don't believe you have the knowledge to comment on the success or failure of a foreign society.
I subscribe to the blog to keep up to date on technology, but this blog is becoming increasingly irrelevant in that subject, and just as I wouldn't ask a plumber to inform me on technology, I wouldn't look to a tech blogger for his opinion on politics and economics.
I will check you out sometime in the future, when you have gotten off your soapbox.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"Oh, and Joe, I guess you can’t use Google anymore. After all Google’s CEO just endorsed Obama. So unAmerican!"
this just blows my mind. What a childish statement. I thought you'd want to discuss this with open exchange of ideas. I guess I was wrong.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
@court
Don't bother with facts, they will be ignored. Robert will argue that its religion that controls the US stem cell policy. This is his theocracy argument. This from an atheist that converted to a state sanctioned religion to get married. Amazing. But like I said it matters not and this all just a waste of bandwidth.. sigh...
Dawn
· 1 year ago
Robert, you said: I’d agree with that, but at many rallies and in many talk shows lately I’ve seen the points made that those who don’t agree are “unAmerican.”
You often claim that people who don't agree with you are unintelligent. So what's the difference?
CoolProducts
· 1 year ago
"My mom was born in Germany. We all know how much terror THEY brought on the world over the past 100 years. I’m not an American."
Oh wow.. Haha.
On a serious note: It is very sad that you feel you should have to write an article such as this.. I'm not saying you're in the wrong, just that its dumbfounding that people could make such statements about a person. Someone needs to stand up and remind us all what we were taught (or at least what I was taught) as a little child in school about our country being a giant melting pot..
I don't like baseball. I am not an American. lol
Mike
· 1 year ago
Heh. Ah yes the wisdom of socialist democrats. How lucky we are for you to spell it out for us evil republicans--uh scratch that, evil independents, (as I quit the Republican party when Gingrich's Contract with America was trashed). You only have the current Republican leadership to thank for the new opportunity of American Socialism under Obama, which in my opinion will happen.
But lets slow down for a minute. I understand your comments somewhat as I have lived in the south before, being from the Bay Area, and I concur that a subtle kind of darkness pervades what is visible to one who is not from there. It pops up in strange belligerence of some the people you meet, and in their general dislike of Californians in general, paired with an odd cultural form of social segregation.
But I caution you Robert, as you are suffering from the same sense of social isolation that they are, but it is that of the San Francisco Bay Area Super Socialist Tech Culture. Surely your comments are viewed by most Americans as whacko California ignorant clique chic. Reminds me of the old sixties bumper sticker from the opposite world, 'America, Love it or Leave it'. To which I say, I do not think that forcing everyone to think as you do (as your friends at Acorn and and the socialist left would have us become) is hardly American in any way at all. If your belief structure becomes a reality, the net result has a possibility in a collapsing economic structure to be a massive system of loss of freedom and the right to believe what you want in order to achieve your social nirvana. And such a system would could result in a Stalin like purge at some point in the political future so that your ideals of a Brave New Green iWorld can come to pass.
Before you stupidly piss all over that which brung you, consider this: The computers you use were designed and possibly built in Taiwan, which China looked at for forty years in jealous rage before it too adopted western capitalism, and Taiwan would today not exist had we Americans not helped them to thrive. The same is true with South Korea. Do you really think the South Koreans could have done as well without our political help. I think those who lived in Seoul when the North invaded, killed anyone they found and burned the city to the ground might disagree. Japan is the result of a constitution forged by Americans, and most of Asia today is adopting American wisdom and ideas that have proven successful.
Europe was rebuilt as a result of American help and political and financial support of the Marshall Plan so that all those socialist countries could continue to exist. And truthfully, Europe is not so much socialist as it is a group of strongly bound social democracies with firm ties to the Capialist economic systems of the world. Choosing higher tax rates in exchange for more government services does not necessarily make them socialist.
And certainly millions of South Americans, Indians, Armenians, Iranians, Iraqis, Germans, East Europeans, Russians, Africans, Chinese, and on and on are still trying desperately to arrive here, live here, become citizens here, especially with the literally almost nonexistent enforcement of immigration laws. We tried to help countries like Liberia, Ethiopia, Sudan and others years ago to pattern the same economic building structure there to allow them to pull themselves out of the throes of poverty, but most of that failed for violence, revolution, murder and starvation won the day.
And as for your confusion about our participation in the middle east and Afghanistan, understand that if we were not there, the killing and murder of innocents would still be going on, and no one would be there to report it or tell us of the darkness. The only difference is that now they have some to shoot at who shoots back and if they do succeed in ousting the Americans, then look to see every a possible world where every Israeli will be killed the moment they think they can get away with it to protect their form of intolerance toward anything not Muslim.
I would pray that your narrow minded level of intolerance for anything not liberal-democrat would be reconsidered.
I am an American.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Dawn: name one time I said that. URLs please. If do it so often you should be able to find at least three.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Jeff: >>This from an atheist that converted to a state sanctioned religion to get married.
I'm not an atheist.
I have no idea whether God exists or not -- I haven't seen scientific proof either way. That makes me an agnostic.
Eric Rice
· 1 year ago
I'm amused at the three things in the comments: 1. those that 'get' the post, 2. those that totally do not 'get' the post, and 3. the declaration of un-subscription.
For those who also live on Planet Earth, I'd like to remind you that yes, there are in fact, -two- Americas, so please, hate only half of us.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
To those who say that I only write about politics or think about politics, you are absolutely wrong.
Only a very small percentage of my work has anything to do with politics.
Which makes me very happy at the unsubscribes. I'm hoping for a smart audience here, not one that throws insults based on bad data.
Richard Becker
· 1 year ago
Robert,
I might agree with you on some issues. And, I might not on a few.
But I want to point something else out: Ignorance can be defined by not knowing when you demonstrate you are no better than. Me, I believe in tolerance because it is our ability to coexist with differences in beliefs and opinions that make us great, not our differences. No one really wins, Robert.
Best, Rich
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Richard: it's hard to be tolerant when a Vice Presidential candidate hints that you are Un American. Which is why I wrote this post. Jon Stewart used even stronger language to respond: http://www.memeorandum.com/081020/p1#a081020p1
Dinesh
· 1 year ago
You're not an American. Guess what? You're not alone. Welcome to the world all you I-am-not-Americans (from a South Asian by ethnicity, born and raised Kenya, raised some more and educated in the UK, raised as a Jain, converted to an atheist, now living in Canada but at home in the World)
dlambert
· 1 year ago
Once again, Robert, you've got a great idea in this post, but it's wrapped up in some pretty prickly words, and a lot of people (myself included) are having a hard time getting through those words.
I understand that you're trying to create a sharp contrast between your beliefs and those of people who claim to be American while doing some things that clearly set this country back many, many years.
But I am an American, and I'm a little sensitive when it comes to messing with that pledge.
I am an American, and I believe that we can still be the greatest country on Earth.
I am an American, and I'd much rather have a conversation about how to make things right than to bitch about those who are trying to tear us down.
I am an American, and I believe that Americans never give up, and we must never forget the principles that forged our nation.
I am an American, and I hope we can all find a way to define ourselves in terms of the things that Americans are doing right, rather than all the things that Americans are doing wrong.
I am an American, and that doesn't mean that I'm one of the mindless morons you're trying to distance yourself from.
I am an American, and I'm proud of it.
If you want to impress me, be a better American and help the Americans of today and the Americans of tomorrow become better citizens. Take some ownership in the future by teaching your son that Americans aren't defined by the worst examples of our population, but by the best examples.
If you really believe that America can't be saved, then by all means, feel free to say so, because that's your right: bought and paid for by those that came before you. Just be sure you understand that you're selling out your son's America, because you're creating the America that he'll live in. I think you want a better America for him, but slinging mud back at the destructive forces in our country won't get us there.
Robert, I've seen you ignite firestorms plenty of times in the past in order to make a point or stir up discussion, and it's clear that's what you've done here, too. Normally, I don't really take issue with this tactic, but this time, I think you've gone too far, because I am an American, and I believe that good Americans have to take that pledge seriously.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"Richard: it’s hard to be tolerant when a Vice Presidential candidate hints that you are Un American. Which is why I wrote this post. Jon Stewart used even stronger language to respond: http://www.memeorandum.com/081020/p1#a081020p"
This the best you can do? Jon Stewart? c'mon dude. Once again, think for yourself and don't let pop culture dictate your thought patterns. I suppose you will point us to Howard Stern next?
"Dawn: name one time I said that. URLs please. If do it so often you should be able to find at least three."
Dawn need only point this post - aren't you insuating that you are smarter than Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin? I'd caution you here - both of them are 'doers'.. you merely interview 'doers'.. and isn't this the root of your hatred?
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
Now to wrap this up.. why are you so insulted? According to everything I see on tv, the majority position in this country is the same as yours. The country is overwhelming liberal correct? So why should some crazy remarks of some soon-to-be footnote in presidential politics bother you?
Court
· 1 year ago
Robert, in response your comment to Dawn that you never say people who disagree with you are unintelligent.
"Which makes me very happy at the unsubscribes. I’m hoping for a smart audience here, not one that throws insults based on bad data."
That is your comment subsequent to the comment in question. Does this not infer that people who disagree with you are not smart, that people who unsubscribe are not smart? What constitutes bad data...data that goes against your opinions? What about all the people who are unsubscribing cause they find your blogs on technology insightful but your political and economical rants tiring, are they not smart? As someone who deals in Finance for a living, it is stunning to see you criticize the knowledge of the common voter and then argue points so fundamentally flawed they make me wonder if you have ever taken a course in finance, economics or accounting in your life.
"The best argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter" Winston Churchill
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Court: no it means that people who try to abuse other people for their opinions are not smart. There's a HUGE difference. I don't care if you disagree. Say so in a smart way and you might even change my opinion.
By the way I have a minor in economics.
Bad data is data that's bad. :-)
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
@Court
Isn't funny how he says bad data.. then points to Jon Stewart as a credible reference? Look at the comment he gave me - he converted to Islam yet he's agnostic, so it was a sham and his credibility is plummeting by the second. The really bad part is that he doesn't realize he is being used for his audience.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
>As someone who deals in Finance for a living, it is stunning to see you criticize the knowledge of the common voter and then argue points so fundamentally flawed
I think you missed the whole point of yesterday's post. It was criticizing Sarah Palin for calling wide swaths of Americans "UnAmerican."
But now you have me interested. What points are fundamentally flawed?
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Jeff: I used to be an evangelical Christian too.
So you can't convert from religion to religion so that we can do a stupid ceremony to make wife's family happy? Got it.
Me? I love it when religious people get mad with me over this stuff. In the meantime we COULD be arguing about the economy, or how we'll solve the energy problems or global warming or any of that. Yet you care about my religious weirdnesses. Sigh.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
Oh, and I never said Jon Stewart is a credible reference. Where do you get this stuff in your mind? We're talking about Sarah Palin's "Un American" comments. Just in case I wasn't clear enough.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
Do u feel I am abusing you Robert? I just want to know how strong you believe these things and how far you are willing to go. Where do you see religion winning out over science and technology? Where do you see stem cell research creating more value then a person that installs plumbing in a home? If you really feel that your money is better spent some other way, cut a check for at least half your net worth and give it away.. but you have to give to someone who will give it away in some way you don't support - perhaps a stem cell research protest or maybe it goes to an anti abortion group.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
You were clear. I still don't see why I should give any credence to what he says.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
Why haven't you criticised Obama's clinging to guns and religion remark? Isn't that insulting wide swaths of Americans?
benb
· 1 year ago
Robert,
Curious - how can you have been an evangelical christian and now Muslim but claim to not believe that God exists - i.e. you stated you are not sure thus you are not sure either way. Fair enough - but how can you claim to belong or have belonged to religions for which such a belief is a requirement?
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
Isn't because its you agree with that comment?
benb
· 1 year ago
I also might add that while your point might be take, to somehow judge the worth of a "Joe the Plumber" as compared to the multiple references comes across as not only elitist but really quite an insult to many people who have such jobs. How about you take out all of your plumbing - i.e. running water, indoor toilets and then claim there is no value. R&D is excellent - it is what I do - but you need the "Joes" to implement the research. Those statements among others are ignorant. Everything has been R&D at one point or another, for which you then insult the people who carry out the R&D endpoints that you cite as being the important part about R&D. Completely defective and twisted logic.
Robert Scoble
· 1 year ago
benb: it might be elitist, but here's the deal. An R&D worker can come up with something totally new that creates thousands of jobs.
THAT is why America needs to save its R&D jobs and worry a little less about plumbers in its public discourse.
Jeff: I used to believe in God then a variety of things happened to change my belief. I could go into that if you want, but I have to go do some interviews today so will have to take that up some other time.
>Where do you see religion winning out over science and technology?
Easy, Congressmen say that the Bush administration has blocked policy after policy on religious grounds. Plus they've fired scientists, and more. But I don't have time right now to pull up all the URLs and get into a whole dissertation, gotta go do some real work and make sure an entrepreneur can get his/her company in front of you to have a chance to make it. I think that's a little more important than arguing this stuff, at least right now.
Gotta run.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
@benb
Succinctly and intelligently put. Here's the problem. The Winer talking points have no answer to logic. What Robert will say is he wasn't insulting Joe the Plumber (clearly he was... much the same the lipstick on a pig remark was).
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"Easy, Congressmen say that the Bush administration has blocked policy after policy on religious grounds. Plus they’ve fired scientists, and more. But I don’t have time right now to pull up all the URLs and get into a whole dissertation, gotta go do some real work and make sure an entrepreneur can get his/her company in front of you to have a chance to make it. I think that’s a little more important than arguing this stuff, at least right now."
Nice change of direction. I'll never defend GWB, but please don't give me partisan politics. Give me a record of where a politician blocked/votes something down due to religous beliefs.
James
· 1 year ago
@Christianity: The five year wait for a CT scan was only part of the problem (obviously, in reality I simply paid to receive the procedure promptly) - if you live long enough to reach the treatment stage, you can be denied treatment on cost grounds, with the added threat that they will withdraw ALL treatment if you choose to pay for the aspects they exclude. Yes, it's "free" - if you live long enough - but only if the treatment is cheap enough to be approved. A lot of recent cancer treatments are deemed too expensive, for example, and denied to those relying on this "universal" care.
You may have a point that it's better than nothing - but when it only provides a subset of care to a lucky subset of people, is it really any more "universal" than Medicaid and similar programs? Ultimately, you're still at the mercy of how generous the government is feeling at the time, and can still end up broke or dead because you can't get the treatment you need without paying a fortune for it.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"benb: it might be elitist, but here’s the deal. An R&D worker can come up with something totally new that creates thousands of jobs. "
Wow now there is turn of events... Let me see the Democrat party likes to use the line that they are for the working/middle class... then he dismisses a Joe but supports R&D... and who is R&D funded by? Major corporations. he his thumbing his nose at the value created by Joe (working class) and saying that an R&D worker is a better (highly educated, most likely pulling down six figures and working for or being funded by large corporations). And in the same breath they will rip the republican party. What a trip.
Dul
· 1 year ago
What is an american?
Chavez in an American Lula is an American Kirchner is an American etc...
The majority of the Americans don't speak English but Spanish. May be we are not speaking about the same thing.
nice post any way.
I'm european living in America (Argentina exactly)
benb
· 1 year ago
@Jeff
Exactly. There are so many levels of absurdity.
For example, the R&D that he says creates thousands of jobs are the jobs that the "Joes" end up doing. So if the Joes/ working middle class jobs are worthless, what does that say about the high and mighty R&D?
benb
· 1 year ago
Robert, I had a thought about your comment regarding worrying less about the Joe the plumbers. Among other things, indeed, lets worry less about the working class. Lets worry less about construction workers as well and whether or not they have or get paid well for jobs. We do not need working plumbing, working roads etc. Who cares if their family is able to get by and whether their kids can go to school and perhaps reach the highest level of R&D. Certainly forget the arts and people who do things in that realm, after all what do they really provide? Certainly not thousands of jobs.
Do you not see that it is all an ecosystem, one begets another. R&D begets the Joes, which begets families and kids to be educated and so on. A hard working person not inventing, but creating via the inventions of others, without them there is no value in the R&D. If there is no value in R&D, there is no incentive to R&D and so on.
For someone that has called on "fellow democrats" your comments are so far out of whack as to make no sense. Perhaps it should have been aimed towards "fellow elitist democrats". The group of elitists can all get together and decide how we should all live, how the money should be split up and it all becomes a moot point. I work as an R&D person and find your whole stance on the subject to be troubling, but really more of an indictment about you and how you value people. I wonder how you view yourself in the equation of value in the world?
Raul Orviedo
· 1 year ago
Your best blog item to this date.
david
· 1 year ago
I guess I'm not an American either, eh?
Gene
· 1 year ago
Right on! I'm also tired of being considered un-American because I believe in many of the things you do. And, as a Catholic, I'm tired of having my morality questioned.
And look at the vitriol of so many commenters here, proving exactly the point you make by facetiously stating that you are not an American.
I think I'll subscribe to your blog, because I like my technology with a dose of humanity.
matthew
· 1 year ago
You are right on point Robert.
chaze77
· 1 year ago
I am not an American either, apparently.
Great post.
Thanks for havin' the guts to say it.
Obama/Biden '08
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
@benb
I have learned that trying to draw Robert and Dave Winer into dialog never results in anything positive. They will eventually call you names, leave nasty little one liners that they think are witty and abandon the comments altogether while never providing one thoughtful response to questions such as yours. Why I am still commenting.. .cause I am an ass I guess. But Scoble and his ilk facinate me. Their minds have been so polluted by an idealogy that they themselves have not thought up, that they can't see the end game is their own destruction. Ten years from now when the fairness doctrine is instituted they will find themselves victims of their own nearsightedness. And the planters of the seeds will reap what they have sown with these 'sims'. And Scoble and his ilk will be standing there like richard gere at the end of Primal Fear finally realizing they've been had.
Yorkali
· 1 year ago
!!!EXCELLENT . EXCELLENT POST!!!!
Bob
· 1 year ago
Great! I'll help you pack Robert - we don't need you!
Christopher
· 1 year ago
I am tired of a "Tech" writer who rants about liberal politics. What ever credibility he did have is completely lost.
Signed, An American.
Bob Evan's Sausage
· 1 year ago
I AM NOT A SUBSCRIBER! I removed myself just after reading Scommie's anti-American rant.
I say go ahead move to Australia, maybe they have and open borders policy, like you wish that American had, and you can get it right away. Keep in mind that when you get there, even though you aren't yet a citizen, you should immediately start demanding health care coverage, voting rights, and demand that they publish everything in American English (some of those Aussie terms can get confusing).
I had no idea you were such a snobbish, Liberal, elitist.
Bob
· 1 year ago
Vice presidential candidate Joe Biden told large swaths of Americans they are unpatriotic because they aren't willing to pay more taxes. Robert, I do not recall you making a post like this about that.
Because you are an American, you can post about whatever you feel like.
I come here for technology information. I love politics, but I have different venues for them. I'll be looking at different venues for technology news too.
No name-calling here. I am not even a Republican. I am just extremely disappointed in what you posted.
Alz
· 1 year ago
Some of you will appreciate the talk called "HOW MODERN LIBERALS THINK" by a guy named Evan Sayet. It's a work of genius. You'll need some quiet time, but it is very good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaE98w1KZ-c
Douglas Karr
· 1 year ago
Wow, Robert. You sure know how to start a conversation! :)
Christopher Coulter
· 1 year ago
Blah, you can't ever even believe any Scoble post, it's all controversy for controversy sake, no such thing as negative press, when no ones talking about you, kick up some outlandish blog fit, which will result in a 360 backtrack if the heat gets too hot, but traffic for the craziness and traffic for the apology...blah blah blah.
JB
· 1 year ago
So why do you want to make the US more like France or Canada? If you want a socialist paradise, you can move to one of those places.
Do you have any concept that there are people who live in the US because they like the freedoms found here (economic and otherwise)?
No offense, but you can move to your socialist haven of choice. Liberty-loving people don't have that option. Do you really want to put our backs against the wall and shove your socialism down our throats? Do you think we will stand for it?
I encourage you and your ilk to keep pushing and see what happens.
Jim Satterfield
· 1 year ago
What an amazing ongoing display of ignorance by so many people.
Palin also made a point of mentioning that she loved to visit the "pro-America" areas of the country, of which North Carolina is one. No word on which states she views as unpatriotic.
Extremists of any kind suffer from what I think of as an ideological lobotomy. But I decided long ago that the Republican Party had drifted too far to the right for me to be able to vote for them in good conscience. My suspicions began when Reagan promised us that we could jack up defense spending, cut taxes and still balance the budget. And then there were these Southern conservative extremist ministers he was kissing up to. It just went downhill from there, IMO.
Roads
· 1 year ago
Well stated, Robert. Wasn't America supposed to be 'The Land of the Free' and the guardian of liberty?
And then somehow it ended up torturing Iraqis in their own jail, and holding people in Cuba illegally for seven years without trial.
America set out to be the voice of progress, but something serious went wrong along the way. Who would have thought that a nation comprised of immigrants and refugees from all nations would one day become so xenophobic and narrow-minded?
Or that a neo-Conservative 'religious' right wing would one day condemn science whilst tolerating starvation across half of the planet? Who would have thought that America would become isolationist enough in its outlook to alienate even its closest allies in Europe?
Something's gotta change. And I'm optimistic that it will. Keep up the good work.
Francis Ocoma
· 1 year ago
"I believe that informed citizens should vote for candidates not whether they are pro or anti-Abortion, but whether they actually are smart and whether they have enough life experiences to do the job well. I’m not an American."
Oh, you're quite American, all right. That has nothing to do with the fact that you support the murder of human beings...oops, I mean, the discarding of insignificant, inconvenient, unwanted tissue, which just so happens to have its own DNA separate from its mother. But if all you want is for people to acknowledge that you're American, then worry no more. YOU'RE AMERICAN, SCOBLEIZER!
See, I like making people happy.
Ian McDonald
· 1 year ago
Come to Australia !
We love Americans who understand what being American is
Some things we admire, some we cannot understand
I AM NOT AMERICAN!
Bob
· 1 year ago
I will defend GWB!! He has defended us! We were attached on 9/11/2001. Can anyone tell me when we have been attacked again on our own soil?! When innocent Americans have been killed by terrorists in our own cities?
You may put him down for the economy, but when it came to his first and highest priority, he has performed with excellence!! I only hope that our next president realizes that our safety takes priority. A strong economy is worthless if we are not safe!!
Nick Savides
· 1 year ago
I can understand your frustration at the state of politics today, but your post shows a complete disrespect for anyone who disagrees with you, which is just as arrogant as the people you're protesting in your post. I don't mind hearing different positions than mine, but I don't have time for people who assume anyone who disagrees with them is an idiot.
I just deleted my link to your site, and I won't be getting tech updates from you any more. TechCrunch is just as informative, and I don't get condescending commentary over there.
Max
· 1 year ago
I'm outta here (i.e. your site) too. I like technology, hate politics, and all your post said was that you are nothing but a loser. Seriously. PLEASE move somewhere else far away, not because you don't have a right to be here, but because, well, this country needs less losers. Oh, and try not to move to Australia, it's just make the country less cool.
Timothy Post
· 1 year ago
That's why I moved to Krasnodar, Russia. Russia is now the land of opportunity.
Will the "real" America please stand-up on November 4th and be heard?
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
"Mark my words," Biden told donors at a Seattle fund-raiser Sunday night.
"It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America.
"Watch. We're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.
"And he's going to need help . . . to stand with him. Because it's not going to be apparent initially; it's not going to be apparent that we're right."
He's going to need help? I thought worlds hopes hinge on him being elected? Won't long time enemies embrace and put the past behind them? Won't crime, disease, misfortune and injustice cease to exist once he takes the oath? Isn't he the person we need? Didn't he pick this time in history to run?
HA!
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
Got Hope?
The VP Candidate destroys his own campaigns propaganda! And Palins the idiot... MMMWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
One more thing
Just saw Mr. Obama on a podium that says 'Growing American Jobs'... lets see in his commercials he says he's not interested in CEO's (those people that found companies and provide jobs), he is going to force healthcare on those companies 'that can afford it', and raises taxes on capital gains for those that invest in companies so they can grow and provide new jobs. But he is going to provide a tax cut for companies for every new job that you hire an American for. My dear senator there is not a tax break in the world that can offset the salary differential between onshore and offshore. Like he doesn't know it. More empty bumper sticker policy.
Nothing tops Joe Biden making the case for McCain though...
vinnie mirchandani
· 1 year ago
I was on a plane with this passenger who was reading "The Post-American World" and he told me a total stranger had walked up to him and said it was unpatriotic to read that book...
Jesse Waite
· 1 year ago
Because of the title, or because it was a book?
Matt
· 1 year ago
I'm a wee late to the game here but this was such a good post (and set of comments) I thought I would add the following...
Robert - there's an old adage in the journalism business that says if you don't challenge 50% of your audience w/an op ed piece, then you wrote a crappy piece.
3 other points: - Since when were we taught (in America) that socialist doctrine for medicine, infrastructure, education (and other essential needs) were bad things? Our founding fathers debated this at length and there are several historic documents that talk to their agreement than much of this was to be needed to have a gov't "by the people, and for the people." Go read what Monroe or Adams wrote about this (or even Jefferson). Either people have forgotten what they were taught in middle school or they're confusing what they may have learned about the 20th century and the grand ideological experiments run around the world (or they were asleep in school and never really learned about this stuff at all).
- We do not live in a democracy, we live in a Republic. The reason that our founding fathers chose a republic as the form of gov't for our country was because they agreed (after much debate) that many of the would-be citizens of this young country would not be smart enough to rule themselves in a more democratic system.
After reading many of the comments to your original post it should be obvious to all why our founding fathers were correct in this key assumption. The unwillingness to participate in open dialogue by some of your readers is disappointing, yet speaks exactly to this point.
- The commentary (by some of your readers) on "security" is woefully misguided. If we had done more to balance our energy needs a decade ago (through developing alternatives to oil) we would have been in a much different position re: the tensions in the Middle East, and the events that led up to 9/11. Over the last 8 years we have not made the US more "secure" - we have actually made it more vulnerable socially, politically, and economically (this is easily measured in the number of true allies we have, our trading partners (the largest being China), and dropping value of the dollar worldwide.
Robert - your post was a good one - it caused thought and discourse. This country needs more discourse...(not rants...)
And as for those that won't follow your blog anymore - get a life - this is exactly how society used to discuss these types of nationally important topics (but these folks were also probably the ones that thought "Gulliver's Travels" was just a good story if/when they read it in HS)
vinnie mirchandani
· 1 year ago
Jesse, he did not elaborate but to Robert's theme, we are reading in to a whole bunch of little things and jumping to emotional conclusions.
It would have been so much better if the comment had been on the lines of "Did you know the author is also a Newsweek editor, and Newsweek tends to be a liberal publication?" and not pushing the patriotic button...
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
'Unpatriotic'.. 'Unamerican'.. 'I believe'... you guys are fighting over things out of your control.. you really think you have a choice in this election? In the last 2 elections? Don't you get it? The puppets you see on TV for both parties are fueled by the same money machine, beholden to the same interests. We are idiots in the first degree, don't you get it? Palin? Biden? Obama? McCain? Are you kidding me? People think for yourselves and not fall into the 'I Believe' diatribes the money machine has designed for you.
Anon
· 1 year ago
We are human beings first. Whatever else we identify with afterwards is an abstraction from that whole by the mind. Labels based on associations formed from opinions separate us from our true identity.
Richard
· 1 year ago
My wife always says, "I'm not Dutch, I'm not Peruvian, I'm just a citizen of this world"....
theoatwa
· 1 year ago
republicans have been in control of congress for the last 12 of 14 years.
enough blaming everything on 2 years of dems bare majority in congress. 1 vote advantage in senate does not spell in power, nor excuse for a pathetic, know-nothing, no-result 8 years.
btw, republicans haven’t balanced anything including the budget ever. scared of the left ruining the country? gimme’ a break.
there you find a graph that illustrates the myth that you can cut taxes and increase spending and expect to get increased government revenue. Since Johnson, every Democrat has increased revenue more than spending. However the opposite’s true under all five Republican Presidents since Nixon, government revenue has decreased and spending has increased. This is unambiguous proof that cutting taxes does not increase revenue. Yet John McCain is still trying to sell that old canard.
The contrast between Clinton’s tax policies and W’s are dramatically evident from this data. By setting up taxes to help the middle class and small business Clinton stimulated the economy so much that we saw the largest increase in government revenue in history. Neocon’s “trickle down” dogma clearly does not work. You cut taxes and you reduce government revenue. Duh. That is the evidence, no matter how many times we are told you must make the wealthy just a little richer to improve the economy. Numbers show it does not work…
bb
· 1 year ago
Robert, you are right. You are not an "American", at least by historical standards. However, you appear to either naive or mentally challenged.
You are human - how quaint. I wonder if you would be so glib if you were a Christian in Afghanistan. A Hindu in western Kashmir. A Muslim in Xinjiang.
FYI, I am neither Republican or Democrat. I vote the person. I vote the issue.
Stem cell research - in favor of it. As much of it as PRIVATE ENTERPRISE wants to buy. I do not think government should be in the business of taking tax dollars from families trying to pay for a house and childrens' education and spending in on stem cell research.
Same sex marriage - against it personally BUT should be up to each state legislature and electorate to decide. NOT the judiciary.
Public transportation - very much in favor of it but smart enough to recognize that it works best in high population density areas, ie large cities, small countries, etc.
Nuclear power - in favor it. If only there were not so many lawsuits filed against every application . . . .
Development of our own energy resources - in favor of it. Too bad (anti-American imo) that government owns so much of the land that contains the energy resources
Immigration - very much in favor of it. But there are practical limits. If I have a swimming pool, I should have the right to limit my neighbors' use of that pool. Fences are part of that the process whereby use is controlled.
Countries without borders trend toward anarchy. Countries without immigration trend toward xenophobia. History teaches that any group of people can only integrate so many newcomers at any one time.
FYI, I have my doctorate from an American university but have lived and worked overseas (3 different countries) for 16 years. I speak 3 languages.
And I am proud to be an American because of the freedom that is so prevalent in the US and because of all that Americans have accomplished in the world for the last 200+ years.
martin english
· 1 year ago
Lots of discussion, some usefull, some ... well.
I'm always amused by the "if you dont like it, leave it" argument. My first retort is "If you dont want this to be the best country it can be, then YOU leave, because YOU dont love it enough"". Unfortunately, its a bit long for a bumper sticker.
One issues I (as a non american) is the tenor of many americans (most recently, the right-wing and their supporters) who lecture the rest of us on how important and special the freedom that Americans fought and ided for are. These are the same americans who support supression of freedom at home (TSA, etc) and abroad (extraordinary renditions, torture &tc).
The WHOLE WORLD (including Americans) support the ideals of the US Constitution, and the "American Dream". A lot of us (including Americans) are perceptive enough to see when these ideals are not being met.
Mark
· 1 year ago
The most obvious quotes was Johnson's "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.", but I thought this apropos "It is unpleasing to represent our affairs to our own disadvantage; yet it is necessary to shew the evils which we desire to be removed." Johnson: Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain http://www.samueljohnson.com/introgb.html
That Robert is attacked for the view that so much of the political debate trades on the view that to oppose an idea or belief is to be Un American shows that debate hasn't moved on since 1756.
Sardar Mohkim Khan
· 1 year ago
Put aside all tech stuff and let's just read that once again. Very natural, very human, very true. The point is to keep our own believes with ourselves and think on a very wider level, that of being Humans. The actions should be based on 'intelligence' and not arrogance or proud of being powerful in one way or the other. The point here is not hammering the 'I am not this or that' it's more about being a part of the greater boundaries this World is limited to.
Appreciate your thoughts and words, well put.
Regards,
smohkim
· 1 year ago
I am quite surprised as to why my comment was delete :s
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
Once again repeat after me...Politicians don't give a DAMN about you. They don't give a DAMN about balanced budgets or any other issue. They only have beliefs that will get them elected. Stop being fools. Republican.. Democrat... You think Obama gives a DAMN about you? You think he is going to spend every minute of being in the white house thinking about the 'middle class' (what is the middle class by the way.. that's right.. a straw man...) Or do think Obama will be commiserating with George Clooney and Oprah? Same goes for McCain. Its over. The republic is dead.
mike
· 1 year ago
the average tax rate in Europe for a single person is 42%; the average tax rate for a married, double income family with two children in Europe is 36.1%
socialism is you giving up your rights to do things you want to do; socialism is the non-atheist form of communism
the objective is to keep illegal immigrants out, and send them back; we allow legal immigrants in; we're paying for the illegal immigrants; the legal immigrants are supporting themselves
the constitution does not give the children of illegal immigrants the right to citizenship; it only provides citizenship to those people who agree and choose to live under the jurisdiction of our government and abide by our laws
Tim
· 1 year ago
Ah, you might be an American, but you are for sure an idiot
Bruno M.
· 1 year ago
In response to your last statement ...
Just my thoughts after hanging out with lots of non-Americans this past week in Greensboro, North Carolina. You can tell them, can’t you? They wear Obama buttons and have Obama stickers on their cars.
You're clearly implying that anyone support McCain is un-American. This is the kind of claims that Obama supporters whine is spewed against them by the right. More hypocritical bullshit which is not that much different from all the race-baiting by the Obama campaign - when they're the only ones bringing up race!
Boone Gal
· 1 year ago
Bruno, you are mixed up! Besides Scoby's tongue in cheek monologue, the ONLY folks spewing the words: anti-American, unAmerican or even Pro-American are Republicans AND McCain supporters. I suppose the diversity of the Democratic party gives us the understanding that people don't have to look alike, smell alike, think alike or worship alike in order to be Americans. True Americans believe in each other!
Dave
· 1 year ago
If this post reflects the thinking of every liberal then I fear for the future of our country. The libs spend more time lynching Joe the Plumber than they ever did vetting Barry. It's very simple. This issue is not Joe's background.The issue is that Barry showed his true colors as a Marxist with his response. But, yes, pay no attention behind that curtain.
I have a challenge for you, Scoble. But I doubt will agree to it, or could pull it off if you tried. I don't think any lib could. But, here goes:
Please take every promise and/or proposal that Barry and McCain have made during this campaign and match it with an Article or Amendment in the Constitution that gives them, or Congress the power to implement it. NO WHERE in the Constitution does it grant the power to Congress to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Now, lest you go down some rathole you will be unable to climb out of, the General Welfare does not cover any of the proposals Barry has made. So, don't bother. Ready? GO!!!
Yea, I didn't think you could. Frustrating document that Constitution, huh? The Founding Fathers knew that left unchecked, the Federal Govt. would gravitate to Socialism. Thank God for their foresight and thus ensuring a Limited Government. (I do hope that is not an unknown concept to you)
Barry would do well to study the words of Churchill
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. ~ Winston Churchill
German Girl
· 1 year ago
Why is the sentence about Germany in the post?
Josh Smith
· 1 year ago
Right on. Good post. Great discussion. What would we do without the internets.
Jeff Berlin
· 1 year ago
I am like voting for Obama because he's like nice and he's like giving hope to the world and I like like that.
motley416
· 1 year ago
Good grief... I mean I live in a nation of dumbed down zombies... the things that we need to do are laid out clearly before us. So you think Obama is the solution to our problems eh? Or maybe you think McCain is. I can't find anyone who has done a measly week's worth of of studying either man's background. No one knows crap about history. Allow me to take you back. Woodrow Wilson said on his departing address, that this country had, through him, become controlled by a banking elite. Eisenhower warned of the of the military industrial complex... you know, the guys who keep pushing us into wars so they can sell weapons systems. People have been at their stupidest when it comes to John Kennedy. Here's a guy who vowed to do away with the CIA... Remember the CIA? The people who control 95% of worldwide drug trafficking? He also wanted to abolish the Federal Reserve. He also was opposed to becoming involved in Vietnam.. hint hint... military-industrial complex ring a bell here??? I'm sorry but all I've done is casual research and I know about these things. This is nothing brilliant, nothing profound here... just basic research. My verdict is that Americans are too stupid to live in a free society and now that it's being taken away from them they're too dumb to realize what they're losing. Sco' , all you do is address the superficial... blah blah blah blah blah... glad you're so impressed with yourself... I'm not.
Terry
· 1 year ago
Ah.......... Nationalism The last refuge of the scoundrel!! This is an interesting post but no one is giving any answers to the problems of the bit of dirt you lot live on. You have an unfair voting system. Your government is hand in glove with the oil companies and china to prevent europe acting on climate change to the detriment of all of us on the planet.(including the bit you live on) Your politicians spend all their time prostituting themselves raising money from business to get themselves re-elected. Your presidential nominees are bookends of the same political party. The millions raised to get elected could be spent on solar power owned by the taxpayer for the benefit of all. That's socialism. Everybody has a gun I suppose this makes you all feel like one tough cowboy. GET A LIFE!! What America needs is a second political party preferably to the left or are you all scared? I know! come and live in Australia and have fun!
Terry
· 1 year ago
Ah.......... Nationalism The last refuge of the scoundrel!! This is an interesting post but no one is giving any answers to the problems of the bit of dirt you lot live on. You have an unfair voting system. Your government is hand in glove with the oil companies and china to prevent europe acting on climate change to the detriment of all of us on the planet.(including the bit you live on) Your politicians spend all their time prostituting themselves raising money from business to get themselves re-elected. Your presidential nominees are bookends of the same political party. The millions raised to get elected could be spent on solar power owned by the taxpayer for the benefit of all. That's socialism. Everybody has a gun I suppose this makes you all feel like one tough cowboy. GET A LIFE!! What America needs is a second political party preferably to the left or are you all scared? I know! come and live in Australia and have fun! Oh yes and apologise to the black citizens for what your ancestors did to them , you know -SLAVERY
Ken
· 1 year ago
To those that have bashed America:
Then you pay back what you owe...There isn't a nation on this planet that hasn't been rescued, bailed out in time of need by the good old US. Maybe we should repossess Europe since guess who rebuilt that after WWII.
The problem here is exactly that we think America should be a democratic society when in FACT we are a Representative Republic and rightfully so.
Problem is we don't hold our leaders accountable. No term limits for Congress. All that is required to vote is survive to 18 yrs old and be a US citizen...hmm not a very selective matter for choosing the future of a country and we have paid for that. Pay taxes then vote... then you have a skin in the game.
Stand alone legislation no more pork. Let some of these other countries swim on their own without the billions handed out every year in economic aid. And we sure don't really need any more toy arrows purchased with our tax dollars.
Personally I'd like to see every incumbent voted out. A message. You are screwing this up and we won't tolerate it any longer. $850B bail out with so much pork; length longer than our constitution. They should all be fired immediately. And how many of the folks that really got screwed got bailed out? Considering the $10M bonuses handed out with our tax dollars I'd say the bill was sure worth it.
I wonder if Obama is going to redistribute his $600M to the masses that didn't work for it too....seriously freaking doubt that.
Bottom line is our wealth distribution should be: Work=Eat Don't work = go find a church to donate some food to you because this aint Sherwood Forrest. I'm all for helping people; helping people help themselves.
Bob
· 1 year ago
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -- Sir Winston Churchill
(do you see yourself in that quote?)
Jesse
· 1 year ago
Oh my god, you're guys' ignorance is astounding!
"Socialized" goods you are hereby not allowed to use, lest ye be hypocrites:
Schools, universities, government research (back to 1850 with ya!), the postal service, water, national defense agencies, ROADS, virtually any good or service contingent to the use of public infrastructure ... see, I can go on all day. You're not against formal socialism, you're against the social contract, which was only THE founding principle of our country. I get it though, screw the constitution--ME, ME, ME, every pseudo-capitalist individualist for himself!
And oh, whoops! It's not like your own party expanded government to its largest measure under "keeping government small" principles, socializing a $10,000,000,000/mo. war, socializing tax breaks for conservative "faith-based" groups, socializing tax breaks for the wealthy, socializing corporate rights to go on a full assault against the environment... >>> socializing ignorance!
And never mind the fact that formally "socialist" Scandinavian countries are some of the most stable and crime-free places in the world, simply because they don't suppress the idea that constitutional rights to equality aren't just symbolic, but are economic in nature. Religion also has a striking position as a minority in those countries. Hm...interesting. Not like America, where religion walks lock-step with "conservative" principles toward dissolving the separation of church and state, toward the cause of being pro-war yet pro-life at the same time, toward abusing individual rights and equality of opportunity, and forcing their anti-pluralistic ignorance down everyone else's throat. Plug your nose and swallow! As rats do ravin down their proper bane...
RickB
· 1 year ago
I believe that science, technology, and education should win over religion.
Good on yer Jesse I couldn't have put it better myself!!
Terry
· 1 year ago
So George doesn't know what the G20 is. Too hard. Should have asked him if he knew what the G8 was first
Terry
· 1 year ago
Oi! where has everybody gone? Thats funny, as soon as I have a rant everyone disappears. Anyway what are the car companies up to. They want oodles of taxpayers money to build more petrol cars. Well Gm built and leased electric cars and after a few years recalled and trashed them. I'm resolved not to buy another car unless it's electric. I'll keep repairing my bomb in protest.
Jesse
· 1 year ago
If you get an electric car, where will the electricity come from? Or what will fuel the equipment that makes the car? What kind of industrial, petrochemicals will be necessary in order to produce the batteries? How much will those batteries weigh in proportion to their power output, ie, how efficient will they be?
jonathan rose
· 5 months ago
I am not an American either but I do live here, I do think that investing outside of america and the dollar right now is prudent as they are printing money so fast it is devaluing and will soon end up like the Lira....
All Comments
And, probably more accurately, that you went through the motions of converting to Islam in order to get married, right? :)
Signed, another "not an American"
I think you mean, I converted to "Islam".
http://www.vimeo.com/36597
Mark
It's too bad that so many Americans have lost their way. It's partly a symptom of a rapidly changing world.
Don't be too down on yourself. Wearing you down is a part of the plan of psychopaths and heretics who are butchering our country.
When times get rough, most people lose their minds to mental illness. Change can be too stressful for some people. In an attempt to establish something solid, they often turn to things which give them the illusion of security: false religions, drugs, political extremism.
Don't let a suffering culture deprive you of your inalienable right to critical thinking.
I'm as frustrated as you. But I'm frustrated BECAUSE I'm an American. (But it's getting lonely.)
This may be a time to be sick to your stomach, but it's not a time to quit.
Grab a beer, Scoble. The game's not over. (:
You are such an inspiration and I appreciate your willingness to stand up and state your unamerican views...
not just because I share them...
not just because I was born and bred in these not-so-united states...
Because it's just so old-tyme AMERICAN!!!!
THANK YOU!
–Mary K
¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* Light
EXPECT MIRACLES!
And could you make me an ambassador so I can park wherever I want? Mmmm...diplomatic license tags...
Sounds to me like you could very well be a Canadian! :)
You can come over here if you like :-)
I have a history of voting Republican. I must not be an American.
I'm not voting this time because both candidates suck. I'm REALLY not an American.
I believe that wealth should belong to those who earn it, that women DON'T have the right to murder, just like all people don't have the right to murder, that none of us, regardless of sexual orientation, have the right to marry whomever we love, that all faiths, even popular ones, should be tolerated, parodied, mocked, and ridiculed equally, instead of having certain ones that are ok to make fun of and others that are taboo, that all people--regardless of "minority" or "majority" status, should have an equal chance to get into college, live where they want, send their kids to whatever school they want and receive the same financial benefits, instead of categorizing people based on race or religion and handing out swag accordingly.
Boy, I must really not be an American.
And to all those people that think taxes are the root of all evil -- what's the alternative? No taxes? OK, no taxes then... so who pays for the infrastructure? Who pays for the cops? Who pays for the judges? Who pays the military? Who pays for anything? You? Are you going to police your own streets? Treat your own injuries? Pave your own roads? Good luck. Might sound nice in la-la-land, but in reality you're just blinded by your short-sighted greed.
Like it or not, taxes are the foundation of a civilized democracy. It is the price we pay to live comfortably and feel safe.
Go Scoble!
I am Joe.
The big difference between Europe and America is the work ethics. Americans are very hard working and flexible. Europeans are on the other hand locked into a set of privileges and benefits they expect and have a hard time adapting to a changing world. But like you pointed out and Powell pointed out in his speech today, there is probably a right balance. It will be interesting to see once Obama wins where he stands regarding that balance...there is always risk of over-shifting to the left...which given the current situation could be disastrous.
Note: I am actually not American, but proud to live in America.
I wrote a similar post at my own site, except instead of "I'm not an American" I was essentially contending "I'm not ignorant." Because I AM an American, and it's the people who believe all that crazy shit you wrote about above that aren't American.
http://thetylerhayes.com/2008/10/07/ignorant-am...
I really hate people who don't like to hear from people who have opinions and stuff. Good bye, you just made my readership smarter.
http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/257307/Robert%27...
Sorry dude, but that makes you very much an American... belief and a (frankly astonishing) level of self-focus are peculiarly American traits - well, in the West at least.
I'm British / UK. If I re-wrote this using my own country names, I'd disintegrate with embarrasment after about the 3rd line. We simply don't go on about ourselves this much.
Not that I disagree with you mind. I agree entirely. 100%. But you are American.
During these years, lots of people around the world are looking to US more and more scared and hopeless. But we also know that US is full of great people as you.
You are American, Robert! Keep going and fight for the great values you mention. They are 100% consistent with the history of your great country!
Francesco
I support nuclear power - and extracting our own oil rather than relying on hostile or unstable foreign nations for our economy's lifeblood. I know, because science has moved on from the religious mud-slinging of a few years ago, that the controversial stem cell research is greatly overrated: there are other ways to achieve those ends. I believe costs should largely be born by those who incur them, rather than trying to dump them on the shoulders of "the rich".
Oh, and as for "doing pretty well", the bailout is actually *bigger* this side of the Atlantic (I'm genuinely not American, give or take a grand-parent: I live in the UK) - and I know first hand that the much-vaunted "universal" health care is greatly overrated: I'd far rather pay something for it and be able to get a CT scan within a year, rather than wait multiple years to get a "free" government service instead.
Of course, the two-party system isn't as bad as it might seem either, when you look at countries where a party with just 40% of the vote gets unchecked control of the government, outvoting those who represent the other 60% of us. The bizarre false dichotomy between pro-life and pro-choice is something we manage to avoid, of course (instead, there was a democratic debate which laid out the rules for abortion, and can adjust those rules in future as the will of the people evolves) but it does keep most of the genuine lunatics out - we're stuck with actual terrorists (IRA affiliated) winning elections!
In the meantime, I haven't seen you talk about the actual physical assault by the Obama supporter on the 3 person pro-McCain folks standing on a corner in NYC.
I'm an American - Republican or Democrat or Independent or Libertarian. And so are you.
There's hope though - some groups (like PorkBusters.org) actually bring people together to say that there's a problem and there should be more openness via the web into everything both parties do. Talk about that much? Didn't think so.
It's a shame to see a friend descend into this crap. There are good people on both sides - and idiots on both. Sorry buddy - you should take some time and look at what brings us together instead.
Regarding attacks on Obama supporters. It's worse than that. Two days ago a reporter was attacked at a Palin rally and at the Republican convention there were some ultra liberals who attacked the Republicans.
I don't believe that violence is OK, on either side.
Agree that PorkBusters.org is a good site. 538 also seems to be pretty apolitical.
Got any other sites that can help us heal?
Having said that, if you have not seed it already, you should checkout Johnathan Haidt's TED talk on the moral mind. Defiantly food for thought.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jonathan_hai...
By the way, some new comments may be held in moderation until I get home later tonight (I'm getting on a plane to fly home right now).
You just know how to denonce your homeland.
Please stop speaking ,and go to Saudia or Iran . Why don't you go there ? That's the Muslim's paradises isn't it?
I heard that these great country made a lot for humanity, they also have probably a silicon valley there.
good bye and don't forget to continue blogging ...ee be careful they will can put you in jail for this or cut your fingers if you will write things that against the "public's moral"
from a Democratic Country, your lector
A
I am losing respect for you, Robert. Seriously. You shoot from the hip, but you do not seem to have a handle over the issues very much at all.
In a few weeks you will have what you want: a liberal Congress with a liberal White House. You will be on the clock for two years. I suspect the great gains Democrats make this election will all be given back in the mid-term elections. There will be no blaming someone else for the failed policies.
My goodness. Republicans have been in power the last two years? Where the hell do you get that?
A different Bob
So very well said.
From where I'm standing in Australia, America is no longer 'great'. Far from it.
Its a country primarily inhabited by the most ignorant people on this planet. You people let your leaders torture people, start unjustified preemptive wars all while letting fundamentalist christian doctrine divide your country to the point where even from over here you can feel the hate between the left and right growing.
How much longer can you guys live off your reputation before everyone calls your loans in and you can't buy a new food let alone a new Hummer?
America sold out its children and its childrens children in the last 10 years. You got fat while the world starved.
Robert - I think it took a lot to say what you said. Well Done.
hi from Oz by the way ;)
Everyone needs to read Power to Change the World. It will open your eyes on the risks/rewards of nuclear power.
Here's an interesting article that every American should read. Or rather, the entire Western civilization.
"In the New World Disorder, Loads of Rivals for America"
http://tinyurl.com/6o4784 (Time.com)
Time for us to all start working a bit smarter, methinks.
Currently it reads "Islamic ceremony" and IF it said that all along, then my first comment makes no sense, and please ignore it, thanks.
I agree with everything you said but I AM an American. That's what America is (should be) all about -- tolerance, multiculturalism, inclusion.
First off let me say thank you for all the times in the last 2+ years you personally helped me understand the tech world via your posts. You may not have known you were helping me, but you did .
Second - what you just did in this post was the most American thing, the MOST patriotic thing you can do for our country. You show us that diversity and disagreements in politics only breed more strength for our country. As the mother of a son who serves in the US NAVY I am proud to know that there are still people who are willing to stand up for our right to Free Speech . You are helping to keep the ability to vote, to be Americans alive.
God Bless
:-)
ps- not an Obama supporter but not a McCain Supporter either, just an American who loves her country.
Grow up and stick to tech. You sound like an idiot.
And what's with all the plumber references? One guy asks a simple question of your candidate and you guys all go ape shit. This is liberal tolerance? This is accepting all viewpoints? It was a simple question!
You think Bush was a fascist, just wait until dissenting opinion is REALLY being silenced.
By the way, why do you believe nuclear is 'better' than coal? Define better. With coal, emissions can be controlled...what do you propose we do with nuclear waste?
I am American and I am voting with my unsubscribe! I'm sorry, I just can't make myself believe you're as great as you think you are... Good bye!
That's nice until...
"tolerance" means "mandatory acceptance and promotion."
"multiculturalism" means "mandatory celebration of all cultures...except your own."
"inclusion" means "mandatory inclusion of people in religious and civic organizations...who are openly hostile to the professed beliefs of those organizations."
Don't believe this is already happening? Try doing a NexisLexis search sometime or, better yet, talk to Joe the Plumber who's had his life turned upside down simply because he had the temerity to ask Our Tolerant, Multicultural and Inclusive Personal Savior a simple, pointed question about his proposed tax plan.
Interesting that you accept that the American brand is identified with the problems you highlighted. I would have expected that from Europeans - they're still smarting from WWII.
Almost the exact same thing could be said about I Am Not An Australian, or not. If you allow rednecks to define what an American is, then they will. Same over here.
I challenge you to do the opposite of that - find what Americans truly stand for that makes them appreciated in the world, much of which is NOT what you are saying you stand for, but probably resonates with you anyway. That would be a far more interesting post, and less partisan in its politics.
Angus
One more thing about socialism. It IS unamerican. It flies in the face of limited government and private property rights.
I do have one major issue though with your post, it's the part where you say It’s enough to make me want to move to Australia. America is great because of it's diversity and because great people fought to make it as amazing as it is. If you love it, stay and help usher in change. If you don't then maybe you should go elsewhere.
Lovely irony. I'm also frustrated with how awful things have gotten.
However you are sorely off base on a number of your assertions and this is part of what fans the flames of division in this country.
For instance stem cell research is not unfunded by the federal government. It is only off limits to research with any fetal material that was not from the lines identified in the policy. Also fetal stem cell research is not illegal. It simply can't be funded with federal money. Any adult stem cell research is open to federal funding. I'm sure there many stem cell researchers out there now employed with federal dollars. Besides we all know the whole stem cell debate is really the abortion debate.
I agree we have to government to regulate some things. Life would be total chaos without the FAA or FCC. However politicians and bureaucrats are just as capable of being greedy, wrong and overreaching as business people. The whole Fannie and Freddie thing was known for years. Our elected officials and those running those quasi government companies made sure it was a raging inferno before doing something about it. So what makes the government any more capable doing things right?
I've seen you do some great work touching on the political. The interviews with the folks in Washington D.C. were great. Keep up the good fight. Keep shining a light on things. It would be good for all of us if things changed so that you wouldn't even think of decrying you are not an american again.
These days it seems I need to move on... reading your political views and other rambles is really frustrating... definitely not going to be at the top of my home page after today.. there are many other informative blogs that I'm happy to replace you with.
Where next for Scoble? Hosting a talk show on NBC maybe?
OH... I'm an American :)
Wow. Nothing like blowing your credibility sky-high with this twittering stupidity on steroids.
NON-HATING HATER DISPUTES
You just called people that oppose your views as haters on Twitter. Why would you do that? I'm not a hater, I've followed you for a long time, but I totally disagree with you. I'm a hater now? As are the others?
LACKS AN EVENT HORIZON
Are we haters because we disagree with your illogical, puerile, pedantic, solipsistic assertions or because of your black hole ego which lacks an event horizon?
MENTAL FLOSS-DROSS ALBATROSS
No wonder FastCompany is going down the tubes faster than fast- you're a colossal albatross of mental floss-dross dragging them down as quick as you can type.
BEAT IT
If, as you proclaim, you're NOT AN AMERICAN - beat it, go to another country where you can be NOT AN AMERICAN. I'm sure we can, and will, raise money for your airfare, as long as you vow never to come back. My email address is at the bottom if you want to take me up on it.
WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS
I'm glad some real Muslims corrected your post. Funny how you screwed up something as simple - yet so important as that. Actually - not so funny- when it really matters on a human level you display a perfectly shallow non-command of the facts.
YOUR EXCREMENTAL VISION NEEDS AN OPTORECTOMY
I've read your posts for a while and never before detected a need for an optorectomy (disconnection of optic nerve from rectum, to repair a crappy outlook on life). But you're "I'M NOT AN AMERICAN post displays a one-bit brain with a parity error. Check to make sure all your BYTES aren't odd.
HAVE YOU EVER LIVED IN EUROPE?
I have. Go live in a socialist Europe. They'll gladly take you as NOT AN AMERICAN. Wait in line for months to get your socialized health care. Redistribution of wealth is socialist - and a quick path down to a little town called Utopia (AKA Communism), And, as we all know and has been proven throughout time, communism is great! Just look at their broken down societies.
Brave AMERICAN SOLDIERS throughout history have died for your right to be publicly stupid. And now that you are loudly exercising that right why not be publicly brave and bright - leave the country? Grow a pair. Use'em. Leave. We'll survive without your tech ramblings that make most people's heads explode anyway. On the downside - the DUCT TAPE FOR THE HEAD market might crash.
WISDUMB
And the views you espouse? They're revolutionary? Full of WISDUM"? What the???
FAILS THE TURING TEST
Most "Americans" want the energy crisis solved, want health care for all, believe in separation of church and state. Believe in science, technology, equality and justice. You're cloaking yourself in what most Americans believe -- but then proclaim you're NOT AN AMERICAN? That even fails the Turing Turd test.
CEREBRUM VACCUOSO
You're "NOT AN AMERICAN." Well, I'll agree you're not thinking like one. Americans usually have some semblance of logic built on a foundation of facts and eventually try to come to right and reasonable conclusions. Your little rant is, at best, sophomoric on a 2nd grade level, PT Barnum-ese, absurdly illogical and full of pampered-punk pompousness.
YOUR BAROMETER
It is, however, a lot like a barometer. Big vacuum at the top.
This is a great country. Because of that you've flourished. More power to you. You can spout your 7 cans short of a 6-pack, smoke don't reach the top-of-your-chimney, parallel mind, serial world view. It's your right.
As an American. But you say you're NOT AN AMERICAN. So ....
Be Brave.
Be Proud.
Take a Stand.
If you're not an American -- Move to another country and blog all about it.
Best
Steve Kayser
skbigm@gmail.com
Http://www.twitter.com/stevekayser
OK Robert, put your money where your mouth is... Please cut a check of half your net worth to the government to redistibute as they see fit. When I see that, then I will believe this is how you really feel. Sell your wife's BMW of yours. Sell your home. Empty your childrens college fund. Today. I want to read about it tomorrow. Put up or shut up.
First of all. What is an American. Somebody who lives in America, or lives in in the United States? Are shall you start calling your self I am not an United Statian!
I want the government out of my home, out of my bedroom, out of my pocket book, and out of my life. The last 8 years have been government out of control, screwing up everything. Now you want the next 4 years of someone promising to do more.
Amazing.
I'm an eleventh generation American with dual citizenship to a country that's considered a "social democracy". I've lived equal parts of my life in both countries. I've seen the best and the worst that both had to offer. America could learn alot from such countries that offer, in exchange for higher taxes, free education, free to extremely affordable healthcare and other services. We pay high taxes here and get next to nothing. People with health insurance go bankrupt here. You *are* your credit rating. The rich get richer and hey, if you fuck up, the taxpayers will bail your ass out.
Any American who drives on public highways and bridges, takes books out from the library, sends their child to public school, visits a park or calls 911 when they need a cop or a fireman enjoys the benefits of socialism. Unamerican? Evil? Don't use them.
You are so out of your element here bud.
BTW anyone that follows politics knows Powell is not a conservative. So trying to use him to validate your arguments is very very weak.
However, he's not perfect. He put Al Gore on Apple's Board of Directors which I found completely nauseating. I wouldn't put Al Gore in charge of the local PTA.
The simple fact is that you are American. Isn't it great to live in a place where you can express your views as such? It's very likely the political change you want will occur in a few short weeks. Why aren't you happy?
May I suggest that you take a vacation and come back in 2009 with a fresh attitude and outlook.
P.S. I miss your focus on technology and technological issues.
Here is some free advice, leave America forever and don't let the door hit you in the ass. There are hundreds waiting to get in here so hurry up and make room.
We can no longer live our insular, localized lives.
The actions of the USA of the last eight years have had a profound effect on the rest of the world. Depending on what side of the fence you sit politically, you can argue whether those have been good or bad.
But the point is, and whether its the invasion of Iraq or the recent financial disasters, everyone can see the influence across the globe, and how that shows we are all citizens of one community.
Therefore, you aren't American anymore, I aren't Australian. These are simply labels. We are all citizens of one home, one globe, one community, and we have to ensure the actions we take do the right thing by our home. And that comes right down to how we vote, and why we should vote.
In the course of human history, this election, whichever way it goes, will have a significant effect.
I suspect that one side of politics in the US still lives in America. We had the same problem here (in Australia) until last year, when we made the change.
As long as we taunt people as being unAmerican or unAustralian, we will continue to do damage economically, socially and environmentally to our home.
When we can call someone's behaviour or opinions "unEarthian", then we'll know we're on the right track.
Socialism is slavery, and every single slaver is Hostis Humani Generis.
You want socialism? You want war. You want civil war without limits if you try to tear down the Constitution any more than has already been done. Socialism requries the destruction of personal liberty. Socialism birthed Naziism - birthed Communism - between them they murdered over 130 million of their own people and murdered tens of millions more since their inception. Yeah, that's un-American, chump. You better believe it.
You say you want stem cell research, but you really don't. You want Embryonic stem cell research because that way you get to murder children in the womb and be paid handsomely for offending people you hate - Christians and others - those who believe in their faith and don't convert for convenience's sake (unlike you).
Stem cells from ovaries and testes? That's fine with everyone from both sides of the political spectrum, works, and doesn't cost a life - but you are fixated on stem cells from murdered children so you can pretend your political opponents are "evil" and hurt them deeply at the same time. But you steep youself in bigotry to ignore facts and push a lie.
You ascribe horrific tendencies to your political opponents and ignore the fact that no opponent of ILLEGAL immigration has anything but admiration for LEGAL immigration - you pretend otherwise and in so doing, show again your inability to discern the truth. You show contempt for those who show respect for your country (legal immigrants), and protect those that spit on our laws (illegal immigrants) .
As for border enforcement, you're against it. A country that does not control its borders is not sovereign. And that's what you really want - uncontrolled borders, a surrendering of our sovereignty - a destruction of our country.
Hoping to destroy our country's sovereignty by surrendering our borders is outright despicable.
The rest of your sorry screed is filled with twists, lies, and self-deception. You need to believe that your opponents are the same as the ridiculous stereotypes you hold in your hate-filled heart. I pity you.
"He who believes religion and politics don't mix, understands neither one." Who said it? How about Mahatma Ghandi.
You're certainly not Unamerican for believing whatever you choose to believe and even by discussing it. That is very American. However, I'm sure you would be intolerant of my beliefs because they don't shore up with yours. I'm a pro life Libertarian and evangelical Christian. So to you that probably translates to bigot.
On your socialist comments. Take a trip to Sweden. They are spiritually bankrupt and have a high rate of suicide. They fly to the UK for serious medical procedures. Their tax rates are near 65% plus a 20% VAT. I've traveled Sweden from east to west and have helped host swedes here in the states. They are amazing people. I love spending time with them. Not a lot of new business in Sweden- basically none. The employment law is nuts. Not a lot of people banging down the door to get into Sweden and these other socialist European countries you speak highly of. If they are so great, I'd apply for citizenship. I love people who praise other countries from the comfort and freedom of US soil. Our wonderful republic is only 200 years old. That's a small flicker of light in the 6000 years of recorded history. It wouldn't take much to put that flicker out. We're heading down that road with our big government, declining freedoms and loss of our moral compass. Good morals is good economics. Don't believe it- do business with crooks and tell me how it goes.
On the other hand, I will point to one article on the problems of Europe. They are rather severe. I have a friend who was in Belgium for a few years with his family and he couldn't wait to get out.
This article explains why and probably explains why some countries are moving away from what some people call "Modern Liberalism".
http://www.pvv.nl/index.php?option=com_content&...
They don't call it "The Lucky Country" for nothing.
I believe in pluripotent stem cell research because it has the potential to cure the currently incurable diseases and bring happiness and joy to millions or people worldwide. No longer will we have to suffer or see our close ones suffer continuously and without hope for cure. Never before in the history of science has one technology offered so much hope and promise in alleviating the world of diseases. if that is not God's will then I don't know what is. But frankly I don't have a hotline with God like apparently Jr. Bush has. I just feel that what is good for humanity and living beings at large should be in accordance with the will of any good being, whether is omnipotent or not.
BTW: I created an anonymous survey ( http://bit.ly/uspresidentialsurvey ) to know people's choice on the next US president. Would you like to participate?
You can find the results so far in the link associated with this comment.
One articulate, compassionate, hopeful liberal comes along and folks like you just suck it all in and get emotional. You forget that this isn't new. Behind all these idealistic, positive promises is the same group of (mostly) corrupt, self-serving people that will gladly take your vote, your money and your freedoms all because you don't like Bush but don't remember Carter. I'm disappointed at all the blind populism without regard to history in diatribes like these.
Personally, I suggest a "reboot" - vote ALL the incumbents out, implement term-limits, cut federal budgets by at least 30%, implement a fair/flat tax. That should be enough to get things back on track.
Obviously a lot of the posts here are from people who will not ever acknowledge the extent to which the Republican Party has an overt campaign of using language to demonize all who disagree with them as somehow un-American.
Perhaps Newt Gingrich's 1996 GOPAC memo will refresh their memories: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/articl....
Note that the word "taxes" is on the bad list. As several people have pointed out here, taxes are the price of a civil society: roads, schools, garbage removal and disposal, public health, and more.
Suggested reading for those who are interested in a content analysis of the Bush White House and its applications of "political fundamentalism": David Domke's "God Willing: Political Fundamentalism in the White House, the 'War on Terror,' and the Echoing Press."
Warning: Very scholarly. As in, he did the research and demonstrates how Bush used the easily understood dichotomies so common to fundamentalists of all kinds-- good/evil, with us/with the terrorists--to dominate the public discourse and media coverage in the wake of 9/11.
@BarbChamberlain
Are you insinuating that if someone does not agree with one or more of your points, they are Not An American?
The transfer of wealth argument is PATHETIC and is one of the most UnAmerican things that can be suggested.
Early on I did miss your focus on technology and technological issues, but now you just rant nonsense. You may win the battle, but will ultimately lose the war. You are blind and lost. Pathetic.
I/ve monitored your works for a very long time, and it is you, and Shel's book, along with Mrs. Blood that got me at the ripe age of 40 something blogging, something that was not part of my "Telecom" culture.
Your thoughts and expression truly reflect that you are an American in the sense that your psyche reflects the vision that your founding fathers charted for this nation.
Perhaps those that have brought this great nation to dought itself aren't Americans. You, in my humble opinion, are indeed an American./antonis hontzeas
As for the dudes who left negative comments, I wonder what country they think they have existed in for their whole lives. I believe in socialized goods, you know: good roads, police, firemen, the postal service, public schools, universities, scientific research so we don't drive our own species off a cliff, etc. I too am not American. If only I could find a way not to use them, then I can be American.
Has anyone seen my dog Plurality? I feel like beating something up, or meaner yet, shouting the implicitly violent logic of binary-reductionism at it. Was that a joke? Dammit---not an American.
Oh please...ya the FBI better get all over Scoble....he is a serious threat to homeland security. Give me a break. Some people take this sh@t way too seriously. The article was a creative way to get an opinion across and it gets good rating. Go read the Blogging 101 guide book....be edgy, be controversial....it gets traction.
I commend the dude for speaking his mind...tech geek blogger or not, democrat or not.
-Adam
But some really missed the point I was trying to make, which is that if you try to talk about the issues you just get called names. Note that I didn't call anyone names. I called myself names, if anything. I just put out my point of view on the issues.
But many people here decided to call names. I think that says more about them than it says about me.
Yes, my blog should just be press releases that make everyone feel good.
Sorry, that's really lame. And if 50% get pissed off, maybe that is a good thing!!!!
I feel a spray coming on!! This is what America must do to join the real world.
First compusory lifetime voter registration and like Australia compulsory voting. (get them all off their fat asses).
Next citizen initiated referendum at election time.
A good dose of socialism for the common good.
Abolish all religions . none of them are true.
Although the eye of a needle seems appropiate for the american version.
Tax share turnover - abolish the rest.
You "take a stand" on Twitter and on FF all the time. Why do you have to do it here, too? I don't think it's lame to suggest that there is a time and place for politics and that it need not be 24/7 everywhere we go.
Endlessly yelling at each other and pissing each other off doesn't accomplish anything. Quite the opposite, I'd say.
http://livepaola.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/gener...
Living in South Africa I've seen what the blind following masses are capable of. If anyone is going to make a stand... at least know what it is that you are standing for.
Fascinating post, even more interesting are the comments.
There are more problems with wealth redistribution - namely it penalizes the successful while being anti-capitalist. Furthermore, in America, people don't tend to stay in the lower 40% of our economy. Few Americans work minimum wage jobs all of their lives.
Economically, wealth redistribution is a disaster any way you look at it. History anyone?
In which European country did you live? In France or in Germany, you just don't need to pay the doctor when you need to go there (and I tried in Italia, it's the same). You just present your health card, and you have nothing else to do.
In Germany, you don't pay your medicine more than 5 euros, in France, you just don't pay them: you present your prescription, your health card, and you get your drugs.
I don't say social system is the best, but I'm sure a US a bit more social would be better. An Europe a bit more liberal too, I guess.
@ Robert Scoble: You're American, but with a different vision that the common one. And I'm sure your country need people like you to be able to change things, and to make this land a better place to live.
PS : Sorry for my bad english.
1- if you can think freely and expose your though: because you are American
2- like many American muslims you married in us freely with the woman you want...because you are american
3- if you convert to the religion you want it's because you are American..go to Iran and try to convert to christian
4- Go to a muslim country and look how do they shoot at immigrants..if you can tell your opinion..it's because you are American
what a shi### post you had written
take care
I truly don't understand how people can vote for a warmonger, vote against helping the poorer sections of economy, vote against healthcare that is not dependent on greedy insurance and pharmaceutical companies, vote for giving more money to Big Oil, vote for placing more guns in the hands of dangerous people, and.... vote for SARAH PALIN. I truly don't understand.
I do wish you the best of luck. The gut feeling is that come November 4, the Joe's will pick McCain and then whine for another 8 years.
Why not unblock me on Friend Feed and Twitter and I will give you the respect that you deserve.
Robert, we all have differences in opinions, learn how to respect others!
Good post about american facts, and great timing of course!
I'm not an American, I'm from Europe and I just want to bring some details to what you say about it.
First of all, I'm glad you consider Europe as a country but it is not.
Considering that, even if from your point of view it's the same, believe me that there are great differences between European countries.
Second of all, when you talk about Europe and socialism, believe me, on this one: you are an american! Why? Because you take all the european countries and put them in the same case based on some stuff you may have heard (health care, public school...), again, economic systems can be very different within Europe...
I'm french and we are not drived by a socialist government. If you take Sweden, here you have your dreamed economic system called "social-democrate".
Finally @Bryce Raley: please don't throw figures out of context. Suicide rate's just "normal" in Sweden, urban legend to say it's higher because of seasons/work/tax rates. The highest are Japan and France (because we are NEVER happy) :)
Swedish are paying a lot of taxes but what you didn't said is: best health care system and accessible to everyone, financial help during studies in decent buildings (study and living), and the salaries are much higher than other european countries.
Maybe, instead of checking the Business criteria, you can check what make most of people happy of living: decent salary, very high employment rate, clean cities (have you ever visited Stockholm?), close to nature...Well, Sweden may not be the first economic country in the world but aside the cold, it's an example for a lot of other ones.
Good post anyway, even if what you should have said is: I'm not a redneck... ;)
and please, somebody explains me why TommyC says "The transfer of wealth argument is PATHETIC"?
That happens in many countries in Europe and the living standards over there are higher than in USA. May be the transfer of wealth is not the only reason, but it plays a main role.
I don't think they missed the point. We get that poor Robert is being called names - even though this post is doing exactly the same thing in a backhanded way. However you say the comments are interesting. Please tell me why if you believe socialism is a noble cause, why is there no response to my request for you to cut a check for half your net worth to the goverment to so they can spend it as they see fit? And why don't you take the next step and ask the the government what they want you to do for an occupation. Perhaps you could better server society as something else that has nothing to do with technology? After all why should you have a choice of occupation if it does not serve the society well? If the world can go forward without Russert, surely it can go foward without another interview from Fast Company? Or better yet, maybe Fast Company can be government run??? Surely the government can figure out what reading best suits the society as a whole???
About the people who unsubscribe to your stream because you dare to espouse your political beliefs - good riddance. This recently happened to me and during the purge I got rid of lots of assholes who don't deserve access to the free information I pass out every day. And within a few days after the purge, I actually had MORE followers. ANYONE who would unfollow or unsubscibe because of your political beliefs is UNAMERICAN. It's very possible to trust, respect, work with, buy from, play with, associate with, be friends with and gain knowledge from people we disagree with.
And for those who say anyone who doesn't kiss the republican ring should leave America - screw that. Those of us who love America need to stay here and rescue it from the likes of Karl Rove. I plan to stay and fight.
Again - I love your post. And the courage and spirit with which it was written. And I'd consider it an honor to be attacked by that UNAMERICAN right wing asshole Michelle Malkin.
I notice how intolerant the far right can be. Maybe it's time to be an intolerant liberal and stop their nonsense.
In response to people criticising you for talking politics on a tech blog, to refer to the quote 'the personal is political', there should be no platform that is unsuitable for talking politics, because it affects every area of our lives and our existence.
What most people who are so virulent in their attack are missing is that they are just as angry at their situation but don't have the ability to accept responsibility for the malaise we have as they are also the ones who have supported it without thinking.
America has for the last 40 years been at work dismantling the very structures we have fought hard to erect since the 1930's.
Before the 1930's we had a very stoic class system that was basically the Rich versus the Poor.
People will forget that there was no Minimum wage, there were no five day 40 hour work weeks, paid vacation, Occupational Safety etc etc.
We have had to fight very hard to get those basic things you take for granted.
The last forty years have been spent trying to strip slowly everything you have and take you back to the good old days of the 1920's.
To enable that process the American Businesses and European Businesses have a great partner the Chinese Communist Party which is able to provide the labor that is needed to produce the goods without any worker rights in place. This gives a very good bargaining power to the Businesses to dismantle all the things you have taken for granted all along, with the threat that if you don't accept they will move shop to China primarily.
So the last 40 years you have been comatose in your ability to think and have been sold this myth that Taxes, regulations and Government are the cause for your misery, that markets can do the best job for you and guess what they have, you have lost your ability to have any bargaining power and will accept whatever is thrown to you.
Sure lets blame one or the other party, but truly the blame lies with us people and for being unable to think and be drunk on crap.
If you want to change all this then wake up and start to THINK.
Instead of berating Scoble on how awful he is or not cuz he expressed his views, express yourself and THINK clearly.
Nice job Robert... I concur!! Looks like we're gonna have to CHANGE this country; don't move. I love America and want it to GROW up and face the music.
No more greed, self-centered-ness, lack of vision, or discipline. We must adopt a completely different strategy going forward to better manage this rich and diverse country. Not an easy task by any means. Obama brings the best hope for this needed change.
Kudos for such a well thought-out post...brilliant!
Susan Beebe
http://friendfeed.com/susanbeebe
The rest of us sane folks, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Green Party, Independents, Catholics, Jews, Atheists, and all the rest, would be a whole lot happier here without the attitude shown here.
My goodness.. the naivete displayed here is mindboggling. Don't you realize the money machine behind Obama is laughing that this is too easy? Don't you know that inside the machine they say he is so self-satisified that all you have to do is stroke the ego and he'll do your bidding while thinking he is actually calling the shots? Don't you realize its the same on both sides?
"No wait - this time I am REALLY unsubscribing - REALLY I am - I mean it!"
LOL I love this shit.
Believe me, lines for free care are better than no care at all.
You have to wait for a CT scan.
Over here, without insurance, you just DIE....... And then your family can't afford to bury you. But of course, that's there own fault because they're poor -- they just don't work hard enough.
And hey, God loves Capitalists (or so the Right Wing would have us believe) despite universal healthcare, etc. being FAR more in line with actual Christian teachings....
They forget that there was one group even Jesus didn't like -- hypocrites and dogmatists.
I don’t know if you’re an American or not. What I do know is that 1) you didn’t have to insult my wife’s intelligence after she decided to unsubscribe to your blog (she did not say anything about your politics, just that she was tired of hearing politics on a technology blog- BTW that makes you very Non-Web 2.0); and 2) you didn’t have a video up as of this morning, even though you said in your response to my wife yesterday, “I’ll have a video of a tech startup up tonight”.
So, knowing those two things about you, I also know that you are 1) an asshole and 2) a liar. Good bye.
Thank you!! I don't know what I am now, but it's better than what I was, and this release feeeels goooood.....
Live and let live. I agree with Larry Magid, I thought this country was about the differences and how they worked together to make us better. I agreed with the Afghanistan invasion, but drew the line with Bush's personal and oil crusade in Iraq,. Our country isn't what is once was. Since WWII we have been on a steady decline and now we have hit rock bottom. I hate to disagree with my family, but it is time for new young inspiration.
While I didn't vote for Clinton, I have to admit that our country was the best I can remember in my lifetime.
It's time to educate and change.
I have to say you know how to drive traffic - 144 comments. You hardly ever get that much attention on a "tech" only post.
You know, when I get into a discussion about American poltics with my friends I ask "If you were GOD, what top three things in America would you change and why?"
Care to give an answer?
Now thats what i call nailing you colours to the mast :-)
So you sound Canadian to a Canadian, Brazilian to a Brazilian, Aussie to an Autralian and French to me... sounds like a good start.
Moving to problem solving ( that's american isn't it ?), why don't the non american part of the US join the EC :-)
I'd agree with that, but at many rallies and in many talk shows lately I've seen the points made that those who don't agree are "unAmerican." Oh, and Sarah Palin made that point too. So, I figured I'd just have some fun with those who call the people on the other side who call names rather than discuss the issues. Of course Jon Stewart had a stronger set of words for Palin: http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/200...
Oh, and Joe, I guess you can't use Google anymore. After all Google's CEO just endorsed Obama. So unAmerican!
I believe in equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. How do I tell a person paying 35% and $1M of their income they should pay more in tax when 40% of his countrymen don't pay tax? Doesn't seem to encourage innovation does it?
And this stemcell thing in the US seems to baffle me. The current adminstration has made it pretty clear that they do not oppose stem cell research, they just will not provide tax payer dollars to fund stem cell research from fetuses, which in itself is a highly theoritical, unproven field of research. Wow, a government criticized for being smart with its people's money. A little digging shows that 90-95% of medical research in the US (one of the KEY reasons why so much is discovered in the US, and not say, my home of Canada) is from private funding, yet people are up in arms on this issue...it is moronic.
And I am baffled by everyone who visits another country and pretends to know the intricacies of a society. Unless you live somewhere for greater than 5 years, I really don't believe you have the knowledge to comment on the success or failure of a foreign society.
I subscribe to the blog to keep up to date on technology, but this blog is becoming increasingly irrelevant in that subject, and just as I wouldn't ask a plumber to inform me on technology, I wouldn't look to a tech blogger for his opinion on politics and economics.
I will check you out sometime in the future, when you have gotten off your soapbox.
this just blows my mind. What a childish statement. I thought you'd want to discuss this with open exchange of ideas. I guess I was wrong.
Don't bother with facts, they will be ignored. Robert will argue that its religion that controls the US stem cell policy. This is his theocracy argument. This from an atheist that converted to a state sanctioned religion to get married. Amazing. But like I said it matters not and this all just a waste of bandwidth.. sigh...
You often claim that people who don't agree with you are unintelligent. So what's the difference?
Oh wow.. Haha.
On a serious note: It is very sad that you feel you should have to write an article such as this.. I'm not saying you're in the wrong, just that its dumbfounding that people could make such statements about a person. Someone needs to stand up and remind us all what we were taught (or at least what I was taught) as a little child in school about our country being a giant melting pot..
I don't like baseball. I am not an American. lol
But lets slow down for a minute. I understand your comments somewhat as I have lived in the south before, being from the Bay Area, and I concur that a subtle kind of darkness pervades what is visible to one who is not from there. It pops up in strange belligerence of some the people you meet, and in their general dislike of Californians in general, paired with an odd cultural form of social segregation.
But I caution you Robert, as you are suffering from the same sense of social isolation that they are, but it is that of the San Francisco Bay Area Super Socialist Tech Culture. Surely your comments are viewed by most Americans as whacko California ignorant clique chic. Reminds me of the old sixties bumper sticker from the opposite world, 'America, Love it or Leave it'. To which I say, I do not think that forcing everyone to think as you do (as your friends at Acorn and and the socialist left would have us become) is hardly American in any way at all. If your belief structure becomes a reality, the net result has a possibility in a collapsing economic structure to be a massive system of loss of freedom and the right to believe what you want in order to achieve your social nirvana. And such a system would could result in a Stalin like purge at some point in the political future so that your ideals of a Brave New Green iWorld can come to pass.
Before you stupidly piss all over that which brung you, consider this: The computers you use were designed and possibly built in Taiwan, which China looked at for forty years in jealous rage before it too adopted western capitalism, and Taiwan would today not exist had we Americans not helped them to thrive. The same is true with South Korea. Do you really think the South Koreans could have done as well without our political help. I think those who lived in Seoul when the North invaded, killed anyone they found and burned the city to the ground might disagree. Japan is the result of a constitution forged by Americans, and most of Asia today is adopting American wisdom and ideas that have proven successful.
Europe was rebuilt as a result of American help and political and financial support of the Marshall Plan so that all those socialist countries could continue to exist. And truthfully, Europe is not so much socialist as it is a group of strongly bound social democracies with firm ties to the Capialist economic systems of the world. Choosing higher tax rates in exchange for more government services does not necessarily make them socialist.
And certainly millions of South Americans, Indians, Armenians, Iranians, Iraqis, Germans, East Europeans, Russians, Africans, Chinese, and on and on are still trying desperately to arrive here, live here, become citizens here, especially with the literally almost nonexistent enforcement of immigration laws. We tried to help countries like Liberia, Ethiopia, Sudan and others years ago to pattern the same economic building structure there to allow them to pull themselves out of the throes of poverty, but most of that failed for violence, revolution, murder and starvation won the day.
And as for your confusion about our participation in the middle east and Afghanistan, understand that if we were not there, the killing and murder of innocents would still be going on, and no one would be there to report it or tell us of the darkness. The only difference is that now they have some to shoot at who shoots back and if they do succeed in ousting the Americans, then look to see every a possible world where every Israeli will be killed the moment they think they can get away with it to protect their form of intolerance toward anything not Muslim.
I would pray that your narrow minded level of intolerance for anything not liberal-democrat would be reconsidered.
I am an American.
I'm not an atheist.
I have no idea whether God exists or not -- I haven't seen scientific proof either way. That makes me an agnostic.
For those who also live on Planet Earth, I'd like to remind you that yes, there are in fact, -two- Americas, so please, hate only half of us.
You must read my FriendFeed comments, for instance. http://friendfeed.com/scobleizer/comments
Or see the things I've "Liked" (er, shared) with you: http://friendfeed.com/scobleizer/likes
Or see all the things I share or blog about: http://friendfeed.com/scobleizer
Only a very small percentage of my work has anything to do with politics.
Which makes me very happy at the unsubscribes. I'm hoping for a smart audience here, not one that throws insults based on bad data.
I might agree with you on some issues. And, I might not on a few.
But I want to point something else out: Ignorance can be defined by not knowing when you demonstrate you are no better than. Me, I believe in tolerance because it is our ability to coexist with differences in beliefs and opinions that make us great, not our differences. No one really wins, Robert.
Best,
Rich
I understand that you're trying to create a sharp contrast between your beliefs and those of people who claim to be American while doing some things that clearly set this country back many, many years.
But I am an American, and I'm a little sensitive when it comes to messing with that pledge.
I am an American, and I believe that we can still be the greatest country on Earth.
I am an American, and I'd much rather have a conversation about how to make things right than to bitch about those who are trying to tear us down.
I am an American, and I believe that Americans never give up, and we must never forget the principles that forged our nation.
I am an American, and I hope we can all find a way to define ourselves in terms of the things that Americans are doing right, rather than all the things that Americans are doing wrong.
I am an American, and that doesn't mean that I'm one of the mindless morons you're trying to distance yourself from.
I am an American, and I'm proud of it.
If you want to impress me, be a better American and help the Americans of today and the Americans of tomorrow become better citizens. Take some ownership in the future by teaching your son that Americans aren't defined by the worst examples of our population, but by the best examples.
If you really believe that America can't be saved, then by all means, feel free to say so, because that's your right: bought and paid for by those that came before you. Just be sure you understand that you're selling out your son's America, because you're creating the America that he'll live in. I think you want a better America for him, but slinging mud back at the destructive forces in our country won't get us there.
Robert, I've seen you ignite firestorms plenty of times in the past in order to make a point or stir up discussion, and it's clear that's what you've done here, too. Normally, I don't really take issue with this tactic, but this time, I think you've gone too far, because I am an American, and I believe that good Americans have to take that pledge seriously.
This the best you can do? Jon Stewart? c'mon dude. Once again, think for yourself and don't let pop culture dictate your thought patterns. I suppose you will point us to Howard Stern next?
"Dawn: name one time I said that. URLs please. If do it so often you should be able to find at least three."
Dawn need only point this post - aren't you insuating that you are smarter than Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin? I'd caution you here - both of them are 'doers'.. you merely interview 'doers'.. and isn't this the root of your hatred?
"Which makes me very happy at the unsubscribes. I’m hoping for a smart audience here, not one that throws insults based on bad data."
That is your comment subsequent to the comment in question. Does this not infer that people who disagree with you are not smart, that people who unsubscribe are not smart? What constitutes bad data...data that goes against your opinions? What about all the people who are unsubscribing cause they find your blogs on technology insightful but your political and economical rants tiring, are they not smart? As someone who deals in Finance for a living, it is stunning to see you criticize the knowledge of the common voter and then argue points so fundamentally flawed they make me wonder if you have ever taken a course in finance, economics or accounting in your life.
"The best argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter" Winston Churchill
By the way I have a minor in economics.
Bad data is data that's bad. :-)
Isn't funny how he says bad data.. then points to Jon Stewart as a credible reference? Look at the comment he gave me - he converted to Islam yet he's agnostic, so it was a sham and his credibility is plummeting by the second. The really bad part is that he doesn't realize he is being used for his audience.
I think you missed the whole point of yesterday's post. It was criticizing Sarah Palin for calling wide swaths of Americans "UnAmerican."
But now you have me interested. What points are fundamentally flawed?
So you can't convert from religion to religion so that we can do a stupid ceremony to make wife's family happy? Got it.
Me? I love it when religious people get mad with me over this stuff. In the meantime we COULD be arguing about the economy, or how we'll solve the energy problems or global warming or any of that. Yet you care about my religious weirdnesses. Sigh.
Curious - how can you have been an evangelical christian and now Muslim but claim to not believe that God exists - i.e. you stated you are not sure thus you are not sure either way. Fair enough - but how can you claim to belong or have belonged to religions for which such a belief is a requirement?
THAT is why America needs to save its R&D jobs and worry a little less about plumbers in its public discourse.
Jeff: I used to believe in God then a variety of things happened to change my belief. I could go into that if you want, but I have to go do some interviews today so will have to take that up some other time.
>Where do you see religion winning out over science and technology?
Easy, Congressmen say that the Bush administration has blocked policy after policy on religious grounds. Plus they've fired scientists, and more. But I don't have time right now to pull up all the URLs and get into a whole dissertation, gotta go do some real work and make sure an entrepreneur can get his/her company in front of you to have a chance to make it. I think that's a little more important than arguing this stuff, at least right now.
Gotta run.
Succinctly and intelligently put. Here's the problem. The Winer talking points have no answer to logic. What Robert will say is he wasn't insulting Joe the Plumber (clearly he was... much the same the lipstick on a pig remark was).
Nice change of direction. I'll never defend GWB, but please don't give me partisan politics. Give me a record of where a politician blocked/votes something down due to religous beliefs.
You may have a point that it's better than nothing - but when it only provides a subset of care to a lucky subset of people, is it really any more "universal" than Medicaid and similar programs? Ultimately, you're still at the mercy of how generous the government is feeling at the time, and can still end up broke or dead because you can't get the treatment you need without paying a fortune for it.
Wow now there is turn of events... Let me see the Democrat party likes to use the line that they are for the working/middle class... then he dismisses a Joe but supports R&D... and who is R&D funded by? Major corporations. he his thumbing his nose at the value created by Joe (working class) and saying that an R&D worker is a better (highly educated, most likely pulling down six figures and working for or being funded by large corporations). And in the same breath they will rip the republican party. What a trip.
Chavez in an American
Lula is an American
Kirchner is an American etc...
The majority of the Americans don't speak English but Spanish.
May be we are not speaking about the same thing.
nice post any way.
I'm european living in America (Argentina exactly)
Exactly. There are so many levels of absurdity.
For example, the R&D that he says creates thousands of jobs are the jobs that the "Joes" end up doing. So if the Joes/ working middle class jobs are worthless, what does that say about the high and mighty R&D?
Do you not see that it is all an ecosystem, one begets another. R&D begets the Joes, which begets families and kids to be educated and so on. A hard working person not inventing, but creating via the inventions of others, without them there is no value in the R&D. If there is no value in R&D, there is no incentive to R&D and so on.
For someone that has called on "fellow democrats" your comments are so far out of whack as to make no sense. Perhaps it should have been aimed towards "fellow elitist democrats". The group of elitists can all get together and decide how we should all live, how the money should be split up and it all becomes a moot point. I work as an R&D person and find your whole stance on the subject to be troubling, but really more of an indictment about you and how you value people. I wonder how you view yourself in the equation of value in the world?
And look at the vitriol of so many commenters here, proving exactly the point you make by facetiously stating that you are not an American.
I think I'll subscribe to your blog, because I like my technology with a dose of humanity.
Great post.
Thanks for havin' the guts to say it.
Obama/Biden '08
I have learned that trying to draw Robert and Dave Winer into dialog never results in anything positive. They will eventually call you names, leave nasty little one liners that they think are witty and abandon the comments altogether while never providing one thoughtful response to questions such as yours. Why I am still commenting.. .cause I am an ass I guess. But Scoble and his ilk facinate me. Their minds have been so polluted by an idealogy that they themselves have not thought up, that they can't see the end game is their own destruction. Ten years from now when the fairness doctrine is instituted they will find themselves victims of their own nearsightedness. And the planters of the seeds will reap what they have sown with these 'sims'. And Scoble and his ilk will be standing there like richard gere at the end of Primal Fear finally realizing they've been had.
Signed,
An American.
I say go ahead move to Australia, maybe they have and open borders policy, like you wish that American had, and you can get it right away. Keep in mind that when you get there, even though you aren't yet a citizen, you should immediately start demanding health care coverage, voting rights, and demand that they publish everything in American English (some of those Aussie terms can get confusing).
I had no idea you were such a snobbish, Liberal, elitist.
Because you are an American, you can post about whatever you feel like.
I come here for technology information. I love politics, but I have different venues for them. I'll be looking at different venues for technology news too.
No name-calling here. I am not even a Republican. I am just extremely disappointed in what you posted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaE98w1KZ-c
Do you have any concept that there are people who live in the US because they like the freedoms found here (economic and otherwise)?
No offense, but you can move to your socialist haven of choice. Liberty-loving people don't have that option. Do you really want to put our backs against the wall and shove your socialism down our throats? Do you think we will stand for it?
I encourage you and your ilk to keep pushing and see what happens.
From the Washington Post, not Jon Stewart. Or here it is from the Huffington Post.
Extremists of any kind suffer from what I think of as an ideological lobotomy. But I decided long ago that the Republican Party had drifted too far to the right for me to be able to vote for them in good conscience. My suspicions began when Reagan promised us that we could jack up defense spending, cut taxes and still balance the budget. And then there were these Southern conservative extremist ministers he was kissing up to. It just went downhill from there, IMO.
And then somehow it ended up torturing Iraqis in their own jail, and holding people in Cuba illegally for seven years without trial.
America set out to be the voice of progress, but something serious went wrong along the way. Who would have thought that a nation comprised of immigrants and refugees from all nations would one day become so xenophobic and narrow-minded?
Or that a neo-Conservative 'religious' right wing would one day condemn science whilst tolerating starvation across half of the planet? Who would have thought that America would become isolationist enough in its outlook to alienate even its closest allies in Europe?
Something's gotta change. And I'm optimistic that it will. Keep up the good work.
Oh, you're quite American, all right. That has nothing to do with the fact that you support the murder of human beings...oops, I mean, the discarding of insignificant, inconvenient, unwanted tissue, which just so happens to have its own DNA separate from its mother. But if all you want is for people to acknowledge that you're American, then worry no more. YOU'RE AMERICAN, SCOBLEIZER!
See, I like making people happy.
We love Americans who understand what being American is
Some things we admire, some we cannot understand
I AM NOT AMERICAN!
You may put him down for the economy, but when it came to his first and highest
priority, he has performed with excellence!! I only hope that our next president realizes that our safety takes priority. A strong economy is worthless if we are not safe!!
I just deleted my link to your site, and I won't be getting tech updates from you any more. TechCrunch is just as informative, and I don't get condescending commentary over there.
Will the "real" America please stand-up on November 4th and be heard?
"It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America.
"Watch. We're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.
"And he's going to need help . . . to stand with him. Because it's not going to be apparent initially; it's not going to be apparent that we're right."
He's going to need help? I thought worlds hopes hinge on him being elected? Won't long time enemies embrace and put the past behind them? Won't crime, disease, misfortune and injustice cease to exist once he takes the oath? Isn't he the person we need? Didn't he pick this time in history to run?
HA!
The VP Candidate destroys his own campaigns propaganda! And Palins the idiot... MMMWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Just saw Mr. Obama on a podium that says 'Growing American Jobs'... lets see in his commercials he says he's not interested in CEO's (those people that found companies and provide jobs), he is going to force healthcare on those companies 'that can afford it', and raises taxes on capital gains for those that invest in companies so they can grow and provide new jobs. But he is going to provide a tax cut for companies for every new job that you hire an American for. My dear senator there is not a tax break in the world that can offset the salary differential between onshore and offshore. Like he doesn't know it. More empty bumper sticker policy.
Nothing tops Joe Biden making the case for McCain though...
Robert - there's an old adage in the journalism business that says if you don't challenge 50% of your audience w/an op ed piece, then you wrote a crappy piece.
3 other points:
- Since when were we taught (in America) that socialist doctrine for medicine, infrastructure, education (and other essential needs) were bad things? Our founding fathers debated this at length and there are several historic documents that talk to their agreement than much of this was to be needed to have a gov't "by the people, and for the people." Go read what Monroe or Adams wrote about this (or even Jefferson). Either people have forgotten what they were taught in middle school or they're confusing what they may have learned about the 20th century and the grand ideological experiments run around the world (or they were asleep in school and never really learned about this stuff at all).
- We do not live in a democracy, we live in a Republic. The reason that our founding fathers chose a republic as the form of gov't for our country was because they agreed (after much debate) that many of the would-be citizens of this young country would not be smart enough to rule themselves in a more democratic system.
After reading many of the comments to your original post it should be obvious to all why our founding fathers were correct in this key assumption. The unwillingness to participate in open dialogue by some of your readers is disappointing, yet speaks exactly to this point.
- The commentary (by some of your readers) on "security" is woefully misguided. If we had done more to balance our energy needs a decade ago (through developing alternatives to oil) we would have been in a much different position re: the tensions in the Middle East, and the events that led up to 9/11. Over the last 8 years we have not made the US more "secure" - we have actually made it more vulnerable socially, politically, and economically (this is easily measured in the number of true allies we have, our trading partners (the largest being China), and dropping value of the dollar worldwide.
Robert - your post was a good one - it caused thought and discourse. This country needs more discourse...(not rants...)
And as for those that won't follow your blog anymore - get a life - this is exactly how society used to discuss these types of nationally important topics (but these folks were also probably the ones that thought "Gulliver's Travels" was just a good story if/when they read it in HS)
It would have been so much better if the comment had been on the lines of "Did you know the author is also a Newsweek editor, and Newsweek tends to be a liberal publication?" and not pushing the patriotic button...
enough blaming everything on 2 years of dems bare majority in congress. 1 vote advantage in senate does not spell in power, nor excuse for a pathetic, know-nothing, no-result 8 years.
btw, republicans haven’t balanced anything including the budget ever. scared of the left ruining the country? gimme’ a break.
first see figure 3 @ http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/usdebt.htm
there you find a graph that illustrates the myth that you can cut taxes and increase spending and expect to get increased government revenue. Since Johnson, every Democrat has increased revenue more than spending. However the opposite’s true under all five Republican Presidents since Nixon, government revenue has decreased and spending has increased. This is unambiguous proof that cutting taxes does not increase revenue. Yet John McCain is still trying to sell that old canard.
The contrast between Clinton’s tax policies and W’s are dramatically evident from this data. By setting up taxes to help the middle class and small business Clinton stimulated the economy so much that we saw the largest increase in government revenue in history. Neocon’s “trickle down” dogma clearly does not work. You cut taxes and you reduce government revenue. Duh. That is the evidence, no matter how many times we are told you must make the wealthy just a little richer to improve the economy. Numbers show it does not work…
You are human - how quaint. I wonder if you would be so glib if you were a Christian in Afghanistan. A Hindu in western Kashmir. A Muslim in Xinjiang.
FYI, I am neither Republican or Democrat. I vote the person. I vote the issue.
Stem cell research - in favor of it. As much of it as PRIVATE ENTERPRISE wants to buy. I do not think government should be in the business of taking tax dollars from families trying to pay for a house and childrens' education and spending in on stem cell research.
Same sex marriage - against it personally BUT should be up to each state legislature and electorate to decide. NOT the judiciary.
Public transportation - very much in favor of it but smart enough to recognize that it works best in high population density areas, ie large cities, small countries, etc.
Nuclear power - in favor it. If only there were not so many lawsuits filed against every application . . . .
Development of our own energy resources - in favor of it. Too bad (anti-American imo) that government owns so much of the land that contains the energy resources
Immigration - very much in favor of it. But there are practical limits. If I have a swimming pool, I should have the right to limit my neighbors' use of that pool. Fences are part of that the process whereby use is controlled.
Countries without borders trend toward anarchy. Countries without immigration trend toward xenophobia. History teaches that any group of people can only integrate so many newcomers at any one time.
FYI, I have my doctorate from an American university but have lived and worked overseas (3 different countries) for 16 years. I speak 3 languages.
And I am proud to be an American because of the freedom that is so prevalent in the US and because of all that Americans have accomplished in the world for the last 200+ years.
I'm always amused by the "if you dont like it, leave it" argument. My first retort is "If you dont want this to be the best country it can be, then YOU leave, because YOU dont love it enough"". Unfortunately, its a bit long for a bumper sticker.
One issues I (as a non american) is the tenor of many americans (most recently, the right-wing and their supporters) who lecture the rest of us on how important and special the freedom that Americans fought and ided for are. These are the same americans who support supression of freedom at home (TSA, etc) and abroad (extraordinary renditions, torture &tc).
The WHOLE WORLD (including Americans) support the ideals of the US Constitution, and the "American Dream". A lot of us (including Americans) are perceptive enough to see when these ideals are not being met.
"It is unpleasing to represent our affairs to our own disadvantage; yet it is necessary to shew the evils which we desire to be removed."
Johnson: Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain
http://www.samueljohnson.com/introgb.html
That Robert is attacked for the view that so much of the political debate trades on the view that to oppose an idea or belief is to be Un American shows that debate hasn't moved on since 1756.
The point here is not hammering the 'I am not this or that' it's more about being a part of the greater boundaries this World is limited to.
Appreciate your thoughts and words, well put.
Regards,
You think Obama gives a DAMN about you? You think he is going to spend every minute of being in the white house thinking about the 'middle class' (what is the middle class by the way.. that's right.. a straw man...) Or do think Obama will be commiserating with George Clooney and Oprah? Same goes for McCain. Its over. The republic is dead.
socialism is you giving up your rights to do things you want to do; socialism is the non-atheist form of communism
the objective is to keep illegal immigrants out, and send them back; we allow legal immigrants in; we're paying for the illegal immigrants; the legal immigrants are supporting themselves
the constitution does not give the children of illegal immigrants the right to citizenship; it only provides citizenship to those people who agree and choose to live under the jurisdiction of our government and abide by our laws
Just my thoughts after hanging out with lots of non-Americans this past week in Greensboro, North Carolina. You can tell them, can’t you? They wear Obama buttons and have Obama stickers on their cars.
You're clearly implying that anyone support McCain is un-American. This is the kind of claims that Obama supporters whine is spewed against them by the right. More hypocritical bullshit which is not that much different from all the race-baiting by the Obama campaign - when they're the only ones bringing up race!
I suppose the diversity of the Democratic party gives us the understanding that people don't have to look alike, smell alike, think alike or worship alike in order to be Americans. True Americans believe in each other!
I have a challenge for you, Scoble. But I doubt will agree to it, or could pull it off if you tried. I don't think any lib could. But, here goes:
Please take every promise and/or proposal that Barry and McCain have made during this campaign and match it with an Article or Amendment in the Constitution that gives them, or Congress the power to implement it. NO WHERE in the Constitution does it grant the power to Congress to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Now, lest you go down some rathole you will be unable to climb out of, the General Welfare does not cover any of the proposals Barry has made. So, don't bother. Ready? GO!!!
Yea, I didn't think you could. Frustrating document that Constitution, huh? The Founding Fathers knew that left unchecked, the Federal Govt. would gravitate to Socialism. Thank God for their foresight and thus ensuring a Limited Government. (I do hope that is not an unknown concept to you)
Barry would do well to study the words of Churchill
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. ~ Winston Churchill
The last refuge of the scoundrel!!
This is an interesting post but no one is giving any answers to the problems of the bit of dirt you lot live on.
You have an unfair voting system. Your government is hand in glove with the oil companies and china to prevent europe acting on climate change to the detriment of all of us on the planet.(including the bit you live on)
Your politicians spend all their time prostituting themselves raising money from business to get themselves re-elected. Your presidential nominees are bookends of the same political party. The millions raised to get elected could be spent on solar power owned by the taxpayer for the benefit of all. That's socialism. Everybody has a gun I suppose this makes you all feel like one tough cowboy. GET A LIFE!!
What America needs is a second political party preferably to the left or are you all scared?
I know! come and live in Australia and have fun!
The last refuge of the scoundrel!!
This is an interesting post but no one is giving any answers to the problems of the bit of dirt you lot live on.
You have an unfair voting system. Your government is hand in glove with the oil companies and china to prevent europe acting on climate change to the detriment of all of us on the planet.(including the bit you live on)
Your politicians spend all their time prostituting themselves raising money from business to get themselves re-elected. Your presidential nominees are bookends of the same political party. The millions raised to get elected could be spent on solar power owned by the taxpayer for the benefit of all. That's socialism. Everybody has a gun I suppose this makes you all feel like one tough cowboy. GET A LIFE!!
What America needs is a second political party preferably to the left or are you all scared?
I know! come and live in Australia and have fun!
Oh yes and apologise to the black citizens for what your ancestors did to them , you know -SLAVERY
Then you pay back what you owe...There isn't a nation on this planet that hasn't been rescued, bailed out in time of need by the good old US. Maybe we should repossess Europe since guess who rebuilt that after WWII.
The problem here is exactly that we think America should be a democratic society when in FACT we are a Representative Republic and rightfully so.
Problem is we don't hold our leaders accountable. No term limits for Congress. All that is required to vote is survive to 18 yrs old and be a US citizen...hmm not a very selective matter for choosing the future of a country and we have paid for that. Pay taxes then vote... then you have a skin in the game.
Stand alone legislation no more pork. Let some of these other countries swim on their own without the billions handed out every year in economic aid. And we sure don't really need any more toy arrows purchased with our tax dollars.
Personally I'd like to see every incumbent voted out. A message. You are screwing this up and we won't tolerate it any longer. $850B bail out with so much pork; length longer than our constitution. They should all be fired immediately. And how many of the folks that really got screwed got bailed out? Considering the $10M bonuses handed out with our tax dollars I'd say the bill was sure worth it.
I wonder if Obama is going to redistribute his $600M to the masses that didn't work for it too....seriously freaking doubt that.
Bottom line is our wealth distribution should be: Work=Eat Don't work = go find a church to donate some food to you because this aint Sherwood Forrest. I'm all for helping people; helping people help themselves.
-- Sir Winston Churchill
(do you see yourself in that quote?)
"Socialized" goods you are hereby not allowed to use, lest ye be hypocrites:
Schools, universities, government research (back to 1850 with ya!), the postal service, water, national defense agencies, ROADS, virtually any good or service contingent to the use of public infrastructure ... see, I can go on all day. You're not against formal socialism, you're against the social contract, which was only THE founding principle of our country. I get it though, screw the constitution--ME, ME, ME, every pseudo-capitalist individualist for himself!
And oh, whoops! It's not like your own party expanded government to its largest measure under "keeping government small" principles, socializing a $10,000,000,000/mo. war, socializing tax breaks for conservative "faith-based" groups, socializing tax breaks for the wealthy, socializing corporate rights to go on a full assault against the environment...
>>> socializing ignorance!
And never mind the fact that formally "socialist" Scandinavian countries are some of the most stable and crime-free places in the world, simply because they don't suppress the idea that constitutional rights to equality aren't just symbolic, but are economic in nature. Religion also has a striking position as a minority in those countries. Hm...interesting. Not like America, where religion walks lock-step with "conservative" principles toward dissolving the separation of church and state, toward the cause of being pro-war yet pro-life at the same time, toward abusing individual rights and equality of opportunity, and forcing their anti-pluralistic ignorance down everyone else's throat. Plug your nose and swallow! As rats do ravin down their proper bane...
Amen to that :*)
check out http://www.slate.com/id/2203120/
Too hard.
Should have asked him if he knew what the G8 was first
Thats funny, as soon as I have a rant everyone disappears.
Anyway what are the car companies up to.
They want oodles of taxpayers money to build more
petrol cars. Well Gm built and leased electric cars and after
a few years recalled and trashed them.
I'm resolved not to buy another car unless it's electric.
I'll keep repairing my bomb in protest.