Via PZ Myers, the British New Humanist opens voting on its annual “Bad Faith Award.” Jeff Peckham isn’t on the list, but you should be able to find someone worthy of the title.

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/11/bad_faith_awards.php

Way to miss the point. Apparently, only “conservatives” or “white people” can be racist. Why else would a presumably-educated fan of Phil’s focus on race and not qualifications when asked something that way?

I’ll quote Tom Brokaw on election night, about then-Senator Obama: “What do we know of the man?” This from a professional in the media after a year or more of coverage!

What do you know of the man?

Ok, so you’re saying that there are Conservatives who happen to be racist. Makes sense.
But then:

“Conservative Americans have been motivated by their paranoia and racism from… pretty much the beginning. This isn’t even controversial, or shouldn’t be.”

Tell me again exactly how you don’t consider this a broad brush? You seem to be implying that the American Conservative movement is virtually built on a foundation of solid racism, but when someone calls you on it, you say “I only meant a FEW Conservatives. You know, the carbon-based ones that breathe oxygen.”

I don’t even know why the hell I’m defending this position, except that I very much agree with one of Jon Stewart’s recently unveiled slogans: “I disagree, but I’m pretty sure you’re not Hitler.”

Hey, if it passes, you should apply for the job, Phil! I mean, it’s a steady income with nothing to do, leaving you lots of time to write, speak, tour. (If you don’t want it, can I have it?)

“… got enough signatures (though many were apparently faked) …”

Or they were (dum, dum, dum) ALIENS!

Yes, yes, the EU contingent chimes in once again with the same old same old, and TYPING IN ALL CAPS REALLY LENDS WEIGHT TO YOUR ARGUMENT.

Actually, it doesn’t. But it seems to have made you dismiss it out of hand rather than considering its merits.

You ever consider that you guys are just way way Left?

Frequently.

I’m old enough to remember the 1970s (just!), when we in the UK had a socialist government that was rendered ineffectual by the power of the Trades Unions. This was followed with more than a decade and a half of conservative government, in which Britain edged closer and closer to the American way of doing things.

But that doesn’t mean that we didn’t have a moderate Liberal party; nor a socialist Labour party, nor even a Communist party (although they got about the same number of votes at each election as the Monster Raving Loonies).

The previous, Labour, government only garnered enough votes back in ’97 by morphing into a sort of centrist-conservative chimera (“New Labour”). Basically, too many people at the time remembered the failed socialist government of the 70s, and would not vote for a socialist Labour party (yes, I realise it’s more complicated than that, but I’m trying to simplify it to fit it into my lunch break).

I went to a university that was pretty typical, and had – in the arena of student politics – a very active Socialist Worker party, dedicated to (eventually) introducing true socialism back into Britain.

No? Didn’t think so.

As I point out above, you are wrong. We in Europe really do know the difference between left-wing, centrist and right-wing. We have a right wing. At the last general election here in the UK, the British National Party got closer than ever before to participating in parliament (IIUC), and these guys are so conservative they have yet to notice that the 60s happened. we also have a left wing, although it is not currently represented in the UK by any major party.

*snore*

Ah. I can’t handle that argument. I bow down to your debating prowess. [/snark]

Just compare the US and EU constitutions for the contrast.

Erm … Last time I looked, the EU was a collection of independent nations with no power to enforce anything that was not ratified by each country’s own government. There’s no single constitution per se, just a collection of treaties. But if you do a bit of research, you will notice that the Treaty of Lisbon, although technically in force, has not been ratified by many member states, and so has almost no force anywhere in Europe.

Was there anything in these treaties that you think is especially left-wing biased? Perhaps you could be a bit more specific, rather than just accusing us of being a bunch of lefties, hmmm?

As an UK citizen and Labour Party supporter I think there is one point I feel the need to keep reiterating with regard to US politics; YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY LEFT WING!. Seriously your Democratic party just abouts sits in the centre and everything else is to the right of that, you are kidding yourself if you think otherwise and the notion of Obama as a socialist is just frankly surreal

Too true.

Judging from what I have read in fora like this, many Americans don’t seem to know what “socialist” really is.

I’m not saying it’s impossible to improve the system, but corporate lobbying isn’t the only thing keeping the reforms from happening, not by a long shot.

Agreed.

The process of electioneering needs to be regulated in such a way that it becomes cheaper to get your name on the final ballot paper. This would reduce – but, obviously, not eliminate – the influence of money in the voting process.

Corporations have a lot of influence because money is so important during an election campaign.

Damon (19) said:

This is cute, but sooner or later folks are going to wake up to the asinine UFO coverup that’s been happening a little too long for me to stomach.

A few facts for you to digest:

1) There is no evidence that UFO reports are anything other than misidentified mundane phenomena.
2) There is no evidence that any organisation is conspiring to conceal evidence of alien life.
3) Anyone who leaps to the conclusion “alien spaceships” upon reading a UFO report needs to learn some critical thinking skills.
4) Anyone who considers “alien spaceships” to be a plausible explanation for UFO sightings needs to learn more about what we have discovered about the universe.

Your asinine adherence to ludicrous conspiracy theories is probably what’s making you sick.

Ignoring a problem and pretending it doesn’t exist isn’t wise, because it only tends to delay solutions and exacerbate the problem. Hasn’t time taught you that nugget? But now you think that the Band of Deniers GOP/TP (essentially the same) will save the day and brighten the future for the next generation? Good luck with that massive brain fart. If the GOP/TP wins it’s a lose for humankind and the Earth. But on the up side for some, it could mean more pointless climate scientist witch hunts and a senseless waste of taxpayer money. Enjoy your consensus of denial.

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/11/01/republicans-are-plan.html (next two links are from this link)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-epa-battle-ahead-20101030,0,6040861.story

http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

I don’t live in Colorado, so I don’t know, but my first thought on hearing this was that Jeff Peckman is putting this utterly . . . ridiculous isn’t a strong enough word . . . measure on the ballot to make some kind of a political point. You know, it’s the modern equivalent of running a dog for mayor or putting Intelligent Design in science classes . . . oh, wait . . . or passing a resolution against frowning to point out absurdities in the system.

Over here in the UK, we have the Monster Raving Loony Party as a vote-sink for those dissatisfied with the system, although I do not know how active it is since its leader (Screaming Lord Such – he changed his name by deed poll) died.

I don’t know that this is true. I do not accept that corporations are inherently evil. That is nonsense.

Corporations don’t have to be evil for their interests to obviously conflict with the interests of private citizens, or to conflict with the interests of the nation as a whole. Corporations exist to make money, by any means that are legal.

The USA is, in a way, the ultimate expression of the abilities of corporations to do this. I am not aware of any other country where corporate interests are so well-represented in government (although the UK seems to be catching up).

I do think that their influence in the political system should be regulated or possibly sharply curtailed.

Definitely.

Our system needs to be cleansed of corporate influence—the most idiotic notion foisted upon the American public in my lifetime is the insane idea that corporations should have more rights than individuals. Until that notion is dispelled, voting is largely meaningless in terms of the big picture.

In my opinion.

Actually, I largely agree with this. You get to choose which set of corporate shills is in power, but you don’t always get to choose representatives who represent their constituents.

Anyhow, I am sure that there are things that can be done to change the situation other than simply not voting.

AliCali:” If you do not vote, then you are not allowed to bitch about the government system.”

That is the complete backwards of it, IMO. I will probably vote—but by doing so, I am giving tacit approval to a system that has become corrupt through and through. By voting I am saying that it is OK for corporate lobbyists to control our government. I therefore forfeit the right to complain about the system; I am part of the system.

Ever heard of the word “abstain”?

By failing to turn up, you get marked as a “no show”, which is usually interpreted as “don’t care”. By turning up and abstaining, you register your disapproval of the available candidates. If nothing else, the number of abstentions is a pool of voters for the candidates to try and represent next time round.

Or at least stop causing so many. I’d be happy with that, and let the economy do its thing again.

You can have an economy with no government at all. Yeah, it’s Bartertown from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , but I’m so tired of this “only daddy government can fix our woes!” They just spent piles over the last two years and it didn’t do boo. Does that tell you *anything*? Does that suggest to *any* of you maybe we need a different idea? Class? Class? Beuller?

WTF happened to people in this country? It’s like you all *want* to be a bunch of serfs and followerrs, either to some religion or some ideology (the distinction is becoming quite blurred). Feh… Take your mugging, eye-rolling John Stewarts *and* your whiny, grizzly Sarah Palins, and just walk into the sea or something.

Denver Democratic Party not opposing Initiative 300 ET Affairs Commission – Denver ufo
Examiner.com

“Initiative [ET]300 in Denver is the only “numbered” initiative not opposed by the Denver Democratic Party . Why would it be? The Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission that it proposes will create no cost to taxpayers. This has already been confirmed by Denver’s Budget and Management Director and the language of Initiative 300″
-http://www.examiner.com/ufo-in-denver/denver-democratic-party-not-opposing-initiative-300-et-affairs-commission

Anyway like Phil, I voted via early ballot through the mail to my tiny New England town back in the states. It will be so very nice on Wednesday to see the far-left begin to pack their bags in Washington, D.C. as the stage is set for the general elections of 2012.

Don’t go away sad, just go away.

And to make matters worse, the most enthusiastic group of voters this cycle are the teabagger loonies who think Obama’s secretly a Muslim socialist terrorist-sympathizer. That does not bode well for those of us who want an effective Congress willing to coöperate with the President to pass legislation to alleviate our problems. We’re going to probably see a Republican majority in the House that will shoot down anything and everything Obama supports or thinks about supporting. So will the Republican minority in the Senate (a de facto majority due to their willingness to abuse the filibuster). Nothing will get done, and Republicans will find a way to convince people it’s Obama’s fault.

This is from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:NEeoL0JpelcJ:www.examiner.com/extraterrestrial-contact-in-denver/why-voting-yes-on-initiative-300-is-vital+%22always+ask+why%22+aka+nitor&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

“Here’s another valuable article that is closely related to yours. It’s titled “Is CIA Backing Opponents of Initiative 300 in Denver?”. Things will make much more sense to you after reading it.
http://www.examiner.com/progressive-in-denver/is-cia-backing-opponents-of-initiative-300-denver

What you obviously did not know is that Rjdenver is mostly just a heckler spreading deception wherever possible to waste the time of people who are speaking the truth about Initiative 300. His/her motivations are along the lines of Baxter, Bonner, and Nitor (aka – “Always Ask Why”) of the disreputable Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society. This group might very well be getting help from outside and from very dark places.”

This is how Jeff Peckman responds to legitimate questions, and disagreement with his initiative. Just like the many other unsubstantiated claims he mounts – he uses the words of others. One thing that he no longer tries to do is call me a liar, as he has had his “stuff” handed to him on that one.

I support “Free Speech” and I support participation in our system, but I too think that there needs to be a major overhaul. Just not sure how or what to do. I am flabbergasted that (1) people believe this dribble that he puts out, and (2) that people like Peckman are so desperate for their “win” and some form of governmental legitimacy that they are willing to abuse the system in this manner.

Signed, Nitor (recently accused of being funded by the CIA and very confused by the accusation)