The pinnacle of hypocrisy: Dems quietly pass Patriot Act Ext

[redrumloa]

There’s a Joke Here: Patriot Act Extension

http://www.imao.us/index.php/2010/02/th ... extension/

You know how liberals were complaining over and over about the Patriot Act during the Bush years? Well, now they just quietly renewed it with a voice vote (”quietly” and “voice vote”; that’s a bit of an oxymoron). Anywho, there are obviously some jokes here. You can go after the Patriot Act in general and its invasion of privacy and elimination of rights, as that’s a well excepted trope thanks to all the whining about it (might want to work in a reference to libraries). You can also go after the hypocrisy of the Democrats; the “spying on people without warrants” thing they complained about suddenly seems likes its best feature now that they’re in power. There’s also the whole hypocrisy angle of Obama basically just doing everything he complained about Bush doing.

Here’s what I came up with, though:

" The Patriot Act was quietly renewed by the Senate; the Democrats removed their objections to it when they realized that, despite its name, it doesn’t involve any actual patriotism. "

That’s a well accepted trope among Republicans/conservatives (and even some moderates): Democrats don’t like patriotism. And I made a connection people don’t normally make but would instantly recognize; when people hear “Patriot Act” they usually think “surveillance” not “patriotism.” One method of humor is to basically come up with a statement you want to make, and then do it as obliquely as possible, connecting things people wouldn’t normally connect right away. And try to do it in as few words as possible; brevity isn’t quite the soul of wit, but it helps.

So see if you can make a better joke and maybe even come up with a better angle of attack.

 

[Glaucus]

It's a 1 year extension. Wonder if this is some kind of good will gesture for the Republicans for some return favors on health care? Could be part of a back room deal.

 

[redrumloa]

Anyone who voted for this POS needs to go, I don't care what party.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Dinks.

 

[Robert]

Anyone who voted for this POS needs to go, I don't care what party.

Yet you still vote Republican?

 

[redrumloa]

Anyone who voted for this POS needs to go, I don't care what party.

Yet you still vote Republican?

Not to be rude, but what part of "Anyone who voted for this POS needs to go, I don't care what party " was not clear? The dems passed this extension, but you still blame republicans? I am (currently) registered Republican, but I think my distaste for the Republican party has been clear on this website in recent years. Both parties are bad and the dems are far worse, so no chance of me going there. I am switching either to independent or possibly Libertarian as soon as I get the motivation.

I haven't always voted republican at all cost either. I strongly supported Ross Perot and voted for him in 1992. For the record, Perot ran as an independent.

 

[redrumloa]

For the record, here are some of my past posts on the POS Patriot act.

Sept 2004:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.ph ... stcount=16

If you are talking about the Patriot act, I am right there with you. I don't like it.

April 2004:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.ph ... stcount=55

After the patriot act, it's getting much more difficult to live without one though to be completely honest. It's still theoretically possible, but getting harder and harder. It's now illegal to open a new bank account without one. No i am not happy about this either. i don't like an overbearing big brother.

Nov 2004:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.ph ... stcount=48

This is an extremely insulting comment. What is being done to our rights Robert? The Patriot Act? What Republican have you met that likes it? None in here for sure. News flash, Kerry voted for it. Kerry would not change a damn thing if elected. As it is, the Patriot Act is about to expire and I seriously doubt it will be renewed. It's too unpopular all around.

Boy was I wrong there! Not only did it get renewed, it continues to get renewed. Our politicians are mad with power on both sides.


Nov 2004:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.ph ... stcount=10

I watched the whole thing also. Overall I think Bush did a better job based on substance, not presentation. I say overall because I do not agree with every single issue Bush stands for, most glaringly the Patriot Act.

March 2005:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.ph ... stcount=85

God only hopes this travesty called the Patriot Act better have some good come out of it besides pissing us Republicans off.

 

[faethor]

Red has been against the Patriot Act since it's inception.

As for Dems. When originally passed the Patriot Act had democratic support. Not quite the support the Republicans enjoyed but support none-the-less.

As for the bill passing again. Looking at history this is no surprise. Any body (business, government) once they have power retain that power. It's the rarety that they give the power up freely.

 

[Robert]

Anyone who voted for this POS needs to go, I don't care what party.

Yet you still vote Republican?

Not to be rude, but what part of "Anyone who voted for this POS needs to go, I don't care what party " was not clear? The dems passed this extension, but you still blame republicans?

Are you being deliberately obtuse? It's not that I blame the Republicans, it's that you blame the Democrats even though the Republicans were behind the act in the first place.

I am (currently) registered Republican, but I think my distaste for the Republican party has been clear on this website in recent years. Both parties are bad and the dems are far worse, so no chance of me going there. I am switching either to independent or possibly Libertarian as soon as I get the motivation.

:roflmao: 'motivation'? How difiicult is it to take your name of the Republican register? How long has the act been in place? Yet you are still registered Republican, despite your (obviously mock) outrage.

Pardon me if I find your protestations transparently hollow.

 

[redrumloa]

:roflmao: 'motivation'? How difiicult is it to take your name of the Republican register? How long has the act been in place? Yet you are still registered Republican, despite your (obviously mock) outrage.

Pardon me if I find your protestations transparently hollow.

Have you been drinking :?:

What part of both parties supporting this POS since inception don't you understand? I only recently decided to part the Republican party, because as an independent I cannot vote in the primary. How difficult is it? Probably finding the local office and driving there during business hours. I've been registered Republican since I was 18 and not locally active so the process of switching parties is not something I was born knowing, though I am sure it will be easy.

 

[Robert]

Red has been against the Patriot Act since it's inception.

I'm well aware of that but he's saying anyone who voted for it should be voted out, which is why I asked if he still voted Republican, given it was a Republican regime that instigated the act.
If so, it would be rather ironic, given the thread title, I'm sure you'd agree.

Anyway, turns out he doesn't vote for them anymore, he's just registered as one, so it's all good.

 

[Robert]

:roflmao: 'motivation'? How difiicult is it to take your name of the Republican register? How long has the act been in place? Yet you are still registered Republican, despite your (obviously mock) outrage.

Pardon me if I find your protestations transparently hollow.

Have you been drinking :?:

All my life......

 

[redrumloa]

Red has been against the Patriot Act since it's inception.

I'm well aware of that but he's saying anyone who voted for it should be voted out, which is why I asked if he still voted Republican, given it was a Republican regime that instigated the act.
If so, it would be rather ironic, given the thread title, I'm sure you'd agree.

Anyway, turns out he doesn't vote for them anymore, he's just registered as one, so it's all good.

And it passed almost unanimously by both parties. BTW I updated my last post.

 

[Robert]

And it passed almost unanimously by both parties.

So we can take it that until every Democrat and Republican that voted for the act has gone, you'll be voting for a third party?
_EDIT_
If so, I'm sincerely glad to hear it.

 

[redrumloa]

And it passed almost unanimously by both parties.

So we can take it that until every Democrat and Republican that voted for the act has gone, you'll be voting for a third party?

You can bet your sweet ass I will be checking voting records before heading to the poll.

 

[Robert]

And it passed almost unanimously by both parties.

So we can take it that until every Democrat and Republican that voted for the act has gone, you'll be voting for a third party?

You can bet your sweet ass ....

Glad to hear it.