HEllo Bob,   
      
   On Fri 2012-Apr-13 03:08, BOB KLAHN (1:123/140) wrote to RICHARD WEBB:   
      
    RW> NOt that i"m a fan, but one wonders if they aren't   
    RW> listening to some of the real concerns voiced by all the   
    RW> folks who join the tea party or occupy.  Don't they (the   
    RW> leadership of the Republican party) grasp this at all?   
      
   BK>  The republican leaders, (not the figureheads out front), realize    
   BK> the Tea Party is no more rational than any other nut cases out    
   BK> there. However, they do have big numbers so they pull the   
   BK>  strings and the candidates line up to support the Tea Party    
   BK> issues.   
      
   Agreed.  But, if you're not totally burying your head in   
   your nether parts if you're a political leader you have to   
   grok the real dissatisfaction and anger coming from both   
   sides of the political divide.   
      
   BK>  However, they respond to the hot button issues and not the   
   BK>  technical issues as they also understand that reason can be    
   BK> stifled by passion.   
      
   Again agreed, but sooner or later when you look at that   
   anger coming from both ends of the spectrum you have to   
   realize that you must look at the technical issues,   
   determine causality, etc.  This huge blind spot is one of   
   the big reasons many of us have rejected the two party   
   system as it now stands.   
      
   Note your recent discussions in this echo re the labor   
   movement, those who "produce" goods are the true earners.   
   If the only way you can control organized efforts by those   
   "earners" to be sure they're compensated fairly is to   
   deprive them of the ability to earn that's what you do, as   
   demonstrated by Wall Street.  You have to admit, that was   
   more effective than all the strikebreakers and goons they   
   could hire.  IF, in the process you destroy a country, so be it.   
      
   But, this anger too will fizzle out imho.  At least our   
   labor movement gave people a coherent vehicle to channel   
   their discontent or attempt to get a fairer shake.  Occupy   
   with its warm fuzzies and the tea party with its   
   manipulation of the gullible seniors will both make a lot of noise then pfft.    
   Meanwhile isolate them in their homes,   
   they'll play with their electronic boxes and be happy good   
   little sheeple again when they realize there isn't a damn   
   thing they can do about it.   
      
   Welcome to the culmination of the society depicted by   
   ORwell.   
      
      
   Regards,   
   Regards,   
              Richard   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:116/901)