Radio Show Live Right Now

enjoying it

Quote of the podcast:

Lee: I like that Rick Warren can question his faith.Bob: Hmm.

LOL!QT

I can’t log in to the chat thing. Anyway, my answer to the do-nothings.If we are going to infuse the system with money – the government could have set up a bank and let people get loans from the government, and ignore entirely the failing banks. That’s the best I can do with the idea of do-nothing… especially since the banks are still hoarding taxpayer monies.Lee – I’d be happy with a summary of what you learned listening to the conference or whatever…QT

Bob & Lee, I was thinking in the shower this morning about your radio show (I do all my most brilliant thinking in the shower) and people calling in, since none of us did last night. Perhaps it would be helpful to decide on a couple topics beforehand and post those on the blog either Tuesday or Wednesday so people have a little time to think about them and formulate a question/comment. Personally, I am not a stellar off-the-cuff speaker, so I like to have a little time to mull over what I am going to say first.Just a suggestion!

EXCELLENT show, Lee and Bob. I could follow it as relative newbie, but there was plenty of info for seasoned politicos as well. It was really nice to hear your views on the big picture behind politics, as well as how each of you arrived at your personal philosophy.

Bob, In answer to your question about the psychology of conservativism– this is something that interests me as well. If you haven’t seen it, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/12/arts/12part.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=across%20the%20great%20divide&st=cse ” rel=”nofollow”> this article in the New York Times gives some insight:Of all of the personality traits studied, “Fear of death has the highest correlation with being conservative.”Conservativism, in my opinion, is all about security and holding onto what you’ve got, including life.

Along the same lines, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122047003725696177.html ” rel=”nofollow”> this article in the Wall Street Journal suggests that “up to half of the variation in our attitudes toward issues and our voting practices can be traced to a political psyche shaped by genetic traits.”Research suggests that brain levels of two neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine, affect how we vote.(I’ll have to look at the original research to be sure, but I suspect that low serotonin levels tilt us towards conservativism, and high dopamine levels push us towards liberalism).

STAY THE COURSE!During last night’s radio show (which I’ve finally heard the beginning of… more on that soon), Lee made the analogy of Obama and the Republicans to an abusive parent and misbehaving kids. I thought it was a very good analogy.I’ll add to the mix, though, that part of the bipartisanship fight will be won by clearly defining for the American public what bipartisanship actually means. Steny Hoyer does a great job here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18776.htmlMore and more stuff like that, and I think we really will change the tone in Washington, AND get a lot of stuff done.OK, back to the opening of the radio show: Lee, at the beginning of the show, you were about to use something I said in support of a larger point you were making, and Bob cut you off, to say that I would be happy that I’d been mentioned (yes. That’s true!), and that I was smart. (Thank you! Both of you!) But however, you never did get around to citing whatever it was that I’d said. A little later on in the conversation, you tried again, and AGAIN! Bob intercepts! I’ve been thinking about this, and I’ve concluded that Bob was being chivalrous – not wanting to have to say “She’s completely WRONG! How BONEHEADED can anyone be!” Bob simply stopped you from saying whatever it was that I’d said. I’ve been contradicting Bob all day long in hopes that he’ll jump in and say “WHAT? You’re completely WRONG! How BONEHEADED can you be??” So he can find out that after all, while my feelings may be a little bit hurt, I won’t crumple up and die – I really can take a punch, so long as I don’t have to take too many of them. Unfortunately, I’ve failed at goading Bob out of his chivalry, so I have to ask you for an assist. What were you going to say???QT