Rick Santorum, Senator from the Shire

[Verto]

Originally posted by Will9
Does this map (based on Tolkien's notes for his squeal to The Lord of Rings) help clear anything up?

Source, WRT Tolkien planning a sequel?

[snoopy369]

I presume that's a joke

I actually think it's cool for Santorum to use middle-earth as a metaphor here. You guys are just being liberal nuts and randomly accusing him of things that aren't relevant; he's saying that he wants the "Eye of Mordor" attracted elsewhere, ie the target of the Evil (Al Qaeda/terrorism) to not target us, while we clean up the bad guys. I have no problem with that, and I think using classical literature that's down-to-earth and easy for Americans to understand is a step up.

Perhaps next he can tell us how going to Endor will save us

[KrazyHorse]

Nobody's being a nut except Santorum. He's just a ****ing moron, and his comparison is both overly dramatic and also makes him sound idiotic.

[snoopy369]

I suspect if Stephen Colbert had made the same comment, people would be licking his rear end about how amazing it was...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, but he'd be mocking the right and it'd be hilarious. The fact that an actual politican seriously does it... is absolutely

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by snoopy369
I suspect if Stephen Colbert had made the same comment, people would be licking his rear end about how amazing it was...

Stephen Colbert is a comedian. Rick Santorum is a Senator.

[Imran Siddiqui]

When you are speaking of Santorum that distinction can be confusing .

[Admiral]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
When you are speaking of Santorum that distinction can be confusing .

Sometimes, I can't help but think that Santorum, like Alan Keyes, is a liberal operative in deep cover trying to destroy the GOP.

[Cyclotron]

What actually bothers me is not the wierd fantasy analogy, but the idea that it is a good idea to protect ourselves from terrorism by redirecting violence and terror onto another people. People seem to think "Iraq" is some inanimate target that we're distracting the terrorists with, rather than a community of human beings that sheds blood and feels afraid just like the rest of us. When did we decide that it is right to sacrifice Iraqi lives to prevent risk to our own?

[mrmitchell]

What's wrong with using a literary allusion? At least he reads.

Santorum is still an *******. But a well-read one.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I wouldn't call reading the Lord of the Rings to be "well-read" .

Then again, who said he read anything? You realize there were these movies that came out not too long ago... maybe you missed them?

[Elok]

Yeah, thank goodness it's been a while since "Fight Club" or "Falling Down" came out...

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
What actually bothers me is not the wierd fantasy analogy, but the idea that it is a good idea to protect ourselves from terrorism by redirecting violence and terror onto another people. People seem to think "Iraq" is some inanimate target that we're distracting the terrorists with, rather than a community of human beings that sheds blood and feels afraid just like the rest of us. When did we decide that it is right to sacrifice Iraqi lives to prevent risk to our own?

Um, maybe you didn't read the books? Redirecting the Eye of Mordor wasn't intended to get other people killed, but to allow the Hobbits to do what needed to be done ... it's not redirecting the terror itself, but the attention of the terrorists.

:sigh:

Anyhow, we need more comedy in politics. Intentional comedy, anyway.

[Arrian]

snoopy, his point works. Santorum was saying that Iraq is working as a distraction for the forces of Islamic terror. Even if that's true (and I think to an extent it is), the result is chaos and death for Iraqis. He's saying that's better than chaos and death for us, because after all Americans are more important than Iraqis...

Or at least that's the clear implication.

Redirecting the Eye of Mordor wasn't intended to get other people killed, but to allow the Hobbits to do what needed to be done ... it's not redirecting the terror itself, but the attention of the terrorists.

It was a suicide mission, the attack on the Black Gate. And not only was the attention of Sauron (the Eye) redirected, but so was his massive army, which marched out from the plains of Gorgoroth to the Morannon and then did battle with the men of the West. It just so happens that in our real world, the battle Santorum is talking about is taking place in a heavily populated place, as opposed to a barren wasteland.

-Arrian

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by snoopy369
I suspect if Stephen Colbert had made the same comment, people would be licking his rear end about how amazing it was...

Cobert did his bit on it last night. It was humorous.

[Ramo]

I suspect if Stephen Colbert had made the same comment, people would be licking his rear end about how amazing it was...

And Colbert did

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/1...rings-analogy/

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

You are not allowed to agree with me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

There must be penance for this

[Brundlefly]

My god I hope Santorum doesnt get re-elected.. There was a televised debate here in Pittsburgh the other day where he got nose-to-nose with his opponent and started shouting at him to look in the camera and admit something that was trivial.. the opponent missed a vote or something.. I really hate that candidates make that type of thing a part of their campaign because they know there is a segment of voters who base their decision on such facile displays of aggression.. If this country spent more on education there would come a day when that sort of crap would not fly in political campaigns.

We dont need anymore hard-line ultra conservatives in Congress. We need more socially-conservative economic liberals like Bob Casey. I hope all Pennsylvania Apolytoners will join me in voting Casey into office!

[Imran Siddiqui]

No, we need more socially liberal, economic conservatives in Congress .

[Arrian]

Imran speaks truth. It won't happen. It's not politically expedient to be fiscally responsible.

-Arrian

[Elok]

I think we need more politicians who are not crazy, stupid, ineffectual or corrupt, regardless of political orientation. But now I'm just dreaming...

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Arrian
Imran speaks truth. It won't happen. It's not politically expedient to be fiscally responsible.

-Arrian

Being fiscally responsible does not an economic conservative make.

[Arrian]

Yes, you are. Or you're creating a recipe for a takeover by sane, smart, effective, morally pure... evil.

-Arrian

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
No, we need more socially liberal, economic conservatives in Congress .

They are called Libertarians. These folks are also in favor of being fiscally responsible. Bob Casey is a Republican in Democratic disguise. Because he is running against a foolish nutjob, he would get my support. But he's no Democrat and he is not a social liberal or an economic conservative.