Shot in the Dark

Our New Passive-Aggressive Majority

Strap yourselves in, Republicans across America.  You’ll get to live life the way we lived it here in Minnesota for decades; liberal supermajorities who believe your earnings belong to government first and foremost, backed by a media establishment that portrays dissent as one degree of depravity or another.  Oh, and about the portrayal of Republicans – remember how for the past eight years Chuck Hagel got more mic time than the rest of the GOP caucus put together?  Two words for ya; Lori Sturdevant.
Worse?  The alternatives that the opposition provides will disappear down the memory hole – or at least they will as far as the mainstream media is concerned.

Of course, we have an alternative media now (until Congress or the Administration sneak the “Fairness” Doctrine back in the door).  And the truth will be there somewhere.

Last Saturday, I talked with Michele Bachmann’s New Media director Dave Dziok.  He’s behind a new project – The Majority Tracker, which aims to drop a videocam down the memory hole.

What is the GOP doing?  Well, you’ll find out there.

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Mitch Berg

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41 responses to “Our New Passive-Aggressive Majority”

  1. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    Strap yourselves in, Republicans across America. You’ll get to live life the way we lived it here in Minnesota for decades; liberal supermajorities who believe your earnings belong to government first and foremost,

    Yet another BS strawman. You never get tired of this kind of crap, apparently.

    Here, let me try this kind of garbage ‘journalism’ –

    2002 OR 2004
    Strap yourselves in, Decmocrats across America. You’ll get to live life the way they live it in Mexico. Conservative super-majorities who believe your earnings belong to anyone powerful enough to take it, first and foremost.

    Discussion not desired or sought.

  2. Mr. D Avatar
    Mr. D

    Discussion not desired or sought.

    It’s Radio Free Peev! Pirate radio taking over Mitch’s airwaves! Pretty soon you won’t be able to turn it off at all!

  3. Mitch Berg Avatar
    Mitch Berg

    In general? Of course.

    But you don’t actually “discuss”, Peev, and never really have.

  4. Mr. Shirt Avatar
    Mr. Shirt

    Mitch,

    You actually read every word he writes?!? You are a saint!

  5. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    BS Mitch, I’ve attempted time and again to engage you (and others) in legitimate debate, but you devolve into two approaches.

    1. You cherry-pick what you want to address, ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS ignoring the primary point.

    2. You devolve to insults – and I respond in kind.

    That’s it. All other BS about civil discourse is irrelevant, and bluntly, a lie.

  6. Mitch Berg Avatar
    Mitch Berg

    In other words, you have no answer.

    Duly noted.

    ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS ignoring the primary point

    Heh.  Projecting much?

    As to insults – well, Peev, the record will show that the “insults” started when you got the vapors over a joke. Over the past three years you have devolved that thin-skinned overreaction into millions of words of tiresome pique and, well, peevishness.

    And yet you’re here ever day. Go figger.

    All other BS about civil discourse is irrelevant, and bluntly, a lie.

    OK, Peev, help me out here: in your first comment you said “Discussion not desired or sought.” So I sought the desired conversation…

    …and now you’re whining again.

    I continue to tolerate your presence here because, frankly, it’s amusing. But my amusement is wearing thin.

  7. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    Has anyone ever got an answer to the age old question… Peev, when did you stop beating your wife?

  8. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    Perhaps starting out with a thread that doesn’t manifestly insult 60% of the country within the first three sentences would help you look like you were actually interested in being civil. But hey, the irony of hearing from you, the person who just TOLD all of of US how we feel about taxes/the government, in your normal sneering condescending tone, that we’re (I’m) not interested in civil discourse – yeah, how’s this.

    ROFL.

    Mitch, you create post after post which is contorted into some sort of context where you can try to have it look like either you’re a hero (you being you neo-cons) or liberals/Democrats are idiots, evil, or worse. You don’t engage in rational discussion EVER about any topics outside of capital punishment and to a lesser degree, abortion. I’ve brought fact and topic to you time and again, and you’ve sidestepped the points, time and again, with REALLY clever comments like – “Irrelevant” and “Wrong..bzzzt” – pretty mature stuff there, no , really – instead focusing on minutae that allows you to preserve your infexibly held beliefs including your profoundly mistaken belief that neo-cons are the only ones who truly “get” (pick your topic). Yet, you won’t even deign to consider other points raised, much less debate them – as your responses like “Bzzt, pfft, blah blah blah” pretty well point out.

    So, now, we (us non-insane non-neo-cons) are essentially left with simply poking fun and pointing out hypocrisies. If you want better, look in a freakin mirror, you bring this on yourself, period. We behave precisely how you do, precisely how you allow, precisely how you pedantically, logorrhea unendingly, myopically, hypocritrically conduct yourself. In short, lead by example, if you are such a good leader/person, try doing it yourself first. No, really. But, undoubtedly you won’t, because taking serious looks at improving discussion isn’t what this is really about – this is about providing a belicose mouthpiece, and about gaining readership through hyperbole, invective, and flame-wars. Congrats.

    If not, then lead by example.

  9. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    No Mitch, I have PLENTY of answers, you’ve never been inclined to take the time to deal with them honestly.

    The rest.. don’t care to read it.

    Lead by example Mitch, do better yourself – and I’ll happily follow suit.

    Badda- as always, you’re never worth the wasted effort -but I try, I do try, to hope you’ll get better.

  10. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    BTW Mitch, don’t you have something better to do, I mean, like work?

  11. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    Peev,
    You create post after post after post after post (each with far too many words, not to mention too much blather) which is contorted into some sort of context where you can try to have it look like either you’re a hero (you being you left-leaners) or conservatives/Republicans are idiots, evil, or worse.

    I wish I were attempting a joke… but, sadly Peev, that’s not a joke.

  12. Mitch Berg Avatar
    Mitch Berg

    Peev,

    It’s lunchtime, and also fuck you.

    With a stick.

    Forever.

    Never, ever, ever come back on this blog.

  13. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    (I guess at this time Peev hasn’t stopped beating his wife.)

  14. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    Actually MITCH,

    The RECORD, as if there is such a thing, will show that this started when your PAL fingers, insulted my military experience, and you stood idley by, rather than doing what friends do for each other, standing up and saying ‘hey, PAL, saying that PB doesn’t give a shit about military deaths outside Iraq is WAY beyond the pale, and you’re freakin out of line”

    THAT’s what the record shows, boy-o -and that was two years prior to your insulting my wife, in a classless, unfunny attempt at humor where you ‘apologized’ with an ‘if’ – IF you recall.. you know, the apology that isn’t an apology.

    [EDITOR’S NOTE: According to your own self-dramatizing and picayune sense of things?  Maybe.  Sorry; it must suck to have so many eternal, artificial grudges to harbor].

    You seem to have a convenient memory. Anyway, i’m not going to go down memory lane further.

    I’ve made my point, lead by example – stop starting threads with wonton insults, and then bitching about civility, it’s classless hypocrisy, and nothing more.

    [EDITORS NOTE:  So you’re taking on an “insult” for all of American liberalism?  Gotta give you points for ambition, lil’ fella.  But no, it’s still stupid]

    [EDITORS NOTE: And irrelevant.  I’ve banned you.  Go write at that neglected, risible circle-jerk you call your blog].

  15. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    Mitch, it was a joke, remember, like when you asked me the same thing last week?

    Jeezus.

  16. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    Soooo…
    Peev finally admits this is all because he’s holding a grudge.

    What a douche.

  17. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    Oh, and about the portrayal of Republicans – remember how for the past eight years Chuck Hagel got more mic time than the rest of the GOP caucus put together?

    Really, more than George Bush?

    More than Dick Cheney?

    More than Tony Snow, or Ari Fleischer or Scott McLellan? More than Bill Frist, more than Mitch McConnell?

    Really?

    I think not.

  18. Mitch Berg Avatar
    Mitch Berg

    it was a joke

    Perhaps. But your presence on this blog has become pretty much self-parody, and frankly it all bores me stiff.

    It’d be best if you found another avenue for self-expression.

  19. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    Badda, A. You’re in the middle of something above your intelligence grade
    B. You don’t know the half
    C. Mitch has been holding a grudge, maybe you caught that

    Mitch – my self-expression isn’t here, and I’m not here ever(y) day – hardly, and I’m sure as hell here less than most of your rightie friends, my PARODY of your posts is here often, sometimes daily, but I’m often gone for several days at a time – so let’s not exagerate, k?

  20. penigma Avatar
    penigma

    BTW Mitch, I didn’t say it was a funny joke, which is in part why I used it – it wasn’t funny last week, it wasn’t funny the first time it was used either, but there’s no PERHAPS about it, I was kidding.

    I trust you get your work done, but I sure don’t need a baby-sitter either. I trust you’re an adult, do me the courtesy of showing me the same respect. If you don’t appreciate that kind of joke, I’d suggest refraining from em… you know, like ‘stockholm syndrome’, it may have been a joke, but it wasn’t funny.

  21. Mitch Berg Avatar
    Mitch Berg

    Fair enough, more or less.

  22. BradC Avatar
    BradC

    Peev, what part of “Never, ever, ever come back on this blog don’t you understand. You’re such a narcissistic putz that you still post FIVE comments after you were told to go away.

    Oh, and love this one:

    BTW Mitch, don’t you have something better to do, I mean, like work?

    Ah, but it’s OK for you to leave 5-6 comments per hour throughout the work day.

  23. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    From Peev:
    Badda,
    A. You’re in the middle of something above your intelligence grade
    B. You don’t know the half
    C. Mitch has been holding a grudge, maybe you caught that

    Essentially, points A and B appear to be very similar… of course, as it is your opinion it will be duly noted as such.

    Regarding C, if Mitch has a grudge against you it seems strange that he and his commentors are the ones inflicted with your frequent and habitual visits, off-topic comments, and bilge.

    We’ll see how long this ban lasts.
    I suspect Peev has already “crafted” a seventeen paragraph comment… whether he posts it on his “blog” or some other comment section will be seen eventually.

  24. Mitch Berg Avatar
    Mitch Berg

    Peev,

    Check the email associated with the account you’re using.

    As to “grudges”; nope. I don’t hold ’em. Not over this kind of crap.

  25. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    We’ll probably see a new version of Peev/Penigma in less than a week.

    Meet the new Peev / Same as the old Peev
    We’ll all get snoozed again.

  26. Mr. Shirt Avatar
    Mr. Shirt

    I guess when we really get mad around here it’s all in Italics!

    🙂

    Fare the well, moron!

  27. Mr. D Avatar
    Mr. D

    You are amazingly patient, Mitch. I don’t know Peev personally, but his online persona couldn’t be more irritating.

  28. swiftee Avatar
    swiftee

    You’ve banned Peevee? The entire third floor of St. Peter’s feels the Chilling effect.

  29. Yossarian Avatar
    Yossarian

    Perhaps starting out with a thread that doesn’t manifestly insult 60% of the country

    Ohhhhhhh, THAT’S what I heard! I was wondering what that loud groan of outrage I heard this morning outside my window. I had no idea your blog was so damned influential, Mitch.

  30. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    Brad:
    “You’re such a narcissistic putz that you still post FIVE comments after you were told to go away.”

    To be fair, Peev doesn’t really go back and read stuff that folks write… he quickly moves on, especially when anyone asks him to justify, substantiate, or support his claims.

  31. Mr. Shirt Avatar
    Mr. Shirt

    I’m surprised an IT “professional” would have such a hard time with math.

    60%? Obama got 52% of the popular vote, which accounts for 32% of eligible voters, & about 23% of the entire US population.

  32. Master of None Avatar
    Master of None

    I was going to up my offer to ban Peeve to $50, but now I see that’s not necessary.

    Still, I’ll make the donation to a charity of Mitch’s choice, or beers at Keegan’s whichever comes first.

  33. nerdbert Avatar
    nerdbert

    My google “Quotes of the Day” came up with the perfect summation of the peeve:

    A healthy male adult bore consumes each year one and a half times his own weight in other people’s patience.
    – John Updike

  34. Night Writer Avatar
    Night Writer

    For some reason I keep remembering the scene in LOTR: The Two Towers where Smeagol banishes Gollum:

    “LEAVE NOW AND NEVER COME BACK! …. We told him to go away… and away he goes, Precious! Gone, gone, gone! Smeagol is free! FREE! FREEEE!”

  35. LearnedFoot Avatar
    LearnedFoot

    It’s quiet.

    Too quiet…

  36. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    Regarding Mitch’s recent decision to ban Peev (yet again), I’ll paraphrase the Bloviating Bard:

    ~~~~~
    I Have Never

    I have never been prourder of Shot in the Dark or of my fellow blogger than I am today.

    I stand here, humbled by the greatness of our local electronic experiment, humbled by the wisdom of its founder, and grateful for the fortune of my reading it.

    I stand here with tears in my eyes, watching a wonderful, articulate, brilliant man make the decision as owner and operator of Shot in the Dark.

    I know someone finds this faith, this exhultant joy, to be mysterious. He feels our faith is both unfounded, and grounded in a lack of fact or wisdom.

    I counter that it is he who profoundly underestimates the pride, patriotism, and resolve of those who backed Mitch Berg. In truth, our joy stems from the fact that for several years we were excluded, for several years our wisdom was discarded, our intellect ignored, our opinion dismissed and even more often demeaned. (Sometimes, all in the same post.) He does not understand the pent-up frustratoins at watching the compassion of online bloggers and commentors go squandered, moved upwared, and shipped off. They do not understand the pent-up frustrations of watching our statewide reputation and integrity get traded away for an ephemral peace more true in words than in fact.

    So today, our frustration is released, our hopes renewed, our faith endures and we feel has been rewarded that what we know to be great about America, its decency, its common purpose and willingness to meet a common need, has been restored again, refreshed again. We are more wise than our pernicious critic ever understood, and as facts bore out, that this blog does best when we do not set out dividing lines, looking to the welfare of a few, but rather when we ask that smug, ego-manical jackass to put his money where his mouth is, provide quotes and links, and substantiate his baseless claims.

    Today the excersizing of private property rights by Mitch on Shot in the Dark is less about the man, than the restoration of decency and honesty and most of all common ground among us. I invite his critic to grasp and accept we are not naive’, but instead fair minded and impatient for this blog to carve out the path again it started down several years ago.

    (Original text found at Penigma’s Pen of Pernicious Petulance)

  37. LearnedFoot Avatar
    LearnedFoot

    If we didn’t have Peev, we’d have to make him up. And it wouldn’t be very hard.

  38. Mr. D Avatar
    Mr. D

    If we didn’t have Peev, we’d have to make him up. And it wouldn’t be very hard.

    True. All you have to do is disable the spellcheck and emote. Pharmaceuticals optional.

  39. swiftee Avatar
    swiftee

    Mitch, I propose you pre-empt the inevitable and start a poll for the next psuedonym under which peevee will once again poke his pointy little head above the sewer.

    ‘Cause you just know he’s sitting there right now wringing his hands and sweating all over those “IT Professional” magazines he’s never been mentioned in.

  40. jimf Avatar
    jimf

    And now back to something Penguin actually said, without backing it up. “Conservative super-majorities who believe your earnings belong to anyone powerfull enough to take it.” You mean like the goverment? No, we don`t believe that Peev. Earnings taken by someone powerfull – That`s the goverment collecting taxes. Do you know what your trying to say? And when have Conservatives ever had a super-majority, whatever that is? You mean fillibuster-proof? Please name.

  41. Badda Avatar
    Badda

    Peev might not have backed that up, Jimf, because Mitch recently banned him.

    Although, we all know Peev simply wouldn’t back it up, much less attempt to back it up, even if he were free to post here.

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