An effluent tribute for the man who did so much to help the affluent.
July 18, 2008 2:11 AM Subscribe
The San Francisco Department of Elections has qualified our initiative. The Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco has won its ballot initiative to honor George W. Bush: Should The City And County of San Francsico Rename The Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W Bush Sewage Plant?
While I support this initiative, it is depressing that this has gotten people more motivated than the prosecution of actual war crimes and violations of constitutional rights.
*big fat sigh*
However, if the ballot initiative passes, it will offer the fine citizens of San Francisco the closest thing to actually shitting on the president.
Other than taking a dump while sitting in the stall next to him and flinging it over the wall at him.
posted by chillmost at 2:26 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
*big fat sigh*
However, if the ballot initiative passes, it will offer the fine citizens of San Francisco the closest thing to actually shitting on the president.
Other than taking a dump while sitting in the stall next to him and flinging it over the wall at him.
posted by chillmost at 2:26 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
I'd prefer they didn't do him the honor of naming anything after him. This seems like a rather childish way to perpetuate the hate and infighting that this depressing administration has continuously fostered. It would be more fulfilling to see the nation collectively agree to move past these sad times and start focusing on righting the ship. Initiate a strategic plan to shift the troops from Iraq to Afganistan, and systematically deconstruct Al Queda. Close Guantanamo, and numerous other unpublicized facilities. Establish a moratorium on torturous practices and issue a national apology. Start addressing the massive economical and environmental issues. Start addressing the genocides and other mass atrocities across Africa.
I'll be happier when we can forget about how far we dipped as a nation, rather than continuing in this pattern of hate. Hate what the man did, sure. But continue hating him, and you not only condone hatred from the other side, you further debase everyone's ability to solve our generation's problems.
posted by allkindsoftime at 2:26 AM on July 18, 2008 [9 favorites]
I'll be happier when we can forget about how far we dipped as a nation, rather than continuing in this pattern of hate. Hate what the man did, sure. But continue hating him, and you not only condone hatred from the other side, you further debase everyone's ability to solve our generation's problems.
posted by allkindsoftime at 2:26 AM on July 18, 2008 [9 favorites]
I'm going to have to start eating more beans.
posted by loquacious at 2:30 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by loquacious at 2:30 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
allkindsoftime, your reply is great. I added it. But, I think you're confusing America with a mature, united, wise country (not that one exists... although Japan is a candidate... I guess getting nuked to fuck makes people kind of circumspect).
America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive. This will continue to be the case and no one can fix it.
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:32 AM on July 18, 2008
America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive. This will continue to be the case and no one can fix it.
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:32 AM on July 18, 2008
But a sewage treatment plant is a good thing. I shudder to think that many years from now, someone might make the mistake that Bush commissioned it to be made when it was gravely needed.
Couldn't they petition their city government to make a statement instead? Is that possible?
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:51 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
Couldn't they petition their city government to make a statement instead? Is that possible?
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:51 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive.
and a third much larger nation of those who are apathetic and satisfied with the status quo, enjoy commercial FM radio, don't read books, don't vote, eat crap, don't exercise, don't know or hate their neighbours, don't get angry at anything apart from traffic or the kids. It's the constituency that the crop of crap that runs today's world rely on.
posted by mattoxic at 2:52 AM on July 18, 2008 [9 favorites]
and a third much larger nation of those who are apathetic and satisfied with the status quo, enjoy commercial FM radio, don't read books, don't vote, eat crap, don't exercise, don't know or hate their neighbours, don't get angry at anything apart from traffic or the kids. It's the constituency that the crop of crap that runs today's world rely on.
posted by mattoxic at 2:52 AM on July 18, 2008 [9 favorites]
awesome! Keep going guys. We can finally shit on the dumb ass!
posted by watercressprincess at 2:52 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by watercressprincess at 2:52 AM on July 18, 2008
No! That might offend someone!
posted by borkingchikapa at 2:52 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by borkingchikapa at 2:52 AM on July 18, 2008
Couldn't they petition their city government to make a statement instead? Is that possible?
Why can't we do all of the above?
posted by vacapinta at 2:55 AM on July 18, 2008
Why can't we do all of the above?
posted by vacapinta at 2:55 AM on July 18, 2008
Chuckdarwin:
allkindsoftime, your reply is great. I added it. But, I think you're confusing America with a mature, united, wise country (not that one exists... although Japan is a candidate... I guess getting nuked to fuck makes people kind of circumspect)
Dude, America's sunk pretty low, but in no way is Japan "wiser" or more "mature" than the US. More united, sure, but that's because 90-something percent of the country is the same ethnic group.
posted by borkingchikapa at 2:59 AM on July 18, 2008
allkindsoftime, your reply is great. I added it. But, I think you're confusing America with a mature, united, wise country (not that one exists... although Japan is a candidate... I guess getting nuked to fuck makes people kind of circumspect)
Dude, America's sunk pretty low, but in no way is Japan "wiser" or more "mature" than the US. More united, sure, but that's because 90-something percent of the country is the same ethnic group.
posted by borkingchikapa at 2:59 AM on July 18, 2008
one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive.
I consider myself to be all of those things. I continue to hold the faint hope that there might be others like me out there.
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:40 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
I consider myself to be all of those things. I continue to hold the faint hope that there might be others like me out there.
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:40 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
When the US comes up with something as mature as the Kyoto Treaty, get back to me, borkingchikapa.
(I wasn't thinking about ethnicity; many ethnically diverse countries manage to come up with far more mature policies than the US ever has... just look at the NHS).
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:46 AM on July 18, 2008
(I wasn't thinking about ethnicity; many ethnically diverse countries manage to come up with far more mature policies than the US ever has... just look at the NHS).
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:46 AM on July 18, 2008
and a third much larger nation of those who are apathetic and satisfied with the status quo, enjoy commercial FM radio, don't read books, don't vote, eat crap, don't exercise, don't know or hate their neighbours, don't get angry at anything apart from traffic or the kids. It's the constituency that the crop of crap that runs today's world rely on.
Well said. These lot are the ones who tend not to vote... or vote based on something as silly as what someone looks like (or based on a single issue like immigration).
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:47 AM on July 18, 2008
Well said. These lot are the ones who tend not to vote... or vote based on something as silly as what someone looks like (or based on a single issue like immigration).
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:47 AM on July 18, 2008
allkindsoftime writes "I'll be happier when we can forget about how far we dipped as a nation, rather than continuing in this pattern of hate. Hate what the man did, sure. But continue hating him, and you not only condone hatred from the other side, you further debase everyone's ability to solve our generation's problems."
Nice sentiments, but bullshit.
Forgetting means repeating. Making nice means no consequences. We're not going to see impeachment or war crime trials, so at the very least, let's give future presidents some small pause by tainting the Bush legacy.
As it is, Bush and Cheney and Abu Gonzales and David Addison and John Yoo will not only never see the inside of a prison cell, will not only die comfortably in bed, will not only live lives uncomplicated by fear or privation or hunger or doubt or shame -- all of which have been or will be visited on our soldiers serving in Iraq and on the Iraqi population and on our victims in Gautanamo and Abu Ghraib --, those men will not even be snubbed at their country clubs.
Each of these evil and anti-American men will be lionized, feted, and congratulated, will leave government for prestigious jobs requiring little work as theirthanks payment from a grateful nation Corporocracy for their crimes, and we will even be told -- again! -- by Laura Bush that it is her husband who suffers most of all over the Iraq War.
No, it's only by forgiving and forgetting that we debase our nation. I wish we could do so much more to redeem ourselves as a nation for our complicity in Bush's crimes, but if it starts with a sewage plant in Nancy Pelosi's district because Nancy Pelosi took impeachment off the table, that's where it will have to start.
If our only check on future presidents, if our only way to make them think twice before committing war crimes and the trashing the Constitution is the threat of a legacy smeared with a sewage plant, if that's all we have, then let's damned well use it!
posted by orthogonality at 4:01 AM on July 18, 2008 [28 favorites]
Nice sentiments, but bullshit.
Forgetting means repeating. Making nice means no consequences. We're not going to see impeachment or war crime trials, so at the very least, let's give future presidents some small pause by tainting the Bush legacy.
As it is, Bush and Cheney and Abu Gonzales and David Addison and John Yoo will not only never see the inside of a prison cell, will not only die comfortably in bed, will not only live lives uncomplicated by fear or privation or hunger or doubt or shame -- all of which have been or will be visited on our soldiers serving in Iraq and on the Iraqi population and on our victims in Gautanamo and Abu Ghraib --, those men will not even be snubbed at their country clubs.
Each of these evil and anti-American men will be lionized, feted, and congratulated, will leave government for prestigious jobs requiring little work as their
No, it's only by forgiving and forgetting that we debase our nation. I wish we could do so much more to redeem ourselves as a nation for our complicity in Bush's crimes, but if it starts with a sewage plant in Nancy Pelosi's district because Nancy Pelosi took impeachment off the table, that's where it will have to start.
If our only check on future presidents, if our only way to make them think twice before committing war crimes and the trashing the Constitution is the threat of a legacy smeared with a sewage plant, if that's all we have, then let's damned well use it!
posted by orthogonality at 4:01 AM on July 18, 2008 [28 favorites]
When the US comes up with something as mature as the Kyoto Treaty, get back to me, borkingchikapa.
Japan didn't come up with it on its own. It just so happened that the meeting was held in Kyoto.
posted by monocot at 4:04 AM on July 18, 2008
Japan didn't come up with it on its own. It just so happened that the meeting was held in Kyoto.
posted by monocot at 4:04 AM on July 18, 2008
Yeah, but they were HAPPY to host it there... and they fully supported the plan. I'd even go so far as to say that they were PROUD it was named after Kyoto.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:10 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:10 AM on July 18, 2008
Let's remember that is the president who asserts a an unchecked and uncheckable right to literally torture little children if, solely in his opinion, that would further "national security".
Let's also remember that at least one child in Guantanamo was tortured and threatened with rape by Americans working for this president.
Let's also remember the numerous children at Abu Ghraib, a torture prison run by Americans working for this president, who were videotaped being raped.
No, I don't think naming a sewage plant for this president is overly vindictive. I don't think it's justice, either, but it's a pale and feeble start at justice.
posted by orthogonality at 4:21 AM on July 18, 2008
Let's also remember that at least one child in Guantanamo was tortured and threatened with rape by Americans working for this president.
Let's also remember the numerous children at Abu Ghraib, a torture prison run by Americans working for this president, who were videotaped being raped.
No, I don't think naming a sewage plant for this president is overly vindictive. I don't think it's justice, either, but it's a pale and feeble start at justice.
posted by orthogonality at 4:21 AM on July 18, 2008
Cassel: If the President deems that he’s got to torture somebody, including by crushing the testicles of the person’s child, there is no law that can stop him?
John Yoo: No treaty.
Cassel: Also no law by Congress. That is what you wrote in the August 2002 memo.
John Yoo: I think it depends on why the President thinks he needs to do that.
posted by orthogonality at 4:28 AM on July 18, 2008 [3 favorites]
John Yoo: No treaty.
Cassel: Also no law by Congress. That is what you wrote in the August 2002 memo.
John Yoo: I think it depends on why the President thinks he needs to do that.
posted by orthogonality at 4:28 AM on July 18, 2008 [3 favorites]
But they note that the plant is an award-winning facility that keeps the city's streets and the ocean clean
Ahem: Because of the remarkable Southwest Ocean Outfall line (SWOO), the OSP does not have to disinfect its final effluent flow. However, disinfection tanks were constructed to prepare for future regulatory changes.
The ultimate element of the system is the South-west Ocean Outfall which has as its objective all flows transported to it, and conveying them to disposal and dispersion at a distance of from 3.2 to 8.0 km out into the Pacific Ocean, west of the San Francisco Peninsula.
Translation: Because this plant has a good place to dump its effluent, it doesn't have to be all that clean coming out of the pipe.
posted by three blind mice at 4:34 AM on July 18, 2008
Ahem: Because of the remarkable Southwest Ocean Outfall line (SWOO), the OSP does not have to disinfect its final effluent flow. However, disinfection tanks were constructed to prepare for future regulatory changes.
The ultimate element of the system is the South-west Ocean Outfall which has as its objective all flows transported to it, and conveying them to disposal and dispersion at a distance of from 3.2 to 8.0 km out into the Pacific Ocean, west of the San Francisco Peninsula.
Translation: Because this plant has a good place to dump its effluent, it doesn't have to be all that clean coming out of the pipe.
posted by three blind mice at 4:34 AM on July 18, 2008
orthogonality, your link just made me vomit.
It's a rather unpleasant experience to see all that data at once... the world seemed to come unhinged for a minute... like when you're dreaming that you're falling and you wake up only to find that someone has slipped you a roofie.
That's OK, dude. I needed to lose some weight.
p.s. I want my fucking eight years back.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:41 AM on July 18, 2008
It's a rather unpleasant experience to see all that data at once... the world seemed to come unhinged for a minute... like when you're dreaming that you're falling and you wake up only to find that someone has slipped you a roofie.
That's OK, dude. I needed to lose some weight.
p.s. I want my fucking eight years back.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:41 AM on July 18, 2008
You do well, you get a nice statue or a monument. Why not recognize the heroic underperformers as well?
posted by zippy at 4:52 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by zippy at 4:52 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
The thing takes sewage and produces clean water. How can the Republicans object to naming an environmental benefit like that after Mr Bush?
posted by DreamerFi at 5:03 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by DreamerFi at 5:03 AM on July 18, 2008
Nice sentiments, but bullshit.
100% yes. This country is full of apathetic doo-gooders who just want to close their eyes and make all the boogie men go away. It doesn't work like that. Turn the other cheek and you just get slapped twice.
If you ask me, this nation hasn't got nearly enough hate. It's got plenty of don't like, but not enough raw, animal hatred to do anything about it. The torch-bearers of civilization need to declare open war against the stupid and the passive. The world is full of people who don't care that hundreds of billions of dollars have been flushed down the toilet. They don't care that hundreds of thousands of people have died. They don't care about your good intentions, except to use them against you for their own advantage. They would sell us all out for an extra buck. They are the rot of the civilized world, and should be thrown into the lion's pit where their limbs are torn asunder. And after the lions have had their way with them, take the bits of their bones and scraps of their flesh that remain and send them to the four corners of the country, where their rotting remains stand as a message to future despots, tyrants, and other traitors of the civilized world.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:36 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
100% yes. This country is full of apathetic doo-gooders who just want to close their eyes and make all the boogie men go away. It doesn't work like that. Turn the other cheek and you just get slapped twice.
If you ask me, this nation hasn't got nearly enough hate. It's got plenty of don't like, but not enough raw, animal hatred to do anything about it. The torch-bearers of civilization need to declare open war against the stupid and the passive. The world is full of people who don't care that hundreds of billions of dollars have been flushed down the toilet. They don't care that hundreds of thousands of people have died. They don't care about your good intentions, except to use them against you for their own advantage. They would sell us all out for an extra buck. They are the rot of the civilized world, and should be thrown into the lion's pit where their limbs are torn asunder. And after the lions have had their way with them, take the bits of their bones and scraps of their flesh that remain and send them to the four corners of the country, where their rotting remains stand as a message to future despots, tyrants, and other traitors of the civilized world.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:36 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
Sarcasm has no lasting value.
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:38 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:38 AM on July 18, 2008
After reading all the comments here, the funny part of all this is pretty much a dead fish in the toilet, and I have to agree: the intended insult, though pretty insulting at first glance, is not so much of an insult at all and if taken to a liberal extent, is a compliment.
For the entire Bush administration (Bush, his cabinet, other staffers, and further more: the voters that got him in) took a fairly clean slate and dumped a shit load of sewage upon it, not the other way around.
So as a suitable replacement: we need to find a decently large landfill, where the trash does not go away, may decompose, may not. Name THAT after the entire administration and the 8 years we have been under it, as a huge reminder that the nation gets what it votes for, and the effects of that administration do not just 'go away.'
Problem is I would not have a good opinion on what landfill could get the honor of dishonoring this president. That's open for debate.
posted by JoeXIII007 at 5:39 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
For the entire Bush administration (Bush, his cabinet, other staffers, and further more: the voters that got him in) took a fairly clean slate and dumped a shit load of sewage upon it, not the other way around.
So as a suitable replacement: we need to find a decently large landfill, where the trash does not go away, may decompose, may not. Name THAT after the entire administration and the 8 years we have been under it, as a huge reminder that the nation gets what it votes for, and the effects of that administration do not just 'go away.'
Problem is I would not have a good opinion on what landfill could get the honor of dishonoring this president. That's open for debate.
posted by JoeXIII007 at 5:39 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
BrotherCaine writes "Sarcasm has no lasting value."
Tell me that the next time you're eating an Irish suckling child, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled.
posted by orthogonality at 5:43 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
Tell me that the next time you're eating an Irish suckling child, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled.
posted by orthogonality at 5:43 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
Satire on the other hand...
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:44 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:44 AM on July 18, 2008
To all the humour-challenger responders: if this passes, you could say there are two George W. Bushes, one full of shit, and another one which actually does something about it.
posted by Skeptic at 5:47 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by Skeptic at 5:47 AM on July 18, 2008
If our only check on future presidents, if our only way to make them think twice before committing war crimes and the trashing the Constitution is the threat of a legacy smeared with a sewage plant, if that's all we have, then let's damned well use it!
If that's our only check, it doesn't matter if we use it or not, we're screwed.
We need to do a hell of a lot more than that, as I already indicated. We need to empower ourselves and elect candidates which will make the necessary changes - the ones I only began to list at a high level, but you chose to ignore.
We need to stop acting like victims that only have the power to make a weak joke about how shitty our president is. We need to understand that we can do more.
posted by allkindsoftime at 5:58 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
If that's our only check, it doesn't matter if we use it or not, we're screwed.
We need to do a hell of a lot more than that, as I already indicated. We need to empower ourselves and elect candidates which will make the necessary changes - the ones I only began to list at a high level, but you chose to ignore.
We need to stop acting like victims that only have the power to make a weak joke about how shitty our president is. We need to understand that we can do more.
posted by allkindsoftime at 5:58 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
Are there some tragedies that are simply beyond joking? That hurt so much it is frankly impossible to laugh, no matter how black your humour? We laugh so we shall not cry, but there are few who laugh at a funeral. The economy is on life support, our way of life is basically terminal, and the sitting president gives us foolish distraction after distraction while pumping the last dregs of blood from the carcasse into the the veins of his military-industrial complex cohorts.
When will the wake be, and what will we toast to?
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:06 AM on July 18, 2008
When will the wake be, and what will we toast to?
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:06 AM on July 18, 2008
Isn't a sewage treatment plan kind of the opposite of George Bush's touch?
posted by Ron Thanagar at 6:11 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by Ron Thanagar at 6:11 AM on July 18, 2008
We laugh so we shall not cry, but there are few who laugh at a funeral.
And none who laugh at their own. However, there are tons of people who make jokes on their deathbed.
I don't see the terminally broken state of the West being fixed. The scariest part for me is that all the people who think we will get past this and look back in a hundred years and laugh, have no plan at all for how things are going to be fixed: "The market will solve these problems (like peak oil) when we need it".
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 6:27 AM on July 18, 2008
And none who laugh at their own. However, there are tons of people who make jokes on their deathbed.
I don't see the terminally broken state of the West being fixed. The scariest part for me is that all the people who think we will get past this and look back in a hundred years and laugh, have no plan at all for how things are going to be fixed: "The market will solve these problems (like peak oil) when we need it".
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 6:27 AM on July 18, 2008
Chuck, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? You seem a bit pissed, or at least more than usual.
This is a crappy post.
posted by a3matrix at 6:30 AM on July 18, 2008
This is a crappy post.
posted by a3matrix at 6:30 AM on July 18, 2008
Are you kidding? This is the shit.
posted by ryanrs at 6:34 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by ryanrs at 6:34 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
I didn't post this one :-)
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:35 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:35 AM on July 18, 2008
When the US comes up with something as mature as the Kyoto Treaty, get back to me, borkingchikapa.
What the hell? Japan didn't "come up" with the Kyoto Treaty, it just happened to be signed there. The US was involved in it's negotiation (along with lots of other countries), but Clinton couldn't get the republican congress to sign it.
Calling Japan a "mature country" is ridiculous. They still refuse to acknowledge their war crimes, unlike Germany, and while their constitution bans war, which is obviously a good thing, it only does so because they lost WWII, and recently there was a huge brouhaha when the government tried to amend the constitution to allow war. There was actually a riot inside the Diet when they tried change that, IIRC. Although the fact that most Japanese are opposed to a change is a good thing.
Now, if I'm remembering this correctly, the major reason for wanting to change the Japanese constitution to allow for peacekeeping operations was because of pressure from the Bush administration, I guess they were hoping that the Japanese could help with peace keeping operations.
posted by delmoi at 6:42 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
What the hell? Japan didn't "come up" with the Kyoto Treaty, it just happened to be signed there. The US was involved in it's negotiation (along with lots of other countries), but Clinton couldn't get the republican congress to sign it.
Calling Japan a "mature country" is ridiculous. They still refuse to acknowledge their war crimes, unlike Germany, and while their constitution bans war, which is obviously a good thing, it only does so because they lost WWII, and recently there was a huge brouhaha when the government tried to amend the constitution to allow war. There was actually a riot inside the Diet when they tried change that, IIRC. Although the fact that most Japanese are opposed to a change is a good thing.
Now, if I'm remembering this correctly, the major reason for wanting to change the Japanese constitution to allow for peacekeeping operations was because of pressure from the Bush administration, I guess they were hoping that the Japanese could help with peace keeping operations.
posted by delmoi at 6:42 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
Japan is a bad example, then. Say Germany :-)
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:53 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:53 AM on July 18, 2008
I think it's worth noting that this petty, immature gesture is coming from the people who were probably the most vocal critics of the petty, immature gesture of renaming french fries on Capitol Hill.
posted by EnormousTalkingOnion at 7:01 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by EnormousTalkingOnion at 7:01 AM on July 18, 2008
Am I the only person who finds this inappropriately disrespectful?
*ducks*
posted by MarshallPoe at 7:02 AM on July 18, 2008
*ducks*
posted by MarshallPoe at 7:02 AM on July 18, 2008
America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive.
There are indeed two nations, in part due to the winner take all election system we embraced when we decided that representatives were supposed to represent one district from a state (carved by the same people) rather than parties. The former can only logically and fairly handle two candidates or two major parties in its current form.
Of course, this can be remedied immediately, by changing it so that the entire state delegation proportionally represents their parties, and then having the Senators to be those who represent districts, by each Senator represent one-half of the state by total land population each (because there is no way to dishonestly gerrymander two halves).
posted by Brian B. at 7:03 AM on July 18, 2008
There are indeed two nations, in part due to the winner take all election system we embraced when we decided that representatives were supposed to represent one district from a state (carved by the same people) rather than parties. The former can only logically and fairly handle two candidates or two major parties in its current form.
Of course, this can be remedied immediately, by changing it so that the entire state delegation proportionally represents their parties, and then having the Senators to be those who represent districts, by each Senator represent one-half of the state by total land population each (because there is no way to dishonestly gerrymander two halves).
posted by Brian B. at 7:03 AM on July 18, 2008
Am I the only person who finds this inappropriately disrespectful?
Absolutely. Sewage treatment and waste disposal are vital endeavors that protect the public health and welfare. These facilities deserve much more respect than this.
posted by malocchio at 7:21 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
Absolutely. Sewage treatment and waste disposal are vital endeavors that protect the public health and welfare. These facilities deserve much more respect than this.
posted by malocchio at 7:21 AM on July 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
You're right MarshallPoe, it's not nearly disrespectful enough.
posted by ursus_comiter at 7:29 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by ursus_comiter at 7:29 AM on July 18, 2008
America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive.
If I am neither of those does that make me Canadian or something?
I think what you are depicting with your statement is the fact that we have far right whackos and far left whackos.
The remaining people probably fall into the moderate center area with slight left/right leanings and keep the country from going completely insane.
It is fun to watch though. These next 3 months are going to be crazy fun.
That said. Naming , or attempting to name, a sewage waste plant after a sitting president is pretty ridiculous, no matter how much you hate him. Grow up already.
Chuck: I didn't mean to imply that you posted the FPP. Just that I had read a bunch of your comments today(maybe some were from yesterday) and you seemed fired up. I don't want you to have a bad Friday is all. :-)
posted by a3matrix at 7:39 AM on July 18, 2008
If I am neither of those does that make me Canadian or something?
I think what you are depicting with your statement is the fact that we have far right whackos and far left whackos.
The remaining people probably fall into the moderate center area with slight left/right leanings and keep the country from going completely insane.
It is fun to watch though. These next 3 months are going to be crazy fun.
That said. Naming , or attempting to name, a sewage waste plant after a sitting president is pretty ridiculous, no matter how much you hate him. Grow up already.
Chuck: I didn't mean to imply that you posted the FPP. Just that I had read a bunch of your comments today(maybe some were from yesterday) and you seemed fired up. I don't want you to have a bad Friday is all. :-)
posted by a3matrix at 7:39 AM on July 18, 2008
Grassroots efforts like this are the reason Obama will not be skating into the white house.
posted by dobbs at 8:15 AM on July 18, 2008
posted by dobbs at 8:15 AM on July 18, 2008
I'm with the others who have suggested that this is inappropriate. Sewage treatment plants have a demonstrable benefit to society, and it seems wrong to burden them with the name of someone who has, at every turn, done what he could to aid the top 1% at the expense, and in fact, direct harm to, everyone else.
I was going to suggest that his legacy should be to be stricken from the books, but orthogonality is right, to forget is to risk allowing repetition. I submit that instead, we rename the sewage itself "George W Bush".
Like, "Oh man, the toilet backed up and now I've got George W Bush all over the floor..." or "We were trekking through the sewers and I'm so glad I had my boots on. The George W Bush was ankle deep and smelled terrible."
That would be a more fitting legacy for him.
posted by quin at 8:15 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
I was going to suggest that his legacy should be to be stricken from the books, but orthogonality is right, to forget is to risk allowing repetition. I submit that instead, we rename the sewage itself "George W Bush".
Like, "Oh man, the toilet backed up and now I've got George W Bush all over the floor..." or "We were trekking through the sewers and I'm so glad I had my boots on. The George W Bush was ankle deep and smelled terrible."
That would be a more fitting legacy for him.
posted by quin at 8:15 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
If I am neither of those does that make me Canadian or something?
Yeah, I'm also not in either of his two nations (at least, not unless he's using a literal but not very common meaning for "free-thinking" and "progressive"), nor in his third. Do I still have to pay taxes?
For those of you who think this is "ridiculous", I find it hard to disagree, but what should the people of San Francisco do instead? Elect Cindy Sheehan? It's pretty clear at this point that we won't be impeaching Bush for Bill of Rights violations nor putting him on trial for war crimes, and you've got to sympathize with those voters who would like to make a statement to the rest of the world that these failings were not unanimous decisions.
posted by roystgnr at 8:18 AM on July 18, 2008
Yeah, I'm also not in either of his two nations (at least, not unless he's using a literal but not very common meaning for "free-thinking" and "progressive"), nor in his third. Do I still have to pay taxes?
For those of you who think this is "ridiculous", I find it hard to disagree, but what should the people of San Francisco do instead? Elect Cindy Sheehan? It's pretty clear at this point that we won't be impeaching Bush for Bill of Rights violations nor putting him on trial for war crimes, and you've got to sympathize with those voters who would like to make a statement to the rest of the world that these failings were not unanimous decisions.
posted by roystgnr at 8:18 AM on July 18, 2008
For those of you who think this is "ridiculous", I find it hard to disagree, but what should the people of San Francisco do instead?
Issue a warrant for George Bush's arrest for war crimes?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 8:24 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
Issue a warrant for George Bush's arrest for war crimes?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 8:24 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
This is the kind of thing that embarrasses me as a San Franciscan. The worst kind of childish political theatre. Yes, we get it--you hate GWB. So do I. So does the overwhelming majority of people in the bay area. The problem is, it just lowers the level of discourse to that of a gaggle of 12 year olds. It's the kind of thing that reinforces stereotypes of SFians as a group of people not to take seriously.
Here's how I imagine this went down. Some 20-somethings parked their fixies at Gestalt. Bought a $6 PBR and a vegan sausage. "Hey man, did you see that sick stencil I painted on the sidewalk in front of Aquarius? It says Bush=Shit. This activist chick totally blew me when I told her about it." "Dude, that's nothing, I've been dressing up as a tranny Uncle Sam getting signatures to name the new waste management plant after GW." "Sick." "Dude."
My hope is that the voters of San Francisco vote overwhelmingly against this, like we did with the proposed "Global Peace Center" initiative.
posted by essband at 8:38 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
Here's how I imagine this went down. Some 20-somethings parked their fixies at Gestalt. Bought a $6 PBR and a vegan sausage. "Hey man, did you see that sick stencil I painted on the sidewalk in front of Aquarius? It says Bush=Shit. This activist chick totally blew me when I told her about it." "Dude, that's nothing, I've been dressing up as a tranny Uncle Sam getting signatures to name the new waste management plant after GW." "Sick." "Dude."
My hope is that the voters of San Francisco vote overwhelmingly against this, like we did with the proposed "Global Peace Center" initiative.
posted by essband at 8:38 AM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
I don't want you to have a bad Friday is all. :-)
Ta. I'm fine. I'm just sooooooo tired of this guy.
posted by chuckdarwin at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2008
Ta. I'm fine. I'm just sooooooo tired of this guy.
posted by chuckdarwin at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2008
Grassroots efforts like this are the reason Obama will not be skating into the white house.
Wrong. This isn't a grassroots anything. It's just a small-minded slap in the face (prefer someone actually slap W up side his head. I'd pay to see that).
The big three network anchors are travelling to Germany and the Middle East for the Obama tour. John McCain has been on 4 trips to the same regions in the last year - no anchors. Hell, CBS didn't even send a correspondent. Grassroots my butt.
posted by j.p. Hung at 9:36 AM on July 18, 2008
Wrong. This isn't a grassroots anything. It's just a small-minded slap in the face (prefer someone actually slap W up side his head. I'd pay to see that).
The big three network anchors are travelling to Germany and the Middle East for the Obama tour. John McCain has been on 4 trips to the same regions in the last year - no anchors. Hell, CBS didn't even send a correspondent. Grassroots my butt.
posted by j.p. Hung at 9:36 AM on July 18, 2008
chuckdarwin: America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive.
This is probably the most breathtakingly stupid thing I've read all day, and there is very little about your viewpoint that is free-thinking, open OR progressive.
posted by dhammond at 12:53 PM on July 18, 2008
This is probably the most breathtakingly stupid thing I've read all day, and there is very little about your viewpoint that is free-thinking, open OR progressive.
posted by dhammond at 12:53 PM on July 18, 2008
America is two nations: one strongly Christian and deeply suspicious and one free-thinking, open and progressive.
And then there's San Francisco...
posted by gyc at 1:08 PM on July 18, 2008
And then there's San Francisco...
posted by gyc at 1:08 PM on July 18, 2008
I was ecstatic - ecstatic! - to sign the petition, and I'll be enthusiastically voting for the measure in November, canceling out the votes of the dour. I really don't see why this initiative generates so much heat among some people.
Issue a warrant for George Bush's arrest for war crimes?
Sure, then we'll send the San Francisco National Guard over to Washington to arrest him and bring him back here in chains.
The thing that I like about this measure is the strong undercurrent of bathos that runs through it. I think seanmpuckett nailed it saying "we laugh so we shall not cry" - I've spent the last eight years being completely appalled by the administration's actions, and surrounded by people who were equally appalled, and none of our opposition to the administration's has amounted to a hill of beans in terms of having an actual effect on their policies. This measure is both a way of recording that opposition and an acknowledgment that we were unable to change anything except the name of our sewage plant.
posted by whir at 1:24 PM on July 18, 2008
Issue a warrant for George Bush's arrest for war crimes?
Sure, then we'll send the San Francisco National Guard over to Washington to arrest him and bring him back here in chains.
The thing that I like about this measure is the strong undercurrent of bathos that runs through it. I think seanmpuckett nailed it saying "we laugh so we shall not cry" - I've spent the last eight years being completely appalled by the administration's actions, and surrounded by people who were equally appalled, and none of our opposition to the administration's has amounted to a hill of beans in terms of having an actual effect on their policies. This measure is both a way of recording that opposition and an acknowledgment that we were unable to change anything except the name of our sewage plant.
posted by whir at 1:24 PM on July 18, 2008
I think the sarcasm and irony will boomerang against the group. As three blind mice points out a few comments earlier, San Franciscans should spend their time, effort, protest, money and petitioning on upgrading and improving the Oceanside WPCP as well as the rest of their sewer systems - one of the oldest on the West Coast.
There are over 16,000 publicly operated wastewater treatment plants in the U.S. and many are facing massive looming upgrade costs as they reach the end of their service life. Worse, many of the sewer pipes under our feet and streets are 30, 50 or 100 years old and desperately need replacing. Sadly, Fed funding for clean water projects has been cut-back throughout the Bush Administration (aka Clean Water State Revolving Fund).
To help raise funding for replacement and upgrades at POTWs the Water Environment Federation launched a campaign called "Water is Life." But calls to upgrade our clean water infrastructure is drowned out by groups trying to rename a wwtp in honor of President whom cut clean water funding year after year.
Do you know the condition of your local wwtp?
posted by alejandrom at 1:35 PM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
There are over 16,000 publicly operated wastewater treatment plants in the U.S. and many are facing massive looming upgrade costs as they reach the end of their service life. Worse, many of the sewer pipes under our feet and streets are 30, 50 or 100 years old and desperately need replacing. Sadly, Fed funding for clean water projects has been cut-back throughout the Bush Administration (aka Clean Water State Revolving Fund).
To help raise funding for replacement and upgrades at POTWs the Water Environment Federation launched a campaign called "Water is Life." But calls to upgrade our clean water infrastructure is drowned out by groups trying to rename a wwtp in honor of President whom cut clean water funding year after year.
Do you know the condition of your local wwtp?
posted by alejandrom at 1:35 PM on July 18, 2008 [1 favorite]
I really don't see why this initiative generates so much heat among some people.
Because some people wish you were "ecstatic" and "enthusiastic" about something other then a token and useless gesture (an easily misinterpreted one, too)?
posted by Snyder at 2:32 PM on July 18, 2008
Because some people wish you were "ecstatic" and "enthusiastic" about something other then a token and useless gesture (an easily misinterpreted one, too)?
posted by Snyder at 2:32 PM on July 18, 2008
Well, I'm fortunate to have a wide variety of things in life which fill me with joy and enthusiasm, which are largely irrelevant to this conversation. As for renaming the plant, it may be a token gesture, but I don't see it as a useless one for the reasons I outlined above.
posted by whir at 3:17 PM on July 18, 2008
posted by whir at 3:17 PM on July 18, 2008
This reminds me of an R. Crumb poster from the sixties: “Remember kids, when you’re smashing the state, to always keep a song in your heart and a smile on your face.”
The funny thing is; the renaming could never have happened back then because, until the Regan administration, all sewage plants were essentially federal projects... designed and 90% paid for and then shadow administered by The Army Corps of Engineers... which makes sense because most sewage plants send their waste downstream in rivers that cross state lines. But regal Ronnie put an end to all that wasteful spending.
posted by Huplescat at 3:50 PM on July 18, 2008
The funny thing is; the renaming could never have happened back then because, until the Regan administration, all sewage plants were essentially federal projects... designed and 90% paid for and then shadow administered by The Army Corps of Engineers... which makes sense because most sewage plants send their waste downstream in rivers that cross state lines. But regal Ronnie put an end to all that wasteful spending.
posted by Huplescat at 3:50 PM on July 18, 2008
I have a difficult time naming anything functioning after our war criminal in chief. Why can't we just name the shit going through the plant after bush?
The San Francisco management of GWB sewage plant!
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 6:16 PM on July 18, 2008
The San Francisco management of GWB sewage plant!
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 6:16 PM on July 18, 2008
Personally, I see it as besmirching the good names of sewage treatment plants the world wide. (I think it's fantastic that it passed, actually.)
allkindsofme I can plenty well hate the man all I want, thank you very much. It doesn't implicitly condone hatred from "the other side," because he, the individual earned my hatred by attempting to destroy my way of life, while enriching himself and his cronies. The isn't a conservative vs. liberal thing -- the current administration has fucked conservatives as much as it has fucked liberals. They've damaged all of America, and a goodly portion of the world beyond it as well. Hatred is a viable emotion, here.
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:43 AM on July 19, 2008
allkindsofme I can plenty well hate the man all I want, thank you very much. It doesn't implicitly condone hatred from "the other side," because he, the individual earned my hatred by attempting to destroy my way of life, while enriching himself and his cronies. The isn't a conservative vs. liberal thing -- the current administration has fucked conservatives as much as it has fucked liberals. They've damaged all of America, and a goodly portion of the world beyond it as well. Hatred is a viable emotion, here.
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:43 AM on July 19, 2008
Ah, it was about time I got another reminder of how much I can't stand some people that I mostly agree with about a lot of things.
posted by the bricabrac man at 10:43 AM on July 20, 2008
posted by the bricabrac man at 10:43 AM on July 20, 2008
dhammond, that was a silly thing to say. What you know about me would hardly fit on a postage stamp.
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:48 PM on July 20, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:48 PM on July 20, 2008
The measure has gained enough signatures to make November's ballot and is now known as Proposition R. You can read the arguments for and against it here. From the argument against: "if we name the local sewage plant after Bush, then what's left to name after Jesse Helms?"
posted by whir at 11:02 PM on August 14, 2008
posted by whir at 11:02 PM on August 14, 2008
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posted by chuckdarwin at 2:19 AM on July 18, 2008 [3 favorites]