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To: rabscuttle385
The biggest question here is why McCain specifically elected to use a Maoist phrase in connection with Palin's fairly obvious future political aspirations.

Occums razor would suggest he used it because it is a relatively common expression in our culture that describes a situation in which many competing ideas are allowed to flourish. In this context, the obvious meaning is that he wants to see many different potential GOP nominees present what they have to offer to the primary voters so that the party can pick a winning combination for 2012.

Yes, it's true Mao came up with the expression, and used it disingenuously, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a benign, commonplace metaphor in American culture. Just as making trains run on time isn't even just because Hitler did it, a metaphor isn't evil just because Mao came up with it.

Of course, reading a sinister meaning into benign expression, and then using it to spin all kinds of wacky conspiracy theories is much more fun that giving it the most obvious meaning, so carry on. I hope your tinfoil hat that fits well!

107 posted on 10/12/2009 1:25:34 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: curiosity; rabscuttle385; dcwusmc; Bob J; JerryP; TigersEye; deport; stephenjohnbanker; AuntB; ...
Just as making trains run on time isn't even(evil?) just because Hitler did it,...

Was that before or after the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

One thing this thread makes abundantly clear is that conservatives and those who wish to return this country to its Constitutional moorings and founding principles are locked in a to-the-death struggle against TWO domestic enemies: the openly-acknowledged socialist Left, and the covert, fifth-column, socialist Establishment Right(which isn't "Right" at all).

Both of these camps view, quite correctly, anyone or any group which advocates a return to limited Constitutional government as a mortal threat to their power, and will do absolutely anything to destroy them. They are, and always have been, playing for keeps, and are now terrified that millions of those Americans for whom these elites have such contempt are now waking up and deciding it's necessary for them to do the same...

111 posted on 10/12/2009 2:33:40 PM PDT by tarheelswamprat
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