1) Sound Science. This phrase enrages me, because what does it mean? It is completely bull shit. "Sound science should be used to discuss environmental issues" whose sound science are you using? Reverend Joe Schmo who doesn't believe we're hurting the environment? Scientist B that is bought out by your political team? kytfyjtfy5rytyjdytd ::insert rage here::
We can drop the words 'sound science' as soon as non-scientists return to keeping their mouth shut about what is and isn't 'settled' scientifically. We use the term 'sound science' while teaching students and have for a long time, the public doesn't get to dictate our terminology. I gather people have been known to object to eigenvectors and eigenfunction because eigen is german for proper, and they thought it was un-PC what with the Nazis always labeling things as right or superior. Objecting to saying sound before science is just as bizarre as would be 'proper' 'proven' 'trustworthy' 'firm' or just about any other one. We do that, we'd have to drop one of our favorite lines "Well, the theory is sound..."
I have no problem with actual sound science; however, a lot of politicians do use the term to facilitate their agendas. I am not bashing on either Republicans or Democrats, because both sides do it, and it is extremely annoying.
2) Family Values. Because unless we're going to be social communists, every family is going to have different values.
I guess that would depend on the context someone's using it in. There are some loose guidelines that the vast majority of parents aim for, people who vigorously pursue ends to support that can call themselves a family values candidate, although with so many public cases of violation its sort of falling out of use.
Exactly, there are several broad ideals that parents strive for, like teaching your children not to kill, rape, pillage, lie, cheat, etc...principles which 99% of the country share. This is the reason why I dislike the term "Family Values" because the media and politicians use it to clearly separate the country into two categories: those following proper guidelines, and the social deviants that eat children and sit at home devising ways to further destroy the family unit (I prefer doing this function on Sundays, while proper Americans are at church; I just sit on my bed, eating my anti-American food, watching pro-socialist TV shows based in Scandinavia (where as you know, all bad ideas originate)thinking about how I could make soccer moms around the country cry).
3) Green. I used to like this word, but now that everyone is jumping on the band wagon, it feels like a broken record, especially when companies that aren't "Green" whatsoever use the word to describe their products.
Yeah, this is overused, but it really just became a handy shorter was of saying environmentally safe, eco-friendly, etc which were previously in use.
I dislike all of those terms when they're used inappropriately as well.
4) Clean Coal Technology. Are you fucking kidding me? Need I say anything?
Totally legit, the term was coined when acid rain was all the rage, the tech involved cleans the coal of impurities like sulfur dioxide, obviously you can't clean carbon out of coal since that's what coal is. If people have weird ideas about it, that's their own problem, we're not going to re-name technology that's exactly what it sounds like because some people don't realize that cleaning coal of impurities and capturing or sequestering the primary byproduct of burning coal are different.
I understand the benefits of purging SO2 and other impurities from the coal, but it is like removing weevils from already rotting bread; you're only solving one of the problems. Although it does help, I still don't like eating moldy bread.
5) True American. Really, Sarah Palin? Only people living in towns of less than 10 thousand, preferably with only one stop light are real Americans? I think Jon Stewart summed this up best when he said, "New York City was American enough for Al Qaeda, so it should be American enough for you." Because, unfortunately, we're all in this together, so if I can despise people like you, and still admit we come from the same country (with apoplexy in my reaction, of course), then you should be able to accept me as well.
'True American' is and 'patriot' have been kicked around for a very long time. 'Genuine American' or 'Traditional American' aren't very catchy.
Call me pessimistic, or a cynic, or whatever. I think I've read too many propagandized speeches (i.e. any speech ever created).
6) The Gay Agenda. We're not a cunning underground group trying to maneuver in and steal your children for our pagan rituals of blood lust, pedophilia, and mass killings. Thanks.
I was actually under the impression that was the preferred term for it, I shall make a point of watching my use of the term. Id do regular say things like 'conservative agenda', 'liberal agenda', 'environmentalist agenda' 'our agenda' 'the agenda of...' 'MSM Agenda', there some alternate term? I wouldn't advise LGBT, personally I have a bad tendency to say LGTB and I'm waiting for the day I totally garble it and say BLT. When people say conservative/liberal/environmental/etc agenda they aren't trying to imply everyone with those beliefs holds secret meetings involving pagan rites, mass murder, etc either
I find it curious that you didn't add pedophilia into your comments on my original post...are you claiming pedophilia is, in fact, part of the Gay Agenda? I might have to track you down if you claim I am anything like those people in NAMBLA
7. The Heartland. Really? The Midwest is the heartland of America? Well, seeing how a large majority of the Midwest is unpopulated, that either means A. America is heartless, or B. our hearts are made out of corn and soy (which is pretty accurate given the shit that a lot of people imbibe, ingest). Actually, now that I think about it, both A and B are true.
I've very attached to the word heartland, personally I've always thought Ohio was kind of heart-shaped, but the region is called that because it's at the center or 'heart' of the country and also happens to be the agricultural center. Aslo don't know why you're saying there aren't many people in the midwest, it's 12 states. There are around 70-80 million people living there, of which 30 million live in just the ten biggest cities, IIRC 3 of the top ten most populous states are in the midwest, illinois, ohio, and michigan.
I'm from Ohio, and yes it does look like a heart, however, if this is the heart of America, I cringe. I guess I was including a little bit more than just the "mid west" in my original thoughts, by including Colorado, Wyoming, North/South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas...you know, the actual middle of the country. Sorry for not specifying.
If you could ban some words from political discourse, which would you ban?
- 13/03/2010 06:35:25 AM
1311 Views
all of them.
- 13/03/2010 04:42:02 PM
554 Views
I'm sure the one-fingered salute would turn up more frequently, then.
- 14/03/2010 02:31:34 PM
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Two: Bipartisan and progressive.
- 13/03/2010 05:14:36 PM
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"progressive" was created to get around the "liberal" label the right uses
- 13/03/2010 06:00:40 PM
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Does the right really have the power to make a word dirty?
- 13/03/2010 06:27:46 PM
547 Views
considering that "liberal" has taken the place of "communist" for "something bad" i'd say yes
- 13/03/2010 07:07:21 PM
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There's a flawed premise in there though
- 13/03/2010 10:43:58 PM
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Re: There's a flawed premise in there though
- 14/03/2010 09:34:58 AM
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Re: There's a flawed premise in there though
- 14/03/2010 02:56:45 PM
548 Views
If that's the case you should try to reclaim the word, not demonize it.
- 15/03/2010 08:14:11 AM
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It probably will be down the road
- 15/03/2010 04:59:58 PM
626 Views
Good...? 
- 15/03/2010 09:17:22 PM
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- 15/03/2010 09:17:22 PM
671 Views
Re: Good...?
- 15/03/2010 10:20:53 PM
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- 15/03/2010 10:20:53 PM
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Re: Good...?
- 29/03/2010 04:15:16 PM
601 Views
- 29/03/2010 04:15:16 PM
601 Views
Joel and Isaac prepare to hijack another thread 
- 30/03/2010 01:15:40 AM
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- 30/03/2010 01:15:40 AM
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As long as I get top billing.
- 03/04/2010 11:54:38 AM
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- 03/04/2010 11:54:38 AM
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Re: As long as I get top billing.
- 03/04/2010 12:50:54 PM
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- 03/04/2010 12:50:54 PM
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Re: As long as I get top billing.
- 04/04/2010 01:33:27 PM
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- 04/04/2010 01:33:27 PM
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Heh. It's not what you say, it's how you say it. *edit*
I woulkd say the left made the word liberal dirty
- 15/03/2010 05:15:24 PM
481 Views
it must be a terrible terrible burden on you to have all the answers to everything... 
*NM*
- 15/03/2010 11:08:04 PM
321 Views
*NM*
- 15/03/2010 11:08:04 PM
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just as being stupid must be a burden for you *NM*
- 16/03/2010 02:06:43 PM
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what? no sandy vagina comment? you're slipping.... *NM*
- 16/03/2010 02:51:19 PM
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How's that paranoia treating you?
- 16/03/2010 12:53:31 AM
517 Views
how is that head in sand treating you?
- 16/03/2010 02:19:54 PM
523 Views
Re: how is that head in sand treating you?
- 16/03/2010 09:07:09 PM
670 Views
Which fringe group do you believe I belong to?
- 16/03/2010 10:23:53 PM
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if all of this is true....
- 16/03/2010 11:17:19 PM
524 Views
Because strong partisanship and actual extremism are two very different things, I'd say. *NM*
- 16/03/2010 11:27:02 PM
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*NM*
- 16/03/2010 11:27:02 PM
266 Views
I am a militant moderate
- 18/03/2010 01:45:40 PM
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*NM*
Just because an idea is new DOESN'T mean it constitutes progress, agreed.
- 15/03/2010 08:03:14 AM
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hope and change 
*NM*
- 14/03/2010 03:32:34 PM
391 Views
*NM*
- 14/03/2010 03:32:34 PM
391 Views
None; if the other side frames an issue better than you, that's your fault, not theirs.
- 15/03/2010 07:55:57 AM
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Words/phrases that I would abolish:
- 15/03/2010 02:41:51 PM
646 Views
Re: Words/phrases that I would abolish:
- 15/03/2010 04:27:21 PM
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Re: Words/phrases that I would abolish:
- 15/03/2010 04:48:48 PM
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leave to a liberal to want to ban words they don't like *NM*
- 15/03/2010 05:10:19 PM
263 Views
Re: leave to a liberal to want to ban words they don't like
- 15/03/2010 05:38:24 PM
501 Views
That was weak
- 15/03/2010 05:48:34 PM
489 Views
at least it mirrored your original comment. *NM*
- 15/03/2010 05:53:34 PM
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to bad it didn't mirror reality
- 15/03/2010 08:33:18 PM
447 Views
you misspoke
- 16/03/2010 12:36:23 AM
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that is often true but I don't think it is true now
- 16/03/2010 04:12:18 PM
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Re: that is often true but I don't think it is true now
- 16/03/2010 09:34:42 PM
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Al Franken is a joke right?
- 16/03/2010 10:31:41 PM
485 Views
Re: Al Franken is a joke right?
- 17/03/2010 05:34:25 PM
528 Views