"Paul’s request to Grayson is not reasonable"

[jabf2006]

Read it here (http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2010/01/26/opinion/our_opinion/opinion1.txt).

[ItsTime]

How can one over see their own election?

[Keller1967]

How can one over see their own election?

That is essentially what government does with every election. This little story is actually a perfect example of why the idea of government does not work.

Who is in power? The people who get elected.

Who controls the elections? The people in power or the people appointed by those in power.

This will always lead to power being controlled by a very few people.

[dannno]

I agreed with the author, he should keep his elections commission position. I think Grayson should drop out of the Senate race instead.

[Keller1967]

I agreed with the author, he should keep his elections commission position. I think Grayson should drop out of the Senate race instead.

Is there any reason Grayson would want to drop out like that?

[dannno]

Is there any reason Grayson would want to drop out like that?

He's down 19% in the polls :confused:

[Bruno]

yes, it would be unreasonable for someone to ask the fox not to guard the henhouse. :rolleyes:

[Keller1967]

yes, it would be unreasonable for someone to ask the fox not to guard the henhouse. :rolleyes:

The problem is it's not really a hen house, it's a politician guarding access to the government - essentially the fox guarding the fox house, to keep hens out so they stay in their powerless hen areas.

:)

Unless you think Grayson is the predator while the rest of the government isn't, in that case:

:rolleyes:

[Bruno]

The problem is it's not really a hen house, it's a politician guarding access to the government - essentially the fox guarding the fox house, to keep hens out so they stay in their powerless hen areas.

:)

Unless you think Grayson is the predator while the rest of the government isn't, in that case:

:rolleyes:

I approve of your modified metaphor. :)

[Bergie Bergeron]

Did anyone comment?

[dannno]

Did anyone comment?

I did, they didn't post it tho.

[Bruno]

Did anyone comment?

I didn't see any comments and you need to become a member

[jabf2006]

Did anyone comment?

I submitted one. Hasn't been posted yet. Apparently they need to approve the comment first.

[jabf2006]

...thinking about posting an agreeable comment to see how quickly it gets posted...

[Malachi]

Read it here (http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2010/01/26/opinion/our_opinion/opinion1.txt).

Who is the author of this fallacy?
By the Daily News
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 10:59 AM CST

[jabf2006]

Who is the author of this fallacy?
By the Daily News
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 10:59 AM CST

Someone who obviously doesn't want to look like an idiot.

[pacelli]

It is a reasonable request. Garyson is well-educated and should understand the concept of "conflict of interest" well. The fact is that he just doesn't care how things look to his own constituents.

[dannno]

...thinking about posting an agreeable comment to see how quickly it gets posted...

I did that sorta.

My comment was "I agree. Grayson should drop from the Senate race instead."

[aclove]

Next will be an addendum:

"In the interest of maintaining a professional journalistic atmosphere, reader comments will not be accepted on this editorial."

[Malachi]

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Fairness+in+a+sometimes+unfair+profession%3a+secre taries+of+state+often...-a0148657678

It's the day after Election Day; and the ballots are still being counted. You ran for governor and now the results hang in the balance--it's up to the voters or perhaps it isn't. Although running for governor, you are also the secretary of state and you are charged with certifying and in some cases declaring the winner. You order a recount for your own race and in the end declare the winner ...

The position of secretary of state has always been considered something of a political stepping-stone. Members of state legislatures who aim to advance to the next logical point in a political career seek the office, where duties include issuing business licenses, engaging in trade agreements with foreign countries and, in most states, overseeing elections.

It's that last part of the job that can get a bit complicated during a political campaign. Especially when the campaign is the secretary's own.

[Promontorium]

I thought Paul's request for Trayson was obviously a hilarious political jab.

If Paul were serious, he'd file paperwork on the matter.

With that in mind, this author is obviously a shill for Trayson, as this isn't the first shot to cross the brow.

Did this news site ever post a crybaby editorial about Trayson's absurd accusation that Paul isn't a Kentuckian? Did the news site cry foul when Trayson's camp said any of many lies that Rand wants to set all the Guantanamo detainees free without trial, that Rand believes the US directly caused 9/11. Has anyone called out Trayson for his misleading bullshit, like implying elected Republican Congressman Ron Paul is only and ever will be a "failed Libertarian presidential candidate".

"not reasonable"? You've got to be kidding me.


The request for Trayson to recuse himself was at best half-serious. Why the hell in the all the world does a NEWS ORGANIZATION feel the need to defend Trayson's campaign?

The proof is in the Shilling:


"Grayson has done an honest and competent job in his capacity as secretary of state and it is troubling that his chief opponent in the upcoming Republican primary for U.S. Senate, Rand Paul, would send Grayson a letter asking him to recuse himself from overseeing that election."


The use of the term "troubling" has become a modern catch-all for "look, he's the enemy!" I hear it all the time on Faux News. The implication is that simply questioning the unquestionable and perfect Trayson reveals a flaw in Rand Paul, that he is "troubling" (read: dangerous). This is the backdoor insult. The news opinion piece couldn't simply disagree with Paul, they had to attack him.

The overall translation of that one, highly loaded sentence could be:

Trey Grayson: Honest and competent, elected official, beyond reproach.
Rand Paul: That "chief opponent" boo, negative things! He's not elected (not as Secretary of State, like perfect Grayson, nor for "that election") so he's not honest, he's not competent. In fact, he's troubling!

[pacelli]

^^^^ Great analysis, I wonder if that article should have "Paid for by the Gray Treyson Campaign & The Office of the Secretary of State of Kentucky".

[dannno]

Next will be an addendum:

"In the interest of maintaining a professional journalistic atmosphere, reader comments will not be accepted on this editorial."

Well I'll see if the following comment will go through instead:

"Your Mom's request to Grayson is not reasonable."

[rp08orbust]

I thought Paul's request for Trayson was obviously a hilarious political jab.

Really? It seems like a perfectly reasonable request to me. If it ends up being a close election, like Franken vs Coleman in MN 2008, who would want their opponent making decisions about recounts, when to certify the election, etc? If Al Gore had been the secretary of state in Florida in 2000, would not Republicans have demanded that he recuse himself?

[Live Free or Die]

The request was absolutely reasonable.

[Promontorium]

I find the request reasonable, certainly, but the circumstances seem to me to be halfway serious, not a full-on passionate "Don't you dare" kind of situation. More like a "Hey, I asked him nicely to recuse himself from counting his own ballots, and he thought it unwise." which provides Paul with an easy political joke, whereas Trayson couldn't possibly acquiesce. If he did, it would set an unwanted precident, and it would make Trayson look weak; either by a. submitting to an unusual request for Rand Paul making Paul look more important by his ability to get what he wants or b. in complying it would seem even Trayson believes he can't be trusted.

I think in circumstances where political opponents make requests, "reasonable" is unreasonable. If Trayson's best buddy, or his campaign manager, or some other state employee had made the request, mayhaps Trayson wouldn't find it so 'unreasonable'. But it's too late now. It would take a court order to get him to do it.


Also, I suppose the best joke of all this, how often are political opponents reasonable in their demands of another opponent? Usually demands or requests are purely rhetorical, and meant to highlight differences in tactics or policies. I do not think, in general, political opponents shouldn't be setting the guidelines for their own elections. Ironic as that sentence may be.

[aclove]

I agree...I don't think Rand and David seriously expect Treyson to actually comply with this request...the point was to force him to publicly acknowledge that a conflict of interest exists, and get voters to think about that for a minute and plant another seed of doubt about Treyson. The fact that the Treyson campaign completely freaked out about it and attacked Rand, making the ludicrous claim that his campaign is, "falling apart" is just the icing on the cake. Shows how well Rand is getting under his skin.