Newly Retired US Senator calls Congress 'dysfunctional'

[Aklyon]

Clicky for full news article (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts1134)

In an interview on MSNBC this morning, newly retiring Sen. Evan Bayh declared the American political system "dysfunctional," riddled with "brain-dead partisanship" and permanent campaigning. Flatly denying any possibility that he'd seek the presidency or any other higher office, Bayh argued that the American people needed to deliver a "shock" to Congress by voting incumbents out en masse and replacing them with people interested in reforming the process and governing for the good of the people, rather than deep-pocketed special-interest groups.

Well, that was unexpected. I thought Congress liked deep pockets.

[Magus]

It's just the pot calling the kettle black as usual with Congress. Evan Bayh is undoubtedly just as crooked as the rest of them, he just wants to assert that his leavings don't stink. The blue dog Democrats might as well just be Republicans for all the help they give to the party and it basically being their reason that the Democratic majority can't get anything done, because they refuse to go along with the rest of the Democrats.

In any case, I'm sure we'll see his new bestseller, "Saying Bayh: How One Democratic Senator Changed the World by Quitting" out soon.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Leading scientists declare sky blue.
Claims are politically motivated and cynical say sceptics.

[Premmy]

Does the sky's supposed blueness have a connection to the blueness of water? and can it KILL YOUR CHILDREN!? TONIGHT AT ELEVEN!

[Mirai Gen]

As has been said, this really isn't much more than "They're so evil, really, not at all like me." *money fan*

*eats steak*

*chomp cigar*

[Amake]

I figure it's good that someone is stating, with authority, that they are immoral, incompetent and corrupt. Even if he's hypocritical about it, at least it draws attention to the fact.

[Premmy]

You're implying that everyone did'nt already know these things.

[Mirai Gen]

Yeah it's one thing when an insurance company CEO talks about how awful and heartless the company is, because it means he's got a lot more know-how that goes above and beyond the fact that people were denied coverage. He can also give out specific examples and speak as a witness that it was all done in the interest of money and not out of some kind of special exception, ETC. We all know how they operate but it's another to have an eyewitness able to testify about it.

Some guy telling us that US Congress never gets anything done is a little more 'well, duh.'

I will admit that more people need to be told this from authority, though! So it isn't a bad thing. Just a little funny.

[Premmy]

Insurance companies ARE (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122805666) the government now

[Mirai Gen]

Companies in general, really. But that's not here or there.

[Green Spanner]

Question for people in this thread!

Did he ever say that he wasn't dysfunctional and riddled with brain-dead partisanship and permanent campaigning?

[Jagos]

We could always look at his track record or see how he voted for the answer.

IQ has it right. The bastard's a hypocrit.

[Hanuman]

Lie. Detector. Tests.

[Tev]

Those don't actually work.

[Hanuman]

Then why do we use them.

[Tev]

Because we have a misplaced belief that they work.

[Amake]

IQ has it right. The bastard's a hypocrit. What I wanted to say was that it doesn't matter if he's hypocritical. >_>

[Archbio]

Then why do we use them.

The process of interrogation usually relies a lot on intimidation. A "lie detector" is very good at that.

[Krylo]

Saying Lie Detectors work or that they don't work is incomplete either way. What they do is test for stress. Small changes in the way the body works if it is under stress that would normally be imperceptible.

They DO detect lies because of this.

The problem is that a very skilled liar can lie without giving off these imperceptible changes and fool the lie detector. An unskilled liar can still mess up the lie detector by causing themselves physical pain or thinking of unpleasant memories or fears when they are telling the truth etc.

They're terribly falliable.

As for why we use them, Archbio is more or less on the money.

[Odjn]

Saying Lie Detectors work or that they don't work is incomplete either way. What they do is test for stress. Small changes in the way the body works if it is under stress that would normally be imperceptible.

They DO detect lies because of this.

The problem is that a very skilled liar can lie without giving off these imperceptible changes and fool the lie detector. An unskilled liar can still mess up the lie detector by causing themselves physical pain or thinking of unpleasant memories or fears when they are telling the truth etc.

They're terribly falliable.

As for why we use them, Archbio is more or less on the money.

Or using barbiturates, or by answering in ways that fool what they detect (Is your name Louis Blah Blah? No. <internally: no, my name is Lou.>)