Achieve the Four Modernizations.

Jul 24, 2013 dansan commented on Seattle's Highest Skyscraper Apparently Has a "Sexual Orientation" Web Filter.
I forgot to mention that Southcenter Mall blocks even The Slog. The only one I tried that it didn't block was Andrew Sullivan (before he went independent).
Southcenter Mall does the same thing. All gay sites are blocked.
Dec 31, 2012 dansan commented on Marxism and the Bible.
@17 I can't say that I disagree with your premise, only your conclusion.

Your comparison of neoliberal economists with religious fundamentalists is apt. Modern free market fundamentalists seem to have an almost cult-like devotion to the religion of the market. And like religious fundamentalists, they seem to treat their principles as an article of faith, with no obligation to justify or explain them when they don't seem to fit with reality. And yet, when restricted to the right domain, and with proper regulation, capitalism seems to work to raise the living standards of most people. As 16 pointed out, the system produces an inevitable segment of disadvantaged which unfortunately currently isn't adequately addressed by the social safety net.

I don't have an answer for capitalism's tendency to corrupt the political system. It's particularly bad right now. Private sector unions used to provide a counterbalance, but they've been severely weakened.
Dec 30, 2012 dansan commented on Marxism and the Bible.
@11 Certainly capitalism fails, and often spectacularly, as we've seen the last few years. Usually this happens when it is insufficiently regulated. Regardless, well-regulated capitalism paired with a robust public sector seems to be the best system we've come up with so far. Experiments in Marxism have a nasty habit of degenerating into one party dictatorships.
Dec 30, 2012 dansan commented on Marxism and the Bible.
Only a Marxist can continue to push for an economic system that has demonstrated a 100% failure rate in real world situations.
Dec 26, 2012 dansan commented on Some Logic Lessons for Gun Nuts.

I'm not sure why there is suddenly an unreasonably high standard when it comes to justifying gun safety measures as opposed to other safety measures. People put locks on their doors, despite the fact that criminals might be able to pick the lock or break a window, because it makes burglary less likely. Measures such as the ones I suggested are not a guarantee in every case, but would make incidents like Sandy Hook less likely. Plus they don't place undue hardship on responsible gun owners. It's time for responsible gun owners to step forward and show they are willing to take reasonable concrete steps to keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them. You are presenting a false dichotomy. We don't need a 100% ban in order to make these incidents less likely.

You asked for some specific legislation that might have prevented Sandy Hook. How about these...

Mandatory licensing, including psychological evaluation, to purchase or *use* a firearm. It's not clear even Nancy Lanza, a "prepper," would have qualified. Certainly her son wouldn't have, and he might never have been exposed to and become interested in them.

No license or use of firearms by anyone under 18 (or 21). See above.

Mandatory use of gun safe. This might have prevented Adam stealing his mom's weapons.

None of these regulations would prevent a responsible adult from acquiring or using any type of firearm he wanted, but would have had a good chance of preventing this atrocity.
If you're going to make a proposal, please make a serious one. Like it or not, we have a Second Amendment in the Constitution, and it has been interpreted very expansively by the Supreme Court. We aren't going to "eliminate legal guns." Even the UK and Australia didn't do that, and they have no constitutional impediment. If we're lucky, we may be able to impose a licensing and testing regime similar to the DMV. That's what we should be aiming for.
Dec 20, 2012 dansan commented on The Assault Weapons Ban of the 1990s.

Mandatory licensing and training. Mandatory mental health evaluation.



Restrictions and eventual ban on advertising, similar to cigarettes.
Dec 14, 2012 dansan commented on Ed Murray: "We need gun control.".
What Ed Murray is really saying is "Let's elect more Republicans," because that's the only thing that will come out of it. My suggestion to everyone: Just get used to the mass shootings. Trying to pass legislation to stop them will only make matters worse.

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