Orlando theme parks donate heavily to political parties, mostly Republicans

Alrighty then, so lets turn the heat up on this discussion. If these large corporations supported Fred Phelps and Westboro Church of Topeka, KS would you still be so quick to defend their right to do so? What if they donated money to Penn State knowing the horrors of the university's misdeeds ? All I was stating is that on some levels it seems like betrayal that Disney has on NUMEROUS occasions embraced the gay community, but then would support those who denigrate it.

If they supported Fred Phelps yes because that is a free speech issue. Penn state was different and c'mon, there were companies supporting them, but the people that knew what was going on weren't the financial supporters, it was the people running the school. Not a very good example.

If someone feels strongly against Disney's political donations, they can accept it and not spend their money buying their product. That's how it is between me and Chick-fil-A. I feel that buying a chicken sandwich from that place in a way DOES support Phelp's Westborro Baptist Church.

I think the real problem with labels is we tend to group people as "conservative" or "liberal" and assume it applies across all issues. Does supporting the GOP or the Dems neccessarily imply religious, economic, social, AND political conservatism or liberalism? I suspect a heck of lot of people/businesses have a variety of opinions on each of those issues, but because of the two party system, we're kind of forced into picking "all one way" or "all the other way."

Coasterhound36 said:

Alrighty then, so lets turn the heat up on this discussion. If these large corporations supported Fred Phelps and Westboro Church of Topeka, KS would you still be so quick to defend their right to do so? What if they donated money to Penn State knowing the horrors of the university's misdeeds ? All I was stating is that on some levels it seems like betrayal that Disney has on NUMEROUS occasions embraced the gay community, but then would support those who denigrate it.

Except that maybe the only thing the Florida Rs getting the donations have in common with the "national" Rs is the name of the party. I already said it, but I've never heard local or state politicians on either side campaign on the hot-button social issues that are so divisive at the national level. At the state and local level it is all about the taxes, business incentives, etc. And again, what about that feeling of betrayal by other large companies who give to both sides of the aisle? Your other two examples are straw men with no fireproof coating.

There's quite simply nothing to see here in the way you're trying to make it out to be.

That's very true. There's a county commissioner where I live who identifies as Republican, but he's as far from being a douchebag as it gets. It really is the national level people (and the wacko PAC's) that are morons. It's hard to believe that the party has become as ridiculous as it has. As someone else said, the Republicans of the old days would likely be libertarians today, and I wouldn't consider that a classically "conservative" or "liberal" position.

Morning Joe this morning featured Cory Booker and a reasonable conservative legislator (whose name is escaping me right now) discussing bipartisanship in today's world. I tend to think the primary process is largely to blame, because those who get the most exicted tend to also be the most extreme...

The question for me is: How do we achieve practical solutions to real-world problems when politicians who even TRY to compromise are viewed as "soft" and then promptly booted from office come the next election cycle? The name Olympia Snowe (and Dick Lugar, too) actually came up on the show, as did a couple other "moderates" who have since been sent packing...people who really belonged in DC, IMO, even if they diagreed with my personal views on some subjects...

I think that if you took all of the democrats and all of the republicans and all of their true supporters (not the people who hold their noses every couple of years and pull a lever for candidates in one party or the other) and banned them to a distant planet forever, the rest of us would be able to reach resolution of most of the issues we face relatively quickly. But at this point, both parties are all about keeping themselves in the game. And a big part of doing that is exaggerating differences between them.

I thought Snowe was retiring on her own accord, tired of the nonsense? It's a damn shame, as she's easily one of the most sane people in her party.

The need to be different from each other has become absurd. Worse, the American public actually thinks they are different. Romney and Obama aren't that different at all. Both think they have the answers to everything, both want to spend more than we have (on different things) and both want to interfere in one thing or another. I got into it on Facebook with someone today who said Obama was a communist (pretty sure he doesn't even know what that means), and then told him all of the ways that Mittens isn't any better.

^Yes, she did not lose a primary election, but she clearly stated the partisanship as the driving force behind her getting out.

Coasterhound36 said:

What if they donated money to Penn State knowing the horrors of the university's misdeeds ?

You don't want to get me started. Seriously. You don't.

RatherGoodBear said:

Coasterhound36 said:

What if they donated money to Penn State knowing the horrors of the university's misdeeds ?

You don't want to get me started. Seriously. You don't.

]

Lemme guess...A Penn State graduate ?

He asked you not to go there. Can you not go there?

We could get the off-season in full swing with a discussion about Penn State. lol

LostKause said:

We could get the off-season in full swing with a discussion about Penn State. lol

LostKause: We could, but I am going to acquiesce on this one and abstain from further comment on the issue.

Darn! Maybe we can all argue about Flashpass again sometime soon then. lol

LostKause said:

Darn! Maybe we can all argue about Flashpass again sometime soon then. lol

Lost, why do I get a slight hint that sometimes controversy gives you a woody ? =D

The fine Gay men and women who vote republican have a group called the "Log Cabin Republicans".

http://www.logcabin.org/site/c.nsKSL7PMLpF/b.5468093/k.BE4C/Home.htm

I won't tell who you should vote for, but you need to do the research yourself before November 6th. The media is very PARTISAN (that means they lean towards one particular side—in case you're not familiar with the term) so be careful with that.

Just remember these facts: With America at over $16 Trillion in debt (5 of that in less than 4 years) unemployment returning the same level as it was in January 2009, gas well over the national average of $1.85 in Jan 2009, 47 million on food stamps (up from 35 million 4 years ago) we are in SERIOUS TROUBLE.

FOR THE COASTER FANS:
I want to end on one more thing that Jeff said:
"Republicans tend to be more favorable to business and impose fewer regulations on them" ... REMEMBER that statement when you think back and currently hear Ed Markey (Democrat, MA) wanting to regulate roller coasters and Amusement parks.

I vote we go to a dictatorship. Get rid of both 'parties', who, in the end, yell about how different they are, but do pretty much the same thing: take care if their biggest donors.

Why anyone thinks its any different than that is beyond me.

john peck said:

The fine Gay men and women who vote republican have a group called the "Log Cabin Republicans".

http://www.logcabin.org/site/c.nsKSL7PMLpF/b.5468093/k.BE4C/Home.htm

I won't tell who you should vote for, but you need to do the research yourself before November 6th. The media is very NON-PARTISAN (that means they lean towards one particular side—in case you're not familiar with the term) so be careful with that.

Just remember these facts: With America at over $16 Trillion in debt (5 of that in less than 4 years) unemployment returning the same level as it was in January 2009, gas well over the national average of $1.85 in Jan 2009, 47 million on food stamps (up from 35 million 4 years ago) we are in SERIOUS TROUBLE.

FOR THE COASTER FANS:
I want to end on one more thing that Jeff said:
"Republicans tend to be more favorable to business and impose fewer regulations on them" ... REMEMBER that statement when you think back and currently hear Ed Markey (Democrat, MA) wanting to regulate roller coasters and Amusement parks.

Back up a second ?? Some guy actually wants to regulate theme parks and roller coasters? How and why ?