Congrats to Lori Ingham and her ConChrist blog for scoring Republican presidential candidate John McCain's reaction to the video game violence issue.
Ingham caught up to McCain during a campaign appearance in New Hampshire yesterday. From her blog:
I did get to ask him two questions from the audience. Once I FINALLY got the microphone, I introduced myself, where I lived, and as a segue way into the questions mentioned that I used to be a reporter but now ran this blog. These are somewhat paraphrased from the actual questions I asked him.
Question #1: With the current controversy over video game and media violence, what is your stance on allowing parents to make the decisions for their children on what they can see and watch? (This question was rolling around in my head primarily because of the recent posts that I had on Jack Thompson)
McCain's Answer: He felt that parents should be the ones to decide for their kids on a case by case basis (which I was satisfied with). He then did a weird segueway into the evils of child pornography from there, which kind of had me shaking my head.
GP: We're proud to say that Lori Ingham is also a GamePolitics reader. It's great to see a blogger going the extra mile for original content.
Comments
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I'm happy to see McCain is reasonably sensible on video game regulation, but thanks, I'll vote for the candidate and the party who
1. will promote foreign policy with emphasis on diplomacy, rather than start wars based on uncertain or exaggerated intelligence and ignore or fire anyone who voices concerns (never mind the outright lies over the cost of the whole thing)
2. will actually pay attention to the scientific community and work to improve environmental standards
3. will spend within the country's means (the national debt soared under Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II; the only time we had a balanced budget was during the Clinton years)
4. will restore the USA's standing with the world community, and
5. will completely ignore the theocratic fringe who want to, yes, control your life through the government
I am going to vote for Obama SO HARD.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
1. Others have tried talking to Iran. All have failed, and there is no reason to believe that Obama will be any more effective.
2. The Democrats don't give a shit about science. Few, if any, politicians do. To both parties, science is only something to listen to when it supports you.
3. Obama has proposed more government programs that will cost in the hundreds of billions. I laugh in your face at this charge.
4. The rest of the world can go fuck itself. U.S. citizens and U.S. politicians need to look after U.S. interests only.
5. What? So your going to abandon those who want to control you for moral reasons for a different group who wants to control your life? The Democrats punish the successful, praise whiners, and attempt to surpress free speech when it "offends people".
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Talking to iran fails because Carter screwed up so ****ing badly he made it so we have to talk to them in the firstplace.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Well, if the Obama is elected, it'll be Carter 2
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Well, it was also partly Carter's administration that helped Egypt and Israel finally found peace...
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Give me that over Shrub's Vietnam 2 any fucking day of the week.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Only somebody that knows nothing about Vietnam would compare what is happening in Iraq to what happened in Vietnam. Even early in the war there were more American casualties in one year than there were in all of the Iraq war.
I bet it looks good on a poster though.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
1. Sabre rattling while a signifigant portion of your military is tied up elsewhere is not likely to have any meaningful results with Iran.
2. Given that The religious right has been leading the charge on creationism and/or intelligent design to be taught in schools and abstinence only education I'm inclined to belive that the democrats are more science friendly then republicans.
3. Mcain is advocating 4 more years of bushonomics which is leading your nation into a recession. Hell, last fall the canadian dollar was topping the american dollar. The only reason why it won't totally outstrip the USD, is because our economy is conjoined to yours.
4. Too bad you actually need to do buisness with those other countries and maintain your presence in order to be able to get anything accomplished. Let's look at iraq. If the US had been able to make the case to the UN, then you would have had tens of thousands more troops on the ground to help maintain security and rebuild the iraqi's infrastructure. This would have given the Iraqi people a much better outlook on the situation and extremists wouldn't be able to dig in the way they have. If nothing else, you wouldn't have lost an average of 800 americans a year in that meat grinder.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
1. You severely underestimate our military. Iran could entirely wiped off the map by tomorrow if we so chose. We won't, but we could.
2. So one issue, then. And not just one issue, one issue limited to a fringe of the Republican party. What's wrong with abstinence-based education, so long as you mention the alternatives? The best way to not get pregnent or get an STD is to not have sex.
3. You have no idea what either of their policies are, nor how we got where we are. Capitalism is based off of boom and bust cycles. There is no way to stop it without ruining the economy completelely.
4. No, we don't. The United States has all the resources needed to be completely self-reliant. We wouldn't have gotten where we are if we weren't. Many of the states don't want businesses using those resources, but they are still there.
The U.S. is trying to take its case to the U.N. Where has it gotten us? Nowhere. The U.N. is a pathetic attempt at a world government that currently serves as a shield that oppressive regimes hide behind. The U.N. is a worthless mistake, and needs to go away before it causes a third World War. The Iraqi people wouldn't have been better off either way. Now they have a chance to succeed in the world. U.N. troops wouldn't have magically stabalized the region. They still would have been painted as Western invaders, and the militias would still have been recruiting the populace with ease. Our current situation has allowed a competent general to take over and stabalize the country.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
1. doing that would reduce the U.S. to second world country, given the massive expense involed, and would probably start World War three. So, for all practical intents and purposes, we can't.
2. it's not one isssue. The republicans have bowed to the religous right on stem cell research, and to oil companies on global warming. And abstinece education does'nt wrok because no matter what, kids are going to have sex. You can't stop that with anything short of mass castration.
3. Bullshit. While there will inivtably be small drops in any free economy, every major recession can be traced back to a clear cause, usually stupidity or laize faire economic policies. Republicans don't exactly have a stellar ecent record were the economy is concerend. Reagan lead the U.S. into a recession, Bush 1 didn't get us out, and bush 2 (aside from the current recession), actully started with a budget surplus from the clinton years,a nd now we have what i think is the biggest deficit in recent history.
4. BULLSHIT. There is a reason that most things say made in china on the bottom. Also we simply don't the raw materials such as Oil, 9from the middle east), and copper (from Jamaca). That's one of bigest lies i've heard in a while.
5. The UN has is problems, but to think that America can single handley run the world, as both Bush and McCAin seem to think, is the most dangerous kind of misconception.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
as to point 1, if we actually fought Iran like it was a war and not the bullshit we have done starting in Viatnam it really wouldn't be that expensive, the problem is the american public and media get all up in arms any time we fight a war in a maner where it can actually be won, because lets face it, you can't win a war by simply killing soldiers, you have to make your enemy want to stop fighting, we refuse to fight in a way that will make them stop fighting
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Does the lower "expense" that you talk about also refer to the lives of soldiers? Cause considering Iran has a fairly large military with tanks and what-not (unlike what Iraq had), i would say that the loss of lives in a battle with Iran would get fairly high...
Could we win against Iran? ya, we beat them out in both quality and quantity of our military... however, the fight would hurt like hell. Ofcourse, this is not even considering the possibility of other countries aiding Iran... Other counties siding with Iran is what could turn an American-Iran war into World War III...
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
no on both counts. A total war, like the one you are referencing, is waaaay more expensive than a limited war like Iraq, it just comes all at once rather than a slow drain. WWII cost what would today be trillions of dollars. And as to the second, yeah, that won't happen because of a coupula things called ''international opinion'' and ''basic human rights.''
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I'd like to add that Adolph Hitler was high on all sorts of mind altering substances(back when they perscribed shit like cocaine) to help him with various disorders and whatnot, so...we might not have won had it not been for that...not to sound all un-American or nothin'...
(From the History Channel special "High Hitler")
-If shit and bricks were candy and tits, we'd all be livin' large.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I gotta say, I agree with you on like, 89% of what you said, especially about the U.N. That whole damn thing is a joke. I believe it could be salvaged though. Ever hopeful.
-If shit and bricks were candy and tits, we'd all be livin' large.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
With gas at 4 bucks, oil closing in on 150 a barrel, an international food shortage, food prices rising, two wars, secret prisons, torture, curtailed civil liberties, the housing bubble bursting, the elimination of habeas corpus, illegal wiretapping, the stock market in free fall, up to three supreme court seats opening up (which leads to about a bajillion more issues); with all that, if you are basing your vote this November on the candidates opinion on VIDEO GAMES, then I don't know what to tell ya, pal.
By the way, Obama has never said he is for more govt regulation. He has grouped games in with other forms of junk culture, saying that kids should be more involved in real life experiences and education then with slaughtering the Covenant. Something most folks would agree with: It's better for kids to go outside and play football for real then sit inside on the couch playing Madden.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Well, for those of us in the game industry, whatever regulation that occurs to it effects us. Who cares about the economy when you lose your job because of government regulation on video games?
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I think if you lost your job for any reason you'd care about the economy, healthcare, unemployment, welfare if needed, etc.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
"By the way, Obama has never said he is for more govt regulation."
His voting record says otherwise, do some research, pal.
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Of video games? He's never said or voted for anything of the sort.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/30062/Barack-Obama-Parents-should-clamp-down-o...
“We’re going to have to parent better, and turn off the television set, and put the video games away, and instil a sense of excellence in our children, and that’s going to take some time.”
Obama, 46, told a packed Wilkes Hall in Pennsylvania, US to “turn off the television, turn off the video games”, adding that "Government can't do everything".
I don't see anything about federal regulation on games there at all, quite the opposite. Seems you need to do some research yourself, buddy.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
He isn't talking about video games. Obama wants to regulate the economy overall, of which video games are a small part. Imagine what happens when the government decides that Rockstar is making "windfall profits", and that their going to take that money redistribute it to "people in need", like minorities and women and everyone else that the Whitey's been keeping down.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
"... and that their going to take that money redistribute it to "people in need", like minorities and women and everyone else that the Whitey's been keeping down."
[sarcasm]That is a well thought out and reasoned belief.[/sarcasm]
Sheesh...
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
You are missing the point, if a politician is in favor of these laws, they are clearly willing to ignore the first amendment, THAT is a VERY good reason for concern and it would more then warrent not voteing for them.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
No, he's said that he's for more government programs, would support a program that serves as a stepping stone to socialized medicine, would raise taxes, regulate industry, and likely bring about the oppressive "Human Rights" Tribunals in Canada in the U.S.A. He's also said that he would SUPPORT $5, support the ethanol currently raising food prices, and bail out the people who took loans they couldn't pay for. If he got the chance to nominate Supreme Court Justices, we would be seeing more of these bullshit "feelings over Constitution" rulings. The economy flounders when it is regulated, and Obama wants more regulation. He believes that somehow, some way, he's going to get an oppressive regime that has avowed to destroy America to discuss things with him.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Socialized medicine is GOOD thing. We are the only first world industrialized country without it. We spend more on healthcare than any other country, and we have more sick people. Shit, Cuba is a third world country run by a dicatator, and they have better healthcare. If you're paranoid about ''choice of healthcare being taken away''', then calm the fuck down. You can still pay for healthcare if you want to, the insurance companies aren't gonna refuse to take your money.
And it's been proven time and time again that regulation is eedd (um.. Great Depression?). Look at how thigns are going now. Bush has been very lax with regulations and were in a recession. What flounders is a totally state run economy, like that of Soviet russia, not a regulated free market.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I'm calling BS on the "economy flounders when regulated" line, since GWB has been pretty foot loose and fancy free with it and as a result it is crashing.
Furthermore, Barack's planning on getting you out of iraq and cutting funding to the ridiculous future weapon programs (EG microwave tanks, power armored exoskeletons, missile defence shields ect.) This will seriously cut back on how much the goverment is spending and allow for many of his initiatives to take place.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Who said I wanted out? Who said that I think those future weapons are stupid? I certainly never did. Never go into a war without the intent to win.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Actually, I'm the one who said that Future weapons are Stupid.
And frankly, the budjet that is allocated to producing them is absurd, particularly when there's no real timetable for producing a practical application. Seriously, missile defense has been kicked around for decades, and it STILL hasn't produced better then 40% projected protection against a massed nuclear assault. 60% of a massed nuclear assault from china or russia is enough to convert the united states into black glass.
I'm not totally against the development of new military technology. Lighter, more durable body armor and automatic weapons that don't jam are will always be in demand.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Fine, the economy flounders when improperly managed.
I mean are people seriously surprised by inflation when the government dumps money into the economy. What about a tax structure that almost punishes you for making good investments and saving while giving you every reason to spend your money. Don't forget a media that encourages spending more money than you have.
Not to mention that a good many of Obama’s initiatives are on the opposite side of the stupid spectrum from anything bush or McCain has proposed. There is also the wonderful fact almost every bit of military research goes towards reducing the human size of the military. We of course all know that all that military research never gets to the civilian market, and all those folks employed by military research losing their jobs won’t add to unemployment.
They are both idiots though .
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I doubt that any government can "properly manage" anything, especially the economy.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Actually it is quite possible, though I think we are thinking different things when we say managed.
When I say managed I mean managing the money supply, combating high inflation, and promoting stable economic growth.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Do either of them offer workable soultions on any of those subjects?
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Um, yes? Whoever you support, both have policies on each of those points. It's up to you to decide which way you want them handled and vote accordingly.
My point being, there are larger issues then violent video games in this election season. Neither candidate has said they want regulation on game content, so it's kind of a moot point.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Of course, their position on video game regularion happens to be very relevant to this site. If you want their positions on foreign policy, maybe looking elsewhere than "GamePolitics" would be more relevant.
"I'm not responcabel fer my comuter's spleling errnors." -- Xlorep DarkHelm
"I'm stel not responcabel fer my comuter's spleling errnors." -- Xlorep DarkHelm
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I think you missed the part about "workable solutions".
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
McCain is tops in foreign policy and healthcare. Obama has no solutions that would improve the situation. In fact, most of what he proposes would cripple our economy and empower our enemies.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Mcain Thinks that iraq can be won inside of 5 years. This isn't somthing I would associate with good forign policy.
Actually segways well into how much of a tard he is on economy as well; Near as I can tell he's totally unwilling to raise taxes to help pay for the war and as a result you're instead getting China to pay it off for you, directly strengthening your biggest economic rival while draining your own.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Quote sources. Frankly, Iraq might very well be "won" at the end of this year, given the way things are going. I remember him saying that there might be troop bases for around a hundred years, so long as there was no serious violence.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I'm calling bull on iraq being peaceful by the end of the year. I'm calling bull on it being peaceful at any point in the forseeable future; Al-sadr's forces are too well entrenched and have too much public support right now, and nothing the US or Al'maliki have done has been able to make a dent in it.
As to permanent bases, any such effort would act as a lightning rod for Anti american sentiments in the middle east.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Maybe he meant it'll be "won" by the other side..
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
She seems to like the word "segueway"... not saying it wasn't used appropriately (heck, if politicians were RPG characters then "segueway" would probably be one of their major skills), just that she used it twice in quick succession and it seemed a bit weird to me...
-- mostly harmless
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
There's a more obvious blunder, namely that she increased the length of the word by a whopping 60%. It's spelled "segue". The "-ue" provides the "way" sound. "Segueway" would be pronounced "segwayway".
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Far as I know "Sequeway" has become an accepted americanism... it is certainly used frequently.
Of course, you are correct in saying that the original spelling is just segue - but english is an evolving language and it doesn't pay to be pedantic about such things.... otherwise we'd all still be up to our necks in thees and thous ;)
-- mostly harmless
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Nope, only in your own mind. I've never seen it spelled that way until you did. You or others just confused segue (an action) with Segway (a trademarked product)
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Go into google and type "define:segueway"
Anyway, I wasn't arguing. You are correct in saying that the "correct" (although I prefer "original") way of spelling it is just "segue". Just that the word is evolving and you are being left behind, and that it is pointlessly pedantic to fight the evolution of language.
"segueway" may not be correct, but that has never stopped this sort of thing from becoming the norm ;) Common sense always wins out in the end, which means that words tend to end up being spelled phonetically after enough time has passed...
-- mostly harmless
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
I went into Google and typed "define:segueway" and got "No definitions were found". Also, I've never seen it spelled that way either. You also say that it's a phonetic spelling but the word isn't pronounced "segueway" either.
This isn't a case like "catsup/ketchup", where an alternative spelling has gained legitimacy over time. It's spelled "segue" and spelling it "segueway" just makes you look like someone who needs to crack a book more often. (Note - comment directed at "mostly harmless" and not at Ms. Ingham who can certainly be forgiven the occasional spelling error in a blog post).
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
OK... just go into google and search for "Segueway". Currently 12,000 odd results found. Accept that the word is being used by a large number of people. I never said it was correct, just that it is an evolution of the original word. Many, many words have found their way permanently into the english language because people spelt them incorrectly. You seem to be a rather pedantic and condescending type of person. Best of luck to you with that.
-- mostly harmless
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Lori Ingham here. Bad editing on my part...it was late in the afternoon by the time I got home, so I just started typing (if you look at that post compared to other stuff I have on there, it's longer than the normal post that I will write during the day). I usually catch myself repeating words when I go over it, but I was so excited about getting it up there I forgot to double-check.
Thanks, GamePolitics! :D
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
Hello there, Lori! Good to have you here! It's good to know we've got the press, at least to an extent, on this little case. Here's to the hope you publish many more good stories!
I AM A LOST SOUL, CONDEMNED TO HAUNT THE DREAMS OF JOHN BRUCE "JACK" THOMPSON UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS. SOMEONE, PLEASE! END MY SUFFERING!
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I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.
Re: John McCain's Video Game Platform: Small Blogger Scores
It's about time more people of power/influence began to speak the truth everyone ( sans Jack Thompson ) already knows: Be a better parent!