Pops Racer

Read. I think it has potential to be a violation of privacy issue, but nothing has surfaced to my knowledge about abuse. Info gleaned from Gitmo most assuredly helped prevent more attacks. And if they were members of Al Quida (sp?), then yes guilt by association. I'm not a fan of big brother, another "1984" reference, but what are you afraid of if you've done nothing wrong? Got some illicit phone conversations you want to tell us about? .

Very Good.

He had like 400 million to spend, and things have tightened up. I'm really surprised by how close it is based on the formula for money= elected. Going after the undecideds and soft Dems. Might as well, spend it or lose it , no?

I'm not hanging around with anybody right now, except my drinking buddies! Got any suggestions? Seriously! I want you as my role model!

I basically have not been happy about the last 12 years. Some of the Bush stuff has been legitimate, but Congress could have stepped up at any time to stop him. Lets get one thing straight, none of the folks I voted for are in office, except Joe Lieberman. I don't want to get into the Iraq thing too much, but on 9/12 everyone knew and expected a Muslim country to get smacked. Now as far as financial issues, Dems are just as guilty of oversight failure. I'll say it again, govt is too big and is a hard machine to change. Unless you pay up, big. I disliked any circumnavigation of the Constitution. By anybody. The Bush admin let me down with excessive spending, and playing loose with the laws. Only the Supreme Court appointees made me happy. And tax cuts. Which got ruined by excessive spending. I disliked the Patriot Act, but I understood it's purpose, and have yet to hear of anyone whose rights were trampled by it. I already have made references to Orwells book, 1984. I'm prior military, and understand the Geneva Convention. Guantonamo is ok by me. And what it takes to prevent another 9/11. Those detainees are not uniformed enemy combatants representing a sovereign nation. You are considered a spy without uniform and unit ID, and most international law does not apply to your situation. When US Special Forces go on a mission with a sterile uniform, they can, will and have been treated the same way. And US denies their existence officially. Bush Admin grade? D-. But no burning buildings either.

Your right Chuck, I should be in debt up to my eyeballs, then declare some hard ship and bail on my responsibilities. Or default on my mortgage so you guys can bail me out. We all operate in deficit spending, it's the American way. Debt under control facilitates my ability to borrow, so it is a valuable tool to economic success in this country. It's how the rich got rich and keep getting richer. They are more adept at using the system. Kudos to them, and I hope they keep making, spending and investing their cash. I love rich people they keep me in a job. Er, not so much right now .

Thats the line I was looking for. I'm not condemning his statements. I just wanted a frame of reference. Thanks for the foot note. Why the crinkle face? I know he's American, but he has an agenda and is motivated by different forces than most of us are. I think.

Move to Ohio, you might be able to. Just list a park bench as your address and your in. I'd like to see how much ExxonMobile paid lobbyists and how much in taxes vs. their profits. And how many folks they employ. You are missing the point that govt has replaced incentive with handouts and social institutions, things they never should be involved with in the first place. It's too damn big to change, and has to be fed more than it needs , not even breaking even on our "investment". Didn't Clinton put a cap and time limit on handouts, and weren't the results lower welfare rolls and higher employment in the lower income sector? It was the one of the best things he did, and I applauded him for it.Pull the rug out, folks are smart, they'll figure it out. I had to. I'm unemployed, no govt check, and I've taken work I would have never considered. It's not close to my "preffered" salary, but it keeps cash flow positive and the creditors off my door step. Thats the goal, survive to fight another day, and make a move up when the opportunity arises. Sounds simple, but I'm white middle class so I have all the cards stacked in my favor. :rolleyes:

Except that if Dems hold WH, Congress and Senate, there will be no checks or balances, and ,well, SC appointees are for life. Then special interests I don't favor will be in control of the lobbying. And thats who runs the show. Costs money to get laws passed that favor special interests.

Hmmm, mildly enlightening. Whats Chomsky's political persuasion, just so I can get a frame of reference for his position.

It's called progressive tax. Hartford CT, pays $13,000 per student and it's a mess. My town is 169th out of 174 in spending in CT. Recognized and award winning schools. Difference? Parents. And quality of staff. My son is in a special ed program. He's headed for college next year. Semi-miracle. They have more money to spend than our schools, whats the problem? Lets keep throwing good money after bad, that always works. Where can I get some youths in asia? Is that from a pron site? W

Dude, have you read this book? It's a recognized, mainstream, literary classic. I know your just trying to get under my skin, but come on. This is an editorial from a main stream paper in CT, not my own writing. Many people feel this way, and I have a hard time believing that some of this doesnt resonate with you, even a little. Jeez, stop poking the bear and comment on the content for crying out loud. If all I do is try to stimulate minds and conversation, then mission accomplished. I seem to be the only one willing to take this position and expose folks to other ideas. And something other than the NY Times and the education establishment. Think outside the box, stop being complacent.

You know I have issues with big govt from any side of the aisle. It's a telling book, very interesting in these times.

You could put an eye out with one of those corks, ya know. European Union is a whole years worth of threads.

SO you trust yourself to support your lifestyle, instead of govt. Good for you. I've got below average credit card debt, mortgage on an 1800sqft house, college tuition for 2 sons, a dog, a working wife that carries our health care. And I'll be 50 next year, tho I don't look a day over 39 . I am unemployed. Since June. And not whining about it. But on one income and some periodic cash from me, the economy is a big deal. CT stifles business with taxes and regulations, and crazy licensing requirements for folks in my trade. So for the 4th time in 25 yrs I may be changing my career and getting retrained. Gotta adapt or die. At best our household income could be $150,000.00. Not a lot. We have no car notes but plenty of repair bills, 3 Volvos and a VW don't ya know. I just sunk $20K into my house, my whole savings, to put on a new roof, convert from electric to propane heat, and some energy efficient and low water use appliances, plus make my cars more reliable. Then I lost my job. No cash in the bank, but I'm solid at home, and won't touch my retirement. The folks I work for, normally, are very well off. I want them to keep their money so they can spend it on my services, and then tell their rich friends how great I am. I could vote fro Bob Barr. Libertarian party has some interesting items in their platform. I guess I'm pretty average. But don't call me rich and tax me outta town.

Thats because they are yes or no questions not essay answers. I leave you with this editorial from my local paper: America faces its Orwellian moment "Parsons was Winston's fellow employee at the Ministry of Truth. He was a fattish but active man of paralyzing stupidity, a mass of imbecile enthusiasms — one of those completely unquestioning, devoted drudges on whom, more even than on the thought police, the stability of the Party depended." — George Orwell, "1984." America is becoming a nation of Tom Parsons who see government as the refuge of first resort. They have sold their pride and initiative to Big Brother politicians who in the name of justice and fairness shower them with largess made possible by confiscatory taxes. Parsons are the unwitting prisoners of governments resembling the Orwellian Ministry of Love. Brainwashing has left them unaware of the social, cultural and economic cruelty Big Brother inflicts upon them. And on Election Day, they demonstrate their unwavering devotion to the Welfare State by electing or re-electing politicians who offer them the biggest bribes, in the deluded belief this will improve their lives. Parsonization could not succeed without substandard public schools. Every year, they produce undereducated graduates with few prospects but with high expectations that Big Government will reward them when they fail and punish those whose initiative, personal responsibility and hard work have allowed them to get ahead. The Welfare State has become so pervasive that even state governments beseech Washington for bailouts. The 2008 election is all about Parsonizing middle-class Americans by capturing and corrupting their hearts and minds. And thanks to record expansions of heating-aid programs, the bailout of crooked borrowers and lenders, outright cash giveaways, and phony promises of tax reductions and other handouts, the middle class is preparing to enter the Ministry of Love willingly. "Has it ever occurred to you, Winston, that by the year 2050, at the very latest, not a single human being will be alive who could understand such a conversation as we are having now?" observed Syme, another Ministry of Truth employee in "1984." "… The whole climate of thought will be different. In fact, there will be no thought, as we understand it now. Orthodoxy means not thinking — not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness." For his intuition, Syme was vaporized; in 2008, personal responsibility and individual initiative are headed down the Syme road because America's unquestioning, devoted drudges increasingly adhere to the orthodoxy of unconsciousness.

With what? Brie bombs and Champagne cork machine guns? Germany's total standing army is like 225,000. The US Marine Corp has more soldiers than that.

They actually sound smart there. <_<

Forgive me Lord for I know not what I say. Beating a dead horse hear. Same arguments over and over. History has spoken and will speak again. I'm well aware of what I say, and if you think I'm wrong disprove it with your own facts. I like to debate, and read all that comes my way here. I know I don't have all the answers, but if you don't see any truth in my posts, come straight and tell me I'm wrong, and that I'm way over my head. I assume you folks are smarter than me, I'm a college educated blue collar mensch with 2 sons and a dog. That makes me a pretty average guy. But I know whats going on and am not often fooled, except by used car salesmen. Do you like paying high taxes? Do you trust yourself to invest your earnings on your own? Do you like politicians that make a bunch of money and have ridiculous pensions telling you how to live your life? Do you think folks should get money for no effort from folks that work their ass off everyday? Do you think you should pay for the education of illegal immigrants when your own son can't get a loan because you make too much? Are you tired of corporate welfare and ridiculous pay for those CEO's? I could do this all day and get a bunch of yesses from all readers here. Please don't dismiss me as naive or uninformed.

The govt employs too many people, runs too many operations that should be at the state or private level, and is such a huge ball of red tape they can not help but waste, lose, or fraud away money. Smaller govt is easier to oversee. And exponentially cheaper to operate. I refer you to the Constitution. They are supposed to work for us, not the other way around. I can dream, can't I? Heres another example like Chuck's: ECONOMIST MODELS GRADE SYSTEM AFTER OBAMA’S TAX PLAN In the Oct. 10 presidential debate, a dialogue between Democratic nominee Barack Obama and an Ohio man known as Joe the Plumber at a rally came up. The plumber complained he had worked very hard and hoped to buy his employer’s business, only to have Sen. Obama tell him he must be willing to pay higher taxes to be fair and “spread the wealth around.” As an economics professor, I, too, have decided it’s time for a change. In this regard, I have explained to my students my new grading system : Earned grade : 40-49 plus 25 points; 50-59 plus 20 points; 60-69 plus 15 points; 70-79 plus 10 points; 80-89 plus 5 points; and 90-100 minus 10 points (top 5 percent of students). As the grading scale indicates, 95 percent of my students will get a “grade break” while only the top 5 percent will be penalized. Thus, the less productive students who miss class and study less will have an incentive to remain less productive, while the better students who come to class more often and study harder will be encouraged to be less productive.( my accent) The effect of this policy should be to make all of my students’ knowledge of economics mediocre. But by “spreading the grades around” this way, students will think the system has treated them fairly, and I will get better student evaluations. Can you see how great my fairness doctrine is? Maybe I should run for president. But then again, I might be too old. James C. Loughlin, Ph.D. New Britain

Hehehe....

+1! Supply and demand. duh.

Charles always said the poor are stupid. What do you think this is, a third world country? Riots after an election kills the gravy train for them? The Pistons won the NBA championship, and Detroit had some rioting and burning, it could happen. National Guard = Tanks Rioters = bricks and Molotovs You pick the winner. As for WWW3, Russia rolls Europe, then what? McCain is creeping up, I hope he wins just for the chaos stated in this thread. Look at all the wack jobs on the left rioting, honey. I don't think we should be voting with that crowd, do you dear? That shit scares folks straight.

Do you know anything about Connecticut politics? Your not actually calling me a liar are you? Don't you have European economy to worry about? 10% unemployment would bother me. Eurocentric snobs FTL. Oh well, to be expected. No skin off my nose, you can't vote here. Or can you? Has ACORN been to Belgium? Love the input, keeps me on track. If tweaking the left gets typical responses, I'm on the right side of the argument.

I did well under Bush, never worried about domestic acts of terrorism, and at least felt my core values were protected. Not sure about the future. I still think taxes were to high and spending was out of control. I honestly fear for this country if the troica of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid are running the show, plus a bunch of liberal court appointees, could do real damage. At least the Dems had enough votes to check the Reps.