Lotta sense on Palin
I see our efforts with this new series on BBC radio have been appreciated by at least one person living in the US and the series itself is now well under way.
Lotta sense in this piece whether or not you think it's a good or bad thing...
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Nice to head the list.....
There is a meltdown in global finance. So much for the Goldilocks economy. It looks like the bears have come back for their porridge. Only Q is have we just seen baby and are Mummy and Daddy still on their way...?
Surely that must be the biggest electin talking point. It's the economy stupid. Over here if the economy goes bad then the govt of the day will lose the election. If this was to apply to the US presidential election then the republicans should lose. But does it apply in the same way? Do voters have other concerns when casting their ballot?
How will the banking collapse (we have some beyond wimpy "credit crunch" now) play in the election?
You're all doing very well !!
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hello
the CBS link is dead
kind regards
P
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To me, the simple fact that Sarah Palin has even made it this far demonstrates that the aristocracy of talent is not taken into consideration any longer in US politics. G.W.? Let's see.... NOT the brightest candle on the cake and yet he was back for a second term of "Make no mistake about it..."? Is Sarah Palin even capable of making a decent stand (on her own) of any of the other issues aside from "I can see Russia from some places in Alaska so I MUST know how to deal with 'em!"? Or is the US public willing to let someone represent them on a world stage who didn't even know what the "Bush Doctrine" was..... even though it should be her BUSINESS to know it? Hell.... I don't even live in the same country and I knew what it was....... Does that mean I can get my US citizenship and run for VP? Provided, of course, that I buy a gun, lobby for destroying a national park, try to get someone fired through an abuse of authority, etc., etc..... I mean..... after all..... I already know more about US foreign policy than she does! LOL (the rest of the world must be watching and laughing...... but only at times that they are not crying at the fact that she may end up only 'one heartbeat away' from controlling the most dangerous armed force in the world.....)
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I liked the program on America too. But why is it on weekdays at 3.45pm when most people are at work? Anyway, we have iPlayer I suppose (which is a day behind on most things).
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The Great Pretender
Just like all Pretenders, Palin will be a flash in the pan……
Real Moms and Dads who work hard investing the time and effort to do the right things for their children see through her charade. She insults them by inferring her children’s health and welfare, activities, and future are her priority. It’s challenging enough for a two parent/two child family to work well together; it’s more like crowd control when there are two parents, both with careers, and five children.
Maybe Alaska needs to increase its inhabitants, but much of the rest of the world is suffering from overpopulation and competition for natural resource. But then, again, she hasn’t really had to think globally up until now.
Does she even know about Senate Bill #1738 Protect the Children Act to adequately fund law enforcement to fight America's child pornography and pedophile epidemic?
Also, taking on so many roles has me wondering at her management capabilities. Young children are more demanding. As a professional, it’s important not to take on too many projects and to spread one’s energies and resources too thin. Something’s bound to fail. It’s unfair and irresponsible when it's children that are neglected or set up for failure.
Additionally, unlike other mothers of young children and newborn babies, she has thoughtlessly and selfishly placed herself in harm’s way when she accepted the nomination for VP. No one can replace their mother if she were to be assassinated like other controversial political figures, both male and female.
It's well evident her professional career is her first priority. She’s narcissistic enough to believe that she has the education, experience, wisdom, and intelligence to become the VP and perhaps the President, if McCain should become physically or mentally ill. What a fool! Well, her good looks and her charm have gotten her this far.
I’m all for women in leadership positions; we bring a lot to the table. There will be a female president and vice president one day soon. However, this one’s a fraud and that’s not how I want to see things play out.
Lady b
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Congratulations to the BBC for undertaking the "America" radio series. Is there any other organisation in the world that could have produced a serious 96-parter like this ?
Plaudits from an unlikely source this morning - Boris Johnson in The Telegraph has bouquets for the BBC (apparently they played 'Ode to Joy' to him at the proms and its quite gone to his head).
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The whole thrust of the Jon Friedman piece - the heading - is surely wrong from the start. He says the media has built Palin up and will now desstroy her.
Funny how so many people think that much of the media set out to destroy her from day 1, not build her up In what was in the reams of coverage by eg WaPo, NYT has Palin ever been built up, commended ? Multiple front-page stories, all critical from Day 1. How is that "Building up" ?
And Friedman says that people have generally said that the Charlie Gibson interview was fair. Totally false. There is many pieces saying that much of Gibson's interview was an attempted hit job, his body language showed condescension towrds "this hick", he has never tried asking Obama similarly fierce questions. Try reading Krauthammer's dissection of the Gibson interview, for example.
As regards the BBC treatment of Palin - Mr Webb himself was decribing her as a hunter-gatherer yesterday on Radio 4. Nary any mention of her attempts to reform government in Alaska, the prime reason for McCain choosing her as running-mate.
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Perhaps the greatest failure on the part of the major media in America in modern times occurred in relation to George W Bush's stated reasons for threatening to invade Iraq. Seemingly spooked by "9/11", even the NY Times largely fell into line in not digging deep to unearth inconvenient truths about WMD etc. The consequences of this mass media failure in 2001-2003 hardly need spelling out.
I make the point because right now it looks like something similar could yet happen in relation to reporting on the potential Palin presidency. And if history repeats itself and even the quality media blow it by meekly swallowing too much in the way of Republican spin regarding this issue too, then clearly the consequences could be even more serious.
Still, at least McCain didn't select Paris Hilton as his running mate. Though come to think of it, isn't Palin an authority on Russia because on a clear night you can glimpse it from parts of Alaska? In which case Hilton, with all her globe-trotting experience, has just got to know pretty much all there is to know about international politics...
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I love that characterization of Palin as a hunter-gatherer.
Hockey-mom from the stone age... but, aside from
a few people in Alaska (or, perhaps, everybody
in Alaska) we don't really know her, so we can't
categorically dismiss her.
Now, Obama, as intelligent as he obviously is,
presents the same conundrum; aside from the
denizens of Chicago, few of us really understand
the man. We know what we want him to be,
but that is not the same thing.
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A quick skim through the last 24 hours shows that John AAA is a 24-hour blogger. How many people is he ? Is there a whole teams of johns instructed by some master of the universe to bang away in support of John McCain and Sarah Palin.
And why are the GOP supporters always so crabby ? Comments and clips from the Dem side are always much more fun.
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Jon Friedman? Isn't that the President Hollywood programme on BBC2 and not the radio programme America on Radio 4?
I saw bits of that TV programme - I thought it told us what we already know.
I don't know why you keep defending Palin - she's a religious nut who is opposed to the principles of the Enlightenment. She's opposed to science and reason. She's an idiot!
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Anyone else think JohnAAA is really Justins alter ego used to create more interest and discussion on this blog? Every good blog needs someone to get things going and no-one can be as unwavering in his support of the Rep ticket as he is. His unending support and appreciation for the vp candidate, who as a Brit, he can surely never have heard of before is as loving as if he were a member of the Palin family.
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Another day, another Justin Webb blog post linking to a Palin hit-piece. Why not just have a couple of permanent links to Daily Kos and the Huffington Post in the sidebar under the heading "For my views on Palin, see here"?
Jon Friedman, far from making "a lotta sense", appears to inhabit a parallel universe. The media hasn't built up Sarah Palin, it has savaged her from the moment she was announced as McCain's running mate. Friedman's explanation of Charles Gibson's version of the Bush Doctrine is also wrong. Friedman implies that Palin is stupid for not knowing that the doctrine means "the U.S must spread democracy around the world to halt terrorist acts", but here's what Gibson actually said:
"The Bush Doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us."
Charles Krauthammer, who first coined the phrase, has said that Sarah Palin was quite correct to ask Gibson to clarify what he meant by the Bush Doctrine because there are four versions of it out there. Justin Webb, for example, thinks it means"that democracy inoculates nations from the hatreds and madness which lead to war." When a CBS commentator, ABC's senior news anchor, and the BBC's North America editor can't agree on the meaning of the Bush Doctrine, Palin's response to Gibon's question would appear to have been the right one. Not dumb, but wise. I doubt Justin will agree, though - he'll be too busy thinking of ways to paint Palin as a dinosaur-hunting rube.
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Oh dear, another hatchet job from Justin and the oh so impartial CBS. When was Sarah Palin built up by the media? She's been attacked with the sort of venom only Hilary Clinton previously endured. Coincidence? I don't think so. Notice the only thing those two have in common? As for Justin's hunter-gatherer comment. Absolutely disgraceful. If he aimed that at Obama we know what he'd be called. But then Justin and the other Democrats on here will just have to accept the fact that Palin isn't after your votes, but she's likely to contribute to a McCain victory.
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#11, dceilar,
"I don't know why you keep defending Palin - she's a religious nut who is opposed to the principles of the Enlightenment. She's opposed to science and reason. She's an idiot!"
granted, but there are, regrettably, worse sorts
of people.
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Palin indeed served McCain's purpose of changing the subject away from the issues. But no amount of lipstick can cover the meltdown on Wall Street and McCain's connection to the Bush policies that precipitated it. Obama was right to stand clear of the media frenzy around Palin. Now he and Biden can move in and talk about important issues like fixing the economy.
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Surely there should be more about the implications on America of the financial implications for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When Pakistan alledgedly fires on American military transport then there is serious trouble. I think that America is going all out to track down and finally kill bin Laden.
As for Americans surely they can see that Russia was bankrupted by Afghanistan, it lost everything. So, why should Americans suffer at home whilst billions are spent on what, what is the purpose, to bring democracy at the end of the gun to a people who don't seriously want it. They have wars for centuries, this must stop.
As for Iraq which candidate will propose that Bush be impeached and charged with crimes against humanity and waging a war of aggression. That is what a democrat should promise, impeach the President for lieing!
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I'm not sure why there are complaints from the Reps about all this attention on Palin. It all helps, negative or otheriwse, as Obama found during his height of popularity in the polls. What you should be worried about is if she is no longer news, but instead the media concentrate on the issues!
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Updated for interest
Can you hear the air leaking out of the tires?
Enjoy the ride!
Wheeeee!
ed
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15. At 11:17am on 16 Sep 2008, gunsandreligion wrote:
"granted, but there are, regrettably, worse sorts of people."
Generally speaking or running for Pres or VP???!
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"7. At 10:16am on 16 Sep 2008, JohnAAA wrote:
The whole thrust of the Jon Friedman piece - the heading - is surely wrong from the start. He says the media has built Palin up and will now desstroy her."
Certainly teh media did adopt a supine attitude to Palin, because she was a novelty.
But some us predicted she would unravel - picking someone from such a viscereal background was very dangerous.
It shows hopelss judgement on the part of McCain.
"Funny how so many people think that much of the media set out to destroy her from day 1, not build her up In what was in the reams of coverage by eg WaPo, NYT has Palin ever been built up, commended ? Multiple front-page stories, all critical from Day 1. How is that "Building up" ?"
The media drift was to give her a light dusting and concentrate on what she presented, not what she was - a half educated, rank conservative with no interest in or ability in Federal politics.
"And Friedman says that people have generally said that the Charlie Gibson interview was fair. Totally false. There is many pieces saying that much of Gibson's interview was an attempted hit job, his body language showed condescension towrds "this hick", he has never tried asking Obama similarly fierce questions. Try reading Krauthammer's dissection of the Gibson interview, for example."
No one takes the far-right Krauthammer's statements seriously, and haven't for some time.
Gibson 's interview was too generous, he should have been far more biting.
True she came out as a hick, because that is what she is
"As regards the BBC treatment of Palin - Mr Webb himself was decribing her as a hunter-gatherer yesterday on Radio 4. Nary any mention of her attempts to reform government in Alaska, the prime reason for McCain choosing her as running-mate. "
Her much touted reforms in ALsaka are proving to be exagerated or outright lies, as is most of her record. The BBC showed excellent journalism in making this judgement.
SOme of us predicted Palin would implode and it is slightly gratifying to be proven right, though it needed no act of political brilliance.
The latest news spells doom for McCain as well.
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The "Who or what is JohnAAA?" conundrum had me absolutely flummoxed too. Then I paused to review the facts.
We know that JohnAAA blogs 24/7, is on top of all issues everywhere, and creates the strong impression that he knows everything about everything. And JohnAAA's support for the Republicans surpasseth human understanding and indeed is in the realm of the positively supernatural - by comparison Karl Rove looks like a closet communist.
Which leads on to my theory. Who - or what - do we know who is omnipresent and omniscient, and is capable of supernatural feats?
I'm sure I don't have to spell out the name of JohnAAA's true identity now. Suffice it to say that I'm now more worried than ever about those Republican evangelicals and creationists - maybe they know what they're talking about after all!
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With the possible exception of Dan Quayle I consider the nomination of Gov. Sarah Palin one of the most bizarre and cynical VP appointments in the history of the USA. She was not picked because she is qualified to be a heartbeat from the presidency, she was chosen because her gender, religion, and charisma appeal to large segments of the population and was the only option left to a campaign in desperate need of a boost.
Gov. Palin is an intelligent woman, articulate, and very ambitious, but those are only some of the personal attributes that ought to be considered when selecting a person for one of the most important jobs in the world. She clearly lacks knowledge of both domestic and international issues, and even with the aid of a teleprompter the only subjects she can address with dubious credibility are earmarks and the bridge to nowhere, not to mention the Russians she understands so well because she can see them from her home state.
It is truly incredible that at a time when our financial institutions are collapsing, our economy is beyond recession, our education and healthcare systems are beyond inadequate, our infrastructure is in an advanced state of disrepair, and we are confronting serious problems abroad, instead of being able to choose between seasoned candidates we are being offered understudies.
While Sen. Obama lacks relevant experience, he has been able to articulate his views and proposals on domestic and foreign policy issues in a manner that suggest a good handle on both subjects. Not only has Gov. Palin not done the same, but Sen. McCain's statements regarding the economy, even while reading a piece of paper, demonstrate a total disconnect with the concerns that consume mainstream America...and the rest of the world.
As bad as our government, corporate, and personal deficits are our greatest deficit is in leadership. We are choosing between lightweights at a time when we need heavyweights like FDR or Clinton. The latter, zipper issues aside, proved to be a man of courage and vision who did not hesitate to make tough decisions, even when those decisions were unpopular or contradictory to the traditional political platform of his own party.
Frankly, I doubt Obama-Biden or McCain-Palin have what it takes to get us out of the mess we are in, but lacking a viable alternative I prefer the articulate and inspirational visionary to the stale commodity, even if the latter has a helper with telescopic vision.
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I've noticed that my previous comment has been referred to moderators and hasn't been cleared since . Having read the link 'this piece' I have second thought , maybe Mr Webb didn't want to jump on the band wagon to build up Palin and do the media thingy after all . That is why he hasn't written much about the Republican VP to be . Could we just have the news as it is please . If I have to vote base on what I read on this blog I would have incline to vote ' you know who '.
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I'm not sure the media will need to destroy Palin, she is doing it for herself; but, yes, I do think her bubble will burst. With just over seven weeks to go the only way she can sustain interest is through playing the martyr; but if she does that, then a lot of the mud will stick, and her refusal to co-operate with the Trooper scandal is just an invitation to dig for more. If anything comes out, then both she, and the McCain campaign, will be in deep trouble.
But the other reason her bubble will burst is that there is, simply, more important news, and it is going to get worse during October. Even today, the FTSE is down another 150 points. Palin will become to be seen as a real distraction, and once she is ignored or pushed aside then it will be harder for her to grab the headlines unless it is by scandal. And, don't forget, the hurricane season is not over yet either.
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"16. At 11:31am on 16 Sep 2008, Candace9839 wrote:
Palin indeed served McCain's purpose of changing the subject away from the issues. But no amount of lipstick can cover the meltdown on Wall Street and McCain's connection to the Bush policies that precipitated it. Obama was right to stand clear of the media frenzy around Palin. Now he and Biden can move in and talk about important issues like fixing the economy."
He has proved to be quite shrewd. It will be toe curling to hear Palin questioned about the economy.
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10. wanderingangus:
"A quick skim through the last 24 hours shows that John AAA is a 24-hour blogger. How many people is he ? "
12. UKAndy73:
"Anyone else think JohnAAA is really Justins alter ego used to create more interest and discussion on this blog?"
*******************
Seems we have new conspiracy theorists?
Is it that hard to accept that there really are people who hold an American conservative viewpoint? Such audacity.
Obama's message: McCain=Bush, again.
Obama does better when he can run against Bush, who's probably the only person he can beat.
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22. ArthurPutey:
"The "Who or what is JohnAAA?" conundrum had me absolutely flummoxed too. Then I paused to review the facts."
Interesting to see you studying his postings and theorizing about his true identity.
Perhaps there'll be a new BBC blog about JohnAAA theories?
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What's got Obama and his supporters so rattled is that with the selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate, he's beaten them at their own game. They have no effective strategy for combatting her. If they point to her inexperience, they only highlight Obama's. If they mumble about change, they point to his selection of an old time party hack as his running mate while Palin is a fresh face in Washington DC. And Palin is connecting with millions of Hillary Clinton supporters who thought the media and Obama's organization gave her short shrifts, treated her unfairly, and are disgusted with him. If his supporters claim he is being discriminated against because of his race, the Republicans can counter about discrimination because of sex. And if he points to his "credentials" he's an elitist and not of the people. He loses every which way there is. All he has left to say is his tired mantra that he is not Bush and McCain is. That song doesn't play very well anymore. The tide is turning.
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Bush is keen to get Bin Laden before leaving office. He thinks of Pakistan, we pay you we own you. No wonder Pakistani's love America? When Obama stated we might have to get them over the heads of Pakistan he was ridiculed. it is however dangerous and getting one man is not winning the war on terror. Nor are we safe. They have patience. They produce stress disorders. They still win. Might will not win this. Finding how to reduce hatred might?
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In my opinion, an important consideration when choosing a POTUS should be the orthodoxy and record of the parties they represent. While even a cursory review of American history demonstrate that there is little difference in foreign policy between the two parties, other than style; there is a clear schism between them when it comes to domestic policies.
One party advocates a role of government in preventing and addressing problems and providing social services, the other champions individual responsibility and is determined to keep the government off the backs of business who, according to them, can police themselves. The first favors tax breaks for the poor and middle class to stimulate the economy, create jobs, increase government revenues, and balance the budget. The second prefers tax breaks for the wealthiest and for corporations who, theoretically, would allow them to grow, create new jobs, increase government revenues and balance the federal budget.
Those that believe government has a role in improving our economy, restoring fiscal sanity, regulating and overseeing corporate America, improving our healthcare and education systems, repairing our infrastructure, and giving the middle class the tax breaks we need to make ends meet should vote for Obama.
Those that believe the government should stay off our backs, that tax breaks to the top 2% of our population and to corporate America are the path to progress, that corporate America can police themselves, that borrow and spend is the best approach to solve our economic problems, that corporations are the best equipped to establish and control corporate policies, and that government-provided social programs are evil socialist schemes should vote for McCain.
Let Revlon and farmers worry about lipstick on pigs.
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"Frankly, I doubt Obama-Biden or McCain-Palin have what it takes to get us out of the mess we are in, but lacking a viable alternative I prefer the articulate and inspirational visionary to the stale commodity, even if the latter has a helper with telescopic vision."
Just not wasting so much on militaristic matters will go a long way to helping the economy?
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JohnAAA,
your 19 century comments always help me to take a dump. I got to go really bad now. Thank mate.
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1. Young-MrGrace.
No it doesn't necessarily apply in the same manner.
Your Prime Minister is the head of the governing party, sort of a combination President and Speaker of the House in contrast to the US Congress. Thus the ruling party can be held to blame for the economy almost in full.
In the US the President is considered "the Executive Branch" of the government. In this case a Republican working with a House and Senate lead by the Democratic party.
In fact, the founding fathers did not want the Presidency to become too powerful an office, so they laid out in the Constitution that Congress would control all finances. The President and the Senate only have (albeit very strong) advisory input into taxation and spending.
And so... if the Democrats had REALLY, really, really wanted to end the War in Iraq, all they would have to do is stop funding it.
The stickler is, (even with their approval rating of 17%) they do not want to be stuck with Gen Petreaus or his replacement saying to the news media "These soldiers died because we couldn't afford to give them bullets to defend themselves."
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For the second time in 2 weeks the Obama campaign has tried brute force to prevent media discussion of his record in Chicago.
Why ?
http://tinyurl.com/6rv5gs
And why did Obama vote four times to protect infanticide - it is there on the record, he was about as extreme as it is possible to be on this. About the one issue on which he has disagreed with his own party.
http://tinyurl.com/5akh3q
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If that CBS piece is true should the same not have happened with Obama?
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I read the "piece" by CBS news.
So, the Sarah phenom is doomed because the media will lose interest in her.
And yet, here we are reading two back-to-back entries by Justin and discussing....Sarah Palin. Sounds like wishful thinking from the Katie Couric network.
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Wild Alaska
;-)
ed
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For my two cents, the news here isn't Sarah, but the fact that CBS is reporting the future disillusionment of the Media, now a self appointed voting block in our electorial process.
In a recent survey of media according to the McAlveny report shows a 100 to 1 favor for Obama, as they lead Americas fools to the Marxist/Socialist left. Our capitalist past that has fed world will soon be like South African capitalist, now marxist countries that once fed Africa.
Not surprised by the left here using the code words 'economic justice' as bait for the people to vote him in. Let the world be warned, Hitlers investments didn't stay in Germany. Like Ed or Simon pointed out, Germany 'was' a Democracy, and one vote changed that.
I am surprised that the EU wants the US to become the next Marxist nation to rule them, make no mistake, patriotism here is not taken lightly, we are ripe to be harvested to your demise and my dissapointment.
Okay, what do I know you say. Lets spell it out. In BHO's memoir he refers to "Frank" as his mentor. None other then Frank Marshall Davis, a communist that fled Chicago after the FBI and Congress began investigating his "subversive", "un-american activities".
More later, have to dog to vet, nueter day, ouch.
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Personalities or Politics?
Being from the UK and a a "leftie" at heart, I voted for Labour for a number of elections until the last one. Then I could no longer vote for them as I felt they no longer stood for what I believed. I was left with a choice between a tactical vote for the LibDems or a "wasted" vote for the Greens. I went with the former.
What I have struggled to come to terms with is those that go from Labour to Tory (and vice vera) as this would seem to mean a "flip-flopping" on your own beliefs. But what has become more apparent is that too many people only care about the personalities on offer now and often aren't even aware of the substance.
This could not be more apparent in the "millions" of Hillary Clinton voters deciding to back McCain-Palin because they "like" Palin, surely the two couldn't be further apart in (US) political terms.
The US will get what it deserves. We will all suffer.
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Of Bouncing Cats and such
Boing boing.....!
ed
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If the electorate were composed largely of rational individuals looking for substance beyond the razzamatazz then Palin might be in trouble, but her selection as VP nominee is a very shrewd one, and the McCain campaign will ensure that her performances in the media are rationed and scripted. And there are only 50 days (?) before the election - Obama's novelty lasted longer than that.
I'm astonished that the issue of the bridge too far has been brushed aside - it calls into question not just Palin's competence as regards her original decision to support it, but her economy with the truth now that she distances herself from that support.
She will attract a lot of the 'Femocrat' votes that would have gone to Hillary but refuse to endorse Obama, and her youth helps to balance the ticket, viz a viz McCain's age.
I dread to think what sort of airheaded Prez Palin would make if McCain got elected and then didn't survive for the duration ... she seems to have the same divinely inspired approach to foreign policy as George.
Obama needs to galvanise the black vote and pronto, pronto, pronto ...
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# 39 - multiple johns
Oh goody - the international community is in financial meltdown and WE are back to William Ayers.
There's nothing like getting our priorities right.
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33. DominickVila:
From WSJ Op piece on 9/15/08:
"The Tax Policy Center estimates that in 2008 nearly 40% of filers will have no income tax liability."
And this from the Congressional Budget Office's "Comprehensive Household Income":
"When all sources of income are included -- wages, salaries, realized capital gains, dividends, business income and government benefits -- and taxes paid are deducted, households in the lowest income quintile saw a roughly 25% increase in their living standards from 1983 to 2005."
Also in the SWJ piece:
"The top 1% in 1996 saw an average decline in their real, after tax incomes by 52% in the next 10 years."
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These changes occurred under both democratic and republican presidents. It is a myth that only the democrats' policies will help the poor and that under the republican policies the rich only get richer.
Taxing the rich has populist appeal, but it results in the rich paying less tax.
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A Better bouncing kitten
;-)
ed
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Sarah Palin's demise is wishful thinking. She hasn't gotten where she's gotten because she can't take a punch. The one consistency is that people underestimate her.
I just wonder whether she can take a punch as good as Hillary. If so, the media will have to try a different tactic.
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MarkFromOxford
You have made a number of very well-informed posts on the financial situation in America. I cannot suitably add to your analysis other than that I agree with most of what you say.
I cannot, however, agree with your conclusions. You say that many Americans will be looking for someone to blame, and that may be true. It is highly likely that that person will be George W Bush; again I think we can agree there. You have mentioned George Bush's tax cuts, which is fair enough, but failed to mention his spendthrift ways, some of it (he has been a great friend to Africa, for example) honourable, much of it wasted, some of it seemingly spent on spying on American citizens and engaging in morally dubious wars, which has not gone down well at all. The point is not that tax cuts per se are bad in difficult economic times - indeed, tax cuts have been used successfully to kick-start stagnant economies in the past. The point is that tax cuts and extravagant public spending are completely incompatible, as George Bush is now finding to his cost.
John McCain has committed himself to low taxation, but has distanced himself from Bush on the spending front. McCain has also distanced himself from Bush on most policies and I believe most Americans do not swallow the line that McCain will be another four years of Bush. A cursory glance at McCain's record is enough to debunk that theory.
Sorry for the long route to this conclusion, but my point is that while Americans may blame Bush for the current economic state, that will not universally translate itself into blaming the Republicans. The Democratic congress - statistically even less popular than Bush - have hardly allowed their party to come out of this smelling of roses, and Obama may find it rather more difficult to distance himself from Pelosi and Reid.
Which brings us to the historical truism, that in times of financial difficulty, voting populations tend to shift to the Right, not to the Left. When times get tough, the population becomes more selfish, and concerned about their own financial security. They are also more concerned about how much money they bring home at the end of the month, so are more likely to vote for lower taxes. More socialist agendas - expensive improvements to public services, green taxes, how America is perceived abroad etc. - tend to take a back seat when people are feeling the pinch; this also points to people favouring McCain over Obama. Add to that Obama's inexperience, and some Americans may well consider him just too much of a risk. While peoples' houses, jobs and investments are at risk, they will vote for whoever they feel is more likely to keep them above the precipice, and shift to the Right.
Were the economy buoyant, as it were four or five years ago, I am sure that Obama would win the election. I'm not so sure now.
Your comments on Palin smack of wishful thinking. Obama is running against John McCain, not against Sarah Palin, or George Bush for that matter. Along with many commenters on this blog, you are vastly overestimating the importance of the VP. How many VP picks can you remember off the top of your head over the last, say, 30 years? Not many, I'd guess. Palin was picked to energise the Republicans who weren't that enamoured with McCain, those who may not turn up. Biden was picked to pacify those Democrats who thought that Obama was too inexperienced. Neither VP pick is likely to sway many voters from one side to the other.
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The selection of Sarah Palin as Senator McCain's running mate is, I believe, a master stroke. Not because she is a women, but because she has a quality that appears to be the only thing that kept Goerge Bush alive in a political sense, that is; a common touch and feel.
Not only does this appeal to the ordinary voter but it also accentuates the overly slick, metropolitan qualities of the Obama candidacy.
On another note; TA Griffin (17)
You appear to suggest, in your references to the conflict in Afghanistan, that American forces are imposing democracy on the Afghan people with "the end of a gun" (presumably its barrel), a democracy which they do not want.
I cannot recall seeing or hearing of American troops frogmarching unwilling voters to the ballot boxes at gunpoint.
The only forces in Afghanistan who are violently imposing their political system on the people, are the Taliban. Given the choice, I believe the Afghan people would prefer democracy to Islamic fundamentalism.
Therefore, they neither have democracy forced on them, or dislike it.
Regards,
Otter
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DougTexan,
If only you cared for people in this country who can't afford healthcare or go to take their children to the doctor as much as you care for you dog, what a wonderful country we would be.
The ignorance and inhumanity of the Republican supports does not cease to impress me on this blog. Yet they use words like Pro-LIfe that you don't even understand.
"I am surprised that the EU wants the US to become the next Marxist nation to rule them, make no mistake, patriotism here is not taken lightly, we are ripe to be harvested to your demise and my dissapointment."
Europe doesn't want US to be a marxist nation, it wants US to be a supporting nation for peace and prosperity, a nation that respects Europe the same way Europe respects us, without bulliing them and demanding their help to fight oil wars for your republican party sponsors.
Have you been to Europe lately? When you go there do you make an attempt to know people, or do you do what 90% of American's do, take pictures in front of the cathedral, the coloseum or whatever, eat at restaurants, and cut through the line on Airports because you have some gold card?
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"53. At 2:11pm on 16 Sep 2008, Otter wrote:
The selection of Sarah Palin as Senator McCain's running mate is, I believe, a master stroke. Not because she is a women, but because she has a quality that appears to be the only thing that kept Goerge Bush alive in a political sense, that is; a common touch and feel.
Not only does this appeal to the ordinary voter but it also accentuates the overly slick, metropolitan qualities of the Obama candidacy."
Which implies common people in the US are devious, ignorant and vicious. Which they are not
On another note; TA Griffin (17)
"You appear to suggest, in your references to the conflict in Afghanistan, that American forces are imposing democracy on the Afghan people with "the end of a gun" (presumably its barrel), a democracy which they do not want.
I cannot recall seeing or hearing of American troops frogmarching unwilling voters to the ballot boxes at gunpoint.
The only forces in Afghanistan who are violently imposing their political system on the people, are the Taliban. Given the choice, I believe the Afghan people would prefer democracy to Islamic fundamentalism.
Therefore, they neither have democracy forced on them, or dislike it."
But since they don't have sovereignty they do not have democracy anymore then the people of Iraq.
And we have seen plenty of photos of American soldiers with grinning faces "dealing" with those that oppose US rule in their country.
Regards,
Otter
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51. At 1:59pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
Sarah Palin's demise is wishful thinking. She hasn't gotten where she's gotten because she can't take a punch. The one consistency is that people underestimate her. "
She has gotten where she is because she was in Alaska. She is out of her depth and it shows.
I just wonder whether she can take a punch as good as Hillary. If so, the media will have to try a different tactic.
Hilary CLinton was an edicated intelligent woman - there is the difference
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Ref 27
"But the other reason her bubble will burst is that there is, simply, more important news, and it is going to get worse during October. Even today, the FTSE is down another 150 points".
Absolutely, the next casualty is going to be Washington Mutual, a very large mortgage holder whose stock has reached junk status. Unfortunately for us, that is just one of many corporate failures on the horizon, where there are over 100 banks with serious liquidity problems. Hopefully, people will not panic and start a run on the banks...
In the meantime, house prices will continue to drop leaving creditors holding mortgages that exceed the value of their properties, and tens of thousands of Americans are losing their jobs and can not find new ones because they don't have the qualifications needed for the high tech jobs that are available. Not a pretty picture.
Ref 34
"Just not wasting so much on militaristic matters will go a long way to helping the economy?"
Pursuing different approaches to protect our interest abroad and achieve our economic and geo-political goals are without a doubt an important part of the strategy needed to balance the federal government budget and address domestic priorities. Wasting $10B a month to bring democracy to people that don't want it (I think that's the latest justification in what seems to be a dynamic list of excuses), is part of the problem, but is not the root cause for the mortgage meltdown, collapsing real estate prices, a substandard education system, and an embarrassing health care system.
We must restore the regulatory practices that prevented fraud and risky bank investments; we must give tax breaks to the middle class to stimulate the economy, create jobs, balance the budget, and restore consumer confidence; we must keep interest rates low to encourage investment, and we must shore up the value of our currency to balance our trade deficits and encourage investment.
I suggest you take a look at the proposals of both candidates, on their respective websites, to form an opinion regarding whose proposals are most likely to address the fiscal and economic problems we are currently having.
Frankly, an about face by a born again GOP candidate who as recently as last week was advocating less government oversight does not give me a warm fuzzy. Unfortunately, all these issues become irrelevant to a large segment of our electorate when compared to the charisma and religious convictions of Gov, Palin, her cosmetic and sportmanship prowess, her record as Mayor of Wasilla and Gov. of Alaska the past 22 months, and her incredible ability to judge foreign threats through the prism of her 20/20 vision.
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Jewish Voters Report Calls Disparaging Obama
Shady dealings, but who's surprised?Salaam, etc.
ed
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49. At 1:53pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
"These changes occurred under both democratic and republican presidents. It is a myth that only the democrats' policies will help the poor and that under the republican policies the rich only get richer.
Taxing the rich has populist appeal, but it results in the rich paying less tax. "
So not taxing the rich and only taxing the poor will result in the rich paying more tax?
Yes wonderful logic.
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The more the media puts Sarah Palin down, the more it reminds HRC supporters of how unfairly the media and Obama treated her (in their view) and the angrier it makes them. And of course the more of them will vote for McCain Palin.
UKAndy73
Americans place much higher value on the quality of individual leadership than on political dogma or doctrine. That is one critical element in America's meteoric rise and success BBC overlooked in its series America Age of Empire and will probably overlook again it its new series. Europeans do not understand leadership and do not value it when it appears. For example, Margaret Thatcher had that quality and her own party threw her out. The people who had any leadership qualities in Europe at all were usually also psychopathic demagogues like Hitler and Stalin who led their nations to ruin. You don't conquer a continental size wilderness in 400 years the way America did by party committees, it's done one person at a time. As the old saying goes, a camel is a horse designed by a committee. McCain and Palin have sold themselves to America because they have that quality of leadership. When they get into office, that is what will be put to use, not some doctrine that some group of committee members drew up. That's why party platforms are usually passed and then forgotten, they don't matter when it comes time to confront the real issues. Obama has not demonstrated any qualities of leadership, just oratory and the US electorate has already rejected Biden as unqualified to be President...more than once.
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If the majority of this country shares the ideas of JohnAAA, DougTexan, or AndreainNY,
than we deserve McCain/Palin. If that is the case may we get what we deserve, and if that is the beginning of the end for us, than may it be so. At least with it so will ignorance and indifference end.
Empires of the past have perished and gone in thin air. Perhaps it is our time to go, and let a new people, who value intelligence instead of color of skin, science instead of religious primitive ideaologies, friendships instead of bulling and arrogance. perhaps China showed us even on the Olympic Games that they mean to be the future leader.
If that is the unfortunate direction (in my opinion), i hope you JohnAAA, DougTExan, and AndreainNY are very very happy people, and may you all live a long life to live the consequences of your choice. BUT. I also hope that those consequences whether fantastic in nature, or horrible with great loss, affect you personally, that you may have no doubts forever and ever of your views of the world and the future of this nation.
Perhaps, growing up in Europe in the 21st century most of my young life, I am not American enough to fit the 19th century America of JohnAAA, and hopefully John McCain's. Luckily John McCain will have no power outside America.
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Mrs Palin is a truly frightening prospect , not just for us mere mortals on the other side of the pond but to certainly every young woman in the USA plus every other citizen as well . Her grasp of foreign affairs seems to be based on the fact she can see a little bit of Russia from time to time from Alaska. A redneck family in the Whitehouse, come on America get a grip. This is the world you are dealing with here not Barney Rubble and his family from Hicksville. Her stance on abortion is appalling ,she presumes to deny every young woman the chance of an abortion even for rape and incest, she believes in creationism, ok she believes in it but before you know it it will be part and parcel of every childs education in the USA. Please stop looking for someone you might like to have living next door and choose someone who can lead, inspire and know what they are talking about. Its a dangerous world out there and with Mrs Palin its going to get even more dangerous.
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JohnAAA
I ignored your links in the past because I thought they'll send me to some boorish right wing pseudo-news website. Well, I tried one and it was a link to some crazy website about aborted babies still being alive and was pretty sick and offensive. And then trying to blame it on Obama...! You are a sick old man. I won't try your links again.
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Nice Lines,
He appears here, and has voted with Bush quite a bit in the record to which you refer. I would love it if you could clarify the "most policies" from which McCain has "distanced himself"...it should make interesting reading, especially if you can provide any evidence.Salaam, etc.
ed
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"44. At 1:41pm on 16 Sep 2008, DougTexan wrote:
For my two cents, the news here isn't Sarah, but the fact that CBS is reporting the future disillusionment of the Media, now a self appointed voting block in our electorial process."
Oh dear poor Sarah.
I"n a recent survey of media according to the McAlveny report shows a 100 to 1 favor for Obama, as they lead Americas fools to the Marxist/Socialist left. Our capitalist past that has fed world will soon be like South African capitalist, now marxist countries that once fed Africa."
Sorry no one understands gibberish. The US is going to be like South Africa? Are you sure you do not mean Malta or Iceland?
"Not surprised by the left here using the code words 'economic justice' as bait for the people to vote him in. Let the world be warned, Hitlers investments didn't stay in Germany. Like Ed or Simon pointed out, Germany 'was' a Democracy, and one vote changed that."
One vote changed German Democracy? whose vote was that? Capitalist backing for Hiter changed Germany, not democracy.
Hitler's brownshirts were paid for by rich capitalists.
"I am surprised that the EU wants the US to become the next Marxist nation to rule them, make no mistake, patriotism here is not taken lightly, we are ripe to be harvested to your demise and my dissapointment."
So now the US is going be like the EU?
I thought it was going to be like South Africa?
"Okay, what do I know you say."
Quite
"Lets spell it out. In BHO's memoir he refers to "Frank" as his mentor. None other then Frank Marshall Davis, a communist that fled Chicago after the FBI and Congress began investigating his "subversive", "un-american activities".
More later, have to dog to vet, nueter day, ouch."
Sorry more gibberish. Frank Davis another uppitty blackman who was nearly lynched as a young man. Perhaps you hope the same for Obama?
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56. Simon21:
"51. At 1:59pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
Sarah Palin's demise is wishful thinking. She hasn't gotten where she's gotten because she can't take a punch. The one consistency is that people underestimate her. "
She has gotten where she is because she was in Alaska. She is out of her depth and it shows."
Yes, Simon, even you underestimate her.
Has it occurred to you that as much as you hate her, she wants that job? And you and her detractors are probably no match for her.
My advice to you is not to hold your breath until she implodes.
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59. Simon21:
"49. At 1:53pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
"These changes occurred under both democratic and republican presidents. It is a myth that only the democrats' policies will help the poor and that under the republican policies the rich only get richer.
Taxing the rich has populist appeal, but it results in the rich paying less tax. "
So not taxing the rich and only taxing the poor will result in the rich paying more tax?
Yes wonderful logic."
Should you be making up points just to post?
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Ed Uglyheart #58
Anyone can say whatever they want about who they are on a phone call and fool the person they are calling into thinking whatever they want to.
A shady posting from you intended to stir up anti-Jewish hatred as always but who's surprised? Look where it comes from.
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7 JohnAAA
(Of Justin Webb, on Palin)
"Nary any mention of her attempts to reform government in Alaska, the prime reason for McCain choosing her as running-mate."
Not the first time you've said this.
How do you know his 'prime reason'? Are you telepathic? Are you the Supreme Being, as some have hinted? (Or perhaps you think you are, which isn't quite the same thing.)
Since McCain has shown himself to be a liar repeatedly, you can't expect us to take him at his word.
As far as I can see, it's widely held that he would have preferred Lieberman or Ridge, but was talked out of it, because they're pro-choice. Among the possible reasons he chose Palin (a) to patch things up with the Christian fundamentalists in his party - you know, those 'agents of intolerance' he once talked about (b) to add some excitement to his campaign, whiich was going nowhere (c) to try to attract disaffected Hillary voters. (The hypocrisy of the 'respect' the Repubs are now showing Hillary is quite nauseating.)
So he chose someone he scarcely knew, and had scarcely vetted, with zero knowledge or experience of international affairs, which he claims is the main issue. Indeed, some would argue that such recklessness in itself disqualifies him from being President.
Having said that - maybe it will work. Maybe they'll win. After all, we are talking about an electorate that voted in GWB twice. (Well - once, strictly speaking...)
And once again, thanks ever so for continually providing links to anything favourable to the Repubs or unfavourable to the Dems that you can find. Although, if there is anyone else here as right wing as you, I daresay they will have seen this stuff anyway.
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The postings on this blog of "JohnAAA" bring to home to all
the utter corruption of the NeoCons controlling and manipulating the USA.
Many have observed the falseness and propaganda
but such concerns are as nothing in the calculus
of those who have brought the USA to its present state.
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63. dceilar:
"JohnAAA
I ignored your links in the past because I thought they'll send me to some boorish right wing pseudo-news website. Well, I tried one and it was a link to some crazy website about aborted babies still being alive and was pretty sick and offensive. And then trying to blame it on Obama...! You are a sick old man. I won't try your links again."
You are correct about that. The "sick and offensive" material was what Obama voted to support.
Obama's vote on that was hard to believe. He voted for it to protect abortion, which is admirable but shows an inability to differentiate ideology from reality.
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63
The link on babies referred explicitly to Obama's 4 votes in defence of infanticide - going way beyond his entire party which wanted the law clarified so that babies who survived an abortion would not be left to die anyway.
This is a matter of plain fact. It is amazing, certainly, and to my mind was a bizarre approach by Obama, but you cannot duck the truth of what he voted for.
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#62 MAII
Don't talk about things you don't understand. Thatcher may have been a great leader but she had run her course. She was kicked out because she got over confident and ultimately was going to make the Tories lose the next election. Then you say all the great European leaders were psychopathic. What nonsense. This is anti-Europeism. Do you want to nuke all of Europe as well as the UK now?
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60. MarcusAureliusII:
"The more the media puts Sarah Palin down, the more it reminds HRC supporters of how unfairly the media and Obama treated her (in their view) and the angrier it makes them. And of course the more of them will vote for McCain Palin. "
The more I see the media go after Palin, the more Palin reminds me of Hillary. Palin's much tougher than people realize.
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An idiotic response, but typical of the orifice from which it issues.Complain about this comment
John in Doublin,
GOod luck talking sense to JohnAAA. First you have to think as if you lived in the 19th century, than hopefully you might be on the same page with thim.
But Good luck nevertheless. And watch out, God talks to JohnAAA and a few other individuals here. They are not telepathic, they are prophets.
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Just because McCain kept the media entirely in the dark about his possible choice of Palin does not mean that his campaign did not vet her properly. That is another canard run against TeamMcCain by the media - who continue to show a lot of anger about their ignorance that she was in the running for selection. Claiming there was no vetting is just many in the media trying to cover for their lack of nous, for being wrongfooted by McCain
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#31
Marcus,
Amazing, right and wrong at the same time. The tide is turning. The Palin phenom is dying off. Folks are bored with her whiny voice (Tina Fey has it down soooo well) and her 'second place beauty queen in a tiny state' story. The reality of the Bridge to no where (for it, against it once congress slaps it down, siphon off the cash) and the myriad other scandals are adding up. No she doesn;t want to play with the investigation, of Troopergate.
Today the poll of polls on CNN shows them back dead level. The recent polls show Obama pulling ahead again, especially in the big battleground states. Meanwhile Johnboy thinks the economy is great and has to redefine what he said after his handlers chat to him.
The tide is turning, and the GOBBMAFWGFO is ready. In 3 weeks McCain Palin will be toast. You heard it here first.
Excited Sam
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By the way, I would like to ask JohnAAA, DougTexan, and AndreainNY what their highest level of education is, what their degree is if so, and their class rank. Of course i will assume you won't distort the truth as McCain who finished 4th from the bottom, but as McCain has a tendency of inverting the meaning of words and ideas, to him 4th from the bottom is 4th from the top. It just depends what you call the top.
that information would really help me at least in either ignoring your comments or understanding how exactly your brain works.
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"67. At 2:35pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
59. Simon21:
"49. At 1:53pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
"These changes occurred under both democratic and republican presidents. It is a myth that only the democrats' policies will help the poor and that under the republican policies the rich only get richer.
Taxing the rich has populist appeal, but it results in the rich paying less tax. "
So not taxing the rich and only taxing the poor will result in the rich paying more tax?
Yes wonderful logic."
Should you be making up points just to post"
Trying to understand yours. How does not taxing the rich make them pay more tax?
Like not enforcing the law catches more criminals?
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#58 - Ed Iglehart
Just reread your post. Thought for a horrible moment that our Marcus was a 71 year old . . . . Naaaaah!
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"66. At 2:33pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
56. Simon21:
"51. At 1:59pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
Sarah Palin's demise is wishful thinking. She hasn't gotten where she's gotten because she can't take a punch. The one consistency is that people underestimate her. "
She has gotten where she is because she was in Alaska. She is out of her depth and it shows."
Yes, Simon, even you underestimate her. "
How what has she done that has been underestimated?
She has come out as an ignorant, individual. And her novelty is wearing off
"Has it occurred to you that as much as you hate her, she wants that job? And you and her detractors are probably no match for her. "
Hitler wanted his job too. Has it ever occurred to you that simply wanting something, and saying anything to get it are not particularly outstanding qualities.
"My advice to you is not to hold your breath until she implodes."
She is imploding, she is out of her depth, admit it.
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"77. At 2:52pm on 16 Sep 2008, JohnAAA wrote:
Just because McCain kept the media entirely in the dark about his possible choice of Palin does not mean that his campaign did not vet her properly."
You are surely not claiming she was vetted properely?
" That is another canard run against TeamMcCain by the media - who continue to show a lot of anger about their ignorance that she was in the running for selection. Claiming there was no vetting is just many in the media trying to cover for their lack of nous, for being wrongfooted by McCain"
Looks like McCain is being wrong footed now.
And Palin is imploding, as some us predicted.
Just to repeat it won't be pretty, but it might be entertaining.
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JohnAAA knows more about Palin than McCain does, and that old fool showed us how much he knows about her on the VIEW.
Be careful people with JohnAAA. He has this special power that if he wants to see red in blue, eventually he does.
Or in words that johnAAA might understand, he wants to believe lies to be true and trues to be lies, and well...what do you think? We should give him an A+ for he has masterfully achieved that level of enlightenment.
Ah a bonus questions for you sir?
Do you believe dinosaurs walked the earth 4000yrs ago?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
BBC wouldn't even let me post the lyrics to the song Connie Francis sang, "Lipstick on Your Collar." All Obama needs is one or two more nasty attacks on Palin, at least construed that way like the lipstick remark and he will be toast. This is one community organizer who seems to be getting progressively more and more disorganized. I think he's getting flustered. He'd better get his act together before the debates. If he gets flustered there, he's finished. American wants leaders that can think on their feet. Will he keep repeating the same old tired mantras again and again? That may work in Britain where Tony Blair can say with a straight face ten years after he's been in office that the nation's problems are the result of the "party opposite" but it won't play here. It will come down to whom in the most voters judgement will make the better leader. McCain and Palin look mighty good to a lot of Americans right now. How they look to foreigners....just doesn't count. They can't vote.
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"72. At 2:44pm on 16 Sep 2008, JohnAAA wrote:
63
The link on babies referred explicitly to Obama's 4 votes in defence of infanticide - "
Obama doid not defend infanticide, only pro-life fanatics would claim that he did.
He did support a woman's rights to choose.
"going way beyond his entire party which wanted the law clarified so that babies who survived an abortion would not be left to die anyway.""
No babies foetuses.
"This is a matter of plain fact. It is amazing, certainly, and to my mind was a bizarre approach by Obama, but you cannot duck the truth of what he voted for."
He voted for a woman's right to choose -you oppose this right.
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82. Simon21:
"'Has it occurred to you that as much as you hate her, she wants that job? And you and her detractors are probably no match for her.'
Hitler wanted his job too. Has it ever occurred to you that simply wanting something, and saying anything to get it are not particularly outstanding qualities."
Hitler? Stretching a bit, don't you think?
You are wrong about Palin. It's amusing, though, to watch so many people believe they know more than the VP candidate.
Perhaps you should start a club. The "smarter than the candidate" club.
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John and Andrea
Calling it infanticide is going a bit too far in my opinion. Foeticide maybe? Anyway, I take it the bill was passed as only Obama opposed it? Besides, if a woman goes through an abortion and the foetus survives who looks after it? Would the woman want terminated? I mean if she wanted it kept alive she would have adopted in the first place right?
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I may be somewhat late to comment, but in regard to #3, Darrenin Canada, he should
be aware that he cannot enter the contest in the US, as firstly he is a foreigner...
"Under the terms of the US Constitution
any person wishing to become President and by extension, Vice-President, must be BORN within the confines of the US, and as such be a native-born American."
While there are arguments con and pro to
this edict, it is the law and until the time as it might ever be rescinded, this doctrine will remain in effect.
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MarcusAureliusII,
Being such a great American, why do you have this desire of sounding intelligent using the name of a nonAmerican Emperor?
It would suit you best if you had chosen" George Bush III" or "John McCain II" instead.
Just a thought!
So that you know, Marcus Aurelius would have been democrat. His policies were anti-war, and he wanted to keep the Pax Romana lasting if it was not for his idiot son.
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Early and active, jogging downhill...
Oh Joy!
ed
Our best hope may lie in total economic collapse
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90. dceilar:
"John and Andrea
Calling it infanticide is going a bit too far in my opinion. Foeticide maybe? Anyway, I take it the bill was passed as only Obama opposed it? Besides, if a woman goes through an abortion and the foetus survives who looks after it? Would the woman want terminated? I mean if she wanted it kept alive she would have adopted in the first place right?"
First, thank you for having the honesty to admit that Obama supported this bill.
You make a good point about the woman's not wanting the baby, alive or dead. That doesn't mean, however, that the person attending to the baby can allow it to die. There is something about that which sickens most people. And so they couldn't vote for it.
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A baby born alive after a botched late-term abortion is NOT a foetus. It is a baby. Period.
And sticking such a baby in a room and letting it die is infanticide. Period.
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JUST A HEADS UP EVERYONE. DON'T BOTHER POSTING AFTER 5 HRS, AS THE MODERATORS AND SOME OF US PEACEFUL WORLD CITIZENS, WOULD BE TOO BUSY WATCHING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL INSTEAD OF READING LOVE POEMS AND DEFENSE STATEMENTS ADDRESSED TO mccain and palin.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 08!
(i hope they don't have any McCain billboards)
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dceilar #73
"#62 MAII
This is anti-Europeism. Do you want to nuke all of Europe as well as the UK now?"
Why waste perfectly good nuclear weapons on wiping out Europe when it is doing such a good job of nuking itself? It's tearing itself apart over Lisbon. It's at war with Russia, especially the UK and is vulnerable to them cutting off oil and gas. France is at war with China where they seem to hate the French. They've alienated all of Latin America with their recent illegal alien laws. They are at war with the Islamic world. A lot of Africans don't like them. And for no particular logical reason except just out of sheer stupidness they've picked a war with the US. Meanwhile the old saying that when the US sneezes the rest of the world catches pneumonia seems to be playing out with the financial world debacle, the earthquake in the US markets shaking up Europe's pretty well too. You Europeans are all doing very well Young Mr. Grace.
I think we can save our nuclear weapons for a more worthy adversary. They would just be redundant and kill the show Europe's self inflicted implosion will entertain us with.
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32. At 12:56pm on 16 Sep 2008, BritPatJax wrote:
Bush is keen to get Bin Laden before leaving office. He thinks of Pakistan, we pay you we own you. No wonder Pakistani's love America? When Obama stated we might have to get them over the heads of Pakistan he was ridiculed. it is however dangerous and getting one man is not winning the war on terror. Nor are we safe. They have patience. They produce stress disorders. They still win. Might will not win this. Finding how to reduce hatred might?
well said.
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"95. At 3:24pm on 16 Sep 2008, JohnAAA wrote:
A baby born alive after a botched late-term abortion is NOT a foetus. It is a baby. Period."
No just recycled right-wing opinion
"And sticking such a baby in a room and letting it die is infanticide. Period."
No because no baby is involved. Again extremist opinion is not fact.
Learn the difference and you won't make such mistakes
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Simon21 (55)
Thank you for your reply.
I do not believe that the countries of Iraq and Afghanistan completely lack sovereignty for the following reason; if the governments in these two countries decided tomorrow that they wished foreign forces to leave, western governments would have a hard time justifying to the world (and their own electorate) the reason for keeping their forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. This fact demonstrates a level of sovereignty, of control that the Iraqi and Afghan governments have over their own territory. This is only limited by their own, current inability to provide security for themselves and their people and also to find political unity, the reason why western armies continue to be needed in both countries.
On your second point. I join with you in your disgust at incidents of brutality (which I presume you were hinting at) by American soldiers and others. However these events do not mean that the presence of American forces is universally cruel to the local populace, only knee-jerk anti americanism would suggest otherwise.
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94. At 3:23pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
90. dceilar:
"John and Andrea
Calling it infanticide is going a bit too far in my opinion. Foeticide maybe? Anyway, I take it the bill was passed as only Obama opposed it? Besides, if a woman goes through an abortion and the foetus survives who looks after it? Would the woman want terminated? I mean if she wanted it kept alive she would have adopted in the first place right?"
First, thank you for having the honesty to admit that Obama supported this bill.
"You make a good point about the woman's not wanting the baby, alive or dead. That doesn't mean, however, that the person attending to the baby can allow it to die. There is something about that which sickens most people. And so they couldn't vote for it."
There is no baby involved, end of story
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Is it my imagination or are the right-wing posters on this site even more bonkers than usual today ?
Is all this ridiculous bluster because (as Ed regularly reminds us) we can all see before our eyes the consequences of the laisser faire policies of the last eight years?
Are our right-wingers a bit uncomfortable. And has Marcus flipped entirely ?
Just wondering.
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52
Thanks for the thoughtful and generous response. I suspect our difference is on the popular view of where competency lies. Owing to Clinton's success in the 90s (and remember he raised taxes to balance the budget first), and the failures of both Bush and his father, I incline to the view that the electoral sympathy on this matter has shifted towards the Dems (like it did in the 90s to Labour), and I suspect people trust Obama to make a mature judgment about whom he needs to help sort things out. I do wish however that he would tip his hand and indicate who is appointments for Treasury and State would be. I'd agree that Obama needs to make a thoughtful case (time for another big speech), and I'd also suggest that he has more goodwill on this issue than McCain who is seen as good at foreign policy but not economics. You will of course reply that this goes against instinct, but that is another reason why this is such an interesting election.
As for Palin, my point really was that her influence has been overblown (in part by her own ego) and that events will overtake her new found status. My caveat was that she would be news only if she was brought down by a scandal. Personally, I find her rather smarmy, and clearly duplicitous; someone the English describe as being 'rather full of herself'; but then I'm afraid that my taste inclines more to the Uma Thurman type than the gun-toting God-in-the-mouth mooseburger eating variety.
And yes I can name most of the VP candidates in the last 30 years, except for some reason, the one who ran with Bob Dole ....
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I wonder if all of you European supporters of Obama have forgotten his early remark about Europe facing a ticking demographic time bomb? Do you agree? Certainly nothing has changed and doesn't look like it's about to. Do you think that if he is elected there is anything he can do about it? Do you think he ever cares? This nonsense about being leader of the free world and such is rediculous. If he is elected, he will be President of the United States and only of the United States. If Europe starts to drown again, I think it had better learn how to swim on its own rather quickly. Sympathy for Europe on this side of the pond has melted away faster than the polar icecap.
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"89. At 3:10pm on 16 Sep 2008, AndreainNY wrote:
82. Simon21:
"'Has it occurred to you that as much as you hate her, she wants that job? And you and her detractors are probably no match for her.'
Hitler wanted his job too. Has it ever occurred to you that simply wanting something, and saying anything to get it are not particularly outstanding qualities."
Hitler? Stretching a bit, don't you think?"
The point stands. If you don't like Hitler, try myriads of others. Just wanting something is no proof of ability.
"You are wrong about Palin. It's amusing, though, to watch so many people believe they know more than the VP candidate."
Know more than a woman who apparently did not know what country she was in when travelling and beleives a creature with a big white beard created the world in seven days?
"Perhaps you should start a club. The "smarter than the candidate" club."
Too many members. It is noticeable however that Palin never bothered to get herself a decent education.
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Marcus Aurelius (JOHM MCCAINII)
you really seem to know a lot about Europe.
War with islamic world? Wow, did you just notice that? I guess for 1000 yrs europe and the islamic world have been war dancing.
War with Russia? Really? SInce when? Wait, does that have anything to do, with Europe allowing us to build some rocket bases on Russia's backyard to fight an invissible enemy? hmmmm...yea. there are some idiots in Europe too. But war with Russia? wow...I bet you, if it comes to that, Palin will be all alone. Europe would never fight Russia.
And you seem to be to certain of your power. We only fight wars against opponents that have no boots and fight with pitchforks. If you think we can fight russia, south korea, or iran, you are one crazy dude.
I have heard people around the world, expecting us to start a world war, but I refuse to believe it. But with Palin having the codes to nukes, GOD SAVE AMERICA!
And if you think, Europe will wage a holy war (as Palin is ordered by God) on anyone, than well I better not say anything, other than GO TO EUROPE MARCUS AURELIUS. while you are there, see your tomb too.
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McCain speaks for himself
Sounds real clued up - NOT! "Wall Street has betrayed us!" The "result of excess, and greed" "We've gotta upgrade our regulatory system"....You mean the one dismantled by your good buddy Phil Gramm?
Well worth watching if you're beyond embarrassment.
Hopeless!
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"14. At 11:12am on 16 Sep 2008, steveofleeds wrote:
Oh dear, another hatchet job from Justin and the oh so impartial CBS. When was Sarah Palin built up by the media? She's been attacked with the sort of venom only Hilary Clinton previously endured. Coincidence? "
No they are both bad ladies to have running the place.
Palin is as thick as a brick.
she has used her position in any office she has taken to make herself and her" court" richer.
She is a prime example of who you elect if you never want to see a woman run again for a long time.(gop real aim:)
it is not just men attacking her. there are plenty of women.
many say way worse things about her.
the fact that she is being defended as worthy of this position is the sexist action.
the fact that she is held away from the press, that is sexism.
it is not sexist to say that seeing russia and knowing something are different.
it is not sexist to say that stopping rape victims(BTW SHE AUTHORISED THE BUDGET CUTS) from getting a test because it was not in HER budget, and waiting for the state to change the law while she did nothing,is criminal neglect, is not sexist.
I guarantee if a man had made the decisions on rape she has made there would be half the american media in town proving that one.
That would not be sexism either.it would be the right response to the situation.
It is not sexist to say she believes rape victims should have no accesss to abortion.
It is not sexist to say that some one who hires a manager to manage her job is maybe not a very good manager.
it is not sexist to say she brought a little money to everyone in Alaska so no wonder some like her(unless they live in Wassillate and have no sewage plant but does have a loss making sports hall.
it is not sexist to critisise a cantidate. it is sexist to give her a ride, the benifit of the doubt, DEFERENCE
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"100. At 3:34pm on 16 Sep 2008, Otter wrote:
Simon21 (55)
Thank you for your reply.
I do not believe that the countries of Iraq and Afghanistan completely lack sovereignty for the following reason; if the governments in these two countries decided tomorrow that they wished foreign forces to leave, western governments would have a hard time justifying to the world (and their own electorate) the reason for keeping their forces in Iraq and Afghanistan."
This is theoretical and does not concern both countries.
The fact remains US forces operate with complete impunity under their own command and with no reference at all to the supposed governments.
This is not sovereignty of any kind.
The "governments" cannot protect their citizens from US attack.
As the Georgian Government would point out.
". This is only limited by their own, current inability to provide security for themselves and their people and also to find political unity, the reason why western armies continue to be needed in both countries."
1) Who decides when they are able to provide security - not the actual governments as current negoatiations show.
Sovereign governments do not allow others to tell them when they are able to look after themselves.
2) The US has and continues to kill large numbers of civilians in both countries and holds its soldiers etc to be above the local law.
"On your second point. I join with you in your disgust at incidents of brutality (which I presume you were hinting at) by American soldiers and others. However these events do not mean that the presence of American forces is universally cruel to the local populace, only knee-jerk anti americanism would suggest otherwise."
Nothing to do with anti-americanism just a naive and foolish beleif that hardened soldiers treat civilians whom they distrust with kindness and care.
US soldiers are soldiers -not red cross volunteers. They will do anything they deem necessary to survive.
The various photos etc were the tip of an iceberg. Talk to any Vietnam veteran to get some idea ofhow soldiers treat civilians they distrust - and know they can punish with impunity
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Simon21
"It is noticable however that Palin never bothered to get herself a decent education."
There's that typical European elitist mentality rearing its ugly head again. In the US both socially and in politics, that kind of sentiment is death. That is not how we judge people here. And that includes their abilities. I'd say that of the four people running for President and VP between the two parties, even the least of them which IMO is Obama, they are far superior as leaders to anything Europe has or has seen in a very long time. Europe's best such as Sarkozy, Merckel, and Brown are not even remotely close as leaders to an Obama. Europe's method of political selection is guaranteed to elect mediocrity at best.
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Of course there is a baby involved. The baby has been born, it is no longer a foetus. It is ALIVE. And should not then be allowed to deny with no medical attention. THAT is what the legislation was about, legislation passed by everyone - except Obama.
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Hi Justin, you seem really dismayed about the effect Pallin has had on the White house race. I appreciate her views may not be that palatable but I still find it encouraging and progressive that a women has been picked for the ticket. The fact that she has generated a real buzz is no different to what happened when Obama hit the spotlight at the Democratic convention 4 years ago. Personally I think it gives the contest some real spark which was lacking four years ago Kerry took on Bush.
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Palin got a pass degree - not honours - at batchelor level.
So did Obama - not honours.
I do not think there is anything in the constitution that reserves the Presidency or Vice Presidency or any place in politics to people with higher degrees - or indeed any degree.
Just more of the elitist rubbish. But keep it up, it drives voters away.
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It is most unfortunate how people (and it seems worldwide) are more interested in the celebrity of this race (driven by the media) and not the actual campaigns themselves.
I live in the Imperial City. I am not in politics or media. I was until a decade ago, when I switched gears and went into academia. Now, I lecture at a university and teach children in the UK and the US about one of our biggest oncoming threats intead. It is much better for the heart and soul. Needed to be quite clear on that as I do not want charges of bias or elitism or partisanship to come my way. I hold none of the above traits.
However, many of my friends and associates do (hold those traits) - it is the lifeline of the District after all. Once cannot live here and not be exposed to Beltway blather - some of it is pure rumor, some evidenced by fact. Some of it is not sexy enough for the media to pick up while some is too hot to be handled.
Neither, can a person live here and not face the daily exposure of the machinations of a well run campaign - and - both of these campains have their spinning down to a science. They are fantastic. The very best I have seen in all of my time in DC.
It all boils down to this:
The media picks and chooses quite carefully what stories it goes after and either broadcasts or prints. When the public at large (not just the American public either) realizes this, they will be a lot better off as they can start tuning nonsense out and start focusing on the real issues.
When the public at large realizes that TP's of spinmeisters are greatly ironed out with every cause and effect predicted before a word is uttered to the press; the verbal manipulation that occurs before, during and after a release or an alert then, maybe, just maybe, the mass public will start weeding through the real issues of these campaigns and demanding answers.
But, this would entail not focusing on Palin as she is not running for president and, rather, focusing on the actual presidential nominees. This is where McCain has been brilliant, frankly. Putting all of the emphasis on her and not on him.
While it is not an easy challenge to demand that issues be addressed and not hidden behind, it is necessary. Instead of ridiculous name calling and juvenile theatrics, why aren't people demanding answers? Palin is a crazy, right-wing psychopath who believes dinosaurs roamed the earth 4,000 years ago is not an effective statement to make. What is an effective question, however, is: What will Barack Obama or John McCain do about the looming collapse of Wall Street? Now, what is more important?
And, in addition, to yesterday's blog (as well as parts of todays) which I just perused...
The media can no longer be called purely liberal. This charge would have stuck in the 90's but mass communication exposure has altered this. As a matter of fact, Fox News is a direct counter punch to the media culture of a decade ago. And, that is why it became such a powerful outlet early on. Now, there are many viable sources to obtain news both conservative and liberal viewpoints. Furthermore, CNN has greatly improved their image as presenting balanced coverage. The Washington Post has as well. That is why we are seeing more Post pundits given exposure as opposed to the NYT, which has gone far to the left in their editorial pages.
When working in the media (I worked for one of the top five US media for several years) it is about numbers. It is that simple. Circulation numbers. Advertising numbers. Ranking numbers.
And, in regard to a posting yesterday, Olberman and Matthews did in fact lose their jobs to partisanship. Senior correspondents were not happy with the way things were going at NBC and complained. MSNBC ratings started tanking. And, given that they just paid a ridiculous amount of money for a build-out when they left their space on the Hill, this was not on.
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Marcus Aurelius,
Do you really think America can do without Europe. If Europe breaks all ties with us, we will isolate ourselves, and in doing so, we will be the ones counting down not Europe. Europe is what it is, and the world knows its politics. But the East and the Latin countries like Europe far more than they like us. If you want to make Europe an enemy, I suggest you think twice. Who will we turn to? Who will we do trade with? Let me tell you, living in Canada too, they certainly do not like our arrogant Arses...either.
People are more willing to forgive the mistakes of previous generations as in 10yrs you too will think of Bush as being a great president compared to what you might get from McCain and Palin. The East and Latin America see beyond the European crusades and colonization at this point. But they are less willing to forgive us, for in 8 years we have made more enemies than in 50 yrs. And that is what effects their lives, which we so often including people like you and DougTexan, AndreainNY, and some others seem to care little about. But why should we care about people's lives in other coutries eh. We are only pro-life in America. Only America is the country were God speaks to people and people do his work. Our blood is golden compared to some other people's blood.
If the foreign brain in this country leaves, you bet we will be a third world country. Very few Americans are qualified to do the jobs of the 21st century. If that's what you want, go nuts and isolate the country. Than you shall see how great you really are.
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To#58 and #93Edinglehart
How low can it and they go? We will all see won't we?
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#103
Jack Kemp ran with Bob Dole in '96 ...
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You don't conquer a continental size wilderness in 400 years the way America did by party committees,
unwise fool erroneous.
wildernesses do not need conquering.
there is no enemy there.
Unless you mean the systematic killing of all the locals.
facist
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Thanks ed for the link as always,
but i am confused now.
When did the situation become terrible? I thougth yesterday McCain said the fundamentals of our economy are still strong.
MCCAIN MAKE YOUr FU#$%^ MIND UP.
is it terrible or strong, you lying bull$%^.er
Thanks ed for the link
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106 I rather think that if it came down to it I would side with russia against america.
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#52 NiceLinesGiddo "Which brings us to the historical truism, that in times of financial difficulty, voting populations tend to shift to the Right, not to the Left. "
Then explain Herbert Hoover's defeat, under whose tenure the 1929 stock market crash occurred, prompting the Great Depression. In the UK, consider the huge Labour victory over the Conservatives in 1945 - and in the US, more recently, Bill Clinton's victory over George H. W. Bush. Doesn't seem to me that electorates swing to the right in times of financial difficulty!
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MCCAIN SAYS" WALL STREET HAS BETRAYED US!"
Really! Wall Street eh? Well senator what have you been doing for 8 years since you know it all? Sleeping or making up things about Obama and creating a public figure for pitbulls with lipstick to fix the economy.
How stupid does this man think Americans are? Oh wait, some are. But how many? Now that's a good question.
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@33 Domminickvila
Nice point even with the slant
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watch some interviews of the mccain camp on huffingtonpost. You will be amazed. Soon enough you too will believe the economy is great and we are in heaven.
Oh i like the UK's new Palin name: THE TROJAN MOOSE.
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"111. At 3:53pm on 16 Sep 2008, JohnAAA wrote:
Of course there is a baby involved. The baby has been born, it is no longer a foetus. It is ALIVE. And should not then be allowed to deny with no medical attention. THAT is what the legislation was about, legislation passed by everyone - except Obama."
Again extremist opinion is not fact. There is no baby involved and therefore no infanticide.
The mother of an aborted foetus whatever its status is not charged with attempted murder, assault etc.
This is another of your "Obama consorts with terrorists" smears.
Which you failed to back up.
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WanderingAngus (#10), The GOP supporters are crabby because the Republican Party, for about a quarter century, has been taken over by evangelical puritan moralists who have driven out the sinful liberals, who now reside in the Democratic Party (or are independent). We all know that sinning is much more fun than moral rectitude.
Of course, the Republican Party has plenty of sinners, too, but they are obliged to pretend they don't. That takes most of the fun out of it.
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105 she's one of those americans that doesn't know how to get in line.
we have an ad here on Oregon public broadcast , every one says they are an expert.
the funny one is the little 70 punk rockabilly who looks funny but not in anyway what she claims "Hi I'm..... I'm an expert in fashion".
A year later after they started I still have to chuckle when she says that.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
91. At 3:14pm on 16 Sep 2008, littleDickie wrote:
I may be somewhat late to comment, but in regard to #3, Darrenin Canada, he should
be aware that he cannot enter the contest in the US, as firstly he is a foreigner...
"Under the terms of the US Constitution
any person wishing to become President and by extension, Vice-President, must be BORN within the confines of the US, and as such be a native-born American."
While there are arguments con and pro to
this edict, it is the law and until the time as it might ever be rescinded, this doctrine will remain in effect.
So who was it that kept arguing with me about being president was just about having two american parents?
Own up.
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"113. At 3:56pm on 16 Sep 2008, JohnAAA wrote:
Palin got a pass degree - not honours - at batchelor level.
So did Obama - not honours."
But at different universities and in different disciplines.
Obamas was in a demanding subject - law
Palin attended a variety of universities, studying media
"
None of her universities had strict entrance requirements
I do not think there is anything in the constitution that reserves the Presidency or Vice Presidency or any place in politics to people with higher degrees - or indeed any degree."
Nothing saying the VP can't be a half educated, ignorant, rascist bigot either.
But they are not seen as positive qualities.
"Just more of the elitist rubbish. But keep it up, it drives voters away."
Apparently not, Palin is sinking.
Just as predicted.
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watch mccains advisor lying on msnbc.
what a bi$%^!
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"Simon21
"It is noticable however that Palin never bothered to get herself a decent education."
There's that typical European elitist mentality rearing its ugly head again. In the US both socially and in politics, that kind of sentiment is death. That is not how we judge people here. And that includes their abilities. I'd say that of the four people running for President and VP between the two parties, even the least of them which IMO is Obama, they are far superior as leaders to anything Europe has or has seen in a very long time. Europe's best such as Sarkozy, Merckel, and Brown are not even remotely close as leaders to an Obama. Europe's method of political selection is guaranteed to elect mediocrity at best. "
Sorry this seems to be an incoherent rant
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No respite Updated
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There's that typical European elitist mentality rearing its ugly head again. In the US both socially and in politics, that kind of sentiment is death. That is not how we judge people here.
marcus eerornoless
you do all the time. so stop pretending your nything other than a sad guy from NY with a bad crass taste in wine and a bad shrink who has yet to get you to reconcille your problems with your father giving more to charity than you.
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MAII, just a few things...
#97 I see you now think you know whats going on in the eyes of the African population too. Funny that....theres loads of them, from many different countries with great diversity. Mostly though, they have more important things to deal with then european issues. Although yeh Im sure some of them do hate the europeans, but its a bit of a tautology dont you think?
#104 Yeh we know theres a demographic timebomb. You don't need geography A-Level to tell you that. So no, the media here aren't outraged by his comments.
If I were to say I was pro-Palestine would you automatically say I was anti-semetic? It's hypothetical btw, Im just curious.
And the whole debate concerning aborted feotuses is interesting, sure, but can people stop brandishing the word FACT around. The whole reason it's split the US electorate is because there are none.
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gloo #115
"Do you think America can do without Europe?"
It already has. And for a very long time. About 232 years. Can Europe do without America? I don't think so but who cares? I don't, do you? Considering how they've treated us, they don't seem to care either.
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To#114Invisibleserendipity
Thank you for your very well-informed and insightful post. Spin is always occurring but it is good to be reminded to focus on issues and not be side-tracked by irrelevant trash.
I think that politicians want us to 'eat cake' so that we won't notice that the bread is getting really MOLDY!
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#89
Thanks Andrea. Great idea.
We of the GOBBMAFWGFO have been seeking a way to lengthen our acronym. From here on we will be the Gun Owning Bible Bashing Beer Drinking Middle Aged Fat White Guys Who Know More Than Sarah Palin For Obama party. We of the new GOBBBDMAFWGWKMTSPFO have also added new manifesto items:
- Since the National Anthem is too hard to sing after a couple of drinks, we will hold a referendum on a new National Anthem. As part of our broad tent we have received several suggestions, namely:
- America The Beautiful (from the latte liberal wing of our party)
- USA USA USA droned on monotonously (From the 'Republican can't remember the words or notes to anything more complex' wing of our party)
- Born in the USA (from our New Jersey Chapter)
- This Land Is Your Land (For our Union members)
Other suggestions will gladly be added
Cheerful Sam
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Apologies if you already know about this, but Michael Moore has made a little film for everyone to watch for free - well except right wingers. Ok, everyone- but not John.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh5a42XyrOA
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jf # 118
"wildernesses do not need conquering."
If those who came before you hadn't conquered the wilderness of Oregon, how would you fight off wolves, mountain lions, grizzly bears, and other dangers of a nascent forest, with a steel frog? Hahahaha.
#120
"I rather think that if it came down to it I would side with russia against america."
I'd expect nothing less from a Communist traitor. Say it loud enough to the wrong person and you might just wind up in GITMO.
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Palin Met By Over A Thousand Protesters In Anchorage
check it out.
"Voted for her once, never again" great slogan.
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115 difference?
AGE
those Old fuzzy brains did not take advantage of brain stimulating drugs in their youth so now they (unlike ED) have become real thick.
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Why aren't any of the staunce right wing bloggers chatting about wall street? If my ec degree taught me anything its that right wingers love it!
Does being educated make you an elitist? I'm working class and grew up on a council estate, but next week Im starting an MSc...but am I still an elitist?
The worst thing about todays blog is that Sam Tyler hasn't contributed enough. I love that guy!
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#106 et al
You have to remember that:
a) Marcus has described a planning dispute over the location of a mosque in Switzeraland as a war between civilizations
b) His positions regarding America's relationship with Europe, on the Economy, Middle East and internal debate are exactly those that Osama Bin laden desires
As such, applying Occams Razor, either we are dealing with someone a few shingles short of a roof, or he is on the other side.
Regards,
Sam
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To#115Goleooo
Very well said. We all need each other. I have said before and will say it again:
'Survive together or die alone.'
Isolation and arrogant foreign policy are not options. We need to mend our ties especially with Latin America. We also need to restore some faith in our American leadership in Europe and the UK. Dinosaur politics have no place in the USA!
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/15/chris-matthews-battles-na_n_126657.html
Must watch. And if you are fooled than shame on you. Because Bush fooled you once already.
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here is my questions to your republicans brainfarts,
If McCain, this american hero, who always wants to service his country, elected senator to represent the country, has all this great ideas of saving this country from the REPUBLICAN mud of the past 8 yrs, why didn't he propose this ideas to Bush to help his party and his country over the past 8 years.
That selfish, ignorant, liar.
Shame on Americans who are fooled by him. Shame on those veterans who put down the country they fought for, to raise up high to undeserved position a liar like McCain.
Shame on America to get this man at this point.
Watch for yourself.
And watch the protests of Alaska's middle class against Palin. That's the average American.
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#89 AndreainNY "It's amusing, though, to watch so many people believe they know more than the VP candidate." There appear to be people on this blog - and certainly elsewhere - who are far more knowledgeable and better educated than Mrs Palin. And who know more about foreign affairs and the world economy. Had she been a man she would never have been selected.
#113 JohnAAA: The value of American and British degrees are quite different, almost anyone who can string three words together can receive a "Bachelors" in the USA. Nevertheless, Mrs Palin's degree of B.S. seems appropriate.
Incidentally, Mr Obama graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School - sounds like an Honour to me and worth more than anything from Idaho U.
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#137
Yes. I think we need to all go on a bread free diet and get down to the issues ...
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77JohnAAA – “Just because McCain kept the media entirely in the dark about his possible choice of Palin does not mean that his campaign did not vet her properly. That is another canard run against TeamMcCain by the media - who continue to show a lot of anger about their ignorance that she was in the running for selection. Claiming there was no vetting is just many in the media trying to cover for their lack of nous, for being wrongfooted by McCain”
As far as I know, canard is a fancy word for lie.
So the nasty media are lying and Honest John is telling the truth?
And you know this how? More telepathy? More omniscience? Your own personal hotline to "TeamMcCain".
(Mind you, there is another option. You claim to be an objective British observer. But, as I think someone else suggested here, you seem to be as fanatically pro-Repub and Anti-Obama as - well, John McCain. If not more. Perhaps you do indeed have inside knowledge of "TeamMcCain". That would explain a lot.)
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FYI Gloworm, BHO is a Senator as well, how come you don't you ask him why he did nothing about wall street, oh yeah,.. it's only been two years (almost) and he's been campaigning for one of them.
Not that I care, because if you knew anything about the American market, you would know the regulation and shoody deregulation without oversights, (over the past two decades) have led us to this.
Trust me, it will get worse. Get out of stocks, buy gold and pay off your house or as close as you can before this election. It will not save your life, just a hedge on retirement planning. Two things that are never worth nothing,.. Gold and Property.
Who ever wins, will take us into beginning socialism where owning (free and clear) property is your bank account and statement of wealth and position. Rural propery taxes will be lower as well as the interference from government.
omg
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#138. SamTyler1969 - re 'new national anthems' - you've missed out the obvious - Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" - that should suit many, if not all members of GOBBBDMAFWGWKMTSPFO
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The orificial source excreted thus: "nascent forest" in speaking of Oregon's primeval verdure...
Ignorance is a voluntary misfortuneNicholas Ling
It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument
William G. McAdoo
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THANK GOD FOR MICHAEL MOORE!
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140. At 4:45pm on 16 Sep 2008, MarcusAureliusII wrote:
jf # 118
"wildernesses do not need conquering."
If those who came before you hadn't conquered the wilderness of Oregon, how would you fight off wolves, mountain lions, grizzly bears, and other dangers of a nascent forest, with a steel frog? Hahahaha.
incompetant idiot.
I would make any number of weapons,I AM A BLACKSMITH. not a pretend electrical plug changer.
what would you do hit out with a slide rule(seeing as your so ancient).
Also your understanding of nature is a little simplistic.And you way of solving your problems deranged.
And you joke but a well placed frog can do a world of damage. come visit I will show you.
First I would have tried communicating with the locals.
and if they had never met anyone like you then I would have a chance that they would not kill me for pleasure.
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"I rather think that if it came down to it I would side with russia against america."
I'd expect nothing less from a Communist traitor. Say it loud enough to the wrong person and you might just wind up in GITMO.
--------------------------------------
But I thought I had freedom of speech, or is america what I claim ,a lie.
As to communist.
How would being a communist make me a traitor?
Or is america the lie I say it is?
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Simon 21 #132
America is a far superior place compared to Europe if for no other reason than Europe is filled with people who have your views.
Here's an example of one of countless people that Europe considered trash. George Soros.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Soros
Know anything about him? I don't share his political views but perhaps you will find this interesting.
"George Soros is the son of the (esperanto-language) writer Teodoro Schwartz. Teodoro (also known as Tivadar) was a Hungarian Jew, who was a prisoner of war during and after World War I and eventually escaped from Russia to rejoin his family in Budapest.
"The family changed its name in 1936 from Schwartz to Soros, in response to growing anti-semitism with the rise of Fascism. George Soros later said that he "grew up in a Jewish home", and that his parents were "cautious with their religious roots". However, Soros's father was proud of his Jewish roots (which can be seen in his memoir on his experiences during the holocaust, Masquerade)."
"To avoid his son's being apprehended by the Nazis, Soros's father paid a Ministry of Agriculture employee to have Soros spend the summer of 1944 living with him and posing as the godson. Young Soros had to hide his Jewishness even as the official was overseeing the confiscation of Jewish property."
"In the following year, Soros survived the battle of Budapest in which Soviet and Nazi forces fought house-to-house through the city. Soros first traded currencies during the Hungarian hyperinflation of 1945–1946."
"In 1946, Soros escaped the Soviet occupation by participating in an Esperanto youth congress in the West"
"Soros emigrated to England in 1947 and graduated from the London School of Economics in 1952. While a student of the philosopher Karl Popper, Soros funded himself by taking jobs as a railway porter and a waiter at Quaglino's restaurant where he was told that with hard work he might one day become head waiter. He also worked in a mannequin factory, but was fired for being too slow at putting on the heads.
"In 1956 he moved to New York City, where he worked as an arbitrage trader with F. M. Mayer from 1956 to 1959 and as an analyst with Wertheim and Company from 1959 to 1963"
"On Black Wednesday (September 16, 1992), Soros became immediately famous when he sold short more than $10 billion worth of pounds, profiting from the Bank of England's reluctance to either raise its interest rates to levels comparable to those of other European Exchange Rate Mechanism countries or to float its currency."
"Finally, the Bank of England was forced to withdraw the currency out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism and to devalue the pound sterling, and Soros earned an estimated US$ 1.1 billion in the process. He was dubbed "the man who broke the Bank of England.""
So a man who escaped the Soviets, hunted by the Nazis, and told by Brits he might one day make head waiter but was too slow at putting heads on manequins to hold a job went to America to seek his fortune. And he found it the night he single handedly took the Bank of England for over one billion dollars. Poetic justice and one more of countless proof-positives that ANYONE has a far better chance in America on ability alone than anywhere else in the world.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNlcYaEOLRM
ALASKAn WOMEN REJECT PALIN.
Will American non-Alaskan women who don't know her accept her and ridicule the very same Alaskan middle class women that are in the same category facing the same issues as them?
Only if they are idiots like the ones who are boycotting against Oprah.
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Journalists can say whatever they like about Gov.Palin, the fact is that a lot of people like and respect her. She has very high ratings in her State, in contrast to the single digit favorable ratings of the present do-nothing Dimmicrat Congress.
Furthermore, women who knew, liked and admired Hillary Clinton, were suddenly woken up to the sexist bias and mendacity of the majority of Washington and NY based journalists.
Although these women do not know Palin, a newcomer and outsider to the scene, in quite the same way as they felt they knew Hillary, they are willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, and to take any news story about her with a large grain of salt.
It's known as a news media loss of credibility. (total loss of trustworthiness and expertise)
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I forgot to add the link to the film. And when I added it - it was referred to the moderator! Anyway, it's on Michael Moore's website and you'll see a link to slacker rising and it's there. But you have to be located in North America. Everyone else could try a free proxy server that's based in the US (google it).
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Simply put :
McCain ....A Bush clone - Beta edition
Palin ...Bush with lipstick
Enough is Enough
I dont think I could stand four more years of this nonsense
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Thanks for this, Goleooo!
;-)
ed
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Robert F. Kennedy, Jr on Governor Palin's Reading List:
"Fascist writer Westbrook Pegler, an avowed racist who Sarah Palin approvingly quoted in her acceptance speech for the moral superiority of small town values, expressed his fervent hope about my father, Robert F. Kennedy, as he contemplated his own run for the presidency in 1965, that "some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies."
It might be worth asking Governor Palin for a tally of the other favorites from her reading list."
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jacksforge (#129), you got it slightly wrong. It is the twelfth amendment to the U. S. Constitution which requires that the Vice President shall meet the same requirements as the President. It is not required that Presidents (and VPs) be born within the "confines" of the United States, it is only required that they be "natural born" citizens. In other words, persons who are citizens at birth, not naturalized citizens, may serve as President or Vice President.
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October 01, 1999
By Henry Lamb
The McCain camp nor Obama camp have ventured here, they are still talking "lip service with a lasting shine" Some of these issues I'm bringing forth because this is an election that will have a major "Global" effect.
The "smoke issues" are detracters to allow the passage time and keep items of importance out of sight from our limited space and time. Many will be voting on age, sex, color and issues with he said/she said, sorry to say our choice of canidates are very limited, and they fear the challenges if they are exposed for what they truely stand for.
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The Kennedy Revolution is alive: in Barack Obama.
Hated by gun slinging bible babbling white rich ignorant republicans. Loved by the young generation of this country. The future of America, that threatens the old mentality of brainfarters and small minded small town valuists.
Hated by the military experienced senators and money profiteers of wars, loved by the peace wanting citizens of the great country and the world.
Barack Obama is my JFK!
Barack Obama is my RFK!
Is it yours?
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'I'll be interested to see how Palin -- not to mention McCain and the Republican campaign machine -- reacts when the media's disillusionment sets in for real. Their actions may determine the course of the 2008 race.'
Very good point, except that much of the East Coast/West Coast elitists despise her to begin with.
When they really take the gloves off, they will discover that Middle America truly dislikes THEM, and are thrilled to see someone who will stand up to these bullies.
No, she won't always be a brilliant comet streaking across the heavens--that can't happen, especially if she takes office and has to carry out painful decisions made by the new administration.
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DOug texan,
"omg"
it is too early for you to start praying to God. Don't you want to see what McCain will do to you and your family first?
Obama is not praising himself with experience and know it all. McCain is, plus McCain has been in the senate 20 some years. What has he been doing, with all his great ideas? You pinhead.
Gold is not worth anything eh? WOW...you obviously know a lot about world economy and the gold standard.
I think i will play it this way as Ed beautifully quoted :
I"t is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument
William G. McAdoo"
I know you won't get the point, but eh what the hell. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.
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The value of American and British degrees are quite different, almost anyone who can string three words together can receive a "Bachelors" in the USA. Nevertheless, Mrs Palin's degree of B.S. seems appropriate.
Incidentally, Mr Obama graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School - sounds like an Honour to me and worth more than anything from Idaho U.
As an aside , I am sure that many well educated people graduated from the Univerity of Idaho as have graduated from the thousands of excellent ,strong academic instutions in the U.S.
Although Harvard has its laurals , Let's not be simplistic .There are many well educated Americans who are smart , articulate and intelligent who have graduated from state and private instutions throughout the US
We must remember that Bush graduated from Yale and Harvard as an example of how some despite the fine education ,still cling to their own internal world view.
Palin sad to say, is also an example of that minority of educated Americans who seem not to have benefited from Higher Education
Just as in England there are other fine universities besides Oxford and Cambridge the same would apply here in the U.S.
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#151
Not all media is nasty. Only the cubs who are breaking their teeth and hold aspirations that it will be THIS story that brings them national attention so do whatever necessary to get it into the news cycle ...
Seasoned journalists are an entirely different kettle of fish ...
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Doug,
Under the leadership of McCain's present Campaign Chairman, the redoubtable Phil Grammand his missus, who was a major benefactor of ENRON (remember them?)And, since McCain is clearly an economic ignoramus, we should look to his advisors to see the kind of quality economic leadership we might expect, should he manage to get elected. More on Phil Gramm
Enjoy!
ed
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jack,
let's not go into a communism vs democracy debate.
you have freedom of speech indeed, but our constitution is not complete on that.
All have freedom of speech, but your freedom ends where mine begins, and considering there are 300million + Americans well you can make the assumption that your freedom of speech is very very very very limited.
But again this is about American Election not communism. let's not enter that door. We can insult and mock each other in attempts to prove which party is lying, but provoking old people with something that would force them to throw away even God's principles in which they claim they believe is too much.
he is right, say it loud enough and ... well ... he said it.
cheers mate!
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ref #146
We can mend our ties with Latin america by approving the free trade deal with Columbia.
And than help the Govenor who was illegally arrested by the Dictator Evo Morales protogee of Dictator Hugo Chavez.
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All of the European countries are in this one too. A quick link to this site for some, and link to 1999 Worldnet Daily for others.
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Doug, it's been a while since any Marxist-socialist name calling here.
The only -ism that democracy has faced at great cost or has to fear is totalitarianism, whether it wore a red star or a brown or black shirt, a fundamentalist headscarf or even a white sheet.
With Churchill the 'united nations' made a pact with one totalitarian devil to defeat two others, then for decades we avoided direct nuclear conflict hoping the devil who'd been our ally would become less totalitarian. (I'm using devil as a figure of speech not a revelation).
There are some more or less socialist countries whose residents enjoy superb pre-school thru universtity education and health care, child care, aging care, etc. despite taxes that make them shop for used cars. I've discussed this trade-off with several families from Scandinavian countries.
The rest of the socialism, Marxism (and even capitalism) words that are bandied about is either (1) false name-calling by one side or another (as you are doing to Obama), or (2) in some cases self-labelling by ruthless totalitarian leaders to make themselves sound more benign.
The New Deal programs were enough a part of America's fabric for Eisenhower to protect them and extend their coverage as part of his 'dynamic conservatism'.
So either start calling Eisenhower a socialist too (for Obama is more like Ike than McCain or Bush), or stop throwing about socialist, Marxist etc. as empty words that are so loaded, and so scarcely applicable to this election that it's akin to shouting 'fire' in our poltical theater.
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#158 MAII
You can't use George Soros to defend your arcane arguments. And I'm pretty sure that he will disagree with every post (inc. #158) that you have made.
Didn't the US treat African-American artists as trash in that time but were revered in Europe. I suppose they don't form part of your worldview.
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#160, quietlaurieann:
I think you are right. The next wave of buzz about her will be to learn about the real person, not the goddess and demon as she has been portrayed.
Film maker Elan Frank's Documentary
I saw a bit on CNN by Elan Frank who was in Alaska during the summer capturing film on the lives of outstanding women in Alaska. He described Alaska as a rugged "man's" country, where certain exceptionally strong women also stand out.
The interesting part was that he had each woman petition Oprah on film to come to Alaska to see some strong women. So, you see in politics the contrast of Sarah Palin petitioning Oprah to "please come to Alaska", as opposed to Oprah's snub.
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Ref 160
"She has very high ratings in her State, in contrast to the single digit favorable ratings of the present do-nothing Dimmicrat Congress".
Are you referring to the Democratic "majority" in the Senate? If 49 Dems, 49 Republicans, and two Independents with one of them (Lieberman) voting consistently with the GOP and VP Cheney as a tie breaker constitute a Dem majority, I guess minority status must involve participation by Dems who died long ago. The truth is that the GOP still controls Congress, not only because of the Senate makeup but because the Dems do not have enough vote to override Presidential vetoes, with the added benefit that the GOP can now blame the Dems for whatever goes wrong, while giving the President credit for whatever works (not much of that lately).
As for Gov Palin's ratings, hope they buy her an igloo!
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Free pre-school and child care for the poor. Brown Shirt class 101
How about the new "Global Poverty Act" The new tax on our GNP of .7%, paid directly from our Government to the "New Global Community" of the UN, money already earmarked for Africa, even though it hasn't passed yet (needs a D president).
Obamas presidential bid isn't the only one going there, McCain is not a right wing republican by any means. He has already proposed the McCain-Fineold bill to quiet the religious and political rightwing radio stations through the 'Fairness Doctrine'.
McCains further left works include the McCain Kenedy bill, called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform", giving all the same rights of citizenship to illegal aliens.
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#158 MarcusAureliusII: "ANYONE has a far better chance in America on ability alone than anywhere else in the world." Perhaps you've not heard of, for example, Richard Branson, Lakshmi Mittal, Philip Green or Bernie Ecclestone. If "success" is defined by financial rewards, then these certainly demonstrate it.
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#160
To further support your statement, you may like to check out the Buchanan Matthews fight on youtube, which occured during the GOP convention. Buchanan throws down Matthews in a sexist charge and wins.
Both campaigns are licking their lips and giving come hither looks as they read blogs which illustrate that partisanship is back on track. Issues? What issues? Now, if we can only get through the next forty odd days with the Democrats calling the Republicans slime and the Republicans doing the same, they think. Obama will be counting on his massive registration and McCain will be counting on the fact that the GOP always comes out to vote.
Ah, who cares about issues when partisanship is alive and well!
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To Edinglehart and anyone else
You might find this News Week article of some interest.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/146945
Sorry, despite a wonderful tutorial from you I am uncertain of my abilities to post links but I AM working on it.
Age does slow one down!
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Palin's reform and fiscal restraint credentials are dubious given the massive funding Alaska enjoys and the real story of opposing the 'bridge to nowhere' but keeping the money. And they are secondary to her competence as a possible president. Crying sexism is an evasive tactic to distract from real issues. Which of the questions about her have been presented differently than if she were male?
# 160 With a 60-vote supermajority required to move deadlocked legislation in the senate, any congressional blame must include the Republicans who still block action by the less-than-60 Democratic majority.
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Its been said time and time again, people don't vote for Vice Presidents. The Sarah Palin Phenomenon may fail when the media gets bored, but what of it? in the mean time they've energized their base, gotten a fair amount of free publicity that the McCain campaign definately needed and most importantly they will have completely changed the discussion about McCain, negating all of Obama's claims of him being of the old order (now he's a false-reformer according to Obama), greatly distances himself from Bush and put the Democrats on the defensive.
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just so everyone else in the world knows, there are ALOT intelligent Americans who see Sarah Palin for what she is: a pandering political move by the republicans who basically have NOTHING TO OFFER other than "down home" type speeches similar to George Bush's way of avoiding actual issues. This whole Palin story reminds me of something I would see on the cover of the National Enquirer when I am at the checkout at the super market....We all hope and pray that the ignorants don't outnumber us thinking people in the election....and by the way we are so, so sorry for somehow (how??) allowing George Bush and Co. to rape our country and others for 8 years. Palin doesn't have a clue about running the country and people need to get themselves out of denial about it; just because they like her mom image; that does not qualify someone to be president or vp.
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149 DC keeping it real , thanks .
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Law,
And some excellent ones in Scotland as well ;-)Complain about this comment
To #172Edinglehart
Google, McCain: Married to The Mob.
It will also provide some interesting information if our Moderators will allow my post. These people are all practically incestuous when it comes to finances.
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Ok, butSo it's a useless argument anyway.;-)
ed
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http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a75_1221414273
All the women must watch.
real mom, real women, real people, not rich republican, hypocrite, bible liars, like Palin.
thanks Ed for the additional video.
Cheers.
I am trying to find more on the Robert Kennedy Jr's comments on Palin and her fascist ideas.
And yet DougTexan and some other republicans go after Obama having ties with a University of Chicago Professor who happened to be a underground fighter in the 60's when Obama was 8 yrs old.
Republicans are truly sick people.
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Obama's first degree was not his law degree. And he did not get honours in it.
Indeed fellow students at Columbia have said they rarely saw him.
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114. invisibleserendipity:
McCain said that every decision among lawmakers is approached like they're in a campaign fight. How true.
How's the mood among Democrats in your town? Republicans?
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DougTexan
when will you join us in 2008? instead of living in the past? WAKE UP...OOOOOOO...WAKE UP!
2008 not 1999.
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well realfrigid,
welcome back, i take it your tears are dry now.
did that documentary involve this footage?
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a75_1221414273
you always do think. just all the wrong things.
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to all those who GOT FOOLED BY MARCUS AURELIUS' GEORGE SOROS STORY:
THIS IS THE REAL GEORGE SOROS:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0928-16.htm
MARCUS AURELIUS IS A JOHN MCCAIN CLONE. a liar who only tells one side of the story.
Soros was against Bush and you bet he will be against McCain.
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get the book,
"the Bubble of American Supremacy" By George SOROS!
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marcus and soros(who btw he normally slags off)
So a man who escaped the Soviets, hunted by the Nazis, and told by Brits he might one day make head waiter but was too slow at putting heads on manequins to hold a job went to America to seek his fortune.
He was told by his boss at the rastaraunt that he might may head waiter.
he was not a cook.so his bosss said he does good. emmmm ? so how is that the same as being told as you implyed that he"would only be good for being a waiter."
it means his skills were recognised, his effort, his organisation.
I am sure many of the worlds richest people (who did not get it from Daddy like you did oh mighty one:).
had been told they would be good at whatever job they were earning their way in.
your trying to say that he was treated badly by the brits is quite funny. after all it was not america that offered him the education.
and so he gets the bank of england, again your point?
not that you mentioned what he did with much of that money
some was used to help the emerging eastern european countries to get them on their feet.
he robbed the hand that fed him?
after all he is in the tank with Obama right?
what is your reason for caring about him or are you worried he would do the same to america.
China .
they will play the soros game any day they like.
your example shows none of the racism you wished were there.
sorry.
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174. At 5:58pm on 16 Sep 2008, MagicKirin wrote:
ref #146
We can mend our ties with Latin america by approving the free trade deal with Columbia.
And than help the Govenor who was illegally arrested by the Dictator Evo Morales protogee of Dictator Hugo Chavez.
-----------------------------------------------
or allowing the legal coke related products like tea toothpaste and booze to be exported.
to take the war away from drugs.
Only america can take the war out of drugs.
Signing a deal to supply right wing terrorists to kill left wing terrorists on farmers land which is why the gop wants to help colombia's dictator, is not going to help bring out the love.
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invisibleserendipity
if your words are what American's live by
"Ah, who cares about issues when partisanship is alive and well!"
than I am ashamed to be American.
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171. invisibleserendipity:
"#151
Not all media is nasty. Only the cubs who are breaking their teeth and hold aspirations that it will be THIS story that brings them national attention so do whatever necessary to get it into the news cycle ...
Seasoned journalists are an entirely different kettle of fish ..."
What did you think of Mr. Gibson's interview?
As I mentioned that night, I felt Mr. Gibson was asking, "Who the hell are you? And why the hell should anyone vote for you?" Questions many of us had.
Palin, whether or not qualified, is showing she can take the heat -- so far. She gains points for that in my eyes. I don't think I'm alone.
I didn't start out as a Hillary supporter, but I came to respect her toughness. The irony of this type of focus on Palin is that it favorably associates her with Hillary, which would have been unheard of otherwise.
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So many candidates are Rohrschach blots these days, with the spindoctors teeling voters what they should see. Mrs. Palin is no different. The objective is to 'fool most of the people some of the time', at least until after the election, so as little as possible will be allowed to hit the press without outraged cries of partisan hostility. After the election, it won't matter until the next time around. People are notoriously gullible and have short memories (see PT Barnum), so it's a safe bet for the modern practicioners of hokum and con jobs. Too bad, in a way, that many of the Democratic Party leaders have some shreds of principles and patriotism left; it keeps them from despising the American people enough to wage successful political campaigns on the national stage. The modern Republican Party labors under no such handicap.
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Mr Webb,
A simple question.Why are you openly biased against Palin and McCain?
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At 6:34pm on 16 Sep 2008, Ed Iglehart wrote:
Law,
"Just as in England there are other fine universities besides Oxford and Cambridge the same would apply here in the U.S."
And some excellent ones in Scotland as well ;-)
Ed ,Indeed there are and in the rest of the UK too I.e .Wales , Northern Ireland
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Is Palin a fascist? HMMMM...well the McCain people are linking Obama to terrorism because he has relations with a University of Illinois professor who was a underground activist (AKA. terrorist by today's definition of the word, to scare the public a little), when Obama was 8yrs old. But wait...can the same logic apply to Palin?
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr on Governor Palin's Reading List:
"Fascist writer Westbrook Pegler, an avowed racist who Sarah Palin approvingly quoted in her acceptance speech for the moral superiority of small town values, expressed his fervent hope about my father, Robert F. Kennedy, as he contemplated his own run for the presidency in 1965, that "some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies."
It might be worth asking Governor Palin for a tally of the other favorites from her reading list."
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174. At 5:58pm on 16 Sep 2008, MagicKirin wrote:
ref #146
We can mend our ties with Latin america by approving the free trade deal with Columbia.
And than help the Govenor who was illegally arrested by the Dictator Evo Morales protogee of Dictator Hugo Chavez.
-----------------------------------------------
or allowing the legal coke related products like tea toothpaste and booze to be exported.
to take the war away from drugs.
Only america can take the war out of drugs.
Signing a deal to supply right wing terrorists to kill left wing terrorists on farmers land which is why the gop wants to help colombia's dictator, is not going to help bring out the love.
----------------
(total loss of trustworthiness and expertise)
I presume you refer to palin from wassillate
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The amount of posts by some people on here at themoment does beg the question: is their ability to do a joined thought out post related to their ability to do joined up thinking?
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ed,
No doubt Gramm had his hand in it. You all missreading on purpose or what. Obama-MCCain could be the same ticket for all I care.
Glow worm
Did I say Gold was worthless, excuse me. Property and Gold are the only things never worth nothing, except the space in your head and the oklahoma dust bowl ":)
My point is the US has gotten itself in a no win situation,.. Okay ya'll like Obama Give ya that, nice guy blah blah. History will tell us I was right, he's a Marxist and we'll know it if he wins.
How racist are you both saying Gramm should have never given so many blacks the right to home ownership!!
Can't help myself, thats funny, don't care whoya are.
Peace out
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There's that typical European elitist mentality rearing its ugly head again.
there is no one that is more elitist than you thought you seem to have no reason to feel that way.
all you I got a big wine celler, I got lawns mowed by lessers, I got the best degree, the best , the best,, the now wait best that's too common a word your hero hyacinth(BTW they have a simular effect as asbestose on the lungs be careful when handling they can be very itchy) to use , the most nascent(well it makes as much sense here as where ma used it).
marcus your letting your character slip again, get it right
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Almost funny to see the Republicans win so that they can clear up their own mess.
Funny but scary.
:-)
Then-president (by 2010?) Palin in the Henry Fonda "Failsafe" role, too?
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gary
with all due respect I said very little someone else said that. in that comment.
and again what makes you think you are so right about this.
do you say that an american born in afganistan to two american parents is allowed to be president in the US as is.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
194
I was just heading down to say that. a drunken on meds with altziemers keeps on target more than this one
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174. MagicKirin wrote: "We can mend our ties with Latin america (sic) by approving the free trade deal with Columbia (sic)./ And than (sic) help the Govenor (sic) who was illegally arrested by the Dictator Evo Morales protogee (sic) of Dictator Hugo Chavez."
I really know v little about Morales. However, I've just looked him up on Wiki. He's clearly anti-US - or at least anti the current administration. And he seems to be a friend of Castro, whom I'm no great fan of.
There doesn't seem to be any mention of an illegal arrest however. And as for his being a dictator, it says "Morales was first elected President of Bolivia on 18 December 2005, with 53.7% of the popular vote in an election that saw the participation of 84.5% of the national electorate. [5] Two and a half years later he substantially increased this majority; in a recall referendum on 14 August, 2008 more than two thirds of voters (67.4%) voted to keep him in power. [6]".
I suspect Magic takes an Alice In Wonderland view of the truth - ie 'words mean what I want them to mean, no more and no less'.
Or there is an alternative explanation. Magic is clearly a Repub. Morales won the most votes. That means he lost both elections....
PS Magic recently announced that there is "...in Boston a Mayor whose grammer (sic) is far worse than George Bush (sic)"
Magic - you REALLY don't want to be making pronouncements on any matters relating to grammar, spelling or punctuation.
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And goeloo
I have no problems with communism, just like capitalism (today of many days that would seem appropriate to mention).
they are both useless , in their execution.
I do object to people saying it is a flawed idea just because the communists in the USSR never figured out that they should grow food not bombs.
Communism does not mean getting rid of religion. look at Israel collective communist farms Kibutz.
Even under communism if you wanted to go to church in Bulgaria you could.
the fact that the party would not give you a great job may have been a problem. but how is that different from the government saying they will not give you the job because you are a communist?
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#193, Andrea
Mood amongst Democrats (and, you know this is city is comprised primarily of dems) is, well, scared. General feeling is that they think Obama is going to lose. Weren't concerned until the Palin pick. But, she brought the base and a strong GOP base is what always wins elections irrespective of the candidate running.
Mood amongst Republicans is dismay. Can't believe that McCain is pulling, especially this year. But, many are split in terms of whether this is a good or bad thing. Those like myself, who aren't keen on social conservatism, aren't too happy with his pick. Actually, I don't know anyone who is happy with the Palin pick.
Overall, general fatigue with the race. And, irritation with the tenor on both sides. Neither is happy with their party or the opposition!
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#200
I was referring primarily to you ...
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176. At 6:06pm on 16 Sep 2008, bluejay60
And your right about the treaty with the Devil. As a young country when we couldn't get a treaty (under GWs CIA) we sold drugs and Air America was denied by all and the propaganda machine inHollywood put out a movie to make it a farce.
Hollywood is still the propaganda machine of the Alphebet soup agencies and "Both" political parties.
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190 ED wow I think like your wendel guy , so good for me.
I like the way he put it.
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203 plymouth.
he's not he is subtly bias towards mc crying shame and his greased up pig
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Re Obama and abortion, Factcheck seem to have a fairly objective view, at http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html
Most relevant part, I think -
"Whether opposing "born alive" legislation is the same as supporting "infanticide," however, is entirely a matter of interpretation. That could be true only for those, such as Obama's 2004 Republican opponent, Alan Keyes, who believe a fetus that doctors give no chance of surviving is an "infant." It is worth noting that Illinois law already provided that physicians must protect the life of a fetus when there is "a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb, with or without artificial support.""
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#138, Sam, how about:
"Born To Be Wild" for the bikers that show up
"American Pie" for those of us who remember the 70's.
"In Heaven there is no Beer" by The Pogues
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205 wow she thinks books are something to decorate the lierary with, she may not be much of a "reader".
Oh did I say she is dense.
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Dear Moderators
Please go and watch Chelsea and Liverpool Play, instead of accepting more McCain/Palin defense speeches that distort the truth, and make the idiots who give them well...I don't want to say it.
Obama 08!
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#201, Andrea
Actually, I didn't think Gibson was horrible. There have been far worse! He was quite clever with many of his questions - for example, asking her the trick question of defining the Bush Doctrine. She was absolutely correct to inquire which as there is the old quote-unquote doctrine from 2004 and the newer version from, I believe 2006? It was a good sparring match.
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Further to my previous post - JohnAAA at 39 - "And why did Obama vote four times to protect infanticide?"
"Fair and Balanced".....
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Glow worm or is it oleo margirine?
The issue "butt grease", not the year is the point. Are Democrats really thinking lipstick is the issue?
Democrats are so stupid
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http://tinyurl.com/59yqua
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My last post was a link to a UPI article headed "The Incredible Shrinking Candidate". Poor Joe.
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#195, goleooo :
Arrogant much? I have more in my life than posting here and arguing with blow hards such as you. Unlike someone who has pontificated for 15 percent of posts on this blog. You should cry for your wasted life.
Hope the weather in DC is nice there while you are "helping the poor", sitting in the cafe, reading the NYT, posting on your hand held. You are the self appointed poster boy for the Obama campaign, and why the US desperately needs better education. Truly, you make it hard for me to support Obama.
You are all hot air and hypocrisies. The self declared Christian who thinks he can educate himself to God. Bwahahahaha!
As Ed recently quoted; It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument -- William G. McAdoo
I'm off to live in the real world... You are a waste of words. Post on.
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#143
Sally,
Being educated does not make you elitist. It makes you interesting, thoughtful reasoned and generally speaking successful in the world. Most importantly it gives you the perspective to define that success for yourself.
The reverse is also true, although I would say that 'education' does not have to be formal. More it is a view of life that makes you curious to look at things in a new way and in a different way. I know folks who are mechanics, linesmen, janitors and cops who know more about everything from Homer to raising troubled kids than I ever will. There education just comes from a diffeernt source.
Unfortuantely the incurious and uneducated tend to rely on others to tell them what to think. Whether that is a preacher, radio show host, political hack or whoever, they just spout what they were told as fact and can't change their minds because they have not been told too. It's a shame.
Sad Sam
P.S. You say the nicest things! If I were single and a good few years younger I'd be on a plane right now to come say 'Hi'
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ref #214
Morales is trying to circumvent the rights of a minority who produces most of the wealth of Bolivia, that is why he is a tyrant.
He is also trying to rewrite his counstitution like Hugo the Dictator did to steal the last two elections.
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#153
Thanks David,
Great suggestion! We shall add it to the ballot.
You have the thanks of all members of the GOBBBDMAFWGWKMTSPFO.
Candidate Sam
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I'll pray for you Oleooo. :)
Minister Joe Wright, Prayer given in the Kansas State Senate
Hey I'm a Liberal,.. I'm "sharing".
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Jack,
i was being sarcastic. nothing against your post.
But I dont care about any party. Nor do I rely on any party to give me a job. What I care about are policies.
But the gentleman you were debating with, well over the past few days has described himself beatifully to me as a .... well you got the point from his response.
Cheers.
I am off to watch some football now.
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in visible given what you say about mc cains pick is it not possible to say , enough is enough, lets admit the Gop has not worked out for a while so allow the opposition a chance.
just to abstain.
If Obama had picked palin as a cross over I'm bipartisan as can be ticket.
I would have been jeering him all the way.
Given she is so bad how is it some think the race is about some guy that will die at the party if he wins.
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As reported in the New York Times five years ago, Bush wanted tighter refguation of fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The Dems opposed it.
And various Clinton measures helped seed the excessively loose growth inlendin - the roots of the sub-prime mortgage mess.
Just to help things along, Joe Biden's bankruptcy legislation lobbied for by MBNA helped precipitate the final chaos.
gee thanks, Dems.
http://tinyurl.com/6lp5qu
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
227 there you go again, sorry folks he's a bit republican in the head, gets things mixed up, you know how it is, he meant to say" dem rats, the republicans are stoopid"
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Two things I believe:
First -
No one offering opinions on abortion today have even the smallest shred of a clue about the history of abortion and child abandonment in the Western World. No understanding of why Catholic Churches have little revolving doors, or why Oedipus' name means "swollen-footed". Their opinion is uninformed and therefore can be dismissed out of hand. They who haven't put forth the effort to educate themselves on a topic have no "right" to hold an opinion on that topic.
Second -
Men have no business offering any opinion on abortion, period. We (men) have no place in the discussion on abortion, nor in any decision on it's legality. It's not our bodies, it's not our business. There should be a national referendum on abortion, with only women voting, and with every American woman required to vote - no fence sitting. Whatever women decide, that becomes the Law.
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Doug,
I see republicans are trying to fix the issues of the past by ignoring the issues of the present.
oooooo doug, you touched me with your compliments and new nicknames and increased level of intelligence. I can tell you are trying.
By the way I am not a democrat, but I will proudly support their policies this year. You bet your whole family I will.
now ask yourself. What would Jesus do?
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230 real frought
whats up stocks hitting you?
out into the "real world" when you come back try arguing a point with Goleooo not just say he is a bad christian, which you do seem to be.
just remember your jesus upset the money lenders stalls the pharasies the whole establishment.
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As reported in the New York Times five years ago, Bush wanted tighter refguation of fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
237 john KKK
5 years ago the dems opposed it?
5 years ago the dems could do NOTHING as for the 5 years since. Because the american public think that wanna be cowboys who barbe que are more qualified to run the country than people with BRAINS.
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#192. JohnAAA: "Obama's first degree was not his law degree. And he did not get honours in it."
The British 'honours' system at university is simply a way of ranking an undergraduate's passing degree - there are 1st, 2nd and 3rd class honours. The system used in some American universities requires students to enroll in special "honors programs". Thus passing with honours and using the post-nominal 'BA (Hons)' has no American equivalent. As for not being seen at Columbia, perhaps that was because his sophomore year was spent some 3,000 miles west at Occidental College, Los Angeles.
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http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/palin-hillary-open/656281/
Now, that a pair.
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jacksforge (#211), well you quoted somebody (without giving a reference) in order to make a point, and an incorrect one, so you own it.
I think I am right because I research technical questions before offering opinions on them. You, on the other hand, appear either to be relying on nonauthoritative sources, or merely talking (or writiting) off the top of your head. You ought not to give opinions on Constitutional questions without first having read the U. S. Constitution at least once. A good online source of the Constitution can be found through the following link:
constitution
Current citizenship rules can be found through the following link:
citizenship
The question of McCain's status is complicated by the fact that the rules have changed from time to time. The argument against his eligibility has been given some apparent credibility by a lawyer (Chin) whose opinion was published by The New York Times. This is a very narrowly drawn argument. This point of view has been countered by two other lawyers (Olsen and Tribe) who take a broader view.
My view is that the argument that McCain is ineligible for the Presidency is without merit. And yes, a child of two U. S. citizens is a citizen at birth and eligible to become President wherever born, even Afghanistan.
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realfrigid,
what have you got against a good entertainment watching football and blogging at the same time eh?
By the way, I am not in DC today. In virginia beach, at a pub, watching football, and of course, how can I ignore you. The preacher declared christian to lecture me on bible verses and help me undermine knowledge for religion as science is the work of the devil, and ignorance is the blessing of God.
Can't you tell, while you breath to write on this blog so my mind is set to follow you? Please help a fellow christian to vote for McCain and a religious psycho, instead of a black man who values knowledge. Pleeeaaseeee sir! ooopps...a black man? wait...Adam was a white man? was he not? hmmmm...maybe you are right real frigid.
I think we should have our own comedy show, don't you think. You as the religious person to whom God speaks, the mr. know it all, the self-righteous swed who refuses to become American, and me...well I will let you describe my character.
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#236
And, that is the issue. That is precisely what many split Republicans are, in fact, thinking. Enough is enough.
What is stopping them from an Obama vote is his inexperience. Most, at least those that I know, will hold their noses and live with the basic principles of the democrats if it brings about positive change - it is the inexperience factor that catches them out. And, not just on foreign policy - on all policy.
What is preventing them from a McCain vote is Palin. Pure and simple.
I have a friend who has never missed a local, state or national election in 20 years who insists that she will not vote in November. There will be others like her ...
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Sure seems from all the 'Palin-could-see-Russia-from-Alaska-so-she-must-be-an-expert' mockery that quite a few people here didn't watch the interview, and just saw snippets such as the one referred to (excessively) above.
Palin also mentioned actually dealing with the Russians, not just being able to see Russia.
If you're going to insult, at least try to be informed about it (technically, Palin could be described as a hunter-gatherer, for instance; no need to pick on hunter-gatherers, by the way--a few could actually be more competent than the average politician).
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Here's a classic :
"Does that mean I can get my US citizenship and run for VP? Provided, of course, that I buy a gun, lobby for destroying a national park, try to get someone fired through an abuse of authority"
Hey darrenincanada,
I suspect you're the first to complain about closed-minded jingoistic nationalism and xenophobia.
Then why do you do so much of it ?
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DougTexan ,
Has God answered your prayer yet?
I am waiting....Am i expected to see a burning bush on my way home tonight?
Come on, got to give me some clues here.
"I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God, it changes me. " - A wise man.
Do you feel better about yourself now DougTexan?
but do let me know eh if God talks to you. meanwhile I will do some praying on my own for you. But I will be original instead of reading it out of the internet. Thanks for the prayer!
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joshkin
Yes, abortion law, the latitude of it and also the limits, is an issue that should be decided by the voters. And I think it is the sort of issue that should be by popular vote, rather than by elected reps at state or fed level. NOT by judges.
Whether it should be restricted to just women voting, I am not sure. But some sort of popular vote, maybe referenda at state level, might make sense.
Your point about revolving doors or hatches in churches is well taken. Like at he Bruneleschi orphanage in Florence.
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#205 - goleooo
Judging by what you can't read in Alaska's public libraries, maybe she does not have a big choice. (OK, it's fake but 'No smoke without fire'?)
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Gary_A_Hill
what is wrong about the son of a couple where only one of the parents is american eh? WHy two american citizens? How does that change the meaning of the constitution sir?
how nice of you to interpret the constitution as it interests you eh....
just like RealFrigid, who knows how to interpret the bible.
Oh better...just like McCain! he interprets everything he doesn't understand himself the same way.
Typical republicans. Always honest and trustworthy in everything they say.
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jf. you buddies with the andre oleoo?
FYI, DOugTexan don't need frog smokin' a mersham pipe to tell me: Democrats are stupid. Sell themselves into slavery for a handout.
Oleo is neither special nor a valid American, he margirine, phoney butter.
United Nations child of privilage.
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#232 MagicKirin
Your ignorance of South American politics is shocking but not surprising. This 'minority' you mention are the rich Europeans who live in the oil and gas rich east of Bolivia. Regardless who lives in these areas they would produce most of Bolivia's wealth. Lest we forget that this 'minority' had been controlling the country for years!
Now we have real democracy in South America and the rich European minority don't like it. As an American patriot shouldn't you be happy about that. Of course you only like democracy when you like the result; when you don't you call them a tyrant or dictator.
Chavez stealing the election? He won fair and square if that's what you mean.
Why do I get the feeling I'm wasting my breath.
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#246 Gary_A_Hill "a child of two U. S. citizens is a citizen at birth and eligible to become President wherever born, even Afghanistan." Should there ever be one in that situation, I think that there would be a major conversation about what "natural born Citizen" means. To me it means that the child must be born on American soil, in the same way that gun ownership should be limited to those who would join a militia. In the McCain case in addition to his parents being American, he was born in an American facility which gave credence to the claim that he was a natural born Citizen in every respect. Had he been born elsewhere in Panama, there might have been a different argument.
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252, JohnAAA.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! I AGREE WITH YOU.
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I have a friend who has never missed a local, state or national election in 20 years who insists that she will not vote in November. There will be others like her ...
invisilble...great example your friend sets.
"we all must fear evil man, but there is a greater evil, the INDIFFERENCE OF GOOD MEN." (or women)
now i will give you the benefit of the doubt that you are an intellectual thus I will not jump to attack you.
Tell me, since Obama's inexperience is a factor, is Obama going to make decisions on his own? Or is he going to surround himself with qualified experts instead of barbeque friends?
Why is McCain more qualified, when McCain himself doesn't have excecutive experience that you are attacking Obama on. It seems to me your unqualified vice president is more qualified than your president choice using your logic, if you can call it logic.
Now tell me this, why should I vote McCain when McCain is a republican who will surround himself with the same republicans who have stuffed their stomaches, their pockets and own million dollar houses (plural) when the nation is failing and going to hell?
WATCH THIS.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/15/chris-matthews-battles-na_n_126657.html
let me know what it tells you about McCains advisors....
we all know McCain is as intelligent as a horse fly. The only reason you like him is his "hero" status, which I do not buy at all. I can think of several dozen real heroes I have met on my short life than a POW who sat on a cell for 51/2 yrs, demanding pity from the public to vote him president. Just a greedy SOB if you ask me.
And tell me why aren't people protesting against Obama? Why are women in Alaska protesting against Palin? Why are Americans protesting agianst Republican party? Is it because they know elections are not decided by them but by the select few of the republican liars who use big words they themselves don't undertand to fool America. THE BIGGEST WORD mccain DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IS: AMERICA. he has no idea WHO AMERICA IS.
But please do answer my questions. And i promise to keep this civil with you, unlike Doug or RealFrigid, who have convinced me that I would be able to hold an intelligent conversation with a penguin as the later one is more intelligent than both of them together.
I look forward to your sincere answer. But please do watch the link.
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All in good fun, cause if we don't laugh about 'it', whats the point. Thanks for the prayers, just thought that was on the level of most democrats.
I hope you find a she that "HoT", so you see a burnin' bush on your way home.
The Cowboys number one in Eastern Division, best game I've seen in years. I'd give the Eagles 1.1 as they are way better then the number two team.
ignant demeicrats have hangin' chads
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Joshkin
Don't be silly and pedantic. You do not need to possess knowledge of abortion history and child abandonment to be allowed to express an opinion on abortion. Nor know the tragedy of Oedipus (what's incest got to do with it?). Aren't you a man giving us his opinion on abortion as well?
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doug, were you praying for a margarine brand? Don't you think God has better things to do, than listening to your margerine prayers?
wow...the country is burning and you are praying for margarine. Way to go. I never thought christians thought of God as that useless. wow...
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David_Cunard
It seems you know nothing about the questions asked about Obama's time at Columbia. Where he was hardly seen.
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246. At 8:14pm on 16 Sep 2008, Gary_A_Hill wrote:
a pile of hog wash.
gary go to your links.
show me how this proves your point. I Know there is a constitution and requirements for citizenship.
but where does your version the version that is so new no one else knows of it , tell me where your version of the rules is written there.
show the legal cases that show that afganistani kid can become president.
you are full of bluff and s the same elitism that so many are here.
a bit like GW energy bill. too much tool late.
it proves nothing.
ANY CONSTITUTIONAL LAWYERS OUT THERE
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There's a "lotta" nonsense in it, since it simply belabors the obvious, what everyone already knew to begin with. And they certainly don't need the same corporate media that's the publicist and watchdog for American foreign imperialist designs around the world to be wary of "tripping up" any candidate of the Duopoly Party which so faithfully serves those aims. The only "holes" that a media maven like Tapper is likely looking for are any lapses in a candidate's willingness to commit acts of unbridled aggression in pursuit of American and Israeli "interests". For a media that can keep a straight face in taking at face value a spurious so-called 'Bush Doctrine' about "spreading democracy around the world", it's not at all surprising that Gibson should be so well versed in it - or that Palin's naive reply can't help to seem somehow possessed of at least a trace of unconscious irony.
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#95. JohnAAA: "sticking such a baby in a room and letting it die is infanticide. Period."
Period?? What Briton uses the word 'period'? In British English, the punctuation mark is called a 'full stop'. Together with an over-familiarity with American television and radio broadcasts, the more you write, the more I think you are not British at all, but paid for by the McCain campaign to rebut anything which smacks of approving the candidacy of Mr Obama. If only the BBC and Justin's moderators would reveal your ISP. The Guardian's 'Comment Is Free' section automatically reveals from where the comment come from and this would not be amiss here.
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gole000 (#254), the rule for the case where one parent only is a U. S. citizen is slightly different. The rules are statutory, they are not part of the U. S. Constitution. All the Constitution says is "natural born" without defining it.
I posted the links to the relevant documents. I'm not going to do it again.
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To#248Invisibleserendipity
I have a question and I am not trying to be sarcastic but define experience and experienced at what.
George Bush had experience as a governor and the son of a one term president. Did this make him a competent leader? John McCain has experience as a POW and a senator how does this fit him to be a president? (I live in Arizona. I would not trust him to lead our country at this time and I have lost any respect I might have had for him.)
Obama may be young and may lack some of the experiences of these two others but I believe that he, at least, has the intelligence to know what he does not know and to seek competent advice. Also, how can one gain the experience of a president without being a president?
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A person born outside a country, but who gained citizenship of the country at birth through descent from a citizen, is a citizen-at-birth through jus sanguinis, not a native-born citizen nor a naturalized citizen. A person who was born in a country that did not recognize him as its citizen at birth but later naturalized as its citizen is also not a native-born citizen.
wiki
crap but I have sent to a higher athoritory on this.
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#260, Doug
That game was cracking! It was one of the best games - congrats to your team - alas, I am a birdies girlie!
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Okay, all kidding aside.
Today i enjoyed the 'company' take on the needs of USA. But really, no but really,.. but reallly.. reliability.
Hedge the investment with hope and change from the Demacrat canidate, cause with the taxes on your pay roll it will be better to own your home and not work, get food card, medi-card, dental card and "get out of jail free card" also known as your voter registration card,.. it better say 'democrat'.
That way, I can live like the English Gentleman of old, drinking at the finest pub in Virginia. :)
"I have just begun to fight" quoted of a patron to the bouncer at the 'Gentile-mans' pub in Virginia, as he found a burning bush.
Pounds of money for the skirt!
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doug what oleeoo
who is andre oleoo
"Oleo is neither special nor a valid American, he margirine, phoney butter."
what is this?
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ref #256
Decilier you are waisting your brain cells.
So does that mean whoever win the U.S election can appropriate the land from the losers.
If you followed the news you would know Morales has accused the govenor of genocide. Even if he is responsible for the murder of 19 people, that is not genocide.
As far Hugo the Tyrant if you look at sources other than the terrorist appeaser Jimmy Carter you would know that Chavez blocked equal access to the media.
the true democracies in South America are Columbia and Chile
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
David_Cunard (#257), there might well be a "major conversation," but the rules have already been codified, so it's settled. The only point of a conversation would be whether the rule ought to be changed, but that would not affect someone currently in that circumstance.
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gloo #169
"Obama is not praising himself with experience and know it all."
It would be the shortest speech ever made if he did.
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#237
Hi John,
If that is true that Bush wanted regulation, why didn't he get it? The Reps had both houses. Are you telling me Bush can;t control his own party.
Really though the whole regulation non regulation of this market is a red herring. Derivatives made folks a lot of money from taking risks. The risks are coming home to roost because the fundamentals of the economy are bad causing a slump in consumer spending and bad housing market.
Large deficits, large balance of payments imbalance, weak currency, pathetic tax policy, poor education standards, falling family incomes, and, the absolute kicker, ineffective healthcare at a high cost of GDP and hidden as a tax on business.
This is the real reason that I just can't vote for the Republicans this year. It's not that they have odious social policies, it is that they have driven the economy into the tank with terrible economic policies. They just don't get it.
The Dems have put a few small things in place over the last couple of years, but have repeatedly been blocked by GW who suddenly found his veto pen after 6 years of being a funding rubber stamp.
If McCain were saying 'Our economic policy has sucked and we have to fix it or we will destroy our childrens future. Meet my economically wise VP choice Alan Greenspan' or whoever with similar credentials (even Carly in a pinch), I'd vote for him. But when his pitch is 'We need to change. I am different on Global Warming, how to fight the war in Iraq and, uhhhhm, torture. Meet Brunette Barbie with a gun. And if you like a Blonde one here is Cindy. She hasn't had work done, honest'. I have to vote against him.
Sad Sam
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What is this 'experience' thing? The next president is going to run the place all own his own is he? No Secretary of State, no Treasury Secretary, no cabinet? Government is a collaborative process. Where a president has weaknesses, there are other experts who can guide him. It is the ideas that matter.
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Al Jazeera program on Obama;
"This week Inside USA cuts through all the media hype surrounding Barack Obama's presidential candidacy and asks what are his policies and how would they change the country?"
Part 1
Part 2
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Green with envy are ya of all them rich republicans,.. Fidel was envious as well, young, spoke well, won an election and the rest is the history,.. the democrats don't know because that would be living in the past.
Fidel looked good in that green garb, but went to France and the United States for medical care.
Sarah Palin, kind of says it all doesn't it.
Oleooo, kinda bein' spread thin.
Smart rich people surrounding themselves with loosers, don't sound right for republicans.
Greedy, thieving, lying and misrepresentin'. Now that sounds right. Just think Kennedy, Obama, Biden, Reed, Pelosi,.. oh the list goes on.
stupid democrats
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Obama's first degree was not his law degree. And he did not get honours in it.
Indeed fellow students at Columbia have said they rarely saw him.
____________________________________
JohnAAA loves to attack with ignorance as a punch.
well john...
let's see...my mates didn't see a lot of my at school either. Having to work a full time job to pay for school, volunteering weekends at the local hospital, spending evenings at the library studying science instead of some rubbish sociology or history which would allow me time to see pals, doesn't leave much time for possing to others eh.
Maybe Obama was doing just that? Coming from a poor family, going to school on scholarships demands you keep up your grades and intellectual power to keep those scholarships. Unlike some pathetic americans who pay for their kids to go to college for 7 years to get a journalistic or sociology degree so that later they can use their parents's connection to move ahead in the world.
Some of us like to make a change in the world. In order to make that change, we must be the change as a great man once said.
you compare palin with obama? only idiots do that.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to get into Harvard if your mom and dad don't have millions to give to the school to accept you?
Don't tell me Obama's single mother paid to have her son enter harvard.
you are ridiculous!
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jack,
forgive doug,
he is having an identity crisis.
the thinks he is butter...i don' tknow....
just enjoy the show.
what else can you expect from McCain supporters? Do they ever talk sense or facts?
Cheers
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
244, David.
The honors in American universities, are "cum laude," "magna cum laude," and "summa cum laude." These honors are based on academic performance.
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#263. JohnAAA: "It seems you know nothing about the questions asked about Obama's time at Columbia. Where he was hardly seen." Since you are (supposedly) writing from the UK, how do you know this? As you say I don't, and imply that you do, why not verify what you say? A link would be helpful, although I can't see what difference it makes if he was "seen" or not - unless you are suggesting that he obtained his degree by fraud. And surely not even you would make such a vile smear.
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266 David_Cunard
You really are becoming paranoid if you think I am a plant by the McCain campaign, and American.. Elsewhere you have suggested that I am not in England.
For the record, I am not American, I am sitting at my desk in London, about 400 yards from the Thames, listening to Radio 4, (Shaun Lay is introducing The World Tonight right now).......I have heard trailers for James Naughtie will be prattling away at 11.30pm). My phone dial code is 0208 etc. The phone service is provided over Virgin cable along with my broadband link.
I often use the word "Period" instead of "Full-stop". Probably because I have seen it used quite a lot on TVm Anerican programmes, or in films. Although all my education has been in Britain.
You fanatsise about me having some inxplicable knowledge of what is being run on US TV. But don't you use the Internet ? - there are plenty of video clips on YouTube of significant interviews, of the ads each side is running etc - plus transcripts are readily available of a lot of US TV political stuff. There have also been discussions on lots of sites about Charlie Gibson's interview with Palin on ABC, for example, as well as video and the transcript of key parts.
And I gather Hannity's interview with Palin is being shown this week, with Katie Couric having a go a few days after that.
But I suppose you will now start thinking I am hovering somewhere above the Atlantic. (Another poster seemed to think that earlier.)
Please stop being so paranoid. Go and have a lie down.
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I found the new BBC radio series openner to be insightful and engaging. And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that one of the speakers, Susan Castillo, is from my home state of Louisiana.
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269, Jack.
The law used to be, and maybe still is, that the child of an American citizen who was born abroad had to spend five consectuive years in the United States before the age of 21 to retain that citizenship.
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Dear Simon21 (109)
Thank you again for your most recent reply to my points.
The example I used (100), in support of my argument that Iraq and Afghanistan possess a level of sovereignty, is a hypothetical one. I do not see a problem with that, certainly as it points to a wider truth.
My example does relate to both countries and can do so. In both circumstances the local governments have complained to foreign forces about the killing of civilians which you have highlighted. In both countries this has put a strain on the relations between said governments and coalition and allied forces.
If the governments did not rely so heavily on US and other forces for their own security, it is likely they would have wanted those forces to leave by now. As I have previously said, this demonstrates a level of control over their own affairs because the foreign forces would almost certainly have had to have left if asked to do so.
You also say that "...The 'governments' cannot protect their citizens against US attack...", please correct me if I am mistaken, but your wording seems to suggest that you consider it a deliberate act when the US kills innocent people accidentally. This happens all too often (due to over reliance on air power rather than boots on the ground), but it is not a deliberate killing of innocents, unlike insurgents and the Taliban who set out to do this intentionally
You then make a reference to the recent events in Georgia which I can't quite understand. If you mean to say that it is somehow comparable to the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, I can't see how. The comparison falls down in that the violation of Georgia’s sovereignty by the Russians is in no way a similar situation in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Maybe it was in March 2003 and October 2001, but not today.
You also make the point that coalition forces are the ones that decide when the local security forces are competent enough to replace them. True, but not local and national government. Plenty of mistakes were made in the initial invasion and occupation of Iraq (which I personally opposed), but credit to the Americans for putting significant effort into restoring government to the Iraqi's as soon as possible (probably because they themselves had made such a hash of the job!).
I still believe that you exaggerate the extent of brutality that American forces are guilty of. Many commentators and writers (even those who are widely critical of US policy) have noted that, even though there will always be incidents of awful cruelty (after all this is a war), on the most part Allied forces act with admirable restraint given the vicious environment within which they operate. British and US soldiers do not act above the law either. When deliberate acts of brutality have been committed, they have faced Courts Martial.
We will probably never agree. However my original point was that TA Griffins (17) assertion that the Afghan's dislike democracy and are having it violently forced upon them, is a fallacy.
Best regards,
Otter
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As he has written two books about his life, it is odd that Obama has revealed virtually nothing about his time at Columbia. But he was certainly not regarded by clasmates as anything special.
His account of what happened when he started work is also being challenged by people who worked with him. They say his account inflates what he was actually doing - basically he was a copy-editor, not some kind of high-falutin' finance consultant - they thought that was a real joke.
Resume padding I think it is called. (Or for David_Cunard - CV padding)
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Now you make a reference to the Land Reform - now we are getting somewhere. As you have been following the news about the region you'll know how this 'minority' got the land in the first place? Colonialism! As a patriot shouldn't you be defending Morales against the stain of imperialism.
You said: "If you followed the news you would know Morales has accused the govenor of genocide. Even if he is responsible for the murder of 19 people, that is not genocide."
Well that's alright then!
Regarding the so called free media in Venezuela: they supported a coup d'etat against the democratically elected government. That's treason in my book. Makes the Rosenburgs look, well, innocent!
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281, galeooo.
So Obama's fellow students at Columbia rarely saw him.
Not surprising. Do you know how huge Columbia is? I do, because that is the university I attended.
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#268
No sarcasm taken - more than happy to answer the best I can.
McCain is known for working across the aisle, and did, and to some degree still does, maintain respect of both parties in this city. It was also why he was the press' shining star. His reputation was pretty solid in terms of bucking his party to find common ground and actually passing legislation. He has nearly three decades of both domestic and international experience in the Congress. (And, contrary to popular belief - they actually do get some work done at times!) He has experience in tough negotiations, whether they be, for example, in the form of immigration law or campaign reform. And, he has knocked around this city - that is critical, as most presidents are bright eyed when they arrive to DC but after a few months realize the sheer enormity of their tasks and the frustrations of accomplishing anything at all - just by virtue of the system. That is the experience factor. This is where George Bush has failed. This is where Jimmy Carter failed.
That is why, I, for one, was nearly doing cartwheels when Obama picked Biden. Biden has tremendous experience as well.
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From the DailyKos March 17, 2008;
Banking Deregulation and Bill Clinton
Hillary is the one to be wary of...
----
But wait...
From the DailyKos September 15th, 2008;
Deregulation Led to Banking Disaster
McCain is the one to be wary of...
---
But wait...
From MotherJones, November 9, 1999;
Rubin, Obama economic adviser, helped write the legislation;
Robert Rubin Rewrites the Rules
You can't trust anyone!
---
Chris Thorn: "Death for running a stop sign?"
Judge Alvin Valkenheiser: "And for being a banker. That's the double death."
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284
allmymarbles
Obama didn;t get any of the US-equivalent of honours in his first degree, apparently.
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#278
And, Bush really chose great people (buddies back from TX mostly) to surround him, didn't he? Loads of experience there. An AG with ethics violations, a VP that knew precisely how to fight a war, a Secretary of Education that was pretty brilliant with No Child Left Behind, the list goes on and on ...
Of course, Cheney did have some experience ...
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There are many things that Obama could be accused or criticized for, higher education is not one of them. Not only was he an exemplary student at Columbia, he was president of his class at the Harvard Law School.
In contrast, Sen. McCain finished fifth from the bottom of his class at the Annapolis Naval Academy, and would have been expelled if his father and grandfather had not been NAVY admirals.
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Obama: Race a factor?
CNN finally hits the nail in the head.
Of course it is the race issus.
The article says it all. White Americans would rather have 8 more years of Bush than a black man.
They just don't want to admit it, because they don't want to look racist, when their hearts are full of hatred for the man.
As one of my friend's grandmother said to me when I told her I fully support Obama in this election "WHAY IS A BLACK MAN DOING RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT?"
Finally CNN shines light on the elephant in the room.
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"A senior aide to Mr. McCain, Matt McDonald later said that Mr. McCain “laughed” when he heard the comment, according to a pool report. “He would not claim to be the inventor of anything, much less the BlackBerry,’’ he said. “This was obviously a boneheaded joke by a staffer.”
aren't you all glad McCain has a sense of humor when the country is failing in everything? Yet he wants American's to take him seriously?
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i guess the same staffer who would be his advisor on commerce if god forbid McCain wins.
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Arianna Huffington: The Palin Doctrine: Why the Neocons Are So Excited
read.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/the-palin-doctrine-why-th_b_126511.html
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/palin-fundraises-with-ohi_n_126840.html
Palin Fundraises With Ohio CEO Of Company Behind Job Losses
oh yeahhh she in going to break the old boys network, she is going to give power to the people....
hahahahahahahaha
the only person who can give power to the people is the person to whom the people are giving power. That's OBAMA
Palin Fundraises With Ohio CEO Of Company Behind Job Losses
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#293,
I was hoping you would be specific and not tell me what McCain has so well nailed in my head.
If McCain has experience, than Biden has more. SO what's your point?
I hope you have more than that in your mind before you go to vote. I seriously do.
And you seem to compare individuals. We are not electing dictators but presidents, and they never act alone but have an administration of secretaries, aides, and advisors.
you assume Obama will not have that. and this hero McCain all of a sudden will produce new advisors, as there are 3 republican parties that one person here pointed out to me.
Come on. Are you being serious?? Or are you playing the McCain game.
Did you watch the link i asked you to? That's mcCains advisor speaking. Refuses to acknowledge she is republican.
Listen, I am not stupid, i know the truth behind mccain and every day he lies more and more, but I asked for an honest answer as to what you think makes McCain the better choice. McCain does not come alone.
You gave me a McCain answer. No subtance just nostalgia for a old time who is well reputed. Sorry but Putin, Europe, China won't give a fart in the air about his reputation.
Feel free to give me a detailed answered, if you don't want to leave it at that.
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David_Cunard
Of course I was not suggesting Obama got his degree by fraud. You really do jump to absurd conclusions. I am saying that his performance at first-degree level was decidedly unimpressive. He himslf says he smoked a lot of pot and listened to Dylan a lot, I believe.
Why not do a bit of searching yourself about Obama's background. After seeing your post I opened up Google and to try to find again what I had recently seen - and actually found a bit more.
For instance - his time at Columbia - I don't think he was doing charity work as someone here suggested, or washing dishes all the time to pay his fees. It, sounds like he was just extremely introspective while there. He himslf says he smoked a lot of pot and listened to Dylan a lot.But as this articl says - it is all shrouded, these are Obama's "Lost Years
http://tinyurl.com/6xl7vg
I had seen a report that a Columbia spokesman had said Obama got a major - no honours. That is - a left-leaning studnet in a leftie college gets average grades - somewhat underwhelming academic record there ? This was it :
http://tinyurl.com/6dt7j7
And in googling around I found this account of what PIRGs sometimes get up to - Obama was a PIRG organiser immediately after leaving Columbia, apparently. Basically radical activist is what it looks like ? As is a lot of "community organiser" work.
http://tinyurl.com/5p6q7c
The more one stumbles across, the more questions are raised about the Dem's candidate. For instance I just saw this new Ayers/Doerhn snippet just now :
http://tinyurl.com/57f65b
It is all out there, let Google be your friend. Because most of the mainstream media won't tell you Obama's full background.
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297
How can you possibly say that Obama was an exemplary student at Columbia ?
He majored, no honours, that ain't exemplary.
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There seems to be a lot of confusion on what "building someone up" in the media means. It doesn't necessarily mean building them up positively. The media seeks to build someone up in the public's eyes AS something. In fact, it often works best to build someone up as a controversial figure, someone you can choose to either love or hate with no middle ground in sight. If you can appear to remain the "nice" guy yourself (or, "impartial" when it comes to the media) while building someone up or dragging someone down, it's most effective. It's the American way!
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#290 "Resume padding I think it is called. (Or for David_Cunard - CV padding)" Not for me, I live in California and only when writing to British correspondents would use CV - Curriculum Vitae.
I'm not "paranoid" about your nationality, but for an Englishman or Briton you appear to have an agenda concerning an election in which you have no say or vote. To be so very dogmatic about the candidates for an election abroad strikes me as being very odd, in the same way that MarcusAureliusII is so dismissive of Europe and the United Kingdom. There seems to be no rationale for your bile and often juvenile humour (e.g. hahahah) although as the evening progresses it appears from your increasingly misspelled words that the grape affects you adversely. As for spelling, I would have thought that being educated in Britain (or even England itself) you would have retained British useage rather than copying the American.
Mercifully, not all Britons are as boorish and opinionated as you; it's a pity you don't utilise your mental resources by disparaging the present government in Westminster, not too far away from you as your telephone prefix is 0208. Although you may consider that you are assisting Mr McCain, your efforts have precisely the opposite effect.
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ref #298
Why was ok to question Bush's experience in 2000 but not Obama's in 2008?
Does the term hypocracy mean anything to you?
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Sure, Sarah looked scared but Charles Gibson didn't know the Bush doctrine either. It changes from time to tiem so her question "in what respect?" does get by. Charlie said it meant the right to make a strike in response to a threat and gave the recent Pakistan border incursion as an example. It's much wider than this and includes the right to treat a country that harbours terrorists as a terrorist, the right to invade if a threat is perceived but not immediate and the encouragement of democracy particularly in the middle east. Sarah had the general thrust correct in that she was strong on the defence of America against terrorism.
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"289. At 10:07pm on 16 Sep 2008, Otter wrote:
Dear Simon21 (109)
Thank you again for your most recent reply to my points.
The example I used (100), in support of my argument that Iraq and Afghanistan possess a level of sovereignty, is a hypothetical one. I do not see a problem with that, certainly as it points to a wider truth."
Hypothetical sovereignty is like being a little dead. You are either sovereign or you are not.
Puppet states have existed throughout history.
"My example does relate to both countries and can do so. In both circumstances the local governments have complained to foreign forces about the killing of civilians which you have highlighted. In both countries this has put a strain on the relations between said governments and coalition and allied forces."
But compalints are not sovereignty. The lawsof these ocuntries do not apply to the armies in these countries.
This is simply not sovereignty.
The Vichy government in France protested against certain german demands. No one would claim it was sovereign.
"If the governments did not rely so heavily on US and other forces for their own security, it is likely they would have wanted those forces to leave by now. As I have previously said, this demonstrates a level of control over their own affairs because the foreign forces would almost certainly have had to have left if asked to do so."
This is not my understanding. From my view the foreign armies cause the foreign armies cause much of the insecurity.
"You also say that "...The 'governments' cannot protect their citizens against US attack...", please correct me if I am mistaken, but your wording seems to suggest that you consider it a deliberate act when the US kills innocent people accidentally. This happens all too often (due to over reliance on air power rather than boots on the ground), but it is not a deliberate killing of innocents, unlike insurgents and the Taliban who set out to do this intentionally"
I do not subscribe to the "whoops" theory of warfare. An attack is an attack, it matters not to the victims or their families what the intentions were.
"You then make a reference to the recent events in Georgia which I can't quite understand. If you mean to say that it is somehow comparable to the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, I can't see how. The comparison falls down in that the violation of Georgia?s sovereignty by the Russians is in no way a similar situation in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Maybe it was in March 2003 and October 2001, but not today."
The Russian governemnt intervened in a peace making capacity to protect its citizens and restore order - at least that's what it says.
It also says it will leave when security has been restored. But of course it will decide that security has been restored.
If you acccept one set of excuses why not the other?
"You also make the point that coalition forces are the ones that decide when the local security forces are competent enough to replace them. True, but not local and national government. Plenty of mistakes were made in the initial invasion and occupation of Iraq (which I personally opposed), but credit to the Americans for putting significant effort into restoring government to the Iraqi's as soon as possible (probably because they themselves had made such a hash of the job!)."
I disagree. The US tore the country apart and apart it remains. It stands indicted for its behaviour.
And specious excuse making about restoring liberty etec do not wash. Every invading army from the Russians in WWII to the Interhamwe in 1993 claimed to be restoring liberty etc.
I maintain it is not the US intention to ever allow the Iraqis or the Afghans ever to have sovereignty.
"I still believe that you exaggerate the extent of brutality that American forces are guilty of. Many commentators and writers (even those who are widely critical of US policy) have noted that, even though there will always be incidents of awful cruelty (after all this is a war), on the most part Allied forces act with admirable restraint given the vicious environment within which they operate. British and US soldiers do not act above the law either. When deliberate acts of brutality have been committed, they have faced Courts Martial."
Yiou surely do not really beleive this. The Courts martial have been derisory and much of the so-called comment has beenfueled by a mixture of anti-semitism (against arabs) and ignorance.
As far as I know not one allied soldier has received a serious sentence for mistreating Iraqis even though it has been admitted that they have beaten civilians ot death and torured them.
Arab /Afghan lives do not matter -this is clear.
"We will probably never agree. However my original point was that TA Griffins (17) assertion that the Afghan's dislike democracy and are having it violently forced upon them, is a fallacy."
Well as I say there has been no democracy because as I think Pericles (or someone) said without sovereignty there is no democracy
Best regards,
Otter
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To post 281, goleooo, "spending evenings at the library studying science instead of some rubbish sociology or history which would allow me time to see pals, doesn't leave much time for possing to others eh."
Though I am not one to agree with JohnAAA, though I do find most of his posts laughable, I do take offence to the remark that the study of History is "rubbish." While I do see more value in the study of science, per say, I would not disregard the entire study of History as a mere whimsical persuit.
There is much value in the understanding of history, as I am sure you have heard the phrase "people who are ignorant of hisotry are doomed to repeat it (and yes I am aware that I am paraphrasing)." It is important to unravel the past so that we can fully understand the consequences of our actions in the present.
Now I will say that my reason for studying history is far less noble, I became an Historian because of my fasination with the past, but I am sure that not all scientists persue their field of study in a more noble mindset. As well, I find myself more often enthralled with a good book or researching a specific conundrom than I am with my friends.
Victor
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David_Cunard
My large flat screen is being replaced, I am working on a very small screen, so yes there are typos. I have not had a drink, I am busy doing other things this evening, and waiting for some phone calls from the Antipodes who are not long out of bed.
As as well as answering some of your paranoid meanderings.
But at least you now seem to be accepting - after a couple of days - that I am in England. I wouldn't want you to fret about that. And don't try to deny that you have twice suggested that I am not in England. Crazy thinking, but the the left is full of conspiracy thinking. Your suggestion that I am a plant from the McCain campaign is a keeper.
The real political action right now is in the US, it is none of your business what I choose to do with my time. Or how I choose to express things. I may not have a vote in the US - but we all have an interest in the outcome.
Frankly, I think Obama is deeply unfitted to be President. Hillary would have been fine - I hope she has another chance in 2012. She might even have the grace to choose Obama as her running mate, by then he might have some credible Senate experience under his belt.
I don't know where you get "hahahaha" from. I have never used that.
The tag "opinionated" fits you as well as me. And you resort to the ad hominem stuff far too much. It ill becomes you if you pretend to be serious in debate. And it is boorish.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/15/chris-matthews-battles-na_n_126657.html
mccain's advisor.
must watch, because this b$%^ will advice him about your problems.
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To circumvent the right of a minority to control the bulk of the wealth? Do you realise what you said?Please inform me of what that wealth consists. Is it the digging up of non-renewing resources?
Seriously
ed
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Goleoo, hope you enjoyed the footy. Bit one-sided for a neutral - if I'm ever allowed to be that. What do you make of the chapions league? It seems just a device to make the rich clubs richer to me.
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#304. JohnAAA "I opened up Google and to try to find again what I had recently seen - and actually found a bit more."
I have followed your links (labouriously copying and pasting them into another window) and find that they are all of a certain kind, understandably, given your dislike of the Democratic candidate.
The first, a WSJ article, is uncredited and much of it is assumption; the second link to WorldNetDaily is an unabashedly right-wing site which touts Conservative T-Shirts for sale and runs a headline which reads "Show stopper: End of the world predicted for 2013" as an exclusive - hardly filing one with confidence in the accuracy of its information. The third link goes to Jack Cashill in the same publication who avers that "Kerry was justifiably swift-boated", placing him well to the right of Sean Hannity. Following the column are "Special offers": "The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality"
"The Audacity of Deceit: Barack Obama's War on American Values"
"NObama" magnetic bumper sticker"
Even that should tell you where they are coming from. Similarly with the National Review Online and the Pyjamas link which uses as its source a radio broadcast by Rush Limbaugh and cites a link to "American Thinker" - which also sells NObama bumper stickers. Like yourself, all these have radically right-wing agendas which hardly display moderation or even a hint of balance.
Having read these, I am no more persuaded of your argument about Mr Obama's abilities than I was previously.
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Dakota Erik,
Thanks for those links to al Jazeera. Excellent pieces.
I shall look out what they have on McCain
Salaam, etc.
ed
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Simon21, 110 year serious enough?
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seanspa,
as far as I am concerned, there is only one side for the good of this country in this election.
I didn't fall for McCain's lies the first time I heard him live, I am not going to fall for him now.
Champion's league footy was back to normal. The rich clubs as you put it are like us, in debt, in trouble, and soon they will not be so rich if they can't find saudi bayers to pay their debts.
Football is not much diffent than politics. But McCain is far away from a football coach or club president to lead his team out of SH1T.
he is too far up his nose, and if you watch the interview link i have posted above, you will know why. Running for republicans but refuses to admit he is the republican?
what the f... does that mean? mccain is an independent who has a republican agenda?
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#312. JohnAAA: For once you're correct; my attribution of "hahaha" was wrong - I had mistaken you for MarcusAureliusII, your views and style being not dissimilar.
"it is none of your business what I choose to do with my time. Or how I choose to express things." I really am not interested in how you spend your time, except to note that you seem to have great deal of it to waste, but I am concerned with how you express yourself. Linking us to avowed right-wing commentators does nothing to enhance your arguments. If perhaps you had occasionally linked to something which was not so flattering to Mr McCain or his running-mate, such as the WSJ piece on the Alaska creamery issue, then you might show some balance. Sadly, you do not. Repeating ad nauseam the controversy over "filthy smears" or Mr Obama's lack of "honours" simply distracts from what you are attempting to say. 'Moderation in all things' is something which, it would appear, is a notion you have not yet learned - probably too late now that you are in your 'golden years'. The pity is that they have become so tarnished.
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David_Cunard
Od course criticisms of Obama are more likely to be found in right-wing publications. Duh !!!
You fail as usual to deal with the substance. Nowhere have I seen any claim that Obama achieved "honours" in his first degree - excpt by people here whoi assume he is perfect in evbery detail. Nowhere is anyone saying that he was in any way as good as you and others here make out. There ARE statements from contemporariies that he was not an achiever at that stage. he himself says he was spending a lot of time listening to Dylan and smoking pot. All fine and fun - but no claim of academic excellemce.
If Obama won't release his Columbia transcript, it is difficult to know absolutely. But if he had achieved honours, logic suggests that he would have said so.
You keep trying to shoot the messenger. Try dealing with the message. Ever heard of cognitive dissonance ?
Meanwhile - here is an article on campaign funding which suggests that Obama may not have any significant advantage over the last two months.
http://tinyurl.com/553c5j
And he has to divert time to fundraising. Like tonight at a 55-room Beverly Hills mansion :
http://tinyurl.com/6lreqj
and then on to the Beverley Wilshire this evening (standard room rate $545)
That should give some good photo-ops for the Republicans.
..................................
Long assessment by Michael Barone of state polls. He sees the ground having shifted towards McCin, who previously was not competitive in tems of electoral college seats.
All to play for. Bambi !
http://tinyurl.com/6mevrd
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Reid, Dems Go For McCain's Jugular
Video
Told y'all so!
ed
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The voice of authority?
Aye, that'll be right!
ed
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"Friedman's explanation of Charles Gibson's version of the Bush Doctrine is also wrong. Friedman implies that Palin is stupid for not knowing that the doctrine means "the U.S must spread democracy around the world to halt terrorist acts", but here's what Gibson actually said:
"The Bush Doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us."
Charles Krauthammer, who first coined the phrase, has said that Sarah Palin was quite correct to ask Gibson to clarify what he meant by the Bush Doctrine because there are four versions of it out there. Justin Webb, for example, thinks it means"that democracy inoculates nations from the hatreds and madness which lead to war." When a CBS commentator, ABC's senior news anchor, and the BBC's North America editor can't agree on the meaning of the Bush Doctrine, Palin's response to Gibon's question would appear to have been the right one. Not dumb, but wise. I doubt Justin will agree, though - he'll be too busy thinking of ways to paint Palin as a dinosaur-hunting rube."
In response to this, surely the potentially incumbent #2 of the Republican partyy should really know what the fundamental doctrine set out by the current #1 and leader of the party is.
I'm not 100% sure, but if you run a tight ship everyone is on the same page in an organisation.
Even if you disagree with the running of an organisation you still know what it stands for when you are particularly high up in it.
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Corporate socialism
Privatising profit, but socialising loss.
;-((
ed
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David_Cunard
TeamMcCain isn't writing my script I was mentioning the Beverly Hills stuff a couple of days ago. And I pointed earlier to the dems being largely responsible for the fannie Mae / Feddie Mac mess.
Now McCain is saying the same things.
Maybe you will get spooked that I am writing his script !
http://patriotroom.com/?p=2092
McCain :"I woud rather be here with the working men of Ohio (than with the Hollywood glitterati, Obama's celebrity friends)
Nice one, Mr McCain !!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
duhbuh.
I 100% agree with your answer. I'm not a Palin lover by no means, but let's be fair and honest. I doubt OB would have done better given the hostility of the questioner.
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What would be appreciated by this US Voter is to have Ms Palin step out from behind the teleprompter, talk to the "guys and gals" she is quoted to resemble, and answer adhoc questions from them and the press, including, but not limited to her past record, allowing for verification and/or corrections to her claims, e.g. rejected funding for "Bridge to Nowhere"
Many thanks
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JohnAAA, you're doing a heck of a job!
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McCain's Bad Day
;-))ed
And there's more
The big unwinding....
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JohnAAA
how stupid do you have to be?
the man got in at Harvard. Do you have any clue how many people try to but never can?
your Palin or McCain who finished 4th from last, would never make it to Harvard.
yet you question Obama's transcript?
you are a joker.
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Can somebody tell me why the Mccain POW contraversy is not all over the media. Did see a glimpse of demo's at the GOP party, but no more details.
Ed have to say love your work, keep it up
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Obama was President of the Harvard Law Review. A position that can only be achieved through acadamic exellence.
People arguing to the contary only highlight there's and the GOP use of sophistry to manipulate the masses.
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Let the battle begin!
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Actually, there are 2 good reasons to vote republican
at this point:
1) If they fail to fix the financial mess that they've
created, then at least the blame won't go to the
Democrats.
2) If, by some remote chance, they do manage to fix this
mess, then there will be free dinosaur spareribs
for everybody, and a lottery where the winning
prize is a house in Alaska where one can see
Russia from the living room window.
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Dos anybody here think that this election has the potential to get bloody? Things are getting a little heated already.
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Ed,
Who is James Galver, and why do we care what he thinks? Harry Reid came to the Senate in 1999, and voted Aye.
Votes on H.R.10 Financial Services Act of 1999
Passed 343 Yea, 86 Nay, 6 NV
superseded by;
S. 900: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
Passed 90 Yea, 8 Nay, 1 NV
Signed into law by Bill Clinton.
Everyone stinks on this one.
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To my American progressive friends the 2004 Ohio Presidential election remains to be fully investigated. The blatant evidence of irregularities and unfairness of organization continues to be ignored by most jurisdictional authorities informed of the evidence. I urge you to continue to PROTEST at all levels to make sure Obama's votes are counted correctly
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JohnAAA:
Welcome to my world in New York.
Some of my liberals friends become apoplectic when confronted with facts that don't fit their paradigm. Literally red-faced and indignant. Bizarre behavior from people who consider themselves tolerant and open-minded.
Bush's presidency has brought out the inner child in so many Americans.
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320. David_Cunard:
"I really am not interested in how you spend your time, except to note that you seem to have great deal of it to waste, but I am concerned with how you express yourself. Linking us to avowed right-wing commentators does nothing to enhance your arguments. If perhaps you had occasionally linked to something which was not so flattering to Mr McCain or his running-mate, such as the WSJ piece on the Alaska creamery issue, then you might show some balance. Sadly, you do not. "
Sadly, it seems it is you who doesn't seek out balancing viewpoints. Perhaps you would enhance your arguments were you to research your positions more thoroughly. Then you might be able to refute his positions with more than admonitions.
There are plenty of facts to go around.
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295, JohnAAA.
So what? Neither did he graduate at the bottom of his class, as did McCain. I have a daughter who did fairly well as an undergraduate, but shot to the top in graduate school. It happens. Obama proved his academic ability in law school.
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#321. JohnAAA: "All fine and fun - but no claim of academic excellemce." (sic) It must be a very tiny screen indeed.
Whether Mr Obama's degree was with or without 'honours' (which to repeat, is not the same as the British university 'honours' awards) is immaterial. It is you who make the argument about it, no one else. Mr Obama's proposed policies, which are very similar to those of Hillary Clinton are what voters are concerned with. And you approve of Mrs Clinton, but don't tell us why you do not consider Mr Obama appropriate for the job. Almost everything you write is negative, whether it be about the BBC, Justin, the "smears" or, currently, the matter of the candidate's degree. Why not tell us about Mr McCain's higher education, such as it was, or no doubt it is too embarrassing to repeat. If nothing else, Mr Obama beats both Mr McCain and Mrs Palin in the education stakes.
With regard to cognitive dissonance, it is not I who has that problem, since it means 'stress caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously'. Because on the one hand you approve of Mrs Clinton's proposals but on the other condemn those of Mr Obama, it would seem that you are the stressed party. Your barely controlled anger adds to that since you realise that a victory by Mr McCain is becoming more unlikely as the days go by. My thanks for the link to Newsweek, which alongside the financial inormation, features an article entitled "Palin's Favorability Ratings Begin to Falter". I commend it to you.
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A $28,500-a-plate fundraiser.
You'd think Obama would be embarrassed to be doing something like this.
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304, JohnAAA.
My goodness! Obama listened to Bob Dylan! How depraved! You have come up with a smear to end all smears.
Who were you listening to - Stephen Foster?
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This comment has been referred to the moderators. Explain.
##321. JohnAAA: A postscript regarding the fifty five room Beverly Hills Mansion - it is not a private residence as your post would imply and is used frequently for gatherings, receptions and weddings - even you could hire/rent it should you wish. And the Beverly Wilshire room rate is hardly expensive by (your) London standards, so the mention of it seems irrelevant - The Ritz is around $850 a night which makes Beverly Hills seem to be a mere pittance!
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248. invisibleserendipity:
"What is stopping them from an Obama vote is his inexperience. Most, at least those that I know, will hold their noses and live with the basic principles of the democrats if it brings about positive change - it is the inexperience factor that catches them out. And, not just on foreign policy - on all policy. "
What the inexperience factor points to is the fact that Obama is a bit of a con man. Running for prez without any creds -- and almost managing to pull it off. (Yes, democrats need their idols, too.)
I wonder who the bigger con artist is, Obama or Palin. He probably never figured he'd get outconned by some lady from Alaska with 5 kids.
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329. PSIARM:
'What would be appreciated by this US Voter is to have Ms Palin step out from behind the teleprompter, talk to the "guys and gals" she is quoted to resemble, and answer adhoc questions from them and the press, including, but not limited to her past record, allowing for verification and/or corrections to her claims, e.g. rejected funding for "Bridge to Nowhere"'
You do realize that Obama now takes his teleprompter on the road with him?
He had the teleprompter set up in the middle of a rodeo ring for one speech.
Or were you simply trying to make a point?
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At last I found a more balance article on the US election. It also seems a few people don't like free speech or may be it was too close to the truth.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/the_political_lying_game.html
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PSIARM see 350 and reference cited therein and be informed. May be OB shouldn't use a TelePrompTer too. If you hadn't notice umm, he's umm not the best ummm without mm one.
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I simply challenge people who say that Obama was always a brilliant student. He was not.
And without belittling him, his Columbia classmates seem to be saying that even though they got better grades than him, they would not have got into Harvard Law with those grades.. Affirmative action helped. Which again is fine, a good policy - but don't deny this factor.
Ohers here also paint Obama to be some sort of brilliant academic. Come on - he was a part-time lecturer, he never published. So on the normal academic yardsticks he wasn't that great.
And I also question the whole notion that people have to go to Harvard Law or suchlike to be President or Vice President. That is an elitist view.
Palin is not a dumb as a lot of people are making out - and Obama is not an academic genius. The truth lies as usual somewhere nearer the middle.
...........................
Meanwhile I have just heard Justin Webb on the BBC World Service talking about Sarah Palin. Once again he bangs on about 3 issues - her views on abortion, her questioning of ManMade Global Warming theory, and her views on creationaism. That is - harping on about her social conservatism. He once again ignores her main value to the McCain ticket now that the Repub base has been energised - her belief in ethics reform and prgressively (or instantly per McCain) cutting earmarks, the old Washionton way of doing things. The very factors that seem to have mede her so popular in Alaska.
So, the same old Dem rtalking points fro Justin Webb. No surprise there then.
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#326
John,
If only the working men of Ohio had shown up!
LOLOLOLOLOLOL!
Man you are starting to be funny!
Amused Sam
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To the person whom removed my message to moderation. Please see:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/messageboards/newguide/popup_house_rules.html
That was a letter to Justin (Webb) to remind him that he needs to get his fact right. I could if you prefer, conduct the matter more formally and instruct the BBC via my representation to invoke their disciplinary procedures under their internal guidelines under a number of offenses. This obviously would cause great distress to Justin as in the UK system these procedures must be followed to the natural conclusion. I hope in future you will think twice before denying me the right of free speech, as you may get the outcome you may not have intended.
Kind regards
Prof. CD.
Moderator: If this is removed I will require a detailed explanation which I may or may not use in further proceedings.
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There are so many low-information people in the U.S. who have no business voting for anyone.
The excuse for being so poorly informed is
that "people are just too darn busy to slow down long enough to read a newspaper or a book.
Being busy is not a reason to not know and understand issues that will affect you and your children and their future.
Even people working two jobs have time in their day when they can spend a few minutes keeping up with the issues.
White women are excited about Palin because she is a white woman. That she has does embrace any issue that affect working people, especially single women, is of no consequence. These folks have no clue about what Palin stands for or how her policies in Alasks have negatively affected women in that state. She talks tough and that is enough.
It is a sad commentary that even people in foreign countries, even third world countries, are better informed than the average American.
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#222
Guns,
We took a quick internet vote. We of the GOBBBDMAFWGWKMTSPFO have determined that:
- American Pie shall be considered and entered on the ballot. There has been some discourse as to whether it should be denied because of the soppy 'love' song 'starry nights' about a whack job who cut off his ear but will place it on the ballot so long as said song is never performed in public again. And only because Mr McLean had an album called 'Country without the . . . .' remove a letter of your choice
- Born to be Wild is accepted unanimously and will be placed on the ballot. Adding 'Harley Driving' to our ticket was considered, but you can't get a gun rack for a Harley so we dropped it.
- In Heaven there is no Beer' has been rejected as an oxymoron. As a concession to the Pogues we have agreed that on March 17th for the hours between 6pm and midnight the national anthem will be 'The Wild Rover'
In God we trust. In Browning we trust. Prepare for Government.
Candidate Sam
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#325, Ed, who was it who said "Socialism is
only fashionable if it is for the benefit of the wealthy?"
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304, JohnAAA.
First let me explain something to you. Columbia College is an Ivy League school as prestigious as all the others. You have to be a top-notch student to get in, and even then, you might not. As a foreigner all you hear is Princeton, Yale and Harvard. You might have heard of MIT. You probably never heard of Williams, or Middlebury, or Dartmouth.
It would surprise you that it is harder to get into the Cornell School of Life Sciences than it is Yale, that is, if you ever heard of Cornell (though I am sure you will claim you did).
So being accepted by Columbia College is an award in itself. You won't find any dummies there.
Now let us examine the sterling academic record of your heroine, Sarah Palin. She went to five or six different colleges before getting a degree. They probably had names like Moose Tech., Online U., and Almost Russia Community College. If she got a summa cum laude from any of them it would be equivalent (maybe) to a diploma from a good highschool.
You are not in a strong position, fella.
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Andrea, the very un-right LA Times reported recently that employees of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have contributed more to Obama than to any other federal elected official since 2005. Is this the same story that you say Fox are reporting?
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#356, Sam, I can live with that.
Here's looking forward to a good amber ale
on tap at the inauguration.
Can I bring my High-Standard? We'll need to
set up a range somewhere just so that the
Washington press corps thinks we're nuts.
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I have been a BBC devotee for several years, but it was LadyBobbyBea that inspired me to sign up so that I could add my comments to the conversation.
I think Palin's family arrangements tell us something about her decision-making (and even risk-taking) style. To decide in your early forties to have a fifth child while you are governor of a state (and your husband is absent for two weeks at a time) seems to me quite out of the ordinary, but not in a good way. It seems either reckless (what the hell, we can do it) or cynical (the legislature will just have to wear the fact that I'm not across all my responsibilities) or something like that. Whatever it is, I find it odd and disturbing, rather than admirable.
I'm also wondering whether any reporter will have the nerve to ask an obvious question, the answer to which could also reflect on her attitude to risk-taking. I think it's a legitimate question, given that other candidates' health status is seen as relevant. It is: will there be more pregnancies? We are clearly in uncharted waters here, but I think it's totally relevant to the issue of whether she would be fully available in a vice-presidential or presidential role.
By the way, I was born in the United States but have lived abroad for many years. This year I'm making sure I'm registered to vote.
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Sarah Palin has governed a huge state and in that capacity dealt with a budget, managed the police, fire departments, roads, an international border, the national guard, overseen businesses and the federal employees of Alaska. Obama has spent half of his time as a senator running for president - he has NEVER answered the hard questions like WHO REALLY is going to pay for his marxist plans? Would you like to be a hardworking, idealistic person and have half your income given away without your consent to people who make a career of living off handouts? Oh - I forgot that is becoming a way of life in England.
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304, JohnAAA.
More information on American colleges.
Although we have extremely fine colleges in the United States, we also have some so poor that they don't deserve the name. There are colleges where you can study typing for credit and I once had the unique experience of meeting a PROFESSOR OF TYPING.
There are some colleges so poor that you can graduate without being able to put together a grammatical sentence.
If you grade colleges from finest to worst, from which level college do you think our hormonally endowed vice presidential candidate received her degree? (I will give you a hint -- it was not Columbia.)
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#328, chewbaccadefense :
duhbuh.
I 100% agree with your answer. I'm not a Palin lover by no means, but let's be fair and honest. I doubt OB would have done better given the hostility of the questioner.
-----
The better response would have been "Which Bush doctrine Charlie? There are several."
Her eyes were flashing daggers though because she knew it was a trick question.
Reminds me of the SNL sketch here. SNL Clips
Tim Russert: Sen. Clintion, what is Nigeria's new Foreign Minister?
Hillary: I don't know Tim.
Tim Russert: Ojo Maduekwe. Sen. Obama, Same question.
Barack: Ojo Maduekwe.
Tim Russert: Correct!
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DarreninCanada - thanks for looking down on us from up there, remarking how Sarah Palin didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was. Well, I guess it's pointless you getting US citizenship to run for VP, since you don't meet your own criteria. To learn how foolish the interviewer was who posed that question to Ms. Palin, you might want to read Charles Krauthammer's article "Charlie Gibson's Gaffe" in the Sept. 13 Washington Post. Mr. Krauthammer was the first to use the term, in June 2001. He points out how it has referred to four utterly different ideas since then, with the current one not being that which Mr. Gibson so condescendingly cited. So, Ms. Palin was in fact being perfectly logical and reasonable with her reply to Mr. Gibson. Perhaps after you read the article, you'll post an apology for demeaning Ms. Palin.
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#360
Guns,
Whatever the result, Amen to that!
Nice gun.
Sam
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This seems to be the basis of the Fox story Andrea mentioned about Fannie/Freddie and political contributions. I don't know if this site is right,left or neutral. This is brought to you as a public service, make of it what you want.
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#341 AndreainNY: "Sadly, it seems it is you who doesn't seek out balancing viewpoints" Au contraire, I read both sides, and if I've missed something one of our other posters will bring it to my (and our) attention. JohnAAA never, but never makes an effort to see anything positive in a candidate who is so alike politically to his preferred Mrs Clinton.
#352. JohnAAA: "The truth lies as usual somewhere nearer the middle." Not if your earlier posts are to be believed; you would have us believe that McCain/Palin is the only solution to America's problems and her future.
#354. chewbaccadefense - You don't have any right of "free speech" on a hosted blog. The owners, in this case the BBC, make the rules, to which you have made a link. You can plainly see the reasons for moderation and the removal of a post. This isn't the place for a snotty "letter to Justin" when you could have probably pointed out, politely, what you considered to be non-factual. Threatening Justin with your "representation" (by which I assume you mean your 'representative') makes you appear more foolish than is necessary. And court action in the United Kingdom can be exceedingly expensive, which makes your threat the more ridiculous.
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#362. bloominlovely: "Obama . . . has NEVER answered the hard questions like WHO REALLY is going to pay for his marxist plans?"
His marxist plans?? Get a grip - there's nothing either 'socialist' or 'marxist' about his platform. Name calling doesn't cut it. Taxation is always contentious, but remember Bush 1 - "Read my lips" he said, "no new taxes". Did he keep his word? No.
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#361, julieinoz :
That's right Julie. Women need to choose. Career or stay at home mom, right? Any woman who wants to have a career and a family is right out of her gourd, right?
Oh, did you know that there are 10 women in the US Congress with children, even a few babies?
And, if a woman finds herself pregnant at 40+, well she is just downright foolish, right? For women over 45, there is between 6 and 8 percent chance of having a baby with a birth defect. Is that a reason to not have a baby?
I believe Tony Blair's wife had a baby at age 45, right? The actress Jane Seymour had twins at age 44. Madonna had a baby at age 41. The actress Geena Davis had twins at age 47.
I find it pretty incredible a middle class guy in the rural Dakota's is more of a feminist than a woman living abroad.
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I am humble, have had a couple of vodkas, and happily admit I do not have all the answers.
I just cannot understand why someone running for President/VP can stay in another job while doing so. Can anyone explain to me how they get away with this? Why aren't senators recalled, they clearly are not doing the job they are being paid for (and I'll include any federal/state official in this)?
Why do presidents get limited in the number of terms they can serve (quite rightly), yet members of Congress seem to go on forever ? Surely the same argument applies?
This is information gathering, not point scoring, so I'm probably on the wrong blog.
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#356 SamTyler69: "Adding 'Harley Driving' to our ticket was considered, but you can't get a gun rack for a Harley so we dropped it."
Nevertheless Sam, you might want to check out this. With a machine gun no less!! That should suit our gun totin' members.
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According to bloominlovely51's post (#362) Obama has "Marxist" plans.
Thank goodness someone has unearthed that sensational piece of information while there's still time for the voters to make a thoughtful and fully informed choice in November!
But bloomin, isn't Obama now just a bit too late to emulate Groucho Marx in 'Duck Soup' where (as you must surely know) Groucho played the wacko leader of the bankrupt state of Freedonia?
Seriously now, isn't each passing day seeing America look more and more like Freedonia? And isn't the prime reason for that the simple fact that the Republicans have been making a mess of the economy for the last 8 years?
Therefore I don't think you can easily escape the conclusion that it's been largely the Republicans' (Groucho) Marxist plans which are the root of the current economic evils.
Or have I misunderstood something? Were you not alluding to 'Duck Soup', but rather, say, 'Monkey Business'?
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370, Dakota.
Although I am no fan of Palin, I have to agree with you.
(1) For generations the women of my family have given birth well past the age of 40. One of my great aunts had her last at age 52 (her first at 50). None were damaged or deficient in any way. Statistics are great, but they do not apply to individuals.
(2) Yes, women can have both babies and careers. I did and my married daughters do. The trick is to have someone competent and affectionate to take care of the babies when you are at work. You can afford this care is you have a career.
I also feel it makes for happier children because by the time the nanny is tired, and before she can get irritable, there you are walking in the door smiling and ready to talk to them and play with them.
I think that that Julie you replied is one old-fashioned gal. (And she probably doesn't have a career.)
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#372, David_C, I'll take mine with a Thomson!
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It is very simple.
McCain/Palin are simply not World Class.
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Not respected by the world community.
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We need leaders who command respect by what they represent in deed and ability.
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Abraham Lincoln was a Woman?
While many of you were off pursuing Lincolns sexuality, the Weekly World News broke the American history story of the 21st century: Abraham Lincoln Was a Woman! Thanks to "maverick historian Jessica Durbeen," we now know that Honest Abe was born Abigail Lincoln, a victim of Marfan's syndrome, a genetic disorder that can cause disproportionate growth. As a young girl, she decided to dress as a man to work as a rail splitter and, thanks to some Log Cabin luck, found a male transvestite to marry ("'Take a look at a photo of Mary Todd Lincoln and you'll be convinced'"), by whom she gave birth to six children while, possibly--and here Durbeen can go no further than the evidence allows--carrying on a torrid affair with John Wilkes Booth. In a year when one front-page revelation after another has led Americans to question historians' credibility, perhaps you're right to be skeptical. How does Durbeen know all this? And why haven't we heard about "Babe-raham Lincoln" before? All is answered in the January 22, 2002 issue of the WWN: like any sex scandal worth its cigar, it begins with former President Bill and and his wife Hillary Clinton, After the Clintons and their staff left Washington in January 2001, a secret cache of Mathew Brady photographs was discovered in the White House basement (under the sealed box containing all the missing W's from the West Wing's computer keyboards?). In four Brady photographs, "reproduced" in a quite lovely spread in the WWN article by Mike Foster, Lincoln sports everything from a housedress to a hoop skirt. (Note to Scarlett: Back off.) Faked photographs, you say. Photoshop is easy, you say. But there's more "striking evidence": "A jar of glue, used by actors to apply fake beards, found among Lincoln's personal effects at the Smithsonian Museum--along with a dozen sanitary napkins." When two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner David Herbert Donald toured the country promoting his 1995 biography of Lincoln, the first question audiences asked was, invariably, "Was Lincoln gay?" One elderly radio listener phoned a call-in program to assert that she had read, somewhere, that Lincoln was black. "She thought she knew this," Donald recalls, sadly Americans are miserably ignorant of their nation's history and, truth be told, they're pretty darn gullible. Maybe "Americans are Gullible" isn't as good a headline as the New York Times' Onion-ish "Writers Beware: History Is an Art, Not a Toaster" (February 28, 2002), but it's surely at least as true. That Jessica Durbeen is nowhere to be found in the American Historical Association's 2001-02 Directory of History Departments, Historical Organizations, and Historians isn't likely to trouble the sleep of many readers of the Weekly World News, but it sure keeps me up at night. If journalists are going to lecture historians about accountability, maybe we could all take the time to think a bit harder about the past we're trying to protect from would-be plagiarists,as seen here at Wikipeada. Meanwhile we can all take comfort that Jessica Durbeen was herself once a doubter: when she initially came across the claim that Lincoln was a woman in "a tattered old Confederate pamphlet," she found it preposterous: "At first, I thought it was just wartime propaganda, but then I took a closer look at a photo of Lincoln and realized the beard does look bogus." Cheers! ~finis~
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Somebody wasn't listening in Dakota. I said nothing about having to choose. I said it was an odd choice.
I had my third child (normal) at 43, which did put a dent in my professional career. I still work part-time, but it is my choice (and not one I'd foist on anyone who wishes to do otherwise).
My point is that it reflects on decision-making and risk-taking. Making a decision to take on lots of high-level commitments can reveal a healthy self-knowledge and huge capacity. It can also reveal a certain bravado or even impulsivity. I like my decision makers to know their area of responsibility deeply and to make very measured choices. Palin doesn't strike me as that sort of person. Perhaps you disagree, and that's fine.
(By the way, it's interesting that I immediately got back from you a judgement about what I was like, and you were wrong, although perhaps I am an 'old fashioned gal', allmymarbles, whatever that means, even though I do have a career. You have a lot more information about Palin is like, but you don't seem to want to use it to assess her character.)
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Here is an interesting conspiracy theory in the making... Investigative journalists want to know. Andy Martin describes himself as a legendary Chicago muckraker. Knowing the slime of the corrupt Daley Illinois political machine, this stuff really does make me wonder.
Did Barack Obama meet William Ayers at Columbia University in the early 1980's?
Is this the reason for the secrecy of the Columbia, and Harvard transcripts?
Is it just a coincidence that Obama and Ayers were on the Columbia campus together?
Is that what drew Barack to Chicago? Did Tom Ayers introduce Barack to Sidley and Austin, (Bernadine Dohrn, Bill Ayers wife worked there then too).
University of Illinois at Chicago Releases Annenberg Files
Bill Ayers and Barack sat together for several years on the board of the Woods Fund, a liberal Chicago charitable organization. Trinity got some. Ayers projects got some. Rashid Khalidi's Arab American Action Network got some. Ayers took Barack, with only his experience in community organizing, acting as lawyer for ACORN and Tony Rezco's slums and made him in charge of financial affairs for the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a 100 million dollars in grant money. That money went to where? Did it buy him votes?
A few months later, Barack began his pursuit of political office in Illinois.
Is the 1995 coffee klatch coming out party at Bill Ayers house truly the first time Barack met Bill?
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I'm always fascinated by some of the views expressed in these comments, although I hardly ever understand them.
I see, for example, that MAII considers George Soros some kind of hero for "taking the Bank of England for a billion dollars." Now, how much has the American taxpayer been
"taken for" since last weekend? a couple pf hundred million dollars by now, is it? I've rather lost count. There must be a lot of "heroes" on Wall Street.
Oh, and where—trying to get back to the point for a moment—according to George Bush, Barack Obama and John McCain, is all this money going to come from? Or doesn't that matter in election year politics in the US?
If there's so much sloshing around spare, even after wasting all those trillions on the Pentagon, I wouldn't mind a mere million or so. How do I apply? (Obviously, I won't sign myself Lehman . . .) And surely, American capitalism has in a matter of days cost more than any "act of terrorism" over years. Hasn't it?
I must say some of the rants about Europe here have become simply absurd and ridiculous. Quite apart from being both ignorant and incomprehensible. I hadn't realised Britain was at war with Russia, for example; we must have been invaded and we hadn't noticed, it would explain the number of Russians in London at the moment.
At least I gather from a friend currently living in the US that I am apparently getting quite an erroneous view of American attitudes from all this. I'm relieved.
But really, with all this simplistic ignorant abuse flying about, how can anyone wonder why Americans are generically disliked so much in the civilised world outside the USA?
Actually, the Federal Reserve could buy our gratitude for ever by giving each of us Brits a million dollars each. It'd be quite cheap. A mere 65 billion or so.
I was so delighted by one post that implied a right to "free speech" is available only to Americans and not to foreigners. That explains a lot.
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379, Rayna.
I love nutso stories. If you have any more, please share.
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For the admirers of the Republican Vice-presidential candidate, this may be of interest. And for those who are not, grist to the mill.
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381, Real.
Is this another smear in the making? How do you feel about the Palin coverups, or do you find a way to dismiss them? Very, very partisan of you and therefore not to be seriously. You would have more credibility if you were a dispassionate observer.
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#382, justanotherprommer :
Try not to judge all Americans by the nonsense dribbled here. Some are better, and some are worse to be honest. On average, they are nice and want the best for all people. Even those across the pond, whom they feel are looking down their noses like a Charlie Gibson interview.
Hey, do you happen to know the name of the new Syrian ambassador to Iraq?
Nawaf al-Fares.
Sen. Obama, same question.
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Thank you AllMyMarbles, I have a tonne of em!
I was hoping thatr one might get a chuckle in here as everybodys so heavy with debates over the nuts currently running for The American High office!
Cheers!
Rayna
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I keep reading complaints about Justin's (or the BBC's) "partiality" or "bias" here.
Don't people realise this is a BLOG? In other words, it is a place for Justin to write from a more personal point of view, as BBC reporters often do in "From Our Own Correspondent".
He is not writing a report here. It's very silly to demand some kind of "disciplinary procedure" or threaten some kind of nebulous legal action for that.
There is a difference between a "comment" piece (which expresses a personal opinion, or even a personality) and a news report (which does not). As a journalist I've written both under the same byline and I do not remember any reader ever being confused about which was which. Nor do
British journalists as a rule mix the two up either.
Obviously, the BBC needs to explain this to a few contributors here.
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384, David.
Thank you David. It is absolutely horrifying. Certainly worse than I thought. Imagine having someone like that in the White House? It would put us back to the era of the intolerant Puritans that you got rid of. (Smart move.) What's next? Burning witches?
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#361 julieoz
I'm so very pleased you jumped in.
As much as I enjoy the debate, the historical perspectives, and the references, I find it most interesting to read those posts speaking from rich personal experience. You can almost hear the raw voices of their key learnings in their e-writing.
What I'm curious about, and this is for all who were born American but have lived abroad for years, is it because of anger, frustration, and dissatisfaction from living in the US? Or did life just work out that way? Or did you seize an opportunity?
As an ex-patriot (I hope that's not offensive), are you more diligent about keeping up on the news more than someone who has not travelled or lived abroad? I've been curious about that.
As I have mentioned before, I spent many years in the fifties and the sixties in post-war Europe and Asia. I look forward to travelling abroad again for a better and more updated perspective.
Lady b
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#334 bk9061
It is not true that someone can become President of the Harvard Law Review only through academic excellence.
I have no doubt that some academic merit is required, but see below.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DC1631F935A35751C0A966958260
Sample:
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Where do the candidates stand on this:
At a Georgetown University forum, five former US Secretaries of State (Foreign Ministers) agreed that discussions and agreement with Iran were necessary:
Henry Kissinger
Madeline Albright
James Baker
Colin Powell
Warren Christopher
Now, since this is contrary to the Bush/NeoCon approach of sanctions, threat and boycott, these five are clearly liars and Communist/socialist/humanist subversives!
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I guess if Gerry Kelly were suddenly found to have been instrumental in launching a British minister's career you wouldn't have a care in the world?
I mean it would be rude to suggest a linkage now wouldn't it?
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345 allmymarbles
Try reading. I said nothing critical of Bob Dylan - I like him a lot. I said that Obama has said he spent much of his time at Columbias sitting around listening to Dylan - ie not studying. I said "fair and fun".
And yes, McCain aso spent most of his time partying or driving at the same sort of age.
I simply object to people her saying Palin is a dummy because she got a mediocre first degree. That is just one feature of the Palin Derangement Syndrome, the apoplexy on the left about her. The elitist scorn.
Obama got a mediocre first degree, and was also able to move on. His first degree was a bit peripatetic too - he started off at Occidental College in California, didn't he. Why didn't you point that out ? . Not exactly Ivy League. And yes, I had heard about Cornell and MIT.
People keep pushing Obama's subsequent academic attainment to show he has sole right to the Presidency this time. Surely you can remember Adlai Stevenson ?
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#390, allmymarbles:
That story was all allegations and no facts. Why would you automatically think it is true, other than you believe the worst? I'm sure that many parishioners believed Sarah would launch a religious transformation in Wasilla, but it didn't happen. No books were banned, no clinics were closed. In the end, she followed the law and not her church's dogma.
Witch burning... Sheesh.
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Umm. no, RealFrigid, I didn't know the name of the Syrian ambassador to Iraq. I don't know the name of the British ambassador to Iraq either. Or, come to think of it, the name of the US ambassador to the Court of St James. Do I need to?
I do know the name of a very nice friendly guy at the Syrian Embassy in London I had a chat to on the phone last summer, though, if that helps?
(Oops. I suppose for some that means I've been "consorting with the enemy" "JustanotherPrommer" will now be on the 'No Fly" list. . .)
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#390.allmymarbles: "What's next? Burning witches?" Probably not, considering who might be first in the flames.
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387, Rayna.
We get off topic more often than you think. We had a very jolly chat a day or two ago about designing the perfect vehicle for capital punishment. Evelyn Waugh was even used as a source.
There is not a lot you can say about the elections that hasn't already been said five thousand or more times. So, for the most part, I jab and annoy people who who are too filled with virtue, or pompous, or zealous, or nuts. When I get tired of that, I resort to humor to amuse myself. Similarly wayward types include gunsandreligion and DavidCunard. And let's not for Sam(something) and ukwales.
I could mention the really dull ones, but you will figure out who they are for yourelf.
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395, JohnAAA
Oh, you are cheating. You edited your own comment. What you actually said was that "...he smoked a lot of pot and listened to Dylan...." In other words, you equated the two. You are a very bad boy.
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#396.RealFrigid: "That story was all allegations and no facts." Why would you not believe the
Rev. Howard Bess, a Christian minister, Baptist no less. I wouldn't have thought he had a reason to lie. You can't argue with the abortion report though, since it did happen and was overturned by the state Supreme Court.
Andrea, you seem not to have a shred of humour - marbles' comment about witch burning was a joke, get it? A joke.
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398, David.
Miss Piggy would say, "Moi?"
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#385, allmymarbles :
{edited to be more vague in Obama's culpability}
Based on the excessive amount of scrutiny, and that "people" are scouring Alaska for dirt, I have no doubt that Gov. Palin's entire life history will be documented thoroughly before October.
Nobody seems to care though, that "some less than desirable people" may have a cozy relationship with Sen. Obama.
It is a double standard that the star struck press will not explore.
I don't want smears. I want the truth.
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398, David.
If you meant me, there are lots of people on this blog who would second that.
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391 Lady b
Thank you for responding – and for the clarity of your writing. (Some people sure need to learn how to break a text into paragraphs, don' they.)
As to why I have lived outside the States, it's a case of life just turning out that way. Travel led to a relationship, etc. Being brought up in a rootless military family meant that ties to place were weak. The fact that Australia is a wonderful country helped keep me here.
Most Americans I know who have lived outside the US or travelled widely do have a heightened interest in and perspective on world politics. I think most also remain interested in what happens in US politics – at the national level, at least.
I wish you all the best in your carrying through with your future travel plans.
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403, Real.
Do you feel you are being victimized? That is very much in fashion now.
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Forgive me if this has been discussed earlier and I haven't kept up.
How can the citizens of a nation in a financial crisis, who already suffer personal financial ruin, be legitimately burdened with the costs of bailing out those institutions that got them there in the first place? To me, that smacks of double corruption.
Thank you,
Lady b
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Ms. Marbles, it is terribly out of fashion to burn
witches. It has been scientifically proven for some
time now that the only way to determine whether
a person is a witch is to immerse them in water.
If they float, then water, which is a pure substance,
has rejected them, and therefore it is permissible to
otherwise dispose of them.
I just thought that I would add my scientific
background to the discussion...
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405, Julie.
I would agree that living abroad gives you objectivity. (I lived overseas for about 20 years.) That is one of the reasons I am voting for Obama. He would have a better perspective on foreign policy.
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#393 Xie Ming
The 'sanctions threat and boycott' approach is that of the UN and EU as well as the USA.
You might note that the US government has in recent times been engaging directly in the negotiations with Iran on this issue.
Article dated 29th July 2008:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7515104.stm
Sample:
For my part, I believe Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons but there are 'elements' in the Iranian state setup (and I do not mean either the President Ahmadinejad or the Supreme Council and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) which are dangerous and which have a great deal of power.
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407, Lady.
On one level I agree with you. The problem is that nowadays companies tend to be multinational. A serious failure here can have worldwide economic ramifications.
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408, guns.
All my life I have regretted being heavier than water (which is I can't swim). Now I why. I can do and say whatever I like and nobody can punish me.
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#401. David_Cunard:
I don't mean to come across as a Palin apologist, but I just know how the press writes these types of stories.
I'm sure Palin was active in protesting something she does not believe in, like abortion. It is a citizen's right to protest, right? Did she use the mayor's office to try to close the clinic? No.
"She scares me," said Bess. "She's Jerry Falwell with a pretty face."
The Bess interview may or may not have been accurately reported. Have you ever been "reported" on? I have, lots. And, 90% of the time they sensationalize things at my expense. I end up having to explain to my bosses, employees, friends and relatives how the press distorted what I said into something I didn't mean.
Bess is probably also not a Republican, and just because he's a minister wouldn't mean he is guaranteed 100 percent truthful. Would you believe 100 percent of Rev. Falwell?
Do you really think she is Jerry Falwell with a pretty face, or do you think maybe Bess exaggerated because he is a very liberal political opponent of hers in the Mat-Su valley?
I've noticed that all the people who are quoted as trashing her also happen to have a political axe to grind, like Tony Knowles, Charlie Fannon, Lyda Green, Gail Phillips, Gregg Renkes, or Randy Ruedrich.
So, I take these stories with a grain of salt. Many don't pass the sniff test on being unbiased.