Did McCain ever refuse earmarks that would have benefitted Arizona?  "Earmarks" make an easy target, bu the fact is that getting federal funding routed to their state is what a Senators JOB is.  We may quibble over how they get it done, but I'll never vote for a guy that would fight money coming into my/his own State.  After that it's just narrow unemlightened self-interest: namely fighting everyone else's earmarks so that there's more for you.  That might be effective, but don't you DARE try to paint it as principled.

I think you are right. The talk about Earmarks remind me of the talk about taxes. The Right rails on about taxes...but no one ever talks about how the roads are going to get fixed of how schools are going to do what they need to do....is the magic republican money fairy going to come down, wave her bejeweled wand and make everything better? We are all in this together. And to keep it going, you have to pay your fair share. Just like Earmarks the conversation can revolve around what you do with the tax money or who pays what...but to just rant and rave about their existence is foolish.

Earmarks are part and parcel of the legalized bribery scheme known as "lobbying". Earmarks are one of the things lobbyists produce. Earmark reform is not about eliminating earmarks, but shining light on the process and who actually benefits from said federal money.

Well, ok, however I don't have a great idea about how you would replace that short of re building the system. I bet it would be easier to reign in the lobbying lobby that it would be to change the system.

My point is that replacing the whole system is not the answer. Making the process more transparent is my goal. Obviously, earmarks are necessary. The process of using earmarks as political chips has gone to the extreme. A bipartisan committee cannot solve this, the partisans are the problem, they are not going to reform the system or create new rules that takes away power they have. An outside force, the voters, may be able to do this, I don't know.

HEY!

I though Novak retired. Who's writing his column? The same people who wrote Palin's speech?

 

 -- .but no one ever talks about how the roads are going to get fixed of how schools are going to do what they need to do. -- pauli

Here's a newsflash...the roads are getting fixed and the schools are getting huge amounts of funding.

It's a moronic argument to assert that fiscal conservatives are against fixing roads and funding schools. What we're against is the out of control and reckless spending by the federal govt.

A three trillion dollar budget is damn sure enough money to operate an effecient and effective federal govt...so there is no need for some magic fairy.

OK, congrats to the fiscal Conservatives..but where are they? Shouldn't they have given this Administration an earful? Hopefully they will speak out louder no matter who wins this election. 

Amen brother Ben...they've damned sure been few, far between, and cowardly silent.

Pres.Bush and both houses of congress (democrats and republicans) should be ashamed of the dereliction of their duties concerning the management of the public funds.

Umm, that would be the out of control spending of the republicans, since the largest increase in the federal government ever has been under Bush and the republican congress.

Ummm...show me where the democrats objected to the runaway spending.

You want to make it a partisan argument...knock yourself out. But, an honest assessment of the wildass spending finds both parties complicit...regardless of any lawyering to assign percentages of blame.

I have no problems with spending, as long as we're paying for it.  I'm tired of hearing the Regressive meme of "Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend", since they just replace it with "Borrow and Spend".

Notice the common denominator in both of your scenarios...spending.

I'm also not opposed to spending...but I'm damned sure opposed to unrestrained, unaccountable, reckless spending.

The problem definition is spending...not how to finance it by taxing or borrowing. Control the spending and the arguments of Tax/Borrow become mostly moot.

Spending is not the problem. We must invest that money in our country. Misuse, mismanagement and the corrupting influence of big money is the problem. And no damn happy talk about letting the market fix our problems will solve a thing.

Government spending (even waste) grows the economy folks.  They're not taking your money and burning it you know!  Even when they buy a $1200 toilet seat, that $1200 goes to some guy's company.  Some of that pays his salary and some pays for labor and some buy raw material.  That material was mined and/or made by someone else who also got paid for it, an so on down the line.  And ALL of those people in turn BUY PRODUCTS, and PAY TAXES.  (Meaning that YOUR BUSINESS would suffer if not for THEIR SALARIES!)  Those taxes you pay represent money that you would never havce gotten anyway, if it weren't for the government spending!

Lowering spending will have the direct effect of shrinking the economy and lowering wages.  This is economics 101 people, so you should be careful what you wish for and stop just repeating party mantra.  If the federal and state government slashed their budgets it would HURT the economy not help. 

(BTW, in case your wondering... MBA, U of MI, graduted with Honors.  So I KNOW what I'm talking about here!)

Nice,

What you forget is that same money that government is appropriating from the taxpayer, would have stayed in the private sector and either invested or spent there. The problem with deficit spending is that the government is taking money from the future and spending it now. 

With taxed spending, the government is taking money away from the private sector which is where wealth is actually created.  

There are some legitimate reasons for the government to take money out of the private sector and spend it on socially desirable purposes. Unfortunately, as a country, both Dems and Republicans have succumbed to the temptation of ever increasing spending in order to get elected and re-elected.

ps.

What is it with the Business School there?  My nephew graduated at the top of his class at U.M. in Business, was accepted into the MBA and then later denied his promised stipend. 

I'm thinking he was the victim of  reverse discrimination. 

ps. He dropped out and found a job. 

Quite the speculation you're pulling on my school, AA.  What do you make of Palin's disconnect here?

What you fail to acknowledge is that it works hand in hand. Taxes invested in banks, military, roads, education, legal system etc. all allows the private sector to benefit and prosper. If you would like to see these businesses do it on their own, got for it. I don't think economic growth could continue without government spending.

And I find hilarious that you are so blinded by your market fundamentalism that you argue, in the face of contravening reality, the private sector works best when left alone.

Hell, man. Have you not been paying attention? The private sector so mismanaged their end of the economy that they had to go, hat in hand, to the government of we the people and ask us to pay for their malfeasance and save the whole ball of wax from melting.

Pay attention, man.

You couldn't be more misguided.

What YOU are not mentioning, or perhaps not aware of is the BALANCED BUDGET MULTIPLIER.  It's "1."  Which means (for those who don't have an MBA, as I do) that every dollar you TAX and then SPEND (that SPEND, not use to pay off the national debt!) increase the EQUILIBRIUM INCOME (that's the total amount of wages that everyone in America makes) by the same amount.

That's right folks: TAXING a billion dollars, and the SPENDING that billion, means that the collective income of AMERICA goes UP by a Billion Dollars.  At the same time, if you REDUCE both taxes and specnding by the same BILLION you will REDUCE the Income of America by... duh-da-daaaa: ONE BILLION DOLLARS.  It's that simple folks.  Macro Economics 101, whether you were taught by John Meynard Keynes (on the left) or Milton Friedman (on the right).  Cutting taxes and spending WILL HURT THE ECONOMY.  (IT WILL LOWER OUR COLLECTIVE INCOME!!!)  Don't believe me?  TAKE AN ECONOMICS COURSE!  And you will be amazed at what these @$$holes (Republicans) try to push on you.

The Republican's are banking on your ingnorance!  You can't afford to let them do this.  Their Tax Cuts/Spending Decrease mean one thing: You get a thousand dollars, and they'll get MILLIONS.  Tax and spend means you have thousandS more in actual income.  They'll still get a Mil or two, but they'd have to earn it, and they (that's just the super-rich now) can get more just stealing from the Gov't and the rest of us.

Don't believe me?  Like I said: TAKE A MACRO-ECONMICS COURSE!  (I'll say it again: MBA, U of M, Graduated with Honors.)

Wesley,

If you are for cutting spending/earmarks, etc., how can you vote for any ticket with Palin in it?

The Republican Magic Fairy is Chinese.  The Republican solution for paying for the services is simply to borrow trillions of dollars, increasing the annual debt service to some half a trillion per year, irrevocably weakening the US.

Republican victory = defeat for America

I live in Minnesota and our republican governor vetoed the Department of Transportation spending bill after the 35W Bridge fell down!  We did get the bill past after a select few republican party members voted to override his vetow.  But unfortunately for them, some of them are now feeling repercussions for their support to help fix our roads. 

We also have many projects that need to be funded.  In the Twin Cities, we actually have 2 freeways that come alongside each other, but you have to change lanes to stay on the freeway you originially got on, 35W and Highway 62.  Daily accidents in the winter are the norm.  Our state got creative and changed the bidding and funding process so that the construction company that won the bid had to front millions of dollars and then get reimbursed.  Needless to say, NO companies bid on that one.  

I am sure that our state leaders do want to get our road work done, they really don't want to pay for it. I was thinking the bridge collapse would wake up some people, but it didn't.

Every time I find myself in that 35W/62 area (and I was just last Saturday) I'm glad I don't have to use it for getting to and from work.  I've used it during fewer than a half dozen rush hours and do all I can to avoid it at those times.

"It's a moronic argument to assert that fiscal conservatives are against fixing roads and funding schools."

Don't obfuscate. You cons would sell our infrastructure, our comonwealth, to the first for profit, big time GOP donor crony pal that came along.

Dishonest as always, Wes.

It's a moronic argument to assert that fiscal conservatives are against fixing roads and funding schools.

No, Wesley - it's a fact.

I lived in Southern Colorado for 11 years - worked in ultra-conservative Colorado Springs for 8 of them.  All you heard every day was conservatives bitching about taxes.  It was like pulling teeth for any government entity to get bond issues passed for the most basic of projects.  Some school districts had gone ten to 15 years without the vters passing a bond issue, and the schools were falling apart as a result.  The conservatives' solution? Vouchers.....

From what I've experienced in my 55 years of life, conservatives tend to think only of making things better for themselves and their families and friends.  Liberals think of making things better for society in general.

I want my two senators to get the Air Force tanker contract back to US custody. I know Mr McCain calls it " pork " and he fought hard to give EADS the contract. It would be hard to convince me money spent on home industry with workers paying social security taxes is a bad thing for the economy. Maybe calling funding an earmark may not be an accurate description unless it results from trying to hide said funding from public transparency.

As for WZ, f**k off you low life scumbag.  Anytime you can't face the facts you start with the name calling

And "low life (sic) scumbag" isn't "name calling?"

This is why I believe stupidity should be painful. It would be a powerful incentive for the above poster to start to rectify his condition.

I must have missed something here

Looks to me like you just missed someone being verbally offensive and purposefully obtuse.  Enjoy it while you can! :)

That wasn't aimed at you, Wolf. A troll's set of posts was pulled while I was writing my response, and it looks like my response fell under yours. The part that I italicized was the part the troll aimed and missed with.

This is why I believe stupidity should be painful.

It's painful for those of us who have to put up with the stupid people.  (I'm kinda sorry I went out for lunch - looks like I missed something....)

I wish they'd leave those up. Aside from one of the stoopidest screen names ever, it was an amusing little dittohead troll-tantrum.

I wish they'd leave those up. Aside from one of the stoopidest screen names ever, it was an amusing little dittohead troll-tantrum.

Maybe they could move posts like that to a special corner of MMFA - kinda like the "Hate Mail" section of Democratic Underground....

Why should we believe anything Robert No-Facts says?  And didn't he just retire effective immediately because of a brain tumor????

John McInsane must've phoned Bob and told him he'd better not DARE even think about 'wimping out' on making the case for McInsane/Failin'.

God knows those two are gonna need all the help they can get. :P

Speaking of taxes.... isn't it interesting that the Republicans have suddenly become so forgiving of unwed mothers? I assume that they'll now support government programs to help the ones not fortunate enough to be a governor's daughter? Ya think?

What they say, "We are are supportive of her and must be as she will be forced to grow up much quicker than we would have wished."

What they do: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Palin_cut_1.1_million_from_funding_0902.html

I love this post, actually i love most of the posts on here.  There is not much that makes me happier than to listen to liberals talk, fight, and bicker while we conservatives continue to step on them as we move further and further to the top.  THANK YOU!!!  Keep up the good work!!!  Because if it were not for all of you i would not be where i am today!!

Good for you, Kermit. Where exactly are you today, aside from closer to the top? If you're near me, I'll come in and grab a Jumbo Jack, and help you out some more.

Too funny, Colonel.

I can just see it now: Colonel Sanders, ordering a hamburger from Jack in the Box...

Colonel Sanders hated what KFC (originally Topps Drive-In) did with his fried chicken recipe after he sold the company. They asked him to taste the "Extra Crispy," and he replied that it tasted like s#it.

BTW, Sanders started Topps Drive-In with his first Social Security check, when he was 62 years old.

Kemmick - When did you take your stupid pill?  Last time I checked, Obama just jumped up to 50% in the latest poll.  And, in the '06 elections the Repos lost 30 House seats and 6 Senate seats.  If that's your idea of moving up, you can keep right on trucking! 

In typical liberal fasion you were assuming i meant moving up as a party. Oh what to do with you all. Once again i thank you all.

No, we thought you were movin' on up to the East to a deeluxe apartment in the sky.

You post like a sitcom, we just thought you lived in one, too.

Don't forget that we own a majority of Governorships in the US, along with a majority of State legislatures that are also democrat controlled. Must be fun to live in la la land where fact is myth, and myths are facts.

You bring up an excellent point and very much appreciate that.  You are correct in your stats which makes me laugh even harder when i think about the fact that BO promises change.. .and of course HOPE too.. yet you have have had HOW LONG to get things done as the majority and for some reason just can't seem to do it... Oh yeah.. sorry i forgot George Bush's fault... There is ALWAYS someone to blame in Liberal Land... I print off everything on here at night to read to my 4 kids so they can KNOW how stupid liberals really are.  I don't want to chance it to media to convince them when I have all this "Fact" right in front of me to use.  (Yes 4 kids with a mother and up to this point haven't had to ask you dems for all those hand outs you want to give everyone.  having a job helps)

Yes 4 kids with a mother and up to this point haven't had to ask you dems for all those hand outs you want to give everyone.  having a job helps

So you drive to work on a road you built and paved yourself, and you make your own hydrogen and oxygen so you can create your own water? Yeah, you non-government types are plenty stupid, and I'm sure your kids can tell it isn't the "liberals" who are the stupid ones when you have to sound out each word on this site when you "read" it to them because you can't understand what is being said here.

I am unsure if it will be possible to overcome such an amazing comeback of "roads" and "water" as government handouts.  I have the deepest amount of faith that your intellect can see a bit further than that, but I will allow you to prove me wrong!  I can say this with the GREATEST amount of certainty.  I lived in a state for 23yrs that has followed the Obama playbook.  It followed then and still does today.  They have the largest amount of people on state assistance with healthcare being the number job provider in the state.  The population has not grown in 20yrs and businesses leave ever day due to the high taxes imposed.  The top 3% of the population provide 95% of the tax income and free healthcare to more than 50% of the state.  They are now a dirt poor state that cannot create jobs or even keep their college graduates there to work.  Please tell me how this should convince me that the entire country should be run that way?

Yeah, we get it. You resent and reject mutual responsibility. You hate your brother for you are not his keeper. Fine. You're allowed to blame liberals for the failure of market fundamentalism and if you want more Republican destruction of the middle class. Fine. Vote Republican. I don't share your hatred of American values, I'll vote for change.

The reality is that Republicans have been in control of government for the better part of twenty years and if you think we Democrats can reverse their screw ups in a mere two years, you are not living on the same planet as the rest of us.

Peace out, sucker.

Roundhead.  I am a bit confused on where you have come up with your comments, however I am the middle class and I could not be any happier with the way things are for my family so please don't speak for all of us. I have no problem what so ever sharing responsibility, what i do have problem with is sharing with the folks who don't contribute which is exactly what BO wants and expects.

Screw you, you're lying through your teeth. I don't know where you come up with your nonsense.

Obama talks about honoring the dignity of work and making work pay.

You are simply lying, but I'm not surprised. Liars are who you cons are, lying is what you cons do.

yeah, I remember well the " outrage " when Jamie Spears was pregnant and all the effects it would have on the Nickolodeon channel.

Off topic but, Spears was one of those liberal Hollywood wackos. Up thar in Alaska, it is a result of love. You have to look at the polls if you are a Reepublican before you decide which side of the fence to chose.

Isn't it funny how the Pubic Cons scream about "Hollywood" ruining the country while they kiss the asses of Schwarzenegger, Willis, Heston (not so much any more, since they pried that gun out of his cold, dead fingers), etc.?

No mention of St. Ronnie in Heaven?

And creationist nutjob Chuck Norris.

No mention of St. Ronnie in Heaven?

Because he's down in Hell with Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, Jesse Helms, and Strom Thurmond.

No mention of St. Ronnie in Heaven?

He's applying for St. Peter's job until the CEO slot becomes available. Hope he gets it.

Then maybe when that Focus on the Family guy prays for rain on the Dem's parade, you won't get 4 hurricanes in a row stacked against the Repub's parade.

Doofus.

.... isn't it interesting that the Republicans have suddenly become so forgiving of unwed mothers?

Not ALL of us have. Is it just me or is this VP nominee and complete R ticket a train wreck?

Dave,

It has always been that way. It is a false meme put out by 'liberals' that religious right hate sinners. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

It has always been that way. It is a false meme put out by 'liberals' that religious right hate sinners. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

It's also a falsehood that liberals hate religion and/or hate God.  Yet I heard Jeff Christie blathering about that earlier today on his radio pukefest.

Agreed, AA. But her having a pregnant 17 y/o daughter is not helping her, either. I would certainly make it an issue if it were Chelsea. It would reflect right in Hillary's face. I'm a lot of things, but not a hypocrite.

AA,

If that's the case, I guess I just have a problem with how they show their "love" for the sinner.  Blaming 9/11 on gays, the ACLU and abortions certainly wasn't "love" in my eyes.

As usual, Novak speaks, the oppisite of the truth spews out. Palin prayed to a supernatural being on behalf of a gas pipeline project. That's fighting off big oil? What nincompoop believes the oil companies would allow someone who is going to fight them become govenor of Alaska? Are there really people in this country who listen to this drivel and just soak it up?

Of course these people lap it up.  They cannot handle the reality-based world, so they put all of the intellectual 'faith' eggs in to the G-d basket, hoping s/he will drop out of the sky and make it all better.

Before you paint me as anti-Christian or anti-religion, please understand that I know the difference between hope and faith versus literal interpretations from a 2000 year-old book filled with metaphors and allegories, revised time and time again to fit current society's needs - and used to push the beliefs of a few upon the masses.

It's time for people to pull their heads out of their nether regions and start living in the REAL world - instead of living in a fantasy based world based on an old book - rewritten by a child molester (King James).  My personal opinion is basically that whoever created us would be truly insulted by the way we've used our brains in order to usurp power, kill others and worship at the altar of greed instead of practicing love toward others (not just your neighbor) and compassion for those most in need of it.

McCain and Palin are not the embodiment of these principles; they only embrace the principle of 'Do as I say, not as I do.'  Hypocrites, both of them.

 "Truth you can't afford the truth!!!"

I love the Rep'ers now they believe telling the facts should be taxable.

For a member of the non-tax party to desire to tax reality out of being shows the questionable mental state of some of the Righwingers that post here.

Of course, if you can't afford the facts I am sure they feel you do not deserve it but will be glad to supply you a reality of their chosing. Freemarket reality what a concept next will be an online reference source that is monitered by the public -- no matter their level of competence, research, or sanity -- wait a minute, nevermind the future is now.

I’m enjoying watching the Republicans construct this façade around Sarah Palin. The work is rather shoddy, but they’ve managed to fool themselves into believing they’ve built something bright and shiny.

Tonight, in their eyes, she will do no wrong. She could read an instruction manual and the right will shower her with praise. Her speech might even pull in Obama-like numbers. I’m willing to bet she’ll get higher numbers than McCain. Oh, they’ll be dancing in the Twin Cities--just you watch.

But next week, well, it’s going to be a little different. Thus far the Governor has only granted an interview to People--apparently she’s not even ready for Fox yet. Her handlers can’t shield her indefinitely. In time she’s going to have to offer the voters more than just her love of moose meat. It’s already clear to those who are looking that she’s just a lightweight NeoCon. Before the election more will understand that and all this Palin-mania will just crumble, crumble, crumble away

When is the Guardian going to get to interview her? THAT I would love to see.

They would probably be smart to have The Guardian interview her, since most people in the US would never see that interview.

I predict that Palin will give a decent speech tonight - but not outstanding.  My prediction is that it will be a B- or C+ speech.  She doesn't have with it takes.  And to me, her voice is grating, like fingernails on a chalk board.

Even according to her own party values, she cannot even properly educate and lead her family, let alone a state, and less likely to be able to fulfill the role of President.  McCain is old and has had cancer multiple times.  Palin seems like a nice enough woman, but nice enough is not what we need to step into the Presidency at a moment's notice.

Failin's voice is enough to drive me nuts after about a minute. I'll have to sit this one out but I'll read the transcript tomorrow.

I still think she is cunning and dangerous. The Obama campaign is making a a huge mistake by allowing the GOP to take hold of the narrative.

I would love to see the Obama-Biden campaign to go on the offensive and set the story before it's too late. Palin is a religious zealot, it's palin for all to see, I mean plain to see. Haven't people had enough of these zealots intruding into our lives and our government, seeking to force us to live by their faith?

If she had it her way, she would criminalize abortion, giving rapists more rights than rape victims. What's next? She believes in the death penalty doesn't she? Death penalty for women and their physicians because they won't bring a baby conceived in violence to term?

Sick.

That's why I refer to those who oppose choice as 'pro-forced birth' instead of 'pro-life'.  If they were pro-life, they would (1) help take care of those who have the least (as Jesus mandated), as to me, pro-life inherently means pro-'means of living a decent life' (i.e. less poverty, more insured, etc.) in pursuit of prosperity and happiness; and (2) if they were pro-life, they would be against the death penalty.  Even as heinous a murderer might be, s/he is still a living being.  Pro-life, my a$$.

Again, they're freakin' hypocrites.

We share the same view of what it means to be pro-life.

Forced birth works for me, but if Palin gets in there, with her rapist bill of rights, I guess you could shift your phrase to forced conception.

CSL,

You make unwarranted conclusions based on preconceived (no pun intended) bias.

Where do you find pro-life people opposed to taking care of the least among us? Are not the babies in the womb the least among us?

Everyone is in favor of less poverty. It is simply how do you raise people out of poverty. There is plenty of room for people of good will to disagree.

I find your position full of contradictions. Apparently you feel it is more humane to kill the baby in the womb than let it live yet you consider yourself more compasionate?   

Most pro-life people I know are against the death penalty. Even so, punishing the guilty for heinous crimes against society are very much different than punishing the innocent for the mistakes of the parents. 

Are you completely against the death penalty? Are you pro abortion?

If so, by your logic, you are the same hypocrite you rail against. 

As if you have the authority to tell us when life begins. Spare us your condescending arrogance and stop forcing us to live by your faith.

The truth is Palin wants to criminalize abortion, no exception, unless the mother would die in birth. Palin and McCain have both told us that they believe life begins at conception. They both support the death penalty.

Are you prepared to sentence desperate teens to the death penalty because they were unlucky enough get caught aborting the fetus of her rapist?

You're quite the presumptuous troglodyte today, aren't you?

First of all, I'm not pro-abortion.  I am pro-choice.  Personally, I dislike abortion and find it appalling.  However, no one, and I mean no one, has given me the right to tell another person how to govern his/her body.  It is the choice of the person/people involved.  Not me.  I believe women should be able to choose, even though I am personally against abortion.  As I've said before, if I ever have the pleasure to vote on an abortion bill, I'll mark the ballot in favor of pro-choice. It's not all about me, nor is it about you, now is it?  My beliefs are personal and should not be pushed onto others.  To me, the ability to make free decisions for oneself is the very basis of our country.  To take that away from women makes them second class citizens and negates the rights and freedoms for which many Americans fought and died. 

Second of all, I am completely, 100% absolutely against the death penalty. It doesn't solve the issue.  It's revenge, pure and simple (I believe there's a quote somewhere that goes something like, "Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord).  Fundies, help me out here.  Killing is wrong, even if it is state-sanctioned. Further, family members of the victim(s) want revenge - and revenge is such an unhealthy, psychologically damaging thing.  Revenge never helped anyone.  What a hard heart one must have to feel the joy in the murder of any person.  After all, life is life, right?

Where are my contradictions?

After all, life is life, right?

I think your contradiction is right there. Some people believe that life begins at conception. You may have a tough time convincing them. For them, life is life also, born or unborn.

Sorry, not for me.  I don't believe that life begins at conception, so your mind-reading abilities are crap.

You obviously missed the part where I said that I find abortion to be appalling.  You missed the part where I said I dislike abortion. 

However, you totally skipped over the part where I said that it should be the person's choice.  Not my choice to have or not have the fetus.  On the other hand, you're taking the very personal decision of people you don't even freaking know and putting into the hands of religious zealots and authoritarian, naziesque leaders.  Sorry, but I prefer to let people choose.  The decision to abort a mass of cells is between the woman (possibly her male counterpart who got her pregnant), and their G-d.

But you authoritarians just have to boss others around, telling people what they can and cannot do.  Nice way to support the Constitution there, bucko - and that makes you ANTI-AMERICAN.

First off, I didn't mind read. I said there are some out there that believe life happens at conception. You may not agree, but there are.

I never gave an opion of my personal feelings on the subject. All I said was the obvious. SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION, Bucko.

"SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION"

Those people shouldn't have abortions then.  What about those who don't?  What do you propose?

Whatver, dave. That backpedal doesn't change the fact that those who believe life begins at conception have any right to force us to live according to their faith. Bucko.

Abortions are between the individual and their own maker.

You righties are all about bringing the children into the world, but you're not for funding programs for single mothers who need help with the child you've forced her to birth. You rail against the single mothers who, for whatever reasons, cannot work.  You take their welfare benefits away from them - with the unrealistic hopes that they will 'pull themselves up by their bootstraps', but you refuse to help them even get a good pair of bootstraps.  You righties hate the poorer classes so much that you tax them unfairly, making it virtually impossible for them to rise up to at least the middle class (which you righties are trying desperately to destroy).  Your attempt at eliminating the middle class is obvious.  You prefer the two class society: the Haves and the Have-Nots - with the Have-Nots working double-time so your corporate fatcats can reap in that $250 million golden parachute when they f**k up the company beyond all recognition.

WTF is wrong with you people (righties)?  How greedy can you bastards get?  And how many more people have to suffer because your mantra, "I've got mine, screw the rest of you".  How Christian of you.

Worthless, selfish pigs, the lot of you.

**For you good-hearted Lefties out there, my apologies for my rant.  I'm just sick of the selfishness which is the hallmark of the Republican party.

Don't apologize. We've all been there (I decided to stay awhile) but the anger will dissipate a little.

Forgive. Never, ever forget.

Where do you find pro-life people opposed to taking care of the least among us? Are not the babies in the womb the least among us? - A.A.

I can answer that simply with one acronym: SCHIP.

Supplement:  No Child Left Behind (when most have been left behind).

 

Are not the babies in the womb the least among us?

I find your position full of contradictions. Apparently you feel it is more humane to kill the baby in the womb than let it live yet you consider yourself more compasionate?   

AA

There are no babies being killed in the womb.

They are fetuses when they are in the womb.

And if those fetuses are non-viable, meaning not able to sustain life outside the womb, even with medical intervention, love, food, and shelter, they aren't babies when they leave the womb - they're non-viable fetuses.

If a viable fetus leaves the womb before 9 months are up, they're premature infants.

But there are no babies in any wombs. It is more humane to allow a woman to control her own body than to force her to remain pregnant, which allows the non-viable fetus to control her body rather than herself.

I think I have the reasoning behind the Palin nomination:  she's got no public history to speak of.

Because of that, the spin meisters can construct a historical philosophy that is patently false, and since she's never been in the eye of the general public before, they probably think they can get away with it. 

I think I have the reasoning behind the Palin nomination:  she's got no public history to speak of.

Plus, she's female....doesn't hurt to try to pick up some of the angry Hillary voters. And she is somewhat of a Conservative, much more than McCain is, at least. Something C's were looking for.

This election is going to be a case of who the country hates the least. The choices are so underwhelming.

That's one of the most assinine things I've ever read.

Gov. Palin will NOT attract Hillary supporters - unless of course Hillary supporters don't mind a 180 degree difference in ideology.  It's ridiculous to say that because Palin chose McCain that angry Hillary supports will move over to support a candidate because the candidate chose a vice-president who is diametrically opposed to the core beliefs of Democratic women.

Where are you brains, dude?  Sheesh...you're sounding like Limbaugh and Hannity more and more.  Use your brain - and quite allowing it to be washed by right-wing sycophants who have no damned idea what they're talking about.

Here is some fun...this guy is connected the Whatshernames church. If this were any other country she would have been ridden out of town on a rail.

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=964

Joel's Army indeed.

Spooky.  That's what you get, though, with these evangelical whack-jobs.  I'd that "they'd get the gov't they deserve" except that I'd also be stuck with it.  Obama MUST win this thing.  This great country will lost forever under McCain/Palin.

Agreed.  Our wonderful nation has been raped enough by the right-wing.  Four more years of the nonsense of the current administration would be disasterous.

In answer to the title question: Easy.  Because she's a masochist. 

Earmarks are like your Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen. Everyone hates everyone else's. You get some federal money, you're happy, but we're very happy to complain about someone else getting it (ie, Bridge to Nowhere project for one - a mere pittance from our taxes actually). As long as earmarks come to my home state. Great! They go to someone else's, that's when people gripe.

For example, Arizona received 8.5 billion dollars in federal money in 2007. Now, if John "The Maverick" McCain is so against earmarks, maybe he should give all of that money BACK to the federal government. I mean, that would ALMOST pay for one month in Iraq. But then again, I doubt he'll ask for that back.

http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/AboutUs/ArticleView.aspx?id=2214

There was someone else talking about transparency, and how these things get into bills, and what is in the bills to start with. Here's a clue. You can download, and read these bills just like the folks who are writing them. You want to see how things get in there? I suggest tuning into C-Span 24/7, as they show the House and Senate in session on a daily basis (when they are in session), along with committee meetings, and things like that. Also, if you really want to know, go to DC. Meet your reps and Senators, make an appointment to meet with them, express your concerns, and ask for an explanation about how these things are done.

Before I get flagged again, when do we get to talk about the media's lack of attention on her church and all the hate that spews from there? It was fair with BO, why not her?

Because. That's a white christian church. No scary black people go there.

Nope.  Just scary and absurd medieval superstitious druids that would scare the hell out of 90% of working class WHITES.  If these evanglical whack-jobs were ever exposed to the rest of the country, so that 'mainstream america' could see how utterly INSANE they are... No centrist would vote republican for a generation.

Not so much where I live (The Bible Belt USA). I'm certain that a lot folks around me would embrace her more if they knew what kind of church she went to, along with the secessionist tendencies of her and her husband. They might be popular down here in Dixie where Confederate flags are still flown proudly over many a house.

Before I get flagged again, when do we get to talk about the media's lack of attention on her church and all the hate that spews from there? It was fair with BO, why not her?

Church Website's Palin Video Page Shuts Down

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/website-with-sp.html

I wondering what media you are refering to that covered BO's church other than Fox?  So far i have not seen anything!! 

Other than Fox?  Use the google, my friend.  Every major network more than covered Wright.

I wondering

You also not grammaring, either.

Shame on some of the posters here for making a joke regarding Mr Novaks brain tumor. That is the typical hate that has penetrated too much into our nation.

As of right now I don't see one single joke about his brain tumor.  One poster was under the impression Novak had retired because of it and asked about that.

Please show us those jokes.

Sounds like someone is overly sensitive here. There were no jokes about his brain tumor. Please re-read all of the comments on here, and point out where someone joked about it? I am thinking that you can't do it.

He's just a typical right-winger.  Folks on his side can make disgusting jokes about politician's children, killing Supreme Court justices, talking to liberals with a baseball bat, etc.

But they just cannot stand for one of their own to be attacked - even when he hasn't even been attacked at all.  Their's is the party of victimization.  What screaming sissies the right-wingers are!

Hates 'em. Frikkin' hates 'em.

If by "hate" you mean "likes it when the budget is awash in them to dispense to her friends and fellow secessionists."

Maybe he meant "hates the earmarks she doesn't openly support."

Just another small issue she was for before she was against. Between Palin and McCain, that debate amongst themselves is such a rich topic. It's a shame the craptastic media starts every new day with a blank slate. What drug does that to you? 

If the Press does its job, the Troglodyte Princess will be a quivering pile of jello by this time next week. The Grampy Campaign is already complaining about all the scrutiny... as if they didn't expect it. According to Right Wing Tool Juan Williams, the so-called "vetting team" the GOP has sent to her town is really there to intercept curious reporters.

If she survives this initial rollout, the Democrats need to unleash Hillary on her. Maybe the Obama campaign could agree to pay off her debt if she leads the attack on Whatshername. Hillary may be the best qualified person to expose her for the Troglodyte Trojan Horse she really is.

 For the record, Citizens Against Government Waste lists Alaska as the number 1 state for "pork". The state receives $ 555 per capita in Federal Funds, where Illinois is # 36 at $ 25 per capita.

Well after watching Palin's speech tonight, I'm confident in her ability to lead, at least in that she trumps BO in both experience and style. Woot!

She was a fabulous speaker, truly inspiring.

 

I especially liked her line "I guess being a Mayor is something like being a community organizer, ... but a Mayor has actual responsibilities" .. lol!

Weren't you the ones who told us speeches meant nothing?

Lets cut the crap, there is no such thing as a fiscal conservative, or a family values Republican politician. Last night for those that did not notice at the RNC love boat there was not one speaker including Huckabee the Minister that did not distort the facts and down and out lie.  Then their Brady Bunch -June Cleaver  mom came on and distorted her fiscal record while Major of Mayberry and Governor of Alaska. Now you Have this Jew turned Catholic on his death bed remorseless of his destructive past deeds at it again, I guess he doesn't prescribe to the idea of hell.

What's all this talk about loathing earwigs? They are delicious when toasted with salt, sesame oil, and pine nuts. You all are nothing but a bunch of elitist earwig haters!

I'm almost scared to post this after what happened the other day. If it doesn't look good, I'll apologize in advance my love: 

 

I play my game of fantasy
I pretend but I know in reality
I need the shelter of your arms
To comfort me

No other sound is quite the same as your name
No touch can do half as much
To make me feel better
So let´s stay together.. together

I got the memories to look back on
Though they help me when you´re gone
I´m well aware
Nothing can take the place of your being there

Ooooh

So glad we got the real thing baby
So glad we got the real thing (Ooh ooh)
Ain´t nothin´ like the real thing baby
Ain´t nothin´ like the real thing

Hey hon, I'm back here for just a few seconds. I noticed you'd left lyrics to a song, & wanted to take time to read them. You always seem to find stuff that captures our situation, us & our feelings for each other. This one is no exception. This is the real thing baby. I just feel it.

Now I know there's already a Broadway show in the works [xxx rated I hear] but when they make the movie Michael & Lisa The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, we have already provided them with a soundtrack :-)

BTW that movie is starring George Clooney [of course] Who do you want to play your part?

Till later my love. ILYL. Love always, Mike xxxooo

BTW that movie is starring George Clooney [of course] Who do you want to play your part?

Hmmmn, not too many little petite things in Hollywood, maybe Meg Ryan, She is 6 inches taller than me, but what can you say? Artistic license :-0) Hey, Clooney is shorter than you at 5'11".

 

Hey, just darken the hair a bit and give her one green contact and there you go!

Seriously? I knew it! No word of a lie, I kind of pictured you looking something like this :-)

Oh baby girl...I'm feeling frisky...well friskier than usual ;-)

 

Darlin, I thought I'd go back in time to see how those cooing lovebirds jeter&julia were wooing each other a year or so ago [this ones from Aug 28 2007] I know silly. But I'm feeling silly. What am I, 12 or 52? [yikes that sounds old!] well I look a lot younger & I'm feeling wicked immature ;-)

I'm probably gonna pass the time while your away doing this.

*I love my W, but she is hovering around tonight driving me crazy, why can't I have some private time to chat with my gf?. So I might have to write you 1000 short posts instead of 1 or 2 long ones. Anyway here we were a year ago my sweet thang.....[hope this posts ok]

Time's Ana Marie Cox compared Congress' questioning of Gonzales to "legislative waterboarding"

 

Yes JLyon, she probably should have just said "torture" because MMFA seems to be objecting to the use of the term "waterboarding" on the grounds that they obviously think Americans are so incredibly stupid they might think that Congress actually bound Gonzo to an inclined board, with his feet raised and his head slightly below his feet, wrapped him in Cellophane and poured water over him.

 

• - jeter2 / Tuesday August 28, 2007 2:27:43 PM EDT
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• J2, that sounds so sexy. Can I waterboard ya for a spell?  ;-)

   

  • - juliajayne / Tuesday August 28, 2007 2:37:04 PM EDT
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  • Um Julia, maybe we better go get a room before everyone here tells us to go get a room ;-)

     

    • - jeter2 / Tuesday August 28, 2007 2:57:47 PM EDT
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    • They might offer to hose us down like before. You'd like that even better since you're into the water and such (ala Fredo).  :-)

       

       

      • - juliajayne / Tuesday August 28, 2007 3:20:55 PM EDT
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Are you still here? I just posted under your song lyrics. I'm gonna read what you just posted in a minute.

OMG, that's hilarious!!!! (Your post above my post, getti