Kim wrote on Aug 28, 2006 9:33 PM:The Webster cartoon about recall is an attack on the proponents...let us remember that every citizen has a right to expect responsible good government from their elected officials. When those elected officals are not respecting their elected obligation, i.e., representing the entire citizenry, they need to be reminded of their duty. The citizens of the city have a right to the recall process. To attack and demonize (literally, horns on the head), proponents of recall, is the worst case of blame the victim. Let's get the picture right. Sanchez is the villan. Recall Sanchez.

Vox Populi wrote on Aug 28, 2006 9:35 PM:I'm calling on the San Diego County District Attorney, Bonnie Dumanis, to investigate Shari Mackin's exorbitant use of her city credit card and refer the findings to a grand jury.

GFN wrote on Aug 28, 2006 9:35 PM:John Kidwell, congratulations sir, on an idea that deserves immediate and intense consideration. This should be done by those who will not be influenced by the amount of dollars the project will cost, or fees it will generate. It's time we demanded more from those who have made incredible fortunes in the last 6 years.

GFN wrote on Aug 28, 2006 9:42 PM:Virginia Browne, the problem is that the Federal government doesn't "solve" the problem. They have decided to allow the problem to become so bad that there will be "nothing" they can do about it because it is out of control. Then all will be given amnesty and NOTHING CHANGES. The Escondido council realizes that something has to be done. They have the obligation to protect their citizens, ESPECIALLY if the federal government won't do anything!

GFN wrote on Aug 28, 2006 10:03 PM:Hussam, I love your words and agree whole-heartily with them. So many passages in the Quran are excellent...be kind to orphans and the poor because He was... is one of the beginning lines. How do you think the world stops this madness so we can live in peace? I really don't care what religion you practice and I will not try to convert you to mine, but I cannot accept a religion that allows Muslims to kill a man because he converts to another religion. I would appreciate a response because I care a great deal about all this turmoil. Thank you.

KIRK. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:21 AM:. . Month by month, more and more Americans have come to despise the Bush War, for the way it has sullied our nation’s reputation, demonized our young fighting men, turned tens of thousands of them into life-time cripples and bankrupted the nation. As letter writer Mike Freeman wrote today “Our fiscally and legally reckless president is no longer fooling at least 60 percent of the American people, including millions of Republicans who voted for him in November 2004.” The Lieberman loss has shocked the pro-war leaders in Congress, and they are now putting distance between themselves and Bush and his radioactive quagmire in Iraq. Even Republican members are calling for the resignation of Rumsfeld. Ironic, isn’t it, that the front page of the NC Times on Aug. 26 exposed our three pro-war members in San Diego County to this powerful backlash. The headline ‘Area reps support Bush on Iraq war’ clearly identifies Issa, Bilbray and Duncan Hunter as staunch supporters of the Bush War. Well, for voters in the 49th District, there is a stellar candidate, Jeeni Criscenzo who has said for years that this war has no noble purpose, and that we should pull our troops out many months ago and let the Iraqis solve their own problems. The people of this region have been governing themselves for thousands of years, long before the European countries, and with fewer wars. You can’t force democracy on a people at the point of a gun. Besides, that is a phony rationale. Dick Cheney is not so benevolent that he would waste a trillion dollars to present the gift of democracy to the Iraqis. I agree totally with Jeeni Criscenzo, who also supports Universal Health Care for all Americans. She supports sensible use of our national resources for building a strong and healthy nation.

WILLIAM. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:57 AM:- Is Iran the next country, asked Tony San Miguel of Vista in his letter. Many have been saying this for months now. The failure of the war against Hezbollah has given the Bush war cabal reason to hesitate, however. The neo-con mentality will soon dismiss reason and discretion. It is the bombastic style of this White House to deal with failure by charging full force ahead, up the ante, and go for broke - which is exactly what will happen: The nation will go broke if Bush-Cheney attack Iran. I found the comments of Republican columnist Patrick J. Buchanan intriguing. In a column entitled ‘Of imperial presidents and congressional cowards’ Buchanan asked a different question: “Does President Bush have, or not have, the authority to take us to war with Iran? Because Bush and the War Party are surely behaving as though this were an executive decision alone. “ Buchanan points out that bombing Iran would ignite Shia and Revolutionary Guard terror attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq, requiring massing many more U.S. troops in Iraq to quell the fanatical attacks. But we don’t have more troops to send, unless we call up John McCain’s generation for active duty again. Our young men have gotten the word about the Bush War, and are refusing to volunteer. Will this deter the madmen in the White House? The current Israel-Hezbollah war demonstrated one thing clearly: the U.S. cannot stop Iran with a mere air assault. The tiny band of Hezbollah fighters seemed as lethal and strong at the end as at the beginning. It was Israel who wanted to retreat and ask for a ceasefire. Here was the warning from Buchanan: QUOTE “We are not told how many innocent Iranians we will have to kill as we go about smashing their nuclear program and defenses. Nor are we told how many more soldiers we will need for the neocons' new war, nor how long they will have to fight, nor how many more wings we should plan for at Walter Reed, nor when it will be over – if ever. “ END. What are the crazy people in this White House about to get our country into? Is Bush driven by a messianic mission to bring the Armageddon end days on? Can we take a chance? How can you stop a madman like this?

SAUL. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:17 AM:- How provincial and stupid for Jacob Alter of Carlsbad to say “Cross represents all religions’ in his letter. It doesn’t represent my religion, nor that of family. It represent just ONE religion. I harbor no animosity against the cross, but I don’t want my tax dollars used to promote it. I simply do not want my taxes used to promote another religion or its symbol. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a First Amendment right (every day, everywhere) to exercise.

TO:whatsupwiththis wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:31 AM:Probably because your husband is white. The sherrif department is looking for brown men. It's your typical feeble minded situation, where officials thinking hiring more brown skinned people will quell the browns in the street. It never worked for blacks and it will never work for Latinos. A good cop is a good cop, no matter what color the skin.

Sheila . wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:40 AM:* Candidate Jeeni Criscenzo (against Darrell Issa) supports Universal Health Care for Americans. I support Criscenzo because of this. Most Americans are unaware that the United States is the only country in the developed world that doesn't already have a fundamentally public, tax-supported health care system. The United States now has the most expensive health care system on earth and, despite remarkable technology, the general health of the U.S. population is lower than in most industrialized countries. Worse, Americans' mortality rates--both general and infant--are shockingly high. Many developing countries like Mexico, Korea, and India, instinctually understood that private insurance would never be able to cover all necessary hospital procedures and services; and that even minimal protection is beyond the reach of the poor, the working poor, and those with the most serious health problems. Today, over half the family bankruptcies filed every year in the United States are directly related to medical expenses, and a recent study shows that 75 percent of those are filed by people with health insurance. I was personally facing this prospect myself just a few years ago. It is a very scary thing to be on the verge of losing one’s home because of a medical crisis. The United States spends far more per capita on health care than any comparable country. In fact, the gap is so enormous that a recent University of California, San Francisco, study estimates that the United States would save over $161 billion every year in paperwork alone if it switched to a singlepayer system like Canada's. This is a practical, economical and beneficial way to go and is part of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Want new Affirmative Action? wrote on Aug 29, 2006 7:10 AM:I'm sick of every white guy who gets passed over for a job to blame his lot on affirmative action. Has it ever dawned on these morons that maybe they don't have what it takes for the job they seem to think they have a God given right to have? To appease them, maybe we need a new affirmative action program to give preferences to otherwise unqualified white dudes who can't make the grade.

cross wrote on Aug 29, 2006 7:20 AM:How interesting that Jacob Alter has unilaterally decided that the Christian cross suddenly represents all religions. Some people can rationalize anything.

time to move wrote on Aug 29, 2006 7:22 AM:I would advise Cheryl Falk to quit making herself miserable and just up and move out of that bad ole town. It might be easier than trying to make everyone else in Escondido do what you want them to.

Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 7:53 AM:Want new Affirmative Action? Go bilingual. Otherwise, you won't have a job.

GI Joe wrote on Aug 29, 2006 8:45 AM:To Harold Weber/Bush no longer fooling…people: Newsweek Poll, 8/24-25/2006, 31% approve of the way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq. Funny you should mention Ronald Reagan. Ronnie and Georgie have some similarities. Both men liked to play rancher for photo-ops, both men have poor records on human rights violations, both men are seen in the British press as dim-witted (despite Ronnie and The Iron Lady’s affection of one another—the same sort of puppy love you can see with Tony and Georgie), both men were PR (spin) driven by their minders.

GI Joe wrote on Aug 29, 2006 9:00 AM:To Jacob Alter/The cross bearer: Funny how Christians are the ones that see the cross as representing “all faiths beyond the Christian belief”. Not so funny that I see it as a device used in a painful method of public execution for slaves and non-Romans.

Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 9:12 AM:Someone asked me the otherday, why I was so threatened by someone else's freedom? I'm not, other people can do what they want. My problem is when people decide for me, and my family what is best, rather than allowing the family to decide for itself. As a parent, I am responsible for my childs well being. I take that very seriously, I love my children, and want the very best for them. I do not see others as having the same level interest, and commitment to the success of my child, as I do. How can they? They didn't birth this child. They didn't walk the floor with this sleepless kid. Tending to their sickness, or emotional hurts. They are simply not in any position to make any decisions about this particular child. I am, as the parent, caretaker, educator, and psychologist of this child. It is offensive to me as the child's parent that a lessor authority figuire in my childs life would not defer to me, as the parent to help in making life lasting decisions regarding my own child, and me. If my daughter decides to go behind my back and do anything, including abortion, who is responsible for her in the aftermath? The school counselor who advised her? No, that would be me. Why don't we try this scenario regarding young girls who want an abortion? If the woman is 18 or above, I have no problem. Fully an adult by law, fully able to make that call. All girls not of age must have parents involvement. They can not say Yes or No to the abortion, that is the girls call, but they must at least know. I think this is only right, both for the girl, and the parents. A young girl like this, with a child will need help, what better help than those who raised her? They would have the financial ability, and provide emotional support and encouragement. In home babysitting, or day care so the girl could finish school. I see nothing wrong with this scenario, and don't understand why parents are by law kept out of the loop. Parents are not notified, even though she is submitting to a medical procedure. Schools can't give an asprin without parental consent, yet they can allow a child to leave campus with Planned Parenthood staff to seek an abortion. My kids couldn't leave Rancho High School to go to the Burger King across the street for lunch without my knowledge, and consent in writing. I have raised (and I'm not done yet, as most parents will atest to) 3 kids, now 28, 24, and 20. I know kids will scheme to go behind my back to smoke, drink, and other things. They know I will not allow them to do, so they sneak. Certain things, I did not want my parents to know about. But..... some things in life are so big, and life changing, parents need to know, and this is one of them. Who is going to be there in the aftermath if the abortion goes badly? The Planned Parenthood nurse? The school counselor? No, that's right! Me, and my wife. We will be held responsible even though we had no fore knowledge, and rightly so, that is still my kid. Anything that kid does is also my doing. I should be held responsible to care for that kid, and now my grandchild. Now, we have the cases where girls are raped, or incest is involved. Why would you allow a system to let the perp go free? If it's the kids father, or uncle, wouldn't it be better to know that now, rather than let her have the abortion, and return to the same house? Make the girl go to court, name the father, and prosecute the heck out of him. This in secret stuff does not fix it. Sure, she gets rid of the kid, but nothing else has changed. About public support for young girls who have children. Again, invlove the parents, the financial burden is theirs not society's to bear. Just like if my kid breaks my neighbors window, or crashes my car. The parents who are not doing the job, should be pointed out, and punished. Have their paychecks garnished, they do it for dead-beat Dad's, why not here? Just as if my kid decides to spray paint my neighbors fence, I pay to have it cleaned up. My whole point in all of this is: 99% of Parents have a life long commitment to their children. I know personally, I have 3 young adults, all still seek my help from time to time. The 1% who could care less, or are abusing those kids need to be put in jail. The Government is sticking itself right into my life, and my childs life with this sneaky stuff. If a kid knows, that I will know, they may not do it. Kids make all kinds of mistakes, big and small, hopefully they learn and move on a better person. But, on these big one's, they need parents more than they know, the government should defer to us as the primary care takers knowing we are the only people in the entire world who truly wants whats best for our child, and not some stranger.

GI Joe wrote on Aug 29, 2006 9:13 AM:To Vista Granny (8-28): Rob Thompson sees nothing wrong with gazillions of our tax dollars going to by tanks, battleships, aircraft carriers, cluster bombs, bunker bombs, nukes, hundreds of off-shore military bases, but he won’t let one cent of his tax money go to Universal Health Care! By the way, this is the guy that knows for a fact that global warming is figment of someone’s imagination (Al Gore’s to be more specific).

Anti-Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 10:24 AM:Someone asked Ron the other day, why Ron was so threatened by someone else's freedom? “I'm not, other people can do what they want”. Who decided for Ron and his family what is best? “As a parent, I am responsible for my children’s well being. I take that very seriously, I love my children, and want the very best for them…” Well Ron, don’t we all. Ron has a thing about people (females) exercising their own destiny. Abortion is the most private of all decisions for women. Was it not Ron suggesting that women abort themselves with scissors just a few days ago? If a teen becomes pregnant she has a few choices: a) the morning after pill, or, b) drop out of school, collect support payments probably forever while desperately trying to raise a child when she is but a naïve teen herself. Thus begins what could become a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty.

Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 10:25 AM:To William, in your diatribe above, you forgot to sing praise to the obvious object of your affection, the neo-Hitler Ahmadinejad. Where are the kind words, Willie-boy? Your enemy is Bush, we know that. But you seem to have nothing to say about the madman in Iran who would wipe Israel off the map if given the chance, then set his sights on Europe, then perhaps North America. Willie-boy seems to want Iran to succeed in their nuclear ambitions if only to teach Bush a lesson. Get over it son. We are at war with extremism which will only intensify if we leave the region. Get used to it. We'll be there a long, long time Willie-boy.

WeaponsOfMassExpression wrote on Aug 29, 2006 10:36 AM:In response to Virginia Broiwne: It is exactly because the federal government has failed in its duty to enforce immigration laws that cities and states must pass laws to protect their coffers. As the federal government cuts off money to states and cities, they are left to come up with the funds from their budgets to educate, provide social and health services for illegal aliens. As a result, cities and the state are trying to float bonds which property owners aren't buying. They are desperately trying to overdevelop every available piece of land to increase their revenues to pay for the services used by illegals for which the federal government is failing to renumerate. Our own citizens have no health care, but illegals do. We spend millions on ESL programs to teach the children of illegals English, while our own students are dropping out or not attending college. The test scores at all levels reflect that the public school systems are a failed experiement. Teachers are purchasing basic supplies for their students because there isn't the budget for the school to provide them while millions are spent on ESL programs. The cities have to take the helm in dealing with the problem of illegal immigration, the real costs to their budgets and the resulting denegration of the services they can provide citizens as a result. Maybe you cannot get along without your illegal housekeeper, gardener, handyman or produce picker. But, once your child graduates from high school and cannot find a job to earn his way through college because of the illegal willing to work for $10 without being taxed, you will realize maybe you can.

Cal to Recall Kim wrote on Aug 29, 2006 10:41 AM:Don't take the recall cartoon personally. It was not so much a commentary on the Sanchez recall as it was an illustration of voter burn-out and fatigue with all of the endless recalls, special elections and elections that never make anyone happy. The Sanchez recall effort may be democracy in action, but timing is everything. Recalls sounded like good ideas 2-3 years ago. Now you can't give 'em away.

Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 10:45 AM:Anti-Ron is obviously not a parent. Forgive his ignorance about children.

Remind me to never ask Ron anything... wrote on Aug 29, 2006 10:58 AM:I'd have to have 3 hours set aside to listen to his answer!

let's see if I can explain wrote on Aug 29, 2006 11:12 AM:Nice essay on parental responsibility, Ron. But what you are doing is just what you say you don't like - deciding for everyone else. Not everyone has 2 loving parents these days, or even 1. Did you somehow forget that? And even stable families do not see eye to eye with their children sometimes. Personally, I think the state has a very hands-off attitude toward families and children as long as they are sailing smoothly through life. But you don't get the right to make the rules for everyone. I am sure no one has ever tried to drag your kids out of school for an abortion. As Hillary says - it takes a village.

Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 11:29 AM:What bugs me about Anti-Ron #1: He copies his same argument from yesterday onto today's 10:24AM post.

RACHEL - wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:08 PM:(This is the 3rd time I have submitted this). - Of all so-called developed nations in the world, the United States has the worst health care “system”, if you can call such chaotic, broken, unaffordable health care as we have a system. I was so pleased when I heard candidate Jeeni Criscenzo (Congress, 49th) has been endorsing universal health care as one of her most ardent positions. Americans pay far more for health care than any other nation, and yet we get so little in return. So, who is getting all the money we pour into this system? Could it be the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical and the hospital systems? How is the little country of Finland able to provide top notch universal health care to all its citizens, but the “wealthiest country in the world” cannot? It is bizarre that Patty (7:36AM) rebels against ‘force health care’ because it is socialism. There are many things forced on us in life, most not to our benefit. Why would she oppose a compulsory system that would benefit all the people in our country? We have forced taxation, forced war, forced rules and regulations of all sorts - but Universal Health Care would be a benefit for all the people. Who brainwashed Patty? (letter Aug.28)

Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:10 PM:Paul Singer of the National Journal has a great piece about FEMA waste, fraud, and abuse. The sheer complexity of bureaucratic rules and hoop jumping, Katrina victims must go through to collect is an absolute nightmare. The system as it were, is designed by the bureaucrats, for the bureaucrats, and for the benefit of bureacrats. FEMA does not own, nor operate any people or equipment for the purpose of life-saving or re-building. They contract for these services, to other government agencies, or private companies. Singer says, they take their cut for administrative services, then it goes to Dept. of Transportation, who also skim, then so on, and so on. FEMA's skim alone is $6 billion, out of the $62 billion Congress approved. That's 10%, and most people will tell you any chairity that has an administrative rate like this, is not operating efficiently. This skim happens all the way down the line, through State governments, then county, then city. Finally, local contractors are given the actual work. That's just the money side, massive amounts of time are lost due to the overwhelming number of people, managers, agencies, etc. that must sign off on the money, or contracts. I've always had this theory about government cubicle workers, and this just affirms what I already thought. My theory was based on an experience I had in a government office years ago, before computers. I'm standing in this long line, waiting for my turn at the window. And it's taking a long time. When I finally get to the window, I see what the problem was, the worker behind the counter. She has this can of different colored pencils on the counter top, and she's looking at my paper work, then ever so slowly she reaches over for the red pencil. She slowly marks the box, then slowly puts the red pencil back in the can. Then, she turns and looks around behind her, I think she needs a supervisor, but no. She turns back around to the counter, and ever so slowly reaches for the blue pencil. We then go to the green pencil, then the yellow.... get the point? She was like a Union auto worker, too many bolts turned in an hour, and she might get written up, by the Union. Just over the last 6 years, for all you Bush haters, we have seen the utter failure of Government to promptly address problems. They suck at it. Government is too big, too bloated, and it costs too much. But.... We still have all the true believers out there, who think that it's just Bush, and Republicans. Oh, they can do it right. Government is broke at all levels, Federal, State, County, and local. They spend too much, and their not efficient. The waste is incredible, the Dept. of the Treasury can not find $12 billion dollars. Think about that for a second, the Dept. of the Treasury can't find money....???? Isn't that their job? The IRS has lost $9 billion..... Yet, we still have those who want to turn over their healthcare to this inefficient behemoth. Not to mention, many of these same people are crying about the illegal government wiretapping Bush is doing. Do you really want a government agency able to look into your medical records? If they will listen to your phone calls, what's to stop them?

el_patron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:17 PM:Hey Ron, much of your arguement is a "straw man" routine - a fake arguement. You make up a situation where the choices are defined by you (a terrible one and your solution), then sit there and expect us to align with you. When you say Who is better to raise a young (15? 16?) daughter that is pregnant than the parent, YOU are wrong in many ways. The daughter has obviously gotten poor training on contraception and reproductive biology, so the status quo ( who trained her?) is not good enough. The girl is being pulled home to raise a kid - ruining her life forever, and it's statistically peoven that the kid will not do as well in the future, being raised by a child and some ignorant grandparents. Some protection of family values there. The reason most right-wingers are afraid of information and choices is because their fundemendalist ways may not be followed. Most of the time they shouldn't be. In the greatest majority of cases, no 15/16 year old girl should have her life ruined for the result of a bad decision, aided by no knowledge and amplified by other peoples values.

el_patron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:22 PM:Ron, you just make up stuff. FEMA was run by a very knowledgable guy under Clinton, and was universally praised by all political sides for his and its effectivity. Even before 9/11, bush had changed leadership, and was changing its main goal from emergency aid to emergency control. A martial law organization. When bush was FORCED to create a new protection division (homeland security), he stuffed FEMA in there as a way to get a comprehensive power structure. Bush's head and heart are in the wrong place. You just don't know that.

SAUL. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:23 PM:- How provincial and stupid for Jacob Alter of Carlsbad to say “Cross represents all religions’ in his letter. It doesn’t represent my religion, nor that of family. It represent just ONE religion. I harbor no animosity against the cross, but I don’t want my tax dollars used to promote it. I simply do not want my taxes used to promote another religion or its symbol. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a First Amendment right (every day, everywhere) to exercise. 2nd time submitted.

Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:41 PM:Again, you fail to get this, let me try one more time. A girl who is under 16 can not drive, can not drink, can not smoke, can't do many things because she's not "OLD ENOUGH." Yet, in this particular circumstance she is? In the real world, a 12 year old girl is at one time of day is trying to be one of the girls she sees on MTV, and later that same day is quietly upstairs playing with her Barbie. And that is what you fail to understand, she is not capable of making this kind of decision all by herself, and understanding the full aspects of that decision. I also believe that any parent who thinks their under age child can make this kind of decision have lost their minds. That is not a personal choice, or freedom, that is ducking their "I'm already too busy" responsibility. Kids hide stuff from parents all the time, even the good ones, that's just a fact. They do it so they won't get into trouble with their parents. Is abortion so trival a thing, that it's just another thing for Mom and Dad not to know, like breaking the neighbors window? An example, my 16 year old daughter goes to the doctor without my wife or myself present. She wants bigger breasts. Can that doctor do the surgery if she has the money in her purse? Then why can a doctor give any girl this procedure without a consent form signed by a parent or guardian? And just because her parents may be divorced, they did not divorce her, she is theirs, like it or not, to take care of. If they choose not to, there are courts, and I think any parent, present or not is to be held accountable for that child. I've already said, I don't have a problem at all with a woman who is 18 amking this decision for herself. Under age girls are different, it is the parents role to provide good decision making for this particular child, and not an activist with an agenda. People get into this thing about, oh, I don't want to tell anybody else what to do. Somethings just don't need to be explained. If they do, the battle is already lost.

Eliminate Affirmative Action wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:41 PM:Simply get rid of it and you are one step closer to eliminating hiring bias based on race. I'm sure it's a scary thought to actually have to have qualifications to get a job ... but I'm sure they'll get used to it ... eventually.

Anti-Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:47 PM:Sorry, I'll try to do better. I must ask, why does Ron keep repeating himself?

PAT BUCHANAN’S IDEA. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 12:54 PM:- I Googled up Pat Buchanan’s column, referenced by William (12:57AM) because I have often found his ideas original and challenging. The question was raised “Does President Bush have, or not have, the authority to take us to war with Iran?” This is extremely critical, because every president up through Harry Truman has gone to Congress to obtain the constitutionally required Declaration of War. Most of the wars since Truman’s time have been mere declarations of Congress conceding the right to the judgment of the president. Now, the momentous question: Will his imperial majesty, George W. Bush, go to war without even so much as a wink and nod from Congress? Will Emperor Bush simply assume he does not need approval from Congress? This event may mark the moment at which the United States formally moves from a constitutional democracy (or federal republic) to a dictatorship. Moreover, where does Bush get the authority to launch a war on a nation that has not attacked us? This is the conclusion of Mr. Buchanan: QUOTE - “There is a reason the Founding Fathers separated the power to conduct war from the power to declare it. The reason is just such a ruler as George W. Bush, a man possessed of an ideology and sense of mission that are not necessarily coterminous with what is best for his country. Under our Constitution, it is Congress, not the president, who decides on war. Many Democrats now concede they failed the nation when they took Bush at his word that Iraq was an intolerable threat that could be dealt with only by an invasion. Now, Bush and the War Party are telling us the same thing about Iran. And the Congress is conducting itself in the same contemptible and cowardly way. It is time for Congress to tell President Bush directly that he has no authority to go to war on Iran and to launch such a war would be an impeachable offense.” END OF QUOTE. I suggest that Congress act pre-emotively against Emperor Bush: Introduce a Declaration of War against Iran in the Senate now. If it fails, and Bush launches war, impeach him, and imprison him. If the declaration passes, hold those approving Senator responsible for the consequences. It is not like they have no experience with this sort of thing. They just made this foolish mistake less than four years ago.

Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:18 PM:to PAT BUCHANAN'S IDEA...I agree, let the Senate introduce a Declaration of War against Iran. Better yet, what Democrat would introduce it? I can't think of any. Oh, yeah, that's right. Let a Republican draw up the declaration and face the political consequences. That sounds like a good Democrat plan. Then, when it fails to pass, Bush's hands are basically tied on Iran right? But, maybe an Iranian nuke goes off in Tel Aviv next year or in 2008 and Israeli nukes fly back into Iran and Lebanan and Syria and God knows where else, and oil hits $500 / a barrel, maybe China and Russia get into the game against Israel, then what? Oh, yes. Your ace card.....Blame it all on Bush. He should have acted pre-emptively against Iran when he had the chance. For Gosh sakes, he had executive authority. Why didn't he use it?

Thanks, GI Joe. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:21 PM:- So well stated by GI Joe (9:13AM). There are so many blind Republicans who see nothing wrong with their government taxing themselves, their children, their grandchildren and all their rogeny into penury for ill-conceived and illegal wars, but scream bloody murder when taxes are used for the common good of all our people. The greatest absurdity is that Universal Health Care would be less expensive than the current broken and chaotic “system” (??). It’s as if these brain dead Republicans think that, when a great pandemic disease does some day arrive, it will skip over those who pledge allegiance to the GOP MOB.

Remind me also … wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:31 PM:… never to ask Ron anything, either. How many people look at his encyclopedic rants and mutter under their breath “Save us, dear Lord.” Ron needs to get off his keyboard and go out and take a meditative walk on the beach. Or go smell the flowers. Huey P. Long once accused his political opponent of having “diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain”. The disease is still around.

lack of concerned parents at VUSD wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:38 PM:It is comical that VUSD parents are so upset about the late start and infuriated. On the other hand it is laughable that they have absolutely no problem with almost all of their schools being on the sanctioned list under the NCLB. Or how about a 60% drop out rate, or the 200 seniors that will not graduate. The only thing that VUSD parents are concerned is about being inconvenienced by the last school start. It is very apparent that these parents don’t care about their kids education and evident by how low and trashy the entire situation is.

to Brad Dre wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:44 PM:Brad Dre—you hit the nail on the head and I think the reason we don’t hear much about the Israeli war any more these days is because the sympathy that Israel was counting on from Americans has greatly diminishes. Israel is as popular as Bush is now days. As we all know too well that Israel controls American policies, and the press. If you look around you will be shocked to find out exactly how much more they control…. I’d say it is time for another Bush/Israel popularity poll.

About RON’S RANT. wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:47 PM:… I actually got through the first part of Ron’s Rank (12:10PM), because it offered hints of hope that it might actually go somewhere this time. But it was not Ron’s ideas, but those of columnist Paul Singer, describing the bureaucratic ineptitude and corruption of FEMA. The PENTAGON and the WHITE HOUSE are even more inept and calloused. This cabal wastes at least 40% of its funds feeding the stream of kickbacks to the Military Industrial Congressional complex. FEMA is a mere baby compared to this monster. I would not be so angry over the estimated 10% waste at FEMA of the remaining 90% actually went to those most in need, but it does not. It goes to big and fattest pigs at the trough, including the Carlisle Group (Bush cabal), Cheney, Halliburton, Blackwater, and an army of others.

Aunty Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 1:52 PM:Again, you fail to get this, let me try one more time. A girl who is under 16 can not drive, can not drink, can not smoke, can not do many things because she's not "OLD ENOUGH." Important point that Ron keeps missing—she’s not too young to get pregnant! You don’t need a drivers’ license to get pregnant. You don’t need ID to get pregnant. Some things just don't need to be explained. If they do, the battle is already lost.

Jules to Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 2:01 PM:You are a walking talking contradiction you want to live by your rules yet you dont think the rest of the country should do so. You think it perfectly o.k. for Bush to make decisions regarding all Americans with little or no oversight. it is o.k. with you that our constitution is trashed if Bushie says so. I agree with you that any person under 18 need parental consent for many things, not just the morning after pill and I applaud your concern for your children. My only hope is they grow up to not be as hipocritical as thier father.

To Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 2:22 PM:What's not to blame on Bush. He set the stage for the tragic drama that's playing itself out. Ron tells us that the liberal mantra is "Bush bad, Bush bad...", yet the polls show a high percentage of neocons questioning Bush's steadfast resolve. I have a lot of respect for GHWB but absolutely zero for the inept fool that is playing the part of president in this tragedy.

Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 2:48 PM:To "to Neocon". Per your 2:22pm post, so your solution seems to be to restrict Bush from possibly exercising a military option so you can intentionally force a potential nuclear catastrophe in the middle east. Basically, "he set the stage" so let's let the Iranian Hitler loose to show the world that the US should NEVER meddle in foriegn affairs. Do you realize how maniacal this sounds? Even if one agrees with the assertion that Bush "set the stage" (which is a lame and childish statement given the centuries of history in the middle east and that Muslims never seem to be able to get along with their neighbors - anywhere), you are advocating a full blown holocaust in the middle east out of spite. What about all those innocents that would perish when Ahmadinejad unleashes the fire of Allah, and Israel responds? You guys claim to care about those innocents as if you have cornered the market on "caring". Are you sure you care? Or is pointing the finger at Bush saying "Ha..see what you did" more important than millions of innocent Muslims?

Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 3:05 PM:Jules, there is not any contradiction in my logic. To the contary, I have written many time critical of Bush on many things, my best rant on him is money. On the war, I've been very consistant, we must win this thing. If we don't we are setting ourselves up for more. We will be seen as weak, not smart by Islamic people. I think we all know how we got into this, oil. We use it, and we want more of it. We prove that everyday we fill our tanks. Funny thing, I was watching Bill Marhar on Larry King last night. He agrees with me, and I always hate his positions. He said he could visualize in his mind, picture us at a gas station, paying for the tank of gas, handing the money over to the attendent, he then turns, and gives the money directly to Hezbollah, who then gives it out as chairity to the Shia. Interesting, but effective. If you guys think, we can talk our way out of this, you have more faith in smoothing out irreconcilable differences, than I do. My guess is they will hit us again, and then we'll have to get serious. Hopefully, we'll have a Demcoratic President and Congress by then. Then we can all go through another drama party, pointing of fingers, and lying. We can move some more desks around the capitol building, won't change a thing. We broke it, now we either gotta fix it, or kill em. And it's that simple. Choose to ignore the obvious, we have stirred up the hornet's nest, and their looking/gunning for us. And it won't matter later who takes the House, the Senate, or The White House.

Shauni wrote on Aug 29, 2006 4:14 PM:How do we win the war on terror, Ron? Specifically? When you say "we have to win this thing?" how do you envision we do that?

Jules to Ron wrote on Aug 29, 2006 4:49 PM:You said it "we have stirred up a hornets nest" Now what? More dead and maimed soldiers? And it is not just Iraq, we will have the whole middle east in turmoil. Remember Cheney and Rummy telling the American people we won in Afghanistan, well we did not and we are still losing troops there. How exactly will we know we have won? How will we know we have defeated every last terrorist on the planet? When can we all say we are safe?

To Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 5:12 PM:Bush preemptively attacking Iran? Iranian Hitler? Who's forcing a nuclear catastrophe? Holocaust? All I can make of your rant is that it would be a good idea to do an Iraq job on Iran which we do not have the military power to stretch ourselves that thin, short of a nuclear holocaust on Tehran. Please take an aspirin and get some rest tonight. Talk to you tomorrow. Good night.

Neocon wrote on Aug 29, 2006 6:36 PM:to "to Neocon" I'm sorry I offended you by calling Ahmedinejad the Iranian Hitler. That must hurt your feelings, seeing as he is not at all a threat to the world in your eyes. To you, Bush is the real threat. Although, I don't recall Bush threatining to wipe another nation off the map. I don't recall Bush supporting terrorists like Hezbollah whose goal is to exterminate each and every Jew from the planet. I don't recall Bush denying the holocaust. A nuclear catastrophe is probably inevitable in the middle east if Ahmadinejad is not confronted, and it won't be Bush doing the nuking. But with people like you who prefer to put their heads in the sand and ignore obvious threats to civilization, Ahmadinejad will eventually reach his goals. Why? Not because he will unite the Arab world behind him or even the Iranian people. It is because of liberals who will not confront him and he knows darn well that your are his bread and butter and his recipe for success.

to Jules wrote on Aug 29, 2006 6:44 PM:When, when, when? You sound like an impatient child on a long journey. When will we get there? I'm so tired of this stupid War on Terror. Jules, we will probably not "win" in your lifetime. If we do and it is clearly defined (doubtful), there will be another threat to our freedom and nation. And after that, another. For better or worse, we are all human. Humans will never know total peace. If we did, we would not be human. Conflict with one another as individuals, as tribes, as nations, and as members of a religion or belief, is as natural as the blood in our veins. Sorry, but that's the truth. Don't hold your breath waiting for world peace. That only happens in the minds of Miss America contestants.

JA to remind me also wrote on Aug 29, 2006 6:58 PM:Oh, how right you are. The disease appears to be running rampant today!

Stephen wrote on Aug 30, 2006 12:06 AM:I agree with Mr. Alter that Christians should have the same rights as the rest of the population. After all, they are helping to make things safer for people like Saul. If he doesn't want his taxes used for his own good, he doesn't have to stay in this country.

Ednan wrote on Aug 30, 2006 12:28 AM:War in Lebanon : Imagine of an 8 year kid watching his mother covered on a bombarded wall of their house crying with pain to be rescued while the son is helpless just putting his right hand on the right chick imagining how the situation on the moment of pain would be. Moved on the left side looking for his 2 sister's ages 6 and 13 yrs. While the brother of 18 is also inside the rubble bombed house?..crying with deep pain and nothing to swallow except his running nose to survive with, sweating helplessly running on the forefront of the house looking desperately and found a broken bottle with half water which he drunk for the thirsty of crying. Unfortunately with the soundless image returning back to the helpless mom he found the mother is asleep and he too slept on the mother's chest. A rescue team approached the rubble bombed house found the mother was squeezed with the fallen wall till she died, the entire family were dead and the son was suffering from dehydration, fainted from continuation cry and suffering from the Urine that he drunk thinking it was water left behind. The suddenness running the war torn Lebanon is burning into flames destroying the filthy history and sculptures of the long known history of prophets and the kings comes into rubble of stone to be named on the history books that never was.

To Doug Bell wrote on Aug 30, 2006 5:49 AM:If the statement: "....waves of illegal immigrants from Mexico are turning neighborhoods like Mission Park into crime-plagued, gang-infested slums" is not racist, then what in the heck is? COME ON!!!!!!!!!

to Ednan wrote on Aug 30, 2006 10:16 AM:Life would be better for the Lebonese people if they didn't let Hezbollah infect their communities.

To "To Doug Bell" wrote on Aug 30, 2006 2:06 PM:If it is factual, then it is just a fact and not racist. It is not racist to say that we are paying millions of dollars in social services to care for the illegal immigrants from Mexico, it is a fact. To say that all people of Mexican decent are responsible for the decline in our neighborhoods, that would be racist, because it isn't a fact. If "waves of illegal immigrants from Mexico" moved to his neighborhood, and brought with them street gangs and crime, then it is a fair for him to make a statement of what caused his neighborhood to become a "crime-plagued, gang-infested slum".

No.... wrote on Aug 31, 2006 5:51 AM:To To "Doug Bell" Actually that's not a fact, it's an opinion, and a rascist one at that.