Bill wrote on Aug 18, 2008 1:44 AM:Joseph E. says hes a Korean vet and then uses that hike his credibility to to lambaste Bush.

I am a veteran of two wars.

So what?

Thats relevant how?

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:25 AM:From yesterday -
Well, "Chris to Alf" at 4:15PM,
you said "Anyway tell me what extremist views I have.".
When I said "extremist", I meant precisely that.
You blame people in the military for their obedience to orders and for doing their job.
That is extreme.
There is a difference between having "no sacred cows" and misplacing blame.
You frequently seem not to be able to distinguish between the two.
That is extreme.
Anyway, that's my take on things, for what it's worth.
Regards, Alf

Yokozuna wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:26 AM:Offered as a little levity in the milieu of over analyzed candidate qualifications.
An e-mail from Ireland:

An email from Ireland to all of their brethren in the States...a point to ponder despite your political affiliation:

'We, in Ireland, can't figure out why you people are even bothering to hold an election in the United States.

On one side, you had a pants wearing female lawyer, married to another lawyer who can't seem to keep his pants on, who just lost a long and heated primary against a lawyer, who goes to the wrong church, who is married to yet another lawyer, who doesn't even like the country her husband wants to run!

Now...On the other side, you have a nice, old war hero whose name starts with the appropriate 'Mc' terminology, married to a good looking younger woman who owns a beer distributorship!!

What in God's name are ya lads thinkin' over in the colonies !

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:28 AM:Why not change the trend and have a first class hospital at Tri-City? Some would prefer a 5th class hosptal, as it increases the chance of hitting the jackpot with a bottom feeding lawyer. This county has 10th class leadership that makes the rest of the nation laugh at us, a tenth class airport, a pip squeak as a San Diego District Attorney. Why not upgrade a bit and have a 1st class hospital with all the modern apparatus for healing. I believe the seal is that all the proceeds go to modernization, and none to hospital operations, and just because their administration is bloated a bit is no reason to deny a first class medical facility. We all have friends that head over to the Eisenhower Med Center, or Loma Linda (liberals head to Betty Ford), perhaps someday they can brag they went to Tri City

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:34 AM:Don't ya wish that Harold Weber could at least, be accurate?
In Bush v. Gore, it wasn't even close.
Mr. Weber it was a 7-2 decision.


frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/supremecourt/00-949_dec12.fdf

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:35 AM:I'm glad Vickie Petrus from Rancho Fe complains about Bilbrays election. It is an exact copy of the liberal talking points we hear so often. So, as she heads out in her inherited limo for her $1,200 perm and lunch at Mr. A's, you'd think she'd have a better issue than perfectly legal mailings, and spreading lies about Bilbrays stance re alternative energy

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:51 AM:I read something like Marsha Sanford
today, and it just confirms my worst fears about some Americans. This passing along, this kicking the can down the road, this dooming of the next generation to this.. this inter-generational ponzi scheme. It is criminal.
She's right about Social Security not being "broke" today, but by the time our children retire, the system will only be able to pay 75% of the benefits promised, after our children will have paid 12.4% of their entire life's wage into this program.
For a life time of payment, no one deserves less than what is promised.
So, what will our children do? Will they be of great charactor than ourselves and take 25% less in benefits when they retire, or will they pass along to their own children, our grandchildren this inter-generational ponzi scheme?
In 1983, Congress, not Greenspan, gave wage earners a massive hike in payroll taxes, specifically to pay ahead for the baby boomer generation. And Congress's, both Republican & Democrats spent the surpluses. That's a fact.
The Tresury Bills she speaks of, are only payable to the Social Security Administration by Congress. Congress get's it's money from you, from me, from taxpayers. The same taxpayers the who are currently paying 12.4% to supposedly secure the system.
They are inter-govermental IOUs, and their is no trust fund. There is, however, a room, a vault really, with file cabinets filled with these IOU's, payable only by the Congress.

Let me put it to you this way...
If you hired a construction guy to build you two homes, two homes, equal cost to build. And along the way, you keep adding more & more stuff to the first home. Your home. Naturally, the second home, your children's home would have less money to be build, right?
This is exactly what is happening with Social Security. We are allowing the Congress to take all of the surpluses, the surpluses meant to secure the system down the road, way beyond our own retirements, and are telling the Congress, we want more stuff today. We want SCHIP, we want a new drug benefit, we want health insurance for all. Today.
So, what's left over for future generations? Right... 75%, less the 25% you stole from them.
How loving of you.

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:00 AM:Now, as I understand the New Patriotism, Joseph Eichstaedt. According to the Left, we are to be "beyond oil", so I ask you Joseph?
Are YOU beyond Oil?

This is why I have eminence respect for my good buddy the Wizzer. Surely, I disagree with him on this issue, but I can respect him, because he walks his talk.

Can I say that about you, Mr. Eichstaedt? I fear that you are like many of this 24% who say No Drilling now, No drilling ever. And mindlessly chant: "No Blood for Oil", and yet...
drive your car on the very oil we purchased with blood.

In my book, that's no patriot.

Focal Point wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:02 AM:Bettie Heldring: No I think you, Bettie are a woman of hate. Michelle Obama used student loans. They were repaid. By the way, taxpayers pay for the unpaid loans.
The US government guarantees the loans made by the specified lending institutions. Whining is not a crime. Look what you do in your letters to the editor and what I do on this blog.

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:29 AM:Social Security and Medicare are both broke. Thats exactly why the Hussein & the rest of the marxists want the same people who ran those systems into the ground, to run the medical delivery system in this country

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:35 AM:>>>In Bush v. Gore, it wasn't even close. Mr. Weber it was a 7-2 decision.>> But it was highly entertaining watching the Gore thugs removing chads and putting votes in the Gore column, and then see the janitorial staff remove the chads from the vacuum cleaner. Gore thought that by buying thug lawyers from Berkeley, union lawyers from Chicago, and gangster lawyers from NYC and DC that somehow they could produce sufficient chads to win. Gore obviously watched too many cartoons in his Spiderman jammies.

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:41 AM:Nancy Legosi and Harry Reid still wont bring drilling up for a vote. They have no intention of letting the American voter know where the liberals stand on saving jobs and combating this inflation. The voters have an easy choice: Hussein or my job, Hussein or my job? And with the great job the public schools have done, I fear many will say: Great, now I don't have to work

Paul wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:42 AM:To Ray Erler

your letter is appalling-let's review:

civilian deaths in Georgia are a blessing
fear caused by Russia in the US is a blessing

obama's not qualified because he is "pretty"

mccain is qualified because (oh yeah, you guys never say, since you know we'll point out all the foreign policy blunders he has made in the last few months)

people in other countries are real, not props in a play in which only the US matters-and their deaths are not a blessing to anyone. Though I'm not a religious guy, I pray you can learn some compassion.

Paul wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:47 AM:Ray Erler

mcain doesn't have the proper temperment to be Prez-he's a hothead

Chuck,

your fantasy about the 2000 election is at odds with everything known about it-once again thanks for the knowledge that only you have, although i think if you read the comments, nobody buys this swill

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:54 AM:I don't know if this is legal on this board, but here is NOAA's National Hurrican Center's (not a commercial site) satellite tracking of Tropical Storm Fay. If you click on TropFcstPts at the top, it shows the projected path.
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/flt/t1/loop-vis.html

Drivers license and DUI checkpoints wrote on Aug 18, 2008 8:29 AM:I think the number killed by drunk drivers and/or illegal aliens is excessive. What do you think about that!!!!!!!!

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 8:53 AM:>>>I think the number killed by drunk drivers and/or illegal aliens is excessive.>>> I agree, I also think false arrests to raise money for higher cop and bureaucrat salaries is also excessive

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 8:55 AM:>>>Chuck,your fantasy about the 2000 election is at odds with everything known about it.>>> No its not. Its at odds with what the liberals believe about the election

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 8:56 AM:I'm sitting here wondering what Vickie Petrus thought of the franking priviledge by this Government to send notification of her coming stimulus check? Was THAT abusive?

From wiki; QUOTE: "In the United States, the franking privilege predates the establishment of the republic itself, as the Continental Congress bestowed it on its members in 1775."
END Quote

And always the closed system liberal thinking of nibbling around the edges of economic problems, when the fact of the matter is franking priviledges by any Congress member is a paltry $112,000 a year.
Hey, I have no beef in repealing perks, like franking from Congress, they'll just have a 527 do it for them.

But, as I suspect, Ms. Petrus is angry because she voted for Francine "You don't need No paper's for voting" Busby in the last election, and she disagree's with the content, and political positioning of said mailers.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm for reducing spending most anywhere we can get it. But, really? Is franking really the biggest bang for our buck?

For example, I'd be far more interested in knowing why buried in the Department of the Treasury’s 2003 Financial Report of the United States Government is a short section titled “Unreconciled Transactions Affecting the Change in Net Position,” which explains that these unreconciled transactions totaled $24.5 billion in 2003. "Unreconciled?" You mean missing? As in, I can't find it?

Or, A recent audit revealed that between 1997 and 2003, the Defense Department purchased and then left unused approximately 270,000 commercial airline tickets at a total cost of $100 million. Even worse, the Pentagon never bothered to get a refund for these fully refundable tickets. Auditors also found 27,000 transactions between 2001 and 2002 in which the Pentagon paid twice for the same ticket.

Or, A recent audit revealed that employees of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) diverted mil­lions of dollars to personal purchases through their government-issued credit cards. Sampling 300 employees’ purchases over six months, investigators estimated that 15 percent abused their government credit cards at a cost of $5.8 million. Taxpayer-funded purchases included Ozzy Osbourne concert tickets, tattoos, lingerie, bartender school tuition, car payments, and cash advances.

You see, these are just a few of the many things.. I... concern myself with.
Not a measely $112K. But, to each their own, I guess.

sdraoul wrote on Aug 18, 2008 8:58 AM:Whata laugh! The Obama nuts continue to drink their Kool-aid. Obama flunked the test Saturday night. Thoughtful answers my you-know-what.

He thinks like Neville Chamberlin and "Peace in our time."

As for “Gotta Wonder, “we can dispense with his “thoughtful” comments with his constant addressing of me as "Pancho."

The man does have an inferiority complex in that he is so lacking in intelligence and talent that he must address me, his obvious superior, as Pancho. He tries to insult me but fails as he is not well equipped in many departments to challenge me.

I could call him Tommie for Tom Tancredo the embarrassed Colorado liar who failed so badly in his alleged run for Congress which was jsut an excuse to fleece money from "true believers."

Or, I could call him Davie for David Duke, convicted felon and prison inmate also guilty of fleecing money from, "true believers" like “Gotta Wonder.”

Like I said before, want to debate, "Gotta Wonder?"

On the subject of the 2000 election, it is obvious those commenting on the Supreme Court's decision to stop the Florida recount, I suggest that these people read the court's decision.

If they do, they will discover that the Supreme Court did not "deliver" the Presidency to GW Bush, Florida voters did.

It was the Florida Supreme Court -- all democrats -- that overruled every Florida lower court and tried to steal the election for Gore. They ordered that Gore's plan to count a handful of Democratic counties and not 50 other counties that forced the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.

The crooks were Gore and four Democrat Florida judges who tried to steal the election. It's all in the court decisions ...

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 8:59 AM:Well, "Drivers license and DUI checkpoints" at 8:29AM,
yes, they are excessive and that's why I'm all for DUI and license checkpoints!
Regards, Alf.

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:03 AM:It's too bad, "Yokozuna" at 5:26AM, that the joke approves of someone of whom I do not.
I do, however, think it's funny!
Regards, Alf.

QED wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:04 AM:Yes, those killed by either/or drunken drivers or illegal aliens are excessive but the dispute is over checkpoints and impounds.

Checkpoints have been found legal, impounds are suspect -- so I favor stopping impounds.

If an illegal alien is found driving, call ICE, & have the illegal alien deported, ticket the car and wait 24 hours.

THEN impound the car forever as "abandoned!"

Problem(s), solved.

hardtack wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:04 AM:“U.S. Treasury securities [are] globally regarded as safe investments,” according to Marsha Sanford. But, she forgot to add the “today” part. They might not be regarded as safe investments 40, 30, or even 10 years from now if we don’t cut up Congress’ credit card.

We seem to be a nation of economic ignoramuses being led by economic ignoramuses who think they can tax, sped and regulate the nation into prosperity. It doesn’t work that way, folks – – never has, never will. There never has been a democracy that didn’t destroy itself.

The propaganda that is repeated about Social Security is the same thing everyone said about the Titanic – “This ship is unsinkable.”

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:10 AM:Who gives a damn what civil rights attorneys say, Evelyn Kay?

The fact of the matter is, auto insurance, drivers licenses, and current registration is THE LAW!

Everytime an uninsured driver hits the road, they intend to steal from you, from me, and any other driver on the road. Tht's the way I see this.

DUI, THE most preventable crime there is. Don't be a dumba**.

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:13 AM:My, my, "sdraoul" at 8:58AM is rather touchy.
It's funny, in a perverse way, that he who tosses insults with such abandon should have such a thin skin.
"his obvious superior", my gluteus maximus.
Typical.
Regards, Alf.

Apollo wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:21 AM:Re: Ron (6:34 a.m.)
I find it amazing that Ron ridicules Harold Weber for not be "accurate" when he turns around and "corrects" Weber by being inaccurate himself.
Plese, Ron, if you are going to comment on a Supreme Court case, at least look at the case.
In the case of Bush v. Gore 531 U.S. 98 (2000), there were two components to the decision.
The first was the conclusion that an error in the recount process denied equal protection of the law because it did not consider all counties the same, notwithstanding the conservative justices who voted for this conclusion had never made such a holding in election law in the past, and did not require uniform election procedures in all counties, and explicitly stated that this holding could not be used for future precedent (they were that ashamed of it!).
This portion of the decision, as you note, was decided 7-2 along straight party lines, with all Republican appointees voting for it, and the two Democratic appointees voting against.
The problem, though, had a proposed remedy. Just re-do the recount, but apply it to all counties using identical (and thus equal) procedures.
So the identification of the problem in the 7-2 vote was not really that critical since there was an obvious remedy.
The second half of the decision was, in fact, decided 5-4, in which the majority of the Republican-appointed justices simply held that there was "not enough time" to effect said remedy, although the next presidential term was not due to begin for more than a month. This is the decision that effectively ended the electoral process by preventing the corrected recount.

OBAMACAN wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:29 AM:It is utterly amazing that Bettie Heldring, in her letter, has the nerve to complain about the "wealth" of the Obamas while supporting elitist John McSame, who is the son and grandson of elitist Naval Admirals, and who is married to a wealthy heiress worth hundreds of millions of dollars. She chronicled the "wealth" of the Obamas without comparing it to McStain's?
Criticizing Obama for his "wealth" while ignoring McPain's would be like complaining that Obama is just too old to relate to the twenty-somethings that support him while ignoring McShame's geriatric age. But since Bettie claims to be 90, I guess her biggest concern is that young whippersnapper McSenile is just too wet behind the ears.
As for "anger," I think grouchy Bettie needs to look in a mirror. Michelle Obama noted as a matter of fact that she and Barack had recently paid off student loans. This was not a complaint; it was a statement of fact. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity, but noted that despite recent advances in her family's financial outlook, she is not that far removed from the world of starving students.

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:46 AM:I am simply amazed by this answer, "Apollo" @9:21 AM.

Now your counting who was appointed by whom? Whether they were a Liberal's liberal? Or a Conservative's conservative?
How do you swing moderates?
Oh, that's right...
Appointed by a Republican, must be a closet republican... I see, I see..
So, what do you do when a justice appointed by a Democrat side with a Rep...?
forget about it...

Some advise...

Let it go, man.
You'll be happier person, I guarantee it.
Let it go.

Karl wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:02 AM:Hey Alf,
Your 8:04 yesterday mentioning Mt Shasta brought back a great memory. Back in the hippie days I sold every material thing I owned except my truck, killer stereo and golf clubs and moved to Oregon. After driving all day and into the night it began to snow. I pulled over at the first sign of a motel (Weed). I had no idea other than Northern California where I was. When I walked out of the room in the sunny am Mt Shasta was so close I could almost touch it. What an awesome and humbling site for a born and raised So Cal.

andthegirlsaid wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:05 AM:The supreme court did not hand Mr. Bush the presidency. They simply said enough is enough when it came to recounting. The votes were recounted several times. Each time Mr. Bush came up with the most votes. The Supreme Court said the votes had been recounted enough and that Mr. Bush was indeed the winner. Had they not, I'm sure Mr. Gore would have us still counting them until they somehow favored him. Next time the vote is close at the end, I suggest all states be recounted, not just the one in dispute. All of them. Or to be fair, lets automatically recount each state's vote exactly three times. Whatever the outcome, so be it. And may the loser be a gracious one.

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:08 AM:I have to say, Ray Erler opinion is very close to my own.
Clearly, in a world where petroleum rules, petro dollars, or rubles for that matter, are the only thing that counts. Now, remember...
"Our Interest's vs. Their Interest's."

Now, truth be told, we don't get a drop of Russian oil, but Europe does. And THAT's why this is important. Europe, like ourselves, have done a pretty stupid thing by not using our own resources. And now, with this, they will be sunk should Georgia not be able to control those pipelines. Cause, make no mistake, it IS all about those oil pipelines. A little while back, Putin threatened to cut off Ukraine, as he also did in 2005. It's pretty apparent, that what Leonid Brezhnev and Nikita Khrushchev were not able to do with nuclear weapons, Vladimir Putin has done with oil and gas in what can arguably be called energy imperialism.

Speaking of that. You know I say "Read Everything." It's just how I operate, but I'm glad to know that someone yesterday took me seriously, very seriously, in fact.
Anyways...
"Tim" @5:32 PM: Quoted from Pravda, Yes the State run newspaper, this heading: "Slaughter in South Otessia."
It was caught by "Reliable Sources"
@8:32 PM as being quoted directly from Pravda.
Nothing wrong with reading everything, but.. Tim? Combine it with a little, just a little.. critical thinking next time. OK, buddy?

Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:38 AM:>>>THEN impound the car forever as "abandoned!">>> I had a friend who had her car stolen from right out in front of my house. We called the police- No dice, they weren't going to help. I called my brother and told him to intercept the car at the border. No dice. The police found it two weeks later with needles, drugs and a trophy and jacket with a guys name on it, lived in the house where the car was parked. We were told there was not enough evidence for an arrest and we should be happy we got the totally trashed car back

Hank wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:51 AM:Ron: You held forth about British medicine, MRSA, the Hospital for Special Surgery, US medical schools, the US government’s role in setting medical policy (or not), health care accreditation, and much, much more.

You really should research your "facts" more thoroughly. You are simply wrong on several points. Not wrong as in we differ in our opinions, but wrong as in your foundational facts are wrong. Ignoring the much, much more, and addressing the other issues in order:

The Brits are no worse off than we are regarding MRSA. About 20k die annually in the USA from MRSA. MRSA is a worldwide problem. MRSA has now moved out of prisons, nursing homes, and hospitals into the COMMUNITY. That's right, you can get an MRSA infection without even going to a hospital. And without travelling to the UK

The HSS helped the Brits design a not-yet-built orthopedic hospital in London. The critical factors in preventing MRSA are somewhat obvious: wash your anatomy, clean everything, keep everything clean, and get the patients in and out of the hospital as quickly as possible. HSS helped the Brits do that. Nothing magic, and certainly nothing proving the superiority of our broken free-market-and-government healthcare system to the socialized (and also arguably broken) British system.

Medical education in the USA in the nineteenth century was deplorable. Some schools were ok, but the rest stunk. It had nothing to do with scientific advances, asepsis, etc. It had to do with professional education merely being a profit center for colleges and universities, i.e., an unregulated free-market enterprise. Abraham Flexner, an educator working at the Carnegie Foundation wrote his very famous report on American medical education in 1910. Flexner said

“The striking and significant facts which are here brought out are of enormous consequence not only to the medical practitioner, but to every citizen of the United States and Canada; for it is a singular fact that the organization of medical education in this country has hitherto been such as not only to commercialize the process of education itself, but also to obscure in the minds of the public any discrimination between the well trained physician and the physician who has had no adequate training whatsoever.”

His suggestions resulted in the outright closure of many medical schools, and the ascendency of US medical schools to amongst the best in the world. Incidentally, the Flexner report is available (for free) on the Carnegie Foundation website.

The US government certainly does set healthcare policy. Did you ever hear of Medicare or Medicaid (aka Medical here)? Medicare tells doctors and hospitals and pharmacies and podiatrists and physical therapists and clinical laboratories and etc. and etc. what they can and cannot do if they wish to be paid. Private insurers more than not echo Medicare's determinations.

Hospital accreditation is serious stuff. I would hope that all self-respecting professionals (whatever their profession) would self-assess, but assessment by regulatory agencies is what really counts. "Joint Commission" is shorthand for the JCAHO, or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. As you know, JCAHO is a private organization. You may or may not know that it is omnipotent (aka a monopoly) and that Medicare and JCAHO link arm-in-arm in matters of policy. No JCAHO accreditation, no Medicare $$$. It’s that simple.

Peer review? Not! Peer review is peers reviewing peers, e.g., doctors reviewing doctors, usually in the hospital staff setting. JCAHO and the other organizations that you cite are not peer-reviewers, they are simply for-profit private companies which certify hospitals and pharmacies and podiatrists and physical therapists and clinical laboratories and etc. and etc. The government pays them to do this. Do you really think that JCAHO, et al, come up with their very own accreditation criteria without first seeing what their best customer, the US government, wants them to do?

As I said before, it is easier to talk about that of which you know little, since you are not weighted down by facts.

Adios.

YES to Tri-City wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:59 AM:Vote for the Tri-City Hospital.

The life they save may be your friend.

The life they save may be your dentist.

The life they save may be your son.

The life they save may be your grandmom.

The life they save may be your life.

VOTE YES for TRI-CITY

Gotta Wonder wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:02 AM:Editor: Where is my reply to Pancho, sdraoul?

Floyd wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:14 AM:Tri-City Hospital is already open and doing business. Voting "yes" won't make it possible for them to open and voting "no" won't make them close. The issue on the ballot is a money grab to preserve the $500,000 annual salary paid to their top administator and other budgeting problems.

Good one Karl wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:15 AM:Thanks for mentioning Weed and Mt Shasta. I had similar experiences up there, maybe around the same time. My ex had a grandmother in Weed and when we visited, I'd never seen anything like it. Later, a buddy got a job as a lumberman in McCloud, over on the east side of Shatsa, and we had a Thanksgiving dinner there that couldn't be beat. Awesome country. Thanks for the reminder!

Apollo wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:16 AM:Re: Ron (9:46 a.m.) and AndTheGirlSaid (10:05 a.m.)
Ron, you bring up every injustice going back as far back in history as you can imagine, if you can try to find some link to a Democrat. This was a travesty of justice that awarded the presidency to the LOSER, and changed the course of history for the worse.
You just can't admit you were WRONG on the relevant facts, can you, because you were.

And "GirlSaid," you have your facts as wrong as Ron's. There were not several recounts. There was ONE automatic computer machine recount and the fact that it got a different count, reducing Bush's lead by about a thousand, when it should have come out the same, clearly raised red flags. Several other recount attempts were STARTED, but none was completed due to the unprecedented political interference by the Supreme Court in a POLITICAL process, which should have passed this to the Congress for final adjudication and certification as specified by the Constitution.

Karl wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:17 AM:While I disagree with most of what sdraoul has to say and am offended on occasions, I am more offended by "Gotta Wonder" calling Raoul Pancho. Get past the Pancho please and debate the point.

yes and no wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:19 AM:well, andthegirlsaid, apart from the recounts and such, there were several other practices that Republicans in Florida resorted to that were dispicable. Turning blacks away from the polls. Listing thousands as felons who were not felons. Having the Secty of State not recuse herself from the election process because she was a campaign chair for Bush, etc. I don't know how it would've turned out, but regardless, what Florida's Republicans did to our election in 2000 was shameful, no question about it.

gracchus wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:58 AM:ron, in your communique of 9:46 a.m. you do not address apollo's observation of your mistatement of fact at 6:34 a.m. the final supreme court decision to halt the florida recount was 5-4. al gore graciously deferred to the court's decision, although he disagreed with it.
if you think that the supreme court ruled correctly, why don't you argue the merits of their ruling? on a point of law the fact that the majority appeared sympathetic to the republican candidate, while the minority seemed sympathetic to the democratic candidate is irrelevant.
the question is whether the voters of the state of florida had their ballots fairly evaluated. if you believe, ron that the supreme court ruled correctly in halting the florida recount, please tell us why.

To Chuck wrote on Aug 18, 2008 11:59 AM:Interesting situation. Now when MY car was stolen the cops were there within half and hour and had it back that evening. Then a friend of mine had his car stolen and called the cops. They knew him well because he was always on the phone complaining about this and that, what a bad job the cops are doing, etc., etc., a real grumpy gus, you know. It took them a little while longer to get to my friend's house and they didn't go out of their way to find my friends car, although luckily it did turn up a few days later.

Isn't it unfair the way the police pick and choose who they help? I don't understand why you had a problem with them Chuck, being the gracious good-natured helpful guy that you are.

Perhaps you should volunteer? You could be a great example for how people should treat each other.

Concerned Republican wrote on Aug 18, 2008 12:12 PM:I want to support John McCain but I watched him at the Saddleback Church and all he talked about was war, war, war. I will not vote for someone who will use my children and grandchildren to support more immoral wars for oil. After last night's performance, I will be taking a closer look at Obama, I thought he was very well spoken and was able to explain how he lives his faith everyday. I thought John McCain blew over that question very quickly and I never did hear how McCain incorporates his faith into his daily life. I don't even think he does.

Apollo wrote on Aug 18, 2008 1:33 PM:Re: Karl (11:17 a.m.)
I agree with Karl completely here.
I also find many points of disagreement with SDRaoul, but the term that was used was racially-charged and extremely offensive.
There is no place for that in our dialogues.
We can disagree, even vigorously, on ideas, without becoming disagreeable in a personal sense.

to Concerned Republican wrote on Aug 18, 2008 1:39 PM:Exactly right. If being a person of faith is important to you, Obama is your man. Faith is not just rounding up powerful pastors to endorse you at election time. Not, IMHO, does faith reduce to an opinion about Roe or homosexuals, though this seems to be about it for many people. If you genuinely take a life of faith seriously, you can only admire Obama and dismiss McCain.

Wrong wrote on Aug 18, 2008 1:46 PM:Floyd - you're wrong. If you know anything about the issuance of bonds for capital improvement projects, which is the case with the upcoming Tri-City vote, the bond language is very specific about using the bond revenues for operational or maintenance costs. So bond monies will not go towards salaries; read before you spout unsubstantiated falsehoods.

the Dark Side wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:03 PM:Having read some of Jane Mayer's book on the US's path to torture, and having heard a number of interviews of her, one thing really struck me. I suspected that Cheney and his man Addington led the attack against law. I have some sympathy for the desire to do anything to prevent another 911, though I completely disagree with how they decided to go about it. We now have excellent data to show that some parts of our foreign policy that were disasters were justified in part by false information obtained via torture. Just like the interrogation experts would have predicted. But the most interesting aspect of the Mayer account is that since the end of 2005 the primary aim of continuing the policies of torture, rendition, and the legal bizareness that holds sway at Gitmo no longer was "to do anything" to stop another attack. Rather, it was to keep the victims of that policy quiet and incognito so that they could not have access to our media and courts. In other words, according to Mayer's sources, Cheney and his gang decided to keep detainees in stir without rights for one chief reason: to keep them from being able to testify against Cheney and his gang. To keep Cheney and his gang from the possibility of being tried for crimes. To me, this is beyond shocking. I hope and pray that the time will come that Cheney, Addington, Rice, Gonzales, and the rest will be brought to trial so that justice can be served.

Bill wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:21 PM:Joseph Weber continues to sing an outdated song about the GOP stealing the election in 2000.

Except he got the words wrong.

The equal protection part of the lawsuit was a 7-2 ruling where even liberal judges agreed with the decision. You cant have different standards, in different counties, as to what constitutes a vote.

Basic equal protection.

People like him would be the ones screaming the loudest if their equal protection rights were violated.

Somehow its OK if its only a Republican from Florida that gets his vote stolen.

I cant take anyone serious when they spew drivel like that.

Fact Checker wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:27 PM:Fact Checker ran out of facts to check when Obama punted on the question: "When do human Rights begin?"

I'll admit I don’t have THE answer, but at least I have AN answer, but Obama said that was beyond his paygrade.

IT IS AN ANSWER WE WANT ANSWERED, NOT DUCKED.

It was not a cosmic question, such as "When does God..." it asked a question about human interaction.

I didn't like McCain's answer ("At the moment of conception") but at least it was an answer.

I like Obama's answer a LOT less, because it reminded me that he is a lawyer, and as a so-called Constitutional Professor he should answer the question!

He could have accurately said, "As a legal matter it is not addressed in the Constitution and under the 10th Amendment it is "reserved to the States."

But he punted, and punted badly. He shanked the kick.

Bill wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:28 PM:Hey Darkside

Prisoners at GITMO have no right to American courts as they are POWs. Only a recent SC decision overturning 200 years of precedent says otherwise.

The first time were attacked Im going to blame people like you who were more concerned with terrorists than you were Americans. Giving them rights to our courts grants them discovery options that could jeopardize national security.

Ask the architect of the Twin Towers who was called as an expert witness in the trial of the 93 WTC bombing. He was called by the defense and was forced to reveal the blueprints on how to bring it down on 9/11.

Thank Bill Clintons law enforement approach for that.

BAD IDEA!

Where are all these "rights" coming from anyway?

Fact Checker wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:33 PM:Sorry the post of 2:27 is the twit again, not me. I am being silences and protrayed as a ninny with the false statements presented. I would never use such simple cliches. SORRY!

Apollo wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:53 PM:Re: Bill (2:21 p.m.)
Sorry, Bill, you missed the boat. I responded to all of your points in my post at 9:21 a.m.
As I stated, the 7-2 portion of the case, decided purely along party lines (based on the party of the appointing president).
THIS DID NOT STOP THE RECOUNT.
This just identified a flaw based on equal protection.
The court also noted an available remedy, to simply continue to recount with the flaw corrected, but on a 5-4 vote, as letter-writer Weber accurately notes, the Court refused to allow the recount to continue, stating only that there was not enough time, which really should have been a decision left to Congress which certifies the elections. It was a political issue at that point and should have been handled by the political body.
Harold Weber's letter is completely correct.

Media Watcher wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:00 PM:It is news when a newspaper admits to biased coverage – particularly the Washington Post.

The Post’s Ombudsman (Deborah Howell) admits that today Obama has had three times the number of Post page 1 stories.

As if media watchers everywhere did not already know this.

Chris to Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:30 PM:Your calling my views that people in the military are responsible for their actions extremist is what I expected. It is the military that decides how to conduct the war so don't try to excuse the actions of the military. I am sick of people that want to blame everything on Bush and Co. I know full well the attitudes of the military so don't try to excuse what they do. As I said there are too many people that have sacred cows and you are one of them.

Chris to Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:38 PM:calling my blaming the military for their actions extremist is what I expected from you. The military is responsible for how they conduct the war and I am sick and tired of people with their sacred cows. I know how many in the military think so
don't try to convince me that my views are extremist just because the military is one of your sacred cows.

OBAMACAN wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:43 PM:Media Watcher at 3:00 p.m. seems shocked [shocked!] that Obama gets more coverage than McCain.
Well, duh! OF COURSE!
Obama wants to talk about his own positive policies and proposals.
McBush, with nothing positive about himself, wants to go on the attack against Obama.
So if both sides want to talk about Obama, OF COURSE Obama is going to be talked about more!

Funny wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:45 PM:I do find it funny that McCain was more than happy to keep Obama in the spotlight for the entire last year and now he cries because he doesn't get enough press. The fact is, Obama is just more interesting. Too bad, so sad.

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:48 PM:The very sad fact of the matter, "Apollo" @11:16 AM. Is that, Democrats, and mostly Liberal Democrats have so burdened this country with the albatross of all these massive entitlement programs, the ship is leaking, and soon it will sink.

THAT is THE legacy of the Progressive movement in the United States today.

Oh, I know how you guy's just love to say Conservatives love the 1800's, and love the robber baron era, but it is you, and your party that Now has to defend these huge, bloated, and weights arund our necks. It is your party who fights to never reform them, only add taxes to failing systems. It is your party that has to defend the legacy of this $54 trillion debt placed year after year, after decade, after decade, upon generation, upon generation.

THAT is YOUR legacy, not mine.

When you guy's finally figuire out how to solve those, get back to me, and then we will talk. K?

To The Pretend Fact Checker Then wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:53 PM:Obama could have answered the way you say and it would have been correct, but then you would have criticized him for spouting party line and not speaking from his heart. The point of the question and answer session was to hear what the candidates really think themselves. That is why they were asked not to use their stump speeches. Which John McCain ignored. We didn't hear anything about how McCain really feels about things, but we did learn that Obama feels that he himself is not qualified enough to answer the question that has been debated by scholars and philosophers for many years as to when life begins. This was honesty. He could have snapped out an answer without thought, like McCain did... "at conception, (whether or not he personally believes that but knowing that was the answer his audience was looking for)" but Obama showed his true character. As did McCain.

The Republican Party has proved over and over again that it will do whatever it takes to WIN AT ANY COST. John McCain is their newest spokesperson and you can expect the same from him. Lying, cheating, fraud, nothing is too immoral for the Republicans to keep their power.

I would prefer an honest, ethical president who is humble enough to speak the truth and wise enough to ask for guidance from his peers.

Obama Comes.

Media Watcher wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:05 PM:OBAMACAN and Funny may use spin, but the Ombudsman of the Washington Post disagrees.
Her final statement is "Numbers aren't everything in political coverage, but readers deserve comparable coverage of the candidates."

Apparently, you disagree.

I see the Twit is at it again. Fortunately, his juvenile postings are absent either facts or analysis, just comments on me and my posts.

He might fool Paul, who is so new that he can’t find his "Shift key” – but the more mature on the Blog have the Twit pegged.

Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:10 PM:And speaking of Florida 2000, have you guy's secure your prison outreach program yet? I know, back in 2000 you guy's had an absolute fit when prisoners were purged from voter roles.
But, let me ask you this?

Will Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick e one of those you reach out to?
Cause he is a prime example. Just saying...

snerd wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:22 PM:When does life begin? Such an easy question to answer. When the kids leave home and the dog dies.

Fourth Estate wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:22 PM:It appears that the Chinese government has learned a great PR lesson from the our radical environmentalists.

It is not against Chinese law to stage demonstrations but it requires governmental permission, and to look good the Chinese government set aside three demonstration areas for protests.

We are 10 days into the Olympics, and although there have been 77 separate requests for protest permission, none have been authorized.

Just like our obstructionist radical environmentalists, they get the PR credit for cooperation and few notice that nothing ever happens.

Obstructionism carry’s few penalties – at least until exposed.

Apollo wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:23 PM:Re: Ron (3:48 p.m.)
Ron, did you not understand my comment at 11:16 that you are purportedly replying to, or ya just trying to change the subject - again?
In any case, you proved exactly the point I was making.
You tell Democrats to "get over it" about the electoral injustice of 2000, yet the perpetrator is still in office and still wreaking economic and military havoc around the world, but you are going back to the 1800's whining about "socialism" because you think corporations and those who are doing the best (and the ONLY ones profiting in the current economic catastrophe) should be able to run willy nilly over the rights of consumers and workers with no oversight.
Why don't YOU "get over it," Ronnie.

to Bill wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:35 PM:The Supreme Court has ruled that gitmo should not suspend habeas corpus, for example. Remember too: Cheney says they are not prisoners but nor are they POWs, because POWs also have more rights under international law than he wants those folks to have. It is fashionable in some irrational circles to use the testimony of the first WTC event to blame Clinton for the second. This is, obviously, absurd. Few people believe that the 911 pilots' instructions were anything more precise than to hit those buildings. I think they could have found the twin towers with or without that testimony. And, to repeat the wisdom of most people who work interrogation, the kinds of special interrogation methods used at gitmo and elsewhere produce extremely unreliable information. To assume that we need those methods and the dismissal of internation law to get the crucial info is simply false. As even McCain has said, the torture issue is not about them, it's about us. Finally, to learn that Cheney's motivation has shifted from national protection (and this was wrongheaded) to self-protection (from prison) should make any patriot quiver. Think for a moment, Bill. Your Vice President knows that if the truth came out about what his programs have been, he and others in his circle would likely be convicted of crimes and be imprisoned. Does this in any way make you pause? Do you approve of your tax dollars paying for prisons, renditions, and other programs whose purpose is to make people (mostly innocent people) suffer horribly and give up their lives so that Dick Cheney can avoid a prison sentence? That doesn't bother you at all? What kind of American are you?

to Media Watcher wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:38 PM:If Obama gets more front page space, what is this evidence for? Seems to me that John McCain wakes each morning and if there are no stories about him, especially no stories that dig, he pours himself a prune juice and greets another wonderful day. While Obama's every utterance gets scrutinized in the hope of his making a "gaffe", and while everyone he's ever known gets researched for any activity or sound bite that could prove "interesting", McCain cruises along, the mystery man, under the radar, exactly where he needs to be. Your posting is proof, in my eyes, that the paper is strongly pro-McCain.

gracchus wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:42 PM:ron, your communique of 3:48 p.m. disappointed me. i thought that you would acknowledge your earlier mistatement of fact concerning the supreme court votes halting the florida recount. i looked forward to your justificationof that ruling if you indeed thought that it was a good ruling.
but you digressed to the topic of entitlements. the two most important entitlements in the usa are social security and medicare. you refer to them as an albatross. so what is your suggestion. shall we abolish them? or shall we endeavor to fix them? in your fulminations against entitlements you have never really stated what we as a nation should do. how about some constructive criticism?
i don't know where you get your figure of a $54 trillion u.s. debt. can you please explain that?

Oh Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 4:49 PM:You can overdramatize all you like, Ron. Fact is, you DO like the 1800s and for all the problems you point out with the progressive legacy, almost no one would trade this for the way life was back then, in the social darwinist society that you love so much. Don't you get it? Most people really HATE that idea of a society! They overwhelmingly prefer liberal capitalism. They show this in the way they vote and in the answers they give to pollsters, and have done so for over 100 years. I'm sorry that your notion of the great society is so strongly rejected by free-thinking people in the US and Europe and wherever democracy has taken hold over right-wing dictatorships. But think of this as an opportunity to ask yourself: Hmmm, what might they see that I don't see? How might I be wrong? Oh, never mind. LOL

DD Wiz wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:01 PM:The post from "Ron" (3:48pm) gives rise to the suspicion that perhaps he is finally developing a sense of humor. He is complaining about the legacy of debts and deficits caused by, uhm, Democrats?
Reagan piled up more additions to the national debt than all previous administrations put together!
His successor, GHW Bush, topped that by piling up more additions to the national debt than all previous administrations put together including Reagan's!
His son Dubya, topped evan that by piling up more additions to the national debt than all previous administrations put together including Reagan's and his Daddy's!
The only brights spot in that period were the four straight of budget surpluses under the fiscal responsibility of Clinton -- the first such surpluses since the last year of LBJ's administration.
Thanks for the reminder, "Ron," of which party is really about fiscal responsibility, and love that sense of humor!
Peace (and sunshine) to all, DD Wiz

Hey Bill wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:04 PM:POWs have rights too, remember that little inconvenience called the Geneva Convention?. Our President doesn't want these men to have those rights so he refuses to call them POWs.

to Ron wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:06 PM:yeah, those damn liberals who brought such horrible things like a national highway system, the GI Bill and the right for everyone to vote.

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:24 PM:Well, "Karl" at 10:02AM,
yes, Mt. Shasta is wonderful.
My departed brother-in-law (married to my sister that I call at 4:29AM 6 days a week) is buried at a cemetary in Mt. Shasta City. He grew up in McCloud (the town that Nestle just bought for their water).
We're going up there in the middle of October, the 1 year anniversary of when we moved him from his temporary crypt to his grave.
Ski Bowl is an awesome sight, as is the McCloud River and the several falls.
Regards, Alf.

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:39 PM:Well, "Chris to Alf" at 3:38PM,
the military is not a "sacred cow" of mine.
You say that you're sick of me blaming GWB, BUT
GWB is the commander-in-chief.
GWB issues the direction and the directive.
If there were rogue men in the military, making up their own rules and directions, I can see and would want them slammed HARD.
I always go for the highest one issuing the orders,
AND THAT ONE IS GWB.
We agree on some things, but for you to blame the entire military and its structure for doing what GWB told them to do IS extremely wrong.
Regards, Alf.

Alf wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:45 PM:One more thing, "Chris to Alf" at 3:38PM,
do you blame the police for enforcing laws that were made by the Legislature? Or do you blame the Legislature for making bad laws?
What you are saying about the military is like blaming the police (enforcement agency) for doing what the Legislature (the ones who issue the laws that the police enforce) tells them to do.
Regards, Alf.

hardtack wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:18 PM:Fact Checker: The fact is, twits are as thick on this blog as flies on a bull’s posterior. Pardon the cliche.

Like the bull, one soon learns to ignore the flies – or in this case, the twits.

Floyd wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:21 PM:"Unsubstantiated falsehood?" Tri-City Medical Center has plenty of money -- a recently reported $10 million in profit and a $500,000 for the top administrator. They can use that money to make the needed repairs. However, they plan to continue to overpay their administrative staff and run a hefty profit and the best way to do that is to charge the taxpayers for the cost of construction they should be covering themselves. When I say "The issue on the ballot is a money grab to preserve the $500,000 annual salary paid to their top administator and other budgeting problems" I am exactly right.

par for the course wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:42 PM:To The Pretend Fact Checker Then @ 3:53pm.

If you think that the Republican Party is the only party to use "WIN AT ANY COST" strategy, you are extremely naive. Please turn in your voter registration card until such time you recognize reality.

Check out "Campaign for Liberty"

Peace

Karl wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:45 PM:snerd @ 4:22 PM:

You have a great sense of humor, that was funny. Thanks for the laugh.

soaring eagle wrote on Aug 18, 2008 6:49 PM:to Media Watcher @ 4:38 PM:

And the problem with pouring a prune juice and greeting another wonderful day is