Veritas wrote on Oct 5, 2008 1:28 AM:Republican Gramm introduced the bill to repeal the Glass Stiegal act leading to today's problems. But Mr Johnson does not tell you President Clinton signed bill into law. So much for his anti-Republican tirade. BTW many democrats voted for the bill. When McCain (r) tried to add oversight to Freddi and Fanny, the democrats opposed it and defeated it!

My kind of negotiating wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:54 AM:Negotiated with Khrushchev? What Kennedy did, Buzz, was go on TV and tell the Soviets that any missile flying out of Cuba would unleash a full retaliatory response aimed at Russia.
Then he ordered a Naval blockade of Cuba and stopped their ships from coming in. If I remember correctly we actually fired a few shots across the bow of one of them.
It was a progressive military escalation. The troops and planes were in position to invade Cuba before the missiles became operational if the blockade didn’t work.
Kennedy called Khrushchev’s bluff. He folded. If Khrushchev had wanted a nuclear war he would have gotten one.

Press one for sanity wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:16 AM:Frank Thurlow is right. We already have 7 million people (1 in 32) in prison, jail, on parole or probation. That’s not counting folks who have been but not presently.
We spend $2.26 trillion dollars on health care annually.
So it appears that we have more than enough of our own citizens with criminal backgrounds, sickness and disease to go around.

chuck wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:25 AM:snifle, snifle, and further,if you dont vote for my boss on the ticket, you are a racist. it doesnt matter that he wants to tax your emplyer into oblivion. It doesnt matter that he wants to "CHANGE" your gas prices to what the Euros pay. It doesnt matter what the commodity inflation is. Hussein knows that despite all of this, your boss will be eager to give you a big pay raise, a better health plan and a bigger 401-K match, won't he.

You betcha wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:26 AM:If parents were smart, Merrill Brown, they would be encouraging their kids to take Spanish classes. It will be invaluable later on.
On a secondary note, was that the King's English Palin was speaking the other night?

A crow in every crackpot wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:40 AM:Where does Fidel get his news? Soon-to-be-president John McCain? LOL.
And the Dems didn’t listen to the warnings from Republicans in 2004 and 2005? Who was in charge of the Congress in ’04 and ’05?
Fidel will have to find an appetite for his own crow. If he doesn’t like it, Obama will provide for his needs.

Roger wrote on Oct 5, 2008 6:06 AM:Dadla Ponizil is right, there are some people you just can't talk to! That evil Patrick Leahy, for one. Sometimes the military option is the only option.

McCain won't waste any time with pantywaist negotiations.

BOMB, BOMB, BOMB
BOMB, BOMB VERMONT!

Manifest Destiny wrote on Oct 5, 2008 6:16 AM:“It's not the will of the American people to conquer other nations.”
Oh, really?
“Nor to make them states.”
Well, not anymore.
“It never has been. History proves this.”
Quick history lesson, Fallbrook was in Mexico until we conquered them and, how should I put this, appropriated some of their land and renamed RaeLynn’s part The State of California.
And let's not forget the Indian Nations we conquered to start the whole ball rolling.
Other lands we conquered we just call territories. Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, The Marshall Islands, Palua, etc, etc, etc.

Night classes available wrote on Oct 5, 2008 6:24 AM:RaeLynn Morrison proves that an ignorant and willfully uninformed electorate is a bigger threat to America than terrorists.

Let them eat mooseburgers wrote on Oct 5, 2008 6:50 AM:If I were Fidel Jiron, I would hold off putting down that nonrefundable deposit for McCain Inaugural Ball tickets. And that crow should go in the freezer now, until at least 2012. But he can use the special sauce to salve his wounds on Nov. 4th.

Wanda wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:35 AM:Joyce Wilson is certainly right about Sarah Palin: "What you see is what you get".

Vacuous.

Chuck wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:40 AM:In the news this AM, officials say the Taliban are 'unusually' angry over alleged U.S. strike. That means Chris will be cranky today, and Nancy Piglosi, Hussein, Reid and Murtha will be on the warpath tomorrow.
I can't tell you how horrible I feel that the Taliban are angry.

Rush wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:00 AM:Just wanted to thank Ann Peters for warning everybody about Obama.

Happy to hear AM radio reception in Valley Center is strong.

Tune in today and I'll tell you what to think. Don't try think for yourself, you're obviously not equipped for it.

Thanks again.

Schizos wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:23 AM:How many languages are there in the world? How long have different languages been spoken by people? The world isn't going to end because people speak Spanish in the U.S.Merrill,take your xenophobic views and go see a psychatrist.
Frank, do you understand that you are the alien from Europe? Remember 30% of Mexicos 100 million people are full blooded Native American.Illegal alien is a term to make yourself feel better and to try to deny the Natives of their true heritage. They may be illegal according to U.S. law, but in reality they are indigenous to this land.No one wants to hear about Viking or Beiring Strait theories, just facts. They are indigenous, YOU ARE ALIEN!

Observant wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:46 AM:The fire truck seen around Oceanside streets advertising City Counsel Candidates,is NOT an Oceanside Fire Department truck. After seeing this fire truck in a local shopping center, noticed it was a retired fire truck without ANY city markings, apparently owned by a private person. It did not have the California Exempt license plates all city fire trucks and city vehicles bear. I do question the legality of the "retired, private fire vehicle" to have red emergency lights on it.

Scared is right wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:13 AM:As a liberal, no, as an AMERICAN, I am very scared about Palin. How could anyone not be? Is all we need to lead our country someone who's cute, spunky, folksy? Who can speak in public only every couple of weeks, the time needed to memorize a few speeches? Who's refusal and inability to answer questions is put forth as a strength, "I'm gonna be me"? Does anyone here have some, uh, distrust for someone who is as ignorant as she is really believing she can lead the most powerful nation in the history of the world? This can only mean two things: either she has a truly pathological arrogance; or, the GOP knows that the candidate is nothing but a face and "look" selected to win votes...running the country is done by other people that the people never see, hear, or vote for. Either way, yes indeed, I'm scared. What? You're not?

Ron wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:13 AM:I fully understand what John Matthews
is saying, I do. As a business owner myself, I have used a credit line from time to time, to bind me over.
But, let's be clear about what we are talking about first. While privately I might go into the private banking system, and draw for one pay period, or two a year, what we are going to do now as Americans is buy real estate nobody else wants. Especially the private market. Now, that in itself, should be a clue to us all, what a dangerous path were about to go down.

What I would like to do is to describe for you what i think is going to happen with this so-called "Wall Street bailout." Since both Presidential candidates voted for this morass, this shall be the road we travel.
Tucked inside this quagmire is a
concession to Liberal Democrats.
And it is the quicksand of the Treasury acquiring these toxic, defaulted loans and then to work with these unqualified homeowners to avoid foreclosure, even though the house is more than they can afford. As stated by the Treasury Sec. the hope is that we can buy these assets, and later sell them to either break even, or make a profit.
One problem because of this caveat, the unqualified homeowner. What are we going to do with them?
Well, according to this hammer negociated by Liberal Democrats, folks..
we don't have a snowball's chance in hell of ever breaking even, we are now the landlords.
I can see it all now, when we go to sell off these assets to make back our money, the Liberal's will promptly trot out these affect people, show us pictures of their children, and then proceed to tell us what cruel people would ever throw these fine people out on their ear?
We've seen it before, in MediCare, when limiting to the growth of the program was called a cut, and would throw grandma out of the convalescent home, and grandpa too, colostomy bag in tow.

For those homes already foreclosed, I have great concern about the value of these assets bought blind. We've all heard the stories of how copper piping has been stripped out, missing doors sold off for a quick buck, and many homes are now in such disrepair we will have to hire people to repair them in order to sell them.
And because they are "government-owned" assets, naturally, unions will get their seat at the table because of Liberal Democrats, causing the sellng price to rise dramatically just to refub the thing.
If NObama were smart, and elected, he might consider using those students who want the $4,000 in college money he's promising, to do this work. As he said, or maybe it was Michelle who said: Barack will make you work..
He'll have a hard go of it though, will unions wanting their payback, and Liberal's in the Congress prefering unions.
If successful NObama might be able to take this sow's ear, and turn it into a purse. But, given the way most other government run programs have done, I quite frankly doubt it.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:20 AM:Merrill Brown is a fine person that I have even lunched with as my guest.

His letter about languages falls short in substance and direction, however.

Spanish was the official language of this real estate long before Americans moved here to take it over with help from the U.s. Marines in 1846.

Spanish was outlawed de facto and de jure for many years after that. Children were punished for speaking Spanish in the school yard during my early school years. Absolutely no official help was given to Spanish speaking students in school causing huge percentages of them to simply disappear from the school scene.

The numbers of Spanish speaking has grown so large, however, that official attention must be paid to them for their parents are taxpayers. Taxpayers must be served.

Mexican textbooks and teachers are welcome, Merril, for only they can handle many of these children by motivating them to learn and to stay in the educational system. The system you and I grew up in did not pay attention to this class of children and we have suffered since.

Remember, Merrill, our Marine Corps (yours and mine) depends today heavily on young men who have grown up speaking Spanish and English.

Having millions of young men who speak the "King's" English doesn't fill the ranks of our military for they are off speaking well but not serving the country in uniform.

Merrill and other critics should be encouraging children to learn anything even in Spanish as that is better than 25 percent of all California children dropping out of school.

Coulda sworn wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:27 AM:I'm getting pretty tired of people talking about the Dems as socialists. I could've sworn that only a couple of days ago, the federal government bailed out big corportations, and that in recent weeks, the federal government took over other big corporations. I could've sworn that it was a Republican President who demanded this and who wanted to put it all under the control of his hand-picked Treasury Secretary. And I also could've sworn that the Congress passed all this in bipartisan fashion. I'm pretty sure that our republican leaders have become at least as socialistic as the democrats. So let's give up the lie of "watch out! the democrats are socialists!" That charge has become meaningless.

Ron wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:57 AM:You are definately onto something there.. "Veritas" @1:28 AM.

Liberals are quick to point to this repeal of Glass-Stiegel {1933} by Gramm-Leach-Biley {1999}.
This may have accelerated the process, but it was not the beginning of it. This process of the government backing toxic mortgages begins before the repeal, so those mortgages were already "in the hopper", waiting to default over at Fannie & Freddie.
The securitizing of loans, the transfer risks, and moving this toxic debt off the balance sheet were Fannie & Freddie's stock in trade, under the command of Jim Johnson, Franklin Raines, Daniel Mudd, and Jamie Gorelick.
Now Liberals love to point to Republicans as "lovers of Wall Street."
Well, "...say it ain't so, Joe."
SO ARE THE DEMOCRATS!
Look at these people's track record.
It's literally an alphabet soup of Goldman Sachs, Lazard Freres, GE Capital.
And then you have Robert Rubin, who Bill Clinton called the “greatest secretary of the Treasury since Alexander Hamilton.”
This guy had a vested interest in the repeal of Glass-Stiegel, the supermerger between Travelers Group and Citicorp.
And then, without missing a beat, Rubin moved on to the next bailout...
Credit Cards. Oh yes...
In 2000, Citibank introduced a new structure for credit card-backed securities, called an issuance trust, which does not have limitations.

At the same time, if you remember back to 1999 and 2000, Alan Greenspan raised interest rates 7 times. These hikes effectively idled the economy.
Then, the dot.com bust, and then again after 9-11, Greenspan lowered interest rates a total of 13 times, giving the economy a much-needed kick-in-the-pants.

My point in stating, and restating all of this history is to show two things.
One, this intermingling of business & government is not just a Republican thing nor a Democrat thing. They both do it, and it's dangerous. We count on the Government to remain objective, and to regulate. You can not have an objective regulator if the parties have a vested interest in pulling certain economic levers found in Washington D.C.
And two, I previously warned about "the other shoe" dropping, it WILL be the credit card industry who has done the exactly same thing as the mortgage industry did in securitized bonds.
Prophet, yes..

OBAMACAN wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:59 AM:As usual, it was Bill Clinton (yesterday) who was able to cut through all the bull hooey and get to the bottom line:
"McCain is not a maverick.
He is a mimic."

Foot in Mouth wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:02 AM:Love ya, John Terrell (letter), but you got the diagnosis wrong.
Carly Fiorina did not get afflicted with "foot in mouth disease" - it was TRUTH IN MOUTH disease that sent her to quarantine.
These days, with the "straight talk express" derailed into the gutter, truth-telling is a terminal condition.

Greenergy wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:25 AM:How disappointing to see the pathetically Palinesque pseudo "smarts" on energy in Robert Smith's letter.
The idea that we can drill our way out of the energy crisis has been completely discredited!
We need to put all new energy infrastructure resources into clean renewables. Oil could not be drilled from new sites in less than 10-20 years and by that time, prompt investment in clean renewables would be able to break us from future energy dependence on carbon-based fuels.
While awaiting the full implementation of new energy sources, existing (not new) carbon sources could continue to be used, which would be more than sufficient as the new energy alternatives are phased in.

As for the utterily ridiculous assertion in Joyce Wilson's letter about how little of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) would be used for drilling, I notice she is silent on the subject of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, which has reserves many times larger than in ANWR (and adjacent to it) and already approved for drilling, but not yet being used. Why can't they drill what they have first before trying to take over more land. And why can't they commit to any oil from federal land being mandated to satisfy DOMESTIC consumption needs before going on the international market? It is our land and our oil! Let them serve this country (the owners) first!

Oh, I guess it is because Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly and the Faux News Republican spin team don't tell 'em that.
These self-described "dittoheads" are perfect examples of conservative thinking:
Let someone else tell you what to think.
Conservatives have no concept of independent, crtitical analysis.

Apollo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:31 AM:Re: Donna Renner (letter
Another conservative parroting the Fox/Limbaugh talking points, about how the Democrats have had the majority and thus national leadership. WRONG! On two counts:

1. No, a legislative majority does not "rule" in this country. In the senate, you need 60 votes to override a filibuster, and 67 votes to override a presidential veto. This writer demonstrates a fundamental ignorance about how our Republic (not Democracy) operates.

2. Democrats do not even have a majority! The do not have the majority in the Senate (49-49-2), Presidency or Supreme Court. They only have the majority in one half of one branch of government, the House, and even there they don't have the 2/3 majority necessarily to override a presidential veto. This writer demonstrates a fundamental ignorance about the makeup of our current government.

That is the bottom line from conservatives: pure ignorance regurgitated from the talking points of right wing hate radio.
No independent thought.
Now, go and get those beta amyloid plaque levels checked!

Ron wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:38 AM:Ok, Zoltan Lucas... You've had your say, now it's my turn.

Let's bring this down to our level, shall we? Let us just say, that YOU are the safety commissioner, and that under your charge, you are made aware of one of your trooper's had tasered his 11 year-old step son, drank while on duty, including several DUI's for him
were never charged, criminally killing a moose with out a permit that he was not charged for, beating your ex-wife, and then threatening to kill the ex-wife's father.

NOW, would you have CAUSE to fire this guy?

So, let's not put this into the political realm.

Palin's running for VP, and the let's talk about the 'October Surprise' as promised by Democrat Alaskan Sen. Hollis French, who by the way...
has endorsed Barack Obama for president and is actively supporting his candidacy
in Alaska.

So, let's move beyond the facts that prove that both of these men {Trooper Mike Wootan and Commissioner Walt Monegan} were completely unfit to fill their jobs. Moving beyond this obvious neglect of public safety, for the moment.

Let's ask the question why would a Democrat Senator from Alaska take control of an investigation that was already in the hands of a very competant public investigator? Is this not what GWB was accused of, by the dismissal of US Attorneys? I think it was. It was said by Democrats, at the time, that GWB was thwarting key investigations into voter fraud by these dismissals.

Something's fishy here.
With Sen. Hollis French-D taking control of the subpoena list from Investigator Steven Branchflower. Even Alaska's Joint Judiciary Committee could see that the absence of several key persons, notably.. Palin's former chief of staff Mike Tibbles.
Somewhere between the time when Investigator Steven Branchflower had the subpoena list, and it's control had been taken over by Democrat Sen. Hollis French, key witness's names had disappeared. Let me rephrase that, key name's that would clear Gov. Palin's involvement, were removed.
Folks, it's deck stacking. Stalinist show trial style.
And right in time for a Democrat Oct. Surprise, complete with on-going, biased public hearings meant to smear Gov. Palin, instead of what they should have been focusing on, the complete breakdown in public safety by this commissioner abetting an out of control trooper.
So, like always. Politicians have once again seized upon a political opportunity to smear each other, instead of doing their jobs, which is guaranteeing our safety.
Obviously, we are a "back-burner" issue with these Democrats, at least.

Reardon wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:50 AM:There is not yet an inquest into the death of capitalism in the housing market, but the evidence is being collected and leaked bu both sides on this Blog.

There is one witness, however, who is apparently ready to testify against Barney Frank and Maxine Walters – and he is a Democrat who was sitting with them on that committee in 2004. You have seen the clips on YouTube with Maxine and Barney defending Franklin Raines, well read what Congressman Artur Davis, (D-Alabama) write:

“Like a lot of my Democratic colleagues I was too slow to appreciate the recklessness of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. I defended their efforts to encourage affordable home ownership when in retrospect I should have heeded the concerns raised by their regulator in 2004. Frankly I wish my Democratic colleagues would admit that when it comes to Fannie and Freddie - we were wrong.”

“And by the way I wish my Republican colleagues would admit that they missed the early warning signs that Wall Street deregulation was overheating the securities market and promoting dangerously lax lending practices.”

“When it comes to the debacle in our capital markets there is much blame to go around."

Yep. Sure is.

Karl wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:18 AM:Reardon @ 10:50 AM, when will us common folk realize the damage caused by the Democans? Only when country comes before party.

Ron wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:18 AM:Ya know, it really is amazing to be lectured by some "Greenie", who's ideas about energy solutions are so fantasic, they ought to be dismissed out of hand, by common sense Americans, yet... Many are buying into the fantasy.

Take my good buddy "Greenergy" @10:25 AM...

He says: "We need to put all new energy infrastructure resources into clean renewables. Oil could not be drilled from new sites in less than 10-20 years and by that time, prompt investment in clean renewables would be able to break us from future energy dependence on carbon-based fuels."

Now, this all sounds good, but not realistic. I'm all for piping renewable energy via new infrastructure, but some on the Left won't let us build grid/power lines. Even if it plumbs renewable energy from "green" sources.
So, that's number 1.

Two, At the moment, all the car manufacturers have plans to put out "green" cars. In hydrogen, some experts say it will be 40 years or more before hydrogen has any meaningful impact. Toyota, Ford, Honda all have hydrogen programs but most don't plan on any real and substantial growth until after 2015, when they say they'll put about 1500 hydrogen cars on the road. Folks, we've got some 250,851,833 registered passenger vehicles alone in this country. With half (1/2) the national fleet's turnover rate being 9 years, we are looking at least 9 years away.
And just to prove how foolish this fantasy really is, let's look at the leading car/small truck manufacturer.
Toyota Motor Company now operates twelve manufacturing plants in the US, producing 1.55 million vehicles, or 61.66% of the 2.5 million vehicles the company sells in the US each year.
This is only true, if...
If they were producing state of the art green technology cars only, Yes in 10 years we could get there.
But, Folks.. they say the technology isn't ready, and won't be ready to deploy, they hope until 2015.

And like most Liberals, they always believe that if ya just throw more money at it, the technology will invent itself.

We need to be doing everything, including building grid which is now some 46, going on 47 years old, with a lifespan of only 40 years.
But, we will have to run over the do nothing Enviro's who have taken over our court system with judges who now decide that a fish, a smelt has more rights to drinking water, than you or I, or our children.

Oh Ron wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:20 AM:All the analysis of the Stalinist show trial (where was Ron during the Clinton impeachment?)... facts remain the same: the legislature and the courts agreed to proceed. Before she was named VP candidate, Palin herself said "let's investigate me". Suddenly, picked to be the running mate, the GOP sent its lawyers to Alaska to find any way possible to delay and interfere with what had been an uncontested investigation. The "show trial" was completely created by the McCain gang. McCain wants you (Ron and ilk) to do the trial in your living room instead of where the law says it should happen. It's McCain and you who have politicized it, plain and simple. Obvious. Sleazy. Anti-American. Party over country. Every time.

Floyd wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:21 AM:No, Tri-City hospital doesn't have to take a survey to find out why their proposed bond issue failed three times. All they have to do is read the North County Times, particularly the "Letters to the Editor" section and the online blog comments associated with news articles about the bond issue.

Oh yes Reardon wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:24 AM:You are exactly on target when you say there's blame to go around. The financial disaster, its causes and "remedies", simply do NOT fall along party lines. Both parties were split on the bailout bill, both parties have contributed mightily to the problems. Anyone who tries to finger point at parties is, simply, a party hack and a liar. Good job, Reardon.

Vista Granny wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:28 AM:A little folksy news :

Just yesterday I noticed that a neighbor who is, shall we say not wealthy, placed a McCain/Palin sign in her window. I'm not certain, but I'd bet money it's because she's fallen for Palin's questionable charm. Or, perhaps it's because Palin is a female -- and that says it all. Heaven help us all.

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:29 AM:sdraoul: 2 of the 4 Marine Bns participated in the Mexican-American War.
The Marines were mostly employed at the landing of Vera Cruz and the eventual assault on Mexico City. I have not found any reference to the Marines use is any part of Mexican territory.

I suggest that Spanish should be learned. The USA is going to bi lingual. There is no official language for the USA.

If Americans were speaking the English of England, it would be the Queen's English. Americans speak their own concoction of the English language just as the Australians and Canadians do.

chuck wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:36 AM:>>...Another conservative parroting the Fox/Limbaugh talking points>>>

I guess Apollo doesnt think he's a parrot for the DNC and Hussein and the rest of the socialists. Polly wanna cracker, Apollo wanna cracker

Ron wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:47 AM:You know... if the press had been doing their job's during this campaign, John Terrell wouldn't be crowing about "NObama's leadership clearly seen."

But, this one statement by John really caught my eye:
QUOTE: "Additionally, Obama is knowledgeable in current technology and is prepared to create innovative programs to restore America's leadership position in science and technology." END Quote
Oh really?

Well, heck, let's check the slim record, ok?
One such venture into improving student's knowledge was the much tauted Chicago Annenberg Challenge, or the
CAC, as it has come to be known.
The history shows the Annenberg Foundation chartered the CAC with a grant of $49.2 million in 1995.
But by 2002, the CAC was formally dissolved. WHY? If it was sooooo sucessful?

Well, it now appears it just wasn't so, successful, I mean.
According to the record, what little of it we can find, the grant application was written in 1993 by William Ayers, Yes, the same Bill Ayers, co-founder of the Weatherman, and now a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The Annenberg Challenge was made up of three constituent parts, one such part was the Chicago School Reform Collaborative, co-chaired by Bill Ayers, with a Board of Directors who recruited Barack Obama.

Well, what then is the legacy of a desolved program chaired by both NObam & Ayers?

Well, according to the Consortium on Chicago School Research:

The project appears to have failed to achieve any of its stated, measurable educational goals.
Consortium on Chicago School Research concluded:
QUOTE: "Results suggest that among the schools it supported, the Challenge had little impact on school improvement and student outcomes, with no statistically significant differences between Annenberg and non-Annenberg schools in rates of achievement gain, classroom behavior, student self-efficacy, and social competence." END Quote

Yep, he's got it all brother!

Karl wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:56 AM:You just nailed it Reardon @ 10:50 AM. Will the partisans from both sides listen? I doubt it but I would certainly love to be surprised. Why won't they fess up? Because it is a 50/50 deal and they (legislators) are covering for each other IMHO. "Democans Unite For Each Other" or "We Fooled Them Twice Times a Thousand, We Can Fool Them Another Thousand Times"
should be this years slogan.

Pathetic.

To Schizos wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:05 PM:and the like...Give me a break. I am so tired of hearing the speal of California was once Mexico blah blah blah. Fact is, IT ISN'T any longer. So, since it is part of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA there really is no reason for you to bring up said item. I think everyone SHOULD learn to speak Spanish. I for one would love to be able to converse with those who only speak Spanish IF they are willing to TRY to speak English, just as I their language. I believe, we need to speak Spanish because of those spinless officials who are too scared to declare an official language. I am willing to try in order to understand another person, but how bout we get everyone to be fluent in all languages, I have met some quite nice Korean people who don't speak English, why not make their language absolute learning, also. Enough with your belly aching we were here first....we came, we conquered, we won. Stop your snivilin'

gracchus wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:27 PM:once again, ron, in your communique of 10:38 a.m.you demonstrate either abysmal ignorance of history or a willful false comparison. i refer toy your inane assertion that the investigation of sarah palin's firing of public safety commissioner is a stalinist show trial.

you need to read a few books about the u.s.s.r. under j.v. stalin before you make such an absurd claim. do you know of any palin partisan who has been tortured during the investigation? do you believe that anybody implicated in the scandal, if one indeed exists, faces execution or at the very least a frosty imprisonment in the artic circle.

a council of the alaska state legislature is investigating why palin fired the public safety director. he claims that palin released him because he refused to fire an ex in-law of hers; she says that budget considerations motivated her to dismiss him.

the governor appoints the state public safety commissioner; the legislature confirms that appointment. the legislature thus has the right to investigate circumstances of hirings and firings of personnel with which it is involved. i believe, ron, that's what constitutional scholars refer to as "checks and balances."

palin is apparently cooperationg with the state personnel commission's investigation of the matter. the members of that commission are her appointees. she is not so forthcoming with the alaska legislature.

whether she tried to fire, outside procedural rules, a man who probably was unfit to be a law enforcement official is not especially important and will probably do her no major harm. but if she would come clean now with a separate branch of the alaska state government, she will help herself immensely.

for the record, ron, never ever has the united states ever remotely approached the savagery of stalin's soviet union, whether it was fdr's internment of u.s. citizens of japanese descent, the republican witch hunts for communists during the 40s and 50s, or even g.w. bush's policies of extraordinary rendition and toleration of torture at black sites around the world.

Chris to Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:28 PM:I don't believe that you have been to Iraq and if you have you wouldn't tell us the truth. The point is that the Iraqis are far worse off now then when you soldier boys decided to send them to their ancestors. I sent in a blog last night but it seems that the blogeditors have a problem with a statement of numerous facts. I will take it up with them.

Simple facts for Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:37 PM:To repeat a simple fact for Rodeo: for several YEARS now, 65-70% of the Iraqis have consistently said they want us out of their country ASAP. Within the last year, their government has said in public that they feel the same way. They support Obama's position, which even Bush has adopted. If you believe, as you pretend, that it's all about the Iraqis, then their overwhelming desire for our exit should mean something to you. But of course it doesn't. They are mere Arabs, to you. They don't have the maturity to know what's in their own best interests. They need Rodeo and his bretheren to run their lives, even though they don't realize it. Paternalistic, imperialistic, enemy-making arrogance from Rodeo...and I think he is SO arrogant in the Bushian mold that he doesn't even KNOW what he sounds like. To Rodeo, it's just a given that Americans know what's best for everyone, and therefore that Americans really DO have the right/duty to do whatever we wish anywhere we wish, and that the people we do it to should just naturally be grateful.

Greenergy wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:41 PM:Once again, blogeditors let Ron slide in his factual fantasies (11:18 a.m.) while others wait for the "fact checking" his fact-challenged posts are never subjected to.
Solar, wind, geothermal, fuel cell and hydro are available and practical NOW, and if carbon-based fossil fuels are required to bear the real costs of using them, and corporate welfare and special oil allowances are disallowed, clean green alternatives are feasible and cost competitive NOW.

Ron is simply wrong when he says that major manufacturers' electric/hybrid cars will not be available until 2015. Chevy, Toyota and Chryslter all have models planned for release in 2010, and cars from specialty manufacturers will be available by the end of THIS YEAR (which is not very far away).

Another wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:55 PM:Another spectacular day for the mighty Chargers. We have to arrange our schedule so that we just play the Raiders 16 times a year. Miami? What happens when we play GOOD teams?

Trooper wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:57 PM:Edited (to protect Ron's tender feelings) and resubmitted

Ron at 10:38 a.m. promotes ideas about justice that bear a close resemblance to authoritarian totalitarianism.

Look at his question:
" Let us just say, that YOU are the safety commissioner, and that under your charge, you are made aware of one of your trooper's had tasered his 11 year-old step son, drank while on duty, including several DUI's for him
were never charged, criminally killing a moose with out a permit that he was not charged for, beating your ex-wife, and then threatening to kill the ex-wife's father. NOW, would you have CAUSE to fire this guy?"

No, Ron, let us look at a little something the wannabee dictators overlook, called DUE PROCESS.

Let us say that someone ALLEGES the above (someone who is possibly seeking revenge in a nasty divorce case).
Let us further say that the trooper denies or adequately EXPLAINS the allegations.
Do you have cause to fire the trooper yet?
Or do you wait until after an appropriate hearing, evidence, you know, that pesky "DUE PROCESS" thing you conservatives are so eager to do away with.

Chris to Schizos wrote on Oct 5, 2008 1:11 PM:The point is that since we took California away from Mexico then we have no right to criticize anybody for anything. Now if the mexicans turn this efectvly into Mexico then so be it. I take the position that we have no right to criticize others considering the terrible things we have done. Why don't you criticize our government for going to the other side of the planet and taking over someone else's country instead of getting upset at the Mexicans who come here and want to chnge what we have. Maybe if you did that you would have some credibility.

Bob wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:11 PM:Greenergy at 12:41 PM seems upset with Ron's factually challenged posts. To omit all the opinionated drivel and misinformation from Ron's posts, simply click on the [-] beneath Ron.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:16 PM:"simple fact6s for rodeo" apparently doesn't read this page often, or he ignores the truth when he sees it. First of all, there is no proof that most Iraqis want us out as public polling is questionable in any Arab country.

Secondly, it was only a few days ago I reprinted here a quote from the Iraqi Foreign Minister at the United Nations that Iraq did NOT want a precipitous U.S. exit from Iraq -- DID NOT.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:24 PM:Focal Point needs to learn real history. When war broke out between the USA and Mexico in 1846, Commodore Stockton and his Pacific Squadron were in Mazatlan. They immediately sailed for SAN DIEGO where Marine Lt. Gillespie (for whom the WWII marine airfield in El Cajon was named) under direct orders from President Polk had arrived in civilian clothes to organize Americans for a take over.

When Commodore Stockton (Ft. Stockton and Ft. Stockton Drive) arrived in San Diego, his United States Marines aided by armed sailors landed and took possession of San Diego (Old Town) for the United States and it has been American since then, since 1846.

What the Marines did in Mexico (The Halls of Montezuma) is irrelevant to what they did here in San Diego, then later at province capitol Monterrey where they landed after San Diego was secured..

Greenergy wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:36 PM:Bob at 2:11 p.m. comments on my criticism of blog handling.
I was not upset with Ron's factually-challenged blogs.
I was upset at the double standard in how blogs are handled.
I am glad to see him get caught in his errors; I just want "equality of opportunity" to point it out.
Ron consistently gets his posted quickly, regardless of numerous instances in which he has been caught red-handed with outright fabrications of flawed "fact."
Just today, he cited maliciously commercial slander against the major auto manufacturers, alleging that they would have no viable electric/plug-in hybrids before 2015, while the fact is that several of them have announced plans to have vehicles on sale to the public by 2010 (and have working demo models NOW).
Further, Ron potentially slanders an Alaska state trooper whose name has been drawn through the mud by vicious right-wing hate-mongers, when he asserts as FACT points that are unproved ALLEGATIONS that have been disputed.
In the past, I have had blogs delayed for fact checking that ultimately were approved, but obviously Ron is not subject to the same standards.

chuck wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:41 PM:>>" Let us just say, that YOU are the safety commissioner>> Or lets say you need money for the police force pension, so,under the guise of safety, you sit at the bootom of hills and hand out tickets to the old ladies on the way to Vons, because it would never come to mind to sit on the uphill where intentional speeders roam the highway. Law enforcement is 20% safey, 80% fund raising

Bye Bye Iraq wrote on Oct 5, 2008 2:56 PM:Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Al-Maliki Insists US Troops be Out by 2011;
Iraqi Christian Refugees at Risk

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of Iraq insisted again Monday that all foreign troops must be out of Iraq by 2011 and that US troops in Iraq must come under the authority of Iraqi courts. "

sdraoul has a habit of selective documentation. Iraqi polls have not been proven to be incorrect or fraudulent. Your delecratons are simply your opinion. They are not facts in evidence.

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:09 PM:Palin on Iraq
The Alaska governor claimed that U.S. troop strength in Iraq is down to "pre-surge levels." In fact, the U.S. still has more than 140,000 troops in Iraq. Prior to the start of the surge in January 2007, it had around 132,000 troops in the country.

Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:15 PM:Chris,

Now why would I need to lie? It doesn't make me a better person. It doesn't help me in any way. You never answered my question yesterday.

Have you ever served any time in the military?

Have you ever been to Iraq? EVER?

Basically, what I got from your post today is, that you don't like or agree with my opinion so the only thing you can do is accuse me of being a liar. Sure helps out your cause. Hope you feel better!

Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:16 PM:Karl,

Thank you for your comments and it has been my honor to sacrifice and serve this great country.

Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:22 PM:Simple facts for Rodeo
[-] wrote on Oct 5, 2008 12:37 PM

Ok, while there are some that are saying that they want us to leave, there are some that don't. It is a very sticky situation that we MUST handle properly or it could come back to haunt us later.

I would guess that those that want us to leave want it so that they can start using brute force against those that can't defend themselves. A situation that could cause for a lot more atrocities.

If we leave too soon and a civil or religious war breaks out, then we get blamed for leaving too soon and not taking care of the people. If we stay too long, we look as if we are doing nothing more than occupying for our own intentions and don't have any care what so ever for the people.

So what is the better of the two ways to go? Make sure that there is good security and that craziness won't occur when we leave or leave NOW, as a lot of people are screaming and leave a power vacuum for some unscrupolous organization/group to step in and start bending everyone else to their will?

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:43 PM:What Maliki said in August for negotiating purposes is not the same as his Foreign Minister said in September at the United Nations. We are in Iraq and operating there under a UN mandate.

Moreover, even if what Maliki allegedly said is true he gives us three more years in Iraq some 20 months or so more than Obama is campaigning for.

What's funny here is that John Kennedy took us into a real war (that cost us 58,000 dead) to preserve a Roman Catholic regime in South Vietnam. The anti-Iraq war people, including Obama don't give a fig leaf for the Iraqi Christians, the original Christians in the entire world outside Jerusalem.

If we leave too soon, the Shia will eliminate the Christians of Iraq in blood lust as they have the traditional Baghdad Jewish population, which does not exist any longer or as in Iran where Jews have been systematically eliminated by force and murder.

To Chris to Schizos wrote on Oct 5, 2008 3:44 PM:What? Don't even bother.....you make absolutely no sense, just senseless words on paper with no idea. ugh!

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 4:33 PM:sdraoul: " Commodore Robert Stockton, who replaced Sloat on July 23, sailed down the coast and landed troops under Fremont at San Diego and others near Los Angeles. Pico and Castro fled on August 10. The Marine detachment aboard ship was just that a ship board force. Now, recorded history has Stockton sailing down to San Diego while you have him sailing up form a Mexican port. I shall continue research so that you can give me more history lessons.

Bob wrote on Oct 5, 2008 4:46 PM:I wasn't aware posts were held up for "fact checking", as Greenergy at 2:36 PM contends.

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:11 PM:Rode: The US will be blamed for civil or religious war whether we leave now or 16 months from now. You been there and still do not understand the situation. Kurds hate the Iraqis, Shia Iraqis hat the Sunni Iraqis. It is tribal thing and due to the Brits idea of throwing these contending forces together into a country named Iraq. Our invasion has exacerbated the sitaution to hundreds of thousands dead and disunity. The only reason why there was not civil war was that the US started paying the Sunni government not to fight. By the way, the US is occupying for its own oil intentions and a springboard into Iran.

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:25 PM:sdraoul: "American soldiers will withdraw from cities across Iraq next summer and all US combat troops will leave the country within three years, provided the violence remains low, under the terms of a draft agreement with the Iraqi Government.

In one of the most detailed insights yet into the content of the deal, Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, has also told The Times that the US military would be barred from unilaterally mounting attacks inside Iraq from next year.

In addition, the power of arrest for US soldiers would be curbed by the need to hand over any detainee to a new, US-Iraqi committee. Troops would require the green light from this joint command before conducting any operation.

Mr Zebari said that the agreement also made no provision for permanent US military bases in the country – a point of contention for the Iraqi public. The United States has scores of sprawling military camps up and down Iraq.

Winding Down

December 31, 2008
United Nations mandate authorising presence of US-led forces in Iraq expires

January 2009
New US president sworn in

Summer 2009
Number of British Forces in Iraq could drop to a few hundred from 4,100

Summer 2009
US troops due to start to pull out of small bases in some cities across Iraq to large camps outside, security conditions permitting

2010-11
All combat forces to withdraw from Iraq provided that security conditions on the ground allow

Now all of this has to be approved by the Iraqi parliament. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say as the UN mandate ends leaving the US without legal authority to stay in Iraq.

To Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:30 PM:You sacrificed? If you were enlisted and served in the military, I assume you recieved pay like any other job. Add medical, dental and perhaps an education. If you were paid while enlisted, you did your job.That's not a sacrifice unless you can compare it to Jesus Christ's dying on the cross somehow.

jvc wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:32 PM:Enough blame to go around? Bunk!
Lets start with the start of the Conservative movement in this country: those that wanted to maintain slavery in the territories for purposes of
maintaining more representation in Congress among other things. Then the Rebublican dirty tricks with Nixon, Nixon whould have gone to prison if it not for a pardon! Then Prop 13 of California that was used to collect
below the cost of living increases that was sold to us by those that called themselves Rebublican tax fighters, yes, this routed benifits to the poor, the student and minorities but at what cost when it created a class structure and undermined fairness of our basic creeds! It was Reagan who ran the ball with winning elections by pocket book issues and did his job of feeding the militaty industrial complex of his home state and the concept of budget deficits and asserting the roll of government to maintain the previlige of the wealthy under the guise of their wealth that would trickle down to the middle class worker! Now, the Conservative era with a Republican ideology says that greed is the engine of Capitalism and less taxes to the government means you get to spend more of your earned income irrespective of budget deficits! This ideologoy brought us to Capitalism is socialism by using " big" government by the bailout of the rich and to use war to maintain a huge military budget!

Fact Checker wrote on Oct 5, 2008 5:35 PM:Bob at 4:46 p.m. expresses surprise about blogs being delayed for "fact checking."
I was told this in an e-mail exchange with the blog editor on more than one occasion; blogs subsequently got posted so they must have passed the "fact check," but being hours later, probably no one goes back and checks them.
I guess that is a selective way of censoring people's messages.
In contrast, Ron consistently posts blogs that are found to be both offensive and factually wrong such as those I cited earlier, yet certainly doesn't seem to be subjected to the same standard.
I can understand this surprise as you'd never know it from what does get allowed.
Apparently, whatever the policy is, it is applied only on a very selective basis.
I, for one, have experienced this several times, although my facts are always valid and always check out, and am tired of the double standard. And I don't know why some get treated this way and others not. It doesn't seem to be ideology, as some conservatives complain about the same thing and some liberals seem to also get preferential treatment.

Alf wrote on Oct 5, 2008 6:02 PM:Does anyone know or care that it was the U.S. that screwed with Iraq by putting Saddam in power in the first place?
Does anyone know or care that it was when Saddam stopped letting his strings be pulled by us that we "had" to depose him?
Did you know this "Rodeo"?
Can you understand why our simply being there infuriates many people in the intire mid-east region and especially their religious fanatics?
Do you know more of the "big picture" than just what can be seen at geround level?
Have you ever heard of "not seeing the forest for the trees"?
While I congratulate and thank for you for your service, I also know about the big difference between the ground level view and the big picture of another "war" called Vietnam.
Regards, Alf.

Greencinitan wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:01 PM:I'd rather have socialism that works and takes care of people's needs, than capitalism uncontrolled that leads to bankruptcies, foreclosures, unemployment, war, and environmental disaster. Are we still afraid of the "reds"? The Cold War is over and we won. Let's try intelligent, well-read, open-minded leadership that can adjust to new information, tell the truth, and effectively carry out policies. I don't want Bush/McCain capitalism if the state of our economy today is the result!!

Reardon wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:05 PM:Monday morning is almost here, and as the markets open the very same people who brought the markets down will begin the week still in charge.

Pualsen remains as Treasury Secretary. Cox remains as SEC, Barney Frank remains the Dog That Did Not Bark while directing a HUGE OVERSIGHT committee of Congresscriters, and Senator Chris Dodd remains as the Dog That Did Not Bark as head of a huge OVERSIGHT committee of Senators.

Come to think of it, the same is true in Sacramento, where Gov. “Green” has joined with names like Peralta and Bass to ruin California government, and all remain in place – while asking for the federal government for a loan.

So, what has changed? Well, the taxpayers will be sending a lot more money to Washington, for the same players who did this to us, to use to “save” us.

There is an argument to be made for yearly elections with the current system. Perhaps a parliamentary system, where governments at both the federal and state level can fall on a vote of “no confidence.”

I know I have no confidence, and four years is too long to sustain a mistake in the modern world.

Karl wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:36 PM:How was the weekend Alf?

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:38 PM:Alf, we had nothing to do with Saddam gaining power in Iraq. His Baath Party was founded in the 1940s by a Ssyrian Fascist who learned his trade in Occupied France. The Party ttok over Iraq from the British, not from us, and Saddam took control of the Party by murdering his opponents.

Yes, we sided with Iraq during the Iraq - Iran War but we had strategic reasons for doing so just as we did during WWII when we allied with the Soviet Union to fight Germany.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:46 PM:"Focal Point" what does "combat forces" mean to you? Even Obama says "non-combat forces" will remain in Iraq after his "16 months." Parsing the alleged negotiated results you quote without a source, U.S. troops will be in Iraq for longer than 2011.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:50 PM:Focal Point, let's laugh together:

Joe Biden -- the United States and France drove Hezbollah out of Lebanon. Really? There you go again Joe.

We have never mixed it up with Hezbollah and we never partnered with France, Lebanon's former colonial master, to do anything on the ground in that small country.

Reagan sent Marines there to escort Palestinian irregulars from Lebanon before the Israelis and Christian Falangists massecred them. 240 Marines paid the price.

hardtack wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:00 PM:I see it this way – 33% of the voting public will always vote the Republican ticket; 33% will always vote the Democrat ticket; 1% will vote for a third party; and, 33% will vote for “the lesser of two evils.”

As long as we do that, guess what always wins?

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:10 PM:sdraoul[-] wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:46 PM:
Any forces staying in Iraq after 11/08 will have to be under a treaty with the sovereign government of Iraq. The source is the discussion between Sec of State Rice and the very same Iraqi foreign minister.

DD Wiz wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:11 PM:Failed Socialism and unregulated capitalism
The post from "Greencinitan" (7:01pm) shows the real danger of unregulated capitalism.
Don't misunderstand; I like "Greencinitan."
But while I do disagree with the conclusion of this comment, I appreciate the help it gives me in making a broader point.
"Greencinitan" now begins to flirt with the temptation of socialism. This is what the failures of deregulated capitalism do. This happened after the wild, drunken orgy of unregulated financial recklessness under Republican administrations of the 1920's that directly caused the economic meltdown known as the "Great Depression." In the throes of that terrible economic disaster, many began to entertain the idea of socialism and the socialist party in the United States became popular (activity during this period would later come back to haunt some in the later witch hunts of the 1950's).
But what happened was that Democrats, under the leadership of FDR, came along and showed a middle-ground alternative. The success of regulated capitalism showed that capitalism does work and that socialism is not necessary. FDR, for all his other flaws, saved us from Socialism.
In fact, FDR was so successful, that once when a 20th century socialist leader Norman Thomas heard someone say that FDR had carried out the socialist platform, he sneered in response (as quoted in 1936 from Time magazine): "Roosevelt did not carry out the Socialist platform, unless he carried it out on a stretcher."
In fact, by the time FDR was through demonstrating a successful version of capitalism, socialism became such a pariah of political ideology that it allowed those 1950's witch hunts when Republican extremists came back into power. And the legacy of REGULATED capitalism made the United States the economic powerhouse of all time, in stark contrast to the extreme failures of both socialism or unregulated, lassiez faire capitalism (which bears little resemblance to the economic theory actually devolved by Adam Smith, which includes the kind of regulatory oversight of FDR.

Today we see history repeating itself. Years of Republican extremist dismantling regulatory oversight, and a philosophy of cowboy recklessness depending on "trickle down," we are again at the brink of economic collapse. We stand again at the abyss; we again need the middle-ground proven success record of educated Democrats. We do not need more reckless, shoot-from-the hip cowboys.
Peace (and sunshine) to all, DD Wiz

Chris wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:24 PM:Poor sdraoul doesn't know the difference between the Iraqi people and their corrupt government. Ether that or he thinks he can pull the wool over our eyes by talking about how a government official doean't want us out so therefor he thinks he proved that the Iraqi PEOPLE don't want us to leave. YOu notice how he dismisses the will of the Iraqi people by saying that polls in Arab countries cannot be trusted. This is the guy that writes for the NYTimes and writes books. Oh, please.

to Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:32 PM:As predicted, Rodeo is so convinced that the US automatically decides what's in everyone's best interest that he can't even see how paternalistic and imperialistic his posts are.

Chris to sdraol wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:39 PM:The U.S. was involved in a coupt in 1963 that toppled Quassim and allowed Husseing to be part of the government and in 1968 the U.S. brought forth another Coup that brought the Bath party into power and a couple years latter Hussein was able to be the top man. Why is it that you never get it right?

Focal Point wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:43 PM:sdraoul[-] wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:50 PM:
Joe caused me to say, 'Huh" on that one. The one where he told the story about FDR being on TV did cause me a chuckle.

jvc wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:49 PM:These financial market bailouts brings us back to the beginning of the question : what is the true role of government?

Interesting Story... wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:50 PM:I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it is, as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds
taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.

But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue.

Then came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table ... everywhere!

Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to
peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket.

And others birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even sit on my own back porch anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days
the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like it used to be.... quiet, serene and no one demanding their rights to a free meal.

Now let's see. Our government gives out
free food, subsidized housing, free medical care, and free education and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen.

Then the illegals came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you
have to wait 6 hours to be seen
by an emergency room doctor; your child's 2nd grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English.

Corn Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than 'Old Glory' are
squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird feeder.

Have a great night!

Rodeo

Chris to Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:12 PM:Yea right you have been to Iraq. Anyway are not the neighborhoods walled off from each other when they used to not be. Are not hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead and is the the situation of Iraqis killing Iraqis the result of our invasion? Is it not true that there are over five million refugees who have lost their homes because of our invasion? Is it not true that these refugees cannot get medical care in a country that had the best health care in the region before the invasion? Is it not true that the Maliki government is corrupt and only kept in power by our troops. Is it not true that life under Hussein was better before the invasion for most Iraqis then after? Save all your military BS for those who don't have a clue as to what you have done over there, if indeed you were over ther

Chris to Rodeo wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:24 PM:I am still waiting for you to tell me how going to Iraq is serving this country. Were they a threat to us. Were they going to send over all those ICBMs with nuclear war heads. Tell me how you served this country. What have you protected us from. I am waiting.

Occupied Territory wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:35 PM:To Rodeo:
Why should anyone trust the occupier to tell us the truth about the occupied?
And why would we believe one lowly grunt knows anything about the broad cultural, political, religious and historic forces at work.

Even John McCain didn't know the difference between Sunni and Shia.

Bill wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:04 PM:SD Raoul

Thats correct.

I was there in the Litani river valley and there was no Hezbollah presence. Islamic Jihad had roots in the attacks in both south Lebanon and the Bekka Valley. Hamas and IJP had camps there but not Hezbollah. Hezbollah is trying to win the hearts of the natives but are losing the PR war.

Your post was correct.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:28 PM:Sorry children, but Saddam was part of the Baath Party from his university days. He participated in the original 1958 revolt that threw a British imposed King out and then again in a coup in 1959.

We had nothing to do with his ascent into the top ranks of the BAATH Party. Please spell it right.

sdraoul wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:32 PM:"Interesting story" is a dumb story without little basis in fact.

Yes, all children born in the UNited States not of foreign diplomats or invading soldiers are United States citizens, period.

If you can't live with that move to German and see if your childrten can be citizens there even if you have spent your entire adult life in that country.

Citizenship is defined in our constitution, period. It is not an intepretation nor a point of view. Its is as clear as can be in the 14th Amendment.

Anyone who disagrees with that can go lump a lump of coal. Want to change the Constitution, try.

Alf wrote on Oct 6, 2008 7:14 AM:Well, "Karl" at 7:36PM,
the weekend was "fahn".
The Art Walk and Wine Tasting saw us getting drizzled upon, but there was a free shuttle that stopped at various points.
We got to meet "Yokozuna" and Mrs. "Yokozuna", they're nice folks.
We had a fantastic dinner at the Gastrognome, as usual and
we watched "War and Peace", marveling at how well Napoleon was portrayed by Herbert Lom, the guy who also played the boss of Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies.
No hiking or pictures this time around, but we may go up in spring.
Regards, Alf.

Alf wrote on Oct 6, 2008 7:26 AM:Well, "sdraoul" at 7:38PM,
are you trying to say that "our friends" in the CIA had nothing to do with regime changes, especially the one that allowed Saddam to assume power?
If that's what you're trying to say,
you need a therapist.
The U.S. has mucked with many foreign governments both covertly and overtly.
To deny that is to deny reality.
Regards, Alf.

Mutiny wrote on Oct 6, 2008 8:06 AM:There is mutiny on the McCain campaign. He continues to steer his ship the Maverick into swills of lies and misdirection. All the while Palin thinks Afghanistan is our neighboring country. What maps do they have in Alaska? Time for all you right-wingers to jump your redship and go with the next Commander-in-Chief of the greatest country..Barack Obama.

Karl wrote on Oct 6, 2008 8:56 AM:sdraoul @ 11:32 PM:

I guess I'll go lump a lump of coal if I can figure out how to do it. Isn't a lump of coal already lumped, or is that the point? I believe that the 14th ammendment is not so clear.

Help me out Raoul, I am in the process of reorganizing my office and cannot find my Handy Dandy pocket version of the Constitution. I do believe the words are "under the jurisdiction thereof". Is that correct? While that may be clear to you, I don't see where the people "under the jurisdiction thereof" are defined. Under your interpretation that would mean anyone in the world that can make it to our shores by hook or by crook.

I believe that this ammendment will be looked at by the Supreme Court one day and people a lot smarter than me will decide what is meant by that statement. Of course unless we have a constitutional ammendent which there is quite a bit of support for.

gracchus wrote on Oct 6, 2008 9:47 AM:karl, the pertinent line from the xivth amendment is:

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside."

sdraoul is perfectly right in observing that individuals born in the u.s.a. are citizens, regardless the immigration status of their mothers. he is also right in noting that german citizenship is determined by ethnicity, rather than any civic compact.

the united states has never been a state predicated upon 19th european notions of nationalism which sought to organize states containing people who shared a common language, culture, and religion. instead, the united statesis predicated on the constitution which invites all people to embrace its rights and responsbilities, regardless their language, culture, or religion.

you and others might want to remove the phrase, "All persons born...in the United States...," through a constitutional amendment, as sdraoul suggests that you do. but before you do so, you will need to explain why you want to. and then you will need to explain what consequence you expect from the removal of this phrase.

Karl wrote on Oct 6, 2008 10:16 AM:Well thought out and good points gracchus. Thank you.