Arkansas Blog

during the past 100 years, each and every 2nd term has sucked
the only thing worse than the 2nd terms of POTUS's was the 3rd terms (so-called & real, Taft, Hoover, FDR, GHWBush)

are americans allergic to history books ?

jack bass NY Times 11May (name/link)

Across the South, Barack Obama's smashing primary victory in North Carolina last week reflects a new reality - a half-century of rising Republican red tide has crested, with signs of receding.

In response to Mr. Obama's energizing of black Southern voters, enlightened self-interest may well convince many of the region's undecided superdelegates to endorse him. Over the last two years, there have been little-noticed Democratic gains in Congressional and state legislative elections across the South, as the solid black Democratic base has been joined by whites disenchanted with the Bush administration. New concern about the economy may be adding momentum.

The story is most dramatic in Virginia, which in 1976 was the only state in the South that failed to back Jimmy Carter for president. Republicans still hold a majority in the House of Delegates and an 8-3 dominance in seats in United States House. But with their second Democratic governor in a row, the party in control of the State Senate, and the likelihood of Mark Warner being elected their second Democratic senator, Virginians may have reached a Democratic tipping point.

The trends suggest a region in transformation, with dynamic economic growth, an expanded black middle class, the arrival of millions of white migrants, the return of scores of thousands of African-American expatriates, and an emerging native white generation with little or no memory of racial segregation. The result has been greater tolerance, an expanded pool of talent, and growing openness to new ideas.

In the South Carolina presidential primary in January, one factor in Mr. Obama's decisive victory was his ability to draw 25 percent of the white vote against two strong white opponents, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. But the turnout may have been the strongest sign of change.

Almost 100,000 more South Carolinians voted in the Democratic primary than in the Republican contest. The surge smashed the previous Democratic presidential primary record by more than 80 percent - this in a state where Republicans hold both Senate seats, the offices of governor and attorney general, and both houses of the legislature. The more astute white Democrats saw an energized black electorate as a core element for a future biracial comeback.

Like Americans across the country, many Southerners, black and white, are troubled by the war in Iraq, rising deficits and a plummeting economy symbolized by the soaring price of gasoline. Race itself is receding as a divisive issue. Like the late afternoon sky across the region, there's a purple hue across one horizon.

p.s. W* toured Masada today. coincidence ?

Everytime I see that picture of John McSenile, hugging up on that despicable Bush, I get the uncontrollable urge to grab McCain by the collar and shake him till his teeth rattle. What in the world was he thinking???? I hope he hurls everytime he sees it....

"McCain is now willing to set a withdrawal deadline for Iraq. 2013. Five years from now."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha...I've got some swampland for sale, too.

Plus, by his own words McBush is an American-hating traitor who is now helping our enemies...helping Al Qaeda. Everyone knows that if we 'set a date for withdrawal it will lead to the victory by Al Qaeda.' Or, perhaps, McBush is ready to acknowledge that the Dems have had it right all along...or, perhaps, McCain will sell his own momma to be president. That's some 'Maverick' y'all have there, Republicans. HA!

Perhaps he's now ready to talk about healthcare for every American...not just for rich Americans.

Ah, Ci.Ci, that's one of my favorite pictures in the whole wide world...along with President Shit for Brains giving the tongue to the Saudi King...and traitor Lieberman's man kiss one. Perhaps that's why the Republicans hate gays so much...it's just too close to home, too close for comfort.

My favorites, Zelda, is stoooopid Bush cleaning his glasses on a woman's skirt or blouse - don't remember which, and giving Angela Merkel a neck rub. Merkel should have slugged him. I love pics of Bush's stupidity and I laugh like crazy at them, but I can't stand anyone with road walking sense fawning over him.

I must've missed the skirt/blouse-cleaning one...but I'm not surprised. The world doesn't know him as a clueless moron for no reason. You aren't saying that McBush has road walking sense are ya, Ci.Ci? (Ironically, I respected McCain in the 90s...boy what a fool I was...'cause I don't believe people change that much.)

But in the end you and I know that McCain will win because of the two-faced Yellow Dog Democrats who will not vote for Obama because he is black. I bet you that Dustin McDaniel and our own Governor, Mike Beebe will not come out and endorse Obama. It would ruin thier base in rural white Dem circles.

You are right Zelda, I have to remind myself occasionally that McCain managed to lose his own soul and that takes supreme stupidity.

"McCain is now willing to set a withdrawal deadline for Iraq. 2013. Five years from now."

File that right next to Nixon's "secret plan" when running in 1968 to end the war in Vietnam. For those of you who weren't around, come the 1972 campaign for re-election, war was still going on. Voted for McGovern and damn proud of it.

"...I bet you that Dustin McDaniel and our own Governor, Mike Beebe will not come out and endorse Obama..."--billary (the black woman still sitting on her porch ha)

And I betcha they vote for the Democratic nominee...regardless. I'll also bet you that once it's down to one nominee and if Obama is that nominee, they'll endorse him.

Oh I remember, Rackensacker. I remember too much about the Vietnam years for comfort...including the roles Cheney/Rummy played in that based-on-lies war. (Of course, Cheney was too busy instigating war/sending other people to fight their war to actually fight in it or even hide out in the National Guard like President Shit for Brains.)

Zelda,

Sweetie, McCain will win. Beebe and McDaniel's don't have the balls to endorce Obama. Now did your boy Billy serve in a war. I believe he was caught lying about that too. He was going to join the reserves or the ROTC but apparently forgot to do that.

Go smoke another cigarette and blame the government for your lung cancer. You want a glass of lemonade too. The Dem party will glady serve you one out on the porch too.

My headline of the day, week, month................
Idiotmorons speech to the Knesset today and trip to a dig where he played with a silver
cup, chalis.....
if this guy isn't certifiably insane....
Ditto for Elizabeth Edwards,,,what a gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just reread what I wrote above.....before someone jumps down my throat.....
by no means was I putting EE in the certifiably insane camp with the one who is insane,
namely, GWB.
Ditto was for all the positive comments.

Uh, billary, sweetie...Bill Clinton's not running for president and he wasn't responsible (in any way) for two based-on-lies war...like Cheney/Rummy/etc. It's Cheney alone who has worked to take our country into TWO based-on-lies war while hiding behind a desk rather than on the front lines or in the National Guard. He is a cowardly warmonger...the worst kind of human/politician...but a typical Republican.

Click my name to see Bush cleaning his glasses (remember when he wore glasses?) on Dave Letterman's producers skirt. Only a retarded man would reach out and use a stranger's clothing to wipe their glasses or nose. At that very moment, watched live in my house....I knew this George W. Bush guy was going to be the worst thing to hit the world since Jesus was a pup.

Now...click on my name to watch and or read Keith Olbermann's Special Comment from last night on the sacrifices for this war on the part of our Commander and Thief. I've been off Olbermann lately because of his non-stop Hillary bashing, but by god.....no one sticks it to Bush harder, better, and more accurately than Olbermann. This one made me cheer and boo and cry...when Keith talks about the families of the 4077 US troops that have died for NOTHING in Iraq, it just broke my heart.

I have never before been ashamed to be an American. That feeling is right on par with the same feelings I've had in the past burying, what seems like a legion of close family members. I don't think until recently I ever understood how a person could be willing to give up their life for their country, be willing to die for an idea. By god.....now I understand it perfectly. Life isn't worth living if you have to live it in a hell hole. Never before did I even think about the shame of living in a bad country. Now I understand how people in Europe must have felt living under Nazi occupation. Now I understand why the Underground was formed and why common peasants were willing to die in behind the scenes efforts to foil the Nazis.

No...we're not living the full blown reincarnation of the Nazi 3rd Reich yet, but we're certainly living in the beginning stages. If we don't get off our asses and do something RIGHT NOW...all is lost. When the only remaining Super Power becomes evil and corrupt, there is no one to take them down. When it is my government that is evil and corrupt....it feels like a ball bat upside my head. I can't look at my children and feel good....I know what's in store for them. I can't look back at my father, the WWII veteran and feel proud, because the sacrifices his generation made have come to nothing in the Cheney-Bush era.

This isn't about teams or family traditions of loyalty to one political party. This is even bigger than the Haves vs the Have Nots. This next election is about the future of the entire world. Unless Cheney-Bush and all their minion are defeated, for the rest of time the population of the world will live under one world government headed by the New United States, dedicated to world domination and the subjugation of the lower 99% to live in slavery and endless toiling for the good of the 1%.

We've lost our way. We can crush any country on earth 10 times over and.....we've lost our way. These are very dangerous times we live in. Each of us must choose to be part of the problem or a part of the solution. It will take more than commanding your TV's remote control and putting yellow stickers on your SUV. You must get and stay mad, you must convince your family and friends to work towards the solution. You must be willing to cut them off if they choose the dark side. We are fighting a bullet-less Civil War here at home. If our side looses, the whole world will be plunged into the darkness forever. Think! Act! Win!

>>>>Merkel should have slugged him.<<<

She sure looked like she wanted to.
How drunk/stoned does a President have to be to give a shoulder rub to the
leader of another country?

Let's see what was it that Clinton said during his impeachment trial? Oh yeah; Something to the effect that he did not consider "Oral Sex to be a sexual act." All politicians are the same; Republicans or Democratic, Obama, Hillary and/or McCain. But if you are going to rail on the sex acts of one let us include all. You all talk of Bush's supposed homosexuality and yet how many comments do we in support of the queer community on this blog. There seems to be more prejudice from the very ones saying they are not prejudiced. May-haps just the same old double standard.

Zelda,

Sweetie, McCain will win. Beebe and McDaniel's don't have the balls to endorce Obama. Now did your boy Billy serve in a war. I believe he was caught lying about that too. He was going to join the reserves or the ROTC but apparently forgot to do that.

Go smoke another cigarette and blame the government for your lung cancer. You want a glass of lemonade too. The Dem party will glady serve you one out on the porch too.

Oh yeah; rock on billary.

I loooove that pix, Max,,,how 'bout keeping it up thru Nov. 4th???

We do love and respect our Gay friends, and, in my case a Gay cousin, just can't stomach
hypocrites, as in ALL REPUGS.

just can't stomach
hypocrites, as in ALL REPUGS.

jazzy

And you seriously do not see Hypocrisy in any other political party?

Not when it comes to sex......we make a big public splash of it.

Wesssssss!!!!!! Bush is gay??????? Really!!!!!! I can't believe it!

jazzy, I love the picture, too. I changed my profile picture to this one (from "Bush Holding Hands With Oil').

Woe is us? Are you kidding? This photo is Exhibit 1 in the upcoming Obama v. George Bush III campaign. I'd design two TV ads: one with this photo of Bush, pulling back to show McCain virtually feeling him up. The second would be similar but with Phil Gramm instead (we Democratic Texans can barely hold our lunch looking at McCain and Gramm in the same picture).

No difference between Obama, Hillary and McBush...hahahaha...thanks for the laugh, wes!

Why liberal message boards/blogs/forums always so ugly? Why can't liberals say anything in an articulate manner? Seldom are points actually made, when your contempt for any human that does not see things your way, i.e.
(1. Anyone who works must be over taxed so that those that don't work get the same benefits as those who do
2. No one in America can be trusted to take care of themselves, so let the government take care of you
3. Bureaucracies/Lobbies rule at the expense of our children's education
4. We must all tuck our tales and play nice with the whole world, even though the whole world certainly does not play nice..... ) gets in the way of making an intelligent point.
And, yes the Republican party is DOOMED as it has been predicted doomed for 40 years now. The Republican party will never go away, an will never fall totally wayside to the party of racism and Jim Crow.... It is unfortunate that many Americans don't do their home work. When asked how they feel about education, faith, energy independence, etc., 85% of Americans fall RIGHT of center. Many of those same people are voting Obama because he believes in the "future", yet they have no clue what that means. Our brains have been washed by uber-liberal Hollywood and the Mainstream Media, many actually believe what they hear on TV or read in newspapers. They don't know what it means to vote for a candidate that represents their values. They don't understand when they say, "heck yeah, drill for oil any where" or "I am a Christian and believe prayer in schools is okay" what they are actually saying is, I don't agree with Obama....
But that's okay, you guys keep dribbling your liberal talking points, "the GOP is dead", according to your people the GOP was dead decades ago.

I thot Mcbush was supposed to release his medical records middle of May, it was first
middle of April, now its middle of May and that left jaw is getting bigger and bigger and
we have no answer.
Who was the prez who had a cancer operation aboard ship in Potomac river to hide it
from the people???

For the lovers, bush and Mcbush

click

MAK, I'm confused, who are you accusing of being hateful??

Yeah, jazzy...where the hell are those records, McBush?? What are you hiding? (And, thanks for reminding us, I'd forgot about his promise...wonder why Obama or Hillary doesn't remind him...perhaps you should be on their payroll!)

Yeah, MAK, who are you accusing of being hateful?

Well, I think MAK has a point, even if it needs sharpening a bit. I believe Christians ought to stand up and say that they're not for drilling for oil anywhere because it breaks God's commandment to be a steward of the earth. Besides being grossly unconstitutional and leading to a theocracy, I also believe it's against the biblical instructions to force prayer into the public schools. Who does not recall the instructions on how to pray and to keep it a private communication just between you and God?

And if we start quoting the message of love, charity, and avoiding the greedy charlatans hanging about the temple, we get accused of "dribbling your liberal talking points." I'll let others flesh out this point, but I believe that the ones most wrong about Christ's message and how to treat people are those who most fervently claim that Christianity ought to be opposed to treating others as fellow human beings.

What stands out most about those who use the Bible as a club rather than as a comfort is the amount their own bias and hatred has seeped into their beliefs, like raw sewage polluting a river. Europe bears sad testimony in many graves, marked and unmarked, to the horrors and injustice committed in the name of Christianity. It is likely that this harsh and terrible history has awakened in Europeans a sense of how wrong such actions were and that it is far better to abide in peace and understanding than to live in blind misunderstanding of your own shortcomings.

I've used this before and only received one decnt answer from all the conservatives who've posted here. So, MAK, here's your chance:

So you don't like liberals. Fine.

You don't like the people who: fought for or enacted clean air and water standards, worker safety protections, the 40-hour work week, the social security program, the civil rights movement, the equal rights movement, the free speech movement, discrimination protections, the free school lunch program, birth control, rural electrification, organized labor, child-labor laws, the minimum wage, employee healthcare benefits, public assistance, Americans with Disabilities Act, fair housing legislation, the Freedom of Information Act, the Voting Rights Act, food and drug safety regulations, federally subsidized student loans, collective bargaining..

And everything else they have done to put power back into the hands of the individual, and out of the hands of the ruling and corporate elite.

I am proud to stand up for my liberal beliefs. How about your list for conservative beliefs? Please be so kind as to list them for us. Who do they give power to?

What I'm trying to get you to understand, MAK, is that this liberal & conservative as enemy camps is BS. Both sides have contributed in their own way to forming the laws of this country and in setting down the rules of how we behave with each other. Both sides have excesses that speak more against their adherents than against the core definitions of these world views.

Well, can't eat any more until the VA does blood work tomorrow. Best not engage in anything that might upset me and provide further proof to my cycnical belief that most humans are fools and easily duped. Gormless creatures wandering about the landscape of reason with their eyes closed and their minds locked up. Picture them as cattle and it's not hard to see that most of them are sporting several brands on their scrawny hides.

Anyone for history????

click

Wesssssss!!!!!! Bush is gay??????? Really!!!!!! I can't believe it!

CiCi; show me please where I said anything cotrary?

No difference between Obama, Hillary and McBush...hahahaha...thanks for the laugh, wes!

Then please show me the difference.

Click on name for a site which goes over issue by issue what each candidate has said or written about them. Simplistic assertions aside, there are plenty of differences on a number of topics.

Wes proposes a problem that is more about semantics than it is about perceived wrong. Are you being prejudiced if you say prejudice is wrong? It seems to be a paradox on the surface but when one substitutes other words, the statement begins to unravel and show its weakness: Are you being a murderer if you say murder is wrong? Are you being prejudiced if you say murder is wrong? Are you not prejudiced if you say prejudice is not wrong?

Anyway, it's a blog. When someone can add his two cents worth, get change in return, and thinks he's being funny then he's still being short-changed.

Jake, there is no doubt that both liberals, conservatives, Democrats and Republicans have done good things and bad things. I do hate liberals/environmentalists right now for not allowing drilling on home soil, not allowing more nuclear plants (basically not allowing anything that will allow any move toward fuel dependence).
My comments were specific to this blog, not that bashing does not transcend party lines, it just seems if you go to a "conservative blog" the name calling is much less, the language is a lot cleaner, basically intelligent points come across more clearly because they are not filled with so much hate. You can say, "Bush has often failed us Conservatives due to his pandering to illegal immigrants and constant bowing down to liberals..." see I just stated a point with no name calling. You can also say, "I really hate this war, I personally blame Bush and his crew for this war, which I believe has lead to higher fuel prices, I am sick of our soldiers dying for no reason...." see the point came across with no name calling.
In response to your other "points"
Democrats/Liberals put more rights in the hands of individuals? Jake, SERIOUSLY????? The entire thought behind being a liberal is, "higher taxes, for more government programs". THAT is SACRIFICING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS!!!! IIIIIIII have to pay higher taxes for people that don't work, people don't live here legally. I PAY for my health insurance so that I can go to the doctor, but I guess if I just decided to not work, I could let you pay for my health care.... No the individual American rights are slowly being removed by your Unions and Bureaucracies. No longer do our children have the right to GOOD free education, no. We have to be PC, we have to bow down to the smallest of minorities, sacrificing the desires of the majority. It is sickening. Look at the Detroit school system for an example. When a man came forward with MILLIONS of dollars in donations to start 9 charter schools. The money was TURNED AWAY!!!!! Why? Because bureaucracies could not allow such a thing to happen. Detroit is THE perfect example of how liberal government destroys.
I for one am tired of MY individual freedoms and rights being removed because of the FEW. It took three years for my husband to get into med school, but by God the little asian sitting next to him, barely able to speak English, with a much lower GPA and much lower MCAT score got in on the first try. There is liberalism at its finest, constant rejection of the majority for the minority. I hope SHE is your doctor some day, I am sure you want the doctor that by any standards should not have even been in med school.
I am not sure why the bible came into play???? I never mentioned the bible, and though my Christian values may guide me my fiscal Conservatism and my desire to keep more of my money and donating what I want to whom I want instead of being forced to "give" it to people that don't deserve guides me politically much more than the bible. I mentioned prayer in school because when first graders get SUSPENDED for reading their bible together at recess that's a PROBLEM. THAT is liberal theology taking rights away from the individual. Over 84% of American's claim to be Christians and support prayer in school, NOT organized prayer or forced prayer but prayer. EIGHTY FOUR percent!!!!!!!!!! Yet, every day a new issue where a Christian gets in trouble basically for their believes arises. But, who cares about 84%, we gotta be pc, we can't hurt anyone's feelings!

MAK, when you can give me empirical evidence and not anecdotal ecidence or isolated cases, then I might take a serious look at some of your claims. I could just as easily make a list of stories about the big bad conservatives and how they've denuded the Constitution with their security scare or how they've added more spending to the budget during their tenure than the liberals ever did, etc. None of it is empirical evidence unles I show you facts and figures that encompass the same scale as your accusations. If you blame large then you must have large proof of your statements, preferably from a neutral source or as balanced a presentation on the matter as possible.

Your claims about niceness on conservative blogs vs rudeness on liberal blogs has no factual basis that I could find. There are just too many blogs and they're a fairly recent phenomenon. It's your viewpoint, It's not necessarily a fact. Most of what you say is your viewpoint. Without good empirical evidence, that's all it remains.

And, as noted with my previous debaters on this topic: where is your list of conservative accomplishments? You danced all around the topic to do some voodoo chants about bad ol' liberals but where's the real stuff, the important acts and benefits that conservatives have provided for the individual.

(P.S. If you don't want to get bashed pretty hard about your complaints on how immigrants and out of work people are taking so much government money, then you'd better look again at the statistics on what percentage of the immigrants are actually unemployed vs unemployed regular US citizens o at the percentage of the U.S. budget that goes to helping the poor. Your statements look exceedingly foolish in the light of those facts.)

You know, based on your statements and tone, I could readily come up with the assumption that conservatives are just whiners who prefer to make mountains out of molehills. When you have vision like a mole, that can happen often.

The Urban Institute addresses many of your concerns, MAK, and has the facts and figures to separate myth and misinformation from reality and reason.

I forgot to add: click on blue name. Sorry about that.

--CiCi; show me please where I said anything cotrary?--

Wes, I was teasing you, but I can't respond because I don't know what "cotrary" means.

--CiCi; show me please where I said anything cotrary?--

Wes, I was teasing you, but I can't respond because I don't know what "cotrary" means.

Sorry CiCi that was supposed to be "contrary."

Jake-
Well so far, I can still carry my gun to the Baseline Wal-Mart in my purse. Thank you Conservatives.
The CRA of 1964? Thank you Conservatives.
America has NOT been attacked since 9/11-THANKS CONSERVATIVES
Today, you can get heart surgery when you need it rather than three years from the time you need it (unlike countries with socialized health care of course this will change if we get BHO or HRC) Thanks Conservatives.

Unfortunately, most Republicans in office are NOT Conservative, but are instead of bunch of vaginas that pander to the media and to their liberal peers.
For this reason, the American small business is under extreme financial pressure.
Thanks to liberals and their ever increasing regulations we have lost American jobs (IE DETROIT)
Thanks to liberals and their ever increasing affair with political correctness, our public schools fail our children.
Thanks to liberals and their environmental friends gas prices continue to sky rocket (10 years ago Clinton could have drilled in ANWR, making that fuel available by now, but did not) and we continue to be fiercely dependent on foreign fuel.
And, 25,000+ jobs in ANWR ALONE are not being created thanks to those mentioned above.
The cost of food has gone through the roof, due to corn/rice/etc becoming a commodity. DUH!!!

And by your tone, I guess like so many liberals you don't get what matters to AMERICANS!!!!!! When 80+% say, drill ANWR get my fuel prices down, then maybe we should drill. America was built on majority rule with minorities protected, but today THANKS to liberals it is Minority rule at the sacrifice of the majority. What might be a mole hill to you, is a mountain to the majority of Americans. Like to me, it matters that I pay taxes and I pay for health insurance, but my premiums are higher than they should be because of the people that don't pay taxes and don't pay for health insurance, but get benefits and health care any way.

Illegal immigrants cost the US Tax Payer $346 billion/year (link at name).

Immigrant crime wave is false information:

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=7ecbebe51c9ccebed709b61141dcde56

Rubenstein (who works for the right-wing think tank Manhattan Institute - which is not an unbiased source, but a idelological driven agency) report you cited is flawed:

http://www.openmarket.org/2008/05/14/immigrantion-is-good-for-the-economy-2-inventions/

http://redblueamerica.com/truthornot/2008-04-03/do-illegal-immigrants-receive-more-government-benefits-they-pay-taxes-2300

As to gas prices, the myth that ANWR will greatly reduce gas prices was disproven 4 years aho with an MSNBC report:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4542853/

Actual reduction results would've been about 50 cents per barrel or 0.5%. Translated o the gas pump, it would mean savings of less than 2 cents per gallon at current prices. You would be advised to look at the record profit taking done by oil companies, the global oil market, and the failure of America to heed warnings made decades ago about its gluttonous oil dependency.

As to the safety of America after 9-11, that fails to address the safety of America on 9-11 when the Bush administration, a conservative one, failed to heed warnings or ignored reports of significant increases in terrorist communications and activities. Ask the folks who died on 9-11 how safe Bush kept them!

Mostly, you're just repeating rants that make me continue to think of you as a nagging whiner. You have to blame someone and lean toward your biases rather than towards carefully prepared research and study. Both liberals and conservatives have made mistakes and it is blatantly unfair to single out one side over the other as the main scapegoat and whipping boy.

Too often you reduce everything to simplistic deductions based on minimal, disputed, or unproven evidence. You basically want to expound upon one theme and one theme only: your hatred of liberals. This means you will do the worst thing any researcher must avoid doing: you find facts or statements to fit your theory, rather than find a theory (or multiple theories) that fit a complex array of facts. In the vast sea of information we have around us, it is extremely difficult to find what is clear, factual while the storms of prejudice and ignorance make the surface uneasy to sail upon.

It is amazing the amount of misinformation, myth, and misunderstanding which inculcates our society when we think we operate with so-called reliable knowledge. As one who has taught some statistics, I can guarantee you that data can be so heavily manipulated that the masses can be easily fooled and often are.

Since your main goal is to bash liberals and use anything you can find to do so, it really is a waste of my time and yours to continue this charade. FYI, in our house we try to do without the 3 G's as much as posible (gods, guns, and grease). We know the world is a dangerous place but it always has been so. We have no qualms against people using or believing in the 3 G's since they take care of the 3 Fs for some folks (Faith, Fear, Food). It's just not our thing and yes, I've been robbed, knifed, and threatened so it's not because I haven't dealt with life's unpleasantness. I don't blame conservatives or liberals for great wrongs or terrible situations. I realize how incredibly ignorant and controlled the masses are in today's societies. I just keep my fingers crossed, look both ways in all situations, avoid trouble, try to keep my own temper in check when others don't, and remain skeptical of all so-called truths.

Enjoy your family this weekend and quit wasting your time with an old coot like me who just hacks away whenever his wife decides to take her afternoon nap. It's a beautiful day and we shouldn't bare our naked prejudices and ruin it.

Try to imagine life without social security, medicaid/medicare, AFDC, all those New Deal programs that gave men jobs during the Depression, Civil Rights, etc. I think it's a measure of how significant a contribution is when you imagine taking it away again and removing the impact and help it has been to making America a better place to live.
I'm sure you can come up with conservative contributions that one could see in a similar light. This polarization of liberals and conservatives has been more damaging to American politics than any other change in our political landscape lately.

An interesting side note about our US Constitution and its framers:

According to Barbara Holland, in 1787, two days before their work was done, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention "adjourned to a tavern for some rest, and according to the bill they drank 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 of whiskey, 22 of port, 8 of hard cider and 7 bowls of punch so large that, it was said, ducks could swim around in them. Then they went back to work and finished founding the new Republic."
That was the 15th of September when the party was held. On the 16th they were probably lying drunk in the streets of Philadelphia. On the 17th, they were sobered up and returned to sign the Constitution. Only 39 of the 55 signed the Constitution so one can only speculate whether some still were against some of its provisions or still couldn't see well enough or have a steady-enough hand to sign it.

According to Barbara Holland, in 1787, two days before their work was done, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention "adjourned to a tavern for some rest, and according to the bill they drank 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 of whiskey, 22 of port, 8 of hard cider and 7 bowls of punch so large that, it was said, ducks could swim around in them. Then they went back to work and finished founding the new Republic."
That was the 15th of September when the party was held. On the 16th they were probably lying drunk in the streets of Philadelphia. On the 17th, they were sobered up and returned to sign the Constitution. Only 39 of the 55 signed the Constitution so one can only speculate whether some still were against some of its provisions or still couldn't see well enough or have a steady-enough hand to sign it.

You are right about some of them refusing to sign the Constitution because according history men like Adams would not sign until he saw or gauranteed a bill of rights that specifically included what we call the 2nd amendment.

among many, many reasons.....don't forget the slave issue was a hot item. Also, it would be interesting to see how Adams framed his thoughts on the 2nd amendment compared to how the NRA frames them or on how others framed them at the time. I think I'll look into it. Sounds fascinating.

Wooo! Hit gold right out of the gate. Click on name. I used a search engine defined by "john adams" + second amendment + constitution. Hope you enjoy the study because it looks quite serious and very thorough on the subject.

Interesting point that depends on historical perspective and the fect that meanings can change over time:

The Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles declares that a meaning of "to bear arms" is a figurative usage meaning "to serve as a soldier, do military service, fight".

Jake, I could take your exact statement and flip it around to talk to you. We can each pull up website after website to prove a point. I am not driven by Conservative views as I am driven by common sense.

Common sense tells me that if illegal citizens get health care without health insurance, it probably costs me a buck.

Common sense tells me, that the MOMENT we begin drilling for our own fuel, the cost will drop. Oil producing countries are fairly dependent on us purchasing their fuel. As soon as the supply begins to go up, the demand decreases along with the cost. That is not conservative that is common sense. Not to mention that I believe the THOUSANDS of jobs that would be created would be a good thing, but that's just me.

So Bush who was in office for all of several months is at fault for 9/11. What about the guy that was in office for 8 years and constantly cut the intelligence/military budget? See jake that is you being lead by your lib ideologies. And to be honest, I am quite an optimistic person. I think I am truly lucky to live in the greatest country in the world. I love my country and all that it stands for, freedom of religion, freedom of speech.....I do worry that some of these freedoms are under attack. But, I stay strong in my belief that we will eventually come back to the country we were founded to be, one lead by the majoriy not by unions, politically correct minorities bureaucrats, etc. And I don't care who is in office Dem or Rep as long as my freedoms are protected.

Oh, you libs and trying to re-write the Constitution....."well what our Fathers actually meant was...." I have EVER friggin right to carry my gun and be able to protect myself, that freedom was given to me when this country was built you can try to redefine what was meant by what they said.

Your right Jake I don't have the time to go and look at 40 different websites every time I have a point to make. I have a degree in political science and a master in leadership, I have worked in politics for 8 years, sometimes I have to fall back on my intelligence, (or the thoughts that exist in my head as you would probably argue my intelligence). I have three jobs, while my husband attends med school, so my time for tit-for-tat with you is limited. I will end this discussion here for now knowing that I am right and knowing that you know you are right :)