Happy Father's Day

[withahip]

It would be nice and mature to see individuals on CC, MSNBC, FOX, Meet The Press, etc., talking like this. Rather than yelling at each other.

[JackT]

No problem with anything you said there (Mr. Brian).


I would amend to one thing you said-- it seems to me that "flip-flopping" CAN be a good reason to vote against a politician, if said "flip-flopping" is merely a case of saying whatever it takes to get elected, that is, simple, craven pandering.

Some voters are actually more interested in a candidate who adheres to genuine core principles than in one that tells each particular audience what they want to hear. A habitual panderer is an unknown quantity, you have no idea what you are voting for.

I think it goes without saying that anyone should be allowed a genuine change of heart; such a thing is a sign of maturity. Frequent about-faces on core issues are a sign of something else.

[moondance]

The way that I deeply feel is that the world is in a very dangerous position and unfortunately we have ourselves embroiled in the midst of it.
Economically we are in an awful position too due to oil prices and bad banking practices. A lot of thievery went on. Unfortunately I don't really like either candidate all that much but to tilt the entire country to the left at this point would be a disaster.

Brian, you're right about some of McCain's flip flops too. I just wish that there was a viable alternative, but as usual we have to try to choose the lesser of two evils.
You also have to vote for someone who is closer to your own philosophy and morality.

I think it is wonderful that Barack Obama has gotten so far, but he is also the media darling. They pretty much give him most of the media attention and maybe a second or two to McCain. More if something disparaging has happened like yesterday's Phil Gramm stupid soundbite that we are having a 'mental reccession' and are 'a nation of whiners'. Don't tell me that I'm having a mental redcession! Thank God I still have a job.

Honestly, I for one am having a very hard time making it from month to month. I've been on an austerity budget since the beginning of the year and I bite my nails when the bills come in. I knew we would be in trouble with all of the improperly researched mortgages being paid out.

I don't feel that there is any candidate out there now who really has the interests in America at heart. These politicians are the lackeys for big money and special interests.

And the media, they chase after scandals and lost young women and focus their lazer beams on trivial bullshit. They know that sex sells and they have totally lost their neutrality and investigative teeth. They should have been warning Americans of these impending perils but they were too busy letting the public sit blindly by and fill up on such useless pap.

Rant rant rant!

So depressing!

[withahip]

Economically we are in an awful position too due to oil prices and bad banking practices. A lot of thievery went on. Unfortunately I don't really like either candidate all that much but to tilt the entire country to the left at this point would be a disaster.

Rant rant rant!

So depressing!

It ain't a rant; it is a reality. Your story is common and any increase or return to the previous tax policy would crush. Yet, running two wars at the same time while lowering taxes does not make sense either. I would look beyond party and to voting records.

A Republican controlled Congress and Executive branch has gotten to this point. Republicans who have spent more than any Congress in the history of the United States. We were taken to war under false pretense and have not encouraged the building of gas refineries - not since the 70s. There is no energy policy of any worth from either candidate - I am talking along the lines of a new Manhattan project.

We are all counting the days till Dubyah, Cheney and Rove leave.



Now that's a rant!

[insanejane]

I'm sure our British and European forum friends are yawning and bored to death by this point and I apologize for that.

This country would be much better if it was split down the middle. Half Republican and half Democrat. If you didn't like the politics of your state, you could move to another one that represented your beliefs.

I am afraid of John McCain mostly because of the people behind him ( like Phil Gramm and Karl Rove)

I don't believe ANY U.S. president will EVER bring home Blackwater or the 3 U.S. oil companies that just got huge deals in Iraq. Hence, John McCain's 100 years.

I don't want anyone to drill off the coastline of California since the Navy alone is already killing and harming ocean animals here.

I don't think we should "bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran" because..............

Israel does not need ANYONE'S help militarily. They've got a pretty powerful military of their own.

I agree with Wesley Clark that being a war hero should not be a given when seeking the presidency otherwise the murderer from "In Cold Blood" would also be eligible.

The fact that Canada, Germany and quite a few nations are captivated by Obama says a lot. We need to go back to diplomacy and forget occupation of every fucking square inch of this planet so that we can pillage and plunder the natural resources out of it.


Everything Ann Coulter or the right says is not all truth and the left all propaganda.

[Mr. Brian]

It would be nice and mature to see individuals on CC, MSNBC, FOX, Meet The Press, etc., talking like this. Rather than yelling at each other.

Polite discourse gets no ratings.

[Mr. Brian]

A habitual panderer is an unknown quantity, you have no idea what you are voting for.

True but it's difficult to determine at times and both parties do it and have always done it. I'd be hard pressed to think of any modern American president who never pandered to a voter and then did the exact opposite. I suppose it is all degrees and shades of grey but the 24 hour news cycle and editorial commentators disguised as newsmen makes it really hard to tell.

I actually tune into right-wing-editorial-commentator-disguised-as-a-newsmen Sean Hannity from time to time to see what he's yapping about and he beats the drum loudly on "Clinton Kool Aid Drinkers" and "Obama Kool Aid Drinkers", basically saying that their followers will vote for them no matter what despite what the facts might say (according to him of course). A caller asked if there were "McCain Kool Aid Drinkers" too. He adamantly said "no!". How ironic that the "Hannity Kool Aid Drinkers" themselves were just lapping that up. Of course there are Sean. People will always blindly follow others and McCain is no different.

[JackT]

Polite discourse gets no ratings.

Things will heat up after it is revealed that I stole withahip's man, at which point he will tear of his top and throw a chair at me. He will then allow himself to be subdued by half-hearted measures to restrain him.

[withahip]

That's kind of hawt Jack.

One of the largest US mortgage lenders, the California-based IndyMac Bank, has collapsed amid a growing credit crisis.

Federal regulators seized the bank's assets, fearing it might not be able to meet withdrawals by depositors.

It is the second-largest financial institution to fail in US history, regulators say.

The failure came on a day when shares in the two biggest US home loan institutions - Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae - fell at one stage by almost 50%.