Speaking to a crowd of political supporters last night, President Bush twice stressed the importance of keeping Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) as Majority Leader after the November elections:
If you want your taxes low, keep Denny Hastert and Bill Frist as leaders of the House and the Senate. …
I want to thank you for helping make sure that Denny Hastert and Bill Frist remain in their positions in the Senate and the House, and I assure you this, we will continue to lead this country with an optimistic, hopeful, positive vision that says to every American, opportunity belongs to you as much as your neighbor.
There’s only one problem: Bill Frist is retiring.
It is too bad Frist is retiring but no matter the GOP will still dominate. Unless the Dems come out with an agenda besides “we dont like Bush”.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:22 amWow folks - this isn’t a problem for them. They’re just trying to position him for the next presidential run. Is anyone closer to a monkey-clone than Frist?!?!? Maybe Jeb, but I’m not sure.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:23 amYet another example of how Bush is so completely out-of-touch, uninformed and incompetent. He doesn’t have grasp of the most basic details but we’re expected to believe he’s providing competent leadership on tough issues like Iraq, energy and the economy?!!!!!!!
June 20th, 2006 at 10:24 amNobody is talking to the Chimpy this close to the November election.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:25 amOR Cheney resigns and Frist is appointed VP and becomes President of the Senate… sorry, but it could happen??
June 20th, 2006 at 10:26 amTroll, what is the GOP’s agenda? They’ve had 5 years and the only agenda I’ve seen is to give the rich tax breaks and to give money to Halliburton.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:26 am“…we will continue to lead this country with an optimistic, hopeful, positive vision…”
Actions speak louder than words Mr. President.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:29 amI guess this proves they are deep in Bush’s pockets. Maybe Bush was “hinting” that Frist better not retire.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:42 amNo one could have anticipated Frist would retire!
June 20th, 2006 at 10:42 amWell, Frist has said only that he ‘plans’ to retire. If the ‘08 GOP nomination continues to look as shaky for him as it does at the moment, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he reneges on that pledge. Perhaps Georgie Boy knows something we don’t.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:43 amwhy didnt bush mention frist’s cat killing days?
June 20th, 2006 at 10:45 am“If you want your taxes low”
Because that’s what’s really important. Never mind the gas bill though.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:47 amIn Bush’s mind (or what passes for such), ‘Frist’ is merely a verbal placeholder for ‘whatever compliant syncophant we can muscle into the Majority Leader’s slot.’ Having the actual Bill Frist in the Senate is not critical.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:50 amThere’s only one problem: Bill Frist is retiring.
So he thinks. The Decider decides when you stay and when you go. So, sorry Billy Willy (that’s W’s nickname for him in private), hope the deposit you put on that gigantic RV is refundable…
June 20th, 2006 at 10:50 amIt’s rather sad that Sen. Frist is retiring. His scandals would add yet another weight to the sinking Republican platform.
Well, if they ever get a better agenda other than “Keep doing the exact same thing that’s been failing for so long and expect it to suddenly start working for no discernable reason”, maybe they wouldn’t lose seats this coming November 8th.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:51 amBush is an idiot.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:51 amI have to bet the Republican(s) running for Frist’s seat is(are) just LOVING this!
June 20th, 2006 at 10:52 amHastert is retiring too, he just doesn’t know it yet.
Support John Laesch to get rid of fatass Denny.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:53 amDoes anyone else read George’s speeches in that immitation voice that Jon Stewart uses? Complete with the ‘heh-heh’s and hand gestures?
June 20th, 2006 at 10:53 amNo surprise in his comment. Everything bush knows is on a need-to-know basis…whatever he needs to know, cheney & rove tell him. The day-to-day machinations are out of his sphere of interest and influence.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:55 amBush couldn’t be that stupid, he’s plainly referring to keeping them in Congress until November.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:55 amwages have increased the past 54 years of my life. Congressmen received a wage increase ca. 1956. Their salary went from 12 thousand per year to 22,500 per year. in 1956, minimum wage was 1.00 per hour. Silver coin was in circulation at that time, so a dollar an hour meant ten dollars per hour minimum wage at today’s price of silver.
When you don’t have a stable economic system, nothing really works the way it should.
War causes further instability until all hell breaks lose.
buy some drugs from Rush and forget about it.
Take Dick Cheney bear hunting in Alaska and leave him out in the middle of nowhere. It’ll do him some good.
good riddance to the cat killer.
Have a nice day.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:57 amTroll, what is the GOP’s agenda? They’ve had 5 years and the only agenda I’ve seen is to give the rich tax breaks and to give money to Halliburton.
Comment by Jim — June 20, 2006 @ 10:26 am
Jim - I have been asking this question of trolls for months and they refuse to respond, just more of the same crap about democrats. I would really love to know how “stay the course” which has failed for more than three years is a strategy, let alone a good strategy, but they have yet to answer. It is easier for them to attack then to actually have something intelligent to say.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:57 amDon’t jump to conclusions. Maybe they’re going to stop-loss him.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:59 amMy first visit to this blog…you on the left are a piece of work all right. Jim, your comment about “give the rich tax breaks and to give money to Halliburton” speaks volumes about you. If the rich are given tax breaks it’s because they are the one’s paying all the taxes! People in low income brackets don’t pay taxes, so why should they get any tax breaks?? As for Halliburton, were you as critical to the awarding of contracts to that company when the sex offender was president? Mr. Clinton’s administration awarded contracts to Halliburton as well.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:00 am#25 - The difference is they were “bid” contracts and halliburton was held to standards and kept from lying about their deliverables.
Now they get no-bid contracts, gat paid a heck of a lot more for doing a heck of a lot less, are not held to ANY standards, and get paid for NOT delivering what they promised they would.
Oh, yeah, nice going Pres. Bush. Could you fail any more than you already have?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:03 amAnd now for a bit of well-needed humor (the only problem is it is sad as well)
From the great Will Durst:
Bush says he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw his soul. Fortunately, Putin was gracious enough not to mention he looked into Bush’s ear and saw daylight on the other side.
Bush claims he wants to work with the Democrats. Yeah, right. The same way a 5 year old with a magnifying glass wants to work with ants.
The President says he doesn’t read, and the problem is, I believe him.
Bush’s nickname is Dubya. Clinton was Bubba. Bubba and Dubyah. The hell is wrong with us? Why can’t we elect some guy known as “The Little Professor?” Where’s President “Brainiac” or “Einstein?”
Cheney has a pacemaker the size of a garage door opener. The first Vice President susceptible to assassination by microwave.
The NRA continues to argue assault weapons can be used as legitimate hunting rifles. OK. I can buy that. I mean, you can also use a chain saw to cut butter. Just going to get a little messy around muffin time.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:06 amkeeping Fristy and Denny as leaders is the bedrock of the WH “unitary executive” strategy. just like the rest of Bush’s picks, key positions are filled by people who are either incompetent or weak, so that they say and do what they’re told and don’t try to hog the limelight-but can be counted on to take the blame.
I’ll believe Frist is out when the filing deadline is past. that man clearly wants power too much to give it up. and he has to know that his presidential ambitions are toast.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:06 amDoes anyone else read George’s speeches in that immitation voice that Jon Stewart uses? Complete with the ‘heh-heh’s and hand gestures?
Comment by unbelievable
Is there any other way? ;)
June 20th, 2006 at 11:09 amIn the USA Today story you link to, the photo of Frist reminded me so much of the 1950-60’s horror movie host Zacherley (in the NYC area). Kind of fitting, Frist being a serial kitty-murderer.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:10 am25. So, you are for the Vatican sized embassy that Halliburton is building in Iraq? A literal fortress. WTF? That is the ONLY construction happening in Iraq. Damn the people, right?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:10 am#25 - why don’t you answer the question? What is the republican strategy? Name one thing this administration has accomplished in the past 5 years that has not been a complete failure.
Inflation has outpaced earnings so please so not even try to bring up the economy.
Are you one of the 30% who have a bank account as large as Bush’s or are you one of the 30% with an IQ as low as Bush’s?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:11 amWelcome Rickd -
So, we’re running record deficits, and at war, therefore we need to reduce the revenues by giving tax breaks to the only class of people paying taxes: the rich.
I guess the working class doesn’t pay taxes, therefore doesn’t need tax breaks.
Please, if you’re going to regurgitate talking points, do your research first. Otherwise you’ll be quickly dismissed as another mindless supporter if the current Administration.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:11 amAh yes, yet another viseting troll with old new’s and Clintor bashing….LOL.In case you missed it we are now at the year 2006 and BTW, bush has been the mouth piece for the radical right, big business and screw the world since 2000…..Add something good or just move along, please…..
June 20th, 2006 at 11:13 am#25 - rickd
CLINTON! CLINTON! CLINTON!
June 20th, 2006 at 11:13 amWAAAAAAHHHHH!
Well, Frist has said only that he ‘plans’ to retire. ….Perhaps Georgie Boy knows something we don’t.
Well, the Republican primary for Frist’s TN Senate seat is in about 6 weeks, so if Frist plans to run, he’d better get on with it. The campaign is in full swing, so if Frist has changed his mind about retiring, it would really screw things up for his fellow Republicans who are eating each other alive to grab his seat.
Actually, I don’t know the rules, but it’s possible that the filing deadline is already past. Frist is retiring and Duhbya is an idiot for not knowing that. More proof that he’s just the figurehead that they trot out for speechifying and banquets.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:14 amI heard this great line at a baseball game about a week ago that I would love to use on this administration. I am just afraid they would do it!!
A palyer was up at bat and had been striking out all night. A fan yelled,
“Be worse, I dare you”
Fits!
June 20th, 2006 at 11:15 amEveryone close their eyes for a minute and listen to this and see how much this applies to today’s climate. Just replace some of the names such as Vietnam with Iraq, the number 4 with 5 1/2, and you can see that although crooked as hell Richard Nixon was miles ahead of Miss Cleo. (roll tape)
America’s in trouble today not because her people have failed but because her leaders have failed. And what America wants are leaders to match the greatness of her people.
And this great group of Americans - the forgotten Americans and others - know that the great question Americans must answer by their votes in November is this: Whether we will continue for four(2) more years the policies of the last five years.
And this is their answer, and this is my answer to that question: When the strongest nation in the world can be tied up for four years in a war in Vietnam(Iraq) with no end in sight, when the richest nation in the world can’t manage its own economy, when the nation with the greatest tradition of the rule of law is plagued by unprecedented lawlessness(torture,neglect, katrina) when a nation that has been known for a century for equality of opportunity is torn by unprecedented racial violence, and when the President of the United States cannot travel abroad or to any major city at home without fear of a hostile demonstration(free speech zones, wtf) - then it’s time for new leadership for the United States of America.
PERIOD!!!
Dedicated to my Soldier SGT Stephen “Big Perm” Sherman
June 20th, 2006 at 11:15 amKIA 3 Feb 05 Mosul, Iraq
Well, Frist has said only that he ‘plans’ to retire. ….Perhaps Georgie Boy knows something we don’t.
Well, the Republican primary for Frist’s TN Senate seat is in about 6 weeks, so if Frist plans to run, he’d better get on with it. The campaign is in full swing, so if Frist has changed his mind about retiring, it would really screw things up for his fellow Republicans who are eating each other alive to grab his seat.
Actually, I am going to guess that the filing deadline is already past. Frist is retiring and Duhbya is an idiot for not knowing that. More proof that he’s just the figurehead that they trot out for speechifying and banquets.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:15 amIs there any other way? ;)
Comment by Zookeeper — June 20, 2006 @ 11:09 am
Jack Cafferty is back! Whew… I was worried. You know how CNN is becomeing FOX JR.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:17 amComment by rickd
June 20th, 2006 at 11:17 amSure, pal. Rich folks get up very early in the morning, prepare themselves the breakfast, and go to work as nobody else around. That is why they have so much money, right? Because they are really hard workers, not like poor people who only wants to sit around and smoke cigarretes. I hope you are really trying to bother us, cause otherwise you are really stupid. Since Industrial revolution, the accumulation of wealth took an awful crescendo due to the fact that owners of mills, textile factories and so on needed people to work there. Then, poor people (shepards, farmers, etc) had to abandon their homes in order to perceive a greater salary in factories…which, of course, they did not get. Here is a lesson for you: Laws are made by powerful people so they can retain that power as long as possible. Rich people do not pay taxes, they control the whole system apparatus. Idiot.
Sadly for Bush, Bill Frist long ago entered a persistent vegetative state.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:18 amMadashell and Jules, love your posts…Thank’s…
June 20th, 2006 at 11:19 am#25 - rickd
CLINTON! CLINTON! CLINTON!
WAAAAAAHHHHH!
Comment by Zookeeper — June 20, 2006 @ 11:13 am
Pretty much works with any and all of the trolls…
I guess he doesn’t realize he’d not theonly neocon hiring an accountant to get him out of paying taxes - all the rich people do it - therefore paying very lettle taxes at all… Ignorance is clearly not bliss… More like crabby and whiny.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:20 am31, 32. If Halliburton is builing “Vatican sized embassey” in Iraq, that obviously means there are many from the US getting a paycheck because of if. I would think that the left would be happy that Halliburton is getting the work it does, since it employs so many of the working class. Does it pay dividends to share holders? I’m sure it does, but I’m sure it pays a whole heck of a lot more to its employees than to shareholders. As for the Republican strategy, what area are you looking for answers for? There are so many areas we could chat about, but since you touch on the economy, I don’t have an account as large as the President’s, and since I don’t believe the President has a low IQ, I can’t say I’m above it or below it. I will say this, however, that when the unemployment rate is 4.7%, and there has been more money returned to the tax paying people than at any time in history, the economy is doing something right, and I attribute that directly to the administration’s fiscal policies. I for one, am doing a WHOLE lot better now than I did under the Clinton administration.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:22 amMore proof that he’s just the figurehead that they trot out for speechifying and banquets.
Comment by Litz — June 20, 2006 @ 11:14 am
I prefer ‘hand puppet’, it’s so much less dignified… more like he’s the Dick-tator’s ventroliquist’s dummy that he actually is…
June 20th, 2006 at 11:24 amcould this be W’s way of telling Frist to get comfortable, ie bow down to Jeb on the nomination?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:25 amAAAACCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!!!!! Sorry for shouting, everyone. When I hear that jackass use the word ‘hopeful’ in one of his podium photo op’s, I just lose it. Anyone with the misfortune to be affected by the actions, or lack thereof of this freak of nature can only be hopeful that they live to see the end of his reign of terror. “Hopeful”? He has alot of nerve, saying that. And he also used it in his latest verbal threat to Iran, implying that their only hope is giving him everything he is demanding. GRRRRRRR!! What an ass. An utterly useless man. Cannibals would spit him out.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:25 amComment by rickd
June 20th, 2006 at 11:26 amYeah, right. That is why corporations exist. Not for the shareholder to make profits but to employ people to give them dignity and labor justice. I hope you own a corporation, otherwise you are propagandizing them for free, stupid.
Jack Cafferty is back! Whew… I was worried. You know how CNN is becomeing FOX JR.
Comment by unbelievable
Thank goodness! He’s the only one worth watching on CNN.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:26 am33. Explain to me how, if I don’t pay any taxes, how I should get a tax break? Is it like, say, a cookie is $1 for those that earn $10 per day, $0.50 for those that earn $5 per day, and free for those earning less than $5 per day. So when I decide to lower the price of that cookie, so the $1 goes to $0.80, the $0.50 goes to $0.30 and for those that were getting it free now are PAID $.10 to get the cookie?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:30 amThree US soldiers charged with murder.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:33 amThat’s right, Bush. Make Frist a liar once more. He stated when he was running in 1994 that he would stay in Congress “6, maybe 12 years.”
On the other hand, it would be fun to see the two videos of Frist saying “She certainly seems to respond to visual stimuli” and “I didn’t say she responded to visual stimuli” running 24/7 on all networks.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:33 am#51 - Have you been hanging with Rush, cause man you have got to be high!! The only people better off now than when Clinton was president is Bush and his cronies.
This administration and its party are NOT for the average american.
Once again….what has this administration done in the past 5 years that has not been a failure. Once again…do not say the economy because if your head wasn’t so far up your ass you would know that INFLATION HAS OUTPACED EARNINGS!!!
June 20th, 2006 at 11:35 amComment by rickd — June 20, 2006 @ 11:30 am
You get it back as a tax refund check for all those swell deductions your accountant got you…
The rich actually pay a much lower percentage of their income in taxes than the middle class because the tax laws let you write off your car and your phone and all the other stuff you have for personal use that we also have have. That’s how.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:35 am#45 - The whole “It’s your tax dollars” argument has been debunked multiple times over. It stopped being “our tax dollars†when the national credit card got run up and the debt ceiling had to be raised five times in the past four years so the fiscally irresponsible Republicans in charge of spending could keep spending like a crack-whore with a spending habit!
Pres. Reagan, Pres. Bush (Sr.) and Pres. Clinton put so much on the “national credit card”, it’s not even funny anymore. Pres. Clinton was the ONLY president that looked towards the future and was hoping that the Republican Congress and House would start to use the surplus to begin paying off the debt. He was way too optimistic. The so-called “fiscal conservatives” changed their tune and would rather run America in to greater and greater debt, bringing the phrase “borrow and squander” to truly describe the Republican party.
Pres. Bush (Jr.) would rather our nation be owned by foreign investors that are supplementing our massive deficits than participate in any fiscal responsibility at all. He’d rather whore himself out to special interests than fight to get the US back on a sound financial footing.
I can’t wait until 20 Jan. 2009, when Pres. Bush is shown the door and we can breath a sigh of relief that the most wastrel President in history is assigned to the dustbin and we can begin healing our financial stability.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:36 am#51 Rickd. I agree with you on that. Furthermore, why should we feed poor people giving them paychecks from social welfare? Would not it be great if we just dispose of all that people asking for free money into working farms or reserves (just like white people do with indians)? Why do we have to pay taxes to support some lazy black, immigrant and poor white people?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:36 amOk, I am getting mad at myself for writing this ironic BS. You are such a slave, buddy.
#45 rickd Our country could be using tax money to build better things than an embassy in Iraq - like new schools, bridges, Veteran’s Hospitals, and similar improvements to OUR country. And we, all of us, could pay for it as we go - not leave it to our grandchildren. My wife and I are both professionals who make a good yearly income and I AM TIRED OF RIGHT WING CONSERVATIVES TALKING about fair taxes. We pay a fairly high tax rate and I think this is an American obligation. Those of us with higher disposable income have and continue to benefit from our society’s financial committment to public education, college tuition assistance, roads, museums, airports, etc. We should pay our “fair” share, which should be commensurate with our ability to pay and the benefits we have had.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:38 am#51 - I can see you’re a simple man, so I’ll put it simply:
We are at war;
War costs a lot of money;
The wealthy pay a lot of money in taxes;
The wealthy now get wealthy tax break after tax break;
Oops! We’re all out of money; but
We’re still at war.
I’m so happy you’re doing well, sweetie darling. Have a cookie.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:40 am[…] psst … Frist is retiring. […]
June 20th, 2006 at 11:41 am59. Nice rebut, but we are not at war; it’s called occupation.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:42 amBTW. The two kidnapped american soldiers were found dead. Truly Sorry.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:43 amExplain to me how, if I don’t pay any taxes, how I should get a tax break?
Explain to me how someone has income and pays no income tax, property tax, sales tax, payroll tax or Social Security.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:45 amIt’s not just the embassy being built in Iraq, but also military bases - their original plan was about 14 of them, I don’t know what they have been reduced to. Leave Iraq? Their plan is NEVER.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:46 amWhat’s Frist gonna do? Spend his time diagnosing brain-dead patients via videotape?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:48 amOn Tuesday, June 13th, while Mr. Bush spent a brave five hours in the “green zone” of Baghdad with puppet Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, at least 36 people were killed across Iraq amidst a wave of bombings. 18 of those died in a spasm of bombings in the oil city of Kirkuk in the Kurdish north.
The minute word hit the streets in Baghdad of Bush’s visit, over 2,000 supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets in protest. The protestors chanted “Iraq is for the Iraqis,” and Sadr aide Hazem al-Araji publicly condemned the peek-a-boo visit of who he referred to as “the leader of the occupation.”
“Operation Forward Together”: Deeper Into the Quagmire
June 20th, 2006 at 11:50 am#61 - Ok, fine! ;)
rickd, darling, go ahead and replace the word “war” in #59, with the words “occupying Iraq.” Ok? You’re a peach.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:53 amCat-killer Frist is leaving the Senate in January 2007, but it looks like Bush wants that creepo to remain in the Senate to help him > lol.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:54 amDid anyone pick up on how MAD ‘W’ sounded last night?
Of course, he was in front of ‘friendlies’ & needed to sound
tough, but I thought I got a ‘look into his soul’.
Here’s what he pronounced as his ‘mission’ last year…
“America’s belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.” — President George W. Bush, Second Inaugural Address, 2005
Compare that with what he said last night.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:54 amOr what KKKarl said Friday in New Hampshire.
Bipartisan to this bunch is just another country to invade.
Had enough, America?
I swear, the *repukes have elevated lying into an art form…
Their solution is - get caught in a lie? just lie some more.
* - I am not denigrating real republicans - to me they should be outraged that their party has been highjacked by the neocons and christian zealots.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:56 amBefore we give more of our money to Halliburton shouldn’t they find that nine billion dollars they lost?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:56 am71. Almost forgot about that one. OMG, there is just so much…I swear at times I feel like my head is going to explode!
June 20th, 2006 at 12:00 pmThis is the first of many gaffes in the post-Gerson era. For more, check out JABBS’ report.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:02 pmActually, I don’t know the rules, but it’s possible that the filing deadline is already past.
Comment by Litz — June 20, 2006 @ 11:14 am
According to info on the State of Tennessee’s web site regarding “Qualifying Procedures For Candidates For United States Senator”:
Primary candidates must file their nominating petitions no later than
NOON on April 6, 2006.
Also checked the list for 2006 Candidates, also via TN’s web site, and Frist is not on there.
So, President Bush, once again you prove what a complete imbecile you are.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:04 pmI for one, am doing a WHOLE lot better now than I did under the Clinton administration.
Comment by rickd — June 20, 2006 @ 11:22 am
2 points on this comment:
June 20th, 2006 at 12:07 pm1. can we change your name to “ricHkId”?
2. any building in Iraq should be done by IRAQ - not halliburton et al … and did you know that even they are importing labor? gee, wonder why the locals are pissed off…
#64
How long have we maintained military bases in S. Korea, Japan and Germany? Buy a clue! The left in this country are bunch of worthless idiots so possessed with a hatred of Bush that they will do anything, include siding with the enemy to get their power back. Well, it ain’t going to happen folks, but keep trying. Just remember who is keeping you safe at night.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:13 pmI am doing alot better now then under Clinton as well, but I also increased my job skills, and worked my way up a bit. I still think Bush should be arrested and impeached, but that is a personal opinion.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:16 pmJust remember who is keeping you safe at night.
Comment by milbog
Wait…I know this one…
June 20th, 2006 at 12:17 pmMy dog…um…the lock on my door….um…my trusty baseball bat…um…ME. That’s right — Me!
#63- I would like to add the Corporations that register ‘off-shore’, in order to evade paying any U.S. taxes, while using the systems that our tax dollars provide for all Americans. It is those who have never had to experience financial hardships that bitterly complain about all of the tax dollars (most of which are not coming from them, due to all of those tax breaks they get), going to fund those ‘Social Welfare’ programs that they so despise. They don’t want to pay taxes, but they want to have control of how tax dollars are used. And they have ALL sorts of ideas about THAT!
June 20th, 2006 at 12:18 pmUmm none of the countries you mentioned have an active insurgency either Milbog. With the exception of South Korea, we had good reason to invade Japan, and Germany. but hey don’t let history and facts get in the way of your red herring arguments.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:18 pmAnd they criticized Al Gore for rolling his eyes!
June 20th, 2006 at 12:20 pmbut keep trying. Just remember who is keeping you safe at night.
Comment by milbog — June 20, 2006 @ 12:13 pm
With the recent cuts in anti-terrorism funding, the refusal to fund port security, and bogging down our military in a poorly planned venture into Iraq, it sure ain’t Bush keeping us safe.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:22 pm75. So when are you going to Iraq then?
June 20th, 2006 at 12:22 pm75. Do you even know ANYONE who has been there in this bogus fight for oil?
I will say whatever the hell I want. I have a niece there and I WANT HER HOME!
June 20th, 2006 at 12:25 pm75. So when are you going to Iraq then?
Comment by madashell — June 20, 2006 @ 12:22 pm
somebody’s missing again! please use names (at least) with numbers!
June 20th, 2006 at 12:27 pmon my screen i am #75 - and to answer your question: hopefully NEVER!
You are 75 on mine to Katy,
Milborg is #76, are you using a mac, or firefox?
June 20th, 2006 at 12:29 pmSorry Katy - those posts were meant for milbog.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:30 pmok! sometimes i wonder if i’m going crazy!
thanks krazny… i’m on a mac using it’s preferred safari…
i’ll open firefox at times also, but apple advises to use safari…
also have (explorer) but won’t use it except when dealing with FAFSA forms, and this last time the site has been upgraded to use firefox, so that made me happy…
and, madashell - i did fugure that post was directed to milbog - just wanted to be sure…
June 20th, 2006 at 12:40 pm#76- Yes milbog, more than 60 YEARS later we are still in Japan and Germany. And those are countries that we DEFEATED! They surrendered! But we are STILL THERE!! And are you implying that BushCo is ‘keeping us safe at night’? I am all agog! Who was keeping us ’safe’ on September 10th, 2001? I guess they decided that we were safe enough by then, so they decided to take a little break. This administration is not capable of keeping us safe, day or night, but they shine at getting Americans killed, by their actions or their indifference.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:41 pmDon’t bother with explorer on the mac katy, Microsoft is no longer supporting it on the Mac Platform. I do graphic Design, and use a mac at work. I prefer Firefox, over safari. Don’t know why, I just do.
I am curious where the extra post came from?
June 20th, 2006 at 12:43 pmWe must reframe the #1 issue, which right now I believe is IRAQ! Here’s where to start:
Every time the media - or a Democrat - uses the phrase “War in Iraq” they are promoting one of Karl Rove’s most potent Republican Party frames.
There is no longer a war against Iraq.
Reclaim the Issues - “Occupation, Not War”
June 20th, 2006 at 12:47 pm#76 milbog (milborg?) Get off the “left siding with the enemy” kick for EVERYTHING. The U.S. should not be building an embassy or bases in Iraq right now because the “enemy” will have more reason to see us as an occupying force rather than liberators. These projects aid the enemy! And you know, “buy a clue” from someone whose heroes complain about “throwing money at problems” is funny! I’d like to see some of those folks “earn a clue” by reading, listening, and thinking for themselves.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:49 pmI better never see that son of a bitch the Quacky Dr. Bill Frist in public. I’ll scratch his eyes out.
-Toonces
Me too!
-Felix
Make that three of us!
-Morris
Ah, that’s four.
-Heathcliff
June 20th, 2006 at 12:49 pmSay Milbog, I don’t know or care where you live, but around here there is 2 big dogs and 2 gun’s protecting me….bush keeping us safe.???????LOL or cry out loud. bush let 9/11 happen, and hid out while the saudis and his administration flew out all ben-lauden members on planes. created a premtive war in Iraq to show daddy bush what a man he is, has been on photo opp’s or vacation for five years and was 4 day’s late to his photo op for Katrina. Oh I forgot he had to eat cake with Mccane….1.500 died from drowning and 350,00 displaced in the south……bushco is selling off america while you drink his kool aid…He and pombo have a plan, he and cheney, rummy, rice and all the rest of the radical right are taking away all our freedom, money and rights under the guise of tax cut’s and relegion..You are being lied to and believe the lies, your choice, not mine…….Sleep well at night, but keep your own safety in your own hands. If you think this bunch of lieing thieves cares about you or any of us better hope you are on high ground and have your passport ready to get the hell out.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:50 pmBe aware that some trolls can use your name on the threads when you are not on TP yourself! It happened to me last night, so if a post is NOT yours > contact Judd at TP by email to have it deleted and the person responsible apprehended!
June 20th, 2006 at 12:53 pm57 - Why should anyone support others? When I needed money to buy food, I got a job. I am not wealthy (so for 75 - katy - no, you can’t call me ricHkId). I work more than 40 hours per week to feed me and my family, put a roof over my head etc. I have never asked for “assistance” from any government agency. I have got to where I am from working, NOT taking handouts. Those who believe we should be supporting those who CHOOSE not to work, well how about sending me some of your hard earned $$.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:55 pmThe war in Iraq was not a “mistake.” It was a deliberately calculated exercise of U.S. power with a specific end in mind — namely, control of Iraq and the Persian Gulf region. It was illegal and remains so. It was a war crime and remains so. Its perpetrators were war criminals and remain so. Its goals were unworthy and remain so.
Permanent War? Dealing with Realities in Iraq and Washington
June 20th, 2006 at 12:56 pmA question then Rick, did you accept Pell grants, when/if you attended college? If you did accept a Pell grant then you have gotten a government handout. I don’t completly trust porgrams designed to just hand out money, but programs designed to help people help themselves, like pell grants should be left alone.
What tends to happen is anti-social dicks like you decide that it is all an “entitlement” and cut those programs. However since a college educated person will earn more money, and pay more taxes, stay out of trouble etc. I would think that you would support such programs.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:59 pm#96 Nah. I prefer my money going to those who not CHOOSE not to work and can’t anyways. And to those who have no private health insurance.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:59 pmI knew it, rickd is all about ME, ME, ME, and damn everyone else, and that old saying about pulling yourself up by your own boot straps - what if they had no shoes to begin with then?
It seems to me that he has no concern at all for humanity. Only himself and his own survival. Just like Halliburton - they even acknowledge that global warming will lead to catastrophe - so do you know what they are doing? Building little habitats for themselves while those left outside fry. Now isn’t that just typical of these fat cats?
and guess what rickd - they could give a rat’s ass about you.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:01 pm#96 - Wow, rickd (ricHkId - that’s great, katy), me too!
Tell us, do you remember the exact day your heart fell out? Have you ever seen a disabled or mentally ill person try to make it in life without the gifts we’ve been given? You seem awfully pissed off about your accomplishments.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:03 pmOkay, we’ve known for quite some time that George Bush can’t remember policy off the fly. That’s a little terrifying, but okay, we’ve come to accept that.
But he’s supposed to be good at the “political” stuff–names, faces, etc. And yet now we’re hearing that he doesn’t know that a reporter for a major newspaper is blind. And now he doesn’t know that Bill Frist, Senate Majority Leader, is not running for re-election? WHAT?
At what point do the press corps start taking those “he’s drinking again” stories seriously?
June 20th, 2006 at 1:05 pmI hope you all don’t mind, but I’m on a roll…
From the brain of Will Durst speaking for the majority of the human kind:
I don’t know about you guys, but I am so sick and tired of these lying, thieving, holier-than-thou, right-wing, cruel, crude, rude, gauche, coarse, crass, cocky, corrupt, dishonest, debauched, degenerate, dissolute, swaggering, lawyer shooting, bullhorn shouting, infrastructure destroying, hysterical, history defying, finger- pointing, puppy stomping, roommate appointing, pretzel choking, collateral damaging, aspersion casting, wedding party bombing, clear cutting, torturing, jobs outsourcing, torture outsourcing, “so-called” compassionate-conservative, women’s rights eradicating, Medicare cutting, uncouth, spiteful, boorish, vengeful, noxious, homophobic, xenophobic, xylophonic, racist, sexist, ageist, fascist, cashist, audaciously stupid, brazenly selfish, lethally ignorant, journalist purchasing, genocide ignoring, corporation kissing, poverty inducing, crooked, coercive, autocratic, primitive, uppity, high-handed, domineering, arrogant, inhuman, inhumane, insolent, know-it-all, snotty, pompous, contemptuous, supercilious, gutless, spineless, shameless, avaricious, poisonous, imperious, merciless, graceless, tactless, brutish, brutal, Karl Roving, backward thinking, persistent vegetative state grandstanding, nuclear option threatening, evolution denying, irony deprived, depraved, insincere, conceited, perverted, pre-emptory invading of a country that had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11, 35-day-vacation taking, bribe soliciting, incapable, inbred, hellish, proud for no apparent reason, smarty pants, loudmouth, bullying, swell-headed, ethnic cleansing, ethics-eluding, domestic spying, medical marijuana-busting, kick-backing, Halliburtoning, New Deal disintegrating, narcissistic, undiplomatic, blustering, malevolent, demonizing, baby seal-clubbing, Duke Cunninghamming, hectoring, verbally flatulent, pro-bad- anti-good, Moslem-baiting, photo-op arranging, hurricane disregarding, oil company hugging, judge packing, science disputing, faith based mathematics advocating, armament selling, nonsense spewing, education ravaging, whiny, unscrupulous, greedy exponential factor fifteen, fraudulent, CIA outing, redistricting, anybody who disagrees with them slandering, fact twisting, ally alienating, betraying, god and flag waving, scare mongering, Cindy Sheehan libeling, phony question asking, just won’t get off the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling, two- faced, inept, callous, menacing, your hand under a rock- the maggoty remains of a marsupial, oppressive, vulgar, antagonistic, brush clearing suck- up, showboating, tyrannizing, peace hating, water and air and ground and media polluting which is pretty much all the polluting you can get, deadly, illegal, pernicious, lethal, haughty, venomous, virulent, ineffectual, mephitic, egotistic, bloodthirsty, incompetent, hypocritical, did I say evil, I’m not sure if I said evil, because I want to make sure I say evil…
EVIL, cretinous, fool, toad, buttwipe, lizardstick, cowardly, lackey imperialistic tool slime buckets in the Bush Administration that I could just spit.
Impeachment? Hell no. Impalement. Upon the sharp and righteous sword of the people’s justice.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:10 pmSo this is our self-proclaimed “war president” and “the decider”. We are in very BIG trouble.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:10 pmJay #95 This could be a big problem with those of us just passing through from time to time. Especialy when we may not read all the troll crap…
Frits sucks, don’t let the door hit you in the ass cat killer….Were not gonna miss you and your bid for pres is over before it began……
June 20th, 2006 at 1:12 pm98 - I borrowed money to attend college. I repaid every penny of that money, with interest. No grants, no scholarships, just me.
101 - How do you know that I am not disabled? As it turns out, I am not. However several people close to me are, and are not letting their disabilities hold them back, and actually are quite successful in business. My heart is just fine thank you. I am not pissed off by my accomplishments, just the opposite. I’m very proud of where I’ve come from and come to. I’m not ashamed that I have bettered myself, that I may be better than someone next to me. I’m also not stopping that person next to me who may not be as well off as me from making their life better, but I’m not about to bust my a** just to hand the money to that person so that they “have a bit more” than they do now. They can do like a lot of people do each and every day, find a job, work hard, improve their lot in life and do whatever they want with the money they earn.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:14 pm#101 Zookeeper Excellent point. I want to pay taxes to repay the benefits I have received outside my own effort and choices, such as having two loving parents who cared about and for me, a community that provided me a good public school, intellectual ability and other talents I was born with and did not earn, my mental and physical health, college loan programs, etc. TAXES ARE A WAY TO PAY YOUR RESPECTS TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND KEEP IT GOING! Greediness and self-centeredness are choices that I abhor.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:17 pm#103 Madashell, you are soooooo good. Thank’s for that….Sure would like to see that in a local letter to the editor……Wow.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:20 pm#59 - Patriotic Liberal Christian.
Damn good comment. Thanks for that.
What’s wrong with paying for the services that benefit us and our children?
Why can’t the greedly jerks in the upper middle and upper class get that
“To those to whom much has been given, much is expected?”
Develop a little character, like Bill Gates!
Thanks again, PLC
June 20th, 2006 at 1:21 pmDon’t bother with explorer on the mac katy, Microsoft is no longer supporting it on the Mac Platform.
i don’t use it, but mainly as a boycott… myself and both kids use macs - the only puter i’ve known…
I do graphic Design, and use a mac at work.
that’s why i use a mac also - sign and logo design and such…
I prefer Firefox, over safari. Don’t know why, I just do.
so does my daughter…not sure about the son…
I am curious where the extra post came from?
Comment by Krazny — June 20, 2006 @ 12:43 pm
my guess, a mistake or typo…
June 20th, 2006 at 1:24 pmsorry about the delay in this answer - I M ing with my daughter…
107 - Let me be clear, I am not against taxes. I agree that the public has a resposibility to contribute to the running of the government (which includes certain social programs), but I do NOT support the idea that if a tax cut is given to the people who pay the taxes, but if someone who doesn’t pay any taxes is not included in that tax cut, that somehow that is wrong. I also don’t believe the social programs should be used to pay able bodied individuals to NOT work. If a person can work, they should work, assuming they want to pay for things such as housing, food, clothing. If that person can convince someone to support their choice of not working, that’s fine, just don’t ask me to contribute to it!
June 20th, 2006 at 1:25 pmI borrowed money to attend college. I repaid every penny of that money, with interest. No grants, no scholarships, just me.
Comment by rickd — June 20, 2006 @ 1:14 pm
Give that boy an award - he sure is crying out for one!
Humans are social animals. We work better and are less stressed when we support one another. You should try it sometime. I did. I’m a former-conservative. Life is so much nicer when you join the rest of the planet instead of always worrying about yourself.
There have been cultures who are very openly social. They have no words for ‘mine’ or ‘yours’ because they do not live that way. In comparision to their Industrialized Nation counterparts, they were far healthier and lived longer. Gotta be something to it.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:26 pmMaybe Bush just mixed up the two words “retiring” and “reiterating”.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:29 pmIf that person can convince someone to support their choice of not working, that’s fine, just don’t ask me to contribute to it!
Comment by rickd — June 20, 2006 @ 1:25 pm
Why so absolute? That’s not what we are about. I wish just once, one of you would come in here informed. Just once.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:34 pm110 - Schooling was not in the US. Loans borrowed were not government subsidized. Schools may or may not have been subsidized, I have no idea. One shouldn’t always assume situations described are in America. I am not a native born America. I chose to immigrate to this country. I knew that I could have a better life in America than where I was, and I made the conscious choice to come here. I do thank America, for allowing me the opportunity to come and live and work in this country.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:35 pmJust remember, folks…one of these days rikd is going to be drawing a Social Security check. Is he saving enough money, making investments, etc. so that he won’t need it, and will donate the S.S. money to charity? Will he give it back to the government and say “no thanks”?
June 20th, 2006 at 1:42 pmI suggest that Bush doesn’t know about Frist retiring and rickd is so concerned about taxes going to the “wrong†people for the same reasons = self-absorbed, don’t confuse me with the facts because my mind is made up, all-or-nothing thinking. It’s an epidemic!
Comment by PLC (Patriotic Liberal Christian) — June 20, 2006 @ 1:40 pm
Exactly!
Even funnier that he comes form another country and the criticized the very system that lets him have his better life style. Most people like that are gracious and generous, not insulting and demanding more, more, more…
June 20th, 2006 at 1:44 pmWe always knew aWol needs an editor and a fact-checker. This is another example of a White House without direction, and where no one dares to correct the king.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:46 pm#118 rickd And I was disturbed by your attitude when I thought you were a native born American! This country with its political, economic, and physical infastructure was built by the numerous sacrificies of those who came before us. Our founding fathers put their very lives and wealth on the line and challenged us to make our system work. Soldiers have died for us. Workers have sweated with petty wages and physical dangers for us. We should be able to make the sacrifice of taxes, even when those go to people we “think” are taking advantage of us. Let them, if that’s what they are doing. Our giving makes US better, even if it doesn’t make them better. That’s my America, the one I want to keep.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:49 pmAnother example of W not caring about the facts. But is this actually an underhanded endorsement of Frist for president in 2008?
http://www.sunstateactivist.org
June 20th, 2006 at 1:49 pmCheck out the latest news on the brand new SSA:Blog
http://www.sunstateactivist.org
115….exactly…but the banking and insurance institutions of the world want us all to be at each other’s throat.
Hence “mine” and “yours”.
Notably, the indigenous population of North America lived without possessions…the concept of private ownership was an anathma…
Our constitution was founded in part on the Iriquois Conventions…which also was a manifestly different system than the “hooray for me and screw you” capitalism that has resulted in such gross inequity in the world that 3/4 of the world is a slum (so is Amuurrikka if one looks behind the facade). Ammurrikka’s “prosperity” is also a facade….a nation of sharecroppers who own NOTHING but debt….debt which now thanks to the oligarchs is endless and will never be forgiven (see recent bankruptcy legislation aka the Debt Slave Creation Act) thanks to the banks and financial institutions who penned the legislation and then submitted it with instructions to the paper doll congressman they placed in office.
By continually structuring the propaganda (we must of course include movies and television shows) to portray an “us” and “them” mentality and maintaining fear levels (i.e., police shows single out any more bizzare, isolated crimes to feature as though they were common occurrences) and constantly bastardizing language so that black is white and white is black, the sheeple are constantly prodded to taking sides against one another.
So, for rickd, it’s “those lazy poor people” of whom is is not one solely because of dumb luck and good fortune. I will be interested, very interested to hear what he has to say when the banks and oligarchy, having safely gotten all of their wealth out of Amuurriikkan stocks and bonds, and into gold, finally crash the economy and make that final wealth redistribution, and rickd becomes one of “them.”
The Great Depression turned many “conservatives” into progressives in a matter of weeks. We shall see how this “hooray for me and screw you” reganism holds when everyone is in the same boat.
My bet is he’ll be shouting for an oar just like everybody else.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:50 pmShhhh…don’t tell the Republican donors that Frist is retiring. They might go and donate to whoever is running to replace him. Let the donate to his already doomed presidential bid.
Keep it in on the D/L. Frist for Majority Leader ‘06!
June 20th, 2006 at 1:53 pm121 - I’ve not taken a dime in any social program within the United States (or any other country for that matter). I came to this country with a desire to make my life better by WORKING. Not coming here to live off others hard work. I have not asked for any help from anyone, nor do I expect it from anyone. I believe I am gracious. I am generous too. Not to people whom I believe are trying to live off others when they are capable of supporting themselves, but to those that truly need it. It has been my experience that just the opposite is true from what you say “Most people like that are gracious and generous, not insulting and demanding more, more, more…” It has been my experience that most people who choose to come to live and work in the US (legally), do NOT demand more, more, more. I have found it to be that far too many people who are born here are demanding more, more, more and not doing anything to contribute to society.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:53 pm#106 - Sorry, rickd, but you do seem a bit pissed. Please see #107’s response to me.
#107 - PLC, well said. You can take it form here, I’m done with little ricky. ;)
June 20th, 2006 at 1:54 pm#112- rickd are you truly ignorant of the fact that anyone who receives payment for services rendered (meaning the legal kind) or has any recorded source of income, including money won from gambling, certainly DO pay TAXES?!? The reason so many low income people do not pay INCOME TAXES is simple, THEY DO NOT EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO QUALIFY!! But they DO pay ‘payroll taxes’ and many others, reducing their income even further. So stow your self-righteous spin, you don’t know what you are complaining about. Oh so typical… sigh.
June 20th, 2006 at 1:56 pmDear Madashell,
Point well taken (#103), but why the understatement?
June 20th, 2006 at 2:05 pmWhy don’t you tell us how you REALLY feel?
130 - Cyra Brown - You sound like an angry person! As to your statment, if they pay ‘payroll taxes’ they reap the benefits of those taxes do they not? In the form of Social Security, Medicare, etc? I think the discussion taking place touches on the subject of getting a tax cut on Income Taxes, so my point has been that if someone doesn’t pay any income taxes and doesn’t get a tax cut, they shouldn’t be upset.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:06 pmWhy don’t you tell us how you REALLY feel?
Comment by RealityCheck
madashell is just WAY too shy. ;)
June 20th, 2006 at 2:10 pm#128 rickd “If I can, anyone can”. Would that were true - some people can’t and they are not garbage to toss out.
#129 Zookeeper I’m done, off my soapbox, also. Thanks for the double team.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:10 pmrickd is one of the ignorant victims of the right wing propaganda machine. Rickd requires education, not chastisement and attacks.
Rickd low income families are legally excused from paying taxes for the same reason a starving man can’t contribute to the neighborhood pot luck. A lack of ability to pay without severely undermining the family’s ability to survive would be self-defeating. This isn’t charity, but is based on the age old adage that one “can’t squeeze blood from a stone”.
Medically and mentally disabled persons also don’t pay taxes, mostly because they have no income. And they have no income either because they are simply unable due to means beyond their control. to do so. This may be because the individual simply can’t work, or that others will not hire him.
The Constitution of the United States contains a preamble you might want to read:
”
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Please note primary among the policies and purpose underlying the formation of this government (in other words, the reasons to form a government at all) are to establish, ensure, provide for and promote:
Justice
domestic tranquility
common defense
general welfare
Blessings of Liberty
By these words it is apparent that the government was formed, not to serve the needs of one or a small cloistered isolated fringe group, but of ALL the people.
Would you consent to pay taxes to a government that provided nothing of value to you? Of course not!
So ask yourself….since 2000 what services “of value” have you received that you did not previously receive; and what services “of value” do you not now receive? What about others around you?
You will find that as it presently exists, our government serves the very narrow and specific needs of a small handful of people . . . all of whose bank accounts end in “illion.” If yours does not, you are about to get the lesson of your life about why a government that serves the needs only of its wealthiest citizens, is an anathma to justice, domestic tranqullity, common defense (with emphasis on “common”) general welfare and perhaps most tragically of all, the blessings of Liberty.
History repeats itself because we fail to listen to it. I highly recommend a study of American history from about the end of the “Civil” war up through the end of WWII. You may find some absolutely stunning paralels and….that some new ground has been broken that pushes the envelope way past fascism.
America is in deep trouble, my friend. Try to have a little compassion for your fellow man….most people who survive on handouts do so not out of choice. You have been brainwashed into thinking that. Unfortunately, everyone who isn’t filthy rich is on the brink of financial collapse. It’s coming. Hopefully you will acquire a sense of obligation to your fellow man before you need to rely on it to survive yourself.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:11 pmMy bet is he’ll be shouting for an oar just like everybody else.
Comment by marblex — June 20, 2006 @ 1:50 pm
Excellent post!
I’d bet the farm on it! He’d probably be willing ot take one or two away from someone else just so he could have more…
It’s funny you mention the upcoming stock crash. A friend of mine has been into that and has warned me to take my money out by 2010. I don’t have much. Was never the type to live solely for tomorrow, when at 59 my father who’d lived his life that way, died. He didn’t get to do any of the things he wanted or had been saving his money and his life for. I refuse to follow in his footsteps - but still be a responsible person.
We’ve become so isolated in our country - and that is just so unhealthy. Perhaps a contributor to why we are the most unhealthy Industrialized Nation on the globe.
My friend from India pointed this out that they carry their babies - while we stroll ours. They are always in contact - while we seldom touch anyone for fear of all sorts of consequences. They live on top of one another - while we live miles apart and socialize over a cable and with a keyboard.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:14 pmMarblex - there is nothing to add…just wanted to say that was the best post I have read todaY!!!
June 20th, 2006 at 2:18 pmAll work and no play makes life pointless…
June 20th, 2006 at 2:20 pmwe are isolated by the mass marketing and advertising media whose job it is to continue selling the American con job — the myth that America is all propsperous and the greatest nation on Earth…bla bla bla
Compared to people world wide, Amurrikkans are rubes, unfortunately. As one who has traveled extensively world wide, I am continually embarrased by the ignorant, self-absorbed, arrogant conduct of my fellow Amuurkkans. They don’t do it to spite, they do it out of ignorance. Amuurikkans believe they are ENTITLED, everywhere they go.
The reality is, Amurrikkans are viewed, and appropriately so, by most sophisticated people throughout the globe, as spoiled children.
Just look at our Congress if you don’t believe me. What a laughing stock.
The entire administration are run by severely sexually dysfunctional cases of extreme arrested development….a gang of maladjusted narcissistic sociopaths who never got over the adolescent (or even childhood) fantasy of world domination.
And, in the process, the United States has become the next Weimar.
Wonder how many good Germans will line up this time…
June 20th, 2006 at 2:20 pmFrom a [a href=”http://jabbs.blogspot.com/2006/06/you-cant-make-this-stuff-up_20.html#comments”]JABBS[/a] commenter:
hard to believe it’s not a secret.
“I’m running for president, Mr. President.”
“Huh? I’m the president. Karl? Come here.”
“Yes sir.”
“I’m the president, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“See, Bill. I’m the president. You can’t run for something I am.”
June 20th, 2006 at 2:25 pm#132………PLEASE, save the junk for some who want to listen…I’m not one of them in your choir…….What country did you come from.? Are you a US citizen.? If not when can we count on you leaving>>?? Maybe we will be lucky and you will sign off with bushco’s next photo op……..
June 20th, 2006 at 2:25 pmFrom a JABBS commenter:
hard to believe it’s not a secret.
“I’m running for president, Mr. President.”
“Huh? I’m the president. Karl? Come here.”
“Yes sir.”
“I’m the president, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“See, Bill. I’m the president. You can’t run for something I am.”
June 20th, 2006 at 2:25 pmDear Rickd
It would help if you would recognize that there are many, many reasons besides laziness and selfishness to explain why many others cannot or do not succeed as you have.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:31 pmYour birth, your genes, your aptitudes, your breaks in life, were largely out of your control.
I support your hard work and willingness to make the most of your opportunities.
We are all - I mean ALL of us - subsidized.
We couldn’t even BEGIN to repay the blessings that life has showered on us.
Maybe if we work at being more thankful we will find it in our hearts to be more generous,
particularly with those who have not betrayed us, lied to us, or manipulated us to their ends.
Seems to me that the disadvantaged in this country pretty well fit that description while most politicians do not.
Laws are passed by politicians to benefit politicians and their benefactors. Everything they do and say is a self-serving calculation.
Bush’s tax breaks during time of war and deficit spending is a cheap bow to the short-sighted and selfish.
Speaking up in defense of a government that has proven itself negligent, to be nice about it, only undercuts your credibility.
marblex - I love your posts - it is certainly refreshing to hear intelligence and forethought speak.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:31 pmIn reality, “If you want your taxes low…” translates into “If you are extremely greedy and want to pass the national debt you are responsible for onto your and every American’s children and grandchildren…”
June 20th, 2006 at 2:35 pmgreat post Marbelex, and many others. Sorry I don’t have the patience for any more radical right or self ritious nut cases. Had enough….I’m for loading up the boat’s planes and all forms of transport, round up this entire administration and every enabler of theirs and ship them all out in the middle of a desert….Bigots, bible thumpers and radical right be gone…..
June 20th, 2006 at 2:37 pm142 - I am a US citizen, so not leaving anytime soon! I’m sorry, I didn’t read anywhere that we’re only supposed to write on topics of your interest. Don’t you agree that dialogue is good. Discussion of both sides is good. Or is this a list that is only allowed to post to things you like?
140 - In my posts to this list, there have been many discussions about taxes in general. In a reply to one of my posts, someone stated that I must have received some kind of social assistance if I went to post secondary school or borrowed money to do so (the thinking being student borrowing in the US is somehow subsidized by the government) and I pointed out that I didn’t do my schooling in the US. I was trying to clarify only. I didn’t critique the American school systems.
As for knowing about my adopted country, I’m willing to bet that I know more about it than the vast majority of native born Americans! You’d be surprised at how many people, born and educated in the US, don’t know much of the history of this country. But public education is another topic I could spend days on so I won’t get into that here.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:44 pm144 - Good post. Calm, rational and makes sense (sort of). I agree, there are certain situations that prevent someone from being a real productive member of society (eg. health or mental issues). I should say however, that my issues are not with those people. My issues are with those who are perfectly capable of working, but choose not to.
Tax cuts provided by the current administration have provided the government with unexpected tax revenues (people spending the money they didn’t have to pay in taxes). Is the government spending too much? Absoluletly. Am I happy about that? No. But to date, I haven’t seen any movement by the opposition party to raise a royal stink about the amounts being spent. It seems every politician, once elected, loses all sense of right and wrong and attempts to get his or her constituants a bigger piece of the pie (whether needed or not). That “Pork” has to stop. By ALL SIDES.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:53 pm#132- rickd- I am not angry, I am amazed. But in the post I was responding to (#112) you said “people who don’t pay any taxes”, not ‘don’t pay income taxes’. But thanks for attempting to correct your mistake, that is rare.
June 20th, 2006 at 2:57 pm149 - Vietnam War - Is that the war that a Democratic president got the US into, a second democratic president perpetuated and a Republican president got the US out of?
June 20th, 2006 at 2:57 pm149 - Vietnam War - Is that the war that a Democratic president got the US into, a second democratic president perpetuated and a Republican president got the US out of?
Comment by rickd — June 20, 2006 @ 2:57 pm
Another show of ignorance. I think you better read up on this particular war before you comment again on it!!
June 20th, 2006 at 3:02 pm#150: “My issues are with those who are perfectly capable of working, but choose not to.”
Fair enough. Welfare legislation under Clinton has forced most of those to seek employment and find employment or lose benefits.
The reason your argument sounds hollow to most at this post is because it is the same old excuse Republicans have been using for years to redirect attention from their greed to the sloth or inability of the disempowered.
If you want to change this country, focus on 1) voting the corrupt and uncaring out of office and 2) educating the disadvantaged. And that means voting to tax yourself to pay for their education, including corporations paying their fair share so that the population can be trained to take the jobs they offer so that labor does not have to be 1) outsourced or 2) be filled by technologically savvy immigrants when people here need and want the jobs but lack the education because they can’t afford it.
It’s priorities, man.
June 20th, 2006 at 3:05 pm#150…..Just like all the rest of the radical right..No matter what you say or write it all sounds the same. No matter where you are from or say you are from you have baught into the reich winged garbage……Dialogue…? excuse me…Like bushco and all the right wingers lock stepping right over the cliff and trying to take america along….I’m glad your doing so well…..Now move on….take your money and lack of knoledge on whats happening to the middle and working poor with you…..I’m outa here for today…..
June 20th, 2006 at 3:07 pm153 - Enlighten me, please! My studies showed Kennedy ordered 16000 troops there in ‘61, with troop levels under Johnson rising to half a million by the end of ‘68. On taking office in ‘69, Nixon started troop reductions and eventually had all troops out of South Vietnam. All these details I found on Wikipedia. I still don’t understand my “ignorance” when I asked the question “Vietnam War - Is that the war that a Democratic president got the US into, a second democratic president perpetuated and a Republican president got the US out of?”
June 20th, 2006 at 3:14 pm# 152- Reminds me of a joke I saw here from another poster, (hat tip). What is the difference between Viet Nam and Iraq? GWB had a plan to get out of IRAQ. And Richard Nixon got us out of Viet Nam by using the “Cut and Run” strategy, the one that the Republicans cannot abide. Double standard time!
June 20th, 2006 at 3:16 pm#156 - The thing you conveniently forget is that Pres. Nixon wanted the war to on and on and on. The Senate voted that money for the Dept. of Defense could not be used in Vietnam, so Pres. Nixon had no choice but to pull soldiers out of Vietnam.
So, the Democrats got a Republican President out of a war.
There now, don’t you feel better from hearing the truth?
June 20th, 2006 at 3:19 pmFrist is retiring - and we will do all we can in Illinois to see that Hastert is forcibly retired.
June 20th, 2006 at 3:23 pm#156 - you need to research further than a brief Wikipedia search. If and when you do you will find that our involvement with Vietnam began long before Kennedy was in office and was limited through Kennedy’s presdidency to military advice and financial support.
Johnson increased involvement only after two US ships were fired upon (see - there is a major difference between the Vietnam war and Iraq already - we were attacked by the N Veitnamese - we were never attacked by the Iraqis). Vietnam was a failure by all accounts. Nixon’s administration DID NOT pull us out of that war when he entered office.
Again…..read up on it!!
June 20th, 2006 at 3:27 pmhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam
Richkid….this provides an excellant timeline of our involvement.
June 20th, 2006 at 3:33 pm159 - In reading the Nixon Doctrine (put forth on July 25, 1969), Mr. Nixon was trying to turn the Vietnam war over to the South Vietnamese (by having them trained and equiped to be able to do it on their own). I read on the internet that during that time there was a gradual troop withdrawal while arial bombing continued. However I also read that by Oct. 1971 the troop levels were down to under 200,000. I read that Congress cut off funding the war in December 1974 at which point, there Paris Peace accords had already been signed and Mr. Nixon had left office. I guess I’m confused how that could mean that congress was responsible for ending the war? If that’s the case, why didn’t congress vote to end money under Johnson or Kennedy?
June 20th, 2006 at 3:36 pmI wouldn’t give the Democratic Congress all the credit for ending the Vietnam War. It was grassroots, fed-up, concerned, normal citizens who forced politicians to listen and act. Johnson didn’t run for re-election because he didn’t have this grassroot support from those in the Democratic party. Nixon said he had a “secret plan” to end the war. The bottom line is, WE CITIZENS ended one stupid war, let’s go for two.
June 20th, 2006 at 3:39 pmtwolf1 #11 - why didnt bush mention frist’s cat killing days?
Because a cat is not a fetus or a human vegetable.