Elections are just around the corner

[c@lbob]

It won’t be long before we’ll find the August election ballots in our mail boxes.

To all my friends here on the blog who have been unhappy with what we see as timidity on the part of Obama and the other Democrats we elected two years ago, consider this.

Obama just got the bank regulation bill sent to his desk, the other major accomplishments the media speaks of are the stimulus package and health care reform. If you see things the way I do, the thing wrong with all these legislative accomplishments is they don’t go far enough. The stimulus was too much for business and not enough for the unemployed we all know. Health care was too much for insurance companies and other leaches on the system and not enough care for people in my neighborhood. Banking reform isn’t tough enough.

If you’re looking for a populist response that will get policies that are closer to what we want, it isn’t to sit on the sidelines and “teach them a lesson”. The only lesson to be leaned by that approach is that the Tea Party has enough nuts in it to swing elections.

Get out there and support the Democrats, they haven’t been at all perfect, but the alternative is bigger give aways to business and increasingly serious environmental disasters in coal mines, oil rigs and nuclear waste facilities. The party of no will make us all poorer and sicker, while pampering their plutocrat protectors.

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[Julie]

Hear, hear!

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[Smitty]

Please, oh PLEASE get the Democrats to move farther to the Left. Say it LOUD and say it PROUD. Rooftops, television, radio, MSDNC, you name it – get the message OUT THERE!

I’ll spin signs, knock on doors, stand on the overpass or harass people at Safeway – just let me know where I can have the biggest impact.

Hope and Change is working people – it’s an easy sell!

Hope.And.Change!

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[Carson]

I couldn’t agree more Smitty. The change has been fantastic and for once, people have hope! I am still undecided which Tea Bagger is the least electable vs Patty Murray so I know who to vote for in the primary.

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[thansen]

RIGHT ON! My username on blogs/websites is “proudseattledemocrat”. I sometimes feel very alone “out there” being a progressive, considering all the media talks about are Teabaggers and Palin and Bachman. So it’s posts like this that make me feel strong and hopeful about our party. We need to support our Democratic reps because the alternative is way toooo scary

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[Smitty]

That’s the beauty of it, Carson. Doesn’t matter which Tea Bagger (not that there is anything wrong with that, Jerry) gets the nod, mommy is a “shoe in” – get it?

Those racist, homophobic(Tea Bagging!), faux news luvin’ hillbillies are toast, I tell you.

If I were in charge, I would put Pelosi, Reid and the Prez on television every, single day(and not just on MSNBC, CNN and NPR either!). The (true)Left would actually GAIN seats this November if they would only listen to Smitty!

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[JoB]

democrats didn’t do enough for the unemployed in the stimulus package…

republicans blocked the extension of unemployment benefits.

more would be good..

but…

something is better than nothing.

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[charlabob]

Obama is, in large part, doing what he told us he would do. Many of us on the left thought we saw him winking.

He also said, “Hold my feet to the fire — make me do the right thing.” I don’t think we’re doing anywhere near enough to provide counter-pressure from the liberal side. Every time the teabaggers and R leadership in congress claim he is a leftist or a socialist, we seem to say, “ooooh, we’d better keep quiet.” :-)

If you still think it won’t matter, check out who will be chair of the house (or senate) committee you care most about if the R’s take over. Start with speaker of the house, “Oil spill is an ant” john boehner and senate majority leader Mitch “Say no to everything,” McConnell.

Yeah, Obama will still have his veto power. But the stuff he’ll have to veto means absolutely nothing positive will get done.

BTW, I think there’s no doubt that Rossi will be stronger against Murray. Ultimately, even most of the right wing people in this state aren’t “bat sh*t crazy” and they’ll stay home if they get a complete nut as an alternative. Carson, I’d be interested in your counterpoint :-)

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[JoB]

i am hoping that either republican candidate..

swarmy or bat shit

will bring out the democratic vote..

we just can’t afford either Rossi or his tea bagger alternative.

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[c@lbob]

This stupid bit of nonsense is all over TV now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37K5Q3yTlH0

Murray will be red meat for the same kind of people who had Harry Reid looking like he’d lose, until recently.

The Repugs may get smarter and nominate someone who is a little less obviously coo coo than Sharron Angle in Nevada. Actully, Rossi fits that bill.

I think he’s the one to worry about, remember the 2004 Governors race. He almost won that one because his TV persona made him sound pretty reasonable. I hope Patty doesn’t go into a stupor after the primary like Gregoire did.

Scott Brown’s victory in MA should keep Democrats antsy at all times.

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[JanS]

c@lbob….I want to scream every time that comes on the tube….and accompany it by putting my fist in that woman’s mouth….grrrr…..

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[JoB]

ok ok .. so i need to send her money…

too many are uninformed enough enough to believe that ad without looking at the alternatives…

those tennis shoes would be replaced by size 12 boots…

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[Smitty]

Question.

Is it “tea-bagger”, “tea bagger” or “teabagger”?**

I’ve seen it all three ways.

Regardless, they are all just a bunch of uneducated (I don’t care what Pew says!), gun-toting, NASCAR loving, god-fearing racists, anyway!

Don’t just tack to your left while sailing in Maine Mr. President, tack left so the team can win in November!

Left, lefter and leftiest!

**(not that there is anything wrong with that, Jerry)

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[DP]

I agree with many of you who are critical of Obama and the Democrats from a Left perspective. However, I’m curious as to why you think something will be different after the elections in November. If the Democrats are assured that you’ll vote for them no matter what, then why should they move to the left?

Maybe you think they’ll have an epiphany and suddenly start delivering on their promises out of gratitude to the voters. But remember: after this election, lukewarm Dems like Patty Murray will still have their corporate patrons to please, just like before. In fact, if anything they will be more beholden than ever, after having spent lots of corporate PAC money on close races.) It’s just the nature of the game.

So anyway, that’s my question to you all: What do you think will be different after November, and why?

 

I think charlabob is onto something when she (he?) talks about holding Obama’s feet to the fire. But I don’t see many specific calls for action along those lines, unless it’s calls to ring doorbells for Democrats—which I don’t equate with holding anybody’s feet to the fire. ;-)

 

Finally, I want to talk about this tendency we lefties have to demonize Republicans. Maybe we do that in order to convince ourselves that our vote means more than it actually does. “I’m saving the world from evil by voting Democrat!” the thinking seems to go.

Well, in the first place, that’s just too simplistic. But it in the second place, it bugs me a little, because it implies that Republicans are somehow inherently bad, or wrong—and I don’t care for that implication. Although I am not a Republican myself, I believe that there are many Republican/conservative values are worth emulating.

Moreover, I believe that there are many fine Republican people living right here in West Seattle. As a community forum, this should be THEIR forum, too, but honestly, how likely are we to ever hear a peep from them when we constantly refer to them as “racists,” “homophobes,” “nutwings,” etc.?

—David Preston

 

P.S. Nobody has to remind me that I’ve been among the worst offenders on this Blog when it comes to “attitude,” but I’m trying hard to change.

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[charlabob]

She = Spouse of c@lbob — you can only imagine our pillow talk :-)

Sadly David, the current crop of R’s, imnho, are demons and that’s probably a slander of demons. I actually remember the age of reasonable R’s– Rockefeller, Weld, Ed Brooke, g-d help me, Nixon (who started the EPA), Reagan (who started the “no nukes” movement.)

People like Bob Bennett and Arlen Spector, who are hardly progressive voices, are run out of the party to accommodate Palin and Angle and Rubio and … the list is endless.

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[JanS]

can anyone honestly say they like the idea of Boehner (give him a drink, a cig, and a Dean Martin song to sing – lol) and McConnell running things in Congress? That Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann and their common nonsense would be good for this country? That the Barton’s of the world are doing things in your/our best interest? I truly feel that all Repubs are NOT homophobes, racists, demons. But, come on… many are not exactly mainstream these days.

I do try to remember that the “politicians” are on both sides. That should be scary enough. I know I wouldn’t want to be called that.

DP, we have labels that pigeonhole us. ..Democrat, leftie,liberal, progressive, Repub, rightwing wing nut, ultra conservative – and there’s a whole realm of people in between that a label doesn’t cover. I think many of us/them are in that category.

When those that are in the community can come here and talk their views, not the Faux News, the Rush Beck Hannity stuff, the fringe things like birth certificates, etc. ad nauseum, I think many of us on the other side would like to have intelligent discussion of the issues that truly are important today.

Oh, yeah…and one last thing…we all need to listen, to remain open to change, to not just repeat, repeat, repeat what we hear, but be truly willing to reevaluate how we feel about things if someone else with opposing views makes a good argument for something. I’m sometimes very tired of the “I’m right, you’re wrong”, name call, name call, nah nah nah, kinda thing.

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[JoB]

DP…

you have a vested interest in not seeing the difference…

apparently 8 years of destruction of govt agencies, war and financial plunder weren’t enough for you?

we have had too many years of simplifying politics through name calling while those in power traded away much of what makes this nation a democracy for what ????

Yes, i think there is a difference between science based evidence and rumor, innuendo and self serving biblical interpretation …

don’t you?

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[c@lbob]

It is time that those “good” Republicans to stand aside and become team players, because there is no “I” in team but there are three “u”s in Shut the Fu** Up.

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[JanS]

Bob…love you :)

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[HMC Rich]

There are two i’s and two e’s in imbeciles. Hey, there is only one i and two e’s in Progressive.

Shall I play your word games and name calling or take the high road? Both.

DP made a valid point but the progressive new world order thought cannot or will not grasp it because if you do, it only proves some validity to the right.

Point 1. President Obama has kept 26% of his campaign promises. Broken 13%, and has either not taken action, stalled or in process with the remaining 68%.

Point 2. Courtesy, or lack there of. Teabagger is a derogatory term if used politically. Not to be rude, but if you want to walk the walk, I will let you get real close to the boyz. Lick and a promise! Or should I say . . you suck? For being SO tolerant you show your depravity and tasteless… I mean intolerant world view. Yes Virginia, there are some standards left but if the party of PC gets their way, those will be gone too.

Point 3. Although ugly, Obama and the Democratic Congress have made some major policy changes. (Snowe, Collins, Browne and Specter are not friends of the conservative). RINO’s are going to be history. You are seeing a change in the Republican Party because it is a reaction to your party acting like they are on a NASCAR track and they keep turning left. Ask yourselves… are Harry Reid and Chris Dodd like Warren Magnuson and Scoop Jackson? They worked for the people and not beyond the constitution. I could vote for those guys of days past. Nice Budget you passed … er what … no budget, just filing an extension of policies. Must be an election year.

Point 4. Obama is attacked for his policies not the color of his skin. Bringing out the race card is so. . . Democratic. (That Robert Byrd, what a bastion of tolerance)! If you read non revisionist history you will see support for individual liberty and freedom, not collective salvation from the right. I do not deny there is racism. There is. From all groups. No group is exempt. I do so wish there wasn’t such a thing. I find it interesting that Glenn Beck is promoting people of color in our history and he is called a racist. Please, we must all fight this together.

Point 5. Look at the polls. The Congress had low ratings back in 2008 and now are even lower. (To be fair, the Republicans looked worse in the polls back then). Even after the 2008 election, the Democrats in Congress have barely passed legislation, and are supporting policies that are killing their re-elections. Even Mr. Obama is now polling worse than any serious Republican contender. Blue Dogs are getting attacked like the RINO’s are. And with such slim margins, Al Francken, and the Democratic party should send Thank You cards to the convicts and dead people who elected him.

Point 6. Consumer confidence. You don’t make promises about recovery when in a recession. 8% unemployment? I wish. And stop lying about job creation. We, the employed and unemployed know the difference. It is a resilient economy, but even the Socialists in Europe are saying. STOP SPENDING SO MUCH!!!!

I won’t even talk about the partisan BS in the new Financial Reform bill. Oh wait, I will. Don’t lend money to people who can’t pay the loan back. Don’t get in the way of real reform. Say what you will about W, he warned us 17 times about financial reform. The congress didn’t listen. A pox on both parties for that. By the way. Capitalism did not cause this crisis. People abusing Capitalism caused this crisis. Some are even starting to suggest that the spoiled baby boomers who were not like mama and daddy brought this on. Interesting theory but only that for now.

Point 7. By the way, those weren’t Tea Party activists rioting at the G20. I am not saying they were liberals either, but do you not understand the difference between real extremists and pseudo extreme? Some of you really want to believe Republicans and Tea Partiers are Anarchists.

Point 8. War. Gitmo still open . . . which really pisses off far left and some not so left. . . because it is needed. Oh did you hear the one about the Algerian terrorists who didn’t want to be sent back home because they were afraid of what their government might do? Or did you hear about the guys released and over 30% have gone back to there terrorist organizations.

Mr. Obama demonized the struggle in Iraq, (Despot dead, Democracy in place, Only 10% of oil interests are American I guess it wasn’t totally a war for oil.”) but is now seeing how difficult withdrawal from Afghanistan really is. He is truly in a tough spot. It’s easy to be a candidate but much tougher to be the leader of the free world.

Point 9. Oil in the Gulf Of Mexico. I know what I said earlier but . . . 87 days to hopefully fix the worst environmental disaster in the US. If Bush had been President the chorus would have been much louder. I wish I could go on vacation during a crisis? Sound familiar? Even Mayor Nickels couldn’t survive a piddly snow disaster. Everyone loses on this.

No wonder people are looking at different candidates. The President was voted in because people wanted (and rightly so) change. What they are getting is not what they voted for (on both sides).

I will say this, the last time a Democrat President and a Republican Congress worked together, we had a budget surplus.

Gibbs said it, a lot of seats are in play. What is more interesting is that most likely the new senators and congressmen that are voted in will be more conservative than ever before and opposing them will be the most progressive President since either FDR or Woodrow Wilson. Even the Democratic Governors are pleading with the President to stay out of immigration.

I DO agree with an assessment from a prior post. He is hurting his party by not being more proactive in some areas or too conservative in others.

Actually, I do have a thought. If the dems lose both houses, and there is growth in the economy after 2010, he just might be elected to a second term.

Oh, the fur will fly, won’t it?!!? It’s gonna get nasty.

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[JoB]

Point 1

LOL.. HMC Rich..

where did you get those percentages?

as far as i can tell Obama has done as close to exactly what he said he would do as he could.

point 2

If calling the tea party teabaggers is derogatory.. then they shouldn’t have labeled themselves teabaggers… look it up.. it’s their term.

Point 3

nascar track? LOL.. so what was it during the republican roller coaster ride? center? NOT!

the legislation passed by the democrats only looks left because the past ride was so far right. if you look back you will find republican sponsorship for similar bills:( Not so progressive:(

Point 4

Honey.. you weren’t paying attention to the crowd Sarah whipped up on her campaign tours. The ugly N word wasn’t being uttered by democrats.

Point 5..

Al Franken was elected by convicts and dead people? really? again.. you need to take a closer look at those elections dude.

Polling numbers are down because the economy sucks for everyone but the rich.

Point 6

Consumer confidence is down because the banks are sitting on all that cash we gave them instead of loaning it like they were supposed to.. to small businesses and responsible consumers.

we couldn’t even get a house loan these days without a full 20% down.. and we have a really good credit score and an impeccable credit history… and we won’t talk about small businesses. The small business owners i know have private capitalization or they wouldn’t be in business.

how far are we down that list???? oh yeah

point 7

So the implication is that democrats were rioting at the G20???? Those were anarchists.. and there is a difference.

As for the tendency to violence.. all one has to do is point to the string of bombed abortion clinics and dead doctors to confirm the idea that violence is endemic anyplace there are extremists.

What is true about the tea party is that it is fed on anger… I have listened to that con artist Glen Beck. Not right or left .. right or wrong.. and left is wrong:(

point 8…

first.. and this is easy.. Obama wasn’t trying to get out of Afghanistan. another one of those things he said he would do is increase troop strength there..

Gitmo is taking longer to close than hoped.. and many of those incarcerated don’t want to be sent home… it is a thorny problem at best.

i honestly don’t know if new prisoners have been sent there.. i haven’t read about it if they have … that would be the real indication of need.

you really have to stop throwing those unsupported percentages around.. 30% ??? … only on faux news where truth is just another illusion. if someone says it.. it’s so…

Point 9

Fixed? where on earth did you get that idea? Oh yeah.. faux news:(

the oil well may or may not have been capped.. it may or may not hold… the relief wells that will ensure that have not been drilled.

and that doesn’t even begin to address the oil that is in the gulf.. not in small contained areas.. but dancing in the gulf stream around the gulf coast to the tip of florida and up the western seaboard.

Fixed? they haven’t even begun to fix this mess.

You are right that this election is going to get nasty… but god help us all if we get what you want.

Balancing power between the presidency and Congress is not the answer. This is not the same economic climate that produced the surpluses of the Clinton Administration. Add to this that this country is at war and war is very very expensive.

But i have to hand it to you.. you get the twisted logic award.

Republicans in power nearly bankrupted the nation and all we have to do is put them back in charge of congress to balance things out.

Yeah.. like that will work.

You are in complete denial as to who and what created this mess in the first place.

You gotta get out more. There is a huge difference between fact based arguments and the opportunistic innuendo of common ignorance.

Didn’t your momma teach you that no matter how many times a lie is told.. and no matter how many of your friends believe it.. it is still a lie.

the press may label Obama the most progressive president since FDR or Woodrow Wilson…

but the label doesn’t make it so:(

i only wish it did.

btw.. i purposefully left out the immigration reform thing .. you want to talk about ugly…

WHERE ARE YOUR PAPERS DUDE?

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[c@lbob]

Thanks Jo, it gets so tiresome refuting the talking points from the great echo chamber of misinformation. I’m glad you are here to plow through them.

What I find most laughable in the screed from HMC Rich is the continuing theme that we must be chagrined at being intolerant.

I’m here to tell ya, Rich. I am intolerant. The Rebublicans have exposed themselves as complete mouth pieces for corporate interests. I have no illusion, at all, that Republicans will ever do anything that will benefit me.

This weird libertarianism that has infected the minds of so many people has to be defeated and exposed as the sham it is.

Corporations are sociopathic entities designed to make the vast majority of individuals poor by stealing the common resources of all nations and turning them into, to a very large extent, unnecessary consumer toys and fuels that are destroying the atmosphere.

People who have net worth under $1 million are nuts to vote for Republicans, period. I can’t stand them, they are helping in the destruction of all that I hold dear.

Clear?

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[JoB]

catlbob..

i am not sure a million is a big enough cushion these days :(

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[c@lbob]

I won’t be crying the blues for anyone with $1 million, not counting a house. I can also see why they’d be all for not having any of it taxed.

What I can’t see is helping them achieve their fondest desires by voting for the party of no.

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[HMC Rich]

Immigratration: Interesting, the Federal Charter is much more intrusive. Look it up. Have you read the Arizona law? People (the illegal aliens) are being used as slaves. Murder and kidnapping? Drug running. (Do the users of illegal drugs say anything about this?) Illegal, means future Democratic voters. Fine, but eventually they will become Republicans. Well some anyway.

By the way, are you in concurrence with the Presidential Directive allowing US citizens who are abroad, can be assassinated? Bush and Obama. But only Bush is bad!!!! Where is habeus corpus for our citizens but it is OK for illegal combatants? I think it is wrong for both administrations but Holder and crew are really out there. Have you kissed a New Black Panther recently? NAACP can say what they want. I am not a person of color. Well Gray maybe.

Tell me oh Mighty Progressives. Why did reconstruction not go better? Why did the Democratic party not want to deal with slavery? Why did Woodrow Wilson segregate just about everything when he became President. Why have you started ignoring the Constitution and feel it is too limiting. Because,,,, Progressives can be radicals and don’t want to be questioned. Why do I bring this history up? Because under the appearance of open minded discourse is a very ugly core that uses deception and misinformation to exact change.

Republicans grasp that we live in a Capitalistic society. Democrats used to. Corporate donations go to the party who has the upper hand… From The Economist …http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/06/wall_street_donations_congress

Or how about Hedge Fund Campaign contributions…http://biggovernment.com/publius/2010/05/04/hedge-funds-donate-big-to-democrats-get-exemption-from-bank-bill/

DO NOT PLAY THE DEMOCRATS ARE PURE GAME!

1. Percentages are from Ideapalooza. It is one persons view and I agree with it. Obama campaign promises. Send me your link.

2. Some did call themselves that before they learned the urban dictionary definition. Left leaning media and I believe the President cheapened themselves by using the term. Ms Garafolo certainly uses it.

3. No, Unread Healthcare Bill passed. 1/6th of economy. Financial Reform with more beauraeucratic control than ever but no fix for Fannie or Freddie. (Gotta keep the sacred cow clear). Pork laden budget in 2009 but not one in 2010 because of all the deficit spending. (Yes, the RINOs and Bush spent too much and that is why there is one party rule for now.)

Such Transparancy.

Major legislation like the civil rights act had some bi-partisanship, but not lately. Deficit tripling. Obama, Reid and Pelosi have got to take some ownership.

4. The race card. Democratic institutional guilt from the past raises its ugly head. How about that Robert Byrd? How about Harry Reid’s numerous racist or essentially derogatory statements about OBAMA. Yes, racism exists. All parties, not just one. People died to free blacks from slavery. They deserve some respect as do the poor souls who suffer under racism’s ugly umbrella. By the way. There are some racist Tea Partiers. There are some racists who are not white too. Many Tea Party idiots who are racist are getting booted thankfully. Still, nobody has claimed the hundred thousand dollars actually documenting those “incidents”.

5. Hey Dudette, Franken was the recipient of voter fraud. http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2010/07/20/Al-Franken-May-Have-Won-His-Senate-Seat-Through-Voter-Fraud

6. Hey, we agree.

7. I did not say that. Just making a point that Tea Party people don’t fight the police and burn cars. Anarchists certainly do. I did not say liberals were doing that, but I too can come up many acts of violence or faked violence by the left. Bombed abortion clinics are wrong. Those killers are not normal. But about 40 million and counting is so, so sad too, but legal.

8. If Obama wasn’t planning on getting out of Afghanistan why did he tell Karzai that? http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/07/04/afghanistan.withdrawal.deadline/index.html

If he is such a hawk, why did he not give McChrystal all 40,000 instead of 30,000. Obama goes against Sun Tzu on that one. Bad mistake. Personally, I believe we need to draw down troop numbers and eventually get NATO out. We will see what Patreaus says. He is good at what he does.

9. …”hopefully fix… should have been rewritten. I know it is tenuous. Your pre-occupation with invalidating Fox News is hilarious. Even MSNBC says and reports news I believe. Oh I forgot … rules for radicals. Plenty of Right Wing Opinion to be had. No doubt about it. At least they cover ‘the news better than the networks. The press’s job is to be a watchdog of the government, not its friend. Your Democracy Now at least is not lock stock barrel with Gibbs. The Rolling Stone article that got McChrystal to resign was fine. Old Stephanopoulous should not be on White House weekly conference calls.

No, live in your “superior” world that only Democrats are correct. When I say something, a quick google search will usually, but not always, corroborate my statements.

November hurry up. We need some balance back in DC. Maybe they can try to balance the budget. This out of control spending is bankrupting us and has to stop.

Babyboomers start retiring in a few months. There will not be enough money down the road to pay for all of us unless something almost miraculous happens. Our children are getting the shaft.

I would like to work together on some of this but if you are going to be obstinate, I will have to point out the errors of your ways.

See ya

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