JoeBob

When I found myself agreeing with sherminator, I had to go back to read his last post again. Yep, I still agree that we've allowed the media to sell us our politicians, and the politicians who could buy the most airtime usually won. And the politicians whose positions most mirrored the positions of the broadcasters, got the more favorable treatment. Journalists went to journalism school so that they could "save the world", so left-leaning positions were amplified, and "evil" conservatives were demeaned. Once the liberal bias in the Main Stream Media became undeniable, FoxNews was born to fill the vacuum on the right. Now we have websites and blogs where we go to have our opinions reinforced. The echo chamber effect makes us more certain of our positions, and less tolerant of the ignoramuses with whon we disagree. Polarization makes us angry and un-yielding. Which is one of the reasons that I like to visit the 'Issues and Politics' section of this forum. Y'all seldom agree with me, so I have to be able to defend my ideas and question their validity. Not much of an echo in here! And then there is always the hope that I might lead some of you to the light... ;^) JoeBob

I'll pay money to see Newt and Sarah on the same ticket. I don't even care who's on top. If they could keep the platform off the social issues and focus on fiscal, immigration, and security concerns; shoo-in. Light reading for those who think Sarah shuld run: A Thanksgiving Message to All 57 States http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=463364218434 http://aconservativelesbian.com/2010/11/28/yes-prof-jacobson-palin-for-president-in-2012/ Of Course Sarah Palin's 'Unfit'; She's a Republican http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/elder111110.php3 And my favorite cartoon: http://hillbuzz.org/2010/11/08/does-the-cocktail-party-gop-establishment-realize-it-cant-run-business-as-usual-anymore/ JoeBob

When the Guvenator pronounces it, Kalifornia starts with 'K'. Watched "Palin's Alaska" yet?

Virtue? 1- It's good to see family and hard work pushed as a virtue rather than instructions on how to collect un-employment for 99 weeks. 2- Is there any other celebrity or politician more virtuous? Hard work? 1- Mother of five. 2- Written two books in two years. 3- Made an eight episode TV series at the same time. 4- All the while traveling extensively to endorse candidates, promote books and support Bristol on DWTS. That makes me tired typing it all up!

I see Gern and sherm, et al, are back to the ad hominum attacks. No arguments of substance? But I do love to see the Left wriggle so! Palin's Alaska - I got to see the third instalment tonight on TLC. It was the first chance I've had to actually sit down and watch an episode on the tube. It's a good program: educational, informative, entertaining, and thoroughly imbued with the character that we claim to advance in scouting. You don't have to like Sarah Palin, but if you watch an entire episode and do not enjoy the program; then you probably should NOT be involved with scouting. I know that's a strong statement, and I'll be happy to debate it with you. But you have to watch an episode first... JoeBob

When rational and emotional arguments don't work, humorous sarcasm might be your only effective tactic. Gern, your satire was excellent! But you must have actually listened to a bit of what Palin has to say in order to be on target with your satire. Doesn't it make you nervous? ;^) JoeBob

Palin had to quit as governor of Alaska. The left-wing loonies filed enough frivolous ethics complaints for Palin to run up over $500,000 in legal bills. You can't pay those bills on a $125,000 salary. As long as she was governor, the lefties would continue to attack. Now that she is no longer in public office, the legal attacks can't be used to drown her in debt; and she can make mucho bucks selling books. One of the unintended consequences of Sarah Palin being the boogie-woman of the left: she is the most thoroughly vetted presidential contender, ever! If there was a spec of dirt in this woman's past, we already know abouty it! JoeBob

Gern, Look here for a chart showing what party was in control when: http://www.dflorig.com/partycontrol.htm Correlate the deficit ratios to the party in control, and it becomes patently obvious that all the fiscally responsible years (1996 - 2002) were when the Rs controlled the House. There was tolerance for the Repubs high spending after 911, but when they never came home fiscally in the last years of Bush; the Tea Party was born.

Debt by President? He doesn't operate in a vacuum. How about Debt by Congress? Congress spends the money.

Gary, Initially I felt the same way you do about Murkowski's write-in campaign. She lost the primary, quit! But she has proven her argument that 'more Alaskans want me' by winning election in an uphill write-in battle. Whether or not more Republicans wanted her in the primary should not overcome more Alaskans voting for her in the general election. I just hope she honors her indications to caucuss with the Republicans. JoeBob

Packsaddle is right. Social Security was the camel's nose under the tent. That welfare principle has grown to the point that the federal government (taxpayers) somehow became the insurer of last resort for the 911 survivors. Where's that in the constitution? Common good? More like common downfall.

Tea Party Booed Congress - Jon Lewis claimed N-word used. Andrew Breightbart offered $10,000 reward for proof any use of N-word by Tea Party: "If you provide verifiable video evidence showing that a single racist epithet was hurled as you walked among the tea partiers, or you pass a simple lie detector test, I will provide a $10K check to the United Negro College Fund." Nobody stepped forward to take a lie-detector test. Multiple videos of the event. Reward un-claimed. Videos: http://www.mudvillegazette.com/033497.html ***** UCLA PHD Dissertation Study: "UCLA graduate student Emily Ekins set out to photograph every single poster and sign at the 9/12 Taypayer March on Washington in September to see if the tens of thousands of Americans that make up the Tea Party movement are really running on racism. Ekins discovered, based on the signs, that the claims of rampant racism simply weren't true." http://www.breitbart.tv/new-study-shows-tea-party-not-racist-media-unfair-in-coverage/ ***** I've only attended one early Tea Party rally in Atlanta. About 5% of the folks I saw were black and holding up anti-big-government signs. Are blacks protesting big government racists, too?

Tax cuts for "millionaires" are killing us? Perspective: $41,911,000,000,000 = Fed Spending $_4,527,000,000,000 = Interest on Debt $_3,000,000,000,000 = Middle Class Cax Cut $__,700,000,000,000 = Top Earner Tax Cut http://american.com/archive/2010/october/taxes-and-presidential-math Let's go ahead and kill the goose (small business job creation) for the sake of class warfare. There, we punished those evil rich people! Save me a place in the soup line.

The Blue Dog Democrats need to get their act together. The RINOs got elected saying "I'm a fiscal conservative!", but spent money like a drunken Democrat once in office. They really were liars.

I'd like to see the Democratic Party develop something akin to the Tea Party, to shake up their primaries. The Middle, socially liberal & fiscally conservative, has no representation. A 'Middle of the Road Party' wouldn't have to be large to wield considerable influence.

Give Kalifornia back to Mexico. The few remaining WASP's can take SSOL classes. (Spanish as a Second Language)

In Gern's world, Bush personally supervised the White House printing office when they printed a banner at the Navy's request. In fact Bush hand-lettered the banner himself. Gern has a cell-phone picture of Bush hanging the banner, too... So, Bush is a liar. Saying it over and over does not make it true.

Gern, And how does your post make Bush a liar? JoeBob

"The banner stating "Mission Accomplished" was a focal point of controversy and criticism. Navy Commander and Pentagon spokesman Conrad Chun said the banner referred specifically to the aircraft carrier's 10-month deployment (which was the longest deployment of a carrier since the Vietnam War) and not the war itself, saying "It truly did signify a mission accomplished for the crew."[7]

'No doubt about WMDs' was not a lie. 1- Saddam had already used WMDs on the Kurds. 2- Small quantities of chemical weapon artillery shells were found. (Just no big stockpiles) 3- Saddam thought he had WMDs, from his correspondence. 4- The Brits and other allies thought Iraq had WMDs. 5- Congress critters on the intellience committees thought he had WMDs. 6- The previous Dem administration, including Bill And Hillary, thought Iraq had WMDs. If the weather man predicts 100% chance of rain, and it doesn't rain; is he mistaken, or is he a liar? Are all the other fellows listed above liars? If Bush lied about WMD, then they all must be liars, too. Got any more 'Bush era lies'?

On one hand we have a couple of hundred lives spared by thwarting a terrorist attack at Heathrow Airport. The inteligence used to prevent that bombing was the direct result of a water-board interogation. On the other hand we have the comfort of three, count 'em, THREE bad guys that were waterboarded. If you would prefer killing an estimated two hundred innocents to waterboarding THREE fanatics; well, then I probably can't help you.

Dot, dot, dot; dash, dash, dash; dot dot dot!

Hey Pack, Could you give us a short list of 'the Bush era lies' so we'll all know what you're talking about? JoeBob

83 Eagle - It usually doesn't get down to the level of personal attackes so quickly. The name calling often waits until the 2nd page. Beavah - I support the fiscal elements of the Tea-Party, but I must agree that Miller's behaviour is a disappointment. He lost - rather substantually. Get over it. Now he'll be remembered as a cry-baby and have no political future. Oops, did I offend the cry-baby group? JoeBob

Those who don't think this post is funny are one of two types: 1- People who have NO sense of humor and get more joy from expressing phoney outrage. - or - 2- Dallas Cowboys fans...