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Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Don't y'all ever get tired
Date:	9/21/2008 11:53:35 PM

Of having the same political discussion every day? Aren't any of you worried about the government needing to bail out the financial institutions? Considering where we are, it seems to me that there is more than enough blame to go around to the (do nothing, both sides of the aisle) Congress, the Republican political appointees (Treasury) and the Fed.
John McCain says that he is going to "change Washington" -- well, if he was going to be able to do that, don't you think he would have done it by now? Why does he think that he can change things from the White House with a Democratic majority Congress? And truthfully, though I favor Obama, he isn't going to change Washington either. The truth is that they all like it just the way it is -- that's one of the main reasons I'm for term limits in Congress. The fact is that both candidate will always say they are going to change this or change that, but they rarely are able to change things through the sheer force of their personalities and agendas. And I happen to agree that the democratic Congress has been a huge disappointment.

Truth is, I'm not crazy about either candidate, but I am in favor of our stopping spending money and troops in Iraq. We need to shift our focus to Afghanistan. Now that we've stopped pretending that Pakistan is our partner and ally, we can go after the bad guys in the Kyber pass. Iraq was never the home of terrorism until we made it easy for them to fight us there. It's always been Afghanistan.

I'm in favor of a domestic agenda that fixes social security, fixes health care, figures out what needs to be done about the financial systems and is willing to spend money on our infrastructure (so we don't have more bridges collapsing). If they have to raise taxes to do that, then so be it. I'd like to see some investment in America than us helping everyone else. (I'm not an isolationist, but we do still pay Israel 1.5B and Egypt, slight less, not to fight each other as a result of the Camp David Accords).

And I think Sara Palin is an idiot -- not because she is a Republican, but because the woman knows nothing about national security, domestic policy, or economics. Obama may not have experience, but when someone asks him about Russian and Putin, he doesn't respond that he can see Russia from his window as a response.

Name:	water_watcher -	Reply
Subject:	Not at all
Date:	9/22/2008 7:31:06 AM

Obama is a very very scary person. He will destry the foundation of this country and turn us to scocialism. You will see a mass exodus of businesses moving their HQ to other countries (it is already happening) to avoid the huge taxes in the US so they can be competitive globally. You will see the top 5% move their money to foreign banks to avoid taxation and some moving their residency as well.

So the people that will be hurt from Obama's policies will be those he wants to help as companies move more jobs overseas and their is less "rich" people to tax.

The banking crisis is a perfect example of the liberal democrats policies. They wanted lower income people have mortgages available to them. See my posts below ... they were NINJA loans - no income, no job, approved.

McCain proposed reform back in 2006 that could have fixed it, but the democrats blocked it and said the republicans were trying to block affordable housing for the middle class. Now look at where we are. Now the dems are saying the republicans had the whitehouse and should have done more.

You know the dems are the party of pointing fingers. Look at all the terrorist attacks under Clinton and he did nothing. Then there was 9/11 and Bush took action and has kept us safe and the terrorists on the run and destroying their networks. Yet if he did not do that and their were more attacks, you can bet the dems would be saying that after 9/11 he should have been doing more.

Say what you want about Palin. She is one smart women and has more excutive experience than any of them and she has just as much foreign policy experience as Obama and she is in the #2 spot. So if your poblem with her is her lack of foreign policy experience, how do you reconcile that with Obama.

Did you know as Gov of Alaska she visited Iraq and Afganistan twice ... that is twice more than Obama. His FIRST visit was after he started running for president.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	How ironic
Date:	9/22/2008 8:29:42 AM

You ask us if we are tired of the same political discussion and then you go on a tirade and insult Sarah Palin. I would be willing to bet she knows a heck of a lot more than you do about those issues but I wouldn't say you were an idiot because of that. You don't like her and that's fine. If I were for Obama she would worry me as well.

You make the mistake of believing that government is the solution to all these problems. For the vast majority of them government is the problem. That is my constant refrain and it will never change. For those who think government is the solution I suggest you carefully examine the quality of life, economic condition and freedom of countries around the world where government runs everything and you will see we live in the greatest, most vibrant, freest country on this planet today and for all of history. As someone told me about a recent trip to China, you go 60 km outside any major city and you enter the middle ages with no electricity, running water or sanitation facilities.

Obama's prescriptions for what ails us (typical big government liberalism) are exactly wrong. They don't work, they have never worked and they never will work. The only thing government does moderately well (when led well) is to make weapons and train soldiers to break things and kill people. Everything else government does accomplishes half as much while costing twice as much. I know of what I speak as my business deals with government on all levels every day.

Name:	AUCATZ -	Reply
Subject:	Don't y'all ever get tired
Date:	9/22/2008 10:50:44 AM

I have many of the same feelings as you regarding Democrats vs. Republicans. And I am very glad that you recognize that the current problems aren't solely the fault of one party over the other.

I do feel like I cannot vote for Obama. It isn't a racial issue (I would more than likely vote for Colin Powell in a heartbeat) - it is a lot of little things. He appears to me to be a show-person. It's all rhetoric and not a lot of substance. He doesn't have the background to back up what he espouses. Truly, I don't see how anyone can tout his 'experience' when most of his life has been about talking and writing about himself - not really accomplishing anything. I'm sure the Lady here will rebut me on this one, but Community Organizer, State Senator with nary a piece of legislation to his credit, and U.S Senator who voted with Bush more often than not, and voted 'present' more times than that aren't real credentials in my opinion. Having Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy behind him pulling the strings isn't a great thing either.

As for Sarah Palin, I personally admire her. She's smart, savvy, and forthright. People call her 'scary' - what's scary? That she lives what she speaks? That she is a normal person that has succeeded in a man's world? That she stood up for her city and her state? I really get tired of people calling her silly names. She is more 'normal' than most politicians, and she is in touch with regular folks like me. All this talk about her taking earmarks for her state...isn't that what a Governor does? She has done her job well and her ratings prove it. Joe Biden doesn't know how to be a VP either. 30 years in the Senate doesn't qualify him any more then Sarah.

The office of the President is about making the tough decisions - not always the popular ones. I don't see Obama doing that. He will rubber-stamp anything the Democratic Congress sends his way, and that is a scary thought.

You think he isn't a Socialist? Have you thought about the fact that the Russian leadership wants him in office? Capitalism isn't something that our adversaries want, and they would love to see us fail.

Name:	Swimmer27 -	Reply
Subject:	Don't y'all ever get tired
Date:	9/22/2008 12:32:00 PM

Don't you ever get tired of defending the indefensible? I can give one example of why I will not vote for the messiah. Jeremiah Wright!! If I take 'the one' at his word, he never in 20+ years of knowing him and sitting in his chruch, heard his racist, anti-American views, then he is to naive, inattentive, or just plain dense to be my president. Of course we all know that he did hear it. That was the focus of the church, Black Liberation Theology. How can you go there for twenty years and NOT hear it. The sermons were on sale in the lobby.

How many of you know that the "rev wirght" is a muslim convert himself? I guess those muslims not having the tithe thing going on was a problem for him.

Elsie you and feb really need to get out more and quit drinking the liberal kool aide. To rant about how bad politics is, and then turn around and attack Sarah Palin shows where your heart really is. I have never seen a VP pick have this much impact on a race. Suddenly 'the one' is running against her. And if you are going to try to use her own words against her, at least get it right, and quit propagating the liberal talking points. Sarah has more executive experience than even the man at the top of her own ticket. Sarah successfully negotiated a 'treaty' with another country. Can 'the one' make that claim? Oh yeah, it has come out that he broke the law, not to mention just bad manners, while he was in Iraq. He tried to get the Iraqi's to hold off on instituting their plan for troop withdrawels till 'after his coranation', err I mean the election. Of course since the Palin Pick, his imminent rise tot he office is not so imminent is it? LOL

And just for the record, I was going to have to be drug, kicking and screaming, to the polls to vote for McCain before the pick. Now I can't wait for the polls to open so I can go and cast a vote for Sarah.

Name:	want2beonlake -	Reply
Subject:	Please explain
Date:	9/22/2008 1:02:54 PM

So let me get this straight. When anyone questions Palin that is wrong because the issue should not be the VP choices but rather the experience (or alleged lack of) of Obama vs. McCain's years of service.

Yet you are saying the only reason you would vote for McCain is because of Palin...

It is just confusing on why you would now vote for McCain because of Palin.

Name:	Swimmer27 -	Reply
Subject:	It's so simple even a liberal.
Date:	9/22/2008 1:14:55 PM

.... should be able to see it.

I LIKE SARAH!! She is the first 'real' candidate I have ever seen in either position. I am voting for her so that in 2012 she will be the presumptive nominee. I don't see McCain being two terms due to age and health. I just hope that after 4 years inside the beltway, she is the same person. Two years as Governor sure doesn't seem to have changed her.

She has class and dignity and no matter how many ways you liberals attack her, it keeps coming through. She readily admits her weaknesses, unlike 'the one' who has said he 'never has doubts'. Of course not, he is the chosen one and us mere mortals can't possibly know as much as him about anything.

Before Sarah I was considering throwing my vote away on Bob Barr just as a protest measure, since I am in a secure RED state. Now I will vote McCain with the assumption that Sarah will rise to the top of the ticket eventually.

AND BTW--- the more she is attacked, the better I like her!!!

Name:	want2beonlake -	Reply
Subject:	It's so simple even a liberal.
Date:	9/22/2008 1:19:11 PM

guess that is why I can't see it - not a liberal.

But thanks for the explanation. Will not post anything to try and change your mind.

At least you have a reason - works for me. Might not agree with it - but will respect your decision.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Don't misrepresent us!
Date:	9/22/2008 1:22:39 PM

Please tell me you don't think we plan to vote for McCain over Obama because of Palin. I could care less who McCain chooses for the VP slot because almost anyone he could have picked, including Palin, would be more preferable to me than Obama, and that includes a slew of Democrats (even Hillary....I can't believe I wrote that but its true....). These are serious times and the loony left of the Democrat party selected the most left wing presidential candidate in my lifetime. This was allowed to happen because they believed they would win no matter who was the nominee. The Republican party selected a moderate like McCain because they rightly concluded that it was their only chance of winning given the election-year dynamics.

That McCain is even close to Obama proves the error made by Democrats and the correct decision by Republicans. I still believe the odds are better than even that Obama will win but the fact that it is even close conclusively demonstrates the error. I didn't vote for McCain in the primaries but in my opinion he and Palin are wildly better for the country than Obama/Biden. That is why. It still amazes me that Obama is running against Palin, another telling sign that he is in disarray.

Name:	Swimmer27 -	Reply
Subject:	Don't misrepresent us!
Date:	9/22/2008 1:46:31 PM

I agree, My reasons for NOT voting for the one are too numerous to list. I wouldn't vote for him no matter who was running against him. I was just simply not excited about McCain till he picked Sarah. If the polls were even close in Alabama I would have always voted against him by voting republican. It is just now I have a reason not to throw my vote away.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	How ironic
Date:	9/22/2008 5:15:09 PM

You are right and I apologize MartiniMan. I did complain and then go off on a tirade. After I pushed the submit button I read my post back and would have deleted most of it if this board had that function. I don't mind editing myself.

I don't believe big government is the answer to everything. I spent too many years working for the govt to believe that. There are a good number of things that the government will only screw up in the implementation. (remember Hillary's ideas about health care?) But I don't see the states and communities rushing to do anything either. So in absence of that, I think maybe we need fundamental changes to government to make these things happen. Some of these things are so controversial, politicians will not take them on.

Regarding my remarks about Sara Palin -- I'm sure she is a fine woman and appeals to a lot of people who are used to hearing government speak from politicians. But she has only been a mayor of a small town and a governor of a state mostly no one cares about. While her ability to achieve these positions is noteworthy, it doesn't mean that she will thrive in Washington. Why? Because she won't understand how the game is played, it will take her too long to learn enough to enter into discourse and get things done. Don't underestimate people in Washington -- it's "Mecca" for a lot of brillant people, who understand all these things inside and out. When I retired, I was the Deputy Director of my organization. That's nothing to brag about, but I did get to see how a lot of very high level people operate -- not to mention the NSC, and the Hill. A lot of those people have been in and out of government all of their adult lives -- and they will leave Sara Palin standing in the dust.
Additionally, I suspect that she was plucked from obscurity by the McCain people to try to garner certain voting groups and I suspect that she is being used by the good old boys. Don't forget, she wasn't McCain's choice -- the party chose her.
I'm not against her personally, but I don't think she is ready for national office.

And don't bother to tell me about Obama's inexperience.

WW et al -- I'm not drinking the Kool Aid, and I wish you would find some new websites to visit for your "facts". And I've asked you nicely before to leave Feb out of it. We are two different people. He has his views, I have mine.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Don't y'all ever get tired
Date:	9/22/2008 10:33:26 PM

Martini man -- you are right, I did get off on a tirade. I realized it the minute after I hit the submit button. I would have deleted it if that were possible on this board.

I don't think big government is the answer. The government is good at a lot of things, but creating a bureaucracy to deal with managing the problem is not the answer. I'd like to see Washington create an environment in which creative and smart solutions could be found.

I don't have anything personally against Sara Palin. I think what she has accomplished is admirable; however, I believe that she is being played as a political pawn by boys who run the Republican party. She was brought in to garner certain voting segments. If McCain is lucky enough to win, I don't think you'll see much of her unless something happens to him. Remember, she was not HIS choice, but rather the choice of political operatives in the party. He wanted Lieberman. I don't like John McCain. It's not necessarily because he is a Republican -- I just don't like him or his temper and I think if he was going to do great things in Washington he would have done them already. I'm sorry that he was the best the Republicans had to offer up. And sadly, he probably was.

WW -- I am not drinking liberal Kool Aid. I like to think I am independent. I care about social issues because I think that those of us who are lucky enough to "have" should try to help those that don't. Not necessarily through govt intervention -- I'm happy if it happens on the local level.

And WW, I believe I have asked you nicely not to bring Feb into it. He and I are not the same person; we have different views on a lot of different things. So please don't try to use me to take a pot shot at him. I don't like being used that way.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Don't worry
Date:	9/23/2008 7:08:53 AM

I won't harp on Obama's experience as I think in your heart you recognize he and Sarah Palin share that attribute, I guess I am much less concerned with her getting along with the Washington establishment. Unlike Obama (who has never gone against ultra liberal orthodoxy), she might actually have her own mind and influence McCain in positive ways (i.e., she is all for drilling for oil in ANWR). And if McCain drops over in two years she will have two more years of experience in the position than Obama whne she assumes the office. She will also have the option to do what Obama did which was select a VP that has considerable experience.

I understand your concerns about her but if you really understand the fallacy of bigger federal government I just can't see you pulling the lever for Obama/Biden. At least with McCain we might get some fiscal discipline that the Bush/Rep/Dem Congress haven't had for 8 years. Considering it is highly unlikely that control of Congress will shift maybe the best we can hope for is divided government.

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