Morning Open Thread
Chat away...
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Why is the White House and the media not reporting that a 2nd carrier has arrived in the Persian Gulf?????
Our candidates should be taking a leadership role in this and asking this question!
Good morning fellow Democrats. Looks like we are coming to an end in the primary race. With Joe Andrew, ANOTHER former Clinton appointee and a FORMER superdelegate for Hillary going to Senator Obamas side, I believe this can be over by next Wednesday. It is time to unite this party and WIN in November.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080501/pl_bloomberg/aa0x6vwqaw1e;_ylt=A0WTcVQw1BlIu5oAXAas0NUE
When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 we were lucky Jimmy Carter was president, instead of confronting the Russians he chose to support the resistance inside Afghanistan. Eventually we developed and supplied the Afghan resistance with Stinger missals and GPS enhanced mortars. With technology and a good course of action the Soviets backed out of Afghanistan. Jimmy Carter at the time was the right president to answer the question,” What are we going to do about Afghanistan?”
We do need a good Middle Eastern policy. Isn’t it a good time to solicit Carters advice on what we should do?
I saw President Carter in an interview suggest a reasonable approach to the problem Israel is facing is to support Syria in developing a good neighbor policy between the two countries. Israel and Egypt have been enjoying relatively good relations since the peace accords. Another friendly neighbor for Israel would be a most improved situation in the Middle East. I think both our presidential candidates should spend some time in conversation with former President Carter. It is time for both Hillary and Barack to assume they will win and will be speaking as the President of the United States.
At this station shouldn’t they be asking President Carter,” What are we going to do about Afghanistan?”
Shall I say: HOLD AMERICA’S HEAD UP FOR IRAQ’S BEHEADED AND AN AMERICAN SOLDIER COMING OUT OF IRAQ; VOTE DEMOCRATIC?
(Well, I would rather not inadvertently imply that America couldn’t hold its head up for an American soldier coming out of Iraq if the American majority might not vote Democratic... However, it appears the Republican leadership’s one hundred year old Iraq agenda would not call the soldiers out of harms way in Iraq during the next possible Republican term anyway?)
BARRACK OBAMA IN DEBATE: “AMERICA WILL NOT BE HELD HOSTAGE BY IRAQ”.
(Neither will the American Spirit ever be held hostage to Iraq’s internal and regional political problems in our dead soldiers. Neither should America be held a useless hostage in a region that forced America to look at the Middle East’s neglected and anti-life politics that forced America to look for the leg of the American eagle that was dismembered at ground zero; let our soldiers fly home with that one-legged-eagle.)
ON THE OTHER HAND, MAYBE AMERICA NEEDS TO LET HILLARY CLINTON TAKE ON THE SECTARIAN POLITICS OF IRAQ WITH HER KNOWLEDGE OF POLITICS? EVEN ACCORDING TO CLINTON CRITICS, CLINTON COULD SAY AMERICA-DOES-BUT-DOESN’T-BUT-DOES CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO IRAQ’S CURRENT GOVERNMENT AND HAVE HER SELF AND THE NATION BE SOMEHOW CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD! JUST LIKE IRAN SAYS IT DOES-BUT-DOESN’T-BUT-DOESN’T SUPPLY SHIITE MILITIA’S IN A REGION THAT TAUGHT ITS PUBLIC IT-CAN-BUT-CAN’T MURDER FOR PERSONAL AND POLITICAL REASONS?
A couple of weeks ago, John McCain talked about the importance of increasing the size of the U.S. military. To entice more volunteers, he said, the government should focus on incentives: “[O]ne of the things we ought to do is provide [the troops with] significant educational benefits in return for serving.”
A few days later, McCain announced that he’ll oppose a bipartisan measure to renew and expand the GI Bill for a new generation of veterans.
Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), the leading proponent of the modernized GI Bill, is calling McCain out and creating an interesting battle.
Someone needs to attach a yellow ribbon to mcBush's forehead
Posted by BlueinIdaho on May 1, 2008 at 11:38 AM
I'll second that, I've got a staple gun with 3/8 inch staples we can use.
The Pew Research Center’s latest report notes, “Trends in the opinions of America’s youngest voters are often a barometer of shifting political winds.” If so, the winds are at Democrats’ backs, and will be for a quite a while. While young people shifted to the Democratic Party a bit in the 1990s, the bottom fell out for the GOP and younger voters during Bush’s presidency.
In 1992, Republicans enjoyed a slight edge in party identification among 18-29 year olds, 47% to 46%. Four years later, Democrats claimed a six-point edge, 50% to 44%. By the time of the 2000 election, Democrats’ lead had expanded slightly to eight points, 49% to 41%.
And voters under the age of 30 have been making a beeline from the Republican Party ever since. In 2004, Democrats’ lead among young voters’ party ID expanded to 11 points, 51% to 40%. And in 2008, the margin became a landslide — Democrats 58%, Republicans 33%.
What’s striking is not just the one-sided nature of young voters’ preferences, but the speed with which the change occurred. As recently as the 2002 midterms, voters aged 18 to 29 split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. In the 2006 midterms, they backed Democrats, 63% to 33%. Between 2004 and 2008, the party ID shift has more than doubled in Dems’ direction.
At the rate this is going the GOP will have to hold their next convention in Harpo's basement
GPS was developed in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Defense so that military units can always know their exact location and the location of other units. The Global Positioning System (GPS) helped the United States win the war in the Persian Gulf in 1991. During Operation Desert Storm, military vehicles relied on the system to navigate across the barren desert at night.
Proof that trolls don't know shit
Nobel Peace Prize winner and international symbol of freedom Nelson Mandela is flagged on U.S. terrorist watch lists and needs special permission to visit the USA. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calls the situation “embarrassing,” and some members of Congress vow to fix it.
WASHINGTON - A leader of the Democratic Party under Bill Clinton switched his allegiance to Barack Obama and encouraged fellow Democrats to heal the party by uniting behind the Illinois senator.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080501/ap_on_el_pr/superdelegates
Harpo
In all seriousness. Why are you posting here? If it is simply to be annoying, I can live with that. But answer truthfully. Why are you posting here?
I was the class clown and understand the humor in disruption but if it isn't that, I am curious why...
Governor Dean is on with Jon Stewart tonight. Don't forget to watch.
That was pretty sneaky about that rally at the DNC yesterday. They are Hillary supporters, but they wore shirts with other candidates' names. Ooops.
Florida's Hillary supporters protest at DNC, pretend they are not Hillary supporters.
In one breath you say Hillary doesn't know what she is doing and in the second breath you say we must "give" the nomination to OBama and unite the party.
Don't you know that will never happen as long as you blast Clinton and praise OBama.
I cannot convince myself, "How could OBama listen to all that hate and destruction for Twenty (20) years, without being effected?"
I know children that were raised with hate, and revenge and they usually end up in prison.
I can not help but always have that thought in my mind that OBama won't have the love in his heart that Hillary will when it comes to solving USA problems. I am an old lady and have lots of experience with life and raising children.
The soviet-afghan war was not the Persian Gulf war...
Sheesh why do I bother. Done.
Posted by sunny on May 1, 2008 at 11:58 AM
_________________________________________
Well, that is a win win move for Hillary for trying to attract superdelegates
Kinda like her diplomatic attack against MOVEON
Piss off the DNC and show how she will continue with her message of transparency by having her supporters pretend to be something else.
Whew, no question in my mind, she has the experience, and would be good at diplomacy.
I am a 58 year old white woman who has fought for women's rights for 40 years----
I remember when I was a little girl, and how much fun it was to pretend to be somebody else.
Posted by oneforall on May 1, 2008 at 12:04 PM
I guess it all depends on how you characterize Wright's sermons. Where you hear "hate", others may have heard "frustration" and "impatience" with government and civil progress. Have you ever listened to the speeches given on the Senate floor? I'd say that many times they can take on the same tone, yet somehow Hillary manages to get through it.
I have listened to Obama speak personally and I can tell you that he comes across as genuinely sincere and still full of HOPE.
YES WE CAN!
g'morning everyone... haven't posted in a while for a number of reasons, but anyway, just wanted to throw out a thought and then do some garden work before the rains arrive. it would seem a good indicator of how bad things have become is the fact that everyone and their aunts and uncles are in the business of selling 'hope' and 'change'. but words are cheap, especially in the 'silly' season. if we are to have any real hope of meaningful change and a better world, we must 'act'. we must make tangible efforts to realize our hope and affect change by becoming proactive in our beliefs. we can't simply hope the iraq mess will end, we can't simply hope the price of gas and groceries will go down, we can't simply hope mclame will self destruct, we can't simply hope our nation will on its own give disadvantaged people a hand up, we can't simply hope tomorrow will be better. we must 'work' if we are to make things happen. 'seeds' of change can only grow if planted in fertile soil, our job should be to cultivate that 'soil'.
gotta go...cheers
Good morning / afternoon, ALL!
Not so "Happy" "Nothing Accomplished" Day.
The housing collapse is having even more trickle down effect than originally thought. People who would have been moving and decided to stay where they are (or are trapped in that house) were being counted on to do some remodeling and other home improvements. Not so much any more.
Home Depot Cuts Growth Plans, Will Close 15 Stores
This is addition to the 500 people laid off in January.
Posted by BoilerMan on May 1, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Agreed. Hope leads to action. The absence of Hope leads to apathy. Apathy leads to presidents with the name of Bush....or McCain.
Former Democratic Chairman Andrew to Switch to Obama
Link
It seems Andrew after endorsing Hillary like Gov. Richardson, he decided to only person for real change was Obama. It seems that President Carter the only person to bring the Party together would be Obama. Why are so many former Clinonites supporting Obama? I hope Carville does not condemn another Democrat with labels.
…mission Accomplished!
Oil price negotiation by Bush with the Saudi’s for $60.00 per barrel of oil ended with a 60$ rise in oil prices!!!
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
Grain shortages causing world wide riots while countries attempt to purchase USA grains because of the low currency; the republican and bush farming polices for the last 7 years short the crops! IE. Pay (land owners) farmers not to plant, bush and republicans teach and finally learned how to harvest green back without working!
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
Iraqi oil will pay for the war! $600,000,000,000+ spent, 4000+ dead, 20,000 wounded so badly they cannot return to duty, VA under pressure of wounded solders, Equipment and material replacement budget sinking US economy, … Latest projection for cost of war including VA care, Equipment replacement, etc… $3 trillion ($3,000,000,000,000+) in borrowed money to wage a war based on WMD that did not exist!
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
USA credit crisis causing banks to cease up!
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
Inflation data is manipulated to not include, food price, gas price… The republican and bush administration inflation data look more like WMD in Iraq, empty fiction!
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
Food and drug administration cannot even sample or quality inspect poisonous product imported into this country for our sick and children.
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
…foreign terrorists? Who needs those guys? USA has republicans and bush that has done more damage to this country than any foreign entities!!
REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
When Barack first entered the public arena, he said We all pray to an awesome God! That we are not red states or blue states but the United States... and that is his simple message and goal, to unite Americans. With nothing to gain, Barack said this at the Democratic National Convention for Kerry when he reached out to all Americans -- not just the Democrats! However, they have tried to skew it by stating he does not even pray to the flag, he's a Muslim -- and going forward they (the forces of Materialism and Corprate Greed) will do all they can to confuse us, but if you go back to your first introduction of Barack, at the Democratic Convention, you will realize that that is who he really is!
Only the Republican-controlled Media and Team Clinton want to keep us blindsided by Rev. Wright controversy because it divides us as Americans and does not unite us. The Republicans do not want us united, to find our Powerbase, which would be to their demise. The Clintons because it fuels a racial divide although when they were facing Bills's Impeachment, they called Rev. Wright to the White House for prayer and support. We must not let them blindside or brainwash us again and take us down a path like the Iraq war... there are WMD's -- Iraqi oil will pay for the war and yet our gas prices have never been so high -- economy is good, and a host of misleading statements, sniper fire included. We have a man in Barack who is aunthentic, honest, who truly sees a way for us to be united and to work on our common goals... He is not an elitist, that is another attempt to blindside us and divide us!
Mike Huckabee was right-on in his recent comments regarding Rev. Wright and his need to stay bitter to justify his anger against some people in America, an anger and bitterness that Barack does not share.
Barack - "Investing in People; God Bless America"
...can we start a list of
Republican Revolution - Mission Accomplished?
"Certainly, if he wanted to go and get a job other than U.S. Senator, at his age, he’d have a pretty hard time, wouldn’t he?”
-- Michael Moore on John McBush
WAS REV. WRIGHT PRESS CONF A CLINTON CONSPIRACY?: Questions raised after organizer is exposed as a Hillary supporter.
"I don't know if Reynolds' eagerness to help Wright stage a disastrous news conference with the national media was a way of trying to help Clinton, but it's safe to say she didn't see any conflict between promoting Wright and supporting Clinton," wrote columnist Errol Louis of the New York Daily News.
Link
The media needs to investigate Reynolds and the reason she supported Rev. Wright. Since Rev. Wright was upset that Obama had pushed him aside for his radical views, did he repeat them and more power to inflict harm on Obama. Look at their faces and seek the truth. What contacts were made by Reynolds to anyone in the Clinton campaign? It seems that Carville was aware of the National Press Club meeting, did he call the press or do anything to highlight it, if he did then it was a Kitchen Sink tactic of the mosts despicable Bush tricks. What will they do if elected to other Democrats, who confront the Clinton's in the White House? "We the people" need a president that unites not divides in Executive Privilege.
If this race is ended by anyone before Denver you will have a split party. There will be a revolt and the Democratic Party should not count on a single vote from Hillary Clinton supporters or even neutral Democrats, Independents, or Republicans that are not solid Obama supporters. We have viewed all this Democratic Party leaderships repeated calls for an early “Shut Down” as nothing more then taking sides for what is only in the best interest of Obama not the Democratic Party or us. If they do this “shut down” half of the Democratic Party and all those that were leaning that way will have no part of the Democratic nominee and will join the Disenfranchised Voter Party or the Write in Party of Americans. Joe Andrews is wrong and is a old boss who is trying to do old boss power play crap! Bottom line is if these guys “Shut Down” Hillary Clinton's bid for the nomination before she chooses to drop out from POPULAR VOTES cast or an open convention in Denver loss then the only votes you can count on in November are only those who are already solidly in Obama’s camp the rest of us will make sure you will lose in November! Now that is splitting the party not letting us the voters play this out! Joe Andrews you are wrong! Leaders like you are tearing the party apart not Hillary! They are trying to shift blame is all they are doing...SPIN! SHAME ON YOU JOE ANDREWS! YOU HAVE THE SAME VOID OF MORALS AS OBAMA! BAD JUDGMENT ABOUNDS NOW IN THE PARTY!
Posted by gemstone on May 1, 2008 at 01:28 PM
Brought to you by the Bitter Citizens for McCain.
Quite the rant, there.
Unfortunately these Primaries have NEVER been about the popular vote, they are DELEGATE races so that argument is out the window.
BREAKING NEWS-->>
A body believed to be that of the D.C. Madam has been found in FL with a suicide note. I guess Vitter will never have to testify now.
'D.C. Madam' believed dead (7 minutes ago)
Joe Andrews is wrong and is a old boss who is trying to do old boss power play crap!
by gemstone on May 1, 2008 at 01:28 PM
Is the only choice for the Democratic Party, Hillary. That people that were for Clinton at one time must stay loyal to the Clinton's, all of them like Andrews.
Gemstone you said Andrews is an old boss, who is doing a old boss power play crap. I look at his appearance and he looks younger than Bill Clinton's old boss's look. Compare the Andrews old boss power play with the Clinton's old boss power play of the status quo, which one offer "We the people" real change?
But why are some of Bill's closest associates and friends saying we need change with Obama.
What timing. Just in time for "Nothing Accomplished Day"
Soldier on his seventh tour dies in Afghanistan.
SEVENTH!!!
Posted by Doo-Bee-Doo-Bee-Doo on May 1, 2008 at 02:35 PM
But those Republicans had all those yellow ribbons saying Support the Troops!!
And to think he died for a Lie ! and for Oil to be up to $120 per barrell!
I apologize for the length of this post, but I had a lot to say.
There is a huge risk when putting an individual, any individual on a pedestal. No human is perfect and when one of these imperfect humans is placed upon the 'perfect person' pedestal, it will inevitably be a long, painful fall from grace. It will be painful for both the person falling from the pedestal and even more painful for the person who placed the individual upon the pedestal.
At the risk of offending a lot of people here, Sen. Obama is a fine and good man. He is an excellent choice for President but he does not walk on water. He is not the second coming. By the same token, Sen. Clinton is not a minion of the devil nor is she evil incarnate. She is a fine and good woman who has done a lot of great things for this country and the Democratic Party. She, too, is an excellent choice for President.
It is imperative that we see our candidates as the good, decent and fine people that they both are, but it is also imperative that we recognize that no one individual is perfect. Each of our candidates has their respective strengths and weaknesses and to make an honest, fair choice, we need to accept this. Moreover, if you are unwilling to even acknowledge, not to mention respect, the strengths of your opponent, you are doomed to loose.
If you value the strengths of Sen. Obama over the strengths of Sen. Clinton, that is fine - I support your choice. But, it is foolish to cast Sen. Obama in the role of all-knowing, all-seeing, omnipotent, God-like entity. It is even more foolish to, in an effort to make Sen. Obama seem even more deity-like, cast his opponent - Sen. Clinton - as some incarnation of the devil.
In a perfect world there would be no negative campaigns, there would be no attacks on a person's minister, no one would need to sling mud to get an advantage and there would be no authoritarian, neo-conservative, Republicans- (who really are the minions of the Devil!) but this is a far from perfect world and no amount of wishing on our part is going to change that. While we sit around daydreaming of perfection and demonizing the opposing democratic candidate, the Neo-conservatives take advantage with classic misdirection, they draw in independents with social issues that actually mean little in the big picture, while focusing moderates with lies and innuendo that question the patriotism and even the very citizenship of our candidates.
We can not afford to keep sitting around wishing for and dreaming of perfection. What we can do is to change is the direction that this country is headed in. What we can do is begin to repair some of the destruction done to the world by the current administration. What we can do is take back the 99% of influence currently enjoyed by wealthiest 1% and give it to the middle class, where it belongs! But we can do none of this without each other. If we do not band together and stand shoulder to shoulder against the republicans, we have no hope.
While it may be less than perfect, the fact is, that we have two (2) choices come November. We can stubbornly refuse to vote for anyone other than our own candidate, which ends up being a vote for the Republicans or we can recognize the benefits of unity and vote for whomever the party nominates. I personally do not believe that I, nor the bulk of the world - not just my country, - can stand four more years of what we are currently suffering.
Those of you who have been offended by my posts demanding unity come November, Please consider the above before you dismiss me, chastise me or attack me.
marymac the only people who say Senator Obama is and I quote you
"But, it is foolish to cast Sen. Obama in the role of all-knowing, all-seeing, omnipotent, God-like entity. It is even more foolish to, in an effort to make Sen. Obama seem even more deity-like, cast his opponent - Sen. Clinton - as some incarnation of the devil. "
are Clinton supporters who are trying to divide the party. Show me ONE post where any Obama supporter compares him to a deity. The ONLY veiled reference this whole campaign to a candidate being Christ-like is when Carville called Governor Richardson Judas for not supporting Hillary. I can appreciate that you support Hillary but she CAN NOT MATHMATICALLY win, or even catch up to Senator Obama so why is she still in the race? For her own political ambition end of story.
Posted by oneforall on May 1, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Obama was not exposed to the same level of hate and discrimination as older African-Americans. Newer generations have moved on except for isolated pockets of backwardness. If he was scarred by his experiences, he'd have discussed it in the book he wrote PRIOR to his entrance into national politics. (Being the honest man that he is, I'm sure he'd say the same things today, but if you don't trust that, there's that book he wrote before the Senate and before this run for the presidency) If you want to sort out who he is, I highly recommend reading his books. I have, and he has my complete confidence and my vote.
Those of you who have been offended by my posts demanding unity come November, Please consider the above before you dismiss me, chastise me or attack me.
Posted by marymac_memphis on May 1, 2008 at 02:55 PM
I agree with you that we need to vote a Democrat into office this election, and I think those who would dismiss, chastise or attack for expressing that desire would be wrong. However, it is one thing to believe in your message and another to try to compel people to share it. Persuade, yes. Compel, no. Republicans insist on lockstep unity. I am glad that Democrats are willing to patiently hear and politely debate opposing views. My patience, however, ends where Harpo, et al, begins. If someone comes here trashing all Democrats, they are open targets, in my opinion. Go get 'um!
Posted by marymac_memphis on May 1, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Though I am disgusted by Clinton's recent campaigning, I never demonized her. She's just is, and always was, my very last choice.
Unfortunately I have been demonized, and called names by some of her supporters, which runs up red flags for me. Those types of arguments turn me off a candidate faster than anything.
I plan on voting straight Democratic, and I am also trying to remind everyone NOT to forget the concurrent Congressional races, which are just as vitally important, if not more so.
We do not have, nor will have, an unbiased constitutionally based Supreme Court until one of the Republicans on the court either kicks the bucket or is deposed for lack of "good behavior", which is undefined in the Constitution.
We need the Legislative Branch of the government to be able to support the president, when needed, yet be strong enough to represent the People, and if need be to overcome presidential vetos whenever necessary, and from time to time, they probably will be.
We have already seen the disaster that a rubber-stamp congress can wreak when a president demands poorly thought out, and even outright criminal legislation.
We need as many populist Senators and Representatives as we can possibly get in order to get this country back on track, and not just riding willy nilly in the wrong direction.
I only hope and pray that the DNC does not snub our Congressional race this year. We need to get our Republican (non) representative out of office so Montana can once again be represented in the House.
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