Flip flopping must be contagious. Didn't McCain give a glowing endorsement of President Obama a few weeks ago in an introduction of Romney?http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/politics&id=8493041

"I am confident with the leadership and the backing of the American people, President Obama will turn this country around," McCain said.

It just doesn't get any better, does it? LMAO! ;-)

Feisty,

He is only relevant because he wants to send Newt to the moon.

BTW Gov. Bob McDonnell will be on Rachel’s show next week. She showed several clips of her past comments about him so he will know what questions to expect.

Ask McCain's fellow POW's what nick name they had for him. Wasn't it song bird, or something like that? Is he relevant to anything? Kinda like Newt, leaving his wife for a newer model. Does that what it takes to become a GOPer?

Feisty, he isn't relevant, not for one minute. But he sure wants his mug on the news.

Just came back from grocery. Lot's of people near the early voting location holding Newt '08 signs and waving. Parking lot, though, seemed a bit empty. Maybe 6 cars. Local tv station said last night about 10% of the GOP voters have already voted early - think maybe slight lead for Romney (WJXT)

"I endorse Mitt and get off my lawn!"

phancy - I am glad I'm not in Florida this week. Not because I miss my family, but because I am quite content to not have to listen to all the political ads on TV, see all the billboards on the road, nor get the autobot calls on my phone. My daughter said she sees a lot of Newt signs in Vero... and my wife said she sees a mix of Newt and Romney signs around West Palm Beach. I remember in 08 how many signs were posted everywhere with so many different candidates names on them. I held a requiem for all the dead trees.

BB

According to WJXT, a lot of the voting was yesterday - after the debate. That's when the Romney numbers seemed to be going up.

We are watching stuff we had recorded now. When the Romney superpac had an ad on ESPN, well let me put it this way, Mr. phinephancy was a bit perturbed! LOL

Phine ... what's the latest word from your hubby's lunch group?

TOG

Very disappointed in Newt at the debate. 50 - 50 split on voting for Newt. They think of Romney as a "Massachusetts Yankee" and a "rich guy who don't know how real people live" (their words, btw). Santorum seems like a nice enough young fella - but a little weird and a Catholic. Ron Paul has some good ideas but just reminds them of an old hippie. So honestly, my group has let me down, in a way. I know half are still going Newt, but the other half are truly undecided. Hope to hear more on Monday.

ROFL phancy... I'm still chuckling over the ESPN commercial... See what I mean? Here in bama we only get the occasional commercial. I'll be gone from here by the time the general election occurs but at that time it won't matter where you are, political commercials/ads will be everywhere. On the corner near my home in Florida, they post those eye level snipe signs... there must be hundreds driven into the common area grass. It's so many it's impossible to read any of them. The day after election, they are all removed too... the county commission will fine any candidate that leaves them there one day too long.

Betty this is the only article you can post for us to comment on? come on how is the 800 million deficit today in the Windy City? You ready for the pipeline to come to your state?

They actually use prisoners here, the day after an election, to clean up all the signs - then they charge the campaigns!

Buck,

If you don't like the article, find another site that has something you want to comment on. Some of us (even see below) are interested in this. Take your squabble with Feisty somewhere else, if you please.

Happy Saturday, Feisty.

Funny thing is that the "establishment" Republicans kept McCain from the nomination in 2000 with their outright lies. The same establishment annointed McCain in 2008 but stood by while he killed any chance he might have winning by selecting Sarah Palin and now he is campaigning for Romney, the candidate of the establishment. It is beyond me.

I didn't say I did not like the article, we need more

Buck, in which case I would suggest, kindly, to ask the folks at MSNBC to post more. Just, if you do, please, not about polling. I am so very tired of polling articles. :)

Why would these two want to pander to veterans? Wasn't it the republican party, that booed the US serviceman?

Geez Realist, grow a sense of humor...

lol, like when ted kennedy called obama "barak osama" ?

...good stuff, lol

Aw, c'mon folks! Lighten up! It's Saturday afternoon. I know - a group sing along! 99 bottles of beer on the wall. 99 bottles of beer........

....take one down and pass it around.... ewwww germs! ;)

..at least it's not that kool aid stuff......echh.

Did you all hear what Gingrich said?

"I think that this particular president is so totally out of touch with reality that he is a fundamental threat to the United States' well being."

The Newt has either lost his mind (no great loss there...) or he's stuck in a time-warp and thinks Dubbya is still president.

I've found the Newtster to be very amusing up til now, but I am beginning to really dislike that reptile.

keck, you know what's worse than kool aid? That non-alcholic beer! Now, that's icky!

I'll take a beer over kool aid any time.

I don't have anything good to say about Newt or President Obama so I'll leave that one alone

1SG,

Mr. phinephancy makes beer. I love his red ale! Some of the others are just too strong for my taste, but the red ale is great!

Realist-1226632

Libs grasping a straws again! McCain corrected himself when he said Obama instead of Romney.

Yes, McCain "corrected" himself for telling the truth of how he really felt.

...Bet his handlers waterboarded him afterward for that little Freudian slip.

What a maverick.

Happy Saturday, Feisty.

Right back at ya Steeler Fan!

Beautiful day here in the Windy City!

I'm waiting for McCain's BFF Lindsey Graham to crawl out from his bunker & endorse Willard.

They would be the perfect 'book-ends' for Romney & a vivid reminder of the 2008 defeat! lol

heavily military community

Anyone know if McCain busted out his rendition of; Bomb...Bomb...Bomb... Iran to the crowd?

phine, I live a couple of hours from Fredericksburg, Tx (where I'm from) they have a biergarten there called the Fredericksburg Brewery, they obviously make their own, their honey ale is to DIE for!

Feisty, I'm sure he did *shakes head* I'm surprised he's not endorsing the biggest war monger of the 3 candidates (I omit Dr. Paul from the 4) Newt, I'm not sure which one frightens me more.

While the entire country napped, the industrialists shipped the jobs abroad. The initial move to Mexico required periodical wage increases--so, House Speaker Newt Gingrich welcomed Clintons recommendation for renewing MFN status for China." Chinese imports are tariffed at 6% and the average wage is $.31/hour.

The only way that the jobs will come back is to "level the playing field" by hitting imports from China with a large enough tariff to offset the job loss and bringing the goods price in line as if it were produced in the US.

Something that no one on the right would ever do---especially Romney or Gingrich.

Is this the same McKook who gave us McPalin ?

Hi Feisty - Gorgeous day today in Chicago - okay little cold but still pretty! I'm not sure what is more comical - Mitt wanting McCain's endorsement or Newt vowing to "go all the way." Hasn't Newt always tried to "go all the way" with every bimbo he meets???

Newt saying he'll go all the way is laughable. He's proven to be one of the most commitment challenged people of all times.

Last time we took on the "hard thing" of going to the Moon, we got a giant leap forward in employment, engineers, and kids with a dream and heroes. We became the world leaders in computers, software, IT, and a host of high tech jobs. The aerospace of the 70's and 80's were big employers and American leadership.

I think the proposal to go back to the Moon represents a choice. First off, ALL government spending is stimulus. The choice is whether to give the bulk away as unemployment, food stamps, and welfare, OR to stimulate high tech jobs after going to school and good manufacturing jobs in support of the effort. I see all the other efforts to stimulate pothole filling as worthless giveaways which will collapse when done - generating nothing lasting - no pride, heroes, American can-do, nothing.

We need to rediscover who we were. We are NOT the welfare states of Europe. We are the cowboy, brash, watch me Americans the world loves to envy and admire.

Hey folks, did you read "between the lies"...

in ONE breath MittR... is yapping up a storm about

reducing the Military and what Obama is doing etc.

in the next sentence he's talkin' about Socialism...

Did he NOT go to school or is he just tossing the coin

in the air with both sides Heads??? The Military IS

a socialist institution... we are ALLOWED to have a

standing Military for "various things", but it's like

ice cream, candy and cake... too much, is too much

and when it's handed out and called a "treat" and

you get special benefits for this and that, it's a Socialist

institution... simply because "the Community" pays for

this setup (or service(s)) not the Inidividual like a Baron

or Knight or King/Queen would in the past.

The fact is, the USA is spending nearly 47% of the WHOLE

WORLD's Military Expenditure monies, I guess we're able to

afford all of that while MittR and friends downsize our jobs...

yes?

He's really not worried...

while the rest of us are chucking up on

35% to 40-something% tax rates,

he's taking it to the Bank with only

a 14% tax rate.

IF we look at it this way,

as long as "we Americans"

keep paying our 35 points

and

he's paying only 14 points

MittR is really on Fire

about turning up the budget for Military?

Like I said, both sides Heads--

Kinda Cute there, Mr. MittR

C_P

Point well taken. But if you think that any other politician (Democrat or Republican) is different, I have a bridge I would like to sell you. They are all part of the club. The general public gets screwed while all the political pukes pad their pocket making deals.

Statements like yours that are targeted at one political show that either you are fooled by their antics or you seriously vote for candidates based on political affiliation. Neither really will weed out the bad politicians.

Romney keeps saying, and many on the right keep agreeing with him, that President Obama is advocating shrinking the military. This is just false. The proposal is to slow the expansion of the military in the future. Even after the proposed cuts go in to effect the US will still be spending more than the next 24 countries on the list combined. And keep in mind the majority of those countries are allies. And the military budget will still be bigger than it was during the prior administration.

Perspective people.

SallyAnn: I don't care for McCain's politics either, but to disparage a p.o.w. who was tortured and put through hell for being an American is just beyond the pale. Can't you simply disagree with the man's politics without that?

Could someone explain to me again why Feisty is EVER relevant?

I was worried that Newt might drop out! I mean how boring would that be? No Newt the Lying Lobbyist, to counter act the swivel. Late night comics would be devastated... YMMV

The GOP wants to keep our military strong with paying billions of taxpayer's dollars to private sector mercenary corporations out in the desert, big ticket spending on planes, tanks, ships ...while they keep voting to cut back on the uniformed troop's raise in pay to keep up with the cost of living, cut back on their health care, phase out their retirements and say they want to eliminate GI Bill educational coverage because they ideologically consider this hard-earned entitlement, "a form of welfare." And the right-wing keeps saying, "We Support the Troops."

...does not compute!

Run, Newty, Run!

The education incentive is the biggest draw for a lot of young people. TAke that away and the next time we need troops it could end up going to a draft. McCain may not be the best Politician or the smartest guy but he is one of the few that have very real military experience. Having been a POW he knows the hell our troops go thru as well as their families. I respect the man very much for his service to our country and he shouldn't be disrespect in that area.

Never understood how Feisty managed to be the first post in more then 50% of Msn Articles. She never has anything usefull or even insightful to share. Is that rubish in your photo the new Msn slogan?

That posting was a trifle rude.

What insightful things have you shared recently????

"Romney keeps saying, and many on the right keep agreeing with him, that President Obama is advocating shrinking the military."

Shrink it from when? Cannot be from the last president since he had Special Operations in 60 foreign nations and Obama has Special Operations in over 140.

Did any of you see where the Georgia Supreme court found Obama to not meet the Constitutional requirements to run for POTUS?

Here is more info from one of the attorney's.

A Message From One Of The Attorneys At Obama’s Eligibility Proceedings In Atlanta

Fellow Constitutionalists,

One of my earliest childhood memories is of my parents talking about Nixon and the Watergate scandal. I remember the newspaper headline: “Nixon Resigns!” President Nixon’s fight against court subpoenas made international news. Yesterday President Obama completely ignored a court subpoena, and the world shrugged.

Obama’s behavior yesterday is even more disturbing than Nixon’s. Nixon at least respected the judicial branch enough to have his attorney’s show up in court and follow procedure. Nixon’s fight in the courts followed existing law. Nixon acknowledged the authority of the judicial branch even while he fought it. Obama, on the other hand, essentially said yesterday that the judicial branch has no power over him. He ordered his attorneys to stay away from the hearing. He didn’t petition a higher court in a legitimate attempt to stay the hearing. Instead he showed complete contempt for the entire judicial branch and for the rule of law. Rather than respecting the legal process Obama went around the courts and tried to put political pressure directly on the Georgia Secretary of State. When that failed, he simply ignored the judicial branch completely.

The rule of law, and our three-branch system of government, now hang in the balance. If the Georgia court issues a ruling on the merits and an order finding Obama in contempt of court, and if that contempt order actually results in real punishment of some kind, then we will still have a Constitutional Republic. If this doesn’t happen, then Obama will have been rewarded for showing complete contempt for the judicial branch.

Understand that the goal of the Georgia ballot challenge was to have a court rule

on the merits of the Constitutional question: Does the term “natural born citizen” in Article II of the Constitution, require a Presidential candidate to have two parents that were U.S. citizens at the time the candidate was born? Obama wants to avoid having a court rule on this question. That is why he didn’t show up and ordered his attorneys to not show up. He was hoping that the Georgia court would enter a default judgment rather than rule on the merits. If the court enters a default judgment, Obama will have succeeded in avoiding the Constitutional eligibility question. He will then appeal the default judgment, get the appellate court to suspend the default judgment pending appeal, and then delay the appeal until after the primary. This is undoubtedly Obama’s plan.

If the Georgia Court rules that Supreme Court precedent must be followed and therefore Obama simply does not meet the minimum Constitutional requirements to hold the office of President, then we will at least have succeeded in finding one court in the nation willing to do its job. If that court finds Obama in contempt of court, then we still have three viable branches of government. The Georgia court has the authority to do both of these things. The world should be holding its breath.

Unfortunately the world is apparently unaware that a great Republic is on life support. The Roman Empire died a slow death. It’s death was so gradual that few people living at that time probably noticed the individual events that marked the death throes of that great empire. Apparently the same is true of America. Yesterday marked a stunning turn of events in the constant power struggle between the three branches of our government. Our President openly showed that he believes he is completely above the law. I wonder if the court even noticed its own death certificate. We will see in a few days.

I will certainly try to explain this to the court in our proposed findings of fact and law that the court requested we file before February 5^th.

All of your encouragement and prayers have been greatly appreciated. They are needed even more over the next few weeks. This battle is FAR from over. And it has taken on importance beyond what we predicted (which is truly astounding). Please tell everyone you know about Obama’s contempt of the judicial branch. Please explain to them what it really means. Even those that agree with Obama politically and disagree with our ballot challenge should be shocked, appalled, and scared of Obama’s contempt for the judicial system.

In Liberty,

Van Irion

Co-Founder, Lead Counsel

LIBERTY LEGAL FOUNDATION

9040 Executive Park Drive, Suite 200

Knoxville, TN 37923

www.libertylegalfoundation.net

Republicans have been screaming for weeks that President Obama is decimating the military with his proposed decrease in future defense spending. But I think you already knew that. Typical misdirection that the right is so good at.

Van Irion, Co-Founder, Lead Counsel, LIBERTY LEGAL FOUNDATION

Experience
As a patent attorney, Mr. Irion has prosecuted patents as well as handled intellectual property issues such as marketing and licensing new products to industry. He has assisted in business formations, investor placement in startups and a variety of small business matters. In a civil litigation capacity, he has handled subjects ranging from constitutional law to construction defects to contract disputes.

Mr. Irion served as a transactions attorney for the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, where he managed patent portfolios, executed licensing agreements and negotiated contracts in the millions of dollars for the University. Mr. Irion continues his work with the University as an Adjunct Professor at the School of Law.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Irion worked in the genetics and medical research fields both in the public and private sectors. He has co-authored several peer reviewed articles and presentations (listed below).

Mr. Irion is also proud to have served in the US Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller at the USAF, Little Rock Air Force Base.

EDUCATION

• University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, CA
• Juris Doctor, With Distinction, May 2005
• Law Journal: The Transnational Lawyer
• Dean's Scholarship Recipient, 2002-2005
• Dean's Honor Roll, 2003, 2004 & 2005
• Academic Achievement Award, 2004
• Witkin Award – Contracts, 2003
• Witkin Award – Biology, Law & Human Behavior, 2005
• Witkin Award – Community Property, 2005
• Mock Trial Competition Finalist, 2003
• University of California, Davis, California
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, 1995

Claims to be a Constitutional Attorney. Where is the evidence of study concentrated in Constitutional Law. You don't get to be an expert by just saying you are.

Why does it seem like the Republican Party, the Tea Baggers, and the Birthers have lost confidence in a democratic system of government? Do we now have to depend on the Judiciary to decide who will be our president? I mean, the Judiciary did so about 11 years ago, and installed King George II over Al Gore who won with more than one million votes. And look where that has got us: 8 years of the worst president this country has ever known, 8 years of waste and squander of surplus financial and military resources, 8 years of fighting two wars we cannot win, 8 years of borrowing from China to fund the two wars, 8 years of being unable to find Bin Ladin, 8 years of tax breaks to the rich, 8 years of the biggest government America has ever known, 8 years of the largest debt we have ever known, 8 years of burbles ranging from credit burble and housing burble to internet burble and employment burble, and three years of the worst recession America has ever known. Note while Bush was ruining this economy, none of you said anything or even took him to court.

And come 2008, America went to the polls and voted for a new leader who has stopped the slide into recession and has started America growing again without burbles. But you tea baggers and Birthers/ Repugs will not allow him even one week to do his job. You take him to court, you abuse him on the street, you threaten him and his family with physical harm, you even have people shooting at the White House. My question to all of you is, when are you going to stop being racists? You have practiced this racism for over two hundred and fifty years, it has failed you. But you continue to try to cling to it. Leave the man alone to do his job, while some of you go out there and find a way to make yourselves useful to other Americans. So far, for the last three years, you have not done or said one single thing to help move this nation forward. And you have allowed hate and racism to blind you so much that you don't even know the difference any more between what is good and what is bad, you don't know any more when you are moving forward and when you are moving backward, and you probably don't even know if killing Osama Bin Ladin is good or bad for America. That's what you get for being an unrepentant racist.

AP-1414066

SallyAnn: I don't care for McCain's politics either, but to disparage a p.o.w. who was tortured and put through hell for being an American is just beyond the pale. Can't you simply disagree with the man's politics without that?

AP- McCain lost all of my respect when he became Senator and started crapping all over our veterans. There's a book I highly recommend, it's called " American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day" Here's a quick highlight from Amazon:

During the course of his military career, Bud Day won every available combat medal, escaped death on no less than seven occasions, and spent 67 months as a POW in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, along with John McCain. Despite sustained torture, Day would not break. He became a hero to POWs everywhere--a man who fought without pause, not a prisoner of war, but a prisoner at war.
Upon his return, passed over for promotion to Brigadier General, Day retired. But years later, with his children grown and a lifetime of service to his country behind him, he would engage in another battle, this one against an opponent he never had expected: his own country. On his side would be the hundreds of thousands of veterans who had fought for America only to be betrayed. And what would happen next would make Bud Day an even greater legend.

what does day have to do with mccain?

Day went to McCain for help with the VA and McCain turned his back on him and all the other vets, Day was also a P.O.W. with McCain, for being military you sure don't know a lot about military history do you?

not much, too busy with deployments and I don't think that book is on too many leaders reading list

@Buck Naked,

You're right. Let's get back to McCain. Here's a first hand story:

I was an intelligence analyst at MACV in Vietnam in '67-'68. At the time I had never heard of John McCain. Knew of his father and grandfather, but that was it. But I saw a lot of iltelligence reports that concerned a certain American pilot who was a POW. He was always referred to as "Songbird" in IR's. Normally I would not have been even a little interested, except that the addressees on the IR's were very unusual --- always SOCS Drop 1 (the White House Situation Room) and SOCS Drop 5 (CINCPACFLT.) While the IR's always concerned low-level information that had been given by Songbird to the North Vietnamese government in return for medical treatment. For a long time I failed to make the connection that the rat fink POW was the son of the CINCPACFLT. At one point I even had the displeasure of briefing the Crown C-130 crews on the information that had been compromised and the changes that would be necessary. McCain had told the North Vietnamese the entry and exit routes of the Jolly Green and Sandy rescue helicopters and RESCAP aircraft. He had told them the orbit locations of the DD's and DE's that the Navy used to pick up downed flyers who had made it to feet wet. He disclosed the identification procedures used to identify downed airmen. He told them where the unarmed Crown aircraft orbited. And he told them everyting he knew about aircraft performance, carrier operations, crew morale, etc. McCain didn't know much, but he told all. In one interview with the French press, McCain stated that he would probably not ever accept repatriation because his going to prison would hurt his father's career. This guy, within 12 hiours of being captured traded everything he knew for medical treatment at Vietnam's best hospital Gia Lam Military Hospital. While he was there he was considered a "friend" and visited by Gen Giap, several parlamentarians, the foreign press, and even a Vietnamese poet who wanted to discuss Hemingway. The Vietnamese always referred to him as "Songbird" and American intelligence people just used the same handle.

So, it it really important that the Songbird stands bald-faced before vets and endorses Romney? Come on...

I respect you for having an opinion, but not your facts, because in truth, all of the items you state as 'fact' are actually your opinion.

A cruise missle strike or other action against Iranian nuclear sites would not lead to war with Russia and China. They are big boys and they would rather not get involved. Letting the US, France and Great Britain deal with Iran is cheaper and easier for them.

And before you spout off about Republicans again, just know that Democrats are no better in their handling of foreign affairs. Furthermore, political rhetoric now does not translate into military action later.

By the way, I like Obama's handling of Iran, and I would bet that if Republicans were in office, they would be handling it in a similar fashion -- despite what they say on the campaign stump. Were Democrats in that position, they would be doing the same thing.

Also, McCain is not insane. He is a war hero, and while I do not like all of his ideas, he has some pretty good ones, and it is worth listening carefully to him on military issues. He was a POW and was brutally tortured. The injuries he sustained still effect him. And when he considers military action, he weighs it against his experience on behalf of all soldiers, as well as the good of the country.

How can you possibly imagine cutting back the scale and the capacity of America's military? I can't imagine it.

How can YOU possibly imagine cutting back the scale and the capacity of America's domestic programs? I can't imagine this nation without effective Social Security and affordable healthcare and perscription drugs for the citizens.... Oh! The TEA-GOP has already tried to do that when Dubya was in the White House - almost forgot that nightmare for a second. WHEW!

And now they want us to put them back in Washington to finish the job?

NAW! I don't think so.

Not as stupid - Slow down a bit. Tell me what would be wrong in decreasing the size of administrative areas? Not just cutting, but combining. Does each high level government employee need an assistant? Aren't there programs that overlap? They can combine offices, reduce staff, eliminate unnecessary programs. While I don't want to see the money reduced to those that have it legitimately coming to them.. IE Social Security and Medicaid, there is a lot of government waste.

The problem as I see it is nobody wants to tackle that job. Government is way too bloated and for every unnecessary salary, desk, office, building, etc... we fit the bill for it. Tell me why each congressman or senator needs 18 aides, 5 secretaries and a staff of many people? We pay for the salaries of these people, not the elected official.

The same goes with the military. We can have a much more effective military if we toned down. I know the reason the military doesn't want to cut... it's because if they save one dollar, the next year that dollar is cut from their funding allocation. I'm talking the local levels, not the overall budget. When I was in the Air Force, we had to spend so much on supplies, or we'd lose the funding for that the next year. Even if we had enough paper, pens, office supplies, computer paper, typewriters, desks and chairs, to fill an empty auditorium, we were required to order new supplies. There seems to be no central control over money allocation... it's all based on the current year's budget and everyone is fighting to get more budget dollars for things they don't need.

Even when we were audited, we just moved extra supplies to another office and the officers cried poor us. This is common.

The solution is oversight. But the oversight people need to be involved and do the job without prejudice.

Thoughts?

BB

I would like an assistant. :)

The same goes with the military. We can have a much more effective military if we toned down

Whoa there BB .. you are going against the GOP/TP candidates who want to beef up the military to protect us from the bogeyman poised to take over Cuba, and the very scary Iran. While the GOP/TP are looking forward to your vote, I do not think they will take kindly to you going off message.

RedDevPS

The same goes with the military. We can have a much more effective military if we toned down

Whoa there BB .. you are going against the GOP/TP candidates who want to beef up the military to protect us from the bogeyman poised to take over Cuba, and the very scary Iran. While the GOP/TP are looking forward to your vote, I do not think they will take kindly to you going off message.

Hence the reason people like me will be voting for Ron Paul....

No more status quo 2012!

brianb You make some good points. We kind of agree again. Think about a small tax increase on the "job creators"(the rich). With that added source of revenue the debt could go down faster. A combination of both will go a long way. They can't fix everything with cuts revenue needs to be raised. A good start would be to cut farm subsidies. Nobody ever wants to talk about that one. All I would like to see this done but not all on the backs of the small guy.

Thoughts?

I do not disagree with your position that oversites are necessary; the conumdrum is that, ipso facto, grows government and makes it more burdensome.

I believe everyone sees and agrees there is enormous mis-managment with government programs that should be corrected, but that is far different from saying we should end or reduce those programs; enhanced, effective managment WILL reduce them, and effeciency will reduce costs.

But, as Smitty correctly points out, added revenue is also essential.

I am not saying some programs could/should not be reduced or even eliminated, but look at ALL, including defense-military, in tackling the problem.

And don't forget, President Obama just requested Congressional authority to begin combining redundant agencies and programs and alleviate duplication, which should also save the U.S. a bundle if the House and Senate are not too partisan to deny this effort.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you; sounds to me like we could have began a meaningful dialogue and idea exchange - alas, other obligations at this point in time.

nurse...time to search for an insurance company,

if romney gets his way to privatize veteran's healthcare:

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/romney-spit-balls-his-way-to-privatizing-veterans-benefits.php?ref=fpa

you'll get a voucher system?

if romney gets his way to privatize veteran's healthcare:

Oh no .. is this after he dismantles Obama care. Can you imagine an injured vet trying to get private health care in the pre-Obama care days. Denied, denied, denied, oh here is one. We will cover you for a mere 5k a month, we cover none of your pre-existing injuries, and all future health issues are all a cause of your pre-existing conditions. Hence, honorable vet, thanks for your 5k per month and we will cover NOTHING. At least Romney's voucher system will offset the monthly cost .. I'm sure he thinks 100.00 per month for the voucher is more than ample.

No thanks Romney, our veterans deserve full coverage, no premiums, no lifetime caps, and NO VOUCHERS.

vietnam veterans calls John McCain,

"Sonbird McCain"

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/02/17/in-1992-pows-accused-mccain-of-collaborating-with-vietnamese/

Collaborating with the Vietnamese..

pows..

Follow--I don't agree with John McCain on very much, and didn't vote for him, but I'll stand up for him here (not that he needs it). He cracked under severe torture. Everyone will. Everyone has his/her breaking point. We ought to honor his service.

I agree with you Old Vet. "Follow the Money", you should consider that he was tortured, and likely not in a way that any of us are capable of comprehending. I think I would say anything to stop torture, and I don't think that any American is in a position to belittle an individual who was tortured as he was.

he was tortured, and likely not in a way that any of us are capable of comprehending.

He was water-boarded????

No, I have to agree with vet & kthorne and have repect for McCain, even when I disagree with his positions. But the point of my first statement was NOT for humor, but to drive home the realization that all means of "torture", no matter what the method or the title, is by definition designed to cause discomfort and pain; EVEN water-boarding.

respect...

here is someone who owes her life,

to her fellow men in arms, that carried her, with her legs blown off, and ... from her chopper, that I truly respect..and her crew.

Major Tammy Duckworth. Here's their story:

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Why-Tammy-Duckworth-Fights-for-Veterans-Video

She and also Erick Shinseki, fights for our veterans, today in Obama's Administration.

Keep on Fighting, Tammy.

GOP/TP have a strange way of showing their appreciation for service to country. They treat our veterans just like the 9/11 first responders .. poorly.

regarding....Republicans helping the 9/11 families...here,

James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation act of 2010, held hostage, until Tax Cuts for the Millionaires,

were Secured:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/12/22/930713/-Vote-today-on-9-11-health-care-bill-will-Republicans-block-it

I think most posters have everyone else on ignore..i know i do

Privacy laws dictate that employers are not allowed to divulge phone numbers of employees unless the employee agrees.

In PS

Why does everyone want to ignore each other? Yes, their might be different points of view - but if you don't like someone, just skip over their post. Besides, every now and then that person you ignore might have something worthwhile to contribute.

Phine, if I placed everyone on ignore I had any disagreements with, I'd have a blank screen (except for you of course).

It's so cutsey wootsey to see the liberals foam at the mouth. You can't buy this stuff. It's priceless. Railing and raving against the republicans is something they love to do. They do it with such gusto too. If I didn't know better, I'd almost take them seriously. Maybe if they actually said something that made sense, or had some real intent to it other than namecalling and ranting... real discussions could be had. Considering the state we are in being so polarized, liberals are part of the problem and not part of the solution.

BB,

In this case I will disagree. BOTH sides (at least the far wings of both sides) are becoming WAY too partisan. If my dad were still alive, he would keep trying to tell folks "Vote the man - NOT the party"

Chucky,

I know EXACTLY what you mean. At least, in my case, I am sure the folks who have me on ignore are on BOTH sides of the aisle! LOL

Considering the state we are in being so polarized

----------------------------------------------------------

That polarization is on purpose. A divided populace is more easily controlled and manipulated. If we are all yelling at each other, no one is paying attention to the antics of "Those Who Rule".

See, 6 replies to the subject I mentioned and only one (Chucky Stuart) addressed it. I also think it violates the privacy laws however, it appears that the unconfirmed NLRB (remember 2 were appointed by a so called recess appointment) doesn't see it that way.

Whenever I want to read something sensational, I pick up my diary.

I think you do Phine....... Im not so sure about the Chicago females. It why Ive been dosing up on Snake venom lately. Then when, not IF I get bit Im good with just a missing digit. I just wish Bev would learn to spell a little better. On the personal employment front, I got my Employee review yesterday. 10% salary increase close to a 10k bonus for the year. Im resisting buying a new car..... but Im going to test drive a Chevy volt. LMAO.... My neighbor told me he can rig up a power station off of one of the DTE lines. Funny you drive through the neighbor hood and you can see extension cords buried in the back yards......I wonder who is paying that bill. PS its snowing Yuk! OoOops I lied suns coming out.....damn Michigan weather.

It's so cutsey wootsey to see the Republicans foam at the mouth. You can't buy this stuff. It's priceless. Railing and raving against the liberals is something they love to do. They do it with such gusto too. If I didn't know better, I'd almost take them seriously. Maybe if they actually said something that made sense, or had some real intent to it other than namecalling and ranting... real discussions could be had. Considering the state we are in being so polarized, republicans are part of the problem and not part of the solution. There, I fixed that for ya.

"I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them. " ~Adlai Stevenson

Ideology,

I am waiting eagerly for you to publish your memoir. (Will it have to shipped in a brown paper wrapping?)

jolly,

Hate to tell you it is sunny and 72. Nope, I will be nice and not tell you that. LOL :)

When you disagree phancy, you do it so nice! No wonder I like you so much. Notice though, I said "part" of the problem. The conservatives are also part of the problem as well. What we need is to discuss things, and not call the other party names. I find that so infantile. Even if you disagree with someone, you can disagree with intelligence. Don't just toss rants out there for reaction. I'm probably guilty of it to some degree... but I try to catch myself. Can't very well expect others to do what I myself won't do....

As soon as my clothes finish in the dryer, I'm heading out to the gun range. I have an itchy trigger finger today and am longing to fire my 9mm Ruger. I'm gonna tear up some paper targets... LOL. The weather is perfect for it.

I agree with both Brian (8.5) and Cynthia (8.11). How's that for bipartisanship?

And when I wanna read something sensational, I also pick up Ideology's diary.

Phine,

Canada is the boring country ... It does not take much, we even think that straight sex is bizarre.

Hey sfcret, we may have gone a bit off your target, but your post has the most responses so far. Hoozah!

Phine, you must stop telling us northerners about your climate. We snowbirds will just come down to love you and leave you.

sfcret,

I would comment on it, but I do not know much about the subject. I know that my hubby, as a supervisor/assistant director, is not allowed to talk about his personal political and relgious points of view.

Ideology & Chucky,

Last night was bizarre no matter what the country! (And I am NOT talking sex - just the group I was with)

And Ideology,

Quicky affairs can be fun too! LOL

Thank you Cynthia... it does go both ways. I was referring to what was posted on today's board though. There hasn't been any ranting about Obama, or the democrats, from what I can see... maybe you see it where I can't. If you do see some, please tell me where it is... I'd like to confirm it with my own eyes. For now I am refraining on my Obama rants for the day. I'll take my rage out at the target range in a little while.

sfcret, Unions are shrinking, it's called survival.

I always read phinephancy-4252115 . You always seem of be the voice of reason in a sea of insanity.Weighing all issues equally .

InPS,

Would you please tell that to my hubby? He really needs to hear that! LOL

Brianb, as I am across the border, you will have to aim high and wide (blowhard compensation :-)). Remember, goodwill hunting only.

My hubby & his brothers used to go hunting every Thanksgiving morning (early). And it was (and still is) you kill it you eat it. Problem was/is how to eat rocks? Ever single time Mr. phinephancy tried to get that rabbit, all he killed was a rock! (I guess that is one of the reasons why he went into the Navy)

Up here you strap it on the front of your truck and drive around for a couple of days. We like our meat aged.

Rocks???????

Men are a rare breed who need to be right at all times. Regardless of how wrong they may be . It also depends of the age of the man .If he is over 55 he was raised the man is the "decider ". Then if you enter his nationality into it look out !

If a man says something and there is not a woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?

We were on our way to the cruise port a few years back. I told my hubby he needed to get over a lane or we would be heading to Orlando, not Canaveral. He yelled, yes, yelled, "Don't tell me how to drive!" I just looked at him and said not a single word. As we were half way to Orlando, he looked at me very sheepishly and said, "I think we are going the wrong way. I'm sorry" It was still the quietest drive to Port Canaveral you ever did experience. (Got a lot of make-up presents from him, too, on that cruise).

Chucy,

The answer is yes. :)

Dang, I was afraid of that.

ROFL phancy and ideo. I'm NOT going hunting. I'm going target shooting. It's a legitimate firing range. All I'll be shooting at is paper targets... I promise to not kill any living organism unless it's a blade of grass. LOL

I remember going hunting with my dad, granddad and cousin every Thanksgiving from the time I turned 14 and could legally hunt. Granddad used to gather up wood and start a fire at this one spot every year. There was an old 55 gallon barrel there. While we'd be at stands, or walking through the woods we'd never see a deer... It never dawned on me that it was probably the smoke that drove the deer to the other side of the hill. No rabbits either...

BB

How about rocks? Did you get any rocks?

I used to shoot pheasant but gave it up for economic reasons. The only thing I shoot anymore are the occasional "piney"squirrels that try to chew their way into the soffit. The resident peregrine falcons seem to do a good job of keeping them in check, though. I've been watching large flocks of wild turkeys in the fields near me, about 13-20 deer and a pair of coyotes. I no longer shoot the groundhogs that try to eat up my garden-I live trap them and they go for a looooong ride. I may get my longbow and targets out this spring. Can't wait until mushroom hunting season begins!

Oh, I love to hunt for rocks, too! Have some gigantic geodes and others in my perennial garden

Cynthia,

You would embarrass poor Mr. phinephancy. (I wouldn't trust to him hunt mushrooms, either!)

scfret,

You brought up a new subject in your post about the NLRB

sorry, I am way down the lonng thread with my reply.

The NLRB now is a full board with the two new appointments.

One of the appeals that are waiting them is from the flight attendants union of NW,A now Delta. The flight attendents had a vote of this past fall if they wanted to be represented by a union. Delta used all kinds of media, mailings, phone call etc to pitch their case. The union was at a disadvantage in getting out their material to all flight attendents.

In fact, currently, Delta and former NW flight attendents do not fly in the same plane. They are separate crews. Delta is afraid if the Atlanta folks had to work side by side with NW folks they would learn about the advantages of being part of a union. The only union at Delta is the pilots union.

Many of my neighbors are waiting for the NLRB to hear this case and rule that the vote should be taken again with new rules in place.

Meanwhile, the rumor is that Amerinca Airlines will merge with Delta. AA has union flight attendants. My friends are hopeful.That is my contribution to your new subject.

[[hugs]] back at ya, Chucky!

Everyone of us is holding our nose as we vote ! Out of this entire country we are stuck with these "clowns".

Am I the only one who won't feel the need to "hold my nose" when I cast my vote?

You go ahead and vote for the loon and I'll hold my nose for ya.

No, he just doesn't want Florida to go to Newt Gingrich, or see his party go down in worse flames than when he lost the election. (actually, i think his memory about losing the last election badly and who he lost it too is pretty good..why do you think he's out on the stump?)

xx

xxx

you must remember this

a kiss is but a kiss

a sigh is just a sigh.....

The fundamental things apply ...
As time goes by...

Boy, are we good! Maybe we could take our act on the road! :)

are we old and cultured or what?

I think we are the "what"

I teened in the sixties when many took an either silent or not silent vow to never grow mentally or culturally old. It remains the only vow I have not divorced. :-)

While I didn't take the vow then, it sounds like a pretty good one to me, now. I shall take it too!

Off topic (were we ever on topic?) Whoever invented Ibuprofen deserves a Nobel!!!!

you two crack me up lol

baldeagle,

I don't how this would fit into the equation, but I think it was either Sherman or Lee that said" that war should be so bloody and terrible that we would be loathe to ever repeat it " (Not the exact words, I know, but you get the drift). We make war today like a video game. And that is bad.

Lee said something like "It is good war is so terrible because we would come to enjoy it so much."

Thanks, TJefferson! I knew the quote, but was up WAY too late last night and I am running on fumes today.

I understand where you're coming from phine, but I have to say I personally prefer our modern day "video game" wars, only because it makes for a lot less funerals for me to go to. Though I know it's a pipe dream I'd prefer we didn't have war at all anymore no one "wins"

BTW your new avatar messed me all up when I first saw it lol it took me a few days to realize you hadn't disappeared

Phine ... "We cannot change the hearts and minds of those people of the South, but we can make war so terrible ... [and] make them so sick of war that generations would pass away before they would again appeal to it." ~ Sherman. Unfortunately this was said before video games and 24/7 TV glorified and romanticized it

Nope, my business manager thought I needed a make over. He was right!!!! :)

And, I too, don't want to go to the funerals and hospitals. But it is like we are making war too easy. There has to be a better way!

TOG,

Wonder what Bobby Lee and Sherman would say of us today?

I had a friend (a self-professed good ol boy) tell me once ... "Son, gitten through to some people is like trying to take a train up a dirt road. Ya can push & shove, beg & plead, cuss & scream ... but it just ain't gonna happen."

Exactly phine, like I tried to teach my students, use your words not your fists. Too bad the "adults" can't practice that.

I understand that there are times war is necessary but as Dr. Paul says "If the US is as great as I believe it should be and can be and has been, we will have influence around the world. We cannot spread our greatness and our goodness through the barrel of a gun. It fails because it destroys our goodness by doing it that way."

I think Lee and Sherman would agree with General Petraeus, if we're going to do it, do it, if not get the hell out. But that's just my opinion.

does your husband know your saying this?

Why would he care? Because we're military we should be warmongers? We should be defending OUR borders not everyone else's. BTW my husband is also voting for Dr. Paul.

ok you can tell your husband he can wipe his ass with his vote because that is all the good his will do for him. I guess the 1SG also agrees with Dr Paul that we need to shrink the military, pull all the troops home and really scale it back probably do away with his job, but he won't care he has his 20 years in with retirement elgibility in the govt's name for public assistance we call the military.

Buck, don't disparage military retirees. I am one. While everyone was out getting degrees and their start in their professions, i was deployed, moved all the time, was gone so much I barely got to know my daughter, etc. Now, I am 45 and back in college learning a new trade because the equipment I worked on in the Army is not the same as todays technology. I don't think of it as public assistance. I went to basic training in the summer of my jr. year in high school, and advanced training after my senior yr graduation. I traded what could have been the easy times because somebody has to. Everyone hates the military, except when you need us. It has always been that way, and always will be. And to the good 1SG's wife, sorry, Ron Paul will not save the country, none of the politicians will, because they are all products of the same system, which #1 is too big for one person to change, and #2, there are so many people up there who are beholden to corporations and special interests groups that no true reform can be made. I am voting for anyone other than Obama not because he is politically all that different, I just do not like his personality. At least I can be honest about that. A little center left or right, if you remember your basic American Government class, this countries system is what is considered as progressive liberal.

yea I know, I am in the military also, still going at it, just wanted to jerk her chain. we call the active duty welfare receipents in a joking way, but that is what they are, now the Reserves and Guard is a different story, the govt gets the most bang for their buck with them.

cool, and I won't tell you what we called Reserves and Guardsment then, lol. Touche!

( I was a reservist when i was in high school, as you could probably guess by the split option basic and a.i.t.)

My husband just retired, he gave his 25 years, 11 months, and 25 days (I always laugh when he says that) under Dr. Paul we wouldn't "shrink the military" that's disingenuous at best, knowing that when we "finish" wars we also draw down our military through attrition. He would cut military spending yes, but being military you should know that there's a difference between military spending and defense spending.

D McMillen- my husband has also returned to school, I'm glad I talked him into it. Y'all are the same age, he had his masters before he joined the Army now he's finishing his Bachelor's, I applaud you for doing the same.

I don't much care what people think of us voting for Dr. Paul, hell you'd think being military my husband would've voted a lot more, but this will be the first time he votes, he's carefully looked at all the candidates and has made his own decision, and buck to say "wipe his ass with his vote" is utterly rude, you must like being deployed huh? Because that's what you're going to get under any other candidate including Obama, he wants to close military posts/bases here in the US but open new ones in other countries (Australia) where do you think that money will come from?

how do you obtain a masters before you obtain a Bachelors? I call bs on that. You husband is at least 43 years old and he has never voted? way to exercise his freedom to vote as a US citizen.

He's got a Masters of science in computer and information science, he's getting his B.S. in Information Technology/Information Systems - Information Security and Forensics, it's completely acceptable to have more than one degree, I do.

You sir know nothing about my husband, you don't even have his age right, your opinion means two dead flies to me.

Romney or Obama will likely be the only options America has Jeff!

Or Obama and Romney

Romney wants to keep the military strong and maintain its size - with somebody else's sons. I don't blame his sons for not serving, I just wonder how Romney can make these statements when it is so clear the burden is not spread equally. We need universal service of some sort.

obama is working on those universal services

Its all about the Cool, baby; all about the Cool!

Dr. Paul is also in excellent health so it isn't an issue.

Sarge, love the avatar!

Thanks Chucky, I see a lot of ABO and blah blah blah ones I figured I'd make one that shows where I stand, so that there's no doubt who my candidate is ;)

It isn't an issue not because he's 76, but because the ridiculous Ron Paul has no chance in hell of winning a single state.

Any time a Republican starts or ends a sentence with "my friends", I'm very nervous. Whatever else is in the sentence will be good for them and not so good for me.

How long did it take to wash the slime off?

It is amazing how the right wing dunces can overlook a person who lies, changes his mind to suit the situation and evades taxes by putting money in Cayman Island and Swiss bank accounts. But I guess most repuke tax evaders don't care about this. I hope the general public wakes up soon.

More respect, Nancy Pelosi can be your grandmother. That's what I like about Oreintals and Hispanics they respect their elders. My grandfather died last year we where going to celebrate his 102 four days before the big party he told my cousin I am tired I am going to sleep. He didn't wake up. I loved that old man he raised 17 kids and had over 60 grandkids,. My grand kids were his great,great grand kids he had 16 and when each was born we took them over for his blessings. He was a strong man not a hospice patient and starting to lose it but vigorous none the less.