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In the last couple of weeks,

Posted By: PK on 2006-01-29
In Reply to: I just recieved a package back in the mail OPENED AND EMPTY... - Democrat

I've received several envelopes in the mail that were sealed with a few inches torn open at the top of the envelope.  One of them was a check from my part-time employer, and it was easy to see through the envelope that it was a check folded in half.  (At least they didn't remove the contents like they did with you.)


I've never experienced anything like this in my life, and I wonder if this has been happening to any other liberals out there. 




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I heard that a couple weeks ago, but don't know where and

another thing, which I find absolutely ridiculous - they are blaming the the pubs for all these investigations even though there were 250 nonprofit organizations unearthed that listed ACORN's New Orleans address.


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/28/lawmaker-pushes-investigation-acorn-finances/


I've been hearing this one lyric for a couple weeks now....sm



It's the end of the world as we know it




It's a real, real bad scratch/skip in the record (if anyone still remembers those), and I hope someone fixes it soon....still hiding for the next four years if need be......

Non-stop hate rhetoric for weeks and weeks on end
Red camp has been making character the issue by their own choice. They copped out on the national crisis and decided to go with the culture war. Well, now they have it and I am sure that GP is not the only one who is feeling a bit surly at this point. What is the O camp (and I am not assuming that GP is going that way since she has not said so) supposed to do? Did you think that they would simply quietly sit back and take lash after lash after lash and wait for the tribal warriors to suddenly develop a conscience and call a cease fire?
I said this weeks ago........
Dan Tacredo came on TV many times letting us know that in his state alone thousands of loans have been given to illegals. In order to do this, real estate companies had to doctor documents so banks perceived these folks as legitimate borrowers. They lied about so much it is sickening. Now, he is demanding an investigation into those corrupt real estate companies who falsified the documents and the banks who gave the loans. No one forced these guys to loan to illegals. They did it out of greed and I hope to heck they pay dearly. But then, it all got real quiet about the illegals and all their garbage they're unloaded on us. You heard a little blurb about how thousands of homes have just been left/abandoned overnight by these illegals cause they "lost their jobs"....jobs I might add they should not have had in the first place, let alone an illegal mortage to boot.

Where is all the hooplah about that? And yes, you add the free medical care, free education, and even scholarships awared to illegals, taking spots from legal citizens, and all the food stamps, free housing, etc., they get and you better believe everyone who thinks it was no big deal...lets all feel sorry for the poor illegal, I hope they're happy, now that they're going to be footing the bill for their sorry butts for the rest of their lives!!!
Well, looking at what O has done in just 3 weeks....
I think maybe even YOU would have been better. LOL.
He said that he would veto it weeks ago.
It was a waste of time. Congress should have done better at being creative in making some changes. He told them he wouldn't pass it. Little putz. Anyhow, I am not crazy about the increased cigarette tax. Not that I smoke, just don't agree with the method. I think Congress better figure out pretty quick that they need to reduce spending or trim the fat off somewhere else before they will get funds for SCHIP. They are just being stubborn (that's ALL of them).
You know, they should have told us this two weeks ago....sm
but I suppose it took that long for it to make sense to Bush (yes, and I did vote for him, bash away).

But someone, anyone....should have explained this before.

And I agree. They need to give us the entire details once they know them, so we know what's really going on, not just innuendo and fear tactics....from both sides, really.

They are going to need to explain more about the return on investment part of it in another article I read here the other day. If they play it right, there should be no raised taxes, and this will help the economy tremendously.
Two weeks of unemployment once.

That's it.


The rest of my life as a single mom was spent working two (sometimes three) jobs at a time in order to support us.


Now, it's getting really difficult for me because I couldn't afford my health insurance any more, my car was repossessed, and even my phone was turned off because I can't work like I used to since becoming ill almost three years ago with pancreatitis (which was finally found to be caused by cystic fibrosis).  So my pancreas is a wreck, and my lung function is getting progressively worse.  I've filed a claim for Social Security disability, but I very well may have passed on by the time I receive a hearing date, since I'm getting sicker, and my disease is incurable.


Only 2 weeks in office and already
By what criteria? What he may or may not do? The stimulus package is only in the debate stage at this point, so no one can say what it will end up looking like. Before passing judgement and handing out indictments, suppose you at least wait until the verbs move from the subjunctive into the indicative moods and while you are at it, don't forget to factor in by way of comparison 8 years of lies, corruption, enrichment of corporate America and the wealthy on the backs of the middle class, scorched earth foreign policy, circumvention of the Constitution at every turn and that teeny-tiny thing we call torture
Well, I did quit for a whole 3 weeks
one time. After that, I went downhill the next couple times I tried.Made it a whole 5 hours.
I posted a few weeks ago about
an article I read at this link: http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Real-Bailout-Needed-is-by-Steven-Leser-081227-715.html

and there is a follow-up where some of the responses to the first article are addressed by the author at this link: http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Real-Bailout-Needed-is-by-Steven-Leser-090104-322.html


Personally, I am not for giving anyone a free ride, but least of all the lenders that are largely responsible for the housing/financial crisis we are all faced with. I pay my mortgage and other bills on time, but with the economy the way it is, I fear that I may not be able to continue doing this (my husband is one of the many whose companies are now requesting employees take one day off per week without pay, and I have been less than fully employed for too long now, mainly due to some family issues that arose a while back, but now with the job market not so hot). Anyway, with the idea proposed in the above linked articles, it would help many, many Americans who are having a hard time, as well as those who made s t u p i d/greedy mistakes, etc., and at the same time the banks/creditors would be getting their money in the form of consumers paying their debts with bailout money (opt in or out), but paying it back, at least partially. IMO, it is a much better plan than what is currently being debated, but with the prospect of much of the money being paid back (by the taxpayers who accept bailout money as well as taxes paid by banks/creditors on the money they receive), allowing for many of the things that the government is proposing to still be done.
Where have you been the last 2-3 weeks, out of town??? sm
Janet Naplitano and the FBI and another alphabet soup group sent out a document to the president on what groups they considered "domestic terrorists." The list included returning war vets, people who oppose abortion, people who oppose gay or other similar ideas, etc. Basically it was anyone who did not agree with what the "Anointed One" and his party line. She also included the TEA party people.

Google DHS Domestic Terrorism memo.
I think I said that a few weeks ago about the Repub board.
Deja vu.
Hey Kaydie...12 days is less than 2 to 3 weeks!
A mind is a terrible thing to waste!

They are not neck and neck, McCain is not catching up, and the election is in 12 days!
This statement was put out 2 weeks before Obama
was put in as president. I have read down through this article and this is so slanted against Obama just makes you wonder why anyone would read much less believe things like this. I saw the interview with Donna Brazile. She was excited about the blanket that everyone got on the stage where Obama swore in- he left the blanket and she said she reached over and got it. It looked to be made out of fleece, not a big blanket and so what is the big deal? She was excited and maybe she used the wrong words but, so ?? I thought Joe Lowery's words were not offensive, he included all colors- did you read the entire statement? I know this Reich person was in the Clinton administration but have no idea if in Obama's.
It's gong to take more than a few weeks to undo
I am fully expecting the economy to tank in the meantime. I'm so thankful that during Clinton years I was able to buy my humble little condo with cash ($26,000) and only have to comeup with $144 each month to keep my roof. Otherwise, I'd be up the creek without a paddle now that my job bit the dust and am on that hostile market like so many others. Still trying to figure out how I can find one if we lose our electricity and can't pay the cable bill for the high-sped internet now that my husband's work just COMPLETELY DRIED UP a couple of weeks ago. He runs his own small auto transport business moving totalled cars for insurance companies. He was doing really well until the auto industry went into suspended animation last December. It just seems that all of a sudden people are not even driving anymore, not even having accidents....no claims being processed, no cars being moved around. It's getting pretty scary, so now I am coming off my high horse and after 30 years of transcribing medical reports, I have decided to bust mysef back to IC status, cave in on my benefits "demand" (even though I am 60 years old and need the coverage badly), accept a 20% cut in line rate since 6 years ago and take the first thing I can get my hands on. Hope at least I can find a company that doesn't try to make me wait a month or 2 for my first paycheck that has been shaved by 15% or 20% of the reported line count for the pay period.
Can we give him more than 4 weeks to do all that? (And your points are well-taken :0)......nm
nm
Doubt it; I've seen that for a few weeks now....
00
Didn't take him BUT a few weeks to put this country
nn
I didn't even know he existed 'til a few weeks ago,
mentioned him. Still know little to nothing about him, and wouldn't recognize him if he were standing 3 feet away from me. Not that that's a bad thing, or anything, but I would take that to mean that his message isn't being heard, and as a result, it would seem rather fruitless to waste a vote on him. The other 2 candidates are going to be running full-tilt, right down to the wire, and EACH of them is going to need every vote they can get in order to win without another Florida-esque hanging-chad fiasco like before.
Really? My Canadian friends have to wait 6 weeks for a CT.
xx
As far as a I know she should have registered 3 weeks ago. online or by mail...nm
nm
I started reading this board 2 weeks
before the election.  Just wanted you to know I highly respect your comments, issues, and concerns you have posted on this board than almost anyone else.  You are highly respected and I am sure by others also. 
Hey, don't lose heart....look what he has done in 3 short weeks with...
the power you folks gave him. He has a LONG time left to do his O magic. When we are all lining up for the checks (well, that is if you lose your job and don't have to pay taxes as those are the folks who are going to get the biggest handout), just remember who put the great benefactor in Washington there and gave him carte blanche. Uh...that would be you. :)
In the two weeks after Biden's announcement, the same thing happened...
Biden and Obama were on the trail and Biden always spoke first. You just didn't see that as much because of the love affair the mainstream media has with Obama. They only showed his part of the speech. Same thing is happening, being handled differently by the media, probably to portray exactly the impression that you are getting from it.
Moved hubby's 6 weeks ago. Mine only last week. (nm)

Wow, and you can ascertain all that from 4 weeks in office? Amazingly rapid political analysis!.....
nm
Yep, pretty dumb to claim you have foreign policy experience from 3 weeks in Pakistan!!!...

Obama started off saying he was confident in his FOREIGN POLICY experience ("Foreign policy is the area where I am probably most confident that I know more and understand the world better than Senator Clinton or Senator McCain"). He then proceeded to talk about his visit to Pakistan.


SO WHAT? I visited and lived in several foreign countries, too. Does that mean I understand foreign policy better than someone who may have spent less time but has had actual interaction and policy discussions with those countries' leaders? And with the leaders of 80 countries?


If 3 weeks in Pakistan is the extent of Obama's foreign policy credentials, then I am way more qualified on the "foreign policy" front.


My point is that Obama's claim is ridiculous. Better that he stick to his "better judgement" mantra, since the "3 weeks abroad = foreign policy experience" is just pathetically weak.


http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obamas-college.html


No one knows what went on with this couple...
before he left. I am sure that was not the only couple who a man returning from the service divorced upon return, or women who divorced men who were over there serving. His ex-wife maintains that they are still close and apparently she does not hold the sour grapes personally that the public seems to hold, who were not involved and do not know the intimate details. It doesn't seem really fair to post things like this when the whole story is not known.

This is what McCain's ex-wife said about him:
"I'm crazy about John McCain and I love him to pieces," Carol McCain told the New York Times, "but I'm just not going to do interviews."

She does not sound bitter to me.
LOL. You forgot a couple....sm
911 gone bonkers brigade (one from Charlie Sheen after he got attacked)and Mike Malloy's - yes, I am a liberal and I shall eat your eyeballs.

The Scholars for 911 Truth have quite an impressive group of members. Here is a link to their membership page:

http://www.scholarsfor911truth.org/WhoAreWe.html


A couple of questions...
what proof do you have that the war has anything at all to do with oil...and what do you mean...you "bought" your patriotism?  "Served it?"  Curious as to what that means.  And ya know...I have been kinda tired for YEARS as the terrorists picked off our people by the hundreds until they hit the big one on 9-11 and took out 3000 at one time.  Just wondering if you think that was worth fighting over.  Just wondering.  If not...what?  When they kill 8,000?  10,000?  How many will it take?  Just wondering.  How much innocent blood will have to be spilled here to get you as angry at the terrorists as you are at conservatives?  Just wondering.....
A couple notes
Ty Sam for your unbiased comments. I understand you totally - just bringing up issues you have heard.

Here's a couple things I understand about the situation.

Bill & Hillary were trying to file this petition, but not until after she started losing. It ranks up there with the "Florida fiasco" she created but then tried to overturn. In fact I believe they were trying to claim he was born in Kenya at the same time they said Florida didn't matter and agreed to not count Florida until they were losing, then they decided they wanted their votes (unfortunately it was a little too late for them). Bill & Hillary were (are) so desparate to get back into the white house that they were grasping at anything. I think it was ruled that Barack was born in Hawaii (not Kenya) according to the birth certificate. Which I'm sure had to be verified before he would even be eligible to run. My gut feeling is that Bill & Hillary were trying to get a lot of people to believe that he was born in Kenya so they would vote against him. Luckily for Barack their "plan" didn't work. It would have been devastating for him to lose based on a lie put out by the Clintons mis-informing people just so they could win (as I read that I just realized that is what campaign ads do. They put out lies about their oponents - both sides). Anyway...heard it was overturned and his birth certificate does say he was born in Hawaii. Also, like the other poster said if your born to American citizens but are born outside the US (like the military in Germany) you are still considered a natural born citizen.

On a side note, I heard Gov. Ed Rendell talk and for the first time I finally agree with him on what he was saying. For the first time he finally made statement that were rational. I do know that he was big big big Hillary supporter and spoke out against Obama when she was running against him, but yesterday or the day before I heard him talking and he said that Obama was clearly qualified and would make a fine president, blah, blah, blah (can't remember the whole speech). He went down the list of things he doesn't think McCain is good at and why he would not be a good president, and went down the list as to why he felt Barack was the best candidate. So for him to do a total turn around I gained a little respect for him.
Actually there were a couple things to add - (sm)
'Change', as I would like to see it, would also include a new U.S. President who was not hated by the rest of the world's inhabitants and leaders, nor mocked and ridiculed. Instead, it would be a President that took the time to listen when other world leaders were speaking, and who in turn others would listen to when he or she was speaking.

Our new President would be someone who put some thought into when and where to send U.S. aid when it was needed abroad, and when NOT to. That same President would not turn away when people or cities (such as New Orleans) needed help during a disaster.

I would also like to see this country start to treat its animals better than it currently does. Larger and better-run animal shelters, and more education and effort put into spay-and-neuter programs. Why there is no mandadory spay/neuter law on the books for household pets is beyond me, but judging by the overcrowded shelters, rescues, and pet-ads on Craigslist, maybe it's time. And although I'm not a member of PETA, nor a vegetarian, I think that animals who are raised for our consumption, who in essence give their lives for us in the end, need their days on Earth to be far better than they currently are. They should live happily and non-squalid conditions while they're alive, and when the time for slaughter finally comes, it should be quick, painless, non-traumatic & humane. And I would like to see our government start to lean on other countries which treat their animals HORRIBLY, China being one of the worst.
yep, I found this and a couple more, see above....sm
haven't had time to read through it all, though.
2A couple of things here. If you are an MT, you should know
If you ever attended a high school American/English literature class, you may recall a fairly extensive study of the concept of metaphor. Intelligent, gifted writers and speakers often use them to describe, illustrate or define. Obama is using metaphor here, as he often does.

Another concept taught at that level of language study is the notion of CONTEXT. You do recall that, don't you? McCain supporters have an adversion to context and have an almost universal compulsion to ignore context and often skew / slaughter Obama'statements by lifing them out of context and manipulating parts of his messages by placing them in a new "McCain" context. That is what you are doing here.

If you are feeling too lazy this morning to visit the dictionary, here is a link:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epiphany
1. (initial capital letter) a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day.
2. an appearance or manifestation, esp. of a deity.
3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
4. a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

Entry #1 indicates this term to be a Christian concept. It is really comical when on the one hand McCain supporters vow and declare that Obama is a Muslim terrorist, but on the other hand attack him for his close mentoring by as association with Christian Jeremiah Right, making him a Muslim AND Christian at the same time. However, your more recent predominating theme is that Obama is a Moslem. Since you guys insist that Obama is not a Christian, he could not possibly be referring to entry #1. That also makes reference to entr #2 unlikely, especially since that meaning of the word is typically encountered in Christian eschatologic bodies of work or discussions as such.

Your attention is drawn to enties #3 and 4. In commonplace everyday discourse, those are the meanings that are most often used. Epiphany in this context means perception or inspiration. Inspiration is what Obama provides for his supporters. Hope and change. Nothing particularly new or controversial there.

A couple of reasons
I am a transcriptionist, but I only graduated in May, so I am not up to the speed some of you seasoned MTs are. I'm getting better everyday, but I am still in school to finish my Psych degree so I can only work part time. My husband just graduated in May also and since the job market is so bad he is having trouble finding a job (he is a history major so that's hard enough as it is!) He currently works for his dad building houses for $300 a week. We were renting a house right before we got married and we happened to find a house for sale that was as much in mortgage as we were paying in rent, so we decided to purchase it (fixed interest, not subprime or balloon) and have an investment rather than renting and never seeing that money again.

Of course when my husband finds a career position we will be better off (I pray!) but as it stands right now we will probably make $33,000 between us before taxes if he doesn't.

Believe me, I would love to get checks in the mail, but it's just not fair. I'm finishing my psych degree because I want to be able to help people (and I do want to be able to make more). I love MT, but at the rate we are going, I don't know if we will be around much longer.

But lets put it this way, with your 40K this year, and me making 30K for the sake of simplicity, would it be fair for you to give me 5K so we both have 35K? That would probably really upset you. You would probably tell me to work more if I wanted as much as you, right?

And shoot, if I could get that, then why don't I just make 20K, and you can give me 10K, so we both have 30K?

In the perfect world where EVERYONE worked to get up in life, then yes, "sharing the wealth" may work. Unfortunately, there are to many lazy people out there that will see that they are getting something for nothing and will just continue to do nothing. Not fair to hard working individuals like yourself and myself (I consider myself hard working since I do work part time 7 days a week and take classes!) :)

Whew sorry that was so long!
A couple of us on here tried to tell everyone this. No one listens. sm
Ignorant and uninformed Americans are going to get exactly what they deserve. While everybody is busy arguing over stupid little issues and who is red and who is blue, they are destroying our country.

You can also bank on Diebold making sure votes for 3rd party candidates ended up under the 2 main candidates totals too. I think Obama was more popular, but there is fraud in every election and I doubt this one was an exception.

There is no difference between McCain and Obama because they are both beholden to the same interests. We really have a one-party system and they have everything completely monopolized.

Pay attention to what goes on in the economy now that the election is over. The PPT has been keeping the markets falsely propped up.
What a couple of goofballs!
I am the original poster of the message you found so offensive, and I have not posted anything since. I have just been watching the two of you argue and call each other names when you are both on the same side.

It has been quite entertaining!
Thanks. Here are just a couple comments
It is true. People can disagree without getting nasty. I think everyone gets in a dander when they feel they are being attacked for their beliefs/opinions.

I did vote for him and fully supported him while he was running against Hillary. All I knew was (to me) she was one of the worst people to run for office. She had no clue, road on the coattails of her husband. Everything good he did she claimed it as hers, but everything bad he did she had nothing to do with. Her lies were so blatant and then when she came out and told the public the reason she was staying in (in case something (too horrible to mention) happened to Obama, she'd be right there and even brought up JFK's name (or maybe it was RFK - one of the Kennedy's)). I just thought that was the worst worst worst ever. She may have been thinking and hoping for it but to actually say it just truly made me realize how much more I disliked her and the thought of her getting in literally made me nauseous. I also voted for Obama in the primaries because I said enough of the Clintons, they destroyed what little faith I had in the democratic party back then (I voted for Bill the first time but not the second) and all their crooked deals and illegal doings going on while they were in there, there was no way in you know where I wanted any of that crowd back (who knew Obama was going to bring them all back - Arrrrggggg - that's my word of frustration). After the primary's ended I started reading and hearing more and more about Obama's plans and speeches, etc. I thought to myself, well listening to his voice give speeches would be much better than listening to McCain with his "my friends" every other sentence he speaks, but then listening to Obama it got to a point where I'd just be counting how many uh, uh, umm, er, uh, uh. I even had some bets with friends who would get the closest number would buy the other a beer. HA HA. Anyway...I do say give the guy a chance, but I know that a lot of dems would be all over McCains back if he had gotten elected.

What I am seeing and hearing and reading is not very hopeful. I listen to the economist who know what's going on and have the solutions. It looks like a pretty dim future and I'm not blinded like a lot are with Obama's speeches. I want to know the truth and I'm not getting it from them (go figure).

What I don't like is that Obama is no different than all the other politicians out there. He lied to us during his campaign just like all the other presidents lied to us about what they would do. He kept boasting about change but he's not bringing change. He keeps spewing this hope message. Well its now time to put hope to work and stop talking about it as though he is still campaigning.

However, I respect anyone who has a difference of opinions. They (like me) are entitled to the way they feel. Like my mom used to say to me, I may disagree with you, but I respect you and people can have conversations without getting nasty.
Agree!! My DH knows a couple
who were/are hard-working, intelligence on the slow side, he would say mentally-retarded.  They were looking to buy a house, had a good-sized downpayment, got the mortgage, but not understanding what they were signing, lost their house because their interest rate climbed and climbed.  YES, I definitely agree, BLAME IT ON THE LENDERS, their greed, their sleeze, and the fact that the interest rates were allowed to go through the roof!! 
Another one from a couple of years ago
that is coming true right now is While Europe Slept.  Scary but true.
Actually he was right about a couple of things
believe it or not.  Wasn't he also the one who said Obama didn't have enough experience to be pres?  LOL. 
So, if a gay couple gets married...(sm)

exactly how does it affect you?  Does it make you less of a heterosexual?  Does it make you less of a christian?  Does it turn your finances upside down?  Tell me, exactly how does it affect you personally?


They also teach about Hitler in school.  Does that mean that your children will be like Hitler? 


Oh, I don't know....a couple of shots over the bow....
That would do the trick and get their attention. What good does it do to have a Navy ship either on its way or already there if we can't utilize it's firepower?
A couple of points
1. The Department of Defense budget is being increased.

2. We would not be in our grave situation in this industry if we had unions to protect us against some egregious practices by MTSOs.

3. We would have a 2-party government right now if the Republicans would quit playing silly games. It seems like every week, they manage to do something stupider than the week before.

4. A vote for Mickey Mouse would have been more logical than a vote for the McCain/Palin ticket.
A couple more points
1. Defense spending is being cut, not increased.

2. Unions are not the answer to everything - just as those in Detroit.

3. Republicans alone are not to blame for the break down in the 2-party system - there were Democrats that voted against the stimulus bill and the other garbage being churned out of DC.

4. I would have gladly voted for Mickey Mouse, as long as it wasn't a vote for Obama - Mickey would probably be doing a better job.
A couple of points
1. Percentages, as with our industry, where 30 years ago I was making 5 cents a line and earning at least $100 a day, and have now gotten up to 8 cents a line with all kinds of "technical advances" that keep me barely above $100 a day?

2. I live in Detroit (well, very close, about 8 miles away). If my husband had not been a Union Ironworker, we would have continued struggling alone with jobs that would not have allowed us to live with any security or luxuries, like buying a new car every once in awhile.

3. Gotta tell it like it is.

4. Gotta tell it like it is.

So basically, I live in Michigan and I don't believe the unions are the cause of the auto company's struggles. I would suggest that poor management practices by all the folks who make the really big bucks is far more to blame. The unions have been forced to take cut after cut, including loss of retirement health care, and the beat continues to go on.

I tried to keep "trash talk" out of my response and it's unfortunate that you do not see it that way. One good thing about our country is that people are allowed to have opposing opinions. Not everybody thinks like you do - actually, more than half the country as per the last election.
I could use a couple more honey-do's....nm
nm
How does a gay couple getting married take away
The are not attempting to outlaw hetero marriage, so how are you deprived of your rights?
Sorry.....you know me....have to take issue with a couple of things...
Number one being this mess we created. It just chaps me for people to blame the US, especially US citizens, for this so'called *mess*. Fatah and Hamas have been fighting over Palestine as much as Israel and Fatah and Hamas have been fighting over Israel, and that was going on LONG before we went into Iraq. What is happening there is not fueled by Iraq at all. What is happening there is now is being fueled by Iran, and don't think for a minute it is not.

I agree with what you said about bin Laden and Saddam as far as their ideals being diametrically opposed...however, bin Laden saw something in him that he needed...power and money and the ability to move both over the world, and crazy enough to buy into attacking the United States in a spectacular way. Iran did not want any part of that, because nutty as Amadinejad is, he did not want to be taken down like Saddam was taken down. Bin Laden is crazy like a fox...he will use anyone or anything, no matter WHAT their politics are, if it furthers HIS goals. Sorry, ravenswing, I think it is naive in the face of all we know about Saddam and his support of terrorism and his infliction of same on his own people, the fact that the Achille Lauro murderer lived out his days in Baghdad, that Zarqawi was there for at least a year before we went in, bounties to families of suicide bombers and on and on and on....just because they had different religious ideals meant nothing, because they had one common thing...they both hated the United States and all she stands for.

And the comparison of fear of Russia invading and the threat the terrorists pose....I am sorry, I truly see nothing similar. 9-11 changed all that...forever.

I never said terrorists in full force. I said car bombings...train bombings...subway bombings...tunnel bombings...dam bombings...suicide bombers in schools, malls, supermarkets, restaurants, sporting events....that can be carried out by a handful of men, just like 9-11 was, with death tolls in the hundreds to thousands and the ability to forever change life and freedom the way we know it in this country. In short, live like Israel has had to live for decades. I believe in order to forestall that we have to adopt the attitude if they hit us, we hit them harder and at the source...the funding...the support, the Saddams of the world. The lackies who kill themselves are not the ones we need to target. And I believe that is why we have not been attacked yet. Because they know we will fight back. But once they sense weakness, and sorry to say to me that means a liberal in the White House...they will go for the throat, because that is what animals do. And the fact that they are willing to die for what they want and a great number of Americans don't feel like there is anything worth dying for...could very well be our undoing. There are worse things than having your head cut off...among them fear of going into a supermarket, a mall, a train, a plane, a bus....a hospital...a school. Think about that for a moment. Think about hearing every day about a suicide bombing somewhere in this country, a car bombing, a school bombing...just think about it.

I know I have a future to look forward to where there is no war, no pain, and pure love rules the day....but not in this life, not in this world. But I am in this world now, and in this life I feel I am charged to try to support, defend and preserve the only country in the world founded on Christian principles. Had we not strayed so far from our beginnings...who knows where we would be now? But, I also know...everything...EVERYthinghappens for a reason and God is in control. As my pastor and friend used to say....It is getting gloriously dark. I finally understand what he meant by that.
God bless!
A couple of small things...
Intolerance is not something I associate with being liberal. Perhaps I need to adjust my thinking.

My compassion extends to all those hurting and in need, just like yours does. However, as you well know and seem so jaded by, one person cannot focus on every area, every part of humanity, every issue. You must choose your issue and throw all your energy into it. I would say that the anti-war arena is pretty well covered, wouldn't you? The anti-abortion arena, however, is not. And that is where I am moved to place my focus. Because there are people affected by war who CAN speak for themselves. They DO have the ability to at least try and protect themselves. Unborn children do not have that luxury. They are totally at the mercy of others, and if you want to talk about a horrendous way to die...there is no more horrendous way to die than being aborted. In a way, it is the ultimate betrayal if someone does not defend the most vulnerable among us. That is why I chose that issue and that is why I will speak out against it with my last breath.

You call me supercilious, yet post something like the nature of conservatism to have lack of empathy? A rather broad brush stroke I would say. How you can criticize something else for having no empathy and turn your back on the unborn...there is NO balance in that to see.

There is no spin, piglet. The facts are obvious. You have chosen to exclude the most needy and vulnerable and even go to the extreme of being highly critical of me for doing so. No spin there.

It is obvious you call things the way you perceive them, and have intolerance for any who do not agree with your perception. Again, that is not a trait I associate with liberals. And again..perhaps I need to adjust my thinking.

No one is asking you to apologize, piglet. These last few posts...amazing. If it were aimed AT liberals I would swear it WAS Ann Coulter. Especially the "I call things the way I perceive them, I don't sugar coat it and I won't apologize for it." VINTAGE Ann Coulter. :-)