[Adak]

Welcome, Sam!

I remember the days when many of my and everyone else's liberties and freedom was guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Along came 9/11 and the Republican administration then in power pushed through the so-called Patriot Acts and the creation of Homeland "Security." ... the Republicans LOWERED taxes and added insult to injury by awarding lucrative contracts to defense contracters who were in bed with the upper echelons of Republican politicians and the Department of Defense, Pentagon, Chief's of Staff, etc. Can anyone say Halliburten or Dick Chaney or Karl Rove or or or?

Don't think of Bush as a true conservative. He was not. And yeah, he lied badly to us about the war, but I knew that before we started it. I'm not sad to see Saddam gone (and his sons), but the lies I won't forgive Bush for - and for his over-spending, and stopping most stem cell research.

We probably needed a Homeland Security, but not the behemoth of agencies we have in it. We needed a patriot act, but not the removal of so many of our rights.

Halliburton is a tough call, because you can't get many companies to do, what Halliburton did, on such short notice, and on that massive a scale, in a country where the employees are likely to be mortared and shot at.

Lowering taxes, can also increase the velocity of money in the private sector, which can bring in MORE tax income to the gov't. I know it's non-intuitive, but it can happen. Depends on the situation.

Of course, the defense contractors were in bed with Cheney, he was the former Secretary of Defense, during Desert Storm. Nobody knew more about what the military would need in Iraq, than Cheney. Like him or not, he knew his stuff -- which Bush needed.

Ancient history,, perhaps, but it's brought us to where we are today. Oh, and let's not forget the big financial bailout of all those crooked CEOs and bankers specializing in sub prime lending instruments, etc., etc. These corporate criminals tanked the US economy and you and I had the "freedom" of paying for their get out of jail free cards. Was so much as one criminal financier called to account for his actions? Did a single one go to trial or spend time in prison for the crimes that were committed against the American people? Don't everybody all answer at once.

There were a few, but the BIGGEST figures, were politicians, and of course, they never go to jail for being stupid liars.

Why didn't a single Federal prosecutor bring charges against these charlatans who practically drove our country to its knees? I blame both parties for this. No high ranking politician was going to risk PAC money or other campaign contributions or the incredible goodies handed out by the lobbiests for the country's financial low lifes.

A few did go to jail, but the biggest impact has been the suit against the big banks. Bank of America bought out Countrywide (which was a HUGE source of sub prime mortgages), and now the feds are just beginning their suit for 1 Billion dollars, but which will extend to cover civil claims as well, apparently.

Reuters claims BofA, Countrywide and it's subsidiaries accounted for a total of 57 Billion dollars in toxic loans!!
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...89N17120121024

Several banks have already settled similar suits.

And how about the outsourcong of American jobs? Remember Apple? Remember when it was the quintensential American success story? Until it discovered China that is.

Sure. All started with the Free Trade Agreement, IIRC, way back when. Trade treaties since then have extended it, like NAFTA.

It has the plus that we can buy a lot of stuff, very cheaply, but the downside is, we lose our manufacturing jobs -- gone.

Yes, it's like a work camp in the Gulag - but with high tech products.

By definition, it is free trade, but "free" means something entirely different to a Communist country.

The US joins in the party by actually giving tax breaks to US corporations who export US jobs overseas. There is no system of tariffs that has any teeth which protects American manufacturing the way Chinese products are protected. BTW, is there any American manufacturing left? I guess we still make a few car parts and your pal, Romney objects to even that.

Support your argument that Romney objects to car parts being made here. You lost it there, Sam. Simply a lie.

I agree that we need serious election reform, to remove the big $$$$'s from whether a candidate can run a successful campaign or not, for office.

I've been through several big earthquakes. FEMA was never around when you needed them. They are swamped by anything big, immediately, and pretty useless, actually.

Learn to rely on yourself and your friends and community, in an emergency. Don't be dependent on the gov't! They won't probably be there.

You, oh grasshopper, want efficiency in your government programs? According to the non partisen Center on Budet and Tax Priorities the social safety net programs account for - get this - 13 percent of the entire United States budget. The most expensive programs are social security and defense - both coming in at 20 percent. Now you want to tell me that there's no waste in defense spending? Pardon me while I go find a place to die laughing - maybe I'll just join all those old people and disabled folks that were turned out to starve or die of exposure or die due to lack of medical treatment, so you and your mad hatter hosted tea party could save a a lousey 13% by killing (yes, killing) the most vulnerable members of our population. Meanwhile, Halliburten et al will be shoveling krugerands into their secret off shore accounts and people like members of the Bin Laden family will be secretly spirited away to continue their lives of wealth and priviledge, not to mention well placed campaign contributions.

Social safety net programs, account for 13% of our entire budget?

Really?? You're off the track again, Sam! (will cover in a subsequent post, this one is getting way too long already).

I have nothing but contempt for the current crop of Republicans who can't be bothered to study even recent history, are to lazy to use common logic, and are all too eager to literally destroy thousands of their fellow citizens because they want to buy a cheap i-pad under whatever outrageous terms Apple may demand and FSM forbid that some rich bitch in a gated community have her taxes go up by even 2 cents

PS. And you think the Republicans tromping around in your bedroom is LESS intrusive government?

A lot of Republicans aren't conservative. They are "whatever's", they need to be, to be elected, and they live in a conservative part of the country.

Both Bush Presidents were that way - not conservative, and not pragmatic in many ways. The worst was the lie to drag us into Iraq, and then to keep us supporting Iraq and Afghanistan for 10 years.

We can't afford to be doing that.