OT: Palin and McCain... Fact versus Reality

[Enigma869]

I don't know how much of this is true or isn't true. That said, It certainly buttresses my theory that EVERY politician is completely full of shit!

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer
Wed Sep 3, 11:48 PM ET


ST. PAUL, Minn. - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters held back little Wednesday as they issued dismissive attacks on Barack Obama and flattering praise on her credentials to be vice president. In some cases, the reproach and the praise stretched the truth.



Some examples:

PALIN: "I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress 'thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."

PALIN: "There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state senate."

THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.

PALIN: "The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars."

THE FACTS: The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama's plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain's plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.

Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.

He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.

MCCAIN: "She's been governor of our largest state, in charge of 20 percent of America's energy supply ... She's responsible for 20 percent of the nation's energy supply. I'm entertained by the comparison and I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America," he said in an interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson.

THE FACTS: McCain's phrasing exaggerates both claims. Palin is governor of a state that ranks second nationally in crude oil production, but she's no more "responsible" for that resource than President Bush was when he was governor of Texas, another oil-producing state. In fact, her primary power is the ability to tax oil, which she did in concert with the Alaska Legislature. And where Alaska is the largest state in America, McCain could as easily have called it the 47th largest state — by population.

MCCAIN: "She's the commander of the Alaska National Guard. ... She has been in charge, and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities," he said on ABC.

THE FACTS: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. When guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, they assume those duties under "federal status," which means they report to the Defense Department, not their governors. Alaska's national guard units have a total of about 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of state guard organizations.

FORMER ARKANSAS GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: Palin "got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States."

THE FACTS: A whopper. Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "We need change, all right — change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington — throw out the big-government liberals, and elect John McCain and Sarah Palin."

THE FACTS: A Back-to-the-Future moment. George W. Bush, a conservative Republican, has been president for nearly eight years. And until last year, Republicans controlled Congress. Only since January 2007 have Democrats have been in charge of the House and Senate.
___

Associated Press Writer Jim Drinkard in Washington contributed to this report.

[Tito]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

[RedWingFan]

I don't know how much of this is true or isn't true.

7Wishes already posted this.

[Barb]

So the AP published talking points from the Obama campaign....

The Obama team didn't stop there. The campaign released a lengthy memo under the heading "Fact Check," which said speeches by Palin and others gave a misleading account of Obama's record and plans -- especially on the question of taxes.

Do a google news search for the author of this piece, Jim Kuhnhenn.

[strangegrey]

Yeah, proof positive of a media bias if you ask me.

The AP has ZERO business publishing such a one sided smear piece like this. Especially when it's so-called facts weren't fact checked themselves...

[RedWingFan]

Yeah, proof positive of a media bias if you ask me.

The AP has ZERO business publishing such a one sided smear piece like this. Especially when it's so-called facts weren't fact checked themselves...

Doesn't matter. There will be plenty of people who lap it up as objective and continue to spew it.

[annpea]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

[Saint John]

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

Crime statistics would certainly back up that officer's decision. Sounds like good police work to me. And I'm quite sure if he "looked like a CEO" (How do they look?) he would be questioned and released...not arrested. An officer's decision to ask a person to step out of a car or to search that person is triggered by behavioral and contextual cues -- nervousness, threatening behavior, resemblance to a suspect, absence of a license and car registration, tinted windows, among others -- that are not even remotely captured by demographics. If critics keep accusing officers of bigotry for trying in good faith to do their jobs, it will be all the harder for them to fight crime.

[larryfromnextdoor]

[Eric]

Yeah, proof positive of a media bias if you ask me.

The AP has ZERO business publishing such a one sided smear piece like this. Especially when it's so-called facts weren't fact checked themselves...

Did you see the negative obit they posted 2 hours after Tony Snow passed?

[7 Wishes]

Yeah, proof positive of a media bias if you ask me.

The AP has ZERO business publishing such a one sided smear piece like this. Especially when it's so-called facts weren't fact checked themselves...

Your response is SO laughably over-the-top and insanely biased that it BARELY qualifies for any kind of response.

People...these are FACTS. F A C T S. You can draw whichever conclusions you want from the FACTS, but they are still the FACTS.

[Barb]

Yeah, proof positive of a media bias if you ask me.

The AP has ZERO business publishing such a one sided smear piece like this. Especially when it's so-called facts weren't fact checked themselves...

Your response is SO laughably over-the-top and insanely biased that it BARELY qualifies for any kind of response.

People...these are FACTS. F A C T S. You can draw whichever conclusions you want from the FACTS, but they are still the FACTS.

Would you believe a list of FACTS that came straight out of the McCain camp?

[7 Wishes]

Of course I would. I sincerely like McCain and I'm still considering voting for him. But you can't change REALITY - those FACTS listed above are FACTS. Not speculation (a word Bush and his cronies get off on), or interpretation, but FACTS.

[Marabelle]

I'm thinking she's looking more and more like Tina Fey!

[annpea]

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

Crime statistics would certainly back up that officer's decision. Sounds like good police work to me. And I'm quite sure if he "looked like a CEO" (How do they look?) he would be questioned and released...not arrested. An officer's decision to ask a person to step out of a car or to search that person is triggered by behavioral and contextual cues -- nervousness, threatening behavior, resemblance to a suspect, absence of a license and car registration, tinted windows, among others -- that are not even remotely captured by demographics. If critics keep accusing officers of bigotry for trying in good faith to do their jobs, it will be all the harder for them to fight crime.

Maybe if the shoe was on the other foot you'd see it the way many african americans see it, there are many dead today because of the so called decisions made by some officer's and these so called statistics ( Which aren't worth the paper they're written on.) the average african american works hard and live a life as far away from crime as any other american. because of the spotlight on a few the many are often lumped into the same narrow minded view, as the few who do live ciminal lifestyles.

[conversationpc]

But you can't change REALITY - those FACTS listed above are FACTS. Not speculation (a word Bush and his cronies get off on), or interpretation, but FACTS.

Not so fast there...

PALIN: "I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress 'thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."

What were the earmarks used for in her town and were they indeed wasteful? Not all earmarks are created equal. If they were wasteful, then so be it. The remark about her said she championed the vetoing of wasteful spending and abuse of earmarks, not that she had gotten rid of spending altogether or earmarks, for that matter.

PALIN: "I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress 'thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."

THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.

This one is more than likely on the mark. However, I also find the claim hard to believe that Obama has authored over 130 some bills. This is likely an exaggeration also, in my opinion though I don't have the facts to back up that assertion at this point. Anyway, did he really author all those bills or was his name just attached to them in some form even though he really didn't author them? I'm open to hearing otherwise if there is evidence.

THE FACTS: The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama's plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain's plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.

Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.

He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.

Both candidates are so nebulous about their tax proposals that it's difficult to really know for sure what the specifics are. However, I sincerely doubt that anyone's taxes are going to go down if he is elected president. He supports raising taxes on the "rich" but fails to mention that many of the "rich" are small business owners who report their company's income as their own even though they may not in reality be rich. As for McCain, his support of lower taxes is wishy-washy at best.

MCCAIN: "She's been governor of our largest state, in charge of 20 percent of America's energy supply ... She's responsible for 20 percent of the nation's energy supply. I'm entertained by the comparison and I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America," he said in an interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson.

THE FACTS: McCain's phrasing exaggerates both claims. Palin is governor of a state that ranks second nationally in crude oil production, but she's no more "responsible" for that resource than President Bush was when he was governor of Texas, another oil-producing state. In fact, her primary power is the ability to tax oil, which she did in concert with the Alaska Legislature. And where Alaska is the largest state in America, McCain could as easily have called it the 47th largest state — by population.

Exaggerated? Certainly.

MCCAIN: "She's the commander of the Alaska National Guard. ... She has been in charge, and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities," he said on ABC.

THE FACTS: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. When guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, they assume those duties under "federal status," which means they report to the Defense Department, not their governors. Alaska's national guard units have a total of about 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of state guard organizations.

The size of Alaska's national has nothing to do with this. Red herring. She is still the defacto commander-in-chief of that state's National Guard units, whether or not she has authority over them when they are sent to international conflicts.

FORMER ARKANSAS GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: Palin "got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States."

THE FACTS: A whopper. Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.

I'm not sure where Huckabee got this info.

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "We need change, all right — change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington — throw out the big-government liberals, and elect John McCain and Sarah Palin."

THE FACTS: A Back-to-the-Future moment. George W. Bush, a conservative Republican, has been president for nearly eight years. And until last year, Republicans controlled Congress. Only since January 2007 have Democrats have been in charge of the House and Senate.

The dems have been in control for going on two years now and their approval rating has steadily deteriorated to the point that it's now in single digits. Also, most Republicans that I know are ready for Bush to be out of office now also because is not a supporter of some core conservative principles such as lower spending and smaller government.

[Tito]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

It was more of a rhetorical question. Depending on the race of the suspect would determine who got stopped. The law as written is designed to stop an "unfair proportion" of traffic stops,etc. of minorities. Even though I wish the cops would do more true police work than writing tickets, whoever is breaking the law or whoever broke it first should be pulled over.

[Tito]

As far as more votes than Biden in the primaries, I think they are referring to his vote total in Iowa caucus which was his only state he was active in. He dropped out after Iowa. He did get more votes along the way in other states but he was no longer active. That's my guess.

Edit: Well, unless my math is wrong and the AP's total is correct as far as her votes as mayor that is NOT the case. Biden received over 2 thousand votes in Iowa. I then looked at Delaware (thinking maybe what he received in his home state) again it was over 2 thousand. I then looked at Alaska, Biden received 0 votes. If this is what their talking about then their right, if this was not what they were talking about then I don't know what the f-ck their talking about.

[csiako]

FORMER ARKANSAS GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: Palin "got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States."

THE FACTS: A whopper. Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.

uhh Biden got 0 votes for running for potus...

[annpea]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

It was more of a rhetorical question. Depending on the race of the suspect would determine who got stopped. The law as written is designed to stop an "unfair proportion" of traffic stops,etc. of minorities. Even though I wish the cops would do more true police work than writing tickets, whoever is breaking the law or whoever broke it first should be pulled over.

I agree, you have a wonderful insight.

[jrnyman28]

I wonder if the vote comment meant to be PERCENTAGE not actual votes. Maybe Palin got a larger percentage of available votes than Biden did?

[Tito]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

It was more of a rhetorical question. Depending on the race of the suspect would determine who got stopped. The law as written is designed to stop an "unfair proportion" of traffic stops,etc. of minorities. Even though I wish the cops would do more true police work than writing tickets, whoever is breaking the law or whoever broke it first should be pulled over.

I agree you have a wonderful insight.

I sense sarcasism.

[annpea]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

It was more of a rhetorical question. Depending on the race of the suspect would determine who got stopped. The law as written is designed to stop an "unfair proportion" of traffic stops,etc. of minorities. Even though I wish the cops would do more true police work than writing tickets, whoever is breaking the law or whoever broke it first should be pulled over.

I agree you have a wonderful insight.

I sense sarcasism.

No, not so; I truely meant that. I can be serious every so often.

[Arkansas]

I'm thinking she's looking more and more like Tina Fey!

Bingo. Wouldn't surprise me if Tina Fey comes back to SNL for a Sarah Palin spoofs.
Btw, I think she's got a little Rachel Ray too.


later~

[annpea]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

It was more of a rhetorical question. Depending on the race of the suspect would determine who got stopped. The law as written is designed to stop an "unfair proportion" of traffic stops,etc. of minorities. Even though I wish the cops would do more true police work than writing tickets, whoever is breaking the law or whoever broke it first should be pulled over.

I agree you have a wonderful insight.

I sense sarcasism.

No, not so; I truely meant that. I can be serious every so often.

I, may come off like a dingbat sometimes, but I've wanted to be a member of this forum for a longtime , because you guys have the best forum i have ever read you're all like one big family and appear to stick together, even when you all agree to disagree. I was chatting on youtube, but some of the people there scared the hell out of me.

[7 Wishes]

The dems have been in control for going on two years now and their approval rating has steadily deteriorated to the point that it's now in single digits. Also, most Republicans that I know are ready for Bush to be out of office now also because is not a supporter of some core conservative principles such as lower spending and smaller government.

Um, Dave...this has been vetted thoroughly by every major polling company, and it is clear that voters are unhappy with CONGRESS, not with the 50 Democrats (as opposed to the 49 Republicans and 1 "Independent"). Most people are also aware it takes a 60-40 majority to pass through legislation the President vetoes, and since Republicans line up stock and barrel behind EVERYTHING Bush proposes NO MATTER WHAT, there is no chance of any Democrat-sponsored bill actually going through both Houses since Bush is 100% GUARANTEED to veto anything they propose. People are frustrated with the SYSTEM, more than the individual members of Congress. The only people stupid enough to blame the Democrats for the logjam in Washington are the troglodytes who hail Rush LImbaugh's verbal diarrhea as gospel.

[Tito]

As a resident of Illinois let me say the ethics reform is a total joke. No one has been charged or even disciplined due to this law. Yes, Illinois is still a very corrupt state so this has ZERO effect. Why they haven't blast that I have no idea.

Also, what is racial profiling? Did he maybe stop criminal profiling?

Also, even if she flip flopped on the bridge to nowhere, as a taxpayer I'd rather have it this way, then have it the other way. Very few miles (no pun intended) will be had from this.

Recall earmarks come FROM congress not the governors. But for the sake of argument, although there may be a bit of hyprocisy, every state pushes for earmarks. Everyone wants their share. Is she supposed to not try to get her state money, while every other state gets theirs? I rather have her in Washington trying to eliminate earmarks. That is why we need a small federal government. Earmarking should be totally eliminated, what the states/locals need let them pay for.

Racial profilling is targeting a person based on their race. If two guys were driving down the street one white one black and a robbery occured the black guy would most likely be stopped and arrested as a suspect before the white guy, even if the black guy looked like a ceo of a major coporation he would be stopped and treated like a criminal, just because of the color of his skin.

It was more of a rhetorical question. Depending on the race of the suspect would determine who got stopped. The law as written is designed to stop an "unfair proportion" of traffic stops,etc. of minorities. Even though I wish the cops would do more true police work than writing tickets, whoever is breaking the law or whoever broke it first should be pulled over.

I agree you have a wonderful insight.

I sense sarcasism.

No, not so; I truely meant that. I can be serious every so often.

I, may come off like a dingbat sometimes, but I've wanted to be a member of this forum for a longtime , because you guys have the best forum i have ever read you're all like one big family and appear to stick together, even when you all agree to disagree. I was chatting on youtube, but some of the people there scared the hell out of me.

No problem.

[RedWingFan]

The dems have been in control for going on two years now and their approval rating has steadily deteriorated to the point that it's now in single digits. Also, most Republicans that I know are ready for Bush to be out of office now also because is not a supporter of some core conservative principles such as lower spending and smaller government.

The only people stupid enough to blame the Democrats for the logjam in Washington are the troglodytes who hail Rush LImbaugh's verbal diarrhea as gospel.

So Pelosi and the rest of the democrats leaving the republicans in the chamber with the lights out to work on an energy bill was a republican logjam? Dude, why do you continue to make a fool of yourself? The American people see what's going on.

[conversationpc]

Um, Dave...this has been vetted thoroughly by every major polling company, and it is clear that voters are unhappy with CONGRESS, not with the 50 Democrats (as opposed to the 49 Republicans and 1 "Independent"). Most people are also aware it takes a 60-40 majority to pass through legislation the President vetoes, and since Republicans line up stock and barrel behind EVERYTHING Bush proposes NO MATTER WHAT, there is no chance of any Democrat-sponsored bill actually going through both Houses since Bush is 100% GUARANTEED to veto anything they propose. People are frustrated with the SYSTEM, more than the individual members of Congress. The only people stupid enough to blame the Democrats for the logjam in Washington are the troglodytes who hail Rush LImbaugh's verbal diarrhea as gospel.

I never said it wasn't vetted thoroughly. However, be truthful and admit that you haven't checked every major polling company to back up that statement.

Your blaming of the Republicans for the "logjam" is just as much an action of a troglodyte as you claim I or any other conservative are being. Besides that, I don't rely on Democratic stupidity to base my opinion of Congress on. Most of the Dems there are just as bad as the Republicans and, if you don't assign as much blame to them, then you're no less of a troglodyte as you claim others are (and I hate Rush Limbaugh, btw).

The fact of the matter is that the Dems have been in control of BOTH houses of Congress for over a year and a half and have not accomplished nothing. You can blame that on the Repubs, if you wish, but if the legislation were good enough and they were effective enough at their jobs, they should be able to overcome the fact that they don't have a 60-40 majority in the Senate. If the Repubs were good/bad enough to earn their ratings when they were in control, then you ought to suck it up and admit that the Dems deserve the blame for the poor ratings also. I give Clinton credit for his higher approval ratings while he is in office, despite my disagreements with him. I've never understood why people refuse to do the same when the tables are turned.

[7 Wishes]

I'm not making a fool of myself. I wasn't suggesting the Democrats weren't equally to blame. But people are smart enough to know it's not just one party or the other...it's both, the whole system. Most people know about the 60-40 rule.