The Respectfully Republican Conversation

Holy cow talk about a thread killer............Bren my left leaning chestnut raking liberal friend just a couple of points to your above post.............I think it was a mistake for George W to appoint Colin Powell..........I know he is a register Republican but I have never thought he really was and certainly not a Conservative.......I think there are many hard feelings and no I do not agree with Rush that this is about race concerning Powell's endorsement of Obama but I do believe that Powell is looking out for his political future in Washington and getting back into the ideology that will get him there..........and to make sure we understand each other (well I never know how early you may start drinking).........(just kidding guys........I only tease people that I care about and Bren is a very good friend) it's not that I don't believe Powell that he believes that Obama is the best candidate because I do believe that he does which is my point...........Bren you know that when McCain secured the Republican nomination it was DebC that stated that Palin would be a really good choice for VP and I started reading about her but I really thought McCain would play it safe and bring in more of a Washington insider and more like his own ideology............I personally was thrill and shocked when he picked her..........and for her to be such a bad choice what is all the left ruckus about?...........it seems to me that the left would be thrilled about her being the VP pick because she offers nothing to the McCain ticket and according to the media has hurt him............so why does she draw this huge crowds where ever she goes?........the same size of crowds that Obama has drawn..........why does the media spend so much time slaming her?  Why are they so threatened?........Why does she appeal to so many average Americans?..........for me she represents everything about me.........pro life, smaller gov't......larger state rights........lower taxes...........less spending.........and she has had 5 kids........has a beautiful family plus a awfully cute husband and they seem to be crazy about each other..............she reminds me of that old commercial about the woman that makes the bacon and brings it home to cook.......I need to find that on you tube........anyway so there........what do you have to say about that you tree hugging liberal?..................your conservative friend Shokk

I love you Shokeroo!

My point, although apparently hard to decipher, was that prior to Palin, McCain appealed to those undecided voters and fence sitting dems.  McCain was capable of reaching across the aisle.  Palin is very good at reaching the Conservative Republican base .. no doubt about it.  But the Repub party is getting a little fractured these days. 

  After 8 years of George Bush, and the "perceived" flaws in his "reign" the dems were going to be ahead from the outset.  McCain would have done well to pick a VP running mate with more centrist Republican, slightly tree-hugging views. 

  Your still slightly tree-hugging, acorn and chestnut pod raking friend,

Bren 

PS - I'm not frying up any bacon .. I hate to cook!

Hi IBC Spouse!

   I love it that Palin is great looking.  I'm not jealous or impressed with her looks.  Hell, I was a babe all my life until I got cancer and lost my hormones.  (Not bragging, but it's just the way it is.)  I think it's great that women can be beautiful and smart.  I don't watch the View .. those gals get on my last nerve.  I think Hillary is a case of beautiful and smart as well.  I think that Minnessota congresswoman is a case of great looking and not very smart.   

    I'm not throwing those chestnut pods at anyone.  It's bad enough they fall out of the trees and thump me when I'm trying to rake. 

   Gotta run ... SO... just pulled in the driveway .. yippee .. he's been gone awhile.

 Quickly .. beauty is about so much more than appearance.  It's about strength, brains, wit, love, joy, giving, caring ... gotta go.

Ibcspouse,

Women were tested during Hillary's try and a lot of them wouldn't vote for her for some of the ___________ reasons I ever heard.  So there is no telling what excuse women use not to vote for another woman.  Good looking, plain all the same. 

I'm really happy to read your wife and yourself heard good news.  Someday's are just diamonds.

LuAnnH

How is Palin corrupt.  McCain has stated programs and plans from the start. Stop earmarks, reduce spending, morgage relief, choice of schools, a path to solve the immagration problem, a realistic tax program to get the ecconomy going.  He took on Election laws, climate change, wants to take on Social Security reform, and has come up with a first step for a viable Health care program that allows us to have some control of our own medical care.  The list goes on and on, Not only does he talk about it, he has done many of these things while in the senate.  Not a thing has Obama done...Give me one major piece of legislation Obama has sponcered in his lifetime.  The words we want Change is not a Policy it is a bumper sticker, and unfortunatly to many people can't see past the words.  Hillary said it best...Obama is only words, Biben said Obams is an impressive Man but not ready to be President. 

Gov Palin has reduced the spending in Alaska but increase it's revenue and surplus.  She took on the sexual predator laws in Alaska and made them for tougher incuding adding manadory DNA data bank.  She fought corruption is her own party and caused the prosecution and resignation of members of her own party.  She maintained an above 80% approval rating as Gov of a very independent and sceptical state.  She ran a town, she chaired the largest State Energy Board in the country and fought the corruption from Big Oil kickbacks.  She defeated a Governor that was part of a Republican dynasty and worked with Dems and Repb. 

Biden has been in the Senate for thirty years, and finding a piece of legislation he has done is almost imposible.  LuAnnH, you write well and love words, I hope that words will keep this country safe and sound, but I don't believe they can.  Action and records vs empty promises that have never been fufilled. That is our choice, and Heaven Help us all.

BTW, LuAnn, and you may not believe this because it came from a "Fox guy."  He's been in Iraq a few days.  He said told us how an Iraqi man came to him and said, thanks for coming..tell the whole world.  And when they asked Iraqis what they most wanted...SECURITY.  Who can blame them.

No, LuAnn, the war is not completely won in Iraq.  Even Gen Patreus (BETRAY US) said it's volatile.  This is not some place you can just up and leave.  I believe all of us know that. But, you don't hear about the really good news on MSM. 

Many of the Iraqis are beginning to trust our troops.  They have not been able to trust anyone for how many years?  They have lived under fear from the regime of Hussein.  Freedom is hard for them to understand.

Their infrastructure needs rebuilding.  They troops and police need to be further trained.  Trust the generals on the ground.  I'll be glad when this war is over.  And I hope the Iraqi people will be able to live in peace.

Shirley 

Why do people not know We are Winning the War in Iraq

CNSNews.comAs Surge in Iraq Succeeded, Embedded Reporters Receded
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
By Kevin Mooney, Staff Writer

(AP Photo) (CNSNews.com) - The number of reporters embedded with U.S. forces in Iraq declined dramatically after the surge in U.S. troop strength went full force last year and violence in the country, including U.S. casualties, started to decline.
 
As a consequence, there have been fewer reporters in the field with U.S. troops in Iraq this year to report on the successes those troops have achieved.
 
In the period since the surge began in January 2007, according to data that the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF) provided to CNSNews.com, the number of embedded reporters in Iraq peaked in September 2007 at 219 and declined to a low of 58 this June. 
 
That is a 74 percent drop in embedded reporters in 9 months.
 

Pam, I really want to know what you know about Palin and the creationism thing.  Are you saying that she's saying that it must be taught in the schools.  If so, that's incorrect.  No matter which candidate you are supporting I think we need to know the facts. 

I do agree with you that the VP is not who we are voting for.  However, as you know it's seems that people are being made afraid of Palin.  I don't think she's nuts.  I think she's got a helluva brain and if she needs to learn she will.  Obama has had two years to campaign and change his mind on many things after the primary. 

Of course, McCain's almost dead so we should not vote for him because Palin would be the prez.  What scares me is if Obama dies and Biden dies who's gonna be our prez...PELOSI!  OMG!

I'm sorry if I offended you.  I guess the creationism thing caught my eye. And I shouldn't have butted in.  Blame it on CHEMO brain.  My best excuse.

Shirley

Vin

Always knew that you were a "babe" with brains, just on this thread, compliments can be insulting and viewed as sexist if spoken by man. 

Rosemary,

Thank you for wishes for Cam,,  Your writings age great.  Are you are have you been a political writer or speach writer.  For anyone to say that the posters here do not give fact, I invite them to read any of your post.

Pam,

I still read the "good book thread"  it is refreshing to see this election and US effect discussed with out a blind bias of bashing the US.  I do sometimes fill a small pin prick of the fair way you anaylis both political threads.  But it is a good read.

Shirley

You prove that no matter how hard you try, the other side is not going to let facts influence their opinions at all.  If you point out to them that Obama said of Gen Patreus, he is just a local commander, he does not understand the big picture.  Then the next month say in times interview. Gen Patreus and I agree on the strategy of Afganistan and War Lord awakening.  

The big advantage BO has is his vagueness.  He will say I want the world to be better.  A month later a report comes out that the death rate dropped world wide by .001 % over the last decade.  Next day Obama is on the stump saying that was his plan over all,

The major news sites reported no gaffs for Biden in the debate.  What is meant by that is not gaffs that are up to normal implosions of Biden.  If Gov Palin had one thrid of this number, she would have been, ya'll can fill in the blank.  These in addition to not knowing what the duties of the VP are and what article of the constitution covers them.  So I agree with Rosemary, if you gonna bash a VP candidate for lack ok knowledge or not being ready, pick on the one that doesn't wear a skirt.

1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted "the exact same way" as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.

2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.

3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, "Drill we must." But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to "raping" the Outer Continental Shelf."

4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it's passage.

5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he's always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.

6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain's record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.

7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people's health insurance coverage - they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false

8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska - she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it's not a windfall profits tax.

9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.

10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation - he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.

11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was "dead wrong on Iraq", because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.

12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn't see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.

13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn't meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of "part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20."

14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won't pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.

Arrr, gee whiz Ibcspouse, that was nice.  Thank you, I barely got out of my creative writing class in college.  Anne Shirley has to bite her tongue when she reads anything I write.  Besides others here, Bessie, she's the really talented composer of words.  She puts them together so well.  Her words are like music to my eyes.

Nicki,

Schools in this country are not bad because they have too little money. The Milwaukee Public Schools spend more than any other school district in the state of Wisconsin per pupil and the schools are lousy. Many of the students who do graduate cannot do simple math or read/comprehend at an elementary school level - forget high school level. The school board just passed a 14.6% tax levy the other night. Residents of Milwaukee are having a hard time making their mortgage payments much less have to pay more in property taxes. The schools do not need more money! Money is not the problem. How they spend what they have might be. You probably get evaluated in your work - maybe whether or not you get a pay raise is tied to whether or not you get a good evaluation. My dh is a professor and he gets evaluated by students, his department, and faculty at the college. If he gets good student evaluations, has done work for the campus, has published, presented papers - he will get a good evaluation and then maybe get a pay raise. Teachers do none of those things - they threaten to strike - they get a raise whether their students do well or whether they do poorly. In Milwaukee they are very well paid, have the Cadillac of all benefits - they should be ashamed of how their students are doing. We spend more per student than most other industrialized countries and have nothing to show for it. Obama's only "executive" experience was when he was head of the Annenberg project in Chicago that spent over $100,000,000 to "reform" Chicago schools. They were no better after all that money was spent than they were before.

OMG IBC, who is giving you your info, al queda is alive and well in the USA, who has said they aren't?  They just haven't organized enough or chosen to attack again on our soils yet.  Will it happen again?  Probably.  They strive for big, excitement, lots of noise and attention so their attacks take time to plan.  Hopefully our Homeland Security is on the ball and catch on in the meantime.  But I am personally a very close friend to a senior member of Homeland Security.  He does not tell me secrets that are not to be told.  But he has asked me to be somewhere else on more than one occassion.  I do know they know al queada as well as other modern terrorists are in the USA and sometimes they observe them to catcht he bigger fish and other times they flat out nail them depending how high up on the chain they are.  So I'm not sure where you go no terrrorists have been in the US for seven years.  Please tell me you are just too tired from your travels and are confusing your facts.

rosemary if that were true my son would have left where he is in Iraq within weeks or arriving.  The US is continually training the Iraqi Army trying to help them flush out the traitors.  Problem is they are intermixed and it is hard to tell the good from the bad.  On more than one occassion since my son has been there the Iraqi soldiers were apparently planted al queada and they killed all the US soldiers with them and then themselves.  This is a tough place we are in and it is not easily fixed.  There is no easy way out, it is a long drawn out process and just not what we should be concentrating on

I totally support our troops in any battle they fight in.  I may not believe in why the gov't brought us into the situation but I 100% am behind the men and women.  Any soldier that loses their life is not in vain but as a hero!  They are following the orders given to them and doing what is expected of them.  They do this to guarntee our freedom.  I am right there with you IBC, I just think we were mislead into where we are and we again are back in a lose/lose situation.  I don't blame the troops as they are doing theirs courageous jobs!  I blame the top big wigs that sit in the warm chairs, all comfortable with modern conviences that put these young people in these dangerous places to suit their own needs.

That last comment doesn't have much to do with McCain other than his ideals run so close to george w that it scares me and I can't take anymore years of that type of leadership.

I may not be able to quote something specific you would like of me but if you read what Nicki wrote about how the schools work in chicago it is the same in Cincinnati.  If you live in an area without alot of business then there is not alot money to go to the schools.  You pay your taxes to the twpship you work in and without alot of money in that community you can't have good schools.

I believe Obama tred to help in the Chigao area but he isn't a miracle man.  It would take billions to clean up the inner city problems every large city has.  As I said in my work with non profits in cincinnati that worked with 2 different programs.  One was for women only, abused, homeless or just down on their luck.  It helped give them a place to live cheaply (based on your income) until you got on your feet.  There were rules to live there and it was a fairly nice program.  Then they started teaching computer education to these ladies to help make them employable and better able to get on their feet and work again.

I also worked with a program that was for at risk youth between the ages of 19 to 21.  Pretty tough crowd, I taught them how to build a computer from scratch and how to use popular word processing and spread sheet programs.  Those that were more ambitious we went onto learning about databases.  We worked with these kids and taught them home skills, personal skills, lots of things most people learn in their faimly unit that these kids never had.  We helped clean them up, find them a job and even helped get them into better living conditions if we could.  It takes alot of money do this.  Our grant was pretty large but that amount of money was to process only 90 students over a two year time frame.  You state how big the grant was, what was the purpose of it and outcomes supposed to be?  How long was he allowed to get his outcimes and did he file the follow up reports of the outcomes?

Just because the city wasn't cleaned up after he tried to make a start does not make him a failure.  To me it means he took alot of himself to help and motivate other young people to get off the streets and do someting with their lives.  Without any kind of role model these young inner city kids know no different way to live.