The TPM tracker I read said 16% of the Republicans voted for Ron Paul and the other 11% for Huckabee. Presumably, the Huckabee voters hope that Old John will tap Arkansas’ Elmer Gantry for VP, which makes perfect sense since they are good evangelicals who believe in miracles. As for the Paulistas, well, I’m told it’s rude to use the term “cult” when discussing politics, but I don’t think Dr. Ron’s brave defenders are going to vote for McPain in November, either.

Thanks for the link. Disappointing responses indeed.

This was more serious than usual for me…um…BOOBIES!!!!

A Real Democrat would say, “Signing statements are clearly unconstitutional and I will never use them. I will also call on Congress to pass legislation to make it very clear that signing statements are wrong.”

A Real Demcrat would say, “Mercenary armies have no place in this modern world. One of my first acts as President will be to replace all mercenary armies with regular forces. At the earliest opportunity I will direct my Sec of Commerce to revoke the charters of all mercenary armies headquartered in the US, and start prosecutions of all executives of mercenary armies based in the US for mass murder.” I will also work with Congress to make sure that private corporate entities are not able to set up their own paramilitary forces. (see InfraGard).

A Real Democrat would say, “I will immediately withdraw US forces from nations that the US has occupied and promise to never start a war of naked aggression as former President Bush has done.”

Obama has promised to not remove troops from Iraq, and Clinton has promised to nuke Iran, so obviously neither of them are Democrats.

Here is the link:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080317/scahill

“A senior foreign policy adviser to leading Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has told The Nation that if elected Obama will not “rule out” using private security companies like Blackwater Worldwide in Iraq. The adviser also said that Obama does not plan to sign on to legislation that seeks to ban the use of these forces in US war zones by January 2009, when a new President will be sworn in. Obama’s campaign says that instead he will focus on bringing accountability to these forces while increasing funding for the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the agency that employs Blackwater and other private security contractors.”

Please note that Sen Clinton was for Blackwater until only two months ago, when she suddenly switched, for political expediency, to claiming she was against Blackwater. I don’t believe her for a second, since Blackwater was fine when Clinton was President, and don’t forget that Mark Penn works for Blackwater (through Burson-Marsteller) to make sure they are never held accountable to the law.

spencer said,
April 22, 2008 at 16:55

Comrade Rutherford @16:40:

I haven’t heard about a lot of these, particularly the signing statements thing. That would be especially troubling to me, if true. Can you provide linkage? TIA.

“Responding to a questionnaire late last year by the Boston Globe, Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) made clear their view that Bush has gone too far in issuing signing statements — but that there are circumstances in which such statements are necessary.

“The problem with this administration is that it has attached signing statements to legislation in an effort to change the meaning of the legislation, to avoid enforcing certain provisions of the legislation that the President does not like, and to raise implausible or dubious constitutional objections to the legislation,” Obama answered. But, he added: “No one doubts that it is appropriate to use signing statements to protect a president’s constitutional prerogatives.”

In her own Globe questionnaire, Clinton made a similar point about legal issues. “I would only use signing statements in very rare instances to note and clarify confusing or contradictory provisions, including provisions that contradict the Constitution,” she wrote. “My approach would be to work with Congress to eliminate or correct unconstitutional provisions before legislation is sent to my desk.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/24/AR2008022401995.html

But the problem with America’s health insurance system is that even if you CAN afford the best insurance plans, they will NOT sell one to you that will cover “pre-existing” conditions.

They will not cover past a certain amount (say $200,000). They cut you off and you have to pay those bills yourself.

Only the top 1% of all Americans can afford to pay those ind of bills out of their own pockets.

I haven’t had insurance since I was 18. I am now 42. I have no health issues, I don’t smoke, and have no ‘pre-existing’ conditions.

Not one single insurance company will take me on, they do not even quote me a price. Or if they do it’s $2000 a month (just for me and not my wife and children). Since I make just over $30K a year, just how am I supposed to have health care?

By your logic no one that makes less than $200,000 should be allowed to receive health care.

Just how is this the “Best” system in the world?

And incarceration.

Especially if you count Gary’s Midwest as one big isolation camp. Apparently in Midwest Ruppertland, the proles just LOVE to get used up for their corporate overlords and tossed aside when they break, like a cheap stapler from Walmart.

Plus they get to watch with love and amusement while their corporate and governmental masters get to enjoy all the finest things in life while the Garys are being denied life, liberty, and health….

It truly seems like a horrid place, and I’m glad I live in a different Heartland.

Garodies?

Come a little closer huh, ah will ya huh.
Close enough to look in my eyes, Sharia.
Keeping it a mystery gets to me
Running down the length of my thighs, Sharia
Never gonna stop, Gary R. Such a dirty mind.
Always get it up for the touch
of the younger kind. My my my i yi woo. M M M My Sharia…

When you gonna give it to me, Gary R..
It is just a matter of time Sharia
Is it just destiny, destiny?
Or is it just a game in my mind, Sharia?
Never gonna stop,Gary R..
Such a dirty mind. Always get it up for the touch
of the younger kind. My my my i yi woo. M M M My Sharia…