I'm sorry Kend but at the risk of repeating myself please allow me to repeat myself.

Taxpayer money?

Taxpayers earned and contributed the money yes; but, it was responsible leadership on the part of President Obama that DIRECTED that money back into the pockets of the workers and into the coffers of the commons. This is a far greater investment than the billions sent to Iraq that left the country and disappeared. Taxpayer money spent on the commons stays here and enriches us all. I don't know how you do things but to me money invested in my house is far better spent than money flushed down the toilet.

Please don't tell me I'm safer. I'm sick of hearing that sophomoric nonsense. Quite frankly, with hundreds of thousands of lost jobs, hungry people running out of welfare and unable to find jobs, and a huge prison system filled beyond capacity with nonviolent drug offenders, no--I don't feel safer at all. Neither should you--if you lived here that is. Oh, that's right, our prison system. Talk about another waste of tax payer money that President Obama failed to reform by repealing mandatory sentences for non violent drug offenders. Now violent criminals are released early to provide space for Marijuana smokers. Do you know the cost to house a person in prison? Taxpayer money at work for us! Safer? You've got to be kidding me!

Hard working taxpayers have no say whatsoever on where there taxes go after being paid. Quite frankly I know several people who are so disenchanted with our defense budget and how that money is spent that they would rather live in a box without a job than contribute to the system. They are not alone. Why do you think so many military personnel have problems with suicide. If the best thing the Obama Administration can inspire in his own solders is to commit suicide than do you really think he inspires me to feel safe?

President Obama did save the auto industry. He saved the homes of many citizens as well. He saved property values across the country. He's also desperately trying to save life's and reduce the enormous waste of medical costs in this country. If his hands weren't tied and he was free to reinstate tariffs on imported goods we would all be doing pretty good right now. That problem is out of his control thanks to the incompetence of the previous 4 administrations starting with the Chief Chump President Reagan; and, yes I place the highest blame for this mess on President Clinton too. If you ask me they were all taking stupid pills while in office.

That being said, if you want to belittle the current Administration I might suggest you talk about Civil Liberty, Foreign Policy, or Constitutional Issues. As far as I am concerned, President Obama get's a A+ concerning the economy. On Economic issues its the Teapulicans who I'd have expelled a long time ago. They seem determined to undermine all efforts by the Administration to resolve any dilemma; in fact, they seem to have no problem destroying the economy to make the Democrats look bad.

Of course, if you have any critique about his handling of Civil Liberty, Foreign Policy, or Constitutional Rights I unfortunately have nothing to say in defense of President Obama.

As one blog post I previously read said, The Presidents biggest mistake when he took office was not to immediately investigate the Bush Administration for War Crimes. His second biggest mistake was not repealing the Patriot Act with a Executive Order. Thanks to the fascists in Congress and the bumbling Bush Administration, President Obama inherited the power to declare a national emergency and clear these two huge problems from the books before proceeding and he failed. It is an utter shame that a Constitutional College Professor would fail to live up to his oath of office and preform the duties that his position demanded immediately--especially with all the tools he needed to do so readily available at his fingertips. I feel betrayed!

It is equally a shame that someone of my intelligence felt compelled to re-elect such a person.

If you want to bash President Obama with me, that is the can of worms that will achieve that end!

Please refrain from wasting our time nit picking The President for such non issues as his handling of the economy when such glaring Constitutional and National Crisis's still exist and are not addressed!

Ken, If you're going to sit up here and try to bully people with your (maybe) service to country at least get your facts straight. The "left protestors spitting on returning vets" myth has been completely outed as being a myth. A lie. An urban legend. Pure bullshit. You wish it happened to you tough guy, because you wish it had happened at all.

As for your 'free speech coming as a gift of the soldiers' that's BS too. We all saw how much soldiers sacrifices stopped Bush (and now Obama from shredding them and the Constitution). Soldiers have NOT stopped an invasion and total take over of our country by the military industrial complex Ike warned about, nor have they stopped wars for empire, and enriching the 1%, nor have they stopped bansters from dragging us toward being a third world country. They lost almost all engagements against "enemies foreign" and did not even notice "enemies domestic". Some do blather about democrats I guess and consider them the enemy. And PS: there was an article recently about suicides out numbering combat deaths in Afganistan. That's my short answer to both your posts because there is no need for blathering on and on here.

Palindromedary, on this issue I have to agree 100%. The government is blowing hot air with its rumours of a police state. There aren't that many soldiers and with a suicide epidemic there is little concern that they can be directed to fire upon their fellow citizens. No leader that inspires suicide can count on loyalty. Also, there is little to fear from a militia who's worst enemy is itself.

Your statement about China was hilarious and also spot on: "If the US went to war with China, they'd have to get a loan from China to do it....and use high tech weapons that are made in China."

Like I said on other posts, this controlling oligarchy has concentrated so much resources at the top that it is unstable and top heavy. It is everything it can do just to stay on its feet. The slightest nudge and it will collapse on its own footprint just like the Twin Towers did.

My apologies to Canada. My mother's family is from there and I should know better. Go Canucks! On the other hand Kend, maybe its your diet that is causing your myopia. David had a great idea, perhaps you should try eating a bug. It worked for John the Baptist. Maybe it might help you.

Same here Alice! That part about eating a bug if Global can offer any evidence of charity has me still chuckling while typing this. I suspect I might be laughing about that one well into next weeks blogs. LOL Thanks David!

Thom,

Thank you for calling Mackey on this one. I was listening to NPR on the way to work (our Progressive radio 1090AM changed to sports here in the Seattle area.) I was furious at the mischaracterization and shear propaganda. Thanks once again for a clear analytical response to this invasive species of ideological thought undermining our Democracy.

-Dave (first time posting)

No, David Abbot, I was never in the military.

In many ways I wish I could have brought myself to enlist in order to incorporate the strict discipline of the ranks into my life. However, the oath to blindly obey orders from a source I didn't trust, to be willing to take the life of strangers at the whim of that source, and the life style of living by the sword was more than I could compromise.

I wish I could say I heard a voice from 'above' command me once when I was a child. I definetely felt a voice. I too was compelled beyond my control to obey it.

When I was in 5th grade my school had a new student who for some reason made it his goal in life to bully me. He never missed an opportunity to taunt, ridicule, confront , insult, even push me in front of classmates. I wanted nothing more then to break his nose with my fists. My father instructed me every chance he got that a violent physical attack was the only way to gain the other boys respect and end the problem. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to swing my arms at him they refused to move. It was like they were being held at my side. I was frustrated to tears and infuriated with myself.

One day, when we went outside for lunch, for no reason I was aware of, all the other kids in my class started taunting my nemesis in unison. They formed a circle around him while I watched and began pushing him around between each other. One of them got down on his knees so another could push him back and topple him to the ground. He got back up and started to chase the kid that made him fall and was tripped by another kid making him fall again, this time really hard. His pants were torn and his knee was bleeding. The other kids formed a circle around him laughing at him and daring him to get back up.

As the entire class taunted him and he rolled around on the ground bleeding and crying, I remember walking away from the scene laughing my butt off. I was very happy that fate smiled on me. So far, this was the best day of the year. That's when I felt the voice. It said, "Go help him!"

I remember clearly spinning around and looking up at the sky and yelling, "No! I won't"

Again I felt the voice, "Help him now!"

Again I protested, "No! I don't want to!"

Again I was directed, "Now!"

As if I didn't really have a choice, I took a deep breath and walked over to the crowd that was still taunting and surrounding the kid. I shoved them out of my way while yelling, "Leave him alone. That's enough!" The crowd of kids parted in shock. I asked the bully, "How badly are you hurt?"

He too was in shock. He silently pointed to his knee. I put my arm around his shoulder and helped him up. Then I carried him to the bench where I sat with him till the pain subsided and he stopped crying. I was disgusted with myself but did what I was told to the best of my abilities; though, I had no idea why. I continued to sit with the boy, guarding and comforting him the best I could.

Strangely, the entire event ended my problem of being bullied. The other boy now considered me his ally and best friend. In retrospect, unlike the advise of my father who insisted that the only way to get the other boy to respect me was by punching him in the face; I managed to achieve much greater respect and resolve the problem through kindness--without resorting to violence of any kind.

I can't say that I heard a voice that day because the words just appeared in my mind; however, I can certainly say without question that this was in no way my idea. At the moment, I didn't even know what I was doing. I can also say without a doubt, that a very profound and valuable lesson was learned that day by myself and everyone else present. Even the Teacher, who witnessed the event latter pulled me aside and with a very serious face said, "That was the most incredible thing I'd ever seen."

Like you, I have no doubt that there is something benevolent and supernatural out there; and, it has a plan for us all.

Ken Ware - Yes, 1966-1969. As you know, ground radio operators were used as "forward air controllers" and didn't do quite as well as some of the Air Force guys, so I always figured I dodged a bullet. Some of my unit was sent to Korea, some to Nam, but my time was so short at that point I got to stay stateside and run phone patches at McChord. Another point in common, I voted for the "other independent", Rocky Anderson, rather than voting for Obama again, as he turned out to be a total traitor to many from day one (please don't get me started on that). And finally, with your obvious interest in aviation I would be willing to bet you're a pilot, as was I, though no longer active. So I guess this is a good example of how decent people with much in common can disagree. Sorry for my snyde remark earlier. I sometimes have the bad habit of getting a little snarky on these blogs. Peace, bro ;-)

Ken we don't agree on much but I do agree with you here. All elected officials become crooks. Easy money I guess. It seems the bigger the debt the wealthier they get, both right and left. I have mentioned before when it comes to newhew hen I go down there it seems MSNBC and Fox are talking about two different countries.

Thank you, DAnneMarc. I think we all owe each other.

Were you in the military, if I might ask?

I contemplated suicide once. What happened next surprised me: I heard a voice coming from everywhere and from nowhere. Only one word: "WAIT."

It was not a suggestion or a request, but an order, given by someone who had authority to give it. And it never occurred to me to question that order. I obeyed it.

I told this to someone a few years ago and he said, "So, how long did you have to wait?"

I said, "Well actually, I'm still waiting."

He said, "How long has it been?"

I said, "Well, let's see now... I think it's been 38 years. Yes, it has."

He raised one eyebrow, and we both burst into laughter.

Interesting quotes you offer: "I will give thee a King in my wrath" and it is said in Job that he "maketh a man that is a hypocite to reign for the sins of the people." Sin must therefore be done away with in order that the scourge of tyrants may cease."

I think that it is in some instances true- as in Bush representing the lowest common denominator among coke-addled southern-fried Americans and Cheney representing the lowest common denominator of the rabid badger level of hell. But one of my favorite parts of the Bible is where God saves a city full of sinners for the sake of the very few truly good people in that city. It's clear that not all saints are shot out of canons at the Vatican.

I think that some kinds of mass suffering exist in part because God is using those suffering people to test the people who could be- and should be- helping them. I have spent time with people who are/were in large part saints. But I have frittered away too much of my life in petty indulgences thus far, to be called a saint. But on the other hand, from what I have seen most people are saints from time to time.

ken ware: Actually, I did enjoy reading your comment because I am also very interested in history and we don't disagree on many of your points.