The cartoon on the opinion page in today's Gazette is a good one. (Terrorist going through security at airport, toting gun and all but they say"he is ok, he has a flag pin". ha)
I believe we are taking the flag pin a little too far, expecially if those pins are made in China. duh!! I found at a thrift shop in Monroe, magnetic flags that are Made in Monroe! Hurray, not China!! Thank goodness for the good old thrift shops! As for Obama, I do not wish this mess the US is in now on anyone, Obama or Mc Cain. They have a hard road ahead of them. All we can do is support them!! It is just too bad that my company's CEO's (GM) make more than they will. And the CEO has no where's near the responsibility as they do!!

Democracy marches on despite the berating screams of the presumptuous pseudo-intellectuals.
First they try to shame others into their mindset. Then when that fails they try to berate the recalcitrant into submission. When those methods that work so well for many college professors fail and leave the haughty lecturer perplexed, he resorts to the equivalent of a raised voice and a shaken fist, like a cynic in Cynosarges barking at whomever displeases him. It brings to mind Diogenes, performing public displays for the reaction he hopes to provoke and the gratification he receives.

News Flash Obama isn't running against George W. Bush. Macain is far from George W. Bush and his policies. Just look at his record (he actually has a record in the senate unlike his opponent). I'm not a fan of Macain but, the lesser of two evils Macain is the better candidate in my opinion.

OBAMA'S TERM WAS PRECEDED BY PRESIDENCY OF HARVARD LAW REVIEW, EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY WORK AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE POOR, TWO TERMS SERVICE IN THE ILLINOIS SENATE, AND VICTORY IN THE US SENATE RACE HOLDING HIS NATIONALLY KNOWN OPPONENT TO 27%. BUSH WAS SKIPPING CLASSES, HARDLY LAW SCHOOL MATERIAL, PARTYING WITH THE FRAT BRATS AND THE RICH, AND SENDING BUSINESSES BELLY UP, BAILING OUT WITH SAUDI HELP AND INSIDER SELLOUTS TO MAKE MARTHA STEWART BLUSH. AND HIS TIME IN THE SENATE, OR ANY NATIONAL OFFICE, WAS ABSOLUTE ZERO. WHENCE OUR INTERNATIONALIST DESTROYER.

CHECK OBAMA OUT BEFORE LIMPBAUGH-MOUTHPIECING, AND YOU MAY FIND SOMEONE WHO IS A BIT ADMIRABLE.

BY THE WAY, WHY ARE YOU GUN FREAKS SO INACCURATELY PARANOID? NO ONE EVER THREATENED MY GUNS IN WISCONSIN, THO I DON'T MUCH FANCY OUZIES. SEEMS YOU DON'T THINK MUCH BEYOND THE RABID NRA. IN FACT AT AN EMBASSY FUNCTION LAST NIGHT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, AN AMERICAN TOLD ME SHE WASN'T VOTING FOR OBAMA BECAUSE HE HAD BIGGER GUNS THAN SHE. GO FIGURE. DEMOCRACY MARCHES INEXORABLY ON.

Liberals need not worry Obama is not a centrist and will not govern as one. He has to sway towards the middle in the general election so us god loving gun owners will vote for him. Talk about experience Obama was in the US senate a total of 144 days before he decided to start a Presidential exploratory committee he thought with 144 days in the US senate that was enough experience to run for commander and chief.

Newbs: You found an encyclopedia: Congratulations. Now how about the Mabuse part? Maybe then we can talk about Heraclitus, Schopenhauer, Hieronymus Bosch or onomatopoeia, instead of asinine Fatman Limpbaugh trash. But, for now, whether Domitian or the Bushes are responsible for more deaths is an interesting question. Certainly we know who the biggest liar is. And I certainly agree with you that "Derision for those you feel superior to is hardly a virtue," but isn't that what PC is all about? Try to look at it from the other person's shoes - the homeless black, the struggling migrant in the sun, the gay gang-pummeled to near death in an anonymous city evening, the sincere God-respecting Muslim blackened by endless stereotyped political cartoons in our good old "e pluribus unum" USA.

Fldpn's assertion that the more socialist countries' doing well is due to NAFTA is too ludicrous for words. And I will just repeat this inane statement without words: "Students are being taught in our public schools and reinforced by our liberal mainstream news media, and entertainment industry that OUR FOUNDING FATHERS WERE EVIL FOR EVEN ESTABLISHING the United States of America and that WHITES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY ILL in society." (Emphasis mine)

Afterthought: Lad must have one jolly colorful set of self-instructive videos at home.

This isn't first century A.D. Rome, and the people that post here are not the hated Titus Flavius Domitianus, and you, mabusejuvenalis, bear little resemblance to Decimus Junius Juvenalis. "One path alone leads to a life of peace: The path of virtue." Juvenalis A.D.55-127.
Derision for those you feel superior to is hardly a virtue.

Dear Whatdid,

Re your request that I itemize erroneous items in fldn's platitudinous attempt at analysis? humor? insight? - what would one call such tripe?: Do it yourself. I am not your teacher, and am not interested in wasting my time with the ineducable. Carry on with your, fldpn's, et al's hate-spewed craziness, keep using your favorite word "rant" to characterize opponents, and you will titillate that clueless 5 % of our populace who love to bleat as if they were 99%.

Those of us in the real world, dealing daily with real world problems of policy and inter institutional realtionships, have to deal with reality. It ain't elitist boasting, child, it's fact, and the international stereotyping of us Americans around your and Bush's types is absolutely no help whatsoever.

Too often you hear the old adage...it doesn't matter who you vote for, just vote.
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That's bull. An uninformed voter does more damage than an informed one with a differing opinion..
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I can respect an opposing view as long as it's based on factual information.

True...but hopefully the people that vote do not do so blindly...(although I'm afraid many do) and can at least differentiate between true facts and opinions of "journalists."
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There is no excuse for not doing your homework before you vote.
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If you don't have time to study for the "exam", take a pass, America will (or should) thank you for it.

JohnDoe:
Surely you're not claiming that no one's opinions and research has had any affect on you? No one person can possibly compile enough knowledge from independent research. We all have influences. Presenting them for others to examine should be encouraged as we all can benefit from exposure to new ideas.

Thekid3477:
Capital Gains is any profit made from buying and selling things such as real estate you don't live in or that you do live in if it sells for more than a certain amount. It also applies to stocks that are not held for the minimum amount of time and a great many other things that are bought and then sold for a profit such as household furnishings, coins, art, antiquities and even cars. It especially applies to businesses when they buy and sell things not in inventory but used in their business such as plants and offices and equipment used to make product and things like trucks and warehouses. If you sell personal use things such as your home or car for less than you paid, too bad as the loss is not deductible.
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409.html
When the government lowered these rates it resulted in impressive economic stimulation and actually increased the amount of money the government collected on capital gains, and when it exempted most home sales it made it possible for a great many people to sell their homes and keep the appreciation for themselves. That seems like a good deal since homeowners all pay property taxes every year and it was onerous to have to pay capital gains taxes as well when they sold their homes especially since most of the appreciation is due to inflation.

Oh there's unbiased journalism...
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How 'bout we all do our own research and think for ouselves? That's a novel concept.

Watch Glenn Beck if you're wanting to know anything about the economy and the guys running for president.
http://www.glennbeck.com/

Point is...they're all the same....

And flip flop on a couple other things?

And Kennedy on something else?

Oh yah..didn't he hook up with Feingold on something?

What exactly has McCain done as a politician?

dub190 wrote...
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"Dear Mr. Obama,
You claim to support the troops but if you really did you would separate and pass the part of the bill that raises pay for the military. If you really support the troops that's the least you could do."
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What about McCain consistantly voting against bills that would improve veterans benefits?
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Isn't that the least he could do?

what i think is funny and one of the beautiful things about this country is that the facts dont change. but peoples interpretations of those facts are SOOOOOOO different. i think you all make valid points. i actually have a question....people keep talkin about how president obama wants to raise the taxes on over 250k income. im safe...for now;) but he also wants to raise the 'capitol gains' tax. the capitol gains tax applies only when you sell a house you havent lived in, like rental property, correct, or when else would it apply??

It's time for real change that we can believe in. America has hope and that hope's name is Obama.

whybesad: Sorry but WHY do people who have a differing opinion ALWAYS say "love it or leave it". This is SUPPOSED to be America...a DEMOCRACY where ALL opinions are equally valid, valued, and have the opportunity to be heard. When anyone suggests others leave their nation, they reveal that they don't understand how a real democracy functions. Civil and social rights aren't just for those with whom you agree but, even more importantly, for those with whom you disagree!

Very well said. If it's that bad LEAVE!!!!

mabusejuvenalis is too busy engaging in self-aggrandizing comparisons to actually waste his time attempting to offer enlightening counterpoints, especially since he has debased himself enough by offering a glimpse of his superior intellect by even bothering to respond to the "self-gratifying mindlessness run amok" which he seems to similarly classify every opinion he disagrees with.
As far as Russia and China are concerned, I am sure we all now can see, due to his insight, that our government should immediately adopt those models of economic and social justice. Look at all the people flocking to those countries for refuge from the tyranny we suffer here. Consider the plight of those countries that broke away from Russia when the Soviet Union fell and are now petitioning the Russians to take them back. Observe the rebellion by Tibetans everywhere at the prospect of Tibet being freed from the benevolent administration of Chinese rule. Note the clamoring of the Taiwanese as they long for reunification with the mainland under communist rule.
Meantime the “German Athens” under socialist rule has become the very flower of Wisconsin. Soon, the bulk of the population of the state will live within its borders as the allure of the people’s paradise is too strong for most to resist what with its sterling educational system, the efficient and trustworthy government, the wonderful legal system‘s elimination of street gangs and its achievement of racial justice and equality for all. All we need do is vote for more Democrats (socialists) so that they can do for the whole county what they’ve done for Milwaukee, Russia and China. Then perhaps we can join the European Union and give up our sovereignty, and all the evil that goes with it, too.

I have to admit that Mr(s?)Fldpn's list of 21 criteria for being a liberal is probably the finest example of self-gratifying mindlessness run amok I have ever encountered. And as a self confessed political wonk, I cover a fair amount of territory in the statement. He/she cites Thos Jefferson. I doubt the intellect has ever read any Thos Jefferson. A few other beauts: believing the military starts wars (such as military dodgers Bush and Cheney?); Socialism hasn't worked: ever hear of Europe? Or Notice that China and Russia are about the fastest growing economies in the world?); Shoot a rapist or rape and murder a woman - now there's an existential conundrum all of us should ponder more thoughtfully over toast and coffee in the morning.

Wisconsin has a fine tradition of great leadership in “Battling Bob” and the many other Progressive LaFollettes, Gaylord Nelson, William Proxmire, Russ Feingold, etc; in noble leaders and visionaries such as Carl Schurtz, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Frank Lloyd Wright; and in the careful way the state formed its early development, and (socialist) Milwaukee being referred to as the German Athens. The right wing on the other hand has given us Tail Gunner Joe McCarthy, Gordon (can't tell margarine from butter) Roseleip, Tiny (Circus fat man) Krueger, and Chief Justice (triple my Placidyl) Little Billy Rehnquist.

Fldpn (with dub) neither knows of nor represents our finer Wisconsin traditions. He/she DOES represent all that makes reading these posts a desultory, capital waste of time so much of the time.

Mr. Krauthammer is not acting as a journalist in this article . He's expressing an opinion and it's not his job to keep us aware of current events. It's up to each of us to stay aware of what's going on. Now if there's evidence that the writer has lied or is in error, I would like to see that. So far the only things I see here in critique is opinions about Krauthammer's opinions and a few derogatory comments about Krauthammer himself, which are the written equivalent of a Bronx cheer, emotionally satisfying but devoid of reason.

So the only quote (proof) of this flopping in the entire article is one Obama quote: “It’s time to be in a responsible, gradual withdrawal from Iraq.” And nothing to compare this quote with any other quote? We have to rely on the author of the story to tell us the rest.

There is a responsibility that a journalist has to the reader and Mr. Krauthammer has missed the mark.

Yeah they won't go up. He's going to raise the capital gains tax. He's going to socialize medicine and who's going to pay for it? We are with higher taxes. Obimbo thinks your wealthy if you have an income of $150K and that includes small business people that may structure their businesses in a S corporation. He's going to kill the small business owner. He's not a centrist at ALL. The MOST LIBERAL senator in the Senate. Above Kennedy and Kerry and they other Liberals in there. You may want to do a little more research on him if you think he's going to help the middle class. Why punish people that have done well for themselves? Quite whining about it and work to achieve the same income level as the upper class. Obama wasn't raised a poor black child like he would want you to think.

Serving up more right wing terror koolaid is Charlie Krautrammer. He and his regular middle income (38 million a year) buddy Rush Bimbaugh want you to vote for the Mcmillionaire who will keep giving Bush big buisness buddies bonus bucks while everyone else (we the people of the low and middle income) try to pay for their blunders.
If you make under 250k per year your taxes will not go up with Obama. Sorry Bimbaugh, sorry Krautrammer, sorry big media,buisness,oil.....your gonna have to start paying your fare share.
When it comes to flip/flopping, republicans have written the book on it Krautrammer but thanks for writing such a whiney article. And thanks for pointing out that Obama is "young sleek cool hip" which translates into....ppsssst did you notice Obama is black.