I was going to vote for Bush until Edwards DNC speech in which he stated that he [and Kerry] will:

1. Get everyone a good-paying respectable job.
2. Pay for everyone’s college education.
3. Pay for everyone’s prescription drugs.
4. Get the Arab Countries to solve the Iraq problems.
5. Get the rest of the world to love us.
6. And wipe out Al-Qeida

Why would anyone vote for Bush?

Only because Edwards and Kerry can talk a good game but haven't proven anything to anyone yet. I like Edwards and think he is a good VP choice for Kerry, but you need to wait till you see Kerry before you place your vote. There are a lot of questions that go unanswered or haven't been asked yet. Until they are proven I will vote for Bush.

Here are my answers to what Edwards had to say and you can agree to disagree with me if you wish.

1. Get everyone a good-paying respectable job.

So the unemployment rate will be 0% I guess! That seems feasible being that the unemployment rate is currently at the average of the last 20 years and Burger King is always hiring. Of course, who wants to work there when they can draw unemployment!

2. Pay for everyone’s college education.

This means very high tax rates and that my money is going to be taken away for people to get a free lunch without working for it. I earned my scholarships in college and it made me work and think harder.

3. Pay for everyone’s prescription drugs.

Taxes Taxes and more Taxes! Have these plans from the Democrats ever worked? No!

4. Get the Arab Countries to solve the Iraq problems.

This is already being addressed by the President and a majority of the Middle Eastern countries. They are working together and things seem to be coming along slowly but surely.

5. Get the rest of the world to love us.

This is a lie that plays on your emotions. The overwhelming majority of the rest of the world will never love us. We are the scum of the earth unless they need help and it will always be this way. It is kinda like the hatred some people have for the Muslim community after 9/11. They are good people but they don't get a chance to prove it anymore.

6. And wipe out Al-Qeida.

I wish we could but I am not sure you can get rid of all of them in the next 20 years. There are soooo many people waiting in line to take over if something happens to ole Bin Laden that it would make your head spin to think about it. Hopefully we will one day be ridded of them but it won't be in the near future unfortunately.

Have a great day all and God bless!

Only because Edwards and Kerry can talk a good game but haven't proven anything to anyone yet.

Well we know that Bush has proven that he can't handle it. Things are way out of control in Iraq and here in the US.

Just wait till the debates, record them and sift through the lies. Check out Factcheck.org. Seems to be unbiased (yes, imagine that). Make your own decision based on fact, not on what your buddy tells you. Take the extremes on certain things. For example, if everyone was on welfare, who would pay for it, yet if everyone was responsible, had a job and stopped having illegitimate children wow what a good place to live. Don't vote on one issue only, write them all down, prioritize them, and then tally them up. It works.

hmmm... where to start?

>Until they are proven I will vote for Bush.
And how will they prove themselves between now and November?

1. >So the unemployment rate will be 0% I guess!
I think anyone will allow for structural unemployment.

>That seems feasible being that the unemployment rate is currently at the average of the last 20 years
The unemployment rate hasn't dropped in the last 4 years.

>and Burger King is always hiring.
That's what Bush is counting on.

>Of course, who wants to work there when they can draw unemployment!
Me.

2. Pay for everyone’s college education.

I think his words were something like "if you are the first in your family to go to college."


3. Pay for everyone’s prescription drugs.
>Taxes Taxes and more Taxes! Have these plans from the Democrats ever worked? No!

Has the $530 Billion Republican plan worked? No. How long before the Republicans raise taxes?

4. Get the Arab Countries to solve the Iraq problems.
> This is already being addressed by the President and a majority of the Middle Eastern countries. They are working together and things seem to be coming along slowly but surely.

Yeah, right. Great job so far.

5. Get the rest of the world to love us.
>This is a lie that plays on your emotions. The overwhelming majority of the rest of the world will never love us. We are the scum of the earth unless they need help and it will always be this way. It is kinda like the hatred some people have for the Muslim community after 9/11. They are good people but they don't get a chance to prove it anymore.

http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=175
Polls show people don't like us. It was good after 9/11 (lots of sympathy), but Bush's go-it-alone attitude, with the war, and after withdrawing from all the treaties (ADM, ICC, Kyoto, etc) have alienated everyone.

6. And wipe out Al-Qeida.
>I wish we could but I am not sure you can get rid of all of them in the next 20 years. There are soooo many people waiting in line to take over if something happens to ole Bin Laden that it would make your head spin to think about it. Hopefully we will one day be ridded of them but it won't be in the near future unfortunately.

Making more enemies won't help.

My take on the economics of things...people bad mouth presidents for the economy being bad, or praise them when the economy is good, however, there is really very little presidents can do to effect the economy. It naturally fluctuates up and down and people like Alan Greenspan and things like 9/11 have a much bigger effect on the economy than any president. Any big sweeping economic boom that any candidate promises is a lie and will probably not happen. Just my 2 cents, don't even think it relates too much to the points up at the top.

I guess my sardonic praise of Edwards was too subtle…

There is no way that Kerry will be able to perform any of those political miracles.

The only thing Kerry has to offer is that he’s not Bush. I’m sticking with Bush.

I lick Bush too. But I'm still saying no to Bushey.

And how will they prove themselves between now and November?


Show me how much their states have prospered during there terms and how well they have managed their state and that will go a long way. All that you get out of them right now is that Bush isn't doing a good job. If they can back up what they have stated with facts from there own states I will listen to them without questioning them. There are soo many questions not being asked that I have decided to wait until the debates to make my final decision, my point in arguing the points Edwards made was to show that history does not back up what he has thrown out there and that in order for these things to work for the country it will take a miracle.

I am a conservative thinker and have not been happy with Bush 100%, but Kerry is at best a polar opposite of Bush which makes it hard to make up one's mind on what will be best for the country. I will continue my support of the current President until I am persuaded otherwise, but having Michael Moore sitting front and center next to President Carter doesn't make me believe that any of the Democrats can be trusted and truthful. If a guy that goes overseas and protests the US is a hero to these guys they can have him and there Senate seats next year. The best speaker that I haev seen this year was the Senator from Illinois and he seemed to be out of character when you compare what he said to his records. Both parties seem to be playing too much too the middle than telling us what the believe and feasibly plan on getting done.

It is always harder on the incumbent and this will be the same for Kerry and Edwards. They have to show that they can handle the task at hand and they haven't yet with their records or their current policy of "We'll do it better!" Talk is cheap on both sides but I know what I have and what I can look forward to seeing with Bush in office. All I can ask of the Democratic Party is "Where is the proof?"

For all of the rest of you:
Tell me why you are for Kerry without stating that you just want Bush or the current administration out. I have heard nothing about why Kerry and Edwards are a good choice but have heard numerous reasons why Bush and Cheney are bad choices. How do your guys stand out? If you can't give me a reason of why I should like them or believe what they say I understand, they haven't told anyone yet what they believe or let anybody see who they really are.

These little ladies helped me make up my mind... :D

But can you really answer the question? I want to know if I missed something somewhere or if the whole Democratic campaign rest on whether or not Bush is a good President. If the latter is the case you are looking at another four years of a Republican led United States.

I was going to vote for Bush until Edwards DNC speech in which he stated that he [and Kerry] will:

1. Get everyone a good-paying respectable job.
2. Pay for everyone’s college education.
3. Pay for everyone’s prescription drugs.
4. Get the Arab Countries to solve the Iraq problems.
5. Get the rest of the world to love us.
6. And wipe out Al-Qeida

Why would anyone vote for Bush?

lol who needs the Comedy Channel when we have the DNC to watch?
I love how the party assumes its every American's "Right" for things like
health care. What next, will it be everyone's "right" to have federal
taxes pay for their car insurance?

lol who needs the Comedy Channel when we have the DNC to watch?
I love how the party assumes its every American's "Right" for things like
health care. What next, will it be everyone's "right" to have federal
taxes pay for their car insurance?
People vote for it because they're told the filthy rich will pay for it, and not them. Sounds like a good deal, but that is only because it's speaking to people's greed and ignorance.

Only the top 50% pay taxes right now. When they add programs like these, either more will have to pay, or the 50% already paying will pay more.

For all of the rest of you:
Tell me why you are for Kerry without stating that you just want Bush or the current administration out. I have heard nothing about why Kerry and Edwards are a good choice but have heard numerous reasons why Bush and Cheney are bad choices. How do your guys stand out? If you can't give me a reason of why I should like them or believe what they say I understand, they haven't told anyone yet what they believe or let anybody see who they really are.

I just think that Kerry has a long history of dealing with international affairs, not just reacting to them, but really understanding them, like the BCCI affair, Iran-Contra thing, and his POW/MIA work. His dad was a diplomat, so it goes way back. That, along with his war experience, is what's needed with today's complex situation. I also think that domestically he's voted the right way, not just the "Liberal" line, but that he's co-operated to get things done. If you look at his record he hasn't sponsored a lot of bills, but I think that when you sponsor bills, it's a sign that you're doing a favor for someone. The environment is a key issue for me, and he and his wife have done a lot in that area.

Actually I expect this to be a campaign similar to the Reagan/Carter campaigns. At this point most US citizens are upset about the state of our union. Most people don't trust Bush and his team to do what is best for us. The polls show it and we're still months away. You can see it too with the number of people spouting Pro-Bush and Pro-Kerry statements. The Bush supporters, such as yourself, have noticed that they are in the minority. You may be loud but still in the minority. Our news media gets higher ratings when they make it sound like things are close so they choose to focus on the polls that show the closest numbers.

As far as improving our nation? We'll see. We have just begun to here from Kerry and his cabinet. We have months still to find out what their plans are. I know some of them and I think that Kerry at least votes conscienciously. That is something I can't say about Bush. And Bush's whole cabinet is a bunch of bumbling idiots in my opinion (save Colin Powell). Ashcroft can't even see past his personal views. Forget the constitution and what we citizens want, oh no, Ashcroft is here to save us from ourselves. And Rumsfeld may have been great as a CEO of a large pharmaceutical company and he was good at minimizing costs but as a war strategist he needs to just quit. I trust Condeleeza Rice just as much as I would trust Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, from the Apprentice, to run my Fortune 500 company.

My point here is that even if Kerry and his cabinet are as bad as Bushey (which I don't believe) then we are no worse off. Chances are that they are much better and we will finally see some positive change for our country. And I am a fan of word liberal. There was a time not too long ago that being a conservative was a bad thing. I think that both ideologies have their place and if either one were to over-extend the other there would be serious consequences. I am all for balance... That is a key word that Bushey and many of their followers don't truelly understand. Balance is as important in our personal lives as it is in our national life. I am a true patriot and that is why I believe that in order to uphold our constitution we need to have balance. Bush is one of the least balanced people we have had in our political arena (outside of "dick" Cheney).

The polls show it and we're still months away. You can see it too with the number of people spouting Pro-Bush and Pro-Kerry statements. The Bush supporters, such as yourself, have noticed that they are in the minority. You may be loud but still in the minority. Our news media gets higher ratings when they make it sound like things are close so they choose to focus on the polls that show the closest numbers.

My point here is that even if Kerry and his cabinet are as bad as Bushey (which I don't believe) then we are no worse off. Chances are that they are much better and we will finally see some positive change for our country. And I am a fan of word liberal. There was a time not too long ago that being a conservative was a bad thing. I think that both ideologies have their place and if either one were to over-extend the other that there will be serious consequences. I am all for balance... That is a key word that Bushey and many of their followers don't truelly understand. Balance is important in our personal lives as it is in our national life. I am a true patriot and that is why I believe that in order to uphold our constitution we need to have balance. Bush is one of the least balanced people we have had in our political arena (outside of "dick" Cheney).
I don't know what makes you think Bush support is that low, I highly doubt that many republicans have changed their minds. If you asked me if I'm doing better now than 4 years ago, I would tell you I'm doing about 400x better.

As far as Kerry not being all that bad, I don't disagree with you on that one - Kerry's stance on Iraq is very similar to what Bush has been doing. I'm glad he's not taking the position to just pull out - that would be disastrous.

Face it, we have a choice. So it's hard to frame the question without comparing the two. Some see the phrase "conservative thinker" as an oxymoron, the same way "Liberal" is a bad word. I just hope it hasn't gotten too bad, and that people really do think, and listen to what he's about, rather that believeing all that campaign rhetoric about being "the most liberal member of the Senate".

Eskimo, thanks for your honest and to the point expression of how you feel about Kerry and why. You seem to be the only one willing to do this without trying to sling mud at the other candidate.

93rd, just tell me why and try not to get sidetracked. Most of what you said in your response was exactly what I asked not to get. Just look at what Eskimo wrote and try to follow along with how he responded. I want to know about your feelings on Kerry and Edwards and nothing else.

lol who needs the Comedy Channel when we have the DNC to watch?
I love how the party assumes its every American's "Right" for things like
health care. What next, will it be everyone's "right" to have federal
taxes pay for their car insurance?

Something you're not taking into consideration here is that they never said it would be paid for with tax dollars. The insurance companies such as Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross, etc. are all making loads of money right now. This is happening while health care has been put out of range of about 80% of US citizens and doctors are being forced to carry outrageous malpractice insurance. Kerry is talking about making a change in this monopoly. I personally don't have health insurance. It would cost me $426/month to be covered under my work policy and $389/month to be covered under my wife's policy. Why do you think that is? It's because insurance has become so expensive that employers won't pay it for anyone they don't have to. Now consider the fact that most companies are forced to cover a large percentage of insurance costs for their full-time employees, great right? Wrong, now companies are highering employees into positions just under full-time work so that they don't have to provide insurance. I see it in every field. We need to have adequate healthcare in our nation. We need to get the pharmaceutical companies and the insurance companies back under control. The problem is that they have so much money to lobby with that they have bought quite a number of politicians. Kerry has shown through his lack of initiatives and bills he's brought to the floor that he isn't a politician that can be bought.

I don't know what makes you think Bush support is that low, I highly doubt that many republicans have changed their minds. If you asked me if I'm doing better now than 4 years ago, I would tell you I'm doing about 400x better.


The polls are interesting on that. His Job Approval rating is at about 50%:
http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm

Most people think the country is headed in the wrong direction:
http://www.pollingreport.com/right.htm

And yet the race is within a few percentage points:
http://www.pollingreport.com/wh04gen.htm

I for one am definitely not doing better than I was 4 years ago. I was unemployed for 10 months, and I'm working now, but making less $ than 4 years ago. Of course, I'm a computer geek, and I worked for a dotcom 4 years ago. Also, I keep hearing about how you can't eat fish because of the mercury, and on and on. Actually, who was it (Obama?) that said that's the wrong question. It should be "are we better off now than 4 years ago".

93rd, just tell me why and try not to get sidetracked. Most of what you said in your response was exactly what I asked not to get. Just look at what Eskimo wrote and try to follow along with how he responded. I want to know about your feelings on Kerry and Edwards and nothing else.

Sorry I wasn't being too serious before. What I like about John Kerry is that he seems to vote from his conscience and not from corporate interest groups, he stands proud for what he believes but also understands that there are other people to take into consideration, he believes strongly in diplomatic relations and that exhausting diplomatic options is important before you go to war, he cares about the health of US citizens, and he doesn't believe that the answer to our safety or the gay marriage issue require the federal government to step on our constitutional rights.

Now as far as me not writing my opinions the same as Eskimo that is just artistic expression ;). I respect Eskimo and your position but I don't expect you to express yourself the same way ER Doc does. And sorry I didn't get to this earlier but I had a client in my office and wasn't able to finish the last post for about an hour.

companies are highering employees into positions just under full-time work so that they don't have to provide insurance.

I just read an article about that. It compares the US and Germany, which have employer-paid health care, to Britain and Canada which have state-paid health care, and finds that Britain and Canada are adding jobs faster. Same with Scandanavia. What's more, unemployment is higher among those with college degrees, since those without degrees work at jobs that don't provide health care.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/07/27/healthcare_jobs/index.html

Eskimo, thanks for your honest and to the point expression of how you feel about Kerry and why. You seem to be the only one willing to do this without trying to sling mud at the other candidate.


I also think Teresa is HOT - I love smart women. And did you see his daughters?

I also think Teresa is HOT - I love smart women. And did you see his daughters?
LMAO! :D

I was going to vote for Bush until Edwards DNC speech in which he stated that he [and Kerry] will:

1. Get everyone a good-paying respectable job.
2. Pay for everyone’s college education.
3. Pay for everyone’s prescription drugs.
4. Get the Arab Countries to solve the Iraq problems.
5. Get the rest of the world to love us.
6. And wipe out Al-Qeida

Why would anyone vote for Bush?

Number 5 lmao there is no politician that could ever make that happen.

I don't know what makes you think Bush support is that low, I highly doubt that many republicans have changed their minds. If you asked me if I'm doing better now than 4 years ago, I would tell you I'm doing about 400x better.

As far as Kerry not being all that bad, I don't disagree with you on that one - Kerry's stance on Iraq is very similar to what Bush has been doing. I'm glad he's not taking the position to just pull out - that would be disastrous.

Jason,
You and I both know that it matters very little what his 'position' is today. The pendulum swings...

BTW, I'm really getting tired of our liberal friends disrespecting the president by calling him names like Shrub, Dubya, and Bushey. I've think I've come up with one for their man... what do you think of sKerry? :D After all, this guy frightens the hell out of me (not to mention his wife).

...

I for one am definitely not doing better than I was 4 years ago. I was unemployed for 10 months, and I'm working now, but making less $ than 4 years ago. Of course, I'm a computer geek, and I worked for a dotcom 4 years ago. Also, I keep hearing about how you can't eat fish because of the mercury, and on and on. Actually, who was it (Obama?) that said that's the wrong question. It should be "are we better off now than 4 years ago".

Well, there you have it Eskimo! Maybe now you can put 2 and 2 together and make 4!

The economic boom of the Clinton administration had nothing to do with him, nor would it have had anything to do with a Republican were he in office at that time. The dot com companies exploded, we all made a ton of money, they imploded, and most of us lost a lot of money (I for one). I don't blame Clinton for it, even though we were headed into recession on his watch. He was fortunate enough to be in office when he was. When it comes to prosperity, timing is everything.

You were probably making more money then than you deserved (this is in no way a dis of your computer skills). Dot com stocks were grossly overinflated, and everyone related to it rode the cash cow, which unfortunately got slaughtered at the end of the 90s. It is unrealistic of you to expect that kind of opportunity again. If it happens, great, but no President, Democrat or Republican, will make it happen.

I watched John Edwards last night and was VERY unimpressed. My issue was this: The guy starts his speach out dividing the country into Rich and Poor ( which i thought was uncalled for)and then at the end starts trying to tell me how Dem's are here to unit us and the world. I was so pissed by the end i wanted to knock him out. Go back to the court room and take Kerry's wife. ( shes a B@#ch) i was open to a change , But i am sticking with Bush. I work hard for my money and i cannot afford higher tax's , just too help those who don't want to help themselfs. I am 46 and left home at 18 with 100 bucks and have never turned back. Now i own a 8 and i deserve it.

My impression of the Democratic convention so far is that they are trying to convince us that America is hopeless and in the crapper, and only they can make us great. Well, I have news for them. Today, and every day leading up to it, America has been the greatest country in the world. We are the land of opportunity, and not only that, we sacrifice of ourselves to provide this same opportunity to foreign lands. No one else in the world does that. We are the most generous country in the world, helping people across the globe. Yet we are universally hated? Fine. Cut off all financial aid to those accept it while criticizing us, and redirect it to those countries who appreciate what we offer them.

Our economy has seen the strongest growth in 20 years, more new homes have been purchased than at any time in our history (I for one am thankful for the 5.5% I got :)), unemployment is no different than its 20-year historical average, and wages are on the rise for 2 consecutive quarters. Yet the Demos would have the uneducated masses that the economy is in the toilet.

****************

OK, I started this email before Kerry's speech, and I'm finishing it afterward. Kerry's handlers did a masterful job of presenting him as someone who would be a stronger commander-in-chief than Bush. He portrayed himself with great humility with respect to his long 16-week tour in Vietnam (there were probably only a dozen references to it in his speech, and maybe only 200 during the convention). He stressed how he would build up the military and be strong on defense (a consistent platform position with Democrats). His self-made reenactments of his war experiences were moving (although one has to wonder why an ensign in the Vietnam war would have so much footage taken of him).

The man practically reinvented himself as a Republican, what with the strong defense and middle-class tax cut promises. The Democrats also did an expert job at whipping up their constituents into a frenzy over the past six months, getting all of the hate built up and spewing it out right up until the convention, then saying that we should have a positive campaign (that part made me want to puke).

I will say this, GWB has his work cut out for him. There are enough ignorant people out there (like the reality-show watchers who really think those shows exhibit some form of reality) to buy the act. I am predicting a victory for the 2 Johns. A french kiss probably would have sealed it up tonight. Fortunately for the Republicans, they only held each other tightly :)

2 Johns dont make a right.

You were probably making more money then than you deserved (this is in no way a dis of your computer skills). Dot com stocks were grossly overinflated, and everyone related to it rode the cash cow, which unfortunately got slaughtered at the end of the 90s. It is unrealistic of you to expect that kind of opportunity again. If it happens, great, but no President, Democrat or Republican, will make it happen.

Khoney, don't assume too much. I was not making more money that I deserved. I was not making very much more than I am now. Remember - dotcoms didn't pay much, but if your stock options played out you were rich. Mine, like so many others, didn't. And I'm not. The problem is that computer people are not as much in demand as they were. Many of the jobs that we went to college for are being shipped overseas. I don't blame/credit any President for the dotcom boom/collapse (although Clinton did take advantage of it to pay down the defecit). And I never said anything about expecting it again. I was just responding to Jason's comment, which was an answer to a question the Ronald Reagan asked over 20 years ago.

A couple years ago, when I was unemployed, and the economy was a little worse than it was today, and the accounting scandals had everyone on edge waiting to find out who was being investigated next, who would go to jail next, Bush offered very little encouragement to the Justice Department and SEC. (Maybe because he and Cheney were just as culpable). His budget didn't include big increases. And then he decided to start a war. Everytime I read the news it said companies weren't expanding because of uncertainty in the economy, uncertainty over whether we were going to war. So yes, I think he could have made the recession shorter.

Our economy has seen the strongest growth in 20 years, more new homes have been purchased than at any time in our history (I for one am thankful for the 5.5% I got :)), unemployment is no different than its 20-year historical average, and wages are on the rise for 2 consecutive quarters. Yet the Demos would have the uneducated masses that the economy is in the toilet.

Strongest growth in 20 years? Care to support that with some links? More homes than at any time in history? Even after WWII? OK, 20-year historical average whatever. The Unemployment rate is the same now as it was right after September 11, 2001. Like the guy said, if you think this is the best we can do...

> (although one has to wonder why an ensign in the Vietnam war would have so much footage taken of him).
I only saw one 5 second shot of him IN Vietnam.

LMAO! :D

http://www.snopes.com/photos/risque/kerry.asp

Jason,
You and I both know that it matters very little what his 'position' is today. The pendulum swings...

BTW, I'm really getting tired of our liberal friends disrespecting the president by calling him names like Shrub, Dubya, and Bushey. I've think I've come up with one for their man... what do you think of sKerry? :D After all, this guy frightens the hell out of me (not to mention his wife).

For not wanting to re-post my previous explanation for using the term Bushey, please read my post here: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?p=468572#post468572 .

And I actually think you've got a gold mine with the sKerry bit. Actually made me laugh.

Oh and as someone in the industry (I've worked different occupations within the mortgage lending industry for the last 10 years) I will have to say that the only reason we have seen an increase in home purchases and building have to do with the interest rates being at an all-time and unnatural low. Greenspan has kept the interest rates down to counter inflation in several other areas. He is going to have to let them come back up or lenders will really be in trouble 20 years from now. As soon as the rates go back up to 7% or more on a 30 year fixed conventional conforming rate you will see the drop in the market. That is a temporary fix and won't last very much longer anyway.

And how will they prove themselves between now and November?


Show me how much their states have prospered during there terms and how well they have managed their state and that will go a long way.

I can't speak for Kerry and Massachusetts, but I know Edwards hasn't done a damn thing for North Carolina. He has missed roughly 1/3 of roll call votes in the Senate this year.

Since the beginning of last year Edwards has missed well over 220 Senate votes (roughly 53% of votes at the time of this quote - djb). When Edwards did show up for work it was to cast votes against President Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax relief plans – which included provisions that aim to end the marriage penalty tax, repealing the death tax and increasing the child tax credit. (Ron Fournier, “Edwards Proposes Middle-Class Tax Cuts,” Associated Press, June 18, 2003).

For each day Edwards misses in the Senate, we, as North Carolina taxpayers, waste over $600/day (Edwards's salary is just over $154,000/year). U.S. Code allows a Senator to be absent from the Senate ONLY because of serious illness or illness in an immediate family member. Under the law, if a Senator is absent while the Senate in session, his pay MUST be docked for every day he is AWOL. He hasn't reimbursed us for a nickel. Dennis Kucinich, who ran for his party's nomination along with Edwards and others, didn't miss a single vote.

John Edwards's nickname in North Carolina? "Senator Gone."

Edwards's agenda has been, and will continue to be, himself. He only ran for Senate to get into the world's most exclusive club. He has parlayed that into becoming the poster boy for his political party, all the while ignoring the people who put him in the Senate in the first place. People who don't live here in NC see Edwards as a pretty boy with a "cute Southern drawl" (sound familiar?). People who do live here see Edwards as a traitor. He turned his back on North Carolina to further his own personal agenda, and there will be repercussions. I seriously doubt he's going to carry his own state come November.

-djb

President Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax relief plans – which included provisions ... repealing the death tax ...

Even Bill Gate's Dad is in favor of Estate Taxes
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030127&s=gates

I can't speak for Kerry and Massachusetts, but I know Edwards hasn't done a damn thing for North Carolina. He has missed roughly 1/3 of roll call votes in the Senate this year.

Since the beginning of last year Edwards has missed well over 220 Senate votes (roughly 53% of votes at the time of this quote - djb). When Edwards did show up for work it was to cast votes against President Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax relief plans – which included provisions that aim to end the marriage penalty tax, repealing the death tax and increasing the child tax credit. (Ron Fournier, “Edwards Proposes Middle-Class Tax Cuts,” Associated Press, June 18, 2003).

For each day Edwards misses in the Senate, we, as North Carolina taxpayers, waste over $600/day (Edwards's salary is just over $154,000/year). U.S. Code allows a Senator to be absent from the Senate ONLY because of serious illness or illness in an immediate family member. Under the law, if a Senator is absent while the Senate in session, his pay MUST be docked for every day he is AWOL. He hasn't reimbursed us for a nickel. Dennis Kucinich, who ran for his party's nomination along with Edwards and others, didn't miss a single vote.

John Edwards's nickname in North Carolina? "Senator Gone."

Edwards's agenda has been, and will continue to be, himself. He only ran for Senate to get into the world's most exclusive club. He has parlayed that into becoming the poster boy for his political party, all the while ignoring the people who put him in the Senate in the first place. People who don't live here in NC see Edwards as a pretty boy with a "cute Southern drawl" (sound familiar?). People who do live here see Edwards as a traitor. He turned his back on North Carolina to further his own personal agenda, and there will be repercussions. I seriously doubt he's going to carry his own state come November.

-djb


Right on Doomcue I tried to say that in a previous post, Im a North Carolinian as well and all I can say is that Edwards did a piss poor job of being a Senator here I do not know why anyone would want to vote for someone that takes such a lack of pride in serving his Country, State and the position he was voted into. What a real dissapointment for North Carolina. Elizabeth has definitely earned my respect I should have voted for her, shame on me. she will surely get my vote the next time.

Thats the problem with the democrats, they promise you the world, but how will they get it.

If I were running on the Democratic ticket I would:
-Make heathcare, college, and gasoline free.
-Guarantee everyone would have a 6 figure job.
-Change the tax code so you can write off any purchase under "just for fun"

Dont forget this is a scummy trial lawyer that made his fortune swindeling insurance companies, which is money that money came from us!

Dont fall into the trap, Democrats are full of Cr@p

John Edwards's nickname in North Carolina? "Senator Gone."

Edwards's agenda has been, and will continue to be, himself. He only ran for Senate to get into the world's most exclusive club. He has parlayed that into becoming the poster boy for his political party, all the while ignoring the people who put him in the Senate in the first place. People who don't live here in NC see Edwards as a pretty boy with a "cute Southern drawl" (sound familiar?). People who do live here see Edwards as a traitor. He turned his back on North Carolina to further his own personal agenda, and there will be repercussions. I seriously doubt he's going to carry his own state come November.-djb
My father is in town this weekend; he also lives in North Carolina, and he echoes your sentiments. He told me a local joke that I thought you might like:

You are in a locked room with Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and John Edwards. You have a gun with only two bullets. Who do you shoot?

Answer: You shoot John Edwards twice.

Btw Isn't John Edwards The Guy From Tv Who Talks To Dead People?

different guy.

There has to be a joke in there somewhere about talking to dead people and Democrats, but GotBass's eloquence has left me speechless. Doc, good to see you're still around.

Khoney, don't assume too much. I was not making more money that I deserved. I was not making very much more than I am now. Remember - dotcoms didn't pay much, but if your stock options played out you were rich. Mine, like so many others, didn't. And I'm not. The problem is that computer people are not as much in demand as they were. Many of the jobs that we went to college for are being shipped overseas. I don't blame/credit any President for the dotcom boom/collapse (although Clinton did take advantage of it to pay down the defecit). And I never said anything about expecting it again. I was just responding to Jason's comment, which was an answer to a question the Ronald Reagan asked over 20 years ago.

A couple years ago, when I was unemployed, and the economy was a little worse than it was today, and the accounting scandals had everyone on edge waiting to find out who was being investigated next, who would go to jail next, Bush offered very little encouragement to the Justice Department and SEC. (Maybe because he and Cheney were just as culpable). His budget didn't include big increases. And then he decided to start a war. Everytime I read the news it said companies weren't expanding because of uncertainty in the economy, uncertainty over whether we were going to war. So yes, I think he could have made the recession shorter.

I'm sorry for your misfortunes, eskimo. I wish you'd been with one of the survivors. For me, though, the answer to the "are you better off..." question is yes. Although, I fear that in another 4 years, I won't have the same answer.

hmm... misfortunes. I've never really thought of them that way. You pay your money, you take your chances. You win some you lose some. Ride the wave. _I_ survived. The nice thing about living in a democracy though is that we can exert some amount of control over our government's part in our life, and I plan to. It would be nice if, like Barack Obama said, people asked "are we better off".

I don't know what you fear in the next 4 years, but I hope we don't let fear decide things for us.

Strongest growth in 20 years? Care to support that with some links? More homes than at any time in history? Even after WWII? OK, 20-year historical average whatever. The Unemployment rate is the same now as it was right after September 11, 2001. Like the guy said, if you think this is the best we can do... .

I'm only repeating what I've heard on the news. Sorry, don't have any links handy.


I only saw one 5 second shot of him IN Vietnam.

Don't tell me I watched your guy's convention and you didn't???!!! The hollywood-produced video narrated by Morgan Freeman had quite a bit of footage of Kerry in Vietnam, taken with his own video camera. He even went back to some of the locations where he saw combat, and reenacted portions of it (obviously by eliciting aid from one of his subordinates). So again my question is... why would somebody go out of there way to have live and reenacted footage of themselves taken in a time of war? Maybe Kerry is a great visionary after all... he was already planning for his own political career.

Eskimo, I'm working for a new dot-com company and I'm just gonna ride it till it pops and make sure that the good money I'm making stays in the bank till I move on. I am fortunate enough to have seen the average life span of these companies and know it will not last forever. I also have second and third options that some don't have. Sorry to hear about your hard times back in the day but good to hear that your back on top of things.

93rd, thanks for the honest straight-forward answer. I think that is a first on the forum for you. Nah, I'm just joking with ya! I didn't want a re-done Eskimo answer either, I just wanted you to see an example of what I was looking for. Straight-laced and to the point of why you agree with Kerry and/or Edwards. You did well and I appreciate your viewpoint.

I've been up for quite some time and have had a long day so if this next part gets long or runs in circles I apologize.

I seem to get a different view of the world than many of you but I would say that we are better off now than four years ago. Money is there one day and gone the next day. I don't blame anybody for the so-called recession than the guys who were cookin the books back at the end of the 90's and early in the 2k's. Balancing the budget will get done by either of the candidates next term and we will have another boom and break down before those four years are up. I think we are much safer than we were four years ago or on 9/10 and I for one am glad to see that the VOLUNTEER military was put to use for a noble cause. Noble cause you say, weapons and chemicals are starting to turn up more and more in the Middle East and more often than not they are from Iraq. I do however wish we had Al Queda under wraps and pray every day that things will end peacefully. I think that we had no other action's available and do not feel that we are the bullies in this war, we are more like the kid that gets pushed around every day in school. Many times over the last decade or so we sat back and let things go, and they escalated until it came to the point where we had to go on the offensive. If noble men had not given up their lives for a worthy cause many centuries ago there would be no United States of America. And even closer to the present, men and women that are of a different color or race would be treated worse than the family pet. As some have stated in the past there are necessary evils and I believe that this war was one of them. Now I look forward to our troops being brought home in the near future and those newly liberated people learning how great it is to live a free live. I may be looking through rose colored glasses but I do still see hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

On a side note, I saw a blip of that Crossing Over show today and it made me laugh when I realized that I had heard that name recently..without the s of course.

I'm only repeating what I've heard on the news. Sorry, don't have any links handy.

Don't tell me I watched your guy's convention and you didn't???!!! The hollywood-produced video narrated by Morgan Freeman had quite a bit of footage of Kerry in Vietnam, taken with his own video camera. He even went back to some of the locations where he saw combat, and reenacted portions of it (obviously by eliciting aid from one of his subordinates). So again my question is... why would somebody go out of there way to have live and reenacted footage of themselves taken in a time of war? Maybe Kerry is a great visionary after all... he was already planning for his own political career.

re: news - Sorry, no offence, but I'm not going to base my vote on what you heard. I need evidence. I didn't get it regarding Iraq, and I didn't believe Bush. 2nd Quarter GDP growth is down to 3% (annualized), June job creation is down to 112,000 and with interest rates going up, a lot of what we've seen from housing, construction, and people spending re-finance money, will be gone. Leading indicators show that things won't improve this year.

My guy? I'm not claiming him as my own. I've never met him.
"why would somebody go out of there way to have live and reenacted footage of themselves taken in a time of war? "
OK, you don't have re-enacted footage taken in Vietnam. That happens when actors try to show what happend, without actually being there. I saw a clip with Kerry, in a green uniform and a helmet with an M16 walked through a grassy clearing. I also saw lots of stills. I don't know whether the pictures of the swift boats were actual or re-enacted, but his face wasn't in them. If Kerry was taking the pictures, it wouldn't show his face. Also, I know that a lot of soldiers had cameras over there, and there were a lot of news people over there. The film was slick. There was a mix of real and made footage. But I also remember the guy who said, "He wasn't there hunting for medals".

Eskimo, I'm working for a new dot-com company and I'm just gonna ride it till it pops and make sure that the good money I'm making stays in the bank till I move on. I am fortunate enough to have seen the average life span of these companies and know it will not last forever. I also have second and third options that some don't have. Sorry to hear about your hard times back in the day but good to hear that your back on top of things.

Well that was my attitude exactly. And that's why I brought it up. I can't claim I'm doing better today only because I was doing so well then. BTW, my unemployment had nothing to do with being laid off from the dotcom - I had another job within a month after (which I had to leave 6 mo later). The unemployment was made longer by the glut of programmers, and the uncertainty that caused companies not to hire.

I seem to get a different view of the world than many of you but I would say that we are better off now than four years ago. Money is there one day and gone the next day. I don't blame anybody for the so-called recession than the guys who were cookin the books back at the end of the 90's and early in the 2k's. Balancing the budget will get done by either of the candidates next term and we will have another boom and break down before those four years are up. I think we are much safer than we were four years ago or on 9/10 and I for one am glad to see that the VOLUNTEER military was put to use for a noble cause.

This is where we differ, because I think the President could have done more to fix the accounting scandals, except for the fact that he was guilty of insider trading himself, and Dick Cheney was guilty of lots of things. Kerry was a prosecutor, and his job was to get white collar criminals. He did it in Boston, and he did it in the Senate (BCCI). BTW, BCCI was a bank terrorist used to launder money, so Kerry was fighting terrorism in 1992. I'm also not confident that Bush will ever balance the budget. What was it Cheney said? "The 80s proved balanced budgets don't matter"?

I do not think we are safer now. I think we should have finished Afghanistan before thinking about Iraq. I also think Iraq created terrorists. I also think that a lot of the things in the 9/11 report should have already been implemented. But more, I think that this administration is fomenting and exploiting this climate for fear for political gain. It's in their best interest for us not to be safe. Once we're safe, there's no reason to vote for them.

Now I look forward to our troops being brought home in the near future and those newly liberated people learning how great it is to live a free live. I may be looking through rose colored glasses but I do still see hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

I agree with you there.

Something you're not taking into consideration here is that they never said it would be paid for with tax dollars.

There isn't an idea any politician has that doesn't require more money from those of us who pay taxes.

There is no "Government Money" it's your money and my money.

There isn't an idea any politician has that doesn't require more money from those of us who pay taxes.

There is no "Government Money" it's your money and my money.

Think about what might happen if the government started to regulate the insurance industry more to get the high cost under control. I think that it should be more closely regulated.

I was living in CA. when we deregulated the utillities. We were promised that once the government didn't have control there would be bidding wars to lower the cost of energy. We were so excited that we were going to be lowering our monthly expenses and then we met Enron... I am guessing that you know what happened from there. I think that the insurance companies are just about as honest as Kenneth Lay and the other Execs and business people within the Enron scandal. There could be some serious benefit to us without the high cost of a socialized medicine.