Lucky...

LUCKY: You thought Obama had been a US Senator for only 2 years and had no other leadership experience than that, including the little stint in the Ill. Senate since 97, so all is consistent. GAWAIN: How does this vindicate your claim of: (see above) GAWAIN FROM ANOTHER THREAD: Good grief...okay, I'll explain it this way: The amount of scrutiny being applied now to Gov. Palin would crush Sen. Obama. She's been in elected office five years longer than the Senator, yet everyone is claiming "we don't know about her". It's not like she's not been in the public eye. What I am seeing from this is that her selection caught the democrats completely off guard. We know all about Senators McCain and Biden. Politicos know about Gov. Palin. What's been discovered about Sen. Obama, and gets no coverage is disturbing. The Chicago political machine, Ayers, contributions received from Freddie/Fannie (he's number two on the list for all time, he's only been in the US Senate for two years)...all the things that people wish we could change away from! GAWAIN: He's been in the US Senate for two years, I never said that was his only experience, I did point out that in those two short yeras, he's been in session for a little over four months and within those two years, he's managed to receive more contributions from Freddie/Fannie than anyone else in the Senate, save Sen. Dodd of Connecticut. So, bask in whatever glory you find in that...I never said it was his only experience. LUCKY"S NEW RESPONSE: How is this difficult? You wrote: "...he's only been in the US Senate for two years." Where is the ambiguity? Do you realize he has been a US Senator since January 05, which is 4 years this comming January? He could only have been a US Senator since January 05 or January 07, so you erred by thinking he was elected this last mid-term cycle and not the last general election. Can you admit that? It appears either you didn't know or you're trying to mislead by mitigating his experience. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_career_of_Barack_Obama And by saying that, "...he's only been in the US Senate for two years." You infer that that is his only experience. LUCKY: Yes, and he was a state Senator since 97, then right into US Senator. BTW, these are much higher positions than mayor of town of 6300 and Governor of an extremely sparse state. GAWAIN: The governor of a state, that provides a significant amount of energy to the country and North America? A governor of a state who has CinC responsibilities over National Guard units? A governor that has to make decisions, not vote "present"? Yeah, being a state senator is so much easier than actually running a city, or state...not. LUCKY"S NEW RESPONSE:They are both pressure positions, a US Senator is much more nationally visible than a governor, as their actions effect the entire country. The point here is that you are trying to build this strawman of fallacious information that Obama is unprepared to lead when he has FAR more education and experience than Palin, and she isn't running for president. Bottom line here, in the other thread, you stated that Obama had been a US Senator for 2 years when in fact it is almost 4 years, not to mention his 8 years as a state senator. Can you admit you erred?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.....it's going to take another 16-20 years to undo it...if we're lucky. Well you're not, I am

That's about as much as the entire Iraq War. Hey man, the dems aren't all that I like, I hate their stance on guns, but there comes a point that you have to say the neo-cons, and I mean that not in a defamatory way, but the new conservatives have lost their way. I really like Obama, but if this were 1 of the last 2 election cycles, I would vote for a person like Eisenhower, the last true conservative Republican. He was/is a real American hero, this garbage since fascist Ronnie is just trash. To be fair, GHWB would have been more Eisenhower-like if he weren't attached to the garbage Ronnie. He was actually a war hero and true American and a compassionate guy, he thought he had to cling to the neo-con ideals and he did and it cost him. There comes a time to realize the fiscal conservatives are the dems, hard to think of it that way for us older guys, but that is how it is TODAY.

Thanks for the laugh. I needed that. That's hilarious! Good grief...okay, I'll explain it this way: The amount of scrutiny being applied now to Gov. Palin would crush Sen. Obama. She's been in elected office five years longer than the Senator, yet everyone is claiming "we don't know about her". It's not like she's not been in the public eye. What I am seeing from this is that her selection caught the democrats completely off guard. We know all about Senators McCain and Biden. Politicos know about Gov. Palin. What's been discovered about Sen. Obama, and gets no coverage is disturbing. The Chicago political machine, Ayers, contributions received from Freddie/Fannie (he's number two on the list for all time, he's only been in the US Senate for two years)...all the things that people wish we could change away from! I'm not part of that whole smear crowd about his religion, skin color, et al...this person is a tax-spend socialist. He's been building his campaign on "anti-love" of country. He claims this country isn't as good as it once was. When was it better? He got rich these past eight years. When else might he have accomplished this? Why is someone's incessant whining about what's wrong so appealing to people? Are people feeling that sorry for themselves? Bump, I'll bring it to the top for ya Gawain.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Perhaps you are unaware that each state has its own labor laws pertaining to employment, compulsory unionization and minimum wage too. Federal laws set minimum standards (like federal minimum wage), they do not set at-will laws. FEDERAL LAWS TRUMP STATE LAWS, states must meet or exceed fed standards. For example, many states have min wage laws that are above fed mins, as in California, states cannot fall below that, period. This is really elementary stuff my friend. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I said no such thing, and challenge you to show where I said that. THIS IS LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL!!! http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=3335744;page=2;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; post #30 Good grief...okay, I'll explain it this way: The amount of scrutiny being applied now to Gov. Palin would crush Sen. Obama. She's been in elected office five years longer than the Senator, yet everyone is claiming "we don't know about her". It's not like she's not been in the public eye. What I am seeing from this is that her selection caught the democrats completely off guard. We know all about Senators McCain and Biden. Politicos know about Gov. Palin. What's been discovered about Sen. Obama, and gets no coverage is disturbing. The Chicago political machine, Ayers, contributions received from Freddie/Fannie (he's number two on the list for all time, he's only been in the US Senate for two years)...all the things that people wish we could change away from! I'm not part of that whole smear crowd about his religion, skin color, et al...this person is a tax-spend socialist. He's been building his campaign on "anti-love" of country. He claims this country isn't as good as it once was. When was it better? He got rich these past eight years. When else might he have accomplished this? Why is someone's incessant whining about what's wrong so appealing to people? Are people feeling that sorry for themselves? OOPS, concede and bow as you back away >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I did say that Gov. Palin has five more years in elected office than Sen. Obama. Yes, and he was a state Senator since 97, then right into US Senator. BTW, these are much higher positions than mayor of town of 6300 and Governor of an extremely sparse state.

She eeked out a BA in Journalism, he is JD / law school teacher for 12 years, I'm sure you can relate to how difficult that is. Educationally, he towers over her, intellectually, same. You know it's true, but look at fascist Ronnie, he didn't have a lot of education and ........ wait, bad example, nevermind

No, dear. It's a lot of work to choose the right one(s). We have a lot of good politicians with a brilliant background. And our systems allows "us" to have a certain influence on that. It's hard work, I tell you. So it's surely easier to see few puppets presented which in fact look all the same - worthless. So it's easy to choose. On what should I be jealous. I like our representatives. We made a good choice. Let's look forward to yours. That's much more important. That was total sarcasm, I'm jealous of Canada, Europe and other countries. I didn't look, what country are you from?

Well, you have a point there, altho she hasn't committed a crime, other than being a zealotous nut freak..... firing aperson w/o cause is a civil (tort)and/or administrative act, not a crime. I'm sure her criminal activity will surface, just give her time First you call her trailer trash and now you think she's a criminal. Can't you find something based on fact to criticize her about? Completely off topic but I'm curious: What's Obama's stance on gun control? I only ask because he suspiciously left it off of his website and I'd like to know. Read the long post of accomplishments I compiled and I didn't even get to the bridge. Obama and gun control, he's probably for it. That little 7-2 packed SCOTUS won;t let him do anything silly with that tho. I don;t think it is his pet project like Bush spent his entirte 1st term passing the overtime law as a good fascist would oppress labor. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>First you call her trailer trash and now you think she's a criminal. I think she's the double threat; she's both >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Can't you find something based on fact to criticize her about? I did, read the list of qualifications of her and Obama.

Thank you,. the words of sanity.....

Chris, joke aside: It's not only you having a sharp eye on what's going on in your country. This is very serious. But, sometimes it's too funny ..... .. affecting your market ... our market .... global market ..... bwahahaha Young lady, don't you know we are the center of the universe? How would you like us to bomb you just to let you know that?

That's what I'm thinking, they don't have to deal with it as they are at the helm. Isn't that ticking the sound of Palin trying to quash troopergate? Or for McCain to explain why he 3 times admomished Palin for earmarks?

>>>>>>>>>>>>We have no good choices. Obama and Biden are no better. Obama who has less experience than Palin , who wants to tax us into submission and expand government, and Biden who has gotten every major foriegn policy descission wrong in his time as senetor. Obama: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obama - Obama graduated with a B.A. from Columbia in 1983, - then worked for a year at the Business International Corporation[12] and then at the New York Public Interest Research Group.[13][14] - Obama moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer for three years from June 1985 to May 1988 as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Greater Roseland (Roseland, West Pullman, and Riverdale) on Chicago's far South Side.[13][15] During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in Altgeld Gardens - After graduating with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991, - Obama directed Illinois' Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers; it achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African-Americans in the state, and led to Crain's Chicago Business naming Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be.[23][24] - Beginning in 1992, Obama taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years, being first classified as a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996, and then as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004 - He also, in 1993, joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development, where he was an associate for three years from 1993 to 1996, then of counsel from 1996 to 2004, with his law license becoming inactive in 2002. - Obama was a founding member of the board of directors of Public Allies in 1992, resigning before his wife, Michelle, became the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago in early 1993 - He served from 1993 to 2002 on the board of directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago, which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund Obama's DCP, and also from 1994 to 2002 on the board of directors of The Joyce Foundation - Obama served on the board of directors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge from 1995–2002, as founding president and chairman of the board of directors from 1995–1999 - He also served on the board of directors of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.[13] - State legislator, 1997–2004 (senator) - U.S. Senator, from 2005 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sarah Palin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_palin - As a child, she would sometimes go moose hunting with her father before school, - and the family regularly ran 5 km and 10 km races - She was the head of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at the school and the point guard and captain of the school's girls' basketball team - She helped the team win the Alaska small-school basketball championship in 1982, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds of the game, despite having an ankle stress fracture - In 1982, Palin enrolled at Hawaii Pacific College but left after her first semester. - From there she transferred to North Idaho College, where she spent two semesters as a general studies major. From the community college she then transferred to the much larger University of Idaho for two semesters. - During this time Palin won the Miss Wasilla Pageant beauty contest - then finished third (second runner-up) in the Miss Alaska pageant - at which she won a college scholarship and the "Miss Congeniality" award. - She then left the University of Idaho and attended Matanuska-Susitna College in Alaska for one term. -The next year she returned to the University of Idaho where she spent three semesters completing her Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, graduating in 1987 - In 1988, she worked as a sports reporter for KTUU-TV in Anchorage, Alaska, - She also helped in her husband’s commercial fishing family business. - Sarah Palin was elected twice to the city council of Wasilla, in 1992 and 1995 - According to Laura Chase of Wasilla, Palin as city councilwoman mentioned to her colleagues in 1995 that she saw the book Daddy's Roommate in the library and did not think it belonged there - Palin served two terms (1996–2002) as mayor of Wasilla. At the conclusion of Palin's tenure as mayor in 2002, the town had about 6,300 residents - Shortly after taking office in October 1996, Palin eliminated the position of museum director and asked for updated resumes and resignation letters from top officials, including the police chief, public works director, finance director and librarian.[33] Palin stated this request was to find out their intentions and whether they supported her - According to city librarian Mary Ellen Emmons, Palin inquired in October 1996 as to whether Emmons would object to library censorship.[35] - Palin fired Emmons on January 30, 1997.[39] This was the same day that Palin gave a similar letter to Police Chief Stambaugh; Emmons as well as Stambaugh had publicly supported Palin's defeated mayoral opponent, John Stein.[36] Palin rescinded the firing of Emmons the next day after meeting with her and after expressions of public support for Emmons.[36] Palin stated that her concerns had been alleviated when Emmons agreed to support Palin's plan to merge the town's library and museum operations.[39] - Using income generated by a 2% sales tax that was enacted before she was on the city council,[42] Palin cut property taxes by 75% and eliminated personal property and business inventory taxes.[43][44] Tapping municipal bonds, she made improvements to the roads and sewers[45] and increased funding to the Police Department.[32] She also oversaw new bike paths and procured funding for storm-water treatment to protect freshwater resources.[44] At the same time she reduced spending on the town museum and blocked construction of a new library and city hall.[44] - During her second term as mayor, Palin introduced a ballot measure proposing the construction of a municipal sports center to be financed by a 0.5% sales tax increase.[50] The $14.7 million Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex was built on time and under budget, but the city spent an additional $1.3 million because of an eminent domain lawsuit caused by the failure to obtain clear title to the property before beginning construction - The city's long-term debt grew from approximately $1 million to $25 million through voter-approved indebtedness of $15 million for the sports complex, $5.5 million for street projects, and $3 million for water improvement projects. A city council member defended the spending increases as being caused by the city's growth during that time.[51] - She also hired the Anchorage-based lobbying firm of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh to lobby for earmarks for Wasilla. The effort was led by Steven Silver, a former chief of staff for Senator Ted Stevens,[52] and it secured nearly $27 million in funds. The earmarks included $500,000 for a youth shelter, $1.9 million for a transportation hub, $900,000 for sewer repairs, and $15 million for a rail project linking Wasilla and the ski resort community of Girdwood.[53] Earmark requests that Palin requested were criticized by Senator John McCain on three occasions, when she was mayor of Wasilla.[54] - In 2006, running on a clean-government platform, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary.[69] Her running mate was State Senator Sean Parnell. Alaska Senator Ted Stevens gave a late endorsement to Palin and filmed a television commercial with her during the gubernatorial campaign. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So, Palin has more experience huh? At what, basketball lay-ups and beauty contests? As well, can you tell me why you are comparing a presidential candidate to a VP candidate? Is it that you know McCain is too old to be running and serving 4-8 years? Obama wants to tax us into submission per??????????? - While Obama was helping inner-city youth, Palin was hitting key free throws. - While Obama was teaching law school for 12 years, Palin was dropping out and reentering college after another to eek out an undergraduate degree in political science. - While Obama was earning a Juris Doctor (J.D.) magna cum laude from Harvard, Palin was entering beauty contests. - While Obama was a state senator of Illinois, population in the millions, Palin was a mayor of town with a population of 6,300. - While Obama was a US Senator, one of the most important positions in America, Palin was a governor of a state with a small population. So use the data above or find your own, but a high school basketball star, beauty queen and college transient doesn’t measure up to a recipient of a JD (law degree), law school teacher, state senator and US Senator. I don’t care how Suzie, or in this case Sarah homemaker slices it, her experiences are no where near his.

Now that shit is funny! As for the OP...made it through the first 2 lines. Yawn. You and your One Term are getting boring. I agree with Carlos Santana. My mook meter is pegged. Did you write something?

Jesus. A good choice? She's a puppet dreaming about beeing the US president. The World Power No. 1 will be represented by a completely unexperienced, uneducated woman. Again a 1st class choice Is this all the mighty USofA have to offer? An old veteran, dreaming of former times. An absolutely short-sighted woman with more than nothing to show on political stage? I just try to imagine the next G8 summit: Sarkozy and Medwedev: staring at Sarah's legs and cleavage, Akihito looks scared as she's so tall, Angie is turning her back at her, the rest is sleeping. She's talking about controlling sex-eds in schools .... Holy Cow. That might be the next representative of the USA. Or McCain. The oldie. Fine choices you have there. Impressive. Aren't you jealous of us?

Well, you have a point there, altho she hasn't committed a crime, other than being a zealotous nut freak..... firing aperson w/o cause is a civil (tort)and/or administrative act, not a crime. I'm sure her criminal activity will surface, just give her time

Alaska is an "at-will-employment" state. People can quit, or be fired, without notice, for just about any reason outside of discrimination or EEO. Perhaps you are unaware of the supremacy of federal law over state law. You thought Obama had been a US Senator for only 2 years and had no other leadership experience than that, including the little stint in the Ill. Senate since 97, so all is consistent.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080920/ap_on_el_pr/palin_troopergate_investigation_1&printer=1;_ylt=Al6_IIWgbIkpzjYvsbVNz35h24cA Stalled Troopergate probe leaves many questions By MATT VOLZ and GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writers 48 minutes ago Until three weeks ago, only Alaskans and a few hard-core political junkies in the rest of the country cared about the obscure scandal known here as Troopergate. A legislative committee had ordered an investigation into whether Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power to settle a vendetta against her sister's ex-husband. She didn't seem too worried. Broadly popular, she adopted a bring-it-on attitude, saying: "Hold me accountable. ... I don't have anything to hide." But the bravado regarding allegations that she dismissed the state's top law enforcement official when he wouldn't fire Palin's former brother-in-law from his state trooper's job disappeared on Aug. 29. Suddenly, Palin was the Republican vice-presidential nominee. Suddenly, aided by McCain campaign operatives, she began stonewalling. Over the next several weeks, Palin and her team withheld the investigation's most important witnesses — herself, her husband Todd, and a host of key administration aides. Palin also continued to withhold potentially key evidence — the contents of a plethora of e-mails among the governor, her husband and key state government officials. Although the Legislature's investigator still plans to issue a report in October, the probe is effectively killed until January, when Sarah Palin will either be vice president or return to the governor's mansion in Juneau. At that point, the investigation would revert to being mostly the concern of Alaskans and political junkies, if it matters at all. In the meantime, questions that could settle the dispute will go unanswered. WHAT IS IN THE E-MAILS? The only smoking gun so far in Troopergate is the recorded telephone call by a Palin aide, Frank Bailey, to Lt. Rodney Dial of the Alaska State Troopers on Feb. 29. In that call, Bailey asked a pointed question about the continued employment of Mike Wooten, the trooper who divorced Palin's sister, Molly McCann. "Why is this guy still representing the department?" Bailey asked. He went on to tell Dial: "Todd and Sarah are scratching their heads, why on earth hasn't, why is this guy still representing the department? He's a horrible recruiting tool. ... You know, I mean from their perspective, everyone's protecting him." Both Palin and Bailey say he'd acted on his own in making the call, but the investigation had been looking into whether the governor, her husband and other administration officials knew about the call or helped direct it. During the call, Bailey appeared privy to information from Wooten's confidential personnel files. Bailey later told the Legislature's investigator, Stephen Branchflower, that he'd received the information from the governor's husband. Todd Palin, although a private citizen, frequently participates in a range of official duties. He had been copied in on official state e-mails, now withheld from the public on the grounds of executive privilege. Cell phone records show that Todd Palin called key Palin aide Ivy Frye three times on the afternoon of Feb. 28, the day before Bailey's conversation about Wooten with Dial. The topics of discussion have not been disclosed. Three-and-a-half hours after the last call, the first of 10 e-mails begin to fly among Frye, the governor, Todd Palin, Bailey, Administration Commissioner Annette Kreitzer, Deputy Chief of Staff Randy Ruaro and Palin aide Kris Perry. The exchanges continued overnight and into the morning of Bailey's phone call. Only the senders, recipients and subject lines of those e-mails were released under a public records request. The e-mails carry the subject line "PSEA," a reference to the troopers' union, the Public Safety Employees Association, which was in the midst of contract negotiations with the state. Palin won't release the contents of those e-mails. Despite her claim that Alaska's government is open and transparent, they — along with more than 1,000 other messages — are shrouded behind an exemption in the state's open records law. Even more e-mails — the number unknown — circulated between Palin and her inner circle on private e-mail accounts that aren't subject to the state's open records law. Last week, hackers revealed that they'd broken into one of Palin's private accounts and posted some of its contents on the Web. One of the more intriguing messages was sent from Chief of Staff Mike Nizich to Palin on Aug. 7, a week into the Troopergate investigation, with the subject line: "CONFIDENTIAL Ethics Matter." WHY WAS HE FIRED? Palin's explanation of why she fired Monegan on July 11 has shifted. Monegan said in an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month that he wasn't given an explanation when Nizich told him he was being removed. Six days later, Andrew Halcro, a former legislator and one of Palin's two 2006 gubernatorial election opponents, wrote in his blog that an anonymous source told him Palin had fired Monegan because he'd refused to fire Wooten. The next day, Palin released a statement denying the allegations. Monegan responded publicly by saying he felt pressure to fire Wooten from both Palins, former Chief of Staff Mike Tibbles, Kreitzer and Bailey. Palin said Monegan was let go over differing budget priorities and his failure to make progress on key goals, including reducing trooper vacancies and fighting alcohol abuse in rural Alaska. Yet, when Monegan was fired, Nizich offered him another job as head of the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which regulates alcohol sales statewide. Palin's staff, meanwhile, suggested that Palin had been upset with Monegan over the ongoing negotiations with the troopers' union because Monegan was pushing for more money for the force and opposed her push to strengthen its integrity clause — a move that might have made firing Wooten easier. Last week, as national interest in Troopergate blossomed, the McCain campaign gave another reason for Monegan's firing — insubordination. McCain operatives called Monegan a "rogue" who repeatedly tried to work outside normal channels for requesting money; Monegan said Palin never expressed any displeasure with him. Monegan has come to regard her stated explanations as nonsense: "It boiled down to one issue," he told the AP. "There was only one reason that I got fired." Wooten. WAS THERE A REAL DEATH THREAT? In December 2006, during the first month of Palin's administration, members of her state trooper security detail asked if she was aware of any threats to herself or her family. Palin could offer only one: her former brother-in-law. She said Wooten had threatened to kill her father on Feb. 17, 2005, because he offered to hire a divorce lawyer for her sister. "There was a serious, genuine concern about not only their safety, but the safety of their family, their kids, their nieces, nephews, her father, regarding Trooper Wooten," Bailey said in his deposition. By then, Wooten's divorce to Palin's sister, Molly McCann, was more than a year in the past. During the time in between, though, Palin and her father, Chuck Heath, had cited the threat in various complaints against Wooten to the state police. The first complaint was filed in 2005, about when the couple separated; Sarah Palin gave an interview to the state police as part of the ensuing investigation. Palin sent Col. Julia Grimes, then the head of the troopers, a letter on Aug. 10, 2005, repeating the Wooten threat. Heath sent Grimes a letter on Oct. 10, 2005, listing the threat among a litany of complaints against Wooten. Both letters focused more on the topic of frustration that no action had been taken to discipline Wooten rather than on any fear that the Palins were in danger. Heath complained that the public and troopers were aware of Wooten's behavior, "yet, as of today this trooper still has not been held accountable for his illegal actions." Wooten's union director, John Cyr, told the AP that the Palin family complaints amounted to harassment and that no one outside the Palin family had ever filed a complaint against the trooper. In an interview with the AP, Wooten said, "I was not a threat to them, I've never been a threat to them and I won't be a threat to them. I have my priorities, and what I want to do with my life, and it doesn't include them." DID SHE ABUSE HER POWER? At a news conference in July, Palin characterized the two dozen contacts from her staff to Monegan about Wooten as entirely appropriate. She also said she'd had no idea the contacts had been made. But the Palins themselves had exerted considerable pressure, expressing much additional concern about Wooten in the first months of her administration. Monegan said Todd Palin asked him about the Wooten case in January 2007; Monegan told him that he'd looked into the case and it was closed. A few days later, the governor called Monegan on his cell phone, also inquiring about Wooten, Monegan said. "I re-explained the same thing to her as I did with Todd," he said. Monegan said he interpreted those calls as the Palins venting, and that neither had explicitly told him to fire Wooten. "Once I passed that information on and explained the process was done, I thought the issue would have been over," he said. But the governor tried to bring it up again the next month at a birthday party for a state senator. Palin approached Monegan there and brought up Wooten. Monegan said he turned her away "to protect her" from getting into trouble over interference. "'I need to keep you at arms' length,'" he recalled telling Palin at the time. "I didn't want her to be embarrassed or to get in trouble." The Palins still weren't happy, Monegan said. In a later e-mail to him, Sarah Palin called the Wooten investigation "a joke." Between the birthday party and the Bailey phone call a year later, Monegan said, he was contacted intermittently by Kreitzer, Tibbles and Attorney General Talis Colberg, all inquiring about Wooten. He said he also received two or three e-mails from the governor that were ostensibly about an unrelated subject, but that each contact always led to a mention of the Wooten matter. Monegan said he repeatedly warned that such conversations and messages would be discoverable if Wooten ever sued: "I remember asking the chief of staff, 'Do you want Wooten to own your house? No? Well, neither do I. So let me handle the matter.'" Monegan declined to give the AP copies of the e-mails from Palin's staffers. HOW DID THEY KILL THE INVESTIGATION? Almost from the moment Palin named McCain's running mate, Republican pressure began to build to end the probe, which had been approved unanimously by the legislative committee of four Democrats and 10 Republicans. McCain's campaign started claiming the investigation had become a political witch hunt, even though some Alaska Republican lawmakers still backed it. Then Palin aides canceled their appointments to testify. After lawmakers began issuing subpoenas, Palin's legal team — bolstered by McCain campaign lawyer Ed O'Callaghan, a former federal prosecutor — said the governor would no longer cooperate. Next, the Palin team began to exploit a weakness in the Legislature's authority to call witnesses. Late last week, Todd Palin declined to testify, and Colberg, the attorney general, refused to allow Palin's executive branch employees to testify. Republican state Sen. Gene Therriault said he had opposed issuing subpoenas because it would force the two sides to retreat to their corners — and, he added, that's what happened. "I tried to warn the committee off of this path," Therriault said. "I'm fearful of where we are." Because lawmakers have little power to enforce their subpoenas unless the full Legislature is in session, the investigation has stalled until lawmakers reconvene in January. Palin herself could call a special session at any time. So, too, could the legislators — if two-thirds of the 60 members approve. Given recent events, neither of those scenarios seem very likely. What a joke, you don't fire someone over this: Palin said Monegan was let go over differing budget priorities and his failure to make progress on key goals, including reducing trooper vacancies and fighting alcohol abuse in rural Alaska. McSame really hit the jackpot, a moralist nut whos 17YO daughter became pregnant out of wedlock and a sheisty crook, firing people who don't play ball; what a catch.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you willing to give up your privacy to do so? Because instituting such a thing will mean that non-medical personnel will need to see your medical records...all of them. Because it will be a bureaucrat, not a doctor, that decides when, where, and how you'll maintain your health care. Are you kidding, your party has ensured corporate America can help givernmental America to invade my privacy and then immunized them civilly. Furthermore, I really don't have a problem with it, but there would still be basic protectiosn in place regardless of which system we have. Besides, medical billing personnel already have access to your records in part. Moot point. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>How much more should we tax them, we're #2 in the world in corporate tax rate. Give me a figure. The highest corporate tax rate for corporations making just $100K is 39%. So, a small business that cracks $100K in taxable income is on the hook for $39K... I don't know that we're #2 in the world. Looking at inferential evidence, foreign corps run here for what I presume to be the tax advantage and the virtual absence of employee rights. Also, we generate more multi millionaires, so I don't see how your point has merit, even if it is true. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Do you want Americans to give up there unmatched ability to provide aid when called upon, or will you advocate a policy that ignores the world when we are called upon to take action, whether violent or benevolent. Yes, fuck the world until we're taken care of at home. It is Imperialistic to ignore the homeland and focus on foreign disasters in return for foreign favor. I feel that it is a patriotic view to worry more about us than them; what do you think, cross your heart and stand, but care more about other nations? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.Based on these three bullets alone, I can glean from your stance that you: - advocate the suspension of privacy, Hillarious considering your party is the party of privacy invasion. - entrepreneurial spirit, capitalistic rewards for hard work, No, I don't advocate Communism, that dissuades the above. Socialism advocates a balance of American greeed and Communism. - and your country's role in providing great relief (which comes at the cost of also wielding great power) and leadership to the free world. So Iraq is about leadership..... uh, yea.,..... Viet Nam was about leadership? Sure, whatever you say.....

Maybe. But bet your ass they would stand up for the anthem. That was my point. It doesn't matter what your political views are. Get up and put your hand over your heart. That is just symbolism. Meanwhile, those same people who would stand and cross elect guys that ruin the country and its fiscsal infrastructure. How does that make them super-patriots?

Right, a Libertarian is a disgruntled Republican.... this is new

That was a shocker, knew that b4 I read it. BTW, there will be fewer with medical care if that nut were to be elected. We would have even more class seperation than we do under Republican rule. I would vote Republican before I would vote Libertarian.

Clinton turned the corner in 4-5 years, it DOES matter who is elected, just look at the 3 neo-cons and then Clinton; very different policies, very different outcomes.

>>>>>>>>>>>>.They are socializing the whole banking mess. You're going to see the US move toward socialization as the Repuiblican-generated debt climbs. Communism is as viable as Capitalism. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>The DOT COM bubble POPS in April , 2000 and we are sent straight into a recession. Millions loose their life savings. The market falls and rebounds, what other indicators were there? Unemp was still around 4%. The only people that lost their savings were the fools who kept them in tech stocks, I had a few tho in there and lost 1/2. Bonds actually climbed. Gamblers usually lose. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2001 - Alan Greenspan lowers interest rates to historical lows. Banks stop being banks and Wall Street no longer regulated by Glass Steagall creates incredible investment vehicles. Mortgage backed securities , Structured Investment Vehicles (SIVs') , Collateralized Mortgage Obligations , so a few are named. This was at the root to all this mess, other than the Republican debt. The interest rate dropped, home sellers turned their houses into ATM's, it was like a pyramid scheme where first in win, the rest lose. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2008- Government begins bailout putting a burden on tax paying workers close to a TRILLION DOLLARS in one of the largest social programs of all time. Wall Street is now officially allowed to Capitalize their gains and Socialize their losses. Exactly, more corporate welfare, as with the airlines after 911; cash gifts, no requirement to pay back or employ people. This is right wing corporate love as usual. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yet 40 million people are still without health care and wonder how they will pay for that MRI at the hospital. And yet you deny teh viability of uni care and still assert this? WHat's your plan, a Ron Paulesque Revolution? That won't get me an MRI, that will further the class seperation frenzy. I think it's more like 50+ million too. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>But , don’t forget Clinton. He could have changed history with one single veto. We don't need a "CHANGE" in Washington. We NEED a "REVOLUTION" ! Clinton turned a huge deficit into a surplus, almost leveled off the debt climb, so what' s your point? Bla, bla, bla..... Ron Paul the whacko Republican offshoot?

Twisted? The US: - Until 2 years ago was 1 of 7 nations to execute juveniles - Still executes at the highest rate of adult prisoners even in the light that there are many errors, even today - Provides no universal care for its citizens, even tho all/most all indust nations do - Has many times over the richest people in the wprld, but also has a huge number of homeless, including vets - Imperialistically invades small countries and then complains when other superpowers do the same - Our leaders, the Republican ones, run teh debt up so they can kill social programs and offload the next several generation's cash to the richest, furthering the class disparity - Many others... So we're supposed to be blind patriots and look the other way? If not we're unpatriotic and terorrists? Whatever, mine are twisted and yours are right in line? Plese, be predictable and skim over the tough ones. The US should domestically: - Immediately initiate universal care - Tax large corporations heavily Foreign: - Get out of people's business - Stop attacking countries for ideological reasons, only in the most extreme of cases.

I agree, beating and abusing animals slated for meat harvesting is cool and PETA should shut the fuck up. - PETA = trying to eliminate animal abuses - there are several vids of abusive behavior - PETA is doing good work ......feeling guilty for eating beaten animals? There's a fix for that - stop eating them.