Mike,
You and I will just have to keep disagreeing on this. My contempt for people like Feith, Wolfowitz, Perle and Abrams has everything to do with the fact that they see themselves as the “intellectuals” of the NeoCon Movement, but play the toadies to those they perceive as the Aristocrats of the movement. This is just like Kissinger and Nixon. Kissinger of course considered himself much smarter than Dick Nixon, yet kissed Nixon’s behind shamelessly to receive any crumbs of power dropped from the “big guys” table. Before Nixon, he was owned by his former student Nelson Rockefeller, who bought him (literally) for $600,000.

This has always been the way with many “intellectuals” who in past history were the willing servants of those they perceive as powerful, even though they believed themselves smarter than their masters. Secondly, while all of the four I mentioned above are nominally Jewish don’t be fooled by that fact. Jews, even smart ones, are no more immune to self deception and self justification, than any other people. While they might convince themselves that they are aiding Israel in the process of establishing American hegemony, the end result is the power and the money accruing to their masters and dribbled down to them. Nixon, for instance was personally, outspokenly anti-Jewish and yet Kissinger fawned over him. These men are the equivalent of “courtiers” in the courts of medieval kings. They are pseudo-intellectuals in the service of their own egos.

“They have adopted a siege mentality that convinces them that Israel can never be secure unless the entire Middle East is subordinated to our will, and that the U.S., as Israel’s strongest ally”

That to me is somewhat the cart before the horse. The object is the imposition of American hegemony in the ME and one of their justifications for it is supposed Israeli security. This subtlety means a great deal. The Bush Family has a three generation history of being anti-Jewish and at the same time being vassals of Saudi Arabia. The Reagan Administration with
GHW Bush, Schultz and Weinberger in charge were no friends of Israel. Nixon I’ve already mentioned. Go back then to Eisenhower, with the anti-Jewish Dulles brothers in charge of the State Department and the CIA. Kennedy was around for too short a time to know his feelings, LBJ had close Jewish advisors but was also in thrall to Brown and Root, Halliburton’s predecessor, Carter and Clinton seemed even handed. The myth of America’s closest ally though is just that. America’s closest ME ally is and has been the Saudi’s and they are no friends of Israel.

“Ironically, these views find encouragement among Christian fundamentalists, who are no friends of Jews but who favor any actions which they believe will hasten the fulfillment of end times prophecies.”

Right on the money here and I find it hard to consider allies any group that believes i’m going to die in a world conflagration and my soul damned to an eternal hell.

“In sum, I do not believe that either AIPAC or the Christian right have this country’s best interests in mind in their attitudes toward the Middle East.”

As a Jew and a lifelong supporter of Israel I have always hated AIPAC. It is run and has always been run by very rich Jewish Republicans, who while seemingly wielding power actually were the tools of Republican Empire building. The
AIPAC leaders are also like courtiers trying to vie for recognition by those they perceive as royalty. Their policies
for Israel have always been uniformly catastrophic and their interests are mixed in with their own wealth and maintaining it. People always talk about the “smart Jews” and we have had our share of intellects. However, one can be quite intelligent and through lack of self awareness, self deception and the human ability to justify ones’ actions, do the stupidest things.

We agree that a two state solution is the only viable option and I think on many things regarding Israel our positions are
not antipathetic. The big difference is you see the US as being the main supporter of Israeli interests, while I see it as Israel’s keeper, trying to maintain a status quo that is beneficial to the Saudi’s and to the Oil Interests. In my view, perhaps if the US would butt out a little bit, the people living in the ME, including Israel, could finally attain peace. With the US backing, people like Netanyahu get into power and stupidly (he is a truly stupid man)do the bidding of the Saudi’s.

I think basically you are correct but a 2 state solution could have been achieved years ago had the Palestinians played the martyrs. the nightly news would have been awash in Palestinian blood and they would have had a state many years ago.

the leadership of the Palestinians are as intractable in their desire for the destruction of Israel as the Neocons are in their desire for Israels continuation. 2 religious views fighting for supremacy. It has not turned out well for either.

However Israel is a democracy and has respect for the human rights of her citizens, this alone is a reason to support her continued existence. I don’t see this philosophy as detrimental to American interests. Although sometimes I wonder who is playing whom.

These folks represent the intellectual elite of the neocons and I perceive them as dangerous. They will fight tooth and toenail to prevent any Palestinian resolution which involves the creation of a separate state, even though I think it is pretty clear that no other resolution is viable, meaning in accord with the realities. They have adopted a siege mentality that convinces them that Israel can never be secure unless the entire Middle East is subordinated to our will, and that the U.S., as Israel’s strongest ally, must come to recognize that aggressive action is the only solution, meaning war.

Ironically, these views find encouragement among Christian fundamentalists, who are no friends of Jews but who favor any actions which they believe will hasten the fulfillment of end times prophecies. It was for this reason that Bush had no difficulty in building support among evangelical conservatives for his war policies.

In sum, I do not believe that either AIPAC or the Christian right have this country’s best interests in mind in their attitudes toward the Middle East. I think that Bush and Cheney were useful tools in promoting their ideology. And I think that the almost visceral hatred expressed toward the Obama administration by these forces is expressive of a fear that Israel will be abandoned.

Now you know why I gave you the hammer for your tactic. Now that you know who and what they are, maybe you’ll think a bit harder and ask more questions before towing not just their line, but any party line. Political parties are for one thing only: providing branding for those too stupid or too tired to filter through all the bullshit coming out of Washington for themselves. The ONLY reason I have a party affiliation is KS has closed primaries (also a load of gerrymandering crap). If you’re paying attention, there’s plenty of outrage due both parties, it’s just unfortunate that the criminals in the GOP took it to another level. Cheney and his crew seriously need to hung from the neck until dead. You got a little of that Neocon propaganda on you as evidenced by your initial word choices and tactics (a common affliction for traditional conservative Republicans as most of the Neocon poison has been pointed directly at you), but now that you are aware of it, it should be easier to avoid. See, you thought we progressive are the enemy, when the Neocons have been standing behind you laughing their asses off as they picked your pockets and coopted national security for their private profits in addition to committing the outrage of protecting those who DID attack us on 9/11, their business partners the Saudis. You aren’t the first conservative Republican coming in here looking to “kick some liberal butt” only to get a rude awakening to who really wanted to harm them. It was indeed “your own” people who sold you out Jim. The question you have to ask yourself is what are you going to do about it? Reclaim your party? Start a new one? Start pushing for criminal prosecution? Or let evil happen by doing nothing?

I made my decision when I swore to uphold the Constitution.

Screw the Neocons and anyone who backs them. Any one of the those treasonous bastards would be most unfortunate to encounter me in a dark alley or anyplace else for that matter. I am a son of Jefferson and they tread upon me and my rights at their risk.

In the April 30, 2009 issue of Nature, a virologist was quoted as saying,“Where the hell it got all these genes from we don’t know.” Extensive analysis of the virus found that it contained the original 1918 H1N1 flu virus, the avian flu virus (bird flu), and two new H3N2 virus genes from Eurasia. Debate continues over the possibility that swine flu is a genetically engineered virus.
http://www.newsmax.com/health/vaccine_swine_flu/2009/07/07/232717.html

How do you prevent a revolution? -Give them something more important to worry about. It must be something that affects the strong more than the weak.

Not a difference between the two, really. The end game is all the same. Domination of the world’s energy resources and the inhabitants.

Fascism doesn’t care what political end of the spectrum you claim. That is just sheople food.

They use these little wedges to divide us… keep us fighting over bullshit that matters little in the scheme of their atrocious and murderous criminal activities.

Remember, Barack Obama is protecting the previous bastards. He, now, is complicit and guilty, as if he called the shots.

In many ways, he and his crew are worse than the last. At least with them they were in your face about what was going on. The new regime just smiles, tells us one thing and immediately does the opposite.

They all suck.

good points.

We can debate all day about whether or not torture works. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to muster enough volunteers to permit us arrive at a verifiable conclusion. (I don’t like to rely on people that have something to gain by declaring it does or doesn’t.) -Even if it did work..I wouldn’t want my enemy to know that.

One thing is for certain. -Torture must never be sanctioned by our government. -Not now…not ever. If you are caught torturing someone; you must be prosecuted.

My original understanding of the term “Neocon” was close to what was provided by IS (Ind. Serv.) The information provided by Buddha provided additional clarity.

I never trusted Dick Cheney. He was part of the Nixon “whatever we can get away with must be OK” crowd. I don’t think G.W. Bush was much more than a puppet. I think G.W. was a decent guy that was easily manipulated by Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest.

I’m really starting to wonder (I’m closer to convinced) if both sides (Democrats and Republicans) are being manipulated by a small group. The evidence sure does point in that direction.

Buddha’s statement about Palin included “the Enemy Within, the Neocons, your “people”” -My people? -Not my people. My people are just like you and I. My people want a representative republic…Just like your people.

“Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not within everybody’s power, that is not easy.” —Aristotle
We need to get angry, but we need to start getting angry with the right person(s).
Political differences should inspire communication. Anger provides separation. –I want to be separated from those that anger me. Corrupt prosecutors anger me. –I hope they anger you too. The same can be said of a government that operates outside of our Constitution.

I think we need to be more careful about the application of terms. If we don’t…the real NeoCons (or whatever we call them) will win. -If the good people of this country continue to fight about petty BS…they win…and it’s our fault. We permitted it to happen. The powers in charge have successfully divided this country. Divided we will fall. We’re already heading in that direction.

I don’t want a Supreme Court that is controlled by outside -”hidden” forces. I don’t want a government that operates behind closed doors. I want presidents to be held to their campaign promises. And I want all branches of government to recognize the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. -This, I believe, is what is desired by Democrats and Republicans, Libertarians and Independents.

Jim,
your first question has already been answered by Buddha and even IS. PNAC is the only answer to who are the Neocons.

As to your question above the answer is yes, most definitely.
In general a radical is one who believes in overthrowing the established order. Those in the Left Wing side of the equation
are for instance the Communists, of which there are different difvisions such as the Stalinists, Trotskyites, Maoists and new communism theories since the fall of the USSR, which try to return to original Marxist doctrine. Less far left are the socialists who also have their many divisions, that run across a gamut of the Lefts’ political spectrum. To me the broad stroke that differentiates the “Radical” from the moderate, in both Communism, Socialism and Marxism is the extent that in the radical people are expected to adhere to the party line, or are then considered traitors and dare I say it liberals and progressives. Neither of which label refers to Communists or Socialists. These traitors are actually despised more than the right wing, since they compete for the same base of people.

In other posts I’ve written about being a member of the most Left Wing Labor Union in the country in the late 60’s and early 70’s. At first these groups tried to recruit me, but I thought them wrong and silly, and still do. When the couldn’t recruit me they turned against me. when I ran for President of that Union in 1970 I was considered the conservative candidate and was called epithets like “Running Dog of Capitalism.” While I didn’t become President I defeated the radical party, Trotskyites, that were my chief opponents even though they had better organization and resources. Those years taught me much about the political spectrum and about how a healthy iconoclasm/pragmatism is more valuable than any political doctrine.

In your example above you show that you have experienced similar party line thinking on the right, since you are anti death penalty and pro-contraception. Theirony is that the radicals on either side of the political spectrum have more in common with each other in their dogmatism and ultimately
totalitarian beliefs, then they do with others sharing either the right or left part of the political spectrum with them. I
Think that says it all about any dogma and the need to get beyond it to compromise on how to run the best possible society for all of the people.

IS,
I concede you are not a troll because you at least engage in the back and forth of discussions and sometime evince views that differ from expectations and show openness of thought. When it come to Fascism though you’re wrong.

In a socialistic economy all production is in the hands of the people (i.e. State). The economy is totally controlled and all production goals are set across the board. The theory though is that the workers have a democratic input into the setting of goals and their conditions of employment. I hold no brief for a system like this because I think it is unworkable, but it appears that I’m much more knowledgeable about this theory than you are and I have had it explained to me by real life socialists.

In a Fascist economy private industry and the State work hand in hand in a symbiotic relationship that is win=win for both sides. The State gets the support of private industry for its’ policies and private industry gets support from the State
to increase its profitability. The State allows and abets private industry’s exploitation of its’ workers and in effect makes them serfs to the Barons of commerce. In the Nazi reign for instance, slave labor was cheerfully supplied for the use of industry. The socialism part of NAZIism was a means of fooling the masses of German workers and stealing the thunder of the real socialist and communist party’s there that had
followings equal to the NAZI’s.

Finally, where you do verge on close mindedness is in your characterizations such as:

“To the Left, of course, “Fascism” is simply another name for Capitalism, as they themselves steadily promote government control of business (as we have seen lately with GM, etc.).”

In many instances you don’t discuss issues, you use straw men to malign different viewpoints and take them as fact. What is illogical in this is that your own positions, which I think I could fairly characterize as right wing, discuss nuance of differences with your fellow right wingers. You differentiate between “compassionate conservatives,” Neocons and Goldwater conservatives, for instance. The left has the same nuances and as those you imply discussing the right, these nuances lead to substantial differences in policy.

Left=Big Government
Right=small Government

These are slogans, not representations of the totality of philosophy’s.

When our govt. greenlights Israel on bombimg Iran, Iranians correctly understand that we are working hand in glove. This would not be a mission Israel could accomplish without the US’s “help”. On the other hand we send many of our signals intelligence to be logged, stored and flagged through Israel. Israel did and still is helping us torture detainees. (I know many people on this blog do not believe we torture under Obama. Harper’s magazine has a well written article on this very topic. It is well documented. We are still torturing.) Of course, we ask/ed Egypt and Jordon for their help in this matter as well.

We have armed Saudi Arabia to the teeth. We have made a way for western oil companies (lord make a way, lord make a way as Sara’s preacher would say!) to get those sought after no-bid contracts in Iraq. Afghanistan makes a nice energy route for the US.

All of this is ordained by god in just the same way that Sara’s followers believe her path to power is the work of god. I don’t think the Moose Queen is so far out from our current leaders. They all believe god has put them in place to do “his” will and that means, whatever they do is a priori good. This scares me a lot.

Sorry for the seeming broad stroke of my brush.

I should have said, present company (and the few sites I frequent) excluded.

Not EVERYONE is a dumbass. Just most of us.

“I can’t help but be pessimistic when my fellow citizens are too damned stupid to realize what they are doing to ruin my world by their complacency and lackadaisical attitude.

We should all be pissed.”

I submit that if 40% of the population paid as much attention to their government as they should, Washington and K St. would be burned to the ground by now. Some of us are pissed, Bman. Just not enough us.

We went from the horrors of the evil Fascism that the neocons were pursuing to the “Friendly Fascism” that is the hallmark of Mr Smiles, Barack Obama.

Sure, I have a pessimistic view. In light of all the evidence that supports my view of things in the world and this nation, I see no other way to go.

It is beyond hope, Mike. I am not, at all, optimistic about where this country is headed and the idiots who are going along, as if led by the pied piper.

I can’t help but be pessimistic when my fellow citizens are too damned stupid to realize what they are doing to ruin my world by their complacency and lackadaisical attitude.

We should all be pissed.

This is probably the one time I’ll ever say I hope you’re wrong too.

Mike A,
This is the first post of yours that I disagree with. The NeoCons like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Feith, Wolfowitz, et. al.
use Israel in their rhetoric to garner support for their policies. However, the first 3 I mentioned are in bed with the Saudi’s and the nominally Jewish part of the contingent are along for the ride as courtiers of power following those they consider their “betters.” The entire purpose of PNAC is hegemony leading to empire. My view on this is similar to:

“We are in Afghanistan and Iraq both because of this country’s hegemony. It is dictated word for word in PNAC’s documentation. Israel is nothing but America’s “Ho”, doing our bidding as we direct (that is until they decide enough is enough and the Zionists finally tell us where to get off). The neocons will use anything and anybody to forward their world domination for energy and control.”

Which BuelahMan posted. Just want to also tell you, BuelahMan that I respect your views too. My divergence from you politically is not about analysis, it is about what I think is the proper approach to thinking about the world, to change it. You come from a more pessimistic viewpoint than I do:

“No matter what, they all work for the same people. They are all fascists, its just that some have a warm smile.”

That view resonates with me because I do think our system is currently corrupt. Beyond that though I don’t believe it is about politics, per se. Politics is the symptom of the disease. The disease is the will to power in some humans that will push them to use any available method to attain it. The corollary is that humanity is divided up between people who want to follow, rather than think for themselves, which in my estimation could run from 50% to 70% of the population. They are wired to follow the leaders in anything they due be it
politically, sociologically, economically, or even down to such mundane things as entertainment, fashion, drink and food.

The other 50% to 30% are people who follow their own sense of the world and will do so despite being in the minority on a given issue. This to me this split is the vestige of the needs of earliest human survival. Think of how the Great Apes
organize their society.

My diversion from Beulahman is that I think we must act as if we are free and the Constitution is still in effect, in order to prevent further erosion and tyranny and perhaps make some positive gains in the right direction. To me, to not do so breeds anger, depression and nihilism. none of which ever have led to positive outcomes.

“I find that I agree with Indentured Servant on one point. The push for war with Iraq by Feith, Wolfowitz and other neocons had nothing to do with Iraq and everything to do with Israel.”

I wouldn’t say that was the ‘only’ reason, rather a primary one. Let’s not forget the money to be made in destruction and reconstruction as well as the vast opportunities to push policies forward with the help of fear rhetoric.

No way. “Nothing” to do with Iraq?

We are in Afghanistan and Iraq both because of this country’s hegemony. It is dictated word for word in PNAC’s documentation.

Israel is nothing but America’s “Ho”, doing our bidding as we direct (that is until they decide enough is enough and the Zionists finally tell us where to get off).

The neocons will use anything and anybody to forward their world domination for energy and control.

W said in ‘98 he was going to invade Iraq. It had absolutely nothing to do with Israel, except for whatever fringe element they might profit from.

That to me was the sound of the revolt.I

You need to update your routine, we’ve been down the “liberal is whatever I think is bad” road before. (5/10 on this one, you got Buddha to bite)

By the way, do you eat cream on your oats?

probably because you all haven’t had any new ideas or insights, just the same old tired leftist bravo sierra. Taxes good, higher taxes better, government good, bigger government better. Capitalism bad socialism good, communism better. All your arguments synthesized into their essence.

Buddha: “Don’t worry! No one is concerned that you’ll learn anything IS. You haven’t so far.”

***********

To the contrary, Buddha, I suspect anything IS learns–anything at all–will be quite new indeed.

Jim Byrne:

Neocons are the “new” conservatives. Mostly recycled leftists or liberal republicans. Like William Kristol or Fred Barnes. The compassionate conservatives like George Bush.

Not good Goldwater conservatives. They [neocons] believe in big government as much as the libs do. The argument over the stimulus bill was a good case in point-they were arguing over the size only. Those are the Neocons.

BIL is right in that the guys like Fiet and Wolfowitz pushed for war in Iraq. Although I think it was more to try and save Israel rather than Saudi Arabia. The ultimate goal was to destabilize Iran either directly through a 2 front war or indirectly with the Iranians smelling the tantalizing aroma of democracy wafting across the border. But Israel’s safety, in my opinion, was the goal through a democratic Iraq and Iran.

Although once you democratize Iran you really don’t need Saudi Arabia anymore. The house of Saud will fall soon after the Mullahs in Iran.

So while I don’t really agree with the neocons, I don’t think they are as evil as BIL believes they are. I wont vote for one again though because they are too close to the left. Compassionate conservatism has got to go, I don’t think we can handle another dose.

Run search for PNAC

Agreed. That we’ve been under coordinated attack is no longer a question in my mind.

This is going to sound strange, but I think JT is about to post on something “our” govt. won’t like in the next day or two. I have noticed an increased traffic of trolls and people whom I’m fairly certain have a “.gov” at the end of their e-mail address showing up again more recently.
*********************************

I do not doubt this as Psychological Warfare has been around for eons. It has been of course more specialized in the lat few years with targets. I remember reading a book in the 80 that had just been released about the probabilities of what Hitler would be doing depending on certain aspects. It was mind boggling to say the least.

It was compromised of about 25 Psychiatrists, loons to starts with so, the end result is I do not doubt what you say.

“I tend to agree with those who believe that Sarah Palin does not have a bright political future.”

******
I also agree that her future is murky. It’s sort of an inverse “water seeks sit own level” approach. As we know from basic physics, pressure is dependent only on depth not the shape of the container. In Palin’s case, pressure seems inversely proportional to depth (she seems perpetually under increasing pressure with her shallow depth), and it is the shape of her container that keeps her afloat!

Thanks. I’ll look into the information tomorrow morning. I’m too exhausted to do it tonight. -A/C went out on Friday eve. -got it fixed this afternoon. However, I didn’t sleep too well last night. -Too humid.

BTW -My grandmother -on my mothers side was born in Scotland. Her husband..my grandfather on my mother’s side..was born in Italy. Byrne came from my father’s side. O’Byrne came from Ireland, but from everything I can find…I’m an all-American Mutt.

This is going to sound strange, but I think JT is about to post on something “our” govt. won’t like in the next day or two. I have noticed an increased traffic of trolls and people whom I’m fairly certain have a “.gov” at the end of their e-mail address showing up again more recently.

Beat troll, the adults are talking.

You’ve just asked for the Red Pill.

Look into PNAC – Project for the New American Century, they, along with some “think tanks” (don’t get me started) like the American Enterprise Institute planned on invading Iraq waaaaaaayyyyy before they put their puppet Bush into office. Every signatory of the PNAC charter is a traitor along with Cheney’s Secret Energy Task Force. They are the ones protecting the Saudis from our Marines right now. They are the ones who wanted to attack a country that hadn’t attacked us – Iraq – and protect the one the did – Saudi Arabia. The Neocons are not conservative Republicans, but they hide amongst you. They are the ones who have destroyed our image abroad by pushing a torture agenda. They are the ones who have stolen the GOP from traditional conservatives. And they get the less critical of you to eat and spread their propaganda like wild. Propaganda – out right lies – like Obama isn’t a citizen, like Iraq had WMDs, like Saudi Arabia is our “ally” despite having funded and manned the 9/11 attacks, like Bush and Cheney didn’t commit major crimes while in office . . . and on and on and on.

The Neocons are an Enemy of the United States as surely as Osama and the Saudis. They are fascists and propagandists owned outright by the Saudis and Big Oil. They are American Nazis. They are the ones who have pissed on the Constitution. They are war profiteers and theocrats working to make as much money as they can while destroying the world. They include people like Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, David Addington and John Yoo. They are CRIMINALS. The fact that they are Republicans is a secondary trait.

That’s who the Neocons are. I’d provide you some links right now but I’m not on my systems. I know Vince and Mike have some good links as do others, and I ask them to share with you, Jim.

He needs to know.

BTW, I’ll tell you now, what you are going to find out? You may wish you could unlearn it afterward.

Just think of me as Dean Martin.

I still believe that and have been looking for a good source that says they are not. There is nothing on the web that has convinced me otherwise. I even emailed a philosophy professor that question here is my question and what she replied:

“is National socialism (NAZI) socialism or is it Facisim? I believe it to be socialism as it started out as the German Workers Party and Hitler kept many features intact. Is there a definitive work on this question?

answer: “”Fascism” in general is the means of production nominally in the hands of private owners, but where nevertheless businesses are expected (in socialistic terms) to serve national interests at the direction of the government. This is increasingly the expectation and practice with business in the United States. Mussolini’s own idea, since he started it, was that Fascism was Socialism where Internationalism was replaced with Nationalism. To the Left, of course, “Fascism” is simply another name for Capitalism, as they themselves steadily promote government control of business (as we have seen lately with GM, etc.).”

It appears to say that Socialism and Fascism are one and the same. It also speaks to my contention that the left likes to make up words for reasons of control.

You keep being a joke and I’ll keep making the punchlines, Mr. Nazis Are Leftists. It’s an appropriate division of labor since my job requires skills and yours requires aspirating.

that is not the sound of a party eating its own that is the sound of the beginning of a revolution. Washington has overstepped it’s bounds and the people are pissed off.

These Tea Parties are the first stirrings of the American people. If you noticed some in the crowd were calling him a traitor, most likely for a bad vote although I dont know which way he went. If this keeps up 2010 is going to be a very bad year for incumbents.

1776 all over again?

Thank you. I appreciate your acknowledgement of my efforts to engage in civil discussions.

One thing our political history has shown us is that; those in power naturally attract greater public scrutiny. No political party will ever be consistently good enough to continuously satisfy the majority. In the minds of the majority, the grass will eventually be greener on the other side.

These diametrically opposed political beliefs we call liberal and conservative, are necessary evils. They are like the gas pedal and the brakes of an automobile. We need both to operate as designed. That struggle tempers our thoughts and actions while providing a means to increase or decrease the speed at which we react to new problems (or those we have ignored for too long).

We don’t know what the political climate will be in three years. We assume that President Obama will run for a second term. Currently, many have assumed that Gov. Palin will want to challenge him. The truth is; we don’t know what tomorrow will bring -let alone 3 years from now. -Michelle Obama may decide to run…and Barack may step aside to permit that to happen. (Although we would need to do a lot of cleanup after Hillary’s head explodes in reaction to the news.) -:>)

I like reading the comments on this blog. Most are intelligent, well-thought opinions. Persuasive arguments provoke thought and permit me to either bolster my current position, or arrive at a different conclusion. –I’d rather explore opposing viewpoints than join a pile-on session.

If I am to participate, I need to learn the lingo. Can someone please tell me what a Neocon is? I have looked, but have not been able to find a general consensus as to its meaning. Is the term intended to be narrowly defined? Is every conservative/Republican considered to be a Neocon? If so; why?

While I’m at it; is there such a thing as a left-wing radical? If so; what would be the associated attributes? I think I know what a right-wing radical is. -I tried to join, but they wouldn’t accept one who is pro-contraception and anti-death penalty.

I don’t like to paint with broad strokes. Karl Rove is a Republican, but the majority of Republicans aren’t Karl Rove. Bad apples exist on both sides of the aisle. Most people I know, regardless of their political leanings are good people, that would give you the shirt off of their back..or share their last bit of food. We do a great injustice when we lump them all together under one term.

very funny.

I will assume you do not live in a trailer park or public housing or under a bridge. Although the avatar does resemble a happy troll more than the Lord Buddha. You dont eat children do you?

None of us has to imagine your bewilderment.

We get to see it first hand way too often to need our imaginations for that task.

That was what was so amazing to me about this site, actual left of centers that can put a sentence together and make some sense.

It trully is amazing, most people that vote democrat live in trailer parks, public housing or are homeless. So you can imagine my bewilderment.

They were log cabin Bull Moose of course!

Although I laughed mightily, I would request that you refrain from filming my relatives. I particularly liked the Democratic celebrity spokesman, but I must say it makes me wonder where Sherman and Mr. Peabody’s political leanings lay.

You will love this (as will many others). From the boys at Red State Update:

Does this mean all the reporting/rumoring on Trig’s birth story (allegedly Scarah is his Grandmother) covered by the MSM and many blogs including some(palindeceptions) devoted solely to that topic are true? Why hasn’t she threatened defamation against The National Enquirer which repeatedly published reports with photos of her alleged “affair” with Todd’s former business partner?