USVI-On-Line

Pete (Mr. Marcia) wrote:I was taught at an early age that it is good to share your toys. Others may not like to share...like a little kid they scream, "mine, mine...don't touch it...get your own."

If sharing is socialism...I'm a socialist. I'm okay with our government helping those who are less fortunate. In fact, I think that is an ideal that makes this country great.

This is my opinion and I do not need to be told that it is "wrong." There is no "right" or "wrong" in this debate...only differences of opinion and beliefs.

Sharing is a great thing. Sharing also is a voluntary thing. Last time I looked, the Feds are still not making us share our kids' toys, but that may be around the corner.

But is "sharing the wealth" the same thing? Where did the Fed. government get the right to decide how much money it takes for our family to live? Is 250,000. rich if you have 3 kids in college and you live in one of the most expensive states in the country? Is is fair to steal my hard earned money to give it to others so things will be more even? Is health care a right? Is owning a home a right? Is college a right? If it is, then why work at all, if it's my right to have all this stuff. I can have what you have and I don't have to do anything to earn it, because it's my right and we have to make everythig even. Can't you understand that at some point, the hard working people of this country can not bear the load of all the freeloades and this economy will NEVER recover. And while we're on the subject of economy, did you know the Bush tax cuts are not really a cut, just a freeze on raising taxes? That is never discussed. And do any of you think you are going to see a dime of your Social Security funds. That is G-O-N-E. If there is any $$ left, it will be means tested and anyone who has the money to go to STJ is sure not going to see any of it. Meanwhile, S.S. is going from 102,000. to 108,000. next year. I remember when it was 72,000. So don't say Bush hasn't raised taxes. That's simply not true.

At this point, many of us work until mid summer before a dime of our hard earned money is our own. I wonder what month we'll have to shoot for in the future............Oct???? Nov.?????

It's time to wake up people. The gov. is blowing through our money likes it's their own. It is not. They don't make a penny, they TAKE it all from us and use it to buy votes so they'll stay in power. They want the people to "need" them. How better to make sure you stay in charge than to hold the purse strings. I do that with my own kids. It is the last bit of control I have over them. Is that the type of government you want? Is that the freedom America was built on. It's time to take back our country from the self-serving crooks that are running it. I'm not saying McCain is the answer, but I sure as hell know BO can't wait to get his mitts on our paycheck and yours. We should demand a halt to wastful spending form both parties. We should hold their feet to the fire and if they spend like drunken sailors, kick 'um out. No one should go hungry in this country, and no one should die on the street because they can't get medical help, but as far as I know, neither of those things is widespread in the country. If gov. wants to help the less fortunate, then they should look at their own budgets and get the red ink out and start cutting out the BS pork.

END OF RANT!

DELETED

FYI...........the EVIL Cheney's give 70-80% of their income to charity. I wonder what the Clintons, Gores, Reeds, Palosis, and of course, Barney Frank give.

oh please.
if you really think that we can survive this idiotic war and the bailout with no new taxes then you're all dreaming. we're in a true mess.....whoever wins will have to raise money and that probably means raising taxes ---or take your choice....
what suffers...hmm, education, funding for research, medicare, veterans health... what else???

Obama's tax plan would only really tax the MOST wealthy of the wealthy

here is a side by comparison

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00950.html

Wow, these political threads are nuts...I studied electrical engineering in college...learned alot of math with imaginary numbers...I see alot of "imagined influence" here.

We all get one vote,mine will speak my voice.

My one comment (from a simple technical guy)...the choice of Palin is probably the tie-breaker for me.

Peace-out

wanted to get in my two cents before this thread gets locked down

Sorry Pia-

That e-mail was inflammatory.

NJ,

I'd be interested in your source for Biden's income. I don't dispute the chartiable giving numbers but the sources I looked at, his tax disclosures, show his income, while still substainal, is closer to 250,000-300,000 not 1.5 million.

sherban wrote:Wow, these political threads are nuts...I studied electrical engineering in college...learned alot of math with imaginary numbers...I see alot of "imagined influence" here.

We all get one vote,mine will speak my voice.

My one comment (from a simple technical guy)...the choice of Palin is probably the tie-breaker for me.

Peace-out

wanted to get in my two cents before this thread gets locked down

yeah, ' i have to agree with you.
i hate the fact that i even get drawn in...i feel a bit like a moth with a buglight......
ZZZZAAAAAPPPP!

Jorge, I'll feel better when this war ends and we can withdraw the majority of our men and women from Iraq. I'll feel infinitely better if Iraq is able to establish some sort of democratic government that is self-sustaining. But, I don't believe ending the war is going to put more money in my pocket and cause me to loosen the purse strings.

I think the Wall Street meltdown is what's scaring most people now. Looking at my 401.k last month gave me a wee scare, and it's not that large. (I think I'll just not look for awhile.) I spoke with a woman this week who has been trying to sell her home for 3 years. She finally found a buyer but is losing $18,000 on the sale. I live in a small town, and where there used to be one or two home forclosure notices in the paper, there are now 10 or 15 each week. Businesses are laying off employees, banks are tightening up on their lending, and a lot of people are suffering right now.

You're obviously talented and have worked your butt off to get where you are today. You deserve to enjoy the rewards of your hard work. And, I agree that a lot of people don't want to work that hard. I have some in my immediate family who have a large sense of entitlement and consider work a four-letter word.

But, there are still a lot of people who are working 2 or 3 jobs and still can't pay their bills. They worry what will happen if they get sick, because they don't have an extra $10,000 to $12,000 to purchase health care insurance. Those are the folks that I believe have suffered the most during the past 8 years and will continue to suffer through a McCain/Palin administration. If our government can spend trillions of dollars bailing out over-indulged Wall Street crooks and financing questionable wars, we should at least have enough decency to provide everyone with basic health care.

I don't agree with everything Obama/Biden propose, and I doubt that either candidate can fulfill all their promises. But when weighted against the McCain/Palin agenda, Obama/Biden is the better choice for me. I just don't see that McCain/Palin have put forth many ideas that differ much from the past 8 years. And I don't think Americans can weather another 4 years of self-serving government policies.

And, I try to keep the folowing in mind when I'm tempted to make judgements about whether or not certain segments of the population are deserving. Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed. Herman Melville

There but for the grace of God go I.


And, here's a pic of my 6 year old grandson who loves the beach and has been to STJ. We don't refer to him as mulatto, black, white, or mixed. And, he's not a Milano cookie though he sure is sweet. We consider ourselves the lucky grandparents he calls "Mimi" and "Pop Pop".



(This is long and way more than 2 cents, but I feel better putting it out there. I'll be quiet now. Thanks for the opportunity, Jorge. Luv ya.)

Thanks Pjayer! Well said

The preferred term is Biracial. Even better would be for it not to be an issue and for us to not need to define people in racial terms. I know PIE IN THE SKY. I will say my daughter (she's 6) doesn't see herself as asian or white but just as a kid. She's never asked once why her cousins on her dad's side look different than her cousins on her mom's side. It is what it is. So there is hope for future generations. I believe in my heart racism is a learned behavior and though it will take generations to completely make it a non-issue the day will come where it truly doesn't matter what color your skin is.

But we are not there yet. Let's be honest. Racism is a factor in this election. Neither party has the corner on the racist vote. There is actual solid data that at least 4%-6% of voters admit that they will NOT vote for Obama because he is black. These are the people who admit it. That is more than the margin of error in most polls and could still be the deciding factor in this election. I think it is one reason we still see more people undecided at this point in the game.

I absolutely do not believe that everyone who isn’t voting for Obama is a racist. Just as I am more likely to vote democratic no matter the candidate because that is how my issues allign, I understand someone who is extremely conservative voting for republicans. However, I would argue that (pre palin and pre 2000 or so) McCain was pretty far from lining up with the conservative right. I am still not convinced his own party isn't sabatoging him because of some of the major missteps his campaign has taken. At times it seems they are trying to lose. ($150K on wardrobe and the "health" moment in the 3rd debate, his seeming inability to connect at all with the middle, etc).

I am actually more inclined to believe that racism is the underlying cause for many (but not all) of those “Another Democrat for McCain” signs I’ve seen. I have canvassed for the Obama campaign and believe me while there are MANY people who have a substantive reason to not vote for Obama there are many, including many democrats, who will simply not vote for him because he is (partially) black.

I will freely admit that the prospect of my biracial children seeing someone who isn't an old white man become president of this country is very encouraging. Does that make me a reverse racist/sexist? Who knows. However, if Barack Obama was on the opposite end of the spectrum politically I would not even consider voting for him. Biracial or not.

Still, I am far more bothered by the hypocrisy. We all know the picture that would have been painted if Barack Obama had an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter. This race would have been over before it started. It would have been a game ender. That is hypocrisy, plain and simple.

There is an old saying, "Democrats can't run campaigns but they can run government, Republicans can run a campaign but they can't run the government." Obama has run a tight ship and they have not once been caught back on their heals. When I go into our local office to volunteer I am amazed by the diversity I see - old, young, not just black and white, but asian and YES Muslim, middle aged moms, teenagers, and even a few men who I would have guessed to be conservative republicans. Everyone is hoping for the same future.

My vote is a vote for my kids' futures. To turn the direction of this country. I am not apologetic that we are Americans and that this is the greatest country on earth, but I am also not so naive as to think that we should not endeavor to have good, strong relationships with other nations. After 9/11 we had the entire world on our side. That has been squandered by the current administration. To think that we can survive as a nation if the entire world turns against us is a very dangerous state of mind. We have always needed allies. We still do. We are well on our way to bankrupting this country. I want change. If that makes me a bleeding heart liberal, then I am 100% ok with that.

McCain scares me and has been a complete hypocrite in many instances. Arguing Obama is naive to consider meeting with Iran, etc but on the trail saying "Bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran." I am sorry but that is just insane. Bringing up Obama's loose ties to Ayers but no one mentioning McCain's ties to G. Gordon Liddy. Who he calls his friend. Well, I guess he calls all of us his friend. Liddy called for the murder of federal agents, served time for a felony, plotted murder. In 2007 McCain was on his talk show and has taken campaign contributions from him. Liddy is known for being controversial including in 1994 (that's a lot more recent than the 1960s) after the federal raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, Liddy advised his listeners: "Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests. ... Kill the sons of bitches."

Again ... believe whatever you want. But the hypocracy kills me!

There is only one campaign trying to turn this into Pro-america vs. anti-America, "real" Virginia vs. Northern Virginia, christains against muslims, intellectualism vs. joe 6 pack. I am with Chris Rock - I am voting for the guy with 1 house, because if he loses his house he cares. If John McCain loses one house, he has 6 more. Who do you truly think relates better to the majority of us regular middle class Americans, the guy who had student loans or the one who was a 3rd generation legacy?

flipflop
Thanks for your post--it was articulate and really thoughtful.
lori

Flip.........you'd vote for a guy becase has 1 house and Chris Rock supports him?????? Sarah Palin has 1 house. And speaking of Palin, her 150,000. wardrobe is being auctioned off to charity. I heard that story weeks ago, before the price tag on her clothes was made public. BO flies around the WORLD on his private 747 with his name and logo taking up as much room as it can. He even has his name embroidered on the head rest of his seat. That is just creepy. This guy believes his own press. He really does think he's the "chosen one".

cypressgirl wrote:Flip.........you'd vote for a guy becase has 1 house and Chris Rock supports him??????

Sorry maybe my sarcasm and sick sense of humor were missed. In case there is any confusion, I am voting for Barack Obama because I believe him to be the best candidate of the two. I do not trust McCain. McCain does not have my best interest at heart on many many levels.

I disagree fundamentally with McCain 2.0 on just about every social and political issue.

I made my peace with Obama as my candidate after finding my way through my disappointment at not seeing Hillary at the top of the ticket. (I truly wonder what the arguments being hurled would be if she were the candidate).

McCain lost me and any chance I see at personal or professional redemption with his smugness, his negativity, and his total disrespect of a large segment of the electorate, and an obvious and true disdain of women and their right to make medical decisions for themselves.

If he was the McCain of 2000 I sincerely believe that this race would have Obama heading toward defeat. The centrist, rational, "maverick" approach might of worked. But finally someone is beating the Republicans at their own game. Attempts to provoke fear or hate are not working. Ok, perhaps they are working among the fringe far right and even his base. But he had them. Independents and Republicans disillusioned with the last 8 years of mess and mayhem are simply saying no more.

McCain's positions and statements are falling on deaf ears, not because the public has been hypnotized by Obama's oh so eloquent speech. Many of us are educated. More of us, in this election particularly, have started paying attention to more than soundbites and swift boat tactics. We are not so stupid to believe that Obama is a friend to terrorists. So naive to believe that being a part of Washington for almost 30 years automatically places McCain on higher ground. We are not so blind to not notice that what he is peddling is at best empty and at worst a repeat of the last 8 years.

At the end of the 3rd debate - I watched every minute of each debate - I found myself thinking, is he trying to lose? Are his advisers losing it? Is he losing it? Perhaps he had some strong words for Obama, "I am not George Bush" but they were not enough. He repeatedly opened the door for Obama to look like the thoughtful, patient, measured, rational, cool candidate. Not because he is so eloquent, but more because he was not flailing. I was left with the distinct and unbelieveable feeling that I dislike this guy even more than I dislike W. I never thought that would be possible. Surely 8 years ago, it would not have been the case.

I was one of those primed to be stolen from the Dems this time. After Hillary lost the nomination I was pissed. It wasn't so much that I didn't like Obama, it was that Clinton was just so emminently qualified for the job and it pissed me off that it didn't go her way. I doubt seriously I would have voted Republican but if McCain had presented a centrist, open minded, thoughtful and rational approach to the war in Iraq, our economy, a woman's reproductive freedoms, and other issues that matter to most people, I may have had to think long and hard.

Unfortunately for McCain, he decided to sell his political soul to the far right. He solidified that base, but in the process he alienated millions of voters. I am hopeful that optimism, openmindedness, tolerance, appreciation for differences, and a pure and deep intelligence will win over these people.