# thoughts on presidents day, a view from the ground .



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

woke at 2:am again 
and as usual went to LJ's (only about 10-12 members on as usual)
then read the yahoo news (what a sloppy bit of journalism)
i find the comments more interesting than the articles
and am saddened by the amount of bickering there

THIS IS AMERICA ! LAND THAT I LOVE .
not some feeding frenzy in open waters

but the politicians and government seem to be determined to divide and conquer all of us 
in their quest to dominate our lives from religion to our daily existence
and their brand of politics

so long as we are busy fighting each other they all can hide their true agenda
and take our freedoms from us

since george washington forward
every president we have had has done what they considered good for most of us
and congress for the most part sat and talked things out
(something we don't see anymore)
and with only 4 or 8 years it has worked mostly well
then the other 'party' get a chance to do as they can

in my youth people got together from all walks of life
and accepted each others beliefs and feelings and could sit down and 'break bread' together
now with this modern life and all the gadgets we have and the anonymity of 'avatars' and instant postings
everyone seems to 'hit and run' by being nasty to each other
SOMETHING HAS BEEN LOST !

we are not electing a king or dictator for life
just what will help us thru our daily lives and feed and raise our families
you get some for a bit then i do we all benefit from this equally over time

THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE PEOPLE
it is the assumption that someone else will solve all of our problems for us
whether it be jobs or money
THAT IS A FREEDOM WE LOSE TO
i vote and have had some 'winners' 
mostly to find out later that they were not doing what they said they would
from any 'party'

THESE ELECTED (hired by us) officials do as they please it seems
not for us but for themselves now 'dictating' to us and 'telling' us what we want

THIS IS NOT A SUPER BOWL GAME !
where sack the quarterback is the point
for years now it seems to be all our government is interested in
STOPPING ANYTHING THE OTHER PARTY PROPOSES
where do we fit in this  if at all

i like to think i am open minded and pick and chose from the candidates 
not by any 'party' obligation but on the merits of the running candidates
something none of them seem to be able to talk about in honesty anymore
they just allude to and make hollow promises
'i will make jobs' 'i will fix things' 'i will blah blah blah' 'God wants me to lead you'
yet not one idea has any substance or any working plan just 'pie in the sky' promises

i am just an old fool living on the paltry social security from a working life
i don't and never have taken any 'hand outs' from the government programs
that are available to me to much control from them and regulations to deal with
while others really need this help just to get by be it medical or just poverty
while many that are working still complain about those that don't have work
i see that when they lose their jobs they are very happy to get all the 'free' help they can
and many won't take work that doesn't pay what they like so they stay on the dole and watch TV
waiting for their candidate to 'save' them

IF 'WE THE PEOPLE' DON'T WAKE UP SOON AND DEMAND SOME REAL TRUTH IN GOVERNMENT
it will be to late for our children to have a free and decent life

i am sick and tired of letting these sleazeballs ruin this country
and forcing their 'game' on us 
they collectively have given us all this trouble
from banking housing medical treatment gas prices to atomic food

shall we let this continue ?

thanks for listening 
have a good day


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

Divide and conquer. How true that is.

America began as a place where ALL could go to be free. Free from religious persecution. Free from political manipulation. Free from dictatorship. Somehow along the way it all got lost.

One religion/party/race declares itself as the absolute and all others are to fall in behind it quietly and obediently. Never mind that we all came here to find our own freedoms. Never mind that we wanted a democratic society run by the PEOPLE. All that got lost as the power hungry gained a firmer hold. What happened to the "melting pot?"

I see many comments from people denouncing this religion or that - saying that THEIR religion is the "religion of America!" How DARE others practice theirs?? What happened to those freedoms??

You are right David in that the ones at the top are enjoying looking down at the masses tearing each other to shreads - all while they are getting a stronger and stronger hold on the country. It is sad and until people decide that they have to 'live an let live' and learn to get along with their differences - be it political, religious or other - the country will continue into its downward spiral.

I don't speak of these things often in public, but I felt that I wanted to say that.

As a people (in any country) we need to be tolerant of others with different beliefs and join together to get the self-serving politicians out of power.

How do we do that?

One act of kindness/tolerance/support at a time is a good start.

Sheila


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## spanky46 (Feb 12, 2009)

Amen!


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I hope people get out and vote this year. I will not vote for any incumbent, I don't care if they are running for dogcatcher. I'm truly sick and tired of the politicians in this country.


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## jackass (Mar 26, 2008)

As with most political upstarts, they all feel a sense of recognition, hey look at me, everybody loves me and they gave me the mandate to do whatever I want. Here in Canada it is no different, our political gurus have a powerful mandate allowing them, with their majority, to do crazy things that the general public think is downright wrong, but they do it anyway, lack of common sense. I have only ever heard one Canadian politician say that our demise lies with the gasoline prices, driving the price of life sustaining consumer goods over the moon. Also there should be a law put in place to limit the amount of goods that are outsourced to China and India, for no other reason than to keep our citizens employed. Free trade is becoming obsolete when you look at the trade deficits with 3rd world countries. We're going down the drain, and only the people with fixed incomes can see it. Politicians should be made to live on a pensioners income for six months to see what hardship really is. David, you are right on the mark.
Jack


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## reedwood (Jan 27, 2011)

A monday morning poem for you David.

Breathe in, 
take a breath
two things for sure
politics and death

Just when you think
the world's gone astray
The pendulum swings
and saves the day

So forget about the news
who cares what they say
If you want real truth
come back to LJ

I wish there were more people in the world like you. Keep the faith.


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## cmaxnavy (Dec 23, 2007)

Patron,
You're spot on! The change we all seek is going to come from all of us who seek it! That sounds like an oxymoron but, it means that we all have to be active in this process. Your LJ note is the first step in the journey. Surround yourself with like minded patriots (LJ is good place for that) and lock elbows. We are many. They (the Marxist politicians) are few. We can move this ball down the field but, only if we stay ACTIVE in the game! Those that are shouting from the sidelines have no sense of the fight in the arena! Keep charging. You're doing God's work. God bless you.


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## DavidBethune (Feb 9, 2009)

Being that I'm a writer.. I thought I'd chime in on this.. This song is at the studio as we speak..

©Lyrics - David William Bethune SOCAN/BMI

"El Toro POO"

We the people 
Got a message for you
We've had our fill
Of your El Toro Poo
You've fallen from grace
We've lost our faith
In all you say or do

Brain dead politicians
With only one mission
We believe nothing you say
Your lobbyist puppets
Putting gold in your buckets
And it's dam time you pay

Chorus:
All we needs a revolution or two
To fix the things that politicians do 
They're not thinkin bout me and you 
They're all full of El Toro Poo

We have the solution
For the poo that your shootin
Listen up we're talkin to you
United WE Stand
All across the Land
No more we're through

We've have the answer
For political cancer
We all know what we have to do
To put an end to our troubles
We'll give you all shovels
To clean up all of your poo

Chorus:
All we needs a revolution or two
To fix the things that politicians do 
They're not thinkin bout me and you 
They're all full of El Toro Poo

All you crook politicians
We'll teach you to listen
Depends are the cure for you
Ya it's time for a change
Time to diaper your brains
They're full of El Toro Poo

Chorus:
All we needs a revolution or two
To fix the things that politicians do 
They're not thinkin bout me and you 
They're all full of El Toro Poo

Chorus:
All we needs a revolution or two
To fix the things that politicians do 
They're not thinkin bout me and you 
They're all full of El Toro Poo
So Adios to you
And El Toro Poo


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## jeepturner (Oct 3, 2010)

Patron, like you I have seen the change in our national government, but I don't see it as a problem with the caliber of people we send to represent ourselves. I see the change more as a process issue. When we find a defect in a product, we can fire the person, but we will need to hire another person to take the place of the last employee. Or, we could look at the defect as an opportunity to fix the process. 
In Washington DC the lobbyist far out number the elected representatives, and the money they bring to the table, along with the lawyers and salesmen, have far more influence than we the voters have. I beleive that the fathers of our system envisioned that the legislators would go to Washington to represent the constituents who elected them and return to us to answer for their vote. Now it seems that special interest groups, who collect money from a narrow group of people who can donate the cash, (read, not those on limited incomes who live month to month) take their dollars to DC to influence the congress to accept what ever issue is their issue. It doesn't matter to the lobbyist if their issue is counter productive to the needs of the masses.
In conclusion, it's not the people we send there that is broken, it's the what happens to them when they get there that needs to be changed.


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

I hear ya bother!


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

it's not the people we send there that is broken, it's the what happens to them when they get there that needs to be changed.

-Mel
You're right Mel. Even if their intent is good, when they get there they get "the good old boy"talk about what they HAVE to do, to get anything done. If they buck the system they don't last long.
I'm all for term limits myself. Of course Congress isn't going to let that happen.

Good post Patron


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi David. I can well understand your frustration and anger. Unfortunately, large portions of the electorate just don't take the time and effort to become familiar with the issues and the candidates. These folks are easy to manipulate with falsehoods and pie in the sky promises, no matter how unrealistic. This results in sleazy candidates getting into office instead of competent people with good leadership abilities who really want to make a difference.

The world has always had it's fair share of self serving individuals who are only after wealth and power. *So I say that the electorate gets what it deserves when they do not do their part of the job,* which is making sure good people are voted into office. The system is still good, but we need a much better informed voter. I see a lot of political interviews of folks on the street in the U.S.A. and I am appalled at how much ignorance and lack of interest there is out there.

I do agree wholeheartedly that a polarized government isn't very helpful, but do remember who put those folks into office. There is really no excuse for not being up to speed on issues with the vast amount of info we have available to us these days. We are after all living in the information age!

This is not to say that there are not plenty of voters who are well informed, but there are just not enough of them, and that is where I believe America's big problem lies. All the other negatives are just the result of that one major failing.

The above comments are my personal opinion, but I do respect other positions on this matter. I will not reveal where I stand politically on this site and it is not my intention here to point any fingers at any one party or group. My comments are about voters regardless of party affiliations. And yes, I do love America I have always considered it a beacon of light in the world, and living abroad has only strengthened that view.


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

Awesome David.
I'll add my 2c a bit later


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## bhack (Mar 19, 2008)

Great post David. stefang hit the proverbial nail on the head. Many voters are, in my opinion, are very ignorant . They care more about "Reality" shows on television than issues that will affect their lives and the lives of their children. They listen to 5 seconds sound bites and use that as their political philosophy. I am not affiliated with any political party. They are all complicit in the conditions that exist today.

I wish I had a brilliant mind so I could solve this problem, but I do not. So my current solution is to not vote for any incumbent as a protest and I will let each know with a personal message.

Someone please find a solution.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

ok just woke again after my morning 'nap'

thank you all for these open and insightful comments
(nice to have a real conversation without bashing heads)

here is something going on now that concerns me too
with all the laws they want to pass about internet censorship
i found this at the end of an old episode of the 'rockford files'
as a warning then (1977) when univac was just getting going
it was an episode about a 'splinter' group from the 'secret' government









i too have many friends that just quit voting altogether
this apathy allows this to happen

we must become involved if our voices are to be heard at all
one by one we don't stand a chance
but together we can make a difference

i'd like to see term limits
and wages for them all set by the people not themselves
all politicians following the rules they impose on us
no superpac or corporate money allowed
(seems even the supreme court is bought now
giving corporations (for profit business) the rights of people)
there are 35,000 lobbyists in washington
many from countries and businesses from outside this country
that have more say than we do

just yesterday one of the cantidates stated that he was one of the working class
so the working class there 'liked' him now
after trashing him for months along with the other politicians
as the field gets smaller and smaller
they will switch their votes to someone they never wanted
since he will be the only one left

but in the end the 'electoral college' chooses
regardless of the 'chads' or faulty voting machines

they have it rigged in their favor every step of the way

i get e-mails from many different people (even LJ'ers)
ranting about some injustice or political view

being a kind person i don't rant back
but now i send them the other views
they may have overlooked or don't want to know about

fair is fair


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## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

I don't like the political slop, the nanny state and people who want
to dictate our every move and regulate the hell out of every move we make.

Wouildn't it be nice if we had a 100 year prison sentance for politcians 
that lied. No probation no parole!!!!!


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

God, I used to love the Rockford Files
.
*they have it rigged in their favor every step of the way*
.
Ne'er a truer word spoken. I often wonder what it would be like to be around those guys behind the scenes. I bet it's like hanging out with Hunter S. Thompson. You'd probably recognize them as human but operating in an alternative universe. I can't imagine what kind of person it takes to be high up in modern politics.
.
This was a really great post, David.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

and no lifetime paycheck
or medical treatment

let them find a job
like the rest of us


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## fernandoindia (May 5, 2010)

Hi David. Same all over the world.

World grows at night, while politicians sleep.


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## jack1 (May 17, 2007)

Good thoughts. I wish more politicians were more like your Goveror.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

*David*, the government is suppose to be our servant but I have never really known a time when the government was truly our servant. It's a game of power and greed. The government grows more powerful every year and it doesn't matter really which party is in power because they are both big government parties. Most of the big corporations, including the banks and other financial institutions, contribute large sums of money to both sides and they have a large share of power in selecting the candidates for both parties. Sure they have their favorites but they play both sides. This includes all of the other special interest groups. They are not up there to solve problems but to grow the government because that is what they all feed off of one way or another and every new power they gain is a power that the people or the states have lost. Because the states are somewhat more local we can influence them a little more easily than the federal government but even our state governments are into growing their power as well. It's all so very disheartening.


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## steve1627 (May 12, 2008)

Howie's got it right: Do NOT vote incumbents back into office. 
The sad truth is we always think it's not OUR representative/senator that is wrong….just all the others. THEY'RE ALL THE SAME!

Until we, the average American voters DEMAND term limits….nothing is going to change.

Good comments, everybody.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

all good and true thoughts and opinions
we can agree when we have an open discussion
at least we get to see all the different sides
and think about them

(even though we can't seem to agree on the best way 
to crosscut a piece of wood) LOL


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

^RAS, for the record


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

had me scared there for a minuet *al*
when i saw your smiling dog face

i thought you used a hand plane for crosscuts


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## Dez (Mar 28, 2007)

Some good and true statements here. 
If ANYBODY with a brain and a real heart in politics saw it they might get a clue!
Oh wait, I don't think there are any of those!
Not that they are not smart, just heartless and selfish!


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## jackass (Mar 26, 2008)

David,
You mentioned voting and the apathy of North Americans to not vote. In Australia it is mandatory to vote, if you don't have a good excuse for not voting there is a heavy fine. This would stop the apathy in Canada and the USA.
Jack


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

sounds like a good plan jack

when i vote and don't win
i can say 'maybe next time'

those that don't vote 
seem to just complain
about how bad things are


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

shame !


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## Towtruck (Apr 4, 2011)

If this were not true then I don't think Ron Paul would scare the establishment as much as he does.
I'm not positive he could make everything better, but he sure could screw up some politicians gravy trains.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

Your post is right David - big oil should not be getting public assistance.
To me no company should.

Far as Presidents day - I like that it is Lincoln and Washington.
I like both but admire Washington more - because I subscribe to the notion that the person you really want in office is the guy you had to drag there kicking and screaming. Which fits for Washington - he was dragged out of retirement after months of begging by the founders because our country was failing under the articles of confederacy.
Washington was dragged in to lead the constitutional convention and be first president and then he set the tone for voluntary term limits by walking away after the second term.
Now you have the multi millionaires (including Barry) that spend hundreds of millions of dollars campaigning for a 400K/year position.

They are just power hungry bastards and not real LEADERS in any useful sense.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

Tow truck - Ron has no shot the way the system is rigged - no way he can get the convention delagates to back him.

I think it would be great that if Romney wins….he would give Ron Paul the job as Chair of the Federal reserve.
No need to get an audit vote - just get Paul to handle our monetary policy and it would address a great number of our problems.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

I Just received this from a good friend… After seeing it, I just HAD to pass this along!
It seems so FITTING!
*
This hits every nail started ON THE HEAD... ' Are You Kidding Me'

*

Note: It is a 5:38 minute video… a very well done one!


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

Take 60 seconds to read 6 reasons why it's time to say 'No' to the risky and reckless Keystone XL tar sands pipeline now.

1. The dirtiest oil on the planet.

It takes two tons of tar sands - strip-mined or drilled from the forest floor - to produce a single barrel of bitumen:, a low-grade, high-sulfur crude oil that must be extensively refined to be turned into fuel. Producing bitumen generates three times the carbon pollution of producing conventional North American crude oil. And the additional refining required to turn this crud into fuel only makes matters worse.

2. Killing more jobs than it creates.

House Republicans claim the pipeline will create tens of thousands of jobs. It won't. The pipeline would create, at most, 6,500 temporary construction jobs, very few of which would be local hires, according to the U.S. State Department. After that, it would leave only "hundreds" of permanent jobs, according to TransCanada, the Canadian company that wants to build the pipeline. A Cornell University study concludes the pipeline would actually kill more jobs than it would create, by reducing investment in the clean energy economy that already employs 2.7 million Americans.

3. Making us more oil-dependent; not more secure.

The pipeline would terminate at Texas refineries and ports along the Gulf of Mexico. From there tar sands crude could be exported anywhere in the world. Indeed, that's part of the business plan for some of the companies that have promised to buy the oil. Military experts advise that the Keystone XL pipeline would perpetuate our deadly oil dependence and will not make us more secure.

4. Taking on a risk to benefit oil companies that Canadians themselves are not willing to take.

Even Canada has put the brakes on their new proposed tar sands pipelines (the Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline to the west coast and the Trailbreaker tar sands pipeline to the east) due to the need to take more time to listen to public concerns about water and safety. Why should Americans carry a risk that Canadians themselves are not willing to take?

5. Threatening America's breadbasket and U.S. waterways.

The pipeline would cut through the heart of the Great Plains, land of more than 250,000 ranches and farms, putting our croplands and food producers at risk of oil spills across the American heartland. Republican leaders want an approval of the pipeline despite the fact that Nebraska has not even settled on a route to avoid the precious Ogallala Aquifer, where millions of Americans get their drinking water. Further, Keystone XL would cross more than 1,500 waterways, from the Yellowstone River in Montana to Pine Island Bayou in Texas, threatening them with the kind of accident that dumped 42,000 gallons of oil in the Yellowstone River last summer and put 20 times that much tar sands oil in Michigan's Kalamazoo River in 2010, in a spill that hasn't been cleaned up yet.

6. Laying waste to Canada's boreal forest, home of our backyard birds.

Tar sands producers have already destroyed an area the size of Chicago creating an industrial wasteland of toxic sludge dams in the heart of Canada's boreal forest, one of the last truly wild places on Earth and a critical nesting region for America's backyard birds. If it continues, the total sacrifice area will be as large as the State of Florida.

The pipeline is a conduit to the past. Rather than deepening our addiction to fossil fuels, it's time we did what presidents reaching back to Richard Nixon have called on us to do and reduce our dangerous dependence on oil.

It's time to invest in wind, solar and other renewable fuels and the energy efficient cars, workplaces and homes of tomorrow.

Go to www.stoptar.org


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Heck, I thought it was good ole OIL… like we have in Alaska…

I guess it's a good thing He did say NO…

Wind & solar? It stops when cloudy/dark and the there's no wind…

*Natural Gas is our best bet*... we have it… most of the delivery network is already in place… larger companies, post office, have been using it for years… It would be the easiest to implement… and would be more dependable than wind & solar (although wind & solar would help when it's there).

*Edit:*
Look at this too...


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

that's why you need to read between the lines joe

i mean
what would you say if you had a spin doctor
or an ad agency to talk for you

or your lobbyists demanded their story be told
the way they insist

all i'm saying is that whoever gets elected
should be respected as leader
(at least of half the country)
and all should flow with the changes
then when their nominee gets elected
the other half should be respectful too

that way EVERYONE gets something

but with all these political and religious backbiting 
nothing is getting done for anyone
and the new more legal than people corporations
do as they please and take everything for themselves

and as the song goes

the rest of us get the shaft !


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

*Joe; Wind & solar? It stops when cloudy/dark and the there's no wind…*

Not entirely true.
I have many years experience with wind and solar, powering my laptop as I type. I do and have only used 4 panels for over 10 years (they recommended that I install 10).

Solar still produces even when its cloudy or as it's doing right now outside, snowing. True right now I'm only producing 10% of say a normal 100% sunny day, but still producing power. What it is is its to unpredictable to accurately get a total power output to meet the demands needed to feed the grid without having HUGE farms.

Wind, yes when it ain't blowin it ain't producin squat! I use it to mainly help supplement the solar, I do live on a Mountain and in the winter the wind blows more than the sun shines.

As far as the US getting off oil, never gona happen, at least not in our lifetime. Besides what will the Gov. do to offset the lost revenue they now collect from taxes on oil.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi all. Just found an interesting article in the U.K. daily mail at the link below. Does it confirm what I said?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2108341/Is-reason-democracy-work-Study-humans-dumb-pick-right-person-lead-us.html


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

I'll drink to that Stefang …..and make it a double.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

right on *mike*

hard to make wise choices 
from the headlines at the checkout counter 
in wal-mart from the inquirer or other (pulp papers)

as most people in today's 'information age'
only get most of their news from like minded sources
(fox or slanted news blogs right or left)
they only get what is in that vein
that reinforces their already narrow view of things

pour me some too *rex*
and leave the bottle


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

That is a good one and how true!
Ever notice how the really smart people will never run for office IE: Engineers and such.
It all ways seems to be Lawyers who can never make it in the real world.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

ever notice that thought history
when new regimes and dictators take over
it is always the thinking and intelligent ones and artists

that get sent to the camps or killed first


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I'm in Roger, but only if the double leads to another double.

Hi David. I guess democracy is a pretty messy system, but more successful for the majority than any other ever invented. And while we can blame foolish or lazy people for voting without any knowledge of the issues or the candidates, there are also plenty of smart well informed people also doing a lot of damage to the system by manipulating others. I don't see any way out of it, but I guess I am a little foolish and maybe lazy too.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

i think at times
it happens to the best of us


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

cheers David and Roger 

going solar either its solarcelles (electricity) or solarpanels(water) cobiened with a windmill is the right choice for every one to do 
solar peaks in the summermonth and for many will the solarpanels (water) only cuold benefit 100 %
from it in the spring and autumn since they don´t need to heat the house in the summermonth 
and in the winther time they will only be able to heat the water 60 % way up and then another 
sorche has to take over before you can use the heat to warm the house or take a shover 
I don´t have the excact numbers on either solarpanels or solarcells 
in the Autumn /winther time and spring you have more wind than in the summertime 
so there you will benefit from that to make the electricity you need 
with solarcelles and windmill you have to desided if you want to go ongrit or ofgrit 
if you deside to go ofgrit you have to invest in a batterytank and an inverter 
and you shuold be knowing that a batterybank have to be renewed from time to time

why do I think every one shuold do it

at Equator on every single squaremeter = 1.1squareyard every second 1400 watt of energy
is delivered to the earth from the sun
the energy the sun deliver here in Denmark is between 700-900 watt every single second when the sun shine
depending on if its summer or winther

so a demand from now most be that theese options most be contructed and build into every house 
and older houses most be upgraded with better isulation etc. including the green tecnologi
beside we have to think more cradle to cradle in what we are doing and make

sorry for my little rant here 
but when you have seen new houses build that don´t use energy to heat them up
its rather the oppesit that they produce more energy than they use just by being inactiv
not having solarcells and windmills 
then you will be convinced too that we have to be independing from the oilindustry and its possiple 
for every fammily to do it if the goverments will let people get loans to do so at low interest
then the upgrade will pay for its self over 10-15 years and after that big smiles 
but the smiles will come from day one since upgraded houses have more value compared to day zero
not just on the moneyside but with a better welth to the fammily´s on daily basis

ok I´ll stop now 
have a great day everybody and do what you can to stop such terrible mistakes as those pipelines

Dennis


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## cabs4less (Nov 2, 2010)

I just clicked on this thread and there is an Allen West ad banner LOL. The only issue I have is all politicians are crooks to some degree or another always has been to prove my point our founding fathers where a bunch of slave owners who wanted more freedoms from taxes. Just my two-cents and prob worth less than two pennies


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

*The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.
Winston Churchill

I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
Winston Churchill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.
Winston Churchill

Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.
Winston Churchill

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
Winston Churchill

If you're going through hell, keep going.
Winston Churchill

Never, never, never give up.
Winston Churchill

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Winston Churchill

A joke is a very serious thing.
Winston Churchill

A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
Winston Churchill

A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality.
Winston Churchill

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.
Winston Churchill

A prisoner of war is a man who tries to kill you and fails, and then asks you not to kill him.
Winston Churchill

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
Winston Churchill

Although personally I am quite content with existing explosives, I feel we must not stand in the path of improvement.
Winston Churchill

Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed.
Winston Churchill

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.
Winston Churchill

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Winston Churchill

Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter.
Winston Churchill

Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all.
Winston Churchill

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.
Winston Churchill

Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.
Winston Churchill

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Winston Churchill
Author Profession: Statesman
Nationality: English
Born: November 30, 1874
Died: January 24, 1965*
And these are just the Tip of the Iceburg


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

ever since edward g robinson
played that greedy guy
in the 'ten commandments'
and how he always went with the profitable
(to him) even forsaking his own people for gain

i have been leery of politicians

so if you are a little foolish and lazy *mike*

we just might make you our new leader !

can i watch more TV now ?

thanks *dennis*
i remember that the netherlands 
made solar panels mandatory for all new construction
and the power company's sold them over a period of time
to homeowners
and the cost comes out of any surplus power they generate
the extra electricity they sell to surrounding countries for profit

more of this is needed in this world


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

what a guy* roger* aka* rex* aka *winston*
got any more ?


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I wholeheartedly agree with what Churchill said about the importance of continuous effort. He must have learned that trying to make Chinese balls.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

perhaps he learned it 
scratching his own


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

I do believe there are a lot of voters that know NOTHING about what is happening, the people running for office, and are only voting because they like a person's looks, the way he speaks, etc. etc. and, as a result, drastic INFERIOR people are elected that are in no way competent to do anything in any public office.

*Perhaps, if *the voting public had to take a Test, pass it, in order to vote, more intelligent choices would be made?
... oh yes… that opens a can of worms of who prepares the test, etc….
... I guess we're doomed… and cannot reverse the situation… Hasta la vista…

I saw a lady on the News yesterday basically say

*"I am a Democrat and I am tired of the Republican wreckless spending, etc."*

The first thought that went through my head is

*"What planet is she living on?!"*

It's that type of mentality that makes the voting process really hard to mean something.

God… please help us!
... you know we need it…


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

Here ya go David
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/speeches/speeches-of-winston-churchill/1941-1945-war-leader/288-us-congress-1941

You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.

We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.

There is no such thing as a good tax.

There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion.

Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times.

Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon.

In the course of my life, I have often had to eat my words, and I must confess that I have always found it a wholesome diet.

Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of champagne; knowing him was like drinking it.

If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.

Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/winston_churchill


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

well i see why you asked to be born in england

so you could read these quotes 
in their native language

very clever *roger*


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

David,
Churchill is my most admired man. He had a colorful life, not all of which was so great, but he was able to "see" things where others' were blind. To me, he was THE man of the time, even though is was an Englishman with an American mother and also a US citizen too….............. The world still learns from his words.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

interesting 
i didn't know he had an american mom
or dual citizenship either
(at least for a while)

he was definitely the man for the job 
of steering england through WW11

thanks for the info


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Been a long time since I've seen a real leader heading up any country.
So many personal agendas. 
And we sheep seem to make it easier for them because people get frustrated and give up voting.
Jack, I like that mandatory voting idea from Australia a lot. 
I'd also like to see term limits here in Canada.
We had a provincial premier here in New Brunswick who was a leader. His first election he took every seat in the house. He said he wouldn't stay for more than 10 years. And like any politician he didn't make everybody happy. But 2 weeks short of 10 years, he left office. He was a good leader. I haven't seen one since. He left in 1997.
I tell anybody that won't vote that they're not allowed to whine about what politicians do or say.
It's unfortunate that these days you need millions of dollars to run for office.

Ranting and rambling on.
I know.
Most folks I know can't figure out how our current national government got into office. I only know one person that voted for them.

Ranting and rambling on.
I know.

It's two am and my back hurts and my feet hurt and I can't sleep.
I wish the snow would go away and it would get warm again.

Pills are beginning to take hold finally.

Ranting and rambling on.
I know. . .

Mike


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Mike,
Very good points & thoughts…


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)




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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

:-O
and now its written it´s true he said it …


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

it will become part of history
for all the young ones


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

)


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)




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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Their motives are questionable, but their flavor is unquestionable. The eggs are good too.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

If you are getting your food off the road it explains why people find

"everything tasts like chicken" once there is enough Michelin in it!


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)




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## horsefly (Oct 1, 2010)

A great topic, could not have said anything better.
I just order myself some bumper stickers. 
"Save America, Re-elect no one"


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

that job fit me right well David ….... LOL

I gess the salery is quite high with the demanding way I have to sit in and work 

take care
Dennis


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

A good laugh David!

This is in no way an attack on your post David, but it did strike a serious chord in me that inspired the following comments:

While I find the photo very funny and true to some extent, I would like to remind everyone that this picture also suits an awful lot of folks who work for private companies today. I know this from experience. In fact it is the one thing that I disliked the most during my working life. It seems that there are many people today who are only interested in their own advancement or at least holding on to their positions and they don't give a hoot about the organizations they work for and who is paying their wages. I don't think these people are in the majority, but they sure do have a huge impact on any enterprise.

There are plenty of people who are doing their job to the best of their ability, including government employees. *We need to respect those hard working people whoever they work for*. We should resist labeling others in a negative way just because of what they do for an honest living or who they work for. These attitudes just create divisions in society and decrease cooperation for the common good. You don't have to look further than the Congress to see what I am talking about.

So I guess my main point here is the importance of mutual respect. If you disrespect someone, don't expect them to have warm feelings for you or to have any regard whatsoever for your welfare or ever want to help you. It's always easy to score some cheap points off someone by belittling them for a laugh, but it's not a very wise thing to do in the long run. It's always better to have good friends than bitter enemy's.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

well said *mike*

i am fortunate to remember apple pie
and picket fences
and when most folks were raised to be honest and proud
working together

sadly we don't see much of that these days
in the mad dash to get ahead

someone brought this home to me recently
when he said

'in all human endeavors
20% do the work
and
80% take the credit'


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

One of the big problems is that individual productiveness is not rewarded at most workplaces today, and often not even appreciated (at least in larger companies). If doing extra good work does not earn promotions and raises or at least recognition and a pat on the back, then who will the workers look up to as a good example to follow? I blame this on politically correct organizations who are much to blame for the demise of good work ethics. Company leaders and managers also set bad examples when they cut their employee's salaries, but not their own or engage in practices that they frown on when their employees do the same thing.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

I agree with Mike very much.

Being one who worked harder, more honestly, and put in more hours than anyone around me, all I ever got was resentment and distrust. If I was doing all this and they were not, it was feared that "I" made others look bad, and holy crap! They didn't want to be "expected" work THAT hard, etc… If that is pompous of me to say this, then so be it as it is the truth. No disrespect intended.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

i worked in a ford upholstery plant once
running a big 'cookie cutter' machine with another guy
we filled our orders for the day
and there was a back-log of 'special orders'
six months old 
that we would get paid extra for
we worked great together
and spent an hour each day doing these

it was by-weekly pay
when i went to the pay window
i was given my check
and 'laid off'
for making the lifers 'look bad'


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Well, you certainly got rewarded for your hard work there David.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

yea mike

i felt so bad
i took my money
and went to mexico


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## KMTSilvitech (Feb 10, 2011)

A saying I saw posted on Facebook the other day,

"I always give 100% at work: 13% Monday, 22% Tuesday, 26% Wednesday, 35% Thursday, 4% Friday"

It is supposed to be funny, but it is so true of so many people.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*
You have to see and hear this to believe it…

This proves that Obama and his administration MUST GO!

*


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*
I ran into this YouTube with Ron Paul... is he right?

*

... wrong?

Something to think about!


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*
WOW! Here is another one... predicting Years ago!

Looks like he was right!

What next?

*


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*
Sorry Guys & Dolls…

But, Here, he has more ideas as to What is Needed!

If he were alive to day, I wonder if he would run for President!

Lots of food for thought… that seems to make a little sense!

*


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

*joe*

with all due respect to you and everyone
that is and has posted comments here
there has been no reference to any partisanship or political ideology

there are many posts here in the forums
and in the net and news to keep everyone talking and arguing for years

i am very thankful that we have managed to have an open , intelligent , 'talk' here 
sharing and discussing our personal views , without flaming 
or trying to sway anyone else's thoughts or feelings one way or the other

i think i can honestly say we all know things are not right in this country today
whether it be politically , religiously , socially , or economically

what i have been impressed with is that we can have this discussion about OUR feelings
not some politician or church or business telling us THEIR thoughts for us

i have like many others looked and listened to all these 'leaders'
and to a man haven't been convinced that any of them are really giving us the truth 
but just more 'spin' to keep us all confused and off key
while they go about the pillaging of our nation and it's people

jesus himself said to pray in silence in the secret of our hearts
the churches tell us to give everything and follows them
the politicians tell us to do things they themselves don't do
bossiness sells us things we don't even need

when do we wake up and decide for ourselves what we want

that is what this post has given us a chance to do in calm conversation

whether republican , democrat , independent , green or whatever

i reserve the right to know how I feel
not what someone else wants me to feel or do

spin miesters can make anything look anyway they want it to look
by highlighting 'good' points and suppressing 'bad' ones

when it come to voting i will do so quietly on my own
and whether all or none feel the way i do makes no difference to me
i will do this without any regrets and with pride
that i stand for the things that i believe in

not what every one else wants me to believe as they do
so they can feel safe in numbers


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

David,

*Sorry…*

I am NOT trying to tell you or anyone else* how to Vote…*

I am just pointing to factual events that *MAY* help us people make a better decision… rather basing decisions on Personality, the way he smiles, the way he parts his hair, against abortion, etc. etc. etc.

There are very important things happening… Very important things HAVE happened… it is important that we know… as I said… to make our votes count for something concrete… Not Pie in the Sky BS.


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

David - well said.

Mike


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Yeah Joe, and just why did you block me this last time? I had made no personal jabs or comments to you or anyone else. Just posted my own "factual data" as you say you just have. And you claim that you have no political agenda? LOL!

I have my own political agenda AND I LEFT IT OUT OF THIS TOPIC/THREAD. It might pay to actually pay attention Joe. Thank you Patron.


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