Captain's Quarters -

I know we only spend 3.9% GNP on our military but if anyone knows the GNP % spent on entitlement programs I would most appreciate that information.

And don't forget that by larding up the spending bill, they give ammunition to the war protesters pushing the cost of the war as an issue...

Does anyone remember that huge farm bill a few years ago? The one the pols justified by saying it would end the need for future farm disaster relief appropriations?!

It never fails. Congress told us health care costs would go down if tobacco were sued/taxed into oblivion. They allocated billions to build levees that were "necessary to save New Orleans". They told us a bloated farm bill would help keep future disaster relief under control.

Funny how their record is so consistent: If they predict it, it's almost certain NOT to happen. Well, it would be funny if we didn't have to pay for it.

It's a sorry, sorry day when John McCain is the sole voice of sanity in the US Senate.

Oh, and can somebody ask Babsie Boxer why there are icicles on the oranges if global warming is killing all of us? Or is this the normal "chills" one expects from a planet that has a fever? (rolls eyes)

One more thing: WHERE THE F*** IN THE CONSTITUTION DOES IT GIVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE RIGHT / RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR DAMAGED ORANGE AND STRAWBERRY CROPS?????

Lest we forget, Reagan brought amnesty for illegals to America.

THE SENATE has now joined the House of Representatives in setting a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops in Iraq. Its date is a year from now — March 31, 2008. The House's deadline is Aug. 31, 2008.

What is so important about Aug 31, 2008 ?

I know it's just before the election, but why not Nov. 31, 2008 ? Think about for a second .. if there is a withdrawal of troops by Aug, just what kind of mess will there be in Iraq on election day, some 2 months later ?
A big mess.

I got this feeling that somebody was so intent on the impact a withdrawal would have on the election, they forgot to factor in the "blowback" that would also affect the election.

A smarter move would be to make sure the withdrawal is ongoing and nearly complete by the election, thus the image of troops returning could be exploited politically. Instead, under the Aug scenario, the scenes we will see just days before the election will be general strife and most likely a full civil war in Baghdad and parts south. A virtual repeat of the Viet Nam experience when Congressional Democrats cut off funding and were blamed for the bad ending.

I can understand that the stench of defeat would be so strong that politicians want to cover it with the aroma of Christmas trees. Leaving Iraq to the terrorists like lambs to slaughter could inspire some to fund replacement lambs. Rural schools will need to learn why we left Iraq to become a terrorist haven with access to billions in oil revenue.

Rural schools will have to also learn that defeating a President, (who has had the formidable chore of protecting a nation that survived a brutal attack and brought economic prosperity back from the brink of collapse), is far more important than fighting terrorism and providing two other nations the opportunity to have sovereign governments that could democratically govern, (and eventually) protect themselves.

A social experiment of nation building? Probably. But when these children learn that the patience and the deceptions of a democratic party (that promise a "change in direction") really meant nothing more that a full scale retreat from terrorism, and has turned their collective backs on these two nations.

Would so many in the democratic party been elected had they came right out and told their electors that surrendering to our enemies, (who breed their children to strap on explosive vest), was their original intention?

Does having power and control of the legislative purse make them drunk with the right to turn their backs on millions who may perish and allow these factions (hell bent on our utter destruction) to return to our shores?

Yes, we will need many rural schools to teach our children about the mistakes of our past, and how political power takes precedence over the safety and security of this nation. But will they be taught the truth?

Some "change in direction".

i signed it.

John Lennon's 'Imagine' woulda been a more appropriate reference since it explains the Barabara's brand of Liberalism so well.

Imagine all the people

Living for today

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

John McCain suggested yesterday that George Bush should read the list of pork in a national speech when he vetoes the supplemental...

Holy Cow! All engines STOP! I agree with McCain!

...I don't think the networks will give him three hours for his speech, though, so he'll have to play Pork's Greatest Hits instead.

And I'll quibble with you here, Ed.

Imagine the imagery Bush can leave if he puts the networks in the unenviable position of recording three hours of pork declarations. Bush makes a few introductory points and then goes into "The List." How powerful would it be to a comatose public when the President exposes the bribes required to turn the Defeat and Retreat Bill into the dishonest debacle that it is? And imagine the shame he can place on those who would endlessly pork up that bill, any bill, as standard operating procedure?

So, should the MSM not cut away because the speech is not riveting, the public will realize just how bad of a bill that it is. If they do cut away at around the one hour mark, the public will still be left with the echoes of government waste ringing in their ears.

Read it, Mr. Bush. Read it loud. Read it ALL! Primetime or bust!

I believe the networks would give the president 5-10 seconds and then cut to a 10-15 second Pelosi soundbite.

I just had a thought. The White House needs to be a little more savvy in the way it relates to the media. Maybe they could hire one of them fast talking voice actors to run through the list of pork. The networks wouldn't air the whole thing but it has an entertainment factor that would be irrestible to the lazy msm. Maybe Bush could get his side an extra 20 seconds of airtime.

And an electric LED sign behind the guy showing the dollar count climbing.

This is the perfect moment to dust off the PIE CHARTS that Perot used to use back in 1992. The public "got it" then, to the tune tha the could have won that election had it not been for him turning whacko (which I think he did on purpose, he never really intended to win, I think he wanted to shake things up)

Lets see, Bush made the worst foreign policy blunder in our nations history, democrats want to get our troops out of that death trap, the Iraqis do not want us there, the Saudis are probably financing the Sunni Insurgency, Iran is financing the Shia Militias, the Turks will invade Kurdistan if it tries for independence, the ruling Shia dominated government is in bed with the Shia death squads,foreign jihadists are pouring into the country because we never had enough troops to seal them, the infrastructure from Saddams neglect and our bombs is in ruins and will have to be totally rebuilt by the american taxpayer, so it can be blown up by insurgents some more, but we should stay and die some more for a country that will either be a Islamic Theocracy or a Military Dictatorship. Why would the dems want to retreat from such a rosy scenario? I am on the side of the 60% that want to get out. Its over and has been over for a long time, only the kool-aid drinkers think we can turn it around. Its gone and its never coming back. We have destroyed a people and a nation. Its shameful and wrong.

"We have destroyed a people and a nation. Its shameful and wrong."

The only thing shameful and wrong is your absolutely worthless traitor Democrats, who stabbed our country in the back for cheap political gain.

And there is no "we". You might occupy space in this country, but don't even think for a moment that I think of people who think like you as a fellow American.

What a nation they had. Uday, Qusay and whatever rape room demon spawn who would have succeeded them.

Hey, but when America gets attacked - Democrats attempt to destroy the President.

"John Lennon's 'Imagine' woulda been a more appropriate reference since it explains the Barabara's brand of Liberalism so well."

I think Strawberry Fields Forever is a very appropriate reference.

Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see

When speaking of John McCain's &%$%$#$#&%$# behavior, you CANNOT FORGET his John McCain ANTI-TORTURE bill!

There are so many issues with John McCain.

They are the ~gift~ that keeps on giving, like infestations of termites or something.

His donkey ears just keep on growing and growing and growing....

When speaking of John McCain's &%$%$#$#&%$# behavior, you CANNOT FORGET his John McCain ANTI-TORTURE bill!

There are so many issues with John McCain.

They are the ~gift~ that keeps on giving, like infestations of termites or something.

His donkey ears just keep on growing and growing and growing....

When speaking of John McCain's &%$%$#$#&%$# behavior, you CANNOT FORGET his John McCain ANTI-TORTURE bill!

There are so many issues with John McCain.

They are the ~gift~ that keeps on giving, like infestations of termites or something.

His donkey ears just keep on growing and growing and growing....

Heaven's! Sorry for the triple! I p romise I did NOT triple "POST" it. It didn't seem to go through and I went "BACK" to see what happened, and "REFRESHED".

Sorry guys!

No Donk. No quarter to the enemy. BZ.