my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

[Miroslav]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

just because all the other libefuckinrals who make over 250K want to drift towards socialism and wouldnt ask that kind of a question... gtfo and move to cuba/china/n.korea/etc

If Obama wants to turn this place into a North Korea, then why are Colin Powell and Warren Buffet - arguably one of the best utilizers of the competitive markets in the world - supporting him?

You know, it IS actually possible to have a dialogue in this country about defining and funding basic social needs without turning this place into a Communist country. It would be nice if the people on the right could at least substantively join the dialogue - whether they agree or disagree - instead of shutting their brains off at the mention of the scary word "socialism".

There are checks and balances and separations of powers in our system of government. Obama is not going to turn us into Cuba in four years. Ultimately, if the people don't like what he's doing, they can vote his ass out in four years and vote in your buddies to take us back to the extreme right.

Again, there is always "redistribution of wealth" going on. That's why we pay taxes. Your right-wing buddies have redistributed wealth not just from our pockets, but from our childrens' childrens' pockets on a scale not seen since the 1940s - look at the size of our deficit. Paying for those wars and for shoring up the busted economy (after another either years of sitting back and letting Wall Street become the Wild West) doesn't come for free.

"Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who pay them -- in roads and airports and hospitals and schools. And taxes are necessary for the common good, and there's nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is or who should be paying more, who should be paying less. For us to say that makes you a socialist, I think, is an unfortunate characterization that isn't accurate."

-- Colin Powell, former Republican Secretary of State and US Army General

[88Mariner]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

^ you forgot probably a BIGGER recommendation of Obama's foreign policy.

If you guessed Richard Lugar, you'd be correct.

[toasty]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

^ you forgot probably a BIGGER recommendation of Obama's foreign policy.

If you guessed Richard Lugar, you'd be correct.

did lugar endorse Obama? I knew they were friends and had worked on legislation before, but that's still pretty significant...

[88Mariner]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

not directly.

"Clearly, there is truth in the positions of both Senator McCain and Senator Obama. As Senator McCain suggests, there are times when diplomatic approaches to rogue regimes have little efficacy. No President should undertake discussions for the sake of appearances, and the President should be mindful of the legitimacy such talks might confer on particular leaders. But as Senator Obama has argued, isolating regimes, though sometimes necessary, rarely leads to a resolution of contentious issues. He correctly cautions against the implication that hostile nations must be dealt with almost exclusively through isolation or military force. In some cases, refusing to talk can even be dangerous.

Negotiations on some level are particularly necessary in circumstances where the nations in question are prone to miscalculation or misinterpretation of U.S. intentions. For example, I have advocated much more regular contact between the United States and the governments surrounding Iraq, including Iran and Syria, primarily because greater transparency is inherently useful in dealing with regional issues stemming from the Iraq war, including refugee flows, border security, and humanitarian efforts. North Korea offers another example where talks have had inherent value. This is because North Korean assumptions and analysis about the United States and much of the outside world are so frequently distorted and their tendency toward dangerous miscalculation is so pronounced, that efforts to provide the government with a less insular picture of our intentions are essential."

http://lugar.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=304306

like i said, not directly, but hmmm

[toasty]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

^^that lugar's a smart guy. Very realistic and pragmatic view on foreign relations, IMO...

[88Mariner]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

i see he and biden working together in the future.

maybe lee hamilton will hop on board, too.

[BabyMatty4Block]

Re: my last opinionated message after witnessing that debate first hand

^ you forgot probably a BIGGER recommendation of Obama's foreign policy.

If you guessed Richard Lugar, you'd be correct.

That is indeed HUGE