Caption, please -
 

You know, you had a hard time with your Buchanans in 1992.

Democrats survived its Kennedy affliction from the 1980s, and prospered (relatively speaking) for years thereafter.

Boxer may or may not be the "face" of the Democratic party now. Frankly, I think you could argue that the differences between California's two senators and their approach to the Rice nomination that so affected you reflects the difference that the party is trying to sort out now.

You seem to prefer to look at the snapshot and conclude that not only that this is Boxer's ugly day in the sun, but also to draw long-term lessons from it. I prefer to think that it's not a snapshot, it's a movie.

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Disenfranchisement in Fla. 2000? Already done-
Voting irregularities in Ohio 2004? Check.
Bush lied- poeple died? Done.

What next?

Cation, please
 

OK, I know I'm stretching, but its early. How about:

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com...ary_aus118.jpg

Cheney's Coat Stopped the Vote!

aV

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This should have been sorted out after the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections. The answer is right in front of them, but they refuse to see it because they can't believe that the country does not believe in their ideology.

I'm not saying they have to move hard to the middle, but they do have to marginalize the 30% of the party that wants to pull the to the left. Clinton understood this. Hillary understands this.

Is it too late to get in on this action? I bet you $250 (in 2012 dollars) that the GOP presidential nominee in 2012 does not get 30% of the vote.

I want in on this easy win, myself. Position-wise, Blacks are so conservative on gay marriage, abortion, immigration, etc. But polls have shown them this way for 10 years and there still aren't many (any?) socially conservative positions/votes among the Congr. Black Caucus.

Cation, please
 

I'm not usually in the position of defending Dick Cheney. But, the man has a bad heart. Cold can literally kill. I don't know if he was wearing the parka in order to avoid angina, or because he's a callous, self-centered prick, but I'll at least allow for the possibility.

Cation, please
 

i refuse to believe that he has a heart. even one two sizes too small.

aV

Cation, please
 

Knowing what you know about the subject, if he did wear the parka due to the condition of his heart, would this tell you anything about the current seriousness of his health? Would someone with his heart condition "generally" dress with such caution, or does this indicate to you a more serious problem then is generally perceived?

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145825,00.html

Polls Close in Historic Iraqi Elections

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The polls in Iraq have closed, ending the country's first open elections in more than 50 years and setting a course for what U.S. officials hope will be a long democratic future.

All around the country, Iraqis defied threats of violence and cast their votes. An initial estimate of turnout from the Independent Electoral Commission indicated that 72 percent of eligible Iraqi voters had turned out to cast their ballots.

72%? Hell Ty, what'll it be once it's ready for democracy?

Cation, please
 

It would tell me that there is a significant amount of damage to the heart muscle. But that's pretty obvious from the fact that he's had multiple heart attacks and surgeries. It would not necessarily be an indication of a worsening or imminent condition, though. I get chest pains when it gets too cold and I'm as healthy as a.....

Well, you know what I mean.

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

Oh. And what are the NYT's headlines on the day 72% of Iraquis voted?

"Several Explosions Heard Across Baghdad" and "The Vote, and Democracy Itself, Leave Anxious Iraquis Divided" Maybe it was published before any estimates, but geez.

This from a Republican? Have you looked at your fringe recently?

Yes.


And religiousity at the Bush/Ashcroft/Keyes/Delay level is certainly less common than that. But at least you don't let them make policy.

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

Fox news just broke in to football coverage and says 60%, which still isn't too bad.

But I like how the President waited until the full football audience was tuned in to take over the airwaves. The downside for him is that all of Philadelphia now wants him dead.

eta: I am clearly totally out of it.

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

They wanted him dead before.

I loved Kerry's Meet The Press reaction to the vote. No big deal. Not even legitimate since so few people could actually vote. He disputes the figures of turnout. Says the world is far less safe now.

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

Question:

Are the reported figures reflecting 60-72% of the RV, or the EV? Huge difference. In any event, a good thing that must reflect massive turnouts in Shia and Kurdish areas. I'll be interested to see the statistics from the Sunni Arab regions.

S_A_M

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

I am interested in the Sunni numbers as well, but the most heartening story I heard today was that a suicide bomb went off at a polling place, killing four, but the Iraqis there still stayed in line to vote. Brought a tear to my eye.

Whatever Happened to Deny, Deny, Deny?
 

• THE son of the United Nations secretary-general has admitted he was involved in negotiations to sell millions of barrels of Iraqi oil under the auspices of Saddam Hussein.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...462576,00.html

For Those of You Who Don't Understand that Europe Has Lost is Moral Bearings
 

Ty- better get some new bloggers
 

The WSJ is reporting 60% of registered voters.

Question for the libertarians
 

OK, so if prostitution should be legal, and people who aren't willing to take available jobs should be denied unemployment benefits, is this right (cross-post of a post by Hank on FB)? Or is this not an issue b/c there shouldn't be any unemployment benefits at all?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai.../30/wgerm30.xml

'If you don't take a job as a prostitute, we can stop your benefits'

A 25-year-old waitress who turned down a job providing "sexual services'' at a brothel in Berlin faces possible cuts to her unemployment benefit under laws introduced this year.

Prostitution was legalised in Germany just over two years ago and brothel owners – who must pay tax and employee health insurance – were granted access to official databases of jobseekers.

The waitress, an unemployed information technology professional, had said that she was willing to work in a bar at night and had worked in a cafe.

She received a letter from the job centre telling her that an employer was interested in her "profile'' and that she should ring them. Only on doing so did the woman, who has not been identified for legal reasons, realise that she was calling a brothel.

Under Germany's welfare reforms, any woman under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take an available job – including in the sex industry – or lose her unemployment benefit. Last month German unemployment rose for the 11th consecutive month to 4.5 million, taking the number out of work to its highest since reunification in 1990.

Question for the libertarians
 

The latter. The apparently distasteful coercion is created by the state's offering of unemployment benefits with conditions. I blame that. But if you legalize prostitution, why isn't it like any other potentially unattractive job--couldn't one make the same argument if one were "forced" to be the sewer de-mucker for example?

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Geez, bilmore, it was a JOKE. The Friday evening post time and the fact that there is no such thing as Canadian light sweet crude should have tipped you off.

"Faith-based" means what the Administration does that derives from its predominant Christian culture. I won't pretend to speak for you or anyone else in interpreting the importance of that culture to Administration policy, or the direction of the R party. We're all smart boys and girls.

Interestingly, while you're the self-proclaimed atheist, I'm pretty well known in my church. Go figure.

Question for the libertarians
 

I dunno. It seems a little more icky. Fucking, let alone blowing, an old stinky unshowered man is way grosser than cleaning a sewer in appropriate protective clothing. And I have a friend who cleaned septic tanks in state parks one summer -- and was very very pissed off and descriptive about the whole experience, so short of actually having done anything like that, I'm aware of the ickiness.

Hey! What if a 16-y-o takes the prostitution job for lack of anything better and gets pregnant? Abortion w/o parental notification OK? Note this only just occurred to me; I wasn't going here when I originally posted this morning.

Question for the libertarians
 

I wonder how many workers comp policies carry a preg exclusion? Would it qualify for the existing "frolic" exclusion if she came?

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It was, like, the eighth post about the supposed horrid New Crusaders that had taken over the R's. I was getting testy. Sorry.

Question for the libertarians
 

That's charming! Wow, next time you are in town, will you fuck me?

Question for the libertarians
 

Thank you, no.

Question for the libertarians
 

I think I can promise I won't come . . .

Question for the libertarians
 

I believe its cum

Question for the libertarians
 

I am not a fan of that spelling, particularly for the verb form. Bilmore does not appear to be either.

Question for the libertarians
 

So what you're saying is you should modify the unemployment law.

But, hey, seems to me that the general rule of "if you can do something that society values, you must" as part of a social welfare system is a reasonable one. Besides, how hard is it to fail your entry exam for being a hooker?

Question for the libertarians
 

Happily it's not an issue for me as prostitution is illegal in my state (is that outable??).

So if the only employment you could find was blowing dirty (in the sweaty, urine and come/come-encrusted sense, not in the mental sense) old men, you'd do it?

Question for the libertarians
 

I think the libertarian purity is preserved, because you can always not accept the unemployment comp.

Question for the libertarians
 

Have you told the Doctor about this fantasy?

Question for the libertarians
 

Well, duh, if you are required to take any available job, and you don't take the blowing crusty old men job, it's not a question of "accepting" the unemployment comp -- you won't get it anyway. So I guess you can feel better in your poverty/life of crime because you are "pure."

Question for the libertarians
 

Why do you equate "poverty" with "life of crme"? I grew up in comparative poverty, as did many of my friends. I never mugged or shot or raped anyone.