WARNING: This may offend (vent)

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

I will vote for who I feel will protect the U.S. and it's citizens from another 9/11. Of the two major parties there is only one clear choice. I spent two long weeks at the Trade Center site shortly after September 11th and will never forget the sick smell and destruction. Having to clean cremated remains off of your shoes daily when leaving Ground Zero tells it all. Sorry if I offended anyone who lost a friend or loved one at either of the three murder scenes. It was not my intention, believe me. Oh, I'm not ashamed to say I voted Bush both times.

I'd rather have had a president that protected us from 9/11.

Everyone has seen that the politician's signs are coming out, big flashy billboards hover overhead with a gigantic head shot of your favorite local yocal running for office again. Next to gigantic head shot is most likely some form of Donkey or Elephant immediately labeling themselves as a member of a party. Like this tells me everything I need to know about the candidate. So do fun words like "Experience, Leadership, Responsibility." I would like to see someone run an honest campaign and print a sign that says"I am in your tax bracket" or "Constant Bickering, Politics and Bribery" At least the last one would be an honest ad.

About preventing 9-11:

After High School when I worked for UPS, it was the supervisors responsibiity to "assault" us. An "assault" was when they would purposely put a box on the conveyer going into our trailer that was not meant to go into that trailer to make sure we were doing our jobs and double checking the labels as we were loading (making sure the sorters hadn't made a mistake) How did ALL of the terrorists get past security? If I had been working security that day, I'd be so depressed I'd probably kill myself. Didn't these people ever get "assaulted" by auditors or something?

The government has known about terrorism for many years. In the mid 90's when I was in the Marines the government put out a warning video on terrorism, warning us that it was comming and a big city like New York would probably be the target.

[cactusjack]

I don't want to stray far from the topic at hand, but there were all kinds of warning signs something was brewing in preparation for 9/11. Most of these warnings, and some were quite obvious like the Arabs taking flight lessons, were swept under the rug and ignored.

[ridemslow]

Dammit, Just go vote! Vote your heart, your consience, but vote. And if your man gets in, then celebrate with those who want the same thing you want. As for me, I will be voting for McCain, but he is not my first choice for the GOP side, as I think either Rmoney or Thompson woulda been better. IMHO. However I wish to add that if O'bamma gets the presidency, we are all in deep doo-doo! Unlike his wife who is "proud to be an American" for the first time in her life, I am truly scared for what is about to happen to the country I love. You will have a Democratic lopside in power.. and with the fools already in there, we don't stand the chance of a snowball in hell.

[trip]

Kudos to all you guys posting in this thread. At least all of you are keeping your heads cool. I fugured when this thread started I'd have to get Kawgirl to kill it fairly soon....but you guys have surprised me.

Way to go.

[ponch]

I agree about Thompson and Romney. Romney was on Fox News last night after the debate and listening to him was like listening to Albert Einstein after hearing Stymie and Lennie Small debate. They made the wrong choice. Things have tightened up, but unless there is a Bradley moment, welcome to socialism.

Originally Posted by ridemslow

Dammit, Just go vote! Vote your heart, your consience, but vote. And if your man gets in, then celebrate with those who want the same thing you want. As for me, I will be voting for McCain, but he is not my first choice for the GOP side, as I think either Rmoney or Thompson woulda been better. IMHO. However I wish to add that if O'bamma gets the presidency, we are all in deep doo-doo! Unlike his wife who is "proud to be an American" for the first time in her life, I am truly scared for what is about to happen to the country I love. You will have a Democratic lopside in power.. and with the fools already in there, we don't stand the chance of a snowball in hell.

[Cajunrider]

I'll agree that I wouldn't vote for Bush again if he was allowed to run. We had an opportunity to build bigger and stronger levees to protect our coastline and citizens from big storm surges. The bill passed the house and senate then was vetoed by W. That really angered me even though the veto was over ridden. Billions upon billions have been spent to rebuild Iraq but a couple of billion was too much for the government to spend to protect over 1 million of its citizens. The biggest reason for 9/11 IMO was Bush's 8 year predecesor who had Bin Laden in his sights and let him go. Oliver North tried to tell them for years but they wouldn't listen. Clinton had a set of balls only for reasons other than protecting the USA. They almost and should have gotten him impeached and sent to prison for lying under oath. I couldn't have gotten by with that and neither could an independent or republican president.

[unwind2]

Joe the Plumber For President!

[schoeney]

I am glad we can all talk about politics without getting punished by our government or getting radical with each other. I appreciate all the sacrificed lives that have allowed us this privilege.

I am going to vote for the candidate I trust the most....because without trust it does not matter where they stand on the issues. Just like an employer you want employees you can trust to look out for your best interest when nobody is watching...not just looking out for themselves or their party. I don't want to worry about my President's motivations.

Here are my issues in order of importance 1. Trust 2. Defense/Foreign Policy 3. Economy (although the President does not impact this as much as Congress) 4.Energy

I should throw in in all of these topics that our government should be smaller, simpler, more cost efficient and we need to get away from expecting our government to do everything for us...it gets to the point by trying to do everything they end up getting less done and many times it is so compromised it is not done correctly.

Kind of like the old jack of all trades and master of none. This problem won't get solved in this election, not even in my lifetime.

It is also time we expect more from ourselves. Our forefathers are turning over in their graves. We have it so much easier than the generations ahead of us.


It would be interesting to hear what our UK brothers think of their system...voting in an entire party.

Can you imagine the outrage from the American public had Clinton or Bush tried to implement the security procedures now in effect at our airports ? The public would have been outraged. The need for safety is constantly balanced against convenience. Americans do not like to be inconvenienced one bit.
Just another something the president has to be concerned about.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by meanstreak031

Can you imagine the outrage from the American public had Clinton or Bush tried to implement the security procedures now in effect at our airports ? The public would have been outraged. The need for safety is constantly balanced against convenience. Americans do not like to be inconvenienced one bit.
Just another something the president has to be concerned about.

I am outraged about the security BS now. As with any government program, they have taken it to the extreme confiscating knitting needles and tweezers from old ladies. Frankly, since the terror seems to be confined to one or two specific ethnic groups, they should all be frisked or strip-searched at the airport. I couldn't care less if it's considered racial profiling. If they don't like it, don't fly - take Greyhound or rent a car.

I have no problem with increased airport security. I want airports to be secure, but use some common sense about it.

I don't think stopping 12 Arabs with KNIVES was too much to ask for. Now we've come full circle and we're taking peoples toothpate and shampoo - THERE MIGHT BE A BOMB IN THERE!

[bobzinger]

Originally Posted by formikec

In the last 2 elections I have voted to vote against someone or something, rather than voting for a candidate. I guess I'll have to make it three elections in a row, now. I don't like any of the candidates (so I'll vote against rather than for someone). Call it voting for the best of all evils.

Amen!

[dantama]

Originally Posted by wolfman

I don't think stopping 12 Arabs with KNIVES was too much to ask for. Now we've come full circle and we're taking peoples toothpaste and shampoo - THERE MIGHT BE A BOMB IN THERE!

I agree Wolfman and Cactus, I went to the local court house yesterday (still fighting a ticket :) ) and had to put my helmet, jacket, keys, change, and phone into a bin. Then I had to take my belt all the way off and walk through a metal detector. Then I had to stand with my arms out and get the wand treatment, face the other way and get it again. Then I had to pull my pants up over my boots so he could look in my boots. Then I could get dressed again and go about my business.

It struck me that the court house was put there by "we the people" to serve our needs. The people in it were hired and paid by us to serve us. I asked on the way out if employees have do it, and they don't.

They are their to serve us, but we are herded like cattle and treated like terrorist before they will serve us. If you look at postal shootings, it seems we have more to fear from government employees, than they need to fear us. But we strip off our belts etc, and they walk on in.

I think it's gone overboard. Take us back 20 years and you could make a drab black and white film of what the poor citizens in communist countries have to do before they could approach their government, standing in lines, getting searched, taking off articles of clothing, and we'd think it was too bad that they have it so bad over there.

We would have had a hard time picturing that we would put up with the same thing just to walk into the local court house.

[Cajunrider]

Don't forget the shoe bomber. He almost succeeded in his quest to drop another plane.