John Adams

Thud. Between the Republicans trying to out-religious each other on social policies in the primary and birther crap, is it a wonder that I confidently predict Obama winning in a landslide? Magox is optimistic: He thinks that Mitt can win by bringing up the economy, jobs, and debt...but the Republicans cannot shape their debate to reflect those as priorities. Obama's strategy is loaded and ready--they are on message. The Republicans are all over the place and the more they get distracted by the social stuff, they more they turn off independents (like me). I hear Rick Santorum shaping the debate and it makes me wary of all the Republican candidates because they are willing to engage on those policies.

Pre Internet and cells, my wife of 16'years and I dated long distance for 4 years due to college choices. It sucked but it can be done. This distance was between 5-7 hours depending on the year. I guess we did have Internet. Had to convince her to get a Vax account to exchange emails. The compsci people did not get why an Econ student wanted a Vax account.

A teenage girl called. She wants her emoticons back.

Italy was dominant for most of the game but something the US has been weak at is defense in the past and the defense held up under a lot of pressure late. 82 years coming--the US is breaking through bit by bit. Nowhere near a top team yet but little victories like making the world cup, taking one from Italy, etc. show that it's only a matter of time. For us at home, I hope the MLS can get enough $ that we can keep a few more of our homegrown stars here in the next decade. 11 days to DOOP day.

But not every state thinks that way and that's my point. A third party candidate like Paul, who is in large part a Libertarian in the guise of a Republican, would have more pull if every state ran like Michigan.

And that's how the two party system thrives, which is fine if that's what you like. Some states have made the decision to give everyone a chance to vote in primaries and allocate the delegates between them. If every state was Michigan, there would be a much greater chance of a third party (or secondary major party) candidate making waves.

Open primaries are one way to sidestep the party process and give independents a voice in the primary.

Bwahahahaha. If Crayonz was funny, this is the kind of stuff he'd post.

I live right next to a small town with a downtown area not even half as big as Kenmore. Imagine my surprise when I turned the corner yesterday and ran into a single tent surrounded by homemade cardboard signs. "Occupy Jenkintown." Idiots.

I'll spare you the responsive litany comparing social stances but you can't possibly think that (a) Santorum could get all that done and (b) Santorum won't sell out on some of those issues since he has a track record of loving to spend. President Santorum would send the Democrats into such a stand still that he'd never be able to get ANYTHING done. Romney won't be able to get everything he wants to get done accomplished, but he can work with the left. Santorum never will, and thus won't get anything done. Right now, Obama is nicely gridlocked on most issues.

Setting aside the social issues, you still think Rick is a good candidate on the economy?

"I'm out to dress provactively" does not equate to "I am going to dress in a way that makes people's blood boil." I agree with all of the above. But if you exercise your right to free speech by setting up a protest at my child's funeral, I will punch you in the face. And I'll face the consequences however they fall. This guy set out to anger people and succeeded. Sometimes you get punched for that. To me, there's a far cry between getting punched for being a douche in search of trouble and being beaten, shot, hand-cuffed, etc. for being a douche.

To your first point: That's why I could live with Romney. I have some (not a lot) faith in his ability to steer us economically, and am guessing that his social conservatism is watered down enough that he won't do that much harm. Santorum on the other hand, is a complete zealot on social conservative issues--not just a guy with some beliefs--but an unabashed religious firebrand who admits to wanting to stamp the country in his image. I do not trust him with the reigns of power and even setting that aside, he's got a fair amount of baggage that I'm not sure I could trust what he espouses as his fiscal conservatism either. He was a friend to earmarks of all sorts. He contributed to the overspending problem as much as any senator. President Santorum gives me nightmares.

Zombie Jesus is a creation of the Department of Redundancy Department.

Here's the Kennedy speech: Santorum's reaction The choices are: Rick is dumb enough to think that Kennedy's 1960 speech was saying that religious people have no role in the public square... or Rick is a religious fanatic and thinks that everyone is out to get him because of it. Both is an acceptable answer, and my guess. Rick Santorum scares me more than Bush and Obama by 1000 fold.

Setting aside the stupid judge, if you set out to be an offensive jerkoff, succeed in being an offensive jerkoff, and get punched in the face for being what you set out to be, you got what was coming to you. Under the law, beating up offensive jerkoffs is not allowed but I'm OK with it.

Mechanicsburg. /thread

You guys like to beat on the class nerd or you like the troll beating on you.It's the only thing I can come up with for all of you. Either way, you lose.

Read some history. Just sayin.

To pull one of your lines, "I expect more from you." There is more to an election than plans and promises. See Barack Obama. Santorum's character, moral basis, and history as a Senator all matter. When I hear some guy railing about fighting the Evil Prince, it sounds pretty flipping unbalanced and calls into question whether I want such a guy to be president, given his penchant for expansion of government control. There's a guy who walks around Philadelphia with a bullhorn and he's covered with cardboard signs...maybe some of the things on the signs make sense. But largely, he's nuts. I won't vote for him. Or Santorum.

Where the hell did that list come from? Of those, only Woodrow Wilson was in academics before becoming president.

What I think most people believe (maybe I give most people too much credit, as you argue) in this case serves as no justification for my opinion that people who believe in a supernatural being that runs around plotting evil are not thinking rationally. It doesn't meant that they can't do good things in the world or be nice people, but something in them is not working rationally and electing someone who believes in that sort of thing and speaks publicly about how he's leading a mission against the "Evil Prince," well, it scares me. You're fine with it. We're just different on this point.

I don't know what she was saying and I'd have felt better if he whacked her back right after she hit him. But he kind of waited...after her blow clearly had no effect on him...then suckered her pretty solidly. Bit of a BS move, although I'd defend a cop's right to beat up just about anyone who's being a jerkoff and without translation, she certainly seemed to be well into jerkoff mode.

I don't know who's crazier: Her or you for researching her.

We have no firearms in the house but I have taken my 10 year old daughter to firearms safety and shooting. Seems like an important life skill to me.