Recently in News/Politics/Society/Govt Category

People make me angry. Maybe I should say some people make me angry. VERY angry! But I'm not self-righteous enough to sit here thinking I am never guilty of the very same behavior which pisses me off in others -- I know I do. Believe me, I chastise myself, too. My daughter and I have an agreement that when one or both of us is complaining about something utterly stupid, shallow, superficial and/or greedy and are being completely short-sighted, we say, "You know, some people don't even HAVE 'fill in the blank'". We remind each other about how blessed we really are.

So what's got my panties in such a bunch right now? Well, people like Linda Bollea, who has the nerve to announce to the press, as if it's breaking news, that she wants her soon-to-be ex Hulk Hogan jailed because -- now get this -- he hasn't paid his share into the purchase of a 4.2 million dollar condo in Vegas! WTF??? There are people DYING in this country and losing everything they own due to floods, tornadoes and heat waves, and she's pissed because he hasn't kicked in his 2.1 million bucks! Oh no, what a freaking tragedy! NOT! There are men and women being killed in Iraq and families living on the streets right here in the good ol' USA, and SHE wants her condo! Well heaven forbid Linda shouldn't get her condo in frickin' Vegas! Stop the presses, people, this is BIG news! Hulk hasn't shelled out his promised amount of money to his skanky wife who is now dating a NINETEEN YEAR OLD! I say good on'ya, Hulk!

Linda, get over yourself already. We don't care!

Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, Linda Bollea

In Durango (here in Colorado), police are telling a liquor store owner to give shoplifters the boot, the shoe, and any other footwear he's acquired from shoplifters.

You see, Gabe Fidanque was tired of losing $1,000 worth of merchandise every month, so he started telling shoplifters he caught in the act of stealing from him that they had two choices: Give him one of their shoes or he'd call the police.

Well, a handful of them gave up a shoe. But Durango police have told Fidanque to stop the practice, or he could find himself facing felony robbery charges.

Felony robbery charges???? Yep, felony charges for taking footwear from the people who were blatantly stealing from HIM! Shoplifting, in contrast, is a misdemeanor. Now what kind of twisted logic is that? A person stealing from a hard-working, honest person is charged with a misdemeanor, while said hard-working, honest person is charged with a felony for making them leave their shoe! Unbelievable.

Authorities ordered Fidanque to return the shoes to their owners - if he can find them. He says his method of keeping shoplifters out was working, because people were too humiliated to return and ask for their shoe back. Frankly, I don't see the problem.

Durango, Colorado Law, Shoplifting

So there's been some really strange and tragic events happening in Austria lately. I don't know why it always kind of surprises me when brutal crimes occur somewhere other than the U.S., but it does. I suppose it's because brutality and tragedy fill our newspapers and airwaves on a daily basis, but we don't hear about the crimes in other countries unless they're extreme, just like the stories coming out of Austria.

For example, the man who killed 5 of his family members with an ax to spare them from financial ruin. Really? How bad is it that money has become so important that you'd rather see your family dead than poor? Wow ... I just can't imagine.

Then of course there's the the completely crazy man who held his own daughter captive in a cellar for 24 years and repeatedly raped her, resulting in the birth of 7 children! Now that guy is just plain old evil to the core! You should read all of the articles relating to this story. UN-believable!

And now, today, I read an article about the former Austrian kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch, saying she has purchased her captor's home. Her lawyer, Gerald Ganzger, says she became the owner of the house and yard in the quiet Vienna suburb of Strasshof earlier this year. She is not thought to live there, though. So my question is this: why would anyone who had been held captive for eight long years want to own the property on which they were held??? Is it that Stockholm Syndrome thing? Perhaps a sense of empowerment taking the house and land away from him? I don't know. I just think that I would never want to see that place again if it were I, let alone own it! What do you think?

Austria, Crimes in Austria, AustrianManHoldsDaughterCaptive

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't people who go to college -- especially a university like Tulane, one of the most highly regarded and selective independent research universities in the United States -- supposed to be at least moderately intelligent? Yeah, I thought so. So what's up with the incredibly stupid and irresponsible Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity???

Did you hear about what 10 frat bothers did? Here, read this:

Ten fraternity members at Tulane University face criminal charges in an alleged hazing incident in which pledges were repeatedly burned with hot water, cayenne pepper and vinegar, police said.

Two pledges were treated at a hospital for severe burns resulting from the April 25 incident at the Pi Kappa Alpha house, authorities said.

Seven students made their first appearance in court Wednesday and were released on their own recognizance, said Dalton Saywoir Jr., spokesman for the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office. It was unclear whether the three remaining students had been arrested or surrendered to police.

New Orleans attorney Frank D'Amico Jr., who represents one of the two pledges severely burned, said it happened at a "Hell Night" ritual involving the 10-member pledge class.

"What they were doing was burning the young men," he said. Fraternity brothers were said to have used boiling water containing pepper spray and a "crab boil" seasoning mixture containing cayenne pepper. The water was poured on the pledges' backs, he said.

"The ones who screamed first didn't get burned as badly," he said. But as the evening wore on and the water grew hotter and hotter, the ones who had not screamed were severely burned.

D'Amico said his client, who was attending Tulane on scholarship, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his back, chest, buttocks and genitals. He is "bandaged up," D'Amico said, and must have twice-daily burn treatments. The young man is unable to travel or take his exams and is attempting to negotiate with Tulane on postponing them, he said.

The young man is "obviously extremely traumatized," D'Amico said.

read more here

OK, here are my two questions: What kind of stupid do you have to be to LET someone do that to you, all in the name of joining a fraternity, and what kind of stupid do you have to be to actually feel alright about doing that to another human being?!?!

WHY in God's name would you let someone burn your genitals or any other part of your body?!?! The only way I'd let someone do that to me is if my family was going to die if I didn't! Who wants to "belong" so badly that they'd allow themselves to be injured and scarred for life??? I mean, come on!

And what kind of SICKO would think it was OK to burn the skin off of another person??? And actually think it was fun! Damn! It just leave me shaking my head in bewilderment. WTF?

Tulane University, Fraternities, Hazing

How ANYONE can vote for and support Hillary Clinton is beyond me! Can't you people see what a LIAR she is??? She's just like her husband that way! They're both as slimy and manipulative as they come! Take, for instance, the claim she made back in March that she and Chelsea deboarded a plane in Bosnia amid sniper fire. Yeah, AS IF! Gee, did she forget there were cameras ALL AROUND her filming it??? And then she said she simply misspoke? Yeah, right lady. Someone who can create gunfire out of flowers, literally, is doing MUCH more than misspeaking! She is constantly inflating her record and experience, and only tells the American people what they want to hear when they want to hear it.

And now I see that the early returns in Indiana have her leading. I just can't believe so many people actually believe her and want her leading our country. What a shame there are so many sheep here.

Hillary Clinton

Those of you who are horse enthusiasts will already be aware of the tragedy which occurred at the running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Those of you who simply love animals may not be aware of what happened, but your opinion definitely matters.

So this is what happened: Eight Belles, a filly owned by Larry Jones, finished second and then broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track. She was being ridden by jockey Gabriel Saez.

Now this is what has been happening in the aftermath:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has called for the suspension of Saez, and it faxed a letter Sunday to Kentucky's racing authority claiming the filly was "doubtlessly injured before the finish." The group says Saez should have pulled her up rather than finish.

PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said if Saez is found at fault, the group wants the second-place prize of $400,000 won by Eight Belles to be revoked.

"What we really want to know, did he feel anything along the way?" Guillermo said. "If he didn't then we can probably blame the fact that they're allowed to whip the horses mercilessly."

But Jones says Saez acted exactly as he should have. He says the jockey started whipping the horse to prevent her from running into the rail.

"I don't know how in the heck they can even come close to saying that," Jones told The Associated Press on Sunday. "She has her ears up, clearly galloping out."

Eight Belles, the first filly since 1999 to run in the Derby, appeared fine until collapsing while galloping out after the finish.

The letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority also sought a ban on whipping, limits on races and the age of racehorses, and a move to softer, artificial surfaces for all courses.

as reported by Sports Illustrated

Over at CNN they have a poll asking readers if they think the horse racing industry does enough to ensure the safety of the horses. So what do you think? Frankly, I'm not a regular spectator of horse races, but I have always abhorred the way the horses are whipped. The question, though, is did the jockey "feel" something give in the horse before it even crossed the finish line, and if so, why didn't he stop the horse. As you read, PETA asserts he would have had to. My feeling is that it was a horrible tragedy with the horse tripping and breaking her ankles, and there was probably nothing that could have been done to prevent it. Of course, what do I know? I'm just a gal who adores animals and never wants to see them mistreated. That said, I still think that whipping the horse should NOT be allowed, regardless. Seems to me that with an animal as intelligent as a horse, you could teach it to race without whipping it!

Now, what you think about all of this?

Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles, Race Horses

Do you remember back in November when I posted about Megan Bomgaars, the girl with Downs Syndrome who is a cheerleader at an Evergreen, Colorado, high school? Just to refresh your memory a bit, even though Megan sometimes has a hard time keeping up with the routines, her teammates wouldn't even consider the notion of not including her when they went to tournament. So at the Jeffco Spirit Invitational at Columbine High School last November, Megan was front and center. Midway through the Evergreen routine, when other cheerleaders lifted Megan to the top of their formation, the crowd exploded with loud applause. It must have been SO awesome! Yep, she and her teammates and coach made school and state history. I was so proud that they were representing Colorado in such a brilliant way!

Well guess what? Now they are going to be honored in the nation's capital!!

Megan and Coach Tammy Dufford will receive the "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

According to the NFHS, the award is given to those who "exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represents the core mission of education-based athletics." Isn't that awesome?!

Oh, and by the way, the team thrived in competitions last fall, taking third place at the Jeffco Spirit Invitational and winning the Small Varsity Division at a regional competition. The Evergreen Cheer Squad also received a statewide award for good sportsmanship from the Colorado High School Athletics Association (CHSAA).

A written release from the National Federation of State High School Associations praised the team for their example. "This is an exceptional story and one that embodies all that is good and right about high school sports," the statement read.

I'm so proud of them all and couldn't be more happy for Megan!

Evergreen High School Cheer Team, Megan Bomgaars

Did you see where Wesley Snipes was sentenced to 3 years in prison for three misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns? Yeah, that was the maximum requested by federal prosecutors.

Now, I have a problem with that. You know why? Because you can hurt a child in this country and walk away with probation or eighteen months in jail, but OMG, commit a crime which involves money and you'll get the book thrown at you! I see it happen time and time again, and it really makes me sick! Am I the only one who thinks the priorities here are more than a little skewed?? God forbid we should commit a crime against the almighty dollar! But yeah, get charged with simple assault or drive drunk and you'll be out in no time! Where's the logic? Where's the justice???

CNN, Wesley Snipes Sentenced, Justice

I am extremely, extremely passionate about the upcoming election. More so than I have ever been before. There are a lot of reasons why, but the three most overwhelming reasons are because I believe America is in trouble -- both here at home and in how we are viewed by other countries around the world, because I truly believe with all of my heart that Barack Obama is the answer to that trouble, and because I cannot stand, in any way shape or form, Hillary Clinton. She is a liar, a manipulator, and a waffler. She is more of the same, and the last thing we need in our White House is another Bush or Clinton! We need new blood and a fresh perspective. If you are a woman, PLEASE do not vote for her simply because she is one, too. That, quite frankly, would be completely asinine! Just ... really stupid. Someday we will absolutely have a woman as President, but now is not that time, and she is definitely NOT that woman! I urge you all to think long and hard about the upcoming election, and READ, READ, READ about Barack Obama and what he stands for. We FINALLY have a real chance here, folks, to put someone in the White House who stands for CHANGE, and the right kind! We can't keep on going the way we are, and putting another Clinton in office as President is NOT going to fix anything. Open your eyes, your ears, your heart; watch, read and listen, and you'll know as passionately as I that Barack Obama is the right person for the job -- our only shot at real change!

And please watch the following video. It is a very powerful song created by the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am from Obama's New Hampshire victory speech. If this doesn't inspire you, nothing will!

Thanks for listening. :)

VOTE OBAMA!!

Barack Obama, 2008 Presidential Election

Actor Heath Ledger was found dead this afternoon in a Manhattan apartment owned by actress Mary-Kate Olsen. He was found by the housekeeper and a masseuse with whom he had an appointment today. I'm just ... shocked ... and heartbroken. It's difficult to take in and process. It just seems so impossible. He was only 28 years old.

I've been "in lust" with Heath Ledger for years. He was a magnificent actor, with a face and voice that melted me every time. He could play both dramatic and comedic roles equally well, which is hard to do for an actor. It's just utterly tragic. His poor little girl. She's only 2 years old.

What an enormous loss.

*UPDATE* The NYPD has confirmed that he was NOT in Mary-Kate Olsen's apartment.

Heath Ledger

I hate to appear as if I'm beating a dead horse, but this just really gets under my skin. To what am I referring? The whole Mitt Romney saying Barack Obama shouldn't have admitted to smoking pot as a teenager thing. For the life of me, I can't see why that's a bad thing. Steve Pasierb, president of Partnership for a Drug-Free America, agrees:

Obama is right on the money. Pasierb says kids are not naive; they know people in high places have experimented with drugs.

"The key is to be honest and to put it the context of saying I did this and it was a dumb choice," Pasierb said. "Obama talked about how it wasn't the right thing to do. When he got serious about his life, he left it behind. If he were to lie, I think most kids would know."

Pasierb says the worst thing to do is feed kids a story they're not likely to believe. In other words, never tell them that you tried it, but didn't inhale.

"Most kids are going to see right through that and will ask themselves, 'How could you know if you didn't like it if you didn't inhale?'" Pasierb said. "Clearly not recognizing something when you did it is probably not the best course."

Pasierb says role models and parents should not be afraid to admit they did the deed.

"Really the truth works best. You owe your kids honesty," he said. "But you don't need to tell them every little detail. You don't have to give them blow by blow."

I couldn't agree more! Who would you respect more: someone who lies by ommission, or someone who tells the whole truth? As intelligent adults, and sometimes even more intelligent young people, we are all aware that no one is perfect. I want someone who will admit his faults and mistakes; someone who will own them and be willing to say yes, I did that, and it is something I deeply regret. I don't want someone who tries to brainwash me into thinking he was the perfect kid, teenager, young adult, and now man who wants to be president! Mitt Romeny, however, disagrees. He says Obama's remarks were too honest. Too honest?? What is that? Wow. I'll tell you what, if he thinks that was "too honest", then what is there about him he's hiding and will never disclose because it's "too honest"? Do we really want a president who thinks there is such a thing as being "too honest" when answering questions from the American people?

Hmmm. It sure makes me wonder. Especially now when I read that he is disputing a report that he categorically ruled out appointing a Muslim to a Cabinet position.

Mansoor Ijaz, an American born businessman of Islamic faith, writes in the Christian Science Monitor that at a recent campaign event Romney said assigning a Muslim to his Cabinet would not be "justified" based on their percentage of the population.

"Romney, whose Mormon faith has become the subject of heated debate in Republican caucuses, wants America to be blind to his religious beliefs and judge him on merit instead," Ijaz writes. "Yet he seems to accept excluding Muslims because of their religion, claiming they're too much of a minority for a post in high-level policymaking."

Campaigning in Massachusettes, Romeny denied making such a blanket statement. He said:

“His question was did I need to have a Muslim in my Cabinet to be able to confront radical jihad and would it be important to have a Muslim in my Cabinet,” said Romney, “and I said, 'No I don't think you need to have a Muslim in the Cabinet to take on radical jihad any more than during the second world war we needed to have a Japanese American to help us understand the threat that was coming from Japan.

Well, that sounds bad enough as is, but is it really the whole truth? Or did he leave part of it out or change it so as not to appear "too honest"? Maybe he whitewashed that a little bit so we wouldn't be offended by his wholly truthful answer. I guess we'll never really know with him ..... will we. (you know, if he doesn't think he needs a Muslim in his Cabinet because it is a minority religion in America, then perhaps he shouldn't be our preisdent, since Mormons are a minority religion, too)

Oh, and by the way, I have a little quiz for you which I find quite relevant at the moment:

Question: It is time to elect a new world leader, and your vote counts.
Here are the facts about the three leading candidates:

Candidate A: Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.

Candidate B: He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whisky every evening.

Candidate C: He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn't had any extramarital affairs.

Which of these candidates would be your choice? Decide before reading any further.

Police have identified the little girl known as "Baby Grace", whose body washed ashore in a box last month near Galveston, Texas, and have arrested her mother and stepfather. Authorities believe she is actually 2 year old Riley Ann Sawyers who, according to her grandmother, Cheryl Sawyers, has been missing since June.

According to CNN.com:

The child's mother, Kimberly Dawn Trenor, 19, and a man identified as her boyfriend, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, 24, were arrested Saturday on charges of injuring a child and tampering with physical evidence, the sheriff's department said.

The couple lives in Spring, Texas, a Houston suburb about 75 miles north of Galveston.

Their bonds were set at $350,000 each.

The arrests followed searches conducted Saturday after a November 7 tip, the sheriff's department said.

What I want to know is why are they not charging those two monsters with murder??? At the very least it should be child abuse resulting in death! What's with the "injuring a child" crap? She was a lot more than just injured! Maybe they're waiting for all the other evidence, including DNA evidence, to be confirmed before adding more charges. I'm thinking perhaps they used those far-too-lenient charges as a way to place them in custody. I hope those two get what they deserve -- and it ain't just life in prison!

Baby Grace, Baby Grace Identified

Well, at least that's how it came across when, in response to Barack Obama's truthful answer to a questioner about ever having smoked pot, he said:

"I agree with the sentiment that nobody's perfect and most of us, if not all of us, in our youthful years have engaged in various indiscretions we wouldn't want to have paraded in the front of a newspaper. On the other hand if we're running for president, I think it's important for us not to go into details about the weaknesses and our own failings as young people for the concern that we open kids thinking that it's ok for them."

Are you kidding me? So, Mitt, I guess if you're ever asked a question such as the one asked of Obama, you're going to lie? You're going to say you never did anything unseemly as a kid? Riiiight. That's neither believable nor respectable.

At least Barack Obama isn't afraid of the truth:

Earlier this week in New Hampshire Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke candidly about his past experimentation with drugs and alcohol in high school, and on Saturday—after a question on medicinal marijuana—Obama was prodded a bit further and asked whether or not he had ever inhaled.

"I did," the senator from Illinois said to light applause. "It's not something I'm proud of. It was a mistake as a young man."

The question was a reference to a line made famous by former President Bill Clinton who, while admitting to trying marijuana, said he did not inhale.

"I never understood that line," Obama continued. "The point was to inhale. That was the point."

Mitt Romeny remarked that Obama's truthful confession set a bad example for our nation's young people. What planet does he live on!? If anything, the truth always lends credibility to ones perceived character. It's as if Romney thinks the rest of us -- including our young people -- don't have our own skeletons. No, most of us would not want to admit them in an open forum, but when one is running for public office, it comes with the territory. Hence the term PUBLIC office. If you're going to lie about things as inconsequential as smoking pot when you were a clueless teenager, then what else are you going to lie about? Hmmm?

You're not a teenager anymore, Mitt. Get a clue!

Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Politics, Smoking Pot

Thank God I live in America! Have you been reading about the poor woman in Saudi Arabia who was raped? It's just unbelievable to me. It simply seems unthinkable to me that in the 21st century a woman can still be punished and considered a criminal for meeting a man alone. Two hundred lashes??!! And six months in prison? Are you freaking kidding me? Can you imagine being required by law to be accompanied by your "guardian" wherever you go? My heart goes out to all those women. Yes, I know they know nothing else, and they have no frame of reference -- other than what they read, if they're allowed to read -- for how they are required to live their lives, but still .... I can't help but feel so sorry for them.

Maybe all the media this story is getting and the condemnation the Saudi government is receiving from around the world will help change the way they do things there. Do you think it will?

Saudi Arabia, Islamic Law, Women in Arabia

The New York Times is reporting today that two teams of scientists have turned human skin cells into what appear to be embryonic stem cells without having to make or destroy an embryo — a feat that could quell the ethical debate troubling the field.

According to the article:

All they had to do, the scientists said, was add four genes. The genes reprogrammed the chromosomes of the skin cells, making the cells into blank slates that should be able to turn into any of the 220 cell types of the human body, be it heart, brain, blood or bone. Until now, the only way to get such human universal cells was to pluck them from a human embryo several days after fertilization, destroying the embryo in the process.

The reprogrammed skin cells may yet prove to have subtle differences from embryonic stem cells that come directly from human embryos, and the new method includes potentially risky steps, like introducing a cancer gene. But stem cell researchers say they are confident that it will not take long to perfect the method and that today’s drawbacks will prove to be temporary.

Researchers and ethicists not involved in the findings say the work should reshape the stem cell field. At some time in the near future, they said, today’s debate over whether it is morally acceptable to create and destroy human embryos to obtain stem cells should be moot.

This is amazing news! Can you believe the pro and con argument over stem cell research could possibly be over? Do you realize what this means?

The two independent teams, from Japan and Wisconsin, note that their method also creates stem cells that genetically match the donor without having to resort to the controversial step of cloning. If stem cells are used to make replacement cells and tissues for patients, it would be invaluable to have genetically matched cells because they would not be rejected by the immune system. Even more important, scientists say, is that genetically matched cells from patients will enable them to study complex diseases, like Alzheimer’s, in the lab.

Until now, the only way to get embryonic stem cells that genetically matched an individual would be to create embryos that were clones of that person and extract their stem cells. Just last week, scientists in Oregon reported that they did this with monkeys, but the prospect of doing such experiments in humans has been ethically fraught.

But with the new method, human cloning for stem cell research, like the creation of human embryos to extract stem cells, may be unnecessary.

In my opinion, this is a miraculous breakthrough! With Thanksgiving just two days away, I can honestly say that I am truly and genuinely thankful for the scientific minds who endlessly study and do research in order to make our lives better and healthier! I believe that this breakthrough in stem cell research will ultimately lead to a cure for Alzheimer's and other devastating diseases. It's definitely a day to jump up and down and say hallelujah!

You should go read the entire article. It's fascinating!

New York Times, Stem Cell Research, New Stem Cell Method

Did any of you watch the Democratic debate the other night? I did. In fact, Hubs and my daughter watched with me. Yes, my 15 year old daughter watched the debate -- voluntarily. LOL Not too many kids her age realize the importance of politics and knowing the people who want to "work for us". When I asked her why she wanted to watch the debate, she told me it was because she'll be 18 in less than three years and able to vote, so she better have an understanding of what she'll be doing. Is she cool or what? :)

Anyway, getting back to the debate itself, it was very, very interesting. The people with whom I was most impressed were Barack Obama, Dennis Kucinich (very impressed with him, especially when he called for the impeachment of Bush!), Bill Richardson and Joe Biden. There's just something about John Edwards I don't like, even though I can't put my finger on it yet, and of course Hillary is as dishonest as the day is long. Her husband was "Slick Willie" and she is quickly becoming "Slick Wilma". Her performance (and I use that word literally) was ridiculous in the debate a week prior to Las Vegas, followed by the announcement of the college student who came forth with the information that she was spoon-fed a question for Hillary at one of her open forums. Soon afterward a man stepped forward and had the same story to tell. Aside from that being highly deceptive, doesn't it completely destroy the whole idea behind an open forum? And then to hear her staffers' explanation as to why that happened, well, it was absolutely mind-blowing! The aide who did it was dyslexic??? WTH?? She was supposed to prepare Hillary with the answers, but because she is dyslexic she gave the questions to audience members instead??? Do they think we're all idiots??!! They couldn't come up with a better cover than that?? Who do YOU think the idiots are?!

Someday a woman WILL be president of this country, but Hillary is NOT that woman! I implore all women NOT to vote for her simply because she is a woman. That would be such a horrible mistake! Her being a woman is no more a reason to cast your vote for her as is casting one for Barack Obama because he's African American, or for Bill Richardson because he's Latino. Ones ethnicity or gender is NOT what makes a good president! As much as I absolutely do NOT want another Republican in the office of President, I will have no choice but to vote Republican if Hillary is representing the Democratic ticket. Of course, if Ron Paul were the Republican on the ballot, I would race to the polls to vote for him! HE is the person for the job! Without a doubt!

PLEASE take a long, hard look at ALL the candidates before you cast your vote next year. We still have plenty of time in which to do so. There are a few candidates, whom I named earlier in this post, who would be very good for the job.

Now, in closing I want to talk about something I consider to be of the utmost importance. Out of ALL the candidates, both Democrat and Republican, there are only FOUR people who did not vote Yes in support of the invasion of Iraq in 2002. They are Barack Obama, Dennis Kicinich, Mike Gravel and Ron Paul. To the rest of them I would say this: Until you can show the American people you truly are as deeply appreciative as you say you are of the men and women who went to Iraq to do your bidding, and swiftly take a stand to completely overhaul the VA's 62-year-old disability ratings system, which is now causing countless American servicemen and women to have to FIGHT for benefits when they return home -- like Ty Ziegel -- because medical advances in the battlefield have outpaced the home front, then don't even try to convince me or anyone else in this country how much you support our troops! It is UNCONSCIONABLE what these brave men and women are having to come home to. No American soldier should EVER have to fight for their rightful benefits after serving our country and leaving parts of their bodies in Iraq! Nor should they not be readily compensated for the horrible mental and emotional anguish their time in Iraq has caused them. Please, read Ty's story linked above. You'll be shocked and angered. MAKE THE CANDIDATES WHO VOTED FOR THIS HORRENDOUS WAR ANSWER FOR IT -- AND CHANGE IT!

Las Vegas Democratic Debate, Democratic Candidates, VA Benefits, War