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ORIGINAL: Smith117

Nice dodge to you as well. I answered yours. Now you answer mine.

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Tell you what Thadius, when you get all the republicans to own up to their lies and deceitful tactics and promise never to do them again (and mean it) then we can talk about the democrats, k?

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I have personally never seen a more honest, and open candidate for the presidency that has so moved me to actually vote, as is the case with future President Obama

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ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

Guys-  the GOP has very little to do with the piece. I numbers, when factoring statistics are flawed.

THAT is the point.   At the least there is confusion in the process, more then that- something "political" has happened.  

Based on the fundamentals of statistical theory.     Re-read the piece if you are confused.

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ORIGINAL: Smith117

Thadiua' re-read the post you quoted when you claimed I dodged your question.

Then answer mine.

Then try and stay on topic. Jumping from topic to topic is a very bad debate strategy.

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ORIGINAL: Thadius

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ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

Guys-  the GOP has very little to do with the piece. I numbers, when factoring statistics are flawed.

THAT is the point.   At the least there is confusion in the process, more then that- something "political" has happened.  

Based on the fundamentals of statistical theory.     Re-read the piece if you are confused.

I agree with what you are stating.  It is much like some of the petitions that had 90% or more of a given precint signing for one candidate, and in some cases over 100%.  This doesn't surprise me, especially when a politician from Chicago is involved.

There are probably going to be lots of statistcal anomalies this go round.  I posted one that seems to be pretty consistant with the last couple of elections though. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=10 this is the newest electoral map based on averages of national and local polling data.

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ORIGINAL: Smith117

Your opinion of fraud and mine are different then. I think conservatives deliberately telling their people to caucus for a candidate they have no intention of voting for us fraud, it's cowardly and it is a chickenshit move.
I have personally never seen a more honest, and open candidate for the presidency that has so moved me to actually vote, as is the case with future President Obama.

President is not "king." He's going to have support and advice from people who've been at that game for decades.

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ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

I agree - being from Chicago certainly....  historically Chicago has always been overly creative in election-eering. You could almost blame 2000 on it, Cook County per the butterfly punch ballot.  It IS confusing.

Interesting link, sadly PA will likely lose some electoral college votes in the 2010 cencus.

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ORIGINAL: Sanity

First I'm labelled a troll, now you're trying to suggest that I'm insane...

Why is it that  so many on your side of the aisle have to so quickly resort to petty personal attacks. Do the facts not serve you well?

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ORIGINAL: Smith117
Sanity, you are entertaining. I'll give you that. I especially love the irony of your name.
Cheers.

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ORIGINAL: Smith117

Oh, and about your comment about celebrity not being an issue - you're damned right it's not. So why then would the right spend money making a commercial raising it as one?

You said let's talk issues. That's all I feel the candidates should do. The right, evidently, disagrees as shown by their choice of ad campaign.

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ORIGINAL: popeye1250
Smith, what did he say that "moved" you so?

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ORIGINAL: mastervalentine

Neither candidate is suited to the job. I refuse to vote.

And no, it doesn't negate my right to bitch about the next administration. Not that I'm really going to bother by that point. They'll either have proven me right, or I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Having said that, I have little faith in anyone over sixty running this country. Not for age and health considerations though once one passes seventy I would put it into consideration, but for the generation they grew up in. I wouldn't count on them to understand what people really want in their lives, and would consider most policies they write to be arrogant meddling.

I think the rules on who may run for presidency need to change. If you can send me off to die in a foreign country I have no problem with for a reason you made up, I should be able to run for the office myself. Let them speak of my youth and inexperience, for the chance to run, I could accept that I may look a bit foolish from time to time. Most people who are observed for more than an hour tend to do just that. 

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ORIGINAL: Thadius

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ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

I agree - being from Chicago certainly....  historically Chicago has always been overly creative in election-eering. You could almost blame 2000 on it, Cook County per the butterfly punch ballot.  It IS confusing.

Interesting link, sadly PA will likely lose some electoral college votes in the 2010 cencus.

As long as I have been voting the butterfly ballots were used in my precints, although there were still a couple that had the old lever type voting machines.

I worked the 2004 election as a judge, it was in one of the smaller precints of a Cook County suburb, but it opened my eyes.  Most folks forget how the city got the nickname "The Windy City", it has to do with the politicians.

Don't forget to Vote early, Vote often.  You can go back even further, take a look at the race that JFK won, take a look at what pushed him over the top of a race that was "too close to call" especially in Illinois.

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ORIGINAL: mastervalentine

Neither candidate is suited to the job. I refuse to vote.

And no, it doesn't negate my right to bitch about the next administration. Not that I'm really going to bother by that point. They'll either have proven me right, or I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Having said that, I have little faith in anyone over sixty running this country. Not for age and health considerations though once one passes seventy I would put it into consideration, but for the generation they grew up in. I wouldn't count on them to understand what people really want in their lives, and would consider most policies they write to be arrogant meddling.

I think the rules on who may run for presidency need to change. If you can send me off to die in a foreign country I have no problem with for a reason you made up, I should be able to run for the office myself. Let them speak of my youth and inexperience, for the chance to run, I could accept that I may look a bit foolish from time to time. Most people who are observed for more than an hour tend to do just that. 

If I were to run today, I'd have this to say;

1; Regarding individual freedoms and rights - I would fight tooth and nail to remove the "patriot act" as well as all other laws allowing illegal search in the name of "protecting the people" Benjamin Franklin was on to something when he said "Those who would trade a little freedom for a little security deserve neither and will lose both." I have no intention of letting that kind of behavior continue. I am however, in favor of a well equipped and trained police force. I am in favor of gun registration laws though I don't think for a second they'll do anything to the illegal arms in this country. I am in favor of -realistic- security measures on mass transit. Quit patting down the six year old, you aren't a priest. (Sorry, too soon?)

2; Regarding taxes - I am not in favor of tax cuts in general as most of the currency is used for public works and services. I am in favor of a flat tax for citizens, and a flat tax for corporations. A percentage tax that needs no brackets. If we took 10% from everyone, regardless of wether you made 10,000 or 100,000,000,000 not only would the taxes be a fair and balanced method for everyone, but we would likely generate more money for public works. Add that to 15% of the profit from corporations (If you did not make a profit, or have ended up in the red this year, it means you don't pay. If you make a profit of even a dollar, we're taking fifteen cents of it. End of discussion.)

I am also STRONGLY opposed to wasteful government spending. I would not approve of a 50 million dollar study to find out why sweet onions are sweet. I would not approve ten million to -research- mass transit needs in a city when that money did not also go to fixing the problems. I would approve a hundred million to cancer research provided it was actual research and not marketing. The roads need to be fixed, our young could use some better books and equipment. I would love to devote money to our national parks. And it's awfully hard to balance a budget and take care of social security and a national health care coverage when I'm throwing money out the window, isn't it?

3; Stop meddling in foreign affairs - Am I saying we should withdraw all of our troops and leave a dangerous hole where a governing body used to be? By no means, but I am saying we need to get results, immediately, and then STOP fucking with other people's way of life. If they want the euro over the dollar for oil, so be it, it's our own fault for inflating the value of our currency like we have.We have only ourselves to blame.

I think this country would be a lot better off if we focused on fixing our own problems before we try and "Save the world". Threats against the world should be dealt with on a global measure... North Korea, I'm looking at your nice little statement about the world seeing nuclear disaster if we interfere with your nuclear program.... but if the rest of the world says "let them fight" I say "Fine with me. Let me go spend some of the money I was going to use making bombs and rockets to build houses, hospitals and schools for those in need."

4; On the topic of a national health care plan - I am strongly in favor of free health care for all legal US citizens. I am in favor of putting aside hundreds of billions of dollars to provide the citizens with everything they need. Dental, medical, optical, Emergency services, and surgeries.

I am also in favor of doing away with medical insurance companies, and the way they treat their customers.
I am in favor of doing away with the "deny first" policy of disability services.
I am in favor of doing away with six months of paperwork in an effort to starve the people out.

Since when did it take six doctors all saying the same thing for someone to be approved? Why does the government force them to appeal it, yet again?

5; Balance the %^#*ing budget! No, really;  

With all the money we'd be pulling in with a no BS tax system that could be handled by a hundred clerks with minimal mathematical skill, one that could be mostly automated to begin with,  and a drastic culling of wasteful government spending... we could revitalize public works, emergency services, public education, and the housing market. We could bring our troops home once in a while and give our citizens the health care they deserve. We could provide some actual security, rather than this "big brother is watching" illusion of security that is really more a way of keeping the grumbling citizens quiet than anything else. And something tells me we'd still have some money left over to take care of our debts.

What I'd give to be fourteen years older.

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ORIGINAL: Sanity

Declare yourself winner, declare yourself pope, it all means about the same thing, mike.

Have fun.