Guard Dog

Yep. Until we all assimilate into a bio-mechanical hive mind different folks will have different opinions on what the government should be doing and they'll send congress critters to DC that reflect that. And that will mean gridlock. It's a good thing actually, a beautiful thing. It's the democratic process in action. Republican democracy; the worst form of government around... except for all the others.

That would have to be a hell of a challenge. If I had a kid I had to home school where would I even start? My own education was heavily centered on math and physics obviously but I could not even begin to imagine teaching long division to a kid who could not even conceptualize what I'm doing. And don't even get me started on humanities, social studies, literature, music and all the other things a kid needs for a well rounded education that I know nothing about. Like I said where would they even start.

Can beat them easier at home.. Shhhh don't call it that. You're motivating them. Yeah, that's it, motivating.

Not to nitpick but the CEO serves at the pleasure of the board. If they don't like the outcome of his actions they can remove him/her. Congress does not appoint a president and cannot remove a president un less he/she actually commits a crime. The CEO and board of directors have esentially the same resposibility. Congress has a set of responsibilities and powers and the President has a different set. You don't want a congress that thinks it can do the president's job and you definitely don't want the reverse. That often toxic and often non-functioning legislature is actually fulfilling the role they are elected to do. I know when I voted in 2010, 2012, & 2014 I conciously voted for candidates who promised to go to Wahsington and stop the President. Not work with him. A lot of folks look at gridlocked govenment as an accident or a bad thing. It is something your fellow citizens walkind into a voting booth and voted for. By hoping and asking for a "strong man" president that will usurp the power of congress what you are really asking for is an autocrat that ignores the will of the people. Just a different way to think about it. The way to fix it is not to empower the president or weaken the congress. The way to fix it is to convince the voters to vote differently. Not nullify their votes by other means.

Your wife is a teacher too? I didn't know that. That means your kids have no excuse for getting bad grades!

No I'd have to disagree with you on that count. Obama has used executive orders to modify a law passed by congress and signed by him two years after the fact. The President's job is to enforce the laws passed by congress, not edit them. Or choose not to enforce them as he has done with illegal immigration. You don't want to live in a country where a single leader gets to do whatever the f--k he wants.

What is the record for the longest thread we've ever had?

That's a fair point. I don't think anyone here would argue the Afghanistan intervention was needed. But every one since was a bad idea. Congress could have stopped every one of them it's worth mentioning. You all know where I stand on US foreign policy and of of these 5 candidates the only two who favor a more reserved, less interventionist attitude are two who probably won't win. From a FP perspective do you think there will be a bit of difference in the actions of a Clinton, Cruz, or Kasich State Dept? I don't think there will be. So again, what does it matter?

That truly sucks Gfted1. My deepest sympathies. I know exactly how it feels.

The truth is this: Who wins the Presidential election is not a thing that should have a great deal of impact on the lives of everyday Americans and it should have little to no impact on the lives of citizens of other countries. Frankly I am continually amazed that it gets as much interest as it does from the folks on this board who live outside the US. The Executive branch is just one leg of the three leg stool that is the US government. Who controls Congress is actually more important than who is in the White House. At least it used to be. Barack Obama, in defiance of history has had a profound impact on me personally. But for him the ACA would never have existed and if it hadn't I would not have lost a very high paying job at a major wireless carrier six years ago. Of course I also made some investments based on how people were reacting to his Presidency and to say that worked out well would be an understatement. So as far as I'm concerned he & I are even. But he has done something else. He has damaged the country in a small but significant way. By usurping power from the legislative branch to the executive and being allowed to get away with it because his"team" was in control of Congress at the time he has upset the balance between the branches of government. It is a small thing that may never amount to anything or it may lead to the ultimate destruction of our form of government. We'll have to see. But assuming things go back to normal with a new, less ideologically driven President in 2016, whomever wins at the end of their term any changes that happen will be small. Is the country radically different now than when GWB left office in 2009? I'd say not really. The only change a President can really affect (if they don't abuse their power as I could argue Obama has done) is to change the direction the country is going in slightly. And the successor of any President can change that direction again... slightly. But slight changes make a big difference in the perspective of 15-20 years down the line. That's why we can't really say Obama was a bad President, or that GWB was. We are only now getting a good idea of what kind of President Bill Clinton was. The point I'm trying to make is don't worry about who wins in November. It won't make a big difference if the Congress is willing to find it's backbone and do it's job. If they don't... that's a problem. Most of the things these five clowns are promising to do, they can't do. It upsets me more Americans don't realize that.

It was posted in the funny things thread. http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/83235-the-funny-things-thread/?p=1786710 That would have been embarassing if I had "liked" that then forgotten about it!

What I really want for myself is a life free from drama or difficult decisions. I'd like the hardest descision I face every day to be which K-Cup to make in the morning. I want life to be simple, uncomplicated. Stress free. I've had a lot of stress in my life. I'd like very much to be done with that for the remainder of my laps around the sun. But outside forces are conspiring against those goals and past decisions and attachments and personal business that never seems to be concluded get in the way.

Bruce why do you get so worked up about this? He's just a guy trying to win an election and is just saying whatever stupid thing comes to his mind. He can't actually DO any of it in the extrememly unlikely even he even gets elected. Besides current polling suggests Trump getting nominated helps Hillary so you really should be applauding him. Don't worry about it.

Well, that joke may be old but I don't remember ever hearing it so it's new to me. And funny as hell!

Yeah, I can believe this. Most Americans are far too critical of the election system...it seems to work fine most of the time? Prior to obama we had 4 of the worst presidents in history who together managed to remove almost all of the restriction passed in the great depression. We went in to some of our worst wars in history topped only by 1812 and maybe vietnam. You think Bush, Clinton, Bush and Reagan 4 of the worst? My friend they don't even rank in the bottom 10. Well, with GWB it's way too soon to tell. With Barry O still in office it's way, way too soon to tell. The judgement of how effective a President was has nothing what-so-ever to do with how an objective individual liked his politics. And it is something that really can't be reckoned until years have passed after they have left office so they time period and decisions made are put into context. It takes a long time to know what the outcome of a policy decision or bill passed and signed into law will be. Reagan and Clinton will be remembered as two of our most effective leaders. Probably in the upper third, but definitely in the upper half. Bush I will probably not be remembered kindly.

That's it... this thread is over, TN wins! No one is topping this!

Oh I have faith in the elction system. I just have no faith in the elected.

This sounds great KP. You have taken the first step to getting my vote: You have admitted we have a problem and identified what the problem is. Now you need to explain to me what YOU think made the US the greatest nation and what you'd do to bring that back. THEN I'll vote for you. I'd say the same thing to Trump if he were around too.

He has said repeatedly he has no interest but he also said he wanted no part of being Speaker of the House... and look where is is. This is starting to sound a little like Julius Ceaser. Mark Anthony (the RNC) has twice offered Cesaer (Ryan) the crown and he refused. Brutus & Cassiss (Cruz & Trump) begin plotting to murder him on the Senate floor (the Republican Convention) to stop his ambitions. It just writes itself!

I have alwys suspected that is one of those things that sounds better than it really is.

It goes by the moon. I didn't know that.

Actually you can read The Three Hermits right here for free! http://www.online-literature.com/tolstoy/2896/

One thing I've never understood; how the heck do they determine when Easter occurs? The Last Supper was the Passover supper and it's not for 3 more days. Easter is the day Christ rose but it often falls before the supper the night before the Crucifixion. Yeah, yeah I realize there is a lot of Roman spring celebration bred into this with the rabbit and all. But the Roman empire is long gone and I've always wondered why Easter and Passover are not tied together now because they are... well tied together. Actually I have a lot of the same questions about Passover. It jumps around like a flea on a hot brick too. As far as the previous posts from my respected board colleagues concerning experiences with organized practice of religion, I have somewhat complicated views on that. And it is something I've spent many hours thinking about. There is an old short story written by Leo Tolstoy called The Three Hermits. If you ever get a chance to read it. Not only is it a beautiful story it also wraps up everything I have come to believe about church in a nutshell. So happy Easter everyone. And if you don't believe in God that's OK. Because no matter what God believes in YOU!

Ewww