Texsox

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 10:12 AM) I understand why you and many people put the economy as a top priority but when it all comes down to being able to actually "live" comfortably in the future I can't stress how much more important the environment is to me. I'm always thinking worst case scenario so my vision of the future is quite bleak. I'm picturing an arid wasteland with scarce crops...another dust bowl, if you will. Water and air quality much worse than today's. Couple that with overpopulation and what kind of a world could that be? The economy at that point would be irrelevant. Just my 2 cents. Sqwert, Perhaps my age gives me a perspective that is much more optimistic. Take a look at standards in the 60s when rivers caught on fire and much of the drinking water was in peril, and today and you will see how well we have done. I don't see us returning to even 1960's levels. Just my .02 and I would encourage everyone to stay vigilant and be concerned.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 09:34 AM) So as the Hsu scandal grows by the day, instead of giving back just the $23,000 given directly by Hsu, Hillary thinks it is a good idea to give back the near $1 million that was bundled by this guy. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070911/D8RIVR8G0.html Simple formula* Number of Votes gained without HSU's $850,000 is > or = to the Number of Votes gained with Hsu's $850,000 *From my newly created Center For Bi-Partisan Cynicism

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 09:57 AM) I do agree that the government should have an official language to conduct business in. I really think that the extra costs associated with all of the people necesary to add just a single language's worth of materials shouldn't have to be borne by the rest of the country. You don't have to speak English, but in order to conduct business with the government you should be able to. You are free to not learn English, but as in anything there are consequences for your actions. Excellent post. Here is a practical example and perhaps something the English Only will tolerate. Down here most of the population is bi-lingual. Especially the people who grew up here. If the customer (Post Office, City Hall, Congressman's Office, DMV) is standing there and more comfortable in Spanish or French, and the taxpayer supported employee speaks Spanish or French, why prohibit them from speaking in that language?

I don't think a poll is necessary for this. Too tough to pick three and too many issues.

Environment Immigration Federal Budget Undecided, still sorting out candidates with an open mind. Issue by issue I disagree with both parties. Briefly Environment. Dems will preserve it, but not let me use. GOP will let me use it, but not preserve it. Immigration. No one is tying immigration to jobs. No one is talking about our food supply and national security. Federal Budget. I use to respect both parties. GOP fought to contain costs and not spend more then was received. The Dems would be tax *and* spend. Now we have the worst of both words. Both parties want to spend spend spend and believe we have to borrow billions of dollars to make our economy work. You requested three, this isn't a hierarchy and there are other issues I am also concerned about and would use to evaluate a candidate. Iraq, Homeland Security, Personal freedoms and rights, etc.

Not worth the debate. I think government should serve the citizens, not vice versa. If we have the resources to serve the citizens, I think we should.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 09:47 AM) Both. Most of the people in the field make me sick to my stomach. I agree, (with the edit).

^^^^^ ^^^^^ The only downside is we have benefited by having borders with strong allies. But I agree 100% with your direction. As noted spending $ to immigrate a field laborer probably is not cost effective, but nonetheless a worthy project. Kind of like Trade not Aid. But using the Darfur example, do you think they would not steal a SS number to be here?

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 09:38 AM) He's certainly no champion of conservative values that's for sure. If he wins the nomination then I'll hold my nose and vote for him over ANY Democrat but I don't think he will win.......primarily because I don't think he can mobilize the religious right with his record. Is that based on looking at the current Democrat field, or just an overall dislike of Dems? I think Dems hurt themselves as being much more willing to vote for Reps than Reps for Dems. Not certain why that is.

"Stand on their own" is a really tough standard. Defining that is next to impossible. It could be debated that in some neighborhoods in any major city, the police are not standing on their own. I don't want to just cut and run, but I believe we are defining standing on their own as when the government of "our choosing" is firmly in control. We really do not want a freely elected government, we want our guys in charge. And I would not necessarily disagree after the loses we suffered. So when we say "stand on their own" we should all understand that means "our people". Making that even tougher.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 09:24 AM) Im not a moralist by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't think having a bad time with marriage(s) ( lots of people do ) and lewd public conduct are even on the same planet. fixed, and I believe a rather important distinction. Three wives and a mistress. I am putting them on the same "Family Values" planet.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 09:16 AM) Trolling for sex in a mens room? That doesn't sound like behavior consistent with a party that champions family values does it? No. So does Rudy G.'s marrriage record make him not a real Republican?

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 03:16 AM) A Lee/Rock fight would be far more entertaining than anything either of those clowns do with their 'music'. Let's bring back celebrity boxing!

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 02:54 AM) Without having done a lot of looking over of the candidates, I like Fred Thompson the most of the bunch. The rest of the field are too unknown or have too much baggage. I may change my tune later but as of now, Thompson is my guy. You know he really wasn't a prosecutor in New York

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 08:50 AM) Please note that I said it SHOULD be, not that it was. Move along. So tell me, how does a candidate speaking Spanish, or a tourist being able to get a Visa in their native tongue, harm you?

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 08:54 AM) Tex, I weeded bean fields 2 summers while in high school. I know it is tough work. And itchy, at least with the damn beans. That doesn't make it ok that people are breaking the law while others just pretend it doesn't happen. And the replies concerning 'new' people are for ILLEGAL new people. Farm industry need workers? Fine. Fix the damn guest worker program. I have said that here, and so have many others. But stop coming here ILLEGALLY. I agree. But deporting the ones already here and closing businesses, like farmers, may cause bigger problems then they solve. And the rhetoric that comes out of some of the anti-immigrant mouths says just that.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 02:58 AM) I have no sympathy at all for farmers who rely on illegal immigrant labor. If they put being a legitimate business and paying a decent wage over their own profits then they would have no need for illegal immigrant labor. $20 per hour isn't decent? I'm more concerned about American's being able to feed ourselves and not doubling our produce bills. Talk about inflation. People were concerned when gas went to three dollars, at least we could conserve, drive less, etc. And perhaps this would be a good thing when we have to cut down on food. I know farmers, it is probably about the worse business to own. How much new ladn do you see being plowed into farm fields versus how many homes are being built on farmland? We are already importing way too much of our food. Alpha, Read some of the replies concerning millions of *new* people crossing the borders. Read some of the replies talking about putting Americans to work. Here is a perfect opportunity. Come on down and work a month or two and make some great money. Just pointing out that some people think this is way to simplistic. Food and shelter is pretty damn important to most Americans. Who do you know is willing to spend 10-12 hours a day, in the fields, picking fruits and vegetables? And this is after the farming industry was forced to offer such extravaganzas like bathrooms and hand washing in the fields.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 11, 2007 -> 03:32 AM) This clown just needs to quit right this second so a real Republican can have the proper time to campaign for and win the seat. What a disgrace. Why do you say he isn't a "real Republican"?

Defeat Nuke? No WMD No Evil Dictator Mission Accomplished! Victory is ours!

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Sep 8, 2007 -> 02:14 PM) HGH was not always illegal. In fact, I remember various types of HGH being advertised on late night radio during the 21st century. This is not news...he used a substance that was perfectly legal in baseball and when it was banned he stopped receiving the shipment. Big deal. Thats really not much different than a player using an aluminum bat in college and than using a wood bat in the pro's (since you can't use aluminum in the pro ranks). Glaus' situation is news...Ankiels I could give a darn about. Than again I also could really give a hoot if guys are using or not. Bottom line, I love the game of baseball and the only reason I hope guys aren't juicing is because its bad for them. Sure it could taint records, but the main thing is I don't like people using a substance that is bad for them. Do you mean legal as in it wasn't specifically banned in the MLB rules book? Or as a legal dietary supplement, or available as a prescription?

Good money, please encourage your kids to miss some school and pick some crops. We need to show the farmers that there is enough legal labor out there. Let's get the Minutemen to comedown for a few weeks and pick crops, they had time to protest.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 10, 2007 -> 10:42 PM) No, but is should be unamerican to do government business in any language other than english. That includes printing of ballots. I don't believe that a debate is government business. How about sign language? Braille?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ And Microsoft a distant third, but the easiest and the most features.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 10, 2007 -> 09:45 PM) Why should they be speaking in spanish for a debate at all? Our elections are not held in mexico. If a person is able to LEGALLY vote here in this country, shouldn't they have enough grasp of the English language toat least follow a soundbyte debate? And if they can't understand english, why the hell are they voting and how did they become eligible to do so? They became eligible to vote by passing a test that most Americans can't pass. They studied and worked, and earned their citizenship. What did you do to be eligible to vote? Born here? Wow, you really earned it. Even if you are bi-lingual you will be more comfortable in one language or another. If you are selling to that person, speaking in their native tongue will set you a step ahead of the other salesperson. Duh. But OMG it is un-American to speak more than one language. God spoke on English and by golly we should too.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 10, 2007 -> 05:15 PM) Just so we are clear, are you discounting ALL blogs, or just the ones from embeded reporters actually over in Iraq? Blogs in general. Nothing specific to this blog.