lost highway

You don't redistribute wealth. You use resource (more of which sits at the top) to distribute services and opportunities. I don't take from Mr. Million and give everybody a dime. Mr. Million just has to take a little hit on his paycheck like everyone else, only it's bigger because he makes a little more than everyone else. This money makes sure that as a country we are in good health (which is good for the economy), it makes sure that those who do not see an equal playing field are given programs and opportunities to be educated and work, instead of dirt poor and disenfranchised. This low

(you're borderline genius for that one)

You will not see a negative effect unless you earn more than 1/4 mill a year. I believe everyone who works full time feels that they work hard. Some people make a lot more and they are taxed proportionately less. The government doesn't simply give money to other people. It uses it to do all the important things you are already aware of: run libraries, schools, hospitals, build roads, the post office, all those pretty tanks etc ad infinitum. The governments job is very much so to run programs funded by tax dollars. Our government is partially socialist. Obama is not really a socialist

Sometimes for the sake of argument I find it helpful to exaggerate. Kind of find some parameters..... so far she's not as bad as Mussolini. Maybe more Margaret Thatcher after a head injury.

I don't find much ethical dilemma in responding publicly to a politician. Palin is not a celebrity who needs privacy, she is someone putting herself out into the world, and all of her craptastic opinions on how it is to be run. As a citizen of a democratic country I applaud Philadelphia Flier fans for booing her corrupt, polar bear shooting, fundamentalist, unintelligent ass. If you feel bad for her kids then you should shame her for using them as a verbal shield and failing. She should have known the possibility of getting a cold reception in Philadelphia, and I assume her kids were prepa

That's great. You really should. It is the second language of our country whether whitey admits it or not. I see not knowing Spanish being as big a setback as an Austrian not knowing French, or a German not knowing English. Buen suerte. Tough town, tough town.

Georgia Democrat and Civil Rights Activist just slammed the McCain campaign for stoking the fires of hatred. McCain begged Obama to repudiate the claims, as they were exaggerated and unfair. Obama did half as much saying that comparisons to segregationist governor George Wallace were inaccurate, but that accusing him of 'paling around with terrorists' was reckless and divisive. Check in any decent news site, and you'll get the whole story. Another small nail in the coffin of the McCain campaign.

If you see footage of the rallies, McCain has lost control of his mob. There's this disenfranchised group of conservative, white, working-class fanatics that are picking up torches. I actually felt a little warmth for McCain when he served out his "Obama does this and that" line and before the whole crowd erupts someone yells "Kill him!". McCain makes this face that says "Okaaaay.... that's a bit muuuuch."

Yeah Hell Is Chrome could be a candidate for my 100 best songs ever list. Seriously, ever.

The older I get the more I can feel, in the place of belief, palpably feel that people who are threatened by, or feel the downfall of their community is caused by racial minorities, homosexuals or even illegal immigrants are suffering from an acute psychological disorder. It is no surprise this country has seen so many people act on these opinions in disgusting and violent ways, they are suffering from fully formed, paranoid, neuroses. Whenever I hear that kind of hate speech it makes me see clearly the failures, frustrations, and shortcomings of the person making it, and their blame-shifti

Isn't Monday on Being There? Come on, even if I actually liked AM I could see that it stands out like a soar thumb. The smooth adult radio rock production "I must be high to say goodbye, by by bye". You can like it or hate it, but it's not like most Wilco. Which brings me to a sub-topic: Least favorite production style on a Wilco album (not songs, just sounds). I gotta say A.M. and Summerteeth.

I like "On and On" but I can see how someone finds rhyming 'die' with 'cry' is a bit trite.

1. A.M. the album. 2. Can't Stand It 3. Sleep Now My Darling (or whatever it is called) 4. I'm the Man Who Loves You (live) give it a couple years off and it will be fun again)) 5. Walken

There is a strong chance that in about a month every one of these bozos is going to have to confront the fact that someone they view as 'biologically inferior' or some other asinine nonsense is in charge of their country. I wonder how much that can do to get these yokels to flex their heads. It's gotta be worth something.

High five!

There was most definitely a time not long ago when if you praised the idea of regulating the markets people called you backwards. Like the rhetoric involving health care many knee jerks believed that any government regulation or oversight was the next step to fascism. I loved hearing Daniel Shore recall the savings and loan crisis and the heroics of FDR realizing that regulation was essential to the picture. Sometimes more than others. Bill Clinton was not into regulation. I think, perhaps, that was one of many reasons for the temporary boom in the economy. Bill Clinton was obviously a

It might be fun. I expect mediocrity. I think Stone has made some comments about the film being a study of the greater phenomenon that is Bush's life and how such a bumbler was the right personality at the right time. It could be really interesting. Stone has launched quite a few stinkers though.

Polls are lookin nasty for Grandpa Caligula:

If the worst he can do is be terribly mediocre, this country will still be taking a step in the right direction.

Wow, I just watched the misquote video. Palin is a nut. Her use of the quote in the context of her speech is to essentially damn any woman who votes against her to hell. It's not exactly what she's saying, but it's the essence of her condemnation. If you need to feel better about this kind of thing just check out the latest polls here http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

Ohhhhh Face! (edit: in reference to Albright's comments. Not Analogman's link)

Nader strikes me as someone who is best suited for advocacy. I also think he would do grand things for accelerating green innovations, but I don't know if he's a go to guy in terms of foreign policy. I did however, vote for him in my first presidential election (2000). Still don't know how to feel about that choice, but I had my reasons.

This type of fear has always struck me as being out of touch with some of the basic dynamics of human psychology in realtion to power. I find people to be too competitive to create a cohesive unit of people powerful enough to commit such a conspiracy. Look at the multi-national entity that is the EU. They have already benefited from banding together, yet they have historical and contemporary differences that would never allow the entire content to morph into one state. And that's not even a conspiracy. The requirements for doing something so huge and keeping it secret are much higher.

I saw a blog that said she was wearing an ear-piece for radioing info..... a little voice in her ear. They showed a screen shot of her right ear and it looked like something was in there, but you couldn't see very well. I wouldn't be surprised. It would be great if that was outed by the mainstream media, if it were true of course.

This calls up an interesting question I have discussed at length with friends and lovers: What is the cut-off for middle class? I have taken a hip shot at between 40,000 and 120,000 a year but I don't know why I like those numbers. Probably because I see my parents as middle class and they each had a salary in the lower half of that range. I have only really hit the work force full time for the past half-a-decade and most years, my tax return indicates I am below the poverty line. Which is odd, because without children and paying cheap rent, I live comfortably enough. This can be a roug