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    marye
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    Here and there in the forums people are expressing their enthusiasm for particular candidates in the upcoming U.S. elections, while others are saying Enough Already, We Don't Want To Hear About It. So, this is the right place to discuss your favorites (or non-favorites) and other matters relevant to the campaign. If you're not into it, skip this topic! And as for all you non-U.S. residents, if you want a similar topic for what's going on in your part of the world, speak up and I'll start it. Thanks!

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  • SwickLogan
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    :)
    Very interesting set of viewpoints... I am not sure who I am voting for (Michigan primary 1-15-08), but I am sure not voting for Hillary Clinton. I have been told that I am not listening to her viewpoint OR she is a woman, Are you afraid of her becoming President? The answer to both are no, I am listening and that is why she will not get my vote. She has made many promises and kept zero. She has changed her mind at the last minute on multiple topics, never to apologize, only to abondon the folks she strung along. I am not hear to bash her, there are enough web pages to do that... I just wanted to add my 2 cents - btw... I love that about the Dead community - I can say what I want and will always be considered part of the 'family'. In response to jobs moving overseas… I think that this is actually a good thing, BUT we need to educate ourselves for the new wave of high tech jobs coming our way. A good book on the matter is The World Is Flat (Friedman). In response to enabling the poor… Give a man a fish and after he eats half, he will throw the other half away. Teach a man to fish and after he eats half a fish, he will remember the effort involved with ‘earning’ the fish and figure out a way to preserve it for later… Me Everyone needs help sometimes... I remember a friend once told me that they had been on tour for some time and had run out of money - They went to the Spaghetti truck guy (GD Parking lot - show unknown) after not eating for a few days and asked him if he could spare a plate for them to share - The guy hooked them up with all that they could eat. I know that this does not go along with my adage above, but I thought it was a good story. I may vote for CCj, but maybe for Mike Lookinland. He is Bobby Brady from the Brady Buch TV Show. I met him at a show (Buffalo 199x, I think)... Although, I did not beleive him when he told me who he was. Then I was watching a show (Where are they now) about kid actors from the day, when there he was on TV and said that he had followed the Dead for some time following his acting career. So Mike may get my vote - If nothing more than an apology for not beleiving you. I beleive you now!
  • hackster
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    Ron Paul.and, here's an
    Ron Paul. and, here's an interesting take on the ol' quote- "It is not the person who votes that counts, it is the person who counts the vote." (supposedlyattributed to Jos. Stalin)... HOW TO HACK AN LHS VOTE MACHINE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiiaBqwqkXs =================== moc.swencigolyzzuf.www ===================
  • Hal R
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    Nice thoughtful and not discussions here
    I like the mix of the serious analysis and the zany on this topic here. I have a lot (too much probably) to say on both levels but not tonight. I just took an amazing tour of the only distillery in the State of Washington and along with others asked a ton of questions after we sampled the gin and vodka. Very tasty. Just opened this fall. Called Dry Fly Distilling. Time to smile and listen to some Grateful Dead. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake
  • Mr. Pid
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    No, empower the poor
    Provide them with the tools to improve their own lives, and a meaningful reason to use them. Enable their ability to participate and remove incentives to fail. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not interested in blaming the economically challenged for their condition, and I'm certainly not here as an apologist for the likes of Cheney and his Hallliburton pals. As far as I'm concerned, they really ought to be strung up by their thumbs. And Ken Lay got off easy dying before he spent a day in prison. I was hoping he'd live to be 100 in someplace more live Leavenworth than Allenwood. He would have made the perfect poster boy for why you don't screw people over. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that for me it's about personal freedom through individual empowerment and personal responsibility. Corporations, in and of themselves can actually do nothing. They require managers to make them act, and those managers, unlike the corporations, are actual living, breathing people who do need to be personally taken to task when they behave badly. Just like welfare cheats. I am certainly not a fan of the amount of spending undertaken by the US government, and the portion of that spending on all things military is without question excessively disproportionate to the need. Transforming assets into things you intend to destroy makes little economic sense to begin with. I'm familiar with Ike's speech, and concur wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, given the current state of thinking among some of the occupants of the world, a certain amount of military spending is going to be unavoidable. On rare occasions, there are even socially worthwhile side effects to that spending. This medium that we're using to communicate with was once called the arpanet, named for the agency that funded its creation, along with far more nefarious things like laser guided bombs and ICBMs. There's good and bad in everything. I never meant to imply that social service and support systems should be dismantled, but I do think that it's reasonable to see if we can't find ways to make them work more effectively so that we all get more of a bang for our collective buck, and that those of us who are currently disenfranchised are less likely to remain so. Conversation is always more interesting than recitation, so speak your mind and not someone else's.
  • Golden Road
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    Poll Madness
    I love the "soft support" line... "All energy flows according to the whims of the Great Magnet. What a fool I was to defy him."
  • c_c
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    hmmm
    does Bill secretly hate Hillary? whatever. but I think he LOVES the idea of a longer Clinton legacy in the White House more than anything, that and the fact that she would make history by being the first woman. If Hillary is the rock, Monica was in a hard place. ( -; ok, I will not start with the cigar jokes. but back on OUR topic, I would like to ask gypsysoul to be my 'Co-President' in the formerly known as the White House; future Tie Dye House. no VICES here. ( -: peace.
  • jerry_garcia71
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    Endorsements
    John Kerry endorsed Obama over his 2004 running mate Edwards..... Didn't Bill & Hillary Clinton endorse Kerry in 2004? I think Bill secretly despises Hillary and the Democrats will politely start to distance themselves from Hillary and side with Barack. Poor Bill is between a rock and a hard place. Also nice to see my union, the SEIU is stepping up to the plate as well as the Culinary Workers Union to endorse Obama.
  • Golden Road
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    Here! Here!
    (GR stands and applauds) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower#Post-presidency On January 17, 1961, Eisenhower gave his final televised Address to the Nation from the Oval Office.[22] In his farewell speech to the nation, Eisenhower raised the issue of the Cold War and role of the U.S. armed forces. He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." This from a 5 star General that became President of the United States. Wow... "All energy flows according to the whims of the Great Magnet. What a fool I was to defy him."
  • cosmicbadger
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    Kill the poor?
    Any system will be exploited by some people; cheating on welfare, fiddling tax returns, stealing pension funds, breaking into concerts without tickets! That does not necessarily mean that the system should be scrapped or is necessarily wrong. The problem we have is that making any system perfect costs too much in terms of cash and loss of individual freedom. But it’s always the poor who get the blame! If you are worried about your tax dollars being misused then why not look at what you are paying to sustain the industrial-military complex that runs our societies! I would suggest that for every dollar misappropriated by the poor, a thousand are stolen from you by the rich. But since everyone wants to be rich and successful, the sins of the wealthy are forgiven quicker than those of the poor! Back to the jokes I think.
  • Mr. Pid
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    Giving vs. Investing
    I think another way of assessing Steve-O's frustration goes like this: Social systems that help people up to self-sufficiency are good and worthwhile investments that benefit everyone. Social systems that keep people down by enabling dependence are bad investments that ultimately benefit no one. There needs to be an element of personal incentive left in these programs, so that they can provide a path to help people get on track, but not provide enough to keep them on track in and of themselves. Oh, and Barbara? You got $1500 AND you got to go to Stanford? Congratulations, you're a very lucky person. That's a much better deal than I ever got, and I'm glad to see that the $1500 investment in you that we all contributed to is paying off. Conversation is always more interesting than recitation, so speak your mind and not someone else's.
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Here and there in the forums people are expressing their enthusiasm for particular candidates in the upcoming U.S. elections, while others are saying Enough Already, We Don't Want To Hear About It. So, this is the right place to discuss your favorites (or non-favorites) and other matters relevant to the campaign. If you're not into it, skip this topic! And as for all you non-U.S. residents, if you want a similar topic for what's going on in your part of the world, speak up and I'll start it. Thanks!
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17 years 3 months
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Yo TC in AZ: Flying Dog used to have a joint in Denver, but moved out and are in Maryland. Have you ever tried the KiltLifter in Phoenix? A coworker here in KC really likes the brew there. If you ever run into Oskar Blues Beer, check out Dale's Pale or Gordon's. Gr8ful TC in KC
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16 years 10 months
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Just went and voted. Walked right up to my polling station and no waiting. About half of my district had already shown up, which is usually more than they get for the whole day. This is going to be a record turnout. And about friggin' time, too. I consider voting a social responsibility, and I have yet to miss any election in which I'm eligible to vote in. So if you still haven't gotten out there yet, please do. We're all counting on you! Conversation is always more interesting than recitation, so speak your mind and not someone else's.
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16 years 10 months
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gonna try one more time......can't stand too long, mebbe no line now....gotta do it either way....i don't remember the lines EVER being this long...chargin' my phone now!!! and of course now the wind is kickin' up.........
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17 years 2 months
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listening to CNN-problems again @ voting places in Pa......no problem here in our district of SF.......hope it's the same in the others...TODAY IS YOUR VOTING DAY!!!!! NO OTHER....!!!!! ADAMENT ABOUT YOUR REGISTRATION-I'm quoting CNN...... xoxox Gypsy Cowgirl gotta run
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Like swimming in a clear cold topaz blue mountain lake high in the sierra's.That feeling when you walk home from voting. Totally blissed out and smiling. We can change the world, one vote at a time. peace,pk
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in line at 1245........finished at 1510....2 hrs 15 min in line.......once i received my ballot was another 10 min 'til i was done.......i will now drink all of the beer, stand aside!
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17 years 4 months
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I'll remain cynical and skeptical till all of the votes are in, but Barack seems to be aHEAD. peace.
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16 years 10 months
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'spose i should let him know that he might be the new state auditor AND public lands commissioner for washington
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16 years 8 months
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Well I voted in 5 minutes here in Fl., no waiting. Speaking with my friends wife earlier, she said maybe Obama's grandmother could help him more from the other side. I told her I had goosebumps just hearing that. Peace
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Pennsylvania goes to Obama! Thank you Bobby, Phil, Billy, and Mickey. For your grate efforts to bring us the change we need. peace,pk
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16 years 10 months
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Republicans, because the party's over. Conversation is always more interesting than recitation, so speak your mind and not someone else's.
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17 years 4 months
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Obama 49%McCain 49% actually Obama is ahead by 132 votes at this point. This is unbelievable. Nebraska hasn't split our electoral votes since 1964! Hey Hal, we got out the vote!!! The Truth is realized in an instant, the act is practiced step by step.
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17 years 5 months
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AP is just announcing that Obama won Virginia. Whoa! Polls are still open for ten minutes in California. Maybe longer if people are still lined up!
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17 years 4 months
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This is a magical time. Wow. He will win california,oregon, and washington and thats the start of a new era.
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16 years
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The right man won.now the all the hard work starts.He has one hell of job ahead of him
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17 years 4 months
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OK, I've been politically ambiguous to this point, because well, I'm like that. I guess I've hinted at my stance as I tirelessly monitored the Change Rocks concert info as well as the DH for Obama concert info, so I would like to now simply say, "YES!!!!!" I'd also like to say, "Oroboros - much love! I still listen to those discs at least 2-3 times a week and I'm still stuck on 6-9-77. It just never gets old for me. Love!"
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Wonderful new historic day. World over here seems to be exhaling in relief.********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens
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17 years 4 months
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I think you made the right choice..someone who can start to undo the enormous harm done by GWB and cronies. Please keep him safe and give him time!
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17 years 3 months
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The election of Obama as the US President is historic. And like many historical figures, he may just find himself on a stamp someday. Food stamps that is. Americans have collectively voted that they want more government programs and are not willing to take full accountability and responsibility for themselves. Furthermore, American ingenuity will dampened with all the tax increases. It appears that there is a fundamental change taking place toward more socialist programs and activities across America and the globe. I am totally against redistribution of wealth. While I don't have much, I want to keep all I have and get. All were fed up with That (the Bush Administration) that they elected This (Obama), when This is not that great either. But it is what it is and we move forward.
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16 years 11 months
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So happy ....... It's like seeing a very good old lost friend back with a large smile on his face ....... BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO ............... Sad black and wite time 's over let's get into the mixing colors years .... Grateful Marek from France.
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17 years 3 months
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The post-election party in Grant Park looked like a real good time! Good luck, Mr. President-elect, in building an effective Cabinet. Congress has a few more Democrats to grease the wheels of progress.
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not falling into their time-honored pattern of succumbing to hubris and adopting all the vile behavior that got their opponents thrown out--cronyism, corruption, pork, coziness with lobbyists instead of the citizenry, etc. I for one am not forgetting for a second that the evils of the last eight years are the result of Bill Clinton's pathological inability to keep his pants zipped or tell the truth, and I do not want to see this movie and its aftermath again. When you have a pack of slavering Newties determined to use any pretext to bring you down and the well-being of the country depends on their not succeeding, cavorting with interns and lying about it is arrogant, borderline criminal stupidity from which it is perfectly clear that Rhodes Scholars are not immune.
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I don't care what anybody does with their own time, just don't do on the Democratic Party's time. What didn't Clinton get? That guy changed the course of history with his stupidity. Dan White of San Francisco could't face the city he grew up in after what he did. Clinton's walking around like nothing happened. Republicans can get away with that, but not a Democrat. What didn't he get? I will never figure that one out.
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marye, but please what is a Newtie? (blush)********************************** Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you will still exist, but you have ceased to live. Samuel Clemens
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oh, yeah, marye, that is so right on. I have always thought it quite shameful that in our land of opportunity, we only have a two party system. makes me want to 'Ralph' (throw up) yuk yuk yuk... ( -; yeah, yeah yeah, I know all about them libertarians, and the greens, and the indies et al; but they don't have any real chance of winning... but from this 'Nadir' I dont see them winning nationally. but quite honestly, I never thought I'd live to see the day that a man of colour would get in the 'White' house; so I hope I'm wrong about not thinking the other 'parties', the lesser known, lesser funded candidates may someday get in there, too. here's hoping about that for the long term future. meanwhile, I hope Barrack will get this country back on track, have to keep raising the 'Barr' on him; I hope he rises to the challenge... and I especially hope and pray some ignoramus bigot racist asshole doesn't kill him.
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Newt Gingrich type, newtie I also hope someday there will be a tie-dye room in the White House!! maybe replace that 'yellow room' did I ever tell you folks the story about how I puked all over a set of beautiful marble stairs INSIDE the White House? c. 1977/78 Carter years. too many peanuts early in the am, I reckon. peace.
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Well , now that the dems are in full control, they can't blame the rascally republicans any more. They control the executive branch plus the legislative branch. I don't want to hear any more whining from Tom Dashle. If they screw this up, then we can throw the bums out in in 2010 and 2012. "I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do"--Lion Wizard of Oz
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Remember, it will take some time to repair all the damage from the last 8 years. I hope he's up to the task. I voted for Obama, and proud to say so! Peace everyone
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17 years 4 months
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I guess one of the best things about this Obama win, is many of us will get our redistribution checks from the man. He said he will be increasing taxes on the rich, so I'd expect him to be whacking Bobby, Phil, Mickey, and the other members with higher taxes. Then turning around and handing the money over to us. We might see it as getting a discount, or bonus coupon back, for all the money we give them during the year. Hey, go Obama! Greg SC
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maybe just maybe... if Weir, Lesh, Kreutzman, and Hart gotta pay higher taxes they will hit the road for a new The Dead tour. I'd also love a combo Phil and Friends / Rat Dog tour. AND, I want Hunter to be the opening act. ( -; peace.
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Here we go again, like deja vu all over again.Best to stand up and help your neighbor, than sit and criticize. We can all have a hand in making this country great again, together, as one, against all odds. Like this band I heard, they were, and are, really cool. They came up against the norm, started with a small following, leaving people saying, wow, these guys are really different. They seem unrehearsed and very improvasional. They don't use que cards, seems to come from the heart. Hey, thats the same song...oh thats a different arrangment..it seems they keep thinking and trying to make it better. Trying to make it Just Exactly Perfect. They crossed the aisles..thats Branford Marsalis playing with them, isn't he a jazz musician, hey thats Hamza El Din, isnt he egyptian... and they recreated a song and it was as if it had always been played that way. They have a wonderful and varied following. They are all individuals and they are very different, with a common goal, a goal they are still tyring to perfect and define, and it is like life itself. It never ends. Always trying to make it just exactly perfect. Always evovlving, always thinking. New ideas, always thinking, not afraid to climb out of the box. Not afraid of different ideas. It seems like what Barack is doing is much the same in it's essence. And he needs all of us to help with ideas, effort, and support to make this world around us just exactly perfect. "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" John F. Kennedy peace,hope and a new era. pk
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I just learned that John Leopold, an old pal who's sometimes seen around these parts, won the runoff election for Santa Cruz County supervisor in his district. Having known John since he and twin Dave were 18-year-old Heads back in the day, and having actually been his wedding photographer, I've gotta say, WOO HOO!
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That is really grate news. About time, the world is coming around. WOO HOO TOO!!! ps I love santa cruz, a favorite spot.
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17 years 4 months
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Man, I've been waiting for Obama to win so I can quit my job, and get taken care of. I think I might just take the moment to thank the Lord, and then write a personal letter to Obama, saying how I need his help. This is going to be a great four years. Thank you Obama, you have promised alot, but don't take off that Santa Clause suit, as I'll be needing health care, car insurance, gas subsidies, food stamps, etc. Man, my excitement has yet to stop. Greg SC
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Geez, I hope everyone is thinking like you Greg, then nothing will get done and we can all starve.
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gonna change your name to richard, greg?no one has a magic wand, it don't get fixed if everyone doesn't help!
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It's all in the attitude. And with attitudes like that.....it's ok, I believe lots of grate people will help and thats ok if you don't. Just sit back, criticize,be cynical, it's ok. We will all make sure you have a better world to be miserable in, no worries.
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16 years 10 months
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but i believe he's saying that government is far too involved and this could easily become what alot of people view as a "nanny state" where the powers that be take care of everything and there is little or no personal responsibility.many of our larger cities have generations of people who have lived on welfare, without attempting to better their lives themselves. now i am not saying he's right, and maybe his view is extreme, but we are all entitled to our opinions and he might be closer to the truth then we realize.
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17 years 4 months
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1st have a cookie, now i agree with what you say about the "inner cities" and welfare and those ticks... but just possibly some will see that they do have a chance now, change can only come about if the majority roll with it. if everyone plants their feet and refuses to budge then nothing happens! it is a group effort!!! like pk said, it's attitude, positive is good, negative is bad!now have another cookie : )
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I think anyone who looks at Barack Obama and believes he is just going to hand out checks to folks for the sake of hand outs is not paying attention to his past, or present ideaologies. He has worked as a community organizer, to help give people a hand up to contribute to society. He states he wants to help kids get into higher learning if... they give back a substaintial effort to the country. He is way past "the welfare state" , he is looking to get everyone working and contributing to our country. I believe if you worked for Barack Obama you would have to work hard and you would be rewarded. this is his whole lifes goal. As opposed to a few getting "rich" , both in money and resourses and leaving the many,many others out there with no money or resourses, and what do you do with that, especially the latter. What you do is stagnat, Watch, but remember, you must put out the effort to make it work before you can sit and judge that it is a failure. Time to get to work.
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just an opinion and i'm reserving my own.....a wait and see kind of thing, but i'm hoping my taxes don't go up.....i can't afford them now, i always seem to owe every year. i aint got a job just the $800 a month i get from the navy, and they want to garnish that. i've never cheated on my income tax and i don't know how many people can say that. i can't take much more.
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some folks have just never had the joy of getting a miracle ticket. worse than that, some folks have just never had the extreme pleasure of GIVING a miracle ticket. all a matter of point of view. THIS scene is about caring and sharing. peace.
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16 years 10 months
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bought a ticket without at least two extra for someone.......my first show was a gift........i'll jus' hafta wait 'n see.........................................sure would like a cookie, though
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17 years 4 months
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fair trade: cookies for tix! or tix for cookies! to give what s/he has, to get what s/he needs. peace.