Atlanta Opinion

By TW

June 20, 2008 8:07 AM | Link to this

John McCain�s decision to give �w� the authority to go to war was tantamount to handing a loaded gun to a two-year-old.

Discretion much?

And what about this Enron loophole McCain wears around his neck like a gold medal? Or did he vote against it before he voted for it or against it before he�what?…

Flip-flop much?

Corporate Brown � Flush it Down�

By GayGrayGeek

June 20, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this

Yes, yes, yes, Jim, you’ve ridden your hobby horse for weeks and weeks about how no one should give Obama their vote this fall.

OK, we’re to vote for That Other Guy. Since you’ve repetitively told us why to NOT vote for Obama, why don’t you know tell us why to vote FOR McCain? And the reply “He’s NotObama” is NotAnAnswer., even though it’s the only one you’ve supplied to your readership.

Is there ANY reason to vote for McSame, other than he’s yet another old white Republican who’s NotObama?

By Bilbo

June 20, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

Well, what do you know, Obama smokes. Hillary might have declared the White House a smoke free zone, but that didn’t stop hubby from having fun with cigars there. Wonder if he inhaled?

By roger

June 20, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this

It is obvious that the democrats also believe most felons are democrats. If not, why would they go to all the trouble to get them registered to vote ? Then, as in Florida 2000, they try to stifle the heavy military absentee votes. Modern democrats are not to be trusted .

By reebok

June 20, 2008 8:30 AM | Link to this

That’s serious right-wing desperation, when you have to lob “he’s a smoker! he can’t be president!” at the other guy. The Hate Machine seems to have lost some of the passion.

By Must Have Been the Beans

June 20, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this

The guy in the next cubicle is still there this morning. I’m going to shove him under his desk and push the chair under. Today’s my last day anyway, because I’m starting a new job Monday. Hope they have better ventilation there.

By Redneck Convert

June 20, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this

Well, if that don’t do it nothing will. We can’t have a President that smokes cigarettes. It was bad enough what Clinton done with cigars. Hard to tell what this Obama would do with cigarettes. Maybe tiny girls or something.

I’m dead set against letting felons vote—ever. You don’t want to let people get a chance to get revenge against the guvmint that put them in prison in the first place. No more than you want one of Those People in the White House taking revenge against us godly White Southreners. Besides, the more librul Democrats we can keep from voting the more Christian we’ll be.

Wooten don’t say nothing about the flip-flopping of this Obama on his promise to use guvmint money to run his race. On account of he’ll be able to raise 300 or 400 million on his own. Well, last time I was all for My President raising his own money to run because that was the people wanting to pay for it. But this time I think the way to let people pay for McCain’s run is to use guvmint funding. See, McCain is sort of broke and it ain’t fair this Obama got millions of people wanting to donate to him. Bunch of commies. Wanting to destroy our good Southren way of life.

Well, I’m headed down to Countryland Golf Club with Joe Bill and Jim Earl. I put on my best blue jeans and a nice white t-shirt I got at WalMart yesterday so I’ll fit in good. Course, I’ll be wearing my old John Deere cap for luck. I sure hope Jim Earl don’t want to stick strickly to the rules again. Without the big tree in my way rule and the one-putt rule I was sure hurting last time.

Have a good day everybody.

By Torch Tom

June 20, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this

Kools or Newports?

By TW

June 20, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this

The Hate Machine seems to have lost some of the passion.

Bad Coaching…or rather, a coach and his crew who got a great guaranteed contract that enabled them to care less about the team’s record…

Too bad there’s not an NBA style lottery for the GOP - they’d be looking at a first pick.

The liberal tsunami that is about to hit the shore is fault of the so-called conservative who sat idly be as ‘w’ and The Corporate Browns hijacked their party, thus screwing the country.

The party wrecked the house and mom and dad are about to pull in the drive…

By Get Real

June 20, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

WHY should I vote for McCain Wooten? Thats a question you have yet to answer in one of your 20th Century posts.

When the government�s bailing us out, we never learn. Well you had no problem when ‘the government’ was bailing out Bear Stearns, but I guess to you saving corporations that make billions of dollars is more important than helping the little guy. Where do you get these comments from?

And as far as your comment about rather having a 3rd term of W than a 2nd term of Carter, you need to lay off the pipe. Carter said almost 30 years ago that we need to ease off our addiction foreign oil. Meanwhile YOUR BOY just wants to drill, drill, drill like that will solve all our problems. Carter never spent $2 Trillion (with a T) on the misguided war that Bush has basically washed his hands on. How about instead of going to Europe, Bush goes across the country on a farewell tour and see all the damage he’s done!

Seriously Wooten, your posts are outdated and stale. You need some new material. The only thing I have agreed with you on in the last 6 months is Shirley. All in all, she’s worse than Bill Campbell.

By Just Nasty and Mean

June 20, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

G’mornin Jim, et al

Oh how gauche, Obama smokes and stinks up the Oval Office. Disgusting. If this guy can’t control his own impulses, what makes us believe he can control 300m+ people, Akmanidijhd, and Putin, Pelosi and Reid?

On the mortgage crisis, as long as financiers have schemes to put no-money-down offerings, we will continue to have foreclosures. Certain types of people will scam that all-day-long!

If Obama is anything more than an extreme liberal in Jimmy Carter mold, somebody is going to have to point out ONE TIME he crossed the aisle and voted AGAINST his party leaders for a conservative cause. No can do…

Wow Jim. You’re on to something! Incentive pay in exchange for a proven good work product from teachers (good standardized test scores)! What a novel idea!

Hillary said you couldn’t SMOKE cigarettes and cigars. She obviously didn’t ban other uses. I am sure Obama will find some a loophole involving his minority status. (By the way, for you ladies, even his wife said he “stinks and snores”.

Having felons vote just creates another solid voting block for the democrats to be pandered to. Laughably repulsive move on their part.

Have a great weekend all.

By Ray

June 20, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

Most smokers have a death wish. Maybe we could increase him to three or packs per day and hasten his demise. Would be nice to do it before Nov 4th, however.

By BFKaJ

June 20, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this

Good morning all. Poor Shirley suffers a traditional leftist disability, insatiable demand for OPM. The only known cures are provided by taxpayers who vote, as the leeches are on her side. Of course, if the number of leeches ever exceed the number of taxpayers, taxpayers usually leave, the formula Michigan embraced several years ago.

Did the genius, Judge Thrash, also prescribe how much medicaid should pay per hour. The Federal minimum wage is only around $7 per hour, so surely the state can afford to pay $658 per week for an extreme case. Don’t like the State’s chances on appeal – when you receive stolen goods from the thieves, you are bound to their game.

I forecast we will not see any pictures of Barry sneaking a smoke, unless it is something he does not inhale. Tough to negotiate both images, but necessary for his voter base.

FNMA and FHLMC are criminal enterprises, operating as a retail arm of a major kleptocracy.

Pleased to see that WSJ reporters are almost as smart as their editorial board. If we ever get AJC reporters up to the Jim Wooten level, we’ll have a world class paper.

Great NEA line, I cannot improve on that. Same with the commentary on the day laborer.

My only complaint about the W administration was the free-spending in the early years on worthless efforts like education (a pure bureaucracy sop) and agriculture (a pure welfare waste.) McCain is notorious as a non-spender, so if he keeps the standards of the Bush foreign policy and reins in the dumb spending, he will be Bush 3.0. Obama does appear to be Carter 1.1. But he’ll negotiate with the Iranians and North Koreans, so all will be peace and love throughout the world.

A small dissent on “felony voting.” The heart of the problem is the debasement of the term “felony.” Self-destructive dopers are felons, but their weakness does not truly corrupt their capacity to exercise judgment. Of course our leftist friends always endeavor to criminalize political differences, and always establish those as “felonies.” If we limited the definition of “felon” to those who truly demostrated an evil heart, a sociopathic tendency…. never mind, most politicians could not vote then.

I always wondered what happened to all of the mercury-tainted tuna, septic-tainted tomatoes, hard-metal tainted fruit juices, rancid oil, and weevil-infested flour.

By ron

June 20, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this

Good morning,I would question the intelligence of anyone who smokes. I don't see that we're out of the mortgage crisis yet.More to come. I would prefer to have someone seeking the Presidency that I didn't feel uneasy about. Raul Castro may just bring in the, " if you don't work,I'll shoot you", incentive. Obama has spurned the public funds and decided to go with all private donations.So much for change. I'll hold on the felon voting issue.I need to think on it more. Why would Obama's platform appear to look like what it actually is?

By KnowItAll

June 20, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

Well for goodness sakes. Are we about to elect a *DRUG ADDICT to the presidency? This guy has had a drug relapse for nicotine!

Is he doesn’t get to “light up” before every meeting with Islamic radical terrorists and thug dictators—is he going to commit the US to something just to get the meeting over with so he can get a nicotine fix?

Having a smokestack in the White House poses a major threat to the security of the USA!

By ###

June 20, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

Jim has obviously never been responsible for caring for a disabled person if he thinks ten hours is nothing to be concerned about. Here is a suggestion that could make everyone happy: The young disabled boy can receive his state approved 84 hours of care and Jim can step up and volunteer to assist with the additional 10 hours. The boy can get the care he needs, and Jim can show us how the private sector can step up when the government doesn’t.

By ron

June 20, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Sometimes my posts come out as I send them and other times they come out in a big paragraph like this morning.Someone up there in the satellite hates me.

By Peter

June 20, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this

HA HA HA Jim, you are the very funny girly man, as another of your Republican’s might say…….

“Hmmm. Would we prefer to have the third term of George W. Bush, as Obama refers to the McCain candidacy, or the second term of Jimmy Carter, as McCain describes an Obama presidency? Easy call.”

Gee which Decade do you live in Jim?

I a 2.7 Trillion dollar WAR “Conservative” Jim?

Why don’t you write about McCain being upset about Obama not taking our Tax dollars for his Presidential campaign?

I guess it will really tell how you Wrongs are not financially supporting him!

I guess you don’t want to show McCain the cry baby he has become……Gee another Girly man!

McCain has Flip Flopped on bigger issues, and Obama, won’t spend American Tax dollars for himself, such a shame!

By Fix-It

June 20, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this

TW, what about all the democrats that voted for the war? McCain was one of over 500 people that voted on the war, over half are democrat. Enron was made possible by the policies that the democrats passed during the Clinton administration, so please thank your buddies. After a felon has served their time and paid their debt to society then they should be aloud to vote.

By andrea

June 20, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this

Why should ex-felons be disenfranfranchised for life? If they have served all conditions of their sentence, they should be allowed to vote for whatever potential crook to represent them. Seriously, Jim stated that he is sure all felons are dems. I’m sure he assumes all dead voters are dems also. I’m sure of things about Jim too. But us Christians are not supposed to judge others. I’m sorry Jim.

By Taxpayer

June 20, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

I think that President Carter’s time in office is looking pretty good compared to what President Bush is churning out for us. Of course, as long as you have the freedom to redefine such things as inflation, recession, war, terrorist, torture, etc., to fit your needs, then anything can be made to look like a “soft patch” or a “mission accomplished”. Isn’t that so, Mr. Wooten?

By Peter

June 20, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this

Well TW I guess you have seemingly FORGOTTEN about “Faulty Intelligence” that was spewed by the Bush Administration today!

Also TW you have FORGOTTEN, the CEO of ENRON was part of the “Secret” Energy Meetings with Dick “Darth Vader”….You know the meetings the American Public has been kept in the DARK about!

By TW

June 20, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Fix-It - glad to see you’re OK. After you stomped your foot while waving the white flag yesterday, I was a little worried.

Was not aware that Obama voted to give ‘w’ the authority to go to war. Thanks for alerting me to that - I’ll check it out.

If McSame were any more in bed with the oil future swindlers he’d be pregnant.

Concerned about the ‘nicotine’ ushering a drug user into the White House? Might want to take a good look at the other ticket…

By HELP!

June 20, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this

Amen! When the government�s bailing us out, we never learn. General Rule of Thumb: NEVER buy a house that is 4x your annual salary and NEVER buy a car that is more than 1X your yearly pay. We wouldn’t be in this mess if people actually operated under a COMMON SENSE rule, instead of what mortgage brokers and the government lets people get away with.

Attention, general public: just because the government is sticking their nose in your business, doesn’t mean their suggestions are correct!

On another busy-body note, I just read how Congress is now investigating horse racing. Just this past year, they have already investigated ML baseball and NFL football. What, is health care issues, social security, mortgage crises, and all of our international relations issues not entertaining enough for your buffoons? Now you have to go sticking your noses into our entertainment industry? Why can’t you deal with the matters that are important to the American Public’s welfare? Or have you forgotten YOU WORK FOR US?

It’s only a matter of time before Congress steps in to overrule Randy, Paula and Simon.

Rest in peace, Ronald Reagan, my favorite Common Sense Republican. If you can.

By Chuck

June 20, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this

Jim, how dare you say anything about government bailouts when the Republicans are constantly bailing out corporations in trouble.

Finally, Right Wingers are stupid to bring up the Jimmy Carter comparisons to Barack Obama. Even if the two men matched entirely (which they don’t), most voters under 40 aren’t even old enough to remember the Carter years. Heck, I turn 40 next month, and I was 12 when Ronald Reagan defeated Carter in 1980. Obama is dominating the younger voter crowd in the polls, and Carter comparisons are only going to remind them of the recent guy—you know, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and not the warmonger currently in the Oval Office.

By Curious Observer

June 20, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this

Ha ha ha!

A new poll shows Obama tied with McCain in Georgia. GOP shill Matt Towery points out that Georgia independents favor Obama by 11 points, with Barr pulling away 6 points from McCain. Heavy black turnout is expected to boost Obama by 3 more points.

O the delicious irony of watching as the rednecks and yahoos watch their own state get snatched away, while Wooten keeps shouting in the wilderness!

By Abomi Nation

June 20, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

Well of course Shirley was wrong for begging Washington for money, who does she think she is, Sonny Perdue?

Let countries like Japan and China build their infrastructure. We have a war to fund, 167 billion more just approved by Congress. Iraq needs schools, roads, and sewers built, shame on Shirley, shame,shame,shame.

By Peter

June 20, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

Good comment……”By Taxpayer

June 20, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

I think that President Carter�s time in office is looking pretty good compared to what President Bush is churning out for us. Of course, as long as you have the freedom to redefine such things as inflation, recession, war, terrorist, torture, etc., to fit your needs, then anything can be made to look like a �soft patch� or a �mission accomplished�. Isn�t that so, Mr. Wooten?”

Yes we now have the 2.7 Trillion dollar WAR to deal with.

Would that be considered “Conservative”?

The Iran Contra affair is beginning to look like the Boston Tea Party compared to the 2.7 Trillion Dollar Iraq WAR, isn’t it Jim?

But of course the Boston Tea Party was Americans wanting to defend America, as compared to Bush invading another country!

Definitely “Faulty Intelligence”!

By Dusty

June 20, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

Ah well, I am waiting this morning to see if Democrats are demanding that prisoners at Guantanamo be allowed to vote. Aftr all, if terrorist prisoners are allowed all the the “perks” of citizenship such as habeas corpus, is not voting the next privilege? Also, it is well known (by liberals) that the inability to vote is TORTURE.

I don’t really care if Obama smokes cigarettes. Just so he doesn’t do it in the Oval Office. He hasn’t done anything in the Congress except vote against fighting our enemies. Why give him a better place in Washington to do nothing constructive, much less smoke cigarettes?

On Shirley Franklin’s behalf, she did inherit a 100 year old sewer system, a screwed up water system, an airport run by cronies, and a business manager who missed mistakes of a few millions. So what’s a girl to do? Call on the Feds!! Maybe Shirley should have called FEMA for rescue. They could furnish trailers for the brainless mortgage holders who expected a million dollar home on a two bit salary. Poor Shirley!!

Hillary is correct. There is a vast conspiracy. My tomato plants will do nothing but produce little yellow flowers. SOMEONE told them they were cut flowers. Then the Salmonella deal!! I tell you. It is downright SUSPICIOUS!!!

By TW

June 20, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this

Peter - It’s a long list. You do seem to suggest the presence of deceit and not incompetence. Therein lies the debate, I suppose, Incompetence v. Dishonesty…that’d be a good one.

Here’s another one - which did ‘w’ soil worst, the GOP or Christianity? I heard the SBC had a decline in enrollment last year - for the first time since 1926.

By Peter

June 20, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Hey TW when you go to church on Sunday, and then start a MADE UP WAR on Monday with “Faulty Intelligence”, it really means one of a few things…..

Maybe some of the commandments are really not to be followed….Thou shall not Kill is Optional.

Maybe George was not listening in Church on Sunday?

Maybe the church leaders, who would preach assassination instead of WAR, because it is better for the Economy, are really are NOT men of God!

Perhaps all the followers of these Religious leaders are confused by the “Faulty Intelligence” they are hearing!

The real story did come out… once the Bush administration got in office, they actually flipped flopped on the Religious RIGHT support, and either forgot the message, or failed to let them be part of the PLAN!

The Religious RIGHT was used and abused by the Bush Administration!

We got your vote, now what was that message?

My next question will be……

Will FEMA give those cancer causing trailers to the RIGHT WING White folks in Iowa?

This will be interesting for sure!

By getalife

June 20, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

Very easy Jim.

Carter, of course.

Stupid comparison.

By Dusty

June 20, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

Dear TW @10:12

You have a big project on your hands with the I & D decisions. Incompetence v Dishonesty that is.

If you start with Congress led by Democrats, you might say incompetence (Big I) except for Boxer, Waxman,Pelosi, Reid and Murtha. They are plainly Big D’s (Dishonest). Now a start with this year’s mess in Congress will take eons to unravel. Are they up to 10% approval yet?

Don’t waste your time on Bush. He has already freed two countries and protected us from attack. Also, he is not running for a third term (in case you have not noticed).

Since liberals declare that religion has no influence on ANYBODY, I don’t know why you are worried about Baptists. Bush never mentions Baptists. Are you a Baptist? You seem to have a vital interest in what they do. Just another big liberal project to INVESTIGATE I suppose.

By TW

June 20, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

Peter - are you seriously suggesting that God made Iraqi people?

Uh, oh…

By getalife

June 20, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this

Scottie testifies today.

Should be fun.

By getalife

June 20, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

The gop ♥ to abort the Iraqi people.

By hounddog

June 20, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

A soon as ya’ll find a record of anything this wonderful leader Obama has done of legislative or governmental significance let me know…

By Peter

June 20, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

Dusty…….”Don�t waste your time on Bush. He has already freed two countries and protected us from attack. Also, he is not running for a third term (in case you have not noticed).”

Which countries are freed?

He protected us from what attack?

By hounddog

June 20, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

A soon as ya’ll find a record of anything this wonderful leader Obama has done of legislative or governmental significance let me know…

By RCH

June 20, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

Once a convicted felon has served their jail time,probation, and paid their restitution they should be given back the right to vote. Many have made mistakes in their youth and deserve a second chance. Many are now hard working taxpayers. Wasn’t this country founded on “taxation without representation?

By GayGrayGeek

June 20, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

Dusty, AFEES. Now.

WHY DO YOU HATE AMERICA, DUSTY?

By Doggie Style

June 20, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

Shirley Franklin will likely get a GREAT appointment in the Obama administration. She’s proved time and again she knows how to bust a budget, overspend, mismanage, and raise taxes and fees better than the best of them!

She’ll fit right in!

Nice job, Shirley!

By DaveD

June 20, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this

The stock market has ALWAYS performed better under a democratic administration. We see how well it’s done over the psat 7 1/2 years. It’s friggin’ “stuck” and all gains are quickly lost.

Here’s the FACTS: http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/futureinvest/3022

http://www.slate.com/?id=2071929

Want to see the stock market continue to do nothing? Vote republican. History shows that they SUCK at running our economy and the “free market system” which is the stock markets shows their horrible results time and time again.

By Nice2Fool

June 20, 2008 10:59 AM | Link to this

Wooten sounds like he want neither a Jimmy Carter white house, nor a George Bush white house, but a Raul Castro White House! Raul Castro’s idea to pay more money to the uber-commie rat basturds who pack more tobacco for our next president to smoke appeals to the former southern gentlemen who has inexplicably become a syllabic saboteur. I didn’t read one word about supporting the troops today, did you? Neither did I see any mention of demanding the surrender, capture or destruction of Osama Bin Laden. Did you? Instead we get subtle hints about how to use poison cigars to assassinate our president like when JFK tried to whack Castro in the 60’s.

“The Conservative” would be a good name for a Cuban Cigar.

Obama 08: He’s smokin’

By RCH

June 20, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this

Once a convicted felon has served their jail time,probation, and paid their restitution they should be given back the right to vote. Many have made mistakes in their youth and deserve a second chance. Many are now hard working taxpayers. Wasn’t this country founded on “taxation without representation?

By Shar

June 20, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

Good Morning. Mr. Carter’s approval rating at the end of his presidency was 34%; Mr. Bush’s stands at 29%. When Mr. Wooten asks whether “we” would prefer another Carter-esque or Bush-esque presidency, it is an easy call indeed. Unless the “we” means something other than “We the people of the United States”.

As to Mr. Wooten’s remarks regarding Governor Kaine’s effort to return Virginia felons to the voter rolls, supposedly to augment Democratic support, he might recall that last year the Republican governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, streamlined and simplified the return of the right to vote to all but the most violent of Florida’s felons.

Mr. Castro’s return to merit pay for workers does not have a parallel to teachers. A vorker’s productivity is primarily the result of his or her own effort. A teacher’s test score results are deeply dependent upon students and parents. Governor Perdue and Secretary Cox found this out in their short-lived “Governor’s Cup” program, which promised rewards to the high schools posting the greatest improvement in SAT scores. The schools simply dissuaded the poor performing students from taking the test, and looked great. I have no problem with merit pay, but basing it on test scores is not indicative of a teacher’s effort or effectiveness.

Harvard B-school professors “generally know what they�re hearing when conducting interviews about taxes, business and the economy” too, but I understand that anything they say about Republicans reflects their institutional political leanings in the opposite direction. Same goes for the WSJ.

Criticizing Sen. Obama for smoking despite a “liberal” bias against it (what, conservatives inherently enjoy emphysema and cancer?) only invites comparison with those Republicans who have recently made the news for getting caught contravening “conservative” family values (what, Democrats are all for diaper-packing prostitutes, sexual harassment of teenage House pages and selling influence?). I personally find a closet smoker much less hypocritical and dangerous to the country than an influence-peddlar like Randy Cunningham or Bob Ney, or a sexual predator like Mark Foley. Begging the comparison through silly criticisms like Mr. Wooten’s cannot help Senator McCain.

In fact, Sen. McCain’s presidential ambitions would be much brighter if the Republicans and their supporters, such as Mr. Wooten, had made an effort to recognize and correct the most egregious of the Bush Administration’s mistakes. Instead, a blanket policy of supporting the president regardless of outcome or even legality was adopted, apparently on the assumption that Karl Rove could indeed deliver a “Republican majority for the next forty years.” Even facing the Machiavellian result of such hubris and the resulting outrage, the faithful refuse to admit error or to consider changing course. Mr. Wooten would have done his party a great favor by eschewing disregard for some constructive criticism.

Or, as Benjamin Franklin said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

By TW

June 20, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this

Dusty - you�re talking about the 150,000 Iraqi’s Bush Sr. freed when he told them if they stood up we’d be there for them. Having drawn them out in plain view, we then watched as Saddam mowed them down like grass.

You republican Christians (is that an oxymoron?) sure do have a funny way of ‘freeing’ people…

Hey Dusty - just for kicks, what gave ‘w’ the right to designate an Iraqi citizen as potential ‘collateral’ damage?�

You won�t be able to answer this, what with your two-chambered frog heart of a brain, but I�m sure an attempt at a response will give everyone a chuckle�OMG!!! That makes you valuable, Dusty! Congrats!

By T

June 20, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this

Torch Tom

Thats aweful. Salems would be my guess. Thanks for the laugh

By GMAN

June 20, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

�I didn�t really love America until I was deprived of her company.� (John McCain - March 13, 2008)

By Larry

June 20, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this

Hey TW!

Do you speak in anything but slogans and cliches? We understand which side you’re on; why don’t you try (just for the heck of it) to support your position with logic, facts, even sound theory…

By Dutchman

June 20, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

RCH,

When the felon has finished his/her punishment, they can apply to have their rights restored. It isn’t and should never be automatic.

By RCH

June 20, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

Once a convicted felon has served their jail time,probation, and paid their restitution they should be given back the right to vote. Many have made mistakes in their youth and deserve a second chance. Many are now hard working taxpayers. Wasn’t this country founded on “taxation without representation?

By TW

June 20, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

SUPPORT THE TROOPS, LARRY!

(how’s that?)

By Dutchman

June 20, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

Shar,

You wrote “Criticizing Sen. Obama for smoking despite a �liberal� bias against it (what, conservatives inherently enjoy emphysema and cancer?)…”

No, we do not “inherently enjoy emphysema and cancer”. On the other hand, we are for each person making that decision for them selves and not some bureaucrat sitting behind a large wood desk.

For example, cigarettes are a legal product, and if a bar or restaurant want to allow smoking, then it is their choice. The conservative side of me, wants that freedom to make a good or bad choice without some leftie getting their thong in a knot.

By BFKaJ

June 20, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this

Dear Dusty @ 10:40, your faux pas: Bush “has already freed two countries and protected us from attack.” You must understand that the brainless left does not agree that eliminating Taliban- or Saddam-like control is “freeing” - their heart beats a little faster when they remember those happier times. As to protected us from attack, of course they do not regard themselves as part of us - their desire to control the country disparages “freedom” as an alien concept. Congrats on a great post, you activated the tin-hats in opposition to us.

By Shar

June 20, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Ah,but Dutchnan @ 11:42, credibility relies on consistency (and it is only “foolish consistency” that Emerson regarded as the “hobgoblin of little minds.”) If conservatives “are for each person making that decision for them selves and not some bureaucrat sitting behind a large wood desk”, they must then support the decisions of individual gays to marry, of individual terminal patients to end their lives, of individual preganant women to terminate their pregnancies, of individual drug users to use drugs, and other cherished Libertarian positions. Both parties adopt paternalistic demogoguery to support “choice” on actions they support or at least tolerate but “benevolent prohibition” for actions whose consequences they deplore. Neither party has a legitimate claim to supporting “freedom to make a good or bad choice”; after all, they all get into power in order to tell other people what to do.

And that thong thing? Can you actually do that? Ouch.

By BFKaJ

June 20, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this

Dear Shar @ 11:59, you err only on the abortion part and the marriage part. We think only the fetus should be able to decide to terminate the pregnancy, and the only if the mother is not harmed. And we also think the government should not regulate marriage at all. Otherwise you nail it.

By Dutchman

June 20, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

Shar,

As I stated, cigarettes are a legal product, we are talking about a product not some “feeling”

Per your example, “gays” are not permitted to marry, assisted suicide is not permitted, killing innocent life should not be permitted.

These are apples and oranges.

If there is a legal product that is illegal to sell or use, then what is next? Salt, bad for you, soy sauce, too salty also, so let’s not allow them to be used in fast food places and movie theaters.

By Peter

June 20, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this

Hey BFKaj..the Taliban is getting stronger because Bush did not go after Bin Laden, instead they twisted the “TRUTH”, and then we had “Faulty Intelligence”, or a LIE.

We are not any safer since 911, as the guy who attacked us is still on the loose!

Our boarders are not any safer either…..how do all you Right Wingers justify the claim we are safer because we invaded Iraq?

By getalife

June 20, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

Spineless dems caving on FISA.

Looks like the failed dem leadership were briefed on this crime and covering their a*-es.

Scottie wants w to come clean on the Plame outing.

Treason.

By getalife

June 20, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

“McCain And Obama Tied In Georgia.”

Ouch.

By Bobby Rogers

June 20, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

BFKaJ, I agree the Afghan people were freed in that it was necessary to remove the Taliban to root out the terrorists. I did not, and do not consider the invasion of Iraq to be a necessary action. Saddam Hussein was in a box and the loss of more than 4,000 of our noble troops was too much of a price to pay to end his life. And, before you go there, I am not a bleeding heart leftist. I just respectfully disagree with the administration’s action in Iraq. My belief following the invasion and to this day is that the country must now be made stable, able to defend itself and free of Islamist terror cells before we disengage. And, if the government wants, I think it would be a good idea to maintain permanent military bases there.

That’s all.

By deegee

June 20, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

As usual, JW is thinking half-right and fails to give the Wootang gang the whole story. The latest inflation control measure taken by Calderon of Mexico is only one in a series of measures taken by a president that actually has some political and economic sense. This is the second such deal he has reached with the private sector this year. Unlike the first POTUS with a Harvard MBA, Calderon is embracing a variety of free-market and populist measures to keep inflation in check and defuse rising social tension. Mexico’s central bank raised interest rates last fall to combat inflation. Pressure is growing for another hike. Calderon is loath to let that happen, because that would probably slow the growth of Mexico’s economy, which so far is holding up reasonably well in the face of a U.S. slowdown.

By Torch Tom

June 20, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

Dutchman, I’m all for less government interference, too. But, if my little plastic package of soy sauce squirts over into your moo goo gai pan, it’s not going to trigger an asthma attack. Or give you cancer.

By Timmy Turner

June 20, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

Shar, that thong thing is indeed possible, desirable, even. I’ll show you. It won’t hurt a bit.

By Grandfather

June 20, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

This whole column is racist

By Will

June 20, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

You people, and you Jim Wooten, need to read a book. You’re all embarrassments. Your worried about felons voting? It makes me cringe that you people vote.

By getalife

June 20, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this

“Good morning Mr. Chairman, Congressman Smith, and members of the committee.

I am here today at your invitation to answer questions about what I know regarding the Valerie Plame episode. Back in 2005, I was prohibited from discussing it by the White House ostensibly because of the criminal investigation underway, but I made a commitment to share with the public what I knew as soon as possible. That commitment was one of the reasons I wrote my book.

Unfortunately, this matter continues to be investigated by Congress because of what the White House has chosen to conceal from the public. Despite assurances that the administration would discuss the matter once the Special Counsel had completed his work, the White House has sought to avoid public scrutiny and accountability.

The continuing cloud of suspicion over the White House is not something I can remove because I know only one part of the story. Only those who know the underlying truth can bring this to an end. Sadly, they remain silent.

The result has been an increase in suspicion and partisan warfare, and a perpetuation of Washington�s scandal culture, one of three core factors that have poisoned the atmosphere in Washington for the past two decades. The central message in my book is the need to change the way Washington governs. We need to minimize the negative influence of the permanent campaign, end the scandal culture, and move beyond the philosophy of politics as war.

The rest of the transcript below the fold.

No one has a better opportunity to make that happen than the president. To do so, he must first fully embrace openness and candor and then constantly strive to build trust across the aisle and seek common ground to unite Americans from all walks of life and political persuasions.

I believed President Bush could be that kind of leader for the country when I first went to work for him in Texas. He was a popular, bipartisan leader who had a record of working with Democrats.

Unfortunately, like many good people who come to Washington, he ended up playing the game by the existing rules rather than transforming it.

The larger message of my book is bigger than any person or party. It is about restoring civility and bipartisanship and candor to our national political discourse. It is about putting our Nation�s interests above partisan goals. Indeed, all of us�especially those in elected office�can do more to make this happen by promoting openness and engaging in civil discourse.

The permanent campaign leads to just the opposite. Substantive debates over policy give way to a contest over which side can most effectively manipulate the media narrative to its advantage. It is about power and electoral victory. Governing becomes an offshoot of campaigning rather than the other way around.

Vicious attacks, distortions, political manipulation and spin become accepted. Complex issues are reduced to black-and-white terms and oversimplified in the context of winners and losers and how they will affect the next election. Too often, the media unwittingly ignores the impact of government on the daily lives of Americans, focusing foremost on the Beltway game and lionizing those who play it most skillfully.

There is no more recent example of this unsavory side of politics than the initial reaction from some in Washington to my book. I received plenty of criticism for daring to tell the story as I knew it. Yet few of my critics tried to refute the larger themes and perspectives in the book. Instead of engaging in a reasoned, rational, and honest discussion of the issues raised, some sought to turn it into a game of �gotcha,� misrepresenting what I wrote and seeking to discredit me through inaccurate personal attacks on me and my motives.

The American people deserve better.

Governing inevitably has an adversarial element. People and groups will always differ about the proper use of limited government resources. But should government be a process of constant campaigning to manipulate public opinion, or should it be centered as much as possible on rational debate, deliberation, and compromise?

Writing this book was not easy for me to do. These are my words, my experiences, and my conclusions. I sought to take a clear-eyed look at events. To do so, I had to remove my partisan lens and step back from the White House bubble. Some of the conclusions I came to were different from those I would have embraced at the outset.

My book reflects the only idea of loyalty that I believe is appropriate in democratic government, and that is loyalty to the ideals of candor, transparency and integrity, and indeed to the constitutional system itself. Too often in Washington, people mistakenly think that loyalty to an individual officeholder should override loyalty to basic ideals. This false loyalty is not only mistaken, but can exercise a corrupt influence on government.

I am here because in my heart I am a public servant who, like many Americans, wants to improve the way Washington governs and does not want to see future administrations repeat the mistakes this White House made.

I do not know whether a crime was committed by any of the Administration officials who revealed Valerie Plame�s identity to reporters. Nor do I know if there was an attempt by any person or persons to engage in a cover-up during the investigation. I do know that it was wrong to reveal her identity, because it compromised the effectiveness of a covert official for political reasons. I regret that I played a role, however unintentionally, in relaying false information to the public about it. I�ll do my best to answer any questions on this matter that members of the committee may wish to ask.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

Scottie is spilling his guts on C- Span2.

Good stuff.

By Taxpayer

June 20, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

Shar,

Well said. If I were in disagreement with your comment[s], I would certainly be compelled to put serious thought into my response.

By hillbilly ragger

June 20, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this

Wow. Jim, you really hadn’t heard about Obama’s struggles with cigarette addiction until NOW?

Seriously?

When Media Matters was making fun of John Gibson a YEAR AND A HALF AGO when Gibson was pretending like it was some deep dark Obama secret?

Wow.

By DaveD

June 20, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this

Support the troops?

Only if they signed up for duty before we “invaded” Iraq. If they signed up after the fact than they deserve whatever harm comes their way. They signed up to be murderers.

Arrest all the neo con planners of this war for war crimes against humanity and give them over to the Iraqi’s for their trial. Let them all face the same hand picked judge and jury Saddam faced. They should than prepare for the possiblity of the same sentence he recieved….yet their crimes…the ones that continue to be commited there every single day…are far far worse than Saddam ever did. Yet “we” accomplished this in a much shorter time period.

Time for them to face their jury in Iraq. Time ALL murderers of innocent victims to face them same fate.

By Shar

June 20, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

Dutchman @ 12:19: You make my point. Gays are legally entitled to marry in California and Massachusetts but “conservatives” don’t want them to have that legal choice. Sodomy laws have been struck down, ergo, behavior which defines homosexuality is legal. Assisted suicide (and medical marijuana) are legal in Oregon despite the concerted efforts of the “conservative” Bush Administration to overturn the decision of Oregon voters. And abortion is a legal right, despite the efforts, up to and including murder, of “conservatives” to force women to bear unwanted babies. Conservatives are all too happy to use the state power wielded by “some bureaucrat sitting behind a large wood desk” to take away legal choices that they don’t agree wth. Just like “liberals”.

If we are to oppose “a legal product that is illegal to sell or use”, let’s start with guns. Or pharmaceuticals. Or any other specialized product that is intended for benigm purposes but which is subject to alternative use that endangers others. Of course there are restrictions on the sale and use of those items, and there are serious consequences for those who abuse them. Would you prefer that access to those items be unfettered and that people were free to make a “bad choice” if they wanted to?

BFKaJ/ABCDEF - Hello to you., Alpha(bet) man. You and I have long respectfully disagreed on the abortion issue, and no doubt will continue to do so. The only difference is whether the state should use its power to take away the choice, or whether the “market” should be allowed to create alternatives that make the choice to carry to term more attractive. At least we can differ with courtesy.

On gay marriage, I can’t see that the government should not regulate what is in fact a civil contract. You’ll have to explain that to me, Libertarianally. As far as the religious aspect of marriage, that is conceptually, and should be legally, entirely separate. When The Long Suffering Mr. Shar and I got hitched, we went to the Town Hall and applied for a license; we then went entirely separately to a minister of my long acquaintance and asked him to perform the ceremony. He had to see the license to be sure it was legal, but the registrar didn’t need to see him for that purpose. Those pastors who have personal objections to gay marriage should not have to perform ceremonies, but gays wishing to marry should have full access to the civil benefits and penalties thereof.

Timmy? No.

By Dusty

June 20, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this

Oh I’m in a hurry.

What did Shar say? Anythng new? She can say the littlest in the longest of most liberals. She sounds better but says the same things. Did she remember to mention Harvard somewhere?

Peter.. 9/11…bad. Free Afghanistan & Iraq…good. Sorry you missed all that.

TW…big news!! George Bush Sr. is not running for election this year either. You gotta catch up here, fellow!!

Oh, as to my frogheart brain (your words)…all I can say is RIBBIT! RIBBIT!

jbmlaw

Forgive my faux pas..I did forget that liberals don’t accept words like freedom, religion, patriotism, 9/11, support, and even marriage and motherhood.

But they assuage their rejections with the thoughts of higher taxes, socialized medicine,bicycles, “other” energies, organic veggies, the ACLU and those nice prisoners in Cuba that we persecute.

But..it’s anti everything such as homeland protection, war against terror, Guantanamo, legal voting procedures, President George Bush and funds for the military.

Ah..their heroes and now their new baby Obama. I guess he is taking the place of Castro, Chavez and Ahmajinebad.

No wonder liberals never seem happy. Maybe we should demand an INVESTIGATIION!!!

By hillbilly ragger

June 20, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

DaveD @1:24, considering post 3/2004 recruits as murderers?

That’s seriously disgusting.

And at the risk of sounding concern-trollish, it really doesn’t help the cause of bringing actual war criminals to justice, a cause I fully support and expect President Obama to seriously prosecute as an early order of business.

By Dusty

June 20, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this

Oh I missed that sweet little DavidD@1:24.

Now he’s calling American troops murderers. That let’s us know what to call DavidD… Benedict Arnold.

By Nice2Fool

June 20, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this

Freedom Fries alone should buy the Democrats at least 16 years. that’s how stupid the concept of punishing France that way is.

I wonder what did the greatest generation renamed to punish the Japs after Pearl Harbor? Their nips? Actually, the term “dirty pillows” did appear first on Dec 8, 1941. That’s how stupid freedom fries is, people, and that’s why conservatism is dead.

McCain has been using the term “Transcendental Challenge” to describe the war on terror lately. he’s used it a lot. Who’s writing his speeches, Mike Love of the Beach Boys? Transcendental Challenge is worse than anything Bush has come up with in eight years. McCain is actually a bigger malaprop than Bush.

Transcendental+Challenge are two words that simply dont belong together. McCain hasn’t a chinaman’s chance of getting elected. The debates will be a total national embarrassment not seen since Ross Perot’s running mate and his plaintiff cry, “Who am I, Why am I here?” (then he wandered around the stage, remember?).

That’s why we were sitting ducks for W. We’d scrapped the bottom of the barrel and we were out of incompetents and scatterbrains and scoundrels. Plain out. That vacuum sucked Clinton and then W into the white house like a gasoline thief. What clinton did to dishonor the office was unforgiveable. What W has done is the stuff revolution is made of.

Alert! I didn’t know that the Kurds had provided a sanctuary and security for Iranian President Amahjinidad’s visit to Baghdad last month, did you?

The Kurds have been so abused by Iraqis and the US for so long that they are looking for protection from whom ever they can get it. Maybe red is better than dead. I dont know. I just know that if The Kurds trust the USA or the Sunnis, then they deserve the gas and the helicopter attacks and the last 10K years of being herded and driven like cattle (which describes their history completely and totally).

Few people know this, but the Kurds renamed their poop, “Freedom Fries”.

It hurts, but we had it comin’. If you’d have been there, if you’d have seen it, then you’d have said the same!!!

Historical Documentary scene: Sunni Bathist General (in 1991): “Can we fly our helicopters around for humanitarian aid and stuff?”

Schwartzkoff: “I’m just the commander here, I’m not the president, you ask about policy, and I cant allow anything like that, that has to go through channels with professional diplomats and negotiators and that could take months…..”

Sunni Bathist General: “We promise not to gas the kurds or mow them down like the dogs they are.”

Schwartzkoff: “Oh, okay then. I’m going home, to a hero’s welcome, and I’m gonna write a book entitled, “It doesn’t take a hero”, and blame this whole disaster on General Franks who wouldn’t attack after I ordered him to attack three whole times, and he let the Republican Guard get away free as a bird. I mean what’s wrong with that child? Anyway, Adios….Try not to kill too many kurds, ha ha, lol, :0).”

Folks, that’s a nearly verbatim transcript of what happened after Desert Storm in 1991.

We fared no better under W than under W Sr. W ordered his general to attack, and he refused, just like Gen. Franks in Desert Storm.

It was 8 years between 1993 and 911, the two attacks on the WTC. It’s been 7 years since 911. The timing’s right for another attack somewhere, if you go by time between attacks, not a valid sample, but it’s all we’ve got.

We are entering ground zero time again. We are very vulnerable because our army is occupied occupying. If there are sleeper cells here, like we were told, then we can expect them to start the attack. If I’m right, moves are now being made, people getting into position. The timing is important to Osama Bin Laden. He loves to attach FU’s to dates of catastrophes. Now OBL is a baby boomer, so he knows all about playing beatle records backwards. 911 backwards is 119, or jan 19. That’s near the state of the union speech isn’t it? What better time for him to attack then during that speech.

If there are not sleeper cells here and the whole thing was part of the disinformation campaign to get us to vote for War, then we need to start radical change from within ourselves and take back this country from the war mongers.

The Iraq War is something you would have expected Ghengis Khan to do.

Obama 08: I hope he’s the commander in chief we need, not the hun we despise.

By hillbilly ragger

June 20, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this

No, Dusty, he’s saying that those who signed up after the invasion are murderers.

You don’t have to exaggerate; his assertion is bad enough as it is.

A little free advice—it is possible for anyone, even conservatives, to air legitimate grievances without tarting them up and lying. You should try it sometime.

By Peter

June 20, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

Dusty……”Peter.. 9/11�bad. Free Afghanistan & Iraq�good. Sorry you missed all that.”

Come on now Dusty, Iraq is in Civil WAR, and not at all secure, plus as a woman where are they rights?

Plus we have yet to actually win the WAR, so as the suicide bombers kill the locals, who is actually FREE ?

In Afghanistan both US and UN Troops are battling the Taliban, and they are creating havoc daily.

If you watched or read about Charlie Wilson’s WAR, we would have been better off helping way back then, after we helped then beat the Russins.

Actually Dusty I have not missed a thing, the point you missed is in both countries, there is WAR, and no one is really Free.

By Get Real

June 20, 2008 2:25 PM | Link to this

Gas was $1.56/gallon the day Bush took office. You Conservatives should be proud.

By AlohaVampire

June 20, 2008 2:25 PM | Link to this

Barrack Osama doesn’t want Bin Laden to be a martyr ‘eh……..?

Osama wants to try that a**e in an American courtroom with all the rights of a citizen to be guaranteed to him.

That’s right… We all need to be sure Bin Laden gets a fair trial. The American taxpayer should be prepared to furnish him with Robert Shapiro and Gloria Allred. Don’t forget about the witness list and all documents that need to be revealed in discovery…. Bin Laden deserves all this….

Name one thing Obama has accomplished in his professional / political career… NOTHING … He’s just anybody but GWB so we should all jump on his wagon …. huh?????

It was obvious from the get-go that he never even quit smoking the first time. The guy never gained an ounce of weight. Anybody who has ever quit the habit knows the first thing that happens to someone is weight gain without exception!!!!!!

Obama is a reverse racist with no plan whatsoever. NO PLAN WHATSOEVER!!!!

Change ???? Change to what? More taxes, more government, more high gas prices, more inflation, and MAYBE an end to the Iraq war sometime in his second term.

Get real people… Wake up…. This guy will be worse than Bush and we will all pay dearly if he is elected.

Oooops…. except Shirley Franklin. She get a cabinet spot next to Bill Campbell. Maybe she can convince him to wera one of those UGLY, GIANT flowers on his suit instead of a flag pin.

By Maniac is accurate

June 20, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

So what you’re saying (though I don’t know why) is that Kurd turds are Freedom Fries?

OK. Thanks for that.

By AlohaVampire

June 20, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this