The DREADED Politics Thread: (Political Opinion - Enter at your own Peril)

Diplomatically Put Mistress!

On the DIP scale, You get a 10!

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.


See, it isn't really that hard to do, to discuss "our" individual highs and lows.

 

In lue of Our recent discussion, this came out today...


St. Louis alderman calls on residents to get armed
By CHERYL WITTENAUER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
December 02, 2008 6:15 PM EST
ST. LOUIS - A city alderman frustrated with the police response to rising crime called Tuesday on residents to arm themselves to protect their lives and property.

Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe said police are ineffective, outnumbered or don't care about the increase in crime in his north St. Louis ward. St. Louis has had 157 homicides in 2008, 33 more than last year at this time.

"The community has to be ready to defend itself, because it's clear the economy is going to get worse, and criminals are getting more bold," Troupe, 72, said Tuesday.


Troupe said that when he and residents approached a district police commander last year, they were told "there was nothing he could do to protect us and the community ... that he didn't have the manpower."

Police did not immediately return requests for comment. Chief Dan Isom told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he understands Troupe's frustration but doesn't support citizens arming themselves.

Carrying guns, he said, is not a "recipe for a less violent community."

Mayor Francis Slay wrote in his blog Tuesday that some of the most violent crimes in Troupe's ward are committed with guns stolen from law-abiding citizens.

He said Troupe could do more good urging residents to cooperate with investigating police officers, lending support for activities for children, and lobbying legislators to increase funding for jobs training and economic development.


Troupe's reaction to the spike in homicides is understandable, but his idea is not likely to be effective, said University of Missouri-St. Louis criminologist Richard Rosenfeld.

"Much of the problem is free and easy access to guns," Rosenfeld said. "This hope that by putting guns in the right hands will have an influence on criminals is a false hope. There's no evidence for that."



it would seem that I am not the only who thinks along these lines.

 

Caroline Kennedy has expressed interest in the New York Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Clinton


Does being raised in a political family give a person the experience necessary to be a senator?





I dont really know much about the woman, so if I am all wet, please speak up and correct me. It just seems to me that the biggest thing she has to offer is her legacy.

 

Education:
Brearley School
Convent of the Sacred Heart in Manhattan
Concord Academy in Massachusetts
B.A. from Harvard University
J.D. from Columbia Law School

Job History:
Attorney, Editor, Writer & member of the New York and Washington, D.C. bars (the hardest bars to pass in the country)
Chief Executive for the Office of Strategic Partnerships for the New York City Department of Education (02-04)
Vice Chair of The Fund for Public Schools (current)
President of the Kennedy Library Foundation
Director for the Commission on Presidential Debates and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Honorary Chairman of the American Ballet Theatre
Adviser to the Harvard Institute of Politics
Co-Wrote with Ellen Alderman 2 books on civil liberties: In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights In Action (1990) & The Right to Privacy (1995)

ETA: Forgot to mention that she's also spent a LIFETIME under public scrutiny and has almost been blown up at least once.


How's that for qualified?

 

well when you put it like that...

 

Hey, you're the one who's been on me to come in here... No complaining now.

 

Thank you, Zoo. I knew if I asked either you or Nigel would tell me everything I wanted to know about her.

 

And since I was traveling and didn't know who Caroline Kennedy was off the top of my head (yay, Wikipedia!), it's a good thing Zoo did. I'd vote for Caroline Kennedy for President.

 

Obama hasn't quite kicked the habit


This bother anybody? I cant say it really bothers me much. It is an awful habit, and very difficult to quit. I am not sure anyone other than an ex smoker can even know how hard it is...and I am sure he is doing his personal best, blah blah blah. So I cannot say this bothers me much at all. What about you all?

 

Hey, the guy is going to have a stressful job, heck, it's already stressful! If it helps take the edge off him as long as he isn't smoking one every 10 minutes, I say leave him alone about it. (that's not directed at you personally Mistress)

Heck Mistress, you know me well enough and you know what I would tell him.



.... and BTW, did you see this?

Obama backs Workers

 

I hadnt seen it yet, thanks for posting it...And I absolutely agree. The government bailout of banks was done with the express purpose of freeing up credit lines, and that this company had to lay off its employees and cannot even pay them severance because they cannot get credit is symptomatic of the problem as a whole.

One line I took particular notice of, "Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said from the shuttered plant that he would talk to fellow senators about reminding banks that taxpayer dollars are not for dividends or executive salaries."


Duh! I cannot believe the banks keep thinking the way they are...can the government basically force them to spend it on opening lines of credit or are we screwed?

 

Having watched my dad try to quit off and on for 20 years, I really don't have a problem with it. It's incredibly difficult to kick, and the stress he's been under and is going to be under is not conducive to quiting.

I hope he can, though, just because it's so bad for the body.

 

I just heard some snipets of what he was saying about how to make jobs in the US and some areas we need to work on (and that would make those jobs). Never really thought of it that way, but the government will need to spend money to get Americans working. Plain & simple.

 

Duh. That's what FDR did during the Depression with his New Deal. Civilian Conservation Corps ring any bells? Built Red Rocks, most of the roads through National Parks (the Blue Ridge Parkway included, because it's the narrowest national park we have) and other stuff like that.

 

Ill. Gov. arrested in Obama successor probe



Unbelievable. According to this article the governor of Illinois was attempting to "sell" Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder. I want to hurl. This is disgusting.

 

It's nice to see someone like this get the shaft!


This entitlement crap has got to stop!


I think we need "The Stocks" back.

 

If we could strip him buck nekkid and each take turns whipping him, then yes...bring back the stocks.

 

Ouch, you guys are mean

I think we should just take all his money & make him live as a homeless guy for awhile If you try to scam someone, you get to be a bum

 

I dont think you can be mean enough to a governor who sullies himself, his state and his position by trying to auction off a senate seat to the highest bidder. Money is truely the root of all evils.

In the FBI affadavit, Blagojovich is quoted as saying he is in financial straits, so he has no money to take away...sending him and his monkey to prison will accomplish plenty of revenge.

 

He should be barred from EVER running for public office again to boot.

This guy deserves a truckload of humiliation and the loss of it all.

 

Illinois Governor faces up to 30 years...on fraud and bribery charges.


It just keeps getting better every time I refresh the page.

 

Obama: I never talked to Gov. about replacement

 

Al Franken FTW!!! By 225 votes.

 

Yet Coleman wants to tie it up and now Al can't join in the swearing of the 111th Congress. Minnesota is notorious for accuracy in voting counts and did it painstakingly, the state courts lawfully and officially said he won it!


... but Norm didn't get his way, so he's gonna be a Baby!

I'm gonna tie up 100's of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to fight what we already know! I Lost! How's that for State Representing? Way to show you have faith in the system Norm! Boooooooooooooo! Where's my tomato?!



... and why the hell is Blajo still in office?! I can't not believe that guy is still running the show! Kick his self-centered Arse right out on the Illinois capitol building steps right after the impeachment!

 

A Roundup of 2008's Developments Relating to Harms Suffered By Children in Religious Settings: Our Disturbing Current Status, and Some Signs of Progress