Ah, I knew there was a reason why I still liked you. (devil) 

Dave

Ed, sorry if I offended you....

If it makes your feel any better, I don't feel that we had any GOOD choices in the last go around.

And, yes, it is good to live in a country where one can speak his mind.

Doug

I agree James,

Its much better to be able to know where you stand in relationship to a person (either good or bad), than to try to guess where they really stand while they try to please everyone. IE Senator Clinton, or Kerry.

I find that it's easier to relate to someone that takes a position, even if it is against mine. At least they have principals that they stand for and believe in....Many of the current polititions are more busy keeping everyone happy, instead of defining what they stand for to solidify their support. You can say what you want about Governor Arnold,....He walked on both sides of the aisle with his viewpoints, but defined himself so people knew what he stood for, and will most likely get re-elected.

No one likes zebra's that change their stripes to suit the moment.

Brian G.

I can't say that I agree with you. And it has nothing to do with our present leader.

Do you really want a leader that can't admit when he is wrong?

Do you want a leader that does what he thinks is right, or someone that makes an informed decision based on what his constituents want?

Are the leader's decisions based on a moral compass or an ego the refuses to admit that his decision could be wrong?

History is full of leaders who marched to their own beat. Some of them became infamous for exterminating millions of their own people.

Back to the recession... Over the past for years, I have seen my costs go up on just about everything. Energy costs are through the roof, which affects everything shipped in and out of my business. Labor costs and health costs continue to rise. Local governments continue to raise taxes to cover their costs. I am making more money because I have been forced to become more aggressive in getting and keeping sales.

The tax cut that was mentioned in the thread has not done enough the trickle down to smaller businesses. I can’t even remember where mine went. Since I believe I pay a lot of taxes, you would think that I would notice if the government gave me some back.

I want a leader who makes decisions based on true facts. Can anyone find WMDs? I want a leader who, if he is willing to meet with the parents of killed service personnel, doesn't prescreen them first. I want a leader who stays out of my doctor's office and supports the medical community in finding cures for diseases. I want a leader who keeps religion in his home and place of worship not in a government building or in a public school.

I hope one day to be governed by such a leader.

Dee

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Dee,

On the WMDs - every intelligence agency in the world said that they were there or at least unaccounted for. Even President Clinton says he thought that they were there. Even Senators Kerry, Kennedy and Clinton thought that they were there. Even the UN thought that they were there. He had used gas on the Kurds. If someone buried a fleet of trucks in California and then killed everyone involved in the hiding (not out of the realm of possibility for a man with rape rooms and human meat grinders) do you think we could find it right away? I suspect that as with a lot of things we will not know anything close to the whole truth for many years. Remember WWll and how well it was run?

I would really like a leader who stays out of my doctors office as well. The problem we have is that there have been so many leaders before this one who were so willing to give one person rights at the expense of another that there is such a big mess now that someone has to clean it up. You can not blame the mess on the janitor. (Don't you suppose he would be thrilled to see me compare him to a janitor?) I also like having a leader who will not allow the destruction of human life because it might someday maybe possibly lead to a cure that we might be able to get to some other way. He has not banned stem cell research. He has banned federal funding of the creation of and subsequent genocide of human life. That has not stopped the work it has just kept the American taxpayer from having to pay for it.

I have been a leader in the local Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for a number of years. When the subject of religion comes up I always refer the boy to his parents. My stance is practice the religion you have been given at home as you have been taught. There are differences in every home. It is not my place to teach religion to anyone other than my own children.

If a moment of silence or a sanitized prayer will at least slow the torrent of violence, crude and vile behavior and incredible lack of respect for authority that is overwhelming our schools where is the down side? I know that anyone can pray any time but a moment of silence would tell the students that it is ok to have a religion - not what religion to have - and that it is ok to practice that religion. If a child still chooses to practice no religion what harm comes to that child in learning to be Tolerant of the other students deciding TO practice a religion. Religion and morals are the only way to keep this nation great. I do not want a state sponsored religion but I also do not want the state suppressing the expression of religion. There is no right to not be offended in the Costitution.

Hi James,

Excellent post. Thanks for taking the time to express the thoughts of so many with such clarity....

Brian G.

I have and will always continue to believe that being president of anything, but most of all a country, is a thankless job. We all want something different from our leaders and when they don't respond to our particular wants we get frustrated. You will never convince me that George W. was the right man for these times however I was not a large Kerry fan either. I have felt for a long time that our system does not encourage the best and the brightest to aspire to be our leaders.

I have no problem with a moment of silence. I do have a problem with our government debating (note recent congressional hearings) the issue of evolution vs. creationism in text books.

I do have a problem with any president who says "God Bless America". I would like a president who doesn't bring God into the political arena, however, if he feels he must I would rather hear "God Bless the World"

Can we not agree to disagree here. I will never convince you to agree with my feelings nor will you ever convince me to agree with yours. There are plenty of facts to back up each of our beliefs. However, if we are honest with ourselves most of our political inclinations are based on feelings and a feeling belongs to the person who owns it and is not usually something we can argue with.

Dee

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

James: I want to echo that I am so appreciative that you took the time to so eloquently state what so many of us feel.

The bottom line is, our President isn't perfect. But considering what he inherited AND what has transpired on his watch, there is NO DOUBT in my mind that he is the right man for the job at the right time. And there is NO one on the political horizon, of any party, that comes even close to what I expect from a leader that I am getting from this President.

Have all of his decisions been good ones? Absolutely not. I'm particularly bothered by his apparent stance on the illegal (Mexican) immigration issues facing this country; particularly southern border states, but virtually every state is now starting to feel the effects.

Nevertheless, this issue, as with so many issues, does not come down to just one man; whether he be the President or not. What some of the states are now starting to do on there own (declaring states of emergency), along with citizens themselves (Minutemen, State Border Police initiatives, etc.), is exactly the way things SHOULD work.

I could go on but I won't. It's just refreshing to see that the "majority" is still in the majority and the dependent-on-government liberals are at bay; although worthy of keeping an eye on.