Let me know when you're in town, I'll email you the coordinates as a sign of appreciation for a fine job of moderating.

Hence my Straw man comment.

I think that explains it very well, Max. I agree with most of what you wrote, except that I draw the line short of health care.

There are a few things that government needs to do...things that the private sector cannot, for varying reasons. Protection...be it national defense or local police and fire forces. Local government is the mechanism through which utilities are more effectively provided (water, sewer, streets, etc).

And, as has been mentioned, provide a safety net for the less fortunate. Although, an argument can be made that private charities can do a better job of this. From local churches to the Red Cross, they seem to be able to respond better to needs than the government can. There is a reason for this.

But I firmly believe that my local food pantry can do more to alleviate hunger with $500 than the USDA can with $5000. But I digress. There is a role for government, and like Max said, no one (or very few) will advocate that there should not be a gov't safety net. It is just a matter of where do you draw the line...

Because every time to spend a dollar to help someone, that is a dollar that is coming out of someone's paycheck.

Aw, geez Wade...if this diatribe of yours represents your best effort to be open minded, I pity anyone trying to have a face to face, candid discussion with you. I, for one, find your continued efforts to demean and raise unfounded suspicions really tedious. I truly wonder if you could find a modicum of respect for with anyone whose view of the world differs from yours.

Just keep stewing away there...the world is about to pass you by.

Wade
There are 6 canidates running for the office of Prez of the US, John, Barack, Cindy, Bob, Ralph, and Chuck. Pick one and support him/her,,,,with all the talk about the 2 status quo canidates,, this tread sounds tooooo much like the medias info mercials and sound bites ,,,,Yes more then likely one of the 2 will become our next prez,,, but unless a 3rd party starts to get some support all we will end up with in 4 years is the same 2 partys sending us more of the same,,,Reagan was the last status quo canidate I voted for and I never thought of my vote as wasted,,,the 2 party system isnt/hasnt been working ,,its time to continue the revolution that Ron Paul started and not just for the office of prez but for all those running for office this election year
Im mad as h*ll and Im not gonna take it anymore!!!!!!!!

LAS

Max, It was an open invite to give me some solid reasons I should change my mind or to tell me why you believe Obama was the better choice. None were given, so I gave you my reasons for suporting Mcain. As I have said, not so much because I approve of him, but more over I cannot trust "barry".

Randoid. It is my belief that with the current way things are set, two "status quo" parties are the only ones with a snowballs chance. I would LOVE to see Ron Paul or Bob Barr over Obama, shucks, I would take HILLARY over Obama. But since it aint gonna happen, I will cast for Mcain in the hopes of defeating obama.

All this bickering back and forth is kind of foolish. With the economy where it is, the next President will have his hands tied and won't be able to do much of anything. I know that the democrats with at 60 majority in the senate will try to silence opposition (Rush and Hannity) with the Fairness Doctrine but with good attorneys that should route PBS and maybe the MSM as well. Last weekend the Duluth News Tribune had like 7 pro Obama op-eds and one Pro McCain. Under the Fairness Doctrine it would have to be 7 and 7.

Like it or not Obama is truly the most anti-gun candidate to ever get this far. (Check out his work for the Joyce foundation) but most democrats realize that there will be another election in 4 years and they remember that the NRA is still a very power organization. Before the collapse of the the financial markets I was concerned about the possibility of a socialist leaning Obama presidency. I don't see many democrats, under the current financial situation supporting tax increases. 4 years just isn't enough time for either party to do much (with the possible exception of the supreme court) and I don't see either candidate making two terms. So I'm going to relax and reload for 2012.

OK Wade, I'll give you a solid reason to vote for Obama.

Where I work, when we are looking to hire someone, we consider experience a distant second to that person’s potential. It's their potential to help take our company to the next level that is the deciding factor, not their experience. When I compare these two candidates, I see one who has graduated from Harvard Law school concentrating in the area of constitutional law and the other candidate who finished 5th from the bottom of his class. The second candidate would not even make it past our HR. screening process let alone be considered for employment. With Obama, his upside, or potential, is so far past that of McCain's that I really wonder why someone would even consider hiring McCain.

So, a sold reason to vote for Obama is his intelligence over that of his rival.

McCain did impress me with his televised hush-hush of his followers proding him to degrade his opponent!
BUT! I do believe the reps are toning it down Colman also,just because they see their actually draging themselves down not the opponent!

I have seen plenty of highly intelligent, highly educated people who can't seem to put their knowledge, intelligent and skills to good use.

Something that I have seen with many seemingly intelligent/highly educated people is that the seem to have the inability to really listen to what others are saying, that is not good trait as no one is smart enough to really know it all.

Example: I work with a guy who has a Masters in Physics, but will form an opinion and stand on it not listening to anyone else, that is until someone makes him look like total fool with overwhelming proof of his error. Then the excuses start to fly. There comes a time to take the cotton out of the ears and stuff them in the mouth.

If your point is not all highly intelligent people succeed, I agree, look no further than Ted Kaczynski. However, the odds of an intelligent person succeeding is far greater than someone of very average intelligence.

Wade, something special just for you;

RETIREMENT BONUS

The Navy found they had too many officers and decided to offer an early retirement bonus. They promised any officer who volunteered for Retirement a bonus of $1,000 for every inch measured in a straight line between any Two points in his body. The officer got to choose what those two points would be.

The first officer who accepted asked that he be measured from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. He was measured at six feet and walked out with a Bonus of $72,000.

The second officer who accepted was a little smarter and asked to be measured from the tip of his outstretched hands to his toes. He walked out with $96,000.

The third one was a noncommissioned officer, a grizzly old Chief who, when asked where he would like to be measured replied, 'From the tip of my weenie to my testicles.'

It was suggested by the pension man that he might want to reconsider, explaining about the nice big checks the previous two Officers had received. But the old Chief insisted and they decided to go along with him providing a Medical Officer took the measurement.

The Medical Officer arrived and instructed the Chief to 'drop 'em,' which he did. The medical officer placed the tape measure on the tip of the Chief's weenie and began to work back. Dear Lord!' he suddenly exclaimed, 'Where are your testicles?' The old Chief calmly replied, ' Vietnam

?

Thanks Kidd, Heard it before, but its still a good one.

Now to counter your point, Yes, Obama is intelligent, and probably has "potential" But in both the military as well as many civilian lines of work one must pass a background investigation. My current Job doing electronic security has one much easier than that required for the clearances I held while in the Navy. Mr Obama could not pass either. Therefore would not be employable at a simple electronic security company, nor could he serve in the military in a position requiring a secret clearance yet you would like him to be CinC of those very people.

The guy is very charismatic, very intelligent and very "sellable" but its his background, or lack of info on it that scares me.

Navy SEALS left some things on the ground in Nam. Not toilet paper, either.