What about Dem benchmarks
The cut-and-run liberals are moaning and groaning about Iraq coming up short on the benchmarks that were laid out for them.
In case nobody has been paying attention, these moaners and groaners have been doing a pretty lousy job themselves of meeting the benchmarks they laid out for themselves when they took over the Congress a little over six months ago.
As a matter of fact, the earmark debacle that Democrats railed about and vowed to stop not only continues to flourish, but now they are trying to hide earmarks.
The corruption that they were going to abolish immediately apparently didn’t include corruption in their own ranks, and the list goes on.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid’s highly touted first hundred days “benchmarks” evaporated with a whimper.
As a matter of fact, this Democratic-controlled Congress has a worse benchmark-completion percentage than Iraq does, and they aren’t being threatened, bombed and shot at. Had the Democrats had a benchmark for silly, money-wasting showboat hearings, they would be kings of the hill. No wonder they have the lowest poll ratings in history.
Jack Palmer, Denver
A hearty AMEN to this analysis!
But, before the Republicans following this start cheering too much, remember that the Republicans blew it just as bad, only longer. Now it's just the turn of the democrats to have their name on and involved in the corruption.
Neither party is a bastion of integrity seeking anything other than appeasing the power and money supplying special interests who can further their futile grasp at long term total domination.
Anybody who votes on a pure party line is only repeating past insanity and praying for a different outcome. Positive change in Washington is only going to come by voting based on the personal integrity of the candidates for each and every office irrespective of their political affiliation.
Posted by T on August 7, 2007 12:48 AMJack,you are exactly right,this worse congress ever has promoted the recruitment of terrorist that want to kill Americans here and aboard.As usual the dems. have lied to the American people so they can steal our tax dollars and to tax this economy out of world competition.The gov. in Iraq is not doing anything positive because they know the anti-american,anti-foreign policy dems. get in it will be a total disaster for them and the middle east.Believe or not the people in Iraq know that if the dems. get in that they are screw just like this country.Unfortunatly we have total idiots in this country who refuse to find out the facts but vote the way bollywood does.
Posted by Keith on August 7, 2007 01:00 AMGood diction, spelling, etc. there Keith. Did we nip at the bottle a little before setting off on this rant?
Posted by on August 7, 2007 01:22 AMthe dems are doing just what they said they would. a lot of talk and no action. look at the last 50 years and see if there is anything they have done except raise taxes and create social programs or get their pork through.
BTW they are going to fix social security again.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 04:28 AMUnfortunately the Congressional Republican approval rating is even lower than Dems.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 05:12 AMI am disappointed by the Dems too, but after 6 years of 'do notthing, yes-men' Republicans it will take a while for the people to reclaim America, and it will involve taxes to fix things that Bush has ignored (veterans benefits, veterans hospitals, seniors assistance, farm aid...you know the 'pork' you talk about) What the Dems promised, one man who thinks himself king, has vetoed. My dispointment with the Dems is that they have not followed through with impeachments for the thugs in the White House. That corrupt bunch at 1600 Pa.Ave need jail time.
Posted by No Party on August 7, 2007 05:39 AMJack - good point. Long story short - the Democrats are almost as bad as the Republicans.
Posted by Liam on August 7, 2007 05:54 AMJack:
Tell us what strategy will allow non-Republicans to achieve the 60 vote threshold required to pass legislation in the Senate when the Republican's vote in virtual lockstep against every non-Republican proposal.
Then tell us how non-Republicans can over-ride a Presidential veto if less than a hand-full of Republicans will ever vote to over-ride said veto.
It's obvious that the Republican strategy is to not let anything get through so they can scream about the "Do-nothing Democrats" and point at their low approval ratings like the writer.
They need to get peoples eyes off of Iraq somehow...
I think Liam above boils it down to it's essence quite well.
Posted by Charles B on August 7, 2007 06:51 AMI've got a benchmark. Let's cull the herd of GOP felons. Felon appoints fellow felon. Judge Alito is a UCMJ-felon (Awolee, deserter, and guilty of illegal separation and discharge). Alito joined the US Army ROTC, where he pimped and exploited American taxpayers. We gave this thug 7 years of free college education (JD and undergraduate degrees). In return, Alito was require to serve on active military duty for "11" years. No-Show. Alito blew-off his military obligatio under the disguise of him serving as a federal law clerk. In some cases, Alito was "double-dipping" and gettting 2 federal paychecks (federal funds, racketeering, fraud, waste, and abuse).
OLD MOVIE: Bush is a UCMJ felon too. 40+ years AWOLee, deserter, and guilty of illegal separation and discharge. He also falsified, forged, and perjured his state and federal election applications and national security clearance applications. Bush answered "NO" to the qustion, "have you ever committed or were you ever convicted of a felony offense". Where's the GOP "rule of law" and "spirit and intent" of our laws crowd on this issue?
Some of the same can be said for Mitt Romney (Mormon). NAM broke-out, Mitt broke for his Mormon mission (pappy in Nixon's cabinet). Black Muslim Elijah Muhammad pulled this trick and he was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison. His Son, Wallace D., did the same, and yep, Wallace was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison too. Elijah was Muhammad Ali's religious advisor, ENUFF said. Mitty owes black folks 3 years in prison and some of the $300 million he earned, while black men were serving in his stead, in Vietnam.
Posted by 40acresandmymuleandNAMvetbennies on August 7, 2007 06:56 AMI guess the letter writer would like to see funds withheld from the troops
Posted by on August 7, 2007 07:28 AM40 acres etc.
Why is it you blame everyone and everything other than yourself for the suffering you say you have experienced. And why do you attempt to widen the racial gap between blacks and all others by laying all the wrongs in the world at the feet of whites. Is it not possible that blacks have caused some of their own social problems, just like everyone else has, by electing people who are all talk and no walk.
Whites are not the problem and neither are blacks or any other color of people. It is pointing out the color of a people that causes the problems and you, Sir, are only adding fuel to that fire.
Posted by Allen Campbell on August 7, 2007 07:39 AMGee Charles, Kind of sounds like the last bunch of Democrats in the minority doesn't it? But you are so blinded by your party talking points that you forget about very recent history.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 07:47 AMAll was not lost. Congress now sports a 3% approval on the handling of Iraq--that's 3 full points above zero. What a moonshot! And they did manage to name a number of post offices across America. Harry and Nancy have been working overtime for America, they have their priorities firmly established and entrenched. They were just a little slow in the bridge repair department.
Wait, I forgot something. They did manage to get a minimum wage bill past that impacted nobody in the USA and one of their very own managed to figure out a new and creative use for old refrigerators. So if you think that you missed something in those first 100 hours, then just wait until you see the next 6 months.
Posted by Hank on August 7, 2007 07:49 AM"Kind of sounds like the last bunch of Democrats in the minority doesn't it?"
Actually, no. Democrats aren't as lock-step and ideologically rigid as the Republicans, and many, especially Ken "lies prostrate before Bush" Salazar capitulated endlessly to the Boy King.
So no, you're wrong. You're also wrong about my party affiliation but don't let that stop you from labeling me if it makes things easier for you..
Posted by Charles B on August 7, 2007 08:12 AMThis is Charles B yesterday when responding to a post that he disagreed with about the Iraq war
"You may honestly believe it, but what proof do you offer?"
This is Charles B today responding to a poster here.
"Actually, no. Democrats aren't as lock-step and ideologically rigid as the Republicans, and many, especially Ken "lies prostrate before Bush" Salazar capitulated endlessly to the Boy King.
So no, you're wrong.....
So Chas, what proof do you offer?
And for those of you that are new to this forum, Chas is correct that he shouldn't be labeled a Democrat. His politics are to the left of Joseph Stalin.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 08:25 AMAnd the unknown poster at 8:25 is just to the right of the Grand Dragon for KKK>
Posted by on August 7, 2007 08:29 AMJack,
You need to understand Dems have a different definition of sucess. It all about how they feel. If they feel that they are solving a problem, even a made-up invented problem that is better than actually doing something.
So because Ted, Nancy and Harry feel they are doing something that are totally sucessful, in their world.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 08:44 AMFrom the unknown poster at 8:25 to the unknown poster at 8:29, what a great argument! Not quite sure what you read in my post that lead you to your conclusion, but you keep posting. By the way, think you can get me one of those grand dragon hats?
Posted by on August 7, 2007 08:53 AMIt won't be until the dems get a dem president until they get done what needs to get done. But keep in mind Bush had an all republican congress his first 4 years and nothing was done. Social Security is still broke, our healthcare is still a mess and we are in a war with no end in sight. Not to mention gas prices doubled. So you right wing nut jobs keep pointing your fingers.
Posted by larry on August 7, 2007 08:58 AMPop Quiz.
The only member of congress that was a grand dragon in the KKK is from which party?
Posted by on August 7, 2007 08:58 AMWow, the Democrats have had a slim majority in the House and Senate for a whole six months now.
I wonder how come they haven't solved all our problems yet?
Jack Palmer, you are an idiot of the highest order. You sound like a right-wing chickenhawk, warmonger, coward -- sending other people's kids to die without any concern whatsoever.
Better to cut and run -- and live to fight another day -- than to stay and die -- for NOTHING!
By the way, I am active-duty military and have been to Balad and Baghdad, Iraq twice in the past two years.
Posted by Jerry Jones on August 7, 2007 09:15 AMI am disappointed that Bush didn't hold the GOP-led Congress in check with some budget vetos. But if you think the GOP budgets were bad, go back and check on the Dems counter-budget.....much greater spending. San Fran Nan promised a new day in the House. Current appropriation budgets are rising at 9-10%....3 times inflation. Earmarks have not been reduced, to the contrary. Sen. Harry Reid's rating is half of VP Cheney's! One poll has Dem Congress's favorables at 3%. Dems have turned their backs on protecting this country from massive illegal immigration and Islamic terrorists. But they still know how to raise taxes............over and over and over again.
Posted by Buff Driver on August 7, 2007 09:22 AMJack why don't you try holding your breath until you get what you want? Maybe you can try stomping your feet too and if that does not work you can try the tried and tested method of throwing canned vegetables in the middle of the grocery store while screaming bloody murder. I am just trying to bring a little dignity into your rant.
Posted by Sean on August 7, 2007 09:37 AMJack Palmer,It's nice to see that somebody else spends time to find out the facts.Al this lowest rated congress has done is try to find a way for defeat in Iraq.They want to raise the price on gas,let our S.S. run out and so on.The idiotatic post above shows how we got stuck with dems. in control in congress.
Posted by bart on August 7, 2007 10:05 AMHow's this for a benchmark?
Lose 215-213 and then steal it back. Now that's a benchmark for a cockeyed, crowd of crooks that generates their well-deserved 3% approval!
Fortunately, all of America saw this hold-up.
Posted by Hank on August 7, 2007 10:22 AM
Jerry Jones:
"Wow, the Democrats have had a slim majority in the House and Senate for a whole six months now. I wonder how come they haven't solved all our problems yet?"
You see Jerry, the dems campaigned on the promise of sweeping reform. They pointed the finger squarely at the reps and made wild accusations. They promised the voters that if only they would elect a dem majority, everything would be peaches and cream.
When you campaign on lies and deceit such as a new direction (whatever that meant) you can't later claim that it's still the reps fault that nothing is getting accomplished.
Between the reps blowing it over the last 6 years, and the dems keeping everything business as usual for the last 7 months, I say it's time for a thorough house cleaning.
Posted by KW on August 7, 2007 10:39 AMHank,I'm glad to see someone else saw that.Unfortunately alot of the people that post at these sites only go to liberal propanganda outlets so they are clueless aboat what you are talking about.
Posted by bart on August 7, 2007 10:44 AMHank,I'm glad to see someone else saw that.Unfortunately alot of the people that post at these sites only go to liberal propanganda outlets so they are clueless aboat what you are talking about.
Posted by bart on August 7, 2007 10:45 AMBart, it is not "idiotatic". The word is spelled "idiotic". If you want to call someone else an idiot or imply that there postings are idiotic, at least try to spell the word right because it just makes you look stupid when you do misspell such a simple word. This in turn negates the rest of your argument, not that you had one to begin with, but if you did, it would surely be negated.
Posted by Sean on August 7, 2007 10:45 AMBeware the spelling police.
Posted by KW on August 7, 2007 10:52 AMSean can join Charles B and combine their egotistical little games of correcting others. Talk about idiotic nonsense on the part of two"adults".
Posted by on August 7, 2007 11:02 AMI am hardly perfect in my spelling and grammar, I do make mistakes and I do not spend my time pointing out the mistakes of others. But when people call me an idiot or idiotic, a moron, a Dumocrat etc. and they cannot even manage to spell the insult right and their grammar is so poor it makes me wonder about the state of public education, I feel compelled to call them out.
Posted by Sean on August 7, 2007 11:03 AM6 COAL MINERS TRAPPED 1,500 FEET DOWN.
Meanwhile, Ritter and Salazar put safe and easy to access energy at the Roan and Vermillion out of bounds.
Do these anti-energy, wind-mill building, solar-powered, ethanol guzzling, hamster-wheelerating, rubberband powered democrats and environuts plan to hop into their helicopters and attend the funerals?
Turn the light switch on and you get light. Unfortunately 6 miners will never see any light again thanks to the likes of Ritter and Salazar!
Posted by Hank on August 7, 2007 11:10 AMSomeone with so little self-esteem that they can't even bring themselves to write a name said:
"Sean can join Charles B and combine their egotistical little games of correcting others."
...because we wouldn't want people saying things that are correct now would we...
This must be a "fact optional" forum.
Posted by Charles B on August 7, 2007 11:48 AMSee, now Charles B feels self justified! Don't hurt that arm too much patting yourself on the back. Wouldn't want you to be disabled to such a degree that you couldn't do your civic duty in keeping us uneducated yokels in line.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 12:08 PMPosted by on August 7, 2007 12:08 PM:
It's quite flattering that you're so obsessed with me that you feel compelled to narrate my every move.
Anyone got an over/under on how long it'll take before I need a restraining order?
Posted by Charles B on August 7, 2007 12:37 PMThe Dems and those who voted for them were naive ennough to believe in something called 'democracy' which is a farce. We have a something closer to a king than president. 70% of the people opose the King, a majority in Congress oppose the King and try to pass bills, and yet they are powerless to do anything. Im not sure why the Iraqis want a taste of this so called democracy we have. The voice iof the people my ass.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 12:46 PMIt has turned into the voices of the people that whine the loudest that get their way that's for sure. Democrats only give loyalty to KOS, Moveon.org and George Soros and if you don't believe that you are not informed. I can't believe even a liberal would want to give their country over to these super liberal socialistic entities. Even France has learned that the liberals only hurt the country not help it. Democrats need to stop just voting Democrat for party lines and research how the party has changed and been hijacked.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 01:07 PMAnon 12:46 PM:
Things don't have to stay as tangled as they are. But it will stay as such, regardless of who the next president is, unless we break away from the mental and emotional enslavement we have to party loyalty.
If the politicians are convinced that they got elected based on their own merit and not party affiliation, they just might start working for the country and party loyalties.
Posted by T on August 7, 2007 01:11 PMHank--
You're so right. That mine collapse was totally Ritter and Salazar's fault. Especially since it happened in a different state than Ritter & Salazar are from.
Let me guess, the bridge collapse in MN was Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi's fault, right?
Pathetic.
Posted by Tbone on August 7, 2007 01:14 PMthe last line of 01:11 PM should read, "...and NOT party loyalties." Sorry about that!
Posted by T on August 7, 2007 01:14 PMsean,thats was a miss-hit,I have used idiotic in many post to define you liberals.Check the facts idiot.
Posted by Keith on August 7, 2007 02:18 PMWelcome to the ring of truth and foresight T!
Even KW is on board with cleaning house, literally in this instance.
I have said this a NUMBER of times and it looks like it is finally gaining momentum (at least in my little RMN blog world). Partisanship solves NOTHING.
If we stick to this, it will pay off in the end.
Vote out Senators after 12 years (2 terms max)
Vote out Representatives every 8 years (4 terms max)
To prevent a "king of the Congress" as George Washington prevented a King of the Presidency, there is no reason that, either by term or by years, ANY member of Congress should have that much tenure. You want to place blame for why nothing gets done in Congress? Look in the mirror if you keep voting for the incumbent.
Posted by Dan2 on August 7, 2007 02:29 PMThe politicians would be proud and smile from ear to ear reading these posts, You see division is used to control the masses, if they keep half blaming the other half then nobody really challenges anything and business as usual goes on. I really believe that Bush is the worst president ever, I cringe everytime he meets or speaks with a foreign leader. I would never have believed we could have elected (at least once) a President that is such a poor public speaker. There is a reason he never has open press conferences his handlers are scared to death of what he may say.
Posted by Mike D. on August 7, 2007 03:09 PMKeith managed to spell idiotic correctly and he can thank me for it. Keith your welcome. Now if you could manage to follow the rules of capitalization, spacing and sentence construction , you might one day be able to write an intelligent sounding post, which is always important - especially when you call someone else an idiot. Because when you call someone and idiot and you continue to write like a semi-literate buffoon, it looks poorly on you.
Posted by Sean on August 7, 2007 04:38 PMSean -- when you are forming a contraction of "you are", it's spelled "you're"; not as you used it in the first sentence of your 04:38 PM post.
By the way, you're welcome in advance.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 05:37 PMall of you are idiots. there is no other way to fix our problems except revolution. NO OTHER WAY! our rulers in washington have no integrity and will not do what is best for the people, otherwise they WOULD!
get it!
Posted by Fresh on August 7, 2007 05:43 PMLike I said in my 11:03 post 'I am hardly perfect in my spelling and grammar, I do make mistakes and I do not spend my time pointing out the mistakes of others.' That is unless they call someone an idiot
You see, I do not get angry when others point out my grammatical faults for it is the only way that I will become a better writer. So thanks.
Oh and by the way, if you spent as much time looking for a job as you did posting without a name you might be able to find a job and realize your life long dream of moving out your Mom's basement.
But I don't blame you for your nameless posts, because if that was the best I could do, I would not put my name to it either.
Sean
Reading your post of 04:38 PM it's apparent that you should follow your own advice.
You are is "you're" not "your".
The abomination of the second sentence is a prime example of a run-on sentence.
"when you call someone and idiot", should be "an idiot".
"it looks poorly on you" should be "it reflects poorly"
Face it, Sean, "...[when] you continue to write like a semi-literate buffoon, it reflects poorly on you."
Oh no, did I anger the English Professor? Maybe you need to write a letter to the editor expressing your dismay at the lack of writing skills that are posted on this forum. But wait, that would require you to actually put a name to what you write. Come on guy or gal, this is the Internet. Nobody is going to beat you up like they beat you up in high school because your sheer annoyance left no other choice.
Posted by Sean on August 7, 2007 06:07 PMWe've all seemed to have strayed from our idea that the original letter writer, Jack, is full of beans.
Cut and run has become a meaningless and trite way of calling Liberals cowards.
It's obvious to intellegent folks that a dead soldier can no longer kill terrorists.
A good officer knows when to move his men to best help them to ,1) .stay alive, and 2) retreat as necessary to better utilize their weapons and explore other options.
To stay and die is NOT good strategy.
A new Commander-in Chief would help, as our current one has lost all credibility and the respect of the majority of U.S citizens.
Not to mention the GIs, who have to be wondering why they're expected to follow the orders of a man who, when he was trained as a fighter pilot at no small expense to the taxpayer, and called for duty, chose to " cut and run" .
Sean
No, you didn't anger anyone. I just turned your asinine, insulting lecture of keith back on you. You're the child who started calling others names and putting down their writing to make your point.
Classic case of those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 06:45 PMThe reason nothing of consequence gets done in congress is the direct result of what is indulged in this comments section. Children spending their time pointing fingers at each other and arguing about who's to blame. Not until people can get past this ever widening chasm of disagreement will anything really get done to the benifit of the people. It's like arguing about who should bail out the boat while it's sinking.
Posted by Allen Campbell on August 8, 2007 05:25 AMThe Dem. congress IS a disappointment, but as far as accomplishments one would have to measure it against--not their stated 'benchmarks', but--the record of the last GOP Congress, which failed even to pass most of the few bills it is mandated by the Constitution to deal with, naming funding government. After the GOP debacle of corruption, selling votes and access, corruption, and pandering to wack-job constituencies (flag burning, gay marriage, Terri Shiavo, the list is nearly endless), even the lame-ass Dems look good.
Posted by Oliver on August 8, 2007 06:59 AMAllen:
While it is oft times frustrating how good debates are cluttered with name calling and taunts, I believe that your relating it to how Congress falls prey to the same behavior is very accurate. By most appearances, members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, act as if it's more important to put their opponent down and promote their own parties alleged superiority than to work together for any substantive legislation. Result is a do-little Congress.
Oliver:
I submit that a big weakness we have created in evaluating the effectiveness of Congress (or any segment of government) is that we compare the accomplishments of one Congress with that of another -- usually a Congress lead by one party versus a previous Congress lead by the other.
This results in a continual lowering of the bar in respect to actual accomplishments. For example, giving the current Dem lead Congress a passing grade because it has performed "better" than the last Repub Congress is ignoring the fact that very little of substance has come out of either group. So we are to accept a sub par performance because it wasn't as sub par as the last group?
Congress has to be measured by what it achieves, by what is accomplished during the session to address and RESOLVE the issues facing our country. Members of Congress (both parties) must be evaluated for what has been, and is being accomplished during it's session. By giving them a pass because of party affiliation is a cop out.
If Congressional members were concerned about being voted out of office for lack of performance irrespective of party affiliation they would be inspired to work together to address real issues.
Posted by Trinity on August 8, 2007 08:59 AM6:45 P.M.still no name. I do not blame you for if that is the best I could come up with, I would not put a name on it either.
Posted by Sean on August 8, 2007 10:45 AM