<p>Ron Paul 2008!!!</p>
<p>“So, mini, do you blame Clinton for the Iraq war more than bush?”</p>
<p>What I am saying is that there would have been no aggressive, hostile occupation of Iraq without bipartisan foreign policy, the failed genocide effort with a million dead coupled with the attempt to get Chemical Ali to overthrow Saddam Hussein as a U.S. proxy, the Big Lie of 1998 and the call for war by Al Gore, Carl Levin, Joe Biden, etc., the use of U.N. inspection teams as spies for the CIA, the kicking of U.N. inspectors out of Iraq BY THE UNITED STATES after they were found out, the massive bombing of Iraq in December 1998, and the final support for the invasion by Biden, Clinton (both of them), etc. (since they’d backed it four years earlier, how could they not support it in 2002?)</p>
<p>Blame is a funny word. So is war. There hasn’t been a war in Iraq since early 2003.</p>
<p>zoosermom, no I didn’t think you were being critical of him, I was speaking the everyone in general who tends to criticize Bill Clinton, listen I didn’t vote for him however I do believe that he did a pretty outstanding job as president and feel he was unlike many presidents, far more sensitive to the needs of the black population and rightfully so. I am not a huge fan frankly, of any of the candidates but personally feel a bit more confident with the Clintons than I do Obama, I WOULD NOT vote republican period after the BUSH DISASTER. Mini, what about Bush and Iraq and the war and Afghanistan and what is about ready to try to do with Iran? What do you think of that?</p>
<p>I see bipartisan foreign policy. In fact, every time I see bipartisan policy on anything - whether it be genocide in Iraq or the hostile, aggressive occupation of Iraq, NAFTA and so-called “free trade” and “disaster capitalism”, tax policy, you name it - I would run in the opposite direction. Bipartisanship is simply corporate socialism in disguise.</p>
<p>As for Bill, well, I am against capital punishment, though I think he deserves the same fate as Chemical Ali, with whom he wanted to cut a deal.</p>
<p>mini – why you hatin’ so? You’re brilliant but unchecked. Come back to us. We’re your friends. And I sorta agree with lots of what you’re saying but it’s kind of all at a weid slant.</p>
<p>It’s only at a weird slant looked at from the belly of corporate socialism. Looked at from the outside, I’m only stating the obvious. I’ve seen people DIE (yes, DIE) as a result of Al Gore’s trade policy, and it is not pretty.</p>
<p>But, to take the obvious a step further, those who deliberately kill half a million children, as an instrument of foreign policy coming from the leading sponsor of state terrorism in the world, are worthy of the death penalty, but if I work at it, I can find a little forgiveness in my heart.</p>
<p>mini: I agree with you, as it happens, but we live in such a fallen world I am not surprised. I have been talking about the deaths from the embargo for a long time, especially to cut through the incredible feeling of victimization people had over 9/11, not so much here in NY I’m glad to say.</p>
<p>However, the Republicans are more odious in other ways.</p>
<p>I think it is important to say the things you’re saying to try and cut through the masks.</p>
<p>I don’t feel your anger though, just sadness. And the only solution I can find is to keep putting out love, caring, awareness, whatever.</p>
<p>A good portrayal of how economic policy has lethal consequences and the fact that we do need to take responsibility for this is Costa Gavras’ Missing, an altogether harrowing and indicting film, in that case about the coup in Chile to protect Pepsi’s interests; I believe it was Pepsi, not Coke, but it doesn’t matter for an understanding of how all this works.</p>
<p>I don’t believe in the death penalty, and actually I don’t believe in pretending I don’t benefit from these policies as I sit in my heated house (hey,it snowed today), drive, yup, 80 miles round trip to work everyday, and focus on sending my kids through college. Pretty self-centered, so maybe I deserve the death penalty. Yes, I didn’t create this policy, and although I do speak against it and try to educate my students, so far I still can, I don’t know for how long if Cheney had had his way, but I can’t deny that I do sit here in my privileged position.</p>
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<p>If more people felt that way, the world would be a better place. Keep doing what you’re doing and never underestimate the power of LOVE.</p>
<p>What is bipartinsanship? Bipartisanship is when the two major parties put aside their political differences and work together. Why do you run in the other direction? Do you believe our world would exist without it? What contributed to the cold war with the Soviet Union? Bipartisanship. What helped end the Vietnam war? Bitartisanship.
Capital punishment is a highly personal subject, personally I am for it in the most aggressive way. There are some who I honestly feel just don’t belong here and certainly don’t deserve a second chance, at us,the taxpayers expense.
Mythmom, saw the film, Missing, about Ed Hormon, a true story which reveals to a father after going to South America in search of his missing son that the Government and bureaucratic intransigence are in fact the real reasons behind his disappearance. Sadly not so far from real life. There is so much in this decaying world that despite what is in our hearts to want to change, will not. Certain policies that must be accepted and if possible tolerated, it is up to us as humans however to fulfill our moral responsibilities to help our children and future generations to soften, become more compassionate and to hopefully and eventually become the influence of the future.</p>
<p>Well yes, but the reasons for that bureaucratic intransigence is that the Americans are supporting the Pinochet coup to protect corporate interests in Chile. (There is a fascinating account of this in Henry Kissinger’s memoirs talking about being in the oval office with Nixon, David Rockerfeller and prez of Pepsi deciding that their role in the coup should be. </p>
<p>I totally support the sentiments you express ctmomof3.</p>
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<p>Would it bother you if some inmates who got put to death turned out to be innocent? Already a number of death row inmates have been exonerated by DNA testing. Are you willing to bear responsibility for that?</p>
<p>It sure would bother me, to expand on my opinion, I fully support it AS LONG AS DNA testing would have proven that this person is the right person. By the same token, God forbid, someone has killed someone you love dearly, would you be bothered if you had to spend your tax dollars keeping this criminal alive, in a warm bed at night, with the privileges of cable TV, the access to gaining college credits and the full use of a full gym so he can work on his physique? While your beloved is buried deep within the cold confines of a cemetery? Well, I for one would be outraged and likely be seen as a vigilante if anyone hurt someone I loved and did not pay the proper and only appropriate price, end of story. AGAIN this is my opinion, but I do feel strongly about it.</p>
<p>I have a first degree relative who was killed and I am still against the death penalty. Deep in my soul, through & through: against it. I think it is barbaric. And I am not one bit religious, either.</p>
<p>YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS BARBARIC? </p>
<p>Dismantling someone’s body, killing and torturing a young child, kidnapping a teen and brutally stabbing them, THAT is what I think is barbaric.</p>
<p>PLEASE don’t even get me started on this, I get angry thinking about the monsters out there and how it is our pathetic system that will not only support these madmen/women but actually in many cases allow for them to live a better, fuller life than before they committed their crimes!! OUTRAGEOUS!! One thing and it’s probably the only thing I will hand to many of the middle eastern countries is their lack of tolerance to violence, those who murder, ill innocent citizens/kids. Our “legal system” or lack thereof is an absolute joke in most parts of the world. No wonder we are in the top 12 for countries with the highest murder rate and one of the highest as well for the most child predators. WHY? BECAUSE WE ALLOW IT. They take it into their own hands, are not even allowed a “hearing.” They are a waste of the air they breath and the dollars they steal from innocent and law abiding citizens like myself.</p>
<p>Hey I have no problem throwing away the key, I just have a problem taking the life. </p>
<p>I think killing is wrong. Maybe I think it’s wronger than you think it is, because my view doesn’t have “kill because they killed” exceptions. </p>
<p>The only exception I can FATHOM would be killing in self defense, or to protect an innocent life in that moment. Not for revenge.</p>
<p>“Our “legal system” or lack thereof is an absolute joke in most parts of the world.”</p>
<p>There’s some truth to this, although not for the reasons you mention. Unless by “most parts of the world” you mean Yemen. If Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy, etc. are included in “most parts of the world,” then they surely do not think that we’re lenient.</p>
<p>I promise you, if you’re ever accused of murder, you want to be in England, not Texas. The legal profession there (you see, they still have one) is absolutely appalled that we have overworked, underpaid, inexperienced public servants trying murder cases. In England, they don’t think that’s a job for kids.</p>
<p>I also believe the death penalty is barbaric and I have no understanding of the support of it. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t want to personally kill someone who kills someone I love. That is why I should have no say about it if happens.</p>
<p>Either way, your tax dollars are still supporting them. I suspect it’s more expensive keeping them on death row (on average, 10 years?) than giving them life. Honestly. And death row has to be more miserable than prison for life, or the death penalty (when they finally get to the penalty part itself).</p>
<p>I do think there are people whose crimes are so awful, and they’re not redeemable, that it’s questionable why taxpayers have to continually keep them housed and fed (Charles Manson, for one).</p>
<p>On a totally different topic, and this probably deserves its own thread, but with the Democratic debate tonight, what is up with Kucinich demanding to be there, too? I was really looking forward to a debate with the 3 candidates, and now Kucinich has taken his non-invitation to a judge and demands to be there, too. While I dislike that the media has tried to turn this into a 2-person contest at this point-- even though Edwards is actually doing well and will probably do quite well in Nevada (and I predict he will in SC, too)-- Kucinich really is not a viable candidate. I like him, but he’s now becoming the Ralph Nader of this campaign as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure if he gets up there, he’ll be ignored like Gravel was early on.</p>
<p>after hillary just discredited martin luther king, jr., she definitely lost my respect. i’m a romney fan anyway.</p>
<p>I feel exactly as SBmom does, and I am not religious either. I just don’t want my government killing people. As for tax dollars keeping people alive, it costs more to convict someone of a capital crime and execute them because of the appeal process which is costly and expensive.</p>
<p>In our county (actually the original crime happened in our town) a young man was convicted of killing both his parents; a confession was coerced out of him. Seventeen years later he has been released pending the investigations of the attorney general. If he had been executed, this could not have happened.</p>
<p>Mistakes can always be made. But beyond that, I philosophically opposed to human beings killing each other unless absolutely necessary in cases of self-defense or grave national necessity (Hitler is invading our shores, for example.)</p>
<p>The government is just a group of people and I don’t find any ethical or moral justification for this group deciding who should live and who should die. Sure, throw away the key. That should be enough.</p>
<p>And if someone killed my precious children I pray I would still feel the same because both are opposed to the death penalty and would not want some one executed in their name.</p>