<p>I’m talking about his FIRST book. Since YOU have not read it, how can you possibly comment intelligently on whether or not it is a revealing and honest book?</p>
<p>Or am I supposed to assume that it isn’t just because I’m supposed to assume that every single thing he’s ever done in his entire life is fake and/or calculating? Because…Rush/Sean/Bill/Matt and the rest of the right wing hatchet squad say so?</p>
<p>You are missing the point - it is anything but simple. We could start a whole new thread on this. We could talk about how Clinton devastated our military by not spending on it, and how whatever he did in the short term financially created problems down the road which could have been avoided. We could talk about who inherited what from whom. We could discuss all the reasons why presidents have little effect on the economy anyway. We could talk about how long it takes different indicators to change after the economy is stimulated, or how lowering taxes for the rich ends up giving us tons more money from the rich in the long run (like it did under Bush). I could go on and on. There is nothing “simple” about this topic.</p>
<p>What is simple is that you refuse to acknowledge that a Democratic president balanced the budget while a succession of Republican icons drove up the deficit.</p>
<p>No, what you implied was that the men and women who serve our country so you can say that, are raunchy and not professionals. My DH is not Navy, I have met and known some of these types, but to say that is the culture is soooooo far off base. These are people who are unbelievable professionals and take pride in not hurting the service. Just like anywhere else in the world there are the few who give a bad name to the work others are doing…guilt by association, but to imply that it was the culture in the military is incorrect and ignorant!</p>
<p>BTW were you in the military during Tailhook and if so did you see it in your platoon/squadron?</p>
<p>Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the Naval aviator segment–the tail hook segment–just one part of the military? Aren’t they different from, just as an example, infantry officers? Did I say anything about any other group than that one? No, I did not.</p>
<p>I truly hope for Obama to win. Here is my reasoning, maybe just maybe we can get something done for our country. If it works out, great! If it doesn’t than the dems need to stop pointing fingers at the repubs…they will have control of the hill, and the White House. So whatever they propose and pass it is on their shoulders! </p>
<p>Get us out of Iraq, as a Mom who has a son that will be commissioned in a few years into AD I am more than happy that his butt stays out of harm way. Raise th min. wage, again as a Mom I would love to see my kids make more $$$. Change our education system…Mom again. Fix the mtg crisis, I am a realtor. Personally the tax cuts or hikes are a minimal effect on me so I don’t care. Balance the budget and stop borrowing money from China.</p>
<p>The only think I ask is that D.C. stops pointing fingers. Obama is our best chance for success, not my choice for personal reasons, but if McCain wins we will be in a stalemate. Obama wins the dems control and we can move on!</p>
<p>Tailhook was Naval Aviator segment, but every branch was hurt b/c of it. Every branch was put through the microscope for the stupid actions of a few. BTW Tailhook existed as a convention. I.E. the Daedalian Society. These were guys who just would book out a hotel in Vegas while they were on leave. Did they take jets for a xcountry, yes. Did they fly their training mission as support for Nellis, you betcha…it was what they did in their off hours that got them in trouble.</p>
<p>As far as other branches, every officer has respect for their brethren, so when you attack one, be it a step-sister/brother you attack all! Every branch paid in spades for those idiots, and still do, since with your post 17 yrs later it is still being used in a negative against the military. </p>
<p>Nobody talks about how AWACS have been deployed for 250+ days a yr for the last 10-15 yrs, keeping us safe…instead it is about some stupid fools!</p>
<p>BTW I had no pity for those women, it was well known about the gauntlet as soon as they got off the elevator. Use common sense, if guys are drinking from ice sculptures shaped in phalic situations by the pool in an open area, than don’t get on the elevator to a more private area.</p>
<p>I hope that bullet and I raised a daughter smart enough to say this is not where I should be!</p>
<p>I’m sure the the military has great people and heroes. It also has a bunch of kids from small towns who saw it as their best way to get out of Dodge. (The self-stated reason for joining the military of Private Jessica ? whose rescue from an Iraqi hospital was such a propaganda whoop in the early months of Iraq. My hat’s off to her for refusing to become a party to the hype.) It also has kids who don’t see much chance of college or a job without it. (This is not a criticism of them, but I’m not going to kiss their feet either, or pretend that their reason for joining was to “defend Freedom” or whatever.) It also has people who <em>did</em> join to “defend Freedom.” It also has people like the fellow-soldiers of the grand-daughter of a friend of mine who RAPED their fellow-soldier. It also has people like Lt William Calley.</p>
<p>bulletandpima, I just don’t buy the ritual genuflection to anyone who serves or has served in the military that is currently fashionable. There are many ways to serve one’s country and many ways to defend liberty. I’ve known a number of people who served in the military at one time or another, and none of them were plaster saints. (Especially the pilots. Including the houseful of Vietnam-era Naval fighter pilots I knew who, believe me, shared in what I earlier called “Tailhook culture.”)</p>
<p>You may be right about those women not using common sense…but then maybe they made the mistake of believing that as fellow-officers they would be accorded some respect. Wrong, apparently.</p>
<p>All of society has a dark under belly, but we should not pre-judge them for the stupid idiots that they are associated with by default.</p>
<p>I also agree there are many ways to serve our country. My DS has volunteered for years with Habitat for Humanity. I believe that he is serving our country by dedicating time to build homes for other Americans. I also believe anyone who is with Red Cross is serving our country. So on and so forth, however, if some horrific news comes out about those organizations that people donate time to, should all volunteers be seen as supporting the crime.</p>
<p>Jessica Lynch was right to say I am not a hero and here are the real facts. I have the utmost respect for her.</p>
<p>You are also correct so people join to escape Dodge, but that is where we part. They still have to pay a very large toll. That price is to be qualified for food stamps while they are sent off to fight a war. This is a very horrible statement to say, but most of these young enlisted wives would be financially better off if their spouse died because of SGLI (pay out is 200K and then they get Death Indeminty Benefits of @1800 per month, plus SS). The avg E-3 might make 2K a month. </p>
<p>That is the truth and the reality of the military. I have seen more enlisted in uniform pay with food stamps at the commissary (our grocery store) than I ever care to remember. Which now brings me back to where I started…I want to see our Congress and Senate incumbents tossed out. To hear them say we need the pay raise because we have to have 2 homes is revolting, while the military is receive a .5% pay increase. I have felt this way for many yrs. starting back in the 90s when we went to the Gulf the y gave themselves a 50% pay raise while the military got a 3%. Do yourself a favor look up their medical benenfits, once you do maybe you will see why I hold the Hill responsible. We have soldiers returning with inadequate care and they cry foul, but yet their medical coverage is better than the military member of 20 yrs. The Hill still has a system where they are allowed to bounce checks without penalties.</p>
<p>I am tired of the hypocrisy of the Congress and Senate. I am voting dem and republican in all of my selections. IMHO the only way to solve the problem is to boot them all!</p>
<p>ilsa I was just able to download Andrea Mitchell about the Obama trip and her criticism. I give her credit. She was being fair. I am now trying to find more of the footage to see the entire report or find the transcript, if you can help I would love a link. Thanks</p>
<p>^^ Pima, I saw the Mitchell thing and I was stunned. There must be some real frustration among the reporting corps if she was willing to say those things. there’s also a good bit of ridicule about the Obama rule banning the wearing of green on the trip. He may end up being his own worst enemy. My mom always talks about smiling and nodding silently while someone does their own damage.</p>
<p>b&p: I used to know where to find transcripts of things like that, but I’m not as invested in this campaign as I was in the prior two, so I’ve forgotten. If it pops into my head, I’ll let you know!</p>
<p>I’ve been following Andrea Mitchell’s commentary, though, and I think she’s been one of the most fair commentators all along. She was assigned to cover Hillary’s campaign, and she could be pretty tough on her. I think she would be a good pick to take over Meet the Press.</p>
<p>I agree. I’ve heard Ms. Mitchell give tough and fair commentary on both ends of the political spectrum. She’d be a good choice for Meet the Press.</p>
<p>I find it very interesting. Obama has been known not to be warm and fuzzy and to keep the press at a distance. Andrea Mitchell is expressing a pent-up frustration that is all the greater for the rather cramped conditions under which the press is traveling on the Obama plane and the hype that it has itself helped create (aided and abetted by both the McCain and Obama camps).
Meanwhile, McCain who is known to have very good relations with the press (“the press is my base”) is complaining that the press is obsessed with Obama. </p>
<p>So the press is complaining about Obama, but Obama is not complaining about the press. The press is not complaining about McCain, but McCain is complaining about the press.
Shake head.</p>
<p>I’m too exhausted from continually listing McCain’s attributes on this forum to keep doing it over and over, so I just want to thank those of you who have jumped in to defend JM recently.</p>
<p>A couple of quick points:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Don’t worry, McCain is up to the job of POTUS, mentally & physically (it’s the lengthy campaign that accounts for tiny flubs - by both/all candidates. I don’t expect to see that happen once the * race* is over).</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t make any generalizations about Naval Aviators based on “Tailhook”! That was just some guys having a little bit too much fun. IMO, Pilots live under a lot of stress b/c they take their lives in their hands several times a week. Every time they climb in the cockpit of a “flying bomb” they don’t know if it’s their last few moments on earth. Let 'em blow off some steam & “seize the day” in a big way every now & then - they deserve it. And furthermore, I’d suggest that any women at tailhook knew they were attending a big “frat party” - while that doesn’t excuse men’s bad behavior, it doesn’t necessarily give the women who stuck around * the right to complain about it. </p></li>
<li><p>Read McCain’s books (esp. Faith of My Fathers & Worth the fighting For). You’ll never vote for anyone else!</p></li>
<li><p>Never forget that McCain is also a hero in his fight against Government Waste, Fraud, Abuse & Corruption, esp. re: Pork Barrell spending. He’s on OUR side!</p></li>
<li><p>Last thing - The ONLY reason McCain’s name is even associated w/ Keating 5 is b/c the investigators didn’t want it to be “all democrats” in the scandal. He was ** cleared of any wrongdoing*.</p></li>
</ul>