Looks like you overplayed your hand.

Everyone should copy the following from John Kerry's mission statement and post it on web sites where his minions are trying to do damage control for him.


"John Kerry will reinstate the Clinton administration’s phase-out of noisy and polluting
snowmobiles, which have been overrunning some of our most precious national lands,
including Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. While snowmobiles,
jet skis and all terrain vehicles have their place, they do not mix with sensitive wildlife
resources and our nation’s most treasured wild places."

 

What do you mean? Can't I write in Jesse Ventura?

 

Dragginbutt, the problems you discuss have been going on for decades. Lets be realistic, whoever gets elected will not change many of those issues. How do we fix them? Take more from my paycheck too support some bum that has no desire too provide for himself? Working class americans are giving up their hard earned dollars and getting very little in return. Why? One reason is because we have too support dead beats that will not work. If people were responsible and would hold themselves accountable, you would not see children going hungry. Everybody wants something for nothing.

 

You're playing into his hands. He's trying to get us off the subject of Kerry's position on ATV's/motorized recreation.

 

Gary660... My first reaction to your comment was anger, but then it turned to one of pity... I am guessing you may be a serviceman over there so I can commiserate... But let's get back to the bum issue first. Since I live and work in the DC area, I have to say that there are probably more homeless individuals walking the streets here than any where else I have lived... and that has been a lot of places. Maybe the people here are more generous than other places, so they manage to live better... but as a person who rides a commuter train to work every day and who sees the tents and plywood shanties all along the tracks , I find I am a little more empathetic to their plight.

I've taken time to meet and talk to some of them. Many of them are vets, who have become disenfranchised from society.. many have demons in their minds that were caused by time spent defending freedom.. and being scared crazy... many should be on medication, if some were available, or if they had insurance to cover the costs.... Most are just ignored by people like yourself who can't see past their nose.

I've taken food to families who lived in station wagons parked two blocks from the Whitehouse. I wonder what they would tell you the American Dream means to them... how about the 12 year old girl that lived in that car with her mother, and two sisters and a baby, who's only means of earning money was to prostitute herself at night around the Lincoln memorial ...If she didn't earn enough money, she didn't eat.. nor did the brothers and sisters.

Sure I left bags of groceries next to the car once or twice a week, so I knew that the baby at least would have something to chew on... and I saw people like you walk right on by as if they didn't exist. They had no family to go to, the woman was beaten and thrown out of her home by an abusive and deadly husband who had already tried to kill her and her kids. they were from the south, knew no-one in the area, and were basically starving to death..

Luckily, thanks to others that DO care, and DO give of their time and dollars, I was able to put them in touch with a family aid office.... I never saw them again.. nor do I know their names.... only the faces of scared, helpless and homeless people. I live with that every day here... so if you can sit there and watch this go on without doing something, without reaching into your wallet and pulling out a few dollars... well I just pity you sir!

This country has riches beyond belief... the relief agencies do a very good job of putting food on tables around the world... but when it comes to our own back yard, we call them bums, look the other way, change the channels on TV when you see an advertisement for aid.. and most importantly, the same people we send to Washington DC to represent us and them, drive right on by without giving them another thought.. because they are just BUMs right?

No sir, I take exception to your attitude.. you obviously have never been in their position. I challenge you to find the bad part of town in Guam if you dare... walk around a bit, and look into the faces of the children.. and tell me they are bums.....

Crap.. My blood pressure is just booming right now... I need to go lay down for a while... sorry I can't stay and "Chat" and discuss the nuances of government spending and foreign policy with you any longer..... And Deeplaker, don't worry about me.. I can handle "BUMS" like this all by myself.... and they call themselves "Americans"....

 

Dragginbut, I respect your opinion and commend you for helping those that sincerily need and want help. I do not mind helping people in need and in an unfortunate situation....but my point is we have way too many people that are taking advantage of the system. You would like too see more being done for unfortunate people, me too....I say utilize the existing programs we have now instead of adding too the cost of the tax paying worker.
I have been in DC once, and it was not pretty. In downtown DC everything appears nice with all of the sights too see, 2 blocks outta town and you have hard liquor stores and XXX movie rentals on every corner and a lotta YOUNG thugs standing around also. This is in the middle of the work week....these thugs need too get a freakin job. In my short stay there several years ago, I noticed no older people standing around, but I am sure there are some unfortunate souls out there....and some of those people want some help and wanna function in society.

 

exactly my point... I am not saying we need new programs... what I am saying is that we need to hold everyone accountable.. elected officials too. And the only way to do that is to take time to study and understand the issues, and exercise our right to not only vote our conscience, but also contact our elected officials and let them know that everything is not right in mudville. Take them to task...

I bet if we limited terms of Congressional leaders to one term, we would get representation that follows the will of the people, and take away the power of these powerful lobby's that threaten our freedoms because their ideas do not fall in line with ours. The biggest problem is that we are for the most part trusting and honest people... and our opponents will stop at nothing to make their point of view the only one considered. I call that anarchy. They lie, cheat, bend facts, and outright falsify data to keep people motivated into thinking the same way they do.

I'm sorry if I used language that was a little stern... I can't forget those faces... and I hope and pray that I never do.

 

The people funding these powerful lobbyists' are running the country. My biggest pet peeve is the prescription industry....no-one will do nothing about us paying 2X (or more) for medication. It does not affect me directly, but it sure gets me heated knowing in the USA we have elderly people having too make the decision of paying the rent or paying for medication. BTW, I live in the heart of Hatfield / Mccoy country.
Gary

 

Here you go,

Fialka, John J. "As ATV’s Take Off in Sales, Deaths and Injuries Mount" The Wall Street Journal 10 Feb 2004: 1

I dont support either candidate. I would see myslef as a democrat in these days but Kerry is bad enough that I have to turn away. While I agree with the traditional values and morals set out by the republican party, I realize that even with republicans in power it does not adequately safeguard those values.

 

Dragginbutt: I'm sure we all share your concern, and its despicable that situations you describe exist near our nation's capital. Obviously, government handouts over the decades, starting with LBJ's "Great Society" programs in the late sixties, did not solve those problems. Some might argue they made them worse.

Anyway, my hat is off to you. When I first read some of your postings, I figured you for a product of one of those DNC seminars on how to handle criticism of Kerry's poisitons by sidestepping the issues. However, after feeling the guilt bomb you used to blow us off the issue of Kerry's position on motorized recreation, I have to think you are teaching those seminars!