Who are you thinking of voting for in 2008?

[loboclone]

Being an ISU alum, former Iowan, Vietnam Vet, and lifelong Republican........I wouldn't vote for a Republican again ever.......BUSH? No I voted for him the first time.............man was I wrong and admit it! What a HUGE mistake.....I am supporting Bill Richardson.......look at his resume.........he has done the job everywhere he has served this country.

 

[VII_Fe]

Bush is the reason my mom makes less money than she used to as a teacher and that my fiance is havin such a hard time finding a job in education. I don't mind some of his other issues, but I cannot handle another four years of the education system we have. We put all stock into standardized testing rather than the students.

Bush has absolutely nothing to do with how much money your mom makes as an educator, and if your fiance has anything to do with reading, math, or science K-8 she should not have any trouble finding a job. If she is looking for a high school job, well you can't blame that on Bush either because NCLB has nothing to do with 9-12.

The Federal government only flips the bill for 8% of public education. The other sources (State 49%, Local 43%) are unequal based on which state you live in and what the tax assessment of your local district is.

I am a teacher and have been for 10 years. The Federal government, and more specifically the President, have nothing to do with salaries.

 

[Harry]

1. When you are the one doing the invading you can choose to do so at any time you want. How about after the troops & vehicles are fully armored. Don't say we were reacting to being attacked on 9/11 as no one believes Iraq was involved in that unless that's you **** Cheney.
2. How can you say the battle plan did not survive? It was successful. The mission was accomplished, majoring fighting in Iraq has been completed. I know it's true the President told me.
3. The overall strategy has has some flaws? Gee I didn't know we had an overall strategy. Oh yes I forgot, stay the course

 

[Kyle]

I don't have the time to research specific examples on that, but I see judgements of that sort on an almost weekly basis.

I doubt you see many judgments to that effect. A lot of times people hear about lawsuits being filed and get upset. Most of those crazy ones are just that, and don't result in any kind of judgment for the plaintiff.

we can agree on . . . the Cyclones. Thank God for that.

Amen.

 

[VII_Fe]

I am am not sure exactly who I will vote for yet. DEFINITELY A DEMOCRAT though - how can you vote republican after the debacle of the bush administration?!?:sad9cd:

As opposed to the debacle would would be in if the Electoral College didn't work in 2000 and Gore won. We'd all have to give up our gas operated cars so we could live up to the Kyoto Protocal, the biggest joke of an environmental treaty ever.

Or the Debacle if Kerry won in 2004. I know some would say "If that had happened we would be out of Iraq"... Ya really think so. I don't. We would just have a flip floppen baffoon leading us without resolve while the Middle East, and more importantly Al Qeada runs ruff shot over us.

 

[VII_Fe]

I don't mean to sound like the racist / sexist person that I'm not. But the Dems better come up with someone other than Obama or Clinton if they really want the White House. Neither of those two will win... Not because of who they are, but because of what they are, a minority and a woman.

 

[Kyle]

I believe the problem there is more likely to be due to the teacher's union, than any other factor.

I just like replying to your posts, so I picked this one to start my education rant. The teacher's union is not nearly as big of a factor as our expectations and our culture. Parental involvement is the #1 factor in a child's educational success. Additionally, we have very low expectations. As has been mentioned, kids are passed on who should not be. We are one of the only advanced nations in the world that does not regularly test in order to advance in school. Look for the Chinese to make huge strides in the future, as their math and science education in is light years beyond ours.

I think the "no child left behind" mantra should be changed to something more like "no mind wasted." We need to advance our intelligent children faster and hold back those that don't cut it. A teacher can only do so much if a child is not motivated to learn, and they are being forced to neglect the gifted in order to deal with the stupid/lazy.

 

[Kyle]

As opposed to the debacle would would be in if the Electoral College didn't work in 2000 and Gore won. We'd all have to give up our gas operated cars so we could live up to the Kyoto Protocal, the biggest joke of an environmental treaty ever.

We had better start taking the initiative on some environmental issues soon because pretty soon we will no longer be the worlds biggest polluter. China is burning coal like crazy and we aren't going to have any ground to stand on if we don't address some of our own issues.

Additionally, our poor gas milage standards have been one of the biggest factors in the downfall of the American automotive industry. They banked on gas guzzlers and didn't develop the technology to compete in the global market.

 

[06_CY]

I will be voting for Hillary.

 

[clone52]

The first Clinton was a rather moderate democrat, and as far as I know Hillary is not remarkably left wing. I think people just percieve her that way. Obama and Edwards are probably both farther left in a lot of ways.

I find it funny that so many people's votes are based on this single issue, especially when there is virtually nothing that can be done about it right now aside from appointing different Supreme Court justices. Even with some new justices, don't look for Roe to be overturned anytime soon. By my count the court would probably go 6-3 in favor of upholding Roe right now, as Roberts would probably take the Kennedy approach.

Also, voting for a pro-choice candidate does not make you support abortion. I've heard that one thrown out there. Someone saying that if you vote for someone, you must support all their positions. That said, for some people, that is a make or break issue. I just don't like people telling me that I pro-choice if I vote for a pro-choice candidate.

 

[clone52]

I just like replying to your posts, so I picked this one to start my education rant. The teacher's union is not nearly as big of a factor as our expectations and our culture. Parental involvement is the #1 factor in a child's educational success. Additionally, we have very low expectations. As has been mentioned, kids are passed on who should not be. We are one of the only advanced nations in the world that does not regularly test in order to advance in school. Look for the Chinese to make huge strides in the future, as their math and science education in is light years beyond ours.

I think the "no child left behind" mantra should be changed to something more like "no mind wasted." We need to advance our intelligent children faster and hold back those that don't cut it. A teacher can only do so much if a child is not motivated to learn, and they are being forced to neglect the gifted in order to deal with the stupid/lazy.

Bingo. And apparently this message needs to be at least 8 characters long. Anyone know why?

 

[Wesley]

Is Vilsacdk still running or did Hillary pay off his $400k in election debts yet? Supposedly the reason why he exited so early....


Heard Florida primary has been moved up to 29 Jan now. It takes them a long time to count votes.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I just like replying to your posts, so I picked this one to start my education rant. The teacher's union is not nearly as big of a factor as our expectations and our culture. Parental involvement is the #1 factor in a child's educational success. Additionally, we have very low expectations. As has been mentioned, kids are passed on who should not be. We are one of the only advanced nations in the world that does not regularly test in order to advance in school. Look for the Chinese to make huge strides in the future, as their math and science education in is light years beyond ours.

I think the "no child left behind" mantra should be changed to something more like "no mind wasted." We need to advance our intelligent children faster and hold back those that don't cut it. A teacher can only do so much if a child is not motivated to learn, and they are being forced to neglect the gifted in order to deal with the stupid/lazy.

Ok, make that two things we agree on:biggrin9gp: . Half of the major social problems facing our country today could be solved with good parental involvement. I've always felt like a child will stay within 10 degrees of the path that the parents expect of them, and assuming that their parents are not totally overbearing and make them rebel, those expectations should be set high.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Also, voting for a pro-choice candidate does not make you support abortion. I've heard that one thrown out there. Someone saying that if you vote for someone, you must support all their positions. That said, for some people, that is a make or break issue. I just don't like people telling me that I pro-choice if I vote for a pro-choice candidate.

I don't think you could ever find a candidate that you completely agree with on every issue. I certainly haven't.

I never really felt strongly one way or the other on the abortion issue on a national level, though on a personal level I was against it. However, after I became a father, it changed everything.

Now, when I think about that issue, I picture my son, and think of all that he has meant to me, and when I consider that if I were brought up with different beliefs, and had been a point in my life where it wasn't convenient, it would have been perfectly legal to have ended his life as it began. I'll be honest, that thought brings tears to my eyes every time.

 

[alaskaguy]

If Bloomberg enters the race as an independent the presidential race could get interesting. He has told friends if he decides to enter that he would be prepared to spend up to 500,000,000 of his money to get elected.

One thing the polls are showing is that both Republicans and Democrats aren't to happy with the announced candidates. Therefore a third party candidate may have a chance to have a meaningful impact.

 

[Michael Lastuvka]

Honestly, I don't give a crap. Richard Simmons could be prez. As long as I maintain my freedom, I really don't care. When freedom ends, I will either move to another country or kill myself. Lambast me for being an ignorant simpleton, but I find all this bickering to be pointless because America provides an extremely comfortable lifestyle. A new president won't negatively or positively effect that, at least not for me.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Honestly, I don't give a crap. Richard Simmons could be prez. As long as I maintain my freedom, I really don't care. When freedom ends, I will either move to another country or kill myself. Lambast me for being an ignorant simpleton, but I find all this bickering to be pointless because America provides an extremely comfortable lifestyle. A new president won't negatively or positively effect that, at least not for me.

NOT RICHARD SIMMONS FOR PRESIDENT!!! We'll all be wearing short-shorts pulled tight to our crotch halfway up our waist, wearing loose-fitting tank tops, both in pastel colors, doing step aerobics to the tune of "I'm Every Woman" for 5 hours every day!!! I'll move to China if that happens!!!

 

[cycloneworld]

I found a nice ranking system on US Senate and House members. It gives them a score and ranks them by how conservative or liberal they are based on their 2006 voting record.

NATIONAL JOURNAL: 2006 Vote Ratings (03/02/2007)

What's scary is that Hilary Clinton was around an 80 in 2005 (I'm looking for that info but I remember seeing it somewhere) but since she decided to run for President she is making herself appear to be more moderate. Nothing like voting to further your own agenda...:angry6wn:

Also, McCain is 56.7...a scary thought to true conservatives. Although he could actually call himself a moderate.

As for Obama...he is the 11th most liberal senator. Like I said, I like Obama's "freshness" and how he carries himself but if you look at his positions, he is very, very liberal which will hurt him in the general election.

 

[cycloneworld]

Oh, and Bush has never "flip flopped"?

Like, say, campaigning in 2000 on "No Nation Building". Then invading two countries and pouring billions of dollars and thousands of lives in to nation building.

Like being against a Department of Homeland Security until he decided to take the idea as his own.

There was a little thing called 9/11 early in his first term that forced him to drastically change some of his policies for the security of the nation. I hope you remember that.

 

[Cyclonepride]

There was a little thing called 9/11 early in his first term that forced him to drastically change some of his policies for the security of the nation. I hope you remember that.

I love to hear all the liberals pointing out the budget deficits that have occurred under Bush. As if 9/11 didn't have anything to do with that. Talk about intellectually dishonest.