Interesting Quote

The number was actually 120,000 jobs, but then why let facts cloud the picture.

I guess i will be the one...210,000 jobs were added to the economy last month, and the big three has had record sales in which they havnt seen since 2007...puttin money in them there hillbillys pockets and they is buying some cars lol, needless to say, thats how the economy works

maybe its a cry for help?

who is the go to guy to shout lefty policy? it seems the far right are always up on the pulpit polluting the air??? i dont get it, where is our Rushes, Becks, fox news????and it does even in some strange way seem the righties on this forum shout the loudest???? maybe its just me

Riley wrote: Joe, I knew you wouldn't be able to keep resisting. Not to hijack this thread, but has anyone read Bill O'Reily's "Killing Lincoln". I did recently and it was really interesting. I don't know much about the Civil War and I don't think the book has a political spin to it, but it was a very interesting read on the end of the war and last days of Lincoln's life. He was not a popular president.

I read "Killing Lincoln" ... a little simplistic but, I have certainly read worse. I also didnt read any real insidious motives to it, and believe that the few factual errors were a bit overblown due to who O'Reily is, but when you make your living being an opinionated jerk you can't expect there not to be a few people checking your work for mistakes. There are better books available that cover the same subject matter but if a few people read his book because of his fame that wouldnt have otherwise been looking to spend some time researching american history then I am all for it.

My favorite Lincoln book is Goodwin's "Team of Rivals"... but I am a bit biased in that choice as secretary of state William Seward gets a lot of treatment in that book and he lived in my home town. I have a few friends on the board at his former home and now Museum so the release of the movie "Lincoln" later this year based on a portion of "Team of Rivals" has us all hopeful that we will see a few extra visitors through the Museum in the next couple years.

The only thing of interest that I have seen in this thread is that Abraham Lincoln was not a fan of the precedent established in Marbury vs. Madison which has been the law of this land since 1802 and is one of the only "uniquely American" things cultural or otherwise discussed in this thread (at least it was at the time established having already been abandoned by those we had rebelled against).

But even that is not terribly shocking as no president or congress after being elected by the majority of the American people have been, nor should be expected to be excited about the possibility that the laws they pass in the name of and at the request of those that have elected to them may be struck down as an overreach of their power.

However any study of American history not commissioned by partisans to promote a predetermined outcome would show that without the judicial check upon the overreach of the slight majority over the determined minority the US would have torn itself apart many times over and already be a footnote in the course of history.

Of course this all depends on a supreme court that is not comprised of those who would in fact go out of their way to legislate from the bench. This has historically not been a problem, you put in smart and well educated people who love their country… give them a lifetime appointment and a reasonable salary and they should have no reason or motivation to do anything but do their best to interpret the law to the best of their abilities. Even the most egregious partisans that have been put on the Supreme Court in the last couple centuries usually mellow with age and become more even handed as they get farther from the place where they were beholden to those who sponsored their career.   I will say that I am a little concerned with the motivational aspect of some on the court these days who continue to derive serious outside compensation of various forms from proclaimed partisans, and the increasing arms race between both sides to put younger and younger (and dumber) judges into lifelong posts. But this too will pass.

As for the far less interesting letter from a guy that used to be with Proctor and Gamble but is now just another guy that makes money selling books to people who like to read things that agree with what they already believe… he should stick to flavor of the week corporate speeches. We could have had a good talk about constitutional law instead of diving back once again into the trite old mud of the politics of personal defamation.

The forum (and world) would be a better and more interesting place if we were arguing the merit of the president’s policies and actually comparing them to previous presidents policies and not just keep repeating phrases like “failed socialist agenda” or questioning his patriotism or Americanness.

If I was Obama I wouldn’t release my grades either.. if he got a 4.0 in law school then the 24/7 din of savage, rush, Hannity, colter, etc would tell us how he was an out of touch intellectual elite that can’t be trusted, if he got a 3.0 then he was a moron on drugs who can’t be trusted. Then the so called liberal media would spend the next week telling us how rush, Hannity, colter, et al say that Obama is an intellectual snob/moron and that although Obama denies it that it was just all normal two sided politics and either one could be right.

The guy is the president of the united states of America after coming from broken home and being raised by his grandmother… struggling to find himself and occasionally causing trouble in his early adult life and then getting his act together and bearing down and concentrating on his studies. Then getting married having kids and making a bunch of money. You may not like his policies but his life story is about as “uniquely American” as they come.

ononewheel wrote:     Double standard? That would be comparing to equal things right? Apples to oranges my friend. Poor republicans, facing such an evil left media bias.    Obama/Biden Vs. Romney/Ryan.

The double standard is not just with the media, it's with Liberals/progressive in general. Show me a president besides Obamma that hasn't put his college grades out there. Obamma hasn't. I am not a birther, but I did find it odd that Obamma took 3 years years to put his birth certificate out there when he could have put the issue to rest immediately. What was the big deal? My kids have had to show their birth certificates just to get their first jobs and their driver's licenses.

There's plenty to criticize Obamma for, just like any president. But, pulling the race card is a hypocritical tactic of the left.

Hansel wrote: Changing gears here, it is Spring Break at UW-Madison, so if you wanted to stop by Seth now would be a great time!

We are currently in Florida for spring break. Well, I'm not yet, kids and wife are, and I leave on Friday. I'll be in touch.

OverMyHead wrote: Seth, I find it interesting that you cannot, or are unwilling to provide five uniquely cultural aspects of this country that have made us great. That says a lot in itself. My list would include individualism, liberty, the melting pot, can do spirit (different from " yes WE can" ), Land of opportunity. If asked to go on I could list many more. My point is I would run out of answers and never include "we have a a lot of white people". It is the ideas, not race. The Ploy of making racial allegations to shut down the sharing of ideas gets very old. It is used by those who's ideas cannot stand up on their own merit.

Exactly why I didn't post a list.
There are simply too many cultural aspects I consider to be American, But you asked for UNIQUELY AMERICAN. It really wasn't on the top of my list to create that for you, given that I have been to many different countries, interacted with many, and likely lived a far different life than you have, sir, of course they might differ. Your given examples are well thought, but I disagree they are unique to America.


Nice try, at using the old tired racial allegations "cause I wanted to shut down sharing of ideas line". You are apparently in support of this letter, so explain it, and we'll go forward.


Tell us all, without responding with a question.

- Was he "culturally American enough" to be senator?
- What does "culturally American enough" mean?

- How "culturally American" do you need to be to be an Olympian? Or a soldier?


You cannot even do it. How can you use melting pot above, in your list, but then defend "not culturally American enough" when referring to a person with a known American birth certificate, a president, etc.

Why is it that many of the people that levy the "nebulous charges" against Obamma and are accused of racism are the same people that supported Herman Cain, and that the liberal side that couldn't trash Cain or Clarence Thomas fast enough are not accused of racism? Quite a double standard. People criticize Obamma for his background, not skin color. I don't know anything about that guy that Kevin posted, but certainly some of what he says about the Dems and civil rights in the 60's is true. And the beloved Robert Byrd, the conscience of the Senate was a KKK member. He got a complete free ride on that. I heard Chris Mathews, who worked for Tip O'Neil say that O'Neil's nick name for Byrd was "Sheets". People make mistakes and can change, but there is a huge double standard.

Seth, I find it interesting that you cannot, or are unwilling to provide five uniquely cultural aspects of this country that have made us great. That says a lot in itself. My list would include individualism, liberty, the melting pot, can do spirit (different from " yes WE can" ), Land of opportunity. If asked to go on I could list many more. My point is I would run out of answers and never include "we have a a lot of white people". It is the ideas, not race. The Ploy of making racial allegations to shut down the sharing of ideas gets very old. It is used by those who's ideas cannot stand up on their own merit.

ononewheel wrote: davidg wrote: Its like the courts in Wisconsin are now very activist in overruling the law that voters need id's to vote. A liberal activist judge (one man or woman) said the law is not valid, and that voters don't need id's to vote. For god sakes, we need id's to do everything in this country, but, not to vote!?!?! Is a prediction coming? Didn't you tell me a months ago Walker would be safe from recall. 930k signatures, 7% error rate. I knew mickey Mouse doesn't live here, and Adolf is dead and didn't sign the petition. He started a criminal defense fund you know. Jon Doe is knocking on his door.     Not trying to stir the pot, but are you closely following the Wisconsin politics?   There were two judges who have halted the law, but the GAB tells us to watch the news for instructions on voting. The supreme court might make a midnight move and decide the case and probably the election. By the way, none, none, were "activist liberals", that is just a talking point you repeat.   Neither were they "activist", those cases were brought before them, not them seeking to halt.

Prediction: Walker wins his recall election.

Reason: We The People are sick and tired of marching to the beat of the public worker unions (and their liberal elected sponsors) and having to pay ever higher property taxes to pay for lavish public union worker benefits, salaries, and pensions. In other words, the 85% are sick and tired of the 15% mandating how things will be done, and getting benefits that we, who are paying for those benefits, do not get ourselves.

Oh by the way, have you noticed that our children's test scores have stayed the same or gone down all while dramatcially increased spending on "education" has risen dramatically over the years? Now why is that?    

As far as voter id, regardless of the pissing match of whether its one judge or two....or three or four, why is it a bad thing? We need id to do everything in this country. I had to show an id to check into a hotel this afternoon. As determined as the left is to go back to the ways of the past, wouldn't id's be a good idea to keep out of staters from hi-jacking the elections?

By the way, did you read the article today on Fox News about the Democrats in northern Indiana that were officially charged with voter fraud from an incident during the 2008 (Obama) election? "The officials are accused of taking part in a scheme to fake signatures and names on the primary petitions needed to run for president".

These fakes signatures put Obama on the ballot in St. Joseph County Indiana. If they weren't there, would Obama have been officially able to be on the ballot in Indiana?? If Obama weren't able to run in Indiana, would he be president today??

Voter fraud potential? Naw!!!!!! Couldn't happen

Wow that was intelligent and insightful and he would be labeled as an Oreo by most blacks. Too bad so many people just dont get it?

Here is a little explination about democrats and racism.macho sauce

Yeah. Ok. So explain then, if you would, was he culturally American enough to be a senator?

In the above letter "culturally" American enough means what? By definition I thought America was a melting pot of all cultures.

Wait I figured out your thinking. I think. One can be American, but only less than whole American, if the culture doesn't fit. No. I don't get it.   What the hell does culture have to do with being considered American enough?

If you think his race isn't an issue, you are flipping blind. I was sarcastic above. I know what " culturally " American enough means, and so do you.

I understand the hostility, 2008 was a bummer. Condolences.