“I agree, thanks to the mighty taxpayers of the USA, the Wall Street Banks will continue in the style to which they feel entitled.”

Not if the republicans get their way, of course the left of American politics is no different to the left of any other – weak willed, seeking subsidies, incapable of placing responsibility where it belongs.

As for “BTW, Health Care for children was, at $9 billion, considered too expensive”

Having children is not a right; it is personal choice and a responsibility.

If you want children, they cost money, be prepared to pay for them

It is the morally feeble who feel entitled to have children but then expect the state to hand them every form of subsidy as reward for their ‘copulatory’ effort.

Imho, we have too many children in care and foster homes because their morally inadequate parents are dysfunctionally incapable of shouldering their responsibilities.

Arjay “Can we rely on the US if China or Russia become aggressive in our region?”

Well the US did come up to the plate for WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam (after the French failed). They also oversaw the dismantling of the USSR threat and Nixon commenced the China dialogue.

We have a treaty with US. I think that says it.

I recall Bill Hayden, one time leader of Australian Labor party, commenting that Australia needed a nuclear deterrent to keep Indonesia in check, I guess we have managed to rely on USA for that too.

msanne “The response from the GOP?A 700 billion dollar bailout”

actually the GOP is the ones who are holding the line.

You write as if you are an US citizen?

Am I correct or not?

as for “eight years of national embarrassment”

short or very selective memory.

Bill Clintons antics with “our Monica” (mouth organ (harmonica)) who he did not have sex with (unless she swallowed) were moments of national pride?

For all his failings (of which there are many) at least Bush is not perceived as someone who cannot keep it in his pants or bonks the interns in the oval office.

Col: "For all his failings (of which there are many) at least Bush is not perceived as someone who cannot keep it in his pants or bonks the interns in the oval office."

Thank you for acknowledging my post Col - you are too kind.

We all know that George W has God on his side, as in believing that God approved of invading Iraq. Kind makes a bit of sexual indiscretion look very tame.

I guess you'd prefer a religious fundy president with his finger on the nuke trigger rather than one who enjoys nooky instead. Puts a whole new spin on "make love not war" now doesn't it?

Col further endears himself to the far right wingnuts with: "If you want children, they cost money, be prepared to pay for them."

In line with this view that only the rich should reproduce, perhaps the $9 billion would've been better spent on a sterilisation program of all the poor.

msanne:

Bravo! ......and spot-on! It is refreshing to know that there are persons out there in this "twisty world" who are prepared to call it as it is.

I don`t know what nationality you are, but it is not that important, the message remains the same regardless of who delivers it.

Unfortunately for us speaking out against what we percieve to be wrong can bring repercussions against us!.....this is the penalty that we pay for speaking out, however if we ever expect to see change in an established system we have no other option than to voice our opinions regardless of how distasteful it may seem to deeply entrenched self-servers.

Keep up the good work!.....you have at least one supporter!

Gibo: << Dont know about Obama but think McCain might be strong enough to keep the status quo. >>

Yeah, but Gibo - if McCain keeps the status quo by resisting the New World Order, with its forehead barcodes and Kings of the East and all that, won't that delay Christ's return?

What's your problem - aren't you Rapture Ready?

I mean, if you're not, what hope for the rest of us?

Well, isn't it interesting how almost everyone here commenting on this topic knows exactly what the problem is, exactly what's causing it, exactly where we're headed because of it, and oh Lordy, Lordy me one or two even know exactly what's needed to be done about it.

That's amazing, Imagine that! It seems that the fountain of all knowledge exists within the minds of anonymous armchair critics with computer keyboards in their lounge rooms.

You guys should be world leaders. All our problems would then be over. You have all the answers.

JW, I don't believe anyone who posts, believes they have all the "answers'.
As for myself, it is an venue in which to 'vent' frustration with all the 'supposed' leaders who got us into the mess we are in. Whether it is a Democrat or Republican. As far as I'm concerened, they are all politicians, different horses from the same stable, to con us into thinking that our vote counts, well it doesn't. Go to you tube and type in "Clinton Curtis voting machine" and you will see the inventor, swearing in court, that the votes are fixed.

The state of our economy is all part of a "trickle down" effect. The economy did not take a dive all of a sudden? It takes time. The banks made the bad loans, now years later it's caught up with them.

I was disgusted how Clinton's debacle with ML, disgraced our nation, with Kennedy's when he was in office, Bush's drinking, and Watergate, with Nixon and etc. etc. etc. etc. I don't have much faith in any politician, or anyone who will be the President, because they are already bought and sold in my opinion.