" George--

I agree that Obama is an imbecile in most cases, but I hate when people use crap buzz words like infanticide to prove their point.

I've been pro-choice my entire life. No one made me support choice--I CHOSE to do so. I would never try to talk someone into doing something with their body that they don't want to do and I expect the same respect from others.

I think sex education is key in helping reduce our teenage pregnancy rates and the ruination of so many young lives. Obviously abstinence isn't working.

That being said... this is the perfect example of why blindly following a candidate simply because of his/her political affiliation is the ruination of this country. It has been proven over and over that one party over the other does not solve problems.

Bipartisanship is the only way to dig ourselves out of the hole we're in. Better yet... why not just let our candidates run on their platforms instead of a party?

Pride is a female dog and will ruin us if we don't swallow it now. "

" Absolutely right, Mr. Glasscock but it seems the Obama supporters do not want to acknowledge any of this. Just wait, all you'll be getting from them in response to this letter is telling us about all the bad, bad Republicans. Funny, those so-called bad, bad Republicans arent' the ones who are going to be running this country. Instead, we're going to get BO, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, et al. Lord, help us all! "

" I agree that Obama is an imbecile in most cases.....

--------------------------

Yeah, that Harvard Law School puts out a lot of imbeciles. LOL! "

" One problem, people are grasping, infanticide is not a 'crap buzz word,' but exactly what Obama promoted. I may not feel as strongly as Mr. Glasscock does about abortion, agreeing with you that it's a choice.....but, there's no denying that Obama, by his votes and on the record, had no problem with letting babies born alive in a botched abortion die. "

" Please, please, please do some fact checking and research before you right an article like this. Wow, this is just ridiculous and sick. I don't even have time to go through and combat all your arguments, please take the time and do it on your own. "

" another talking head....

george, do you guys ever do any research?

oh...how silly of me, that would involve reading and and employing some logic. "

" Way to defend your argument Das! WRITE ON! "

" It is pretty sad when the only thing the Republicans can find wrong with Obama are the LIES they have created about him. "

" A lot of half-truths and quotes out of context actually weaken your case. "

" Yeah, that Harvard Law School puts out a lot of imbeciles--HP

You said it... "

" shumphreys wrote on Oct 16, 2008 10:18 AM:
" It is pretty sad when the only thing the Republicans can find wrong with Obama are the LIES they have created about him."""

rovian in nature. divide and conquer....get the little people, the lemmings, repeating what you start until they actually believe it as truth.

for those who professes the grandeur of the republican party, they seem to be blind at what the GOP has spawned as party policy. "

" One problem, people are grasping, infanticide is not a 'crap buzz word--RW&B

It certainly is my friend. The literal meaning of the word has nothing to do with abortion. No one is killing an infant... that's illegal.

Now, do I support late-term abortions in most cases? No. Do I think they should be outlawed in all situations besides those attempting to save the life of the mother? Yes. Do I call them infanticide? No. Why? Because it's not being truthful. It's an attempt to elicit a visceral reaction from those who don't know any better. It's intellectually dishonest at best.

That being said... I basically agree with opposing the act, I just disagree with how it's being termed. "

" I think it is great that most of Obama's supporters are educated people. Most educated people tend to do research. Just a thougth! "

" George Bush has been in office for 7-1/2 years. The first six the economy was fine.

A little over one year ago :
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) the unemployment rate was 4.5%.
4) the DOW JONES hit a record high--14,000 +
5) American's were buying new cars, taking cruises, vacations overseas, living large!...

But American's wanted 'CHANGE'! So, in 2006 they voted in a Democratic Congress and yes--we got 'CHANGE' all right.

In the PAST YEAR:

1) Consumer confidence has plummeted;
2) Gasoline is now over $4 a gallon & climbing!;
3) Unemployment is up to 5.5% (a 10% increase);
4) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $12 TRILLION
DOLLARS and prices still dropping;
5) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
6) as I write, THE DOW is probing another low~~
$2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM THEIR STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUNDS INVESTMENT
PORTFOLIOS!

YES, IN 2006 AMERICA VOTED FOR CHANGE...AND WE SURE GOT IT! ....

REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT HAS NO CONTROL OVER ANY OF THESE ISSUES , ONLY CONGRESS.

AND WHAT HAS CONGRESS DONE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

NOW THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT CLAIMS HE IS GOING TO REALLY GIVE US CHANGE ALONG WITH A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS!!!!

JUST HOW MUCH MORE 'CHANGE' DO YOU THINK YOU CAN STAND? "

" I must share this email that is being circulatposted by OscarW on Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:33 PM
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

*If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're
"exotic, different."
Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American
story.

*If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

*Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

*Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well
grounded.

*If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the
first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration
drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional
Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district
with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and
Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate
representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs
committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

*If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city
council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20
months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're
qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

*If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while
raising2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a
real Christian.

*If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a
Christian.

*If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including
the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

*If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no
other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed
teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

*If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in
a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city
community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't
represent America's.

*If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI
conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until
age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of
Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable

OK, much clearer now.




ed. It pretty much says it all. "

" I think Washington puts out imbeciles but man congrats "people are grasping" for touching on the issue this time, I think this letter needs shaken a little bit and turned upside down before reading, it might make a little more sense after that "

" Oh good another post arguing that the Dem's Presidential candidate is more qualified than the GOP's VICE-Pres candidate. How pathetic is that? "

" BTW, Please stop with the "brilliant community organizer". The woman who organizes the bagelfest parade can also put that on her resume.

Bush went to an Ivy league school too. So what?

His wife took a VP position at a hosp. ran by an Obama supporter. Boy, she is really making a sacrifice for her community.

Why don't you look at the number of bills he "sponsored" as compared to piggy-backed off others. The ONLY thing Obama has been doing since taking office is working to get himself into the Whitehouse. "

" I find it interesting that many on the left are posting on here that this letter is full of lies and half-truths but yet they seem to have nothing to defend that claim. "

" "Joe the Plumber" is a Lying Tax Cheat But Fox Doesn't Mention That
Reported by Melanie - October 16, 2008 -

Neil Cavuto gave "Joe the Plumber" eight minutes of uninterrupted airtime today (October 16, 2008) during his "business news" show by re-airing an interview he did with "Joe" last night immediately after the debate. Things is, Cavuto presented "Joe" in his original incarnation, not as the person we now know him to be: He didn't say anything about the fact that "Joe's" first name isn't Joe, it's Samuel. Nothing about "Joe" not being a licensed plumber. Nothing about "Joe" being a registered Republican (thus bringing into question his objectivity and motive). Nothing about "Joe" lying on his Facebook page about belonging to a union, and nothing about "Joe" owing back taxes.

Comment: I read somewhere earlier today - wish I could remember where - that calls to "Joe's" house were going unanswered and he was nowhere to be found. Sounds to me like his 15 minutes are catching up with him. I'm willing to bet that had "Joe" been available, he would have appeared live on Cavuto's show, but since he wasn't, and since Cavuto was anxious to continue the propaganda about how "Joe," i.e., Mr. Middle America, will suffer under an Obama presidency, he had to re-air last night's interview while ignoring newly discovered, and now widely known facts, that blow "Joe's" credibility to smithereens.

Just imagine if the tables were turned and Barack Obama embraced someone with a history like "Joe's." Fox would be doing breaking news segments containing all the gory details every four minutes, 24/7.

---------------

This may rank right up there with the other stink bomb McCain threw into the race, Sara "you betcha" Palin. "

" Bush got "gentleman's Cs," meaning Ds that the professors were forced to change, Ed. Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review. "

" ed miller wrote on Oct 16, 2008 6:05 PM:
" Oh good another post arguing that the Dem's Presidential candidate is more qualified than the GOP's VICE-Pres candidate. How pathetic is that? """"

you're talking about the woman who can't quote one news source she reads. or the woman who while running for the vice presidency has no clue what the "bush doctrine" is. or how about the woman who bases her foreign policy experience on "seeing russia from her front steps". and since she refers the mclame as the "maveric"...why can't she give one single example?

the answer to all of the above is....she's an everyday mom with below average intelligence who's trying to be something she's not capable of comprehending. "

" "I find it interesting that many on the left are posting on here that this letter is full of lies and half-truths but yet they seem to have nothing to defend that claim. "

Well then please, rwb, enlighten us. Please list Obama's terrorist activities and tell us the mosque he attends for worship. Please tell us how an 8 year old boy, living in Hawaii, is responsible for a radical activist in the 60s who was against the Vietnam War. Please tell us how Bush/Cheney lies, smears and wars for conquest are honorable. Please tell us why it's OK to kill millions of innocent Iraqi citizens (and yes, hundreds of thousands of those were innocent children) but it's abhorrant to kill a fetus. Please enlighten us with your wisdom. We will wait.

And to answer the ACORN actions:Republican Secretaries of State of swing-state Colorado have quietly purged one in six names from their voter rolls.

Over several months, the GOP politicos in Colorado stonewalled every attempt by Rolling Stone to get an answer to the massive purge - ten times the average state's rate of removal. "

" I wish just one time that Potty mouth Potter could go face to face and tell "JOE" that he was a tax cheat among other things he has said,but he doesn't have the guts to do it. I would love to see that happen, and put his nasty remarks where they belong, Where the sun doesn't shine!!! "

" I agree with the first two sentences, after that its pretty much a propaganda pinwheel. Keep blowing on it to make it go, eventually it has to do something more than just spin. Blow harder, its not having any effect.

Free speech is a gift. People have the right to write this stuff, and we get to know some of the ingredients of the local gene pools.

The censors are biting down hard on these forums. Here and there of course. I doub't I am the only one to have had posts denied in the last several weeks.

This site was a good idea, but censorship of comments and threads, is still at its core. Perhaps we need a non afiliated forum. We can't communicate openly, when censorship is clouding the commentary, removing portions of discussions and dialog. Any ideas of using this kind of format, to get community issues and ideas discussed more openly?

We need to expand some of these conversations, beyond a handfull of people now. We obviously have folks posting under multiple names, which is fine, but that brings the number of heads in these discussions down even lower. No offense to the constant advertizing of sites and things, but we need something like this, but not under the thumbs this continues to be under, to expand these topics further and effectively have any results or valuable discussions come of it.

I respect many of the people who post here, honestly stating what you think, is not something people are often allowed to do. While we may not always agree, I do honestly think understang differences better is a key to being capable of compromise, in areas where our differences aren't complete polar opposites. If more people were able to discuss openly, what they think, they would understand themselves and others alot better.

We need leaders, who are capable of compromise, and understand the needs of citizens, when making decisions with our tax dollars. We need a paper that takes its job in the community seriously. We need individuals, capable of speaking their minds, but just as capable of sometimes ignoring their personal veiws, to do whats best for the people, when the choices available call for it. Compromise of ideas, is not caving in with your views, or badgering opponents into submission. It is finding places that overlap or can, that groups can agree on things to get progress made and work together for solving issues differences.

United we stand, divided we fall. Using combined groups we increase our numbers and our strength. Continuing to create fissures and divisions, we to the exact opposite. We have the capacity to become great again. If we unite, we can, if we further divide, we won't. Its that simple.

Uniting on the wrong track is not a good thing. Take Mattoon councils and boards for a prime example of groups united in thinking they know and citizens just don't get it. I believe Charleston has some simmilar issues in that same vein. Start here at home, get us back on responsible tracks. increase our numbers and take on changing what we can in the state. We know what needs to change. Pool ideas of how best to implement the needed changes, and send clear messages to various leaders, lead effectively follow, or go back to the private sector.

We can't afford the puppet institutions representing the hands in their backs, over spending millions or billions, and holding taxpayers hostage any more. Things need to change. We have settled for the least worst candidates for far to long. We can't keep repeating our mistakes, and expect others to not do the same. It becomes an endless cycle.

We are in the process of loosing large ammounts of community money and assets. This paper did its self imposed part of jumping on the occasional band wagon, that is more than we usually get from this lot. I doub't they have the guts to stand up and be counted. They might loose advertizing even though they have the market cornered here. Where else are the benevolent benefactors going to place ads. They could charge them through the nose, and give themselves raises to the level they feel it is worth fighting for the community they are suposedly representing on something.

They are a conglomerate, that operates in the vaccuum of press coverage we have here. Their circulation figures are completly their own doing. This market is completly ripe to be taken over. The only commitment to this comminity for the long haul, has been keeping the name. We deserve better. We deserve more. We deseve unincumbered and uninfluenced local news. Anyone willing to step up and claim that job, will sweep this tabloid style bird cage liner, to the archives of this areas history, where it has belonged for some time now. "

" Mike P, at one time I suggested this place, for anyone willing, & the JG-TC to hook up with.
http://tinyurl.com/5ktcgx
Alot of different newspapers, from around the U.S., have gotten hooked up there, it appears.
I like it, & I think it's alot better of a setup than here.
I'm registered.
But, what the heck do I know, I'm just a measly poster.
LOL! "

" I hear ya fellow measley poster. Part of the draw to these comments is it is mostly local, or from folks with local ties. I like that notion, and have been to many a broad message forum, where it is over run with nonsense and thousands of messages, are submited daily.

This is a good format, it is just ran ppoorly, in my opinion. This area has been ignored by its leaders, governing bodies and institutions and short of holding public outrage rallies, this is possibly the kind of format we can discuss matters we find important, develop solutions and plans of action, and find common grounds, in many areas of local importance. Local issues of varying importance, need locally tied views and thoughts, to solve.

This paper, board meetings, and council caucus sessions, do not serve the public they are supposed represent. This one good idea, is disregarded as insignificant and useless blogging. This paper has a blog section, these completely seperate comments are citizens stating their thoughts and views, on topics they feel the need to.

I will check out the site mentioned, but do feel a local based forum is needed, but has to be free from censorship, many kinds of which exist on this forum, from deleting comments, archiving threads, and various other types of controlling ideas and discussions this site is ripe with.

Important issues get archived in a day or a few, and columns or our views, remain up with no or little discussion of their usual mundane drivel, taking place, for weeks. Perhaps we need to move discussions here to the our view or column threads, and use them to hash out local politics and misuse of public assets and funds. Many letters to the editor, are more relavent and deserve discussions, but they get archived, while this papers band wagon clamboring mood swings in our view and most of the columns, remain up for much longer than they should, because this paper holds its views as being more relavent than the discussions of topics citizens are making comments on.

Most sites have a liability disclaimer, excluding them from being held responsible for individuals comments posted on their sites. This paper choses to be the middle man, as long as it doesn't offend some of their friends and allies in the process of any discussions. If certain topics, or people get mentioned, its off to the archives in a rush, or comments get censored completely.

If public groups, leaders, and people, aren't guilty of the things comments may mention, they have nothing to fear from the comment discussions. Overprotective allies like this paper, is a big part what keeps these types of misuse of power individuals and groups, in control of this area.

Comments sections aren't admissable in court yet, what is the harm of people expressing their veiws. Unless of course they are worried because they have good reason to be. "

" Well said, Mike, & Thanks. "

" With his latest ad, John McCain committed a double-fraud in 30 seconds. In a spot featuring ersatz plumber and best friend for this week Joe Wurzelbacher, McCain called Barack Obama's tax plan for working families "welfare." As his duplicitous spot reveals, John McCain apparently knows very little about payroll taxes. And as it turns out, the self-proclaimed "foot soldier in the Reagan revolution" knows even less about the earned income tax credit (EITC), hailed by the Gipper himself as "the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress."

Predictably regurgitating the bogus Republican talking point proliferated by the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Times, Townhall and mouthpieces of the right, McCain claimed that Barack Obama wants to give tax cuts as welfare to the undeserving.-

.......................

Another example of telling lies to the American public?

I also see where McCain's fellow Republicans are asking him to tone down his rhetoric in his ads. One stated there is no place in her state for these types of ads.

I expect it to get worse as McCain's desperation grows.

We're all starting to see that famous McCain temper, aren't we?

And be sure to watch for Sara on SNL.


Probably a warm up for her future appearance for her and her brood of dysfunctional rugrats on the Jerry Springer show. The only question remaining is who will get into a shoving match? Will it be the first dud and the impregnator, or Sara and the wild daughter? Maybe all 4 of them. lol! "

" Here are some possible tax bracket change insights. The 250k is not an existing cut off, by these figures, but here is what I found figures were and are.

0 to 8,025 10%
8,025 to 32,550 15%
32,550 to 78,850 25%
78,850 to 164,550 28%
164,550 to 357,700 33%
357,000 and up 35%

In 1992, there were three tax brakets, 15%,28%,and 31%. In 1993 two more were added to the top, 36%,and 39.6%, the bottom three stayed the same. In 2001 the top four brackets were lowered by .5 percent, the bottom held at 15%. In 2002, a new low bracket was added at 10%, 15% stayed the same, followed by 27%, 30%,35.5%,38.6% all .5% lower. Between 2003 and now, the rates now are 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35%. The top was lowered 3.6, the next 3 down were lowered 2 percent, and the bottom two remain the same. Compared to 1992, the then top two brackets have had their taxes lowered by 3 percent, in the last 7 years, while the bottom has remained steady. It also appears the brakets income figures have migrated up substancially since at least 2003. The limits then, for the bottom 4 were evidently 7k at 10% 28,400 at 15%, 57,325 at 25%, 87,350 at 28%, the last two limits aren't listed in their example. This is taxable income in 2003 of 100k, tax calculation.

($ 7,000-0 )x .10 : $700
(28,400- 7,000) x .15 : 3,210
(57,325- 28,400)x .25 : 7,231
(87,350- 57,325)x .28 : 8,407
(100,000-87,350 )x.33 : 4,175
Total: $ 23,723
This puts you in the 33% tax bracket; but as a percentage of your income, your tax is about 23.7%.

The lower rates at the higher brackets, the lower actual percentage of income progressive levels actually pay. The higher incomes the brakets are set at, is that much more of a discount the wealthy pay at lower rates.

I am not an economist, this is one sites numbers, I just took them from their tables and tried to explain them here. It's not a political site that I can tell, it just lists tax brakets and their changes since 1992.

Now some references to obamas tax increase on 250k and up, say its to shore up social security. I don't make close to 250k, and I think higher brackets should pay a progressively steeper tax than lower ones. Cuts to the higher brackets pecentages, do more good for the wealthy, but how does it affect the country? Flat taxes, don't typicly work. If the wealthy had to pay a flat 33 percent on every dime they made, they would have a melt down bigger than the outrage over 3 percent, they are having now.

If Bush had cut the bottom 3 brackets by 3 percent instead of the top 4, this economy would have been made stronger, instead of weaker. People who made over 357k a year, got 3 percent shaved off each of 4 bracket levels of the taxes they owed. That makes a big difference in tax revenue per person, that fits that description. He started a half percent at a time, but the end result was in 7 years, they dropped 3 to 4.6 percent on the wealthy folks in this country. In exchange he did give us a few stimulus checks, so I am sure it all comes out even in the end.

How is the economy failing in declining taxes on the rich? How are jobless claims increasing every year, lower taxes on the wealthy, are supposed to spawn investment and job creation? He dropped rates in two of the three brackets his dad had, by 3 percent. How did the economy do worse in this kind of atmosphere? Where did this plan go wrong? How does 3 to 4.6 percent drop in taxes at the top four of the 6 brackets, in seven years time, go on so quietly? If this is accurate, it hasn't made the news or a campaign, that I have seen. He droped rates in two of the three brackets his dad had, by 3 percent. How did the economy do worse in this kind of atmosphere? "

" For the first time in it's long history, the traditionally conservative Republican friendly Chicago Tribune has endorsed a Democrat, Barack Obama, for president. The main reason is that they don't feel the Sara Palin is ready to step in if needed. I guess the Tribune isn't buying Palin's Bill Ayers cries.

Ayer's radical actions took place 40 years ago, when Obama's was a little boy 8 years old. Palin's husband was a member of a radical organization that advocated secession of Alaska, while an adult. You don't hear Palin talking about that do you? In fact she praised that bunch of malcontents at one of their conventions. Check out YouTube to view that endorsement, which she has never renounced. Obama has renounced Ayers actions, even though they took place while he was a child. In addition Ayers was given the award of citizen of the year from Chicago.

It appears that Sara's hairdo isn't the only thing stuck in the past. "