This thread is starting to make me giggle. Why are we even arguing? Are you saying that the US should increase its debt or start printing more money (I hope we don't have too many inflation-protected bonds in our debt profile)?

My point is simply that we need to cut spending and raise taxes sensibly so we can get a healthy debt level going again. As Bush Sr. did, and Clinton did. Republicans are supposed to be the "responsible adult" party, so why aren't they in favor of this? I'm amazed to find that Shrub isn't headed to personal bankruptcy court, as he seems to subscribe to the "I wanna take a pay cut and borrow as much as creditors will allow" school of financial management.

Originally Posted by webspace

More people die each year from heart disease from eating crappy food. What I'm saying McDonalds kills alot more people than Armalite, or Sig Arms, Smith and Wesson, Remington put together. Seriously people look up the statistics on heart disease and teenage drinking and driving and tell me firearms are a serious problem. Look at all of the people killed by second hand smoke.

Uh - drive by McDonalds attacks? People kill themselves with bad food - they don't kill each other this way. Second hand smoke (interesting to see a Republican who believes in the stuff as dangerous, but that's another story) should be a crime when children are involved, but is something adults knowingly and willingly subject themselves to. When a person surprises another person by "pulling" a cigarette, the second person can do something about it before his or her life is ended.

Originally Posted by cbwm

Ranking presidents on results:
Kennedy = Near Nuclear Hollocaust
Reagan = End of Soviet Nuclear threat

Reagan did such a great job on those Ruskies that Vladimir Putin is rattling his saber from Bangladesh. Oops, never mind. Reags was a complete failure.

Based on the criteria you've set forth for evaluating a president, Bush has been one of the worst presidents in US history. We're using your own benchmarks here.

• Bush = Near Nuclear Holocaust
• Bush = Near Chemical Holocaust
• Bush = Near Airline Holocaust
• Bush = Near Anthrax Holocaust
• Bush = Near Iraqi Insurgent Invasion Holocaust
• Bush = My Pet Goat

I can't wait to read about why your criteria only applies to Democrat presidents?

Jesus, I cant step away from this board for 8 hours without things getting out of control! So much to address, but your last post is a good starting point John.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

Reagan did such a great job on those Ruskies that Vladimir Putin is rattling his saber from Bangladesh.

Putin is just pissed off because we withdrew from our Cold War treaty which said we wouldn't build anti-ICBM technology, and we are actively deploying the stuff throughout eastern Europe. What can you say, "blow me"? Its about all hes going to do about it.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

Based on the criteria you've set forth for evaluating a president, Bush has been one of the worst presidents in US history. We're using your own benchmarks here.

• Bush = Near Nuclear Holocaust
• Bush = Near Chemical Holocaust
• Bush = Near Airline Holocaust
• Bush = Near Anthrax Holocaust
• Bush = Near Iraqi Insurgent Invasion Holocaust
• Bush = My Pet Goat

I can't wait to read about why your criteria only applies to Democrat presidents?

Good point, and something I forgot to bring up. Clinton completely dropped the ball on Foreign Policy. Two embassy bombings not addressed? Somalia? Rwanda? I'd drink beers with the guy, but would never want him back as a president. Osama was busy building his army under Clinton's watch. N. Korea was busy building his H-Bombs under Clinton's watch. And you rightly point out that Shrub averted the majority of the foreign policy mess made by the Clintons.

You also mentioned earlier that Kennedy narrowly avoiding a nuclear holocaust was to his credit. But you are missing something. Something Colonel Kadafi got. Something Kohmeni got. Something Gorbachev got. Something Musharraf gets. With a Republican in the white house, there will be consequences for bad behavior. The words "We will bomb you into the stone age" always bring a smile. Kennedy was a spineless worm who had a "walk all over me and my nation" sign pinned to his back.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

Uh - drive by McDonalds attacks? People kill themselves with bad food - they don't kill each other this way. Second hand smoke (interesting to see a Republican who believes in the stuff as dangerous, but that's another story) should be a crime when children are involved, but is something adults knowingly and willingly subject themselves to. When a person surprises another person by "pulling" a cigarette, the second person can do something about it before his or her life is ended.

Who says I'm a Republican? I'm not affiliated with any parties.

Also I think that public smoking is something that should be banned. There is nothing I hate more than going for a five mile run and having my lungs screaming for oxygen and have some guy step out and light up a ciggarrette 100 feet away and having to run by. Second hand smoke kills people every day. It's one thing if you don't want to take responsibility for your own mortality but it is another when someone has no respect for mine. People who smoke in public or in the presence of people who don't smoke are putting other people's lives and health at risk. I have the right to make the descision about my own health and what goes in my body. Not anyone else.

People who smoke don't have enough respect for death. Death will come soon enough. Everyone dies FACT accept it, deal with it. Why degrade the quality of you life and those around you? If you want to kill yourself there are faster ways. I can't think of quite a few. Not to mention smoking is complete waste of money to smokers it take up healthcare resources that could be used for other purposes.

The fast food issue is mostly still a matter of choice. When I see those 13 year old girls on TV who are 200 LBs over weights. I don't blame McDonalds I blame bad genes and poor parenting. And you might say poor parenting is do to bad genes or poor parenting just passed down from poor parents or whatever you want to say about it. Fat people are discusting anyway.

Originally Posted by aschwa

This thread is starting to make me giggle. Why are we even arguing? Are you saying that the US should increase its debt or start printing more money (I hope we don't have too many inflation-protected bonds in our debt profile)?

My point is simply that we need to cut spending and raise taxes sensibly so we can get a healthy debt level going again. As Bush Sr. did, and Clinton did. Republicans are supposed to be the "responsible adult" party, so why aren't they in favor of this? I'm amazed to find that Shrub isn't headed to personal bankruptcy court, as he seems to subscribe to the "I wanna take a pay cut and borrow as much as creditors will allow" school of financial management.

Who said anything about arguing? Yeah, we are arguing. You gotta make a point. Some of the stuff in here might get read and actually help someone. The rest well, it's just that. It's the rest.