Where Is This New Constitution?

JimHeim 1 year, 3 months ago

Since the author doesn't admit the effect of federal and state government actions on employment in this country, and thinks its up to us to solve these problems, perhaps he'll tell us what he's doing to help. Really. Specifically. What is he doing?

And if he's not taking action, exactly who does he expect to step up to the challenge? Fourteen million unemployed Americans would really like to know.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

OK, since we're going to talk Constitution today, let's begin with establishing our bona fides. Take this test on Civic Literacy and publish your results: http://goo.gl/GBu3f

My results here: http://goo.gl/9AoK8 Embarrassing misses.

Courseaire 1 year, 3 months ago

DaveyNC - I'm impressed, I only scored 22/33.

bigD 1 year, 3 months ago

Fun quiz i scored 26/33 but i'm sure i had a few lucky guesses.

Mr. Heim-

The government creates jobs when it to provides public goods like national defense, public safety and education. They are further charged with regulating when market failures (there are seven catagories of market failure) exist. Othewrwise the gov't should simply get out of the way. But don't let solid economic theory get in the way of partisian politics...ok?

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

I got 32/33

" You answered 32 out of 33 correctly — 96.97 %

If you have any comments or questions about the quiz, please email americancivicliteracy@isi.org.

You can consult the following table to see how citizens and elected officials scored on each question."

Maybe Stephen should take it and share his score with us. Maybe also, those who didn't score at least 85% correct should consider NOT sharing their views about U.S. government polices and on-going constitutional issues; such as whether the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment could reasonably be be the basis for a challenge to state laws forbidding gay marriage. Just a thought.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 3 months ago

US Supreme Court justices take two oaths of office. The first, a Constitutional Oath mandated by Article VI of the Constitution and 5 USC § 3331 (federal law), is sworn by all federal employees except the President:

"I, RUTH BADER GINSBURG, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

The second, the Judicial Oath of Office, originated with the Judiciary Act of 1789 and continues as a requirement under 28 USC § 453, but was amended slightly in 1990:

"I, _, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as _ under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God."

SO JUSTICE GINSBURG recently said the following

Ginsburg has displayed open contempt for the U.S. Constitution -- in front of a foreign audience. In an interview with an Egyptian TV station, she urged that nation -- which threw off the rule of dictator Hosni Mubarak but faces a rising threat of radical Islam -- not to consider the U.S. Constitution as a model for crafting a constitution.

SO TELL ME, how is Ginsburg following the oath by demeaning and not supporting the US Constitution

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Take the test moron, then pose constitutional questions to us. I'm sure you'll be honest about your test results too (sic).

geoffcutler 1 year, 3 months ago

I got 31 out of 33 correct, or 93.94%. Got questions on fiscal policy considerations, and free market security wrong. I see professor Jim beat me. Drat! I'll await his next tutorial.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Geoff, I think we both should sit AFCHIEF down in a 6th grade U.S. History course and monitor his progress. He may be smarter than a fifth grader in this regard, not so sure about a 6th grader.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

Hmmmm.... wheat, chaff?

AFCHIEF 1 year, 3 months ago

@JIMT, did not take long for the typical Liberal Attacks on someone who disagrees with you.

I had 30 years in the Air Force TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND our constitiution. Unfortunatley for us, this allows liberals that you so cherish to burn, crap and piss on our countries flag and constitution.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

Hmmmm.....again. AFCHIEF=that-guy-who-got-out-of-control-a-couple-months-ago-and-got-kicked-off-the-forum-whose-name-I-do-not-remember?

geoffcutler 1 year, 3 months ago

Am I missing something here? Who's Stephen, and why is there such animosity being directed at AFCHIEF?

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

There is so much animosity directed at AFCHIEF because of his "hot" rhetoric directed against Obama and everyone else he disagrees with. Proof of which can be found in his most rrecent posting. He's also so factually challenged as to prove the old Mark Twain adage that it is better to allow people to think you are a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

He claims to have 30 years in the Air Force during which he preserved and protected the Constitution. Too bad he has such a limited understanding of what that means.

Stephen wrote the letter to the editor generating these posts.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

DaveyNC,

Chief will be gone pretty soon IMHO.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 3 months ago

JIMT what recent post are you talking about...

And yes I did have 30yrs in the Air Force, and having lived overseas for 15 years and spending time in countries that I have no desire to go back too. I fully appreciate what we have here in the US more than you can imagine.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 3 months ago

Sorry not going away anytime soon. Someone has to keep you guys in line

geoffcutler 1 year, 3 months ago

Oh... of course...that's who Stephen is. How silly of me. Sorry, Stephen. What were you saying? We sometimes get off point and start with the personal attacks and name-calling, and then we forget what the hell the point was of the letter writer or columnist....

JER 1 year, 3 months ago

AFCHIEF gets a lot of flack because, in my opinion, he makes an assumption that anyone in uniform is a patriot and everyone else is a terrorist trying to ruin the country. Had he spent his 15 years in those countries learning instead of hating, we would have got a lot more value from our 30 year investment in his career. He is so accustomed to having everyone tell him how great he is, he actually believes his is the only correct position on an issue. All I can tell you AFCHIEF, is that in your 30 year military career, things have gotten worse, not better. Time to let other ideas have a crack at it. This is not name calling, this is character assessment.

PS: My score on the test was 29 of 33. AFCHIEF has yet to respond.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Yeah, AF, you really keep us in line. Someone has a serious case of narcissism and self-importance.

You'll be gone AF the next time you threaten violence against anyone you disagree with, as you did in a comment to Dusty. You "saved" yourself by concluding that there was not much to be gained by beating up a lawyer. But you'll do it again, of that I have no doubt.

geoffcutler 1 year, 3 months ago

"Time to let other ideas have a crack at it." JER

You're not suggesting liberals haven't had a chance, are you? Because if you are, that really would be funny.

bjohnson0413 1 year, 3 months ago

This is one thing I have yet to understand. Republicans beat up on on the Pres/Government for not providing more jobs, but then they want small/limited government. My head is spinning.

Instead of hearing from my fellow lefts on this one, I would really like to hear from a Republican who can help me possibly understand the logic behind this one.

And perhaps tell me why, as a disgruntled Dem, I should vote for any of the candidates proposed?

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Sorry not going away anytime soon. Someone has to keep you guys in line

by dustyrhoades

Yeah, cupcake, your empty tough-guy blustering's really got everyone toeing the line.

Tell us again how you could call me out and kick my ass if you wanted to, but you just don't want to. That never gets old.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

bgjohnson, you are mischaracterizing what those of us on the right expect out of the Pres/Government. The Prez/Gov cannot create jobs, but they can sure as heck chase them away. It is the responsibility of our government to provide the framework necessary for commerce and then get out of our way. They do this through laws and regulations and when those things are at an appropriate level, the US economy is one of the wonders of the modern world. You may have noticed that things haven't been too wonderful for a while. Our government is now headed by people who believe that the Federal government is better suited to manage, for instance, our local schools and energy prices than we are as free people.

The only way that government can provide more jobs is by hiring us. You know, one set of people digging holes and another set of people filling them up. This is Keynes at work and the dirtbags in Washington really think this is a useful way to spend the public treasure. Hence, we get comments from people like Nancy Pelosi that the Affordable Care Act will be wonderful because a young person can quit their job and go and be an artist or a poet.

Government would serve us better by leaving us alone and acting as a referee, not as the biggest guy on the field. I'm a bit of an amateur economist, so I tend to look at these things in economic terms. I believe that right now the US is in the early grip of excessive "crowding out"; that is, government borrowing and spending has grown so large that it is crowding out private borrowing and spending. Think back about how many times in the course of our so-called recovery we have heard that banks aren't lending or that borrowers aren't borrowing? Look at this Gallup Poll from this week: http://goo.gl/hqvg1 The headline reads: "Health Costs, Gov't Regulations Curb Small Business Hiring" That headline is from Gallup, not Fox News, Jimt. More to the point, government spending is now at almost 40% of our GDP. By definition, sa market player of that size will crowd out nearly all other players. It's unsustainable.

Sorry, lately been very verbose. See Part 2, next.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

Part two

I'm glad you're disgruntled. There is very little gruntlement to be found anywhere these days. In all honesty, I can't really distinguish one of the current candidates from each other and their only difference in terms of spending vis a vis the current Prez is tiny. And I won't even get into the cultural war aspect of the coming campaign. Ron Paul is probably the only one of the lot with significantly different ideas on how to change things and he is both crazy and too old to be President. Oh, and likely a racist, too. I guess you have to look at the candidates, decide which one might actually slow spending (or increase growth) even the tiniest bit and vote for that candidate. It surely isn't Obama. It probably isn't Santorum. It might be Romney, who really does have the proper skill set to turn this mess around. It might be Gingrich, who desperately wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Lincoln and Washington and other great men. Or maybe it is my new favorite candidate, Mr. SMOD: http://goo.gl/BSlJK I like his campaign slogan: SMOD: An End To Politics As Usual. Forever.

We're in a mess. I kind of wish I didn't pay so much attention to all this stuff. Maybe I'll go cultivate an interest in American Idol.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 3 months ago

@ JER "Had he spent his 15 years in those countries learning instead of hating" This comment makes no sense at all. The one think I learned all those years overseas is that the US is the greatest country to live in. As for HATERS, maybe you and your liberal party need to take a lookin the mirror as to who does the hating. Most recent is the Occupy haters who piss, burn, and crap on our Flag, let alone all the violence conducted by these haters. GIVE ME AN example of a republilican rally or gathering that was violent.

As for things getting worse in our country. Yes things are worse, thanks to a govt of BOTH parties who cannot get it in there heads that they are wastefully spending our tax dollars down the drain.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

AFCHIEF, have you ever heard the phrase, "When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging."?

bjohnson0413 1 year, 3 months ago

Thank you, Davey for taking the time to explain. And I applaud you in saying you are unsure of the candidates as well. All I hear is vote AGAINST Obama, but I have not heard one reason to vote FOR any other candidate. As for the Republican candidates, they are all talking the public out of voting for them. I don't understand why they believe extremism is the way to be voted in. Clearly not going to vote for someone who would like to take my choice as a woman away. Or vote for someone who is holier than thou, yet every other word out of their mouth is hate. God would be disappointed.

AFCHIEF: You are one upset cookie. You're rhetoric may be better spent on FOX News or other conservative media spewing your hate of liberals. You are accomplishing nothing by posting on your local newspaper forum and with that much rage, you may be a good candidate for office! I am the liberal side you speak of and scorn. And I'm probably nothing like what you would pin me for.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

GIVE ME AN example of a Republican rally or gathering that was violent.

HERE you GO, cupcake:

Rand Paul fan tries to curb stomp woman by bubblegumdeathpop

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Here's some more: Rethuglicans becoming violent at health care town halls:

http://youtu.be/nLNX8l0uBTw

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Democratic congressman's life threatened over health care bill:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/dem-congressmans-office-his-life-has-been-threatened-over-health-care-bill.php

"The call to the D.C. office was, 'Miller could lose his life over this,'" said Canipe. "Our staffer took it so seriously, he confirmed what the guy was saying. He said, 'Sir is that a threat?' and at that time our staffer was getting the phone number off caller ID and turning it over to the Capitol Police."

Shall I go on, cupcake?

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Dusty,

Those don't count. Speaking of which, do you recall the conservo-thugs attempt to break into the office where the Florida vote count was being undertaken as they screamed, "stop the recount, stop the recount.." over and over.

AF would, of course, just assert that they were "the people" acting patriotically.

Still no word on AF's test score. There's a time limit per question. Guess he can't get past question one before the buzzer. On the other hand, who cares what he scores, I wouldn't trust his score claim anyway.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

DaveyNC, "The Prez/Gov cannot create jobs, but they can sure as heck chase them away.You may wish to check the Congressional Budget Offices estimate of jobs saved and jobs created by the stimulus package. It's several million. Don't those count? What about the auto bail out that saved several hundred thousand jobs directly and indirectly? Don't those count? In fact, the greatest loss of jobs during the Obama Administration has been in Federal, State, and Local government. Over 500,000 jobs lost -- policemen, firemen, teachers, among others. I guess those are examples of the jobs government can "chase away."

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Over 500,000 jobs lost -- policemen, firemen, teachers, among others. I guess those are examples of the jobs government can "chase away."

The GOP: keeping thousands unemployed in order to try and cost one man his job.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

CBO source: 1.5 -3.5 million private sector jobs saved/created by Stimulus Package: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/123xx/doc12385/08-24-ARRA.pdf

I know, I know, these facts are a mere hindrance to an ideologically based prior conclusion that Government cannot save or create jobs, therefore the CBO must be wrong, even though it is non-partisan -- or I guess it's only non-partisan so long as it's report back up conservatives assertions absent of facts.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

My sister sent the test to me...l scored 26/33, she scored 27. It is very disheartening to me the direction our Republic is taking. The other disheartening thing is that I firmly believe that there are not enough Patriots to change our Nation, the one that used to be the greatest Nation on the face of the earth. At least I am fortunate enough to be in Alaska, where we still feel like the free country that ya'll used to have, but I am starting to look for winter destinations outside the US, because even if one lives in a corrupt third world country, one can buy their freedom by paying off the right people. Here, one has a difficult time figuring out who that is. Our electorial process is tainted, maybe to the point that the powers that be will decide who will lead our country. Americans better wake up and smell the coffee, or our freedoms are just an ancient memory!!!

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Someone who score 26 is part of the problem, not the solution YJ.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

How so jimt?

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Here's another fun test:

http://www.constitutionfacts.com/index.cfm?page=quiz_done.cfm

Take the Test #1 of the "Experts Test" good luck, I'd did more poorly than I thought I would do before starting. Here are my results:

CONGRATULATIONS!

YOUR SCORE IS: 41 OUT OF 50 ON THE CONSTITUTION FACTS ADVANCED QUIZ! YOUR CONSTITUTION I.Q. IS: CONSTITUTION WHIZ KID THE AVERAGE SCORE NATIONALLY IS 33.64

YJ: 79% during my school days was a "C" or C+ if the school graded with pluses and minuses. In short, don't expect to get into the High School's AP Government Class next semester.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

But jimt, you did see that the average score was 49% among Americans, and 55% of college professors. While l was unhappy with a couple l missed, l was satisfied with 78.76%. I guess l should have studied harder in history!!!!

Something l am convinced of though, and that is that we are running out of Patriots that will stand up for the Constitution AS IT WAS WRITTEN or Amended!!! Too many Americans think it is just an old document that is a suggestion of what we should do or not do as a country.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

jimt 1 hour, 48 minutes ago

Semantics, jimt, or in the words of The One, "Words, just words." The Obama Administration invented, out of whole cloth, the concept of jobs "created or saved" because the conventional usage and accepted metric of net jobs created didn't look so good. And, as always, the media went right along. Regardless of the pearls that come out of his pie hole, net jobs created is and always has been the accepted metric. And he is failing on that count. I read the other day that NC today has just as many jobs as it had in 1997 despite a 21% increase in population. That's not job growth. Something's wrong when one of the most powerful economic forces we have, demographics, isn't working.

As to the auto bailout, please. GM still owes over $20B to the gov and had they been allowed to go through the normal bankruptcy process most of those jobs would have survived. In fact, Chrysler had done so just a couple of years before the government bailouts. Those jobs would have survived, the unions may not have and GM, or its assorted parts, would now be owned by someone else. But the jobs would remain because much of the demand for GM vehicles would still be present.

I hope that those 500,000 former govt. employees find gainful employment in the private sector or start their own businesses. It would be better for the country in the long run. Because a too-large public sector is demonstrably a drain on our country.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Davey: "GM should have been allowed to go bankrupt and the unions should have died" is a message that will lose Michigan for the GOP. So, please, keep spreading it, even though it's already disproven crap. Most economists agree that a "traditional" bankruptcy wouldn't have worked at the time because of the frozen credit market, and no one in their right mind believes the "jobs would have survived."

But please, keep pushing that message. Abandon Michigan and its electoral votes. Please.

skylinefirepest 1 year, 3 months ago

Jim Heim...I'll tell you right quick what will put this country back to work...get rid of Obama and his worthless administration. Get the stranglehold off the American businessman and we'll put the country back to work. Take away Obama's veto pen and we'll get America back to work. Close the border and we'll not only increase the jobs available to American workers but we'll also stop terrorists from coming across our wide open border. We cannot continue to finance Obama's every dream at the risk of our grandchildren's future...by the way, how about answering my continuing question before I have to either call you a coward or a liar. You should know what question I refer to as I have asked you many times and you don't dare to answer apparently. You also should be aware that your hero tried to take credit for the jobs created by the new Boeing plant after his union buddies tried to blackmail the company with the help of Obama' s labor board. Obama is a disgrace to the country that elected him and history will hold him accountable.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

DR, unfortunately for our great Nation, once the greatest on earth, you are correct. Barrack Obama will be our next great leader. He has turned Americans into needing govt. to tell them what to do and when to do it. They depend on govt. for their next handout, and as such, he is a savior. I have given him my allegiance since he is MY President just as much as any Democrat in our Nation. I do not agree with what he has done, nor with his view on what America is and should be. It is OK though, we are getting old, and by the time one of his daughters is in power, we will have gone on to our reward. I am glad l wont be here to see the Obama Dynasty!!

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

Republicans, you have no one to blame but the Republican Party!!! They are the ones that cannot get an electable candidate, well other than Ron Paul, but you will not back him at any costs. President Obama for 4 more years is the costs!!!

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Republicans, you have no one to blame but the Republican Party!!!

Here, at least, we agree. The wingnuts here have been insisting that the candidate doesn't matter, they can run anyone against Obama and win...they're now reaping the consequences of that.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

dustyrhoades 38 minutes ago

Well, DR, other than misquoting me, you are spot on. It would lose the R's Michigan. Which is why none of them are saying that.

We'll know if a conventional bankruptcy would have saved GM because Obama stepped in and essentially abrogated bankruptcy law, shoving the bondholders under the Canadian-made bus. And so the business community saw that and did what any sensible business would do; they went into defensive mode and stopped making loans. After all, if their prior contracts were now subject to the whims of a single elected official, that created too much risk. Who can blame them? And yet, we hear the constant lowing of the Left, whining that the evil CEO's aren't investing and hiring enough people to make the Chosen One look good.

And the kicker to all this is that Obama is on Wall Street this coming week, hat in hand, asking for money.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

And, here he goes again, screwing around with the bond markets: http://goo.gl/KbErZ Key sentence: "This could raise borrowing costs (for municipal issuers) because you have to make up for the tax equivalent cost," But that will be fair, because it's mostly the wealthy who buy these bonds. And all the rest of us who pay the bonds back, but most people won't understand that, they'll just cheer O for sticking it to the Man.

skylinefirepest 1 year, 3 months ago

bjohnson...Government only provides a few jobs relative to our business community. And big government slows progress way more than it helps. Dusty...I have no doubt in AFChief's ability to kick your butt all over Carthage and back into your Liberal den of eniquity where you and your typewriter can once again hold forth in your "satire" against all conservatives. JER...I fail to see in AF's writing where he learned to hate in his fifteen years overseas. And yes, I tend to agree with him that most of our military community is very patriotic...something that those who have not ( such as our hero Obama, for instance ) put their lives in Harm's way might not understand. Jimt...please give me an example, that can be confirmed, of how the government "saves" a job. And the loving media and the Liberal left just keep spewing it out. I'm afraid that I don't know anyone who's job was "saved" by this irresponsible administration throwing out billions of OUR money. Please check your math before you tell us again that out of fourteen million people out of work ( and half a mil by your math being government jobs...local, you'll notice, as the federal government has expanded it's workforce! ) adds up to more than the jobs lost by business and industry. Oh, bjohnson, I'll freely admit to hating Obama and his administration and a quick and simple check of the internet will tell you why...we have not had a President who so ridicules our country and our way of life when visiting foreign countries. We have not had a President who appears to hate the country that elected him. Obama has never served his country and has no business experience and lined his administration with people who wouldn't be qualified to serve hamburgers in the real world! He threatened to throw our military under the proverbial bus when crying about not getting his way on the budget limit, yet dares to visit military bases and act as if he really does respect those guys! Yeah, I have no use for him and his ilk and I can't wait for the chance to put my vote in for ANYBODY BUT OBAMA. And here for years I have thought that Jimmy Carter was the worst we've ever had! Obama listened to the hatred from his preacher for twenty years before finally kicking him out the door, only because he was embarrasing him. Obama ran with a completely unsavory crowd but nobody bothered to notice, especially the major media. The country was so enamored of a young, articulate, SEEMINGLY HONEST, man that nobody bothered to check his background or credentials. GOT TOOK, DIDN'T YA??? And now that he has put your great grandchildren into hock for thousands the day they are born, for some reason Jimmy Heim thinks that is a good thing and intends to vote for him again...Jimmy, your kids out to take you out back to the toolshed and put a good butt whuppin' on you!!! No Jimt, that's not a threat like you seem to think anybody who dares to disagree with you is guilty of!

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

I hardly ever agreed with the late William F. Buckley, but we do agree about one thing. Several decades ago he suggested that the voting franchise, instead of being automatic for citizens , should be earned by taking the same exam that would be naturalized citizens have to take. Don't pass, can't vote. Bye-bye majority of the electorate as it now stands. Would be curious to see how self-described d's do compared to self-described r's.

You can take the tests by going to the Department of Immigration and Naturalization website. Several years ago, beginning about midnight I answered about 100 questions, all the while making an increasing dent in the level of a good single-malt I had. Got about 98% right.

geoffcutler 1 year, 3 months ago

Jimt, if we had to take a test in order to vote, Obama would never have been elected. Then where would you be? You're taking this test thing a little too seriously.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Source please: "I read the other day that NC today has just as many jobs as it had in 1997 despite a 21% increase in population."

"We'll know if a conventional bankruptcy would have saved GM because Obama stepped in and essentially abrogated bankruptcy law,..." I assume you meant to say, "We know that a conventional...etc."

Really? Tell us, who was lining up to sink enough billions in cash into GM and Chrysler at the time? Name one Bank, one venture capital fund, name anyone who indicated an interest in stepping forward to allow GM and Chrysler to recapitalize. Until you can, with absolute certainty, your "semantics" are hollow rhetoric of a true conservative believer who simply won't risk being confused by facts.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Geoff: "Jimt, if we had to take a test in order to vote, Obama would never have been elected. Then where would you be? You're taking this test thing a little too seriously." Hardly, Obama got the the majority of college educated voters (53% to 45%), and high school graduates (52% to 46%). I'm not taking the test thing too seriously, I just think it's fun to "test" the actual as opposed to self-professed knowledge of people who claim to "know" so much about American History, American Government, the Constitution, and in Yukon's case, just what makes a "Patriot a Patriot.

Source: http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/exit-polls.html

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

Hey Geoff-- I too got 31 of 33! Congrats to all who took the test! And jimt, your post (1 hour and 51 min. ago) against YukonJohn was sad. According to you, you got 6 more answers correct than he did, and concluded that YJ's opinion therefore doesn't count. An effective debating trick, indeed. And for those of you who are fond of citing the CBO (the impartial group, don't you know), even they project that under Obama's policies, unemployment will remain above 8% until 2014. http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=12757. Lastly, I was thinking about posting Democrats and SEIU Union thugs beating up people, but I can't yet pick the best 10. I'll let YukonJohn and the rest of the conservative/libertarian folks here decide which top 5 we can post to respond to DR's Ron Paul's video. Here are the rules: no posts of Occupy Wall Street dems crapping on police cars, fighting police, or abandoning babies (we've seen enough of those). Just Democrats/Union guys trying to beat up anyone who disagrees with them. Since thepilot has no problem with DR's posts, it should have no problem with the posts that follow.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Jimt, if we had to take a test in order to vote, Obama would never have been elected.

Utter crap. Barack Obama led John McCain by a "significant margin" among people with more education.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/106381/obama-education-gap-extends-general-election.aspx

Just look at the people here who claim to know the Constitution, but don't seem, for example, to know that ti's the Congress, not the President, who passed the Affordable Care Act. Wdd101st, for example, wouldn't be allowed to vote. Herman Cain, who quoted "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as part of the Constitution, wouldn't be allowed to vote.

Hmmm.....

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher, "And jimt, your post (1 hour and 51 min. ago) against YukonJohn was sad. According to you, you got 6 more answers correct than he did, and concluded that YJ's opinion therefore doesn't count." You misconstrue the nature of my critique. YJ seemed to be "crowing" about how well he did. I pointed out that his self-congratulation was, by my reading, somewhat out of place. And Thatcher, a difference of 6 out of 33 is pretty substantial in my book.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

jimt:

Source: http://goo.gl/32kY5 I had my years wrong, it was since 1999.

I meant to say, "We'll never know that a conventional....." Oops. Fat fingers.

As to who would have stepped up to buy GM or Chrysler, well, Fiat bought Chrysler. Maybe Toyota would have bought GM. Or somebody like Bain Capital could have done it. Or Uncle Warren. Or the Chinese. This stuff happens all the time, despite the fact that the Left demonizes this sort of very routine business transaction. See, GM has a lot of value in its buildings and its intellectual property and its employees. That stuff would not just be left untouched. Someone would step up to do the deal. Heck, Google is building driverless cars now, maybe they would have done it. They certainly have the cash.

It seems that in the Left's world view, a company is launched and goes on forever accomplishing its main goal of hiring workers without respect to the business climate.

Why so nasty there at the end, jimt? That's not necessary.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Again, Davey, "we should have let the Italians, Japanese or Chinese buy GM" shows just how out of touch you and other right wingers are with mainstream America.

This is why you are going to get beaten like a gong in the general election. Your candidates get out and start pumping that far right BS, and what passes for "conservatism" these days will be discredited for a generation.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

This is just a sample: folks with billy-clubs at the 2008 presidential election polling place in Philly saying "Who are you to decide?" when asked whether billy-clubs are "threatening" to the folks who may want to vote there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4MTQV.... I'm sure that DR believes these fine folks in the video are representative of all Democrats, just like he wants to to believe his Ron Paul video is representative of all Republicans. That was your intended point, right DR?

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

jimt (18 min. ago)-- "And Thatcher, a difference of 6 out of 33 (YukonJohn's vs. jimt's score) is pretty substantial in my book." Seriously jimt, are you here to tell everyone you are more intelligent or more wise than YukonJohn? If so, just say it. Folks here have your prior posts, and YK's, to make their own call. Make your case again if you'd like....

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

That was your intended point, right DR?

No, my point was to answer AFChief's question:

GIVE ME AN example of a republilican rally or gathering that was violent.

Reading is important. Try it sometime, and try to keep up with the thread, mm'kay?

geoffcutler 1 year, 3 months ago

Full Civic Literacy Exam (from our 2008 survey) Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen? The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%. Can you do better? College educated...high school grads? Check the above scores, fellas. The teachiers of those college grads only averaged 55%. What was your score, Dusty?

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

Dusty, Dusty, Dusty. Again, you misquote me. Are you really that protectionist? What do you drive? C'mon, tell the truth.

I love the implication in your made-up quote that "we" have the ability to dictate who gets to buy "our" companies. I suppose that we do, politics being what it is and all, but isn't that a part of the problem? The government meddling about in private business, selling favors to the top bidder?

Ask those Chrysler employees who got to keep their jobs how they feel about Fiat stepping in and bailing them out.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

What was your score, Dusty?

32/33. 96.97%. You?

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

DR-- "Mm'kay!" You should read your own posts and the posts that follow from jimt, etc. as to whether you were trying to paint all Republicans with the same violent broad brush. You were, and no one here doubts that. Not even you.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

What do you drive? C'mon, tell the truth.

Ford Mustang. I've had two. So?

Edit: I've also driven Plymouths, Hondas, Nissans, and MG's. again, SO?

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher: once again, you're just making stuff up. But then, reality isn't a wingnut value.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

Thanks DR! Folks here can read your posts (on this thread and other threads) and make their own call. I don't make stuff up. I don't have to in order to make a point.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

BTW-- Love that "wingnut" stuff! Do people really tell you they like that slam? Have you actually talked with the folks who like your use of "wingnut?" Are they only liberals who post here?

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Actually Thatcher, yes, several people have told me they've gotten a chuckle over the term "wingnut."

But that's because people know who I am, unlike you anonymous, faceless,cowardly right wing trolls.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

Yukonjohn-- I'm curious. You read this nonsense from folks and think what? BTW-- It might snow tonight at 32 degrees.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

DR-- I've never called you names, and certainly not a "troll." Why do you feel the need to do that? My wife would disagree, and so would my kids.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 3 months ago

Maybe if you'd quit lying about me behind an alias, I wouldn't call you a troll. Until then, spare me your wounded piety. That dog won't hunt.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

DR-- Best I recall, I started posting here about 4 months ago (?). You were using that term (wingnut) back then, and you apply it liberally today. Your post (9 min. ago) about folks who've..."gotten a chuckle over the term 'wingnut'," your post estimates at "several.' Is that 3? To me, you pen some really funny columns, and you post some really funny comments to posts here. Why would you label anyone who disagrees with you a "wingnut?"

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

DR-- I'm not interested in dogs hunting. I've never lied about you or anyone else. You know that. I get on you because you call folks (like me) bad names.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher, I have just finshed reading all the posts. Holy cow!! For one, thank you for your support of me. It is not needed, because I dismiss people like jimt and DR handily, and their posts confirm how rabid they really are. Secondly, DR, you of all people, should be thankful that Thatcher is intelligent and civil in his political discourse!! To say that he "makes stuff up" is unfactual itself!! I cannot believe that "otherwise intelligent people" as l had thought posted on here, would act as several of you have today! You know who you are, and you are certainly free to express those thoughts on here, but if you go back and read the comments you wrote, then still think "Boy am l smart", you are sorely mistaken!!! Thatcher, while l do not personally know you (or at least don't think l do), you are one of the most civil people on here. You are in my eyes, a fine American business person, that has a heart and loves his employees as his own family. I have heard you talk about your employees, and they are damned lucky to have you as an employer. Our nation is terminally ill. I thought it was the government that was broken, it is just a symptom, our country is broken beyond repair l'm afraid.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher, I must have seen you when you FIRST started posting. I read these posts completely and thoroughly, and there are some wingnuts on here, without a doubt. You, my friend, are not a troll, wingnut or any other name that DR or anyone else might try to apply to you. In my eyes, you stand as a great American, that stands by and on his word!! Unless l am so horribly mistaken, you are an honorable man, something that means EVERYTHING to me. Please just take comments you get on here or anywhere else with a grain of salt, we all have opinions and just like rectums most of them stink!! I hope you will have a wonderful night, and maybe ya'll will get some snow, but l doubt you will get much.... :)

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

YukonJohn!! Welcome back! I don't need to defend you at all...you do so very well yourself. I get upset at (a) folks who think they are smarter than others, and (b) folks who have to call other people names to make themselves feel smart. It was 40 degrees and raining when I left church today...SO cold. You guys ever get any of this stuff up there?

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

Oh, and neither side has a monopoly on "being rignt". As intelligent folks, you have to know that. We all just "have an opinion". It is a good thing that in America, one is free to express his/her opinion freely, but there are some on here that it seems lately are taking that priviledge to the extreme in calling others that don't see the world as they do "Idiots, wingnuts, stupid, and all the other adjectives that one can think of" Are we not above that? I try to be civil and wish our politicians and citizens would do the same. As l said earlier, l feel our country is terminally ill. What a shame.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher, thankfully, we get one or in rare years two, wet snows a year. We rarely get rainy, grey weather. We had that super cold Jan, followed by now one of the warmest Feb. since l came into this country in 81. We are closer to seasonal now, with a high today around 5 above and low of around 20 below last night. Looks like a carbon copy tonight. Really nice weather compared to what it could be. Our record lows are still around 50 below, but rising daily!! This is a most beautiful time of the year here, sunny days, growing ever longer (7 min. daily) and cool nights. Average temps running zero to 25 above...perfect weather for the most part. I hope ya'll will get some snow, you need some winter to control all the creepy crawlers you have there!!!

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

YukonJohn (4 min. ago)-- "You are an honorable man...." Thanks YJ! I suspect many here are honorable...liberal and conservative alike...libertarians are skinnin' elk in Alaska! (ha ha! ..and you'll buy the beers for me and JER when you get down our way). And probably very few are "trolls." Politics down here is poisoned. Folks can't seem to say anything without calling each other names.

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher: "jimt (18 min. ago)-- "And Thatcher, a difference of 6 out of 33 (YukonJohn's vs. jimt's score) is pretty substantial in my book." Seriously jimt, are you here to tell everyone you are more intelligent or more wise than YukonJohn? If so, just say it."

The difference is 18.1%. Or, the difference between a "C" and an "A" assuming the "C" individual got 75 out of 100 correct, meaning the "A" individual would have gotten 93 out of 100 correct.

I think I would, in general, place more stock on the opinions, skills, understanding, and so on, of someone who got an "A" over that of someone who got a "C."

I make no assertion that YJ is less intelligent than myself. In junior high I scored a magnificent 15th percentile in a standarized "mechanical reasoning" test. If YJ scored in the 90th percentile he would probably have a much easier time buying products that have, to me, the three scariest words composing a phrase in the English language: "Some Assembly Required."

Does this mean you're not going to be buying me that beer?

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher, I am coming down in April to attend the truck race at Rockingham. My Dad took me to the first race they had there and l attended the last one they had. We even used to go to the old dirt track down US1 from the current track!! I would be honored to get with you and JER and anyone else that comes on here for a drink, or even a meal and a drink. Sending Best Wishes from the land of the high noon moon!!!

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

jimt-- Thought should have been given at stopping at the first paragraph. Nonetheless, my affinity towards YukonJohn and JER means I'll buy you a beer as well! And DR too! My guess? When y'all find out how many kids/grandkids you and your opponents each have, you won't be suprised that it's alot. What you WILL be suprised about, is that none of the kids/grandkids will say, "Gosh, Granddad kicked butt on the Pilot blog and showed that 'wingnut' what for!" The kids will fix your cell-phone and computer, however.

Thatcher 1 year, 3 months ago

Yukonjohn (23 min. ago)-- I'll be there, and I'm buying the beer. I'll see about our buddy JER, but I suspect the most intelligent liberal on this site will respond soon. Hopefully, he'll buy the wings, cheese sticks, and beer, too!

jimt 1 year, 3 months ago

Thatcher, What's a "cell-phone"?

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

LOL..ya'll have a great night, and l am so looking forward to getting together. We will work out the particulars Thatcher...:)

MCNative 1 year, 3 months ago

From all of the U.S.Government hating drivel I hear from you YUKON, I think you have probably had enough beer. Appears to me that you have lost the brain cells that are required for rational or intellectual reasoning.

JER 1 year, 3 months ago

Yukonjohn: The Rockingham truck race is April 15. If I get back to NC before then, I will definitely plan on having a Diet Coke with you and Thatcher. I hope it works out, because I have some good racing stories to tell you. And Thatcher, I think that you are one of the most reasonable "wingnuts" that post here. You seem to usually take the high road and post your comments, for the most part, with class, dignity and respect for the other guy. I'll just say you do it better than I do, even though I really, really try hard to be civil.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

MCNative, l also am a MCNative, just havent lived there in years. I LOVE the American government, I served my nation for the best ten years of my life!! I just hate what our govt. has become!!

Yukonjohn 1 year, 3 months ago

JER, l look forward to that!! l hope you are back by then!

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

MCNative equals Moore County native, right? I'm just now having my first cup of coffee and the brain cells are not yet fully kicked in.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Argumentum ad hominem (argument directed at the person). This is the error of attacking the character or motives of a person who has stated an idea, rather than the idea itself.

"From all of the U.S.Government hating drivel I hear from you YUKON, I think you have probably had enough beer. Appears to me that you have lost the brain cells that are required for rational or intellectual reasoning." MCNative to YukonJohn

"MCNative, l also am a MCNative, just havent lived there in years. I LOVE the American government, I served my nation for the best ten years of my life!! I just hate what our govt. has become." YukonJohn response to MCNative.

Very Reaganesque, Yukon! You win this debate round.

MikeNC 1 year, 2 months ago

Yukonjohn 9 hours, 8 minutes ago ... I LOVE the American government, I served my nation for the best ten years of my life!! I just hate what our govt. has become!!

It is always easy to see you love America Yukon...Thanks to those like you who honestly do. We are not going to be judged on how well we perform on that little quiz. We were educated, learned life and moral values and were disciplined in another era. No need in backslapping and grandstanding as a couple are doing. We will however be judged on how our children and grandkids perform on that quiz. I'm afraid our country has been reaping what we have sown and we are now doubling down on laying more of the same seed...Mike

buskwon 1 year, 2 months ago

Fifty percent of all Americans have below-average income, or savings, or beauty, or housing, or education. It's no wonder why the politicians don't want to associate with all of those stupid, ugly, poor people, but guess who elects the politicians? If 80% of the stupid people, and 75% of the poor people, and 65% of the ugly people voted for a politician, then 220% of the poor, stupid, ugly people voted for the politician. No wonder that bozo got elected.

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

You know guys, I bet if one of Rick Santorum's children had a life threatening injury and his or her life could only be saved by surgery, I believe even he would choose an aethiest "Hawkeye Pierce" type surgeon over a Catholic Fundamentalist "Major Burns" type surgeon. I know I would.

Wanting the American people and leaders to actually "know" stuff on the basis of objective fact rather than just their opinion is really not a bad thing.

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

Just finished the test, getting up late today and still 'sleepy", but I managed a 28/33, 84.85%, I missed the simplist one : Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. I think it's because I'm still wound up over Geoff's "We're Losing Our Freedom" garbage. I even went back last week and re-read parts of it and for some reason I thought it was Life, Liberty and Property because Happiness was too "Sweet". Oh well, actually I did better than I thought although since commenting here I have re-read a lot of American history. I took 3 classes in American History and 4 classes in Western Civilization in college but my grades were so-so since it was the 70's and "pot parties" were everywhere. "Discussions" at those parties tended to be "POLITICAL" and the fact that NONE of us had any money. Justice Ginsberg is still allowed her "Freedom of Speech" and therefore can have opinions that might even differ with our Constitution. It's when she puts those robes back on her shoulders that makes the difference. And YukonJohn I answered your "Love it or Leave it" blast to me last week but then you dissapeared. Want to comment now? Bushwad you need to stop it with those stupid rants. How about you taking the test?

JER 1 year, 2 months ago

geoffcutler: Perhaps you can help me with a little dilemma I'm facing: You brought up the "Argumentum ad hominem" theory. Please explain how I might respond to the latest posting by buskwon.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

The same way I did would work, JER.

Moon...glad I struck a cord. Keeps that old hippie heart tickin'. It doesn't surprise me that you're okay with our Supreme Court Justice...out of country...recommending other Constitutions than ours. It's circumstantial evidence, I realize, but gee-whiz, what more do you need to know besides that? And don't forget about how she likes to review foreign precedence to fomulate opinion on cases that come before The United States Supreme Court after having sworn an oath to uphold our Constitution.

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

Gee, Justice Ginsberg has an "opinion" outside of her official oath taking one that says she thinks another countries Constitution might be okay to use as a "reference" for framing their own? How many DOCUMENTS do you think our FOUNDING FATHERS used to frame ours? And you question Justice Ginsbergs "opinions'" while NOT under robes, when ROBERTS, KENNEDY, ALITO, SCALIA, and THOMAS declared Corporations to BE PEOPLE?!!!!!....while wearing theirs?!!! Thomas is under investigation for ETHICS and Conflict of Interest violations. What is more serious? Opinions or ACTIONS?

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

Speaking of creating jobs, since Obama became president, the number of oil rigs in the US has quadrupled. There are now 1,272 rigs active in this country, more than the rest of the world combined.

I thought 'Drill, Baby, Drill' was just a GOP thing. How come we're not hearing conservatives thanking the president for getting all of that oil into our pipelines?

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

"...since Obama became president, the number of oil rigs in the US has quadrupled."Jim, you may want to source this statement, because even if it's completely true, without a source your usual foes will not give it much credence (for that matter cognitive dissonance all but insures that they won't give it much credence even after you source it).

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

"Thomas is under investigation for ETHICS and Conflict of Interest violations." Moon

The argumentum ad hominem doesn't quite work here, because reference to Thomas has little to do with anything to do with Ginsberg and the present discussion. Moon probably needs her own personal fallacy. How about Argumentum ad Shuttle in Orbitus?

Yes, Moon, I suspect the founders did look at other Constitutions when framing ours. Now that we have one, however, our justices swear an oath to uphold it, not South Africa's, or Canada's or the European Council on whatever it hell it is.

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

Part 1

"Ginsburg Likes S. Africa as Model for Egypt"

"Amid fresh clashes in Egypt, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo has posted an Alhayat TV interview of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She traveled to the region last month in coordination with the State Department to meet Egyptian counterparts as they begin the nation’s constitutional transition.

“It is a very inspiring time, that you have overthrown a dictator, and that you are striving to achieve a genuine democracy,” the U.S. Supreme Court associate justice says. “So I think people in the United States are hoping that this transition will work, and that there will genuinely be a government of, by, and for the people.”

She says that after meeting with the head of the election commission, she was pleased to see that the recent elections in Parliament’s lower chamber were considered free and fair.

“Let me say first that a Constitution, as important as it is, will mean nothing unless the people are yearning for liberty and freedom.,” Ginsburg, 78, says in the Jan. 30 interview. “If the people don’t care, then the best Constitution in the world won’t make any difference. So the spirit of liberty has to be in the population, and then the Constitution, **first, it should safeguard basic fundamental human rights, like our First Amendment, the right to speak freely, and to publish freely, without the government as a censor. ”

Asked by the English-speaking interviewer whether she thought Egypt should use the Constitutions of other countries as a model, Ginsburg said Egyptians should be “aided by all Constitution-writing that has gone on since the end of World War II.”

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

Part 2

“I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a Constitution in the year 2012. I might look at the Constitution of South Africa,” says Ginsburg, whom President Clinton nominated to the court in 1993. “That was a deliberate attempt to have a fundamental instrument of government that embraced basic human rights, had an independent judiciary. … It really is, I think, a great piece of work that was done. Much more recent than the U.S. Constitution.”

Ginsburg, who spent her career before taking the bench advocating for gender equality, praised the U.S. Constitution and the founders, saying, “we were just tremendously fortunate in the U.S. that the men that met in Philadelphia were very wise.” But “it’s true that they were lacking one thing, that is there were no women as part of the Constitutional Convention, but there were women around who sparked the idea.”

Ginsburg said “we are still forming the more perfect union” and noted that “when the Constitution was new in the 1780s, we still had slavery in the U.S.”

But, she added, ”The genius of the Constitution, I think, is that it has this notion of who composes ‘We the people’. It has expanded and expanded over the years so now it includes people who were left out in the beginning. Native Americans were left out, certainly people held in human bondage, women, and people that were new comers to our shores. “

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/ginsburg-likes-s-africa-as-model-for-egypt/

Anyone with even a modicum of ability to perform "content analysis" will understand the context and point of Ginsburg's remarks.

She isn't suggesting that South Africa's Constitution is inherently better than ours, only that, coming over two hundred years after ours, some of the most heated and contentious political and social arguments that marked the evolution of our Constitution are already fully addressed and incorporated in the South African Constitution, e.g. slavery, women's suffrage, direct versus indirect elections of legislators and so on. And by looking to the South African Constitution as a model, Egypt could eliminate before they occur constitutional fights over the rights of women, important in an Arab country, I would think.

But, I suppose when one wants to pick and fight, and when one does not or cannot discern the point the Justice was trying to make, the fight will occur.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

That's nice, Jimt, but the problem with the SA Constitution, (why don't you go cut and paste the hundreds of pages that it is onto this thread), is that it is a "charter of affirmative government." and not a constitution of negative liberties. It is a document that gives government complete control "on behalf of the people," while effectively cutting off the voice of "we, the people." That was the context of the argument I made...backed up by Stephen Markham.

I should very much like to hear the justice give the same interview to an American news network, right here in America.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

"...since Obama became president, the number of oil rigs in the US has quadrupled."Jim, you may want to source this statement, because even if it's completely true, without a source your usual foes will not give it much credence (for that matter cognitive dissonance all but insures that they won't give it much credence even after you source it)

Here ya go:

http://www.chron.com/business/article/U-S-oil-gusher-blows-out-projections-3341919.php

After declining to levels not seen since the 1940s, U.S. crude production began rising again in 2009. Drilling rigs have rushed into the nation's oil fields, suggesting a surge in domestic crude is on the horizon. The number of rigs in U.S. oil fields has more than quadrupled in the past three years to 1,272, according to the Baker Hughes rig count. Including those in natural gas fields, the United States now has more rigs at work than the entire rest of the world. "It's staggering," said Marshall Adkins, who directs energy research for the financial services firm Raymond James. "If we continue growing anywhere near that pace and keep squeezing demand out of the system, that puts you in a world where we are not importing oil in 10 years."

Jim asks:

How come we're not hearing conservatives thanking the president for getting all of that oil into our pipelines?

In fact, the GOP BS du jour is that "It's all Obama's fault gas prices are high because he's so mean to the put upon oil industry" Why? Because they don't care about the truth, and they need all the news to be bad to win. So they lie. Next question.

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

You make a good point. The serious problem with most "modern" constitutions of Third World countries is that are essentially legislative documents not a broad statement of rights, privileges, obligations, and so on. That said, I still think her basic point was that Egypt could put to rest one, or perhaps more, of its most likely sources of likely future political turmoil by affirming in its new constitution the complete equality of women; politically, economically, socially, etc., as has been done in the South African Constitution.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Dusty, are those oil rigs in the Atlantic, Pacific and ANWAR, in the fields that Bush opened to help reduce the price of a gallon of gas, and then Obama closed, (and they are still closed today), or are these rigs privately owned and digging in the heartland outside of DOE and Obama?

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Jimt, I assume it's online, probably somewhere on Hillsdale.edu. but Stephen Markham's piece, "The Coming Constitutional Debate," is a real eye-opener. I hope you have a chance to read it.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Jimt, "Imprimus, A Publication of Hillsdale College" April, 2010 vol.39, Number 4 (Over 1,800,000 readers monthly...Wow)!

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

I really don't care if SAfrica or any other country has a great Constitution, I like OURS!!! It is an amazing, unbelivably effective document. It is NOT a living document, it is what the US of A was built upon. It has served us well, and many of us have sworn an oath to God to protect it from ALL enemies, foreign AND domestic!! Sometimes I feel that l have "let down" God for not upholding that oath. I do not advocate armed resistance or anything like that, but the way l read the founding documents, our ForeFathers envisioned a day when that might be needed!! In their time, the thing l think they were most fearful of was a tyrannical govt.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

That's exactly what they were afraid of, and had just fought a revolution to separate us from what they percieved was just that. A tyrannical government. It is why our Constitution is a minimalist document of negative liberties.

There were plenty of loyalists at the time, who disagreed that there was any tyranny to speak of.

Good discussion of what future tyranny might look like in de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America" volume two, part four, Chapter Six.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

Geoff, l certainly do not, nor would want to define what tyranny would look like today. Like l have said, l served my country, defending that document. What l do know is that Americans by droves, are fed up with what we have today!! Be it right or wrong, they are fed up. Where does this lead, God only knows, but as many of us believe, reading the founding documents, we are duty bound to be prepared to unseat a tyrannical govt. I also believe that they envisioned an armed conflict, thus the 2nd Amendment. It also strikes me that the order of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights are placed as they are. Freedom of our speech and the non-establishment of a state church, then our right, maybe duty, to be armed, and then in the 4th, to be secure from the govt meddling in our affairs. I know there are many that feel the opposite, but this is how l see it.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

I'm with you, man. Unfortunately, too many of us see the document as antiquated. A handful of quaint and dusty old notions which aren't up to the "complexities" of today's issues. Special interests require special laws, and it's hard to get those interests through the Congress, the states, and a plurality of the people. So, go to court. Sue!. Skip Congress, skip the states, skip the people. Much easier and less messy to take your chances in places like the Ninth. After all, what have you really got to lose? You can always appeal.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

Dusty, are those oil rigs in the Atlantic, Pacific and ANWAR, in the fields that Bush opened to help reduce the price of a gallon of gas, and then Obama closed, (and they are still closed today), or are these rigs privately owned and digging in the heartland outside of DOE and Obama?

I have no idea, and it doesn't matter. Is it not really oil unless it's from ANWAR?

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

Geoff, dang, we are agreeing WAY TOO MUCH!!! It is scaring me!! You know there are many principles of the Dems that l agree with. On many issues l feel are important to me, l lean Repubs. On some issues that l also feel are important, l do not agree with either party!! But on this Geoff, we see this EXACTLY the same!! I am a very simple person when it comes to this. Read it as it is, and it is clear, and follow it. If you see something that needs changing it, it has that vehicle written into it.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Actually, it matters a lot because Obama touted his energy policy, and in particular, how much oil we are drilling in his SOTU, and it turns out, it has nothing to do with his administration, which at his direction, has clamped down on U.S. owned oil fields in those areas. Price dropped after Bush opened them. Ergo, price of a gallon of gas has everything to do with Obama.

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

Let's see. Oil production in the US is soaring. Oil consumption is at a 17-year low. The US is exporting 120 million gallons a day of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to Latin America.

So how come gas prices are going up. I thought all that drilling was supposed to do the opposite.

As for sources, look them up. I'm not paid to teach you and you don't accept my sources anyway.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

If I understand it correctly, the oil to which you refer, is being exported. You look it up!

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

Absolutely amazing. Domestic drilling has gone to an all-time high, but it's Obama's fault that gas prices are going up, and Bush gets the credit when they go down.

Of course, this was to be expected, since a month or two ago it was high unemployment the right was gleefully touting as the thing that was going to doom Obama's chance at a second term. Now with that going down, they have to find something new to blame on him, even though industry analysts--you know, people who aren't suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome--blame speculators (you know, the "job creators' whose butts we need to be constantly puckered up for in case they need them kissed).

honesty2 1 year, 2 months ago

Maybe this will help clear things up: http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2012/01/20/fact-checking-president-obamas-claims-about-domestic-energy-production/

honesty2 1 year, 2 months ago

Yukon, I'm agreeing with your guy Ron Paul on this: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57380947/paul-u.s--slipping-into-a-fascist-system/

buskwon 1 year, 2 months ago

Mr Rhoades ,Observational selection, also known as "cherry-picking", is a tactic like counting the hits and forgetting the misses. See only what you wish to see. Overlook and ignore evidence you don't wish to see. And encourage your audience to be equally blind.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

Yeah, except honesty? I wasn't quoting "Obama's claims." The article I quoted about the increase in domestic drilling was based on interviews with people in the industry.

And again, the article you link to seems to assume that it's only good drilling that counts if it happens on federal lands, which is just bizarre.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

And the difference would be what, Dusty?

honesty2 1 year, 2 months ago

Oh, dr. So sorry to disappoint you, but it's not always about you. I didn't address my comment to you, now did I? The subject was on the board, and I simply provided some information. You really don't want to sound like a gom (grumpy old man) do you? Lighten up.

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

From SF Chronicle:

After declining to levels not seen since the 1940s, U.S. crude production began rising again in 2009. Drilling rigs have rushed into the nation's oil fields, suggesting a surge in domestic crude is on the horizon.

The number of rigs in U.S. oil fields has more than quadrupled in the past three years to 1,272, according to the Baker Hughes rig count. Including those in natural gas fields, the United States now has more rigs at work than the entire rest of the world.

"It's staggering," said Marshall Adkins, who directs energy research for the financial services firm Raymond James. "If we continue growing anywhere near that pace and keep squeezing demand out of the system, that puts you in a world where we are not importing oil in 10 years."

There are doubts that energy independence is that close. But many say the booming shale oil fields in Texas and North Dakota and the growth of deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico will allow the nation to cut its reliance on oil imports significantly over the next couple of decades.

Last month, the U.S. Energy Information Administration upgraded its forecast of crude production in 2025 to 6.4 million barrels per day - 1 million barrels more than were pumped in 2010.

Previously, the EIA had projected the U.S. would peak at 6 million barrels in 2022.

"The growth that we've seen in shale, that's one of the biggest changes that's contributing to our outlook," said Dana Van-Wagener, a research analyst for the agency. "It's evolving so quickly. We weren't anticipating enough growth."

You're welcome to pretend the figures are bogus, but reality has a well-known liberal bias.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 2 months ago

@heim " Let's see. Oil production in the US is soaring. Oil consumption is at a 17-year low."

If this is so true why is gas the most expensive ever at this point in history. Maybe oil consumption is at all time low is because people can't afford Obamas prices for gas at $3.65 a gallon and climbing

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

YJ: "...It [the U.S. Constitution]t is NOT a living document,..."

Then why does it contain a means to Amend it?

Why did Madison(tell us YJ, why is his opinion of what the Constitution is and is not possibly more relevant in the minds of American historians for over two centuries than the opinions of other drafters?) and Jefferson, after his return from Paris, where he was posted during the Constitutional Convention, write that it is a living document: And why YJ is his opinion perhaps more relevant than the opinions of actual drafters, also in the minds of American historians in the last two hundred years?

YJ: "It [the U.S. Constitution] has served us well, and many of us have sworn an oath to God to protect it from ALL enemies, foreign AND domestic!!"

Which means what exactly? Are you going to seek 2nd Amendment solutions to deal with domestic threats from people and policies YOU consider a threat to your interpretation of what the Constitution means, says, allows, etc? Careful, you're entering AFCHIEF territory here.

You see folks, YJ, I'm willing to bet, cannot answer my questions off the top of his head. I seriously doubt if he knows, though I have no way to know what he knows at this time since he can do research before answering my questions. But this goes to my position that I'd rather have people who actually KNOW STUFF participate in the great American debates than people with "hotly" held, though factually incorrect opinions.

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

afchief, the answer is well known. Speculators are driving prices up. Those on our side have complained about it, but your side just think it's the free market at work. Enjoy $5.00 a gallon gas next summer. Remember, you're saluting American capitalism every time you fill your tank.

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

Geoff: "Good discussion of what future tyranny might look like in de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America" volume two, part four, Chapter Six."

Better example, and current too; just listen to Rick Santorum speak and imagine what a President who has absolutely no doubt that he KNOWS and acts upon God's intentions and that they trump little inconveniences like Congress and the Supreme Court.

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

honesty2-- I was going to post that link myself, but I'm glad you beat me to it! Thanks! And for liberals who responded to you with their usual distain, consider this: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/01/13/13greenwire-two-thirds-of-federal-oil-and-gas-drilling-per-13123.html. This should clear up the difference between federal land and private land (drilling wise). And JER!! Thanks for the shout out yesterday! I'm honored. Of course, you must reconsider your plan to have a Diet Coke with YukonJohn and me. The boy is coming all the way from Alaska, we'll be at a NASCAR race, and the crowd will be watching a liberal, a libertarian, and a conservative actually getting along quite nicely. Rumor has it that Jeff Gordon will present us each with a plastic cup full of some Alaskan rot-gut that only YJ knows about. I plan to drink it. JER, do it for your country.

honesty2 1 year, 2 months ago

Thanks, Thatcher- and for the new link.

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

Justice Thomas is being investigated for possible Ethics VIOLATIONS and Conflicts of Interest. Geoff. Justice Ginsberg is being investigated for absolutely NOTHING. Many of you guys just don't like something she said. She was "Not Under Oath" or sitting on the bench...it was only an opinion, after all her job is one of CONSTANTLY making decisions based on that document; shouldn't she be entitled to perhaps actually understand some of it's shorticomings? From Ben Franklin (1788): "Our new Constitution is now established and has an appearance that promises permanency, but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." I think that even Ben might think that our Constitution is a "LIVING DOCUMENT" and needs revising once in awhile. In Sunday's NYT there's an excellent article calling "Drawing the Line at Power Lines" by Elizabeth Rosenthal concening our future energy needs. It includes a map of all of our oil and gas pipelines. It seems that everywhere now we're working on our future energy needs but nothing is simple anymore: "In Central Texas, a coalition of environmentalists, conservationists, and landowners is similarly fighting against the planned construction of high-voltage power lines to bring electricity from the huge wind mill farms of West Texas to the urban corridor of Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio." So it looks like no matter what, our energy needs are going to be a big problem in solving, and after looking at the drawing of all of the pipelines we already have, sunshine looks better all the time.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Jimt, while I get social conservatism's strength in the upcoming election, Santorum may or may not be the the right guy to impart it to the American people. My sense is that he is too strident for today's American, and so his message will not play like it did with Reagan v. Carter. He's not, like most of the rest of the candidates, what I'm looking for (do they exist anymore?) In the end, if he's the nominee, he'll get my vote because as I said, I guess 20 columns ago, Obama, I'll never vote for. Kinda sad, isn't it? Must be like what you guys felt with Kerry.

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

jimt (26 min. ago)-- Your post to Yukonjohn where you contest his assertion that the Constitution is not a living document, "(t)hen why does it contain a means to Amend it?" You mean Article V: http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/usconstitution/a/constamend.htm. As you can see, it is very difficult to amend. Because of this, liberals (and liberal jurists) speak of the "living document" for purposes of simply "declaring" an "interpretation" that they can't obtain through the lawful Amendment process. Hope that helps.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Come in Moon...can you read me...Moon...come in! Thomas has nothing to do with today's discussion. (Must be a lunar time lapse, or a black hole). Moon...come in, please....Moon...are you there? Major Tum to Missss Moon....check ignition....

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

MC7-- You say that Justice Thomas "...is being investigated for possible Ethics VIOLATIONS and Conflicts of Interest." Can you tell us who is doing this investigation? Congress? The Senate? Obama? Anita Hill? If you could provide us with a link of the "investigation" and who is leading it, we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

honesty2-- No problem! Love your posts!

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

No Thatcher it doesn't. The fact that the Amendment procedure exists at all is, I would argue, is concrete proof that its writers and the individual states that ratified it fully understood that was a living document.

It seems to me that conservatives can't have it both ways. It can't be broad statement of principals that will be examined in the light of concrete circumstances, e.g., constitutional disputes over what its broad statements "means," and that it's not a living document because it says what it means and it means what it says, as YJ would have it.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

Jimt, I mentioned that there was a vehicle to amend the Constitution. I know Madison was considered as the "Father of the Constitution" but IMHO, he wanted the Federal Govt. to have much more power than did many. The Anti-Federalist come to mind. Thankfully there were young Patriots that insured that states and personal rights were written into a Bill of Rights that was attached to the Constitution.

And Jimt, what do you think was going through the minds of the men that framed our founding documents? They had just came out of fighting a govt. that they thought as tyrannical. Do you think that they wrote the 2nd Amendment so that citizens would arm themselves to protect themselves from that same sort of govt? I do not claim to know what that govt. looks like. I just know that there are many that are fed up with the whole process. Look at our country, we are fractured like l have never seen in my 55 yrs.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 2 months ago

HEM, so when Bush was president and gas hit $3 he was blasted by all the news media, ABC,NBC, CNN, MNBC, etc... So as goes to $4 and above to 5, you want Obama to get a free pass like his already and of COURSE blame someone else. GO FIGURE

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

jimt-- I too believe the Constitution says what it means and means what it says, and no, I don't want to "...have it both ways." It should be interpreted according to its original intent (the words themselves, the Federalist Papers, etc.), and if folks in the country don't like it, they can amend it through the lawful amendment process. Hope that helps!

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

Same here Thatcher. l feel the same about the Amendment process.

Hey, l will get you my email addy and we will connect in the next few weeks. I will let you know as soon as l can about times and the such. I would love to get together with you, JER, DR and anyone else that might want to hoist one, or a cup of coffee, whatever their poison....LOL

I really look forward to coming home for a few days, haven't been in almost two years.

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

Dang it YukonJohn! Don't spoil this! You are bringing some Alaskan home-brew for JER and me. That's our story. How else am I going to be able to secretly tape an "I LOVE REAGAN" picture on JER's back? Of course, when I drive home and find the "Hope & Change" bumper sticker on my car, I'll try to blame him, but JER will claim your home-brew was the culprit. Look forward to it, my friend!

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

Oh gee, I guess I got ahead of myself again. 46 Democrats have asked the House Judiciary Committee(Oct. 2011) to begin hearings/investigation concerning Justice Thomas. They apparently haven't gotten around to it yet. Wishful thinking I guess. Are you drinking that expensive whiskey again tonight, Geoff? At least Justice Ginsberg knows how to have an opinion on something! Clarence never speaks, never asks a question! Isn't that supposed to be part of his job? I only ask because several of you are perturbed about something that's not perturbing! Didn't bother me to vote for Senator Kerry at all. The Democrat I didn't vote for was Jimmy Carter in 1976. I thought he was too conservative and so I voted for Eugene McCarthy. He ran as an Independent. But then I voted for Carter in 1980, I've never voted for a Republican Presidential Candidate and NEVER will. I do not believe in anything that is part of the Republican Platform. President Clinton and President Obama are the only "winners" I've voted for and he'll have my vote this year too. What are you looking for Geoff? The Republican Clown Show has been letting out one after the other of their clowns from the VW every 2 weeks or so. Now, there's no one left.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

Hey MC7, you mentioned that l did not come back after l "called you out" or something like that. I did not mean to personally "call you out". That is never my intention, although I am sure l am guilty of it from time to time. I am sorry if l offended you in any way. We rarely agree on anything, but l like you personally, and would be happy to have a beer with you as well when l come down to NC. I do not drink very much anymore, but am going to make an exception when l see Thatcher and JER and anyone else from on here that might want to get together.

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

YukonJohn-- I agree with you! Let's invite MC7! MC7, I don't think I've ever agreed with you on anything here (that Justice Thomas nonsense could mislead any liberal...glad you know the truth now). But as I said to you in a prior post, you are at your best when you post about your son. I'd love to meet you and learn more about him. And tell you about my kids! Bet we'd have a blast!

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

YJ: "Do you think that they wrote the 2nd Amendment so that citizens would arm themselves to protect themselves from that same sort of govt?"

They wrote it primarily so that members of the militia could bring their own long-guns, primarily muskets, which would be the same weapon that would be provided to them as militia members, in an emergency posed by an outside threat, i.e., native americans or a foreign power. They also sought to insure that people who lived in areas where there was no practical law enforcement could defend themselves against criminal threats. And they wanted to make certain that people had the firearms necessary with which to hunt for food and thereby provide for their families. There may have been a "tertiary" thought that foreknowledge of the fact that many individuals owned long-guns might be able to put down some kind of local autocrat who acted unconstitutionally and marshaled his own military force to enforce his rule. I might even be convinced that in the late 18th century and through the 19th century the potential military power of the civilian armed population of the United States might possibly be a strong counter the armed forces of the U.S. Government, due primarily to the fact that the standing army and navy were so terribly small, with the obvious exception of the Civil War years. But now? I know that a lot of 2nd Amendment true believers fervently believe the armed civilian population could still somehow defeat the armed forces of the American Government in the 21st century, assuming of course, that the combined army, navy, and air force all remained loyal to the central government. I have a word to describe such people: "insane."

Thatcher:"I believe the Constitution says what it means and means what it says. It [the Constitution] should be interpreted according to its original intent (the words themselves, the Federalist Papers, etc.). What etc? And gosh, hundreds of thick bound books with thousands of Supreme Court rulings, and maybe thousands of thick bound books with many, many thousands of lower Federal Court rulings, all make-work I guess, since I'm now informed by you that all one has to do is refer to the plain text of a document written in 1787 to "know" how to rule in each and every case coming before any Court that may have question that requires the justices to consider how to interpret the Constitution's language for hundreds of years thereafter. How silly of me. I realize now I wasted countless hours reading thousands of pages of books and papers and attended all those college and graduate school level courses, and even one law school course on Constitutional Law at one of the Country's premier law schools, for absolutely nothing. It's so SIMPLE: "I believe it means what it says and says what in means." Thanks for setting me straight with your cogent wisdom.

buskwon 1 year, 2 months ago

come on mizz child , It would be a blast to meet up with some old friends.

geoffcutler 1 year, 2 months ago

Moon, I've got to give you credit. You really are something. But you believe what you believe, and jokes aside, I respect that. Eugene McCarthy...? We were there...a faded bumper sticker on our Galaxy 500.

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

jimt-- You're welcome!

bdenton 1 year, 2 months ago

You answered 33 out of 33 correctly — 100.00 %

If you have any comments or questions about the quiz, please email americancivicliteracy@isi.org.

You can consult the following table to see how citizens and elected officials scored on each question.

I'm a freshman in college. Hmmm, not sure whether it's sad I know more, or the fact that some of you know less than you should...

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

AFCHIEF: "@heim " Let's see. Oil production in the US is soaring. Oil consumption is at a 17-year low."

If this is so true why is gas the most expensive ever at this point in history. Maybe oil consumption is at all time low is because people can't afford Obamas prices for gas at $3.65 a gallon and climbing."

There you go again, failing to take both Mark Twain's advise that it is better to let people think you're a fool than opening your mouth and removing all doubt, and your fellow conservatives' DaveyNC's advise, to wit: "AFCHIEF, have you ever heard the phrase, "When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging."?

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

Sorry guys, not into NASCAR or BEER. I love Iced Tea, Creme Soda, and Mineral Water. Maybe once or twice a year I have a margarita, although this past New Years, I really went out and had a couple of Cosmo-tini's. When spring gets here I'll be out of town a bit more anyway, gotta keep busy. My brother is very conservative and so we "engage" in some very "explosive dialogues"...meaning we tend to shout when we're together and I tend to hang up the phone on him when he starts his right-wing military mumbo-jumbo. So, it just wouldn't work out, my module would take off before you know it and then you'd be calling me names. Have a great time anyway guys. This is a great place to be and it's really a great time to be alive.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

MC7, l promise never to "call you names", not my style!! :) Would love it if you are in town and find the time...And MC7, like Geoff, l applaud you for standing up for what you believe!! You have life experiences and are intelligent, and while we never seem to agree, you are so entitled to your opinion.

AFCHIEF 1 year, 2 months ago

@jimt, I think my point is valid with high unemployment, high gas prices people are going to have to choose on what they spend money on. I never top my tank off anymore unless I go on a long trip. so no I do not think I am a fool for believing this is also a cause for lower oil consumption. Go ahead and give your boy obama pass just like the media is doing for him.

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

When you phrase it as you have just done, you seem less a fool, just factually challenged when you assert that it is the President's policies that are the cause.

"...give your boy obama [a] pass..." "boy?" Really?

Courseaire 1 year, 2 months ago

Should we live by "rule of law" or by "rule of man" (judicial fiat). Here is an excellent explanation by a friend of mine, Michael Farris, a constitutional attorney: http://constitutionreclaimed.com/Blog/

teufelhunden 1 year, 2 months ago

It's amazing how much time is spent on these forums. Some of you should really take a break, come up for air and breathe and read what you've posted as well as other people's posts (what a concept). It's very interesting.

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

afchief, Here's a helpful tip from one who lived through the 'oil shock' of the 70s: When prices are rising it's best to fill your tank, because the gas you buy today will probably cost less than it will next week. When prices are falling, you might make out better by only buying partial tanks.

This advice also works when inflation is a problem. Economists recommend it.

Speaking of oil price rises, have you heard what's happening in Iran? Do you think oil price volatility might arise from restrictions on the sale and delivery of Iranian oil?

AFCHIEF 1 year, 2 months ago

Heim, for one I would never take advice from a Democrat on how to BUDGET money, alas Obama has not produced a balanced budget YET!!!!!!!!!!!!

jimt 1 year, 2 months ago

Well Jim, you certainly can't argue with logic (sic) like that.

I had a college professor in a seminar on strategic thinking who argued (in 1981, when memory of the "oil shock" still resonated) that the U.S. should actually be buying all the foreign oil it could afford to and storing it. He argued that maintaining oil supplies is essentially a zero-sum game. (I don't have the patience to try to teach AF what a zero-sum game is, do you?). Anyway, every gallon of foreign oil we purchase and store within our borders is a gallon permanently removed from the other guy's domestic supply of oil for sale in the future. Not such an important goal, he suggested, when the other guy is Canada. But arguably a very important strategic goal when the other guy's country is in the Middle East.

I keep thinking about his argument, trying to find the hole in his logic (he was a conservative so I was motivated to do so). Thirty years later, I still can't.

Where Is This New Constitution?

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