Republican National Convention (Sept. 1-4)

[Bond]

"If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you're disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. Run for public office. Feed a hungry child. Teach an illiterate adult to read. Comfort the afflicted. Defend the rights of the oppressed. Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier. Because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.

...

Fight for what's right for our country.

Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children's future.

Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.

Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We're Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God Bless you."

I wonder when the ideal of service and fighting for one's country disappeared from America's mindset? I certainly hope it makes a fruitful return in the coming years.

[Jason1]

Originally Posted by Bond

I wonder when the ideal of service and fighting for one's country disappeared from America's mindset? I certainly hope it makes a fruitful return in the coming years.

Hm, yes I do wonder that...maybe when we went to war with Iraq for no reason?

It might be different if they were actually fighting for our country, instead people are being killed for oil.

Oh, and I find this amusing...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/in...in-gender-card

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Jason1

Hm, yes I do wonder that...maybe when we went to war with Iraq for no reason?

It might be different if they were actually fighting for our country, instead people are being killed for oil.

Oh, and I find this amusing...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/in...in-gender-card

I don't think Bond was necessarily talking about military service, and I'm done responding to thoughtless "blood for oil" rants. They are meritless and do more to show an individuals refusal inform their own opinion.

[Jason1]

Originally Posted by Professor S

I don't think Bond was necessarily talking about military service, and I'm done responding to thoughtless "blood for oil" rants. They are meritless and do more to show an individuals refusal inform their own opinion.

Refusal to form my own opinion? My opinion is we went to war with Iraq for oil. Thats my opinion.

Did I stutter?

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Jason1

Refusal to form my own opinion? My opinion is we went to war with Iraq for oil. Thats my opinion.

Did I stutter?

You don't have to stutter to be misinformed, and you are. I've repeatedly posted rebuttals to the rediculous "blood for oil" mantra over and over again for YEARS, and I'm done answering nonsense with facts only to have them ignored. If you want to make such a claim, here is my challenge: PROVE IT. You want to make such accusations? Fine, but back them up with something besides "we went to war for oil because oil is in these areas that we went to war in and we want oil and Bush was owns parts of oil comapnie and cheyney loves haliburton and free-masons run the country!!!!"

If you don't feel the need to prevent evidence for such outrageous claims, then do yourself a favor and do not speak on the subject,m because you only make yourself look like a fool. Until I see something concrete, you may as well be babbling into a mirror, because thats the only person listening.

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Bond

I wonder when the ideal of service and fighting for one's country disappeared from America's mindset? I certainly hope it makes a fruitful return in the coming years.

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est.

Thats a World War I poem and that had little to do with nationalism or service, and more a reaction to a war that had more to do with feudalism and vassals serving their moneyed lords. Completely different times and cultures.

[Bond]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est.

Were you just referencing that poem or stating it as your opinion?

[Vampyr]

I was actually just referencing the poem. ^_^

On another subject, did anyone else think Palin speech was pretty bad the other night?

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

On another subject, did anyone else think Palin speech was pretty bad the other night?

No, just the opposite. I think she nailed that speech. Even Chris Matthews raved about her performance. The McCain Palin ticket has done a pretty amazing job of re-establishing themselves as the "mavericks" and painting Obama as a presumptuous child. Plus, they managed to turn the media against itself and now even major news sources are on the defensive after their dizzying reporting of the Palin nomination.

[gekko]

Could be when their returns home started being protested, they got flicked off walking down the street, and abused by the ranks of politicians and military alike. In other words, TV started the fall, and then the internet did the final blow.

[manasecret]

Regarding the polls that put Obama/McCain at dead even, do they include factors like how many people are actually planning to go out and vote for Obama vs. how many are planning to go out and vote for McCain? Or is it just a simple poll of who would you vote for? It seems to me the number of people actually planning on voting would make a big difference.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by manasecret

Regarding the polls that put Obama/McCain at dead even, do they include factors like how many people are actually planning to go out and vote for Obama vs. how many are planning to go out and vote for McCain? Or is it just a simple poll of who would you vote for? It seems to me the number of people actually planning on voting would make a big difference.

I believe the Rasmussen poll is always a poll of likely voters. In any case, polls of likely voters always seem to skew Republican. Per capita, Republicans just vote more.

I normally don't like polls, but I always like to follow them after the conventions, and the numbers don't look favorable for Obama right now. His bounce seems to have disappeared and gone the other way a little. They're in a statistical dead-heat.

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by Professor S

I believe the Rasmussen poll is always a poll of likely voters. In any case, polls of likely voters always seem to skew Republican. Per capita, Republicans just vote more.

I normally don't like polls, but I always like to follow them after the conventions, and the numbers don't look favorable for Obama right now. His bounce seems to have disappeared and gone the other way a little. They're in a statistical dead-heat.

It's not exactly that way if you look at the electoral map of the following...

http://www.pollster.com

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/...map/index.html

http://www.zogby.com/50state/

According to these, Obama just has to flip a few of the toss-ups and he's got it. Of course, it's early so I don't know how seriously I take these.

By the way, Gallup has it at 48% to 44% for Obama. Closer than it has been. It's definitely close, but I like the look of the electoral map in Obama's favor.

[Bond]

The amazing thing is that we're even talking about this being a close election.