catguy

This post is so spectacularly uninformed that it makes my head hurt. On Bush's watch, during his administration: The United States has suffered the most successful terrorist attack in history, partly, perhaps, because the Administration ignored its own anti-terrorist experts, specifically Richard Clarke. If there has ever been a more stark example of failed leadership than Bush sitting in a second-grade classroom for seven minutes after being informed by Andy Card that "the co

Would one of you folks on the right address the Nuremberg Principles, please? We not only were adherents to them, we helped write them, and used them to prosecute (and hang) people who we felt had not followed the principles laid out in them. In other words, the principles laid out in them were so obvious that they should not have had to be written out. It's easy to simply disregard every argument put forth that you don't like. I'm finding a lot of that here. A

Hi, Dr. Guy - Who, please, is the "they" who determined when Reagan's Alzheimers developed? I've heard that it may well have been under way as early as the end of his first term, but obviously don't know. As for the Contras, I said that much evil was done. I'm not talking about politics. I'm talking about the Contras' regular practice of "consistent and bloody abuse of human rights, of murder, torture, mutilation, rape, arson, destruction and kidnapping." Those words are no

Hi, Dr. Guy - First, with regard to Bush admin obfuscation and attempted blocking of any investigation into 9/11, I refer you to Kristin Breitweiser's Book, "Wake Up Call". Just read the open letter to Ann Coulter in the back - shouldn't take more than ten minutes. Mrs. Breitweiser's husband was killed in the New York 9/11 attacks, and she was disbelieving when the Bush admin tried to kill any thought of an investigation. So, she and other 9/11 widows, who came to be called the "Jers

Okay, Dr. Guy - I appreciate your civility, and though I think you could verify much of what you're asking me about yourself, I will do so after work. It's 07:01 here in L.A., and I have to be out the door shortly. Here's a short one - if "habeas corpus" is effectively taken away and I am unjustly imprisoned, I have lost the right to bear arms. Bush's own order states that I have lost the right to a trial. Anyone, by simply being declared an "illegal enemy combatant" p

Good way to put it, Gribbler. The evidence is that they heard what they wanted to hear. For those of you not up on the news, he's talking about "Curveball".

Hi, "Kickin'" - Regarding Jim Wallis, he's not "my guy" in the sense that I follow am a member of his organization - he is just one of many people whose opinions I read. My frame of reference is not only non-biblical, it is non-religious. As I stated earlier, my frame of reference is philosophical (and not from one particular school, either - a little of this, a little of that, plus trying to do something every day to add to the world rather than take away from it). Boeing is

Hello there - I read your post with interest, and am going to be absolutely civil in my response. I ask for the same courtesy from those who respond to me, as there is a good deal of name-calling and insulting going around. I won't take part once that happens. First, the idea that the Iraq War is illegal comes from the Nuremberg Principles, which are a set of guidelines created after World War II to define what constitutes a "war crime". I believe it is Principle VI that says a "wa

I take it back. He never goes away, he just has a tantrum and hangs around.

Hi, "Kickin'" Re: AIDS, the flight attendant you remembered worked for Air Canada, if I recall, and I think his name was Gaetan Dugas (probably misspelled). He was found to be "patient zero", which is the term used for the one who starts an epidemic. He was extremely promiscuous, and regularly went to Haiti, where he cavorted with men there who were, some of them, intravenous drug users. I believe, but can't swear to it, that by the time Dugas was identified, he was either dy

Hi, "Kickin'" Ronald Reagan did have a lot of charm. However: When he took office, we were the largest creditor-nation in the world. As a direct result of his economic policies, known as supply-side economics, we had run up a massive (at least for the time, but not compared to now) deficit, and had begun our conversion to being the largest debtor-nation in the world, which we now are. FACT - check it if you like. He was, perhaps as a result of the Alzheimer's that d

Sorry, Black Knight, nothing you said was either thoughtful or funny. Stay in the time-out corner.

I find a pretty fair balance on the Op-ed pages - there is always a conservative columnist, a liberal columnists, and guest columnists who write about issues that seem to be local to the paper. I actually get more information about the pulse of that part of the country by reading the letters to the editor. ParaTed2k, you're starting to go the way of Dr. Guy. My discussion with him reminded me of the scene in "Monty Python & the Holy Grail" between Arthur and the Black

Hi, Parated2k - I would rather the whole House had taken up the issue of impeachment, but the Democratic Party as a whole has made the politically cynical, and in my view, cowardly, decision to leave Bush alone. Whether fear plays a part in this or not, I cannot say. I've argued with my Congressman about it at his less and less frequent open-houses. To my way of thinking, NOT impeaching Bush (and Cheney) at this point is like letting the drunk continue to drive the c

Hi,"Kickin'" We have a difference in philosophy about the role of government in helping people. My grounding is not religious, but philosophical. I'm being civil here, and I'm really trying to explain myself, because some of your colleagues are, in my opinion, debasing the discussion. I will absolutely not be snide to you, and please take what I say at face-value. I think that government should look at the country as one vast organism, as a whole, if you will. Government is

The only real question in this election is whether or not the Democratic Party will get out its famous "circular firing squad" and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I hope that will not be the case, because this election is definitely ours to lose. Whatever your feelings about Obama, it is a fact that he ran a better campaign than Mrs. Clinton, who was very badly served by her top advisors. He took everything she could throw at him, and beat her anyway. A

Now children, play nicely. Politico, Dr. Guy is just here to annoy you. He is immune to reason and likes to talk mean. Why waste your time? Throw a fact or two at him, and he'll have a tantrum and go away.

Correction, in the first paragraph to Dr. Guy - line 4 should read "237 documented (and undisputed) misleading administration statements . . ." Sorry about that.

Ladies and gentlemen, the high tone of this debate seems to be sinking for some of you. To "Kickin'" - First, I didn't say that because you are a Christian you shouldn't talk about politics. Is that a wilfull distortion on your part or just a careless mistake? I said that your mixing of politics and religion disturbs me. That is because we have this thing built into our Constitution that is popularly referred to as "separation of church and state". Religi

PS to Dr. Guy - There were 35 Articles of Impeachment read on the floor of the House of Representatives recently. They make interesting reading, and for you to say there are no grounds simply betrays your prejudice and ignorance. Unless, of course, you have read them.

I have to go to work, so will respond at length later. However, I must once again point out that no one is responding to my questions, which I will now ask again. Are you happy we fought the Iraq War on borrowed money? Do you want to continue to do this? Do you agree with the "unitary executive" theory that gives the president the powers of a dictator and makes him above the law? Are you happy we got "habeas corpus" back? Do you support the ne

On the lighter side of the Republican race for president - for the second time, recipes reported to be Cindy McCain's (the candidate's wife), apparently put on the McCain Campaign website to make the $100,000,000 heiress look like a homemaker, proved to have been lifted word for word from other places including Rachel Ray's show on the Food Network. On the darker side of the Republican race for President, the Texas Republican Party is featuring buttons saying "If Obama is President, w

I don't agree, Parated, with your experience of liberals. Jimmy Carter is a good example of a "hands-on" kind of liberal. In any event, I, as a liberal, believe that the government can and should be an instrument towards helping people. The prosperity we as adults have all experienced in our lifetimes is a direct result of liberal policies put in place by people like FDR during the Great Depression. And while McCain has cultivated a reputation as a maverick, he ha

I claim no ability to enlighten anyone, but will ask questions and point some things out. First, I think it is a peculiar sort of Christian who would vote for a man who promises to continue what has now been proved beyond doubt to be a war of choice in Iraq. In the eyes of the world, such wars are both illegal and immoral. Jesus Christ was the prince of peace, was he not? I don't recall him ever encouraging war, and I rather doubt that if he were alive today he would

Had trouble posting reply yesterday, will see if this short one goes through.