Lysander is a liar. At least people who get to vote think and feel that they are free. Just ask the Iraqis. If having the ability to dump your master is not freedom I don't know what is.

Marx never knew Lenin. Obviously followers or at least readers of Marx existed before Lenin was born. Just trying to open some minds. What do your think Yahweh thinks of the social order of the Israeli kibbutzim. We wont go into your lack of understanding concerning "representative Republic" amd "democracy" Mr. Burwell. Do your own research but for starters it would be better for you to use the phrase "we live in representative democratic republic". Check any and all dictionaries and you will find that "republic" and "democracy" representative or full are the same thing.

Bush always looks a little bit disconnected from reality, even this morning while taliking about the midwest floods. I think he has some kind of emotional disorder. I agree Dave that it was strange that he was so cool in reading to the schoold kids while NY was going through their hell. He did have some kind of prior knowledge that we would be attacked by terrorists. But hell how could even the Pres. believe something like

Each President no matter how bad has his/her finest hour. I think this was Bush's. Clinton's was when he said, "It depends on what the meaning of the word is is."

No Warren I think there is a deeper explanation and it simply is that their is a difference between a Marxist and a Lennist/Stalinist.

Good Ken I like that!

Ken the problem is that the global warming naysayers are simply reactionary Johnny come latelys who have to have soemthing to say for political reasons. Their approach is purely political not scientific. Some call it a fraud. What does anyone have to gain in such a fraud. You turn the new knowledge of global warming on its head and say that it is "old dogma" so that reactionary status quo (the old way folks) folks can say that they have "new" knowledge. Everyone wants to be the liberal open minded inquisitive person. The problem is sorting out the liars and deceivers.

How strange to hear this from a Marxist or what does it say about us that this seems strange.

I agree. Reason that cannot be spoken or communicated is useless. Long live free speech and a free press.

When Bush said this he was establishing an important legal and policy precedent. He was speaking basically to the Taliban government of Afghanistan who had allowed the monster Al Qaeda to grow and fester and train its troops within its borders and in fact had become one and the same thing. In order to invade soverign Afghanistan and go after Al Qaeda Bush had to make this connection. I still believe in the fundamentals of American democracy and freedom, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Cahtolics in harmony under "one roof", Al Qaeda does not. So Bush's dichotomy is valid on a much broader level do you believe in freedom or not.

"Use it or Lose It". "No pain no gain". These old saws apply to many things it seems.

Many obscure real issues with their use of words and name calling rather than with rational discussion. Thus some still set up the straw man of "socialist" or "communist" (not that these systems cannot be argued against rationally) rather than discussing real issues like our trade imbalance with "communist-capitalist" China. In the recent Intelligent Design versus Evolution Court Case it was shown that the Inteligent Design folks were simpy Creationists made over. They just changed their name. Doesn't the Bible warn us about Leopards changing their spots.

Sounds like open mindedness to me. As opposed to last weeks quotes about conviction. I suggest that it is this tentativness, willingness to listen, learn and change is what bothers the convicted "conservative" person. Emerson said that the sign of a genius is the willingness to change his mind. Engineering is the art of repeatedly trying new ways to do something until you get it right. Edison was a genius because he kept accepting new evidence and discarding old dogma.

Planned Parenthood in its original form taught I believe parental responsibility. Using a condom is not abortion except I guess to the Pope and his folk.

I repeat myself but I like Frank's philosophy "do be do be do".

Planning now for a planet and its population that will exist 100 years from now is to me a good deed. To thoughtlessly stumble ever forward with an ever expanding population where the theoretically most intelligent species is the only one left standing is not a good deed in my opinion.

We admire those who do their thing consistently. Roy Rodgers did not become King by sloughing off from day to day. And sports people that keep it up into their 40's usually get my admiration. Blanda, etcetera. Frank Sinatra said it all when he sang "do be do be do". And Frank gets cudos for consistently doing his thing.

Well since we spend much more time dead than alive it would appear that death is the truer reality and life is an illusion or preparation for the true reality. Being dead ain't no problem by oh that dying part is tough.

I somehow feel this goes with "Believing in oneself" on the other hand Warren has a good tact on this quote for have you not heard, "No good deed shall go unpunished."

You are right Warren and so is its direct opposite. Those burdened by religious convictions or political convictions generally have a closed mind to any other view. To believe in something just for the sake of standing for something for anything just so that you may be or at least feel that you are somebody is folly. If one has nothing to believe in at any given moment, well believe in yourself. One may be sincere in his convictions but also may be sincerely wrong. Well I'll be Archer are you telling me you are now tolerant of socialists or those who you characterize as such.

Hey Greg I think I owe you a response. These organizations are only teaching org. No different really than Planned Parenthood. I Googled NPG today and found that they have 25000 members. They do things like put posters on campuses and I don't know I guess make presentations and stuff. They just try to inform the public that a voluntary policy of a two child family and much lower immigration will lead to a smaller population and less stress on the old planet. These policies also need to go around the world. There is nothing coerceive or legislated. It is reall I think contrary to the first impression a loving attempt to leave the planet and our country a better place than we found it. The reason it is hard to get people into this because it is attemting to do something that you or I will never see the results of. Like having the vision to plant a forest and wait 20 or 30 years.

Now come on Anonymous Planned Parenthood has been teaching this stuff for a hundred years. Grow up and get a grip .

Dear Anonymous, how do you know when Norman wrote this?. You certainly are aware of the demotion of Richard Clarke by Condi Rice. And most certainly you know that John Ashcroft avoided perjury or making a fool of himself in front of the Senate. You do know Bush had the terrorst report in August before 911 .When asked a yes or no question as to whether he (Ashcroft) told the FBI Director to stop giving him terrorist reports he responded with the political "Of course I care about the safety of the American people." How about a yes or no man. I may have erroneously thought that Norman was writing memoirs and that he could therefore have covered all of this history, I may have been wrong, if so I am sorry. I don't believe I am spinning at all.

The popuarity of large versus small families has waned and waxed for decades. In the farming communities of the 17 and 18 hundreds large families were necessary. Large families were ones "social security". I am not saying that my embrace of the teaching of these organizations is or will be popular but I do say that my embrace of these teachings is FRANK and based on HONESTY and COURAGE and I mean it in order to do RIGHT. There is no coercion in these policies just education and pleading. NPG states there opinion that the optimal population for the US is 180 million. Check 'em out. As the smartest species that has ever lived on this planet can we do anything less than use our heads. That takes courage Logan. I use to give to these organizations. I don't know all the details but check 'em out and agree with them or fight them whatever your preference. The go go lets all get rich mentality that has led to illegal immigration, cheap restaurant help etcetera is now costing us in large Mexican families with their health care, education needs etc. Yes their is lots of money to be made in the childrens needs business. I think we need a different way of thinking however. Logan you have lived a very sheltered life concerning red blooded Americans, contray to Archer's narrow view of the "collective" we are a diverse and dynamic society of many different government entities, org ideas etcetera. You are wrong about the Maoist policy. Mao exhorted the people to have lots of kids. They performed to his command to such and extent that it caused a popualtion explosion disaster. Now that Mao is gone the current masters are trying to reverse his foolishness. (Finally what do you thing the quality of life will be like in 2050 with 500 million of us.)

Apropos. Archer challenged me yesterday about whether I stand for anything: My agenda or priortities for public policy is this: 1) Surplus budget for the next 20 years in the range of 300-500 billion to pay off the debt ie tax increases and spending cuts. 2) Agressive green global warming initiative. 3) Increased IRS Audit presence ie. imporved tax law compliance. 4) Stict immigration law enforcement. 5) Policies that will encourage and lead to reduction in national and world wide human populations (current US projection 500 million by 2050). For information on the issue of population and demographics visit the web sites of Negative Population Growth and/or Zero Population Growth. Known as NPG and ZPG these scholarly organizations teach that the main way to save the environment and replenish the planet is to reduce the rate and reverse the growth in human populations.