What’s the problem? Our revolution was fought with soldiers. We couldn’t have had that constitution without them.

If someone attacks us do you think it’s enough to show them our Constitution and that will make them stop?

My point is that I naively would like to see reasoned, respectful debate on these points and the current climate doesn’t have much room for this.

I have no idea how they seperate out any explanation of what they vote for or against. This is one reason I believe we really could use a line-item veto for POTUS. The legislature is voting on something called “Some REALLY important thing that we just must spend $20B on” and buried in there are twenty more Sen. Byrd Bridges for W Va.

So did the guys who voted against the bill vote against the really important thing, or are they fighting against the preposterous pork portions, or are they just gettin’ dishin’ out some paybacks.

In the case of Kerry and weapons systems, however, it seems to me that unless he wasn’t relentlessly against weapons systems and, therefore, voted against these particular “comprehensive” bills for some other reason, he’d have some “for” votes for some comprehensive bills that also happened to contain some weapons systems stuff.

That some of Kerry’s votes were votes against comprehensive bills rather than against specific weapons systems.

We’d need a lot more explanation from Kerry to make any analysis of what this means.

I’m sure that’s true, and I’m assuming that’s one of the reasons Senators have a hard time getting elected president.

Somebody here will have an idea about this: how do Senators explain–or neutralize–tactical votes and normal Congressional horsetrading in a national campaign?

I don’t remember whether Dole had to deal with this, or, if so, how he did it.

This from the Andrew Sullivan who spent the first two years after 9/11 bitching about the fact that nothing mattered but the War on Terror.

Andrew Sullivan is the Humpty Dumpty of political writers.

Terrye

Jeez Marie

Hey!

I always say it, Jeez Louise.

Is this an Indiana/Illinois thing?

http://www.lileks.com/bleats/archive/04/0904/090304.html

Mods, feel free to burninate as appropriate.

And Roger, if I had to sit around listening to Sean Hannity for that long I’d probably get sick of it too, and I actually LIKE conservative talk radio. Fortunately up here in Seattle, we’re fortunate enough to have a couple of really good local guys on 570 KVI (Kirby Wilbur and John Carlson) that unfortunately I don’t get much chance to listen to because they don’t usually fit my schedule.

I’m darn glad I don’t disagree with you much. It would suck to end my days as a pelt tacked to the garage wall over the ‘Benz.

Crowded, too, I bet.

You can’t outsell the worst salesman in the world if you don’t have product. Too true.

I want to hear from Samuel. I didn’t watch Kerry’s Midnight Special but the look on the pundits faces both on FOX and MSNBC in the moments leading up to it made me decide to close the night happy with Bush’s speech. A fast scan (yes, mostly right-leaning) of blogs and media indicates that if it wasn’t a fullblown meltdown it certainly didn’t do him any good.

When multiple people across several different forums use the word “ramble”, it’s never good.

Y’all have a great night and a better tomorrow.

In the ’90’s AFTER the wall came down, Cheney backed some cutbacks in certain areas.

Two different times in history.

Context does make a difference.