Politics: J'accuse!

[Not Me]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore -
But you're changing the topic - do you really want to [start doing that and*] become the Not Me of the left?

I stay on topic and try to focus everyone else on topic. You are just jealous of my shapely breasts and that is why you are saying that. And you want me and it drives you insane that you cannot have me.

[SlaveNoMore]

Not Me
I stay on topic and try to focus everyone else on topic. You are just jealous of my shapely breasts and that is why you are saying that. And you want me and it drives you insane that you cannot have me.

Um, thanks for playing but we have a nice parting gift for you

[Not Me]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
thanks for playing

That phrase is waaaay past its sell by date.

[confidential to slave]This is good. Now we can point to this to show that we Reps criticize each other. Keep up the good work [/confidential to slave]

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by bilmore
"Fuss." Cute. He said he was glad the particular people got killed, that they deserved it. I can see why you would want to minimize a popular Dem blogger saying that. "Fuss."

He said "I feel nothing over the deaths." Then he said that they were there to profit from the war and ended his very short post with the words "screw them." Frankly, I don't know how anyone who saw those pictures could feel nothing over the deaths.

Anyhow, this is a nice segue to a piece I heard on PRI's Marketplace yesterday about hired help for security. Basically, working for a private security firm is much, much more profitable than doing the same sort of work for the military, and there may be some retention issues coming up soon for special forces trained personnel in the military. The military simply can't compete with the private sector. One person suggested that the US government is paying three times over. Training costs, hiring the private security guys to do what they used to be able to do themselves, replacing the soldiers that left.

• Today Russia and France advised their nationals to leave Iraq amid a wave of kidnappings. U.S. contractors have been warned that coalition forces can't provide security for people trying to do business in the country. This places a premium on private security firms staffed by retired military types. Those with training in the elite forces can command private sector salaries - big salaries. Compare that to what Uncle Sam pays, and you may have a problem.
  Reporter: Steve Henn

Audio link: http://www.marketplace.org/play/audi...=00:00:19:00.0

if that doesn't work, go to http://marketplace.publicradio.org/s...04/13_mpp.html and scroll down to find the story.

[Hank Chinaski]

Fringe, you have such a wrong opinion of republicans. Yale's republican party circa 196_ got members the old fashioned way

It was an overwhelmingly Democratic campus in the 1960s, and the Republican club was all but defunct - until it signed up nearly half of the freshman class in 1965 with an offer to hear speakers, drink free beer and meet girls brought to the all-male campus as part of a $3 membership.

Kerry's yearbook mentions him as a member, but he denies it. And "free beer" did not entice W, at least back then.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/APW...D81UKA500.html

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Anyhow, this is a nice segue to a piece I heard on PRI's Marketplace yesterday about hired help for security.

One, two issues ago, the Economist had an article on this subject re: SAS/paras, who are apparently in very high demand (and have rather better reps than their US or other counterparts) - apparently requests to be discharged early are up severalfold, because they are getting such lucrative offers from the "security" companies.

Subscription site, so I won't bother linking.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by bilmore
What, do you guys just keep repeating each other until you think your mistakes become Truth through simple repetition?

Nope -- it just took you awhile to explain your comment. Explanation appreciated, accusation retracted.


We'll never agree on whether Bush knew that what he was calling conclusive evidence was not in fact conclusive evidence. I can live with that, particularly knowing that this his conclusive evidence was so patently wrong.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Bad_Rich_Chic
One, two issues ago, the Economist had an article on this subject re: SAS/paras, who are apparently in very high demand (and have rather better reps than their US or other counterparts) - apparently requests to be discharged early are up severalfold, because they are getting such lucrative offers from the "security" companies.

Subscription site, so I won't bother linking.

The thing on Marketplace said that a 90 day contract could easily pay $90K. Made me wonder if one of those companies would consider my morning faux-SEAL workout with ex-military types to be the requisite level of training... Of course, my instructors may very well consider leaving the cushy personal training world for the more lucrative merc, er, security force world.

I think that the military could use these big bucks as a recruiting tool. "Hey, you could be making serious bank, but they're not going to hire you until you've gone through our training program and have X years of experience. So live like a peon for X+training years and then cash out to join the private sector."

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
And Tawana told the truth.

Let's not get carried away.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by bilmore
I guess my take on it is different. This is more of a "hate Bush" campaign than a "love Kerry" one, and I suspect that a Clinton book, with his normal self-effacing (?!) themes, will cause more comparison to Bush, to Bush's harm, and will only help Kerry.

So, should the Dems push Clinton to publish as soon as possible (so the effect wears off in time), or right before the election?

On balance, no. Clinton's book will create a big fat target for Repubs to shoot at that will enable them to alienate the people Kerry needs to bring to his side in key states. I think this remains true regardless of whether you believe that Kerry depends on people liking him more than Bush, or on people hating Bush more than him.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I think that the military could use these big bucks as a recruiting tool. "Hey, you could be making serious bank, but they're not going to hire you until you've gone through our training program and have X years of experience. So live like a peon for X+training years and then cash out to join the private sector."

Exactly. Drop the whole tution grant thing- this is the big seller.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
On balance, no. Clinton's book will create a big fat target for Repubs to shoot at that will enable them to alienate the people Kerry needs to bring to his side in key states. I think this remains true regardless of whether you believe that Kerry depends on people liking him more than Bush, or on people hating Bush more than him.

Do any of you ever recall voting for a Candidate for President or senator that you truly supported- not just the lesser of two evils- and not in a primary.

I really can't say I have.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Do any of you ever recall voting for a Candidate for President or senator that you truly supported- not just the lesser of two evils- and not in a primary.

I really can't say I have.

Not President or Senator. In local elections, Gavin Newsom.

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Do any of you ever recall voting for a Candidate for President or senator that you truly supported- not just the lesser of two evils- and not in a primary.

I really can't say I have.

I regularly do, but I get shit from all sides for "casting cynical and meaningless protest votes" and "throwing my vote away." Last main-party presidential candidate I voted for was Dukakis.

Turn to the third way, my friend.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Do any of you ever recall voting for a Candidate for President or senator that you truly supported- not just the lesser of two evils- and not in a primary.

I really can't say I have.

My family was pretty close to that on Paul Tsongas.

Sen. Fitzgerald in Ill would have a lot of true believers if he tried running again. He's been the real deal for conservative indy leadership in a corrupt state.