You're very sweet, T-Belle. Disgreement is the "spice of life" here on the boards. I must confess that my suspicions are automatically aroused when someone, anyone, emerges who WANTS this job. I've always believed that we would be best served by someone who clearly eschews this position of vast power, but accepts it out of a sense of patriotism, obligation and responsibility, as opposed to someone who actively seeks and campaigns for it. To that end, I'd like to see a system whereby nominations for candidacy are submitted not by political parties but by a non-party affiliated or apolitical citizenry whose only agenda is the welfare and stability of the country. Such candidates could refuse nomination ONLY if they could show physical, mental, and emotional unsuitability. The nominations would be tallied, with the candidates with the most nominations advancing for a runoff, the winner then being tasked with serving as president for a specified term, remaining eligible for re-election as long as there is overwhelming popular demand.

That is a easy choice
 

Fish from the right side of the boat. Vote for the Grand Old Party :clap:
Good morning Al :D
Isaac

I'm not even a registered voter myself nor a supporter of any political party. I wonder how parties got started. I remember looking down the list of presidents back in high school and seeing the various parties listed by their names. There use to be the Whig party and Lincoln was elected under a party called the "Democratic Republicans" (not very original, are they?).

In short, what is the actual purpose of the political parties?

In short, what is the actual purpose of the political parties?
 

To sit down and have a drink right late night ? Some like wine and some like beer and then there are others that like whiskey :laugh: We have Rep, Dems and swing voters.
Isaac

Anime, this is your SB Board Mother...(aka Texasbelle) why are you not a registered voter? It is one of your most precious rights as an American. People have given their lives defending your right to exercise your vote and make a difference in this country. Now son, you need to take care of that business right away. This country needs for each and every one of us to stand up, exercise all of our rights as in voting, and try to make a difference to bring this country back to a good place. Do you really want Hillary as your next president?

As for what purpose the parties serve? At this point, I think the purpose is solely to argue with each other. I am sure Al has something to say to answer your question better than I. He is the old wise one.

Well, the reason why I usually don't vote is because I currently don't have the time to study the issues each candidate is focusing on. My vote would be nothing more than an uneducated guess at who I think would be best. Personally, I could care less if Hilary becomes the next president. For all I know, she might be a good one. Personally, I prefer leaving the job of choosing our politicians to the people who know who they are and what they stand for.

Maybe someday when my time isn't divided between work, school, and simply living, I may take some interest in politics.

Oh I hear the paddle warming up
 

Mother is not going to be happy with that post Anime :nono: :nono:

No Mother is not happy.:nono: She is scratching her head and pondering her reply. It is time to teach Literature to the little homeschooler though. She will be back to deal with this later Anime. You're not getting off that easy.:eek:

If the new Democrat budget passes and we get the biggest tax increase in the history of the United States ( LINK ) Remember you didn't have time to study the issues

Well, for the first time, I agree with BrainsmashR. Anime, if you have the time to get on here and post and read, then make the same time to study. You can do it!

Love, Mom:)

True to some extent, but I'm just not motivated to take that time yet. At what age did you first become interested in politics? What event in your life became the source of your political motivation? I'm only 24-years-old and haven't yet experienced the outrages of politics that would otherwise motivate me to take such stands on the issues. My focus, right now, is on school and getting my life career off the ground. If you had a child in college, would you rather him/her study for his/her classes or for voting season?

I have a child just a little younger than you so I understand your point completely. She registered to vote as soon as she turned 18. She understands the importance of voting and I am certain that she votes when the opportunity has presented itself.

Anime, studying for deciding on who you are going to vote is not that hard. We are not talking Anatomy here or Brain surgery. You are not going to be graded on this. But this country needs each of us to do it. Now when did I first take an interest in politics? I began watching the news with my grandparents as a small child. I took a keen interest in it. I can remember watching the whole Watergate scandal and asking my grandfather all about it. I had to know all the details. I am sure that I didn't completely understand it, but I knew it was important. I have had to read the news every day since and watch it. Doesn't take long, but I keep up. When I was in high school, I remember such serious discussions with my Civics teacher about politics. I've always had the interest but it really got going when the first Iraq war began. My first husband was a Marine and was sent overseas to fight. There were demonstrations in Shreveport against the war and people fighting in it. I was only 22 at the time. I was so mad and I actively campaigned against these folks. It was during that time, as a young 22 y/o mother of two that I knew I could make a difference with my voice and my vote. And you can too Anime as a 24 y/o college student. It doesn't take much, but if each of us give something, be it a vote or even time on this board debating the issues and listening to each other and sharing knowledge, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.:peace:

So Mother Tbelle you were married to a marine
 

That is it ! Never mess with the wife of a marine :nono:

EX WIFEI got smart, got out, and traded up!:clap:

Oh yes you did but what about your new husband ?
 

How did he do in the deal :laugh: yea I know who the alpha ..... is and you do too :laugh: It is the golden rule you do know the golden rule don't you ?
Isaac

You could relate to my sister, TBelle. She married a military man (ex marine and current army) when she was like 19. She divorced him just last year. He was nuts! He had been divorced several times before for domestic abuse. We were all wondering how crazy my sis was for even dating him.

She has a new guy now and he treats her right. She has two kids and she is going to school for comsotology. But her ex husband is still nuts. Despite being divorced, he still gets upset when my sis does anything that reminds him that she is dating some other guy.

Key words there: Marines/Domestic issues= Divorce. Women should take notice. I am glad I got wise and got wise fast before I took to much damage.

That's something I've come to notice that a lot of young women just don't understand. The big, strong, tough guys that many girls look for often get that way through some kind of harsh conditioning that is anything but gentle on the person's temperment.

Heh....reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy commenting on women wanting a "dangerous" man.

Except when they get a "dangerous" man they end up on an episode of COPS with a black-eye yelling "Lock his ass up, LOCK HIS ASS UP"!

LOL! Yeah, I saw that. The Blue Collar guys are great. :D

You are such a blithering, stupid, arrogant jerk. What woman asks to have a black eye? None. But you know what? Only a man who would probably be guilty of dishing some of that out would say such a remark. Very few, if any, women go out looking for a dangerous man.

You absolutely disgust me. You know you are kind of like the sludge or the amoeba that feeds off of the pond scum. :mad!: :throwup:

Mother is mad again so stand by
 

I agree with that post Mrs. Belle and from the looks of it this is what some people live each and every day. I can not add to what you have posted.
Great post ! :clap: :clap:
Isaac

Oh, simmer down on Brain a little. It is not uncommon for young and romantically inexperienced girls to be drawn toward the "cool" crowd which sometimes includes potentially dangerous guys. I, myself, have observed this among young ladies. That's probably why I never had much luck getting a date in high school while the jerks at my school who were constantly busted for fighting were the most popular with the girls.

It's not that they ask for abuse, but it is something that goes unexpected when it probably shouldn't be. Anyway, Brain merely said that our conversation reminded him of that statement which Jeff Foxworthy did, in fact, make on one of his shows.

Despite what my opinions of Brain might be, the name-calling does not become you, TBelle.

I do have to agree the girls (most of them) for some strange reason like the rough type of guy. Why I don't know I was never attracted to the type. It's like they do like the abuse for some strange reason and the control these guys tend to have over them.

My son is one of these really nice guys and complains all the time how these girls like the rough type guys. I told him to hold on the right girl will eventually come along and love him for the nice guy he is, DONT CHANGE!

I agree. If you have to change yourself to earn love, then you will never truly have it. I don't know exactly why girls shy towards the rough, tough guys. I guess, somewhere deep down, it makes them feel like their guy can do anything, like they're unstoppable and will never fail. It makes them feel safer, more secure. This is a very unenlightened point of view and often takes a harsh event in life to teach the truth. The truth that strength does not equal wisdom and power does not equal success. A muscle with no brain attached in unfocused, sloppy, and may strike at anyone.

Anime, if you believe Brain said that to just be reminiscing then I have some oceanfront over here in East TExas to give you. He's not that nice.

Let me explain something. The one I married wasn't the popular guy, he wasn't the muscley guy, nor anything you are describing. I didn't chase that kind. He was a very nice and kind person when I began dating him. Never saw a bit of temper in him while we dated or for the first year we were married. But once he went into the Marines, a whole other person came home from boot camp. It completely changed him and his personality. You have to understand that people can change once the military gets them. He did and not for the best.

I take what I went through with him and what he did very seriously Anime. Obviously you, due to your life's experiences, have never encountered such. I have and shall never forget it and don't take it lightly. Spousal abuse is nothing to ever, ever make fun of.

I was very fortunate the military didn't change my fiance...... if anything he hates the military that's why he only served his 4 yrs.

I am so happy for you and wish you well in your future marriage.:) I think it all depends on the person, their personality, and the branch of service they choose.

I did get something good out of the deal. Actually the best parts of the deal, (he doesn't even see them) two beautiful children, mini-me and mini-him! Thank goodness their personalities are mostly reflective of mom and the wonderful stepdad God blessed them with!

Looks like I missed a lot today. LOL. Ya'll sure got off topic big time today! I had one of those boyfriends, dumped him for my nice sweet husband. His life today is awful while mine is good. I am thankful every day I had the good sense to get rid of him. Yesterday I went to lunch with an old schoolmate and she was telling me about the guy who was the most popular guy when we were in high school. He was very very good looking, too. Today he is divorced from his gorgeous high school girlfriend and a drug addict. Those unpopular nerdy guys usually make the best husbands and get better looking as they grow older.


Back to the topic of who will be our next president........people better pay attention to what the candidates are saying and be sure to vote for someone who is concerned about our economy and not focused solely on the Bush administration’s scandals. Bush has certainly hurt the Republican Party. This latest scandal with Attorney General Gonzales firing 8 U.S. attorneys is reportedly going to be as big as the Watergate scandal.
I don’t want to hear the negative stuff. I want to hear their plan on how to make our economy thrive; how to make the situation in Iraq successful; improve education; balance the budget without increasing taxes.

The thing people who have never served dont understand about being in the military, regardless of branch, is that they OWN YOUR ASS! Thats what bootcamp is all about, making you understand that they OWN YOUR ASS. You cant just quit if you dont like it, or if you decide its not for you, or if you feel you've made a mistake. Once you sign that dotted line and take that oath, you can just take all those rights and priviledges you took for granted in civilian life and kiss em the f**k goodbye. You must now go WHERE they tell you to go, WHEN they tell you to go, and, once there, DO what they TELL you to do. And if you dont like it, well thats just tough ****! At that point, all you can do is serve out your time, much like a prison sentence, and try do your level damndest to stay off your boss's ****list, and let me tell ya somethin, every swingin dick with one more stripe than you've got is your boss. Now, none of this excuses spousal abuse, which is unconscionably criminal. I simply wanted to clarify where some of the stress comes from in military life. To a servicemember, HOME, HEARTH, and FAMILY are the only respite he or she has from what amounts to indentured servitude (and make NO mistake, for that is PRECISELY what it is), so its vitally important that the servicemember's home and family life be as supportive as possible.

Al, do you think it is worth a person's time and efforts serving in the military?

This is very true I have said it for years, THEY OWN YOUR ASS!!! As Al said you have to eat sleep breath military like it or not for your term. I have never served but I do know what I went through living with someone that was in the military. It sucked!

Actually, I seem to have a lot in common with Scarlett's fiance. I have been in the military and I have seen how it changes people. I have encountered them before. I served 4 years and couldn't stand what it does to people and their families. Serving in the military is certainly noble, but the military still doesn't do enough for the families of servicemen and the life isn't for everyone.

However, this fact also serves as an example of my original point. Rough, tough guys go through emotional conditioning (like bootcamp) to get that way and they are often too emotionally (and sometimes physically) rough with their romantic partners. They become authoritative and demanding. In the presense of what they believe is disrespect, they get physical and domestic abuse occurs.

You saw this yourself. He was normal and kind, entered bootcamp, and came back different. I take such occurences seriously too. I was there the night my sister's ex husband was arrested for abusing my sister.

The Offic Topic Forum
 

What I have learned is that this forum always goes wayyyy off topic so instead of saying anything I just join in. Sometimes it gets back on track sometimes it doesn't, oh well......

I will say this, my first husband had no military background and was abusive so it doesn't always take the military to teach these "bad boys" how to mistreat and control a woman....... live and learn

Well, yes, it IS worth a person's time and effort. There are many, many benefits to military service, tangible and otherwise. But the army has a saying ..."if Uncle Sam wanted you to have a wife and kids, he would've issued them to you"! Which is a clever way of saying that ideally, a servicemember should be unmarried and childless. Its just an extremely stressful way of life for a young family.

It is extremely stressful for a young family. So Al what do you think of the ones who end up abusing their spouse? Can anything be done by the military to stop this among their personal?

YOu can report it to his 1st sargeant? I can't recall what its called but whomever his boss is yes you can and yes they have to take action on the report. They can get in major trouble for not taking action on that type of report.

As I said, spousal abuse is unconscionably criminal! As Scarlett said, the abused spouse can report the servicemember to the chain-o-command, the local police, or both. Perhaps the most effective thing the military could do to reduce the incidence of spousal abuse would be to honestly explain the inherent incompatibility of military service with family stability to potential recruits. It might go something like this at the recruiter's office...

recruiter:"so, you're thinking about joining the service?"
potential recruit: "yeah..Im looking for a life of adventure!"
recruiter: "are you married?"
potential recruit: "why yes, I am."
recruiter: "wanna stay that way?"
potential recruit: "...uh..."
recruiter: "come back and see us when you're single again."

Amen! I however don't see recruiters being that honest. They will say anything to get a recruit which is what I witnessed. I don't see the situation changing at all within the military which is sad. I know I would be greatly sadden if my daughter wanted to marry someone in the military. So far she has military personnel, dentists, police officers, and truck drivers off her lists!:D

I have a story w/ this one that happened just 6 wks ago i'll reply later today to tell you about it i have quite a bit of work to do so I can't type it all now