Mark P

Granted it's non-scientific and it is geared towards people with whom (somehow) Lou Dobb's facile views resonate... but I can't call the below anything other than a consequence of being under-informed:

Do you agree with the Obama Administration that America is to blame for Mexico's drug violence?*

Yes 20% 499

No 80% 1936

Total Votes: 2435

This is not a scientific poll

Leaving aside the phrase "partly responsible" being replaced with the more pundit-friendly "to blame for". The role of demand in driving the supply of illicit narcotics is well established in the academies, think tanks, and the halls of power. Why is this so difficult for the street to grasp?

*http://loudobbs.tv.cnn.com/tv/

in the death and destruction caused by our demand for and prohibition on certain narcotics?

The black market that results from our appetite is astoundingly nimble... from the mid '90s coca cultivation shift from Peru and Bolivia into Colombia, to the Medellin cartel, to the Cali cartel, to FARC and the AUC, to rise of gangs in Mexico.

You know what I think. What do you think?

Please specify why or why not. If so, how prepared is the US?

From pan-Islamicism (a la Qutb) to "Sunni-ism"?

I always thought that pan-Islamicism was a major component of Qaeda's foundation.

Did I just miss this shift, did the media just not cover it, or was Al Qaeda in Iraq a black sheep?

I guess I'd be looking for something along the lines of a Wii controller.

Just a general question.

For full disclosure, I'm pro-union. My position is largely informed by familial history and MN history (See MN commission of Public Safety), but I'm interested in getting a sense of popular opinion.

I'd like to know how you successfully posit a question to receive quality/ a quantity of answers... Is ambiguity in the tag line a good way to draw people? Does clarity in the tag line cause more limited but higher quality responses?

What about time of day, or day of the week?

Curious if you've noticed trends to drive the desired traffic.

Considering President Uribe's ties to domestic terrorists?

Am I the only one who is disappointed with the survey level discussion going on?

Considering Washington's desire for regime change and Seoul's desire for stability, should the next president attempt to leverage a transition of power in Pyongyang to reunify the peninsula?

Would the possible geopolitical benefit outweigh the economic challenges caused by reunification?

What do you think?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_reunification

I really haven't heard the issue of perception addressed as a positive, particularly as a geopolitical tool. My argument has been that when dealing with the mob(s) perception trumps reality and that positive opinion in the street (whether based in substance or empty perception) can offer greater flexibility to advance American interests.

Here's the first article I've seen addressing this... and please consider the source, quite neoconservative:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_i...

I mean with all these strange bedfellows in Moscow, Tehran, La Paz, and Caracas they ought to have protection.

Please be advised that I do not get more clever than this, this is it.

Is there a policy or challenge that you feel is being glossed over by the campaigns? Is so, what is it?

For me, I'd like to see more discussion on source country narcotics interdiction and its future.

Was this an attempt to preempt NATO membership for Georgia in a time when the US would be loathe to respond (lame duck status for the president and massive presence in Iraq) or is there a longer-term strategic goal at play here?

And other commentary shows of this ilk? Does it say anything about the state of journalism in the US? Does it say anything about us, as consumers that these shows have become so common?

It sounds exciting to be sure, but some analysis of the broader issues involved (how is FARC funded, etc.) would benefit us all in my opinion...

Just curious because I consistently hear cost raised as a major barrier to healthcare reform.

In 2004 we spent 15.3% of GDP...

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Gly4VVgc4pYJ:...

For me, affordable is around $100.

http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2007/12/car...

I did not pass the QEP. What I'd like to do is invest my disposable time between now and next year to (hopefully) make myself a more attractive candidate to the panel.

My plan has been to study Korean and Spanish. I really do not have a strong volunteer background, I'm not sure if the benefit would off-set the time investment in terms of strengthening my candidacy.

I'd appreciate any advice you can offer.

What does the state owe its people and vice versa?

Do you believe in a social contract?

If you're not describing the US, please state the country you are referring to.