common_sense

Do you think Kay Bailey Hutchison will win the race? She had this to say a few months ago:

"Texans deserve a Governor who, in the context of sound budgetary policies and low taxes, works for quality schools and universities, access to health care for our families, communities safe from crime and drugs, protection of private property rights, sensible transportation and a government that listens and responds to them.... There's too much bitterness, too much anger, too little trust, too little consensus and too much infighting. And the tone comes from the top. Texans are looking for leadership and results."

I know that the Texas governor is a pretty weak power due to the plural executive and the massive bureaucracy, but I think Texas could benefit from her. I'm tired of Rick Perry and I think she is too; sick of someone who appeals to the extreme-right social conservatives rather than the majority.

Anyway this question is not to talk about Gov. Perry but to ask y'all's opinion on whether or not Sen. Hutchison would be a good governor. Do you think she's intelligent? Is she independent? Does she listen to her constituents? Do you think she votes based on issue alone? or tow the party line? Do you think she's a puppet for big oil? Do you think she's a new/progressive Republican or just another Pat Robertson? I would like some input so that I can decide who to vote for :)

You don't have to live in Texas to answer; if you have an opinion, please share. Thanks!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/12/st...

I am so frustrated at my own Republican Party right now I just cannot find the words to describe it.

Why do the select few on the right fringe of the party insist that if you aren't 100% conservative that you are wrong and therefore unqualified to even be in the Republican party? Last time I checked, the party was based on conservatives, moderates, and libertarians. Michael Steele may not be the greatest man for the job but I am extremely disappointed that he is basically a puppet for Rush Limbaugh. I mean, c'mon!!!! If he wants to leave abortion laws up to individual states to decide upon, then so freakin' what? He is pro-life and therefore agrees with the platform on the ETHICS of abortion, but actually mandating it into law on a national level is totally against the foundations of representation and federalism that conservatism is really about.

I would really like some Republicans to grow a pair and stand up to the far right, make up their own opinions, and stop pandering to the few but vocal nutjobs that unfortunately constitute a portion of the party. Oh wait, John McCain did that, but look at what happened to him.

Can anybody suggest some potential leaders to 1. Some how to appeal to these people but shut them up and 2. Actually show some backbone and bridge gaps without polarizing us further? (by the way, the Democrats are doing an equally crappy job at bridging gaps).

I'm so sick of Nancy Pelosi; she is the epitome of the divisiveness and polarization in Washington. She always has to talk about how such-and-such is the Republicans "fault." Check out this annoying quote:

"They'll take food out of the mouths of children in order to

give tax cuts to the wealthiest."

Hmm...guess who she's referring to? Honestly, what good could possibly come out of a statement like that?

And of course I know that there are many, many Republicans in the House and Senate who are just as divisive and close-minded. However, there's just something about this woman that has rubbed me the wrong way for a very long time. I wouldn't mind an articulate, intelligent Democrat Speaker if she could get things done and reach across the aisle. Nancy Pelosi is not one of those people.

So if you would like to see her go, explain why. If you like her and want her to say, or if you think I'm a total idiot, explain why. I'd love to hear opinions.

Why has everyone polarized their political beliefs so much recently? There is little bipartisanship in Washington, and everyday citizens can't have a civilized conversation about politics anymore. If one person disagrees with another person, the other person is labeled "ignorant." Any theories about why we're so polarized? The Bush administration? The bitter 2008 election? MSNBC? Fox News? The North? The South? The economy? Demographics? Elitism? Traditionalism? Intelligent? Unintelligent? Ethnicity? Affluence? All of the the above? None of the above?

Why can't we get along anymore? There are some places where I would never admit to being a Republican for fear of my life (not literally, of course). I don't know if there was ever a time in history besides the Civil War when American citizens, not just the government, have been so divided about ideals. Thoughts?

My dog instantly follows things around that move, especially smaller dogs, little kids, and cats. It's nothing aggressive, and we assume it to be herding behavior. Is there any way to further train this? We don't have livestock or anything but could we do anything else with it?

Also, how can I train him to catch frisbees in the air like those collies at halftime shows? He is very skilled at jumping high but I can't seem to get him to catch a frisbee; it almost confuses him and if he even makes it to the frisbee in time, it smacks him in the face.

Sen. Hutchison (R-TX) had this to say about a possible run for governor.

"Texans deserve a Governor who, in the context of sound budgetary policies and low taxes, works for quality schools and universities, access to health care for our families, communities safe from crime and drugs, protection of private property rights, sensible transportation and a government that listens and responds to them.... There's too much bitterness, too much anger, too little trust, too little consensus and too much infighting. And the tone comes from the top. Texans are looking for leadership and results."

It's totally obvious she's talking about the current governor, Rick Perry. He's doing a decent job, but the education system in texas has still gone down the crapper, and the high school graduation rate is terrible. Plus, his tax plans suck the money out of things like education funds, which sucks. Texas needs more than decent. And as a fellow Republican, I think Texas would benefit from a smart woman like this.

Comments?

They've been worse in the past, with their drooling over USC and Texas, but this year the unfairness of it all it just makes me want a playoff even more. It's all about money as usual, but does anybody else feel the same way?

I don't love the guy, but come on. There's criticism, and then there's nonsense.

Sadly, it is we that have slumped the economy. Ever since the 1950's, when Americans became obsessed with the automobile, our demand for oil has been so much greater than any other nation. The oil companies and foreign exporters knew how much revenue they were receiving due to our strong demand for oil, so it stayed relatively cheap. We have essentially dug ourselves a hole, because now that we know oil is not renewable and prices have skyrocketed, it is hard to comprehend why we are paying so much. Europeans have a smaller demand for gas, as they live so much closer together, travel smaller distances to work, and drive more efficient cars. We however, built our cities so spread out, and use up more gas traveling.

**Because we have no choice but to drive these longer distances to work, WE MUST CONTINUE BUYING GAS. Thus, for the average middle class family, that means less money to spend on other things. Along with this, higher fuel costs mean more expensive transportation, and prices rise at the store. Businesses notice that revenue decreases because families aren't buying as much, and are forced to raise their prices even more. THEN, people start to not be able to afford higher prices, and can't buy the products. It's a big mess, essentially a snowball effect.

AND what's even worse, the price index increases while our wages stay the same. Inflation occurs to increase the money supply to help cope with the increase in price, which only WEAKENS THE DOLLAR.

**This, my friend, no matter how much people blame him for it, is not the work of a single man.

Is it just me, or does it seem like he has become the official bandwagon candidate of 2008, especially among younger people? It seems like more and more people are going to vote for him based on the fact that they LIKE him, without having nearly a single clue as to his issues and strategy. I see this everywhere, including things like MTV and what celebrities have to say about him. If people are going to vote for him, that's their business and they have every right, but for GOD'S SAKE, people. Do some research. "Change" is not a summation of foreign policy, social issues and economic stimulus. It is a ploy for the young vote of America.

So I guess my question is, why can't more young people pay attention to what's going on in the world and at home before they pick a president, particularly one who graces the cover of every Newsweek and Time magazine with "CHANGE" in enormous font. Is it the "cool" thing to do? Should we all vote for him because Hollywood says so?

What...the...hell.

To all moderates: THANK YOU.

I am a moderately conservative Republican who has become utterly disgusted with the unnecessarily fervent polarization of politics in this country. Why has it become so mandatory to be on one side or the other, far left or right, where each side is full of outspoken wack-jobs who not only can't agree with what anyone else says differently, but consequently make themselves look really really bad?

Being a moderate isn't about straddling fences or being an Independent. It's about realizing that your point of view MAY NOT BE THE ONLY RIGHT ONE, and having an open mind to opinions and differences that in turn make you evaluate your own. I It's about being able to respectfully disagree with others, while still being tolerant of those differences.

It's so sad that we are defining our beliefs by keeping them in two separate "cliques," of which each has an equal amount of closed-minded idiots who refuse to step outside of their comfort zone.