an intresting email i got the other day

[asobi]

if the majority of the people in this country want English to be our national language and wants a law or whatever the issue was stating this, then that's what our Congressmen and women should do. listen to the voters. don't just worry about the bills and laws that will only fatten your pocket.

Right, just like how if the majority of people in this country want us to get out of Iraq NOW, we should get out of Iraq, despite the fact that contractors such as Halliburton, Blackwater and KBR are getting rich and sending lobbyists with suitcases full of cash to the politicians voting to continue the war.

kind of like that?  oh but wait, I forgot, we're not a democracy, right?  We're a representative republic because you can't just do what the majority wants, right?  that would be craaazy.

edit: I'm sorry if I'm coming off harsh but I have not one shred of sympathy for your perspective.  A thousand Americans a year and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis a year are dying in a country we shouldn't be in and neither Democrat nor Republican wants to address the problem.  Please explain how not having English as our national language is a tragedy in the same order of magnitude as that.

[jserio]

you're assuming that i have a different view than you concering the war in Iraq. i don't. we really don't need to be there. however, our service men and women deserve our respect and support for doing the job asked of them. if the majority of americans feel we should be out, then yes, you're right, we should be. we are after all supposed to be a democracy. while having english as our national language may pale in comparrison to the war in Iraq, it is just another example of how our government shows little or no concern for the thoughts and views of voters like you and me. the only thing that matters is what lines their pockets. our government is nothing more at this point than a large corporation, willing to sell out it's workers(you and me) just to make them more money. we need serious changes. not empty promises. the media doesn't help either. i can't count how many times i've seen an ad for one candidate stating so and so was better than so and so. this person did this, but this person didn't. then, the very next comercial will be an ad for the other candidate and it will state the exact opposite of what the previous ad did. i don't believe honesty is a part of ANY campaigns. 

[asobi]

good, glad to hear we're on the same page regarding Iraq.  I'm a little annoyed Kucinich dropped out but I understand his reasons for doing so -- any thoughts on who you'll be voting for in the primaries?

[jserio]

i can't really say at this point. right now there still seems to be alot of he said she said crap going on. i hate sorting through it. to be honest, i haven't really delved into the potential candidates that much this year because of my frustrations with how the media presents them. how can i get an unbiased report on how the candidates really feel on the important issues in america?  not some media dressed up presentation. i think the war in Iraq needs to be addressed. our economy needs help. medical issues, mainly insurance need to be addressed. i hate the thought that my vote doesn't really seem to count. big businesses(such as oil companies etc) seem to be able to "buy" as many votes as they need every year. i honestly have not voted since i was 18 just because none of the candidates presented seemed worthy of the job. it's like i'm just trying to pick the lesser of 2 evils. 

[asobi]

I'm in the same boat.  I'm very unhappy with the majority of the candidates and without reforms such as approval voting I feel that it's very likely my vote will be wasted by the spoiler effect.  I usually start with Wikipedia for reviewing candidates' political positions, because it's a good source of links to more authoritative sources on their backgrounds and voting histories.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Mitt_Romney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_John_McCain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Rudy_Giuliani
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Ron_Paul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Mike_Huckabee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Hillary_Clinton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_John_Edwards

Fun fact: Apparently Giuliani actually supported McGovern for president in the 70s!

[jserio]

i lived in arkansas for a short time period. so i'm sorta familiar with Huckabee's stand on certain issues. i just did a quick read through of all the candidates on each of their campaign sites. seems everyone agrees we need to get out of Iraq. the only question is how and when. everyone seems to agree that the health care issues in america need changing.  they all seem to agree that taxes need to be lower and government spending needs to be more tightly controlled. they all feel illegal immigration needs to be addressed. and they all apparently support the second ammendment. am leaving anything out? 

[jserio]

i don't consider myself to have a political party. i'm neither democrat or republican. at least in my own eyes anyways. i say vote the best candidate for the job regardless of their political party.

[asobi]

seems everyone agrees we need to get out of Iraq. the only question is how and when. everyone seems to agree that the health care issues in america need changing.  they all seem to agree that taxes need to be lower and government spending needs to be more tightly controlled. they all feel illegal immigration needs to be addressed. and they all apparently support the second ammendment. am leaving anything out? 

Well, none of those are really true.  The Democrats and Ron Paul are the only ones who think we need to get out of Iraq.  And the Democrats (Kucinich was the exception but he dropped out) all think we will still be in Iraq in 2013 which means they don't plan to do much about it.  Since 70% of the country thinks we should end our involvement in Iraq within a year (google it), and most politicians will tell you what you want to hear, they will all say that they have plans to get out of Iraq.  I don't think they mean it.

Lowering taxes is something only the Republicans completely agree on.  The Democrats mostly think it's going to take a repeal of the Bush tax cuts to bring our national debt down and stave off rampant inflation.

The Democrats are all completely against the 2nd amendment.  The Republicans are all for it except Giuliani and Romney who continually flip-flop on it depending on the state they're in.  This is a trend with those two.

I have read the candidates' web sites and I listen to what they say at debates but I take all that with a grain of salt.  I trust 3rd party sources much more than their own words.  Bush ran on a completely different foreign policy than what he's brought about.  Sure, 9/11 changed things, but he had a massive approval rating and used it to invade Iraq, spy on us, and destroy our civil liberties.

[My Name Is Dave]

Please find the name and school of that "teacher" who wrote that diatribe, I would love to meet this person. As a teacher, I find it impossible to believe that anyone who gives half a shaZam! about their students would say any of that. The best is the graffiti bullshit. Have you met a teenager? I promise you that it is not only those rascally Mexicans who are scribing the fixtures in the room. And I feel so bad for the teachers who get cursed at in a language they don't understand. Try getting it thrown at you in English. Oh wait, native-born students are well-behaved and appreciative of what is offered to them. I keep forgetting this shaZam!.

If, and I hope this is not true, this was actually written by a teacher in California, I feel very sorry for his/her students. And I feel sorry for the person in question. Find another job; you suck at life.

And as far as I know, illegal immigrants cannot file tax returns (remember, they work all year and get away with not paying taxes, as was pointed out), so there is no Earned Income Credit for them. There is no tax return, period. I know that we don't all understand tax returns, but you are not receiving free money from the government for being a good boy all year. You f%&ked up and overpaid the government, thus giving them an interest-free loan, which they are sending back to you. So if you paid nothing...that's what you'll get back, puta.

In closing, let me quote my friend, Dr. Jackson, a real doctor at an important hospital somewhere in the United States (don't forget that America includes a lot more than this country):

"You are a duck"

[jserio]

if they are bold enough to steal a ss# in order to work, what makes you think they won't use that same ss# to file a tax return? 

[CasiUSA]

if they are bold enough to steal a ss# in order to work, what makes you think they won't use that same ss# to file a tax return? 

I think it's because if work finds out about a fake SS#, they just get fired. If the IRS finds out about using a fake SS#, they go to federal prison. I'm pretty sure even illegal immigrants are smart enough to know that federal prison is not worth a $50 tax return from their sub-minimum wage Job.

[nastynate6695]

edit:

Yea thats great and all...but whatever happened to facing your problems and trying to fix them yourself.  I really dont see to many mexicans trying to better their country.  I Do see a lot of them fleeing to america and doing construction jobs , boarding 20 people up in 3 bedroom house,  and squandering their money on booze, chains, and rims for their dodge or  chevy....Ya great improvement for us.  Can someone also explain to me why i have to try to find the correct side of a box to read its contents.  Instead of it being halfway covered in spanish....why not polish or arabic...They are staying here too...Im just tired of illegal border jumpers bringing their problems into this country and forcing us to help/deal with them..  I believe we have enough of our own..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_%28United_States_Census%29

Any further questions?  Or was that a rhetorical question.

edit 2:
Wartime???  WHAT war?  Congress never passed a declaration of war.  And there is certainly no war in which giving instructions in Spanish is giving aid and comfort to our enemies.

SO let me see if i read the wikipedia spot correctly  What your saying is that the english language makes up roughly 85% and spanish covers 10...  Than why is it that i have to hit one for english anytime i make a phone call.....

Oh and the war thing....True congress hasnt passed a declaration of war   But when you invade a country and kill its people and they kill yours I believe this qualifies as war...Not to mention the time and money we have put into it....Look at korea  For a long time it was a "conflict"  not a war..YOu ask a vet who served there and see what they call it...

[trumpetguy]

The Democrats are all completely against the 2nd amendment.

Since when is sensible regulation being completely against the second amendment?  If you think the second amendment means NO regulation, then you support allowing AK-47s on our streets. If you accept the regulation of automatic weapons, what is so different about banning handguns in high crime cities or areas (nevermind the argument that it doesn't work very well, I'm talking about principle)?

There is not one Democrat who completely opposes the right of citizens to keep and bear arms.  WHICH arms is the only question.  I don't think it should be easier to get a license to drive than to buy a handgun.

[yamahonkawazuki]

hey tg, if YOU had teh magic pen ( using that term loosely) to decide which guns a private citizen could have, and which they could not. what would they be/ (tryin to get a liberals thoughts on that matter)

[CasiUSA]

I think it is a matter of where it crosses the line from defense to being more potentially harmful. Freedom is not a cart-blanche term. I have the freedom of speech, but I cannot libel and slander others. I have the freedom of religion, but I cannot impose it on others.
There is a reason private citizens can't own guided missile systems in America- the potential for damage far outweighs the protection it provides.

With that said, we all come from different areas of life. I do believe that is a regulation that should have some fundamental federal restrictions, but should ultimately be left to the states for specifics. I wouldn't want every hoodlum running around Brooklyn and the Bronx legally owning a handgun- it does more harm than good in that situation. I'm sure, however, that in rural parts of the country, there are places where police can take a long time to respond and a handgun can be a necessity. Like I said, it's not cart-blanche, you have to draw the line at where it does more harm than good. I don't think there is any reason a private citizen needs to own a .50 Cal sniper rifle, and the potential of that in the wrong hands is far worse than the potential of it protecting someone in the right hands.

[trumpetguy]

hey tg, if YOU had teh magic pen ( using that term loosely) to decide which guns a private citizen could have, and which they could not. what would they be/ (tryin to get a liberals thoughts on that matter)

I think the laws concerning concealed carry permits are good. I'm not against anyone having handguns IF they are trained in how to use them.  To me, the issue is education in safety and sense.  Statistics show that the handgun purchased by Joe Average for "protection" is more likely to be used to harm someone in his own household (either intentionally or accidentally) than used to stop a crime. 

Criminals are going to be criminals, and they don't care what the law says (or they wouldn't be criminals!).  But fewer handguns in nightstands means fewer of them get stolen and land in the hands of criminals.  More of them in gun safes and with trigger locks means fewer guns in the hands of criminals.

Hunting weapons are fine with me (although I'm not a hunter), but I don't think we need an influx of assault weapons on our streets.  Likewise, I don't think citizens need to be able to purchase a .50 caliber weapon.  I cannot think of a hunting situation where that would be needed (possibly large elephants).

[asobi]

SO let me see if i read the wikipedia spot correctly  What your saying is that the english language makes up roughly 85% and spanish covers 10...  Than why is it that i have to hit one for english anytime i make a phone call.....

Why don't you ask the company you're calling?  Obviously they've decided that providing a service to 10% of their customers and a 3-second inconvenience is better for their bottom line than the alternative.  Or do you think the government should step in and tell companies that it is illegal to provide phone support en espanol, punishable by fines of $1,000 on first offense?  Ball's in your court there pal.  You might notice that the original post had nothing to do with hitting one for English on the phone.

Oh and the war thing....True congress hasnt passed a declaration of war   But when you invade a country and kill its people and they kill yours I believe this qualifies as war...Not to mention the time and money we have put into it....Look at korea  For a long time it was a "conflict"  not a war..YOu ask a vet who served there and see what they call it...

I'm not the one trying to justify having senators "arrested, exiled or hanged as saboteurs" because we're at war.  Waging an aggressive war doesn't mean the administration gets a free pass to do whatever they want domestically.  If you really think that putting troops into harm's way for no reason thousands of miles away is less harmful to our country than passing a bill to print some government documents in other languages, I guess that's your right.  Surprising that people also choose to use the former to justify having sitting senators "arrested, exiled or hanged as saboteurs" though.

[nastynate6695]

if they are bold enough to steal a ss# in order to work, what makes you think they won't use that same ss# to file a tax return? 

I think it's because if work finds out about a fake SS#, they just get fired. If the IRS finds out about using a fake SS#, they go to federal prison. I'm pretty sure even illegal immigrants are smart enough to know that federal prison is not worth a $50 tax return from their sub-minimum wage Job.

You would be surprised how many companies except bad ss#.  Because i live in florida and work in orlando as an electrician i see alot of illegals in the construction business.  I know that most of the mason's (brick layers or cinderblock walls) are illegal and have talked to their foreman about some of the details involved in this.  HE said they just send in a ss# and if its back the office calls them up and tells them its bad.  Then they just try anotherone. He says other companies do this all the time. 

Im not trying to justify haveing senators arrested exilied or hanged also..But what i am saying is that just because congress hasnt declared we are at war doesnt mean we are not.

And as far as fining companies that provide phone support in espanol.. not all for that...but again if you are going to help out one speaking minority then why not others.  English is the main language of this country  thousands of immigrants that migrated 50-100 years ago had to learn it to survive...why should it change for one race or sector??

[asobi]

And as far as fining companies that provide phone support in espanol.. not all for that...but again if you are going to help out one speaking minority then why not others.  English is the main language of this country  thousands of immigrants that migrated 50-100 years ago had to learn it to survive...why should it change for one race or sector??

Nothing has changed.  I don't know what the problem is with the way things are now or what you think should be changed.

[frankieG]

js just drop all this crap plze