are you talking about that DNC flyer that dems put out in 2008?

Sarah Palin is one of the worst offenders, going so far as to whip up supporters at a Republican rally to fan the flames of hatred against the man who was later elected President of the United States, calling him a terrorist, and making other veiled references to assassination.

But plenty of Republicans and extreme right wing media darlings have been guilty of the same thing. Calling for a "Second Amendment solution" is nothing short of a clamor for assisnation, treason, and murder.

oh, commonsense, you must be talking about when the protesters were marching in Washington D.C. carrying mock ups of President Bush with a noose around his neck.

Or are you talking about the film about Bush getting assasinated??

hypocracy suites you well..

Let's see who runs. Arizona is very divided, and who will Gabby throw her support behind?

Instead of lashing out at each other with sometimes inane postings, let's just honor and respect this woman who went way, way, way, beyond the call of duty to serve her country...

Motz ------- What are you talking about? Gabby was simply doing her job and was attacked by a mad man. The insane have had many victims throughout history and are almost impossible to stop.

What are YOU talking about? Just doing her job?? Just doing her job?? Ok, maybe that's what you do everyday, "just doing your job", but I would agree with Motz that she DID go way above the call of duty here. 6 months after being shot in the head she was in Washington, DC, in Congress, to cast her vote on a bill she felt was important to her consitituants and to the people of the US. Prior to that, she had been to Texas to watch her husband's space shuttle launch. In a wheelchair, but there. Now, one year after being shot, she feels honor-bound to finish the job she was elected to do, by finishing her "meet and greet" and being in Washington,DC for the President's State of the Union adress. How do you think you would do in similiar circumstances? I, for one, wish more of our elected officials had her dedication, drive, and spirit. God bless you, Gabby! We will miss you representing us!

No, I don't think it was a "dog and pony show!" She recieved a standing ovation from her peers from both sides of the isle! She did not need to be there, but CHOSE to be there. Besides, I don't think any one is going to get Gabby Giffords to "perform" in their "dog and pony show!" She is a dedicated professional. Can we just leave it at that?

Exactly right, William O! May I add that one also should NOT send emails to every one of your Republican Friends inviting them to join you in prayer to make the President's "wife a widow and his children fatherless!" Let's not forget the Kansas Speaker, Republican O'Neal and his invitations siting the Bible, Psalm 108:8&;9. And also let's not forget this same so-called Christian, referring to our First Lady as Mrs. Yobama

chumbkt - what an absurd post. The Democrats are not using this woman. They are celebrating her resolve and recovery. I'm sure if it was a Republican shot you would have them go away and never speak of them again? Of course not. She has proved that determination and good care can take a person a very long way. She is a role model for everyone - no matter what their party. Except - of course - for those who just hate for no reason.

As for the remainder of your posts - what a sad person you must be to hate someone you don't even know. I pity you. Can't hate you because you clearly hate yourself to be spouting so much hatred to a really good woman.

Chumbkt

Your really a sick puppy! While performing her duties as a congresswoman, Gabrielle Gifford's life was ruined by a madman and all you can do is spout right wing hate.........your pitiful.

William Of Rites +++++ The Dems had previously done the same thing in their ads opposing the GOP and YOU either do know that or should know it. Use of targets now would be inexcusable with either party, but that was then and it was both parties and this is now and it is still still both parties..

what a libertarded jackars blaming crosshairs and political opposition to your liberal minded view of how the world should be . palin didnt incite this dispicable act any more than you did !!! what a tard

I don't care about the political statements, I just want to thank this wonderful and courageous woman for her service to her state and to our grateful nation. God bless you Gabby, may your recovery be complete.

Timothy McVeigh was a registered republican.

The trend I seem to see is that though both sides use crosshairs, one side seems to be a little more self-appointed in their ways of handling it.

bedbug007 - having a bad day are ya? Wow! Such vitrol and all of it aimed at the left. Don't ya see even a little blame for the right? No, of course you don't - clearly a fair person.

STOP ATTACKING EACHOTHER!!!!! She was a great woman who had resolve and determination. How many poeple do you know that can get shot in the head and live through it? Hate is a double edged sword, you can easily cut yourself with it. Niether side caused this. Sara Palin didn't cause it, christians didn't cause it, and liberal/dems didn't cause it.

When I see people reference Sarah Palin in relation to this story, I have no other choice but to ignore anything they have to say as they clearly are delusional. There is absolutely NO connection between the shooter and Ms Palin's rhetorical statements....NONE. Allegations that there is a connection is laughable and those promoting them are id!ots, as the shooter has never acknowledged seeing them even once. The shooter had a history of voting Democratic and was mentally unstable. It had NOTHING to do with Sarah Palin...it's amazing how much people want to make it her fault because of their own inability to differentiate between their own fantasy and reality.

No matter how many times you say Sarah Palin is at fault, it doesn't make it true....

@SeekingSanity,

by all means you’re right it’s both sides!!!

i hope they elect a democrat, because the american people have always done better under democrats. Republicans are totally incompetent at governing. They are ethically, intellectually and morally bankrupt ! they will take you back to the middle ages in no time !

Neither party currently in office gives a crap about anything except their re-election accounts, their contributors, and themselves. There are no longer any Republicans or Democrats, just Republicrats and Demopublicans. they are all pre-purchased before they ever get to Washington and THEY (collectively) are why we are in the shape we are in.

Why not vote out all incumbents instead? What we replace them with may not be much better, but it could hardly be worse.

JH, as I always point out. If the current administration is incompetent then the Republicans are a total disaster.

Republicans continue to hold onto the "starving the beast" policies that got us into this mess. They have no new ideas except tax cuts and deregulation, both of which have failed miserably in terms of bringing the economy and jobs back.

Obama and crew prevented a depression, and how can you not see that the economy has grown each and every quarter since he was elected (GDP graph).

How about the falling unemployment rate, now 8.3%. Say what you want but the economy and jobs will be on better terms come November.

I'd say that Republicans are competent at governing when they want to be, but usually take the country in the wrong direction. On the other hand Democrats want to take the country in the right direction, but are often incompetent at doing so.

I voted for Gabby Giffords, and though I don't live in Tucson anymore, your dream probably won't be realized. Her district includes a generally affluent area of Tucson (Oro Valley), but with a lot of younger people and families who aren't very Republican. Sorry to disappoint.

chumbkt - "Hopefully they are smart enough to elect a conservative Republican."

So, what, IQ of at least 60? Voting based entirely on fears with no basis in reality, fueled by the fires of misinformation stoked by the conservative Republicans? By voters who run with just two basic tenets: "I don't want anything to EVER change, and I want everyone to believe EXACTLY as I do." By voters who want to rule the country by oppressing those who don't agree with their religious views? By people who believe that you should ask foreign-looking sorts for their papers?

I hope NONE of them are THAT smart! Arizona could use some intellect figuring into its elections for a change.

No need to thank me, chumbkt -- just go clean your gun and pray.

@Gary, that's funny because Clinton raised taxes and brought in more money. We have a revenue problem in Washington as well as a spending problem. If tax cuts and deregulation help an economy how come they haven't this time? Republicans have not passed a single jobs bill, so sorry Obama gets credit for the unemployment rate coming down by using his Presidential powers. Heaven forbid Republicans work with Democrats to help us through this mess.

@JH, you know what I'm going to say, then Bush was impotent as he could have vetoed anything the democrats did. Bush cut taxes and took us to war twice. That was the start of the deficit spending that got us into this mess (starving the beast), so that then entitlements had to be cut. You still hear Republicans talking about cut, cut, cut, and refusing to raise revenues that would help us out of this mess.

Cutting spending stalls the economy which is what Republicans want ahead of the election. Revenues that would help us at this point, and passing Obama's jobs bill is something they are steadfastly against because they know the economy and jobs would improve and they wouldn't have a chance in the elections.

JH, according to the CBO Obama's jobs bill would have raised GDP by 2% and created over 1 million jobs. Republicans blocked it, those are the facts.

Yep, Bush had money coming in and spent it all and more. You have to cut revenue and spend a lot if you're going to "starve the beast" and then cut entitlements. All part of the Republican plan.

Newsvine --- Why do you engage in censorship? You censor chumbkt at #2 but then allow the response to his comment by David M. Fitzpatrick at # 2.10 to stand unmolested by you. Shameful.

Let all comments stand in a free society not just those with whom you agree. You would do Stalin proud.

@chumbkt - nope, a republican most likely won't be elected. We're very smart and fairly blue here in Giffords district - The reason she was elected in the first place. I just hope we get someone as hard working as she is.

Also, here's an idea - you keep your nose out of my district's politics and I won't make stupid comments on yours. Deal?

According to the CBO, Obama's jobs bill created or saved 1 million jobs. At a cost of $300,000.00 per job. Hardly effecient. The combined demise of Glass steagel(sp.) and the push for subprime loans started the slide.

Obama has increased the national debt by 50% since he took office. Fact. National debt in 2008 - 10 + trillion. National debt in 2011 - 15 + trillion, and grpowing. But the Congress is going to save 100 billion over ten years. Wow, How f*&^king stupid are we?

The Republican house, with bi-partisan support, has sent 17 jobs bills to the Democrat controlled Senate. Mr. Reid has tabled ( read killed) every one of them. Seems the Democrat Senate is the party of no.

Vote all incumbents out, and let's try a new plan. troops home, on our borders. Now we have jobs for Americans feeding, clothing and supplying them.

Chumbkt,

May your hate and spite and poison return to you twice over, and may it stay with you for the rest of your miserable life.

I can't believe you said something like that. How hateful.

fish heads and guts in a bucket properly describes you, you useless, arrogant, S-B.

chumbkt - nice!!!!! My guess is that you wouldn't have the backbone to say that in public. What is it with you and many others in here that feel they can be so vile in chat rooms. Is it the safety of your monitor that allows you to spew venom? Btw, I'm with nightwalker..."and may it stay with you for the rest of your miserable life!"

Chump might be the next one to go over the deep end and shoot a half dozen innocent people

Yes, that was about 5-1/2 months ago.

@Rick, so if she had supported Republican ideas you would still feel sympathy for her?

Eric ----------- That's the tragedy of 21st century America, that BOTH sides give or withhold sympathy depending upon the political identity of the victim. This reality is reflected repeatedly over this vine as various events and tragedies unfold over time.

It's about time. She has been incompetent to hold her office since the shooting, yet never stepped down and continued taking salary and benefits.

Why are we paying salaries for public servants who don't show up for work every day?

Lets be an ugly republican when Giffords had every right to go back to Congress and see her friends and show how well she was recovering. How hateful some will always be in the republican party. This good and kind woman was shot in the head. She survived only by a miracle. You ugly turds should think about how great it would be for someone you love to be shot down doing their job.

Vickie *** "Giffords had every right to...show how well she was recovering" --------------If she was recovering so well, why did SHE, HERSELF, just a couple of days ago, proclaim publicly that she couldn't hack it?????????????

Matilda - she realized that - although she could function well - it is not at the level she wants to be to represent her community. Totally crude and ignorant post by the way.

Uh, Mike? It's the liberal, blue, profitable states that are keeping the conservative red states afloat.

@Mike, by my count out of the top15 welfare states, the break down looks like this:

9 democratic governors and 6 Republican governors.

Your point is?

Oh Toasty, still believing that, huh? P

Please do just a little research and look up the top 10 welfare states, then get back to me, okay?

Would those "profitable" blue states include Illinois, California, and Connecticut, as well as Rhode Island, Washington, and Massachusetts?

Eric, my point was in reply to Poodle about the uneducated, ignorant morons she claims that the red states are full of, being supported by the blue states, which is untrue.

Do you live in one of the top 10 welfare recipient states?
1) New Mexico (Democrat)
2) Mississippi (Republican)
3) Alaska (Republican)
4) Louisiana (Republican)
5) West Virginia (Republican)
6) Alabama (Republican)
7) South Dakota (Republican)
8) Kentucky (Republican)
9) Virginia (Republican)
10) Montana (Republican)

Bruce---you are not using correct numbers. Look at welfare states---that is what we are talking about---not recipients of federal money, which is something totally different.

top 15 welfare states

1. Calif. 2. Maine 3. Tenn 4. Mass. 5. Vermont 6. Washington, D.C. 7. NY 8. Minn 9. Washington 10 (tie) NM and Indiana 12. RI 13. Mi 14. Penn. 15. Oregon

Simply type in "top 10 welfare states" and a link from CNBC will pop up with this information.

I see you have no argument when presented with facts. Thanks for playing, though, you are mildly amusing.

Welfare for the poor and elderly is a good safety net. Most state means test these programs. How much more strict do you want to make them?

Eric, ask all you want. Read what Poodle posted in 4.2 and then my response. If it doesn't make sense to you, then there is no HOPE for you and no, I can't CHANGE that for you!

no one here for an hour and half....but here goes anyway....

Here is the link for donor states vs. recipient states:

http://visualizingeconomics.com/2010/02/17/federal-taxes-paidreceived-for-each-state/

Sure there are more "welfare" recipients in blue states, but clearly the "take" is more than made up in these states. Top 10 "donor" states to the Federal till is: 7 Blue, 3 blue/red splits; the top 10 recipient states are 8 red 2 red/blue splits.

SmBusOwner---you might look at what is included under federal dollars recieved. All SS benefits, all Medicare/Medicaid benefits, all federal retiree benefits, all payments to any federal employee, including military, all payments to federal contractors, etc. are included. Many places in the south, Texas in particular, has many retirees. Even some snowbirds who come south in the winter use Texas as a residence because it has no state income tax. A lower cost of living and affordable housing attract many here. Many defense contractors are here, Nasa is here, many military bases (like Ft. Hood) here. Also, many people have moved here (see last census) so we have infrastructure and educational needs as well. Since the cost of living is lower here, so are wages. This results in lower collection of taxes than in someplace like California or New York, where cost of living is higher and so are wages.

@Bruce-361175, your list isn't worth a penny. If you were serious about wanting to make a point about "Goverment Freebee's" and associated these handouts with a political party, you are going about it all wrong. You've obviously not taken a Statistics course, or if you did, you must have fallen asleep during critical lectures.

Your sample size needs to target smaller communities, i.e. be more area specific.... look at Citys or even Counties, because an entire state is made up of these, each with it's own predominant political affiliation.

For example, the state of Michigan isn't on you list, but everybody with 1/2 a brain knows that Detroit has by far, the largest population on the governement tit. Way, way more than any other city in America, yet Michigan didn't even make your list. Your analysis stinks and is terribly flawed.

Sally the internet cop strikes again. Sally's job as a NewsVine Moderator makes her feel that she has power over people and can control people.

poodlefan007

Neither party currently in office gives a crap about anything except their re-election accounts, their contributors, and themselves. There are no longer any Republicans or Democrats, just Republicrats and Demopublicans. they are all pre-purchased before they ever get to Washington and THEY (collectively) are why we are in the shape we are in.

Why not vote out all incumbents instead? What we replace them with may not be much better, but it could hardly be worse.

I would agree that the GOP has gone too far to the right to possibly win a general election.

It will be a funny dance to play to the most conservative in the GOP only to run to the middle in the general election.

poodlefan007;

There are two kins of brainwashed, left, (you) and right. What part of ALL dirty, ALL the time, don't you get? If you want to see where a politicians loyalty truly lies, check their portfolios. They all talk a good game, once elected the VAST majority throw all that out and do whatever they can to line their own pockets. You really want a shock, remember the share holder bonuses everyone was screaming about? Guess how those share holders were. That's right, politicians. Who were the share holders in the bailed out banks, auto companies, and financial institutions, you guessed it,,,, politicians.

I view all politicians with suspicion. When a politician can post a personal adjusted federal income of $1.7 Million on a salary of $160,000 something seems off. Perhaps it's the new math., But I doubt it. Do you really believe you could post numbers that high above you salary and not have the IRS kicking in your door? Really? Okay, now all you brainwashed Brahmin on goth side can collapse this now, I know you will. Nobody wants to hear the truth anymore.

Poo7

I bet you look for the boogey man under your bed every night before going to bed, it’s me and I’m going to get you!

The left is as big a part of the problem in this country as the right, you just don’t have the B*LLS to admit it!

Then vote for Ron Paul!

I can't vote fo ron paul. I'm against illegal drugs.

I can't vote for him either, I treasure the Civil Rights Act too much.

I can't vote for anyone who can't see beyond the 19th century. Paul would have been a great aide to jay Gould or even Jim Hill.

well said Tumbleweed - that's the point of being an informed voter - who's best for the job?

unfortunately we have no viable contenders do we? So, conclusion is... we're doomed as usual! :)

Kudos. You care more about your country than politics. Before the GOP went so far right, I voted Republican if I thought the candidate was smarter.

Putting country first is the way to go.

absolutelyright-- take your party back from the wingnuts. The Independents would like to hear your political voice again.

Maricopa County would have stopped this individual dead cold!

Pima County Sheriff, where was his Deputies?

Don’t get me started!

OlSarge - do you even look at what you write? "She brought this on" are you serious? She was holding a community meeting - which good public officials do - and she was shot and you have the ignorance to say she brought this on? Seriously, have you considered getting some help?

Clearly you need no one to get you started!

The eu greece bankrupt. Germany sick of supporting it. 3rd largest employer in the world, Englands healthcare system

RIGHT POODLE!!!!!!! thats why you are being down graded and Greece is falling deeper and deeper by the day, austerity plans are being put in place, your governments are in just as big a @!$%# hole as ours, just yours is falling faster, why dont you give up your american citizenship, stay over there and give your whole damn paycheck to help those that are failing and then try to figure out why you dont have any money to live on or pay your mortgage, "not socialist" ppfffff, my ass, and another thing, if werent for our military you would be from a communist country with out an american citizenship anyways

Poodle. ALL politicians lie. No perfectly honest one could possibly get elected or re-elected.. Both Democrats and Republicans exaggerate. It seems to me we have a mix of capitalism and socialism in the US. Some Democrats want to move much further in the direction of socialism and would give politicians much greater control of everything.

Most republicans are not saying eliminate social programs, but do feel we don't want to go overboard in that directionI believe in capitalism with the proper amount of needed regulation. Politicians do not always write regulation that is sensible, sometimes its all politics.

Changes are coming to Medicare or SS regardless of which party gets their say. Medicare will bankrupt the US shortly without reform.

Poodle, the one thing that strikes me in your post is "we have free college". NOTHING IS FREE! Do the professors work at no charge? Free electricity? Buildings maintain themselves? That is the liberal mindset that has put Europe in unsustainable debt. We are adopting that mindset and aren't to far behind in not being able to pay our bills with massive spending.

poodle, so do you live in europe or the U.S.?

sounds like you'd be alot happier in Europe

just sayin.

Funny how all of Europe (well, except for maybe the Italians and Germans) didn't mind the American military machine in either World War, which I like to point out, weren't started by Americans. Maybe France should have been a little more concerned about their military instead of rolling over for the Germans!

poodlefan007 - I am happy with my life in America thank you. I also don't buy into either of the far-right or far-left rhetoric from people like yourself. I am confused by your comment about choosing to live in Europe but whatever that is your choice so who cares? If you have it so good in Europe then be happy you are living the European dream and why get so riled at Americans? Maybe you ain't telling the whole story? You sound like all the clowns that bash someone elses favorite team when they lose, why would you care what another team does if you have your own team? Jealousy & envy I would guess? Go America! We are still Number1

Ummm, guys--Greece is just one country in the European Union. Talking about Greece failing is like talking about Detroit failing--it's true, but not all that relevant to the general health of the European Union. Sure, they are having issues--everyone is right now--but the fact remains that our "free" education ends with high school, and theirs ends in college (pointing out that it is paid for in some way is disingenuous--it is free to attend, and is paid for by all taxpayers). They do, in fact, have a system which allows them to move about freely. And, they are all capitalist countries--some have socialist governments and some have full democratic governments (not representative democracy, but full participatory democracy), but none is going in the direction of communism (for those who don't know the distinction between socialism and communism--communism is opposed to capitalism, not democracy).

The happiest peoples in the world are in Europe, by pretty much any measure--most are in northern Europe, in places where people have a lot of civil rights, protection from corporate greed, and a strong social net. There are places in the US where things are also quite good (I'm planning to move there, myself, as soon as I hit retirement age)--but there are places in the US which are essentially Third World countries in terms of the police state, lack of social welfare net, and rampant corporate and government corruption (go to Texas and live there a while--if you aren't well-to-do and European American, you'll find out).

I don't plan to move to Europe, as I don't have citizenship (I might be eligible and might not--never looked into it). People who come to the US from Europe generally are pretty well-to-do and come because they can participate in the system which enriches the wealthy at the cost of the middle class and poor, and then they turn around and go home when they retire as they will be so much better off there. Personally, I'd rather stay in the US and just move to one of the better-off regions where people are well educated and Fox News doesn't play on every public TV (try Oklahoma for that last one--very annoying)--and the Fox News faithful don't vandalize your house/car if you happen to display a political sign or sticker they don't care for.

The US is not one big mass--there are some badly educated, Third World pockets; there are some well-educated, forward thinking areas that wind up shelling out their tax dollars to support the badly educated areas (think Alaska/Texas--which get way more than they shell out in taxes). Republicans are not one big mass--a lot of the people you think are catering to right-wingnuts are actually quite well educated and have no intention of actually doing anything the right-wingnuts want them to (which is why we have a Tea Party--they, at least, have figured that out). Democrats are not one big mass--there are a lot of blue dog Democrats who have a lot more cred as being fiscally responsible than the Republican party.

So--let's not conflate Europe to just Greece. And, let's not suggest that everyone in America is a badly-educated, Fox-News-faithful, knee-jerk person who thinks that civil rights need to be given up for the sake of "safety" and that Europe is populated by socialist/communists who worship Hitler/Stalin (without stopping to remember that Hitler and Stalin hated each other). Okay? As Rep. Giffords points out--we really need to start working together a bit more.

poodle - if you dislike us so much why did you get American citizenship? Americans are not all poorly-eduated - many of us are quite intelligent. It is always exciting to me to see Europeans come here and love our country. But, if you don't, why do you stay?

The USA has 3 non-binding mentions of a Republic in all of our historical documents and ALL Republicans jump up and down screaming "We are a Republic"

The USA in no way resembles ANY other Republic and even Republicans try to claim the wars they declare are to spread DEMOCRACY.

By the way, True Republics

Republic of China
Republic of North Korea
Republic of Cuba
Soviet Republics

Other than the obvious fact that they are ALL Communist Nations, They have no EPA, No FDA, No consumer protections, No OSHA, No Corporate taxation, Lower tax rates for the rich, No financial regulation, No corporate regulation, Does any of this sound familiar????

Bo, so, the U.S. is not a representitive republic?

wow,

learn somthing new here everyday!

they are all also LEFT-WING nations; who take away people's rights in the name of "fairness" and the "collective good". and with the exception of china are hostile to corporations. they are left-wing paradises

Those countries are republic in name only.

Rufus, I notice that every person who complains about "socialist Europe" always live in the US, and I've never heard a European complain about their evil socialism. Now why do you suppose that is?

Night, because they don't know how good it really is over here.

nightwalker-In America I thought we were free to voice our opinion whether or not everyone agrees with it. You are free to live wherever you want. You choose here I am assuming so you must agree you live in the greatest country in the world or you would move right?

RANCHO DEL VALKAYRIE--the United States has a representative democracy. Whether one wants to call that a "republic" (a la the Federalists) or one wants to call it a "democracy" (a la the Jeffersonian Democrats) is really neither here nor there; we have a representative democracy--it is in part a republic and partly a democracy and partly whatever we want to make it. None of these terms has a fixed definition--the word is what you want to make it.

Remember that the Federalists were the proto-conservatives (they existed before we had political parties) and the Jeffersonian Democrats were the proto-liberals. Once upon a time, the Democratic party was the conservative one and the Republican party was the liberal one (Lincoln's time)--but we have always had a split between those who wanted to mostly enrich the property-owners (Federalists) and those who wanted to be concerned about the individual citizen/working person (Jeffersonian Democrats).

Yes, Federalists define "democracy" as "mob rule"--though that's an opinion only as well as a slur term. Giffords wants us to work together--and it would help if people like you would stop trying to suggest that your own opinion is somehow the ultimate definition that is "true" and just let the rest of us try to work together, if you don't have the mind to work with your neighbors in improving the country. I happen to prefer Jeffersonian Democracy, and I'm just as entitled to my opinion as you are to yours.

Are we the only ones that fought in WW2? What about the Russians? By the time we invaded, they were well on their way to capturing Berlin. So likely everyone would have been communist in Europe thanks to Stalin.

Being Greek, I am thankful for the USA for helping defeat Germany and Italy. I also know the USA needs to get back to a more balanced approach to policies. We've been WAY too conservative for too long and it has hurt us, obviously. We need to get back to a more moderate approach. Republicans do not fit that bill, unfortunately. All the real moderates are in the Democratic party. There are no more liberals with power. Let's face it. Those days are long gone. The ACA and Dodd Frank were moderate pieces of legislation, to be honest. Liberal would have been universal HC and a complete reinstatement of GLass-Steagall, raise cap gains taxes back to 40%. So let's get off this (we've been liberal) nonsense.

Vigla, do you know what happened last time we raised capital gains? It was raised in 1987 under Reagan (compromise with dems as Reagan didn't initiate it) from 20% to 28%. For the next 10 years capital gain revenue was LOWER than the year before it passed in 1986. Peoples behavior changes with tax rates.

The revenue didn't increase (over 1986 revenue) until 1997 when the rate was reduced back to 20% under Clinton. Yes diehard Dems.... under Clinton tax cut. Rates were reduced again in 2003 to 15% and revenue climbed again.

CBO estimated revenue to go up when taxes were raised and down both times taxes were lowered but the opposite happened. Because they only use current static numbers and don't take into account behavior. This is all available on the Bereau of Labor Statistics web site if you care to look.

Remember that the next time you hear someone call for increased revenue through tax increases.

1. This issue is not revenue. Major corporations make huge profits no matter what. It's the income disparity and the unfair influence they wield on policy making that are my concern.

2. What is the point of arguing about the strength of the US military in WWII? This country also commited the genocide of Native Americans, overthrew democratic governments abroad (part of the reason why Iran is the way it is), etc etc. None of it is relevant to this discussion.

Vigla - Russia was invaded by Germany

She looks damned good for someone who was shot through the head a year ago. I hope she continues to get well!

Rancho,

Conservatism, by default, is regressive. That's what it means. You make yourself out to look the fool with that "catch phrase"... LOL

Rufus - but Republicans are backward through and through. The far right has taught all of you how to hate anyone who isn't as demented and ignorant as they are. How sad that a once proud party has fallen as far as the GOP.

yeah, actually they are a bunch of CNN idots.

they elected that idiot Giffords for 3 terms, they can't be all that bright.

Can anyone doubt after reading these messages that the Republican party is dominated by hate mongers?

A sportscaster? Those taxsucking worthless Baby Boomers in Tucson sound like they are well informed, fair and balanced for sure. quotes the "Professor"

Professor (I doubt it) 1010 I don't know where you live, but most people in Tucson respect each other and wish Gabby the best. By the way, "the sportscaster" is a Republican.....does that make him any more worthless...maybe

mikehataway - no. This will remain a Democratic seat and then we'll take a few more from the GOP - the most hated party in a long time.

Rep Gifford, I hope that you heal completely and are able to return to the Political arena. While I disagree with your politics, I wish you all the a speedy recovery and long healthy life.

SeekingSanity - Please get help nothing is guaranteed, your hatred of the GOP seems to be eating at your soul. Take a lesson or two from Rep Gifford, she at least has a good head on her shoulders.

Hey! You can't talk about inner city minorities like that! You're RACIST. I'm going to call a mod!

ghilde said " . . . and the vote." If Florida taught us nothing else it's that caging and a complicit Republican Sec. of State make quaint the notion that minorities' votes count.

Middle class problems are deeper than that. Technology and foreign competition is destroying middle class jobs regardless of politics.

Many of us feel unions for government positions are not right. If the union is negotiating with a politician that the union supported, that's not fair. In private enterprise they negotiate with the owner , who has the firms best interest . In government, the governor or mayor has his election prospects as a priority, not the interests of the population as a whole.

The GOP takes votes for granted?

Oh, you mean like Obama and the black vote.

As far as the recall election in WI, never going to happen. But, please, waste your time and money and go ahead and try.

The number of signatures on the recall petition is less than the votes that went against Walker during his election, despite some big union money and hefty numbers of volunteers collecting those signatures.

chumbkt - actually the WI recall is definitely going to happen. That was already announced last week. You probably should know what you are talking about before you talk. Oh, but that would spoil all the GOP posters, wouldn't it? They needed 504,208 to recall - got over 1 million signatures.

Books are grand . . . .

I suspect that they are following the LAW! And the election in August is not for her Congressional seat in Congress, it's a 'PRIMARY'. The Congressional Seat is not until November.