Republicans, by virtue of mere affiliation with their party are not to be believed on any subject at any time.

They are, at best, disingenuous, and manipulative prevaricators when they not acting in an outright criminal manner.

Their philosophy, approach to life and culture have proven to be a detriment to our society as a whole. This can't be disputed at any level and no credence can be given them.

Republicans never have our country's interests in mind or at heart. Any claim to such is outright political posturing and always insincere.

You spend your precious time on here whipping up a froth of feces with snide remarks and expect anyone to acknowledge your butterknife-like riposte as funny:

"The left, celebrating 100 years humor free..."

Sad excuse for a human, dood. We have names for folks like you and they're all lukewarm, midrange banalities because you don't rank any higher to draw authentic rancor. We save that for real people with real issues.

As our soldiers are still dying in Iraq and our buffoons in Congress won't give us health care, this "letterman/palin" crap is the height of idiotic wastes-of-time. The media should be embarrassed for even acknowledging it. But it's this kind of garbage on which they thrive.

...is rendered superfluous by that association. Not to be believed or trusted under any circumstance. Forever tainted by that affiliation.

Sad, really.

Because to hear a writer, a wordsmith, talk that way is so not cool.

I am sick and tired of being berated for never having acquired a passport. I have never had the economic ability to spend thousands of dollars indulging in international travel. I do not say this proudly as I have a great admiration for other cultures and nationalities.

I have traveled extensively in the U.S., an extremely large country, different in many areas despite our homogeneous culture. I hope to travel to other lands before my life ends.

But I am sick and tired of this tsk-tsking from others who have walked a more fortunate path and had the upper-middle-class resources to travel outside North America.

Because you're speaking just like our former president, George W. Bush. Yes, America is the richest country in the world but your implication is that all we Americans share that wealth.

Most of the people here are not wealthy, the wealth is held by the upper 5% of our nation. For the rest of us, we can't afford decent health care. Or haven't you heard?

I have reached a stage in life where I have no inkling of any of these people or the shows mentioned.

Of course, I never did care but absorbed enough media where such information leeched into my consciousness. Posh Spice, anyone?

Now, nada, nothing, zilch. Not even prurient curiosity. Dee-lightful!

Joe-

I appreciate that other posters who've responded are so well-informed that they can offer a counter-critique on a point-by-point basis, bless their wonky little hearts.

But Joe I want to get all ooey-gooey with you pal, all touchy-feely. I want to know what makes Joe tick, what goes on in that cranium of yours.

Joe, the Democratic political class are a bunch of venal money-grubbers, we all know that. But some of us voted for them because somewhere, sometime they stood for...something, something I agreed with if I could just remember what it was. Be nice to one's mom and your friends, help the poor, educate the children, I think it was things like that. Lynch the nig.., oops, they changed their position on that one.

The Republicans, well, the memories are more vague: instigate wars for profit, shut out the middle class and below with proven-to-have failed fallacies like the so-called "free market" which was never free or a level playing field. Vilify non-Christians, I'm sure it'll all come back to me.

So what is it Joe? What is it about the Republican point-of-view that floats your boat? That makes you wake up satisfied that you've cared for others as well as yourself? Are you a social darwinist Joe, a sink-or-swimmer? Are ye a wee bit of a fascist Joe, happy to let corporations dictate the terms of your life and opportunities?

Tell me Joe, let it all out. Explain how your point-of-view and the powerful white men you admire will lead us into the promised land, the land where America fulfills it's potential.

'Cause you ain't heavy Joe, you're my brother.

I'm not interested in your health plan, Joe. I'm interested in you.

If I ain't healthy, buddy, then I can't do shit about climate change.

Don't flatter yourself. Simply making a sincere effort to understand how obtuse individuals like you tick. I know you exist, the question is: why?

"STFUpistan"

That is GOLD, baby!

Perhaps it's because I'm male but from my married male friends I hear about wives withholding sex for years.

And as a single man with a lot of women friends I notice that once a woman friend marries, she won't share this kind of info anymore. Women love the idea of modern platonic friendships with men but once they marry, they put you into a box with their husbands and all other men. I'm one of "them" after all.

Thank you for the link paul. And thanks to the poster that has the words "theAtlantic" in their user name.

I was completely unaware that Ronald Reagan had helped "dismantle" anything except our financial, educational and social safety systems, so that was an eye-opener.

And, please forgive, but I only see a world of people out there. There had once been an "Evil Empire" somewhere? I mean, outside of comic books?

Always enjoy your stuff but please look up the word kowtow.

*Yawn*

So much for "...of the people, by the people, for the etc etc." Brrrrr.