Um... excuse me... maybe I've missed something, but wasn't the single most horrific terrorist attack 9/11? And...um... didn't that happen under Bush, Jr.'s watch? And...um.. didn't he fail to take seriously reports from the Clinton Administration that Bin Laden was a dangerous threat to national security when he took over in 2000, well before 9/11?

Oh and one last thing... um... hasn't Bush failed to capture Bin Laden in Afghanistan because he decided to go after Hussein in Iraq, even though Hussein wasn't the one to launch the terrorist attacks on us?

Maybe you should face reality. It's not as comforting as the bubble you live in, but it's certainly a lot more helpful when trying to understand foreign policy and national security.

There's an ugly rumor flying around about Obama and rape-kits. Here's proof to set things straight that Obama actually helped legislate the law that victims of rape *don't* need to pay for their rape kit or overall medical fees out of their own pocket. (Palin, however, didn't seem to agree when she was mayor of Wasilla.) Read on and please go check the info if you would like:

In the state of Illinois, House Bill 1814 (HB1814) amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act. It was passed in 2001. As indicated here, this bill:

Amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act to permit emergency awards; to extend the statute of limitations for filing for compensation from one year to 2 years; and to revise subrogation provisions to require deposits into a special fund for costs related to recovery efforts by the Attorney General. Provides that if the Comptroller offsets a claim, the individual or entity receiving the funds must credit the applicant's or victim's account and may not pursue payment from the applicant or victim for the amount. Amends the Court of Claims Act to permit emergency awards to be approved by the decision of one judge.

According to the University of Chicago, what this means for rape victims, in plain English, is:

"According to the Sexual Assault Emergency Treatment Act, the Illinois Department of Public Aid will reimburse the costs of ER treatment if you do not have public aid or private medical insurance. Under the Illinois Crime Victim’s Compensation Act, if you report the assault to the police within 72 hours of the crime and if you file a claim application within two years of the date of the crime, you can be reimbursed for out-of-pocket medical expenses, loss of earnings, psychological counseling, and loss of support income due to the crime. Reimbursement can be up to $27,000."

This amendment sponsored by:

House Sponsors:

WAIT-KLINGLER-MULLIGAN-PARKE.

Senate Sponsors:

DILLARD-OBAMA

Re: the ridiculous charge that Obama allowed for rape-kits to be charged to the victim

Uh - brush up a little - Obama was part of the *minority* Democratic party when he was in the state legislature in Illinois. Since Obama wasn't governor but part of a larger collective Republican-controlled legislative body, that would mean - if your charges are true at all - that yep - the *Republicans* would be at fault for allowing such a situation to occur. The fact that Obama got the laws he pushed through at all in that type of partisan climate - things like mandatory videotaping of police in cop cars in order to diminish police brutality or infringement of citizen rights - actually speaks to his ability to get work done across the aisle.

You know what though? Guess who was *mayor* of the town that charged rape kits to the victim? Guess who hired the police chief who supported the charge of rape kits to the victim? If that's the kind of "executive experience" Palin has, then I'm sorry, thanks but no thanks.

on energy. She's smart in how she handles the situation so that it can more immediately benefit Alaska.

But what I'm wondering is this - how does that make her fit to be next-in-line to the presidency? McCain should put her on his cabinet, as Secretary of Energy.

She's barely been outside of this country. She's met no world leaders,has shown no curiosity about world affairs (and national domestic affairs, except on the issue of energy) except as to how it might affect Alaska's oil production.

I've seen no evidence of her support for alternative energies in tandem with her plan to drill for oil. In fact, quite the contrary. (And we all know by now that drilling might help a few years down the line and it might last us for a decade, but with our consumption levels, we need investment and development in other sources of energy too.)

Instead, what seems to come to light daily is a pattern of reckless abuse of power and law. Moreover, her tendency to slash state programs and services with no real rhyme or reason during a budget surplus is worrisome. This woman has so little exposure to even the lower 48. How can we reasonably expect her to run our national economy that's in debt in the trillions? Especially when reports have it that she couldn't manage her town budget when she was mayor of Wasila, leaving that town in debt?

The woman is obviously smart, savvy, ballsy. But she's an up-and-comer, and makes Obama look like a veritable elder statesman, by comparison. I shudder to think that her seemingly failed economic policies in Alaska coupled with McCain's lack of economic knowledge are what we might have to look forward to in the near future.