But it still won't work. The people who are calling for blood are not going to be appeased by hearing people talk about torture and spying, and I'm betting that the people who most need to be heard from will refuse to speak about the things we really need to hear.

Besides, the core problem with the focus on the wrongs of BushCo right now is still that we haven't got time to deal with those problems right now. There are other priorities. People losing their homes and worrying about whether they will be able to feed their families don't care about torture. "Justice" is an abstract idea, hunger is real.

Eventually, the truth will come out. There are probably ways that the Obama administration could quietly speed up that process, if he wishes it to be so. But a big, public, show right now would only show Americans - and the world - that America is more interested in navel-gazing and recriminations than it is in fixing the problems that we created.

There is plenty of prostitution in California, too. And entertainment. The casino's often have live formerly famous bands to attract customers. I don't think that they will be matching the spectacle of Cirque du Soleil anytime soon, though. As far as I'm concerned, though, Vegas could rot and I wouldn't care, except for Cirque du Soleil. It's a huge water wasting city in a desert.

We have casinos all over California. "Indian Gaming Casinos", as they are colloquially called. Native Americans and investors are making a fortune, and Vegas has been steadily losing customers. Vegas is remaking itself as an entertainment center, with shows and exotic vacation packages.

We need LA to Northern California first. That would serve a lot more people and prevent a lot more gridlock than a high speed rail that would only increase development in a place that is tragically overdeveloped already.

"...I sort of thought that being an elected representative involved "working for someone else and carrying their views.""

Technically, no. Our government representatives are not supposed to make decisions based on "majority rules". Theoretically, we are supposed to select people who "represent" our views and then let them make decisions based on the best available evidence. It is assumed that we will select people who will be willing to educate themselves on the issues and make better decisions than the public, who are not all that well educated on most issues. That's why we're really a Republic, not a representative Democracy.

He shut down the government to get his way, and the Republican Party listened. All Obama has to do is to go to the people and explain WHY this bill is not adequate to address the financial crisis, then tell them that he is not going to coopereate with extremist partisans who are willing to hold the nation hostage to their failed political philosophy. He won't, though. He doesn't know how to lead. He is learning on the job. Maybe in a few years he'll figure out that you can't compromise on basic issues. Leaders make tough decisions, including when to deal and when not to.

Or is that part of them? Regardless, at least a third of the bill's usefulness has been sacrificed to political pandering in order to avoid a filibuster by the right. Or can they even filibuster at this point? Are the school funds included? Obama spoke very hightly of them at his town hall meeting - did they make it into the reconciliation? What about the car buying incentives?

I'm going to resist judging too harshly until I get more info, although the amount of pandering in this bill is a disappointment.

Certain other body parts, I'm betting. The picture doesn't show her feet, but I'm willing to be that she's in stiletto heels. One more step for feminism... backwards.

I've never been to the moon, but I believe that we landed there and that men walked on the moon. You don't need to see something to believe it. You need to be educated. I think it might be better if this man met with some of the many people who had firsthand experience with the holocaust. There are still survivors and soldiers who rescued them who are alive, and many of them speak German.

There is no money to be paid out. Doesn't anybody remember the first crisis in "It's a Wonderful Life"? The money isn't in the bank - it's been loaned out to people to build homes and businesses and help our society grow. They can't give the money back because they don't have it.

The right wing has a very Darwinian approach to society (yes, I'm aware of the irony of that statement). It's "survival of the fittest", with the strongest among us prevailing and the weak ... not prevailing. Goverment interference messes with God's Plan to weed out the weak from the strong. For society in general, this is an amazingly destructive course, but if you are sure you are among the "strong" (which they are, of course) it makes sense. They will make sure that member of their group are taken care of, and the rest of us will simply be relegated to the slums we really belong in - to perish of disease or hunger (unless we are willing to join them in their quest for societal change, thus becomeing part of the "strong" majority).

It's really a return to a feudal system, where "benevolent" patriarchs provide for the unwashed (literally) masses, who in turn provide food and services for the upper classes. Those who obey the upper class prosper, while those who don't are cast into the wilderness. Survival of the fittest, folks. Are you fit?

I'm not sure that this is really "blatant police state propoaganda". A lot of kids are afraid of various things, and parents will help them prepare for travel by playing with toys. After all, they can't very well take them through the TSA gates for a "practice run".