Also my name....

Where are you getting your info?

"costs, by supporting legislation that increases costs."

Dude wake up! ALL costs are going to increase. For eight years we have allowed costs to escalate to 25 million dollars a day! For our war to insure our security from ANY dead arab guy. Oh yeah, we hung him on video-tape; wrong-guy though. Your bullet prices, the pointless unwinnable wars, gas, healthcare....

We cold have spent the bucks on kids and old-people who will certainly die as a result of your mis-placed aggression. You are a Patriot with a ribbon (faded) on his car I'm sure.

Why are not Sweeden, or Hungary, or Australia or europe, not threatened ( and spending BILLIONS) on terrorism?

Because they know it's a joke and a ruse: Time you did too.

What you guys NEVER get; is that the horse already left the barn. The money is already spent. Payees include Halliburton, Blackwater Security (now operating under a name change), Citi, Goldman-Sachs, on and on. ALL OF THIS was done under the previous (Bush) administration. Obama is stuck with the bill. We have a defense budget (apparently un-verifiable) which dwarfs any nation on earth. IS it keping us more safe?

I want this paragraph to be separate:

"I dare say, without ANY of these costly STUPID measures in place; there would be no more or less "terrorism" than already exists" You can damn well quote me. cdr42

Huzzah!

My first ever dual-opening of salon on my browser that I could answer questions whilst still viewing the posts... a guy can learn.

Celia; as I said I don't know much about DuPre, but isn't it like "everybody's doing it" mentality going on here? Many issues of Salon (and any other print or web media) are just cashing in. Cashing in, because people with a lurid story CAN?

Maybe AD is narcissistic, or greedy, or oportunistic; I don't know. But you could definitely say the same things about dozens of American hero's. I'll let you start your own list. That IS the game today. I profoundly disagree with it; none-the-less a reality. I don't think we have much disagreement.

Svutlov?

I thought we were pals?

As I said, the relationships seemed mutually beneficial in off-setting ways.

I prefer women who appreciate my manliness (it's so funny to type that, I'm going to let it go). I have dated older women; secure women, and It's just not for me.

As to seeing anyone married? Learned that lesson about 25 years ago. Don't like the feeling of possibly being shot.

Cheers!

I re-read my post and see it was unclear (not that I think you were addressing me). I agree that ES was crucified for his noble, dilligent work. And that AD has every right to do what she did, and continues to do.

... and handbags and nice things, that these women get from older guys; it's security.

Woman as "The nigger of the world" may not be as true as it was in the infancy of feminism, but there's still plenty of that dynamic around. I've dated much younger women, where it was clear that my part of the contract was the security I could provide. Their end (LOL) of the bargain was also clearly understood, and by my experience, gleefully undertaken. Among developed countries, the status and opportunies for women lags here in the flagship of democracy. We both got something out of the arrangement-and I've got no problem with that.

I think a big part of this problem is the "murkin'" puritanical obsession with sex (and you could enter money on the other side of that ledger). If two people want to engage in a commerce which hurts no-one: What's the problem?

I don't know much about Ms. Dupre; but I suspect that if every such arrangement were prosecuted, the results would make the equally futile "War on Drugs" look like grammar school detention.

Elliot Spitzer was sacrificed on the alter of Puritanism; Ashley DuPre makes some bucks off the deal. This is a weird game we've allowed to flourish.

A. Your link does not work.

B. By your twisted reasoning; every speech, ever made, in any forum, applauded by anyone, results in blanket-guilt by association.

What is "apropos" is the title of "Knucle-Dragger of the Year" to you. Congrats.

It's not a "Town-Hall" meeting (meant to conjure images of the founding fathers) if all questions need to be pre-submitted a month in advance; and dissent gets tazed and arrested.

I'm so disgusted. If you can handle it.... read Taibbi's article in the Sept 3 edition of "Rolling Stone". The Dems are just as corrupt, it's sickening. Whoops, no pun intended.

Can anyone dig up exactly what health plan our congressional representatives enjoy? And what would the same coverage cost an average American?

It really should be a simple percentage of income.

And why don't any of the shouters; pro or con, mention how much money each congressman accepts from the Health-Care lobby?

Should have been the first questions that brave young woman asked.

Steele want us to "teach" them. OK let's go.

BTW; framing this as an issue strictly for the elderly is corporate trickery. Plenty of young people suffer catrostophic disease and injury too. Leads to a life of destitution, bankruptsy, and failure. Shame on these bought-out shills!