"I don't think food stamps should be allowed for the purchase of soda or candy, if indeed they ever were."

Oh TRUST me, they ARE. I know this for a fact because I work a part time job in a grocery store.

"As to the sugar tax, I believe that if alcohol, tobacco, strip clubs, and all other manner of behavioral choices are to be taxed, then I don't see why junk food should be different."

I see a lot of issues out of this. First of all, I don't agree with taxing alcohol or tobacco...period. Sin tax my butt! All the state is looking for is more money period.

Now, as for taxing junk foods, my question is, if it's ok for them to tax that "because we are too obese", there are some questions: WHO determines if someone is obese or not - what is the standard? If they can tax us for eating too much sugar, why not tax us for not exercising enough? If good health is the issue, how far are they allowed to go?

See, this is one of those slippery slopes, to me.

but the bottom line is, once Obama spent all that money and bailed out all those banks and companies, he took control of the economy and is now responsible for it.

You can blame Bush for the start of this economy but eventually even those die-hards will have to admit that Obama owns it now.

BTW, at the end of this year, when the MASSIVE inflation from all this spending hits...and it lasts for at least 6 months into the year, just remember that Bush didn't spend ALL the money himself and in fact only spent a small FRACTION of the spending being done now.

adding insult it injury.

Why not return the bullet...with INTEREST!

"To all the Neocon trolls out there: unless you're prepared to proceed to the nearest military recruiting office and enlist in the military in order to be ready to go to Iran and fight to overthrow the Guardian Council and the Ayatollah, AND have your taxes raised substantially to pay down the debt for the Iraq war and pay the expenses of the new war you seem to desire so strongly, might I humbly suggest you keep your hypocritical thoughts to yourself."

Already in, Son. AND am awaiting orders.

Where are YOU?

"I also totally reject the notion that there's a difference between the American Christian hard right/Bush/Cheney and the Taliban and Al Qaeda,-they are different sides of the same coin, although agents of the American Christian Right, i:e the US war machine and the military/industrial complex have killed more people than the Islamic murderers."

So you want to allow them to kill each other over there? Fine. No skin off MY nose. But when the body count starts to mount, don't go pointing your fingers at anyone other than those up in the White House and in charge of Congress...because THEY are in charge right now.

I have no problem with Obama not sending us in to Iran. Didn't really want to go there anyway. Not a fun country to be in.

"Ok, like I already mentioned. A friend of mine died fighting AGAINST the Americans in Iraq. What the fuck have you done?"

And another one bites the dust. If he didn't want to get killed, then why did he fight? Most of us in the military KNOW we take a chance of dying...but we do it anyway. I assume your friend knew the same thing.

My money would be on the Israelies taking Iran out! They've had LOTS of practise fighting lately.

The GOP should have kicked in the door, gone up to the podium, told the Sergeant at Arms to get out of the way and then called the cops to have him arrested if he didn't.

Look, I know the Democrats don't like it but by LAW, the GOP has control...and as such, if the Democrats fail to work with them and the GOP passes things, and the Governor signs them, then it becomes law.

They need to quit acting like children and work together. They don't have to agree but the very LEAST they can do is act civilly to each other.

FTA: "the other parties that comprise America's non-system of healthcare -- private insurers, doctors, hospitals, drug companies and medical suppliers -- have little or no incentive to supply high-quality care at a lower cost than they do now."

And if the public health care passes? Doctors, hospitals, drug companies and medical suppliers will have little incentive to supply high-quality care PERIOD. After all, why go to the extra work if there is no financial incentive to better ones self?

So if this passes, expect over the years, to see a reduction of doctors, hospitals, drug companies and medical suppliers because the financial incentive to work in these industries will be curtailed. Oh and also, expect the type of medical care you can get to be altered to whatever is financially expedient, rather than what will keep you most healthy.

Finally, I expect older folks will eventually be left to their own devices, as they will no longer be a productive member of the collective and as such will be left to care for themselves or to die due to a lack of care. After all, the good of the many, outweighs the good of the few.

Yet in Afghanistan and in Iraq they have Man Love Thursdays, in which the men sleep with a young boy for sexual release. As explained to me by a translator after I asked an Afgan why not just sleep with your wife:

"Women are for procreation and boys are for recreation."

Apparently Iran is much different than Iraq and Afghanistan.

Um...public education perhaps?