I notice that whenever a Republican chooses to debate an alternative point of view, they always use the "L" word. Let the Republicans dispute these facts about the 2004 election in Ohio.

In 2004 Ohio also had an initiative to outlaw gay marriage. Statewide the measure collected 470,000 more votes than Bush did. In 12 small Ohio counties though, Bush bested the initiative by 16,132 votes. Are you telling me Republicans voted for both Bush and against the initiative to outlaw gay marriage?

Same election, Miami county, Ohio. 12,000 votes were credited to Bush, after all precincts had already reported their totals. One precinct in this county showed a turnout of 98.55 percent of registed voters for the election. That means every voter in this precinct, save 10, voted in the election. The Columbus Free Press has affidavits from 25 registraints that say they did not vote in the election. What happend here? Were they so disraught that after voting for Bush and gay marriage, the went out and got drunk until they forgot about it?

I was kidding. Mostly. :P

Rasmussen just released a new poll on the PA Gov. race. Rendell is leading Swann by 18 points!

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/May%202006/Pennsylvania%20Governor%20May.htm

Does it matter?? I was unaware that that was a major factor in the race. Last I checked, it wasn't.

Yes, but will Culver enact a Canadian-style single payer health care system in Iowa?? ;)

Hey guys, Governor's races?? Anyone?? that is what this topic was about. Anyway, dragging the convo back in that direction. I would simply like to point out that the latest Research2000 poll backs up my opinion that the Iowa Governor race doesn't belong in the top 3. The poll shows Culver winning the Democratic Primary by 13 points and then winning the General election by 8 points 49% to 41%.

Canada still has a trade SURPLUS, as opposed to the US which just keeps digging deeper and deeper trade DEFICITS.

Imports of course are up in Canada because the Loonie has been rising strongly.

Universal health care in the US doesn't have to be gradual at all. We've been trying that for 60 years and it's failed. Just expand Medicare to cover everyone. Get rid of Medicaid and all the expensive (34% administrative costs??) private health insurance. It would take preparation, but it would not be that hard to do.

Canada's trade surplus dropped during the month of April to a total of $5.14-billion. That represents a decrease of $800-million from March and comes in well below the $6.3-billion figure expected by economists.

Adding urgency to concern about inflation, Statistics Canada reported the value of imports rose at a pace three times that of exports. According to Stats-Can, exports increased by a margin of 1.1 percent to $38.3-billion. Imports grew by a rate of 3.6 percent to $33.1-billion.

Look, I'm not against a more robust health-care plan in the U.S., but it would absolutely have to be a gradual change...starting with the children. If we don't get some politicians in this country who are willing to compromise their positions a little, I don't hold out a great deal of hope we are going to solve this issue anytime soon.

Bank of Canada expected to raise interest rates
Last Updated Tue, 23 May 2006 13:16:37 EDT
CBC News
The Bank of Canada is expected to raise interest rates one more time Wednesday morning, before giving rate hikes a bit of a break.

While analysts have no way of telling for sure, they suspect the central bank will raise short-term rates by one quarter of a percentage point, to 4.25 per cent.

It would be the seventh increase since last fall, when the Bank of Canada started edging rates up gently to slow down a red-hot economy and keep inflation in check.

Consumer borrowing costs and variable mortgage rates will likely rise as well.

The Canadian economy is doing just fine at the moment, with GDP growth of 3.1 per cent, inflation at 1.6 per cent, a 90-cent dollar, low 6.4 per cent unemployment, healthy retail sales and a red-hot economy in Alberta.

But the economy is doing so well that it might need a little restraint in the form of slightly higher rates, analysts say.

Sandwich Repairman: Can you tell me exactly where it was that I backed down from my statement that you could not compare the U.S. and Canada because of their population differences. I said that you could use the health-care model that Canada has, and develop a health-care model in the U.S. But I also said that it would be much more difficult to implement given the population difference. I still stand by that statement. I do not believe that you can take the Canadian system and drop it in the U.S. and have it work. I think it would be a disaster of biblical proportions, costing the American taxpayer trillions of tax dollars.

Blue Buckeye has hit the nail on the head. Canada has a lower abortion rate because it prevents the need for them. That's what the pro-choice movement has been trying to do for 35 years. Unfortunately the US has only gone backward on this.

Medicare sure wasn't difficult to implement, and its administrative costs run only about 3%. That's compared to 34% in private health care in the US. And the US already has more people on Medicare than there are people in all of Canada. Canada is hardly homogenous either; the UN has declared Toronto the most diverse city on the planet. Furthermore, Canada is a larger nation than the US. America's population is more concentrated, making it more efficient to serve. Social Security's administrative costs are 0.9% of benefits. Universal public care would be far more efficient than the private mess the US has now.

FH and KZ are both backing down from their earlier comments. FH said the US couldn't possibly be compared with Canada because of their population differences; now he's not saying that anymore. KZ listed a bunch of economic statistics comparing the two nations, and dismissed Canada and me for living here (suggesting I sleep with a moose or something). Now he admits both are great countries. Fellas, it's nice to have you come around, but don't pretend you didn't say what you did before.

Preventive health care costs a fraction of what ER care does. ("An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure") The whole MA model is designed to save money by giving everyone access to preventive care and fund it with the savings from much less ER care. It's outrageous to let people go without access to care, meaning everything short of the ER, and suck massive amounts of money from everyone else to pay for it. Why do you think the US pays more than DOUBLE per capita what any other nation does for health care? It's cheaper to cover everyone than leave 18% of the population uninsured using ER care.

More good news for Ohio Republicans!! The unemployment rate in Ohio jumped half a point from 5.0% in March to 5.5% in April! That's almost a point above the national average of 4.7%.

If the Dems are to have a chance to win the Nevada governor's race, they have to nominate Gibson. Titus will lose in the general election. Even with Gibson, the question remains, will Ensign draw out enough votes for Gibbons, or can Gibson give Carter the boost he needs to take the upset. That'll be a big boost, I don't even have Nevada in my top 10 for Senate.

Florida Governor's Race (back in the bullpen)
Rasmussen
May 15
Davis 39%
Crist 44%

Smith 34%
Crist 45%

Davis 43%
Gallagher 38%

Smith 33%
Gallagher 44%

I think this definately warrants placing Florida in the bullpen. Also, first post-primary Oregon poll.

Rasmussen
May 17
Kulongoski 43%
Saxton 41%

Also Nevada is tightening up-
Reno Gazette-Journal/News Poll
May 19
Gibbons (R)39%
Gibson (D)44%

Gibbons (R)46%
Titus (D) 36%

I can not speak for the rest of the country, but Mark Green in Wisconsin is no shoe in. He is not recognized by enough people throughout the state. He is deeply associated with the political up-heavle that has isassociated with Madison. He has yet to introduce policies that the locals can grap and say " I believe in this ----- also."
Just working on name recognition will be take alot of time. Our state is in financial ruin and that issue needs to be addressed. Also we have lost alot of our great men to a WAR we never wanted. A War that has NO END. Who will he address that concern? I know he is Republican and the Republicans have done very wrong both nationally as we as in our state. How will he address that problem. What about the problem of Taxes how will he address that issue.
Like I said Mark Green has a long way to go.

RMill:

National Journal-
Liberal Composite 72
Conservative composite 28

Clearly Strickland is not a conservative. I would think these numbers would qualify him as liberal.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Although I realize he wants to avoid the label.

Getting this topic back on track, to the Governor's we go. I have to disagree with Chris and several notes here.

Clearly New York is the most likely to change hands. Spitzer would have to commit a felony to lose this race.

Ohio is right behind him as I think Strickland is going to demolish Blackwell. One aspect that people haven't looked at is the connection between the Senate Race and the Governor race. DeWine is counting on Blackwell to draw out the conservative vote to help him, but DeWine can't help Blackwell in the same way. The moderates and swing voters will vote for Strickland (a moderate, Pro-Gun Democrat). Brown will draw out the Liberal crowd, none of whom are going to vote for Blackwell.

I disagree with Iowa being this high. The polls below start last year in november and run up to the end of April this year. As you can clearly see, The Dem Culver has run ahead or even with the Repub Nussel is every poll. In fact, that latest poll shows his biggest lead at +6 (polls run from most recent to least recent). This is not a sign of a race that is immenently going to change hands.

WHO Nussle (R) Culver (D) Margin
Rasmussen 40 46 +6
Rasmussen 38 40 +2
Research2000 43 44 +1
Rasmussen 40 41 +1
Rasmussen 40 40 +0
Rasmusen 38 41 +3

Arkansas is also starting to take shape as a side changer. Beebe is beating Hutchinson by double digits in the polls.

Massachusetts is also looking to change hands. Every poll I see and from the people I talk to ( I live in MA) think Healy will be beaten. It doesn't matter who the Dem candidate is, even Reilly will beat her.

I also disagree with Wisconsin here, again siting the polls. Of the 2 most recent polls. Rasmussen conducted one at the end of March and showed Doyle up by 5 points. Strategic Vision (a republican pollster if ever there was one) showed the race tied.

Maryland is on the verge of beaing another change of hands. The polls show both Duncan and O'Malley beating Ehrlich. O'Malley is over 50%(51%)and is beating Ehrlich by 9 points in the polls.

Michigan Finally a race where the Repub challenger is beating the incumbent!!! DeVos has a small lead over Granholm in the polls. Chris is quick to point out that DeVos has had the airwaves to himself for 2 months and that Granholm hasn't done much campigning. Another note here is that Stabenow is crushing all comers in the Senate race and that is going to help Granholm overall.

The polls in Colorado are all over the place. Beauprez by 1 ritter by 7 Ritter by 1 Beauprez by 2. This is a toss up

There are no polls out on Oregon but I don't think Kulongowski is in as bad of shape as a few other incumbents out there.

In Rhode Island, the latest polls shows Fogarty beating Carceiri but not by much. One thing that might bring this race together is the Senate primary for Republicans. If Laffey wins, Carceiri may actually get a boost as conservatives will vote for him over Fogarty. if Chaffee wins and the conservatives stay home, Fogarty may well have a shot at beating a very popular governor.

As for my call I place the races as follows.

1 New york
2 Ohio
3 Massachusetts
4 Arkansas
5 Maryland
6 Michigan
7 Colorado
8 Iowa
9 Florida
10 Minnesota
10 Alaska
10 California

A three way tie for tenth, these races are all close but have the present party just beating out their opponents. With the exception of alaska which doesn't have a poll, but Murkowski is the 2nd most unpopular governor in the nation and several republicans are still sitting on the bench because Murkowshi won't get out of the game.
I expect a +5 gain for the Democrats in governor's seats.

Once again, "Let the markets handle it."

KOZ when are you and all of the other "markets are the answer to everything" people going to get it?

The medical/healthcare Market is not a normal market. Consumer decisions in this market are not driven by normal market forces.

I believe in free markets. You don't have to be a liberal to believe that there could be better ways to have this so-called "market" work more efficiently.

The truly Poor get free medical care at emergency rooms and clinics at a cost to who? The Middle Class, who pay the freight in this country. The very small percentage of the population who are Rich can afford it, by definition. So, who does that leave being stuck paying the costs of a highly innefficient non-competitive "market?" Yup! You and me, we pick up the poor's and our own costs. We just don't see it because it's spread over insurance pools and in our taxes.

If medical/healthcare was a true market, we'd see a true bottom line price tag for each thing, and be able to make an informed decision. That's impossible with the status quo.

I was pointing out that these children do have "access" to health care. It may not be the best and it may not be the most efficient. I was pointing out that the morality had very little to do with it. We do many things that can be considered immoral if you suffer from the idea that it is free and therefore mandatory. Choices must be made and we can't cover every single person in the manner we would like.
My personal idea is to eliminate the insurance company as the decision-maker and allow the individual consumer to make choices. whenever I go to the doctor, they want to do every test possible because they can. In any other situation, I would object, but because the insurance company is paying, I let them go ahead. this is the crux of the problem and needs to be solved. My same reasoning applies, there are not unlimited resources available to track down all my ailments. One less test for me could pay for someone who has not had any tests. why are my benefits still tied to my employer? this is a holdover from ancient times (50's). Can't I get them through some group?

King of Zouk -- You said, "Did you know that many people use the emergency room as their health care and do not pay the bills. this is not the same as not having health care. It may be cheaper on society to do it this way."

Answer -- Yes, I did know that and it's objectively not cheaper. There's plenty of empirical data that shows just HOW economically inefficient providing health care through emergency room visits is. That's why an argument for CENTRALIZED and guaranteed health care (doesn't have to be government run. There are tons of variations on a centralized scheme that could be adopted)is actually an argument in favor of a more efficient market place.

Unfortunately, most "conservatives" seem unwilling to discuss ANY changes to the current system, which succeeds primarily in providing admittedly outstanding health care to those that can afford it (and fewer and fewer people can over time)while lining the pockets of insurance companies. For everyone else, the net result is to create a disincentive to get preventative healthcare and instead only seek out help at an emergency room when treatment is most costly.

Now, I admit that not all conservatives have ignored the issue. I applaud Mitt Romney for engaging in a dialogue with Democrats in Mass and am anxious to see how their hybrid system works. What I wish is that there were more thoughtful people on both sides of the aisle who could actually hash out a compromise that helps reduce the 45 MILLION uninsured in this country. Even if you are dead set against tax increases, I would love to hear you or anyone else explain how it's MORAL that 10 million children don't have access to healthcare. Somehow, gay marriage doesn't seem like the most important "values" issue when we have that kind of a problem to deal with.

You are confusing health insurance with health care. Did you know that many people use the emergency room as their health care and do not pay the bills. this is not the same as not having health care. It may be cheaper on society to do it this way. I would be interested in seeing a study on this. Of course it would be nice to have everyone get free health care but this can not be discussed in a vacuum, that is, without examining the alternatives that could be purchased with this money. why do you libs always latch on to the big inefficient approach instead of low-cost market avenues?

there seems to be many people putting words into my mouth on this blog. I never said, or would say that the US is perfect in every respect. I do think the right thinkg is being done in Iraq. Of course there is a cost. I would encourage you to look at this from a cost/benefit approach. Military deaths are not unusual, albeit always sad. the proper approach is to discuss what we may get out of this. I talk about relative numbers because it is not usefull to discuss absolute numbers of casualties. You need a context. Is 3000, 6000, 20,000 too high - to gain what? this policy applies to AIDS, cancer and any other money/death trade-off. Despite what you Libs think, there are only so many taxes I am willing to pay.

cleaning up the middle east is an excellent policy for long-term US safety, there is no other place the US military could do as much for so little. It is time for Democrats to understand that We the people have foreign enemies and they need to be killed.

all this comparison of US/Canada is just silly. they are both great democracies with slightly different approaches and have long been determined and fast friends. It is too bad the other world democracies are so kooky these days.

To Colin: You make some great points. I think we should certainly look around the world and take ideas from different places when trying to solve our own health-care problems. I am not averse to a universal health-care solution or a universal HMO solution or any other solution that works. However, if you think you are going to take the Canadian version and drop it in the U.S. and have it work...I just don't see that happening. My comments started when I saw a stat-by-stat, issue by issue comparison between the U.S. and Canada, which I feel is not a fair comparison due to the enormous population difference.

As for Nor'Easter: I just think you're arguing with yourself. I never said a population of 33 million was not enough of a model on which to base a system for 300 million. I simply said that it would be much more difficult to implement such a system. As for Govt. bureaucracy vs private sector bureaucracy...how many times have you heard "if I ran my business like that, I would be broke"! The fact is that managing an enormous work force is probably the number 1 headache with which most large corp. have to deal. Have you made a trip to Home Depot lately. The difference in the customer service you receive today vs. the early 90's is huge. That's because they have grown so large, it's hard to keep that customer service standard so high.

only the NSA know for sure about the indictment.

oh, sandwich: "Will .... I'm also reminded that it was absentee King County voters (of whom I was one) who put Cantwell over the top in 2000. What are the terror attacks that have been made on Canada? I'm curious. Yes, the Canadian government takes terrorism quite seriously, and I feel confident that they work aggressively to take care of it. But they definitely have a much saner way of doing it. Fear and paranoia seem much more hardwired in the American psyche than the Canadian."

Not just absentee voters, it was mail-in absentee voters.

Correct on the fear aspect. But there are still trails ongoing in respect to terrorist attacks, and some firebombers were sentenced back in the late 80s early 90s, not to mention certain Native Canadian reservations near you.

I'm with you there RMill, I think the Dems need to dump this guy fast.

The race is on: Who gets indicted first Jefferson or Ney? my cold hard cash is on Democrat Jefferson (The FBI found $90,000 cash in his freezer).

FH - You missed my point. It's that a population of 33 million is indeed enough of a model on which to base a system for 300 million. The diversity that I mentioned was "geographic" not ethnic. [And much of that, though not all, becomes immaterial in the electronic world in which we now live.]

FYI - You already have large scale delivery systems in place with Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, and nationwide health insurance companies.

If you're philosophically opposed to a national health care system that's fine; but don't tell me that a universe of 33 million (coast-to-coast; urban/rural) is too small of a model on which to base a system for 300 million. The characteristics are similar enough.

As to the "Horrors, that would mean bureaucracy." How do you think GM, or Exxon, or Pfizer, etc. get their work done? They get it done with their own bureaucracies; they just call it them workforces. Much of the work would be outsourced to contractors; so if it's "government bureaucrats" that bother you, they would be only a small part of the picture.

Lastly, please refrain from tossing out that canard about competition. Choosing a doctor is not like going to Safeway and deciding which brand of bread or soup you want to buy. We don't choose our medications and "tests," our doctors do. So much of what they prescribe for their patients is subsidized by either the insurance companies or the government, that consumer cost decisions are mostly not part of the process.

Healthcare is not a free market sector of the economy. It actually begs for control of some type. The market ain't doin' it! The companies ain't doin' it! What's left to do it?

If what Canada has works, we're stupid to dismiss it out of hand.

FH -- I agree that Canada's system isn't without flaws and readily concede that population differences between the US and Canada do make comparisons less than perfect. My point, however, is that: (1) such a comparison is not without significant instructive value despite differences between the two countries; and (2) In addition to complications associated with a larger population that's distributed differently geographically, there could also be advantages as compared to Canada.

No comparison is perfect of course, and any argument that "we should do ____ more like country ____" has to be taken with a grain of salt. That doesn't mean, however, that we shouldn't still look at how other countries do approach difficult questions and then attempt to IMPROVE off of what those other countries are doing.

Now, I'm obviously in favor of a centralized health care plan and you're against it. Fair enough - reasonable people can disagree. But what I hope we - and most people in this country - can agree on is that our current health care system is broken and needs fixed. The wealthiest country in the world shouldn't have 45 million people (including more than 10 million children) uninsured. From my vantage point, that's both immoral and economically inefficient. Maybe centralized health care is the answer to that problem - maybe it's not. But I don't think we should, out of hand, refuse to take a look at how Canada, Germany, the UK, etc. have addressed the issue simply b/c of population differences etc. Moreover, I for one am confident that the GREATEST country in the world - which the US certainly is - is more than capable of improving upon those other countries' respective health care systems.

Man am I getting this crossed up. I made a mistake with MISSOURI- NO GOV RACE UNTIL 2008 and OMALLEY and DUNCAN are running for Governor in Maryland. Their chances are very good which is why it is not likely seat to change party hands, but since it is an open seat, it is in the bullpen.

I know I made a mistake with Maryland and acknowledged way back. O'Malley and Duncan are running for US Senate.

Greg-G- thanks and if the Post is looking I can try to squeeze it into my schedule Chris. I am also available for Birthday parties.

I have to say that the Florida numbers do not look encouraging. The Senate race looks like a blow pout for Nelson (Rasmussen has him up now 60-33%) and is not likely to bring out voters in droves for a tightening Governor's race. Some of the Congressional's may be interesting and boost some trunout in areas.

As of now, Rasmussen has Crist and Gallagher over Davis and Smith and Quinnipiac has the race closer (Davis tied or within 1 point of both Republicans and Smith trailing both). This was April 17.

New Rasmussen Poll is just released but for Premium members (I am not shelling out the bucks for that) so I am waiting for the public release. This may bump it back into the top 10 or at least into the bullpen.

Colin: We could have that argument all day, but the main thrust of my argument is that to compare a country...issue for issue with a population of 33 mil. to a country of 300 mil. is really not a fair comparison. It is easier to manage less people than it is to manage more people...that is just the nature of things. Don't believe me...try taking a class with 2 teachers and 15 students on a field trip. Now try taking 6 classes with 15 students and two teachers per class on a field trip. In which case would you be more likely to lose a student? 2 to 15 ratio or 12 to 90 ratio. The health-care question was just one issue I was using to illustrate my point. But I will say that something that looks good on paper, does not always work out the way it's drawn up. Also, Canada's health-care system is not without it's flaws still, and those flaws would be magnified with the increased population.

FH -- I understand that there are certainly arguments against centralized health care, but it's not actually clear that administering a centralized health chare plan would be more difficult in the US b/c of its population.

Economies of scale would come into play in the US if a nationalized system were created. Moreover, centralized systems generally have been proven to reduce the per unit cost of health care to consumers. Those savings could in part be used to offset any administrative expenses that would be required.

Now, are there down sides to that kind of a plan? Sure. Is there a debate to be had on the issue? Absolutely. But I don't think simply saying that the US couldn't do it b/c of population differences is a factually accurate response.

Again, you must not have understood my comment. While it may be a worthy case study on how to implement a country-wide health-care plan, putting such a plan into action on the scale we're talking about here would be much more difficult, if not impossible. The larger the population...and we're talking in the neigborhood of 9 times larger...the more bureaucracy is required, and it's difficult to judge the end result of that increased bureaucracy. (it probably will be disastrous) Not to mention, to compare the Canadian population with it's lack of any REAL diversity to the most diverse nation on the planet...I'm not really sold on that either.

Bad example FH. A population of 33 million concentrated in urban areas such as Canada has, should give you a decent model on how to structure healthcare for 300 million with similar Urban/Rural diversity. Theoretically, there might be even more economies of scale.

Private sector management would call the 33 million model a "prototype," "pilot" or Beta test. It would just depend on your advertising approach.

You are saying that we cannot make any comparisons between two countries, or even two states, because they have different populations.

I'm not saying that. I'm saying when you use statistics, they can be deceiving when comparing a country with 33 mil. vs 300 mil. I.E. Comparing NYC with Mayberry... solutions that work in Mayberry, probably won't be as effective in NYC. It's nice politics to say Canada has medical coverage for all it's people...why can't we? But the reality is the logistics alone of providing 300 million people with govt. sponsored healthcare would be enormous vs. 33 mil, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Sandwhich Repairman says "If Canada is so supportive of abortion, why is the teen abortion rate 40% higher in the US than it is here?".

Simply put, Canada has a much better system in place to keep teens from needing abortions in the first place including better sex education and more access to birth control for teens. Though, were they to need them, many provinces provide abortions for free. Being "supportive of abortion" does not mean that every pregnant teen gets an abortion. It means that access to it (in terms of locations and cost) is better in Canada than the US.

Okay FH, I get what you're trying to say, but I definitely can't agree with you. Saying that you cannot compare two places based on varying populations is really just stupid. Population is one of the last things you consider when comparing two nations. You are saying that we cannot make any comparisons between two countries, or even two states, because they have different populations. Honestly, can you hear how silly that sounds?

how are unemployment numbers derived?

has SSI increased in the last 10 years?

has poverty increased in the last 6 years?

have social services been cut radically in the last 17 years?

has the percentage of middle income people declined or risen in the last 6 years?

what is the fastest growing addition to the poverty stricken?

why did the president begin cutting $30 dollars a month from each person receiving medicare benifits that are on fixed income, to finance the _occupation_ while cutting taxes for people who made over $200,000 by $70 Billion?

because he cares about women and children or old people?

do you know if Gonzalez or the bushes or cheyney or rumsfeld or any of their relatives hire _illegal_ aliens?

answer any 10 questions that you feel like responding to and I'll be happy to meet you in the parking lot, come alone...

.

does that stand for fog hat?

models work if things are proportionate,

that's why they use them.

to simply toss out something as being completely different because one part is,

is not a valid response or conclusion,

what you could say is that even though they have more guns per capita, we manage to kill more of our own....

but we don't treat each other like citizens here, we have more of what could be likened to a caste system...

wouldn't you say?

ask me if I want to dance why don't you, and we shall advance to the macabre...with you beeing ridden...okay.

.

no substance,

no insights,

and a plagarist,

I'll eat you for breakfast with a nice chianti....

come close petite foir'

.

If you don't see that when you have a much larger population you have a lot more things to deal with, then frankly, I don't see any reason to argue with you. You just go on your merry way and live in LaLa land.

No, FH, I don't see where it's going at all. I don't see the logic in your argument, and I'd like you to explain it to me. You're actually saying we can't make meaningful interstate comparisons? When exactly did this happen?

Nova Scotia election info: http://www.nodice.ca/elections/novascotia/

Why don't you compare the numbers for CA and the numbers for WY and I think you will answer your own question. I'll get you started...the CA unemployment rate sits around 6% and in WY it's around 4%. I'm sure you can see where this is going.

CA has about 35,000,000 people while WY has about 450,000. Can we no longer compare the states to each other?

Thanks Jake, well put. I just saw the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights at the National Archives recently and felt inspired by them. But I also had to think that if the Founding Fathers proposed the same ideas today, the right wing would be calling them [fill-in epithet here] liberals.

Ignorantly pretending your country is always right is just childish, simplistic, and hurts your country. To look at it honestly, like a mature adult, and analyse what is good and what is bad about it; what other nations could learn from it and what it could learn from other nations, is real patriotism. Because that's what helps your country get better over time.

FH: Why does a population difference mean there's no meaningful comparison of the US and Canada? Especially given how much we have in common with each other--Canada is often treated as a 51st state! Can we only compare the US to the 2 nations with larger popuations: China and India? It's time for America to take more of a global perspective. We're not the only kid on the block.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/uclickcomics/20060518/cx_tt_uc/tt20060518

Sandwich Repairman: The U.S. population is about 300,000,000 and the Canadian population is 33,000,000...to compare the two countries in any real substantive way, issue for issue, is nearly impossible. And who is it that keeps posting with the double space between every line...stop it...it's annoying.

economically

in

outsourcing,

downsizing/internationalization,

moving factories overseas and laying off Americans...

and hiring _illegals_

it _IS_ a matter of National Security and it is

destroying your country, your wealthy and your ability to make a life for yourselves....

the elite/wealthy/landed internationals can live in compounds

like they've done for centuries, they build walls to keep you out of their world....and tax you into submission...

as _they_ have done for centuries....

nothing new, but America was supposed to be the NEW FRIGGIN WORLD

not the same old same old.

.

I have nothing against her personally that can't be summed up in two words...

her actions.

for you deep thinkers out there,

it matters who is standing in front of the machine,

not at all.

the machine in this case is a group of people that have shanghied

democracy, in it's evolutionary process,

and replaced it with big money and defense department shenanigans.

PNAC/BigOil/WealthyInternationals

that is who is in charge of the United States right now, and in the process of trying to take over the world....

for themselves, not for a country, not for democracy or high ideals...

so that they can hold you accountable for their lives and send your children off to die because they are smart enough to start an occupation for economic reasons and you are to effing

stupid

to call them on it and arrest them....

on top of that your president is busy sellin you _illegal_ immigration as a "must have"

because

anyone with money "must have" more of it,

by not hiring Americans,

either in companies,

factories,

or doing construction.....

they give themselves a friggin $70 BILLION DOLLAR TAX BREAK....in the middle of a friggin OCCUPATION THAT IS COSTING SOMETHING LIKE A FRIGGIN TRILLION DOLLARS...

sending jobs overseas, making $380 MILLION DOLLAR RETIREMENT BONUSES.....

and they want to give the remaining blue collar jobs to people that can't create and don't know what a democracy is in their own country so they are over here stealing yours.....

why is Mexico lobbying senators and the house? because these people send money to Mehico....

stop the rape of America,

arrest those that violate our laws,

arrest those that hire _illegals_ and prosecute...

arrest your public enemy number ONe, the bush family and all of it's branches,

make them responsible for ruining your retirement years with this nonsense.....

Texas Toast 'Em.....give 'em a maximum send off....fry 'em....

.

Just want to clarify something I stated in my last post. In the second sentence, I was referring to myself as a Californian so I was more aware of her history in California--not that I have anything against Californians, as I am one of them!

Re: BlueBlogger's last post

I am one who does not like Condoleeza Rice, never have. As a Californian, she was controversial as the provost at Stanford and she hasn't accomplished much (other than loyalty to the President--whatever that's worth) in her association with the White House. I truly think that Rice's boosters are in favor of her because they are scared of Sen. Hillary Clinton being the Democratic candidate and they want a woman to go against her. I'm not saying I'm favoring Sen. Clinton personally, but rather stating what I think are Condoleeza Rice's boosters' motivations.

I have never commented before. However, I have followed debate on this blog. I am an amrican living in Germany and agree with jake regarding ignorance of KZ. May be the case of "Rush medications"

Blackwell is more vulnerable than some think, so he deserves to be in the #2 spot. Mobilizing angry Ohio liberals and African-American voters has to be a priority. And frankly, I'm going to have to say that Blackwell's demographic traits might deactivate part of his conservative base and render him less electable (in the same way I believe that Condi Rice, though everyone strangely loves her, would never be selected in a Republican primary). Thoughts?

http://boldlyblue.blogspot.com

Jake Very well written.

But, "King of Zouk" know exactly what he is doing and is not going to change.

When you have no idea how to fix something or make it better, you blame the accuser. King of Zouk knows the the republican are broken and need fixin. But, he has no idea how to do it. So he goes into denial and attacks anybody that might want to reform the republican party - Hey maintain the "Status Quo" - I hear you again and again and again King of Zouk. Except maitaining the Status Quo only works for so long before the waters rush over the levee. You can only blame the victims for so long before the truth, the unvarnished truth, comes back to haunt you.

How will you fix it, after you run out of victims to blame ? How ?

A true king knows when reform is needed. A true king knows when change is needed. A false king hides behind his power to just maintain the Status Quo. What kind of king will you be "King of Zouk" ?

As an American-born citizen living in England for most of my life, I have to agree with Sandwich Repairman-- it's awful and ignorant to see any nation that challenges the US as bad or wrong. Look, America has done some pretty awful things. I'm not saying that America is an awful place-- there is a lot we have accomplished there too. But it is important to understand where we have gone wrong so that we can do better in the future. Just putting your hands over your ears and yelling "I CANT HEAR YOU" over and over again doesn't make you right. Patriotism is great, but it also seems to be used as a pretty widespread coverup for ignorance and stupidity, and that's where KZ is going wrong. We get it-- you like America. So do I, but challenging the government when they go wrong is important. If you'll recall, it is actually in the Constitution. How about you back off the intolerance and admit that maybe America isn't always right. That's the only way we can start to fix things.

Moron.

If Canada is so supportive of abortion, why is the teen abortion rate 40% higher in the US than it is here?

What fact have I fabricated? What have I said anywhere here that is not true?

You idiotic jingoism is based on the false premise that only one country can be great. Yes, I change pronouns when talking about both Canada and the US, both Canadians and Americans. Perhaps if you'd ever lived in another country you'd learn how gray that situation gets. Canada does not "support" abortion any more than the US does. Nor does it help nearly as many murderous dictators as the US, and accusing Canada of sitting out the war on terror is absolutely ignorant and outrageous. Do you have any awareness of the number of Canadians taking risks and losing their lives in Afghanistan right now?

My patriotism has been questioned, not threatened, because of the ignorant right-wing assumption that any mention of something good in another country must be a treasonous condemnation of the US. No, Canadians are not hostile people. (Remember that thing about how they're far less violent than Americans.) But if you actually talk to them, you will find that most Canadians do indeed hate George Bush. I have yet to meet anyone in Montreal who doesn't. And what a lovely admission of lawbreaking--smuggling Cuban cigars into the US. I guess if you're a Republican the laws don't apply?

KZ, you're in no position to lecture Ohio guy about the facts on military deaths when you already said yourself that facts don't matter. Is the argument you posted above what you would tell the parents, spouses, and children of the 2400+ Americans who have died in Iraq?

The NSA isn't on to me; they have no jurisdiction in the True North Strong and Free. It'd be up to the RCMP, and they have better things to do.

Will--factual note: I live in Montreal (where I wouldn't be surprised to see Viva enjoying some legal prostitution before his cigar smuggling). Nova Scotia only entered the conversation because I mentioned that an election campaign is underway there. But your point about the Italian election is very apt. I'm also reminded that it was absentee King County voters (of whom I was one) who put Cantwell over the top in 2000. What are the terror attacks that have been made on Canada? I'm curious. Yes, the Canadian government takes terrorism quite seriously, and I feel confident that they work aggressively to take care of it. But they definitely have a much saner way of doing it. Fear and paranoia seem much more hardwired in the American psyche than the Canadian.

Josh: I challenge you to cite a single principle held by Evan Bayh. I don't think the man has one in his body. Sadly a characteristic that didn't translate from father to son.

"If the election were held today, who would you vote for?" Names rotated
Bush/Cheney Kerry/Edwards Unsure

7/6/04 43% 54% 3% "

King do you have a source for this one? I never remember Kerry polling ahead by more than a couple points.

are labels for the intellectually challenged...

can't understand what's going on?

pick a team and support it....

that way you don't have to prove that you don't know how to think....

anyone that can think knows you can't because you live

"by the label"

I wear (whatever they're wearing, intheHamptons),

I worship (deep thinkers, like Nietzche, though I've never read him)

I can't think for myself, but I know if I drink beer, live in georgetowne, have a place in kennebunkeport, or graduate from Santa Barbara....

that means _I'm somebody_ not that I'll ever really feel like that, but since I need approval

from other morons, I'll find out what the winning team is and support it...

because I'm stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid...

I'll prove it by voting for George Bush because he's supporting family values like

homo phobia,

killing people from other countries that wear towels on their head,

beer drinking and barby ques....

and he loves gawd....that's why he sends people overseas to kill the ones that gawed doesnt' love....the

ALLAH WORSHIPERS....everyone with a brain knows that gawd is not called allah...

sounds like a girl...kill em...

left right conservative, I'm a simple soul just needt o be toold how to vooooote

thanks so much,

I live you!

.

Posted by: Silent Cal,

"Actually, what you are doing is lynching an African-American with no evidence to support your claim. Some liberal you are. But then again, you probably think Blackwell is not "really" black since he is a conservative."

Cal, you seem to be confused. Liberal and conservative is not a color of your skin. It's policy.

Blackwell will lose if Ted Strickland keeps doing what he is doing, which is working hard and presenting mainstream moderate Democrat policies. Strickland was a Methodist Preacher and if he preaches those credentials he will tone down the far rights turnout and power in the race. Strickland is winning by about 8% in poll. I doubt he will win by that much, but I am sure he will win. Sherrod Brown will have it harder in Ohio. Ted Strickland has too many things going for him. He is the perfect candidate for this election for state and national Democrats. He will be able to do what Tim Kaine did in Virginia with his religion. His win in Ohio, will be used by Democrats as a model, and be more of a spokesman for the party to reach into the religious vote, which we already trying to court. His win will also set up a win for the Democrats in 2008 in Ohio. Having a Governor from your own party is crucial to a victory especially in a swing state. The Media is really focusing on the Democrats taking back Congress as a sign of a Democrat tidal wave that will be important for the Democrats to take back the country. What is more imporatnt is the Governor races. There Democrats can set up a grass roots organization, and lay down networks and inroads into Red States, which will help the Democrats in the future and the 2008 Presidential Election. If they pickup the seats that are supposed to, and a principled Democrat like Bayh, Warner, or Edwards is the nominee than they are good position to win the whole thing.

Speaking of California

( Arnold causes Ice Age for California Conservative Republicans. Dr. Freeze can freeze more than just Batman. )

Even if Arnold wins re-election, democrats still win. Arnold's Left turn redefines the State's Republican Party. Causing California Republican to veer futher and futher away from the Republican National Party. Arnold's is socially liberal and fiscally conservative. This works for him in California. But, this is a death march for republicans in California. New republicans in the state are practically expected to be like Arnold to survive in California. This is rapidly causing the extinction of conservative republicans throughout the state of California. Well, at least California has nice museums where children can see what a conservative republican looked like before the Dr. Freeze but them on Ice. Maybe a mad scientist can bring conservative republicans back to California using DNA in a park or something. Nahhh, that only happens in the movies.

Chris,
Even though CA was not ranked, I would have like to know your comments about how the race has changed gears dramatically in the past three weeks due to the unprecedented revenue received, the current Governor's strong and public comments that prove his leadership. This has taken all the wind out of the Westly and Angelides jugger(nots) and reduced them to calling each other names. Not very inspiring. The June 6 primary (yawn) will focus more on the Attorney General race (do we need Jerry Brown in yet another public office?) as we hope to get a young, more vibrant public official who doesn't have half a century of political history with the state.
Isabel
Santa Monica, CA

I think Tina is a Paid Lobbyist for Condi.

Slogan: Condi best thing since Peanut Butter!
Or
Slogan: Condi beter than condiments!

I am just thankful Tina's check for "Pushing Conservative Judges" didn't come in this week so she took a breather on judges.

oh, sandwich, "There has never been a terrorist attack on Canada."

sorry, that's not true. I think you meant to say, the Canadian government has never made its population live in fear over terrorist attacks but quietly worked to get the guilty parties.

I know - from personal experience - that there have been terrorist attacks both in and from Canada.

But, amusingly, few Canadians worry about it. Thank god.

as to "Here's a fact. You live in Canada and can't vote here. therefore, what you think is totally irrelevant. good thing since it is so foolish anyway. Now crawl back to your moose bedmate and leave us alone."

Interesting, this is EXACTLY what shifted Italy - all the non-resident Italian citizens that voted outside the country.

When I lived up in BC, I could vote - if I was in the Rockies, I just had to drive down and vote there, when I was in Vancouver BC I just went to the Consulate and cast my ballot.

It's my right.

Mind you, while the poster lives in Nova Scotia now that you dissed, and I've lived back in Seattle since 89, trying to spread FUD like that really is weak and desperate.

Feel the wave. It's coming. And few Republicans will be left standing in its wake.

Tina, once again you show your lack of connection with reality, pushing Rice uphill.

Face it, you're looking at wholesale slaughter. You totally lost the moderates, you lost the few liberals that thought Bush was compassionate, and now most conservatives are running away fast from the SS Big Debt that is neocon utopianism.

Rice never had a chance to begin with, and half as much as she started with six months ago even then.

_illegal_ immigration show,

talk about putting on a show!!!!!

what is that about?

and who is the ATTORNEY GENERAL Gonzales? there's a trustworthy,

learned the way of the world kinda guy....he's all bushy....

coyote'

brujo e'vile

"If you are looking for stopping the deaths, consider the actual death rate of the country of Iraq, normalized for population. then compare some major US cities."

So you want me to compare the death rate of the entire COUNTRY of Iraq to the death of a SINGLE CITY in the U.S. ???? Wow - you're more stupid than I thought. How is it relevant to compare the death rate of a country to the death rate of a TINY SEGMENT of another country? I fail to see how your suggestion answers any questions or helps out your absurd assertion that Iraq is now a winning issue for Bush b/c there is a "new Iraqi government starting today". What would be a meaningful exercise would be to compare the death rate for Iraq as a country (adjusted for population, of course) to the death rate for the entire U.S. I won't supply the facts because you won't believe me anyway but try to look it up if you can. That is, if you can find the time when you are'nt trying to compare apples and oranges.

Nothing more pitiful than a delirious republican who makes up ridiculous and crazy comparisons b/c he can't debate me or anyone else on the facts about Iraq. Pathetic.

I love how you completely dodged the issue of REAl change in Iraq, zouk, not just a benchwarming government.

KZ, you are absolutely hysterical. Your posts are nothing but heated rhetoric yet you accuse others of not making substantive points. You should seriously consider running for office as a Republican.

If you want substance, why don't you try addressing the fact that the war in Iraq has distracted us from the actual war on terror? Or the fact that Iraq is actually far MORE unstable and dangerous now - and a haven for terrorist - than it was before the war?

Instead of talking about the RELATIVELY low casualty rates, try discussing the tens of thousands of soldiers who have been seriously wounded and maimed in Iraq? Anything to say to those folks? I'm sure your only "answer" is that I must be a "liberal" and that therefore you don't need to address my points. However, if you'd actually like to engage in a debate on ANY substantive issue I'd love to respond. You see, debate isn't hard when you're argument is actually predicated on simply telling the truth. That's all you have to do to argue against Bush today - just tell the truth.

that is what this administration is and their cohearts...

what happened to Tina?

I thought you wanted to defend something.

It's interesting that this administration uses women as plants in the blog groups,

and women have been amongst the most disenfranchised by the whole

white boy (anti)christ-ian, killthem/patriotic rhetoric

womens rights have moved about to the pre sixties levels...

little button hats, dress-suits stepford wives ala laura are in...

.

Where's California? Schwarzenegger's got a 36% approval rating in a blue state. Once the Democrats resolve their primary, whoever they nominate will be the favorite going into the fall. I know the Beltway types have this CW about primaries being divisive and leaving the nominee battered and broke, but that's BS. Just look at the Republicans in 2004. Nobody will remember what was said for the next 2 weeks by one Democrat about the other by November. They'll just remember that Schwarzenegger has about as many political personas as he has Terminator movies (2004: bipartisan Arnold, 2005: Bush Arnold, 2006: Democrat Arnold). Which one will we get in 2007? Also, this whole bond package is very overrated. That's nice that he's finally passed something. What else has he done? The strong Democratic voting patterns of California are going to make getting re-elected exremely difficult for Arnold. He probably can't win without his opponent screwing up in a big way.

Blackwell hasn't got a chance in hell of winning. Republicans in Ohio have been economic as opposed to religious conservatives. Blackwell is far out of the mainstream. And as for Ohio being a "red" state, Bush's 35% approval rating and Taft's 18% approval rating certainly would not suggest that. And you'd better check again about Strickland being "conservative." Being a pro-gun Democrat does not make you conservative.

arrested the current president and his appointees along with his staff, and JCS's...

could you get that done before monday?

thanks.

and my name isn't liberal.

I'd like to teach you to fly.

.

I'd say give him a break, but don't you think that the NSA is already on to all of us, anyway?

I would suggest checking out this guys' email address and alert the airport customs officials....

terrorist alert, elitist sucking on something long and hard...as usual, but more often it's closer to the ground and facing a crack...

.

HOMELAND SECURITY ALERT: VIVA above "I will smoke a Havana and perhaps even enter the USA with one or two, I also return from overseas with a few on my person."

I believe that VIVA now has actually met the elements necessary for a criminal conspiracy/smuggling prosecution.

Off with his head!

VIVA, just remember, "It is the Law," as conservative prosecutors so seriously remind us whenEVER they are prosecuting the most minor infractions.

I'd hate to have to begin referring to VIVA as "Unindicted Felon."

without diss information raising it's ugly head...

hey zoukee, hired any illegals lately?

or your buddy ralph?

Ohio guy as usual has nothing of substance to add so he throws around a few insults and his favorite word "hypocrisy". Is that what you have gotten away with and called substantial thought in your life? come out from under the bed and tell us what you really think.

If you are looking for stopping the deaths, consider the actual death rate of the country of Iraq, normalized for population. then compare some major US cities. Interesting exercise. I guess Washington DC is a failure according to your metrics. do you know what the death rate of the US military is under peacetime conditions? try comparing that too. I won't supply the facts because you won't believe me anyway but try to look it up if you can. It would be nice if you Libs could advance a measure by which you would be satisfied with something our government did.

OH MY GOD!!!

"Hey nitwits, you will all have to find something else to carp about now. It seems the new Iraqi government is starting today."

Wow - a new government eh? I guess that means an end to the daily deaths, murder and violence in Iraq huh zouk? I guess you're going to say that we've "turned the corner" in Iraq? Just how many corners have we turned now George...er...zouk? And just what kind of f*****-up dodecahedron shape are we making over there with all these corners we're turning?

Newsflash king of hypocrisy: until there is some kind of tangible, REAL peace and security in Iraq, and soldiers and innocent civilians stop losing their lives everyday, the Iraq War will be and should be considered a failure.

Simply having butts physically in the seats of the Iraqi government is not going to solve and problems in itself. If such were the case, our country would have no problems.

Idiotic Wishful Thinking.

Viva - NYC - yeah I remember that, teaches you for going into the lion's den.

Can anyone tell me why the customs guys asked me exactly where I was going when I carried my US Flag handbag? It was if I had answered the wrong country, they would have required me to pack a different bag.

Save the world and this is what you get? curiouser and curiouser.

"Speaking of Canada, I will be spending OH taxpayers $$ at a conference in Montreal next week." - VivianBush04OH

Wow. How telling. Here is a republican openly bragging about how she is going to Canada to piss away American tax dollars in the process. Don't republicans claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility and lower taxes? The party that condemns the waste of public funds?

Repiglican Hypocrisy at it's finest.

Please bookmark the following sites:

www.wsws.org
www.onlinejournal.com
www.takingaim.info
otherside123.blogspot.com

Senate hearing on CIA nominee: Democrats rubberstamp Bush police-state spying

By Patrick Martin
19 May 2006

Use this version to print | Send this link by email | Email the author

The Senate hearing Thursday on the nomination of General Michael Hayden to head the Central Intelligence Agency demonstrates the bipartisan congressional support for the Bush administration's assault on the democratic rights of the American people.

While there were scattered criticisms of the methods of the Bush administration, particularly its failure to consult with Congress, every senator on the Intelligence Committee accepted the premise that the United States is engaged in a "war on terror" and that the Bush administration's escalation of domestic surveillance and wiretapping is a product of that war.

There was no challenge to the Orwellian label, "terrorist surveillance program," which the Bush administration has chosen to apply to a program which actually involves the surveillance of the telephone calls and Internet messaging of nearly the entire American population--an estimated 225 million people. It would be far more accurate to describe the electronic monitoring and data-mining by the National Security Agency (NSA) as the "universal surveillance program"--or as the Pentagon once labeled its own version of the program, "Total Information Awareness."

Not one senator, on the Intelligence Committee or off it, will acknowledge the basic truth that the Bush administration is a far greater threat to the democratic rights of the American people than all the terrorists in the world. Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda may be capable of terrible crimes, but they cannot impose a totalitarian dictatorship in the United States. That threat comes solely from the American ruling elite and its military-intelligence apparatus.

General Michael Hayden is a sworn enemy of the democratic rights of the American people. In his six years as head of the NSA, from 1999 to 2005, he was responsible for both the program of interception and eavesdropping on international phone calls, revealed by the New York Times in December, and the creation of an enormous database of the telephone calling records of 225 million Americans, made public by USA Today May 11.

While some press reports in the past week have suggested that the domestic telephone monitoring was less sweeping than reported by USA Today, perhaps limited to long distance phone calls, about 20 percent of the total, the New York Times quoted an unnamed "senior government official, granted anonymity to speak for publication about the classified program" confirming that "the security agency had access to records of most telephone calls in the United States."

A lawsuit brought by the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF), a group opposed to Internet censorship and spying, has produced evidence of widespread interception of traffic on the web by the same telecommunications companies that turned over phone records to the NSA. EFF legal director Cindy Cohn told Bloomberg News Wednesday that AT&T had carried out "real-time diversion of customer Internet data" as part of its collaboration with the NSA.

In his appearance before the Senate committee, Hayden adamantly defended both the legality and the necessity of telecommunications spying, while refusing to discuss any aspect of the program except in a closed session, where members of the Senate panel were sworn to secrecy. This was combined with a denunciation of leaks to the press which exposed both the illegal domestic surveillance and the CIA's network of secret prisons overseas, where selected prisoners are interrogated and tortured outside of any legal process. CIA officers "deserve not to have every action analyzed, second-guessed, and criticized on the front pages of the newspapers," he said.

Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, sounded the same note in his opening remarks, when he rejected

FOR THE REST GO TO:

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/may2006/hayd-m19.shtml

My Subway Boy, your comments are VERY telling. Such venom. Nobody has threatened your patriotism so lighten up.

Hate. All Canadians are really hateful of Bush? Hmm, must say I know what it's like.

I've been to many countries around the world and as an American, I have never gotten any hostility from anyone. And, I make it a point to wear my flag pin too.
But the most hatred and hostility I ever received was as a Republican in NYC at the 2004 Convention. There the far left crazies were threatening and dangerous.

Indeed I will enjoy myself in Montreal and I do speak some French and I will smoke a Havana and perhaps even enter the USA with one or two, I also return from overseas with a few on my person.

VivaBush04OH

BREAKING NEWS

http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/

May 19, 2006 -- Tony Snow's "tar baby" comment was not his most egregious utterance. Tony Snow defended his use of the term "tar baby" in his Tuesday press conference, his first after succeeding Scott McClellan. Snow correctly states that the term is used as a reference to Uncle Remus hugging a tar baby, which means he was in a sticky situation. The term has also been used in a racist context.

However, when Snow began to cry while talking about his bout with cancer, he apologized for his "Ed Muskie moment." While Snow can, perhaps, be given a pass for the tar baby comment, his reference to a situation involving Ed Muskie's presidential primary campaign in New Hampshire in 1972 was nothing less than appalling. Muskie, who was the clear frontrunner in the New Hampshire primary, was responding to a couple of nasty articles in the conservative Manchester Union Leader. The paper had published a story suggesting that Muskie's wife Jane used an ethnic slur to describe Americans of French-Canadian descent. Muskie, standing on the steps of the Union Leader and denouncing the false reporting of the paper, broke down in tears. The media picked up on the event and, in suggesting that Muskie demonstrated weakness, helped erode Muskie's support. He barely eked out a victory in New Hampshire over Sen. George McGovern and went on to lose the national primary race. It turned out that the Union Leader's story about Jane Muskie was based on a forged letter prepared by Richard Nixon's campaign. The perpetrator of the forgery was one Donald Segretti, later jailed in the Watergate scandal for, among other things, planting forged documents and criminal conspiracy. During the 1972 campaign, Segretti became aware of a young Republican political activist in Texas who showed much promise in the dirty tricks department. His name -- Karl Rove.

Now Rove faces his "Segretti moment" in the CIA Leakgate affair. Washington, DC has been abuzz with rumors and story planting for years in this case. Rove learned well from his mentor Segretti. This morning, DC anxiously awaits a press advisory from the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) regarding a major development in the Rove case. If past is prologue, a press advisory will be issued mid morning about an afternoon press conference. We are standing by.

Note on U.S. Attorney John Briggs vs. US Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Archibald Cox, the Watergate Independent Counsel, was appointed in May 1973. Briggs indicted Segretti the same month after a Justice Department investigation that took about a half a year. Rove has been under investigation by Fitzgerald since the Special Counsel's appointment on Dec. 30, 2003, a period of two and a half years. Briggs coordinated his investigation with Independent Counsel Cox and Attorney General Elliott Richardson while Fitzgerald, as a Special Counsel, is only protected from pressure from the White House by an administrative firewall. This clearly demonstrates the problems that can be encountered in not having an Independent Counsel Statute to avoid the political pressure that can be applied to a less independent Special Counsel.

After seeing so much time and energy taken up above on Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, etc. I think that this weekend CC should have just stuck with the O-R-I-O-L-E-S and Nats.

Go O's!

Not my facts. I cited my source. It seems you have your own personal facts, perhaps invented. An easy assumption since you are making things up as you go along.

I did not question your patriotism or citizenship, although it would have been an obvious question since you keep saying "we" when you mean Canadians. I have absolutely nothing against Canada and enjoyed my visit to Montreal, especially my overconsumption of Maudit.

But it quite another thing to glorify it at the expense of your homeland. your insinuations are at odds with each other.

supporting abortion and murderous dictators is a questionable practice. not supporting the US war on terror for whatever reason is an act of cowardice and convenience. must be that French thing.

Hey Viva, hate to tell you this, but my hunch is that Blackwell and the other Repubs you cheer so much for would hardly want you to have "Viva" and other Spanish words next to your name. They certainly wouldn't want you to sing the National Anthem in Spanish, and would probably check your documentation.

RMill, I think you should get your own column on this blog.

RMill - My thoughts EXACTLY regarding your response to Melvin's comments earlier. Only a right-wing nutjob would consider being pro-worker and pro-feeding-the-starving to be "liberal" stances.

Oh, and you list MD as "in the bull pen"? Isn't O'Malley ahead by like 14 points? O'Malley looks really strong to me - great record of growth as mayor, $3M in the bank....now if only that pesky Duncan would just get out of the way.

Wells -

Ken Blackwell believes he is morally superior to everyone in Ohio except Pastor Rod Parsely (think Ohio's own Pat Robertson - but even crazier), hence carrying around the Bible everywhere.

Once again, KZ, you don't have your facts straight, and I know you don't care but I'll set the record straight for everyone else. Unemployment rates are always lower in the US than most other industrialized nations. That has nothing to do with the strength of our economy; it's because the US has the narrowest definition of unemployment. In Canada, reading the want ads qualifies as unemployed and looking for work. In the US, it doesn't. So you're comparing apples and oranges there. The fact is that US unemployment was at a 40 year low under Bill Clinton, but has yet to approach those levels since he left office. Canada's unemployment rate (and your data is quite dated) is the lowest it's been in 32 years. If the US were in such a position, perhaps consumer confidence in the economy wouldn't be in the toilet.

I LIVE in Canada, I am not a CITIZEN of Canada. Perhaps if you weren't so ignorant you'd know the difference. I am a US citizen and will vote in my primary and local elections this fall (I have never missed an election since my 18th birthday and don't intend to now). I already sent my absentee ballot application. And even if that weren't the case, it wouldn't make my opinions (or the facts I cited which you don't care about getting wrong) irrelevant. I spent over 3 years working in the US Senate before moving here. I was born in Indiana and have lived in 6 states and visited 27. Don't you dare question my citizenship or patriotism.

I pay $500 per YEAR in health care premiums as an international student, and I had to have a series of doctor visits, none of which cost me a penny. I have to have some overnight studies done in the hospital, which I waited a whopping 2 weeks to get. None of them cost me a penny either. I have allergies and take Allegra, which you need a prescription for in the US but I can buy over the counter here. While Americans debate whether pharmacists should be allowed to refuse to do their job by filling a legal prescription, emergency contraception is available over the counter in Canada. And because pharmaceutical advertisements are banned, drug prices are a fraction here of what they are in the US. (Why do you think all those seniors come up here to buy their meds?? Best health care in the world, my ass!)

Yeah, you'll pay a hefty tax on Cuban cigars here, as you should. The difference is that they're easy and legal to buy in Canada because we trade with Cuba, unlike the hypocritical US (we must boycott Cuba while passing Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China??). Better smoke em all before you get to customs though, or you might get sent to Guantanamo! Montreal is a neat city. Enjoy the tulips, they're all in bloom now. But you might have to speak French, and I hope you aren't spending taxpayer dollars at any of our porn shops or strip clubs! I challenge you to find a single Canadian who doesn't hate George Bush.

I think California should make a splash on the list sometime soon.

I'm thinking after the June 6th primary.

GDP
$1.072 trillion USD7
$11.995 trillion USD10
US has 11.2 times greater GDP.

GDP per capita
$32,678 USD7
$40,560 USD10
US has 19.4% greater GDP per capita.

GDP growth rate (2003)6
2.0%
3.0%
US GDP is growing by 1.5 greater rate.

Personal Disposable Income per capita (2002)1 $18,779 USD
$27,170 USD
US has a 30.9% higher disposable income.
Unemployment Rate (2003)6
7.6%
6.0%11
Canada has a 1.6% higher unemployment rate.
Total Tax Receipts as % of GDP (2001)6 35.1% 28.9% Canada collects 6.2% more money in taxes as expressed in % of GDP.
Nobel Prize Laureates (2002)5
10
------------------------
Total per 1 million pop: 0.31
270
------------------------
Total per 1 million pop: 0.96
US has 3.1 more Nobel Laureates per capita.

Arbitrarily chosen for achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace.

http://www.unitednorthamerica.org/simdiff.htm

Dig a little deeper. I especially like the Nobel laureates. Banging Moose wasn't on the list. Or is that moosehead?

I think you are off base in not including Florida in your top 10. That race is going to be ALOT closer than the current money situation would reveal. Especially now that it appears that Katherine Harris will be heading up the Republican ticket as the Senate candidate. Democrats are going to come out of the woodwork in droves to vote against her and it could very well swing the Governors race as well as Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General and some close US House races, like districts 9, 13, and 22.

If you are a betting man, head over to Tradesports. you can actually put your money where your mouth is and wager on the election. I consider this source to be rather accurate since it is people who have a stake in an outcome, not windy, bloviators. the odds of a Senate switch are currently 20/80 - not too likely. the house on the other hand is 45/49 almost even but leaning against a switch. Interesting.

and close doesn't really count in this type of election. Just ask Al Gore.

that this pres idnent who cares less for you than last years toilet paper, which is still stuck to your face...

decided to take $30 dollars a month away from your citizens to finance his illegal invasion so he and his friends could get rich on oil prices....

and it would prbobabyl been momre effective to have ujst stolen the money anyway....

idiot.

.

The teen abortion rate is 40% higher