I don't get why McCain is only a few points behind Obama.

[Deadeye]

Quote by: Clarence strong language but, truth.

It is also a construct of inept government. In short we caused it ourselves and largely by massive stupidity and shortsightedness in Washington DC.

[maximdewinter]

Quote by: Thanatos Maxim, you're a disgrace to Republicans everywhere. If you drive a Civic correctly you get 56 mpg. Talk all you want but that's how much my dad actually gets out of his. Presumably your blogger drives like a moron.

Well then I might just as well be a disgrace to Democrats too since I am neither a Republican or Democrat. I am Ron Paul libertarian who has decided to vote for John McCain because he is a better candidate than Barack Obama.

You assume a lot. You shouldn't make assumptions. You assume that I'm against hybrid cars. I'm just reporting what I've read about people who are not as thrilled about them as you would expect from all the hype. Here's more debunking of hybrid hype your daddy notwithstanding:

Prius Owners Question Mileage Claims

• Winternet.com displays the site owner's Prius [COLOR=red][COLOR=red ! important][FONT=&quot][COLOR=red ! important][FONT=&quot]fuel [/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=red ! important][FONT=&quot]consumption[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] records dating back to 2002. The lifetime average as of Nov. 20, 2005 is 43.2 mpg, a bit worse than Sandra's experience.
• On another site, randyrathbun.org, a person we'll assume is Randy Rathbun displays his log dating back to March 31, 2002. His lifetime average: 47.332 mpg.
• On the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association Website, a consumer identified as RJF has posted his Prius log, starting July 14, 2005. His lifetime average to date: 49.221 mpg.
This comes as no surprise to [COLOR=red][COLOR=red ! important][FONT=&quot][COLOR=red ! important][FONT=&quot]automotive[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] experts. Data from Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports' real-world driving test, the Civic Hybrid averaged 26 mpg in the city, while the Toyota Prius averaged 35 mpg, much less than their respective EPA estimates of 47 and 60 mpg. Hybrid cars performed much closer to EPA estimates in Consumer Reports' indicates that hybrid cars get less than 60 percent of EPA estimates while navigating city streets. In
highway tests.

So according to you all these people are not driving their hybrid cars correctly?

Quote by: Thanatos Our electricity supply comes from coal, not oil. I don't really like it but it works. In terms of raw energy its also more efficient (don't quote me because I do not remember the source but I assure you it was a notch above someone's blog), but that is a moot point because the U.S. has enough coal for centuries and its relatively easy to get. Oh, and while you're figuring out how to drive a Civic correctly also try coating your roof with something other than black heat-absorbing shingles so you worry less about your AC power draw. A huge, huge part of America's energy problem is stupidity in one form or another.

You completely avoided the point I was making about how if everyone plugged their electric cars into their wall sockets the the entire grid would go down. If each car were drawing 57,000 watts per hour while charging, what would the color of peoples roofs have to do with price of eggs in Peru?

Also I noticed that you avoided my question about why it would be a logical thing to set up a system of energy generation that was dependent on the weather when weather patterns are changing. We're going to assume here that is indeed illogical to do that and so your solar fantasy in remote areas vanishes too.

[Clarence]

t is also a construct of inept government. In short we caused it ourselves and largely by massive stupidity and shortsightedness in Washington DC.

this is a representative gov't

[Clarence]

yeah that mileage is pretty high. hybrid tech is not all it has cracked up to be, yet

I'm calling bs on the Ron Paul libertarian claim.

[thebuescherman]

Quote by: Deadeye Note how congress is doing nothing now. They are probably waiting for the outcome of the election and if predictions are correct the D's will have a large majority in both houses.

Disturbing and true. We've put off the problem for 30 years. Now that the stakes have risen, they feel content with making us wait longer so they can get re-elected.

[maximdewinter]

Quote by: tivodan1116 LOL @ your ignorance of his views... Ron Paul advocates bringing home every single troop stationed anywhere outside the United States on his first day in office. Clearly not what you favor.

Boy some people on this board really make a lot of assumptions. I have written here several times that I was against the Iraq War in 1991 and 2003. I am against the war in Afghanistan. I was against the war in Kosovo. But I am not anti war.

I would love it if we could bring home every single troop, but since this far reaching empire took almost 100 years to build only a fool could believe you could undo immediately what has taken so long to set up. That was my beef with Ron Paul...you have to deal with reality and he does not want to. A rapid pullout from Iraq would endanger a lot of lives and be counterproductive. But yes long term I would like to see a draw down of American forces everywhere, and I would like the US out of NATO and the UN. OK?

[rez]

With like 50 people to support him at a speech given after Obama won the primaries, McCain delivers an unenthusiastic, boring speech that has all been said and done before. He has to use Obama's "Change" phrase throughout the whole speech. He can't even say the word with confidence, the word is so foreign to him.

"Thats not change we can believe"

YouTube - John McCain Speech from Kenner, LA, June 3 2008

What exactly can we believe in John McCain? God? Guns? Does this man actually have an opinion? critical thinking skills?

How about republican citizens? Obama is a Muslim Terrorist? Would an average citizen even know what a Muslim was if they didn't bomb the world trade center? Does the American citizen even know what a Muslim is NOW?

I also see that republican voters are dissapointed by Obama saying 57 states instead of 47. What exactly am I missing here? Do American citizens actually have the honesty to formulate an opinion based on ideas and how well they can work?

[Deadeye]

Quote by: Clarence this is a representative gov't

You are saying, I guess; that the public didn't want to drill for oil, build nuclear power plants, build petroleum processing plants, etc.. and that the government was simply doing their bidding.

It is the responsibility of the government to do what is right. Remember the public is busy putting food on the table, putting gas in their cars, buying insurance, and trying to raise their kids not to get into the drug selling biz. So the public is busy.

Since that's the case the people in government, who have nothing better to do, are supposed to access the situation and inact laws that solve problems. In this case they have not done so. No matter what the public felt either way.

[Clarence]

decisions made mostly by elected officials. Yet, as voters we seem unable to ascertain what is wrong with the old or how exactly we want the new.

[Deadeye]

Quote by: Clarence decisions made mostly by elected officials. Yet, as voters we seem unable to ascertain what is wrong with the old or how exactly we want the new.

I think that you just said that the public doesn't know what it's talking about, since; to quote you: "we seem unable to ascertain what is wrong with the old"......

Time and time I've heard pundits say that it's not wise to "underestimate the will/skill/knowledge of the American public". Is this true or false?

We can agree, I think that this energy crisis is a massive screw up. As we both know the members of congress are developing cramps in their fingers while pointing them at each other for hours on end, and doing nothing meaningful about it.

I hope that the public can formulate a plan for this crisis and then pass that plan off to the congress. We are not, after all; all that stupid. The trouble is; the Congress is.

[Clarence]

Time and time I've heard pundits say that it's not wise to "underestimate the will/skill/knowledge of the American public". Is this true or false?

it's hard to see when you're getting maced. notice I said we have been unable to ascertain. Between pundits and mass media, we're not given a fair chance to make good decisions. Good public servants may have a hard time winning an election in this atmosphere. But each political year, chock full of bullshit, gets the public that much more...more...well I guess it depends on who you are.

Many people can see what's wrong, we've just not the clearest of solutions in the form of representatives. Most of us can tell that the things McCain represents are not what we want.

I know that you and Xyzer and others represent him, and that's because you think he's the best and most capable leader available to us. right?

[Thanatos]

Quote by: maximdewinter So according to you all these people are not driving their hybrid cars correctly?

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.

Quote by: Maxim You completely avoided the point I was making about how if everyone plugged their electric cars into their wall sockets the the entire grid would go down. If each car were drawing 57,000 watts per hour while charging, what would the color of peoples roofs have to do with price of eggs in Peru? Also I noticed that you avoided my question about why it would be a logical thing to set up a system of energy generation that was dependent on the weather when weather patterns are changing. We're going to assume here that is indeed illogical to do that and so your solar fantasy in remote areas vanishes too.

I did neither. You shoud see why that sort of thing absolutely has to change and if you read it you know I never said solar. I said more of something else. Solar would be a nice supplement and you can store it or move it long distances for those rainy days but in the meantime there's this other black stuff that won't run out any time soon and is easier to clean up.

Climate change? If clouds of evaporated sea water blot out the sun then we will build hurricane resistant wind farms in the shade. This... is... America!!!

[loser]

He is not a Muslim. Anyone with a brain should be able to understand that.

How so? Is it because all spies, subversives, and infiltrators are bound by duty and moral conscience to expose their true intentions? If a Muslim terrorist organization wanted to bring down America, how would they go about trying to do so? Would they listen to what Nikita K said years ago (about America, paraphrased): "We will bring them down without a shot...from within"? If they attempted to put an Arab mole into the White House, wouldn't he pass himself off as 'Christian'? That's what anyone with a brain would understand. It's called espionage and anyone with the resources can play that game. A case in point? The Columbian drug cartel has been using a submarine to smuggle drugs into the USA!

Naivety is not equal to "anyone having a brain".

and despite his posturing I don't think he'll suddenly up and leave Iraq. And he's right, Afghanistan is needing more attention.

I think it would help America immensely if we would completely withdraw from world affairs for a few years and concentrate on righting our own ship. The rest of the world would love to see America healed from our disease of BUTT-IN-ITUS and if we REALLY wanted to help the rest of the world, we would become fiscally solvent. By withdrawing from all world affairs (and its immense monetary outlay), no other country is going to take over the world and a strong America could better position itself as a world leader. Instead, we are helping the Arab world grow into a powerful kingdom once again, mostly through petro-dollars.

The man's a buffoon.

Name the last president that wasn't.

I didn't realize there were so many grossly misinformed people like you in America.

Where do you get YOUR information...CNN? God? LOL...I've been to your site...people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Do you just make up these "facts" or is there some source that provides you with them, like Fox News (excuse the oxymoron)?

LOL...what's YOUR news choice...the 'New York Times'...'San Francisco Chronicle'?

It utterly flabbergasts me that people will write--and truly believe--things that are patently false. It's astounding. Sarcasm is the least I can do.

I'm there, buddy...you stole my line.

I think the working public mistrusts Obama! He is golden tongued(in scripted performances) but has proved wrong and ill informed on matters of security and the two middle eastern campaigns designed to counter terrorism. That is a worry and should be to a nation that has been hit by several terrorist attacks and spent money and lives trying to stabalize the middleeast.

See? Everybody's not sarcastic...some people actually talk intelligently!

Does anyone really think that what the Germans think about one of our candidates means anything?

Yeah, uh, I think we should OPPOSE any candidate that they like...them, and the French!

Obamas popularity is primarily with the leftist US press and an awed bunch of students, unemployed and barely productive citizens looking for bigger government and more handouts. Those of us who have to pay the bills are less impressed with his promises of more government control and handouts.? He is making a big deal out of nothing, hoping the media will enhance his reputation of campaign foolishness. McCain is at least acting normally?

Exactly so, but don't forget the underachieving minorities, as well. It amazes me how many Afro-Americans are actually NOT on Obama's bandwagon. That, in itself, should be cause for alarm.

Personally, I think BOTH choices suck. I won't be surprised if voter turnout is the lowest of all time, even with the novelty of an African-American candidate. Our country is in trouble (just like the rest of the world) because of our political leaders. The checks and balances aren't working.

Capitalism is a capital crime. Consumerism has consumed us. Conservatives don't conserve and liberals are licentious. Communes are cool but communism is cracked. Being sociable is super but socialism sucks. Whatcha gonna do? If Alfred E. Neuman was running for president, I might vote.

[grandpa]

Quote by: loser How so? Is it because all spies, subversives, and infiltrators are bound by duty and moral conscience to expose their true intentions?

How so? First off, you have zero evidence. Second, you have to prove that, even if he is a "secret Muslim," he intends to "destroy the United States." Third, your argument simply reeks like a simple-minded attack.

Grandpa h.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Hell, I could see a reasonable muslim president as a plus.

[evensaul]

"The first thing I'd do as president would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act," he said to a meeting of Planned Parenthood, referring to legislation that would lift all state restrictions on abortions across the country.

Obama never heard of an abortion he didn't like.

[Clarence]

Quote by: evensaul "The first thing I'd do as president would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act," he said to a meeting of Planned Parenthood, referring to legislation that would lift all state restrictions on abortions across the country. Obama never heard of an abortion he didn't like.

who'd you vote for in the last election?

now tell what they've done to prevent innocent deaths.

[Dan_77]

Quote by: evensaul "The first thing I'd do as president would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act," he said to a meeting of Planned Parenthood, referring to legislation that would lift all state restrictions on abortions across the country.

What's your point?

The pro-life position doesn't make sense to me, just as the drug prohibition position doesn't make sense. Abortions will happen whether they are legal or not and nothing you or anyone else can do will stop that. They might as well be above-board and safe.

Furthermore, I thought conservatives were supposed to be against government making personal, intrafamily decisions for people?

[evensaul]

Quote by: tivodan1116 What's your point? The pro-life position doesn't make sense to me, just as the drug prohibition position doesn't make sense. Abortions will happen whether they are legal or not and nothing you or anyone else can do will stop that. They might as well be above-board and safe. Furthermore, I thought conservatives were supposed to be against government making personal, intrafamily decisions for people?

Murders and bank robberies will happen whether they are legal or not. Burglaries and identity theft will happen whether they are legal or not. Lots of crimes happen even though they are illegal. Should be make all of them legal?

Everyone knows Obama has a far-left position and thinks innocent babies have no right to live.

[Matt W]

I suggest you drop the personal remarks. Re-read the rules, please. This is a debate site, not a flame-fest.

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